"The system survived its collapse. But the Sovereign didn't walk away untouched."
[System Notice – Sovereign Thread State: Degraded]
Lucid Sync: 49%
Cognitive Core Fragmentation Detected
New Role Initiated: Proxy Governance Protocols Active
I didn't remember waking up.
Just… resuming.
Somewhere between fire and code, the Graveyard had stitched me back together with old data and soul-splinters. My body felt heavier. Not physically. Metaphysically.
I was still the Sovereign.
But the crown was broken.
Trinity sat nearby, her flame dimmed but steady.
"You were gone for two days," she said softly. "The system looped itself to protect you. It nearly unraveled trying."
Zai stood across from us, arms crossed, her data cloak glitching in and out of sync. "The Graveyard's hierarchy collapsed when you fell. The outer sectors turned tribal."
I sat up, slower than I liked.
"So who's leading?"
Orion stepped into view.
With a half-smile, he said:
"You are. Just not by choice."
[New Factions Identified]
1. The Shardborn – Remnants of the Sovereign's flame. Loyal, but fragmented.
2. The Hollow Fold – Former players who reject all system commands.
3. Crownless – Rogue leaders forming pseudo-Games in the outer zones.
4. Cult of Choice (Reborn) – Now fractured, but still dangerous.
Stability: 17% (System Collapse Threshold at 10%)
"They're calling you the Crownless King," Trinity said.
"They think you abandoned the title."
"I didn't," I said, wincing. "The system stripped it from me."
"No," Zai corrected. "It split it."
A new glyph flared into view, hovering in my vision.
[CROWN FRAGMENT LOCATIONS: 3]
Each holds a portion of the Sovereign's authority.
Fragment 1: The Hollow Fold Bastion – Zone 14W
Fragment 2: Watcher Depths – Broken AI Core
Fragment 3: Trinity's Flame – Locked within bond sync
I blinked. "Wait—what?"
Trinity stood slowly.
Eyes glowing.
"No one told me I was holding a crown."
[ARC OBJECTIVE – THE GLITCHED CROWN]
Recover all three fragments to restore Sovereign Authority.
Beware: Each bearer has rewritten their own rule.
Thread Risk: Severe. Memory Loop Threat: High.
I stood.
Burning.
Fractured.
But ready.
"They think I'm crownless," I said.
"They're wrong."
"I'm just not done rewriting yet."