445 444: History of Gravenstone City; Starfallen


    "What did he mean by that?"


    Pam softly repeated Corey''s words while sipping from her cup of tea. She took another sip, and then she slowly dropped the cup of tea.


    "To answer your question, let me start by telling you about the history of Gravenstone City I was able to obtain through the books in the library."


    Pam rested her back on the chair, and then she crossed her legs by cing her left leg on top of her right leg.


    "A long time ago, Gravenstone City was a fortress founded by a legendary order known as The Chainbearers. They were a group of seven Ascendants, and they were devoted to sealing an ancient entity known as the Starfallen. It was said that the Starfallen was a being from outside the shattered dimension who had been summoned during a cataclysmic ritual that destroyed the original fortress and a fourth of the shattered dimension."


    "To prevent it from unleashing more devastation, the Chainbearers sacrificed themselves by embedding their souls into their Genesis Armaments which are the seven chains you see anchoring the city. Legends say that the chains cannot be broken or moved unless the entity beneath awakens, in which case, the chains would shatter, allowing the Starfallen to reim its form."


    At this point, Corey could not help but interrupt Pam.


    He raised his hand, "Sorry, sorry, but I have a question."


    Pam stopped speaking, and then she nodded, signaling for Corey to continue.


    "You said that the seven chains were the Genesis Armaments of the Chainbearers who were Ascendants…"


    Pam nodded, and Corey frowned.


    "But how''s that possible? I clearly remember you saying that the seven chains were Ancient Weapons, not Genesis Armament."


    Pam nodded once more, and then she spoke, "You''re right. I was also confused when I read this, and unfortunately, I wasn''t able to get a satisfactory and concrete answer."


    "I was told that it''s because the Chainbearers died and the Old Ones were also involved."


    Corey''s frown deepened for a second, but then his expression went back to normal and he gestured for Pam to continue.


    "Recently, there have been tremors that shook the cliff and the city, and the citizens here live with the unnerving reality that each tremor they feel is not a natural earthquake but a sign of the Starfallen stirring below."


    "It''s said that the battle between the seven ascendants and the Star Fallen was so great that it caused great changes to this region of the shattered continent that they changed the name of this region from the Chainbearers Region to the Starfallen Region."


    "I heard that there''s a danger zone called The Morphing Expanse where thend is always changing. It can be and filled with mountains at one point, then it can randomly change to a desert that rains."


    "I also heard rumors that there''s a Principality in the Morphing Expanse."


    ''He''s not a Principality, but a Power.'' Corey thought while resisting the urge to speak out loud. To his relief, Selene did not say anything in response to Pam''s words.


    However, what Corey did not know was that Selene was savoring and enjoying the never-ending snacks and fruit juice. Although she was also paying attention to Pam''s words, since her mouth was filled with pineapple juice, and Corey did not tell Pam that they went to the Morphing Expanse, she decided to keep shut and enjoy her drink and snacks.


    10:04


    Not knowing of Corey and Selene''s thoughts, Pam continued speaking.


    "Apart from the Morphing Expanse, the fog you see outside is also a danger zone. It''s called the Fog of Death."


    "There are many existences rted to death in the Fog of Death. There are a lot of zombies, ghouls, death knights, ghouls, and even various types of ghosts like specters and wraiths in the fog."


    "Ghosts?" Selene paused what she was doing, and stared at Pam with a stunned expression.


    Pam nodded, "Yes, ghosts… Are you by chance… afraid of ghosts?"


    Selene paused for a second, and then grabbed a snack and took a bite from it while shaking her head.


    "Not at all, not at all." She mumbled softly.


    ''She''s scared of ghosts.'' Pam and Corey thought at the same time.


    Pam shook her head softly, and then she continued.


    "Apart from those monsters I just mentioned, I also heard that there''s a Principality in the depths of the fog, and the Principality''s mere presence makes the fog more dangerous."


    "The reason why that guard said Gravenstone City is a cursed and forsaken city of the Old Ones is because no citizen of Gravenstone has been able to be an Ascendant. In fact, there''s only one Dreadkeeper, and he''s getting old."


    "The citizens of Gravenstone believe that they have been cursed and forsaken by the Old Ones because no matter how much they try, they have not been able to produce another Dreadkeeper, talk less of an Ascendant."


    "Also, there are times when thousands of monsters would attack the city, and then they''ll have to fight a bloody fight to protect their city." Corey''s brows furrowed slightly, and he could not help but ask the most important question on his mind.


    "Do we have to go through the Fog of Death or the Morphing Expanse to leave the Starfallen Region?"


    ''If I have to face another being like the Capra King in the Fog of Death, then I''d rather go back to the Morphing Expanse and try to escape through the desert.''


    ''There''s no way I''m trying my luck with another powerful being like the Capra King.''


    Just as Corey had this thought, he saw Pam nod, and he could not help but curse out loud.


    "Fuck!"


    He was about to grit his teeth in anger, but then he heard Pam chuckle.


    "What?" Corey frowned deeply, and Pam chuckled the more.


    "You''ll have to pass through the Morphing Expanse or the Fog of Death to leave the Starfallen Region if you do not have at least a temporary ancient seal. Luckily, you''ll be getting your temporary ancient seal tomorrow."


    Corey''s frown reduced, but a slight frown could still be seen on his face. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What do you mean?"


    Pam smiled, "A benefit of the ancient stone of a city is that you can use it to teleport from one city to another city, but you need at least a temporary ancient seal."


    "A temporary ancient seal needs permission to use the ancient stone of a city to teleport to another city, but a permanent ancient seal doesn''t need permission."


    ''Do I need to get a permanent ancient seal?... I can only imagine how stressful it''ll be for me to acquire permission to use the ancient stone of another city or even Gravenstone City if Pam was not here to help.''