The first ray of sunlight slowly broke across the horizon.
Golden light washed over the long fortified passage before the Second Wall.
The dawn mist still rested close to the ground.
Silent.
Upon the Second Wall...
Sentinels remained at their posts.
Eyes alert.
Bows ready.
Hands rested firmly upon spears, swords, and shields.
The silence of that morning was different.
No man dared relax.
One of the soldiers discreetly shifted his gaze beyond the wall.
Down below...
Eon stood motionless.
The black armor absorbed the light of dawn.
No ornament broke the simplicity of its lines.
Only the subtle relief of a wolf's head upon the breastplate.
In his right hand...
The black-bladed katana remained still.
The thin crimson-red line running through the steel quietly reflected the first rays of the sun.
His black gaze remained directed toward Arkhel.
The sentinel's expression hardened.
"He's still there..."
Another sentinel followed his gaze.
He remained silent for a few moments.
"He hasn't moved for even a moment."
Several more men turned their eyes toward the same point.
One of them took a deep breath.
"I changed shifts before dawn."
A brief pause.
"When I came back..."
"...he was still standing in the exact same position."
The morning wind swept through the battlements.
One of the sentinels narrowed his eyes.
"Wait..."
His gaze remained fixed beyond the long fortified passage.
Small figures were beginning to emerge in the distance.
It was still impossible to make out their faces.
Only their silhouettes advanced toward the wall.
Another soldier frowned.
"More people are coming."
A third immediately turned.
"Inform Lord Alaric."
The soldier spun on his heels.
He took only a few steps.
Then...
THUMP.
His body stopped abruptly.
As if he had collided with a block of stone.
He staggered back a step.
Slowly raised his head.
Then had to raise it even higher.
Before him...
A gigantic man stood motionless.
The feeling was that of standing before a living wall.
His absurdly muscular physique made his broad shoulders dominate the entire passage.
His pale skin bore only the faint scars of old battles.
An ancient black warrior monk's robe hung heavily upon his body.
Worn by time.
Partially open across the chest.
Upon his left shoulder rested the thick aged hide of an animal, bound by heavy braided cords intertwined with ancient religious scrolls.
A massive rosary of dark wooden beads hung around his neck.
Heavy enough to resemble a chain.
At his waist...
Iron chains held small ceremonial bells, amulets, and ancient religious symbols that swayed subtly with the slightest movement.
Long bandages wrapped his forearms.
His hands.
And part of his legs.
Everything in his attire seemed ancient.
Worn.
Like relics carried through countless battles.
Upon his right shoulder...
Rested a colossal weapon.
The long shaft of black steel was wrapped in leather strips, thick metal rings, and a heavy iron chain that coiled along the entire length of the weapon.
At one end...
A gigantic mace covered in enormous metal spikes.
At the other...
A massive axe blade engraved with ancient scriptures.
The chain slid along the shaft.
Every slight movement produced a deep metallic sound.
Like the slow tolling of a funeral bell.
The soldier raised his head even further.
Short black hair, naturally spiked, contrasted with a completely clean-shaven face.
Dark brown eyes settled upon him.
Calm.
Expressionless.
The soldier felt his throat go dry.
"Excuse me."
The deep voice seemed to vibrate through the wall's corridor.
The sentinel stepped back almost by instinct.
It was then...
That another voice arose directly behind the giant.
Calm.
Relaxed.
"Boran..."
"Sometimes I wonder how you manage to block an entire passage simply by standing still."
Boran remained silent.
He merely stepped aside.
Behind him...
Another man walked forward without the slightest hurry.
A small metal pipe rested between his fingers.
White smoke slowly rose before his face.
He was tall.
Elegant in bearing.
Silver hair rested slightly disheveled.
Half-lidded pale gray eyes observed the wall with absolute calm.
A long black overcoat of aristocratic cut fell below his knees.
The heavy fabric was adorned with dozens of silver chains.
Religious medallions.
Metal rosettes.
Ornamental crosses.
Ancient ceremonial symbols spread throughout the garment.
Upon his shoulders...
A great ceremonial mantle covered in long metallic fringes broadened his silhouette even further.
On the right sleeve...
The word "Justice" stood out, embroidered in white upon the black fabric.
Beneath the coat...
A white dress shirt remained completely open down to the waist.
The exposed chest revealed black tattoos that covered his torso and disappeared beneath his jaw.
At his waist...
A broad black leather belt adorned with chains and metal strips supported the sheath of a long katana.
The two walked along the wall without any hurry.
The sentinels naturally made way.
No words were necessary.
Only the faint sound of metal chains and the crackling of the pipe accompanied their steps.
Upon reaching the battlement...
Both turned their eyes toward the long fortified passage.
The man slowly removed the pipe from his lips.
White smoke lazily rose before his face.
"I don't feel Reinhardt's presence."
Boran remained motionless.
His eyes continued facing the long fortified passage.
"Tazir..."
"The High Priest acted too hastily."
Tazir kept watching the distant figures.
Boran continued.
"If Reinhardt isn't here..."
His eyes remained fixed ahead.
"One of us would have been enough."
Silence lingered between them.
Then...
A faint smile appeared on Tazir's lips.
"You still only watch the most obvious piece on the board."
Boran remained silent.
Tazir removed the pipe from his lips again.
"A kingdom sustained by a single man would never have survived this long."
Before he could continue...
Another voice emerged behind them.
"Tazir is right..."
"Boran."
Both turned in the same direction.
Firm footsteps echoed across the wall.
Alaric approached without any hurry.
The white-silver armor shimmered beneath the light of dawn.
At the center of the breastplate, the crest of a radiant sun pierced by a sword stood out among the subtle golden filaments running through the steel.
A few steps behind him...
