"Fall 12th, 1553, Age of Redstone," I recite, watching the teacher inscribe the date into a new page of my drill book.

"There you are, sweetheart: the date written proper. Do you know what to do next?"

"Yes," I reply. I look at the schoolbook to my left. "I am on page 67."

"Wonderful!" the teacher replies, "Just remember that it's a new year... that means new responsibility! From now on, you have to write the name AND date on all of your drills. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

I did not quite understand why Miss Fireheart wanted me to write such useless information on every single drill. If I were the teacher, I would not make my students write such useless information. Sadly, however, I am not an adult, so I don't have that kind of authority. Adults make kids do things. Such is the way of the world.

There is, however, one adult, whom I have recently met, who seemed to treat me differently than all the others. His name is Kenneth Forthright. I will meet him in the oak grove behind the schoolhouse this afternoon.

I sit with my back against the sturdy bark of an oak, my dark hair warmed gently by the heat of the waning Fall sun. A breeze breathes softly through my blouse, giving my chest a chill.

I feel a light tap on my shoulder, and I feel slightly annoyed. Why can't my friends just leave me alone right now?

I turn around slowly and see Kenneth leaning against the tree, and my annoyance fades.

He eyes me thoughtfully, with a rugged grin. Between his fingers is a five credit bullion, its bronze sheen flashing against the angled sun. He flicks it into the air and holds his palm out. The coin halts its fall just above his palm, spinning rapidly as it bobs slightly up and down. Then the coin suddenly stops spinning, and then slowly spins the other way, before finally dropping into his hand, his fingers grasping them in the same manner as before.

My jaw drops. "That's a neat trick," I note with admiration.

Kenneth winks. "Perhaps I will show you some time." He slides the coin into a burlap pocket. "Do your parents know you're here with me?"

"No."

"Good. I wouldn't want them to worry about you. They do worry about you, you know."

"You are starting to sound like Miss Fireheart."

"Who's Miss Fireheart?"

"She is my schoolteacher."

"I see your point, but... Miss Fireheart doesn't keep secrets." His eyes gleam with adventure.

I feel a sense of foreboding, as if something horrible could happen, but there is something about this man that intrigues me. I want to know what it is, but I know that I cannot. What have I gotten myself into? My parents are going to be so angry when they find out where I am. I should have gone straight home the moment school ended...

"There is something about you which intrigues me as well. That is why I am here."

I feel my guilt fade slightly. It is as if Kenneth could read my mind. I feel understood... appreciated.

"Iris, do you trust me?" Kenneth turns to face me. His burgundy eyes bore deep into my own.

I look away to avoid the weight of his stare. "I am not sure that I do..."

"Are you afraid of me?"

I hesitate for a moment. "A little bit."

"Then why are you here?" Kenneth counters, a hint of anger creeping into his voice.

"Because you told me to come here," I reply.

"Let me give you a better reason." Kenneth holds out his hand. "I am giving you a choice. You can come with me, and I can show you what you are capable of, or you can go home, and never see me again."

"Why do I have to choose now?"

"I don't trust you enough to keep my existence a secret forever. I guess I would say that the lack of trust is..." Kenneth sighs, "mutual."

I nod, beginning to understand.

I follow Kenneth out of my home town and onto a trail on the open plains. Light turns to sunset, and sunset turns to dusk. At first I am excited, but then I begin to think about my parents... and my school... and my friends. I realize I have made a huge mistake following a strange man I hardly know.

"I don't want to follow you anymore. I want to go home," I tell him.

"It's too late now. You should have gone home when you had the chance."

"When can I go home?" I ask.

"I'm sorry, but you won't be able to go home for a while." Kenneth is starting to treat me like a child. His voice has become more bitter. "Stay close to me. It's for your own good."

We soon arrive at another town. Orange, flickering lights glow from building windows. We pass two guards which nod in unison.

"Welcome back," the guard on the left greets us.

On the opposite side of the guards is a sign that reads, "Britwal: The City of Light"

Who am I? Iris... or Fristad? I don't remember anymore.

I feel disoriented and lost. Pages have begun to cling to me like parasites. My arm is stiff as I try to reach for my side, peeling away a page painfully, like an underdeveloped scab.

I slowly raise the page up to my face. The page is full of rips and holes. The letters visible on the page are jumbled, forming neither words nor lines. I have to find meaning in those letters. I have to fix the broken memories, before they consume me.

My memories of Kenneth Forthright are few, but I know for certain that he was a madman. There can't possibly be an ounce of good in him. He brought me to the Britwal Tavern, where he hurt that miner. Whenever I tried to escape, he found me and took me back... or was that all just a dream?

More pages cling to me. I feel myself fading. My thoughts drift to pages, to lexical structures, to the void.

I hear a deep, metallic voice. It's hard to hear what it says because it's so faint. I only make out the tail end of it.

"You're going to be okay."