Lily and Zola stood by the entrance, their faces lighting up when they saw him. Lily's smile was bright and warm, while Zola's was more subtle, but both radiated relief.

"About time," Zola teased, her eyes gleaming as she sized him up. "You had us worried."

Vas smirked slightly, his usual coldness softening just for a moment. "It was... a long night."

Lily tilted her head, her gaze lingering on him, noticing the weariness in his posture. "Let's get you home," she said softly.

The three of them walked away together, disappearing into the city's shadowed streets. Vas's mind raced with thoughts of the sigil, the power it could bring, and Morrigan's whispered promises echoing in the back of his mind.

"Tomorrow would bring new challenges," Morrigan whispered, "but tonight... rest."

For now, that was all Vas needed. But he knew—soon, there would be far more at stake.

That night, when Vas finally drifted off to sleep, he found himself in a familiar but unsettling place—the Void. The oppressive darkness pressed in from all sides, yet it wasn't the suffocating kind. It was the weight of emptiness, of forgotten things. He sat in front of The Archivist, her appearance that of an old woman draped in shadow, her form slightly translucent as though she herself could fade from memory at any moment. The sight, while not unexpected, still sent a chill down Vas's spine. He had sensed the Archivist's presence earlier, an unsettling whisper that suggested this meeting was inevitable.

The Archivist's voice was cold, detached, yet carried an ancient wisdom. "Elliot has found himself in a precarious situation," she began, her tone matter-of-fact. "He has requested his retrieval, and I have complied."

Vas was silent, absorbing the words. He had suspected something was wrong with Elliot for a while now, but hearing it confirmed in this way... The tension in the air grew as the sound of footsteps echoed behind him. Vas turned, seeing Elliot—his former mentor—approaching with a soft, familiar smile.

"Vas," Elliot greeted warmly, though the exhaustion in his voice was clear.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Vas returned the smile, though his eyes were sharp, calculating. "Elliot, are you... coming back?" he asked, cutting through the pleasantries. Despite the calm exterior, there was a nervous energy in him, a sense that something permanent was shifting.

Elliot's smile faltered, and his eyes darkened with a sorrow that words could not quite capture. "No," he answered quietly. "I've spent too much energy. Staying any longer would've forced me into a deep slumber to recover. I can't... return."

Before Vas could respond, Morrigan materialized beside him, no longer the subtle voice in his mind but in her human form. Her presence was sharp, commanding, and her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. "Elliot made his choice," she said smoothly. "He bonded with several of his Scribes, using them as anchors to stay in reality. All of the Forgotten who leave the Void without the Archivist's permission need such anchors. But when they betrayed him, when they tried to kill him, he refused to harm them. And that left him... well, powerless." She glanced at Elliot with a mix of pity and amusement.

Elliot nodded, confirming her words. "Even with the Archivist's permission, I don't have the energy to remain outside the Void anymore. I've stretched myself too thin, Vas."

The weight of this hit Vas hard. Elliot had been a key figure in his growth, his teacher, and now... there was no going back. He was bound to the Void.

"Will the lessons continue here, then?" Vas asked, though the answer was already forming in his mind.

Elliot shook his head slowly. "No, Vas. I'll need to go into slumber for a while. My energy is... gone. I won't be of any use for the time being."

Vas clenched his fists, his frustration mounting. He respected Elliot, but the sense of loss was creeping in. "I understand," he said quietly. "Thank you... for everything. I hope you'll wake soon enough."

Elliot's smile returned, softer this time. "It's been my pleasure, Vas. Even if only for a short while." He paused, then added, "I do have a request, though. A favor."

Vas raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Take care of Nyra Blackwell and Sarah for me," Elliot said, his tone shifting to one of seriousness.

A frown crossed Vas's face. "Why them?"

"They show promise," Elliot replied, the smile on his lips faint but knowing.

Vas's frown deepened, suspicion rising. "Did they have anything to do with the betrayal?"

Elliot's smile widened, and with a knowing nod, he said, "Yes. Nyra orchestrated it."

Vas sighed, shaking his head in mild exasperation. Of course. "I see what you mean by 'promise.'" The word dripped with irony, his tone half amused, half irritated.

Turning to Morrigan, Vas's voice lowered. "Is there a way to make sure they can't betray us again?"

Morrigan's lips curled into a wicked smile, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, yes," she purred, "there's a way."

Before Vas could ask for details, Elliot interjected. "I've made arrangements for you, Vas," he said. "You'll have my apartment in The Canopy. The royalties from my research and work will come to you through a fiduciary—nothing traceable back to you. The code to access the apartment is 4031A." He reached out and placed a small card in Vas's hand. "Take care of my place. And... my paintings."

Vas looked down at the card, then back at Elliot. His expression softened, just for a moment. "I'll take care of it," he promised. "And I'll make sure it's safe."

Elliot nodded, satisfied. Then, with a small, tired smile, he began to fade. "Goodbye, Vas," he said softly, his form dissolving into the shadows of the Void. "And take care."

Vas watched as his mentor disappeared, the Void swallowing him whole. Silence settled around him, the weight of finality sinking in.

The Archivist, who had remained silent throughout, now spoke. "You're doing well," she said, her voice cool and distant. "You may go."

Vas nodded, his mind still heavy with everything that had just transpired. But before he could take his leave, Morrigan lingered behind, casting a glance toward the Archivist.

"May I have a moment?" Morrigan asked, her voice filled with a rare seriousness.