The early morning sun crested the horizon as it had done every day of Fog Carne's four-hundred-and-some long years of life. The four-hundred-year-old skeleton adjusted his glasses, ensured his butler's uniform had no lint, no stains, nor any tears to speak of before leaving his room within the empty Fort Wilderness. 

Fog opened a small compartment and took out a broom and dustpan. He started sweeping, dusting, and tidying up the halls as he did every morning, hopefully awaiting his master's return. While he swept, the sound of heavy metallic footsteps interrupted. However, his eager hopefulness vanished as it had every morning. 

"Must you insist on cleaning abandoned hallways and rooms as to prepare for people who are never coming home?" Growled a low, metallic voice. Fog shook his head, clearly annoyed. "Good morning to you, too, Elder Tower Guardian Yaeger." The tall, ancient guardian, akin to that of the golem race with that of a hyperintelligent intellect, shook his brass-colored head.

"The Heroes of Wilderness have abandoned us here, all of us, to decay and die. Yet, you still hope they will burst through the walls, ruin all of your hard labor, tell you everything will be okay, and seize the powerful nation they once commanded." Yaeger's amber-colored lens dimmed after his statement to the skeleton. His metallic, unfeeling tone seemed to match the cold, empty halls of the once lively fort. 

Fog raised his head to speak, but not a word emerged from his jaws. However, before either of them could move, the outer defensive wall exploded into pieces. Debris fell from the sky like hail as a small unit of Lesser Guardians approached the blast hole, all of them in their defensive forms consisting of four arms, tightly wound muscles of living metal coils the size of tree trunks, and crimson red lenses locked onto the breach in the wall. 

Fog looked over to see... His hollow eyes quivered to see the golden glint coming from the Forge of the North Star, a weapon solely wielded by his master, Polaris Winters. "MASTER POLARIS!" yelled out Fog as he began rushing to greet his long-lost master. However, the sharp and commanding words, "FOG, STAY BACK", along with his master's panicked tone, suggested his master hadn't come home with friends. 

However, before the hero or his two named followers could react, another barrage of large-scale explosions rocked the entire fort and the land it stood upon. Polaris was flung through the Fort's side wall, sending him crashing into the mess hall, battered and brushed. Fog rushed over to his side and used what little healing magic and healing elixirs he had saved just in case something like this ever occurred. "Master, who is attacking you? Why are you..." Polaris's bloody hand fell upon Fog's shoulder. "There... isn't... m-much time, Fog." Polaris strained to say, blood running down his face. However, despite his injuries, Polaris stood up and took in a large breath of air. 

"FORTRESS WILDERNESS! RECOGNIZE YOUR CHOSEN LEADER!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. At first, nothing happened. Then, out of nowhere, spirit orbs emerged from the walls and circled around him. "I hereby do declare my life is very well at its end. However, you must heed my last request!" The orbs seemed to chatter in agreement to his words. "I hereby name Fog Carne, the Undead Caretaker of Fort Wilderness, as the hero to whom I pass on this legacy and burden. He shall be known henceforth as Fog Carne, the Undead Brawler, and the Last Hero of Wilderness. Likewise, I name Yaeger, Battle Tower Guardian Elder, as Fog's chosen second. He shall be known as Yaeger, Grand Elder, and Defense of Wilderness. 

As the spirit orbs chanted, Polaris began emitting a very strong golden energy that flowed directly into the two of them. Polaris sighed a breath of relief, then gritted his teeth as he forced himself to stand up. With the Forge of the North Star back in his hands, he yelled out his battle cry as he rushed the unwelcomed guests, who'd been massacring the Lesser Guardians. "EVEN IF IT MEANS MY LIFE! I SHALL NOT LET HARM COME UNTO MY FAITHFUL FRIENDS!" Cried Polaris, charging through the hole in the wall his impact had made. 

Fog watched as his friend and master rushed into battle, attacking the intruders with his dwindling strength while the spirits bestowed their gifts upon the two of them. As Fog watched, the spirits materialized his weapons that Polaris had hand-forged for him. They were twin crimson gauntlets with his family's crest stamped into the metal and the now enchanted, tattered sigil-crest banner of his home, now made into a cloak. 

Now, while Fog couldn't see Yaeger, he could see Polaris's fight. When the enhancement started, Polaris was devastating the invaders. However, his energy and strength were running out, and the fight became very one-sided, in favor of the unknown aggressors. Suddenly, the ritual was over, and Fog's feet hit the floor. As he rushed to see what had become of his master, his undead eyes widened in horror, and his whole body trembled violently as he watched a warrior wielding a black-misted blade impale Polaris.

Fog's jaw quivered as he stagger-stepped forward. "M-master? M-master... Polaris?"