The clang of metal rang through the battered courtyard as the survivors inched closer to a resolution of their long, harrowing journey through the undead city. Though dawn held no meaning in the perpetual gloom beneath this vast stone ceiling, they rose by their internal clocks, determined to push forward now that the Crown of Dominion had been secured.
Elijah Merrows stood beside the camp’s central fire, carefully examining the tarnished crown they had pried from the undead monarch’s skull. The swirling runes etched into its metal glimmered faintly in the flickering torchlight. In his other hand he held the ring from the Tribute Hall puzzle, its inset crest equally laden with swirling motifs.
Vince Anders approached, arcs of subdued electricity dancing along his fingertips. “So you just slot the crown and ring together, right?” he asked, voice hushed as though reluctant to disturb the predawn quiet.
Elijah shrugged. “In theory, yes. But if it was that easy, the System might have forced another puzzle. Let’s see.”
Nora Reyes joined them, smoothing a hand along the hilt of her wind-laced sword. “We should gather everyone. If this triggers a big reaction, we don’t want to be off guard.”
Not far away, Gideon Pierce coordinated small squads to reinforce the barricades. Even though the Royal Citadel’s undead monarch was defeated, straggling knights or scavengers could still appear. Misha, Patrice, and others kept watch on the side streets. Brittany’s Fortifying Song hovered softly in the background, lifting weary souls to readiness.
When the core group assembled around the fire—Nora, Vince, Gideon, Lauren, Harold, Brittany, and a handful of supporting fighters—Elijah raised the crown in one hand and the ring in the other. The battered metal shapes seemed to resonate as he brought them nearer, runes flickering with faint life. For a moment, he hesitated, recalling how some puzzles had tried to pull them into synergy challenges or spawn guardians.
“Here goes,” he murmured. Slowly he pressed the ring’s crest into a small depression on the crown’s side. At first, it didn’t fit. Then the swirling lines glowed, twisting as though reconfiguring. With a dull click, the ring slid into place, forming a single cohesive emblem. A muted pulse of energy radiated outward, ruffling hair and garments in a gentle wave.
Words flickered across Elijah’s vision:
[City Emblem (Complete)
Bearer has the authority to unlock sealed wards within the domain. Passive effect: Minor aura of suppression to lesser undead. System Notice: City Emblem synergy recognized. Further unlocking requires the Sanctum Puzzle or Council Edict. Extrapolating recommended usage…]
He read the lines aloud, voice quickening with excitement. “So the emblem is basically a key to the city’s puzzle locks. The System suggests we go to the Sanctum or Council Hall.”
Vince’s eyes sparkled. “Finally. We can open the library chest, the Sanctum door, and the Council Hall puzzle. Let’s see what secrets this city was hiding.”
Gideon nodded, a tired grin crossing his face. “All right, folks. We’ll split into two teams: one to open that library chest in case it holds vital lore, the other to tackle the Sanctum door in the temple catacombs. Once we gather all the knowledge, we can check the Council Hall puzzle last. Sound fair?”
A chorus of agreement followed. They wasted no time. Within minutes, two squads had formed: Elijah, Vince, Misha, and a few guards set off for the library. Meanwhile, Nora, Gideon, Lauren, and Harold guided a second squad to the temple catacombs. The plan was to meet at the Council Hall afterward and attempt the final puzzle or door.
As Elijah led his contingent down broken avenues, some part of him itched with eagerness. So many times they had stared at locked runes, unable to progress. Now they held the completed emblem in their hands. The city’s mysteries would finally unfold, revealing the path out of this punishing realm.
They arrived at the library’s timeworn portico and passed through the dust-laden antechamber. The sealed chest they had tried to open days ago sat at the rear, runes still glowing faintly. Elijah knelt before it, pressing the newly fused emblem against the swirling pattern carved into its lid.
At once, threads of magical script bloomed around the chest, forming a geometric lattice in the air. Vince leaned forward, conjuring a small spark to help power the interaction. The runes brightened, then peeled away like shedding layers of light. With a dull thrum, the chest cracked open, dust billowing from its hinges.
“Careful,” Misha warned, raising her spear in case of a guardian. But no guardian emerged. Instead, Elijah gently lifted the chest’s lid to reveal a set of old scrolls, each preserved in cylindrical cases etched with the city’s swirl designs. A battered codex with metal corners also lay inside, plus a small crystal bottle filled with shimmering liquid.
Vince whistled softly. “This is definitely different from random decayed parchment. Must be an official archive.”
Elijah pulled out the codex and used his Basic Translation Sigil. The System’s interface provided partial interpretations: it was titled “Civic Edicts and System Integration,” referencing an early attempt by the city’s ancestors to harness the same synergy powers the survivors had been forced to learn. Most lines were damaged, but key phrases stood out: “Ascension Trials… synergy nodes… path to dominion… new realms.”
Misha and the others skimmed the scroll cases. One elaborated on the “Council of Unity,” describing how certain classes or Sigils could unify to combat the monstrous threats that overran the city long ago. Another scroll detailed a “Gateway” to “higher tutorial realms,” though the text ended abruptly. They gleaned that unlocking each node or puzzle had been part of a grand plan to ascend beyond the city’s domain.
