Opening deeply

A Gathering at the Fountain – The Ceremony of Answers

As Draemir and Aiden walked through Aurenshaven, the sounds of the village grew louder.

The closer they got to the center of Aurenshaven, the more voices mixed together—

Whispers. Chants. Murmurs.

Then—they saw it.

A multitude of people had gathered.

The entire center of Aurenshaven was filled.

Not just villagers.

Not just cult members.

But also—the survivors Aiden had brought, the ones Draemir had led, and even some Peacekeepers.

It was a crowd of all walks of life, all standing together.

And at the very front—the cult members, dressed in their robes, standing closest to the fountain.

Draemir and Aiden Take Their Place

Draemir did not hesitate.

With a single powerful jump, he landed atop the fountain.

The crowd's murmurs softened slightly, watching.

Aiden followed—

But instead of jumping, he used his hooks.

Shkrrrrrt!

The golden-purple hooks latched onto the structure, pulling him up.

Unlike Draemir, who stood at the very top of the fountain,

Aiden's position was slightly lower.

He hung just beneath Draemir, near the base of the structure, still above the crowd, but not at its peak.

It was an unspoken reflection of their hierarchy.

Draemir, the God of the Sun, standing tall.

Aiden, the Eclipse, a rising force, yet still beneath the Sun's glow.

The Ritual Begins – The Blessing of Aurenshaven

Then—

The cult members moved.

They began chanting, their voices rising together, speaking in the language of the Sun.

The ritual had begun.

Draemir lifted his sun mask, revealing his Volatile maw.

And then—he breathed.

Fshhhhhhhhhh…

A thick, golden-blue smoke poured from his mouth, spreading across Aurenshaven.

It drifted through the air, covering the rooftops, the streets, the people.

A holy mist, a blessing.

And as it flowed, the infected among them—Daywalkers, Volatile Demolishers—remained motionless, breathing it in.

They did not move.

They did not attack.

They were at peace.

For a long time, Draemir continued, ensuring every inch of Aurenshaven was covered in the golden mist.

Until—finally—

He stopped.

His maw closed.

His sun mask lowered once more.

And then—silence.

The cult members bowed their heads.

The outsiders watched in awe.

And then—a single cultist stepped forward.

Cultist:

"Now, those who wished to seek answers… ask freely."

Draemir's pupils flickered slightly.

He hadn't expected this.

But he remained silent.

Instead—he listened.

The Outsiders Speak – Murmurs, Questions, and Curiosity

At first, there was hesitation.

The outsiders—the survivors and Peacekeepers Draemir had brought—they exchanged glances.

They weren't sure if they should speak.

But then—the murmurs began.

Low at first.

Then growing louder.

A Peacekeeper Sergeant (Firm, Cautious):

"What… exactly is this blessing? What does it do to people?"

A Survivor (A Mother, Concerned):

"You said we are safe here, but… what if we want to leave? Are we free to go whenever we want?"

A Former Bazaar Trader (Skeptical, Calculating):

"You built all of this… but what's your end goal, Draemir? What do you gain from expanding Solara?"

A Young Survivor (Fearful, Yet Curious):

"I… I saw how the infected obey you. How? Are you one of them?"

A Wounded Peacekeeper (Doubtful, But Hopeful):

"You claim Solara is the future. But how can you be sure? How do you know it won't fall like Harran did?"

A Survivor Who Fled Waltz (Determined, Strong-Willed):

"You fought Crane. You killed him. If you could do that… could you stop Waltz?"

A Young Boy (Innocent, Naïve Curiosity):

"Are you really a god?"

The questions came from all directions, all emotions.

Fear. Doubt. Hope. Skepticism.

But they all had one thing in common.

They wanted to understand.

And now—they waited.

Watching Draemir.

Waiting for his answers.

The Truth of Solara – Draemir's Answers

For a moment—Draemir stood in silence.

His golden pupils flickered softly, scanning the faces in the crowd.

