I can't move. The pain slowly passes, and so do the people nearby. Saying something along the lines of "Surely, someone will save you?" would be so incredibly naïve! After all, they're slowing down to savor the moment that I pass on.

Perhaps one of them started the fire; waiting for night to come and lull me into sleep. A time where I would be in my 'house'- where I would be defenseless... and where the others could claim "We saw someone running away, but it was too dark to tell."

Everything is so hazy. With my slowly narrowing vision occupied by charred wood and burnt flesh, my consciousness faded while hearing... someone?

Sh- - so b-en. -ap, - child will - - pla- sho- - -cei- - guida-?¹She is so broken. Mayhap, this child will claim her place should she receive some guidance?

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{***** Local}
June 5th, 2013

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[Emergency responders were called late last night by residents of **** District, who awoke to the smell of smoke, and firefighters arrived on the scene in time to halt the spread. Unfortunately, the house burned down and the sole resident, Ly*** **bor****, age 22, perished in the fire. Local authorities are attempting to reach out to her relatives, but to no avail. An investigation as to the nature and cause of the fire began early this morning, and is currently ongoing. *More information on Page 5*]

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Hello there Lyssa. '??? What in the hell...?' Apologies, for time is short and there is much to explain. There is nothing- and I certainly died- yet I can hear someone...

'...go ahead...' Reluctant? Interested? Confused? Calm? I can't tell anything anymore. Even about myself.

You have died. A second life is granted, but currently your being is inhospitable to even your own spirit. You can meld with another host in another thread, for the other options are unavailable to you. The two of you shall become one, and- 'What if I don't want to continue on?' My own thoughts seem... foreign- distant. But I can't focus? Then you will perish. Your spirit shall- for lack of a proper comparison- encase the other's and aid in recovery, crumbling into nothingness once it's purpose is fulfilled. Howe- 'That doesn't seem too bad. I'd finally get peace.' My thoughts? 'Please, let me do that and sl-'

BE SILENT CHILD Everything about me halted, my eyes and thoughts affixed to the dully glimmering outline of a figure before me - the first sight I'd been able to see. You will do no such thing, for all that awaits you there is pain unimaginable to mortals. Silence ruled, and a realization finally dawned on me: In death, someone is trying to help me. I had to DIE, to- Child, as your mind is muddled, I shall accompany you and explain things further to you and your sister another time. Until then, survive. Do not forget that you have the power to do so, and much more. Feeling a hand on my head(?), my hair(?) was rustled. It's... nice.

Only when the hand was removed from my head did my thoughts- my mind, finally become clear. I... died, and now have a chance. There's a lot of things I now wanted to ask, and having realized I am the reason that something probably... no, very likely critically important, wasn't conveyed.

Is this why things never worked out for me? How would I even fix it!?

A force pulled me from below, dragging me down. Only then did I realize that I could open my eyes, and finally see... a fading light as I am dragged into the abyss below me.

***

As it stands she would be no better off regardless of my intervention. Although, once she is reformed...

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Brightness assaults my eyes despite being shut. It is better when I move my hand to cover my face, but there is a feeling... like sunburn? It's painfully burning my hand, but also really cold! That's... strange. This feeling disappears when my body slumps over to the side; I can barely feel it when I hit the floor.

Passing the time slumped over, contemplating all the new sensations, I finally see my surroundings. Or as much as possible, with my face pressed against the floor.

...it is clean. The floor I mean. No burns, scratches, not even any dust? Actually. This is a soft carpet.

Ah, my body. I can feel my body. Nothing really hurts- just slightly sore. A bit numb too, so I can't enjoy laying on the carpet.

Art thou satisfied with thy contemplation? Another voice. This time, a prideful and old-fashioned one. 'Hello?' I try calling out. Nothing else I can really do at the moment. Greetings. A name, if thee would. ... 'Lyssa. My name is Lyssa. And yours?' Envanna should suffice. Pray tell, hast thou been granted knowledge for our state of affairs? Or mayhap thy mind is muddled? 'That... muddled, I guess.' Thee can comprehend, correct? We art two souls, yet share a body. A shallow connection, yet trust for the other is born. Broken apart, yet whole together. 'I...'Nothing. Thou art broken, and so too am I. ...We, art to share mine body, with cooperation as key for our spirits collide for control. 'Can you explain?'What in specific? 'About us... sharing a body...'Hmm... very well. However, I ask of thee to remove thy will from mine... our body. Simply allow for I to envelop thee.

Strangely enough, I feel very comfortable, and happy when talking with her. Trust? I thought I lost that long ago. Yet here I am.

Her 'enveloping' me feels like sinking into a warm bath, without the struggling from needing to breathe or feeling like my face is burning. The heat covers me from head to toe, and makes me feel... fuzzy? Weird. Even weirder is that while I can't physically feel anything right now, it's pretty comfortable.

"Ah, art thou still with this one?" 'Yeesss~' "Thee... thy spirit feels not as an intruder." In my bliss, I can 'feel' that she is moving. Envanna gets up from the floor, moving over to one side of the room while clearly avoiding the sunlight entering through the window. Sitting down, she suddenly begins giggling? 'Envanna?' "Apologies. Thy presence brings this one great comfort and joy. Even though confusion is retained in thee. Shock still lingers, and thy mind mayhap remain numb. Briefly, one would hope."

'Hey Envanna?' She heaves a sigh. "Proceed." 'Who... ah, what, are you?' "An uncouth query." I can see her frowning. Not for long though, as she smiles before- "Time... allies itself with us. 'Know thyself, know thy enemy' was it? Very well!"
"An explanation is due, if thee would'st deign to enlighten this one of thyself."

MrTiemos

As much as I would have liked to release this earlier, it took all of this month for me to write and edit this chapter to this point. Never underestimate the holidays! Hoping to release the first chapter of the other series mid-January. Hoping. Then I'll truly be able to alternate between the two.