Arc 4 — The Vessel of Yggdrasil
Chapter 1 — The Golden Age of Yggdrasil (Canon Rewrite)
The chat group's interface pulsed once—clean, silver-white—and the afterglow of the Aeon council folded into a single new line.
[System Notice | Mission 4: Initiating Training Protocol]
Objective: Construct permanent humanoid vessels that can operate across realities.
Trial Simulation:Yggdrasil Online — Golden Age era (pre-closure).
Ruleset: Carry true essence; express it through local game logic.
Note: All prior boons, blessings, and rewards remain anchored to your essence and will synchronize with vessels as compatibility rises.
The cosmos blinked to polygons.
Descent
They arrived in Midgard's Great Capital, where guild banners rippled above plaza spires and fountains looped auroras through prismatic water. Music, market shouts, raid recruiters—Yggdrasil's golden age breathed around them. Yet unlike ordinary logins, everyone felt the subtle weight of being themselves, not puppets in armor.
Neo flexed his new frame—sleek, flame-silver plates over living light. Herrscher sigils traced his collarbone; aeonic runes drifted like embers. Deep behind it all, the Cocoon of the End thrummed—muzzled for the sandbox, not muzzling him.
"Wrapped," he said, rolling a shoulder, "but not bound. I can work with this."
Status panes bloomed—translucent script acknowledging what the world couldn't fully contain.
NEO
• Race: Cocoon-born Hybrid (Dragon / Slime / Herrscher / Aeon-Vessel)
• Class: Trailblazer of Permanence · World-End Herrscher
• Traits:Cocoon of the End, Aeon Vessel Integration, Herrscher Core Fusion
• System Perks: Unlimited Class Change · Multiversal Adaptation · Alliance Link (Arc-3 boon)
• Note: Effective tier exceeds local metrics → ???
VELGRYND
• Race: Flame Dragon God (Yggdrasil adaptor: Supreme Dragonkin)
• Class: Eternal Guardian of Fire
• Traits:Dragon Authority, Primordial Flame, True Dragon Resilience
• Perk:Divine Rank Retention (cannot be fully debased by local caps)
FINALITY KIANA
• Race: Herrscher of Finality (Vessel Projection)
• Class: Endbringer · White Valkyrie
• Traits:Finality Flames, World-End Sword, Unbound Authority
• Perk: Dual Tree Access (human & divine classes)
LAN
• Race: Aeon Projection (Hunt)
• Class: Celestial Archer · Star Chaser
• Traits:Hunt's Golden Arrow, Limitless Trajectory
• Perk:Infinite-Scaling "Guild Hunt" missions unlock
QLIPOTH
• Race: Aeon Projection (Preservation)
• Class: Cosmic Guardian · Obsidian Shieldbearer
• Traits:Immutable Barrier, Fortress of Aeons
• Perk:Base Construction: Indestructible (requires equal-tier power to breach)
AHA
• Race: Aeon Projection (Elation)
• Class: Cosmic Trickster · Stage Jester
• Traits:Chaos Dice, Comedic Cataclysm
• Perk:Enemy stat randomizer (weighted toward comedic disadvantage)
NOUS
• Race: Aeon Projection (Erudition)
• Class: Infinite Scholar · Machine Sage
• Traits:Equation of Eternity, Analysis Overclock
• Perk:Auto-Scan & Learn (permanent skill acquisition from Yggdrasil)
YAOSHI
• Race: Aeon Projection (Abundance)
• Class: Verdant Healer · Blossom Sovereign
• Traits:Immortal Regeneration, Eternal Spring, Floral Domain
• Perk:Restoration beyond system caps (HP/MP/Stamina spillover)
IX · REMEMBRANCE · EQUILIBRIUM · BEAUTY · ORDER
• State: Freed-Will Aeon Projections (Arc-3 liberation retained)
• Effect: Paths expressed within local rules; no chain-of-Path compulsion.
Across the plaza, allies from the Express, Valkyries, Avengers, and the broader chat group blinked at their own panes—humans, enhanced humans, and non-humans all instanced with their earned boons from Arcs 1–3 intact. Nothing was lost; only translated.
Aha whistled. "We're cheat codes that pay taxes. Delightful."
Velgrynd's eyes narrowed, ember-sharp. "Not cheat codes. Cadets. Vessels are the mission."
Nous folded his hands behind his back. "Concur. The liberation boon from Arc 3 persists, as does the Alliance Link. This sandbox will let us calibrate expression without tearing reality."
