" So what was that then? "
You ask as you look at Tom, confused.
" Whatever you saw, it wasn't a dream, and if it wasn't a dream, that means that it must be reality. Whether it be reality in the past, present or future is beyond what I can guess, but its reality nonetheless. "
Tom says as he reads your mind to see what you experienced. You can feel him sifting through your mind as if he's turning the pages in a book, then he telepathically apologizes to you after he's finished.
" Sorry, Donny. I know I said that I wouldn't do it again, but it's best that you don't say what you saw out loud. I want to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with your mind after you woke up. That voice you heard behind you… it was Uphedis. "
" The None spoke to me? "
You ask him telepathically as you divert your attention away from him and look down like you're thinking as to not make it obvious that you're communicating with him. Tom's voice responds within your mind.
" Yes, and it's voices like his that corrupt the minds of mortals. Simply hearing a Valghul's voice within your mind would normally be enough to fully corrupt a human, so you can only imagine what it must do to a person to have Uphedis himself inside your head. "
" Am I going to be okay? Did you see anything unusual? "
You ask Tom telepathically in a worried tone. Tom answers your question calmly with a serious tone.
" Your mind seems to be in the same state as it was the last time I looked through it, so I think you'll be alright. Since you're half Provenantial, I believe that The None can only fully corrupt you if your physical form is taken to The Null. Hence why those Valghuli Exemplars are after you. "
You look up and around to see Reylesh still sleeping as the sun slowly rises over the city outside one of the penthouse windows.
" Morning already? "
You say out loud in disbelief before looking back at Tom. Tom nods as he stands up and stretches before heading to the elevator.
" Yup. You were out for several hours. I haven't gotten a response from Amy yet about getting access to The Devil's Den, so I'm gonna head downstairs and talk with her. Wanna come? "
He says before he stops and turns his head back towards you.
" Sure. "
You say as you get up and follow him into the elevator. Gareth speaks up to the both of you as you turn around and look back out of the elevator doorway.
" Mimi and Roary are still resting. I'll stay here to be here for them if they wake up while you're gone. "
Tom nods his head as the elevator doors close. You look up at the screen above the doorway to see the floor number changing as the elevator quickly descends. You make a remark about it to Tom.
" It's nice that they got the elevator fixed. "
Tom looks at you as he responds.
" Apparently The Monument's security system had never been breached before last night. Everything in this building is state of the art because it hosts Voldoor's most important and influential guests. Whoever that guy was, he was much more than just any ordinary hacker. "
The elevator dings and the doors open to the lobby. You follow Tom outside the elevator and see what appears to be another guest raising his voice at Amy. He's a larger chubby man with a receding hairline wearing some sort of fancy suit. You overhear what he's saying as you and Tom both approach.
" You worthless whore!! That Nanowater tasted TERRIBLE!! "
Amy responds politely as she puts her head down.
" My apologies, Master Guest. We'll have new bottles of Nanowater sent up to your suite immediately. Is there anything else I can- "
The man slaps Amy across the face and she whimpers in pain as she falls down and sits on her legs. You notice her slightly trembling in fear as she continues to look down at the ground as the man yells at her.
" I know what you can do for me, you servant bitch!! Open your mouth!! "
The man grabs her chin with one hand, pulling her face up and begins undoing his belt with the other hand in the middle of the lobby as you and Tom approach them. Tom speaks up in a stern manner as he talks to the man.
" Is there a problem here? "
The man turns and looks at Tom with a rude glare as he lets go of Amy, shoving her head away from him before he responds.
" Who the hell are you?! Another worthless slave?! "
" I'm a Master Guest here as well. I couldn't help but overhear you saying that your Nanowater tasted terrible… You are aware that Nanowater adjusts its taste according to what its drinker finds most satisfying, aren't you? "
Tom says as he peers into the man's eyes with a cold stare. The man scoffs as he gets in Tom's face and avoids his question by changing the subject.
" What corporation do you work for!? Do you even know who the hell you're talking to right now?! "
Amy speaks up in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
" Please, Master Guests! The Monument aims to prevent any conflict between our guests if at all possible! Please let me- "
The man turns to slap Amy again and she flinches in fear, but Tom catches his arm in an instant. The man turns back towards Tom and continues to berate him.
