"It was you, wasn't it?" Lila's voice echoed through the Psionic plane as she stomped over to Yrix. "You did this to Rena."
"Can't say I know what you're referring to." Yrix teased, sitting at her desk while looking at a report written in a language the girls couldn't possibly read.
There was an audible bit of hesitation in Lila's voice, no doubt caused by the lingering dread she had experienced around Imura. Her frantic gaze shifted over to the desk where Yrix had placed her gift, still shiny and new. It was something she had to refuse, even after what had transpired.
"Don't play dumb." Lila huffed.
The Arch-Flayer rolled her eye. "You've barely had a day to rest up. I wouldn't pursue another adventurous avenue so soon."
Lila faltered, unable to find the commanding words she needed. But her vigor was soon restored as a familiar pair of footsteps approached her from behind.
"She needs our help. Isn't that what you want? More conflict?" Ivy fizzed with confident energy as she clasped her fingers around Lila's hand.
The Earthling smiled in silence, allowing the heiress to take over. It felt good not having to face Yrix alone. Some part of her even felt the soothing relief of fear having been lifted off her shoulders.
"Imura was not one to take any half measures," Yrix replied nonchalantly. "I'm afraid her mere presence has excavated something within your friend."
The heiress glared, clenching her fists. "You mean before I killed her?"
"Yes. Before you killed her."
Ivy's disappointment was plastered all over her face. She wanted so badly for Yrix to be discouraged at her comrade's death. But no matter how much the heiress tried to cope, her tormentor was completely unaffected. Perhaps that should not have come as a surprise.
"Pff." Ivy fumed. "How can you be so calice?"
Lila reached out with her Psionic grasp, pulling the weapon Yrix had made to her side. She had come to terms with what she really needed it for.
To protect her new family.
"Just tell us what to do," Lila spoke calmly, narrowing her gaze as she slung the weapon over her shoulder.
Ivy took a brief moment to examine it, her eyes flickering with a bit of red as she took in all the details. Despite her reluctance to ever compliment Yrix, she had to hand it to the Arch-Flayer. Her craftsmanship was quality enough to be the sort of thing lying around her father's mansion in some glass case.
"I beleive Imura ran you through a bit of it." Yrix stood up from her seat as the heiress began attempting to read her terminal. "It's called the Harrow."
"We saw." Ivy groaned. "Why did you never mention it? You want us to be Psionic warriors, right? It seemed to me to be a form of weapon our kind can utilize."
"I hoped to spare you for as long as possible," Yrix explained, using a more delicate voice. "But your destabilizing minds have escalated things. I did not bring Imura here lightly."
Amidst the conversation, Ivy was doing her best to translate Yrix's screen, given the limited information she possessed. While she lacked the whole picture, the long and short of it was a report. A word appeared within the holographic display multiple times, warning Yrix about something to do with "Infestare".
Ivy had never heard that name before. But something about it seemed to bode ill. She could sense it.
"What do you mean?" Lila gasped, tightening her grip around Ivy's hand.
"Sonera's mania. Rena's guilt. Ivy's shadow." Yrix stated plainly. "To put it briefly. Imura was to prepare you for the new challenges ahead. It seemed she's done a good job."
"You mean the Harrow, Imura's weapon-." Lila stammered.
"Rena has it," Ivy interjected with a hiss.
The Arch-Flayer crossed her arms. "Yes, and unlike your friend Sonera, she is unable to harness it."
"What is it? The Harrow." Ivy implored, showing a bit of desperation to learn more about herself.
"I'd rather explain to all my students at once. But the fact is, until you begin to properly grapple with it, I'm afraid simply throwing more bullets and missiles at you will not suffice. I am a careful teacher, despite what you may think. I want warriors, not broken shells."
Yrix walked passed the girls, waving for them to follow. The moment she appeared within the bedchambers, she took a sharp left towards Rena. There she began to speak loudly, her voice booming within the girls' minds.
