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[hider=Truth]

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[color=a95353]The room was dark and cold, the walls were covered in old moss covering ancient bricks of a bygone era from long before. The room itself was rather small and had no windows, the only light was from a candle atop a table with a selection of Hunters weapons upon its surface. The only noise came from a young man chained to a wall, his silent sniffles could be heard lowly as a man stood idly by before him. Both of them had been in that room for several hours now, neither one had muttered a word to each other aside from a couple angry remarks from earlier when the Hunter was first chained to the wall. Valon looked upon the Hunter, it was quite apparent that hanging from the wall had finally softened him up, the weakness of a mortal. Who would have thought that a young child would try to kill him, it was almost comical in some respects however the Demon was far from laughing or showing any kind of emotion. Valon shook his head as he turned his back and spoke in a deep lightly accented voice that resembled sandpaper against sandpaper:

[b]“I thought you Hunters were suppose to wait for back up if you ever encountered Valon Valerious? After all, the warning label on my rather poorly written profile was rather direct. Heh don't be shocked I am more than aware of you Hunters and your little dossiers.”[/b]

Valon spoke coldly as he walked slowly towards the table of instruments before him, the Hunter with him was strapped to the wall by four iron chains constricting his wrists and feet and than bars going across his neck, chest, and knee's. The Hunter was young relatively, mousy looking, medium brown hair, blue eye's, his complexion that of a pimpled teenager. In reality it was very  accurate to say that this man was no older than twenty at the highest. Equally so, it was painfully obvious that he had overestimated his own abilities in search for fame among his brothers and sister Hunters. To take down Valon was tantamount to being a Legend among Legends in the Hunter world, this fact was not hidden from Valon. It was the very reason that he spent most of his time within the walls of the main guardian facility within Rome. It was not solely by choice either, the truth was Valon was a special case in the Guardians ranks. His past was far too exotic when it came to history, the acts had committed against humanity were too great to ignore so every time he left those walls he was a target for any Hunter who spotted him. It was not the danger posed to himself, he was more than capable of protecting himself, it was the danger posed when he was around other supernatural entities.

Hunters are merciless when it comes to the Supernatural population, they had no such qualms about killing even children who were innocent if it was even a notion they were part supernatural. So having Valon a well known target in the vicinity of other Supernaturals would put not only his life in danger but theirs as well. It was not so much a problem when he first became a Guardian, in fact they did not actively search for him after the second Korikov incident years prior. To them he was just a drifter with no particular purpose anymore, he only killed those who tried to kill him and given his dangerous reputation, as long as they didn't send people after him than they could live with the fact that he was alive. They didn't like it no doubt, but it was better than losing more brothers and sisters, but being a Guardian he was tasked with protecting the other supernatural from the Hunters who would kill them. It became far to obvious that he was not a purposeless drifter anymore, he was a threat to them now in more ways than one so he was placed on the top lists of entities to be exterminated, a pitiful dossier was created on him and most Hunters with any salt to their names had read it by now. So he became an Elder Guardian and looked after the Facility in Rome and helped train potential Guardians and was sent out only on the highest priority assignments. 

While he did not like it all that much, being constricted in Rome, he could at least understand the reasons and respect those that had made the decision. After all he wanted to protect not put them in anymore danger than was necessary. Valon stood at the marble top surface before him looking at the various instruments before him, they were various and all shapes and sizes. Knives serrated, metal plated stakes, gun with silver bullets. He had to admit the Hunter had come prepared. Valon could hear the Hunter behind him, honestly he was but a small child to him, one whom of which did not know any better, he could hear the low sniffling and knew he was crying to himself. It did not matter how tough one was, when your facing death the reality of your mortality becomes overwhelming. Valon reached his hand out to the table, however, he retracted it as he turned around and slowly strode back towards the young Hunter.

[b]“I didn't kill my mother.”[/b]

The young Hunter looked up with hard eye's, there was slight confusion in them mixed with fear and anger. 

[b]“In my dossier it says that I killed my own mother to save my own skin. When in fact my mother sacrificed herself to save me. You see I was a young boy, I didn't know what I was, all I really knew was a I had a power. A power to control people, and to any young boy with such a power, would be crazy not to use such a cool power. I never hurt anyone with it, never committed terrible acts, in fact the only thing I was really guilty off was controlling people to make them give me food because we were starving. Even than it was... considered a power given to me by the devil himself, my mother knowing they would kill me convinced them she had been manipulating me in the shadows, using me as a conduit. They burned her alive shortly after she told me the truth of what I was and who my father was, just an innocent woman just trying to protect her own son.”[/b]

The Hunter scowled as he suddenly spit at Valon, it fell short however just before his feet, not enough saliva to make it that far, the benefits of being chained to a wall for hours. The Hunter angrily hissed at Valon as he spoke.

[b][color=tan]“Your mother was not innocent, she allowed herself to fall in love with a demon and gave birth to an abomination. She was a satanic whore and she deserved to be burned, and you with her, if only those people had know what they were allowing to live... a Monster!”[/color][/b]

There was a sick crack as the back of Valon's hand smashed into the Hunters cheek ripping it open, blood splattering the wall next to him. Reaching forward Valon put his hand on the bar over the young Hunters neck and squeezed it, the metal constricted easily and tightened around his neck cutting off his air supply. Valon drove his eye's into the Hunters, the coldness in them was chilling and frightening.

[b]“Do you want to hear something ironic? After my mother died I was alone, my father came for me and he told me everything. What I was, what I could be and how to become it. I was angry at him, angry at him for making me what I was, for not protecting my mom, for even suggesting that I would become like him. I pushed him away, I didn't want his powers or anything to do with being a full Mezmer.  For years I barely scraped by, just barely getting enough food to not starve to death. I didn't want to be a monster, I wanted to be human and to accepted, to be somebody. But that was taken from me, and it was all because of a Hunter who decided to kill me, but instead killed my father right before my eye's. A man who sacrificed himself like my mother had before him to keep me alive.”[/b]

The Hunter was turning slightly blue now, his eye's bulging from his head from the lack of air to his brain. He choked on his own constricted airways.

[b]“You see the irony I am speaking of is that the only reason I took my own life and became the monster I was for so many years was because of you Hunters. I was a kid being Hunted for something I had no control over or even wanted anything to do with. Everything was taken from me one piece at a time, my mother, my father, my innocence, my humanity, my faith, one by one they all were destroyed. It was only when I realized my fate was cursed.. sealed for all eternity I decided that I would become the monster, Hunters just like you, made me out to be.”[/b]

The Hunter was fading now just barely able to do nothing more than roll his eye's into the back of his head. Valon raised his hand and gripped the metal, with no force at all he ripped it from the brick and let it cling to the floor. The Hunters head fell forward as let the air fill his lungs in huge choking gasps. His eye's were wide as he choked and coughed, his color slowly returning now, the redness in his face starting to subside some. Valon bent down and put his fingers under the Hunters chin and lifted his head so his eye's were boring into his.

[b]“Hunters like to prostrate themselves as if they are warriors of god and are doing the holy work of one. The reality however I have learned is that you are just misguided, bias creatures who kill indiscriminately because your too blinded by your own prejudices. I admit fully that I have slain many innocent people and that there is no redemption for one like me, but you can not stand before me and act as if your form of justice is any better than mine. Standing on a high ground of morality claiming your the light in the darkness. I have seen what you do, the torture of innocent children because they were unfortunate to be born not fully human, the killing of mothers because they gave birth to those children, because they loved a “monster”. You made me who I became, and the lives I took, they are also on your heads, so in my eye's neither of us are innocent of horrible acts.”[/b]

Valon removed his fingers as the Hunters head slowly fell down towards his chest, he was sniffling again. The demon before him was not phased by any of it, there was no sympathy or remorse on his face as he drew his arms across his chest. Both were silent for a time, no words were spoken for what seemed like an eternity.

[b]“If your gonna kill me... just kill me.”[/b]

Valon shook his head at the words, they were spoken with clarity but they were not spoken from one who was ready to die for his cause. He could tell from the pathetic defeat in their voice that this was just another child who had been put upon a path they did not want. This had become reality in this newer age, children becoming Hunters, most of them not heretics like their parents. Most were from family's who had parents who were traditionalist Hunters and thus their children were often marked for the same fate if they wanted it or not. Some took to it and others did not, some did not want to sacrifice their lives like their parents before them. One who had lived as long as him could tell the difference by now between one who wanted this life and one who didn't. Valon reached down and took the metal cross within his fingers that dangled around his chest, squeezing it gently in his hand looking up towards the ceiling as if some figure was there with him.

