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The Eleventh Hour

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The Eleventh Hour

Year
1337 AE
Storyline
Secrets of the Obscure
Chapter
The Eleventh Hour
Location
Inner Nayos
(Horn of Maguuma)
Level
80
Preceded by
Desperate Measures
Followed by
Sovereign of Nayos

The Eleventh Hour is the eighteenth chapter of the Secrets of the Obscure story. The events in this chapter take place immediately after the Into the Spider's Lair meta event in the Citadel of Zakiros - the story instance starts in the same room as the final battle of the meta event.

Objectives[edit]

Follow the Midnight King up the Spire of Dreams.
  • Meet with your allies.
  • Clear out the Council of Houses chamber.
    Event bar green.jpg Event swords (tango icon).png
  • Defeat the swarming Kryptis.
    Event bar green.jpg Event swords (tango icon).png
  • The King's Nighthunters
    Event bar green.jpg Event swords (tango icon).png
  • Take the portal out of the Council of Houses.
  • Clear out the Zakiros Royal Study.
    Event bar green.jpg Event swords (tango icon).png
  • Seal the Kryptis rifts.: x/3
  • Continue up the Spire of Dreams.
  • Open the door with the Heart of the Obscure.
  • Enter the chamber–be ready for anything.
  • Use the Heart of the Obscure to release Kryptis essence from the reliquaries.
    Event bar empty green.jpg
  • Continue ascending the Spire of Dreams.
  • Proceed with caution.
  • Use the Heart of the Obscure to access the throne room.
  • Defeat Eparch's guards.
    Event bar green.jpg Event swords (tango icon).png
  • Eparch
    Event bar green.jpg Event boss (tango icon).png
  • Retreat!
  • Channel the Heart of the Obscure at Eparch!
  • Eparch
    Event bar green.jpg Event boss (tango icon).png
  • Convene with your allies.
  • Complete!

Rewards[edit]

Walkthrough[edit]

After an initial dialogue and bidding farewell to Dagda and Frode (salute Frode when he salutes for the Astral Salute achievement), the group is faced with one small wave of Murk Scavengers followed by a massive one, then a group of King's Nighthunters. Grab the memory for contribution #1 to Voracious Reader. The portal to the next room is now open.

Immediately upon entering the next room is an ambush. After clearing out the marked foes it should be safe to make the rounds to the 3 portals and close them, though some Kryptis will occasionally appear from them. Interact with all six bookshelves for contributions #2 to #7 for Voracious Reader.

After the three portals are closed, proceed up the stairs to the south (avoid the initial burning floor effect by standing at the side) and deal with several groups of Kryptis, with the elite Master of Reliquaries at the end. Behind the door the Master was guarding is a room full of reliquaries, use the Heart of the Obscure to open the door. Grab the memory at the south side of the room for #8 of Voracious Reader whilst waiting. After a lengthy dialogue, the kryptis essence in the reliquaries has to be released to proceed, optionally viewing their memories beforehand (reading the memory text with the more icon credits the Essential Experiences achievement for each, for a total of 6). There is further dialogue before the exit stairway to the east becomes within bounds.

The first flight of the stair is blocked by some Kryptis, with only the exploding Avatars of Spite being notable. On the second stairs the enemies quickly turn friendly as Eparch invites the group up to the throne room. Grab the final memory #9 for Voracious Reader prior to entering the throne room.

Open the door with the Heart and walk towards Eparch to trigger an in-game cutscene confronting him. Just after the cutscene ends, use the /kneel emote when Eparch says so ("You will kneel. ..." - the chat interface is hidden but it will still function) to gain credit for the Your Midnight King Says... achievement. Defeat his guards to start the fight against him.

The following fight initially proves hopeless, as Eparch turns invincible upon reaching 75%. Reach the door while struggling against Eparch's grasp (awards credit for Eparch Evader) to be rescued by Isgarren and be able to break the shield with the Heart of the Obscure (the spot from which this can be done is to the left of the door/Eparch). For the actual fight, Eparch's health is refilled to the maximum, shielding himself every 25% (requiring standing inside a white circle and using the Heart to break it, the shield is easier to break if standing still or if the additional mobs around the king are killed) and occasionally letting out small orbs of various emotional attunements that provide a combination of positive and negative effects.

