Fractured Memories

Chapter 1: Blank Slate

The darkness receded. I found myself lying on the ground surrounded by tall blades of grass. Pushing myself onto my knees, I stared at my shaking hands. I scrunched my eyes closed, intent on remembering how I'd gotten to where I was now. Nothing of substance came to mind.

A slight scratching sound drew my attention. I opened my eyes and tilted my head to the right, searching for the source of the noise.

The scratching sound intensified. Several minutes later, a pair of brown pincers peeked through the grass an inch or so from where I knelt. The pincers parted the grass. An oblong head with two antennas attached to it appeared.

Startled, I gasped and fell back onto the grass.

The creature moved forward, exposing more of its body. A large ant towered above me. Its compound eyes focused on me. It chittered, tapping the ground with its left foreleg.

"I . . . I don't understand," I whispered, unwilling to make the insect angry.

The ant clicked its pincers together and shook its head.

I licked my lips and sat down, shoving several blue-gray strands of hair off my forehead. "I'm so sorry. I really—"

Exasperated, the ant turned and faced a southern direction. It stamped its foreleg against the ground and jerked its head in acknowledgment. The chittering continued.

Shifting my position, I narrowed my eyes and gazed into the distance. The thick fog shifted. I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a city.

"Is that what you're trying to tell me?" I asked, glancing at the ant out of the corner of my eye.

The ant clicked its pincers together once more. It then raised its right foreleg and pointed in the direction of the settlement.

I nodded and pushed myself to my feet, bending over to dust off the excess dirt from my leather brais. "Thanks," I said. "I appreciate that."

The ant turned and moved forward. It bent its head and pressed what I assumed to be its forehead against mine. The tips of its forelegs settled across my shoulders.

I soon realized the ant was hugging me. With careful hands, I reached out and patted the sides of its thorax.

Content, it chittered and nodded its head before it let go of me and ran off into the distance.

I followed its path with my eyes until it was nothing more than a small speck on the horizon. Releasing a pent-up breath, I turned and faced the direction it had pointed me to. With no other option allotted to me, I set off in the city's direction. Fifteen minutes later, I stood before the city's main gate.

Two guards stood on each side of the entrance. Both eyed me with suspicion.

The burly-looking guard frowned and crossed his arms upon his chest. "What do ye want, boy?"

"I . . ."

He snorted and stamped his foot. "Well? I don't got all day."

"W—What is this place?"

A look of surprise flashed across the guard's face. "Don't ye know where ye are?"

I shook my head. "N—No. I . . . umm . . . I don't remember how I got here."

The guard sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger. "Yer one o' those, eh?"

I frowned. "One of those?"

He growled with frustration. "An adventurer. We've had a good many of ye make it here to the city. Bumblin' idiots, the lot of ye. No matter. Head on in. Make your way to the Daredevil's Guild. Ask for Mimsy. She'll sort ye out."