[b]“No... you will not die today Hunter. Unlike you and your heretic brothers and sisters I do not kill children who can not even defend themselves. If you want to see it or not I was once human long ago, so a concept like mercy is not foreign to me even if it was never shown in kind. But I want you to think about what happened her today boy, I want you to look at yourself, and to reaffirm if you truly want to be a Hunter, a man who takes innocent life of defenseless creatures, most of which do not even wish harm upon this world. Every path has a consequence in this cursed world, every path has an end, and the path you are on now... I am that end, one who lives a life of cold violence will die in the same way. This is merely a reality, so if it is your intent to die than we will meet again.”[/b]

Valon removed a key from his pocket, reaching forward he grabbed one of the chains around the Hunters wrists and broke it, he placed the key in his hand. Turning away Valon released his hand and cross the room to the steel lined door on the other side opening it, the hall beyond was small in nature and filled with old brick on each side descending to a set of stairs at the end of the narrow path.

[b]“Think long and hard about what you want in this life kid, because the next we meet under these circumstances, make no mistake, you will die, no talking and no mercy. One chance... remember that.”[/b]

The door slammed closed loudly there were no footsteps leaving and just like that Valon was gone leaving the Hunter to ponder his own fate.[/color]
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[hider=Pain]

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[color=a95353] Valon was increasingly silent as he stood in a room carved out of white sparkling stone, it was huge, the ceiling was high enough that one could hardly see it among the darkened stone rafters. This room was what they called Final Rest or Requiem Aeternam. It was to from a human standpoint a room of showing for fallen Guardians before they were put to eternal rest. His arms were crossed before his chest and it was obvious that he was visibly shaken, his body trembled slightly with anger. The cross was in his hand but he could not bring himself to feel any kind of peace knowing what lay before him. The stone table before him held the body of one of his pupils, a Guardian shifter named Conor. He had been sent in Valon's place to protect two Healers whom Valon had a strong bond with, he had chosen him to do this in his place and now all three of them were dead.

Valon looked upon Conor, he knew it should have been him who had gone, it should have been him there when those Korikov bastards showed up. Valon squeezed his fist tightly as there was a couple pops and cracks from his knuckles. Conor was an exceptional Guardian, he had trained the boy since he was young, he was exactly the opposite of everything Valon ever was. His tenacity, his dedication, the way he looked upon life... he was a true light in darkness. When he had first meant the boy he was annoyingly optimistic,  had these stupid dreams about one day finding peace with the Hunters and everybody being able to live in harmony instead of this eternal hell that came full circle time and time again.

[b]“Thats no fair! Your way more powerful than me Sir! I could never beat you!”[/b]

Valon shook his head at the young man, his name was Conor and he was taking his first steps towards becoming a Guardian, and low and behold he had drawn the one Guardian in all the world he was the exact opposite to. He was water and Conor was oil, he was darkness Conor was light, he was pessimistic and Conor was optimistic. So naturally they were already getting along splendidly, to the end Valon decided to start with one on one combat. Fist to fist would be his first lesson and so far he was not too impressed with his prowess.

[b]“If you think anything in this cursed world is fair than your diluted boy. I am not running some fun little retreat, you will see no beaches or oceans, you will see my fist coming at your face until you can manage to strike me. Out there against an enemy there is no fair, there is no right or wrong, there is only life and death and you must decide which one becomes your fate. So get up and come at me with the intent to kill boy.”[/b]

Conor stood up slowly, he stood defiantly against Valon but it was obvious he lacked the conviction to come at him with an intent to hurt or kill. Conor lunged from his spot and brought his fist back to strike Valon, the fist came directly for Valon's chin, he caught the fist in his hand rather easily, moving sideways he dragged Conor's arm with him and flipped the boy head of heels slamming him onto his back. Valon brought his foot up and went to slam it into Conor's face, the man hesitated and clenched his eye's closed in fear. Valon stopped his foot an inch from his nose before slowly reverting it back to the ground releasing Conor's arm.

[b]“Were you really going to let me stomp a hole in your face? You do realize I am not human, a real hit from me could go straight through you? I could rip your heart out of your chest still beating with one blow, you never hesitate boy, out there you would be dead. Get up and try again.”[/b]

Conor's eye's were hard as he leap back to his feet, he came at Valon even faster this time, he went to punch with his right hand and switched it up last second and tried to hit with the left. Valon however moved away from the blow and brought his head forward slamming his forehead into Conor's with a rather painful thump. Conor tumbled backward head over heels again as the blow busted his forehead open just slightly revealing a thin flow of blood. Gripping his head Conor rolled around on the ground for a couple moments, he was seeing stars right than and he felt like he had been hit by a bloody rock at high speed.

[b]“Is that all you have boy? If you can't even land a single blow on me than how are you ever going to face an enemy outside these walls? The world beyond here is not so kind as to suffer weak fools. Other Supernaturals play to win, every time, every fight and they will do whatever they deem fit to win. Hunters they don't care even less when it comes to fighting, they will pull every trick and dirty tactic to win. So GET up... and HIT me.”[/b]

The sudden transformation was unexpected, Conor's body transition quickly from that of a young man and into a rather ferocious wolf. He snarled at Valon baring large white glistening fangs. Valon stood defiant and unafraid, he raised his hands up and in one single motion the large overcoat he wore flew from his arms and hit the ground behind him. Valon cracked his neck left and than right with force before he started to move, Conor circled with him growling angrily. They circled like this for seconds which felt much longer before Conor made his made, with a lightning fast lunge he went straight for Valon's chest to knock him to the ground. Valon side stepped, Conor missed the attack by a mile, but his reflexes and speed were remarkable he recovered quickly landing on his feet, going immediately for another strike.

Valon still had his back turned to Conor but it was useless still, with another lung his jaw opened to strike at Valon, he had not expected the elbow to fly back and crack him straight on the bridge of his nose. Before he had a moment to even register the first blow Valon twisted his body and brought his leg around and cracked Conor in the side with a devastating kick rag dolling him across the room, he landed hard to the ground and slid the wall stopping him painfully. There was a painful whimper as Conor tried to regain his feet but fell back to the ground in a slump, his body slowly transformed back into its human state, his chest heaving in and out. Valon walked over to him silently and stood above him, Conor tried weakly to get to his feet but that blow had driven the air from his lungs. He collapsed to the ground again. He reached forward and grabbed onto Valon's ankle and pulled, presumably to topple him but there was no chance. Valon raised his right arm and balled his hand into a fist, this would be the final decisive strike. Putting his arm back he quickly brought it forward to slam into Conor's face, the man closed his eye's awaiting inevitability. When it did not come he slowly opened his eye's, Valon's hand was opened now in a helping gesture. Conor was unsure if this was some kind of trick or what, but either way he didn't have the fight in him to do anything now. He gripped the hand, he was painfully but slowly risen to his feet.

[b]“That enough for now, come, some food and rest will put you back at full strength.”[/b]

They sat silently at the table together, Conor himself was eating slowly but hungrily scooping food into his mouth, Valon on the other hand was slowly eating a piece of raw beef. He cut it up strip by strip almost meticulously. 

[b]“You like raw beef too?”[/b]

Valon looked up at the man who was not looking at him, his expression was glowing almost a cheerful happiness even as he shoveled more food in his mouth. Most people Valon had just kicked the hell out of were sitting there trying to think of ways to make him pay, so he was slightly thrown off at such a gracious expression. He was one of the tougher Guardian's when it came to training so it was common that he would make his pupils mad, but in the end they understood his reasons and he still held strong bonds with them until this day. Conor though seemed not plague by this normal train of thought.

[b]“Yeah, being a Mezmer we usually prefer fresh flesh or blood, however raw beef can be somewhat of a good substitute plus the taste isn't half bad.”[/b]

Conor gave him a happy expression closing his eye's for a moment nodding his, Valon looked at him with an actual odd repression on his face. He was a lot different from others he had mentored, he genuinely seemed not to care at all about the training or even the fact he was a Mezmer. Most didn't even realize until he made some mention to it and they often wondered what the hell a Demon had become a Guardian for.

[b]“Your a weird one kid, your the only one I have ever meant who got the hell beaten out of them and than eats with that person like there is no care in the world.”

“That was training Sir, I am sure your not going to slam my head into this table, besides you seem like a really nice person.”[/b]

Valon almost choked on a piece of raw beef as Conor called his a nice person, he slapped his chest a couple times as Conor laughed heartily over it. Valon had been called many things in his long existence but nice and person were words commonly used to refer to him.

[b]“Whats makes you say that kid? I would like to agree but I am far from such niceties.”[/b]

Conor finished chewing a large piece of meat and took a large gulp of water to wash it down as he set the fork and spoon down looking at Valon.

