After Takahiro Sakaguchi’s death, I stayed off Age of Eternity for a couple of weeks. The immersion had been so intense that it blurred the line between game and reality. I needed time to ground myself. Still, the game had a way of calling you back. When Mira—or Aethera, as she was known in the game—sent me the trailer for the new expansion Isles of Destiny, my resolve to stay away crumbled.

I clicked “Play,” and the trailer unfolded in breathtaking detail.

The Age of Eternity logo shimmered as the camera panned across the floating isles of the expansion. Massive landmasses hung like inverted mountains in the sky, teeming with alien biomes—shimmering forests, ash-laden wastelands, and crystal-studded plains. Amidst it all were sprawling cities, their towering spires under siege by Amalgamation Abominations—grotesque monstrosities of flesh, metal, and magic.

The trailer climaxed with the Queen of the Isles, her radiant form sending a clarion call to heroes across the land. Then came the final announcements: New Raids. New Dungeons. New Tombs of the Ancients. Six New Classes. Twelve New Subclasses. Finally, the release date flashed: 12/06/2055.

I leaned back in my chair, the shadow of a smile on my lips. A free expansion, no subscription, and a promise of new challenges. But before I could dive into the Isles, I had unfinished business: the Upper Dungeon.

The Upper Dungeon wasn’t just any dungeon—it was a treasure trove of rare materials. And those materials were the key to my next objective: crafting the Unbidden Set, one of the best gear sets for a Fighter/Warlock hybrid like me. Its stats, passives, and bonuses were perfectly tailored for my dual class.

The set wasn’t something you could simply loot. Crafting it required an absurd amount of rare materials and I had every intention to farm as much as I could carry.

This raid was my chance to gather as much as possible. With the new expansion looming, players would soon flood the dungeons, making resource farming a nightmare.

I wasn’t tackling this one solo. Even I, Astraeus—Fighter-Warlock and usually a lone wolf—knew the dungeon required a team. And there was no better team than the guild I belonged to: Ascension.

I shot Mira a quick message:

"Looking to do the Upper Dungeon Raid. Can you get me a decent team?"

Her reply came instantly.

"Why now? Don’t you want to finish the Lower Dungeon first?"

I chuckled and typed back. "The Orb of Ascent only works once. I’m choosing the Upper Dungeon."

"Suit yourself," she responded. "I’ll see who’s available and meet you at the entrance."

I leaned back, satisfied. My level 30 crafted gear had served me well, but it was time for a real upgrade. The Unbidden Set was my goal—not just for its synergy with my build, but for the crafting challenge it presented. Gathering the materials would be brutal, but it’d be worth it.

The Coiled City was bustling. Players swarmed its winding streets, preparing for the expansion. It wasn’t the largest hub in the game—there were only two—but its intricate, serpentine design, with floating platforms and towering spires, gave it character. What Age of Eternity lacked in sprawling hubs, it made up for with hidden treasures and content buried deep in its world.

I arrived at the dungeon entrance, finding Mira first. She waved, her Cleric robes practically glowing with divine energy.

Apollo showed up next, his Mage/Berserker hybrid aura unmistakable. His grin was as sharp as the massive axe on his back.

"PvP? I know you’re good. PvE? Let’s see if you can keep up, Astraeus."

I smirked. "Stick around, and you’ll find out."

The other two members of the group arrived together.

A massive man in gleaming armor laughed heartily as he approached. His shield alone was large enough to serve as a table for six. "Ravok’s the name," he said, slapping his chestplate. "Knight/Juggernaut. I’m basically unkillable, so stick behind me and you’ll be fine." His grin was infectious.

"I’ll hold you to that," I replied, shaking his hand.

The last member was quieter—a teenage girl with a glowing bow slung across her back. Her voice was light but carried a teasing edge. "Selene. Ranger/Sharpshooter. I’ll cover you from the back, but don’t expect me to hold your hand."

I froze for a moment, taking in her tone and mannerisms. She reminded me of someone. "Helvecta?" I asked, recalling a Witch I used to run with in Royale Online.

She raised an eyebrow, smiling slyly. "Good memory. Didn’t think you’d recognize me without the pointy hat."

Apollo crossed his arms, watching us. "So we’re all friends now? Great. Astraeus, care to explain why we’re raiding this place? The Upper Dungeon isn’t exactly a walk in the park."

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"I’m after materials," I said. "100 Verdant Crystals, 25 Orichalcum Ore, 30 Azure Silk, 100 Ancient Fragments, and 100 Verdant Gemstones."

Ravok let out a low whistle. "That’s quite the list. Let me guess—the Unbidden Set?"

"Exactly," I replied. "It’s the best pre-expansion set for a Fighter/Warlock. Plus, crafting it will max out my item crafting skills."

Mira nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense, but the Upper Dungeon is brutal. If we’re not careful, we’ll wipe and lose hours of progress."

Apollo grinned. "That’s why I’m here. If he screws up, I’ll clean up the mess."

"Charming," I said, shaking my head.

Ravok laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. "Don’t worry, mate. Between my shield and Selene’s aim, we’ve got this. Just don’t go wandering off solo, yeah?"

Selene chimed in, her tone playful. "And keep your head down. I don’t need you walking into my line of fire."

I chuckled. "I’ll keep that in mind."

The five of us turned toward the dungeon gates, massive stone slabs etched with glowing runes. The Upper Dungeon was dangerous, but it was nothing compared to the chaos of the End Zones, where level 90 players slaughtered each other for dominance. Here, at least, there was a chance for teamwork—if we played our cards right.

