Legacy of Aeon

Chapter 0 - Prologue

"Do you know why the sun shines?" A girl in white paced around the room, her silver hair catching sunlight that bled through the window.

"Different people have different interpretations," she continued, raising her hand to block the sunlight. "Ranging from gods to plasma."

"But the fact of the matter remains that the sun shines, and that it'll continue to do so... at least for a while."

With those words, the atmosphere shifted—not ominous, but heavy, heavy with a knowing that belied her youthful demeaner.

"It's lonely here, you know? Not having anyone to share these little rambles with. It's just me, the books, and as of now, you."

As she sat next to me, she began to smile.

"You aren't fooling anyone, Korin. I know you're awake."

I realized I had been found out. The room around us was cluttered, a study filled with mismatched furniture and scattered curios.

As she helped me up, her hair caught the sunlight in an almost ethereal manner. She began to guide me around the office.

"Do you remember how you got here?" she asked, flipping through a book that rested on her desk.

I shook my head, unsure how else to answer.

"I see, that's okay." she said with a twinge of disappointment, her tone conveying what could only be described as boredom born from routine. She finished flipping through the book and set it back down.

Her familiarity with this scenario was evident, as if she had done this countless times before. Leading me to one of two bookshelves, she began browsing what appeared to be memoirs, eventually settling on a blank leather-bound book.

"Please, take a seat," she instructed, her demeanor shifting in an almost jarring manner.

I took a seat in one of the chairs facing her desk. She mirrored me, resting her chin on her thumb, her gaze was sharp, almost as if she was looking past my eyes and straight into my mind.

"You're a peculiar one, you know?" she mused. "Trapped in a place that exists both everywhere and nowhere. And yet you aren't panicking, if anything you're too composed..."

I'd be lying if I said this was my first dance with the divine. Any normal person would have panicked in this situation. Yet, I felt strangely... at ease? Perhaps the gravity this situation hadn't fully sunk in, but I felt relatively calm. After all, could it really have been much worse than the rest of my misadventures?

Leaning forward, her face barely an inch from mine, her eyes concealed an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

"Lost in thought?"

With a quick motion, she stood, pacing around me, her hand delicately resting on the backrest of my chair.

"My heart, shattered into a billion pieces... sob, sob," she cried, quickly putting away a glass vial of what appeared to be eye drops.

Did she just say "sob" out loud?

"...I see?" I replied, unable to hide my confusion.

In a swift motion, she stepped behind me, her hands resting on my shoulders.

"Don't you think you should do something to make it up to me?" she inquired, her tone taking a serious turn.

Was this going the direction I thought it was...?

"Perhaps... an interview?" she proposed.

I couldn't help but remember a quote, it went a little something like this.

"My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined."

I could never really put my finger on where exactly I had heard that line but it was fitting nonetheless.

"Don't look at me like that; it'll be fun!" she laughed, delivering a playful smack that nearly knocked me out of my chair.

Returning to her side of the table, she rested her hand on her table and settled into her chair.

"How about we start from scratch?" she said, quickly gathering herself.

I had no reason to comply with her, yet I found myself unable to refuse. She had evoked a sense of familiarity, a feeling of warmth...a warmth accompanied by the scent of citrus.

In this dimly lit room, with sunlight piercing clouds above, I braced myself for whatever was to come. 

The girl leaned her head on one hand holding a quill in the other.

"You may call me Enor. Now, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?"

[END OF CHAPTER]