The Twelve Vessels

Chapter 1

I woke up in that city about twenty years ago. The people that were watching over me told me that I was sleeping for 150 years and I hadn't aged once. I couldn't remember anything other than the year I lost concessions in this desert and I wasn't even sure if that was true. The people here tell me that the year is 2170 and the last year I remember is 2000. I had no idea what my name was, where I came from, or even why I'm in this desert. The only reason I know my name is because the people that found me found my wallet and named the city after me. They kept me in a very common tent that didn't match the city at all. The people here treat me like royalty but they refuse to let me leave. For some reason I have felt that there's someone I need to go find but I don't know who. The people tell me if I leave then "The Beast" will kill me and that every one I know is dead by now. I didn't know what to do but wait and maybe just maybe I'll find a way out. This city has no idea who I am and the people on the other side might know who I am.

I have been working on my escape plan for twenty years now and it's almost done I'll be gone in a year at most. I have been acting that I'm good here and I have made friends with most people here but I must leave I must know who I am. Some one out there is bound to know now all I have to do is finish and leave.

My escape route is a tunnel that I've been building and because I live in the dead center of the city it's taken me many years to do.

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Now that my tunnel is completely done I have to leave and this is my last day with all these people I will miss them but what other choice do I have the feeling that someone is waiting for me hasn't gone away and I must find that person even if it's their corpse. I walked along the long tunnel I have built and finally I have made it out side. My thought was that it looked no different other then no buildings were in sight except for behind me. When I looked back I noticed that a child saw me and just waved. Did he know that I was leaving my question is how could he have known and right behind me I felt a very hot breath and I could barely hear the child say, "Even if you haven't aged for 171 years that thing will still kill you but I'm sure the pain will be gone quickly. It's your fault that you didn't listen to the people but thanks to you my pet will have a delightful snack." At that moment I noticed I had never seen the child before and when I looked right beside me he was standing there and said, "I know your hungry but none of the people were willing to feed you but the immortal one decided she wanted to leave." I turned and saw a strange creature with a lion head with a main of snakes it had the tail of a scorpion the body of a lion dragon wings and it was at least three times bigger then me. The boy nodded and the creature began to charge after me. I stood up straight and looked the creature in the eyes I felt like I had seen it before but I had no idea where. The creature didn't stop charging but I didn't move I had no idea what I was thinking that thing could swallow me whole without even trying. I would be a mere small treat to this thing. Is this the creature the city calls The Beast do they know about the child. I almost felt like running but my legs refused to move I didn't know if I've ever seen anything like this creature or not. When the creature was right in front of me it stopped. It stared and me for a long time then it spoke, "Mam do you mind telling me your name I was about to eat you but now that I see you this close I think your the woman me and the young boy have been searching for."

"All I know is my name and it's Sharmen Elesin Raider."

The creature looked back and spoke to the boy, "Eliot come get a closer look at this woman she says her name is Sharmen and what other person had that name."

The boy walked over to me and looked at me, when he was done examining me his appearance changed from a young bland child into a full grown man with silky brown hair. His eyes were blue like I've never seen. "I don't think you remember me but I'm a good friend. We were both used in an experiment that gave us magic and we can't age anymore I disguise myself as a young child that way other people won't know who I am just in case there are people who remember that experiment. I was glad I was in the experiment because we didn't just get a partner that's another mage but we also got a animal partner but because you don't remember anything you wouldn't know where your creature is but good thing is that I remember the creatures appearance. I'll fill you in on more information about the experiment on the way to the cave I've been staying in. I'll also explain why we are in this desert."