The smoke of the north still clung to Solaris when the dawn came.
Streets were blackened, rooftops broken, but lanterns still burned in windowsills, stubborn flames defying the inferno that had threatened to erase them.
Andy walked among the rubble, every step heavy. Children watched him with wide eyes, clutching their paper lanterns as if they were talismans. Some men saluted with fists against their hearts. Others simply stared at him with silent resolve.
The System pulsed quietly:
[Public Sentiment: Rising]
[Influence Level: Significant]
Nia's staff glowed as she wove healing runes into the cobblestones, sealing cracks where embers still smoldered. She glanced at Andy, her lips tight. "They see you as their shield now. As their fire."
Andy shook his head, gaze heavy on the ruins. "I'm not a shield. Not alone. But if they believe… then maybe that's enough to stand."
---
By midday, the Free Army gathered. Soldiers of Everhart, farmers with makeshift spears, youths with iron rods—they assembled in the plaza where the barrier had held. Ribbons of lantern cloth were tied to their arms, symbols of defiance.
At their head stood Captain Elra, her armor scorched, voice raw from shouting. "We've bled, we've lost homes. But last night, we saw the fire break against light. We saw what it means to fight!"
The crowd roared, echoing her.
Andy and Nia stepped forward. He raised his blades—not with flourish, but with simplicity, hilts crossed over his chest. Nia lifted her staff, its light spilling like dawn.
The System echoed, weaving their presence into the city's spirit:
[Passive Effect Triggered: Inspiring Presence]
[Morale Boost: +20% for all allies in Solaris Districts]
[Bond Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆]
[Progress: 30% → 35%]
The banner of Solaris rose that day—not stitched from cloth, but from firelight and human courage.
---
But Ashens did not stay silent.
As the chants swelled, the cobblestones cracked again. Fiends clawed up from beneath the square, shadows birthing themselves from the very ash of ruined homes. Their bodies writhed, claws dripping molten darkness.
The Free Army flinched.
Andy leapt forward before fear could take hold. His wings spread, blazing, and his blades flashed. Dragonlight Slash carved through the first fiend, its body rupturing into black flame.
"Hold the line!" Andy's voice thundered. "You've fought fire before—fight it now!"
Captain Elra shouted, spears braced, and the line of soldiers advanced. The clash rang like thunder—iron striking shadow, wood splintering against claws.
---
Nia raised her staff. Lantern Sigil Stone pulsed, amplifying her glyphs. Light surged across the plaza, etching wards into the ground beneath the fighters. Every soldier who stood on them felt steadier, faster, braver.
The System whispered across the battlefield:
[Item Effect: Lantern Sigil Stone Active]
[Warding Amplified: Shadow Damage -25% for Allies in Sigil Range]
Fiends shrieked as spears drove into their bodies, flames scattering under the weight of both human steel and radiant wards.
Andy ducked beneath a swipe, driving both blades upward into a fiend's gut. He pivoted, wings slashing another across the throat. His breath came ragged, but the fire in his veins only burned hotter.
---
A massive fiend rose among the smaller ones—a commander, taller than three men, its body armored with obsidian plates, wings of soot dragging sparks through the air.
It roared, knocking soldiers to the ground with its voice alone.
Andy charged, but the beast's claw slammed him back, throwing him into a broken column. His blades rang as he steadied himself.
Nia's voice cut through the din: "Andy, left flank!"
He rolled, the claw missing by inches, gouging stone instead. He retaliated, blades spinning—Twin Surge, fire and water colliding in an explosive arc. The commander reeled, plates cracking under the strike.
The Free Army roared in answer, surging forward. Spear tips stabbed, iron clanged, shields held.
The System lit like a heartbeat:
[Shared Conviction — Embers of Courage: Activated]
[Allied Morale: Surging]
[Bond Progression: 35%]
---
The commander fiend staggered, wings flailing. Andy soared upward, wings burning gold, and dove—blades stabbing down into its skull. Light erupted, tearing through its body. The beast collapsed in flames.
Silence fell. Then cheers—louder, stronger than before.
Nia stepped beside Andy, staff high, her voice carrying over the plaza. "This is Solaris' fire. Not Ashens'. Not clergy's. Ours!"
The System sealed the moment:
[Passive Upgrade Unlocked: Inspiring Presence — Banner Effect]
[Allies within 50m: +20% damage, +20% resistance when fighting under Lantern sigils]
[Bond Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆]
[Progress: 35%]
---
That night, lanterns burned higher than ever, banners tied across the ruins, not of silk, but of red ribbons and soot-marked cloth. Solaris had raised its own army—not just soldiers, but people who refused to bow.
And at their center stood Andy and Nia, fire and light bound as one.
---