"Carwen, it seems the goddess's champion is no more," a tall, slender elf woman with golden hair speaks inside an elegant room. She is wearing a slim white gown and adorned with a crown made of platinum, full of jewels. Looking out the window, a red pillar of light is reflected in her azure eyes. Accompanied by another elf woman who bows as she listens to her speak. "Yes, my Queen. The hero is dead... forever," the elf woman responds, wearing a mage's garb with the symbol of the Kingdom of Sylvenspire engraved on the back of the cloak she wears. The symbol is arc-shaped like a crescent moon with three prongs at the center of the arc, the symbol of the Old Kingdom of the Elves.
The mage is the royal court mage, Carwen, speaking with the Elf Queen of Sylvenspire during the events of the fall of Cosmopolis five years ago.
"At last, I can finally begin my conquest," the Queen speaks in an eager tone, excited to begin her plans at last. Heading towards the bookshelf, she opens a secret compartment containing an old red book. Blowing off the dust from the book, she flips the pages. "The lost goddess has returned to our realm after a millennia, I will at last be able to ascend into godhood like the old prophecy foretold." She stares at the old book full of incantations and rituals.
"When the final tear sheds, the earth will pierce the heavens with the crimson sword and the child of Lunaria will pierce the heart of divinity...", Carwen recites the old prophecy. "When the goddess of death is no more, Lunaria will shed her blood to the child of promise... and bring her home," the Queen finishes the prophecy and smiles, imagining her promised fate.
"Before I challenge the lost goddess, I will bring the world to heel and forge the 'Deicide', the weapon that the goddess Lunaria herself wielded when she challenged and felled the goddess of dragons, Tiamat," the elf Queen expresses her plans to the royal mage.
"The Deicide, the holy sword of heroes, my queen?" Carwen asks to confirm her information.
"The holy sword is the incomplete form of the Deicide," the queen remarks, perusing the red book. "My great grandmother Calanis broke the Deicide when she challenged her mother Lunaria and was defeated. In her defeat, she gathered the broken pieces of the Deicide and turned it into her crown. That's what the peasants call the Demon Lord's Crown, specifically the central gem that adorned it," the Queen remarks, giving information that is unknown to Carwen and most people.
"Calanis called it the 'Caeruleum Caelum', the soul of Deicide," the Queen added and closes the book, heading towards Carwen. "Luckily, we know the location of both. But first, we need to amass our strength, that is why I need you, my most trusted ally," the Queen touched Carwen's shoulder, giving Carwen extreme happiness.
"I am your humble servant, my Queen," Carwen readily responds, eager to make her Queen proud.
"The remnants of the Demon Lord Generals, I heard one was felled here in the elven kingdom, I want you to resurrect it and bring it into submission under my name," the Queen commanded as she held Carwen's chin with her long white fingers and led her to lock eyes with her. Carwen gasps as she stares at the beautiful elven queen, her long golden hair perfect and eyes that glow blue. She smiles at her and waited for Carwen's response.
"I will not fail you, my Queen Elbereth," Carwen's words filled with confidence and ambition.
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Back in Alcaster town, the adventurers in the Adventurer's Guild saw in horror the colossal golem on the horizon. It was so tall that it exceeded the height of the hundred-foot trees in the Sylvenspire forest.
"Emergency! Emergency!" the guild receptionists announced, halting all ongoing transactions. Most of the adventurers rushed outside to see the golem. Borris, who was inside the guild, saw the golem through the window, clutching a piece of parchment. "All guild business will halt for now. Please wait inside for further announcements," the guild receptionist added.
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"What's going on!?" the guild administrator emerged from a meeting room, gazing at the sky with the colossal golem reflecting in his glasses. "Are there any platinum-ranked adventurers in the kingdom right now?" he inquired, trembling at the sight before him, addressing the guild secretary. James Llarme, as he stared at the golem, felt his memories resurface. "It can't be," he uttered to himself, recalling that the Demon General they had fought before was nowhere near that colossal.
The guild secretary rushed in, carrying some parchments in a panic. "There's only one, but he is still on an S-rank mission in a dungeon not far from here," the secretary regretfully responded to the guild administrator's inquiry. "Damn! I need you to send someone to fetch him fast!" the administrator ordered the secretary. James, overhearing the conversation, cut in. "I'll go fetch him. I'll go alone so I can move quicker," James told the administrator. "James, huh? Bring him back at all costs!" the administrator commanded. "Here are the details of his location, quest, and party members." The secretary handed him a piece of parchment. Without further ado, James left in haste.
