They began to run.

They moved silently through the labyrinthine corridors of the prison. Filch led the way with an unerring sense of direction, taking turns without hesitation. Ishiki followed, his heart pounding hardly with each passing second not because of running, but from a lingering, cold dread that sat in the pit of his heart and mind.

'Is this real?'

The thought gnawed at him ever since he met Filch... Isn't this too much of an coincidence? Ishiki just couldn't shake the hesitant feeling.

After days of empathizing with people here and then finding out that they are nothing but dead, after questioning the reality of his own mother... how could he trust this?

From his perspective... Filch felt real. He moved with that distinctive, fluid and easy grace too and he even talked the same way.

But Carver had felt real too, didn't he? He had distinctions too and he had memories too.

'What if this is another layer on an illusion?' Ishiki thought, his breath hitching. 'What if I'm still in the cell, hallucinating an escape?'

He stared at Filch's back as they ran. Ishiki's heart grew Heavier and heavier... he wanted to check if he was real. But he was terrified of what he might find that he isn't.

As for how... He just needed to kill Filch and look for the system notification.

'What the hell am I thinking?' Ishiki shook his head, why was he having so violent thoughts recently.

On that note, he didn't even flinch when he killed the army guard back in the alley.

Has he turned so ruthless and heartless that killing a human was not a big thing for him? The thought terrified him... was he turning into the monster Kenji was so afraid to become?

Actually... he didn't know. He never knew much about himself anyways.

They passed the interrogation room soon. The door was closed and light was spilling from the crack underneath. Tense and muffled voices were coming from the room.

It was apparent that the interrogator was awake and not in good mood what so ever.

Filch put a finger to his lips and they slowed to a crawl, creeping past the door like shadows without making even a single noise. It was easy for Ishiki as he activated [Ghost Blade]

"So the captain is inside," Filch whispered as they passed the door to some distance. "He is awake at this hour, Let us not disturb him."

They continued for some distance passing the numerous cells lined on both sides, as they ran Ishiki noticed that the cells were becoming emptier.

Another question entered his mind... what were this much cells needed for? Weren't having this many cells an overkill for a secret prison. Or was this place actually a secret prison?

This was... no doubt real and so was Aethelburg's Capital, this floating island. Then why were the people fake? Where did the original people go?

'Or is it that only some people are not real?'

Ishiki felt his head throb... it was all so confusing.

They turned into a branch corridor Ishiki had never seen before. It slanted upward and the air grew slightly fresher and less stagnant.

"Stairs," Filch whispered, pointing ahead.

A narrow, spiraling staircase cut into the rock led upward into darkness. They climbed. Up and up, the stone steps worn smooth by centuries of boots.

"The exit is two kilometers from your cell," Filch whispered as they climbed. "No wonder you never found it. You need better cardio."

"Shut up," Ishiki huffed, though a small smile touched his lips.

Finally, they reached a heavy iron door at the top. Filch simply pushed it open. It wasn't locked.

Through the darkness beyond the gate... two figures stepped out into more darkness.

Instantly... they were inside a massive, cavernous space. The ceiling was lost in shadows high above. Rows of silent, hulking machines lined the walls—conveyor belts, presses, furnaces cold and dark.

"A factory?" Ishiki whispered, looking around.

"Well... quite a place to make secret entrance," Filch confirmed. "I think this place is sealed."

They walked through the silent factory, their footsteps echoing softly on the metal floor. It was midnight, or close to it. The darkness was absolute, because of the illusion above the Island there was no moonlight even.

They reached the main gates of the factory—They were massive sliding doors that stood slightly ajar.

Filch slipped through the gap and Ishiki followed without hesitating.

They stepped out into the night air of Aethelburg's Capital city.

It should have been a moment of triumph and freedom. The cool wind on his face, the smell of the city, the vast black sky overhead.

But Ishiki stopped dead, and shuddered the instant he stepped out. "Something is wrong," he whispered.

The area outside the factory was empty... completely empty. Well it was supposed to be empty anyways because it was an isolated place...

But that wasn't what made his skin crawl.

It was the lights.

Aethelburg was a city of magic and weird things. Streetlamps here burned on their own and never went out... They usually lined every road and were place every hundred meters, casting a warm, golden glow.

Now, as Ishiki looked around... the lamps were dark.

Ishiki moved and ran towards a main street and had his worst fears confirmed... The entire district was plunged into a heavy, unnatural darkness that seemed to swallow everything.

Filch stood a few feet ahead, looking at him his hands in his pockets, seemingly unbothered.

"Filch," Ishiki said, his voice trembling. "The lights. Why are they out?"

"I don't know? Are they not supposed to be out? Its midnight." Filch suggested with scowl.

"No. No, this feels... wrong."

Ishiki looked down at his feet. The ground... the ground was vibrating.

It started as a low hum, barely perceptible. Then it grew and suddenly a tremor ran through the pavement, shaking the dust from the cracks.

RUMBLE.

The entire floating island of Aethelburg shuddered.

It wasn't the gentle sway of a floating landmass in the wind. It was a violent, structural convulsion. The sound of deep rock grinding against deep rock echoed through the silent city, a groan that sounded like the death rattle of a giant.

Ishiki grabbed a lamppost to steady himself, his eyes wide with terror.

"Filch!" Ishiki shouted over the rumbling. "What is happening?!"

Filch turned to look at him. In the darkness, and at that moment Ishiki noticed a stream of crimson light some distance away from him.

"What the hell..." Filch exclaimed and suddenly shouted. "Look at the sky..."

Ishiki... forced himself straight and looked up at the sky, the illusion of the sky that covered the island was breaking apart and dreadful Crimson Light was spilling in from the cracked surface.

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