Moments later, an older man with a large gray moustache emerged through the kitchen door. He was wearing black pants and a thick brown coat, which was unbuttoned to reveal a red shirt covered in food stains. On his forehead, a red bandana was visible behind the bangs of his thinning gray hair. On his feet were two old brown shoes. He also seemed to be in good physical condition, despite his age. Lucas noticed that he was looking around the room. That must be Roshan.
Lucas got up to approach the man, but the nearer he got, the stronger a sense of distrust came over him. “Are you Roshan?” Lucas asked.
The man turned to him, startled, then quickly smiled. “Yes, I am. And who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?”
He extended his hand to Lucas, who took it and replied, “Lucas Bardsson. May I please speak to you in private?”
Roshan’s eyes widened. “Private? Why, whatever you have to say to me in private you can say to me out here. I am quite open to criticism. Did you get poor service? I do apologize.”
Lucas shook his head. “No, no it has nothing to do with the restaurant. I just...”
Roshan’s eyebrows raised as Lucas stumbled to find a way to complete the sentence. “You just?”
“I live just outside of town,” Lucas explained. “I was on my way here to visit the blacksmith when I saw an old man being attacked by imps. I fought them off of him and checked to see if he was okay,” Lucas paused. “Sadly, he didn’t make it. But in his dying breath, he asked that I bring you this.” He took the strange object out of his pocket and displayed it for Roshan to see.
Instantly, Lucas felt an intense surge of panic as Roshan snapped his head around the room. “Put that away!” Roshan whispered sharply. Lucas quickly pocketed the object. Roshan opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself from talking as a man walked by. Lucas observed that it was the same man who had been eying his injuries moments before. He felt a chill as the man quickly left the restaurant.
“Follow me,” Roshan ordered, hurrying into the kitchen. Lucas obeyed, following him into a sizeable store room. Boxes of food stuffs and ingredients adorned the wall. In the corner, Lucas noticed a tarp draped over something rather large. It was several feet taller than him, and at a height of 5’10”, Lucas wasn’t exactly a short‑statured young man.
“Sorry,” Roshan began as he shut the door behind him, securing several locks, “but I cannot risk anyone knowing about this. Please, show it to me.” Lucas was puzzled, but he reached into his pocket and once again pulled out the strange object. Roshan’s mouth gaped. “The disk fragment...” He paused, gazing at the mysterious treasure.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Disk fragment?”
Roshan took the object from Lucas’s hands and continued to marvel at it. “I cannot thank you enough for bringing this to me. Aria cannot thank you enough!” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small brown sack. “Take this. It’s one hundred gold.”
Lucas crinkled his brow as he took the generous gift. “I appreciate it, but I would still like to know what exactly I’ve just delivered to you.”
Roshan put the object into his pocket and began undoing the various locks on the door. “There are some things you’re better off not knowing. Now, go on to the blacksmith and forget what you saw here.” He turned to Lucas. “I mean that. Do not tell anyone. In return, you and your family may eat at my restaurant for free any time, any day.”
He placed his hand on the doorknob when Lucas sternly interjected. “I didn’t have to take that thing to you in the first place. I at least deserve to know what’s going on here.”
Roshan snapped his head back in Lucas’s direction. “I’m immensely thankful for what you’ve done, but that information is strictly classified. And with good reason!” He grabbed Lucas’s arm and attempted to move him closer to the door. “Now, out you go!”
Lucas threw Roshan’s arm off of him. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what that thing is and why no one can know about it.” Lucas could feel Roshan’s nervousness growing. “Why won’t you tell me? Is it stolen?! Answer me!”
“Shhh!” Roshan shushed. “Keep your voice down!”
“No,” Lucas firmly replied. “If you’re not going to tell me what’s going on, I have no reason to keep this quiet.”
Roshan hesitated for a moment, then sighed as he secured the door’s numerous locks once more. “I suppose. You already know this much, so I see no harm.” He turned to Lucas. “But as I said before, this stays between you and me. No one else must know.” Lucas nodded eagerly. Roshan’s eyes darted around the room, as though someone might be hiding and listening.
