Author's rant

Oh, and yeah, get used to all my posts being edited - that "last edited" tag is going to be on everything I post.

Oh yeah, the ancient grammar i mentioned earlier comes in to play a little in this chapter, but it has no real effect on anything, so it'll fade quickly. I already toned it down a bit - It's there to illustrate the difference between everything he knows and what he is faced with now.

Thanks for reading thus far! and as always, any comments would be greatly appreciated, especially constructive criticism.

Actual story:

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“Please move the statue to the sacred forest.” Ruby requested, while eyeing the mayor’s office.

The scratched wooden floor was covered by a large red carpet, matching the width of the mayor’s desk. The bookshelves covered the walls, filling them with an array of colors. A small statue was sitting on the desk of the mayor.

“M’lady?” The mayor of Voltimum said. “Move the statue?”

“We are really out of options. Otherwise Phoenicia is doomed.” Ruby replied. “Unless you have any better ideas, this is really our last resort.”

“I’m sorry, what does this statue have to do with the future of Phoenicia?” he frowned as he glanced at the statue on his desk.

“Not that! I’m obviously talking about the statue of the tenebroshi hero! Why would I care about where you place a statue on your desk!?”

“Oh.” ... “M’lady. With all due respect, a legend is not what we need right now. We need to raise another army. Between the three countries and the monsters, not even a legendary hero can help us.”

“Both my mother and my sister tried to defeat them with an army already. We both know how well that worked. To add, they were both a lot more competent than I. I’m the only one left now, we need to try something different.”

“But M’lady Queen Ruby, it’s just a legend. What will it help?”

“Have you ever heard it, sir mayor?” “It’s said the legendary hero of old will rise again, to protect our nation, if it is ever needed. We will simply have to push his awakening a little, as it is indeed very much needed right now.”

“Even so!” the mayor protested

“Look at me. I am the queen now. Something I was never meant to be! Please listen to me, Mayor. It’s our only hope, I can’t possibly hope to defeat all three countries alone. Their forces are simply too numerous.”

“...Okay… But may I ask, why move the statue into the forest?”

“Haven’t you read the inscription? That’s where he was struck by permafrost. So that’s where we should wake him up.” “Please make the necessary preparations.”

Hesitantly, the mayor replied. “... As you wish, milady.”

Days later, a special carriage was made for the purpose of carrying the tremendously heavy statue. Metal reinforced, eight wheeled and similarly pulled by eight large horses.

"LIIFT!!" the commander ordered. “Put your back into it!” he howled as ten soldiers hardly made the enormous statue move. After a while, the statue was finally placed on the carriage, but not before several more men came to aid.

Ruby nodded, making her dark red hair flutter. “Yes, this will do.” she told the commander. “Call the mages, we need to make the circle soon.”

Finally the convoy of mages, guards, the queen, mayor and of course the carriage left, slowly moving towards the forest.

After a day's worth of travelling, the convoy reached the forest. Several large temples were placed in the outskirts of the green forest. Upon passing several of them, they finally arrived at the place. A large opening in the forest was made, as the pristine green grass covered a rather large area, similar to the size of a medium sized plaza. The grass was trampled as the convoy headed for the dead center of the opening, the silence of nature was suddenly covered by talking, horses stomping and wheels forcing their way through the soft muddy grass.

“Here should do nicely.” the head mage announced. His blue robe and hood covered him, right from dark hair to his boots. A golden band was swung around his shoulder, down to his hip. In the center of it was an insignia - The mark of the Poenica magic academy. It was merely a round golden piece of metal, with a gryphon engraved into, together with the word “Magnus”.

“Form a circle and make the markings on the ground, but make sure it’s perfect. Any flaws could cost us our life!” he announced. Dozens of mages dressed in similar colours, yet with both silver, bronze and plain metal insignias started carving and writing on the ground. After a while, a several meters large circle was made, filled with engravings.

“Now carefully lift the statue into the center.” the head mage ordered the guards.

The mages lined up neatly around the magical circle. Ruby slowly walked into the center.

“Milady, you can’t be there when we chant, we don’t know if this will even work!” the head mage protested.

“I know the disenchanting of solid mana ice has never worked before… But I have faith, that this time it will work.” She smiled at the mage, as she walked into the very center and placed her hand on the statue. “Sir hero, we need you now more than ever.” she whispered gently.

Ruby finally lifted her head and looked at the mages around her. “Please start the spell.”

“But milady!”

“I know what I’m doing. I am a mage too, after all. Now please just start already.”

After a moment of hesitation the head mage nodded. “Start the chant.”

dozens upon dozens of mages formed a circle four meters away from the statue, just outside of the magical circle. They all started chanting in unison.

“Oowala.. Maguus.. “ a long sequence of words were slowly and meticulously chanted one at a time in complete harmony - each voice perfectly aligned with the next.