At last, Vince held up the crystal bottle. Its contents glimmered in shades of gold and violet. A faint label read: “Essence of Synthesis—Amplifies synergy for short durations. Tier: Mid.” His eyes widened. “A synergy buff potion, perhaps. Could let us combine Sigils more effectively in a big fight or puzzle.”
Elijah felt a surge of triumph, but also a pang of regret for the city’s ancient inhabitants. They had clearly tried to unify and ascend, only to fall to necromantic forces. Still, the survivors now held the fruits of that lost civilization’s knowledge. They packed the scrolls and codex carefully.
Satisfied with their haul, they hurried back to the meeting point near the Council Hall, taking care to avoid any lingering undead. Not many remained; the city’s power structure had collapsed with the monarch’s defeat. Occasionally, a stray scavenger skulked in an alley, but it skittered away from the completed City Emblem’s faint suppression aura.
They arrived to find the second squad already waiting, led by Nora and Gideon, each looking triumphant. Lauren clutched a thick sheaf of papers, presumably from the Sanctum door. Harold beamed as though he’d witnessed a marvel. Gideon stepped forward, greeting Elijah with a nod. “We managed to open the Sanctum door. Inside was some sort of reliquary holding documents about how this entire city was part of a ‘System Integration Trial.’ Here.” He gestured for Lauren to offer the battered parchment.
Nora gently placed a hand on the topmost page. “It references an artifact called a ‘World Nexus Gate.’ The final lines suggest it’s located in the Council Hall or perhaps linked to the city’s main seat of power.” She paused, glancing at Elijah’s group. “So the library chest gave you something useful too?”
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Elijah recounted the codex and synergy potion, his voice quickening with excitement. “We have partial records indicating this city was trying to unify classes and Sigils for a higher trial. Seems we can do the same to exit this stage.”
Gideon’s lips curved in a tight smile. “Then the last step is the Council Hall puzzle. Let’s go.”
They marched through the city one more time, past now-familiar ruins. On the horizon, the battered spires of the Royal Citadel stood eerily silent—a testament to their hard-fought victory. Soon, they reached the imposing Council Hall building, its runic gates looming before them. The dais-like puzzle corridor inside had thwarted them for days. Now, armed with the completed emblem, they stepped in confidently.
In the corridor’s rear, an ornate door bore swirling runes that read “Seat of the Council—Authorized Access Only.” Before, no combination of Sigils or puzzle attempts had opened it. Now, Elijah raised the emblem—crown fused with ring—and pressed it to the door’s central crest. The runes shimmered a deep azure, then parted like liquid glass. A rush of air hissed from beyond, carrying the faint tang of age and arcane power.
They slipped inside a large circular chamber with a high ceiling. Rows of seats or benches lined the perimeter, focusing on a dais at the center where a stone platform rose waist-high. Runes spiraled across the platform’s surface, culminating in a vertical archway of carved pillars. The lines of text chiseled around the archway glowed faintly. Vince conjured sparks to light the area, revealing an inscription near the top: “World Nexus Gate.”
Nora inhaled sharply. “So it’s real. A gate out of here, or to somewhere else in the tutorial?”
Harold and Lauren moved in, scanning the runes. “Yes, it references ‘departing the city trial, ascending to next integration realm.’ Must be how we leave.”
Gideon set his spear aside, pressing a hand to the vertical arch. “We do it. Let’s see if we can open it all the way.”
Elijah joined him, carefully lifting the emblem. The stone platform recognized the crest at once. Runes flared to life in a cascade of brilliance, threads of energy weaving up the pillars until they formed a shimmering oval in the center. The archway pulsed, half-translucent, like a portal on the verge of stability.
A System prompt flickered across Elijah’s vision:
[World Nexus Gate (City Stage)
Access restricted to Bearers who have claimed Dominion. To finalize stage completion, stand within the gate. All surviving contributors can depart together. Warning: Next region recommended for Levels 5–7. Prepare accordingly.]
He read it aloud, voice trembling with relief. They had a way forward, the tutorial’s next zone beckoning. But they also noted the System’s caution: the next realm demanded even higher levels, which meant greater challenges awaited.
Nora’s gaze swept the group. “So… we can leave. Do we go right away?”
Brittany, cheeks flushed, spoke softly. “Shouldn’t we see if we can secure the city? Or if we want to come back?”
Gideon paused in thought. “We’ve done so much here—defeated the undead monarch, recovered crucial lore. The city’s largely purged of threats. But the System wants us to move on eventually.”
Vince shrugged. “We’re not the city’s new rulers. The tutorial continues. I say we gather our people, salvage what we can, and take the gate.”
Elijah remembered the partial references to using the city as a base or forging a new sanctuary. But truly, their mission was to survive and complete the tutorial, not rebuild an ancient civilization. He exhaled, running a hand through his dusty hair. “We should let everyone decide together. But I think we came here to keep going, not to stop.”
