The Bonds Between Love and War: Part 2

Aria struggled to open her eyes. She felt like she’d been shot full of anesthesia, unable to discern reality from a medicated hallucination. Bed sheets trapped her legs between the soft cotton as she tossed and turned before kicking them off. Pillows were knocked from their position against the headboard, the only thing keeping her from slamming her head against the solid oak.

Her whole body shivered amidst a cold sweat. The air conditioning was unabating as it crawled across her soaked skin like death, no longer shielded by the comfort of her sheets that lay in a heap on the floor.

“Brakes…” she mumbled through her stupor, “hit the brakes… Tree… Car…” Her face twisted in terror. “Car!”

She shot up in bed as she rammed the headboard with a loud crrrack causing her to bite her lip. Blood poured down her chin from the newly sustained injury, staining her mouth a bright crimson. She sat with bated breath, anticipating an onslaught of pain as she tried to stem the flow with whatever she could find. Several painful minutes later and she had a blood-smeared face and spotty red sheets.

The bloodied bedding and lip were more than enough for a good cry as Aria burst into tears. “Is this really what I wanted? Am I making the right decision here?” she sobbed.

“If one mistake was all it took to throw in the towel, what would we learn?”

Aria jumped. “The voice from the phone… W-when did you get in here?”

“Unimportant. Tell me,” he said, eyeing her, “are you prepared to throw away this old life for good?”

Aria stared back. “Yes. I’m tired of this. I’m tired of being the girl everyone looks at and says, ‘But you have such a pretty face. How could you possibly know what it’s like to suffer?’

The man closed his eyes and nodded. “Yes, that’s quite unfair. We all have our struggles.” He pulled a clipboard and paper from a plastic bin by the door. “Might I see a finger real quick?” She looked at him, confused, but reluctantly agreed. With a small prick, he drew fresh blood from her finger. “Please sign your name here, initial here, and sign here,” the man said, tapping each dotted line as he skimmed through the pages.

“Why the finger prick though?”

He ignored her. “This contract ensures you agree to all the terms and conditions of this document.”

She felt like she’d been breezed over. “Can’t I read it first? Plus, I need a pen. I don’t have anything to write with.”

“You want to be rid of this old life, do you not?”

“I mean, yes, but—”

“Then please sign where I just indicated—in blood.”

“In blood,” she echoed.

“Yes.”

Not a moment after the clipboard left her hands, a deep violet marking etched itself into the skin on her back.

“You can use the mirror on the wall if you’d like to see your new contract crest. When you’re ready and fully dressed, come see me in the hall.”

“Fully… dressed?” Aria’s cheeks flushed bright red. Her eyes shot forward, but the man was already gone. “A warning would have been nice…” She stumbled out of bed and walked over to the mirror, craning her head around to see the new crest.

A large diamond-like polygon sat perfectly on the midsection of her back. It looked like a giant tattoo, just less-required maintenance. The polygon seemed to ripple when she twisted back and forth. If the crest weren’t so obvious, she’d probably forget it was even there. She turned to examine it from the other side.

“Mmm… Need more light.” Her feet pattered against the tile floor as she flicked the light switch on the wall before returning to her place in front of the mirror.

Rows of smaller polygons spiraled around the larger, main polygon, growing with each new row. The first encircled the main shape, each row thereafter encircling the one before it, wider.

“The way it spirals around like it does almost reminds me of a firework after it’s shot into the sky.” She twisted around to the other side again as the light illuminated four small cubes, one at each corner. “These almost make it feel confined, like some kind of seal.” She flexed the muscles in her back a little more, taking in every detail.

In the center of the large polygon were three numbers: 005. “Probably not a big deal, but why zero, zero, five? This is starting to feel like some kind of creepy experiment.” She shuddered. “Ok, clothes now since someone decided only underwear was an acceptable fashion statement.”

***

“I’m not sure I understand. You’re going to do what?” Aria’s voice was shaky. “I— I don’t know about actually deleting specific memories. That sounds super risky.” She stopped. “Look, I thought about it and all I really want are my parents back. That alone would make me happy…”

“And you will, but if you have memories of the same thing, different copies, it could cause a mental decay. You’ve heard of the Grandfather Paradox, correct? This is the same thing, just without the time travel.”

The man tapped Aria’s forehead. “Just like that. Now tell me, what is it you were doing here again?”

She opened her mouth to speak, certain she had a legitimate reason, but nothing came to mind. “I’m… not sure, to be honest. I think it was for an internship of some sort? I can’t seem to remember…” A gut feeling told her she was in over her head, but she couldn’t put her finger on why.

“That’s right,” the man exclaimed. “Sorry for startling you. I’ve had trouble with my memory lately, too.”

“Are you certain? I don’t even know what the internship is for and I’m only sixteen… What— What would I be interning for?”

The man walked over to a series of filing cabinets. The smell of manila folders and printer ink wafted through the air. A moment later, his head re-emerged from the drawer as he waved a folder through the air like a prize. Aria Miruna was neatly printed across the front. Grinning, he walked over to Aria who subconsciously began a backwards retreat.

“I don’t know, Mister. Call it intuition, but I don’t think I’m supposed to be here,” she said, stumbling backwards. Confusion and fright plastered her face. “My intuition is also telling me I shouldn’t have said that,” she thought.

“Well, I have all of your application files right here in this folder,” the man said, shuffling through the papers. “Besides, it’s not like you’re of much use to anyone else.” He promptly ceased the paper-shuffling. “Whoops. That wasn’t supposed to come out.”

