Arachne

 

- Liana -

 

I had a nightmare.
I find myself in a nice bed, and despite the fact that I’ve only a sheet covering me, nothing about myself seems to be out of the ordinary.
Nonetheless, there is this feeling!
Not the normal kind, but as if something terrible happened.
The kind of dread you feel when you jump up in the middle of the night and your eyes fill with tears.
I’ve experienced this a few times already.

First, when my parents got killed by robbers.
After which, I was left on the street until a mage took me in because of my odd hair.
Then again when my master fell victim to a conspiracy about positions in the academy.
That my grades got worse after this was good enough of a reason for them to drive me out.
But things like this can't be the reason for what I’m feeling now, as I have no one who I am this close with anymore.

No, this dream wasn't the same.
It didn't feel like something was ripped away from me.
Rather, it was as if something was slowly and carefully peeled off.
And I couldn't awake from it!

At this moment a terrible thought comes up, but when I look, everything is alright down there.
Yet another idea does arise.
I concentrate on my hand and manage to gather a bit of water.
Without an injury, it's difficult to ascertain if it works still as it should, but I can at least circulate the energy a bit.
Neither one was taken away from me.
But then why do I feel like I lost something important?
Maybe I'm just paranoid?

Right then, I notice someone in this room.
A short distance away from me, on a chair, I detect this frail, white girl.
I wasn't sure if she was a ghost when I first saw her, and she really has almost no presence while she is curled in her seat.

Promptly, I remember what happened after I met her.
The spiders were everywhere!
I am not particularly bad with them; nonetheless, it was a horrific experience.
The others I had just met recently, but something like this shouldn't happen.
They are all dead!
And I don't know how we got away!
I rise up and cover myself with the bed sheet.

 

"Hello? Neri! Can you hear me?" (L)

 

I should first ascertain that she's alright.

 

"Neri!" (L)

"Nghh! Uhh, oh! Oooohhh! Aaahhh!" (N)

 

Is something wrong?
She looks extremely distressed at my call.

 

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! It was all my fault! I didn't want that to happen! I had no other choice! They only allowed this or they would’ve, would..." (N)

 

She is completely panicking.
Her gaze is unsteady and her eyes are tearing up.
Like this, she won't convey anything useful at all.

 

"Neri, calm down! Do you know where we are? Is it dangerous here? If it is, can we flee?" (L)

"Dangerous? No, no it's not! But that is not the point! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" (N)

"Neri! You aren't making any sense! Stop apologizing and then we can start to make plans!" (L)

"No, no, you don't understand! I've done something terrible to you! I don't know how to atone for something like this! Please forgive me!" (N)

 

• "Forgive me!"

 

Ungh!
What was that!
That voice came from inside my head!
What happened?
She said she did something terrible to me.
What could she mean?

I only remember that when the spiders came, I kept her behind me and...
She bit me!

Also, something was wrong with her mouth.
There were spikes poking out of it!

Was that real?
But I don't feel bad or even weak, so what could be so terrible that she is panicking like this?
Neri saw how I held my head when this sudden noise came and now looks distressed.

 

"Alright Neri, can you please slowly explain to me what happened?" (L)

"Ehm, yes. But please stay calm!" (N)

 

• "Stay calm!"

 

"Agh! What is that? How are you doing this?" (L)

"Huh? Doing what?" (N)

 

Her look shows surprise, so maybe she really doesn't know.

 

"When you speak, I hear your voice in my head." (L)

"Oh! No, no, no, no! Sorry! Sorry! It wasn't meant like this! Please forgive me!" (N)

 

• "Forgive me!"

 

"Please, don't hate me!" (N)

 

• "Don't hate me!"

 

"Again! Stop!" (L)

 

She immediately covers her mouth with both her hands to prevent herself from speaking.

 

"Uh, no, sorry! That's not necessary. It wasn't anything you said." (L)

 

What was it?
It came at "forgive me", "stay calm" and "don't hate me".
That's it!

 

"Orders! It happens when you want something from me!" (L)

"N-no, uhh. Sorry. I-I’ll try to keep myself in check. Please... No, don't say it! Just, it wasn't intentional! I didn’t plan this! They left me no choice!" (N)

 

Apparently, she knows something and I really want her to tell me.

 

"Okay, Neri! Now try to focus! Can you tell me slowly what happened and who you are talking about? The latter first I think. Who are 'they'?" (L)

"M-my somewhat sisters. They are dangerous and cruel and... and kill anyone who comes and stays in their territory." (N)

 

I don't know what to make of this.
What can these girls do and what does "somewhat" mean?

 

"Your sisters? But we were attacked by spiders! How can your sisters be responsible for something like that?" (L)

"They... they aren't human! They are monsters! Terrifying monsters! And... and I am too." (N)

 

The last part she whispered quietly and shily, but I heard it.

