I left the barbarian village the same day I arrived. I would have to trust them to do what they did best. I only hoped they would find Arduwan and bring her to the spring in due time. But for now, I had to get back to the mansion and rest up. Once Stephane and Wraith arrived, we needed to make a plan to try and figure out if there was a way I could reverse whatever the hell happened to me.

I came back up the well and explained to Anabel and Higgins what had happened. During my explanation, I got a text saying that Wraith and Stephanie were in London and on their way to my house. It was time to form the team back up. Well…what was left of us.

When they arrived, I introduced everyone. It felt really weird. All of them had gotten to know each other so well in the other timeline. Especially Anabel and Stephanie. I felt really bad for all of them, but they were none the wiser. Still, we sat at the dining room table discussing our next course of action.

“So you’re saying that I did a bunch of badass shit in that other world?” Wraith enthusiastically questioned.

“Uh huh, and you scored with lots of chicks too. If we can figure out what’s going on, I think we can get you back to them,” I said, dangling the carrot to encourage him to be serious.

Stephanie just scoffed and said, “Okay, so I’m on board. But what am I supposed to do to help? I didn’t come all the way here just to help Wraith stroke his own ego.”

“That’s right. But I wanted you…no, I needed you here. For support. You see…after Higgins died, I needed someone who understood the basics of this world. Like paying bills, dealing with local authorities, managing regular life stuff. It was you, Steph. You filled that void. I can’t thank you enough.”

She seemed really humbled by my praise. I didn’t say anything about what had happened between her and Anabel in the other timeline. If it was going to blossom here and now it would have to do so naturally. The good news was, I made it clear right away that my intentions towards Stephanie at this stage weren’t romantic.

“Excuse me, Master Noble,” Higgins cleared his throat and interjected, “might I ask, since you are confident in my survival in this timeline as well as with Miss Stephanie’s ability to assume my role, could I be of any help to you in Callist?”

I hadn’t expected Higgins to offer himself to physically go with me. Afterall, he was retired from adventuring. But I suppose he understood how dire the situation was and felt if Stephanie could fill that role just fine then he could be more help than just staying here. I didn’t want to push him into meeting a terrible demise in Callist though. But a different thought crossed my mind.

“Higgins…Reginald. There’s something I must tell you. I’m not sure how you’re going to take this, but I really feel you should know something.”

The room fell silent. Everyone was eager to hear my announcement.

I continued, “Italia is alive. I met her in Brasshaven.”

Higgins' eyes got big and muttered, “What? But how do you even know about Italia?”

“You told me. In the other timeline of course. You showed me the locket she made you. I know all about how you felt about each other. It was tragic what happened. But I feel like you should know. Robot also survived and he had been keeping Italia alive in a secret lab until he was able to fix himself. Then he robotized her and turned her into a killing machine. His prized warrior. But she’s still in there, Higgins. If her controller is destroyed she can be freed.”

Higgins paused for a moment and said, “you know, this is an awful lot to take in. I held her in my arms as she slipped unconscious over two decades ago.” Tears swelled up in his eyes.

“I know. But she’s still here. In fact, I’m not 100% on the order of events, but it’s possible she’s awake right now. Kaiser probably finished her first before he started building his militia. He didn’t start to build his army until late fall and it’s still only March. I can tell you where she is!”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Higgins stood up from the table and said, “I’m going. I can’t pass up this opportunity to make up for leaving her on that train. Especially now knowing she became a puppet to that damned Roboto. Thank you, Eric. This is a rare chance in life at a second chance. I’d always said, in another life, things could’ve been different. Well now they can.”

I went into the library and retrieved some drawing materials to make Higgins a map and some notes. I wanted him to be fully prepared for whatever he may encounter should I be wrong about the order of events. And just like that, he was gone. Down the well into Brasshaven he went.

* * *

As for the rest of us, we needed to try and figure out what caused me to have an entire year erased and everyone's memories wiped. Without Emily present we were much more collectively scatterbrained in figuring things out.

I told Wraith about the Oracle and how once we got Arduwan we could go visit him and see if he could help us figure out what happened.

