A strange dream ?

After a few hours, the torture finally ended, with Jean starting a speech.

''They've got no clues about what's going on.'' he turned to face the still-closed doors.

''And we aren't in that nice of a situation either. So, if everyone is ready we may begin the room's challenge.''

Even after executing all demons, the door remained closed. The only difference was that a countdown had now appeared.

23:59

In the blink of an eye, the world around Eloise transformed. She was still in a room, but she seems alone. There wasn't any trace of somebody else nor were there doors. She could only see that countdown along with a series of multicolored energy paths that reminded her of her past - that was the first thing that came to mind.

As she discovered the room, the countdown was diminishing.

Apparently, she had a choice.

'The past won't teach me anything. At the same time.... an opportunity should always be good to take, right?'

She started with a random memory.

***

She was 17 at the time. The context had nothing special, it was an ordinary day where she would train while maintaining a bit of a social life.

Sword in hand, she was embodying her past's version. Currently training, Alain was visiting her.

At that time, he was still a little taller than she was.

She looked at the sky.

'How could it be here ?'

''what's wrong?'' Alain asked her. ''Staring that long at the red star... you wanna made a wish?''

She didn't know how to put it but Alain seems different. Well, he was. This was the past, after all, a period in which he had just turned 18, and still hadn't lost his future wife or children, nor had it witnessed Gregoire's death. As for Eva... he had long since buried this memory so that it wouldn't affect his loved ones.

''Make a wish?'' Wouldn't that mean being demonized? She still needs to understand this situation.

''Well, I know it isn't that easy to have one's wish fulfilled, but if it's you... he may even make an exception.'' he teased

'What the heck?' This definitely wasn't the Alain she knew. Was this an illusion of what could've been the most ideal past?

She blinked her eyes at him.

''Come on! I know being the saint's disciple takes up most of your time, but you can rest as well.'' He lay down in the grass. ''Won't you join me?''

She lay down as well. Bathing in the sun in a peaceful environment helps her feels good.

''I hope Louis is doing well out there.'' he said, watching the red star

''Isn't he with you?''

Alain looked at her strangely, as if she had said something absurd.

''How could you forget that? if it weren't for him, we would have died 6 years ago.''

''What do you mean? he just backs out terrified.''

''Are you really sure you don't overwork yourself a bit too much?''

''... You may be right.'' Eloise decided to play the ancient's zone game and pretends she was the saint's disciple or that Louis had saved them.

This 'memory' was clearly a pleasant one. While she was at it, she would enjoy it a little before examining a memory from her eleventh year.

...

''Eloise!'' A person she doesn't know called her. It was a woman who looked in her thirties with beautiful blonde hair.

''Yes?'' She answered with some incomprehension and surprise in her. She did not recognize this person. She did, however, recognize the person holding her hand, a gentle, loving look on his face, it was Michael. The contrast was even greater as his hair was no longer grey but brown.

''I see you've finally decided to get some rest! it's good to see!'' She then turned to Alain. ''If only you could work even a third of her time.'' A little disappointment could be heard in her voice.

''What genius would need that?'' Alain said humorously, "And besides, I work here.'' He pointed to his head. ''That's all I need.''

''Oh yeah? And what else has the genius invented?''

''Genius stuff! Don't worry, with me, the world is safe!''

''If you ever change your mind, I'm willing to take you on as my disciple, you know.''

''What good will strength bring me when the study of both energy and human psychology is already so rich? Rather than fighting, it's better if we all win. Worst coming to worst, I would still have loved my life.''

''If you say so...'' She turned to Eloise ''Are you coming? I'll train you a little" at these words, the scenery around her liquefied, people as nature, leaving her once again in front of a crossroads of ''memories''

21:17

'What happened?' She tried to think of an explanation, to no avail. But... didn't the time decrease a little too much?' Waiting for two minutes, she noticed that the time was acting normally. ''Did I just imagine it?'' It was the most plausible.

Without waiting, she chose to go back to when she was eleven, when she had explored the forest with Alan and Louis and where Michael had saved them.

It was a special feeling. With a flick of her hand, she could scroll through her "memories" to choose the right one. It was weird when she thought about it. Not to mention the warm, cool feeling that took her over, in a sort of honeyed sweetness, navigation seemed instinctive.

The scenery changed. The hall of paths turned into a forest, but this time there weren't any red stars in sight.

She had returned to the time when she was 11 years old.