One day before the eleventh expedition into the Land of Solitude began.

Stanley and Michael left the destroyed town of Clerud behind them, venturing eastward with no plans. Michael was a few paces ahead of Stanley, armed and at the ready at all times. Stanley, too, held his gun firmly in his hand, ready to defend himself if need be.

As the sun rose behind them, the moistness of the air dissipated. The clouds remained, leaving a gray overcast, but the air warmed up. The ground beneath Stanley's feet was not only dirt and sand anymore, but patches of weeds and grass had begun to spring up occasionally.

"You never went into detail of how exactly you wound up out here in the Land of Solitude," Michael said, looking behind his shoulder. "Does it have to do with what happened yesterday?"

Stanley shook his head. "No, I'm not sure myself what caused that. I've never had migraines all my life. Honest."

"So then what'd you do?"

Stanley looked at the ground. He went through a recounting of the events of the day leading to his escape. He left out his mysterious encounter with the boy and the weird object that caused an explosion, instead saying he trespassed which led to his rapid chase and escape.

Michael listened to his entire story without a word. When Stanley finished, he spoke. "What made you want to join the Guardian Force in the first place? Money?"

"I wanted a way to leave my home. I'm from the Red-Light District, you see, and I thought that if I rose the ranks in the military, I'd be able to get out of there, and away from my father."

"Your father?"

"Yeah. He's a drunkard who used to be respectable in the political scene. Something happened, and now he's a lowlife who can't say two words without a stutter or a hiccup."

"What would drive a man to that point?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Point is, I wanted out of there, and the military seemed the best place to do it." Stanley thought about Buddy, his old friend from the market district. If I'd just listened to him, went with him to Arlington. I would've never had to deal with any of this.

Michael hoisted his gun over his shoulder. The gun he used was a larger one with a thick strap. It looked like the type of gun that would fire quickly, but Stanley never asked. "I'm surprised you made it to Clerud, in all honesty."

Stanley tilted his head and grew a look of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, to put it simply, nobody makes it out here alive. I see dead skeletons all the time, all scattered about. You were lucky to not encounter any bandits or creatures. Though you did mention killing a Stalker. You've got balls, kid."

Stanley laughed in embarrassment. "I didn't have a choice. My life is practically over already, so I wanted to struggle to win. To fight." He shifted his gaze to the north, admiring the desolate, ruin-filled landscape. "What about you? What brought you here?"

Michael remained silent, as if thinking about his answer. "Rivercrest isn't exactly the greatest place to live right now. There's a good market for stuff not typically sold in normal markets. Rare stuff, artifacts, that sort of thing. As for everything else, that business is purely my own."

"What's it like in Rivercrest?"

"What's it like?" Michael gazed at the sky and thought for a while before giving his answer. "There isn't really a word that describes it, but in essence, it's incredible. Wide open fields, long winding rivers, that sort of thing. I haven't been there in some time, so I don't know if it looks like that now.

I see. Stanley noticed the clouds beginning to dissipate in the sky. The sun revealed itself, creating shadows over the small dunes in the landscape. Looking behind him, Stanley saw the town of Clerud, now a small dot in the landscape, disappear over the horizon. The grass patches became more common and Ashen Ravens flew overhead, their calls echoing through the empty fields.

"We're heading to a chain of ruins called the Valley of the Forgotten. We'll need to get something from there to enter our destination afterward." Michael reached into his satchel and pulled out a small compass.

"Reinbose?"

"What? No. We're going to a settlement of traders and bandits. Very set in their ways. The trail we're taking to Reinbose is under their supervision, so it'll help to get their blessing."

"Why do we need to go into the ruins then? Can't we trust that you've got a good relationship with them? Or take another trail?"

Michael stopped walking and turned around. "What you'll come to find is that out here, everybody wants favors. If we just stumble into the settlement and begin asking for things, they're gonna want something outta us. But if we come prepared, we won't have to deal with their stupid fetch quests. The Land of Solitude is only backed by one currency, and that currency is 'you do things for me, and so I'll do things for you'. It doesn't get simpler than that."

