"Are you sure you want to quit?" Commander Aleira asked, looking at Eddin.

He nodded. "I'll be leaving for Hursa in a week. I wish I could continue to assist Elite Enforcer Nahalora more, but I need to focus on making preparations to leave."

"I understand," Aleira replied, nodding. "Thank you for your service for the good of the city all these years." She frowned, looking at the uniform sitting on her desk. "Is there... a reason you've decided to return to the military?"

"I need to finish the service I promised."

"He still has one year left of his five-year agreement," Vania said. "This isn't his choice."

"I see..." Aleira replied. "I hear the war isn't going well, Enforcer Bucktin. Are you sure you wish to return to the force at this time? Surely, you can finish your tour at another time. One less likely to end in your death."

"I received my notice," Eddin replied. He pulled out the envelope from his pocket, seal still unbroken. "I am being called back to finish my service."

Commander Aleira sighed. "I see. Well, I have no power over the military, or I'd offer to transfer your final year of service from army to enforcer ranks."

Eddin looked down at the envelope in his hands, the military symbol pressed into the red wax staring at him. "We tried that; they said no to the transfer request."

"Very well," Aleira said quietly. "Well... I wish you well, then. Try to survive the year so you can come back here."

Eddin nodded, swallowing. "Thank you, Ma'am. I intend to." He pushed the envelope back into his pocket.

"You can still call me Ans'sa," Aleira replied. She sighed, looking at the silver wolf rampant on the uniform on her desk. "The city's going to miss you; we're losing a good enforcer."

"I'm going to miss it," Eddin said quietly.

Aleira nodded, then sighed. "Will you please step out for a moment? Elite Enforcer Nahalora and I need to discuss work; with your resignation, you no longer are privy to these conversations."

Eddin nodded and turned, leaving the room without a word.

Vania watched him leave, speechless.

"Well," Aleira said after a moment of silence following the soft thud of her office door closing. "That is unfortunate and unexpected. I get the feeling, with everything going on, we need him now more than ever."

"I'm... not sure I can do this job without him," Vania admitted quietly. "Especially not with how frequently she keeps controlling me."

Aleira nodded, lips pursed into a tight line. "Yes. We need to make sure you're not alone." She sighed and rummaged around her desk, then placed a scroll on its surface. "We need to assign you a new work partner. This is a list of all the enforcers in the city. Pick anyone, whether they're a captain or a new recruit or anything in-between."

Vania looked at the scroll. She picked it up slowly, fingers running along the rolled edge. She put it back down. "I want to work with Enforcer Bergin Nahlstrom."

"Your original partner." Aleira picked up the scroll and regarded Vania. "Are you sure? I heard your initial partnership ended poorly." She held out the scroll. "You can choose anyone. Don't you want to at least look?"

Vania shook her head. "Since I can't work with Eddin anymore, the only other enforcer I want to work with is Bergin."

Aleira nodded and put the scroll away. "Very well. I will reach out to Captain Ther'rin and Captain Ainhara, informing them that Enforcer Bergin Nahlstrom is transferring back from Merchant Quarter to Lower Quarter Station and being assigned as your work partner."

"Thank you." Vania paused, then asked, "Was Bergin already assigned a new partner?"

"Actually, no. It was decided he could work alone."

"Oh. Well... If he'd rather work solo, then let him. Ask him, before you reassign him. I can work solo, as well. I have Eluri. She's worth two partners." At the mention of her name, Eluri stirred from her curled position on Vania's shoulder and looked around the room, bright amber eyes scanning everything carefully.

"You need a partner," Aleira replied. "You have a power-hungry goddess in your mind who's trying not just to control you, but attempting to rule this entire city. Plus, you've begun succumbing. You need someone on hand, in case you need awakening."

"Eddin trained Eluri to use the de-spell for the charm. And, as for her..." Vania frowned as the woman laughed in her mind, "...no one can do anything about her, anyway."

"You don't need a new work partner. You need to stop resisting and begin working with me," the woman whispered in her mind. "Just relax. The pain will stop if you stop fighting me."

Vania clenched her teeth tightly together and grabbed the back of the chair nearby.

"Vania?" Aleira asked.

Eluri turned and nuzzled Vania's cheek, whining.

"Can you... seal me the way you sealed Rand'din?" Vania asked, voice tight. "Would that contain her?"

"Let's find out," Aleira replied, coming around the desk quickly. She produced a chain with two silver rectangles from her pocket and slipped it over Vania's head, one rectangle settling on her chest as the other settled at her back. Aleira grabbed Vania as she fell, unconscious. "D'merdon Buccareth! Are you nearby?"

Eddin poked his head inside the door. "Yes? What can I—Vania! What happened?" He hurried to Aleira's side and helped her lower Vania into a chair.

Eluri jumped to Vania's lap, pacing and whining.

"She said the woman in her head was attempting to take control again and asked me to seal her."

"So... all senses locked and no way to move or do anything?" Eddin looked at the motionless Vania, worried frown wrinkling his features. Prant scurried up to his shoulder and began pacing like Eluri, chittering and whining.

"Yes." Aleira sighed and reached out a hand to Vania's forehead. She closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them as she withdrew her hand. "Well, the seal is working. It didn't stop the storm goddess from taking over her body, but it has prevented the bitch from doing anything."

