The sunlit streets of the marketplace felt disorienting compared to the dark confines of the dungeon. Aidan wandered aimlessly, trying to shake off the strangeness of being mistaken for someone named "Eiden." It was bizarre enough being in a magical world; now he apparently had a life here too?
He sighed, his thoughts spiraling. If everyone thinks I'm Eiden, maybe there's a place I'm supposed to call home. Somewhere with food and answers. Hopefully both.
He approached a nearby merchant, a tall man arranging bundles of herbs on his stall. "Uh, excuse me," Aidan said, forcing a casual tone. "Could you remind me where my place is? It's been… one of those days."
The merchant looked up, puzzled. "Your place? You mean the apartment above the Chronicle?"
Aidan blinked, momentarily thrown. The Chronicle. You mean the place I just bolted from five minutes ago? "Right. Of course. Thanks," he said, his voice a little too bright.
The merchant tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. "You alright? You seem more scatterbrained than usual."
"Just tired," Aidan said quickly, already turning away. "Appreciate it!"
---
Eiden's Apartment
Standing in front of the Chronicle building again, Aidan hesitated. The thought of walking back into the place he'd just escaped felt absurd, but his stomach growled, urging him onward.
"Alright," he muttered. "Back into the lion's den. Let's hope past Eiden left me something edible."
He slipped up the narrow staircase at the back of the building, stopping in front of a plain wooden door. His hand hovered over the handle. What if it's locked? He jiggled the handle cautiously, expecting resistance, but to his surprise, the door creaked open with ease.
"Not locked?" Aidan frowned, stepping inside. The faint creak echoed in the quiet space. "Guess either I was in a hurry when I left, or Eiden wasn't big on home security."
The apartment was modest but cozy, with sunlight streaming through a single window. A worn couch sat in the corner, its cushions slightly flattened, and a desk covered in papers and books dominated the far wall. A crooked shelf overflowed with titles on ruins, artifacts, and history. The air felt still, as though the room had been left undisturbed for only a day or two.
In the small kitchen area, Aidan spotted a plate covered with a cloth on the counter. Lifting the cloth, he found half a dense cake, its edges slightly dry but still edible. His stomach growled louder as he sniffed it cautiously.
"Not moldy," he muttered, grabbing a fork from the counter. "Guess you haven't been gone long, Eiden. Thanks for the snack."
The first bite was unexpectedly satisfying, the sweetness cutting through the lingering metallic taste of dungeon air. Leaning against the counter, Aidan allowed himself a moment of relief. "So, you left cake behind but no note explaining who you are or why this is happening? Great priorities, Eiden."
---
The Search for Money
As he set the empty plate down, his stomach gave another weak growl. The cake had taken the edge off his hunger, but it wouldn't last. "Alright, Eiden, let's see if you were thoughtful enough to leave me some emergency cash."
He started with the obvious places—the desk drawers. Each one was packed with crumpled parchment, broken quills, and what looked like hastily scrawled notes about ruins and artifacts. "Nothing useful," Aidan muttered, slamming one drawer shut.
Next, he moved to a small cabinet near the window. Hidden beneath a stack of old receipts was a small leather pouch. Aidan opened it eagerly, his heart sinking as he counted the coins inside.
"Okay, not quite a jackpot," he muttered, shaking the pouch. "But enough for… two loaves of bread, maybe."
He tucked the pouch into his satchel, glancing around the room one last time. "Better than starving. Let's hope the bread here is worth it."
---
Clues in the Apartment
As he packed the coins, his eyes roamed the room, taking in the scattered evidence of Eiden's life. On the wall above the desk hung a large, framed map—one Aidan instantly recognized as the area surrounding the Hollow Pines ruins. He set the satchel down and stepped closer.
The map was dotted with notes in cramped handwriting, highlighting specific locations. Phrases like "Collapsed passage?" and "Runes here" caught his eye, along with a red circle around the ruins themselves. A date scrawled in the corner read: last week.
Aidan's stomach twisted. "So, Eiden," he murmured, tracing a finger along the notes, "you went to the ruins, came back weird, and then… disappeared? Or did I just take your place?"
He shook his head, forcing the thought away. "No. Don't overthink it. Just follow the leads."
As he turned, his eyes fell on the cluttered desk. A journal lay half-buried under a pile of parchment. He flipped it open, scanning the entries quickly. Most were mundane—interview notes, sketches of ruins, idle musings—but one entry stood out:
> "The light wasn't just a reaction this time. It felt… alive. Like it was watching me. I need to go back and confirm, but if I'm right… this changes everything."
Aidan felt a chill run down his spine. "The light was alive?" he whispered. "And you wanted to go back?"
---
Preparing for the Ruins
The pieces were starting to fall into place, but they only raised more questions. If Eiden had been investigating the dungeon, had it somehow replaced him with Aidan? Or was there another explanation for their apparent connection?
Aidan packed what little he could find—a small satchel, the leftover coins, and some paper and charcoal—before heading back downstairs. His stomach churned at the thought of returning to the ruins, but he knew it was his only lead.
The editor's voice floated up as Aidan descended the staircase, and he tensed, peeking around the corner. The man was too engrossed in a rant with the woman from earlier to notice Aidan slipping past.
Outside, Aidan unrolled the map, tracing the marked path to the ruins with his finger. It wasn't far, but the terrain looked rough—forests, hills, and uneven trails. Still, it was a challenge he couldn't avoid.
"Alright," he said to himself, folding the map carefully. "If the answers aren't here, they're out there. Time to play explorer."
With a deep breath, he set off toward the edge of town, stopping briefly at the marketplace to buy two loaves of bread. Clutching his limited supplies, Aidan steeled himself for whatever mysteries the Hollow Pines ruins held.