Chapter 3

***(two days after Eliot lost his sister)***

It was an early morning. People were starting to show up around the streets of New Yourk.

The whistles of the trains in the train station kept Seryoja from falling asleep, however they didn't appear to have much of an effect on Eliot's sleep as he slept through the entire night without a problem.

-Good morning. - said Eliot, still sleepy.

-Is it? - asked Seryoja clearly tired. - I haven't slept in 48 hours so I'm not so sure about that... Where the hell is the messenger!?

- Hey I told you to sleep in my house and then head out but you said we couldn't wait in there, could you remind me again why? - asked Eliot who was shivering from the cold morning weather.

- We can't wait there, because HQ said that i should wait here for instructions on what to do next.

-But can't they simply give you instructions through a telephone? I know that it's a new technology but I'm sure that it's not that expensive to use for an organisation. - said Eliot in a curious manner.

-Well isn't it obvious? Telephone lines are separate in each of the 4 nations and each one of them is being eavesdropped by the governments in them, and the SLFO is an organisation that is not associated with neither one of the nations... - he was still very sleepy so he yawned and continue - I don't know the reasons behind it but we are basically an criminal organisation even tho we are helping people, and thats the reason why we are waiting for a messenger instead of using a Telephone. - explained Seryoja while trying not to fall asleep.

-I see... - said Eliot.

... A silent moment between the two went on. Eliot still wasn't over his sister's death however he had no reason left to continue living in the city with her gone, so he chose to go with Seryoja. After around 10 minutes in silence Eliot decided to ask a question that was bugging him from the beginning of his "adventure" with Seryoja:

- So tell me, what did you mean by "helping" me and why take me with you instead of leaving me behind? - he had curiosity written all over him.

- Well it's quite simple. Mind if I explain to you how the SLFO works? - asked Seryoja while looking around for the messenger.

-I don't mind, as long as it's gonna answer my questions for me. - answered Eliot

-Okay then. Firstly - you think that you're already aware of what our organisation does - basically battling Soul Leeches, right?

-Well yes, at least thats what i got at this point.

-Well thats not the main thing we do, you see while the Soul Purifiers like me are extremely strong, we don't usually do the Soul Leech killing. Each of us gets a different mission that we must complete and after doing so we receive a new one. I was on a mission in here that i completed and the only reason i saved you is because I detected the Soul Leech attached to your sister. So basically i saved you because i had to wait for further orders either way and decided why not do something good while waiting.

-Oh, okay... but still, why would you be taking me with you? - asked Eliot, while hiding his nose behind a scarf.

-Well i did mention that Soul Purifiers don't do the killings right?

-Yes you did, so who does it if not you? - Eliot asked while shivering.

-Well you see, thats the part where the regular people of the organisation come in. The organisation is basically a shelter for people like you whose loved once were taken away by Soul Leaches. Soul Leeches may seem super powerful but the truth is that if a well organised team of regular people with good enough equipment goes against a Soul Leech of lets say Level 3, with some casualties the team can take it out. Basically we take in people like you in the organisation and give them a better life in return of them risking their life for protecting others so that the tragedy they went through doesn't happen to others. - Explained Seryoja.

-Ok, i get it... sounds like a noble goal to me,

however isn't there a way to stop one from turning into a Soul Leech host like my sister did? - Eliot just asked a question that took a while for Seryoja to answer but at the end he decided to answer.

-Well thats... - Seryoja stoped midway through his sentence and kept quiet for a couple of seconds before continuing with the following

- Follow me quietly, the messenger is here.

- Okay - whispered Eliot

***(5 minutes later in an abandoned building near the train station)***

Eliot quietly went with Seryoja in the building. After entering it, Seryoja said to Eliot to stay put in the corner of the next room until he had reported everything and received his next mission.

Eliot did as he said...

...After staying in the corner for a couple of minutes he heard a strange voice that scared him:

-Do you want to be with your sister?

Eliot got startled:

-Who is it? Show yourself! Seryoja if it's you this isn't funny! - shouted Eliot while looking around.

-Hahahah, you think I'm a human? How cute! For your disappointment though im not! Im a Soul Leech, as you filthy beings call me nowadays ! - Said the voice while continuing to laugh.

-Wh...what do you want with me? - Eliot asked clearly scared.

-My, my what do i want? Of course to devour you! Im born from your desire to die after you lost your sister, so it's only natural to make your wish come true isn't it!? - said the voice.

-I won't give in to you! - said Eliot

-Oh is that so?

After saying that black smoke started filling the room. It was soo much that Eliot couldn't see where he was going. He kept walking forward until he saw a figure. Eliot got scared and trembled from the sight of it. It was his sisters decapitated body with white smoke resembling a human body standing next to it. The white smoke body turned its head to Eliot and grinned. Eliot started running back to where he came from but it was like he was going in an endless loop. The more he tried to run, the more tired he got. In the end he couldn't do anything and the white smoke caught up to him. It caught Eliot by the throat. Eliot screamed:

-Help!!! Seryoja help me!!!! Mr. Messenger!!! Someone help me please!!! - he cried desperately for help.

-Its useless boy, I'll devour you right here and now!

Eliot closed his eyes, tears were slowly going down his face, he was ready to get killed by the smoke, but at this moment he felt something warm. He felt a human arm on his shoulder. Eliot opened his eyes and met Seryoja's eyes.

Without even thinking Eliot hugged him and stood there without saying a thing.

Seryoja stood that way for about two-three minutes and asked:

-Can you tell me what happened?

-Y..yes, I guess I should... - said Eliot through his tears.

***(time passes)***

Right after Eliot explained everything:

-I see.- said Seryoja to Eliot. - I guess i was right to save you after all!

-W-what do you mean by that? - asked the not so nervous anymore Eliot.

-Well... I guess im not the one to explain it to you but... - Seryoja took a couple of seconds before continuing- Instead of taking you to HQ I should take you to where the Holy Cube is, since thats where you'll get the answers you need.- he took a deep breath and continued

- Either way my next mission involves going there we should be heading out.

After talking it through both of them went to the train station and boarded on a train heading south of New Yourk.

***(to be continued)***