"So... what do we do now?" Eddin asked, eyeing Vania. "Could that bitch do something magically to hurt her?"

"Possibly," Aleira admitted. "There's not much we can do against a goddess. I'm a little surprised this worked as well as it did. I think... we should be very careful about taking such measures, and only do this when it's absolutely necessary. It's bound to just piss the bitch off, and we don't need her swamping any more ships or burning any more buildings." She sighed. "And now... we wait. And see if we can see any sign of Vania regaining control so we can remove the seal."

"This is worse than the Mark," Eddin whispered as he grabbed the other chair in front of the desk and moved it closer before sitting down and taking Vania's limp hand. "At least with the Mark, we knew what to expect..."

Prant crawled down from Eddin's shoulder and began pacing in his lap, continuing to whine and chitter.

Aleira looked from Eddin to Vania, then turned to the door. "I trust you can keep watch here. I must see to strengthening our wards, just in case she tries something..."

Eluri crooned and nuzzled at Vania's face as Vania opened her eyes slowly, drawing in a deep breath.

"Vania? How do you feel? Are you all right?" Eddin asked.

"Vania?" Aleira asked. "Can you hear us?"

"Yes, I can hear you." Vania blinked slowly again, taking in another deep breath. When Eddin squeezed her hand, she squeezed back. "I feel... strange. I didn't know that spell would be like being locked in a black room, except in your mind. No sounds, no sight, no smells, no sensations of any kind. It was very strange, to be conscious without having any physical sensations." She looked from Eddin to Aleira. "Thank you. Did it work? Did it stop her from doing anything, or did it only trap me and free her all the more?"

"It seemed to work," Aleira replied. "You never moved from that chair or even attempted to speak. The storm outside got stronger, though; I think we made her angry."

"And who knows if that will work again?" Eddin added. "Ab'bashura seemed to think this 'pest,' as the crone called her, would learn to counteract spells we used against her."

"Yes, such spells are best used in emergencies only," Aleira agreed. "Both for your own safety as well as to ensure she doesn't figure out how to undo it."

Vania sighed, head bowing. "So... I just need to get used to having her control me whenever she wants. Until we find a way to actually get rid of her."

"Unfortunately, yes," Aleira replied, nodding. "Your one and only assignment is to find a way to remove that parasitic goddess from your brain. Go where you need to. Talk to anyone and everyone. Find a way." Aleira dropped the seal chain into a pouch and held it out to Vania. "Take this with you. Just remember—use it only if you must. We can't risk her learning how to overpower it or counteract it somehow."

"How does she use it?" Eddin asked.

"Putting it on will activate the seal. Taking it off will deactivate it—that will need to be done by someone else, naturally." Aleira looked at Vania with a frown. "I wish there was something else I could do for you, Vania. But all I can do is give you time to figure it out. Also, since you've just returned from a journey, you should take today to rest. Tomorrow, meet up with Enforcer Nahlstrom and continue your search. The entire city is depending on you to find a way to be rid of this menace."

Vania nodded and stood. "Very well. Thank you, Ans'sa." She pocketed the pouch with the seal and turned to Eddin as he stood. "Shall we go?"

Eddin nodded and held out his arm to her; she grabbed it, knuckles turning white.

As they once more settled into the carriage, the rain turning to hail pounding on the roof, Eddin looked at her. "You okay?"

"Yes," Vania said quietly. She slowly loosened her grip on his arm and put her hands into her lap. "I'm sorry. I just... didn't want to let go."

He nodded and slid his arm around her shoulders. "I understand."

The pounding hail filled the carriage with raucous sound as they fell silent.

As the carriage drew near to Buccareth House, Eddin ventured, "So... Nahlstrom?"

"Yeah." Vania swallowed, staring forward. "I had to choose a new work partner, since I'm losing you."

"And you chose Bergin. The dream team is getting back together. Good." Eddin nodded. "I'm glad you'll have a reliable, trustworthy partner. It'll help me rest easier in Hursa."

"Despite the rocks under your tent," Vania added.

"Yeah. Despite the rocks." Eddin tried to smile.

"You're gonna be wishing for even my crappy wooden floor..."

"With all my heart."

Vania swallowed, then burst out, "Is there really nothing you can do?"

"Well, I could try asking Eluri to grow to the size of a house and have her eat my legs. I've heard of other soldiers maiming themselves to avoid returning to the front." He frowned as he looked at Vania's aghast face. "But, I doubt it'd work in my case. I don't need legs to be an Animal Wrangler. Gods alive, she could take all my limbs, and it wouldn't matter. As long as my mind is well, I can serve." He sighed. "That was why I had leave all this time. After A'razoru and S'reld'dia died... I wasn't in any shape, mentally, to use my powers. I probably would've got a lot of people killed."

"But going back isn't good for your mental health. You could have a relapse or something. Don't they see that?"

"No. All they see is an underutilized resource for a war they're desperately trying to win."

As they stepped out of the carriage and began to walk up the stairs to the door, hand in hand, Vania said quietly, "I don't like this."

 "Yeah," Eddin agreed. "Me, either."