1.00 My Only Regret

Every, single person alive has moments they regret. The dead have regrets too, I’m sure, but I can’t speak for them. Or, perhaps I can? Is this what it is to be dead? No. I don’t think that monster would ever let me die. It’d be too easy. It’d be too boring for him.

Everything has blurred away. I can hardly remember the things I once clung to for dear life - desperate to hold onto, desperate to keep in my head forever. Now my memories have scattered like dust in the wind… except one. My one, biggest regret.

I still remember his face when I said no. It’s just my luck that the memory that I could keep… the one that would be seared into my mind for all eternity would be the image of his face when I said no. Running away with him was too impractical. I was too afraid. I was a coward and I said no and I can never take that back.

I never saw him again.

My Jack. His face. At least I can keep that. That’s something the monster can’t take - even if it is a horrible memory, even if the memory of his face that way makes my entire being ache.

I can’t even remember exactly what I was saying no to. I feel like I knew just a moment ago... am I losing pieces of myself that quickly? I just know that I said no, and if I had said yes then I wouldn’t be in this place. I wouldn’t be without my Jack.

Every, single person has at least one regret, and that is mine. I can’t remember my name. I can’t remember my family. Did I have one? Certainly I must have. I can’t remember and my mind is fading too. I still see his face. What was his name? Jack. My Jack. I hold that close to my heart. I cannot forget him.

Something is coming for me. The monster must be coming back. I’m frozen in time. A relic of a previous era. A lost soul who hardly exists any longer. I don’t have any fight left in me anymore.

I’m sorry, Jack.

~~~~~~

Mountains of Aurora Skies

Era of Prophecies: Year 874

A scream filled the cavern and in a few short seconds one man came scrambling out of the tunnel he had carved into the rock. Stein had been looking for artifacts and yet what he found was much more complex. This was not a part of his job.

His job was to look for magical artifacts and catalogue them for the Gods’ Library. It was a job he took great pride in, and when he sensed one here and had begged those above him to let him pursue what this area further. What he found though… he had never seen anything like it before.

After scrambling from his tunnel and into the cool Aurora Skies air, he almost felt dizzy and nauseated. He had been so sure there was a magical artifact hidden in this enclave. He had to return to the Madame. Madame Irena would need to know - she would be furious if he didn't tell her. He didn't wish to risk her wrath.

He summoned his own magic and used it to open a portal that would take him to another realm - the Library of Irena. Out of the Pantheon of the 15 gods, Irena’s Library was the most familiar to Stein.

He stepped through the magic and into the narrow hallways of Stein's memories. Bookshelves lined either side of him and he walked quickly, tempted to break into a run, yet he abstained. The place had a growing sense of unease over the years and Stein had tried to get used to it.

His heart pounded in his chest as he threw open the doors to her office, hoping she wouldn't just kill him on sight.

Irena, the Goddess of Knowledge, stood reading from a book idly. He knew from just a look that she wasn’t in the mood for anything he would have to say, but Stein couldn’t think of anything else he could do. He knelt on the ground beside her. “Madame.” He said breathlessly. “I’ve found something…”

“You should not have access to this place.” Irena didn’t look up from her book, but her face soured. “I know a low-ling like you is not interrupting me in my office alone.”

“I can explain, Madame…” He started, yet she cut him off.

“What makes you think I want an explanation? Did you see your superiors first?” Her voice was impatient.

Stein swallowed. “No, Madame… but I-”

“So, you didn’t do as you were ordered to do and you come barging into my office empty-handed and interrupt my work because…?” Irena finally raised her eyes from her book.

“I found something else and… you just need to see it for yourself, Madame.” Stein sputtered.

Irena looked at him flatly. “There is very little I have not seen in this world, boy, and if you don’t cut to the chase I’m going to get to witness your death.”

“It’s a woman… the magic was coming from-”

Irena slammed her book shut. “Oh my, I can’t say I’ve ever seen a woman before.” She glared at him before looking down. “Oh! What do you know? I am one!”

Stein swallowed hard. “She was in a casket and-”

“A dead woman? Well, at this rate I’ll be seeing a dead man too. Get out, Stein.” Irena scolded.

“She’s not dead! She’s got some kind of curse put on her. If I had to guess she’s a couple thousand years old!” Stein scooted closer to her, looking at her with pleading eyes. “She’s got magic from the God of Magic and Madness written all over her.”

Irena’s glare slowly softened into a look of confusion and realization. She stared at him for a long time before speaking again. “Alright, boy. Take me there.”

~~~~~~

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