Aria snatched the folder from his hands at lightning speed as she sifted through the papers. The folder was surprisingly heavy. If she really filled out such an application, wouldn’t she have remembered? Panic set in as she shook with anxiety; she felt her heart might beat out of her chest at any moment.

She stopped shuffling, hands now visibly shaking as she locked eyes with the man once more. Neither blinked until Aria threw the folder in a flurry of white paper—blanks.

She bolted. Each passing second felt like eternity. There was an exit door right in front of her—if she could just get outside… Adrenaline pumped through her veins like a drug; everything but time felt like lightspeed. Her shoulder hit the push bar at the same time her face collided with the metal frame of the door. She crumpled at the base, dazed, and confused by the impact.

Desperation crept into her movements, frantically swiping at the door, unable to push it open. She realized she’d dislocated one of her shoulders after hitting the door—the other arm had gone numb from falling on it.

“Fine,” she said. She painfully lifted herself off the floor, uneasy, but steady-enough to push the bar and open the door with her hips.

Peaks of sunlight poked through the crack in the door; her escape was only inches away. Just as soon as the sun illuminated her face, she found herself being pulled back inside and, moments later, on the floor again. Her skin pressed against the cold tile, generating waves of icy shock. She struggled to reorient herself, but something held her down. She whipped her head around and was immediately greeted by a hard slap in the face. The adrenaline pumping through her veins incited a furious rage. A powerful gust of wind sent the man flying down the hallway, unphased, as he landed on the tile like a figure skater on ice as he came to a graceful stop. An unnatural grin spread across his face.

“Would you look at that? I landed right next to your room.” He sounded far too pleased. “Why don’t you come join me!” he emphasized, motioning like he was pulling something towards him.

“What are you talking about?” Aria demanded. “My roo—” She flew through the air with monumental speed as she cratered through the wall next to the man.

A cloud of plaster and dust poured from the human-sized hole she’d created. She gasped for breath. The impact knocked the wind out of her as she lay in the rubble, switching between dry coughs and desperate wheezes.

“This will all be wiped from your memory later as well, but I’ll introduce myself while you’re still conscious.” The man bowed in front of Aria, still gasping for breath. “My name is Ahzef. It’s nice to finally meet you, Miss Miruna.”

“Bite— Me—” she said through shallow breaths.

“You’re suddenly so foul-mouthed. Let’s fix that,” Ahzef said.

“Wait,” Aria pleaded with a little more vigor. “What… are you going to do with me? Why am I… here?”

“You signed a contract, remember?” The clipboard from earlier floated before Aria. “Signed in blood and everything.” Ahzef snickered.

“Did you—”

“Erase your memories? I sure did. You wanted to be rid of this life, you said. Your parents were killed in a horrific car accident, and I am truly sorry, but this contract makes you my property now. Your past is no longer relevant.” He let his words sink in. “You have no past.”

Aria tried to lift herself out of the rubble but found herself pinned down by something she couldn’t see. “Car accident? Property? My past?” She squirmed a little more.

Ahzef snapped his fingers as black shadows slithered out from behind him. Vaguely resembling the tentacles of a jellyfish, they wrapped around Aria’s limbs, enveloping her in a frosty hold. “I can mold these to my liking, too. After all, they are shadows.” He pulled Aria from the crater in the wall. “I really don’t even have to use these against you, just so you know.”

“What are you?” she wheezed.

Ahzef pulled his sleeve up to reveal a wristwatch. “There’s still time, but I will be re-erasing your memories after this. Eventually, you’ll break—they always do.” He rolled his sleeve back down. “I am a devil, the most powerful of the Reverse World, but I am not without compassion.”

“A… devil? Like out of a fairy tale?” Aria sneered.

The devil grabbed the doorhandle of the room next to him, dragging Aria out of her hole. She read the nameplate outside of the door as she slid across the tile: Aria Miruna – 005. Her stomach sank as she felt the shadowy tendrils momentarily tighten and then abruptly loosen their grasp around her limbs. She soared through the air, avoiding another wall by mere inches.

“At least I didn’t go through it,” she said, relieved.

The room was spacious but lacking in decoration. Medical cabinets hugged the wall closest to the door and a small nightstand was posted next to the bed. A bathroom door hid around the corner, thankfully adorned with toiletries and a shower. Small porthole windows dotted the length of the wall closest to Aria, but the room remained relatively dark despite the luminous daylight, casting a lonely feel across her new living quarters.

“The last laugh always goes to me,” Ahzef whispered in her ear. He tapped her forehead again, harder. The light left Aria’s eyes as her head fell back onto the pillows. “No takebacks, Aria.”

The scene changed, leaving the ship behind as a pit formed in Brendan’s stomach. How could something so sinister have gone unnoticed for so long and why was Aria the key to the mess they were in?

“She may be what kick-started all of this, but that’s not her fault. How could I ever blame her for something none of us expected?”

Colors faded back into focus as a new scene emerged from a second memory fragment. Aria stood outside her room. She ran her fingers across the placard outside the door, tracing the letters of her name with her finger. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she entered the room and immediately plopped down on the bed, screaming into her pillow. She kicked her legs up in the air: back and forth.

“I can’t keep this up. If he really wants to open some kind of crazy, other-dimension-y thing, why doesn’t he do it himself?” Aria groaned. “This internship was way beyond my qualifications.” She lifted her face from the pillow and stared at it, lost in thought.