  • Purple/Malice Attunement: longer lasting Crowd Control effects and additional damage against defiance bars. This is the only attunement without an accompanying negative effect, and also the only one that doesn't increase in intensity with additional stacks.
  • Red/Rage Attunement: deal increased power damage, but also take more power damage.
  • Green/Envy Attunement: deal increased condition damage and improve the effect of boons, but also take more condition damage.
  • Orange/Regret Attunement: decrease activation and recharge time for skills, but also take a small amount of damage every time a skill is used.
  • Blue/Despair Attunement: take decreased damage, but also deal less damage.
  • Yellow/Gluttony Attunement: all attacks deal a small amount of Lifesteal, dealing extra damage and healing the user but the users also takes a small amount of damage over time.

Malice orbs are always good to pick up if possible since they provide no negative effect and can make it easier to deal with the Kryptis minions during the fight by disabling them for longer periods of time. Generally, Rage orbs should only be picked up by power damage builds, while Envy orbs can strengthen any build reliant on condition damage or that provides an ample amount of boons since condition damage from enemies is easier to avoid (though Eparch's flame wave can be a problem). The 3 remaining orbs are more mixed, as the survivability boost from Despair orbs is negligent though it can be used to counter Rage and Envy orbs if too many were picked up, while Regret orbs forces builds without good self-healing or Barriers to pace themselves, and Gluttony orbs forces constant attacks to counteract the lifedrain.

After Eparch is reduced to 5% health he flees, and the main fight and the episode ends (awarding credit for Eparch's Early End if under 8 minutes). All remaining group members can be spoken to shortly, and some additional friendly Kryptis will enter the room after a short time - there are no further achievements for observing the Kryptis courtiers.

Remember to grab The Midnight Throne Point of Interest, as it is inaccessible outside of this mission.

Achievements[edit]

Whilst the story can be repeated, there is no purple star and therefore all achievements must be started from the beginning of this chapter.

The Eleventh Hour The Midnight King Secrets of the Obscure mastery point 1Achievement points
Ascend the Spire of Dreams and confront the Midnight King.Journal: The Eleventh Hour Completed the Eleventh Hour 1Achievement points
  • Complete the story instance "The Eleventh Hour".
Astral Salute The Midnight King 1Achievement points
Salute Frode when he enters the portal.Journal: The Eleventh Hour Saluted Frode 1Achievement points
  • At the beginning of the instance, Dagda and Frode will turn back and enter the portal at the entrance. Just before entering it, Frode turns back and salutes. Just use /salute when he does.
Voracious Reader The Midnight King 1Achievement points
Find the books and artifacts scattered around Zakiros.Journal: The Eleventh Hour
  • Memory in the Council of Houses chamber.
  • Memory in the sealed chamber.
  • Memory outside the throne room.
  • Book 1.
  • Book 2.
  • Book 3.
  • Book 4.
  • Book 5.
...
  • Book 6.
Found the Books and Artifacts Scattered around Zakiros 1Achievement points
  • Achievement eligibility may be tracked by the Achievement effect.png Achievement Eligibility: Voracious Reader effect on the player's effect bar.
  • One memory in the first room, just in front of the portal to the next room.
  • Six books on interactive bookshelfs in the room with the rifts (the second room, also known as the Zakiros Royal Study).
  • One memory on the south end of the room after opening the door with the heart (reliquary POI on map).
  • One memory right before throne room (next to door).
Essential Experiences The Midnight King 3Achievement points
Experience memory fragments in the Spire of Dreams.Journal: The Eleventh Hour
Prerequisite: Desperate Measures

