The celebration continued long into the afternoon.
Laughter echoed throughout Base 101.
Children ran through the streets waving wooden swords.
Blacksmiths rang their hammers against their anvils in celebration.
The bells of Base 101 sounded again and again.
Victory belonged to everyone.
---
Inside the Commander's Manor...
The atmosphere was much quieter.
Sam sat at the head of the council table.
Before him...
Resting upon a crystal pedestal...
Was the Regional Guardian's Heart.
Soft emerald light pulsed from within it.
Each heartbeat sent ripples of mana through the room.
Around the table sat the leaders of Base 101.
Ben.
Mira.
Zora.
Leon.
Runa.
Kael.
George.
Master Doran.
The Goblin Warlord King.
The Goblin Archmage.
No one took their eyes off the crystal.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Continuing analysis.
Artifact remains stable.
Ancient mana signature confirmed.
Sam folded his arms.
"Can you tell what it does?"
Several seconds passed.
Then—
Negative.
Its function appears sealed.
---
George leaned closer.
"It almost looks alive."
Master Doran nodded.
"I've forged enchanted weapons for decades."
"I've never felt mana like this."
---
Zora slowly extended her staff.
"I'd like to examine it."
Sam nodded.
"Go ahead."
The Staff of Arcane Flow glowed softly.
Mana circles surrounded the emerald heart.
For several moments...
Nothing happened.
Then...
The heart answered.
A pulse of emerald light swept through the room.
WHOOM...
Ancient symbols appeared in the air.
Not System text.
Not modern language.
Something far older.
Zora's eyes widened.
"...These aren't spells."
"They're records."
---
At that exact moment...
Rex spoke urgently.
Commander!
Ancient Archive detected.
Beginning translation.
---
The glowing symbols slowly rearranged themselves.
One sentence appeared.
---
Keeper defeated.
First Key acknowledged.
One of Seven has been claimed.
---
Silence.
No one spoke.
Ben frowned.
"One... of seven?"
---
Another line appeared.
---
When all Seven Keys are united...
The path to the Emerald Throne shall open.
---
George blinked.
"...There's a throne?"
Kael laughed.
"There's always a throne."
Runa elbowed him.
"This isn't the time."
---
The symbols continued changing.
This time...
An image appeared.
An enormous ancient city.
Covered in emerald vines.
Seven colossal towers surrounded its center.
At the very heart...
A magnificent palace stood beneath an enormous emerald tree.
Even the Goblin Archmage stared silently.
---
Then...
The image disappeared.
The crystal became quiet once more.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex finally spoke.
Translation complete.
New information acquired.
The Emerald Guardian served as one of seven Regional Guardians protecting the Emerald Wildlands.
Each Guardian possesses one Key.
All seven are required to unlock the central region.
---
The room became deathly quiet.
Leon finally broke the silence.
"So..."
"The Guardian wasn't the boss."
Sam slowly shook his head.
"No."
"It was only the gatekeeper."
---
Before anyone could continue—
DING!
Three blue communication screens appeared.
Dennis.
Elena.
Atlas.
All three wore the same serious expression.
Dennis spoke first.
"You got one too."
Sam raised the emerald heart.
"I take it you saw the announcement."
Dennis nodded.
"We all did."
Elena stepped closer to her screen.
"Our Systems received additional information."
Atlas adjusted his goggles.
"So did mine."
Another golden screen unfolded before all four Commanders.
---
ALLIANCE UPDATE
Regional Guardian Defeated.
Guardian Keys Discovered:
1 / 7
Current Holder:
Commander Sam – Base 101
Alliance Objective Updated.
Locate the remaining six Regional Guardians.
Recover all seven Guardian Keys.
Only then...
Will the heart of the Emerald Wildlands become accessible.
---
Everyone fell silent.
Atlas smiled first.
"I was hoping this expedition would be interesting."
George laughed.
"Interesting?"
"This is legendary!"
---
Dennis folded his arms.
"Then our objective just became clear."
Elena nodded.
"We don't simply explore."
"We hunt Guardians."
---
Sam looked down at the emerald heart resting on the pedestal.
Its light reflected in his eyes.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke quietly.
Commander...
The Emerald Wildlands have acknowledged you.
Future trials...
Will become considerably more difficult.
Sam smiled.
"I'd be disappointed if they weren't."
Outside...
Far beyond Base 101...
Deep within the Emerald Wildlands...
Six distant pillars of emerald light erupted into the sky.
One after another.
Each marking the territory...
Of a Regional Guardian still waiting for challengers.
The hunt for the remaining Keys...
Had officially begun.