The prison canteen felt heavier than usual that evening. The air, already thick with the scent of bland food, was now laced with a tangible gloom. Adam, Harry, Panchenko, and Jones sat at their usual table, joined by Astrid, Lee, Ylva, Tom, and finally, Julian. The empty space at the end of Astrid's table where Pao usually sat was a gaping void, a stark reminder of the day's brutal cost. No one spoke much as the meager portions of nutrient paste were distributed. The usual gallows humor from Panchenko was absent, replaced by a quiet, simmering anger.
Astrid, her face pale and drawn beneath the grime, slammed her fist on the table, making the metal trays rattle. "Those demons! Laughing! While Pao bled out right in front of us!" Her voice was raw, laced with fury and helplessness. "I swear, if I could rip out their black hearts myself…" She trailed off, her gaze burning holes in the table, knowing the futility of her rage.
Tom and Adam locked eyes across the table. There was a shared understanding, a silent acknowledgment of the path they had discussed just last night. The tragedy of Pao's death, exacerbated by the demons' callous indifference, solidified their resolve.
"We need more than just curses, Astrid," Tom said, his voice quiet but firm. "We need to get out of here. All of us." He then turned his gaze to Julian, who sat with a stoic expression, his ruby eyes fixed on nothing in particular. "Julian, Astrid, Lee, Ylva… we have a plan. A desperate one. An escape plan."
A ripple of surprise went through the group. Harry visibly flinched, glancing around nervously.
"Escape?" Julian finally spoke, his voice low and even, a stark contrast to Astrid's outburst. "No one escapes Kazakhar."
"No one escapes through the front gate, no," Tom countered, meeting Julian's gaze unflinchingly. "But there's another way. It involves Edward Bloodrose."
He then recounted the story, the hushed whispers about the Vampire Lord, the Kinslayer, his fight with Azazel, and his supposed crucifixion in the hidden Level Six. He explained the rumor that Edward Bloodrose was powerful enough to "kill every demon guard without breaking a sweat" if freed.
Astrid's emerald eyes, still clouded with grief for Pao, suddenly blazed with a new kind of fire. "A vampire who can kill demons without breaking a sweat? And he's here? In this hellhole? If that's our ticket out, then I'm in. I want to escape this place. I want to make those demon bastards pay for Pao, for everything!" Her agreement was swift, fueled by pure, incandescent hatred.
Lee, who had been listening intently, nodded grimly. "If there's even a chance, I'm with you. Anything to not die in this damned forest." Ylva, too, gave a silent but resolute nod, her warrior's spirit resonating with the audacious plan.
Julian, however, remained contemplative. His handsome face was etched with thought. "A Vampire Lord, a Kinslayer who murdered his own family… and you expect him to just help us? How are we sure he doesn't kill us first? And even if he does help, we still have to get through Level Two: Crimson Lake, Level Three: Scorching Desert, Level Four: Blazing Hell, and Level Five: Eternal Darkness. Each one deadlier than the last. We need a proper plan. We need to be stronger."
Adam, who had been listening to Julian's pragmatic concerns, felt a sudden flash of insight. The mystery of Edward's family's murder. The High Seat Demons and their immense power. "Maybe," Adam interjected, looking at Julian, "maybe the reason Edward killed his family wasn't entirely his own doing. Maybe… maybe he was manipulated.
Perhaps by a mind-controlling power of a High Seat Demon. It's just a thought, but it would explain why he's considered a Kinslayer, but also why he might be a key to fighting the demons."
A ripple of speculation ran through the group. It was a terrifying thought, but it also offered a sliver of hope that Edward Bloodrose might not be an uncontrollable monster.
Julian's ruby eyes narrowed, considering Adam's words. It was a plausible, if horrifying, theory. He remained silent for a moment, then sighed. "Even if that's true, it doesn't change the immediate problem of getting through five levels of hell. But… the idea of fighting back, of making them regret every moment they brought us here…" He looked at Astrid, then at the others. A flicker of resolve hardened his features. "Alright. I'll consider it. But we need to train. We need to get stronger. And for now, as Adam said… we will face Edward when the time comes.
Our priority is surviving the levels and preparing for what's ahead."
The conversation continued into the night, fueled by a new, desperate hope. They discussed training, monster weaknesses, and the terrifying journey ahead. The path to vengeance, to escape, had just grown larger, far more dangerous, and incredibly ambitious.