(Chapter 383)
Just as the Shadow Hound's jaws were about to clamp down on Elara, a streak of golden light slammed into its side. The beast roared in pain and stumbled back, momentarily stunned. Liam, Dawnbreaker blazing, had thrown himself into the path of the creature.
"Elara, get up!" he yelled, his stance firm as he faced the enraged hound.
Scrambling back, Elara retrieved Whisperwind, her heart pounding in her chest. The white glow of the blade had faded, but the memory of its effectiveness against the shadow creature spurred her on.
The remaining Shadow Hound, its green eyes fixated on Liam, lunged again. Liam met its charge, Dawnbreaker a whirlwind of golden light. Each strike seared the beast's shadowy form, causing it to hiss and recoil, but it pressed its attack with relentless ferocity.
Elara, regaining her footing, moved to flank the creature. Remembering the vulnerability she had exploited, she focused her inner light once more, channeling it into Whisperwind. The silver blade began to glow again, not as intensely as before, but with a steady, determined luminescence.
The Shadow Hound, sensing the renewed threat from Elara, momentarily diverted its attention. It snapped at her with its massive jaws, forcing her to dodge back. This brief distraction gave Liam the opening he needed. With a powerful thrust, he plunged Dawnbreaker deep into the hound's chest.
A shriek of pure agony ripped through the air. The Shadow Hound convulsed violently, its shadowy form flickering and dissolving like smoke caught in a strong wind. It collapsed onto the stone floor, leaving behind only dissipating wisps of darkness.
Liam withdrew Dawnbreaker, its golden light dimming slightly. He turned to Elara, his expression a mixture of relief and concern. "Are you alright?"
Elara nodded, still catching her breath. "Shaken, but unharmed. Thanks to you." She glanced at Whisperwind, the faint glow receding completely. "We need to find a way to maintain this light."
They cautiously approached the opening in the cliff face, the entrance to the next stage of their journey. The air within felt heavy and still, a stark contrast to the howling wind outside.
"Be ready for anything," Liam murmured, stepping into the darkness. Elara followed closely behind, Whisperwind held ready.
The passage beyond the opening sloped downwards, the darkness absolute. Liam held Dawnbreaker aloft, its golden light pushing back the oppressive gloom, revealing rough-hewn walls and a floor littered with loose stones. The silence here was unnerving, broken only by the sound of their own footsteps.
As they ventured deeper, the temperature began to rise. A faint, reddish glow emanated from ahead, growing stronger with each step. The air became thick with the smell of sulfur and something else… something ancient and faintly metallic.
The passage opened into a vast cavern, the source of the reddish glow now apparent. A river of molten lava flowed through the center of the cavern, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Strange, crystalline structures jutted out from the rock, their surfaces shimmering with an internal heat.
And in the heart of the cavern, upon a raised dais of obsidian, stood a figure wreathed in shadow and flame. The Shadow Lord.
He was taller than any man, his form clad in dark, ornate armor that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. A helm concealed his face, but two piercing red eyes glowed from within its depths, burning with malevolent power. In his gauntleted hand, he held a staff of twisted black metal, its tip pulsing with dark energy.
The Shadow Lord did not move, did not speak. He simply stood there, radiating an aura of immense power and cold fury. The very air seemed to crackle with his presence.
A wave of despair washed over Elara, more potent than anything she had felt before. It was a crushing weight, threatening to extinguish the very spark of hope within her. Liam staggered slightly, his grip tightening on Dawnbreaker, his face etched with grim determination.
"So," the Shadow Lord finally spoke, his voice a low, resonant growl that echoed through the cavern. "The Luminary's shadow and the inheritor of ancient blood. You have come far."
He raised his staff, and the molten river pulsed with a darker intensity. Shadows writhed and coalesced around him, forming grotesque shapes that mirrored the corrupted creatures they had already faced.
"Your defiance ends here," the Shadow Lord declared, his red eyes burning into them. "This world will be consumed by shadow, and you will be the first to fall."
Despite the overwhelming dread that threatened to consume her, Elara stood her ground. She drew herself up, her gaze meeting the glowing red eyes with a flicker of defiance.
"We will not yield," she said, her voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor in her hands. "The light will not be extinguished."
Liam stepped forward, Dawnbreaker held high, its golden light a beacon against the encroaching darkness. "We have come to end your reign, Shadow Lord."
The final confrontation had begun.