While the people of the slums risked everything to claim Cabdan’s fortune and Faya’s antidote, under the same moonlight, Virno, Ballo, and Clavia’s enigmatic driver pressed forward through the night. After finally reassembling their vehicle, they had left the inn behind, the hiss of steam and clatter of gears their only companions.

  Virno: "Just a bit farther and we’ll call it quits... We made good progress today, thanks to you, man!"

  He gave the driver two quick, enthusiastic taps on the back.

  Driver: "... Your ‘a bit farther’ has stretched into several kilometers. If you want me to keep driving, I’ll drive, but don’t sugar-coat it! If I pass out, this thing’ll crash, and we’ll all go up in flames -- no biggie...!"

  The driver’s sarcasm was sharp, but the exhaustion behind it was sharper. Their hands clutched the wheel, eyes straining against the dark as the machine rattled down the road. Fuel was no longer an issue -- yet their long list of concerns stretched far beyond that.

  Virno: "It won’t come to that, don’t worry. But... doesn’t it seem too peaceful tonight...?"

  The driver just shrugged, focusing on the road ahead. Ballo sat silently in the back, his gaze distant, as if tracking something unseen. Virno might have been eager to claim the sword and end his torment, but Ballo’s mind was on darker matters. The confirmation of Nox’s involvement had left him wary, alert to threats hidden in the night.

  Virno: "C'mon, humor me, you two. You’d think the animals’d be freaked out by this thing, right? During the day, they scatter -- birds, rabbits, all of ’em. But now? Not a sound. No rustle, no chirps, nothing. Doesn’t that strike you as weird?"

  The driver let out a long, annoyed sigh before turning slightly toward Virno.

  Driver: "You know what...? You do have a point! Maybe it is a sign we ourselves should stop and call it a night... How about we do that?!"

  But before Virno could reply, Ballo stiffened. A bone-deep shiver ran through him, and his pale face seemed drained of blood.

  Ballo: "NO! No... No. We cannot stop... Not now."

  Virno frowned, taken aback by the old man’s sudden outburst.

  Virno: "Hey, calm down, Ballo. We’re fine. We’ll keep going if that’s what you want. But what’s --"

  Ballo: "KEEP US MOVING -- AT ALL COSTS!"

  His voice was raw, almost desperate. Virno’s concern deepened.

  Virno: "Ballo...?"

  Ballo’s hands trembled as he began muttering under his breath.

  Ballo (muttering): "I must be wrong. I must be. M-must be..."

  Driver: "Ballo? What the hell is going on?"

  Virno: "Dammit, old man, what’s the problem?!"

  Before Ballo could answer, the moonlight dimmed as a shadow passed overhead, blotting out the stars. The temperature seemed to drop, and an unnatural darkness began to swallow the road behind them.

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  Then they saw it.

  A mass of black fumes, like living smoke, streaked across the sky before diving toward the earth, crashing into the ground just ahead of them. The impact sent shockwaves through the dirt, rattling the vehicle. Virno and Ballo clung to the sides to keep from being thrown off.

  Driver: "Shit -- something’s fallen from the sky!"

  As the dust settled, a silhouette emerged from the swirling smoke -- a humanoid figure standing eerily still amidst the chaos.

  Virno: "T-there’s someone there...!"

  The driver instinctively slammed on the brakes, the machine screeching to a halt just in time to avoid plowing into the figure.

  Ballo: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! KEEP US MOVING!"

  Driver: "Are you crazy?! We’d kill them!"

  But Virno’s eyes were wide with recognition as he examined the smoke.

  Virno: "This smoke... I’ve seen this before."

  It was like Lacerbus' magic -- but heavier, darker.

  Ballo: "DO YOUR WORST, FIEND!"

  Ballo thrust his hands forward, grey sigils flaring to life in his palms. A glowing cube of energy materialized around their vehicle, a protective barrier against the darkness encroaching on them.

  Driver: "What the hell is happening?!"

  Virno clapped a hand on the driver’s shoulder, his voice low but urgent.

  Virno: "... Drive. Go!"

  No further explanation was needed, as black tendrils shot out from the smoke, slamming into Ballo’s barrier with enough force to crack it.

  Virno: "They’ve found us. That’s one of them -- one of the guys we’ve been running from!"

  Adrenaline flooded the driver’s veins. They gritted their teeth, tightening their grip on the wheel.

  Driver: "You could’ve led with that...!"

  They slammed their foot on the accelerator, and the machine roared to life. Grey flames burst from the exhaust pipes, propelling them forward with a deafening screech. The wheels bit into the ground, flinging dirt and sparks as they shot ahead.

  Novilunium: "VIRNO VON VIRTUS..."

  The name echoed from within the smoke, a deep, otherworldly voice that rattled in their bones. Tentacles, black and writhing, lashed out in a relentless assault against Ballo’s shimmering shield, each strike sending cracks spidering across its surface.

  Virno: "Well, at least we know who he’s here for... Hey -- where are this thing’s weapons?!"

  Before Virno could finish, the driver was already a step ahead. Their hand shot under the dashboard, slamming a switch. With a hiss of steam and the grind of metal, the vehicle's turrets slid out from hidden compartments, targeting the dark figure ahead.

  Driver: "... Way ahead of you."

  They pressed another button. The barrels began to spin, glowing red-hot before spitting a torrent of bullets into the night. The hail of fire ripped through the air, tearing into the smoke and forcing the tentacles to falter, if only for a moment.

  Driver: "Now shut up and brace for impact...!"

  The vehicle hurtled forward, closing the distance between them and the figure with terrifying speed. The driver made no attempt to swerve, aiming instead to plow straight through their attacker. The bullets lit up the night, tearing into the dark mass, but Novilunium didn’t flinch. He advanced, serene amidst the onslaught, his tentacles thrashing against Ballo’s shield.

  Virno: "Guys, I’m empty-handed over here...! Just tell me how I can help!"

  Panic laced his voice. He could feel the impotence gnawing at him, the frustration of being useless while danger closed in... But before anyone could respond, a sharp, spear-like tentacle burst through Ballo’s shield -- straight for the driver.

  Ballo: "NO!"

  The tentacle struck the driver’s helmet with a sickening crack. The visor shattered, a jagged piece flying off to reveal a bleeding gash near their right eye. Ginger hair clung to the blood, and the driver’s eye, fierce and furious, laser-focused on the enemy ahead.

  Driver: "Son of a motherfucking bitch...!"

  The distortion in their voice -- softer now, less masculine -- hinted at damage to the helmet’s modulation. But they didn’t falter.

  Virno: "You alright?!"

  Driver: "Helmet took the hit -- I’m fine. But this fucker’s not getting away with it."

  Ballo, his face grim and focused, shifted his glowing hands. The protective cube around them began to change, its shape warping, reforming into a sharp, angular pyramid. The apex pointed forward, aimed directly at the swirling mass ahead.

  Ballo: "... That he is not."

  The moment the pyramid’s tip collided with Novilunium, it detonated. A burst of grey energy erupted from the apex, blasting the dark fumes apart. The shockwave sent the smoke billowing, revealing their attacker -- dazed, exposed, and momentarily vulnerable.

  Driver: "Got you now..."