Dunsage Diaries
Chapter II
Falmore awoke to find himself sat in a chair at a very long table with vast amounts of food on it. In the middle there was a giant roast boar that could have served 20 men at least, plates of potatoes, chicken legs, pork chops and many more different arrays of meat. Along with those there were many plates of fruit stacked up so high that they were in danger of falling over. The apples on the plate nearest him were the most red and shiny apples that he had ever seen.
He could not recall the last time he had ate and looking at all this food splayed out in front of him was making his stomach rumble uncontrollably. He found himself salivating.
"It is nice of you to finally join me, Mr. Dunsage," said a voice from the far end of the vast table. The voice echoed so badly that Falmore strained to make out the words.
"Who are you? Where am I?" asked Falmore. He was distracted by the array of food before him.
"Don't you know who I am? You are in the main feasting hall. I have laid the table with various foods for you Mr. Dunsage. You must be famished! Go on, eat."
Falmore did not know if this was a dream or some trick but either way he did not care. He was too hungry to care. He spent no time in starting to devour all that was laid out in front of him. First he took a bite out of the roast boar. When he bit into it the juices from the meat ran down his chin.
"The food is quite excellent, as you will find," said the voice, "but there are some matters that I would discuss with you before you have any more."
The voice began chanting in the tongue that the hooded man from his cell had been chanting right before his world became darkness.
The food on the table suddenly vanished, along with the piece of boar that he had in his hand. The juices disappeared from his chin also. It was as if there was never any feast there at all.
"What kind of sorcery is this?!" Falmore exclaimed. "Who are you? How did you do that?"
"You should already know me Mr. Dunsage. I'm surprised that you do not remember. We have been at war for some time. Any man would think to start a war, you would need to know your enemies before hand."
"The man...in the cell. He mentioned that the 'Grand Master' wanted words with me. Are you this, 'Grand Master'?"
"Why yes, yes I am. Very good Mr. Dunsage. Do you remember the event leading up to how you got here?" the Grand Master asked.
Falmore shook his head. "I don't remember anything before I woke up in that cell. All I know is mine own name."
It was true. It was troubling him that he could not remember anything before waking up in that cold cell. The fact that he recognized that man in the cell and the tongue they used to chant these spells or whatever they were, troubled him deeply.
"Really? Hmmm, this is most unusual." The Grand Master said. "Are you sure you do not remember anything?"
"Not a thing, although I recognized the man in the cell with me, but I do not recall his name or where I know him from."
"The man that brought you to me is one of my disciples. Let's just say, you two have a lot of history."
Falmore did not understand what the Grand Master had meant. "I know nothing of any history."
The Grand Master let out a slight chuckle. "Your history with him is of no importance now. I need you to complete a job for me, Mr. Dunsage."
"What kind of job? And why should I work for someone I do not know?" Falmore quizzed.
"You do know me. You merely cannot remember a thing. This job should be easy for you. I need you to retrieve something that was stolen from me a long time ago."
"What is it? Why me?"
"The item is simply known as 'The Artifact'. It is, of use to me. You are the prime candidate for this job Mr. Dunsage. After all, it was you who stole it from me in the first place."
Falmore was getting more and more confused. "I do not recall stealing anything from you. I am no thief."
"Oh, but you are. You are a thief and a rebel. I want my possessions back Mr. Dunsage. I do not take kindly to people who steal from me." The Grand Master's voice was lined with anger.
"I do not remember anything before waking up here. Even if I was to look for it, I would not know where to begin."
"I will point you in the direction you need to go, Mr. Dunsage," the Grand Master said. "There are things along the way, people you will meet, that should spark your memory. And in case you do start remembering things, I will have to keep an eye on you. I do not trust rebels."
The Grand Master stood up and began chanting something else that Falmore faintly recognized but did not understand. As if from nowhere, a collar appeared as if from nowhere in front of him and proceeded to wrap and lock itself around Falmore's neck.
"What the hell?!" Falmore shouted.
"It is merely a precaution, Mr. Dunsage. In the event that you do start remembering things, I want to make sure that you stick to the job I have given you. This prevent you from returning to your old ways."
"You mean to control me?"
"Why yes. You are my prisoner after all," explained the Grand Master. "Now eat, and get some sleep. You will need your strength for the times ahead. You leave on the morrow."
The food that was on the table when Falmore first awoke, reappeared in the blink of an eye. Along with the piece of boar in his hand.
