A red light turned off and on, enlightening a very small area around it, outshined by the blue light coming from the vats around it. An almost unbearable noise was coming from under it. A beep every second or two, unceasing and seemingly unstoppable.

“Are the charges almost set?” Melora asked out, observing her escort planting the last of the explosives. She received a simple nod and with it she moved towards the exit, stopping and leaning outside, making sure nobody was coming for her.

Then she heard it, a terrible noise, one of metal being ripped apart, screams closing in towards her position. “Prepare, we have something incoming.” She turned to the Marines to warn them, but it was in vain.

The screeching came closer and then it crashed into the wall on Melora’s left, creating a large hole in it and crashing into a dozen vats, either pushing away the Marines or crushing them below the wreckage.

Then the red light was crushed and a ball of fire emerged from below it, throwing Melora into the hallway, hitting her back against the wall.

The door closed itself and a hull breach alarm was going on, making Melora feel even more disoriented, the ringing from the explosion, the lights, the alarms and the obscured figure moving towards her.

Her eyes went wide and she grabbed for her sidearm, but before she could point at the approaching threat it grabbed her by the wrist and raised her up into the air.

Its maw opened and it seemed to try and say something, but Melora couldn’t and wouldn’t listen to the abomination before her. She kicked at it with her legs, the alarm became more and more clear.

“Mel-” The voice called out before Melora lost the sense of it.

“What do you want?” She tried to punch at the creature, but she was too slow again.

“Melora, will you calm down, please?” Leferia asked, holding Melora in place so she doesn't hurt herself or anybody else.

Melora stopped fighting. “When, when did you get a body?”

“My brother wanted a fair fight, and fighting as spirits is just not the same to him I suppose. I do agree, ripping his flesh off is more fun than ripping at his soul.” Leferia smirked, or she seemed to.

“You killed my Marines.” Melora’s head became clearer.

“That was the explosives and Keresa, why are you planting explosives anyway?” Leferia answered and turned to face what once was the vat bay, now a hole in the side of the station.

“You killed them.” Melora wanted to punch Leferia, but she was required to… was she required? Yes, yes she was. She would make the perfect distraction. “Shouldn’t you get a move on? We still need to plant the bomb and Elinsys is not responding.”

“Damnit, we are behind schedule. You get in contact with Fera, tell her to move her ass to the Core and plant the bomb, I will clear the way.” Leferia let go of Melora, who fell to the floor.

“And save Kar?” Melora asked, looking up at her.

“I already did that, he, Henera, Rixva and Gelln are moving somewhere around here. I am sure you will run into them. Now excuse me.” Leferia ran down the hallway, following the signs to the Core.

Melora waited until Leferia was far enough, then she stood up and limped back towards the door. She leaned against it. “I will kill them all.”

***

Bea’ti was sitting on her bridge, bombarding the same section of the station again and again, they wiped out the defense systems minutes ago, they already created more holes in the hull than any station should take before they surrender. Yet her orders didn’t change, keep firing. She called the bridges of the Veneration and the Javelin, she was greeted by an officer whose name she never bothered to learn. When she asked about Melora, Fera or anybody else there would be no response. Not even that “goddess” was nowhere to be heard or seen and she loved to torment Bea’ti in the short time they knew each other.

She turned to her second in command, leaning in her chair, holding up her head with her hand. “Any news?”

The officer turned to face her, but Bea’ti’s heart skipped a beat when the officer turned around. Her face...was gone.

She looked around her, nobody had a face anymore, the station was gone too, but she was slightly less concerned about that. The air was cold and heavy to breathe in or out. She felt a thousand eyes observing her, as they slowly opened around her, on the walls, on the floors, on her crew. Each one radiating a soft blue light, looking right at her.

“Leferia, I told you not to do something like this again.” She shouted, she didn’t care if the others heard her, this demon was making her pull her hair out.

“No. Not Leferia.” A soft voice called out from behind her, familiar in every way, but still so wrong.

“Kar?” Bea’ti turned around to face what appeared to be Kar, but he was different, his posture was misfigured, his body mangled in ways which would make Bea’ti have nightmares. “Leferia stop this.”