"But can't we just take another path?"

Michael sighed. "Every trail, every path, and every square meter is watched or controlled by somebody, many of whom I do not exactly have the greatest relationship with. If you want the easiest way to Reinbose, you're just gonna have to sit through this little detour."

Reluctantly, Stanley agreed, and they were off once again, now walking side by side, not speaking for a while.

Stanley was the first to break the silence. "So tell me, what kind of wares do you sell?"

Michael shot him a glaring stare before loosening up. "Normal things. Weapons, gunpowder, ammo, collectibles, you name it. I run across all kinds of people here, all asking for different things, so I help 'em, give 'em what they want, and in return, they give me things. Never money. Money has no use in the Land of Solitude. If they do give me money, I refuse it and request something else outta 'em. Why the sudden inquiry?"

Stanley shrugged. "No reason. Are there more of these trading outposts out there?"

"You mean like the one we're going to? Oh sure. It's kinda an allegiance thing, you know? Only trading with one group, giving them exclusive benefits, and they do the same. It's mutually beneficial."

"Do you ever get to visit some of the countries surrounding the Land of Solitude?"

"I already told you, I haven't been to Rivercrest in ages. Einrich ain't so easy to get into either. You've got that Guardian Force that shoots the smallest sign of life from a thousand miles away. Reinbose, though, I've never been. Never had the chance to, I guess. How about you? You ever go abroad?"

"You think I had the chance to—being stuck in the Red-Light District? Hell, I could barely leave the city before just a month ago!"

Michael chuckled. "Just thought I'd ask. Like I said, you're not the first Einrich citizen to pass through the Land of Solitude. Doubt you'll be the last too. Not sure where any of 'em end up though. I always ask, but none of 'em answer. It's always 'anywhere but here' or 'to freedom'. It was the same with you too. That's why when you said that Einrich was following you, I couldn't believe it. Part of me still doesn't. There're holes in your story leading up to Clerud, and I think they'll reveal themselves before we get to our destination."

"What makes you think there are holes in my story?"

Shrugging, Michael responded. "Maybe there aren't, that's just my hunch. I've heard many stories from seasoned travelers of the Land of Solitude. I've kinda got a decent hunch for when a story is half-truthful or fabricated. Plus, for you to make it out here alone on no food or water, defeat a Stalker without a gun and live to tell the tale? Either you're superhuman, or you're not telling me something. Again, I could be wrong, but that's the conclusion I've reached."

Stanley stayed silent, waiting for Michael to continue. He thought about his bout with the small child and the events he left out of his retelling.

Michael continued. "It's good, though. You never want to tell anyone your full story. Gives 'em too much leeway to blackmail you. Whether you did it on accident or for that purpose, it was a wise decision. That'll be the case with just about everyone you meet out here. Nobody's living to their true selves. Farces upon farces. Built on a foundation of lies, nobody trusts each other. Knowledge is key to survival out here. Nobody wants to relinquish theirs.

"That applies to me, too. Just 'cause I'm helping you out doesn't mean you should go around telling me anything and everything. We're business partners and that's about the thick and thin of it. If it's related to our deal, of course, I'll tell you, and you would be wise to do the same. Everything else, though?" Michael shrugged and shook his head several times. "Point is, be careful with who you spill your beans to."

Stanley remained quiet, keeping pace with Michael. The two moved quickly through the dead ground. Occasional creeks and dead trees had become commonplace now. When the two stopped for a break, Stanley took note of one such dead tree with a long metal object sticking out of it. He began walking towards it, quickly making his way to the vicinity of the tree. Immediately surrounding the tree was sand. The roots of the tree were hidden from sight, giving Stanley flat ground between him and the branchless tree.

Taking a step forward, he immediately felt the weight of the ground give way.

