Chapter 5: Slip Into the Mind...

Vira leaned back in her chair, still twirling the pristine silver coin between her fingers, her raised eyebrow showing equal parts amusement and curiosity. "Would you care to elaborate, Major?" she asked, voice slow and measured. "Because from where I'm sitting, it sounds like you're trying to offload something on me."

Asus remained standing, posture unwavering. "Not something," he corrected. "Someone."

Vira's amusement deepened, her smirk widening just slightly. "Oh? And here I thought she was your shadow."

Asus shook his head. "I can't take her with me," he stated plainly. "And I won't leave her defenseless either." His voice was firm, resolute. "From what I've seen, this place can protect her in my absence."

The room went still.

Crystal's breath hitched, her mind stumbling over his words, her body locking up as the meaning fully sank in.

"What—" The word barely left her lips before she snapped upright, her chair scraping loudly against the metal floor as she jumped to her feet. "No. No, absolutely not—I am not staying here!"

But before she could reach for him, before she could even think about grabbing his arm, a sharp pain pinched her side.

"Ah—!" she gasped, flinching away from him as an intense sting shot through her ribs. Her breath stuttered, her body instinctively recoiling. Her hand flew to the sore spot, gripping her side, her fingers pressing against the fabric of her jacket.

She blinked.

Something felt off.

And then, her gaze dropped.

Her fingers curled slightly as she clutched her side—but something was there. Something she hadn't felt before.

Her heart pounded as her eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat.

In her peripheral vision, she saw it.

A small, cylindrical pistol—one Asus still held loosely in his gloved hand. The thin, needle-like barrel still gleamed faintly, a nearly invisible shimmer of fluid having just been injected into her body.

A sedative.

Her mouth went dry.

"You—" Her voice stumbled over the word, half-shock, half-realization.

Asus finally turned to her, his visor concealing his expression, but his voice was calm. "You'll be safe here," he stated simply.

Crystal staggered a half step backward, her hand still gripping her side, the sting dulling slightly—but a slow, creeping sensation was beginning to wash through her limbs.

Her vision wavered.

Her body felt heavy.

Her pulse pounded.

"You son of a—"

Her words slurred as her knees buckled.

Before she could collapse completely, Asus's arm shot out, catching her effortlessly before lowering her back into the chair.

The world around her tilted.

Fuzzy.

Slow.

"N-No," she tried again, but her tongue felt thick, her limbs sluggish.

Vira, still watching the exchange with great amusement, gave a low whistle. "Damn. And here I thought you two had some kind of mutual understanding."

Asus ignored her, gently adjusting Crystal's weight so she wouldn't slump over.

"You'll be safe," he repeated, softer this time.

Crystal's breath shuddered, her vision swimming as her grip on consciousness wavered.

The last thing she saw before the world darkened was the faint gleam of the silver coin as Vira flicked it back into the air, her smirk never leaving her face.

Asus exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders before lowering himself back into his seat. He kicked his feet up onto the table, crossing them at the ankles with a slow, deliberate ease. The tension in the room had shifted, morphing into something different. Not quite relaxed, not quite hostile—calculated.

Vira twirled the silver coin between her fingers again, watching him with sharp, assessing eyes.

"So," she murmured, tilting her head slightly, "this outpost of yours… got a name?"

Asus let the silence stretch for a moment, the weight of his next words lingering before he finally spoke.

"Eidolon's Keep."

Vira's smirk stilled.

Her fingers stopped twirling the coin.

Crystal, now slumped in her chair, barely conscious, let out a faint breath, her head tilting slightly as if some part of her still wanted to listen.

Vira hummed, her expression unreadable. "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time."

"Most haven't," Asus replied, his voice as steady as ever.

Vira tapped the coin once against the table before letting it rest in her palm. "And you think you can just walk in?"

Asus gave a small, amused scoff. "Of course not. No one walks into Eidolon's Keep." He adjusted slightly, hands clasping together over his chest. "Only Primordials willing to return to their roots—or those who are willing to sacrifice something of significant value—can enter."

