A shadow has fallen upon Eucos. The Dread has swept through; nowhere is safe. Yet one place offers absolution, a single Tower grown in a barren land. Ruled by the Lord of Luster and his Sovereigns, it is said to offer sanctuary, providing shelter to those the Gods failed. 

Yet those who enter do not come back. 

Led by Eiko, the Band of the Wolf believes Thaeriel – the one responsible for the Dread menace – awaits at the top of the Tower. And as they stand at the fringes, staring at the ungodly structure that rises from the dense wood below, it is easy to believe. 

Finally, the Young Wolf speaks. 

“Hunters! You have seen what the Dread has done to Eucos, it cannot be left unchecked! The one responsible resides at the top, but we must fight our way to it. Who will join me as we take on these self-proclaimed “Sovereigns”? Who will join me to put an end to this tyranny?” 

‍

“Give me your steel. Join me, and together we can take back Eucos!”

‍

The Dread Lord strikes. In bloody fury he makes one last attempt at the one who dared challenge him, the wolf who defied his will. Eiko levels her blade, its steel awash with the colors of the six Domains, and strikes upwards, straight through the chest of the one known as Thaeriel. 

An ancient cry is heard, a collective screech that echoes across Faenar, erupting from the chests of all manner of Dread across the entire continent. The Tower itself shifts and creaks, the center of its power no longer concrete. The shadow flees, shunning the light of the Domains that presses against it. And in a brief moment, Eiko sees his face, the face of the Fallen one, the god that became a man. His eyes are sad but clear, as if a great veil has been lifted. He stares deep into Eiko’s and she sees his pain, his helplessness in the face of something far too great, too heavy, for him to fight. And then they harden. Once again rage, white hot rage, emerges. 

“You cannot stop this, we are the same, you and I.” His eyes flash, and she feels the truth of it, before he bursts into shadow. 

Strong hands grab Eiko. She begins to resist until she realizes they are the hands of a friend. “We need to move, the tower collapses!” Reios shouts. But it is all a blur, the sound of dragon wings, the cries of those inside, the endless black shadow that takes to the sky. 

The Tower is no more; crumbling into dust. Upon the backs of dragons, the Band of the Wolf watch as the Dread flees to somewhere distant, across the seas from whence it came. 

Next time, for there will be a next time, they will be ready. 

‍