The heavy vault door slid shut behind them with a pneumatic hiss, the sound swallowed by the sudden, cavernous quiet of the gantry. The air here was cold, a stark contrast to the humid, thrumming atmosphere of the laboratory, and it carried the clean, sharp scent of ozone and chilled steel. Side by side, Cancus and Cantodia moved along the grated metal catwalk, their armoured boots ringing with a hollow clang against the iron mesh. Far below, the dizzying architecture of their sanctum sprawled into darkness.

  Cancus strode with a rigid, focused energy, his gaze fixed on the crossroads of walkways at the far end of the gantry. A faint smile, sharp as a shard of ice, touched Cantodia's lips as she noted the tension in his posture.

  Cantodia: "Don't worry so much, brother! We already have one great victory in our pockets: Mortmundus has been erased. Tentoria is free once again, and yet that is still not all that came from this win..."

  Cancus's jaw tightened, though his clipped, military stride never faltered.

  Cancus: "Victory is but a prelude to the next battle... You ought to know this well."

  Cantodia rolled her eyes, her own gaze drifting towards the end of the corridor.

  Cantodia: "But this victory is still paying dividends... For centuries, the ruling class has hinged on the promise of eternal imprisonment to keep the rabble in check. Kings and queens have paid fortunes to practitioners of the dark arts, all to curse the souls of their most vile criminals."

  Cancus let out a sharp sigh, like the grate of steel on stone.

  Cancus: "And now that Mortmundus is no more, such curses are rendered impotent. The greatest tool in their arsenal to inspire fear has been shattered. Once this knowledge spreads, crime is bound to fester."

  The black void of Cantodia's corrupted eye seemed to glint with a predatory light.

  Cantodia: "Exactly! Even more so than it already has, thanks to our little arrangement with the Rend. So, what concerns you so much? We still hold the advantage. Even in inaction, we are still reaping the seeds we've sown. If there was ever a time to breathe, it should be now...!"

  Cancus shook his head, the movement sharp and dismissive.

  Cancus: "And that is precisely why we must *not*. We must be relentless. Now that we have the advantage, we crush them. We sweep the board clean before they have a chance to muster a counterattack."

  Cantodia: "Tsk tsk tsk... Always so eager to strike! We cannot carry the entirety of the organization on our backs. You and I have our role to play. The Spymaster forged our links in this chain for a reason. Our purpose is to *hold*, not to *strike*. Leave the crushing and destroying to others."

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  Cancus groaned, a low, guttural sound of pure frustration.

  Cancus: "If we all do nothing more than what we are told, we will never excel. I am no mere chain, sister. I am *whip* -- to both hold *and* strike."

  Cantodia: "Ugh... Not this again..."

  She theatrically placed her gauntleted hands over her ears.

  Cancus: "Do not be so immature, Cantodia! Think of the glory. Think of how pleased the Spymaster will be if we moved beyond mere observation. I've been giving this much thought... we have not been making the fullest use of his eyes."

  Her interest piqued, Cantodia lowered her hands, one brow arching.

  Cantodia: "What? What do you mean?!"

  Cancus: "Our vision strengthens when we are together, it's true. But even apart, we can still glimpse through the gaze of our agents. So why must we both remain shackled to this place? We can divide and conquer."

  Cantodia: "No! Absolutely not. We were ordered to remain in a secure location until the Spymaster returns. You mean to defy our superiors?!"

  Cancus: "I mean to show them we are capable of far more. We already have a good enough idea of the vessel's whereabouts."

  They reached the crossroads, a junction of four metallic paths diverging into the gloom.

  Cantodia: "You're an idiot... We have it made down here. Nobody expects any more of us! We're safe from all the chaos above, our mission is both extremely important *and* straightforward! What more could we ask for? Why change anything?!"

  Cancus: "Because we can do better. And *should* do better."

  Cantodia stomped her foot, the impact a loud, angry clang on the grated floor.

  Cantodia: "OH, YES?! And I suppose YOU know better than our leaders?!"

  Cancus turned without a word, taking the walkway that led towards a distant, cage-like elevator shaft.

  

  

  Cancus: "I don't expect you to agree with me. In fact, whether you agree or not is irrelevant. One of us should remain here, regardless. There are still reports to write, after all."

  Cantodia: "Y-you can't be serious...!"

  Cancus: "But I am. I have had enough of sitting and waiting. It is time I started pulling my own weight."

  Cantodia: "CANCUS...!"

  Cancus: "When the Spymaster awakens, Tentoria's vessel will already be in our custody. Far ahead of schedule."

  He stepped into the elevator, turning as the heavy metal gate slid shut with a decisive clang.

  Cancus: "Worry not, little sister. As per usual, you, too, shall be lauded for feats that were of my accomplishment. All you need do is remain here and continue your vigil."

  She rushed to the gate, her hands banging against the cold iron bars.

  Cantodia: "BASTARD! Why do you get to choose?!"

  A cold smile touched Cancus's lips, a flash of white in the dim light of the elevator car.

  Cancus: "I suppose it's because I was the one born with the balls to."

  With a lurch and a groan of protesting gears, the elevator began its ascent, carrying him away into the darkness above.

  Cantodia: "Tch... FUCK YOU!"