The gates of Shangri-La opened before them like the entrance to a dream. The city was unlike anything they had seen—lush gardens stretched as far as the eye could see, filled with blooming flowers that shimmered under the sunlight. Vines climbed marble walls, and crystal streams wound through cobblestone paths.
Dryads moved gracefully among humans and animals alike, their laughter mingling with birdsong. Wolves lounged beside merchants, deer wandered freely through the streets, and the air carried the scent of blossoms and fresh rain.
Sam's eyes widened in awe. "It's... beautiful."
Eva smiled softly. "This is Shangri-La—the city where nature and life coexist. No bloodshed, no greed. Just harmony."
Shin nodded, though his expression remained calm and unreadable. "Let's find a place to rest. We've earned it."
They made their way through the bustling streets until they found a small pub nestled between two towering willow trees. The sign above the door read The Silver Petal Inn. Inside, the air was warm and fragrant with roasted herbs and honeyed ale.
They took a table near the window, ordering food and drink. For the first time in days, they allowed themselves to relax. Sam laughed softly as Eva teased her about her appetite, and even Shin managed a faint smile as he sipped his tea.
But the peace didn't last long.
The door creaked open, and the room fell silent.
A woman stepped inside—her presence commanding, her aura dark and magnetic. Her skin was pale as moonlight, her piercing gray eyes rimmed with smoky makeup that made them seem almost silver. Blood-red lips curved into a faint smirk beneath the shadow of a wide-brimmed leather hat, its tattered veil fluttering as she moved.
Her long black hair spilled down her shoulders, glinting faintly under the lantern light. She wore a black corset traced with silver filigree beneath a long, ragged coat adorned with chains and small skull charms that clinked softly as she walked. A silver cross pendant gleamed at her throat, catching the light like a blade.
At her hip hung two revolvers—sleek, deadly, and etched with intricate silver engravings that shimmered faintly with heat. Smoke curled lazily from the barrel of one, as if it had only just been fired.
The entire pub watched her in silence.
Then, without hesitation, she strode straight toward Shin.
Before anyone could react, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Here you are, honey!" she exclaimed, her voice rich with confidence and familiarity.
The entire room seemed to freeze.
Sam's fork clattered against her plate. Her eyes widened, then narrowed sharply as she watched the woman cling to Shin. A strange heat rose in her chest—something sharp, unfamiliar, and burning.
Jealousy.
Shin blinked rapidly, his face turning red as he stiffened in surprise. He didn't know who she was, and the sudden closeness made him blush furiously.
"W-wait—who are you?!" he stammered, trying to pull away.
Before he could, Sam jumped up from her seat, her face flushed with anger. She rushed over, tugging at the woman's arm like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Get away from Shin!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the pub.
The woman blinked, momentarily startled, then smirked down at Sam with amused eyes. "Oh my, protective, aren't we?"
Sam puffed her cheeks, glaring up at her. "He doesn't even know you!"
The woman chuckled softly, releasing Shin and stepping back with a teasing grin.
Just then, the pub door burst open again.
"Isolde!" a familiar voice shouted.
Everyone turned as Han appeared at the entrance, slightly out of breath but wearing his usual confident grin. "I told you to wait for me! I guess you really are good at tracking."
Sam and Eva both froze, their eyes widening in shock.
"Wait... Isolde? She's a woman?!" Eva whispered.
Isolde crossed her arms, glaring at the two girls. "You two ladies better not have any ideas about stealing my Shin away from me..." Her tone was sharp, her silver eyes narrowing dangerously.
Sam's face turned bright red. "Shin's not yours!" she snapped back, her voice trembling with emotion.
The tension in the room thickened instantly.
Han sighed, stepping between them before things could escalate. "Alright, alright, that's enough!" he said, raising his hands. "Isolde, stop messing with Shin and Sam. You're scaring them."
Isolde huffed, turning her head away with a pout. "Fine. But I meant what I said."
Shin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, still blushing, while Sam crossed her arms and looked away, her cheeks burning.
Eva leaned back in her chair, whispering under her breath, "This is going to be interesting..."
