It was both warm and frigid at the same time.

The wind howled with rage as he called out to her again, his voice muffled by the will to stay in the lovely, dark place. She stirred and twitched, a loud burst of energy and vigor; Suki jolted up in a cold sweat.

The moonlight weighed heavily on her, and she was still lucid from the encounter with the hunters, her legs hurting and her shoulder numb.

She removed the tie at the end of the wrap she was wearing. Suki had received her first scar. Before further inspecting its shape, she was interrupted by two pairs of feet treading near her.

"You're awake! Finally!" Charles yelled, pouncing toward her and hugging her tightly.

"How long was I out?" she asked, her voice a tad raspy from grogginess.

Charles took a second to deliver the news. "Um... about six and a half days," he told her.

"But we made it to the square just in time to find someone to heal you!" Charles moved to the side, motioning with his hands in a presentable way.

"Suki, meet Ariah!" he announced.

The woman was of average height and wore an outfit similar to hers. Her top was sleeveless, revealing her tattooed arms intricately designed with various emerald green markings.

Her boots matched the contour of her bottoms, a brisk black leather, at her side, she kept many scrolls and bottles containing numerous spells, giving her the appearance of an alchemist. She had smooth fair skin adorned with freckles all over her cheeks and shoulders.

On top of her head were well-kept dreadlocks matching the color of her attire.

"So glad to see you're finally awake," she said, her voice high-pitched, warm, and friendly with a hint of innocence.

"My poor Charles wouldn't stop crying, he missed you so much!" Ariah rubbed Charles' cheek and gently fondled his head with a finger, like some pet. Suki was struck by this and looked over to her friend.

"Charles...?"

"Oh yeah, me and Ariah are kinda..." he hesitated to say.

"In love..?" Suki raised an eyebrow, and put up a finger, but before she could speak, Ariah interrupted her.

"Mhm! I met Charles not too long ago. He needed help to brew a special potion to wake someone out of the deepest slumber, so I lent him a hand!" Ariah continued to talk about how adorable and beautiful Charles was, causing his spectral form to glow in an embarrassed blush and shudder in response to her comments.

She then proceeded to tell the story of how they first met and how they fell in love the second they laid eyes on one another.

"Ariah's an amazing healer," Charles bragged. "While we were on our way, Jack hurt one of his legs while we were fighting a giant muscle crab, but Ariah fixed him up in no time!"

"It's true," she continued. "Fractures aren't so tough when you have a healer like me on your side. The Square isn't far from here; you must be famished!"

As soon as she finished gathering her belongings, she took advantage of the offer, and once she had done so, they all headed to The Square.

Along the way, Ariah gripped Charles' hand throughout every step of the trip, her fingers never parting with his. The two's immediate bonding and newly formed relationship were evidenced by their charming little whispers and giggles.

Suki trailed behind them and watched, her stomach cramping slightly as her insatiable hunger finally caught up.

She clenched her teeth and yelled to Charles and Ariah, "Hey, can we hurry and get a move on? I'm starving!" The pair quickened their pace to their destination.

Upon arrival, Suki was met with a double take from Kori, realizing her ally was in excellent condition.

Kori greeted her with optimism and delight. "Ah, Jack!" she exclaimed, "She's awake!" She and Jack hurried over to the newly roused Suki, surrounding her with hugs and praises for returning to consciousness.

“Suki,” Jack called out to her, “Thou hast been in slumber for quite some time! Didst thou dream of aught strange?” he asked.

She scratched her head, pondering for a moment. The only thing that surfaced was the recurring vision. "I mean, sort of," she stuttered.

"I saw three people walking towards a horizon. One was short, wearing a long cape, and was floating. Another one had grey hair and really dark clothes, from what I could make out. But the last one was weird. She was, like, really tall, and carried something huge!"

She attempted to elaborate on her dream, but she couldn't recall any more details from her fragmented memory.

“Hm, a strange dream,” Jack remarked, swiftly dismissing the fleeting vision. “I see thou hast become acquainted with Ariah.”

"I have..." she mentioned as she turned to see them close to a kiosk where Charles picked beads for Ariah. She was shaking her hands eagerly every time he pointed at a necklace, other patrons were staring at her as if she were insane or speaking with a ghost.

“They’ve not been parted for five days now!” Kori lamented. “I’ve scarce had any rest. ‘Tis a wonder thou didst slumber so long…”

"Will she be staying with us?" Suki inquired, her expression portraying a hint of uncertainty.

