The Shadows of the Four Realms [BOOK TWO]

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Where on earth am I?

Saline scent assailed his nose. Light chilly breeze made his soaking clothes stick to his body like the sap of a birch tree. Squinting his eyes open, he found himself staring at a clear blue sky. Elbows pressed into the wet mass underneath him, he propelled himself up. At the movement, he let out a wince and a shuddering groan. Realizing that he must be injured somehow, he dropped his head back to what he realized was... sand.

Crap. A seashore.

The waves around his feet were like blue blankets under the blazing sun. For some reason, he had a feeling that he wasn't an admirer of water. And he knew not why, for what lay in front of his eyes, seemed like a dip in paradise, a mirific potion to lull one into sleep, especially after the horde of soreness in his limbs and dizzying sensation in his throbbing head. Naught but one inch of his body seemed to obey him.

And worst of all, his face seared as if freshly dipped into liquid fire. He dared not touch his left cheek and ear. All sorts of pain ignited in his body, making him aware of the injuries' existence and their exact locations. He'd count them all soon.

Sitting up, he dusted his hands off the rough sticky sand and really looked around. Yachts rolled in the distant horizon and massive ships with their nets spread floated by. Yells of fishermen and local people sauntered aloft. Gentle roars of the waves reverberated like a distant echo. Everything was salty.

Glancing over his shoulder, opposite to the infinite water, he found palm trees lined up in symmetrical semblance like sentries obeying their commander and outcroppings spread around like designs of fortification. Beyond the veil of trees, seemed to be a way into lush woods... probably rainforest or could be a village-there was no telling. The sun shone a little too bright overhead - probably this was the hour around noon.

Seriously, where the Hell am I?

"Aye, there lad. Sleep good?"

Sunrays peeked from behind the pot-bellied fisherman, who was peering down at him, face shadowed.

"M-Mister," he spoke after a parched swallow, "where might I be, exactly?"

His own bleary voice baffled him. Their lilts were different.

With a deep crease on forehead, the fisherman unmounted his coil of sailing rope from his shoulders and crouched down to his level. His dark green eyes roamed all over his body-from hair, nose, arms then at the clothes and lastly, he stared intensely into his eyes.

Unease was all he felt at the scrutiny.

"We don't get boys like you here on the island," said the fisherman with a rustic voice and narrowed eyes still studying the face he found strange, "Where might you be from, lad?"

And then it hit him. He had been asking the wrong question.

Where am I from?

How do I look like?

Who am I?

He scooted a little away from the fisherman's suspicious gaze while the latter continued his inspection - as if he were a rare specimen, as if he was one moment away from recognizing him and if he did... something told him that it would end horribly for one of them. That being his own broken self.

"I am from the n-next village." he said, "In search of work. Lost my money to thugs and then lost my... way," and looked into the fisherman's eyes, hoping he sounded convincing enough.

The fisherman did not buy it, of course. Nevertheless, he stood up and gave him a helping hand.

"Did the thugs do that to you, then?" The fisherman had his gaze fixated on his face which was most certainly scorched, then it again traveled up and down his tattered body. He gave a shaky nod, cowering inwardly at his cynical tone.

"What's your name, lad?" The fisherman hauled up his rope back.

He gulped. Another question he should have asked himself.

Why can I not remember anything?

In one brief glance, he looked at the foaming water rippling around his feet, at the palm trees swaying behind the man, felt the rush of moist air which made his billowing clothes weigh him down.

"Lad?" The fisherman raised his hairy black brows.

Say something, damn it.

He looked at the burning sun.

"Sol. My name is... Sol."