Neo glanced at the skybox and grinned. "Then we do it right. Grow the vessel first—then exceed the limit."
The system chimed again.
[Trial Mission α]: Form a guild. Survive the Yggdrasil wars.
Secondary: Build a base. Refine vessels through PvE/PvP.
Bonus: All Yggdrasil skills and evolutions synchronize to true essence on mission completion.
Lan nocked an invisible bowstring, amused. "We hunt first, name later."
"Name after we earn it," Neo said. "Move light. Learn fast."
First Steps in a Golden Age
They split without theatrics.
• Scouts—Lan and select hunters—mapped resource nodes, raid portals, and rival territories, tagging routes with star-pins only their interface could see.
• Crafters & Theory—Nous coordinated human and non-human artisans; formulas and recipes poured into shared matrices. Early armors were modest, but they responded to wielders—an Arc-3 gift humming beneath Yggdrasil's smithery.
• Ward & Wardens—Qlipoth established the first preservation lattice: simple walls, yes, but set into the world with a clause—you must be what we are to undo what we make.
• Sustainers—Yaoshi seeded pocket-gardens that over-healed and over-restored, their mana fonts singing under game caps.
• Edge Cases—Ix and Order screened for exploits; Equilibrium tuned party roles; Remembrance archived tactics; Beauty cleaned the UI, then the city, then everyone's armor (to general, if sheepish, appreciation).
• Close Guard—Velgrynd and Finality Kiana flanked Neo through dungeon starters, deliberately under-casting to train precision. When Neo overreached, Kiana's blade stroked the air—an instant line of correctives—while Velgrynd's heat collapsed to a coin-thin ribbon that never touched bystanders.
The weaker members—humans and enhanced humans who had bled for the Alliance—received priority drills. No one benched them. Under Lan's cadence and Yaoshi's patience, they learned tap-timing, angle discipline, and chain-guard lines. Those who chose new races (angelic, vampiric, spiritkin, dragonkin) did so in supervised increments, keeping their Arc-3 boons intact while exploring synergies the real world would never risk.
Aha kept morale high and hostiles guessing—half street theater, half psychological warfare. Pies, yes. Also precision fear-stalls at boss enrage timers. He laughed. The bosses didn't.
By dusk, Midgard already traded stories of a "quiet guild that fought like meteors and apologized like neighbors."
Calibration, Not Conquest
A private terrace overlooked the capital's lightwells. Neo leaned on the rail, watching the city swirl.
"Remember," he said into the party line, "we're here to fit the power to a person, not force the world to fit us. Everything we earned in Arcs 1–3 stays ours—it's anchored. The vessel is the bridge."
"Understood," Nous replied. "Early metrics say the sandbox is adapting to us at a controlled rate. Recommend limited provocation."
Velgrynd smirked. "You heard the machine sage: no godsplosions. Yet."
Finality Kiana's eyes cut to Neo. "You carry the far end of the trail. Don't sprint alone."
He saluted with two fingers. "Noted."
The system, polite as ever, slid one more ribbon of text into view.
[Vessel Sync: 0% → 7%]
Detected: Stable expression of prior boons (Alliance Link, Aeon-Liberation, Tree/Sea Resonance).
Guidance: Sustain diverse party comps; rotate command; practice limit-aware casting.
Lan's voice warmed the channel. "The Hunt likes patience. We'll stalk the threshold."
"And build a home on it," Qlipoth rumbled.
The First Glimmer
Night draped the capital in festival hue—guild recruiters barking, taverns spilling music. Neo tilted his head. For a heartbeat the stars jittered—one line of the skybox stuttering before smoothing itself flat.
"See that?" he murmured.
Nous did. "Mm. A benign render hitch… or a watcher twitch."
Aha bounced a die across his knuckles. "If the stage is alive, it will want applause. Let's give it a show worth learning from."
Neo pushed off the rail, smile kind but flinty. "Tomorrow we start making a base. We keep the mission clean, the growth visible, and our people seen. If something's watching…"
He let the thought hang with the lights.
"…it can watch us get better."
The plaza bells pealed the hour. Somewhere in the code, something listened.
[End — Arc 4, Chapter 1 | Canon-Locked]
(All prior rewards remain active and referenced; vessel sync introduced; no character swaps; tone and continuity aligned with Arcs 1–3. Ready to proceed to Chapter 2.)
