There's nothing before me. Nothing behind. No one. Help!

"-----?"

"A-ah, sorry."

"Come onnn, we're gonna be late."

"Right, coming!" I hurry up, matching her pace. She catches my shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright? Where's ----?"

"Who?"

She tilts her head.

"When are you going to get matched?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I grumble. "Those old fogeys can't find anyone compatible."

"I'm sure it'll work out. Just look at me and Vaan," she giggles, holding out the little echomic for me to pat.

Ignoring his happy squeaks, I complain, "That's because you're normal. I shouldn't even exist."

"Oh, don't say that."

"What am I supposed to say? I'm always going to be alone and you know it."

"I'm here with you, aren't I?"

I grumble, pouting at the ground. She knows what I mean. We're most of the way to ----

Where are we?

I look around, not recognizing this cave. There are paintings all over the walls. Figures of pure white, with sharp shapes and dangerous weapons. I don't know why, but it's unsettling, and makes me reach for her hand.

"Emily

"Huh? It's just around the block. Come on, silly Aria..." Emily giggles, pulling me by the hand past the few stone carved doorways, past the bakery and Miss ----'s house. The other kids from town are all gathering, a few parents of the youngest ones still taking them in, or leaving the job to their older siblings.

As we pass, a few eyes turn our way, and I draw closer to Emily's side. With a little smirk, Kiinika slithers out of her blouse, winding around her arm, over to mine.

"H-hey, that tickles!" I squeal at the feel of her prickly fur as she coils around my neck and shoulder, her pointy head slipping under the neck of my blouse as I squirm. Emily just sticks her tongue out teasingly while she giggles at my plight. There are a few snickers from other kids nearby, and I cry, "No fair!"

"Now now," Miss Lucirre chides her, with a swat on the head. "You two are always making such a ruckus."

Her smile vanishes. "You have to stop this."

"Huh?"

"Come on, inside, inside," she ushers us forward. "Today is a very important day."

We pass through the halls. Tall statues line both sides. Beings of death with halos that make my heart race, even though they're utterly unfamiliar.

"What are those?" I ask.

"Those?" Miss Lucirre questions. The entire cavern shakes, but they don't notice. "Sculptures of our ancestors. Aren't they lovely?"

I look back at the odd statues, hewn smooth from solid stone. All sorts of creatures my mother taught me about, together with their partners. I wish I could be like them.

"Oh don't worry, you will be, little one," Miss Lucirre assures me.

"Aria."

"Now repeat after me: I will help those in need, because I am able."

"I will help those in need, because I am able."

"I have an obligation to support my community."

"I have an obligation to support my community," we all speak together.

"This is my birthright, and this is my duty."

"This is my birthright, and this is my duty."

"Because I am lucky. Because I have power."

"Because I am lucky," I grumble. "Because I have power."

"I will use that power for others, because we're all in this together."

"I will use that power for others, because we're all in this together."

"Good, very good," Miss Lucirre praises us, but her eyes lock directly on me. Why me?

The ground shifts beneath me.

Sitting on the hard floor, I pout and rub at my cheek.

"You know you can't keep acting like this," Miss Lucirre scolds me.

"They started it!"

"And you finished it!" Her frown silences me, and I stare at the rolling ground. "You're better than this, and you know it."

"I know..."

When I look back up, she's staring at me, the lights all out behind her. "Aria, stop."

I'm alone, the hanging lights all shaded on my way home. I kick a loose rock along in front of me. There's a powerful shake, the stone skipping away into the dark.

"Jerk..." I mumble. "Who needs you?"

"Aria, you can't be here." Miss Lucirre's hand on my shoulder makes me turn to her.

"Why not?"

"You should be getting home, it's late." The halos hovering beyond the edge of sight push me closer to her side. "Get home to your mother."

"What's wrong?" I ask. She's looking at me strangely. Is she disappointed?

The next rumble is so strong it makes me stagger. I almost lose my footing and land in the darkness, but Miss Lucirre catches me.

"Thanks."

Her eyes bore into mine. "Please, stop."

"Mom, I'm hom

"Dad, I'm h

"I'm home," I mumble.

"Welcome home, Aria," Miss Lucirre greets me. I'm thrown off my feet, landing heavily on the floor.

"Ow!" I yelp, rubbing my butt.

"How was your day, dear?"

"Bad."

"Why is that?" she asks, brushing my hair from behind.

"The other kids are mean because I'm different. I wish they'd all just die."

"Oh sweetie, you can't wish that," she scolds me, but I glare at the floor.

"It would be so much better if everyone just disappeared forever," I grip the fuzzy carpet and stare into the dark.

"No no, honey. Forget about them. You have much more important things to think about, don't you?"

"But- but Mom!

I glare at Miss Lucirre, her hands raised placatingly, trying to pacify me, but it isn't working.

"Come on little one, it'll be alright. Just keep calm, we can get through this."

There's an impact, and the floor gives way.

I fall into the dark. I guess this is it.

Bright lights buzz in the void. They hiss at me, like angry beasts, their arrows piercing through my flesh, and I scream.

My voice is inky smog, swallowing the light and the arrows and the void and expanding. Eating. Consuming everything so there's no one left to hurt me.

But Miss Lucirre is shaking me. Her words boom. "Aria, you have to stop!"

"Ahh!" I gasp, flailing as I bolt upright, to jolts of pain everywhere. But mostly my head, with a blaring headache that feels like it's going to blow right out the sides of my brain. And... and everywhere else...

