Trial and Error (Miro)

[Fallacy]

No day was a normal day in Alvadas, no, not one, and on such a day where Alvadas was in a feisty mood poor Miro would be walking along. The kid would probably be searching for something, some adventure, some excitement, some laughter or some pain, some happiness or some sanity, whatever he was looking for Alvadas was going to make sure to teach him to be careful what he wishes for because no matter what the golden rule of the city is nothing is ever as it seems. In the city of Illusion though only a fool would think such things as normality and reality exist within the parameters of the space that the great trickster Ionu inhabits. Yes, the golden rule, nothing is as it seems would be much apparent when a shop would catch the boys eyes. A run down looking place, windows dirty and tainted with age, only the sign of the store seemed to be in very good condition. It would read: Mables Magic Marvels. A strange shop that had not existed until just now appearing for only Miro, curious, he would advance towards it, but soon he would find that his footing would be unstable and he was falling. Too distracted by the sign and what could lie within Mables he failed to notice the simple fact that right in front of it was a pit… And, a long story short that is how Miro got to where he is right now. Today was seeming a bad day for him, a unlucky one, one that he didn’t want to relive, but then again the boy did not know what Lhex had in store for him. Yes, even in the twisted halls and fabricated reality that is Alvadas the God of Fate still had a strong hold on the kids wellbeing. This was not the day he was going to die, well not if he had his wits about him. Where he was exactly was a mystery of sorts, he knew he had fallen, but he didn’t know where to, and why or how he survived. There was just so many questions as Miro laid there still stunned from the fall, nothing was broken, but he hurt. Surprisingly though, even though it was obvious he was underground it wasn’t dark, a sort of unnatural looking light lit the place pretty well. Could this all be an illusion? Quite possibly and perhaps it was, but the pain Miro was feeling felt real enough. What was he going to do now? Would he attempt to climb back up? Wait, there was no hole from whence he came, how was he going to return? Lesson number one: Numerous impossibilities become possible in Alvadas. If he could find the strength to stand he would see there was only one clearly marked passageway and the source of the light seemed to be coming from that direction. If he would walk towards it he could feel a sort of presence about the place, it would reek of magic and have a hint of mystery. The air seemed charged, feels charged with a power quite unknown to his, what was this feeling? It made Miros hairs stand on end as he would go closer and closer to the light. The stone walls seeming to come closer and closer together as he walked towards the light until he reached a wall and in it a small crack, through that small crack came shining the light that was giving shape to the entire area. Upon observation it looked pretty thin and brittle.

[Miro]

2nd day of Fall, 511 AV

Miro began the day by taking Griever and searching through the city. He wandered aimlessly finding nothing for a time. Part of him wanted to break down and go fight in the colosseum. Killing things for pay could be a good way to spend his day. Unfortunately Griever is stubborn and he will not allow any killing. He began to regret taking his blade along, but still continued to wander.

A while later, something caught his eye. "Marbles Magic Marvels" Miro stared at the place for a moment, it looked rough, like it had seen better times. How perfect for a magic shop. He began towards the shop, eying it, looking for more details or hints. His footing became uneasy, Miro stumbled forward, falling down into a pit. He landed hard, spreading the impact between his back and legs. His body ached from the fall, but it appeared he wasn't injured. The room was pretty well lit for being in the ground. Looking up, he realized the hole he fell in to was now gone, leaving him stranded here. "I guess I will have to go through to get out." Miro thought to himself. He stood up and looked. There was a path, seeming to lead him through. Light was coming from the path, he followed it.

Walking down the passage, he felt a strange feeling in the air. It tingled at his senses, making him wander forward eagerly. He moved along the path, the light was getting brighter. Before long he came to a strange will. In it was a small obscure crack. Light was shimmering from it. A close examination brought Miro to the conclusion it was brittle. He could not turn back, the only way to proceed was through. He pulled Griever and began jamming it in the hole. Using the Flux, he slapped it around chipping at the structure until it began to open more and more. The more opened it, the brighter the room got.

