Octavia must have blacked out momentarily. When she opened her eyes, she saw the blue sky—and two concerned faces. It took a few moments for her mind to recap the events that had just transpired. She recalled that there was some sort of dark energy that engulfed her entire being, and it was unpleasant. It almost felt as if she was being possessed by something evil. It was a given that the tomb would have over a thousand of miserable souls lingering inside of it, but she felt that there was something more. She couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something residing within the tomb; something dark and malicious. It must have gotten drawn to the dark energy of her curse and tried to use her as a host. 

Octavia took a deep breathe and sat up straight, shifting her focus towards Gwen. [color=6ecff6]"I'm fine, there's just something really off about this tomb,"[/color] she replied. Her eyebrows were knitted together in deep thought; she looked frustrated. [color=6ecff6]"This is just mere speculation—maybe even paranoia—but it felt as if something was going to possess my body."[/color]It was just a feeling, of course, and she tried to brush it aside. It seemed like a good idea to get some sleep after the day ends. The paranoia tendencies and the dark shadows under her eyes were only getting worse. She felt as if she was going to go crazy from exhaustion. 

[color=green]"Lady Gwen! Lady Octavia! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"[/color] Pox still seemed to be full of energy, as always. He radiated a warm and positive energy—the complete opposite of her. She almost envied him, but she admired him just as much. If only she could be less miserable and more like him. [color=6ecff6]"Just a bad headache,"[/color] Octavia assuaged his worries with a sheepish smile, but she almost looked embarrassed. She wanted to help them as much as she could, but she ended up getting carried outside instead. That was uncool. She bit the inside of her lip, a habit she did whenever she was embarrassed or in deep thought. [color=6ecff6]"I think I might have injured my ankle, too. It hurts when I walk."[/color] She undid the bandage and examined her ankle. [color=6ecff6]"It doesn't look sprained, but walking on deep sand is straining,"[/color] she commented. She couldn't wait to walk on grass and cement; she was starting to really hate the sight of sand. Maybe she just wasn't meant for the desert, and she wouldn't choose to return if she could help it.  

Octavia was starting to feel homesick, but her journey was just beginning. She joined the Irregulars so she could explore the world and hopefully find a cure for her curse. Keyword: hopefully. A cure for a curse that has been passed down for many generations was unheard of, after all, they have committed a serious taboo and it was retribution. The Crestkeeps married within the family just to keep their family secret safe, but in the end, the estate was raided and they were all killed. As the last Crestkeep alive, she inherited the curse of everyone who had died that day. She was the only one left alive to pay for all of their family's sins, and to make matters worse, their souls haunted her dreams every night. They couldn't find peace in the afterlife. 

It was Octavia's life mission to find an end to the curse, so she could live a normal life and put the souls of her family at rest. However, she knew deep down that it was an impossible feat, and the best she could do was not to give birth to a child, so that the curse would end and die with her. Growing old and starting a family was out of the question, she'd only have 10 years to live at best, but her lifespan would probably be much shorter that that. The thought wasn't all too depressing, it seemed so much better than the idea of living a long life filled with only suffering. 

A long sigh was dragged out of her lips as she shook her unnecessary thoughts aside. She had been losing her focus a lot more lately; a sign that she wasn't getting proper sleep—or any at all. Octavia suppressed a yawn and adjusted her eyepatch.