"Back up!" I yelled, but it was too late. The ancient form rising from the depths was like nothing I had ever seen—a colossal beast made of shadow and stone, its monstrous form shifting as if it were alive and dead at the same time. Its roar echoed through the cave, shaking loose jagged rocks from above.

Jacob, Mascot, Seth and Ethan were already in position, their bodies tensed, ready for battle. I could see the hesitation in their eyes. This wasn’t just a fight against Eden’s werewolves; we had awakened something much older, much darker.

Clara let out a soft gasp beside me. “The cave’s guardian… it’s real.”

Of course, it was. Nothing was ever as simple as a quick grab-and-go. I cursed under my breath, gripping the hilt of my blade tighter as I assessed the situation. The Cranum glowed just behind the advancing werewolves—close, but still out of reach.

“We can’t fight them all,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady, even though fear was clawing at my insides.

“We don’t have to,” Jacob growled, his eyes flicking toward the rising beast. “We use it.” Before I could protest, he lunged forward, his body blurring as he transformed mid-leap into his wolf form. His massive paws slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave through the cave that momentarily threw the werewolves off balance.

“Go!” Jacob snarled, his voice deeper, wilder in his transformed state. “I’ll hold them off.” The dark werewolves were already recovering, their eyes burning with hatred. They charged, their growls mixing with the deafening roar of the cave guardian. Without thinking, I grabbed Clara’s arm and yanked her toward the Cranum.

“We need that relic now, or none of us are getting out of here alive.”

Mascot had already rushed forward transforming as well to meet the first of Eden’s wolves head-on, his claws ripping through their flesh with brutal efficiency. The clash of fangs, claws, and snarls filled the cave, but we didn’t have time to watch. I forced my legs to move, ignoring the overwhelming sense of doom that filled the cavern.

Seth was by our side, his powerful frame cutting down any werewolf that came too close. His magic-enhanced strength was a major help, smashing one wolf against the cave wall with a single punch. But even with him protecting our rear, I knew we were running out of time. Ethan, the werewolf hunter, with a protective gaze that lingered on Clara, readied his crossbow. “Let’s move. We don’t have much time.”

Clara stumbled beside me, her breath ragged as she muttered an incantation under her breath, her hands glowing faintly with magic. “I can’t control this kind of power, Tasha… this is—this is too much.”

“We don’t need to control it,” I said through gritted teeth, “we just need to survive long enough to grab the Cranum and get out of here.”

The cave trembled again, a massive boulder falling just inches from where I stood. I dodged it, my pulse quickening as the beast’s shadow grew larger. Finally, we reached the pedestal where the Cranum sat.

Up close, its glow was almost blinding, a pulsating light that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. I could feel the ancient magic radiating from it, tugging at the edges of my consciousness, whispering dark promises. I reached out, my hand hovering above the artifact for just a second.

It felt wrong, like touching it would tether me to something far worse than what we were already dealing with. But I had no choice. We needed it. The moment my fingers brushed the cool surface of the Cranum, a surge of energy shot through me, knocking the breath from my lungs. I staggered back, gasping as visions flashed in front of my eyes—of death, destruction, a world consumed by darkness. I could hear distant screams, feel the cold touch of helplessness.

“Tasha!” Clara’s voice snapped me out of it, and I blinked, shaking my head to clear the fog. The Cranum was now in my hand, its weight heavier than I expected, both physically and mentally. The moment I held it, I knew. This thing was cursed.

“We have to go, now,” Clara said, her voice barely above a whisper as she glanced nervously at the cave guardian, which had turned its attention to us. The dark werewolves, too, seemed to sense the shift in power, their snarls growing louder as they closed in.

Mascot, Jacob, and Ethan were still battling the wolves, their movements fierce but desperate. Jacob’s eyes flickered to us for just a second, his Alpha instincts clear. He wanted us to run. Ethan’s crossbow twanged, another wolf dropping, but even he was starting to falter as more enemies flooded the cave.

“Get out of here!” Mascot growled, his voice strained as he tore into another wolf. “We’ll cover your escape!” My heart twisted. We couldn’t just leave them here, but the Cranum’s energy was already drawing more enemies toward us. Staying meant certain death. Clara tugged at my arm.

“Tasha, we don’t have time—”

“Go!” Jacob snarled again, baring his teeth as he tackled a werewolf to the ground. I hesitated for only a second before making the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I turned and ran, clutching the Cranum tightly as Clara and I sprinted toward the cave entrance.

Seth was right behind us, his fists still glowing with the remnants of his magic as he helped clear the way. The ground was shaking violently now, the cave beginning to collapse as the guardian’s massive form roared behind us. I could hear the dark werewolves snarling as they gave chase, and somewhere in the chaos, Mascot’s growls echoed in the distance.

Jacob and Ethan caught up with us as we neared the entrance, blood streaking down their arms but their expressions fierce. “Keep running!” Jacob shouted over the deafening noise. The exit was just ahead—a faint glimmer of light amidst the darkness. Just as we reached the mouth of the cave, a massive chunk of rock broke free from above, crashing down in front of us and blocking our escape. The cave wasn’t going to let us go that easily.

“No!” I skidded to a halt, panic rising in my chest. The walls were closing in, the guardian’s roar growing louder, and the werewolves were almost upon us.

“We’re trapped,” Clara whispered, her voice trembling as she backed away from the fallen boulder.

But Seth’s eyes narrowed, his jaw set with determination. “I’ve got this.” He stepped forward, his hand glowing faintly with magic-enhanced strength. His muscles strained as he pressed his hands against the boulder, gritting his teeth as it began to shift. Slowly, the rock groaned as it moved just enough for us to slip through.

“Hurry!” he grunted, his face contorted with effort. Clara, Jacob, Ethan and I squeezed through the gap, the cool night air hitting our faces like a blessing from the gods. I glanced back just in time to see Seth stumble through the opening, his magic flickering out as the boulder crashed back into place behind him, sealing the cave shut. We had made it. But Mascot was still inside.

For a brief moment, I considered going back. The thought of leaving him behind scared me. But the Cranum pulsed in my hand, reminding me of the greater danger we faced. If we didn’t stop Eden, our efforts would be for nothing.

“Let’s go,” I said, my voice hollow as I turned away from the cave. Clara and Jacob followed in silence, their faces grim. Seth lingered for a moment, his gaze fixed on the sealed entrance before he finally turned and joined us.

Just then, a sharp crack echoed behind us. I froze, my pulse quickening. “Did you hear that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Jacob’s head snapped toward the sound, eyes narrowing.

“Yeah, I heard it.” Before we could react, the massive boulder blocking the cave exploded outward, shards of rock scattering as a figure stumbled through the dust. It was Mascot, bruised and battered, but alive.

“Mascot!” I shouted, rushing to his side. “Are you okay? Clara, heal him—quick!” Clara knelt beside him, her hands already glowing with magic as she began her work. Mascot looked up at us, a weak but defiant smile tugging at his lips.

“How the hell did you get out of there?” Jacob asked, his voice full of disbelief. Mascot chuckled softly, despite the exhaustion in his eyes.

“You think I’m giving away all my secrets?” He pushed himself to his feet, brushing off Clara’s attempts to keep him still. I stared in shock. He looked like he’d been through hell, but his strength was still there.

“Aren’t you hurt?” I pressed, unable to hide my concern.

“I’m fine,” Mascot replied, his voice firm despite his obvious weariness.

“We need to move. Now.” As if on cue, a chorus of howls pierced the night, the unmistakable sound of dark werewolves.

They are coming.