Morning arrived beneath a clear blue sky.
The Silver Kingdom stood united.
Above the capital...
The golden countdown slowly faded.
EMERALD WILDLANDS EXPEDITION
12 DAYS REMAINING
Today...
The expedition would begin.
---
Outside the northern gate...
Thousands of soldiers stood in perfect formation.
The Vanguard Corps.
The Spear Corps.
The Mage Corps.
The Medical Corps.
Supply wagons stretched into the distance.
Engineers loaded surveying equipment.
Blacksmiths secured spare weapons and armor.
Every soldier wore equipment forged inside the Royal Forge.
Every General stood at the front.
Ben.
Kael.
Zora.
Mira.
George.
Master Doran.
Behind Sam stood the Goblin Warlord King and the Goblin Archmage.
Their emerald eyes glowed beneath the morning sun.
---
Atop the northern wall...
Runa adjusted the Skybreaker Bow across her back.
Beside her...
Leon secured the twin daggers at his waist.
Neither wore traveling packs.
Scouts carried only what they needed.
Sam climbed the wall to meet them.
For a long moment...
None of them spoke.
---
"You both know your mission."
Leon nodded.
"Western Aetherra."
"Find the truth."
Sam looked toward the distant western horizon.
"If those Commanders truly exist..."
"I want information."
"Not war."
Runa smiled.
"We're scouts."
"We know the difference."
Sam returned the smile.
"I know."
---
Mira stepped forward carrying two small crystal pendants.
"I made these last night."
She handed one to Leon.
The other to Runa.
"If either of you is seriously injured..."
"I'll know."
Runa looked at the glowing crystal.
"You never stop worrying."
Mira laughed softly.
"It's my job."
---
Kael crossed his arms.
"Just don't make us come rescue you."
Leon smirked.
"You'd never catch me."
Several soldiers laughed.
Even Kael couldn't hide a small smile.
---
George approached carrying a rolled map.
"I've marked every location we've confirmed."
He handed it to Sam.
"But..."
He pointed toward a large blank area deep inside the Emerald Wildlands.
"Everything beyond this point..."
"...is completely unknown."
Atlas had already warned them.
No maps existed.
No records survived.
Only ruins.
---
Master Doran rested his evolved hammer across one shoulder.
"Unknown places usually hide the greatest treasures."
George laughed.
"Or the greatest disasters."
Doran smiled.
"Usually both."
---
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Expedition Army Ready.
Supplies: Complete.
Morale: Excellent.
Probability of mission success...
Increasing.
Sam looked toward the army.
Every soldier stood proudly beneath the banner of the Silver Kingdom.
This wasn't the frightened group that had once struggled to survive.
This was an army.
---
Sam slowly drew Emerald Soul Reaver.
The legendary blade shimmered brilliantly.
He raised it toward the sky.
"Today..."
"We march."
Thousands of weapons rose into the air.
"Today..."
"We uncover our past."
Cheers erupted.
"And tomorrow..."
"We build humanity's future."
"FOR THE SILVER KINGDOM!!"
"FOR THE SILVER KINGDOM!!"
"FOR THE SILVER KINGDOM!!"
The gates slowly opened.
With Sam at the front...
The expedition departed Base 101.
---
High above the walls...
The Crystal Giant watched in silence.
Its massive hands tightened around its crystal greatsword.
Until the Commander returned...
The kingdom would not fall.
---
Hours later...
The army crossed the border into the Emerald Wildlands.
Towering emerald trees blocked the sunlight.
Ancient vines wrapped around massive stone pillars.
Broken roads disappeared beneath centuries of moss.
George looked around in amazement.
"These weren't made by nature..."
"They were built."
Zora knelt beside a weathered rune carved into the stone.
She brushed away the moss.
Her sapphire eyes widened.
"This language..."
"I've never seen anything like it."
Master Doran rested a hand against one of the pillars.
"This stone..."
"...was shaped."
"Not carved."
The entire expedition slowed.
Something about this forest felt...
Wrong.
---
Suddenly...
The two Guardian Keys hanging from Sam's belt began to glow.
WHOOM...
Both emerald hearts pulsed together.
Thin streams of green light drifted deeper into the forest.
Rex spoke immediately.
Commander...
The Guardian Keys are reacting.
Destination confirmed.
Ancient Ruins... less than three kilometers ahead.
Sam tightened his grip on Emerald Soul Reaver.
"We've found it."
---
Deep beneath the earth...
Hidden below countless centuries of stone...
Ancient mechanisms awakened.
Massive gears began turning.
Emerald crystals illuminated a forgotten underground city.
At the very center...
A colossal throne stood in absolute silence.
Then...
A pair of emerald eyes slowly opened.
A deep voice echoed through the empty halls.
"...The Bearers of the Keys..."
"...have finally arrived."