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Post by othus on Jul 26, 2018 22:53:15 GMT
3 Days ago- Amalfi, Provincia di Salerno
It was a sunny day in Italy, the wind had a calm breeze to it as the waves on the azure sea went back and forth, Camilla opened the windows of her balcony and proceeded to grab the letter sent by the Vatican that morning, it was an all-white envelope with a gold wax seal displaying two keys, Camilla grabbed her letter opener and proceeded to read the message:
" As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Prov 27:17) "
Worthy of special consideration and honor are those Christians who, following more than closely the footsteps and teachings of the Lord Jesus, have voluntarily and freely offered their life for others and persevered with this determination unto death.
Sister Camilla Artalle, it is my pleasure to acknowledge you as one of those people, and it is precisely for that reason that we now humbly request you to do God's work on earth again, you will travel to the Valley of Aosta, along with Father Thomas Sillything, in order to investigate recent abnormal activity in the village of Norcia, please send a letter reporting the findings within two weeks, Father Thomas has also been notified with a letter as well, so it is expected of both to arrive on time for the trip which will happen 3 days from now at 5am.
Blessings upon you.
*I guess it will be better if I get going now, maybe I can even take a little tour around Aosta!, I've heard their gelato is the best♥!*
Camilla packed her stuff and proceeded to leave her apartment, a single note requesting the landlord to water the plants was left at her doorstep, she felt somewhat nervous about the mission, but she was glad she could finally do her work once again.
NOW
It was early in the morning, Camilla still found herself yawning as she boarded the White Mercedes G-class, what was the point of leaving at 5 am anyway? Camilla began to have a little talk with the driver
"Good morning, excuse me, how long will it take before we get to Norcia?" she asked in a cheerful tone
"Norcia? Oh, I am so sorry, I can only take you three-quarters of the way, after that, you will need to make the rest of the trip on horseback, 4 wheeled vehicles cannot get through the mountains...perhaps 2 hours by car and then another two or three on horseback sister."
"O-okay...thanks" she replied, not as cheerfully as before, all that was left to do was to wonder where father Thomas was, not that it was his fault, as Camilla arrived 1 hour earlier.
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Post by RedLenai on Jul 27, 2018 0:16:06 GMT
Thre days ago he received a letter from the Vatican, Thomas was sitting in the sofá of the apartment he was renting with Derek in Omsk, Russia. They had information about a magic celtic book in there, but it was nothing but a bauble full of wrong information. His friend has said that probably it has been written by Romans, and the brunette of course would say that he didn't get why, and the afternoon became a class about Irish history about how Romans were a bunch of liars and handling of the story. Are you even listening to me? - The blonde interrupted his "amazing" explanation in a blackboard, full of pictures, connectors and papers with the words "Liars!" written in it. Sorry, I got a letter from the Vatican, I'm needed for a mission - The younger explained, trying to use Gallerian who was in his cat form, as a shield. A minute of silence and then the elder boy spoke - So... How are you going there? Do you have a portal or a plane ready to fly? Thomas didn't answer as many questions popped in his head, what if he couldn't get a plane? What if he arrived late? What about the scales? Money? Hotel? He didn't had anything in the letter as he read it like ten times, nothing! And he couldn't save enough money for such a mission! Agh! Well... it wasn't his fault with all the new movies premieres, Comic conventions and the latests games for computer and his PSP. Oh, Thomas my boy! You want me to make a portal? I can do it! - The cat offered as he jumped to Derek's shoulder, purring as his owner moved to the library, taking a red-painted book, with words in Enochian. After everything was ready, the cat returned to his human form, to perform the ritual in an eassier way. So.. you want to go to Spain? - The man asked, moving his hands as he created the portal NO! NO! NO! ITALY! - Thomas shouted, the last thing he wanted was to end in a wrong place like Harry Potter - Is the Valley of Aosta! in Italy My bad sweetie, sorry - The angel spoke before returning to his job, after a few words in enochian, the portal was ready - Don't forget your things! - The man made appear a luggage full of Thomas's clothing, toothbrush, his psp, shampoo, hair conditioner, a small kit-aid, money and finally a cross that had a blue rose in it - If something happens call me please, Chloe is still in Heaven so... I-Im not sure if I should let you go all alone! - The black haired man cried as he hugged the boy like if he was going to die.
