Awakening Of The HollowShadow

Chapter 12

Although most were able to find shore upon hearing the reply of the chief, from the sea of depression Thomas words plunged most in, but the vice-captain wasn’t so lucky. As he remained silent relating to the words uttered, as the words of Thomas laid claim to his thoughts.

Sinking it to him that he was rather useless at the time. Since like the ordinary members, and senior scouts he couldn’t sense the demons in the city, at least the ones with hostility, and the darkness as it spread. Before the uttered words of Thomas, he thought it was because they were concealing their energy with some art, but after hearing Thomas words the reality of things changed for him.

Filling him with despair, as the thoughts of being useless overwhelmed him, to the point that he began to wish the captain was around to address the issues, as the words of the chief failed to reach him. While he contemplated on if truly the chief has any solution to their crisis at hand.

For a brief moment, after the chief concluded his words, the tension of the room, was filled with mixed feelings, leaving certain people on seat, a bit eased up as to the relayed words of Thomas’s depression. And others anxious to know, if the chief has an actual solution to the situation at hand.

While the vice-captain was trying to conceal the effect Thomas words had on him, from all, especially the chief, as the chief’s deputy sense of boredom was still unchanging. Since he believed, both the chief and the vice-captain was just playing ignorant to things, consciously and otherwise.

Convinced the chief was trying not to influence the choice of the vice-captain directly, into reaching to the obvious solution. While the vice-captain had too much emotional dispute within himself. Blocking his sense of things to have picked up with, what the chief had made obvious, in order for him to comprehend, and reach to the solution the chief had in mind.

Especially when there was no chance of them getting an aid from the soul sector, due to recent events in progress. In light to that, he was curious as to how long they would keep it up, and the cost they were willing to pay, as the hall remained silent. Making the sound of even their breathing audible, moments after the chief’s uttered words.

Back at the school where Tobi and Mutiu attend, time had passed. It was approaching the end of the last class for the morning, which was two periods, before the school’s break time. Marking the close of all morning classes, as all students’ would be given a brief break of 30 to 60 minutes before the afternoon classes begins.

Some classes, which were lucky enough to be left with free periods, due to the absent of the subject teachers, or early conclusion of topics, were in a bit of excitement. As students' of some of the set of those classes, who were not close to classes with ongoing lessons, were gisting, and making a bit of a noise as they talked. While others of same set of luck, but close to classes with ongoing lessons, were trying not to disturb, after they were warned of being punished.

And others that were not lucky enough to have such, were being hammered with lectures from the respective subject teachers.

Most of the students’ with ongoing lessons, were anxiously waiting to be relieved of the first half of the school day. After being hammered lessons for the most part of the morning. Believing their brains can only take so much, as others listened the best they could, without being distracted by their pairs as they whispered, and make bad, and funny remarks of the lessons given.

Few paid undivided attention, to the lessons, to learn, in the course of being taught the topic of a particular subject, savoring each uttered words, and finding meaning to them as they sat with utmost concentration.

Tobi’s class was one amongst those who were not so lucky, to had been granted a free period. As they were hammered lessons, period after period with little time to catch their breath. And Tobi believed he had it worse, since he had few extra lessons to catch up on, after the school, due to his absent in previous classes, and if he wants to keep being a hunter under Mutiu’s roof.

While Mutiu’s class was also experiencing a somewhat similar situation, if not worse, as they were moving from one lab to another for each of their classes. His classmates were all exhausted, from the unwanted exercise of moving from one lab to another, and most were barely holding on to the lessons of the classes they had concluded, as they long for the break. Believing that was their salvation, as they were unaware of what was happening in the city.

After the conclusion of their previous class, before the commencement of the next, and last class of the morning. Mutiu was asked to stay behind, as they were about to leave the physics lab, on the request of the teacher. A bald, slightly fat male who seemed to be in his early 40’s requested. While the others match to face the lessons of the next class.

“We’ve done as you requested… And it would seem your suspicions was right” his physics teacher said, starting off their conversation, after all Mutiu’s classmate had left, and they could sense none close to the physics lab.

While they each sat on one of the lab’s stool, opposite each other. In the middle roll, of a horizontal lab placement setting, of both desks and stools of the lab, away from his desk on the podium. While confirming the suspicion of Mutiu, as to his request from when he came to see him, and amongst other teachers, in the morning before the assembly.

“Based on the report… Demons from the dark sector were said to be in the city… Most seemed to be in the northern region, and apparently they are the only survivors of their pairs, starting this morning… The rest were said to be in the east and south region of the city, at least before they were dealt with yester night…”

“Although our sources couldn’t get anything, as regards to how they came to the city, and nothing of their exact time of arrival, as that of their goals, but we were able to get intel on their identity, and some of their activities in the city” his teacher reported, starting with the confirmation of his suspicions, as he proceeded with the intel acquired.

