part one

Intro Title: "The Moonlit Ascent" – Part One of The Fall of King Crison --- The night was quiet—too quiet. Shadows slithered between the jagged rocks as a pale-blue glow lit the path ahead. The traveler stepped cautiously, his boots brushing ancient stone now weathered by time and tragedy. His cloak, torn at the hem from miles of battle and wilderness, trailed like a ghost behind him. He had no name in this land, only a purpose. To destroy King Crison. Before him stood the Stairway of Hal'kareth, carved into the bones of the world itself. Legends said that gods once walked these steps under moons forged of crystal. Above, a broken arch framed a celestial spectacle—the stars shimmered, scattered across the dome like spilled glass. But the traveler’s eyes didn’t rise in awe. He had seen too much. The sky had watched him bury too many comrades. As he climbed, each step echoed with stories lost to time. The ruins whispered forgotten names, etched into the pillars—symbols of the last rebellion that failed against the Crimson Throne. A chill met him halfway. Not from wind, but from something else. Something waiting. The stars seemed to dim. And in the mist ahead, a voice murmured. Not in speech, but in memory. "Will you make it further than the rest?" He didn’t answer. Only gripped the hilt of his blade tighter and took the next step. Above him, through the final arch, the ruins began to breathe. And the trial of Hal'kareth had only just begun.