"When the gate opens, it is not the world that ends. It is memory, rewritten in fire."
—Unknown, etched beneath the Black Sun Monolith
The tear in the sky widened.
A breach of smoldering light stretched from horizon to ridge, warping reality itself. The clouds above it spiraled in dread halos. Winds screamed without sound. Even the earth trembled, uncertain if it still belonged to itself.
[System Alert: Dimensional Gate Formed – Type: Anomaly Origin]
Codename: "The Gates of Ash"
Threat Class: S+
Portal Stabilizing in: 6 Hours
Predicted Event: Full-scale invasion
Target: Stormwatch Bastion
Jag stood atop the Wyrmbreaker platform. Below, the cannon groaned with purpose. Its core pulsed violet and red. Alive.
Rialt tightened bolts with trembling hands. "She's ready to fire. Once."
Ashra scanned the skies. "We fire when that… thing… crosses through."
Branwyn arrived, armor smoked from skirmishes with early scouts. "They're testing us. I've seen flame-hounds and echo-gliders near the riverbank."
Garron's voice bellowed from the courtyard below. "Archers, to the barricades! Mages, rune up! This is it!"
[Siege Preparation Phase]
Morale: 91%
Resources Remaining: 210 Gold
Heroes: All Deployed
Wyrmbreaker Cannon: Online – Crownbane Shot ready
Wall Durability: 87%
Regional Reinforcements: Delayed (Grayvale under siege)
[New Option Available: Final Blessing of the Forsaken Eye]
Use: 1
Effect: ???
Cost: Your Name
Jag ignored the prompt—for now.
6 Hours Later
The sky turned black-gold.
The Gates of Ash flared, and from them emerged the first wave.
Enemy Composition:
• 10x Ash Wyrms (Flying, Class A)
• 30x Emberborn (Elite Infantry)
• 1x Herald of the Crownless Flame (Mini-Boss)
• 1x Thronewalker (???)
Ashra hissed, "Wyrms inbound. Five seconds!"
Jag raised his hand.
[Command Skill: Mark Target – Ash Wyrm Alpha]
Wyrmbreaker: LOCKED ON
FIRE.
The cannon roared.
A single bolt of light — imbued with every hatred and oath Stormwatch had forged — tore through the sky.
Direct Hit
Target: Ash Wyrm Alpha
Collateral: 3x Wyrms
Result: 4 Enemies Downed, Aerial Momentum Broken
Cheers erupted from the wall.
Then the Emberborn slammed the outer gate.
Branwyn met them with her shield, leading a squad of fresh recruits.
Branwyn: HP -23
Militia: Holding
Enemy Progress: Slowed
Garron launched into the fray from the western parapet.
[Hero Skill: Cleave – Bonus DMG vs. Crowd]
Emberborn casualties: +7
Then came the Herald.
A golden-robed figure, crowned with tongues of fire, floating above the ash.
[Mini-Boss: Herald of the Crownless Flame]
HP: 700
Skills: Crown Hymn, Mindfire Chant, Flame Surge
Ashra blinked into range, slashing low.
[Ashra – Critical: -62 HP]
[Herald – Flame Surge triggered: AoE retaliatory burst]
Jag: -31 HP
Ashra: -49 HP
Jag raised his blade, triggering Command Surge.
All Units: +20% ATK / DEF
Morale: +6%
Mage Tower: Arc Burst casted – [Herald HP: -103]
The Herald began chanting Crown Hymn — a spell not aimed at the defenders, but at the sky.
[Unstable Effect Detected: Summoning Ritual]
Target: Thronewalker
Ashra shouted, "He's not the boss. He's the gatekeeper!"
Jag hesitated.
Then the Forsaken Eye pulsed behind him.
[Optional Skill: Final Blessing of the Eye]
Use now?
Warning: Jag will lose his name
Gain: ???
Jag whispered, "Yes."
[Final Blessing of the Eye: ACTIVATED]
Jag Arclight's Name Burned from the World
New Trait Gained: "Nameless Bastion"
Effect:
\u2022 All allies gain +15% Resistance vs Anomaly Skills
\u2022 Crownless Morale -25% when facing you
\u2022 Hero Skills permanently gain Ashforge damage scaling
The Herald faltered.
Ashra pierced his chest mid-chant.
[Herald of the Crownless Flame – Defeated]
Loot: Crowned Ember, Royal Flame Dust, 200 Gold
The sky turned still.
And from the Gate…
A colossal figure emerged.
Ten meters tall.
A throne welded to its back. Chains dragging the screams of the dead.
[Boss Detected: Thronewalker]
Class: Crownbound Titan
HP: 3000
Immunities: Fire, Knockback, Fear
Trait: "Every soul it crushes becomes its echo."
Objective: Annihilate Stormwatch
Jag looked to Ashra, to Branwyn, to Garron—and to the burning sky.
And he smiled.
"Then let's kill a throne."