Chapter Sixty Four: Illusions of the Past

After Brian granted Eve permission to leave the police station, she returned to the hotel accompanied by Vaos and Vulcan, their footsteps echoing softly in the dimly lit streets as they made their way back. With the night deepening around them, Eve settled into her bed and Vulcan on the couch. Meanwhile, Vaos remained vigilant, his thoughts consumed by a nagging concern; why were they sharing a room.

As the morning sun seeped through the curtains, the tranquility of the room was shattered by the sudden surge of energy, the air seemed to ripple and distort as Forbidden Lust teleported into the room.

In the blink of an eye, Vaos reacted instinctively, attacking as soon as Forbidden Lust materialized before him. His movements were swift and decisive, each kick fueled by determination to kill the threat before him. However, Forbidden Lust met his aggression with a smirk, effortlessly parrying each of his attacks with her new katana.

Eve and Vulcan were jolted awake by the commotion, their eyes snapping open to find Vaos attacking Lust.

"Vaos, wait!" Eve exclaimed. "I know it looks bad, but shes helping us!" she insisted as she tried to diffuse the situation.

Vaos immediately stopped attacking Forbidden Lust, his gaze fixed on Eve. "Explain yourself now, Eve," he demanded, his tone firm.

After Eve provided the events that happened in Legis so far, Vaos took a moment to absorb the information. In the silence, Lust stepped forward, her demeanor composed as she explained her motivations for helping Eve and Vulcan. With each carefully chosen word, she sought to strengthen her case and win Vaos's trust.

Vaos's brows furrowed as he regarded Forbidden Lust, clearly suspicious of hee. "Amara, is it?" he asked, skepticism in his tone. "Quite the change from Forbidden Lust," he remarked, his eyes searching her face for any trace of deception or ulterior motive.

Amara's smirk widened as she met Vaos's gaze. "Oh, you would know, 'Vaos'," she retorted. "But, I'm not here to backstab anyone. I'm really going to help you," she said firmly as she sheathed her katana.

Despite his doubts, Vaos made a decision to accept her help. "Know this, I've got my eye on you, Lust," he warned.

Amara's smirk widened as she waved off Vaos's warning with a casual flick of her hand. "Ehh, you're no different at all, still scary and uptight," she remarked, her tone teasing as she made light of his concerns.

Vulcan's thoughts wandered, "Today is Thursday, right?" he said aloud.

"That's right, why do you ask, Vulcan?" Amara asked.

"O-Oh, right, I guess I should've mentioned this earlier, but..." Vulcan gave a detailed explanation of the situation with Professor Juno and delivering Copy to her.

Vaos crossed his arms and let out a heavy sigh, his eyes narrowing as he considered the situation. "I'll admit, this plan sounds pretty stupid to me," he said, skepticism in his tone. "But I get that it was made in the heat of the moment. If Juno thinks she can get answers from Copy to save that Mary girl, then I suppose you didn't have much of a choice," he continued, the reluctant acceptance clear in his tone.

He paused for a moment, "That said, I'm coming with you, Vulcan," he stated firmly. "I want to make sure everything goes smoothly and I need to have a word with Juno myself."

"Great, although that is tomorrow, Vaos. We could try to find Copy now though," Vulcan suggested.

"And how did you find him last time?" Vaos asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Vulcan.

"He just ran into us by chance," Vulcan replied with a shrug. "And honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that happened again, especially now that you're with us."

"Fine, and while we're at it, I need to inform The White Crusader about everything that's happened so far," Vaos said.

"Are you going to come with us, Eve?" Vulcan asked.

"I think I'll stay here," Eve replied with a yawn, "For some reason, I still feel pretty tired."

"And I think I better get back to Forbidden Wrath before he starts suspecting me of something," Amara said. "I can't exactly blow my cover just yet." With that, she activated her spatial retreat, vanishing from the room.

"Rest well, Eve. We'll be back soon," Vaos said, giving her a reassuring nod before turning to leave the room with Vulcan.

As time passed, Eve's irritation grew as she became increasingly aware of Forbidden Illusion's presence nearby. She could sense him, toying with her through his illusions.

