She was intent on trying out the new skill Batcat had to be capable of. Despite her… well, she couldn’t call it jubilation, exactly. There was some sort of hollow feeling within her, despite the clear accomplishment. This feeling was echoed by the way Batcat was holding itself.

Rieren paused. That little moment when she had lost her line of thought. What had happened just then? There had been a point in time where she had been figuring out how to obtain a new power for Batcat… and she had discovered a way to do that by observing the little Spirit Beast’s memories… and then… and then she had obtained the achievement. Right?

It was starting to make her head hurt. She looked around. There was nothing but the empty dungeon tunnel. Nothing she had to worry about.

So why did she feel like something was wrong?

Rieren sighed. She was about to ask the cat whether it had seen something happen, when she noticed a little stick of graphite before her. “What in the world…?”

She picked it up. These things were used to write in certain places. They hadn’t caught on in other regions yet for the fact that they tended to run out rather quickly and the mess they left on fingers. A mess she had on her fingers.

Rieren stared. Had she been using them a while back? She couldn’t recall doing so, yet the way her fingers were coated with a light greys shimmer suggested she had been using it for a while. It was a little blunt and shortened too, which meant it had been used.

Her heart spiked in a bit of alarm. Something terrible was going on. How could she have written something and not remember it?

Steps sounded from the far end of the tunnel. Rieren was startled out of her confused thoughts. They were growing louder rather quickly, and she rose, putting the thin stick of graphite insider her robes. She paused. There was a paper there too. A folded page she couldn’t recall putting there before. What in the Abyss was going on?

Rieren pulled out the page. The light was low, but enough for her to read through. She tried to do so quickly, but the steps had nearly reached her location. Steps she now recognized. Nevertheless, Rieren managed to get a quick perusal done. It wasn’t enough to learn everything, but she understood enough.

Apparently, she had sacrificed her memories of… others.

Thankfully, she still recalled well the person now marching towards her with heavy steps. Amalyse was heading to her location with resolute steps.

“Are you truly going to leave, Rieren?” she asked. “And why do you look like that?”

The tunnel was rather gloomy. It was difficult for Rieren to see what exactly Amalyse’s expression was, especially since her tone held too much within it to tell her what was going through her friend’s mind.

“Look like what?” Rieren asked.

“Like…” Amalyse’s voice grew quiet. “Like you just discovered something precious.”

“I think I just did, truth to be told.”

“And yet you’re going to leave it behind? Leave it all behind?”

Rieren needed a moment to return her mind to her current circumstances. She hadn’t forgotten her intentions or her goals. Rieren knew full well why she had to leave. The only memories she had lost were those mentioned in her little note. “I am. How did you find out?”

“I know you, Rieren. I could see it on your face. You’re leaving just to save us all.”

Rieren laughed softly. “I am not that altruistic. But I am leaving, yes.”

“Oh? So if you’re not going because of some misguided belief that you would safeguard the Sect by abandoning it, what reason could you possibly have for running away?”

Rieren tutted. That was a tone she knew well, hastily chosen words that were meant to anger her. Amalyse might know Rieren well, but the reverse was also true.

“I am leaving because I do not need the Sect to hold me back any longer,” Rieren said. “Recent events have proven just how imperative it is for me to grow stronger at a far faster pace. I cannot waste any further time being mired in all the matters that concern the Sect and those within it. They take up too much time, Amalyse. Time I would rather spend on myself alone.”

“Oh, don’t give me that crap.”

Amalyse finally decided to walk closer. She seemed to appear out of the gloom like a spectre of rage, arms crossed and eyes flashing.

That was when Rieren noticed the faint shimmer of unshed tears in her friend’s eyes, which made her swallow the growing lump in her throat. Amalyse didn’t truly intend to stop her from going anywhere. Not really. She was well aware that Rieren’s mind was made up. No, she simply shared the same sadness that things hadn’t turned out differently.

She had perhaps harboured similar wishes as Rieren had when the current timeline had first begun. That they could create a peaceful home this time, that they would find it easier to survive and thrive now that they had greater power in total to confront their enemies with.

Yet, things had capsized so easily. All dreams of peace had shattered, leaving nothing but a dire spiral heading towards greater chaos. And to survive something like that, they would all need to grow stronger.

“I am not leaving forever, Amalyse,” Rieren said, slowly and softly.

She knew that such hope was dangerous for them both. It was both empowering and frightening. On the one hand, it could provide a nice drive to keep striving for better things. On the other, it would be so easy for such hope to turn to despair, and being lost in that pit would be detrimental to them all.

“I know,” Amalyse said. She tried for a smile. “And maybe you won’t have to return to see me again. Maybe I’ll come find you, instead.”

