A Trip Down Memory Lane

She awoke one late afternoon, in a small, dust covered room. Where was she? Who was she?
How long had she been asleep? The questions flooded her mind as she tried to stand. She grabbed out
to the wall, bracing herself from falling. Pain shot through her body, muscles weak, she struggled to take
in a breath. She blinked anxiously as the sunlight hurt her eyes. After a few minutes, her vision cleared
as her muscle pain seemed to cease. She noticed a grand rune axe that stood in one corner of the room.
A heavy shield constructed of bones with a fitted skull lay on a shelf over the axe. Next to the shelf,
hung her armor covered in a fine layer of dust. Just then, her memories returned to her. Klunk, she
struggled to speak, from her parched throat. She gathered her gear as quickly as she could, and headed
out of the room.

She left the Inn in Guldor, the great city of the

Elfs, and started walking down the main street of the
city. The street was empty, as a cool breeze brushed her
cheek. Odd, she thought, usually at this time of day,
this street was packed of people shopping and browsing
the shops. As she looked closer, most shops where
boarded up, abandoned, left to fates end. A cold chill
ran down her spine, and once again, the questions
flooded her mind. She hastened her journey as panic
started to set in.
Soon she reached her destination, the pigeon
carrier, located near the heart of the city. An old man
stood with his back to her, tending the cages of pigeon
that lined the wall. His long silver hair flowed down a thin
set frame. Wrinkles of age could be seen in his hands and
neck. Excuse me Sir, she spoke, I wish to use your
service.
Please excuse this old man, he stated. I do not hear so we ... he started to say as he turned
and caught eye of her. Lady Amber! he shouted. You have returned, so very good to see you, it has
been ages! he reached out and grasped her hand and brought it to his trembling lips.
Alex? She asked confused. A moment pause and she did recognize him to be Alex. His gentle
kind eyes, now aged, twinkled with love and compaction. He had aged a lot sense she had last seen him,
which in her mind, was not that long ago. I saw you just last week. What do you mean it has been
ages? she asked.
Alex looked puzzled at first, but then said,My Lady, it has been more than a decade. I thought
perhaps you had vanished, like the others.

She did not want to believe him. This was a nightmare, a prank. She walked to the table and
grabbed a pen and parchment. She scribbled some words on the parchment, rolled and fitted the
parchment in the carrier pouch. She then turned to Alex and handed him the pouch. Send at once, she
ordered.
Yes my Lady, Alex replied, as he took the pouch from her outstretched hand. He turned and
walked over to a cage that lined the wall. He opened a cage and carefully took out a pigeon. He then
read the name that was written on the pouch, secured the pouch to the pigeon, spoke the magic chant,
then threw the pigeon up in the air. The pigeon caught flight, circled overhead a couple of times and
landed back down on the table.
What? confusion crossed her face.
My Lady he tried to explain.
Again! she cut him off, try it again!
Alex did as he was ordered. The pigeon caught flight, circled overhead a couple of times and
landed back down on the table again. Alex tried again and again. He tried with a new name, all ending
with the same result. My Lady, the magic connection has been broken. The people you are trying to
reach are gone. Alex sadly said, They have vanished.
This cannot be! she exploded, striking the table with a clinched fist, as a single tear formed in
her eye. I will find them myself, she stated as she turned and stormed off. Good day to you Alex.
Good day my Lady, he called back.
She returned quickly down the street the way she had came, passed the inn, she headed for the
cities border. It was dusk when she passed through the main arches. The forest that surrounded the city
was dark and full of life. She was not fearful of this forest; she had hunted the Minotaur that lived in the
south, and the mighty Kodos who roamed to the north. Guldor and the surrounding land was home,
here she felt safe.
It has been more than a decade the old mans words echoed in her head as she made her
way through the forest. magic connection has been brokenthey have vanished. That old man has
gone mad! she thought, trying to clear her head and make sense of the days passing. No one sleeps
that long! No one just vanishes! She felt unease at this whole situation, as if maybe the old man was
saying the truth. He had aged quite a bit, why would her eyes deceive her? She refused to believe, head
strong she pushed on, pushing her way through the forest into the coming night.
Soon, the forest came to an end, and opened up into a small clearing. A
mountain rose up in the near distance. The silhouette of a small town could be seen
in the moonlit sky atop the mountain. Golgotha, she whispered. She was home. A
town built by herself and the few friends she called family. It was here she expected
to find her friends, to be re-united, and to end this curse of a day. In her excitement,

she took off in a run, crossed the plain and headed up the mountain.
She walked up into the dark lifeless town. No torch or fire was burning. Vegetation had grown
up the sides of the buildings. The town looked a wreck, broken and deserted. Klunk! Moonspell! she
called out, her excitement quickly changing to panic. Her voice echoed off the stones. Again she called
out with no reply. Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees. Why?? she cried out, Why
have you taken them from me! she was left alone, abandoned in a world of uncertainty. Her heart felt
empty as she cried, all that she had loved was now gone. I didnt even get to say good-bye. She
sobbed. Her mind wondered as she knelt there, the faces of her lost companions flashed through her
mind. She remembered their explorations to the mighty red and blue dragon mountains. She could
recall them fighting side by side as they killed off hordes of lord demons. She smiled; a trip down
memory lane is where her heart would lead her. She stood up and started walking back down the
mountain, into the darkness below.