Objectives: 6 objectives in total
  • Memory 1.
  • Memory 2.
  • Memory 3.
  • Memory 4.
  • Memory 5.
  • Memory 6.
Experienced All Memory Fragments in the Spire of Dreams 3Achievement points
  • Achievement eligibility may be tracked by the Achievement effect.png Achievement Eligibility: Essential Experiences effect on the player's effect bar.
  • In the reliquary room, pick "Hold the Heart closer to the reliquary." dialogue option, then do this for all six in the room.
    • Don't pick "Use the Heart to release the Kryptis essence" until afterwards, as the reliquary will no longer be available.
Your Midnight King Says... The Midnight King 1Achievement points
Perform the proper emote when you are commanded to, even if you did not hear "Eparch says."Journal: The Eleventh Hour Performed the Emote Eparch Commanded 1Achievement points
  • Type /kneel while the cutscene is ongoing after opening the door to the throne room (when Eparch says kneel).
    • The chat does not display but it will still accept commands you type blindly.
Eparch Evader The Midnight King 1Achievement points
Evade Eparch's grasp leading up to the final encounter.Journal: The Eleventh Hour Evaded Eparch's Grasp 1Achievement points
  • This achievement is available after Eparch has been reduced to 75% and is trying to pull in the player character.
  • Simply reach the door to the room. This is much easier if the character has a source of Swiftness and/or Superspeed, or some form of Shadowstep or untargeted Leap or Rush attack.
  • Since the tether from Eparch deals a slight amount of damage over time it is also good to have a decent source of selfhealing that isn't reliant on hitting a target.
  • The start of the tether is accompanied by a knockdown, so a Stun break will let one get up and running immediately instead of losing distance and health.
  • Since the characters aren't moved upon the tether being cast it is best to try and stay as close to the door as is possible while still fighting Eparch, to minimize the distance needed to move.
  • This achievement is completed immediately if a character is already on the other side of the door when the tether is activated.
Eparch's Early End The Midnight King 1Achievement points
Defeat Eparch within the time limit.Journal: The Eleventh Hour Defeated Eparch within the Time Limit 1Achievement points
  • Achievement eligibility may be tracked by the Achievement effect.png Achievement Eligibility: Eparch's Early End effect on the player's effect bar.
  • The effect lasts for 8 minutes, and includes all the in-between phases where he goes invulnerable.
  • The achievement is granted upon reducing Eparch to 5%.
  • Since this is a damage race against the clock, Rage Attunement (for power damage builds) or Envy Attunement (for condition damage builds) can make it easier to complete this objective in time if the negative effects of taking increased damage can be handled. Conversely, Despair Attunement should be avoided since it reduced damage dealt.
  • It is important to remove Eparch's shield as quickly as possible.
Midnight Rest The Midnight King 1Achievement points
Use the /sit emote on the Throne of Midnight.Journal: The Eleventh Hour Sat on the Throne of Midnight 1Achievement points
  • May only be completed after the dialogue after Eparch's defeat is over. Simply /sit on the throne.

Note[edit]

  • Kryptis nobles will present themselves to hail their new ruler, Peitha, but there is no achievement for keeping your eyes on it.

NPCs[edit]

Allies[edit]

Demons
Astral Ward

Foes[edit]

Demons

Objects[edit]

Dialogue[edit]

In the Citadel of Zakiros instance[edit]