[b]“I can tell, your really tough, super tough and you show absolutely no emotions, but from what I know of Mezmers already most do not show much emotion. Strong emotions are bad for Mezmers or so I understand anyways, but your different even though you don't show them I can still feel them from your actions. You could have hurt me so much more than you did, as my trainer it is your duty to prepare me to be a Guardian how you see fit but you did not go anywhere near as hard as you could have. To me that is a kindness and it shows me your a good person, and even if you had gone hard, the fact your a Guardian at all shows me your a good person.”[/b]

[b]“That sounds like naivety to me kid. To make such baseless assumptions is dangerous, a lot of creatures out there human or otherwise pose like they are good when in reality they are dark. Just because something does or does not happen does not mean the reasons for it are so clear cut. Good and evil hardly work that way, and if I were you I would take that too heart because thats a dangerous way to think.”[/b]

Conor shook his head back and forth as if saying no before speaking:

[b]“Well I believe that everything has good in them and that just because one may appear evil does not mean they are evil. I am not so naive to believe everyone I come across won't try to kill me, but I do believe that if given the chance one can change. This war between Guardians and Hunters can not last forever, I truly believe one day there can be a peace, we just have to believe its possible.[/b]

Valon couldn't help but scoff at such remarks, he shook his head at Conor.

[b]“Hunters will never change, they only believe in one thing kid and thats killing Supernatural beings if they be innocent or not. To think otherwise is a fools delusions, and you would do well to remember that or you may never become a Guardian.”[/b]

Conor's face took on kind of a serious expression as he wiped his mouth, he looked Valon in the eye's with an unshaken determination.

[b]“If a fool is someone who believes that things can change, that there can be peace instead of bloodshed... than I guess... I will be a fool for the rest of my life.”[/b]

Conor closed his eye's and gave another large smile, Valon just cocked his head up silently looking at Conor questioningly. For that brief moment he sort of scoffed but smiled for just a couple seconds.~

A stray tear was making its way down Valon's cheek, he made no move to wipe it away but instead pressed his hand forward and slowly placed it upon Conor's cold cheek. He closed his eye's as he felt like he had a huge lump in his throat and his chest. 

[b]“I thought I might find you lingering here Valon.”[/b]

An aged voice echoed through the large empty chasm of the room, Valon did not move his hand as he opened his eye's. One of the Council was standing beside him, his own hand was placed on Conor's chest. Even though neither one of them looked at each other, the obvious connection formed between them was of unspoken words. They were both silent for awhile neither one of them really making any move to leave.

[b]“It never becomes any easier does it?”[/b]

Valon didn't turn his head from Conor's peaceful face but he did finally speak if nothing more than to break the silent pain he was feeling in that moment.

[b]“I thought he was a fool when I first became his trainer... he had all these... idea's about peace and how everyone had good inside them. Honestly I couldn't see how he harbored such beliefs, his own parents were murdered by Hunters when he was young. I often criticized him about his beliefs and even threatened that he would never become a Guardian with such idiot beliefs. He never got mad, not even once, in fact he thanked me for it, he held my words in his heart and respected them while at the same time never losing what he truly held dear to him.”[/b]

Valon finally looked over at him,the man standing next to him was tall, taller he was by at least a foot, he was aged with gray long hair tired into a ponytail and neatly trimmed beard which he had braided underneath his chin. He was muscular and well kept for his age and his voice no matter how aged was forceful and direct.

[b]“Its stupid now to say it knowing he is gone, but I never was able to tell him how proud he had made me. That if my son had lived, it would have been through him, I always imagined my boy would hold true to his beliefs, be strong and happy and love this world for the both of us. The thing that truly nags at me is if he had known the full truth about who I was, would he have felt the same respect for me?”[/b]

[b]“He did know you son, he never told you but he knew you before he ever came to be your pupil. When his parents were killed, a Guardian was there to save him from his fate, save him from death. He told me he remembered that this Guardian took care of him and even though he wasn't so good at talking he had taken the weight off his heart over losing his mom and dad. That Guardian was you.”[/b]

Valon looked at the man silently as he lowered his head and looked at the floor letting the words play through his head. To not find surprise in this revelation would have made him a lier. Had this boy truly known him this whole time?

[b]“After you had saved him, he looked for you, he wanted to know about you and that knowledge came to him through when he found the Dossier the Hunters kept on you. He knew about your past, at least some of it and thats why he admired you so much. You never saw it or knew it, but you were the living proof that what he was saying was the truth. That even the most evil of us can walk another road if they choose to. It doesn't matter if he truly knew everything about your past or the deeds you committed. What he did know was you became a force for good, a protector, a Guardian. So that no one would have to go through what you did, that was what you told me during your first test, and it was because of that conviction that he found another path. One that was not filled with revenge but with hope for the future.”
[/b]

[b]“Do you think that this war with the Hunters can ever truly end, that one day we can exist in peace with each other?”[/b]

Valon watched the man sigh to himself as he removed his hand from Conors chest and turned to look at Valon catching his steel like eye's.

[b]“I don't know, its not a question I can answer, what I do know though is he believed with everything he was that things could change. He died believing it, some might call him a fool still, an optimistic fool who truly didn't understand this world. But I truly believe that if there are others out there who have that same belief and the determination to make it real, that such a world could exist one day. Conor died a good death, and honorable death, do not pity the dead Valon, pity those who must live with it.”[/b][/color]

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[color=a95353]One still night, many years ago, there was a taiga which lay undisturbed. Mountains painted it’s background, and brisk air whistled throughout the trees. This boreal forest was located on the brink of Moscow, and it was one of the few locations that had not be permeated by the industrialization of its neighboring city. But beneath this air of calm, was a thriving ecosystem of the unimaginable. This forest was the home to tens if not hundreds of supernatural critters. And those with means to observe them would find an ecosystem unlike any other.

But tonight, the forest was still, even to those who could see its inhabitants. The only exception was for two entities, one vaulting from tree to tree in the dark.

[b]“H-Hey! Over here!”[/b] the kitsune named Mikhail shrieked, darting from the top of one tree to another. The diction of its choice was confident, but its tone was anything but. Whomever it was speaking to, its presence was nearly undetectable to the kitsune, and he wasn’t sure if he had lost her or not. The kitsune stopped to look around, and was met with a thundering boom. The wood near its feet shattered into splinters, and the whistle of a bullet was apparent under the explosion.

[b]“S-Shit!”.[/b] [i]Just a little bit longer... [/i] The kitsune frantically scrambled from tree to tree. If it even stopped for a moment then its assailant would be able to take another shot. Mikhail was trying to confuse it’s assailant with its hallucinogenic abilities, but it wasn’t working deterring them in the slightest. He had heard stories about the hunter family which his enemy belonged to, and he had done exactly as requested of him, but he still felt utterly hopeless as he vaulted from tree to tree. He took solace in the person whom’s plan he was carrying out. As long as he didn’t make any mistakes, everything would be-

[b]”G O T   Y O U”[/b] The shrill voice of a woman pierced Mikhail like a knife. Her voice was enough to stop time, and Mikhail tilted his head towards the sound in what felt like an eternity. A cold hand was firmly grasping one of his tails. Somehow, his enemy had managed to get ahead of him and catch him off guard. She had even predicted which tree he would jump to. 

[b]“How did... “[/b] Mikhail ducked to his left immediately, and another explosion pierced the night. The sound was deafening at this proximity, and he could almost taste the gunpowder in the air as the bullet whistled past his right side. 

[b]“Stop writhing.”[/b] The woman demanded, and the conviction in her voice nearly made Mikhail stop. Maybe if he just let her shoot him, he would be allowed to die peacefully. The korikov were known for their torturous ways, and if he did something to upset this one besides being born supernatural then he would surely pay.

Mikhail still continued to struggle. He couldn’t give up. That’s right! He was almost at the clearing. All he needed to do was…

Third time’s the charm, they say. Even though Kitsune instinctively jerked to his right before the woman fired, the shot hit him right between his eyes.

[b]“What a bother. Now, I’m gonna have to wash your tails before I sell them.”[/b] The woman remarked, staring at Mikhail’s corpse with a smile. She grabbed the kitsunes body and tossed it off the tree, where it landed with a resounding thud. The smell of blood lingered for a moment, but followed him to the ground. Then, the woman followed after him, sliding from branch to branch until she reached the ground.

She spotted a clearing in the distance, and decided to set up camp there. She’d be able to dress the kitsune and rest for a little bit before returning home. Dragging the corpse of Mikhail behind her, she made her way into the clearing.

The clearing before her was slightly cloaked in a low hanging fog as she entered it, the entire area was still and completely silent. The air would feel almost thick as if the deed of killing Mikhail had altered the surrounding area. It would not take long before the merciless Hunter would realize she was far from alone. Standing almost like a statue, a shadow lay in the center of the clearing, cloaked in the darkness of the night. There would be an awful tension for a couple moments that would feel like an eternity before the shadow before her would raise its hand slowly into the air. The small clearing would suddenly come to life, several human forms would make their way into the area from the edges.

