— ELYSIUM, YEAR: 7298. SEASON: NEW BEGINNING.

  A bright, cloudless sky with soft, gentle breezes and the chirping of birds and insects. The sun shone, but the chill of winter was still faint in the air as a New Beginning came over the Elrunian Realm. Wilarax took a deep breath, fresh chill air entering her lungs and waking her. She looked at the well-manicured path and made her way to a patch of flowers, bending down to admire them.

  Wilarax smelled the roses. Slowly, she stood back up and continued into the large hall where the SAFE meeting was taking place. It was a brand-new year, and this time, the annual conference was being hosted by Elysium under Wilarax’s guidance. Her thoughts drifted as she walked. She missed Uma, Ahri, and the rest of them. They’d just left the continent to set up on Mount Redcoomshi. In a short two years, the Path of Apotheosis would open, and by being on Redcoomshi, they could achieve a head start.

  They could also block the paths of those who came behind them, making the journey increasingly difficult. Many of the Path Walkers of the Elrunian Continent had already left to set their stake on the mountain and claim territory in advance for their soon-to-arrive people. Wilarax estimated only 25-35% of the hundreds of Path Walkers in the Temple of the Sun remained, and they too would shortly leave after settling their last affairs.

  She sighed, walking in and taking her seat. It was the third day, and the normal bureaucratic procedures had finally ended. The people present were all high officials of their respective nations and not the young leaders who first established the treaty. In truth, Wilarax didn’t have to show up herself; she’d only done so out of an obligation to be present as the host. This year would be the fourth since the establishment of the Treaty of Edrya and the council that met between the nations. Surprisingly, it had grown from its initial fourteen members to nearly twenty.

  Despite the cold of the outdoors, the interior of the hall was quite warm, and muted conversations tempted to lull Wilarax into slumber. Representatives from the continent sat at a circular table, something of a tradition started by Edryan and continued by the other nations with every meeting.

  Wilarax folded her arms, maintaining a polite, interested expression as further reports were made. She only half listened, catching the tail ends of interesting parts in the ongoing conversations. Wilarax was not one for bureaucratic processes. She was an Adventurer —they were direct and preferred to confront problems head-on rather than through long-winded speeches. Unfortunately, the world didn’t work that way, even with all-powerful Gods.

  “…trade negotiations between the Federation and Theocracy continue to stall—”

  “…rising tensions between the Cat Tribes and the…”

  “…Edryan Path Walkers have repeatedly deployed attacks on Naah’Mi Mountain Range, affecting the Federation’s borders and injuring a scouting patrol.”

  Wilarax perked up at that one. She exhaled quietly, keenly listening as the Edryan representative responded. Anytime Edryan was mentioned, Wilarax’s senses would automatically pick it up and bring it to her attention.

  The Edryan representative held themselves well as they responded to the Asigbonle. “The Path Walkers of Edryan were simply practicing their skills alongside Great Edryan’s border. Why are Federation scouts within range of Great Edryan lands?”

  A few murmurs ran across the table, causing the Asigbonle to frown, his face growing stern. “That area of the border has long been a part of the Federation’s territory. What your Path Walkers did was a deliberate provocation.”

  Wilarax mentally frowned. This representative of the Federation seemed agitated, much less reserved than Ninjaro and his predecessors. The murmurs grew sharper at the accusation, but the Edryan representative remained composed, folding their hands neatly atop the table.

  “Provocation?” they repeated, tone almost puzzled. “Edryan has honored the demarcation lines set during the last summit. If the Asigbonle scouting party found themselves within reach of our Path Walkers, then they ventured farther north than they intended.”

  The Federation representative stood so abruptly that his chair scraped the floor, his voice rising with each word. Wilarax prepared herself to intervene but still calmly watched the show. Now and then, a political spat was held, which kept things interesting—at least to her .

  “That ridge has been under the Federation’s supervision for two centuries. Your Path Walkers weren’t conducting a training exercise— that attack was deliberate —aimed at our border patrol and bases. And this is not the first time in recent months that Edryan has caused incidents along our border, nor is it the only incident of its type!”

  His hands trembled as he jabbed a finger toward the Edryan representative. Wilarax cleared her throat. Depending on the response from the Edryan representative, she may have to step in.

  “Tell us, then—is your nation incapable of restraining its elites, or is your Chosen simply too eager for bloodshed?! Disrupted trade caravans, false claims of piracy used as a pretext to attack our naval vessels, and now you hide behind SAFE’s clauses to excuse every incursion you make!”

  Wilarax opened her mouth, prepared to speak. This was now out of hand, and it was her responsibility to mend it and keep the peace while also demanding an explanation from the Edryan. Before she could speak, the Edryan representative rose faster, their aura snapping like a drawn blade.

  “How dare you,” they hissed. “Is your mind so muddled with cheap Federation spirits, or have the fumes from your cavernous settlements finally taken root? You presume to lecture Edryan on restraint—”

  “ Enough .”

  Wilarax commanded, her voice like the strike of a hammer. She stood, presence commanding attention.

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  “There will be order,” Wilarax continued, voice frosty like the morning air. “This is a place of treaty, not a tavern’s brawl. Both of you are sanctioned—sit. Now .”

  The hall froze, and the standing representatives took a deep breath before returning to their seats.

