The Corrupted Ones’ War

The Battlefield of the Forgotten

For the first time in history—Ethan Cross bled.

A single drop of golden blood shimmered in the air before hitting the cracked ground beneath him. The world around him seemed to hold its breath.

His team stood frozen.

Mia's hands clenched around her daggers.

Selene's spear pulsed with unsteady energy.

Orion's visor glowed erratically, overloaded with unreadable data.

Kieran muttered, "No way."

Nefera's flames wavered for the first time.

This wasn't supposed to be possible.

Yet, the Old Riftborn stood before them—figures of golden distortion, paradoxes that had refused their own destruction.

They were beyond logic.

Beyond death.

Beyond existence itself.

And they had just wounded Ethan.

The leader of the Old Riftborn, the one who had cut him, tilted its flickering head. "Do you understand now?"