Novel & Cerita Weak Trembling Fortress

Alara pressed a trembling hand to her chest, standing by the fortress’s great doors where she had received Orith’s ominous message mere moments ago. Beneath the torchlit arches, the cold night air clung to every breath, and she sensed the tightening coil of tension in the people around her. Warriors patrolled the courtyard in pairs, scanning every shadow for hidden threats. A pair of guards carefully sealed the main doors, while two more double-checked the bolts and iron bars across the lesser entrances. The entire fortress felt on edge, as if the very stones had become wary of an unseen enemy lurking just beyond their perimeter.

Sapphire’s POV. Nico nudged his body against mine again, while that stupid, delicious grin of his was still etched on his face like he knew exactly what he was doing to me. He was enjoying this so much. The bastard was definitely enjoying every second of this moment. Watching me squirm like I was the joke in some private game only he knew the rules to. His arm stayed around my waist, firm and familiar, and I could feel his body pressing into mine like it belonged there.

"Keep moving. Stay sharp." The fortress loomed ahead, its spires clawing at the turbulent sky. The tendrils of shadow energy coiling around it had grown thicker, pulsating with an almost frantic intensity. The air was heavy with the stench of decay and power. "Looks worse up close," Caleb muttered, his rifle slung over his shoulder. "How are we supposed to get inside?" Finn studied the fortress through his device. "There's a weak point in the south wall. It's heavily guarded, but it's the least reinforced."

“Do it. We’ll cover you.” As Isolde began to work, the rest of the group took up defensive positions around her. Clara could feel the tension in the air, the weight of the impending confrontation pressing down on them all. The Heart's beat animated, its light flashing more brightly as though encouraging them on. After it felt like forever, Isolde let out a murmur of help. “It’s done. The wards are down.” Before they could move forward, the ground underneath them started to shake. The runes flared brightly, and a profound roll resounded through the passage. The fortress was responding to the breach.

It was quite distant but evident, a low growl seemingly issuing from the very walls of the stronghold. "Huh?" Elara said, her flames flickering uncertainly. Kai's fingers curled around the grip of his weapon. "That's a bad omen. Something stirs inside this fortress." They pressed on, their determination unwavering. A growl was getting louder, with it, an acute sense of impending doom. Not just the fortress reacted at their presence, but something that felt primal—something that responded to its intrusion—was awakening.

Then: "Unfortunately." Pause. Then: "I just claimed the Third Key." The world froze. Immediately. Then everyone's faces dropped. Then Rowan pointed. Then: "You weren't even here!" Cassian shrugged. Then: "I multitask." God. No. Fair. Absolutely not. Reasonable honestly. Then the fortress suddenly shook. BOOOOOOOOM! The city trembled. The blue flames flickered. Then a new beam appeared. Far above them. At the highest tower of the Bastion.

The screen shifted, rendering a 3D model of a massive, imposing stone fortress situated over a raging river of magical blue energy. LOCATION: THE OBSIDIAN BASTION. ZONE: LEVEL 50 PVP CONTESTED AREA. "There," Ren pointed at the digital fortress. "That is their Mobile Command Center. In the game, it's a Level 50 fortress that coordinates NPC guard patrols." Torque stared at the screen, completely lost. "What the hell am I looking at? What is an obsidian bastion? I need anti-tank weapons, not video games!" "You're going to get both," Ren said, turning to the cyborg warlord. The migraine was forgotten. He was back in the zone.