Brendan took full account of the room in the meantime. He tried to open the cabinets first. Unsurprisingly, his hands phased through the metal handles. He peered through one of the portholes, but all he could see was pitch dark. There was no doubt they were still on the ship as he could feel the steady rocking motion, though he wondered where exactly they were. On the door was a large schedule planner and torn remnants of a map.

“It seems that on Mondays and Fridays she’s supposed to report to the Medical Examiner’s office. Tuesday and Thursday are Operating Room duty and Wednesdays are for special seminars with Ahzef…” He put his hand to his chin in thought. “This map though… Why tear it up? And who tore it up?”

The sound of approaching footsteps seized Brendan’s attention. He jumped back just as the door flew open, striking the wall with enough force to leave a hole in it. Ahzef stormed into the room forcing Aria into a haphazard scramble onto her bed. The terror that filled her face was so animated Brendan thought she might break a window and dive into the dark water. With each step, Aria’s back edged further up the wall until she sat with perfect posture, pillow pinned against her chest for protection.

“Explain to me why I found 008 in their room with a sheet tied around their neck,” Ahzef barked. “There will be consequences for wrong answers.” His face was beet-red, and his hands were balled into angry fists.

Anxiety riddled her body with its toxic outpouring of confusion and panic. She knew that even if she told him she didn’t know, no matter how truthful it was, he wouldn’t believe her. It was a lose-lose situation and there was no way around what seemed like a hopeless scenario.

“I wasn’t anywhere near 008 yesterday or Monday,” she stammered. “I came straight back here after labs last night and I did the same thing after seminar today!” Ahzef ripped the pillow from her arms. Tears promptly cascaded down her cheeks. A shadowy tendril wrapped itself around her ankle, pulling her from the bed as Ahzef lifted her head up by her hair.

Brendan watched on in horror, knowing that if he involved himself in something he didn’t belong, he could derail everything he’d worked so hard to right, but he couldn’t sit idly by and let Ahzef proceed to batter Aria either, though.

“Aghhh! Dammit!” He pulled at his hair in frustration.

“Your strong desire to protect that girl is peculiar. You realize you are witnessing the events of the past, yet your heart burns so intensely, so passionately, just to protect her.”

With a sudden flash of light, Brendan found himself in an empty white room, alone. The floor was littered with lavenders, but their petals had been stained crimson like blood. He took a step forward, squinting, as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. Taking another couple steps forward, he realized it wasn’t empty after all.

Several dark marble sculptures stood proud amongst the backdrop of white. One depicted a warrior in mid-stride, sword in one hand, shield in the other. Another portrayed two small children, hiding behind a woman in fear—most likely their mother.

Brendan opened his eyes a little wider. What he thought were originally only three sculptures turned out to be four. The third was made of the same black marble as the first two, but it seemed almost iridescent. He walked closer, hoping for a better look.

“It’s just as I thought. The way the light hits the marble when I move washes the sculpture in a rainbow hue. White is the reflectance of all color and black is the absence of color, so how…” He ran a hand along the smooth surface, surprisingly warm to the touch.

“Ah. I get it. It’s not that you’re made of black marble at all. The only reason you’re reflecting other colors is because,” he imbued his mana into the sculpture as the stone gradually returned to its milky-white state, “you were clouded by uncertainty just as I was.”

He took a couple steps back to fully examine the sculpture in all its glory. A young woman, about his age, he surmised, stood poised in an elegant stance. Her hands were clasped against her chest and her eyes closed as if she were in prayer. He moved around to the back.

“Whoever sculpted this one was a master. The way the marble folds and dances around her body is incredible. Certain colors seem more reflective in specific areas though.”

Greens were more reflective around what seemed to be a dress of sorts, yellows highlighted her wind-blown hair, and a shimmer of red glinted at the wrist. By the woman’s side was a lance that rested against her leg. It seemed to be adorned with several ribbons, wrapped elegantly around the shaft and end of the weapon, but something was written on the one around the shaft.

In my final stead, I pay my homage to the one I worship and the one that protects me in this time of trial. It is through this grace that I have been allowed to walk the path of life and face the darkness before me. I am the colors in the dark.

“The darkness before me,” Brendan recited. “That must mean…” He turned his attention towards the fourth and final sculpture. It was in considerable disarray compared to the other three, almost as if someone had decided it wasn’t worth the upkeep. “It’s Ahzef, after all. Can’t really blame them for skimping on this one.” Brendan took in the sight of all four sculptures, still impressed that such intricate detail was able to be crafted into stone.

One final addition to the room made its presence known; the sound of trickling water became the prominent focal point. There, in the center of everything and nothing, was a stone pedestal that rose from a floor of water.

“Water?” he said before realizing he’d been wading ankle-deep the entire time. “This gets more interesting by the second.” He walked up to the pedestal. The top was flat and smooth like a sheet of metal.

Water poured from the top, cascading off each side like a tiny waterfall. In the center of the pedestal was a chalice embedded with a marvelous display of gemstones along the cup. The chalice itself was made of a mixture of silver and gold. The stem was primarily made of silver; gold wrapped around the cup and base like a skirt.

Brendan was bewildered. “Never would I have imagined I’d come across the very thing that wars have been fought over, the thing that was supposed to be no more than a legend: the Holy Grail.”

“Your heart remains troubled, but it is on the right path. I present myself to you for one reason only: to aid you in your coming battle.”

