Ron and Dale cautiously moved through the twisted battlefield, constantly on guard for potential threats around them.
"Master, look over there!" Dale suddenly pointed into the distance, her voice tinged with excitement.
Following her direction, Ron saw a massive building ruin.
It was a structure that might have once been some kind of temple or fortress, but now it had been distorted beyond recognition by abyssal energy.
The walls curved at impossible angles, and muscle-like tissue had grown between the stones, making it look like a skinned human organ.
The most striking feature was a tower in the center of the ruins, its top flickering with a ghostly blue light, like a beacon guiding the way.
"That must be it," Ron judged, "It’s likely the control point we’re looking for."
They quickened their pace toward the ruins, but the closer they got, the more Ron felt a strange unease.
The air was permeated by an unusual energy fluctuation, not the corrosive power of the abyss, but something older and purer.
"Master... something is watching us," Dale suddenly whispered, her keen Sea Siren senses picking up the anomalies around them.
Ron nodded; he too felt the sensation of being watched.
It was as if countless eyes were hiding in every shadow of the ruins, coldly observing the two intruders.
"Stay alert, don’t stray too far from me," Ron cautioned, his hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.
However, they reached the entrance to the ruins without encountering any attacks.
The eerie silence only heightened their unease.
The interior of the ruins presented a surreal scene.
Walls and floors were covered with a layer of pulsating flesh, occasionally twitching irregularly, making moist sounds;
Countless translucent sack-like structures hung from the ceiling, with vague humanoid outlines visible inside, but they were not entirely human, instead, they were some indescribable twisted beings;
The air was filled with a humid and cloyingly sweet smell, like the insides of some large creature.
Ron carefully avoided the quivering flesh on the ground, searching for a path to the central tower.
"Master, what are those?" Dale pointed to some strange symbols on the walls.
The symbols looked like some kind of ancient script.
But the lines twisted and flowed unnaturally, seeming to slither like a living thing on the stone walls.
Ron approached to examine them, only to find that the symbols subtly changed under his gaze, becoming harder to decipher, as if willfully avoiding comprehension.
"They must be ancient writings twisted by abyssal power, possibly documenting the history or purpose of this place."
Ron speculated but knew that now wasn’t the time to study ancient civilizations; they had to find the control point quickly.
Passing through a series of warped corridors and rooms, they finally reached an open space at the center of the ruins.
It seemed to have been a hall or a place of worship, now reduced to a ruin.
But the central altar remained intact, surrounded by several half-collapsed stone pillars.
On the altar stood the glowing tower, and they had to go through the altar to enter the tower.
"We are here, but..." Ron cautiously surveyed the surroundings:
"It’s too quiet, something’s not right."
Just as he finished speaking, the air around the altar suddenly warped, rippling like the surface of water.
Several blurry figures emerged from the air, gradually taking solid form.
They were five humanoid creatures wearing tattered armor, their skin a pallid gray covered with black patterns, eyes hollow yet glowing with ghostly blue light.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, as if controlled by a single consciousness, drawing weapons from their waists and forming a circle around Ron and Dale, hemming them in the center.
"Shadow Nightmare Hunters..." Ron immediately recognized the creatures:
"Warriors who died on ancient battlefields, their souls twisted by abyssal power, turned into semi-corporeal beings."
Dale nervously moved closer to Ron, her hands starting to gather water elements, ready for battle.
"Master, they... seem to be waiting for something."
Indeed, the five shadow nightmare hunters did not attack immediately but remained on alert, as if awaiting a signal.
Ron stepped forward experimentally, and the five hunters reacted instantly, pointing their weapons at him, yet still refraining from attacking.
"They’re guarding the altar..." He quickly understood the situation:
"We have to deal with them to approach the control point."
He swiftly assessed the situation.
Shadow Nightmare Hunters are known for their speed and synchronized attacks, but their degree of materialization is low, giving them some resistance to physical attacks.
Conventional weapons have limited effect on them, but magic can counter them effectively.
"Dale, we need to coordinate," Ron said softly:
"You prepare the water prison technique, I’ll draw their attention."
The Little Sea Siren nodded, quietly stepped back a few paces, and began forming complex gestures, as water elements slowly gathered around her.
Ron, in turn, infused his longsword with spiritual power, coating it with a thin layer of light flame, the result of combining the "Ring of Brilliance" with his swordsmanship.
"Let’s go!"
He suddenly burst into action, charging towards the nearest shadow nightmare hunter at incredible speed.
The five hunters immediately sprang into motion, their actions as fast as lightning, launching an attack on Ron almost simultaneously.