[Assistant] There stood the king of Farsas, with Akashia in hand. On Oscar’s left and right were Mila and Karr, with Doan and Als behind him.

[User] Tinasha’s dark eyes grew round and wide. “Oscar!”

[Assistant] “Wait just a damn minute.” The Cezar man said, having walked into a surprising situation. He looked down at the woman he was holding on to.


[User] She was now his lifeline, in a different way than he had originally anticipated.

[Assistant] Whipping out the dagger belted at his waist, the man pressed it to her neck. “Come any closer and she dies.”

[User] “Hmph. So we just have to keep our distance?” remarked one of the spirits disdainfully, and the man’s dagger shattered to pieces.

[Assistant] Shocked, he released Tinasha. Without missing a beat, she ducked and slipped out of his range. At the same time, Oscar stepped right up and punched the man in the face, sending him flying like a rag doll.

[User] Crouched on the floor, Tinasha craned her head to look back. “Do you really think we should let him live?”

[Assistant] “If I killed him here, you’d end up a bloody mess.” Oscar responded, sheathing Akashia and helping Tinasha to her feet. He hugged her tight to him, making sure she was safe. “I really can’t take my eyes off you for one second.” Irrepressible relief tinged his affectionate teasing.


[User] Als and Doan searched the mansion but found nothing of note. All they could glean from the rooms and possessions was that a man and a young woman had been living there alone. While they were conducting their search, Oscar settled Tinasha on his lap as he interrogated the Cezar man. It turned out that he was the founder of the cult that worshipped Simila and the mastermind behind the recent skirmish.

[Assistant] Oscar eyed him with open scorn. “We’ll be taking you back to Farsas. You can tell us the full story there.”

[User] “Take him away, Mila.”

[Assistant] “Got it!” chirped the red-haired spirit, and she disappeared with the cult leader.

[User] Tinasha heaved a sigh, then glanced up at Oscar. “Um, I’d like to get down now…”

[Assistant] "No."

[User] “…” Whether he was upset with Tinasha or not, he kept his left arm firmly wrapped around her. The abduction must have hit him pretty hard. Tinasha turned her flushed face aside, feeling guilty. She held up her left wrist. “Then please take this off.”

[Assistant] “What is it? I thought you were wearing it for a change of pace.”

[User] “It’s a sealing ornament that belongs to your country!” she retorted. At Oscar’s dubious look, Tinasha relayed what Valt had told her.

[Assistant] The king traced a finger along the bracelet, and it popped right open. He drew it free from the chains and lifted it up to examine it. “Hmm, so this was stolen forty years ago?”

[User] “Apparently. Why is security so lax in Farsas?” Tinasha chided.

[Assistant] “How about you just organize things after we’re married? Is this thing really that strong?” Oscar responded, and he touched the bracelet to her wrist. It clicked onto it as easily as it had opened.

[User] Frowning, Tinasha cried, “Don’t put it on me!”

[Assistant] “Oh, this is fun. Wonder how it works?”

[User] “It is not fun!” she fumed.

[Assistant] Oscar removed the sealing item and stowed it in his jacket pocket.


[User] To test her magic, Tinasha cast a spell in her palm and then extinguished it. She glanced at Oscar and asked, “How did you find me?”

[Assistant] “I wandered around Cezar using that barrier you put on me to locate you. This house is in a town close to the royal castle.”

[User] “You wandered around? Right after the battle?”

[Assistant] “I wouldn’t have found you otherwise. Two of your spirits were with me the whole time. It was fine.”

[User] “Oh… thank you.” She says, feeling ashamed of how easily she had been kidnapped. More than that, however, she was grateful to those around her. For all her strength, there were many things she couldn’t handle alone.

[Assistant] Oscar smiled. "I’m just glad we found you.”

[User] “Um, how’s Sylvia?”

[Assistant] “Good. Her injuries were healed. Two or three days and she’ll be back to normal.”

[User] Tinasha exhaled with relief. She’d been fretting about her friend this whole time.

[Assistant] Als and Doan returned to report that they hadn’t found anything of interest.

[User] Oscar stood up with Tinasha in his arms. “Let’s head back, then. Everyone waiting back at the fort is probably worried.”

[Assistant] Tinasha caught his eye and smiled. Despite the delays, the war with Cezar was over, and it was the start of a new stage in the game.


[User] "Marry me." The man said, and the woman hearing these words opened her eyes wide. Reflexively, she glanced behind her, but the pair were alone in the tiny forest clearing. He was talking to her and no one else.

[Assistant] She threw him a pained look. "Have you really thought this through?"

[User] "I have, yes. I’ve my situation, yours, and everyone else’s. I’ve especially acknowledged how your mother may kill me. Despite all of that, I want to wed you. I can’t think about anything else." He spoke honestly and from the heart.

[Assistant] The woman’s red lips opened on a sigh. As she stared at him, his blue eyes gazed back at her, as expansive and patient as the sky.


[User] Upon returning to Farsas, Oscar settled Tinasha in his own chambers to rest. Her own chambers in the castle had been vacated prior to her coronation, and from a security standpoint, this was the safest place for her to be. Tinasha had intended to return to Tuldarr, but she was so obviously worn out that it would damage her dignified reputation if she returned in her present condition. For that reason, Oscar had arranged with Legis for her to stay in Farsas for the time being, under the pretense of discussing Cezar’s recent invasion attempt. Oscar posted a platoon of security guards outside the door and then set about the massive undertaking of processing the paperwork for the recent skirmish.

[Assistant] His father, the former king, had taken on the lion’s share of his kingly duties while he was away fighting. Upon his son’s return, Kevin said simply, “Glad it went well.”

[User] After an hour of finishing up some routine tasks, Oscar returned to his quarters to find Tinasha fast asleep, breathing evenly on his bed. She seemed to have bathed and changed clothes, as she was dressed in a comfy white nightgown. Oscar sat on the bed and carded his fingers through her hair. For the past two days, he had been too busy dealing with the post-battle aftermath and his search for her to get much sleep, but for some strange reason, he didn’t feel tired at all. Unlike Tinasha, he could operate on four to five hours of sleep. At the moment, he felt more sheer relief at safely recovering her than he felt any sort of exhaustion. Catching up one of her hands, Oscar pressed a kiss to it.

[Assistant] “Oh… I fell asleep… I’m sorry.” Tinasha must have felt it, as she blinked her eyes open.

[User] "Don’t be. Rest if you need to.”

[Assistant] "I’m fine.” She insisted, sitting up in bed.

[User] Oscar wrapped his arms around her and settled her in his lap. “All right, so can I finally ask what that guy was after?”


[User] He had inquired about it at the mansion, but Tinasha hadn’t given a clear reply because of the other people around. Now that they were alone, Tinasha’s bafflement was obvious as she revealed Valt’s request, explaining that the two magic spheres were called Eleterria, and he wanted both.

[Assistant] "So it did have to do with those orbs." Oscar mused. While it was a mystery how Valt knew of their existence, he undoubtedly hoped to alter the past in some way. If he knew that Tuldarr and Farsas each had one, he must have been very well-informed. Not only that—he and others before him had spent years plotting to steal the time-altering objects.

[User] Upon realizing that, Oscar scowled unhappily. "No way of knowing what’s the truth and what he’s just bluffing about."

[Assistant] "But if just one orb can take you back into the past, why does he need both?" Tinasha wondered out loud.

[User] "Great question. Maybe there’s another way to use them if you have two?" Oscar guessed. "Like going to the future? If that happened, we’d have no hope of beating him."

[Assistant] "It’d depend on what he uses them for." Tinasha replied.

[User] Speculating wouldn’t get them anywhere. The important thing was not to allow the orbs to get stolen. However, there was one thing that needed to be done. "I’m going to ask my dad about the orb. The one in Tuldarr was sealed away four hundred years ago, right? So that means Valt could only have info on the Farsas one."

[Assistant] Tinasha cocked her head to one side. "You think he knows something?"

[User] "He understands enough to realize the orb’s important, since he put it in the treasure vault while his other mementos of my mom are displayed in his rooms. No matter how busy he may have been at the time, he wouldn’t have mixed that u—" Oscar cut himself off mid-sentence, having suddenly realized something. He stared at Tinasha intently; she squirmed under his gaze.

[Assistant] "Wh-what is it?"

[User] "Well, you were gonna use that orb when those kids died recently, weren’t you?"

[Assistant] "But I didn’t. Are you going to lecture me?" Tinasha replied warily.

[User] "No. Fifteen years ago, Farsas had its own rash of missing children." Oscar replied. A series of kidnappings had occurred in the capital city. When the dust settled, over thirty kids were gone. One day, the abductions just abruptly ended.

[Assistant] Tinasha’s black eyes grew wide. "Are you saying that someone did what I wanted to?"

[User] "It’s possible. No one has ever found the kids who went missing, so they must have failed." Oscar told her. And if that were the case, it might have had something to do with his mother getting sick and dying right around the same time. Oscar urgently wished to ask his father about this, but formulating a strategy to counter the larger situation was equally pressing. "I’ll look into things on my side, so you just be extra careful for the time being.


[User] "They’ve got an eye on you." Oscar cautioned.

[Assistant] Tinasha shrank in on herself. "Sorry."

[User] Oscar burst out laughing and ruffled her hair. Tinasha glanced up, and he caught her eye. "Also, thanks for taking care of that evil god. You really saved us."

[Assistant] She gave him a bemused look that soon morphed into an enchanting smile.

[User] Oscar found himself breathless as he beheld it. Selfless affection shone in her gaze. Her grin was mesmerizing—it captured his soul. Tinasha was flawed, though she closely resembled perfection. Wanting to draw such a rare, distant creature close to him, Oscar caught her chin and brought her near, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

[Assistant] For a moment, Tinasha’s eyes widened, but then her long black eyelashes fluttered as she closed her lids and accepted his kiss. When he pulled back, she was blushing and averted her gaze. "You’re too close…"

[User] "I told you to get used to it. Besides, you’ve acted so comfortable with me for the entire time I’ve known you."

[Assistant] "Because I thought I had no effect on you."

[User] "You always did." He’d always seen her as an alluring woman, although he didn’t confess as much aloud. Instead, he dropped a kiss on her earlobe and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed a line down from her ear to her décolletage. When he buried his face between her soft breasts, he could feel her tremble, and how hot she’d grown. Just how much determination and doubt made up this fragile little body of hers? He wanted to touch every single part of Tinasha—her smooth skin and the blood beneath it. Yet the more he felt, the closer he got, the more he knew he could never reach her. No matter how much he longed to, he would never have her soul. Her boundaries wouldn’t permit it. All he could do was make love to Tinasha and be near her. Aware of the insurmountable gap between them, he still found her very precious as he reached for her again. He knew that the two of them shared that despair. Her eyes were so hot. I’m going to cry, Tinasha thought. She wasn’t sad, though. Adrift on a sea of sensation and losing track of where she was, she felt content knowing that she was accepted for who she was.

