"You're new here, aren't you?" she asked, her voice steady.
He hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. But where exactly is here?"
A small, wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? We don't know exactly. All we know is that we're stuck in some kind of cycle."
He frowned, trying to process this. "Cycle? What do you mean?"
She gestured for him to sit down, and they both settled onto the cold, hard floor. "Every day, we wake up in these isolated environments. For me, it's an endless ocean with the occasional island. For you, its probably something different. And every night, we're pulled back to these cubes. Every week, we meet here, in this room, with someone random who's stuck just like us."
He looked at her, eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "So, there are more people like us?"
She nodded. "I've met a few. Each of us is in a different kind of place, but the routine is the same. Wake up, survive the day, get dragged back to the cube at night."
"Why? Who's doing this to us?" he asked, frustration creeping into his voice.
She shrugged, her expression turning somber. "We don't know. We've been trying to figure it out, but it's like we're pieces in some giant puzzle, and we can't see the whole picture yet."
He let out a deep breath, absorbing her words. "So, what do we do?"
Her green eyes met his, filled with determination. "We survive. We share what we know. And we keep looking for answers. One day, we might find a way out."
After a couple of seconds of silence she studied him and softly asked, "So, have you remembered your name yet?"
He shook his head slowly, a frustrated frown creasing his brow. "No, not yet. It's like there's just… nothing there. What about you? Do you remember yours?"
She nodded. "It took a while, but it eventually came back to me. My name's Elora."
"Elora," he repeated, trying to let the name anchor him in this strange reality. "It's nice to meet you, Elora."
"Nice to meet you too," she said with a small smile. "Don't worry, it'll come back eventually. Sometimes it just takes time."
He sighed, the weight of his situation pressing down on him. "It's just… it's hard, not knowing who I am. Not knowing anything."
"I know," she said sympathetically. "But you're not alone. There are others like us, and we're all trying to figure this out together. One day at a time."
He looked at her, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. "Thanks, Elora. I guess having someone to talk to helps."
"Anytime," she replied, her smile widening. "We'll get through this. And maybe, together, we'll find a way out."
After that they talked about their adventures. Elora told of how when she first left the cube she was underwater and it freaked her out. The good thing is that there was swim gear in the cube with her and managed to grab it before she left. She also mentioned how she had met other people outside the cube. That could mean that everyone was near the same place and could come across each other. She remarked, "At the start the cube seemed to give us items that would be useful to our environments", she looked at my waist, "just like your sword there".
He contemplated about what the cube was and if they were specifically put in these environments or were they random put there. Just as he was gonna ask another question Elora suddenly stood up. "It's nearing the time to leave," she said, her tone becoming more urgent. "There's something you need to know before we go."
He looked up at her, a mix of curiosity and concern on his face. "What is it?"
She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "There's a man with a tattered robe. If you see him, be careful. He's… different. Unpredictable. Some say he's been here the longest and might know more than he lets on, just don't let your guard down. Also don't disturb him if he's sleeping. It'll go badly for you."
He nodded, absorbing the warning. "Got it. Tattered robe, unpredictable, sleep. I'll keep my distance."
Elara straightened he back and gave him a reassuring nod. "Good. And try to get some rest tonight. I know it's hard in that cube, but you'll need your strength. The days can be exhausting, and you never know what tomorrow will bring."
"Thanks, Elara," he said, standing up as well. "I appreciate it."
"Anytime," she replied with a faint smile. "Remember, you're not alone in this."
As she turned around, the room began to dissolve into the familiar sensation of being transported back to their cubes. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the jarring transition. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the cold, metallic confines of his cube.