A loud noise cut through the club's steady thrum, snapping Vas and Zola's attention toward the entrance. As Vas turned to look, his eyes locked on Lily. She was wearing a formal dress, elegant but subtle, with an open neckline that dipped down her chest without revealing too much. She stood there, tense and uncomfortable, clearly being harassed by a man. To Vas, the guy looked painfully ordinary—plain in every sense, but his size and build told a different story. He was a bulky, well-muscled figure with a shaved head, and though he looked like he could throw his weight around, his presence radiated boredom and entitlement.

"Is that Lily?" Zola asked, her tone piqued with curiosity.

"Yeah, that's her," Vas confirmed, his gaze narrowing.

"Is she in trouble?" Zola pressed.

"Looks like it," Vas muttered.

"Are we going to interfere?" Zola asked, her fingers idly brushing the edge of her fan, ready to move.

"Not yet. Let's wait and see," Vas replied, eyes sharp on the situation.

Lily was standing her ground in front of the man, though clearly irritated. She hadn't wanted to be here with him in the first place. It had been a date set up through family connections—his family and hers were friendly, and her mother had insisted. But every moment with him had been torture. When she learned from Anya that Vas might be at this club, she had made sure their date continued here, hoping that if things went wrong, Vas would step in.

Unfortunately, that moment seemed to be arriving faster than she hoped.

"Come on, Lil," the man slurred, his tone becoming more insistent. "It's just one kiss."

Lily's voice was steady, though laced with frustration. "I already told you, no."

The guy's expression shifted, annoyance flashing in his eyes as he leaned in closer, invading her space. "Listen, we can do this the nice way or the hard way."

Lily raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh really? And what's the hard option?" she challenged, crossing her arms.

A smug grin spread across the man's face. "I'll call my father and have him pull the deal with your mother," he threatened, clearly thinking his bluff would hold weight.

Without missing a beat, Lily pulled out her phone. "Hello, Mom? Yeah, I'm on the date... he's being pushy, and now he's threatening to make his father call off the deal," she said calmly into the phone, throwing a sideways glance at the man's growing discomfort. "Okay. Thanks, Mom. Love you."

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She ended the call and looked back at the man with an almost playful smile. "Mom says not to worry. She'll cancel the deal herself."

The color drained from the man's face, his smug confidence evaporating in an instant. His bluff had been called, and now he was scrambling for a way out. Panic flashed across his features, and for a moment, he froze, unsure of what to do. Then, a flicker of resolve returned to his eyes. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Earlier that evening, one of his friends had given him something—an odd, square-shaped stone. The friend had told him that if Lily refused to comply, he should break it. Desperation taking hold, the man decided this was his only play. He slammed the stone down onto the table, shattering it.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the club shifted. The very air seemed to thicken, and a strange, almost tangible energy filled the room. Vas felt the change immediately, as did Zola. Their casual demeanor vanished in an instant, and they moved with purpose toward Lily.

"Amrita," Vas muttered. He could feel the energy surge, warping the environment around them.

Before they could reach her, everything shifted. The world seemed to blink, and suddenly they were no longer in the club. Instead, they found themselves standing in a massive, dimly lit storehouse. It was eerily silent, the air heavy with an ominous tension. Rusted metal and scattered debris littered the floor. The whole place had the distinct feeling of either the Undercity or somewhere in the middle tiers, far from the luxurious clubs of the upper world.

Vas's senses went into overdrive. Something wasn't right. There was danger here—immediate, palpable.

Zola took in their surroundings and asked, "Where are we?"

"No idea," Vas replied, scanning the area.

In the middle of the room, Lily and the man stood, both equally bewildered.

"What did you do?!" Lily demanded, her voice sharp as she stared at the man.

"I-I didn't... I just..." the man stuttered, backing away in fear.

"It doesn't matter now," Vas cut in, his voice firm. "We need to stick together."

Zola frowned, confused. "Why?"

Vas locked eyes with her, his expression deadly serious. "We're not alone."

The hair on the back of Zola's neck stood up as she realized what Vas meant. There were eyes on them—several of them, lurking in the shadows.

"I've been trying to unravel the mysteries around you," Zola said softly. "After this, you owe me some answers."

Vas nodded. "I promise, but right now, I need you to trust me."

Zola held his gaze for a moment before nodding. "Fine, but you'd better have a damn good explanation."

Before Vas could respond, the first attack came. Something moved in the darkness—fast, almost too fast to track. Vas reacted instinctively, summoning the Blades of Tenebra. The sleek, obsidian-colored blades materialized in his hands, their dark sheen catching the faint light of the warehouse as the green wire of his Anima flowed around him like a living serpent.

The attack came from the right—a blur of motion. Vas barely had time to deflect it, redirecting the force to keep Lily and Zola safe. More came. He moved like a shadow, his blades and wire working in tandem to fend off the flurry of strikes. Each movement was precise, calculated, and inhumanly fast. Lily and Zola could only watch in awe as Vas danced between the attacks, his every step fluid and deadly.

"An Aether Walker and a Voidwalker," Morrigan's voice whispered in Vas's mind. "How do you end up with two Legendary archetypes by your side?"

"No clue," Vas replied as he parried another blow, his blades cutting through the air with deadly grace.