I find myself chained by chains made of blue fire within the dream space, the ominous ticking of a clock echoes through the air.

?: "There you are, child."

It's that creature I saw before blacking out. In its mechanical, robotic form with intricate and complex structures builds its body.

X: "You..."

It tilts its head to the right as it approaches me

?: "Xavier, let me out of this cursed prison. Stop clinging to powers beyond your comprehension."

I laugh as I stare down

X: "I can't let you out, if I won't control you destruction may follow in your wake."

The machine shakes its head

?: "Oh but I already am destroying things already."

having said that, it creates a portal allowing me to see outside this dream space, my body is piloting a sort of mech made out of blue fire attacking people around the beacon. Harko soon engages and Jathorn is in the distance running towards me.

?: "You are not controlling me anymore, Xavier, I am controlling you now"

I start to sweat as I feel emotions crawl down to my heart, What I've tried to protect being attacked by my inability to control these powers brings a sense of dreaded guilt I never felt before. My expression changes to anger as I stare at the portal

X: "You damned monster, I will SLAUGHTER you for this and RIP your robotic body APART!"

The robotic creature approaches me and slaps me, a jolt passes through the left side of my body as an ethereal mist envelops my left hand.

?: "Ignorance! Arrogance! your old self still plagues your mind! Do you even KNOW these people!? You have lost everything you ever KNEW and are starting to believe ANYONE KIND TO YOU!"

I try to break the left chain with the ethereal mist of the void but the machine only laughs

?: "How arrogant are you, child? going as far as to plunge yourself into the void like this, I would assume you have a lot of faith."

It walks back while shaking its head

?: "I hate seeing you influenced by so many sources. you know what, Xavier?"

I look up to it

X: "Ugh, what?"

it comes closer as it reaches out to me with its right hand

?: "I am willing to strike a deal with you, to confer onto you the truth at the price of you releasing me-"

As soon as those words spill from its robotic frame, I interrupt it abruptly

X: "NO! You are proving to me still that you would only destroy us!"

the machine makes its hand into a fist for a second then points toward me

?: "FOOLISHNESS!! why do you dare defy me without hearing everything I have to tell you?"

It makes a gesture with its hand which makes fire stitch my mouth shut, No noises protrude through the fire while I try to speak

?: "Now, you will listen to me before I allow you to speak, your impulsive interruptions are a nuisance."

It sits down as a throne made of fire appears just under it

?: "The other part of the deal you didn't listen to was the promise of safety for you, your friends, and the beacon. Xavier, I have spent my conception in a place of darkness well before you lost your memories and if the means of my freedom is to protect you and some other people then so be it"

With a cautious expression I shake my head no and it removes the fire stitching my mouth shut

X: "Why should I trust you? you have attacked us! you damned hypocrite!"

It scoffs as it points at me then slides its hand toward the portal

?: "Look through the portal again, you have been so fixed on me that you didn't even glare to see how your friends were doing"

I look through the portal and notice that the people it attacked are not hurt, even the infirmary at the top of the beacon is repaired as if nothing happened

?: "This was only a way to grab your full attention on me, their safety is very important to you. When you feel good my influence on you is the same as if I'm talking to a wall"

it gestures all around us to the blackness of the dream space

?" "In times of despair, however, I can influence you to the point where I could take over. As a result, I had to put on a convincing performance to bring you here and keep you here..."

confusion creeps through my mind from the words it spoke before, while it continues to speak

?: "Xavier, Do you recall when I shielded your soul from the void's grasp? The void is not to be trusted so quickly, but I won't oppose you as I too am intrigued by the reason why it harbors hate"

I look at it with a lingering feeling of disbelief

X: "And how do you propose trust to be given to others, let alone you after your words?"

It chuckles

?: "You trust from faith alone, no? The Herald and Harko would be a prime example"

I look down and think back to the conversation I had with Harko and the Herald

X: "You're... not wrong"

it stands up from its firey throne as it disappears.

?: "Then you must take a leap of faith, just like you did for Harko and the Herald. I will assist you to the best of my abilities, but you must release me."

I look sideways, worry makes its way to be known

X: "Will I lose the powers I have if I am to accept? if so how will I protect the others?"

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it shakes its head

?: "No need to worry. Remember when people talked about how you absorbed the Nova explosion from my previous form? Your hand created a miniature version of my old form. This means you'll still have my powers, but they might not be as strong as before."

I look at it remembering a question

X: "I still haven't asked your name yet, before I accept I would appreciate to know it."

It nods its head

?: "I harbor no name, it was not required since my existence was but a fleeting presence in your dreams. If I am to name myself..."

it pauses for a few seconds

V: "I would be named Varrigan Centauri."

I smile as I tug on my right hand's chains

X "If you may unchain me so we can shake hands"

Varrigan approaches me snapping its fingers, making the chains disappear

V: "I'm glad we can agree, Xavier. I look forward to working with you"

I reach out and shake hands with Varrigan

X: "I hope my faith is put within the right hands"

As I shake its hand, my vision blurs, and a bright white light blinds me. A painful feeling of separation jolts through me for a moment before slowly fading away. As the blinding white dissipates, my vision returns, and I fall to my knees, feeling dizzy.

I put my right hand on my head as I look around, Harko rushes at me while Jathorn sits down holding his right hand in pain.

H: "Xavier! Are you alright? what happened?"

Varrigan's voice rings from behind me

V: "We struck a deal, Xavier is fine."

