The cold night air clung to Lloyd Bannings as he crouched behind a ruined stone pillar, eyes locked on the towering fortress ahead. They had managed to find the cult's hideout buried deep within Crossbell's abandoned underground sectors, a twisted monument to the DG Cult's remnants. A haunting red glow emanated from its stained-glass windows, casting eerie shadows on the cavernous walls.
Beside him, Randy Orlando checked his heavy stun halberd, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by steely focus. "You sure this is the place?"
Lloyd nodded. "Tio managed to trace the last Orbal signals here. If KeA's alive, she's inside."
Randy exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, partner. Let's knock some heads."
No more words were needed. They darted from cover, slipping past the outer guards like ghosts in the night.
The air inside was thick with incense and decay, the scent of burning candles masking something far worse. Lloyd and Randy moved swiftly through dimly lit corridors, their steps silent against the cold stone. Strange symbols covered the walls—twisted, incomprehensible markings that pulsed with an unnatural glow.
Randy grimaced "Yeah this a lot creepier than what we encountered at Sun Fort all those years ago."
Lloyd ignored the growing unease gnawing at him. They were running out of time.
A pair of robed figures patrolled the hallway ahead. With practiced precision, Lloyd slipped behind one, locking his arm around the cultist's throat while Randy delivered a crushing blow to the other's gut. They crumpled soundlessly.
As Lloyd dragged the unconscious man aside, he spotted a large iron door at the end of the hall, engraved with a serpent coiled around an eye.
"This has to be it," he murmured.
Randy stepped forward, hefting his blade. "Then let's not waste any more time."
With a single powerful strike, he shattered the lock. The door swung open with an agonizing creak.
KeA lay at the center of a massive chamber, bound by glowing chains of light. Her small frame trembled, her usual warmth replaced by an unnatural stillness. Strange contraptions surrounded her, each one crackling with blue energy.
Lloyd's breath hitched. "KeA!"
She stirred weakly, her golden eyes fluttering open. "L-Lloyd…?"
Before he could rush to her, a voice echoed through the chamber.
"Ah, how touching. The great Lloyd Bannings, always playing the hero."
A figure stepped forward, draped in a long black cloak. His face was obscured by an ornate mask, but his aura radiated control—an undeniable authority.
Randy gritted his teeth. "You must be the bastard running this circus."
The man chuckled. "Circus? No, no… think of it as a puppet show. One that's been playing far longer than you realize."
Lloyd's grip tightened around his tonfa. "What are you talking about?"
The cult leader tilted his head. "You should ask the kingdom of Liberl. They've danced to these strings before."
Liberl? Lloyd's mind raced. The only major event involving cult-like manipulation had been… the Gospel Plan.
"You're saying this is connected to Ouroboros?" he demanded.
The masked man let out an amused hum. "That would be telling. But let's just say… your little friend here is key to recreating the wonders of the past. And we have a vested interest in seeing that happen for ourselves."
Randy took a step forward, blade at the ready. "Enough cryptic nonsense. You lost the moment we got in here. Just give up."
The cult leader sighed. "Oh, but you see… I never intended to win."
A deep rumble shook the chamber. Symbols on the walls glowed an ominous red. The air grew heavy, crackling with unstable energy.
Lloyd's eyes widened. "No—he's going to bring this whole place down!"
The cult leader chuckled. "A shame we can't chat longer, but I have more important matters to attend to. Do give my regards to the rest of the SSS and the Ashen Chevalier."
Then, in a swirl of black mist, he vanished as if he was never there in the first place.
Lloyd didn't waste a second. He sprinted to KeA's side, slicing through the glowing chains. The moment they broke, the entire chamber trembled.
KeA collapsed into his arms, her small hands clutching his jacket. "Lloyd… it hurts…"
His heart clenched. "I know, KeA. But I'm getting you out of here."
Randy scanned the collapsing room. "We gotta move, now!"
They dashed through the crumbling corridors, fire and debris raining down around them. The stronghold was collapsing in on itself, consumed by the very energy the cult had been channeling.
A massive chunk of stone fell ahead, sealing the main exit.
Lloyd cursed. "Back-up plan?"
Randy glanced up, spotting a crumbling ledge near a ventilation shaft. "I've got one. Hope you're feeling lucky."
Before Lloyd could protest, Randy hoisted KeA onto his back and took a running leap, crashing through the shaft with brute force.
Lloyd followed, narrowly dodging falling rubble. The moment he cleared the shaft, a deafening explosion rocked the stronghold. A final burst of energy sent shockwaves through the cavern, sealing the cult's lair in an avalanche of stone.
Outside, the cool night air was a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped. The old tunnels had collapsed completely, sealing away whatever dark secrets had been inside.
KeA stirred in Randy's arms, her voice weak. "Lloyd… I heard that man's voice before."
Lloyd knelt beside her, brushing strands of hair from her face. "When?"
She hesitated. "I don't know… I just know I recognized it."
Lloyd exchanged a look with Randy. If KeA's memories were stirring, then this ran deeper than they thought. Maybe beyond the Children of Shadows.
Randy let out a deep sigh. "Well, that was a hell of a rescue mission."
Lloyd clenched his fists. They had KeA back, but the cult leader had escaped. Worse yet, he had hinted at something far larger—something that stretched beyond Crossbell, beyond both Erebonia and Liberl.
The Shadows was still out there, waiting.
And Lloyd had a feeling this was just the beginning.