Galen watched his son stride out with pride swelling within him. It was a surreal moment, seeing his little boy emerge as an adventurer, a Herald no less! If only his late wife could witness this, how she would weep with joy. He turned to Ludwig with an inadvertently broad smile still lingering on his face.

Ludwig's tone cut through the moment, snapping Galen back to the grim reality at hand. "Wipe that grin off your face, Galen. Save the parental pride for later. Our city is under siege, and people are dying." The words struck hard, sobering Galen instantly.

“Good, that's the proper face. Your son is heading north, but the south is also in shambles. Captain Wayne predicts they can hold out for another six minutes, if that. Do you have any suggestions?”

Galen racked his brain, drawing from distant memories of siege warfare. "I know involving civilians isn't ideal, but we might have no choice. We should mobilize the earth mages from the construction guild. They can reinforce the walls and fill the gaps. It might not be a permanent solution, but it could buy us time."

“I hate it when you're right, Galen….people always die when you are,” Ludwig said, turning to Captain Wayne to direct the order. Emotions welled up at that, ones he thought had vanished after years of retirement. The next five minutes involved a lot of troop placement, both trying to figure out a way to survive. The Sphere hadn’t seen a true battle in ages, as shown by the lack of resources.

A sudden explosion rocked the house, hurting the pair towards the opposite wall. Stone ricocheted and tumbled as the ceiling and walls gave out. A dust cloud obscured the building, fits of coughing from the inhaled irritant. When the duet had finally settled, a strange man stood in the wreckage.

He was a giant of a man, standing easily eight feet tall, which matched his hulking figure. He wore pitch-black armor, each piece seeming to blend with his skin. His eyes highlighted the dark color of his skin with their green hue. Sickly green eyes matched the color of his flowing veins. His vile smirk revealed rows of sharp teeth dripping with gore. Worst of all was the rotten smell of Void emanating from him.

“Such weak construction,” the creature stated with a distorted voice. It sounded like a hissing snake buried in gravel. “You two, where is the one who reeks of corruption? Do not deny his presence here; the stench of mana still lingers.”

“Corruption? Only one thing stinks in here, monster, and IT IS YOU! You hold no authority over us, you disgusting thing, so just kill yourself and rid this worl—” a solid punch to his gut abruptly silenced Ludwig’s hatred. He crashed into the wall, blood spilling from his mouth. Galen barely registered the lightning-fast movement of their assailant. Such speed could only be tier-two, if not tier-three.

Galen positioned himself in front of Ludwig's prone form, locking eyes with the creature's green, venomous gaze. “Leave him be; he knows nothing of what you seek. He's just a soldier, nothing more.” Despite the false sincerity in his tone, Galen knew it was necessary to protect Ludwig. “Why would a creature of the Void seek someone so saturated in mana? It can't be good for you.”

The creature halted its assault on Ludwig, glaring at Galen with insanity blazing in its eyes. “You don't ask questions, worm! I ask, and you answer. How dare one who gave up power dare to address me!” It pressed Galen hard against the wall, his lungs protesting from the force.

This creature was perilous. What were the odds that Zion emerged as a new race with extraordinary powers, only for this abomination to appear, a fusion of Void and man? Galen knew the manipulative games played by deities all too well, and this reeked of their influence. Deep in his gut, he knew this was the challenge Zion must face. But Galen also understood that Zion couldn't win this battle today.

Galen tore his tunic from his arm, revealing the mark of compliance etched upon his skin by the Weave. It signified his relinquishment of power and connection to mana, his choice to remain in a tier-one sphere for the sake of Mara. But now, it was his key to saving Zion.

“I'm so sorry, Zi,” Galen whispered before invoking his final act. “Creation, I rescind my offer of compliance. I reclaim what is rightfully mine!” The words rushed out, denying the creature any chance to react. The mark dissipated with his final utterance, and mana surged through him once more, cascading outward like a reverse waterfall. The creature recoiled in agony.

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“So this is the power of one who has completed their tapestry. Oh, how I can’t wait to rip that power fro—” Before it could finish, Galen lunged forward with unseen speed. His fist slammed into its chest, the power caving it in. It flew back, crashing through building after building, till Galen could no longer see its trajectory. A trench was left in the wake of the attack, a testament to how strong that one punch had been.