Arc 4 — The Vessel of Yggdrasil
Chapter 2 — Founding of the Guild
The Mission Deepens
The next dawn in Midgard broke with the ringing of crystalline bells. Over the guild square, the system unfolded a new directive across the sky:
[Trial Mission β: Establish a Guild Base]
Requirements:
• Secure territory.
• Construct a foundation that reflects the guild's essence.
• Appoint a leader and officers.
Reward: Vessel synchronization bonus.
The announcement rippled through the city. Veteran players and guilds stirred—some with interest, some with hostility. The golden age of Yggdrasil was competitive, and "new guilds" were rarely welcomed with open arms.
Neo closed the interface and exhaled. "There it is. Our first real flag in this world."
Velgrynd's gaze was steady. "And our first real test. A base isn't just stone. It's identity."
Lan chuckled, pulling back his bowstring and letting it snap with a satisfying twang. "Then let's hunt down a home worth defending."
Choosing the Foundation
The team split into scouting groups. Each Aeon projection and mortal ally viewed territory through their own Path:
• Lan's Hunt: preferred elevated terrain, open skies, and sightlines that could never be hidden.
• Qlipoth's Preservation: demanded terrain that could be walled, reinforced, and made immovable.
• Yaoshi's Abundance: leaned toward fertile land, flowing rivers, and natural renewal.
• Nous' Erudition: wanted proximity to ley-lines and data nodes, for experimentation and innovation.
• Aha's Elation: suggested somewhere "funny," like a volcano shaped like a duck. (Ignored. Mostly.)
Neo weighed every voice, listening. His vessel's crimson and golden eyes glowed faintly as Seraphina's calm tone whispered within:
"Recommendation: Combine opposing values. Strength lies in balance of Paths, not domination of one."
After days of exploration, they found it: a floating archipelago tethered to Midgard's skies, ringed by waterfalls and crystal bridges. It balanced vantage, fertility, defense, and mystery.
Velgrynd flared with recognition. "A home in the skies… fitting for those who won't be chained to the ground."
The Guild Name
The plaza once again thrummed as they stood before the registrar NPC. A name had to be chosen.
Lan suggested "The Eternal Hunt."
Qlipoth countered with "The Fortress Beyond."
Aha argued for "The Punchline."
But Neo shook his head. "We're not just one Path. We're all of them. We're the proof that chains can be broken, and choices can be shared."
He entered the name:
Guild Name Registered: Trailblazers of Yggdrasil
Motto: "Every Path is a choice. Every choice is a trail."
A golden sigil unfurled above them—half flame, half starlight, anchored by a crystalline core. Across the server, whispers began: a new guild, with a name that resonated too strongly for coincidence.
The Officers
The system prompted officer appointments.
• Guild Leader: Neo
• First Officer (Guardian): Velgrynd
• Second Officer (Hunt Marshal): Lan
• Third Officer (Warden of Walls): Qlipoth
• Fourth Officer (Festival Caller): Aha
• Fifth Officer (High Scholar): Nous
• Sixth Officer (Life Sovereign): Yaoshi
Supporting commanders—Kiana, March 7th, Welt, Tony Stark, and others—were given sub-leads for mortal and enhanced-human divisions.
When Neo finalized the roster, every member felt the bond tighten. Seraphina announced:
[Vessel Sync: 7% → 15%]
Effect: Officer roles stabilize vessel structures. Leadership hierarchy strengthens synchronization.
First Conflict
Their choice of sky-archipelago did not go unnoticed.
An old-guard Yggdrasil guild—Iron Fangs, notorious for raiding newcomers—intercepted them as they began fortifying the first outpost.
Their leader sneered. "Sky islands are for legends, not rookies. Hand it over—or be erased."
Dozens of armored warriors, beasts, and summoned horrors arrayed around them. The plaza below watched, waiting to see if the "Trailblazers" were just talk.
Velgrynd stepped forward, her flames forming a circle around their territory. "You want it? Try taking it."
Lan raised his bow. "The Hunt begins."
Neo tightened his grip on his blade, Seraphina's voice resonating within. "Calibration phase: engage with restraint. Vessel durability must be tested without overloading simulation."
He smiled. "Then we show them how far we've come."
Cliffhanger
The Iron Fangs charged, the sky island trembling under their assault. Dozens of guilds tuned in through Yggdrasil's spectator channels.