BOOM!

a deafening thunderbolt struck the statue, as the permafrost split in two. Like blood from a wound on a magical beast, a storm of blue snowflakes leaked out of the open crack. For every passing moment the permafrost encapsulation was seemingly bleeding out, getting smaller and smaller.

Finally, the dark haired hero, with his old bronze armor and odd flanged mace took a breath. His eyes opened, revealing his blue eyes. He lifted himself from his pose, as if stiff from the frost. His lips shook briefly.

the age old hero’s first words in several centuries were about to be spoken.

“-oenica, get down! it’s gonna attack!” he leapt at the baffled Ruby, knocking her to the ground.

Rapidly he turned over, staring up into the sky.

“I.. uh…” His head rapidly turned in every possible direction, finally coming to a rest staring at the helpless Ruby. “What’s going on Poeni-..no...who.. are you?” his eyebrows shot up at the sight that met him - a woman with dark red hair was just staring up at him with wild confusion in her eyes.

“Oop!” Mavros quickly got up and offered a hand to Ruby.

“I’m sorry about that, how did you get here? and what happened to the magical beast?”

Ruby took his hand and got up. “Well.. Let me explain it all to y-”

Mavros expression suddenly turned serious as he put the tip of his fingers over Ruby’s mouth.

“Now is not the time to talk. If you aren’t an enemy of mine, prepare for battle” Mavros muttered to Ruby.

Mavros held out his mace, moving it in an arc around him, pointing it at every single one of the mages. “Keep your distance, or i shall smite thee who approaches first!”

The head mage eyed Mavros. “Hold up, What’s this sudden hostility about?”

“You should know, if you’ve had common sense - more than you can expect from you Imperii magnus i guess... I don’t hold your kind in high regard.”

“What is the meaning of this? I’m a head mage, you should correct your attitude. I'm no Imp-”

“I’ve beaten you before. I can do it again, imperial.”

“Hey now! no need for hostilities!” Ruby broke in. “We-"

“Art thou with them?!” Mavros stared directly into Ruby’s eyes, noticing the strangely familiar red iris.

“No! I mean.. Yes.”

“So you too, are my enemy?”

“I.. No! This isn’t what you think! I can explain!”

“That’s the phrase most commonly used when someone is found in bed with the enemy.”

Mavros cleared his throat. “Figuratively speaking, that is.”

Mavros sighed. “I think I’m gonna have to hear you out on this one” he carefully scanned the circle of mages around him.

“You’re supposed to be a hero who can defend our land! How can you act so hostile from the get go?!”

“So, somebody told you I’d protect the imperii magus? I spent half my best men to take you down. Pretentious as best to assume a mere three months would make a difference.”

“No! That empire fell centuries ago, you are supposed to protect Phoenicia!”

“Uh… That was kind of what I was trying to do, except suddenly she wasn’t there.”

“No, the COUNTRY! Not the person!” Ruby said, with a slight irritation in her voice.

“What country?”

“Phoenicia!”

“Never heard of it.”

The head mage broke in. “Your queen, Poenica... formed a country. That’s Phoenicia.”

“We did form the freedom federation, but that’s not a country, I don’t quite understand what trickery you are up to, Imperial.”

The head mage shook his head gently.

Mavros sighed, and warily gazed around him. “So. Where exactly am I?”

“In the forest where you fought the Hydra.” Ruby replied. “But nearly eight hundred years later.”

Mavros eyes rapidly shot open. “What? Hydra?”

“How are you more surprised about the name of your foe than the passing of eight hundred years?”

“Eight hundred years? I don’t quite think I can trust an imperial who is doing mind tricks on me.”

“Just hear us out already! You were frozen for eight hundred years! Your country needs you!” Ruby said

“Country? I am from the tribe of Virium! Part of the freedom federation. I serve no country, nor any empire! There is absolutely no way eight centuries would pass by, let alone a decade!”

“How can we prove it to you?” a lady stood forward, covered with a black hood. She was carrying black leather armor and similar skin-tight pants, her face was covered by a black veil.

“... Show me something impossible.”

“No problem. Let’s head to our capital - Voltimum.”

Mavros gazed around him hesitantly before stepping towards the lady. “I guess I have little choice in the matter.”

“Excellent! We will get you up to speed meanwhile” Ruby said.

“I have a feeling I’m not gonna like this.”

After a few preparations, the caravan finally started moving. Mavros was hurried into the royal wagon. The royal wagon was a rather large wagon, the size of a small room. It contained shiny new red carpet covering the entire middle section of the wooden floor.

The wooden chairs were covered with squishy red pillows and table with a red tablecloth, overall, the room was very red, and the typical-for-a-dining-room-sized table covered most of the room.

“Okay, so who are you? yeah, you the new woman.”

“Bell.” The hooded woman quickly answered, as her eyes gazed elsewhere from under the veil.

