Tales of Mancia, Book One: Beyond the Frozen Grove Options

[redsrock]

Tales of Mancia

Book One: "Beyond the Frozen Grove"


CHAPTER ONE

"I thought you said you didn't believe in magic, Verick? What happened to all that talk about magic being a myth and nothing else? Now all of a sudden you've changed your mind?"

"I know what I said, Arvus, just shut up for a second, alright? Damn, you can be annoying sometimes!"

Verick and Arvus Junson were freelance adventures as well as brothers, working for no one in particular. They simply hunted for treasure and sold it to their favorite merchants in the many large towns the country of Haven had to offer. Haven, ruled by King Leonard Fervine, is the "power region" in the world of Mancia, sort of the capital of the world in a way. Haven hosts Mancia's largest largest army, largest population, and richest country as well.

The two had been searching through a small cave when Verick had mistakingly kicked a tiny stone box hidden within the many rocks on the cold hard floor. Upon opening the box he found one green heavy stone. The gem itself seemed to glow with importance, though neither of the men recognized it; that is until the more intelligent of the two, that being Arvus, had whipped out his massive book of gems and stones. The two searched for what seemed like hours until on exactly the five hundredth page they came across what looked dead-up like the stone Verick had discovered by sheer luck.

The book claimed the stone (which had no "official" name) to have magical powers that held the key to a whole other dimension. Obviously no one had yet to discover such a stone, and the authors of the book heavily suggested that the story of the stone of was a hoax and nothing more. Now it appeared as if all of that was about to change.

"I mean...just look at it, Arvus," Verick said with a tone of extreme awe and waving his exited and shaking hands through his medium length set of black hair, and then across thinly-trimmed beard. The two brothers were the same age of twenty-nine, though they were not twins. Throughout their many adventures they had come across plenty of mystifying artifacts, but nothing could match the stone Verick had discovered.

"Okay, fine. We found a rock that looks quite similar to what the book describes," Arvus said with his arms folded and rolling eyes. The book of stones had been put back into his large leather pack. "But that doesn't mean the story is real, or if this stone really is what the book says it is. If anything I think it is a simple coincidence."

Verick threw his hands up in the air in frustration and then yelled, "Wow, how ironic this is! You've always been the one reading books about magic and all that crap, and now that we're face to face with something that could really actually have magical properties you want to dismiss it!"

"I read the material because it is interesting and entertaining, Verick," Arvus replied, his tone rising defensively. "That does not mean I think it is all real. True, I think there is some kind of basic magic out there in the world, but do I think a mere stone holds the key to a whole new dimension? Certainly not! Think about for a second, Verick, and then maybe you'll see how ridiculous all of this is. The 'gem' you speak of is probably nothing more than a simple rocked painted green, and planted here to make a fool of someone like you."

Verick was really getting angry now and at that moment he wanted nothing more than to strike his brother in his hairless chin with his fist. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time the two had fought. But when Verick eyed a tiny pond of water in the far corner of the cave he ran straight to it, motioning for Arvus to follow and forgetting about pounding his face in for a moment.

"Alright, Arvus, we'll have it your way." Verick then pulled a dirty piece of cloth from his pocket and raised it in the air for Arvus to see. "I will dip the stone into this puddle of water and scrub with the cloth. If the paint comes off and it really is only a stone, I will wash your boots with my tongue."

Arvus began laughing histarically, his long blonde hair moving irratically, but when he saw that his brother was actually telling the truth he tried his best to calm down, even if it was fairly difficult to do so. "But if I am right about this stone, and it does have magical powers, then you are going to tear that particular page out of your book and eat it right in front of me."

Arvus was no longer laughing, and was now looking rather offended but at the same time extremely confused. What in the world is he thinking? Does he really actually believe that rock holds the power to another world? He must be out of his mind... "Fine, I agree, Verick. However, I think you are making a big mistake," he replied towards Verick, again starting to laugh a bit from the silliness of the situation.