Leaving the Hotel was the biggest challenge in the whole world... at least for the poor priest that wanted to report sick or wounded by a chimera. He payed for the car to took him near the mountains... two hours of travel, two hours to gain some sleep. A chevrolet Chevette stopped in front of him... no, no fucking way, he knew little about cars but the only thing in his mind was Derek's voice telling him how terrible this car was, how poor made, how poor it was and how it classified in a list of Worse Cars in the World.
He sighed as he entered, greeted the driver and told him he was going to take a nap, curling into a ball with a blanket covering him. Norcia was a little too far, and he was told in the Hotel that he needed to ride a horse for almost three hours... how the heck one rides a horse? He never learned...
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Post by othus on Jul 29, 2018 0:42:29 GMT
*Hmm...this is weird* -Camilla thought- * It's 5:30 am already and father Thomas hasn't arrived yet, maybe he didn't receive the plane tickets? or maybe he didn't consult about the trip with the church here at Aorta? no no, I am sure someone of his stature and responsibility is already waiting for me at the foot of the mountains!*
Camilla looked at the driver as she told him it was ok to leave now, she was sure there was some sort of explanation as to why he didn't show up, Camilla snuggled up in the luxurious truck as she fell asleep the entirety of the journey, she wasn’t used to luxury, but she really appreciated such a comfortable ride.
2 hours later, the road began to become more gravel than asphalt, a small set of cottages and barns surrounded the area with one trail that pointed towards the forest.
"Sister Camilla, we have arrived, the rest of the journey will be done on horseback, please don't leave without father Thomas, the locals have told us it is dangerous to go alone"
“Understood, many thanks for the ride, god bless you.”
Camilla jumped out of the truck into a puddle of mud *Kya!* she almost slipped as her boots came in contact with the dirt and water, she wondered if she really had packed properly, perhaps wearing the blue and white robes of the Vatican was a bad idea, she slowly walked into one of the cottages that served as an Inn, she thought it would be a good idea to have some coffee and perhaps change her clothes into something more comfortable, the way on horse would be a long one after all., she headed towards the counter as she stood on her tiptoes in order to get the attention of the person working there.
"Umm, excuse me, good morning, could I have a room? I would also like some coffee if it isn't much trouble..."
"money?"A black man with white hair responded at her, leaning over the counter in order to look at her closer.
"Y-yes, here" Camilla nervously said as she looked for her wallet within her robes, she then proceeded to pay for both things.
"Oh, I would also like something sweet, anything is fine"The owner got up as Camilla said that and did not respond, he headed towards the kitchen as he shouted: "Ariana! we got a customer, are you coming or WHAT?!!" a petite woman, barely taller than Camilla with black hair and blue eyes stormed out of the kitchen.
"My apologies! my name is Ariana, I work at the inn and the stable, please let me show you the room you will be staying at, sister"
Camilla dragged her luggage with her as she went up the stairs, the Inn was cozy despite having few chairs and tables, it was clear not many people came around.
"This is your room sister, please let me know if you need anything else"
Camilla looked at her and thought about the request
"Oh right, I am waiting for father Thomas, please, if he asks for me tell him I am here, he is also a religious man"
"Will do, we will serve your coffee once you finish setting your belongings"
Camilla immediately began changing her clothes into an attire better suited for horseback riding, she really loved animals!
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Post by RedLenai on Aug 1, 2018 17:46:34 GMT
He woke up at the driver’s voice, they were finally there, and Thomas didn’t care enough to check the time as he yawned while thanking the driver for carrying him to such a place in such an hour of the day. Not without being told that he looked pretty young for his age to be a priest, despite he was already 18 years old… He went out of the car, not before noticing the mud at his feet. Making little pentagrams, the boy stepped on them as he arrived at the cottages, still curled up in a blanket, today was pretty cold!
