Ash looked around and saw but sand for miles "so the shattered world is what makes up this entire realm we're on like the ruin belt everything,but with that comes the creatures that Roam on it no one can tell why they showed up and where no even knows how they are made only after chosen one told them everything were they able to create the technology to kill the beats humans still run from today"
Beatrice waved her hand around as she spoke "hollow island is not even fraction of what this place has to offer if anything it's the smallest island in the shattered realm,yeah it doesn't seem small but once you see the other island you'll realize."
Ash listen in closely now knowing he hadn't even seen all of the so called shattered realm he looked at Beatrice "so how far are we from civilization?"
He asked "about a mile away from the city" she responded "what city?"
Ash asked once more a bit curious "the city of lost hopes,which is stationed in the middle of hollow island" Beatrice smiled.
"Yeah will show around when we get there" Orrin said
Ash looked ahead and his eyes could only catch a glimpse of ctiy ahead
"Big is it?" Beatrice said.
"Yeah..." Ash quietly responded ash wonder what was monster that inhabited the mountain that he had previously climb "so once we get there your gonna have to be on your own for a while since we need to report back to base" Beatrice informed ash.
They walked for what felt like miles ash wiped hair from his face and Beatrice noticed "hold still knew guy" she went behind him and took a hair tie from her pocket "I normally use this for my hair but I just cleaned it and it seems like you need it."
She tied it into a messy half-up top knot. "There now it shouldn't bother you any-more" she said walking ahead of him "thanks" he replied and when they finally reached the gates of the city Beatrice yelled to a guard "OPEN THE GATE!"
She yelled.
The gate slowly moved back and they walked in ash followed behind the group
Finally arriving at the city of lost hopes,he looked at the city,The City of Lost Hopes stood beneath an eternal twilight, its jagged silhouette rising from the desolate wasteland like the bones of some long-dead giant. Towering spires of black stone pierced the ash-choked sky, their peaks disappearing into a sea of swirling gray clouds. Once-grand buildings lined the winding streets, but time and despair had reduced them to crumbling husks, their shattered windows staring down like hollow eyes upon the world below.
An unnatural mist slithered through the city's narrow alleys and forgotten plazas, clinging to the ground as though reluctant to let go. The air was cold and heavy, carrying faint whispers that no one could ever quite understand—fragments of dreams, promises, and prayers abandoned long ago. Rusted signs creaked in the wind, while faded banners, their symbols long erased by time, hung limply from cracked walls.
The people of the city moved like shadows, draped in worn cloaks and tattered garments. Their faces bore the weight of countless failures, their eyes dim and distant, as if the city itself had stolen the light from within them. No joyous laughter echoed through these streets. Instead, the silence was broken only by the mournful tolling of ancient bells, the distant cawing of ravens perched atop ruined rooftops, and the soft patter of ash drifting endlessly from the heavens.
At the heart of the city stood the Clockspire, a colossal tower of obsidian stone whose massive hands had long since ceased to move. Legends claimed that when the clock stopped, so too did the hopes of the city. Since then, no one had managed to make it chime again.
Travelers spoke of a strange feeling that settled over them the longer they remained within the City of Lost Hopes—a creeping despair that whispered that their dreams were foolish, that their struggles were meaningless, and that surrender was far easier than pressing onward. Many entered seeking refuge, answers, or redemption. Few ever left unchanged. Some never left at all.
For in the City of Lost Hopes, despair was not merely an emotion.
It was alive.
Ash had a displeased expression Beatrice turned to him "so what do you think?"
She smiled an eerie feeling settling into his stomach "well see ya in a little while"
Beatrice and the others left leaving ash to fend for himself.
He stood motionless for a while trying to recollect his thoughts
He blinked for a few moments before looking up his heart felt a wave of dread
He walked down the street trying to find something to do.
He saw a bench and couldn't he'll but sit on it "this place feels and looks so different compared to to alders kingdom" he thought.
He turned his head to see a man robbing someone "didn't I just say hand it over!"
The man Said reaching in his pocket for a knife but ash stopped him just in time "you can't be that desperate" Ash looked at him "then you clearly Don't know anything about the city of lost hopes"the man replied with a disgusted expression.
The guy swung his hand away "you don't know how desperate I am!"
The guy swung his knife around,slowly walking towards ash but ash didn't even flinch the guy lunged at ash but ash stepped back and pinned the man to the ground.
The guy shook violently trying to escape ashes hold ash didn't know what to do with the man so he just knocked him out "sorry you made me do that"
He said quietly before walking away"so things really are different here"
He saw people talking quietly and ash felt gazes over him.
He didn't know why he just knew people eyes were locked on to him
He payed no attention to it so they wouldn't state more but it wasn't getting quite
Unsettling.
"Yeah this place is weird."