For the first time in this golden age, the galaxy-spanning allies of Neo would clash against native Yggdrasil legends.
The outcome would decide if their guild was dismissed as another flash in the pan—or recognized as a force destined to rewrite even this world's history.
[End — Arc 4, Chapter 2 | Canon-Locked]
(Guild officially founded, officers assigned, base chosen, vessel sync progressing, first PvP challenge about to erupt.)
Arc 4 — The Vessel of Yggdrasil
Chapter 3 — Training the Sparks
The Weak Links
When the guild finally settled into the floating archipelago, the high of founding began to fade. Neo noticed it first during patrol drills: the weaker members lagged.
• March 7th's bowstring snapped mid-draw because she hadn't synced with Yggdrasil's system mechanics yet.
• Tony Stark's armor modules misfired, his repulsors overloading in anti-magic zones.
• Asuna's healers-in-training panicked when corruption mobs regenerated faster than their spells could keep up.
Even some battle-hardened allies faltered. Without the vessel synchronization, their power curve felt uneven compared to the Aeon officers.
Neo gathered them in the sky arena carved into the island's plateau.
Neo (steady, with a half-smile):
"Right now, we're half a guild. The strong can fight gods. The rest stumble against mobs. That gap will kill us faster than any anomaly. So today—we close it."
The Training Begins
Velgrynd circled above, flames coiling like a drill sergeant's whip. Lan stood at the edge, eyes sharp, watching for slackers.
• Stamina Drills: March sprinted across crystal bridges while Kiana timed her gunfire to clear mobs from her path. Every hesitation earned a burst of Velgrynd's fire, forcing her reflexes sharper.
• Anti-Magic Zones: Stark cursed as his armor sputtered. Welt calmly anchored him with gravity fields, forcing him to learn fallback melee tactics when tech failed.
• Healing & Synchronization: Asuna directed junior healers, each failure punished not with scolding but with Raphael's cool interjection through Neo—
"Correction: miscast ratio 23%. Adjust timing by 0.2 seconds."
The healers groaned but improved with each iteration.
Hours turned into days. Weak sparks became steady flames.
A Different Kind of Lesson
Not all training was combat. Nous insisted on cognitive drills—battlefield awareness, processing multiple feeds of data at once. Qlipoth drilled them on defensive mindsets: "A wall never trembles." Yaoshi taught sustainability: conserving mana, sharing vitality among allies.
Even Aha had a role—chaotic "disruption drills," throwing random illusions, jokes, or distractions mid-combat so members learned to fight under unpredictable conditions.
March 7th (panting, after nearly tripping on one of Aha's illusions):
"Do you have to make the mobs look like giant rubber ducks!?"
Aha (laughing hysterically):
"Distraction resisted! Training successful!"
Despite the annoyance, the guild slowly found rhythm.
Vessel Synchronization Increase
By the end of the training week, Seraphina's voice chimed through Neo's mind and then broadcast across the guild link:
[Vessel Sync: 15% → 23%]
Effect: Collective resonance improved. Weaker members stabilized. Guild-wide buff: "Shared Resolve."**
Neo exhaled, relief flickering in his golden-crimson eyes. "Good. Now we're a guild."
The Iron Fangs Return
But fate rarely waited.
On the seventh night, as the guild gathered in their half-built sky fortress, a warning bell tolled. Scouts reported armored riders scaling the waterfall bridges, their banners bearing jagged wolf sigils.
The Iron Fangs. Back again—and this time with their full raid force.
Their leader's voice echoed across the floating isle:
"You had your little training camp. Now the sky belongs to us. Surrender, or we'll paint this island red with your respawn dust."
Velgrynd's flames flared, but Neo raised a hand. He stepped forward, blade in hand, eyes blazing with calm determination.
Neo (smirking slightly):
"Training's over. Time to test restraint."
Cliffhanger
The Iron Fangs charged, their numbers filling the bridges like a tide of steel. But this time, the Trailblazers stood ready—strong and weak alike, united under Seraphina's coordination.
For the first time, the guild would demonstrate what it meant to fight not as scattered sparks, but as one burning flame.
[End — Arc 4, Chapter 3 | Canon-Locked]
(Chapter 4 will be the first full demonstration of "restraint-based vessel combat" as they clash against the Iron Fangs.)
Arc 4 — The Vessel of Yggdrasil
Chapter 4 — Trial by Fangs
The Battle Begins
The Iron Fangs surged across the crystal bridges, their armored wolves howling with digital fury. Steel banners whipped in the storm winds, guild emblems glinting with malicious pride.
