They sat- or stood, rather- tight. Someone had… probably put them there, and they were likely not dead, despite feeling empty. Someone would have to come eventually. And they didn’t have many plans.
After some amount of time, they heard a rattling and then a creak. A door. Someone had come in! A pale man wearing a blue came into their vision, with a flashlight in his hand. Their eyes widened. The man chuckled. “You must be tired of waking up like this. Then again, if old Lux’s magic works as intended, you probably don’t remember a thing.” He examined them. “And by the light, it does. You’re fully formed. I didn’t think it would work this well. Besides your Vislight you’re practically a person again.”
They understood none of what he was saying.
The man walked up to their confinements. They remained calm- he hadn’t seemed threatening. And they didn’t really have a means of defending themself anyways. The man pulled a key out of his pocket and entered it into both keyholes of their chains. The man helped them stand up. Their knees nearly buckled under their own weight. He started leading them out of the room.
They knew they were hungry and thirsty before, and in a lot of pain, but now they felt weak too. Maybe it was due to not walking for a long time, but it felt like they were a toddler just learning the ropes. Of course, they had no memory of walking before, but somehow they knew that they should have had that ability. And somehow it made the situation feel much more bleak.
They and the man didn’t talk while they walked. He didn’t seem rude or all that particularly nice- more like he was on the job. He led them past a corridor, where the walls changed from the glowing, blue stone to a white brick-like structure. It was rather bright for their unadjusted eyes. They seemed to be going down a back corridor in this white building. They were led to a white door decorated with the design of a blue triangle. The man opened the door.
It looked almost like an office. A man with a pure white beard sat in the chair. His blue eyes, the exact same shade as was on the door, emanated a kindness, but also a sort of tiredness. Like the old man had seen many things, some of them as violent as he was merciful.
They envied the idea of remembering anything at all.
The man who was helping them walk spoke as they both went inside the room. “Archmage Lux, this one has formed. Their body is whole- Just without their Vislight, as you said they’d be, sir.”
The old man- Lux, he was called- looked at the man with wide eyes, then at them. “Sit down, both of you,” he said, with a voice that simultaneously sounded fearful and relieved at the same time. It took him a moment to say something.
"Well, I suppose I should start with introductions. I am Archmage Lux Veneficus, leader of Southern Oitus. The man who led you to this room is called Dale. I will tell you why you remember nothing of yourself, and why your appearance is… lacking in Lux leaned back in his chair, before sighing and beginning to talk again.
“As you’ll have certainly heard by now, you are missing your Vislight- Your soul light. You see, the human body is much like a lampshade. Your physical form guides and forms your Vislight, completing your full form. Normally, it is impossible to separate a Vislight from the body, except in death. But you did not die. Your fate was far worse.”
They may have imagined it, but they thought Lux winced in the pain of recalling the second part of the story.
“Luna, Queen of Souls, managed to find a way to extract Vislight from one’s still-breathing body. This is what happened to you. You became a husk. Vislight contains not only your memories, but your very identity. A body with no concept of itself ceases to function. We were able to heal you using Carulous Stone, that blue stone you saw lining your… room. We had you chained up because the process made you a bit primal in the first stages. But now, obviously, your mind is fully reformed. We have not been able to recover any Vislight from the Queen of Souls yet, sadly, but I promise to you that when we do, we will bring yours back.”
Lux leaned back for a moment, before smiling.
“You know what? Vislight contains one’s sense of self. I doubt you even know which of the three tribes you hail from. To start out, you look like you’re…”
- “…A man.”
- “… A woman.”
- “…Androgynous.”
(This will not affect the story.)
“And that birthmark. It is the…”
- “…Spear mark of the Spi Siphs.”
- “…Sound wave of the Magises.”
- “…Three lines of the Parsistro.”
The Spi Siphs use light to conjure up weaponry to defend South Otius from attacks from any raider groups emerging once again from their dark caves. The Magises, also known as Silvertongues, use their words to create illusions. The Parsistros use light to create whether it is a building or something smaller. This choice will affect the story, mainly with the challenges this character faces.
“…And as for a name? I’m sorry. I don’t think anyone would recognize you. Your hometown was far away from here, and it was attacked by the Queen of Souls. Whomever may have known you will be hard to find.” Lux then had a look of remembrance on his face." Ah! Forgive me. I nearly forgot to ask you if there was anything you needed."
Brash or Polite?
- “I need food… I was barely even listening to you, I’m so hungry.”
- “I would like some food, please.”
