Cosmotellurian

Things Left Forgotten

LEO

Leo found himself lying on damp black soil that smelled of petrichor. Aeriform mist danced around the night as far as he could see, which was not very far. The only source of illumination was from a burnt orange light that seemed to come from every direction.

Standing slowly, Leo tried to gather his bearings. Then it all came back to him. The chase with Cosmos, the weird dragonfly, the pain, and him falling. Leo had fallen bad. He took a moment, placing his hands on his knees and dipping his head.

Was this the afterlife or something? It was certainly eerie enough for him to be dead. But he didn't feel dead, and the thought felt incorrect when he pondered it. No he wasn't dead, he didn't know how or why but he knew he wasn't.

Then where am I? He thought to himself, except the thought felt audible and it echoed in the gloomy orange night. The place seemed familiar but he couldn't recall being here before.

He took a few steps forward and noticed that as he moved, the dark orange mist avoided him. It crawled around him in orange arcs but never came closer than a few meters from him.

Leo continued to walk until he came onto a building. It was a Victorian style mansion, buttresses and all. There were even several gargoyles that lined the top of the house. For a second he swore he saw one of the gargoyles move but he chalked it up to a trick of the eerie lighting. Leo gaped at the massive structure that had seemed to have materialized in front of him.

He didn't even want to go near the building but Leo summoned the little courage he had and stalked his way up the steps. It was better than being stranded in the cold mists.

On the wooden door of the building was a single word in greek; Μνημοσύνη. His brain instantly translated it, Mnemosyne. The language was as fresh to him as when he learned it from his mothers side of the family.

The word was a name, he concluded. Perhaps it had something to do with mythology since it seemed familiar and it was so peculiar. But he couldn't place where he had heard it. The name meant nothing to him, but he figured it was important so he chose to memorize it.

Despite Leo being part Greek, he didn't actually know that much about his culture's mythology. He knew a little bit more than the basics but he was no expert.

Grabbing the metal knocker that was shaped like an ancient greek oil lamp, Leo rapped the door and grimaced as the sound seemed to echo into the night.

For a second, nothing seemed to happen. Leo stood silent, the only noise was the blood that rushed in his ears, and the rapid beating of his heart. But then the door creaked open and cool lighting poured over him. He didn't know how anxious the orange light had made him feel until he stood in a different source of light.

A beautiful middle aged woman with a homely smile and ginger hair stood holding the door ajar. She looked at Leo as if she knew him but Leo had no clue who she was.

"Ah, we meet again, young hero. Come in, you don't want the fog of the forgotten to catch you, come come." She said, her voice as lovely as a harp. She ushered in Leo who hadn't said a single word.

As soon as the door shut soft orchestral music played. It was unlike any he had ever heard. A woman's soft voice rang out quietly with the music.

"That music is amazing." Leo managed to say while following the woman into another room.

"Yes, that's my daughter Euterpe's music, of course. Do you not remember her?"

Leo knit his brows at her. "Should I know her? I'm sorry, have we met?"