After realizing that the architectural structure near the base of the Tower of Reverse Tide shared the same style as the scene from Modir's meeting with the Twin Elves years ago, as depicted in that "sandstorm illusion," Gawain understood that the gains from this Tower of Reverse Tide exploration might far exceed expectations.
Those fragmented ancient clues were surfacing and rearranging themselves in his mind. Though the hidden connections between them remained shrouded in mist, he could now seemingly sense their mutual pull—their full picture was still vague, but overall, a massive puzzle was gradually emerging from the fog.
And the towering structure before them, which had stood since ancient times... would undoubtedly be the greatest anchor point of that "puzzle."
Gawain took a quiet breath, calming his somewhat unsettled emotions while raising his guard even further. Pathfinder Longsword in hand, he maintained the sharpest possible awareness of his surroundings and took the lead toward the faintly open alloy gate beneath the tower's base. Behind him, the equally vigilant Modir and Amber followed close behind.
They had reached the end of this "road," where an astonishing gate stood before them.
It was even larger and more majestic than the tallest city gate of Saint Suniel. Cast as a whole from some unknown metal, it possessed a solemn, weighty presence. The entire gate was a richly textured silver-gray, its surface smooth as a mirror, yet beneath that immaculate exterior, faint straight lines could be seen running from top to bottom. The gate was set into a towering wall that resembled a sheer cliff face, with a gap in its center wide enough for several people to pass abreast. Judging by its structure, it could likely slide into the walls on either side through some mechanical devices.
Amber stood dumbfounded before the