In the elevator to the third floor, Kita finds herself holding the wall of the steel box to account for her dizziness. This machine was designed by a masochist- Kita couldn't fathom how people became comfortable with old technology. A fear of enclosed spaces is the natural response.

Everyone else in here must be a masochist too, they aren't fazed by the experience.

"This is insane," Kita sighs as she notices this elevator is moving quicker than the last one. At least it isn't making that god awful grinding noise.

"You're completely safe," Alex says with eyes still focused on the mission.

"Interesting," Ms Eeve comments, "I'd have presumed soulless couldn't feel fear,"

"That's a stupid presumption," Kita says.

"How did you acquire your immortality?" Ms Eeve asks with curiosity.

Kita scoffs at her question- Contemplating ignoring it because the bitch is obviously getting into her curious researcher state of mind.

"How did you detach your soul?" Ms Eeve follows up.

"I could show you," Kita says, standing up straight to place a hand on Ms Eeve's face. "It's better learnt through experience,"

"Kita," Caity chides, slapping Kita's hand away from Ms Eeve's face.

"There must be a source," Ms Eeve says, analysing the contents of Kita's eyes. "A reason you were given this gift,"

"Gift?" Kita raises an eyebrow.

"Gift?" Raya scoffs, using a hand to grab Ms Eeve by the cheeks. "You claim it's a gift, despite the cost of sustaining it?"

"I'm well aware of the cost," Ms Eeve stutters.

"Yet the pursuit is still worthwhile to you?" Raya clenches her jaw.

"Do you not find curiosity in it?" Ms Eeve grins, "The sacrifice of the many can bring the few an eternal bliss,"

Raya slaps Ms Eeve across the face, startling her as she places a hand on her cheek.

"You're sick," Raya says, turning her head to look away.

"Why are some granted the gift of life after their soul has been taken?" Ms Eeve asks, "Why do the soulless kill their victims when they consume? There must be a source," She adds, "It's the only thing I don't understand,"

"And why would we tell you?" Alex asks.

"Is it you?" Ms Eeve asks, glaring at Kita. "Are you the one granting children this gift?"

"No," Kita grunts.

Kita doesn't want to tell this snob anything she knows. But she is curious to see how she'd react to knowing about the dark one. This lady would sell her soul in an instant, the last thing Kita needs is scumbags like her worshipping the dark one.

It would be a cult, ugh.

The elevator jolts as it comes to a stop, and slowly opens its doors to reveal the inside of a shop, much like the one on the second floor. It is filled with jars and displays of multicolored plant life spread across shelves made of a sapphire gemstone. Kita looks up to see the entire ceiling is made of glass, beaming natural light throughout the shop.

"So much light," Kita says, raising a hand to cover her eyes as they adjust.

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"They survive on light," Ms Eeve answers as she holds her forearm, rubbing at the burn wound underneath her shirt.

"Where did you find all of this?" Caity asks as they all take in the magnificence of her store.

"The old humans lived in excess," Ms Eeve responds, "It would be nearly impossible to lose it all,"

"They came close," Kita adds.

As they walk towards the front of the store, Alex stops Ms Eeve before opening the door.

"Where is your home?" Alex asks.

"It's a few streets down," She answers.

"From this point forward, we are your guests," He says, letting go of his grip on her. "Understood?"

Ms Eeve glances awkwardly at the ground before looking back up at Alex and nodding her head.

"Alright then," He says, gesturing for her to open the door ahead of them.

They all follow behind Ms Eeve as she exits the door to the third floor. Like an oasis, the sun shines on the third floor like a city of the old world. Roads and buildings all made from an amalgamation of glass and different colors of gemstone- sprinkling the city in a rainbow of multicolored caustics as the sun glistens through the gem and glass. Parks with greenery and crystal sculptures relax amongst the vast, spacious design of the city.

As Kita looks ahead of her, she sees a lady in delicate white, traditional clothing- waiting to cross the street. Her creamy brown skin glistens in the sunlight as her white dreadlocks flow in the breeze. Kita's eyes widen as she recognizes the lady's features, and her peripheral vision starts to fade.

Mom?

The thought alone prompts a reaction out of the lady, and she turns to look at Kita, slowly revealing the red stained splotches on the front of her clothing and void spaces where her eyes should be, rimmed with blood leaking from the two crevices in her face.

"Hey Ki," She smiles endearingly.

Kita feels panic tremble within her as she raises a hand to cover her mouth. Her breath shudders in her attempt to speak but all she can do is take a step backwards in fear.

"It's okay, Ki," Her Mom extends a hand.

Kita shakes her head, "I-it's not," She stammers, taking another step back.

"It wasn't your fault," She slowly lowers her hand.

The image of armed soldiers tearing through their tipi rings clear as day in front of Kita. A soldier slaps Kita's Mom across the face as she tries to stop them from taking Kita. The feeling of dread and rage comes back to her as she watches her Mother's figure draw further and further away as Kita is dragged from her home.

Droplets tickle Kita's cheeks as she struggles to comprehend what this all means. Who took her? What happened to Mom?

Why can't I remember?!

This is all so overwhelming. Her body is screaming in angst over an incomplete memory that she can feel in her bones, but can't see in her mind. Her past is a ghost evading detection. Lurking in the shadows and always reminding her that it's real.

"Do you feel that?" Kita's Mom asks, immediately bringing Kita's attention to the tremor like wobble in the high rise city.

Kita nearly stumbles over, shuffling her feet to stay upright. She glances at her Mother who's pointing to the direction of the sun where a distant shadow slowly rises. Expanding across the horizon as the shadow creeps forward to eclipse the sun.

"That is your fault," Her Mother says before a thunderous storm approaches the city. Dust so thick it appears as clouds crashing like waves over the barren mountains. Blood lightning flashes amongst the rolling of the storm.

The myst.

A warm feeling on Kita's shoulder warps her from her daze, snapping back to the wondrous sight of River City's third floor, where Raya, Alex and Ms Eeve are walking ahead of her.

Kita looks beside her to see Caity with her hand resting on Kita's shoulder.

"You okay?" Caity asks with a soft tone of voice. It's more comforting than Kita would have thought- Familiar.

"Uhh," Kita stammers as she looks at the three walking ahead of her. "Yeah,"

"Was it your Mom?" Caity asks.

Kita stammers in discomfort of her own vulnerability. The flashes of crimson lightning prompts Kita to jolt in fear. She doesn't know what Caity knows about her, but it's evident she knows a lot.

"Yeah," Kita sighs, unwilling to answer but unwilling to devise a lie.

"It wasn't your fault," Caity says, looking Kita deeply in the eyes and giving her a hug.

Kita feels the anxiety rummaging within her start to calm as Caity's arms drape over her shoulders. The fear and rage that was bubbling within her simmers down as the warmth of Caity's body presses against her. She returns the hug, and wraps her arms tightly around Caity's waist.

"Thanks," Kita whispers in Caity's ear.