***NEED WORK

“Gotchya,” Arlanya muttered.

Arlanya could practically hear and feel her heartbeat inside her head as she drew closer and closer to her target.
Yes! she thought triumphantly. I got the thing!
Adrenaline pulsed through her veins as she navigated down the dark, cluttered hospital hallway, her flashlight trained where she had caught a glimpse of bright, light golden glow that peeked through from behind the supporting shaft on the right side of the hall.
This was the target… this was her target.

Something crunched loudly under Arlanya’s cautious step, the sound breaking the tense silence.
“Shit!” she hissed, stumbling a bit off balance.
Focus…damn! Arlanya screamed internally at herself.
She forced herself to hold still, trying to regain the heavy silence she had felt before. After another still moment, she breathed in quietly and raised her flashlight back onto her target.

The shadow hiding behind the supporting shaft shifted, and a brief flash of bright gold slipped through from between the column and the wall like a flare, but then ducked back into the dark, as if to peek back at her.
Arlanya stopped breathing, daring not to make a sound.
That was it; there was a definite movement.

She took another step closer.
Just seven steps away.
Her heartbeat sang wildly in her chest.
Five steps…
The finger on the trigger twitched in anticipation.
Three steps…
Something crunched under her foot again, breaking the silence for the second time.
But it didn’t matter; there was no escape for her prey.

One step…

Arlanya drew herself onto the round column, pressing her back against the cool surface.
Just on the other side---

Her stomach clenched tightly in excitement as adrenaline coursed through her in full force. With one silent breath and rock-solid resolve, Arlanya twisted her shoulders away from the column and swung herself around to the other side of the shaft. She felt her step grind into the ground as she snapped her flashlight to the right---

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

Mivian’s POV

I blinked, squinted and looked away, the flashlight making my eyes tickle. I saw the glint of the girl’s pistol as it was trained where my chest should’ve been. I didn’t breathe. The only thing that was not trapped in the tense silence was my rambling mind.

Vardavit… I didn’t make it…my cover’s blown…Best of all, I look like a floating head!!

Face it, I was screwed; she can see me and I didn’t know the techniques of the Erase ritual.
Oh, Ravador’s going to Purify and Descend me…

Then I saw the pistol lower, and the beam of the flashlight veer off of my face. Confused, I turned my eyes to the Hunter. I winced when I saw her shocked, disbelieving expression.
“Ah…crud.” I squeaked, feeling panicked.

The girl looked around her, as if to check her sanity. I swallowed, and took a deep breath.

Confusion. Disbelief. Shock. Surprise…

I could practically feel her emotions rolling off of her in vibes and drilling into my core. My Energy Pulse swirled and bubbled in response.
Focus; hold still. I reminded myself.
This was the annoying part of having emotion-sensitive Energy as my unique special ability; you had to have constant control. Otherwise, I could easily---

I stopped, biting my tongue to stop thinking.
It doesn’t matter; I don’t use my ability anyway. I had sealed the power for a reason.

Suddenly, the girl’s posture shifted, going from rigid and attentive, to tired and slacking. Her whole body started to fall forward.
“What the---” I blurted, shrinking back against the cold wall.

The fist holding the flashlight punched in through my right shoulder and hit the wall with a frustrated thud.
“What the hell!" the Hunter girl growled.
“Hey that’s my---”

I stopped, realization dawning.

She went through my shoulder…that means…
…I made it.

I’m invisible; I’m free.
The girl hadn’t seen me at all.

“Oh Deus,” I breathed, allowing myself relief.

Who knows what could’ve happened if I hadn’t made it.

I sighed again and pulled myself away from the wall, my body passing right through the girl with ease and unnoticed.
“How the hell---gah!” she muttered, shaking her head. She let out a frustrated grunt and swore again.
“What a waste of energy, time…and emotions? Yea, what the hell? Making me waste emotions like that,” she continued to rant, seemingly directed at nothing.
I glided away towards the opposite wall, amused. Too bad we couldn’t really meet, this girl and I; she and I would’ve gotten along.
“It’s your fault, yea yours, wall; acting and moving all sneaky and shift---"

A loud boom followed by hinges squealing in protest shot out from the dark, cutting the girl off mid-rant. The sound sent cold chills across the surface of my skin, sinking deep into my flesh. Instincts kicked in and I curled forward in a defensive half-crouch, my hand flying to my flintlock holster. At the same time, I had a really bad feeling about this.
It seemed like ages before we heard the second sound this time the squealing came before the heavy thud.
A slamming door.

“Ah., so that’s where you went…”

My eyes flicked over to the dark shadow that was the human girl, and saw that her gun and flashlight was lifted up again in her guarded stance. Her expression was smart and confident.

“No, no, I went here.” I said to her, knowing she can’t hear me.
The girl started to move, starting in the direction the sound had come from. I felt an awful feeling of dread seeping into my chest.
“Don’t go there, you shouldn’t follow it.” I warned her. “I know you can’t hear me, see me, yada yada yada… but you really shouldn’t---”

The girl pulled a small communication device off of her belt and pressed a button.
“Hey Vayden, I heard the target go into the fifth emergency stairwell.” she reported.