Stanley saw the sand around him fall, the tree falling sideways. Everything had been moving in slow motion. Below the thin layer of sand was a deep pit, a crater digging deep beneath the ground. Before he could fall any farther, a hand grabbed the back of his shirt and with immense strength threw him far from the crater. When Stanley had landed, he looked up and saw Michael grasping the edge of the crater, quickly climbing to the surface. Stanley jumped up and helped Michael regain his composure.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Once the ground had settled, Michael looked at Stanley and slapped him cleanly across the face. "You're about as stupid as they come, you know that?! What happened to sticking close to me?!"

"What the hell was that? The ground showed no signs of being completely without stability!"

"That was glass-sand. When bombs and other explosives destroyed the ground, some did so without destroying the surface tension of the top layer, leaving sand and dirt that gives way under any amount of weight. What the hell were you thinking?!"

"There was a tree with something sticking out of it, I thought it could be good to investigate and-"

Michael sighed and palmed his forehead. "That 'something' was a sign that glass-sand was there. There's tons of 'em all around, I'm surprised you haven't noticed them already. I get you're new to this place, but you should at least take precaution with anything remotely showing signs of life." Michael turned and faced the crater. The crater wasn't that large, but was deep enough to cause serious harm should anyone fall into it. The dead tree sat among the sharp rocks at the bottom, split and scattered across the hole. "Let's get moving."

Michael grabbed his things from the ground where they made camp and began heading on. Stanley took on last glance at the crater before running after the merchant.

* * *

"Here we are, the Valley of the Forgotten."

After travelling for the better part of the day, Stanley and Michael reached valley dipping below the ground. In the valley, several ruins piled on each other, some dipping below the ground, creating a large stone garden. Leading Stanley down into the Valley, Michael pointed out several of the ruins and what was held within them. Eventually, the two stopped at a smaller ruin near the back of the valley.

The ruin had three standing walls reaching no higher than Stanley's head and a fourth that had fallen under its own weight. In the center of the room was a small square hole with a wooden ladder running to the bottom.

"This is the Library of Whispers, as I've dubbed it," Michael began, wearing an excited expression on his face. "I've heard about eight explorations into it, but only one reached the bottom floor."

"Who did that?"

Michael looked at Stanley and pointed boastfully at himself with one of his thumbs. "Anyway, what we're here for is the Veil of Whispers. Apparently, according to the texts within the library, it can enhance all senses when worn."

"How is that possible?"

"It probably isn't. But it's the possibility that it does just that which makes it valuable. We give it to the leader of the outpost and before he can try it, we get permission to go to Reinbose, simple as that."

"What if someone had taken it before us?"

Michael burst out in explosive laughter. "Relax! Nobody knows about this place but us and, like, three others. We've all claimed our respective ruins, this one just happens to be mine."

So you're the one that explored it eight times... Stanley thought.

"Anyway, let's press onward!" Michael jumped to the ladder and began climbing down, Stanley quickly following him.

The ladder had taken them well below the ground. When Stanley reached the floor, Michael grabbed a torch laying about and lit it with materials from his satchel. When the torch was lit, Stanley saw ahead of them a great atrium. The walls were adorned with towering columns and faded artwork, while the ceiling was held up by towering archways. Sunlight found its way through the few cracks in the ceiling, protruding beams of dusty light to the ground. The scent of parchment filled Stanley's nostrils as he followed Michael further into the large hallway.

"This is the Main Atrium," Michael explained. "Stay close, it's easy to get lost here."

They passed several doors and hallways, each surrounded by towering shelves of books, their spines faded and rotting.

"How big is this place?" Stanley asked.

"Not sure, I've probably only explored roughly sixty percent of it. There isn't much in the hallways, just more books."

"Is this where you got the books below the chapel?"

Michael chuckled. "No, those books were already there. I did bring some from here to there, but I always returned them when I came back." Michael waved his torch around, highlighting the enormous bookshelves. "Most of these books are on random things, like medical procedures or historical events. A lot of it is in a language I can't even read. I can only guess they're from before the Great Cataclysm."

"The Great Cataclysm?"