He came to the sudden realization that he didn’t have the whole story. A relic such as the Holy Grail wouldn’t present itself before him of all people if it were only the devils they had to be wary of—something that rivaled Ahzef… or stronger.

“Will you tell me, then… Who is the real leader of not only the devils?”

“You are the only one to ever ask me this question since our creation millennia ago. Very well then.” Without mincing words, the grail answered his question. “Ahzef leads the devils and Reverse Royalty now, but you face a far greater threat that is not Ahzef. There resides a being filled with tremendous capabilities; it has merged continents, devoured galaxies, and is responsible for the deaths of billions since the dawn of humanity.”

“I take it we’ve yet to come across whatever it is you speak of, then.”

“Indeed. The last time this monstrous evil was defeated, Saint Miruna sealed it away. Thereafter, he was revered as a god. He destroyed not only Lucifero—he was victorious against the primordial evil: Nertiia.”

“You don’t mean… The Nertiia? The primordial goddess of creation and destruction from the Amalon empire. That’s what we’re up against? The same empire ruled by King Enkresh?”

“Yes, but that is all that I can tell you. You must return to Aria Miruna’s past and discover for yourself the history that awaits you.” The grail began to glow. “Grab my stem and return to the girl.”

Brendan did as instructed. Mana overwhelmed him like a fog, shrouding everything in a rich blanket of magical energy and raw power. The white room vanished as Brendan found himself back on the ship. What was once a silver and gold chalice was now a blade crafted from the purest mana he’d ever regarded, laid across the palms of his hands. Its blade was as sleek as one forged by a master craftsman, but instead of steel, it was antediluvian mana.

Placing two fingers to his lips, he recited an incantation: “Trulis ete dar vilder. Hii no kami wah ler nofsher, itsuun ardon evaal. From the darkness comes truth. My soul shall become my sword, guided by our collective will.” The words took physical form as he traced his fingers along the edge of the blade, placing each word along a path from hilt to tip. He felt a sudden surge of affirmation as strength flowed through him. His own mana amplified, basking him in a halo of pure light.

Aria’s cries jolted him back. “Let go! I swear I didn’t—” A decisive slap emanated from Aria’s cheek leaving a sweltering red handprint in its wake.

“If you’re telling the truth then explain why this note is in your handwriting and why it was found in your clothes.” He read the crumpled piece of paper aloud: “The only way to escape this floating prison is through death. Just end it. Ahzef has no use for you.”

“I didn’t wr—” Azhef’s shadowy tendrils slammed her into the floor, eliminating any chances of a counter argument. Tile fragments launched into the air from the force of the impact as blood spattered from her mouth. A stout kick quickly ensued, forcing her deeper into the crater.

“If this is truly a memory fragment, that means this is separate from the rest of Aria’s memories, but that also means it exists outside of the parameters of the present until it’s reunited with the rest of her memory.” Brendan held the blade between his hands, running his fingers across its surface.

He recalled the sandstorm and Millee’s voice. “I seek to protect my friends and those I care about. I don’t need a greedy wish or power so great it rivals that of a god. Nah.” A smile crossed his face. “I finally understand this trial isn’t just about understanding what makes Aria who she is—it’s about discovering who I am through her.”

“That’s the correct answer, Brendan,” Millee applauded. “I know you want to cut Ahzef down where he stands, but if you engage him in the past, it could have profound effects on the future.” The memory ceased its replay. “Aria’s mind has to break here. This fragment is too interwoven into our current present,” she explained, holding up a finger. “By the way, how is it you have that? I thought the grail was just a myth.”

“It’s kind of a long story, but there was this white room filled with marble sculptures. Lavenders were littered all across the floor as well, but their petals were crimson red.”

“It’s interesting you mention crimson lavenders because there’s an old saying that talks about finding peace within the conflict.” Her mind went into overdrive. “Brendan, do you know what that flower symbolizes? That flower represents peace. Its petals being stained red almost undoubtedly represents the blood that splatters their petals in war.”

“Like an ominous foreshadowing, you think?”

“I do think we have our work cut out for us. Sorry for interrupting you, please go on.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said reassuringly. “But yeah, about the sculptures I mentioned earlier, there were four of them: one looked to be a warrior of some kind, and the second was of a woman—two children hid behind her. He went on to explain the third statue of the woman, the iridescent marble, and the lance and its inscription. He saved Ahzef’s crumbling statue for last.

Millee was now heavily invested in the details of the white room and its sculptures. “I believe the woman you just described was of Earth’s princess. The first two sculptures were likely meant as a homage to those who helped her along her journey.” She looked up. “Anything else?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” he said with nervous laughter. “Let me preface first. Do you recall learning about the first civilizations on Earth? Specifically, Amalon.”

She gave Brendan a questioning look. “I know enough; they were a polytheistic culture. I recall a legend about a goddess that was so revered people were literally sacrificed just to try and appease her—that, and the name of their king, Enkresh.”

“This goddess… Was her top half that of a human and her bottom half that of a serpent? Much bigger than the other gods and goddesses?”

“Yeah. Half human, half serpent and really big.” Her eyes narrowed as surprise crossed her face. “But why?”

He sighed. “That’s Nertiia, the primordial goddess of creation and destruction, and that is what we’re up against.” He took a breath. “You mentioned King Enkresh as well, but did you know he wielded the Holy Grail during their battle?”

