Prologue Part 4: Awakening

        A different voice started to fill my head followed by another. I knew it wasn't the Lord of All anymore.

        "Will he be alright?"

        "He's conscious but I'm sure he will come out of it. Let's just give him sometime. We should all be glad that we found this shelter. It seems whoever or whatever it was has given up their pursuit."

        The endless void stopped and the numbness of my body was gone. What was replaced instead were aches and pains that filled every muscle and bone. My throat was parched and I felt hunger for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

        "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr," a growl that would frighten any bear came from my lower body.

        "See look, Carra. He'll be fine; he's a real man. Probably dreaming about food."

        I opened my eyes and groaned as if I had just woken up from a deep slumber. 

        "Look he's awake!" exclaimed the female voice, "Quick get the others."

        Soon I was swarmed by what seemed like eight other refugees.

        Questions came at me like a swarm of angry wasps from the crowd. Everyone seemed to be curious about me.

        "Who are you? Where are you from? Are you ok? You escaped from them too? Are you hurt?" 

        Suddenly the door burst open.

        "Everyone out! He's in no condition to be harried by all of you."

        The command was quickly acknowledged as the rest of the inhabitants started walking out the door, some of them grumbling that all they wanted to do was satisfy their curiosity. What was left was a tall man clad in dirt and grime. Underneath that layer, one could barely make out the fine red and white silks that used to adorn him. Standing next to the entrance were two ladies clad in full armor. Their swords were unsheathed but not with hostile intent, more-so in a defensive posture as they curiously looked at me.

       "My name is, Hederick, a priest of the Order of Red from the eternal city of Galitia or what was once the eternal city."
       I had heard of Galitia before although I had never been there. Traders from there used to come to Mell for the cheese and cured meats that we produced. It was rumored that buildings as tall as mountains could touch the sky. It would require a day to walk to the other end of the city so people rode metal carts that powered them through the roads. Food was aplenty and any invaders were quickly thrown back by its towering white walls.
      "Behind me is Lady Jessica and Lady Rylai of the Queensguard of Galitia."
      I greeted them in return but they gave no response except bowing and sheathing their swords. Their armor was covered in dents and was dirtied but one could tell they were once the finest works of some master armorsmith in Galitia.
      "It is good to meet others," I replied, "but I'm not sure I understand where I am or even how long I've been asleep or what the Order of Red is."
      "First of all, you are near where we found you this morning. I'm surprised just as much as everyone else is that you recovered so quickly. We all had no idea how long you would be asleep."
      It was incredible. I couldn't believe that it had only been a matter of hours since, when I'm assuming was when I collapsed. It had seemed as if eternities had passed by where I was simply lost and drifting through the void.
      "I'm more surprised you do not know what the Order of Red is but then again I'm not. We are but the last order of what was once many orders that serve the Lord of All. During the fall of Galitia, the elder priest Dyalenmore and Queen Aunor ordered me to find a temple dedicated to the Lord of All so that the remains of our great city could be rebuilt there and the end of times stopped. For my protection, they ordered the two ladies of the Queensguard to guide me through the secret tunnels out of the city. Sadly, I believe the three of us are all that remains of Galitia."
      "The Lord of All!," I exclaimed. That was the voice from my dream. "I had a vision, someone or something called the Lord of All made me accept some contract and record everything and rebuild and..." I couldn't find the words to communicate what I wanted to say.
      "It is ok. I understand everything. The Lord of All told Dyalenmore in his vision of your coming. Although I wish we could just rebuild the temple complex right now and set everything right, I know this is impossible. In fact, I am glad you woke up because we need you to heal up as fast as you can. Food is short and we have very little in resources to share between our group. We won't survive a week, let alone have the energy to be able to rebuild the temple."
     "Alright. I will do what I can."
     "Excellent. Also, before I forget, I want to say that I know of your mission. In this chest you will find pages and a quill so that you may complete the task the Lord of All has been assigned to you. From here on out, you and your descendants will be honored as the ones who will record everything of importance that occurs."

Although this preface does end, it is but the end of only the beginning. I know not how long it will take before our mission is accomplished or I end in failure should that be my fate.

I, Julius Stern, do swear upon the Lord of All that what I wrote here is accurate and the truth to the best of my memory. May the light guide us forward eternally.