"A fascinating specimen," Donva said as he walked to the side of the Ogre. He placed one hand on the creature's legs as he looked upwards, staring at it with awe. "They were once a rare occurrence here in Labrisson. Their size. Their strength. Everything about the Ogre is... incredible." The massive Essencima remained still; only its chest and mouth moved in small motions due to its breathing. "Disgusting how Exterminators are so quick to cut them down without even asking why these beings make such a fuss."

"It doesn't matter, Donva," Enidri said. "You know how much destruction these monsters can cause." Her single eye cut towards her half-brother. Donva returned her gaze with an angered stare. 

"Monster?" Donva said, looking genuinely offended by the sentiment. "You think Essencima are the monsters of this world?"

"Give me a break. I don't feel like hearing any nonsense about how these mindless beasts are the real victims!" Enidri exclaimed.

"For someone who has slain so many, you know so little about them." He looked up at the Ogre with a long smile. "Do you know why these creatures form, Eni?" he asked without taking his eyes off the idle Essencima. 

"It's got... something to do with... that sludge..." Enidri said, pausing in between every few words. She maintained her stance, her eye jumping from the Ogre then to her half-brother and back again. 

"So you don't know why they form. Anyone? Would anyone like to take a guess?" Donva raised both of his arms like he was shrugging as he glanced towards everyone in the room, starting with Enidri before turning around and looking at Brielle who still sitting by her unconscious partner. The officer looked at him with contempt but said nothing. 

"Seems like I'll have to explain it then." Donva walked in front of one of Ogre and headed towards an adjacent conveyor belt. He knelt and picked up a small blue stone with his thumb and pointer finger. Pinching it, he held it up high with one hand to show it to the others in the room. "This right here is what creates Essencima," he said slowly. 

"Concentrate?" Enidri asked.

"Yes. Concentrate. The most important resource in all of Tersaia. But not because it's used to power Implants. Nor because it’s what allows carriers to travel. But because it’s the life energy of this planet. It’s the equivalent of the blood that courses through our veins." He twisted the rock, making it glisten off the burning radiance of Enidri's Ion Blade. "Day in and day out, this substance is stripped from Tersaia's core at an absurd rate. Then it's burned in refineries like these so humanity can do mindless and trivial things. Play games. Watch Broadcasts. All at the cost of our world's life force."

"Don't act like there aren't any good uses for that stuff!" Itzel said. "Medical centers, Rescue Crews. They all use it too!"

"But it was never theirs in the first place!" Donva shouted back. "Humanity has been taking what doesn't belong to them for over a century now and has given nothing back in return!" Donva took the bit of Concentrate and crushed it within his fist. "After years of research, I have finally discovered why Essencima spawn. It's Tersaia’s way fighting back. They form in areas where Concentrate is high demand. No other city extracts more Concentrate and only a few consume as much as Labrisson. And that's why the Refinery Sector is slowly coming under our control."

"If what you're saying is true, then why not tell someone who can actually do something?" Itzel said. She stepped forward, drawing Donva's attention as she got out of her fighting stance and into a pose of someone who was perplexed. "What does abducting all of these no-name Exterminators have to do with how much Concentrate is being used?"

"I've informed others about my findings. But no one with any amount of authority cares," Donva said as he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "The profits generated from Implants are more important than the well-being of Tersaia it seems. Now it's up to Essencima to get the message across. Yet these Exterminators are too effective at their job; they've been able to slay Essencima faster than they've been able to spawn. That's why I had to bring their numbers down."

Donva then walked over to one of the capture Exterminators, standing next to the plastered victim and showing off his sinister grin to the others. "And now they're experiencing what Tersaia has for generations." A cackle escaped his lips as he watched the long purple veins of the wall-bound sludge pulsate. "These Exterminators are the source of the Essencima surge; their life force is being drained to fuel the very beings that they made their living from killing!" He parted away his long black hairs away from his face and began to walk back to the idle Ogre. "Combine that with the compound that I created that prevents these creatures' natural decay, we're poised to reclaim the Labrisson Refinery Sector."

"Donva..." Enidri muttered. She lowered her weapon as she inched closer. "You have to know that this isn't right. The Donva I know would never hurt anyone."

"Don't act high and mighty!" He shouted towards Enidri. The swordswoman stopped her progress mid-step, but not before returning to her defensive stance. Donva pointed a finger at her. "You pride yourself in killing Essencima!"

"Have you forgotten what one of those things did to our father?" she said quietly. Donva didn't respond. His expression didn't change either. He remained still, staring his half-sister down as he lips curled downwards. "Or should I remind you?" Enidri continued. "I remember vividly what that Rescue Crew member told me. How his bones were mangled. His flesh was covered in teeth marks. And then that… monster… left his body there. To rot!"

"And you blame these beautiful creatures? And not the society that exploited him? Or the practice that created Essencima in the first place?"

Enidri gripped her sword tighter. She raised it up and pointed the tip towards Donva. "There's no convincing you. If you don't release these people, Donva... I'll have to kill you."

The researcher smirked. "Is that so?"

"You think I'm going to let you get away with this because of how close we once were?" The sparks from her Ion Blade crackled as she advanced one more step. "I'll strike you down if it means saving the lives of the people you've taken."

"You won't get the chance," Donva replied. With the flick of his hand the Ogre charged forward, slamming one hand into the ground near Enidri. She jumped back, narrowly avoiding the strike. "If it makes you feel any better, I ordered this Ogre to specifically not kill you, Eni. I want you to help fuel the revolution like the others. But for your friends..." Donva watched as Gurk made his way to the front line of the battle. The Ogre threw a straight punch that the crocodile attempted to block. He put both of his hands in front of his face, but the force from the attack was more than enough to send him skidding down the narrow pathway on his feet. "I can't say the same for them!" Donva shouted, pushing his hair out of his face with hand. His smile returned as he laughed while Gurk and the Ogre began their battle.