Riley found himself atop one of the watchtowers positioned in the back. His gaze swept across the entire camp with small silver dots jogging around carrying ammunition and supplies to the frontlines. Small blotches of red broke the monotony of the dull colours. He pondered where such butterflies came from, but that would only add to the pile of worries he built.
Lucy had been laying in a makeshift bed behind him. Despite having to sleep, slumber had no quells in making her wait for its respite. This was enough time for her mind to wander to place she didn't wish for it to go.
"You can't sleep?"
"Y-Yes…"
Riley sat down beside her on a chair and brushed a lock of her golden hair to the side. Her oceanic eyes shone brilliantly in the lantern light.
"Riley?"
"Yes?"
"My flaw…is a split personality."
Riley's eyes widened. He was utterly taken aback by what his companion had just said. Flaws were something which were not freely shared, even to those closest to you. And he understood what it meant for her to share it.
"I understand, it explains your erratic shifts in mannerism. Your cold confidence and petrifying fear."
She smiled as if a massive weight had been taken off her shoulder.
"Y-Yes. It shifts depending on whether I am armed or not."
Riley rubbed her head and smiled. He was flattered that she trusted him so much, and he felt that anything less than mutual trust would be an insult.
"Mine is a little more complicated. Every time I use my aspect, someone dear to me loses a fragment of their memories connected to me."
Lucy jumped up from her bedding and stared in shock. A well of tears burst from behind her eyes, memories of instances where she had forgotten about him all surfacing at the same time. She clutched her chest, firmly believing that a dagger had pierced it. It had to. It didn't make sense for the pain to be so great if that wasn't the case.
"S-So we've f-forgotten about you?? Many times?"
Riley nodded, his smile was honest and sad. It trembled as memories of how he was forgotten also chose to bubble up.
"Gods, I thought I had grown past that pain…"
Yet he knew that he was also human. And humans craved nothing more than connection. To be forgotten is for those precious connections to be severed.
He allowed himself to be embraced by his sister. Someone who had been a stranger no more than several weeks ago. Yet she was the only one whom he could call family.
She sobbed into his chest, and clutched his shirt. Incoherent sobs babbled through the night until eventually she calmed down.
"Never use that ability again…please. I don't want to forget you."
Riley pulled her closer in. Not wishing for her to see his own tears.
"I'll do my best."
At last, Riley came to a realisation more grand than reaching enlightenment.
He had to grow strong, to protect his only family. To allow her a future where suffering wasn't a possibility. And for that, the remaining pieces of Ariel's lineage had to be recovered.
A lone red butterfly landed on his nose, then flew off toward a mighty peak that loomed overhead. The golden eyes of a figure had nailed him to the spot. Riley could make out no details, yet he knew the man was smiling.
The scissors burst into existence, yet seemed hesitant to be pointed at the man. His lantern too dared not illuminate his being.
"What the…"
And as quick as he came, he vanished into the darkness of the night. Leaving Riley alone with Lucy who had fallen asleep through her tears.
There were now far too many mysteries in his hand, and answering any one of them meant the others would be neglected.
He sighed and sat back in a wooden chair.
"At the end of the day, winning the war is what matters. I believe I've changed history to some degree already, but not quite enough."
===
The night melted into a myriad of stars and day soon came upon the world once more. The blazing heat of the sun was no longer blocked by the mountain's grey skies and the fortress of shadow seemed a tad bit less deep.
This change of events had motivated the War army to launch even more cannon balls. Shoot more arrows and rally more men for when the wooden gates would crash down.
Yet Riley was not interested in that aspect of the war. He was more curious about his missing concubine.
"Have you spotted her, Lucy?"
She shook her head.
"Damn it! She forced us to attack early and now vanished like some sort of travelling circus."
It was unnatural for Riley to get this angry at someone. He had never cared about random strangers in his life, so why was this bothering him so much? Why did his heart ache whenever his side was empty?
He knew the answer to all of those questions. Riley had grown fond of the concubine and her antics. As disturbing as her existence was, it allowed Riley to feel something had never felt before.
Lucy squeezed his arm lightly, sensing he was tense. Her look was apologetic, but spoke no words to convey it.
Because she didn't feel down about it, rather, the thorn in her side was gone. No one who could manipulate her foolish older brother. The whore was no more.
Riley jumped up on a small tower and watched the movements near the gate. His soldiers were readying their advance, all it took was the cannon strike to break the gate.
"The end game has begun."
He grabbed Lucy's shoulders and pulled her attention.
"Take Yara and head to the second line of tents.Wait for the first wave of soldiers to enter, then you can join the fray."
"What about you?"
Riley flashed his signature awkward smile and looked at the dark castle.
"I have some business to attend to."