James felt the healing properties of the potion swirl in his stomach, the taste of cherries almost overwhelming his tongue. He did his best not to make a face as his body's warmth increased, his muscles regaining some strength. His patched wounds healed, leaving little scarring. In the end, James felt almost like new. There was still a soreness in him and a numbing feeling in his left arm that he couldn't explain, but he felt just fine.

"That was a healing potion?" James asked as he looked down at the glass bottle Emma had handed to him. His caretaker nodded as she took the empty bottle away.

"Man, with that, what's the point of stitches and meds?" James asked as he stood up, his body stretching a little. He was dressed in what looked like sleepwear, a one-piece that was colored beige.

"Healing potions cost around five valdoras a vial," Emma said calmly. "Vial. Not bottle. Also, not everyone can drink them. If they've been drinking alcohol or conflicting potions recently, they will get potion sickness and vomit their insides out. If they have a fever or illness, the healing potion will elevate their condition and speed up decay. The person must also take care when drinking them. The limit is three a day. Any more, and that results in potion sickness. Again."

James grimaced at that, his dreams of adventuring dying as soon as they appeared in his mind. "Man, talk about buzzkill."

He had no idea what a valdora was, or what its worth could be. James just recently managed to figure out bits and pieces of his life. Not a lot, but enough to be familiar with Valenfrost to an extent. From what he could gather, he was summoned to this world long ago by Dahlia, the elusive person from his shattered memories.

Yorktown was his starting grounds, he guessed. Like the town the hero is summoned to before his big adventure throughout the new world he found himself in.

'Sounding like the anime Nick watches,' James mused with a short chuckle. He remembered all of his life from Earth. His parents, their deaths, his Aunt Dina. His boss, Kim, firing him. Mia cheating on him with Mike. Nick helping him move his stuff to the curb. The car crash. That lake.

Everything after the lake was fuzzy and missing. Like a veil that James couldn't get past no matter how hard he tried. If anything, it only made his Earth memories that much fresher. In a way, it was like he was experiencing Valenfrost all over again.

"You should take care in moving around," Emma warned as she stood up, hands clasped together. She was shorter by a foot, which surprised James. He had gotten so used to being in bed all day that he never really thought about Emma's height. Regardless of the difference, the Jarl's wife stood with regal professionalism, her eyes looking up at James with a studying gaze. "You've been in bed for weeks. Your muscles need time to get used to the weight and movement. Be careful."

As she spoke, someone else walked by. They stood at the door, hands carrying a bundle of clothing. Naomi. She watched James, expression solemn as she waited for Emma to finish her lecture on concerns and responsibilities that James should take. Once done, Emma stepped aside to allow Naomi in.

"What's this?" James asked when Naomi set the clothes on the bed. Once Emma left, she spoke.

"Clothes. Apparently, your favorite," Naomi explained as she lifted a blue short-sleeved tunic. "Put these on. I'll be outside."

James examined himself in his new clothes. A black long-sleeve shirt fitted underneath a short-sleeved tunic dyed dark blue. He had to admit he liked its simplicity. His breeches weren't half bad, either. They were warm and snug. If he had to change something, it'd be the shoes. Then again, beggars can't be choosers.

"You done?" Naomi called back from outside the room. James nodded, his hand adjusting the black eye patch over his right eye. It was gone for good. According to Emma, the healers were not able to save it in time. So now James was left with one good eye, not unlike Naomi. In a way, he felt comfortable that he wasn't the only one. On the other hand, it bothered him how haunting the experience was. He always thought that missing sight in one eye would just result in him seeing darkness like when one closed their eyes. Yet there was nothing.

Not darkness. Not a black void. Nothing. James could see nothing out of his right eye. He wasn't sure how to feel about it. Hell, he didn't even want to think about it. Yet he was reminded of the missing appendage whenever he moved around. It was hard to live without depth perception and even harder to notice people and items in that cursed blind spot.

"Have I always had this messy beard and hair?" James muttered as he brushed his longish hair back. It reached to his shoulders in a way that bothered him. It always got in the way unless he tied it up. And even then, he always did a sloppy job of it. For some reason, it felt like someone else should've been doing that. It hurt his heart every time he thought about it. Why?

"James?" Naomi called again.

"Coming," James answered with a sigh. He stepped out of the room to where Naomi awaited him in the hall. She had on her cloak, its black fabric wrapping around her shoulders as it draped over her torso. Her short brown hair was swept back, and the white bandages that covered her eyes contrasted with the rest of her clothing.