Two would appear from behind the Hunter, one more would appear to the left and another to the right, they coordinated themselves around the central figure in the center of the field forming a deformed barrier to make escape without a fight hard. When the four figures got into position the central figure moved forward, their walk was almost casual, they moved directly towards her without the slightest fear. As they moved their hands reached into their clothing pulling something from within, stopping a small distance away they raised their hands to their mouth and placed something in it. There was a click, as a flame appeared illuminating Valon’s face lighting the cigarette between his lips. 

His face was emotionless before the flame disappeared, he took a long drag from the cigarette and blew smoke from his mouth. Valon would than speak, his voice low and deep, a scratchy sandpaper quality mixed with coldness.

[b]“Vanessa Korikov I can not say that it is a pleasure to meet you, but before you decide to be stupid and fight.. You should first listen to what I have to say. You might be a good Hunter and a Korikov but not even you can face five individuals alone and hope to live.”[/b]

Vanessa looked around, taking count of the five individuals surrounding her. It was too dark to tell who or what they were. As she did so, she dropped Mikhail’s corpse, and duly noted the number of tails. Or, lack thereof. It seemed she hadn’t actually killed anyone important. She could abandon the corpse if it meant escaping. On top of that, she had used three bullets while shooting at this kitsune, which meant that she would only be able to take out three of them before resorting to a melee to dispose of the other two. The situation didn’t look that good for Vanessa, but she seemed relatively disillusioned by her predicament.

She shifted her sights toward the individual in front of her. The menacing glow of his cigarette was the only light in the entire clearing, and his features were all too evident. His olive green eyes seemed to glow apart from the cigarette, and Vanessa could only wonder what those eyes must have bore witness to. Vanessa looked at Valon the way a huntsman might look at a particularly large buck, and thought that Valon would make a beautiful trophy mount.

Vanessa regarded his words with callous insincerity.[b] “I was wondering where this stupid animal was trying to lead me. Alright! It looks like it has worked, this is an ambush of sorts, right? So, I’ll let you tell me why I’m out here, and then I’m gonna show you that I [/b][i]can[/i] [b]kill all five of you."[/b]

Valon took another drag off the cigarette, his olive eye’s were boring into Vanessa’s, her words were snark and deliberately meant to gain a rise. He didn’t even have to look at the other five shifters with him to know they were biting at the bit to kill her. Most of them were still young pups, they had earned their stripes having killed Hunters before but they were still susceptible to basic emotional manipulation.

[b]“I can. Strong words. Kill you. Even stronger words, spoken by many others before you, the majority of which make you seem like a weak little girl, crying for her daddy to scare the monsters away. One thing I have noticed through my long years is that Hunters are no longer like the used to be, once upon a time they were stronger, smarter, and the thing that I preferred most in the past is they didn’t talk so much. They didn’t need words to hide the fact they are weak and words are all they have.”[/b]

Valon returned the cold sentiments to Vanessa with a certain tone that could get under anyone's skin. In truth to him, she was a bug, a bug that scurries on the ground living an insignificant life. Taking crumbs where she can and than bragging that she stole the whole piece of bread. It was a hollow mentality inspired when one kills children and than believes they are powerful because of it.

[b]“I did not come here to exchange soured words with a parasite such as you, nor did I request one put their life in danger to lead you hear just to listen to weak words. I came here because I want to give you a chance, a chance at immortality among all Hunters. My very name is a source of both hatred and contempt among Hunters, even more so to the Korikov whom have tried for centuries to put me down only to fall short time and time again. To kill me is to become legend, and I can see by the look on your face that you would like to obtain that title.”[/b]

Valon took a couple more steps forward, the five shifters did the same, they kept a relatively safe distance though as not to make a foolish move and die.

[b]“I am going to give you a choice, a very simple choice and depending on which one you take will decide your fate. Your first choice is your going to disarm yourself of all weapons except a knife and I will do the same, I will even choose not to use any weapon, choose this choice and the five individuals in this field will not join in on the fight, just me. The second choice is we fight with weapons and my friends here will join in, friends of which are already biting at the bit to take you down. You Korikov are merciless and heartless but you are not stupid, you already know that fighting all six of us is suicide. You don’t have near enough bullets to take them down nonetheless me. Besides I am the prize you want, and if your so skilled… than prove it. Decide.”[/b]

Vanessa cocked her eyebrow. The other four individuals in the clearing were shifters. That was rather unfortunate, as Vanessa had left her silver knife at home for this hunt. This close to an urban center it was almost implausible to find a shifter, so she did not think she would need it. Typically, they would reside in the countryside and terrorize the smaller villages. It was too risky in the northern cities.

The fact of the matter was that she would have to take the first option offered to her. If she had even a single bullet left in her chamber, she would be confident enough to challenge him with her full equipment. Her draw speed was anywhere from half a second to a second, and it would take a second more to aim. Or… That wasn’t true. If any of the shifters were a lycanthrope, or a similar animal with incredible agility, she would miss her mark by a few seconds. She would need a fifth bullet account for a less than perfect accuracy due to the rush, and if she missed more than two, she would be caught off guard by the fastest shifter. So even in a more ideal circumstance, she would have to accept Valons proposal.

It made her blood boil. What a nuisance. To have the audacity to impede a Korikov out of a delusional sense of justice. Vanessa couldn’t help but feel the very animosity that was the foundation of the Korikov family. She wasn’t just gonna kill this beast. She was make him suffer on the whole way down. But first, there was something she needed to do.

In her bag was a special flare. It was used by her and her husband to communicate while they were both on the hunt. Tonight, he was teaching the young Nikita Jr. how to track an elf who had been traveling in and out of Elphyne to harvest herbs from this forest. If she sent it up, they both would head to her location. 

The problem was, she didn’t have a way to light it. If things went south then she would be killed if this didn’t activate. Vanessa hesitated; The conviction that froze the kitsune from before faltered, and when she looked at Valon, he suddenly looked so much larger than he did before. But she didn’t focus on this realization. Instead, she stared at his cigarette.

    [b]“Ooh. You’re smart, aren’t’cha. I’m surprised that someone as old as you is senile enough to make me drop my gun.”[/b] Vanessa dramattically kicked open the barrel to her gun and tossed it to the side as a way of agreeing to Valon’s first option. Even if she were to pick it up, the opened barrel allowed the bullets to be jostled by the fall. It would not be able to be fired immediately. While she did this, she also sneakily switched the flare from her backpack to her pocket with her other hand.  [b]“It’s the best decision you’ve made all night. Say, I don’t have my typical weapon with me, all I’ve got is this big ol’ thing”[/b] she motioned to her waist, where there was a belt with various pockets filled with unknown substances and tool. Where she was particularly motioning was a large steel bowie knife. [b]“It’s practically a sword once it gets this big. I ain’t askin’ permission to use it, but I thought I’d warn ya either way.”[/b]

Valon said nothing, in truth he didn’t care if she used her gun or even a blade dropped by some all mighty god blessed with his power and could kill him instantly. This was not about a fight that tailored towards one or the other, this was about revenge. Simply killing her would not do, no... she would suffer at his hands, he would show her the hell that had brought him this far. Valon removed the blade he had strapped upon his back, the blade made a low zing as it exited the metal sheath. Taking it in his hand he thrust it back and than forward, the pieces of the blade suddenly came apart, the sword transformed into a blade whip. Swinging it forward the bladed whip hit the weapon on the ground and twisted around it, bringing his wrist back with a snap the gun flew from the ground and flew behind him disappearing in the darkness. 

With another flick of his wrist the blade receded in and combined forming into a sword once more. He than tossed the blade to the shifter on his left, he caught it easily, Valon turned his head and nodded almost idly as the shifter nodded back. With quick agility the five of them quickly dispersed leaving Valon and Vanessa alone in the field.

[b]“Senile. Interesting choice of phrase from a child like you. Did you know the very first Hunter I ever killed died because he was stupid enough to fall into a trap?”[/b]

Valon took one last drag off the cigarette, taking the butt between his finger and thumb he flicked it away, it flew fast and landed a short distance away. It was sudden almost like an explosion, flames licked up all around the field combining into one big circle trapping them both inside. The flames were immensely hot and burned bright, the flames licked high catching nearby tree’s a flame with ease. For the first time since they had meant that night Vanessa could now fully make out his appearance, his body illuminated by the bright flames.

