Snow froze. An ugly feeling of chaotic emotions rippled in her heart. A familiar painting was hanging off the wall in the bedroom. It was a painting of an angel with jet black hair, singing a heartfelt melody that she had a strange understanding of. Her toga-like clothes were underneath a golden armor wrapped around the angel’s curvy body. A simple sword plunged into the very rocks present next to her. On the hilt was a blue sapphire gem, sparking radiating underneath the sunlight. The angel’s wings were half-open, ready to take flight.

Something about it rang deeply with her. It was as if she and the angel in the picture were of the same person. They looked quite alike. Why was her face there? A question that she wanted answered. Her eyes skimmed to the right.

Behind the angel was a shadow with black horns and red eyes. If Snow started closely, she thought she could make out a hidden face underneath the tree. It was familiar, but she couldn’t figure out who or what it was. It left an uncomfortable feeling in the shadow that watched the angel.

“Do you like it?” Levian asked. He was sipping the wine, watching her carefully. “You drew this, don’t you remember?”

Snow opened and closed her mouth. “How do you have it?” She remembered drawing this piece, but after that was a blur of emptiness. A few ringing voices of words could be remembered.

“Since the first dungeon run that you were stuck in. You weren’t able to take most of your belongings, and I saw this left behind.”

A throbbing headache blossomed in her mind. It was as if the memories were trying to surface. The only thing that she could gleam out of herself was her ability to fight, abilities, and magic that she knew. Following after, a sense of relief washed over her.

Snow had to solve these problems one at a time. The most important thing was how to break this curse to get back her memories. There were too many missing things, and the faces that she needed to remember were nagging.

Especially this so-called friend “Levian.” Something didn’t feel right with her. Her guts were giving her a few uncomfortable loops, but what was worse was that her sense was softly squirming to watch out. Why? The only two solutions that she had was he was dangerous, and possibly there was something that Levian was hiding.

The uncomfortable emotions she had about Levian was something she couldn’t bottle up, which she still heeded with suspicion. What was odd was that Levian canceled out the horrible sounds of voices that she couldn’t seem to suppress without him. This frustrated Snow, wondering why. Why him and not someone else?

Snow decided to stay close by to try to figure out the reason. Her gut feeling told her the answer to this question would lie with Levian if she stuck around a bit longer. She couldn’t outright kill him.

“You know, I have forgotten how you would furrow up every time you are thinking about something very serious. You would go into a scowl.” Levian chuckled. “How I missed that.”

“I’m sorry?” Snow was taken aback by his strange words. She unconsciously scooted back against the very sofa. Her feet placed squarely on the ground, and her arms were on her knees as she leaned forward. She was ready to bolt up and tackle him if she needed too if he tried anything on her.

“Just old memories.” Levian cheerfully said. His words had a hint of nostalgia, happiness, and a tinge of sadness—something about what he had said brought a sense of sorrow that was hidden behind it all.

“Is it something I should know about?”

“No.” Levian shook his head, swirling his cup. “It's something not worth remembering anymore.”

“Why?” Curiosity blossomed in Snow’s heart. Why did this man have such a painful expression?

“Because it would never happen.” A sense of dedication in his voice told her that he didn’t want to go back to such days.

Confused, Snow body lessened from being tense. “Your words sound heavy as if it has lived a second life.” Snow didn’t quite believe such things were even possible.

“What if I said I was?”

Snow shook her head. “Impossible.” She waved her hand, not quite believing in him.

Levian chuckled. “That is true. Life is an impossibility. Either way, the past is the past. Even if I did say I was from the future and came back to the past, nobody would believe me.” He nonchalantly said without a care in the world how Snow would react. “Plus, I’m just playing with you.” He winked.

Snow wasn’t too thrilled at how Levian was treating her-- a fool. That was how she felt about being led around by his words.

“Now, straight to the main topic.” Levian placed his wine back on the table. “What are your plans?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“Because I’m one of the rare few that would help you.”

Levian’s words were off. Why would this stranger help her? She cocked her head. Were they really friends? The word friends didn’t seem right. Instead, it left a yucky feeling when such words were brought up by Levian.

“I want my memory back.” Snow had said in a demanding voice. “I don’t like the large gaps in my mind, and it seems you might have the answer.” This was what her gut was telling her, even if she didn’t like it.

“Interesting.”

