The guards held me tightly as I struggled against them, my mind racing with questions. Why did they have to kill my father? What did he do to deserve such a fate? And what was going to happen to me now?

As the chaos of the square began to die down, the guards led me away from the crowd and into a small alleyway. They shoved me roughly against the wall, their eyes cold and unfeeling.

“Listen here, boy,” one of them growled. “You’re lucky that the council decided to spare your life. But don’t think that you’re out of the woods yet. You are to be exiled from Karthren effective immediately, but before that.” he sneered every word dripping with contempt

The guard grabbed a dagger from his waist before smacking me with the pommel. Pain seething through my head with every second that passed. It became hard to think as a fog filled my mind before it all faded to black.

“wh- Where are you taking m-cough cough?” I was barely able to speak, my throat dry and scratchy from the fear that enveloped me. The guards didn’t answer, but instead, they continued to drag me along the dark, winding streets of the city.

I could feel my strength diminishing with every step, and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to keep up this pace for much longer. But despite my exhaustion, I refused to give up. I had to stay strong for my father’s sake.

As we made our way out of the city gates, I could feel a harsh wind whipping against my face. As I looked over the endless clouds that surrounded Karthren, I finally understood what they meant by exile. It was no less a death sentence than execution.

“haha… HAHAHHAH HAHHHA!” I broke. I didn’t care anymore. I was going to be cast into the white void that surrounds Karthren. It was a death sentence.

“You really are a demon. Let the actions of the holy guard of Karthren cleanse the world of your filth.”

With that, the guards cast me into the void, my body tumbling through the endless expanse of white clouds. I didn’t know how long I fell, but it felt like an eternity.

“Hey, wake up, will you… Oh god, I think he’s dead?”

“Don’t overreact, Veronica. He’s probably just napping.”

I slowly opened my eyes, my head throbbing with pain. I was lying on the ground, surrounded by two strangers. The girl – Veronica – looked down at me with concern in her eyes while the boy wore a look of curiosity.

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“Who are you?” I managed to croak out, my voice barely above a whisper.”

“We’re just passing through,” Veronica said gently. “We found you lying here in the middle of nowhere. You looked like you could use some help.”

I struggled to sit up, my body aching all over. “Thank you,” I said gratefully. “I don’t know what happened to me. The last thing I remember... is?”

“What’s your name?” the boy asked

“I don’t know”

Veronica and the boy exchanged a worried look before turning back to me. “You don’t remember your name?” Veronica asked, her voice laced with concern.

I shook my head, feeling a pang of fear and confusion wash over me. How could I not remember my own name? Who am I?

“You must have hit your head pretty hard,” the boy said thoughtfully. “Don’t worry, we’ll help you figure it out. Oh, and the name’s Vayren, by the way.”

Veronica nodded in agreement before helping me to my feet. As we walked through the sprawling green landscape, they told me about themselves and their travels. They were adventurers, always looking for the next challenge, or at least that’s what they set out to be, but it turns out the adventurer’s life is a lot harder than they thought.

The two were fraternal twins who had been orphaned from a young age. The two set out to become adventurers on their eleventh birthday to try and make something of themselves.

As they spoke, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of envy. They had a purpose, a direction in life. But I was lost, with no memory of who I was or where I came from. I was nothing but a blank slate.

“Hey, so why do you cover your right eye like that?” Veronica asked meekly

I hesitated for a moment, reaching up for my right eye to find a bandage covering it.” I… I don’t know,” I finally admitted. “I don’t remember why I covered it. It just feels… safer that way.”

Veronica and Vayren exchanged another worried look but said nothing more about it

Vayren cut through the silence. “It’s starting to get dark. We should set up camp.”

With everyone in agreement, we quickly lit a fire and got ready for the night. The greenery of the forest felt so unfamiliar, yet I couldn’t tell why. It could be due to a lack of memories, but I can’t say for sure.

As the night wore on, we huddled around the fire, the warmth and light of the flames comforting us in the dark. Veronica and Vayren told me stories of their past travels, their eyes alight with excitement and wonder. I listened to them, fascinated by their tales, but a part of me couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease.

Who was I? Why couldn’t I remember anything about myself? And what was going to happen to me now that I was exiled from Karthren?

Wait, what’s Karthren, and why am I exiled from it? Better yet, how do I know that? As hard as I tried to recall what this Karthren place was, my memory continued to fail me. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice when Veronica and Vayren had fallen asleep.

I was left alone, staring up at the starry sky above me. In the quiet of the night, I finally allowed myself to feel the full weight of my situation.

I was alone in the world, with no purpose or direction. I was a blank slate with nothing to offer anyone. But even as those thoughts consumed me, a seed of determination began. While my situation isn’t ideal, I am alive, and that’s what matters right now.