Flames of the Past
Flames of the Past
Prologue
A turn, twist, turn… he stopped. There was nothing. Nothing to see. Nothing to feel. Nothing to think. Everything with was gone. He turned one more time, looking for a way out. Still, he came upon nothing. It was impossible to decide what to do… yet, he already knew the answer. The answer was nothing. Just like everything around him. The gray walls shimmered, as if not entirely solid. It was impossible to focus on anything, and everything just kept moving as if it were rippling water. It was unnerving, yet he knew that nothing could be done about it. He was powerless.
Sand shifted beneath his feet as he stood, watching the area around him ripple. This was a dream. He wasn’t so sure, though. He couldn’t be sure. Everything was just so confusing at this point. He didn’t know what to do… but hadn’t he already decided what he should do? It was annoying him, thinking this way. It was annoying him that he couldn’t do anything about it. Hell, he couldn’t even move his legs. He was infuriated, watching the ripples grow stronger as time continued to flow. He didn’t know… yet, he did. How was that possible?
He shrugged. Or at least he did in his mind, since his body wouldn’t respond to him. His eyes darted here and there, wondering what would happen to him now. He didn’t want to be stuck here forever, and the though brought panic to his mind. Staying trapped forever in this place… what would it be like? He didn’t want to know, honestly. It would tear him apart. It would demolish him. The world faltered. Everything disappeared for a split second, showing him blackness. He was cold, alone, afraid. The split second felt like ages, but eventually things continued as if nothing had happened. The milky gray walls. The rippling. The shifting sand. Nothing changed when the world came back, but he had felt something. He didn’t know what it was, but something had changed. He was terrified.
Not that this was new. He was terrified from the very beginning. Panic had come into his mind, allowing for fear to replace it. There was no escaping fear. The feeling of helplessness. It was especially strong when he couldn’t move his body. This was what hell was like, he thought briefly. The feeling of helplessness, the pain, the fear… this was what hell was like. He didn’t like it. No, he loathed it. He felt the anger welling up within him, building up. He wanted to explode, but he couldn’t. His body wouldn’t let him. This world wouldn’t let him.
Things faltered again, the world disappearing. It was longer this time. The three seconds the world had disappeared, as if it had never been there in the first place, felt like ages to him. It probably was ages. He couldn’t stand to be left alone like this. He couldn’t… he couldn’t think. He was on the brink of madness. He wanted to escape. To find some way to find some semblance of life. He needed to find some semblance of life. Otherwise, he really would go insane. That is, if he wasn’t already.
This nothing was his reality. Reality was his nothing. There was no way around that, just as nothing was his answer. These were the simple facts… these were the simple facts…
These are the simple facts, Seth thought numbly. He was out of the void, yet he wasn’t free. He still had no control. His sleeping body turned over in the night, and he mumbled something incomprehensible. Dim light spilled from his window as he slept, the bed illuminated by it. He was free. That’s all he wanted to know. That was it. His body turned again, causing him to stir slightly. He was close to waking. Soon, he’d be able to move. He’d be able to find people. He’d be able to live.
He awoke. The blankets around him fell as he stepped on to the wooden floor, the boards creaking beneath his wait. He scratched his arm as his eyes searched the dark room, observing the shadows. He recognized his candle, chair, dresser, and wardrobe. Seth sighed in relief at this. Finally, he was free. He was free. He stretched, enjoying the movement. His muscles hurt faintly, but that didn’t bother him. He could move. That was all that mattered.
Seth sighed and looked out of his window and onto the town sprawled out below. The town stretched out for some time, but the walls surrounding it could be seen a short distance away. He looked up and saw the moon. Not even past midnight… He sighed and sat back in his bed, thinking about the day he’d face tomorrow. His graduation ceremony… he’d finally be doing it. He’d be able to set off on his own adventure and live his own life. He’d be able to do what he wanted when he wanted. He’d be able to be become a legend.
Seth was drifting off now, still thinking about what the future held in store for him. He could care less about his shady past – no parents, friends, not even a last name. He showed up in this city with no one, and he hadn’t even remembered how he’d gotten there. He’d been five at the time. No, all he cared about was the years of training he’d put in to learning the sword. He’d become the best of his class within weeks, and was already training against older students. Now, fifteen years later, he was on the brink of crossing over. He would soon be officially named a Blademaster. He couldn’t wait to get his sword… These were the last thoughts he had that night. In fact… this was maybe the last time he could spare the time to think like that. Soon, his life would change forever… and it’s all because of his past. 
