The sky was no longer blue.It was a wound — torn wide open, bleeding golden fire and black mist across Aerth. What had once been sunlight was now fragmented light, flickering in slow agony.William stood in the ruins of the Citadel, motionless. The once-great fortress had crumbled into dust, leaving nothing but shattered pillars and molten stone. The air was thick with the smell of burnt earth.His armor was cracked. Blood streaked his face. His sword — the Emberfang — was buried halfway into the ground beside him, glowing faintly as if breathing with him.He slowly exhaled. “Zara. Kael. Gale…”Silence answered.Only the distant sound of falling debris echoed through the ruins.He clenched his fists. They’re not dead. I can still feel traces of their mana.The Nexus was gone, but something had replaced it — a new heartbeat, buried deep beneath the ground, pulsing in rhythm with his own.He closed his e

The cracks in the sky widened. Golden light bled into darkness, twisting and bleeding like oil in water. The air grew heavy, vibrating with a deep, unnatural hum that made even the bravest shudder. Zara was the first to speak, her voice low and sharp. “…The sky’s breaking again.” No one answered. They could all see it — the world itself was groaning. William’s sword was still warm in his hand, the faint glow of divine fire pulsing through its cracks. He could barely breathe, but his eyes never left the horizon. The shapes within the rift grew clearer. Massive silhouettes, their wings blotting out what remained of the light. Each flap of those wings carried storms of black lightning that tore through the floating plains. Kael stumbled backward. “Those things… they’re not angels.” “They’re not demons either,” Gale muttered, gripping his hammer tightly. “What the hell are they?” William’s voice came, quiet but steady. “They’re from beyond the rift. The Fallen Ones.” Z

The dawn came quietly, blanketed by a crimson haze that painted the sea in ghostly red. Waves moved like molten glass, reflecting fragments of light that shimmered and disappeared almost instantly. The air was thick, heavy with tension, as if the ocean itself was holding its breath. William stood at the ship’s bow, his long coat swaying with the breeze. His eyes were fixed on the endless expanse of dark water stretching toward the horizon. Behind him, Zara was checking her gear while Kael and Gale worked the ropes that held the sails in place. The ship — a crude patchwork of old metal, divine fire, and scavenged wood — groaned under the touch of the wind. Yet it moved forward, cutting through the eerie stillness like a blade through silk. Zara sighed softly. “I can’t believe we’re doing this. Sailing straight into a sea that looks like death itself.” Kael smirked faintly, his voice low. “You’re just realizing that now?” Gale chuckled, his deep voice rumbling through the air. “Fe

The smell of ash and blood filled the air. The entire ravine was in ruins—rocks shattered, the ground split wide open, and the once clear night sky now drowned in thick black fog.William’s vision blurred as he tried to move his fingers. Pain rushed through his entire body. His sword lay broken beside him, half-buried in rubble, its once radiant glow now dim and cold.He forced himself up slowly, every muscle screaming in protest. The world spun, and for a moment, he almost collapsed again.What… happened?He could barely remember the blast—only the light fading and the voice that whispered in the dark.“Iris… Kael…” His voice was hoarse, weak.No answer.William stumbled forward, calling louder this time, “Iris! Kael!”From behind a fallen boulder, a faint groan answered. He hurried over and pushed aside the debris, revealing Kael, his armor cracked and blood seeping through a wound on his chest.“Stil

The first rays of dawn were wrong. They shimmered, rippled, and twisted like liquid gold, distorting the horizon. The once clear morning sky flickered between shades of light and shadow—like reality itself was struggling to hold its shape. William stood silently amidst the wreckage, his golden aura fading, the taste of blood still thick in his mouth. Every muscle in his body screamed, every breath came heavy, but his eyes—those calm, unwavering eyes—remained fixed on the sky. Kael was the first to speak, voice trembling. “W–William… what’s happening to the sky?” Iris clutched her bow tightly, her gaze darting upward as a strange hum filled the air. “It’s… bending…” The light fractured again. Thin lines of silver energy appeared above the battlefield, spreading outward like cracks on glass. Each one pulsed faintly, glowing brighter with every heartbeat. The wind began to swirl violently, pulling loose stones and ash into the air. William narrowed his eyes. He could feel it—someth