[IC] The Order of Hunters: Tales of Fort Raven's peek

[Eklispe]

Shinon got back in time to watch Yasil casually deal with a goblin. It wasn't an impressive fight but it did effectively show her skill. She said "Good luck." as Yasil passed by her into the forest, it was a tricky place, Shinon wondered how well the other women would fare.

[Arthanus]

Silus waited for the hunters to finish their tests before dismissing them for a bit while he went to speak with the mage and see the results. After he returned he put his team through some more drill exercises to see their physical condition and limitations. And after a long day of training and testing he let them all go and rest for the night letting them know that they would be setting off the next morning to their first mission.

He woke up early the next morning to prepare for the mission. And at around 6 a.m. he woke up his team and gathered them for a briefing before they would set out. He stood in front of his team fully dressed in his armor, but not carrying his weapons.

"Alright everyone, Old Heidrek has given us our first mission. Our scouts have been tracking a tribe of Orcs that have been terrorizing villages up north near the Tachikawan border. We have two days to get to the village of Bright Tree and set up defenses. Our scouts will steer the orcs there and it will be our job to eliminate the threat. The townsfolk have been warned and civilians are being taken to a safe place while some local malita men have volunteered to help us fight the Orcs. As of right now they are creating defenses for us to use in holding the village. Our latest count from the scouts say that the orcs numbers are somewhere from 20 to 25 with at least one Big Warbreed leading the tribe. We will be outnumbered, but we will have a defensible position and we will be able to funnel the orc into a kill zone. That is all the information I have, so unless any of you have questions you are dismissed, we leave in one hour so go and make your preparations." Before moving Silus waited for any questions. If there were to be none he would then move to the Armory to check with Christoth if his weapons were ready. Christoth sat outside his smithy taking a break smoking his pipe in the morning air. Luna was out in the garden picking medical herbs to send along with Silus' team to treat any minor injuries. And Heidrek sat in the Grand Hall relaxing before cooking the morning meal for the rest of the hunters who would stay behind.

[Razqua]

Hikisaka went to bed feeling concerned about what had happened to him. He hadn't even come close to losing control since first fusing with Ragnos. It was incredible how little it took to unleash him. He drifted to sleep and then awoke in a black void looking straight into the face of the demon Ragnos. The monster spoke to Hikisaka. "Greetings my vessel. It's been quite a while since you've awoken me. That's quite the willpower you have but it won't be enough. Every time I take control I take part of you with me and replace it with a part of myself." Hikisaka tried to respond but his mouth wouldn't move."Slowly you are turning into the monster you tried so hard to stop and contain. There's nothing you can do about it. You are mine!" The monster laughed. "Should you die ill simply find a new host. One who won't have the control you had. The foolish mage who awakened me had no idea what he was dealing with. I'm more than just a demon. I'm a king among demons. I am The Lord of Destruction and no mortal could hope to contain me. Your body and soul will become my own." The demon closed in and devoured Hikisaka. Before he could feel the pain of being eaten he woke up in his bed. It was late at night. Hikisaka took deep breaths to calm himself. He then sat up and meditated for the rest of the night. He could only hope it was a nightmare and nothing more.

Hikisaka gathered at the briefing with everyone else. After Silus was done speaking Hikisaka spoke to him with his voice sounding a bit nervous. "If it's not much trouble I need to send a letter to a friend of mine back at HQ." He intended to inform Josephine about what had happened and possibly seek her help. She was the only one he could turn to with this issue. If The Order wouldn't have killed him before for his condition it would certainly do so with this new information.