[b]“Did you know that when you live long enough that you have nothing but time in this world to think, to calculate, to plan? For example I am sure you must have someway to bring in reinforcements, I am sure you were going over in your head how if things took a turn for the worst that you would have a backup plan to overcome me. This is simple truth, those flames will burn continuously for many moments, and anything that tries to cross them in or out will not make it even an inch before their skin is melted away. It is time Vanessa Korikov to pay for what you have done, ALONE with no one to help you. But before I cause you immense pain beyond what your imagination can even grasp would you like to know… why all of this is happening right now or would you rather… I tell you when your on the ground an inch from death? Your choice.”[/b]

Valon moved his arms up as the overcoat he was wearing flew up, over his arms and fluttered backwards hitting the ground, he slowly rolled his sleeves up to his elbows revealing the chained tattoo on each of his arms.

The fire around Vanessa was a little disconcerting. On one hand, it would make lighting her flare easier. On the other hand… What exactly could they do once they arrived.

Vanessa didn’t care much for Valon’s exposé. [b]“Weren’t you just telling me how much better my ancestors were for keeping quiet?”[/b] she said, practically spitting the words at him. She removed the knife from her belt and took the offensive.

First, she held the knife in her right hand but levied it to the left of her body. This way, she could arc the knife in a sweeping motion to hit Valon if he was directly in front of her.  Then, she began to sprint around the circle of fire, making it so that Valon would have to turn to match her movements. For now, this was all she would do, as she was gauging her opponents reaction to such an elementary strategy.

Valon watched silently like an eagle as Vanessa removed the knife from her belt and placed it into her right hand. She placed the blade to her left side, giving her the ability to swipe that blade at a moments notice, she would know how to kill him, any Hunter with salt would know that much. She was in a perfect position to swipe at his neck and remove his head. She did not attack him haphazardly, he watched her run towards the flames and begin running in a circle around him. she was positioning close to the flames he had set. If she could somehow maneuver him into them, that could also end his existence if the conditions were right. He watched her circle for a couple moments, she was not attacking, she was waiting to see what he would do. If he approached her carelessly from the front she would attack with the knife, chasing her would be fruitless he was not built for speed. Valon shook his head, she was quite adept at strategy however he wondered if she was the same emotionally.

[b]“You know… if your going to just run in a circle like a coward, perhaps I will just let the flames die down and go look for your husband or maybe even your son. I am sure I could get some entertainment out of them, especially your son, I am sure his screams would be worth the trouble. But I would understand if your not interested in keeping your son safe, after all Hunters do enjoy killing children.”[/b]

The fire really was hot, and as powerful as the hunter’s blessing made Vanesssa, she was still just like any human. The heat of the flames made her tire out quicker than she had hoped, and she slowed down to a brisk jog. She’d have to conserve her energy for later in the fight, if she burnt out now, death would be the only outcome.

She gauged her options. It seemed like Valon wasn’t taking the bait, and she’d have to readjust her strategy. She tried to push his words to the back of her mind; but a bit of her loathe escaped in her expression. Even though she was the only human for miles, her expression was by far the most monstrous. She didn’t respond to Valon’s insult, but instead focused on her new strategy.

His weapon, which looked like some sort of bastard child of a flail and a sword, was no longer on the field, which meant that there wasn’t any clever positioning or stratagem that would place her in a position to harm Valon. His reach was about as long as hers with the knife, and it from Vanessa’s experience, some of the creatures she faced would be able to incapacitate with just a single touch. This meant that neither side truly had an advantage, although honestly speaking, Vanessa was the only one with an armament. Quickly, she came up with a plan of attack.

    She would lunge towards the center of the clearing, and make like she was about to release her arm in an arcing motion towards Valon. Given how far she was from Valon, he would almost certainly have an opportunity to brace himself. At the last second, about one or two strides from being within arms reach of Valon, she would lunge to the left side of Valon to dart behind him. This was another test of sorts, and she would sprint to the other side of the clearing if she successfully cleared him. If he somehow managed to stop her, she would also be prepared to attack with the knife in her right hand. Having rehearsed her plan in her head, she began her ‘assault’.

Valon had crossed his arm as Vanessa ran in a circle, it didn’t take long for her slow down and realize that she was only wasting energy. He had no intention of showing this woman his abilities. She would come to him, one way or another, she chose not to respond to his earlier retort which made it clear that in some way it bothered her. He could use that to his advantage, human emotion was just like a wall, all it took was time and pressure and the wall would crumble. Valon did cock his head when she suddenly lunged and drove straight for the center of the field where he was. What was she up to? Would she really try to attack him head on? No she wouldn’t dare, he could render her easily with one blow. 

Was she testing his defences? Valon didn’t have much time to ponder, in either event she was expecting him to go on the defensive, so how about offensive instead? Valon leapt from the spot and ran right at Vanessa, she was still holding the blade to her left which meant she was prepared for a frontal attack. So instead of waiting for her to reach him, he would close the distance and force her hand, he would draw his arm back as if to punch her when he got close, wait until the very last second for her attack, than slide hard right into her legs and take her off her feet. 

[i]Huh?![/i] Vanessa glowered at Valon as he came at her. Was she getting adrenalized for no reason? Surely someone who boasted such superiority over a hunter such as herself would know better to come at her arms swinging. Or, so she thought.

Vanessa was not prepared for Valon to predict her feint and react with his own. The only cue to a blow that would have knocked her to the ground was a split second between Valon sliding and him knocking her off her feet. By that point, she was already part-way towards her jump to the side. By that time, there was nothing she could do to fully avoid Valons attack. He caught her right foot and caused her to stumble. Vanessa braced her left foot for landing, and landed rather gracefully for her predicament. She grimaced as she lowered her right foot to the ground, and felt an unnatural pain as her foot lay flat on the ground. Valon’s slide had seemingly sprained her ankle. This was not good, as it meant that she had lost the advantage of agility. She turned to face Valon, who would have had an opportunity to right himself and face Vanessa again at this point.

There was no other option. She would need to light the flare as soon as possible, and to do so she would need to buy some time until she backed up to the wall of flames behind her. [b]“Heh, is that all you got? Say, we’ve already started fighting, but I don’t know your name yet. How ‘bout it, tell me what your name is, and I’ll even get a special tag to identify you when I mount you on my wall”[/b] She took careful steps so as not to reveal her new injury, and slowly shuffled to increase the distance between her and Valon. 

Valon’s expression didn’t change, not even in that moment, his eye’s just followed Vanessa as she backed away from him. He had struck her, even if it was one foot and even if she managed to land, he knew the force of the strike was enough to at least hurt her. Although she did not show any signs of it causing damage, although the point was rather moot, whatever she had planned was foiled before it had a chance to go through. Valon took a couple steps forward and followed her almost casually, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Why was she backing up towards the flames? He pondered this in his head, surely that would be a rather bad idea? He pondered it but truly it made no difference to him what she trying to do or not do at that point. So just for kicks he would satisfy her weak taunting.

[b]“My name? I have been called many things over the years, The Red Plague, Blood Demon, Bane of Humanity, so many names during so many times. I doubt whatever your real reason for asking that you care to know my name, but I will answer just once, my name is Valon Vladimir Valerious. I am the demon that the Korikov have been trying to kill for centuries upon centuries, blah… blah… blah.”[/b]

Valon watched her get ever closer to the flames, he was still curious as to why she was going towards them. Did she believe she could escape? No, that was pretty clear that she wouldn’t, not just yet. Was she going to try and use the flames against him? No not likely she didn’t have the strength to push him into them and she had nothing to amplify them. Valon kept advancing his eyes trained on her ready for whatever she thought she was going to do.

Vanessa took one more step, and she could feel the singe of the flames on the back of her neck. If she stood here for too long, she would blister, but that was hardly of concern right now. As far as Vanessa was concerned, she was successful in her endeavor, and a small burn would be a price to pay of the same magnitude.

She kept her eyes trained on Valon for a moment longer, and quickly reached into her pocket and grabbed the flare with her left hand. She also relaxed her right arm, so that the knife was now on her right side. Just as quick as she grabbed the flare, she reached towards the flames with her left hand and extended the flare into the inferno. With a resounding crack, the flare activated, and it began spurting a flurry of white sparks. Vanessa wasted no time, even though sticking the flare into the fire had caused part of her left hand to become scorched, and threw the flare up into the air. As soon at the flare escaped her hands, it exploded into a large beam of light. The light was painfully blinding, and anyone within several miles of the clearing would have been able to see the flare, including Nikita Bollo. However, she did not have an opportunity to do anything else before Valon.

Valon watched as Vanessa quickly pulled something from her pocket as soon as the flames were practically licking her back. Moments later she thrust the mysterious item into the fire along with her hand. He was just barely feet away when she brought her left hand forward and released something into the air it exploded violently in a cascade of blinding white light. The realization quickly dawned on him what she had done, she had let her guard down to throw the flare, Valon capitalized on it and moved forward. With one hand he gripped her the wrist of her right hand which held the knife and with the other he wrapped his fingers around her throat and held her in place still close to the flames.

