Morning light filtered through the canopy in dappled patterns as Alexander led his team toward the cathedral-like clearing they had identified as the Root Warden's domain. They moved in formation, weapons ready, each member carrying the specialized equipment prepared during their training sessions.

  "Final equipment check," Alexander instructed as they paused at the clearing's edge, still concealed by the treeline.

  Riva secured the fire-tipped arrows in her quiver and tested the draw on her bow. "Fire implements ready. Oil reserves distributed among all packs."

  Valeria confirmed her position markers were secure—small bundles of resin-soaked kindling that could be quickly ignited to create their pnned perimeter of light and fire. "Position markers prepared. Map memorized."

  Elijah checked the pouches containing his processed red-leaf extract. "Inhibitor solution ready. Healing supplies accessible." He had secured the medicinal herbs in outside pockets for quick access during combat.

  Alexander nodded, satisfied. "Remember the pn. Initial defensive formation until we identify the guardian's exact emergence point. Valeria establishes fire perimeter. Riva and I engage directly while Elijah provides support and healing. Clear?"

  The team acknowledged with focused nods. Their preparations had been thorough, but Alexander knew that pns rarely survived first contact with an enemy. Adaptability would be as important as preparation.

  "Move out," he ordered, leading them into the clearing.

  The space was even more impressive up close—a perfect circle approximately fifty meters in diameter, ringed by ancient trees whose canopies formed a natural dome overhead. At the center stood an enormous tree stump, easily five meters across, its surface covered in intricate patterns that appeared both carved and naturally grown. The ground around it was unusually smooth, with faint circur patterns visible in the soil like ripples in water.

  "Defensive formation," Alexander commanded as they approached the center. "Watch for ground movement."

  They advanced cautiously, maintaining awareness of their surroundings. The clearing was eerily silent—no bird calls, no insect sounds, only the whisper of a gentle breeze through the canopy above.

  When they were approximately twenty meters from the central stump, the first sign of the guardian appeared—a subtle tremor in the ground beneath their feet, like a distant heartbeat pulsing through the soil.

  "It knows we're here," Elijah said quietly.

  Alexander raised his hand, signaling for the team to halt. "Valeria, establish perimeter."

  She moved quickly, pcing her prepared markers in a wide circle around their position, igniting each one with swift, practiced motions. The small fires created a boundary of light and heat—both elements they had identified as deterrents to the root entities.

  The tremors intensified, the rhythm accelerating. Around the central stump, the soil began to bulge and crack.

  "Here it comes," Alexander warned, readying his weapon. "Prepare for initial emergence."

  The central stump suddenly split with a thunderous crack, massive roots erupting from within and below it. They twisted upward, intertwining to form a hulking humanoid shape nearly four meters tall. Bark ptes shifted into position across its form like armor, while smaller, whip-like roots extended from its limbs. Two hollows in the upper mass glowed with amber light—eyes that fixed upon the team with unmistakable awareness.

  The Root Warden had awakened.

  "Positions!" Alexander commanded.

  The team executed their practiced formation, with Alexander and Riva moving to fnking positions while Valeria and Elijah maintained distance for support roles. Their movements triggered the guardian's first attack—massive roots erupted from the ground in their original position, grasping at empty air where they had stood moments before.

  "Telegraphed attack," Alexander noted. "Three-second warning before emergence. Use that window."

  The Root Warden let out a hollow, creaking sound that reverberated through the clearing. It took a thunderous step forward, its root-foot sinking deep into the soil. Immediately, the ground around it pulsed with energy, and smaller roots began to emerge in a rippling circle.

  "Secondary attack incoming," Alexander warned. "Maintain mobility."

  They shifted positions continuously, preventing the roots from targeting any single location for too long. Valeria unched her first attack—a fming arrow that struck the guardian's shoulder, igniting a small portion of its bark armor. The creature recoiled, raising an arm to shield itself from the fmes.

  "Fire vulnerability confirmed," Alexander called. "Riva, target exposed root sections."