[Assistant] The young woman blinked the moisture from her eyes. Gazing down at his face, a wave of affection overwhelmed her. An irresistible desire to hug him tightly filled her. Instead of acting upon it, though, she used both hands to hold him at bay. "Wait, wait…"

[User] "Why?" Oscar asked, truly confused as he stared at his fiancée.

[Assistant] Tinasha looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.


[User] “We’re not married!”

[Assistant] “But we’re going to be, aren’t we?”

[User] “Well, yes, but…”

[Assistant] “Then there’s no problem.” He decided, brooking no objections as he took Tinasha in his arms and lay her down in the middle of the bed. While she was still dazed, he interlaced his fingers with hers, pressing their hands into the mattress and gazing down at the beautiful woman.

[User] “I’m not going to want to let you return to Tuldarr after this.” He whispered after a pause. Magic gathered in Tinasha’s body. “I’m asking you to wait. I will use force if I need to.” With a little smile, Oscar drew something from his jacket pocket and snapped it on to Tinasha’s wrist. “I have tricks of my own, too.”

[Assistant] “Hey! What do you think you’re doing? !” She cried.

[User] He had placed the sealing bracelet on her, the one stolen from Farsas forty years ago.

[Assistant] Tinasha shuddered, remembering how the dangerous magic implement had fallen into the hands of a terrible person.

[User] Looking down at her, Oscar asked, “What are you unhappy about?” He was serious. And the power in his gaze made Tinasha feel compelled to obey unconditionally.

[Assistant] “I—”

[User] “Your Majesty! Is now a good time? !” He sounded panicked from outside the room.

[Assistant] “Of course it’s not.” The king grumbled, but he kept that quiet enough that Lazar wouldn’t hear. Oscar let go of Tinasha and reluctantly got up. While she sighed in relief, the king had a strained look on his face as he undid the bracelet. “I’ll be stepping out for a bit, I guess. I already told Legis that you’ll be here today, so sit tight.”

[User] “Th-thanks for that.”

[Assistant] “Don’t worry about it.” Oscar said with a smile, and he patted Tinasha’s head. His affection for her was unchanged, which she felt a little guilty about.


[User] Once he was gone, Tinasha frowned and let out a big sigh.

[Assistant] “So, what’s so important?”

[User] “Ouch, ouch! Don’t pinch me!” He squealed.

[Assistant] “I’ll pinch you as much as I want.”

[User] “Ow, ow, ow, ow!” Lazar cried as Oscar practically tugged him down the hallway by the cheek. When he was finally released, he rubbed his reddened face and blinked away the tears in his eyes. “A lady has arrived to see you, Your Majesty.”

[Assistant] “Who?”

[User] “Ah—” Lazar cut himself off, but not out of hesitation. It was as if there was a gap in his memory and he no longer knew what came next. His lips opened and closed like a fish several times before he finally hung his head, dumbfounded. “I’m very sorry, but I don’t know…”

[Assistant] Understandably, Oscar made a concerned face. “What’s the meaning of this? Why did you rush over to get me, then?”

[User] “I’m not sure… I just felt that I had to retrieve you immediately…”

[Assistant] “This makes no sense, but fine. Where is she?” He inquired.

[User] “In the audience chamber.”


[User] Still unsettled by his friend’s odd behavior and this unknown guest, Oscar headed for the room in question, where he found a woman with deep chestnut hair in a ponytail. Her clothing was ordinary and plain, not at all the garb of someone visiting the castle. Stranger still, she was alone in the room. Finding it suspicious that his guards were absent when they should not have been, Oscar eyed this woman with apprehension.

[Assistant] He was about to criticize her insolent, hard gaze when some strange malaise overtook him. Something was off. He had the sense that he had met this woman before.

[User] “I wondered what you were doing when you got engaged, and now I see that all my hard work has been undone. Did that Witch Killer Queen do this?” She spat irritably.

[Assistant] “I know your voice…” Dull pain shot through Oscar’s head. Memories he should have lost flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning. White nails Moon Depth of night Blood Ripped apart Oscar stumbled a step back, steadying himself instantly.

[User] Mustering his strength, he drew Akashia and faced the woman with his sword at the ready.

[Assistant] “You’re… the Witch of Silence!” Oscar said firmly.

[User] “Yes, I am. It’s been a while. You’ve grown quite a bit." She remarked with a sneer.

[Assistant] “What are you here for?” Oscar demanded, his voice infused with power.

[User] Lazar, who was standing behind the king, turned pale.

[Assistant] “I thought a single curse would take care of it. This is quite irritating. But now that it’s been broken, I suppose there’s no use crying about it.” She lifted her right hand in Oscar’s direction and jabbed her pointer finger at his face. “I will end your destiny here.” Magic gathered at her fingertip, then poured forth.

[User] Oscar inhaled sharply, then used Akashia to parry away an invisible spear.

[Assistant] “Lazar, run!” Oscar shouted, without looking back. Then he lunged for the witch.

[User] Lances flew toward him from all sides, but he cut down every one. Then Oscar closed in on her.

[Assistant] She appeared in the right corner of the large room. "What an intriguing protective charm you wear… Is that the work of your little bride?


[User] “Still, I do have another way." She said and snapped her fingers.

[Assistant] Cold danger ran along Oscar’s nape. He ducked down, and something went whizzing over his head. Jumping back up, he saw that it was an entirely ordinary sword floating in the air. "Ah. You’re going to use a physical object since my barrier can repel magic." Oscar muttered.

[User] As if in answer, the hovering blade changed direction in midair, and then the sharp tip came rushing at him again. He parried it away with Akashia. Immediately, another sword appeared right to his left. Somehow, he managed to twist himself and dodge away so it couldn’t run him through.

[Assistant] “Your reflexes are quite good. I wonder how many you can dodge?” The witch said in a clear, ringing voice. She smiled as she manipulated the array of weapons—regular ones that were not made of magic. For a second, her smile appeared more self-deprecating than anything, but that could have just been Oscar’s imagination.

[User] A third blade dived for his legs, and Akashia smashed it apart. Oscar leaped forward, evading more swords that came racing toward him from either side. As soon as he landed, he dashed for the witch. Another blade swooped in before him, however. Without slowing down, Oscar smacked it away with the flat of Akashia. He was closing in on the witch, whose cool expression remained unbothered. As he neared the final stretch, a sword jabbed at his left flank from a spot too close to avoid. Thus, Oscar grabbed the weapon by the blade. Pain cut through his fingers, but he tossed the sword aside. No sooner had he done so than sharp agony tore into his right calf. A blade had stabbed into it from behind. Seizing upon Oscar’s slowed pace, his opponent threw a second sword, which bit into his left shoulder. The pain nearly claimed his consciousness, but he kept going and made it to the witch. Oscar whipped Akashia up with frightening speed.

[Assistant] “It’s over.”

[User] Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

[Assistant] The witch wore a wan smile. Was it resignation in her eyes?

[User] As Akashia traced an arc toward the woman’s neck, an angry roar from the entrance to the room shook the chamber.

[Assistant] “Don’t kill her, Oscar! That’s your grandmother!”

[User] Everything stopped. He lost the will to fight. His grip on Akashia weakening, the king opened his blue eyes wide. The world was quiet, and only the witch dared to move as she fixed Oscar with expressionless eyes.

[Assistant] “You should dream of your childhood." She said, but he didn’t hear it. Oscar had almost no memories of his mother. She’d died when he was five. Surely, that was old enough to recall a few things, and yet he couldn’t. He was told she’d passed because of an illness, but he never felt sad about it because he was cursed so soon after.


[User] To break the spell and reclaim his future, he’d dedicated his youth to studying and swordsmanship. There’d been no time to mourn. Everything related to her was just a blank. When Oscar came to, he was in a long hallway. He glanced all around him—no one else was there. He was alone. Recognizing where he was, he gazed absently at the walls. This was a corridor within Farsas Castle, a place he knew inside and out. A row of windows lined the walls to his right, with doors on the opposite side. The windows were full of a lavender sky. He couldn’t see the end of the hall. It simply went on deeper and deeper. A glance backward told him things were the same in that direction. He stared at the row of doors. Have there always been so many rooms here? Puzzled, he pushed open the closest door and went inside. It led to the castle courtyard. A boy of seven or eight stood there, his back to Oscar. When he walked over, the boy turned around.

[Assistant] “Is this where you’ve been, Your Highness? His Majesty has been searching all over for you.”

[User] “I only went out for a bit, Lazar. I’ll head right over to him.” It was only now that Oscar realized he was a boy himself, only a little bit taller than Lazar. It didn’t seem particularly odd, though. They were close in age, so of course he was. “Anyway, stop calling me ‘Your Highness.’ It feels weird.”

[Assistant] “But that’s who you are, Your Highness,” Lazar protested, looking serious beyond his years. Up until recently, Lazar had called Oscar by his name, but for whatever reason, he had started acting more distant.

[User] Annoyed, Oscar sulked. The practice sword at his waist had been crafted shorter to match his height. Unsure of whether he should leave it there, he decided to keep it on as he left the courtyard.


[Assistant] Oscar exited through the door and found himself in the long hallway again. He didn’t know why he was here or where he was going. Confused, he pushed open the next door. It led to one of the castle’s lecture halls. When he approached the lectern, a man reading a book looked up.

[User] “Oh, Your Highness… what is it?”

[Assistant] “Have you found any clues about the curse?”

[User] “I’m very sorry, but not yet…” Royal Chief Mage Kumu’s face turned grave as he rubbed at his shiny bald head.

[Assistant] Oscar smiled at him. To conceal his fears, he said cheerily, “No need to worry. Something will turn up.”

[User] The mage bowed.

[Assistant] It had already been more than five years since Oscar was cursed and there were still no clues. As the matter concerned the future of the royal family, no one outside the nation could be consulted.


[User] Oscar tapped his fingers against his chin. "I know. What if we use Akashia to cut me? And then heal me immediately."

[Assistant] "Y-Your Highness, that would be much too…"

[User] "I’ll go ask if I can borrow it."

[Assistant] "Wait!" the man protested, but Oscar turned and raced from the room. He came out onto the hallway and looked left and right. Glancing back, he didn’t sense Kumu chasing after him.

[User] The world was silent. There were no changes. Nothing new. Oscar went up to the next door and opened it without waiting. Inside, he found the training grounds on the castle periphery. A gray-haired general spotted him and bowed. Checking to be sure he had the practice sword belted at his waist, Oscar walked over to the man. The sword was already adult sized.

[Assistant] "Ettard, I want you to run me through some more drills today."

[User] "I’m afraid there’s no longer anything I can teach you."

[Assistant] "Don’t be ridiculous. Spar with me."

