The one retrieved from The Void

Outside, the night seemed to close in, an ominous calm before the storm. Kairo, Victor, and Beck had already jumped out of the car and were moving swiftly toward the spot where Vas had disappeared. Their expressions were a mix of worry and resolve as they combed the area, searching for any trace of their missing friend.

Aleara watched them go, her face a mask of worry. "We have to do something," she said, her voice tight with anxiety.

"Alright," Zola said, taking charge. "We need to be ready. The rest of us will try to gather any other support we can."

Lily's bracelet chimed with a new message from Anya. She quickly read it: "I'm on my way. Stay where you are and stay alert."

With the weight of the situation hanging heavily over them, the car's interior fell silent. The only sounds were the soft hum of the engine and the low murmur of anxious voices. The tension was almost palpable, each moment stretching into an agonizing wait for Anya's arrival.

As Kairo, Victor, and Beck continued their search, their figures quickly swallowed by the night, Lily could only hope that Anya would arrive in time with the aid they desperately needed.

The night felt interminable, filled with a tense anticipation that made every second feel unbearably long. The stakes were high, and the urgency of the situation seemed to amplify the stillness around them.

Anya's home, usually a sanctuary of tranquility, was now abuzz with activity and urgency. She dressed quickly in practical, dark attire, her usually composed demeanor shadowed by the gravity of the situation. Her team, accustomed to high-stakes operations, moved efficiently at her command.

The holographic interface in Anya's study flickered with the coordinates Lily had sent. Anya's face was etched with worry as she examined the data, each keystroke marked by a sense of pressing urgency. Though her outward demeanor was controlled, her concern was palpable.

"Deploy the search team," Anya instructed firmly, her voice steady but carrying an undertone of personal anxiety. "This situation is critical. We need to locate them immediately."

Her aides, though aware of the situation's seriousness, did not grasp the full significance of the case. They prepared the search operation with practiced efficiency, unaware of the deeper personal stakes for Anya.

As Anya's vehicle sped through the city, she remained composed but couldn't fully mask the tension in her eyes. The need to keep her personal feelings hidden from her team was paramount. Only Lily knew the true depth of Anya's concern for the missing individual.

Arriving at the scene, Anya's team began their search operation with swift precision. The air was thick with tension as they mobilized. Lily, who had been anxiously waiting for Anya's arrival, was the first to greet her.

"Anya, thank you for coming," Lily said, her voice a mix of relief and urgency. She led Anya to where Kairo, Beck, and Victor were waiting. "We need to find him as soon as possible."

Anya nodded, her professional demeanor firmly in place. "Lily, I'm here to help. We need to act quickly and efficiently. Follow my lead, and let's get this search underway."

Kairo, Beck, and Victor, initially relieved by Anya's arrival, looked to her with a blend of hope and apprehension. Anya's presence brought an additional layer of professionalism to the search, though the true depth of her concern was masked by her authoritative exterior.

As Anya's team began their search, the atmosphere was charged with urgency. While the team's efficiency and Anya's decisive actions offered a glimmer of hope, Lily was the only one who understood the full extent of Anya's personal stakes in the situation. The night continued with heightened tension as the search for the missing individual unfolded.

Anya's commitment to the mission was unwavering, driven by a personal connection she carefully kept from everyone but Lily. Her determination and the expertise of her team pushed the search forward, hoping for a swift and safe resolution to the crisis.

"Thank you for coming, Anya," Lily said, her voice edged with a mixture of relief and concern. "We're not sure exactly what happened, but Vas disappeared in a way that—"

Anya's sharp eyes, accustomed to navigating dangerous situations, scanned the area. She cut Lily off gently, her tone firm yet compassionate. "We'll get to the bottom of this. Just keep everyone safe and out of the way."

Turning her gaze toward the area where Vas had vanished, Anya's focus was unwavering. Her calm, controlled movements betrayed a deep-seated experience. The night air crackled with a sense of urgency as she quickly assembled a small team of professionals, each one equipped for swift and effective action.

"Alright," Anya addressed her team, her voice carrying the authority of someone used to giving orders in high-stakes situations. "We're looking for any signs of a struggle or unusual disturbances. Be thorough and move quickly."

The team set off, their movements precise and efficient. Lily watched as Anya and her team worked with a sense of practiced efficiency, clearly accustomed to dealing with urgent situations.

Lily's mind raced as she followed Anya, trying to keep up with her quick pace. "You used to be a mercenary, didn't you?" she asked, trying to make sense of the calm determination in Anya's demeanor.

Anya glanced back briefly, her expression unreadable. "Yes, I worked on Zephyrus for a while. It's a planet where you learn to be quick on your feet, both literally and figuratively. Constant storms and floating cities—everyday life there requires a certain level of vigilance and skill."

Lily's eyes widened slightly. "Zephyrus... that's—"

"—A world of perpetual wind and storm," Anya finished for her, her gaze returning to the task at hand. "The inhabitants there have to adapt to a life in constant motion, just as I had to adapt to the dangers that come with it."

Anya's experience was evident in the way she organized her team and in the calm efficiency with which she assessed the situation. Despite the fact that Lily was the only one who knew Anya's past, it was clear to anyone observing that Anya was a force to be reckoned with, someone whose skills and background made her uniquely suited to handle crises.

As the search continued, the air grew thicker with anticipation. The tension was nearly tangible, and it became increasingly clear that Anya's past as a mercenary had equipped her with the exact skills needed to handle the current predicament. Lily could only hope that Anya's expertise would lead them to Vas before it was too late.

Meanwhile, Vas's senses slowly returned as he woke up in a crumbling, abandoned building. The Forgotten had whisked him away, transporting him several kilometers from the scene of his last conscious moment. The eerie silence of the decrepit structure was broken only by the distant echoes of his own breath, mingling with the unsettling creaks of the dilapidated walls.

He wasted no time summoning his chakrams, the metallic hum of the weapons slicing through the stagnant air. As he prepared himself for the inevitable confrontation, the Forgotten began to coalesce into a tangible form. The sight that emerged was nothing short of nightmarish.

The creature took shape, its grotesque visage illuminated by the weak light filtering through the grimy windows. It had the head of a horse, but the eyes were dark voids, reflecting no light and betraying no emotion. Its body was a horrifying tableau of eight limbs, each resembling twisted, skeletal hands. These hands moved with a disturbing fluidity, skittering across the floor like insects, giving the creature a nightmarish, spider-like gait.

What made the creature even more unnerving was a long, writhing appendage protruding from its torso. This limb, pulsating with a sickly, putrid glow, ended in a jagged, thorny point. It seemed to twitch and writhe of its own accord, like a serpent in constant agitation. The very air around it seemed to warp, heavy with a palpable sense of dread, as if the walls themselves were recoiling from its presence.

Vas could feel the oppressive weight of the creature's malevolence pressing in on him. The atmosphere was thick with an ancient, insidious evil, as though the Forgotten's presence was an affront to the very fabric of reality. The sense of foreboding was suffocating, each breath a struggle against the chilling, supernatural aura that surrounded him.

Determined not to falter, Vas steeled himself. He had faced many threats before, but this creature was different. Its very existence seemed to defy natural laws, embodying a primordial terror that threatened to engulf him. As he readied his chakrams, the tension in the air was almost palpable, a sinister promise of the violent clash that was about to unfold.