With a menacing shockwave, the otherwordly entity directs the surrounding debris to rain down on the dazed guardian. In defense, it musters the strength to return to its feet and invoke its abyssal shield once more, diverting the oncoming projectiles into a bottomless void.

The Guardian: I have heard what you seek... You wish to destroy it all. Wipe away this world the gods envisioned. Yet, by yourself, all you will manage to achieve is your own obliteration.

However, that old trick did little to dissuade the attacker. In a swirling arm motion, the trajectory of the rubble is altered, arching around the shield and striking the beast in its back. As the sharp rocks and splinters embed themselves on its flesh, it lets out a roar of pain, extending its wings in such a way that the shield that covered only its front now bent all around its body, forming a defensive sphere around it.

The Guardian: To use the godly powers you were given in such a chaotic way... You defile them.

No response was given. Instead, the barrage of debris ceased, as the being of pure energy created a dome with his hands. Mirroring the shape of his palms, countless shards from the destroyed building surround the shield, forming several layers around its spherical area. By bringing its hands together, the entity commands one of the layers to collapse onto the shield with immense strength, the combined force of its shards being devastating enough to cause the shield to begin cracking.

The Guardian: You corrupt its essence... For that, there will be repercussions. But... I suppose this is one way to go about it. To rewrite that which the old ones wrote. To crack the first link in the chain... Yes. Yes...

It opens its hands again, then closes them once more. Another layer falls, another group of cracks appears. The shield's integrity was rapidly decreasing with each calculated strike.

The Guardian: You cannot even hear my words, can you...? You are not yourself anymore. You have given all that you are to it... Becoming one of the most primal manifestations of greed.

The beast hunkers down, as a grey aura slowly permeates its body.

The Guardian: Those who wield one of the seven deadly weapons are doomed to embody the sin it represents... Yet, a sin can take many shapes. Greed is no exception... It can take myriad forms.

Another layer comes down, and the shield seems as if it is about to break. Underneath, a growing amount of magic emanated from the guardian, the only thing keeping it contained being the shield around it.

The Guardian: Some forms , however... They take far more than they give. You will learn this the hardest way, soon enough.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

As its eyes start emanating an ominous grey glow, the final layer descends upon the shield.

The Guardian: Yet thankfully, I... Will not be around to see it. Not as I am now. Not as a slave to their whims... A prisoner of their making.

As the debris crashes onto its surface, everything within the shield is transported away, teleported in the blink of an eye. At the exact same time, a loud explosion of grey magic is released near the obelisk, temporarily flooding the cradle with a freezing monochrome light.

The Guardian: THE OLD GODS' RULES WILL BE BROKEN, ONE DAY... BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY.

The guardian began wrapping its body around the obelisk, slowly solidifying its frame around it. As soon as the entity establishes contact with its new location, it flies toward it at an incredible speed, only to be continuously teleported away from its position upon getting close enough. Hurling massive hurricanes toward it they, too, were caught in the mysterious radius of the creature's domain and returned to a previous position, repeatedly.

The Guardian: TODAY IS THE DAY... WE LOSE ALL WE ARE.

A blinding explosion emanates from the obelisk, slowly engulfing the entirety of the cradle.

The Guardian: So that we may, one later day... Find what we seek, on this present one. Together.

The cradle's waters begin to vaporize as the radius of the blast expands over them. Buildings are blown away, completely vaporized. The cradle starts to collapse, as the light of the sun above shines its light through the newly-formed cracks on the earth, revealing the destruction taking place below.

The Lion: It has finally been done...!

Sitting inside the legislative chamber of Eclipse's headquarters, the Lion raised his arms wide in celebration. The rest of the room was eerily empty.

Dominus: Their power is that great...?

Sitting on his throne with his eyes closed, Dominus' expression was fraught with wrath.

The Lion & Dominus: The sword has found its new wielder...

Angelic figure: A new wielder...?

Within a cathedral of pure white crystal, two winged humanoid figures smiled. One of them, blindfolded.

Blindfolded figure: Indeed... One powerful enough to warrant a crack in the cycle. Our time of waiting has come to an end.

Triumphantly pointing towards the entrance of the cathedral, they spread their wings wide.

Blindfolded figure: Tell our Lux brethren... That a new future is up for grabs.

Dominus: Our war with Lux...

Blindfolded figure: The war with Nox...

Dominus & the figure: Commences on this day.

The Lion's celebration is interrupted by the Dragon, who walks inside the chamber.

The Dragon: There were more casualties today. We can't keep losing our people like this, Lion...!

The Lion: We will lose nobody else... Eclipse has been released.

The Dragon: S-she has?! But then...

The Lion: The guardian has sacrificed itself.

Sitting back down on his chair, the Lion pensively holds his chin.

The Lion: Now... We have but to wait.

As several pieces on the board began to shift, high above... Down by the cradle, all was silent. Water streamed from above through the new cracks that had formed in the ground which, conjoined with the dawn light that now showered the cradle, formed a strangely beautiful yet melancholy picture. All that it once was, now destroyed. A realm hidden from the world laid bare, with nothing left to show of its importance than the imposing obelisk... Now encased in a statue of black and white marble of the guardian. Half of its wings were missing, while the other half covered the face of the obelisk. A dystopian image, reflecting below the will of those who dwelled above.