The next loop was upon them. It had been roughly twelve weeks since the start of the curse. Twelve weeks of charging the Well. Eighty-four days of killing the same enemies. Nearly three months spent trying to make some headway only to be sent right back to the start each time.

It was beginning to wear on Liv. She was still just as determined, but she kept to herself more, talking to Petra and the Corsairs a bit less. She told herself that she needed some time to recharge. That she would be back to normal after this next day, after this next mission. But the more time she spent away from the Awoken and the other Guardians, the more she ended up speaking to the voice in her head.

Liv knew it was a bad habit. She knew that she was only encouraging it more by engaging with it. She knew that she should tell Petra what was going on, but somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to reveal the voice's presence. She wanted to handle it on her own, yet as time drew on, she began to realize that it was something she wouldn't be able to solve by herself.

She needed more information. That was the crux of it. All this time spent running around with a voice inside of her head and she was still no closer to knowing what it was or where it had come from. And the voice itself sure wasn't providing any answers. She had the feeling that it could tell her quite a bit, too, not just about its origin, but about the curse and the Dreaming City itself. Her conversations with it had hinted at its knowledge, but it would never outright admit anything.

Nothing had been straightforward since Liv had arrived in the Dreaming City. Everything moved in circles and she wanted answers. Light knew the Queen would never give her any, and Petra would be more concerned with getting rid of the vice in her head than with where it had come from. It had become increasingly obvious to Liv that there was only one being she could go to for answers, which was why she was currently on her way to the sanctuary that held Riven's heart.

She wasn't exactly thrilled about seeing the Ahamkara again, but it wasn't as though she had a ton of other options. Rhys had agreed to her plan, albeit grudgingly. He had his concerns, of course, but he had at least accepted that she was going to go through with it. The voice in her head was oddly silent as she approached the door, perhaps knowing that any comments made would only serve to put it on her bad side.

Drawing a breath, Liv opened the door and strode in, shoulders squared. Almost immediately, the air felt heavier, as another presence brushed against her mind.

Riven's words echoed around the space, humming in Liv's ears. "Welcome back, o slayer mine."

Despite having prepared herself for it, it was still a horrible shock to hear Harley's voice again, especially knowing the creature that puppeted it. But she was on a mission and she wouldn't let herself be distracted from it.

Forcing down a reactionary shudder, Liv gritted her teeth. "Hello, Riven," she said tersely.

"What brings my favorite Guardian back? I was under the impression that you no longer wanted to see little old me." The pleased lilt to the Ahamkara's voice told Liv that she was far from bothered about the development.

"I have some questions for you," she replied, "And I'd appreciate some honest answers. If you waste my time, I'm leaving for good."

"These questions wouldn't happen to have anything to do with your little uninvited guest, would they?" Riven's voice dripped with innocent curiosity.

Liv fought the urge to step backward in surprise. How did Riven know about the voice in her head? Her eyes narrowed as a suspicion surfaced. "It's you, isn't it?" she demanded, "You're the one who's been in my head! You've been messing with me all along!"

"Don't be so dramatic, dear," sniffed Riven, "My essence, regrettably, is tied to my heart. I can only speak to you within this space and the Ascendant Plane, where the barrier is thin… No, your visitor is something else altogether, o murderer mine."

Her fists remained clenched at her sides. She didn't trust Riven as far as she could throw her — which, in heart form, was admittedly pretty far — but she didn't think the Ahamkara had anything to gain from lying in this instance. Riven didn't need to sneak about anymore. Still, she found it difficult to take her words at face value.

She huffed. "Fine, say I believe you… If you're not in my head, what is?"

"Very few beings possess the capability to infiltrate a Guardian's mind," said Riven, "Really, my dear, have you no idea?"

Liv frowned. "The Hive-"

"I am not speaking of the Hive. Their magic is far too crude to achieve what has been done to you… This is the work of an Ahamkara."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You mean another Ahamkara got inside my head? How is that possible? I thought you were supposed to be the last Ahamkara."

