Determined to avenge their fallen allies, the adventurers clashed once more with the ghoul priestess, fighting through her dark magic and relentless strikes. When she engaged them directly, her arrogance proved her undoing—our heroes struck her down, finally silencing her wicked presence.
Exhausted but unwilling to falter, they pressed forward, only to be met with eerie gibbering from the shadows. The source of the unsettling noise revealed itself—a monstrosity of writhing flesh, eyes, and mouths. It lunged at Bastion, savoring a quick bite before turning its hunger upon the others. Several times, it engulfed Sol, nearly consuming him entirely. But through grit and determination, the abomination fell beneath their blades.
Their search led them to a chamber of writing desks, where a spectral figure loomed. The ghost requested their aid in penning words it could no longer write itself. Initially skeptical, the heroes refused, but curiosity soon won out. They returned and complied, examining a nearby corpse, retrieving armor, and discovering a portrait—its significance yet unknown.
Further down the halls, the green light reappeared, reforming into a new message: “Gauntlight is a weapon, built to raze Absalom—it must be brought down!” The chilling revelation urged the party forward.
As they followed the spectral ribbon, they arrived at a lake with a pavilion, where an odd pair—a man and a wolf—greeted them with barks instead of words. The party attempted conversation, and after some effort, the man finally spoke, warning them against stepping onto the pavilion.
Not ones to back down from a challenge, the heroes took an alternative route, diving into the lake and continuing their pursuit of the light. Their path led them to Otari, who issued a dire warning—the eyes of empty death threatened them. Moments later, glowing wisps materialized, seeking destruction. With Otari’s aid, the adventurers fought them off.
Grateful, Otari urged the heroes to destroy the vaults, but revealed a new obstacle: a mysterious barrier had formed, preventing access. To breach it, they would require special artifacts from his companions—only then could they bring an end to the darkness festering within Gauntlight.
Resolute, the adventurers pledged their aid and resumed their search, encountering a chamber containing a stone altar adorned with grasping hands. As they approached, the eerie appendages lunged at them. The party fought back, simultaneously battling another swarm of wisps, dispatching them with practiced efficiency.
With each battle won, the mystery of Gauntlight unraveled further. The deeper they ventured, the more dire the revelations became. Now, with the specter of destruction looming over Absalom, their mission was clear—these ruins must fall before their sinister purpose is fulfilled. But what horrors still lurked beyond the newly formed barrier? That answer awaited in the depths below.