General Nephus: We must pursue Eparch. Now. We cannot allow him time to recover.
Ramses: With so few of us left to fight? You feel Eparch's multitudes waiting ahead as I do, General. They overwhelm the senses.
General Nephus: This chance will never come again, slight as it may be. We must strike.
Peitha: Indeed we must. Dagda, Frode, Arina. Take the portal. Rally any who still stand to cover our flanks.
Dagda: Peitha.
Frode: Majesty.
Arina: Respectfully, I've walked the path with you this far. I'm not stopping here.
Peitha: Very well. Dagda, Frode—should we fail, I ask that you give asylum to my people.
Frode: The wayfinder and the outrider fight with you. You won't fail.
(Dagda and Frode leave)
Ramses: Eparch moves swiftly when provoked. His forces must be at the ready. Yet I sense they do not attack. Why?
General Nephus: Hmm. Do not forget, he stayed his hand upon witnessing Labris's sacrifice.
General Nephus: If ever there was a time for him to act without thought, that was it.
Peitha: Yes, we fight on Eparch's turf. He is ancient and cunning. There can be no doubt he is prepared.
(Hostile Kryptis appear)
General Nephus: The enemy lurks. Be on your guard.
After defeating the first wave of enemies
General Nephus: Surrounded. Perimeter defense!
After clearing the room of enemies
General Nephus: Stay alert.
Upon entering the Zakiros Royal Study
General Nephus: Strike swiftly!
General Nephus: Give them no time to set a defense.
Ramses: Try your Heart.
After sealing the Kryptis rifts in the study
Ramses: General, Majesty... I fear we march to our end.
<Character name>: That bad?
Peitha: Hundreds lie in wait. More, perhaps. It is difficult to discern. They...writhe.
General Nephus: I spoke true. A better opportunity to strike will never present itself. But that does not mean the odds are favorable.
Peitha: We will turn this army to our side—
Ramses: Peith— Majesty! Surely not! I will follow you to my death, but you cannot believe, after all that's happened—
Peitha: No. We will turn them to our side. There is no other way.
Outside the door to the Reliquary of the Chosen
General Nephus: The Heart of the Obscure.
After opening the door
General Nephus: Move decisively. Give no quarter to any who oppose us.
<Character name>: Let's go.
Entering the Reliquary of the Chosen
Peitha: (yells)
Ramses: I... Ah... No. No, no, no.
Ramses: We are fools.
Peitha: Labris's words. "The strength to do that which the common Kryptis will not."
<Character name>: There is no army.
Peitha: There never was.
General Nephus: Countless innocents.
General Nephus: First the battle below. Now this. He has methodically weakened us while strengthening himself.
Peitha: There is no depravity to which he will not stoop.
Peitha: I failed them. They should have been under our protection.
General Nephus: They would rest in honor under the Tree of Mourning if time allowed. Destroy them—then at least they can never be consumed.
Ramses: Wait. Wayfinder. Can your Heart of the Obscure set free their essence peacefully? They deserve that much, at least.
<Character name>: Yes. They do.
As Ramses and Peitha release Kryptis essence from the reliquaries
Ramses: Dream.
Peitha: Soon you will dream. We will see to it.
Ramses: Dream.
Interacting with the Reliquaries
As you approach the Kryptis essence contained within, the Heart of the Obscure hums quietly.
Talk more option tango.png Hold the Heart closer to the reliquary.
Thoughts and sensations flood your mind. A low, rocky hill. Muted gray grasses swaying in the thick breeze. A net. Fish, fileted upon warm stone. The warming glow of heating embers. (If interacting with the western-most reliquary.)
Thoughts and sensations flood your mind. Slate evening skies. Flames circled in stone. Voices pitched in rhythmic cadence. Contentedness. (If interacting with the southern-most reliquary.)
Thoughts and sensations flood your mind. Wicked torches. Jagged silhouettes barking orders. Broodings dragged away. Fury. Helplessness. (If interacting with the center-most reliquary.)
