A new beginning... [open]

[Alexander "Snake" Cartwright]

The crash of thunder overhead awoke the traveller with a jolting startlement. All of his senses were tingling on full alert; his ears were reverberating from the crackling of the thunder, his eyes dazed from the bright lightening flickering in the sky, there was a damp taste and smell in the air (something that surprised and confused him, as the last thing he could remember was extreme heat and a dryness in his mouth) and finally there was the feeling of heavy rain beating down onto his face and exposed torso. He had not felt like this in a long time, a sense that he was truly alive - although he could not remember why he had not felt anything for so long.
"What the hell… I don't remember this." he thought to himself, "Where's am I?" The traveller was now confused and wary,
"How did I get to this land? Who brought me here? Are they still about?" He quickly stood with alarm and found himself naturally in a defensive stance - as if expecting a confrontation. But there was no confrontation to be had, he was alone in the middle of an overgrown field with no one to be seen for miles - as he spun around in quick fits of suspicion, looking in every direction…
"Someone must have brought me here…" he pondered, "But why?"

The traveller soon realised that there was no one to be seen, and he should get out of the rain and gather his thoughts. As he moved towards a large, towering oak tree sitting lonely in the middle of the field, he noticed a beat-up, old leather satchel laying in the overgrown grass. He almost missed it, and would have if it wasn't for a large silver buckle which caught a flash of lightening - sparkling like a precious gem stone. As he walked over to the satchel he noticed strange marking on the front of it. It appeared that some kind of image had been burned, or branded, into the leather.
"Is that a snake?" he thought to himself, "I feel like I have seen that before, somewhere…" He grabbed the satchel and ran for cover under the mountainous oak, where he sat with his back against the mighty trunk, to inspect the satchel and its markings more closely.

As he sat, he noticed something on his left arm. Putting the satchel down for a moment, he moved his right hand across to touch his left arm and as he brushed his bicep he realised that this wasn't just some grass or mud stuck to his arm, but in fact it was a symbol etched into the skin. He ran his hand over the dark ink, which was slightly raised above the rest of his arm…
"What is that?" he snorted to himself as he twisted his arm round to get a better look, "It looks just like the symbol on the satchel: some kind of snake!" With no recollection of how he came to be in this location, or how or why he had a snake on his arm, the traveller was now thoroughly confused. He decided to look in the satchel to see if there were any clues and if he could ascertain any helpful information. Unbuckling the straps that held the satchel shut, the traveller flung open the protective leather flap with eager anticipation… Only to be disappointed when he discovered all that was in the satchel was a white tunic, a cloak, a leather chest guard and a few belts and holders.
"I guess these are mine." He thought to himself, "After all, the satchel did have the same snake symbol as I have on my arm… But why would I have not been wearing these? And if someone had brought me here against my will, why would they have given me my clothes in a separate satchel?"

The traveller put his various pieces of clothing on to try and keep warm, as being soaked through had begun to take its toll on him and he had started to shake. As he went to place an unwanted belt back in the satchel, he realised he hadn't looked through it as thoroughly as he thought. His finger caught a small flap of fabric that had torn away from the inner lining, and felt something small, hard and cold brush his skin. Opening the tear with, perhaps a little too much, enthusiasm he managed to put his whole hand in and retrieve the object. It was some kind of key.
"Why would I have a key? And what is it for?" he murmured to himself, "I can't remember any of this… I just don't understand!" He broke down in a fit of emotional rage and fell to his knees. Clutching the key in his hand he looked up to the sky and screamed to the world,
"WHO AM I? HOW DID I GET HERE? WHAT IS GOING ON? SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE ME ANSWERS!!!"

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

He had found it

The barren grave marked the burial place of his friend. Everyone knew him as an assassin, a man who killed for coin without a care of the concequence. A man who had personally risked the life of the prince, before the tide was turned. Had they known, they would even put him at fault for the theft of a very precious item, lost, from Dreamers very own hands.

This was not the man he knew him as

The man he once knew was someone who favored a hard drink, and many of them. He was a man who playful pestered Dreamer for his weakness to any drink. A man who would clap him on the back, just to see a smile. The man he knew had welcomed Dreamer in a place unknown, a place he was afraid of. The man he knew was not a killer, he was justice.

And Justice is dead.

Dreamer felt the coming of tears before he felt the rain. He began to shiver as he noticed his clothes had become a clinging mess, and his hair was a straight mop. He must have been sitting there much longer than he though. Dreamer sighed and touched the stone one last time, he didnt know when he would see his friend again.

WHO AM I? HOW DID I GET HERE? WHAT IS GOING ON? SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE ME ANSWERS!!!"

