Your Weight in Gold

ARC 1 Part 1

I've never felt like dying. Death was an end, a stop sign at the end of the road. Death is painful and irreversible, two things that I am unable to control, and thus terrify me, so it was odd that I found myself lying on the pavement that day.

I can't remember exactly what happened, but I knew that I was running, and they were running faster. They? Who were they? Kids from school? No, that wasn't possible. I wasn't the most popular girl in my senior year, but I couldn't think of anyone who hated me enough to chase me down a few blocks from my mom's apartment until I felt like my lungs would explode if I kept running.

It was night, and the street lamps in my area had conveniently decided to shut off as I approached a telephone booth with a large yellow emergency button placed on the outside of the metal box. I'm sure my palm hit the button, and I remember hearing sounds of an alarm, but after that...nothing. My mind spun in circles until I saw flashing lights behind my eyelids and felt my stomach crawl up to my throat. The ground was getting closer, and closer, and closer until I felt myself sink through the floor like the concrete was made of rubber.

I stretched my hands out, hoping to feel anything, even if it was the person who had attacked me. I just need to feel something, anything! And then I did. Cold tile felt smooth beneath my fingertips as my nails clawed the ground. I managed to open my eyes and see the colors beneath me before I emptied out the contents of my stomach on the incredible mosaic. My ears were ringing, but I was sure I heard male voices.

"The summoning was a success, your majesty." A gruff voice boomed, piercing my head like a broken piece of glass. I looked up, vision foggy and unstable, and made eye contact with an older man sitting on a large jeweled throne above me. My eyes widened and I tried to look around through the searing pain in my body. Next to me on the floor of the large room was three other people. They were boys, though they looked to be only a little older than my age by their shapes. Possibly college students? I thought restlessly.

"What an excellent achievement today, High Priest. Three bright young warriors for our kingdom and...?" He looked puzzled at me, though I couldn't blame him. I was probably covered in vomit and I still count see properly, so I must look pretty bad.

"I'm not sure, your majesty. The ritual does list four warriors though...even if she is a woman." The man I assumed was the Priest scoffed in my direction. If only I didn't feel like I had the worst hangover of my life, I would've gotten up and gave him a good look at my fists. "Hm, yes, quite disappointing." The royal-looking man on the throne sighed.

"I am sure you four have many questions, so allow me to explain why I have summoned you here."