“You damn moron! What were you thinking, Galen!” Ludwig rasped, struggling to rise. “You just sentenced yourself to death!”

Galen looked down at that. It was true; this would be his end. One did not simply tell Creation, “Sorry, I changed my mind.” No revoking one's word meant they forfeited their very life. Galen had known that, and he regretted nothing.

“It’s okay, Ludwig, it had to be done.” He silenced Ludwig's protests with a gesture. “Stop. We both know I have maybe three minutes before I permanently join the Void. I plan on taking down that thing before I go.”

“Before that, I need your promise. Promise me you'll help Zion start his journey. He must go to the Untamed Spheres if he's to have any chance. He'll need my funds and guidance on how to use them. I know you can only do so much, but he needs that initial push. Will you do this for me, old friend?”

Ludwig's face reflected a mixture of sorrow and anger as if feeling the weight of failure. “You know I will. Damn it, Galen, I'm sorry. We could have avoided this if we had been better prepared, less complacent.”

“No, Ludwig, we couldn't. Explain to Zion how dangerous that thing is. He cannot fight it in his current state. The power gap is too vast.” Galen embraced Ludwig, conveying his trust. “Tell him I'm proud of him, and he is loved.”

With those parting words, Galen sped off, following the trail of destruction left by the creature. The weight of the Weave bore down on him, a reminder of the consequences of his actions. To onlookers, he was a blur, his movements beyond human comprehension. That was the gap between tiers.

It took no more than fifteen seconds to locate his prey. The creature soared through the air, inky wings flapping hastily toward the south gate. Galen grinned, realizing he could strike two birds with one stone.

“Come back here, little beasty! I ain't done with you yet.” His voice carried as he aimed both hands forward, unleashing a spell ingrained in his memory. Meteor Hail! Fiery meteorites streaked toward the retreating monster, tearing through everything in their path before crashing into it. The impact sent a fiery shockwave that shattered the ground.

To Galen's dismay, the creature survived, shielded by a green barrier. It flew faster now, driven by some unknown force. Galen pursued, his anger fueling his determination to end this.

He caught up as the creature cleared the walls, soldiers and monsters alike watching in astonishment. With a powerful push against a collapsed wall, Galen launched himself toward the creature, delivering a barrage of punches mid-flight. The monster crashed to the ground, but it still survived.

“Congratulations, vile slave,” it hissed, taunting him with its defiance. “You are the first to cause me fear. I will look forward to feasting on your decaying corpse in the Void!”

“Slave! Says the man who let the very Void consume him. The man who has become a puppet for beings wholly uninterested in his survival? Only one of us is a slave here, and I'll happily release you from the burden!” Galen retorted, his mana surging for a final attack.

“No, I chose my path freely,” the creature countered, its words laced with conviction. While I made a choice with complete freedom, you bow down to a system that dictates what you get to be. The Weave shouldn’t get to say what you will be; only the individual should decide that! So perish from your miserable existence and escape eternal servitude.”

Galen couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the creature before him. Its corruption ran so deep that it had lost sight of the truth, consumed by its own darkness. He observed as the minions that had once assailed the walls now encircled their master, forming a protective barrier. Despite its malevolence, there was a grim intelligence to its actions. Yet, Galen knew its plan would ultimately fail.

Sensing his time drawing to a close, Galen decided to unleash his full power. Mana surged around him, its earthy green hues reminiscent of his past exploits. With a tear tracing down his cheek, he unleashed his final spell: CATACLYSM! The very earth obeyed his command, rupturing and soaring into the sky. Every inch of ground within a three-hundred-foot radius tore asunder, hurtling toward his target. The resulting explosion reverberated throughout the city, obliterating the southern wall and sending bystanders tumbling.

In the aftermath of the cataclysmic display, not a single enemy remained standing. The vile presence of the creature had been eradicated, and Galen allowed himself a fleeting smile. His son was safe, and the city was preserved. He had achieved what he had set out to do. As his body began to dissipate into black mist, Galen cast one last glance over the beautiful cityscape, a silent farewell before the Void claimed him.