Chapter 01

PART 1

Chapter 01 – The classic village boy who dreams big

“Daryl!!! Come back here you brat!” 

The thundering roar of the Baker Lady could be heard from afar in the village. A boy around seventeen with brown hair and green eyes was running among the villagers in the market trying to escape the source of the voice.

“Sorry Miss Jenny! I promised I’ll pay you back when I have the money!!” shouted the boy as he was running.

“You say you NEVER have the money! Pay me back right now!”

The middle-aged lady chasing the boy didn’t seem to slow down at all. The chase continued and they were almost at the village outskirts.

“If you don’t pay up I will tell your grandfather!”

The boy stopped so suddenly that the Baker Lady almost fell on him and tripped him over.

“Ok ok! I will pay! I will! Just don’t tell my grandpa!” said the boy while trying to stand up.

The Baker Lady opened up her hand waiting for her pay. The boy made a grunting sound and took out some money from his pouch to pay her.

“What I don’t get is… since you actually have money… why do you never pay and I have to chase you around?” asked the woman.

“It’s… training…” said the boy and became all red.

“Training? For what? Oh Daryl don’t tell me you’re going to enlist in the army?” 

“Army? What? No! Of course not! It’s my training to be an adventurer. A treasure hunter! And I need to be fast. And Miss Jenny, you’re the fastest runner in the village. So I have to get you to chase me somehow and…”

“What? Hahahahaha! Treasure hunter? Daryl you’re hilarious! You cannot be a treasure hunter. Give that dream up and become a shepherd. And don’t have me chase you again, you hear?” 

“WHY CAN’T I BECOME A TREASURE HUNTER? “ the boy, whose name was Daryl, shouted angrily.

“Ask yourself. Treasure hunters have brains boy. You lack that.” said the Baker Lady and left Daryl with his mouth hanging open.

“I have brains.” he murmured in disappointment. “Stupid Miss Jenny, I will become a famous treasure hunter and show you.”

He took a look around. The peaceful village of Rheen, in the middle of the Grasslands seemed so small to him. He was a wild spirit, someone not bound down by this tiny place.

“Besides…” he said to himself “if you want someone to blame for my desire to become a treasure hunter, that’s my grandpa.”

It was true. Daryl’s grandfather was a scholar who worked in the Great Library in Luminus when he was younger. He inherited his passion for reading books to his grandson. So Daryl grew up reading rare books from all over Fantasmagoria, including some books that were supposed to be forbidden.

Daryl went home really tired. He passed his days skipping school and training hard to become a treasure hunter. His grandfather was angry at him for that but he gave up hope of his grandson attaining a higher level of education a long time ago. Besides, the past couple of centuries the best higher education was Magic Studies and the best career one could pursue was one at the Army as a magician. And Daryl was not gifted in magic use.

“Daryl… Did you buy the stuff I sent you to?” the old man asked his grandson when he entered the house.

“Oops… I… I… totally forgot… Sorry gramps!” said Daryl and took a dive to the floor to avoid the incoming book tornado his grandfather hurled at him.

“You useless grandson! I ask you to bring me one thing and you forget to even do that? How are you going to become a treasure hunter like this?”

“Sorry sorry!!! I will go out to bring that right now!”

“Never mind. I’ll go buy it myself. I cannot trust you to do anything for me anymore.” Said the old man and went to get his coat. “You sit here and don’t do anything idiotic.”

“Yes grandpa.” said Daryl while picking up the books his grandfather threw at him from the floor. He glanced at the cover of one of them.

When his grandfather was gone he took the book he was glancing at to his room. He had read that before countless times. It was one of the Forbidden Books. One that chronicled the history of Phantasmagoria before the religion of Amosa came along. Before the whole continent became one solid Empire. It was the Story of the Unified World.

“At that time both Phantasmagoria and Technologica came together. Magic and Technology… In order to fight an Ancient Evil, people from both Continents came together and found the artifacts the Protectors had created to seal the Evil. In the end they managed to defeat it and split the artifacts again, hiding them around the world. These artifacts are the proof of their fight and proof of the friendship between Phantasmagoria and Technologica. “ Daryl read aloud. These words were handwritten on the book by his grandfather.