 

"You are a monster?" (L)

"N-not born one! More recently. It happened when... my parents died. They simply decided to do that to me!" (N)

 

She doesn't seem to be lying.
Her voice is filled with pain and sorrow when she speaks about this.

 

"Okay. Assuming I believe you, what are we talking about here?" (L)

 

She starts to look unsure around the room and begins to shiver.

 

"S-spiders! Giant spiders! Arachnae! They control every one of them! Hundreds of thousands of these squirming monsters!" (N)

 

She hugs herself and tries to calm herself down.
Simply thinking about this seems to be hard on her.

 

"Neri, is something wrong?" (L)

"They terrify me! Spiders are scary, and I don't want them close!" (N)

 

This is a bit surprising, considering she just counted herself as part of the lot.

But if what she said is right...
She said something was done to me, so confirming this takes priority.
I am at the moment mostly confused, yet the fact that she is panicking like this makes it even more necessary that I stay focused.

 

"Neri! Could you tell me what was done to me?" (L)

"I'm so sorry! They said they would kill you otherwise!" (N)

 

Unsettling, but not an answer!

 

"Please, just tell me what was done! This is important to me!" (L)

 

She fidgets, stays teary, and all in all looks absolutely miserable.

 

"They... made you my familiar. Somehow bound you to me." (N)

 

What?!
What are we talking about here?
Mind magic?
Or something like one of those new collars?

 

"Y-you are saying I am your slave now?" (L)

"No! I mean, I don't know. I won't request anything from you!" (N)

"Is there any way to break this magic?" (L)

"I don't know! Kyroki made it, but I think it wasn't magic. It looked like when my mom made me remedies, but not. She looked evil! I think it is more something like a mental link. She said I am not directly controlling you, more influencing. I don't understand it!" (N)

 

This is disturbing, extremely disturbing.
If I understand it right, something completely foreign was done to me, and no one but the one responsible knows anything about it.
Not to mention how to break it.
The only good point is that this girl in her position doesn't look like someone who would take advantage of me.
Nonetheless, I need to know!

 

"Okay... then do it!" (L)

"Do what?" (N)

"Control me! Give me an order to test out whatever it is!" (L)

 

I need to learn how exactly this will affect me.
Regarding what happened so far, it didn’t seem to force orders onto me.
Things like "forgive me" or "calm down" had no effect besides the initial voice.
Maybe because they weren't further pursued, or she was unfocused, but regardless, I need to know what a proper order will do to me.

 

"But I said..." (N)

"I know what you said, but I want to know myself what will happen. Please grant me this! Just ask for a simple thing." (L)

"I-if you say so. S-stand up!" (N)

 

• "Stand up!"

 

Okay, there is that mental order.
Pressing, but no pain or discomfort.

Just very hard to ignore.

 

• "Stand up"

 

Still there!
I can manage to stay in the bed, yet it is straining.

 

• "Stand up"

 

Less like a shouted order, but rather something teasing.
Like when your mother wants you to leave the bed, calls out to you, steals the sheet, and starts to tickle your feet.
An urge that you want to make stop, because you realize that staying in bed isn't sustainable under these circumstances.

 

• "Stand up"

 

God, when will this stop?
This mental mother is giving it her all in this teasing.
Poking me, always repeating the phrase, tickling. 
This is unbearable!

 

• "Stand up"

 

Urgh! That something can be this displeasing without directly attacking your mind.
Like she said "influencing".
A devil whispering into your ear until you think to yourself that this is what you want.

 

• "Stand up!"

 

Good riddance!
Shut up!
I don't want to!
Forget it!

Oh!
Did it end?

I don't hear this voice anymore.

 

"Neri! Did you cancel the order?" (L)

"Ehm, Liana you... you..." (N)

 

Wait!
Why is she so short?

Okay, she is small!
But did she shrink?

No!
That's not it!

I'm... standing?

I hadn’t even realized it!

 

No repercussions, no pain, only a soft and gentle pushing that gets so penetrating that it eventually overwhelms you.
Even if my mind would break completely and nothing of me remained, I might give in to this.
Mindlessly following any order that comes into the hull of mine.

This is really sinister!
Something that sips your very will away.
I already have no intention to fight the next order.
To disobey that one was already so straining!
It feels like I'm close to breaking out in a cold sweat.
But I don't, even though this kind of mental pressure should cause that.

 

"Was that really just one order? You didn't say anything else, or repeat it?" (L)

"No! I haven't said anything else! Was it that bad? I’m sorry!" (N)

 

She seems really concerned.
Maybe I am lucky that she is the one in control of me and not one of the others she spoke about.
There are far too many evil usages for this.

All I can do is hope she proves herself to be as kind as she seems now.