Elinsys proceeded down the hall, walking by the reception and then towards Nilni’s room; walking down the brightly lit hallways, passing by the many rooms, one of them being her own. Elinsys took a quick glance into it. So many bad memories, but it could have been worse if Mrek made her stay.

Elinsys reached the door, opening it to reveal Nilni sitting up in the bed. “Elinsys! Glad to finally see you again.” Her voice was as chipper as always, but she sounded tired and looked like she’d lost a bit of her colour.

“Hi Nilni, how are you?” Elinsys asked, closing the door behind her and coming closer to the bed. Leferia was gone.

“I am well, did you have any adventures while I was gone?” She looked at Elinsys, a glint in her golden eyes.

“Nothing too special, we found a wrecked ship. Trying to find Mrek. You know anything about that?”

“Oh yes, he was always drawing out my blood. A small bit of me is glad he is gone. Always asking questions: ‘Can you see it? Can you describe it?’ But I knew better than to trust him.”

Elinsys’ expression was one of surprise, confusion and worry thrown into a barrel and smashed together. “Why was he asking you this?”

“Not sure. Said he brought in a colleague. Well, two of them, a woman and a man. The man is dead now.” Nilni said in a toneless voice.

“Professor Hegran? Was he here?” Elinsys asked, sweat dripping down her neck.

“Yes, he and the woman, if you could call her that, were unhappy with Mrek’s devotion to the cause. So they threw him out of the airlock, as one does with trash.” Nilni sipped from a tea cup that had miraculously appeared in her hands. “This is quite good.”

Elinsys was staring at Nilni, there was a sudden cold in the room. She rubbed her hands together to heat them up, but they refused. “How do you know this?” Elinsys said with heavy breaths.

“Because I was the one to push him. Mrek and I did it.” Nilni answered, putting her tea down. “He was so scared. Begged even.”

Elinsys felt the walls coming closer around her, trying to suck all of the air out of the room as if the vacuum of space was breaking through the walls. “Why?” She struggled to breathe, air escaping her lungs, screaming for safety.

“Mrek was a loose end, better to throw him out now. A part of me regrets it, mostly my tongue, he would have been a delicious meal.” Nilni smiled again. Elinsys felt blood on her tongue.

“Keresa?” Elinsys asked, falling to the floor. Darkness reaching for her eyes and mind.

“Was that the old meatbag? She is long gone now, I prefer to be beautiful rather than an abomination.” Nilni chuckled as Elinsys lost any semblance of reality.

***

It was cold? Hot? It was empty, there was no temperature in the air, there was no air, there was only vacuum.

But there was dirt, or stone or was it flesh shaped to look less frightening?

There was a river nearby or was it a moving ocean or maybe blood?

There were lights on the horizon, but flickering and shifting in the dark, hidden, obscured by walls and towers.

Laughter, cries, words, shouts and whispers are heard from there, but also from behind. The ones in the light are easy to hear, but the ones in the dark are more pleasant. Family, love and kindness in the darkness, order, prosperity and glory in the light.

Metal feet hitting cobblestone, breaking it slowly. In the other direction talons hitting polished marble leaving behind no trace. Time not daring to touch either.

City trapped in the void and a castle older than it lying far away in the dark. Now she was here too, but who was she anymore?

Her body was nothing but ash, her soul dimly lit deep inside. Flickering away.

A call of horns behind her, gates opening to let her into the castle. She was there, the gates closed behind her. Invited and moved inside.

The garden was beautiful, but the plants looked alien and they seemed dead. Figures moved about, tending to them. She tried to talk to someone, but now she was inside.

Paintings surrounded her, figures from nightmares and dreams. Staring at her, into her soul. The carpet was rough and dirty, was she losing ash? Would she die again?

“I died?” She asked herself.

“Yes.” A figure wearing a cloak said. Sitting in a fancy chair next to a fireplace, book in one hand.

She was in a study, books thrown about, some missing their names from the age, some missing pages.

“Why? Why now?” She asked, slowly losing her voice again.

“We all must do our duty, are you ready?” It asked in a tender voice, offering her its gloved hand.

“No. I have to help Nilni.” Elinsys said.

“Who?” The figure asked.

“Nilni, my friend. Mrek did something to her.”

“Lef, what are you talking about?” The figure put the book down and stood up.

Elinsys looked at herself in the mirror, Leferia’s face was staring back at her. “Why am I?”

“Who are you? Where is my daughter?” It asked, now towering over Elinsys. Its voice no longer tender, but worried.

“With me, in my head.” Elinsys stated, air was returning to her lungs.

“Well, then you must not die. Run.” The hooded figures said, before pointing towards the door.

Elinsys bolted for it, the floor behind her opened and fire started to burn everything in the room, including the figure. Words burned off the pages, paintings in the hallway turned into ruined monstrosities.

She was running down the hallways, which were slowly being consumed. She ran through the garden, figures started to run towards her, chasing with their claws and maws.

She ran past the gates of the castle and towards the gates far away.

Then air returned to her lungs and Elinsys opened her eyes.