Thoughts and sensations flood your mind. The familiarity of hunting companions. The scent of freshly caught prey. A welcoming door. Approval. Pride. (If interacting with the northern-most reliquary.)
Thoughts and sensations flood your mind. Rite of passage. Chill wilderness. Exhaustion. Crackle of warming flames. Resonant voices. Safety. (If interacting with the north-eastern reliquary.)
Thoughts and sensations flood your mind. Fangs and blades. Rage. Terror. Howling prisoners. A portal winking closed. Sickening realization. (If interacting with the south-eastern reliquary.)
Talk quest option tango.png Use the Heart to release the Kryptis essence.
Talk end option tango.png Walk away.
After releasing the Kryptis essence from the reliquaries
Ramses: "Bring your army, then," he said. "I will devour everything."
Peitha: To the throne room. We are all that stands between Eparch and our extinction.
A horn sounds while descending the stairs to the throne room and the enemy kryptis stop attacking.
Ramses: I feel something amiss.
Interacting with the non-hostile Avatars of Regret
This Kryptis seethes, grinding its fangs in frustration. It is clearly under orders to let you pass.
Talk end option tango.png Move along.
Outside the throne room door
General Nephus: The throne room, Majesty. Are you prepared to face the king?
Peitha: That throne is mine. Wayfinder, open the way for the true Midnight King.
Opening the door
Eparch: And finally she brings herself before the throne. I've been waiting, princess of traitors.
Peitha: Gorging yourself while we cut our way through your defenses? Bold stretegy, "King."
Peitha: Was the queen your strategist? Perhaps without Labris—
Eparch: DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME.
Eparch: Kneel. Sacrifice yourself to me. As you forced your queen to do.
Peitha: Oh, but I'm not so "noble."
Eparch: Labris was right to refuse negotiations with you.
Eparch: You will kneel. Or my generals will make you kneel. Your strength is mine. And my strength is the lifeblood of the Kryptis.
General Zantharon: Speak your last words.
Peitha: We'll throw your bones from Eventide's bridge. The Kryptis will spit on your memory. Labris sacrificed herself for nothing.
(Eparch consumes General Alkaeus)
Eparch: (yells)
General Zantharon: What?
(General Zantharon defects from Eparch to fight with the allies)
Avatar of Despair: General!
Avatar of Despair: Traitor!
Avatar of Regret: Who?
Avatar of Regret: Eparch!
Avatar of Despair: Zantharon!
Avatar of Despair: Alkaeus? General?
Avatar of Regret: For Nayos!
Reducing Eparch's health to 75%
Eparch: Kneel. Kneel and die.
Peitha: Behind me. Fall back!
Moving behind Peitha
(Eparch freezes the allies in mid-air)
Peitha: I...cannot...stop him!
(Isgarren enters)
Isgarren: Eparch. Your strategy confuses me. Will you save your people by consuming them all?
Eparch: Still clinging to your antiquated ideals, wizard. Our enemies have never understood what it takes for my people to survive.
Eparch: That is why you will die today. Why Tyria will be mine tomorrow.
Isgarren: Your gluttony has given you strength beyond mine. That much is clear.
Eparch: Come to beg for your life, then? A pointless gesture. But I welcome it.
Isgarren: On the contrary—I couldn't pass up this chance to help end yours.
(The allies regain mobility)
Isgarren: Peitha, Wayfinder, join your power with mine. The Heart!
After using the Heart with Peitha and Isgarren's power to make Eparch vulnerable
Isgarren: Now kill this parasite.
Once Eparch's health is reduced to 5%
Eparch: Peitha. My kin. My blood. You have been deceived! Your brothers understood. Labris understood.
Eparch: Kryptis. Wanderer. All our kind are despised. For that which is our nature. We are predators. We must feed.
Eparch: If we do not prey, we court extinction.
Eparch: I see now—nothing will stop you from taking the Midnight Throne. Take it.