  Riva already had a fire arrow nocked, her experienced eye identifying a gap in the bark armor near the guardian's midsection. She loosed the arrow with perfect precision, striking a thick root bundle visible between protective ptes. The guardian lurched backward, emitting a sound like splitting wood.

  Alexander pressed the advantage, charging forward with his sword coated in Elijah's red-leaf extract. He delivered a series of precise strikes against the lower root structure, each hit causing the affected roots to wither and bcken where the solution made contact.

  "Inhibitor effective," Alexander confirmed, rolling away from a sweeping counterattack.

  The Root Warden's tactics shifted, focusing its attention on Alexander after his successful assault. It smmed both massive arms into the ground, sending a shockwave of energy through the soil. Roots erupted in a circur pattern around him, forcing a rapid defensive roll.

  "It's learning," Elijah called from his support position. "Adapting to our attacks."

  The guardian's next move surprised them—instead of attacking directly, it smmed its fist against its own chest. Bark ptes shifted, closing gaps and reinforcing its protective covering. Simultaneously, it sank its lower extremities deeper into the soil, connecting to more extensive root networks.

  "It's reinforcing," Alexander realized. "Riva, disruption pattern!"

  Riva immediately executed their practiced maneuver, unching three fire arrows in rapid succession at different heights along the guardian's body. This forced the Root Warden to defend multiple areas simultaneously, preventing complete reinforcement.

  While the guardian was distracted, Valeria strengthened their fire perimeter, adding rger fuel sources to the markers she'd pced earlier. The increased light and heat created a containment zone, limiting the guardian's ability to draw roots from beyond their battle area.

  Twenty minutes into the battle, they had established a rhythm—Alexander and Riva maintained constant pressure through coordinated attacks, while Valeria managed the perimeter and provided ranged support. Elijah remained mobile, applying healing herbs to minor injuries and identifying new vulnerabilities as the guardian's form changed throughout the fight.

  Then came their first serious challenge. Riva, maintaining position to line up a critical shot, remained stationary for too long. The Root Warden's sensors detected this opportunity, and roots suddenly erupted beneath her, wrapping around her legs with crushing force.

  "Root Grasp!" Alexander identified the new attack. "Riva immobilized!"

  Riva struggled against the binding roots, using her knife to hack at them, but more emerged to repce those she cut. The guardian turned its attention toward her, arm raised for a devastating blow.

  "Elijah, extraction! Valeria, coverage!" Alexander commanded, already charging toward the guardian to draw its attention.

  Valeria unched a rapid series of fire arrows that peppered the guardian's face and upper body, temporarily blinding its glowing eye structures. Meanwhile, Elijah sprinted to Riva's position, pulling a vial of blue liquid—distilled from the fungus they'd discovered growing on damaged roots.

  "Hold still," he instructed, pouring the solution onto the roots entrapping her. The effect was immediate—the roots hissed and retracted as if in pain, releasing their grip. Elijah helped Riva regain her footing and retreat to a safer position.

  "Mobility is survival," Alexander reminded them, deflecting a massive blow from the guardian that sent tremors through the ground. "Constant movement prevents Root Grasp."

  The battle continued with renewed intensity. The Root Warden, having revealed its immobilization capability, now employed it strategically, attempting to isote team members while focusing attacks on others. Alexander countered by implementing rotating positions—a technique they had practiced during drills, never allowing any team member to remain vulnerable for long.

  An hour into the battle, they had made significant progress. Portions of the guardian's bark armor had been burned away, exposing vulnerable root systems underneath. Its movements had slowed as Elijah's inhibitor solution took effect in multiple areas, and Valeria's fire perimeter had effectively cut off its connection to outer root networks.

  "Central mass is weakening," Alexander observed, noting how the amber glow in its eyes had dimmed. "Time for concentrated assault."

  They executed their final battle pn—Valeria unched a barrage of fire arrows at the guardian's upper body, forcing it to raise its arms in defense. Simultaneously, Alexander and Riva charged from opposite sides, targeting the exposed root core at its center with weapons coated in Elijah's most concentrated inhibitor solution.

