[i][/i][i][/i][h2][center][b][color=ed1c24]Novak[/color][/b][/center][/h2]
Some of the hunters seemed to be considering Novak's words, but one of them, armed with an axe, decided to attack.  As he readied his torch in hopes of turning aside the blow, Nobunaga rushed in to help.  To Novak's surprise, his companion did not kill the attacker, but positioned her sword at the man's neck, ready to decapitate him if he tried anything.  This was a relief to him, as he was worried that killing the hunter might be enough to spur the others into fighting, too.

[color=ed1c24]"Look,"[/color] he told the hunters, as he pocketed his mask and transferred his torch to his off-hand in case he needed to draw his sword, [color=ed1c24]"We told you we don't want to fight.  We don't want to harm the seal."[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"I understand we've been at odds with each other over the past few days, and have even come into conflict,"[/color] he continued, hearkening back to both the attempted ambush and the assassination attempt, [color=ed1c24]"But if the seal is in jeopardy, we need to set our grudges and grievances aside for the sake of this region, and quite possibly the entire world."[/color]

He wasn't sure how convincing his pleas would be, but he hoped that they'd listen to reason.

[color=ed1c24]"Now, regarding the old woman, please let me elaborate.  In the deepest part of the temple, we ran into a strange old woman dancing with a stitched-together dummy composed of body parts.  She claimed to be the Illuminator, and was manically fretting over the loss of something that had been taken from her.  She...she had knowledge about me that I've never told a living soul, something that no ordinary person could possibly know, and she somehow vanished from the temple after we spoke to her.  But please, if you know anything about her,"[/color] Novak said, shifting this conversation in hopes of coaxing information out of the hunters, [color=ed1c24]"Exactly who or what is she, and what do you mean that she's been missing?"[/color]

[@VitaVitaAR][@Rune_Alchemist]