Demons… Such interesting, yet malevolent creatures. They are powerful, and very hard to kill… Silanus does not usually kill demons, as they are hard to find… However, this land is the home of his people and his allies, and he would not allow a demon to roam freely there! An old couple of orcs who live in a small shack were seeking aid from the Fratis clan… They said that few time ago, a demon who claims to be a vampire hunter appeared, and was troubling them… 

Of course, Silanus and his people did not know that those orcs were vampires, and that was why they needed this "demon" dead… So, Tacitus Silanus and three soldiers, two human men named Aulus and Junius, and an orc warrior named Brunnuk went to see what happened… Of course, killing a demon is not something easy, and four men would not do much as… Demons have some paranormal powers… But hah! Silanus had the skill of 5 warriors, and it was long since he felt the adrenaline of a beautiful match, so he was eager to find this thing and murder it!

Finally! The four men found the shack; the two orc vampires were waiting for them… "Perfect, you came! We are so worried about this demon. It scares our pet Sheep! We suspect he is over there, 20 minutes from here." Said the old male orc. The female orc finished his sentence: "Please, take care of it! The demon looks like a young boy, but don't be fooled! He is far from being one…" Silanus touched the shoulder of the worried orc and said: "That demon is as good as dead, he'll be dead as soon as we find it!"

The four men walked in the woods for some time… It was getting dark, and the wolves howled often. Junius was beggining to feel nervous: "Sir, we are excellent warriors, but… A demon, sir? Myths say that they destroy armies, and only the most brave heroes can kill them…" Silanus answered: "Do not believe everything they say. Myths and legends are nothing! Also, the old orcs said they would pay us with a precious gem they have… Who knows, that gem might be worth more than we could imagine… And, don't you want to kill a demon? Our lands are not safe with one roaming around…" "But sir, we could have brought more men or something…" Answer Junius.

Silanus interrumpted: "Silence! Is that… who is that man…?" Silanus found someone in the wilds… He looked pretty young…. was it a demon? All the men un-sheated their weapons: Silanus had his short sword, Aulus and Junius a spear, and Brunnuk had an orchish hand mace. "You there! Come here, it's an order!"

It wasn’t too often that he hunted a foe as formidable as a vampiric orc, but all it meant to him was an opportunity to grow.  Aside from that, the problem with them here was too great.  His eldest brother would have been a more appropriate choice than himself, but seeing as tonics were only keeping him young and agile for so long he could understand why he hadn’t been chosen.  Unlike his adopted family he would never see past the physical age of twenty three, despite being well within his sixties now.  And while the tonics were helping his family stay young, he knew eventually death would come for them as it did all mortals.  It was a fact he didn’t like to think about too often.

Presently he was preparing his blade.  Nightfall was upon him and it would be the best time to hunt as that was when most vampires felt at ease.  Not all of them were affected by the sun in a negative way, but those intending to spread mischief usually preferred darkness anyhow: easier to hide.  He brought his whetstone along his blade in one final stroke and brought it up to his eye, turning it to take in the near paper thin edge.  His eyes narrowed, their green glow casting soft light against the sharpened steel before turning his head so that his lips lightly touched down.

His eyes closed, cutting out any light around him and his lips softly moved with silent words before he slowly blew out onto the steel.  With the flow of his breath the blade slowly began to glow: the holy light spreading from hilt to tip, blazing in consecration before all at once it went out.  He straightened back up, sliding his blade into its sheath on his back.  That was the last of what needed blessed and with how low the sun was now he knew it was about time to head towards town.  

His ears picked up the shuffle and footsteps of men and he stood from the tree stump he had been sitting on, turning in their direction.  Strange…  He thought to himself.  Or hopefully just a happy coincidence, but unfortunately he didn’t have time to dally in pleasantries today.   “I highly doubt that’s why they’re heading this way.”  Normally he would have ignored the other soul inhabitant of his body, but this time he spoke back to him, always in their mind, The smell is on them. Yet he could tell already that they weren’t vampiric, still, that stench…He knew that stench all too well. “I’d be careful of the one calling for you, he seems a bit high and mighty for his youth.”  Despite that his eyes softened, He’s young.  He’ll learn.

The way they were dressed indicated they were ready for a more physical encounter.  Hopefully they were just passing through, he couldn’t imagine what quarrel any of them would have with him.  He didn’t even recognize any of them.  An easy smile formed as he walked towards them, but the scent of vampires only grew stronger.  They must have been near them recently, very recently.  Maybe this meeting would prove fruitful for his efforts, “Gentlemen, is there anything I can assist you with?  Unfortunately we must be quick because I have duty to attend to.”  His accent was light, but very obviously Ataiyan.  His daemon, Minasé chuckled in his head, “You see how they’re dressed.  I highly doubt any of them want to talk.”  Even he couldn’t deny that, and he made sure to keep a good fifteen feet between them when he stopped his steps.

