"All gods fall eventually. The smart ones learn to dig."
—Stone-Teller Kavax, before vanishing beneath the Old Warrens
72 Days Remain.
The warning had been quiet—just a single blink from the Forsaken Eye, a pulse no louder than a heartbeat. But it was enough to silence an entire room of commanders.
[System Prompt: Incoming Phase – Heralds of the Depth]
Threat Class: ???
Origin: Subterranean Rift Network
Estimated Emerge Points: Unknown
Detected Traits: Burrowing | Psychological Disruption | Ecosystem Override
Ashra leaned back in her chair, arms folded. "So… not fire this time. Earth? Madness?"
Rialt, examining a quake map pinned to the wall, grunted. "Both. Possibly worse."
[New Objective: Secure All Under-Tunnels Beneath Stormwatch]
Estimated Depth Coverage: 9km
Time Limit: 14 Days
Optional Bonus: Eliminate Sub-Tunnel Nodes (3 total)
Failure Consequence: Immediate Rift Emergence Beneath Citadel
Jag, the Nameless Bastion, scanned the deep-mapped blueprint.
He spoke with authority born of loss. "Then we collapse them before they rise."
Branwyn nodded. "Scout parties have already reported vibrations near Ironroot Hollow. We start there."
[Side Mission: Into the Hollow]
Squad:
• Nameless Bastion (Jag)
• Ashra (Lv. 6)
• Branwyn (Lv. 5)
• 2 Tunnel Scouts (Lv. 3)
Objective: Reach Node A – Collapse Point / Determine Threat Origin
Day 1: Descent
Ironroot Hollow was a twisted warren of roots, dead ore veins, and ancient mine shafts—abandoned long before Stormwatch's founding.
As they descended, the torches dimmed, and the system began feeding filtered reports directly to Jag's HUD.
[Passive Effect: Deep Zone]
• Light reduced -40%
• Morale decay begins
• Communication jitter: 2–3 sec delay
Branwyn muttered, "I've fought goblins in deeper holes than this."
Ashra replied, "Goblins don't make the walls whisper."
And indeed—the walls did whisper.
Faint vibrations pulsed from deep ahead. Not rhythmic. Organic. As if the stone breathed.
[Node A: Reached]
Terrain: Unstable Crag
Local Reading: Bio-Warp Residue
Threat Level: High
Entity Detected: Yes
The team entered a half-collapsed chamber where a single crystal protruded from the wall—shimmering dark green, pulsing with light like a heartbeat.
Then it moved.
[Boss Spawned: Cradle Cyst]
• Class: A
• HP: 1800
• Traits: Burrower, Psychological Pulse, Spawns Larvae
• Immunities: Fear, Burn, Poison
• Weakness: Sonic Disruption, Arcane Blade
The room sealed with living rock.
Ashra struck first, blink-dashing behind the creature and slicing into exposed tissue.
[Ashra: -51 HP to Target]
[Effect: Minor Bleed – resisted]
The Cradle Cyst pulsed.
[Psychological Pulse: -5 Morale All Units]
Scout 1: Fled
Scout 2: Shaken
Branwyn roared, slamming her shield into the floor.
[Inspire Activated – Scout 2 stabilized]
[Taunt Successful]
Jag moved with the speed of desperation.
His blade now infused with Ashforge and Crownbane, he struck the crystal core three times.
[Nameless Bastion: Combo Strike – -72, -89, -104]
Cyst shrieked. Floor destabilized.
Ashra shouted, "It's birthing!"
Larvae dropped from the ceiling—hook-limbed, eyeless.
Spawned Enemies: 6x Cystlings
Branwyn engaged three, shield-bashing one into the rock
Ashra blinked, cutting down two in one stroke
Jag activated Command Surge
[All allies: +20% ATK / DEF]
[Final Strike Ready]
Jag dove toward the Cyst's heart as it pulsed for another wave.
Blade pierced the core.
Explosion: Controlled.
[Boss Defeated: Cradle Cyst]
Loot: Pulsing Node Core, Cyst Residue, 200 Gold
Tunnel Stability: Regained
Threat: Contained
They emerged after two days, filthy and drained.
Stormwatch's war table updated instantly.
[Node A: Sealed]
Remaining: 2
Estimated Threat Mitigation: 31%
Jag Gained Trait: "Depthpiercer" – Slight resistance to mental disruption / bonus damage to Subterraneans
Elsewhere
Far beneath the ruins of Sandshroud, a dozen more cysts pulsed in unison.
A new Herald stirred from the Depth: not of fire, but of silence.
It bore no body—only a voice carried by worms.
It whispered:
"One wall falls… the others crack."