James looked down at his own left hand, which was also wrapped in white gauze. He had only taken a peek at it once his entire stay here and was disturbed by the blackened skin that covered his arm. He hadn't unwrapped the bandages since.

"It's snowing outside," Naomi said, catching James' attention. Her cloak shifted, and her hand produced a light green cape. "Not the best, but it's what Lukas could provide for the moment. It should fit you."

James accepted the cape, frowning as he swept it over his collar. He had a little trouble, but he eventually managed to get it tied up. The warm wool fabric extended far below his waist, its embroidered edges reaching his knees easily. James shifted, making it so that it cloaked his entire body in its warmth. He was pleasantly surprised to find a hood attached to it.

"Sweet," James murmured as he pulled it on. Without a word, Naomi nodded and walked off. James followed behind, careful with his steps as he got used to walking again.

"What do you remember about Valenfrost?" Naomi asked after a couple minutes of walking through winding hallways. "You told Emma yesterday that you recalled bits of Earth."

"Yeah, I managed to remember my life back home," James said. "Valenfrost though… It's all weird. Fragmented almost. I can recall bits and pieces but not much."

"Do you know anything about Jarl Ivan?"

"No, not really," James admitted. "I know his name, but that's it."

"I see," Naomi murmured. She stayed silent after that. Both of them would soon reach an exit, bringing them outside the keep. James prepared himself for the blinding light of the sun but was disappointed when he saw nothing but dark gray clouds that blanketed the sky. Flecks of snow fell around him, too little to warrant the use of hoods.

"Frost," James whispered as he pulled his hood back. The cold breeze of the season swept by him, ruffling his clothes a bit. "That's the season, right?"

"Yes," Naomi answered. "Do you remember the other ones?"

"Uh…" James muttered as he tapped the underside of his chin. "Frost is winter. After that, it's spring, so… Bloom. Then it's summer, the only difference being the way it's spelled. Sommar. Then there's autumn. The locals called it Gale, I think."

"It changes depending on where you go," Naomi said. "In Kasan, Autumn is just referred to as the Fall."

"Just Fall?" James asked with a raised brow. "Are there any other changes?"

"Parts of Azurvale call spring Thaw. Summer is seen as Bloom over there," Naomi explained. "Cultural differences, I guess."

"Kasan…" James murmured. "Azurvale. Have you been to those places?"

Naomi nodded. "I was actually summoned to Kasan. Azurvale was told to me by a… a friend."

"What's Kasan like?" James asked. "Does it have a theme going for it, too, like Valenfrost? Let me guess, Medieval Europe with a twist of Aztec architecture."

"No, actually," Naomi revealed with a shake of her head. "Kasan is more like feudal Japan. Samurai, cherry blossoms, all that jazz."

"Samurai?" James scoffed a little, a grin forming on his lips as he looked at Naomi. "You were summoned to a weeb's paradise, huh? Wait, does that mean you carry a katana around?"

Naomi smiled a little at that. "Kasan was a beautiful place. Honestly, I never was super into the aesthetic, so everything was kind of new to me. Including the summoning."

"Really?" James asked. "My buddy Nick loves that stuff. Especially the isekai stuff. I never really got into it. Life got in the way too often. He did succeed in getting me into MMOs, though."

"Wait, were you a VOA player?" Naomi asked with a chuckle.

"Vow of Athura? No, not really. I wasn't super into it. I mean, I played it every now and then," James said with a shrug. "But Nick and I usually just played WOW. We also played this one game, IO, but the learning curve was a bitch."

"IO?" Naomi questioned.

"Obscure MMO," James explained. "I don't remember how Nick and I got our hands on it, but we were led to believe it was fun." He scratched his beard in thought. He remembered that day well. He and Nick were genuinely excited to play the game ever since he heard about the realistic and responsive features. Unfortunately, both were met with a hell of a learning curve. It was insane how difficult and grindy it became, with impossible dungeons and a permadeath system that punished the player for being bad.

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It didn't even take long before James and Nick called it quits and went back to WOW, where they would continue to pour hours of their lives into it before James eventually fell off the grind and had to focus on keeping his job for the foreseeable future.