[Fallacy]

Oh what little did the boy know about Alvadas, what little he would have done if he would have known otherwise. Such a pity it was, how foolish could you get, sticking your sword into any random hole! Though the boy hurriedly chipped away at the structure, the light getting brighter and brighter, filling the caverns with more and more light until it was blinding. It was only when the boy had achieved a hole big enough for him to fit through did something happen. The light, it seemed to be laughing and soon the boy would feel a physical tug on his body, a push blasting him back as the light seemed to flood out and there seemed to be laughter with the light, something was up. With the light no longer present the place was dark, it was darker than dark because Miro was so used to having the light. His eyes taking a moment to adjust themselves did he dare peer into the hole that he created? Looking up there he decided it was best to crawl through. Climbing through the darkness he came out the other side. What was there, you ask? What did he see? Well he saw many things, many, many things that confused him. When he would merge from the other side he would find himself in a cave, a field of stone grass surrounding him. It would look just like the outdoors but everything turned to stone. Petrified. Did someone carve all of this? Who would have the time to do that? Still there was a lingering presence of light, one that was just bright enough to light the entire place, but just bright enough not to give any detail. It was like twilight, the light just before the setting of the sun, or even the light just as the sun is rising. That was the kind of light, the nature of it that filled the place he was in. Closer observation would reveal that everything seemed turned to stone, there were even stone animals… and stone men. If he would wander there would be a light crunching sound under his feet because of the grass of stone. Where was he? Could he harbor any guesses? What happened here? Though there were a lot of questions there seemed to be limited if no answers: What were the facts? What did he know happened for sure? Well, for starters he fell. A crunching noise would break his concentration; coming from behind it would cause him to tense up. Hearing another crunch coming from behind him there was little he could do than follow his instincts at a time like this. He could either run, or… Did he dare look to see what is behind him? Or there was already a third option, in Alvadas there was always three options, he could do both. Behind him would be the creatures of stone, or they would look like creatures of stone, they happened to be what some would call Yukmen, crazy scary things that rose from the earth. He could fight, but right now, in an unfamiliar place, fighting, especially with magic, would be unwise for who knows how many of these things are down here. So far, he would be trailed by two. The stone grass breaking under their adamant footfalls, gravel like skin, with bits of rock falling off. They truly looked like spawn of the earth.

[Miro]

Miro pushed his blade through the hole more and more, knocking it further open. As more of it that crumbled, the brighter the light shone. It began to sting his eyes, blinding him even with his eyes closed. After he knocked out a large section of the wall the light ceased. He was struck blind from the lack of light now. He felt with his blade, feeling he could fit through the gap. Like he had assured him self earlier, there was only one way to go.

He stepped in, trailing his hand along the wall, slowly gaining back his vision. He wandered forward slowly, the ground crunched below his feet oddly enough. There was a dim light here too, but that was not all. There was something off, and it was very strange. As his eyes adjusted, he realized everything was made of stone. And not only were the things made of stone, but they were odd for a cave. He saw animals, the crunchy grass, even people, all made from stone. Miro's mouth hung open and he tried to speak out, perhaps in a scream, but he could not force the air from his lungs.

Moments later another sound could be heard behind him. More crunching was echoing. He gasped, turning around to see two ugly creatures coming towards him. They were odd looking creatures, shaped of odd stones. One let out a high pitched yelp, they began moving towards him with anger. He began emitting res, forming it around his hips. He transmuted it to ice to hold Griever in place. Compacting a thicker res, he shaped an ice cleaver. Flinging it over his shoulder, Miro ran towards the abominations of the earth. He focused his djed in his arms, readying the flux for a powerful slice. The closer of the monsters raised its arms as it charged towards him, only a few feet away. Miro leaped up and heaved the heavy blade forward at a downward angle, slicing through the creature.

