Saga Untold

Prologue part 1:

I woke up, same as we all woke up, naked and alone on the beach. The jungle in front and an endless ocean behind, and the strangest feeling of deja vu that, to this day, I still can't place.

Well actually, I didn't wake up entirely alone, a few feet away from me, another human also slowly got to his feet. Our eyes met, both confused, both searching for some kind of comfort.

“He… hello?” The other human said, his voice coarse and dry. This strange person, (who I later came to know as Sarco), gave me a look like he half wanted to help me, and half accused me of being the reason why he was here on this beach. I slowly rose, scratching at something in my arm. I was about to answer when my attention was suddenly pulling to my arm. A diamond shaped implant was embedded in the skin, glowing just faintly with an orangish red light. I didn't remember much, not even my own name, but I knew enough to know that wasn't normal for my species. I stared at it with what must have been a dumbfounded expression until finally I was pulled away by Sarco’s voice again.

“Hey man,” he said, gently tapping my shoulder. Without me realizing it, he had made his way across the beach and to my side. “Do you know where we are?” I dumbly shook my head in response.

“No…” he glanced around at the deserted sand and jungle then back to Sarco. He had been a bit blurry before, but now that he was closer I could make out his features better. Mousy brown hair, average, and grey eyes, less average. “Do you remember anything before waking up?”

Sarco shook his head, his brows knitted together in an anxious expression, “I bet you don't either do you?” I shook my head.

“It’s… it's ok,” as I was talking, I began to slowly walk down the beach, Sarco following close behind like he was afraid I might evaporate if I got too far ahead.

“Hey!” He called, “I don't think we should be wandering off, someone is probably looking for us and we should stay put, that's the first rule of getting lost.” I thought for a moment.

“I guess you're right. We can't be alone here,” I finally decided.

“Did you notice you have glasses around your neck?” Sarco added. I looked down and to my surprise he was right, a pair of round lens glasses was hanging from my neck, the left lense slightly cracked. I was so preoccupied with trying to ignore the sand coating my body that I didn't notice them. I quickly put them on, the motion familiar and comforting.

“Hey look, I can see,” I said with a half smile. Sarco gave a weak attempt at a smile back, but he still looked worried, or was that his permanent face?

We stayed out for the rest of the day, first sitting at the water’s edge, before eventually moving on top of a smooth flat rock. No one came, and night soon fell, bringing a cold, howling wind.

“Some clothes would be nice right about now,” Sarco muttered miserably.

I nodded, “there would be more shelter in the trees,” I offered.

Sarco shook his head, “who knows what sort of creatures are lurking in there.” I disagreed, but was too tired to waste energy on talking. That's when I heard it, a slight trilling, clicking noise. I quickly glanced around, but it was too dark to make out much.

“Did you hear that?” I whispered.

“Yeah,” Sarco answered in a shaky voice, “but I don't see anything.” Suddenly, there it was again, and again. Something was definitely out there. I quickly stood up, my eyes darting furiously around the beach. Sarco stood up too, I could hear his panicked breaths. I heard it again, louder this time, almost a shriek. Then Sarco was screaming as he suddenly tumbled from the rock. I quickly jumped down after him, my heart racing, my mind frozen in fear. Sarco was on the ground, screaming in pain and clawing at his face. Instinctively I grabbed one of his hands to stop him from hurting himself, it was coated in a sticky goo that transferred onto my hand.

Suddenly I heard it again, I turned and was finally able to make out our dark attacker. A creature, standing just taller than me in my kneeling position, took a few quick steps towards me before pausing. It trilled again, before rearing back its head as a bright yellow fan suddenly unfurrowed from around its neck. I knew I was about to die, and I couldn't make my body do anything about it besides close my eyes in terror. But tearing claws and burning venom never came.

Suddenly, it was the creature now screaming in agony as the sounds of a desperate struggle penetrated my clouded fearful mind. I forced my eyes open and was met with a horrific scene. The creature that had attacked us stumbled back, bleeding heavily from a wound in its neck, and in front of us stood another human. I couldn't make out much of her in the dark, but I could see the source of the creature’s injuries, a rough primitive looking spear was in the woman's hands, lashed together from a tree branch and sharpened stone, and dripping with fresh blood.