After a slight delay, he spoke. “I am a member of an organization known as the Spades.”
Lucas’s eyes widened; he had heard whispers of the Spades before. While their true purpose remained unknown, they were rumored to be a thieves’ or assassins’ guild. I can’t believe this! This man is a thief and possibly a murderer! Lucas’s hand slowly slid near the hilt of his sword as he continued to listen.
“You see, the Knowms are not at all what they claim to be. Did you ever find it odd that this group seemingly popped up from out of nowhere, just in time to save Aria’s cities from the monster crisis?” Lucas’s eyebrows rose. He pondered the thought as Roshan went on. “It’s no coincidence, son. They are responsible for releasing the creatures into Aria. They are capable of controlling these beasts, creating the illusion that having them around ‘protects’ the cities. Using this method, they were successful in receiving funding for their campaign.”
Lucas thought for a moment. “But where did they get the monsters from? How do they control them? Why did they do this to Aria? What does that thing I gave you have to do with any of this? I don’t understand!” He took a step back. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“You have not allowed me to finish,” Roshan rebutted. Lucas stared blankly, creating an awkward pause before Roshan spoke again. “So do you want to know, or not? I’m simply giving you the information you’ve requested. Whether or not you choose to believe it makes no difference to me.”
Lucas could sense that Roshan was being sincere. Even if his story is bogus, he sure seems to believe it. “You’re right,” Lucas said finally. “Please, tell me the rest.”
There was another brief pause. Then, Roshan proceeded. “This object you’ve brought me is half of something called Damiano’s Disk. When united with the other fragment it becomes a key to The Temple of Damiano, a structure containing a source of raw, limitless power. This is why the Knowms ‘require funding,’ despite the little effort it takes for them to control their monster pets. They use the gold they receive from the king to aid their search for the very disk fragment you have just delivered. You see, the Knowms currently have one fragment. It’s our sworn duty to protect the one we have here from them at all costs, but it’s no easy task. As a result of our opposition, our organization’s reputation has been slandered. This is why we’ve become known amongst most Arialites as an assassins’ guild.”
Lucas was unsure of what to think. Temple of Damiano? I’ve never even heard of this place. His mind flooded with questions. “So, what exactly is this power?”
“It’s unknown,” Roshan answered. “The origins of Damiano’s Disk and the temple itself are hazy to say the least. All we know is what has been passed down through legend. It’s said that this raw source of power has the capability of making its user truly immortal, though it’s supposedly difficult to control. Many men throughout the ages have scoured Aria to find the disk, only to be met with disappointment. Eventually, it was widely considered to be a myth. In fact, most still believe that to be the case. But, as you have seen, Damiano’s Disk is all too real. You see, the Knowms are simply pawns for the man on top of the chain. It was his unrelenting search that finally proved the legend was no myth.” Roshan leaned in closely and whispered, “Lord Javan Quinn.”
Lucas cocked his head to the side. “The king’s adviser?”
Roshan nodded.
“He manipulates the king while his Knowms do all the dirty work for him. King Ashraf believes he’s in control while Quinn runs the show behind his veil, keeping his connection to the group hidden. No one suspects a thing. Anyone who does is dealt with. The Knowms are his eyes and ears. He knows everything they learn out on the streets. If he ever manages to obtain both fragments, there’s no telling what sort of chaos would ensue. We know already that he plans to use its power to forcefully proclaim himself as Aria’s new ruler, but it’s doubtful he will stop there. Lord Quinn lusts for power. Even when he has reached the top, he will only want more. Aria has already suffered greatly at his hands... I can’t even fathom the destruction he will cause as king.”
Lucas looked down at his torn, bloodstained pant leg. “So that man I tried to save, was he a Spade too?”
Roshan nodded. “His name was Morice. Our main base was recently raided. Countless Spades were lost, but the fragment was ultimately saved. It was then entrusted to Morice, one of many Spades such as myself who work from here, in Aria.”
