The Wraithspawn wailed like tortured souls, their twisted forms crawling out from broken stones and cracks in the earth. Dozens of them, shadows flickering in unnatural rhythm, red eyes glowing like dying embers.
The System pulsed warnings in front of Rihan's eyes:
[Enemy Detected: Wraithspawn (Lv. 8–12)]
[Weakness: Light / Purification]
[Warning: Physical attacks – Limited effectiveness]
Rihan's grip on the Spectral Blade tightened. "Limited effectiveness? Great. So I'm fighting ghosts with a sword."
Elira nocked an arrow and loosed it instantly. The shaft of mana-light pierced a Wraithspawn's chest, scattering its form into mist. "They can be slain. Aim for their cores."
Lyra raised her staff, a gentle hymn spilling from her lips. Radiance spread in a protective circle, forcing the shadows back momentarily. "Stay close to me! Their corruption eats away at the soul."
---
But the swarm didn't stop. They lunged as one, clawed hands reaching.
Rihan swung hard, cutting through a wraith. The blade passed cleanly, dispersing its form—only for the fragments to stitch themselves back together.
The System flared again.
[Spectral Blade: Minimal effect]
[Recommendation: Find purification-compatible resonance]
"Purification-compatible what now?!" Rihan yelled, stumbling back as claws scraped against his shoulder. Pain flared even though nothing physical touched him—like icy fire burning his skin.
Lyra rushed forward, pressing her glowing palm against his wound. "Don't let them touch you! Their corruption sinks into the spirit!"
The warmth of her magic eased the pain, but Rihan saw her trembling. She couldn't heal everyone forever.
---
Elira cut through two more wraiths with rapid shots, her arrows bursting with emerald light. Still, more emerged, shadows piling endlessly.
"Tch—this is a cursed ground. If we don't purify the source, they won't stop."
Rihan's breathing grew ragged. "Then… tell me how to purify them!"
The System's voice chimed in his mind.
[New Protocol Unlocked: Soul Purge]
[Ability Description: Channel inner resolve to burn corruption. Damage scales with Willpower. Can only be activated under extreme duress.]
His eyes widened. "Soul Purge…?"
---
One of the larger Wraithspawn lunged, its form towering above him, jaws splitting unnaturally wide. Instinct took over. Rihan thrust his sword forward, but this time he screamed—not from fear, but from sheer refusal to fall.
Light exploded from the blade.
The shadow shrieked as fire-like radiance consumed it, burning its form into ash.
[Skill Activated: Soul Purge Lv. 1]
[Effect: Purification Strike – Target Eliminated]
Rihan staggered, panting. "Holy crap… it worked."
Lyra's eyes widened, tears glimmering. "You… you wield purification? That's impossible for a human outsider."
Elira smirked despite the chaos. "Or maybe it's exactly why he was chosen."
---
The battle turned. Rihan swung again, each strike flaring with brief bursts of light, burning through the shadows instead of merely scattering them. For the first time, the swarm faltered.
Elira moved beside him, arrows raining down with precise bursts. "Focus, human! Don't lose yourself in the glow."
Lyra lifted her staff high, her hymn rising. "By the Sacred Flame, let these souls be free!"
Her radiance fused with Rihan's strikes, creating a wave of light that pushed back the swarm.
---
One by one, the Wraithspawn shrieked, dissolved, and faded into sparks that floated skyward. The ruined crossroads brightened as if dawn itself had broken early.
Finally, silence fell. The last fragment of shadow vanished into mist.
Rihan collapsed to one knee, sweat dripping down his face. His blade flickered before fading back into nothing.
The System appeared again.
[Quest Complete: Echoes of the Fallen]
[Bonus Objective Achieved: 7 Souls Purified]
[Reward: Ability Soul Purge Unlocked – Lv. 1]
[Party Bond: Strengthened]
---
Rihan exhaled heavily. "I… I thought we were done for."
Elira rested her bow against her shoulder. "You survived. More importantly—you grew. That's what matters."
Lyra placed a hand on Rihan's arm, her expression calm but warm. "The souls are free, thanks to you. Perhaps you truly are the one the prophecy spoke of."
Rihan laughed bitterly. "Prophecy or not, I just know one thing—I don't want to keep running. If I'm stuck here, then I'll fight."
The priestess smiled faintly. "Then we'll fight together."
---
But as the trio prepared to move forward, the air rippled unnaturally. From the depths of the forest, a distant roar echoed—low, guttural, and full of malice.
Elira froze, her ears twitching. "…That wasn't a wraith. Something bigger hunts in this forest."
The System chimed ominously.
[New Quest Available: Hunter in the Blackwood]
[Warning: Difficulty – High]
Rihan clenched his fists, his heart racing. The battle was over… but the real danger of Arcanis had only just begun.