The cave entrance loomed before us, a jagged mouth in the mountainside. Two old men stood like sentinels at its threshold, their eyes fixed on ra and Maia who cowered before them. I watched from my hiding ce, waiting for the right moment to strike.


    "This is the one," the first elder said, pointing a bony finger at ra. "The pure dark energy body. Master Adrian will be pleased."


    The second elder nodded, his wrinkled face twisting into a cruel smile. "And what about this one?" He gestured toward Maia, who trembled visibly.


    ra stepped protectively in front of her friend. "Leave her alone," she demanded, her voice brave despite her obvious fear. "She has nothing to do with this."


    Maia''s eyes darted nervously between ra and the elders. Then something changed in her expression – a calction, a decision. Self-preservation won out over loyalty.


    "It''s her!" Maia suddenly cried, pointing at ra. "She''s the one Anthony Harding has been searching for! Not me! Take her!"


    ra''s face registered shock and betrayal. "Maia? What are you doing?"


    The elders exchanged satisfied nces. "Smart girl," the first one said to Maia. "Run along now. We have no use for you."


    Maia didn''t hesitate. She bolted past them, disappearing into the forest without looking back. ra called after her, but it was toote.


    "Traitor!" ra shouted, her voice breaking. Then she turned to face her captors, chin raised defiantly. "You''ll regret this when Liam finds you."


    The second elderughed. "Liam Knight? He''s busy fighting our decoys miles from here. By the time he realizes the deception, it will be toote."


    They seized ra''s arms, dragging her struggling form into the darkness of the cave. I wanted to rush in immediately, but Conrad''s firm hand on my shoulder held me back.


    "Wait," he whispered. "We need to see where they''re taking her."


    I gritted my teeth but nodded. He was right. Acting rashly could put ra in greater danger.


    Inside the cave, torches cast eerie shadows across water-slicked walls. The passage descended steeply, opening into a vast chamber that made my blood run cold. Ancient symbols covered the floor in concentric circles, forming a massive array. Bloodstained instruments lined stone tables along the walls. In the center stood a raised tform with iron shackles.


    Adrian Bauer waited there, his tall figure draped in crimson robes. His eyes lit up when he saw ra.


    "Finally," he breathed, examining her like a prized specimen. "The pure dark energy body. Do you know how rare you are, child?"


    ra spat at his feet. "I know you''re a monster."


    He smiled, unperturbed. "Not a monster. A visionary. Today, we make history."


    The elders forced ra onto the tform, securing her wrists and ankles with the heavy shackles. She struggled frantically until one of them struck her across the face, leaving a bright red mark.


    "It''s a shame we couldn''t capture Liam Knight as well," Adrian continued, preparing various instruments. "A chaotic body would have been the ideal catalyst. And that statue he possesses..." He shook his head regretfully. "No matter. You''ll suffice."


    ra''s eyes widened. "What are you going to do?"


    "Resurrect our ancient ancestor," Adrian replied simply. "And you, my dear, will provide the necessary dark energy."


    He raised his hands, and the array beneath the tform began to glow with sickly purple light. ra screamed as dark tendrils emerged from her body, pulled forcefully by whatever spell Adrian was working.


    "It hurts!" she cried out, her back arching in agony. "Stop!"


    Adrian ignored her pleas, his chanting growing louder. The dark energy formed a swirling vortex above ra''s chest. Her skin paled dramatically, her strength visibly draining away.


    "Please," she whimpered, her voice growing fainter. "Liam... help me..."


    Her eyes began to close, consciousness slipping away under the brutal extraction of her energy.


    The cave suddenly shook violently. A blinding sh of blue light sliced through the darkness, disrupting the array''s glow. The ritual faltered, the dark energy dissipating momentarily.


    "What is this?" Adrian demanded, whirling toward the cave entrance.


    I stepped forward, my bronze sword gleaming with intense spiritual energy. Conrad stood beside me, his eyes zing with fury as he saw ra''s weakened form.


    "Get away from her," Imanded, my voice echoing through the chamber.


    Adrian''s surprise quickly gave way to amusement. "Liam Knight. I was justmenting your absence." His eyes narrowed. "And Conrad Thornton. Come to avenge your brother''s death, have you?"


    Conrad''s jaw tightened. "Miles died because of your twisted experiments. I''ll make you pay."


    ra''s eyes fluttered open at the sound of our voices. "Liam?" she whispered weakly. "Conrad? You came..."


    "Hold on, ra," I called to her. "We''re getting you out of here."


    Adrianughed, the sound bouncing off the cave walls. "Bold words. But do you truly think you can stop what I''ve begun?" He gestured to the elders, who moved to nk him. "This ritual has been in preparation for decades."


    "It ends today," I stated tly, raising my sword.


    The elders began channeling dark energy, their hands weavingplex patterns. The array beneath ra red back to life.


    "Kill them," Adrian ordered casually. "I''llplete the ritual."


    The elders attacked simultaneously, sending sts of corrupted qi toward us. I deflected them with my sword while Conrad charged forward, engaging the first elder in closebat.


    I focused on the second elder, closing the distance between us quickly. He hadn''t expected my speed. My de sliced through his sleeve, drawing blood. He hissed in pain, retreating a few steps.


    "The rumors were true," he muttered. "Your power has grown significantly."


    I didn''t waste time responding, pressing my advantage with a flurry of strikes. Each contact of my de with his dark energy sent sparks flying through the air.


    Behind us, ra''s screams intensified as Adrian resumed the extraction. I needed to end this quickly.


    Channeling pure spiritual energy into my sword, I executed a technique I''d been developing in secret – the Cleaving Heaven Strike. The de erupted with blinding blue light as I brought it down in a powerful arc. The elder attempted to block, but my attack shattered his defense, cutting deep into his shoulder.


    Conrad was simrly gaining the upper hand in his battle, his grief-fueled rage lending him strength. His opponent stumbled backward, blood streaming from multiple wounds.


    Adrian nced our way, irritation recing his earlier confidence. "Impossible," he muttered.


    With the elders faltering, we turned our attention to Adrian. He backed away from ra, focusing his energy on us instead.


    "You may have defeated my servants," he sneered, "but they are nothingpared to me."


    Dark power swirled around him, far more intense than what the elders had wielded. The cave temperature dropped dramatically, frost forming on the walls.


    "Conrad," I said quietly, "free ra while I hold him off." <samp ss="in-imprint-a">This version is sourced from MV3L3MPYR.</samp>


    Conrad nodded, circling around toward the tform while I kept Adrian''s attention.


    "You''re interfering with forces beyond your understanding," Adrian warned me. "The resurrection cannot be stopped."


    "Watch me," I replied, bringing my sword to a ready position.


    Adrian attacked first, sending a whirlwind of dark energy crashing toward me. I sliced through it with my de, dispersing most of the force, though some still hit me like a physical blow. I staggered but kept my footing.


    Behind Adrian, Conrad had reached ra and was working on her shackles. Adrian seemed unaware, his focus entirely on me.


    "You''ve grown strong, Liam Knight," he admitted grudgingly. "But you''re still just a novicepared to masters of the dark path."


    He summoned more power, the air around him distorting with its intensity. I braced myself for another attack, channeling every ounce of my spiritual energy into my defense.


    A savage smile spread across Adrian''s face. "With just the two of you? An Inner Strength Master and a newly-promoted Grandmaster?" He shook his head in contemptuous disbelief. "Do you really think you stand a chance against me?"