A note before you begin:
What follows is a brief overview of the world of Gilded Ashes - a small bite of its factions, its organizations, its threats, and the things Alteea thought was worth recording.
If you'd rather go in blind and experience everything through Raizen's own eyes, skip it entirely. Everything here will find you at the right moment, in the right chapter, with the proper weight behind it. Nothing is lost by waiting.
If you'd like some context before the first page — it's here.
Either way, the story starts the same.
Enjoy.
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The following data is extracted from the personal administrative records of Alteea, Vanguard Command over half the continent. Compiled during her tenure. Classification: restricted.
These records were never intended for public distribution.
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ON NYXES
Nyxes are entities of living shadow — or some unknown matter close enough to pure darkness. Their origin predates recorded history, and is unknown. Their creator - if one exists - remains unknown. They are not animals - they do not hunger, tire, or reason - carrying no instinct beyond one: destroy whatever lives.
Nyxes come in hundreds of documented variants, possibly more. New forms are still being recorded to this day: found in every climate, every terrain, every era of documented history. No pattern has been identified - no nesting behavior, no territory, no apparent communication.
Classification is measured in Fortitude, a standardized scale developed by the Vanguard Corps to assess threat level. Personal note: It is imperfect – every day, we witness things never seen before. The system has always been imperfect.
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FORTITUDE 1–2 | SHADES • The most common. Humanoid in shape, roughly half-human in size. Encountered at the edges of settlements, in collapsed infrastructure, in the dark. They like lurking in corners and ambushing in small groups. An average Graver handles one without difficulty. An untrained civilian might not survive.
FORTITUDE 3–4 | REAVERS • Larger. Faster. Usually alone, but capable of coordinated movement when in groups. Responsible for the majority of Graver casualties on contract work. The upper limit of what most Gravers will engage alone.
FORTITUDE 5–6 | WRAITHS • The threshold where standard Luminite begins to show significant difference on impact. Not impossible for a skilled Graver - but ill-advised. Vanguard jurisdiction begins here.
FORTITUDE 7–8 | PHANTOMS • The ceiling for one single Vanguard operating at maximum capacity. Encounters above this threshold require teams. Casualties are expected. Extremely dangerous, it is advised not to approach alone.
FORTITUDE 9–10 | ABYSSALS • Extremely rare. When they appear, settlements evacuate. Vanguard Division response is standard protocol. Civilian evacuation radius: minimum 3 kilometers. Vanguard Division deployment minimum: two units, worst possible case.
Documented appearances: [REDACTED PENDING COUNCIL REVIEW].
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FORTITUDE 12+ | ANATHEMAS
The following entry has been reviewed and approved for partial release only.
Classification: Anathema
Known instances: Unknown
Confirmed active: Unknown
Fortitude: Beyond established scale
Weakest recorded Anathema - a fragment, notably, not a complete entity - registered at Fortitude 12 upon containment assessment. The fragment required the full effort of a Phalanx operative to seal. She did not survive the effort.
Size: Varies greatly
Speed: Unknown, all measuring attempts have failed.
Weaknesses: Unknown. Can absorb normal Luminite hits, using military-grade Luminite is advised. Can regenerate with a ~0.4ms delay.
Do not approach under any normal circumstances.
Note added by secondary hand: if you are reading this entry because you have encountered one – You're extremely lucky to be alive.
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ON THE NYX QUEEN
Classification: Apex Entity
Nature: Unknown
Confirmed existence: Confirmed
Confirmed activity: Confirmed
Last verified contact: Velarion,[DATE REDACTED]
Current location: Unknown
Current status: Unknown
Fortitude: Unmeasurable. Scale does not apply.
This entry has been flagged three times for expansion. Each request was denied by the Council on grounds of "insufficient verified data." I have stopped requesting.
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ON EON
Eon is the foundational energy that separates those who can fight Nyxes from those who cannot. Every living person carries a signature - unique, unalterable, like a name the body gives itself.
Full capacity: Unestablished.
The theoretical ceiling has never been reached by any documented user. Whether one exists is debated. The only measurable limit seems to be Eon Healing, but the precise data is still under careful research.
No two signatures are identical. The implications of this remain largely unexplored.
Mastery is measured by specialization. A practitioner who reaches the highest level of proficiency in a single Eon type and technique is designated Sovereign. Currently recognized Sovereigns: [REDACTED].
A secondary energy classification exists, designated internally as [REDACTED]. Research has been restricted to a specialized operative unit - the Echelon. Any kind of independent study is strictly prohibited. Reasons on record: data too volatile for open distribution.
Casualties among early researchers: [REDACTED].
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ON LUMINITE
Luminite is the only material capable of reliably channeling Eon for consistent offensive or defensive use. Its effectiveness scales with purity.
Common grade: Standard issue. Degrades slowly under heavy Eon output.
Pure grade: Vanguard standard. Significantly more stable.
Radiant grade: Multicolor-tinted. Extraordinarily rare. Does not degrade under observed conditions.
Origin of Radiant-grade Luminite: Unknown.
Black Lotus
Classification: Botanical anomaly
Energy signature: Radiant
Known properties: [REDACTED]
Known locations: [REDACTED]
Researcher assigned: [REDACTED — deceased] Personal note: The researcher was one of the Phalanx.
Status: Under Echelon jurisdiction. Do not handle if encountered.
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ON VANGUARDS, GRAVERS, AND THE PHALANX
Gravers are contracted hunters operating independently below Neoshima. They take work when no one else will, and when Vanguards are not bothered. They are not heroes. Personal note: The Neoshiman Council neglects them, yet they are necessary.
Vanguards are the sanctioned military force. Trained at various Eon-specialized Academies. The first organized line of defense. Lotus Academy - the primary institution for Neoshiman Vanguard training. Enrollment is selective. Royal Scholar graduates are not guaranteed.
The Phalanx were once seven. Currently retired, four alive. In living memory, full Phalanx deployment has occurred once. This small group has been disbanded due to human incapability to match sheer strength, technique and power.
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These records were compiled because someone should have compiled them sooner. I do not know who will read this, or when, or what the world will look like by then.
I personally suspect it doesn't.
- Alt.