Elendir Keep

'I now know why he was acting like that before... But, how did he lose his memory? Did it happen when he was staring blankly at the air the whole lesson? Hmm... He sure suits the description of some Main Character tropes... Ah, right! It was he who was throwing away gremlins effortlessly, right? Has he already reached that kind of level? Hehe, it seems like I discovered a hidden powerhouse among us.'

Harry thought with a hint of excitement. The thought of Max potentially being a secret protagonist made Harry's heart race, his mind buzzing with possibilities. 'Hehe...'

Max, however, seemed lost in his thoughts, trying to piece together the fragments of his memory. He looked at Harry with a serious expression, almost as if he were trying to solve a complicated puzzle. "So, if I have amnesia, does that mean I don't remember anything from before I woke up in that place?"

"In the classroom," Harry nodded while correcting him, his expression softening with sympathy. "And yeah, it sounds like it. But don't worry, we can figure this out together. Maybe your memories will come back on their own, or we can find someone who can help. This is a fantasy world after all. "

Max nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Harry. I guess I have a lot to learn and catch up on."

'At least he seems to know what to do.' Harry grinned, clapping Max on the shoulder. "No worries, buddy! I've got your back."

'Hehe, I will be leaving my back to you...' (Harry's inner thoughts) 'My secret protagonist friend.'

"And hey, if you were fighting monsters and saving people without any memories, imagine what you'll be able to do once you remember everything!"

'Well, I hope you won't become a villain that is all.'

Max smiled back, a small spark of determination flickering in his eyes. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

As they continued talking, the door to the room creaked open, and a tall man stepped inside. His face was lined with concern, and his eyes quickly scanned the room until they landed on Harry and Max. "There you are," he said with a sigh of relief. "We were worried when you didn't wake up right away."

"Oh, hello big man." Max waved his hand nonchalantly.

Harry looked up at the man, recognizing him instantly. "Mr. Thompson!" he exclaimed with a foolish grin. "Glad to see you're okay too."

"Same goes for you, Harry." Mr. Thompson replied. "It's good to see you up and about. I was starting to worry you two might sleep through dinner."

"Dinner?" Harry's eyes widened in surprise. As if on cue, his stomach let out a loud growl, echoing in the room.

Max's stomach rumbled right after, even louder. He looked down at his belly with a bewildered expression before glancing up at Harry. "I guess I'm hungry."

Harry laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Seems like we both are. Thank you for checking up on us, Mr. Thompson."

Mr. Thompson chuckled, nodding towards the door. "Come on then, let's get you something to eat. We've got a nice hot meal waiting in the main hall."

As they stepped out of the room, Harry took a moment to observe his surroundings. They were in a long, narrow corridor lined with smooth stone walls and lit by flickering torches mounted on brackets. The atmosphere was cool and damp, with a faint earthy smell hanging in the air, reminding him of an old castle dungeon.

He noticed several other doors like the one they'd just exited, each one looking old and sturdy. A few had small windows at the top with iron bars, giving off an impression of cells rather than rooms. Harry frowned slightly, wondering where exactly they were.

"Hey, Mr. Thompson," Harry called out as they followed him down the corridor. "Where are we? This place looks... pretty medieval."

Mr. Thompson cleared his throat. "This place we're in is called Elendir Keep. It's a base for...well, I guess you could call them survivors. People like us who got pulled into this world by that... voice thingy." 

"Elendir Keep?" Harry repeated, the name rolling off his tongue with a foreign, almost mystical sound. "So, this is like some sort of medieval fortress after all?"

"Pretty much," Mr. Thompson replied, giving a nod. "After you fainted, those of us who were still standing, including this guy, Max was it, managed to carry the injured across the opening to the wall that surrounds this place. The inhabitants here saw us soon after and lowered ladders. We climbed up and found ourselves in this place. They've been kind enough to take us in and help us, even though they seem to have their own problems."

As they continued walking, Harry noticed more details—the moss growing between the stones, the faint sound of dripping water somewhere in the distance, and the occasional flicker of shadows cast by the torches. The corridor soon widened, leading them to a staircase spiraling upwards.

Mr. Thompson gestured for them to follow. "You'll see for yourself soon enough. The people here have made this place pretty safe, all things considered. And there are more of us here, too—other people from the school. Some of them appeared directly in the keep when we were first transported. They were lucky. They avoided the worst of it."

Max, who had been listening quietly, tilted his head. "And the others? The ones who weren't so lucky?"

Mr. Thompson's face grew grim, his usual solemn demeanor even more subdued. "Not all of them made it. Some groups were transported to places far more dangerous than where we appeared. A lot of people didn't survive… far worse than us."

At this, Harry's heart sank.

Memories of the chaos when they first arrived in this strange place flooded back—screams, blood, the sight of people he knew or didn't know being overwhelmed by those monsters. The memory was like a cold hand squeezing his chest, and he felt a heavy weight settle over him.

For a moment, they walked in silence, the only sound being the echo of their footsteps on the stone stairs. Harry tried to push the thoughts away, but the faces of those who didn't make it kept resurfacing in his mind. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. 

Eventually, they reached the top of the stairs, where a large wooden door stood open, revealing a spacious hall. Inside, long tables were set up, laden with food. The smell of freshly baked bread, roasted meat, and something sweet filled the air, making Harry's stomach rumble even louder than before.

The hall was bustling with people, some familiar faces from school and others who were clearly strangers. Some were sitting at the tables, eating or talking quietly, while others moved around, carrying trays or tending to small fires along the walls that seemed to be for cooking. There was an energy in the room—a mix of relief and unease.

"Here we are," Mr. Thompson said, trying to bring some cheer back to his voice. "Food's over there, help yourselves. We've been through a lot, but we're safe here, at least for now. We'll talk about everything later."

Harry nodded, still feeling the weight of their losses but also grateful for the shelter and the food. He glanced at Max, who looked equally overwhelmed but also curious. "Come on," Harry said, managing a small smile. "Let's get something to eat. Weren't hungry?"

Max nodded, following Harry as they made their way to the tables. Harry couldn't shake the feeling that despite the relief of finding safety and some semblance of normalcy, this was only the beginning of their journey in this strange, new world.

It was a big question whether they would return to Earth or not.

However, Harry would do everything in order to do that.

He needed to see his parents.

Tell them he survived, see them alive...