In the palace bathhouse…


    Walls are adorned with delicate carvings of celestial figures, their silent gazes lost in the haze of rising steam. Pools of warm, mineral-rich water shimmer under the glow of enchanted lanterns, casting soft golden reflections that dance across the high-vaulted ceiling. The scent of lavender and lotus lingers in the air… mingling with the soothing heat.


    It’s a communal bath for the palace servants and the rank and file of the Sacred Shield. Even so, this place is way more luxurious and steamy than the bathhouse back home in the Chantry of Eternal Light! And much bigger, too! So, I gotta say… this is pretty nice!


    We’re here for a nice, hot bath – just Anna and me. At this hour, the palace staff are preoccupied with their duties, leaving the bathhouse quiet and undisturbed. As for Eris… she’s waiting outside – she’s not one for communal bathing, and with a personal shower in her suite, she doesn’t have to be. Lucky her!


    Anyway… Anna’s not looking too good. She’s barely touched the water, sitting stiffly at the edge with her arms wrapped around herself, eyes distant. It doesn’t take a genius to determine what’s on her mind – Eris’ request. We promised to help her regain her memories from Lady Mezalune… and Anna takes her promises very seriously.


    “Hey, Anna...” I say, my voice gentle amid the swirling steam, watching her tense shoulders. “You alright?”


    No response, I’m afraid. We continue bathing in silence, each lost in our thoughts. The silence is… deafening. And as I stare quietly into the warm water… I’m thinking again… back to when we slew the Demon’s Voice one timeline ago.


    It was in the Convocation of Aria – a ruined temple Dungeon colonised by the Demon Cult, twisted into their base of operations in the wilderness surrounding Sharmarli. Anna and I had followed the clues we uncovered during the city-wide manhunt for Eris, each like breadcrumbs scattered in plain sight… gradually leading us to that Dungeon. In retrospect, it was almost too convenient – almost as if someone had left them deliberately for us to find.


    Looking back now, I realise it – they weren’t after Eris. They wanted me – the Hero destined to slay their Lord. That instead… I’d serve them, willingly or not.


    It never happened. Anna and I rushed into that Dungeon, desperate to save Eris – only to walk straight into the Demon Cult’s ambush, with a broken Eris leading the attack on us. But just when it seemed hopeless… Lady Mezalune’s Sacred Shield reinforcements arrived, instantly turning the tide of battle. Turns out she had her agents watching over us – because she’d foreseen us doing something reckless.


    And as I said before… we had to put Eris down. It was a mercy killing, for lack of better words – her mind was broken and twisted beyond salvation, leaving nothing more than a cruel shadow of what once was. And it was Anna… who had to do it.


    Good grief. Now that I’ve spent time with Eris, seeing her as the sweet little Bard she used to be, I’ve got an awful feeling gnawing at my soul. The weight of my sins crawling on my back… because she didn’t deserve any of… that. Nobody does.


    But Eris… she’s still alive and safe in this timeline! Sure, she’s acting a little weird, but I’d still count my lucky stars and kiss each and all of ’em like I would Anna’s lips, seeing her safe in the Oracle’s care. Even if I know damn well, deep down, that her current situation may very well be a fate worse than a clean death.


    Because, well… she’s a shadow of her former self. Not the same twisted reflection she became in the previous timeline as the Demon’s Voice… but a shadow nonetheless. Beneath that peppy fa?ade she tries desperately to maintain, she’s adrift – lost in a void. All because she chose to forget.


    But then, what did she forget? I guess we’ll find out, huh?


    Gotta finish washing up first, though. Can’t see the Oracle without being clean and proper, after all! We’ve been doing all this thinking and contemplating amid steam and soap and warm water… so much so that we’re getting carried away.


    “Arisa…?” Anna asks hesitantly, her voice distant as if her mind is elsewhere. “I thought I heard your voice just now.”


    “Yeah. Just checking in on ya,” I say, offering the warmest smile I can as she gazes at me, lost in her thoughts. “Gold coin for your thoughts?”


    “Well, umm…”


    She hesitates, her fingers idly tracing ripples in the water. A faint sigh escapes her lips, and for a moment, it looks like she might not answer at all. But eventually… she relents.


    “I’m worried about meeting Miss Mezalune, Arisa,” Anna admits, her voice soft and heavy. Her gaze drops to the wet tiles beneath our feet. “You know… the Oracle.”


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    I nod, the steam curling gently around us. The weight of her words lingers in the air, heavy like the weight of the world.


    “Me too,” I say softly. “You wanna talk about it?”


    “I’m thinking… what if Miss Mezalune refuses to listen to us?” Anna says, her voice barely above a whisper, heavy with doubt. She hugs her arms, sinking deeper into the warm water as if seeking comfort in its embrace. “I’m sure Eris tried asking for her memories before. What difference can we make… speaking on her behalf?”


    She’s not looking at me right now… but I do my best to smile anyway. It’s a little tricky to do so, I’ll admit… because I’m also feeling what she’s feeling. Y’know… it’s that feeling of great unease eating away at you in the face of uncertainty.


    It’s… not a good time, I’ll say.


    But I’m your Healer, Anna. Both in this timeline and the previous one, and however many more there may be. And I swore I’d be stronger for you… now and forever. Whatever it takes. So, compared to my resolve… these worries of mine ain’t shit!