He dived on his bed looking at the ceiling. Whenever he read that book he kept thinking the same thing. The Baker Lady may believe that he is an idiot, yet Daryl is actually more than meets the eye.

“All these Forbidden Books are the books that chronicle the history of this Continent from before the Religion of Amosa took over. From before the Eternal War started. Why do they try to hide the history so much? Does it have to do with the fact that Phantasmagoria and Technologica were once getting along well? Does it have to do with the fact that there used to be a lot of countries here in the past? Or… is there a secret to… Anyway if need to become a treasure hunter fast and discover these artifacts.” 

While thinking all this Daryl looked at the book smiling. This book had a lot of clues pertaining to the artifacts current location. He had to decipher all this information and seek them out.

“I will find these artifacts… And uncover the truth behind this so-called Forbidden History.” said Daryl and got up from the bed. “Soon… I will be ready to leave this place.”

Prologue

Prologue

The enormous, white-marble temple of the God Amosa was brimming with people. The white flower decorations made the place seem brighter than usual. However, the stern atmosphere inside was contrasting with the happy atmosphere outside. The people of the City of Luminus had gathered outside and were enjoying themselves. The event that was about to take place there, had every person in the City talking for days.

“I heard that she is the youngest in addition to being the second woman to become a Rose General!”

“Yes! I can’t believe she is only twenty! Man, when I was her age I couldn’t even do my job properly.”

“Well, she’s been in the army since she was fifteen or so I heard.”

“Way too young though… How could she climb the hierarchy so fast? Isn’t it true that she is an orphan? Not even a member of the aristocracy.”

“It was Lord Rex who helped her. I heard that they were childhood friends and she entered the army a few years after him.”

“Oh my God! What a lucky girl! Having Lord Rex’s support! And now she also gets to be close to Prince Alexius!”

The chattering of the people outside the temple was cut short by the sound of the Imperial horns. The way to the temple was cleared by the Imperial guards. Soon, a line of luxurious carriages drawn by white horses arrived by the temple’s front gate.

“It’s the Emperor and the Patriarch!”

Two middle-aged men descended from the first carriage. The first one was really tall and wore a long fur mantle. On his ashen blond hair, he wore a big crown, encrusted in diamonds and other gems. He was the Holy Emperor of Fantasmagoria, Leon the 3rd. Following him was a man with a stern look and gray hair. He wore a silver armor bearing the symbols of the God Amosa. This man was the Patriarch Oracio, the Supreme Commarder of the Holy Empire’s Army and Leader of the Temple and the Religion of Amosa. When someone hears the title Patriarch, one would imagine a gentle, spiritual person against violence. But when it came to the Religion of Amosa and its teachings about the use of magic versus the use of technology, its leader should be a man strong and capable enough to fight in the Eternal War against the Federal Republic of Technologica.

“Do you think we can finally win the Eternal War?”

People started whispering and chattering again as they watched the Emperor and the Patriarch ascend the stairs to the temple.

“Who knows? The young Rose Generals are extremely talented and maybe they will turn the tide in our favor? I heard that their magic skills are very strong and they even create their own spells!”

“Well I don’t know about their talents but they are surely good looking. Even the old geezer Lord Joshua is handsome for his age and has a lot of fans among the housewives! Prince Alexius is the embodiment of Prince Charming from the fairy tales. And Lord Rex… Oh Lord Rex… with the long raven-black hair and the cat-like eyes! Isn’t he the most beautiful man alive??”

“So you’re a fangirl of Rex? Meh, why do all girls go crazy for him? He looks like a girl half of the time. But, at least he brought us guys Lady Celeste. I can’t wait to see her today!”

“Huh what’s so great about her?”

“If you don’t think she is great, why are you even here? It’s her inauguration ceremony.”

“To see my Lord Rex of course! Ah! There he is!!”

