Chapter 689: The world beyond the boundary

"So tell me, Albert," Elion said. "Kali mentioned that you’ve somehow known about the outer world. Would you mind telling us how you discovered its existence?"

Albert rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I told her about it in the hope that she would eventually seek a way out and leave us in peace."

"As for how I discovered it..." He lowered his hand, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "The other settlements are aware of us, just as we’re aware of them. Though we don’t go out of our way to maintain contact, we do trade with one another and seek each other out in times of need, at least on this landmass."

"Sometimes, out of curiosity, I travel through this broken world for years on end; the terrible fissures between the numerous landmasses are of no threat to me after all. It was during one of those journeys that I discovered its turbulent edges, where space itself bends and twists. Even with my strength, I couldn’t pass through. Beyond a certain point, life simply ceases to exist. There is nothing but an abyssal darkness beyond that edge."

Elion listened closely, as did the others.

"However, that wasn’t the end of my discovery," Albert continued. "My affinity is with the space element, you see."

Elion raised a brow.

’Not only is he a Saint, but he possesses an affinity as rare as space?’

"Though the spatial turbulence made it impossible for me to cross, my affinity allowed me to see through some of it," Albert explained. "And through those fleeting openings, I caught a glimpse of life on the other side."

He paused, looking between his guests.

"I cannot be certain that what I saw was your home, but it was enough to convince me that we weren’t alone. There was something beyond this world. An outside."

His words sent Elion’s thoughts spiralling.

"As you are aware, we aren’t the first people from our world to come here, and we won’t be the last," he said thoughtfully. "But according to the accounts left by those who entered long ago, there were no signs of life in this hidden world."

Albert’s expression grew more intent, though he let him continue.

"It’s believed to be the remains of a dying world, where ancient beings left behind their greatest treasures and legacies," Elion explained. "Yet your people seem to have appeared here at some point, without anyone from the outside knowing about it."

He rested a hand beneath his chin, considering what that might mean.

"I don’t believe you simply appeared out of thin air. Perhaps your ancestors came from the outside as well, and the knowledge of how they arrived was eventually lost."

His gaze drifted toward the worn book resting on the table before returning to Albert.

"Perhaps it was once common knowledge. But given enough time, even something that important could fade into history, as so many ancient truths tend to."

Albert nodded, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face. "Perhaps what you say is true, but I’ve never heard of such a thing, and we have no accounts of it. As for these treasures you speak of, there are indeed hundreds of ruins scattered throughout this world, with perhaps a few trinkets left inside, but I never thought they would be of much use to my people."

"I’m sure the other settlements think much the same," he continued. "What our people need is food, shelter, and clothing to endure the cold winters that come each year."

Elion raised a brow. "Really? You simply left those treasures behind because they were of no use to you?"

Albert nodded. "I never found anything that interested me."

"That’s incredibly hard to believe," Isla remarked, looking at him thoughtfully. "But that begs another question: how did you become as strong as you are now? I find it hard to believe you became a Saint without any guidance."

"Make no mistake," Albert replied. "While our greatest priorities are food and shelter, we’re well aware of the untold dangers lurking around every corner of our home. Of course we have powerful mages and trained warriors to protect our people, and we have tomes explaining what we need to do to grow stronger as mages and warriors."

"I simply happen to be the strongest among them," he continued. "And as their leader, it’s my responsibility to make sure they feel safe. Our greatest problem has always been the powerful arachnid dwelling in a place we could never reach."

...

Their small meeting continued well into the night.

Those who needed to rest eventually retired, but Elion, Maya, Cole, Princess Isla, one of her attendants, and Albert continued conversing through most of the night.

The paladin Althea remained with them as well, though she mostly kept to herself.

It turned out to be a fruitful discussion. Albert had seen almost every inch of this world, and as a Saint, his exceptional memory made it easy for him to recall what he had encountered and where.

By the end, Elion could hardly believe how much they had learned from him. Even though Albert himself didn’t fully understand the significance this place held for the outsiders, he had helped their cause greatly.

It quickly became obvious that the maps in their possession were painfully outdated, but with Albert’s guidance, they made the necessary corrections for their journey ahead.

Princess Isla’s attendant worked alongside Maya, recording landmarks, routes, and the locations Albert pointed out.

In a way, it could be said that the Triad Alliance, the royal family, and the goddess’s church had worked together to compile a detailed outline of the hidden legacy world, though some of that information would undoubtedly become obsolete by the time the next group of entrants arrived a hundred years from now.

It wasn’t until the following morning that they finally finished compiling everything, after which Albert offered them his finest hospitality yet.

Warm baths and a lovely breakfast followed, and before long, they were once again seated together in the garden.

Princess Isla cleared her throat, a pleasant smile forming on her face. "So tell me, Elion, Maya, what does your cohort intend to do from here? We wouldn’t mind having you join us. Powerful allies are always welcome, after all, especially in such a treacherous place."

Maya glanced toward Elion, leaving the answer to him, which wasn’t particularly surprising considering their recent conversation about heading north. He gave the princess a small nod before replying.

"We intended to head north. If you’re planning to go in the same direction, I don’t see why not."