Velanora moved first, the soft scrape of her boots against stone almost swallowed by the nullfiers embedded in the walls. Lomor followed, careful, though his eyes flicked constantly toward the shadows. Roald trailed, uncertainty still tangled in his movements, until he stopped and squinted at the walls.
"Wait," he whispered. "Those little devices—they're masking everything, right?"
Velanora didn't answer immediately, just tilted her head.
"Exactly," Roald continued, a spark of insight lighting his expression. "We don't need to trace back the guards or avoid the ones unconscious on the floor. We just… follow the nullfiers' coverage. They're already blocking our sounds. Nothing will alert Nux."
Lomor blinked, impressed. "You've been paying attention."
Roald smirked briefly but kept his voice down. "I noticed you don't need me explaining all the obvious things."
Velanora allowed a faint nod. "Efficient. Good. Let's move."
The three began slipping through the corridors, silent and deliberate, following the almost imperceptible hum of the Nullfiers. Each turn, each shadowed archway, Roald's eyes flicked from the devices to Velanora's form, memorizing her movements like a shadow map.
Some distance away, hidden behind a half-collapsed pillar, Springtrap squinted, spotting the three moving in tandem.
"Roald!" she tried, excitement and relief lacing her tone.
A quick crack to the back of her head stopped her.
"Ow!" She spun, glaring at the tall figure of the Debt Collector.
"You're a reckless idiot," he muttered, calm but sharp, a hand brushing the spot where he'd struck her. "You shout, Nux hears, and we lose them."
"I already cleared the guards," she snapped, rubbing her head. "They're all out cold or… whatever."
"Obviously you didn't," he replied flatly, eyes sweeping the halls. "If you had, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
Springtrap pouted, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "Fine, fine. I get it. We'll just leave them be." She jabbed him lightly in the ribs. "Besides, they've got a shadowy armored lady helping them. That's more your problem than mine."
The Debt Collector's eyes narrowed. "Velanora?"
Springtrap tilted her head, grinning. "Something like that. She's… competent."
He groaned, running a hand over his face. "I can't believe I'm letting you make these calls."
"You are," she said with finality, nudging him toward the shadows.
"And where's Liora?" he asked suddenly, squinting down the corridor. "We're not just abandoning her in a castle full of angry guards, are we?"
Springtrap's grin widened as she pointed. "Look."
Perched behind a shattered column, Liora crouched, eyes darting, probably scouting her own escape route. Relief softened the Debt Collector's expression, though he masked it quickly with a sigh.
"Of course you'd find a way to hide," he muttered.
Springtrap rolled her eyes. "You're welcome. Now let's go. We've got other things to blow up elsewhere."
He shot her a look of mock annoyance. "You're impossible."
"Yeah, yeah," she replied, tugging him along with a grin. "And yet somehow you keep following me."
He growled under his breath, but there was no real argument. Not today.
Springtrap glanced back at the shadows where the Debt Collector lingered, his arms crossed, expression carefully neutral but eyes sharp.
"Go," he said, voice low but commanding. "Find her. Tell her I'm here. No theatrics."
Springtrap saluted mockingly and darted ahead. "Yes, sir. Captain of the sarcastic army."
She weaved through the ruined hallways, leaping over toppled benches and sliding past overturned torches, until she found Liora crouched behind a fractured column, eyes wide and alert.
"Liora," Springtrap whispered, kneeling beside her. "You've got company."
The girl's gaze sharpened, immediately alert. "Springtrap?" she breathed. Then her eyes widened as she spotted the tall, imposing figure standing just behind her—The Debt Collector.
"You…" Liora whispered, recognition and relief mixing in her voice. "You're the one who brought Roald back… injured, but alive."
The Debt Collector inclined his head slightly. "In one piece, yes. That's important."
Liora exhaled, tension leaving her shoulders. "I… I thought he might have been caught again."
Springtrap nudged her gently. "Relax. He's fine. Roald's with a huge armored lady—trust me, she's more than capable. And Lomor? Found him. That's done."
Liora's eyes flicked to the shadows where the muffled chaos of the corridors still lingered, then back at Springtrap. Her voice was small, but urgent. "We need to get out. Now."
Springtrap grinned. "That's exactly what I was thinking. The rest is up to us."
The Debt Collector gave her a look that suggested he didn't entirely trust her optimism, but he didn't argue.
"Then we leave," he said. "Together."
Springtrap offered Liora a hand. "Come on. No more hiding."
Liora took it without hesitation, stepping into the dim corridor, the last rays of dusk filtering through shattered windows and casting long shadows across the walls.
As the three moved through the castle, Springtrap kept a watchful eye on every corner, every shadow. The sarcastic quips that bounced between her and the Debt Collector were quiet now, replaced by the shared focus of escape.
They reached a side gate that Springtrap had scoped earlier. A few guards, still dazed or unconscious from her earlier work, lay scattered across the floor.
"Perfect," she whispered.
The Debt Collector moved with surprising grace for his size, ensuring the path was clear. Liora followed closely, her nerves still tight but slowly relaxing.
Once outside, the cool dusk air hit them like a promise. The landscape stretched before them, softened in muted purples and golds of fading light.
Springtrap gestured forward. "There. Our way out."
Liora's eyes widened, a mix of relief and disbelief.
The Debt Collector gave a small nod. "Keep your heads down. We move fast, we move together."
The three set off into the evening, shadows slipping between the ruined structures, leaving Lomor, Roald, and Velanora behind at the castle—still caught in the web of the plan, but closer to freedom than ever.