บท 7: The History of a Falling World
The Black Gap War, as told by Raden Ovenash, was a war waged when the first Mordaths appeared at the shorelines of East Barnadeth, the first kingdom to fall under the ruthless attacks of the black entity.
An entity so unsettling it has become something of a scary story to keep children from being naughty.
At least to those who did not belong on the battlefield. Because to the soldiers of any kingdom, Mordaths were as real as the air they breathed.
But what they looked like, what they were like, was something Viella had never heard of. Even as whispers, they were moving shadows at worst.
"Do you know why it's called the Black Gap War?" Raden asked, his body slightly shaking from the turbulence of the carriage. Viella shook her head.
"It is called that because of their origins. They did not come from this world; they came out of a gap in the lines of our realm. Unfortunately, beneath the ocean floor, where none of us can reach," Raden said. His words sent chills through her body. She knew they were in a constant war, families urged to have as many children as possible, farmers receiving funds and land to boost yields, soldiers sent to look for more iron to make weapons, and craftsmen pushed to produce high-quality armor.
"Why aren't the people notified of the danger?" Viella asked. "I mean, we all know there is continuous war, but with what, who? None of it was ever told. It almost feels like there's no war at all."
Raden sighed. "The balance and well-being of a nation lay upon the stability of its mind. There's no need to wake up each day with fear and anxiety when the danger itself is at bay. The soldiers have learned many new ways of defeating these creatures. So, let mothers and their children sleep in peace. They have enough worries for the day as it is," he said.
Viella couldn't help but appreciate that sentiment. Compared to all these things she had just learned, Viella understood her worries were small and purely about herself.
And then it hit her.
"You said they come from the ocean. What about the ships and sailors? Aren't they in great danger?" Viella asked, a sense of dread looming in her chest even before she heard the answer. She had never liked the ocean. The idea of a large pool of water—deep, dark, cold, and untamed—was horrifying already.
"Surprisingly, they have the least to worry about. The only danger they need to face is the danger they already know as sailors. Mordaths, despite being able to live underwater, cannot swim. They can only journey on the surface. So the deeper the water, the safer they are," Raden said, almost amused by the fact.
Viella, however, was more relieved than anything. The last thing she wanted was a Mordath climbing onboard a ship.
But what if they found an anchor? Viella thought in horror.
"When the rip through the barriers of this realm first started, the impact of that energy sent a shockwave through the world," Raden said, then began stroking his beard—a common reflex that accompanied him in his thoughts, Viella noticed.
"How long ago was it?"
"A long, long time ago. Back then, the world was thriving. I still have a map of the old world if you're interested. There were kingdoms and empires as far as the eye could see. No empty, unoccupied land. There were people of different languages, cultures, and foods. There were different herbs, fruits, and climates—a diversity so great that you would never get bored," Raden rambled on, speaking as if he had lived through that era.
Viella had only ever known her own people, their language, their food, their dishes, and their climate. The idea of a different setting was as exciting as jumping into a new world. Even leaving for a different place beyond the ocean, Viella knew she was just going to another part of the Olaos kingdom, where they mined special minerals and planted special herbs for medicine.
It was only that the existing kingdoms were so far apart that Olaos could not claim to be an empire.
"Now, all of this being said... Almost twenty years ago, the kingdom of Carasse fell, taken over by a sudden influx of Mordaths. They were the closest kingdom to Olaos then, and with their demise, it was only a matter of time before Olaos would fall victim to it," Raden said, starting the story Viella had been waiting for.
"Your father had just ascended the throne, married to your mother, and was faced with a great threat that would make any king tremble. Back then, I fled Carasse. I made a portal large enough that almost half the citizens made it through alive. And that was when I was summoned by your father. He asked me for my help, and in return, I could ask for anything."
"And you asked for me?" Viella asked.
"Yes. I told him that if he ever had a daughter, I wished to take her as mine. So that my beloved nephew could marry a princess and become royalty," Raden said, being the clearest he had ever been so far.
"That's it? You want him to become royalty?" she demanded. Raden looked offended.
"We are of royal blood, you know. That, and… I should have taken him with me when I could. But I was young, in search of knowledge and raw power. I left him. Abandoned him to a system that most likely would have killed him," Raden said, surprising Viella even more. All of these revelations still did not make a complete picture.
"But sir, wouldn't it make more sense to return and look for him than to arrange a bride for him?" Viella demanded, jolting out of her seat as the wooden wheels of the carriage went over a rock. Raden laughed at her.
"That's a good question. I would have gone back and looked for him myself if not for the agreement I made with your father. To help him protect and place a shield around this kingdom. If I leave, the shield goes with me. Olaos would fall defenseless."
Viella blinked. "There's a shield around Olaos?"
"Yes. A massive shield. To the untrained eye, it is invisible. But to those who know magic, one can see it as clear as day. It doesn't just block the Mordaths from coming through; they also cannot see that there is a kingdom here, to begin with," Raden said, pride in his voice as he spoke. She would be proud too if she were him, Viella thought.
He continued, "Now the least I could do is fulfill one thing a parent should do: arrange for a proper woman for him to marry."
"But how does he know he's engaged to me? He's missing, remember?"
"Oh, he knows. Has something strange happened to you lately?" Raden asked, his eyes narrowing knowingly.
Viella pulled back her long sleeves, revealing the dead branches circling her hand. "This was you?"
"Yes. And my nephew has the exact same one, wherever he is. If he were dead, the spell would not have taken place the moment you turned eighteen. It would have simply not shown. But seeing the blackened seal on your wrist, I feel relieved. It is done." Raden leaned back as he said it, his eyes closing as if he had finally found peace.
"Does he know what this seal is?" Viella asked, worried.
"No. But I know he will figure out what it is and then look for the other half. He will come here. Although, of course… this is all just speculation. In the meantime, live your dream as a herbalist. You will enjoy it greatly!" Raden said, the excitement in his words changing the atmosphere in the carriage entirely.
As much as Viella smiled and agreed with him, she could not force herself to be happy.
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง 
Cookie97
Cookie97 Hello everyone!
To any of you who have read this far, thank you!
I hope the story has brought you enjoyment so far because that's what I'm writing for.
I started this story as the weekly challenge competition with the theme: of arranged marriage. Of course, I couldn't help myself and just had to make it a fantasy romance.
I've been posting twice a day the past few days, but that's to meet the word count requirement of the competition. So from this day on, I will be posting once a day :D
Still, I hope you will stick around to read more. Make sure to add the story to your library for notifications!
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Happy reading!
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