“It’s Dark.” Edim muttered bitterly.

“Yeh, I see that.”

“It’s cold.” He added.

Amari sighed, she didn’t feel the cold as much as he, to her the weather was on the warmer side. “If you say so.”

“Do you think we’ll get reprimanded if we’re caught?”

“Edim!” Amari was exasperated. How was a man, who was supposed to be a weathered and well travelled politician be as anxious as he was? “Please! We got a job to do, and I sure as hell won’t be able to focus on this...this thing!” She held the cube up to him and shook it. “If I have to spend every minute consoling you, you’re a grown ass man, act like it! Fuck me…”

“I’d like that.” He chanced, his voice growing ever so slightly more confident.

Normally such a remark would cause her ire, especially from someone like Edim but Amari could see he was trying to humour her. “You’re not my type.” She replied with a smirk.

“But Storm is? He’s probably riddled with all kinds of disease.”

Amari laughed, “Yes, and admittedly that thought is a bit of a turn off. Suave charm be damned.”

With a small thought, four tentacles protruded from her back, instead of the crackling red energy of her corruption these ones emitted a soft, almost calming golden glow. Two of them arched over her shoulders, the others under her arms and pressed to all sides of the intricate cube. Amari’s fingers were on the final two sides. The cube glowed softly, in reaction to her own mana.

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Edim said, but Amari didn’t hear his words, nor his voice.

She heard the voice of another, it rang in her head in a low rumbling tone, accented by velveteen hisses and inflections. <“It issss Am’Aleh, not Ami’Lee. I find it insssulting ssssomeone asss ignorant asss you holdsss my artifact.”>

Amari stopped in her path, she knew the voice came from her head, but she instinctively glanced around, “What the fuck?!”

“Ma’am? You alright?” Edim asked, his fuzzy brows furrowed in concern.

“I’m hearing voices in my head.” Amari muttered, “I think it may have something to do with this.” She gestured to the cube, not wanting to let it go. “We should probably get to the temple sooner rather than later.”

The two made their way through the deserted streets toward the water temple, standing atop a hill. A few soldiers dotted their path, but none seemed to bother them. The sight of a diplomat and a redheaded woman with four glowing gold tentacles protruding from her back wasn’t exactly something to be trifled with.

“It’s here Ma’am, just up these steps and in that bui-b-bui...ah…”

Amari had been focused on trying to unlock the cube, so focused on running her fingers along its ridges and indented lines that she hadn’t exactly been paying attention to the world around her. It wasn’t until she heard the low rumbling voice of the senator that she looked up.

“Excellent work Miss Red. Not only have you worked your way into the enemy's ranks, but you deliver me Terrence Edim on a silver platter. Ah, and the artifact. Lovely. So lovely.” He clapped his hands together as he made his way down the steps. “Or should I say, Baroness Red?” He asked.

The visage of the senator, adorned in plush, red velvet robes was a shock to Amari. “Fordstein? The hell are you doing here?”

He continued down the steps, “Normally, I don’t bother myself with the dirty work, that’s what I hire people like you for. However, word of Terrence Edim and his.... Betrayal moved me just so.” Fordstein pulled out a gun, Amari had no idea what sort it was, but the barrel was long, and its handle seemed to be made out of a polished wood.

Edim’s eyes widened, he turned to Amari, “You fuckin’ tratoirous bi-” He choked on his words. The loud bang echoed in the empty streets around them. The man coughed up a mouthful of blood, his hands gripped at his chest as he staggered forward before collapsing.

“What the actual FUCK Fordstein!?” Amari snapped, bringing her attention to the man who now held the gun toward her. “Do you have any fuckin’ idea what is going on?”

“Sure I do, Miss Red. I’ve won. As we speak feline forces are destroying the Akashiman army.”

“Yeh.” Amari added, storming up the steps, the golden tentacles fading from view as they flickered out of existence. “And there’s also a big fuckin’ tidal wave heading toward us and if I don’t unlock this!” She shook the cube in his face, “In there!” She pointed toward the temple behind him. “Then we’re all dead, you’d be the Baron of nothing. So move the fuck out of my way.”

Fordstein pressed the gun into Amari’s chest as she tried to shove past. It was still hot to the touch from the last fire, and the scent of gunpowder prickled Amari’s nose. “Oh? What proof do you have, are you going to betray me too? Is that wise, Miss Red?”

Amari didn’t have the time for this, but she also didn’t have the time to be shot point blank, Storm didn’t know how to revive her, and if she were shot… Fordstein would just run off with the artifact and they’d all drown. “Look, you can have your stupid trinket after we deal with this tidal wave. You want your proof?” Amari pointed toward the shoreline, a large wave approached the shoreline. “THATS your proof.”

Fordstein glanced in the general direction and shrugged. “Please. Do not treat me for a fool Miss Red. That’s nothing more than a trick of the light.” He pulled back the trigger. Now. The artifact.” He held out his palm expectantly.

“You want it?” Amari rose it high over her head and slammed it into his nose. “There! Now fuckin’ have it!” She heard a snap and her face was splattered with blood as the man crumpled down with a broken nose. Amari bought the cube down again on his head, knocking him out cold. “Dumbass.” She muttered as she wiped her face and stepped over him, heading into the large stone cut temple.