It was pitch black. Mary couldn't see a single thing.

'Is this the afterlife?' She thought.

The girl could not feel any pain throughout her body. She couldn't feel any wounds either, leading her to believe she was dead or dreaming. Suddenly, she heard a soft voice. One that sounded suspiciously like her own. At least, her voice when she was younger.

"We finally meet."

The young girl looked in the sound's direction. There she saw a bright clearing, full of blue Forget-Me-Nots. Just like the clearing in the forest. In the center were two figures sitting on the grass. One of the black beast, and the other... was her past self.

Mary's eyes shot open. She stared at the young girl in front of her. She didn't know what to do or say.

"Truthfully, I was hoping you would awaken me earlier, but..."

Mary couldn't describe the scene in front of her anything less than eerie. She was confused about who was talking. Both the girl and the beast's mouths were moving. Then Mary saw a shimmer of metal on the two.

Chains.

Both the beast and the girl were chained to each other, and there were chains extending from them into the looming darkness.

The girl, noticing Mary's stare, smiled wryly.

"Ah, you've noticed? It seems whoever saved you limited my power." The voice was now only coming from the girl. She shook the chains connecting her and the beast.

"Who-who are you?! Where am I?!" Mary questioned.

"My name is Therion." The girl, along with the beast, stood up and walked towards Mary. However, they stopped right where the light stopped shining. It seemed like they could not go any further.

"This is your consciousness." She smiled.

Mary gulped. "My consciousness?"

"Yes, your consciousness."

"Ok... so we're in my consciousness. That still doesn't tell what you are." Mary exclaimed. Therion laughed.

"You want to know what I am? Then come closer and look at me closely."

Hesitantly, Mary walked into the light, stepping onto the soft grass. On a closer inspection of Therion's face, she could see her eyes were not human. Cross-shaped pupils, golden irises, and black scleras. Mary gasped.

"Your eyes—"

Therion's smile became wider. She leaned forward.

"You see? I'm not human. Far from it, actually. I've lived for thousands of years. This form is simply one of many."

Before Mary could do anything, Therion pointed at where the green crystal was on the young girl's abdomen.

"I'm a manifestation of the crystal on your body. Innocence."

"Innocence?" Mary put her hand right above her stomach.

"Yes. That is what we are called." Therion stepped back into the middle of the field of flowers.

"We?"

"There are many of us. Scattered all around the world. You just happened to find me, lodged into this beast." Therion petted the beast.

"Then... why do you look so much like me?" Mary asked.

"I simply chose the form most prevalent in your mind." She sat back down.

"You should feel grateful that I have these chains on me, otherwise I would've completely consumed you," Therion said, toying with the flowers.

Mary looked at the Innocence in horror.

"C-consumed me? You mean I would've died?!" Mary shivered. She didn't want to die.

"That's right. It wouldn't take too much time to break them off, but I'll make a deal with you."
"A deal?"

"I won't destroy these chains. Instead, I'll wait until they crumble by themselves. That'll give you time. More time than you would've had."

'More time than you would've had?

Mary felt sick. She could feel the acid in the back of her throat. Her life was in this inhuman creature's hands, and she didn't know how to feel about it.

"On one condition, however. You don't tell a soul about how you can talk to me." Therion smiled.

No matter how kind that smile might have seemed. Mary could feel the malignant force behind it. The bloodlust. Reluctantly, she spoke up.

"Okay..."

If this was the only way she could save her life, then she would take it. If it meant she could see her best friend again, Mary would choose the option.

Suddenly, the ground shook. Therion quickly stood up.

"Looks like you're waking up." The innocence said.

Mary's head rang; her vision became blurry. She yelled out to Therion, who seemed to get further and further away.

"Wait! I still have questions—"

Everything became dark once more.