As the glowing foundation stones locked into place beneath Nyxaris' will, the villagers and goblins watched in stunned silence.
Erik scratched his head, still holding a hammer. "You… summoned stone from the earth?"
Nyxaris turned, the aura around him settling slightly. "Not summoned. Designed. This command hall will be the brain of our future nation."
Borrak crossed his thick arms, grinning. "Efficient. Solid. No gaps in the lower support either. You've built fortresses before?"
Nyxaris gave a half-smile. "Something like that."
The system hovered in his vision.
[Construction Progress: 4% – Military Barracks pending. Defense Wall pending. Food Reserve Storage pending.]
He closed the menu and turned to the crowd gathering nearby.
"All right, listen up."
The villagers straightened, goblins snapping to attention, and ogres stood still like statues.
"We're not just building homes anymore. We're building the foundation of a nation. Everyone will have a role. Everyone contributes. From this point forward, this land will be known as—"
He paused, letting the tension linger.
"—Arkanos."
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT – KINGDOM NAME SELECTED: ARKANOS]
[New Title Acquired: Sovereign of Arkanos]
[Influence Radius Expanded: Nearby territories are now part of your domain.]
The people began to cheer.
"Arkanos!"
"Long live Lord Nyxaris!"
Erik stepped beside him, voice hushed. "You really thought this through."
Zeraldris' voice slipped in quietly.
"He's seeing further than even I expected. You're not just following the path… you're shaping it."
"Let's assign tasks," Nyxaris said.
He opened a large interface in the air, light blue glyphs swirling across the screen.
Military Barracks – Assigned to Borrak and the Ogre warriors.
Defense Walls – Goblin builders and strong villagers led by a new construction unit.
Food Supply and Farms – Managed by Erik and three newly promoted harvest overseers.
Scouting & Espionage – A unit of goblin scouts now trained under Nyxaris' direct commands.
One of the goblins with a small dagger stepped up, squinting. "Espionage? What's that?"
Nyxaris smirked. "You'll learn. Just stay quiet and keep your eyes open."
[System Update: Infrastructure Roles Assigned – Settlement Progression Tier: Hamlet → Stronghold]
[Leadership Skill +3 | Strategy Skill +5]
As everyone dispersed to begin their new duties, Nyxaris stood at the center of it all. The wind stirred, carrying with it a hint of change… and danger.
Suddenly—
[SYSTEM ALERT – UNSTABLE ZONE DETECTED NEAR ARKANOS BORDERS]
[A mysterious structure has appeared in the west. Possible threat or opportunity.]
[Optional Quest Unlocked: Investigate the Ruins of the Fallen Order]
Nyxaris narrowed his eyes. "Ruins?"
"Something old," Zeraldris murmured. "Older than the system. Be careful."
Erik came running. "Another quest already?"
Nyxaris tilted his head slightly. "A choice, this time. We expand here… or we discover what secrets are buried there."
He looked to the west.
"We'll prepare both. Arkanos will not stand still."
The next morning arrived with golden sunlight piercing through the canopy above. Nyxaris stood on a raised platform overlooking the village. The new structures were shaping up fast—barracks halfway completed, fields sectioned and tilled, and the framework of a defensive wall climbing up around the settlement's borders.
Erik approached with a scroll in hand. "Morning, Lord Nyxaris. Builders reported good progress overnight. We'll have the outer wall ready by tomorrow."
Nyxaris nodded. "Good. And the scouts?"
Borrak strode in behind Erik. "Our goblins returned from the southern ridge. No signs of danger for now. But… they said they felt something strange to the west."
Nyxaris's eyes narrowed. "The ruins."
Just then, a whisper of ethereal light shimmered before him as the system activated:
[SYSTEM QUEST: Whispers of the Past]
Objective: Investigate the newly appeared ruins to the west of Arkanos. Unknown dangers and relics await.
Rewards: ??? | Unique Artifact | Reputation with Ancient Factions
Failure Condition: Abandoning the ruins may result in hostile emergence near your borders.
"Those ruins weren't there before," Zeraldris said, his voice low and thoughtful inside Nyxaris's mind. "They've been uncovered by your influence. Your mere existence is shifting the world's fabric."
Nyxaris stepped down from the platform. "Then it's time I see what my presence is awakening."
He turned to Erik. "Keep the village running. You're in charge while I'm gone."
Erik saluted with a hand to his chest. "Understood. May the winds favor your path, Sovereign."
Nyxaris then faced Borrak. "I'll take five of your finest warriors. Silent, strong, and smart."
