Beware the one who talks to nothing, for he has nothing to say.

- Ancient Founder Wisdom

“Don’t ignore me, Boss.”

Please shut up. Please shut up. Please shut up. I SAID, DON’T IGNORE ME. Shut up, shut up, shut up. I trudged along the tracks, careful to not trip over the set of rails beneath my feet. Rails that ran along into an increasingly dark tunnel whose crystals grew sparser with each day we travelled. Not even a week had passed, and I was growing considerably irritated by the fruitlessness of our walking, not to mention my personal spirit of torment. How far can these fucking rails go?

“You can always ask, Boss.” Gob smiled. “Provided that you’re willing to give something in return.”

“Fuck you!” I swung my pickax at him, hitting nothing but air as the thing harmlessly passed through his body. “I’m not doing anything with you anymore! No deals, no trades, no nothing! You got that?”

“Marcus, we need to talk,” a female voice said behind me. I turned around to find a worried looking Sly, and the rest of my squad mates a bit further behind her, whispering to each other. “But before we do, you need to drop that pickax.” What? You think I’m going to attack you, is that it? I tightened the grip on the shaft, causing Sly to tense her body ever so slightly. Now even they think I’m going crazy. Shit. Shit. Shit. I’m not insane… am I?

The question lingered in my head. That wasn’t a good sign; actually there was a distinct lack of good sings for some while now. “Fine,” I finally said, throwing the thing to the ground. It wasn’t that useful anyway. We had stumbled upon it just two days back; the only indication that someone had indeed used these cart tracks in the past. But whether or not they were still here, no one knew. For nothing, not even those things, had bothered to make their presence known to us since our intrusion.

Sly nudged the weapon away before letting out a deep breath. Her shoulders sagged as she shot me a worrying glance. “I’ve talked it over with the others, and I think you need to step down for a bit.” I tried to react calmly to this news, but the stupid giggle behind me had me snarling instead. “Look, Marcus, I know you’re under great pressure. That is normal. But the group isn’t going to follow someone who keeps lashing out at nothing.” She began fidgeting with her hands. “I want to believe your story, I really do. But the others can’t accept something like that on just mere words. They’ve become increasingly restless as of late.” Her hands stopped; her gaze now firmly settled on my own. “So I’ve decided to take charge till you get your bearing back.”

Gob’s incessant giggle had devolved into loud laughter. “Why won’t you shut up!” I turned around, hand passing through his misty form till it struck solid rock. I gasped, clutching my wrist as Gob began rolling on the floor, gasping for breath between short bursts of hysterical laughter. “I swear, one day I’m going to find you an-” My eyes met Sly, and all that burning hatred just fizzled into nothingness.

There remained only a pit in my stomach, and the feeling like someone was squeezing my heart to a pulp. For they were the eyes of pity, and more importantly, fear. “I’m not crazy,” I mumbled. “I’m not…” I crouched down, trying to ignore the distrustful stares of the Awakened further back in the tunnel. Or maybe I really am? Gob was still rolling on the floor, displacing bits and pieces of gravel all over, though nobody seemed to notice it. Maybe I’m really going crazy.

“I guess…” I whispered. “It’s just that-” I let out a deep sigh, scratching the back of my head. “It doesn’t matter, you’re right.” I stood up, dusting off my pants. “I’m not fit to lead in my current state.”

“You never were,” Gob interjected.

I clenched my fists. “As I was saying, I’m not cut out for the job.” I meekly looked up to Sly, giving her a lopsided smile. “So have pity on this poor fucker, and pick up my slack, will ya?”

“Of course I will,” Sly said, sporting the first genuine smile since we entered this mysterious tunnel. “I’m sure the rest won’t hold it against you. We know how the Long Dark can get to you.”

Before I could react, Gob’s presence made itself known in my mind, voice whispering directly into my head. But you’re no longer in that precious Long Dark of yours. He giggled. If only you knew what skulked these tunnels... I tried to ignore his venomous tongue, focusing instead on the warmth of Sly’s arm wrapped around my waist. A warmth that dimmed at Gob’s final words. Enjoy it while you can, Boss. Enjoy it while it lasts… And with that his misty form faded away, leaving me with blissful silence. Silence I have yearned for, for three days straight. For now… he’ll be back. I'm sure.

“... and you can work with the Wind Warlocks. How does that sound?” Sly asked, eyes sparkling with hope.

“I…” I stopped moving towards my group, softly trying to peal myself from Sly’s embrace. “I need some time alone, okay?” Her head drooped down, hair hiding the eyes beneath, “It’s not your fault, trust me. I’ve just been…” I couldn’t help but sigh as I rubbed my tired eyelids. “Look, I haven’t had more than four hours of sleep since we entered… where ever this place is. Just give me a good night’s rest, and I’ll be fine. Okay?”

“You know…” One of her hands began making its way down my chest, heading towards dangerous territory. “I could help you with those nightmares of yours,” Sly said, sporting a mischievous smile. “If only for one night.” Her other hand had snaked its way behind my head, suddenly drawing me in for a deep kiss.

One that quickly ended when I realized where I was. “Shit, Sly!” I whispered, pulling myself free. “Everybody’s watching!”

“Let them,” she said, giving my neck another thug. I desperately struggled against getting closer to those soft lips. It wasn’t really working. When did she get so strong?

Another kiss, and another gasp later, I renewed my resistance. My desire locked into battle with the burning flames that were shame and embarrassment. “Tell me this is just your Lust talking.”

“It could be,” she smiled. “Or it could be all me.” A dangerous glint flashed through her eyes. “There’s only one way to find out.” I don’t like where those hands are heading. Okay, maybe we need to- Abort! Abort! Abandon the operation!