[User] "Very well, Your Highness." the general agreed, giving a deep bow. He stepped to one side and readied his sword. With a smile at Oscar, he said, "Next year or the year after, a new apprentice will come to train under me. His name is Als and he’s four years younger than you… He’s quite proficient."

[Assistant] "I look forward to meeting him." Readying his blade, he let out a long breath and concentrated.

[User] It was growing difficult to keep track of all the rooms. Inside each, Oscar was always a child. Once he entered a chamber, he forgot everything and thought that was where he was meant to be. Yet when he left the room, a strange, impatient feeling washed over him. There was no end to it. No matter how many doors Oscar tried, he was never older than fifteen. He couldn’t view any of his adult memories.

[Assistant] I want to get out, something deep inside him cried.

[User] There were things like alarm bells ringing within him, but they weren’t loud enough for him to be conscious of their noise. He was only capable of opening doors and going into rooms. Oscar continued into a new chamber. What he saw there petrified him for a moment. It looked like a room in the castle. Blood stained the walls and floor, dirtying every surface. The furniture was thrown all over like a storm had swept through. But what drew his eye the most was a woman on the ground near the center of the chamber. She was lying facedown in a pool of red. Oscar couldn’t make out her face, but her chestnut brown hair was fanned out, soaking into the blood.


[User] Looking down at her, he was seized with an indescribable fright. I have to make sure. He took a step closer, but for whatever reason, he was back in the hallway. Oscar puzzled over the development. After a moment, however, he could no longer recall the crimson-soaked room or the woman. He touched the next door. The faintest shock ran through his hand, but he pushed it open anyway. Inside was an unfamiliar chamber, one he couldn’t place at all. It was empty, save for a wide bed, a desk, a sizable bookcase, a sofa, and a table. A stack of thick books rested atop the desk. When he walked over to them, he saw they were all volumes on magic. Suddenly, the clear voice of a young girl came from behind him.

[Assistant] “Oscar? What is it?” He turned around to see a lovely girl with long black hair standing there. She was thin and had a sweet face. He stared warily at her fine, achingly perfect features. Curiously, he didn’t know her name or how to respond to her. She came right up to him and met his gaze. “Is it time for our practice already? Am I late?”

[User] When she said practice, he glanced down at his waist and found that, sure enough, he was wearing his training sword.

[Assistant] When he looked back over at her, she was on her tiptoes and about to touch him. Her snow-white hand didn’t make contact with his face, though. Softly, she floated up into the air. From a little above him, she inspected his expression, her deep, dark eyes staring into his. She brought her lips to his ear and whispered, “Oscar… open the door to the next room…”

[User] A jolt ran up his spine. The words held a seductive lilt to them. They’d clearly been spoken by a woman, not a girl. Shocked, Oscar took a step back.

[Assistant] Evidently oblivious, the girl regarded him curiously, as if she had said nothing at all. “I’m going on ahead.” she stated with a smile and a wave, disappearing.

[User] Oscar exited the unfamiliar chamber and realized he was standing before the door to the next room. He had a sense that something inexplicable had happened moments ago, but he couldn’t quite recall what. He opened the door, getting déjà vu from the zap that ran through his hand. Inside was a large hall built of stone. It was dark, not unlike a nightmare. People were sitting in tiered rows of seats that lined the walls of the oval-shaped space. In the center of it rose a staircase, reaching a full story above the ground. Because of the angle, he couldn’t see what was at the top of it, but he could hear muffled voices talking. He decided to head for the staircase, but the woman spoke again in his ear. “Oscar… get out Akashia…” There was no one there when he whirled to check.


[User] He fumbled at his waist for the sword and touched a hilt he was well acquainted with. This was his beloved weapon, the only one like it in the world. I feel like I haven’t held it in years. He went to unsheathe the royal sword

[Assistant] A girl’s shriek came from the platform. It was so bloodcurdling that Oscar raced for the stairs.

[User] “Wait… Draw Akashia…”

[Assistant] “But…”

[User] “It’s all right. Draw Akashia, Oscar.” The words were faint, but insistent, and Oscar stopped in his tracks.

[Assistant] He could hear the girl screaming and sobbing from the altar.

[User] “It’s all right. Trust me.” Her words were sure and firm, thrumming with a distinct force.

[Assistant] Instinctively, he gasped. Believing in her, he drew out his blade.


[User] When he opened his eyes, a woman was staring at him from very nearby. He reached out to wipe drops of blood dotted on her cheeks away with his thumb.

[Assistant] “Tinasha…” Her name fell naturally from his mouth.

[User] “He woke up?”

[Assistant] “Ludicrous. No one should have been able to overwrite my spell.” Her disgusted voice made Oscar’s head pound.

[User] Slowly, he sat up from Tinasha’s lap. Looking around, he saw he was in the audience chamber where he’d battled the witch. At some point, a magical barrier had been erected around the whole room. Beyond it were Kevin, Lazar, Als, and his other advisers, gazing at him sorrowfully. In the center of the chamber stood another, semicircular barrier enclosing Oscar and Tinasha. He was shocked to find two spirits collapsed nearby.

[Assistant] Despite her injuries, she flashed him a bewitching smile, as though she felt no pain at all.

[User] “I can’t overwrite it, but I can use it. I introduced a dream of my own.”

[Assistant] “But it only shows dreams from childhood.”

[User] “Which is why it was a dream from my childhood.”

[Assistant] Oscar massaged his temples. He had a fierce headache. Fragments were still rattling around.

[User] Tinasha’s eyes narrowed as she smiled at him. “Can you fight?”

[Assistant] “Of course.”

[User] “Then I’ll need you to, as I don’t think I can move. I’ve closed up your wounds.”

[Assistant] “Okay,” and he got to his feet while checking to make sure he was holding Akashia. Oscar faced the witch and looked her over. He saw another woman’s face in her sharp beauty.


[User] The same green eyes, a regal nose, and a soft smile on her rosebud mouth. It was the face of his mother, the one he hadn’t been able to recall until that moment. "So you’re my grandmother, huh? You do look like her."

[Assistant] Oscar snorted. Feeling the weight of his sword in his hands, he stepped outside the barrier. The room was an ocean of blood. Crimson had been splattered all across the walls, gleaming as it dripped. A huge pool of blood had formed on the floor, and a woman was lying facedown in the middle of it. Her face wasn’t visible. But he knew who she was.

[User] The witch tossed him a scornful look. A spell coalesced in her right hand. "If only you’d just kept sleeping. You’d be so much happier."

[Assistant] "It would be pointless for me to be the only happy one."

[User] "Aggravating child."

[Assistant] "Lavinia! Wait!" A never-before-seen look of desperation on his face, the former king appealed to the witch. "My son has done nothing wrong! If you have to kill someone, take me—"

[User] "It’s not a matter of wrongs. If it were, then my fool of a daughter would be most to blame." Lavinia returned her gaze to Oscar. She extended her bespelled hand toward him, and the finely wrought magic followed. "You must die and balance out the fate that was altered." With that, she let the spell fly. A high wall of flames hemmed Oscar in. The temperature in the room soared, and Oscar’s lungs struggled to breathe in the scorching air.

[Assistant] From behind him, a woman said anxiously, "Oscar…"

[User] "I’ll be fine." Oscar focused his mind. Taking a deep breath in and releasing it slowly, he visualized the spell within the flames. When the core became clear, he took a step toward it. Defying the waves of heat that every instinct told him to retreat from, he thrust Akashia into the heart of the fire. The threads snapped. Oscar pulled Akashia back, then did a lengthwise sweep to unbind the spell. Searing winds blew his hair back. The walls of flame disintegrated. Fire scattered across the room, struck Tinasha’s barrier, and vanished, leaving only scorching gusts.


[Assistant] The night was cloudy. Lights made of magic glowed at the corners of the room. Unable to sleep for whatever reason, the child got out of bed. From the corner of his eye, he saw something flash past his windowpane outside. Wondering what it was, he approached the balcony door. Then he recalled his mother’s warning.

[User] "Do not open the windows or go outside."

[Assistant] However, the boy spied a blue bird alighting on the balcony railing outside. The shade of its feathers was a deeper than the sky, vivid and striking, despite the clouds that covered the moon.

[User] Is this what color the ocean is?


[User] Excited over the idea of a vista he had never seen before, the boy rushed to undo the lock and push the door open. He came out onto the balcony and reached for the bird. The little animal cocked its head. Its beady black eyes reflected nothing at all. It didn’t look like it was going to fly away. He could almost touch it.

[Assistant] "Oscar!” someone shrieked at his back.

[User] The boy jumped. Turning, he saw his mother in the doorway. The light behind her cast shadows across her face. Gazing at the little boy, the blue bird let out a loud cackle.


[Assistant] Oscar swung Akashia at the swords bearing down on him from all directions, shattering them to pieces. He couldn’t dodge every blade, though, and some grazed his flesh. Still, he made sure to smash any that would have fatally wounded him. Despite her exhaustion, his fiancée was doing what she could to help. Oscar spared a thought of gratitude for her while he closed in on the witch. Sneering, Oscar asked Lavinia,

[User] "So I have to die? Is that why you cursed me?”

[Assistant] "It is. If you’re going to hate anyone, hate your mother,” she replied coldly. There was no emotion in her tone.

[User] Several invisible vines snaked toward the young king, weaving between the swords. A strike from Akashia ended their encroachment. Oscar evaded the floating blades by leaping to the right, lopping off a vine curling around his ankle as he did. Next, he used his free hand to grab the hilt of a dagger before it could run through his left flank, then used that to parry away a sword speeding for him. Dodging the vines, he hurried toward their spell core. As Akashia pierced and dispersed the magic, Lavinia declared,

[Assistant] “The harder you fight, the more you’ll suffer.”

[User] Immediately afterward, huge white claws appeared before Oscar—too close to evade. Just as they had on that night, the white nails glimmered as they dived for his shoulder.

[Assistant] “No,” Oscar whispered as he caught hold of them before they could sink into his flesh. These aren’t claws or nails. It’s just a dagger. He hurled it away. Ultimately, the claws had never reached him. Instead, they’d ripped into his mother, who had thrown herself before him. The nails tore into her shoulder and rent her body apart. Although her face was racked with terrible pain, she wove a spell. Wrenching herself free of the claws, she flung them at the bird demon. It flicked the red-tipped things away. Fresh blood stained the walls. The moon peeked out from the clouds. Pallid, tranquil light shone into the room. Numbly, Oscar stared down at his mother, prostrate on the floor, and timidly reached for her blood-soaked back.

[User] “Mother?”

[Assistant] Before he could touch her, the woman’s body vanished. So did all the stains on the walls. All that remained was a shredded blue bird lying on the balcony.


[User] Oscar flew out of the room, screaming, and made straight for his mother’s chamber.

[Assistant] It had to be a nightmare. It had to be. When he burst in… his mother was there, reading, and regarded him with surprise.

