Romero: Echoes Of The Void

Chapter 6: Whispers of Romero

"Voidrifts… Riftblades… Origin Cores… it's all so much to take in," John muttered, his brow furrowed as he struggled to process the information Starla had shared. They walked along a well-worn path in the Almera region, the city gates of Oakhaven looming in the distance. The Almera region, known for its fertile lands and bustling trade routes, was a stark contrast to the desolate Great Sand Sea where he had been found.

"I *know* it's a lot," Starla said patiently, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "But it's *important* you understand. Especially if you're going to stay in Romero."

"Stay?" John echoed, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "I don't even know if I *belong* here."

Starla stopped, turning to face him, her expression a mix of concern and slight frustration. "Whether you belong or not is something you'll have to discover for yourself, John. But you *are* here. And you have questions. So, ask away."

John took a deep breath. "Okay… Voidrifts. You said they're classified? Like… how dangerous they are?"

"Exactly," Starla replied. "They're classified into four levels: Accidents, which are the weakest; then Danger, Hazard, and finally, Disaster. Disaster-level Voidrifts are the most devastating, capable of unleashing the most powerful and monstrous creatures."

"And the Riftblades?" John asked. "You said they're classified too?"

"Yes," Starla confirmed. "Riftblades are classified by the strength of their Origin Cores – the source of their power. They range from D-grade Core, the weakest, up to A-grade Core, the strongest. Some individuals are fortunate enough to awaken with more than one Core. It's rare, but it happens."

"Origin Cores… they form when someone awakens their abilities, right?" John asked, as if trying to piece together a complex puzzle.

"Right," Starla said, nodding. "Usually around the age of fifteen. That's why it's so important that you learn about all this *now*." She emphasized the "now" with a slight pout, as if his continued questions were somehow delaying something important.

John nodded slowly, his mind still reeling. He was fifteen. He had awakened… *something*. He could still feel the phantom heat of the chaotic flames on his hands.

"You mentioned the Orb of Chaos," he said. "What… what happened *after* it was destroyed?"

Starla's expression turned somber. "The world changed, John. Drastically. The balance of nature was disrupted. Plants began to grow in strange, unpredictable ways, developing defensive and offensive mechanisms. We call them 'Venomflora' now. They can be quite dangerous."

"Venomflora…" John repeated, testing the word on his tongue. It sounded ominous.

"And the animals… those that roam the outskirts of the cities, they've changed too," Starla continued. "They're called Voidwanderers. They've grown stronger, some have even gained abilities of their own. It's a dangerous world out there, John."

John thought about the creatures he had seen in his dream, the grotesque monsters that had poured forth from the Voidrift. They were real. They were *out there*.

"There's one more continent I should tell you about," Starla said, her voice dropping slightly, a hint of unease creeping in. "The Elves. They reside on the fifth continent and they are… different. They've isolated themselves from the rest of Romero. They don't attend the Continental meetings, and they're incredibly hostile towards outsiders."

A chill ran down John's spine. He remembered the elf from his dream, the cold, piercing gaze, the sudden, brutal attack. The memory was fragmented, but the *fear* was still vivid.

Starla continued, oblivious to John's internal turmoil. "They're incredibly powerful, especially with their mastery over ice magic. Their continent is a sort of arctic paradise. They are also rumored to possess powerful artifacts." She paused, about to delve into the history of the artifacts and how they are used to measure the grade of Riftblade cores and the power of Voidrifts – the 'Resonance Stones,' she was going to call them – when a sudden commotion interrupted her.

From a nearby abandoned marketplace, the sounds of clashing metal and shouts echoed through the air. Starla's eyes narrowed, her earlier pout replaced by a look of alert concentration. "Trouble," she muttered. "Looks like we're not going to get to those Resonance Stones just yet."