Falmore felt uneasy about this situation. Prisoner? How did he even end up here in the first place? Who was he? He did not have the answers to these questions. He was hungry, so he ate. He ate until he could not eat anymore.
He could not recall the last time he had ate and looking at all this food splayed out in front of him was making his stomach rumble uncontrollably. He found himself salivating.
"It is nice of you to finally join me, Mr. Dunsage," said a voice from the far end of the vast table. The voice echoed so badly that Falmore strained to make out the words.
"Who are you? Where am I?" asked Falmore. He was distracted by the array of food before him.
"Don't you know who I am? You are in the main feasting hall. I have laid the table with various foods for you Mr. Dunsage. You must be famished! Go on, eat."
Falmore did not know if this was a dream or some trick but either way he did not care. He was too hungry to care. He spent no time in starting to devour all that was laid out in front of him. First he took a bite out of the roast boar. When he bit into it the juices from the meat ran down his chin.
"The food is quite excellent, as you will find," said the voice, "but there are some matters that I would discuss with you before you have any more."
The voice began chanting in the tongue that the hooded man from his cell had been chanting right before his world became darkness.
The food on the table suddenly vanished, along with the piece of boar that he had in his hand. The juices disappeared from his chin also. It was as if there was never any feast there at all.
"What kind of sorcery is this?!" Falmore exclaimed. "Who are you? How did you do that?"
"You should already know me Mr. Dunsage. I'm surprised that you do not remember. We have been at war for some time. Any man would think to start a war, you would need to know your enemies before hand."
"The man...in the cell. He mentioned that the 'Grand Master' wanted words with me. Are you this, 'Grand Master'?"
"Why yes, yes I am. Very good Mr. Dunsage. Do you remember the event leading up to how you got here?" the Grand Master asked.
Falmore shook his head. "I don't remember anything before I woke up in that cell. All I know is mine own name."
It was true. It was troubling him that he could not remember anything before waking up in that cold cell. The fact that he recognized that man in the cell and the tongue they used to chant these spells or whatever they were, troubled him deeply.
"Really? Hmmm, this is most unusual." The Grand Master said. "Are you sure you do not remember anything?"
"Not a thing, although I recognized the man in the cell with me, but I do not recall his name or where I know him from."
"The man that brought you to me is one of my disciples. Let's just say, you two have a lot of history."
Falmore did not understand what the Grand Master had meant. "I know nothing of any history."
The Grand Master let out a slight chuckle. "Your history with him is of no importance now. I need you to complete a job for me, Mr. Dunsage."
"What kind of job? And why should I work for someone I do not know?" Falmore quizzed.
"You do know me. You merely cannot remember a thing. This job should be easy for you. I need you to retrieve something that was stolen from me a long time ago."
"What is it? Why me?"
"The item is simply known as 'The Artifact'. It is, of use to me. You are the prime candidate for this job Mr. Dunsage. After all, it was you who stole it from me in the first place."
Falmore was getting more and more confused. "I do not recall stealing anything from you. I am no thief."
"Oh, but you are. You are a thief and a rebel. I want my possessions back Mr. Dunsage. I do not take kindly to people who steal from me." The Grand Master's voice was lined with anger.
"I do not remember anything before waking up here. Even if I was to look for it, I would not know where to begin."
"I will point you in the direction you need to go, Mr. Dunsage," the Grand Master said. "There are things along the way, people you will meet, that should spark your memory. And in case you do start remembering things, I will have to keep an eye on you. I do not trust rebels."
The Grand Master stood up and began chanting something else that Falmore faintly recognized but did not understand. As if from nowhere, a collar appeared as if from nowhere in front of him and proceeded to wrap and lock itself around Falmore's neck.
"What the hell?!" Falmore shouted.
"It is merely a precaution, Mr. Dunsage. In the event that you do start remembering things, I want to make sure that you stick to the job I have given you. This prevent you from returning to your old ways."
"You mean to control me?"
"Why yes. You are my prisoner after all," explained the Grand Master. "Now eat, and get some sleep. You will need your strength for the times ahead. You leave on the morrow."
The food that was on the table when Falmore first awoke, reappeared in the blink of an eye. Along with the piece of boar in his hand.
Falmore felt uneasy about this situation. Prisoner? How did he even end up here in the first place? Who was he? He did not have the answers to these questions. He was hungry, so he ate. He ate until he could not eat anymore.