The Warrior’s still fast asleep. He looks peaceful, like he’s wrapped in a sweet dream. After all that’s happened… good for him.

Anna and I have done all we can. Like I said, there’s nothing left to do but watch and wait. If Rinnah wills it, he’ll wake up soon. I sure hope so – this waiting is killing me! Knowing there’s a Demon out there, a Shadow Fiend of all things… and not knowing where…

We haven’t spoken much while keeping vigil. Anna sits rigid in her chair, glancing nervously from time to time at the spot where the Shadow Parasite fell to Ascalon’s edge. There’s nothing there – demons vanish when they die on Nisha, their accursed essence absorbed into Arcadia – but she keeps looking anyway.

It’s alright. I don’t hold it against her. She’s understandably shaken; seeing a Demon for the first time in the flesh is a whole different story compared to studying them in class. No amount of preparation can truly prepare you for it.

I remember my first encounter with a Demon back in the previous timeline. It was an Imp scavenging in the Celestial Arbour. I thought I’d be fine… but demons have a way of worming into your very soul, unnerving you in a way nothing else can. It’s not merely dread; it’s something deeper… a deathly chill that won’t stop crawling down your spine, an affliction of the soul.

Overcoming that fear is a core part of training for Healers and Paladins in the Order of Selene. That’s how Anna managed to wield Ascalon against that lesser Demon earlier without faltering. Even then… I saw her hands trembling. Because training and theory can only take you so far. The real thing is always worse than you imagine. Far worse.

I’ve gotten better since that fateful day, though. So did Anna. Well… Anna, in the previous timeline, I mean. We got really good at slaying demons as Healer and Paladin. Back then, she was the one who steadied me. She kept me going and held my hand – figuratively and literally – when I thought myself overwhelmed by terror. Fear may be the mind-killer… but thanks to her, I learned to stand my ground.

This time, it’s different. It’s on me to protect her while she finishes her training, to see her become a full Paladin and clear the Trial of the First Saint in style. Only then will she be ready. Until that day, as her Healer… I have to be stronger. For her. For us.

…and that’s why I’m gonna face this alone. For that, this Warrior holds the answers I need. He was most likely on a Guild Mission when his group encountered the Shadow Fiend. Wherever it is… Rinnah willing, he’ll point me towards that Demon so that I can force-feed it a little slice of heaven, right down its shadowy throat. And uh…

“Ugh… where am I?”

The Warrior stirs, his voice rough but alive. He looks like he’s got one mother of a headache.

“Mister!” Anna exclaims as she leaps to his side, relief washing over her face. “You’re awake! Thank Rinnah, we were so worried…”

“Wait! This isn’t… I need to leave! Right now, I…”

He tries to stand, but his body betrays him. He’s big and tough-looking even by Warrior standards, but in his current condition… he’s too weak to push past us. Together, we ease him back onto the bed.

“Celia… Rae… I have to…”

“Please take it easy,” Anna says gently, her worry clear as she steadies him. “You’ve been gravely injured, and you need to rest. You can’t do anything in this state.”

“She’s right,” I add, keeping my voice calm. “Stay in bed and talk to us. I’ve got questions.”

“Questions…? Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Arisa Ishii,” I reply, forcing a smile as I gesture to Anna, who hands him a glass of water. “And this is my Paladin, Anna Silverlight.”

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“Nice to meet you!” Anna exclaims, beaming from ear to ear. “Mister… umm…”

“Roderic…” the Warrior says after a moment, his voice hoarse. “Roderic Sinclair. That staff on your back – you’re a Healer, aren’t you? From the Chantry. And Anna’s your… Paladin?”

“Exactly,” I say, leaning closer. “Do you remember what happened to you? Anything at all?”

His eyes grow distant, his voice trembling. “My party… we were headed for the Highgrove Warrens… escorting workers on maintenance duty. We were supposed to help them clear the way… but in the cellar… we ran into… those horrible… things! The horror…”

He breaks down, tears streaming down his face as he gasps for air. I rise from my chair and head for the door – it’s all I need to hear – where I gotta go to put an end to this nightmare.

