Merchant Crab

“Rye? Can you hear me?” Balthazar asked quietly.

After a few seconds that felt like ages, the archer blinked as he wobbled on his knees. Placing his face on his hand with a grunt, Rye slowly looked up and around the room, eyes clear from the fog that covered them a moment before.

“What… what happened?” he said with a labored breath.

“Are you alright?” asked the concerned merchant, approaching the young man and touching his arm.

Rye recoiled instinctively at the crab’s touch, turning to him with a momentary frown, as if he hadn’t recognized his traveling partner at first.

“What have you done to my friend?” Balthazar exclaimed, glaring at Ruby.

“We merely pulled the veil of fog draped over his eyes,” the enchantress dispassionately said while stepping closer to the boy. “How do you feel? Do you remember now what has been taken away from you?”

“I… how did I get here? What am I doing here?” Rye said, staring emptily at the floor. “I can remember the beach, but… but what about before? I was doing something… what was it? I know it was important. I know there was someone important.” His breathing shaky, the adventurer looked up at the woman in red. “It’s right there. They are right there in front of me, I can almost touch them if I reach out, but I can’t see them clearly. Why can’t I remember their faces?!”

Ruby leaned forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Breathe. I know it’s a lot to take in at once. It will take time for you to adapt, but your eyes have been opened now.”