Borrak cracked his neck and grinned. "I'll send my sons. They won't disappoint."
The group set off within the hour. Nyxaris, dressed in a dark cloak, his presence cloaked by arcane threads, walked ahead, his steps silent yet firm. The forest thickened as they approached the western boundary of Arkanos.
"Over here!" One of the goblin scouts whispered, pointing to a break in the trees.
Through the clearing, Nyxaris saw it—a massive crumbled structure half-buried under moss and vines, glowing faintly with ancient runes.
[WARNING: Magical Distortion Detected]
[Entering Forgotten Territory: Domain of the Lost Order]
Borrak's son whispered, "This place gives me chills…"
Nyxaris raised a hand. "Stay sharp. These ruins may be older than this game's code."
"They are," Zeraldris whispered. "This… this was built by something not bound by the system. Be cautious."
The group stepped inside. As Nyxaris crossed the threshold, a gust of cold wind slammed into them. The ruins seemed to breathe.
Suddenly—
[SYSTEM EVENT TRIGGERED: Sentinels of the Lost Order]
[Objective Updated: Defeat the Ruin Wardens | Survive the Trial]
A grinding noise echoed from deep within the stone halls as figures cloaked in shattered armor emerged—four Ruin Sentinels, each radiating corrupted energy.
"Form up!" Nyxaris ordered, drawing his hand forward.
Dark energy pulsed in his palm, reacting to his will.
"Show them, Nyxaris… why you've become the Sovereign."
The battle had begun—and the ruins were watching.
The ground trembled as the Ruin Sentinels fully emerged, towering constructs of old magic and broken steel. Their hollow eyes glowed with eerie crimson, locked onto Nyxaris and his goblin escort.
One sentinel raised a rusted halberd, letting out a deep, mechanical roar as ancient runes ignited along its body.
CLANG!
The first strike came fast—too fast for something so large.
But Nyxaris raised his hand, palm glowing.
"Void Shield."
A translucent barrier of shifting black and silver energy flared up, absorbing the blow like it was nothing.
"Spread out!" Nyxaris commanded, stepping forward as the sentinels closed in. "Focus on survival. I'll handle the heavy lifting."
"Good. Use this opportunity," Zeraldris' voice echoed calmly in his mind, "These constructs are built on unstable mana. If you overwhelm their cores—"
"I know." Nyxaris smirked.
He extended both hands.
Dark symbols appeared in the air, orbiting him like celestial bodies.
"Arcane Displacement – Fragment Storm."
The air shimmered and exploded in silent, shimmering chaos. Dozens of razor-sharp fragments of compressed arcane force shot out in all directions, slicing into the sentinels.
One staggered, its chest exposed.
"Now!" Nyxaris stepped in, hand pressed to the core.
"Worldbreaker's Pulse."
The runes on his body lit up—then discharged a wave of power that cracked reality itself for a moment.
The sentinel collapsed, its body dissolving into motes of light.
The goblins gasped. One of them, Fenn, whispered, "He… shattered its existence…"
The remaining sentinels lunged together, trying to overwhelm him.
Nyxaris leapt back, then thrust his hand forward.
"Primordial Sovereignty – Suspend."
Everything stopped.
The air froze. The world halted.
For three seconds, the sentinels were completely still—trapped in suspended animation.
Nyxaris calmly approached each one, marking their cores with complex sigils.
As time resumed, the runes exploded simultaneously, reducing all three constructs to fragments.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Trial Completed. Ruin Wardens Neutralized.
You have awakened deeper energies from the Forgotten Order.
Rewards: Lost Relic – [Core of the Forgotten Flame] | +20 Leadership | +500,000 Gold
New Title Gained: Wardenbreaker
Zeraldris murmured in awe, "You're getting faster at this. You're becoming something beyond… even me."
Nyxaris dusted his cloak off, breathing steady. "This power… it's not just mine. It's for the people following me. I need to build a future they can live in."
[SYSTEM QUEST: Echoes of the Flame]
Objective: Use the Core of the Forgotten Flame to construct a unique structure in Arkanos
Description: A forge lost to time, capable of enhancing gear and unlocking hidden potential. Build it to empower your people.
Nyxaris turned to the goblins.
"We're heading back. Let's build something the world's never seen."
Fenn grinned. "You got it, Chief!"
As they marched back through the forest, the sky above shimmered—somewhere, the game creators were losing their minds again.
And back in Arkanos, Erik was preparing the grounds.
A forge of legends was about to rise.