Elodie stood up and ran forward. The sword she once pointed at me fell to the floor, but a bright green light consumed it before it made contact with the ground.
She hugged me tightly, silent. I spoke up first, my hands slowly holding her back.
"Elodie-"
"How stupid can you be?" She immediately choked out. "I called you thousands of times. I searched everywhere! Do you take your life as a joke?"
"Elodie,"
"Do you know how scared I was?" This time, tears left her eyes. I could hear it in her cries. "I thought you—I thought—"
"-I'm not." I quickly cut her off. "I'm right here."
"Where were you? Where could you have possibly been that you couldn't even-"
"My memories," I finally said. She stopped speaking, breaking away to look up at me. "My memories are back, Elodie."
A thick silence filled the room. A uneasy expression on her face flickered between fear and joy. "What... did you say?"
This time, I held her face in my hands. "I remember, Elodie."
Her eyes dissolved from their bright green and returned to a natural brown. "You are telling the truth?" she asked. I nodded.
Our lips met. Elodie was the first to kiss me. I closed my eyes and allowed her to.
She pulled away after, breathing slowly. "You... you remember me?"
"Yes, Elodie." I wiped her eyes. "I remember you."
She shakily exhaled. "I... I can't believe it..." She rested her forehead on mine, relieved.
"I'm sorry." I forced myself out in the middle of newfound emotions. You must've been so... all this time."
"Your right. It was difficult." She said while meeting my eyes. "But things will be different now."
I smiled, taking in her expression for several seconds. It was refreshing, familiar. I could finally put a name on it. "Yes. I-"
"A-Ahem..." Someone interrupted me. I looked away to see that an unfamiliar man with a scar on his face was the one that coughed.
"Who is he?" I asked, holding Elodie tighter in my arms.
"Daniel. He's been helping me this entire time. His magic was taken."
"What?" I said, furrowing my brows.
Daniel nodded. "Sir Adam. A pleasure to meet you officially." He bowed. "Everything is as the evil witch said. My magic is-"
"-Lady Elodie."
He bowed deeper. "I-I'm sorry?"
"Call her, Lady Elodie."
"Ah, yes, yes." He corrected himself. "Lady Elodie is right. The crystal shard must be damaged."
"That is what I guessed as well," said Barrett, who walked up from the cellar. "Sir Daniel, Lady Elodie. A pleasure to see you both."
"You knew? All this time?" Elodie questioned while staring at him.
"Forgive me, Lady Elodie. It was for everyone's safety that I kept it to myself until now." He explained, then looked at me. "Even if the crystal shard is damaged, Sir Adam. The sword you have now is quite the weapon. Both Lady Elodie and you will be able to defeat them."
"However," Elodie spoke up from my hold. She looked at me. "There is a reason I was brought back."
"What do you mean?" I questioned.
"The voice that woke me up—brought me back." She corrected. "It said that I had to kill the queen."
"Lady Elodie!" Daniel said, as if not expecting her to reveal such information.
"It is fine, Daniel. We can trust them."
"All this time, is that why you left?"
She quickly looked at me, explaining. "After this mission, I might be returned back to my cave," she scoffed lightly at the end of her words, but I could tell she still feared that fate.
"That won't happen." I stated it seriously.
She sighed, shaking her head. "We don't know that, Adam."
"It won't happen because of this." I repeated. This time, I lifted my sword from its holster.
Elodie stared at it for many seconds. "Have I... seen this sword before?"
"It was my fathers." I smiled weakly. As I said this, Elodie looked at me, visibly shocked.
"The sword of balance?"
"That is, wasn't it lost on the battle field? Just how much did the royal family lie about?" Daniel scoffed.
Elodie looked towards me. "Do you have the shield?"
"The shield of truth is in the possession of the king. I fear they will use it soon." Barrett pushed up his glasses.
"But in the mean time, It is good we have this." I said. Elodie seemed curious, extending a hand towards its handle.
