Side Story: Sharabolas
The Sharabolas Forest. In the past, it was called the Red Fox Forest due to the abundance of red foxes, but its name changed to reflect the ruins discovered within its depths.
The ruins were shrouded in mystery, with only a single word, "Sharabolas" written in an ancient language on a corner of the largest building's wall, offering any clue to their origins.
There were three types of people who ventured into the Sharabolas Forest: scholars exploring the ruins, hunters pursuing foxes, and relic gatherers scouring the ruins for the gold scattered throughout. Countless individuals wandered the Sharabolas ruins, dreaming of striking it rich.
One day, a relic gatherer discovered an underground ruin—a vast subterranean city that dwarfed the ruins above ground. Following this discovery, further explorations by scholars uncovered the "Jar Documents." Inside numerous jars found in the ruins, hastily written texts by many hands detailed the city's history before it became a ruin, its downfall, the reason for the gold scattered throughout, and the meaning of the word "Sharabolas."
By piecing together the writings from these jars, a single story emerged.
The great king Myrn, ruler of the high-walled city of Leadal in the forest. One day, a visitor came to the great king of Leadal.
The visitor introduced himself as Sharabolas. He demonstrated his ability to produce gold dust by rubbing his fingertips together and small gold nuggets the size of pebbles by rubbing his hands. He promised to make Leadal the most radiant and prosperous city on the continent.
However, the wise king Myrn recognized Sharabolas as a malevolent demon. Seizing the moment when the demon's power was still weak, Myrn succeeded in sealing him away.
Deep beneath Leadal Castle, surrounded by dozens of sealing stones inscribed with magical incantations, Sharabolas was confined within a magical circle. He was allowed to extend only two fingers outside the circle, forced to produce gold dust endlessly for the prosperity of Myrn and Leadal.
Time passed, and by the era when Leadal was also known as the City of Gold, King Jerna, a descendant of Myrn, stood before Sharabolas in the depths of the castle's underground.
As usual, Sharabolas, with his grotesque, sharp-clawed fingers, produced gold dust and spoke to Jerna.
"Oh wise and valiant King of Leadal, why do you content yourself with this small forest city? You possess the ability and talent to claim the elves of the west, the dwarves of the east, the desert kingdom of the south, and the bird islands of the north."
The tempting and beguiling whispers of Sharabolas continued.
"A price? Freedom? Hahaha. I seek no such things. Did not your ancestors warn you? Never release the demon Sharabolas. Simply take the gold from my fingertips, and if I refuse to produce it, recite the incantations on the sealing stones to inflict pain. So, pause those incantations for a moment and listen to me."
"I know my place well. I do not yearn for freedom and am content to dwell here in this underground, listening to the tales of great kings."
"But to conquer the vast lands and many nations, you will surely need much gold, won't you? For that, my fingers alone are not enough—my arms must be free. Leave the rest of my wretched, unsightly body within this sealing circle."
"If you remove just the four small sealing stones in front of where you stand, my arms will be free to produce gold nuggets far greater than this mere dust. If you doubt me, consult your royal archivists and sorcerers."
When King Jerna stood before Sharabolas again, he was accompanied by several sorcerers clad in ornate robes and wielding staves. Dozens of sorcerers stood behind Jerna, pointing their staves at Sharabolas.
"Hahaha. You've confirmed it, haven't you? What do you think? I spoke the truth, didn't I? Just my arms—that's all I ask. I only wish to aid a great king in his quest to conquer the continent."
King Jerna and the sorcerers began moving the sealing stones around the magical circle to partially release the seal. Archivists and artists who accompanied the king recorded the scene, the artists swiftly sketching it onto their canvases.
"Ahh, thank you, Your Majesty. Now I can produce even more gold. I can be of greater service to you."
Sharabolas's small, red eyes quivered. His mouth stretched wide, the corners curling upward as his two fingers outside the sealing circle twitched briefly. As a few sealing stones were removed, the demon's bony, clawed hands emerged from the circle.
"Now, let's begin…"
Clenching his fingers into a fist, Sharabolas extended his arm toward Jerna, slowly unfurling his fingers to reveal several pebble-sized gold nuggets in his palm.
"How's that? Far superior to mere gold dust, isn't it? I'll produce these nuggets tirelessly. Shouldn't you have freed my arms sooner? There's more—plenty more. Gold for your great deeds, for armies, horses, armor, spears, swords, bows! Gold to build grand castles and towering walls."