Rieren raised an eyebrow, her own smile popping up as well. “Is that so? I look forward to it then.” Her smile disappeared as she considered Amalyse’s situation. “I sadly will not be able to perform the great duty your mother bestowed upon me, alas.”

Amalyse snorted. “That makes two of us.”

They shared a little laugh. It was nice to simply share the joy in the little things in life they valued. Though, the state of her family was certainly not little to Amalyse.

“What do you intend to do about your clan?” Rieren asked. “I remember they asked you to return. I am still surprised your mother allowed you to come back to the Sect from the encampment. Even if it was because of securing the spoils of the dungeon for the Arraihos.”

Amalyse looked away. “Well, she can continue waiting outside if she has nothing better to do. This Arraihos scion is not about to abandon her Sect just because of her family’s insistence.”

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“Even the Sect won’t be able to stop them forever, Amalyse.”

“That is true, unfortunately.”

They were both silent, considering the future. Rieren would support Amalyse whether she chose to remain in the Sect or return to her clan. But since it looked like the former was her decision, then the things she could do aligned a little more with her own inclinations.

“I could perhaps ensure that they aren’t a real bother for you,” Rieren said.

Amalyse’s eyes narrowed. “What in the world would you do?”

She smiled. Even as it had died, the Gravemark Puppeteer had said that it would spread word of Rieren to all corners of the Elderlands. Well, it hadn’t really died, according to the Sect Leader.

“I can pay your mother a visit on my way out,” Rieren said. “I am certain I can convince her not to do anything… foolish.”

“You want to go straight into an enemy encampment all by yourself right after we did all we could to scare off Essalina?”

Rieren smiled. “You do not need to worry.” She patted Batcat atop her head, where it awakened with a heavy purr. “I know how to take care of myself.”

Amalyse looked between her and the winged cat on her head, before her eyes widened. “You mean… you’re going to use the cat’s memory powers?”

“Correct.”

Rieren was surprised Amalyse was able to guess her intention. But she shouldn’t have been. Amalyse was quite intelligent in her own right.

“I will miss the cat too,” Amalyse said, reaching forward to pet its head. Batcat purred in delight.

Rieren smiled. “I am certain it will miss you too.”

She stared at her friend for a moment, trying to burn the image of the one person who truly understood her in her head. Then she turned away, clearing her throat. Her heart was clasping a little too tightly in her chest. Why were farewells so difficult? “I think I should get going.”

“Right.”

Rieren hesitated. There had to be a better way to part than that. She had never been that eloquent. Finding the right words, the right way to express herself in such situations had always been rather difficult for her. But a side effect of a life filled with a variety of experiences had taught her that she could make up for such deficiencies in a rather simple manner.

All she needed was the truth.

She turned back to her friend. “Amalyse, I—”

Amalyse crashed into her, wrapping her arms so tightly, Rieren was stuck in place. “I will miss you.” She sniffled against Rieren’s shoulder, her auburn hair tickling Rieren’s face. “But I also believe in you, Rieren. I know you will survive and you will accomplish all that you’re about to set out to achieve. And one day, I’ll be standing right beside you to see it all first-hand.”

If Rieren could have embraced her friend back, she would have. As it was, she simply rested her head against Amalyse’s shoulder. It was alright to shed a few tears on this occasion.

In fact, Rieren was still rubbing away a few stray teardrops when she was walking down the dark tunnel later, after having finally extricated herself from her friend. Her heart was sick. A heavy, uncomfortable weight was sinking deeper in her guts. Monkey’s balls. One would think that farewells would have become easier after having a lifetime full of it.

At least her feelings weren’t clouding her thoughts. Rieren knew where to go, what direction her feet had to step. She had to find the same exit they had used to end up closer to the encampment from before.

As she went on, Rieren remembered to stop at a certain point. While she had succeeded in getting the new power for Batcat, she was yet to test it out properly. It wouldn’t do to find out that it didn’t work as well as she had hoped in the midst of a battle.

Rieren picked Batcat off her head. “You will need to show me your new trick, kitten.”

Batcat didn’t look quite happy about it. In fact, the little Spirit Beast had seemed somewhat morose since that strange moment when she had lost track of her thoughts. That had to be the exact point when she had lost those memories.

“It is alright, kitten,” she said. Rieren pressed one hand on her robes where the folded page was stored. “I am sure they are important, to a certain degree, but I remembered to write down everything vital. So, nothing of great value was truly lost.”

Which reminded her that she needed to read through that page properly too. While she trusted herself not to choose to forget anything truly important, the fact that she had kept a written record meant that they were worth knowing about.

Batcat finally looked a little happier than before.

But before Rieren could channel Essence through the kitten or figure out if there was some other way she would have to access its new power, she froze. A familiar sound came into her hearing range, a strange clicking followed by telltale clanks.

A Ceramic Automaton was headed her way.