“Yes, now that you mention it. I assume it was the grail that told you all of this, so let me fill in some missing details. King Enkresh had a rival, Kugil, but they weren’t enemies. After Kugil died, his soul was returned to the world of the living,” she explained. “King Enkresh didn’t fight Nertiia alone. In fact, Kugil fought with him which is how they were able to subdue her the first time.”

“I’ve heard stories about Enkresh and Kugil, but I wasn’t aware that after Kugil’s death he returned to life.”

“More specifically his soul, but yes. If you’d read the assigned readings in class, you’d know this,” she poked. “There’s a lot that the history books didn’t record either though, so it’s fine. As a matter of fact, Kugil’s return to life isn’t mentioned anywhere except in ancient Amalian manuscripts. Only after his soul found another inhabitant was he fully revived and able to fight alongside King Enkresh. This wouldn’t happen for another ten years after his death.”

Brendan looked as if he’d had a euphemism. “You know this means that either Ahzef is bluffing about being able to revive other devils or he’s siphoning off of Nertiia. That doesn’t exactly explain the Hihouyo, though,” he realized. “It seems that, somehow, this all connects back to Amalon, but so many questions remain—especially about the Reverse World itself.”

“You’re right. Aria is still alive even though the Hihouyo failed which contradicts the sacrificial toll the spell takes if it fails.” Millee scratched her head. “Honestly, it’s fifty-fifty, but I agree. There is still a lot we don’t know.”

“For starters, we don’t even know where Lacia is and if she’s alive, but—”

“If Aria’s alive, she’s our best shot at figuring out what happened that night,” she said. “Speaking of, shall we continue? The sooner we’re finished with this, the more time we have to finish this conversation. Time still flows in the present.”

“Good point,” Brendan said. “Let’s continue, then.”

The second fragment melted away as a third and final fragment began to shine. This time, Brendan stood in a fully illuminated lab room. Computer monitors aligned in rows spanned the back half; large television screens were securely mounted to the walls in the front.

Aria stood around a large holographic table. Displayed on its surface was a detailed map of Alurian latitude and longitude. In the upper right corner, a satellite feed revealed live footage of a small gas station, nestled just off a highway.

“I assume you’ve done what I asked?” Ahzef’s voice called. “I’m sure you understand the importance of this task.”

“Yes. I’ve traced the landing spot of the neriolite, as requested,” Aria said. She bowed out of the way as Ahzef approached.

“And the position of the girl?”

“I don’t have an exact lock on her position, yet. Apologies, sir.”

Ahzef shrugged. “Only a minor inconvenience,” he said as he dragged a virtual keyboard across the screen. “You’ve done more than enough. I’ll have Cherri prepare for her arrival. You’re free to go.”

Brendan crept closer to the table, anxious to get a better view of the satellite feed. Unsurprisingly, it was the very gas station where they’d lost Lacia two years prior to the present. He surmised the current fragment was relaying the events from just before her capture. Having seen enough, he decided to follow Aria back to her room.

With one hand on the wall, she made her way down the hall as sleep began to dominate the remaining waking minutes she faced. She jiggled the door handle, attempting to remove the final obstacle that stood between her and her bed—a monumental task for her sleep-deprived body. Her eyes rolled, but she mustered the fleeting energy she still had, miraculously finding the cottony comfort of her bed as sleep stole her final waking moments.

Brendan took in the familiar sights of her room, though not much had changed. The crater in the floor had vanished, but other than several different sets of medical attire, everything else remained unaltered.

“You can erase the physical trauma, but the mental pain never leaves you. It’s something that is etched into your soul. Ahzef may have broken her bones and fragmented her mind, two things I’ll never forgive, but,” he stooped down next to her bed, whispering softly, “the way he broke your heart is something I’ll make him suffer for just as much as you did.”

The unlatching of a lock reverberated through the hall several doors down from Aria. The clatter of shoes and rush of a wheeled metal cart promptly followed suit. A couple hard knocks at her door announced the arrival of a guest.

Aria managed to utter a combination of, “Open bed,” and, “Sleep in door.”

Cherri poked her head through the small opening. “It’s time to change— What the hell happened to you?”

“Huh?” she said, fighting between sleep and wake. Cherri entered the room as she held a small mirror up to Aria’s face. “Oh. Ahzef has had me in the lab for the last three days. The only sleep I’ve been able to get was a ten-minute nap when he wasn’t looking.” She briefly sniffed her clothes. “I haven’t showered since before lab either.”

“Your hair’s a mess, too,” Cherri added. “Go take a shower and I’ll help you with your hair when I’m done with the girl. Ahzef got lucky. He found her alongside the neriolite.”

“Lucky him,” she mumbled. “Are you sure you can cover for me? I’m supposed to be on duty later tonight.”

“Yes. I’ve got it covered. Go— Get cleaned up. I won’t take long.”

Aria’s voice was endearing. “Thank you, Cherri. I really appreciate this.”

“I’ll drop by when I’m finished,” she said as she waved Aria bye.

The conversation was brief, but it was a gold mine of dynamics between the two young women. Brendan was particularly focused on Aria’s gratitude.

“I know Aria, and manners aren’t exactly her strong suit. The way she thanked Cherri was interesting and very unlike her.”

He concluded two things: the memory erasure by Ahzef had infringed upon elements of her personality, and the relationship between Aria and Cherri was deeper than he understood. Aria was a social butterfly for as long as Brendan had known her; much of that changed after the accident, but she wasn’t the type of person to refuse generosity.

