***NEED WORK

There were seven of them in total.
Seven black-clad figures stood still as a statue in a perfect full-guard escorting formation, their faces completely hidden in the depth of their hooded uniform cloaks. The Energy each Electus emitted was of another world, practically suffocating me. But that was not what was holding my attention.

It only took one glance at the group of Elites to take notice that their escort subject was not Sir Elder Ravador. In the middle of the tight, equally and neatly spaced circle was this large, dark Energy sphere that hovered over the ground. I saw glowing strands of the same color branching off to each Electus’ hand, connecting all seven of them to the orb. The orb glowed translucent black, dark purple and deep read, swirling thickly around the thing that surrounded it. This glowing sphere was big enough to easily envelop a small body.
“What---” Mivian started, shock covering her tone.
I, too, couldn’t hide my shock.
“What is that?” I demanded, my voice hollow.

“This is the Continencia Ward, though what is inside it is more important.” A deep, strong voice rang out from behind the orb.

My eyes immediately focused in on the source of the voice as a white robed figure glided gracefully out of hiding. Thya rushed forward with a start.
“Sir Elder!” she called, her voice flooding with relief.
Then she let out a sharp gasp.
“Sir, are you alright?” she cried.
Chief Elder Ravador seemed fine, his white robes practically reflecting light and barely messed up.
“I am fine.” he assured Thya.
He then turned his frame towards Thya, smiling comfortingly. That’s when I saw that his left sleeve was charred and almost completely burned off.
“Sir Elder!” Mjoré gasped.
Ravador raised his hand palms up, commanding ease.
“Hold your peace, I am alright.” he reassured.

Despite the extra jolt of shock at the damaged state of Ravador’s sleeve, my attention kept drifting back to the dark Energy sphere. Ravador had confirmed that it was a Ward.
Though what is inside it is more important. he had said.
“Yea, but what is it?” I muttered to myself.

“Continencia, a restraining Ward.” A calm voice answered.

I glanced to my side as Druce came over to stand next to me. His eyes, too, were intently on the glowing orb.
“It’s a form of Seal, often times used to suppress a great amount of power. And it’s only able to be cast by high-ranking Slayers or the supreme level, like the Elites of the Electus rank.” he explained. “It has the ability to capture the target while causing the least about of damage. It is considered a ‘kind’ Ward, but also one of the strongest.”
Druce nodded towards the seven dark statue-like Elites that stood around the orb.
“See how there’s threads of Energy branching out from the orb? It’s the Electus that’s maintaining the whole structure of the Ward. This Seal needs at least five people to cast and to properly work.” he told me.
“Only five?” I questioned.
Druce was staring at the dark orb, his expression grave.
“Continencia is a Ward that consists of only Energy. It absorbs the exerted Energy from each of its casters, and grows stronger with additions to its number.” he explained.
I studied the unmoving Electus team, an eerie feeling coming over me.
“There are seven of them,” I said.
Druce’s severe expression didn’t change.
“That could only mean a number of different things. For one, it means that Sir Elder had all the Electus he had to his command take part in the casting of this Ward. And seeing the condition of his sleeve, it’s possible that he initiated the Rites.” he said. “At the very least, Sir Elder was forced into close combat with our target.”
I found myself glancing back at the burned remaining shreds of fabric on Ravador’s robe.
“But why? Does that mean---” I stopped, and my eyes were back on the dark orb.
Druce nodded.
“They didn’t have room for mistakes. Or maybe…”
I turned to look at Druce, troubled at his trailed off response. His expression was lost under deep thought.
“Maybe they didn’t have room to hold back.”

A cold chill shot through me.
No room to hold back? The Electus? Impossible.
I glanced at Ravador’s sleeve again.
But then why else would Ravador involve himself into battle?

I was still staring when Thya finally looked away from Ravador’s tattered sleeve and towards the Continencia Ward.
Suddenly, she seemed very intrigued.
I watched as she slowly and cautiously approached the swirling dark sphere. The Electus didn’t budge as Thya kneeled down to the ground and reached down to the patch of ground right below the hovering Ward. Her fingertips brushed the surface of the ground and she bristled, freezing still for almost a whole minute. Then, she slowly lifted her hand up and stared at her fingers.
I saw her eyes go wide in horror.