[User] “What is it, Oscar?” Her smile was gentle.

[Assistant] She looked just the same as ever.

[User] Relieved, Oscar flew into her arms. Between his sobs, he told her about the dream.

[Assistant] I knew it. It couldn’t be real. That night, he slept in his mother’s bed. That should have been the end of it. But the next night, he was faced with the sight of his mother’s death, exactly as it had been in his nightmare.

[User] Akashia raised, Oscar approached the witch cautiously. Lavinia merely teleported away and reappeared near the door to the audience chamber, however. Dodging the remaining swords, Oscar turned and gave her a strained look.

[Assistant] “I’m not going to hate my mother. She protected me.” At that, Kevin and Lavinia both made shocked expressions.

[User] As she healed her spirits, Tinasha looked between them in confusion.

[Assistant] “You recall it now?” Kevin asked.

[User] “Thanks to those dreams just now, yeah. Are you the one who sealed my memories?” Oscar turned to Lavinia, who didn’t offer any denial. She gazed evenly at the young king of Farsas. What ghastly memories. At such a young age, Oscar had watched his mother die twice. Fearing that he would be psychologically scarred if he had to carry that around with him forever, the witch had sealed his recollection of the experience when she’d cursed him. As Oscar wrestled with the bitter memories that had been lost for fifteen years, he stared his grandmother—the witch—dead in the eye. His dead mother, a rash of missing child cases, and an heirloom that could reverse the flow of time. Once he fit together all the pieces, an answer emerged.

[Assistant] “My mother… went back in time to save me?”

[User] Tinasha gasped. Oscar’s memory of his mother getting ripped apart by a demon had been shut away. When he thought on it, he realized that the mother in that memory was another Rosalia who’d come rushing in from a day in the future. No one ever knew at the time that there’d been two queens in the castle. Fifteen years ago, Oscar’s mother had burst into his room after traveling from the future, knowing that he was going to be attacked. And in her attempt to save her son, she and the demon perished at the other’s hand. She’d bled out and collapsed, only for her blood and corpse to disappear instantly—because she belonged to another time. Oscar had burst into tears when she’d vanished and had run to his mother’s room to find her as she’d ever been, ready to welcome him. Her reaction was understandable, since that was the woman from the present. Relieved, Oscar believed the gruesome death to be a nightmare, but that was wrong.


[User] Only a day later, his mother perished in a puddle of her own blood. Lavinia took a deep breath. Her green eyes moved back and forth rapidly, as if she were recalling something from long ago. "Do you remember when you told me that your dream turned into reality?"

[Assistant] "I do."

[User] "You were the one who was supposed to die. You became the latest target of the demon that had been taking children. But Rosalia… she couldn’t bear it. She committed the sin of distorting the past." The queen had used the magic orb and gone back in time to save her son. And she had certainly succeeded, but her dying in the process complicated matters. "One may succeed in altering the past, but this cannot erase the doom of a person who uses the orb, because it is no longer part of the past. The end of my daughter’s life was determined when she and the demon killed each other. Her time had come, and she met it unaware. As a result, my daughter saved your life… and killed your heart." Rosalia’s end was sudden, something she couldn’t have known until seconds before it happened. But that simply meant her days were over. Eleterria was not capable of altering the fate of its user. When a person reached their appointed time of death, the same end would come to them, no matter what. The child disappearances that had left Farsas terrorized came to a sudden end. Lavinia flew to the castle upon hearing of her daughter’s suspicious demise. Once she learned of her traumatized grandson’s story and that children were no longer vanishing, she deduced what had occurred. "You’ve done nothing wrong, and I do not hate you. However, you are someone who should not be alive. And so you should not beget any descendants." From a modicum of mercy, Lavinia had utilized a curse instead of killing him. She had wanted to honor her daughter’s wishes, but also… she had felt sorry for Oscar. However, he was no longer a child. He possessed his own will and he stood before her, armed with a sword. He could move past his mother’s death. Thus, Lavinia believed it was time to correct things.

[Assistant] Oscar stared the witch down. There was no doubting that his mother and grandmother had saved him. If his memories hadn’t been sealed away, he wouldn’t have grown into the man he was. For that fact, he was truly grateful. He thought of his mother. His emotions there ran deeper than mere gratitude. He wondered if this was how Tinasha had felt when she’d gone into magical hibernation. Oscar held Akashia steady. He could see the witch was casting a massive spell. One corner of his lips curled in a smirk. "You might be here seeking retribution for my mother’s actions, but I’m still your enemy. I’m guilty of the same crime she committed, after all." While he didn’t remember that, Tinasha did.


[User] Lavinia frowned, puzzled. Her green eyes flicked over to Tinasha, seated on the floor. After a few seconds, those eyes grew wide with horror.

[Assistant] "The Witch Killer… No, it can’t be… What you put in his dream was…"

[User] No one in all the land surpassed Lavinia when it came to curses. That was why she had believed nothing could break through hers. Nothing except for the sword capable of killing witches, anyway. To prevent Akashia from interfering, as it may have had power even in a dream, Lavinia had purposely only shown Oscar dreams of his childhood, from before he took possession of Akashia.

[Assistant] "So that’s… how you did it."

[User] Lavinia had heard that the queen who once slew a witch had used magic to put herself to sleep—and that she was the recently crowned ruler of Tuldarr in the present day. What had woken her up? Why had she gotten engaged to him? The answers to questions Lavinia had never thought to ask now became abundantly obvious.

[Assistant] "You utter, utter fools!" She shook all over with rage. A devastating spell materialized before her. Glittering a brilliant green, it swelled with innumerable swords that formed a gigantic net rushing at Oscar.

[User] "Oscar!" Tinasha cried in warning.

[Assistant] "I remember." He said. With a diagonal lunge, he swept Akashia out at the spell. During training, Tinasha had cast a similar spell at him. She told him that if he didn’t break all of its multiple cores at once, it would repair itself. He could see seven such spots. As he shattered blade after blade that shot from the magic, Oscar swung Akashia aloft and aimed right for the cores. He exhaled slowly, but his mind raced. Two, three, four… In his head, he counted the cores he’d destroyed. When he broke the fifth one, pain shot through his right arm. One of the witch’s swords had made contact. Blood dripped onto the floor. Akashia’s tip narrowly managed to pierce the sixth core. Oscar stretched as far as he could go, and yet he couldn’t reach the seventh. The shattered cores began to regenerate. Swords rushed at him from all directions.

[User] Tinasha had done it.

[Assistant] The witch stared at her daughter’s son. Hatred burned in her eys, but there was a recognizable hollowness there.

[User] "Why are you adding to your crimes? Has it not occurred to you that your actions may have shifted things beyond your intention?"

[Assistant] "The person I am now can’t answer that. But…" Oscar could sense the woman behind him. His fondness for her brought a smile to his lips.


[User] “If she’s in pain and I can reach her, I’m going to go to her no matter what transpires. I will never abandon her… Too much has happened already.” A girl’s anguished scream—from the dream he’d witnessed—flashed through the back of his mind. Oscar had no way of knowing whether that had really happened or if it was something that had been prevented. Yet when he recalled that shriek, it raked at his soul. If she were ever in that situation again, he wouldn’t be able to sit idly by, even if Tinasha had told him to. Oscar approached the witch, who did nothing to stop him. She only stared with those green eyes. He adjusted his grip on his sword, gazing into the face of the woman who so resembled his mother. Step by step, he closed the gap between them.

[Assistant] “Whether I altered the past or it was changed some other way, we are in the present, and that’s why I have to fight you. I have no desire to lose all I’ve gained.”

[User] “Even if it means warping the very fabric of our world?”

[Assistant] “Should it come to that, I’ll still keep moving forward from where I am. I have no other place.” Oscar said with a grin. After all, there would be no end to the corrections once one or two were made. Lavinia looked her grandchild up and down. Her clear eyes were a bit reminiscent of Tinasha’s. Oscar stood before the witch now with the strength of will he had accrued over his life. He lifted Akashia high and leveled the tip at the witch’s slender throat.

[User] “I know how this looks… but I don’t want you to die. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking, though. I do tend to try having it all.”

[Assistant] The witch sneered. “It certainly seems that way… How frightfully greedy you are. It wasn’t enough to have the curse broken? You needed the mage who did it, too?”

[User] “It was your magic that brought her to me. Perhaps I should be thanking you.” Oscar shot back.

[Assistant] The witch lifted one eyebrow. She glanced over Oscar’s shoulder at Tinasha. “She’s not much different from a witch herself. Should the two of you have a daughter, she would more than likely become a witch. Is it worth marrying her in spite of that?”

[User] “It is.” Oscar replied immediately. Then he broke into a pleased smile. "A witch kid, huh? Bring it on. I’d love to raise one.”

[Assistant] Lavinia’s cold mask dissolved into a completely aghast expression. She turned over her shoulder to throw Kevin, beyond the barrier, a look of horror. “Did you raise him to be like this?”

[User] “For better or worse, this is my son…” Kevin’s apologetic response made the witch heave a deep sigh. She gazed at Kevin, then Tinasha, and then finally Oscar. Her lips quirked up in a sardonic smile. “Someday you might regret not killing me today.


[User] “Have you thought of that?”

[Assistant] “I can always do it later.” Oscar shot back flippantly.

[User] For the first time, the witch burst out laughing. Abruptly, she teleported to a spot in the air. “Do as you like, then. However…” Her green eyes narrowed to slits. An all-encompassing, intimidating aura dominated the room. “You are not to engage in any more foolishness. The time of reckoning may draw near.”

[Assistant] “I’ll bear that in mind.”

[User] A terribly heartrending look came over Lavinia’s face as she stared down at him. Perhaps that was Oscar’s eyes playing tricks on him, though, as the witch vanished in the blink of an eye.


[Assistant] When Tinasha woke, it was the middle of the night. Blinking over and over in the darkness from her position lying on her stomach in bed, she sifted through her memories. Yet no matter how she tried, she couldn’t recall what happened after the witch vanished. Perhaps her body hadn’t been able to endure the stress of back-to-back fights. She still felt somewhat nauseated. In the lightless room, she slowly pushed herself up.

[User] Next to her, Oscar appeared to notice and blinked his eyes open. “Tinasha?”

[Assistant] “Uh… good morning…”

[User] “It is not morning. That much should be obvious.” He muttered, rising to sit beside the young queen. He scanned her face. “How do you feel?”

[Assistant] “I’m fine. Just a little tired…,” she answered, trailing off as she looked down at what she was wearing. Puzzled, she asked, “Did I change clothes? Mine had blood all over them. I do remember healing my injuries, though.”

[User] “I gave you a bath and changed your clothes. It was fun.”

[User] “Just kidding. The lady-in-waiting did it.”

