The night sky, usually a reminder of rest and tranquility, holds no such comfort here. In the Ring of Fire the flames burn as bright as the sun, casting an eternal glow over the landscape. The air is thick with heat, and the ground beneath their feet crackles with molten energy.
BANG
....The lifeless body of a Fire Golem.
It collapses to the ground, its molten core spilling out like lava. Ethan steps back, brushing the ashes off his uniform.
"At least that wasn't so bad"
he mutters, though his voice is tinged with exhaustion.
He looks around and notices the skeletons harvesting the remains of the golem. They move with precision, extracting chunks of molten rock and shards of fiery crystal.
"...I guess its body can be used for crafting weapons and buffs,"
Ethan says, nodding to himself. He doesn't dwell on it too much, though—without access to the shop, the materials are useless to him.
His attention shifts to the ground below. The heat radiating from the molten magma seeping through the cracks is intense, almost unbearable.
"The heat could kill,"
A deep, gentlemanly voice cutting through the silence.
Ethan jumps, startled. He spins around, his hand instinctively reaching for his katana, only to see the Bone Guard standing there.
"...Sorry to startle you, Master,"
its the Bone Guard says, its tone calm and measured.
Ethan blinks, stunned.
"....You can speak now?"
The Bone Guard nods, its purple eyes glowing faintly.
"Apparently, 500 years of existence is a pretty significant achievement for the Undead though was a headache merging with him in such a short notice"
it explains.
Ethan notices the Bone Guard's new armor—a polished lorica segmentata, the kind worn by Roman legionaries. It's a stark contrast to its previous, more rudimentary appearance.
".....Alright, that's something you don't see every day,"
Ethan says, still processing the changes.
"What else can you do?"
The Bone Guard raises its hand, and a glowing banner materializes—a golden eagle, its wings spread wide.
"Apparently, this buffs all allies within a 300-meter radius"
the Bone Guard explains.
"Though I don't know what that means."
Ethan stares at the banner, his mind racing. "That's a Roman Aquila,"
he says, his voice tinged with awe
"Its normally given to the flag bearers of the Empire. But... the Legionnaire's banner was the Sol Invictus—the Unconquered Sun."
He pauses, his thoughts drifting to the war.
"The sun is no more... but the eagle still stands."
The Bone Guard tilts its head, its hollow eyes reflecting the fiery glow of the Ring of Fire. "What does it mean, Master?"
Ethan sighs, his expression somber. He is reminded of the war between the old and new gods, a conflict that reshaped the world and left scars that still linger.
"It means the Eagle still exists,"
Ethan says, his voice heavy with excitement at the prospect that some the old Gods...live
"Even in death, some things endure."
Ethan's mind drifts back to the war, to the battles he fought and the men he led. The Aquila banner stirs something deep within him—a sense of duty, of purpose. He wonders if the Bone Guard's transformation is a sign, a reminder of the legacy he left behind.
"Do you remember anything from your past?" Ethan asks, his voice soft.
The Bone Guard hesitates, its jaw clicking softly. "Fragments"
it replies.
"Images of battles, of comrades falling, a series of battles with angels, demi gods, Giants and monster"
The Bone guard raises its hand to his head
"But nothing clear."
Ethan nods, understanding all too well. "Sometimes, the past is better left buried"
he says, though his tone suggests he doesn't fully believe it.
As they continue down the fiery path, the heat grows more intense. The Bone Guard's banner glows brighter, its golden eagle radiating a protective aura that shields them from the worst of the heat.
The landscape begins to change. The fiery plains give way to a massive wall, its stone surface blackened by centuries of exposure to the flames. The wall stretches as far as the eye can see, separating the lands of the living from the realms of the dead.
But what catches Ethan's attention are the guards manning the wall. They're not the fiery hoplites he's grown accustomed to. These undead are different—taller, more imposing, their armor adorned with the insignia of the Roman legions.
"Roman Legionnaires"
Ethan mutters, his voice tinged with both awe and caution.
"This just got a lot more complicated."
The Bone Guard steps forward, its banner held high.
"Stay close, Master. I Feel a great sense of danger across those walls"
Ethan nods, He knows that this Wall divides the land between the Living and the Dead....but his senses telling that something on the other side is deeply wrong