“I don’t find something like this interesting.” Snow said sharply. “Honestly, I don’t want to be here, but I am.”

“The same Snow that I know.” Levian chuckled.

The way that he called her name made Snow grit her teeth. “Can I punch you?”

“Excuse me?”

“For some reason, I want to punch you. Right here and right now.” This nagging feeling was growing every time she talked with Levian. It wasn’t just a simmering feeling. She didn’t know where this urge was coming from. It was growing in her mind even stronger as time ticked by.

Levian stared at her for a moment. He was a bit baffled by her words. “If I said yes, what would you compensate me for?”

Snow was baffled by Levian’s words. “I get a nagging feeling that you want something from me.”

Levian tapped his foot for a few slow minutes. “I do.”

“Such as?”

Levian didn’t seem to lie. “I would protect you in return. You don’t hurt me.” He sat confidently that he wasn’t going to break such promises.

Snow pointed her finger at him than at herself. She then threw back her head and laughed on the spot. Her chest burned, her laughter was loud, she flopped onto the sofa, unable to stop.

“It’s true.”

With a gasping breath, she was able to control her outburst. Levian wasn’t at all affected by her rude laughter. Instead, he seemed to be enjoying it.

“Let’s say this deal is real, but what would you do when I remember it and what you told me all are lies?” Snow expression quickly changed. The air around her was rising upwards with magical intensity. She didn’t want to be led around by Levian. Instead, she cursed at herself that she needed Levian until she found the cure of these cursed voices that wouldn’t let her go.

“How about this.” Levian reached his hand for her to shake, “let’s make a deal now.” A smug grin erupted on his face.

Snow was weary, but she was compelled to find out the reason even more.

“I’ll protect and help you get your memories back. In return, you do three favors for me until your memories return. Mine’s really simple, really. I won’t ask for anything that would make you feel uncomfortable or ask you to lie in my bed. Which I wouldn’t mind if you did come willingly.” Levian winked.

Snow brows creased. Her hand that she was about to reach toward him froze in mid-air. She glared at Levian.

“I’m kidding. Sheesh.” Levian rolled his eyes. “The last one was a joke.” He grabbed hold of Snow’s hand. Squeezing her hand, he shook.

She wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into. But she needed answers fast. With a harsh yank, she pulled her hand away.

“Now, to answer your questions that have been bugging you with your headache.” Levian folded his fingers in front of him, crossing his legs. He nonchalantly sat with a hint of arrogance. “It’s simple. The curse is your gift.”

“What do you mean?”

“The curse from the last dungeon dive that sealed your memories had caused you to be unable to control your power that was given by the God of Light and Darkness. Your gift to resurrect the people is side effects to the voices in your head. Plus, the memories that are being sealed are probably blocking out something major for you to suppress the voices.”

Snow was taken aback by his sudden recollection of what skills she had.

“How do you know this?”

“I have my ways.” Levian wasn’t budging with his answer but continued to stay silent. It was as if Levian was dangling a piece of juicy information in front of her but not giving it.

“Are you a prophet?”

“No.”

Snow was getting tired of this guessing game. “Forget it. If those two are the problems, how do I fix it?”

“You personally can’t, but the High Pope can.”

High Pope. Someone she didn’t want to associate herself with. She had heard about the numerous “deeds” that he had done in the name of God, but she knew better. There has been mass reporting that this God-fearing man was doing something unholy. But so far, nobody has been able to prove such a fact. He was known to quickly sweep away his experiments and under the rug.

The last thing that she had heard about the High Pope was a rumor about him touching children. Snow shivered and blanched at the thought of working with something like him.

“It seems you know.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because it's a rumor.”

“True, I shouldn’t have jumped too quickly with my decision,” Snow realized that she jumped to conclusions too often. A nasty habit that she needed to stop. “Still, a rumor comes from somewhere.”

“But, his skill is what you need.”

Snow grunted, folding on her hand. She drummed her finger against the wine glass. The sweet red wine reminded her of fall grapes, which she liked. Taking a sip, she let the sweet, bitter taste run down her throat, letting her smack her lips a few times. Was The High Pope just like the wine? Aged, bitter, but sweet? Or a child molester that she had to find out and point a flashlight to boot him off his position? All were just speculations.

Snow placed the wine down. “Well, what do you need me to do?”

“That, my dear, is the right answer.”