Chapter 32: Monster Memories

“You got the batch?”

Silvers: “Yea, you got the money?”

“ . . .”

Silvers looked at his two companions next to him as the situation seemed suspicious as the man in front of him stayed silent.

Silvers: “The money?” A dagger is unsheathed from Silver’s belt.

Man: “I don’t believe you will be needing the money. Unfortunately…”

Arrows shot out from the dark crevices of the warehouse, Silvers immediately took cover while one of his companions was shot up. Not a sound was heard as the entire body was covered in arrows.

Silvers: “Damn it!” Silvers lit a match and threw it into a nearby box, the flames quickly caught onto the dust and old wooden boxes. Light shined on the man’s face revealing a scar on his right white eye.

The assailants from the dark lit up as they slew Silver’s last companion with dozens of scimitars, veins and limbs flew off as they mercilessly slaughtered him. The cloaks that they wore were of highly trained assassins.

Silvers looked at the product he held in his hand, a nicely wrapped vase of unknown origins. This was supposed to be a simple job for an overpriced vase. For what reasons are there for assassins?

“Silvers! This vase is being bought at an exorbitant amount of money. One of the reasons why we aren’t going to sell it at the auction house. Just look at this vase, gold engravings in some letters, green and silver outlines throughout the insides and outsides. This vase sure is some exotic commodity eh?”

Silver’s boss’s silk glove slowly caressed the outer rim of the vase. Eventually, sliding his fingers across its body.

“Be sure to bring Denim and Lans with you for this transaction. I hope to see the money when you come back.”

Silvers: “DAMN IT! Forget about the money! Just let me leave in peace! You won’t like me when I’m angry!”

Sounds of fire and crackling continued to burn as the interior of the old abandoned warehouse groaned as its supports weakened. Footsteps could be heard walking towards Silver, the man’s silence meant that there was no compromise.

Silvers brought out a scroll from underneath and pulled it open. Iron silken-like gloves were in there as Silvers equipped them with familiarity. Swords flash out and Silvers brings his hands to stop the scimitars and quickly breaks the blades in succession before continuing to block the blades to the best of his abilities. Silvers backed off and started to run through the clutter of the warehouse whenever there was a chance.

Any chance he had, he would throw debris and knockdown boxes in an attempt to slow down the assailants. Silvers felt something thud against his back, as he turned to run, a single candle was lit in front of him.

Silvers: (Damn it! Surrounded already! This damn trap!)

Silvers slowed down as a woman's figure-cloaked person stood in front of him. He could see the smooth clavicles and the gentle smile, yet he knew there was something dangerous about her.

Her hands lifted from her sides, and as the sleeves slid away. A pearly white hand was turned upwards as it requested something to be placed on her hand.

Silvers: “You can have your vase… just let me leave peacefully. I won’t mention this to anyone, and I’ll gladly go to another town or something.”

The silence continued to prosper in this warehouse. The assailants from before had become silent and the room seemed smaller than usual. Silver’s heart pounded harder as his breathing became more rapid with fear. His hands trembled slightly as he decided to walk towards the lady.

Grabbing the package from his pack, he gently placed it on her hands with an outstretched arm. Silvers caught himself looking at the vase and quickly looked at the lady’s face. Darkness covered his sight as his body turned heavy and weak. Silvers tried to hold on as he fell onto his knees. He tries to look once more, yet he could only retreat to the dark slumber.

Starlight symbols surrounded Silvers, the path was made of crystals and the world was lit up amongst the stars. A small road to an isolated island could be seen as Silvers continued to look on. Each step Silvers took, crystal cracking could be heard. It was silent, there was no sound, and even the breath of Silvers was muffled and unclear. As he reached the island, there was nothing. As he closed his eyes and opened once more, a rock was there. Two stones were on top of the rock, one white, one black.

Silvers walked up to it and tried to touch it, however, his hand simply passed through it. Before he tried to think about it, a voice rang from behind.

“Do you know what you have done?”

Silvers: “What do you mean?” He turned to look, only to find a shadowy visage lingering on the road he was on.

“I assume not… you were just a lackey.”

Silvers: “What do you mean?”

“The vase-” before the shadowy figure could finish their sentence. A purple blur fielded Silver’s eyes, it was like taffy wrapping around his entire body. Panic surged through him as he tried to tear off each piece with his bare hands. The shadowy figure could only watch as it tried to continue to talk.

Silvers woke up in a dark world, his body felt relaxed and floating.

(Where am I?)

Silver’s thoughts echoed throughout this darkness. This darkness was as if he was closing his eyes, yet it was cold to the touch, chilling him to his inner cores.

(Anyone there?)

(Where is everyone?)

Time passes…

Time passes…

(ANYONE!)

Time passes…

(PLEASE)

Time passes…

Time passes…

Silver became dull… his mind, his eternal sleep… there was nothing left. Until… a silver light appeared in the distance.

(Something?)

Silvers willed himself to run towards it. There was no feeling but his will surged forward. It was a silver bright light, as Silvers observed it more closely a hint of a body could be seen, the feeling of warmth and comfort overwhelmed his senses.

