The Emerald Wildlands were silent.
Not the peaceful silence of an untouched forest...
But the silence of a place that had been waiting.
Waiting...
For thousands of years.
---
The expedition advanced cautiously.
Sam led from the front, Emerald Soul Reaver resting at his side.
Behind him marched Ben, Kael, Zora, Mira, George, Master Doran, the Goblin Warlord King, the Goblin Archmage, and thousands of elite soldiers of the Silver Kingdom.
No one spoke.
Even the forest seemed to be watching them.
---
WHOOM...
The two Guardian Keys hanging from Sam's belt pulsed once more.
Twin streams of emerald light drifted between the ancient trees.
"They're guiding us," Mira whispered.
George nodded.
"Then let's see where history has been hiding."
---
The forest slowly began to change.
Massive trees gave way to enormous blocks of smooth emerald stone.
Ancient pillars emerged from beneath tangled roots.
Broken roads stretched ahead, disappearing into the distance.
Kael knelt beside one of the roads.
"This wasn't carved."
He brushed away centuries of dirt.
"It was... forged."
Master Doran's eyes narrowed.
"...He's right."
---
Several soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.
Forged?
Roads weren't forged.
They were built.
Yet every stone fit together so perfectly that no seam could be found.
George slowly ran his hand across the surface.
"Incredible..."
"There isn't a single crack."
"No erosion."
"No settling."
"It's as if these roads were made yesterday."
---
Farther ahead...
A pair of colossal statues came into view.
Each towered nearly sixty feet high.
Both depicted armored giants holding enormous hammers.
Not warriors...
Builders.
Their expressions were calm.
Protective.
Doran stopped walking.
His breathing became heavier.
He stared at the statues in complete silence.
---
Zora stepped closer.
Ancient runes covered the base of each monument.
She extended her hand.
Blue mana flowed gently around the inscriptions.
"...They're responding."
The runes shimmered.
Unknown symbols slowly rearranged themselves.
Then...
Words appeared.
"Strength builds kingdoms."
"Craftsmanship preserves them."
No one moved.
George swallowed.
"They're translating themselves..."
---
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Ancient translation matrix detected.
Civilization identified...
The Titan Kingdom.
---
A ripple of shock spread through the expedition.
"Titan Kingdom..." Ben repeated.
"So they really existed."
George looked around in awe.
"Not legends..."
"History."
---
Master Doran stepped toward the statues.
Slowly...
He placed one weathered hand against the emerald stone.
The moment he did—
WHOOM!
Golden light surged through the monument.
Ancient runes ignited one after another.
The ground trembled.
The soldiers immediately formed defensive lines.
"Shields up!"
Ben roared.
The Vanguard Corps raised their shields in perfect unison.
Kael's Spear Corps lowered their weapons.
Zora's mages gathered mana.
Mira's healers prepared support spells.
Sam calmly drew Emerald Soul Reaver.
The legendary blade shone brilliantly.
---
The two colossal statues began to move.
Stone cracked.
Dust fell like rain.
Thousands of years of silence came to an end.
Then...
Instead of attacking...
Both giants slowly knelt.
Their enormous hammers rested against the ground.
A deep voice echoed across the forgotten city.
"Welcome..."
"...Bearer of the Guardian Keys."
The entire expedition froze.
---
The emerald light flowing from Sam's Guardian Keys stretched beyond the statues.
Hidden behind them...
An enormous gateway slowly emerged from beneath the earth.
Hundreds of feet tall.
Covered in Titan runes.
At its center was the symbol of a great hammer surrounded by seven radiant stars.
George stared upward, unable to speak.
"...An entire city..."
"...buried beneath the forest."
Master Doran's eyes never left the gate.
"...No..."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"...Not a city."
He pointed beyond the opening as the dust slowly settled.
Countless towers...
Massive workshops...
Ancient bridges...
And hundreds of silent forge chimneys filled the horizon.
"This..."
"...is the Royal Forge City of the Titan Kingdom."
Awe spread through every member of the expedition.
Sam looked toward the colossal gate.
His instincts told him one thing.
They had not come here for the Emerald Throne.
They had come to uncover a forgotten chapter of Aetherra's history.
And that history...
Was finally ready to be told.