"We'll see," Verick whispered, just before sinking the stone entirely into the puddle of water. He began scrubbing it vigorously with the cloth, back and forth, back and forth. This went on for some five minutes until at last he brought the stone back up. What he said at first made him cringe, and Arvus laugh with amused joy.

"Look, you idiot, I told you it was paint! You sure hope you like the taste of-"

But then it was Verick who was jumping with joy and happiness, for he saw something that Arvus couldn't because of the fact that he was standing about ten feet away. It was true that the green-ness of the rock was something like paint and beyond the paint was regular stone, but carved into the stone was lines spelling out numerous words and phrases of a language Verick could not understand.

"Come here, look at this! There's some kind of scripture carved into the stone!"

Arvus quickly arrived at his brother's side and the two of them studied the stone closely, trying to figure out what kind of language it could be. Of course with Arvus being the intelligent one, Verick asked him if he recognized the carvings.

"No, none of this looks familiar to me at all," was his immediate response. "For a second it almost looks of the Tijion...or maybe even the Pantor...but no, that's not it. I..I don't have a clue what it says," he said perplexed and scratching his head in confusion.

With the stone in hand, Verick pumped his right fist high into the air and began to mock Arvus for not believing him. But Arvus quickly silence his brother with a raise of his hand and said, "But that doesn't mean the stone is magical, Verick. The book said nothing about a scripture of any kind."

"Did it speak of how to open the dimension?" Verick asked eagerly.

Arvus just rolled his eyes. "No, Verick, it said it was a hoax.....remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I think the book is wrong and I am right!"

"No, you are wrong, Verick," Arvus said, starting to get agitated once more. "Either way, at least we've found something of value. Let's go ahead and head back to Crestwood so we can ask the jeweler how much he thinks it's worth."

"ARE YOU NUTS?" Verick yelled at the top of his lungs, scaring the daylights out of Arvus. "We are NOT selling this thing, you idiot! This is our key to another world, brother! Can't you see? We will be famous!"

Arvus was now beyond agitation and instead almost to the point where he could no longer take his brother's ignorant immaturity. "Give me that!" He said to Verick while snatching the stone away and picking up its stone container from the floor, and placing the stone in the box. "We will-"

Suddenly his two hands began to shake violently and both he and Verick immediately noticed that the box was glowing with a bright green haze, almost of a bubble of sorts. Arvus dropped the box to the ground in fear, and the top broke off. Inside the stone was in the middle of the container, and it too was glowing a green haze. But now four rods from all four sides of the square container had somehow been stabbed into the stone, holding it in place.

"What in the name of-"

Before any of them could do anything the bright light first engulfed them, and then the entire room of the cave they were standing in. For a moment they were blinded by the light, until finally the brightness began to calm down. But something strange was happening. Arvus suddenly found himself suspended in mid air above the box, along with his brother right beside him. The strangest part was that when he looked down he could see his own body still standing next to the box with his hands shielding his eyes. His body looked like a frozen statue, and then he noticed that Verick's own body was doing the exact same thing. The 'suspended' Arvus looked at the 'suspended' Verick and the two of them were simply at a loss for words. The glowing of the stone again picked up and then the two found themselves swirling in a fast circle in the air, with green bubble also circling around them. The spun faster and faster, lower and lower, until the two of them were just inches away from smacking into one another mid-air.

But right before they could make contact everything went black, and neither of them felt anything but a rush of cold air.

[redsrock]

CHAPTER FOUR

"Watch your step, it's a bit further than you think," Vaalvier offered, but a little too late. Arvus had already tumbled to the ground three feet under the flying-hammock, and Verick still stood above now laughing at his brother, holding his stomach because it was already hurting from laughing to much.