"I can't remember the last time I spoke about video games with someone," Naomi muttered with a sigh. She stopped her walk, letting James take in the scenery. Or whatever scenery that was worth looking at. They weren't that far from the Villtur Keep; the rocky path they were taking was half-covered with snow. James noted the lack of trees around them, the only thing to look at being the distant town ahead. There, he could see the ocean that surrounded the island, its black waters extending far into the horizon.

"How long have you been here?" James asked. "On Azura."

"Four or five years, give or take," Naomi said with a shrug. "You lose track of time easily here. Especially if you spend most of it fighting for your life."

"Five years…" James murmured. "Since you've talked with someone from Earth, huh? Must be strange talking to me then."

"Not really," Naomi admitted. "You and I weren't the only Earthlings summoned here."

"There are others?" James asked with surprise. "Seriously?"

"There were others," Naomi said darkly, her tone faltering a little. James could see how something akin to grief flashed in front of her only eye, her cloak shifting as she warmed her hands.

James decided not to ask about it, his gaze breaking away from Naomi as he examined the clouds above. He wasn't sure if the day was ending or beginning. The clouds were dark like street asphalt, like a storm was coming. Yet only flakes of snow fell from them, making the scene all the more strange.

"James," Naomi started. He turned to the other Outlander, who now faced him fully. Her breath came out in a puff of steam, her lone eye watching James like he was about to do something reckless. There was concern painted over her expression. No, not concern…

'Worry,' James thought as he looked back at her with confusion. 'What is she worried about?'

"I need to tell you something. Something that will give you the answers you've been asking for."

James could feel his chest tighten at the sound of her voice. Just what was happening? He wanted to know what was going on, right? He had been demanding answers for days since his awakening. Why did he suddenly feel as if he never wanted to know? Why did his body want to run away?

"I… I don't think I want to–"

"I'm sorry," Naomi interrupted, voice solemn. "But we've run out of time. James, there is something I must tell you."

Goggles made of brass.

Eyes that held the ethereal symbol of a star with four points.

The corpses of Oscor and Farin.

Horuk's bisected torso.

The hot blood that stuck to his face as his throat gurgled blood.

James stood in silent horror as images flashed in his mind. No sounds. No voices. Just the images. Just the death.

His descent into the Black Sea.

Arthur's sword stabbing clear through him.

Deimos' psychotic grin.

The spellcaster's blood staining his hands like black tar.

The two moons that shone a blood red upon him.

James felt his chest tightened, his breath coming out in quick puffs. He couldn't stop them from coming, no matter how hard he tried.

Gryff's corpse flashed next, the cyromancer's eyes and mouth aflame with ethereal fire.

Then, the bodies of those who he had failed, their corpses strung up on Blood-Irk's camps like decoration.

The real world was moving slowly like it had been dipped in honey. It was as if James had cast Instant Reflex without even knowing it, like a nightmare that was neverending.

The abomination, its many hands clawing at his face and body.

Havor's corpse burning as it slumped in place.

The begging of a man who had experienced a fate worse than death.

Deimos' cold, calculating eyes as he plunged James' own sword deep into his own chest.

All of it was accompanied by the same set of words. Words that repeated endlessly in the depths of James' soul.

"The more you deny death, the more you avoid it, the heavier your side of the scale becomes. At some point, the scales will rebalance, and they will take whatever is necessary to keep you in check."

Something inside of him snapped. All the pressure, the stress, and the pain all mixed in with the incoming memories. It came crashing down like a tidal wave. James lost it. He started hyperventilating, his hands moving to his chest as he tried to normalize his breathing. The disgust came right after. He rushed past Naomi, shoving her aside as he stumbled onto his knees. He retched, vomit spilling onto the crystalline snow in front of him. Iendis's voice repeated in his head as he did so. Again and again.

The more you deny death, the heavier your side of the scale becomes.

James clutched the side of his head, wanting to rip the words out of his mind himself. He had died. Actually died. And he came back.

The scales will rebalance, and they will take whatever is necessary.

Anxiety, grief, and depression all swirled into one constant knot of pain that twisted and pulled. It was enough to make him go mad. It tightened and swelled, reminding him that he was responsible. That it was all his fault. James slammed a fist on the ground, where snow mixed with gravel. He clawed and scratched at the ground, bloodying his hands as he lost it.

"Why?! Why?!" he screamed those words with choked breaths, his body shuddering with pain. "Why can't I just die!? Die, die, DIE!"

