Legacy

Chapter 1: Lost Time

When I regained consciousness, I became aware of a burning heat cocooning my body. I rolled over onto my side and found comfort in a tiny ball. Then I realized I would have to get up and actually figure out my situation.

As I opened my eyes and stood, I saw fire everywhere. The air was suffocatingly dry, and an eerie red gloom hovered in the cavernous space. I looked around and saw no one. I was completely alone.

My first instinct was to call for help. I shouted to the wind for somebody, anybody, but the only reply came from my own echo. I decided I was going to have to support myself here, and I looked around for something that I could use.

I walked around for a while, searching, and eventually came upon a dark red brick structure. Inside, it was just as hot, and I found myself sweating at a rapid pace. Man, I had to find some relief!

My priorities had turned from food and shelter to a nice cold ice bath.

Fortunately, I found something more pleasing. There was a woman with long black hair rummaging through a chest. She looked to be around 16, and she was tall, at least a foot taller than me. She was wearing some kind of white dress shirt, and a fairly short skirt. This very much contrasted with the yellow t-shirt I was wearing, as well as my denim shorts. Her hair was certainly much neater as well, straight, whereas my hair was curly and blonde.

I found myself examining her for quite some time before it occurred to me that I needed to find some help, as well as supplies. "Hey," I started, and she jumped and whirled around to face me. "Um, do you know where we are right now? I woke up here, and I can't remember much."

She contemplated me for a moment and looked out a nearby window. "I have no idea where we are," she said softly. "My name is Whitney Mairenn by the way. That's... all I know..."

She sounded disappointed, and I guess so was I. At least I had found an ally though. "I'm Myra Grunwald. Say, what did you find in that chest there?"

"Well, I haven't finished looking in it, but I think I found some heavy lump on the bottom..." I walked over to the chest, and we both peered inside. I found the rectangular block she was looking at, and I pulled it out with some effort. It was perfectly rounded off into a prism, and it had a soft golden glow to it.

"Whitney, I think this is actually gold."

"Can't be. Who would leave it lying around here? What else is in there?" We looked again, and found a few dull silver bars, as well as a... sword? "I still say it isn't gold. If it was, we would find more valuables in here, right?"

"I don't know," I say, holding up the heavy golden sword, "If this is real gold, then it's pretty valuable." We look at each other as we finally begin realizing the treasure we've found. Whitney starts jumping up and down first, and then I start joining in and squealing loudly.

After a while, we died down. "So what do we do with these?" Whitney asks.

.....Shit, we really can't do anything with these. "Have you seen any other people here or is it... just us?"

Yet another realization dawned on us. If we really were the only two people, we'd have to somehow manage alone. We'd have only each other. Both of us remained silent.

"Well, we still need food, and water," I broke in, "I think we should keep looking in here, and then try to find someplace better." Whitney nodded, and we set out in this castle to find something we could eat.

Soon, we happened upon a room, with a staircase leading up, and some kind of... fungus growing next to it. "Is this edible?" Whitney asks me. I shrug, and examine it further. "Don't touch it, it might be poisonous."