A surge of greed welled up in him as he stuffed his face into this glorious light. A feeling he had lost, a feeling he did not know he yearned for. He felt comfortable, an immense pleasure, however transparent like ropes began to swirl around him.

(Wh... What are you?)

It said nothing as it lightly touched him, and parted ways as it tore a fragment of his leg. Statics affected his eyesight, it became more frequent as Silvers turned to look at the masses of transparent ropes surging towards him. Taking fragments, pieces, and parts of him gently and painlessly. However his vision would frequently become statics, his body felt sluggish.

Panic swarmed his body as he frantically tried to swat these lines, however, only more fragments stuck onto them. Silvers’ vision blurred and slowly became full of static.

Ben closed his eyes and touched his forehead as he tried to process these difficult memories. Scarlett walked up next to Ben and leaned on him with her arm over his shoulder.

Scarlett: “Something the matter? Where did you get those pairs of gloves?”

Ben looked down at his hand and saw the same iron gloves that Silvers had in the memory.

Ben: (The power to retrieve personal objects?)

As if waiting for Ben to gaze upon it, the gloves slowly disappeared into white fragments and fused into Ben’s hand. Scarlett watched this with amazement as her mind couldn’t fathom what had happened.

Once the entire glove disappeared, Ben flexed his hand around. As he made a fist and thought of Silver’s hand. A black film covered his hand.

Ben looked over at Silver’s body, whose one eye was still open. Although he was a hobgoblin on the outside, Ben knew that he was once human… a commoner, street urchin, bandit that had fallen into some conspiracy and suddenly turned into a hobgoblin at the command of a goblin king.

Ben knelt over Silver’s body, and slowly closed its eyes. Footsteps could be heard as it slowly inched closer. Ben feeling a familiar aura turned his head and saw Derek Kel, Regis, and Linzet.

Derek Kel: “Well done, I thank you for killing the hobgoblin.”

Ben nodded quickly and turned to Regis.

Ben: “Thank you for helping us out at the last moment.”

Regis formed a palm to signify Ben to stop.

Regis: “I simply help you push over that hobgoblin. Albeit the final blow needed to kill him. Hahaha.” Regis gave a hearty chuckle as tension was relaxed throughout his old body.

Markos slowly walked over with some soldiers at his side helping him up.

Markos: “Thank you… for saving me…” He said his thanks in a haggard breath. His eyes were moist, as he looked at the two soldiers that died for him. “Thank you… for avenging them…” Markos closed his eyes with force as tears lightly fell.

Ben looked down at the two dead soldiers. Only to slowly turned and looked down.

Ben: “I’m… sorry that I hesitated.”

Markos looked up at Ben, he gritted his teeth as he lifted his good arm and patted Ben’s back.

Markos: “This was a tough fight… the monster was truly a force to be afraid of. There is no need to apologize… as your sympathies and actions are enough.”

Ben turned around. Everyone’s eyes were on him. It was strange to see so many eyes upon him as compared to his old world. It felt as if he was in a position of power as if those eyes were of admiration and expectations. However, Ben closed his eyes once more and let the wind flow through the heated battle.

Derek Kel: “Alright, everyone clean the battlefield. Take Markos back for treatment. Someone retrieve the arrows, ---”

As the battle had died down, Derek resumed his position. Leaving Ben and the group behind.

Ben looked at Regis for a moment, before deciding to ask.

Ben: “Sir Regis?”

Regis turned to look at Ben and only nodded.

Ben: “I would like to ask you something. Would that be fine?” Regis nodded and added.

Regis: “Depends on the matter of what you ask, but I’ll tell you whether or not I can answer it.”

Ben: “Do you know anything about retrieving things from memories?”

Regis blinked for a moment and looked at Ben with open eyes.

Regis: “I was expecting questions of magic, weird places, and or rare items. But the question of retrieving stuff from memories is beyond me. I suppose the right category of magic for that would be divination spells of some sort… but item retrieval from memories? I apologize, but I do divination magic or any sort that involves the mysterious of memories is beyond my capacity. If you wish to learn about the dream world to some extent you should perhaps seek out one of the great libraries in the capital of Vincol.”

Ben: “The capital of Vincol? "

Regis: “Capital, kingdom same thing. Their princess is praised as a prophetic mage who sees the future. Therefore, if you want to search for information, perhaps there are information regarding divination magics. Although be careful when you are over there, there is a war going on currently.”

Ben: "A war?”

Regis nodded.

Regis: “Kingdom of Vincol and the Kingdom of Lanners are at war as of now. The reasons? I do not know, unfortunately.”

Ben: (Kingdom of Lanners?) “Umm, where are we currently?”

Regis’ eyes blinked audibly.

Ben: “Umm.. what kingdom are we in?”

Regis: “Kingdom of Ranlif the outskirts bordering the Kingdom of Lanners.”

Ben: (So… that would mean I just escaped from the Kingdom of Lanners)

Ben: “Where is the Kingdom of Vincol?”

Regis handed Ben the map of the kingdoms.

Regis: “ It is a simple map, but it should let you know the general gist of the main villages around here.”

Ben looked at the map, eyes traced his steps, and reconfirmed his suspicions.

(I see…)