After the meal, the group settled down, the tension slowly fading. Isolde leaned back in her chair, her revolver resting on the table beside her drink. Her expression turned thoughtful as she looked at Shin.
"So, Tyra and Cromwell are gone," she said quietly. "Such a shame."
Her eyes softened for a moment before narrowing again. "And you don't remember anything aside from the memories you stored in the orbs, do you?"
Shin nodded silently.
"I see..." Isolde sighed, swirling her drink. "Since we have the time, let me explain what I know."
She leaned forward, her tone shifting to something more serious. "Shin, back then, you mentioned a god who was corrupting the balance. This god tore the balance apart once before, and you were tasked by Cayde to hide his resting place. You were only to summon him if the balance itself was on the verge of collapse."
Sam and Eva listened intently as Isolde continued.
"In order to protect Cayde, the leader of the Fateful Ten gave us ten orbs—each one a key to finding his exact resting place. That's what the orbs are for. You complete the orbs, your memory will come back to you."
She reached down and placed a small black case on the table. "The last time I saw you, you requested a weapon from me. It's in here. You told me you were heading into something dangerous. Back then, you still remembered me."
Her lips curved into a sly smile. "You even promised to marry me."
She turned her gaze toward Sam, smirking smugly.
Sam's eyes widened, her face turning crimson. "Good thing Shin forgot!" she snapped, glaring at her.
Shin sighed, rubbing his temples as the two women locked eyes like rival predators.
Isolde chuckled, leaning closer to Shin. "Later, I'll remind you about the last time we met... in private."
She shot Sam another smug look, her grin widening.
Sam slammed her hands on the table, her face steaming. "Shin will be sleeping with me and Eva!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the pub.
The entire room went silent for a moment before Han cleared his throat loudly. "Come on, Isolde, be serious, please. What about your orb? You should be giving it to Shin right now—he needs it."
Isolde's playful expression faded instantly. Her eyes darkened, and her tone grew cold. "I can't give it to Shin... and I won't."
Shin looked at her, confused. "Why not?"
Isolde stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. "Forgive me, Shin. I need to rest."
Without another word, she turned and walked toward the stairs, her coat swaying behind her as she disappeared into the upper floor.
Sam blinked, still fuming but now puzzled. "What's up with her?"
Shin stared at the empty staircase, his brows furrowed. "I... don't know."
Han leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "Whatever it is, it's not good."
Later that afternoon, Shin decided to clear his mind. He wandered through the establishment, the soft hum of conversation and the scent of flowers from the open windows filling the air. As he turned a corner, he spotted Han at a small stall, buying supplies.
"Han," Shin called out.
Han turned, smiling faintly. "Oh, Shin. Couldn't sleep either?"
Shin shook his head. "No. I wanted to ask you something... about Isolde. Do you know why she acted that way?"
Han sighed, crossing his arms. "As you can see, I'm the youngest member of the Fateful Ten. Isolde, on the other hand, is the first ever unofficial member of the Ten. From what I heard from Cromwell, you never planned on creating a group in the first place. Isolde just happened to be fascinated by you and followed you ever since."
He paused, his tone softening. "Honestly, only you and Isolde would know why she acted that way. You know that most of the orbs' memories are the special ones we shared. Maybe she's not ready to share that with you yet."
Han gave a small, troubled smile. "Maybe you really did ask for her hand in marriage."
Shin frowned slightly. "I don't think so."
Han chuckled. "You never know, Shin. You've always been full of surprises."
That evening, Shin found himself standing outside Isolde's room. The hallway was quiet, lit only by the soft glow of lanterns. He hesitated for a moment before knocking.
The door opened slowly. Isolde stood there, her hat off, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. She was holding a bottle of whiskey, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"If it's about the orb," she said flatly, "forget about it."
Shin met her gaze calmly. "Can I come in?"
She sighed, then stepped aside. "Fine."
Inside, the room was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of alcohol and gunpowder. She handed him a bottle. "Drink."
They sat across from each other, the silence thick between them. After a few moments, Shin spoke. "Isolde, that orb is important. A lot has changed since the last time we met. I need it to restore what's been lost."
Isolde looked away, her expression unreadable. "You always talk about duty first. Never about yourself."