Lucas was perplexed. “Wait, what do you mean–”
Before anything else could be said, there was a loud bang in the dining area of the restaurant as the front door was aggressively kicked in. “Everybody out!” an unknown voice shouted. Lucas trembled, struck by a shot of sheer terror.
Roshan froze. “They’re here! The Knowms! They know!” Immediately, he ran toward the large, tarp‑covered object. “It’s too late for me! They already know who I am! But I can still save you and the fragment!” He pulled the tarp to the ground, revealing what appeared to be a large stone doorway. However, the area where a door would belong contained a swirling vortex of brilliant colors. Lucas had to cover his eyes as the light radiating from it illuminated the room.
Roshan reached into his pocket and ran over to Lucas. Pulling out the disk fragment, he shoved it toward him. “Listen carefully,” Roshan spat out hastily. “There’s another member of our organization named Zoe waiting to receive the fragment on the other side. Bring it to her. There’s no time to lose, now go!”
Lucas hesitated to take it. “B‑but–”
“Now!” Roshan quickly stuffed the fragment into a protesting Lucas’s pocket and pushed him into the vortex.
Running as far from the large stone doorway as he could, Roshan turned toward it and raised his hands above his head. Facing his palms upward he shouted, “Ignis inmanis sphaera!” A small fireball formed above him, which quickly expanded to three feet in diameter. He flung his arms in a forward motion, directing the massive spear of flames to shoot quickly toward the top of the stone doorway, causing a magnificent explosion as it slammed into the frame. The stone crumbled on impact as the vortex instantly disappeared. Roshan was propelled backward into a wall and lost consciousness.
Chapter 2: The In Between
Lucas flew through the portal, screaming in terror. He felt as though a magnet were pulling him down the swirling tunnel of colors as his body flailed helplessly. Luckily, the journey only lasted a few seconds before he suddenly found his feet on the ground. He felt no impact and was standing upright, completely uninjured despite the high‑velocity he had just experienced.
Speechless, he observed the surrounding landscape. He seemed to be in a small field surrounded by trees. However, the environment was completely colorless. He could see the outline of each plant as bright white lines filled in only with solid black. It was most intriguing, appearing as though the entire landscape had been drawn by a large pen with white ink on a black canvas.
Lucas bent down, mouth agape, and touched a small flower with his index finger. It felt normal enough. Looking up at the sky, his eyes were treated to a sea of stars. Despite the fact that it appeared to be a night sky, he had no trouble seeing the area around him. “Where am I?” he muttered to himself. Grandpa! He has no idea where I am! I need to get out of here. Lucas quickly turned around. The portal had disappeared. “Roshan?” he shouted. “I need to go home! Let me out of here!” There was no reply. Lucas felt fear, but this time it was definitely his own.
He turned around toward the direction he was originally facing. Didn’t Roshan say someone would be waiting for me? I don’t see anyone. After standing there for several minutes, Lucas finally decided to walk forward. He took small, slow steps at first. Gradually, he increased his stride to a normal walking pace and reached the edge of the surrounding forest. He gazed into it, unsure if he should continue onward, or return to the spot where he initially arrived. After a few moments of consideration, he slowly proceeded into the mysterious forest that lay before him.
Reaching into his pocket, he felt the disk fragment. As he walked along, Roshan’s words zipped through his head. Damiano’s Disk... If what he said was true, my father was killed because of this damn thing.
He walked deeper into the woods, hopping over a small creek of gray water. Halting momentarily to look over his shoulder, he could now barely see the field. Maybe I should stop here. If I go too far, I might not ever find my way back. Why me? Why am I here right now? I don’t want to be involved with any of this. I just want to go home and forget everything that’s happened to me. Roshan was right, some things are better left unknown.
He reluctantly continued walking, occasionally glancing up at the sky which was hardly visible through the branches. Even though he expected it to get darker as he ventured deeper into the forest, the lighting never changed. He walked for several more minutes and was about to turn back when he felt it. Emotion... someone’s nearby. As he slowly walked forward, the feeling grew stronger, though it remained too complicated to describe.
