"This is not where we break. This is where we bury them."
—Jag, before the Omega Line engagement
+12 Hours – Final Day of the Ashen Vault Defense
The sky turned black.
Ash fog, thick with magnetic interference, rolled in like a curtain. From beyond the hills, the final mechanical horde stirred. No more scouting. No more precision tactics. Just overwhelming force.
The Omega Line had been activated.
[Wave 8 – Omega Line: Final Assault]
Estimated Enemy Force: 550+
Enemy Types:
• Cagewalkers (Juggernaut Siege Beasts – Class A)
• Clockgrinder Swarms (Reinforced Infantry – Infinite Reserve)
• Drone Swarms (Air Support, Detonation Type)
• Grey Echoes (Reanimated Reaper Constructs)
Conditions:
– Visibility -50% (Ash Fog)
– Magic Sync Interference (-20% tower effectiveness)
– EMP Storm: Random tower disruption every 90s
Objective: Survive 20 minutes
Bonus: Protect Core Access Hatch – If destroyed, entire Vault becomes compromised
Pre-Battle Configuration – All Units Active
• Tower A: Arc Beacon + Repeater Ballista
• Tower B: Ashsteel Wall + Auto-Recovery + Mage Relay
• Tower C: Detonator Grenadiers + Signal Uplink
• Jag – Vanguard Position – Midfield Assault Commander
• Ashra – Flanking Slayer – High-Mobility
• Branwyn – Wall Anchor – Juggernaut Interceptor
Gold: 210
Strategic Tokens: 2
Jag Activated:
• Fort-Wide Flame Shield (100 Gold) – +25% fire resistance
• Emergency Relay Pulse (1 Token) – Cancels next tower disable
Minute 1–5: Swarm Onset
The first wave hit like thunder. Clockgrinder infantry poured across all three lanes.
Branwyn:
• Skill: Hammerfall Line
• Result: 12 enemies crushed
• Wall holds at 92%
Ashra:
• Phantom Warp strikes – weaving through 20+ units
• Mid-lane cleared
Jag:
• Oath Slash + Rally Command
• Effect: +10% unit resilience
[EMP Storm Triggered]
Target: Tower B – Blocked
[Emergency Relay Pulse – Activated]
Effect: EMP nullified
Minute 6–10: Air Collapse Begins
Drone Swarms descended like locusts. Bombs fell in steady rhythm.
Tower A Repeater Ballista:
• 60% interception
• Remaining bombs land: damage to Tower C structure (-18%)
Jag:
• Skyreach Leap – intercepted 1 drone group
• Fire Shield absorbed remainder
Ashra blinked above a drone and rode it down, blades spinning.
Skill: Falling Phantom
• 9 hits, final explosion absorbed by cloak
Enemy Aerial Threat: 80% neutralized
Minute 11–15: Juggernauts Arrive
Cagewalkers. Tower-sized machines dragging siege hammers and arc batteries. Each footstep cracked stone.
Branwyn faced them head-on.
Branwyn:
• Skill: Unshakable Bastion
• Withstood 3 consecutive siege blows
• Wall held at 63%
Jag issued: Full tower sync – concentrate fire
• Grenadiers launched Arc Explosives
• Repeater fired nonstop
First Cagewalker staggered. Second fell into Oil Trap and exploded.
Ashra triggered a Shadow Charge through both giants' legs.
Cagewalker #3 destabilized
Final strike by Jag:
• Oathsteel Slash – Core penetration
Juggernauts: Eliminated
Minute 16–19: Grey Echo Surge
Suddenly, the dead returned.
Grey Echoes – twisted echoes of the Reaper, semi-sentient
• Traits: Explosive death, movement mimicry
• Movement: All Lanes
Ashra was the first to notice.
"These aren't drones. They remember how we fight."
Jag shouted, "Switch to irregular patterns—deny them sync!"
Tower A changed to alternating fire
Tower B released irregular pulse bursts
Reaper Echoes began failing coordination
Branwyn crushed two under a gravity hammer
Jag eliminated the final one with a cleave to the spine
Final Minute: Core Defense Triggered
A Cagewalker broke from the flank and charged the Core Hatch directly.
Tower B disabled by final EMP
No recovery in time
Jag teleported via Command Glyph
Skill Activated: Bastion Core Limit
+100% Movement
+50% Attack
One-Use Only
He launched himself into the giant.
[Direct Hit – Core Strike]
Damage: -317 HP
Final Cagewalker collapsed inches from the Vault Core
Hatch Integrity: 11%
Survived.
Wave Complete – Stormwatch Stands
[Wave 8 Cleared – Omega Line Destroyed]
Total Duration: 21m 12s
Damage Report:
• Tower A – 41% Integrity
• Tower B – 29% (Recovered)
• Tower C – Operational
Core Hatch: Survived
Casualties: 3 wounded, 0 dead
Final Reward:
• +320 Gold
• +2 Strategic Tokens
• Artifact Unlocked: Core Pulse Drive – Converts enemy energy to defensive barriers
Ashen Vault Campaign: Complete
Post-Battle: Ashen Vault Interior
The team stood within the now-silent Vault. The air was heavy with ozone and the scent of burnt copper.
Jag stared at the Core Pulse Drive.
"No gods. No miracles. We won because we planned. We adapted. We broke their lines and held ours."
Ashra nodded. "Stormwatch lives. The rest of the world better remember that."
Branwyn cracked her knuckles. "Next war? Let them come. We'll still be standing."