The truth about the continent

The great explosion and the brutal massacre shook the city to its very core. Edwin Summer, the renowned Earl and one of the three Master Knights residing in the city, had perished, creating waves of confusion and despair.

Amidst the chaos, some people mourned for the loss of the Summer Household, while others rejoiced, finally freed from the shackles of oppression that had held them captive for so long.

One such person was Daniel Nercrafter, a revered 3-star Artificer, who had been imprisoned by the Summers but was now liberated.

"I humbly apologize for imprisoning you, Sir Daniel," an elderly bald man asked for forgiveness. He was the warden of the prison where Daniel was held captive, forced to do the Summer Family's bidding.

"You need not apologize, my good man. You have treated me well during my confinement, and I know you were compelled to follow the Summers' orders," Daniel replied in a calm and collected manner.

The elderly warden heaved a sigh of relief, grateful for Daniel's understanding and magnanimity. "Thank you, Sir Daniel," he said, bowing his head in respect.

Evangeline hugged her father tightly, her tears streaming down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably. It was the first time she had seen her father in years, and the joy of finally being reunited was too much for her to bear.

"Father, I'm so glad you're finally free," she cried, holding onto him as if she would never let go.

"I'm sorry, Evangeline. I never meant for you to suffer because of my mistakes," Daniel said, his voice filled with regret.

"It's not your fault, Father. The Summer family was to blame," she replied, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes.

They stood there for what felt like an eternity, embracing each other and letting out all of their pent-up emotions. It was a beautiful moment, one that they would cherish for the rest of their lives.

Daniel's gaze shifted towards another person, the young man who stood behind Evangeline.

"And who might you be, young man?" Daniel asked, his tone curious yet cautious.

"He's a friend, father," Evangeline replied, wiping her tears.

"He saved my life," she added, looking at Sid with gratitude.

Daniel nodded in understanding and then turned his attention to Sid. "Thank you for saving my daughter's life. I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Sid nodded in response. "I was just doing what I could," he said, his voice calm.

Evangeline, still emotional, sobbed and hugged Sid tightly. "Thank you, thank you," she repeated, her voice trembling.

Sid, surprised by her sudden embrace, froze for a moment before gently hugging her back. "It's okay," he said softly, trying to calm her down.

Daniel smiled at the scene before him, glad that his daughter was safe and grateful for the young man who had helped her. The destruction of the Summer Family had brought chaos to the city, but at least they were now free from their tyranny.

"Let's go home, Evangeline," Daniel said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "It's time to start a new life."

***

Inside Daniel's villa.

"So he came to save me," Daniel said, a wistful smile on his lips as if remembering someone important.

"Who was that man? Why is he so powerful?" Sid asked, his curiosity piqued.

Daniel paused for a moment, his mind lost in thought.

"That man called himself 'Darkness,' and he's from the other side," he finally spoke, taking a sip of coffee.

"The other side?" Sid furrowed his brows in confusion.

"It's alright if you don't know. Not many people are aware of this secret. And those who try to make it known are silenced," Daniel's voice turned serious.

"What do you know about our continent, Sid?" he asked.

Sid took a moment to recall what he knew from the history books.

"Our continent is called Eldrith. It's a massive island continent surrounded by water. The continent is divided into four empires, and our kingdom, Kicadel, is part of the Valoriax Empire," he replied.

"That is correct, but have you ever wondered why the map in the history books only shows one big island?" Daniel asked, his tone hinting at a deeper mystery.

"Don't tell me?" Sid's eyes widened in realization.

"That's right. What you've seen in the history book is only a small part of this world. There are other continents out there, but they're inaccessible to us," Daniel continued, his voice laced with intrigue.

"What do you mean, inaccessible?" Sid's confusion deepened.

"It means that we're unable to leave this continent. Surrounding Eldrith is a vast mist that isolates us from the outside world," Daniel explained, his words dripping with a sense of foreboding.

"No ship, no magic, no technology can breach it. This continent is all we know, all we've ever known."

Sid listened in stunned silence, his mind racing with the implications of what Daniel was telling him. The idea that their continent was isolated from the rest of existence, cut off from the mysteries and wonders of other lands, was both exhilarating and terrifying.

"Why are we isolated like this?" Sid finally asked.

"That is a mystery lost to time," Daniel replied, shaking his head. "Some say it was a curse laid upon us by a powerful mage, while others believe it was a gift from the gods. Whatever the reason, we have been trapped here for generations, with no hope of escape."

Sid felt a shiver run down his spine as he contemplated the idea of being trapped in this small corner of the world forever.

"What about Darkness? He's from the other side, right?" Sid asked, hoping to learn more about the mysterious figure.

"Darkness is an enigma like other powerful beings who managed to accidentally enter our continent," Daniel replied, his voice tinged with a hint of mystery.

"So he came here accidentally?" Sid pressed on.

"At first, that's what I thought. But that man is so powerful that he was able to come and go from this continent with ease. The only reason I knew him is because I accidentally met him during one of my travels. I helped him uncover something in a ruin , and he gave me a charm so I can ask him for assistance in my time of need. "

"To be honest, what you saw that night was only a fraction of his true power " Daniel added as if to point out that Darkness is someone beyond human understanding.

"This is all too much to take in," Sid admitted, feeling overwhelmed.

He left and decided to rest for the day, feeling very tired. But the information he got from Daniel surprised him, and he felt very small when he realized they were trapped on a continent.

As he rested that night, a faint pulsating energy emanated from his body, a sign of the immense power that lay within.

...

...

...

...

[ I require more energy,] a sweet but mechanical female voice came out from the mysterious object. But Sid remained unaware of it.