Ghosts of the Past

Ashari led me to a small tent that was situated at the outskirts of the village. It looked old and unkept, and had a symbol of a three-headed dragon stiched onto it's canvas; the symbol of Ars Goetia from the game. 

"This is the trading tent, excuse it's state-- we haven't had contact with the kingdom in a long time." She opened the flap leading into the tent with her spear. 

"Why's that?" I asked. 

"The routes leading to the kingdom are patrolled by Human warbands-- especially so at the edge of the Zepar steppe." She said as she looked far off into the horizon. 

"You've mentioned the name Zepar before, I don't recognize that name from the gam-- I mean, uh, from where I'm from." I said as I entered the tent. Inside was a small standing cot, a nightstand, and an old lantern atop it. 

"Where you're from? Odd, any Demon worth their salt would know the names of the great houses." She stepped inside, but kept to standing at the edge of the tent's flap; she wasn't going to stay much longer. 

"Let's just say I'm from somewhere very, very far away." I explain as I dusted off the cot. 

"Hmph, if you say so." She shrugged, thankfully that was enough for her. 

"I am Ashari Zepar, daughter of Chieftain Ratusk Zepar. We are descendants of the great Demon Zepar." There was great pride in her voice as she formally introduced herself. 

"I'm... Ignis." I said with a simple bow. Thankfully, the oil in the lantern hadn't dried up, and I was able to turn it on; a soft glow lit up the tent. 

"Ignis... I do not recognize that tongue." She said with genuine curiosity.

"As I said, I'm not from around here." 

"As you say. To explain the meaning of Zepar is to explain the meaning of family." She crossed her arms as she began to explain. 

"I am of royal blood being a direct descendant of Zepar. Only those who have direct blood lineage to the great Demon Lords of the Lost Age can claim their name as their familial name." 

"Lost Age? How long ago was that?" I asked. 

"The Lost Age was the era of freedom, of when the Humans had not yet scattered us to the four winds." She said wistfully.

"Today actually, marks the millennia of the loss of that stolen era. It was why I was at the edge of the great Sufolk field to pay my respects. That is until I caught sight of you, of course." 

"A... millennia?" 

"Tell me, what battle happened at that Sufolk field?" I asked her. 

Her eyes were like wisps under the lantern's glow, they danced as she heard my question; there was a great sadness in them. 

"It was the final battle between our great Kingdom, Ars Goetia, and those accursed Humans, Aurum; where the first Demon Queen and 72 Great Houses had fallen."

It's been a thousand years... a thousand years into the game.

---

After telling me of the final battle, Ashari left and told me that she'd collect me in the morning. 

I was now left alone in the trading tent with my thoughts. 

From what I've collected so far, I'm a thousand years into the future after the final battle's defeat. 

The Sufolk field that I had found myself in, was where the battle had taken place. 

I thought back to that sole Sufolk in the middle of that clearing. 

"This is no good." I sighed as I idled in the dark on my cot. 

There was also the problem of me not feeling a single bit tired. 

I felt neither exhausted or sleepy. Rather, I still felt l could trek on forever through the desert. 

I looked over at the small parcel that Ashari had left me before she left. Opening it up, there was a small chunk of what looked like stale bread inside. 

I looked at it warily, not over its flavor, but rather, whether or not I would even need to eat anymore. 

I didn't feel particularly hungry, but I did sense a sort of wanting to eat it. 

I took a bite, and felt relief wash over me; it tasted terrible. 

But that meant I could taste! 

I scarfed down the bread and felt content over feeling it sit in my gut. 

Now what? My food was gone, and I still didn't feel the need to sleep. 

Maybe I should stargaze a bit? I could pretend they're sheep and start to count if I had to.

I got up from my cot and exited the tent. 

The Fractured Moon was at its zenith in the night sky, all around it were thousands of scattered stars. 

I sat down onto the sand and as I stargazed. 

"However way I got here, whether this is all just some crazy dream or a mysterious god's handiwork; it sure is beautiful." I contemplated as my eyes trailed through the night sky.

Taking a break from the stargazing, I look back at the village. All of the commotion from before had died down and it looked like everyone was finally asleep. 

Tesera and Rayji must've woken up at some point in the night to eat and are back to being sound asleep. I'm glad we had stumbled into each other, if not... well, I'd rather not think of what could've happened to them if I hadn't. 

I looked at my fist. 

I had killed a man today-- my feelings then are the same as now; indifferent. 

This apathy was like a cloud over me, I couldn't shake it off. 

I could feel emotions, but they're dulled-- even now, this peace that I'm feeling is muddled. 

I guess it doesn't help that I still don't know how I looked like. Who's face was I wearing? Was it mine, or someone else's completely? 

Ugh, I was hoping I'd escape these questions by stargazing-- not run into some more.

I guess I'm back to square one; might as well return to the tent and just close my eyes and hope for the best.

But as I began to get up, I noticed something flicker in the edge of my vision; it came from the outcrop. 

It looked like a torch.

I began to rapidly race back into the village, back to the Chieftan's hut.

The single torch had become over twenty in the blink of an eye--

This was beginning to look like the start of a night raid.