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Chapter 10: Forgotten and Found

The forest felt heavier now, as though the air itself had decided to conspire against them. Shadows shifted with every step, but Aru didn't seem to notice—or care. Erynn, however, was scanning the path like it owed her an apology.

Aru was unusually quiet, his smirk fading into something that almost looked thoughtful. Almost.

Erynn squinted at him. "What's with you? Finally realized the world's falling apart?"

He tilted his head, squinting slightly into the distance. "No… just feels like I forgot something."

Erynn rolled her eyes. "You mean aside from the bleeding reality, the Veil trying to kill us, and whatever Zaraviel is?"

"None of that," Aru said, waving a hand dismissively. "Something… else."

Erynn slowed her pace, one eyebrow arching. "This isn't one of those 'I left the oven on' moments, is it?"

"No," Aru said slowly. Then, suddenly, he snapped his fingers, his smirk returning like a spark catching flame. "Renna and Kalen!"

Erynn froze mid-step, her sword dipping slightly. "…You just remembered them?"

"Hey, it's been a busy couple of days," Aru said with a shrug. "Reality's weird; timelines are blurry. Could've happened to anyone."

"Could've happened to anyone?" she repeated, her tone rising. "They're people! And you—"

"Not great with names," he interrupted, nodding sagely. "Or faces. Or, y'know… details."

The Case of the Forgotten Duo

Erynn threw up her hands. "How do you just forget two people who were literally traveling with us?"

Aru raised an eyebrow. "To be fair, they weren't exactly the talkative type. Renna was all cryptic stares and one-liners, and Kalen was, what, her emotional support sword-wielder?"

"Her emotional support—" Erynn's voice broke into an exasperated growl. "You're unbelievable."

"Thanks, I try."

Erynn stopped walking entirely, her face a mask of pure disbelief. "You seriously don't feel bad about this?"

"Feel bad? No," Aru said with a faint shrug. "They're probably fine. Renna seemed like the type to wander off into a mystical vision quest anyway. Kalen? Built-in bodyguard."

"They could be dead!"

"Or they could've never existed at all," Aru said, his smirk widening. "Ever think about that? What if they were just a figment of our imagination? Wouldn't be the weirdest thing to happen lately."

Erynn groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "You're impossible."

Found in the Chaos

The argument ended abruptly when the shadows ahead shifted. Two figures stepped into view, their movements slow and deliberate.

Erynn's hand flew to her sword, but Aru simply raised an eyebrow. "Well, speak of the—wait, what's the opposite of a devil?"

It was Renna and Kalen.

Renna looked exactly as she had when they'd last seen her: serene, detached, and faintly glowing in a way that probably wasn't normal. Kalen, on the other hand, looked like he'd been dragged through several levels of hell. His clothes were torn, his face streaked with ash, and his eyes burned with barely-contained rage.

Renna tilted her head, her voice calm. "Oh, there you are. Thought you'd figure it out eventually."

Aru grinned. "Figure what out? That you were still alive? I mean, I never doubted it for a second."

Kalen's glare could've melted steel. "You forgot us! For days!"

"Did I?" Aru asked innocently, tilting his head. "Or did you just forget to make yourselves memorable?"

The Reunion

Kalen stormed forward, his fists clenched. "We were fighting off Rift Stalkers for hours while you two were gallivanting through the woods!"

"Gallivanting?" Aru repeated, amused. "I don't gallivant. I meander."

Erynn stepped between them, her expression equal parts relief and frustration. "What happened to you two? Where did you go?"

Renna answered, her tone as calm and distant as ever. "We didn't go anywhere. You simply stopped noticing."

Erynn frowned. "What does that even mean?"

Renna shrugged, her gaze drifting toward Aru. "The ripples around him are… disruptive. Timelines blur. Memories fade. If you focus on him too long, you lose sight of everything else."

"Sounds about right," Aru said cheerfully.

Kalen looked like he wanted to scream. "She told me that before we disappeared, but did I listen? No, because that would've made sense!"

The Cosmic Joke

Erynn sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So let me get this straight: we forgot about you because he—" she jabbed a finger at Aru, "—is somehow screwing with reality just by existing?"

"Essentially," Renna said with a faint smile.

"Great," Erynn muttered. "That's just great."

Kalen folded his arms, glaring at Aru. "You're a walking disaster, you know that?"

Aru grinned. "I've heard worse."

Renna tilted her head, her serene expression unchanging. "It's not his fault, really. He just… is."

Kalen groaned. "I need a drink."

"Same," Erynn said.

Aru chuckled, already turning back to the path ahead. "Well, now that that's settled, shall we?"