Chapter 105 - Faded Memories [Bonus ] (1/2)

”Sir, sir… are you okay, sir?” A worried, high-pitched voice brought him back to his senses.

He found himself sitting behind a large, dark cherrywood desk, paperwork was haphazardly strewn across the surface and a small potted plant took up residence on the right-hand corner. He moved his eyes to look at the source of the voice, finding a young girl, maybe fifteen or sixteen, standing in front of him. She was dressed in plain black robes with an unfamiliar crest sewn into its decolletage, she was also wearing a very worried expression on her heart shaped face as her innocent blue eyes nervously watched him.

”I… I'm fine…” He replied, although his tone of voice was anything but certain.

Oh… okay. I've finished my report sir, here.” She said before sliding the yellowed parchment onto the desk, then quickly running away like a frightened rabbit.

His eyes followed her as she left the room, the door noisily shutting behind her. A wave of confusion flooded his brain, immediately followed by panic, causing his heart to race and his mouth to lose all of its moisture. In a fluster, he pushed himself up from his chair, the wooden furniture tipping over and clattering on the floor behind him. His chest hurt, it was difficult for him to catch his breath, his world was beginning to spin, and the edges of his vision were darkening.

Stumbling over his heavy feet, he caught himself on the ledge of the windowsill. The sun was shining brightly through the open window, the warm rays and the gentle breeze helping him to calm his mind. He stood there, taking big, steady breaths until he could think clearly.

Where was he? What was going on? Most importantly, who was he?

His mind was still adrift in a sea, no, a deep ocean of confusion. The waves of uncertainty rocking the ship that was his mind, threatening to break it apart and sending it to the bottom, far down where no light could hope to reach it. His heart began to race again, he hurriedly focused on the scene outside to calm his mind, the many different people all dressed in matching black robes scuttling off in various directions.

The more he stared, the more familiar the scene became to him, like he had seen it before in a dream he hardly remembered after waking the next day.

”What is going on?” He asked himself, his voice thin and breathy.

Now that he had calmed down, he examined himself along with his surroundings. He was dressed in a black robe, much like the young girl and the others were wearing, but his were embroidered with golden thread on the hems. As his hands ran up and down the smooth, silky fabric, he noticed his hands. They were old and withered, swollen with arthritis. He held them up to his eyes, turning them back and forth.

Dropping his hands down to his side, his sunken, tired eyes scanned the large room he was standing in. The desk he found himself at to begin with, was sitting next to the large open window. An unused fireplace was set into the wall on the opposite side of the room, a large rug made out of an unknown animal's skin. The rest of the room was either decorated by masterfully painted portraits, or by bookcases filled with hundreds of unspoiled tomes.

Taking a few steps towards the books, he noticed his hunched over posture and the pain constantly shooting up his back. The act of walking alone was enough to make him out of breath, his labored breathing filled the empty room. Finally making it to the bookshelves, he pulled a random leatherbound book down and opened it.

As he flipped through the pages, his confusion only grew. All of the pages were blank. He pulled another book off a shelf, allowing the one in his hands to fall to the floor. He opened it, only to find that it was blank as well. He pulled another down, then another, then another, all of them were blank, not a single thing etched onto their many pages.

”What the hell?! What the hell is going on?!” He fell to his knees, his old bones screaming in pain as they impacted the floor.

”Sir, sir… are you okay, sir?” A high-pitched voice brought him back to his senses.

He found himself sitting behind a large, dark cherrywood desk, paperwork was haphazardly strewn across the surface and a small potted plant took up residence on the right-hand corner. He moved his eyes to look at the source of the voice, finding a young girl, maybe fifteen or sixteen, standing in front of him. She was dressed in plain black robes with an unfamiliar crest sewn into its decolletage, she was also wearing a very worried expression on her heart shaped face as her innocent brown eyes nervously watched him.

”I… I'm fine…” He replied as his mind reeled in uncertainty.

Oh… okay. I've finished my report sir, here.” She said before sliding the yellowed parchment onto the desk, then quickly running away like a frightened rabbit.

His eyes followed her as she left the room, the door noisily shutting behind her. A wave of confusion flooded his brain, immediately followed by panic, causing his heart to race and his mouth to lose all of its moisture. In a fluster, he pushed himself up from his chair, the wooden furniture tipping over and clattering on the floor behind him. His chest hurt, it was difficult for him to catch his breath, his world was beginning to spin, and the edges of his vision were darkening.

Stumbling over his heavy feet, he caught himself on the ledge of the windowsill. The frigid winter breeze leaking through the seams of the window helped to bring clarity to his mind. The sky was overcast, low, grey clouds dusting the world with snow.

His mind was still adrift in a sea, no, a deep ocean of confusion. The waves of uncertainty rocking the ship that was his mind, threatening to break it apart and sending it to the bottom, far down where no light could hope to reach it. His heart began to race again, he hurriedly focused on the scene outside, the many different people all dressed in matching black robes scuttling off in various directions, leaving tracks in the pure white snow.

The more he stared, the more familiar the scene became to him, like he had seen it before in a dream he hardly remembered after waking the next day. Then it struck him.