Collide: The Memory of Stars

Third Person's POV

The air inside the research facility carried the scent of aged parchment and candle wax, a stark contrast to the outside world still recovering from devastation.

Selene, Axel, Khael, and Tyra stepped inside, their eyes adjusting to the dim yet welcoming glow of lanterns hanging from wooden beams.

The stone walls were lined with shelves brimming with salvaged books, scrolls, and fragmented maps—remnants of a world long forgotten.

As they moved further in, voices called out to them.

"You made it back!" A familiar voice echoed, drawing their attention. It was Lira, one of the women who had aided them at the survivors' hideout.

Behind her stood a few elders, their eyes gleaming with recognition and hope.

"Welcome," an older man with a thick white beard greeted them warmly.

"We've been waiting for you. There is much to discuss."

Selene exchanged a glance with Axel before nodding. "Then let's not waste time. What have you found?"

Lira gestured toward a long wooden table in the center of the room, where ancient tomes lay open.

"With the books and records we've managed to recover, we've pieced together more about Eldoria and its lost kingdoms."

One of the elders, a frail-looking woman with sharp eyes, stepped forward. "You already know of Eldoria, but its influence stretched far beyond what remains today. Other great lands once stood strong alongside it. If we are to restore this world, you must understand what has been lost."

She turned a fragile page of an old manuscript, revealing a map with faded markings.

"This is what we have managed to reconstruct so far," she said. "The heart of our world was Eldoria, a kingdom of wisdom, magic, and strength. It was a beacon of prosperity until the Dark Matter seeped in and corrupted its foundations. The great war shattered it, and its people were scattered. Some fled, others perished, and many... simply vanished."

Khael leaned over the table, studying the names written on the map. "What about these other places? Were they allies to Eldoria?"

Lira nodded. "Some were. Others were... less friendly. But they all played a role in shaping what the world once was."

She pointed to a section on the map labeled The Sunken Bastion.

"This fortress once stood tall against the tides, a stronghold of warriors who swore to protect Eldoria's golden age. When the war began, it was besieged, its walls shattered. It is said that rather than let it fall into enemy hands, the remaining warriors performed a ritual that sank the entire bastion beneath the sea. Some say their spirits still linger, standing eternal watch."

Tyra crossed her arms. "If it's still intact beneath the ocean, there could be relics or knowledge there we could use."

The elder woman nodded. "If one could reach it, yes."

Another book was placed before them, its pages filled with names and symbols. "Then there was the land of Aetheria," she continued.

"A place of scholars and sorcerers. While much of it was lost, its knowledge survived through individuals like Archmage Caelith. She was one of the last to escape before the fall of Eldoria. If she yet lives, she may hold answers."

Axel's fingers hovered over the name. "You believe she is still out there?"

"There are rumors," the elder said cautiously.

"If the world is stirring once more, then perhaps she, too, has awakened."

Selene's gaze swept over the room, taking in the faces of those who still clung to the past.

"And the Fireborn Clans of Dranvok? The name sounds… ominous."

A grim silence settled over the room.

"The Fireborn were once protectors of the world's balance," the old man spoke, his voice low.

"But something changed. Before the war reached its peak, many of their clans turned their backs on Eldoria. Some say they aligned with the Dark Matter, helping to bring ruin upon our lands. Others claim they were deceived, used as pawns in a far greater scheme. Either way, they became an unstoppable force of destruction."

Khael's expression darkened. "So they might still be out there."

"If they survived, they will not be easily swayed." Lira closed the book before her, looking to Selene.

"We tell you all this because knowledge is power. The world is shifting once more, and we must be ready. You and your companions may be the key to restoring what was lost—or ensuring that it remains in ruin forever."

Selene exhaled, absorbing the weight of their words. More questions filled her mind, yet the answers felt just beyond her grasp.

"Then we start with what we can. We learn. We search. And if there are still those out there who remember Eldoria's true legacy, we will find them."

Axel placed a hand on her shoulder. "We are not alone in this. Whatever comes next, we face it together."

A silent determination filled the room. The past was no longer a distant echo—it was alive, waiting to be reclaimed.

The dim glow of enchanted lanterns illuminated the research facility, their light casting long shadows on the aged tomes and scattered parchment.

The air was thick with the scent of ink and dust, a testament to the knowledge preserved within these walls.

Selene ran her fingers over the fragile pages of a restored manuscript, the ancient Eldorian script barely legible. It felt surreal—like touching the remnants of a past she should remember, yet her mind remained clouded, her memories fragmented.

"The way Eldoria functioned... it wasn't just a kingdom," one of the elder scholars began, his voice rasping with age.

"It was a force. A beacon of magic and unity. Without its core power, the land remains in stagnation. But near the heart of Eldoria, we've seen signs of slight restoration. That means there's still a chance."

Axel folded his arms, eyes narrowing. "And how do we restore that? There has to be a way. If a portion of Eldoria is already showing signs of revival, then the magic isn't completely lost."

Tyra, her broad sword leaning against her chair, frowned. "We've seen the ruins, the devastation. If it were as simple as reigniting a flame, wouldn't the survivors have done it already?"

The young scholar, Lira , flipped through an aged tome before speaking up. "Most of the power centers in Eldoria have been completely drained. The balance was shattered the moment Dark Matter took hold.

The question isn't just how we bring back the magic, but if it even still exists in a form we can control."

Silence followed her words, the weight of reality settling upon the group.

"We know that Eldoria thrived because of its leyline network," Khael piped up, his childlike form deceptive of the fiery wisdom within.

"The magical veins running through the land used to draw from the Great Nexus. But if those have been corrupted or severed—"

"Then we need to find an untouched source," Selene interrupted, her voice steady despite the uncertainty gnawing at her.

"Even if we can't restore all of Eldoria, we should be able to revive at least part of it. A place where people can gather. Where hope can grow. If near the heart, the magic is still alive, we need to figure out why."

The elder scholar nodded. "Then our first objective should be tracing back the leyline origins. The Sunken Bastion might hold clues. If we could recover even a fraction of the old energies, we might be able to create a stable foundation for expansion."

Lira tapped the book she was holding. "The Sunken Bastion was once a mighty fortress before it fell beneath the sea. If there's any place where residual magic could be preserved, it would be there. Legends say it holds forgotten relics of Eldoria's golden age."

Axel exhaled sharply. "Then we need to head there first. We don't have time to waste."

Tyra smirked. "Sounds dangerous. I like it."

Selene glanced around the room, meeting each gaze in turn.

"Then we prepare. The longer we wait, the weaker our chances become. We need to find Eldoria's last embers and rekindle them before they fade completely."

To be continued.