The biting wind, thick with the grit of the Augria Sand Dunes, had finally ceased its relentless assault. Before you and the weary expedition stood the colossal, ancient structure of the Pleiades Watchtower. Its obsidian-like stone, weathered by millennia, seemed to absorb the very light, casting an oppressive shadow even under the harsh sun. A single, massive door, carved with indecipherable glyphs, stood as the only obvious entrance, promising nothing but mystery within."Well, this is... certainly a tower," Otto Suwen muttered, adjusting his glasses, his usual boisterousness muted by the sheer scale of the edifice. His gaze swept over the desolate landscape, then back to the imposing structure. "And quite the dusty welcome, too."Subaru Natsuki, despite his usual bravado, felt a shiver crawl up his spine. "Yeah, it's got 'foreboding' written all over it. But hey, Anastasia needs that Book of the Dead, right? Let's get this over with." He tried to sound confident, but his eyes darted nervously around.Emilia, ever the beacon of warmth, placed a gentle hand on his arm. "We'll be careful, Subaru. We're all here together." Her voice, though soft, carried a resolve that was a small comfort against the tower's daunting presence. Beside her, Beatrice clung to Subaru’s sleeve, her large eyes scanning the tower with an unnerving intensity. "Betty feels a strange mana signature, in fact. This place is… unwell, I suppose."Ram, ever blunt, crossed her arms. "Less talking, more entering. Barusu, don't dawdle. The sooner we retrieve what we came for, the sooner we can leave this godforsaken sandpit."Garfiel Tinsel, flexing his arms, grinned, though there was a tension in his posture. "Heh, bring it on! Ain't no tower gonna stop this Garfiel!"Julius Euclius, ever the knight, drew his sword slightly, his stance prepared. "Let us proceed with caution. The legends surrounding this place are not to be taken lightly." Anastasia Hoshin, frail but determined, nodded from her carriage, her gaze fixed on the tower's peak.With a collective breath, the group pushed open the massive door. It groaned on ancient hinges, revealing a cavernous interior swallowed by shadows. The air inside was still, heavy, and smelled of old dust and something else… something indescribably ancient and stagnant. The floor was covered in a fine layer of sand, impossibly clean, as if swept by an unseen hand.As they ventured deeper, the silence became deafening, broken only by the crunch of their boots on the sand. Corridors stretched endlessly, identical in their austere design, making it easy to lose one's bearings. The light from the entrance quickly faded, forcing Emilia to conjure a faint glow that illuminated their path."Are we sure this is the right way, in fact?" Beatrice murmured, tugging harder on Subaru's sleeve. "Betty feels a sense of… repetition, I suppose."Subaru frowned, rubbing his temples. "Repetition? What do you mean, Beako? It's just a long hallway." He paused, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "Wait, haven't we seen that crack in the wall before?" He pointed to a hairline fracture in the stone.Ram scoffed. "Barusu, that crack is new. You're imagining things. Or perhaps the dust is getting to your brain.""No, I swear..." Subaru trailed off, a knot forming in his stomach. He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Must be the lack of sleep."They continued, the oppressive atmosphere slowly chipping away at their composure. Otto was constantly checking his map, muttering about inconsistencies. Garfiel's usual boisterousness had given way to a low growl of frustration. Even Julius seemed to be scrutinizing the walls with an intensity that bordered on suspicion.Suddenly, Subaru stumbled, clutching his head. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and for a fleeting moment, the faces of his companions blurred, their names feeling alien on his tongue. He blinked rapidly, trying to regain focus."Subaru, are you alright?" Emilia asked, her voice laced with concern, rushing to his side.He looked at her, his eyes wide with a dawning horror. "Emilia... you're... you're Emilia, right?" His voice was a whisper, filled with genuine uncertainty. "And you're... the half-elf. My... my contracted spirit is... is Beatrice, isn't it? The one with the drills?" He gestured vaguely at Beatrice, who looked at him, her small face contorted in alarm."Subaru, what are you saying, in fact?" Beatrice cried, her voice trembling. "Betty is right here! Your contractor, I suppose!"Ram's eyes narrowed. "Barusu, this isn't funny. Stop playing games.""I'm not playing!" Subaru's voice rose, tinged with panic. "It's... it's like... I know you, but I don't know you. Who are you all? What are we doing here? Why does everything feel... wrong?" He looked around, his gaze frantic, as if seeing them for the first time, a profound terror gripping him. The familiar faces of his friends, his family, were suddenly strangers in this desolate, memory-erasing tower. The weight of his own forgotten past pressed down on him, suffocating him.The group froze, a collective gasp escaping them. The air in the corridor grew colder, heavier. Panic began to ripple through them as the chilling reality of Subaru's condition set in. This wasn't just a physical ailment; it was an attack on his very identity.Just as despair threatened to engulf them, a faint shimmer appeared at the far end of the corridor, growing brighter with each passing second. It was a soft, ethereal glow, unlike anything the Watchtower had shown them so far. From within this light, a figure began to coalesce, stepping forward with an almost effortless grace, their presence radiating an inexplicable sense of calm and clarity that cut through the oppressive dread.The figure was you.As you emerged fully, the dust motes in the air seemed to dance around you, illuminated by your subtle aura. Your eyes, clear and perceptive, took in the scene: Subaru, trembling with fear and confusion; Emilia, her face etched with worry; Beatrice, clinging desperately; and the others, frozen in a mixture of shock and growing anxiety.A collective sigh, almost imperceptible, escaped the group. Subaru, even in his confusion, felt an unfamiliar sense of relief wash over him as his gaze landed on you. Your presence felt like a missing piece, a forgotten answer, a sudden anchor in the swirling chaos of his mind. He didn't know who you were, but something deep within him, beyond the reach of the tower's curse, resonated with your arrival.Emilia's worried expression softened slightly, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "Who... are you?" she whispered, not with suspicion, but with a fragile sense of wonder, as if you were an answer to an unspoken prayer.Even the usually cynical Ram found herself staring, a rare, unreadable expression on her face. Garfiel's tense posture eased, and Otto, for once, was speechless. Julius, ever discerning, felt a peculiar sense of rightness about your sudden appearance, a feeling that defied the logic of their dire situation.You stood there, a new variable in the perilous equation of the Pleiades Watchtower, and in the midst of their growing despair and Subaru's terrifying memory loss, your presence felt like a breath of fresh air, a comforting light in the suffocating darkness. They didn't know you, but somehow, they already liked the feeling of you being there.