The town of Amal is a mysterious place within the country of Pesin. A town covered by fog and left totally inaccessible due to the massive Ravine of Rejection that separates the entire cliff that the town rests on. People have tried to cross over this Ravine but none have succeeded as the moment anything and anyone goes over the ravine, a powerful downward force pulls them down into the abyss!
"You know that I know this, right?" Alix cuts off Denver's story.
"Of course, I am merely building up to the story! I felt that going straight in could cause some confusion like how a bird may try to fly into an open window only to slam straight into the invisible barrier of glass!" Denver calmly explained himself. Alix nodded and allowed him to continue telling his story.
Ahem! The many strange features of Amal are thought to be related to its history. Specifically, it's history in relation to the spellcasting art of Mysticism. It is said that around the time of the fourth century an amazing Mystic was born in these lands of Pesin. It was a person with talent and innovations that a few argue could rival those of the current age.
"Did this Mystic do something that brought attention to their talents?"
"Ah, yes!" Denver's eyes flashed as recognition dawned upon him.
There was a demon, you see. A terrifyingly powerful creature that was ravaging the nearby lands, killing people and destroying their homes. During one of those attacks, a strange fog carpeted the town. After an hour, the fog cleared and the demon was gone. When the town's residents were asked about what occurred they simply stated that a powerful mystic brought the clouds from the sky to defeat the horror and drifted away uttering barely a word.
Alix let out an interested grunt. "Quite the flashy fellow that mystic was!" Denver nods in agreement.
"All of us Mystics tend to quite enjoy being as entertainers and putting a show for those that are in the vicinity of our magic!" The corners of Denver's lips turned up. He seemed to quite enjoy talking about his magic which was something Alix could understand.
That demon was just the first of many that the Mystic disposed of as many of the heinous creatures ravaged the land during that time. The name of the Cloud-Evoking Mystic spread until word came that they'd disappeared without a trace. Over the course of the next few months, people flooded to the western side of Pesin desperate to find this hidden master and after much searching, the mystic they did find.
Far to the west, atop a cliff, a town was discovered and in that town the Mystic found. When beholding the master, none could quite piece together what their appearance was. Their skin was fair one moment then tan the next. They would have long silken hair only for it to be replaced by rough, short shrubbery on their scalp. No one could quite tell anything about the master be it their height, age, or gender.
It was this ambiguity that created the mystic's name, Amalgamate as at any given moment the mystic could look human or look Beastial! Word spread across the land that the Cloud-Evoking Mystic had been found. People tore across the nation to meet the powerhouse. Some to learn, others with hopes of employing the person to raise their own status. Any coming to learn were welcomed into the cloud that guarded the city.
Any with selfish intentions, however...
They met the might of the storm that the cloud hid! Driven out and away from the town so that the citizens could be unbothered by solicitors.
Years passed as the town steadily grew in size. More and more people came seeking residence due to their wish to learn. The once unnamed town donned the title of Amal due to its being the home of the Amalgamate Mystic. The town was always open to new arrivals. That is it was...
One day, the cliff where the town stood was rended apart from the rest of the land. This left a massive ravine of bottomless darkness draining the sea like an all consuming vortex! Then the gentle cloud that surrounded the town expanded in size becoming double-triple-No quintuple the size that it once was! The cloud darkened like a brewing storm and covered the entire cliff allowing none to see its contents.
Alix's eyes were tearing up as she'd yet to blink in several minutes. She was completely enthralled by the story. She blinked as her eyes were become quite uncomfortable. "What happened to cause that sort of reaction? Did someone piss off the mystic?"
Denver gently shook his head. "None truly know what happened to the town. Though, there are two prevailing theories." Denver held up his fingers as he explained. "Would you like to hear them?"
"You seem more excited to tell them than I am to hear them. Go ahead, I don't like cliff hangers." Denver released a small laugh.
"Unintentional as that may have been it was quite the fitting pun!" Alix tilted her head and lifted an eyebrow. She didn't make a pun, did she?
"Where was I-ah, yes! The two leading theories on what happened to the town of Amal!" Denver regathered himself.
The first is known as, The Rift Blademaster's Rage. It describes the tale of a man during those times that was know as the Rift Blademaster. This was due to his incredible glaive wielding ability that was so powerful that people described him as being able to open a rift on the battlefield with a single swing.
The theory says that Rift Blade heard about the Amalgamate Mystic and, with him being a warrior, wished to do combat with them. Rift Blade traveled across the mainland, boarded a ship to Pesin then trekked across Pesin to arrive in Amal. Once there the man demanded for the presence of the master of the town! The citizens, terrified by the appearance of the violent sounding stranger, rushed for the aid of their master!
Rift Blade was quite the prideful man and when it came to battle he was very forthright never backing down from any requests. He always expected this same treatment from those that he challenged himself as he didn't challenge people often. Which is why when word reached his ear that the Amalgamate Mystic refused his challenge, the man was outraged!
