A Dreamer's Knight

Chapter 13 - Remember Me

The young man who would one day become Narrator Number One sat at the edge of Yuna Lake, staring up at the evening sky. His arm was covered with burns, his leg still hurt like hell, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something. Despite that, however, Glen was happy ... happier than he had been in a long while.

He turned his head to see Teria sitting beside him. She had made it relatively unscathed through their whole ordeal. One of her hands was resting on the riverbank beside his, but the other was fiddling with her necklace. The pendant seemed such a simple thing for something that had caused so much trouble: seven silver turtles surrounding a small crystalline orb.

It was strange; they had been at each other's throats for months after they had first met, but now he couldn't remember having cared more about someone. He felt closer to her than he ever had with anyone, even the members of his former team.

She glanced at him and caught his stare. A year ago, she might have cracked a joke about it or said something to embarrass him. Now, however, she blushed and looked away.

"So," she said, her eyes staring resolutely at the starlight sky. "What's the plan now?"

"I don't know." Glen admitted. "Even if I could get back to Earth, there's nothing left for me there anymore. I guess I'll have to find some place here, though I'm not sure who'd take me."

"I wouldn't say that. I mean, you're pretty handy with Headache, and more than capable of holding your own in a fight. I'm sure you could make a place for yourself pretty much anywhere."

Glen chuckled. "I wouldn't know where to start."

"Well," Teria slid her hand into his, a small smile on her lips as she sidled closer to him. "You could always come back to Longshore with me."

"Is that an order?" Glen asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Teria let out an embarrassed laugh, her finger running across the silver ring Glen wore on his right hand. "No, no more orders. I'm just asking. If you don't want to, I'll understand. Creator knows you have every reason to say no after what I put you through."

He gave her hand a light squeeze. "And if I go with you?"

Her cheeks went crimson. Still pointedly not looking at him, she said, "I like you and I know you like me, and I'll be seventeen in a month's time. If you're interested, I mean. I know you'll be strong enough to ... y'know. Be my f-first contender?"

She chanced another look at Glen, only to find him looking right at her. After a moment of silence, she grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him passionately.

Hugging him tightly, she whispered, "Stay with me. Please."

"As you command," he whispered back.

She pulled away from him, a strange look on her face. "Pardon me?"

"I said ..." His voice fell silent as he realized that there was something wrong. Her face was a good five years older, and distinctly furless. Rising to his feet, he demanded, "Who are you?"

"One? It's me, Luck!"

With that, the spell was broken. Yuna Lake was replaced by the movie-laden shelves and cabinets of the Matinee. He stared around in bewilderment as the last vestiges of the memory clung to his mind.

"Teria!" He said, looking at Luck.

Luck's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"Teria! Teria Myssohn!" He grabbed Luck's hands and said, "Just before I joined the Elsewhere, I traveled with her across most of Vinta! We went everywhere: Ronisgald, the Cleftan Region, Wenapaj ... she was running away from home!"