Anecdotist the Whirlz

A door built into a mountain darkened by the night and the ominous trees loomed over an small errant figure. A single torch flickered to life in the arms of a stern guard. Her navy and grey clothing and the darkness had made her previously invisible to the shocked child, who stumbled backward.
"Who-what-wha? Don't hurt me!" shrieked the wide-eyed youth, instantly regretting following the other children into the forest. The guard sighed and stiffly placed the torch into a simple metal holder built into the mountain.
"You are here to see the Anecdotist. What is your name?"
"Nao. My name's Nao. Why?" whispered the wary child. The guard carefully removed a small case about the size of her finger and opened it with care. Inside was a small yellowed scroll that looked as if it would crumble to dust if touched. The guard unraveled a part of the scroll and scratched his name with a feather onto it. The scroll had near thousands of names, inked in red. As far as Nao could tell, there was no end to the names that had spilled out, and although the scroll had looked dirty and weathered by age, it looked to progressively get newer the farther it went down, almost as if someone had made the parchment as it was being used. The guard rolled the scroll back up slowly and fit it back inside the case. The doors creaked open and the guard ushered Nao in.
"Huh? Bu-but wait! What am I supposed to do? Can I get back out?" cried the panicked Nao. The guard said nothing and pushed him inside the warmly lit cave. The doors closed softly after Nao, locking him in. He banged on the black stone doors fruitlessly for a few minutes, yelling for help. Taking a deep breath, he tentatively ventured farther into the cave. It only had one snaking path that was miraculously lit without any light source. After a few minutes of walking in the rounded smooth tunnel, the smell of fresh baked bread and the barks of a dog reached his ears. It soon faded, but he was hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia. The clinks of a chain brought him out of his reminiscing. The sound echoed and seemed to ring so true. The dogs bark, his voice, the guard's voice all seemed so dull, so false and muffled. He ran, as if gripped by a swift madness that made him feel wild, like a wolf excited by the thrill of the hunt. Panting, he finally reached a wide chamber where a girl sat in a small alcove. Marble steps led up to an arch that decorated the niche. Her arms and legs were chained, but allowed her enough freedom to move slightly. Her youthful face had a cheery quality, but her eyes were angry? Sad? Regretful? They had the emotion of someone empty, for their soul had been broken and drained. She sat relaxed, moving only to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.