We all emerge from the door. I don't think I need explain that the door disappeared again. do I? well it did.

"Come on Sam, I'll help you with your wounds."

I nod and follow Nikki to a corner where he had set the bucket of water. He rips the brown fabric draping his shirt off and dips it in the bucket before pressing it to my cuts. I wince slightly but let him do so until i feel that we should get back to the others. Thanking him, I hold the replacement bandage and stand, stalking back to the group.

"Now, this is where I must depart from you all." I look to Eris who is still staring at the floor, a slight grin tugging at her lips.

"What are you tal-" Jayne is cut off by a low chuckle echoing from the telikans mouth.

"Like I said, I'd do anything to see my beloved sisters again." My eyes widen as she looks at us, her grey-blue eyes dulling to a white, pupils retracting in size. She raises her hand to catch a large white scythe that had been dropped from the ceiling of the room.

My mind clicks, connecting the dots. I launch myself at Jayne, knocking her away from what would have been a death sentence. Eris laughs once again, her face twisted in a maniacal smirk as she laughs. Floating about three feet of the ground she hauls her weapon towards Nikki who ends up rolling away from the blow, having it barely scratch her shoulder.

Shard lunges forward, grabbing the wood of the scythe, only to be flung off and launched at the wall. She's been knocked out. That weapon is dangerously strong in Eris's grip to make a stenith go unconcious.

I look at Jayne who's staring at her old friend in fear, she's paralyzed. That leaves Nikki and myself to fight and defend.

I chance a glance at the said morpher, seeing her face bundled with confusion, anger, fear, and concentration. Eris made a dash towards me, I was able to duck away from the blow but noticed something peculiar. strings.

I saw clear, fishing line like string reflect light. strings attached to Eris's limbs. I saw eyes behind the glass contacts I once portrayed as her pupils. Finally, I saw something truly terrifying.

A shadow,

a silhouette of a puppeteer mimicking my telikan friends movement behind her. To my knowledge the other can't see this. Only I, a being of invisibility and illusion can.

How ironic.

"Nikki! Get Shard and jayne and get them to a corner where you can protect them till they come too. There's something here that none of you can see."

He gives me a worried look before carrying out the command, gathering Jayne in his arms and hauling her off to the corner Shard hit. I turn back to the obviously possessed Eris.

"Eris, this isn't you. I know this isn't you. You're being controlled by someone and you need to break from their grip. break the strings."

She gives me a rye smile.

"Oh I know I'm possessed! He's gonna give my family and I our freedom once I get rid of you."

This is Eris, she knows what she's doing and is letting it happen anyways.

"But we could all be free if you help us beat the puzzles! We can all see our families, and you wouldn't be known as the murderer that killed two of your closest friends. Remember Jayne and Nikki? They're blood with be on your hands if you just submit to these madmen!"

Eris's smile fades slightly before bouncing back onto her lips, almost as if she's realized what she's doing.

"Eris, I know you can hear me. I know that you realize you're making a mistake. just fight it!"

within seconds the scythe has clattered to the stone floor. I could see Eris's form whipping around, wildly trying to escape the strings she can't see. I see that Shard is beginning to come too.

Swiftly, I swipe the Scythe off the ground, holding it tight as I stance myself. Fidgeting, my fingers rubbing against the splintering wood of the handle. With hesitance, I launch forward careful not to hit Eris full on, I cut the strings. The silhouette has a confused look, then anger before frowning and disappearing from sight.

All traces of its existence with it.

The strings and the scythe both gone.

Only Eris laying in the centre of the room, obvious marks of where the strings held her captive red on her arms and legs. I nervously take small strides towards her unmoving body. Once i reach her I put a hand on her shoulder. Her head abruptly tilted up and locked eyes with me. I froze like Jayne had minutes ago. Throwing herself away from me, she then backed herself against a wall staring at the rest of the group and I.

"I-I, I didn't..."

Eventually, she gave up sputtering nonsense and hung her head in what I believed to be shame. I could see tears run down her cheeks as she silently choked them back.

I look at the others, Nikki is unsure of what to become of all this, Shard is slightly confused mixed with anger, and Jayne is still terrified though i see worry and betray under her glass eyes.

I walk to Eris, sitting beside her.

"I know that you didn't mean for this to happen, though the others couldn't see what happened very clearly I did. Over time they will forgive and forget. I know what it's like to want someone back so badly, you would do anything for them. Stand up, There's no point in crying. This is still your level to complete. You Are an essential part of the team. C'mon."

She attempts a smile only to reveal a slim frown, still unable to make eye contact. I take her hand and pull her to standing.

Now to get ready for the real test.