Sharabolas clasped his hands, pouring gold onto the floor. At the king's command, attendants brought chests to collect the gold, frantically gathering it. King Jerna smiled as he watched the attendants hurriedly scoop up the gold. Then, as he bent down to pick up an especially large nugget, it happened.
"Hahehehehe! Hahahahaha!! Shahahahahaha!!!"
With a laugh that echoed through the chamber, Sharabolas snapped his fingers, severing Jerna's head from his body. Unsatisfied, he extended his arm further, his hand growing as if stretching, pummeling the headless body of Jerna with his fist.
As the demon's hand became stained with blood and the sorcerers shouted, preparing to attack, Sharabolas's voice resounded through the room.
"Descendants of Myrn! People of Leadal! The time for vengeance has come!"
The hand outside the sealing circle grew larger, smashing the sealing stones around it. Brave sorcerers cast spells at the hand, but they were futile. The spells fizzled before reaching the demon's body, and as all the sealing stones shattered, the light of the magical circle faded completely.
The rage that had been trapped within Sharabolas for centuries, the humiliation of being forced to produce gold dust for humans, erupted. With a spell cast to extinguish all life in Leadal, most of the city sank underground. The freed Sharabolas slaughtered every living soul, tore down walls, and burned the castle. Before the next day's sun rose, Leadal, the City of Gold that had thrived for centuries, was no more. The writings in the jars ended with the fall of Leadal.
Time continued to pass. Gold was found scattered throughout the forest, but the memory of the red foxes faded. Only relic gatherers now wander the ruins, searching for gold.
Side Story: Sharabolas - End
*****
Valla-Glas. Before it flows the tranquil Diure River, and behind it rises Yills Mountain, shielding it from the cool northeastern winds. A gray wall, five times the height of a man, encircles the city.
Built from bricks hewn from the gray stones of Yills Mountain, the walls of Valla-Glas boast such durability that they have withstood the ages without a single repair. The castle of the House Tould, fortified by the robust walls and the advantageous terrain of mountains and river, is renowned in the northwest of the Esteta Kingdom as the sturdiest and most defensible fortress. Its mere presence is said to deter invaders, earning it fame among the kingdom's nobles.
Atop the main tower between the walls, soldiers in iron helmets, their sharp gazes scanning the surroundings, clutch longbows taller than themselves. Along the walls, soldiers with long spears patrol the pathways.
Recognizing the white-haired figure on horseback—the Count Tould—the sentries alerted their comrades, preparing a stricter-than-usual welcome for the lord of Valla-Glas as he approached the city's gates.
At the dock along the Diure River, carts and people carrying large sacks from unloaded ships moved in a line toward the gates of Valla-Glas.
Among them, Diara held the reins of a wagon, followed by soldiers. Riding alongside the wagon, Count Tould matched its pace, proudly introducing his city to Diara, Gravel and Iris, who walked between the wagon and the count.
"Are you listening, Diara? Every single one of those bricks was carved by stonemasons!"
Waving to the citizens who recognized him, the Count spoke to Diara. It was less a conversation and more a one-sided monologue, likely due to his excitement over Diara's visit, whom he cherished like a granddaughter, Gravel thought as he walked beside the wagon.
"My lord, where've you been?"
"Count Tould, caught another red bear, have you?"
"It's the Count!"
The voices of citizens recognizing Count Tould rang out.
"Are you all doing well?"
As the count laughed and spoke with the gathering citizens, Diara's wagon continued toward the gates of Valla-Glas.
Thanks to the orderly line of carts and people, they quickly reached the guards at the gate. As a guard prepared to address Diara on the wagon, he noticed the Count Tould, clad in red bear fur, standing nearby. The guard straightened his spear and saluted.
"Welcome back, my lord!"
"Good. The line's moving at a decent pace, so you're working hard. This wagon and the soldiers behind it are my guests—let them pass."
"Yes, sir!"
With a forceful shout, the guard raised his spear again, and at the Count's command, Diara's wagon proceeded.
"Ah, I nearly forgot to welcome my guests properly. Come, enter the city of gray walls, Valla-Glas."
The Count Tould turned his horse, pulling the reins, and addressed those following him.