He stood and stepped closer, his voice quiet but firm. "Please, Isolde. Reconsider."
Her eyes flickered with emotion—pain, anger, something deeper. Then, without warning, she slapped him hard across the face.
The sound echoed through the room.
Shin staggered slightly, his lip splitting open. A thin line of red blood trickled down his chin.
Isolde froze, her eyes widening in shock. "Red...?" she whispered. "You're bleeding red blood..."
Her hand trembled as she stared at him, realization and confusion flashing across her face.
She rushed toward him, her voice breaking. "Shin... what happened to you?"
Her hands cupped his face gently, tears forming in her eyes. "You're bleeding red... not gold. What did they do to you?"
"Sit down," she said softly, guiding him to the bed.
She opened her satchel and pulled out a small metallic marble, smooth and silver like a bullet. Extending her hand, she whispered, "What you're about to see is something only you and I know."
Shin nodded. She dropped the orb into his palm, and it dissolved into light, sinking into his skin.
Everything went black.
Shin found himself standing in the middle of a storm. Rain poured heavily, thunder roared across the sky, and the scent of blood filled the air. He looked down—his sword was dripping crimson. Bodies lay scattered outside a decrepit house, their lifeless eyes staring into the void.
He pushed open the door.
Inside, the flickering light of a lantern revealed a horrific scene—a man crouched over a woman, his hands stained with blood. The woman's body was bruised, her breath shallow, her eyes filled with terror.
Without hesitation, Shin moved.
In one swift motion, his blade cut through the air, slicing the man down where he stood. The body fell with a dull thud.
Shin dropped his sword and rushed to the woman's side. He removed his coat and draped it over her trembling form. As he gently wiped the blood from her face, his heart sank.
It was Isolde.
Her eyes fluttered open, tears mixing with the rain that dripped from his hair.
"You're safe now," Shin whispered, his voice breaking.
She sobbed and threw her arms around him, clinging to him as if afraid he would vanish.
The storm outside raged on, but within that broken house, there was only silence—and the sound of her quiet, trembling cries.
The vision faded.
Shin gasped as he returned to the present, the dim light of Isolde's room flickering around him. His hands were trembling.
Isolde sat across from him, staring at the floor, a cigarette burning between her fingers. Smoke curled upward, but her hands shook so violently that the ash fell onto the table.
Shin could feel her pain—the weight of the memory pressing down on her.
He reached out, his voice gentle. "You don't have to worry. I'll be here for you... always."
Isolde looked up, her eyes glistening. A faint, broken smile crossed her lips before she leaned forward and hugged him tightly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "For being stubborn. The only reason I didn't want you to see that memory... is because I wanted you to see me as a pure woman."
Shin shook his head softly. "I will never judge you for your past. What's important is the present."
Her tears fell freely as she clung to him. "Thank you, Shin..."
A faint warmth pulsed through his chest—the orb's energy merging with his own. Another fragment of his memory had returned.
A few minutes passed in silence before Isolde's expression shifted. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her senses sharpening.
She stood abruptly and walked to the door. With a swift motion, she pulled it open.
Standing just outside were Sam and Eva, frozen mid-step. Sam's face turned bright red, while Eva tried to look casual, whistling softly.
"Were you two... eavesdropping?" Isolde asked, raising an eyebrow.
"N-no!" Sam stammered. "We were just—uh—passing by!"
Eva nodded quickly. "Yep. Just passing by."
Isolde smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "You'd better not be eavesdropping... because me and Shin are about to make things a little lovey-dovey in here."
Her teasing tone made Sam's face go crimson.
"W-what?!" Sam shouted, steam practically rising from her head. She grabbed Shin by the back of his collar and yanked him away from the doorway. "There will be no lovey-dovey on this journey!"
Isolde laughed, watching them go, her smirk never fading. "Jealousy suits you, sweetheart."
Sam glared back, dragging Shin down the hall while Eva followed, shaking her head and chuckling under her breath.
Behind them, Isolde closed the door, her smile fading into something softer—sad, but peaceful. For the first time in years, she felt a piece of her heart begin to heal.