Pocketing the coin, Dakota exited the room. He would come back…eventually. The skeleton frightened him. Why had the person died? Did it have to do with the room or something else?

He wandered into the main room and investigated the pillar in the middle of the three benches. The pillar was made of semi-translucent crystal with several energy “veins”, as Dakota thought of them, running through it. It also had a blue circle, like the doors and benches, inscribed on the top. He walked closer. There was something inside the circle.

A slot, barely visible, was carved into the crystal. He eyed the opening, trying to see the bottom. Nothing.

Dakota placed his hand on the circle, covering the slot. The circle flashed red.

“Just when I thought we were getting somewhere.”

He lay against the floor near the outer ring of fire. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but at least it was warm. Jesus rested on his chest, eyes drooping. The lamb had been oddly subdued since they entered this place.

A faint rumble shook the floor. The storm was still going strong. Dakota would hunker down here for the night and then head out in the morning.

Jesus licked his cheek as his own eyelids drooped. He squeezed the lamb, as tears formed in his eyes. He missed…he missed…

He lay there, puzzled why his mind went blank. It was like there was a hole in his head. What was he forgetting? He thought it was something important. Something related to Jesus.

Dakota strained against the mental blockade. It was like trying to push two magnets together. Just when he thought he had it, the thought slipped away.

He decided to try from a different angle. Why was the lamb important to him? Well, Jesus was adorable, he supposed he could be forgetting something cute? Eh, probably not.

The lamb was white… innocent… and was a good companion.

Companion…companionship. He supposed he was a little lonely. Now that he thought about it, why wasn’t he lonelier? Being stranded for weeks would surely make anyone miss their…

Their what?

Dakota slammed a fist into the floor. He had almost had it! Miss their…miss their…

Miss their family.

The hole collapsed in on itself as memories of his family charged into Dakota’s head. He curled into a ball, weeping. How had he forgotten. How had he let himself forget. His brothers, his sisters, nieces, and nephews. His mom and dad.

Dakota had moved out a few years prior but had remained close to his family. They would get together every holiday for a big meal at his parent's. The memory of giving his mother a hug as his oldest niece begged for a shoulder ride sent new tears to his eyes. That’s what Jesus had reminded him of. Companionship.

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How he missed it.

Looking back at the last few weeks, he wondered whether it was his own mind trying to shelter him. He had been able to focus on survival without distraction. The lack of emotional trauma in those first days probably saved his life.

But… he doubted it. Something else was at work. Something else wanted him to forget. To forget where he came from, to forget who he used to be. Almost as if that something wanted him to start life over again - with a fresh slate.

The skeleton had frightened him - this terrified him. He needed to get home which meant he needed more answers… about everything. Unfortunately, there was only one other creature that could talk on this entire island.

Looks like he would be having a chat with the goblin chief.

Dakota awoke to a jabbing sensation in his hip. Rolling over, he dug out the culprit item from his pocket. The coin. It glinted in the blue firelight as if coated in an ethereal layer of oil. He twirled it in his fingers, thinking about the previous night. He could still remember his family which was a relief. More importantly, the memory suppression didn’t appear to be reactivating at all. His memories were crisp, without any sliding.

Of course, the memory suppression could be working. How did one determine whether their memories were complete.

He flicked the coin into the air, catching it in his palm. Was it the island affecting his mind? Or the world itself? He had hoped to find answers here but the only thing of note was the coin.

“Why did the skeleton have you in a pocket.”

The coin was special but what purpose did it serve. Dakota had the feeling it had more uses than the currency he was familiar with. It was too…perfect. That was it. There were no nicks or scrapes. He couldn’t even see his fingerprints. It was as if the coin wasn’t entirely real.

Dakota experimentally “pushed” against it with his mind. His hands jolted, dropping the coin. It had zapped him!

Tiny sparks of energy flew from the ethereal coating. Tentatively, he reached out a finger. Another jolt. The surface of the coin looked like a stormy ocean, the ethereal coating swelling and swirling.

The coin calmed after a few minutes and Dakota managed to pick it up without getting zapped.

“Not just a coin after all.”

It reminded him of the tiny lightning serpents from the storm. Pure energy, trapped inside a physical form. If the coin was an energy source, it made a lot more sense as a form of currency. It had innate value, unlike modern money.

Dakota’s eyes slid from the coin to the pillar in the center of the room.

“Energy source.”

He walked to the pillar and compared the coin to the slot. A perfect fit.

“I really hope I don’t regret this.”

Dakota slid the coin in. No clink, no sound of it landing, silence.

“Shoot.”

He waited another few seconds before turning away. Well, that was a waste. No matter, he had a date with the goblin chief to set up. The coin probably wasn’t that valuable anyway. At least, that’s what he told himself.

He had picked up Jesus and was headed towards the tunnel when a soft woosh made him freeze.

“INVESTMENT ACCEPTED.”

Dakota rotated as the sound of grinding stone filled the room. The center benches were shifting, creating an open space which slowly sank into the floor…revealing a staircase.