The massive stone barrier finished rising with a deafening grinding sound that echoed throughout the ruined chamber. Ancient mechanisms hidden deep within the labyrinth groaned as the structure shifted, and clouds of dust fell from the cracked ceiling. The battlefield that had once been a single open chamber was now broken into several separated sections by towering stone walls.
Aether and Rylan stood on one side of the divided room, their section littered with shattered pillars and scattered rubble from the earlier battle. On the far side, separated by an enormous wall of stone, the silver-armored woman and the black-haired man were trapped in another sealed section of the chamber.
Between the divided sections of the battlefield—
The **Ancient Rune Guardian** remained.
The towering creature slowly turned its skull-like head, hollow eyes blazing with eerie green fire. Those burning eyes locked directly onto Aether and Rylan.
The monster had already chosen its next prey.