I handed it to her without much thought. However, the moment the sword was placed in Elodie's hands, her eyes glowed.
"Ack!" She let it a loud yell, and then the house quaked.
"L-Lady Elodie!" Daniel rushed forward as Elodie released the handle. Immediately as she did so, her body nearly collapsed to the ground.
I caught her, alarmed. "Elodie! Elodie?"
"It's-" she winced and slowly stood back to her feet. Her eyes were focused on the sword. "My, my magic. I felt it return to me just now."
"This sword has the ability to restore memories," Barrett suddenly moved forward. "And, perhaps, magic."
Elodie looked at him. We all did.
"It will be painful." Barrett said, "However, the sword of balance is a tool of great power. If you wish to return to your full magical state,"
"-Adam." Elodie cut him off.
"Yes?" I responded
Although her face was serious, her eyes twinkled as if she were planning something. "Do not try and stop me."
My eyes narrowed, looking at the girl in my arms. "What did you mean by-"
She then pushed away with great force—force that I didn't know where it came from. Elodie grabbed my father's sword, one hand around the holster and the other around the blade.
"Elodie!!" My heart stopped beating for several seconds, watching as her eyes lit up.
The house quaked once again. and she closed her eyes and hands tightly; the sword's blade had started cutting into her skin.
I got up from where she had pushed me. Daniel, however, came forward, grabbing hold of my arm and yanking me back before I could reach her.
"Sir Adam! Stop! If you interfere, it could kill her!" He yelled.
Still, I tried to pull out of his grasp. "Elodie! Let go of it!"
"Quiet my love." She spoke softly, still smiling despite her trembling hands and the sweat that dripped from her temple. "You're distracting me. Do you wish for me to die?"
"How could you talk so senselessly right now?!? You-'
I shut my eyes reflexively; a green glow had started emanating from her skin. Elodie lips pursed, relaxing against the ground. .
"Daniel."
"Y-yes, Lady Elodie?"
The boy she came here with approached her side, getting closer than me.
"Next, we will get your powers back." Elodie said after several small trembles in her body. "Raise your hand."
It didn't take a magic expert to know that the process was extremely painful. The boy's mood instantly dropped. "I understand..." he said. However, he was actively backing away from Elodie.
Several more seconds passed until, finally, the houses quaking had calmed down. Elodie's trembling hands had relaxed. Slowly, she released the sword between her palms.
Elodie opened her eyes. They were bright green. A smile lit up her face.
"Barret."
"Yes, Lady Elodie?"
She glanced at him as the green in her eyes melted away. "You were hiding such a useful tool?"
Barrett smiled politely. "Did it work, Lady Elodie?"
Elodie stood up confidently. "See for yourself."
Green energy bloomed in her hands. The orb of magic grew and grew and grew. When she folded her palms upwards, there was a soft breeze that smelled of grass all around us. I couldn't help but feel impressed by her abilities.
"How refreshing it feels to have my magic now." She sighed, satisfied. The orbs in each hand had started emitting light rather than growing in size. Just as the light got stronger, Elodie retracted her hands, laughing. "Anymore, and all of you will go blind!"
"...How could you joke about something like that?" I sighed.
"Adam," she then picked up the sword, passing it to me. "Your father's sword is valuable. He would be quite proud to know you've had it all this time."
My heart pulled. I accepted the sword. "I'd hope so."
She opened her mouth to speak, but then frowned. "Ah, that's right, Daniel. Didn't I say you would use the sword next?"
The boy shivered, bowing. "M-Miss! L-Lady Elodie-"
"-Quiet." She pulled the sword back from me. "Here, quickly touch it.-"
"Lady Elodie," Barret cleared his throat. "The sword is a powerful tool, but it mustn't be used so easily."
"Y-Yes yes! He is right! Lady Elodie."
"Tch." She put the sword back in my hand. "Coward."
I smiled while looking at her. Every time I did, I could remember exactly why the feeling of nostalgia filled me. It was satisfying.