Neo raised Aeternus, voice calm but resonant across the guild link.
"Remember your training. Restraint, coordination, resonance."
Seraphina's voice followed, clear as a bell in every member's mind:
[Battle Protocol Initiated]
Vessel Sync: 23%.
Limiter protocols active—restraint thresholds locked.
Target classification: PvP Raid Tier.
The raid began.
Phase One — Bridge Control
The Iron Fangs aimed to overrun the narrow bridges, forcing the Trailblazers back into their fortress.
• Steve Rogers anchored the chokepoint, shield blazing with Seraphina's resonance. Each strike he blocked radiated a cleansing shockwave, knocking back corrupted blades without killing the players outright.
• Natasha weaved between Steve's guard and enemy blades, her daggers tapping pressure points to disable, not execute.
• Clint fired purification-tipped arrows, striking weapons and mounts instead of hearts, forcing Iron Fang wolves to collapse mid-charge.
Seraphina's voice tracked their efficiency.
"Non-lethal disarmament successful. Vessel sync rising. Efficiency: 87%."
Phase Two — The Skirmishers
The Iron Fangs' assassins blinked into the fortress interior, aiming to disrupt the backline.
• March 7th, still sweating from days of training, raised her crystalline shield. For the first time, it held—not just once, but against three simultaneous strikes.
"Not this time!" she shouted, deflecting them long enough for—
• Asuna to counter. Her rapier blurred, each thrust a pinpoint disabling strike. Instead of piercing vitals, Seraphina guided her hand to cut weapon belts, unraveling enemy daggers mid-swing.
• Tony Stark floated overhead, repulsors humming at reduced capacity. Instead of vaporizing foes, his blasts magnetized Iron Fang armor, dragging them into clusters for Natasha's ambushes.
Kirito smirked as he joined in, dual blades flashing. "Guess training paid off."
Spotlight Duel — Thor vs. Fang Champion
At the outer ridge, the Iron Fangs' warlord thundered forward—a massive axeman clad in wolf-hide armor, mount plated in jagged steel. His strikes split crystal bridges with sheer force.
Thor met him with Mjolnir, lightning restrained yet deafening.
"Come then, beast! Let us test storm against fang!"
Their duel shook the sky. Mjolnir rang against the war-axe, each strike spilling sparks across the abyss. Seraphina whispered constant restraint adjustments:
"Thor: reduce voltage by 12%. Structural collapse risk: 27%."
Despite the limiter, Thor grinned like a madman, enjoying the honest clash.
Spotlight Duel — Velgrynd vs. Iron Fang Mages
On the southern flank, corrupted spellcasters rained fire across the field. Velgrynd's wings unfurled, golden flames answering—but Seraphina locked her power.
"Limiter engaged: Breath of Extinction disabled. Substitute skill: Sanctified Dragonfire—non-lethal configuration."
Velgrynd hissed but complied. Her flames curved like ribbons, burning through spells but leaving the mages themselves intact.
"Pathetic tricks. I do not need annihilation to humble you."
Spotlight Skirmish — Banner & Hulk
When brute squads charged the center, Banner let Hulk loose—but with restraint.
Hulk's roar shook the battlefield. Instead of smashing enemies into respawn dust, he smashed the ground, toppling squads into craters without fatality.
"HULK… PLAY NICE!" he bellowed, almost proud of his restraint.
Banner chuckled from inside. "For once, I think we're in sync."
Neo's Restraint Combat
At the core, Neo fought with Aeternus sheathed in a thin veil of Seraphina's light. Each slash erased corruption from weapons and armor, destabilizing them until enemies collapsed, unable to fight.
One Iron Fang lieutenant snarled, "Why hold back!? You mock us!"
Neo's eyes burned gold-crimson. "Because if I don't… you'd be gone. And this isn't about slaughter—it's about proving we've grown."
With a restrained arc, he disarmed the lieutenant in one blow.
Phase Three — Iron Fang Collapse
As the battle dragged into its final minutes, the Iron Fangs broke formation. Their elite duels faltered, their swarms collapsed under coordinated restraint.
Seraphina's final broadcast rang:
[Victory Confirmed]
Damage: minimal. Fatalities: zero.
Vessel Sync: 23% → 31%.
Collective Trait Unlocked: "Restraint Protocol — Combat Without Collapse."