"Thanks," Arvus called up to Vaalvier with a nastily sarcastic tone. Damn fool did it on purpose he angrily mumbled to himself as he brushed some of the dirt from his elbows. That's when he noticed a small scrape on his right one, although there wasn't a whole lot of blood from the wound, rather just a few drips here and there that he wiped away with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Here, lemme help you up," Verick offered after he had successfully and safely jumped from the flying hammock. He pulled Arvus off and helped wipe the dirt off. Arvus wiped away the dirt from his angered brows and stretched out his arms and legs. Through their entire ride to Tagroth the ground looked to be a very thick grassy surface, but poor Arvus happened to land in one of the few dirt spots.

"He did it on purpose, Verick," Arvus whispered loudly to his brother once everything was settled, gritting his teeth with sheer hatred. "He wanted me to fall, and you know it as well as I do. He wanted me to get hurt, he wanted to-"

"Brother, will you calm down?" Verick said with a slight laugh, but mostly a tone of bewilderment. "Surely he wouldn't do such a thing, especially since we are apparently so important to him and his Ibis...or whatever her name is."

"Yes, Ibis is correct," a voice replied from above, and the two looked up to see Vaalvier seemingly float down from the hammock. He had jumped, along with the other two Ibisarions, but as they dropped they did so at an unbelievably slow rate.

"How did you do that?" Verick asked in amazement once Vaalvier landed safely on the ground.

"Do what?" Vaalvier responded, not having a clue what Verick was asking about.

"How did you three float from the hammock?"

Vaalvier laughed at the question and replied, "First of all, it's not a...hamm-uck...I don't even know what that is anyway. Our mode of transportation here is what we call a Calpo. Does that answer your question?"

"Partially I guess," Verick said, happy to at least know what the hammock's true name was. "But actually I was talking about how you three floated from the Calpo."

Vaalvier laughed again, and this time the other to did as well, the first time the others had done anything except stand and smile. "Umm...it's really something a bit too complicated for you, right now anyways. Don't worry though, all will be answered within a short amount of time, I assure you."

Verick could have sworn Vaalvier winked at his two companions, and then he began walking past Arvus and Verick. "Shall we at last enter Tagroth? Everyone is waiting for you two."

Verick and Arvus followed Vaalvier as the other two Ibisarions stood by the Calpo, still smiling just as much as before. Arvus himself thought the smiles were somewhat on the evil side. Something about all of this isn't right. There's something going on here and I don't like it a bit. he thought to himself.

"Wait, let me and my brother discuss something real quick," Arvus asked Vaalvier, who himself was seemingly getting agitated.

"Very well, but please hurry," he replied, though with no real tone of sincerity.

Arvus pulled Verick away from the small dirt path leading to the gates and lead him over to behind one of the small trees. Some of the red fruit had dropped from the tree and was laying peacefully in the dirt soil, the soil itself resembling that of the material Verick and Arvus found themselves lying in the mountain pit. Verick stared at the fruit that looked to be rather heavy, as it was much larger than Verick had originally anticipated. He was about to pick one of them up when Arvus shook his shoulders

"I don't like this, Verick. Something bad is going to happen if we follow him in there. I can just feel it."

Verick looked into Arvus's eyes and he saw true panic. Then he looked up to the air and he saw something orange and yellow flying through the sky at a reasonably high altitude. The creature resembled some type of bird, but it looked to be scaly, though of course Verick couldn't tell because it was so high up. He only wish his brother acted as peacefully as the strange creature was. "What is wrong with you?" he asked Arvus. "You look and speak as if they want to kill us or something."

"We're in another world, Verick! Why else would I feel this way? I'm just surprised you aren't feeling the same way, even if you always have been the one looking for an adventure."

"And that is exactly what this is, Arvus," Verick said, cutting his brother off with a raised left hand. "These people have done nothing to harm us, you know, and I think we should be polite and see what is really going on. Apparently we are like Kings to them."

"But as Vaalvier said, they have no Kings here, only a female ruler that seems to believe we are the goddamn Saviors of Mancia for crying out loud! Think about this, Verick. Does this sound like a safe gamble to you?"

