Story Arc #1: The Castle of Shadows

A Second Life

A chapter of a ‘choose your own’ story.

This is a collaborative web-novel. You might want to start the story at the beginning, here. You could also go back to the Mysterious Bedchamber branch by Sieran Lane, the Cat and Mouse branch by JF Danskin, or the Dilemma in the Darkness branch also by JF Danskin.

And please check out this article to find out how you can to contribute to this and other ‘choose your own’ stories in this publication!

You look at the svelte green woman in front of you, and decide that enough is enough.

“I’ve had it, Daniela!” you declare loudly. “I tell, you, I’m not Fiona, I’m not your lover, and I want you to turn me back. Now!”

She recoils slightly as if stung. “Back? Fiona dear, your memory is just so scrambled, it’s really tragic. As I’ve told you, we are of the Eadrom people, and your current shape is your real, natural form. It was my enchantment that turned you into a human, but it was a difficult task, and I can’t repeat it without a lot of help from the enchantresses back home.”

You ball your fists in frustration. You don’t want to fight with Daniela, but you’ve had enough of her games. You wonder for a moment if you should insist that she gets these ‘enchantresses’ to help.

But it is Daniela who speaks next.

“This is a sad moment for me, my wife,” she says in a low voice. “You were always the best and strongest among us, and I hoped you would be able to cope with the transformation without losing your sense of self. But now, you seem to have totally forgotten who you are, or where you came from.”

“Nonsense,” you respond sharply. “I know everything about my…”

But you tail off. When you start to think about it, you realize that you don’t really know anything about your own life.

Where did you go to school?

What even is your real name?

It’s like your entire life began the moment that you woke up in that mountain cave.

Daniela sighs again. “Sadly, I think I’m going to have to send you back to our people to get help. Your bravery won’t be forgotten, Fiona! The finest scientists and enchantresses of the Eadrom will surely be able to fix your mind and your memories. One day, we will be together again.”

“Umm…” you reply, but before you can voice further objections, there is a flash of light, and your surroundings disappear…

You find yourself on a balcony of a large building made out of green stone. Ahead of you is a strange gold and blue city. Rather than being spread across the ground, the buildings form enormous clusters, with a misty pale sky above.

It’s like nothing you have ever seen — at least, not that you remember.

Soon, more people who look like Daniela (and like you) come to speak to you, all speaking language you can understand despite their alien appearance. From their agitated chatter, you get the impression that they are on the same page as Daniela.

They all think that you are an alien who mistakenly thinks that you’re a human!

Over the coming days, you are examined and investigated by many individuals. In fact, you rarely see the same person twice. Most appear female to your eyes; the males remain silent, and are treated as servants.

Again and again, you are told that you are one of the Eadrom people. That this is their world. That some of their greatest artefacts were stolen by human druids long ago.

Perhaps it was actually true, and it was your human life that was the fantasy. How would you know?

But try as they might, the scientists of this alien people are unable to convince you that you belong. Again and again, you say that you just feel like a human — not an Eadrom woman.

At last, you are told to wait in a dark room to speak to one of the chief scientists, Lady Kaff. For a moment, you wonder if you are to be imprisoned, but when she enters, Lady Kaff has a kindly smile on her face.

She is a tall, slim and turquoise-skinned individual, and wears a white translucent robe which leaves nothing to the imagination.

“It appears that our best minds have been unable to convince you that you belong here with us,” she says.

“That’s right,” you say. “I feel like a human in my heart.”

“Very sad,” she replies. “But so be it. If we can’t fix you psychologically, we can at least put you somewhere that you will be more comfortable.”

“Like what?” you ask, still feeling nervous.

She waves one hand, and a doorway opens behind her. Light streams through, but you can’t see anything concrete. “A human life,” she replies. “We have weighed up all the options, and it’s what would be best for your troubled mind.”

“Oh!” you say excitedly. “So I can go back to being an adventure, and discover the Sword of Light at last?”

She shakes her serene head. “No. That would be too much for your brain to cope with. I am going to erase all memory of the sword, the Castle of Shadows, and even the Eadrom people. When you walk through that door, you will find yourself in human form, and will live out in a boring, suburban life in their world.”

“Really?” you reply, a little less enthusiastic.

She nods. “I don’t know much about human society, so it’s up to you what kind of life or ‘career’ you would like.”

You ponder for a moment, and then decide to pick something high status. “Then make me a brain surgeon,” you say, somewhat aware of the irony considering that your own mind and memory has tampered with repeatedly. “Yeah, Lady K, that would be wonderful. A secure job and income, a happy family. And male, of course — men get all the breaks on planet Earth.”

“You’re sure?”

“Uh huh. What could go wrong?”

Lady Kaff gives a slight bow and gestures through the door, and you turn and begin to walk through…

Continue (you are now entering Story Arc 2).

This is a collaborative story. Want to add a chapter, or a story of your own? Come join us at Choose Your Own Adventure–Collaboration to contribute. New to Medium? You can sign up for membership here, and support me at no extra cost.

And for some inspiration for your next piece of creative writing, check out my writing prompts below!