So many questions.

So many doubts.

But he had expected this.

He had seen it before.

He took a slow breath, his voice calm but unwavering.

Draemir:

"This blessing is an evolved mutation. I generated it from the original one."

His pupils gleamed, reflecting the golden mist still lingering in the air.

"It is not magic. Not divine power. It is mutation… guided by will."

"It suppresses the virus. It pacifies the infected. It allows those who need protection to have it."

"But it is still part of the virus."

"A weapon. A shield. A gift. A curse."

Freedom & Leaving Solara

Draemir's gaze shifted toward the woman who had asked about leaving.

"If you wish to leave, you may walk away freely."

"That goes for anyone—whether you are inside Solara or outside of it."

"I will not hold you here. I will not force you to stay."

Then—his voice lowered slightly.

"But understand this…"

"The outside world is not like Solara. It will not offer you the same protection, nor the same life."

"If you go, you do so at your own risk."

"But if you choose to stay… I invite you to live. To find peace here. To build something greater than just survival."

He paused.

"And if you do leave… then all I can offer is what I tell all outsiders…"

"Good night… and good luck."

Why Expand Solara? What Does Draemir Gain?

Draemir's head turned toward the skeptical trader.

"What do I gain? Nothing."

"Solara's expansion is not for me. It is not about power, or control, or wealth."

"It is about ensuring more non-infected survive. Ensuring more people have a future."

His voice remained firm, but honest.

"I have already sacrificed myself. I do not need to gain anything more."

"But I will not stop building Solara, so long as there are still those in need of a place to belong."

How Do the Infected Obey Him?

Draemir's expression didn't change—but there was something behind his eyes.

Uncertainty.

Because the truth was…

Even he did not fully understand it.

"The virus mutates wildly. In every infected, in every stage of transformation."

"Perhaps, in me, it evolved into something… more."

"A side effect. A gift. A flaw."

"I do not control the virus, but I have guided it—shaped it into what I needed it to be."

"Maybe that is why the infected obey."

"Or maybe they follow me… because I have given them purpose."

Will Solara Fall Like Harran?

For the first time, Draemir's voice hardened.

"Solara will not fall."

"It has the Daywalkers. It has the Volatile Demolishers."

"It has protection from the virus itself."

"For years, nothing has threatened it."

"And nothing ever will."

Then—his tone softened slightly.

"I will make sure of it."

Stopping Waltz – Aiden's Role

The moment Waltz's name was spoken, Draemir's head tilted slightly.

A name he did not know.

A battle he had not fought.

"I do not know who Waltz is."

"I cannot say for certain what he is capable of."

"But if you ask me if I can stop him?"

"Then my answer is simple—yes."

"If he is a threat… then he will be dealt with."

"And if not me, then Aiden. He is my successor. He will carry my strength forward."

"Together, we will make sure that whatever darkness still lurks beyond Solara… is extinguished."

Are You Really a God?

At the final question—Draemir's gaze lowered slightly.

And then—he sighed.

"No."

"I am not truly a god."

"I do not have divinity. I do not have infinite power."

Then, he raised his head again, his pupils glowing softly behind the mask.

"But I am in the place of one."

"'God of the Sun' is not a title."

"It is a sacrifice."

"Years ago… I chose this path. And when I did… I lost my freedom."

"Because now, I have a duty. A responsibility."

"And so long as I stand here… so long as I lead Solara… I must continue to carry that burden."

Draemir exhaled slowly, before finally falling silent.

The Crowd's Reaction – Processing the Answers

The people listened.

Some nodded.

Some whispered among themselves.

And some still had doubts.

But the fear?

The uncertainty?

It was fading.

They understood now.

Not fully.

Not completely.

But they had a glimpse.

A glimpse of the truth behind Solara.

And a glimpse of the man who carried it on his shoulders.

Curiosity Awakens – The Past of Draemir

The multitude murmured, voices overlapping in hushed whispers.