The men looked at each other, they had doubts about him. They suspected that this stranger was a demon… But… When they imagined a creature comming from Hell itself, they imagined a sturdy, big and scary monster. Not… Not a boy…

Silanus was holding his sword belt, ready to un'sheathe the weapon if things got ugly., Just like the other soldiers, he was nervous… The stranger had a sword… And it didn't seem to be from demonic craftmanship… 

Brunnuk whispered something to Silanus, Junius and Aulus in orchish languaje, hoping that the stranger would not understand; the translate of what he said was: "I don't know… Is this the… Ehm… Demon we are looking for? He looks like a common boy to me…" Silanus answered in orchish language as well: "Possibly not… Perhaps a traveler…"

There was a moment of silence; the four men were carefully staring at the stranger, but the silence was interrumpted by Aulus: "Duty to attend, eh? Carry on… But watch yourself, this territory is under the banner of the Fratis, so be respectful in OUR land, kid…" The suspicious stranger was almost left behind, unfortunately for him, Brunnuk walked even closer to him, staring carefully at his eyes…

A small smirk appeared in Brunnuk's face and he said; "It is in your eyes, it is in your stench… You fear us, you are nervous… And you are right to be,  demon. You thought you could escape, and kill those poor, innocent orcs, demon? You offend me, scum… An orc always knows the TRUTH!' Silanus and the other two human soldiers hestitaded at first, but Brunnuk always knows the truth… Before the treaty with the Fratis, Brunnuk's father was the chief, and the sage of the tribe. It seems Brunnuk has this "gift" too…

The four soldiers surrounded the traveler, and un-sheated their weapons and shields. Silanus had his short, steel sword and shield, Aulus and Junius a spear and shield, and Brunnuk an orchish hand spiked mace, with a hide-wooden shield. The fight was about to begin…

Junius did the first movement, and tried to impale the demon with his spear.

His expression stayed just as calm as it had been, forty years of experience under his belt when it came to combat and hunting bred patience, and honestly he’d been through much worse interrogation than this.  At least none of them were attacking him, he always hated that the most.   “They’re going to strike.”  He answered Minasé in his head, They won’t strike.  Though when they started speaking in another language he felt his energy start to build.  It was all he could do to keep from peeking into their minds to see what they were saying, but if people couldn’t trust one another then it always turned into a vicious cycle of violence.

As one of them spoke in the common tongue his eyebrows rose up.  Today wasn’t the day for debate of opinions but fair is fair: they must have been some form of law enforcement but by the look of their garb it was more likely that they were military.  Was this place under occupation…?  Had they not started off on what seemed to be the wrong foot he might have even asked them for assistance, but he could tell that wasn’t going to happen today: tensions were too high.  Why were they so suspicious of him?  Well he was in the middle of the woods sharpening a blade…He could understand it.

Just as he thought they were going to pass him one of them stepped closer, he was too comfortable being in such close proximity to him and he smiled as the other smirked.   “They’re going to strike.”  He said nothing in return to him, from the looks of things he wouldn’t doubt it now, but he hoped it would extend only to something light and avoidable.  As the orc spoke he found his smile slowly fading and his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.  What was he talking about?  He wasn’t nervous, and he most certainly wasn’t afraid, but more than that they knew of his lineage…How was that even possible?  Poor innocent orcs…?  
Realization flooded into his eyes and all friendly pretenses were gone.  It wasn’t their fault, the building anger wasn’t aimed at them, but at those that had spread the lie to send these men here.  And as much as he wanted to literally smack some sense into them for not being able to tell when the true enemy had manipulated them, he knew it wasn’t their fault.  When evil wanted its way, it usually got it unfortunately.  A building laugh grew in his head from his daemon and his eyes moved slowly from side to side as the men circled him.   “I told you: they’re going to-”  He cut him off in his head, Fine you were right and I was wrong!

As the first lunge of a spear came towards him he barely batted an eyelash and disappeared from view, actually his disappeared completely, reappearing on a branch a good twenty five feet above them.  He sighed, sitting comfortably in the crook of branch and tree trunk as he looked down at them, “You know…If you’re going to attack someone, you should know exactly what you’re going up against.”
His nose wrinkled, he didn’t like how that came out, “More importantly, you should know who.  If you knew who I was then you wouldn’t attack so blindly.”  He pushed up from his seated position, having perfect balance as he stood on the branch, looking down at them all, “Now then, let us start again, with names perhaps.”