"Time before time. It's just a hypothesis, but there's a lot of evidence showing that there was something that caused a mass extinction across the continent about 500 years ago. That all advanced civilization at the time was completely wiped off the face of the planet. You know the calendar we use right now?"

"The Hrofth one, right?"

"Yeah, it's made by the Holy State of Hrofth saying that Ein birthed the world 500 years ago, and that everything before was the 'dark ages'. What if these 'dark ages' in question weren't in fact dark ages, but instead a giant advanced civilization that had its own customs, cultures, and countries. I believe Hrofth had something to do with the covering up of this Great Cataclysm."

"What makes you think that the Holy State would do something like that? The way I see it, they would have nothing to gain."

"Couldn't say. My best guess is that it probably goes against their teachings. Religious text is very specific in what it teaches, I wouldn't be surprised if there were texts from before the Great Cataclysm that explained everything I'm saying."

"What do you think caused it—the Great Cataclysm I mean?"

"Like I said, it's just a hypothesis. From what I've read, though, the ancient civilization had better technology than what we have right now, maybe that played a role."

"Does anyone else know about this hypothesis?"

"Oh, sure. In fact, across the Land of Solitude it's taken as fact. It's only officially a hypothesis because nobody really knows what caused it or how Hrofth fits into it. I'm sure other countries take it as fact as well, but don't give two damns to bring it up."

Eventually, the two stopped at one of the doors, wedged shut by force. Michael took a step away from the door before kicking it open with great might. The door flew back, completely dislodging from the frame it was attached to. Behind the door was a long, short hallway. The walls were lined by bookshelves with thousands of books within them.

Michael led Stanley once again through the hallway, telling him not to touch anything. At the end of the hallway was a small room. No books lined the walls, and the cobblestone which made up the walls was crumbling under its own weight. Michael felt around the room before grabbing onto a stone and pushing it in. A hidden passageway revealed itself with a revolving staircase heading downstairs.

The two took large strides as they went down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they came upon another large hall. No books dawned the walls, instead faded artwork surrounded them with tall marble pillars holding the ceiling up.

"This is the Main Hall," Michael explained. "Not sure what its purpose was, but we need to go deeper-"

Before Michael could finish his thought, a loud deep groan echoed through the large chamber. Booming footsteps shook the ground while the large groans echoed and bounced around the walls. Immediately Michael grabbed Stanley by the arm and pulled him behind a pillar.

"What was-"

Michael shushed Stanley. The footsteps continued to echo throughout the chamber while the deep groan faded in and out. Michael peered around the pillar and stuck the torch out before quickly turning back. He began to breathe heavily and began looking around for an idea. Stanley stayed silent, watching Michael scramble for an idea.

We need to be very, very quiet, Michael mouthed. It can't see, but it can hear. He paced around the pillar and waved Stanley to follow him. The two hugged the wall as they continued further into the main hall, hearing the deep groan along the way. Suddenly, the groan stopped.

When Michael noticed the silence, he immediately stopped moving. He exchanged glances with Stanley, holding his breath. After a moment of silence, a high pitched screech resounded in the chamber, causing Stanley to lose his balance and falling to the ground. Immediately after, a giant figure crashed through two of the pillars. The pillars scattered among the air, falling at Stanley and Michael's feet. The figure was tall and rugged, its back reaching the ceiling. Its broad shoulders and powerful limbs carried a force unlike Stanley had ever seen, and its face was absent of eyes, instead housing two large ears that moved at the speed of a chicken's head.

"He heard us, we need to go!" Michael yelled at Stanley.

Stanley looked up at Michael, his ears still ringing from the screech. He understood what he was saying and quickly got to his feet. Behind him, he heard a slam and when he looked behind him, a large hand-like object fell to the ground before lifting itself up. It turned towards Michael and Stanley, swiveling its gigantic body quickly.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Stanley exclaimed, grabbing his gun.

"A Behemoth." Michael continued to look for a way out of their situation calmly. "It must've woken up since the last time I was here."

