“Oh sweet, dazzling Gibil,” a voice said softly into Joan’s ear, waking her softly from her disjointed slumber.

A moment later the pain in her head seemed to catch up and Joan’s eyes opened. That was also a mistake because it was very, very bright. She groaned and rolled over onto her side, giving another whimper and clutching her head.

“Oh no, oh no,” the voice said again. “Gibil, I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

“I told you this was a bad idea,” a second voice said.

“Well, I didn’t see you with any bright ideas,” the first voice said.

“Why not use Breeze?” the second voice said.

“She already failed once,” the first voice said.

“Please stop talking,” Joan said softly. “What happened?” She was on stone of some kind. Very, very slowly her eyes opened a crack. She was outside. The sun was shining. Her eyes began to slowly adjust and she realized she was on a stone floor of some old building. It looked like a long collapsed temple of some sort, a few partially standing pillars and walls still standing, but mostly just rubble now.

Also, it felt like her skull had been cracked open.

“I’m sorry, Gibil,” the first voice said.

“Please, by the stars, shut up,” Joan said again. “Why do you keep calling me Gibil?”

There was silence for a few moments. Then the first voice spoke up again. “Can I talk now?”

“Is this what it’s like talking to me?” Joan asked. Ow ow ow ow. She clutched her head again and lightly stroked it. She yanked her hand away when she touched the back and felt a sharp pain. Worse, her fingers came away with blood on them. “What happened?”

“You had an accident when we rescued you,” the first voice said.

“Technically, kidnapped,” the second voice said.

“Enki!” the first voice said.

“Ninirigal,” the second voice said in a mocking tone.

Joan groaned and opened her eyes again and looked up at the two talking individuals. She promptly wished she hadn’t. Neither of them were human.

Both of them looked like her, except not. One seemed to be made of wind itself, swirling so quickly that it managed to maintain a shape a lot like her form, but with golden flakes sprinkled throughout. The second appeared to be made of red water. She really hoped that wasn’t blood.

Elementals.

Worse, they were talking and not just making vague sounds. They must have been powerful. “What happened? Why does--”

Finally, it all came back to her.

------

Joan slowly hobbled along with the others, her head down. Soon. Soon they’d be able to rest. Sleep off the nausea and get ready for whatever else they were going to do.

Then, suddenly, there was screaming. Powerful winds washed over them and something landed in the middle of their group before exploding. Strange, golden winds then burst out, sending them all flying back. She hit a wall and then everything went dark. She vaguely remembered being carried and drifting in and out of consciousness.

------

“You hit me,” Joan said. “You threw me.”

“Sorry! I’m so sorry!” the wind elemental said. The first voice, it seemed. Ninirigal. “I didn’t realize you’d be so delicate, Gibil. Or… solid.”

“Solid?” Joan asked. “Why do you keep calling me Gibil?”

“Because that’s your name, silly,” Ninirigal said. “You’ve taken such a silly form, but I know it’s you.”

“She doesn’t remember,” the water elemental said. Enki, she supposed. “I told you.”

“I think you cracked my skull,” Joan said, gently reaching a hand up to touch the back of her head again and letting out a hiss of pain. Oh, she wished Bauteut was here.

“It’s fine, we can get you a new one,” Ninirigal said. “As many as you like!”

“That’s not how skulls work,” Joan said before looking up again. She then let out a low squeak when she realized there was a third person here. Watching her. Sitting on some of the rubble, the cloaked assassin in the demon mask. Joan held out her hand and her sword appeared in her grip. “Who are you people? Why—”

“Shhhh, shhhh, careful Gibil,” Ninirigal said. “Calm down. We’re your friends. Well… Enki is your friend. I’m a liiiiiittle bit more.”

“Careful,” Enki said. “She’s already denying it. Tell her too much and she might break down entirely.”

“You’re the ones who tried to kidnap Ifrit,” Joan said, pointing the sword at Ninirigal. Talking only made her head hurt more, but she tried to ignore it. Not like it was the first time a headache nearly killed her.

“Yeah, that was us,” Ninirigal said with a light snicker. “But that was before we realized you were there. Oh, Gibil, I’ve been looking for you for so long.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?” Joan asked, her headache only getting worse. “My name is Joan, not Gibil.”

