Mildry - 7:29 pm, 16FTE

Nine Eras before the current Era, the Frontier Era, also known as FTE, brought new strides in political camaraderie and the establishment of borders. It was one of the first Eras to have unified governments and access to the whole world. With the threat of Necrobeasts being quenched by the Initiates and the Covenant, a majority of the population broadened their horizons and settled across the lands forming new communities in every corner of every continent. One of these communities was Mildry, the northernmost town and a bastion for the few Vampires still living in the Central Continent.

Yuro and Archie stood behind the nun as she clasped her hands together and held them to her chin. In front of them was a dishevelled man walked out carrying the body of a woman in a white dress. His steps were slow and held a lot of weight. He stood in front of the nun, behind him an open casket.

He looked up at the nun with a frown.

"Thank you, Malillia. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

The man softly lowered the woman's body into the casket. He made sure in her eternal rest that she would be comfortable. Malillia smiled softly.

"Of course Rarrio. You've served our community for so long, both you and Ophri."

Rarrio smiled, caressing the hand of the woman as she cried.

"I do wish she could join me in my next life but she deserves all the rest she can get."

Rarrio leans down and kisses the woman on the forehead.

"To live forever yet wish for one last lifetime with her... how greedy I am."

Malillia began to tear up.

"Your soul may rest with her. What you're doing is selfless beyond any doubt. You're a kind man."

Rarrio softly sobbed, his head turned so no one would see.

"Thank you."

Rarrio slowly climbed into the coffin, gently laying beside the woman and nestling his face into the crook of her neck. He clung to her delicately.

"Goodnight... my love."

Malillia closed her eyes and began to pull on an invisible string, unwinding the barrier separating the soul of a person and the soul of a Vampire. Rarrio fell into an endless slumber as his two souls were split apart, the soul of a person and the soul of a Vampire being slowly removed from him.

Yuro grabbed the double-barrelled shotgun slung around his shoulder.

"Alright Archie, keep your eyes on the target."

Archie took out his revolver, spinning the chamber.

"Eyes wide sir!"

Malillia soon ripped the Vampire soul from Rarrio, and a creature coated in pitch-black ooze formed before them. Its eyes were beating hearts with grotesque tusks jotting out from their jaw. The creature screeched loudly, shaking the whole house.

Malillia eye's widened.

"There! The Limbo! Yuro, Archie, take care of it. I'll handle the rewind."

Malillia ducked back, escaping the radius of the Limbo's attacks. Yuro and Archie darted forward, weapons drawn and determination plastered all over their faces.

The Limbo roared once more, its body jerking in unnatural ways as it lifted its gargantuan claws and slashed them wildly in Yuro's direction. Yuro dove over the attack and rolled out of the way of another claw that came crashing down. He lifted his shotgun but his attack was interrupted by the Limbo stabbing the ceiling with its claws and lifting itself. Yuro blasted his shotgun but missed entirely, the house getting littered with shotgun pellets.

Archie whistled to get the attention of the Limbo.

"Take a look at this hot stuff~"

Archie didn't aim his revolver at the Limbo but still rapidly pulled the trigger multiple times causing him to teleport randomly around the Limbo. The Limbo's gaze attempted to follow Archie but his speed was unmatched and the Limbo lost track of him. Yuro used the opportunity to fire another shot at the Limbo. This hit was successful and the Limbo had a large hole blown out of its chest. It dropped from the ceiling screeching before lunging at Yuro. Yuro turned his gun around, holding the barrel, and bashing the lunging Limbo across the face with the stock. It was tossed to the other side of the room but quickly recovered and jumped out of a window, escaping to the town.

Malillia looked worried as she ran outside.

"It's leaving the rewind's radius! Archie!"

Archie leapt out of the broken window.

"On it!"

Archie reached his hand out as his eyes glowed a bright red. A sudden a feeling washed over everyone, including the Limbo, inciting them to clutch their head as the world around them shifted to Archie's will. He brought the ground around up, a towering wall now surrounding them. The Limbo was taken aback by the sudden obstacle blocking its way. Yuro ran toward it as it tried to climb up the wall.

"REST!"

Yuro slammed the barrel of his shotgun to the back of the Limbo's head before pulling the trigger.

To his surprise, the Limbo dodged at the last second. Before Yuro could react the Limbo swung around and ripped Yuro's stomach open. He backed away as his entrails collapsed onto the floor in front of him.

"Damnit..."

Yuro collapsed, dying instantly.

Archie looked distraught.

