Ashen stood before a projection of the world map, where the Swamp Kingdom pulsed like a radiant heart across the eastern zone. Force Energy saturated the surrounding regions, slowly infecting adjacent zones with color-coded overlays of influence: green for allies, yellow for neutral territories, and now—red.
A single new zone blinked red in defiance: Orrath-Kai, capital of the Crownless Empire.
Heqet's voice came through the Council Channel, static-warped from signal distortion.
"They've moved earlier than expected. The Crownless Empire is initiating a global challenge protocol."
Jaecar growled from Ashen's side. "They're calling us out?"
"No. They're calling you out," Heqet replied grimly.
The interface pulsed again.
[Global System Event: Crownless Challenge]
Empire Name: Crownless
Tier: Mythical Legacy State
