"Forgive me, all of you," he said. Zavlan covered his face with both hands. His shoulders slumped slightly under the weight of his thoughts. "I should have quickly realized the anomaly of why a high-level monster appeared at the gate of a low-level dungeon."
Zavlan pressed his forehead hard. "This is my fault; I was so stupid, stupid, STUPID!"
Shufa, seeing this, immediately approached. She placed her palm gently on Zavlan's shoulder. The other Guardian captains remained silent. Xavier adjusted his stance, while Monica stared blankly at the marble table. Their faces all reflected a deep sense of guilt.
Zavlan composed himself. He sat upright and adjusted his attire. He turned toward Shufa and smiled softly. "Thank you, my Shufa."
Zavlan looked forward again. He tapped the surface of the white table with his index finger. The rhythmic tapping echoed through the silent subterranean room. Silence hung for several seconds.
"All right," Zavlan said, breaking the quiet. "Eutas?"
