Selene stiffened, her eyes widening in alarm. "Did you hear that?" she whispered in a barely audible voice.

The low, grating sound of claws scratching against stone filled the room, intensifying as it echoed through the ancient manor. Adrian tensed, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword.

Selene sat rigid beside him, her face pale, her eyes darting around the room, searching for the source of the sound.

"Stay here," Adrian whispered, rising to his feet, his voice barely above a breath. "I'll check it out."

Selene shook her head immediately. "I can't just sit here alone. Let me come with you."

Adrian hesitated, his instincts warring between protecting her and respecting her choice. Seeing the conviction in her eyes, he relented with a nod. "Alright. But stay close. No wandering."

They moved cautiously through the shadowed hallways, Selene sticking close to Adrian's side as they crept down the narrow corridor. The manor was eerily silent, the faint scratching sounds their only guide, drifting from somewhere ahead.

Old wooden floorboards groaned beneath their feet, and the faint smell of decay hung in the air, thick and oppressive.

"It's like this place is... alive," Selene whispered, shivering as her eyes swept over the peeling wallpaper and crumbling stone walls.

Adrian cast a quick glance at her. "It's just an old house. Nothing to worry about." But his tone lacked conviction, and Selene caught the flicker of concern in his eyes.

They rounded a corner, reaching a door that hung slightly ajar, creaking as it swayed in the stale air. Adrian held up a hand, signaling Selene to wait as he nudged the door open with his foot.

Inside, the room was empty, save for a few scattered pieces of broken furniture and a thin layer of dust covering the floor. The scratching sounds had ceased, replaced by a thick silence that seemed to press in on them from all sides.

They searched the room thoroughly, but found nothing. Just as they turned to leave, Selene let out a startled gasp, clutching Adrian's arm as a shadow flitted across the wall, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

"Did you see that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Adrian nodded, his grip tightening on his sword. "Stay close," he murmured, leading her back into the hallway.

They continued their search, checking room after room as eerie sounds echoed through the manor, shifting and changing, always just out of reach. The shadows seemed to move on their own, shifting with the dim light of their lantern as though watching, waiting.

Back in the main hall, Lilith lounged near the dying fire, a smirk playing on her lips as she caught sight of Adrian and Selene's tense expressions.

"Enjoying a late-night stroll, are we?" she teased, her tone light but her eyes glinting with curiosity. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Hardly," Adrian replied, casting a wary glance at the flickering shadows. "This place is... strange."

Lilith's mischievous grin spread wider, her tone unfazed. "And here I thought you might've just missed my company." She rose and sauntered over to him, leaning in with a mock pout. "Need someone to keep you company tonight?"

Adrian shot her a wry look, used to her antics. "Not exactly the time, Lilith."

She sighed dramatically, but before she could retort, an eerie chill swept through the room, extinguishing the fire in an instant.

The shadows thickened, pressing in around them like a dark fog, and a faint whisper began to echo through the room—a hollow, malicious sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

Selene shivered, moving closer to Adrian. "What... what is that?"

Lilith's playful expression faded, replaced by a tense seriousness as she gripped her sword. "Looks like we have more company."

As if on cue, a shadowy figure materialized at the far end of the hall, its form barely distinguishable from the darkness itself. It was tall and thin, its limbs elongated, and its face was a void of blackness, only faint, glowing eyes visible within.

The creature's gaze fixed on Selene, its eyes burning with an unnatural hunger.

Without warning, it lunged forward, moving with a terrifying speed, its claw-like hands reaching for Selene. Adrian moved instantly, placing himself between her and the creature, his sword raised. But the blade passed right through it, meeting only empty air.

The creature let out a low, chilling laugh, its voice a whisper that seemed to slip into their minds. "Flesh and blood... so warm, so full of life…"

Selene's face went white, her body trembling as the creature reached out, its dark fingers grazing her cheek. She gasped, her eyes growing glassy, as though the creature's touch was sapping her strength.

"No!" Adrian growled, frustration and fury burning in his eyes as he swung his sword again, but the blade was useless against the intangible shadow.

Suddenly, Lilith darted forward, grabbing Adrian by the shoulder. "Let me handle this," she whispered urgently. "I know what to do."

Before he could respond, Lilith placed herself between Selene and the creature, her hands raised. She murmured a quiet incantation, and a thin veil of red energy formed around Selene, blocking the creature's grasp.

The shadow recoiled, hissing in frustration as it writhed against the barrier.

But the creature wasn't finished. It turned its hollow gaze to Lilith, lunging toward her with renewed ferocity. Just as it reached her, a powerful blast of dark energy struck the shadow, sending it flying backward.

Abyss stepped forward with a fierce expression, her hands crackling with dark power. "Get away from her," she snarled. She extended a hand toward Adrian, a faint shimmer of energy passing between them. "Adrian, let me lend you my strength."

Adrian felt a surge of energy course through him as Abyss's power merged with his own. Dark purple flames sparked along his sword, the edges of the blade glowing with Abyss's power.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself as the shadow creature advanced again, undeterred by the previous attack.

This time, Adrian struck with confidence, his blade slicing through the creature with a hiss of purple energy. The shadow let out a shriek, the sound echoing through the manor as it faltered, its form flickering.

"Keep going!" Abyss urged, her power flowing into him, guiding his movements as he advanced on the weakened creature. With each strike, the shadow grew fainter, its form dissipating under the combined force of their powers.

Finally, with a final, desperate wail, the creature dissolved into nothing, leaving only an eerie silence in its wake. Adrian lowered his sword, his breathing ragged, the lingering energy from Abyss still buzzing in his veins.

Lilith let out a low whistle. "Not bad, Abyss."

Abyss smirked, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.

Adrian quickly turned to Selene, who was still visibly shaken. "Are you alright?" he asked gently.

Selene nodded, though her hands still trembled. "I... I think so. That thing, it was trying to take control of me... like it was feeding off my thoughts, my memories."

Adrian placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's gone now. You're safe."

Ava and Medea joined them, both of them tense but relieved that the immediate threat had passed. Medea's eyes lingered on the spot where the shadow had vanished, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow.

"These creatures... whatever dark forces binds them to this village, is stronger at night," she murmured.

Adrian nodded grimly. "Agreed. We'll leave at first light. No sense tempting fate any longer than we need to."

They made their way back to the main hall, gathering their things and settling in for the remainder of the night. Though they tried to rest, the oppressive atmosphere of the manor made sleep difficult, and each of them took turns on watch, wary of any further disturbances.

As the first light of dawn began to creep through the broken windows, they prepared to leave, a sense of relief mingling with their exhaustion. But as they reached the edge of the village, a strange figure appeared in the distance, watching them silently.

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