The battlefield fell silent. The Iron Fangs, humiliated but alive, limped away into the abyssal winds.
Aftermath
Neo lowered his blade, exhaling slowly. His guild—no, his family—stood victorious.
Velgrynd crossed her arms, smirking faintly. "Restraint, hm? It seems your lesson worked after all."
Thor clapped Steve on the back, still grinning. "A battle worth singing of—though my storm longs to break free!"
March 7th fell to her knees, grinning despite exhaustion. "I… actually blocked them."
Neo smiled. For the first time since forming the guild, he felt it—the spark of unity burning into something undeniable.
This wasn't just survival. This was the first proof that the Trailblazers could fight as one.
[End — Arc 4, Chapter 4 | Canon-Locked]
Arc 4 — The Vessel of Yggdrasil
Chapter 5 — Quiet Before Fangs
Recovery in the Crystal Fortress
The fortress glowed softly in the wake of battle. Shards of crystal hummed with lingering energy, refracting pale light across its halls. The guild gathered inside, their bodies patched by Seraphina's healing pulses and Wakandan nanotech support packs.
For once, there was no shouting, no orders—only breathing, laughter, and relief.
Steve leaned against the wall, shield resting beside him. "No fatalities. Everyone made it back. That's a victory worth more than any raid loot."
March 7th raised her hands like a cheerleader, nearly tipping backward from exhaustion. "And I actually blocked three assassins! Without breaking my arms this time!"
Asuna patted her shoulder gently. "That was all you. You held long enough for me to counter. That's teamwork."
Thor roared in approval, slapping Hulk's back so hard the floor cracked. "And Hulk, you did not crush a single soul! A mighty feat of control!"
"HULK… NICE." Hulk nodded proudly. Banner smiled faintly inside.
Bonding Moments
Velgrynd sat near Neo, her long crimson hair cascading like flame. She smirked, but there was a trace of respect in her gaze. "You taught restraint even to gods and beasts. I doubted them… but they listened."
Neo exhaled, setting Aeternus aside. "Restraint isn't weakness. It's harder than fighting at full strength. But if we want to survive multiversal wars, we can't just burn everything down."
Tony raised his glass of Wakandan spirits. "Hear, hear. The kid's right. Besides—non-lethal combat looks great for PR."
Natasha shot him a dry look. "You're always thinking ahead. That's why people don't trust you."
Bruce chuckled. "But he's not wrong. If we can save enemies instead of erasing them, that'll matter down the line."
Zhongli, who had been silent, finally spoke. His amber eyes gleamed with ancient patience. "Restraint is not only strength—it is civilization. What you built here will echo in the battles to come."
The words struck something quiet in everyone.
Personal Reflection — Neo & Seraphina
As the others bantered, Neo retreated briefly to the fortress balcony. The night sky stretched infinite, the constellations humming faintly with Yggdrasil's system-code.
Seraphina's voice was calm, but warmer than usual.
"Your decision to hold back has strengthened their trust in you. And in each other."
Neo leaned on the railing, crimson-golden eyes glowing faintly. "It feels right. For once, I'm not just… surviving. We're building something here."
"Correct. Vessel Sync has risen not only from battle, but from unity. You are no longer fragments. You are becoming a guild."
Neo smiled faintly. "Then we'll keep growing. No matter what comes next."
Hours Later — The Retaliation
The fortress quieted into rest. Some slept, some meditated, some polished weapons. For a few precious hours, peace held.
Then the crystal alarms howled.
Red light pulsed across every wall as the fortress shook violently. Seraphina's voice rang sharp in every member's mind:
[Alert: Coordinated Retaliation Detected]
Multiple guilds allied with the Iron Fangs approaching. Estimated numbers: 1,200. Siege formation confirmed.
The outer sky blazed crimson with banners—Iron Fangs reinforced by two allied guilds, their mounts thundering like an army of beasts across the crystal plains.
Steve snapped his shield into place, calm but firm. "They want revenge. They want to erase what we just proved."
Velgrynd's wings ignited with flame, casting golden light across the fortress. "Let them come. This time, restraint may not be enough."
Neo's Cocoon pulsed violently in his chest, Aeternus shifting in his grip. Seraphina whispered:
"Prepare, Neo. This is no longer a trial. This is war."
And with the roar of ten thousand steel-clad fangs, the siege of the Trailblazers began.
[End — Arc 4, Chapter 5 | Canon-Locked]