Charter: The History Of Lorden

Finally, the fog lifted. In front of them stretched a wide hall with high, cracked arches. Once it was probably a city library or archive.

But now there was chaos here.

The floor was littered with shards of stone, remnants of furniture, and rusty metal chains.And in the very center of the hall, among the rubble, lay a small stone pedestal.There was something on it.

–There.–Calcium nodded forward, taking a step.

Elmar tensed: –Wait... something's not right here.

And as soon as he said that, the room shook.The dark patterns on the walls shone with a crimson light.The fog they had left behind began to boil like boiling water.

And something came out of him.At first it was just another figure, an indistinct silhouette made of shadows.

But then it raised its head. And the Calcium turned cold. Unlike Echo Lorden, this entity had eyes.Burning, scarlet, full of hate.

[ATTENTION! The enemy has been detected.]

[Guardian of the Curse: Desecrated Shadow.]

The figure stretched out his hand, after which the shadows condensed.And then they rushed at them.

Calcium barely had time to step back when a wave of darkness lashed at the place where she was standing a second ago. The stone began to crumble under the blows, and the air was filled with the sound of cracking and hissing.

[Guardian of the Curse: Tainted Shadow – level ???]

[Danger: High.]

The system did not show the exact level of the opponent, and this was a bad sign.

Elmar cursed, abruptly drawing his dagger. –Do we have a plan? – His voice was strained, but still confident.

Calcium confidently looked at the guy: – Yes. Survive!

The guard moved forward. His movements were unnaturally fast — it was as if he was falling into his own shadow, and then appeared in another place, shortening the distance.

Calcium raised her hand.

[Activated: Creation of the tablet.]

Her tattoo flashed, and a symbol began to form on her palm.

[Select A Story.]

She frantically turned over in her head the possible stories she could use.

"I need something that can slow him down."…

Her gaze darted to Echo Lorden's figures, who were still standing motionless.And then it dawned on her.

"I can write down their story!"

She pointed her palm forward, and the blue light enveloped the ghostly silhouettes.

[Tablet created: Seal of Bound Souls.]

The air trembled.Echo Lorden's figures raised their hands at the same time.And in the next moment, translucent chains closed around the Guardian.

He roared.The chains were shaking, but they held him back, though not for long.

–Now! Calcium shouted.

Elmar was not long in coming.He darted forward, his dagger flashing with a faint silver light, and another second. A jerk.

The blade pierced into the Shadow's body, but it did not disappear.Instead, there was a shrill, booming sound.The Guardian's body began to break apart.

The cracks radiating across his figure glowed with a blue glow.

And Calcium realized that they had hit the nail on the head: – Push! –she shouted.

Elmar growled and put all his strength into the blow.The Guardian of the Curse shuddered.

And then it exploded in a blinding burst of light.

Calcium closed her eyes, and when she opened them, the Guard was gone.Only a wisp of faint, shimmering mist remained in place and the pedestal, on which the tablet was now clearly visible.

Silence, shrouded in the remnants of fog, hung in the air. Calcium slowly lowered her hand, watching as the last sparks of light disappeared into the void.

Elmar took a deep breath, running his hand over his face.

–It wasn't... that bad.– He tried to grin, but his hands were shaking.

Calcium ignored his attempt to appear cool. Her attention was focused on the tablet lying on the pedestal.

She looked ancient, a smooth stone covered with writings that slowly shimmered, as if adapting to her presence.

The tattoo on his palm suddenly lit up with a new, richer light.

[A lost Tablet of History has been discovered.]

[Do you want to write it down?]

Calcium swallowed.

"This is the tablet. She sealed their story, but apparently it was never completed."

Elmar looked at her and frowned: –Is something wrong?

Calcium nodded slowly: –If I write it down... something will change.

She reached out her hand and gently touched the surface of the tablet. As soon as her fingers touched the stone, the words flashed.And a flood of memory flooded into her mind.

She was standing in Lorden Square again, but now everything was different.There was a man standing in front of her.The one who dropped the tablets before disappearing.

He looked young, but his eyes were full of fatigue:– Can you finish it...? – His voice was weak, barely audible.

Calcium wanted to answer, but her lips wouldn't obey.

– The story must be completed. Only then can we leave…

The stone in her hand warmed up.

[Write down the last chapter?]

Calcium took a deep breath.

"If I do this... will the curse disappear?"

She could feel the history of this place begging to come out. And she was ready to write it down.…

Reality returned abruptly.

Elmar looked at her worriedly: –What's going on?

Calcium exhaled: –I... I have to finish their story.

She looked at the tablet in her hands.The shadows of the past were waiting for her decision.

Calcium felt the tablet tremble in her hands, like a living being trapped in stone. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface, and the symbols flashed with a soft bluish light.

[Enter the last chapter.]

Take a deep breath.She knew that she couldn't write something just like that.

Stories don't tolerate falsehoods.

Calcium closed her eyes, letting the memory of the city flow through her.

"How did it all start?"

Shadows, voices, moans of disappearing people…She remembered the figure of the caster...remembered his voice.

"Whoever writes down our story will set us free..."

She knew what to write. The blue glow of the tattoo grew brighter as the feather created by her magic began to move across the tablet.

"Lorden did not fall to the swords of his enemies, but to the fears of his people. They closed the doors when they needed help. They turned away when there was a chance to save. Their story is a story of choice. Their punishment is their darkness. But every fear must be overcome. Every curse has an end. And today..."

The stone trembled.Calcium glanced at the last words.

"...they can leave."

[Recording completed.]

Silence.And then a wave of light.

The fog around them began to dissipate, and with it, Echo Lorden's figures began to disappear. They didn't scream or moan. They just looked at her, they felt grateful.

Simultaneously, thousands of voices whispered: –Thank you.

Then they disappeared.A light breeze blew through the hall.

Calcium took a step back, breathing heavily.

Elmar was silent, watching the scene.Then he said slowly:

–Is that... all?

Calcium looked at her hand.The tattoo has changed. The symbols formed a new pattern, and a faint blue glow emanated from it.

[You have completed the story of Lorden.]

[New rank has been obtained: Tablet Master.]

Calcium clenched her fist, feeling a surge of new strength.

She chuckled:–No –she replied to Elmar. – Everything is just beginning.

//To be continued, please like and save.