The one retrieved from The Void

The moment the words left her lips, Vas moved. He was faster than any of them anticipated, a blur of motion they couldn't follow. Before they realized what was happening, he had marked each of them with a sigil, a faintly glowing symbol etched into their very being.

"That sigil," Vas explained, his tone calm yet unyielding, "will ensure you cannot speak of what you see or hear from me—or about Lily—while we're here. If you try…" His lips curled into a soft smile that sent chills down their spines. "Let's just say you won't like what happens."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of his words sinking in. Even The Negotiator, who had seen more than his fair share of unsettling things, paled.

Vas continued, his tone softening just enough to be approachable. "I've been sensing something… strange. There's an unusual Anima radiating from deep below this place. I need to figure out what it is."

"One of the Forgotten?" Lily asked, her expression serious.

"Not exactly," Vas replied. "That's the strangest part—it feels like a Forgotten, but also… not."

"What's a Forgotten?" Carmilla asked, breaking her silence.

Vas glanced at her. "A Forgotten is someone, something, or even knowledge that's been completely erased from existence—so thoroughly that it ceases to be remembered by anyone."

"Like quantum existence?" Yuu interjected. "Once it's forgotten, it no longer exists?"

"Pretty much," Vas confirmed.

Ken frowned. "And what does this have to do with you?"

Vas hesitated. "I can't explain that right now. Just know that I have to go down there."

"And if you don't?" Jason asked skeptically.

"Who knows," Vas said with a shrug. "Maybe nothing happens. Or maybe, when they get down there, something terrible will."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think you can stop it? You're not exactly as strong as those two we just saw."

Carmilla nodded in agreement. "And Vas, you can't even use Anima."

Vas smirked, his confidence unshaken. "You sure about that, Carmilla?"

He let the implication linger before adding, "As for why I think I can stop it… it just so happens to be one of the reasons I exist."

Ken crossed his arms, a grin tugging at his lips. "Well, in that case, I'm coming with you."

Vas blinked, startled. "Why? You barely know me."

"I could lie and say it's because my grandfather told me stories about Abigail and Gerald Hek," Ken replied. "But honestly? I just like you enough to see where this goes."

Yuu stepped forward. "I'm not letting my brother go alone, so I'm in."

"Curiosity's enough for me," Jason said, shrugging.

Carmilla hesitated for only a moment before stepping closer. "I'm coming too—but only because I want to understand what you meant earlier."

"And him?" Lily asked, nodding toward The Negotiator.

The Negotiator sighed, his frustration evident. "Trust me, I don't want to go. But I don't have a choice."

"Vas got you too, huh?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," The Negotiator muttered. "Can someone explain why this kid is like this?"

"No clue," Lily replied.

"My mom says he takes after his grandfather," Carmilla added.

Vas blinked at her, surprised. He hadn't expected Integra to think so highly of him.

"How did you even find us?" Vas asked, changing the subject.

"There was this creepy woman singing in the middle of the chaos upstairs," Ken said, pointing upward. "She told us where to go."

"She also said to tell you your idea is good," Yuu added.

Vas's eyes widened, the information sending a shiver down his spine. It made sense to him, but that was what unsettled him most.

"Do you remember anything about her song?" he asked.

"Just one weird word," Jason replied. "Nekyroth."

Vas froze as Morrigan's voice echoed in his mind. "That word—it was in the song we heard before we left. The same one she sang."

"Could it be the same woman?" Vas asked.

"I don't think so," Morrigan answered, her unease evident. "But whatever it is, that word terrifies me."

"You've heard that word before?" Lily asked, her brow furrowing in concern as she looked at Vas.

"Yeah," Vas replied with a slow nod. "Just once, and only in passing. I've got no idea what it means, though."

"And what about that bit where she said your idea is good?" Yuu pressed, her curiosity evident.

"That part… that part makes sense to me," Vas admitted, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts. "But the thing is, it's not like I've been mulling it over for days. The idea just occurred to me maybe two minutes ago."

Carmilla's eyes narrowed, her skepticism cutting through the tension like a blade. "Wait. Are you telling us that this woman somehow knew you'd come up with an idea just now—an idea that wouldn't have even existed if things up there hadn't gone exactly the way they did? Like, if those two hadn't stopped fighting or if either one of them had won outright?"

"No," Vas said firmly, shaking his head. "I'm telling you that this woman told you to tell me something that would have made absolutely no sense unless a lot of variables had gone perfectly right—and unless I happen to be a naturally curious person."

Jason let out a low whistle, rubbing the back of his neck. "So basically, this woman made one hell of a bet."

