Zim, boom, tatatatata! Pim, pow, ratatatata!

The brass band marches down the jam-packed street, while trumpets and sousaphones echo, cymbals clash, and drums bang in joyful chaos. Nev looks around at the crowd following the parade or bustling around the various stalls. Children are playing ring toss, knock-the-cans, and whack-a-mole. Even adults get in on the action with mallet games, ringby hoops, and mechanical punching bags at the giant carnival. The atmosphere is electric, almost feverish, as the whole border town seems to have turned into one giant fairground.

Zim, boom, tatatatata! Pim, pow, ratatatata!

The noise of the parade starts to fade as Nevenka waits (im)patiently for her food. In front of her, grilled calamari sizzles over the coals. Her mouth waters. Ah, all those little krakens, lined up side by side, waiting to be devoured. The smell of teriyaki sauce reaches her nose, making her drool even more. The street food vendor pulls two golden, steaming skewers from the grill and hands them to the customer ahead of her. Her stomach growls angrily. Grrr. The next ones will be hers.

"What are you doing?"

Blotch’s voice echoes in her head. Oops.

"You said you'd be five minutes. It’s been at least an hour."

An hour? Really? Haha, time flies! She tells him she’ll be back soon (in geological terms), and promises to bring him a few things to calm him down a bit. Then she asks what the others are doing, gently pushing her way into his mind. He begrudgingly lets her in, muttering all the while. She peers through his eyes...

In the waiting room, the other Exalts are there, killing time. It’s a comical sight—the old wizard is knitting absentmindedly, while the magical girl is skateboarding to pass the time. Fen is there, of course, warming up with some opera scales. Her Alter Ego, meanwhile, is flirting with the giant mantis, his pumpkin head dangerously close to the insect’s scythe-like arms. They're all there—the octopus playing with a metal ball, the robot messing around with a puppy, Palm Tree-Head chatting with Big Muscles, while the drag queen gabs with Blondie. Specky listens intently to his Axiom pal, who's strumming a twelve-string guitar. Pipsqueak, Scarface, Headlights-Eyes, and more. Yep, they're all there… except for her.

"What’s that smell?"

Oh, right. The downside of sharing minds is that it works both ways. "Oh, nothing," she’s about to say, but knows it's pointless. Blotch’s mind invades hers, seeing through her eyes, sniffing through her nose…

"Where are you?"

"I was hungry!" she replies internally, as if that’s a valid excuse.

"Get your butt back here, Nev. It’s almost our turn."

She mentally sticks her tongue out at him before cutting the connection, ignoring the string of curses he throws at her before the link is severed.

"Here you go, miss. Two skewers!"

Aaaah, yum! Just in time for a snack! She tosses a Fleuron on the counter and grabs the two sauce-dripping sticks. She bites into the chewy, stringy tentacle meat. That's what they’ll do with the Kraken. Eat it all in one bite! And with any luck, they’ll light a bonfire on the beach, roasting its appendages for a feast fit for kings! And after their bellies are full, they’ll toast big, gooey marshmallows. Swear! The best plan ever!

She takes another bite of grilled calamari, wiping her mouth absentmindedly on her sleeve. Sure, she might not be the most presentable Alterer at the parade, but at least her stomach is full. Now, she just needs a drink!

A shiver runs down her spine as she feels Blotch’s consciousness brush against hers. Haha, alright, maybe it’s time to head back... But just as she’s about to turn, a group of stilt walkers steps over her, tossing confetti into the crowd. Mesmerized, she watches them stride above her, their tall, graceful figures silhouetted against the blue sky. "Fly away, Peter! Fly away, Paul!" she starts singing as she watches them parade down the street on their oversized stilts. Confetti falls on her face, and she blows it away, laughing out loud.

Good thing she ditched the other Exalts. This is where the party’s at! This is where she’s meant to be! It’s way better here, among the common folk, street performers, and musicians. Way better than being on the floating barges of the nobles, with their champagne flutes and hors d'oeuvres. Way better than being on the Ouroboros, where the top brass is always impeccably dressed, or the Monolith, where the bureaucrats are as stiff as ever. As usual, the real fun is where the people are, and she plans to stay right here!

The entire capital had made the journey to witness the gates' opening. Historical event, blah blah; the work of a lifetime coming to fruition, yada yada. The worst part is they’d have to sit through the Basileus’ speech later. They’d be front and center, with no chance of sneaking off. But for now, before the blah blah starts, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the celebrations. After all, she’d finished near the bottom in the inaugural tournament. No one was going to stop her from having a good time to compensate! It was all sort of in her honor, anyway. Wouldn't it be rude, even shameful, not to enjoy the festivities, at least a little? Honestly, it’d be criminal—more so than having locked Auraq up for the weekend a few days back!

But before she could toss a few coins into a street game or grab a crepe filled with red bean paste, she hears the sound of boots from another procession. Climbing a streetlight, she watches the synchronized march of the Aegis soldiers with their polished boots and gleaming shields. The parade marches straight toward the gates, like an army of toy soldiers.

Ramtatatam, ramtatatam!

Row after row of disciplined soldiers tramp through the crowd, spears resting on their shoulders. But once they’re outside, they’ll lose their pristine appearance—of that, she’s certain. Their uniforms will get dirty, their boots caked in mud. Then they’ll see if all these new recruits can keep up when they’re far from the safety of Asgartha. Still, Nev keeps these thoughts to herself. If no one’s spoiling her fun here, she’ll do the same for them.

Ramtatatam, ramtatatam!

As she chews another piece of calamari, she sees the first tanks and armored vehicles of the Axiom roll into view, with their motorized wheels and tracks, carrying massive Kelon cylinders like turtles with shells on their backs. Between the heavy transports, squads of gunners and marksmen brandish rifles. Even though these forces dampen Nev's festive mood, they remind her of the reality of what awaits them beyond the Rampart...

