The morning air over Valensreach was thick with dust and smoke. Smoke from broken chimneys, dust from cracked streets, and the acrid tang of metal that had split under the city's shaking—this was the aftermath of Kaldur's first true stir. The city's towers leaned unevenly, and flags fluttered half-torn. Merchants shouted over the noise, salvaging wares while children clung to parents, wide-eyed and terrified.
Aria Valen sat atop Zephyr, circling above the main plaza. Her chest heaved as her gaze swept over the damage. Even with years of Sky Aether training, nothing could have prepared her for this. The energy in the air was alive, pulsing beneath her skin, a heartbeat that belonged to something not of this world.
"Another tremor," Zephyr rumbled, glancing downward. Its wings beat lazily against the updrafts, the gryphon clearly uneasy.
"Yes," Aria whispered. "And it's only going to get worse."
She had seen signs: cracks in the stone that seemed to move when no one was looking, faint blue runes glowing beneath collapsed walls, and shadows that shifted unnaturally along the edges of the ruins. Each tremor felt purposeful, like the planet itself was testing her resolve.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles east, in the industrial sprawl of Aemoria, Korin Draveth adjusted the last of his Aether conduits, sweating under the weight of urgency. The tremors that had rattled Valensreach reached here in subtler pulses, but Korin felt them sharply. Every machine, every crystal shard, even the molten metal seemed to hum with energy—energy he had never felt before.
"Master Korin!" Lito's voice echoed through the workshop. The boy held a chipped metal hammer, hands trembling. "The tremors… they're stronger this time. The forges—they're breaking!"
Korin's jaw tightened. "Stay calm, Lito. Secure the conduits. Anchor the machines. And stay out of the center!"
The tremor hit like a living blow. Sparks flew as machinery buckled. A nearby furnace cracked, sending a geyser of molten metal into the air. Korin dove forward, grabbing Lito just as a piece of debris tore through the workshop's roof. Both tumbled to the floor in a shower of burning embers.
"Focus!" Korin snapped, scrambling to stabilize the conduits. "If the machinery fails… Aemoria could lose entire districts!"
Lito's eyes were wide with terror. "What's happening, Master Korin? This isn't normal! Not normal!"
Korin shook his head, lips tight. "No… it's not. Not normal at all."
And in the shadows, unseen and patient, the Shadow Order observed. From the rooftops, the hooded figure smiled. Every tremor, every crack, every terrified scream brought their plan closer to fruition. The Titans were waking—and they intended to control the awakening.
Back in Valensreach, Aria landed Zephyr in the plaza. Dust swirled around them like a living mist. Citizens stared, some in awe, some in fear. A few brave ones approached, bowing or lowering their heads respectfully.
"Aria Valen," Kael said, appearing beside her. His armor was scratched and dusty. "You felt it too, didn't you?"
She nodded. "Kaldur. He's moving beneath Vastoria. It's… awake."
Kael's face darkened. "The elders always warned about this. Every tremor, every surge of Aether, it all points to the same truth. The Titans are real. And one has stirred."
"Then why now?" Aria asked. "Why here?"
Kael shook his head. "I don't know. But one thing is certain: Vastoria is unprepared. And Elystron… they see this as an opportunity."
The mention of Elystron sent a shiver through Aria. She knew the tech-heavy nation prized power over life. If they tried to harness Kaldur, countless lives would be at risk.
In the streets below, chaos continued. Buildings crumbled under tremors, gryphon riders evacuated citizens, and the faint pulse of raw Aether made even the most seasoned warriors uneasy.
Aria spotted a small child trapped under a fallen cart. Without hesitation, she raised her hands, weaving Sky Aether with precision. Runes glowed blue and lifted the cart gently, allowing the child to scramble free. The act was small, yet the Aether pulse from her fingertips caused the ground to tremble again, drawing startled gasps from nearby citizens.
"Careful!" Kael shouted. "Control it! Don't let the city's energy feed into your magic!"
Aria clenched her jaw. She could feel Kaldur's presence in the tremors—the pulse beneath the crust responding to her Sky Aether. Every movement she made seemed amplified, charged by the Titan below. Fear surged in her chest, but she pushed it down. If she didn't act, more people would die.
Hundreds of miles away, Korin managed to stabilize the Aether conduits in his workshop. But the tremors were spreading farther now. He could feel the raw power coursing through the city's machines, tugging at the crystals, seeking an outlet.
"This isn't just a tremor," he muttered to himself. "This… this is Aether on a scale I've never seen."
He glanced at a small Aether prism on his desk. Its light flickered erratically, synchronized with the tremors. His pulse quickened. He understood now why the Tri-Council was obsessed with containing Titan-level energy. This was not just power—it was a force of nature.
Korin's hands itched, a mix of fear and fascination. He had spent his life building devices to manipulate Aether, but nothing had prepared him for this. A living heartbeat beneath the ground, raw energy that dwarfed his inventions.
Evening fell over Vastoria, painting the sky in fiery oranges and purples. The tremors had slowed, but their effect lingered: collapsed buildings, fractured streets, frightened citizens. In the shadows, the Shadow Order regrouped, whispering in low voices as their dark magic flared, feeding on fear and chaos.
Aria stood on Zephyr's back, gazing across the city. The adrenaline from the day's chaos still coursed through her veins. She knew this was only the beginning.
A sudden gust of wind carried a whisper—a voice in the air that made her stomach tighten.
"The Earth moves, child of the skies. The balance shifts. Be ready…"
She shivered, gripping Zephyr's mane.
Far to the east, Korin felt the same pulse resonate through his workshop. He clenched his fists, staring at the Aether prism. He wasn't alone in sensing this. Somewhere, across Vastoria, someone else felt it too.
Two strangers, worlds apart, bound by the awakening of an ancient force.
And deep beneath the surface, Kaldur stirred, rolling beneath the mountains and valleys, waking after ten thousand years of slumber.
The tremors were only the beginning.