[b]“Let me guess that was a flare to alert whoever is nearby to help you? Hunters… never capable of fighting their own battles, one thing that has never changed. Although it is of little consequence to me, I have more than enough time to finish what I started.” [/b]

Valon tightened his grip of Vanessa wrist with a resounding crack as he pulled it into a downward angle forcing her to drop the knife to the ground. He then picked her up off her feet by her throat and threw her bodily through the air and back into the middle of the field away from the wall of flames.

Vanessa coughed after she hit the ground, and idly ran her right hand over her throat. Well, she tried to run her hand over her throat. Valon’s grip was enough to break her wrist, and she was unable to do much more than rub it against her throat like a rubber glove. The endorphins and adrenaline pumping through Vanessa’s body made sure that she couldn’t feel this pain though, and she didn’t have any way to deal with an injury before Valon reached her again. Which meant, she would have to fight with only her left hand. 

Vanessa pulled herself to her feet. [b]“Huh. That’s a surprise. As it turns out, there is a brain in there.” [/b] She remarked, validating Valon’s theory. [b]“Hey. So now that we’re on the same page, how ‘bout you call your shifter buddies back to join the fray. I did break your rules after all, I had kept the flare when you said to disarm myself of everything. That sounds like as good as reason as any to call them back over.”[/b]

As Vanessa spoke, she readied herself in a defensive position. Her right hand was dangling to her side, and her balance was clearly thrown off by her sprained ankle. Even all of this considered, it would still be a fool's errand to approach her head on.

The laugh came out of nowhere, Valon who was walking towards Vanessa was laughing, it was almost maniacal in its sound. It was obvious that Valon thought of Vanessa as a joke as he put on of his arms behind his back and raised the other to imitate her pain. However it would soon become apparent that the laughter was not purely at her physical condition, he would stop just a few feet away from her and bore his eye’s into hers.

[b]“You just don’t get it yet do you? Your standing there definitely ready to fight until the last breath. I even told you before this was all a trap from the beginning but you never looked beyond that did you? Those Shifters had no intention of fighting in the first place, I merely wanted you to toss away your gun away, I wanted to fight you hand to hand, I wanted to see just how tough you really were.”[/b]

Valon’s smile faded quickly his face replaced itself with the usual emotionless cold glare of steel olive eye’s. He took one more step towards Vanessa stopping again.

[b]“I wanted to cause you pain, I wanted to see how it felt to hurt you and if it would be enough in the end to justify the revenge I want. An clearly it's not going to be enough, not by any shot will it be enough. Killing you is not enough to repay what you and your family did, and I had surmised that would be the likely outcome.”[/b]

Valon continued walking towards Vanessa and covered the distance between him and her within another couple of steps. Vanessa seeing Valon approach her, drew one last punch, she mustered her remaining strength into the hit and struck at Valon. Valon put out his hand and her fist struck his open palm at the very last second, wrapping his fingers around her fist he pulled her in hard and raised his other hand catching her by the throat one last time.  Go forward he picked her up and went forward slamming her back first in the softened ground, he knelt beside her, his hand was still wrapped around her throat as he spoke:

[b]“I never had any intention of killing you Korikov, I wanted to and I still do… but killing you right here and now would be too easy for you. There are so many ways I could break your will, you think I can’t but I have meant Hunters FAR tougher than you woman. I could break all your limbs, I could rip off your arms, cripple you so you never Hunt again. Perhaps I could go put your face in those flames so EVERYTIME your family looks at you and ANYONE else, all they will see is the MONSTER you are.”
[/b]

Valon pulled Vanessa up slightly from the ground by her throat and bore his hateful eye’s right into her’s, there was a malice in them that could stun a charging bull.

[b]“I had no intention of killing you because I am going to make you suffer in ways you have never suffered before, both you and your husband. Just like you made them suffer, you remember don’t you, two unicorns and two Guardians one in which you killed whom was my pupil? The same pupil who often filled my ears with ridiculous ideas that someday we Supernatural and Hunters could coexist in peace, something he believed with all he was. Even I had to admit that with him around it was possible… but now he is dead and once again here I am in the midst of battle all because you and your family couldn’t leave well enough alone.”[/b]

Valon released Vanessa’s head and pushed it hard to the ground with a dull thump as he stood up and towered over here, he looked down on her, his eyes glimmered with an anger, a rage he had not felt for a long time.

[b]“I am declaring war on the Korikov family, I am going to eliminate every elder, every child, every Hunter with that last name from the face of this cursed world. An lucky for you I am going to start with your family, my final reason why I am not going to kill you tonight. I am going to kill your son, your precious little boy, I am going to give you a true taste of what suffering is really like when your whole world crumbles around you. An the best part is, you won’t know when it's going to happen, from this day forward you will live in fear for when the Red Plague comes to takes your sons life once… and… for… all.”[/b]

Valon bent down to Vanessa one last time and glared into her eye’s as an evil smile crossed his lips.

[b]“It was nice meeting you, Vanessa… Korikov… and... it was nice knowing your family.”[/b]

As the flames around them finally started to die down some Valon walked across the field and retrieved his coat, letting it glide into the air he let it slip over his arms before walking back to Mikhail, bending down he softly raised the Kitsune into his arms.

[b]“I am sorry for your death, know that there will be revenge.”[/b]

From behind a nearly incinerated battlefield came a deep voice. [b]“ I can smell the smoke, Druzhishche. Come this way.”[/b]

[b]“H-Huh? Alright.”[/b] Came a notably less deep voice.

The two individuals who were speaking appeared from the trees opposite where Vanessa had first entered the clearing. One of them was an enormous dark-skinned man, wearing a large coat that only exemplified his astounding girth. While he was particularly large, he looked almost as solid as a rock, and one would be hard pressed to find a part of his body that wasn’t in peak condition. This man was Nikita Bollo, the husband of Vanessa Korikov.

To his side was a much smaller and shorter individual who was also male. His appearance was almost shrouded in the dark of the night, and the only defined characteristics were his skin that matched the man next to him and his light brown eyes. Compared to Vanessa, who was writhing on the ground in the center of the clearing, and Nikita Bollo, who seemed to dwarf even the trees in the taiga, he did not seem consequential in the slightest. This was Nikita Jr, also known as the first Nikita Korikov.

Nikita Bollo, who had been searching the clearing for any signs of the flare, quickly located his wife and scrambled across the clearing to get to her. He didn’t let a sound out as he worked, and he took the backpack which he had been carrying and laid it next to Vanessa. He pulled out what appeared to be a first aid kit, and prepared to treat her wounds. Nikita Bollo looked around to see if there was any threat, but he couldn’t find anything with his initial survey. He couldn’t cross out the possibility that this was some sort of trap with Vanessa as bait, and motioned to his son.

“[i]Moy Khoroshiy[/i], survey the surrounding area. Return once you are sure there is no one waiting for us in this clearing.”

[b]“A-Alright!"[/b] The boy wasted no time, and jogged to the edge of the clearing with plans to climb a tree to survey the landscape. Generations of Bollo and Korikov hunters have resulted in Nikita having extraordinarily good eyesight, and he was confident that he would be able to see any potential threats even in the dark.

Carefully, so as not to break any of the branches, Nikita scrambled up a tree on the edge of the clearing and began to look around. There didn’t appear to be anyone around the clearing besides his parents… Wait, that’s not right. There was a shadowy figure on the brink of the clearing, moving away from said location. Nikita tried to focus, but he couldn’t quite make out who it was. He didn’t look like some kind of extraordinary beast, although his clothing was a little odd, and Nikita wondered if he posed any threat to his mother and father. If he wanted to find an answer to that question, he would have to get a little bit closer. Nikita marked the location in his head and slid down the tree.

He jogged around the perimeter of the clearing, until he was at its furthest point closest to where he saw the man. In the distance, through some trees, Nikita could nearly see the man in the woods. How was he walking away so calmly, when it looked like there was the clearing was engulfed in a ring of fire just moments earlier? Could this have been the man who had put Vanessa Korikov, one of the most feared names in Russia, into such a state as that which he had observed earlier.

[b]“Hey! Who are you?”[/b] He shouted after the man, stepping out of the clearing and into the forest. But he received no reply. Instead, all Nikita received was a sight he would remember for the rest of his life.

The man turned around. He appeared to be carrying the body of someone, but Nikita couldn’t quite make out who it was, or if it was even human. The man’s appearance was both stoic and maniacal, and he gave off an air of danger that Nikita had never been met with before. But the worse part by far was his eyes. They were dark but light, and colorful but gray. They showed off three thousand years of suffering, and they stared back into Nikita’s own eyes as if the man was prying into his very soul. Nikita froze, and for a moment it felt like time itself had stopped. Nikita couldn’t tell if it was slowly, or quickly, but Valon smiled at him before turning away.