“Thya?” Sarvwen asked, his tone reflecting confusion.
Mivian, too, started forward, with a questioning expression.

Thya turned her head towards us in her frozen horrified expression.
“I…uh…” she stuttered.
Suddenly, she flinched and gasped. She shot up from the ground and backed away about seven feet from the restraining Ward in one blurred move. Her eyes didn’t stray once from the dark swirling sphere.
“Thya? What is it?” I demanded, reaching forward.

A sudden hand clamped down on my shoulder, holding me in place.
I turned to protest--- and stopped.
Sarvwen was wearing a hard expression, confusion and bewilderment written all over his face. He wasn’t looking at me, though.
Confused, I followed his gaze…to Thya’s hand.

Her fingertips were stained with thick red.

Thya was in a defensive stance, holding her arms up and crossed in front of her, as if she was bracing for a hit. Her hands were shaking.
“It’s--- it’s breathing.” she murmured.
Her eyes flickered to Ravador, who was watching her with careful eyes.

“It’s bleeding…and---”

Thya broke off, her face freezing.
I recognized that frozen expression immediately: she wasn’t shaking in fear; she was shaking in shock.
And that shock was quickly turning into outrage.

“You didn’t kill it?” she growled.
“Now Thya---” Ravador started warily.
“It nearly killed three of our top-ranking Slayers; it is a dangerous existence, yes, I’ll give you that. But why go only halfway and so the creature is just severely wounded? Why let it suffer?” Thya practically screamed.

Druce was giving her an outrageous look.
“The thing almost completely wiped out a whole squadron of Electus, and you’re more concerned about how much pain that thing is in?” he demanded incredulously.
Thya’s glare snapped his way with a scary swing.
“It’s inhumane!” she snarled.
“Inhumane? That monster nearly brought severe harm to our Chief Elder! As you had said yourself, it left three of our Elites for the dead; are you not angry? That thing is a beast; it may not even feel!” Druce shot back, his tone matching in the icy mood.
“HA!” Thya barked, returning a short and loud, humorless laugh. “I’m pissed alright, but I’m more pissed at this half-assed job!”

I didn’t really get where Thya was seeing all this from. I was pissed too, but it was all because of that thing. It attacked our kind and left three injured. I couldn’t really give much care about the pain it was in; nothing it didn’t deserve.
Like Druce had said, the thing was a monster; a beast. Something that shouldn’t exist and it was our job to get rid of it.

Druce’s expression was getting scarier by the minute.
“Hold that tongue of yours, Thya!” he snarled, his voice layered. “Forget not what is inside that orb now. Waste not your sympathy for something as low as a Dark Soul.”
Thya’s eyes flashed dangerously as she glared at Druce.
“It may be a Dark Soul, but it is a soul that was once human. And I will not stand still and watch it bleed out.” she declared.
She then turned to Ravador, her expression hard.
“I had thought the Council had decided that this creature was a threat to be removed. Please be merciful and not delay its Purification and Descend.” she said stiffly, a bit cold.

The Chief Elder looked strangely calm and placid.
“Thya, Druce. I have no intentions of performing any Purification or Descending Ritual today.” he said smoothly.
Both Thya and Druce wore the same outrageous look. Ravador went on.
“We have safely returned home. Mivian, please report to the Monitoring Center that all mission parties have returned safely and accounted for.”
“Already done.” Mivian said.
“What is the meaning of the, Sir Elder?” Druce demanded.
Ravador turned to him in his steady, relaxed ease.
“The subject of threat was removed from the Living, and all wounded parties have been recovered to be viewed under our Healers’ care. Mission is complete.” he replied simply.

“But the creature---”

“Druce, all will be clear in due time. But priorities first, we must provide proper aid for our guest and take care of the status reports. We must also take some time for a thorough examination for three wounded Slayers.” Ravador said.
Druce said nothing more, looking conflicted and frustrated.
The Chief Elder then turned to Sarvwen, Thya and I.
“As for you three… We have confidential matters to attend to that are quite urgent. I cannot say I was expecting to see you present here and I am not exactly pleased with the fact that you are all now involved. Please, excuse yourself from this place and report back to your dwellings. Stay there until you are summoned.” he commanded.
He glanced towards Sarvwen, and Sarvwen nodded. Quickly, he strode over to Thya and curved his arm across her shoulder.
“Come on, Thya.” He muttered, steering her towards the Towers.
I automatically followed, and Mivian did the same.

