“That’s an order, you idiot!” she snapped, trying to sound as assertive as possible.

  Lera cast a quick glance over her shoulder and saw that Kelwin was still hesitating. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and he shook his head, then finally nodded, a twitch pulling at his lips.

  “All right then, Hunter Leader Aldred, the Sky Stone still holds. We need to hurry. We march on…,” Kelwin barked, trying to mimic Lera.

  He had always tried to act like her, yet Lera knew he was not broken enough to truly suppress his emotions and fortify his mind against them. At least she had dealt with Diga for him. The Hunter Leader had been quite talented, though a bond between her and Kelwin would only have meant great suffering in the future, especially when Kelwin was promoted one day. Additionally, she did not trust Diga’s integrity as much as she trusted her skills.

  “Hurry up, Aspirant Kelwin. Don’t be such a slacker!” she hissed again over her shoulder.

  Lera had always had to work hard to keep him at a distance. A connection between Exorcists and unit was not uncommon and helped convey experience and knowledge more effectively, yet she would not go through that again. The Guilt broke through her mental fortification once more, and memories of Ai rose within her. Ai had listened to her every word with ambition and diligence, had trusted her, had wanted to become like her… She would have surpassed her easily, given more time. More time…

  Lera had enjoyed being a role model for her Aspirant, a good teacher and… a…

  Now I only have your pathetic pot left, which you always liked to pass around among us in the evenings… I miss drinking with you and the others and being happy, but times change…

  Memories of a mutilated, whispering woman forced their way into her mind. Intestines lay scattered before her, staining her boots with blood that slowly dissolved into shimmering patterns. Ai’s whip, still twitching, then forever stilled.

  No!

  Lera focused, and the images vanished. Only three Nightmares remained, crawling, lurking, yearning for the shield to leave her exposed and defenseless. The Guilt grinned wider, its abyssal eyes sucking her in.

  It’s playing for time. It’s eroding my mind more and more…, Lera thought.

  Still, she would deal with it somehow and then catch up with the others. Surely, somehow, she would manage that.

  Yes, hope was the best weapon. And belief in the Holy Circle… Oh, Goddess Sisona, give me strength…

  At least she would not have to see that little possessed bitch anymore. Lera had almost awakened her during their first encounter, barely keeping herself together.

  I hate you Possessed so much…

  The worst part was that they still seemed partly human. Just people, with nothing visibly wrong with them… until the Nightmare controlling them dropped its mask. She had made that mistake only once, and it was the greatest mistake she had made since arriving in the Dream.

  Cal, I’m sorry… but we didn’t yet know what the Possessed are. It was the first time they appeared… And you were taken from me because of it… Oh, if only you were here. But at least you can’t see what I’ve become. A leader who couldn’t protect her subordinates.

  How could Immesh be so cold about it? About the waking of his Aspirant? She did not know. Dehumanizing and humiliating the two Possessed had not only brought her a twisted satisfaction, it had also helped her control her thoughts and let her darkness out. Never again would she fall for the sweet words that came from the mouths of those already in the grip of Nightmares.

  I shouldn’t have given her the dress. I shouldn’t have rewarded her. I should have locked them in a box, both of them, so interaction was impossible… But I had to humiliate them. To vent my hatred on them. That was good, right? So it doesn’t build up anymore. It’s been there for so long… And pent-up hate is a dangerous thing, especially out here… Still, it helped a little, didn’t it?

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Nothing mattered anymore. Kelwin would deal with the one she had taken with her, and Immesh had likely already vented his frustration and lust on the other. Both young women must have been lucid before they were taken, as the Nightmares within them had managed to alter their appearances.

  The Possessed close to her, now beginning to move away with her head bowed as Lera had taught her, had almost completely red skin by now. The other, the alluring Seductress with Immesh, had to be even stronger. Her markings were sharp and distinct symbols. They spoke of a powerful Nightmare that had marked her and finally invaded her body.

