Where the hell am I?"
The curse was torn from my lips as I crested the ridge. Before me, sprawling in the valley below, was a city straight out of a fantasy tale. Duria. Its massive walls, built from stone that shimmered in the light, encircled towers that scraped the sky. It was breathtaking, impossible, and utterly terrifying.
A single, panicked question echoed in my mind: Where am I?
As if in answer, a flood of information streamed before my eyes—maps, histories, languages. I knew this place was called Duria. I knew its people, its customs. The knowledge was just… there.
But as the torrent of facts settled, a chilling void remained. I knew everything about this world, except for one crucial thing.
Who am I?
I know that birds fly, fish swim, and cows eat grass. It's basic knowledge, right? So why am I watching a creature with the body of a cow swim through a river like a fish, then leap out and soar into the air with wide, feathered wings, only to start munching on the leaves of a tall tree?
It's impossible. A creature like that doesn't exist on Earth...
...Wait. What is "Earth"?
My head is spinning. I know everything I'm thinking sounds crazy, but I also know, with a deep, unshakable certainty, that I am not insane.
Seeking answers, I find myself at a church, one dedicated to a deity named Alister. A man in robes wears a look of pure, practiced boredom.
"You know we don't deal with mental issues here," he says, not even looking at me properly. "The Church of Alister provides physical healing only. Cuts, wounds, that sort of thing."
"I know that!" I snap, my mind racing. Then, an idea sparks. "Look, I have a cut." I hold up my finger, showing him a small, barely-there scratch.
The church member sighs, as if this is the greatest inconvenience of his day. "Fine. That will be one gold coin. But before the healing, we need your name for the record."
A name. Panic flashes through me. I don't have one. Or... I don't remember it. A single word pops into my head, feeling both foreign and familiar.
"Maki," I say. "My name is Maki."
After the brief, glowing ritual that seals the tiny cut, I leave the church. The transaction is over, but my confusion has only deepened.
As I walk away, a single thought echoes in my mind: Why did I choose that name?
Well, no use dwelling on it now. From this moment on, I suppose... I'm Maki.