Years of constant studies and research as well as the odd find, allows them for bigger

  and better aircraft, more powerful machinery and therefore, the means of digging

  deeper into the earth or reaching deeper into the ocean, wherever their king might

  point them. Hervies and a few more, still believe there is much out there that the

  Centra left behind, buried, or submerged in depths they cannot yet reach, waiting

  forever for the ones worthy enough to do so. That single Centra find that can at any

  time flip the coin in Human favour, but then, they have the whole world to explore if

  they do muster the means and will to do so.

  No other race can compete with them but one, and those have long isolated

  themselves in their archipelago, in the one and only Nharkim city where all of them

  are believed to reside. A most impressive sight to be sure and one that can be seen for

  many miles, it is both enormous and luminous, the single greatest achievement of this

  Era. Quite easily it causes jealousy and fear in all of those that manage to get close

  enough for a good glimpse at it.

  Yes, the Nharkim are indeed great, far and beyond anyone else and the ones that

  more quickly gained the favour of the Centra findings. Their science and technology

  are boundless and with no apparent limits as to where they can eventually take them.

  They are a very reclusive race, very seldom seen, if ever, for they have all sorts of

  machines working for them and anything that they must execute outside their walls,

  their technology does for them.

  All of their power is concentrated at one major point, one nation in one city.

  From afar the aptly named “Machine City” by those that could never dream of

  entering it, resembles but a colossal pyramid-shaped construction, seemingly floating

  in the air like the fabled cities of old. In reality, once one manages to get just close

  enough, one can see there are four pillars at its base supporting it all.

  One from every corner of its base and as they extend diagonally, as they too obey the

  grand design of the pyramided achievement, they connect the immense city to four of

  the several isles beneath it. No outsiders may enter it for none ever have, regardless of

  what they may bring and as such, it is meant to only be admired from afar.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Every single isle of that archipelago has an enormous beacon of light pointed at it

  no matter the time of day, as if the Nharkim have wanted all along for all others to

  bask in their great accomplishment. They are the apex civilisation in this world, and

  it is no wonder that Hervies and others are at the very least jealous of them, if not

  fearful. As great as their technology is, the mystery surrounding them is even greater

  and naturally gives birth to all sorts of speculation.

  Rumours like their machinelike appearance, for example, claims that they have

  seemingly forsaken flesh for technological prowess; thus, some dare say here and there,

  replacing flesh and bone with metal and circuitry, which allowed them to transcend

  death. Making them even more enviable. Even more fearful. Many more stories

  surround the Nharkim, many rumours such as their apparent lack of age or gender fills

  many a tavern. Speculations born of ales and sassy tongues wriggling inside drunkard’s

  mouths or perhaps there might be some truth to it.

  Perhaps someone out there was fortunate enough to encounter one. The truth of

  the matter is that none knows for sure what the Nharkim are up to in that city of

  theirs, none outside their circle knows how their society operates or even what form

  of hierarchy is established or if any at all. Not a single name is known, not a ruler nor

  king nor emperor.

  Nothing about them let alone any intent, and that only pushes Hervies further.

  Years kept on passing and the world kept on changing. So different it is now than

  what I used to remember; the voice of this planet can no longer easily reach up to me

  and the nights are no longer rich. Stars no longer spark above and no longer do they

  carry the hopes and dreams of those staring at them from down here with growing

  eyes. The nights are just really dark now, sometimes completely black even and in some

  places not even the once shinning moons can be seen. Instead, large and heavy clouds

  growing ever dark patrol the skies not caring if it is either the sun or the three moons

  behind them. Forests carry these weirdly aggressive sounds with them as they grow

  with all kinds of sinuous trees and other, more distorted, types of vegetation.