Nikita was so taken aback by this man, that he nearly stumbled. He looked around him and back to the spot where he had seen this man, but in the instant he looked away the man was gone. Nikita didn’t know what to make of this, and returned to his father, where he reported that there was nothing in the vicinity that posed a threat to the two of them while they dealt with Vanessa’s injuries. Later, after he had learned what had happened to his mother that night, he had come to wonder if the man he came to face with was the Seraph himself, Valon Vladimir Valerious.[/color][/hider][/hider]



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[color=a95353]Valon lay on his knee's, his body was straight and his head was bowed down with his eye's closed tightly. The area around him was cold, an early morning chill had taken the it, mist clung to the ground lowly obscuring a small portion of Valon's ankles. All around him tree's of various kinds were scattered in every direction, the place he was kneeling was deep within what appeared to be a wooded area. The entire area was silent save for the crunching footsteps from Valon's left. They were steady and nearing with every second, Valon moved his arms slowly up, pulling them in he removed the overcoat he was wearing revealing the red long sleeved shirt below. Gently he placed it on the ground, folded neatly beside him. The footsteps increased in sound as they drew even closer, Valon slowly unbuttoned the red sleeves and moved them up his arms cuffing them at the elbows. The chain tattoo on his arms was now showing, the black loops almost glistened, the spikes on the edges looking as if they were digging into his arm like thorns. Each chain held a word in its loop in a language that looked long forgotten.

The footsteps which had been increasing in sound suddenly stopped, the entire area going silent around him save the creaking of tree limbs in the wind. Valon's eye's were still closed as he reached down his dominant hand and lay it on the hilt of the sword within the sheath on his back. The sword was broad in nature but slightly more slimmed down, the hilt was black and enlarged, a red gem lay in the center between the guard, the handle wrapped by black cloth tightly wound. There was a sound of metal against metal as he pulled it out, the sword was divided into what appeared to be pieces, each one connected to the next from hilt to tip of blade. Valon did not moved he stayed in his current position the sword half unsheathed on his back, the world around him was completely still and silent, not even a bug dared to breath. The attack came from the left, a tall muscular figure flew down from the tree above Valon, their face was covered with a leather face mask, their body draped in light black leather armor.

The sword in their hand aimed straight for Valon's head, it seemed like it would almost definitely hit, the sudden clank of metal upon metal however shattered that certainty. Valon's sword was above his head now, the opponent who had tried to strike him pressing down with all their might but unable to move Valon's sword down and further towards his skull. The figure quick in speed removed their blade and jumped back hitting their feet and sliding across the ground. They placed their sword before them pointed at Valon. The Mezmer demon remained still, his legs bent up at a weird angle as he got to his feet, a couple pops sounded as he did. He cracked his neck once to the right and than once to the left, each crack loud and cringe worthy. Turning his eye's were still closed but he faced his opponent, he said nothing, did nothing. Merely stood there for a couple moments as if in thought before he finally did open his eye's.

[b]“Too loud.”[/b]

The words were simple and direct to the opponent before him, their eye's closed into slits at the remark, they quickly moved forward with intent to kill. Their approach was steadfast, their sword arced and came from the left of Valon. The sword in Valon's hand moved, the blade pointed to the ground, he lowered it as he caught his opponents blow blocking his legs. As metal struck metal once more Valon drove his sword out forcing his opponents sword back, in the same instance he turned his entire body in quick succession, his sword changing direction in his hand, the blade now facing up, he used the momentum from his turn driving his blade in a horizontal arc for his opponents mid section. His opponent blocked the attack, but their sword was driven back from the power behind the blow, just barely they held the block. They grunted as they tried to force Valon's sword away, unable to overpower him the opponent quickly let go of the sword and flipped back, Valon's sword barely missing their legs.

[b]“Sloppy.”[/b]

Again Valon spoke directly to his opponent, placing the sword over his back after twirling it he clicked it into the sheath with a metallic zing. Reaching forward he took the discarded sword from the ground, he tossed it sideways at a hard arc as it hit a trick and stuck in deep. His opponent took a fighting stance, they raised their fists in anticipation. Valon did not bother to raised his guard, he stared down his attacker, daring them to approach him. They did not hesitate moving from their spot at great speed, the blow came for Valon's chest. The blow landed squarely in Valon's chest, he had not bothered to block it. His opponent looked up in confusion just in time for Valon's forehead to slam into theirs with a sickening thud. His attacker yelped loudly as they fell backwards and slammed onto their back. Valon moved forward slowly, almost methodically, sadistically as his opponent was shaking their head, trying to clear the cobwebs from the decisive blow.

They quickly regained their composure and flipped backwards head first and landed on their feet. They flung forward and threw three quick punches. One struck Valon's stomach, another struck his chest and the last landed across his jaw. The blows barely seemed to register, his opponent than quickly flipped back onto to their hands, their feet going into the air, twisting on their hands they threw a kick for Valon's head. There was a loud smack as Valon caught his opponents ankle, a small sharp blade was sticking out of his opponents boot just inches from his face. The counter attack was unexpected as Valon let go of the ankle and bent low, he drove his legs right into his opponents arms knocking them off balance and forcing their momentum upwards into the air where he drove his fist forward and caught them mid air in the stomach rag dolling them across the field. Their body crumbled on the ground as they rolled a couple times before coming to a stop at the base of a tree. 

[b]“How did I beat you so easily Elise?”[/b]

Valon watched as his pupil slowly got to their feet, they were holding their stomach with one hand and leaning on the tree with the other. When she was steady she removed the leather mask over her face and head revealing long black straight hair, a soft fair complexioned face with eagle like green eye's.

[color=gold][b]“I faced you head on... when I should have pressed a medium to long distance attack. I should have worked on fast strikes and than retreating and thinking my next moves.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Exactly. You do not face an opponent with superior strength in close combat unless you know you can fell them before they can strike you. You must always take into account what your opponent is as well as their strengths and weakness's. What is one strength a Mezmer has in close quarters combat?”[/b]

[color=gold][b]“A Mezmer has inhuman strength so their blows at close range are lethal if not deadly. Mezmers are also capable of taking a lot of pain, some in fact can not even feel pain, so attacks with hand to hand are useless unless combined by some form of magic or ability that makes the blow more effective.”[/b][/color]

Valon walked up to Elise, his face was expressionless as it always was but he raised one of his hands and put it on top of her head.

[b]“Good. Remember that mistakes like this can cause death, do not underestimate your opponents and even more so never overestimate your own abilities. Guardian's have no need to prove anything, nor should they ever live in a mindset where they want to prove something. We protect that which can not protect itself, nothing more and nothing less. Do you understand?”[/b]

[COLOR=GOLD][b]“Yes Sir, next time I will do better.”[/b][/color]

Valon nodded his approval as he removed his hand from her head, he motioned his head for her to leave the courtyard.

[b]“Get something to eat than I want you to return to study and review your texts, more specifically the different types of races and cultures.”[/b]

Elise bowed her head and put her fist to her chest in respect and limped slowly to the entrance and disappeared from sight. Valon watched her nodding his head at her, walking back over to his original spot he picked up his overcoat. 

[color=green][b]“I see your training is as rough as always, I have been hit by many a blows but only a Mezmer makes a point to put so much strength into even the simplest punch. Although now and days you seem to be holding back, seems like a time ago your hits did a lot more damage.”[/b][/color]

Valon turned as he unfolded his coat and tossed it upwards in the air and let his arms slide through the sleeves as it slid down his body resting on his shoulders.

[b]“Times change Councilor, Pupils in this day and age are not so willing to have their ribs broken while merely training. Seems like the more time goes on the more soft applicants seem to become. Even Hunters are not as fierce as they once were.”[/b]

[color=green][b]“Hm. Maybe your just really old. There is no shame in it, I remember once upon a time a Mezmer who barely uttered one single word. His eye's were always cold as steel and his entire being was tense and always on edge regardless of where he was, his first pupils were so scared of him that they nearly quit. Time does change us all in the end, even those of us who look the same as they did thousands of years ago. Alas though I did not come here to ramble about age, there is something I must discuss with you, if you would meet me in my chambers, a situation has arisen and time is short.”[/b][/color]

- - -

Valon sat quietly in Councilor Lucretia's chambers. Very much like much of the Rome Facility the office was tantamount to stepping back in time a good hundreds of years. The walls were very tall and large and made of travertine, complimented by white half stone pillars, the floor was made of stone tiles with engravings around each corner. The area was fairly spacious and took the shape of an small oval. The furnishings all appeared to be fair bit more modern when concerning the large desk in the center of the room, the plush large chairs among various other assortments. Much of the walls on the other hand were lined with books, very old and very delicate books mixed among artifacts and a long gone era. It was always did surprise him some that no one ever guessed so many years prior that Councilor Lucretia whom was a ranking member in the old Roman Empire was in fact not completely human. Looking up Lucretia entered through the double wide doors and let them close behind him, situating himself behind the desk he looked to Valon and spoke:

[color=green][b]“We have a situation Valon, first and foremost have you ever heard of a town called Erehwon?”[/b][/color]

In truth most supernatural had heard of that small town practically in the middle of nowhere, it was a virtual safe haven for supernatural and with the Hunters constantly lurking in every country side waiting to kill... that was a much needed thing in the past years.

