Cold; it all felt cold. She could feel too many things, yet none seemed to be clear enough. None flickered in her mind for more than a second.

There was darkness. There was stagnant water. She could feel herself moving, all her being. Something moved at her command, under her will. But… she couldn’t quite feel those things in her own thoughts. Part of her wished for them to move, yet it did not feel right. There were rough walls around her. Her eyes could see their bloody hues, red and black. She continued to move, swimming slowly through.

Her empty eyes soon glanced up, her shadow halting upon the mouth of the cold ruins. Above, over the black seaweed, there was light. Something deep inside her commanded, seeming to bring desires. And so, her tail moved once more, her figure dragging the dress of seaweed behind, tangling with each inch of water, reaching for any surface.

Soon, she rose higher, finally out of that dark chasm, leaving the depths. Part of her whispered with indulgence, a flow of ease soothing her all through. There were more calls deep in her conscience, beckoning her to keep going. She obeyed, and not only because of the voices. The light above looked… beautiful. Her two egos longed for it. Her red seaweed caressed softly, praising her approach towards the surface. It was compelling her to move, closer, reach the light.

But she could not avoid feeling hesitance. And for it, something seemed to growl soundlessly. Both of them shivered. There was something, stabbing deep.

Something’s… wrong.

The seaweed around her bent sharply, curling up like claws, brushing the air above, almost menacingly. She could only float below the bright light, her now dark eyes reflecting it slightly. The sunlight looked so familiar. It was warm and bright.

Like…

Her mind began to hurt, her neck was strangled. Some air escaped her, her red dress tightening. Yet she still did not surface, not even if she now needed air. She did not focus on the being trying to make her thoughts stop. She ignored its pressure. One of her hands moved, without her even realizing it, lying slowly over her heart. Her eyes narrowed, battling the fogginess, drowning the screams from both of her consciousness.

There was something bright, before.

She reached for those thoughts, clawing her own mind, trying to retrieve them from the darkness.

There were… bright eyes, beautiful colours.

She could hear the waves, but it was nothing like the echoes she could remember faintly. Beautiful voices, warm, unlike the cold one that whispered now.

I wanted to keep that warmth… closer.

She reached for it. She wished. Something was not right. Something was missing. It was gone in her memories. It was only a mere flicker.

Where is it now?

She felt it before. She knew it… and the parasite knew too.

The beast strangled her again, the bloody colour over her skin intensifying. Her eyes lost the small glint that had been there for a minute. Her mind grew peaceful once more. Those bright gazes faded, pulled away, deep, hidden.

I wished…

She got her wish granted, what she wanted. All was alright, she did her part.

All is how it should be.

The seaweed finally let go, no pressure. Her mind was engulfed in darkness once more, gone the light. All hope, emotion and love were gone. All were pulled away from her.

Her head rose once more, this time with no trace of sorrow. There was only firmness. Those azure eyes tangled with that slight red glint. She was determined, remembering long past centuries. Her host was strong-hearted, more than any other before, full of life.

She was resilient, indeed. But the grip was unbreakable, the bond was settled.

A confident smile grew on her lips, her hand leaving her chest to rise for the surface. The feel of fresh air felt so foreign now, she had not felt it in years. Her figure finally emerged, proudly, sure, without hurry. Her eyes sharpened as seaweed drifted all around her, soon reaching for anything that had dared to forget she once ruled.

She reached for anything alive, painting the sea in red.