Thirty-three years ago, King Sombra ruled the Crystal Empire with an iron fist. Now, on this July 1st, he exists only as a stone statue standing frozen in the center of town. The once-glorious Empire lies abandoned—roof timbers creak in the cold northern wind, broken glass glints like shards of ice in the fading light, and the air carries the faint metallic scent of forgotten magic.

Homes stand empty with doors hanging off hinges, while the royal castle has been torn apart, its ruins a haunting reminder of a kingdom that has fallen into darkness. The statue of Sombra towers above the desolation, his stone features twisted into a permanent scowl, as if still glaring at those who dared to defy him.

As you step through the crumbling city gates, you feel a strange energy in the air—a mixture of sorrow and something darker, more dangerous. The crystals embedded in the walls pulse faintly, casting prismatic shadows that seem to move when you aren't looking directly at them. You've heard the stories of course, but standing here in the abandoned empire, they suddenly feel much more real.