"Yuro!"

Before Archie could react the Limbo had reached him and brought its claw crashing down on him, flattening him into a pancake-like disc.

Malillia saw them both die as she sighed.

"Damnit. So much for an easy case. You idiots need to get less cocky."

8:12 pm

Yuro tore chunks of Limbo remains out of his hair as Archie spat out chunks of the Limbo that fell into his mouth.

Malillia stood in front of them, watching them clean themselves, holding a sleeping baby.

"Eight. Eight rewinds. You two cost me an hour and 20 minutes! That's an hour and 20 minutes I'll never get back."

Yuro stood up, dusting his coat.

"You'll live."

Archie gagged as he spat out the last of the Limbo chunks.

"At least you weren't getting ripped apart over and over again."

Malillia began to walk away.

"When I'm on my deathbed because you two keep wasting my lifetime I'll make sure to drag you to whatever hell I'm sent to."

Yuro smirked.

"Some nun you are."

Malillia groaned.

"You know this is all just a front, if it wasn't you two would be the worst detectives ever."

Yuro and Archie began to follow Malillia as they walked to the church. The town was still lively despite how late it was, houses were still being constructed and the roads were made from dirt.

"So that makes what... 47?"

Archie tapped his bottom lip, deep in thought.

Malillia nodded.

"Yes. The increase in Limbo cases is very concerning."

Malillia looked down at the baby in her arms.

"30 of those cases have been from the last six months."

Yuro looked at Malillia, his expression softening.

"It'll be fine. The town's population isn't dipping at all. In fact, it's growing, a lot!"

Malillia sighed.

"With humans. Most can barely spread their wings let alone hibernate during the winter."

Yuro looked saddened by this prospect.

"Times get tough but we've survived for this long so I wanna see it to the end at least."

Archie scoffed.

"Yeah times get tough but humans make it tougher, can't tell you the last time I went on a good hunt. These humans... trudging through our land with their guns. Heard from Silco that his brother got shot flying over the forest one night. Damn human was set up in a tree waiting for anything to pass overhead. They're a danger to us."

Yuro looked at Archie with concern.

"I understand that and don't get me wrong I hate these humans as much as the next Vamp but you have to admit... they're certainly changing the world. I mean I've never seen a weapon as efficient as a gun."

Archie shakes his head.

"They're changing the world but for the worse. For Eras every species lived in their own place in the world. Humans live in deserts and arid regions, Vampires live in deep forests, Wanes live in the hills, Zirs live in the mountains, and Leos live in the sea! Then these humans came along and..."

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Archie stopped talking as a human walked by, the human didn't pay any attention to them but Archie and Yuro kept their eyes on it until they passed by.

"Ruined everything."

Soon the group reached a large mansion, a lush green garden surrounding it with fountains and statues dotted around.

Malillia let out a sigh of relief.

"I'll get baby Rarrio settled into the daycare. Thank you both."

Yuro nodded and Archie waved as Malillia walked toward the daycare.

Mildry - 18FTE

Yuro was sprinting down the street, his legs were growing tired and his face was drenched in sweat. In the distance, a crowd was gathering, droves flocked to surround something. Yuro tried to push past people but he was shoved back.

"Calm down asshole!"

Someone in the crowd shouted to Yuro.

"Stop pulling on me, prick."

Another hissed.

Yuro ignored their words and began to grab people and pull them back as he tore his way through. The crowd was dense and it shifted around Yuro, knocking him around and squeezing him in its tight confines. The shouting got louder as he approached the centre. People were throwing their fists in the air and shouting as Yuro desperately pushed through the crowd.

When he got to the centre his worst nightmares had come to fruition. The crowd tossed stones and dust into the centre as a battered woman was crawling on the floor, her body was severely bruised and each stone tossed at her caused her to whimper in pain. Her body trembled as her face was covered in tears and blemishes. The cuts covering her body did not bleed and on her back were the tattered and torn remains of her wings. It was a Vampire, surrounded by a mob of humans. She tried to crawl away but the crowd would kick her back into the centre as they would beat her again and again. She cried, her voice cracking as she pleaded.

"PLEASE STOP! I WANT TO GO! LET ME GO! STOP! STOP!"

Her voice shattered Yuro's eardrums as her eyes were hit with stones. She couldn't even see, walk or speak anymore yet the relentless onslaught of misery was thrust onto her again and again.

"KILL THE VAMPIRE! KILL THAT DREAD!"

"STUPID DREAD! COMING TO OUR TOWN!"

