Fate and Slumber

"Let us welcome the sole ruler of the Great Anzetta Wasteland, the Cinder Emperor—His Majesty Cassius, to present the championship award!" Instantly, all eyes turned once more to the high terrace. The hundred thousand spectators packing the Grand Arena gazed up at the figure seated upon the throne, collectively holding their breath. A young man sat draped in a sumptuous crimson robe, a magnificent crown resting atop his brow. His pale golden pupils were unfathomably deep, radiating an aura of total dominion. Compared to his colossal, peerless red dragon form, this youthful noble inspired far more goodwill; the reverence the people felt for him outweighed their dread. *Like a living god.* The phrase echoed simultaneously in the minds of over a hundred thousand people present, searing itself into their memories. "His Majesty Cassius!" "Long live the Emperor!" "Cassius! A man among men, an alpha among beasts!" The crowd's gaze turned fanatical as they shouted and cheered at the top of their lungs. Yet, while everyone was chanting, the players' shouts were always distinctly "unique." Fortunately, both the imperial citizens below and Cassius on his throne had long grown accustomed to it. Amidst this roaring ocean of cheers, Cassius smiled faintly and rose from his throne. He first surveyed the arena, his gaze sweeping over the eager, adoring imperial citizens, before finally resting upon the victor standing at the center of the field. "Gangtie Kuangchao, you have stood out from among a hundred thousand competitors, proving your valor and martial prowess to me. The Cinder Empire will never mistreat any citizen possessed of both ambition and ability, and you—you have earned the Empire's esteem." His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly into the ears of every soul present, each syllable ringing with crystalline clarity. The crowd held their breath, watching the scene with feverish intensity, wishing desperately that they were the ones receiving such an honor. "Congratulations, Dragonflame Champion," Cassius declared. Gangtie Kuangchao caught on instantly. He dropped to one knee and recited with fervent devotion, "I thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace! Your benevolence is something I could never repay in this life... "My humble achievements are nothing worth mentioning, while you are the eternal leader of our nation and our people..." At this point, he actually fished a small slip of paper from his pocket, stole a quick glance at it, and continued: "To the soldiers and students of His Majesty Cassius—the people of the Empire—fervently supporting his immortal cause and striving to serve the Empire unto death is our bounden duty and sacred moral calling..." Gangtie Kuangchao's tone was exceedingly earnest, sickeningly sweet, as if he were ready to deliver a multi-thousand-word acceptance speech on the spot. After all, this was a rare opportunity to farm faction leader favorability; ordinary players could only dream of such a chance. Meanwhile, the players, tieflings, hobgoblins, and common humans in the spectator stands were entirely unfazed by the display, many even cheering him on. After all, absolute loyalty was the highest form of "political correctness" in the Empire—a staple everyone had to partake in. *Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!* A thunderous wave of applause echoed through the cavernous arena, lingering for a long time. On the high terrace, Trump stroked his chin, nodding repeatedly with immense satisfaction. He mused to himself that this Starfallen was exceptionally sharp and well worth cultivating. Even he hadn't prepared a written speech beforehand, yet Gangtie Kuangchao had thought of such minute details. Upon the throne, Cassius's smile froze slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly. *Good grief...* *These players are getting slicker and slicker with their lines.