"Let’s get started," I said, stepping forward as the gates groaned open, revealing the labyrinthine depths beyond. The air shifted immediately, damp and heavy, carrying the faint scent of decay. As our group ventured in, the faint glow of bioluminescent fungi cast eerie patterns on the walls.

I moved to walk beside Selene. She adjusted the bow on her shoulder and glanced at me, curious.

"How’d you end up playing Age of Eternity?" I asked.

Her lips curled into a small smile. "After the guild crumbled into oblivion, I quit Royale Online after you left. You made my Witch seem like the most powerful curse and hex user in the entire game. It was too easy—crushing people left and right, winning every duel without breaking a sweat. At first, it was fun, but then..." She shrugged. "Boredom hit. Hard."

I nodded slowly. Helvecta had been infamous in Royale Online, feared and respected.

She continued, "When the guild fell apart, I didn’t see a point in staying. Then someone mentioned this game, and I figured, why not? It’s different. Here, I’m level 87, and every skill, every shot, feels earned. No one handing me the perfect build. No shortcuts." She gave me a sidelong glance, her smile tinged with amusement. "Feels good to breathe, you know? Not just be 'Helvecta, the Unstoppable Hex Queen.'”

I chuckled softly. "I get it. Back then, I pushed hard—crafted the perfect set, optimized every stat, and turned you into a force of nature. But yeah, when the meta’s solved and you’re at the top, it loses something."

"Exactly," she said, her tone lighter now. "Here, I actually have to work. And you? Still climbing leaderboards?"

I smirked. "Something like that."

Our footsteps echoed as we entered a vast chamber. The air grew heavier, the faint squelching of something moving in the shadows setting everyone on edge. Mira raised her staff, casting a glow that illuminated the space ahead.

A hulking mass of rotting vegetation emerged, its vine-like arms twisting unnaturally. Its faintly glowing core pulsed with sickly green light, embedded deep within its body.

"Shambling Mound," Ravok said, his voice steady. He slammed his shield into the ground with a resounding clang. "Let’s see if it lives up to the stories."

"Formation," I called out, stepping back slightly to let Ravok take the lead.

"Looks like a compost heap with an attitude," Apollo muttered, flames already gathering in his hand.

Selene smirked as she drew her bow. "Let’s turn it into mulch."

The mound moved with surprising speed, its arms lashing out. Ravok intercepted the attack with a grunt, his shield absorbing the brunt of the impact.

"Eyes on me, ugly!" Ravok bellowed, his shield glowing faintly as he activated a taunt ability. The creature roared and redirected its focus entirely on him.

Selene darted to the side, notching a glowing arrow and firing into the mound’s core. The impact caused the creature to shudder, but it quickly regenerated, vines twisting together to heal the damage.

"This thing’s got crazy regen!" Selene called out, loosing another arrow that struck true but barely slowed the creature.

Apollo hurled a fireball, the explosion sending chunks of vegetation flying. "We need to overwhelm it before it can rebuild itself!"

Mira’s voice rang out, calm but commanding. "Focus attacks on the core. I’ll keep everyone standing." Her staff glowed brightly, a pulse of holy energy washing over us, bolstering our defenses.

I stepped into the fray, my sword humming with arcanic energy. "Keep it pinned, Ravok!"

"Already on it!" he shouted, slamming his shield into the creature’s vine-like arms, locking them down. "I’m unkillable, remember?"

Selene’s arrows flew in rapid succession, her precision staggering. Each one struck the core, but the mound’s regeneration remained relentless.

"Not enough," I muttered, stepping back to channel my energy. I gripped my sword tightly, its runes flaring as I drew on my Warlock powers.

"Cover him!" Mira shouted, noticing what I was doing.

Apollo leapt forward, his axe cleaving through the mound’s regenerating limbs, while Selene continued her barrage. Ravok, true to his word, held firm, taking every hit the mound threw his way without faltering.

"Time to end this," I said, my voice low but resolute. My free hand began to glow, arcs of dark and luminous energy spiraling around it. The energy built into a crackling orb as I channeled my Arcanic Blast, the ultimate manifestation of my hybrid class’s power.

The mound reared up, its core glowing brighter as it prepared for a massive attack.

"Now, Astraeus!" Mira called out.

I thrust my hand forward, releasing the Arcanic Blast. A beam of concentrated arcane and infernal energy erupted, tearing through the air with a deafening roar. It struck the mound dead center, obliterating its core in a blinding explosion of light and shadow.

The creature let out a final, ear-splitting shriek before collapsing into a pile of lifeless debris. The glowing mist around it dissipated, leaving the chamber eerily quiet.

Apollo whistled, clearly impressed. "Well, that’s one way to mulch a heap."

Selene glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, that was... ridiculous. What was that?!"

"Arcanic Blast," I said, sheathing my sword. "120% damage bonus with my passives and gear. Perfect for punching through regen." At level 80 the Warlock's Arcanic Blast was able to be channeled for more damage, this was just the test to see if my build thus far was good enough.

Ravok laughed heartily, slapping me on the back with enough force to almost knock me over. "And here I thought I was the showstopper! Guess you can share the spotlight, huh?"

Mira chuckled as she healed up Ravok’s minor wounds. "If this is what you’re like in PvE, I’m not sure what Apollo was worried about."

Apollo grinned. "After dominating someone in PvP, I'm waiting for that parkour style fighting you do but for now a simple attack like that leaves my curiosity satisfied"

"Don’t get too comfortable," I said, glancing further into the dungeon’s depths. "This was just the first fight. We’ve got a lot more ground to cover."

The others nodded, regrouping and preparing for the next challenge. The Upper Dungeon was only getting started, and we were ready to face whatever came next.