“But hey! It’s nothing too interesting. What’s over that way?” I called loudly, trying to change this girl’s mind without being conspicuous. Not that she could hear me anyways.
“Alright, I’ll head over right after I’m done here.” the Hunter boy responded through the receiver.
“Or, how about I go instead? Let the professionals do their job; I can actually do my job right, you kids can just continue playing with your toys.” I growled, my voice unheard to the intended.
The girl started to pick up her pace, swiftly picking her way through the clutter.

I watched, unsure on my feet as the girl slipped deeper into the dark, leaving me behind, completely frustrated and annoyed. There was something in the air; something that gave me a sick, dreadful feeling throughout my whole body.

“Ah…Vardavit.” I groaned.

Trying not to think about the many ways all this could go wrong, I followed after her into the dark.

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

Vayden stepped over the last of the stairs, careful not to disturb the dense silence. He stopped, taking time to look around with a sweep of his flashlight.

Dust was everywhere, covering every inch of flat surface. There was noticeably less clutter in this area, making maneuvers in the dark that much easier. It was as if this part of the hospital was left untouched by whatever that had created the mess everywhere else in this place.

Vayden turned his flashlight forward, trying to see where he could move forward to.
The words Pediatric, Stage I hovered over the double doors that stood closed before him.

He stopped, taking time to think.
Something about this scene was nagging him; whatever it was, it was tugging playfully at the corner of his mind.
What is this feeling? he thought, wracking his brain to put a title to this sensation.
Whatever it was, it didn’t feel right.

But what will standing here thinking ever figure out? his mind taunted.
Just be very careful…

With one last silent breath, he approached the double doors. As he drew closer, he heard and felt a low, soft howling of the stirring air push through the tight space between the doors.
An open window? In an emptied hospital?
The doors themselves were plated with thick, blur-filmed glass, only allowing to show obscured shadows of what was on the other side.
Was it safe?

“Only one way to find out,” he muttered under his breath.

Slowly and cautiously, he pressed his palms against the cold pedal lock and gently pressed it in. He felt it give way under his touch and the lock click, the sound resonating loudly as he cracked the door open slightly.

The soft breeze howled lowly in a haunting voice, and a cold, moist and sterile air pushed into Vayden’s face, the scent lingering in the back of his throat. It was darker, the space blacker and thicker from what he could see through the partially open door. But nothing moved to stir the empty feel of the place.
After another cautious moment, Vayden pushed his flashlight through the slight space, taking the careful measures before pushing the door open wider…

The air on the other side of the door gave a bit of a resistance, as if the door had been suctioned shut.
Strange… Vayden thought. Why did this feel so unnatural?
He focused hard, trying to pick up even the slightest presence. But he felt nothing.

Feeling slightly and uncharacteristically unsure of his decision, he slipped into the Pediatrics, Stage I unit, completely plunging into the dark.

The heavy door stiffly stood open how it was left, not moving an inch.

Then in an unnatural shift, it slammed shut, cutting off the silent haunting cries from the rest of the world.

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

Mivian’s POV

I flinched and twisted around, bewildered.

What was it… what was that?
Just now, the tone and mood of the air…suddenly dropped?

I swore, gritting my teeth and cringing.

No, it didn’t drop; it felt as if it literally sucked the calm out of the atmosphere, taking away the covers of the stillness, to reveal---

---chaos.

Automatically I felt myself absorbing the erratic volts in the air, reading it as my eyes flickered from one dark corner to another, my mind lost in a storm.
The silence roared angrily in my ears, menacing and eager with the blackest intent. I felt it; the invisible claws lingering hungrily around my throat, itching to just close itself around its prey.

But why all this in a sudden moment? What was going on?
I hadn’t sensed any of this the whole time I was shadowing the Hunter girl---

“Vardavit!” I hissed as realization dawned on me, and twisted back around.

To my horror, I saw that the girl was nowhere to be seen--- just before the view of the empty dark hall churned before my eyes, the dark scene crumbling.
I gasped, staring in disbelief as the walls and doors surrounding me pressing in, disappearing into nothing.
I was stuck in a sightless void.

Stay calm! Be still! I thought to myself. Just think…Hold your Ener—

The air around me suddenly grew heavy, and the immense pressure shoved itself down onto my shoulders.
“What the---” I spat, gritting my teeth as I resisted the strength that threatened to overpower me.

An illusion? Had I stepped into some sort of trap? But then how…

The invisible claws lingering around my throat closed itself and pulled down hard.
Shocked, my resistance gave way and my knees crashed into the ground at great speed and impact. I gasped, and grabbed onto the fleshy vines that were now tightening its hold around me.
I couldn’t breathe.
What is this?! my mind demanded, my fingers clinging onto the thing that was choking the life out of me.
There were no sounds, no voices to tell me who, what or where this assailant was.
Just the deathly howling of silence that was screaming in my ear.

More thick vines wrapped around my waist, arms and legs, pinning me to the ground.
My mind was going fuzzy, and my whole body felt like ice.

