A/N:I needed to get this out before I forgot to update it. It was easy enough since I finangled a few things but UHHHH I changed some things to make it not predictable. I'm gonna try to write through this until I finish the whole thing.. Even if it takes me a bit because I've got a good chunk of things to get through before I can properly end this fanfic...

Because I already know how it ends, it's just getting there that's the problem.

ENJOY THE PLOT TWIST BTW-

Rose and I emerged from our room the next morning, holding hands. To Rose, it just seemed like she was used to it. But to me? I just knew I was blushing and keeping my head faced away from people. Including Sorey, who seemed inquisitive about what was going on. Lailah said something about young love, and that just made me want to sink into the floor. I groaned, covering my face with both my hands. This was definitely something I should've thought of before I agreed to come out holding Rose's hand.

Last night had been something. The two of us had held hands while we slept, and Rose didn't seem too fussed when we held hands outside of the room. I didn't really understand, but I hadn't minded- at least until comments were being made about it. After breakfast, we ended up leaving Ladylake and heading towards the waterfall where the Shrine would be.

"I think I'll stay at the entrance this time," I said as we headed there. "As much as I'd like to go with, I feel like it really should only be you and Rose going, Sorey."

"I don't think they'd mind. You were with us on the second one." Sorey pointed out. I grinned sheepishly as we approached the shrine under the waterfall.

"Honestly, as long as I stay at the entrance, I don't think the Seraph there will get too upset about it. Really, though." I shook my head a little. "I don't think the Oracle should be undertaking these trials with the Shepherd. Even if there's nothing against it."

"Well, if you're sure.."

It would mean missing out, but if memory served correctly- I wouldn't want to deal with this Trial at all. So, as they headed further in once the task was set, I stayed behind and looked up at the point where they would eventually end up.

"Even the Oracle can undergo these Trials." The Seraph said, arms folded against his chest. It was a different Seraph from the usual Water Trial Seraph, a young man with long, icy blue hair who looked about as old as Dezel. His eyes were gray, and he didn't bother with the mask the other Seraphim that guarded these trials went with. "You didn't have to stay behind. Only the Shepherd needs to get the powers. You'll get them by proxy, but the experience-"

"...I hate how many eyes are on this thing." I muttered, sitting down. "I don't have a Water Seraph to cover me, so I.. don't really have a way to get through regardless. Mikleo's shield can only cover so many people."

The Seraph turned his head upwards. It was obvious at this point that he was blind, much like Dezel was. He didn't turn his eyes towards anything, only listened and moved his head in the direction of the person. It meant that he was... surviving in the best way he could. Without his sight. I wondered, briefly, how that was like. But I relied on sight for multiple things, so I couldn't think of how it was like to live like that.

"You don't trust him?"

"No, it's more of... Hm, how do I put it? I don't like the eyes. They teleport you back to start. The frustration? Infinite. I hated that part."

"You talk as if you've done this trial before. You haven't, I'd know."

"Well... Not here." I looked up at the area Sorey and the others would be at probably soon. They'd fight the boss, and then they'd get offered the spear. Knowing things like this sucked, and I really didn't like it whatsoever. Why couldn't I be an isekai protagonist with no prior knowledge of the world I was in? That would help a bunch. I hated having prior knowledge like this. There were no twists, no turns.

None at all.

"Altul once stood here, long.. long ago. Until his soul was eventually devoured by the sword he held close to stop Asura from killing him as well." The seraph spoke after a bit, reaching behind him and unsheathing a sword filled with Malevolence just as Sorey and the others arrived. "And I see the Shepherd has succeeded in quelling Asura's soul."

"Oh-! You're back!" I got up to my feet before going to join them. "Sorry, I just hate this place-"

"It's no trouble. We were able to pull through and defeat Asura."

"Then you should take this, Shepherd." The seraph held out the blade in front of him. "This is made of mythril, and holds the power to cleave the world. If you use it, master it, it could become a great conduit for your spiritual powers."

Sorey shook his head. "I've already got a sword."

