Alive

“Hnngh, am I dead?” you mumble to yourself as you slowly open your eyes to the invading light.

It seems we are alive.

“That's always good,” you say out loud.

“Who are you talking to dear?” a female voice from the other side of the room.

As you look around to see who it was who had spoken you take note of your surroundings. Beds lined up nice and neatly, white walls and floors, the sterile smell permeates the air. This must be some kind of hospital. Sitting up in the uncomfortable bed to look over farther to your left you notice a sweet looking lady with a nice smile on her face. She must have been in her early 50s you would guess, wearing a nurses uniform.

“Ah, nobody” you ramble “nobody at all..”

You can see by the look on her face that she didn't buy it. But she doesn't mention it.

“I'll be right back dear, the great sage wanted to be informed the moment you awoke”.

“The great sage?” you ask in confusion.

“Yes dear, he will be along in a moment and he will explain everything”. She explains while leaving the room.

We don't like it.

“You don't like what?”

What is this place? Why are we here? Who is this sage? Are we captive? Did they do anything to us? Are we safe? Too many variables. We. Don't. Like. It.

“I'm sure it will be fine”.

It's an attitude like that that almost got us killed in a blizzard you know.

“But I didn't die, did I?” you say smugly

… Yet.

“What do you mean?”

They are listening to us, do we know this?

“Who?”

People on the other side of the door, they are listening to us talk to ourself.

Quickly you cast your gaze towards the door in question just to see the crack in it close shut.

We. Don't. Like. It.

“Do they think that I'm crazy? Talking to myself.”

Who said that we aren't crazy?

“Oh..”

Oh.

Suddenly the door swings open. There is a man on the other side. He must be 6 feet tall, dressed head to toe in a green robe with a matching hat. Long grey hair flows out the back and a long, straggly grey beard to match.

No points for guessing who the sage is...

You try to stifle a laugh.

The sage looks at you, examining you up and down.

“Good morning young boy!” he practically shouts with excitement. “My name is Wildur and I hold the title of great sage!”

Nailed it.

“And who may I ask, are you?” This seems like an innocent question, but the vibe he is giving off right now seems more of an interrogation.

“Who am I?” you repeat

“That is what I asked...” he confirms

Shit... Who are we?

“We- err... I don't remember,” you confess.

His ears pricked up at your faux pas but let it slide.

“You don't remember who you are?” he rubs his long beard.

“No, the only thing I remember is the freezing cold. And then I woke up here”. You decided you leave out the part about the voice inside your head. It seemed the safer option.

“I see...” He ponders for a moment “Memory... A tricky thing. Once lost it rarely returns”

Gee thanks for the vote of confidence.

“Where am I?” You at least deserve an answer to that.

“You don't even know where you are?” he seems surprised.

This guy is almost as dumb as us... If we knew why would we ask?

“If I knew that I wouldn't ask, would I?”

Ha. You said it.

The sage seems slightly taken aback by your change of attitude but lets it slide once again, assuming this is due to the position you are in.

“Well young man, you have arrived at Ardenfell Academy, home to the greatest mages the world has ever seen!”

You've gotta be shitting me...