“Why didn’t you save me?” Kar asked.

Bea’ti looked around, for some way out of this nightmare, but she failed to spot any. “Leferia stop this instant.”

Kar limped towards her. “Why? It is all I wish to know. Why?”

Bea’ti covered her face with her hands. “Stop this, stop.”

“Only you can stop this. Only you can save me.” Kar gently grasped her hands and lowered them, leaning in closer. “Only you. Not Melora, not Henera, not Elinsys. You, Bea’ti.”

Bea’ti wanted Kar, she wanted him ever since she was a child, she wanted many things since then:to be powerful, to be respected, to be loved. Her wants often clashed, or created clashes. Kar was the reason her relationship with Melora, who once was her most trusted friend, is now her enemy. He is the reason why she married into Melora’s family, so she could be close to him. She pretended to love her husband, but she only cared about the status she gained by that marriage. Her husband introduced her to people at the Academy, and now she would steal Melora’s dream posting. She wanted power and with it she could have anything she ever wanted.

“Kar, tell me do you love me?” She asked, interlocking her and Kar’s fingers.

Kar smiled. “Of course. I always have.”

“Then why did you choose Melora?” Bea’ti asked and pushed him away. “Stay away from me, you are not Kar.”

“I wasn’t going for that anyway. I just wanted you to see why you need my help. I can give you everything you want, Kar, power and the respect you deserve.” Kar said, but out of his mouth came a dozen voices.

“You are the enemy of Leferia. The one we are here to destroy.”

“Correct, but to me it seems Leferia is the true enemy of yours. Tell me Bea’ti, what will you get out of this?” Kar disappeared into the shadows, replaced by more eyes.

“I will save Kar.” Bea’ti answered.

“Save him, but not for yourself, but for Melora. You will not get any recognition, perhaps the record will show you destroying a pirate station, a pyrrhic victory if any.”

“One day, one day Kar will understand that he should be with me.” Bea’ti said.

“Why not today? Why don’t you receive everything you deserve right now?” The voice asked.

“Some dream you will create for me? No thank you.”

“Not a dream, alter this reality for you, by mortal means.”

Bea’ti looked around. “Mortal means?”

“Oh yes, spies, favours, plots, schemes and so much more. I am a master at it, I possess enough spies in your Empire to dictate your rise not only to a governorship, but to a marriage into a royal family itself.” The voice was sweet and endearing.

“Impossible.” Bea’ti scoffed at the idea.

“I have been awake longer than you think, I already have a royal in my claws, she has organized the hunt for my sister, she has organized the lack of security around these stars, the escape of Keresa before her hanging, the fact you are here today. All part of my grand plan.”

Bea’ti wanted to protest, wanted to shout, but something was telling her to listen. “I find that… unlikely.”

“You mortals find so many things unlikely, gods, demons, magic and so on, but yet here I am. And outside of this ship are my legions, waiting to be raised and conquer this galaxy in my name. Now let me explain what you need to do.”

Bea’ti raised her hand. “Wait. I need to know, who works for you?”

Snickering came from all around her. “Oh no, no. My most important pawn shall not be revealed to you yet. If you accept my offer, I will divulge my secrets to you, after your end of the trade is delivered.”

Bea’ti thought. “What do you wish for me to do?”

***

Elinsys walked into a darkened room, around her was nothing but darkness, the only light was the one coming from the hallway, she slowly walked into the room, weapon ready to fire. “Come on out, Keresa is dead. You promised we would have a conversation.”

The door behind her closed slowly, drowning out the light, the shadows covering Elinsys. A mechanical clicking sound is followed by four blue lines of light, extending from the ceiling past the floor and deeper down below. It enlightened Elinsys slightly, but it allowed her to see the control panel and the railing around what appeared to be a shaft around the blue lines. Elinsys took a few steps towards the panel. “Show yourself.”

The number of lines grew, now eight, then sixteen, then the metal around the lines extended and was raised up into the ceiling, leaving only a huge narrow vat of blue, few bubbles moving within it, a sort of fog was formed within it, obscuring the inside of the vat.

