The Sovereign stood before the Gate.
It pulsed. Not with light. Not with magic. But with inevitability. It twisted reality itself, its mere presence warping the land into patterns unnatural. The world rejected it, and yet it endured — a tumor stitched into existence.
And for once, it pulsed…out of rhythm.
The Varnok Sovereign frowned. He raised his clawed hand and pressed it against the writhing surface.
The Gate snarled.
A ripple of defiance ran through the monolith, the eldritch structure rejecting even his dominance. A revolt — brief, meaningless, but bold enough to be noted. The Sovereign's eyes narrowed, and a deep chittering laughter echoed across the void behind him. Other Varnoks—lesser, shapeless, hundreds—twitched and trembled in its wake.
But the Sovereign composed himself quickly. "Three months," he whispered. "Just three more months…and the last piece will step into place."
He turned toward the horizon — toward Elandor.
"Let them struggle. Let him evolve. It changes nothing."
And with a wave of his claw, he unleashed another surge.
Elandor – Days Later
Kael stood atop the eastern wall, wind pressing against his cloak as Pyre-tier Varnoks battered themselves against the barrier spells and defense formations. Corpses piled. Roars echoed. Eclipse-tier pulses flared now and again — enough to require his presence.
He didn't move. Not yet.
Behind him, the city's leadership had gathered in full.
Guildmasters. Headmasters. Elite adventurers. Councilors. All silent.
Kael turned, voice low but clear.
"This peace you're clinging to… is gone. What stands before us is the calm before the flood."
They didn't interrupt him. Even the highest-ranked among them had learned not to.
"The Varnoks are no longer waiting in the wilds. They're here. And this isn't a hunt — it's a siege. You need to understand: the Gate has a will. The Sovereign is only its servant."
A murmur rose. Several older adventurers looked shaken, whispering between themselves.
Kael continued, "From this point forward, no one leaves the city without my clearance. No expeditionary missions. No hunts. No scouts. Elandor is no longer a sanctuary — it's the final bastion."
He turned to the side, toward the training grounds in the distance.
"I'll be training a unit — hand-picked. Elite. I will personally forge them to stand against what's coming. The rest of you…" His eyes narrowed. "...don't fall behind."
And then he vanished.
Kael's Boot Camp – Southern District Training Grounds
Kael stood in front of five individuals — his chosen. Each stood straight, tense, eyes locked on the strongest warrior the continent had ever known.
Reyne TalmarisRank: Kindle 9th Flame
Affinity: Ice and Wind
Appearance: Tall, silver-haired woman with a cold stare and precise movements.
Backstory: Formerly a scout-captain of the Dravhallow border patrol. Survived multiple Varnok encounters using pure evasion and kill-confirmation tactics.
Reason chosen: Kael saw her control, precision, and readiness to sacrifice everything to protect others.
Gorran DrehlRank: Kindle 7th Flame
Affinity: Earth and Gravity
Appearance: Massive frame, bald with ritual scars across his arms and neck.
Backstory: Gladiator-turned-adventurer who lost his homeland to Varnoks. Known for anchoring defenses in battle with sheer weight and immovable will.
Reason chosen: His affinity has potential for battlefield control — if trained, he could anchor entire regions against surge assaults.
Seris Vel'NiraRank: Kindle 10th Flame
Affinity: Light and Sound
Appearance: Slender, almost ethereal, with white hair and translucent tattoos that pulse with rhythm.
Backstory: Former music arcanist. Her sound-based illusions disrupted Varnok formations in past skirmishes.
Reason chosen: Tactical genius. Kael saw fragments of something deeper in her — perhaps even Radiant-tier potential.
Thorne VelmarkRank: Kindle 6th Flame
Affinity: Fire and Lightning
Appearance: Short, wild-eyed, always crackling with energy.
Backstory: Self-taught. Street-born. Survived Elandor's undercity during its darkest years.
Reason chosen: Raw potential. Chaotic, but adaptable. A perfect mold for a future warbrand.
Velura AsterinRank: Kindle 8th Flame
Affinity: Shadow and Blood
Appearance: Pale skin, crimson eyes, calm voice. Constantly observant.
Backstory: Assassin's guild dropout. Former infiltrator turned rogue asset.
Reason chosen: She survived assassination contracts against Eclipse-tier targets. Kael believed she could become something terrifying if re-forged with purpose.
Kael stared at them, arms crossed.
"You're the last flame I will nurture. You will either rise beyond Radiant… or you'll die before Pyre."
He summoned a dozen clones — each with different affinity focuses — and without warning, attacked them all at once.
Training began.
Later That Night – Kael Alone
He stood on the far outskirts of the city, breath steady, gaze upward. Even now, the stars looked...wrong.
He should be breaking into Primordius. But something resisted.
He pressed a hand against his chest.
"There's something I'm missing. A condition. A truth I haven't yet faced."
And far above, for the briefest of moments… the stars blinked in unison.
Elsewhere – The Sovereign
He watched Elandor under siege, a dark mirage of Varnoks surging at its walls. The Gate behind him throbbed with dark rhythm.
His clawed hand flexed.
"Let them resist. Let the flames rise. In three months, resistance becomes meaningless."
His grin stretched.
"And when the final key screams… the Gate will devour the sky."