Ava hadn't ever felt such dull solitude before. She always respected her parents' work and was grateful for the tiniest moment they spent with her. That kind smile and that noble aura... she treasured it dearly. Her father often told her about the situations they faced to teach Ava about the ways of life, and she always appreciated such knowledge. They'd always give it with a smile.

But now, as both of them left her while putting up their confident facades, Ava couldn't help but notice the perturbing aura hidden deep within their expressions. Her solicitous nature and ability helped her discern the changes in people's aura even though she was only five.

Nevertheless, Ava held deep faith in her parents. While such a sensation was unsettling, she would not let it weigh down on her daily practices. Moreover, she decided to indulge for longer time in meditation.

Ava took a deep breath as she stepped outside the building, the fresh air alleviating her worries a little. Her dainty hair that hung from a firm hold bounced as she walked. The strong breeze filled her eyes with little ebullience, though her mind was still trapped in a circle of concern.

A genuine smile was on her face as she passed the other Shadows. Her presence was silent and invisible, yet the benevolence made her stand out. The number of people decreased as she moved towards the various members of Nature in a steady pace. The fragrance of various herbs swirled around her, lightening her mind.

Her face brightened at the sight of the tree, it's grandeur immediately bringing out her humility. Her hands held each other behind her back till she came to a stop, closing her eyes.

The intense ambience formed a diaphanous door that only allowed Jay to enter the little balmy field. Such profound solitude couldn't possibly be found anywhere else, and the disturbance of the outside world began in a radius of almost a kilometre. She focused on that sensation, letting her energy flow into the tree. Her existence lightened with every passing second, her thoughts a million light years away as she no longer felt alive, but rather free.

The door began to grow thicker, appreciating the little girl's consciousness and was almost impressed. Ava remained composed even as she sensed the appearance of the gateway of vines, no sparks of childish ebullience disturbing her serenity.

Her eyes opened when she sensed the presence to be sure, giving a little smile. She reached for the door, opening it with a gentle push. A burst of incredulity settled in her mind and she suddenly felt alive.

Ava walked in slowly, sitting beneath the tree with her legs crossed, her feat placed on her thighs. She closed her eyes, forgetting all about existence as she entered deep solace. The soughing of the wind proved to help her concentrate further, though she was soon far away from the distance.

She couldn't even guess the amount of time that had passed, though in that space, time felt still. The little smile on her face was unmistakable, and Ava was happy to know Jay had such comfort.

Suddenly, a very strong presence brought her back to the real simulation. She turned sharply towards her right, drawn by the tranquility. She closed her eyes once again, trying to convey her thoughts without the use of words.

The green door appeared once again and Ava stood up, bowing in gratitude. She gently closed the mysterious structure, a humble smile on her face as it disappeared once again. She then jogged towards the source of the energy, anticipation welling within her.

The energy was concentrated enough when she reached the complex for training. With a frown she walked inside, following the trail until she found herself on the fifth floor.

She gently pushed open the door, entering the room of light. Bright rays fell from the sky, accompanied by a frisky breeze through the holes on the wall. While Ava appreciated such a sensation, her attention was solely fixated on the glimmering stone.

Ava's eyes reflected its blue brilliance with innocence. Her hand instinctively reached towards its smooth surface, her fingertips settling on its cold for the briefest moment.

The Shadow's eyes widened as some truth was sent to her thoughts, settling in her deepest thoughts. Ava immediately moved a step back, her torpid movement pushing her to take the support of a wall. She took a few moments to collect her energy, breathing steadily with her eyes closed.

Ava lifted her curious gaze to the stone, but the propagation of the august force had stopped. She sighed, deciding to head back home for the day. However, she did feel much better than she did in the morning, most emotions keeping their distance.

With a smile, Ava walked towards the exit, her thoughts immersed in deep gratitude.

Her respect of Paliv Verasel only grew from that moment.

-----

"Ava! You ready?"

