Another Lost Soul

Chapter 4

As we walked the wooded area, small plants could be seen glowing shades of pink and green. Most were growing from trees or hanging around flowerbeds, but they grew brighter when Alenor stepped close.

"Watch your step around here."

"What for?"

He pointed to the ground, littered with large stones. "Don't step on the grass, only the rocks."

"Okay, but why?"

"It's water." He hopped onto one of the stones. "Deep enough to drown in as well."

Starting at the ground, it seemed perfectly normal and safe to walk on. "Okay." I did as he told me though, following close behind him to stay in his circle of candlelight. "So, this magic stuff....will you teach me about it?"

"I'll have to if you're staying with me. It's dangerous out here with no knowledge of the place. I know my way around."

"Must be nice."

He stopped for a moment. "Amir, I'm sorry that you have to go through this. Memory loss can really take a toll on people."

"I can do it." I spoke clearly yet desperately, making him turn around to see my face. My fists tightened.

He smiled. "I know you can. Need some help? It's slippery here."

"I've got it." He held out his hand but I didn't take it, my foot reaching the next step with confidence. As soon as it touched the rock, the entire boulder spun and forced me to slip. I fell forward and slammed my head hard enough to send pain through my skull and down my spine.

Cold liquid covered my body, blood blinding me as I sank further down and flailed my arms to swim back upwards. Fuck. Ow.

It hurts too bad. I can barely move.

Before I can even panic though, silver hair smears the blood out of my eyes, strong arms pulling me to the surface so I can catch a breath. "Are you alright? I told you to be careful."

My head collapsed against his chest, lips against water as I spoke. "It hurts."

"I know. Let's get out of the water." He helped me back out onto the grass, laying my back against the forest floor and pushing the hair out of my face. Now that I can see him, he's blurry and his eyes emit a purple hue. "Can you see okay? You hit your head pretty hard."

"You're blurry."

"If I heal you in this state, I can't promise I'll have enough energy to keep walking." He began to pull something off of my arm, making me flinch.

"Ow! What the-"

"You've got leeches on you, hold still."

"What?!" I sat up and nearly broke my wrist trying to flick them off of my skin. He only laid me back down and carefully plucked them off, tossing them back into the water.

"Relax."

"Let's just...take a break."

"You'll catch a cold."

"I'm okay."

He rested his hand on my shoulder, causing warmth to spread through my body. "Bear with the headache until I've caught my breath."

Is he not worried about his own temperature? He could get sick too. "Hey-"

"Take this." He pulled off that odd long coat he's always wearing and laid it across me. It seems like some sort of robe.

"It's dry."

"Yeah. I didn't get wet so I'm okay." He leaned over my face to examine the damage done to it. "Can you breathe alright?"

Everything is blurry but with his eyes locked onto mine, they fill my vision. His irises are so clear and familiar that I'm at a loss for words. Their deep violent color fills my throat and slides down into my chest, my heart pounding.

"Amir?"

The sky above him is visible through autumn leaves, stars hovering above his captivation. "Have we met before, Alenor?"

He laughed a bit. "You must've hit your head harder than I thought. In that case, maybe using all of my energy might be necessary."

"I just feel like I know you." When I look at him, I see torn white sweaters and sweet juliet pythons slithering at his feet. I see pale glasses on his red nose and long eyelashes hidden behind them, shackles around his ankles and tears in his lips. "Where have I met you?"

"Haha..." he nervously moved back a bit. "Whoever you're thinking of, it's not me."

But it is.

I can see him standing in a stone, arena-like building in the middle of a run down city. He bears an axe with both hands, the weapon larger than the huge muscles in his arms. Scars cover his torso and face, nothing but pure sorrow in his eyes as he swings it toward a blurry figure. "When was I...I don't remember why I'd be in a city like that."

"Hey..." his voice is trembling, but he only grabs my hand. "That's not me anymore. Please...remember anything but that."

He locked eyes with me in the arena, diverting his attention quickly afterward. "I won't ask. It's not my business."

"Thank you. Let's get you on your feet, yeah?"