Ren moved, not with the blurring speed he used against the Rock-Hides, but with the silent, predatory grace of a night hunter. The two Night Prowlers, their lean, dark forms barely visible against the forest floor, were closing in on the unaware woman. Their Aura was a hungry, cold thing, focused on their prey.
He chose his target: the Prowler on the left, closer to the woman. It was just about to spring. Ren didn't shout a warning. He simply acted. His hand, already on his sword, drew the steel with a faint whisper that the Prowlers, focused as they were, wouldn't hear over the groaning of the Grove Guardian. His movements combined his Martial Arts training with a burst of his internal Aura, making him faster than anything natural in this forest.
He was a dark streak in the moonlit clearing. The Prowler recoiled as his blade, a streak of moonlight, met its flank. It wasn't a killing blow, just a deep, agonizing cut meant to disable and create chaos. The creature shrieked, a sound like tearing metal, and stumbled.
The second Prowler, startled, finally registered Ren's presence. It snarled, turning its attention from the woman to this new, unexpected threat. But Ren was already moving, flowing into the space the first Prowler had left open. He didn't engage the second one directly. Instead, he spun, using the momentum to kick a loose rock with precise force. The stone, filled with a whisper of his Aura, shot forward and struck the Night Prowler squarely on the snout. It yelped, confused and disoriented.
The woman, finally aware of the shift in the air, whipped her head around. Her eyes, wide and startled, landed on Ren, then on the thrashing Prowlers. For a moment, her focus on the Grove Guardian wavered, causing the shimmering Divine energy around it to flicker.
"Focus!" Ren said in a low command, barely a whisper, but it cut through the night. He didn't look at her; his attention was entirely on the two recovering beasts. "Contain the Guardian. I'll handle these."
The woman hesitated for a heartbeat, then, to Ren's quiet surprise, she nodded. She was quick to respond. Her hands resumed their intricate dance, and the starlight motes of Divine Power solidified around the Guardian once more, tightening their hold.
The Prowlers, now fully alert, launched their attack. They were fierce, moving with desperate, animalistic cunning. Ren met them with cold precision. He didn't waste movement. Each parry and thrust was aimed to cause maximum damage with minimal effort. He dodged a snapping jaw and let a claw swipe harmlessly against his Aura-reinforced leather. Then, with a swift, brutal movement, he disabled the second Prowler's front leg.
They were no longer a threat. Their howls of pain echoed through the clearing. Ren stood over them, his sword point lowered and his breathing steady. He glanced at the woman. She had the Grove Guardian completely contained now; its furious thrashing had turned into weak tremors within the shimmering Divine net. She let out a long, ragged breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
She turned to him fully, her dark curls framing a face smudged with dirt and streaked with sweat. Her eyes, vibrant green even in the dim light, were intelligent and wary.
"You're a Shadow Walker," she said. Her voice was quiet but firm, with a hint of ancient knowledge. "They say you only appear when things are truly broken."
Ren didn't respond. His face was unreadable. "It's contained," he said, nodding towards the Guardian. "What now?"
She straightened and pushed a strand of hair from her face. "It was agitated. Something disturbed its rest. I'm trying to guide it back to the Heartstone." She gestured towards the towering monolith. "It's a conduit of Ancient Divine Power, one of many hidden across this land. They're like anchor points for the world's spirit. The Guardians are tied to them, keepers of that old magic." Her gaze was serious. "My name is Lyra. I'm a Rune Weaver."
Rune Weaver. Ren recognized the term from his old texts. They were a rare lineage, families or small, isolated groups who had inherited the ability to directly manipulate raw Divine Power, weaving it into patterns and symbols. This was different from the more common temple Channelers who relied on faith and specific rituals. They were thought to be protectors of these ancient sites, but most believed they were long gone.
"Ren," he stated, offering only his name. He studied Lyra. Her Aura was complex, intertwined with the ancient Divine energies of the clearing, vibrant and wild. She was strong, and her goal of protecting the Guardian and the Heartstone matched his desire to understand this sudden disturbance.
"So," Lyra said, a faint, tired smile touching her lips, "it seems we have a shared problem, Shadow Walker. And now, a shared enemy, if those Prowlers are anything to go by." Her green eyes met his, showing a flicker of curiosity. "Are you going to help me guide this mountain of roots back home, or just stand there looking grim?"
Ren considered her words, the situation, and the implications. An unexpected ally with deep knowledge of the forces that had drawn him here. It was a chance to understand more about the Ancient Divine Power she wielded. This was a calculated risk, but a logical step forward.
"Show me," he said, his voice flat but firm, taking a step towards the glowing net containing the thrashing Guardian. "How do you plan to do that?"