"Ah, but that is what's great about gambles, my dear brother," Verick said with a laugh and pat on Arvus's right shoulder. "No gamble is a safe one. Come, let's entertain Vaalvier and the Ibisarions and show our faces."

As Verick was about to walk away Arvus rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever, Verick, we'll have it your way."

Verick then rolled his own set of baby blue eyes and the two finally followed Vaalvier through the now opening gates and at last into the ancient fabulous city of Tagroth, home of the Ibisarions.


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Neither Verick nor Arvus knew how the gates had been swung open from inside, though it was likely that someone from the inside obviously saw who it was and immediatly opened the gates. Of course stranger things have happened to Verick and his brother, to say the least. Once the gates were all the way open the two walked into the city, only to find the streets barren of any life whatsoever.

"What's up with this? I thought everyone was waiting for us?" Verick asked Vaalvier.

"Don't worry," he replied with the same sly smile. "They most certainly are."

The entire place sort of resembled Verick of home back in Haven, but there were also many differences as well. For one, the street was paved with what looked like gold, but it was a bit too dark to be such, perhaps almost a copper coloring, but then again it was even darker than that to an extent. However the color of the street seemed to be, it had apparently been paved not too long ago because there was virtually no specks of dirt or any kind of debris scattered across the ground, or on the sides of the streets for that matter.

"What did you all do, pave the streets fresh when you realized we had arrived?" Verick asked jokingly, knowing that it was impossible to have done something so rigorous so fast. Then again...

"Oh no, the streets always stay this clean and smooth. The material of bavlin is extremely hard to cut into," Vaalvier explained. "We only have to remake the streets once or twice a year, and thankfully our people are not wild animals making a mess every chance they get."

"Bavlin?" Verick asked.


"Yes, bavlin. It's a hard metal found in the deepest depths of the mountains, and a few select caves to the north as well. Our warriors would use it for armor if it were not so encumbering."

Verick and Arvus were both pleased that Vaalvier had called it a metal. At least there were a few similarities between Mancia and Haven's world of Vagon.

They continued to follow Vaalvier through the extensive streets of Tagroth, and as they did Verick noted how similar the various building's material matched that of the mountain he and Arvus narrowly escaped through earlier in the day, appearing to be in the early morning since the 'sun' was just now starting to set. Of course their was no telling what time-system Mancia was running on.

"What material are the buildings made of?" Verick asked.

"They're made from the very stone the mountains are made from. The actual name of the material is called 'kol'. It's a fairly stable stone, and usually can be counted on not to break apart for about a hundred years or so. It doesn't matter either way because our workers are matched by no one. They can get the job done in no time if need be."

They walked even further down the streets, with Verick wanting personally meet the workers who built the buildings. The structures were all for the most part extremely tall and were absolutely gorgeous. Most had fancy designs carved onto the entrance doors, though of course he had not a clue what they were saying. While the Ibisarions seemed to know the Doman language, their writing on the other hand was certainly 'from another world'.

"You like the design of our buildings, eh?" Vaalvier asked, almost as if he was reading Verick's mind. Verick himself thought that exact same thing for a second, but then deliberately dismissed the idea from his mind.

"Yes I do. They...they're so beautiful," he just barely mumbled.

"Indeed they are. Jindle Graveth is the creator of all of our structures and he is the one who makes the designs, save for the chateau of course. I advise you to seek him out after the ceremonies. He is a very intelligent and exciting man."

"Ceremonies?" Arvus asked hesitantly.

"Oh yes, of course. We have been waiting many years for this mind you. Everything has been set up for I don't know how long. Finally the time has come to where we can at last put the planned festivities to good use."

Suddenly they stopped in front of a large domed building that loomed high into the air, though not even half of how high the castle was. Two extremely large doors opened and suddenly a rush of noise and air exited from within. At that exact moment both Verick and Arvus figured out why the streets had been so empty.