> "Have I ever told you I saw a unicorn when I was five?" Nord Morningstar

The rain poured down like a relentless symphony, each droplet a note that only added to the city's melancholic score. The heavens themselves seemed to weep, shrouding the urban expanse in a curtain of grey that transformed the atmosphere into something reminiscent of a noir film.

Nord stormed through this deluge, her short hair now, plastered to her forehead and cheeks. An umbrella would've been practical, but she didn’t had one.

Navigating through blurred streets and blurred faces, she reached her destination—the library. The same worn façade, the same scent of aged books and new paper blended. It was the same library she'd found ten years ago when she was a different version of herself, younger and naive.

As Nord pushed open the door, a short bell jingled overhead, announcing her presence. Her boots squelched on the entry mat, tracking rivulets of rainwater into the library. She made a beeline for the counter, and there she was—Merlinda, the librarian. With oversized glasses magnifying her eyes and a hairstyle that seemed lifted straight from an '80s fashion magazine, she was an unchanging constant in an ever-changing world. It was like ten years had done nothing to her.

Nord slammed her palms down onto the counter, making Merlinda jump slightly. The librarian looked up, her eyes narrowing behind the large glasses as she took in Nord's drenched appearance and defiant stance.

"We need to talk," Nord declared.

The tension between Nord and Merlinda thickened like fog, obscuring the urgency that had filled the room just moments before. Merlinda sighed, tucking another strand of that aerosol-fixed hair behind her ear as she regarded Nord with impatience.

"Not you again," Merlinda huffed, rolling her eyes as if the weight of them would somehow lessen the gravity of the situation. "What do you want?"

"You know exactly what I want!" Nord nearly yelled, "I have only four days left!"

"Ah, well, sweetheart, time passes, and you're running out. Just...cherish the happy memories you still have," Merlinda replied, waving a hand dismissively as if she were swatting away an irritating fly.

"I don't give a fuck about my memories, Merlinda! I will no longer be able to see him! I'm begging you, help me. I know you can!" Nord's voice oscillated between a shout and a plea, her desperation palpable. It was so intense that Merlinda could practically hear Nord's heartbeat reverberating through the room.

"Calm down! Plea—"

The pair were suddenly interrupted by a young boy, his arms burdened with two books. With an expression of puzzlement and mild concern, he placed them on the counter. His eyes darting between Nord and Merlinda.

"Is that all, sweetheart?" Merlinda's tone shifted effortlessly from curt to saccharine as she addressed the boy, masking the preceding intensity.

"Yes, I'd like to pay by card."

"Of course," Merlinda said, swivelling around to grab her card reader. She tapped a few keys and turned the machine toward the boy, who inserted his card and then entered his PIN.

A deafening silence filled the library, punctuated only by the soft hum of the receipt printer. The boy took his books and receipt, leaving with a glance back at Nord, who remained, her face flushed and her eyes steeled.

Once he was gone, Merlinda looked back to Nord. "So, you were saying?"

"Four days, Merlinda. Are you going to help me or not?" Nord's voice had lost its pleading tone, replaced by an edge as sharp as a knife.

Merlinda's eyes widened, and for the first time since their confrontation began, a hint of genuine fear etched itself across her features. "Oh, for Atua's sake, girl, you are so intense," she sighed. "What am I supposed to do? Perform some witchy time spell and send you back ten years ago? Choices have consequences, Morningstar!"

Nord clenched her fists tightly, the knuckles turning a ghostly white, and slammed them down onto the counter. "I know what choices I've made, Merlinda! That's not what I'm asking you for!"

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Merlinda, now exasperated, leaned forward over the counter, bringing her face close to Nord's. "Then we're clearly not speaking the same lingo, darling, because I have no fucking clue what you want from me!"

Nord locked eyes with her and dropped her voice to an eerie calm. "Have I ever told you I saw a unicorn when I was five?"

The question was so far out of context that Merlinda recoiled, her eyes darting around as if searching for some hidden meaning or perhaps a weapon to shield herself.

At that moment, she noticed Nord's eyes shift in hue—dark irises glowing a soft, incandescent white. Around them, books erupted from their shelves, swirling in the air as if caught in a whirlwind of invisible force.

"Okay, Nord, let's calm down," Merlinda stammered, her previous bravado draining from her like water through a sieve. "We can talk this out. You met that little demon because of me, right? I mean, I'm practically your fairy godmother!"

