Point of View: Genesis
Exactly one month had passed.
One month since I gave the order to prepare.
One month since I decided it was time to step into the universe.
From atop one of Dalaran's towering spires, I observed the main plaza below. The wind moved gently through the floating city, barely stirring the banners suspended between crystalline structures.
"Loki, are you ready?" I asked calmly.
"Yes. I will send the invitation."
I nodded.
The plaza had already been cleared. The metallic golems had finished cleaning every corner. Everything needed to look perfect.
Internally, I was at peace.
Everything was unfolding exactly as I had planned.
I always knew this planet would have to fight. That was the inevitable fate of any world that sought growth. What I hadn't anticipated was how quickly the process would accelerate… that in less than twenty years, we would already stand here.
And yet, I couldn't help but feel pride.
Not even two decades had passed since the first Ascension, and I already commanded more Ascendants than many planets with three hundred years of development.
Yes…
This was what I had wanted from the very beginning.
The space before me began to distort.
Runic circles flared across the crystal floor of the plaza. One after another, armies emerged.
They did not hold back.
A faint smile curved my lips.
The Primordials arrived first, perfectly aligned. Their armor gleamed. Their weapons were synchronized. Massive reinforced wooden crates filled with supplies stood behind them. Beneath their boots, the multifaceted crystal ground shimmered faintly with each step.
At the front, Sylvanas rode her panther with cold elegance. Beside her, Lyriana wore a healer's attire—no heavy armor—but her gaze was resolute.
Next came the Frost Bears.
Rangar led them. Their supplies were stored within containers of solid ice.
Then King Kael arrived, and the soldiers of Atlantis emerged, their provisions wrapped in reinforced seaweed. Their eyes swept across the sky in open awe.
They stood firm… but I noticed something else.
Discomfort.
Some soldiers stared toward the horizon, their breathing heavier. Others tightened their grip on their weapons. None broke formation, yet the wind blowing hundreds of meters above the world's surface reminded them of something undeniable:
They could die.
Then the Swarm appeared.
There were no whispers. No tension.
Xyra advanced at the center of her forces. Around her moved countless combat organisms—most at Mortal Rank, some Level One Ascendants.
Their compound eyes reflected nothing.
No fear.
No hesitation.
No thought.
They possessed no minds of their own. No voices. No will.
The Swarm did not think.
Xyra thought for it.
The Abominations arrived last.
Voracious-level creatures led by Lysera. They carried no emotion within them. Fear did not exist in their nature, though Lysera restrained them to prevent them from attacking nearby troops.
I stepped forward.
"Welcome to Dalaran."
---
Point of View: Rangar
I knew the Guardian lived in a majestic place. During my first visit, I had barely glimpsed it through a window.
But this…
This was different.
The plaza floated among real clouds. I could see them drifting below us—slow and dense. The wind struck my fur constantly. It was not violent, but it reminded us at every moment that we were suspended in the void.
The ground was made of fused crystals of different kinds. When we walked, a soft glow emerged beneath our paws and boots, as though the city itself breathed beneath us.
In the distance, enormous towers stretched toward the sky. Around them floated luminous symbols, rotating slowly. I did not know what they were, but they radiated power.
Floating islands were connected by pathways that appeared to be made of solidified light.
Above us, the sky was clear. The sun did not burn despite the altitude. I found myself thinking—though I would never admit it—that this place must look magnificent at night.
Many of my warriors were tense.
I could see it in their rigid stances.
They were afraid.
I felt the weight of what was coming too.
But what dominated within me was not fear.
It was excitement.
War against another planet.
I hid it well.
Outwardly, I appeared calm.
My soldiers were watching me.
If I faltered, they would falter.
So I kept my body steady and my gaze firm.
We were not the only ones impressed.
I saw Primordial soldiers swallow nervously. The Atlanteans adjusted their spears. Only the Swarm remained perfectly still, as if it were part of the environment itself.
And the Abominations…
They simply waited.
Then the Guardian stepped to the center of the plaza.
And everything fell silent.
---
Point of View: Sylvanas
The Guardian extended his hand.
Energy condensed before us, taking shape. A wide table of dark crystal rose from the ground, surrounded by chairs of the same material.
Without the need for a verbal invitation, I took a seat. The others followed.
Our soldiers were watching.
None of us could afford to appear uncertain.
"I am pleased to see you prepared," the Guardian said with absolute composure. "Now I will explain what will happen."
His voice did not waver.
It was as if he were announcing something inevitable.
"We will proceed to the Portal Hall. There, we will input the coordinates of the target planet. Once activated, we will cross. After arrival, we will construct a return portal."
Lyriana spoke first.
"How will we construct a portal? I doubt any of us know how."
The Guardian nodded.
"The materials can be obtained from other worlds, but we will bring what is necessary. You will only need to assemble them and channel Origin Energy. The System will automatically complete the structure."
Several shoulders relaxed slightly.
But then his tone shifted.
"The portal is not the complicated part. Origin Energy… and the terrain are."
Rangar frowned.
"Why Origin Energy?"
"Because it exists only on our planet," he replied. "Other energies are inferior. They will not serve us."
Lysera spoke next.
"Do you have Origin Crystals?"
"Yes. They are crystallized Origin Energy. They will be our most valuable resource. For this campaign, I will provide them."
Xyra tilted her head slightly.
"And what will we gain from this war?"
There it was.
Pure ambition.
The Guardian met her gaze directly.
"When you eliminate beings from another planet, you will absorb their Fortune and Destiny. That will convert into FD Points. They will appear in your status. That will be your most important resource."
I saw Xyra's eyes gleam with calculated interest.
"Only that?" she pressed.
"Everything you obtain will belong to you. However, their energy will be different from ours. In Dalaran, there are Transmutation Chambers to correct that."
King Kael spoke then, serious.
"How do we guarantee a suitable environment upon arrival? My people can swim and breathe here—but not everywhere."
The Guardian answered without hesitation.
"If you invest FD Points into the portal, it will adjust the landing location according to your needs."
A faint murmur rippled through the troops behind us.
Volcanoes. Oceans. Hostile territories.
The possibility was real.
And everyone knew it.
Yet no one moved.
The Guardian rose to his feet.
"Follow me. I will guide you to the Portal Hall. I will continue explaining along the way."
I stood calmly.
Our soldiers were watching.
We had to look firm.
We had to be firm.
As we advanced, the crystal floor illuminated beneath our steps.
Above us, the towers glowed with floating symbols.
Beyond them, clouds drifted slowly beneath the suspended city.
And though the wind was cold, one truth was undeniable:
There was no turning back.