Good morning, I’m Father Thomas Sillything from the Weissenkirchen’s sub-division - He got closer to the counter where the black man was working, as Thomas carried his stuff, his luggage was decorated with anime and gaming buttons. He yawned before speaking again – Is Sister Camilla Artalle already here?
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Post by othus on Aug 6, 2018 4:12:51 GMT
Just as Thomas asked for Camilla, the Young cleric went down the stairs, she was now wearing a white diadem and her white and blue robes were replaced by black jeans and a black turtleneck sweater, she was also wearing a small golden pendant in the shape of a cross, with her grimoire still hanging by her hip.
Camilla rushed down the stairs to look at the man that was asking for her, she looked at Thomas for a second in disillusion, it would seem her expectations did not match reality, she was young for a cleric, but he was even younger for a priest!
"F-father Thomas? Is that you? thanks for meeting me here! I was afraid you missed the plane tickets the Vatican had sent to you when you didn't arrive this morning"
Camilla was surprised to see this man who was around her height, he couldn't be much older either!
In any case, Camilla had yet to introduce herself properly, perhaps a little talk and a cup of coffee would let them know each other better!
"I was about to get some coffee while I awaited for your arrival...L-lets get your luggage upstairs and then we can chat further about our mission"
The black man stood up, he easily towered over both her and Thomas, he grabbed Thomas' luggage like it was nothing as he took it upstairs
"Coffee is already served, have a seat while I take the luggage, I don't want it to get cold and have you make me do it all over again...ARIANA!! THE PRIEST IS HERE, GET OVER HERE AND GET THEM TO THEIR SEATS!"
Ariana immediately rushed out, almost popping out of nowhere
"Father, Sister, please allow me to lead you to your table"
Ariana showed them a couple of seats by the window, two mugs were already by the table and a large Jar of hot coffee stood in the middle, with how cold the climate was, they would have to chug the entire thing within 10 minutes before it would go cold.
"Please let me know if you need anything else"
Ariana once again disappeared in the blink of an eye, Camilla nervously looked at Thomas as she sipped her coffee, she had to introduce herself now!
"S-sorry, I-I haven't introduced myself...M-my name is Camilla Artalle, pleased to meet you...I'm from the Salerno branch...I will be in your care for this journey, p-perhaps after this talk we can ask the owner how to get to Norcia right? it is my first time visiting the countryside of Aosta so I don't know how to get by..."
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Post by RedLenai on Aug 7, 2018 23:31:25 GMT
Thomas couldn't take the chance to talk or even introduce himself with all the movement, talking and screaming that surrounded him but it surely waked him up! Now sitting in front of the cleric as he listened to her, his brain wasn't really working that well, he drank his coffee in one sip and put it in the table again.
Silence.
Something wasn't right... She said... plane tickets? He hear that right? But he never got the plane tickets, not even money, not even anything! NOT TO MENTION! Gallerian didn't send him to Aosta! He left him in Macerata and had to make all the way back so he could finally go in time. How the heck Derek worked with Gallerian without making such big mistakes?!?!
The boy sighed, covering his face with his hands as he dragged them, taking a deep breath as well. The coffee was now taking effect as he felt more energict, still it wouldn't hide the dark bags that were under his emerald eyes. His curly hair still a mess and his clothes a little wrinkled. Not the best first impression now that he even was late!
You don't have to worry - The boy sighed - I'm the one that has to apologize, you see... never trust angels when you don't have plane tickets or even money... I ended in Macerata by accident, that's why it took me too long, b-but Hey! Is better being late by some hours than days right? - He nervously tried to laugh it off, he felt frustrated, now more with the situation they were in. What in the world were they supperiors thinking? He barely got missions to deal with because "Oh! Thomas, you are too young for these missions!" but now they were like... really!??!!??! They even forgot the plane tickets! Or to even take him in a decent car to the Inn!!
I... This is my first time in Aosta as well... I'm from the Austria so it's kinda...well... not my field? - Thomas took a bit of distance from the table, still being sit. But he got prepared to hear a scream, a scold, a punch, whatever! - We should ask the owner if he doesn't kill us...
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Post by othus on Aug 11, 2018 17:05:40 GMT
Camilla bit her lip to the point of bleeding in an attempt to hold back her anger, her cheerful smile and innocent semblance did not change on the outside, however.
