Darkness slowly shifted to flickering lantern light as he followed the elegant recruiter down a narrow stone tunnel. The recruiter's polished boots clacked sharply against the damp ground, echoing like cold whispers in the cave.
Each step sent spikes of pain shooting through his skull as his head still throbbed from the coins earlier., but he forced himself forward.
The recruiter glanced back with mild annoyance. "Keep up, boy. Hunters who can't handle a headache die before their first hunt."
'Hah… asshole,' he thought, but bit back the words. Right now, he needed information more than pride.
They descended a spiral staircase. The lanterns lined the walls, illuminating murals painted in dark reds and golds- images of shadowy beasts with too many limbs, men with swords glowing like suns, and coins floating around their heads like halos.
At the bottom, the staircase opened into a massive underground chamber. Dozens of tunnels snaked out from it like roots. A giant obsidian plaque stood in the center, engraved with golden runes.
People in black and grey hunter robes gathered in small groups, sharpening weapons or examining glowing coins under floating orbs of light.
The recruiter gestured dramatically. "Welcome to the Memory Hunters Guild."
'So this is where it begins…'
He noticed the wary eyes and subtle hand gestures exchanged between hunters. Despite their casual postures, tension simmered beneath the surface.
The recruiter snapped his fingers. A slender young woman with short copper hair hurried over, her robe marked with silver trim.
"Yes, Senior Korr?" she asked.
"Register him as a recruit," Korr said, waving a hand lazily. "He has potential… or he dies. Either outcome saves me trouble."
"Well, that's comforting, thanks for the vote of confidence," he muttered.
The girl suppressed a smile and handed him a small obsidian token. "Your recruit badge. Don't lose it unless you want your head smashed in for trespassing."
He took it, feeling its cold weight in his palm. Etched on its surface was a spiral rune that seemed to shift when tilted.
"What now?" he asked, pocketing the token.
Korr gestured him to the far end of the hall where a giant iron gate loomed. "Follow Asha. Try not to faint halfway, rookie."
As Korr walked away, Asha signalled him to follow her through the bustling hall.
He tried not to stare too obviously at the hunters resting near pillars. Some sat cross-legged, meditating with coins hovering before their foreheads. Others whispered quietly as they inspected shimmering memories, their eyes flickering with suppressed pain or eerie delight.
"Don't stare," Asha whispered. "You're better off not knowing what kind of memories they trade."
"Why? I thought memories were power," he whispered.
She glanced back at him, her copper eyes darkened spoke with a hint a anger "Power comes with a price here. Good memories soothe your mind… bad memories strengthen your will. Combat memories make you stronger… but trauma memories… they change who you are."
He fell silent, swallowing the rising unease in his throat. As they walked, they passed a hunched man in a tattered robe, clutching a bag of coins to his chest, eyes bloodshot with veins pulsing violently under his skin.
"He bought too many corrupted memories," Asha said softly. "His mind's cracking."'
'Shit… this place is hell,' he thought.
Finally, they reached the iron gate. Two hunters in black armor slid it open, revealing a vast underground training arena. Stone pillars rose like teeth from the ground, and glowing runes danced along the walls. Groups of recruits were gathered near an old man with wild white hair tied back in a rough ponytail. His robe was dark blue, marked with golden claw patterns.
"Master Jiro," Asha called out.
"New recruit." The old man turned, revealing eyes as sharp as daggers. His gaze sliced into him, reading everything from posture to spirit.
"So, another lost cub tossed to me." Jiro spat to the side, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Name?"
"…I… don't remember." he spoke with hesitation.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Recruits stopped their chatter and stared at him.
"No name? Hah! A memoryless cub with no name dares enter my grounds?" Jiro laughed, though his eyes held no amusement.
"He's special, Master Jiro," Asha said quickly. "Senior Korr approved of him."
"Tch. Fine." Jiro's eyes glimmered. "Until you earn your name back, you'll be called Ashen. Your aura feels like smoldering ashes anyway."
'Ashen? ... I guess it's better than have no name'
"First lesson, Ashen," Jiro barked, slamming his cane into the stone floor, causing cracks to spider out.
"Memory Hunting is not for the weak. You will enter the hunting grounds tomorrow. If you fail to kill a memory beast and retrieve its coin… don't bother coming back."
'Memory beast… hunting grounds… tomorrow?'
A recruit next to him snickered. "Hope you enjoy being beast food, newbie."
Jiro raised a hand, silencing them instructed, "Today, orientation. Asha, teach him the basics."
"Yes, Master." Asha led him to a quiet corner near a rune-etched pillar. She sat down cross-legged and gestured for him to sit.
He obeyed and sat down beside her.
"Listen carefully, Ashen. Memory beasts are born from corrupted memories. They manifest in tunnels, abandoned ruins, or rifts. Each beast carries a core coin within and holds a memory, skill, or fragment of knowledge," she explained softly.
"So… if I kill a beast, I get its coin, and I can absorb its memory?" He asked.
Asha nodded. "Yes, but it's dangerous. If your mind isn't strong enough, the memory will break you. There are five ranks of coins: Common, Rare, Epic, Legendary, and Mythic. Hunters are ranked by what coins they can safely integrate."
She leaned closer, her copper hair brushing his cheek faintly explained, "Most of us stay Common forever. Some reach Rare. Epic or higher… they become legends."
His chest tightened. He clenched his fist.
'If I want to survive… if I want to find out who I am… I need those coins.'
Asha smiled faintly, as if reading his thoughts. "Good. Hold onto that desperation. It's the only thing keeping you alive down here."
The iron gate slammed shut behind them with a thunderous echo that rang through his bones.
But deep inside, despite the terror thrumming in his veins, a faint spark ignited and for the first time since waking up… he felt alive.