Page 2

A Choice

T he feeling of freefall lasted maybe a second or two before my feet struck solid ground. I stumbled forward a bit, my hand still clasped in Kai’s. He caught me though, keeping me upright so I didn’t bite the dirt with my first step into a new world.

“Careful there,” he said, a bright smile on his face.

I opened my mouth to reply, but went silent as I looked behind him.

There, standing nearly fifteen feet tall, was a perfectly circular golden ring illuminated by runes.

A thin layer of ethereal mist stretched through the center of it, like a pane of constantly moving glass.

I knew it was magic the moment I looked at it, though I wasn’t sure how.

It just looked like something out of a movie.

Movie… that word didn’t have any meaning either.

“It sure is beautiful,” Kai said, staring up at it with me. The glass-like surface rippled, and another person stepped through, one of the others I’d woken up with. “I guess we should get out of the way so the others can come through, huh?”

I nodded dumbly, following his lead off to the side. Immediately, I turned my attention back to the portal, mesmerized by its power. However, the moment my attention wandered, I found there was so much more to look at than a glowing golden ring.

As my gaze drifted away from the portal, I was struck by the sheer otherworldliness of our surroundings.

We stood in a vast meadow, but it was unlike any I’d ever seen—or at least, any I could remember.

The grass beneath our feet shimmered with an iridescent sheen, each blade shifting colors as it swayed in a gentle breeze.

In the distance, I could see towering trees with trunks wider than anything I’d ever dreamed of and branches that seemed to touch the heavens themselves.

The world was a lush, vibrant green that looked almost too alive to be allowed.

Despite my lack of memories, I was certain I’d never seen a place so full of life.

Something about it just felt different, wild, and almost fantastical.

The sky above was a tapestry of swirling pastels, dotted with what looked like floating islands, each one crowned with its own miniature ecosystem.

I could barely make out tiny waterfalls cascading from their edges, disappearing into mist before reaching the ground.

I caught myself wondering if anyone but the birds had ever stepped foot on one before.

It struck me as odd that they should float at all, but I brushed it away. It was too wondrous to question.

“Wow,” I breathed, unable to articulate anything more eloquent.

Kai nodded beside me. “It’s incredible.”

However, by far the most impressive thing was the moon above us.

“Is… Is that where we just came from?” I asked, pointing up.

Even during the middle of the day, the moon was easy to see because it took up nearly a quarter of the sky with its mass.

Kai followed my gaze upward, his eyes widening in awe. “I... I think it might be,” he said softly, his voice filled with wonder.

The moon loomed impossibly large, its surface a swirling mix of yellows, reds, and whites.

It looked like a glass marble suspended in the sky, close enough that I felt I could reach out and touch it.

As I stared, I could make out mountains and craters that disrupted the surface, ice clinging to the low places out of reach of the sun.

But interspersed throughout were glowing veins of gold, pulsing with an ethereal light that seemed to reach down toward us.

The entire celestial body was encased in a shining, translucent sphere that gave it an almost crystalline appearance.

The moment I saw it, I knew it was magic.

But what kind and for what purpose, I had no idea.

“But how?” I whispered, more to myself than to Kai. “How can we be standing here, looking up at... at a world we were just standing on two minutes ago?”

Kai shook his head, his brow furrowed in thought. “I guess the portal brought us here.”

“It transported us through space? ”

“I suppose.”

That felt impossible. Then again, as my gaze fixed on the massive moon above, I didn’t have any choice but to believe it.

Clearly, we’d made it through the portal without an issue.

A part of my mind told me to just accept it and move on.

But something inside of me was still squirming, whispering to me that all of this, despite my lack of evidence, was abnormal.

That I was far from home, whatever that meant.

Maybe this was normal in Cindersea though… and I was the one that was wrong.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of confusion. “Kai, does any of this seem... strange to you?”

He turned to me, his brown eyes warm with understanding. “You mean besides waking up with no memories and stepping through a magical portal?” He laughed softly. “Yeah, it’s all pretty strange.”

