Veil took a deep breath, lifting his eyes to Alynia before speaking.

  “The problem is… I don’t even know what to tell you. Everything’s blurry, hazy… or just blank,” he admitted, hesitant.

  Alynia studied him closely. She could see the lost look in his eyes, the tension in his posture—like he was straining to force his mind to grasp something that kept slipping away. Her voice softened slightly.

  “Don’t force it. Just tell me what you see… or what you feel,” she said gently, her tone calm and reassuring.

  Veil’s shoulders eased a little, his body slowly relaxing. He stayed quiet for a few seconds, then began to speak again, his voice more even now—almost distant.

  “I… I don’t see anything. But I feel something. Warmth… a white light. And water,” he said, thoughtful.

  He closed his eyes briefly, trying to hold onto those fleeting sensations.

  “Running water… It feels nice. But I’m tired,” he added, concentrating.

  He paused, frowning slightly as if trying to grasp a detail just out of reach.

  “I’m trying to catch something… but it keeps slipping. I want to pick it up, but I can’t. It’s like… the object keeps moving away from me,” he continued, troubled.

  Alynia interrupted softly.

  “Do you remember what it was?” she asked, tenderly.

  Veil shook his head, his gaze still lost in the dance of the flames.

  “No. But I know it’s important… and I can’t reach it,” he replied bitterly.

  His expression tensed slightly, and he spoke again, his voice tightening.

  “Then… a fall. A sharp pain in my head,” he whispered.

  He stopped, his throat tightening on its own. He swallowed hard before continuing, his voice trembling just a little.

  “Something’s flowing… warm. Red. It covers everything,” he murmured.

  Slowly, he raised a hand and pointed to the top of his head.

  Alynia, attentive, narrowed her eyes slightly.

  “…Your blood?” she asked carefully.

  Veil was silent for a moment before answering, unsure.

  “I… I don’t know. But after that… there’s only darkness,” he said, still troubled.

  His breath quickened slightly, and he looked down at his hands—which were shaking, just barely.

  “It feels like… the void is trying to pull me in. Like I’m losing my grip,” he added in a quieter voice.

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  Alynia said nothing. Then, slowly, she reached out and took his hands in hers, trying to steady him.

  “It’s alright. You’re here. With me. You’re safe,” she said gently, her voice steady and soothing.

  Veil looked up at her. He tried to smile, but it was weak—strained by the anxiety still clinging to him.

  “I know… But why me? Why doesn’t anything feel familiar?” he murmured.

  His eyes dropped toward their joined hands, and then he spoke again, voice low—

  “Even my own body doesn’t feel like mine. It’s like… like it doesn’t belong to me,” he added, lost.

  Alynia watched him in silence for a moment.

  She hesitated.

  She could’ve told him about the column of light. About what she’d seen that day. That scene she’d never forgotten. But something held her back. Caution… or instinct.

  Instead, she chose different words.

  “You move well. Your reflexes, your breathing… all of that, it’s you,” she replied, calm but firm.

  Veil nodded slowly, but he didn’t seem convinced.

  “This feeling… it never leaves me,” he whispered.

  Silence followed.

  Only the crackling of the fire remained, joined by the cool night breeze brushing against their skin. The moonlight wrapped the scene in a pale, almost surreal glow.

  It was a moment of peace.

  But inside Veil’s mind, the turmoil raged on.

  Alynia studied him briefly before breaking the silence.

  “Do you remember anything else?” she asked softly.

  Veil shook his head, then continued more slowly:

  “The only thing that comes after… is that snowy forest. I woke up with difficulty, the cold biting into me,” he said, thoughtful.

  He lifted his eyes to Alynia and spoke again, his tone heavier.

  “I didn’t know what I was doing there. My body barely moved—it was numb. But… I held on. I wanted to survive. Even though I had nowhere to go. Even though everything felt… empty,” he added, troubled.

  Alynia lowered her eyes slightly.

  She’d seen it. That day. That determined light in his gaze, that invisible struggle he waged against the unknown. Her doubts about him deepened. The questions she’d buried since that moment came rushing back.

