• Realm Gates: Bridges Between Dimensions and Doom
Realm Gates are colossal, naturally or artificially occurring rifts in the fabric of space-time that link the Mortal Plane to other Realms/worlds, including higher planes like the Void Abyss, Astral Nest, or even chaotic extra-universal zones known as Fracture Realms. These gates are both a source of power and destruction, depending on how, when, and by whom they are opened.
They are the primary conduits through which extraterrestrial creatures, ancient beasts, lost technologies, and foreign deities enter the world of Astraea.
• Types of Realm Gates
Stable Realm Gates: Usually found in ancient temples or fortified zones, maintained by global factions. They allow controlled exploration of other Realms for resources and Beast Souls. Often guarded by guilds, militaries, or corporations.
Wild Realm Gates: Uncontrolled breaches that appear suddenly(The Regulars) Some occasionally allow monsters pour out in waves. Their appearance often require Heroes, Awakened or Hunters to intervene and close them.
One-Way Realm Gates: Dangerous relics of past wars or dead civilizations. Once entered, return is impossible without divine assistance. Often contain lost legacies or the remnants of dead gods.
Importance in the World
1. Beast Soul Harvesting: Nearly 80% of mid-to-high ranked Beast Souls originate from Realms beyond the Mortal Plane. Realm Gates are therefore central to the economy and military strength of nations.
2. Global Calamities: Most major crises—like the fall of the Kingdom of Helexia or the Great Descent of Blood Suns—were caused by uncontrolled or weaponized Realm Gates.
3. Power Scaling Events: Academy tournaments, national selection trials, and World Gates Competitions are all linked to the ability to conquer specific types of Realm Gates and claim treasures within.
• Wild Realm Gates (The Regulars)
---
Wild Realm Gates, colloquially referred to by hunters and military forces as "The Regulars," are the most common type of Realm Gates encountered across the continent of Astraea. While not as apocalyptic as Calamity-Gates(Instant appearance instant invasion ) or as enigmatic as One-Way Gates, Regulars pose a persistent and rising threat to stability, civilization, and the environment.
Their defining trait is that they form naturally, without conscious interference, but under very specific environmental and magical conditions.
---
Formation Conditions
Wild Realm Gates open in areas that suffer from accumulated, unbalanced, or stagnated mana. These include but are not limited to:
Monster dens with high magical breeding activity
Abandoned battlefields drenched in lingering spells
Mana pools with fractured leylines or broken regulation wards
Ruined sanctums or artifact crash sites
In essence, any region where mana fails to circulate properly becomes a breeding ground for a Wild Realm Gate. When the mana reaches a critical density, it behaves like a pressurized dam—eventually cracking a hole through the veil separating Astraea from another realm.
The type of realm it links to depends on the elemental signature of the mana in that region. For instance, high fire-aligned mana may attract a rift into the Blazing Maw Realm, while cold, dead mana often taps into the Corpse Mirage Fields of the undead.
---
• Gate Behavior and Monster Passage
Initially, when a Wild Realm Gate opens, monsters do not immediately pour through. There exists a mana equilibrium window, usually between 3 to 10 days, during which time the gate functions more like a portal than an invasion vector. In this stage:
Heroes, Hunters, and Awakened can enter and exit freely
The gate is stable but growing in intensity
Monsters remain on the other side, held back by the thin veil of natural laws
But once the local mana builds up to a volatile tipping point, often catalyzed by external activity (like battles or spell use near the gate), the monsters can break through. When that happens, the gate shifts into an Invasion Phase, releasing beast waves every few hours.
---
Objectives and Strategy
The preferred method of dealing with Wild Realm Gates follows a structured raid procedure adopted by both the Hunter Federation and Military Guilds:
1. Scouting Phase:
Small teams are sent in during the stable period to map the interior realm, identify monster types, and locate the core or artifact generating the gate.
2. Resource Phase:
While the gate remains stable, Hunters and Awakened harvest resources—rare ores, elemental herbs, beast soul fragments, or realm-bound treasure chests. Some guilds offer contracts to "plunder a gate" before closing it.
3. Tactical Engagement Phase:
When ready, elites or high-ranking parties enter to destroy the Dense Mana Core or the Dimensional Anchor Artifact that sustains the gate. This often requires navigating deep into hostile territory and eliminating boss-level monsters acting as wardens.
4. Collapse and Closure:
Once the core is destroyed, the gate begins to collapse in on itself. Depending on the size, this can take from 5 minutes to an hour, giving teams time to extract.
---
Characteristics of Dense Mana Cores
Dense Mana Cores are crystalline growths formed from compressed magic and soul residue. They can sometimes mutate into mana elementals, defend themselves, or grant pseudo-consciousness to nearby monsters. In rare cases, these cores are actually forgotten divine relics or cursed fragments from higher realms, which can alter the gate's nature mid-raid.
---
Hazards of Wild Realm Gates
Though considered manageable compared to high-tier Realm Gates, The Regulars pose several major risks:
Escalation Risk: If ignored too long, a Regular can mutate into a Calamity-Class Gate, especially if a Void corruption begins to bleed into the anchor point.
Locality Distortion: Prolonged gate presence warps the local environment—climates shift, gravity stutters, or nights stretch longer than they should. Civilian populations often must be evacuated.
Ambush Raids: Since entry is possible in both directions, invading factions sometimes use Regulars to stage hit-and-run attacks, steal relics, or assassinate awakened individuals in the Mortal Realm.
---
Importance to Society
Despite the danger, Wild Realm Gates have become an integral part of society's growth in Astraea:
Training Grounds: Most academies and hunter guilds use Regulars for real-world combat experience. They are the final test before formal graduation.
Resource Control: Governments issue timed permits and licenses for dungeon delving, taxing items brought out. Some companies, specialize in sponsoring raid teams for profit.
Class Advancement Trials: Some Awakened can only trigger their next tier evolution by absorbing essence or performing feats inside realm-imbued territories.