“Arisa?” Anna calls after me, her voice tinged with worry. “Where are you going?”

I don’t reply. I can’t. My legs carry me out of the room, down the guildhall corridors, and into the streets of Light’s Hope.

----------------------------------------

On the way to the Highgrove Vineyard…

Healers and paladins from the Chantry of Eternal Light are busy ushering townsfolk and adventurers into the safety of Light’s Hope, their chatter and hurried movements fading into the background. I weave through them, my focus sharp and unyielding.

“Arisa, wait!”

I hear Anna calling after me, her voice laced with worry as she tries to stop me. I don’t turn around. Like I said earlier… I have to do this alone.

The Highgrove Vineyard isn’t far – a little over an hour if you stick to the well-trodden path. The Warrens lie beneath the Vineyard, a maze of aqueducts channelling waste and runoff from the endless rows of grapevines. The wastewater and refuse flow into the Silent Sea surrounding the Isle of Spirits, and along the way… monsters gather and feed.

I’ve never been to the Vineyard in the previous timeline, though I’ve heard plenty. The wine from Highgrove is a favourite among the nobles of Sharmarli, the Holy City. From time to time, they hire adventurers to clear blockages and cull Monster nests. Y’know, giant spiders, giant rats… maybe a Slime or two. Nothing too terrifying. Not anymore, though.

“Arisa!”

Good grief. She’s faster than me – always has been. Before I know it, she’s standing before me, blocking my path. Her face is set in determination… but there’s fear in her eyes, too. Worry. And burning amid those emotions… anger.

“You should’ve stayed with Roderic,” I snap, trying to sidestep her. “I need to handle this alone! I…”

Before I can react, her hand whips through the air, striking me across the face. The sharp sound of the slap echoes in the quiet, and I freeze, my cheek stinging.

“Anna…”

I place a hand on the cheek where she slapped it. It hurts. It really does. But her eyes… filled with pain and unwavering resolve, hurt me more than anything ever could.

“Maybe I’m not as strong as you think I need to be…” Anna says quietly, her voice thick with emotion and tears in her eyes. “But I’m your Paladin, Arisa! Do you even understand what that means?”

The weight of her words settles over me like a lead cloak, heavy and undeniable. I stare at her, words caught in my throat.

“It means I’m sworn to protect you, no matter the cost. It means I’ll fight beside you until my last breath,” Anna adds, her voice dropping to a fierce whisper. “And if you think I’m going to stand by and watch you throw yourself into danger alone… then you don’t know me at all.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. Damn it! Fuck! She’s right, isn’t she? For all my talk of going it alone… I know better. I’ve always known better. I can’t do this without her, and maybe… maybe I don’t wanna.

In the last timeline, she stood with me through horrors that would’ve broken lesser souls. Together, we cut a swathe through the Demon Lord’s minions, her trusty claymore Ascalon cutting through the darkness while my magic, empowered by Elizabeth, kept us alive. She’s why I didn’t fall apart back then… the reason I’m still standing now.

“Anna…” I say again, my voice soft and weak. “I…”

“You’ve always had my back. Now it’s my turn,” Anna says firmly, gripping my shoulders as her gaze locks onto mine. “You don’t have to bear this burden alone, Arisa.”

I bow my head solemnly. She always knows how to get to me, doesn’t she? For all my bluster… I’m not as tough as I like to think I am.

Heh. I’m losing my edge, I guess. And Anna… she might be soft-spoken and kind most hours of the day, but when it comes to matters of duty and honour… she never backs down. Never, even on the pain of death. She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for – stronger than I give her credit for.

Good grief. What the hell was I thinking, trying to face this alone? Even with all my strength, I need her – my Paladin – and the unwavering support of the Order of Selene. Have I honestly forgotten? It was my fellow healers and paladins of the Order, my brothers and sisters in arms… who stood firm against the tides of shadow and frost, leading the adventurers of Nisha while the world quaked under the Demon Lord’s full power at the end of days.

I need her courage, their strength… and the bond we share. I have to trust her, trust them, and never forget… I’m not in this alone.

“Alright,” I say, my voice steady with newfound resolve. “Let’s fuck that Shadow Fiend up.”