“Huh? Why do we need her for that?” he inquired.

“Well, you see…the Oracle is a bit of a perv. When you meet Arduwan, you’ll understand why she’s good to have around in negotiating prices for his services.”

“What should I do?” asked Stephanie.

I looked over in her direction. She was sitting next to Anabel, coincidentally where the two of them always sat at dinner in the other timeline. That just made things that much harder for me. But I told her, “for now. Wait. Just stay here with Anabel and…eh, get to know each other a little bit.”

The two of them looked at one another with a perplexed expression on each others faces.

“So when do we leave?” Wraith asked.

“We can go whenever, but there’s no telling when the barbarians will find Arduwan. I instructed them to bring her to the spring on the other side of the well, so I guess we can just wait there.”

* * *

So we did just that. Wraith and I went down the well into Callist and left Anabel and

Stephanie to watch the mansion. With any luck, we could return here with a better idea of what had happened.

Once on the other side, I had a sudden realization, “Oh no, I just remembered something important!”

“What’s that?”

“We’ve only been able to get into Vale before because we had a permission slip signed by you due to your standing as an approved merchant. But in this timeline, you’re just some dork who delivers pizzas.”

“Hey! Wasn’t I that in the other timeline too?” Wraith objected.

“You were but over time you established yourself among the Thieves Guild and trading unions. That’s okay. We can just use Thieves Cant to find some guild members and try to have them smuggle us into Vale.”

“Thieves Cant?”

“Oh, that’s right. Forgot you also don’t remember that either. It’s a secret language used to communicate with the underworld. It’s okay. We might be here awhile waiting on Arduwan, so I can teach you now.”

* * *

The hours slipped by. I brought Wraith completely up to speed on Thieves Cant and we practiced a little before we started to hear the sound of horses coming into the canyon. We got on guard just in case, even though neither of us were armed. At least Wraith had his Ninja Warrior skills and I could cast some light magic.

Four barbarian men came riding in on horseback. But the two in the rear had a large wooden beam held on their shoulders linking to one another. In the middle of the beam was an all too familiar blonde barbarian woman. She was hogtied upside down by her hands and feet, carried by the beam.

One of the male barbarians in front dismounted, knelt before me, and said, “Lord Noble, we have found and brought Princess Arduwan to you, just as you instructed.”

Wraith had a look on his face that told me this all just became real to him.

“Excellent, but cut her down. Why did you guys string her up?”

“Sir, Lady Arduwan did not wish to be brought here. We had to.”

The second man who rode in front dismounted his horse as well and proceeded to cut Arduwans ropes. She fell down directly on her back and the men seized her as she got to her feet.

“Let me go! I do not wish to be married off to an outsider!” She shouted while fighting her captors.

I decided to walk up and explain myself, “Arduwan! It’s okay. I’m not trying to marry you. You may not believe me but please try to listen. My name is Eric. You won’t remember, but we’ve been friends for almost a year. Not just me, but Wraith too. The three of us have gone on many adventures together. Something terrible happened that caused us all to forget it and I’m trying to find a way to fix that. But I need your help.”

She continued to struggle and try to fight her way loose from the mens grasp. I didn’t know what else to do except keep trying to convince her.

“Please Arduwan. You’ve got to believe me. It wasn’t just me and Wraith. There was Anabel and Stephanie, Higgins…and Emily,” a tear dropped from my eye, “believe it or not but in the other timeline, it wasn’t these men who swore a life debt to me…it was you. I mostly dismissed it before, but the truth is. I miss you Arduwan. You’re one of my best friends.”

Suddenly, Arduwan stopped struggling and her eyes widened. She stood completely still as if a light switch flipped on in her brain. Finally, she said, “I…I remember, Eric. I remember everything!”

I began smiling ear to ear as Arduwan threw her arms up, tossing the two barbarian men to the side as she grasped me in a loving embrace. The two of us hugged and cried together while everyone else looked on. I said, “How? How did you remember?”

“I told you before,” she said, ”the Barbarian Life Debt transcends time and space!”