“Aye,” Jack answered. “She is… most helpful. I reckon a healer is what our company requires, so it would be well to have her journey with us.”

"Well, that's good, I guess," Suki said. "I just hope this won't turn south for us."

"I highly doubt it..." Kori chuckled.

The moon set dim light upon the land, the group was back in their camp near The Square, everyone settling down and letting the day's feeling wash away.

Suki, in her tent, set her sword aside, laid down on her sheets, and sighed. She felt uneasy about being asleep for so long; what she had missed beckoned at her soul.

As she rested her eyes, trying to drift to the land of the subconscious, she heard Ariah outside. She was speaking to someone, and her tone was spiteful. Suki gripped her blade and snuck out of her tent.

She peeked nearby to see Charles asleep without Ariah, growing suspicious and looking around even more. Eventually, she came across Ariah alone, holding a portable device, an N-Droid, from Neo City, what most called it. From a place of technological marvels, a cybernetic paradise.

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She stopped to listen, her tone deeper, unlike her usual cutey voice.

"No, I don't think so, boss," Ariah said, pausing momentarily. "Are you sure...? She seems weak. She stayed out for six days from an arrow coated in soula wax, What a wimp!" Ariah cackled, then waited again. "Yes, sir, I've got him wrapped around my fingers. He'll practically buy me anything I want."

She gasped under her breath. Ariah laughed to herself even more. "Of course, boss! I will, after all, she's trying to spy on me right now." Ariah looked toward her from the corner of her eye. A cold sweat found its way to her as Ariah hung up. Suki pulled her blade on Ariah.

"I knew there was something off about you!" she declared.

Ariah smirked. "What are you gonna do about it, huh? They don't suspect anything from me."

Suki flinched as Ariah started to tease her. "You lousy...!"

"Lousy what?" Ariah interrupted. "Hm! I bet you can't really use that little stick of yours. If you kill me here, you'll never finish your little adventure. So put that toy of yours away, and let's pretend like none of this happened, okay princess?"

Suki stood frozen as Ariah strolled back to her tent. She gritted her teeth and left for hers. That night, she could barely keep her eyes closed for long, knowing Charles' new girlfriend wasn't who she seemed.

When she awoke the following morning, she remembered what had happened the night before, checked her stuff, and left her tent with her sword ready. She saw that everyone had gathered around an early-morning fire. Jack and Kori were indulging in homemade dishes with gusto. Charles shouted out to her.

"Morning! Ariah made us all something to eat. Try some!" Charles patted the space on the log next to him. Suki took her seat, and Ariah gifted her a small pouch, its contents a mystery. Reluctantly opening it, getting a grin from Ariah who spoke in her sweet voice again.

"Enjoy it, Sutaro! It could be your last..." she whispered.

Putting it aside and getting up from the log, she whispered "Not hungry…" After chuckling, Jack retrieved her portion and offered it to Kori.

“As thou wilt. More for us!”

"What's up with you two all of a sudden?" Suki scowled back at them. Kori's mandibles snapped violently, showing a hint of lunacy. Jack laughed along with her, unable to contain his laughter.

She ogled in fear as they fell apart, their harsh cackles filling the air with a terrifying sound.

"What's wrong with the both of you?!"

With a trembling arm, Jack grasped her leg and cried out. “’Tis Ariah,” he shouted with all his remaining strength. “The food… it is poisoned…”

Kori cut him off. "Hypno spores...!" She let forth a cheerful little cry and embraced Suki, who struggled to pull her off.

Ariah strolled past Charles to the spot where she was seated and began speaking again. "See, little princess, I told you! I had this all planned from the get-go. Now be a dear and cooperate with us, and I won't have to get dirty, okay?" Amidst the hazy fog, Ariah reappeared alongside Charles.

He was mesmerized by Ariah's fumes, as his eyes were brighter than usual and he appeared to be staring at everything and nothing.

"What did you do to them!?" Suki bellowed. Ariah burst out laughing, as though she was celebrating a short-lived triumph.

"You'd better help your buddies there, as for my little ghost here, he's all mine! Carles, stay!" He obeyed and stood idly as she commanded, Ariah was controlling him like a dog.

Charles, under her influence, clapped his hands and cheered. "Wow, Ariah! You really are the best!"

"I know I am, little ghost." Ariah laughed and withdrew a hand as Suki charged her.

