Vas took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the monster for any signs of vulnerability. The creature was strong—absurdly so—but it was also predictable, relying on brute force to overwhelm him. He could work with that.

The monster charged again, and this time, Vas was ready. He ducked low, the wire snapping out like a whip as it coiled around the creature's legs. He pulled with all his strength, forcing the beast to stumble forward. As it fell, Vas lunged, his blades flashing as he drove them into its back.

The creature howled in pain, thrashing wildly as Vas twisted the blades deeper, pinning it to the ground. But it wasn't finished. With a surge of raw power, the monster tore free, its body convulsing as it ripped itself from the wire's grasp. Black ichor oozed from its wounds, but it barely seemed to notice, its rage driving it forward.

Vas leaped back, his mind racing. He couldn't afford to let this fight drag on. The longer it lasted, the more dangerous the creature became. He needed to end it—and fast.

"Axel, Morgan!" Vas called over his shoulder, his voice sharp. "Get ready to move."

Axel blinked, snapping out of his stupor. "W-what?"

"Now!" Vas barked, his eyes never leaving the monster.

The creature lunged again, its claws slashing through the air, but this time Vas didn't dodge. Instead, he rushed forward, meeting the monster head-on. At the last moment, he spun, his blades slicing through the air in a blur of motion. The wire followed, wrapping around the creature's throat as Vas pulled tight.

The monster reared back, its claws scrabbling at the wire as it struggled to breathe. But Vas didn't give it a chance to recover. He leaped onto its back, driving one of his blades into the base of its skull.

The creature let out one final, ear-splitting roar before its body convulsed and collapsed, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.

For a moment, there was only silence. Vas stood over the fallen creature, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His coat was torn, blood staining the fabric where the monster had struck him, but he barely noticed.

Behind him, Axel and Morgan stared in stunned silence, their faces pale with shock.

"That... was insane," Axel finally managed to choke out, his voice shaky.

Vas sheathed his blades, his expression cold and unreadable. "That was just a warm-up," he said, his voice low. He glanced over his shoulder at the two of them, his eyes narrowing. "Now, we talk."

Morgan swallowed hard, her eyes darting to the lifeless body of the creature. "W-what the hell was that thing?"

Vas didn't answer immediately. He wiped the blood from his blades, his gaze distant. "It doesn't matter," he said finally, his voice cold. "What matters is that you start giving me the answers I need. Otherwise, the next monster might be harder to stop."

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Morgan swallowed hard, her throat tight as she felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her. When she had joined Light Cavalry, she had been promised strange powers, abilities beyond her wildest dreams, to bend reality itself. But now... now that she stood before Vas, who had just felled a monster like it was nothing, the terrifying reality of what she had signed up for began to sink in. What was once a dream, a hope, now felt like a creeping nightmare. Doubts crawled through her mind, and she wasn't so sure anymore that Light Cavalry could get her closer to her ultimate goal.

Vas's cold, calculating gaze bore into her. "Who's giving Light Cavalry their orders?" he asked, his voice sharp and devoid of warmth.

Morgan shifted, nerves twisting in her stomach. "I... I don't know his name," she stammered, her eyes flickering nervously between Vas and the floor. "But I've seen him. A couple of times."

Vas raised an eyebrow, the slightest flicker of impatience crossing his face. "Describe him."

"He's... well-kept," Morgan began, her voice trembling slightly. "White hair. Polished, like someone important, but... he's always in and out quickly. He gives the orders, then collects the energy we've gathered. That's all I know. He doesn't stay to explain anything. Just... takes what he wants."

Vas's eyes narrowed. "And how does he collect this energy?"

Morgan hesitated, glancing at Axel as if seeking reassurance, but found none. "It... condenses into crystals," she said slowly. "We store them in a special room below this floor. That's where it all goes."

A beat of silence passed as Vas processed this information. His expression remained unreadable, his mind turning over the details with cold precision.

"Take me there," Vas demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Morgan nodded quickly, eager to stay on his good side, and began leading him down the dimly lit corridor. Axel followed silently, his usual bravado completely drained by the earlier battle. The air grew colder as they descended deeper into the complex, the walls damp and slick, the faint scent of decay lingering in the air.

Finally, they arrived at a large room. At the center of it, a strange sigil glowed faintly on the floor, its intricate design pulsing with an unsettling energy. Morgan gestured toward it, her voice soft, almost fearful. "This is where it happens. Somehow, the energy is siphoned into this place, and the crystals form over time."

Vas stepped forward, his eyes locked on the sigil. His mind worked quickly, dissecting the symbols and their purpose.

"It's a simple sigil, really," Morrigan's voice echoed in his mind, soft and sly, as if only for him. "It siphons the energy gathered around an anchor. The tablets they carry? Those are the anchors, designed to capture and direct the flow of energy to this point."

Vas's eyes flickered with understanding. The design was elegant in its simplicity, a method to gather and condense raw energy without any unnecessary complication. It was likely why every member of Light Cavalry carried one of those tablets—unwitting participants in a much larger game.

"If you're thinking what I'm thinking, Vas," Morrigan continued, her voice a whisper of temptation, "you could easily hijack this energy. Redirect it. Make it yours."

He nodded subtly, already memorizing the sigil, calculating how he could modify it for his own purposes. The idea of seizing the energy for himself was tantalizing. He could channel it toward something greater, something far more dangerous than whatever Light Cavalry intended.

His thoughts turned darker. He would need to eliminate loose ends. Axel and Morgan were witnesses—liabilities. He clenched his fists, preparing himself for what had to be done.

"Not yet," Morrigan's voice suddenly cut through his thoughts, sharper this time. "I want to test them first. They may yet prove useful... or worthy."

Vas paused, his blades halfway unsheathed. "Worthy?" he questioned silently, his tone edged with skepticism.

"Let's see if they're hungry enough for power," Morrigan purred. "You know what to do."

Vas turned slowly, his gaze settling on Morgan and Axel, who stood nervously by the sigil. His voice, when he spoke, was calm but icy. "Do you want power?" he asked, his words cutting through the silence like a knife.

Morgan blinked in surprise, the question catching her off guard. "What... what do you mean?" she stammered.

Vas stepped closer, his presence looming over her. "I'm offering you something more than what Light Cavalry can give you," he said, his voice low, almost hypnotic. "But it comes at a price. Are you willing to pay it?"

Axel shifted uneasily, glancing at Morgan before stepping forward. "Power? Of course, I want power," he said, though there was a nervous edge to his bravado. "Why else would I be here?"

Morgan hesitated, but then nodded. "Yes... yes, I want it too," she whispered, her earlier doubts replaced by a spark of ambition.

Vas studied them for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. He pulled out a small device and handed it to them. "Then be ready. I'll contact you tomorrow. If you're serious, you'll be waiting."

Without another word, he turned and walked toward the exit, leaving them behind. The corridor was dark and cold, but as he emerged into the night, he saw two familiar figures waiting for him.