In the darkness, Arjana finds herself in a familiar predicament. However, this time is different from the others. Instead of falling, she finally plants her feet firmly on the ground. She looks around, trying to assess her surroundings, but sees nothing. Taking a step forward, she discovers the floor seems to be made of glass. "It's this place again," she remarks, taking in her surroundings. She remembers the last time she was here; piercing red eyes had stared at her. Once more, she stands alone in a dark void that stretches endlessly. "Papa? Papa?" she calls into the darkness. She recalls hearing a female voice last time. "Maybe I should try calling out to her?" Arjana thinks, then hesitantly calls out, "Ma'am? Are you there?" Silence follows. She tries again. "Ma'am!" Suddenly, two red piercing eyes open directly in front of the young girl. She stumbles backward, but a clawed hand grasps her arm tightly, pulling her up. Seeing the woman up close, Arjana is terrified by her pale, death-like skin and a headdress with the moon carved into it. Her long nails are striking, but it's the woman's bright red eyes that are most alarming. "New queen... are you ready?" the woman asks in a raspy voice. Too afraid to object and too terrified to resist, Arjana inquires, "For what, ma'am?" The woman releases her arm, takes her hand, and kneels to her level. "To face the chaos infecting your mind." "What Chaos?" The woman turns away, gesturing to the void around them. "This is darkness. The darkness in your head is much different from the darkness in the world," she explains, standing up and leading Arjanal forward. "Chaos, however, is an infection of unnatural proportions...", she added as she looks straight ahead. Despite her fear, Arjana feels a sense of safety with this woman, who seems to know how to navigate the darkness.

"Ma'am? Who are you?" Arjana inquires of the unfamiliar woman. The woman halts and pivots to gaze down at her, her eyes ablaze with fury. "I see your people have also forgotten about me!?" she growls. "I... I don't mean any disrespect! I... I truly don't know who you are..." Arjana stammers, a hint of panic in her voice. The woman remains still, continuing to fix her gaze on Arjana, until her expression softens. She then looks forward and resumes leading Arjana in silence before finally responding. "I am the Goddess of Darkness, and that is all you need to know..." As they proceed together, Arjana observes images emerging from the darkness. Some images are warped, depicting what seem to be melted figures and statues. Yet, as they pass one particular figure, it portrays two girls attempting to drown a smaller one. Arjana pauses to examine it, and a memory surfaces. "I remember this... My friends, Sukka and Liona, tried to drown me... I was only ten... Sukka and Liona liked a man named Alphies, but he showed interest in me. Sukka and Liona's parents allowed them to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. They dressed as adults, consumed wine, and mingled with older men. However, Papa was strict with me and Monoko, insisting we were children and should remain so until we were of age to ascend the throne. Papa always cautioned me to steer clear of boys, so I never paid much mind; my only desire was to play in the river. Perhaps Sukka and Liona's desire for Alphies' attention was so strong, they would resort to murder..." In the midst of her recollection, another statue materializes beside them, this one depicting Monoko seizing the girls by their necks, his form bathed in a radiant light. "Monoko... He rescued me that day. I hadn't anticipated him confronting Sukka and Liona. At first, I was upset with him for attacking two girls who were younger and smaller than him. But..... he was simply trying to protect me. Sukka and Liona were sent to the dungeons, while their parents had their assets seized. Father informed me that Alphies was executed for his... sick thoughts.," she revealed. The woman fixed her gaze on Arjana, immobilizing her. A tense silence hung between them until the woman lifted her hand, causing Arjana to flinch. "Do not fret, young one. Now is not the time for you to confront the chaos in your life. But once you do, you will first encounter darkness, and hopefully... the light," the woman declared. "Chaos? But why should I find darkness?" the little girl asked, suddenly noticing herself drifting away from the woman. "Everyone harbors darkness; you just refuse to see it that way. You mortals close your eyes to the darkness before you, not the one within. But don't worry, you will understand when you return here," the woman explained as she sent the little girl away. Gradually, Arjana felt herself becoming lighter, and then a burst of light blinded her. When she opened her eyes, a familiar face greeted her. "You're awake!" Izzimar exclaimed excitedly, giving her a big hug.

"...Huh...?"

As Arjana sat up groggily, she noticed she was in a confined space, lying on a bed of blue flowers, Blue Dreams. Feeling a sudden bump, she realized they were moving. Struggling to rise, she saw Birger seated up front, alongside a particular red-headed elf.

"...B...Birger...?", she utters.

Birger swiftly turns to see her, and the tension in his facial muscles eases. With a gentle smile, he finally speaks the words he's been longing to say during the days of her coma.

"Welcome back, youngin'."

The pollen from the Blue Dreams flowers provide Arjana with just enough energy to stand, though she remains weakened from her ordeal. Memories of chatting with Izzimar on their way home from the market begin to surface, but the rest remains elusive. As she strains to remember that day, Izzimar breaks down.

"Arjana, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to cause you to get sick! I only wanted to show you the city and make you happy! Please don't hate me!" he wails, embracing her tightly.

