Golden road

When the soldiers finally caught sight of the fortress, broad smiles lit their faces. In a Doomsday World, these bastions of civilization were the only places where people could feel truly secure—the only locations that might offer them the luxury of peaceful sleep. The imposing sight of those towering walls and ramparts brought relief as palpable as the air they breathed.

"On guard!" Zalasar roared, urging the caravan onward. Though he spoke loudly, there was an undercurrent of excitement in his voice, as if returning to the safety of Graecia's stronghold gave even this seasoned warrior a measure of solace.

Within minutes, Vlad, Jormugandr, Ouroboros, and Fafnir found themselves standing beneath the dazzling canopy of golden flames that illuminated the sky above the fortress. At first glance, the phenomenon looked like a shimmering aurora, but as soon as they stepped beneath its glow, the robotic voices of their respective A.I. Chips echoed in their minds: