Lost Memories
Dec 30, 2014 10:33:15 GMT -6
Post by Admin;; Aki on Dec 30, 2014 10:33:15 GMT -6
The war has been going on forever. Between us and them. No one knows what really started it. No one but me.
It started a long time ago, before time stopped, before all the death, before the Forgotten washed up with the ends of the earth. I was so foolish then. So driven by my own needs, that I had forgotten what was really worth anything. What was really important. If only I had never pulled that trigger...
When I was a kid, I grew up outside the walls. Always wondering what was so important that it had to be kept behind closed doors. I wish I had never found out. I didn't really have parents. I was a Cast Out. A failure to the Society's standards. I was a thief, and a cheat, a drunk, and a liar. But I was a damned good one.
I think I was 17 when I met Him. The reason for all of this mess. He hadn't told me anything. If only he would've then. I was on my way out to the docks. At the time they were just a place in front of the walls where I could get some oysters, and if I happened to be lucky, Pearls. But as I was headed towards my favorite spot, I saw Him. Couldn't have been more than 15 or so, but one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen in my life. He had his hands in the water, He seemed so happy, so full of life. And then I looked down. The fish, the sealife, everything was washed up in the shallows, just waiting to touch his hands. He had the biggest smile on his face, but at the same time, I couldn't figure out what the hell was up with the strange actions of the sea creatures. "Hey" I shouldn't have done that. I should never have even opened my mouth and breathed in his direction. But I did.
He looked a bit spooked and the second his hands left the water, the creatures took off. At the time all I could think about was how I had just lost the opportunity at an awesome dinner and even more awesome profit. He muttered something of an apology and looked around like a mad man. I sat with Him. Talked with Him. Yet learned absolutely nothing about Him. Except that he came from inside the walls. At sunset he left, but by then we had spent all afternoon chatting it up. He was so eager to learn everything he could about the outside. I told him I would show him. That was a mistake.
We met on those docks for weeks after, always bright and early, just at dawn, and every night he would vanish back into the walls. And then one day. He was gone. He never again showed up at the docks. Oh I waited and waited. Every day I would come. I told myself I was just there for the pearls, but on the inside part of me always wanted him to come back.
And then it happened. Not as it should have. About 12 years later. I was running from the authorities. Some rumor had been spreading that what the people called "The Bringer" had white hair like mine. It's not like it was a common thing to have my cursed hair. I covered it as best as I could, with bandannas, and dirt, but they still found me.
By then I had my Bow. A wonderful beauty that I won off of a poker game. But they had chased me, farther and farther from the town, and closer and closer to the walls. I figured the docks would be a great escape. I could hole myself up in the lighthouse and shoot 'em all down. So that's what I did. I ran to the lighthouse. I shut myself inside, barred the door, and waited. I heard humming coming from the top. It was an odd song, one I had never heard before. But it was familiar in some way. I never should've gone up. But I did.
At the top She was waiting for me. A woman with long light pink, wavy hair, a bright white, cream, and blue dress. Just standing there, humming, bathing in the light from the lighthouse. She was gorgeous. And she was Chaos. I didn't know it then. But I wish I would have.
I could hear the guards banging on the door. But it didn't matter. Nothing but her mattered. The sounds of the guards became rain hitting the stone of the lighthouse. Peering out the window, they were gone, but a storm was brewing over the sea. She asked me to keep looking, and I did, enthralled by everything she was telling me. I wish I hadn't. Every day I wish I hadn't gone to her. Out of that tiny window. I saw Him. My friend. He had his hands in the water, but this time he was not alone. He was collecting something. Sandy dollars. He was aligning them in a pile. He was muttering something and dressed in some rather strange clothes.
"This is it. It is Time." I hadn't even realized I had my bow drawn, my arrow pointed directly at his chest. I couldn't stop. "Release" And it was gone. It flew through the air, piercing his chest. He looked up. He saw me, staring wide eyed and open mouthed. He looked so disappointed. But I was blinded. The golden light that erupted from his chest, the red from the tip of my arrow. He fell into the ocean.
The guards broke down the door and knocked me out. I hadn't even realized that they had gotten in.
I woke up in the chambers of the High Priestess. Inside the walls. I was chained to the wall. I had no recollection of what had happened, only the deep ache in my chest that something had gone terribly wrong.
The sound of the storm outside was the loudest thing I had heard in my life. The crashing of the waves, the pouring of the rain.
There was yelling, and screaming, as if the world were ending. And perhaps it was. Then there was an explosion, the massive sound of rubble hitting the ground. Everywhere there was chaos, panic, destruction.
"Psst." A girl had broken into my room. Her name is Cat. I don't know why, but she's the sneaky one, so I guess it makes some sort of sense. She came over to me, telling me she was getting me out of here. I guess I trusted her then, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you all of this right now.
She took out what looked like a metallic gold crayon, wrapped in some kind of waxy foil. This is the coolest thing ever. It just ate through the metal. Cat claims to have invented it herself. I don't think I even doubt her. I followed her through a small tunnel. And once we were outside, I realized just what had happened.
The walls were crumbling, the ocean taking everything it could, the people from the town, the guards, the priests from in the walls, everyone was fighting and killing one another. Cat said this was not important at the time. She told me to trust her and she shoved me off the edge, straight into the ocean. I felt a sort of warmth where I should've been freezing my ass off. I had no idea why. Then it hit me. My Bow. I needed my bow. I figured I had no hope of finding it, since it hadn't been in that room with me. And with all the Chaos around me, I figured it was lost forever. But no. There it was, all folded up nice and neat on the back of a priest fighting a little dark skinned boy from the streets. He wasn't young or anything, just super small. I didn't know him well, but i did know him. He won the fight, my bow falling down to the wet steps with the priest. I could hear the sound of an airship nearby. That had to be Cat, but I needed to get my bow before she picked me up. So I went to it. Running through the waist high water, getting higher every second. I saw the pick up claw from the ship coming towards me, faster and faster I waded through the water, my fingers touched the edge of my bow. I needed it to come with me. I felt the claw grip around my waist, but I almost had it. I got it! Just in time.
I had later heard from some sources that Cat had cursed me to the depths for making her drag the claw through the water like that, but she would never tell me how much she hated being on that mission that day.
I made it up onto the ship, looking much like a drowned rat. But I had my bow. I lay there in the bottom deck, waiting for someone to come get me. But no one did. Not just then anyways. I felt so tired.
I dreamed about it. About shooting that boy.
I was awoken by Cat shaking me rather hard and pinching my nose. Apparently she wanted to see how long I would lay there without being able to breathe. If I had known her better then I would've punched her like I have so many times since.
But I woke up. She threw me a change of clothes and told me that we were safe in the Arbotreum. It apparently was a giant airship that overlooked the world. I didn't know it then, but this is where the Gods lie. Cat introduced me to Lady Celestina. She is a princess, in charge of Light. And boy does she look it.