"Yeah," Vas agreed, his voice quieter now. The weight of that realization settled over the group like a heavy fog. "Now let's stop overthinking it and head down."

"The second floor, right?" The Negotiator interjected. His sudden willingness to provide input surprised everyone. "That part of the palace doesn't have a massive open space like this one, but we shouldn't have much trouble reaching the third floor from there."

Ken raised an eyebrow at him, arms crossed. "Why so cooperative all of a sudden?"

The Negotiator sighed, his expression somewhere between resigned and exasperated. "Because I have to be. Trust me, the last thing I want is to find out what that kid over there"—he jabbed a thumb in Vas's direction—"might do to me if I'm not."

"Fair enough," Ken said with a shrug.

"Okay, then. Let's go," Lily said, her tone firm and pragmatic. "But remember—let's try not to draw too much attention, alright?"

With that, the group turned their attention to the gaping hole The Vice had left in the floor during his chaotic attempt to escape from The Trauma. One by one, they jumped down, their boots hitting the black floor below with muffled thuds.

The second floor was stark and oppressive, its aesthetic a mirror of the level above. Everything was clad in sleek black surfaces, save for the ominous red lights that bathed the space in an eerie, pulsating glow. The corridor stretched ahead, wide enough for all of them to walk side by side, yet it felt uncomfortably confining, as though the shadows pressed in from all directions.

"Let's hope we don't run into anyone else down here," The Negotiator muttered, his eyes darting around nervously.

"Honestly?" Vas said, his tone uncharacteristically nonchalant. "I don't really mind running into someone—just as long as they're more interested in fighting each other than us."

"Alright," The Negotiator said, his gaze shifting between the walls as he scanned the dimly lit corridor. His expression brightened slightly as recognition dawned. "I know where we are. If we want to go down, we'll need to follow the corridor to the left and then take the first right. So, let's move."

"Are we really sure we can trust this guy?" Carmilla asked, her voice laced with suspicion as she side-eyed The Negotiator.

"Don't stress about that too much," Vas said with a calm confidence that didn't quite ease the tension in the air. "It's not like he has any other choice."

"I still don't get that," Ken said, stepping into the conversation with a frown. "Why doesn't he have any other option? He could just ditch us and save his own skin, right?"

Vas glanced at The Negotiator before answering, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of authority. "He's bound by an Amrita Pact. He can't leave until I help him negotiate with my grandfather."

"Amrita Pact?" Carmilla echoed, her brow furrowing as she searched her memory.

Vas gave her a sidelong glance. "Yeah. You've heard about those before, haven't you?"

"Well, yeah," she admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. "But… truth be told, I didn't pay much attention when they were explained. It all seemed way over my head." Her expression turned sheepish, an uncharacteristic display of vulnerability.

"You should pay more attention to those lessons," Vas said with a faint smirk. "Amrita Pacts are incredibly useful—and dangerous if you don't understand them. They're not something to take lightly."

As they continued down the corridor, the oppressive silence was punctuated by the distant sounds of explosions and muffled screams. The noise echoed faintly through the structure, a grim reminder of the chaos raging on the upper levels. The further they walked, the more the tension in the air seemed to grow, pressing down on them like a physical weight.

"By the way," Jason said suddenly, his tone breaking through the uneasy quiet. "How exactly are we supposed to get out of this place once all of this is over? Because I don't see any clear exits around here."

Vas paused mid-step, pulling out his CipherSync and giving it a quick glance. His fingers moved deftly over the controls as he calculated the timing of external responses to their situation. After a moment, he looked up, his expression thoughtful but certain.

"In about 36 hours, people on the outside will realize what's happening here," he said. "When that happens, they'll send teams to try to fix the situation. And as for you guys—" Vas gestured toward the group with a tilt of his head, "—The Warden will have noticed by now that you're not up there anymore. He'll assume the inmates dragged you down with them. That means we just have to hold tight and wait for a rescue."

Jason's eyebrows shot up, his tone incredulous. "That's your plan? Sit and wait to be rescued? You're awfully confident that help will even make it here in time."

Vas shrugged, his confidence undeterred. "It's not about confidence—it's about probabilities. Trust me, the outside world doesn't ignore something like this. They'll come."

Jason exchanged uneasy glances with Carmilla and Ken, but no one argued further. The sounds of distant fighting grew louder for a moment, then faded again, like thunder rolling through a stormy night.

The group pressed on, their footsteps echoing against the blackened walls of the corridor. Whatever lay ahead, they knew the only way out was through.