"She's infected. The process is not unknown to me. But it can be mastered."
Sonera stood up from her bed, taking a distinct interest in Yrix's words as she drew closer. Lunae followed in suit, seemingly a bit afraid of what could happen next. The Arch-Flayer made sure everyone was listening before she continued.
"I can assist you in entering her consciousness. My student Lila is familiar with the process and its dangers. From there, you may purge Rena of her...condition." Yrix explained.
Everyone spun around to stare at Lila, who seemed bashful and repulsed. It was true that between her and Ivy, quite a lot had transpired as far as Psionic interactions were concerned. Moreover, Lila knew what it was like to be trapped in a dream.
"The process is not too dissimilar to a Psionic bond." The Arch-Flayer continued. "And yes, I know many of you have been pursuing it. Tantalizing as a bond may be, you must be warned. To become one with another Psion can be a...challenging responsibility. It has no shortage of dangers."
Lunae seemed to be the only one unmoved by that statement, as the girls began to look down in fright. As far as she was concerned, Sonera was something she signed up for long ago. The only real challenge she faced in bonding with the girl was the vapid concept of consent that she had recently decided to embrace.
Sonera needed to be ready for a bond. So did Ivy and Lila. How caring of Yrix to warn them, almost as if she were a real mother.
Having felt called out, the girls remained silent, allowing Yrix to continue.
"Fortunately for you, this little expedition will be temporary and supervised. Whoever volunteers will enter Rena's mind, and it will be up to you to face whatever you find inside."
"You bitch." Alia interjected, balling up her fists. "You planned for this."
Yrix shrugged. "Frankly, I'm surprised Rena was the only one. Ivy and Sonera continue to impress."
"How do we start?" Lila sighed. "I can take the lead on this."
"Really? So soon? After Imura left you quivering in your boots?" Yrix chortled. "My my-how brave my students can be."
Sonera raised her hand, signaling her desire to follow Lila. She didn't even care about the secret experience Lila had endured and withheld from the others. All that mattered was spiting Yrix and saving a would-be victim of her evil.
"Just...tell us how it works." Ivy groaned impatiently.
Yrix waved her hand carefully, reorganizing the room. She placed Rena in the center, with a ring of beds surrounding her. All else was cleared to make way.
"You will be put into a slumber in proximity to her," Yrix stated with a tinge of excitement in her Psionic voice. "From there, so long as I direct your minds, you will enter her world."
"But be warned," she continued. "The danger in there is very real. Just ask Lila."
Ivy stared down at the floor in shame. She felt more judged than ever before. But strangely enough, despite her fears, no animosity could be felt within Lunae and Sonera.
They understood hardship in a relationship.
"So." Yrix would have smiled if she could. "Any volunteers? Besides Sonera and Lila of course. My bravest little beans."
The Arch-Flayer really did seem to take pride in her students. That fact disgusted Ivy and gave her all the more reason to raise her hand. Lunae wasn't far behind before Alia followed suit.
"And so it is. The fellowship of the-."
"Hey now." Lila almost laughed, catching the reference. "That's not your story."
It was hard to believe how humorous the Earthing had been not so long ago. Perhaps with a new family at her side, she could begin to harbor whimsy once again. Even Yrix seemed hopeful for that outcome.
Maybe some part of her did care about the girls.
"Well then." Yrix clasped her hands together. "Make your final preparations. When you're ready, lie here."
Lila and Ivy reunited with their friends, standing with them in silent solidarity. To think how far they had come. Once upon a time, they could barely get along.
"Are you really okay with this, Ivy?" Lunae spoke with concern, well aware of how she had compelled Ivy into agreement earlier in the day. "I know Rena hurt you."
"Yrix is the only one who really hurt me." Ivy sneered. "She tried to take you from me. All of you."
"Well, I'm glad we agree," Sonera growled with equal amounts of vengeful malice."I...only hope we can maintain this focus."