The Behemoth swung its large arms around, breaking everything in its path. It took large, booming steps that quickly gained its pace, each step shaking the ground and everything on it.

"Follow me." Michael said calmly. He tossed his torch far ahead and quietly wrapped around one of the pillars, entering the large open area in the hall. Stanley quickly understood what he was doing and followed in his footsteps.

They quickly crossed the main hall, hearing behind them the behemoth wreaking havoc. When they reached the other side. Michael reached inside his satchel and grabbed a matchbox. He quickly lit the match and led Stanley along the wall further.

The two walked along the wall quietly but with haste, holding their hands to the wall the entire time. The behemoth continued to destroy the area around it before seizing and returning to its deep groan. When the two of them reached the end of the hall, they turned a corner and found a set of short stairs in front of them. Michael led Stanley up the stairs and to a set of old metal chairs facing the hall.

Michael pointed at the largest chair and ushered his fingers to tell Stanley they were to lift it, and move it out of the way. Stanley nodded and the two grabbed hold of the chair. They lifted it, but Stanley's grip slipped and caused the chair to slam to the ground with great noise.

Immediately, the behemoth's steps became louder and faster. Michael reacted quickly and pulled the chair out of the way, revealing a small trapdoor beneath the chair. Stanley swung it open and the two jumped in a moment before the behemoth's hand swung at where they had just been.

Beneath the trapdoor had been a small hallway like the one leading to the hidden staircase but with a shorter ceiling and wider walls. Michael had found a wall torch and lit it with another match from his satchel.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really just stupid," Michael said, pressing onward.

"Well, I'm sorry. I've never had to interact with giant beasts that can hear your every move."

"Whatever, we're almost to the veil."

Michael led Stanley down the small hall, which got smaller the deeper they got through. Eventually, the size of the hallway was so small that all Stanley could do was crawl immediately behind Michael. There was a tight squeeze which pressed down onto Stanley's back before he was immediately relieved. The small room was well lit, not by torches but by what sat in the center of the room. A white veil perched on a small pedestal, resting on a small red pillow.

Michael retrieved the veil and put it in his satchel. "Well, we've got the veil. Let's go."

"That's it?! Simple as that?"

"I've never been in this room, the main hall was as far as I've gotten, I'd no idea it would be this easy."

With that, Michael crouched and led the way out of the square room. Stanley got one last look at the small room before crouching and following him.

"So how do we deal with the behemoth?" Stanley asked.

"A diversion. We use the torch to create a noise off to the side, allowing us to slip off in the opposite direction. Hopefully, if all goes well, we'll get out in no time."

Stanley nodded and continued to follow Michael through the gradually increasing hallway. The two reached the trapdoor they'd entered before and realized there was no ladder to climb up to the ceiling.

"I'll get on your shoulders," Michael said. "I'll throw the torch and pull you up."

Stanley hesitated but agreed. He crouched down and allowed Michael to stand on his shoulders, hoisting him up to the level above. When Michael reached the ceiling, he reached down and pulled Stanley up, putting his finger to his mouth again. To Stanley's surprise, the behemoth had gone away, meaning they could head down the stairs and along the wall to the spiral staircase.

Michael led the way, leading Stanley along the closest wall to the end of the hall, where the spiral staircase stood. They heard the deep groans of the behemoth as it stomped around, but it never heard the two in their escape.

They climbed the spiral staircase and out into the main hall, climbing the ladder to escape the ruins.

"Easy as that," Michael exclaimed. "I bet you were thinking it'd be harder!"

Stanley sighed. "You've got me there. I guess it helps when you've explored that thing eight times."

Michael chuckled. “Yeah, but now we’ve got the veil, so we’ve just gotta make it over to the outpost and then it’s straight on to Reinbose. Shall we?”

Michael led Stanley back through the crowds of ruins and out of the valley. From the entrance, the valley appeared much smaller than it had been. Stanley followed Michael, keeping himself a pace behind his leader.