***

“She is breathing again! Someone get her some water.” A voice said.

“Elinsys? Elinsys, answer me.” Melora was calling out to her, watching into her eyes.

Elinsys raised her hand toward Melora. “Am I alive?”

Melora smiled. “Yes? Yes! You are. Are you, not okay, but stable?”

“I think so. Did I die?” Elinsys asked. The floor was comfortable, she didn’t want to get up.

“For a few seconds your heart stopped, but we pulled you back with a shock.” Kar said, standing next to Melora.

“Where is Nilni?” Elinsys asked when she noticed the empty bed.

“She is two rooms over, why did you enter this room?” Melora answered.

Elinsys looked around. “I thought this was Nilni’s room, I talked to her, but maybe I hallucinated that? I hope so at least.”

“Is this common for you Major?” Kar asked.

“No, at least not like this. The Dust… did a number on me.” Elinsys stated, she tried to get up, and she succeeded with the help of Melora and Kar. “Take me to Nilni, will you?”

“Yes, come on she is this way.” Melora and Kar escorted Elinsys down the hall to Nilni’s room.

The door opened and Elinsys looked towards Nilni. She looked terrible. Nilni lost weight, colour and she looked as if she hadn't slept in days. “Nilni, is that you?” Elinsys asked, still holding onto Kar and Melora.

Nilni looked at Elinsys, a faint smile on her lips. “Eli! You came, I was so worried about you, I heard so much about what happened.”

“You have? Thank you.” Elinsys moved towards the bed and sat down. Kar and Melora let go of her when she was seated and backed away.

Nilni looked at Elinsys, then at Melora and Kar. “Did something happen to you? Also, hi Kar.” She waved to him, the Rakiri waved back.

“I think I died, but I am better now.” The words sounded wrong in her head.

Nilni stared at Elinsys for a moment. “Was it dark? Scary? Did you go to the Sea of Souls?”

“I didn’t see a sea really, more of a barren wasteland with lights far away.” Elinsys responded.

Nilni looked at the door. “Melora, Kar could you give us some privacy?”

Melora and Kar looked at each other. “Sure?” Melora said and pulled Kar out of the room, he waved goodbye.

Nilni followed them out with her eyes and then she turned to Elinsys. “Tell me more.”

“Why?” Elinsys asked.

“I have been having nightmares, your description reminds me of what I saw.” There was an emptiness in her eyes. “You saw the Void, didn’t you? What do you think of it?”

“The Void, what are-” Elinsys heard a noise from her left. Leferia was standing there.

“It is time we talked about the Void, don’t you agree Nilni?” Leferia said.

“Can you see her too, Eli?” Nilni asked. Hope in her eyes.

Elinsys looked over to Leferia, who was sitting in her chair, her expression calm, focused even. “Yes?”

“Her?” Nilni pointed to Leferia, who gave a slight wave.

“Yes?” Elinsys responded. Why did Nilni see Leferia now, for how long and what was Leferia plotting?

“Yes, Nilni. Elinsys can see me, she could for sometime now.” Leferia explained calmly. Nilni was not looking well.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Nilni asked Leferia.

“I didn’t tell her about you either, I didn’t think it was… required.” Leferia explained.

“You told me that I was your host and that leaving was difficult and yet.” Elinsys was not pleased, her blood boiling, Leferia’s face looked very punchable.

“One of them, believe me I wish I had one host, this… situation is rather difficult to solve without… harm.” Leferia looked away from the pair.

“What do you mean by harm?” Nilni asked.

“Death? Insanity? Just a general terrible time for all of us.” Leferia answered.

Elinsys sighed. Why is getting rid of this parasite so hard? “Is there any way for one of us to be the only host?” If she could free herself or Nilni, Nilni would be preferable, one of them could work on getting rid of Leferia without her knowledge.

“Yes, very simple really, but the other person will definitely be harmed in some way. Death might be the more preferable outcome.” Leferia was looking away from Elinsys and Nilni.

“Why? Goddess, why is this happening to me, to us?” Nilni, grabbed her head. “This is not real, it is not.” She shook violently.

Elinsys moved to Nilni and grabbed her hands. “Nilni, please calm down. I need you to focus and calm down.” After Elinsys lowered her arms back down, she put her hands on Nilni’s shoulders. “Breathe in, breathe out.” Nilni followed her directions. “In… and out.” After a few moments of this Nilni calmed down slightly.

“Are you calmer now?” Elinsys asked, staring into Nilni’s golden eyes.

“Yes, I am slightly better. What are we going to do?” Nilni asked.

“You will sit, listen and let me explain. Then we can work on what to do, I want you to understand that I would like to have one host, having two is very… disorienting and confusing to me.” Leferia started her speech, Elinsys guessed Leferia was preparing it for a while now. Elinsys didn’t consider Leferia dumb enough to not prepare for the sceneario where she finds out about Nilni. Elinsys focused only on the last words. Now she knew a weakness of Leferia’s.

