Awakening Of The HollowShadow

Chapter 14

“As you wish, sir” his deputy replied, about to leave his desk to fulfill the chief’s request. While the scouts were not sure of what to do, as the shock of the change of event was still in play. Making them hesitant to react, and to execute the chief’s request.

“There is no need for that, am fine… I just got a bit overwhelmed, that's all... I'll do better at restraining myself… I apologize for my behavior, especially to you Tolulope...”

“With that said, let’s not waste time on me, and focus on a more prior issue… Please let’s continue with the meeting, and the others should remain, their contribution and present has been quite essential to comprehending the issue at hand…”

“And given how this concern them probably the most, since the city is their home, it's only fair for them to have a say” the vice-captain relayed getting back up, as his bloodlust and murderous intent had died down massively.

He made his machete fade out, upon standing, before walking towards his seat, after bowing his head in apologies to his past action. While making it known he was okay, as he also deny the chief of his request. He motioned for all on seat to remain seated, the deputy of the chief inclusive.

Checking on his secretary wellbeing himself, as he helped her to a seat next to him, before he sat down. While the crow flew to the center of the desk, in the hall, as the secretary was moved.

The chief kept silent, after confirming the decrease of his murderous intent, while hoping his words would be, as he said them to be. Acknowledging the denial of his request, while motioning to his deputy to do as he said, and return to his seat, in order to proceed with the meeting.

“I see… So the role of vice-captain, has finally sank in… After one repelled wave? C’mon, I thought you had more fire in you… Or are you just that scared of him, Micheal?” the crow relayed in mockery, as it flew to the portion of the vice-captain’s desk, after he sat, folding his hands, while he closed his eyes. Trying to quench the burning desire to burn it whole, as the bird taunt him.

The scouts were confused as to how things were playing out. Although the words of the vice-captain in denial of the chief’s request, filled them with joy. But it was short lived, as the taunting words of the crow, clouded their joy, while raining droplets of curiosity to them.

As each drop, made them wondered who sent the crow, what the person’s relationship was with the vice-captain for him to had changed upon its arrival? And if the chief was the one it was making reference to as he. As the thought of if the chief was the one that sent the vice-captain flying, was running round in their heads, while the senior scouts believed its words laid claim to their suspicion.

The secretary who had gain a bit of her strength, and breath, after sitting. Felt Relieved, as the words of the vice-captain played back in her head. Believing he had returned back to himself, she felt whelmed. Holding no grudge to his past action, or anything else, as his voice and gesture made it worth her wild, making her heart pound, while she sat trying to conceal her excitement.

The chief’s deputy on the other hand was beginning to look forward to how things would play out, as the words of the crow whelmed him, filling him with a bit of excitement, especially when he noticed the crow’s speech pattern.

“So, to what honor do we owe this visit? Given the time and circumstance, I’ll like to believe taunting him into action is not why, you are here, Right?”

“Hmm… Direct as always I see… But you’re right… I was just curious, if you actually have a plan to address the pending chaos that is about to swallow the city whole…”

“Given how your roles has changed from participant to spectators… I guess you could say in a way I was curious of if you’ll stick to the new role” the crow relayed, turning its head to face the chief, as it remained on the portion of the desk of the vice-captain. Giving a reply to the chief’s question, while the chief was curious of the meaning behind his choice of words.

“In other words you came to make enquires? And what the hell makes you think we’ll answer your question, or attend to you?”

“Just the fact that you can’t execute your plan, regardless of how good a plan it might be... That is, if you have one, because your lack of action to stop the darkness, proves otherwise”

“What are you talking about?”

“What? You don’t know? Really?” the crow relayed in a bit of surprise, as to how things actually were, to what his summoner anticipated, after hearing the vice-captain’s reply and assumed knowledge of things.

Believing the situation was now perfect for it to make leverage of, while the vice-captain was annoyed by his hesitation to answer his question. As the chief pondered, if that was what he meant by their change of roles from participants to spectators.

After noticing the response of the vice-captain to its words. The crow realized the chances of them also thinking the darkness spreading beneath them, was that of a mere plague of darkness was high. But to confirm its suspicion it reached out to the chief. Asking him what he thought the darkness spreading within the city was, while on the desk of the vice-captain, ignoring his question.

Infuriated by its act, the vice-captain set ablaze the portion of his desk, before the chief could answer his question. In hopes of burning up the crow. Releasing not enough to destroy it, but just enough to hurt it. In other to gain its attention, and punish it for ignoring him. At least, so he believed.

“C’mon now, do you really think such petty flames would do any harm… I might be a crow, but do not underestimate me… However to humor you, since you're desperate, I’ll show a kindness by answering your question”

“The reason you can't execute your plan, even if you had one, is because you’re all trapped in the tower… Sealed out of the city to be precise, courtesy of the darkness plaguing the city atmosphere” the crow relayed answering the vice-captain’s question, and making him aware of his standing, as his efforts of hurting it amounted to nothing. Revealing that his flames was ineffective in doing harm to it, as it made them aware of their circumstance.

