On the way to the Palace of Lights, touring the Holy City…


    People around us come and go – some rushing, others like Anna, Eris, and me, taking a more leisurely pace. Either way… it’s all good.


    Eris leads us around with boundless enthusiasm, giving Anna and me the grand tour she had promised us, one bench sitting prior. She gestures excitedly to draw our attention to the various points of interest we pass by, telling us everything we need to know about them.


    Good grief. There’s simply too much to take in – if we stopped to admire everything… we’d be here for hours. And this is merely one district! I’d say it’s exhausting, but so far, it’s not too bad. I’ve gotten pretty damn good at walking in high heels, after all! It might be a different story in hostile territory, though. But that’s a problem for later.


    It’s nice to see Eris in high spirits again, even if a part of me suspects it’s just a carefully crafted fa?ade. She throws herself into the role of our guide with almost desperate enthusiasm, as if keeping busy is the only way to stop her mind from drifting back to the gaps in her memories – the ones she both dreads and longs to fill.


    But how can we help her? I’m sure the Oracle, Lady Nhaka Mezalune, holds the answers we seek. She sent Eris to meet us when she could’ve chosen anyone else from the Sacred Shield – someone far less conspicuous. But instead, she had her do it – her, specifically.


    Why? I suppose we’ll find out in due time. For now, I oughta…


    “Ah. Arisa…?” Eris pipes up shyly, her cheeks bright red, her ears twitching nervously. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, umm…”


    I smile and nod. Anna already has a hand on her cheek. She probably knows what Eris wants to say… and judging by her expression, she’s just as nervous.


    “Ahh… I really, really like your outfit, Arisa! It’s so pretty!”


    “Really? Thanks!” I tease, glancing briefly at my gloved hands and the flowing fabric of my gown before turning back to her with a sweet smile. “That makes three of us.”


    “Yes, yes, yes! Ah! And those pretty heels…” Eris adds, eyes sparkling with admiration. “I’d love to have shoes like that. Even if Mister Roland won’t allow it!”


    “Meh. You’re not missing out on much. It takes way too much outta me to walk in these all day long,” I say with a shrug, nonchalantly glancing at the length of my heels. “Besides, you’ve got that petite and cute look going for ya – just like Anna! Maybe that’s what your Manager sees in you.”


    “Ah. Mister Roland hasn’t said anything to me in months. Ever since I… never mind. Let’s keep going, Arisa. Anna.”


    “Alright. Lead on, Eris.”


    We wander into a bustling district where restaurants and cafés line the streets. Their warm glow spills onto the cobblestones, inviting any and all to step inside. The rich aromas of fresh bread, brewing coffee, and sizzling brunches weave through the crisp morning air… teasing the senses from every direction.


    Damn! It all smells so good that I wouldn’t mind stopping at any of these places for a quick pre-lunch tea break… and maybe a second place right after that!


    “On your left is Café le Phantasmagoria!” Eris announces with renewed excitement, gesturing towards a café decked out in lavish gothic décor. “They serve the best iced coffees in all of Sharmarli! Ah! And the best part is that they pair the coffees with chocolate chip cookies that melt in your mouth when you dip them in your drink!”


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    “Oh my!” Anna gasps, her eyes wide. “That sounds amazing…”


    “Yup! And if you’ll look to your right…”


    We continue past more charming eateries, each with unique charms – quaint patisseries with delicate pastries displayed in frosted glass cases, and bustling diners where the scent of sizzling bacon and eggs fills the air. Even the street vendors tempt us with golden, honey-drizzled pastries and skewers of sizzling meat, their calls blending into the city’s morning hum.


    Anna and Eris remain deep in conversation, the latter practically bouncing with joy. It feels like I’m chaperoning a playdate, trailing behind them as they chatter away. But I don’t mind.


