Nothing changed about the great hall. It was the same stone floor, the same pillars, the same throne on a dais, and the same sword in a stone.
Well except for one little thing. Behind the throne stood a new construct, one that she remembered very well. Carved of the same white stone and with the same smooth surface that had her illustration inscribed beautifully onto it. Standing with her image displayed for all in the great hall to see.
The Monolith of Passage.
Yet the illustration wasn't the same as the depiction of her in the center of worlds. Here it showed her releasing the string of a bow, an arrow was already gone. It portrayed her as valiant and powerful, but she knew the truth.
"Stories are made by the victors" Hilde mused.
Her eyes left the monolith to glance around the room. What would happen now was what she waited to see. Yet as expected the system was quiet.
With a sigh, she decided to inform the Unborn of her victory before having them scour the place for anything new while she went offline. Leaving the sword where it was her feet moved to take her to the large double doors at the end of the grand path. The doors parted with a push and Hilde paused blinking in confusion at the sight before her.
Her confusion and whatever question she had to ask were numbed down by the system message appearing before her in bold letters
[WELCOME TO ASWINGNIR - CHAINED CITY OF THE TARTAREAN RIFTS]
The messages didn't halt there though as more flooded in.
> [You have conquered a Tower and claimed the right to its city. All the territory on the chained city counts as a safe zone for you and your allies. Your allies can harm each other within this safe zone without any death penalty going into effect]
> [Access to the Monolith of Passage marked by Creator 79 is given to her Universe lifeforms within this city]
> [Attack boon within the city is at 30%]
> [Defence boon within the city is at 40%]
> [Create a passage point for your universe lifeforms to enter your city]
> [Urging universe lifeforms to fight in your name earns a Creator ORP]
> [ORP can be converted into MVC, Exp, and used to gain entrance into more Outer realm worlds]
> [1 ORP -> 10 MVC]
> [1 ORP -> 100Exp]
Hilde wasn't sure what shocked her more. The slew of information or the fact that the system actually gave this much information.
"Didn't the game intend to let us figure it all out ourselves?" she sneered before shaking her head.
'If the system found it appropriate to tell me then it must be important ' she thought. With a sigh, she stepped out the doors and into what was a grand courtyard. A grand courtyard within a fortress as described by the system.
Her eyes found herself on the top of a mountain. Behind her rose the white walls of the Tower. It was larger from the outside than within. Around her was a field of red grass up to the edges of the mountaintop. A flight of grand stairs went from the top descending to the ground.
It was weird how there were no walls or gates surrounding the said fortress but she made no thoughts about it for the moment.
Standing at the edge she looked down and gasped. Below sprawled in all directions was the city of Aswingnir. Even from this vantage point far up she could see the lack of life within its buildings and streets. It was a typical medieval-type fantasy city, large and covering quite a huge amount of space.
Some spots within the city were empty, filled with just bare land and fields. A look around the sides told her the city spanned to the west and east with the fortress standing as the last thing on the south.
Great walls rose at the very edge of the land forming a wide ring around from one side of the mountain to the other side.
What lay beyond?
Hilde ran down the flight of stairs her accelerated speed making her a blur of movement that brought her to the ground level.
The flight of stairs ended at a shattered wall just after it. Only the base of the wall was left as evidence of its existence. Right past the wall was the start of a field with red grasses.
> [Leaf of Divine Fire]
Hilde trekked past the long field and into the city. Another gate, this one closed and intact stood at the entrance. The white walls that kept the city separated from the field were thinner with various marks of damage and scorch on them. Some parts were caved in, fallen totally, or just had holes.
Hilde found herself entering through one of the various holes in the city. It was a saddening sight to take in such a scene. Around her was an empty city with not a living thing in sight. It reminded her of the white world. Abandoned and lost. Not willing to be annoyed she hurried through the streets ignoring the silence till she got to the other side.
It was a fairly large city so with the highest speed she could muster it was possible to reach there within half an hour. The walls at that location stood taller and wider. Triple the size of the walls behind. A more defensive wall than the previous one.
Unlike the other though there was no gate. Just an open space where a portcullis was once meant to be.
Ignoring it all she walked past, her intent focused on seeing everything within the chained city before logging off. She had no thoughts of fixing anything now if she could.
A large plain of hot gold sand filled the space a mile after the gate. From the end of the grasses, the sand started to the very end of a drop-off.
One that Hilde halted at while looking down with sheering horror.
It was here that she finally noted the smell and the harsh burn of sulfur and ash. She had smelled it before on her first day in the Tower but had ignored it and almost gotten used to the burn.
Now she knew why.
Below was a world of fire. A sea of lava, mountains of volcanoes with continuous eruptions, and forests with tongues of red flames as leaves.
It was a rather gruesome rendition of what a possible hell could look like. To the far distance, so far it looked like a journey of several days if not a month a large tree stood.
So large it ascended into the sky.
"Wait sky" she looked. Her gaze caught the sight of something unappealing.
What should have been a sky or might be a sky was a thick blanket of gray and red clouds covering every inch above. The thick smoke of the burning world below continuously rose to join this cloud.
