"Whoa there." Erik stuck out his foot, landing one boot directly to the creature's… head? Could that flat bit on top even be called a head? Aside from its tentacles, the thing didn't seem to even have distinct body parts; it was shapeless, like a milk-sopped slice of bread. "Down boy."

"Aww, how cute!" Serena cooed. "I do believe he likes you."

"Really?" Erik turned a skeptical eye on the creature, whose undulating tentacles continued to snap like vicious little whips. "I'd hate to see it dislike someone."

"GIVE.IT.TO.ME." Its voice was small, yet fierce, and the sound resonated through Erik's skull like a headache. "GIVE."

"Give you what?" He frowned. "You gotta be more specific."

After a moment, the spirit spoke again. "I.AM.NOTHING.ANYMORE," it said, returning its mournful gaze to the world beyond the rim of Havens Above, and the patchwork constellations of city lights clustering in the gathered darkness below. "NOT.WITHOUT.HIM."

Erik sighed, hugging his knees to his chest. As much fun as it was to needle the little nugget, he couldn't mock somebody when they were so clearly out of sorts. Besides, if anybody understood how the spirit felt, it was him. "That's rough, bud. It sucks to be—left behind."

The creature made a strange series of ticking-tocks, like a clock spring wound too tightly. It took a moment for Erik to register the sound for what it was: laughter.

Erik frowned. "What's so funny?"

"PITY.FROM.YOU." The redness in the spirit’s belly went dim. "FROM.THE.DARKSPAWN."