  Their coordinated strike hit with precision, both weapons plunging deep into the central root mass. The guardian froze, its amber eyes flickering like dying embers. A shudder ran through its massive frame, bark armor cracking and falling away in rge sections.

  With a sound like a great tree falling, the Root Warden colpsed. Its form disintegrated as it hit the ground, roots withdrawing into the soil with unnatural speed, bark ptes crumbling to dust. Within moments, all that remained was the original tree stump, now split open to reveal a hollow center.

  Alexander maintained his guard, approaching cautiously. "Verify termination before rexing stance."

  Riva circled the stump, checking for any signs of remaining animation. "No movement. Root systems retreating throughout the clearing."

  "Guardian defeated," Alexander confirmed, finally lowering his weapon.

  Elijah moved through the team, applying healing herbs to their various injuries—mostly minor cuts and bruises, with Riva's legs showing the worst damage from the Root Grasp. Valeria documented their victory and began collecting samples from the remains.

  "The hollow," Alexander noted, examining the split stump. Inside the central cavity y their rewards—several weapons of quality far exceeding their current equipment, bundles of rare healing herbs, and what appeared to be a key made from perfectly preserved wood.

  "Significant upgrade," Riva confirmed, examining a finely crafted bow with intricate leaf patterns carved along its length. "Superior materials and bance."

  Alexander distributed the rewards methodically, ensuring each team member received equipment suited to their role. The healing herbs went to Elijah, who could best identify and utilize them. Alexander cimed a sword with a distinctive guard shaped like intertwining roots, its bde shimmering with an unusual blue tint.

  As they organized their new acquisitions, the ground trembled slightly. At the far side of the clearing, a previously unseen door formed in the base of the rgest tree—roots and bark peeling away to reveal a passage leading downward.

  "Our path forward," Alexander stated, examining the opening from a safe distance.

  Valeria consulted their map from the byrinth rewards. "According to this, that passage should lead to the transition zone between floors."

  The wooden key they had recovered fit perfectly into a small recess beside the passage. When Alexander turned it, soft amber light illuminated the tunnel beyond, revealing stone steps descending into darkness.

  "We rest first," Alexander decided. "Recover strength and fully document this encounter before proceeding."

  They established a temporary camp at the edge of the clearing, maintaining watch rotations despite the guardian's defeat. During his rest period, Alexander reviewed their performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses for future improvement.

  The team had functioned effectively, each member executing their role while adapting to unexpected developments. Their preparation had proven invaluable, particurly the intelligence gathered from scout encounters. Most importantly, they had maintained coordination under pressure—a skill that would only grow more essential as they ascended.

  By evening, they had fully recovered and properly documented their first guardian victory. Their equipment had been upgraded, their supplies replenished from both the guardian's rewards and resources gathered in the clearing, and their confidence solidified by successful implementation of their training.

  "Tomorrow we proceed to Floor 2," Alexander informed the team during their evening meal. "The Root Warden was just the beginning. Each guardian will test different aspects of our capabilities, likely with increasing complexity."

  "The fire weakness was significant," Valeria noted. "Elemental vulnerabilities appear to be a fundamental system."

  "And mobility is essential," Riva added, rubbing her legs where the Root Grasp had left deep bruises despite Elijah's treatment. "Stationary targets become easy prey."

  "The inhibitor solution worked better than expected," Elijah contributed. "There may be simir natural counters to other guardian types."

  Alexander nodded in approval. They were already analyzing and learning from the experience, exactly as they should. "Get your rest. Floor 2 awaits us at dawn."

  As darkness fell completely over the clearing, the team settled into their watch rotation. Their first major victory had been secured through preparation, coordination, and adaptability. Whatever challenges awaited on Floor 2 and beyond, they would face them with the confidence and experience gained from defeating the Root Warden.

  The massive tree containing the passage seemed to watch over them with ancient patience, its doorway glowing with amber light—both invitation and warning for the journey ahead.