I slowly opened my eyes, trying to adjust to the bright light of the room. I looked around and my eyes widened at the sight of the lavish decorations. It was clear that this was no ordinary room. I tried to sit up, but I felt a sharp pain in my chest, and I winced as I almost fell back onto the bed. "What the hell?" I muttered, trying to figure out what was going on.
As I looked around the room, I noticed a window next to the bed. I walked over to it and gazed through the glass. In the courtyard below, I saw a man practicing swordsmanship. He was performing impressive fencing moves that left me in awe.
I watched the man's fencing moves from the window, I couldn't help but notice a certain heaviness in his movements. Although he performed each move with precision and grace, there was a sense of weight to his sword that seemed to be a burden on him.
As he lunged forward with his blade, it seemed as if he was pushing through an invisible force that was holding him back. His parries were swift and effective, but there was a tension in his arms that made each move look like a struggle.
Even his footwork, which was light and nimble, had a certain stiffness to it, as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. It was as if every move he made required an immense effort, but he pushed through it nonetheless.
Despite the apparent burden on him, the man's fencing was still impressive. Each thrust, each parry, and each feint was executed with a certain finesse that only a seasoned swordsman could achieve. It was clear that he was highly skilled, but the weight on his movements made me wonder what kind of inner demons he was battling.
Suddenly, my attention was drawn back to the room as I heard the creak of a door on the other side. A woman in a black dress and white apron entered the room, wearing an empty expression. She seemed surprised to see me awake, and she almost ran towards me.
"Master, it is such a relief to see you awake," she says, her voice barely above a whisper
I am taken aback. "Master?" I ask incredulously. "Pardon my bluntness, but who are you and why are you calling me your 'master'?".
I continue to stare at the woman, her face now twisted in shock and surprise. She stands there for a moment, her mouth agape, before finally making her way towards me. She seems to be in a panic, as if there is something incredibly urgent that she needs to tell me.
"Please, sir, you must rest," she says in a soothing tone. "You have been through a great ordeal."
I try to sit up, but she gently pushes me back down onto the soft bed. "Do not worry, I will inform Young Master Alexus of your awakening," she says with a reassuring smile. "He will be so relieved to hear that you are awake."
I nod , feeling grateful for her kindness. "Thank you," I manage to say, my voice hoarse and weak. "I appreciate your help."
She nods back at me, her expression now one of understanding and sympathy. "Rest now, sir," she says softly. "You are safe here." With that, she turns and makes her way out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
As the woman leaves the room, I am left alone with my thoughts once again. I try to piece together the little information I have about myself and my surroundings. The room I am in is spacious and finely furnished, with expensive-looking curtains and furniture. It seems to be part of a grand mansion, which suggests that I must come from a family of some wealth and status.
The woman referred to someone named "Young Master Alexus" as her master, and since she treated me with such respect and care, it's possible that I am related to this Alexus in some way. But who is he? Is he a brother, a cousin, or even a son? I can't say for sure, as my memory remains frustratingly blank.
I try to search my mind for any clues, but it's as if my memories have been deliberately erased. All I know is that I am in a strange place, with no recollection of how I got here or who I am. The only thing I can do now is wait for answers, and hope that they come soon.
Suddenly, a loud noise disrupts my thoughts, and I turn to face the door. I hear muffled voices outside, followed by a loud bang as the door flies open. A young man bursts into the room, his eyes alight with joy and excitement.
"Brother!" he exclaims, rushing over to my bed and grabbing my hand. "You're finally awake! I can't believe it!"
I stare at him, still trying to process everything. This young man must be Alexus, the one the woman referred to as her master. He is clearly overjoyed to see me, but to me, he is still a stranger.
Alexus continues to shake my hand, his eyes shining with tears. "I thought we had lost you," he says, his voice cracking with emotion. "You've been asleep for so long, and we had no idea if you were ever going to wake up."
I look at him, trying to force myself to remember something, anything, about my life before this moment. But nothing comes. I am a stranger to myself, and to everyone in this room.
Alexus seems to sense my confusion and stops shaking my hand. "Do you remember anything?" he asks, his voice filled with hope.
I shake my head, feeling a wave of sadness wash over me. "No," I say. "I don't remember anything. Who am I?"
"I was afraid of this," he murmurs. "It seems that the head injury has affected your memory. Joeline, you are my brother, and you have been asleep for two weeks since the bloody conclusion of this year's house wars."
Alexus's face falls as I respond with a blank stare, my mind still grappling with the revelation of my memory loss. He sits down on the edge of the bed, looking dejected.
"I see," he says softly. "Well, it's been two weeks since the end of the House Wars. You were injured during the final battle, protecting Lady Melaine Rambulle of the Ember house. You took a spear to your chest and then fell off a cliff. It should have been fatal, but somehow, your heart kept beating."
He pauses for a moment, as if lost in thought, before continuing, "The House Wars are an annual competition between the noble houses. The greatest warrior youths from each house are pitted against one another to see who emerges victorious. Each house sends four of their greatest warriors to complete trials against other houses. Inflicting fatal wounds is not allowed in the war games, but beyond that, there are no rules when it comes to combatting other warriors of the noble houses."
I nod slowly, trying to absorb all of this new information. "Who else was with us from our house during the House Wars?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Alexus smiles slightly, as if relieved to see me taking an interest. "Well, aside from you and me, there was Lady Arya and Freder from our branch family," he replies.
As he speaks, I notice that Alexus's demeanor has changed. He seems more relaxed, almost jovial, as if he's trying to lift my spirits. "By the way, Lady Melaine and Arya were absolutely furious when they saw you fall off that cliff," he says, grinning. "Let's just say Kreth regrets trying to murder your face off."
I can't help but chuckle at his words, despite the gravity of my situation. It's strange to think that I'm a part of this world of noble houses and House Wars, but at the same time, it's comforting to know that I have family and friends who care for me.
From my position lying on the bed, I make a mental note to myself not to piss off Lady Melaine or Arya. They must be quite formidable if they were able to cause such a stir over my fall. As Alexus continues to talk, I interrupt him, wanting to know why I risked my life to protect Lady Melaine.
"Alexus, why did I protect Lady Melaine? Was it just because she was a member of a rival house?" I ask, still struggling to remember anything about myself.
Alexus looks at me with a hint of surprise and then a thoughtful expression crosses his face. "Well, Joeline, I believe it was more than that. You were assigned to protect Lady Melaine because she was the only surviving member of the Ember house. They were once our allies, but they turned against us during the last war. We were ordered to protect her to preserve the peace between our houses."
As we talk, there's a sudden commotion outside the door, and then Alexus jumps to his feet. "That must be lady Melaine and lady Arya. They've been visiting you everyday since the day you kicked the literal bucket. They'll be overjoyed to know you've finally woken up," he exclaims, his eyes shining with excitement.
I can't help but feel a little nervous as Alexus ushers the two women into the room. They are both beautiful and radiate power, and I can't help but wonder what they will think of me, a man who doesn't even remember his own name for gods sake.
Alexus rushes over to them, grabbing their hands in his and pulling them towards me. "Look who's finally awake! Joeline, meet Lady Melaine and Lady Arya, two of the fiercest warriors in Eidras.
As they approach the bed, I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt. These women have risked their lives for me, and I can't even remember them.