There was a soft light in front of him. He tried to reach out and touch it but couldn't find the strength to lift his arms. All he could do was stare. A voice began to call out but he couldn't make out the words. The light began to grow brighter and the voice became clearer.
"Open your eyes…wake up, Fjord."
The voice gave Fjord the strength he needed as he slowly opened his eyes. He found himself in a chamber floating in warm water. As he sat up the water began to drain and became confused. How did he get here? How long has he been here? And whose voice was that?
Fjord stepped out of the chamber, he seemed to be in some kind of cave, and realized that he was only in his undergarments. His other clothes must have been removed before he had been placed in the chamber. He tried to remember how he ended up in this strange place but his mind seemed blank. He swallowed and there lingering sweetness on his tongue that he hadn't noticed before. It didn't take long for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and he saw a strange shape that emitted a dull, gray glow.
"That's the beacon!" the voice spoke again. "You should take it, Fjord. It can help you."
Fjord looked around, trying to find the source of the strange voice but no one else was in the cave. He didn't know why but he trusted this voice. It sounded like they were trying to help him. So he grabbed the beacon and began to look around to see what else he could find. He found some old clothes lying around and a bag to keep the beacon in. It felt like he needed to keep the object safe, even though he wasn't quite sure why. He began to walk towards the entrance of the cave when the voice began to speak again.
"Fjord…you are our only chance…Wildemount needs you. I need you."
Fjord felt a sudden tightness in his chest that he couldn't explain. So he took a deep breath and with the voice guiding him, stepped into the unknown.
As he stepped out of the cave, he covered his eyes to shield them from the sun. He seemed to be in the middle of a forest. Fjord continued walking and realized that he seemed to be in the middle of a valley. He tried to see if he could jog his memory but everything still seemed so foreign to him. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he almost didn't hear another voice speak to him.
"I don't believe I've seen you here before," a woman spoke. She was sitting on the ground next to a small fire. Her body was covered in a cloak and her face was hidden by a hood. "It is a bit strange to see another soul in these parts. What is your name?"
"Uhh…Fjord," he said. That was what the voice in the cave had called him.
"You seem unsure of yourself," the woman said. "Do you not know your own name?"
"It's Fjord." That sounded right. "Who are you?"
"Oh, I'll spare you my life's story. I am just an old woman who has lived here for a very long time."
"Where are we?"
"You ask many questions," she smiled. "Right now we are in a place called the Marrow Valley. It used to be under control of the Dwendalian Empire."
Fjord simply stared at her.
"Or if you want me to be more general, we are in the country that is called Wildemount."
"Wildemount," Fjord repeated. The voice in the cave mentioned Wildemount.
"Hmm," the woman sighed and stood up. Fjord tried to see if he could get a better look at her face but it was still mostly covered by her hood. "Do you see those towers all the way over there?" Fjord turned around so that he could see what she was pointing at. In the distance he could see ruins of what use to be three towers. Only one seemed to be still standing.
"Those towers used to be the Tri-Spire. They were in a city that was called Zadash. That middle tower looks high enough. Go climb that tower and see if things start to make more sense."
"But how will I-" Fjord turned around to speak to the woman, but she and the fire were suddenly gone.
"Hello! Ma'am!" he called out but she seemed to have disappeared. He looked back at the tower. It seemed far away but if this tower would give him answers then he was willing to take the risk.
Fjord continued his walk when he saw a small fire in the distance. He hurried towards it thinking it was the woman from earlier but was shocked when he realized he had stepped into a small goblin camp. Three goblins stared at him for a moment before one launched at him. Fjord managed to duck out of the way but the other two goblins grabbed weapons and ran towards him. Fjord struggled to fight back at first. One of the goblins left a nasty cut on his arm. But Fjord was able to grab an old sword and he swung with a strength that he never knew he had. The blade felt familiar in his hand, like his body knew what to do even though his mind did not. He killed the creatures quickly and attempted to bandage the wound with some of their supplies and he continued towards the Tri-Spire.
When he finally arrived at the tower he was nearly out of breath. But as he reached the top he felt like he could see the whole country from here. He saw a castle in the distance and squinted his eyes. There was a darkness surrounding the castle and Fjord felt his stomach fill with dread. It didn't know what happened but he knew it was something bad.
"You have been sleeping for the past 100 years." It was the voice that he had hear earlier in the cave. "When the beast regains its true power, the world will face its end." Fjord looked closer and saw a large shape coil around the castle. It looked like a giant serpent. "Please hurry, Fjord! Before it's too late!"
Fjord stared at the creature and tried to make sense of what was happening when he heard the old woman speak again and he nearly jumped. Had she been here the whole time? How did she climb the tower so quickly?
"Did anything occur when you climbed up here?" she asked.
"I…heard a voice," he replied.
"Did you recognize this voice?"
"No, I didn't."
"Well, that is unfortunate," she sighed and looked at the castle. "But you did see the atrocity surrounding that castle?"
"Yes, I did see that."
"That monster is called Uk'otoa." She spat. "A hundred years ago that beast destroyed most of Wildemount. That castle is in Rexxentrum, which used to be the capital. It has been able to contain the evil for the past 100 years. But just barely. I don't know how much longer she can fight him."
"She?" Fjord asked.
"My daughter," the woman nearly sobbed. The woman removed her cloak and revealed dark red skin and red hair to match. Her skin was as red as a…ruby.
"The Ruby of the Sea," Fjord said quietly.
"So you do remember me." She said faintly. "I'm sorry I was so secretive in the beginning, But I didn't know how you would react. A hundred years ago there was a legend saying that a cleric and a knight would be able to destroy Uk'otoa. That cleric was my daughter, Jester. And the knight was you Fjord."
"A knight?" Fjord grabbed the side of the wall to keep his balance. This morning he barely even knew his name and now he learns he was a knight who was asleep for a hundred years.
"You were nearly killed by a traitor," she explained. "And Jester brought you to the resurrection chamber to heal you. And then she went to face Uk'otoa on her own."
Fjord watched as tears began to fall down the woman's face. He tried to think of something to say, but there was nothing that he could think of to make her feel better.
"Uk'otoa took everything from me. My home, my daughter, and even my life. I have remained here as a spirit ever since."
"Is Jester the one who has been talking to me?"
"Yes, I believe it is her," she said. "Fjord I have no right to ask you this and I know there's still so much you still don't understand but please, please help her. You're all she has left."
Fjord simply nodded. He felt a sense of duty to this woman and to Jester.
"Thank you," she cried. "If you are going to face Uk'otoa then I would suggest going to Felderwin." She pointed to a path that headed south. "Look for Nott the Brave. She can tell you more of what happened a hundred years ago,"
"Not brave?" Fjord asked.
"No, Nott the Brave. She can explain more than I ever could."
Fjord nodded again and began to climb down the tower.
"Thank you, Fjord," she said again. "Thank you." And just like that she flickered out like a candle.