Mia stood before Ivan's marker, while feelings of regret, despair, and endless heartache ate away at her soul. She knelt before it and grasped it tightly with her hand, tears falling into the muddy grass at the foot of the marker. I'm so sorry. I just- I can't believe this is how things are. If I had thought more or tried just a little harder then maybe you'd still be there. Isaac is feeling better now and I'm afraid we'll leave soon. I don't want to leave, but I don't think they'll let me stay here in the barrier. But still, I just can't imagine us all leaving with your soul in such torment. You really hate me don't you? I don't know what I could possibly do to make it up to you.

Even though clouds still hung low in the air, a couple beams of sunshine broke through as if taunting Mia. It was almost a guaranteeing her that they would be leaving sooner or later. When it hadn't rained before, the clouds were still so clustered the sun never broke through, yet here it was. Briefly, she wondered if Isaac actually had some kind of elemental bond with the sun.

Another voice bounced around in her mind, an answer to her earlier thoughts. You know it's impossible to make it up to me. You know were wrong and foolish. Yet you'll still just leave because they tell you, too. How can they smile and laugh and go on and let you share in that when you're the reason I'm gone?

Mia shook her head in protest. In her memories, Ivan's voice hadn't been so cruel and harsh, yet his spirit sounded so vengeful. No, it's not like that. They just worry for me. It's not like- she was cut off by his snarling voice.

Worry? They worry for you? More like pity and despise you. They pity you for your lack of intelligence and pity you for your stupidity.

But that's just the same-

Don't think about it or try to argue with me like you actually have a working brain. I died, didn't I? Isn't that proof enough of everything I've been saying to you? When are you going to give me the pound of flesh I deserve? You know I can't rest well until my death has been justified.

"Please stop saying stuff like that," Mia muttered through clenched teeth, tugging at her ear, and trying to keep her sobs down to a low volume. After several minutes of taunting, she gave in and simply wailed, no longer caring if she woke up Isaac and Garet in the tent. She hoped they would come running and rescue her from this spiral of horror.

Faint light sparked at her fingertips, but she was unaware of it, digging her fingers deeper into her scalp, ignoring the blood that was trickling down them and coloring the dirty water and even darker color.

-Ω-

Garet and Isaac both jumped out of their sleeping bags at the sound of loud wailing. It was unusual. Usually they couldn't hear anything due to the thunder and heavy rain, but in this light drizzle it was the only thing they heard. Mia's wails pierced through the whole barrier and didn't stop. Isaac and Garet exchanged a horrified look before both rushing out of the tent.

"Where is she at?" Garet cried, worried. "I didn't think monsters could get through the barrier!"

"I didn't think so, either!" Isaac exclaimed, also alarmed at the sound of such agony abruptly awaking them. Has Mia been doing this often and we just didn't hear because of the thunder? Or did I just not want to hear? Even if it hadn't been as audible as this, had she been asking or crying for help and he had ignored it, too absorbed in his own pain? No, deal with it now, remember there's no point in finding something else to beat myself up about. He knew it now, and he would choose to deal with it as best as he could now.

"Isaac, I think she's somewhere that way," Garet said quietly, after a couple moments of straining his ears to determine her location. He pointed in the direction and both realized it was along the path to Ivan's marker.

He gave a curt nod and Isaac took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever condition they might find their upset friend in. "Okay, let's go find Mia." With that, the two determinedly set off in the direction of her cries.

-Ω-

If this went on, Mia feared she might die just from the pure agony. Her throat was raw and stung yet screams kept tearing out of it. Her head pounded and she could smell smoke from somewhere. If she had been more aware, she would have noticed the psynergy that was leaking out of her, unbidden, cackling on her fingertips and singing more of her hair. Her hands dug even deeper in her hair and she felt mud on her face. She wasn't sure when she'd arched all the way over to find herself face down, but it didn't matter. All that mattered, was getting Ivan's menacing voice out of her head. It was the main source of all her pain and misery.

Hands gently pried her own off her head and someone carefully tugged at her, getting her face out of the dirtied puddle it'd been in. She sat on her knees staring at the one who had helped with wide, disbelieving eyes. Large, sympathetic purple eyes met her disbelieving azure ones.

"Ivan?"