  Did he really come from here…?

  And if the legends were true…?

  But she pushed the thoughts aside and spoke again, her voice steadier.

  “And after that?” she asked gently.

  Veil took a moment, memories slowly resurfacing. He inhaled softly before continuing.

  “I walked. And walked. Then monsters attacked,” he said, his voice tightening.

  He paused, his body tensing slightly. The memories rose again—wounds layered with the biting cold of that night.

  “I didn’t want to let them win. I refused to die as their prey. So I fought—however I could,” he said, voice deepening.

  He ran a hand over his arm, as if to shake off the uncomfortable feeling.

  “After I killed them… I picked up whatever I could,” he sighed.

  He unhooked the dagger from his belt, showing it briefly before slipping it back into place.

  “But I had no strength left. Then… darkness. I tried to fight it, but it was over. Everything around me faded,” he finished, drained.

  Noticing the pause in his voice, Alynia gently stepped in.

  “And after that?” she prompted softly.

  Veil looked up as he reattached his dagger, searching through the fragments of memory—

  “After that… I felt warmth. A figure,” he murmured.

  He paused, then gave a faint smile.

  “When I woke up… it was you I saw,” he said softly.

  Alynia’s lips curled into a playful smile.

  “Must’ve been a pleasant awakening, then,” she replied teasingly.

  This time, Veil smiled for real.

  “More like a nightmare,” he shot back with mock indignation.

  A small laugh escaped them both, releasing the tension that had hung over them for the past several minutes. Alynia shook her head lightly.

  “If you’re still joking, then you’re fine,” she said with a quiet chuckle.

  She paused, then continued with a more neutral tone.

  “Don’t worry about your memories. Maybe they’ll return when the time’s right,” she said calmly.

  Veil’s gaze drifted toward the flames, his smile fading a little.

  “…And if they don’t?” he murmured, uncertain.

  Alynia watched him for a moment, then answered with quiet certainty.

  “Then make new ones. If the old ones don’t come back… maybe that’s for the best,” she said, steady.

  She folded her arms, her eyes fixed on the fire.

  “Now you move forward. Start from scratch. Like a new life,” she added seriously.

  Veil looked at her for a moment, then let a small smile tug at his lips.

  “You really do have an answer for everything, don’t you?” he said lightly.

  Alynia smirked, letting out a soft laugh.

  “I’m not just everyone’s worst wake-up call, you know,” she quipped.

  Her laugh slowly faded, giving way to a more composed expression.

  “I can’t fix your memories. But if you want… I’ll help you with everything that comes after,” she said quietly.

  Veil looked at her, his smile unwavering.

  “Behind that feline and fierce exterior… maybe there really is a soft heart hiding in there,” he teased.

  Alynia let out an amused laugh, then slid out a claw with a smooth motion.

  “If you’d like, I can take the monsters’ place instead,” she said, mock-threatening.

  The mood was light, their laughter fading gently into the stillness of the night.

  Alynia stretched slightly before her tone shifted, more serious now.

  “We should get some rest,” she said evenly.

  She glanced down at her legs, then gestured toward them briefly.

  “After what I did… I’m exhausted. I won’t be moving like before,” she admitted quietly.

  Her gaze drifted over her tense muscles, fatigue flickering in her expression.

  “What you saw takes a lot out of me… it makes my whole body ache,” she explained, matter-of-fact.

  Veil nodded without hesitation.

  “I figured. You stumbled when you stood up. And your face… it shows how tired you are, even if you try to hide it,” he replied, understanding.

  Alynia didn’t respond, but a small smile curved her lips. He wasn’t wrong.

  She settled more comfortably against the rock, her eyes drifting to her boots and tights still drying near the fire.

  “We’ll wait for those to dry. Then we move on,” she said quietly.

  Veil nodded.

  He knew this moment of peace wouldn’t last long.

  The dungeon wasn’t over.

  And only one thought remained in his mind.

  What’s waiting for us next? he wondered, wary.