In the final days before the gods returned to Gielinor, Falador stood as the last great symbol of order in a world slowly descending into fear.
Its white stone walls remained untouched by war, its temples filled daily with prayer, and its knights continued patrolling the roads of Asgarnia with unwavering discipline. To many across the kingdoms, Falador represented safety — the one city strong enough to withstand whatever darkness was approaching.
But behind its shining walls, even Falador was beginning to crack.
The Church of Saradomin grew more powerful than ever during these final months. Thousands traveled to the city seeking protection as rumors spread of chaos rising across the north. Priests preached constantly within the great cathedral, declaring that only faith and unity could preserve civilization if the old horrors of the God Wars returned.
The White Knights expanded their presence throughout the city soon after.
Checkpoints appeared across major roads leading into Falador while patrols doubled along the walls. Visitors entering the city were questioned heavily, especially travelers arriving from Varrock, the Wilderness, or Kandarin. Officially, the knights claimed these precautions were necessary to maintain peace.
Unofficially, they feared infiltration.
Reports had already reached the city describing Zamorakian cults forming across Gielinor. Entire villages near the Wilderness had reportedly vanished overnight, and several captured spies carried symbols tied to ancient followers of Zamorak once thought destroyed after the Third Age.
Yet the greatest threat to Falador came not from outside the walls, but from division within them.
Some members of the White Knights believed Saradomin’s return was inevitable and began preparing openly for holy war. Others feared that welcoming divine influence again would repeat the destruction of the original God Wars. Arguments within the knightly orders became increasingly hostile as tensions rose throughout the kingdom.
The Temple Knights quietly intensified their operations during this period.
Secret arrests took place across Falador’s districts as suspected cultists, smugglers, and political agitators disappeared into hidden prison cells beneath the city. Rumors spread that the Temple Knights had uncovered evidence of a massive conspiracy operating within Falador itself, though few knew how deep the corruption truly went.
Meanwhile, strange events began occurring throughout the city.
Sacred statues inside the cathedral reportedly moved during prayer. Candles extinguished themselves whenever Zamorak’s name was spoken aloud. Several priests claimed to witness visions of armies burning across the fields surrounding Falador while crimson storms gathered over the horizon.
Outside the city walls, the countryside suffered more with each passing week.
Refugees fleeing northern territories arrived daily bringing stories of ruined farms, undead creatures wandering roads at night, and massive armies gathering in hidden camps beyond the Wilderness. The roads between Falador and Varrock became increasingly dangerous as trade caravans vanished or arrived escorted by wounded mercenaries.
Then came the disappearances beneath the city.
Miners working deep within the Dwarven Mines reported hearing distant chanting echoing from sealed tunnels below the earth. Entire excavation teams vanished after uncovering ancient chambers buried beneath the stone. Surviving miners spoke of finding old war relics engraved with symbols from the Third Age before the tunnels collapsed behind them.
The dwarves sealed several lower sections of the mines soon after.
By the final week before the return, Falador had become a fortress preparing for apocalypse.
The gates closed before sunset every night. White Knights patrolled constantly through the streets. Refugees filled the outer districts while nobles argued over whether the city should declare itself the center of a renewed Saradominist alliance.
Still, many believed the walls of Falador would protect them.
Then the sky split apart above Gielinor.
A crimson light burned across the heavens as divine energy shook the city to its foundations. The great cathedral bells rang violently without human hands touching them. Ancient wards hidden beneath Falador shattered instantly as magical fire spread through forgotten chambers below the city.
And within the cathedral itself, several priests collapsed at once after hearing the same whisper echo through their minds:
“The gods have returned.”