The morning was unnaturally still. Even the birds in the trees seemed to sense what was coming. A low mist rolled along the base of the hills, blanketing the forest in pale silence. In that quiet, an army gathered.
Hundreds stood assembled outside the village gates — hunters clad in dark leathers and reinforced bone-plate, newly trained guards carrying spears and shields etched with Uther's sigil, mages robed in silver thread with glowing staves, and the Spirit-bound Sentries — ethereal warriors awakened by the mana forge, standing silent as statues.
At the forefront rode Uther, his obsidian armor reflecting the early sunlight in dark gleams. His sword, newly reforged from the Hollow Heart's sealed core, pulsed with a steady thrum. Beside him were Mara, Elena, Garrick, Thalen, and the elite strike force — all prepared for the most important mission of their lives.
"Units ready?" Uther asked, glancing sideways at Mara.
She nodded. "All squads accounted for. Scouting birds are airborne. We'll reach the edge of the Cradle's outer veil before nightfall."
Uther turned his gaze forward. The Cradle wasn't just a fortress. It was a cancer infecting the land. Forests near it rotted. Creatures mutated into cult-bound beasts. Mana twisted into foul echoes. If they failed here, there'd be no coming back.
"Then we march," Uther said.
---
Through Tainted Lands
The march was long, but the villagers were disciplined. Traveling in formation, they moved through the thinning forests and across dead riverbeds. Everywhere they went, signs of the cult's corruption spread — withered trees that bled black sap, unnatural claw marks, and whispers that tugged at the minds of the weaker recruits.
Uther could feel it, too. A pressure in the air. Like something was watching them — ancient and hollow.
"Wards up," Thalen advised. "The Cradle warps more than mana. It seeps into thought. If you start hearing voices… ignore them."
Some didn't. Two of the new recruits collapsed halfway into the journey, screaming about shadows inside their heads. They were restrained, protected by system-bound shielding, but the warning was clear.
"We can't afford weakness," Elena muttered. "Not now."
"No," Uther agreed. "But we can't abandon them either."
He assigned the Spirit Sentries to protect the afflicted. Strange as they were, the sentries seemed unaffected by the Cradle's influence. Perhaps they were bound to something even older.
---
The Outer Veil
By sunset, they reached the outer boundary. The Cradle rose before them — a massive structure built from jagged black stone, its towers spiked like claws reaching toward a blood-red sky. Around it lay a valley of bone and decay, filled with pits of glowing green ooze and twisted statues of flesh and metal. The land screamed with silence.
Above the fortress swirled a vortex of crimson mana, spiraling upward like a draining wound in the world.
A System alert flashed before Uther's eyes:
> [System Alert: Cradle Barrier Detected – Forbidden Domain]
Warning: All units entering will be subjected to High-Grade Mana Corruption.
Required: Command Sigils Active.
Optional: Activate Sanctified War Banner – [Yes/No]?
Uther selected Yes.
A silver-and-blue banner burst to life beside him, planted into the ground. It shimmered with protective runes and pulsed outward in waves. The air lightened slightly, and the soldiers behind him straightened as the pressure eased.
"We strike at dawn," Uther announced. "Tonight we prepare, ward, and say our farewells if needed. Tomorrow, we make history."
---
The Final Strategy
In the safety of their temporary war camp, the commanders gathered around the command table. Thalen laid out a crude map of the Cradle's known defenses.
"The outer wall is patrolled by corrupted beasts and flame-warped constructs," he began. "Inside, we'll face soulbound cult knights — fanatics empowered by direct exposure to the Hollow Heart."
"There's a gate here," Mara pointed, "hidden behind a false wall. Our spies say it leads directly to the inner sanctum."
"Too risky," Garrick said. "They'll expect us to find it. We strike from two fronts. Mara leads a shadow team to breach the side wall. I'll smash through the front with the brute force. We create chaos."
Uther considered. "And I take the elite force into the core. We destroy the Hollow Nexus. Without it, the Cradle collapses."
Everyone nodded.
"Then may the System watch us," Elena whispered.
---
A Moment Before Dawn
Uther stood alone, watching the Cradle from a nearby cliff. The wind blew hard, carrying with it distant chants — rhythmic, mad, and growing stronger.
He wasn't afraid.
The System flickered again:
> [Final Objective Activated: Destroy the Cradle Nexus]
Difficulty: Lethal
Estimated Survival: 24%
Bonus Condition: Save corrupted villagers within the Sanctum (Optional)
Reward: ???
Proceed?
Uther didn't hesitate.
> Confirmed.