I couldn’t help but laugh too, the tension in my chest easing slightly. “Fair point. I guess everyone is probably feeling that way.”

As we stood there, more people emerged from the portal, each one wearing the same look of awe and confusion that I’m sure was plastered across my own face.

Some stumbled like I had, others walked through as if they’d been doing it their whole lives.

It struck me as odd that we all seemed to be around the same age—late teens or early twenties, if I had to guess.

“Do you think we’re the first ones here?” I asked Kai, gesturing to the untouched meadow around us. “In this world, I mean.”

Kai’s eyes scanned the horizon, his brow furrowed in concentration. “I’m not sure. It looks untouched, but...” He trailed off, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

I followed his line of sight, squinting against the ethereal light. At first, I saw nothing but the shimmering grass and towering trees. Then I caught a glimpse of movement.

“There,” Kai pointed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Do you see it?”

As I focused, the shape became clearer. It was a figure, tall and slender, moving with an otherworldly grace through the grass.

Its skin seemed to shimmer like the blades beneath its feet, shifting colors with each step.

As it drew closer, I realized it was a man wearing bright silver armor from head to toe.

A heavy sword hung at his side, the gem encrusted pommel glimmering in the sun with each step.

It wasn’t until he got close that he reached up and removed his helmet.

I couldn’t help my gasp as I saw a young man, not much older than myself, with dark hair and eyes staring back at us. He looked over the crowd with a distant expression, like he wasn’t truly seeing us.

“Newcomers, follow me,” he said with a wave of his hand. “The captain wishes to speak with you directly.”

“Can you tell us where we are?” the blue-haired girl called out, her voice edging on panic. “What is this place?”

“The captain will tell you everything you need to know,” the man sighed as if he’d done this a million times before. “Follow me if you want answers. Or stay behind. I don’t care.”

The armored man turned and began walking away without waiting to see if we’d follow. For a moment, our group stood frozen, exchanging uncertain glances. Kai was the first to move, taking a step forward.

“We might as well,” he said softly. “It’s not like we have any other options right now.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd, and soon we were all trailing after the silver-clad figure.

As we walked, I found myself falling into step beside Kai.

His presence was reassuring, a familiar face in this strange new world.

Although, to be fair, he was about as familiar as everyone else. And by that, I meant not at all.

The grass whispered beneath our feet, shimmering as we passed them by.

I couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful and vibrant it was.

The floating islands above us drifted lazily across the sky, their waterfalls creating faint distant rainbows as they caught the sunlight.

Such a strange place and yet, I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by it.

As we followed the armored man, the landscape gradually began to change.

The shimmering grass gave way to a well-worn dirt path, and in the distance, I could make out the silhouette of what looked like a small town of sorts built into the side of a small mountain with a high stone wall around the exterior.

“Look,” I whispered to Kai, nodding towards the horizon. “Buildings?”

He squinted, then nodded. “Seems like it. I wonder if that’s where we’re headed.”

As we drew closer, I could see that the settlement was more than just a few buildings.

It was a bustling town, with low, heavy structures that weren’t necessarily beautiful, but built to withstand the march of time.

Some, however, were more ornate, but they seemed to be few and far between.

I assumed they might be important places, although I couldn’t imagine why.

But the most important feature by far was the river that cascaded through town from the mountain via a series of man-made waterfalls.

That, without a doubt, was the lifeblood of the city .

However, before we could reach the city, the armored man took a fork in the path, leading us away from the city gates.

Less than a hundred yards away, lying at the end of the path, was an old, tattered windmill that looked to be long out of operation.

The blades stood rotting in the sun, and it looked like a strong breeze might bring it toppling to the ground.

Beside it a small house sat, its low thatched roof in relatively good condition considering the state of the windmill.

The path leading to it was well worn with footprints and two armored guards stood outside the front entrance.

“Tell the captain the new arrivals are here,” the dark-haired man commanded, his helmet tucked under his arm. “It’s time they made the choice.”