My breath comes in pants, eyes unfocused as I shake, the air freezing on my overheated skin, drenched head to toe in sweat. My hands find my own face, touching it in panic. "W-what?" I ask aloud, squinting through the mental explosions that come from my own words.

What was that?!

Even as the memory rapidly begins to fade, I'm absolutely sure that it was nothing like my usual nightmares. The details are already slipping away beneath the blanket of thought-shredding headache, but there were definitely things there I don't know about. People and places I've never seen before.

Then a pair of strong hands grab me, holding me tight. I jolt, eyes flying up to see Marrianne, sitting in a chair beside... is this a bed? How did I get here?

"Aria, you're finally awake," she says with a gentle smile, holding me tight.

"Y-yeah..." I respond lamely, trying to think back, but my brain hurts too much to think. I need the others to remember for me, telling me how I slipped away while I was crying in the clinic. They also let me know it's really late at night right now.

"You've been asleep for a long time, I'm so glad to see you up again." Her smile helps me calm down, my frantic heart slowly coming under control. "Now come on, you're all sweaty, let's get you cleaned off."

I nod, and she pulls me gently up out of bed. Even so, I grimace, hardly able to put any weight on my left leg, and the shift to my feet hits me with a overwhelming throb in my head. My vision goes white and I lose my balance completely, leaning heavily into Marrianne's side to keep from falling over. Once I manage to recover, I stare down at my leg. Even with some time to heal and the bandages, I think it hurts worse than it did earlier. Walking through the city on it definitely aggravated the injury.

When I think about making some earth mana to help, it reminds me I don't have any of my stuff with me, and only the little bit I left over when I cleared most of it away before going to meet Beth. I'll have to ask Eryk later.

I lean most of my weight on Marrianne as she helps me walk out of the room, so I don't need to use my injured leg. She takes the lit candle from a small table at the bedside and holds it up, giving us somewhat dim light to see by in the quiet house. As soon as we exit the room, I recognize where we are. "Eryk's house?" I ask aloud, but again, my own voice hits me like a hammer and I grimace from the pain.

The candlelight doesn't go too far, but I'm used to even less light at home, so I can pick things out well enough. I'm glad it isn't lighter, just looking at the candle is blindingly painful, causing waves of nausea, so I try not to. We're in the upstairs area, with the soft red carpet and the doors all along the wall. I look down to the first floor entryway below, deep shadows from the candle on the wooden railing give a look that makes my stomach sink for some reason, and I pull myself closer to Marrianne's side.

It takes some time to reach the stairs, then head down. "You fell asleep while we were at the clinic. Eryk had us take you back to his house. He said his servants could keep watch on you, but I told him I would do it." The little smile on her lips is nice, and I find myself returning the look automatically.

"Thanks a lot, Marrianne." I do my best not to let the pain show this time.

Her smile grows. "You're welcome, sweetie." Then we reach the bottom of the stairs, and she goes on, "Let's get you wiped off. I think his servants are asleep, but there should be a well around here somewhere..."

I point toward the back of the house. "They always brought buckets of water from that direction."

"Ahh, that way then." I guess she's finally gotten tired of helping me walk, because she scoops me up with her free arm. I have to cling onto her side, and grunt from the stabs of pain it causes, but once they pass, I think I feel better. Up off the floor.

...Why does the floor make me nervous...? Trying to ignore that, I'm mostly worried about-

It's only when I start to think about that, when I realize my clothes have changed. I'm not wearing my usual, ripped up peasant clothing. Instead, I'm in a pale green dress, a little large for me. It's nice and light and clean. They must have already washed me while I was asleep.

Holding onto Marrianne as she keeps the dark away with the candle, held in its little metal holder, she goes toward the back of the house, through the dining room, then into a room with a lot of counters that I think is the kitchen. Then another room behind that, which I think is the storeroom. She looks around some more, and finds a door that leads outside, a well just a short distance from the door. She draws water into a bucket from their storeroom, then takes me to the bath room.

Slow and gentle, taking extra care around my wounds, she uses the water and a rag to wipe me down, just like she used to. When she brings the wet rag up to my head, I let out a sigh without meaning to. The cold water is incredible. "Aria?" she asks quietly, and I reluctantly admit that my head really hurts. With a tiny, warming smile, she puts the wet cloth of my head and leaves it there, using a second one to wash me off. Once I'm nice and clean again, she searches around and returns with a towel to dry me, and carries me back up to bed.

"Thanks a lot, Marrianne," I smile up at her from the bed, and she gives me water to drink, then puts another wet cloth over my forehead and tucks me under the blanket.

"You're always welcome, Aria. Now get back to sleep," she urges me gently. "Sweet dreams, honey."

"Dreams..." I murmur, which makes her frown with worry.

"You aren't still having nightmares, are you?"

I glance away. "I have been, but that's not what I was thinking about. I had a weird dream."

She shifts a little closer, leaning on the bed and stroking my hair as she asks softly. "What kind of dream? What happened?"

"I'm not sure, I can't really remember..." I hold my head. Thinking like this makes it hurt more, even with the cool cloth helping. "But there were definitely... caves." I squint up at the ceiling from the bed. What are caves again...? "Sorry, my head really hurts. I'll think about it later."

"Of course, sweetie," she assures me softly. "Sleep well."

"Nn." I snuggle a little more under the blankets, relaxing with her hand on my hair, rubbing ever so softly in a way that helps soothe my aching head. I'm still really tired, so I quickly drift off again.