Ash swam through the dark energy, but her goal never left her sight. Myles tumbled, as gray claws reached past Ash and dug into her sister's temples. For some reason, she could still breathe even though it felt like she was deep in an ocean. Ash grabbed Myles and turned her forward, but her eyes clamped shut.

“As more and more time goes on, the poison gets worse," Wren's voice echoed around once more. "She won’t fight for you. All she can feel is despair.”

Ash shook Myles, but she only squirmed.

“There’s no hope for you," Wren said. "There’s nothing left but submission. The Colony won. I have won. Now as a mercy, I’ll let you both meet your end together.”

The gray claws dug into Ash as well, grabbing her mind, her heart, her legs. The energy was so great, her arms shook. Every claw hurt each time they dug into her.

“Myles, I need you to listen to me!" Ash said. "We can't let her win."

Myles opened her eyes. They were red with tears, and she kept covering her face in shame.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s unraveling.” Myles whispered. “I’m not strong enough.”

"It's OK to unravel, it's OK to fall apart," Ash said. “But you need to fight. You need to keep fighting! I need you!”

The claws sent a bolt of energy into the Althea sisters, and they both screamed. Myles began to tumble away from Ash.

“You’re afraid. Just give in to it. It’s time.” Wren said.

Ash kept swimming, stronger this time. If she would die here, she at least had to save Myles.

"You already lost, stop trying," Wren said. "Just give in. Let go.”

The sisters reached a landmass, with a steep cliff. Myles almost fell off immediately, but Ash grabbed her at the last second.

"I'm not letting you go!" Ash said.

A fire in Myles' eyes sparked a little at that. She didn’t move from the edge of the cliffside, though. Lightning flashed deep below, as if it begged her to just let go and fall in.

“Keep fighting. Please don’t go.” Ash said.

"I…I’m lost," Myles said. "I can’t stand up anymore. I didn’t deserve to live.” Myles said. “I failed everyone. I've just been a Colony servant since they captured me."

"You didn’t fail anyone.” Ash said.

 Myles buried her face in her hands, feeling another surge from the Elka claws.

"I’m not worth it.” Myles said softly. She let Ash step further towards her.

“I wouldn’t have come all this way if you weren’t.” Ash said. “I wanted to find Ihli, sure, but I wanted to find my sister again, too."

Ash stood beside Myles. They stared down into the swirling storm together.

"I’ll stay with you, right by you wherever you go," Ash said. "But you have to stay with me.”

The claws were starting to pull Myles in. If she fell into the massive storm, there’s no way she could ever get out. Myles tried to keep herself grounded against the forces from below.

“I'm begging you," Ash said. "With everything I have, with any strength I have, to stay. Please, stay here with me, and keep fighting. I need you.”

“I’m too weak.” Myles said.

Ash gripped Myles' hands more tightly.

"You’ve been fighting them for so long," Ash said. "Even without Wren's attack I'd get feeling despair. I'd understand the crushing feeling that this will never get better. I get it just living under the Colony. But I just need you to fight this a little longer. Remember when I asked you if it gets better?"

"Things get better, right?" Myles asked weakly, her voice strained just like Ash's was when she asked her sister that question.

"I  know right now it doesn't look like it," Ash said. "But...we're gonna make it through this. We have to. Things will get better."

Myles took a deep breath, and took Ash's hand as she helped her to her feet. Some of the claws in Myles' mind fell off, like a lock that was broken. Her eyes seemed to brighten. Myles started to tear at the ones in her mind, with a resolve that Ash had only ever seen in her. After she tore the last one out, she pulled closer to Ash, pushing them away from the edge. As if in response, the claws in Ash's mind got worse.

“Ash…” Myles said.

Myles could see the claws in her sister now.

“You’re fighting too. I won’t leave you either.” Myles said. “I promise I won’t leave you.”

For so long, Ash was so used to just hiding this pain, but she couldn’t hide it now.

"You’re OK. I’m here.” Myles said, rubbing Ash's back. “You’re right. We can’t give up.”

Myles gave Ash a genuine smile strong enough to destroy the sorrow surrounding them. That determined grin greeted me once more.

“I’m so scared," Ash said.

“I am too," Myles said. "Terrified beyond anything I've ever seen. But we can’t let her win here. Together, we’re stronger than her.”

They looked around for anything that could be a way out. A faint glow in the distance grew closer. As the shape became more clearly, Ash realized what she was looking at.

"Esther!" Ash shouted. "It's Esther!"

Esther swam forward, Ihli's blade lighting the way. She held onto Charmaine. The two landed on the cliff and the group embraced. Even if Charmaine had never met Myles, it felt like they all knew each other like old friends.

"I hope you two have a way out of here," Myles said.

"I think we just have to hold out here," Esther said. "This place is falling apart."

The cracks now formed all around them. The shadows crumbled, falling around them like glass. They survived Wren's despair. They returned to the stage room, but the darkness was rapidly leaving.

"Where's Wren?" Esther asked.

The Captain was curiously absent. A cold laugh came from the retreating shadows.

“So, you managed to escape…interesting," Wren said. "Very interesting."

"Show yourself, coward!" Charmaine yelled.

"I thank you for a fun time today, but I will have to leave you disappointed," Wren said. "But for today, you've given me such an intriguing performance, I need time to reflect..."

"You're running away?" Ash said.

"Like I said, coward!" Charmaine said.

Wren's cold laugh sent a chill down Ash's spine.

"This goes far beyond anything you can understand," Wren said. "But I thank you for entertaining me with our little game today. I've learned a great deal about you, and our friend Raytris. Important research for my work. And don't worry, I'll still kill you someday. I keep my promises."

She laughed more as the shadows left, and the room grew very quiet.

"She's gone," Esther said.

"I didn't understand any of that," Ash said. "But we made it, right?"

The fortress started to shake.

"Don't be so sure," Myles said. "We have to get out of here!"

The wall containing the only way out collapsed.

"How?" Esther asked.

As the group tried to think of any solution, something burst from the ceiling. It was Serril, who quickly flew down, scooping the four up and flying away, moments before the ground fell out from under them.

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