[Assistant] “You are not funny.” Tinasha pouted, cheeks puffing out. It was strange enough for her to find herself asleep in bed next to him like it was the most natural thing in the world. Oscar must not have wanted to let her out of his sight, considering the wave of recent incidents, but she still wasn’t thrilled about that, engaged or not. After a deeply amused Oscar was done laughing, he carded a hand through his fiancée’s hair, stroking it. “Sorry for dragging you into a bitter fight.”

[User] She smiled. Lazar had escaped from the audience chamber, found Kevin along the way and explained that Lavinia was there, then had run to get Tinasha. By the time he did, Oscar was already caught in the witch’s binding spell. Tinasha had gotten between Oscar, bleeding and collapsed on the floor, and had found the witch staring down at him silently. After erecting a barrier, she slipped her consciousness into the spell on Oscar while battling Lavinia.

[Assistant] “She was stronger than the witch I fought a long time ago. To be quite honest, I probably would have lost even if my focus hadn’t been split.”

[User] “She’s really that powerful?” Oscar asked.


[User] And yet even so, it had looked like the witch was going easy on him during their battle. Oscar was struck with new awe over the fearsome power some mages possessed.

[Assistant] Tinasha gave an unhappy shrug. "Also, remind me never to fight you. I couldn’t bear to have you break all my spells like it’s nothing. It would be a waste of magic just to cast them.”

[User] “Oh yeah? It wasn’t a walk in the park for me, either. I’d be dead if not for your help." He pointed out.

[Assistant] “Only because you were up against a witch. We were lucky to break you out of the binding spell,” she said dryly.

[User] That made Oscar recall the girl from the dream. He wound a hand through Tinasha’s locks and gave her hair a tug. “So that was your memory? You were pretty cute.”

[Assistant] “That’s very embarrassing. Please don’t say that,” she replied, most likely flushing, although Oscar couldn’t make out Tinasha’s face in the darkness. She had definitely turned her head aside, and Oscar grinned. While none of it was new information, he now knew with certainty that he was the one who had rescued her four hundred years ago. He wouldn’t have been present in one of her adolescent memories otherwise. Thinking of the sobbing he’d heard, Oscar wanted to ask Tinasha precisely what had transpired, but he held his tongue. It was in the past. He didn’t need to force an explanation. If he ever needed to know someday, she would tell him. “Tinasha, I’m sorry.”

[User] “What? What for?”

[Assistant] “For what happened four centuries ago.”

[User] “Huh? !” she yelped. Dark, wide eyes stared at him. “Why would you apologize for that? Did you do something?”

[Assistant] “No… It’s just that, don’t you feel something besides gratitude to him? Or to me, or to whomever? You must be angry, too. Maybe you want to know why I rewrote the past or why I disappeared afterward.” Those were things Oscar desired answers to himself. He was grateful beyond words that his mother had saved him. However, it also made him sick to his stomach that she committed a taboo to do so, and that it had cost her own life. If only she hadn’t gone to such lengths, she would still be alive. Perhaps she should have thought of herself, too. He loved her, and he wanted her to honor that tenderness. Regretfully, Oscar could never tell that to the woman who saved him. It was different for Tinasha, though. She had him. “I don’t have my memories, but I’m still me. It’s been bothering you this whole time, right? I’m sorry for that.”

[User] “You don’t have to be…” Tinasha gazed back at Oscar, a pained look on her face. Fierce pain and emotion ran deep in her eyes. After a long, slow blink, Tinasha flushed a little. “I lived a very sheltered life until I was thirteen years old.


[User] "I was brought to the palace soon after I was born, and raised to be queen one day… The only family I had to speak of was another person raised as a potential king. But even though he was like a brother to me, he chose to side against me." The words came calmly and evenly from Tinasha’s lips. This was the first time Oscar had heard any of this.

[Assistant] She glanced out the window, and her expression grew visibly nostalgic. "And then he came and taught me so many things. The days I spent with him were so happy. He didn’t just save my life… He gave me the love I needed to live alone from that point on." Tinasha’s deep, abiding affection for him bled through in her voice.

[User] "But when I arrived here to repay my debt, you were so mean to me. I did this all for you, but you treated me rudely, kept your distance because I was from a different country, acted like you were so innocent all while harping on me about everything—"

[Assistant] "Hey. Don’t you think that’s a bit much?" Oscar huffed.

[User] "Yet I love how you never waver in who you are. You’re the one I want to be with now." Tinasha confessed, glancing at him with a shy smile.


[Assistant] Tinasha took Oscar’s hand in hers. She intertwined her much smaller, paler fingers within his, brought their joined hands to her cheek, and beamed brilliantly. "I am very happy now. Thank you."

[User] Without moving their joined hands, Oscar leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her soft lips.


[User] It was difficult to tell if it was his body or soul that felt so hot. Oscar pulled away and gazed into her dark eyes. “You have saved me.”

[Assistant] His reverent words made her dimple with happiness.

[User] He slid their joined hands down slowly, from her cheekbones to her mouth. As her eyes went half-lidded, he drew her close and kissed her again. Holding her upright as she went limp in his arms, he brought his lips to her ear. “Are you hesitating because you want to preserve your magic?” he asked, somewhat wryly.

[Assistant] She knew what he meant right away. Contritely, she replied, “Could you tell?”

[User] “You are a spirit sorcerer and all. Of course you’d be worried about that,” Oscar said a little bitterly as he drew back.

[Assistant] Tinasha sighed; he was right about why she refused to go further with him.

[User] To distract Tinasha from her gloomy thoughts, Oscar cupped her face in his hands and tipped it up. “I know how it sounds to ask that of you after you’ve rescued me time and time again. No matter how weak you get, even if you can no longer use magic, I’ll keep you safe. I will give you back everything that you’ll be losing.”

[Assistant] “Oscar…” Her hot breath tickled his skin.

[User] Before any tears could slip out, Oscar kissed Tinasha’s eyelids and grinned. “Well, you don’t need to worry about it now. We’ve got less than a year to go and it’s not like I can’t wait that long. Plus, knowing our luck, we may need your strength again in the months before the wedding. So I’ll honor your wishes.


[User] “I’m fine with whatever you want to do.” He sounded so easygoing that Tinasha couldn’t help breaking into a grin of her own.

[Assistant] Just as she had done when they first met underneath the palace of Tuldarr, she wound her arms around his neck and leaned against him. “I’m going to be the one to protect you.”

[User] Tinasha had chosen her fate, no matter what was in store for them. Never again would she lose anything to anyone. She would not expose such weakness to him. Believing that thought to hold a power of its own, she closed her eyes.


[Assistant] Through the window, morning light filtered into the spacious chamber.

[User] Oscar lifted his head, feeling as if he could hear birds chirping, though he shouldn’t have been able to. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was his usual waking hour. He felt a little malaise, owing to the battle the day before, but he thought he would be fine if that was the extent of it. Sitting up, he looked over to see Tinasha curled in a ball, hugging her knees to her chest. "What’s with the fetal position?" He muttered in disbelief, then gave her black hair a tug. As he’d expected, gentle tugs weren’t enough for her to even stir. He was left with no choice but to place a hand on her shoulder and shake her awake.

[Assistant] She blinked her dark eyes open blearily, swiveling her head to look up at him. "Sleepy…?"

[User] "So… once we’re married, I’m going to have to wake you up every morning for the rest of my life?" Oscar asked, sounding partially resigned to that fate already. In that interim, Tinasha had already closed her eyes again. Oscar had half a mind to wake her up one more time, but then he realized something and placed a hand against her forehead. His eyes widened a little, and he clicked his tongue under his breath. Leaving her in bed, he got up to start his day.


[User] Thus, it seemed that the trail had gone cold. Oscar had learned about his past, which left him feeling like some weight had been lifted from his shoulders, but that was all. Now that a day had passed since Lavinia’s visit, things seemed to have settled down, and Oscar’s usual routine resumed. He made for his study to begin his regular duties. As he brewed tea, Lazar let out a sigh.

[Assistant] "It’s just been one surprise after another around here…"

[User] "Yeah, it was a real shocker." Oscar remarked sarcastically.

[Assistant] Lazar made a face at the king’s insincere reply. All the magistrates knew that the previous king had married his queen in spite of considerable opposition from her family, but no one had imagined she was the child of a witch.

[User] Resting his chin on one hand, Oscar took up a pen with the other. "It makes sense that Lavinia disliked it. I kinda doubt she was thrilled to see her own daughter marry into the line that wields the Mage Killer."

[Assistant] "Were Queen Tinasha’s parents alive and well today, they might object to your wedding her, too." Lazar mused. After that, Lazar brought up a number of topics, but he did not ask about Oscar using Eleterria to make contact with Tinasha in the past. A perceptive person could probably have figured it out, but anyone who didn’t look too closely wouldn’t suspect much. Oscar thought Lazar was more of the latter type. A handful of papers in his arms, Lazar cocked his head. "By the way, has Queen Tinasha returned home?"

[User] "No, she caught a bit of a fever, so I put her on bed rest. A lady-in-waiting is watching her."

[Assistant] "Your Majesty… you’re unbelievable." Lazar commented, shock plain in his expression.

[User] "I didn’t do anything. Don’t look at me like that." Oscar said with a frown. "She woke up for a bit in the middle of the night but went right back to sleep. I think that fight really wore her out."

[Assistant] "Ah… that’s understandable. She did look like she was struggling yesterday." Lazar responded. After battling forbidden curses, kidnappers, and witches, it was no wonder Tinasha was fast approaching her physical limits. The king of Farsas was in the same boat himself and yet able to carry out his duties just fine, which spoke to the vast disparity between her delicate body and his sturdier one.

[User] "If her fever still hasn’t gone down by this afternoon, I’ll contact Tuldarr." Oscar stated.

[Assistant] "Very well, Your Majesty. Oh yes! Here is the attendance list for international guests for this year’s birthday celebration." Said Lazar, presenting Oscar with another paper.

[User] Upon receiving it and looking it over, Oscar grimaced. "What a pain…"

[Assistant] "And you may not cancel it! Give up on that right now, as this will double as your engagement party!"

[User] "…" Beaten to the punch by his oldest friend, Oscar stared up at the ceiling and sighed.


[User] Her sickness was born from exhaustion, which was in turn linked to her magic. Rest cured her fever, and while she wasn’t fully recovered, she felt well enough to get up. First, she took a bath and changed her clothes, aided by a lady-in-waiting. Then she ordered everyone to leave the room and sat on the bed, closing her eyes as she explored the state of the magic in her body. Her vast reserves of power were currently still, like a calm sea. After ensuring she could control the entirety of it, she frowned. "I’m glad I didn’t explode."

[Assistant] When taking in Simila’s energy, Tinasha had feared a worst-case scenario from magic oversaturation. Fortunately, the new power she’d absorbed was assimilated without issue. The raw magic she had at her disposal surely rivaled Travis’s or Lavinia’s now.