    “Whatever happens next, I’m with ya,” I whisper, gently taking her hand and holding it firm. “Honestly… I don’t know if we can change her mind. But if nothing else, we won’t fail for lack of trying. We’ll give it everything we’ve got, yeah?”


    “But I’m worried…” Anna adds despondently, pulling her hand away and wrapping her arms around her chest defensively. “I’ve always trailed behind others, be it Mom or you. Now… Eris needs me to stand up for her, and I promised her I would! I know in my heart that I have to lead the way, and yet…”


    She looks away from me again, her gaze fixed intently on the water.


    “You said you ruled over your people benevolently as their Student Council President, right? How do you stay calm when you know they’re counting on you? How do you keep a level head… knowing that every decision you make shapes their happiness… their fate?”


    “Well…”


    It’s not that serious at St Elicia’s… but I keep that to myself. I glance away from Anna, letting my gaze drift through the misty air as I contemplate her question. She’s not wrong because the weight of responsibility can be a lot to bear, especially when others rely on you. And sometimes… I wonder how I keep going, whether as Student Council President at St Elicia’s or as a Hero in Nisha.


    Some days are harder than others, after all. But here I am, still at it! And I…


    I’ve always held onto some wise words from an old friend – Shinji Onada. He was a senior from St Elicia’s, back when I was still new to the city, fresh from my sleepy little village hometown. I say ‘was’ because… he’s gone now.


    Good grief. I miss that scar-faced jerk. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since he left me and the guys behind… just as I was about to begin my duties as Student Council President at St Elicia’s. He never even got to see me give a speech at assembly – he swore he’d try his best to keep a straight face while I talked like a serious, proper lady… and now, I’ll never know if he would’ve been able to keep that promise.


    Hmph. I suppose it was only a matter of time – an inevitability of the violent life he led. At least, that’s what I wanna believe… if only to ease the pain in my heart whenever I think of him. Because even now, across worlds and timelines… I still wish I had been there with him. And if not… at least a chance to say goodbye.


    Anyway… I remember one late night, while we were cracking open a couple of cold ones outside the convenience store, he told me…


    “Courage is just grace under pressure.”


    And that’s exactly what I’ll tell Anna! It’s what I’ve always told myself whenever things get tough, whether as a Hero in this world or as Student Council President back at St Elicia’s. Words I’ll cling to no matter who I am… or who I may become.


    Because I know it in my heart to be true. Now and forever! Thanks, Shinji.


    “Grace… under pressure?” Anna asks nervously, mouthing my words as if to taste them on her tongue. “What do you mean?”


    “Even if you’re scared shitless… you gotta face the crowd and smile,” I say with a playful grin, nudging her lightly. “And, well… I just so happen to know a certain pretty, cute Paladin with the most gorgeous purple hair and the loveliest green eyes – who also happens to be incredibly graceful!”


    Anna’s cheeks flush a soft red as she ducks her head shyly. “Oh! Arisa! Really now…” she mumbles, fidgeting with the water as if trying to hide her flustered expression. “I…”


    “And she’s doing it for her beloved idol!” I tease as her cheeks flush bright red like the ripest of apples. “And I’d say… she’s got this for sure! What do ya think!?”


    “I want to! But how?”


    “You’ll find it in your heart. I’m sure of it!” I exclaim with a sheepish smile, scratching my head playfully. “Remember what I told ya on the night before we left? Let your love for Eris be your strength. And if anyone’s in the way… we’ll fuck ‘em up! C’mon, say it with me!”


    “Yes! I’ll find it in my heart to do my best for Eris!” Anna declares resolutely. “And if anyone stands in my way… I won’t yield an inch! Because, umm…”


    With a hand pressed softly upon her cheek, she takes a deep breath and prepares to say the words as they oughta be said. Y’know… with courage and honour!


    “We’ll fuck up anyone who stands in our way!”


    “Hell yeah!”


    We burst into laughter together, the tension and worry from moments ago flowing away from us like the warm, soapy water cleansing us.


    “Someday, you’ll be able to recite that mantra as seriously as I can,” I add with a playful grin. “Don’t worry, though. We’re getting there, one day at a time. Practice makes perfect.”


    “Maybe I will,” Anna replies with a playful glint in her eyes, a sly smile tugging at her lips – her confidence rekindled. “Or maybe I won’t!”


    “Oho! ‘Maybe’, you said? What are the odds?”


    Anna cups her chin. “Hmm… I’d say fifty-fifty for either.”


    “That’s good enough for me!” I declare with a grin brimming with enthusiasm. “I’m all in!”


    “Oh, Arisa…”


    “You don’t have to bear this burden alone either,” I tell her, taking her hands into mine once more, holding them close as I gaze into her eyes. “I’m here for ya, and I got your back! We’re a team, remember? You said that after you… well… reminded me of that fact!”


    I place a hand on my cheek, right where she ‘reminded’ me that I’m not alone in this Prophecy of mine – a touch that anchored me when despair threatened to pull me under.


    Heh. It still stings a little, even now. But only when I look into her eyes!


    “I love you, Arisa…” Anna murmurs sweetly, her cheeks tinged with a soft blush as she leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to that exact spot. “And… thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone in this… without a slap.”