The sky had begun its descent into twilight as Nord approached Sirdona Clinic, where the sun's warm hues were surrendering to the chill of approaching darkness. She could sense that the building was nearly vacant, a stillness that spoke of the day's work nearing its end. Yet she knew Sirdona would be there; the doctor always lingered after hours, committed to her duties until the very last moment.

Nord rapped her knuckles lightly against the worn wood of Sirdona's office door.

"Come in!" came the shout from inside, and Nord pushed the door open, stepping in with her hands buried deep in her pockets.

"It's me, Nord," she announced, her voice edged with caution as she showed her hands still in her pockets. "So you know nothing bad can happen."

Sirdona rose from her desk and closed the door behind Nord. A smile broke out on her face as she enveloped Nord in a warm hug. "Oh, quit your drama. I'm well aware of how things work now. You can take your hands out," she said, her laughter imbued with the fondness of old friendship.

She returned to her seat behind the desk, her eyes meeting Nord's. "So, what brings you here? How can I assist you?"

Nord pulled up a chair across from Sirdona, her eyes taking in the organized clutter of the healer's workspace—bottles of tinctures, stacks of parchment, and the faint smell of herbs lingering in the air.

Sirdona narrowed her eyes, her gaze tinged with concern as she studied Nord. "You look rather peaky. Is everything all right?"

Nord exhaled, her shoulders dropping a fraction as if shedding an unseen weight. "I'm fine, Sirdona. Actually, it's not about me. I've arranged something for Baal—a job."

"A job?" Sirdona's brows arched in disbelief. "But he's works already on the manor, doesn't he?"

Nord shook her head impatiently. "No, not like that. I've secured him the job he's been dreaming of for a decade. To be a teacher. I remembered, Sirdona."

Sirdona's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly.

"All of it?"

"All of it."

"You remembered? Are you saying, Miss Morningstar, that your memories have returned?"

Nord looked directly into Sirdona's eyes as though searching for something only she would understand. She nodded, "Yes, all of them."

"All of them," Sirdona repeated, the words hanging in the air like a lingering perfume. "By Atua, Baal must be delighted. But... how do you feel, Nord? This is monumental."

Nord's eyes softened, and a myriad of emotions fluttered through them. "It's overwhelming, but it's as if a fog has lifted. And my mind is clearer now."

Sirdona's eyes widened, her gaze piercing through Nord. "Baal must be so so happy. By Atua, how did he react?"

Nord's lips tightened into a thin line. "He doesn't know yet."

Sirdona chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. "Planning on surprising him, are you? That demon does love to be in the spotlight."

The room's atmosphere shifted as Nord exhaled, her face suddenly solemn. "I'm leaving."

Sirdona's eyes flicked to meet Nord's. "Leaving? When will you be back?"

Nord's gaze remained fixated on Sirdona's cluttered desk. She shifted uncomfortably, her words barely more than a murmur. "I'm not sure. I don't think I will be back. That's why I arranged the job for Baal. He needs something stable, something to keep him anchored while I'm gone."

Silence enveloped the room, dense as fog. Sirdona scrutinized Nord, her eyes narrowing as if attempting to decode the enigmatic blend of emotions dancing behind her friend's eyes. "You've just gotten all your memories back, and now you're leaving? Leaving Baal, leaving all of this? Why the fuck would you do that?"

Nord looked up, her eyes like stormy seas. "I remember how to destroy the Hollow, Sirdona. What I have to do."

Sirdona stared, her mouth opening and closing as if struggling to find words equal to the weight of Nord's revelation. "The Hollow? You know how..."

"Yes," Nord confirmed, her voice tinged with a gravity that made the walls of the room seem to close in. "I can end it, but I need to go alone. It will be easier that way..."

Sirdona leaned back, her face a complicated tapestry of conflicting emotions—awe, fear, and a profound sadness. "You've always had a hero's heart, Nord. But is this a path you have to walk alone?"

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Well, Daniel is coming with me, but yes. And while I'm out there, doing what must be done, I need to know that Baal is taken care of. That he's... happy."

"Honey, let's talk this through because I have the feeling you're going to do something stupid." Sirdona tried to talk calmly.

"This has been planned for years... is not a decision I took lightly. But still, I really need you." Nord, at this point, was almost crying.

"How can I possibly help?" Sirdona's face softened as she listened, her eyes momentarily losing their sharpness. "You've always been one for the grand gestures, haven't you? But Daniel? Who is he?"

Nord managed a weak smile. "Yes, Daniel knows what we're up against. But that's beside the point. Baal—"

"Is going to need more than a new job to keep his spirits up," Sirdona interrupted, finishing the thought. "You need a full circus to distract that man."

Nord nodded, her eyes moistening. "Exactly. I need someone to be there for him. He can get into this... this abyss of depression, and when he does, he bleeds."

"Bleeds?"

Nord exhaled, rubbing her nose as if fighting back tears. "Not from new wounds. He bleeds from his old scars. It's like they absorb his emotional pain. Or something like that, I don't know... he is just... he gets really hurt."