*I waited for almost 2 HOURS!!!! what kind of clumsy priest misses the plane tickets AND the travel expenses?!! GOD WHY?!* she thought to herself as she cracked the coffee handle out of gripping it too hard
"Oh, my! I guess I must be very strong hehe, sorry about that, YEAH I guess we can call the owner while we are at it "
Before Camilla could even look around for the owner, Ariana was already there
"Excuse me! I don't know what happened! these mugs are usually very resilient! I'll change it right away!" Camilla stopped her before she could leave by yanking her from the apron
"N-No it's ok! It's my fault! Ummm...I'm not sure how to say this, me and... (tch) Father Thomas are heading to the village or Norcia, we were told we could get transport in this area, do you happen to know anyone who can guide us there?!"
"Well, that is an interesting choice! Only a handful of people in Norcia go out of the village, did they requested you both? OH what am i saying?! that's none of my business... in any case, the road is too bumpy for vehicles, so you'll have to go by horse, is that a problem?!"
"Not at all! I love horses!" -Camilla replied, getting somewhat excited to mount one.
"It will be my pleasure to lead you to the stables...ah, Father Thomas, i see you packed quite some luggage, do you have any experience on horseriding? It is more difficult when the horse is carrying a lot of stuff after all. I suggest you both bring your luggage with you now, leaving early is best!"
Camilla knew of this ahead of time, her travel bag would be easy enough to mount on the horse, but actual luggage would be really hard to fit without making the animal uncomfortable, and in a 3-hour ride, the last thing you want is your animal uncomfortable.
The young cleric took a sip out of her broken mug, thinking it was divine punishment on the priest for making her wait for so long.
*serves you right* Camilla finally finished her coffee, and with that, she decided to put herself to work, she couldn't trust Thomas at all!!
"Excuse me, father Thomas! I will be going ahead to get my bag!" -She said as she rushed upstairs leaving no time even for a reply, a second or two after she left, the owner arrived at the table, his eyes almost went bloodshot when he looked at the broken mug, Ariana surprisingly, was nowhere to be seen either.
"YOU BREAK IT, YOU PAY IT!! NO EXCEPTIONS!" he shouted at the young priest as he extended his hand expecting some form of cash, if Thomas was paying enough attention, he could see Arianna and Camilla walking behind on their tiptoes, ready to leave from the back door.
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Post by RedLenai on Aug 13, 2018 2:44:01 GMT
The boy sighed before taking his little pikachu wallet. Noticing that the girl was mad at him, he understood why. BUT THAT WAS NONE OF HIS FAULT! HE NEVER GOT THE TICKETS IN HIS FRICKING MAIL! But nothing could be done now, so he had to deal with it. He neither wanted to argue with the owner of the inn, so better obey and do what he wanted. Giving the money with his perfectly dry hands, the boy smiled at the owner along with an "I'm deeply sorry for such mess" they boy only hoped that the man would think about all the little clues that were in the place, no soaked hands, the coffee cup closer to the empy chair, the other empty cup that was in front of the boy and the fact that also, sister Camilla was the one that requested the coffee, not him. If Thomas was the one to order something hot to drink, he would prefer hot cocoa, something more sweet.
With heavy steps he went to change his clothes, the situation with Sister Camilla was already going not too clever as he espected. She was worse than Derek! How dare she make him pay for something she broke!?!?!?
Thomas left his black attire in the bed as he folded it, he couldn't bring all his luggage with him, not to mention most of the stuff were things he really didn't need, that was also Gallerian's fault. He already had experience with that kind of stuff, Chloe used to do the same thing as well but thankfully his Irish friend teached him a spell so Thomas could carry his stuff around without being a nuisanse.
Taking a small book where he marked down some things, like new series or movies to watch, recipes or even some annotations of supernatural creatures, the boy started to flip the pages as he was looking for something. He stopped where some doodles and words were written in the page, "Change the size or even form of certain objects". He already knew the spell as he used it most of the time to camouflage his colts as the clips that were part of the sleeves in his uniform, he even managed to do it without chanting the whole spell.
