"Can't," Radji gasped, his analytical mind finally accepting what his heart had been denying. "We can't fight this. We're too broken."
The Warden's massive arm continued its descent, the crystallized stone formations at its end gleaming with deadly purpose. Osa closed his eyes, unable to watch their final moments. Saguna's consciousness flickered, the chaotic energies within him growing dimmer as exhaustion claimed even his transformed power.
The crushing blow never came.
Instead, the Warden's arm stopped mere inches from Saguna's head, close enough that the displaced air ruffled his hair. The three friends looked up in confusion, finding the massive guardian frozen in place, its crystalline features reflecting their bewildered faces.
"Orders," the Warden rumbled, its voice carrying frustration rather than the finality they'd expected. "Alive. All three must arrive alive."
