Ashguard hummed with dawnlight as Jin Sori stood in the Grand Pavilion, eyes fixed on the crimson banners fluttering above. He was no longer just a recruit—his robes now bore the silver threads of a full Gatekeeper, embroidered with the twin sigils of Ashguard and Don.
Zaxton stood before him, arms folded, his expression calm—but proud.
> ZAXTON:
"You've earned your blade, your badge, and your place in this realm."
> JIN:
"Then give me my burden, Father. I'm ready."
Zaxton nodded once, then handed him a sealed scroll—white jade, etched with golden script.
> ZAXTON:
"You're returning to the First Realm."
Jin blinked. "The First Realm?"
> ZAXTON:
"A new empire is rising there—Wei Lan. Forged from fractured provinces and united under a young leader named Wang, who's proven himself worthy of rule."
> ZAXTON:
"You will oversee his crowning. As my son. As a Gatekeeper. As envoy of Ashguard and loyal blood of Don."
Jin took a step back, stunned.
> JIN:
"But… to perform a coronation? With—"
> ZAXTON:
"Yes. Alongside Emperor Auren IX."
The name struck Jin like lightning—the emperor of the First Realm, his uncle by oath.
> ZAXTON:
"This is more than ceremony. It is a statement. To all realms. That Zaxton's house, Ashguard's will, and Don's legacy move as one."
---
Father and Son
Later that night, as stars shimmered above the still training fields, Zaxton handed Jin a small, obsidian ring.
> ZAXTON:
"This was mine. When I began my own journey to save the First Realm. It binds to you now."
> JIN (quietly):
"I won't fail you."
> ZAXTON (softly):
"You don't need to be me, Jin. Just… be the fire that lights the next torch."
---
Departure
He departed two days later, flanked by three elite Gatekeepers and flying the banners of Ashguard, Don, and Wei Lan.
The people of the First Realm would soon witness a new era — one crowned not just in gold, but in the approval of powers beyond their skies.
And in his heart, Jin Sori carried the weight of his father's legacy — and the spark of a new one yet to come.
The Crown and the Gatekeeper
The Great Hall of Wei Lan was unlike any palace in the First Realm. Though newly built, it stood tall and proud — a blend of northern steel and eastern elegance. Silver dragons coiled across midnight blue pillars, and golden starlight from skylit domes poured down upon an assembly of nobles, generals, scholars, and foreign envoys.
At the center stood Wang, the chosen one of the people — barely twenty-one, clad in simple imperial silks, a calm fire behind his eyes. His hands were clasped, trembling only slightly, as he stood beneath the unclaimed Skyfire Crown.
Silence held the air like glass.
Then the herald's voice boomed:
> "Announcing the arrival of the Gatekeeper of Ashguard — bearer of the First and Second Realm's will — chosen by Zaxton the Grandmaster and His Imperial Majesty Auren IX of Don."
All turned.
The great doors opened.
And through them walked Jin Sori.
---
Son of Zaxton, Shadow of Ashguard
He wore armor of twilight black and celestial blue, engraved with symbols of the Gatekeeper Order. His hair, once ragged from training, was neatly tied. At his waist hung a curved blade glowing faintly with beast-forged sigils — a sword gifted by Zaxton himself.
Behind him marched three silent Gatekeepers. But Jin held the scroll.
And all eyes were on him.
As he stepped forward, envoys from other empires whispered in fear and awe.
> "He's so young…"
"That's the one Zaxton calls son."
"So this is the hand that crowns empires…"
Jin climbed the stairs with the poise of a born ruler, halting just before Wang. The future emperor bowed his head in respect — not submission, but reverence.
From the inner doors, another figure emerged — cloaked in white and gold.
Emperor Auren IX.
He nodded to Jin, and together, uncle and nephew, they opened the scroll of declaration.
> JIN (clearly, powerfully):
"By the will of the Don Empire, the grace of Ashguard, and the recognition of the Gatekeeper Order — we recognize the unity of the fractured south under the banner of Wei Lan."
> AUREN IX:
"We do not raise a warlord. We recognize a sovereign."
Together, they lifted the Skyfire Crown — a creation of celestial metals, forged in Ashguard and blessed in Don — and placed it on Wang's bowed head.
A heartbeat of stillness.
Then, the drums of the south began to thunder.
---
A New Star Rises
> "All hail Emperor Wang of Wei Lan!"
The hall erupted. Swords struck the marble floors. Banners unfurled.
And Jin Sori, young Gatekeeper and adopted son of Zaxton, had now anointed his first emperor — not with conquest, but with unity.
Though the celebration in Wei Lan roared through the night, Jin Sori did not indulge in wine or music. He stood in the Moonlight Courtyard, high above the clamor, speaking softly with Emperor Wang, now cloaked in the weight of a throne.
> WANG:
"Do I look like an emperor to you?"
> JIN (smiling faintly):
"You do now. Not because of the crown, but because you haven't tried to run from it."
Jin wasn't just a gatekeeper — not here. He was the thread that bound Wei Lan to two realms of power. With Zaxton's trust and Auren IX's authority, he was as much a deterrent as he was an advisor.
---
Ashguard's Envoy
Jin made himself known across Wei Lan's court. He listened in meetings, corrected traditions, and gave strategic insight that baffled Wei Lan's generals. He reorganized the internal intelligence division, placing agents loyal to Don's values rather than opportunistic lords.
And quietly, without fanfare, he planted Gatekeeper bases along Wei Lan's borders — small, unmarked strongholds meant for emergencies. Emperor Wang did not question it.
> WANG:
"You're building more than alliances, aren't you?"
> JIN:
"I'm building what my father taught me — a future that doesn't break when the realms do."
---
Across the Realms
First Realm
In the palaces of rival empires, panic brewed like storm clouds. Wei Lan was supposed to remain divided — a soft target, never a proper nation.
But now it was backed by Don, guided by Ashguard, and protected by a living Gatekeeper.
> "We thought Zaxton was only expanding in the Second Realm…"
"Now he's raising kings in the First? What is he building?"
Spies were dispatched. Envoys withdrawn.
Some emperors begged Auren IX for reassurance, fearing a Don-led consolidation of the realm. But Auren gave no direct answers — only a cryptic promise:
> AUREN IX:
"The Gatekeepers protect the realm. Not rule it. Unless you force them to."
---
Second Realm
In the courts of the Second Realm, where Zaxton's name was half-myth, half-warning, the crowning was seen as an audacious challenge.
The Yin Empire, still reeling from Zaxton's open hostility, accused him of trying to revive a "First Realm Supremacy," while others sent discreet gifts to Ashguard, hoping for peace.
But in private towers and forbidden halls, some whispered a different question:
> "If Zaxton can raise emperors in the First Realm… what will he do when he finally crowns someone in the Second?"