Sarlon paced the length of the Sanctuary’s main chamber, her robes swishing softly against the stone floor. The room, usually her refuge, now felt stifling. Her feline companion sat by the entrance, its tail swishing as it watched her movements with wary eyes.

  She paused by a table strewn with ancient texts and scrolls. Her hands trembled as she picked up one of the oldest tomes, its brittle pages crackling softly as she turned them. The language was one few alive could read, but Sarlon had mastered it long ago.

  Her gaze lingered on an illustration—a map of the valley, its edges marked with runes of protection that had long since faded. Her finger hovered over the center, where the city of Kali’dar was once named in proud, flowing script. Now, the city was a shadow of its former self, its glory hidden beneath decay and ruin.

  “They’re not ready,” she whispered, her voice barely audible in the silence. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, her breath shaky.

  Memories she had tried to bury came flooding back. The shadows. The cackling voice. The loss.

  Her cat leapt onto the table, nudging her arm gently. Sarlon blinked, the present rushing back to her. She reached out, stroking the cat’s fur for comfort.

  “They have no idea what they’ve awakened,” she murmured, her voice filled with both fear and resolve. “But I cannot sit idly by.”

  Sarlon stepped away from the table and began gathering supplies. From the archives, she retrieved a staff adorned with intricate carvings, a pack she hadn’t used in decades, and a small crystal vial that pulsed faintly with light.

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  “We must go back,” she said, her voice stronger now, though it carried the weight of desperation.

  Far to the north, in the heart of the valley, the Guardians continued their exploration of Kali’dar.

  The city was both a marvel and a mystery. Massive stone buildings loomed, their intricate carvings telling stories of a civilization long past. The air felt thick with history and something else—something darker that they couldn’t quite place.

  The group moved through the ruins, their voices low as they shared their discoveries. Amaya brushed her fingers along the wall of a crumbling temple, marveling at the artistry. Lina and Reya examined a strange mural depicting elemental symbols intertwined with human figures.

  Kai stood at the entrance to the library, gazing up at the massive, vine-covered structure. The building’s grandeur was still evident despite centuries of decay. He felt a strange pull, as though something within was calling to him.

  Inside, the group poured over scattered books and scrolls, deciphering fragments of knowledge. They found references to the Guardians of old, to the elements, and to the city’s tragic downfall.

  “I think this place was more than just a city,” Lina said, her voice hushed as she read an inscription. “It was a sanctuary, like ours... but far older.”

  “And far more dangerous,” Amaya added, glancing at a crumbling statue of a woman holding a flaming sword.

  As they delved deeper, they felt the weight of the city’s secrets pressing down on them, though none could yet understand the full extent of what they had uncovered.

  Unseen by the Guardians, a figure stood on the ridge overlooking the valley.

  Clad in a dark cloak, the figure’s hood obscured their face. They remained motionless, their presence blending into the shadows that clung to the rocky terrain.

  The city sprawled out below them, a patchwork of ruins and overgrowth. The faint sounds of the Guardians’ voices drifted on the wind, though they were too distant to make out the words.

  The figure tilted their head, as if amused. A low, chilling laugh escaped their lips, carried on the breeze.

  They raised a hand, cloaked in black fabric, and gestured toward the city. A faint pulse of darkness rippled through the air, unseen and unfelt by the Guardians below.

  “The pieces are falling into place,” the figure said, their voice a whisper that seemed to echo across the valley.

  As the shadows deepened, the figure turned and vanished into the gathering dusk, leaving the city below to its uneasy silence.