“And I am Ruby, Second in Lin-… no… high queen Ruby II of Phoenicia.”

“And as you may, or may not know, I am Mavros. Now, why am I here?”

“... You are here because of a legend.” Ruby said

“Legend? Can you elaborate?”

“Well… You are the Tenebroshi hero. The guardian of Phoenicia… If Phoenicia was ever in trouble, it is said you should rise again to protect it.”

“And I guess this is why I’m here? to sort out a mess?”

“Yes, exactly. Three countries are currently attacking us, and we have suffered multiple defeats. Both my mother, and my sister Poenica the 38th and 39th are dead.”

Mavros flinched “Poenica.. the 38th..”

“... So what am I supposed to do?”

“Well… For one, you supposedly defeated the old empire single handedly.” Ruby said.

“Single handedly? I had tens of thousands of great warriors with me! How could I handle a hundred thousand warriors on my own? Who’d believe that kind of story anyway?”

“Well.. That’s what the legend says.”

“So now it’s just up to me?”

“Well… I don’t have any better ideas, the situation is quite dire.”

“Okay, okay. There are three countries attacking?”

“Correct.” Ruby replied.

“And they number how many? how many is our army?”

“Well… We have around… twenty thousand left.”

“And they have?”

“Maybe thirty thousand?”

“Together? That’ll be doable.”

“Each.”

“Uhh… That’s a bit of a problem.”

“And monsters.” Bell said.

“You’re kidding me?! How will that ever work?”

Ruby laughed nervously “Well.. That’s why you are here.”

“To kill a couple hundred monsters, and cleave a couple thousand future-warriors skulls. Gotcha. That should be doable to any peasant boy stuck in ice for nearly a millennium.”

“So when will your stupid mind magic stop?” Mavros added.

“Mind magic? What mind magic?” Ruby asked.

“I figure that’s what most mind tricksters would say”

“I can assure you, there are no illusions or mind trickery involved. This is the reality you face now”

“Okay, so even if I do believe you, why would I help you?”

“Uhmn… It’s your queen's legacy? The legends say so? You’ll be rewarded? What do you expect want to hear?”

“A good reason, That’s all I need.”

“And neither of these are?”

“M~aybe~e the legacy one. If it’s true.”

“Wait till you see Voltimum.” Bell broke in.

“I guess I will have to.”

Dusk came, and the entire caravan came to a halt and set up camp. Tents and caravans were secured to the ground. The smell of soup hung in the air, as the chilly evening breeze swept over the tents.

“I’ll go try the fancy future food.” Mavros mumbled as he left Ruby and the head mage in their wagon.

Mavros feet sunk into the ground, as he quickly stepped towards the edge of the camp. Stopping briefly. “Wish I had a map.” Mavros mumbled. as he took his first step out of the camp.

Suddenly a shadow appeared before Mavros.“Wait.”

Mavros eyes slowly got used to the darkness from the absence of the fires in the camp. The shadow transformed into lady in black from before.

“Ah, Miss Bell, was it? You sure show up out of nowhere.” Mavros said. He gazed around cautiously “I don’t suppose I could persuade you to keep quiet about this?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Hm. I’m sorry, about this… but I can’t stay. I can’t trust people bearing the insignia of the imperials, claiming my entire world is gone, and telling some outrageous story about how this new empire is the product of my now dead fiancée’s actions.”

“It’s true. See for yourself in Voltimum.”

“I can’t risk it. If I’m to be captured by the imperii magnus because of something like this, my tribe and the entire freedom federation may be at risk. Please understand, I do not wish to engage in needless combat.”

“Wait and see in Voltimum. You can’t leave now. The queen won’t like that.” Bell yet again said in a completely indifferent tone.

“... I’m sorry about this, Miss Bell.” Mavros said as he raised his mace and started chanting “torpíli̱ ti̱s megáli̱s i̱lektrikí̱s enérgeias, dó̱se mou ti̱ dýnami̱ sas .”

Blue electrical sparks danced on the flanged mace. “Please let me through.” Mavros calmly said once more. “I do not wish to harm you, but I cannot continue with your party.”

Bell quietly shook her head. “See Voltimum first.”

with the electrical sparks dancing across his mace he swung it with great speed, aiming directly for Bell’s head.

WOOSH!

the mace flew right over her head, as she ducked with incredible speed.

“See. Voltimum.” Bell said again, with her indifferent tone.

Mavros rapidly swung his mace after Bell’s torso.

Bell dodged again.

Mavros smirked briefly, as he darted right past Bell.

A brief moment Mavros could smell the freedom the nearby forest would provide.

“Ptoo!”

Mavros felt a sudden spike of pain in his neck.

“Ow what the” He put his hand to his neck, and there he felt something poking out.

After briefly looking backwards, seeing Bell hold something resembling a short staff, his vision became blurry.

Thump.

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Thanks for reading.