It’s a strange and scary sensation to suddenly forget your own name.
I am pretty sure my name used to be Mike. I am also sure it no longer is, something changed it.
More precisely, I think someone changed it.
"Look at this place, it is all grey and dead! It is beautiful!"
Sitting down on his throne of ash the shadow of Mike rests his head in his palm as his elbow finds just the right angle to support all his woes.
"What has he done." Shadow thinks, still exasperated from the simple scream into the void.
Staring off to the side, Shadow surveys a landscape of fog rolling in from all sides to rest at the foot of his throned peak; At times the fog would dissipate slightly and dark trees, hills and lakes breathe deep before being smothered again.
"Where is that damn crow at..." Shadow whispers and cuts short just as he spots the crow break through the fog.
Rising up from the fog bank and flying towards Shadow the crow circles once, twice then drops a radiant purple orb in Shadow's lap; Then with one more flap it turns and sweeps in to perch on a jagged boulder at the side of the throne.
Shifting his position Shadow looks down at the orb in his lap, "This it?" He asks the crow still hesitant to even touch the orb.
Looking up and pausing then turning to the crow he asks louder, "Is this it!?"
"Yes." The crow flatly responds, after a moment of silence the crow shuffles nervously, "Something is off, this better be the damn orb." The crow thinks.
Finally taking the orb in his hand Shadow watches as the purple light begins to spread from his palm down his arm; As the purple glow went deeper below the skin his hand began to show colour, shifting from the light grey to a redder tone.
"Nope!" Shadow exclaims as he drops the orb to the ground, letting it roll down the steps of the throne, picking up speed as it hurtles towards the edge of the cliff.
The crow quickly flies to grasp at the orb at the last moment then circles Shadow while keeping the orb in his claws.
"Why not?" The crow asks uncertainly, "This is you." It continues after another circle around. "It has been too long." It says before dropping the orb in Shadow's lap again and then perching on the sidearm of the throne.
"You know, I have rather become accustomed to having no name, just calling myself Shadow. You know that is what I call myself now?" Shadow says looking at the crow to his side then raises his eyebrows and shakes his only short of sticking out his tongue and saying "Neeneer Neener."
Sitting back in the throne and looking up as to ignore the glowing orb in his lap Shadow tries to remember.
"You know crow, I can't remember how it used to be." He says as he turns a bit to nestle his back into the corner of the throne chair.
"I even shouted earlier, twice!" He gasps "You see? I just did it again." Shadow looks up at the crow then sighs and takes the orb in his now grey hand again.
Raising his hand as he holds the orb up in a fist, he watches as the purple light spreads down and through him again. He watches as the black cuff of his shirt turns an emerald green...
"You know Saidi, I don't think I mind the sunshine." Mike says as he overlooks the valleys below, the fog seemingly absorbed by the landscape to be turned into radiant dew drops sparkling off of every surface; A sunrise on the horizon kissing the ocean.
"I do like how the sun makes my feathers sparkle." The crow replies then dips down the side of the peak before rising up again spreading her wings as to showcase the effect.
"Haha, I like that too Saidi." Mike laughs as he watches her show off.
Turning back to the throne of ash and stone Mike instead finds a young purple tree and knows this is just the beginning.
Shadow and Saidi have looked after the Greylands. Together they are Mike himself. They are Mikes Heart and Mind and now that Mike has met someone else, it seems they have a new life ahead of them.
Shadow has forgotten his name for the longest time, and watching the sunrise in Mikes heart he remembers the power of a name. Shadow smiles as he watches Saidi dive down to survey the landscape.
For now Shadow adopts the name of the person they represent. One may carry Mikes name but neither him nor Saidi can work alone. They are Heart and Mind.
