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Bruca and Derek were the first things I saw when I regained consciousness.

I looked around to see that we were in a dark, cavernous place, which I guessed was far underground.

There was no light source anywhere. My eyes had adjusted just enough to see the dim outlines of

their features, as they slapped me awake, with hard, bare-handed hits to the face.

Where is it important right now? It's not Bruca. It's who you're kneeling before.

That's what you need to concern yourself with right now.

Who you're meeting at this moment? This opportunity.

It's not to be taken lightly. You'll change your life forever, just as he did ours.

Then a set of eyes appeared blinking in the corner.

Their reflected light, where there was none. Two eyes glared at me from the blackness,

and I could see a figure was getting to their feet.

Hello. The deep rattling voice said,

Your exaviors apprentice. I've heard a lot about you.

Who are you? I asked. More frightened than I had ever been in my life.

Names are not important right now. So the shadow man.

The choices are the important thing. Branches, on a tree leading to an end.

...