Despite her anger, Eve found herself vulnerable to the illusions conjured by Forbidden Illusion. The image of her mother sitting by her bedside, a reminder of cherished memories from her childhood. As the illusion unfolded before her, it was a bittersweet feeling.

As the illusion persisted, the image of Eve's mother sitting by her bedside abruptly shifted, changing into a grotesque portrayal of her mangled body. Eve suddenly looked away at the jarring transformation. The visceral horror a contrast between cherished memories and brutal reality.

No matter how hard she tried to look away, more illusions began to materialize before Eve's eyes. Each new vision was more harrowing than the last . Images of Vaos, Vulcan, and Eliza, lifeless and broken.

Eve felt rage burning within her. She located Forbidden Illusion's presence as she made her way into the hotel lobby. However, despite the overwhelming urge to lash out, she knew that attacking him outright would only paint her as the aggressor in the eyes of others. Forbidden Illusion's smug smirk only served to fuel her rage more.

As Eve grappled with the illusions, the surroundings began to warp and distort around her, transforming the familiar hotel lobby into a nightmarish resemblance of the void dimension. The sudden shift left Eve disoriented, her confusion mounting as she realized she had never visited the realm before.

Forbidden Illusion's eyes widened in surprise as he observed Eve's right eye, which had begun to turn slightly purple. Knowing the significance of this change, he quickly ceased all of his illusions, his expression shifting from arrogance to caution.

As the illusions dissipated, leaving behind a lingering sense of disorientation, Eve's first impulse was to glare at Forbidden Illusion, but she was hit by a wave of nausea. She struggled to maintain her composure, her vision blurring and dizziness threatening to overwhelm her senses.

Eve managed to regain some semblance of composure, pushing through the disorientation as she made her way to the bathroom. In the bathroom, she hoped to find a moment of respite to collect herself. As Eve stepped into the bathroom,she began to hear the voice of Forbidden Illusion echoing in her mind.

Forbidden Illusion's voice echoed in the bathroom, each word dripping with malice. "Anomaly, your existence is a blight to this world. But here you are, defying the odds. It's fascinating, isn't it? Which is why I'm offering you something interesting. Why not join us, find purpose in your life? Whether you like it or not, you're undeniably Forbidden, like me."

"There are two undeniable facts," Eve said. "You're right, I'm an anomaly, and yes, I am part Forbidden," She admitted.

"But, even acknowledging those truths, I will never be a monster like you and the other Forbidden," she declared. "Unlike you, I have something you can never understand; a soul."

"How utterly delusional," Illusion sneered, his tone dripping with contempt. "Proud of being nothing more than a meaningless anomaly? Pathetic."

"The boss will take great pleasure in ending you, just as he did with your mother," he spat, his words intended to strike at the very core of Eve's being.

"Nonetheless, when you lose control and embrace your true side, you're going to regret the things you'll unleash unknowingly," Forbidden Illusion said, his warning ominous.

"Know this well, Illusion. When the time inevitably arrives for us to fight once more, know that aside from your boss, it will be my hands that take great pleasure in killing you." Eve's retort echoed in the small space.

"Such big words for a mere anomaly. But rest assured, the truth of your worthlessness will soon be made abundantly clear with your death." A mix of disdain and amusement in Illusions voice, his words a reminder of Eve's perceived insignificance.

As his voice gradually disappeared, Eve found herself alone once more by the quiet solitude of her thoughts.

Alone and overwhelmed by the events that had happened, Eve's body rebelled against the stress and tension, and she doubled over, unable to contain the sudden rush of nausea. She vomited, emptying her stomach into the toilet.

The disorientation and lingering effects of the illusions had taken their toll, leaving Eve weak as she struggled to regain her composure. Each breath was followed by a wave of dizziness. Despite the discomfort, Eve found a strange sense of relief in the act, as if purging the darkness that had threatened to consume her without her knowledge. She leaned against the sink, her head spinning as she tried to steady herself.

Eve eventually regained her composure and thoroughly rinsed her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and stepped out of the bathroom. She noticed that Forbidden Illusion was no longer there. Cautiously, she made her way back to her room to fix herself up.

Eve stepped outside, the air helping to clear her mind.

She made her way back to the WWP building...