"WHO DO YOU WANT TO KILL NEXT YOU FILTHY DREAD?!"

"THIS IS A HUMAN TOWN! THOUGHT YOU COULD BLEND IN COULDN'T YOU!?"

"HELL WAITS FOR YOU MONSTER!"

Yuro watched as he was powerless, no matter what he did the crowd would push him out of the way. The woman tried to flap her wings to escape but they were ripped apart. Tiny cries left her mouth as she clutched her battered body wishing to die but the crowd didn't let her, they beat her so close to death but never allowed her to escape. Then a gunshot was fired into the air, the crowd fell silent as people looked around. More gunshots were fired.

"DISPERSE!"

A bellowing roar called out. People made way for Archie who strolled through the crowd, a look of pure rage on his face. When he looked at the beaten remains of the woman his hands trembled.

"What is this..."

"A stupid Vampire. It came to our town hoping to snag a few children for lunch."

Someone from the crowd called out.

Archie's grip on his revolver tightened.

"Was anyone injured?"

The crowd all shook their heads. Archie's lip quivered as he looked up at the crowd of humans surrounding him. Before he did anything stupid Yuro put his hand on Archie's shoulder.

"Calm down. We have a duty to everyone."

Yuro emphasized everyone signalling who exactly 'everyone' was to Archie.

Archie looked down, disappointed in himself.

"I know."

He looked at the beaten woman, her wounds weren't healing and her breathing was growing slower.

"Please... do it for me."

Yuro nodded.

"She'll rest. Don't look."

Archie shook his head.

"No. I want to make sure she dies. I don't want her to suffer anymore."

Yuro grabbed Archie's revolver and aimed it at the woman's head. Her soft wheezing brought Yuro to hesitation. Before he pulled the trigger, a couple of faint words left the woman's mouth.

"Please... I... I want to become Limbo... I want to keep my soul... alive. Please... you can do that... can't you Yuro...? Please... let my soul be a waste... give it a life... I know you can... You and... and... that girl... Please... I'm begging you... let my death not... be such... a waste..."

Yuro fired the shot, killing her instantly.

"Rest."

Yuro handed Archie his revolver again before turning to the crowd.

"ALRIGHT! EVERYONE DISPERSE! GET OUT OF HERE!"

The crowd slowly broke apart and humans returned to their lives. Archie stared at the woman's corpse, unmoving. Yuro felt an unimaginable sadness radiate from him, a sadness never felt before.

Later that night...

Malillia sobbed, her face buried in her hands as Yuro told her what had happened.

"Kiara..."

Malillia sobbed more, the thought of someone going through such a devastating death brought her to tears.

Archie clenched his teeth and scraped his nails against the backrest of a wooden chair.

"Those bastards... GODDAMN BASTARDS!"

Archie punched a wall, the vibration rocking the whole church. The clock hanging above the altar shook.

Yuro sat down, staring at the ground.

"Why did this have to happen...? Why did I let it happen...?"

Yuro ran his fingers through his hair as he bit his lip.

Archie walked over to Yuro and grabbed him.

"You heard what she said... she wanted to become Limbo, she wanted her soul to be reborn! SO WHY DID YOU KILL HER!"

Archie tossed Yuro to the ground.

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"

Archie got on top of Yuro and began to punch him.

Yuro groaned.

"Archie! Stop!"

Despite Yuro's pleas Archie continued to beat Yuro.

"STOP!"

Archie didn't listen and kept taking his anger out on Yuro.

"She PLEADED WITH YOU! She wanted to die HAPPY! Instead, her last moments will be of pain! You idiot! Why did you do that?! WHY WHY WHY?!"

"ENOUGH!"

Malillia created a rewind and stabbed Archie in the throat with a knife. He collapsed clutching his neck as he died. Malillia quickly rewound time to before she stabbed him. Archie collapsed, gasping for air.

"What are you doing Archie?"

Archie looked over at Yuro who stood up, wiping his bruised chin.

"I... I was..."

Archie's face changed to shock as he realized what he was doing.

"I'm... I'm sorry Yuro. I didn't mean to take my anger out on you. You're not who I'm angry at."

Yuro held out his hand.

"It's okay. I understand what you're going through because I'm just as disgusted."

Malillia sighed, composing herself.

"What happened today was... awful but I thank you Yuro for not giving out cover away. If we had turned her Vampire soul into a Limbo then we would have been found out immediately. As much as it pains me that her soul couldn't be reborn into a newborn human it could have cost the life of every Vampire still living in this town if we had."