At that, they retreated from the Council Hall, the shimmering oval gate humming behind them. Back at camp, they announced the discovery of the next-stage portal. Many survivors felt instant relief: an exit from this haunted city at last. Some were hesitant—still traumatized by the undead horrors. Yet the consensus was clear: they wanted to leave together.
Over the next few hours, they packed supplies—what little food and water they had, plus the synergy potion, the city codex, and a few harvested drake scales for gear. They scoured the city for any straggling survivors they might have missed. A handful of newly rescued souls, haggard but grateful, agreed to follow the main group.
As the final preparations wrapped up, Elijah took a moment to check his status screen. He was Level 5 now, with a fresh skill slot unlocked by his Strider class. Browsing the interface, he found a new ability: “Arrow of Convergence,” letting him channel synergy from nearby allies to enhance a single powerful shot. He couldn’t wait to test it. Others like Nora, Gideon, and Vince undoubtedly discovered similar new perks at their levels.
By dusk—or the city’s version of it—they gathered once more in the Council Hall’s gate chamber. Torches flickered along the walls, bathing the runes in warm light. The oval portal pulsed steadily, awaiting them. Gideon addressed the group in a subdued tone: “We’ve been through hell and back in this city. We lost people, but we also saved many. We learned the power of synergy. Now we walk forward, together, to whatever realm lies beyond.”
Nora clasped Elijah’s hand briefly, a silent show of solidarity. He nodded, turning to step onto the stone platform. One by one, survivors followed, forming a semicircle around the gate. Lauren clutched Harold’s arm, while Brittany’s soft hum of a final Fortifying Song carried a note of anticipation.
Elijah lifted the Emblem—crown fused with ring—toward the arch. The runic lines flared, and the portal’s oval shimmered into a stable curtain of faintly glowing light. The System’s voice, monotone yet echoing, sounded in their minds: “City Stage Cleared—Initiates may proceed. Stand within the gate to transition. Warning: The next realm scales in difficulty.”
A hush fell as they faced the unknown. Then, with a collective breath, they stepped forward. Elijah braced for the sense of displacement he’d felt before, recalling how the coliseum had first transported them into the city. But this time, the transition was smoother, as though the synergy they possessed carried them through gently.
For a heartbeat, everything vanished in a swirl of luminescent lines. Then he felt solid ground underfoot. The survivors found themselves in an open expanse of rolling hills, tall grass rippling under a sky of brilliant stars. A cool breeze replaced the stale, crypt-scented air, and the hush of nighttime enveloped them. No massive stone vault. No undead city walls. They had truly left the subterranean labyrinth behind.
At once, notifications blinked across Elijah’s vision, describing “Stage Transition” and awarding final city-completion achievements. Phrases like “Champion of the Fallen City—Major EXP bonus,” or “Ascendant Pioneers—Unlocked Tier 2 synergy potential” scrolled past, each awarding small stat increments or synergy buffs. He glimpsed new achievements for the group as well, verifying they had collectively cleared the city stage.
He felt a surge of warmth coursing through him. Checking his status, he saw his XP bar leap forward. He had just leveled to 5, so it wouldn’t spike too high again, but it edged closer to 30% or 40% into Level 5. Others gasped, presumably seeing their own rank-ups or synergy expansions. A sense of giddy relief washed over them—no more necrotic stench, no more claustrophobic ruins. Though the next challenge undoubtedly lay ahead, for a moment, they simply basked in the fresh night air.
Nora’s eyes shone under the starlight as she turned to Elijah. “We did it. The city’s behind us.”
He nodded, adjusting the bow slung across his shoulders. “And the tutorial goes on. But at least we’re out of that tomb.”
Gideon surveyed their surroundings, noticing tall mountains in the distance, thick forests rising on the horizon, and a faint shimmer that might be a river or lake. Somewhere out there, the System’s next trial waited. With a final exhale, he looked back at the group. “Let’s make camp here. Tomorrow we figure out this new realm. Tonight, we rest.”
They set up a meager circle of bedrolls, enthralled by the open sky after days under oppressive stone. Brittany’s gentle humming drifted over the grass. Vince conjured harmless sparks of lightning to illuminate the campsite. Lauren and Harold, with no undead to cure, finally relaxed their healing posture. Misha and Patrice scouted briefly and found no immediate threats.
Elijah settled down, the city emblem still in his pack, unsure if they’d need it again or if new puzzles loomed. For now, he would savor the cool wind against his face and the knowledge that they had overcome a massive step in the System’s trial. The synergy they’d forged in that undead city wasn’t just a puzzle mechanic—it was what had carried them forward as a single, united front.
As the night deepened, the survivors quietly recounted the city’s final fight, the synergy dais puzzle, and the undead monarch’s crown. Their words were punctuated by tired laughter and murmurs of relief. Dawn would bring a new realm with unknown monsters or challenges, but they had learned to fight together, to solve puzzles together, and to trust one another in the darkest of places. Whatever the System had in store next, they would face it head-on, stepping forward with faith in their newly kindled power, one stage closer to finding a way home.