A second carriage had pulled through and three men got down. A lot of female cheers were heard from the crowd. The three male Rose Generals stood for a while to greet the people. The eldest was around forty five years old with messy brown hair. He was Lord Joshua Penner, the Blue Rose General. His armor was all blue, like his title said. The middle-aged women in the crowd were mesmerized by him.

“Even if he is an aristocrat, his messy appearance makes him look like a hobo…” commented a man in the crowd.

“He looks care-free this way. Women like that and he knows it.” said another man next to the one that spoke.

Indeed, Lord Joshua knew that women liked him and took some ridiculous poses, making his fans scream louder. The blond man next to him however, wasn’t any better. He wore a black armor that contrasted on his pale skin and pale blue eyes. He had a rose tattoo on his right eye. That was the son of the Emperor and Black Rose General, Prince Alexius. The Prince also had a lot of fans and he posed for them but not like Lord Joshua. Alexius preferred cool poses more.

“My Prince our popularity seems never fading.” Lord Joshua said to Alexius.

“Of course Lord Joshua. We are the hope of this country and the best looking bunch around here.” said Alexius while waving.

“Both of you cut it out. It’s not your day today. You shouldn’t hog the spotlight wherever you go…” told them the third man of the bunch, a slim, pretty faced man with cat-like eyes and long black braided hair. He wore a red armor.

“Rex is that any way to talk to your elder and your Prince?” said Joshua in a reprimanding tone.

That was Rex Soren, the Red Rose General. He and Alexius were the same age and were friends although he was not an aristocrat by birth. He entered the army eight years ago, when he was just seventeen and he proved to be extremely talented, rising through the army ranks quickly and managing to become a Rose General just two years ago. Rex was not only popular for his good looks but also because he was the first commoner to rise so high in the ranks of the Empire. From today onwards though, he wouldn’t be the only one.

“Don’t forget I have permission from the Emperor to scold you since you are so scatterbrained.” said Rex and pointed at the temple entrance. “We should be going…”

“Sometimes I get the feeling that my father would rather have you as a son.” sighed Alexius and started ascending the temple stairs.

When the three Rose General went inside, the last carriage opened its doors and the star of the day set foot on the ground. Wearing a bright white armor and having her long golden hair loose, Celeste Rozenburg gazed upon the temple with her icy blue eyes. She took some steps forward when the roar from the crowd startled her. People were cheering for her. She stood still for a while with a bewildered smile on her face and waved at them.

“Wow! She looks like an elf if I’ve ever seen one!”

“Well Everwood has been closed off for two hundred years already. Do you think elves would come out so casually? She’s human alright!”

“Maybe she has an elven ancestor? Haha… She’s so beautiful! Do you think she is Rex’s lover?”

“Don’t you ever say that!!! Rex is mine!”

“Shut up you delusional bitch! Would it be bad if your precious Rex got some?”

“Ugh… Rex belongs to his fans and this nation. He has neither the time nor the character to be in such a relationship!”

Celeste took a deep breath and started ascending the stairs. The temple doors were wide open waiting for her. The crowd cheering got louder. She turned one last time to face them before she went inside.

“When I come out again I will be a Rose General. This is the last time I see this view as a commoner.” she thought.

By saying a little prayer to Amosa, she entered the temple. The doors behind her shut tight. She walked the long hallway to the Inner Chamber. The white rose decoration was indicative of what was going to happen there.

“That’s right. Soon I will become the White Rose General. The 2nd woman to ever attain this great honor… And the 2nd commoner.”

Arriving at the Inner Chamber, Celeste stepped into the white circle in the middle of it. The Patriarch and the Emperor were already standing in front of her. The temple acolytes started chanting praises to Amosa. The atmosphere became heavier and the smell of the candles was strong.

Celeste kneeled in front of the Patriarch and took a praying position. She was ready to receive her title as the White Rose General, one of the Four Rose Generals protecting the Holy Empire. Before she closed her eyes to chant the prayer she looked past the Emperor and the Patriarch, to where the other three Rose Generals were standing. She could see Rex smiling at her. She smiled too and began to pray.