Dust was still falling as they gazed upon the massive form of Ar'vala, the Guardian of the Second Gate, lying motionless on the cave floor.
The once fearsome and sturdy guardian had finally fallen, but the cost of Ethan's team achieving this victory was steep.
Some of their comrades lay in eternal silence in the dark corners of the cave, with traces of battle still etched all around the now quiet chamber.
Zahir, struggling to steady his breath after the fierce combat, stepped forward to approach the massive gate, the only barrier now standing between them and their final objective.
He raised his hand, still bearing the Seal of Agramon, a mystical ring embedded on his finger, and placed it into a narrow opening on the door's surface.
With a deliberate but determined motion, he pressed the ring into the slot, and immediately a gentle blue light began flowing from within the crevice, spreading across the door's surface.