Just as Sarvwen pulled Thya past Druce, Thya twisted her head around.
“Oh, the next time you try to tell me to shut up, your ass is grass.” she said darkly, allowing Sarvwen to steer her away without further incident.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“That bastard! Can you believe him?” Thya roared on.

We were all in Sarvwen’s dwelling quarters, gathering there for no particular reason. Outside of Thya’s angry ranting, everyone was calm and quiet.

Well, actually… ‘calm’ may be the wrong word.

No one spoke, but there was a thick tension in the air. I don’t think any of us were really listening to Thya either. It’s been a good half-hour and she was still going. For some reason she was all worked up, more than she was down in the barrier field when she was screaming at Druce.

“…he told me to shut up! Ugh…‘Hold that tongue of yours, Thya!’ Ha…HA!” she yelled.

Sarvwen was lounging comfortably in his couch, looking tired and puzzled. He gave Thya an exasperated look and sighed.
“Thya, come sit down and fall easy.” he said tiredly.
Thya looked like she was going to protest.
“Please,” he begged, looking weary.

Thya scowled, but didn’t say anything. She stalked over to where Sarvwen was sitting, coming up behind the couch. She swung her long legs over the back of the couch, roughly kicking Sarvwen’s legs off the opposite armrest where it was propped.
“Hey,” Sarvwen protested lowly, forced to sit up.
Thya settle comfortably on the couch right beside him, looking content and victorious. She grinned at him and hugged her knees to her chest. Sarvwen frowned at her, looking a bit awkward.
Mivian sat on the floor with her legs folded under her in a comfortable pretzel. She was looking around Sarvwen’s dwelling.
“So… is this something you guys do often? Gathering in each other’s dwellings?” she asked.
I shrugged, shifting onto my side on the couch opposite of Sarvwen and Thya.
“From time to time. We’re friends after all. It’s how we hang out, see,” I said.
Mivian mused to herself.
“Well, I wouldn’t know,” she said.
“What, you don’t do these kind of stuff with your friends?” I asked.
Mivian shrugged, very nonchalant.
“In the 71 years I’ve lived here in Stranaglastre, I’ve made more enemies than friends. Actually, I can’t name any ‘friends’ I can say that I have.” she said without expression.
“Hey! What about us?” I demanded.
Mivian blinked, genuine surprise coming over her face.
“Huh?” she said, looking dumbstruck.
Thya laughed, the sound ringing like bells.
“Dearest, I am wounded. Am I not your friend?” she asked innocently. “And here I am assuming that you have come to love these goons here as I do.”
Mivian still looked startled.
“Friends,” she murmured to herself, as if to test the word out.

Thya laughed again. I glanced over to see what she was laughing at.
I caught a glance of her hand and I saw her fingertips stained with dark stains.

Dried blood.

“Thya, your hand…you, uh…” I stuttered, stumbling on what to say.
Thya blinked at me, suddenly looking alarmed. She glanced down at her hands in her lap and her eyes went wide.
“Oh…shit. Uh, I forgot---” she stammered.
Her hand went rigid as she went to get up.
“Stay still,” Sarvwen ordered.

Sarvwen was up and gone, and back within ten second. He came back with a damp towel in his hand.
“Alright, it’s just dried blood. It won’t kill.” he murmured.
He kneeled in front of Thya, took her hand and gently started to rub the blood off.

Thya’s expression was priceless. Her mouth was flapping as if she was speechless.
I raised an eyebrow at her. She saw me and became flustered. She pulled her hand away out of Sarvwen’s hold.
“Wh---Why are you being so caring and nice?” she demanded toughly.
Sarvwen looked at her and sighed.
“I’m not being anything. Just because we’re not fighting about something pointless, it doesn’t mean I’m being different.” he said.
He took her hand back and resumed wiping. But Thya frowned and withdrew her hand yet again.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked, studying him suspiciously.
Sarvwen frowned.
“I’m fine. Why?” he returned.
Thya fidgeted in her seat, looking a bit uneasy.
“Well you’re being all nice and considerate to me… and it’s kind of freaking me out.” she said.
Sarvwen stopped and studied Thya, his eyebrow raised.
“Alright then.” he said. He got up and handed her the towel. “Let’s just hope that the blood isn’t venomous.”

