Opening chapter
Long ago, before the continents shattered and the skies burst into flame, Nadir stood as the pinnacle of civilization across all of Balor. Its people were mighty, wise, and masters of nature’s deepest secrets—so much so that the splendor of Nadir drew the awe of the Starfolk from the high heavens.
The Starfolk descended to tread upon mortal soil, clasping hands with the Sovereign of Nadir and weaving a bond of friendship between two worlds. Yet, harmony was not meant to last.
When the Sovereign demanded to see the celestial abodes above the clouds, the cold rejection of the heavenly envoys ignited a spark of suspicion and rage. Viewing the refusal as an intolerable insult, the Sovereign cast the Starfolk out from the realm.
Thus, arrogance birthed a bitter vengeance. The Sovereign summoned every archmage and scholar in the empire, preparing to pierce the firmament and bring war to the very gates of heaven.
Decades bled by as the Kingdom of Nadir strained its collective intellect and power, yet the heavens remained unbroken. That was until the empire's grandest archmage stepped forward with a forbidden proposal—to forge a weapon capable of transcending the laws of the cosmos.
The core component lay within the heart of Nadir itself: the Narinir Stone, a sacred relic of energy gifted by the Starfolk during the golden age of their alliance. The very stone meant to serve as a shield against catastrophe was now sacrificed on the altar of war and greed.
With the Sovereign’s blessing, ten of the greatest archmages bound their power to weave the darkest of incantations. The Narinir Stone was melted down and forged into three absolute artifacts: The Crown, The Staff, and The Ring.
Thus were born the Weapons of the Universal Sovereign—relics destined not only to ignite a catastrophic war that would shatter the world of Balor, but to bind fate itself for millennia to come.
Yet, the shifts upon the throne of Nadir could not escape the watchful eyes of the Starfolk. Sensing the peril of the corrupted Narinir energy, they dispatched an envoy to demand peace and halt the forging of the weapons.
This time, the arrival of the Starfolk was met with no cheers or carpets of flowers. Along the avenues of Nadir, the gaze of the populace burned with hatred, waiting only for their King's command.
The confrontation within the throne room turned ice-cold. No common ground was found—only ultimatums and towering egos. At the height of his fury, the Sovereign closed his ears to diplomacy.
With a single forbidden word, the Sovereign drew upon the unholy power of the Crown, the Staff, and the Ring of Narinir. In the blink of an eye, the bodies of the celestial envoys collapsed, their divine blood staining the palace floor.
And so began the Ancient War. A conflict that tore the heavens asunder, brought the Nadir Empire to ruin, and struck the world of Balor until it shattered into fractured continents.