Ava replied with a nod, a gentle smile resting on her face. Umbra walked with her daughter, dropping her at the main hall.

Ava closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She had already delayed this moment by two years, but now she was sure of what she wanted to do.

The less she was surrounded by others, the safer would they be. This truth couldn't be known by just anyone, and not everyone could hide the fact they had such a knowledge. She had her parents to thank for her discrete personality.

Ava walked in with a smile, her movement disciplined and secluded. She quietly stood in one corner, sharing a smile with the Shadows around.

The room was gradually filled with various ten-year olds, only a few older, including herself. Within a few moments she noticed Jay enter the room and her eyes immediately lit up. Comfort and a sense of self-recognition filled the room. It wasn't long before the blinds went down, engulfing the room in darkness. The faint glow of colours calmed her, most being shades of brown, green and grey. It was a light of unity and curiosity, tingling with excitement to explore the world.

"Close your eyes and search."

Ava heeded the gentle tone, releasing all her thoughts. The personas of all Shadow-Trappers were delightful to sense, each vibe intriguing, but none caught her own. She remained composed even as the moments passed, walking as she looked for her match.

Suddenly, amidst all the bright threads, Ava sensed profound tranquility propagate from a colourless one. Her steps walked towards it on instinct, skilfully evading the other Shadows.

Her eyes opened to see a thin silhouette, a smile firm on the boy's expression.

"Hello."

His tone was soft and assuaging, much like she had anticipated.

"Hello."

Much like her own.

Ava returned the smile, letting momentary silence slip in.

"My name is Ava. What is yours?"

The boy waited a moment as he closed his eyes, his consciousness in deep concentration before he exhaled.

"My name is Clay."

Ava gave a nodded slowly. They stood patiently, waiting for the others to complete their search.

The dulcet light illuminated the hall and Ava noticed a few Shadows standing alone. She turned towards her partner, his benevolence immediately spreading a sense of warmth in her. The soft curls of his long hair softened his smile. A loose t-shirt hung about his skinny frame, but despite his appearance, Ava was sure of his disciplined nature.

"Take your time to know your partner. The next week is for the two of you to train on your own terms. Then we will start with the formal training. And for those of you who haven't found a partner, it's alright. Perhaps being with a team is better, and you can always try again later."

The Shadows nodded in unison, enthusiasm marking most of the their expressions. Ava and Clay gave each other a brief smile, walking out of the hall together.

Ava couldn't wait to begin their friendship. Nevertheless, she was gravely worried.

He was too gifted. He was no naïve Shadow.

- - - - -

Clay's eyes moved around the dim setting, his eyes full of empathy. He closed his eyes, attempting to understand the teenager's worries in order to alleviate them.

The illusionist nodded to Ava at which she left his sight, silently approaching the Jinn. Her hand reached for its collarbone, allaying energy moving from her fingertips into its body. Ava hid her presence as much as she could, hoping Clay wouldn't understand her motion.

Clay comprehended the human's aura as he slept with disturbance in his mind. Without any thought, Clay let him hear the soft chirping of birds, stimulating the cool touch of the forest breeze. His ordinary mind was now no more and he didn't understand what he did anymore.

Ava did.

The Jinn's eyes grew wide as she began to transform, the innocence of a lost soul becoming her expression. She looked as she did before, but she was no more agitated. Her mind was enveloped in a trance as she left the house of the troubled boy, leaving him to his newfound peace.

Ava slowly came in sight, warmth filling her at Clay's sincere smile. Wonder shone in her eyes and her respect for the boy deepened.

After three years of training, this was the first time they went to an actual battlefield, and all because of him did everything happen in such an eloquent manner.

The two leaped out the window, thankful for being at the elevation of one storey. They walked towards the headquarters in silence. The atmosphere was much lighter now, and Ava found the cold breeze oddly comforting. She faced the cover of the green leaves, soft moonlight falling through them. Clay closed his eyes, a smile growing on his face before he finally spoke.

