I know the chapter sounds like a death metal band. I also know that the chapter is a little short. It is short because the main character's eyes are SWOLLEN SHUT!

Chapter 12: Black Pain

I approached a big tree on the side of a hill with great speed. I was about to have a rough fall. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth.

Pain. That was what I was thinking of. Blood ran from my ears, eyes, and even my nose. My legs crunched loudly with my arms and I didn't even believe I survived. I crawled around to no avail. I shut my eyes, accepting the warm darkness that surrounded me.

Soft hands were feeling my body. My destroyed face especially. When they touched my legs, I shivered in excruciating pain. That was one word I kept thinking of. Pain. "Don't touch him. He needs help." A rough deep voice broke the thick silence. "Go get someone. Maybe they'll help him. Avo knows I can't find my way around here." A higher, feminine voice responded. I tried to open my eyes, but soon realized they were swollen shut. A raspy voice escaped me. "Where…am I?"

"You're at Bower Lake."

"Where's that?"

"You're a nutter, aren't you?"

"I'm not… crazy." My lungs felt like they were on fire. I twitched my hands but only got an unsatisfactory groan of broken muscles and bone. "You were attacked by bandits then?"

"I can't remember. Who am I?" She grew silent. Once again soft hands felt my face. "Poor thing. You look like a hurricane hit you." I heard heavy footsteps approach us. "Oh looky here. A darkness filled woman and her new pet."

"Shut up Darrell before I kick your ass." Her pity filled voice was now replaced with rage. "Make me." I don't know how she did it but there were numerous thuds and Darrell's voice. "You bitch! You'll pay!" He must've been a complete coward.

More footsteps approached. "Here he is, right where we found 'im."

"Thank you. We will take him back and heal him."

"Well boy, I hope we meet again someday. Until then, good bye." The rough man patted my head and I replied with a groan. "I hope we meet again when your memory returns." The girl walked away, judging by her light footsteps.

The men carried me on a wooden board for several minutes until we arrived… somewhere. I was placed on a soft surface. 'Bed' my brain recognized. "So boy, you have no memory whatsoever."

"No sir."

"Do you know what occurred that put you into this state?"

"I believe it was bandits."

"Good. Now, is your heart filled with rage and vengeance?"

"Yes."

"Good. We'll see if you can learn how to fight." The man walked away. My eyes were still swollen shut. I tried my best to ignore the pain and try to sleep.

It took me five days to regain my sight. It took thrice time to limp around. They said "Your eyes must've had a terrible beating. You're body is in terrible shape. It's a miracle you're walking, let alone alive." I nodded, opening my eyes for the first time for quite a while. Everything was blurry. I looked at the man helping me. He was dressed in tan robes, his hair fashioned in a ponytail. His hair was black, but his eyes seemed to barely crack open. A pistol was at his hip, itching to be used and a katana was at his back. "I'm Christopher." He brought his hand out. My wobbly hand shook his. "Well… I'm nameless, so where am I?" Christopher paused, giving me a look as if it said 'Are you kidding?' but he replied differently. "You're at the Hero's Guild. Ever heard of it?"

"No."

"Ever heard of Bowerstone?"

"No."

"Have you heard of Jack of Blades?" My mind clicked. I clutched my head in agony. "Are you alright?"

"Just… a headache…" He looked at me worriedly. "I'm guess you're still reacting to the incident. I'm going to give you heavy doses of herbs and medicines, so you'll be out of it for a while."

"Describe 'out of it'."

"You will lose consciousness several times over a period of ten to fifteen days. You'll basically be asleep and wake up once every day to eat, bathe, and sleep." I surrendered the thought of an easy recovery. 'Damn bandits.' I thought to myself.

First day:

The food here isn't bad at all. Many people complain about the food, but I don't really care. Is it because I have no memory of what food tastes like? Or do I just have low standards for food? I had no idea. After eating, I limped painfully back to my bed. Bathing could wait for at least one day.