Alina followed in absolute silence.
Her fair skin seemed to reflect the morning light.
Dark hair, cut just above the ears, moved gently in the wind.
The silver armor bore delicate golden details reminiscent of stars and ancient sacred symbols.
None of her movements produced any sound beyond the subtle meeting of metal and stone.
Neither of them looked away from Boran and Tazir.
"Reinhardt is extraordinary."
"But he was never the only one capable of sustaining the North."
His gaze slowly swept across the wall.
The sentinels remained in absolute silence.
"As long as Selvaria breathes..."
"...any army will pay a price to advance."
Alaric stepped closer to the battlement.
"As long as Garrick remains standing..."
"...there will be a wall where none exists."
His gaze remained serene.
"As long as Roven sees what no one else notices..."
"...it will be difficult for anyone to surprise the Northern Kingdom."
Smoke escaped between Tazir's lips.
"It's been a long time since I've heard you speak of them that way..."
His eyes met Alaric's.
He remained motionless.
A subtle smile appeared at the corner of Tazir's lips.
Then his eyes drifted back toward the long fortified passage.
They found Eon's solitary figure.
"Even so..."
"The man who leads the North..."
He brought the pipe back to his lips.
"And the prince before this wall."
A thin thread of smoke rose before his face.
"They are the only pieces on this board..."
"...that awaken my interest."
Boran remained silent for a few moments.
The enormous weapon rested upon his shoulder.
"We've seen enough."
With a single motion, his gigantic body rose onto the battlement.
The wall itself seemed to tremble beneath his weight.
"The rest will be decided down there."
Without waiting for any response...
He jumped.
Tazir released a brief puff of smoke.
"As always... you prefer to let the battle speak."
Still holding the pipe between his fingers, he gave a simple push.
His body sailed beyond the wall with surprising lightness.
Then disappeared.
The wind swept through the battlements once more.
Alaric remained still for only an instant.
Then he turned toward Alina.
"As soon as Oryn brings it..."
"Raise the barrier."
His eyes remained calm.
"And no matter what happens..."
"...do not bring it down."
Alina brought her fist to her chest.
"Yes, sir."
Alaric gave a subtle nod.
Then turned his eyes toward the field.
The next instant...
He too leapt from the wall.
Below the wall...
Eon raised his eyes.
The three figures descended from the Second Wall.
Their cloaks and garments rippled in the wind as they crossed the void.
None of them slowed.
Then...
BOOM!
The ground trembled violently.
A thick cloud of dust erupted near the wall.
Fragments of stone scattered across the passage.
The wind slowly pushed the dust aside.
Behind Eon...
The rhythmic sound of hooves began to echo through the long fortified passage.
Toc.
Toc.
Toc.
The sound grew louder with every moment.
Eon shifted his eyes away from the three figures ahead.
Turning only enough to look behind him.
A black horse stopped at his side.
His eyes met Cassian's for a brief instant.
No words were spoken.
Soon both turned their attention forward once more.
The dust was beginning to dissipate.
Cassian remained mounted.
Long black hair fell partially over his shoulders, moving gently in the wind.
The ivory-white armor reflected the light of dawn.
Delicate golden filaments crossed the metal plates while ancient Chronicle runes remained engraved across the entire cuirass.
His golden eyes remained fixed upon the three figures ahead.
"So the Temple has decided to move its pieces."
A brief pause.
"I never imagined the right hand and the left hand..."
"...of the High Priest would leave Arkhel at the same time."
Roven brought his horse to a halt beside Cassian.
His single eye remained fixed upon the three figures.
"Facing Alaric alone would already be troublesome..."
A brief pause.
"With Boran and Tazir on the field..."
"...this has just become an entirely different battle."
Garrick approached shortly after.
A crooked smile appeared on his lips.
"Are you afraid, Roven?"
Selvaria brought her horse to a stop beside them.
Her eyes never left the three figures.
"He's right, Garrick."
Her voice remained calm.
"There aren't many people capable of facing them as equals."
Farther back...
León gently pulled the reins.
"Tristan."
"Ryou."
Both turned toward him.
"When the battle begins..."
"...observe."
"Do not try to intervene before the right moment."
Tristan and Ryou brought their fists to their chests at the same time.
"Yes, sir."
Ahead...
The three figures continued advancing through the long fortified passage.
None of them showed any haste.
Their footsteps echoed in a constant rhythm upon the stone.
The faint chime of chains broke the silence.
The white smoke escaping from the pipe rose calmly, dissipating into the air.
Garrick watched their approach for a few moments longer.
"Hah..."
Without taking his eyes off the three...
He dismounted.
THUMP.
The sole of his boot met stone.
Then...
The end of the enormous black staff touched the ground.
SCRAAAAAAAPE...
The stone groaned.
Sparks burst forth as the staff dragged across the passage.
Garrick began to walk.
Each step seemed heavier than the last.
The smile remained on his face.
"I'll greet them properly."
On the other side...
Tazir watched Garrick's advance.
Smoke escaped between his lips.
"Not even all those years of isolation in Karngard..."
"...were enough to calm him."
A low sound escaped Boran.
Almost a laugh.
"Good."
Without saying anything else...
He began walking ahead of the other two.
Tazir followed his advance with his eyes.
White smoke drifted across his vision.
When the smoke dissipated...
Boran was no longer there.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion thundered through the center of the long fortified passage.
The stone beneath their feet cracked.
A violent shockwave swept through the stone corridor.
The air itself seemed to shudder.
Fragments of rock were hurled in every direction.
When the dust finally began to settle...
Garrick and Boran remained motionless.
Face to face.
Garrick's gigantic war hammer clashed against Boran's monstrous hybrid weapon.
Neither of them had yielded a single step.