"What is it that you do? The Jinn couldn't have left its restless state without your aid, and you didn't cut it.

"Besides, I felt something weird from what I did, too."

Ava let out a sigh, stopping her walk. She glanced around, thankful for the isolation of the forest.

"I suppose you should know about this, now. You must've sensed something in the past three years, too."

Clay gave a confused nod, though he remained patient.

"Walk with me a little further. There is a small clearing where I will tell you what I can."

Clay nodded once again, following her lead. His curiosity built up further, though the peace from before prolonged his patience.

They arrived at small opening in the woods, taking their seat on the mellow ground. He stared at the fallen leaves, then looked towards the bright moonlight. He wondered if the Shadow-Trappers could ever give such comfort to the agitated creatures, as the moonlight graced Nature.

Perhaps that's what she knew.

"Close your eyes. Such things cannot be said with words. It can only be conveyed and comprehended. The land will help us connect, and from now it depends on you. Whether you will understand it or not."

Clay nodded, immediately closing his eyes. He bonded with the warmth of the Earth entering a state of awareness. He didn't know how fast time passed,

"I used something known as the Technique of Sigor to unburden the Jinn's energy, and I think you used the same for understanding the human boy's energy.

"From the beginning of Shadow Beings to the beginning of Human Beings, Shadow-Trappers had a different method of purification. There existed something known as 'The Seven Techniques of Quintessence' out of which three were used for cleansing - Solis of electromagnetic radiation, Liber of the strong and weak nuclear forces and Sigor of a creature's energy.

"During those times Demonic Creatures and Wind Phoenexias did not exist. Shadow-Trappers, Phoenexias, Angels and Demons were the only creatures to inhabit any of the realms, but because of their silence and discipline, they never caused any disturbance. Their only form was their 'soul' and they were thus abstract, being only in the Shadow Dimension. However, by borrowing energy from a land they could exert physical influence. This was necessary because because the balance of energy sometimes needed physical support as that was how living things expressed; sounds, facial expression, actions, and so on.

"Each class of Shadow Beings was like a metaphor; the nature of energy - positive, negative or neutral - represented their responsibility. Using the technique of Solis, positive energy of the Shadow-Trappers annihilated the negative energy of Demons and the total energy was transferred to the land. Of course only physical Shadow Beings did such a thing. However, unlike the present, the entire energy of the demons wasn't destroyed, and hence they lived. They did have positive energy and after the annihilation, both the Trapper and the Demon would gain the Earth's energy with time as they grew. At one point, the energy began to deplete which was returned to the Earth. This stands true even today. When all energy left a Shadow they essentially 'died', returning to their form as a soul.

"Thus, The Seven Lands of Quintessence were in balance. But this began to change when humans came."

The words stopped flowing into his mind, and Clay wondered if that was all he was allowed to know. He took a deep breath, not letting his confidence waver. The thoughts continued after a while.

"Humans evolved. While they started various arts, developed technology and their thoughts, they also began destroying Nature, losing ancient knowledge and their balanced consciousness. Before them, Shadow Beings were in equilibrium; everything was balanced. But as humans came and time moved ahead, while the net energy of the mental state remained 0, the positive and negative ends were growing too extreme and their difference was great. If the initial difference was negative and positive 1, it grew to 100, 1000, and continued to grow exponentially.

"Due to the instability of their thoughts, their negative and positive energy began to feed the Land of Destructive Tenebris and The Land of Valleys respectively. Azrael and Zephyr, the spirits of the lands did not stop the birth of these creatures on their land. Thus, Demonic Creatures were born from Azrael and Earth's energy, whereas Wind Phoenexias were born from Zephyr and Earth's energy. In the normal cycle Shadow Beings used the Earth's energy and returned it back to the planet.

