He opened his eyes and saw a ceiling.

“So I was just riding my Wyvern when this person, upon closer look I thought, ‘That’s the bastard who escape when I want him to go down this mine, wait, he dyed his hair black?’ and proceed to try and talk to him. So I landed my Wyvern, climbed up the hill, and then saw the bastard, just drop on the stone pavement.”

He was a man whose face showed battle.

“Who are you?”

The man’s face scrunched. He glared at him with annoyance. Amadan looked around. He saw no phantoms this time. The dam that he felt was lost.

“You okay?” said the man. “Always thought you are strong, but to survive that fall with only a few injuries. Look, if you are trying to kill yourself, how about YOU do it from a place where I don’t see you? You don’t know this, but you are someone who had helped a lot of people here. People were giving you a cursory glance, but the moment someone realized it was you, do you know? There was a commotion, and the people thought of helping the Aberrant Healer.”

“Aberrant Healer…”

“You are a weird guy. Odd to the point that I don’t even know what to do with you.”

“I didn’t mean to fall to my death,” he told. “I simply slipped. That’s all.”

“Bullshit.”

“Yes, I just want to get a better view of the city. I was lost in thoughts all alone and just slipped off the edge.”

He looked baffled. He was struck dumb. He turned to the other side. And then back to Amadan.

“That’s dumb as hell.”

“Yeah, it is just a dumb accident.”

“Then what about all my efforts to understanding what you’ve been through?”

“Sorry.”

He rubbed his brows.

“Well, I’m glad if that is the case. Though, I’d assume you’d want to get out soon. You here to finally accept the task?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I don’t anything about that.”

“Hey,” he said. “You don’t really think that Zula would let this go, right?”

“Who’s she?” He asked innocently.

“Your brain’s mush, friend,” said him. “Zula, the Thorn Queen’s been looking to drag you to the Thorn Legion. Oh, don’t tell me you lose your memories or something?”

“Friend,” Amadan said. “In the path month, I’ve fallen off buildings, got chased by monsters, had become a servant of a beautiful Song Maiden, and then I’ve problems with my memories and I recently slipped on top of a vantage point.”

“Wait,” he asked. “Someone actually made you a servant? Zula, the fucking Thorn Queen couldn’t do it, and somehow this Song Maiden was able to tame Lanon the Free Walker?”

“I am Amadan.”

“Oh, so you go by that name now. Hmm, I guess I’ll call myself Fez.”

“Huh?”

“What? You don’t like it?”

“No, why pick Fez?”

“I just want to call myself Fez?”

“But, names have special meaning to them…”

“Yeah, the guy whose been helping these people, running away from them with the box backpack of his, is saying all of this. Gee, I wonder how many women have your hurt by now?”

“Fez, huh, what’s your other name?”

“Castro, but I doubt that’s going to be much now. I like Fez, three letters, and easy on the tongue.”

“You are my friend.”

His face scrunched.

“That’s weird, you hit your head or something? Ah, did you finally realize the greatness that is me?”

“Fuck no, I’m just happy to see a friend, for a very long time, it has been an eternity, brother.”

Fez was about to say something but closed his mouth instead. Amadan saw it all. In all of the fragments, there was one guy who stood up for him, who was there when the light was darkest. The bystander, the soldier, and the brother he loved.

The brother who’d throw his life away for him. The friend who’d be willing to drag him out of a city filled with hostile, and die for it if he must. He was a person that should have not befriended a fool like him. After all, how can a person stay the same?

In all eternity where people betray and kick him down. The only person who stayed the same was Fez and knowing that he couldn’t help but feel glad.

The memories were like fragments. He was pulling these memories from a source. He does not know where this source is and what it will entail. For once, he was glad that the fall did not give misery, but called a friend to his side.

Fez, he thought. If this is just a coincidence, then let it be so. But friend, how I’ve missed you? If this is another meeting after so long then can I truly let this be? Can I truly have my brother back?

After all, this meeting, this friendship, it always ends with your death. No matter what, in the memories, all I see is an idiot who rushes to his death if it means that he can save the life of his friend. How many times have I seen you fall before me? You deserve better, my friend.

“You looking at me funny, man. You scare me, you fucking scare me. Anyway, did your box got lost or something? Where are you staying?”

“I am a hobo beggar.”

“Okay, weird, anyway, you can’t stay here. Zula’s out for blood, and that black hair ain’t going to help your friend. Every bastard who works for here must have seen you fall from that watchpoint. All I’m saying is, that you’re pretty much screwed if they found you. And because they have light nets now. So we better check out before she sends her hounds at us.”

“I think I’m going to be fine.”

“Bullshit,” he said. “I know you are extremely agile and strong, but friend, you are going to have a bad time when the Wizards move, they’ll be looking for you and they are expecting a fight. After all, you have played them too much of a fool last time.”

“What the fuck did I do to make her so mad?”

He smiled. “No one refuses the Thorn Queen, friend. You are the first.”