Looking now she noted how it spread in all directions even covering the city. Her gaze moved down and she noted something.
Thick chains as large as a dozen tunnels conjoined together anchored the floating city to the burning world.
"Floating. Aswingnir is a flying city. Above a world on fire and beneath a cloud of gray and red that might be equally dangerous. " Her head spun at the danger levels this city screamed.
> [TARTAREAN RIFTS]
> Tilitat, the First Amender was happy. Silence his friend. All was tranquil. Then Jorner the One, forged from himself the blight as Tilitat saw them. The First Amender fumed and raged. His queries and grievances were argued. In his anger, he descended.
>
> You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
The information stunned her. She remembered the Tartarean rifts being the option chosen back at the Center of worlds.
Another lore. Another story. Things weren't adding up. It made no sense. But she knew at least that the divinity of flame that controlled the elf and Gursers was connected in many ways to what caused these fires.
Still, what had happened to the city? To its dwellers?
'You might have to figure it all out later. Tora has found something '. Akasha muttered in her head. Hildelith frowned. Her mind went from trying to understand all this to what Tora could find that she needed to head back for.
'What's so special about it?'. Her mind was unrelenting in leaving this mystery before her unsolved.
'I might have skipped over something quite large'. Her eyes turned blueish gray as Akasha linked her back to her universe. A shiver went down Hildelith's spine as she saw a scale the size of a wall and deep purple eyes that were so familiar she almost screamed his name.
'How in the Rifts did you miss that?'.
'We've barely been here and you're already coining it into a term?'.
'Akasha!'.
'Right. Right. Sorry. So, you know when I spread across things and all of your universe, I register and record things into the Rack. Well eh, I didn't really understand what I was looking at. So I might have tagged it as a Primordial Chaos veil'.
Hilde's eyes narrowed. 'A Primordial chaos veil. In Vaustaris'.
'Hehehe. Well, remember the fight you had with the Unborn down there. Your blood spilled. So did that of the Unborn so I just figured it was something like that and decided to let it be for now since it didn't trigger any warnings'.
'You have warnings? What warnings?'.
'Oh, I have a boundary breach, a world destabilization, an energy destabilization, a source point malfunction, a ...'
'Okay, okay. I didn't even know there were shit like that. So you overlooked this thing and now it's, well it's this'.
'Hmmh. Yep'. The force just hummed. Hildelith sighed. She looked around again at everything.
"So many questions. But I guess I'll leave them for later. Right now I have a...really big thing to see". She turned and walked back.
Arriving inside, at the very center of the city Hilde paused and stood. If she needed a point for her universe lifeforms to visit here then why not create one within the city itself? While she felt she should make it within the tower she decided to have them spawn here. Leave the tower to herself or the kids. If the gods or players wanted something for themselves then they could build it.
'Could create an economy too. The Unborns might love to see this place have life again'. Akasha spoke again.
Hildelith nodded. 'But that's for later. May we can use this for what comes next for the players'. She thought.
Reading her intent to set a passage point a prompt appeared.
> [Would you like to set a Passage Point]
> [Y/N]
Affirming she watched as a red box appeared before her. It changed color from either red to green as she moved it about. Once she had it carefully set at the center of the city and it was green she agreed then watched as a ring of marble walls rose from the ground. The next thing that happened was a shocker. Hildelith felt her eyes burn.
"Huh". Then itch. "What the ... Tears poured from her eyes. It was like literal golden floods that rushed and spilled into the ring of marble. Soon the pond was filled to the brim.
> [Pond of The Absolute]
> [It's just drinking water, maybe. Also a passage to any realms unlocked by the Mother. (if you've not been clear all this while, that's you).
> Effect 1 - Allies killed will respawn here.
> Effect 2 - Pond of the Absolute will negate 30% of all death penalties.]
While Hildelith didn't bother reacting to the game's first-ever jab at her Akasha wasn't taking it. The little thing in her head using the bits of Akashic Force in Hildelith's body manifested herself to shake her tiny hands at the dark ashen heavens.
"Come along Akasha and stop throwing a tantrum". Hilde called to her already walking off. Akasha made a show of kicking air then quickly hurried after herself sapping the trail of Akashic energy left by herself Perched atop Hildelith's head both returned to the mountain and began the grueling task of ascending the stairs to the fortress.
Inside Hildelith found that a few things had changed. The door to the hallway she left the Unborn at had opened and they were now all within the Great Hall eyeing the non-antagonistic Holy Flame armor.
'Wonder how a fight between both would go'.
"Your city is retaken" she announced. Their eyes returned to her instantly.
First looked relieved yet his sadness was palpable. When asked about the battle, Hilde explained a few things. First and the rest looked to the ground, their sadness about the outcome with the elf visible yet it was clear this was expected.
"Thank you. For releasing Lord Alezk. For releasing us". he went on one knee set a hand to his chest and bowed his head low.
Hilde made a face before nodding mentally. it was quite surprising but not unlikely that the elf had been the Alezk mentioned in the lore.
