Chapter Text
“So, in essence, I need to feed on your essence. Any questions?” Elias looked about the room at his Archival staff. Tim, Sasha, Martin, and Jon sat around the table, darting quick anxious glances at the unconscious Melanie lying on the couch at the opposite end of the breakroom. They knew they'd been in an altercation - Melanie was always trying to kill Elias - but they'd have to ask her about it later.
"Yes, I have one.” Sasha raised her hand. "What's wrong with Melanie?”
Elias sighed. "She's fine. I meant questions about what I just said.”
Sasha sighed and began again. "Fine. When you say our essence you mean…?”
"Well, think of it sort of like vampires drinking your blood but on top of that it's your vitality, your hopes and dreams, your ability to find joy… without most of it you'd be depressed to the point of being actively suicidal and without all… well you'd be too depressed to do even that."
“So why would we give this to you?!?!" Tim slammed his fists on the desk. “This doesn't feel exactly normal for an archiving job!"
Elias chuckled softly. “It's what you get for getting yourselves under the employ of a 200 year old eldritch beast. But if you want to blame anyone, blame Jonathan - he's the one who picked you both." He turned to Martin. “You, not so much, but really you should just be grateful because I'm the first person who's ever actually picked you in your entire life." A pause. “Your own mother didn't know she was pregnant with you until she'd already missed the abortion cut-off date and she couldn't find an adoptive family willing to take your sorry self out of her hands.” A laugh. "Even the fire department refused you when she tried to drop you off, handed you right back and said, “sorry, we're full."” He grinned at Martin. "It was a lie - they just didn't want you.”
Martin looked down at the table, a tear running down his face. He didn't know what to even say.
Jon stood up, his cheeks red with anger. "How dare you treat my staff like this, this is -”
"Oh calm down, Jonathan,” Elias purred. "You're part of it too. In fact, I bet your essence will be the most delicious of all of them.” He licked his lips. Jon swallowed and sat back down.
“Okay." Jon nodded, trying to get himself back together. “So… how would you, erm…”
"Extract it?”
Jon nodded.
"Well, it certainly wouldn't be pleasant for you." Elias let out a cruel laugh. “Have any of you ever seen a bone marrow biopsy?"
Martin paled and the other three looked mildly perplexed. Then Jon's eyes flashed green and his face went ashen.
Elias grinned. “Well it's sort of like that, only ten times more painful, and it goes directly into your soul instead of a bone."
“I see." Tim glared. “And -"
“And your soul is at your center of gravity - your abdomen, though the exact location varies person to person.” He laughed lightly and clapped his hands together. "Not to worry though - I won't take all of it and you regenerate it over time though with the rate I'll be… Feeding… you'll almost certainly never get back to your initial levels. Still though, I'll leave you enough to function. Wouldn't want you shirking off at your other duties, after all!” Elias chuckled. "You will bleed though, probably a lot, so make sure to wear or bring clothes you don't mind getting… reddened… on your assigned Essence Taking Days. Oh, that reminds me, I almost forgot.” He smiled and took a calendar out of the folder in front of him, pushing it in front of his employees. "Here is your calendar of days - there are 5 of you and 5 days a work-week so that works out perfectly and the assignments are as follows:
Monday - Sasha
Tuesday - Tim
Wednesday - Melanie
Thursday - Martin
Friday - Jon
“I've assigned this in the order of how emotionally strong you are as I'd rather not take everything from you too early in the week and make you unable to handle the rest." A sigh. “Of course you'll be allowed a two hour rest right after extraction and will be on light office duties the rest of the day." He turned to Jon. “No assigning field work same-day, understand?”
Jon nodded, his whole body shaking. “I… understand.”
…
The next Monday when Sasha came downstairs from her appointment she locked herself in the bathroom and sobbed for an hour.