“I, uh… I’m not sure what happened last night,” Aelira stammered, her voice faltering as she tried to deflect.

“That’s a problem,” Vaba replied, her tone uncharacteristically stern. “Both of you, come to the main hall with me.” Without waiting for a response, she led them away from the crowd, her previous mischievousness replaced by a serious demeanor.

The trio made their way through the winding streets of the village, their footsteps echoing off the weathered cobblestones. Aelira's dark grey hair caught the early morning light, shimmering like a beacon as they walked. The air was thick with tension, and Vaba's stern gaze kept both Aelira and Adelin silent during their journey.

As they approached the grand wooden doors of the main hall, Vaba pushed them open with a creak that seemed to reverberate through the empty chamber. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight streaming through high windows, giving the cavernous room an ethereal quality.

"Now," Vaba said, her voice echoing in the vacant space, "tell me what really happened.”

Aelira's blue eyes darted nervously around the room, seeking an escape that wasn't there. "I…”

"I... truly don't remember," Aelira said, her voice barely above a whisper. She wrapped her arms around herself, acting as if she’s trying to hold together the fragments of her memory. "It's all a blur, like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands.”

“I am quite a good actor myself” Aelira thought as she continued with her acting.

Vaba's eyes narrowed, her weathered face a mask of skepticism. "You expect me to believe that a woman of your caliber simply... forgot?"

Aelira's gaze fell to the intricate mosaic floor, tracing the swirling patterns with her eyes. "What do you mean by that? What caliber?"

"It doesn't just sound impossible," Adelin interrupted, his patience wearing thin. "It is impossible. You're lying, Alicia. Why?"

The accusation hung in the air, heavy and oppressive. Aelira's head snapped up, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and desperation. "You think I'm lying? And what would that help me with? Make some sense Ada- Adelin."

Adelin took a step forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "I think you're hiding something. Something big. And I'm tired of the secrets, Alicia. Aren’t we supposed to be partners? You have been like this ever since that day. Why am I always supposed to shut up and listen every single time. Even yesterday night… "

Aelira's voice rose, echoing off the vaulted ceiling. "Partners? Is that what you call this? Accusing me of deception at the first sign of trouble? And I seriously don’t know what you are talking about."

Vaba raised a hand, attempting to calm the escalating tension. "Please, let's approach this rationally-”

"Rationally?" Aelira scoffed, her composure cracking. "There's nothing rational about this situation. I wake up with no memory of the night before, and suddenly I'm on trial?”

Adelin's eyes softened slightly, a flicker of concern breaking through his frustration. "Alicia, please. We're just trying to understand. I am scared, and I need answers. Last time this happened, I…”

Aelira's shoulders slumped, the fight draining out of her. She ran a hand through her dark grey hair, her fingers trembling slightly. "I wish I had answers to give you. But it's like... I don’t have it, and I have been saying that this whole time."

Vaba stepped closer, her voice lowering to a gentle murmur. "Child, is it possible that your... unique talents might be involved? Perhaps inadvertently?”

“This body’s talent? What does she mean by that?” Aelira thought to herself.

“Not that again.” Adelin said with a visible dismay on his face and he walked off the hall in anger. Now only Grandma Vaba and Aelira were in left in the hall with silence surrounding them.

Vaba watched Adelin storm out of the hall, his footsteps echoing in the silence that followed. Her gaze then shifted back to Aelira, who still stood there.

"Alicia," Vaba began softly, her voice carrying an uncharacteristic weight, "I know you don't remember much—or perhaps anything at all—but this body you have, it carries power. Power that, when uncontrolled, can be dangerous. To you, and to those around you."

Aelira’s blue eyes flicked up to meet Vaba's, a flicker of confusion evident in them. “What do you mean? What kind of power?”