"I'm the last knownAhamkara," Riven replied, "That is a very important distinction… Humanity's perception of the universe is so very limited. More often than not, it stops at the edge of your own solar system. There could be thousands of my kind still out there, o murderer mine, only waiting to be discovered… But that is not the root of your little problem. The Ahamkara in your head is dead."

A new form of dread settled over the Hunter at the reminder of how powerful the Ahamkara could be. She knew that Riven was unconstrained by death, with enough of a presence to speak and grant wishes. But she had thought Riven alone in that regard. Huginn and Muninn were just skulls with the power to trade items. Neither of them had ever spoken to her.

But maybe that was out of choice and not constraint. Maybe none of the Ahamkara killed in the Great Hunt were truly dead. After all, hadn't she heard of Guardians with Ahamkara-bone armor who claimed to hear voices? But if it was the remains that carried their consciousnesses, that wouldn't explain how Liv had come into contact with her Ahamkara. She didn't wear their bones.

"How did it get into my head?" she demanded.

"I'm sure I don't know, o killer mine," said Riven, "It is not something I've ever done myself. But I can tell you this much — its consciousness is bound to yours."

"What does that mean?" She tried to keep the tremor out of her voice, but it was difficult with how hard her heart pounded in her chest. "How do I get it out?"

"It is exactly what it sounds like, my dear. You and this Ahamkara are connected… As for getting it out, I'm afraid I cannot help you." Riven didn't sound particularly sorry about that. On the contrary, she sounded far too amused by the situation.

"You're enjoying this!" Liv growled.

"I wouldn't say I'm enjoying it… However, you'll have to forgive my amusement, considering that the leader of the Guardian team that killed me is now tethered to an Ahamkara… It's rather poetic."

With another wordless growl, Liv spun on her heel and stalked out of the room. She didn't care if Riven had more information to offer, she was done.

She was also royally screwed. That was the thought that hammered into her mind with every step. She had an Ahamkara riding shotgun in her brain. Liv berated herself for not seeing Petra about it sooner. Hearing voices in any capacity was rarely a good sign, especially for Guardians. But in her stubbornness, she had managed to convince herself that it wasn't worth bothering about. She had told herself that she was better off focusing on breaking the Dreaming City's curse.

Now Rhys was going to say "I told you so" until his voice box gave out.

She almost didn't notice when her Ghost phased next to her, preoccupied with navigating the twisting halls of the Confluence. Surprisingly, he didn't open with "I told you so."

"How are you doing with all that?" he asked, his tone sympathetic.

Liv shot a quick glance at him to gauge his sincerity. "...I'm a fucking idiot."

"I know," he said patiently, "But how are you doing?"

She sighed. "I'm fine… I mean, it's a lot to take in, so I don't think I've really processed it yet. But I'm mostly mad at myself right now. I should have listened to you and gone to Petra in the beginning."

"You should have," he agreed. The words weren't boastful. "I hope that's where you're heading now."

"It is… Better late than never, I guess."

"I hope so."

Petra was busy at one of the comm stations when Liv arrived at her spot in the Strand. She glanced up at the Hunter briefly before resuming what she was doing.

"I'll be with you in a moment, cousin."

Liv just nodded and waited a respectful distance away, not wanting to inadvertently eavesdrop if Petra was on a call with someone. She cracked her knuckles a couple of times and glanced at Rhys. The Ghost had decided to stick by her all the way to the Strand, despite how vulnerable he was in the open. She would never admit it out loud, but she found his presence calming. She knew he was always there in her head, but a certain level of assurance came with being able to look at him. And right now, she needed that assurance more than ever.

The Hunter was nervous. She couldn't think of anything good that could come out of being linked to an Ahamkara, and she was sure that Riven hadn't told her everything she knew either. Hopefully, Petra would be able to shed more light on the situation.

As though she had heard Liv's thoughts, Petra finished with the comm station and walked over, dusting off her hands as she went. "My apologies, cousin," she said, "The comms have been a little finicky lately — strange bouts of interference. But no matter… was there something you wanted to talk about?"

