Meridia’s grip on her staff tightened as she looked on in horror. The village before her illuminating the night sky in flames was her own. Familiar faces glowed a ghastly orange as they feebly attempted to douse what they could. No one seemed to realize that the spread had gone too far, surrounding them all. Meridia, paralyzed, managed to cast a ward around herself as the shacks and residents swiftly turned to ash before her.

Jolting up, she panted, trying to untangle her arms from her sheets. Just a dream, she told herself. The reassurance did little to slow her heartbeat, a frantic arhythmic pounding. Nightmares plagued her every time she closed her eyes. They had been coming more intensely ever since the battle with the Ahriman. None of the others seemed to be affected by the incident and she chalked it up to her own nerves getting the better of her.

Interestingly, perhaps, these recurring fabrications were all distinct. Ranging from a mishap with an Elezen stylist becoming excessively dangerous with scissors to rampaging Goobues devouring her whole, each night had a fresh terror awaiting the young mage. Still, none had been quite as personal as this most recent one. Still, she knew her family was safe. Weekly letters back and forth, each to assuage the concerns of herself and her parents. Yet it was still a jarring experience. The fires were so hot, the screams so vivid. Could a dream mimic possible reality so well?

Brushing the thoughts aside, Meridia walked down to the gathering room. Eira was cooking something pungent as usual, something that Meridia had still not and may never get used to. Surprisingly, Lyne was already up and dressed, saddling a bench and cheering for Eira. She turned as Meridia walked in. “Good meowning!” The sudden shout alerted Eira, who looked up and gave a small wave. Meridia nodded to the both of them and scooted to the other side of the table Lyne was perched at.

“Eira’s cooking something special! We have a big hunt today!” cooed Lyne, eyes barely open from the force of her toothy grin.

“Oh? What…. What are we hunting?”

“It’s a surpriiiiiiise……” Lyne chirped. “You should eat a lot!”

Stomachs full of some mysterious slop, the team set out. It wasn’t long until they arrived at their destination, a crypt discreetly tucked into a meadow, folded up in hilly earth. The aura was hazy but foreboding. Meridia was hesitant to enter. “Come on, Meri!” Lyne chimed, pressing a fist into her palm. “I’ll keep ya safe!” Eira solemnly beckoned as well, and Meridia cautiously followed them in.

The decaying walls looked like they might give way any moment, but that didn’t stop Lyne from tapping the occasional stone, pushing them further out of place. “Lyne..” Meridia mouthed. The sound did not leave her mouth. Lyne hit another, then another, ferociously attacking the walls as they walked in deeper. Meridia tried to stop but something compelled her to continue. Punch, punch, punch. Clunk, clunk clunk. The noises echoed louder than the footsteps of the trio. CLUNK, CLUNK… shlip.

The stone burrowed deep into the wall followed by Lyne’s arm. She frantically pressed her left hand, to another, trying to pry her arm out. It had swallowed up to her shoulder. “LYNE!” Meridia mouthed again with force, still silent. Eira grabbed hold of the Miqo’te, wrenching her back. Lyne’s arm became visible again, cut deep as if fangs were trying to clamp it into place.

Meridia shook herself and rushed to aid as well but she wasn’t fast enough. Whatever had Lyne was alert now and much stronger than her and Eira’s combined strength. The whole widened and in the blink of an eye Lyne had been sucked up inside it, her tail the last bit to go, slurped in like the noodliest noodle.

Meridia dropped to her knees as Eira pounded on the wall, helpless, before turning and slumping against it. After a moment, she turned her head to Meridia, still speechless on the floor. Eira stood and came to Meridia, pulling her up. “Eira…. Lyne was…” Meridia’s voice had returned but she had nothing she could think to say. She tried to summon the words she knew she must, that the two should leave now.

As she attempted to gather herself, though, a rumbling overtook them both. The crashing of stone was deafeningly close and once the dust settled, it was clear that the path they had taken in would no longer be an option for leaving.

Eira gripped a giant hand on Meridia’s shoulder and forced a faint smile. She then turned and started walking in deeper. “Eira, wait!” Meridia shouted. She started to jog to keep up. Eira’s extended gait made keeping pace a challenge. The two delved deeper, going along twists and turns, hoping that the paths they chose were correct. The glow of the lanterns along the walls lessened as they ventured forth.

Meridia was panting, doing her best to follow the Reogadyn, yet somehow Eira was too fast for her, becoming little more than a silhouette in the distance. Meridia shouted after her, but Eira was either too focused or too far to hear the pleas of the Hyur. Meridia eventually lost sight entirely and stood alone, breathless, in the abyssal crypt.

The fear that had been creeping up on her was now fully set in. Eira was gone. Lyne was… She had no one left to turn to. She shrunk towards the ground, gripping her staff tight enough to hurt her hands. And in an instant, she felt calm. Efraim crouched beside her. “What’s wrong, friend?” His voice was warm and soothing.

“I can’t… I can’t do this…” she whispered back.

“Sure you can, Meridia. You are stronger than you know. Find that strength and press on.”

She took a deep breath, exhaling as she rose up again. “Thank you, Ef-” When she looked at the face of her Elezen friend, dread set in. His rotting flesh hung loosely against visible skull, insects writhing beneath the surface.

“You can save us all. I know you can. But you won’t. Just like how you didn’t save me.”

Meridia’s screech bounced down the tunnel walls as she sprinted away from the horrible phantom. She could barely see where she was going as tears filled her eyes and terror consumed her. Ahead, she could just make out Eira and she fought through, pushing herself even harder to catch up. Eira was unmoving in the shadows, waiting. Meridia wrapped her arms around Eira, letting elation set in for a moment. Just a moment.

It did not take long for Meridia to realize something was wrong. The stiff archer wore interesting armor, but nothing that protruded so sharply. Meridia let go and looked down. Piercing through Eira’s body were several spikes, holding her in place. She looked up and Eira’s head hung loosely down, her lifeless eyes fixed on Meridia’s. “No… No no no…” Meridia begged as she backed away. “This has to be a dream… a nightmare… wake up… wake up…” She fell back onto the ground, gripping her head.

“Wake up… wake up…”

Guildmarm Ellie grasped the pink cephalopod creature with tongs and gently pried it away from Meridia’s back. The young mage was shaking in her sleep, chanting over and over, pleading herself to wake. Lyne and Eira looked on over her, each desperate and powerless to help their friend.

“Eira, hand me that jar.” Ellie pointed to one next to Meridia’s bed. Eira grasped it and held it out. “Hold still.” Ellie dipped the tongs and the creature into the jar, creating a sizzling and emitting a mist as it was pushed in deeper. The liquid inside quickly dissolved the parasite.

“What was that?” Eira questioned, staring at the jar she held, the little squidlike thing disappearing within.

“That,” replied Ellie, “was a minute Mindflayer… Which means we have a major problem on our hands.” She placed the tongs on the bedside table and took the jar from Eira, screwing a lid into place. “If one has taken hold of Meridia it means that a Mindflayer is targetting her. If we don’t want to lose her to it, you two will have to find it and exterminate it.”