The weight of Draemir's answers had settled over them—some found comfort, others still processed his words.

But then—

A Peacekeeper Sergeant stepped forward.

His expression was firm, yet curious.

And then, he asked the question that had lingered in the minds of many.

Peacekeeper Sergeant (Straightforward, Curious):

"You spoke of sacrifice… of losing your freedom… but what about before all of this? Before you became the God of the Sun? Who were you, Draemir?"

The question echoed in the silence.

And then—it spread.

More whispers. More voices.

And suddenly, the other survivors and Peacekeepers started speaking.

Some with genuine curiosity… some with caution… some with disbelief.

Murmurs & Questions from the Crowd A Former Bazaar Trader (Skeptical, Disbelieving):

"Yeah… how do we know this isn't just some story? Some legend the cult made up to make you seem larger than life?"

A Survivor from Villedor (Uncertain, Yet Curious):

"Did you always have these powers? Or were you just… normal? Like us?"

A Young Peacekeeper Recruit (Wary, But Interested):

"You said you were infected in Harran… what happened? Did you survive the outbreak, or did you die and… come back as something else?"

An Older Survivor (Concerned, Hesitant):

"You mentioned the Mother before… who was she? And what was your connection to her?"

A Veteran Peacekeeper (Serious, Tactical Mindset):

"You said you were a soldier, a specialist… what was your role before the infection? Who did you fight for?"

A Survivor from the Slums of Harran (Quiet, Yet Emotional):

"You talk about Harran like you knew it personally… were you there when it fell?"

A Middle-Aged Man (Concerned, Yet Skeptical):

"If you were once human… do you still feel human?"

A Young Woman (Soft-Spoken, But Determined):

"If you could… would you go back? Would you undo everything, if you had the chance?"

The Atmosphere Shifts – Awaiting the Truth

The questions kept coming.

And for a moment—the air around them felt heavier.

Because this was not about Solara.

Not about the cult.

Not about the blessing.

This was about him.

Marco Sanchez.

Before he was Draemir.

Before he was the God of the Sun.

The people stood still, waiting.

Watching.

Because now—they wanted to know the truth.

The Truth of the Sun God – Marco Sanchez's Past

As the questions lingered in the air, Draemir stood motionless.

His golden pupils flickered, scanning the faces of the people before him.

For the first time in years… he hesitated.

A slow, heavy breath escaped him.

His chest rose and fell, his posture tense.

This wasn't about Solara.

This wasn't about the God of the Sun.

This was about him.

And that…

That was something he hadn't spoken of in a long time.

Then—

He inhaled deeply.

His hands slowly reached for his sun mask.

And in a single motion—

He removed it.

With careful precision, he tossed it downward.

One of the cult members caught it, holding it as if it were sacred.

And then—he spoke.

Draemir:

"My name… is Marco Sanchez."

The crowd fell silent.

Even those who had murmured among themselves just moments ago…

Now, they listened.

Because this was not Draemir.

This was not a god.

This was a man.

A man who had lived through Harran.

A man who had seen its fall.

A man who had survived… and become something beyond human.

And now… they were about to hear the truth.

The Mission & The Fall into Infection

"Before arriving in Harran, I was a GRE military operative, trained extensively in defense. They sent me with Kyle Crane to obtain the data and files of an undeveloped cure for the virus—files that were going to be spread through the internet by someone in Harran."

"But after entering Harran… both Crane and I were infected."

"I don't know what happened fully—our parachutes failed. Crane's got tangled, and he fell, injuring his leg."

"Mine?"

"My parachute got cut."

"I fell—hard. My head smashed against debris, against steel, against stone… And then? Everything went dark."

"When I woke up, I was in the Tower, a survivor safe zone in the Slums. And my first night?"

"I was already strong. Stronger than I should've been. Even before turning, I could take down Biters, Virals—even Volatiles."

"But… I never had a single dose of Antizin."

"And so? I began to turn."