“Lyra, or should I say, Millee, was a prime example of her refusal to deny someone else’s kindness towards her, but it still bothers me she duped me and Aria like that.” He walked towards the door, surprised to find he could squeeze through the small opening Cherri had left. “So then, that should mean Cherri is in room 009.” The sound of a roller bed turned the corner. “Speak of the devil.”

He caught sight of Lacia, tormented by what must have been a horrible nightmare. Matted hair stuck to her sweat-drenched forehead; he’d never seen someone look so close to death before in his life. His heart sank. He felt responsible for failing to protect Lacia and Mana, having been the most adept of the three at the time; to find out that Lacia had become a plaything for Ahzef made him uneasy. The bed carted past him with no regard, Cherri at the helm as she wheeled Lacia into an empty room.

“009 is secured. Taking blood samples now,” Cherri spoke into a small device.

“Very good. Thank you, Cherri, but where is Aria?” Ahzef questioned.

She waited a few seconds before responding. “She said she wasn’t feeling well, and I can confirm she didn’t look good, sir.”

“Alright, well as long as 009 is in our possession, I suppose I can allow some fluidity with your schedules.”

“Thank you, sir,” Cherri said before slipping the device back into the pocket of her pants.

She finished positioning Lacia’s bed, subsequently securing an electronic armband around her wrist. Blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate were displayed across the center of the screen. 009 scrolled across the top like a banner.

“God, you look worse than Aria,” Cherri muttered. “I know I said I’d take over for her, but I really hate dealing with other people.” She raised the guards on the bed, locking them in place.

The device in Cherri’s pocket beeped. Ahzef’s voice came through the tiny speaker. “When she’s cold enough, bring her to the lab and I’ll do her cold-blood draws.”

She drew an infrared thermometer from a side cabinet. “Understood. The thermostat has been lowered, but she’s running a fever. Her body temperature may not drop for a while…” Unless she was reading the thermometer wrong, Lacia’s body temperature had dropped despite the fever. “Hang on. She’s feverish, but her body temperature reflects hypothermia rather than infection.”

“Please bring her to the lab immediately then. I think we’ve stumbled upon something very fascinating.” The device fell silent once more.

“Are you for real right now? I just got her in here. What does he want me to do with the blood I already took?” She groaned. “I walked into this one, I guess.” She rolled Lacia out of the room and came face to face with Aria. “I’m almost done and then I’ll stop by your room, ok?”

“That’s fine, but something doesn’t feel right, Cherri,” Aria said nervously.

“What do you mean?”

She pursed her lips. “Mmm… I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s kind of like when you’re in a thunderstorm and you can feel the pressure drop. Something is happening.”

Cherri placed a hand on her hip as she looked Aria up and down. “You’re probably just exhausted,” she said, pushing her bangs up to check her temperature.

“I’m serious, Cherri,” she pleaded. “What we’re doing, it doesn’t feel right for some reason.”

“I think it’s your fever talking, Aria.” She angled a thermometer at her forehead before turning it around for her to see. “You’re running over 102 Fahrenheit. Go back to bed. We can do your hair another day.”

“But— Cher!”

“Look, Ari.” She leaned in. “There’s no doubt this is some super sketch stuff, but crossing Ahzef would be a mistake. Go back to bed.”

Reluctantly, she hauled herself back to bed. “I get that, but I still don’t feel good about this,” she said, stopping just outside her door.

Cherri sighed. “It’s been four years and you’re still like this. When will you learn, Ari? Questions are your worst enemy here.” She pointed Lacia’s bed back up the hallway. “Get some rest. I’ll be back to check on you later.” Lacia and Cherri disappeared behind a set of double doors leading back to the lab.

“This is news,” Brendan said. “Lacia reacts adversely to neriolite, the same stone we talked about back at Madam Lucero’s shop.” The puzzle in his mind finally had one more piece. “But no one knows why she reacts adversely. I get the feeling this is a Millee question, too.”

He walked back into Aria’s room to find her scribbling away on a sheet of paper, a drawing of some sort. A large sphere near the top was labeled Earth and the one next to it was labeled with a series of question marks. Below the two was a rectangular plane that had been lightly shaded. Several labels were attached to it: Underworld, Dimension X, Reverse Earth.

“Cherri knows something, but what? Their conversation sparked something in her otherwise she wouldn’t be drawing this,” Brendan said, crouching down to get a better view. “She’s got Earth right and I’m sure the sphere next to it is Chiipha. More than likely, this rectangular piece is the Reverse World, but how did she find out about any of this?”

The third memory fragment pivoted. This time, Brendan found himself inside an operating room. At the helm was a man he didn’t recognize. He assumed it was likely the surgeon. Off to the side was Aria, a surgical mask, gown, and gloves adorning her hospital-like attire. Despite her collected appearance, her mind was probably in overdrive.

“I knew it!” Brendan jumped at the sound of Aria’s voice… except she hadn’t said anything. He quickly realized he was hearing her thoughts. “Those ragged journals were good for something after all.”

“She still remembers the journals, but not the accident or why she’s even here in the first place. Just how precise was Ahzef in erasing certain memories?” he wondered aloud. Based upon Aria’s own realization, he didn’t have to guess who was on the operating table. “There was something about Lacia that had Ahzef so fascinated.”

Aria’s thoughts continued. “Her wound is from a foreign object that she had zero access to on this ship, which means that what I felt yesterday wasn’t from a fever. Her physical body remained here, but her soul left and inhabited another version of herself.”

