Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Shadows in the Deep

The journey back to the surface was filled with an eerie silence, the ruins now a somber reminder of the ancient battle they had just fought. Elara kept her hand on the pouch that held the fragment, feeling its faint warmth through the fabric. The light from the torches flickered, casting long shadows on the walls as the group made their way through the narrow passageway.

Kirin broke the silence, his voice low but steady. "We're getting closer. The darkness is reacting to our progress. We need to stay sharp."

Elara nodded, her mind still replaying the battle with the guardian. It had been a close call, too close. The strength of the darkness was greater than they had anticipated, and with each fragment they retrieved, the enemy's defenses only grew more formidable.