[22xander]

Alexander Van Helsing was sitting in his room praying long before anyone else wakes up. He says his final prayer over his sword and then sits with his sword across lap, preparing to meditate and speak with his spirit, the hero of the exorcists. Once he reaches his trance-state he walks into the construct hall that he uses to communicate with the spirits. "Come, Helsing, hero and thee who's name I take, I call you to the forefront so that we may not reneg upon our deals and understandings. Come here and speak with me, lest I be forst to take thine teachings to heart and banish you to your realm forever, never to again posses my mortal body and fight evil."
"I'm coming, I'm coming..." Comes a voice from down the hall, as a fluttering white light rushes to the young exorcist. "You needn't be so hasty with your words, I am after all your only spirit nowadays and you wouldn't want to have to rely on your admittedly mediocre sword skills."
"Yes of course, dear hero and spirit, I speak in jest for now. I wish only to assure you are ready, a battle awaits us this morn."
"Yes, 'and so it was foretold' You know perfectly well I never went into all that Super religious stuff, I just fought for the saint because he was a good man."
"Yes, yes, yes. And undoubtedly you have changed my views on the subject. But no, I know that a mission will be given soon. For this I may be able to improve my skill!"
"Well, even if I am no longer useful to you in battle I hope we can still speak."
"Of course, but anyway, keep ready. I may have to call on your strength soon."
"Yes, sir..." and at that the Hero reverts to pure light and fades away and Alexander breaks his trance to attend the briefing.

Afterword the young exorcist was uncontrollably drawn into a meeting with Hikisaka. A spirit greater then any he could control took command of his body, but knowing that his protector would not allow harm to come to him he gave way to the spirit, entering a quick trance to find out who it was. The hero was immediately frittering beside him, first in light-form then materializing. "What manner of spirit holds control of me?" Alexander asks the hero.quickly.
The hero seems oddly confident as he starts to speak. "This is an angel, a spirit you must learn to control in time. This particular angel is an arch angel, a grand warrior... he has sensed that you are near a great demon and he wishes to investigate."

At this same time Alexander's body was approaching Hikisaka and the angel was trying to tone down his lordly voice to speak to the young man without arousing suspicion. "Hello! I-I mean hello young man, may I speak with you... I have a few questions, I don't quite understand the higharchy here and..."

[Razqua]

Hikisaka raised an eyebrow and looked suspiciously at the babbling kid in front of him. He then spoke calmly. "If you have questions feel free to ask? I promise I won't judge you for whatever you may be ignorant about. Also I feel the need to point out I haven't been a young man for some time. I'm probably twice your age." He looked and saw the kid was carrying a sword. "Is that your sword? If you'd like I could teach you how to use it a bit better. I don't like to brag but I'm rather experienced with blades."

[22xander]

Razqua said
Hikisaka raised an eyebrow and looked suspiciously at the babbling kid in front of him. He then spoke calmly. "If you have questions feel free to ask? I promise I won't judge you for whatever you may be ignorant about. Also I feel the need to point out I haven't been a young man for some time. I'm probably twice your age." He looked and saw the kid was carrying a sword. "Is that your sword? If you'd like I could teach you how to use it a bit better. I don't like to brag but I'm rather experienced with blades."

what? Oh, yes... I believe this is my blade... I'm sure that's fine, but I would first like to ask about the brotherhood's stance on demonic possession.

[22xander]

Razqua said
Hikisaka raised an eyebrow and looked suspiciously at the babbling kid in front of him. He then spoke calmly. "If you have questions feel free to ask? I promise I won't judge you for whatever you may be ignorant about. Also I feel the need to point out I haven't been a young man for some time. I'm probably twice your age." He looked and saw the kid was carrying a sword. "Is that your sword? If you'd like I could teach you how to use it a bit better. I don't like to brag but I'm rather experienced with blades."

what? Oh, yes... I believe this is my blade... I'm sure that's fine, but I would first like to ask about the brotherhood's stance on demonic possession.

[Razqua]

-

[Razqua]

Sorry double post

[Razqua]

Hikisaka paused for a moment. It was an incredibly strange question. Especially considering his dream during the night. Still he continued to speak calmly. "That's certainly an odd thing to ask. I couldn't tell you what the official policy is but if you intend to get yourself possessed by a demon I would highly advise against it. Rules or no rules that's not something you want to mess with."

