Chapter 21: The Forgotten Friend
The dank, moss-covered walls of the dungeon slowly came into focus as the adventurers stirred awake. Each one found themselves lying on the cold, cracked stone floor, feeling oddly refreshed, as if they'd just had the best sleep of their lives. The air was filled with the faint scent of earth and old magic, remnants of an ancient power lingering in the depths of Telanir.
Aric, sat up and rubbed his temples, a mild frown settling on his brow. His steel armor clinked softly as he adjusted himself, instinctively reaching for his longsword.
"Did anyone else have the strangest dream?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly from sleep.
Around him, his companions began to rise. Kira, half-elf thief, stretched her limbs, her dark leather armor creaking softly. She looked around warily, her eyes scanning the shadows with her usual sharpness.
"Dream? Feels more like I got hit by a sleeping spell," she muttered, her fingers brushing over her daggers as she stood. "I don't remember much, though. Just... a really good nap?"
Brother Eli, chuckled as he dusted off his chain mail. His holy symbol gleamed faintly in the dim light, a comforting presence in the eerie surroundings.
"Aye, I feel it too. Like I was cradled by Moradin himself," he said, his voice tinged with confusion. "Strange thing, though. I can't recall what happened before we all fell asleep."
Elowen, knelt beside them, her emerald eyes searching the cracked ground as if looking for answers. Her longbow was in hand, and she seemed unsettled, a rare sight for one so often calm and composed.
"All I remember is... we were fighting. There was a creature," she murmured. "Something fierce. But beyond that, it's all foggy."
Tamsin, looked down at her robes, her red hair spilling over her shoulders in wild curls. Her eyes held a glimmer of arcane energy as she frowned, trying to piece together the missing fragments of their memory.
"We were here, looking for a treasure," she began, her voice thoughtful. "We faced traps, monsters, the usual. And... I remember something strange, something big. But then... nothing." She shrugged, a spark of frustration lighting her features. "Maybe we tripped some kind of spell that put us under. Sleeping gas, maybe?"
Aric sighed, looking around. "It's possible. Though I've never heard of a trap that makes you feel like you've just had the best sleep of your life," he remarked dryly.
Just then, Kira's eyes caught a glint of light from the ground. She narrowed her eyes and moved closer, her footsteps silent as a shadow. "Look here," she called softly, gesturing to a small orb lying on the ground, pulsing with a faint glow. Mana radiated from it in waves, casting eerie shadows across their faces.
Elowen gasped softly as she recognized it, her gaze fixated on the orb. "The Heart of Telanir," she whispered in awe. "I read about it in the ancient libraries in the capital. It's said to be a source of immense power, a relic from ages past. My grandmother told me stories about it when I was a child."
Brother Eli stepped closer, studying the artifact with a wary eye. "Aye, but if it's so powerful, what's it doing down here, abandoned in these old ruins?"
"Maybe it was the reason we lost our memories," Aric said, his gaze still sharp, suspicion lingering in his tone. "Artifacts like this don't lie around without reason. It must've affected us somehow."
Elowen nodded, reaching out but stopping short, a reverence in her stance. "We should be careful. This is powerful magic, older than any of us. But we can't just leave it here."
Together, they formed a circle around the Heart of Telanir, an unspoken agreement passing between them. They carefully wrapped the orb in a cloth and stashed it in Aric's pack for safekeeping. Yet, as they turned to make their way out of the dungeon, a strange feeling lingered in each of their minds—a feeling of something, or someone, missing.
As they walked through the twisting stone halls, silence settled over the group. Aric occasionally glanced over his shoulder, a shadow of worry crossing his features. He couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu, of camaraderie and shared struggle. The memory was hazy, but the feeling was strong.
After a few minutes, he cleared his throat and spoke up. "Ehem... Does anyone remember… another person being with us? Someone we fought alongside?"
The group looked at each other, confusion mirrored in their expressions. Tamsin furrowed her brow, her fiery eyes narrowing as she tried to recall.
"Now that you mention it, I do feel like… there was someone else," she said slowly. "It's just a feeling. Like we had a friend, a companion who fought by our side." She paused, frustration flashing across her face. "But I can't remember their face, or even their name."
Kira, typically quick to dismiss such notions, seemed thoughtful. "Yeah. Someone strong. Brave. There's this... warmth, like a bond, but it's so faint," she murmured, touching her chest as if she could summon the memory by force of will alone. "Whoever they were, they must've meant a lot to us."
Brother Eli nodded solemnly. "It's almost like we're rememberin' a ghost," he muttered, his voice tinged with a sadness he couldn't quite explain. "A friend we trusted, but lost along the way. I hope they're safe, wherever they are."
Elowen's gaze softened, her eyes lost in a memory she couldn't quite grasp. "Maybe... they were a Chaos mage?" she suggested, her voice barely a whisper. "I've read about people who wield that kind of power. It's rare, even among skilled adventurers. They say Chaos users have the ability to manipulate reality, to warp the world around them. But they mainly use destructive magic. Or maybe a Void user. Perhaps that's why their memory feels… elusive."
Aric nodded thoughtfully. "If we truly had a Chaos user or a Void user among us, that might explain why we can't remember them," he mused. "Their power could've interfered with whatever trap was laid here, scrambling our memories."
Tamsin grinned, a glint of excitement lighting her eyes. "Think about it, though. A Chaos user. That's rare, if they were with us, maybe they're still out there, somewhere in the world. We might run into them again."
The group exchanged glances, hope rekindling in their hearts. The idea of finding their lost companion filled them with a sense of purpose. Though their memories were fractured, they knew that this person had once fought alongside them, shared their battles, and maybe even saved their lives.
As they made their way out of the dungeon, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the land. The familiar sights of the forest of Sylvandell stretched before them, bathed in the soft hues of dusk. They felt a newfound resolve—a promise to seek out this forgotten friend, wherever they might be.
Outside the ruins, they paused for a moment, looking back at the dark stone entrance that now seemed like a gateway to a different world.
"We may not remember them fully," Aric said quietly, his voice carrying a hint of conviction, "but may we meet them again someday."
The group nodded in agreement, a bond forged anew by shared purpose. They shouldered their packs, their hearts a little heavier yet filled with determination. With each step away from Telanir, they carried the memory of their lost friend like a hidden ember, a spark that would one day reignite.
For now, they continued on the road ahead, their journey far from over, their paths intertwined by fate and mystery.
End of chapter 21