ID doubled down, staring boldly past the grizzly accident into the massive eye she couldn't see but knew was there. She felt the bones of Drake's hand and wrist crunch sickeningly in her palm, and his screams were discordant against the whispers of ink clinging coldly to her legs. She'd warned MG, now she just needed to buy a few moments for her to get out of the instant-death zone, or protect herself with her cryogenics.

Moments... how long had it been? Time was getting slippery. It was moving both too quickly and agonizingly slow, and Drake's flesh sizzled in her hand at the effort of standing her ground. Lines and lines of script in some terrible parody of 'language' streamed from the ghastly black sclera of the moon. Droplets of prismatic oil splashed into the rising ink as the sky bled black.

[center][color=92278f][i]What we didn't see... we didn't see it, we didn't-[/i][/color][/center]

A spark, a flame. Electrical fires were bad. A noise, a thought, a scream of [color=#CE2B95][Terror-Dread-Axiety-I'm stuck-Let me out-LETMEOUTLETMEOUT][/color] shuddering through the Manasphere. Fingers sinking into newly born Astral flesh, clawing, tearing- 

[CENTER][b][h3][color=#CE2B95][I'M GONNA DIE-CAN'T SEE-OPEN MY EYES][/color][/h3][/b][/CENTER]

Black uniforms converge on the car, a ripple through the Manasphere, a voice, a call, a question, a [color=7ea7d8][PROMISE][/color], a [b][color=7ea7d8][PACT][/color][/B]. They're prepared for an awakening, but not like this. When she was there she'd seen it as a fountain of [Silver] light. Her [Sight] had been too narrow, she didn't have the right perspective the right... The night sky erupted in [Silver] fire. No. ID's eyes flicked up involuntarily, and she made eye contact with it. Familiar and alien, she was petrified under the weight of its amber eyes burning through the Manasphere like pale moons that were far too close.

A beast that encompassed the sky, the [color=7ea7d8][Moon][/color], the chill pressure crushed every muscle and bone in her body, and she couldn't breathe against the weight... what others felt making eye contact with her, only magnitudes greater. It spread its dread wings, wreathed in [Silver] light that made everything it touched [Sing]. A trickle of blood seeped out of the corners of ID's eyes as it folded and compressed and condensed until the vehicle's driver was wreathed in blinding [Silver], thrashing in berserk fear.

She ripped through the side of the car, and the sheer blind force bent her arm at unnatural angles. She was out. All terrifying speed and blind [color=#CE2B95][horror-panic-SURVIVAL][/color]. The soldier with the tranquilizer rifle unloads. She SCREAMED.

[center][h3][color=7ea7d8][Dragon Roars][/color][/h3][/center]

The sheer [Force] clawed and ripped painfully at the half of ID that existed in the Manasphere until she thought she might black out. The only thing holding her upright was the cloying ink burbling against her abdomen. Four members of the fire team rag doll to the ground. Hard to say if they're still alive. One keeps pumping her sister full of tranq rounds while in a fighting retreat. For a short eternity she's a bundle of unstoppable fury and [color=7ea7d8][FORCE][/color] until one of them ignites a [Null] talisman and the whole street goes dark. The [color=7ea7d8][Silver][/color] light petered out and she staggered a few steps before collapsing.

ID pulled a ragged breath, and closed her eyes and mouth as the ink pulled her under. Was this the [b][color=92278f][Truth][/color][/b]? She'd been there. Lived it. She had perfect recall, and had re-lived that memory many times wondering if she could have done something... anything, if she had just stood her ground. Drake had ripped her away from the surface before she had a chance to act. 

[center][i]If she had just stood her ground.[/i][/center]
 
[center]Never hesitate again. Never [i]run[/i] again. Never [i]back down[/i] again.[/center]

ID felt the ink claw at her eyelids, trying to worm its way into her nostrils and ears, and pry her mouth apart to coax her to drown. All the while she sank further into the black, drifting amongst the discordant choir of whispers all around her. The cold intellect of an alien mind pressed in all around her, forcing thoughts of doubt... betrayal. The [color=92278f][Mind][/color] aspect was a tricky thing... but the best defense was knowing what was real.

[center]... This wasn't real...[/center]

[center][color=92278f][i]Just give up and breathe...[/i][/color][/center]

[center]Not a chance, monster. I can hold my breath for [i]hours[/i]. You better hide in the dark. Everything the [color=f7941d][Sun][/color] touches is [i][color=f7941d]mine[/color][/i].
.
.
[h3].[/h3]
[h2].[/h2]
[h1].[/h1]

[i]Strong.[/i] It was strong.

This might have been a mistake.

Mother was keeping something this powerful?

No... not anymore.

[h3][color=92278f]It was [i]free.[/i][/color][/h3][/center]