[User] It was a good thing that Oscar had been there. She wasn’t certain who would’ve won had she clashed with the witch alone. Tinasha’s access to spiritual magic hadn’t prevented the witch, whose full command of curses and hexes was second to none, from rendering her and Oscar powerless instantly. But in a way, she was also grateful for the opportunity to assess the difference in strength. Tinasha was always keen to battle against someone superior and learn from the experience. Her fight with Travis had sharpened all of her senses. There was still raw potential within her that she wanted to mold.

[Assistant] A spell formed between Tinasha’s outstretched arms. As she examined the intricate design, she detected a presence nearby and looked up. A woman was standing on the balcony. Tinasha had only met her yesterday but would never forget her face.

[User] Tinasha gets up and opens the balcony door, inviting the uninvited guest inside.

[Assistant] Tilting her head to one side to fix Tinasha with a blank look, "You’re awfully careless, letting me in after what happened yesterday."

[User] Eyeing the Witch of Silence right back, "Yes, but you seem like you have something to say."

[Assistant] "I’m sure this goes without saying, but that orb should be sealed away."

[User] "You’re right… and I’ll propose as much. While I have you, why didn’t you take the orb back from Farsas when you cast the curse on Oscar?"

[Assistant] "Because I didn’t know where it was, and I didn’t feel like searching for it. But since that fool of a man used it, I take it that means you know where it is?"

[User] Tinasha almost lost her temper over Lavinia’s rude term of address for Oscar, but she managed to keep herself composed. "I’ve heard it’s in the treasure vault. However, he used the Tuldarr one. Apparently, it’s a different color from the Farsas one, so they’re definitely separate."

[Assistant] "The… one in Tuldarr? There’s another one?" The two women exchanged glances. Lavinia looked utterly taken aback.


[User] Tinasha got straight to the point. "How much do you know about that orb?"

[Assistant] "I could ask you the same thing. I got it from a traveling fortune-teller somewhere around two hundred years ago. I was told it was a magic implement that could change the past, if the wielder was determined to do so."

[User] "Determined to do so…" Tinasha repeated. That described it perfectly. The orb truly did test the user’s determination. The present was wiped clean for the sake of the past, and there was no guarantee of success. It was a gamble that risked the user’s very existence. Wondering if there was more Lavinia would share, Tinasha voiced a doubt she had been harboring for a while. "We know that using the orb puts the user in considerable danger. But what about other ramifications? Does the backlash and distortion from altering time manifest in obvious ways? Are the laws of nature and the existence of the world affected?"

[Assistant] "From the perspective of someone watching before time is altered, using the orb would seem to distort every outcome. Those of us who exist after the change remain ignorant, however. Whether it infringes on the laws of nature and threatens the world’s existence can only be determined after the dust settles. At the very least, we cannot be aware of anything in the present moment."

[User] "I suppose that’s… true." Tinasha replied softly. There was no way to verify the specific consequences that might spring from rewriting history, which ultimately meant that those consequences didn’t matter. Even witches were powerless to know what had changed.

[Assistant] "According to the fortune-teller, using the orb was the equivalent of sticking a pin into the world itself."

[User] "You could pull in a future that wouldn’t exist otherwise and stick a pin in to keep it there. The fortune-teller said to think of it like the world was a dead insect with thousands of pins stuck into its legs and wings to hold it open. Even as the world tries to return to its original state, the orb responds with more pins. That’s the cycle."

[Assistant] "A pin…" The orb threw pins at the world as it attempted to restore itself. There was no telling how many times that cycle had repeated. And if that was the case… Tinasha realized something, and an involuntary shiver suddenly ran through her whole body. Would this back-and-forth go on forever? Could it go on forever? How much longer could the world endure being speared through? Tinasha had no answer, for indeed, none would come until the final outcome revealed itself. Perhaps one day, everything would abruptly disappear, and they would never know. At the very least, each use of Eleterria unceremoniously erased the world. Before Tinasha could get too lost in such frightening thoughts, she felt Lavinia’s gaze on her and looked up.


[User] It was only fair that she reveal to the witch what she knew in return. First, there was the name itself, Eleterria. Then there was the matter of there being two orbs, and the fact that the other was kept in Tuldarr’s treasure vault. Finally, after a great deal of hesitation, Tinasha also confessed that a man was seeking the powerful little spheres.

[Assistant] After listening with a scowl on her face the entire time, Lavinia snorted. "That’s probably the man who informed me about you two. The description matches.”

[User] “What? Valt was the one who told you?”

[Assistant] “I’d guess it probably happened right after he let you go. His story sounded full of holes, but I did some digging and it seemed to check out, so I came to Farsas. If only I’d had the sense to kill him back then,” Lavinia said bitterly.

[User] Tinasha blanched. Immediately after kidnapping and releasing her, Valt had set the next step of his scheme in motion. It felt as though no matter where Tinasha went, she was caught in his web. What else was Valt plotting?

[Assistant] After staring expressionlessly at Tinasha this whole time, Lavinia suddenly let out a sigh. “You’ll need to be extremely careful. He’s the type to use everything at his disposal,” Lavinia warned.

[User] “Thank you… for the advice.”

[Assistant] “All right, I’m leaving,” the witch announced abruptly, turning around and casting a teleportation spell.

[User] Tinasha reached for her. “Wait!”

[Assistant] Irritably, Lavinia replied, “What is it?”

[User] Tinasha looked embarrassed. “You only came to talk about the orb?”

[Assistant] “I did. I can’t trust that idiot to take proper care of it unless I stress its importance. You need to hold the reins.”

[User] There was no emotion in Lavinia’s voice, but Tinasha could still feel something prickling at her when the witch spoke—like a thorn that had been stuck in her heart. Her mouth was dry as she asked, “Do you think it’s a crime to change the past and sacrifice yourself to save someone else?”


[User] Though it saved her son’s life, Rosalia’s death shattered his heart. Had Lavinia not stepped in, it could have led to even further tragedy. Tinasha said nothing more, only giving Lavinia a bow. She had her own lifelong burdens to bear, too. The one bit of fortune was that Tinasha didn’t have to endure it alone.

[Assistant] After merely raising her eyebrow in response to Tinasha’s silence, “You broke the curse magnificently. Don’t worry about the definition name. It was just a way to seal off that idiot’s memories while protecting him at the same time. And those spells you cast during the fight… During your waking years, you’ve grown into something more formidable than I.”

[User] “Um… thank you.” Tinasha replied, feeling conflicted about such convoluted praise. She bowed again as she sensed Lavinia’s teleportation spell coming together. Tinasha blinked, and the witch was gone without so much as a good-bye.


[Assistant] Upon returning to Tuldarr later that afternoon, the queen went around apologizing to everyone who had been worried about her. She was especially humbled upon discovering that Legis and the other royal advisers had shouldered her work for the three days she’d been absent.

[User] Legis gave a faint smile. “It’s perfectly all right. How are you feeling?”

[Assistant] “Wonderful. I’m going to get to work.” She replied.

[User] “Absolutely not. You will take today off.” He insisted, and Tinasha looked chastened.

[Assistant] She ordered everyone else out except for Legis and Renart and then revealed what had really happened with the kidnappings.

[User] Both were stunned to learn of a magic implement that could turn back time and the entire chain of events connected to it. “I can’t believe such a thing really exists…”

[Assistant] “I’ve sealed it away, but I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” She said.

[User] “No, that was a prudent decision.” Legis assured her.

[Assistant] Tinasha had revealed to Legis that Oscar had traveled back in time. However, she’d initially withheld the method. The magic orb belonged to Tuldarr, but learning about its power right away could’ve provoked recklessness.

[User] Tinasha also explained that there were people plotting to take the orb. Both she and Legis wore tense expressions as she outlined the situation to him. “Valt’s proved elusive, and he seems to have everything curiously well planned out. And he’s like a phantom, popping in and out of nowhere. We don’t know what sort of move he’ll make next, so I want you to be very careful.”

[Assistant] “Yes, Your Majesty.” Renart replied seriously and bowed to her. Then he crossed his arms as he added, “A magic orb that can leap through time to the past… That’s very alarming. What would it be used for?”

[User] “Strictly speaking, whenever someone uses it, our ‘present’ ceases to exist.” Tinasha responded.

[Assistant] At that, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. Even if the user only sought a minor correction, the effects could be expansive and unpredictable.

[User] There was no predicting how the flow of time would change.


[User] While Tinasha didn’t know why Eleterria hadn’t activated at her touch, she regretted attempting to use it. That kind of power was not to be used lightly. After nodding along to Tinasha’s explanation.

[Assistant] Legis suddenly caught her eye and gave her a wan smile. "I wonder what Tuldarr would be like now if things had gone differently four hundred years ago.”

[User] The question sent Tinasha’s mind racing. What if Oscar had never saved me? Recognizing that she was losing herself to the idea, she shook her head.


[User] The court of Cezar was shrouded in gloom. Most of those who held power in the castle had perished during the country’s recent defeat. The cult founder came scurrying back only to go missing, and some speculated he had been arrested in Farsas. For those who hadn’t fallen under the sway of the cult, the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to be nearing at last. The evil god’s worshippers were gone. Unfortunately, there was little to celebrate, for they had lost so many of their kin. The only ones with any power were the king, who had taken to his bed, his only son, Lomca, and a handful of magistrates. The cult had put anyone else with the drive and ambition to govern the country in the ground. An air of resignation about Cezar’s slow demise hung about the castle.

[Assistant] Amid that backdrop, two men made their way briskly along a hallway. One was a magistrate, while the other was the prince. These two were the youngest left in the castle, and they had waited patiently for the Samila worshippers’ influence to wane. "At any rate, we need to rebuild quickly, Your Highness."

[User] "I have no explanation I can offer the people. Most of our citizens were lost. The country has practically come to a standstill. Merchants are avoiding us. If things don’t change…" International traders had been giving the rapidly collapsing nation a wide berth.


[User] Lomca rifled through the papers he was carrying. “We really don’t have enough money… They used almost all of it. But it’s not like we can raise taxes, considering the circumstances—we should probably lower them, if anything. Or better yet, send money to everyone.”

[Assistant] Lomca pursed his lips, feeling a keen sense of duty.

[User] The magistrate gave a defeated look. “Perhaps we should request aid somewhere.”

[Assistant] “If need be, we can sell what’s left in the treasure vault. We’ll figure it out.” As they hurried along, their path was suddenly cut off by three men. Lomca gasped when he caught sight of their faces. These were the last survivors of the cult.

[User] “That’s a very interesting idea you were discussing, Your Highness. If you’re clearing out treasure, by all means, let us help.” One man said with a snicker.

[Assistant] “Get out of here! Who do you think left this country in such a mess? !” Lomca snapped.

[User] “That isn’t very convincing coming from a man who kept quiet the whole time.” Another one of the ruffians countered, sneering.