“Awwww, that’s such a cute name,” Ninirigal said. “But your name was Gibil, and you’re--” There was a splash and suddenly the elemental’s head was covered in water.

“Careful,” Enki said. “If you tell her too much, she might break. In her mind there’s no telling how long its been.” The water then retracted.

“Relax,” Ninirigal said before reaching out. She put a windy hand over the tip of the blade. “I know it’s you, Gibil. The Blue Flame of Forge.”

“What?” Joan asked.

“Do you remember me?” Ninirigal asked.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Is this because my sword can make flames blue?” Joan asked.

For a few moments there was silence and Ninirigal just stared at her. Then she spoke up again. “What?”

“My sword can make blue flames,” Joan said again. She held out her left hand and snapped her fingers, trying to focus on a simple small fire spell. Once again pain shot through her head and she let out a hiss of pain. “Ow ow ow ow bad idea ow.”

“Not just blue flames,” Ninirigal said. “THE Blue Flame of Forge.”

“Y-yeah,” Joan said. “My sword can do that. Is that why you keep calling me Gibil?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Ninirigal said. “A sword can’t do that.”

Joan stared at her for a moment before taking a slow, deep breath. Carefully as she could, she cast a small spell that made a candle flame appear over her finger. She then moved the flame to her sword. The flame enveloped the blade and turned a bright blue. “My sword does.”

Silence once again reigned. She wondered if she shouldn’t have said that, after all. The only sound was the sizzling of the elemental’s hand, still holding the tip of her sword.

“Errr… are… you okay?” Joan asked softly.

“I don’t understand,” Ninirigal said. “These are Gibil’s flames, but… but you’re… not… doing it? Your sword? Enki!”

“Perhaps a division,” Enki said. “She appears to be flesh.”

“Honestly, I wish I was a little less sometimes,” Joan said. “My everything hurts. Are you three going to try and kill me? Because as much as I might consider it a mercy, I really have a lot of people depending on me.”

She let out a yelp when the wind elemental dove forward, wrapping fingers around her shoulders. “Gibil! Please, you must awaken. I have looked for you for so long. These flames prove it!”

“I… I’m sorry,” Joan said softly before flicking her sword, the flames going out. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not Gibil.”

“I know those flames,” Ninirigal said softly. “I could never forget your flames. You have to awaken! You HAVE to remember me! You--”

Enki put a hand on her shoulder, cutting her off. “Stop. You’ll make it worse,” she said. “Too harsh and she may dissipate.”

“But… but…” Ninirigal said softly, the trembling clear even through the winds.

Joan couldn’t help feeling this was one of the strangest experiences she’d been through in a while. Seeing her own face so confused and saddened. While also being made of wind. “I’m sorry, but I’m not who you think I am.”

“You’re an elemental!” Ninirigal said. “You’re one of US. You’re from Forge!”

“Ninirigal,” Enki snapped. “Stop.”

“No!” Ninirigal said. “We trapped Nergal here. Bound them in the darkness they so reveled in.”

“Please stop yelling,” Joan said softly. “L-listen, I appreciate it. Really. Usually people who almost kill me try to finish the job and I appreciate you not seeming to want to. But you came really close and my head feels like it’s going to crack open. Are you going to try to kill me?”

“No!” Ninirigal yelled, making her cringe.

“Eh, maybe,” Enki said.

“Enki,” Ninirigal said, glaring at her. “Don’t you dare.”

“If you break her, we’ll have to wait for her to die and come back anyway,” Enki said. “Why not cut down the wait?”

“We are NOT killing Gibil,” Ninirigal said before hugging her.

Joan just blinked. Being hugged by the wind. Definitely NOT an experience she had expected to have today. Or ever. Even the Hero had never had it. “Okay then, please don’t kill me,” Joan said. “Uhhhhh. Ifrit. You tried to kidnap her. Can… you tell me why?”

“No,” Ninirigal said.

“Of course not, why would I ever get answers?” Joan asked before cringing again when the elemental pulled back. “Sorry. That was harsher than I meant it. I… think I may need a healer.”

