In the Student Council Meeting Room in St. Elicia’s Academy…

“…that is the plan for this year’s Cultural Festival, Miss Arisa.”

My fellow Student Councillors sit snugly on plush armchairs around the grand oaken conference table – a relic as old as the Academy itself. But mine? Oh, mine’s the comfiest of them all. Being Student Council President has its perks, y’know!

Good grief. It’s freezing in here! Every. Single. Meeting. How do I even manage? I swear I’ve raised the temperature on the air conditioning… but someone must’ve cranked it down when I wasn’t looking. And really, I oughta…

Wait. Hold up. This situation feels… familiar. I’ve been here before, in this exact meeting, planning for the Cultural Festival. Y’know, that one magical day where everyone dons elegant kimonos and the entire school transforms into a living showcase of tradition. Very… well, cultural! Hence the name.

This moment – this meeting – it’s from a time before everything changed. Before Nisha, before the Order of Selene… before Anna became a part of my life. Before I was a Hero or a Healer. It was back when I was just me – Arisa Ishii, Student Council President of St Elicia’s Academy. Gosh, that title’s quite the mouthful, eh?

“If everything is acceptable, Miss Arisa…” says a young woman with red hair styled in prim ringlets. Her big purple eyes glint behind oversized spectacles that make her look adorably clumsy. “We shall proceed with the arrangements as presented.”

I know her – that’s Sayaka Meiji, our Treasurer. She’s competent and meticulous to a fault, and she’s also all work and no play – extremely serious about everything, all day every day. Eh, she’s alright. Not that we chat much beyond our duties to the Student Council.

“I have the full proposal here for your final review and approval,” Sayaka continues, approaching with a stack of papers in one hand, the other hidden behind her back. “If everything checks out, I’ll need your signature here…”

I remember signing those papers. The proposal was solid – we’d fine-tuned it for weeks, coordinating logistics with vendors, school clubs, and performers. We even got the local (and pretty famous nationwide!) idol group to perform, and the boys in St Elicia’s love them! Sure, the process leading up to this point had been nothing short of stressful, absolute chaos… but it was ultimately manageable thanks to Riko’s connections. People tend to stay on her good side!

“Hold on a sec, Sayaka,” I say casually. “I gotta…”

She doesn’t pause. Her movements are eerily precise, almost robotic. And her eyes… wait! Are they still purple? No. They’re black. Deep, swirling black.

“Sayaka!”

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I leap from my chair just as she reveals her hidden hand. In it is a dagger – its blade shifting with pulsating hues of black and blue… like it’s… alive.

Instinct kicks in. I grab her wrist, halting her mid-motion. The weapon writhes in her grip, exuding demonic energy. This isn’t just a memory. It’s…

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Back in the Highgrove Warrens…

“…an illusion.”

I’m back in the darkness, the stench of filth pressing in around me. No air-conditioning here, of course. Honestly, that might be the worst part of snapping back to this grim reality.

It was all just a Demon’s trick – a Greater Illusion designed to trap victims in endless loops of their own memories, leaving them helpless and ripe for slaughter.

With a snap of my fingers, I summon my Candlelight to illuminate my surroundings… and I see the serrated edge of a demonic dagger inches from my heart. Holding it is the twisted form of an Imp Master, its fleshy wrist caught tightly in my grip.

I grit my teeth. This little bastard isn’t much larger than its lesser kin, but it’s clever enough to use spells and sacrifice its minions to create openings.

“You sneaky little motherfucker,” I snarl. “Here’s a dose of reality for ya.”

Holy Fire surges from my hand, engulfing the Imp Master in white and blue flames. The creature’s agonised shriek pierces the air as it burns to ash. Unlike its cheap tricks… my fire is very real. And that’s one less demon to worry about.

But there’s no time to celebrate. My heart lurches as I spot Anna slumped against the wall. She’s trembling… Ascalon discarded on the ground beside her, her eyes wide and tearful… brimming with terror.

I rush to her side, planting Elizabeth on the ground before raising my hand to cast Dispel Magic. The shimmering energy of the spell washes over her, dissolving the lingering illusion. As soon as it fades… Anna falls to her knees, her breaths shallow and uneven.

“Anna! Anna!” I whisper sharply, gripping her shoulders and shaking her gently but firmly. “Can you hear me? Say something!”

“Arisa…?”

Her voice is faint, but it’s there. She’s… safe. As safe as one can be in a Demon-infested sewer.

“My head hurts… What happened?”

“An Imp Master tried to trap us in a Greater Illusion. But don’t worry – it’s done,” I say, holding up a hand, its glow of white and blue magic radiating warmth as I channel Heal to ease her pain. “You’re okay now. I promise.”

“To think… I said it’s my duty to protect you…” Anna murmurs, her voice heavy with regret. “I couldn’t even do that. I’m still so weak…”

“You did protect me,” I say gently, meeting her gaze. “Remember all those other demons and the thralls you fought? You’ve already done so much.”

“I… I did, didn’t I?”

“Exactly. So let’s call it even!” I say, giving her a cheeky wink. “No point keeping score, right?”

Her lips twitch into a small smile, though her eyes still carry a hint of doubt. “But umm… how did you escape that Demon’s illusion?”

“Once you know an illusion’s possible, your mind naturally starts resisting it,” I explain. “The rest? It’s about Mana – mind over Mana. If you can resist an illusion… you’ll become lucid within the space it tries to trap you in. From there, you can break free and wake up. But if you ever get trapped again…”

I flash her my best, most reassuring smile.

“Think of me. I’ll find you. I’ll always get you out, no matter what.”

“Arisa…”

“Okay, that’s enough chit-chat,” I say, standing and offering her my hand. “We’ve got a fight to finish. Ready?”

She nods firmly, taking my hand as she retrieves Ascalon and recasts her Candlelight. Together, we press on into the shadows. The glow of our combined Candlelight lights our path – two little lights in the overwhelming darkness… pushing forward into unknown oblivion.