Second day:

More food, except I took a bath this time. Maids poured extremely hot water into a tub, and I sat in it. They looked confused when my clothes were still on as I entered the tub.

Filthy whores.

Third day:

I requested to bathe on my own. Didn't stop the maids to try to get a peek, so I threw hot water at them whenever I heard the door creek. Eating was pretty cliché now. Bread, stew, milk, and a little bit of meat was what I got. They were larger than the other meals around me. "It's because you eat only once a day." Christopher told me. The bed was a sanctuary.

Fourth day:

Nothing new, I had a strange dream though. Something about falling.

The fourth day happened for at least the rest of the time. Except for the last day, that is.

Fifteenth day:
A dark mood surrounded the Guild today. Everyone had their hoods down and dyed their robes black. I asked several members but they gave me the same answer. "A young one died about a month ago. We preserved his body until we were sure it was his. Now we're going to bury it." Christopher added "You look fine, so put on some black clothes and pay your respects." I obeyed, grabbing some dark robes from a closet. "Come with me. I followed like a dog.

We soon arrived at our destination which was a small shore where a gaping hole in a cliff was shown. I failed to shrug off the feeling of deep sorrow. I looked at a gathered crowd that was centered on a coffin. "-and so the young soul lost here not be forgotten, and his sacrifice to save a many lives. Amen."

"Amen." A chorus of voices rose. Four people pushed the coffin onto the lake. "May the coffin never sink, never die, and never crack." I gave a confused look to Chris. "They enchanted the coffin so it wouldn't ever leak or sink. It'll float around thanks to the currents." I nodded. I looked at the few, more eccentric people that were crying the most. A lady's white makeup was ruined. A dog whimpered. A man with a decapitated leg frowned deeply and looked away from the lake, as if it was too much. A light brown skinned girl had tears running down her cheek, hugging a tall man that was probably her father. But the person who interested me the most was a small girl with white hair.

I looked at her, trying to remember something. When I thought I had her name on the tip of my tongue, I had another killer headache. "Are you alright?" Christopher whispered. "I… I need rest." I fumbled my steps to my quarters. I sat in the bed, and almost wept for the poor boy that was killed. I thought out loud. "Is it better to never know what you lost or is it better to respect the memories of them?" I pondered this until I fell into a deep sleep.

"Wake up. The Guild master needs to see you." I rubbed my eyes sleepily. "Fine." I took an apprentice robe and followed the monk. "It seems you want revenge for what the bandits did."

"Yes."

"You are angry at them? They must've had reasons, right?"

"If they had a reason, I either must've been really unlucky or a complete jackass." I brought up my hood, shuffling around twists and turns of the hallways. I passed the strange funeral troupe. "I still can't believe he's dead…" The tanned girl said. She wiped off more tears. "At least he's in a better place now."

"I could've done something. I should've checked the mechanisms… This is my fault." The makeup woman patted her back, whispering words of encouragement. I left them as they wept in silence.

"Ah, the new boy is here." The Guild master was sitting down on a chair. He was tall, had blue lines on him, and had plenty of muscles to show off. He had a bard's beard and a hairstyle fashioned of shoulder length hair that was blonde. His skin was very pale. "You have recovered nicely?"

"Yes sir."

"Now, I noticed you had these weapons on you." He brought up a strange rifle, and two swords. One dark and evil, and one white. "You have the weapons of a hero."

"I am no hero."

"You will be trained to be one." He stated as if I didn't have a choice. "You do want revenge, right?" I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. "Yes sir."

"You'll start tomorrow." He waved his hand, and put his feet on a desk. "You can keep these weapons that we found on you. They look strange, so it'd be wise to look them up in our library. It's good to know your weapon." He threw the weapons at me and I caught them with ease. "You are going to be a hero. No normal human could survive that beating, let alone walk two weeks later. Go get some rest." He shooed me out of the room.