Miro landed carrying his momentum. He turned letting his blade drag across the floor. His glimpse caught the creatures form just in time for him to watch the top part of its body slide down to the floor. The other was charging at Miro. He forced his djed into his arms. The Flux surged into his muscles allowing him to cleave it into the beast legs, tripping it over. It let out a screeching noise as it laid on the floor. Miro had the leg sitting on his torso, and the beast was attempting to stand. He forced the rock off his body. He unsheathed Griever and jumped on its back, using flux to enhance his swing, taking off its arm.

Without its arm, it fell to the ground under Miro's feet. It began to let out high pitched screams as if it were in pain. He struggled to keep balance for a moment, then he hopped off its back, he sheathed Griever. He took a few steps then retrieved his sword. The creature still struggled to stand, turning slightly as it moved its remaining arm and leg. Miro drew up his blade slowly, taking his time to poise it into position. It hung over his shoulder, his muscles bulging from the work being done to wield the weapon. He raised it up over his shoulder, then let it fall down taking the creatures top portion off. It fell silent, and stopped moving. Miro pulled his blade back, drawing his attention back to the area around him.

[Fallacy]

The monsters were vanquished, somewhat easily, but where there was smoke there always was fire. Though there still was the question of what kind of wood was burning and what exactly is a monster here. In the petrified place not everything was made from stone, nor was everything shone in the same artificial light. In some places it was darker, the shadows more apparent than others, and in some places it seemed a little too light. Something wasn’t right here, and the boy couldn’t put his finger on it. With the rush of battle gone and having time to analyze his thought the kid would realize that when he was wielding Griever the sword did not feel right. There was something off about it, like it was sick or something. Was Griever mourning, why did the sword seem more opposed to violence than usual? Was it this place, was it somehow effecting Griever? All those questions and more would enter the kids mind, but all thought would be drawn away be a noise. Not the crunching of stone grass, mind you, but a different sort of noise, one of pain and sorrow, wails to the night. Someone, someone was crying and they did not seem too far away. If he felt obligated to see what was the matter he would follow the sound, the noise seemingly louder than what he first thought because it lead him deeper than anyone would have expected into the caverns. The noise going further and further in, past the stone grass and into a forest of carved tress, each tree bearing a carving of a face of a different emotion. Each face seemed to stare and watch the kid as he passed, and it would be that no matter the angle he looked at the trees the faces could always be seen. This was the darker, nightmarish side of illusion, if this was an illusion. Eventually his journey, uneventful, would lead him to a small stone shack. The entire thing made of stone but carved to look like wood, the door, also made of stone would firmly be in place. Sigils and seals of all kinds would cover the door, and on the door, of course, was a face. Not just any face, a face of an old, wise looking man. Beard extending out past his chin and draping down the door, the wrinkles of time apparent on his face, the doors ‘eyes’ would open and the mouth would speak a warning: ”For the sake of Alvadas this monster has been sealed. Those trying to free her will meet an awful end.” With that said the eyes closed again and the mouth returned to the state that it was in when Miro arrived. Still though the crying persisted, the sound carrying though a stone window, a window, that if touched, a force would hold the hand back and a wall of purple light would appear blocking entrance. It seemed though the barrier blocked entrance it did not block sound for the cries were still audible. If he would go up to the window and peer in he would see a woman, no older looking than maybe twenty three, sprawled on the cold, hard stone floor crying her eye out. She would have long and gorgeous looking white hair; it would seem to have fragments of what looked like rock in it. The hair was straight until it got to the ends where it curled slightly. The woman looked skinny and sickly, pale as a ghost, and she wore the most unusual looking dress. It too was made of the same white rock that graced her hair, fractions of it looking rougher than others, all closely nestled together to form a sort of covering for the lady. Many rings were latched onto her thin fingers and neck too wearing the white jewels this gal seemed to be all about. When the woman would look up, her sobbing slightly under control as she noticed that she was being watched she called out, ”Who is there?” her voice soft, but it carried a sort of whimsical power about it, an alluring charm. Her bright green eyes searching the confines of her prison as she stood up, tears still falling from her face, going to the window looked out, ”Hello?” she asked, almost yelling her voice filled with desperation.