“What? That’s impossible”

“Oh, it's possible alright, and has happened… But don’t take my word for it… You can always just try transporting yourself to the city, or better yet, if that doesn’t work, you can always jump from the tower to the city, which I believe is a more effective method to try, if you want to break the barrier, the darkness has created…”

“But the only downside is that, just as your effort now to hurt me, it will be futile… But if you must, by all means do… And if by some miracle you manage to break through it, which is highly unlikely, since it will probably drain you dry, just by you being close to it, at least when it’s yet to complete its circulation in the city, but worse afterwards…”

“However, in the chance that, you do break through part of the barrier… You’ll die one of three ways… By the darkness draining you to fill the part you broke, or by the invasion that will take place after the darkness complete its circulation, or if you’re really unlucky you will die of both…”

“Either way, you’ll die… And the darkness will still be in play… Although, this is all in account that it doesn't corrupt you first using your emotions” the crow relayed in response to the vice-captain’s reaction to its answer.

The vice-captain quaked to the uttered words, taking account of the chief speculation, and some aware facts stated, as each forced him to believe in the uttered words of the crow, especially, when he knew it was too risky to try to confirm it. The thought of being useless overwhelmed him. Quenching his lit flames, as his mind was filled with despair.

While the scouts took a moment to first digest its first relayed answer, as they were horrified by the thought of it being factual. While its words in response to the denial, of the vice-captain’s reaction to its first report of their circumstance, snuffed out all hopes they had to countering the demons. As the meaning of his previous statement of them being a mere spectator was starting to sink in.

Although, the secretary couldn’t fully relate to the words the crow uttered at first, due to her absent in the meeting. However, that changed. Upon gaining sight of the hologram in display, at the center of the hall. Noticing the content to be a live feed of the city southern, and eastern region atmosphere, as both were plagued with darkness.

Confused by what the darkness in the atmosphere might be, the words of the crow started sinking in consciously and otherwise. Putting two and two together, she got plunged to a sea of despair along with the scouts. As they quaked to the knowledge of things.

The chief’s deputy was amused by the word play of the crow. Believing all was just a staged play to it, regardless of if it was true, or false. And their current situation was no more, than a scene of a play to it.

Convinced the purpose of its uttered words to be one from a scene that serves the sole purpose of plunging their characters into despair, as it’s made obvious that they are only extras in his play. And their only purpose was no more but to place him in the limelight of things, while they conform to a pitch black background that makes his brilliants visible for all to see.

As they would come to realize, how pointless it was to even think they could address the problem at hand.

Bringing forth the thoughts of him being the only hope they could clinch on, subconsciously and otherwise. The thought of such excited him, in ways that made him believed, the only purpose of him being in the meeting was for this moment, as all sense of his boredom laid dead, giving birth to his excitement.

Changing his constant doll like, look of boredom to that of a creep, amused about the chaos of things, as he didn’t even try hiding his excitement of things, while the rest were a bit too occupied by the hopelessness of things to even notice his changed expression.

“I see… So, that's what you meant by the change of roles… However, if our situation is, as you state it to be… Can you explain how you made it here… I’ll admit, all I know of the plague, is nothing but a hint…”

“But, if my knowledge of the plague is anywhere near correct about its effects, then I’ll be correct in assuming the plague can absorb both pure, and dark energy, while somehow retaining its form of darkness… And if a barrier is erected by such art to keep us out, and can drain one of its pure energy, if interfered with, as you said…”

“Shouldn’t it be able to drain yours too, given how you’re an art…? Or is it that your birth is of dark art?” the chief asked, curious to know how the crow got to the tower. And its energy origin, to better ascertain the nature of the barrier. While unlike the others, he was extremely calm, since he believed there was more to things, than the crow was letting on. And if he plays his card right, he might be able to secure its aid to prevent the chaos of things.

“Indeed, your knowledge of the darkness effects, are as you presume it, if you want to follow the text of the soul sector… But in literal terms it only absorbs dark energy laying around to spread, and renders its collected darkness, as fuel for all able to utilize dark art, without draining any living creature with dark energy…” the crow answered, giving an insight to things, as regards to how the darkness affects dark energy, while neglecting to explain the bases of it.

As he went on explaining how the darkness effects pure energy. Stating that in the case of pure energy, in terms of surrounding energy, or emitted ones. The darkness corrupts it, by using its weak links, as it unite them all to itself to overwhelm the core, and stronger links, which in turn convert the pure energy, making it one with it, while retaining, it's form as it spread.

But in terms of living organisms, beings, or host. It overwhelms them with negative emotions, enough to corrupt the host energy, which in simple terms means the more negativity one has the more vulnerable one was.

Adding that hunters who can’t keep their negative emotions in check, are most vulnerable to the darkness, as it would use one’s own negative emotions to overwhelm oneself, into utilizing only dark energy.

Overwhelming them with power and negativity. Blocking all trace of their humanity, along with access to pure energy around, or within oneself. As it bask one in darkness, corrupting them, which in turn would make one the perfect puppet for chaos, all in seconds. Granting the demons control over them, as they become tools, or meals to them.

“However, the corruption process only occurs when the darkness complete its circulation in the city, so, the worse is yet to come, you're all still safe, for now at least… But if one tries using pure arts, or energy below its accumulated energy level, or strength of it to purge the darkness, it will only serve as a fuel for it to spread, as it would drain the person dry of their energy”

“But in the most unlikely case, that it’s otherwise, and the host can make use of dark energy, then that’s a whole different ball game all together… It opens doors to various possibility, won’t you agree?” the crow stated. Marketing its summoner’s potentials, as it gave an insight of how the darkness works, its weakness, and a solution to their problem. Giving an indirect answer to the chief’s questions, as it walked to the center of the desk of the hall.