The water rushes into your lungs and you jerk violently, but Sam's hand keeps you anchored. There is no rescue here. You tumble to your feet, weightless, in open air. Sam's hand is still locked in yours. All around you stretches an empty void.

"See?" Sam swallows. She's taking heavy breaths, letting herself float limply. "It's not so bad. You get used to it." She winces. "But it doesn't get easier."

"Now we find-"

They’re all gone, Finley.

Her voice booms through the void, thrumming in your bones. You don't hear it with your ears, you feel it in your skull, deafening. She sounds cold and blunt, not even a hint of playfulness to her tone. It is, frankly, terrifying.

Now it’s just you and me, alone again. How it was before. How I miss those days.

She shakes her head, drifting closer and mouthing back. "She's focused."

Purple lightning crackles in the distance, and for a split second, you can see. Katanalosi is here, formed in all her glory, and she's fucking massive. Finley is roughly the size of her fingertip, and you have a feeling that's just so she can squish them with greater ease. They're currently floating above her palm, hands on their throat, desperately fighting for air that doesn't exist. Luckily, they're both a ways away from you.

But now you’ve gone and made me angry.

Sam shrugs helplessly. You have no idea how to go up against that.

But I’m not going to kill you.

Kat moves her hand. Something wraps around both of Finley's wrists, pulling their arms apart.

That would be too easy. I’ll start with your friends. Watch you wake up, have them all worried over you. Then I’ll kill them one by one. And after they’re gone, I’ll kill your children while you sit there and watch. Maybe I’ll find your family. Dismember them just for kicks. And then, Finley, I will finally kill you.

You stand face to face with Katanalosi. You get a taste of what Quin must have felt. Her eyes are massive. The backgrounds glow white, enough to illuminate you, but not bright enough to make them hard to look at. The giant Xs in the middle focus on you, and you've never been more terrified in your life as her mouth curls into a smile.

You know what, I think he’s right. Why wait?

Faster than you can react, Katanalosi's fingers curl around you, rendering you effectively immobile save for your head. You hear Finley gasp and sputter deeply as she wraps her other hand around them.

She releases her grip on you and you feel yourself be completely submerged in water, spinning wildly above her open palm.

There's no surface to kick to. You hear her laugh. The low chuckle bounces around in your head amid your panic.

That's alright. She can wait. Her hand reaches up and a finger pinches either side of your torso. She shakes you back and forth in the water violently, laughing again. Without warning, she releases you and draws her hand back.

You insolent little human.

Nope.

Bold of you to show your face again.

The water stays, but you stop spinning enough to see Sam somewhere outside, close. Too close.

Especially after that stunt you pulled last time. I have need for you. I do wish Quin could watch you die, but not every story has a perfect ending. You’re not even important to the All-Mother

The water vanishes and you're spinning in open space. Katanalosi wraps her hand around Sam instead.

Only their head and the very tops of their shoulders are visible. They're struggling as much as they can, to no avail.

She flicks a single finger out, hitting you and sending you tumbling backwards. No joy. You hear a mangled scream of rage from above, nearby, getting close fast. Navy flies straight into Kat's face, slamming into the bridge of her nose.

Oh, for fuck’s sake

Kat releases Sam and waves her hand. All three of you are thrusted backwards and rendered immobile in midair. She still holds Finley.

I grow increasingly tired of the Lygari family tree.

"Rezently," They wheeze back. Navy jerks forward.

Now, the fear of drowning skipped you, didn’t it? I remember how you felt when you woke up with those implants through your hands.

Their arms are straightened out in front of them, palms out. They kick wildly, but can't move.

Kat moves her free hand to one of Navy's, centering the tip of her nail on their palm, her thumb against the bottom.

Let’s try that again, shall we?

Sam is kicking and struggling the best she can, eyes squeezed shut tightly. Katanalosi's hand jerks up away from Navy. She moves it down, only for it to jerk up again..

Finley looks to be unconscious, nose and chin covered in blood.

Someone else flies up above Kat, hands raised. Kat realizes they're there the same second you do and turns to look. Flo Saylor, rogue of void, is using her classpect powers to the best of her ability. She strains to raise her hands above her head again, faintly jerking Katanalosi's hand.

More of you meddling hybrids. Quaint. I’ve always wondered how it feels to do this.

Katanalosi balls her free hand into a fist and swings around, punching Flo. It sends her flying backwards faster than you can track, spinning wildly. She's gone from view in a matter of seconds. Sam chokes on her words and tucks her head close to herself, breathing heavily..

Not really! It's a horrible feeling. Watching and doing nothing. You think that's kind of the point..

You feel the thing around your ribs holding you in place tighten rapidly. It crushes you and you're underwater in the fountain again..