"I only wish I could have done more, but it had to be this way. Such vile use of one's divinity is improper and I feel he wished to rest" I spoke. "His soul had been through so much". Their heads bobbed in agreement at the last part.
"Take heart. Watch over the city. But do not go beyond the walls. Assign some of your brothers to a pond I made in the city center. I'll return to set more of the armor to it later. I have a lot torrnage back in my home. But you all are welcome there as well. Of course, if you wish to remain here it is no problem. I assure you, this place will likely not remain the same."
Leaving the last instruction and also telling them to find anything within tbe tower and city that was different and useful Hilde walked up to the Monolith behind the throne.
Her eyes went to the sword. Then the throne and finally the Monolith.
'So much to know. So much to understand.' she thought. 'I'd thought we'd be creating our own lores. But in a way, I guess it makes sense. Our universes exist for our lore and how we wish to shape our story. But here, here is something else'.
Placing her hands on the stone she found the prompt before her that showed her the information she'd been lacking all this while.
> [MONOLITH OF PASSAGE]
> [MARKED BY CREATOR HILDELITH]
> [Lv2 - 2419 ORP]
> [AVAILABLE...]
> [TARTAREAN RIFTS] - 10 ORP
> [...]
> [RETURN]
> [CENTER OF WORLDS] - 20 ORP
> [...]
> [CONVERT ]
> [ORP >> MVC]
> [ORP>>EXP]
'So coming is cheaper than leaving. ' she shook her head with an eye roll.
'That's too much ORP. Right? It feels fake. Like its too good to be true. ' she mused staring at the excess ORP points.
'Nah. I'll hold off on any action until I'm able to understand it all. For now, I'll just convert to Exp and level up cause I deserve it. But not much. I'll figure it all out later.'
The dings of level-ups filled her head until her status displayed by Akasha in her mind showed the message she wanted.
[Welcome to the Rack Of Life Creator 79]
[Record position - Absolute]
[SCREEN 1]
[Host - Hildelith 'Fearghal' Ironstone]
[Moniker - The Warrior One]
[Feats - Creation's Witness, Motivated, Source Point Creator, Striking Out
[Titles -One of the Speakers, Ender of the Beginning]
[Entity - Creator 79]. [Race - Nothing]
[Racial Type - Primordial Nothingness Entity]
[Level - 16(780/1600]. [Health - 24/24(960/960) LEVEL - 20(2000/2000). (HEALTH - 28/28 (476/476)
[Core - One -Spark]. [Karma - #]
[Cultivation Base - Null]
[SCREEN 2]
[Higher Energies Used - Nothingness/100%, Aether/100%, Primordial Chaos/90%, Divinity/100%, Akasha/100%]
[Lesser Energies Used - Null]
[Elements - Life, Earth, Space]
[Physicalities. [Abstract
Might - 265+(50) Focus - 316(347.6) + (20)
Mobility - 325+(30) Perception - 10
Physicality - 280, Abstract - 255(249.9)20
Defense - 10(30+20). Soul - 10
MOA - # Akasha - #
[Free Stat Points - 100]
[SCREEN 3]
[Racial Perks- Absolute Nothingness Authority]
[Racial Perk Skills - Form of Nothing, Nothingness Empowerment/5%, Primordial Nothingness Generation
[Racial Perk Skills - Nothingness Handblast, Sword Beam Cut, Nothingness Saturation, Nothingness Removal, Existence Erasure,
[Racial Ability - Balance Aspect]
[Racial Skills - Spellcasting, Balance Magic,
[Racial Skills - Non-existent
[Racial Ability - Universe Force Manipulation]
[Racial Skills - Astronomical Object Manipulation, Astronomical Matter Creation
[Racial Skills - Subatomic Manipulation
[General Skills - Eye of The Unseen, Aether Projection, Extra Sensory Perception, Godform, Primordial Chaos Generation, Eye of Fate, Divinity Generation, Aether Generation, Divinity Emission, Divine Cloak/10%, Aura/5%, Sword Might/13, Dagger Master/18, System Creation, Soul Erasure Resistance, Akasha Generation, Mystical energies generation, Energy Storage, Divine Devour, Divine Empowerment, Energy Metabolization, Holy Breath, Flame of Life, Primordial Ice, Primordial Flame, Divine Fist, Golem Armor]
[Akasha Magic - Life, Death, Elemental, Space]
[Arts - Primordial Chaos Arts, Soul DaoArts, Elemental Arts]
[Insights - Divine Purity, Earthen Grace, Earthen Forge, Spark Splitter]
[Inventory - SHARDS, 172(Lesser), 2012
(Minor), 65(Great), 1(Greater), 1(High)
1(Higher), 1(Divine). ITEMS - Xena's Chakram, Harbinger, Bane of Heroes, Mask of the Fortunate, Ring of The Lost, Primordial Ice Spear, Shield]
[Equipped - Uliloc Helm, Hera's Gown, Cloak of the Absolute, Crown of the Supreme, Atlas Belt, Boots of Hermes, Vulkans Prize,]
> [Shop]
> [EYE OF THE WORLDS]
[Author's Note: Next Chapter comes on Monday by 5PM. Let's see what Tora could possibly find]