    Honestly, I’ve never really known her beyond what Anna told me in both timelines. When we faced her as the Demon’s Voice, she was an enemy – a living beacon of power for the crazed Demon Cult zealots, rousing them to rend us for their new gods – the demons of Arcadia. And her voice… she was singing – for them, for us… a Dirge of Doom.


    We barely made it out alive that day. When her tears finally dried… Anna changed. Not for better or worse – just different. She smiled less and became more focused, more driven. More serious about fulfilling my Prophecy. And she said to me, her words cold as steel…


    “If I ever end up like Miss Aintree… promise me you’ll do what needs to be done without compassion. Don’t hesitate... because that would be the greatest betrayal of all.”


    Then, after a pause, softer this time…


    “I’ll do the same for you, Arisa.”


    I promised her I would – looked her dead in the eyes and swore it. Thank Rinnah, it never came to pass for either of us. But the thought of it… never truly left me. It lingered like a shadow at the edge of my mind… trailing every step of my Prophecy in the previous timeline.


    And I remember it… even now.


    But all this walking, chatting and sightseeing… never happened in the last timeline. When Anna and I arrived in Sharmarli back then, we made our way to the Palace of Lights with a small escort of Sacred Shield guardsmen. No grand tour of the city, and of course, no Eris.


    It’s another change in this new timeline. One of many. Not the last, I reckon.


    “Ah! If Lady Nhaka allows it, we should go shopping!” Eris exclaims suddenly, spinning around to face me, her eyes bright. “The three of us! And maybe Lady Nhaka will join in! It’ll be a girls’ day out!”


    “Yes! We definitely should!” Anna replies eagerly, nodding. “Right, Arisa!?”


    “Yeah, for sure!” I answer with a grin, scratching the back of my head as I shake off those dark thoughts of mine. “I’m totally down to go shopping! I’m a newbie, though…”


    “It’s okay! So is Anna – she told me!” Eris exclaims, beaming from ear to ear. “And now that I think about it… me too! I haven’t gone shopping since…”


    She stops mid-step, her expression shifting. Brows furrowing, she clenches her fists, her body trembling as she struggles to recall something. The light in her eyes dims – her pupils dilate, staring past everything ahead of her.


    “Umm… Eris?” Anna asks, worry creeping into her voice. “Eris!?”


    We step closer, shielding her as people weave around us, oblivious to the crisis unfolding. White, blue, and silver light swirls between Anna and me as we silently channel a Heal each, wrapping Eris in the warm, soothing embrace of our combined Mana.


    “Anna…? Arisa?” Eris murmurs after a moment, shaking her head as if emerging from a fog. “Why are the two of you…?”


    “You spaced out in the middle of the street…” Anna explains cautiously. “Your eyes looked like they were staring at something else. Like you were… somewhere else.”


    “Ah. I see. I’m sorry for being such a bother today…”


    Eris’ expression darkens – she knows why it happened. Spacing out, going blank – I daresay it’s not the first time for her.


    "It’s been happening more and more lately. Is it because I keep trying to...?"


    "Yes,” Anna says, her voice sombre. “I know that feeling, Eris – that emptiness… that blank space in your memories.”


    “You do?” Eris asks softly, searching Anna’s face. “Ah… your eyes tell me so. Then tell me – does it ever get better? This hole in my mind, my heart, my soul… that gnaws at me...”


    “I’ve learned to live with it.”


    “How?”


    Anna frowns. “I don’t know. I just… do. Because those memories of mine are lost forever.”


    “But not for me, Anna. It was my choice to forget. Lady Nhaka said so,” Eris says after a pause, her voice quiet, her gaze fixed on the pavement. “She holds my salvation, an end to all of… this. And yet, she…”


    Eris doesn’t finish. She turns away and walks off, her eyes set on the holy spires above.


    Anna and I exchange glances. There’s a quiet worry in her eyes, one I recognise all too well. I offer her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before we follow Eris in silence – chasing after the Bard I once knew in another timeline as the Demon’s Voice.