[22xander]

Razqua said
Hikisaka paused for a moment. It was an incredibly strange question. Especially considering his dream during the night. Still he continued to speak calmly. "That's certainly an odd thing to ask. I couldn't tell you what the official policy is but if you intend to get yourself possessed by a demon I would highly advise against it. Rules or no rules that's not something you want to mess with."

no. I have other ways to power... Give me a second, I believe I had more questions. the Angel releases the boy

[Razqua]

Hikisaka looked at the boy. He seemed to be in some kind of trance or coming out of one. He spoke. "Are you alright boy? You mentioned having more questions."

[22xander]

"I'm, yeah... I'm new here, are our battle plans overly structured? It's sometimes hard to convay to my spirit... Also, do you know if we might set up a meeting to better understand each other and our streanghts? For my benefit of for no others..." But at this stream of words the other seemed flustered.
"Do you think we will have to go over a battle plan, or just in the moment? And either way I'd like to know the streangths and abilities of my allies."

[Razqua]

Hikisaka responded calmly. "I'm not gonna lie I can't answer that. I have yet to go into battle with The Order. As much as I would like to chat and learn about you I do actually have something important I have to do before we head out on a our mission. I have an letter I need to write so I can send it to hq. So I'm afraid this is farewell for now. Don't worry though. I'm sure well have plenty of time to get to know each other on the trip to the Tachikawan border." With that Hikisaka turned and began to walk to his room.

[22xander]

Alexander sighs and says in nearly a whisper: "I can help you control him..." In quick succession the hero contacts the angel of l knowledge who grants him a in depth knowledge of the beat all text on Diablism, and Alexander sighs at the necessity but he knows that this is not a curse that can be taken lightly into battle. It's similar to his affinity to the angels, they are immortal and thigh they grant him some streangth they slowly kill him. The spirets are Easter on him, and he can only control a vary light blessing at the molment. In looseing control he may not gain it back, and those deathless spirits will run his boddy dead.

[Razqua]

Hikisaka stopped walking and stood absolutely still. He turned only his head and put one hand on his sword. How could this kid possibly know anything? Still following the question before about possession this whole situation was highly suspicious. Ragnos claimed to be a demon lord. Could he have possibly called upon one of his underlings from inside Hikisaka's body? Hikisaka spoke quietly in an almost intimidating voice, and looked directly into Alexanders eyes almost as if trying to peer deep into his soul. "I didn't quite catch that. You want to help me control something?"

[22xander]

"The one who you first talked to... That wasn't me. That was an angel, and he knows of some demonic thing to do with you. He knows you sent controlled, he can tell through speeking with you. But I can teach you a technique simuler to mine, which can help you control your demon. The technique is designed to draw apon it's power, and you can do that too... Don't fight me, that with surely release the beast and one of the angels will try to battle it to the death... Killing us both in the processes."

[Razqua]

Hikisaka spoke in a serious tone. "I don't know what you think you know but the thing we're speaking about cannot be controlled. I should know. Ive spent ten years training to keep it contained. Containing it I can do. Trying to draw upon it's power is just asking for a worst case scenario. Here's a taste of what it takes to keep this monster in it's cage." Hikisaka removed his helmet and mask revealing his face with veins sticking out all over it. "My entire body looks like this. This thing is a curse but I gladly bear it for the greater good and my honor as a warrior."

[22xander]

"You may be able to keep the beast at bay now, and at what cost, but what of battle? No you need not actually draw on the power, but to contain it these techniques can help... I can help..."

[Razqua]

22xander said
"You may be able to keep the beast at bay now, and at what cost, but what of battle? No you need not actually draw on the power, but to contain it these techniques can help... I can help..."

Hikisaka bit his lip and sighed. He turned back around and continued to walk. "As I said I have an important letter to write."