"Are you sure you want to do this?" Samantha's robotically tuned voice crackled in my ears, she was hovering before me, over my outstretched hand, blinking her blue optic at my visor. My Ghost, ever so attentive asked me with every step I took if this was I wanted to do, I would reply with a yes and the air would be quiet for a moment before she would interrupt me again.

"Why?"

"I need to know Sam…" I was nervous, Sam clicked and whirred in thought.

"Some things are better left buried Leana" my given name, the name of a long dead woman, given to her shell to fight the Darkness.

"I NEED to know Sam" the Ghost grew silent, she glanced down at the battering waves that scarred the Shattered Coast, sulfur and acid like water awaited me.

"I'm on standby for revive…" I would smile under my helm, reaching up with my right hand I'd affectionately stroke the smooth metal groove of her mechanical face.

"You always are Sam…" I let my hand drop and Sam remained uncloaked, watching me as I approached the cliff. I heard mechanical clicks and whirls at my back, my handcannon rested comfortably on my hip, the holster worn and used from the years. The tip of my steel toed boot edged the cliff, I leaned over to pure at the waves of water splashing up the coast, I sighed inwardly. Shutting my eyes, clutching a fist in thought. Then I jumped, I could feel the air flow through me, I didn't dare open my eyes the air was pressing into my chestplate, and it pushed into my stomach. A strong vertigo enveloped me and I felt nauseous for a moment, before I plunged head first into the burning acid that was the Venus ocean. My armor, clothes, and skin burned away, as it flowed into my ears I felt it gnaw and dissolve the flesh, it was pure agonizing torture. I ft the fluid force it's way down my throat, dissolving my vocal cords, chewing through my muscle. Through my bones, it ate through my eyelids and suddenly everything went a deep… complete black, I could still feel the acid on me I flailed and wanted to scream.

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I woke up

I sat up with a jolt and screamed, covering my face not knowing what had happened. Suddenly a man bolted into my room he was tall, handsome, strong features and a patchy beard. He had soft green eyes as he moved to the side of my bed, he placed a large hand across my back and spoke, calmly.

"Hey there peach? What's the matter? Bad dream?" Who I assumed was myself, whimpered, I felt the hot tears burning my eyes and a choking sob as I nodded, and spoke in a shaky voice.

"I… I was melting Papa…" the voice that spoke was not my own, I was merely an observer into the memories of the past.

"Oh…. Leana… it's okay… shhh… shhh little one" he rubbed my back and spoke softly to me.

"You're fine love…" I choked out a sob again and looked up at the man, my father, tears welled up in my eyes and poured down my cheeks. He went to stroke the soft curvature of my face, smiling softly down at his daughter, he leaned down and kissed my forehead gently then stood up.

"Want me to read you back to sleep little dove?" I slowly would nod and he'd move to a bookshelf that I had not noticed prior. He'd pick one out, seemingly at random and move over to me the book had no title, in fact it looked like a journal, with real paper.

"There once was a beautiful princess…"

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I woke up

And there I was, back again, staring up at the warm Venus sky, Sam staring down at me with her single blue optic, I felt the grass on my back, the salty sting of seawater.

I was back.

"What'd you see?" Sam asked gently, in my helmet I began to tear up, and I quickly leapt to my feet, staring out over the shattered coast, the waves splashing upon the derelict city. I felt a wave of need wash over me again, I patted the handcannon on my hip and I stared down the same cliff I had just dived from. I took a running start and jumped.

"LEANA!" Sam screamed after me as I crashed into the waves again, the pain intense but not as debilitating.

I'm going home...