* Though he truly needed to harvest faith, such a scene was undeniably bizarre. Fortunately, he was a seasoned veteran of odd situations. No matter what, his imperial dignity had to be maintained! After a brief hesitation, Cassius raised Gangtie Kuangchao's favorability by fifteen points on his system panel while carefully maintaining his stoic expression. [Faction Leader Authority invoked.] [You will bestow a special faction title upon player Gangtie Kuangchao: Dragonflame Champion.] Cassius raised his arm, pointing across the hundreds of meters toward Gangtie Kuangchao. "Gangtie Kuangchao, receive the blessing reserved solely for the champion." A streak of golden flame shot from his fingertip, streaking across the sky before plunging into Gangtie Kuangchao's body. Instantly, surging golden fire enveloped him, gradually solidifying into a suit of resplendent armor. Right after— *Boom!* A sonic crack detonated through the air as two fiery wings burst from his back, gently beating against the breeze. Above Gangtie Kuangchao's floating player handle, shimmering golden lettering appeared: [Dragonflame Champion]. "I'm invincible!" Gangtie Kuangchao looked down at his hands, encased in red-and-gold armor, then turned to admire the blazing wings at his back, his face beaming with smug triumph. The stat boost to his combat prowess was secondary; what mattered most was that this cosmetic set was unbelievably badass! With that thought, Gangtie Kuangchao raised his chainsword, flapped his fiery wings, and struck a swashbuckling pose toward the audience. "Holy crap!" "That looks so sick!" "The devs are usually so stingy with rare gear, but this time they just handed out top-tier drip like that?!" "I'm turning green with envy! Who's coming with me to jump Brother Kuangchao?" "Count me out... I can't beat him anyway..." The players in the stands were consumed by jealousy. Bazhe, the guild master of Wangquan, gritted his teeth in bitter frustration. This grand spectacle was precisely what he had dreamed of for himself! Upon his throne, Cassius inwardly chuckled. The cosmetic set was merely something he had thrown together in half an hour using the energy of a single breath weapon. If he wanted, he could mass-produce such skins—another fantastic way to fleece the player base. As for the special title, it was an exclusive perk of his faction leader authority. It consumed a minor quota and cost him practically nothing. "Master, it is almost time," Trump whispered, leaning in from where he stood in attendance. "I know. Have you made the proper arrangements?" "Of course, Master. Ever since you provided the intelligence, we began our preparations months ago. Our specially trained reserves will step into the Starfallen's roles to ensure their disappearance causes no major shock to society. However..." Trump paused, a trace of hesitation in his voice. "The Empire currently has a total population of barely over seven million. Accounting for the elderly, the sick, and children, the working-age population is under five million. The Starfallen make up four hundred thousand of that number. Moreover, they never tire, making them exceptionally high-quality laborers. One can easily do the work of three, playing an indispensable role in our development. Therefore... once the Starfallen depart, the Empire's growth is likely to slow, the economy may slump, and we could even face a labor shortage." "Do your best to manage the transition. For the coming year, instruct factory owners not to rush into expanding production." "Understood, Master." Cassius glanced at his panel. The timer showed barely five minutes remaining until the second server shutdown. In other words, Elezerg's Version 1.0, *Northern Winds*, was about to conclude. The players seemed to have realized this as well, and hushed chatter rippled through the crowd. "Holy crap! Look at the system timer, the server is about to close!" "Yeah, less than five minutes left." "I was so absorbed in the match that I didn't even notice. Five minutes until the Northern Winds version ends!" "What's the next version gonna be like?" "Hey, how much in-game time do you think will pass while we're gone? Our property won't be wiped out when we log back in, right?" "Who cares? No matter how the eras change, I'll always be His Majesty Cassius's loyal servant!" Singo hung his head, looking utterly dejected, his spirits at rock bottom. "Next time, I definitely won't lose to Gangtie Kuangchao." Cassius watched the numbers ticking down on his interface, murmuring softly, "There truly isn't much time left..." Beneath the gaze of thousands, Cassius soared into the sky. High above the arena, he shifted into his true red dragon form, casting an immense silhouette over the stadium. "That's..." "It's His Majesty Cassius's true