Izikel barely had time to process Dremlin's words before a firm knock echoed through the room, cutting their conversation short.
The door swung open, and in stepped Sophia, her presence graceful as the first night he met her. She wasn't alone. Beside her stood a man Izikel had never seen before, though the flowing white and green robes and the wooden staff in his grip all but confirmed his identity—a Druid healer. His expression was calm, with a friendly smile.
Trailing behind them was a more familiar face, Lyzah. The tomboyish Druid girl with short, faded green hair and sharp, inquisitive eyes. She was dressed in a simple tunic and pants.
"Good morning, Lord Izikel," Sophia greeted, her tone formal yet warm.
She stood tall in her armor—a silver breastplate etched with intricate blue engravings, layered pauldrons with white trim, and segmented faulds that protected her waist and hips. Silver gauntlets reinforced her arms, while her legs were encased in blue-accented greaves and sabatons. A flowing white cape draped over her shoulders, adding a regal air to her presence. A long spear rested against her back, its polished shaft glinting in the morning light.
Izikel's gaze lingered on Lyzah for a moment, before shifting back to Sophia.
"Good morning, Sophia," he replied smoothly, forcing a calm he did not feel. "I was just asking for you. Dremlin mentioned you were away."
Sophia gave a small nod. "Yes, I had to report to the Legion Commander about the two missing guards."
A sudden wave of unease settled over Izikel. He could feel sweat beginning to form on the nape of his neck, but he forced his expression to remain neutral.
"So… any updates?" he asked, feigning nonchalance.
Sophia sighed, rolling her shoulders slightly. "Not really. For now, we're assuming they left town on their own. But I just don't understand why they would abandon their posts without a word."
Izikel met Dremlin's gaze, searching for any sign of tension. But as always, the man wore that same carefree, almost lazy smile, as if nothing in the world could ruffle his composure.
It unsettled Izikel to no end.
'Do dark creatures feel no remorse or guilt?'
He was the only one feeling the weight of their actions, the only one plagued by the memory of what had happened. But then, he caught himself.
'Wait… why am I acting like I was the one who killed them?'
That was all Dremlin's doing.
Even so, his fingers curled into a fist, guilt gnawing at the edges of his mind. He forced himself to push those thoughts aside and instead offered Sophia the most reassuring smile he could muster.
"Don't worry," he said. "I'm sure they'll turn up soon."
Recalling his dream, he silently prayed they never would.
Sophia didn't seem convinced but let the matter drop. She gestured toward the healer. "This is Fenvil, one of the healers from my battalion. I brought him here to check on your recovery."
The Druid gave a respectful bow. "Lord Izikel. I was told you lost parts of your memory?"
Izikel hesitated for only a second before deciding to take full advantage of the situation.
"Not just parts," he said, his voice steady. "almost everything."
The reaction was immediate.
"Huh?!"
The collective outburst filled the room. Lyzah and Fenvil's eyes widened in shock, and even Sophia, ever the composed warrior, looked completely caught off guard.
The only ones who remained unaffected were Dremlin and Izikel himself.
"You can't remember anything?" Sophia pressed, her brow furrowing.
Izikel shook his head. "Not exactly. I remember my mother and father, of course, but everything else is just… hazy."
A lie. A necessary one. If he claimed total amnesia, it would raise too many questions. Remembering only his parents gave just enough plausibility without making it seem too convenient.
"But… you were stabbed in the chest. How would that even affect your memory?" Sophia turned toward Fenvil, her expression demanding answers.
Fenvil stroked his chin in thought. "It's unusual, but not impossible. Perhaps he hit his head when he fell. I'll need to check for anything the healers may have missed."
He stepped closer, raising a hand toward Izikel's forehead. "Just relax, my lord."
The moment Fenvil's palm made contact, a warmth spread through Izikel's skin. It was a pure, soothing energy—undeniably divine.
It reminded him of Oroborn's chaotic energy that flowed into his soul, yet the difference was staggering. If the energy from Oroborn felt like standing on jagged mountains, Fenvil's divine power felt like standing on a beach, soft sand beneath his feet, the ocean breeze carrying serenity with every wave.
The sensation spread, flowing through his mind and down his spine, as if reaching for something deeper.
Then, realization struck him like a blade to the gut.
'If I can feel his divine energy… Can he feel the chaos inside me?'
Remembering Dremlin's warning panic flared in his chest. Without thinking, he jerked away from Fenvil's touch.
The healer pulled back instantly, concern flashing across his face. "My lord? What's wrong?"
All eyes were on him now, eagerness in their expressions.
Izikel swallowed hard, forcing himself to keep his voice even. "N-nothing. Did you find anything?"
Fenvil exhaled, looking somewhat disappointed. "Not yet. There doesn't seem to be any damage to your brain. Which leads me to believe the issue may be deeper."
Izikel stiffened. "Deeper?"
Fenvil nodded. "Your soul, my lord."
A chill ran through Izikel's veins.
"My… soul?" His voice came out unsteady despite his best efforts.
"Yes," Fenvil said, his expression troubled. "If the wound you received was near the core of your soul, it could have disrupted something. But to confirm, I would need to examine your soul directly."
Izikel's pulse pounded in his ears. That was the last thing he could afford.
"could that really be the cause of his memory loss?" Sophia wondered.
"It could be, if that is the case then to be honest there is very little I can do for him" Fenvil confessed disheartened.
Izikel quickly chipped in,
"If there's no way to fix them I guess I'll just have to go on like that,"
"I still need to confirm lord Izikel, maybe the chief can help," Fenvil protested
The chief he was referring to was the Chief Druid, the keeper of the Old tree and Lyzah's father. Izikel knew that, he also knew that it spelt even more trouble.
Just as he opened his mouth to object, Dremlin smoothly stepped in.
"I think we should keep this between ourselves," he said, his voice as casual as ever. "Master Izikel already has a lot on his plate. If word gets out that he lost his memories, people may start treating him differently. That wouldn't be fair, would it?"
Dremlin's gaze flickered toward Izikel, offering him a silent out.
Izikel seized it without hesitation.
"Yes, exactly. I don't want people looking at me differently," he said quickly. "It's fine. If my old memories don't return, I'll just make new ones."
Fenvil exchanged a glance with Sophia. She studied Izikel for a long moment before finally nodding.
"Alright," Fenvil relented. "If that's what you wish, my lord, I will take this secret to my grave."
"A-and so will I!" Lyzah chimed in suddenly, her voice high-pitched with urgency.
Izikel blinked. He had almost forgotten she was there. He turned a questioning look to Sophia, who offered a small smile.
"She wanted to check on you," Sophia explained.
Lyzah stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I can help too. If you need to remember things, I'll be there! I'll come every day if that's what it takes!"
Her enthusiasm caught Izikel off guard. He studied her for a moment, trying to gauge the sincerity behind her words. Was she genuinely offering to help, or was this just an opportunity to finish what she started?
'Since when did I become this paranoid?' he wondered, rubbing his temple. 'Aren't heroes supposed to be trusting?'
He sighed, forcing himself to relax. Whether her intentions were pure or not, he would find out soon enough.