"Well, well, look what I found here!" - suddenly, a deep baritone voice sounded from a few meters behind me.

My blood ran cold upon hearing it. The shock jolted me, propelling me several meters forward as if I'd been launched by a catapult. My wings instinctively unfurled, preparing to take me to the air, and my hands readied a spell. All the while, I desperately attempted to identify the source of the voice, my heart pounding like a revved-up two-stroke engine with no exhaust pipe.

No matter how hard I strained to identify any potential threats, all I could see was the eerie darkness of the surrounding woods.

A soft female voice scolded him from a spot about five meters away on the other side of me.

"Lynx, you've scared the poor thing to death!"

I hadn't seen or heard them approach, but recognizing her voice was a soothing balm for my frightened soul. It was Alice and The Lynx!

Given their high levels and exceptional skills, they could have been right in my shadow, and I wouldn't have had a clue. If they wanted to pursue me, there was no way I could have eluded them.

Yet, I trusted them enough to believe they wouldn't harm me without a valid reason.

With a sigh, I started to calm down and settled on a nearby log.

My gaze turned to where I presumed The Lynx to be.

"Hey, Alice, hey, Lynx. Are you here to kill me?" I mused, the question hanging in the air.

"Maybe!" The Lynx replied, his response not exactly reassuring.

"How do you know my name?" Alice questioned. "Who are you?"

A tired chuckle escaped my lips. Who was I? Oh, right, they hadn't seen me with this face before. I now wore Dolores' visage, and they had encountered me as Cala last time.

The Lynx shed his camouflage as he approached me and gazed directly into my eyes. A short while later, Alice emerged from the shadows on the opposite side, her bow still gripped in her hands, though it appeared more at ease.

I let out a deep sigh. The once-strong connection that existed between Cala, White Flower, and them had been so palpable, and it still resonated in my heart, but it seemed to be lost for them. It hurt to see the cold detachment in their stares.

"Who am I?" I shrugged, my voice filled with uncertainty. "I just found out that I am a fucked up demon who believed she was Cala... and White Flower... and Dolores.”

A brief silence passed as the two of them shared a meaningful look. Then, Alice spoke cautiously.

"Are you the... one we encountered not far from here last time?"

I nodded.

"Yes, I appeared as Cala the last time we met!"

Another exchange of glances between them followed.

"So, you're not Cala?" Alice asked once more.

I gazed into her crystal-clear blue eyes, hunting for the signs of love and devotion that I had only come to appreciate now. We often take things for granted and are taken aback when they are no longer there. I blinked, attempting to summon the memory of her eyes from those days before.

"I'd love to say yes to that, but I'm not entirely sure anymore. You see, I now look like Dolores; well, at least my facial features resemble hers..."

"Does your appearance matter to you? Who is Dolores?" wondered The Lynx.

I rolled my eyes, sensing the trap he was setting.

"The girl who played Cala," I answered, almost simultaneously with Alice.

"I know that, but I wanted to hear it from her," The Lynx argued, then turned his attention back to me. "Tell me your story. You seem like a very distressed little demon, so perhaps sharing it would help."

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I shrugged. He was talking tough but also being cautious. Well, considering what my perceived level must have been at that time compared to now, it's no wonder they were exercising caution. They couldn't have known for sure how weakened I had become.

"I'm not sure about that. I was searching for my friends, but now I've discovered that I am not the one they were friends with. All I have are memories, their memories, but no friends. How could telling this story help me?" I voiced my uncertainty.

"And that saddens you?" The Lynx inquired while Alice placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. Her warm touch felt reassuring.

I turned to look at The Lynx with a sigh. "Wouldn't it sadden you?" I questioned.

"How did it happen?" Alice asked, taking a seat beside me on the log.

I shrugged. "Didn't I tell you the last time we met? The one thing I didn't know then was that..." I raised my eyes to meet hers. "I died there. No, they probably died there... Well, I'm still not sure." I sighed. "I'm sorry, I still can't believe it..."

"And then you suddenly were born like that with their memories in your head?" Lynx grunted, his narrowed eyes locking onto mine. "Not that you absorbed their beings in some way?"

He made a couple of steps to come even closer, his nose now almost touching my face.

"You are masking your power well. Only White Flower I knew to be able to mask her power that well. You did learn something from her after absorbing her!"

A burst of laughter escaped me: that was no masterful masking but the unintended consequences of my demon demoting!

I guess it was the wrong reaction, as his eyes seemed to throw daggers.

I took a deep breath and explained, "I'm sorry, Lynx. I wasn't laughing at you but at myself. I do mask my power so well that you could even kill me with one swat of your paw."

"I'm tempted to do just that to see if it works!" Lynx said, raising a brow.

I shrugged, but before I could respond, Alice stepped in. "Lynx, stop being so aggressive and bellicose!" she exclaimed. "Demons cannot lie, so there must be some truth in what she says!"

"Really? I cannot lie?" I wondered, surprised, trying to recall what I'd said.

"Then why did she tell us last time that she was Cala?" Lynx protested, turning to Alice.

I sighed. It had not been a lie at the time! "I was so sure I was her," I explained, and they both fell silent for a moment. "Even now, I could tell that I am... almost Cala. How did you know I was not Cala?"

"I had a soul link to Cala. That soul link was missing!" Lynx explained.

“Oh, that hokus-pokus you did to me there in the grotto..." I mumbled, reminiscing the profound sense of peace and soul-soothing it brought me after the dreadful experience I had with the wolshi. What he did had certainly helped maintain my sanity during that time.

The Lynx snorted outraged. "That was no hokus-pokus..." he began but was abruptly cut off.

"I told you that she was sincere!" a third voice, a young female one, chimed in from a bit further away.

I smiled, recognizing her.

"Hello, Thiara! Long time no seen! Come here, let me look at you!"

"Tina, please! Everybody knows I am Tina!" she protested.

"And I told you to stay away!" The Lynx argued, keeping his eyes on me. "Demons are dangerous."

I shook my head. Whatever was going to happen, I was not going to fight them.

"Is it true that you cannot lie?" Tina asked. I heard her steps as she was coming closer.

I laughed softly. "I just learned that. It's an interesting concept, but frankly, I don't know. Probably? You will excuse me, but I don't know for sure. Anyhow, I am sure any demon could tell only those parts of the truth that would fit their plans. You know, that is still a way of lying, but a more evolved one. Maybe it is a cultural thing."

“Why were you crying?” she asked, ignoring my attempt at philosophy, coming to the other side of me and giving me a timid hug.

It was such a surprising and pleasant gesture that she left me speechless for a couple of moments.

I hugged her back and identified her.

"Ooh! Level eight, fire mage!" I exclaimed, not wanting to dwell again on the reasons I was crying. "That is something! You have been hard working in the last time!"

"You can imagine!" the Lynx explained, proud like a parent about his offspring's performance. "She was the one to keep the lights on the whole time for... Hey, why am I explaining this to a demon!" he protested suddenly.

I started to laugh at his sudden protest and was joined by Tina. Even Alice laughed.