He smiled, more exuberantly than someone in this situation should have but he was perfectly comfortable in the middle of a fray and had been through more of his share over the decades, “My name is Naota Uharu.  I come from the Uharu clan and am a vampire hunter.  You gentlemen are covered in the scent of the very vampires I was hired to hunt.  Now then, what are your names?”  The least they could all do was be civil with one another.  I’d wager they’re still going to attack.  Even if they did he wasn’t worried, and he wouldn’t attack back.

Such an impressive move; the damn demon simply dissapeared and teleported to a tree. And now, the freak is talking, bah! Just trying to persuade the warriors in not attacking them. Aulus smirked and yelled at Naota: "A vampaih hunter, you say? This is NOT Adeluna or Parpvora, Paropora, Parvpora or whatever! In the STEPPES there are NO vampires! Orc nomads murdered them all years ago. Too bad they did NOT murder the demons." Silanus looked at Junius and said: "We´ll need archers. If this coward is going to stay in that tree, some arrows could help. Go back to the camp and take an unit of archers, move it!" "Yes, legate Tacitus." As soon as Junius answered, he began to run towards the camp…

Silanus, Aulus and Brunnuk kept looking at Naota for some minutes. Silanus wanted to buy some time while Junius came back with the archers, so he talked to Naota: "Nao… Nata… Silanus´will just call you Demouta, hah! It actually sounds pretty funny. Why don´t you speak come down here and fight like the monster you are? Or atleast show your true self! After you are crucied, we´ll hunt your dear Uharu family! HAH!"

Brunnuk sheated his mace and dropped his shield, then he picked some stones. "You want to stay there? Well then STAY there, freak!" The soldiers knew that throwing their spears at Naota would be simply stupid. He would avoid them and the troopers would lose their weapons, instead, throwing some stones at him could help. Of course, stones are not that… Harmful… But perhaps it could provoke him to fight. Aulus whispered to Silanus: "Legate Silanus, will we use our… Secret weapon? Will we use the blessing the Kelonians gave to us? The ability to weaken someone?" Silanus answered: "We need him closer to use it, wait until he´s down so we can use the Kelonian spell…"

This was beginning to grow tiring.  Not the waiting, but the attitude that these men had decided to keep.  Something about the idea of such brutish people occupying an area…it made him more than uncomfortable.  He wondered if any of them had abused said power, but hoped that it had never been the case.   Oh dear, this just gets more embarrassing by the minute…  Minasé answered his thoughts, “You should let me out…”  His jaw locked and he shook his head.  That wasn’t going to happen.  As childish as these… “men” were, they didn’t deserve something as cruel as that.  No one deserved something as cruel as that, and Minasé wouldn’t have stopped with them.  Besides, he had a mission that was being delayed.

“I hope you all realize that while you delay me here, the very creatures I was hired to hunt are no doubt reaping a benefit…And you’d find it unwise to attack my family.”  There was always a healthy dose of protectiveness over them, but there would be heavy repercussions for attacking The Uharus…seeing as they were nobility in Ataiyo.  What’s more, all of them were human…he had been adopted.  But none of that personal information was privy to them, they were hardly worthy of it.  

He sighed, raising a hand up and halting the stones as they were thrown.  With a clench of his fist the stones merged together into a much larger more formidable object for tossing.  He was tempted to send it back down to them but instead let it stay hovering near him, “I’ve said it before…I’ll say it again: before attacking someone you really need to make sure you know who they are.  If you knew who I was, as I’ve said, then you’d know that I’m more gifted in holy magicks and different uses of light than any of you could come to realize…I give only one warning, do not make me use any of it.”  

Its forces would be for good and while it could harm them he would try his best not to make the blow too horrible…It would be enough of a healthy…shove to keep them away from him.  Treating him like an animal and making a threat to his family was hardly something to take lightly.  Despite all of this, he smiled gently, “You’ll also do well to know that I can hear you whispering…”   “You’re getting angry, I can feel it…”  His daemon sounded eager, and he had every right, for if he lost control of his emotions it would be much easier for him to come out.  It’s not going to happen.  They were a minor annoyance as of now and if it came down to it he would simply depart whether by their permission or not.  

“They’re wasting your time as well…You’re here after me, and they’re safe where they stand.  I won’t tell you how to do your jobs, but it’s not wise to continue on with your misguided efforts.”

Oh, how funny! How creative! A demon who acts as an example for kids! Of course, the soldiers stopped and well, began to laugh. Silanus pointed at Naota and said: "Ohohoh, loook! Our friend Demouta is oh, gifted in holy magic! How ironic…" Silanus words only caused more and more laughter among the warriors.

Aulus frowned; Naota heard it all… Now the filthy creature knew about their abilities. Of course, those were basic magic spells, however, the Fratis believed that they were some sort of divine gift.