“The Core.” Elinsys whispered to herself, the Core was about the size of a power reactor on a space station, but those weren’t made out of glass. She reached the panel and rested her right hand next to it, studying the buttons and switches. Numbered or with letters, but what they did was a mystery.

“I am so glad we met eye to eye finally.” The voice spoke out, not from before Elinsys or behind her, but everywhere.

“Show yourself.” Elinsys once again said.

“I have.” A red light could be seen coming from inside the vat, Elinsys touched the glass and wiped away the fog, revealing four eyes looking at her, black with red circles deep within them. The rest of the creature was also revealed, it was similar to Leferia, with four wings, two large and two smaller ones, seemingly made out of skin. Unlike Leferia it had horns, many pairs, placed all the way from the top of the head down the back, that seemingly turned into spikes as they were further down the body, ending only when they reached the tail, or tails, it was hard to tell as they were forced one on top the other. It placed its two, clawed hands onto the glass and pulled them down slowly, showing off the rows of teeth which seemed to have no end. “Am I not the most pleasing sight you have seen?” It released an intrusive laugh and the glass vibrated.

Elinsys looked it up and down. “Why are you inside of there?” She felt soothed, as if nothing was wrong about what she was seeing.

The voice just laughed again, this time irksome to Elinsys. “Why are you out there? In the cold? The vats are much nicer.”

“Then why do you keep on trying to leave them?” Elinsys asked, glancing at the panel, her mind pondering what it did, it called to her.

The eyes followed her to the panel. “Oh, interested what it does? Go ahead, flick a switch.”

Elinsys put her finger over the switch numbered three and thought about switching it. “What will happen?” She wanted to switch it.

“Death.” The voice responded.

“Yours, I hope?” Elinsys said, looking around for guards, turrets or anything which could harm her.

“No, no. That would be too easy, nobody important would die. Trust me.” The voice was mesmerizing, something within Elinsys wanted to do it.

Elinsys stepped back. “What are you doing to me?” She looked into the four eyes, glaring deep into her soul.

“The weak bow before the strong, but you are stronger than I hoped.” It smiled. Elinsys learned that opening one’s mouth in that way was considered a smile for Leferia’s species.

“You hoped I would be strong?” Elinsys asked, her mind becoming more clear.

“Yes, one would hope their allies are strong, but not too strong. Strong enough to be useful, but not enough to be a threat to oneself.” The voice answered. “And you shall make a great conspirator for my plots.”

Elinsys looked deep into the four eyes and then laughed as if she was a child. “You and me? Allies?” She continued her laughter, holding herself up with the panel.

“Yes, you will make a fine collaborator. Perhaps even more?” The voice laughed alongside Elinsys, but she quickly stopped.

“Never.” She shouted.

The voice stopped laughing. “Oh, feisty. You remind me of Keresa, but you have zero of her bad qualities.”

“We are nothing alike.” Elinsys said.

“I am sorry, who crushed people under buildings? Raise your hand.” The voice commanded and Elinsys raised her right hand.

Grabbing onto her right with her left hand she pushed it down, forcing it against the panel. The hand demanded to raise itself into the air. “Stop.”

“Not yet.” The voice said and moved the hand over the switch numbered three, flicking it and then releasing Elinsys from its control.

A hatch opened on the top of the vat and a piece of meat slowly floated down towards the abomination inside. It lunged at it and swallowed it, crushing it in between its teeth, a black liquid sprayed out of the maw and painted the blue liquid black. The monster swallowed the meat and lowered itself back down so it could stare at Elinsys. “My gratitude, I was starving, Keresa has been slacking on her meat shipments. Something you shall remedy as soon as you can.”

Elinsys looked at the panel again. “Is that whole panel just for food?”

The voice smiled. “No, it is also for executions, not mine of course. Few have earned a swim with me, they stayed with me. Thank you for asking, Keresa never asked questions, she just obeyed. Do not misunderstand me, a slave is useful, but they make terrible queens.”

“I won’t feed you, I am here to kill you.” Elinsys said, gripping onto her gun. “I hope you enjoyed your last meal.” She raised it and fired at the glass, smashing it into a thousand shard in seconds, the liquid spilling out and pushing her away.

