The one retrieved from The Void

Lily's hands clenched into fists, her nails biting into her palms as the sense of dread mounted. "What the hell is happening?" she demanded, her voice rising.

The woman's head snapped toward her with an unnatural jerk. For the first time, Lily felt that the woman's blindfolded gaze was locked directly onto her. The grin vanished, replaced by a snarl. The woman began grinding her teeth audibly, her head twitching violently to the side as though it might snap off her neck.

"Why?" the woman growled, her voice low and guttural. "Why aren't you affected by the Lord's grace? Why? Why?!"

The final scream came as a deafening roar. The woman lunged forward with terrifying speed, her hands outstretched, her scarred face twisted into a mask of rage and desperation.

Lily reacted in the nick of time, bracing herself and blocking the attack with all her strength. She didn't dare dodge; if she had, the brunt of the assault would have fallen on the others. She couldn't allow that. Thankfully, the woman's strike lacked overwhelming power, so Lily managed to absorb the impact without faltering. In retaliation, she drove her open palm into the woman's face with enough force to make a sharp, cracking sound. The strike connected cleanly, but the woman barely seemed fazed. Her head snapped back momentarily before she lunged again, this time with noticeably greater force.

Lily sidestepped with precision, letting the woman's attack sail past her and collide with the wall behind. The impact shattered the surface, sending shards of material scattering, and the sound reverberated ominously through the corridor. She's holding back less now, Lily realized grimly.

Drawing a deep breath, Lily slipped a hand beneath her jacket and retrieved her needles—slender and deadly tools she'd always kept on her person. She'd hidden them away after the explosion, stashing them in a makeshift sheath. Now, she placed a needle between each of her fingers, gripping them with practiced ease. Without hesitation, she swung her hand in a rapid arc, her movements a blur. The needles traced gleaming lines through the air, slashing across the woman's torso and leaving four deep gashes that bled freely.

The woman's response came instantly. Her leg lashed out in a vicious kick aimed at Lily's ribs, but just before it connected, Lily vanished, her form flickering out of existence like a mirage. A heartbeat later, she reappeared behind the woman, her hand flashing once more. This time, the needles tore into the woman's back, carving jagged lines into her flesh. Yet, the woman didn't flinch. Her movements remained unnaturally calm as she spun around, her hands grasping for Lily with eerie determination.

But again, the air distorted around Lily. The space seemed to warp, and she was suddenly standing several feet away.

"What the fuck did you just do?" the woman snarled, her frustration evident. Her voice carried an unsettling quality—neither sharp nor soft, neither high nor low—impossible to define, and all the more unnerving for it.

Lily smirked faintly. "Who knows? Why don't you try figuring it out?"

The woman's expression darkened, and she began murmuring incomprehensible words while clapping her hands together. The air thickened, taking on a stifling, oppressive quality. Suddenly, the behavior of the others intensified—Ken, Carmilla, and Jason became even more frantic, exploring their bodies with disturbing eagerness, while Yuu's cries of despair grew louder, her face twisted into an expression of absolute terror.

The corridor dissolved around them, replaced by the chilling interior of an ancient church. The walls were constructed from dark, weathered stone, and towering stained-glass windows depicted unsettling scenes that seemed to shift and writhe when looked at too long. A massive, cracked cross loomed at the far end of the room, casting distorted shadows under dim, flickering candlelight.

Before Lily could fully process the shift in environment, the woman lunged at her again. This time, Lily twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a precise slash to the woman's ribcage. Blood spurted from the wound, staining the stone floor, but the woman only grinned, her neck twisting unnaturally as she cracked it with a sickening sound.

"Spilling blood in the house of the Lord... that is not something one should do," the woman hissed, her head lolling unnervingly to the side.

Lily narrowed her eyes, her voice cold. "I don't believe in your lord."

With that, she flung several needles outward, embedding them into the stone walls and floor around the room. The woman screamed, her tone a shrill mix of rage and fervor. "You commit blasphemy!" she shrieked, charging forward with reckless abandon.

The space began to constrict, folding in on itself as if being sewn shut. Lily disappeared again, reappearing at the location of one of her needles. With a flick of her wrist, she sent another needle flying toward the woman. It struck her arm, and immediately, the air rippled. The space between the needle in her arm and another embedded nearby seemed to collapse, and with a grotesque ripping sound, the woman's arm was severed completely, appearing beside the second needle.

The woman let out a guttural cry, clutching the bloody stump of her arm. "How... how did you do this in the house of our Lord?" she demanded, her voice trembling with newfound fear.

Lily remained silent, her gaze icy. Another needle flew, this one finding its mark in the woman's leg. The effect was the same—the limb was torn away, leaving the woman crumpled on the floor in a growing pool of blood.