[Miro]

The place was starting to come off creepy. Miro began to feel out of place, like something was wrong. Griever felt funny. There was this almost, remorseful feeling coming from him. Not only from the fighting, but from the area. He thought about what exactly it could be for a moment. Suddenly a noise came echoing in. Like crying. Deep sorrowful crying. He followed the sound, compelled to find another person in this forsaken place.

As he walked he began to see them, the creepy trees. They stared, each showing a different expression. Miro began to shake, becoming quite scared. He hurried towards the crying that got louder as he went. Then a shack came into sight. It looked like it was made of log, and yet it was quite shiny, like it was made of rock. On the door sat a sigil. A very odd one. An old man, stared towards him. It sat solemnly until Miro got a bit closer. Suddenly it spoke, telling him not to free whoever this 'her' was. Miro walked over to the window and glanced inside to see a beautiful girl. She was the source of the weeping. It was a shame for somebody so beautiful to cry so hard. She would cause an awful end? She was young, and surrounded by rocks. Did she cause this place to be how it was? Or did she perhaps get trapped down here by whatever made this rock.

She suddenly stood up, walking towards Miro, calling out to him. He was asked his name, and when he didn't replied she spoke again. Miro was unsure, the warning forbade him from releasing her. But she was so upset that she was crying, suffering. It would not hurt for him to ask her some questions. Perhaps he could get some sort of explanation. "Yes, I am here. My name is Miro. Could I perhaps get your name? And, also...what it is you are doing trapped in such a place." Miro awaited a reply, pondering on the situation.

[Fallacy]

The woman would grin as she heard a voice from the other side. In her stone prison she tried her hardest to stare out the window at the kid, but even then her eyes would wander, it seemed she could not focus on him for some reason. Could she not see him? ”Miro.” she said the grin widening even more, ”That’s a lovely name.” she complimented him, a hand moving up to remove a strand of hair that had gotten loose in front of her face back behind her ear, ”I am called Alice.” she said using a first name basis. Her teeth showing from her smile would be just as white as the rock she wore, bearing an unusual resemblance. Nodding at him she reached a hand towards the window only for it to be repelled lightly, ”Why am I trapped here?” her eyes still wandering the window, the shield blocking her sight out of the window. ”I was forced in here, trapped by an evil wizard who said I was threat to Alvadas.” she started explaining, ”But, I was a threat to his plans. The wizard was a noble in Alvadas and was studying the effects of illusions and how to effectively use it in combat. He found me snooping in his library. I was just trying to destroy his research.” she got all teary eyed again, ”And then the next thing I know I find myself in here.” she wiped a tear from her cheek, ”And I cannot get out myself. Would… would you help me Miro?” she asked. She seemed hesitant to ask for his help, but once she started asking it seemed to get easier and easier. ”I can feel that sword of yours.” she said almost ominously, ”It cries…” she said her voice but a whisper, [ b]”For it is imprisoned just like me.”[/b] her words weird and sounding quite vague. It was quite evident that she held some kind of supernatural power, but what it was had not been revealed. Her eyes sparkled with a sort of knowledge; if she knew Miro held a sword what else could she know? ”If you free me from my prison then I will try my best to free your sword from its suffering.” she offered her voice a bit shaky. She fell silent waiting for a response. Was she finally going to be free from this prison?

[Miro]

Miro listening closing his eyes thinking to himself. His mind buzzed with thoughts that he could not sort. "Evil wizard? Illusion as a weapon? Why would somebody destroy another wizards work? Is she lying to me? Can I trust her?" Miro kept having these questions buzz through his head. Suddenly a piece of advice from Kinneas popped into his head. "Miro, sometimes you should try to imagine yourself in other peoples situations to help understand them. What would you do in their shoes?" The thought lingered in his mind. How would he feel if he was trapped in there? He imagined his reaction would be similar to hers. But, a better question would be what would she do in his position. Slowly he was starting to be swayed into helping her.

