One week ago, Maldran had graduated from the Victorian Academy. Today, he lived in a small shack in the woods near Henesys, in poverty until he remembered where he put his wallet. It was a normal day in Victoria Island. The sun was shining, the Chirppys were chirping, the mushrooms were screaming their death cries as Maplers plunged various swords int-

Nevermind that.

Today, in Henesys, business was commencing as usual. The streets were filled with citizens and travelers alike ; the entrance to the potion shop had been damaged, and now only one person at a time could get in. The line stretched all the way to Ellinia. Children ran through the meadows and screamed with glee as they disturbed snails, which promptly hid in their shells. It was a truly normal day.

A house exploded in a roar of black flames that reached almost to the clouds. A wave of heat swept across the entire city as burning rubble was launched into the air.

The entire city erupted into chaos. Citizens panicked and fled, travelers panicked and ran into circles, several caught on fire or were killed by falling rubble. A column of flame reaching to the skies now sat where the house had been, but it was green flame, and that made the Maplers panic even more.

Amidst the ruins of the house, Lord Crull hefted his scythe and grinned. He was shrouded in a black cloak, and his face was nothing more than a pair of red dots surrounded by pure darkness. He had created utter pandemonium with a mere Explosion spell. He surveyed the scene for a moment, and then made a decision.

He was bored again.

Ornate scythe in hand, he walked out of the flames and beheaded a random bypasser. The stump of its neck erupted in a fountain of chlorophyll as its head fell to the ground with a small thunk. Lord Crull grinned again, and then realized…

Chlorophyll?

He had beheaded a blade of grass.

Lord Crull muttered a brief incantation, and was gone.

“Where is that darned WALLET?!” Maldran screamed with frustration as he looked around the shabby room of his small shack. He searched in every nook and cranny, behind the open door, inside the fireplace, underneath the bed, on top of the table, inside his pocket, and then he realized…

It was in his other pocket.

Maldran could vaguely hear a tiny voice giggling.

Then the wave of heat reached his house.

Exarch Macha roared a bestial scream of rage as he brought his sword down onto the Shadow Weaver’s neck. On cue, Farseer Taldeer unleashed a mighty psychic blast, three Warlocks summoned bolts of pure arcane energy, a Psion blasted the Weaver with a psychic explosion, and a Corsair threw a thousand knives into the heart of its victim.

The Shadow Weaver seemed confused, then vanished.

In Ellinia, Grendel the Really Old’s staff glowed with white light as he began chanting. He had but one chance to complete his life’s quest, he was taking it now.

In his mind, he reviewed each syllable of the complex spell, and he knew his life quest would be complete.

The voices of a thousand souls screamed into his mind, shattering his concentration, and destroying his life quest.

That day, the forest of Ellinia would tremble as Grendel swore for the first time.

The Keeper watched expressionlessly as over a thousand innocents were murdered at Henesys. She did not lament their loss ; their souls would enter the Tree and exit to be reincarnated elsewhere. But she knew that a being that could cause such destruction with a single spell would pose great risk to the Tree ; she had many options.

She chose the most drastic one of all.

For now, she summoned a waffle and ate it.

The souls of the thousand innocents gathered in the Webway. They were confused, as something was preventing them from entering the realm that was the Grove.

They screamed again as they were completely and utterly annihilated by Khaine’s hammer.

Khaine smiled as his power grew.

In Orbis, everything was quiet. Everyone was at home, sleeping, with the exception of a few travelers. One such unfortunate stepped on a cloud and realized they were made of moisture. Targon, King of Orbis, muttered a brief prayer to Craxus as he watched the Mapler plunge to his death. He sat in the ornate balcony of his palace near the Guild HQ that night as he observed the stars and the constellations. He then noticed the constellation of the Shadow Weaver was gone.

Then the wave of heat reached Orbis.

A crack appeared on the Sky Stone.

The Red Sign hopped up and down as it observed the crowd waiting to enter the Abandoned Tower. It chose a group of six adventurers, who promptly entered a door and vanished into the darkness. It hoped Alishar’s 93867984002704602nd reincarnation would prove no match for that party.

The crowd groaned, then dispersed, heading down the steps of the 101st floor to the 100th. The Red Sign sighed with pity for the toy mice below.

The entire of Ludibrium buckled as the wave of heat assaulted its twin support towers.

In Omega Sector, Dr. Kim groaned as the wave of heat sheared off his Titan’s legs.

The Elder Gray laughed as it summoned another starbeam upon the weary and now slightly-crispy defenders of Omega Sector.