form!" The red dragon, over forty meters long, spread his massive wings, virtually blotting out the sun. The colossal shadow plunged tens of thousands into sudden dusk. Under the sunlight, his crimson scales gleamed with an incandescent sheen so dazzling it bordered on painful to look upon. Even though they knew he was their faction leader, the inadvertent radiance of his dragon aura weighed down on them so heavily that breathing became difficult—a primal terror born from the depths of the soul in the presence of an absolute apex predator. Cassius peered down at the players with his golden slit pupils. Beating his wings gently, his voice boomed like a massive bronze bell. "When next you return, chaos and calamity shall once again descend upon the earth. Prepare yourselves to confront it. So long as you fight for the Empire, the gates of Anzetta shall forever stand open to you. "Therefore... Starfallen, until we meet again." He gave a deliberate wink. The players in the stands instantly erupted into chaos, a din of fevered debate filling the arena. "What the hell?! The Boss knows we're logging off?!" "You know how absurdly smart Elezerg's NPCs are! I've been outsmarted by them before. We vanished for so long last time, they obviously noticed the pattern!" "Is he teasing the next main storyline?!" "The server hasn't even shut down yet and I'm already dying for the next patch!" "Hurry up and update, damn devs! Going a single day without Elezerg feels like ants crawling over my soul!" "The countdown has started!" someone shouted. The timer on their interface ticked away, second by second. "Ten, nine, eight..." "Three, two, one..." "Zero." The numbers hit zero. Without warning, the deafening clamor across the arena came to an abrupt halt. Whether it was the smug Gangtie Kuangchao, the gloomy Singo, Mantou recording footage, or tens of thousands of ordinary players caught mid-sentence... Every single one of them dissolved into delicate particles of light at that precise instant, vanishing into thin air without leaving a single trace. The once-crammed spectator stands emptied in a heartbeat. Vast swaths of vacant seats sprawled across the arena capable of holding well over a hundred thousand people. In the outskirts of Isdalia, players directing workers on construction sites vanished into thin air, leaving behind only blueprints fluttering in the wind. "Where did the foreman go?" Inside the Machine Cult Research Institute, a tech-priest conducting an experiment before a massive instrument vanished. The native assistant beside him calmly continued logging data, entirely unfazed. "The correlation for this test is exceptionally high. What a pity the mentor had to step away for a while." Inside the Imperial Propaganda Building, the players who had been feverishly scribbling before mountain-high stacks of drafts were gone. Several bards walked forward with troubled expressions, picking up the unfinished manuscripts scattered across the floor, sighing deeply. "They left behind seven months' worth of work! Seven whole months!" Deep within the northern ruins, a hook horror felt the meal it had just swallowed whole vanish from its stomach before its digestive acids could even begin to break it down. It scratched its head with long, razor-sharp claws in utter confusion. "Awwoo...?" ... Cassius flapped his wings, looking down at the desolate stands, then climbed higher into the sky. "It has finally ended..." In the memories of his past life, around this time, the players had just helped the Northland nations repel the demons, celebrating through the night alongside battlefield heroes like Count Jacob and Duke Leo. Meanwhile, the common folk of the Northlands still languished under the decadent rule of northern nobles, enduring freezing cold and starvation, bearing the same centuries-old miseries as their ancestors. Now, the trajectory of the world was fundamentally altered. The Northland nations were utterly destroyed, a brand-new empire rising from their carcass, while the demons had been rooted out early by Cassius and forced into a temporary retreat. Yet, the Great Anzetta Wasteland remained an isolated region, its influence on the broader continental stage still quite limited. Selling arms, maintaining de facto control over the Caspar region, and balancing the tripartite powers were the limits of what the