Chelle finished dressing herself again, back to wearing her simple black robes and gold-ish rope around her waist. The mana-draining necklace was put back over her neck. She pulled a bit of her hair out in front of her. “Can you braid?”

Emily smiled, “Of course, I would love to.” The two of them went back into the bedroom where Emily sat behind Chelle on the bed to braid her hair. Chelle seemed much more relaxed around Emily, but still sent distrusting glances at Lucelle, who was writing at the desk in the corner. “Okay. Fishtail, waterfall, or twist?”

“You know different kinds?”

“Mother taught me a lot.”

“Oh. Waterfall, please.”

Emily began her work on Chelle’s hair. From the corner, Lucelle stole a few glances.

“You do not know how to treat a prisoner, do you?” Chelle said with her back to Emily.

“I think of you like a team member or ally than a prisoner. No one should be a prisoner to someone else.”

“Don’t let that get to you, Emily,” Lucelle spoke from her spot. “You don’t want to be betrayed.”

Chelle turned her eyes to meet Lucelle’s, then looked down.

“That’s rude, Luce-”

“She is not wrong, Emily.” Chelle spoke up. “You do not want to be betrayed.”

Emily slowed her braid. “You wouldn’t do that, would you, Chelle?”

“That is not a very good question to ask someone in my position. Between you and I, though... no, I would not do that to you.” Chelle sounded sincere, but there were differing reactions among the other two. Emily seemed happy with the answer while Lucelle looked worried.

The three of them sat in silence for a while after that. It was completely dark outside and just a couple candles kept the room light. Emily broke the silence with quiet humming. Her humming sounded like a lullaby, probably one that her mother taught her. It grew louder as she continued, and Chelle closed her eyes. A few minutes after beginning, Lucelle had put her quill down. She was sitting back in the chair with her head tilted to one side, just listening. The humming grew into lyric-less singing, at which point Emily was almost done with the braid.

This isn’t natural, Lucelle thought. Why am I getting tired by listening to her? I’m not even in bed...

Chelle had similar thoughts, but was a bit more aware of what was going on. Such an exquisite mage. Without using her hands, her magical power radiates through her voice. Without even thinking, she has been able to enforce this dampening spell on me. She peered over at Lucelle, who was now slumping down with her head in her arms on the desk. Both of us. So powerful...

Emily closed her eyes when finished with the braid. Her singing continued like a siren in the sea, her mind gone into a trance. In the midst of her song, she forgot her surroundings and leaned forward on Chelle. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders and hugged tightly.

I can not handle this much longer, Chelle thought. So... tired...

Emily’s ethereal, yet slightly eerie song drew to a slow end. Lucelle had long fallen asleep and Chelle was on the edge of consciousness when Emily pulled back to lie down. She fell to her back while Chelle was brought down to rest her head on her stomach. Chelle hardly took any time at all to drift to sleep while Emily had time to think. She’s impressionable, she thought. I hope she doesn’t resent me for being the cause of her being caught by us. Was she having a good life before we found her? Is she happy now?

Chelle, in her sleepy state, turned over to lie on her stomach. Her head lied sideways on Emily’s stomach while her arms wrapped around Emily’s waist. Emily gave a nearly silent sigh. I have to get used to this touching. It reminds me of what hurts, but... I know she probably just thinks I’m a pillow and not some piece of meat. Same with Lucelle, I think... Her eyelids became heavy. Will this all go well? Will I get to see you again, Mother? She moved a hand over Chelle’s back. Mm... what did she mean, do I like watching women dress? I guess I do, yet that was a bizarre question. Mother said it was unnatural for people of the same sex to like each other, though. I don’t understand why she would ask of something unnatural like that. With these many thoughts lazily drifting through her mind, Emily’s eyes eventually went to a close and she let sleep take her for the night.

