Kiana gasped as she opened her eyes and sat up. Her eyes struggled to focus as the blurred movement of shapes flickered and shifted about. The commotion had woken Primis - who jumped up with a startle before rushing to Kiana's aid.
"Vhat's wrong? Are jou okay, Kiana?" He asked as his baby blue eyes reflected his concern.
Kiana then turned her attention to the doctor before relaxing and leaning forward to crash her head against his chest.
"They came to me. B-but, it wasn't a dream though, I distinctly remember getting up to investigate. How did I get back here?" Kiana whispered as her eyes stared out in vacant disbelief.
She then looked down at herself before realising she was still wearing her coat as the famas lay next to her - it had not been a dream. It was reassuring that she was not going crazy. Kiana really had gotten up to investigate.
"Who? Who are jou talking about?" Primis enquired as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.
"The voices", Kiana replied.
"But how? I zhought it vas only zhe MPD zhat could do it", Primis replied worriedly.
"These beings have been with Richtofen long before he touched the device, Edward", Kiana explained.
"They've been calling the shots long before he even joined group 935. I just know it", she added.
"But how could zhey make contact vith jou?" Primis mused with a frown.
"Well, you know what kind of beings they are. I guess they can contact whoever they wish. I'm clearly of some use to them otherwise they wouldn't have bothered", Kiana remarked.
"Vell, at least jou haven't made any deal vith zhem zhat jou don't plan to keep... right?" Primis stiffened awkwardly.
"Oh, don't be silly. Of course I didn't. I made sure to let them know what I thought of them", Kiana smiled reassuringly.
"But...", she began.
"Oh no, zhere's alvays a 'but' isn't zhere?" Primis sighed.
"There were more than just one of them. But right at the end one of them spoke to me. It didn't sound like the others. As soon as that being spoke the others immediately fell silent... I think it was the leader", Kiana explained.
"It told me to think it over before making my decision. But there was something insidious about the way it spoke. I felt as if it knew me", Kiana continued.
"Ve'll zhey do claim to be omnipotent beings. I vouldn't read too much into zhat", Primis replied.
"Ugh, I'm hardly going to get much sleep now. Not after all this..." Kiana groaned.
"Ve can just stay up und talk if jou vant", Primis smiled.
"No, please don't sacrifice sleep for me, Edward", Kiana replied as she rested her hand on Primis' shoulder.
She greatly appreciated the gesture. But for some reason, Kiana just wanted to stay up the rest of the night by herself. Her mind had decided on a trip to the juggernog machine since her earlier rambo style outburst must have racked up considerable points. And juggernog was definitely the perk she needed right now.
"I'm just going to go to the juggernog machine... and I promise I'll come straight back", Kiana began as Primis raised an eyebrow.
"I think we've filled our quota of drama for the night. There can't possibly be anyone -- or any 'thing' else that would want to pay me a visit", Kiana laughed nervously.
Primis was far too serious to laugh, though. Deep down, he wondered the real reason why Kiana wanted to go on this night time excursion - especially after what just happened. Was there something she was holding back from him?
"...very vell. But if jou do not return promptly I am going to assume somezhing terrible happened... und I vill come looking for jou", Primis warned - almost with an authoritative paternal tone.
"I'll be fine. I've got my gun, my wits and my good looks", Kiana replied sarcastically with a smile.
Primis tried to stifle a smile before Kiana leaned forward and gave him a hug. He immediately reciprocated by wrapping his arms tightly around her and burying his face in her hair.
"Uh, Edward... you can let go now!" Kiana mumbled against his chest.
Primis jolted and relinquished his hold before shooting Kiana and embarrassed look.
"Aw, I'm just kidding!" Kiana grinned.
"I'll be back soon so you can squash me to death then", she added with a smile.
