Aura slowly opened her eyes, the world around her a blur. She blinked a few times, trying to focus. The last thing she remembered was making a deal with the God of Malice to lift the curse from her and losing her memories of Caecilius in the process. But now, as her vision cleared, she saw a familiar face leaning over her.
"Caecilius?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.
He smiled down at her, relief and joy mingling on his face. "Yes, Aura, it's me."
Aura sat up, the world tilting slightly as she did. But as her mind cleared, her memories flooded back to her. Her time in the village, the curse, meeting Caecilius, and the deal she made with the God of Malice. It all rushed back to her, and she felt a mix of relief and regret. She was grateful to have her memories back, but she knew what it had cost her.
"I remember everything," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Caecilius took her hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm glad. But I also know what you had to give up to make that happen."
Aura looked down at their intertwined hands, sadness and longing in her eyes. "I'm sorry I forgot about you. I never wanted to lose my memories of you."
"I know," Caecilius said softly. "But we can make new memories together, if you want to. And we can try to make up for the time we lost."
Aura smiled, the weight on her heart lifting slightly. "Yes, I want that. I want to be with you, Caecilius."
They sat together, holding hands and talking about all that had happened while Aura had lost her memories. And as they talked, Aura felt the love she had for Caecilius growing stronger, and knew that she had made the right choice in making the deal with the God of Malice. She had regained her memories, but more importantly, she had regained her love for Caecilius.