As the first light of dawn painted the sky in hues of amber and rose, the Kazhamara tribes gathered to bid Lady Audries farewell. The soft murmurs of prayers and farewells filled the air, mingling with the sound of wind rustling through the grassy plains. Wildflowers of every color lined the path leading to the royal carriage, lovingly laid by the tribe’s women and children as a final gesture of blessing for their beloved princess.

Audries emerged from her yurt, dressed in a traveling outfit embroidered with the intricate patterns of her people. Her dark hair was braided loosely down her back, adorned with small charms of protection gifted by the elders. Her hazel eyes, warm yet determined, scanned the crowd, taking in the bittersweet moment.

Her father, Chief Targun of the Kazhamara, stood at the end of the path, his imposing figure clad in ceremonial robes. His weathered face bore a mixture of pride and sadness as he extended his arms to his daughter.

"My little blossom," he said, his deep voice tinged with emotion as Audries stepped into his embrace. "You carry the hopes of our people with you. Never forget where you come from, and know that my heart will be with you every step of your journey.”

Audries smiled softly, her eyes glistening as she returned his embrace. "Father, I promise I will make you proud," she said. Her voice was steady, though the weight of the moment was not lost on her. "And I’ll see you soon—at the wedding, just two months from now. Then, our tribes will stand united with the capital.”

Chief Targun placed his hands on her shoulders, his gaze steady. "You have always been strong, Audries," he said. "And I know you will face whatever lies ahead with courage. But remember, you are not alone in this. Trust your companions—they are here to protect you.”

Before she could respond, several of Audries’ younger siblings rushed forward, their small arms wrapping tightly around her waist. “Don’t forget us!” one of her little brothers cried, his voice cracking with emotion. “You’ll come back and visit, right?”

Audries knelt down, cupping his cheek with a gentle hand. “I could never forget you,” she assured him with a smile. “Be good and help Father, alright? I’ll see you all very soon.”

The younger children clung to her a moment longer before reluctantly letting go. Chief Targun turned to Ellie Camberwell and the rest of the group, his piercing gaze commanding respect. "She is the heart of our tribe," he said firmly. "Protect her with your lives. I trust that you will not fail.”

Ellie stepped forward and bowed slightly, her silver hair catching the morning light. "You have my word, Chief Targun," she replied with conviction. "We will ensure she reaches the capital safely.”

With that, Audries climbed into the royal carriage, her movements graceful yet deliberate. As the door closed behind her, she leaned toward the window, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the rising sun. The gentle breeze carried the scent of wildflowers and the earthy aroma of the plains, playing with her loose strands of hair.

Her hazel eyes, now shimmering faintly with a golden glow, gazed out at her people one last time. Despite the uncertainty ahead, there was a quiet strength in her expression, a resolve to face whatever the future held.

As the carriage began to move, the tribe waved and called out their blessings. Audries peeked out the window, her eyes meeting her father’s one final time before the distance grew between them. The sound of hooves and wheels on the flower-strewn path marked the beginning of her journey toward the capital—and toward a destiny yet to unfold.

——

As the royal carriage rolled across the vast, verdant plains of Kazhamara, the golden hues of dawn bathed the endless grassland in a warm glow. The land was peaceful—untouched by war, unbothered by time. A gentle breeze rustled the tall grass, and the rhythmic clatter of hooves against the earth echoed softly under the rising sun.

But far to the west, beyond the rolling hills and the horizon’s reach, something ancient stirred beneath the ruins of a forgotten civilization.

The ruins of an ancient civilization lay still and silent, shrouded in an eerie atmosphere of decay. The air was thick with a dormant miasma, an ancient corruption that had long settled into the stones, lingering unseen, waiting. It did not stir, did not move—until the sky split with the arrival of two titanic beings.

A shadow fell over the ruins as a colossal, leviathan-like shape descended from above, blocking out the sun with its immense form. Atraxia, the Greater Titan of Dreams, glided down like a celestial beast, its massive, whale-like body covered in iridescent blue scales and intricate purple markings. A fine dust—golden, shimmering, and laced with the essence of dreams—cascaded from its form, filling the air with an intoxicating, drowsy haze.

Alongside it, another figure descended, landing upon the cracked earth with an unnatural grace. His elongated form gleamed with an unsettling brilliance, his golden crown perched atop his head, tilting slightly as though mocking the concept of balance. His eyes, hollow and sunken, oozed a thick, gilded substance, dripping like molten wax down his gaunt, skeletal face. His fingers twitched—long, bony, and glistening with a viscous golden goo.

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Midas, the Greater Titan of Greed and Gold, had arrived.

The moment their feet touched the cursed ground, the dormant miasma that had lain still for centuries began to tremble. A deep, unnatural groan echoed through the ruins as the corruption, once sleeping, stirred awake. The stones quivered as if something ancient within them recognized the presence of the titans—whether in reverence or in fear. The air grew heavier, dense with an unseen force.

