Compared to the containment ward, the isolation cell was far more heavily guarded. Several armed personnel stood watch outside its reinforced entrance, their weapons at the ready. The cell itself was located deep beneath NEUS, buried in the lower levels where light and noise rarely reached.
Cynthia groaned softly. 'I feel so… heavy.'
Her eyes fluttered open, but the world that greeted her was swallowed by darkness. Her body felt sluggish, as though she were submerged deep underwater, limbs moving sluggishly as if bound by invisible weights.
'Where… am I?' she wondered, trying to grasp her surroundings.
She tried to breathe but instead, bubbles slipped past her lips, rising toward a faint shimmer of light high above.
'Water?!' The realization struck too late. Her chest tightened, her lungs screamed for air as panic surged through her.
She kicked, pushing herself upward, but the light only drifted farther away. Her muffled screams were swallowed by the water, her body slowly dragged lower and lower into the depths.
Then—
Everything shifted.
The suffocating weight vanished, replaced by a flash of brightness. Cynthia found herself standing upright, the air thin and cold. Her hands were trembling but they weren't obeying her.
"No…" she whispered, eyes wide as her body moved on its own.
In front of her stood a familiar figure. Her sister frozen in fear. The crystalline glow enveloping Cynthia's arms pulsed violently, shaping into jagged blades.
"Stop… please, stop!" Cynthia's voice broke, but the words never reached her body.
Her arms moved anyway.
"No!"
The spear of crystal drove forward and just as it struck, Cynthia gasped awake.
Her eyes flew open to a dark room. The heavy weight of the restraint suit pressed against her skin, the isolation cell were filled with nothing but darkness and silence. Her chest heaved as if she'd really drowned.
Cynthia stayed still, her breaths coming in short and ragged. The restraints bit into her wrists every time she moved. Sweat or tears, she couldn't tell what slid down her cheek.
"It's just a dream..." she whispered weakly. But even as she said it, she could still feel the light sting of the crystal forming in her palms. The image of her sister's eyes wouldn't leave her.
She tried to move, but the restraint suit only groaned faintly. Every breath made the straps tighten against her chest. The only response was the faint hum of the isolation areas ventilation system.
Time passed quickly as her breathing slowed, the pounding in her chest finally easing. Only then did the haze in her mind begin to clear.
Her eyes darted around the room, no bed and no familiar walls, only cold metal.
"Where… am I?" she muttered, her voice hoarse and trembling. The last thing she remembered was sitting on her bed in the containment ward, then, everything after that became a blur, unable to recall anything.
Now she was here, restrained, alone, and surrounded by nothing but silence.
Not long after, a beam of light cut through the darkness as the reinforced door creaked open. The metallic groan echoed sharply, breaking the suffocating stillness of the cell.
Cynthia squinted, her eyes stinging from the sudden brightness. A guard stood at the doorway, weapon in hand, his expression unreadable beneath his helmet.
He pointed a lit flashlight across her face, forcing Cynthia to flinch. The light was harsh, blinding, she shut her eyes tight, turning her head away instinctively.
Seeing her stir, the guard froze for a moment. Then, without a word, he slammed the heavy door shut and locked it.
His hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, fading into silence.
Once again, darkness swallowed the room.
"Ah," Cynthia grunted, squinting as her eyes slowly adjusted to the faint light that lingered from the flashlight's glare.
Her breathing was uneven, "What… was that?" she muttered, voice raspy.
Somewhere within NEUS, Demurc walked down the long hallway, his footsteps echoing softly against the floor. Behind him, Alice followed a step behind, tablet in hand.
"Did you get anything?" Demurc asked calmly.
A few hours earlier, he had instructed Alice to gather all available information related to Cynthia's medical records.
"There was nothing unusual," Alice replied. "Only a few notes about recurring illness and periods of severe weakness."
"I see." Demurc nodded slightly. "Call in a psychiatrist to evaluate Cynthia. I want a full report on her mental state."
Alice nodded and contacted them through her tablet.
"Is there something wrong with Cynthia's mental state?" Alice asked carefully.
"I assume she has a personality disorder," Demurc replied. "Before our fight, I could not feel any signs of her losing control, yet she became violent and her behavior was completely different from her usual self."
"I'm not an expert. We'll get answers once the psychiatrist gives their report." Demurc added.
Just then, a guard approached in haste, saluting sharply. "Warden! The Bearer Cynthia has regained consciousness inside the isolation cell."
Demurc's gaze steadied on the guard. "Understood. Maintain watch over her and ensure her restraints are secure. Have her meals delivered as scheduled. Good work."
The guard nodded and hurried off as Demurc turned back toward Alice, the weight of thought settling in his eyes.
"That concludes it. You may go," he said. But before he started walking away, Alice informed him.
"Before that, there's one last thing, Warden." Alice's tone tightened slightly. "We've detected activity from an active Bearer in Zekil City. She's already in our records, a Tier 5, codename Pix."
Demurc's gaze shifted slightly. "What's your plan?"
"We're preparing a squad to apprehend her," Alice replied.
"Alright. Report to me the moment anything comes up," Demurc said, his voice calm as ever.
"Yes, Warden," Alice replied and saluted before slowly taking her leave.
Demurc continued to walk down the long hallway, his footsteps echoing softly against the steel floor. With no immediate tasks left on his schedule, he resumed his rounds through Neus, his mind still lingering on Cynthia's case. Time went on smoothly without any major incidents occuring.