[b]“Yes. I have heard of it, its is where Gringore Academy is located and maintained. I have never been there myself, I have always remained in Europe even before joining the Guardians. I believe it is in a state called Vermont.”[/b]

[color=green][b]“Yes your right, we have a delicate situation brewing near Erehwon and if allowed to continue it could blow up into a full blown Hunter convention. We have been receiving reports from Guardians around Erehwon that humans have been disappearing outside of Erehwon and many supernatural as well have come up missing. From what I have gathered it has been restricted outside of Erehwon but it appears to be moving closer and closer to the town. About three days ago a pack of young Hunters were missing near Erehwon, no trace of them.”[/b][/color]

Valon's face took on that of subtle confusion, the news that supernaturals and humans alike were going missing one after another was very disconcerting. It was one think for humans to disappear the reality was Humans were weak and often easily manipulated by the supernatural. Depending on who you asked they were an easy meal in some eye's. But to attack supernatural was another situation entirely, most could defend themselves and many different kinds of supernatural could not be used like humans could.

[b]“Everyone just disappears? No trace?”

[color=green]“Well the ones who don't disappear are usually found in several pieces without even a drop of blood in their entire body. An most of the supernatural who disappear always return again dead not too long after. We believe they maybe trying to help the humans and being killed for their trouble.”[/color][/b]

Valon thought on it silently, obviously this had to do with a vampire, only they would drain a victim completely of blood. An they had the strength to rip and tear their victims apart after their feeding was done.  

[b]“A rogue Vampire? Than again Vampires do not usually disembowel their victims after they drain them and leave them to rot in pieces. Nor do they usually find it prudent to kill other supernatural beings indiscriminately.”[/b]

[color=green][b]“Accept for newly blooded vampires who don't know how to control themselves.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Even than newly blooded vampire do not have a natural desire to decapitate victims. There must be some other mitigating factor to make them act in such a manner.”[/b]

Valon did not like where this heading, the only thing that he could think of would be an Elder Vampire who had gone rogue. Elder Vampires were a phenomenon all on their own, he had said many times that living a long life can bring you perspective and give you skills beyond that of even ordinary supernatural and Elder Vampires were no different. The older vampires got the more powerful they seem to get and even more so they develop in rare cases a strong telepathic link to the vampires they blood and those vampires are called their “children” whom basically become slaves.

[color=green][b]“I believe your right, my suspicion is that we might be dealing with an Elder Vampire who is creating a nest somewhere near Erehwon. We can't sure though, you already know Elder Vampires rarely show themselves unless provoked personally and it seems logical this one is sending it's “children” to hunt for new humans to be blooded or for food. We have been able to hide the the fact that people are dieing left and right, but one body was discovered in a place close by called Ruxbury. Search parties are now being formed and going back and forth looking for the reported missing people.”[/b][/color]

[b]“An they have no idea what they are going to find if they find themselves close enough to whats causing this.. this is a volatile situation.”[/b]

Valon put his hand to his chin, the situation was not good, if this was an Elder Vampire and those search parties accidentally stumbled across it or its next somehow...

[color=green][b]“Not to mention with those Hunters disappearing there has been a rise in their numbers in the area. The situation is spiraling, and now the Guardian I had looking into this situation is missing.”[/b][/color]

Valon looked up slowly.

[b]“Missing? Hunters?”[/b]

[color=green][b]“No I don't think so, the Hunters are concentrating their search further west for now, they seem to think whatever they are looking for will be there. His last report detailed that he was looking into something in town, it was rather vague though, he said it was unrelated, it had to do with dragons blood.”[/b][/color]

Dragons blood... it was getting better and better. Once upon a time someone had come up with the idea to take the very toxic dragon blood and use as it a weapon against humans and even supernatural alike. There was an entire situation many year prior where Dragons were being kidnapped and held for their blood to make weapons against Hunters. The only problem was Guardian's take a dim view on kidnapping and imprisonment and the operation was shut down. Permanently. Valon had been one of the Guardians present during the raid. Further more the weapons they were creating often times more than not ended up affecting innocent bystanders, it was one big problem. Valon had heard rumors that Dragon Blood was now being used in some sort of drug that gave Supernaturals and edge, however proof on the contrary was the real issue.

[b]“What is the plan Councilor?”[/b]

[color=green][b]“Your the plan Valon, given the extreme elements of the situation I can not afford to send Guardians whom don't have enough actual real world experience, especially if this is an Elder Vampire in the mix. You faced one before, something not many if any Guardians have had the displeasure of doing and as far as experience goes you have the most in this case. I have an outside Agent who has been working with us for many years now, he has been monitoring the situation with our Guardian who went missing, he will be waiting for you when you arrive. Apparently he had meant you before and is looking forward to seeing you again."[/b][/color]

Valon cocked his head at Councilor Lucretia, someone he knew outside of the Guardians...

[b]“Who?...”[/b]

---

[color=tan][b]“Vivo my friend! It has been so long since we last saw each other! How are you doing?!”[/b][/color]

Valon's body twitched as a man wrapped his arms around him, enveloping him in a huge hug, one of which violated every rule of physical contact he had made within the last many years. His eye's were wide and scary as the man released him and backed away. Valon looked at him and his eye's become hard, it couldn't be... mousy looking man but older, long medium brown hair pulled into a pony tail, shitty complexion. Valon recalled and incident years ago when a young Hunter tried to kill him in Rome, he had captured him and chained him to a wall for hours on end to soften him up. Though he did not kill him that day, he pitied him and let him live to fight another day when he was not so weak. In all his years though he had never imagined that same kid would not be working on their side. An Vivo... did he just call him... Vivo?

[color=tan][b]“Okay, the hug was probably a bit over the top but we don't want anyone thinking anything around here, just two old friends greeting each other... and jesus do your eye's ever change or is that hereditary or something? Did anyone ever tell you to try decaf by chance?"[/b][/color]

He whispered lower in Valon's ear as the Mezmer looked around the train station quietly. There was quite a few humans in here, he was not used to big crowds like this anymore, he hadn't been in the real world for many odd years now. Not to mention considering where he came from it was almost like he had stepped through some portal into the 21st century. The train ride in itself had been filled with people, all of them on some sort of handheld device, they talked to them like they were people. Playing images with music, something called Youtube. 

[color=tan][b]“Also by the by you wouldn't happen to have any other clothes your looking a bit ancient, you could really use...”[/b][/color]

The man stopped cold in his talking as Valon was glaring at him very hard and very scary as if he finished that line of wording he would die instantly. The man suddenly laughed nervously placing a hand on Valon's shoulder.

[color=tan][b]“You could really use another set so I can have the same outfit! It is awesome its almost like going back in time to another era! Love it! I have always enjoyed cosplaying myself!” [/b][/color]

Cosplaying? What the hell was that? Valon didn't get a chance to ask as he was lead away from the arrival platform and through another entrance into the station itself. The man was going on about this and that, about the town in general, and famous landmarks and places to visit. To tell the truth Valon was a Demon lost in time as he looked around, everything was... different way different from the facility in Rome.

[color=tan][b]“By the way my name is Calvin, or Cal I don't think you ever got my name all those years ago. Also I grabbed this from the post office...”[/b][/color]

Cal handed a large wrapped package to Valon, the package was most definitely his sword which had to be sent separately to avoid questions. Valon started to unravel the package but Cal quickly stopped him.

[color=tan][b]“Lets just uh.. open that in the car while were driving to Erehwon. I already had to convince the post office it was a family heirloom and not to be used in a mass murder.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Car? Aren't we just going to... walk?”[/b]

Cal snorted before he started laughing really hard like the thought of walking was the funniest thing in the world. When he realized the death gaze was on him again he immediately coughed into his hand a couple times and cleared his throat.

[color=tan][b]“Um no, its a bit of a distance from here so a car would be faster, you know, vroom, vroom. Please follow me and we will be on our way.”[/b][/color]

Valon sighed to himself, maybe the Councilor was right... maybe he was just... old.[/color]