The Journals of the Ruins: River of Lost Memories

Chapter 1

This water is different than all of the other water I have seen in my time. Abetha Lake is even different than this one. The only thing that's different about this water is that it is crystal clear and you can see your  own reflection in it, but that's not all. This water grabs you by the hand and drags you into it, showing you vision-type images that are like memories. It's like that they haven't happened, almost like a prophecy of an event that can happen. A dream that can have a totally different meaning to it. After experiencing one, I have been doing a lot of thinking about it. Could it come true? Could it mean something? Could Paisley actually die because of me? I won't know until I figure out what this water is and what it does to us. I reach for my cloth bag that is around my body. I put my hand in it to find the final Journal. I open it up to a page that talks about a river of water. 

'Not all rivers are the same, not all water is the same, crystal clear, blue and pure. Although, this one is rather different than the rest. It takes you by the hand and drag you in, showing you a vision-like event right before your eyes. This is not magic, this is not a legend, this is real! These vision-like events are our lost memories. This is the River of Lost Memories.' I read the calligraphy written in ink on the aged paper. I stare back to the water beside me. This is the River of Lost Memories? Why am I not surprised? I should've known, but I just didn't. 

"Kiplin?" Paisley asks sweetly as she is standing behind me. I turn around to look at her. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you." She says. "If that is alright?" I nod. She walks over and sits next to me. 

"What do you want to talk to me about, Pais?" I ask her. 

"Why did you say that I was alive?" She giggles. "It's actually kind of ridiculous how you said that and then lifted me up and swung me around." I smile and look down at the water. 

"Well, this water is different," I begin. "meaning that it takes you by the hand and shows you these vision-like events, that are our lost memories, either they're stuff we forgot or they haven't happened yet. Mine was one that hasn't happened yet and I'm afraid that it may come true. What will I do if it does, I won't know. All I know is that I can't let you die for something that I have done and Trynar won't take over Derishan. I won't let him." I briefly explain to her. She sits there, next to me, silent. I begin to tear up as I remember the lost memory. "I just don't want to lose you, Paisley." I whisper under my breath as tears roll down my face. She places her head on my shoulder.

"It's going to be okay, Kiplin. I'm not going to die," She tells me. "until I am old that is." She giggles. I smile. I place my arms around her. Holding her in my arms is probably the most cutest thing I have ever done with her. She smiles too. 

***

"So this river is no ordinary river? It's the legendary River of Lost Memories?" Tallan asks not amused. We nod. "The Journals say that it is, right?" I nod again. 

"Yeah, see it's written right here." I point to the page. He holds the Journal in his hands. 

"Hmm, I see." He hands it back to me. "But that doesn't necessarily mean that this is the river that it's talking about. I mean, it could be any river in Derishan." He says. 

"Yeah, but if it wasn't would Kiplin had one of 'lost memory' vision things?" Paisley asks him. He shrugs. 

"It could've been just a dream." He says. 

"If it was a dream, then how was it so real to the fact I felt everything that was going on?" I exclaim. He's silent. "Sure, you can have dreams that feel real, but this one was too real, it was actually happening, but it wasn't though. That's why they call it a lost memory, it's either a forgotten memory or a moment that hasn't happened yet, and could possibly happen in the future." I explain to him. His jaw drops and eyes widen.