Chapter 4

The Wanderers Journal

-W.J.

It has come to my attention that I should catalog my findings. Not many beings have lived as long as I have and those who have are not of the inclination of documentation

In this journal, it is my goal to give a brief but complete account and definition of what I know.

As a disclaimer, I will strive my best to remain neutral but understand I am a biased party. I can, however, promise my account will be holistic as far as knowledge is concerned.

As for things I leave out. Please forgive me, but there are some things of which knowledge is not a benefit.

-W.J.

Wanderers’ Journal, entry 1. Subject, Feinhall.

I suppose I should start, not at the beginning but close to it.

Long ago, before the first conquest and the ascension and subsequent fall of the Valkyrie, and before the rise of the greater collective beings, there were the Crystelnn. The first of the high races.

While the Crystelnn had corporeal bodies, they were not bound by space the same way the greater collective beings are now. They also possessed a form of telepathic communication. This allowed them to spread across the galaxies despite being a relatively small race in numbers. I estimate only about six thousand or so ever existed.

But I am getting off track.

The Crystelnn discovered a place outside of reality. Now, understand, that in itself isn't all that strange. There are places outside of reality constantly forming and collapsing. This space, however, was stable. That alone would have made it worth further investigation. But this space had even more surprises. Two to be precise.

First, there was a building inside this space. A castle of stone and wood. Second, it was inhabited by monsters. Abysials.

I don't know why the Crystelnn latched so emphatically to this space, this castle, and quest to defeat the Abysials, I just know that they did.

I do not know how long it took, but the Crystelnn did manage to establish themselves in the castle in space. And while they had a foothold, they couldn’t defeat the Abyss, nor could the Abyisials push them back. A stalemate. Like two pawns facing each other on a board, neither able to move.

And then, the stalemate was broken by Blood Weaver. You see, Blood Weaver was once an Abyisal. Blood Weaver defected for reason unknown and manifested as a sword. A Katana. A perfect blade.

With Blood Weaver now on their side the Crystelnn quickly turned the tide.

It should be noted, I do not know what happened to the Abyisals. I do not think they were eradicated. Though they were defeated.

Now in control of the castle and the space, The Crystelnn turned their attention to other things. They withdrew entirely for reality, choosing to live solely in the castle. They ordained themselves as the guides for souls, giving souls of the deceased passage from reality, through the space, to whatever is next. (I honestly don’t know what comes after. I only know what I know) For a long time, they did their duty. But even those who do not change can erode and decay over time. Not their power or capacity, but their purpose. More and more, they began to long to pass on themselves. But, just as they opened the way for others, someone had to hold their way for them. One had to stay behind.

Fein, youngest of the Crystelnn offered herself. With Fein opening the way, the rest of the Crystelnn passed on, leaving Fein behind in the sole care of the castle. Upon becoming the refuge for Adamant, the castle came to be known as Feinhall.

From then on, Feinhall would gather anything that didn’t belong or could not stay in reality. And so, it has become a refuge for many strange, wonderful, and dangerous things.

I advise you to think of it, not as a pocket dimension, but as a flip side to reality. It’s inverse if you will.

This concludes the first entry in my journal.

W.J.