Empire could accomplish for now. Only when the Battle of the Three Emperors reached a grinding stalemate would the time be ripe for the Cinder Empire to stride onto the grand stage of Feanso in its true, terrifying glory. "Soon. Very soon." The red dragon beat his wings, whipping up a violent gale as he continued his leisurely ascent, seemingly in no rush. The citizens of Isdalia gazed up at the dragon climbing ever higher, pressing their palms together in prayer, some even prostrating themselves in worship. That was the founder of their Empire, their Emperor, their—living god. Cassius climbed higher and higher, eventually punching through the cloud layer. With a sweep of his wings, the powerful turbulence effortlessly scattered the thick clouds, sending mists rolling away and unveiling the full expanse of the earth below. Isdalia appeared as nothing more than a tiny speck in his field of vision. To the north, he could see the snow-draped Storm Heights and the sprawling Matra Farmlands; to the south lay the Okagral Plain; and in the far distance, the jagged silhouette of the Anstika Mountains... It had been a very long time since Cassius had looked down upon the realm with such careful scrutiny. The first time he had looked upon this land, he was merely a terrified wyrmling running for his life, living in constant dread of what tomorrow might bring. Now, over a decade had slipped by, and he had forged an empire of his own. He was the undisputed master of the Great Anzetta Wasteland, renowned across the continent as the "Red Emperor." Cassius stared at the vast landscape for a long time, then slowly reached out a massive claw, as though grasping the world in his palm. "Fate is not an immutable, predestined course set in stone. "It can be bent to my will... and even conquered." Cassius spoke to himself. For reasons he could not fully explain, he despised fatalism and relished the thrill of rewriting destiny. ... Three days later, in the outskirts of Northwind Keep. *Roaaar—!* The red dragon hovered above the Iron Dragonwing Palace, his wings churning the air as he let loose a deafening roar. The authority of the Empire surged outward. The earth trembled with a deep rumble as the mountain reared upward, growing ever more monumental. The cavern within expanded vastly, molten magma coursing through its depths, sending up plumes of superheated steam—a habitat tailor-made for a dragon's rest. The red dragon glided into the cavern, coiling his massive bulk amidst the surrounding lava. He slowly shut his eyes—it was time to begin his third deep slumber. This time, Cassius possessed far greater control. The terrifying energy coursing through his mountain-like draconic frame flowed and circulated smoothly in rhythm with his deep, measured breathing. "Serving His Majesty is the greatest honor of your lives!" "How many times has your spell matrix failed now?! Mess it up once more, and don't bother coming back!" Outside the cave, Trump was directing over a hundred mages in establishing protective wards, shouting curses at them from time to time. In truth, Cassius already commanded absolute mastery over his surrounding environment, wielding authority that bordered on the divine. These protective enchantments were little more than ceremonial formalities. Trump stared at the sealed cavern entrance. For some reason, his mind drifted back over a decade, to the first time he had ever laid eyes on the red dragon. Back then, he was merely an ogre whose skull held little more than thoughts of food. Compared to his kin, Trump hadn't seemed all that different, save for being a bit cleverer. Yet the red dragon's arrival had bestowed a new meaning upon his life, showing him how vast the world truly was—that a barren wasteland was not all existence had to offer. With that thought, Trump gripped his staff tightly, bowed deeply toward the sealed cave, and whispered, "Master... "I promise you that when you awaken, you shall behold an Empire grander and mightier than ever before." *** **Character Sheet — Through Volume 2, Chapter 422** **Cinder Emperor — Cassius (Normal Form)** **Name:** Cassius Claudewus Norixius **Category:** Gargantuan Dragon, Lawful Evil **Race:** Juvenile Atavistic Red Dragon **Armor Class (AC):** 39 (Natural Armor, Gilded Scales) **Base Attributes:** Strength: 34 Dexterity: 12 Constitution: 30 Intelligence: 