Emily’s eyes flipped open. She felt odd, like she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. Pushing up into a sitting position, she realized that the room was cold and still dark. Lucelle and Chelle were not there, and the door was slightly cracked open. Emily pushed the covers that were now over her to the side and slipped out of bed. Her feet felt icy cold on the stone floor. Wait... smooth, stony floor? Emily looked down. The floor was a pearly black and very smooth. It was unnatural, but fit the overall scene. Emily looked back up and went to the door. She pushed it open to see something that can only be described with two words: The Void.

The world was small yet unending. It was black and white, though it was completely lit up. Nothing could be seen in the area, but there was a looming sense of a presence. The marble-like black stone spread out over a bottomless abyss, leaving little to the imagination. “Why am I here?” Emily asked out loud. No response, just what she thought.

Elektra was no stranger of The Void. She was pulled in a few times over her life, and told Emily all about it. “It is to be feared, Emily. Don’t underestimate it, and if you ever find yourself inside of it, do not- I repeat, do not try to leave. Listen to what it has to say to you and you will return home in due time.”

Emily stepped over the black stone to the edge. She examined the area and listened for any lingering whispers or voices she may not be able to pick up. There was nothing, however. She tapped a bare toe on the stone, then placed it over the edge of the abyss. To her surprise, the stone expanded to meet her foot. She rested that foot down onto the solid stone, then placed another foot forward. The same phenomenon happened. “Just walk, huh?” She asked to no one in particular.

Despite the lack of a response, she began to walk over the abyss and ever-expanding black stone. What will The Void say to me? Will the Voidwalker come give a few words, or is he just a myth? She was greeted with just silence until, out of the blackness of The Void, the stone stopped expanding. Emily was caught off guard and slipped over the edge. She panicked, but couldn’t scream due to the vacuum of The Void. In her falling state, she began to see images in the abyss. It was clear to her now, this was where she would get her message, though what did it mean? The images began in dark hues of red and blue, then faces began to materialize. An elderly-looking man with a greying beard formed in one while the next formation became Chelle’s face. What? Why her? Who is this other person? The falling sensation began to go away and Emily felt a new sensation, like she was in water without the water. She floated weightlessly in front of the images that now became a bit red. Red streaks crossed the faces and they fell into the blackness of the abyss. The world then began to fall apart as Emily suddenly felt herself hurtling towards the ground.

Emily jerked awake in a cold sweat. She was breathing heavily and her heart was throbbing. Still on top of her, Chelle shifted. She reached a hand up and pulled herself farther onto Emily. “Shh, just a dream,” she whispered. It was still completely dark out and it was clear that Chelle was still mostly asleep. After pulling herself up, she rested her head down on Emily’s chest, right over her heart. She whispered again, “You are alright, Emily... Go back to sleep.” She stopped whispering and clearly fell back to sleep soon after.

Turning her head to the side, Emily focused her mind on the corner of the room where she thought Lucelle was. She sent a message out to Lucelle with Psionics, saying, “Awake?” There was no response. Emily rested her head back and sighed, allowing herself to calm  back down. Chelle’s weight was enough to make her feel comfortable, that was for sure. Maybe this time, I will get to sleep through the rest of the night undisturbed. She closed her eyes and, after a few minutes of lying in silence, allowed sleep to embrace her once more.

In hours, the sun began to shine through the windows. Lucelle rose first from the desk. She rubbed her neck, feeling soreness from the uncomfortable sleeping position. She looked over to the bed to see Chelle and Emily cuddled up with the covers over them. Why are you so gullible, Emily? She thought. She was still very unsure of Chelle and wasn’t about ready to consider her a friend, but Emily considered her an ally. Why? Lucelle shook these thoughts off as she got herself ready for the sure-to-be long day. Once she was ready, she went to the door, opened it, and then stopped. She turned her eyes towards Chelle for a few seconds before quickly closing the door behind her.

Chelle awoke with a short yell. She was panicking as she looked around warily. Under her, Emily was stirring awake as well. Chelle dropped down closer and whispered, “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“That uh... I, um... I do not know.” Chelle seemed to have forgotten what shook her awake. It was so clear and vivid in the moment, but like a dream, it was gone as soon as she was alert and awake.

