The four of them moved as one, stepping past the soft glow of the Grove's heart and toward the forest border where the shadows had begun to stir. Lira led the way, Renkai at her side, Serelyth in her full dragon form hovering slightly above, and Thalanir moving silently beside her.
The shadows hissed, coiling like smoke around the trees, but the moment they sensed the Grove guardians, they hesitated. One lunged. Serelyth's wings whipped forward, sending a gust of wind that knocked it off balance. Thalanir slashed with his enchanted blade, light flaring as it met darkness. Renkai moved swiftly, disarming another shadow with precise strikes, while Lira called on her elemental power, vines shooting from the Grove itself to ensnare the remaining attackers.
It was over almost as quickly as it began. The shadows dissipated into the mist, leaving only a faint echo of their presence.