Sirdona sat up, alarmed. "Do the scars reopen?"

Nord shook her head. "No, they just bleed. But a bath with lurk water can help soothe him. Good junk food helps him, like a cheeseburger with no tomatoes, he really gets annoyed if—"

Sirdona chuckled, interrupting. "That demon has the palate of a finicky toddler."

Nord smiled faintly. "Yeah, he does sometimes... Songs and jokes can lift his mood, too. He just needs to feel loved, saved."

Sirdona looked Nord squarely in the eyes. "Why are you telling me this? Are you implying— Nord, we're just friends, okay?" Sirdona snapped, defensive.

Nord held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "I know. I didn't mean to imply anything. But you are his friend, a good one. A friend he loves and trusts. And whether you admit it or not, there's a connection there. I need to know that someone will be there for him when he hits those low points. And I trust you, Sirdona. Would you take care of Baal? For me?"

Sirdona sighed, letting her defences drop. The reality of what was unfolding finally sank in. "As a friend, I'll be there for him, Nord. You have my word."

Nord's eyes welled up, but she blinked the tears back. "Thank you, Sirdona. That means the world to me."

Sirdona nodded, her own eyes misty. "Now go on, save the world or whatever it is you're planning. Just make sure you come back, alright? Both you and Daniel, whoever that is. Because Baal won't be the only one missing you."

Nord gave her a teary smile. "I'll do my best," but Sirdona knew when she was listening to a lie. Nord Morningstar was not planning on coming back, and she couldn’t understand why.

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The manor was steeped in stillness as Nord made her way upstairs, her silhouette fainted shadow against the ornate wallpaper of the hallway. The salon, with a soft murmur of low voices and clinking glasses, seemed distant as she passed by. She offered a fleeting, warm smile to Perdita, who hummed softly while her mop swung over the wooden floor, coaxing it to shine.

Upon reaching her room, Nord found the door ajar, spilling a golden pool of light into the corridor. Inside, Baal was an island of peace amidst the sea of quilts and pillows, his legs folded beneath him. His pyjamas, a soft cotton ensemble that clung to his frame, moved with the rhythm of his contented squirming as he doodled on a sheet of paper. The smile that played upon his lips was something she had missed for a long time.

"You look happy," Nord observed. She sat down on the edge of the bed, the weight of her body causing a gentle dip in the mattress. Her hands worked at her boots, deftly slipping them off one by one.

Baal lost in his doodlings, acknowledged her presence with a nod, his eyes never leaving the sheets under his fingertips. "I'm preparing class for tomorrow," he said, the words floating up like bubbles of excitement.

Nord began to peel away the layers of her attire, the corset unlacing with a soft hiss, "Oh, how was--" her movements paused by Baal's sudden outpouring of excitement.

Too thrilled to wait, cut her off mid-sentence. "Today was fantastic! We learned this new song, and I did a round with the kids— you know, is when some started singing in point A, and the others joined in from the start at point B. It was a bit of a challenge to get everyone synchronized, but it was so much fun, so so much. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. Then I talked to the carpenter in town about making flutes for the class, and even Paxton was on board with the idea!"

Baal explained rapidly, stumbling over his words in excitement. "The plan is to have them perform in a little parade, playing one or two songs. But there's a twist!" he exclaimed.

Intrigued, Nord paused from unlacing her corset and asked, "Which is...?"

With his excitement undiminished, Baal revealed, "They will be dressed up as mice, just like in the Pied Piper story! I will be the Pied Piper, and they will be the mice! Genius!"

"Oh, that does sound like a blast," Nord admitted. The room was filled with the richness of his vision, and as Nord slipped into her nightgown, the fabric cascading around her like a waterfall of silk, she was drawn into the dreamscape Baal wove.

The sheets, cool and inviting, caressed her skin as Baal turned to her, his eyes gleaming with the day's joys. "How was your day?" he asked, his voice soothing like a tender caress.

Her response was a gentle brushstroke on the canvas of their evening, "Did some errands, nothing much." She watched as he placed his tools on the nightstand with deliberate care, his movements a prelude to the closeness they both sought.

The concern in his voice was subtle yet clear as he noticed the deviation from her routine. "I saw you didn't open the store. Is everything okay?"

Her assurance was a soft lullaby, "Oh yeah, everything is fine, just taking some holidays, you know? That's all." Her eyelids fluttered, heavy with the pull of slumber.

Yet Baal, buoyant with unspent energy, said, "We could plan something after school!"

"Like what?" she whispered.

"Anything you want," he said.

"I will think of something," she murmured.

In the quiet that followed, Baal's arms enfolded her in a sanctuary of warmth, his lips pressing a kiss upon her crown. "I love you. You make me so happy, Morningstar," he breathed, his words almost pierced her in tears.

"I love you too," she returned, a whisper barely audible yet laden with the depth of oceans, "I love you too."