The guest room, after breakfast…

Butterflies, vibrant with the colours of spring, flutter freely through lush gardens, their wings painting pretty arcs amid a verdant backdrop of newly bloomed flowers. From my window, the courtyard below is as beautiful as it’s always been in my dreams.

Good grief. I didn’t truly appreciate the Chantry’s beauty and splendour in the previous timeline. Back then, I spent far too much time cooped up in this room, brooding about life back home. Adjustment issues, y’know? I missed Mom and Dad, the boys on the rooftop of St Elicia’s… even the damn Student Council! Nostalgia is one hell of a drug.

I still miss them all. I really do, even after being in Nisha for so long. Well, not anymore, I suppose. But I’ve always wondered, even right now, after going back in time… how things are back home. How’s everything doing without me? It’s a question that lingers like a shadow.

Today, though... I’m just gonna focus on the present. Anna and I just finished tidying up after breakfast. The table’s spotless, the dishes have been put away… and I’m feeling great satisfaction! Y’know, the kind you’d get from getting things done.

“Umm… Arisa?”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

Anna hesitates, her hand rising to her cheek, her smile shy and uncertain. Her green eyes flicker with nervousness.

“You said you’re my Healer, right?”

I nod. As ordained by the First Saint’s decree, every Healer is paired with a Paladin. Together for a lifetime, till death do they part, they’re two souls bound by fate, destined to leave their mark on Nisha together. That’s the ideal preached by the Order of Selene, anyway.

But in practice… not every pairing lasts a lifetime. Some discover their lack of affinity and part ways after graduating from the Chantry, striking out as freelance adventurers. It happens, and it is what it is, for better or worse. But for those who stay together, their divine bond is sacred, and they grow stronger together through a lifetime of mutual growth and protection.

Before I was summoned to the world of Nisha, to the Isle of Spirits… Anna was a Paladin with no Healer to call hers. Lady Nhaka Mezalune, the Oracle of Sharmarli and the one who summoned me, had foreseen that her fate was tied to mine. And so, until my arrival, Lady Iris stepped in as Anna’s guardian, preparing her to serve and protect her destined Healer – me. It was like this in the previous timeline… and even now, in a new one, that hasn’t changed.

In the previous timeline, Anna and I were both novices fumbling through our lessons under Lady Iris’s patient tutelage. I swear, she really does have the patience of a saint, being my teacher! Six months later, after passing the Trial of the First Saint by using all that we’ve learnt, Anna and I became a proper duo – a Paladin and Healer ready to face the world together!

But now, things are different. I’m not a novice anymore. If I truly am myself with all my memories intact, then… well, things are gonna be different, right? I…

Good grief. I dunno. Right now, I’m just glad to be here. By Rinnah’s grace, I really fucking am. I’m counting my blessings, my lucky stars… that I’m alive and well with you, Anna.

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“Umm… could you show me what you can do?” Anna asks, her voice tinged with curiosity and anticipation. “You said you’re a fully fledged Healer, right? That means you’ve passed the Trial of the First Saint… and that’s amazing!”

“Of course! But first…”

There’s a saying in the Order of Selene that a Healer without their staff is like a Bard without their harp – still perfectly capable and knowledgeable, but certainly far less impressive and definitely not as cool as they oughta be! And so, I bring my hands together in prayer, closing my eyes and drawing a steady breath as I focus my thoughts. Delving deep into the wellspring of Mana within me, I summon mine.

“That staff!” Anna exclaims, eyes wide with shock and awe as Elizabeth materialises within my grasp, its silver wings unfurling in a dazzling display of ethereal light. “That’s…”

“Elizabeth, Frozen Light,” I say, a touch of pride in my voice. “It’s my honour to wield it!”

“By Rinnah…”

It’s a fancy name for a staff, that’s for sure! So, I call it Elizabeth! It feels more personal that way. This holy staff is one of the many sacred relics of the Order of Selene, and it’s as much a part of me as I am of it, for it chose me, the Hero destined to slay the Demon Lord… that I might fulfil my Prophecy with it.

Damn, though. Holding Elizabeth in my hands once more… I can’t help but feel reassured. My memories of the past year, one timeline ago, aren’t just some fevered dream. They’re real. That I’m indeed who I am, and I’m truly who I remember myself to be.

“So… I’m ready to do some magic!” I declare triumphantly with a cheeky grin, holding Elizabeth aloft. “What do you wanna see? Don’t be shy – I’m taking requests!”

“Umm… okay! Alright! How about a Heal, Arisa?” Anna asks, her excitement bubbling through her shyness. “Let me see how you do it!”

“One Heal, coming right up!”

Magic is the art of willing miracles into existence, weaving Mana into spells that shape the world around us. It’s a deeply personal process, requiring focus, control, and the ability to silence the mind’s noise. We master every breath, every heartbeat… and in that silent space in between, we unleash a miracle to create or destroy as we see fit.

There are countless types of spells – offensive, defensive, restorative, to just name a few! Some are shared across disciplines, others unique to a chosen path. For the healers of the Order of Selene, the cornerstone of our craft is the humble yet powerful Heal.

Oh, but I digress. I have a Heal to deliver! Focusing on Anna, I steady my breath again, holding Elizabeth up high anew. My hands begin to glow with a radiant light of pure white mingling with soft blues… and my spell pulses with life, a tangible warmth that I release in a wave of restorative energy.

The light washes over Anna, her expression shifting from surprise to blissful relief. She closes her eyes, her posture relaxing as my Heal works its wonders.

“That’s incredible! It feels so… warm. So soothing…”

I smile. Heal is a simple but amazing spell! It’s the use of Mana to mend wounds, restore blood, and even fix broken bones. This spell can even be shaped in countless ways, from a swift, restorative burst to a focused, all-encompassing ray of restorative light! Alas, the lingering sensation – a faint memory of what was healed – stays with the recipient for a time. It’s a reminder, perhaps, of the fragility and resilience of the mortal body.

“Arisa, that was incredible!” Anna exclaims, her eyes wide with wonder, her voice brimming with awe. “The power of your Heal spell… I don’t think I’ve experienced anything as powerful or graceful from any Healer, ever! Except one other Healer…”

“Lady Iris?”

With a sheepish smile and a hand on her cheek, Anna nods, her cheeks flushed with pride.

“Hey, what can I say?” I reply with a cheeky smile, shrugging my shoulders, only to have my smile turn wistful as my thoughts drift to Lady Iris and the countless hours spent under her watchful guidance, one timeline ago. “I had the best of the best to learn from.”

“Mom needs to see this!” Anna exclaims, her excitement lighting up her face. “She told me to bring you to her office as soon as you were ready – and umm… I’d say you’re more than ready right now!”

Smiling warmly, I nod. Hell, it’s about time.