He yelled and screamed at the top of his lungs, throwing a tantrum not unlike a child as he was known to be rather childish. He demanded that the Mystic come out and fight him! Yet, once again his challenge was refused. Rift Blade was not one to take no for an answer, however. He charged through the town, ripping apart any that stood in his way, hunting down the Amalgamate Mystic all for a petty battle.
The Mystic, upon witnessing their town being ravaged by this brute, appeared before Rift Blade and a battle ensued. That, is when the peaceful cloud around the town grew into a massive storm as their battle became quite intense. It is undetermined who won the battle but at the end of the second day it is rumored that Rift Blade stormed out of the town and in a fit lifted his powerful glaive overhead and split the land connecting the Cliff of Amal to Pesin.
Thus forming the Rift of Rejection and leaving the town forever blanketed by a gray thunder cloud.
"That is quite the theory! Even though it is more of a story." Alix expressed with a shocked look. "Is there any proof to support it?"
"The only proof, from my understanding, is that the ravine's cut is far too clean to have been done by nature. Also the Rift Blademaster did mention wishing to do battle with the Amalgamate Mystic before he disappeared. Though, that is it."
"That's it? That entire story is based on such little information?" Alix's face scrunched in disbelief.
"It is just a theory." Denver explained. "Also, remember that there is still a second one if you wish to hear it." Alix stifles her confusion and gestures for Denver to continue.
Alright, the second theory is, A Heart Broken Can Drive One to Isolation.
"Why do all of these theories have titles?"
"Because Mystics like to make a show of things, as I said earlier." Denver explained then went into the theory.
This theory focuses on a princess from the old days of Pesin. She spent her days surrounded by servants that catered to her every will. As such she was quite spoiled. When she wanted something it was in everyone's best interest to give it to her post-haste! So, when the princess heard about a Mystic that could control the clouds, she nearly flew into the sky from excitement. She demanded to be allowed to meet the master and her parents wasted no time in allowing her to do so!
Her highness was sent with an escort of knights and servants to go meet the Cloud-Evoking Mystic. Upon her arrival in the town she was instantly entranced by the sights. She had never been to the western side of the nation before and the first place she visited was a cliff-based town filled with Mysticism.
Needless to say, she was in love with the town. Then, she met the person that she'd come to meet and was shocked to witness the strange appearance of the person. This only filled her with more interest.
She needed to know more about this person! The princess and the Master Mystic spent months connecting. They grew closer and closer to the point that they were inseparable!
Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended. The princess was gone from the town and the Amalgamate Mystic was never to be seen again. It was...strange to say the least. Those two seemed extremely close but it ended so suddenly. The princess returned to her home in Hydria like nothing ever happened. Strange, right?
Well, the truly strange thing is that when the princess was asked about her time at Amal she looked back without recognition. She asked what everyone was talking about? Everyone started laughing thinking that her highness was joking. It was only when she asked them why they were laughing that they realized something was very wrong!
The King questioned all of the servants and knights that went to Amal along with her only to have them throw him the same confused looks.
It was explained to the princess that she'd traveled to Amal to meet the Cloud-Evoking Mystic but she swore that she'd never even heard about a place called Amal. The king and queen were appalled and outraged by the princess's state. They blamed the Amalgamate Mystic for mistreating their daughter and ordered their soldiers to march on the town!
When they arrived, the soldiers charged into the town ready to get payback for their princess only to be stopped by the Amalgamate mystic in the outskirts. They threatened the being, shouting at them. The Mystic was unresponsive to the shouts and insults. They just looked up coldly at the soldiers with a look that sent a chill down their spines and started to speak.
"I had a love in my life. A woman that I gave my heart. She was bold and cheerful filling my heart with joy! Then my true face she beheld. A scream that shattered the windows of my soul, I heard! She was horrified. A monster, she yelled. A DEMON she called me! A beast of any name besides my own. It filled my heart with ache. A pain so deep it may never heal. Yet here you stand calling me a villain for taking her memory?"
The soldiers held up their weapons but had yet to move. They didn't know what to expect from the Mystic. The mystic took a single step forward and their form shifted revealing something...monstrous! The cloud behind the master darkened and morphed transforming into a wild storm!
"Is this what you expected? A devil possessing the blood of a mortal? If it is a devil that you wish for then a devil of a being you will get!" It is unknown what the mystic did to those soldiers. Only that they never returned home. The storm cloud never returned to normal either. Ever dark and raging. Shortly after that, another group of soldier led by the king directly went to visit the town. Their path was cut off, however, as the mystic used their might to rip the cliff free from the lands of Pesin.
They would never let their heart be broken again.
...
"Why do all of these theories sound like incredibly in depth and complicated stories? I mean, for theories it sure sounds like people have a relative idea as to what may have happened based on little to no information!" Denver looked at Alix playfully. Alix frowned at the boy before she recalled something she'd heard several times today.
"Oh, right. Mystics love to make a show out of things, don't they?"