As his first act, Dreyfus didn’t summon a fortress or council hall. He summoned joy.

A shimmering rift bloomed open — and from it, a massive stadium unfolded, gleaming with lights and echoing with music. At its center stood an idol: radiant, adorable, singing in a voice that bypassed language and reached the soul.

The crowd had already come, drawn through subtle rifts — humans, elves, spirits, machines, all swaying in euphoria. Dreyfus stood at the edge, quietly smiling.

But when the final note faded and people turned to leave… the illusion cracked.

There were no exits. No stars. The sky was a forest — roots dangling like veins — and all around, trees twisted in impossible loops. The air was sweet, cloying. The stadium hadn’t opened into the Hollow.

It had pierced through it.

The idol kept singing, unable — or unwilling — to stop. Then came the screams. The panic. The realization.

The song faltered.

Just for a breath — a skipped note, a tremble in the voice. The idol’s perfect composure cracked as the screams rose, echoing off the curved walls of the stadium. She blinked, confused, the spotlight still bathing her in dreamlight that no longer soothed anyone.

Then silence.

Her mic dipped. Her hands trembled.

“I… I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice raw, unscripted. “Please… please don’t panic. I don’t know what’s happening either, but we’ll fix it. Okay?”

She stepped forward, eyes scanning the crowd — some crying, some climbing, some just frozen. She forced a smile, the same one that had once lifted hearts. It faltered. Her lip quivered.

“This isn’t the end of the show,” she tried again, louder now, steadier. “It’s just… an intermission. We’ll figure out how to get you home. You’re not alone. You’re not forgotten.”

She took off her earpiece.

Then her crown.

And stepped off the stage — into the chaos — to be with them, one trembling step at a time.

And from the mist, Syra’thal arrived with her wardens.

“You swore harmony,” she said coldly. “Now you trap thousands? Explain, Portal Master.”

Dreyfus raised his hands, breath steady, mind racing. Something ancient was watching. He had seconds to act.

Choose how to respond:

> Heartgate Pavilion – Summon a floating sanctuary that calms emotions and shows the sky as each remembers it. Peace through empathy.
> Interplanar Shuttle Circle – Open exit portals to major planes. Complex. Risky. Needs focus to stabilize.
> Guardian Choir – Call celestial idols whose harmony can dispel fear and mend rifts. But if broken, the magic could collapse.
> Memory Weaver – A gentle giant who reads origins and guides each person home — emotionally and literally.
> Rootgate Spire – Grow a living portal under Night Elf control. Safe, permanent, but cedes power.
> Idol’s Wish – Let the first idol choose. She is tied to the magic. Her choice could fix everything — or cost her dearly.
> Write in