Protheus walked alone through the ruins of the city.
The wind blew dust and ash across the broken streets. Old cars sat abandoned, their windows shattered. Buildings leaned dangerously, ready to fall at any moment. It was a world left behind, empty and silent.
Protheus pulled his cloak tighter around him. The world had changed after the invasion came. Cities that once shined with light were now broken shells. People either hid, fled, or were taken
He needed shelter. He needed a place where he could build, plan, and prepare for the battles to come.
"I can't wander out here for long," he said to himself.
"I need a strong base. Somewhere safe. Somewhere I can build."
He walked for hours, moving carefully through the wreckage. His magical eyes scanned every corner.
Once, a huge monster, its body covered in black scales and long sharp claws, crawled out from behind a crumbling building.
But the moment it saw Protheus, it froze form it spot.
It felt the weight of his power, it saw the abundance magic surrounding Protheus.
With a shriek of fear, the monster turned and fled into the shadows, disappearing into the ruins without looking back.
Protheus didn't even move.
He simply watched it run, his face calm.
"Good," he thought. "They should know fear."
Finally, after searching for hours, he saw it….
A huge building, still standing.
Bigger than anything around it.
Its sign hung crookedly but still readable:
'MALL OF ASIA'
Protheus stared at it for a long time.
The mall was enormous. Even from a distance, he could see its wide halls, tall walls, and large open spaces. It was like a fortress waiting to be claimed.
"This… this could work," he whispered.
He smiled, the first real smile he had in days.
Inside, the mall was dark and dusty.
Broken glass crunched under his boots.
Shops were empty. Escalators frozen. Some parts of the ceiling had collapsed, leaving piles of debris. But the structure itself were still strong.
Protheus walked carefully, checking each corner, each hallway.
He listened for any sounds, monsters, looters, anything. But all he heard was the distant cry of the wind.
"Yes, this will do" He nodded to himself.
But he couldn't live here as it was.
He had to rebuild it, make it into something new.
Something strong.
Something magical.
He stepped into the center of the mall, into a huge open area where once people must have gathered to shop, eat, and laugh.
He raised his hand.
"Come forth," he said.
The air shimmered in front of him. Magic circles appeared on the floor, glowing bright gold.
From these circles, figures began to rise, huge golems, made of stone and iron.
Their eyes glowed faint blue.
Their heavy footsteps made the ground shake.
Protheus had created them using his Production Magic, magic that could build, shape, and create.
Six golems stood before him now, waiting silently for his command.
Protheus smiled again.
He felt less alone.
"Listen," he said to his creations.
"We're going to build a home. A fortress and a place where we can fight back."
The golems did not speak, but they nodded slowly.
Protheus gave his first command.
"Clean up the debris," he said, pointing at the broken walls and piles of rubble. "Clear the space."
At once, the golems moved.
They worked fast but carefully, lifting huge chunks of concrete as if they weighed nothing.
Some golems gathered broken glass into piles.
Others carried twisted metal beams outside.
While they worked, Protheus closed his eyes and reached deep into his magic.
He imagined what he wanted:
- Thick stone walls to protect him
- Strong iron gates
- Watchtowers to see enemies from far away
- Beautiful halls filled with light and magic
He opened his eyes and smiled.
He would make this mall into something more.
Not just a shelter, a true base of power.
A place where he could rebuild hope.
Hours passed.
The golems worked without stopping, carrying heavy beams, stacking stones, smoothing the new walls.
Protheus crafted new defenses.
He sealed the old entrances with thick iron doors.
Above each entrance, he built tall watchtowers, places where magic energy could gather and fire down on enemies if needed.
He also reshaped the outside.
Around the mall, several low-rise parking structures stood, some half-collapsed, others blackened by fire.
Protheus decided to tear them down.
With a wave of his hand, his golems smashed through the ruined parking buildings. Using magic, he reshaped the broken concrete into flat courtyards, training fields, and gardens.
