The boy’s name echoed in my mind through the night. Something about it felt so familiar. Kerth Kerth Kerth, it had a nice ring to it. I drifted off to sleep, my mind racing with thoughts about the dream and the strange sense of familiarity that I couldn’t shake off.

In my dream, I was standing in a dark forest, the trees towering above me like silent sentinels. In the distance, I could hear the sound of someone crying, and I followed the sound until I came to a clearing.

In the clearing, there was a young boy with jet-black hair, his face streaked with tears. He looked up at me, and I could see the mark on his forehead, just like in my previous dream.

“Who are you?” he asked, his voice trembling.

“I’m just passing through,” I replied, trying to hide the confusion I felt.

The boy wiped his tears away and looked up at me with fierce determination. “I need your help,” he said, his eyes burning with intensity.

“What do you need?”

“I need you to remember.” the boy said, staring daggers at me.

“Remember what?” The boy continued to stare daggers at me as if he couldn’t hear me.”

“Hey, wake up. We have to get going.” Vayren said as he poked at me with his boot.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up, feeling disoriented from the dream. “What time is it?” I asked, my voice groggy.

“It’s almost dawn,” Vayren replied, his voice serious. “We need to get going if we’re going to make it to Lethandersberg by nightfall.”

I nodded, quickly getting dressed and packing my things. As we left the inn and started on the road again, my mind was still focused on the dream. Who was that boy, and why did he keep appearing in my dreams? And what did he mean by “remember”?

As we walked, Vayren hummed a tune, a soft melody that matched the rhythm of our footsteps. Veronica walked ahead, scouting the area for any potential danger.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon, casting a warm glow over the landscape. The fields around us were lush and green, and the air was filled with the sound of birds chirping. The distant sound of a waterfall crashing could be heard from within the forest.

Upon hearing the crashing water, Veronica’s face was alight with excitement. “Do you guys mind if we stop at the falls to top off our water supply?”

Vayren shrugged, but I could see the sparkle in his eyes. “As long as it doesn’t take too long,” he said, grinning.

I nodded in agreement.

Veronica led us off the main road and into the forest, following the sound of the waterfall. As we neared the source of the sound, we could see a small pool of crystal-clear water at the base of the falls.

As Veronica and Vayren filled their water skins for the long journey ahead, I gazed upon my reflection rippling on the surface. The longer I stared, the more I noticed an uncanny resemblance between me and the boy in my dream. Startled by this sudden realization, I hurriedly unwound the Bandages from my head. As the bandage came undone and I saw my bare face reflected on the surface of the water, I was hit with an undeniable truth. 

Vayren and Veronica looked over as they finished their task. I felt a twinge of discomfort at their stares, but I knew it was unavoidable.

“Wow, where is your eye?” Vayren asked with a stupefied expression plastered across his face.

“More importantly, what is that mark on your forehead?” Veronica inquired, gazing curiously upon the mark.

 “I wish I had answers,” I said, my voice low. “But I have no recollection of what the mark on my forehead means. Nor why I lack a right eye.” I said, shaking my head, disappointed with my own answer.

Veronica’s expression softened, and she placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure it out together,” she said, her voice gentle.

Vayren nodded in agreement, his eyes serious. “We’ll help you no matter what it takes.”

I felt a sense of gratitude welling up within me. These two strangers had taken me under their wing, and even though I was a complete mystery to them, they were willing to help me find my way. I knew I was lucky that they found me. I couldn’t help but feel that with these two by my side, I would find the answers. But something keeps nagging at me. What was the boy’s name?

And then it clicked. “Kerth,” I said out loud; the boy’s name was Kerth. The twins looked at me with surprise, and I realized that I had said the name out loud without meaning to.

“Who’s Kerth?” Veronica asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“I think that’s my name,” I replied, shaking my head. “Or maybe a little brother.”

“Well, we need something to call you, so how about Kerth from now on?” Veronica suggested a small smile on her lips.

I nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. Finally, I had a name to call my own.

After we finished up at the falls, we continued on our journey towards Lethandersberg. The sun was now high in the sky, and the heat was starting to become unbearable. We walked in silence, lost in our thoughts and the sound of our footsteps.

As we walked, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. I looked around, scanning the trees and the fields, but there was no one in sight. Veronica must have sensed my unease because she walked in step with me, her hand on her sword.