The canopy of the forest gradually receded, replaced by a sprawling vista of clear blue sky as Asher and his group, along with Zizola, and her band of loyal followers, emerged from the woodland shadows.
Before them stretched a colossal bridge, a marvel of seemingly ancient engineering that loomed over the expansive river below. Its stone arches and buttresses were adorned with intricate carvings and glyphs that seemed to pulse with an arcane rhythm beneath the glow of the afternoon sun.
Flanking the entrance were two guards, humanoid but colossal in stature, about 8 feet tall. Their armor gleamed menacingly under the dwindling sunlight, a mesmerizing fusion of onyx and silver. Their faces were hidden beneath visored helms, and the gargantuan swords they held stood erect by their sides, unyielding and imposing.