“Choice?” I asked quietly, looking up at Kai. “What do you think he means?”

But before Kai could answer, the front door to the small house was thrown wide. A man in brilliant gold armor stepped out, his smile so wide he almost looked manic. His blonde hair was perfectly quaffed, every feature meticulously cared for, and his armor shone like the sun itself.

“I think we’re about to find out,” Kai whispered.

The golden-armored man spread his arms wide, his voice booming across the field. “Welcome, newcomers, to the realm of Cindersea! I am Captain Boromia, and I have the distinct pleasure of being your guide in these early moments of your new lives.”

His enthusiasm was almost infectious, but I couldn’t shake the unease that had settled in my stomach.

I wasn’t sure if it was this choice they were talking about or something that lingered just behind the smile of the captain.

Maybe I was making it up. Beside me, Kai shifted his weight, his eyes never leaving the captain.

“New lives?” someone in the crowd called out. “What do you mean?”

Captain Boromia’s smile never wavered. “Ah, yes. I’m sure you all have many questions.

But first, let me explain the choice that lies before you.

” He gestured grandly to the world around us.

“Cindersea is a land of magic and wonder, as I’m sure you’ve already noticed. But it is also a land of great danger.”

A hush fell over the crowd, and the captain’s smile widened.

“You stand now at the precipice of a grand adventure,” Captain Boromia continued, his voice rising with each word. “But before you can truly begin, you must make a choice that will shape your destiny in this realm.”

A murmur ran through our group. I glanced at Kai, who looked just as perplexed as I felt .

“What kind of choice?” someone near the back called out.

Captain Boromia’s smile widened even further.

“You must choose to join the Royal Scouting Brigade or find your own way in Cindersea.”

I felt a ripple of shock pass through the crowd of newcomers. But Captain Boromia anticipated that, speaking before anyone else could cut in.

“As I’m sure the Keeper of the portal mentioned, you were all given a choice in your previous lives to join us here in Cindersea.

And now you find yourselves here without memories, a fresh new life ahead of you.

” He nodded to individuals as he spoke, making it feel like he was speaking to them directly.

“And now you have the chance to be heroes. His Majesty, King Garameck, is willing to offer you each a month’s lodging, membership to a guild, and coin to make your transition into Cindersea easier in exchange for your membership to the Royal Scouting Brigade. ”

“That’s a good point,” a man nearby muttered. “I didn’t think about food and shelter…”

“Neither did I…” another replied.

“The RSB is responsible for helping with the expansion of the kingdom,” the captain continued.

“Your job as beginner scouts would be to clear the local areas of monsters that would hinder that expansion. Kill what you can, sell the spoils, and grow your skills. Should you become successful enough, you could be promoted into the Royal Military itself.” His eyes glimmered as he looked over us.

“And that, my friends, guarantees an easy life here in Cindersea. But only the best can make it that far, so you’ll have to prove yourselves. ”

“And what if we don’t want to join the RSB?” Kai asked, surprising me with his question. “What are our other options?”

The captain smiled, although it seemed suddenly colder.

“Simply put, you find your own way. The RSB is happy to help you get started, but should you decide to strike out on your own, that is perfectly acceptable.” He turned to the rest of the group, holding his hands out once more.

“But be warned, my friends, the monsters outside the city walls are vicious. It’s kill or be killed in Cindersea and they won’t hesitate to take your lives.

” He turned his gaze back to Kai. “Better to work together than end up on a monster’s belly, am I right? ”

A few of the others nodded along, agreeing with the captain.

Even Kai, after a moment, gave him a nod.

The man had a point too. As much as I felt that military work wasn’t really in my blood, how could I say no?

The other option was to be completely alone and that, in Cindersea, sounded like a death sentence.

At least this way, I wouldn’t have to be alone.

But was I a monster killer? My gut told me no.

Then again, if I wanted to eat again, I didn’t really have any other choice.

“Very good,” the captain nodded, gesturing toward the door to the house. “Who wants to sign up first?”