  That meant she was possessed by one of the Deepest. There was too much she could only speculate on, yet nothing made sense otherwise. And the resistance shown by that black-haired amalgamation of Lust… That was Immesh’s problem now. He was ruthless and disgusting, though at least his unit might be spared his temper for a while. Or what was left of his unit anyway…

  A frantic movement from the Guilt tore her from her thoughts. The Deepest crouched down and slammed his hand into the ground. The resulting boom made her ears ring, and she was certain it would have ruptured her eardrums if not for her physical fortification.

  What is it doing?

  Dark patterns grew from the smooth surface at the creature’s decrepit feet and shot out to either side of him.

  At first, nothing happened. No tremor followed the punch, no answering pulse from below. The earth lay quiet and inert, heavy beneath their feet. Then the soil answered.

  Massive walls of rock tore free from below, sending dust and dirt into the air as they forced themselves upward. Stone screamed against stone as the slabs surged higher and higher, rising in violent succession, climbing until they stood like impossible barriers, raw and unfinished, still trembling from the dark patterns that burrowed through them like veins.

  “NO!” Lera screamed, forcing herself not to charge at the Guilt.

  All around her now stood a wall, thick and solid, impenetrable for her hunters.

  She could have melted the stone if she had the time. She did not.

  “You all stay here. I still want to… play…” the Guilt whispered, rotating its head once around its own axis and revealing a dark abyss within its gaping mouth.

  Lera heard Kelwin’s cursing. It was already too late. Her unit was trapped with this monstrosity in what she could only describe as an arena of death.

  FUCK!

  The remaining three Nightmares began to move slowly, prowling around them. The air grew increasingly tense. One of them finally lunged forward and evaporated. A sharp crack echoed, and the Sky Stone shattered.

  Immediately, the Nightmares attacked.

  Lera could not help her hunters. If she took her eyes off the Guilt for even a second, she would pay with waking. The monsters stayed out of reach of her weapon, circling her instead.

  No, I won’t let this happen!

  Burning rage welled up inside her, and she made her whip glow. The weapon twitched, and a red, pulsating arc shot toward the two Nightmares. She could not aim properly, still focused on the Guilt, yet out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the monsters struck by the reddish energy wave, losing its balance with a scream. Glowing spears finished it off, her hunters no longer frozen.

  The other Nightmare dodged her attack smoothly and vanished from her sight. She did not feel it enter the area of her writhing whip behind her, where she had spread her Lucidity, but she heard a familiar hum, now sounding repeatedly.

  Kelwin.

  His angry roars reached her ears from behind, followed by loud cheers.

  Did they manage to destroy it?

  She could not risk looking.

  “What a pity. But these things are useless anyway. Just as useless as you, right…?” the Guilt laughed mockingly.

  Yes. I am useless. I have sent them all to their end. Ai… I can only hope Sisona will return you one day. You as well Cal, I miss you so much...

  Lera felt her mental fortification growing increasingly fragile and knew she could not hold out much longer. The Guilt seemed to grow stronger with every moment it stood before them, feasting on their trauma.

  “Now that the barrier is gone, I could destroy you all. But… I want to have a little more fun…” the Guilt said, tilting its gruesome head.

  As it unleashed mental attacks against her unit, she could only stand by. Screams rang out, paired with pleading cries.

  “No, it wasn’t me, no…”

  “Please, it was never meant to happen…”

  “I just…”

  Lera screamed and sent another arc of embers, this time toward the Guilt. The monster raised its arms protectively, yet was still hurled back by the force of the impact, slamming against the high stone wall behind it. Lera seized the opportunity and glanced over her shoulder.

  Her unit was on its last legs. Hunters lay scattered across the ground, clawing at their own faces until skin split beneath their nails, smearing blood across their cheeks and eyes as if trying to tear something out from inside their skulls. Others were curled in on themselves, shaking and sobbing, grinding their foreheads into the ground as though they could bury the voices clawing through their thoughts. Some rolled helplessly through the mud, choking on broken, insane words, while a few had turned on each other entirely, fists, spears, and daggers rising in blind fury as they screamed accusations that made no sense at all. Comrades struck comrades, convinced they were liars, traitors, heretics, and Nightmares in disguise, their trust rotting away faster than their sanity.

  Only a few still stood upright, those with enough lucidity and mental fortitude to resist. Or those who were guiltless…?

  Not like me…