Chapter 1313 - The Old World (2/2)

Beyond the thick roiling clouds came a massive silhouette that slowly peaked out of the clouds. It was a giant, floating island, an almost continental size one at that!

And this massive floating island did not stop after exiting the clouds, and it was tilted in a very horrifying angle as it descended slowly but surely towards the ground!

Clamor and panic ran across almost everyone present except for the wardens who were totally calm. Seeing that, Hao Ren too regained his composure, but it was rather difficult to not being nervous at the sight of a massive continent size island making landfall.

But the expected destruction did not come, the falling continent was but a phantom, and as it made contact against the ground it sunk silently underneath. While most of the length of the falling continent was still behind the clouds, the forward area had already pierced the surface, like a tilted sundial as it was slowly consumed by the earth. This harrowing ‘fall’ lasted a good five minutes, it was not until the last of the continent vanished that everyone could breathe normally again.

“That was the ‘disjoint’ I spoke of,” Geddon said. “That is a fragment of Collow crumbling down from real space. The whole planet was fragmented and only five continents survived. The rest ended up like that, being dragged into the wrong dimension and wandering like lost souls in an orbit. While orbiting they would pierce through the real world, and as you can see, it can seem very terrifying. Though in reality, it is pretty harmless…”

As the words left his mouth, Geddon stopped, before shrugging. “All right, it can be harmful. When these phantom continents pass through the real world, they cause irregular disappearances and energy loss. There have been times when the phantoms stayed around. But all this is without any logic. You understand?”

Most shook their heads. But Hao Ren, Vivian, and Y’zaks were deep in thought. Oh, Lily too. She was a four-time graduate after all.

“You mean to say that these phantom continents are actually fragments of planet Collow.” Hao Ren nodded slightly. “But why can’t we see it in the real world? Is it possible that this Forgotten Abyss is actually a much more complete version than the real world?”

“Just as you said.” Geddon’s reply shocked everyone. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? The truth is usually much more shocking. For us ancient beings, the real Collow is the one in the nightmare realm!”

Hao Ren looked up at the massive frame of the Lord of Mountains as he waits for the latter to further explain.

“Collow, it was once a proper celestial body, this you may have heard in the legends of yore, but what you did not hear is that Collow was not split into the real world and the nightmare realm. It was a complete unit on its own.” Geddon explained slowly as he gazed to the yonder, nostalgia and lamentation apparent in his voice. “At first, Mother had locked Lockmarton away deep within the planet. It was just a normal prison and reconfiguration facility. No one knew things would have turned out this way. Lockmarton’s madness grew by the day and it had warped into a monster that lives between reality and the illusory and the growing power of nightmare pushed the prison’s systems to the brink and on one fateful day, it broke. Ten thousand years ago, in that catastrophic event, Collow was torn apart. The entire planet and the space nearby were thrown into the void. Lockmarton’s powers only grew exponentially under those circumstances, and he almost broke out. To avoid the worst case scenario, we activated one of Asurmen’s emergency protocols, and this protocol was an extension of the Ark’s engine. It used part of the engine’s capabilities, and as a result, Collow was ripped out of the material universe and locked within a dimensional bubble, undergoing a total reversal…”

Geddon’s explanation got more difficult to understand by the minute as it contained many of knowledge and theories that were beyond arcane. It was clear that this was not mean for Calaxus and his people as they were in total confusion by now. Only Hao Ren and his crew, who had exposure to such cases were able to grasp the explanation.

“After the reversal, the torn part of Collow became the Forgotten Abyss. The fragments from the material world and the rift of the void shredded the entire place, and Lockmarton’s power smashed against the sealed prison and turning the place into a living nightmare. To control the nightmarish void, we allowed Asurmen to open a rift at the Peak of the World, or where the Sanctum is and from the rift to use data reflection to create a new Collow. To stop Lockmarton from using the rift to escape, Asurmen went over too and stayed on in new Collow in the form of a crystal mountain to block the passage. As for the surviving ecosystem after the destruction of Collow… we moved it to the new world.”

Geddon paused for a good while after that to allow them to digest the newfound information.

Hao Ren let out a deep sigh. “So simply put, Lockmarton tore the old world part, and you guys sealed the old world, turn it into the Forgotten Abyss, and created a new world using the old world’s base. So the real world is now the new world, where everyone lives, and this… is the original Collow?!”

Geddon smiled as he turned, and his hands were wide open. “So, once again, welcome to the old world within the nightmare, the real Collow.”

Behind the Lord of Mountains, the clouds rolled again as another continent fell from the sky. Great cities and fortress were still visible on the continent’s surface. It passed through slowly across the skyline, and like snow lost within the dream, it slowly sunk into the ground, with nary a ripple.