As soon as James left, the guild administrator looked at the parchment containing information about the platinum-ranked adventurer. "Became platinum in just two years as an adventurer, he must be formidable," he uttered to himself, not recognizing this person. He then turned to the guild secretary. "I want you to gather all adventurers who are willing to fight the monster, Steel rank and above! I will personally hand the reward to whoever slays the abomination!" the guild administrator ordered the secretary. The secretary bowed and headed to arrange the quest.
Meanwhile, Aria, who had come alone, reached the outskirts of the Blighted Town when a strong gust of wind headed towards her. The thick miasma from the town also blew her way, turning the critters in the forest into stone. Fortunately, she was already wearing the bird mask that Borris had given her. Covering her head with her arm, she braved through the gust of wind and reached the town.
When the gust had subsided, the town was still thick with miasma, covering the skies. Aria observed the miasma and thought to herself, "This looks like a curse of some sort." She took a piece of cloth and waved it in the air, checking for any residues. However, it proved that her insight was right, as there was nothing caught in the piece of cloth. Aria, who was not a cleric and no expert on curses, proceeded to find the cave Dorothy had supposedly gone to.
It was getting darker, so she took out her torch and lit it, illuminating a little of her surroundings. Suddenly, demons and monsters converged in her direction, stalking on rooftops and alleyways. Aria, who came prepared, readied her concoctions as she held them in her hand. Oddly, the demons kept a safe distance and just growled at her as she passed through the town. As she walked the path, she noticed that demons were blocking some of the pathways, almost as if she was being led to a certain path.
"There should be a cave here somewhere," Aria muttered to herself as she examined her surroundings. But oddly, there wasn't anything resembling a cave.
"That's because there isn't any," a woman's voice suddenly echoed. Aria turned towards the direction of the voice. In the thick miasma, a woman's figure could be seen, walking towards her. Aria's eyes narrowed in disdain as she gazed at the dark goddess in front of her. "Aria, my dear, you don't seem happy to see me," Asmodea remarked, smiling all the while.
Aria remained silent. She wasn't scared because she knew this person in front of her was just another illusion, like the last one. "You know, I really like you. Let's be friends, alright?" Asmodea spoke genuinely, her tone almost impossible to detect any jest. Aria locked eyes with the yellow-eyed goddess and asked her in a serious tone, "What do you want?"
Asmodea smiled as she answered, "I just told you, I want to be your friend," she insisted on her earlier claim. "A part of you lives within me, after all," Asmodea whispered as she twirled her long crimson hair. Aria caught what she said and felt a wave of disgust as she stared at the dark goddess. "Are you responsible for what happened to this place?" Aria asked Asmodea in a serious tone.
"Oh, you wound me, Aria. Do you really think I'd be capable of doing anything in my state?" Asmodea reacted, playfully acting like a victim as she covered her forehead in distress for dramatic effect. "But I admit, I did give a little nudge to someone who is to blame for what's going to happen next," she revealed, peeking a little to look at Aria's expression.
"What do you mean?" Aria narrowed her eyes and raised her brow, concerned and curious at Asmodea's words.
"You'll see," Asmodea responded mysteriously. Suddenly, Aria noticed someone on one of the rooftops. A woman clad in black armor, the person she saw back at the sealing chamber. The woman in black was just sitting, her yellow eyes shines beneath the slit of the helmet, gazing at them.
"I believe you already know each other?" Asmodea spoke, trying to introduce them. "Oh, I don't mean recently... I meant from waaaaay before," Asmodea added, seeing Aria's growing suspicion. Asmodea then commanded the woman in black, "Don't be rude to our friend. Take off that helmet." Asmodea snickered, giggling at the moment, excited for the fated reunion.
The woman clad in black armor looked at Asmodea for a moment and took off her helmet. Aria had a feeling but she didn't want to believe it until she saw the woman's face. She still had the light purple complexion, a trait apparent to her Drow heritage, although it was a bit pale. The bit of moonlight shone through the miasma, reflecting on her long silver hair flowing in the wind. Her face was expressionless and her yellow eyes appeared to be dead. Aria softly uttered in disbelief as she said her name, "Thalia..."
"I'll give you a little something for speaking with me and meeting our mutual friend. What a treat this was," Asmodea giggled, amused as she gazed at Aria's confused and surprised expression. Asmodea raised her arms to the sky and proclaimed, "Come to me, Aria, come back to my castle. I'll be waiting!" As she spoke, the miasma around the town began to disperse in a gust of wind, clearing up the town and the sky in a matter of seconds. As the town and the sky cleared, it was night, but the full moon kept everything visible. "Come to me, Aria. I have complete faith that you will survive what happens next," Asmodea changed her tone to a serious and sinister one as she proclaimed and disappeared into thin air, leaving behind an echo of laughter. Aria's gaze drifted to the sky, and to her surprise, she gasped at the sight of the colossal golem towering above her.