No more talking

"Show yourelf you piece of shit!"

Demanded Silvana

"Show myself? Oh my, what a forward young woman you are"

Pinpointing where the voice is coming from would be an impossible task, aside from the fact that its pitch black every sound made in the palace echoes so as far as they're concerned he could be absolutely anywhere at any given time.

"Listen mysterious Mr cool voice, i'd love to play hide and seek all night but unfortunately time wont allow that so how about we wrap this up?"

Lucien was as calm as ever, the way he addressed this unwelcomed visitor was as if the current situation had not phased him one bit.

"You talk alot for someone who has their back against the wall.."

Zaranah turned to Zera

"Ooo I know! maybe this guy is hiding himself because his you know...ugly?

"Now is most DEFINITELY not the time Zee"

"Hey you never know, maybe his just a bit self conscious?

Silvana, visibly dissapointed snaps back at her juniors

"Can you fools PLEEEEAAAASSSSSEE shut up!?"

"YES MA'AM!"

Said Zaranah as she mockingly gave her sister a salute.

"ENOUGH!"

The distorted voice was louder and more rough then before.

"Listen carefully, every exit in this palace is blocked, every guard is lifeless or subdued and the only way out is through ME!..SO GIVE ME! WHAT I WANT!"

"Alright Mr Cool voice, so what is it you want exactly?"

Before answering Lucien the mysterious voice began laughing for a brief moment. He sounded sick, insane like this was all a game

"I want...what you stole from our king"

Silvana locks eyes with her sister and they nod at eachother in unison.

"Zaranah NOW!"

Zaranah immediately fell to the ground and placed both palms on the floor.

"Biomance"

"Primary Creation"

"EVER SEEKING VINES!"

Ever seeking vines, a personal favourite chant of Zaranahs.

The vines are endless and as the name suggests ever seeking. They are attracted to unrecognised bursts of Zenith. You see a mancer is constantly giving off Zenith, it's essentially a cooling mechanism that prevents the body from overheating so it lets out little by little and it's those bursts that can be used to trace the Zenith right back to the source. Once it gets a hold of that source the vines constrict it like a snake keeping it in place, crushing, choking till whatever it is, reaches its demise.

Two massive vines with the width of a half mature bonsai tree came crashing up through the ground. Sending up dust and rubble all over. The vines split up, one going across the ceiling and one heading straight down the hallway. A set of footsteps were heard racing away.

"SEEMS LIKE ITS PICKING UP OUR MYSTERIOUS VOICE AND THE CHIMERA!"

"LUCIEN PROTECT THE APOSTLE, HUNTER AND ZARANAH GO AFTER THAT OTHER VINE. FIND THE PERSON BEHIND THAT VOICE"

"And what about me!?"

Silvana turned around, Zera was the only one left. The rest had hurried off to do as they were ordered. Silvana completely forgot about Zera but it did not matter, at her current stage she is a considered a hindrance.

"You can shut up and watch"

Zera was conflited, does she hide? Or try and stay and fight? She wants to be useful. She wants to show how valuable she can be. She eventually made the decision to run to Lucien and the Apostle, at least he may be able to protect her if anything was to happen. She hates feeling so useless in the time of battle especially as a Guardian but without a weapon or being able to use mancery she has no choice.

Silvana looked on the ground, her sisters vine had stopped moving meaning it had reached their target. It led all the way down the dark hallway, She began to follow them carefully placing her steps as to avoid making unnecessary sound. As she was walking down the hallway she made sure to check every door along the way. She was almost at the staircase leading to the next floor...but still no sign of anything.

She picked up a torch she just managed to see laying on the floor and lit it with a flick of a finger.

The flames illumimated a few feet in front of her. It was the staircase she had reached the end of the hallway but where was this creature? Surely a creature like that wouldnt be able to fit through the staircase...Silvana looked at the floor again, the vines didnt reach all the way into the staircase but rather it reached the very first step...then turned back around.

She looked at the ground directly beneath her. Thats where the vine had stopped

Infront of her.