"............" Chris was silent.

"I know what I've done." he said.

"I can't change what I've done." he said further.

"Nothing will change how they feel about me." he went on. "Especially Casey." he reasoned.

"....that's all I have to say on it." he finished.

"............" Chris looked around, before biting his lip.

"I see..." he said.

"So will he be coming up here to greet us?" he asked.

"And if so, will it be a... kind greeting, given that I'M here?" he asked further.

"I... just... hm." he muttered.

"Excuse me if I'm a little on-edge, but surely you agree it's understandable?" he asked.

Chris quickly followed, and used the ladder as well. They made their way down to the ground, where Chris looked at the manor in... almost awe.

"...never been this close." he muttered.

"It's... imposing." he said.

Then, before Ashley could answer, Vincent stepped out of the back door.

He looked at the two of them in silence, before sighing.

"Hello." he greeted them.

"Seems Vanessa was finished with me." Chris said blandly.

"Yes, I heard." Vincent responded.

"I hold no personal grudge against you." he then said. "And though this place has been set up as a haven to protect those that need it, from the drows, I cannot guarantee your safety here, given who else lives here, and who might show up." he explained.

"I know." Chris responded.

"That being said, I will not go after you, nor will I tell anyone where you are." he then added.

Even though he seemed to be calm right now, Ashley could see something. Though Vincent's arms were crossed over his chest, she saw that his hands were clenched into fists.

Very tight fists. So much so, she could barely see his knuckles turning white.

Chris remained silent as Ashley said what she did, and watched Vincent... until he couldn't see him any longer.

"....uhhh..." he stammered.

"Hmm." he mumbled.

"Loses his temper?" he asked.

"Why would-?" he started to ask further, before pausing.

"....ohhhhhhhh." he said.

"Oh. Right. That." he muttered.

Chris just sighed again.

"Yeah, yeah." he said.

"I know." he told her.

The two of them then walked through the forest for close to 10 minutes, before they came across what looked to be a mound of moss and grass... however, when Ashley looked closer, she swore she saw tiny bits of what looked to be concrete and metal poking out in a few places.

"Here's the entrance to what's left." Chris told her.

"It's well-hidden, at least."

"We should be." Chris responded.

"As far as Vanessa knows, the place is nothing but rubble." he said.

"Acid Slugs tend to demolish entirely whatever they chose to infest." he went on.

"But I guess something killed them off or drove them away from here." he continued.

"I remember seeing it years ago, but I didn't think to bring it up with her, as it would have served to do little more than waste her time." he sighed.

"Guess that was truly the right decision to make." he added.

"There should be some special stones down there." Chris replied.

"If drow mana is placed in them, then this place, and the people within, become undetectable." he told her.

"Granted, it needs to be refilled every so often, but they should still be there." he went on.

"And they're surely empty right now." he added.

"So, we can go in and try and find them." he suggested.

Chris just shrugged.

"Whatever." he said.

"Seriously. Just... whatever." he muttered.

He then stepped forward, brushing away some moss and dirt, revealing a small door leading underground.

"Come on, then." he said.

"If you have 'no other bloody choice', as you say, we're going underground." he told her.

As she traversed the building, the footsteps continued to crush the fresh fallen leaves... until they stopped.

Completely and utterly.

There was absolute silence around her.

She was sure she wasn't hearing things... and her sense of smell, though nowhere near as good as when she was in her lupine form, told her she wasn't alone.

Meanwhile, a pair of red eyes watched her from the dense forest, studying her every move.

They then waited until her back was turned towards them, before launching a crimson orb of mana at her.