She walked toward the far end of the hall where a large circular stone rested upon an intricately carved pedestal. Unlike the rest of the building, the stone clearly did not originate from the living tree.
It was ancient. Its pale gray surface had weathered over untold centuries, yet intricate carvings remained visible beneath the passage of time.
Several elder fairies gathered around it respectfully. One carefully brushed away a thin layer of dust before stepping back.
Lyria rested one hand upon the stone.
"This... is older than our sanctuary. It was brought here by those who first sealed the Veil."
Lilith observed the carvings closely. Unlike modern writing, the symbols resembled flowing lines woven together into elaborate patterns.
She recognized none of them.
"Can you still read it?"
Lyria smiled sadly.
"Only fragments; our written language changed over the ages. Many meanings were lost, and what remains..." She gently touched one of the carved symbols. "...has survived because each generation memorized the stories attached to these inscriptions."
She looked toward the royal couple.
"Our oldest preserved memory begins with one name. The Sovereign of Death."
The atmosphere within the hall immediately became heavier. Even speaking the title seemed to carry weight.
"Our ancestors described him as the first to fall. Not in battle but in spirit."
The elder fairies silently nodded. Lyria continued.
"No one remembers exactly why. Whether he sought greater power, whether madness consumed him, or whether something else corrupted his heart."
"That knowledge disappeared long ago, but every version of the story agrees on one thing. He desired absolute dominion. Not merely over kingdoms but over life itself."
Atheline leaned forward.
"So the Corrupted... began with him?"
Lyria nodded.
"Yes. Our ancestors said he discovered a terrible power. A power capable of twisting living beings, destroying their will and leaving only endless obedience."
Lilith frowned.
"He created the Corrupted."
"So our stories claim."
One of the eldest Keepers slowly approached the mural behind them. With trembling fingers, he pointed toward a dark figure painted among countless stars.
"Our ancestors described entire cities changing overnight. Friends attacking friends, families torn apart, armies growing larger with every battle, because every fallen warrior strengthened the enemy."
His voice carried quiet sorrow.
"They stopped being soldiers and became something else. The Corrupted."
Silence filled the hall once more. Even after thousands of years... The horror contained within those ancient memories remained unmistakable.
Atheline broke the silence.
"The other Sovereigns... they opposed him?"
"They did." Lyria nodded. "Our ancestors said the remaining Sovereigns united. Many had disagreed throughout history. They possessed different ideals and different responsibilities, but when the Sovereign of Death threatened the world itself... They fought together."
Lilith quietly folded her arms.
"And the Supreme Sovereign?"
Lyria’s expression softened.
"Our oldest songs speak of that title with the greatest respect. They called the Supreme Sovereign... the Keeper of Balance. The one who understood every form of magic. Every element and path. They believed no one else could compare."
One elderly fairy smiled faintly.
"Our ancestors often described that Sovereign as the wisest being ever to walk the world."
Lyria’s smile gradually faded.
"But even wisdom... was not enough."
She lowered her head.
"The Supreme Sovereign died."
The words echoed heavily through the chamber.
"Our stories never explain how. Only... that the loss shook the world."
Lilith exchanged a glance with Atheline. The strongest Sovereign... had fallen. If even such a figure could be killed... the scale of the Cataclysm truly surpassed imagination.
Lyria continued.
"The Sovereign of Darkness also fell."
Lilith instinctively became still. As the greatest living master of Dark Aether, the title naturally drew her attention, and they had also seen a fragment of the memory from the blood ocean ruin.
"Our ancestors respected that Sovereign greatly. They said darkness itself was never evil. It simply existed like light, night, and shadow. The Sovereign defended countless lives and perished doing so."
Lilith quietly looked toward the mural. The painted figure possessed no recognizable features. Only flowing darkness surrounded a calm silhouette. She found herself silently paying respect.
Atheline looked thoughtfully at the ancient carvings.
"What about the others? The Sovereign of Fire, the Sovereign of Wind, the Sovereign of Earth and the Sovereign of Water."
"The others?" Lyria slowly shook her head. "We don’t know. Our ancestors sealed the sanctuary before the war ended. They received no further news, and the gate remained closed. The outside world vanished."
She smiled apologetically.
"I’m afraid... everything after that became speculation."
One of the younger Keepers carefully retrieved an ancient scroll from a nearby shelf. Its edges had become fragile with age.
He opened it with extraordinary care. Inside was a remarkably simple drawing. One enormous landmass with cracks spreading across it.
Lyria pointed toward the illustration.
"This is the last event our ancestors consistently described. The world itself...began breaking apart. The battles had become so catastrophic that mountains collapsed, seas swallowed entire kingdoms, the earth fractured, and the sky burned."
"Our ancestors never witnessed it directly. They only felt the consequences. The sanctuary shook for many days. When everything finally became quiet... The world beyond the Veil had changed forever."
Atheline slowly looked toward the map he had drawn earlier.
"So the continents... were really created by the war."
"Most likely." Lyria nodded. "Our ancestors believed the battles between the Sovereigns unleashed forces beyond anything ordinary life could endure."
"The land simply... couldn’t withstand it."
Lilith quietly exhaled.
"It explains so much and so little. Our history does say briefly about the Cataclysm but does not speak of how it happened. Just that the Sovereigns fought."
She looked around the Hall of Memories.
"Its jaring knowing that someone might have erased history."
Lyria smiled sadly.
"We’re all trying to rebuild the same forgotten story."
Silence returned. Everyone reflected upon a war so ancient that it had become little more than myth.
Atheline finally spoke.
"There are still too many missing pieces. The Sovereign of Death. What defeated him? How did the remaining Sovereigns fall? What became of their powers? How many sanctuaries like yours still exist?"
Lyria nodded slowly.
"We’ve wondered the same."
One elderly Keeper smiled thoughtfully.
"Perhaps... we aren’t the only ones who chose preservation over battle."
Lilith’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"You think there may be other hidden civilizations."
"It would not surprise me." The elder looked around the hall. "If our ancestors built the Veil... Others may have created different refuges. Some may still remain hidden."
The idea settled heavily upon the room. Atheline looked toward Lilith. Without speaking, both understood the implication.
Their journey had just changed. Originally, they had followed nothing more than vague coordinates left behind by the Goddess.
Now... They had uncovered an entire civilization believed extinct. If one sanctuary existed... Others might also have survived the Cataclysm. Each could hold another missing Chapter of history.
Lyria noticed the understanding in their eyes and smiled.
"It seems... your journey is becoming much larger than either of us imagined."
Atheline laughed quietly.
"It usually does."
Lilith allowed herself a small smile.
"And I suspect..." She looked toward the ancient murals lining the Hall of Memories. "...this is only the beginning."
The elders nodded in agreement.