The monster produced a screech and clawed all around itself, before the liquid forced it down the hole, Elinsys smiled as she saw what happened, but then the current pulled her towards the hole too. She kicked around and screamed herself as she was forced underwater and then into the hole. She saw the floor disappear below her and the liquid pushed her down into the darkness.

A claw grabbed her by the waist and pulled her from the darkness, she took a deep breath as the water was finally gone. “Do you wish to die?” The abomination asked, looking down at her, the other claw holding onto the ledge. It pulled itself, and Elinsys, back over the ledge. Lowering her to the ground. “That was brave, but foolish. You should be grateful for my mercy, not many would receive it.”

Elinsy spit out the liquid, it tasted terrible and the aftertaste refused to leave. “Why aren’t you dead?” She coughed.

“Oh? The liquid was just there to allow me to grow, I can survive outside of it, it is a bit cold I suppose, but nothing a god can’t handle.” It was looming over her. “Now… why don’t you let me help you.” It picked Elinsys up by her neck, making it hard to breathe. “I want you to understand, I do not wish to be your enemy. I wish to be your friend, yoru ally, your king. And for you I wish to be my queen.”

Elinsys spat out the last of the liquid right into the voice’s face. Making it close its eyes and wipe away the spit. The claw held her neck tighter and breathing was becoming more difficult faster and faster.

“Someone of your ferocity, bravery, spitfulnes and bloodlust, who better to be my queen? Rule by my side? I just want what is best for you.” the voice said, bringing Elinsys in closer. “Since the day I heard about you, I knew. There was my other half. There was someone worth my time.”

Elinsys’ eyes went wide and she kicked at her captor. Forcing it to let her go, not out of pain, but out of amusement. She fell to the floor, gasping for air.

“Do you think you would be here without me? I made them give you the rank you deserve, I made them protect you from enemies, I killed those enemies and wiped their lines out of existence just so nobody would come after you. I have done so much just to get you and my sister here. I will turn you into a goddess, and then everything will be as it should have been.”

“You are mad, why the hell would I ever listen to you? Join you? Love you?” Elinsys tried to scream, but she could only muster a whisper.

“Because… because… why not?” The voice said, standing over her. “Why would you not love me? Am I not perfect?” It leaned in closer to Elinsys. “You must be blind, to not love me.” The four eyes looked at Elinsys, studying her face closely.

“No.” Elinsys responded. “But you will be.” Elinsys stabbed into one of the eyes with her knife, black blood squirted and flowed from it as Elinsys lost the knife, which was now embedded into the skull of the beast, as it pulled away in pain, moving its claws to cover the now torn eye, the black blood’s stream was never ending. It screamed with voices of hundreds if not thousands as it realized what was done to it.

Elinsys stood up, regaining her footing. “Not so perfect anymore? Just like the rest of us now.” She smiled.

“I will tear you piece to piece and then put you back together, sometimes I shall put someone else's pieces with yours and see what happens to you.” It showed off its claws. “Then you shall learn how beautiful I am.”

“At least you will have something to remember me by.” She put her right hand over her left eye and smirked.

The horror before her screeched once more, unfurling its wings and preparing to pounce on Elinsys, but then a rumbling was heard, coming from the walls.

The walls were torn into shreds as Leferia walked into the Core. “Finally, that took longer than expected-” She stopped when she saw her brother and his missing eye. “Did Elinsys do that to you? A mortal?” Leferia laughed, glancing between Elinsys and her brother. “Really?”

The brother’s breathing started to become more and more frantic. “The traitor has shown herself to my-”

“Oh drop that, this is personal.” Leferia shouted over him. “Me and you, nothing and nobody else. Now come and fight me like a real voidborn.” She raised her wings, showing off their size.

Elinsys wasn’t sure if Leferia was intimidating or trying to taunt her brother, but she knew to back away. As the pair entered a prolonged screaming match she moved back, until she was leaning against the wall.

Leferia stood before her brother, he was taller, bigger and probably stronger. “I see you decided to make yourself fatter, good, more easy to hit you.” She lunged at him, ready to tear him to pieces.