With that, he settled back down in his original seat, leaving Thya looking a bit regretful for some reason. Something was bothering Sarvwen; his expression was clouded.

“Sarv, what’s eating at your mind?” I asked.
Sarvwen looked at me and shook his head.
“I just don’t get this whole thing with Ravador bringing in a Hunt target into Galiasis. A dangerous one at that,” he said. “Why bring it back alive? Why go through the troubles, and why risk the safety of the whole Union?”

A thoughtful silence fell over us, thinking about what Sarvwen said. It was true---why didn’t they kill it? It’s obviously a creature of great power and strength; it killed a young vampire and severely injured three of our Elites. It was a threat; a savage beast. So why bring it into Galiasis? If it got loose---

A soft knocking on the door broke the silence.
“I got it,” Mivian muttered, and got up from the ground.
“Hold on,” she called, and disappeared out of the living room area.
“Who could it be?” Sarvwen thought out loud, craning his neck to see the door.
There were distinct murmurs while Mivian and the visitor had a short conversation. Then there was the sound of the door sliding shut with a hiss.

Mivian walked back into the living room, a strange, confused look on her face. She looked at me and just stared in her shamelessly straight forward grey eyes.
“What?” I demanded, immediately uneasy.
Mivian’s brow scrunched in deep scrutiny as a tall figure approached from behind her.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?” Zarda asked, stepping around Mivian.

“Zarda!” Thya cried, pleased.
She leaped from the couch, skipped over to him and dove into him for a hug.
“How is my favorite twin?”
“Hey!” I yelled, bolting up to a sitting position. “What about me?”
“Can it, I see enough of you,” she said. “So much so that every time I see your face, I just start feeling sick.”
Zarda raised an eyebrow and frowned, scratching the back of his head.
“But I have the same face as him.” he said.
Thya laughed and wrapped her arms tighter around Zarda’s waist in a bear hug.
“I think you’re the better looking one. And no offense, but your twin is a total idiot.” she said, winking at me as she said it.
Zarda chuckled and patted her shoulder, shaking his head. Gently, he pulled Thya’s arms off his waist.
He gave an amused look my way when Thya just threw her arms back around his waist again.
“Hey Sarvwen, did you do something?” he asked jokingly.
Sarvwen looked confused at his question.
“Like what?” he asked.
Zarda glanced down pointedly at Thya, raising his eyebrows in a questioning look.
Sarvwen shrugged very nonchalantly, looking away with an annoyed look.
“I don’t know about that but other than that, our day’s been quite eventful.” he said wearily.

Zarda studied each of us, trying to read our expression. When his eyes landed on Mivian, he frowned.
“Sorry, I know you opened the door for me but, do I know you?” he asked politely and sort of Zarda-ish, apologetically .
Mivian jumped a little at Zarda’s voice.
“Mivian.” she stated simply, introducing herself.
She then glanced back at me, and then back at Zarda again. And then she repeated the process.
“Damn, identical twins…you weren’t kidding, Zavius,” she muttered.
Zarda and I started laughing.
“I’m Zarda, the older twin.” Zarda said.
I snorted.
“Only by like half a minute.” I said.
“Yea, but the word is I’m better-looking.” Zarda joked.
Mivian was still studying both of our face, wide-eyed.
“Shit, I can’t tell you two apart. You must be the only set of twins in the whole Slayer Union.” she muttered.
Zarda and I grinned.
“Cool, huh?” we said in unison.

“GAH!” Thya yelled out from Zarda’s side.

She pulled away from my twin with an angry expression.
“Stop-with-the-syncing!!” she growled.

But Zarda wasn’t listening. His eyes were on the dirtied cloth in Thya’s fist, his previous grin disappearing.
“What did you get yourself into?” he asked, his tone very serious.
Thya glanced down at the cloth, and then she looked back at Zarda, suddenly hyped up. It was as if she was brought back into reality.
“Zarda, we learned something huge today,” she said urgently.