More spores shot from the openings in her wrists, covering her eyes as she covered them letting out a sharp cry. "Something wrong, little princess?"

Ariah made fun of Sutaro by thrusting her knee into her midsection.

She shook as she attempted to ignore the agony in the pit of her stomach and cleaned the debris from her eyes.

"Dirty cheater!" Suki snarled, dodging a hit from Ariah. The laughter from her friends and Charles' silence only fueled her anger.

"Face it, you can't hurt me! I'll keep hitting you with my spores 'till you pass out! It's not like you have much time anyway; they'll die if they keep that up for much longer."

Suki and Ariah clashed again, with the blade slicing through the smog of Ariah's deadly fumes. Cuts were exchanged, and punches were traded. In a moment of fierce determination, Suki tackled Ariah to the ground, snagging the antidote bottle from Ariah's pocket. She sprinted to Jack, whose face was contorted in agony.

"Jack! Here, take this!"

"Nice try, Aqua girl!" Ariah cackled as she pinned the struggling dame to the grass, gripping her throat with a sick smile.

"Keep your eyes open; I love watching everything fade away..." Suki's breath hitched as she struggled under Ariah's grip, kicking and thrashing.

"Y'know, I take back calling you weak. I think I know what he sees in you now...!"

Suki attempted comprehending Ariah's words, managing to whisper, "Who..."

Ariah's mocking laugh was cut short as her eyes rolled back and she gasped for air. Suki's blade had pierced through her chest, staining her top with gushing lime ichor. As Ariah stumbled backward, she saw Charles standing nearby, Kori and Jack unconscious on the ground.

"Pheromones don't work on ghosts.." Suki gasped, still processing what had happened.

"Charles... you..."

"Not at first, but I did fall for her act," Charles admitted. "Don't worry about them. I knocked them out so we could administer the antidote. Let's get to it."

Moments later, Jack and Kori awoke, rubbing their heads from the lingering effects of the spores. Kori wrapped Ariah's body in a web tarp.

“Hold a moment, so Ariah was a spy—on behalf of whom…?” Kori slurred.

"That's the thing. I don't know! I tried to look through it, but it only activates when Ariah touches it," Charles explained.

“Why dost thou not employ her hand to open it, then?” Jack queried,

"Apparently, she has to be alive," Charles said, pointing at her concealed carcass. "And look how that turned out."

Suki sat on a log, her fingers entwined as her knee bounced nervously. She couldn't shake the thoughts Ariah had planted in her mind. She turned her attention to her team. "It doesn't matter anymore," she said. "Someone might be after us... after me. Last night she was talking to someone, she called him her 'boss'..."

Jack, with a look of confidence, walked over and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Suki looked up, confused.

“Mark my words, lass,” he began, “there is but one man in this world whom I fear, and I have deceived him for many a time. No harm shall come to thee under my watch, and those who dare challenge us shall answer to all of us!”

Suki felt a sense of relief wash over her as she picked herself back up. That night, under the moon, a calm settled over the champions. They had won the day, and their next step would lead them to The Apiary, where they'd question Hive Queen Apis. But for now, they rested.

In a dimly lit chamber, the ambient hum of machinery filled the air, shadows flickering across cold walls. The silence was broken only by the droning voice of a woman, her tone flat and devoid of emotion.

"Sir, the mercenary you hired—Ariah—she's dead. Her vitals went black a few hours ago. I'm certain you hired a faulty one again."

A man, seated in a high-backed chair obscured in darkness, sighed with weary frustration.

"As I've told you countless times, they're simply not up to the tasks I assign them."

The woman, standing stiffly by the door, barely moved as she responded. "Shall I look for another to enlist service?"

He waved a dismissive hand, the gesture barely visible in the gloom. "That won't be necessary. I want to toy with our little Aqua for a bit longer. I have an idea. Do we still have ties with those odd five?"

"I believe so, sir," she replied, her voice unwavering.

A slow, malicious smile spread across the man's face, hidden by shadows. "Good. Get one of them on the line. He'll love this."

Without another word, the woman turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving the man alone with his dark thoughts and the quiet hum of the unseen machines.

The next morning, Sutaro, Jack, Charles, and Kori set out towards The Apiary, the anticipation of their next encounter weighing on their minds. As they traveled, Suki couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, a lingering unease from Ariah's final words.

“Stay vigilant, all,” Jack commanded, his gaze sweeping the horizon. “We know not what dangers lie ahead.”