Viropedia: A Complete Guide to Flora, Fauna, and Unknown.

The morning sun filtered through the window as Falko returned to the house, his body still damp from washing after his training session. He had risen early, as he always did, despite the lingering haze from the previous night. The cool air outside had refreshed him, clearing his mind and sharpening his focus.

As he stepped inside, he tossed the old towel onto the bed in his room and stretched, feeling the familiar ache of his muscles. His training routine had been intense today, but that was how he liked it. There was no room for weakness, especially in a world like this where he had grand goals.

His eyes flicked to the table, where Viropedia, the gift from Leena, lay unopened since yesterday. He still couldn't believe she had gotten him something so valuable. The book was rare—rare enough that he knew Leena must have pulled some serious strings to get her hands on it. For a moment, Falko wondered about her connections. Leena was mysterious like that, always keeping her secrets close.

Falko smiled, sat down on the edge of his bed, and opened the Viropedia. The pages were thick, the parchment slightly worn from use, yet the contents were clearly meticulously cared for. He knew it contained vast knowledge about the world of Viragora, from history to creatures, magic, and more. The first page he turned to was about Sommeral Free City, the place he now called home.

"Sommeral Free City," he read aloud. "A city unlike any other, where elves, dwarves, humans live together in relative harmony. Founded in the wake of the Great Massacare of South, Sommeral became a haven for those seeking freedom from the rigid hierarchies of other kingdoms. Unlike most of Viragora, Sommeral operates under a council, with women in power holding the majority of the power."

Falko paused, thinking back to his first few days in the city. Sommeral had indeed been unlike any place he had ever seen before. The sight of so many different races coexisting—working side by side, trading in the bustling markets—was something that had caught him off guard. In his homeland, elves and dwarves were existent, but not to quite common as Sommeral. Here, they were part of the everyday crowd.

"I guess that's why people come here," he said softly to himself. "Freedom. A chance to live without the old rules."

"I remember even nobles in my queendom talked about Sommeral in fear and respect because of how amazing their control structure is."

He turned the page, the next section catching his eye: Silvaris Northern Empire.

Falko's jaw tightened as he read.

"The Silvaris Northern Empire is one of the most feared and most land occupied powers in all of Viragora. Ruled by Empress Lilith Von Silvaris, the Empire is a militaristic and highly disciplined nation. Its borders are heavily fortified, and its rulers hold absolute power. Magic plays a crucial role in their dominance, with elite spellcasters and warlocks commanding the legions of soldiers, despite their magic hating policy."

Falko thought about Sarai. "I guess what she said make sense in a way. They hunt witches, mages or any magical power that is not under their control. What a bold and cruel way!"

Falko's grip tightened on the page as he read more. Silvaris had been the reason for so much of his pain. The very name of the Empire filled him with quiet rage. They had destroyed his homeland, taken everything from him. Now, Falko was on the run, hiding in a place like Sommeral, trying to rebuild what little life he had left.

"I'll make them pay one day," he whispered, clenching his fists. "But not yet. I'm not strong enough yet."

He turned to the next page, forcing his focus away from his anger. The next chapter detailed the Rondavalu Queendom and the De Malian Queendom.

"Rondavalu Queendom," Falko read. "One of the wealthiest and most powerful queendoms in Viragora. Known for its vast trade routes and rich natural resources, Rondavalu is ruled by Queen Serana Grandveil, a cunning and powerful leader who has strengthened her queendom through strategic use of these resources. De Malian Queendom, on the other hand, is a military powerhouse. Its warriors are considered some of the finest in the world, trained from birth to serve their queen. Queen Nadira of De Malian is respected across Viragora for her tactical genius."

Falko nodded, intrigued by the contrast between the two queendoms. Rondavalu was a place of prosperity, where wealth flowed freely. De Malian, on the other hand, was known for its discipline and martial prowess. While Sommeral had the biggest army, De Malian army was the most talented, which could be said quality over quantity.

He knew his birthplace wasn't weak, but at the same time, he knew if it was strong, it wouldn't have fallen into the hands of the empire. 

"I will find the truth! There's no way, my mother's assassination was single-handly done by the empire," Falko had a wild guess that someone from the queendom might have supported his mother's assassination, which eventually led to the downfall of their family and the queendom.

"And then there are the smaller queendoms and some other places," After turning the page, Falko muttered, his eyes scanning the next few lines. "Each one different in its own way, but none of them as influential as Rondavalu or De Malian."

He turned a few more pages, skimming through mentions of the minor queendoms until something caught his eye—an entire section dedicated to Magic and Monsters.

"Here we go, the interesting part!" Falko said, his voice full of curiosity. Magic had always fascinated him, though he knew only the basics. Falko had encountered a fair share of creatures and mages on his life, but the deeper intricacies of magic were still largely a mystery to him.

He knew mages were vastly hunted in North, but he knew it wasn't any better in some of the places in south. Though Sommeral showed relaxing attitude toward magic, even his own queendom was very careful when they dealt with magic because it was dangerous enough that it could easily ruin things for humans.

"Magic in Viragora is deeply intertwined with the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it," he read. "The ancient magics, passed down through generations, are drawn from the elements—earth, fire, water, air—and from the life force of the creatures of Viragora. Many believe that certain creatures hold the key to unlocking forbidden spells, while others claim that the most powerful magics come from the gods and evil froces themselves."

Falko leaned back, processing the information. The way magic was tied to the natural order made sense, especially given the presence of monsters in the world. He had encountered a few—some of them dangerous, others more elusive—but the thought that certain creatures might hold the key to even greater power intrigued him.

He continued reading, flipping through sections about different types of monsters—each one more terrifying than the last. There were detailed descriptions of Hydras, Griffins, Reapers, and more. Each creature seemed to possess a unique connection to magic, whether it was their ability to manipulate the elements or their sheer, raw power.

"So in a sense monsters are like the mages of animals, they are not evil rather they are just surviving a world inhabited by us humans,"

But as Falko read on, he noticed something strange.

"Omens," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. The section on Omens was surprisingly sparse. "Not much information on them… even in a book like this."

He had always found the concept of Omens fascinating, even more than monsters and magics. These rare, often dangerous beings were said to herald great changes, both good and bad, in the world. 

Some considered them portents of disaster, while others believed they were messages from the gods themselves. But even in the Viropedia, a book brimming with knowledge, there was little to be found about them.

"Strange," he muttered, closing the book slightly. "I thought there'd be more on Omens, especially with how important they seem to be."

He flipped back to the title page, his eyes scanning the names listed as contributors. The book hadn't been written by one person, but by many—a collection of knowledge passed down from different scholars, adventurers, and historians. Each name listed represented a piece of the puzzle that made up Viragora's history.

Falko let out a low whistle. "No wonder this book is so valuable. It's like an treasure of every knowledge in this world."

He smiled to himself, a wave of appreciation washing over him. Leena had really gone out of her way to get him this. It wasn't just a gift; it was a tool, a resource that would help him navigate the dangers of Viragora. He suspected she had pulled strings, used connections he wasn't even aware of, to acquire something like this.

"Well, Leena," Falko said with a chuckle, "you sure know how to surprise a guy. Maybe she isn't just a normal elf mage after all,"

As he closed the Viropedia and set it aside, Falko stood up, stretching his arms above his head. The day was still young, and he had a lot to think about. The more he learned about Viragora, the clearer it became that he was only scratching the surface of a much larger, more dangerous world.

But with this book—and the people he had come to trust—he felt more prepared to begin his journey toward revenge and become a powerful man.