". . . . I think it might be offering you a form of protection." Erica admitted honestly.

"She's a demon, right?" She asked. Jake nodded.

"She is." He answered.

"And this," she brought her hand up to indicate what she was talking about, "is demonic. She probably ranks higher than this, and as a result... well... you have some protection." She shrugged slightly.

"Best I can ... fuck. Best I can think of." She said with a shake of her head.

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

Erica was silent for a moment before shaking her head lightly and looking over toward Uriel.

"Hi." She said simply.

"I'm Erica, and while there's a good chance that you can get there yourself, we thought it'd be best for someone to meet you." She added.

"So... shall we?" She asked

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

"Well, we discovered that it's my mana." Erica started as they walked.

"And as a result, my mana is going to be useful for ending it, but I'm not..." She started before pausing and taking a breath. She was starting to have a trickier time with getting her thoughts together, again.

"I..."

"Dammit, sorry about that." She said before shaking her head, harshly, as they made their way down some stairs. He was walking ahead of her.

"I'm not sure what can be done, exactly, but Zeke's mana had a ... bit of a reaction, and the theory is that it's because he's half human."

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

Erica had stopped on the landing while Uriel had taken a couple more steps down. She shook her head, as if to clear it before sighing.

"I think I'm good." She assured him after a few seconds before starting to follow him down the stairs.

She was about three steps down before whatever was going on with her hit again.

She was mid step.

The next thing Uriel know, was that Erica was falling, and fast.

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

Erica was ... completely silent and unresponsive as he walked.

When he reached the lab and set her down though, he met Aedan first.

". . . . again?" She asked with a light sigh.

"damn." She muttered.

"Anyway, come on. Kiah's in the next room and ready for your help."

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

'Regular? No." Aedan answered.

"But... apparently there are times when her brain just... seems to shut down." She added with a sigh.

"No one has any idea as to the cause, but the current suspicion that Kiah has, is the fact that all this bullshit is connected to her mana." She paused before shrugging.

"Tis the best that any of us can come up with."

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

Aedan paused.

"Hold on, what?" She asked.

"All right, Uriel? You mind giving a bit more information than that? As a hijacked person in this building can be one HELL of a security risk." She added.

"I guess, first and foremost, will she be ok?" She asked after a few seconds.

"I'll be fine, I'm sure." Erica said from where she was, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees.

"Those are just not fun. I usually know when theyr'e coming too, but that one came out of the blue."

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

Aedan paused before looking to Cain.

". . . . I'd put money down that it's related to that tether." She told her son.

"You agree or disagree?"

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

"... It'd be nice if someone filled me in on what I missed, too." Erica commented with a light sigh.

"Well, seems you're mana tether may be a way for someone to hijack you." Aedan commented.

"Whcih is fun." Erica commented with a shake of her head.

"As for the tether..." She started, addressing Uriel's inquiry.

"It went off, but also circled back to her." Aedan answered simply.

"Alchemical tether check, by the way."

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫

"It's just a duplicate of my mana, nothing more." Erica commented.

"I'm... not sure what it is that we can do, as if my mana was duplicated, how have we not heard anything about it?" She asked.

"I'm sure we would have heard something, otherwise." She added.

"Regardless, that aside, we need to worry about what we're tasked with for the moment." Aedan then said.

"So Uriel, if you're game for helping, come on."

♫Born of graves and left below ♪ Painted ashes, painted snow♫