The Sarian's Sword (Tales of Vantoria book 1)

By Robert J. A. Gilbert

What would you do if you found a map that led you into another world? Would you stay behind where it’s safe? Or would you step through into the unknown?

When Wenchel follows a map left in an old, forgotten Bible, he has no idea of the secret it will uncover. Soon he finds himself in a world where dragons and flying cars share the skies, goblins prowl the dark of night, and a magic castle waits for its king to return. Reluctantly joining a quest to stop a mysterious threat to the island of Peace, Wenchel and his new friends discover that, in a world where faith can give power to work miracles, the most ordinary of things can lead to the most extraordinary adventure.

Led by a beautiful, young “Sarian” woman who wields one of the powerful “Elder Swords” that govern the land, our heroes soon find themselves battling for their lives against monsters and magic. After a series of perilous misadventures, Wenchel and his companions discover just how diverse their ideas of faith, prayer, trust, and salvation really are. When the Sarian’s sword is stolen, they must put aside their differences and confront the thief before the sword that was once wielded for good becomes a tool for pure evil.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert J. A. Gilbert
• Release date: Jan 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301577767

Robert J. A. Gilbert

I am a storyteller at heart.I inherited it from my father who has told stories for as long as I can remember. His stories of his own youth, his travels, and his adventures in Africa as a bush pilot were as inspiring as they were fascinating.At this time I am a writer by hobby. I also design board and card games, write songs, and dabble in a few other creative mediums as well. My biggest love is teaching, and it is through teaching that I have discovered the art of fables, parables, and morality tales. You can read many of these on my blog page.I hope that you find my work interesting and enjoyable. Most of all, I hope that you come away from my writing with more than a smile—I hope you come away with a better understanding of the real message I aim to convey.

Book preview

TALES OF VANTORIA

The Sarian’s Sword

By Robert J. A. Gilbert

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011, 2013 by Robert J. A. Gilbert

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Other books by Robert J. A. Gilbert

Men of Renown

Scripture quotations or paraphrases are taken from the following versions of the Holy Bible: the King James Version and the NIV, New International Version ® Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

The puzzles in this book are based on scripture taken from the NIV, New International Version ® Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and creatures are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual places or persons is entirely coincidental.

For my boys:

Josh, Jonny, Aaron, Kyle, David, Caleb, Ronnie, Casey, Samuel, Adam, Matthew, Cale, Jeffry, Grant, Jacob, Trevor, Kobe, and the many others whom I am watching grow into young men. It was you who inspired me to write this story.

Special thanks to my wife, who edited my writing, who helped me find the words to my puzzles, who brought my sketches to life, and who designed such great cover art. Most of all, I must thank her for believing in me and in this story.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Hidden in Plain Sight

Chapter 2: An unexpected Discovery

Chapter 3: New Friends in a Strange World

Chapter 4: The Elder Council

Chapter 5: Spoken into Being

Chapter 6: Goblins!

Chapter 7: A Dangerous Chase

Chapter 8: Forsaken

Chapter 9: Riding the White Water

Chapter 10: The Hermit

Chapter 11: The Legend of San Ocro

Chapter 12: Trusting in the Path

Chapter 13: The Sleeping Castle

Chapter 14: The Puzzle of Salvation

Chapter 15: The King of San Ocro

Chapter 16: A Surprise Visit

Chapter 17: Elder against Elder

Chapter 18: A Place of Refuge

Chapter 19: The Importance of Understanding

Chapter 20: The Fundamentals of Flame

Chapter 21: The Fahl Mansion

Chapter 22: The Serpent and the Source

About the Author

Chapter 1: Hidden in Plain Sight

The door groaned on its hinges as two young men pushed their way into the room.

I can’t believe you said that! The first to enter the chamber was Stephen Wenchel, though few here knew him by his first name. He wore a tee-shirt and faded jeans—dressed almost too casual to be taken for the seminary student he hoped to become in another year’s time.

Fast on his heels came Lance Kale. I didn’t say it, the older youth shrugged, The Bible did. Lance looked more the part of the theologian. His button-up shirt and pressed slacks did well to identify him as a student of religion.

That’s ridiculous, Wenchel countered as though he were the equal in this argument. In fact he was one year younger than his companion, and notably less instructed in the doctrines taught here at the college. I’ve read that story a hundred times and I never got that meaning from it. He turned his attention to the forgotten room into which they had come.

