The nymphryn growled, crouching low, her fur bristling as it prepared to strike. Her silber, glowing eyes were locked onto the Shadow Warden, reading every flicker of its amorphous form. The tension in the air was palpable, a hum of energy that seemed to emanate from the very stone around them.


    A faint ping rang out, and the glowing interface appeared before them.


    <hr>


    System Notification New Threat Detected: Shadow Warden


    Attributes: High speed, amorphous form, resistant to physical attacks.


    Weakness: Concentrated light magic.


    Objective: Evade or neutralize to proceed.


    <hr>


    The interface faded, leaving them once again facing the Shadow Warden.


    “Great” Kaelen said. “One monster wasn’t sufficient. It’s weakness is light though – I knew that dragon fire would come in handy! Go Go Dragon Fire!!” he said making an exaggerated pushing motion with his hands.


    Nothing happened. Lyra and the Shadow monster both looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. “I said GO DRAGON FIRE! GO FIRE BALLS! GO!”


    Again, nothing. Just the sound of silence and the sight of Lyra facepalming her paw to her forehead.


    After a brief, absurd moment where the three of them stared at each other and realized no fireballs would be forthcoming, the Shadow Warden moved, lunging forward with a speed that seemed almost unnatural. Kaelen barely had time to react before the creature’s limb—if it could be called that—slammed into the ground where he had been standing, leaving a jagged scar in the stone. Dust and debris exploded upward in a choking cloud, and Kaelen instinctively rolled to the side, his blade already drawn.


    The nymphryn sprang into action, darting in from the side, its claws glowing faintly with light as they raked across the Shadow Warden’s shifting form. Sparks of brightness flared where its claws connected, and the creature hissed in pain, but the effect was fleeting. The shadows twisted and reformed almost immediately, knitting themselves back together as if untouched.


    Kaelen slashed with his sword, his grip firm and his movements swift. Yet each stroke felt futile, like cutting through fog. His blade met no resistance, slicing through the creature’s amorphous body without leaving a mark.


    “Of course,” Kaelen muttered, frustration mounting. “A thing made of shadows wouldn’t care about steel.”


    The Warden turned its attention to the nymphryn, its blazing, white-hot eyes narrowing. A limb, black and writhing, lashed out toward the feline. The nymphryn leapt high, twisting midair to evade the blow. She landed lightly on a crumbling ledge, growling with a ferocity that belied Her slender form. Her white fur shimmered faintly in the dim light, as though charged with residual energy.


    Kaelen gritted his teeth and glanced down at his side. The Shard hung at his belt, faintly glowing.


    “Think,” Kaelen muttered to himself, his mind racing. “There has to be a way to get those fireballs…the system said I have them!”


    Desperation clawed at him. He clenched his fists, trying to summon the translucent interface. Yet no matter how hard he focused, the interface refused to appear.


    “Come on!” Kaelen growled in frustration, the words echoing off the tunnel walls. “System, Dragon Fire, fireballs, anything! This is not the time to be stubborn!”This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The darkness around them seemed to mock him with its silence. No System, no interface, no answer, no aid, no Dragon FIre.


    The Warden surged forward again, forcing Kaelen to dive out of its path. It struck the ground where he had been standing, sending shards of stone flying. The nymphryn darted in once more, its claws gleaming like tiny daggers as they tore into the Warden’s form. This time, the strikes left glowing, jagged marks that hissed and fizzled in the creature’s shadowy mass. Yet even this assault proved temporary. The Warden’s form reconstituted with unnerving speed, its edges solidifying as it turned toward the nymphryn with renewed fury.


    “Leave her alone!” Kaelen shouted, charging forward. He swung his blade in a wide arc, aiming to draw the creature’s attention. The Warden shifted, avoiding the strike with an agility that defied its amorphous nature. Its blazing eyes focused on Kaelen now, their intensity almost tangible.


    “Great,” Kaelen muttered, planting his feet and raising his sword defensively. “Now you’re paying attention.”


    The Warden lunged, and Kaelen met the attack head-on. He swung his sword with every ounce of strength he could muster, the blade glowing faintly in the dim light of the tunnel. The impact sent vibrations up his arms, but the creature’s shadowy form twisted and bent around the strike, absorbing it like water around a stone.


    The nymphryn growled from behind him, and Kaelen risked a glance over his shoulder. The feline’s eyes glowed with determination, her fur bristling with an almost otherworldly energy.


    “If you have any bright ideas,” Kaelen said, “now would be a great time. The System is not giving me my Fireballs. I am not happy.”


    The nymphryn responded with a sharp yowl and darted forward again, her claws glowing brighter than before. She struck the Warden with a series of rapid attacks, each swipe leaving trails of light that lingered on the creature’s form. The Warden hissed, its amorphous body shuddering under the onslaught, but it quickly adapted, its shadowy mass shifting to repel the feline’s strikes.


    Kaelen’s grip tightened on his sword. He couldn’t keep relying on the nymphryn to carry the fight. His gaze fell once more to the Shard at his side. If the Dragon Fire was out of reach, then perhaps this relic of light would have to suffice. It was a risk, but one he had to take.


    With a deep breath, Kaelen sheathed his sword and drew the Shard. The moment his fingers wrapped around its hilt, a surge of warmth flowed through him, spreading up his arm and into his chest. The artifact’s faint glow brightened, casting long shadows on the tunnel walls. The Warden paused, its blazing eyes narrowing as if sensing the change.


    Kaelen stepped forward, holding the Shard aloft. Its light pressed against the darkness, forcing it to retreat ever so slightly. The Warden hissed, a sound like steam escaping under pressure, and recoiled a step. Its form flickered at the edges, destabilized by the artifact’s radiance.


    “So you don’t like this, do you?” Kaelen said, his voice firm and steady despite the tension in his limbs. “Good. Then let’s see how much you hate it.”


    Lyra leapt to Kaelen’s side, her glowing eyes meeting his for the briefest of moments. She growled, a low, rumbling sound, and then darted forward once more. Kaelen followed, the Shard’s light blazing as he swung it in a wide arc. The Warden twisted and writhed, its amorphous body struggling to withstand the combined assault.


    Each strike from the Shard sent waves of light rippling through the tunnel, illuminating every corner and crevice. The Warden’s form flickered violently, its edges fraying as it recoiled again and again. The nymphryn’s claws tore into it with unrelenting precision, each strike glowing brighter than the last.


    Kaelen pressed forward, his grip on the Shard firm. “We end this now,” he said through gritted teeth. With one final surge of energy, he raised the Shard high and brought it down in a sweeping motion. The artifact’s light flared, blindingly bright, and the Warden let out a piercing shriek. Its form twisted and collapsed inward, folding into itself until it was nothing more than a faint wisp of darkness that dissipated into the air.


    Silence fell over the tunnel, broken only by the sound of Kaelen’s ragged breathing. He lowered the Shard, its glow dimming to a faint pulse. Lyra padded over to him, her fur still shimmering faintly.


    Kaelen let out a shaky laugh, wiping sweat from his brow. “Well, that was something,” he said. He looked down at the Shard, its light a small but steady beacon in his hand. “Looks like you’re more useful than I thought. Good artifact.”


    The nymphryn huffed, a sound that might have been agreement or simple impatience. She turned her gaze toward the path ahead, her ears twitching as it listened to the silence. Kaelen followed her gaze, the darkness of the tunnel stretching before them like a gaping maw.