Gabrielle Acri' Sanctum

~Jenera 1736, Babylon Aristocracy Territory~

It's hard to believe…

Just fifty years ago, men still traveled by horseback, flipping through books written by old scholars who had too much time on their hands. We studied sciences that made no sense—ideas any sane man would dismiss outright.

But as my father always said, "Gabrielle! Time waits for no man! So get your ass down here and fix this pipe!"

Ahem. Sorry—

But he was right. Time doesn't wait. It marches forward, whether we're ready or not. And standing here, watching steam rise from the streets, feeling the vibration of the city under my boots, I finally understand.

Lorentia is proof of that.

Each morning, the great brass clock tower of Marquee Bastille strikes six, and the city wakes with a joyous celebration of prosperity. A low fog clings to the streets, rolling through alleyways like smoke from a dying fire. The scent of burning coal and hot metal fills the air, thick and heavy, a perfume of industry. Factory horns sound in the distance, and the sharp clatter of iron gears echoes between towering buildings of glass and steel.

The trains are the real marvel. I've watched them glide along their rails, their hardened steel frames gleaming as they carve through the mist, carrying workers one way and aristocrats the other.

The streets beneath are no less alive—automaton carriages hum along cobbled roads, their brass limbs folding with precise, mechanical grace. Men in soot-streaked coats hurry to their posts, while women in the most lavish dresses I'll ever lay eyes upon step lightly between them, their heels tapping against the stone.

For all its smoke and machinery, Lorentia is no mere factory town. It's a city of thinkers, inventors, and scholars. The gas lamps lining the boulevards cast a golden glow over great halls of learning, where men debate philosophy over the spiced coffee we traded from the Elven lands. The old stone manors of nobility stand beside towering iron marvels, relics of an age that refuses to be left behind.

And when night falls, Lorentia changes again. The din of industry softens, replaced by the laughter of the elite and the hum of prototype electric bulbs flickering to life. Music drifts from opera houses, carried on the evening air, as gala-goers with their strange but, I might add, majestic masks step into waiting carriages, their automaton drivers shifting gears with unmatched efficiency.

It's beautiful. Not in the way a sunset or a painting is beautiful, but in a way that fills the chest, that makes the world feel limitless, endless—ours for the taking.

There is no love greater than the one I feel for progress. No god, no king, no family could ever compare to the sheer brilliance of our civilization's forward march.

I'm not crying! …Okay, maybe I am. But I have good reason.

Because today, at long last, I've made it.

Hours spent in my father's study, poring over books, burning my fingers on pipes, drowning in formulas—none of it was for nothing. Mechanics, chemistry, physics—you name it, I studied it. And for my sweat and sleepless nights, I now stand before the beating heart of mankind's ambition:

Lorentia University.

The marvel of my world. A place I never thought I'd see with my own eyes, standing before me like something pulled from a dream.

They say it's the finest institution in the known world. For centuries, it was closed to all but nobility, but now—by some miracle of progress—the merit system has been implemented. The gates have opened. And for the first time, those of us born without wealth or title have been given the chance to prove ourselves.

If I ever meet the nobles who allowed this, I swear, I'll drop to my knees and kiss their boots for this honor.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I'm eighteen today, so I should act like a man, as my mother always said—

"Gabrielle, don't be afraid to be honest. Only real men have the strength to stay true and do what's right. So tell me, son, did your father… have. A. Girl. Over?"

That woman gave me shivers.

Never mind that. I'm here for something far more important—something that could change the world.

Obsidian.

They say it fell from the sky long before humanity even existed, scattered across the land during an ancient asteroid shower. No one truly understands it. No one knows its full potential. But I will.

If I do well in my studies, I'll finally get my chance to work with it. To prove its worth.

I'll have to end this entry here—I can't be late to class on my first day. But I'll leave you with this:

Only I see the potential that obsidian will bring to the world.

They don't believe it. They don't comprehend what I do.

Mark my words, I will bring the dawn of the next age of mankind, and I will be remembered as a pioneer in the minds of every man whose heart beats for the future.

I will not be forgotten.

---

Cypher's breath lowered as he reached the final, intact page. His fingers hesitated, lingering on the final words of this 'Gabrielle.'

The carriage seemed to rock ever so slightly as they continued their journey back to Thorn.

Sensing his hesitation, a voice spoke softly, distant but close.

"Does he remind you of someone?" The Man in the Wall's voice shifted in his mind, noticeably warmer, like a parent who saw their child hurt.

'He… he was like me. I always wanted to break mankind's chains. I wanted to set us free.'

"And now?"

"I want to set myself free."

"I see… I'm proud of—"

The conversation stopped as the carriage hit another bump. Clementine seemed to notice something as she was momentarily thrown out of her focus, looking up at Cypher with his head down—reading a book without a single word within its pages.

Her voice soon followed suit.

"Cypher? Why are you still interested in that thing? Did you find something?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he looked to his side. As quickly as he had appeared, the Man in the Wall had disappeared.

Cypher turned to Clementine and simultaneously shut the diary for good. His eyes, now slits in pitch-black sockets, shifted to his usual demeanor in an instant.

"No, I just thought it was interesting. Say, was this in the Archdemon's collection?"

Clementine relaxed and shrugged her armored shoulders. "Maybe. From what I know, Mammon likes to explore ruins. It's possible that he could have taken this from them."

Cypher nodded in understanding. He understood what she was likely referring to. The time of Endo and Releigh had left behind a lot of places forgotten to time.

The most notable of these was Ralor, the city that once connected the Empire and Kingdom when the two brothers ruled in peace. From what he read during his time in the Church, it was a city where citizens from both countries could live together.

However, after Releigh betrayed his brother, it is said that in their final battle, they fought above Ralor in a fight that unfortunately obliterated not only the city but also the entire center of the continent. This place is now the Deadlands, and Ralor is directly at its center.

But, of course, a lot of other places were also lost. These ruins are somewhat of a danger, but also a rewarding endeavor to find what lies inside their lost depths.

"I'd love to see these ruins one day." Cypher lay his head back on the solid wooden wall.

Clementine seemed to think for a moment, lingering on the subject.

Finally, she opened her mouth. "I've heard the prince also wishes to see such places. You two are the same age, and I think you'll get along with some effort. Let me give you some advice, Cypher. He is quite competitive, and he won't like it if you can't keep up."

"He sounds interesting. I'll take your word on it."