The second zone had never seen such a sight before. Thousands upon thousands of people flooded into the open fields like a tidal wave of anticipation and desperation. The very air quivered with tension as whispers filled the breeze—rumors of the coming "Event of Doom" had spread like wildfire, igniting curiosity and fear in equal measure.
Aiden, his black robe fluttering lightly in the breeze, walked silently through the crowd. He was dwarfed by warriors clad in gold-plated armor, sorcerers radiating mana from glowing staves, assassins cloaked in shadows who barely made a sound. All around him, players boasted levels ranging from 70 to over 300. Some had glowing auras that shimmered like stardust, and others had weapons embedded with gemstones the size of fists.
He was level 30.
He felt like a speck in a sea of giants.
"Stay close," Jin said, his golden eyes darting through the crowd. "It's easy to get swept away in this madness."
Aiden nodded, but his gaze couldn't help drifting to the rising murmurs around him. A tall platform had been constructed in the distance, and banners bearing the emblem of a black sun flapped menacingly overhead. That was the gathering point—the gates of the Flame Gardens.
Jin stopped in his tracks.
A voice rang out across the plaza, firm and mocking. "Well, well. Look who made it this far. I was told a certain worm had crawled into Zone Two."
Aiden turned, heart clenching.
A towering man approached. Cloaked in blood-red armor, his cape dragged behind him like the shadow of death itself. His level floated above his head—Kaelis | LV. 493.
The crowd split for him like a divine force was walking through mortals.
Kaelis stared down at Aiden with a wicked grin. "You're the fool who dared oppose the gods, aren't you? Still floundering at level 30. Pathetic."
A few spectators laughed cruelly.
"I don't know who filled your head with fantasies, but you won't last two minutes in the Event of Doom. You'll be the first corpse on the ground."
Aiden clenched his fists, jaw trembling. But before he could respond, Jin stepped forward, his hand raised in warning.
"That's enough."
Kaelis narrowed his eyes. "And who are you? His babysitter?"
"No," Jin replied calmly. "I'm the one who'll burn you down if you touch him."
For a second, tension crackled like electricity in the air. But Kaelis only chuckled and backed away, raising his hands mockingly.
"Very well. You two can die together. Just make sure to scream loud enough so the gods notice."
He vanished into the crowd, his presence lingering like smoke after a fire.
Aiden swallowed hard. "He's strong. Really strong."
Jin placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes. But strength isn't everything. Come—let's go to the Gardens."
They began their walk again. Every step toward the Flame Gardens felt like a march into destiny.
Their journey lasted almost a day.
As they approached, the landscape transformed. The ground turned black and cracked, scorched from ages of magical fire. Gigantic pyres lined the main path, lighting the way with blue and crimson flames. The air shimmered with heat, but it was not unbearable—rather, it felt strangely welcoming.
Then he saw it.
The Flame Gardens.
An open arena of ash and obsidian surrounded by jagged cliffs, with three radiant suns hovering in the sky above, casting long, ominous shadows across the battleground. A massive circular stage dominated the center, etched with ancient runes that pulsed with deep red energy. Spires of stone and fire spiraled skyward, and hundreds of warriors were already staking out positions around the perimeter.
But the most haunting feature… was the Throne of Flames.
At the very center of the arena, high above all, stood a burning throne. Empty now. But not for long.
Jin inhaled deeply. "This place… it's older than any of us."
Aiden gazed around, speechless. "Why does it feel… alive?"
"Because it is," Jin said. "This world was created by an entity called the Shadow Architect—a primordial being born from the minds of sleeping gods. Ordered by Vael'thyr, the Deity of Endings. This entire realm, Aiden… it's a designed test. A forged hell."
Aiden looked up at the sky. The three suns burned brighter here than anywhere else.
"Every three years in this world," Jin continued, "an event is triggered to thin the herd. To entertain the gods. They call it…"
He paused.
"The Event of Doom."
A hush spread across the gathered crowd. All eyes turned to the sky as ancient chimes began to ring, deep and distant, like the tolling of time itself.
A massive message appeared above the arena in fiery text.
[THE EVENT OF DOOM WILL BEGIN IN 2 DAYS]
[ALL QUALIFIED PARTICIPANTS MUST GATHER AT THE FLAME GARDENS]
[REWARDS: +100,000 EXP
| RARE SKILLS | DIVINE TOKEN]
[WARNING: DEATH IS PERMANENT]
Aiden stepped back instinctively.
"Wait—permanent?" he whispered.
Jin nodded grimly. "Not all get to return to the respawn shrines during events. The gods want blood. And this time… Vael'thyr himself will descend to watch."
Aiden's chest tightened.
The god who cursed him.
The god who banished him to this nightmare world.
He was coming.
To spectate.
To enjoy the slaughter.
To witness if his curse had finally broken Aiden for good.
Aiden lowered his head, breathing hard. The heat, the noise, the expectations—it all pressed in on him.
But then he looked up.
No. He hadn't come this far to run.
He would level up. He would survive.
And one day…
He would make Vael'thyr bleed.
That thought didn't leave Aiden as he stood there, eyes locked on the flaming throne at the center of the Flame Gardens. Despite the roaring heat and the overwhelming presence of higher-leveled warriors, a calm fury stirred deep within him—a fire more intense than the infernos around.
Jin stood beside him, silent, watchful.
Aiden clenched his fists. The image of Vael'thyr still burned in his mind—that cruel smile, those hollow eyes that looked down on him as if he were nothing more than a stain on divine creation. That curse… it hadn't broken him. If anything, it had forged something new. Something sharper. Colder.
The plaza grew louder as more participants poured in. The entire second zone had become a hub of anticipation and chaos. Traders screamed about limited-time weapon sales. Blacksmiths hammered away at enhancements. Teams formed guild-like groups, some veterans barking out orders, others quietly planning around portable maps.
Aiden, however, didn't move.
The message in the sky still floated, blazing like a prophecy:
[THE EVENT OF DOOM BEGINS IN 2 DAYS]
Aiden finally spoke. "Do you think I can survive this?"
Jin tilted his head, golden eyes narrowing. "You shouldn't be asking me that."
"What do you mean?"
Jin looked back at the throne. "You should be asking yourself. Because that's the truth that matters. This world doesn't care about stats or who's born with power or who isn't. It cares about will. And yours? It's different. Tainted by that curse, maybe. But also refined by it."
Aiden didn't reply immediately. Instead, he scanned the crowd.
Among the many warriors, he saw people laughing, sharpening blades, using practice dummies, and preparing potions. Many of them didn't look scared. They looked ready.
But he could also spot the ones who weren't. The ones who trembled. Who knew they were fodder. The ones whose stats might never be enough.
He felt like he stood on the line between the sides.
"You said Vael'thyr would come here," Aiden muttered. "Why? To watch?"
Jin nodded slowly. "The gods used to descend often in the early eras. But now… they come only when something interests them. You're one of those things."
Aiden's jaw tightened.
"Your curse is like a beacon. The god who cursed you is coming to witness whether it did its job. Whether you'll die like a bug or crawl high enough to spit back in his face."
Aiden smiled faintly. "I'll do more than spit."
A gust of wind blew through the gardens, sending crimson ash dancing around them. Somewhere in the distance, a horn sounded—deep and ancient, echoing across the cliffs.
Jin turned to him. "Tomorrow, we'll train. The day after… you fight."
Aiden nodded, his glowing eye reflecting the throne of flames.
He didn't need to be the strongest.
He didn't need to win.
He just needed to survive long enough… to reach him.
To prove to the god that cursed him—