"I Have no Name, I am but Two Days Old"

"As we've said. Your kind are not of this world, and it's for that very reason you were summoned here. For without you, our world may have fewer summers in its future." Seeing the commanding figure's full stature worked to embolden his words to the crowd, listening with greater intent than before.

"You know, when I was a young boy, I wanted nothing but to defend the coast of my homeland as a Ranger while my companions would play the role of daring pirates. Our days were filled with wonder, hoping to remedy our boredom as any youths would" Putting out his cigar, the smoky veil's disappearance showed his mood leadened as his shoulders slumped slightly.

"Sir…" Said Daitei.

"It's all right, Daitei. But when the seasons changed, in foreign and unnatural ways, the summers brought with them ceaseless droughts while our winters wrought senseless death with a cold that would bite through your cloak and into your bones. Famine and plague, and death filled my days, with wonder long gone." 

The crowd held their tongues, as their throats closed up with the weight of the commanding figure's words choking them with silence.

"When the seasons changed, the women birthed children that never knew of springs and autumns. It was then that we stopped playing. None of us played until the seasons changed. The wonder ended once the things with unspeakable names bleached my home in unholy flames."

"I am Count Galland Arlosse, and as I stand here before you, I represent one of many nations all across our world. All of them have placed their faith in a single hope, that when those unspeakable things return, that we might have the strength to send them back to the Hells they came from."

"You want us to fight?" Said the fiery-haired girl. 

"No, we need you to fight. For what we have left, we've done everything in our power to protect our home. Bringing you here has been our last resort." Daitei added to the commanding figure's words.

"And what if we choose not to?" I asked.

"Then it would be the advent of truly dark days, but you would be free to do so."

"And if we say yes, what exactly could we do? We are just ordinary..."

"No, the Dustborne are ordinary, such as Daitei, and you've seen what he can do, even the Realm-Breakers whose magic brought you are ordinary if you imagine what youTravellers are capable of." Count Galland answered him with a surprised smirk overcoming his sternness..

"I have spoken with you honestly and have presented you with a choice. If you choose to fight, you can remain, and though the journey may be tough, as your strength matures, you will find your way home."

"Or you can move to the next room through the same door we used and live out your days away from battle. We will help you find sensible accommodation and support you with a generous stipend of 12,000 silver `marcs to help you through your first winter. Following that, you will receive a yearly income of 4,000 silver `marcs alone with a servant to care for you in a homestead or inn of your choice."

"We may have brought you here to fight but that does not mean we will cast you aside should you choose not to."

"It can't be practical to spend your money on warriors that won't fight?" Another of the four that stood outside of the group spoke up, standing with golden hair and a darker complexion, different from the rest of the group. With eyes of shimmering and piercing blue, his calm nature complemented their intensity.

"He already told us, perhaps he might not have been too clear about it. Even if we aren't fighting, having us as allies over enemies is probably the safest option." The fiery-haired girl answered, her rationale was hard to argue against after the crowd noted the Count and Daitei's silence.

"Any more questions?" Daitei turned to the confused audience.

"Uhh...so you're saying we don't have to fight, and we'll still get our money, no tricks?" A meek shallow voice echoed from behind several others in the crowd.

"Yes, of course, the stipend of 12,000 silver `marcs will be paid to you. If you wish, you can find several inns outside this building that will offer you room and board until you can figure out what you want to do next" Following the statement, multiple Travelers rushed towards Daitei.

"Then can we get it now!" The mob pleaded desperately.

"We are on the fifth floor of this building, so simply take the stairs down to the first floor, the door to your right will take you there. State your purpose and the Attendants will accommodate you..they'll be expecting our heroes tomorrow."

Before he finished his sentence, the mob left in haste, leaving the few scattered remains of a crowd that once filled the room.

"How often do you practice that speech of yours?" The young girl asked as he rolled up his sleeves and pulled out a pad of paper from his pocket, ripping out a page before asking Daitei to pass along a few quills.