"Shadow-Trappers did not live only on Earth or on one land. The moved from place to place and the Trappers could sense if a creature's energy was amplifying a human's energy, even across the lands. Shadow Beings did not have to exist near humans; they directly did their work through the Shadow Dimension. It is the dimension of mental and spiritual consciousness, after all.

"Now, every time the technique was used for purification, the annihilated energy would only be returned to the home lands of the creatures. This caused Earth's energy to weaken. The Technique of Mellus was based on the energy of the land. Earth's Mellus depleted and the spirit of the land was burdened too much  while Azrael and Zephyr unknowingly grew stronger. This ultimately caused a problem for The Shadow-Trappers who were created from the Earth's and their own energy.

"It is important to understand the Shadow Beings of the past. They did not feel the emotions we feel now; that too is a result of human interaction. Hence over time, the animosity between Demonic Creatures and Shadow-Trappers grew as they recognised extreme emotions. Demonic Creatures began to come to Earth, and they began to kill each other. Shadow-Trappers initially did not want to resort to violence, but using the technique of Liber, they created a weapon that caused no pain to Demonic Creatures and annihilated their entire energy, not just the negative energy. Earth began to regain what it lost. The blades we use today are those weapons.

"Regarding the Wind Phoenexias... they were wiped out by an unknown force. I do not know anything further."

Clay's eyes opened suddenly. The quietude of the forest calmed his nerves as he observed Ava's tranquil expression. That was when he realised he couldn't comprehend everything.

Ava opened her eyes, the brown shine provoking his thoughts to reflect on the knowledge he had gained. Along with the information, he now knew about the proper use of the Technique of Solis, Liber and Sigor. That was something that his thoughts couldn't convert to words.

Clay studied Ava's solemn expression, immediately understanding that he couldn't talk about this or even show the slightest sign that he knew anything about the techniques. While he wished to know the full truth, he knew he had to elevate his consciousness first.

Ava stood up, stretching her hand towards Clay. Clay smiled with gratitude, accepting the gesture as he used the support to stand up.

He had burdened the girl. He could never let her worry for him.

- - - - -

This was all her fault.

Ava had never felt so stupid, so guilty, so sorrowful before.

Yet there lay a smile on her face. Her blithe facade never faded away.

First her parents and her sister perished, and now her one real friend. All because of that knowledge.

Ava's hands rested attentive by her sides and she seemed no different. Even she did not fully understand what she felt. Had she truly become so nonchalant? So detached from emotions? Was that even bad?

She walked amidst the comfort of the garden with no destination in mind. The cold air relieved her burning thoughts and she was grateful. She could simply not afford to instil hate within herself and remained composed, entering the Earth's fabric. Its Mellus created her, created all Shadow-Trappers, and for that moment, she requested it to relieve her.

Suddenly, she felt a small tug at her fingers, her kind gaze travelling towards the little girl.

"Ava! Come train with us! Jack and Theo are there too!"

Ava hesitated for a moment before letting out a gentle chuckle. The sound of rushed footsteps caught her attention and she faced the young boys surrounded by little children.

"Ava, I was hoping you could teach this moron to stay silent."

Jack wore an unimpressed expression and Theo immediately punched his arm. Ava's laugh was now louder and more genuine, and she reached for the little girl's head, spreading comfort as she rubbed her hair.

That's right. They're all here.

The Truth will come out for everyone's safety.

----- -------

"For maintaining equilibrium, with the formation of Earth, seven other Shadows were born, too. They were all in the Shadow Dimension, looking after their respective land. However after Earth was aggravated, the Shadow of Earth took a rest of sorts and the six of the other lands took birth on Earth. 

"The Six were the first Shadows to come into existence. The Shadow of Earth was the second." 

Audrey took a deep breath as Ava's thoughts echoed in her mind. This was the information Clay couldn't comprehend.

Audrey connected the dots from the previous tales could simply not believe the conclusion she reached.

Her team... they were the reincarnations of The Six. They came to lead the lands back into equilibrium.