Liv drew a breath, preparing herself. "Yeah," she said. She wasn't really sure if there was a tactful way to broach the subject of "hey so I have an Ahamkara in my head," but she was going to give it her best shot.

"Um, so you remember how I was hearing those whispers a while ago?"

Petra's eye narrowed slightly. "Yes…"

"Well, basically, they got worse," she said bluntly, "And they've been worse for a while. Actually, it's more like I have a voice inside my head. A voice other than Rhys."

"I see." Petra didn't sound very pleased.

"But that's not all…" She really didn't want to share what she had learned from Riven, but she knew she had to. And she would just have to deal with any heat she got in return. "I spoke to Riven earlier…"

"Riven?!" The Queen's Wrath was incredulous. "Why in the stars would you talk to Riven? She's a proponent of tricks and deceit, cousin. She'll look for any chance to twist your mind into making a wish. Even slain, she is still dangerous."

"I know, Petra," Liv interjected, "I led the team that killed her, remember? But I'm not here to talk about Riven… When I talked to her, she sensed the voice in my head."

Petra's gaze sharpened. "Did she know what was causing it? Was she the one causing it?"

She shook her head. "She wasn't, but she said I'm linked to another Ahamkara, a different one. She said its voice is what I've been hearing in my head."

Petra looked astonished. "Another Ahamkara… How can that be? My Queen assured me that the Ahamkara had all been hunted to extinction. Riven was the lone survivor, and now even she too is dead."

"According to Riven, the Ahamkara I'm connected to is a dead one." Liv searched Petra's face. "Have you ever heard of anything like that happening before?"

Petra shook her head, brows furrowed. "There is no precedent for this that I've ever heard… Can you be certain that Riven is telling the truth?"

"Is there any way of being certain with an Ahamkara involved?" said Liv dryly, "I believe her. If she was the one in my head, she would be more obvious about it… Do you know if there's any way to get it out of my head?"

"I'll have to consult with the Techeuns on this matter," said Petra with a sigh, "Until I know more, I can't advise you on what steps to take. But if there is a way to undo this, I believe they can find it."

Liv nodded several times, trying not to look as apprehensive as that answer made her feel. "How long will it take to get their input?"

"I'm afraid I can't give you anything concrete… It will take some time for me to reach out to them, as well as for them to get back to me. Optimistically, I would say maybe by next week."

"And pessimistically?" asked Rhys.

Liv shot her Ghost a glare.

Petra sighed again. "Maybe two weeks… I wish I could get back to you sooner, but the Techeuns are as busy with the Dreaming City's curse as the rest of us."

Liv nodded. "I understand."

"In the meantime, just keep an eye on things… so to speak. If it gets worse, let me know."

Personally, Liv didn't see how having an unwelcome Ahamkara in her head could get much worse unless it started multiplying or something. But she agreed all the same.

"Sorry for not telling you sooner," she said, "I knew you were busy with the curse and I didn't want to add to your workload."

"Thank you, cousin," said Petra, "But you should have told me anyway. As I said, things that whisper in your mind are nothing to be trifled with at the best of times, and these certainly aren't the best of times."

Liv nodded. "I hear that," she commiserated, "And I promise I'll keep you informed from now on." Her lips quirked up. "Keep you in the loop, one might say."

Petra shook her head but she was smiling. "I will not grace that with a response… Goodbye, cousin. I will contact the Techeuns as soon as I am able."

"Thanks, Petra. I'll talk to you later."

With that, Liv made her way out of Petra's makeshift command center and back into the landscape of the Dreaming City. There was still a curse to contend with, after all, and no rest for the wicked.

A/N: Anyone who had "Ahamkara" as their prime suspect for the mysterious voice in Liv's head is a winner. The context for that decision is that I think they're cool and want to see more Ahamkara in-game.

Now the question is what can be done about it?

This fic has been an interesting change of pace for me. It's much more slice-of-life-y than my other ones, which is fun.

See you next week!