The memory hit me with startling clarity - a crystalline pond in the gardens of Chaos, where reality itself bent and twisted around us. I was twelve, standing beside my mother as she taught me to manipulate temperature with magic.

"Focus on the water, dear," Lilith's voice echoed in my mind, clear as if she stood beside me now. "Feel the movement, the energy. You can slow it down or speed it up at will."

The garden had been beautiful that day, floating islands of dark stone covered in luminous flowers that changed colours with each passing moment. Above us, the sky swirled with impossible patterns of purple and crimson, while beneath the pond's surface, fish with bodies made of living flame darted between patches of glowing vegetation.

I remembered the pride in her eyes as ice crept across the pond's surface at my command, remembered how the frozen sheet crackled and groaned before dissolving into steam as I reversed the spell. The raw power had coursed through my small body, making me feel invincible.

"Excellent control, Lily," she had praised, her hand warm on my shoulder. "You're doing better than I did at your age."

But as I sat in the mineral pool now, that cherished memory brought more questions than comfort. Was that really me? That little girl practicing magic with her mother? The scene felt so vivid, so real - the scent of night-blooming flowers, the way my mother's black hair had gleamed in the ethereal light, even the texture of the stone beneath my feet.

I touched my face, feeling the familiar features that weren't mine - or were they? Cain had mentioned he had access to Liam's memories, to my memories just from possessing my old body. Was this the same thing? Just some residual memory stored in Lily's flesh? Or was it connected to my body's regeneration after the fight?

The warmth of the pool suddenly felt oppressive. How many more memories lurked beneath the surface? Would they emerge one by one, fragments of a life I hadn't lived? Was my subconscious right - was I somehow both Liam and Lily?

I hadn't remembered anything else from Lily's past. Just this one perfect moment with my mother - with Lily's mother. The spell had come so naturally, as if my hands had performed it a thousand times before. But why this memory? Why now?

"Lily?" Isabella's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "You've gone quiet."

I stared at my reflection in the rippling water, searching those crimson eyes for answers. Was the real Lily still in there somewhere, trapped behind my consciousness? Or was I the real Lily all along, just starting to remember who I used to be?

* * *

"Just remembered where I learned the spell," I said, forcing a smile. "Mother taught me when I was younger." The words felt strange on my tongue - both true and false at the same time.

Isabella raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. She sank deeper into the mineral-rich water, her silver hair floating around her like a ethereal halo.

"These springs are amazing," Aria moaned, stretching her arms above her head. "The phantom pain is finally starting to fade."

I nodded, grateful for the change in subject. The lingering sensation of being torn apart atom by atom still echoed through my body, but the warm waters helped dull the memory.

"I can't believe you two went through this before and never mentioned how awful it feels," I complained, splashing some water at Aria.

She giggled, dodging the spray. "Would you have believed us if we told you? Besides, it's not exactly dinner conversation material."

"Speaking of which," Isabella interjected, "you should have seen your face when you reformed, Lily. Like a cat that got dumped in water."

"Oh please, I bet you both looked just as graceful your first time," I retorted, but couldn't help laughing.

Aria floated closer, her purple eyes sparkling with mischief. "At least you didn't scream. I heard some succubi shriek so loud their first time that they crack the magma crystals."

"That's just an urban legend," Isabella scoffed, but her lips twitched with amusement.

The conversation devolved into increasingly outrageous reformation stories they'd heard, each more unlikely than the last. The warm water and familiar banter helped ease the last traces of discomfort from my body.

"Remember that one succubus who supposedly reformed inside-out?" Aria asked between fits of laughter.

"That's not even possible," Isabella spluttered, wiping tears from her eyes.

I felt the tension drain from my shoulders as we laughed together. The horror of our deaths temporarily forgotten in this moment of shared relief and friendship.

But Aria's expression suddenly turned serious. "Speaking of reformation though... that vampire who killed us, did you get him?"

"No," I sighed, sinking deeper into the mineral pool. "He caught me just before I could pierce his heart."

"That's a shame," Aria stretched lazily. "But hey, we'll get another shot in a decade or two. Next time we'll be better prepared."

I jerked upright, splashing water around me. "What do you mean 'in a decade or two'?"

Isabella's ice-blue eyes widened with realization. "Right, this was your first reformation." She sat up straighter, her expression turning serious. "After getting banished, the world's barriers become much more restrictive. Best case scenario, we simply can't enter a world at all. Worst case..." She grimaced. "We get disintegrated the moment we try."

