Unconscious in the dead of night, a young man with amethyst hair lay motionless on the grassy ground. The faint warmth of dying embers flickered nearby, their light barely reaching him. Yet, the bitter cold of the night hadn't claimed him, for his head rested on the lap of a blue-haired girl. Her hands glowed faintly as mana encased his body, warding off the deadly chill.
"I've waited so long for this moment," she whispered, her fingers brushing gently against his pale cheeks. A wistful smile graced her lips as she leaned down, pressing a tender kiss on his forehead before letting her lips hover near his.
"I… I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice breaking as her teeth bit into her trembling lip. "I couldn't save you… I couldn't fulfill my promise." A tear slipped down her face, followed by another, glistening like dew in the moonlight.
"Even now," she said, her gaze shifting to the starry sky above, "I can't say for certain that I'll be able to fulfill it. The canonical events have already begun… and fate will seek to correct all anomalies." Her eyes returned to his sleeping face, her tone softening. "Isn't that what you told me?"
Her arms tightened around him in a protective embrace as her own eyes began to close. "I'll forget… everything. So will 'they.' The story will begin anew, and just like before, I might not be able to save you." Her tears flowed freely now, staining his lifeless face.
"We've altered so much of the plot… I know you wouldn't have wanted this. But maybe… just maybe, it might work." Her voice cracked, and she held him closer, the anguish evident in every word. "I might die in this battle, but… never give up," she said, though her words dissolved into sobs. "Don't let her break you. Don't give in. Please… survive—for all our sakes."
Her trembling hand pressed against his chest, a faint glow transferring into him. She let out a shaky sigh, her voice barely audible. "I'll always love you, so don't ever think you're alone," she whispered, pulling him into one last embrace before her consciousness wavered, leaving them in silence.
...
...
"AHHH!" I gasped, jolting upright. My breathing was ragged, my chest heaving as the vivid remnants of the dream lingered in my mind.
Sigh.
What was that?
[Side effects,] stem chimed in.
'Side effects of what?' I demanded, but before I could probe further, a voice interrupted.
"Are you okay?"
I turned to see Lily looking at me with wide, concerned eyes.
"Huh?" I muttered, rubbing my temple.
'Is it just me, or… did you suddenly revert to your old self?'
Her head tilted slightly, confused.
Wait—MORNING?!
My eyes darted around, taking in the serene blue sky above and the gentle warmth of the rising sun. It was morning.
"Is… something wrong?" she asked hesitantly.
"No, nothing," I said quickly, shaking my head. "When did I fall asleep?"
"Last night," she replied softly. "You looked horrified for a moment, and then… you just collapsed."
I frowned, my mind racing. 'Stem,' I thought, 'what really happened? And what do you mean by 'side effects' earlier?'
[The canonical events have begun,] it explained. [Staying too close to one brought you into the awareness of the fates. What you saw was a correction attempt. The fates are trying to fix what they perceives as anomalies.]
'But those dreams… they didn't feel right. Something's wrong with them.'
[The first two were fragments of your memories as Amael. The third…]
'What about the third?'
[Side effect,] stem replied evasively.
'Stop being so damn cryptic and just tell me already!'
[The future,] it finally admitted. [Or rather… the past.]
'Huh?'
[… Don't dig too deep. I can't tell you more than this.]
Sigh.
Amael…
The memories, the visions—they felt too real.
That girl… she must Diana Ella Falkoria.
But why? Why was there so much pain on his face? So much hatred? What could have driven Amael—or me—to such extremes?
Sigh.
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts aside.
"Let's go," I said, stretching as I rose to my feet.
"All right," Lily replied, though concern lingered in her eyes.
"I told you, I'm fine," I reassured her, forcing a faint smile. For some reason, my hand moved instinctively to her head, giving her a gentle pat.
She froze, her wide eyes locking onto mine as if I'd just done something monumental.
Realizing my mistake, I quickly withdrew my hand, feeling a tinge of embarrassment. "Sorry about that. Let's get moving."
I turned and began walking, but when I glanced back, she was still rooted in place, her hand touching the spot where I'd patted her.
'Um… why do I feel like I just raised a death flag?'