The decision to capture the Shadowstalker was a gamble, a deliberate break from their cautious existence. The potential intelligence it could yield, however, outweighed the inherent risks in Xai's mind. They moved with a coordinated precision honed by weeks of training, Lyra taking the lead, her movements as silent and fluid as the shadows she commanded.
Faelan flanked her, her twin bone daggers held ready, her senses acutely attuned to any subtle shift in the environment. Xai followed, his demonic energy thrumming beneath his skin, ready to erupt at a moment's notice.
The Shadowstalker continued its methodical search amongst the crumbling ruins, its movements unnervingly silent and efficient. It paused frequently, its head tilting as if listening to whispers on the wind, its dark eyes, barely visible beneath the cowl of its cloak, seeming to pierce through the veil of twilight. It exuded an aura of detached observation, a predator confident in its superiority.
Lyra signaled with a subtle hand gesture, indicating their flanking positions. They moved like phantoms, utilizing the dense vegetation and the shadows cast by the ancient trees to conceal their approach. Xai felt a strange sense of calm amidst the adrenaline coursing through his veins. The echoes of Emperor Xai's tactical acumen seemed to resonate within him, guiding his movements, anticipating the Shadowstalker's patterns.
As the Shadowstalker rounded a crumbling archway, its attention momentarily focused on a series of ancient glyphs etched into the stone, Lyra made her move. With a burst of speed that belied her lithe frame, she lunged forward, her shadow tendrils erupting from the ground like grasping claws, ensnaring the Shadowstalker's legs.
The reaction was instantaneous and terrifyingly swift. The Shadowstalker emitted no sound, but its body contorted with unnatural speed, attempting to evade the shadowy restraints. Faelan was upon it in the same instant, her bone daggers flashing in the dim light, aiming for vital points.
Xai moved to intercept any potential escape, unleashing a wave of concentrated demonic energy that slammed into the Shadowstalker's chest, momentarily staggering it. The air crackled with the clash of shadow against dark fabric, bone against flesh.
Despite their coordinated assault, the Shadowstalker proved to be a formidable opponent. It moved with an uncanny agility, its body seemingly defying the laws of physics. Even ensnared by Lyra's shadows, it managed to unleash a wave of invisible force that buffeted them, momentarily disrupting their attack.
However, their combined assault, coupled with the element of surprise, proved too much. Faelan's daggers found their mark, piercing vital points, and Xai's demonic energy left a searing coldness in its wake. The Shadowstalker finally went still, its cloaked form collapsing silently onto the moss-covered stones.
They approached cautiously, their senses still on high alert. Lyra dispelled her shadow tendrils, and Faelan nudged the unmoving form with the tip of her dagger.
"It's subdued," she confirmed, her voice wary. "But these beings are resilient. We need to secure it."
Using lengths of thick, magically reinforced vine they had prepared for such contingencies, they bound the Shadowstalker securely, its limbs and torso tightly constricted. They then carried it to a secluded section of the ruined hall, a relatively intact chamber that could serve as their temporary interrogation room.
As they laid the Shadowstalker on the cold stone floor, Xai examined it closely. Even unconscious, it exuded an aura of unsettling stillness. Its face was hidden beneath the deep cowl, but the glimpses of skin he could see were pale and almost translucent. Its limbs were slender but wiry, hinting at a deceptive strength.
The interrogation proved to be a frustrating and unnerving endeavor. The Shadowstalker remained stubbornly silent, seemingly impervious to pain or intimidation. Lyra attempted to probe its mind with her shadow magic, but encountered a formidable mental barrier, a cold, unyielding wall that resisted her every attempt. Faelan's more direct methods of persuasion, involving the sharp edges of her daggers, yielded nothing but a chilling silence and a disturbing lack of reaction.
It was Xai, drawing upon the fragmented memories of Emperor Xai's methods of extracting information from captured foes, who finally found a potential avenue. He recalled a technique involving the manipulation of subtle energy flows within the body, disrupting the natural rhythms and forcing a response. It was a delicate and dangerous method, one he had only glimpsed in his past life memories, but their desperation pushed him to attempt it.
With painstaking concentration, Xai focused his demonic energy, channeling it into thin, almost invisible threads that he carefully guided into the Shadowstalker's meridians. The effect was subtle at first, a faint twitching of its limbs, but as he deepened his control, a low, guttural sound escaped the Shadowstalker's throat.
The interrogation that followed was not one of words, but of carefully applied pressure and the manipulation of internal energies. Xai gleaned fragmented pieces of information – the Heavenly Court's widespread surveillance network, the existence of specialized hunter units tasked with tracking down remnants of rebellious factions, and the general direction of their search patterns. He learned that their sanctuary had likely been discovered through a residual energy signature left by Xai's outburst when they fled their previous hiding place.
The Shadowstalker revealed little about specific plans or high-ranking officials, its mental defenses clearly well-trained. However, the information they did manage to extract painted a grim picture of the Heavenly Court's relentless efficiency and the scope of their surveillance.
As the interrogation drew to a close, leaving the Shadowstalker weakened and unresponsive, a heavy silence settled in the chamber. They had gained knowledge, but the price felt significant. They had alerted the Heavenly Court to their presence within the Razorbacks, and the capture of one of their agents would undoubtedly trigger a more aggressive response.
"We cannot keep it alive," Faelan said, her voice pragmatic but edged with a hint of unease. "It knows too much. And it will eventually find a way to communicate with its masters."
Lyra nodded slowly, her gaze troubled. "She is right, nephew. It is a necessary measure."
Xai felt a coldness settle in his chest. He had taken a life, albeit an enemy's, in a cold and calculated manner. It was a far cry from the quiet life he had once known, a stark reminder of the path he was now treading. The echoes of the emperor within him recognized the necessity, the strategic advantage of eliminating a threat. But the lingering vestiges of his mortal life recoiled from the act.
With a heavy heart, Xai ended the Shadowstalker's existence, a final surge of demonic energy silencing it permanently. They disposed of the body discreetly, ensuring no trace of their encounter remained.
The capture and interrogation of the Shadowstalker had yielded valuable information, but it had also cast a long shadow over their sanctuary. They knew their time in the hidden valley was now limited. The Heavenly Court would be coming, and they would be coming with greater force. The fragile peace they had found was shattered, replaced by the stark reality of their hunted existence. The awakened wolf had tasted its first blood, and the price of knowledge was the loss of their anonymity. The true test of their strength, and Xai's rapidly growing power, was yet to come.