The Map

Arthdel is the most beautiful country that one will ever get to see in their life. From the outside it is peaceful and breathtaking but if you take a closer look in the inside, it reeks of death and distrust. Arthdel was ones famous for its beauty and prosperity, but all that can be heard about this country now is its famous and deadly ‘map curse’.

The country has its history and so do its curse. A history that the people of the country never forgets even in their death. A huge stone stand tall in the center of Arthdel screaming its past and the future of the ones who doesn’t listen.

While in other countries children first learn about their families, Arthdel’s children learn about self sustenance and use of armories. To them that is essential to continue their life, the one who falls behind always knocks the door to their doom.

To understand Arthdel’s present condition, one must learn its history right from the country’s reason of existence. There are three realms in this world, The sky realm, the earth realm and the deep realm. The sky realm is the place where goddesses of the world Illyara resides, she is surrounded by other spirit gods and humans who have attained the position of an Archmage. Archmages are the greatest magicians who have attained the highest level of magic. They are decided even before birth, Archmages possess unique light grey eyes which depicts the balance between the humans and the gods.

Arthdels never existed from the beginning. It was created through magic by three archmages to inhabit oppressed peoples from other universes. As it was made from high level magic with the highest purity of mana, Arthdel became the most beautiful place to ever exist. Made from magic was not the only significance of the country, the people inhabiting in the country also came to possess a magical sign on their wrist. This is not just a birthmark but is a sign which connects to the one who will remain loyal in the future. The high level protective magic layers casted upon the country by the three archmages looks into the future of every inhabitants and select the one who will trust and remain loyal to them in the future and will assign them an identical mark which shows itself at the age of 18. Once the two cross paths with each other the mark will emit a lime green colour so that they can recognize each other.

The existence of this mark was the boon and bane to them. The people of Arthdel was happy with the one who possess the same mark but were suspicious of the others. Due to this sole reason the country failed to prosper and establish a position in the world. It finally overcome these struggles due to the help of the spirit of light Alina who visit Arthdel as a human to enjoy its beauty. Upon visiting the country the spirit was dejected to witness the condition and built up trust between the people. She helped them regain their trust in each other and worked hard to bring prosperity. She brought in new trade routes, improved the cash flows in the country and the country slowly began to rise in wealth and fame. The once who at first supported Alina slowly started to turn her back to her. The people started to plot against her so that they can eliminate a position higher than them, everyone started wishing for her position, to rule over Arthdel. Though Alina had no intentions of doing so the people never believed her and tortured Alina to death. Enraged by being betrayed and the lose of her beloved human form she revealed her identity to the people of Arthdel and cursed them upon their mark. She cursed that once the mark appear at the age of 18 it will turn them and their trusted ones into enemies. The precious lime green colour then changed into a deep black mark which is poisonous to ones body and to remove the mark one must eliminate the other with the same mark.

But it was not all, shortly after the incident the people of Arthdel witnessed weird patterns engulfing their body day by day which was initially thought to be as just the spread of the venom was later found out have a different meaning to it. It provides the other with the map of the routes the other travelled. The weird patterns are codes which one must decipher to reach to the other. Once the most desired mark of faith hence turned into the most despised curse of the map.