Midas tilted his head, as if listening to the whispers of the ruin itself. Then, he shrieked—a high-pitched, discordant wail that sent shockwaves rippling through the remains of the civilization. The golden sludge from his fingertips seeped into the fractured earth, winding through the cracks, feeding the land with his insidious touch.

Then, the land convulsed. A violent tremor shattered the silence as four figures emerged from beneath the ruins, rising from the shattered remains of a long-buried past.

They were humanoid, yet entirely forged from the debris of fallen civilizations—each one a unique amalgamation of ruined temples, fractured statues, and forgotten architecture. Weathered stone and rusted metal fused into their forms, giving them a rugged, ancient presence. Though their bodies bore the marks of different eras and cultures, they were not towering behemoths. They stood only slightly larger than an adult man, their proportions eerily human-like despite their unnatural composition.

What unified them was the mask they wore—each one shaped like the head of a snapping turtle, carved from aged stone, its surface cracked yet unbroken. A single blue gemstone pulsed at the center of each forehead, casting a dim, rhythmic glow like a heartbeat.

One among them stepped forward, his movements slow yet deliberate. His dull, lifeless eyes locked onto Midas, unreadable beneath the mask, yet filled with an unspoken resolve.

"So, it is time for my trial," the golem spoke, his voice heavy with an ancient weight. "To prove myself worthy of joining the brotherhood?”

Midas let out another shriek, his words unintelligible to human ears, but the golem understood.

He bowed his head slightly before turning to the other three, his expression unreadable beneath his mask. "You all heard him. This is our trial—our mission. We are to retrieve the maiden and uncover the location of Moraitus, the Greater Titan of Fate." His voice grew more resolute, his gemstone flaring brighter. "We, the Four Seeds of Ozymand, the Greater Titan of Civilization, shall not fail.”

The other three nodded in unison. Without hesitation, they raised their stone-forged arms skyward. The blue gems embedded in their foreheads pulsed, radiating waves of energy through the ruins.

Then, the earth shifted once more.

The ruins trembled, their shattered remnants drawn toward a singular purpose. Stone, iron, and broken relics reassembled themselves, fusing, reshaping, and restructuring with a precision that defied time itself. From the depths of destruction, a new monstrosity was born—an enormous, four-legged titan, its form resembling that of an ancient alligator-turtle hybrid, armored in the very history it had consumed.

As it let out a deafening, guttural roar, the sky darkened further, the weight of fate shifting ever so slightly.

The hunt for Lady Audries had begun.

——

Inside the royal carriage, Lady Audries rested with her head lightly tilted against the velvet cushion, the gentle sway of the cart lulling her into a peaceful nap. The crisp morning breeze wove through the open window, carrying the scent of wildflowers and earth. She was aware—somewhere in the depths of her consciousness—that something was approaching. Yet, rather than tension, a peculiar calm washed over her, as if she had already accepted what was to come.

At the front of the carriage, Ellie kept her sharp eyes fixed on the horizon. The reins tightened in her grasp, her instincts prickling. Something was out there. She turned to Rendy, who sat beside her, his expression unreadable yet attentive.

"Increase your surveillance with your Petra Mirror," she instructed, her voice steady but firm. "And notify me the moment you sense anything approaching.”

Rendy gave a curt nod, his fingers moving over the surface of his enchanted mirror as it shimmered to life, reflecting the vast landscape in distorted, shifting hues.

Inside the carriage, an unnatural glow flared to life. The golden ring on Audries' finger pulsed with crimson light, its radiance intensifying with each passing second. Her eyes snapped open—gone were the warm hazel tones, replaced by a deep, piercing red that seemed to burn with an otherworldly intensity. Ethereal red threads spiraled into existence around her, weaving and unraveling like strands of fate set into motion.

Cassian and Jun’de, seated across from her, froze. Their breaths hitched as they took in the surreal sight before them. Neither had ever witnessed anything like this.

Cassian’s heart pounded. A chill ran down her spine as she struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what was unfolding. "Vice Captain—stop the cart!" she shouted, her voice sharp with urgency, snapping into action even as disbelief flickered in her eyes.

Jun’de, equally shaken, clenched his fists, his gaze darting between Audries and the glowing threads encircling her. His instincts screamed that something beyond their understanding was at play.

Ellie reacted instantly, yanking the reins. The royal carriage jerked to a halt, the horses whinnying in protest. At that moment, Audries' body lifted from her seat, weightless as if the threads surrounding her carried her into the air. The glow from her ring intensified, casting shifting patterns of light against the carriage walls.

Still in a trance, Audries turned to Jun’de, her gaze distant yet impossibly focused. She raised a trembling hand and pointed directly at Jun.

Her lips moved, a whisper barely audible. "With one wind’s end… another shall rise anew.”

Jun’de’s breath hitched. He didn’t understand the meaning of her words, but something deep within told him they held immense weight.

Ellie and Rendy burst into the carriage just as Audries' voice rose again, trembling with emotion.

"The red beast is released," she whispered, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "And the threads of destiny tangle even further…"

Before anyone could react, she let out a piercing scream. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the light vanished. The crimson threads dissipated, and Audries collapsed back onto her seat, unconscious.