The ground trembled beneath their feet as the Cradle Warden, a towering figure of swirling temporal energy, emerged from the shadows. Its form shifted with each step, a blur of past, present, and future that seemed to fracture time itself. Leon's eyes locked onto the creature, sensing the vast power that radiated from it.
The Warden's eyes gleamed with malice—fathomless eyes that seemed to pierce into their very souls.
[Boss Encounter: Cradle Warden | Level 95 | Temporal Manifestation]
"It's not just a creature," Mira muttered, her voice trembling with a mix of awe and fear. "It's a living distortion."
Leon nodded, his hand tightening around Crownfire. The Flame Pact within him hummed, ready to ignite. "It's the embodiment of the Cradle's twisted reality. If we don't defeat it, we can never awaken the Throne."
Veyra's voice was low and steady, "Then let's stop it before it stops us."
The Warden's roar reverberated through the Cradle, a sound that seemed to bend the very air around them. It lunged forward, its massive form flickering between moments in time, moving faster than the eye could follow.
Kael was the first to react. With a sharp movement, he unleashed the Storm Chains, binding the Warden's legs with arcs of raw lightning. The chains crackled with energy, but the Warden's form simply blurred through them, as if time itself was resisting the binding.
"It's shifting through time!" Kael shouted, pulling back.
Mira's Phantom Warlord ability flared to life as she phased in and out of parallel timelines, slashing at the Warden from multiple angles. But each strike seemed to dissipate into nothing, the Warden's form rippling like water disturbed by a stone.
"We need to trap it!" Leon ordered. "Aylin, hit its core with everything you've got!"
Aylin nodded, her sword glowing with lunar light. She charged forward, but before she could strike, the Warden's massive hand swung out, creating a shockwave of temporal distortion that sent her flying backward.
Veyra stepped forward, her voice rising in an ancient chant. "By the Aether, calm the winds of time!"
The air shimmered, and the Warden's chaotic movements slowed just for an instant. The brief window was enough. Aylin dashed forward again, her blade trailing lunar light, and this time, she struck the Warden's core.
The Warden let out a screech as the blow made contact, its temporal form flickering violently. But it was not enough.
[Boss Health: 85%... 60%... 40%...]
Leon's voice cut through the chaos. "Kael, bind its limbs! Mira, focus on distracting it—keep it from phasing!"
Kael summoned the power of the Storm Chains once again, this time aiming for the Warden's arms. Lightning crackled, and the chains wrapped tightly around its massive limbs, holding them in place—just for a moment.
Mira phased through time, her strikes landing in quick succession as the Warden struggled against the temporal chains.
But the Warden was not without a response.
[Cradle Warden: Temporal Surge | Boss Health: 20%]
A wave of temporal distortion emanated from the Warden, causing the entire Cradle to shift. The ground beneath them buckled as the very fabric of time seemed to stretch and twist. The sky above split into jagged shards of light, revealing glimpses of worlds and moments that should not exist.
Leon's heart pounded. "Get back!" he shouted.
But it was too late.
The Temporal Surge swept across them, scattering the group into different points in time. Leon felt himself pulled into an endless void—his body fading in and out of existence, trapped in a moment that wasn't his own. His mind scrambled to hold onto the present.
In an instant, he saw flashes of his own future—a kingdom burning, a crown stained with blood, the Flameborne Sovereignty consumed by darkness. Then, just as quickly, he was pulled back to reality, his mind fragmented but alert.
The Warden was still standing, its form flickering erratically, but it was beginning to weaken. It was no longer fully tethered to the Cradle, and the threads of its existence were fraying.
[Boss Health: 10%... 5%... 0%]
Leon gathered the last of his strength, the Flame Pact roaring to life as he unleashed the Sovereign Decree: Chrono Lock. Time around the Warden froze, locking it in place.
"Now, Aylin!"
With a mighty roar, Aylin surged forward, her blade glowing with a brilliant lunar light. She struck the Warden's core with the full force of her power. The blade pierced through the creature's temporal heart, and in a final, explosive burst, the Cradle Warden was no more.
[Boss Defeated: Cradle Warden | Temporal Distortion Ceased]
The Cradle trembled as the Warden's form collapsed into a swirling vortex of temporal energy. Time began to stabilize, and the ground beneath them steadied. The Throne of Time—hovering in the distance—glowed with an intense, radiant light. It was no longer an unreachable symbol; it was now within their grasp.
Leon took a step forward, his eyes locked on the throne. The Aether Grimoire floated beside him, its pages glowing as though resonating with the Throne's energy.
"This is it," Leon whispered. "The Throne of Time."
He approached cautiously, aware of the immense power it contained. As he neared the throne, the world around him seemed to pause, every movement suspended in a moment that felt both fleeting and eternal.
The Throne itself was a massive construct, forged from an unknown material that seemed to shift and pulse with the rhythms of time. Its form was not fixed; it was an ever-changing pattern, a reflection of the flow of time itself. Leon could sense its power, and he knew that sitting upon it would not be a simple matter.
He turned to his companions. "Are you ready?"
Aylin, Kael, Mira, and Veyra all nodded, their expressions determined. This was the moment they had fought for—the moment that would decide the fate of their world.
Leon stepped forward, his heart steady as he reached out to touch the Throne of Time.
As his fingers brushed against the surface of the throne, a surge of energy coursed through him. The Aether Grimoire flared to life, its pages turning rapidly as though guided by an unseen hand. The voice of the Flameborne Sovereignty echoed in his mind.
"You are the Reborn King, Leon. The time has come for you to rewrite the very fabric of reality. The Thrones are yours to command, but the cost is great. Do you wish to carry the weight of time itself?"
Leon closed his eyes, feeling the immense power and responsibility that now lay before him. The Throne of Time was not just a weapon—it was a tool for shaping the future, for rewriting destiny itself. But with such power came unimaginable risks.
He thought of the Crimson Court, of the forces that sought to tear apart the System and unravel reality. The world needed him—needed this power—to stand against them. But at what cost?
He took a deep breath.
"I accept," Leon said, his voice steady. "I will bear the weight of time."
The moment he spoke, the Throne of Time responded. Energy surged through his body, and the world around him shifted, bending to the will of the Reborn King.
In that instant, Leon felt time itself bow before him. He was no longer just a prince—he was the master of time, the Keeper of the Thrones.
The power was his to wield. But so was the responsibility.
[Title Unlocked: Lord of Time]
[Questline Updated: War of the Hidden Courts → Act III: The Thrones Awaken]
The Throne of Time, now fully awakened, was a beacon of power. And with it, Leon knew that the war for reality had only just begun.
As the last of the temporal distortions faded, the Cradle of Time began to shift. The throne, now bonded to Leon, pulsed with a new energy. His companions gathered around him, their faces filled with awe and anticipation.
"We did it," Kael said, his voice filled with wonder. "But what now?"
Leon turned to face his friends, the weight of the Throne of Time pressing upon him. "Now, we prepare for what's coming. The Crimson Court isn't the only threat. There are others—forces beyond even them. We need to awaken the other Thrones. Only then can we fight back."
Mira nodded. "And we will fight, Leon. Together."
The journey ahead would not be easy, but for the first time in a long while, Leon felt the glimmer of hope. The Throne of Time was his—and with it, the future of the world was in his hands.
[Quest Updated: The Thrones Awaken]