"By the gods, boy, let her go; she's just awakened!" Birger exclaims. "Before you get your horns in a twist, let her speak," he adds, clearly annoyed. Izzimar releases Arjana, albeit reluctantly. "It's nice to see you too, Izzimar, and you as well, Birger." Arjana responds with a warm, tired smile. "It felt like a long, strange dream... I'm just relieved to be awake again," she says, with a mix of hope and sadness. This was the fourth time she had collapsed. 'When will it end?' she wonders, pondering over her illness. "I'm relieved to see you're safe and sound, little one," a female voice speaks from behind, interrupting her thoughts. Turning slowly and cautiously, Arjana sees what seems to be a hornless elf woman cradling an infant. "I'm sorry, but who are you, ma'am?" Arjana inquires. "My name is Frigg," the elven woman replies, gently placing her hand on Arjana's shoulder. With care, the woman embraces her, mindful not to squeeze the newborn between them. "I can't thank you enough for saving my baby, for saving us," Frigg whispers. In that moment, Arjana recalls the elf from the forest, Mr. Avvian Thornbush, who needed apples because his wife had ceased producing milk. Yet, it made little sense; apples alone couldn't sustain a grown woman or aid in milk production. "Just for the apples?" she queries. "Not just for the apples, little one, but also for the food you purchased." Arjana remembers buying a bag of meat and vegetables from Honeyloaf, intending it for herself and her companions. "Wait, you ate the food I bought for us?" Arjana asks, slightly perturbed. "Mr. Bramblewood gave it to us, explaining that since you were unconscious for several days, he didn't want the food to spoil, so he gave us half. But I still wanted to ensure the credit went to the human who earned it," Frigg explained as she cuddled her baby. "A few days!?" The girl exclaimed in a panic. How long had she been unconscious? What had happened during the days since she collapsed? In the darkness, it felt like only seconds had passed. Now she wakes up to find out she's been asleep for days? Her silence caught Birger's attention. "Don't worry, youngin'. I'll catch you up on everything later. Right now, we're trying to reach a new safe place and, hopefully, help you get home," he reassured her.

********

That afternoon, the group decides to pause their journey for a rest. Avvian and Izzimar scout ahead, while Frigg remains with the wagon. Birger sets a fire, despite the daylight, and brings Arjana close to its warmth. He tends to the wound on the back of her neck and questions her about the time she spent unconscious.

"....I... I almost died?"

"Exactly, youngin'."

"What's causing my illness? Birger, do you know?" Arjana inquired, leaning in. Birger reached for his notes, then hesitated. His complexion paled, and he seemed uneasy about providing an answer.

"It seems you were envenomated by a particularly persistent venom, one that remains for months," he disclosed.

Persistent venom? Arjana, though not well-versed in venom, knew that animal venom, like that of snakes, often resulted in death within hours. None of this added up.

"What venom is this? I couldn't have been bitten by a snake; I don't think venom stays for months," she mused aloud.

"This is no ordinary venom. It's far more potent and difficult to eliminate," he said, averting his gaze and prodding the campfire.

His explanations did little to clarify her confusion. Arjana recalled being in perfect health in the Brymshire Empire before her separation. She couldn't recall anything from the time Birger found her, to the invasion of the Brymshire Empire. Was it poison and abduction? But would that result in such a prolonged coma? And why couldn't she remember anything? What venom was coursing through her? Was this part of a sinister scheme to end her life?

Then, a detail from his account of her comatose state struck her.

"You mentioned using a ritual, what kind of ritual?” Arjana inquired,

Birger became hesitant, seemingly reluctant to delve into the details of the ritual.

"Please, Mister Birger, I need to know. If you tell me, it might help me figure out what's wrong with me.," she implored.

Birger hesitated significantly before heaving a deep sigh.

"Alright, Arjana, it was... a cleansing ritual. One that cleanses evil from the body."

Suddenly, Arjana tensed as though struck by lightning. She became mute and seemed lost in thought.

"Evil?"

"Within her?"

"Am I..possessed by that goddess from my dreams?" she wondered. But no, gods don't interact with mortals in such a way... besides, what good would it be for the goddess to possess a young girl? Moreover, she encountered her effortlessly in dreams, which suggests that the goddess was not the cause of her illness, but a result of her fainting spells. None of these seemed familiar, yet her body reacted strangely. Arjana began to panic as a sense of dread overwhelmed her. She felt she should be fearful of something, but she didn't know what.

"What was the evil cleansed from me?"

Birger tensed as he realized Arjana hadn't spoken since he had vaguely described the ritual. They were both trapped in a moment where an enigmatic shadow haunted their thoughts.

The tension was abruptly shattered when Izzimar burst through the bushes, clutching something in his robe.

"Damn it, boy! What are you doing?" Birger exclaimed as Izzimar gasped for air. As he gets a good look at Izzimar, his heart catches in his throat when Izzimar's face is covered in blood as he has a gash over the top of his head.