The unknown.

The adversity.

The Kraken.

The Tumult.

Nev gazes beyond the rooftops toward the Rampart looming on the horizon. Light columns rise from it, piercing the clouds like prison bars. The wall was built to protect them, but, on closer inspection, it's also the border of their cage.

Nevenka finds herself sighing, suddenly downcast. This is what everyone is raising a glass to. To the trials ahead... But that’s tomorrow. Today is still for celebrating!

The Alterer continues on, leaving the parade behind, uninterested. Now, about that drink... She drifts from stall to stall, stopping to buy cotton candy and a few raisin cookies. For a second, she’s tempted to swipe a small stuffed Fen doll but decides to pay for it instead.

As she watches the ice cream stall with wide eyes, eager to see how the Axiom machine churns out vanilla, strawberry, or pistachio ice cream, a commotion stirs around her. People gasp and point to the sky, wide-eyed. Curious, Nev looks up and sees a cloud-like figure soaring overhead. A ribbon of colorful puffs... No, not just a cloud. A dragon. Her dragon.

Blotch swoops down, hovering above her with a rumble, scattering the crowd. Next to her, the ice cream vendor drops a scoop, staring open-mouthed at the Chimera in terror.

"Enough. You’re needed. Now!"

"Yes, daddy!" Nev gives him a mischievous grin. But it’s no use—Blotch isn’t in the mood for jokes. His fangs clamp onto her tunic like a cat grabbing a kitten, and he lifts her into the air without the slightest care. Sighing in defeat, she watches the ice cream stand shrink from view as the dragon flies her back toward the Rampart.

"I got you some cotton candy! Look, it’s like a mini-you!"

But her Alter Ego is ignoring her, clearly fuming. Still, Nev isn’t one to let someone else’s bad mood—especially when that someone is part of herself—get her down. She munches on the airy treat, enjoying the spectacle: people scattering as they pass, the red rooftiles of the houses whizzing by just a few feet beneath her. As she bites into the candy, she detects a faintly bitter taste. Looking closer, she realizes that flies and gnats have dotted the surface of her fluffy, cloud-like snack. She makes a slightly disgusted face.

The Rampart draws closer with every second, as does the platform where all the Exalts are gathered. At the foot of the magical barrier, thousands of soldiers wait in front of the Solstice Gate. For the first time, Nev notices the massive size of the structure (though she had actually climbed it just days ago) and briefly wonders how much Mana was required to construct it. But she quickly gives up the thought—math was never her strong suit.

Suddenly, Blotch dives toward the terrace and drops her right in the middle of the other Faction champions, between Tattoos and Fire-Hair. Crash! She tumbles, rolls ungracefully across the ground, and lands flat on her back, limbs flailing. Ouch. As she gets up, she offers her cotton candy to Mustache, who absentmindedly takes it, eyeing her with bewilderment. She grins at Kesh, who waves to the crowd like a princess, and moves to stand next to Fen, who bows with all the flair of a diva after a grand performance.

The young woman, looking down, fixes Nev with a stern gaze. Then, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket, she wipes Nev’s face like a mother would for her child.

"You’ve got sauce all over you, you insufferable brat."

Nev lets her, while nearby, Auraq blows exaggerated kisses and winks toward the crowd. Though Nev is sure she’s also shooting daggers in her direction.

"Nice job missing your own grand entrance," Fen scolds her again.

"Yes, mom!" Nev quips.

Fen clicks her tongue, but eventually bursts into laughter.

"You’re really impossible, you know that?"

"Heh, so they say," Nev replies casually.

Nev soaks in the energy of the crowd, energized by the cheers, applause, and excited whistles. She theatrically cups a hand to her ear, urging the audience to cheer louder with exaggerated waves of her arms. Meanwhile, Blotch draws wide loops in the sky, spiraling like a vaporous whirlwind across the heavens.

"You skip out, and now you’re showing off."

"Live in the moment, bro," she replies.

In front of her, the Basileus is also clapping. But then he stops and raises his arm toward the inner parapet. All around, trumpets suddenly blare in unison, silencing every other noise. All eyes turn toward the Rampart.

A massive metallic creaking echoes through the barrier, rattling loudly. It sounds like the release of a latch, a lock unfastening, but on the scale of a fortress. Then, with a long, drawn-out clamor, the Solstice Gate begins to open, its portcullis rising. Nev can only watch in silent awe as the prison door swings open.

Beyond, past the barbicans, the horizon shimmers with a pearly glow.

Beyond, more than adversity and danger, it’s freedom that awaits them...

When the Rampart was constructed, a colossal gateway was crafted within it, in case the lands beyond ever became accessible again. This entrance was named the Solstice Gate and was sealed at that moment with numerous magical locks, ensuring that no one could expose Asgartha to the dangers lurking outside. Over time, no one dared to open its heavy doors. Even for the exile of Ayxas, the Mad Kuningas, only the postern gate was used to drive him beyond the borders of the Peninsula. Despite this, the Asgarthans always held on to the hope that it would one day open, even though that day never seemed to come. But on September 13th, in the year 392 AC, the gate finally allows the passage of the exploration forces: on one side, the Exalts, upon whose shoulders rest the hopes and ambitions of all the peoples of Asgartha; on the other, the Expeditionary Corps, who will serve as their reinforcements. For the first milestone of the Rediscovery Endeavor will be a fierce battle—one that will pit the armies and heroes of Asgartha against the fearsome Kraken, the most hated of all Leviathans. Regardless of the battle's outcome, this date will forever be marked as a turning point: either a renewal or a devastating defeat.