  Wilarax scanned the representatives. Her gaze chilled as she slowly took her seat. She frowned internally, her mind quickly pulling up the incidents that occurred recently between Edryan and the Federation.

  The first one was about two years ago—the Federation accused Edryan of robbing and sinking merchant vessels that passed near the nation. Edryan, or Great Edryan as they like to refer to themselves, claimed it was an act of piracy. They claimed to have been suffering aggressive attacks from pirates who lived on the far-out seas. A second incident was…

  Wilarax’s breath caught, the air freezing. She detected it faster than anyone else present, and her figure flashed, disappearing as she teleported outside. She wasn’t the only one present, as several dozen figures were already in the air. Wilarax could claim to be one of the strongest—she’d reached level 170 in the last four years despite the increasing slowness of leveling. She’d have been faster, but the young woman didn’t have much time for dungeon delving in recent years.

  She looked to her father, Quinarax, who stood there frowning. Wilarax opened her mouth to ask him what was going on, but the Demigod of the Sun held up his hand, silencing her.

  Wilarax frowned. She sensed something, something different about the air, the sky, the very world itself, but she didn’t know what it was. It was like a feeling of charged electricity when walking under power lines. She remained calm, as her father still seemed calm. If something dangerous was happening, he’d be the first to warn her. So long as the sun shone on the area, her father, Quinarax, was present.

  Several representatives all made their way outside and upward. Some use magical devices, others, their own mana. They looked around in confusion, also staring at the sky in bewilderment.

  Wilarax remained patient; whatever it was would appear short—

  The sky, blue and cloudless, froze , the people watching underneath did the same. A gentle warmth spread from the Demigod of the Sun, enveloping Wilarax and allowing her comfort. She turned her gaze southward, watching as a creeping red enveloped the sky, dying its blue into that of blood. The strong presence of a Goddess radiated from the continent, making itself known to all.

  A masculine voice spoke, one that Wilarax recognized, but she could scarcely believe the words being spoken. Her face, calm but with hints of worry, twisted, and disbelief entered her eyes. The voice was gentle but powerful; it spoke as if it were just commenting on the weather or something trivial. Its words were anything but. Wilarax’s voice choked out, drowned by the gentle voice as it appeared in the ears of every living or dead, Saphen on the continent of Elrunian.

  “Impossible, it’s too soon. Its—“

  “ MY NAME IS LAWRUTHIAN IMPERIUS KOLTIUS EDRYANI. I AM THE CHOSEN OF MADRIS! TODAY, I DECLARE THE GAME TO BEGIN! ”

  Wilarax’s heart skipped a beat—then two, then three before roaring back to life. She swallowed, but before she could get her bearings, the voice of the Edryan representative spoke as the presence that kept everything still faded just as quickly as it arrived.

  Wilarax hadn’t known when, but the Edryan representative had drawn quite close. Their voice echoed over the gathered members of SAFE and those in the vicinity to hear. To Wilarax, it felt like a bucket of cold water splashed in her face, waking her to reality.

  “In seven days, Great Edryan will begin military operations against the Federation of Farya and the Empire of Az’Dawn.”

  Wilarax nearly wanted to kill them right then and there.

  “Good, very good,” she said. “What a plan, what a scheme the Edryans have done.”

  Wilarax’s thoughts fired off at a million kilometers per second. The implications of what the Chosen of Madris and the Edryans did quickly came to mind. This was a trap, a conspiracy. It was an open one, but one that would be gladly accepted by many.

  “Father, is this possible,” Wilarax questioned. “This isn’t fair, is it? How can the Game be started early? Most of the Demigods and Prestiges have left the continent to secure territory for their people on Mount Redcoomshi. I doubt many remain on the continent, and those in the Lower Kingdoms...”

  Wilarax’s voice trailed off as Quinarax held up his hand. His face kept a steady, measured look on it as if he held the power to hold up the sky when it fell. His voice was gentle and assured, Wilarax as he explained.

  “The Game can be started at any point by the Chosen of Madris. The Goddess is only allocated the first move and can wield that power, that choice, whenever. The actions afterwards are all left to the mortals to decide.”

  Wilarax frowned. She knew some of the rules and regulations of the game being played by the Gods. There was, of course, the rite of first strike, held by the Edryans and finally used. Others prevented large-scale battles from occurring on the continent, or the immediate removal of any who took that major step and broke past mortality to become a God. What she didn’t understand was the exact implications this early start would have.

  “The Theocracy of Jhan declares war on the Dwarven Republic of the Misty Mountains.”

  “The Felion and Cat Tribes of the Warring Plains declare war on the Dwarven Republic of the Misty Mountains.”

  “Waldleute — the People of the Forest, declare war on…”

  Immediately, multiple voices spoke with intentions of war declared on one or multiple countries of Elrunian. Wilarax’s eyes widen. She hadn’t expected multiple nations to immediately declare their intentions of war. If Wilarax hadn’t known better, she’d have believed the Edryans planned this out. Instead, Wilarax suspected this had been a long-term scheme by several nations just waiting on the Game to begin.

  It didn’t take long before a majority of the nations present had declared their intentions to either fight one another or have expansionist ideals for those surrounding them.

  “Do you see, my daughter, this is the nature of Saphens,” Quinarax suddenly said. His voice brought the True Elf back to reality. “This nature is the one I’d hope you see on your travels, and why I restricted you to the Temple.”

  “This is the nature of Saphens.”

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