"Remember you should try and limit your speech. It will return soon. For now, there's something more important I need you all to do." Handing them each a piece of paper.

"This is going to sound strange but please bear with me. I want you all to try and remember your name." While we looked at him with some confusion, once we actually tried, we found the words slipped our mind. A mess of forgotten forms that once meant something faded in and out of any sense they could make.

"Worry not, it's quite normal. Our predecessors believed it was the cost of making your way here, a constraint ensuring that you couldn't not carry with you what could halt your work in our world"

"You keep talking as if we wandered over into your world, remember you people summoned us. You are responsible."

"That is true, young lady. And as Travellers, I will guide you to the best of my own ability. All I ask is that you fight for my world"

"When you said we need to fight the season, what exactly does that mean?"

"You seem more curious than concerned. What is your name, young man?" Galland looked upon me.

"..."

"It's alright if you don't remember. Memories are usually the first thing to return after you regain your strength..." Daitei tried to console him before he was interrupted as the young man spoke without hesitation.

"It's Winnroad, at least that's what I could remember. I'm not sure if it was a first name, last name or even a nickname. It's there, at the front of my mind"

"I see…" The Count had a sudden pause with Daitei just as ensnared by the moment.

"Winnroad is it. Pardon me but it's always a bit of a shock to find one of you so eagerly awoken."

"I doubt the rest of you stayed because you were moved by my words. You must have questions. I'm sure of it." Galland's gaze scanned the room as his audience waited with baited breath.

"All right, this may be my favorite group today. Winn was it…You asked what you'd be fighting? That is an excellent question. Daitei!" He called for his companion. And upon his command, Daitei left the room through the same door they entered.

Some time later he returned. Opening the doors, a troop of rabbit-like sprites birthed from the same flames of Daitei's magic as the serpent that once occupied the room waddled out from under him.

The march of orange-red flame sprites continued into the room, each of them carrying in their even smaller hands a chest of sturdy black iron wrapped in brown leather in ornate designs far too big for them, when you could them trying not to stumble into each other as they all followed from the other room. 

Each of the cuddly sprites leapt into the arms of the Travellers, presenting them with their very own chest. Once I had a firm grasp of it, the sprites disappeared in a puff of white smoke, leaving behind a sweet scent of cinnamon and burnt pine.

"I took the liberty of preparing some resources to best equip you all. As you've heard, you are not the only group I've seen today nor will you be the last. So if you have any more questions, you can save what remains of your voice and turn to the war chest in your hands."

"While they are fairly crude in their design, these war chests contain a unique form of summoning magic, allowing us to store any number of items within them, regardless of size or shape. So, I would like all of you to reach into them and we'll help you get acquitted with its function." The purpled-eyed attendant I encountered joined the rest of us with a war chest of her own.

As well as I could understand it, the way the chest functions is through visualization. By placing a hand inside, you receive an idea of its contents, at which point an item can be drawn regardless of its shape or weight, it will be extracted whole and safely.

"Please retrieve the tome inside a chest." From her instruction, I felt my hand wade through the sensation of cool smoke before meeting the rigid cover of a book, drawing it out. The gray smoke that I pulled out solidified into the shape of a book bound in black leather.

Opening to the first page of the tome, I found a signed acknowledgement by Count Arlosse himself. It is also where I found the title of the book, the strange shapes and forms drawn on the pages aligned themselves into a recognizable state.

Traveller's Legendarium: Bestiary of Nightmares and the Unspoken Things.

With the appearance of golden print, something new was written in the book.

"The exclusive property of Winnroad."

"I'm sure this should be enough to occupy you lot till tomorrow. For now, simply explore the contents of your chest." The Count added as his purple-eyed aide set the chest onto the table.

"Should we expect our first battle tomorrow?" We asked.

"No. Daitei will take you where you need to go to begin your journey as Travellers. There is quite a bit you'll need to learn before you can go around fighting monsters."

