The echoes of their battle in Frostveil still lingered in Nikos' mind as the group pressed onward through the treacherous highlands. The sky overhead churned with darkened clouds, as if the realm itself whispered warnings of what lay ahead.
Vaelin led the way, his storm-forged spear crackling with residual energy from their last encounter. His sharp silver eyes were fixed on the horizon, where the ruined citadel of Eldros loomed in the distance.
"That place," Zara murmured, tightening her grip on her daggers. "It reeks of something ancient… something wrong."
Ali's ears flicked in agitation. "Eldros was abandoned centuries ago. Why would Skellith's forces take interest in it now?"
Nikos exhaled, feeling the weight of fate pressing against him. "Because history never stays buried."
As they entered the outskirts of the ruins, the wind carried the distant sound of metal scraping against stone. Shadows flickered across the shattered pillars, moving unnaturally, their forms twisted and shifting as if resisting the very light of the moon.
Vaelin halted. "We're not alone."
From the darkness, figures emerged—warriors clad in midnight armor, their eyes burning with an eerie violet glow. They carried weapons that pulsed with dark energy, remnants of Tenebris' corruption. But at their center stood a figure draped in a flowing crimson cloak, his presence alone commanding silence.
"Nikos," the figure said, his voice smooth as silk yet dripping with venom. "It has been too long."
Nikos' grip on his weapon tightened. "You…"
Zara shot him a questioning glance. "You know him?"
The figure smiled, stepping forward. "I am Lazaros, Warden of Shadows." He spread his arms in mock welcome. "And it seems you have stumbled into my domain."
Ali growled, his tail lashing. "If you think we'll just turn back—"
Lazaros chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. In fact, I was hoping we'd meet. You see… there are secrets buried in Eldros that should have never been forgotten. And you, Nikos, are part of them."
The air grew heavy, charged with an unnatural presence. The ruins trembled as dark tendrils slithered across the ground, coiling like serpents eager to strike.
Nikos stepped forward, his blade glowing faintly in response to the encroaching darkness. "Then I guess it's time we unearthed the truth."
The battle was about to begin, and in the heart of Eldros, the past would finally reveal its scars.