Dreamer was alarmed by the screams, and grabbed for the dagger at his belt. He pointed it in the direction, but he could not see beyond the hill. Against his better judgement, Dreamer ran after the noise. He could not resist the temptation of discovery, his curiosity wouldnt allow him.

It took Dreamer a minute before he saw a man screaming from his knees under a tree. Dreamer was weary, so he kept his blade at his side as he advanced forward. He moved forward, he had to much experience startling crazy folk. When he was in close enough distance he called, "What is it that ails you friend?".

[Alexander "Snake" Cartwright]

The rain was beating down as heavy as ever now as the traveller looked into the sky for answers. Most would have rushed back under cover, but to this man the cold water droplets were surprisingly refreshing. He slowly parted his lips and allowed the rain to enter his mouth. This was a welcome change after that dry feeling in his mouth he could remember, as if he was eating desert sand. But that was all he could remember and that was something that troubled him.

His mind wondered... struggling to remember anything he could, anything that could give him some answers, something that could explain how he got there, where he came from and even what he name was. Suddenly a sharp, searing pain shot down his spine after emanating from his brain. His vision blurred, followed by bright, blinding flashed of light and hazy images imprinted on his retinas. Then as quickly as they came, the flashes disappeared and he awoke from his trance with a startle.
"What the hell was that?" He thought to himself, "What do those images mean?" He couldn't decipher any of them, they were just blurry shapes and colours, but he thought that he could pick out the vague shape and motions of a man - although, he had no idea what this all meant.

"What is it that ails you friend?" A voice spoke calmly, yet assertively.

The traveller realised this was what had broken his trance. His instincts took over and instantly hid the key he had been clutching in his hand, in his pocket and jumped up onto his feet in a defensive stance. He felt that he should be wary of this man, a natural instinct perhaps - however, at the same time he had a feeling this man bared his no harm. Perhaps it was his clam voice, or the gentleman's use of the word 'friend', but against his his instincts the traveller eased his defensive stance and calmly replied,
"I don't know... I don't know... anything. I just awoke in this field here and that's about all I remember about anything."

He pondered a moment, but also decided to add, "I don't even remember my name... Do you know who I am? After all you did call me friend right? Please give me some answers!" There was an air of desperation now creeping into his voice.

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

In response to this words, the stranger had jumped to his feet in a way that troubled Dreamers chances of peace. A fighters stance, one that suggested the man knew what to do had Dreamer charged in with a weapon. Good thing he had not considered the possibility, Dreamer was not as adept as a blade as he liked to think sometimes. Greater than a bandit, worse off than a warrior. Thank the gods for magic.

Dreamer saw the uselessness of a physical fight in that stance, so he put his blade back into his scabbard. The stranger was a crazy one, but he was a dangerous crazy one. Dreamer would have to continue the engagement with soft words.

"I do not know your name friend, i have just stumbled upon you myself," Dreamer said. He noted the desperation in the mans words as a sign that he was being honest. He continued, " I call you friend because i mean you no harm..." Dreamer raised his hands palms up, in a manner of peace, as he slowly approached the man. "I can do my best to help you though, if you will let me."

[Alexander "Snake" Cartwright]

As the man who's voice had awoken the traveller from his trance raised his hands in a peaceful manner, the traveller took this as a sign that he meant him no harm and that his natural defensive instincts were indeed wrong - he was right to ignore them and ease his stance. This was reaffirmed when the man spoke softly, telling him he meant him no harm.

After explaining that he did not know who the traveller was, or indeed where he was from, the gentleman offered to help him. The traveller pondered this for a few moments, wondering if he really should, or indeed could, trust someone he had just met. He wondered only for a few moments before deciding that he didn't really have a choice - after all he couldn't remember anything, and didn't even know his own name.

"I would greatly appreciate any help you could give me." The traveller proclaimed, "I don't even know my own name... but if you are to help me I guess it would make things a lot easier if you referred to me by something... perhaps 'Snake'?" He had decided to call himself 'Snake' after the tattoo and emblem that he found - as this was about all he knew of himelf - he didn't even know the colour of his own eyes. He explained his reasoning for the name to the man before him, and continued on to say,

"I know about as much about myself as you seem to know about me! Do you have any ideas how we can find out how I got here at least? I mean do you know the area well? Could we find any locals to talk to who might have seen someone bring me here or any strange happening? Oh yeah, and what's your name then... friend?" He shot out a hand in solidarity hoping the gentleman would take this as a sign of friendship...

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer was unsure of extending his hand in a fellow greeting, seeing as this man admitted to having no recollection of himself and took the name of a serpent commonly associated with negative activities or groups. Pass. He didn't mind telling Snake his name though. "Dreamer" He said, "My name is Dreamer, and i believe the village nearby may be able to offer some assistance as to the matter of whom you are...maybe".

Dreamer honestly didn't know, but it was a good try.