"Wake up.."

A voice called out to the black void.

"Ben? I need you to wake up.." The voice kept repeating in his head over and over, his eyes stirred from the calls.

Suddenly, he woke up to the smell of soft grass surrounding his lean form, the sound of birds chirping on the trees, and the view of giant trees that blocked the sun from his dark hazel eyes.

He stood up in a sitting position to examine the view around him, and looking down to his calloused hands that seemed half clean but had spots of dirt. He scratched his dark brown neck length hair. Sadly, he didn't have some kind of mirror or a pond of water to check his look.

"Good, you're awake... I need your help." He gasped at the sound

Ben jolted at the sound of the same voice that caused repetition in his head, he looked at his surroundings, finding no one.

"Who are you?!" He called out.

"I'm not here physically, but you can hear me.. as I've already said before, I need your help."

"I.. I don't know who you are, but I can help as long as you tell me where I am and what I'm doing here.." He trails off, confused with what happened, he couldn't remember what happened before he woke up to all this. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't remember.

"My name is Esmeralda of Historia. I'm the Crown Princess. Historia is a major kingdom that has been in war with another country for years now. I.. I've been held hostage by the King of the Dark Lands, I've tried to escape many times, but to no prevail. That king is King Cronan. He.. He's a mad man, too dangerous to keep around, but I never understood why he wanted me. And I ask you this.." She trails, waiting for Ben to keep going.

"Go ahead." Ben consented.

"Will you help me stop Cronan once and for all?"

".. If this is going to help me restore my memories, I will. In return, I need you to help me what I need now. And that'd be my memories." Oddly, Ben considered her voice to be familiar, like he has known her before. He knows he shouldn't trust anyone the first day he meets someone, but he had no one to trust, and she was the closest to trust for now.

"I will help you. I'm a user of magic after all, but I'm not powerful enough to stop Cronan myself, I'm not at full power either. You have the center of my power, which is that pendant around your neck. However, you shouldn't face Cronan alone. You must find strong allies before anything else. Ask the first person you know for a map. I don't know where you are physically, but someone else will help. I will keep in contact with you once you start this quest."

"I see.. is there anything else you need?" He asks.

"You must find someone who'll regain your strength.. In early memories, you were a strong swordsman. You may not remember, but you must find someone who'll restore your swordsmanship. Although, I must take my leave now. You mustn't come alone, I believe in you, Ben..." Her voice wisps away into thin air.

He may not remember who he once was, but he knew what he had to do, and he knew he could trust Esmeralda.

To go on a quest to the Dark Lands.

In order for that to happen, find one who could provide a map, find strong allies, and find another swordsman to restore his past skills. 

He couldn't turn back from someone who needed help. He had to restore his memories, and save Esmeralda. He may not know how to go along with it, but as long as he had Esmeralda's guidance, he felt assured.

Then, he stood up from the supple grass, and stood on his brown leather boots. He wobbled a little at first, like a newborn baby trying to take it's first steps.

He was mesmerized by the views around him, where in front of him was a flower field bathing in the sun, and above him was light green leaves that blocked the sun from his eyes, he assumed that he was near the end of the woods.

Suddenly, he heard a scream echoing in the woods, startling all the critters around him.

Did someone need help?