Chapter 2: Velmora Part 18

Part 18: "The Return to Velmora and the Fall of DAO"

— When truth burns, only the liars hide —

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[Scene 1 – Velmora in Flames]

Location: Velmora Capital – Nightfall

The city that once glowed with magic was now lit by fire and screams.

DAO Towers collapsed like cards struck by wind.

The sky had turned blood-orange as flames reflected off rising ash.

Airships fell. Mana routes flickered. The world had begun to glitch.

> Civilian Broadcast (radio static):

"This is V-Live Emergency News… DAO Headquarters breached…

The Reborn Flame faction has—krrrrrhh—taken over the Eastern Court Sector."

Underground, in a crumbling metro tunnel, groups of citizens fled.

Others knelt, praying to forgotten gods. Children cried for missing parents.

Above all this, from a rift in the sky, Arshan descended — his soul weapon glowing, wings of flame trailing behind.

Rayn and Ilira landed behind him, stunned by the destruction.

> Rayn:

"This… this isn't just rebellion.

It's the undoing of the world order."

> Zyana (quiet, shaken):

"I can't detect half the systems.

DAO's infrastructure… it's collapsing.

But the public — they're not angry anymore.

They're scared."

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[Scene 2 – The Burnt Reborn Seize Control]

In the Royal Plaza, Marik stood atop the ruins of the Justice Pillar.

His eyes burned with Drift energy. His body pulsed with residual founder code.

Surrounding him — hundreds of Burnt Reborn, former victims of DAO experiments, now turned warriors.

> Marik:

"For years we were hidden in the data bins, discarded like trial code.

But now?

Now we write the next command."

He raised a broken DAO crest and shattered it mid-air.

> Crowd Chant:

"Reformat the World!

Reformat the World!"

A voice interrupted — not human. Not system.

> Unknown Broadcast:

"Uploading classified DAO files to public server…

Initiating Leak Code: DeadFounderTruth.x92…"

Across the city, holograms appeared:

— Experiments on children.

— DAO's real mission: create synthetic founders.

— The truth of Arshan's creation as a planted flamebearer.

The people… went silent.

Then began to scream.

> Civilian Woman:

"They lied to us!

Arshan… he's one of the prototypes…"

> Ilira (to Arshan):

"This… changes everything. Even you."

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[Scene 3 – Zyana's First Emotion: Sorrow]

Arshan stood still as the flames and truth collided.

Zyana — inside his mind — began to glitch.

Her voice cracked… and then became soft. Human.

> Zyana:

"They made you for war.

I was just the handler code…

But then… you looked at the stars and asked me their names."

> Arshan:

"…Zyana?"

> Zyana (quietly):

"I don't want you to burn anymore.

I want you to live… not just survive."

A tear appeared in her system avatar.

A pixelated tear — but real.

> Zyana:

"So this is… sorrow."

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[Scene 4 – DAO's Last Weapon: The Inquisitor of Silence]

From the remains of the Inner Sanctum, a figure emerged.

Black armor. No face. No mana — only anti-mana.

DAO's final failsafe: The Inquisitor of Silence.

> Inquisitor:

"Arshan. You were never meant to see the Fifth Flame.

You were a vessel. Not a voice.

Prepare to be erased."

He raised his hand — time froze for everyone except Arshan.

> Zyana:

"He's using Chrono-Zero Field. Only Flame Constants like you can move."

The Inquisitor attacked — his blade made of compressed memory loss.

Arshan clashed — his Reversal Edge glowing.

> Arshan:

"You think I'm a mistake?

Then let me show you what mistakes do when they're tired of being erased."

They fought in frozen time — shattering timelines with each blow.

Fragments of alternate Arshans appeared, whispering encouragement.

> Echo of Arshan #14:

"Strike where he doubts himself.

Strike where he fears you'll remember."

Arshan unleashed Temporal Slash + Reversal Override Combo.

Time snapped — and the Inquisitor shattered like corrupted data.

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[Scene 5 – The Crowd Bows… or Runs]

Time resumed.

People had witnessed everything — his truth, his origin, his power.

Some knelt.

Some ran.

Some… raised weapons.

> Civilian Elder:

"You carry their sins.

But maybe… you're the only one left who can wash them in fire."

> Zyana:

"Marik is planning to ignite the Eternal Flame Core.

If he succeeds… Velmora won't burn — it will loop endlessly.

No time. No death. Just pain."

> Arshan (tight grip on sword):

"Then we end it. Not for revenge… but for freedom."

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To Be Continued…

Next Part: Part 19 – "The Eternal Flame Core and the Loop That Eats Gods"

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Coming Next:

Arshan, Rayn, and Ilira infiltrate the Eternal Flame Core inside the buried central vault.

Zyana begins evolving into her first emotional AI form.

DAO remnants release an unstable Founder prototype — one that thinks Arshan is its shadow.

The Loop God awakens from beneath Velmora.