Eparch: But do not forsake your people. All we have labored for.
Eparch: Take my strength. Consume me. For the Kryptis.
Peitha: (spell-casting effort)
Eparch: (howls)
(Peitha destroys Eparch)
Peitha: It was never your strength to give.
Speaking with your allies
Isgarren: So it ends. And so the reign of—
Peitha: You certainly took your time.
Isgarren: I am here now. When it matters.
General Nephus: When your survival was all but assured, only then did you stick your neck out for our people.
Isgarren: I risked nothing for your people.
Isgarren: I risked exposure to rid our worlds of Eparch.
Isgarren: And while I hope it proves worthwhile, the survival of the Kryptis people was not a requirement.
General Nephus: Let's see that we do not stand on opposite sides of the battlefield one day, seer.
Peitha: General. Gather the wounded. Isgarren, we are in your debt. I need time to set my house in order. I will contact you then.
Isgarren: Until then. Majesty.
Arina: It's time to go home.
Arina: Wayfinder?
<Character name>: Peitha...
Peitha: Nayos owes a great deal to you, Wayfinder.
General Nephus: Wayfinder.
Peitha: I expect we'll see you in the Wizard's Tower soon. You're always welcome here. Friend.
Ramses: Your legend will walk our dreams for eternity. As will yours, Outrider.
Arina: I... Thank you, Ramses.
<Character name>: In the tower, then.
Isgarren: The Wizard's Tower will be ready to receive the Midnight King.
Speaking with Peitha
It is done, friend. Word travels swiftly—there are many eyes in Zakiros. Yet the true work only just beings. There is much I must do before I next see you in the Wizard's Tower.
Talk more option tango.png Were you tempted to consume Eparch after all?
Tempted to cast away a chance to end centuries of tyranny? To halt the loss of countless lives? To alter the fate of my people in exchange for power beyond comprehension? Perhaps, Wayfinder. Perhaps.
Talk more option tango.png Perhaps don't mention that to Isgarren.
(laughs) If Isgarren truly questioned the strength of my convictions, I find it highly unlikely any of us would still live. He is quite...touchy. I look forward to riling him for centuries to come.
Talk end option tango.png In the tower, then. Majesty.
Speaking with Ramses
I must confess, much as I believed in Peitha's cause, I never allowed myself to consider the aftermath of her victory.
Talk more option tango.png Will you come to the Wizard's Tower?
That is up to Lady—ah, Her Majesty. I have a feeling we will meet again. But there is much to do here first.
Talk more option tango.png Change can be difficult.
It seems a good problem to have, no?
Talk end option tango.png Yes. Yes, it does.
Talk end option tango.png Until we meet again.
Talk end option tango.png I need to go.
Talking to General Nephus
The king's subjects. Come to pay respects to the Midnight King. Attempting to keep what status they had with Eparch, no doubt.
Talk more option tango.png Already?
Look around. There are many eyes in Zakiros. When your continued existence depends on reacting to a tyrant's whims, information is lifeblood.
Talk more option tango.png Will they fall in line?
In the short term, yes. She has just demonstrated that she has the strength to overthrow the most powerful Kryptis in the history of Nayos.
Talk more option tango.png In the long term?
Some will test her, undoubtedly. I imagine her diplomatic skills will be tested. And our military strategy, if that fails.
Talk more option tango.png Will we see you in the Wizard's Tower?
It seems likely, but that is up to Her Majesty. If not, it's been an honor, Wayfinder.
Talk end option tango.png Likewise, General
Talk end option tango.png Good luck.
Talk end option tango.png I need to leave.
Talk end option tango.png Time to go.
Talk end option tango.png I have to go.
Interacting with General Zantharon
(The Kryptis general is oblivious to your presence—and seemingly everything else going on around him.)
Talk end option tango.png (Leave.)