17 Wisdom: 20 Charisma: 35 **Skill Proficiencies:** Governance +42, Intimidation +31, Persuasion +19, Athletics +18, Appraise +12, Deception +12, Stealth +6, Perception +8, Hunting +4, Arcana +4, Escape +4, Survival +4, Knowledge (Future) +4 **Damage Immunities:** Fire **Damage Resistances:** Lightning, Cold **Senses:** Blindsight 30 ft, Darkvision 40 ft, Passive Perception 21 (30 within Imperial Domain) **Languages:** Common, Draconic, Ancient Giant (Partial) **Abilities:** Chaos Breath, Primordial Breath, Imperial Domain: Quarantine, Imperial Domain: Eruption, Imperial Domain: Mastery, Body of Storm Echoes, Power of the Everfrost Runes, Maximized Fire Breath, Targeted Fire Breath, Gilded Carapace, Bloodline Boon, Frightful Presence, Draconic Fury, Scales of Blood, Avatar of the Ancient Dragon, Energy Substitution, Summon Elemental, Energy Specialization, Energy Harmonization, Energy Burst **Feats & Traits:** Imperial Domain, Chaos Breath Weapon, Primordial Breath Weapon, Bloodscale Rage, Draconic Spell, Army Breaker, Maximized Breath Weapon, Targeted Breath Weapon, Frost Giant Slayer, Gilded Scales, War Caster, Chieftain's Aura, Fugitive, Silver Tongue, Hard Landing, Power Attack, Shockwave, Wingstorm **Combat Equipment:** Heart of Garyx, Crown of the Supreme True Dragon - Sacred Wind, Time Pocket Watch, Ring of the Storm Sovereign's Eye, Horn of Everfrost, Vorpal Scimitar, Noble Efreeti Ring, Amulet of Spell Immunity... **Equipped Spells:** *Charged Cast:* Storm of Vengeance, Kobar's Glacial Prison *1/Day:* Time Stop, Temporal Stasis, Control Weather, Glacial Cascade, Greater Vorpal Blade *3/Day:* Greater Cone of Cold, Globe of Invulnerability, Dimension Door, Speak with Dead, Burning Hands, Scorching Ray, Blade Ward, Expeditious Retreat **Class Levels:** True Dragon Sorcerer 16 / Master of Elements 4 / Bloodscaled Fury 4 **Caster Level:** 21 **Spells:** *9th Level:* Dragon Absorption, Dragon's Spell Plunder, Meteor Swarm, Summon Elemental Behemoth *8th Level:* Spell Wither, Mind Maze, Incendiary Cloud, Sunburst *7th Level:* Cataclysmic Dragon Eye, Burning Stone Haze, Dragon Shadow Simulacrum, Fire Storm, Delayed Blast Fireball *6th Level:* Terrifying Vision of Tiamat, Undying Inverted Scale, Dragon's Justice *5th Level:* Dragon's Respite, Lithe as a Dragon, Bag of Greed, Flaming Dimension Door *4th Level:* Firestride Exhalation, Polymorph, Wall of Fire, All-Seeing Eye, Aerial Maneuverability, Hoard Guard *3rd Level:* Energy Scales, Blink, Protection from Energy, Fireball, Dimension Door, Flame Hop *2nd Level:* Sheltering Egg, Enhance Ability, Misty Step, Phantasmal Force, Invisibility, Primal Hunter *1st Level:* Fog Cloud, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Shield, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Dragon Saliva *Cantrips:* Scratch, Frightful Shiver, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, True Strike, Prestidigitation, Message, Witch Bolt, Fire Bolt, Scorching Ray **Spell-like Abilities:** *1/Day:* Suggestion *At Will:* Control Fire Elements **Challenge Rating:** 27 (100,000 XP) **Evaluation:** Known to dragon scholars as the "Red Emperor," this red dragon established an overwhelmingly powerful empire in mere decades, casting the shadow of his immense wings over the entirety of the vast Great Anzetta Wasteland. Beneath the shared gaze of Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon God, and Tiamat, the Chromatic Dragon Queen, he donned the crown of supreme authority and crowned himself sovereign. Some revere him as a savior and liberator; others loathe him as an irredeemable arch-fiend. Yet none can contest the awe-inspiring might he commands: he turned the notorious "Mouthpiece of the Night" Mortifer to ash; cast Oszedro, the famed "Silver Wings" of the Melvold clan, plummeting from the sky; and even devoured an efreeti pasha within the Elemental Plane of Fire. Now, facing the brewing turmoil across Feanso, he lies dormant deep within a volcano, silently gathering his strength—his pale golden pupils brimming with avarice, leaving all to wonder just how far his ambition will reach. *** **Heart of Garyx — Cassius (Berserk State)** **Name:** Cassius Claudewus Norixius **Category:** Gargantuan Dragon, Chaotic Evil **Race:** Juvenile Atavistic Red Dragon **Armor Class (AC):** 44 (Natural Armor, Gilded Scales, Bloodlight) **Base