True lovers... Keep Their Promises

"Eltezza, please! The portals are getting closer. I'm going to forget soon so I need to hear you say it; I need to hear you promise me!"

The woman Rowin faced, and cried his heart out to, had yellow crystal shackles at her wrists, pulling her arms back just enough to separate the couple by an inch. Behind her, Eltezza's hands floated in place, binded and sealed in stagnant despair; the work of a powerful sorceress, one they fought for years to defeat. Tears and wet red hair streaked down Eltezza's face in wobbly esses. 

Likewise, Rowin was held captive in the same tortuous manor on the adjacent side. Both could see over the other's shoulder at the impending portals edging closer and closer to scoop them up and into a time-looped world.

Across from his pleading eyes, her head was bowed. Eltezza's magical properties were completely depleted; staying conscious was already a challenge, but answering Rowin's request was especially hard. That would've remained true with or without her strength. 

"If you love me Eltezza, please remind me to forget you. You have to give me a reason not to want to know you. The past, or- or future past - or whatever! - cannot be stopped until we break this curse."

She shook her head. Their world saving journey brought the couple a memory stone, one for the sake of beating this curse. Alas, it was just one; the single stone dangling off Eltezza's necklace and the reason why she was tasked with the difficult mission of making her husband forget her existence. 

In order to save the villagers, the country she called home, her friends, her family: in order to save everyone, she had to lose her lover. Such a thing was too cruel a fate. How could she respond? How could she live with herself after making that promise?

The portals were an arms distance away from them now, but she only noticed once she heard the yelling. She shot her head up, and watched in horror as Rowin strained hard against the restraints pulling him back. 

"Stop it! You're hurting yourself!"

He didn't stop. Rowin pulled and pulled until his forehead touched hers, then his lips. 

"Make me forget you in our next world Eltezza, because it won't matter. The love I have for you in this world will follow you in your heart for all eternity. It won't matter what timeline you escape to. Through the power of that stone, take the love I have for you by means of memories. Save the world! And please, find happiness!"

Eltezza wanted nothing more than to embrace her husband, but settled for another kiss, straining against her own shackles to do so. There was a bright white light and he disappeared.

Moments later and Eltezza faced the teenage version of her husband. He lent her that nostalgic helping hand. 

She stood up and punched him in the face. 

"How can I find happiness like this, you idiot?"