Soon, the land around the mall was cleared and open, perfect for building defenses.
But more importantly, he needed strong walls to protect the entire area.
Flying above in the center of the mall, he raised both hands and summoned deep magic from within him.
Golden magical cirlce with runes spun around him like a small storm.
The ground rumbled and cracked.
Slowly, massive walls of black stone rose up from the earth, surrounding the entire mall and parking lot.
Higher and higher they climbed.
Ten meters.
Fifteen meters.
Twenty meters.
Finally, the walls stopped growing at twenty-one meters tall, as high as a seven-story building.
Thick. Unbreakable. Carved with protective runes.
The mall was now hidden behind towering fortress walls, like a castle from an ancient fantasy world.
Protheus walked along the base of the walls, inspecting them.
He summoned his golems to carve walkways along the top, so guards could patrol and watch the land beyond.
He placed crystal beacons at each corner of the walls, magical stones that could fire blasts of energy if enemies got too close.
When it was done, he stood back and admired the work.
The Citadel of the Eternal Hope was no longer just a repaired mall.
It was a true fortress.
A place that could survive even the assault of demons and monsters
"Let them come," he thought with a fierce smile.
"I'll be ready."
Late into the night, as the stars slowly moved across the sky, Protheus sat down.
He wiped sweat from his forehead.
The mall. No, the fortress, was coming to life.
He looked around at the changes:
- Grand halls with high ceilings and magical lights
- Stone courtyards where trees whispered secrets
- Defensive towers with magic crystals ready to fire
- Heavy gates protected with runes, strong enough to stop even huge monsters.
And this was only the beginning.
"It feels alive," Protheus thought.
The golems stood nearby, their work done for now.
They hummed softly, their bodies glowing faintly in the dark.
Protheus chuckled.
Even though they weren't truly alive, he felt a strange warmth toward them.
"You did good work," he said.
The golems bowed their heads in silence.
The next morning….
Protheus stood at the highest point of the fortress , the roof that used to be a viewing deck.
He looked out over the ruined city.
From here, he could see far.
Smoke rose from distant fires.
Monsters moved in the streets, searching for prey.
The world was broken.
Danger was everywhere.
But not here.
Not anymore.
Protheus felt pride swell in his chest.
This place — the Citadel of the Eternal Hope — would be the first step in taking the world back from the evil gods.
But there was still more work to do.
He needed to make weapons.
He needed food supplies.
He needed magic barriers that could protect the fortress even when he wasn't there.
He needed allies.
Protheus tightened his cloak and made a list in his mind.
"One step at a time," he reminded himself.
"First, survive. Then, grow stronger. Then, fight back."
For the next few days, Protheus worked non-stop.
He built an underground storage room using magic, digging deep under the mall and reinforcing the tunnels with rune-marked magical circles.
He created a training ground — an open arena where he could practice his spells and combat skills.
He even turned one of the old cinemas into a war room, with a huge enchanted magical map showing nearby monster movements.
The fortress slowly became more than just walls and towers.
It became alive with purpose.
Protheus crafted hundred humanoid size golems that wandered the halls, ready to attack intruders.
He enchanted the outer walls to glow when danger approached.
The mall was no longer a shopping center.
It was a magical fortress ready for war.
One evening, as Protheus sat in the new throne room — once the mall's central atrium — he looked up at the enchanted glass ceiling.
Above him, stars glittered.
He felt a deep, heavy responsibility settle on his shoulders.
This fortress was more than just protection.
It was a promise.
A promise that even in a broken world, he would not give up.
A promise that the evil gods would be challenged.
A promise that hope could rise again.
Protheus closed his eyes and whispered:
"This is only the beginning."
He opened his eyes and stood up.
Tomorrow, he would start the next phase:
- Expanding the fortress outward.
- Exploring the ruin city for survivors.
- Gathering strength.
But for now…
For tonight…
He allowed himself a moment of peace.