The Great Plateau was once a stable region of this realm. Then ruin came knocking on the door. Graven Keep, the capital of The Great Plateau, was left in the ashes of bone and stone. Its government was more corrupt than ever before.
Its former ruler, Aureth, was the man who kept humanity in check. He was overthrown and banished into the icy regions of the North. The people who remained to harness the power they acquired tore each other like dogs for control. Yet they couldn't do what a single man did: rule. Now the lands had no king; their government was split between two people.
There was no order and no hope for a better future for the people of the Plateau.
Years passed in the blink of an eye. People grew older, and so did Eve.
Standing at a modest height, her blue eyes were as piercing as ever, and her face was filled with scars. Her once golden hair was now short and tainted with dried blood at the ends. Bandages wrapped tightly, with blood covering her forearm and even her hands. She wore a black hood to conceal her identity. Beneath it, a brown chest piece was reinforced with straps and buttons to hold it all in place. Her pants and boots were dulled, black, and heavy. Mud was sticking to her shoes like a vice. Her pants were crumpled and dirty. Underneath it, Nightfall was strapped to her back, the pommel poking out of the hood.
She had been wandering for quite a while now, going from place to place, causing mayhem and destruction that she didn't want. People were searching for Eve to claim her head and to turn it in for the bounty because, at this moment, she was the second most wanted person in the whole region, right behind The Defilement.
"Eve, the cursed child"—that's what they called her.
On this day, June 26th, it was her birthday; she was turning twenty. But she didn't celebrate it; she hadn't had a birthday party since the passing of her mother. But that was okay; she didn't even want to have one. She was alone: hungry, thirsty, and tired.
What use was throwing a birthday party when you were on death's door? Even if she did throw one, who would've come? It was not like she had any friends—only the ominous sword, and she didn't think a party hat would suit it. It would probably start whispering to her until it was taken off. But it was of no use to contemplate what a sword with a hat would look like. She needed to eat, now. Her stomach had been growling for a good minute. And as luck would have it, she had just shook a guy of all his money a while back. Just eating would suffice for her birthday. Maybe she would even get something to drink. The possibilities were endless.
Right now, she was making her way through the streets of Scholar's Rest, the most advanced city on this planet. Scholars worked day and night to provide the world with new magic and scientific breakthroughs.
Towers of brass protruded from the ground, hundreds of feet in the air. At the end of the beams, domes of glass blackened the sky. Those were the city's main research labs. The scholars made their way to the top using a special construction at the base. They utilised some sort of magic to get from the ground to the dome. Its streets were filled with lamps that used fire to brighten the houses and roads.
The city's position was between Graven Keep to the East, The Grand Colosseum to the West, and Eclora to the South—Eve's former village, where she went from time to time. She didn't do anything in particular, just watched the rotten house and left.
Her pace quickened.
"Damn, I hate this place. Every time I come here, it feels like the streets have changed."
The sword began to whisper.
"Oh, shut up. I'm sick of you. Always nagging me: 'kill him, kill her.' Is death all you think about? Can't you see I'm suffering here? Ugh, just my damn luck, I'm starving and I can't find that damn inn. Where the hell is it?"
Street after street passed, yet there was no sight of the pub. Then, finally, the inn appeared. Or rather, it had always been there, just being rebuilt.
"That's why I couldn't find it. What a joke, the inn didn't need anything new added to it. Now it looks like a big heap of metal and wood."
She pulled four gold coins out of her hood and began to make her way inside.
This should be enough. Hmm, what should I get? Chicken with potatoes and some wine? No, then I won't have enough for the next meal. Guess a beef stew will suffice, she thought to herself while taking a seat.
The waitress came and went, arriving fifteen minutes later with a hot, steamy bowl of stew.
I always hate eating with the hood on, but what can I do? Just eat and complain.
The first bite was like heaven, not because the stew was amazing. No, far from it—this place was renowned for its awful stew. It was only because anything tasted good when you lacked basic culinary knowledge and you just ate anything you could. She finished her bowl in a matter of minutes.
Should I leave without paying? But where else can I get such cheap food? What a bummer.
With a reluctant sigh, she got up from her table to pay her bill. Once she was finished, she made her way out of the inn. She pushed the swinging door of the inn wide open and bumped headfirst into a taller man.
"Watch where you are going, asshole!" and at the same time, her hood fell off.
"What—"
The man leaned in close to her face.
"Hello there, cursed child of god."
Eve's eyes widened in shock as she prepared to draw her sword.
"I was searching for you, not to claim your head—it's of no use to me. I have another purpose. I need you for something more specific..."