A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

As Eldrian and the rest were exploring the mines in the early morning, Vivian made her way to the south gate. Understanding well that there must be more to the memorial than what Eldrian had shared. While he hadn't talked much about it, there must be more to it.

She just knew that there must be more behind it. Knowing Eldrian and all his wonders, it would not be something normal.

'He really didn't want to talk about it...' Vivian smiled recalling how he had tried to divert from the topic. Certain that this was because he had some weird idea of it being bad that he had spent an entire week alone with Myropsis. "Really, the idiot-"

She froze, looking at the ethereal figure passing across the street. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Vivian reminded herself that it was just a wandering soul. Just a wandering soul.

That in itself should be something impossible. Souls should dissipate upon leaving the body, turning into nothing if they remained in the normal world. Vivian had found this commonly accepted knowledge was not as true as she had been brought up to believe.

And it wasn't that it was a ghost either, it was simply a wandering soul. Something that should be impossible. Ghosts were artificial constructs, but this. These. She did not understand how they could exist, how it was possible. And it made her fear, made her remember.

Seeing it reminded her of those thoughts that had been haunting her. Thoughts that had nearly destroyed her. She had hoped at first that her dad's body had been all that had remained, or that he had fought and forced the undead to destroy him completely. Making it impossible to turn him into one of them.

Sadly, she had realized that this was unlikely. She prayed that he had managed to make it to the afterlife, and if that was not possible she prayed that he still held onto his humanity. And each time it caused her heart to freeze, thinking of the hell he could be in.

This was all to blame on that time, where she spoke with the undead. Released them. Her heart ached just thinking of the possibility that his soul was trapped and being tormented. Day in and day out. That he could be kept in a undead hell, unable to move on.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself. Opening her eyes, she froze again seeing the soul wandering aimlessly.  'No need to be scared. They don't mean any harm... This one doesn't at least.' Yet, her heart kept beating at a thousand beats per second.

"Miss- Are you okay?" A young centaurette asked, despite being only a teen she was already nearly two meters tall.

Forcing a smile, Vivian said it was nothing and thanked the girl for her kindness. Forcing herself to move forward. Step by step, eyes darting to the side alleys. Not wishing to come into contact with the souls. Not again...

Never again...

Getting to the south gate, a journey that should only take fifteen to twenty minutes, took her over two hours. She froze as she entered the square, Pelaros had just passed by. Probably heading to meet the refugees.

The sight before her sent chills down her spine, making her want to run. Want to escape.

A mass of chaotic emotions was moving towards the city. Within, countless souls were darting to and fro. Trying to escape out of this mass of ethereally formed emotions. Emotions so strong that they formed a miasma, a miasma that was clear for Vivian to see. And only she could see.

"This here is a recent invention by one of our people," Pelaros said, too far for Vivian to hear. Even if she had been standing next to them though, she would not hear a thing as her entire focus was on this mass of miasma moving closer to the city.

Pelaros was talking with the deputy mayor, the leader of those who had no other place to go, Upam. "If you can believe it, it is a true artifact."

"Artifact? What genius made such a thing?" Artifacts after all were well known to be extremely rare. Magic towers were artifacts, and they were the only artifacts that could be found outside of the duked cities and capital.

"Count Eldrian of Avgi." Pelaros replied, Upam paused for a moment. Recalling a strange elf who had come offering help just before the calamity.

However, unlike how Eldrian believed, they had no idea what had happened nor why. They had no reason to suspect that everything had happened because of him. To them, it simply appeared like one of the devil kings had stepped in personally. And in such a situation they were all simply extremely grateful that they had been saved.

While many had died, and more had died in the journey. More than half was still here, still alive. They could rebuild, they would rebuild.

"Isn't he the one who brought the extra cannons?" Upam asked, turning to Silver who nodded sheepishly. "To think that he was not just a great warrior but also a great craftsman."

"Actually, this is his first-ever invention," Pelaros said, causing Upam to turn dubious.

"Did you not say that this is an artifact?"

"Indeed it is. He actually made it with you, and us, in mind. Like us, he too had experienced great loss and he understands well that it is not easy to move on from that pain."

"Just what kind of artifact is this?" Upam asked, the more he heard the stranger it sounded.

"One made with the intention to help people mourn. Come, let me show you."

Vivian watched from the side as Upam stepped forward and Pelaros explained how to use the Memorial Flower. Vivian watched as Upam reached out to the transparent beads and a screen of sorts appeared in the air. She continued to watch as Pelaros then replayed it. The screen appeared above the closed flower, showing what had happened just seconds ago.

"Quite an amazing item indeed," Upam mumbled, he could see the merit in being able to say your final goodbye. To be able to watch all the farewells that someone had received. Knowing that the person you lost was loved by many would certainly be comforting.

Indeed, it could result in negative emotions too if there was nothing for a certain person. Knowing that they were not loved could destroy a person. However, the true prize was certainly being able to record a final farewell before heading off to battle.

As a father, he dreaded the idea of leaving his children alone on this cruel planet, especially during these troubling times. Being able to leave them with a final message, while not ideal, certainly would put him more at ease. Far more than a letter would ever be able, he could express his love one last time.

"How does it work?" Upam asked after going through his thoughts and emotions, believing that this would certainly help them greatly. Though it would take a long time for everyone to get a chance to use the artifact.

"You're asking me how an artifact works? Only the creators of artifacts can answer you that." Pelaros replied, "There is one more function. Place your hand on the stem and concentrate as you would when attempting to enter a dimensional storage."

Upam did just this, astonished when he was pulled into an entirely different world. Unlike the time when Eldrian and Myropsis had tried this, the space was no longer empty. Around fifty precious memories were floating in this space.

It was such a strange experience that it opened Upam's mind and heart. Bringing forth memories he had long forgotten. Recalling his father and mother who had passed peacefully from old age, recalling all the friends he had lost in the recent catastrophe.

He even relived the journey here. It had been hard on them, not everyone had made it. They had encountered multiple enemies. Luckily, none had been in great numbers and they could defend the progression.

Yet, it had constantly weighed on them. Weighed on everyone. They had to be on guard every second of the day, be careful every step of the way. Starving, dehydrated, crying. And he was responsible for everyone. Every loss was on him, was because of his choices.

It was a heavy burden to bear.

Vivian watched in wonder as she saw light emerge from the flower. Unlike the previous time where it had played a single video above the flower, the flower bloomed. Playing multiple memories at a time.

She watched their journey, the sight bringing tears to her eyes as she could feel all the suffering they had gone through to reach the city. She could feel their pain and desperation at times. And not only she, but everyone in the square.

Even the souls at the gate. Many of them slowly dissipated. Their reason for staying in the physical realm despite the torment it brings them was unknown, yet now, over half of them had seemingly come to accept whatever had kept them. They were finally able to move on.

The heavy miasma also weakened, while still present it had already weakened.

"Eldrian... What the hell did you make?" Vivian asked with a voice breaking from pain as she recalled her own loss. As she was reminded of all her friends and acquaintances from Phallos, none were left. She had even lost her father, and had nearly left her mother without a daughter.

She suddenly found herself unable to stop. Stepping forward, Vivian reached out to the flower as Upam was recovering from the experience. Before anyone could stop her, she was transported to the past.

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