[Assistant] His cohorts burst out laughing, causing Lomca to flush in anger. Yet he felt cold sweat trickle down his back at the same time.

[User] He glanced over at the magistrate, who had gone pale. They exchanged a look. Just when it looked like they might be able to edge past the men, they found their path blocked again. Lomca felt despair settling over him

[Assistant] “I’m here to have a chat with the people running Cezar. Is it all right with you if I clear these guys out, Prince Lomca?”

[User] “Yes! They drove our country into the ground, and I want them gone!”

[Assistant] “I won’t hold back, then.” The unfamiliar man replied, and he struck immediately. Just as the three men were turning around indignantly, a spell shot out from the man’s hands, entangling them.


[User] Faintly glowing magic ropes offset the spells the men were about to cast and wrapped around their necks. After a sickening crunch, the trio of lifeless bodies dropped to the floor.

[Assistant] Lomca had looked away instinctively.

[User] "There. Now we can talk properly. I’ll leave the corpses to you." A cool, refreshing voice, wholly unlike the one he had just heard.

[Assistant] “Er, yes… thank you so much.” Lomca answered, and he looked to the one who had rescued him.

[User] When the man caught Lomca’s eyes on him, he flashed the crest of Tuldarr emblazoned on his upper arm.


[Assistant] Renart moves with the group to a room where they could talk.

[User] Renart explains why he had come. Apparently, Tuldarr was interested in purchasing the mining rights to the vast crystal caves in northern Cezar.

[Assistant] Lomca was aware of the high-quality deposits Renart was referring to. However, the veins were close to the border with Tayiri, and the area had a history of cave-ins, so it was practically abandoned nowadays. Naturally, the Magic Empire of Tuldarr wanted the crystals for use as magic implements, but Lomca had to wonder why they were coming to Cezar now of all times. The prince’s doubt only intensified when he learned of the offered price.

[User] There on the paper Renart passed to him was a figure that rivaled the annual national budget.

[Assistant] “We’re very grateful, but isn’t this far too much?” Lomca blurted out.

[User] “We will actually be purchasing the rights for a quarter of this amount. The rest of the money will serve as collateral for the duration of the crystal mining, as the site is so close to the Tayiri border. After the excavation is complete, we’d like you to pay it back. Of course, we don’t mind if that takes years.”

[Assistant] Tuldarr and Tayiri were not on cordial terms, considering one was the Magic Empire and the other was a nation that spurned magic. During the mining process, Tuldarr citizens would be frequenting a location close to the edge of Tayiri, and so Cezar would be expected to smooth things over. But even for all that, the figure was very high. Stranger still was that Tuldarr did not stipulate a schedule for repayment. Lomca stared at Renart, who could surmise what that gaze meant

[User] Renart offered a wan smile in return. This was all being done as a kindness on Tuldarr’s part. It was a way to facilitate Cezar’s reconstruction, though not openly. Upon the queen’s return to Tuldarr, she had broached the subject with Legis apprehensively, showing him her plan for providing aid. Legis had smiled and agreed with it. After all, this wasn’t pure altruism. If Tayiri ever grew hostile, being able to collect on Cezar’s debt would come in handy. In Legis’s opinion, no price was too high to pay for that security. "If we are in agreement, then I will bring you an official contract on a later date."


[User] Lomca, having read between the lines of Tuldarr’s offer, stood up and bowed. "We gladly accept. And please tell the queen that we’re speechless with gratitude.”

[Assistant] "I certainly will.” After clarifying some points and hammering down a few details here and there, the mage narrowed his eyes. What he inquired about next was likely the true purpose of his visit. “So… could you tell us where that evil god was based? We’d like to conduct an investigation so we can all avoid any future anxiety.”

[User] Lomca and his magistrate gasped.


[Assistant] Upon his return, Renart went straight to the queen’s study.

[User] Catching Renart’s confused expression, Legis smiled. “She seems tired. I did want to take her back to her own rooms to sleep…”

[Assistant] Legis inclined his head with curiosity. “How did it go in Cezar?”

[User] “They agreed readily enough. Unsurprisingly, things over there are very rough,” Renart reported.

[Assistant] “I see. I’m glad they accepted,” Legis replied.

[User] After hearing a detailed account from Renart, he began to draft an official contract to send to Cezar. Eyes still glued to his work, he inquired, “And the other thing?”

[Assistant] “I’ve gone to look at it. An enormous underground cave has been dug in a forest close to the border. A great hole sits in the center. The human sacrifices were probably thrown into it.”

[User] “What was left?”

[Assistant] “Nothing. It was entirely spotless. I only sensed some traces of miasma… I had a mystical spirit inspect it, too. It really seems like there’s nothing left.”

[User] “Hmm…”

[Assistant] Legis broke into a smile as that momentary fantasy flitted through his mind.

[User] “That said, it felt… almost too spotless. It’s very abnormal for there to be no residue after bringing a magical creature into existence. I believe someone may have scrubbed away the traces,” added Renart.

[Assistant] “But for what purpose?” Legis wondered.

[User] Renart retrieved a white cloth from his pouch. When he spread it out, it was about the size of a cloak. “I found this on the stairs down there. I think it’s still fresh.”

[Assistant] Legis frowned. “What could that possibly be? Go ahead and have it processed for potion remains.”

[User] “Yes, Your Highness,” Renart replied. After a bow, he left the study.


[User] The prince fell into deep thought for a while, mulling over this very mysterious report. More than a week had passed since the battle with the Witch of Silence, and Tinasha was wholly recovered. She skimmed through letters from Farsas regarding the celebration to be held in two weeks’ time.

[Assistant] “This isn’t an invitation; it’s a set of instructions. I feel more like a member of the Farsas side than a guest.” She made a clear face of disgust.

[User] “Isn’t he going to introduce you to everyone as his fiancée?” Mila reminded her, sipping tea at the table.

[Assistant] “It’s not like I mind talking with guests… It’s part of my job, after all. I just can’t help but feel like there’s a bed of thorns waiting for me.” Tinasha felt at her wit’s end over the complicated position she’d put herself in.

[User] “That man is certainly very popular with the ladies. You’re sure to get your share of dirty looks from jealous girls,” Mila pointed out.

[Assistant] “Ugh! No thank you!” Tinasha groaned.

[User] "I'm so happy..." She whispered without meaning to. Jumping up with the documents in hand, Tinasha skipped over to the open window and hopped up onto the ledge. Her black locks fluttered in the gentle breeze. She peered outside, her eyes half-lidded in her joy.


[User] It was the duty of the survivors to keep moving forward—that was what she believed now. While Tinasha was rereading the papers, she smelled a strange odor and glanced outside.

[Assistant] Mila noticed her frowning and asked, “What is it, Lady Tinasha?”

[User] “Well, it’s just… I’ve caught a whiff of a bit of odd magic.”

[Assistant] “Have you? I don’t sense anything.”

[User] “I suppose it’s just my imagination. Maybe someone’s practicing their spells.” Tinasha jumped off the windowsill onto the floor. Spirits had been posted in the palace during her three-day absence, but they had reported nothing out of the ordinary. The castle was teeming with mages who often used magic in their research and training. Tinasha decided it was nothing to worry about. She pulled out her chair and sat back down at her desk, pasted her queen’s smile on her face, and reached for the stack of pending documents.


[Assistant] “You are not to cause any trouble. Got it?” the young girl warned.

[User] “I know,” the man replied as they departed a mansion together. In the face of her stubbornness, he flashed her a smile that masked his true motives.

[Assistant] “Can I trust that you do?” she questioned skeptically.

[User] “You have no faith in me.”

[Assistant] “Of course I don’t. Look at how you’ve acted,” she spat, but he had nothing to say for himself.

[User] He pushed her forward. “Come on, let’s go.”

[Assistant] “All right, all right,” accepted the girl dressed in her finest, turning her back on the man and marching off.

[User] As he watched her go, a dangerous glint suddenly came into the man’s eyes. His good looks took on an openly sinister tinge, and his smile vanished. There was bloodlust sufficient to rip the world to shreds coming from him. No one was around to see it, though. For now, it remained an unknown element.

[Assistant] “What’s taking you? Hurry up, Travis,” urged the girl.

[User] “I’m coming. You know, the bow at your back is crooked.”

[Assistant] “It is? !” she yelped, reaching around to try to fix it on her own.

[User] Travis grinned and took it upon himself to retie the oversized bow more neatly than she could have. “There, it’s fixed now. You’ll be the most beautiful one there, Aurelia.”

[Assistant] “I don’t need your flattery, and I don’t want you doing anything stupid,” she retorted.

[User] Left speechless, the king of the demons snorted and set off. Indelible traces of bloodlust still lurked beneath the surface of his smile.


[User] Tinasha’s friend and fellow mage seemed to take a particular interest in dressing her, so she put in more effort than was necessary at every opportunity to do so. "We’ve been expecting you, Queen Tinasha!" Sylvia trilled. "How I’ve waited for this day since we very first met!"

[Assistant] "Oof, that’s a long time." muttered, already exhausted by Sylvia’s intense enthusiasm.

[User] But she couldn’t run away, and she didn’t have time to put up a fight. As instructed by Sylvia, Tinasha let herself be bathed by the ladies-in-waiting. She was still a little sleepy, so she didn’t mind letting them take care of her. As she breathed in the perfumed oils in the bathwater, she stretched out her limbs.

[Assistant] "Sylvia, are your injuries all healed?"

[User] "Yes, completely! Thank you for worrying about me." Sylvia grinned as she ran a comb through Tinasha’s long black hair. She was so excited for Tinasha’s debut that she could hardly stand it. Her fervor was exemplified by the diverse array of cosmetic bottles all lined up. There were far more than usual. "The king told me to tell you that the dress you’ll be wearing today is his present for your birthday."

[Assistant] "It is?!" she cried; she hadn’t expected that at all. Her legs slid from the edges of the tub back into the bath, splashing water onto her face. She recalled that Oscar had asked when her birthday was around a month ago, when they’d been discussing the annual Farsas party. For whatever reason, he had pinched her cheek when she’d told him the date had passed already. Her fiancé’s sneak attack made Tinasha flush with joy. "I’m no longer at an age where I celebrate my birthday, so it had totally slipped my mind."

[User] "How old are you now?"

[Assistant] "Umm… four hundred and thirty-two? Or maybe four hundred and thirty-three…?"

[User] Sylvia gave a confused look. "That’s… quite unbelievable."

[Assistant] "Despite all those years, I’m still inexperienced. I have much more to learn." Tinasha said with a slight grimace as she rested her legs on the tub’s edge again, crossing them. The warmth of the water filled her, making her feel entirely protected and safe.


[User] The neckline was open, with a row of buttons running down the bodice. The skirts were made of layer upon layer of lace. In the front, the dress flared out in a gentle arc; while in the back, it cascaded into a train. Sylvia smiled after tying the waist sash into a large bow at the back. "His Majesty understands very well how to best set off your charms."

