The first thing Cairos did after leaving his room was lie.
“The fluctuation was insignificant.” Commander Serah stared at him across the strategy chamber.
“Three seconds of complete sensor failure is insignificant?” “It happened in a dead sector.” “Nothing in Sector Seven is dead.” Cairos said nothing.
Around them, six officials watched from behind a glass table.
None wore military uniforms.
They wore the white robes of the Council.
One of them leaned forward.
“Commander, did you detect a consciousness?” Cairos kept his face still.
“No.” The answer came too quickly.
The official noticed.
“So you did.” Cairos looked at him.
“I said no.” A thin smile appeared.
“You always were a terrible liar.” The room went silent.
Cairos’s hand moved toward his weapon.
Serah noticed.
“Commander.” The warning was quiet.
The Council member stood.
“We remember Kael.” The name struck the room harder than any weapon.
Cairos’s jaw tightened.
“You shouldn’t.” “We remember everything.” Another official placed a file on the table.
The cover carried the same split-circle symbol as Cairos’s pendant.
“Subject K-07,” the official said.
“Presumed deceased seven years ago.” Cairos stared at the file.
“Close it.” “No.” “I said close it.” The Council member smiled.
“You don’t give orders here.” Meanwhile, beneath the world, Kael walked beside Shade.
The Abyss no longer felt empty.
It felt like a maze.
Black structures rose from the ground as they moved, forming corridors where none had existed before.
Kael stopped.
“Were these here before?” Shade shook its head.
“Then why are they appearing?” “Because you are looking.” Kael frowned.
“That makes no sense.” “The Abyss responds to those who survive it.” Kael touched the mark on his palm.
“Then what happens when I stop surviving?” Shade looked at him.
“You won’t.” Kael almost smiled.
“You sound confident.” “I have watched many enter.” “And?” “They all died.” Kael stopped smiling.
“How many?” Shade looked into the darkness.
“All.” A metallic sound echoed behind them.
Kael turned.
Something was moving.
Not an Ancient.
Not a monster.
Footsteps.
Human footsteps.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
A figure stepped from the corridor.
A man in a torn black coat.
He was bleeding from his mouth.
He looked at Kael.
Then at Shade.
Then back at Kael.
“You’re alive.” Kael raised his hand.
“Who are you?” The stranger laughed weakly.
“That’s the wrong question.” He pointed at Kael’s palm.
“You should be asking why the Abyss marked you.” Before Kael could answer, the stranger collapsed.
Kael caught him.
A black symbol had been carved into the man’s chest.
The same split circle.
Shade stepped backward.
Kael looked at it.
“You know him?” “No.” “Then why are you afraid?” Shade didn’t answer.
Far above, the Council opened the old file.
Inside was a single photograph.
A younger Kael.
Alive.
Standing beside Cairos.
Across the photograph, written in red ink, were four words: **DO NOT LET HIM RETURN.** CREATORS’ THOUGHTS Okikiayo_Fadiji Okay… now we’re pulling the curtain back.
The Council knows Kael survived, and somebody else has entered the Abyss.
We’re moving from survival story to conspiracy now.