"Forgive me, Father!" the woman wailed, tears streaming down her scarred face. "Have mercy on my soul!"

Lily hesitated, her grip on her remaining needles tightening. She knew she should finish it, end the threat here and now. But as she stared at the broken figure before her—a maimed, trembling woman muttering desperate prayers—she faltered. Something about the sight stirred an uncomfortable knot of guilt in her chest.

While Lily wrestled with her hesitation, the woman began murmuring again, her remaining hand clasped against her chest. The air grew thick and warped, the surroundings shifting once more. This time, they found themselves atop a desolate hill under a blood-red sky. Ken, Carmilla, Jason, and Yuu were bound to massive wooden crosses, their faces etched with expressions of torment. Around them, shadowy figures in armor and cloaks emerged, each carrying long, jagged spears.

The woman raised her voice in a fervent chant. "Oh my Lord, punish these nonbelievers! Take them to your side along with your faithful servant!"

The armored figures moved closer, raising their spears toward the bound figures. Lily's eyes widened in horror—she couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. With a swift, decisive motion, she hurled a needle at the woman's neck. The space warped again, and in an instant, the woman's head disappeared, reappearing in Lily's outstretched hand. The chanting ceased, the hill and the crosses dissolving like smoke.

They were back in the corridor. The woman's headless body lay at Lily's feet, blood pooling around it. Despite her gruesome end, the woman's face bore an expression of serene, unsettling joy.

"What happened?" Carmilla asked, her voice shaky as the strange distortion faded and her body returned to normal.

Lily stood silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on the bloodstained floor. Finally, she forced herself to speak. "I don't know," she said, her voice trembling. "But that woman... she was doing something. I had no choice, so…" Lily faltered, her words catching in her throat. "So... I... killed her."

Carmilla followed Lily's gaze, taking in the scene. The wall bore a distinct imprint of a punch, deep cracks radiating outward. On the floor lay the woman's mangled body—missing an arm, a leg, and her head. Blood pooled beneath her in grotesque stillness.

Carmilla placed a hand on Lily's shoulder, her face solemn. "I'm sorry, Lily," she said softly. "It couldn't have been easy."

Lily shook her head slightly, her voice strained but resolute. "No, it wasn't. But it had to be done."

Ken, now back to normal, approached carefully, a tone of respect in his voice as he asked, "Was it your first time killing?"

Lily hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line before she answered. "No." She took a breath. "First time killing a human," she clarified.

Ken's expression grew heavier, and Yuu stepped forward, guilt etched across her face. "I'm sorry," Yuu said, her voice cracking. "If we hadn't fallen for it, we could've helped. You wouldn't have had to face her alone."

Lily managed a small, strained smile. "Don't worry about it."

Ken clenched his fists, his frustration evident. "Our grandfather taught us how to fight Anima users," he said, his voice laced with bitterness. "Yet the first time we actually encounter one, we're completely useless."

Jason interjected, his brow furrowed in confusion. "So, you two know about Anima as well?"

"Yeah," Carmilla confirmed. "Lily and I can both use it."

Jason exhaled, a flicker of relief crossing his face. "At least we're not totally defenseless. But from now on, we really need to be more careful."

Lily nodded, her resolve returning, though her hands still trembled. "Yeah, we should." She glanced down at the woman's severed head still in her grip and unceremoniously threw it to the floor.

Without another word, Lily began walking down the corridor. Her hands shook violently, betraying the emotional storm raging inside her.

Carmilla noticed and quickly moved to her side. Wrapping an arm around Lily in a gentle, supportive gesture, she walked beside her. Lily's tears began to fall silently, streaking her face as they walked. Carmilla said nothing, offering silent solidarity, allowing Lily to cry as much as she needed.

The others followed at a respectful distance, the air heavy with unspoken emotions. None of them spoke, understanding that Lily needed time to process what had happened.

When they finally reached the end of the corridor, Lily stopped and wiped her face with trembling hands. She drew in a deep breath, steeling herself. Her expression hardened, determination taking hold as she reached for the door. With a resolute push, she opened it.

The room beyond was starkly different from the chaos they had left behind. It was spotless, the floor gleaming and walls pristine. Several doors along the perimeter stood wide open, leading to empty cells where inmates had once been confined.

But at the center of the room, two figures caught their attention.

Vas and another man—The Negotiator—were strapped to the wall, bound in a way that left them utterly immobile. Vas's face remained eerily calm, his expression unreadable despite his predicament.

"Is that the guy we're looking for?" Jason asked, nodding toward Vas in the distance.

Ken squinted, his gaze fixed on Vas. "Yeah, that's him. But… why the hell is he on the wall?"