“I planned to have only one of you as a host, but sadly due to Mrek’s involvement. I was forced to stay with Nilni. Mostly so I could keep an eye on that bastard and protect Nilni from any harm. So now we are stuck together, spent too long with two of you instead of one.” Leferia stood up and paced around the room, Elinsys and Nilni following her with their eyes. “So now I see what you see, both of you.”

“At the same time?” Elinsys asked.

“Yes, no. It is very annoying when you two are so close together. I hear double, but not see double. If you were to stand back to back I would see the whole room, not counting the dead corner, but that is about this big.” She put her fingers together, then spread them out slightly. “Very small, but dangerous. Now talking to both of you at the same time is also annoying. I can do it, but sometimes I get confused.”

“What if we both entered the mind palace?” Nilni asked.

“You mean that weird room, that isn’t there?” Elinsys was confused why someone called it a palace.

“You are both thinking of the same thing, yes, but you two have different versions of how your mind looks. Elinsys, I am afraid I must say Nilni beats you easily when it comes to interior mind decor. She built a whole palace for herself, you got a room with a screen at best.”

“Well, maybe if you showed me how to do it.” Elinsys responded.

“Eh, you went there twice, maybe more, who knows?” Leferia shrugged her shoulders.

“You should know that number?” Elinsys asked again.

“I don’t keep track of that, but Nilni over here spent hours inside of it. Recovering from the trauma, while she was sleeping, when Mrek was in the room.”

“I didn’t like him, I suppose my gut was right.” Nilni added, interrupting Leferia.

“I was your gut in this scenario, but yes. Anyhow, she spent more time there so it looks very pretty now.” Leferia smiled a bit.

“Thank you for the compliment.” Nilni smiled too.

“Do not compliment the space parasite.” Elinsys said, bewildered as to how her friend could be polite to Leferia.

Nilni looked at Elinsys and then at Leferia. “Why? Lef is my friend.” She asked, glancing towards Leferia who gave her a slight smile.

“You gave it a nickname? And she is not our friend.” Elinsys was starting to feel angry, but tried to calm down. She didn’t want to yell at Nilni.

“Yours? No. Nilni’s? Yes, very much actually.” Leferia chuckled. “I know more about her than anyone else alive or dead. Well, not counting…”

“Nilni, how much did you share with Leferia?” Elinsys asked.

“My mind? Why?” Nilni asked, her face showing only confusion.

Elinsys was struggling to breathe again. Why did Nilni trust Leferia so much? Is this some kind of a trick?

“I agree Nilni, Elinsys is being a bit over worried, but you have to let her be.” Leferia said to Nilni.

“I can hear you.” Elinsys said to Leferia, who looked slightly shocked.

“Oh.” Leferia said.

“Nilni you think I am over worried? How are you sharing that with Leferia?” Elinsys turned to her friend.

“Oh she can read my mind, when I let her. Which is usually always. I find it most practical.” Nilni said, her smile growing only larger.

Elinsys couldn’t believe it. “Did you let her control you? Your body I mean?”

“Yes.” Nilni answered in a heartbeat. “But that is only good! She fixed my wounds, made me feel years younger, I feel better about what happened that night and I didn’t have to be here and answer boring questions from the doctor.”

Nilni was not herself, she was insane, out of her mind, brainwashed by Leferia, possessed by her, her puppet on strings dancing to her tune. The only other explanation was that Nilni was a foolish, naive, child.

Elinsys breathed in, her blood was boiling. Leferia was clearly exploiting Nilni, but Nilni was too blind to notice.

“Nilni, you can’t let Leferia control your body, not even a small part of it.” Elinsys said in a soft voice.

“She healed your spine. How is that any different?” Nilni asked back.

“Against my wishes! I told her not to do it, she betrayed any trace of trust I had in her.” Elinsys shouted, she had enough of this stupidity.

“Don’t you shout at Nilni! She did nothing wrong!” Leferia shouted at Elinsys.

“You are manipulating her! You space parasite!” Elinsys shouted at Leferia.

“I am not, she is an adult she can make her own choices! She chose to be friends with me, unlike you.”

Elinsys wished Leferia was real, so she could punch her and kick her.

Her train of delicious violence came to an abrupt end when a knock could be heard on the door. It opened to reveal Bea’ti standing behind it. “You two, dinner with Kar,” she paused for a second, a slight smile on her lips, “and Melora is in half an hour. You on the bed,” she pointed to Nilni, ” put something better on. Half an hour, officer lounge, if you don’t show up I will have you thrown into a cell.” She slammed the door behind her and left.

“We will continue this conversation later, now Nilni. I want you to not tell her anything of value, got it?” Elinsys said.

“I agree with Nilni. She must not be told the truth. I don't trust the Interior.” Leferia said. Nilni nodded her head to Leferia’s words.

A knock on the door interrupted everyone’s train of thought.

Eli opened the door to welcome the interruption.

Bea’ti was at the door, wearing a dress that was all too revealing for an interrogation. She was followed by Melora and Kar. Bea’ti was practically dragging Kar by the hand as Melora was towed behind Kar.

Dinner was going to be interesting.