The cave trembled once more, sending a cascade of small rocks and dust tumbling from the ceiling. The moonstone on its pedestal seemed to pulse with an increasing intensity, casting eerie, shifting shadows across the cavern walls. Elara, Kirin, and Jarek readied themselves for whatever might come.
"Be on guard," Elara warned, her voice echoing through the chamber.
As they scanned their surroundings, the shadows around them began to coalesce, forming distinct shapes. Out of the darkness emerged ethereal figures—guardians of the moonstone, their forms composed of shifting lunar light and shadow. They hovered above the ground, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.
Kirin drew his sword, his grip firm. "These must be the forest's guardians. They won't let us take the moonstone without a fight."