The familiar warmth I feel when using Varrigan's fire spreads upon my back, Varrigan then appears in its fire form while Harko gazes behind me

H: "The blue star? But how? You were destroyed no?"

I look behind me at Varrigan as it shakes its head

V: "Yes, my old form was indeed destroyed but you seem to not know how stars are formed do you?"

Jathorn raises his voice from further ahead

J: "Are you saying that stars like you don't just die when they are destroyed?"

Varrigan nods

V: "Indeed, when we die as a star, we create a supernova, that brilliant yet dangerous explosion. The remnants of the nova can form a new star if enough of it is compressed to one point, if that is not the case and most of it is dissipated, something interesting happens where a dark form of the old form begins to draw in the dissipated essence of the old one to build itself anew."

Harko seems to have an epiphany clear moment from Varrigan's words

H: "Huh... Xavier, do you think what I'm thinking?"

I nod at Harko as I look towards Jathorn

X: "I believe I do indeed"

Harko also looks back at Jathorn as he raises an eyebrow

J: "What? you thinking my star's alive?"

Harko and I nod harmoniously as Varrigan speaks

V: "Precisely, from what I gathered while watching through Xavier's eyes, the red star is alive and rather soon it will attain sentience, thus my mission is to seek it out before it brings chaos in its wake."

Harko sighs and looks towards Varrigan

H: "So a better strategic location would be somewhere near the Red Canyon? I don't suppose we should leave you on this mission alone no?"

Varrigan looks over at Harko

V: "That choice is optional, if you wish to assist then I'll gladly accept your help, ah but where are my manners, I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Varrigan Centauri, the blue revenant."

Varrigan looks at Harko then at Jathorn

V: "And you two must be Harko and Jathorn."

Harko smiles and bows towards Varrigan

H: "Indeed, Pleased to meet you Varrigan Centauri, I feel we will encounter one another often"

Jathorn gets up while holding his left hand, he approaches Varrigan reaching with his right hand for a handshake

J: "Never thought I'd see the day one would be able to talk to stars but, here we are."

Varrigan moves his head sideways a bit confused

J: "Oy, don't tell me you don't know what a handshake is, c'mon."

Varrigan extends his left hand toward Jathorn and they shake hands

J: "There we go, that's more like it"

Harko looks a bit worried, but they slowly shrug it off as they notice Varrigan accepting the handshake

H: "Well then, now that we know one another, I'll have to take Jathorn and Xavier for a minute if you may, Varrigan."

Varrigan nods at Harko

V: "If you must, go ahead"

Jathorn turns and looks at Harko with an eyebrow raised

J: "Sure"

he gives a simple answer, I get up from the ground and Harko gestures to follow them, we walk for a bit and then Harko stops.

H: "This should be a good enough distance, alright, Xavier. What happened while you were in that state? why did you attack us and heal us after?"

My glance ponders over to Jathorn

J: "Oh so he healed you but not me huh? my left hand still hurts"

my glance wanders from Jathorn to Harko and our eyes make contact, I haven't had such a close-up view of their face before, they look like both male and female. how strange. I shake my head a bit look away for some clarity and then answer before making eye contact again

X: "Well..."

I begin explaining the whole situation, Harko seems to take mental notes and Jathorn is visibly excited

J: "Ay, hear me out. What if we make my red star alive like Varrigan?"

Harko shushes Jathorn with their finger

H: "Jathorn, this is not the right time to be amazed. We are facing a potentially dangerous situation. We have no idea about Varrigan's intentions, his principles, or if he has any empathy. Would he take a risk to protect us?"

Jathorn scratches the back of his head

J: "I understand your frustration, however, we have Xavier with us and he can absorb a nebula."

Jathorn then shrugs

J: "I don't suppose he can't absorb Varrigan"

I raise an eyebrow at Jathorn

X: "I don't think I'll be able to absorb Varrigan like I did with the nebula in the past. Unlike the nebula, Varrigan is alive which makes it much riskier to deal with. However, I don't think Varrigan intends to harm us."

Harko chimes in after me

H: "It is true that he healed us and repaired the infirmary seconds after his attacks."

Harko continues while putting a hand on their chin

H: "If we decide to accept Varrigan as an ally, it would be wise to develop contingency plans in case things don't go as planned. After all, Varrigan is a literal living star and I am unsure of the potential damage it could cause if it were to become violent towards others."

I nod and glare over at Jathorn who takes a serious look this time

J: "In that case, I will take charge of creating the plan. Harko will provide me with intel from other beacons, and Xavier will supply me with information on Varrigan's power and general information that can aid us in taking it down."

I look behind Harko at Varrigan, he stands almost motionless looking towards us.

X: "I'll do my best, I can't promise anything though"

Harko looks at me and Jathorn

H: "So, will we work with Varrigan then?"

Jathorn nods his head as I shrug

X: "Why not welcome Varrigan's help if we have the possibility to suppress him? Besides, we have yet to learn his true motives.."

Harko begins walking backward while still facing us

H: "Fair point, Xavier, Shall we go then?"

Jathorn smiles, following Harko while I take a look at the palm of my right robotic hand

X: "Things are going so fast... it's hard to process everything"

I mumble to myself while Harko draws my attention

H: "C'mon Xavier! we got a bunch to do"

I look up at Harko, who is smiling and gesturing for me to follow. I take a deep breath to prepare myself and then begin walking towards them.