Vermaris was built to last.
A city nestled between towering cliffs and the vast ocean, it was a fortress by design, nearly impossible to breach. The first wall, separating the dungeon sector from the city, was meant to contain outbreaks. The second wall protected the merchants and guilds. The third, the homes of nobles and commoners alike. The fourth, the lifeline of Vermaris, the harbor, the city's gateway to the world.
It was a perfect system, designed to withstand monster tides, pirate raids, and even small-scale invasions.
But it was never built to withstand this.
The prophecy was absolute.
At midnight, Vermaris would be engulfed in blood and fire. The people would die, the walls would crumble, and the city's destruction would mark the birth of a new era of war.
The empire knew. The clans knew. And yet, no help came.
Vermaris was a sacrificial lamb.
But Theon Ignisborne had other plans.
An Hour Before Midnight , The War Council
The command tent was filled with the city's last hope,Draven, his daughter Dhalia, the Blood Wolf Party, and the key commanders of the Vermaris garrison. Maps were spread across the table, littered with markings, formations, and contingency plans.
No one spoke, but the tension in the air was thick enough to choke on.
The battle plan had been laid out:
Adventurers and soldiers stationed along the walls. Barricades and kill zones set up across the city. Magic circles and suppressive formations prepared.
It was sound strategy. It would delay the inevitable.
And that was the problem.
"Young master, What happens once we've isolated the monsters? What is stage 2 of your plan? "
No one asked the question aloud, but the heavy silence made it clear, they had no way to end this battle.
At the center of it all, Theon sat calmly, fingers drumming against the table. He had listened to the doubts, the concerns, the barely concealed fear.
Then, he sighed and leaned forward.
"You're all overthinking this the wrong way."
Draven narrowed his eyes.
"Explain."
Theon grinned.
"We'll just blow up the city."
Silence.
The flickering lanterns cast long shadows over the war council.
Draven's fingers curled into a fist. Elara's face was unreadable. Rod looked like he might throw up.
Then—
"YOU WANT TO WHAT?!"
The chaos erupted.
"You're insane!"
"Have you lost your mind?!"
"Are you actually suggesting we destroy Vermaris?!"
Rod slammed his hands on the table, eyes burning with disbelief.
"Alright, you reckless bastard, either start explaining or I'm knocking you out!"
"Relax." Theon waved a hand dismissively. "It's not what you think."
Draven took a deep breath, his patience hanging by a thread.
"Then tell me, young master. Tell me exactly what you mean by 'blow up the city' before I have you dragged out of here."
Theon smirked and unrolled an ancient map onto the table. Vein-like markings ran beneath the city's layout, glowing faintly under the lantern light.
Elara's face paled.
"No way—"
"Oh yes," Theon cut in. "It's been here all along. We just have to use it correctly."
The room stilled.
Kleines traced a thick line running beneath the dungeon sector.
"…This is a mana vein, isn't it?"
Theon nodded.
"Not just any mana vein. This entire city was built on a naturally occurring mana network. This is what feeds the dungeon, the barriers, the formations, it's the lifeblood of Vermaris itself."
Rod groaned, already regretting asking.
"And what, pray tell, are you planning to do with these veins?"
Theon grinned wider.
"Destabilize them."
"…Excuse me?"
"If we release just the right amount of pressure at key locations, we can create a controlled mana detonation. Igniting that high pressured mana burst will be enough to annihilate a significant amount of the monster horde once they're funneled into position."
"You want to turn the city into a giant bomb," Draven muttered, rubbing his temples.
"More like a surgical strike," Theon corrected. "We're only targeting specific areas. We use fire magic to ignite the release points, and, boom. Around half of the bastards will be light up."
" Why half though, we can get rid of much more than that with proper timing right? Elara asked narrowing her eyes.
Well, That's where things get tricky. Since this incident was ordained by fate, even if we destroy the entire monster herd, more will come until city completely fall. In order to end this war, we need to root out the concept of war itself. If we can get rid of the concept, —
Fate of Vermaris, which was destined to engulf in war, will be out of fate's hand. Elara finished what Theon was saying. She couldn't decide whether it was brilliant or insane.
Yup. This method probably won't work again since fate will be aware. This was a loophole created with align of perfect conditions. By getting rid of half of the hoard with minimum causalities from our side will create proper conditions for stage 3.
And then what? Rod asked. How are you planning on killing a concept? What exactly is stage 3?
Don't worry about it. I have things perfectly under control. This war will be over before sunrise. Theon said with a bored expression But his eyes held unwavering resolve. A dangerous combination.
Elara looked like she wanted to strangle him.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?! If you miscalculate, the entire city could—"
"Then we don't miscalculate."
Theon's voice cut through the panic like steel.
"Listen to me. The prophecy says Vermaris will be destroyed. But it doesn't say how."
He let that sink in.
"We're not fighting fate. We're redirecting it."
The silence was deafening.
Draven exhaled, staring at the map. He had built this city with his own hands. He had watched it flourish. To reduce it to a battlefield, to turn its foundations into weapons,
"This is madness," he muttered, but even as he said it, he knew there was no other way.*
He studied the young man before him.
This wasn't the calculative and strategic teenager who vanished a year ago. This was someone else entirely.
Finally, he sighed.
"This is madness."
"So was trying to build a city next to a dungeon," Theon quipped. "But here we are."
Draven exhaled, then nodded.
"Fine. We do this your way."
Rod groaned and covered his face with his hands.
"We're all gonna die."
"Only if you screw up."
"You are the WORST."
"And yet, here you are, still listening to me."
Elara crossed her arms.
"If we survive this, I am never listening to you again."
Theon smirked.
"That's what you said last time."
A few minutes before midnight
The city was eerily silent.
From the first wall, Theon gazed across the landscape. The monsters had yet to emerge, but he could feel it, the weight of something ancient and unstoppable.
A deep, bone-rattling rumble echoed through the darkness.
Theon cracked his neck and drew his sword.
"Alright, boys and girls. Its show time"