A cool afternoon breeze brushed my face. Leaves rustled and swirled and I could almost convince myself that nothing had changed since I had been gone. As the breeze settled, a piece of parchment caught my eye gently fluttering into the branch of a tree. I retrieved it to find what looked like a journal page written in a child's script. I rolled it carefully and placed it in my backpack. An acquaintance in Meridian would probably be interested.
I surveyed the ground where death had been only moments before and saw the sun glint off something almost totally buried in the dirt. A gentle tug unearthed a shield that I vaguely recognized. None of the creatures had carried a shield, which made this find all the more intriguing. I slung it across my back as another puzzle for my Meridian contact.
)
I headed toward the city, trying to shake the cobwebs loose from my brittle memory. I have little recollection of my past life, although I do remember fighting against the denizens of the planar rifts before. Most of my thoughts have been but whispers and fleeting images as if I was in a drunken haze. Knowing the future .... can I really be a savior? So many more questions I need answered.
)
Coming out of my deep thoughts, I found that I had instinctively appeared at the shop of my contact, a collection dealer in Epoch Plaza. He had helped me move some antiquities in the past and no one knew more about the lore and history of Telara.
"Welcome, good sir, welcome. How may I assist …," the voice trailed off and the speaker went white. "I know those eyes. You were dead. I thought I was rid of you."
)
"I'm back, Enrinke. I missed you, too," I said, ignoring the jab. "I got a few items that may interest you."
"I'm haven't been in that business for years, Darkartist, and I could care less if you ARE an Ascended. Now get away before you drive away customers," the dealer said.
I dropped the parchment and shield on the table and Enrinke's tone changed almost immediately. "That's a Freemarch Warden's shield! Where did you find it?" she asked, caressing it as it if were a newborn.. She then looked at the parchment. "And this is a page from a child's diary detailing the day the rifts first appeared in Freemarch. These are fantastic finds, Darkartist."
)
I explained the circumstances surrounding the discoveries, and as she listened, Enrinke still eyed the items intently. "There are more artifacts like this throughout Telara. Each set offers its own story. If you can bring me what you find, I'll provide you with something you may find useful in return. Perhaps having you back won't be so bad for business after all."
)
I gave Enrinke a half-smile and headed to the bank. I knew I still had much to piece together, but there was little time to think and reflect. The artifacts I found would help, but either way, the life I once knew was long gone. Instinct would keep me alive, but I needed to know what I had lost, if only to give meaning to helping secure Telara's future from Regulos. I had a headache. I needed a stiffer drink than anything I carried with me and a bed. Answers would come in due time.
