Master Khan of the Blazing Sun Enclave wiped the sweat from his forehead as he peered into the blazing depths of the Sun Heart. His body, hardened through years of cultivation, fought valiantly against the oppressive power of the Sun Heart, and though he’d nearly mastered his physical form, even he felt the strain edging into the impossible. Still, he couldn’t give up—not when the knowledge he sought lay just beyond his reach.

Hours turned to days, each one chipping away at his endurance, yet Master Khan held steady, unwavering beneath the Heart’s relentless heat. At last, as the fifth day drew to a close, his resolve was rewarded. A voice—immense and ancient—spoke within his mind, resonating with the dual powers of Creation and Destruction. It was the High Father himself.

“CHAOS WAKES, AND THE CRIMSON HOST MAKES READY.

A GILDED AGE ENDS, AND ONE OF MADNESS TAKES ITS PLACE.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

The Sun God’s words struck like a hammer, forcing Master Khan to his knees, his body trembling with exhaustion. Only a few words—but their meaning was clear. The Father of Demons had returned. How this was possible, he didn’t know, nor did it matter. The gods moved in ways that defied mortal understanding; questioning them was as fruitless as defying the sun.

What mattered was the future. If the God of Chaos had indeed returned—and Khan did not doubt the High Father’s warning—then madness would soon sweep across the land. The ancient accords separating mortal and immortal realms would shatter, and Aridia would become a battleground for titans, lucky if anything survived the coming storm.

“Elder Aryn!” Master Khan called, his voice steady despite the weariness seeping into his bones. On the other side of the doors, where the enclave’s cooling runes barely held back the Sun Heart’s searing heat, his friend and trusted companion waited.

“Yes, Master?” Elder Aryn’s voice came, calm yet attentive.

“Summon the Council. We have little time.”