Many years had passed since anyone other than the librarian had come into the room. This was the graveyard of religious literature—the place where books came to rest after they no longer belonged with the other new and popular books in the main room of the college library. These books, read perhaps by one’s grandparents—or even great-grandparents—were the last place someone would expect to find adventure or excitement. Which is exactly the reason why this quiet, little room held such a big, dangerous secret.

Lance had folded his arms across his chest as a show of confidence, You can argue the quotation all you want, but if that’s what it says, that’s what it means.

I don’t believe that. Wenchel shook his head. Odd that they have so many books out front that quote the scripture but so little scripture to back the quotes, he said as he surveyed the dust-heavy shelves.

I don’t need the quote, Lance said defensively. I’ve known that Bible story since I was a kid.

Me too, Wenchel saw a collection of large, thick-bound books on the back wall that could only be Bibles. I’m sure we both know how to ‘hide His word in our hearts’. He crossed the room. Yet here we are in disagreement about what the ‘word’ meant.

Lance was clearly frustrated. He pointed with his thumb behind him, through the still open door, into the larger chamber beyond. There’s probably a hundred books in this library that can tell you exactly what that story meant.

Wenchel shrugged, I say we use the source text to settle this. He looked intently at the shelf, Here we go. Finger outstretched to examine the bindings, he asked Lance, Any preference in translation?

Lance did not say anything at first. As he considered the various translations that might say what he hoped they would, Wenchel spoke again.

What is this? He pulled a large, heavy tome from the top shelf and examined it closely. The covers and binding were constructed of thick, hardened leather—almost as sturdy as a thin plank of wood.

Some kind of family Bible? Lance assessed the oversized book.

It looks very old, Wenchel commented, turning the Bible over in his hands. Etched onto its front cover and embossed with a shimmering gold-leaf was a symbol that Wenchel did not recognize. His eyes widened as he touched it. This looks expensive.

Lance stood beside his friend, disagreement forgotten. This doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen in Christian symbolism.

If it’s a family Bible, Wenchel guessed, Maybe this is the family crest.

Check it for names, Lance prodded. They usually keep track of births and deaths and stuff in the front pages.

As Wenchel opened the front cover a large, folded piece of paper fluttered heavily to the floor. Lance quickly retrieved it. It was yellowed with age, and crinkled as if it would fall apart as he unfolded it.

Some kind of note, he observed.

And this looks like a map, Wenchel pointed to the inside of the front cover.

You mean like a map of the holy land? asked Lance. Some Bibles put that kind of a map in the front and back.

No, Wenchel turned the book toward his friend. A hand-scrawled schematic had been drawn onto the otherwise blank page. More like a treasure map. Looking at the unfolded parchment in Lance’s hands, he asked: What does the note say?

Lance read aloud. To whoever finds this book, I entrust it to you. It does not belong where you find it; I beg you to return it to the throne of San Ocro. The council of Elders at Dort Castle will know what to do. You must follow the map to find them.

Wenchel listened as Lance read. When his friend paused, he whistled. Weird.

Lance studied the letter in silence for a moment before speaking again. There’s a bunch of cryptic instructions here. He nodded towards Wenchel’s book. Probably in reference to that map.

So I was right about this being a treasure map, Wenchel concluded.

There’s more at the bottom. Lance continued. Same handwriting, different color of ink. ‘Do not let this book fall into the hands of evil men.’

What’s that supposed to mean? Wenchel wondered.

Nerds? Lance guessed. When Wenchel shot him a confused expression, he clarified. I’m guessing this was written by a nerd.

Wenchel asked, Why would nerds want to put a map in a big, expensive Bible like this and then leave it here on a bookshelf?

You got me, his friend shrugged. Why do nerds do anything?

If you’re right, Wenchel said, considering the age of the note paper, it was a very old nerd. This looks like it was written long before C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien would have been popular.

You forget Jules Verne, Lance said quickly, and what about the Wizard of Oz? Those stories are more than a hundred years old.

Wenchel thought about it. I suppose so, he said, but I don’t think folks went this far in their fantasy back then. He tapped the old book thoughtfully, This looks like somebody is playing out some old fairy tale here in the real world.

Lance looked at the Bible in Wenchel’s hands. So what do you think this is all about?

Wenchel turned his attention again to the inner cover of the book. This map looks like it’s a layout of the college campus.

You think this is a map to some secret nerd conclave? Lance snickered. Some kind of secret role-playing club afraid to meet in public on a Christian college campus?

Wenchel shrugged. If it was written back in the fifties or sixties, I’d not be surprised. Even comic book fantasy was a religious taboo back then.