“Retrieval nets and scope, please,” the surgeon called.

Aria handed him an endoscopic device and a small concave net with a metal handle. “She definitely didn’t go anywhere here on Earth. It’s far more likely she crossed a dimensional parallel to another world entirely.”

Brendan watched as her brows furrowed in thought for a moment before they shot up like she’d been pinched. “That’s it! I remember what that place was called, in those journals. One of the essays talked about a place parallel to Earth called Chiipha, but I never would have thought travel between the two worlds was possible!”

Without warning, Millee’s face came within inches of Brendan’s as her hair dangled to the floor. She hung upside down from the hanging lights like a child on a set of monkey bars. “Hello again! Hope you didn’t miss me too much.”

Brendan closed his eyes and shook his head with a smile. “We’re going to have a serious talk about this little-girl-behavior of yours when all this is said and done.”

“Did you just call me a little girl? I’m a radiant twenty-two years of age, thank you,” she retorted.

“Yes, and I love that for you, but how about you explain why you dropped in?”

“Oh, yeah.” Her face reminded him of a child who found themselves stumped on a homework assignment. “I came to tell you there’s one more pivot coming but be careful about venturing too far out of the memory sequence. While you do have some free roam, too much moving around could alert Ahzef to our presence.”

“Late to tell me the important things as always,” he sighed. “Alrighty then, let’s suppose he figures us out—that we’re digging around in Aria’s past. What happens then?” Brendan smoothed his hand over the grail, now sheathed at his side.

“We’d have no choice other than to fight. But, Brendan,” she cautioned, “Ahzef is much more powerful than even I realized. Using the power of the Holy Grail might be the one advantage we have, but don’t fall back on it.” She twirled down from the light. “Legend has it the grail can be anything of the wielder’s choosing but choose wisely. We don’t know what kind of effects such power could have on you. You’re not Enkresh or Kugil,” she warned.

“Understandable, but let’s say we don’t win. What’s our plan B?” he asked countering her seriousness.

She looked him straight in the eyes. “Brendan. There is no plan B.” He opened his mouth to speak but Millee put her hand up. “Let me put it to you this way: if plan A fails, plan B is praying for a miracle.” She snapped her fingers to stop the memory fragment once more.

“From what I’ve gathered over the last two years, the devils are after something that requires the power of Earth and Chiipha’s princess. If only we knew what,” he said in response to Millee. “Ahzef wants to rewrite the world, Mikaun wasn’t lying about that, but that’s not the end-goal, so what is?”

“Your friend Licht is far more versed in this than me and I believe he has a certain book that might just have the answers we’re looking for.”

The hair on the back of Brendan’s neck stood up. Without hesitation, he constructed a large shield of mana, its orange glow ironically soothing. “I know you said no plan B, but we have company,” he said, voice suddenly solemn.

“What are you talking—"

A barrage of dark energy blasted the mana shield as multiple orb-like objects attempted to burrow their way through to Brendan. The orbs exploded with tremendous force as they collided with the shield’s barrier. He struggled to maintain its form, sliding backwards across the floor, simultaneously trying to regain his footing. Despite the haphazard construction, the shield held—for the moment.

“I can take maybe two more of those before this shield starts to crack. Tell me you’ve got something, Millee,” he warned.

“Working on it, but I’m a bit low on mana after teleporting you and Aria,” she yelled back. “What we need is a change of scenery. We can’t fight here, or we run the risk of corrupting the fragments!”

Brendan gritted his teeth as he temporarily discharged the shield. A spear cloaked in shadow whizzed past his head, just grazing his ear. The reliance on sensing Ahzef’s bloodlust only worked so well. Millee was right. They needed space, more than what the tiny operating room could offer. He ran his fingers through his hair as he pushed his bangs out of his eyes.

Millee couldn’t help but laugh. “You boys and your long hair. You never know what to do with it.” She jumped up, quickly pinning his hair back with a spare clip. “Now find us somewhere else to be and I’ll find a way to get us there!”

“Oh yeah—that’s way better. Thanks, Millee.” He smirked.

An idea crossed her face. “Brendan, use a mana tag. When I move, I’m taking Ahzef with me, but I won’t be able to bring you with me right away. The mana tag will allow you to follow us using your own mana.”

He nodded. A tiny light-arrow stuck in the fabric of Millee’s clothes. “Done, now go—head to the Chiipha desert where Aria is,” he exclaimed, as he activated the tag. “It’s going to be a minute before this thing is ready. When I arrive, I’ll take him to the field Lacia described. It’ll provide ample space and good footing.”

She nodded as she attempted to provoke the devil. “Hey, Ahzef,” she shouted. “Let’s say we take this party somewhere else. What do you say?”

“You’re full of yourself, girl. Return Aria to me and I’ll let you both off with a painless death.” He walked through the open doorway, but his appearance differed from what Brendan had seen earlier in the memory fragments.

“Tch. So… It looks like we were worried about the wrong you,” Brendan said. “No bother.”

Ahzef lunged towards Brendan at such velocity Millee couldn’t keep up, but it wasn’t the devil’s speed that astounded her—it was Brendan’s masterful focus. His eyes followed every move the devil made. The boy that stood before her had so much newfound confidence and the way he held himself was so graceful and full of poise, she almost didn’t recognize him. His mana soared, flourishingly elegant and rich.