Of course, she was still within the dungeon’s perimeters. Meeting another dungeon guardian was only to be expected. As much as she had wished to depart without alerting anyone else, some things were difficult to avoid entirely.

Batcat meowed a soft reminder.

“Yes, perhaps you are right, cat,” Rieren said. “Perhaps I am simply overreacting. Perhaps this is good. Perhaps I will be able to find my way out of here faster now that I—”

She stopped. The series of noises of an approaching automaton was all too familiar now. It wasn’t just any dungeon guardian that she was about to meet again. Well, there was little hope of finding a way to test Batcat’s new ability anymore. She would just have to remember to do so later.

Kervantes appeared out of the gloom from the tunnel’s other end. “Rieren! Strange to meet you here of all places. How are you doing?”

Rieren blinked. If she had to guess his mood, his words suggested something close to jovial and carefree, though it wasn’t at all easy to tell through his inflectionless tone. “I am simply looking for some fresh air, Kervantes. What is your purpose here?”

“Oh, curious are we?”

“…you were the one to ask me about my whereabouts. I was simply reciprocating.”

Kervantes placed one hand under his chin. “Fine, I admit defeat to your cunning conversational gambit. I will henceforth divulge all my secrets.”

Rieren rolled her eyes. “Yes, please, do go on.”

“My pleasure! I was afraid that there might be some who hadn’t heard the excellent news, so I decided to trawl through the corridors to catch those who aren’t as situationally aware.”

“News?”

“Why, you were present there. The news that the Sect and the dungeon are now one! A match made in heaven, wouldn’t you say?”

“…certainly.”

“If you were seeking some fresh air, perhaps I can assist you in finding a suitable location for such a purpose. Care to follow me?”

Rieren decided not to get into any arguments with the Ceramic Automaton. “Yes, I will be grateful.” She could have found her own way out eventually, but with Kervantes, it would be faster. It just meant she would have to find a way to ditch him without giving her intentions away. “Lead the way.”

Kervantes did so with a spring in his mechanical step. As they walked through the dungeon’s corridors—no, through the Sect’s corridors now, according to Kervantes himself—Rieren began to realize that she was teetering on the edge of falling back on past behaviour.

After all, when she had entered the dungeon for the first time in this timeline, hadn’t she determined that she would no longer be her old, paranoid self? Hadn’t she decided to prioritize the survival of the Sect and all those she held dear within it? Sure, that goal had been accomplished, but that didn’t mean she could now revert back to a state she didn’t even wish to be in.

“Kervantes,” she said after they had been walking a while.

“What is it, my murderer?”

“I will not apologize for killing you.”

“I do not recall asking for an apology.”

“And yet you are happy to call me a murderer?”

“Am I wrong?”

She didn’t need to think about it for long. “Not necessarily.”

“There you have it then.”

Rieren sighed. “That is not what I had intended to discuss. Tell me, do you really believe your Dungeon Core will be able to act as the leader of a Sect?”

“Do you think your Sect Leader will be a good Dungeon Core?”

“Yes.” She didn’t have to even think about the answer. He might have fallen to the manipulation of the Gravemark Puppeteer, but he had still always kept the Sect as his main priority. “He knows much about running a Sect. I think such skills will translate well to running a dungeon as well. But… I comprehend what you mean.”

Kervantes didn’t reply to that. There was nothing to say about it, after all. Rieren understood that this was a new horizon for both sides. The Sect would have to deal with being part of a dungeon as much as the dungeon would have to gel with all the disciples now calling its tunnels and chambers their home.

“I assume what you truly wish to know is why I chose to ally the Sect with the dungeon?” Kervantes asked as they finally reached the end of the tunnel.

Rieren recognized the exit. It was the same one they had taken to get out onto the slopes before being discovered by Essalina’s soldiers. This time, Rieren would be prepared to evade them entirely. There was no need for a confrontation with the Arteroth.

Especially with Essalina’s recent statements regarding the Forborne Emperor.

“Yes,” she said as they came out. “I do.”

Kervantes stood at the lip of the tunnel while Rieren headed out. He peered out at the evening sky. Rieren went a few paces ahead, turning back to face the Ceramic Automaton. She froze.

In his hand was the Dew Talisman. The same little necklace she had thrown into the guts of the Fellserpent, the same one Auri had used to sacrifice herself, alerting the gods about Rieren’s presence, summoning a Banishedborn, and rebirthing the Fellserpent.

The same little talisman that had caused the fall of Lionshard Sect.

“Apologies, Rieren,” Kervantes said. “But to save my Core and your Sect, I was asked to make one sacrifice. Considering that was my murderer… you understand the decision wasn’t difficult.”

Above Rieren, red lightning flashed into being high up in the sky. Batcat hissed atop her head.

She had been discovered by the gods once again.