Before Count Arlosse departed, he expressed that should any of us succeed in becoming great heroes, that we should come and find him. That we need only look as far North as we can go before meeting with the shores of the Grey Coast Steppes.

"I know I've asked a lot of you today, but I would be honored to host you all as great heroes in the near future."

"If there aren't any more questions, we'll take our lea..."

"Wait...you said there were other people right....when we eh...walked here, I saw someone, are they okay?" I finally asked.

"Mmm...oh, you mean the girl that you arrived with?"

"Yes, I don't know her, but I was wondering if she was all right?" His expression bore a discrete amount of surprise at the thought of his compassion.

"The young lady you speak of and the numerous other Travellers are all in good health."

"Oh...cough...could I..."

"If you wish to see any other Travellers outside this room, I'm afraid you'll have to wait. We intend to speak with as many of you as we can before the end of the day."

"Cough...cough…"

"And if we happen to work our way to her group, I will inform her of you."

"Don't strain yourself, like what was said before, if you choose to stay and fight, then you should head to the Attendant's floor tomorrow...they'll inform you on everything that you may still feel uncertain about. Were we to stay and do so ourselves, we wouldn't have enough time to see the others. I do hope you understand."

"What are we supposed to do till then?" I asked, trying to shake off most of my fatigue.

"For now, return to your Ward and get some rest, enough for you to return to full strength...any more questions?" Daitei answered me with his steady tone.

Most of the room seemed satisfied at this point, even I who wanted to ask more had to remain calm, or risk ending up in the same state that awoke, to avoid any pointless actions that would extend my bedrest, I nodded my head.

Daitei's gaze scanned the other Travellers that remained in the room, though they all seemed content and were keeping to themselves.

"If that is all we'll take our leave." Daitei reminded the remaining individuals before excusing himself from the hall.

After the doors shut behind him, one by one the Travellers left for their wards.

"Winn was it?" Still struggling to make out his full appearance with the dense brush of ashen hair hiding most of his visage, I pushed my bangs out of the way to find where the voice came from. 

Finding the fiery-haired girl standing in front of me, while paging through her book.

"Yes, I'm so sorry miss but I don't think I got your name."

"My name huh, that probably doesn't mean much for the rest of us at the moment. So how about you call me Au. I like the sound of it."

"Ms Aurai, is there something I can help you with?" She shut her book and focused on him after hearing his question.

"Hmm, Aurai is fine, you don't seem that much older than me, so you can leave out the miss, all right?" She said with a bright smile that brought out the shimmer of her grey eyes before she paused, waiting as a few other Travellers to pass by.

"Now that we've met, you can expect to see me again, then I'll come find you so try not to be too surprised when I do, Winn." With a gentle puff of her breath, she blew the strangling hairs out of my eyes, into a blinding dance

After wrestling my mane into a poor excuse for a knot, I would just realize that she had disappeared. Leaving nothing but her scent and the memory of her nearby. Turning back to face the entrance he used to the room, I barely caught the sight of a shadowy figure passing through the doorway, someone that clearly wasn't Aurai.

Like a warm and steady flame, the image of her was lingering in the back of my head. With a mind that had a strong affinity for visualization, from what precious little I could recall, I seemed to have an uncanny ability to recite most memories with a great deal of clarity.

 With shattered remnants of what I could piece together, I wasn't sure how long I had been able to do it, but like remembering how to count with one's fingers, the capacity of recitation remained with him and responded purely out of instinct

Now with a pleasant memory seared into my mind, another part of myself was made manifest, I had a fondness or rather a weakness for striking women, as unfortunate as it was to admit.

'I thought the doctor was striking, but it seems in this world, her charm is the norm not the exception' 

"From the emerald-eyed girl I saved from the fall to the scarred doctor and not the red-head with eyes as gray and a shimmering steel. All right, I need to focus." While the distraction offered me a moment to feel normal after everything that happened, once I returned to my senses, realizing I'm the only one left in the room, I made off.

