The emergence of the larger, more aggressively charged Shard Walkers shifted the immediate focus from the enigmatic Obsidian Weaver to the pressing threat at hand.
Their grating screeches filled the air, and they lurched forward with a renewed ferocity, their sharp obsidian limbs scraping against the glassy rock.
"Zephyr, full perimeter ward!" Lyra commanded, her white lightblade flashing into a defensive stance.
"Einar, focus on disrupting their movements! Weaver, any insights on these enhanced variants?"
Zephyr's orange light flared, expanding into a wide, shimmering dome that enveloped all four of them.
The first wave of Shard Walkers slammed against the barrier, the impact sending tremors through the ground.
Cracks appeared on Zephyr's ward, glowing with the crimson energy of the creatures.
"They're stronger!" Zephyr projected, his brow furrowed in concentration as he poured more energy into the shield.
"And that burning energy… it's like acid!"
Einar, feeling the intensified malice radiating from the Shard Walkers, reached out with his Void sense.
The discord sown by the Obsidian Weaver seemed to be creating pockets of confusion within the swarm, but their overall aggression was definitely amplified.
He focused on the larger variants, sending focused pulses of Void energy to disrupt their jerky movements, causing them to stumble and momentarily lose their coordination.
Lyra moved with swift precision, her lightblade a whirlwind of pure energy as she engaged the Shard Walkers that managed to get close to the edge of Zephyr's ward.
Each strike of her blade caused obsidian shards to shatter and the crimson energy to dissipate, but the creatures were relentless, their numbers steadily growing as more clawed their way out of the fissure.
The Obsidian Weaver, still standing a short distance away, observed the unfolding battle with an unnerving stillness.
They raised their staff, and the whispers in the air intensified, swirling around the attacking Shard Walkers.
This time, Einar sensed a more direct influence – the whispers seemed to be highlighting weaknesses in the creatures' fragmented forms, almost guiding the Soul Wardens' attacks.
"The burning energy… it destabilizes the obsidian," the Weaver's voice whispered into their minds.
"Target the points where the crimson light is most intense. They are vulnerable there."
Lyra, reacting instantly to this new information, adjusted her attacks, focusing on the glowing crimson cracks in the Shard Walkers' forms.
Her strikes became even more effective, causing larger chunks of obsidian to break away, and the creatures dissipated more quickly.
Einar, using the whispers as a guide, focused his Void pulses on the areas highlighted by the crimson glow, further weakening the Shard Walkers and making them easier targets for Lyra.
Even Zephyr, anticipating Lyra's new strategy, began to focus his Radiant Flow blasts on those same points, his pure energy causing violent reactions with the unstable crimson light.
Despite their coordinated efforts, the sheer number of Shard Walkers was overwhelming.
Zephyr's ward groaned under the relentless assault, and Lyra was forced to move with increasing speed to intercept the creatures before they could breach their defenses.
The Obsidian Scar had truly become a battleground, and the swarm of obsidian creatures showed no signs of abating.