Within moments of understanding his situation, Ardin realized something more: Pale Garden had begun to evolve. He could feel its pulse as it rippled through him. The choices he made now, the decisions he gave to his NPC guardians and the creatures he had designed, all affected the expansion and future of the place.
A dark realization loomed. The true test of Pale Garden wasn't just its power—it was his power over it.
And that was not the only challenge Ardin faced.
As he wandered the vast, sprawling expanses of Pale Garden, he was met with beings who had wandered in from outside of his creation. Many came seeking answers about the place. Others sought vengeance, rallying against the place that had eradicated guilds in seconds.
But there was more to worry about than mere players seeking retribution—an organization, known only as the Essence Collective, had started investigating these strange anomalies. Ardin learned of their interest when a heavily armored agent appeared before him. Her gaze locked onto his with cold precision.
"You've changed the course of this game," she said, her voice grave and calculated. "And with it, you've drawn the attention of forces beyond this world. The power you wield isn't just digital, Ardin. Pale Garden—it's alive, and it calls to other realms. Whether you like it or not, you will need to expand, to protect yourself. This is no longer a simple game—it's a war."
Ardin had created an enigma—a realm so powerful that even its very existence was a danger to both the digital world of World Destiny and to the very laws of nature itself.