"It is not the flame that destroys kingdoms. It is the shadow it casts before it."
—Watcher Arion, executed for prophecy
Stormwatch did not sleep.
All night, the forge howled.
Rialt and his engineers fed the ember core and the newly-forged Crown-Key into the heart of the Wyrmbreaker Cannon.
[System Update: Wyrmbreaker Assembly – 96% Complete]
Remaining Materials: 1x Rune Focus Gem
Ashra stood on the eastern tower, watching the sky.
The Black Sun had descended.
A massive orb of smoldering cinders now hung just above the ridgelines, its gravity warping clouds, drawing the world into its breathless orbit.
[New Threat Identified: Crown of Cinders - Phase II Begins]
Risk Level: S
Behavior: Atmospheric Pressure, Mental Stress
Passive Effect: Morale decay -2% per hour
Jag stood before the War Table.
His sword leaned against the stone.
Maps lay open, but no one spoke.
Even the commanders could feel it—the calm before something unnatural.
Then the system pulsed.
[Special Event Triggered: Voice of the Black Sun]
Message From: ???
The Eye behind Jag shimmered.
The torches flickered.
And then a voice—dry, ancient, impossibly close—whispered inside the minds of every defender.
"You have worn my name. You have stolen my flame. You will return it—by ash or oath."
Silence followed.
Then Garron smashed his goblet.
"Let him come."
[System Update: Regional Panic Spreading]
Grayvale Bastion: Under attack
Scout Outpost Three: Lost
Trade routes: Frozen
Branwyn entered with a blood-smeared gauntlet.
"Fifteen refugees at the south gate. Burned. Branded with his sigil."
Jag turned to Rialt. "Can the cannon fire without the last piece?"
Rialt grunted. "It can fire once. But it might melt itself."
Ashra said quietly, "Once is enough—if the target deserves it."
[New Choice: Preemptive Strike or Final Fortification]
Preemptive Strike: Take heroes to intercept Crown Envoy approaching from east. Risk high.
Final Fortification: Reinforce Stormwatch, absorb full assault. Risk unknown.
Jag chose: Preemptive Strike.
[Expedition Formed]
Jag Arclight (Lv. 5)
Ashra (Lv. 5)
Branwyn (Lv. 4)
Garron (Lv. 4)
Escort: 4 Elite Scouts
Objective: Eliminate or capture Envoy of the Black Sun before full ritual completes.
They rode fast and silent.
East of Stormwatch, the hills were blackened, the trees curved inward like bones bent toward prayer. The light was wrong—warped.
And there they found him.
A figure cloaked in ash and fire, floating above the ground.
No face.
No arms.
Just a black sunwheel halo behind his head.
[Mini-Boss: Envoy of the Black Sun]
HP: 600
Skills:
• Flamechant: Buffs all fire-type allies within range
• Cinder Bind: Targets a hero, sapping morale and disabling one skill
• Infernal Judgement: High-damage AOE burn
The fight began instantly.
Ashra blinked forward.
Twin strikes: -41 HP
The Envoy shrieked.
Chains of ash wrapped Branwyn.
Skill disabled: Iron Wall
Jag struck from the side.
Blade infused: Ash-Forged trait
-47 HP, Burn Resistance bypassed
The Envoy lifted both hands.
Infernal Judgement flared.
Garron: -63 HP
Scout 1 & 2: Dead
Rialt's trap (pre-laid) triggered under the Envoy.
Blast: 89 DMG, Envoy stunned
Branwyn broke the chains with sheer force.
Shield Slam: -58 HP
Jag activated Mark Target and surged.
Final combo:
-54, -63, -71 HP
[Boss Defeated: Envoy of the Black Sun]
Loot: Rune Focus Gem, Cinderplate Fragment, 180 Gold
Ashra staggered. Garron was scorched.
Jag lifted the Rune Focus Gem.
"The cannon breathes tonight."
[Expedition Returns Successful]
Losses: 2 Scouts
Morale: +6%
Wyrmbreaker Cannon: Fully Operational
[Wyrmbreaker Constructed!]
Traits:
• Anti-Air / Siege-Class Damage
• One-shot cooldown: 12 hours
• Special Effect: Crownbane Shot (Deals +300% vs Crownbound targets)
Rialt whispered, "I built a godkiller."
The sky cracked.
The Black Sun pulsed.
And a gate opened at the horizon—a tear of light and ember, wide enough for a kingdom to march through.