2 Chapter 45: Hello Ms. Crimson

She found herself in a bakery. The small store with various shelves full of freshly baked goods, the scent of which wafted throughout the room. The front counter had a glass display presenting the days specialties with the door to the kitchen located right behind it. A large glass window that revealed the street just outside the store front. Nostalgia filled her broken heart as she took in her surroundings, the welcoming feeling of home bringing her comfort.

Lucilla was in her mother's bakery.

"Hello Sweetie." A voice said from the counter.

"Mommy?" Lucilla called out hesitantly turning towards the voice. There she saw her mother standing behind the counter smiling at her. Her long black hair framing her face at it flowed downwards over her back and shoulders; her brown eyes squinting in delight at the sight of her. Her light brown skin reflected the light of the store as the woman took off her coat, hanging it onto the coat rack in the corner.

"Of course, sweetie." Said her mother, Lucilla Baker.

"No... that's not right. You're dead." A hint of loneliness flashed across her face as she came to this realization. "What is this? A dream? A vision?"

The smiling woman at the counter frowned hearing Lucilla speak. "Now, is that anyway to address you mother?"

"You aren't my mother." Lucilla accused, slightly annoyed. Her mother was dead, and she didn't appreciate someone trying to impersonate her. "You're nothing more than a dream. You aren't real."

"Sigh. This would've been so much easier if you didn't realize this was a dream." Said her dream mother shaking her head in exasperation.

"... What do you mean by that?" Now warry of the person in front of her, Lucilla scanned the room she was in, looking for an exit.

"That doesn't matter Ms. Crimson." The woman spoke, dropping the act. "I guess we'll just talk like normal then."

Lucilla wasn't paying attention to her anymore, she walked to the stores entrance to try and leave. She pushed open the front door and took a step outside, finding herself walking back into the building, once again facing her fake mother. Her brow furrowed at this. She glared at the woman, seeking answers to what was happening to her.

"You can't leave this place that easily Ms. Crimson."

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Who or what I am doesn't matter. What matters is you." The entity said smiling again. "I want to help you."

"Why would you do that?" Suspicious, Lucilla took a step back.

"Don't look so worried. It's just a little thank you." It answered. "You won't be able to wield your swords indefinitely at this rate. I need you to be able to do that."

"...."

"You seem unconvince." The face of her mother sighed before looking back at Lucilla. "You think you're immune to the Miasma, right?"

"Unless it enters through a wound or something similar, yeah." Answered Lucilla.

"That wrong." It said before Lucilla's surrounding suddenly change.

She was back in the Labatory, this time in one of the operating rooms. Standing next to a bored was Dr. Judieth Redwood along with Sable. The both of them looked at her while she sat on the medical exam table wearing the potato sack-like gown she had lived with for half her life. She tried ripping the offensive piece of clothing off her, but all she did was smear the white blood all over it.

"Now then." Judieth started, pointing at a name on the board. "You aren't immune to Miasma, you're resistant. Continued exposer and use will corrode you mind just like Eldon's. He made the same exact mistake."

Lucilla paused on hearing Eldon's name. The reason everyone was so scared of her was because of the actions of one person that has been dead for centuries. "Then how did no one notice then? I'm sure someone that powerful going crazy would-be noticeable right?"

Judieth smiled as Sable continued the conversation. "You would be correct. When he realized what was happening, he asked his goddess for divine protection. He became her apostle in turn."

"So, the God's can protect us from Miasma?" Lucilla asked slightly more interested in what this thing wanted to discuss with her. "Wait, how do you know all this?"

"Anyway, none of that matters right now. The biggest issue is your emotional state." Judieth said, ignoring Lucilla's questioning. "You got blood on your hands."

Lucilla hid her hands behind her back almost instinctively. No one has been able to see her sisters blood this entire time, so hearing Judieth, even a fake one, point it out shocked her. Her crimson eye's peered at the entity, looking for any clue to what they could be. Missing the fact that white blood started leaking from crevices in the walls. The entity eye's flickered to the creeping liquid but made notion to point it out.

"What's you point?" Lucilla asked.

"Despite how... delicious your emotional outburst was... I can't be having the wielder falling apart on me." It answered.

"Why would it matter to you anyway?" The silver haired woman was lost on what this thing wanted and why it would her being able to use her knew weapons would even matter to it.

"You don't need to worry about that right now Ms. Crimson." Fake Judieth clapped their hands together.

The space around them changed once more, with Sable and Judieth combining, growing bigger. The location in which Lucilla found herself in was the throne room of the Arachnea Queen. Standing in front of her the dream entity had shifted its form into that of Anastasia. It looked down at her with the spider woman's crimson eyes.

