The cavern fell silent as the group pondered the orb's fate. Its faint pulsing light seemed to echo a heartbeat, each throb weighing on their minds.
"I hate being responsible for decisions like this," Xu Tian muttered. "Can't we flip a rock or something?"
Yue Lin's hand tightened around her sword. "This isn't a joke, Xu Tian. One wrong move could doom us all."
"Or save us all," Wei Ling added with a grin. "I'm leaning toward the smashing option. Nothing bad ever happens when you destroy ominous artifacts."
Shen Feng raised a hand to silence them. "Enough. Yue Lin, you touched the orb. What's your instinct?"
Yue Lin took a deep breath. "I think destroying it might break the curse, but it could unleash whatever's inside. If we seal it, the village remains cursed, but the danger stays contained."
Xu Tian frowned. "So, no matter what, we're screwed. Fantastic."
The hooded man watched them, his voice calm but cold. "There is a third option."
The group turned to him, eyes narrowing.
"Of course there's a third option," Xu Tian said sarcastically. "Why didn't you mention that earlier?"
"It is not a choice I offer lightly," the man replied. "One of you could bind yourself to the orb, absorbing the curse into your soul. The village would be freed, but you would bear its burden for eternity."
Wei Ling burst out laughing. "Oh, sure! Let me just sign up for a lifetime of misery. Sounds fun."
Shen Feng frowned. "Is that even possible?"
The man nodded. "It is. But the sacrifice is immense. Few would have the strength to endure it."
Xu Tian paled. "So, what you're saying is, one of us has to become the cursed artifact? Yeah, hard pass."
Before they could debate further, the cavern began to shake violently. Cracks spread across the walls, and the glowing carvings flickered.
"The seal is failing!" the hooded man shouted. "Decide now!"
Yue Lin turned to Shen Feng. "We don't have time to argue. What do we do?"
Shen Feng's gaze hardened. "We destroy it. Whatever happens, we'll face it together."
Xu Tian's jaw dropped. "Wait! Shouldn't we think this through—"
But Yue Lin had already acted. With a fierce cry, she swung her sword at the orb. The blade struck true, shattering the crystalline surface.
For a moment, there was silence. Then, a deafening roar erupted from the orb as black tendrils of energy burst forth, writhing like living shadows.
The hooded man fell to his knees. "You fools! Do you know what you've done?"
Xu Tian ducked as a tendril lashed out, smashing into the cavern wall. "We freed the evil thing, apparently! Great call, everyone!"
The tendrils coalesced into a towering figure, its form shifting and indistinct. Its voice rumbled like thunder.
"I am free."
Wei Ling blinked. "Okay, not gonna lie—that's a lot scarier than I thought it'd be."
The shadowy figure turned its glowing eyes on the group. "You dared to shatter my prison? Now you will share in my torment!"
The group scattered as the figure attacked, its tendrils striking with terrifying speed. Yue Lin and Shen Feng moved in unison, their blades flashing as they tried to hold it off.
"This thing is stronger than anything we've faced before!" Yue Lin shouted.
Shen Feng gritted his teeth. "Focus on its core! It must have a weak point!"
Xu Tian ducked behind a rock, trembling. "Weak point? It's made of shadows! How do you stab a shadow?"
Wei Ling tossed his coin, catching it deftly. "With a lot of luck and a little insanity." He charged forward, hurling a flurry of throwing knives at the creature.
The knives passed through harmlessly, clattering to the ground.
"Okay, scratch that," Wei Ling said, backing away quickly. "This thing is immune to knives."
As the battle raged, the hooded man crawled toward the shattered remains of the orb, his hands trembling. "The fragments—they still hold power! Use them!"
Xu Tian hesitated, then grabbed a shard of the orb. It pulsed with a faint light, sending a jolt through his body.
"This better not kill me," he muttered, clutching the shard tightly.
"Hey, shadow monster!" Xu Tian shouted, waving the shard. "Over here!"
The creature turned, its eyes narrowing. "You dare challenge me, mortal?"
"Not so much a challenge," Xu Tian replied, his voice shaking. "More of a desperate distraction!"
As the creature lunged at him, Xu Tian hurled the shard. It struck the figure's chest, erupting in a burst of light.
The creature roared, its form flickering. "What…have you done?"
The cavern began to collapse as the creature dissolved into wisps of smoke. The hooded man shouted, "Run! The chamber won't hold!"
The group sprinted toward the exit, dodging falling debris. Xu Tian tripped but was yanked to his feet by Wei Ling.
"No dying yet, Xu Tian!" Wei Ling said with a grin.
They burst out of the cavern just as it caved in behind them, the ground trembling violently.
For a moment, there was silence. Then, the group began to laugh, the sound tinged with relief and exhaustion.
"Well," Xu Tian said, panting. "That was…horrifying."
Yue Lin sheathed her sword. "At least the curse is broken."
The hooded man stepped forward, his expression grim. "You have freed the village, but at great cost. The darkness you unleashed will not rest. It will seek you out."
Xu Tian groaned. "Of course it will. Because nothing can ever just end peacefully."
The man turned to leave, his voice echoing. "Prepare yourselves, travelers. Your journey is far from over."