I grabbed her wrists before catastrophe struck, though it didn’t do anything for all the Awakened eyes paying rapt attention to our performance. Eyes that made my embarrassment reach new-found heights. “Yes…” I peeled away her hands. “I’m think I’m going to go now…” Maybe even find a hole to crawl into. I quickly began walking away from the group, and further into the tunnel. “Yes… someplace to bury myself in.” I could hear muffled laughter behind me. “Preferably forever.” Their snickering haunted me for several more hours.

“Do you mind if I join you?” I asked the unlikely couple. The large tunnel we were walking in was darker than usual, though that didn’t matter to me. I could still see Maximilian grin at my request, and Isabelle’s soft blush developing at my appearance. Fucking Sly and her antics.

“Good to have you back, Marcus,” Maximilian said. He let go of her hand, opting instead to position himself between me and the timid woman. A woman that seemed to have found something resembling security in Maximilian. Makes it easier to keep my promise with Richtus, that’s for sure. “So, Marcus…” He lowered his voice, keeping his pace even. “I know it is kind of crass of me to pry into personal matters, but…” It was but a whisper now. “What was she like?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know…” He gave me a wink. “How did your nightly escapade go?” I could only give him a blank look, one that was met with an equally blank stare. “You… you didn’t do it yet?”

The unanswered questions hung heavy in the air, bringing with it the gaze of several nearby Awakened. “Mind your own business,” I snarled at one of them. The man quickly backed off, as others made way around us.

“Don’t mind them.” Maximilian interjected. “They’re just curious. Their almighty symbol of hatred, the one responsible all their current misery, turned out to be some embarrassed virgin from the slums.”

“How do they know that!?” I hissed under my breath.

“Oh, everybody knows, Marcus.” He stretched his arms behind his head. “There is not a lot to do besides walking. Rumors and gossip are but one way to pass the time.” His statement made me keenly aware of the constant whispering that now surrounded us. “Frankly, high society has nothing on these people,” he chuckled to himself. “It seems no matter where I go, there will always be someone willing to pass juicy information.” He looked at me, eyes twinkling. “I’ve never met a girl so scrawny, yet so full of life. The tales she has been telling us, have been entertaining to say the least.”

Dagger! Oh, when I get my hands on you…. “Do not worry, Marcus. This is a good thing, embrace it.” He slung an arm around my neck. “Yesterday they hated your guts. Now… now they just dislike you. Well, at least most of them do.” He patted my shoulder. “That’s good, trust me. Dislike you can live with. Hate…” He narrowed his eyes. “Hate is something else. Hate gets your food poisoned, and your pets killed.”

Maximilian’s eyes had grown vacant, as if he was staring at something in the distance. “You okay?”

He blinked, life returning to his eyes as quickly as it had left it. “I’m fine. But more importantly.” He drew me closer. “Don’t start talking to yourself again. It freaks people out more than you think.”

“That was just…” What was that actually? I scratched the back of my head. “I hadn’t slept properly for three days straight. I think I’m fine now.” It hasn’t come back. So that’s something.

“Good to hear.” He looked around, shooing away those Awakened that seemed to be a little too close for comfort, before whispering, “So you said you saw Gob?”

I temporarily halted my steps. “Wait… you believe me?”

“Ssshhh.” Maximilian pressed a finger to my lips. “I’m already in enough danger as it is. Being the only true noble around here is hard enough without being associated with a madman.” I’m the local loonie now? “So, what did he do?”

I looked around before joining in Maximilian’s whispering, “Look, I don’t know if it was Gob. But I know for sure that it looked like Gob.” I furrowed my brow, trying to come up with the events of the past days. Events I would rather forget. “The thing had been stalking me non-stop since we entered this tunnel. Always whispering insults, laughing when I did something stupid, or keeping me awake at night with its terrible singing.”

“What? It sang to you?”

“Yes it fucking sang to me.” I shivered at the memory. “Its was like listening to a cat getting skinned alive. One that decided to sing the most annoying song known to humanity.”

“That sounds…. terrible”

“It was fucking terrible,” I chided. “And every time I tried to bash that stupid face of his, I would just pass through him. No matter what I used, be it magic or weapons, it flew through it like it was just mere air.” Horribly annoying air.

“Couldn’t you… you know, just ignore it?”

“That’s the thing,” I began whispering louder. “Every time I did that, it became twice as annoying. I plugged my ears, it sang twice as loud. I ignored its comments, it would start screaming directly into my mind. If I refused to talk, it would begin discussing certain… memories.”

Maximilian grimaced at that last sentence. “I take it back, that’s not terrible, that’s torture.” He shot a quick glance at Isabelle. “So do you have any clue what it is, or what it wants?”

“It must be Gob, otherwise I’m being chased by some shadow that just happened to be as, if not even more, annoying than that little runt.”

“I’ve read about such ghosts before,” Maximilian said, lost in thoughts. “They’re send by the coalition in the east. Harassing dangerous criminals till they are too weak to resist capture.” He was shaking his head. “Though it doesn’t add up. Magic should kill them easily enough. But reading memories… that’s a whole new thing. Countries would kill for something like that.”

“So what do you think?”

“It could be Gob. Hells, if that display at the bridge wasn’t an illusion, but his real power; it probably is.” He looked me in the eye. “The only way to know for sure is to see if that thing interacts with the environment in any visible way. Interactions which can be seen by both you and other people.”

“And if I'm the only one seeing it do things?”

“Well, my friend, then I suggest you keep your new-found insanity under wraps.”