"So unless someone summons us," Aria added, "we have to wait for the restrictions to calm down."

The blood drained from my face as I processed their words. "Faith..." I whispered, my heart racing. "She's still there with Cain."

My mind raced with images of Faith facing that monster alone. The way he'd wielded blood magic, how easily he'd dispatched us even when we fought together. And now Faith was there without any supernatural backup.

"We have to do something," I said, gripping the edge of the pool so hard my knuckles turned white. "She won't stand a chance against him alone."

"I just don't understand why you're so worked up about one mortal," Aria said, sliding closer in the mineral pool. "I mean, yeah, she's hot in that dangerous hunter way. But there are literally billions of mortals across different realms."

Stolen story; please report.

I gripped the edge of the pool harder, my knuckles turning white. How could I explain what Faith meant to me?

"Aria's right," Isabella added, her voice gentle. "If you're that attached, we can find you someone similar. Maybe even better." She reached out to touch my shoulder. "There's this realm with an entire organization of female warriors that-"

"That's not it," I snapped, then immediately regretted my tone. They were trying to help, in their own demonic way.

Aria tilted her head. "Is it because she helped us track the vampire? We can find other hunters."

I watched the steam rise from the mineral waters, trying to sort through my conflicting emotions. Part of me understood their perspective perfectly - I'd even started thinking that way about some of the mortals myself.

But Faith... Faith was different. We'd shared meals together, laughed at stupid jokes, held each other during thunderstorms. Even though we'd broken up, even though she'd pushed me away...

"You don't understand," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "Faith isn't just some mortal to me. She's-"

I stopped myself. How could I possibly explain this to them? That I was once human? That Faith and I had shared a life together? That every time I looked at her, I saw both my past and present colliding in ways that made no sense?

Isabella and Aria traded glances, their sympathy aimed at a wound they couldn't see.

"It happens sometimes, you know," Aria said softly, moving closer in the mineral pool. "Getting attached to your pet mortals. I've seen it before."

My jaw clenched at her words. Even though I knew she meant well, the casual way she referred to Faith made my stomach turn.

"They can be quite endearing," Isabella agreed, her silver hair rippling in the water as she nodded. "Like well-trained hounds that show unconditional loyalty."

"Faith is not a pet," I muttered, staring into the steaming water. The mineral scent filled my nostrils as I tried to control my rising irritation.

Aria placed her hand on my shoulder. "Hey, if she matters that much to you, we'll help however we can." She glanced at Isabella. "Right?"

Isabella's ice-blue eyes met mine. "Of course. What are friends for if not helping with peculiar attachments?"

Despite their misunderstanding of my relationship with Faith, warmth spread through my chest at their willingness to help. To them, this was probably as trivial as helping someone find a lost trinket. Yet here they were, offering their support without hesitation.

"Thank you," I said quietly, touched by their loyalty even if they couldn't understand why Faith meant so much to me.

"Besides," Aria grinned, "any excuse to cause more chaos in the mortal realm is fine by me."

* * *

I sank deeper into the mineral pool, letting the warm waters soothe my aching muscles. "So we're agreed then? We help each other no matter what comes next?"

"Of course," Isabella said, her silver hair floating around her like a halo. "Though we should be better prepared next time. Those vampires were more organized than expected."

Aria nodded vigorously, sending ripples across the water. "Yeah, and that blood magic was nasty. We need better protection against that."

"The question is how do we even get back?" I gestured vaguely upward. "The barriers..."

"The VCD could summon us," Aria suggested, though her tone lacked conviction.

I shook my head. "After what happened? Galahad barely trusted us before. Now?" I paused, remembering something. "Although... I might have another way."

My hand moved to my ring, hesitating before I continued. "Remember that Lich we met in the caves? He gave me a communication rune."

Isabella's ice-blue eyes narrowed. "Are you sure that's wise? He wanted your blood before. As Lilith's daughter, your blood could be used for... problematic purposes."

"Maybe we could ask him about that first?" I suggested, fidgeting with my ring. "He was evasive before, but perhaps with some persuasion..."

"Better than nothing," Aria shrugged, moving closer to peer at my ring. "At least we'd know what we're getting into."

I pulled the small stone from my ring, its surface gleaming with faint runes. The mineral water dripped from my hand onto its smooth surface.