Vaba sighed deeply, choosing her words carefully. "Are you even Alicia, child? Alicia was... special. She had abilities tied to the Sol—the very essence of life in this world. She could influence it, manipulate it, in ways that others could only dream of. But that kind of power comes with a price. A burden that weighed heavily on her. I suspect... something triggered that power last night. Maybe without you even realizing it.”

Aelira’s mind raced, trying to reconcile this new information with the fragments of memories—hers and Alicia's—that floated aimlessly in her consciousness. She knew she was here to collect something, a piece of a puzzle that would help her save her timeline. But this... this was unexpected.

"Are you saying... I might have used the powers without even knowing it?" Aelira asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Yes," Vaba replied, her tone gentle but firm. "And that worries me. If you cannot control it, you could cause more harm than good. And judging by Adelin's reaction, he might have already witnessed something unsettling."

Aelira's brow furrowed as she tried to grasp the implications of Vaba’s words.

"Adelin... he mentioned something about 'last time.' What happened? And who exactly am I to him?"

Vaba hesitated, the lines on her face deepening as she weighed her response. "Alicia and Adelin were close. Perhaps too close. They had a bond, a partnership of sorts, but also a great deal of unresolved tension. You see, Adelin’s father, the head of the village, never approved of their connection. He saw Alicia as a threat, both to his authority and to his son’s future. There was... an incident, something that tore them apart and left scars on both of them."

Aelira could sense the heaviness in Vaba's words, the unspoken pain that lingered in the air between them. "And now I'm stuck in the middle of it," she muttered, half to herself.

Before Vaba could respond, a sudden, loud crash echoed from outside the hall, followed by a chorus of raised voices. Aelira and Vaba exchanged a quick glance before rushing to the doors. As they stepped outside, they were met with a chaotic scene.

Adelin was on his knees, clutching his side where a fresh bruise was already forming. Surrounding him were men on dragon-like creatures, their scales glinting ominously in the sunlight. At the forefront stood an imposing figure, tall and broad, with a face hardened by years of leadership and conflict. His eyes, however, were filled with a mix of anger and disappointment.

"Adelin!" Aelira shouted, rushing to his side. But before she could reach him, the man spoke, his voice cold and commanding.

"Stay where you are, woman. This is between my son and me." He looked down at Adelin with a glare that could freeze fire. "You dare defy me again, boy? After everything that happened with that woman, you still haven't learned your lesson?"

Adelin gritted his teeth, pushing himself up despite the pain. "I’m not a boy anymore, Father. And I’m tired of living in the shadow of your expectations. Alicia...she’s not the enemy here. You are."

The elder’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but before he could respond, Vaba stepped forward, her presence somehow managing to silence the tense standoff. "Enough, Aldric," she said, addressing Adelin's father by name. "This is not the way to handle your grievances. Not here, and not now."

Aldric, the village head, sneered slightly, but there was a grudging respect in his eyes as he looked at Vaba. "Vaba," he acknowledged, his tone softening slightly, "you’ve always been too lenient with them. But this... this is beyond leniency. You got them married? It's madness."

Vaba didn’t waver. "Madness or not, this is not the place for it. If you have issues with your son or with Alicia, we will settle them in a way that doesn’t involve violence or threats."

Aldric huffed, clearly not pleased but unwilling to argue further. He shot one last glare at Adelin before turning his dragon-like mount away. "This isn’t over," he warned, his voice low and dangerous. "Not by a long shot."

As the elders rode away, the tension slowly dissipated, but the air remained thick with unresolved conflict. Aelira helped Adelin to his feet, her mind swirling with questions and doubts.

"Why does it always have to be this complicated?" Aelira muttered under her breath, earning a weak smile from Adelin.

“Welcome to my life,” he replied, his voice tinged with sarcasm. “But now you’re in it too, Alicia…, or whoever you are.”

Aelira met his gaze, feeling the weight of his words. She wasn’t just a visitor in this timeline anymore; she was entangled in its web, and she wasn’t sure how—or if—she could escape.