Kiana began her trek yet again through the alleyway and down into the centrifuge room. As she descended the steps, she saw a familiar red glow emanating from the broken shutters of the juggernog room. After a deep breath, she pressed onwards. Once Kiana got to the last step, she hesitated before stepping onto the floor. But this time, all she saw through the darkness was the writhing of the crawlers as they twisted their limbs towards her.
"Phew, don't want a repeat of that again. Not in the same night!" Kiana remarked to herself.
She quietly walked past the crawlers and continued on through the double doors before making her way up the steps to the juggernog room. As she ascended the step she began to hear that familiar jingle. She recalled the day's fighting and remembered all those points that it would have earned. Surely she would have enough for the vending machine... surely! And so, Kiana soon found herself standing in front of the machine as it played its jingle.
"If you need something to get by..."
The familiar music felt comforting to hear. But there was something which continued to nag away at Kiana. She quickly touched the machine - which to her surprise - dispensed a bottle. Excitedly, she turned around and pinged off the cap on the edge of the nearby window-ledge. She had always wondered what the perk colas tasted like since the guys always seemed to find them disgusting.
After guzzling the beverage; she was surprised to learn that it tasted rather pleasant. She then felt a rush of power take over her body as she immediately felt stronger. It was an awesome feeling!
As she tipped the bottle higher in the air to drain the last dregs of beverage; there was a loud thump from down stairs. Kiana ran back down in the direction of the noise before gasping. Before her stood a dark shadow which hovered above the crawlers as they remained constrained by the thick cord Primis had bound them with. Then, the being suddenly opened its eyes.
"YOU!" The creature growled viciously.
"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A HINDRANCE!" The being bellowed.
Kiana flinched as the creature's shrill voice pierced her ears. She quickly covered her ears with her hands and immediately tried to rationalise the situation. Then, her lips formed the name:
"Samantha? Is that you this time?" Kiana whispered.
"Stupid mortal, do you really think that child is the only being who exists on the aethereal plane? DID YOU LEARN NOTHING FROM YOUR LAST ENCOUNTER?!" The creature hissed.
"No, you know nothing beyond the fickleness of your mortality!" The creature sneered.
Kiana felt her stomach churn that it was not Samantha. But then the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she realised she was gazing into the unknown - yet another being of the Aether. But how did it know about the others?
"Will you not enlighten me then? Being such a stupid mortal as I am..." Kiana snarked back defiantly.
The crimson glow of the being's eyes narrowed as it began to slowly approach her. It seemed to hover over the crawlers as it proceeded forward with its menacing glare fixed on her. But despite the urgent danger of the situation; something prevented Kiana from turning to run. Every time she tried to turn to run her feet refused to cooperate - forcing her to hold her ground. Even her lips refused to part to scream as she watched the creature draw closer.
But then Kiana looked down at the cross around her neck. It began to lift up from her chest as if there was no gravity. The shimmering gold cross hovered in the air as the chain around her neck kept it anchored to her. The being also directed its gaze towards the cross befofe immediately stopped in its tracks.
Kiana lifted her eyes up to the being whose face was now mere inches from hers. Its deadly glare was now replaced with fear - a deep terrifying fear. The cross then radiated a sharp flash of bright white light which suddenly engulfed the room. The intensity of it forced her to close her eyes.
"Y-you foolish mortals! Always hiding behind your pathetic God", The shadowy creature screamed before the light tore it apart.
After a few seconds, the light slowly dissipated and Kiana opened her eyes. Once her eyes adjusted, Kiana looked around to find the creature was nowhere to be seen. Her cross suddenly fell back down onto her chest as her mind tried to process what had just happened.
"Thank you, Lord", Kiana quietly whispered to herself as a calmness enveloped her.
Then, her stomach clenched as her breath hitched. A terrible sense of urgency suddenly overwhelmed her.
"Richtofen!" She whispered in alarm.
Kiana began to make her way to the doctor's makeshift base. Her heart pounded as she worried what she would find when she got there.
As for her encounter, she was going to have to process that later...
End of part fourty-one...