The air grew colder as the group descended from the plateau. The echoes of the Shadow's final roar lingered like an unshakable omen. Despite the brief victory, the terrain below seemed darker, heavier—as though the land itself mourned the destruction of its master's stronghold. Each step brought with it a deepening silence, as though the world waited to see what the Shadow's next move would be.
Ruby's hand rested on the stock of her rifle as she surveyed the path ahead. The jagged rocks and faintly glowing fissures in the ground gave no clues, but her instincts screamed that they were walking into something worse. "Stay sharp. This isn't over."
Finn glanced down at his device, its screen flickering weakly. He tapped it twice, his brow furrowing. "The signals are erratic again, but there's something big up ahead. The energy readings are… unlike anything we've seen."
"Great," Caleb muttered, adjusting his grip on his rifle. "As if that last fight wasn't enough."