Emily turned over. “Is it time to get up?”

Chelle looked over at the desk where Lucelle was not at. “Guess so...” She backed out of bed and stood straight up. “Nnngh,” she groaned as she stretched her arms and legs. Walking over to the window, she was able to see the bright orange glow of the sun on the forest trees around them. “It is beautiful, is it not?” She asked to Emily, though she was still lying in bed. Chelle turned around. “Emily, do you not think the outside is beautiful?”

“Mm... of course it is,” she grumbled. It was clear that she was not going to be a morning person today. She knew that trips to The Void had certain adverse effects on one’s mind and body, but she never knew what they were. It seems that one of them was complete lethargy the next ten hours or so.

Chelle walked back over and then shook Emily. “Wake uuuuuuup,” she said in a sing-songy voice. “Come oooon, Emily. Why do you not want to get up this beautiful morning?” She turned her over, and then backed up with a scream.

“Hmh? What?” Emily sat up, yet was clearly not aware of the fact that her own eyes had turned and begun to bleed what looked almost completely black. Chelle’s scream triggered both Caviere and Lucelle to burst in the room, revealing Emily’s change to the whole group. It looked as if the essence or background of The Void was oozing out of her. Emily put a hand up to her face, pulled it away, and saw a bit of the thick ooze running down her middle finger.

“W-what is that? What did you do??” Lucelle turned to Chelle in rage.

“I- what? No, it was not me... I woke up- she was like that!” She was backing up in fear as Lucelle began to emit a visible light blue hue around her eyes and hands. Emily looked around, unsure of what to do or say.

“Luce, stop,” Caviere’s normal, low voice and tone snapped Lucelle out of her frustration. “You think she could do something like that? Ever heard of this?” He had walked over and taken hold of Emily’s hand, showing off the black substance. “This is a dark essence. No mere Tracker could bring this into the world. This is not natural.” He let go of her hand and stepped back. “Lady Everlock, do you feel off? Like something is amiss?”

The two women had stopped their one-sided showdown and were now watching the black eye and black tear-stained Emily. She looked around as if to find the words, then said, “Well... yes? I... had a dream of it last night.”

“Dream of what?”

“Uhh... I could be wrong, but... The Void, I think?”

The two others looked worried, but Caviere kept his same, seemingly all-knowing gaze. “You are probably right. I’ve heard tales of this kind of thing happening. Make sure to wash your face off and don’t listen to any voices that pop into your head.” His voice may have shown a hint of playfulness, but it would be difficult to confirm under the circumstances. He turned to face the others. “We set out in less than an hour. Bring only what you need, but do not plan to come back here.” With that, he turned on his heel and exited the room.

    Lucelle glanced at Emily, sent a final untrusting glare at Chelle, and then left the room as well. Chelle stayed still for a few moments, then shakily went into the bathroom to get a rag. She brought it back out and helped wipe off Emily’s hand and face. “It was startling...” she tried to lighten the mood.

    “Mm... I feel sick.”

    “Would you like me to help you outside?”

    “No, I’ll be alright. I just... don’t feel well is all.”

    Chelle finished wiping the black off of her face. The substance seemed to act like paint where it just dried and stained the rag, leaving darkened marks where it laid. “There, all done,” she said.

    “Thank you, Chelle.”

    “You are welcome, Lady.”

    “Wh-why the formalities? I thought you were against us...”

    She shrugged, “You deserve the respect, I would judge. I like it more out here anyways, despite... yesterday.”

    “Oh. Well, you can just call me Emily if you’d like. I don’t know how I feel about the whole ‘Lady’ this and ‘Lady’ that colloquialism yet.”

    “Right... Okay, Emily.” She smiled, “I’m going to go get ready for the day.” She got up once more and disappeared into the bathroom.