Controversial issues and their resolutions.

I also checked the saves :) If you open the map on save 1-1-2, you can see that the passage to the respawn is guarded by two monster stacks: 20-49 Knights and 20-49 Fire Elementals. On save 1-1-4, you can see — or rather, not see — the stack of Fire Elementals. Therefore, one of the two guarding stacks was defeated, which is in accordance with the rules. And the horde of Fire Elementals is clearly guarding an artifact and has nothing to do with guarding the passage ;)