No

"Stop! That's enough!"

The very instant the loud shout ringed through Aaralon's awareness, the vision crumbled. All shapes dispersed and reformed to the whirling spiral. But the spiral collapsed too, followed by a soundless discharge, that sent Aaralon reeling. Already shaken from massive impression overload, the young mage fell backwards and landed on his behind. As Aaralon tried to clear his senses, he noticed the blank mirror in front of him. It didn't glow at all, and the little light penetrating through the windows bathed the oval chamber into a dark, sinister grey.

"What has happened?" Aaralon inquired confusedly. He looked up and saw Pursha still standing right of him. Her sight astonished him more than anything. It was a paradigma of contradicting emotions: Anger and longing. Dismay and hope.

"What have I done?" she whispered silently, her voice full of pained exhaustion.

"I-is anything wrong?" Aaralon asked cautiously. Slowly he propped himself up and lifted himself on his feet.

"This cannot be" the black-haired demoness mumbled. Only just now, Aaralon noticed that her tiny horns had become visible again as were her sprouting wings. He was uncertain what to do. He didn't want to infuriate her. However, her obvious consternation troubled him. Trying to catch her attention, he scrapd one foot across rough basalt stones.

The succubus looked up. Her unsettling, ebon eyes focussed on him. Aaralon shivered. "I must not allow this" she said, now sounding more determined that ever. Her body straightened. All of sudden she looked more like an executioner than a seductress. Slowly, she lifted her hands. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." Her whisper sounded sorrowful.

The young mage made a defensive gesture with his hand. "Wait!" he shouted and stepped up towards her. "Please, tell me why. What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing" she replied with that sad look on her face. "I just can't permit that you remember the events just shown in the mirror."

"Why?"

"Why?" Pursha snorted. "Because I might court disaster, if I let a vision tip the scales of destiny."

Aaralon was confused. "I don't grasp a word you're saying. What's it all about with these visions? I didn't understand a tenth of the images I saw, even though some faces seemed strangely familiar. But what have I to do with them? And why does it urge you to steal my memories?"

"I do not intent to steal your memories. You won't miss a thing. It will happen faster than a thought, and when it's done, you will remember everything you ever did..."

"...except the visions I saw in the spiral and the mirror." Aaralon laughed sarcastically. "C'mon, don't take me for more stupid than I have proven to be. You WILL erase my remembrance of this encounter and replace it with something else. In order to do that, you will have to erase a part of it before you reedit. What's that other than stealing my thoughts?"

Pursha sighed. She appeared almost sincerely apologetic. "Don't make it that hard for me. I cannot help it. It has to be done."

"Then give me at least an explanation, why it has to be done. A real explanation, not some 'I cannot allow it' shit. I think I got a right to hear why I'm gunna be lobotomised. Don't you think?"

"It isn't a matter of what I think and what you want. It's a matter of life and destruction. We just unlocked Pandora's box - I cannot allow to let it be opened."

"Riddles. Allusions. And excuses. But not a single, damned reason." Aaralon angrilly balled his fists. "What is so important about this spiral and the mirror - about the Chamber of Tides? What is so scaring in those images? Yes, I understand they are some kind of visions. But what have I to do with them? There were two circles of mages. There were views into 'Chaos?', and into a dark, deserted place I assume to have featured the Abyss. There were two magicians and a pair of scales. And finally that pretty fighting machine. But I don't understand a single piece of it."

"Oh, you understand much more than you believe. The fact that you figured out that the tranquil place might be the Abyss - which it is - proves as much. And your senses don't deceive you, if you believe you noticed familiar faces. After all, you were one of them."

"Me?" Aaralon yelped disbelievingly.

"Of course you. Who else?" Pursha's voluptuous mouth warped to a grim smile. "You were one of the wizards who tipped the scales."

"You're kiddin'."

"You think so?"

"No." Aaralon sighed. "I see." He scratched his head. "This probably makes things a bit more complicated, or not?"

Pursha nodded. "It does."

"But what am I to do with that revelation? I have absolutely no idea when or how this might happen." He paused. "In fact, will it ever happen?" He looked up and made contact with Pursha's unyielding eyes. "What exactly did I see? The future as it will happen? Or the future as it might happen? Or the future at all?"

Pursha sighed again. "Alas, this stands beyond my cognition. I only know, that we just possibly triggered events that could alter time, space and the Planes as we know them. After all, it IS the Chamber of Tides."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means, that a potent beholder might be able to effect the tides of time and chance."

"Oh, great" Aaralon spat. "Thanks for sharing your wisdom with me. So, why the heck, did you let me see into the mirror if consequences were that grave?"

Pursha lifted her shoulders. "I don't know. Mainly I was just curious. And I honestly wanted to show you this special kind of magic. I have erred. I didn't expect this to happen. My mistake. Now it falls into my responsibilty to fix it." She raised her arms again.

"Wait!" Aaralon shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "There is still one thing I don't understand. How does it make a difference whether I know of these visions or not?" Aaralon looked expectantly at the succubus.

"Well, your knowledge about these events, about the alteration of tidings, might affect your role in
them. By erasing your memory, I make sure you remain a neutral pawn on the board."

"Apperently a very mighty pawn on the board" Aaralon quipped. "But, my most valued mistress, here you're about to make one very crucial mistake."

"That would be?"

"If you tinker with my role in these events, how can you warrant that you don't affect the change of tidings in a certain way? What lends you justification to renounce neutrality?"

Pursha lifted an eyebrow, but didn't answer right away. Her determination faltered, and her pupilless, ebon eyes stared at him. Eventually, the inherent tension in her movements slackened and she became more of the Pursha Aaralon knew. "Damn the hour I decided to let you live" Pursha growled. "And good thing I did. Sweetheart, you really have a knack to amaze me. You're right. Of course you are. And I am an idiot for considering to mess with fate." The demoness grinned. "After all, who am I? I'm just a succubus."

"So, you won't erase my memory?" Aaralon inquired sceptically.

"No. I won't." Pursha's gaze once again drifted off. "Pandora's box might be unlocked, but chances are, it will never be opened - independent of you being aware of your part in it or not."