“You’re too slow.” Brendan held Ahzef’s bony fingers back with just a finger of his own. He grabbed the devil by the throat, slamming him into the ground as he followed up with a stout kick to the chest. “That’s for Aria and she’s not your property,” he seethed.

A booming chuckle thundered from Ahzef’s throat. “I felt that! Very well! Let’s—”

Brendan unsheathed the grail for less than a second, somewhere around the time it took for Millee to blink. A rush of wind forced her stockinged feet to slide across the floor and into the back wall. The overwhelming force of Brenda’s movements displaced so much matter around him the air crackled.

“Mille, now!” he shouted.

Rich magical energy rustled her hair, heralding the conjuring of a powerful spell. She clasped her hands together and began to utter a chant. She would have to summarize the rest of the third fragment later.

“Tipartia nu purseti. Reveal the present to me.”

Colors grew to vibrant hues before washing away to stripped down versions of white and grey. With a loud crack, Mille and Ahzef vanished, temporarily leaving Brendan behind.

***

After what felt like eternity, Mille dug her toes into the warm Chiipha sand. “Thanks for the assist, Brendan,” she said. “Though I regret intervening the way I did.” With a loud clap, the same battering sandstorm from before subsided, revealing dark thunderclouds overhead.

With the sudden recession of the sandstorm, Aria poked her head over the top of a sand dune as she locked eyes with Millee.

She rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re thinking, and I’ll explain later, but for now… I’m sorry.”

Caught between the crossfire of her past and future, Aria came to a crossroads: keep running from the past or charge head-first into the future, no matter how uncertain it may be. Brushing the sand from her clothes, she made her choice.

“These tears of pain and sadness won’t define my life any longer.” Fire burned in her eyes. “The future I seek is one without you,” Aria said as she addressed Ahzef. “I’ll become the heroine of my own story and that starts with making you beg for the mercy you won’t receive.”

“You go, girl!” Millee quietly cheered.

“Ha! Does the pitiful little girl I picked up, so desperate for a do-over, think she can match me, the Reverse Royalty’s strongest?” Ahzef broke out into hysterical laughter.

Brendan gave Ahzef a strong pat on the back. “Man, that was a good one, huh?” he said, matching Ahzef’s fit of hysteria.

The devil leapt back, somehow oblivious to Brendan’s presence. “When did you get there?” Ahzef growled. “I was on my way to wring that boy’s neck, the one attempting to safeguard your other princess, but since you decided to meddle where you don’t belong—"

“You’re so full of helpful information,” Brendan joked, interrupting Ahzef. “It’s too bad Aria’s about to blow your ass to pieces.” His voice was as sharp as a knife, giving Aria and Millee goosebumps. He bowed out of the way, making room for Aria.

“Lyra— Err… Millee, I expect an explanation after I turn this devil to ash. Until then, will you and Brendan lend me a hand?”

“Ask him yourself, Aria,” Millee winked. “Unfortunately, I’m low on mana. I won’t be much help. I need to use what I have to find the rest of the group.”

“We’ll hold him as long as we can, Millee. Don’t worry,” Brendan said.

Aria nodded. “Someone needs to find the other three, you’re right,” she realized. She looked Millee straight in the eyes. “I’m a lot stronger than what I was two years ago; we’ll buy you as much time as you nee—"

Brendan grabbed Aria’s hands before pulling her in for a long-overdue hug. “I’m sorry I’m left you alone back then, but I will gladly fight by your side now—no matter who or what stands before us.” He looked her in the eyes. “I’ll make it up to you with an all-expenses-paid shopping spree. Promise.”

Aria tried to stifle her laughter, instead coming out as a snort. “I’m still your favorite little spender. That makes me happy,” she smiled.

“You guys are too cute. Thanks for letting me see that,” she smirked. She turned her attention back to Ahzef. “I hope you’re ready, you monster,” Millee warned. “As Chiipha’s princess, I have a duty to protect Earth’s until she’s ready. This is your only warning. If you or Azael interfere with me again, I promise you’ll wish you hadn’t.”

“Such big words for such a little girl,” the devil taunted.

Millee shot him a death stare. “Aria, Brendan. I’m putting my faith in you two until. If you find yourselves in trouble, just ask for me. I’ll hear you, no matter where I am, but try to buy as much time as possible.”

Aria released herself from Brendan’s embrace, bringing Millee to the ground in a tackle-hug. “You’ll never know how thankful I am for that day at the library. Get everyone back for us, you hear me?”

Salty tears splashed onto Millee’s cheeks. “Is this the part where I tell you don’t cry?” She patted Aria’s head. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this!”

Aria sniffled. “Thanks, Millee. Don’t forget, when you get back, you have a lot of explaining to do,” she said, smiling through tears.

“I know. You’ll get the whole story, I promise.”

Aria pulled herself off Millee, returning to Brendan’s side as she waved bye. Brendan nodded, giving her a thumbs up.

“Good luck, guys.” She disappeared, off to collect the rest of the group.

Brendan unsheathed the grail, feeding mana into it until it was the length of a broadsword. Sand billowed out in all directions as the grail took shape. “If we get rid of you, we put an end to Nertiia’s revival, but first, venue change.”

“Right here is just fi—"

Brendan grabbed Ahzef by the throat, sending him flying in what he assumed was the direction of the field. “It’s over there somewhere, at least,” he laughed. “I just need out of this desert.”

“You’re telling me,” Aria said. “Anyways, you’re about to see a side of me I know you haven’t seen. That devil is mine.”