" You put your hands on me!? Do you know who I am!? "
Tom remains silent for a moment as he stares at the man, then he answers the man in a calm voice.
" Mitchell Carl Kaiser. Age 218. Senior Operating Executive of Sinnerprise Industries. Born and raised here in Voldoor and given your position here in the city after your father who happened to have your position before you did. He still would've arguably had that position had you not poisoned him in his sleep when you were 13… It wasn't completely unjustified though, was it? He did horrible things to you and treated you like you were a toy as a child, and he let his corporate buddies use you in any way they liked. You were scared, and you wanted it to stop, so you did the only thing you could… When emergency services found his body, you blamed it on the maid who had been secretly stealing from him, who was then unjustly tortured and murdered for an act that she didn't commit… She really was the perfect suspect, seeing that you were only a measly 13 years old and nobody else had been in your flat that night. You've been preventing anybody from finding the actual truth of what happened to this day, that is, until I just spoke your deepest darkest secret out loud for everyone here in this lobby to hear… Now I ask you, Mister Kaiser, do you know who I am? "
Tom just read his mind.
You can see the man sweating profusely as he stares at Tom silently with a panicked look on his face. He begins to choke on his words, then spits out a retort nervously as he raises his voice.
" That's- that's bullshit!! That maid really did kill him!! You- you have no idea what you're talking about!! "
Tom pulls the man closer to him and gets in his face as he continues to speak to him calmly. The man remains frozen in fear.
" I know exactly what I'm talking about. Should I elaborate on what you did last night as well? Or perhaps who you shared a bed with? You know what they say… Like father, like son. "
" SHUT UP!! RELEASE ME AT ONCE!! SECURITY!! "
The man screams as he desperately tries to break free from Tom's grasp. Tom simply holds his arm with one hand effortlessly as the man does everything he can to get away, but it's to no avail. Security officers then surround you and Tom and everyone in the lobby begins to stare as one of the officers tries to intervene.
" Please, Master Guest, release Mister Kaiser. "
Tom looks at the security officers with a friendly smile before letting the man go. The man, breathing heavily, then immediately pulls out a gun from his suit pocket and goes to shoot Tom in the face. Tom, being able to read his mind and see his movements from a mile away, stops him from pulling the trigger with his telekinetic power as he stares unfazed down the barrel of the gun. You can see the man struggling and confused, but before he's able to say anything about it, Tom telekinetically forces him to put the gun under his chin and shoot himself in the head. The man's brains and blood splatter upward before his lifeless body falls to the floor and begins to bleed out. The security officers then immediately pull out their firearms and point them at Tom. He addresses them calmly.
" I did what you asked. I didn't touch him. "
The security officers scramble around as they inspect the man's body for traces of magic and scan Tom with peculiar devices. Amy, who's still sitting on her legs, looks at you and Tom with a suspicious expression for a moment before standing up and fixing her uniform. After the officers are done patting down Tom, she speaks up in Tom's defense.
" You can go back to your posts, officers, we no longer require your assistance. The man clearly killed himself. We all saw it. "
The security officers then look at Tom in a skeptical demeanor before putting away their scanners and making a remark.
" Understood… He's clean. "
Amy then steps closer to you and Tom before asking Tom a question.
" I hope you don't mind me asking… but why did you come to my aid? Master Guests haven't ever cared about a lowly steward like me before… "
Tom looks at her with compassion as he answers her.
" Because to me, your position here in Voldoorian society isn't a reflection of your worth as a person. "
Amy looks down as if she feels inadequate and doesn't agree with him.
" I'm not sure I follow… how would you measure my worth, then? "
Tom puts his hand gently on her arm as he responds.
" Your heart, Amy. I believe everyone's value comes from the warmth of their heart. "
Amy's eyes begin to water and tears begin to drip from her face to the floor. Tom is obviously speaking to a side of her that she keeps buried, which makes sense considering Tom has probably read her mind at some point.
She then embraces Tom and he gently holds her as she quietly cries in his arms. With her face against his chest, she mutters just two words.
" Thank you.. "