Silanus became outraged and said: "Oh, why yes! Do we look like we care? Listen to all you want!!! We, the magni Fratis, are warriors brought by the almighy Kelonian ancestor-gods! Wait… you.." Tacitus stopped his screaming and calmed down… Then, he spoke again: "You do know about the Kelonians, right? The almighty ancestors, the divines..  the TRUTH! Why are you looking so confused?" 

The men didn't know if Naota knew about the keloniabs or not, however, Silanus had a WONDERFUL idea: "Brunnuk, bring some cooked sheep from the sack, and you, Aulus… Tell this monster about the Kelonians and a little bit about the Fratis… He deserves to know the TRUTH before his death… Also, it's a damn good way to kill time while our reinforcements arrive."

Aulus and Silanus sat in the ground while Brunnuk brought some food, then he sat down too. While Silanus and the orc were eating sheep, Aulus began to "preach" about the Kelonians.

"The Kelonians, the Ancestors! Today in ashes, but tomorrow in glory! Builders of the known civilization, conquerors of the known World! You began as mortals, but thanks to your knownledge, you became the new Gods! Your people may be extinct, your logic lost, but THEE have chosen US to bring your name back to REVALIIR!!! WE will show the world the TRUTH! All who oppose will die, all who follow will serve! For we, the Fratis, are YOUR people! WE WILL OBLITERATE THE HERETICS, BRING BACK THE TRUTH, OH, THE ALMIGHTY TRUTH!" And so, the long minutes passed.

When Aulus finished talking, Brunnuk did put some bear traps around the tree Naota was in. They finished eating the sheep, and waited a little more.

10 archers and 5 foot swordmen arrived! The reinforcements were here! Silanus said: "Well done Junius, faster than Silanus expected… Now, warriors of the Fratis, today we HUNT a demon! This heretic deserves to be eradicated, in the name of the kelonians themselves!" All the archers pointed their orchish arrows at Naota. Lucia, leader of the archer unit, said: "Fire!"

He sighed.  It was clear that this was going nowhere.  And while he could stand here with them for days on end he knew prejudice well and knew also that this was a fruitless effort.  For today at least.  Their minds had already been made up and once that was done it was hard to reverse it.  He was still working on his own blind prejudice towards vampiric beings, and while he would still hunt them, it was a daily struggle to keep from having negative thoughts towards anyone that shared the trait.  His biological sister being one aided in that, as did his friendship with Holly, but he knew it would be some time before that prejudice was wiped completely clean.

These men were young, and unfortunately were guided by religion…a very dangerous force.  And while he had no qualms with whatever anyone chose to believe in, he did take issue with extremists like these men.  There was a difference between exposing others and teaching them, and then killing those that did not fit into your model.  They were dangerous, perhaps it would be better for them to be done with…No, that wasn’t his decision to make, and every person had potential to change.  He only hoped for their sake that it would be sooner rather than later.

He brought his hand up to the bridge of his nose, pinching it in irritation as his eyes closed and merely waved his other hand up as they shouted for their arrows to be shot.  A massive wall made of hardened earth and the stones that were within it rose up and around him, shielding him in an arch from any projectiles they may have.  It was strong, sturdy, but it also wasn’t permanent.  As it was they were wasting not only his time but his psionics as well.

Only a few short seconds later did he call out to them, just loud enough for them to hear over the ping of arrows and the barrier between them, “Unfortunately gentlemen this is where I leave you.  I have no patience and more importantly: I have no time.  I do hope that you grow more fruitful in your efforts against those that truly are evil.  But I hope even more that you learn to decipher between good and evil more effectively.  Until then, farewell.”

His eyes opened quickly, and with it the stones and earth that had made up the wall around him shot out at great speed, crashing into anyone and anything unfortunate enough to be in their path.  That was the most he would do against them, and it was more of a parting warning than an actual attempt at harming them.  In a blink he disappeared from his perch, reappearing into the town he had been planning on walking to for this particular hunt.  Ah well, it’d be a minor difference and he had work to do.

Oh, how dared he!? No time? No PATIENCE!? Naota gained an enemy FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE! Two unlucky archers were hit by the stone pieces, they were hurt, but they were minor wounds. A smaller piece of stone hit another soldier's chest, but his steel armor protected him of any damage.

And now, the filthy demon dissapeared! The archer commander  named Cassia approached Silanus and said: "Sir, should we hunt it?" Silanus looked at her and said:  "No, not now. We shall make the damned creature come at us, rather than going to him. Just warn the allied orcs of the Steppes, and order some troopers to patrol the area at night." Cassia walked away with her archers.

Silanus said to his troopers: "Worry not! Today, the monster escapes our grasp, but he will pay! Mark your commander's words!" The commander walked towards his lieutenant and whispered: "Give hunt to the Uharu family. It is imperative to find them, and make them pay for their treachery. 500 silver crescents to whoever finds them."