Suddenly, he heard a rustling in the trees overhead, not far in front of him. Lucas became frightened and unsheathed his sword. “I don’t want any trouble,” he said nervously, looking in the direction of the rustling, attempting to see what had caused it. Unfortunately, the leaves were far too thick and he was unable to make anything out.
He heard no reply from the stealthy lurker. Maybe this is the person I’m supposed to give the fragment to. Lucas spoke up again. “My name is Lucas Bardsson. Roshan sent me.” After a few seconds of silence, he heard the rustling again. Suddenly, someone dropped out from the concealment of the tree branches and landed on their feet on the ground in front of him.
It was a girl with blue eyes and thick, shaggy, black hair which didn’t extend far past her chin. She was wearing all black, dressed in a long‑sleeved shirt accompanied by a skirt which went down below her knees. Her boots were similar to Lucas’s, with the exception of their color. A brown sack was tied to the belt on her waist and a scythe strapped to her back. She was noticeably shorter than him and appeared to be around his age.
“Roshan sent you?” she queried with her arms crossed, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Lucas replied, cautiously sheathing his sword. “I’m supposed to find someone named... uh...”
She stared blankly at him as he stammered.
“Zoe?” she asked, irritated.
“Yeah. That’s it. You’re her, right?”
She rolled her eyes and slumped her arms to her side. “Seriously? Is this a joke or something?”
Lucas shook his head. “I’m still, very... very confused about what’s going on here. Where am I?”
Zoe looked puzzled. “You really don’t know?”
Lucas shook his head again. “No. It all happened so fast.”
Zoe paused for a moment. “So what you’re telling me is that Roshan sent you here without explaining where you were going?” Lucas nodded as Zoe continued to stare at him in disbelief. Finally, she elaborated. “This is the In Between. It’s a dimension between Aria and the Netherworld.”
Lucas was shocked. “I’m in another dimension?!”
Zoe nodded. “Now that we have that cleared up, why did Roshan send you here?”
“Well, from what I understand,” Lucas replied, “I’m supposed to give you this.” He took the disk fragment out of his po
cket and handed it to her.
Zoe’s expression changed to a mixture of surprise and confusion as she snatched it out of his hands. “What the hell are you doing with the disk fragment?!”
She examined the fragment before stuffing it into her bag. “Well? What happened?”
Lucas cleared his throat. “I was on my way to Cymbeline to visit the blacksmith, when I came across an old man being attacked by imps. I fought them off of him, but it was too late. In his final words, he asked me to take the fragment to Roshan. So when I got to Cymbeline, I found his restaurant and gave it to him. After he took it, he started to fill me in on some... interesting background information about the Knowms and the Spades. But we were interrupted when we heard the front door burst open and someone shout for everyone to get out. That’s when he handed the fragment back to me and sent me here. From what I gathered, some Knowms made their way into the restaurant and–”
Zoe’s eyes widened as Lucas experienced a surge of fear and worry. “Roshan!” she gasped, nearly knocking him to the ground as she bolted in the direction he had walked from.
Lucas ran after her. “Wait!” She was quick, but he managed to keep up. That is, until his right boot slammed into a tree root. He fell to the ground with a thud. The impact was painful, but he didn’t suffer any major injuries. After getting back to his feet, Zoe was nowhere to be seen. Still, he continued in the direction she had run. Only this time, he walked.
A minute later, in the distance, he heard her angrily shout, “Where’s the stupid portal?!” He soon reached the small field he had materialized in to find Zoe with her back turned, gazing where the portal should have been.
Lucas approached her, sensing sadness. “Is there supposed to be one on this side too? I don’t remember ever seeing one.” There was a pause.
Then Zoe spoke softly, “He destroyed it.” She turned around and faced Lucas. Her tone returned to normal. “Follow me.” She went back into the forest.
Tales of Aria: The Legend of Damiano's Disk Page 2