"Prisoner… was it not he who assured us that all threads lay obedient in his grasp, the last time his voice dared reach us?" The air around them began to tighten.
"No, my lord, it seems that we have somewhat underestimated the scale over which we have lost control in the facility. It seems that only 3 of the 9 buildings are under their control now. And the Khonshura is acting as their base." Gwen lowered her head, trying to endure the pressure.
The being observed all of them for a while.
"That our own should fracture and turn… how deeply unfortunate."
The voice descended like a verdict already carved into the bones of reality.
"Lysander did not withhold the truth. Even Xaoc was spoken of. And yet… to see control unravel so swiftly." A pause lingered, heavy, deliberate. "It is… disappointing."
The unseen presence pressed closer, vast and patient.
"Do not falter. We will arrive in two days."
A faint stillness followed, as if something immeasurable had just taken a step nearer.
"Xaoc cannot yet cross into this world. That limitation is the only mercy you are afforded. Had it not existed, this would already be over."
The words settled without comfort.
"Lord Solnyx will not come until the final day. Until then, you will hold your ground." The command was not raised — it simply was. "He is engaged elsewhere… an ambush, within the Town of Sun."
"And if your ground is taken from you…"
For the briefest moment, even time seemed unwilling to move.
"…you will tell Lysander to complete the task he was given."
His voice echoed, even though the way he spoke remained calm and elegant.
"But my lord, what should we do? Xaoc is still a threat we will not be able to handle once he arrives here. We won't be able to stop him." Gwen asked the presence with her utmost respect.
"You need not do so, my child."
The voice flowed with quiet authority, gentle yet immovable.
"The most fitting course for you is to strike them unawares. If what that golden child has witnessed holds, then to subdue them without delay is… the wisest path forward."
"Yes, my lord, we will save that," Gwen showed promise in her resolve.
"Then it seems my purpose here has reached its end… perhaps that is why Lysander entrusted those things to you."
A quiet pause settled between the words, measured and deliberate.
"You will release him first."
"By the way, my lord, can we know who you are?" Emily asked, she was serious yet respectful.
'When did she feel comfortable talking to him?' Emil was confused; his head was throbbing with pain.
"Me? I am merely a memory… of Lord Solnyx." That godly being smiled at them.
There was that lightning sound again. The threads of light that had formed a human-like body started coming apart, one by one, until they were just threads again.
Then those threads began to merge back into one. The single thread slowly grew thinner, fading bit by bit, until there was no light left at all.
It was darkness again.
Emil was having a sharp pain in his head that he could not quite understand. He would have dismissed it as the aftereffect of the accident, but it was something different. Gwen had already used her healing powers on him, along with Emily. There was no way he should be feeling anything by now. And the pain, it was not as if he had some kind of injury, it was as if his brain was forcing its way for him to focus on something.
'Why do I feel like crying? Am I forgetting something?' Emil's eyebrows were tensed, and his head was lowered with his hand on his head.
Dr. Turner noticed him immediately. He moved closer to him and placed his hand on his shoulder while leaning towards him.
"Emil, is there something wrong?" Dr Turner's voice was a bit shaky.
"I don't know, doctor, but I feel like someone is forging needles into my head." Emil gasped in pain.
"That can happen when you are in the presence of someone like an Essential." Gwen pointed out.
"Yeah, she is right, Emil, that was a lot even for us. The Terma vibrations of his are too much for anyone. If it weren't for his generosity in lowering his Terma signals, we would have survived." Dr Turner said with a little concern in his voice.
'I don't know about that doctor, I was definitely fine until… wait until something they said I can't remember.'
His mind was in shambles as he tried to remember what it was he had forgotten. And on the other side, he didn't want them to worry over him.
"Oh, I think it's fine, doctor, maybe Gwen is right, maybe it was too much for me." Emil laughed it off.
Dr Turner looked at him for a while, then touched his head around the injury.
"It's still… the wound has closed, I guess. Thanks to Gwen. But you should try to stay away from all this for now." Dr Turner looked away from him.
Emil nodded, but the frown on his face was still there.
"So what's the plan, Emily?" Gwen looked at Emily, now calm and composed as always.
"I think the involvement of the Essential has made the plan a little bit easier for us. Though it's not easy for us to hold the ground for two days. So, we have to ambush them today."
"But how are we going to convince the people from three buildings that we will have to go against our own people somehow?" Dr Aria raised a genuine question.
"I am going to do the same as Sneha did with the others," Emily said without a shadow of doubt on her face.
There was a loud silence. Emil was the most surprised.
"What does that mean, Emily?" Emil asked, expecting the answer.
"This is war, Emil. We don't have time to motivate people to go against the ones they have been for years. And I don't think, apart from Dr Turner, any of us has the authority or charisma to win them over. It is either we strike them first or just die waiting for our deaths."
Indeed, whatever Emily said made sense. Not only did it make sense, but it was the most optimal way for them to handle the things in their hands. But somehow an unease crawled up in his heart. But he chose to remain silent.
"She is right, while I'm not really a supporter of these strategies of manipulating people. We don't really have a choice for someone like Sneha. But Emily, I do have that same request." Dr Turner said in a solemn tone.
"Yes, Doctor, I will plan according to that. We have come to know that there is one Warden with the ability to be invisible. So, when you are conversing with her, they will definitely try to sabotage us. I don't really have a plan for that situation."
"You don't have to worry about that," Gwen said with a commanding tone.
"Why?"Emil asked out of curiosity.
"I have the power of invisibility, too," Gwen said with confidence.
'Just how many abilities does she have? It's good that she is on our side.'
"I somehow expected that from you. I guess then our problems are solved. So here's what we are going to do. Emil, your task is going to be to get Lysander out of that building. Dr Turner, yours will be to engage her or change, whichever you choose. Gwen, be ready for any kind of attack. Always have your omensight in check; they will do the same. And Dr Aria, it's for you to be the troops ready when we attack them."
"You sure are very smart for a 15-year-old." Dr Aria was impressed.
"Then I guess, we are done done with the plan." Dr Turner concluded.
"I do have a concern, what if I fail? And also, we are so small in comparison with their great force. Is there even a chance for us to win? And wouldn't Sneha, with her omensight would have learnt about the talk with the Essential?" Emil raised a valid concern.
"For My lord's domain part; I don't think any omensight holder in the world would be useful to look inside or outside. We weren't able to do so. But…" Gwen answered one of his doubts.
"And about the troops part, it is not like we are going for an all-out war. We just want to free Lysander. For your part, I am sure you will be able to do it." Emily said in a dark tone.
Emil couldn't doubt the words of her sister, especially when she could see the future. But he still had a lingering question.
"But what if, after freeing Lysander, they decide to get rid of us?"
"It won't happen. Because before that, I will make sure to finish Sneha off." Gwen's eyes started to glow as she looked ominously into the night.
Dr Turner lost his balance. He opened his mouth to say something, but something made him lower his head, and he stopped. Even Dr Aria's cold oceanic eyes were teary.
'I guess the plan is pretty clear then, save Lysander, get all the details from Sneha, and then… kill her.' Emil lifted his gaze into the eternal darkness and looked at that tower in the middle.
'But why do I feel like a big chunk of something is erased from my mind?'
***
In the middle of the facility, on the hundredth floor of the castle, a figure noticed a dark veil form over one of the buildings, only for it to disappear moments later.
The brown, clay-like face caught the moonlight, letting it trace over her skin and reveal a quiet, striking beauty beneath.
"I guess it's finally time. For the end of everything we created." A drop of tears fell from her eyes.