Plains stretched out in every direction. The ground was charred and burned, probably a result of this war that everyone kept talking about…
Trees were very scarce, and a dried up river stood along to the right. I stared out at the agony of it all…
So these were the effects of war. The lands were destroyed and ruined, all because of it.
Victoria glanced up at me. "Hey, come on, don't look so depressed." I looked at her. "The areas around the capital are the only places like this, every else things are a lot better…"
I laughed lightly. "Well, I guess I wouldn't know."
"Hey," Victoria smiled at me, "come on, the town of Verse is a lot more prettier than this.
Besides, it isn't Rhythm or Rhyme property."
"Oh?" I asked. "Then whom does it belong to?"
Victoria sighed. "Well, I don't exactly know to much about it, since I'm not that religious. But, town's where the Score is read are considered neutral between both kingdoms."
I stared up at the clouds. Hm…a place that's neutral…? A place were neither kingdoms interfere…?
We continued walking across the plains, all along discussing the Score.
"So, if this Score thing told me I had an hour to live"-
"Well, I guess that'd mean you would have an hour to live." Victoria laughed.
"Shut up…"
"Oh, we're almost there."
We were nearing a field that was slightly more abundant with vegetation. Grass actually grew here and there were several trees scattered around. However, the scenery still had a sort of bleak atmosphere about it. Like the lingering feeling of violence and bloodshed…
"Hey, Victoria"-
A snorting noise..."B-Boars!"
There were nearly five of them, circling us, eyeing us with hunger. Their manes were thick and their eyes beet red.
"Damn! Let me handle this, get back!"
I reached back for my sword, just as one leaped towards me. I wildly thrust forward and struck it straight through the chest…
Hacking and slashing with madness, I killed all of them.
This sword…had I used it before?
I just couldn't remember, had I been skilled with a sword? Had I ever fought…ever killed before?
Victoria sighed.
"The monsters have been appearing more frequently since the war ended. I guess it's only natural, the grass, their prey have all been diminished…"
I nodded. "I guess there's no avoiding it, we'll have to fight for our survival out here."
"Yeah… Well, Verse isn't to far away now, let's keep going."
The town of Verse was indeed a lot different from the capital of the Rhythm kingdom. People actually smiled here, sitting on their front porches, working in their barns…
Towards the center of the town stood a cathedral made of stone, with a mosaic tile of a choir singing engraved onto it. I put my hands behind my head. "Well, I guess we'll finally found out if that phony baloney Score crap is real or not now."
Victoria laughed. "Don't be so negative. It might really not come true then."
"Yeah, right."
The priests in the cathedral all greeted us with warm welcomes as we entered. Several of them bowed their heads in respect.
"Well, they seem pretty friendly" Victoria commented.
Several of the priests mentioned a 'Wilhelm' and 'his' Score.
"H-Hey."
Victoria turned to face me. "What wrong?"
"Well, shouldn't it be Yulias' Score?"
Victoria looked at me questioningly. "Yul-ee-ah?"
I shrugged. "I don't know, forget about it."
Yulia? I had no idea why I said that… Who was…Yulia?
At the far end of the cathedral sat a man in a blue silk cloak. He sat behind a counter made of white marble, with a violet-colored stone resting on top of it. "Greeting, O Children of Wilhelm" he said when we approached him.
"We've come to get our Score read" Victoria smiled.
The man nodded.
He was old, I noticed. I could see heavy wrinkles on his face from underneath the hood of his cloak.
"Yes, of course. Will you be first, young master?"
I scratched my forehead.
"Uh, sure, why not…"
Victoria tapped me on the shoulder. "Go for it" she whispered.
Just when I was about to sit down, however, I felt a pounding in my head.
Damnit, not again…
Words zigzagged through my mind.
Score…drug…drug…drug…
"Ugh…"
Victoria knelt down beside me. "W-what is it?"
I shrugged and turned towards the Score reader.
"Um, sorry about that, could you read my Score, please?"
The man nodded. Score, drug… What could it possibly mean?
"ND 2020, There"-
And then I felt my eyelids drop, and I fell forwards.
Images… Someone with my face…someone snarling…
A man and a women standing besides him…
There's boy with golden hair, smiling, laughing…laughing with…me?
A girl holding a dying boy in her arms…sobbing, tears running down her cheeks…
Another girl dressed, as royalty, staring into my eyes, a worried, pained expression on her face…
Someone with tired, red eyes, placing his hand over his face…
Collapse…a town collapsing…
A man holding a sword, ready to strike…
And then, a girl…a girl with long, silky brown hair…with pale, watery blue eyes…
Then there were words…words emerging from her lips…
Come home…I'll be waiting…always…
I bolted upright.
I was in a bed in an inn, with my headache beginning to wear away.
What did it all mean? What the hell…
I pressed my palms to my head.
Damnit…
"H-Hey!"
Victoria stepped into the room after poking her head in first to check up on me.
She walked into the room and sat down on the edge of my bed.
There was a long hanging silence in the air until she finally spoke.
"Vincent…"
I looked up at her.
"H-huh?"
"Vincent," Victoria replied, "It means reborn in Ancient Symphonian. I just thought…that since you can't remember your name"-
"Victoria."
She looked up.
"Thanks."
She smiled. "N-no problem. The Scorer said that we should head to these mountains next. He said we'd gain wisdom…Or some other crap like that" she laughed. "I just thought that since we're going to be traveling together, I should at least give you a name. I mean it fits, doesn't it? You're getting new memories and-"
I laughed.
"Ok, call me Vincent from now on. Or Vinny."
I then hopped out my bed and reached for my sword, which rested against a drawer.
"All right, let's go."
Victoria smiled and nodded.
I had no idea what all those images meant, but I didn't really care at the moment. But, there was something that kept itself implanted in my mind.
That girl who told me to come home…