He continued his report, by first revealing the identity of the demons to be two lords, and party members. Stating the lords’ names to be Omiha, and Oka, adding that their party numbers was over 20, if not 30 each. While making it known that Omiha was reported to be the one causing the uproar of the rebellion he stated, in request of the investigation. And the one behind the c*****e of the city folks for the past months in the south and east of the city.

Giving a bit of detail as to the event, he explained that Omiha was able to persuade most of the bloodthirsty demons in the south, to aid him, with the promise of power and freedom. As he closed the deal by sharing intel of how shorthanded the sector security was, at the moment, which made them believed they could get away with their acts, if they join hands.

And that was what caused the increase in the demonic activities. The killings, and abductions of the city folks for the past few months now, along with the decrease of the demons in the south region, as two senior hunters went on a bit of a rampage in responds to their acts, 2 months ago.

Slaying of most demons they gain sight of in the south, which forced the hands of other demons into joining his course. While he and his party members stayed out of sight, as they used the abducted victims to create plagues all over the south regions, bit by bit, for months now. Without notice, he explained.

Adding that, although his acts, deception and intel helped increased his party numbers, enough to send some of them to the east region of the city a month and some weeks back to further aid their campaign. But it also led to the end of his rain, as his acts became bolder, so much so that he claimed the slumps of the ghetto to be his stage.

While his subordinates, claimed some of the warehouses in the sea port of the east, as they work their magic for weeks. Increasing the death toll of the city. And their plague, as the countdown of their existence began. Reaching zero yester night.

“Our sources, described Tobi to be the one that purged them, along with some ordinary members of both regions, as they were in the process of creating more plague in both regions… However, as regards to lord Oka, he seems to had been doing a bit of recruitment himself, few months back…”

“Only few demons of the city chose to join his ranks, in the north, but his yet to make any move since then… Looking at both lords’ actions, and the status of the plague, as that of its benefit if it complete its circulation, I think it will be safe to assume that they were working towards same goals, but with separate roles… Given the circumstance… I believe an invasion is their goal”

“I see… And what about here, in the western region?”

“Nothing was reported as regards to our region, in the sighting of demons from the dark sector… At least not that I know of, but I’ll have our sources check just in case”

“Okay… Good work, however am not in any rush, so, please don’t rush the investigation” Mutiu replied realizing the demons he purged yester night were either excellent at concealing their present, or were being covered by someone in his region.

As he gain confirmation of his thoughts, with added knowledge of certain incidents in the city, and the cause of some of the demons actions. While making his intent on not being in a rush known.

In order to not decrease the quality and quantity of intel to be gathered, as he sat not surprised by all that was stated. Realizing that the goals of the demons might differ from the ones he slayed.

“Noted, I’ll do just that, sire… However, if you don’t mind me asking, do you plan on addressing the issue of the plague? I mean, if left unchecked, the demons in the city might take advantage of the opportunity or be influenced by it, given its effects…”

“With that said, if am correct, and truly an invasion is their goal, members of the dark sector will be prepped and ready, which will open the gates to chaos, while the plague will drain the people of their sanity and energy, as it destroy the eye…”

“Given how it’s still spreading with no hindrance, it seems the eye is probably not working, and the sector security are yet to comprehend how much of a threat, the plague is for them to have let it, gained, this much ground” the teacher responded in curiosity, and a bit of worry, of if Mutiu was going to address the issue, or leave it to the hunters.

“Eventually, yes”

“Eventually? But sire…”

“I can’t address the issue, at least not directly, and you know why… You, or anyone from the clan can’t do it either, since it will only expose your present in the city, beating the point of bringing you here and hiding in plain sight…”

“As things stand, unless I gain something I can bargain with, a direct action from me will only cause trouble…”

“Besides, you should worry more, about yourself and the clan for now, not of the city, after all, there’s a high chance they’ve probably deployed lookout drones all over the city, hiding in plain sight might not be all that wise right now…”

“So, tell the others to withdraw from the investigation and return home, if they're still gathering intel, I’ll have the old man notify you of when to resume, if otherwise then tell them to stay out of sight” Mutiu said cutting in, as he remind him of their circumstance. While he issued the withdrawal of the investigation, and members of his teacher’s clansmen, with a straight face, not giving his teacher words of concern much priority.

“Are you really going to let more people die? Ever since the captain got relocated, they've been nothing more, but unreliable, that's the main reason things got this far... I know the vice-captain won't take your hand… But if you leave things as it is, everyone will die…”

“Besides, with the report you just heard, surely, you are aware there’s a high chance demons of the dark sector, have somehow infiltrated the soul sector, to had bypassed the barrier, and have intel of their scheme? And if that's the case, which probably is… There’s no hope for backup…”

“Sire, if you do nothing, and let things go on as it is, the city will fall... Please reconsider” his teacher said in a bit of agitation, as he tried to persuade him. While, trying not to lose his composure, as he laid claims to disturbing facts of the situation. Believing that would be enough to use as leverage for negotiation with the sector, in order to suade him to act.