"You want to do this now?" Isabella asked, her voice carrying a note of concern.

I looked at the rune in my palm, then at my friends. "Better to get it over with."

I held the rune between my thumb and forefinger, channelling a tiny thread of mana into its crystalline structure. The stone pulsed with an eerie blue glow, projecting a ghostly image of the Lich's skull hovering above the mineral pool.

His ethereal form froze mid-motion, skeletal hands halting in what appeared to be the middle of writing. The pause lasted just long enough to be noticeable before he recovered his composure.

"Princess." His voice crackled through the projection. "I... wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon."

Something about his reaction seemed off. The way his skull had locked in place, the slight stutter in his normally fluid speech. If he'd been mortal, I'd have sworn he'd just choked on his drink.

"Is this a bad time?" I asked, studying his rigid posture.

"No, no. Just... surprised." His eye sockets flickered between me and my companions. "And in interesting company, I see."

Aria waved cheerfully through the water vapor. "Hi again! Remember us from your lab?"

Isabella maintained a more dignified silence, though her eyes never left the projection.

The Lich's skull tilted slightly. "Indeed. Though I must say, this is quite an unexpected setting for a call." His gaze fixed on me again.

I shifted in the mineral pool, meeting the Lich's ethereal gaze. "I've thought about your offer."

"And?" His skull remained perfectly still.

"I won't give my blood without knowing its purpose. Not negotiable."

The projection flickered as he made a dismissive gesture. "Then you're wasting my time, Princess. The nature of my experiments must remain confidential."

"What if-" Isabella leaned forward, sending ripples through the water, "we sign a magical contract of confidentiality? We won't reveal the purpose to anyone."

The Lich's skull tilted, his eye sockets brightening slightly. If he'd had eyebrows, I imagined one would be raised. "Are you truly willing to bind yourselves to such a contract?"

None of us answered immediately. The steam rose between us and his projection.

"Though I must ask - what brings you to seek my aid?"

"Is there a way to lessen the impact of dimensional barriers?" I asked.

The Lich's bones clicked as he straightened. "Only two methods exist. One you likely already know."

"What are they?" Aria blurted before I could speak.

"The first, as you're aware, is summoning." His skeletal fingers traced patterns in the air. "The second requires True Magic."

"Isn't True Magic just a legend?" Isabella's voice carried a hint of scepticism.

The Lich's laughter echoed through the projection, a hollow sound that sent chills down my spine despite the warm water. "Oh no, it's quite real. Though practitioners are exceedingly rare. Apart from Lucifer himself, I know of no others who can wield it."

"What's True Magic?" Aria asked, leaning closer to the projection.

I realized I didn't know what it was either, despite apparently being Lucifer's daughter.

"True Magic," the Lich's voice took on a scholarly tone, "is not magic as you understand it. It's the ability to directly influence reality through birthright - specifically, the birthright of beings who predate the universe itself. Think of it as cosmic hierarchy - these beings existed before creation, so creation must obey them."

"We can't involve my parents," I said, sinking lower into the mineral pool. "If they learned I died in that realm..." I shuddered despite the warm water. "They'd burn the whole place to ash."

The Lich's projection bobbed in agreement. "Indeed. Lilith's wrath is legendary, and Lucifer's... well, let's just say I've witnessed his response to far lesser provocations."

"You know my parents well?" I couldn't help asking.

"Focus," Isabella touched my arm gently. "We need his help with the barrier problem."

The Lich's skull tilted. "Which realm are we discussing? I may have... connections who could perform the necessary summoning ritual. If fortune favours us."

"It's catalogued in the Academy library as Earth-005a," I replied.

The ethereal skull remained motionless for several long moments, eye sockets dimming slightly as if deep in thought. The only sound was the gentle lapping of mineral water against the pool's edges.

Finally, his eye sockets brightened again. "Meet me at the northern caves. I'll arrange an escort for your safe passage." His tone grew more serious. "If you're willing to sign that contract I mentioned, I'm prepared to trust you with certain... sensitive information. But understand this - only those ready to accept the binding should come. The terms will be absolute."

"What exactly would the contract entail?" Isabella asked, her business instincts surfacing.

"That discussion is best held in person," the Lich replied. "The walls have ears, even through magical projections."

I glanced at my companions. Aria nodded eagerly while Isabella gave a more measured incline of her head.

"We'll come," I confirmed.