Sequel: Escape the Madness ›
Status: Completed ^-^
Method to the Madness
Rediscovered Identity...kinda, sorta: not really
When the girl ran off, tears in her eyes, I stared after her in confusion. She acted like she had known me, who I was, and all I could do was give a blank stare to the stranger I was faced with. She looked at me like she had expected something, but nothing came to mind.
Sighing softly, I glanced back for my guide, Mouse, and soon she appeared through the throng of people. “Did you see that girl? Who is she?” I ask her as she puts a hand on my shoulder and begins to start leading me through the halls again. I sigh as she doesn’t stop, doesn’t answer, and I don’t bother asking anymore questions as I continue walking.
Eventually I was led into this room which reminded me of a torture chamber, and a shudder crawled up my spine as I wonder how I should know that. I’m faced with a woman whose hair is bright crimson like fire, her eyes smoldering like charcoal. I incline my head, waiting for her to speak first.
Mouse interjects first though, addressing the woman. “I found Elias out front,” she says, and it seems to me there’s something careful in the neutrality of her voice. “He appears to have lost his memory, and so I’m afraid we will have to re-teach him everything.” She looks to me then. “Elias, this is Crimson. She’ll explain everything, and when you are done here, I will meet you outside.” Something flickers in her eyes I can’t quite name, and then she leaves me with the strange woman named ‘Crimson’.
I turn back to her then as she motions me to have a seat. “Well, Elias, it seems that I have to explain everything to you again. You are in the realm of Purgatory, a place between Heaven and Hell and on a plane parallel to earth. This is where the Selva take residence. The Selva are a completely female race, and by definition, they are witches of death who ferry souls to either Heaven or Hell. On these missions where they do such, they use a great deal of magic, and are not trained much at all in self defense. That’s where you come in. You’re a Guardian, and a Guardian’s job is to protect his Selva on these missions. As such, that means you have to train to use weapons and fight and protect your Selva. Now, I realize you may not believe me right away.” She sighed tiredly. “But this is the truth, Elias. Now, your lessons will begin anew tomorrow.”
If I thought there would be room for questions, apparently I was wrong. With a wave of her hand, it appears that I’ve been dismissed, and after a moment, I stand and walk to the door, opening it. True to her word, Mouse is waiting for me just inside the hall, flashing a smile as I appear. I give her a small smile in return as I join her in the hallway. “You appear thrilled,” she comments.
I raise an eyebrow and roll my eyes. “Yeah, ecstatic,” I say. I eye her cautiously then. “So, what she just told me is true? About all of that Selva and Guardian stuff?” I ask. With her nod, I remember the girl earlier who had also said something about being a Selva. “What about that girl earlier…I think she said her name was 0074? She said something about being my Selva.”
This caught Mouse off guard, and for a moment I was almost certain that I had asked the wrong question. As she smiled, nodding to me though, it made me relax a fraction. “Yes, you were both new, which is why you were paired together. So you could learn together and all of that; plus, you had requested it yourself. Unfortunately, you recently went missing.” Here she frowned. “We had every available person looking for you, but it was still three days before you actually showed up yourself. I think your memory starts there. Am I right?”
She is, and I give her a small nod to show her that it is, in fact, the truth. “Okay then…I guess I should talk to her soon then…” I start uncertainly, running a hand through my hair. “Could you give me a tour first, so that I don’t get lost?” I feel bad asking her for yet another favor, but she’s really the only person I actually know and comfortable with, and so she seems like the best option for the time being.
Her face brightens a little and she nods her agreement to me. “Of course I will, Elias. I’ll also introduce you to your mentor, Adam. He’ll probably be glad to get his student back,” she said with a conspiratorial grin, and I suddenly become a bit apprehensive about meeting this ‘Adam’. I try not to show it though.
She takes my hand, her hand soft and gentle as she tugs me, starting to lead me down the corridors. On impulse I squeeze her hand which is in mine and lean over, kissing her cheek. “Thank you,” I say, then step back, allowing her to take me on the tour.
Sighing softly, I glanced back for my guide, Mouse, and soon she appeared through the throng of people. “Did you see that girl? Who is she?” I ask her as she puts a hand on my shoulder and begins to start leading me through the halls again. I sigh as she doesn’t stop, doesn’t answer, and I don’t bother asking anymore questions as I continue walking.
Eventually I was led into this room which reminded me of a torture chamber, and a shudder crawled up my spine as I wonder how I should know that. I’m faced with a woman whose hair is bright crimson like fire, her eyes smoldering like charcoal. I incline my head, waiting for her to speak first.
Mouse interjects first though, addressing the woman. “I found Elias out front,” she says, and it seems to me there’s something careful in the neutrality of her voice. “He appears to have lost his memory, and so I’m afraid we will have to re-teach him everything.” She looks to me then. “Elias, this is Crimson. She’ll explain everything, and when you are done here, I will meet you outside.” Something flickers in her eyes I can’t quite name, and then she leaves me with the strange woman named ‘Crimson’.
I turn back to her then as she motions me to have a seat. “Well, Elias, it seems that I have to explain everything to you again. You are in the realm of Purgatory, a place between Heaven and Hell and on a plane parallel to earth. This is where the Selva take residence. The Selva are a completely female race, and by definition, they are witches of death who ferry souls to either Heaven or Hell. On these missions where they do such, they use a great deal of magic, and are not trained much at all in self defense. That’s where you come in. You’re a Guardian, and a Guardian’s job is to protect his Selva on these missions. As such, that means you have to train to use weapons and fight and protect your Selva. Now, I realize you may not believe me right away.” She sighed tiredly. “But this is the truth, Elias. Now, your lessons will begin anew tomorrow.”
If I thought there would be room for questions, apparently I was wrong. With a wave of her hand, it appears that I’ve been dismissed, and after a moment, I stand and walk to the door, opening it. True to her word, Mouse is waiting for me just inside the hall, flashing a smile as I appear. I give her a small smile in return as I join her in the hallway. “You appear thrilled,” she comments.
I raise an eyebrow and roll my eyes. “Yeah, ecstatic,” I say. I eye her cautiously then. “So, what she just told me is true? About all of that Selva and Guardian stuff?” I ask. With her nod, I remember the girl earlier who had also said something about being a Selva. “What about that girl earlier…I think she said her name was 0074? She said something about being my Selva.”
This caught Mouse off guard, and for a moment I was almost certain that I had asked the wrong question. As she smiled, nodding to me though, it made me relax a fraction. “Yes, you were both new, which is why you were paired together. So you could learn together and all of that; plus, you had requested it yourself. Unfortunately, you recently went missing.” Here she frowned. “We had every available person looking for you, but it was still three days before you actually showed up yourself. I think your memory starts there. Am I right?”
She is, and I give her a small nod to show her that it is, in fact, the truth. “Okay then…I guess I should talk to her soon then…” I start uncertainly, running a hand through my hair. “Could you give me a tour first, so that I don’t get lost?” I feel bad asking her for yet another favor, but she’s really the only person I actually know and comfortable with, and so she seems like the best option for the time being.
Her face brightens a little and she nods her agreement to me. “Of course I will, Elias. I’ll also introduce you to your mentor, Adam. He’ll probably be glad to get his student back,” she said with a conspiratorial grin, and I suddenly become a bit apprehensive about meeting this ‘Adam’. I try not to show it though.
She takes my hand, her hand soft and gentle as she tugs me, starting to lead me down the corridors. On impulse I squeeze her hand which is in mine and lean over, kissing her cheek. “Thank you,” I say, then step back, allowing her to take me on the tour.