Attributes:** Strength: 41 Dexterity: 12 Constitution: 39 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 28 Charisma: 35 **Skill Proficiencies:** Intimidation +55, Athletics +28, Hunting +20, Perception +8 **Damage Immunities:** Fire **Senses:** Blindsight 80 ft, Darkvision 60 ft, Passive Perception 32 **Languages:** Common, Draconic **Abilities:** Chaos Breath, Primordial Breath, Frightful Presence, Draconic Fury, Scales of Blood, Tireless Rage, Inspire Frenzy **Feats & Traits:** World Purger, Chaos Breath Weapon, Primordial Breath Weapon, Immortality, Bloodscale Rage, Army Breaker, Maximized Breath Weapon, Targeted Breath Weapon, Hard Landing, Power Attack, Shockwave, Wingstorm **Class Levels:** Bloodscaled Fury 12 **Divine Rank:** 0 (Quasi-deity) **Spell-like Abilities:** Control Chaos **Challenge Rating:** 29 (135,000 XP) **Evaluation:** Cassius's mind was corrupted by the lingering destructive divinity of Garyx and twisted by the curses of the Abyss, transforming him into a monstrosity ruled by pure chaos. "He shall bring about the end of this rotting world; such is the ultimate law of the cosmos," the demons proclaim. *** **Merciful Lord — Cassius (Humanoid Form)** **Name:** Cassius Claudewus Norixius **Category:** Medium Humanoid, Lawful Evil **Race:** Dragonblooded Human (Red Dragon) **Armor Class (AC):** 19 (Natural Armor, Flaming Robes) **Base Attributes:** Strength: 21 Dexterity: 14 Constitution: 20 Intelligence: 17 Wisdom: 20 Charisma: 32 **Skill Proficiencies:** Governance +32, Intimidation +20, Persuasion +19, Appraise +12, Deception +12, Stealth +6, Perception +8, Hunting +4, Arcana +4, Escape +4, Survival +4, Knowledge (Future) +4 **Damage Immunities:** Fire **Senses:** Blindsight 20 ft, Darkvision 20 ft, Passive Perception 21 (30 within Imperial Domain) **Languages:** Common, Draconic, Ancient Giant (Partial) **Abilities:** Imperial Domain: Quarantine, Imperial Domain: Eruption, Imperial Domain: Mastery, Body of Storm Echoes, Power of the Everfrost Runes, Energy Substitution, Summon Elemental, Energy Specialization, Energy Harmonization, Energy Burst **Feats & Traits:** Imperial Domain, Bloodscale Rage, Draconic Spell, Army Breaker, Frost Giant Slayer, War Caster, Chieftain's Aura, Silver Tongue **Combat Equipment:** Heart of Garyx, Crown of the Supreme True Dragon - Sacred Wind, Time Pocket Watch, Ring of the Storm Sovereign's Eye... **Equipped Spells:** *Charged Cast:* Storm of Vengeance, Kobar's Glacial Prison *1/Day:* Time Stop, Temporal Stasis, Control Weather, Glacial Cascade *3/Day:* Greater Cone of Cold, Globe of Invulnerability, Dimension Door, Speak with Dead, Burning Hands, Scorching Ray, Blade Ward, Expeditious Retreat **Class Levels:** True Dragon Sorcerer 16 / Master of Elements 4 **Caster Level:** 21 **Spells:** *9th Level:* Dragon Absorption, Dragon's Spell Plunder, Meteor Swarm, Summon Elemental Behemoth *8th Level:* Spell Wither, Mind Maze, Incendiary Cloud, Sunburst *7th Level:* Cataclysmic Dragon Eye, Burning Stone Haze, Dragon Shadow Simulacrum, Fire Storm, Delayed Blast Fireball *6th Level:* Terrifying Vision of Tiamat, Undying Inverted Scale, Dragon's Justice *5th Level:* Dragon's Respite, Lithe as a Dragon, Bag of Greed, Flaming Dimension Door *4th Level:* Firestride Exhalation, Polymorph, Wall of Fire, All-Seeing Eye, Aerial Maneuverability, Hoard Guard *3rd Level:* Energy Scales, Blink, Protection from Energy, Fireball, Dimension Door, Flame Hop *2nd Level:* Sheltering Egg, Enhance Ability, Misty Step, Phantasmal Force, Invisibility, Primal Hunter *1st Level:* Fog Cloud, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Shield, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Dragon Saliva *Cantrips:* Scratch, Frightful Shiver, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, True Strike, Prestidigitation, Message, Witch Bolt, Fire Bolt, Scorching Ray **Spell-like Abilities:** *1/Day:* Suggestion *At Will:* Command Fire **Challenge Rating:** 19 (25,000 XP) **Evaluation:** Cassius assumes human form via True Polymorph, a guise he frequently displays in space-constrained venues such as the Imperial Parliament or the High Courts. In this state, Cassius rarely engages in slaughter, leading his subjects to hold him in far higher reverence than fear. Some even hail him as the "Merciful Lord," the "Noble Sovereign," and the "Avatar of Divine Grace."