She asked again for his assistance. He held his breath for a moment before hearing something that would cause him to get a deep shiver down his spine. She knew of Griever. Not only that, but she could feel his pain. Miro could tell that Griever was starting to pull away from him lately, become more and more remorseful. She could end his pain. Miro looked down at his blade, trying to think. "If she can help Griever, then I owe it to him to let her. He has always been by my side, and I have forced attempts on peoples lives, knowing his displeasure." Miro gripped his blade tightly in his hands. "His name is Griever, Alice. He is my trusted companion, and I don't want him to suffer anymore. I will free you if you can help him...However, if you don't, and turn on me. It will not be Griever tearing through your flesh, but rather my own two hands. I am not doing this for you, or for me. I have yet to start trusting you. Now, all that is left is for you to tell me how to undo this complicated sigil, as it is far beyond my comprehension."

Miro paused for a bit, thinking still on one lingering thought. He had an idea on testing her trustworthiness. "Oh, and about the illusion as a weapon. Surely you know a manor in which this would be achieved. Perhaps you even devised some of this knowledge yourself. I would like to hear how this could be done before I am to free you." Miro smiled, out of sight of the window, refusing to look at her, letting her looks cloud his judgement. If she truly did get locked up for hiding this knowledge, she certainly would not be so eager to give it away to anybody who might ask. Even in such a desperate position, one with true valor would not turn on their ideals so quickly.

[Fallacy]

”Griever.” she said whispering the name, ”What a suiting name for such a sad sword.” she would fall silent listening to what he had to say. If she could just get him to release him then… A small smile would spread across her face, did he really think that he could harm her. The concept made her smile, ”You want to know the secrets of using Illusion as a weapon?” she laughed, ”My dear boy, I was going to destroy the research. Using Illusion as a weapon doesn’t interest me, and it doesn’t interest me for Illusion to be used against me. That is why I sought to destroy the research.” She sat down, careful to not reveal too much to the kid. ”So,” she continued, ”I couldn’t tell you. Why don’t you go ask the master of Mizgan Castle?” she suggested shrugging. There was nothing much to say. What was it going to take for the kid to trust her? She knew the castle was long lost in the Illusion of Alvadas, the city had swallowed it, but enough about that. Once she was free everything was going to change, for the better, for her. ”Now, to tell you the important part.” she said hoping that the kid would be listening carefully ”The wizard who sealed me here was confident, overly cocky, in his spellwork. The door and sigil can be broken when you find the key.” she told him, ”Besides that I don’t know much more.” she said as if what she had given him was of no value. ”So, are you going to help me?” she asked, ”I can promise you that I can cure Griever.” she reassured him flashing a smile.

[Miro]

Miro listened carefully, hearing everything she had to say. She doesn't know the secrets of illusion, and she was destroying it to ensure it couldn't be used against her. What was this castle she spoke of? a king? And somehow this was the unimportant part. She was entirely focused on her release, as if none of that mattered. She would have him betray his judgement all for the sake of Griever. All he needed was a key. Where it was and what guarded it are a mystery. Or even what it may look like. None of that was going to slow him down. For freeing her meant Griever would be fixed, "cured" even. Was he sick? Or damaged? Though, a promise was good enough reason to trust her. Besides, she has shown fear in the power of illusion. Perhaps there was something to gain after all. Miro had never been a fan of locking away problems anyways. If one is not strong enough to defeat an enemy, only an inconsiderate fool locks it away for another people to fight. A man stands up and puts the problem down then and there or dies trying. A real man would take care the problems of the people past as well. Miro only had one thing to say. "Just point me in the right direction. Any advice on what I'm looking for or how I could get there would be much appreciated. I do not feel like wandering among these creepy trees until I perish."