Veronica's mind was in disarray. Successor? Where is this pce? Who is she?

  "Ah... you are... you don't know? I thought it was quite obvious."

  'What is she talking about?'

  "I'm talking about this all. Where you are. Who I am. Everything. I thought it was obvious."

  Veronica was surprised, it was almost as if...

  "I read your mind? If you want to think of it that way. e, sit." The shade motiohe surroundings ging dramatically, from some form of altar room, to a garden.

  A table and two chairs appeared from thin air. Veronica sat down cautiously, watg, or at least, trying to watch, eaent the shade was doing.

  "You are very smart. Although, you are pretty dense, aren't you? Multiple times, you've missed many hints to... many things. I won't spoil the surprise for you. Anyway, before I answer all your whims, questions and inquiries, I shall ask just one question. How long has it been?"

  "W-What? Since when?" She responded, not knowing what the shade meant.

  "Sihe war. It... No, it isn't known to you... Hm... Let me ge thay question. What year is it?"

  "It's... 1843 of the Mayvar der."

  "Mayvar? You use her name like you know who she is."

  "She? Mayvar was a group of people. The most advanced civilization to date."

  "So that's the game they're pying. Great. Fine. Your questions, one by one."

  "Huh? I mean, okay. Uh... Where am I, or we?"

  "Your subscious. Deep into your mind and soul. When you wake up, a lot of this will feel like a dream. I implore you to remember this though. question."

  "Who are you? What are you? Some kind of... ghost?"

  "I said o a time. Fine... Again, I thought this one was obvious. I'm a succubus, or was. My name is Lilith Odessa."

  "You're my Spirit?"

  "That's what you've taken to calling me? Spirit? The world has definitely ged. Sure, I guess I am."

  "But... why do I just see a dark shade?"

  "Do you realize how difficult it is to ma yourself in someone's innermost subscious when you're dead? That tends to make things a bit plicated."

  "Sorry, sorry. So, what do you want? You're clearly more... aware than other Spirits."

  "Dear, I could list many things. Revenge, lust, eace, everything. Take your pick. But, my ght now is keeping you alive. Speaking of which, do you want the good news or the bad news?"

  "What?"

  "Good news first then. Why did I get stuck with this...? Good news, you'll live a little longer. Bad news, if my magic ever gets over used, the curse will hit you hard, with everything you missed for the past few years."

  "Curse? What curse? I was never cursed! Are you talking about my illness?"

  "It's no illness. Not a disease. It's a curse. And before you ask, no, a priest 't fix it. It's a curse developed by holy magic."

  "What are you talking about!? Why would I be cursed?"

  Suddenly, the world shook, and everything started to colpse.

  "Shit, we're running out of time. I hoped to expin more. Here, take this. We stay in tact. One way, I 't hear you, but you hear me." Lilith handed an amulet to Veronica, who quickly grabbed it.

  "Bye for now, Veronica. And please, do try to level quickly. It's the only- tact- ther." She faded in and out, before everything going dark, and light quickly ing.

  Veronica opened her eyes, her mind fused on what happened. It was all jumbled. It was hard to remember. Wasn't she handed an item?

  'It's not like something from a dream could-'

  In Veronica's hand was the Amulet she received in the dream. And, not that she has time, she exami closely. It was a metallic, circur disc, roughly half the size of Veronica's palm.

  Engraved ial was a thorned rose, with its stem ing around the hilt of a sword.

  For the moment, she put it down, as she had o put it. What was the reason she had it again? It was to... speak to whoever was in her dream again, right?

  Veronica shook her head and hurriedly put in her uniform, and stuffed the amulet in her pocket before leaving her room.

  Something crazy was happening, and it was more than likely, not very good.