Shadow Beings

52. Kampan

"Everyone," Conrad started as he broke away from the group hug, walking towards the bedside table. He picked up the black book with a cautious hand, though hope and intrigue were reflected in his eyes. "You'll never guess what this is."

Without waiting for a reply, he opened the book. On the first page was a black box. In it were written the words 'Property of Elek, the awesome levitator', written in a simple font, slightly tilted towards the left side.

Trina gasped and she walked towards the book quickly.

"H-how did you... find this?"

Conrad looked puzzled and turned his head towards the book. "It was hidden in a compartment in his drawer. Evelyn found it."

At that Trina frowned for a brief moment before shaking her head. A distant look came in her bold green eyes, perhaps reflecting sorrow.

"How do you know about it?"

Trina shifted her head towards Conrad in a dazed movement and sighed.

"It's something the two of us were working together on. We researched and analysed... certain information, and the book Entity. At least till page 530 of this book was done by us, though we had stopped because of all that has been happening."

Trina let out a laugh, a proud smile coming on her face.

"Of course he didn't stop. He probably finished the research. You'll know what it is once you start reading it. There's a lot of information in there, mostly related to our past and nature."

Conrad nodded and flipped to the first page of his notes to read out what it said.

"Let me put it plainly: I don't like killing. I don't think any Shadow-Trapper likes killing or thinks it is necessary, or right. I know most of you kill them because you think you have no choice, and some of you feel inexplicable fear or... hatred towards them."

Conrad practically mumbled the last words and Trina noticed that. Conrad was the only member of our team to dislike the Demonic Creatures, and Trina disliked the Demons until she spent some time with Holly. Evelyn's eyes were cloudy but she turned towards Galen, remembering some of his brutal encounters with them. His aura was blue and dainty from which it seemed that he was a little scared of the Demonic Creatures?

He has always dealt with the creatures while I helped the humans... and his mother too...

How did I not realise that in so many years? What kind of a horrible friend was I?

Conrad took a deep breath, continuing. "This is an unsettling thing we Shadow-Trappers have to do; kill Demonic Creatures. They borrow energy from Earth even though they came from the Land of Destructive Tenebris. However, they use that energy to untangle the mess of emotions they find in a human's mind and take the burden upon themselves. They are meant to give the weight back to the human when it's ready so that it can handle itself and learn, grow, evolve. However, we kill them before they have a chance to do that, and we don't even know why. It has become a part of our system and we don't know why."

A hint of frustration seeped into Conrad's tone but he settled himself by the next line.

"Us, Shadow Beings, exist in the 'abstract' energy of the world. From the fluctuations of energies of the Shadow Dimension, of that which cannot be perceived, which isn't relative. The demonic creatures are a mix of abstract and physical constituents. Information - specifically emotions - picked out from the subconscious minds of sentient beings, formed as a 'seed' in the dimension, and granted a vessel in the physical world. They did not ask to be as they are or to even be 'born'. They shouldn't suffer."