Notes[edit]

When the characters are being held in the air by Eparch, switching weapons will release the hold and let them walk around freely.

My story[edit]

Secrets of the Obscure-The Midnight King-Loading Screen.png

Eparch had retreated up Zakiros's central tower toward his throne room, ostensibly guarded by his army waiting above. Though our forces dwindled, we'd have no better change to strike at the king. Nephus ordered Dagda, Frode, and Arina to cover our vulnerable flanks outside the citadel. I would join Peitha, Nephus, and Ramses in the final push on the Throne of Midnight.


Arina hadn't come this far to turn back at the last minue, however, and she told Peitha as much. Peitha acquiesced, and the five of us—a pair of Tyrians and a few Kryptis rebels—began our trek up the tower as Frode and Dagda disappeared through the portal back to the coliseum.


We fought our way up Zakiros's central spire as Peitha, Nephus, And Ramses sensed the ever-present loyalist army looming above.


As we neared the army, Ramses feared that we marched to certain death. It was jarring to hear him say such a thing. Peitha confirmed her sense of the overwhelming size of the writhing forces arrayed against us. Her plan, it seemed, was to attempt to win some of them to our side. Somehow.


Ramses interrupted in disbelief, and I can't say I blame him. But Peitha answered simply, "There is no other way."


Just as we approached the army's position, Peitha and the other Kryptis sensed something happening to the army, and we picked up the pace. Nephus ordered the breach, and we piled inside, hoping to turn the enemy to our side but ready to fight to the death. Instead we found ourselves in a massive reliquary room, filled wall to wall with the essence of the Kryptis dead.


There was no army.


I realized that what Peitha, Ramses, and Nephus had sensed was the writhing essence of countless numbers of their people, sacrificed—willingly or not—to fuel Eparch's strength.

I knew that Eparch, Labris, and their followers had consumed their own kind. I'd witnessed it with Heitor and Irja...even with Labris's sacrifice to Eparch himself. But this... The scale was unimaginable. I also found it hard to imagine the power Eparch must've consumed as he'd drained the reliquaries just minutes before.


Ramses moaned in horror as Peitha recalled what Labris had said about having "the strength to do that which the common Kryptis will not." All I could do was help Ramses release the essence from the reliquaries, preventing it from ever being consumed in the future, if nothing else. With every second counting against us, Peitha spoke a few quick words for the dead, and we moved on in grim silence. Having just feasted on countless Kryptis souls, Eparch awaited in the throne room ahead.


Inside, the Midnight Ling loomed over the Throne of Midnight—the throne and title that Peitha went to war to usurp, back before I'd ever set foot in Nayos, or even been aware of the existence of the Kryptis. Flanked by the hulking twin generals Alkaeus and Zantharon, Eparch exuded control.


There would be no negotations; the king demanded nothing less than Peitha's life. Zantharon ordered her to speak her last words.


Peitha's "last words" did not please the king, to say the least.


Snarling in rage at the insult to his wife and queen, Eparch's control snapped. Hungry for even more power, the king shockingly consumed his own general, Alkaeus, in blind fury. Zantharon, seeing his own brother murdered and absorbed by the king he'd sword fealty to, turned against Eparch, The throne room erupted, loyalists shouting accusations and changing sides as Eparch himself attacked indiscriminately.


He was practically invincible. Fast as we could hurt the Kryptis king, the strength of the Kryptis essence healed him faster. Even Peitha, strong as she is, couldn't stand before him.

Our attack was on the verge of falling apart. Our strategy failed. Peitha would fall. Eparch would reign, unchecked. We needed to retreat. Retreat, or die.


A portal ripped open, and Isgarren stepped through.


The wizard and the Midnight King faced each other for the first time in centuries as the battle raged around them, I'm told that the tables had turned since the last time they'd met—-it was clear that even Isgarren couldn't harm Eparch now. Not alone, at least.


But Isgarren didn't fight alone. We combined our strength—Isgarren and Peitha, with me wielding the Heart of the Obscure—hitting Eparch with a blast of magic strong enough to prevent him from healing himself.


Through our combined efforts, with Nephus and Ramses on our side and chaos swirling around the Throne of Midnight, we finally brought Eparch to his knees.


In his last moments, the king of the Kryptis conceded tha tPeitha would rule. He acknowledged that Peitha would take the throne, that she would be the Midnight King. Knowing his fate was sealed, Eparch didn't scream in defiance; shockingly, he instead urged Peitha to consume him. To take his power and use it, as he had, to lead the Kryptis from a position of strength.


I saw no hesitation. Peitha lifted Eparch into the air, and then, in a display of both strength and willpower, she blasted him into pieces. I wonder, did she consider, even for a second, taking his power? It's likely I'll never know.


After a tumultuous campaign of triumphs and setbacks, alliance and attrition, the Throne of Midnight and the title of Midnight King were now Peitha's. Isgarren had waited until the last possible moment to intervene, but intervene he did, and while General Nephus let his frustration be known, cooler heads prevailed. King Peitha would set her house in order and pay Isgarren a visit in the near future.


We exchanged brief good-byes with our Kryptis allies, knowing we'd reconvene soon at the Wizard's Tower.

***

My story