"Dr. Zere, the local scientist, told me I had twenty-four hours. That I would die."

"And as the next night came… I turned."

"I became something between man and monster—a Viral, for what I believe."

"My world changed. Everything went white—islands of reality floated in a void, and I was no longer running… I was gliding."

"I could see the world differently—see trails of infected and non-infected. I could feel my body changing."

"And then? Crane injected me with Antizin."

"He saved me. But that was the last time it worked."

"After that? Antizin failed."

"I turned again—but this time, it was different. Everything became blurry and clear at the same time."

"And that's when I heard her… for the first time."

The Mother & The Creation of the Sun God

"The Mother… She was the leader of the cult before me."

"She saw something in me—something I did not yet understand."

"She guided my mutation, helped me evolve. Helped me control it."

"With her, I became something new."

"She was the one who led me toward this path… the path of the Sun."

"But she was killed. And by who?"

"Kyle Crane."

"He murdered her. And then, as he fled Harran… he was already turning."

"I fought him. I nearly killed him. But then? The GRE stepped in."

"They let him escape. They robbed me of my vengeance."

"But today? That vengeance is fulfilled."

"I destroyed the Moon."

"And now… only the Sun remains."

The Promise – The Sacrifice of the Sun

"When the Tower in the Slums fell… I made a promise."

"A promise… and a sacrifice."

"That I would become the light in the darkness. That I would light the path—for both infected and non-infected."

"Not for power. Not for control. But because it was the only way forward."

"To guide both sides into something more."

"To create not just a cure… but something beyond a cure."

"A world where we do not have to fear each other."

"A world where infected and non-infected live as one."

"That… is my purpose."

"That… is Solara."

The Crowd's Reaction – Understanding the Man Behind the God

The people were silent.

Even those who once doubted him, questioned him, whispered in disbelief…

Now, they watched him differently.

Because now, they knew.

They had seen the man beneath the mask.

Not just Draemir.

Not just the God of the Sun.

But Marco Sanchez.

And as his words settled over them—

The weight of his sacrifice became clear.

The Murmurs of the Outsiders – The Weight of Truth

The silence lingered.

Draemir's words had settled like an unshakable force over the crowd.

And then—the murmurs began.

At first, soft whispers.

Then—a growing wave of voices.

A mix of disbelief, understanding, awe, and unease.

A Peacekeeper Sergeant (Processing, Uncertain):

"A GRE soldier…? But how? How did he turn into this and yet—retain himself? No one has ever… no one should have been able to…"

A Survivor from Villedor (Amazed, Yet Skeptical):

"He turned… but he controlled it. He should've been lost, but instead… he became something stronger?"

A Young Woman (Fearful, But Intrigued):

"If he really fought alongside Crane… if he was there, in Harran… then everything we heard… it's true. It all really happened."

A Bazaar Trader (Skeptical, but Shaken):

"No, no, wait—how do we even know he's telling the truth? What if it's just a story? The cult could've made it up!"

A Wounded Peacekeeper (Muttering, Trying to Convince Himself):

"And yet… I don't think they did. This isn't just some story. The way he talks about it… you can hear it in his voice. That was real pain. That was real loss."

A Survivor Who Had Lost Everything (Whispering, Almost in Prayer):

"The Tower fell… just like my home. Just like Villedor is falling. He's been through what we're going through now."

A Former Renegade, Now a Wanderer (Speaking Lowly):

"He said he 'became the light in the darkness'… but why do I feel like he's been lost in the dark for a long time?"

A Shift in Perception – Reverence or Doubt?

The crowd was divided.

Some looked at Draemir with newfound respect.

Others with uncertainty, struggling to accept such a reality.

But there was one thing no one could deny—

He had lived through Harran.

He had been there when it fell.

He had turned.

And yet—he still stood before them.

A walking impossibility.

A reminder of what the virus could create… and what it could destroy.

And now—

They had to ask themselves…

Was he their salvation?

Or was he something else entirely?