The seraph chuckled. "I see you've passed this trial as well, Shepherd. You're a purehearted boy. Don't let anything corrupt that."

It was heartwarming, at least for a moment- and then.

"If you will not be using that sword, I will!"

Alisha's voice broke through our thoughts. She stood near the entrance of the Shrine itself, and the sword was in her hands after it had vanished from the Seraph's. She stood there, staring at all of us. As if she could see everything. This wasn't right- that should've been Maltran standing there... And yet, the darkened swirl of Malevolence was under her feet- the same Malevolence that took the sword from the Seraph.

"Alisha?!" Sorey stepped forward. "When did you become a Hellion?!"

"I'll prove it to you..." Alisha raised the sword, eyes cold and narrowed at Sorey as he began to approach. "I'll prove that I can be a capable Squire just like Rose! And I'll start by rending this world in two!"

That was... logical.

"Alisha, wait-" But she swung the sword, sending a shockwave at us. We dodged out of the way in time, but Alisha had disappeared. Sorey looked shocked, Rose had her hands to her mouth and I... stared. I hadn't really known Alisha in this world, and now it seems I'd never will. It didn't seem like anyone wanted to take point, so we all stood there staring at the place where Alisha had stood.

How... and why had she become a Hellion?

"We'll spend the night here." After finding out that Alisha was a hellion, none of us felt safe returning to Ladylake. That was where she lived, so it would mean walking back to the enemy's base. We'd decided to camp out tonight, and Dezel had picked our spot. It was in the forest, not too far from the Shrine. The same forest that Sorey and Mikleo had come out from at the start of their journey.

Lailah got a campfire going, and we all didn't speak that night. Just ate food and decided to sleep. It was rough, knowing an ally was now an enemy. But no one would be taking this information harder than Sorey was probably taking it. She'd been his Squire, once, and now... How long had it actually been since they last saw each other?

I didn't know.

It was a restless night, and I woke up several times over the course of the night. We packed up and left, silence heavy over us all. None of us wanted to break it, and yet...

"Sorey.."

I was the one to do so.

"Besides... what happened yesterday, how are you feeling?" I asked. "Two Squire contracts going at once... is probably rough on you."

"I'm fine." Sorey shook his head in response. "You and Rose can see the Seraphim, so there's been no averse effects on me."

"Still, you're like... a pedestal of support! If you crumble, what are we supposed to do?" I put my arm around him, and give him a half-hug. "Listen, Sorey... we're all shaken up by yesterday. But not as much as you. You don't have to bottle it all up. We're here for you, Sorey. All of us."

"Rani's right, Sorey!" Rose chipped in. "You've been mopey. More mopey than usual. Listen, whatever's behind Alisha's change, we'll find it out. And then, we'll purify her. So don't worry, everything'll be alright!"

"I hope so..." Sorey's reply didn't have its usual happiness behind it... and it affected all of us, whether we realized it or not.

It took us a week to get to the Wind Trial shrine, and not for lack of trying either. When we reached Lastonbell and decided to take a break, Sorey hadn't want to leave. It'd taken a lot of coaxing for him to come out. It was depression, plain and simple. He was upset over the fact that Alisha had become a hellion and now was planning to cleave the world in two. I couldn't blame him for feeling this way, but we had a mission. To get all the trials done and get all the power to help beat Heldalf.

We'd headed to Westonbolt Gorge via the path in Pearloats Pasture, once we'd gotten Sorey up and moving. It was a perilous journey, fraught with- No, I'm pulling your leg. It was relatively uneventful, due to the fact that they'd purified the hellions around here a while ago and no new ones had taken their place yet.

Which was good for us, for a while. As we kept heading in the direction, I wondered if I'd be able to help out. But when we got to the trial area, I took one look at it and decided I'd be sitting out again on this one. Heights and I didn't mix... at all.

"Look, up there!"

"Is that a person?!" Sorey stepped forward, calling forth Dezel to armatize with him and the two of them stopped the person from falling to their death. But then Dezel noticed the hellion, and the person behind him. Running down the wall, looking badass the entire time-

Was none other than the Wind Seraph, Zaveid.