* * * * * * *

Zarda wasn’t completely clueless or oblivious of the rumors, so the whole recap of events didn’t take long. His initial reactions followed the pattern similar to ours---shock, disbelief, and confusion took turns on his expression.

“So they brought the Mark back into Galiasis, alive?” he demanded.
Sarvwen nodded.
“The remaining Electus had the creature restrained in a Continencia Ward. And it was severely wounded, by the looks of the blood that was pooling under it.” he said.
Thya was chewing on her nails, her expression dark in smoldering fury.
“What are they planning, keeping it alive? What if it got loose?” she ranted.
“That’s highly unlikely. If it ever comes close to getting loose, the Electus will probably kill it before any damage is done.” Sarvwen said.
“Yea, but this creature single-handedly managed to disable three Elites. What makes you think it can’t do it again?” Thya returned snappishly.
Zarda looked thoughtful, considering.
“I’m sure Ravador would not be so careless. No doubt that he’ll have at least two teams guarding this thing.” he said.

“I don’t think that’s it."

We all turned to Mivian, who was back in a pretzel on the floor.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Mivian’s expression looked as if something was troubling her.
“It doesn’t make sense. It’s not what Ravador would do.” she said.
She shifted her position out of the pretzel fold so she was hugging her right knee.
“Like Zarda said, Ravador’s not stupid. It’s almost--- not it is impossible to come up with reasons why he would risk the safety of the Immortal civilians by bringing in a savage beast into Galiasis.”
“But he did. He brought that thing into our dimension in broad daylight, holding restraints supported by seven Electus,” I said. “There is no mystery to it.”
But Mivian shook her head.
“No, think! What if that creature they have brought in isn’t exactly what we think it is?” she said. “We don’t know! We don’t know what happened!”
“Then what do you propose this thing may be, Mivian?” Sarvwen asked.
Mivian stopped and looked at him, thinking hard.
“I… I don’t know. Some sort of…treasure? Like a potential weapon?” she guessed, sounding wild with her suggestions.
“But whatever that thing was, it was escorted in here in a Continencia Ward! A restraining Ward, to keep the thing contained!” I argued.
“Actually, not necessarily.” Zarda spoke out.
Our attention turned to him now, surprised and curious.
“The Continencia Ward is a restraining Ward that is unique to its family of Wards and set as a different levels of Energy skills.” Zarda explained. “It is consisting of solely the Casters’ Energies, and takes at least five Energy bases to cast. It doesn’t just hold a physical body in its barrier, but also absorbs its captive’s Energy to the point where they are incapable of moving and lose consciousness.”

I immediately thought back to earlier when Druce had explained about the dark swirling orb.

“On top of that, this Ward requires intense focus. It’s virtually impossible to Cast it on a moving target.” Zarda was saying.
“So the thing was held down while it was Cast.” I said.
“No, I don’t think so.” Sarvwen said, budding in. “If the thing was held down, it would be thrashing and fighting even more. And also, whoever would be holding it down would also be snared by the Ward.”
I wasn’t convinced.
“Then it was unconscious to begin with.” I said, getting bored with this topic.
I was annoyed when I saw Thya shake her head.
“Zavius, Dark Creatures like Bloodkins don’t have a conscious state of being. They can’t be easily disabled like that.” she said.
“So what are you saying? That it gave itself up?” I argued incredulously.
No one spoke for a whole minute.
“I don’t think it’s an ordinary creature,” Mivian said.
“Yea? Well considering that it almost killed three of out Elites like it was like breathing, yea, I’ll say it’s not ordinary.” I snorted,
Zarda considered.
“Zavius, why do you want this thing to be a threat?” he asked.
“I don’t.” I said.
“Then why get so worked up by an idea?”
“Because that idea’s so far-fetched.” I said defensively. “What, we have a beast that surrenders now? It doesn’t make sense!”
“A lot of this doesn’t, Zavius.” Mivian said. “That’s what I’m saying.”

Then we were quiet again, the tension getting thicker. Even after a whole hour of debating over what this thing could be, we still had not the faintest idea.

I should’ve at least figured that whatever this thing was, it was ready and waiting to take my life and flip it upside down.