Vira let out a low whistle, leaning back against her chair. "Sacrifice, huh?" She raised a brow. "And what happens if your sacrifice isn't satisfactory?"

Asus let out a low, quiet laugh, a rare sound—one that sent a faint ripple of curiosity through Vira's expression.

"Then I die," he said simply.

Vira's lips curled slightly. "Bold of you to be so casual about it."

Asus smirked behind his visor. "I've never been one for dramatics."

Vira chuckled. "Could've fooled me, Major." She paused, glancing at Crystal's unconscious form slumped slightly against the chair. "And this?" She gestured lazily. "She your offering?"

Asus's smirk widened just slightly. "Permanent offload."

Vira let out a genuine laugh this time, shaking her head. "You're a piece of work, Derringer."

"So I've been told."

She watched him for a moment, intrigue flickering in her gaze. "Eidolon's Keep…" she mused, tapping a finger against her knee. "I've had people try to get in before. People far more desperate than you, more reckless than you. All of them?" She let the word hang for a moment before giving a small shrug. "Gone."

Asus didn't react. "Noted."

Vira's smirk lingered. "And yet… here you are, still planning to go."

"I don't plan to fail."

Vira studied him, eyes narrowing just slightly.

Then, to Asus's mild surprise, she let out another chuckle, shaking her head. "Hells, Major. I gotta admit, you've got me curious now." She leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on the table. "Eidolon's Keep. A place no one's conquered, no one's come back from, a place built to be forgotten… And yet, here you are, marching right into it."

She smirked. "So tell me, Derringer… what exactly are you hoping to find in a place like that?"

Asus's expression didn't shift.

His voice remained steady.

"The truth."

Vira's gaze flickered with something unreadable.

And then, slowly, she smirked again.

"Now that… I'd pay to see."

Vira was still smirking when Asus shifted slightly, lowering his feet from the table and leaning forward, forearms resting against his knees. The movement was subtle, but it made her pause—just for a fraction of a second.

That pause deepened when he spoke.

"I'll make you a deal."

Vira blinked, her smirk faltering for the first time since they'd sat down. "A deal?"

Asus nodded. "Call it a sign of good grace," he said, his tone calm, measured. "Or a long-term partnership. Your choice."

Vira leaned back, curiosity flickering across her face, her fingers still absentmindedly toying with the silver coin. "Alright, Major. I'll bite. What kind of deal are we talking about?"

Asus tilted his head slightly. "Once I've shut down the defenses at Eidolon's Keep, you and your crew can have it."

Silence.

Vira's fingers stilled.

For the first time in their entire exchange, she actually looked caught off guard.

Her lips parted slightly as she stared at him, eyes narrowing, processing his words. "You're serious."

"Completely."

She let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "Hells, Derringer. You expect me to believe you'd just hand over a Primordial outpost?"

He shrugged. "What use do I have for a little post?"

"Little?" Vira let out another laugh, but this one carried a sharp edge. "You think Eidolon's Keep is just some outpost?"

"It is to me."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

Asus's voice didn't waver. "Because I have only one objective."

Vira's amusement flickered. "Do tell."

Asus leaned forward slightly, his tone low, deliberate.

"I want to know why so many factions were hunting down a single princess."

Silence fell over the table.

Crystal, still groggy from the sedative, shifted slightly but didn't stir.

Vira, however, did not move.

Her smirk had vanished completely.

Her gaze, sharp and calculating, locked onto him like a targeting system.

For a moment, there was nothing—no amusement, no casual indifference, no smug satisfaction.

Then—

"You're really full of surprises, Derringer," she muttered, shaking her head.

Asus tilted his head slightly. "That a yes?"

Vira let the silence stretch for another second before a slow, wicked smirk curled at the edges of her lips.

"That's a hell of a deal, Major."

She tossed the silver coin into the air, catching it with a quick flick of her wrist before pocketing it.

"You've got yourself a partnership."