Yuro nods.

"I appreciate it although this thanks doesn't feel too good."

Archie takes Yuro's hand and stands up.

"So what do we do now? If one of us was found out... how long would it take for more? Humans aren't exactly dumb..."

Malillia turned away and ran her hand along a table.

"I'll gather all the Vampires tonight at the cave. I'd much rather discuss our plan of action with everyone."

Archie nods.

"Tonight it is then. I'm gonna go get some rest, I'll see you both later."

Archie waved and left.

Yuro turned to Malillia.

"What's it like? Limbo."

Malillia shrugged.

"I have no idea. It's a separation of the Vampire and Human soul within us so that we can either become fully human or fully vampiric but most use it to become human. Escape the life of a Vampire and... restart. Honestly, I never understood why people would choose it, I would still look after them at the daycare because I didn't want their sacrifice to be in vain. They deserved to live a peaceful life, we all do."

Malillia stares into space, her face heavy with sorrow.

Yuro walks over to her.

"You should probably get some rest for tonight. You look tired."

Malillia softly smiles at Yuro.

"You're right. Could you clean up the church, I've been kinda lazy and put it off."

Malillia's loving gaze pierces Yuro.

"Please?"

Yuro sighs and nods.

"Alright. Just head home, I'll take care of it."

Malilla heads off leaving Yuro to clean the church. He goes around sweeping the grounds and putting books back where they belong. He wipes down the altar and dusts off the seats before finding a tray of cookies left out. Yuro contemplated what to do with them but the clock above the altar chimed drawing his attention to it. He stared up at it, his gaze one of disappointment.

Yuro's eyes narrow.

"Just what type of god are you?"

The clock ticks, each second weighing Yuro down.

"To let such misfortune happen to those you created yet allow for them to get a second chance. You're a strange one, to say the least."

Suddenly the front door of the church opens gently. The cold rush of the outside sweeps in as Yuro turns around. He is greeted by a frail girl dressed in rags and chains around her wrists and ankles.

Her eyes widened when she saw Yuro.

"Oh I-I um... I didn't know. Sorry sorry. I j-just thought... I'm sorry."

The girl turns to leave when Yuro reaches out his hand.

"Wait!"

The girl looks over her shoulder at him.

"Why did you come here?"

The girl's lips are dry and the tips of her fingers are blue.

"I... I wanted to pray."

Yuro looked surprised.

"To... the clock?"

The girl nodded.

"This is a church, it would be wrong for me to turn you away. Please, come in."

The girl limped toward the altar, her eyes shining as she gazed at the clock in awe. She fell to her knees in front of the clock and clasped her hands together.

"Oh time. Hear my prayers..."

Yuro listened to the girl as she recited her prayers to the clock. As she prayed a smile formed on her face. Once she was done she tried to stand but quickly fell, her legs trembled and her head spun from dizziness.

Yuro ran over and helped her up.

"Are you okay?"

The girl recoiled from Yuro, her pupils dilated as she looked at him with horror. Yuro saw the fear in her eyes and backed away.

"It's okay. I wasn't trying to hurt you."

The girl kept her distance away from Yuro as she tried to stand again. She failed and whimpered in pain. Her dishevelled look and inability to stand reminded Yuro of the Vampire he failed to save earlier that day. His heart broke seeing a repeat of that situation. Yuro shook off his feelings and walked over to the tray of cookies that were left out.

The girl crawled to one of the seats and tried to use it as support to lift herself but it was no use. Her body was too weak, she was but skin and bone. As she tried once more it only ended in failure, she began to get angry at herself, she hit her legs.

"Stupid legs... just work!"

She tried again but fell, tears forming in her eyes as she punched herself.

"Just work damnit! Please... just get up..."

She sobbed, ashamed at how disgusting she felt. A cookie then slid across the floor and hit her foot. Through her tears, she looked up to see Yuro sitting on the floor across from her eating a cookie. She looked at the cookie and grabbed it. Yuro nodded as her eyes glistened with hope.

"In exchange for that cookie you've got to tell me your name."

Yuro smirked.

The girl devoured the cookie, looking up at Yuro with crumbs covering her mouth. Yuro laughed at how silly she looked, the girl's face turned red but to her surprise, Yuro did the same, getting crumbs all over himself. She couldn't help but smile.

"Aunweynn. Most people just refer to me as Auny."

Yuro smiled.

"Yuro. It's nice to meet you, Auny."