"Not a lot of males in your life it seems." She gave smirked at her before continuing. "Though interesting this one shows up here. You hardly know her."

"Can you stop changing into people I know?" Lucilla growled, annoyed with the constant shifting environment.

"Sorry, I don't have my own form just yet. I also don't control who I turn into, so sorry for any inconveniences." They responded. "First time I've been fully awake, so I'm still learning to control it."

Lucilla wanted to inquire further on what she meant by 'fully awake', but it started speaking again before she could. "Anyway, you got a lot of Miasma inside you right now, and a very unstable emotion state. I'm going to need you find someone to confide in."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Lucilla growled.

"Look. You aren't alright." It said getting serious. "I can feel that you aren't alright. The fact that I'm awake means you aren't alright. That's bad."

"Negative emotions while not inherently bad, isn't good in large amounts. Especially when you're dealing with Miasma." It continued. "If you want to help those you have left, you need to find someone to confide with."

The monster woman fell silent as she pondered the fake Anastasia's words. She raised her hand to touch her scar before stopping herself, instead looked at the white blood dripping from them. When she laid eyes on them, the cervices within the room started leaking the white liquid. She watched as a trail rolled down her palm and arm before disappearing into her coats sleeve.

"So, who do you suggest I talk to?" She asked with a whisper.

"Well, that's for you to choose." It answered with a smirk before leaning forwards, to meet Lucilla at eye level. "Though I think you already have an idea on who."

"Wait, what about the divine blessing who do I-" Before Lucilla could ask about the Celestials, she found herself being dragged into the thin pool of blood that had covered the floor without her realizing.

"Looks like time is up. We won't be able to speak for a while, so good luck and have fun." Dream Anastasia said waving goodbye, as Lucilla's head was pulled under.

_________________________

"Wait!" Sitting up suddenly, the silver haired woman called out into the night.

She looked around the dark room in a daze. The soft silky sheets wrapped around her in a warm embrace. Her chest rapidly moving up and down as she tried to catch her breath and get a read on what was going happening. Planting her hand next to her to lean on, she realized her swords were in the bed with her.

"What... what just happened?" Lucilla felt like she just had witnessed something in her dream. The fact she woke up calling out for someone to wait was evidence enough. Yet she couldn't remember exactly what she saw. It was vague and murky, yet she understood she had a conversation about something. Frustrated, Lucilla decided to take a walk and clear her head.

Removing the silk sheets from her person, Lucilla got out from bed, her short swords in hand. Placing them on the desk located in the room, she turned around to make her way to the room's door. Taking hold of the handle to open it, she hesitated, before stepping through. Without knowing why, she felt relieved when she was able to walk through the entrance normally.

She walked down the dark hall of the Citadel, the soft carpet dampening the sound of her footsteps. She eventually found herself standing before the living room door Anastasia had led them to the other day. With nothing else to do, Lucilla walked into the room. There was no one inside, but the fireplace was still lit, meaning someone was probably here not too long ago. Walking over to the lit fire, Lucilla knelt down in front of it, before putting her hands together in prayer. She stayed in that position for a while, unsure on the exact time, before she heard a noise behind her. Turning around sharply, summoning an ice dagger in hand, she faced the intruder.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you, Lucy." said Anastasia, unfazed by the fact one of her guests just pulled a weapon on her. "How are you feeling?"

Embarrassed Lucilla had the small blade dissipate into mana once more. "I'm... fine, I guess." She answered.

"Are you sure? You got bags underneath your eyes" The Queen pointed out.

Hearing this, Lucilla turned away to face the fire before speaking again. "I, uh, couldn't fall asleep. I've never slept on such a soft bed before."

"I see. Well, if you ever need anyone to speak with, I'll be happy to listen." The spider woman said placing a hand on Lucilla's shoulder.

Looking at her with the corner of her eye, she realized Anastasia had taken human form. Noticing the fact that Lucilla was looking at her, the spider woman smiled kindly at her, causing the crimson eyed woman to advert her gaze back towards the fire. She didn't know why this woman was being so kind to her, but she very much appreciated it. It filled her with a little bit of warmth.

"Would you like some tea? The kitchen isn't far from here." Anastasia offered.

"Thank you but I think I'll head back to bed now." Lucilla said suddenly as she walked off. "Thank you for comforting me, but I'm fine. Really. Good night, Anna."

Anastasia watched the Silver haired woman walk away. It was clear the young woman was hurting, if the bags underneath her eyes were any indication. They were staying here for a while, so she figured she'll keep a closer eye on her. "I'll see you tomorrow I suppose." She said to herself in the empty room, with nothing but the crackling of the fire as company.