"Have I told you what happened after I saw that unicorn?" Nord's voice held a new intensity as her eyes glowed brighter. The books circling them now seemed to move more erratically as if responding to the emotional crescendo of their argument, "Have I told you what I did to it?"

Merlinda gripped the edge of the counter, her bravado shattered. "No, you haven't. And I have the distinct feeling you're about to. But I really don't want to know!"

The air in the library felt electric, crackling with energy so palpable it made the hair on Merlinda's arms stand up. She'd always thought of Nord as intense, but what she was witnessing now went beyond her understanding. Books floated through the air like restless spirits, spiralling around Nord as she stood at the centre of the chaos. There were no words for the type of magic this human was using.

With a graceful extension of her arm, Nord channelled some unseen force and slammed Merlinda's back until her shoulders collided heavily with the wall. Gradually, as Nord raised her hand higher, Merlinda found herself levitating, her shoes separating from the floor.

Merlinda's fingers clawed at the empty air as if trying to free herself, her eyes locking onto Nord's. What she saw there left her breathless: a concoction of fervour, desperation, and an unwavering resolve. Nord would spare no means to reach her ends.

"What the hell, Nord?" Merlinda rasped, the edges of her voice tinged with incredulity and a hint of terror.

Eyes ablaze, Nord spoke as if channelling an ancient oracle. "After I met the unicorn, do you have any idea what I did? Can you even imagine it? A little girl and an Allatori?"

Merlinda's eyes widened, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. Nord was an enigma, sure, but this? This was beyond reason. "Okay, point taken. Can you set me down now?"

Nord flicked her wrist, and Merlinda's feet reconnected with the floor. She staggered a bit, gripping the edge of a nearby counter as she gathered herself. The defiant edge she'd always worn like armour had softened, replaced by a reluctant reverence.

Merlinda sighed, her voice surrendering to the inevitable. "So what do you need from me, Nord?"

"I need to alter the contract," Nord declared, her eyes scanning Merlinda's face for signs of reaction.

"With an Eldrich demon? Are you insane? You can't change a pact like that!" Merlinda felt her voice climbing in pitch, nearing the brink of hysteria.

"I'm aware! Baal himself couldn't find any loophole. But I've thought this through—I don't care about losing my memories. I have a plan to retain the information I need. It's not important. What I must have is a way for him to see me." Nord's eyes locked onto Merlinda's, a silent entreaty in her gaze.

Merlinda adjusted her glasses, pushing them back up the bridge of her nose. "Why? Don't give me the Disney princess act. Men come and go, darling." She shook her head. "You knew what you were getting into; you both did. That's how pacts work."

Nord squared her shoulders, her eyes narrowing. "It will hurt him."

"Aw, your little demon is a big boy. He'll live," Merlinda quipped, her smile condescending.

"I know how to destroy the Hollow," Nord blurted out.

Merlinda's eyes widened, her condescension evaporating. "Well, then, what's the problem?"

"The problem," Nord leaned over the counter, her voice taking on a deadly undertone, "is that of all the memories and information I managed to save. That is the one piece I didn't. Only Baal can access it—it will be in one of his memory jars. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

Merlinda held her breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"And guess what?" Nord's eyes flickered with a dangerous triumph.

"What?"

"I never told him, and I'm not going to. Not a single word, not a single clue. Nada!"

Merlinda was floored, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "You're playing a dangerous game, Morningstar."

Nord shrugged, a wry grin playing on her lips. "Well, isn't that the story of my life?"

Merlinda sighed, rubbing her temples as if physically trying to smooth away the tension that had coiled within her. "You're impossible, you know that? But if you're hell-bent on altering a contract, you'll need legal expertise."

"A lawyer?" Nord raised an eyebrow, her scepticism evident. "Are you serious?"

"As serious as an Allatori can be," Merlinda answered. She started digging through her purse, the sound of rummaging filling the room for a moment.

Finally, she pulled out a small rectangular card and slid it across the counter. "This is the guy who represented me in my divorce. Brilliant and open-minded, a lethal combo. He squeezed every last penny out of my ex. I can't recommend him enough."

Nord picked up the card, reading the embossed letters with a sort of awe. She met Merlinda's eyes, a glint of hesitant optimism flickering within her own. "If this works, I'll remember it."

"No, you won't," Merlinda corrected her, an ironic smile tugging at her lips.

Nord chuckled, the tension in the room finally beginning to dissipate. "Right. No, I won't."