Lance was studying the map. Here’s the library, he pointed to a spot on the page. And here is the old lecture hall. There is an arrow pointing toward the west wall of the… Now he squinted at the page. What building is that? He looked up. This doesn’t look like anything on campus.

Wenchel looked as well. Much of the college campus could clearly be represented by some of the shapes drawn on the map. Interspersed between buildings, and sometimes passing right through them, were other shapes that Wenchel might interpret as other walls, pathways, or structures.

What does the letter say? Wenchel pressed.

Lance turned again to the note. It says, ‘To find your way to Dort, you must ask yourself three questions. He paused, looking up to his friend. Wenchel urged him to continue.

Question one, Lance read. When you read the map, does it tell you what you want to be told, or does it tell you what the author wants you to know?

Wenchel blinked in surprise. What is that supposed to mean?

Lance looked at the map. What does this map tell us?

Both pondered the question for a moment. Then Lance spoke. I can distinctly see the maintenance building indicated here on the north end of the campus. There seems to be some kind of arrow pointing from it to the row of sorority houses across the street. There’s some weird symbol or something. He held the book for Wenchel to see. What do you think that is?

Wenchel inspected the faded image. An illustration of some kind. I suppose it might mean something if you went and looked.

I’ll bet this was written by nerds, Lance snickered. And this is a map to a secret entrance to the girls’ housing.

You’d like that, Wenchel kidded.

Maybe there were strict curfew rules at the time this was written, Lance let his imagination wander. Maybe this is how these guys snuck their dates back into the house after dark. He shrugged his shoulders casually. Hey, even a nerd can seem awfully romantic sneaking around in the moonlight with a lady on his arm.

I’m sure you want to give it a try, Wenchel kidded.

Both men laughed.

So in reference to the question in the letter, Wenchel continued. Is that what you want the map to tell you, or is that what the author wanted you to find out?

Lance paused before answering. If there is no secret entrance, but we are sure that is what the map says, we could waste an awful lot of time searching for something we’ll never find.

I suppose we can only know for sure if we investigate, Wenchel shut the book.

What are you going to do? Lance’s eyes darted about nervously.

I’m going to go look at the maintenance building, Wenchel said calmly. You want to come?

Lance looked around the room. Do you think we can check this book out?

You couldn’t check it out if you tried, Wenchel pointed to the binding. This Bible does not belong here. There are no signs that the library has ever registered it in the system. No registration labels, bar code, or call numbers. It’s almost as if somebody else put it on the shelf without the librarian ever seeing it.

Lance whistled quietly, Weird.

The mystery deepens. Wenchel commented, hefting the heavy Bible. I guess the letter says it is mine.

Lance nodded. If it doesn’t belong in the library, then I guess we can take it with us.

The students quickly left the Library, Bible in hand. It was afternoon when they arrived at the maintenance building.

Lance studied the large, brown-bricked wall of the building. I see nothing that looks like the illustration on the map.

Does the note say anything else that might help us? Wenchel asked.

Lance looked at the old letter. The next question in the letter is even weirder. He held the note out so that Wenchel could follow as he read. Question two: Are the author’s words confined to the map? Or can the author speak to you whenever you need his words explained.

The students were silent for a moment as Wenchel opened the Bible. Okay, so what does that mean?

It means, Lance said slowly, that either the map tells us everything we need to know…

Or it doesn’t, Wenchel finished the statement.

Lance lowered the note as he raised his eyes to the building in front of him. Which is it?

Wenchel noticed something on the map, Look at this, he said excitedly, There’s a bunch of scripture references all over the map.

Yeah, Lance said unenthusiastically, I saw those. I have a bunch of them in my Bible, too. They’re all my favorite verses.

Wenchel pointed to the inside cover of his Book, But these are located all over the page. It’s almost like they are in reference to the places on the map.

You mean like we won’t know what they mean until we get to that place on the map? Lance scowled.

Yes, Wenchel nodded. Something like that.

Lance waved his arms. Well here we are at the place where the arrow begins, but I have no idea what the arrow means.

So maybe we need the author to explain the arrow to… Wenchel’s voice trailed off as he thought about what he was saying.

Lance stared at the note. The author could only do that if he was here with us right now.

Wenchel spoke slowly, Maybe He is.

What?

Wenchel glanced sideways at his companion, I’m starting to think it’s talking about the Bible. He paused before adding, The author of the Bible is God.

Lance gave his friend a funny look. Wenchel continued. The Bible is like a map: God’s map to mankind. We look to it for guidance. If we read something from it and get confused, can’t we ask God for clarification?