Maya awoke with a groan. Where was she? The last she remembered was being at the Gatewater Hotel with Nick and Pearly, a bellboy had told her there was a call for her. She'd thought it was someone from Kurain, or the Hazakura Temple up in the mountains, so she'd followed him. But as soon as they were away from the crowds she realised something was wrong. But by then it was too late; she felt a sharp jab of a needle in her neck and, suddenly, a feeling of wooziness overcame her as she fainted into her captor's arms.
She rubbed her neck where she'd felt the pain; it was a little sore still, but other than that she couldn't feel anything wrong. He must've injected her with a soporific of sorts, yes she knew that term, she was roommates slash friends with a lawyer after all.
She had to get out, had to tell Nick and Pearl and Larry what happened, that she was okay, that she was alive. She hauled herself up from where her captor had slumped her against a wall and went over to the door. Maya didn't really expect the door to be unlocked but it was worth a shot. She rattled the handle, tugging at the door and throwing her weight against it to try and open it, but alas it remained firmly shut.
The medium sighed and looked around, she was in a cellar of sorts it seemed. Investigating further she found that one wall was devoted to an alcove filled with racks upon racks of bottles. The air was thick with dust, specks dancing in the dim light and the deafening sound of utter silence hung just as thick.
She scoured the entire room, recalling the investigative techniques she'd picked up during her time with Nick, there were empty crates that were divided into six segments, presumably for storing bottles, loose bottles; both empty and full, and a single card.
Picking it up, Maya turned it over and over in her hands, she didn't recognise it at all but there was something about it that filled her with a looming sense of dread.
She moved to the cellar steps and sat down, stowing the card in her obi and huddling into a ball for warmth. It was freezing; the cold and silence of a tomb, and that just scared her more. She closed her eyes and tried to reach her sister's soul to channel her. Maybe Mia knew what the card meant, maybe she could get her out of this mess.
But she couldn't. The fear clouded her mind and she couldn't even connect to the spirit world at all. She rummaged around in her obi, her hand coming out with some wrapped chocolates. So cold, so hungry, so scared.
The single lightbulb that lit the room began to flicker as Maya ate one of the chocolates, hoping that, at the least, the sugar would warm her. She had to conserve them, she didn't know how long she'd be here or if her captor would feed her, so she put the other chocolates back in her obi and hugged herself tighter as the cold chilled her deeper.
The flickering got weaker, what light the bulb gave was just barely enough for Maya to make out her surroundings.
Hours passed as she turned the card over and over in her hands idly and the flickering bulb got weaker still. What was Nick doing right now? He had noticed she was gone right? If he hadn't then Pearly would have for sure. They'd come looking for her... right?
Weaker. She was tired, her Aunt Morgan had always said that stress was needlessly exhausting, that it would lessen a medium's power. Was it the next day? Maya couldn't tell.
Weaker. The bulb barely gave any light at all now, Maya could barely see her hand in front of her face.
Flicker. The darkness of the cellar briefly surrounded her.
Flicker. Without the light, how would anyone find her down here?
Flicker. Would she ever be found? Or was she going to die down here, her frozen body, forgotten in inky the blackness and silence of this hidden tomb.
"Please, Nick... hurry..."
Lights out.