While walking through the corridor, I couldn't shake the obvious sense of uncertainty. I wandered through the halls past a few doors etched with strange markings. Any attempt to make sense of them ended with a stinging pain in my head before I understood their meaning.

'What a steep learning curve….hopefully the headaches will pass in time.' I consoled myself, as my thoughts drifted to all that had happened.

So much was said in such a short amount of time, and even more would still need to be shared. It became clear to me that waiting till tomorrow wouldn't help to stay these feelings. 

This was a strange world with even stranger rules that governed it. I couldn't afford to stay in the dark, I needed to know more, what I understood of this world was far too little and that was never a good thing.

Walking back to the ward I woke up in, I must have worn a consumed expression about me, wandering over to my bed without paying heed to the nurse that was present.

I sat for quite a while before noticing the glare coming off her as she was making the beds of the Travellers that had already left...her piercing stare was enough to make me take notice.

So I propped myself against the bed as I got onto my feet and made my way to her. The nurse momentarily halted her duties as I approached. Once my eyes met her glare, I tried to alleviate the tension but couldn't help darting my gaze.

"Apologies, miss, it was not my intention to insult you with my rudeness. I am just…occupied." Following my apology by thanking her for efforts in taking care of me.

My hoarse voice managed to slip out of the bound chords of his throat, though not to the intended volume, startling her a bit by that and by what I was trying to say, though eventually she caught onto my intention and nodded pleasantly before carefully ushering me back to my bed.

As I got onto the bed once more, I stopped himself from lying back and instead motioned to query the nurse once again.

"If you are willing to wait a moment, I will assist you." Before I xcould ask her where she was going, she had walked out the room with surprsing haste. I spent a moment considering if I should follow her, before I stumbled towards the doorway.

"Well met, sir Traveller." Before I stepped out of through the doorway, I walked into a familiar figure

"Pardon?" One or the attendants that accompanied Count Arlosse was standing before me, their face was obscured by the book which soon came away after a series of notes slipped from the grasp of the book onto me.

When moved to pick them up, her visage finally came into view, as her violet eyes shimmered in striking awe.

"It's you…I mean, this must be your, miss".

"My thanks, sir Traveller. I was asked by your attending caretaker to addressing particular queries you may have."

"Oh, I see. Yes, if you could clue me in on some matters, I would really appreciate it, though I'm sure you needed at Count Arlosse side?"

"My lord has my peers to aid him, and should he need me, I will not hesistate to return to his side. I see now fault in using what idle time I have to assist a Traveller, I believe my lord will be most understanding of my decision." 

Her voice resembled a sweet song, betraying no sense of her age, despite appearing to resemble a woman in her late 20's, though her milk-pale skin was without a single blemish, and her black had not seemed to loose it's luster, with a tail that resembled wisps of shadows falling past her shoulders while the rest of her hair was cut short in a bob as the sharply cut bangs sat low enough to nearly obscure her brilliantly vivd violet eyes.

With her standing perhaps a foot or two above me, I could easily see beneath their cover, though the only thing I couldn't accurate note, was her figure, for her uniform had a few armoured pieces from a breast plate and pauldrons to greaves, bracers and a fauld, all which were made with a bronze-like metal lining the mostly leather armour. 

Finally a dark grey cloak hung from the straps in her shoulders, with the hood drawn back.

As intimdating as she looked, she still moved with a stunning grace and allure, picking up the fallen notes and stepping beside me to enter the Ward. After turning back to watch, I found her seat on a bedside chair

"Sir Traveller. As I recall from our last encounter, you reffered to yourself as Winnroad, yes? If it pleases you I will refer to you as such and you may address me as the 1st Honor Guard of Count Galland."

"That would be your title no? What about your name?"

"My name, sir Winnroad?"

"Yes, your name. It's only polite to exhcnage our names when properly introducing ourselves, or are things different in this world?" I hoped the chuckle I let out would translate despite my condition, but it was instead met with genuine surprise.

"I see. While an exchange of names is no issue, generally, Aimes are known more by their occupation than their name so I must admit I was taken a back by it."

