The stone stronghold rose with each passing hour, its walls thickening, its bones solidifying. But Riko Vale's gaze was no longer fixed on what stood behind him. He stood atop one of the outer towers now, the highest peak of his nascent kingdom, watching the horizon where smoke curled lazily into the sky.
It wasn't from his camp.
Through Enhanced Perception granted by the system, he zoomed in on the smoke's source. His eyes narrowed.
A ship. Red banners. Iron plating. Fire Nation.
Docked at the southern edge of the island like it belonged there.
But it wasn't Riko who saw it first.
Wind surged through the clearing as Zehn appeared in a flash, crouched low and panting lightly. "My King," he said. "Fire Nation. Docked at the southern bay. Light fortifications. I saw them burning vegetation near the shore. Looks like they were scouting for expansion."
Riko didn't miss a beat.
"System," he said aloud. "Register the intrusion."
[System Alert: Unregistered Fire Nation vessel detected. Status: Armed scouting ship. Crew Count: 16. Combat Level: Mixed – Low to Mid Tier 1.]
Then another ping came in—a new system window slid open.
[New Mission: Burn the Invaders]
Objective: Eliminate all Fire Nation operatives stationed on the island
Bonus Objective: Capture vessel intact
Reward: +10 Summoning Opportunities (Class: Silver – Air Affinity, Combat-Oriented)
[Accept Mission? Y/N]
Riko grinned. "Accept."
He turned to Garrok.
"Take a path beneath the earth. When you surface, kill them all. Leave no one to report back. And try not to scratch the ship."
Garrok bowed. "By your will, My King."
He was gone a moment later, swallowed into the ground like a phantom.
Araka approached from behind, her eyes glowing faintly.
"They trespass on sacred beginnings," she said softly.
"They won't live to regret it," Riko replied.
Far across the island, the earth cracked like thunder.
The Fire Nation scouts barely had time to react. Their encampment—lightly fortified but arrogant—was torn open from beneath. A geyser of stone erupted as Garrok exploded from the earth like a wrathful god.
The first two soldiers were crushed before they could scream. Another tried to firebend, but Garrok silenced him with a snap of stone that sealed his throat with a fist of rock. His spear spun, each swing breaking ribs and crushing armor. The camp fell into chaos.
Tents burned. Armor shattered. One scout fired a distress flare, but it was swallowed whole by a collapsing pillar of stone Garrok summoned from the jungle floor. By the time the last man turned to flee, the warden had already raised a hand.
The ground opened and consumed him without a trace.
Silence returned to the southern cove, broken only by the crackle of dying flames.
[System Notification: Enemy forces eliminated. Fire Nation encampment absorbed. Ship claimed. No survivors. Kingdom Authority +1%. Mission Complete. Summoning Reward Granted: +10 Silver-Class Combat Units (Air Affinity).]
Riko's chest rose slowly with satisfaction.
He looked at the others gathered around him.
"Today we took our first blood," he said. "Now let's grow the roots."
As twilight fell across the island, Riko returned to the Summoning Core. The structure pulsed with a faint blue glow, almost alive in the way it responded to his approach. He stood before it, hand raised.
"System," he said. "Begin Silver-Class Summons. Use all ten slots."
[Initializing Summon Sequence…]
[Silver-Class Units Rolling…]
One after another, pillars of light ignited the clearing. They came like whispers of wind solidifying into flesh and form.
Ten warriors emerged, each dressed in lightweight battlewear tailored to airflow and flexibility. Unlike the earlier summoned workers, these were soldiers—wind-borne and battle-ready.
They dropped to one knee as one, synchronized as if trained since birth. The breeze around the clearing shifted subtly with their arrival, as if acknowledging their presence.
[UNIT REGISTERED: NAME — KIVA]
[Class: Silver]
[Rank: Combat Infantry]
[Element: Air]
[Tier: 1 — Bone]
[Role: Light Vanguard]
[Skills: Gust Blade (Basic), Windstep (Novice),]
[Loyalty: Absolute — Synced to King]
Kiva rose first, a soft gust dancing at her feet. Young, eager, her pale green eyes flashed with quiet resolve as she met Riko's gaze.
"My wind follows your command," she said.
Behind her, the other nine followed suit, all bearing variations of the same combat-ready uniform and identical loyalty. Riko walked down the line slowly, letting the weight of his presence settle over them like a crown of air and flame.
"Then let it howl for me," he finally answered.
[Kingdom Military Assets: Expanded]
[Ashveil Bastion now qualifies for Tier 1 Combat Infrastructure.]
He looked across the clearing, ten new warriors kneeling in rows, Zehn already moving to greet them with a mischievous smile and a nod of approval.
"They'll follow you," Riko told him. "You're their first army."
Zehn chuckled. "Guess that makes me the wind beneath your wings, huh?"
"I'll try not to let the power go to my head," he added, straightening his back with exaggerated pride.
Riko didn't answer.
He was already staring north, where the map pulsed with the promise of conquest yet to come.
And his army—his kingdom—was no longer a dream. But it still lacked a name. A soul.
The island waited. To be conquered. To be ruled