[Assistant] "Mmm. I have no idea what you’re saying."

[User] Sylvia looked rather defeated at that. Tinasha’s hair was half swept back, with an abundance of fresh flowers arranged in the hair at the back of her head. Together with her neat, trim gown, she made for the very picture of loveliness. Nearly gone was the intimidating, daunting aura she normally gave off at formal events. Her soft, charming appearance would fit in perfectly at Oscar’s side as his fiancée. Sylvia took a step back and looked Tinasha over from head to toe, then she made a minute adjustment to the flowers in her hair. "There, it’s perfect!"

[Assistant] "Thank you so much." Said Tinasha with a smile and a curtsy, then inspected herself in the full-length mirror. In it, she saw a blushing young bride about to head out for her wedding. It was a side of herself she was so unaccustomed to seeing that embarrassment rolled over her. When she glanced at the clock, she saw it was only a half hour until the event began.

[User] Sylvia had begun to tidy everything up to pack it away.

[Assistant] "Can I step out for a bit?"

[User] "Of course you can. Just tell me if anything gets messed up, and I’ll fix it."


[Assistant] With that, Tinasha left the room. Picking up her skirts, she made her way down the hallway. With the party commencing soon, magistrates and ladies-in-waiting were flying back and forth frantically. One by one, they noticed Tinasha and turned their heads to watch her go. Feeling guilty about distracting them, Tinasha headed for a slightly less populated route. She was meandering through the halls when she glanced outside and stopped. In the courtyard below was a girl. Based on her formal garb, she must have been a guest. Her silver hair glittering in the sunlight set off her sky-blue gown. Because Tinasha was up so high, she couldn’t see her face clearly, but the girl was looking all around her as if searching for something. Puzzled, Tinasha lay a hand on the window. She cast a short-range teleportation spell.

[User] The girl was naturally surprised that Tinasha appeared before her so suddenly, but she quickly recognized what the woman had done. Realizing that they were both dressed formally, the girl bowed her head. "Ah, I’m sorry…"

[Assistant] "Is there something you’re looking for? Can I help you?" If this girl needed help, then two heads were better than one. That seemed to be in the spirit of the festivities.


[User] Seeming frightened, the girl glanced all around her nervously. “Oh, um, I thought I heard a baby crying…”

[Assistant] "A baby?" Tinasha repeated with uncertainty. Farsas Castle was not home to any infants, unless a guest had traveled with theirs. It was difficult to imagine a guest bringing their newborn to a foreign country, though. Tinasha listened, but she couldn’t hear any crying.

[User] The girl must not have been able to hear anything, either, because she blushed and bowed her head. “I’m very sorry for troubling you.”

[Assistant] “It’s all right. I’ll keep an eye out myself,” replied Tinasha, and the girl flashed her a charming smile. Her grayish-blue eyes sparkled with a pure glow that drew Tinasha in. She’s very pretty, but that’s not all. There’s something mysterious about her. The girl was a mage, or she had the makings of one. Tinasha detected strong magic within her and was impressed.

[User] As the girl glanced shyly over at Tinasha, her eyes momentarily darkened, like someone in pain. Tinasha wanted to ask what was wrong, but the girl bowed her head again before she could. When she lifted her head back up, there were no longer any traces of shadow in her eyes. She broke into a shy smile. “My companion is waiting for me, so I must take my leave now. Thank you very much for taking the time to help.”

[Assistant] “Oh, then I suppose I’ll see you around,” the queen responded.

[User] The girl gave an eager nod, curtsied, and left.

[Assistant] It wasn’t until she was out of sight that Tinasha realized she and the girl hadn’t introduced themselves. “I should have asked her name.” She was a strangely entrancing person, and it was likely that they’d meet again soon. With that thought in mind, Tinasha returned to the castle.


[User] Once the courtyard was deserted, there came the faint sound of a crying baby. There was no longer anyone to hear it, however. After changing into formalwear of his own while completing the final checks for the event, Oscar appraised Tinasha with narrowed eyes as she entered the ballroom antechamber. Waving her closer, he picked her up and settled her on his knees.

[Assistant] “You look stunning in that.”

[User] “Thank you for the dress,” she replied.

[Assistant] “Mm-hmm. I’m very satisfied with it,” he replied quietly, giving a gentle tug to one lock of her hair, careful not to ruin her updo in the back. “Tonight’s going to be a pain, but power through it.”

[User] “I came here prepared to do so,” she assured him with a mischievous grin, holding out her right hand to him, palm up. A silver ring appeared in it. A small obsidian stone reminiscent of her eyes was set into the thin band, and magical sigils were delicately engraved on its surface. “Give me your hand,” she ordered.

[Assistant] “Which one?”

[User] “Either. Oh, but your left one would be best, as it won’t get in the way.”

[Assistant] Oscar offered his left hand to Tinasha, as she had requested.


[User] “Maybe I should make it a little bigger?” She picked up the ring and held it against his large, masculine fingers.

[Assistant] After she gave a short incantation that made the ring grow one size larger, she slipped it onto Oscar’s middle finger.

[User] With another spell, the ring shrank a little to fit perfectly. Its elastic nature made it seem like it wasn’t made of metal at all, and Oscar watched in rapt fascination.

[Assistant] “What’s this made of?”

[User] “Silver. It simply had magic applied to it when it was cast.” Tinasha explained, checking the ring’s fit.

[Assistant] Then she murmured another incantation, but there were no visible changes when this one was done. Catching Oscar frowning at it in confusion, she smiled. “That made the ring invisible to everyone except you.”

[User] “I see. So it’s mine now?”

[Assistant] “Of course it is. This is a magic implement with a spell inside. Slide the stone, and it will activate. It will only work once, but it will disable any teleportation magic within a fixed radius with you at the center. Going out, coming in, and moving objects around will be impossible.”

[User] Oscar’s eyes grew wide as he listened to his fiancée’s explanation. He stared down at the ring. “That’s amazing. Is this because of the battle we had earlier?”

[Assistant] “More or less. I’m sure fighting a mage who can teleport and fly around must be inconvenient for you. You can fly with Nark’s help, of course, but it’ll be easier if no one can teleport around. The effect lasts for about ten minutes. After it’s used, I’ll need to enchant it again.”

[User] “This should really help me out a lot. Thank you.”

[Assistant] Tinasha gave a shy smile. But soon enough, her face took on a serious cast as she emphasized one point. “Once this seals off teleportation, it will prevent both enemies and allies from coming in or out, so be very careful about when you choose to use it.”

[User] “So you won’t be able to teleport, either?”

[Assistant] “No, I won’t.” Tinasha confirmed. “If I’d crafted it so that I alone wouldn’t be affected, it would weaken the effect, defeating the purpose. I wanted it powerful enough to trap a witch.”

[User] “Got it. I’ll be careful.” Then he checked the ring’s fit. Lavinia’s attacks with summoned swords were difficult to parry. Should he face another enemy just as formidable again, he would now have a way to tip things back in his favor. Oscar was very grateful that Tinasha observed and learned from his past battles.

[Assistant] She glanced up at him and gave him an utterly enchanting smile. “Happy birthday.” The words felt a little childish. Evidently, this ring was her present to him.

[User] Oscar burst out laughing when he realized that her gift was entirely practical and his wasn’t.

[Assistant] Tinasha’s eyes went as wide as a cat’s as she stared at him. “What? What’s wrong? Did I do something weird?”

[User] “No, not at all.


[User] "You’re just really fascinating. Thank you." Oscar said, cupping her cheek and drawing close to press a kiss onto her scarlet-painted lips.

[Assistant] When he pulled away, Tinasha was red to the tips of her ears. She left the room still feeling confused over why he had told her she was fascinating.


[Assistant] Tinasha leaned over and whispered to Oscar. "No one had any criticism. I was sure there would be."

[User] "See? Aren’t you glad we got engaged?"

[Assistant] "I don’t think that’s it… but yes, sure."


[User] "Although you’re quite the wild child on the inside." He muttered.

[Assistant] "Hey! Where’s that coming from? I haven’t broken any windows today." Tinashsa protested.

[User] "Today? Don’t break any at all. I was just wondering if I’m the only one who can manage you."

[Assistant] Tinasha narrowed her eyes, peering up at Oscar with a puzzled expression. "What are you getting at?"


[User] "I have come on behalf of the king of Gandona, and I offer you my most sincere congratulations.”

[Assistant] “Thank you for that very courteous greeting. Please give the king my best regards,”

[User] “Of course,” Aurelia replied with another curtsy.

[Assistant] Tinasha gave her a dazzling smile. “My name is Tinasha As Meyer Ur Aeterna Tuldarr. I’m sorry for startling you earlier.”

[User] “I apologize as well, and I should have introduced myself to you then.” Oscar looked confused

[Assistant] Tinasha explained that she and Aurelia had met earlier in the courtyard. “Oh, didn’t you say you were here with someone?”

[User] “Yes, I’m here with my guardian… Travis?” Aurelia called, turning around to summon him over.

[Assistant] Tinasha’s jaw dropped.

[User] Next to her, Oscar was just as stupefied.

[Assistant] A silver-haired man sauntered over to the stunned pair and swept into an elegant bow. When he rose, he had a teasing smirk on his face.

[User] Recovered faster than Tinasha did, placing a hand on Akashia’s hilt. He glared at Travis, prepared to draw the weapon at any time. “You’ve got some nerve showing yourself before me again,” said Oscar in a low, threatening voice.

[Assistant] “Come now, don’t you realize where we are? There’s a time and a place, Your Majesty,” Travis chided.

[User] Things had gotten very tense very quickly, and Tinasha hurried to step between her fiancé and the demon. She held up her hands between them. “L-let’s just calm down. Okay, Oscar?”

[Assistant] “Get out of the way, Tinasha,” Oscar growled.

[User] “No. You need to stop,” she said. A few nearby guests had noticed something was off and glanced in their direction with curiosity. Tinasha glanced at Travis, still smirking, and Aurelia, whose eyes had gone very wide.

[Assistant] Aurelia must have understood Tinasha’s distress and tugged on Travis’s arm. “Travis! Didn’t I tell you not to cause any trouble? !”

[User] “And so I haven’t today.”

[Assistant] “Then what do you call this? !” she cried, grabbing hold of his ear and tugging on it so hard he bowed his head. Aurelia lowered her head, too. “I don’t know what he’s done, but I feel equally responsible. I’m really very sorry.”

[User] Travis was grumbling, “Ow, let me go,” but it only made Aurelia pinch him harder.

[Assistant] Pressing both hands together in supplication before him, Tinasha pleaded, “I understand how you feel, but calm down. Please.”

[User] Upon seeing how truly distressed she looked, Oscar finally regained his composure. Once he’d reined in and concealed his emotions, he turned to Aurelia and said, “I apologize as well.