"Aimes? Is that your family name?" The Count's attendant explained how Aimes were a different class of people, more a creation of Alchemy and Science than persons who had life breathed into them by the divine. They served their creators much like a tool, serving with an absolute loyalty to their owners. 

Her rationale of being known by her occupation made sense after her explanation, though I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"This is truly another world, for better or worse, I guess." The comment slipped out from under my breath, though the attendent made no indication of its notice.

"I see, then if you wouldn't mind, I like to know your name."

"..." Her brow twisted into a curious knot as she thought of a response, while her nose grew with a red tinge. "My lord named me Signe, and so I took it as my name."

"That's a lovely name, Miss Signe." Her reaction was proof enough that she enjoyed the gesture, and if I am being honest, seeing her wearing an expression of relief helped to silence a few of my own anxious thoughts.

"So, what brings you here…" A cringing feeling flitted about my mind the moment the words left my mind.

'Idiot, she's here for me, remember'I silently chastized myself.

"Sir Winnroad. I am here for you." She said, as if her gaze could see straight into the warring thoughts of my mind.

There are very few honest thoughts that come to mind once a woman as beautiful as her lets you know that she's here for you but her tone was more determined than deceptive, that much I could tell.

"And how can I help you, as you can see I'm not good for much in my current state. Really, I am just trying to understand how Count Arlosse expects us to fight your 'Nightmares'...I mean I am the furthest thing from a fighter in any sense of the word." 

While lying may have helped to sell an image of strength, I needed to know what exactly they wanted from me and to do that, they needed to what I could offer. Some small part of me couldn't help but prepare for any possibility, even the possibility of being shunned for my lack of strength.

"My lord Galland saw fit to lend our services to the Travellers that will be fighting in our stead. That would suggest that we have some considerable faith in your abilities." She answered.

"Lend, do you mean to accompany me into battle? Or do you mean to further equip us for our battles?"

"In battle you will need to be properly armed, but before anything of that, you will need a guide, a representative and an aide to help you navigate this world. As I am lead to believe, most Travellers are unable to even read or write any of the native languages of our world. I am certain the ways and customs of our world will require an even greater understanding that will take a great deal of time to gain if done without some support."

'Hmm.' My eyes narrowed after hearing her mention that reading their languages would take time, so would the headaches simply be the result of my mind trying to rationalize their language? The question seemed to fit what I had just learned though it would only bring up more questions since she said it would take time not cause pain while it did but I chose to listen before asking more of my own questions. 

'Everything made sense about what she said, except why the Count would leave out this important detail from his introduction? It made no sense why I would meet my so-called aide in a place like this and in such a strange manner no less. Surely, if we were told that would be travelling with such attractive companions on our journey, I'm sure we'd have more men joining the fight.'

"Are you trying to discern my lord's intentions?"

'Was my curiosity so obvious?'

"Yes."

'What? This is…how...can she do...

"Try as hard as you like, but it will not help. My creators bestowed upon me with a particular penchant for discerning simpler thoughts of others. Like your confusion regarding my lord's actions or…even my appearance.." The last part was said not with a sting of animosity rather with assured confidence.

Simpler thoughts...her statement was somehow pulling me to differing ends, one convincing me to test how simple my thoughts truly were while another drew me into an alien sense of calm, one that ultimately won me over though I could not make sense of why I acted in the latter manner..

Indulging the thought of calming myself, the noise of my screaming mind was suddenly muffled like it was wrapped in a cold and darkening smoke.

"Trying to cloak your mind...How are you doing this?" Her measured expression produced a furrowed brow as her cheeks also produced a pinkish tinge, spreading to her ears, before she let out a heavy breath.

Still, watching her struggle did not shake the alien calm, for the harder she tried the deeper I fell into the darkness, growing quieter and more focused, I felt the feelings of frustration, confusion and infatuation all feel away, leaving nothing but my intention, and in that resolute state, something else was there…