Answers.

Answers.

"No! Not that! You misunderstand me." A flabbergasted Killion heaved out. "I meant the pulsing wall of blue death like Gabriel likes to call it."

"The what of what?" Havillah said with such an incredulous expression that Killion had to laugh. "Has he finally lost his marbles?"

"I am afraid not." He laughed though had been the one to receive the news he would probably have thought the same. It was quite incredible though,the things that Gabriel got to witness and the manner he had of telling his stories. "We saw it too. Me and Sergeant Barrageway. It was there that night and every other night after that. Not so much visible during the day, but who knows. What I know is, it saved us. It saved us all."

"Okay... But from what?"

"That!" Killion said as he pointed to the many heaps of black things that were dotted around the entire edge of the inner realm and outside the walls of the mansions that Havillah had been too distracted to see. Curiously, Havillah's dragged her feet forward, her eyes bulging even as she took in what was unbelievably but clearly before her. The horror came first, then the shock at the final realization of what all these meant.

"Did you do this?" she whispered not sure if the voice would respond to her now that she was here and in the presence of Killion.

"It is called a Hedge and your presence here kind of activated it."

"I did this?" She forgot and spoke out loudly.

"So, it seems. You saved this town again. You keep on saving us and how do we really you?" A guilt ridden Killion went on to reply unaware that the question was not directed to him.

"Technically no. Someone else sent them here. I assume you know what this means then?"

She nodded, looking back at Killion who was also inspecting the mess as he waited for her to digest everything.

"Don't worry about it." the voice chuckled. "Blind as well as deaf."

"It seemed like they were searching for something. Do you have any ideas on that?" Killion asked her. Havillah ignored the voice as she turned back to regard Killion.

"I do not know. I know some things but not all of it."

"But you won't tell me now..." he said reading it in her eyes.

"I need to get to Selene first. It is something that I feel that I must first do. That is before I lose my resolve." she added as she lowered her head in shame. Why had she waited all this long to help? The voice was right, this was nothing like her. She did what was right not matter what, that is except in matters where the first Virtue was concerned. As she thought about this, Havillah remembered her emollient, the very same thing that had been taken away from her, the moment she had been cast out. The voice had convinced her that she could do it even without it, but the truth was that Havillah still had her doubts and she doubted herself. More so, when she gave too much thought to it.

It was true, her second Virtue was quite strong, but she had always needed the emollient to fuse the hope crystals for healing and even now with her expanding first Virtue, she still doubted that that would be enough to do something. Especially when she had no real reason why things had unfolded the way they had.

Robes zapping someone? Whoever heard of that? Truly that was unheard of, but then again, on Triberias everyone had a cloak of their own and therefore there was usually no reason to jack another person's robes except when the younger ones were playing a prank.

'' Even then, it was not like Selene Barrageway was trying to steal from me? And in broad daylight?'' Maybe her robes were malfunctioning. Havillah had no idea, but she now knew an expert and this time, she would make sure to get all the answers that she needed.