A shot of fear ran through my veins, chilling me to the core.
Control…I’m losing control…

My Energy Pulse stirred and started to press outward, as if it was hungry to taste this demonic vibe that had taken hold of me.

Hostile. Pain. Unstable. Dominant.

NO! I screamed in my mind. Stay in control! I Sealed you in for a reason!
But my suppressed Energy continues to press outward, eager to get out.

The emotions and sensations filled the already tight space, smothering me in this toxic miasma.
And I was starting to feel numb.

…oh, what is this?

My mind only gave a small jolt to acknowledge the eerie presence that silently spoke through the atmosphere.
But I couldn’t do much else to respond, in the state I was in.
This was… this was just too pitiful.

I can’t agree more… the dark emotions seem to return, churning gleefully against my skin.
More emotions flooded through my senses, in a rush that would drive me to insanity.

Excitement. Corruption. Savage…
…Amusement.

I felt myself sinking, being pulled deeper, as if I was losing consciousness. And the deeper I went, the more I heard it clearer.

…my, my…my precious guests…how close to freedom I am!! it laughed eagerly.

…soon, oh so soon to be my puppets, these two mortals… yet you; you are different…you are hiding something from me…

I closed my eyes to the dark, trying to focus.

The boy…too curious for his own good, is the closest to where I lie…the girl, completely oblivious to the ensnaring trail she is on…

I could feel it, leaning in; breathing right in my ear.

Interesting. You want to save them both…yet you feel the need to hold such great control of your strength. Show me what you are hiding…

I grit my teeth, retaliating in this mental battle.

What makes you think you are allowed the luxury to hold back?

I froze.
This thing--- whatever it was, it wasn’t going to let me keep things the way I needed them to be.
And it will provoke me in anyway to do whatever it wanted.

Then suddenly at that thought, I felt the sudden change, the change I was dreading, hoping that it wouldn’t come.
I hated…I hated to be provoked.

The thing laughed silently, and I could imagine it throwing its head back.

You…entertain me so. For you are so---

…breakable.

My eyes snapped open, just as the Seal holding my Energy back snapped.
Everything before my eyes exploded into bright, blinding light. Silence was broken with an equally deafening blow, roaring fiercely and shoved the dark aside.
I sensed the startled shock and pain from my invisible opponent. The fleshy vines loosened its grip around my throat and broke apart under my fingers.
I heard hissing and screeching of agony and anger.

The light dimmed, and shadows and shapes returned to my vision.

I took a swiping glance around the place.

There were unnaturally wispy, dark grayish flames burning in different places, burning the additional debris here and there. The newly lit flames gave the place now a source of light, making shadows dance. The walls and ceiling were caving outwards away from me, as if something had crashed into those walls at great impact.

I spat at the ground, forcing my Energy back into what was close to its original state.
“My control is not that great.” I muttered.

I brushed some burnt crisps and ashes off of my shoulder and sleeve before I started forward, stepping over what looked like what was left of the vines that was restraining me. I kneeled down, examining the original clutter that was lying around right from the start. I should’ve noticed before.

All around me were clutters of broken rocks, fragments of glass and cement. But most of what stood out were small animal remains, both skeletal and practically dried to a mummified state.

A telltale sign of the place being a predator’s nesting place.

“The boy…too curious for his own good, is the closest to where I lie…”

A cold chill shot through me as I remembered the deathly word. The boy…the Hunter boy…
My head snapped up from the ground and I stared down the hall, and instantly I felt my Immortal senses kicking in. My vision moved at full speed, shooting down the hall, turning right, then left, the dark scene blurring---and then it stopped…

The Hunter stood before a great pair of double doors, looking unsure of what to do. He stared into the tiny space the door has allowed, peering in to see if he can make anything out in the black. Then he slipped into the Pediatrics, Stage I unit, completely plunging into the dark.

The heavy door stiffly stood open how it was left, not moving an inch.

Then in an unnatural shift, it slammed shut, cutting off the silent haunting cries from the rest of the world…

“Vardavit!” I swore.

My vision returned back to where I was in a blink.
I dove forward, starting to sprint in the direction my vision had led me.

“Interesting. You want to save them both…”

I skidded to a stop, and the icy feeling washed over me again. Of course I want to save them both; I will save them both.
What was it, this thing made it seem like I could only save one…

Oh? Yet you have the confidence to save both? the creature mused silently in thought.
One is on a definite route into a trap of chaos, while the other is inching closer and closer to his end…

I felt my anger flare out of my chest again, and in an instant, the dark grey flames rose up through my skin, engulfing my whole entire body.

The dark presence seemed to chuckle.
One with a great temper, I see… it thought.
Very well, amuse me some more…

I snarled, my fingers curling into a tight fist.
The flames faded, and my temper cooled…
“I’m not here for your entertainment.” I snapped.

We’ll see about that… it responded.

I glanced back at the dark hall behind me where I had lost sight of the girl.
Arlanya, was it? Well, you best not fall for any traps before I get to you.

I swore again, turned around and broke into a sprint.

Vayden, now? Your issues better be worth the troubles you are putting me through. You and you partner, both.