“I don’t mean I won’t tell you,” Ninirigal said. “I mean we don’t know why Nergal wanted her. But if they want her, we don’t want them to have her.”

“Ah, good, pettiness,” Joan said. “I can understand that. I’ve been known to be petty myself.” She reached back and touched the back of her head again. “I really should see a healer. I don’t suppose you’d come with me…?”

“No,” Ninirigal said. “It’s… best we don’t. If not for you, we wouldn’t have come here at all. Our lack of hosts makes us vulnerable. But… Breeze, come here!”

Slowly, the assassin rose to their feet and walked towards them.

“You can have Breeze. She’s very useful,” Ninirigal said.

“Breeze,” Joan said, staring at the assassin. Her, apparently. “An assassin.”

“She was,” Ninirigal said. “Before I procured her for myself. I am told I can be quite persuasive.”

“What did you do?” Joan asked.

“Stole the air from my lungs,” Breeze said, making Joan jump. She’d never actually heard the assassin speak, she sounded young. Well, older than her but still young. So she guessed that meant a little older than her.

“A very effective method,” Ninirigal said.

“Sounds like it,” Joan said. “So… uhhhh. Wait, what do you mean, ‘have her’? Is she going to try and kill me?”

“She will serve you,” Ninirigal said. “And help you get into contact with us.”

“Last time she tried to kidnap Ifrit,” Joan said softly. “Who’s my friend.”

“A small misunderstanding,” Ninirigal said. “Oh! We could take you through Forge. Maybe that will help you remember.”

Breeze quickly took a step back and slouched a little.

“Gibil, not you,” Ninirigal said. “You survived, didn’t you?”

“Barely,” Breeze said softly.

“It was the only way to get here fast enough,” Enki said. “It would have taken months, otherwise. I don’t think Gibil would survive in her condition.”

“But if she died there, wouldn’t she be reborn there as well?” Ninirigal asked.

“Would her flame?” Enki asked.

“Please don’t get me killed,” Joan said softly. “If you do, the Chosen are going to kill me.”

“Who are the Chosen?” Ninirigal asked.

“You know the Chosen?” Breeze asked. “Chase?”

“You know Chase?” Joan asked. Then glanced between Ninirigal and Enki. “You… don’t know the Chosen? Right. Elementals. Not from this world natively, are you?”

“We know what the Chosen are,” Ninirigal said. “Not who. You… know them? Personally?”

“Yes,” Joan said. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to have Myrin here now to look at her head.

“As expected of my Gibil,” Ninirigal said. “I’m sure you’ll deal with Nergal just fine then. But we’re still going to do what we can. Just be careful, please? For me?”

“… Sure,” Joan said. “You know, most people who try to kill me don’t worry about my safety. Well, okay, actually a startling number of them do but that’s more because most people try to kill me at first.”

“I didn’t try to kill you!” Ninirigal said. “I’d never hurt my Gibil!”

“Please, not so loud,” Joan said. “I… I really think I need a healer though. Uhhhh…”

“Breeze,” Ninirigal said. “Get her to one.”

“They might try to kill me,” Breeze said.

“If you fail, I WILL kill you,” Ninirigal said.

Breeze didn’t say anything to that, instead quickly walking towards her and holding her hand out.

Joan blinked and slowly took the hand. She’d have been a little more concerned about taking the hand of someone she had so many memories of trying to kill her. But if they wanted her dead, she figured they could have done it a dozen times by now. She nearly fell over when she was tugged to her feet and for a moment the world spun around her and she had to clutch the other girl to not fall over.

Then she threw up.

“Urgh…” Breeze said, turning to look at the backside of her cloak.

“S-sorry,” Joan said softly.

As she was slowly hobbling away she glanced back at the two elementals. Unfortunately, they were already gone. On the one hand, they had almost killed her. On the other hand, they seemed somewhat willing to answer her questions. So as far as people who tried to kill her went, she definitely preferred them over some. Not all, but some.

She really hoped her head injury wasn’t going to be fatal. The last thing she wanted to die from was an over eager air elemental trying to ‘rescue’ her.