Mourning Light, Cinder's Knight.

— O —

I… remember. Vaguely. The scene I try to lock onto my mind slips past my consciousness as oil between my fingers. Slippery and elusive, but leaving just the faintest trace of its passing as evidence of its validity, of its reality.

I remember heat. Scorching warmth pounding against me, demanding subservience and the air that habits my lungs. Demanding my life.

I refused. I don't know how, but I knew I did. I remember a face, splotchy and vaguely formed, almost a blip in my memory - but something pulls me towards it. Something tells me that it's important - that I need to remember. That I couldn't allow myself to forget completely, or risk losing a part of what made me, me.

I remember warmth. Different but not dissimilar to the scorching heat, blanketing me in a soothing embrace that I just couldn't bring myself to shove away.

I remember a voice. Soft and light and playful.

I don't know who the owner of that voice is, but I want to remember so, so badly it burns...

And I… I remember…

S t a r s . . .

— O —

The first thing I notice is the softness of the ground beneath me, and the distant sound of water crashing against rock.

My eyes open of their own volition, forcing me to shut them when a lance of light spears my eye and tears away a wince out of my battered, parched throat.

I lay in the ground for an indeterminate amount of time, the passage of the aforementioned acquiring an ephemeral quality, almost as if it were a malleable, pliable thing.

What an absurd notion.

In time, I managed to get up. I try then to survey the zone I'm in with a moderate amount of success.

The first thing I notice is the body besides me, and the clothes we are both wearing.

She is… Small. At least comparatively to me. A small nose, frizzy brown hair, small lips and a small frown is all I can see. The rest is kept behind some form of white and blue robes that cover her completely.

I notice the mace and the strange bell at her hips, and tense. The thought of disarming her crosses my mind, but I decide against it.

Better to have a possible ally than a sure enemy.

I look at my own clothes, and note that they are more armor than mere robes, unlike my… Companion?

A leather cuirass covers my torso, held in place by straps and buckles. There is a single pauldron at my right shoulder, holding what appears to be the tattered remains of a long destroyed red cape. Complementary leather pants and a padded red undershirt complete the outfit.

If you don't count the seathed broadsword at my hip, that is.

I take it out, and curiously run a finger along its edge. I can tell with uncanny accuracy that aside it's somewhat battered appearance, it's preternaturally sharp. I find it's grip… unfamiliar, but comforting. Like a long lost friend I can't quite picture anymore.

My companion stirs, groans and tries to roll around the grassy ground, trying and failing to find comfort.

She opens her eyes slowly, meticulously. I can tell that the glare of light that blinded me doesn't do so for her.

Once adjusted, she tries to get up on her own, knees apparently weak and wobbly beneath those robes.

A moment of hesitation, then, I offer my hand.

Two eyes snap towards me, drinking in my presence. I can see how the muscles of her back and shoulders tense once her roving gaze grazes past my weapon, but she relaxes minutely once it's apparent that I don't intend to incur harm upon her.

She takes her time, but picks upon my offer of assistance, gripping my arm and heaving herself up with some small assistance from my own strength.

I find myself pleasurably surprised about the fact that she appears to weigh almost nothing to me. Her undignified squawk is enough to tug my lips in a small smile, some small amount of unnoticed tightness leaving my body at the same time.

She huffs, apparently indignant, but I can see her own smile.

"Wh-"

I cough harshly, the forgotten soreness in my throat coming back with a vengeance and a half, and I can't bring myself to slap away the hand that starts running soothing circles around my back.

Once somewhat recovered, I clear my throat to liberate it from any lingering pain, and ask.

"Who are you?"

I see gearing up to answer automatically, then she stops and frowns, slowly closing her mouth.

"I… don't know."

She fidgets, scrunching her nose once again. "I think… I think you could call me 'A'. I know, I think my name started with that…"

I hmm, noncommittally. The scenery around us is no more than a round chamber of rough stone, a single crack in the dome permitting some kind of light to filter through and not leave us in complete obscurity. There is not much more to say about it, except that the ground feels extremely soft.

My eyes flicker back at her, and slowly, I answer. "Call me 'T', then."

Her smile lightens up by the smallest margin, but it does.

It… makes me feel something.

We both look towards the light, apparently the crack in the stone being the only in or out of here. The decision isn't hard to make.

We start walking, with me in front of her. I have the most effective armor, so that seems like the more logical choice.

I can't help but frown at the fact that I put myself in front of her – shielding her – before any of that crossed my mind.

It just felt… natural.

Not long after a walk across a small ravine, we finally encounter the source of light, and what a glorious sight it is.

A small town welcomes us, barely more than a couple of houses, what appears to be a temple, and a small mansion. The sea roars gently at our right, waves crashing and creasing against a sheer cliff.

There is something inexplicable about this place. It soothes the nerves and lowers our guard, a content sigh escapes my lips before I can prevent it.

This place… this place feels like that someone I need to remember.

It feels warm and content.

It feels like home.

A name dances across our lips at the same time.

"Majula…"