It all came in so fast, so quick, that he hadn't had time to process any of it properly. Only the raw emotion that came. That and the looming sense of doom that came over him. His friends. Dahlia. Seamus. They were all at risk of fate's gaze.

A mental image of scales rebalancing filled his mind, the blossoms on the heavier side burning into ashes. Just the thought of it shook him to his core. Then, almost like a dawning revelation, a morbid thought whispered to him.

'Maybe... Maybe there's a way I can save them. To fix all of this.'

"Summon Ice," James found himself chanting. His left hand grew cold as it formed the spell's rune. Before he knew it, the ice had formed itself into what he had commanded it to. A long dagger, not unlike the one Gryff had used on him long ago. That event felt decades old now.

'I can save them.'

James gritted his teeth as he brought the knife to his throat, its edge flashing towards exposed flesh. Before he knew it, a foot came out of nowhere. It kicked the dagger out of his fingers, sending it flying into a nearby snow bank. James stopped, eyes watching where the dagger went. He looked up to see Naomi, who looked just as shocked as he.

"What are you doing?" she almost shouted, body tense as she looked down at him.

"I... I need to…" James started, his voice trembling as he tried to explain himself. How could he explain? Did Naomi even know about his cursed dance with fate? About his consequences for avoiding certain death? No. She didn't. He could tell by the way her single eye stared at him with complete surprise. She hadn't expected him to try such a thing.

'Why would she? She has no idea of the consequences.'

"Summon Ice," James chanted again, bolstering his spell as he kicked himself away from Naomi. Ice shot up before him, jagged edges forming a makeshift barrier between both Outlanders. James stumbled back as Naomi was cut off, giving him a brief amount of time. He used his chance to rush toward where the fallen dagger was, its icy handle protruding from the white blanket of snow.

Right when he managed to get his hand on its pommel, his cloak was violently pulled back. James was ripped away from the snow bank, dagger in hand, as Naomi threw him to the ground. He didn't even have time to react as her knee slammed into his chest. Air rushed out of his lungs in a weak shout, temporarily paralyzing James as Naomi slapped the dagger out of his hand.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Naomi repeated. James attempted to resist, but there was a force that lashed and tethered his hands to the ground. He blinked and tried to pull. No use. His limbs were bound to the ground.

'Magic? She didn't cast anything!'

"You have to let me go!" James shouted. "It's the only way I can fix things! Please!"

"Fix things?" Naomi stared at him with clear disbelief. "Killing yourself is going to fix things?!"

"You don't understand!" James managed out in a breath. He had trouble holding himself together. "If I don't balance the scales… they're all going to die." He strained more against his invisible bindings, his body struggling. "I don't want to hurt you, Naomi. This is something I need to do! Ice Lance!"

Naomi's only eye widened in shock as James' spell formed and shot forth. It barely missed, the lance of ice going wide as she pulled away to avoid it. Right there, James' bindings went lax, and he was able to break out of them. He scrambled to the fallen dagger, which was only a couple meters away.

"Lash! Tether!" Naomi's voice echoed out behind James. Like before, something invisible lashed itself to his body, and like a rope, it held him back from continuing. James turned to Naomi, who was holding the left side of her head as she stood. He could see how some of the bandages covering her eye were coming loose, close to revealing whatever was underneath. Something akin to a revelation began to form in the back of James' mind, but it was too little for him to act on it. Instead, he opted for the next best option.

James pointed his left hand up against the underside of his chin, his finger growing cold. "Ice Lance."

Naomi's face fell, and her expression changed to horror as James cast his lethal spell. James closed his only eye, expecting the sharp needle of ice to pierce straight through his brain. Perhaps it would be quick and painless, not a second of agony to spare. James clenched his jaw tightly, awaiting the release. Nothing. He opened his eye, only to see that his spell had fizzled out. He blinked.

'Dispel. She used Dispel on me. And she didn't use a verbal command.'

James turned to see Naomi in front of him, bandages falling apart to reveal her left eye. She looked at him with a sense of determination, both eyes wide with focus as the air shimmered around her in a clear burst of heat. The telltale sign of someone who had recently cast a spell. James could only stare, stunned. As Naomi's hand reached his chest, James could only focus on the part of her face that the bandages had covered. Her left eye glowed a bright blue, the pupil shaped like a crystalline star.

Magic flooded James' body like warm liquid; his exhaustion multiplied threefold. He fell like a sack of bricks, sleep overcoming him in seconds.

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