Putting his uniform inside his luggage and making sure that everything was inside it, except for the cross with the blue rose. This time he chanted the spell just to be safe. He observed how his stuff became smaller and smaller, it could even enter in his pocket!
With everything in order, the boy grabbed a necklace and attached the cross to it. In case something happened he'll call Gallerian, despite that was the last thing he wanted to do. He went downstars, still a bit spiteful for what Camilla had done, even his cheeks were a bit reddened because of his anger.
He was wearing a gray sweater, covered by a black leather jacket and the particular cross, white gloves with a golden cross in them, brown riding pants and black boots, he also had a red scarf since it was cold. Looking at his own reflection, he accommodated the scarf to make it look more like the ones in those tokusatsu shows from japan!
I look like Kamen Rider Ichigo! - He happily commented to himself, cheering his humor a little bit.
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Post by othus on Aug 20, 2018 7:42:17 GMT
Camilla and Ariana approached the barn, the owner was an old man who greeted them both as they came close
"Ariana! good to see you lass! I see you have brought a new customer!"- the farmer remarked
"Pleased to meet you, My name is Camilla Artalle, I am currently traveling with father Thomas, he should be here soon as well"
Camilla waved at Thomas once he exited the Inn, Ariana had guided her to the stable nearby and it was time they both picked a horse!
"This is my first week working at the stable, Sorry if the horses seem uneasy, ever since I arrived they have been acting like that"- Ariana said to them as she opened the gates of the barn, inside, most of the floor had straw, and a few of the horses could be seen peeking through their stalls, all of them immediately retreated once they saw Arianna and company entering.
"Most of the horses here are Bardigianos, so they are very robust and strong, just what we need to trek through the forest, please let me know if you like any...as for the price..."
"Ah, yes, this should cover both father Thomas and I, I will be more than glad to also pay for your share as a guide" Camilla replied as she took a couple of silver coins out of her pocket and gave them to Ariana, the girl signaled Camilla to give those to the owner, which she promptly did.
Looking at Thomas' new attire, both Camilla and Arianna complimented his look almost in unison
"You look great Father Thomas!, please join us to pick a horse!"
Ariana opened the first stall, a black horse huffed as she dragged it by the reins, she saddled the thing with ease and loaded her luggage
"This is my personal horse, please feel free to pick one and I will help to load any sort of luggage afterward!"
Camilla walked through the stalls until she found a white horse with a long mane, the creature walked up to Camilla to greet her
"I think I like this one!"- she told Arianna, the young girl immediately got closer which made the horse uneasy, but she still managed to load Camilla's luggage on the creature, the young priest then mounted and rode off as she went out of the barn.
"Father Thomas, It's your turn to pick a horse! Mrs. Camilla has already paid for your ride, so feel free to take your time choosing the right one!" The farmer came closer once again as Ariana helped the rest
"Ah, It's good to see you are doing so well already Ariana!, you have been here just for a couple of weeks and you are already a natural! I'm so glad you decided to move to this little town"
Ariana did not reply as all she could do was blush, she grabbed Thomas by the hand as she guided him through the other horses
"As I said before, most of what we have here is Bardigianos and a couple of Percheron horses, though those might be a little too big...not that it matters if you are fine with riding such a big horse."- she said as she pointed at the 2 meters tall animal that weighed over a thousand kilos, the animal was all black while the other one had a chestnut color to it. the rest of the barn was filled with the less massive Bardigianos in just about every color conceivable for a horse.
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Post by RedLenai on Aug 22, 2018 23:23:49 GMT
Bardigianos... - Thomas swallowed, he wasn't expected horses THAT big, he felt already that this wasn't going to be easy neither a good new experience. He even couldn't concentrate in the compliment both girls gave him, as cold sweat managed to escape from his forehead a little.
As he observed how Camilla managed to choose or be choosen by a horse, at the same time he noticed she already knew how to ride one, that made things pretty uneasy for him. A knot forming inside his stomach was already making feel a little dizzy. Why he got so nervous around a horse and not in missions? Even the one in Mexico wasn't as bad at this!
He grabbed the cross and press it deep in his chest... Maybe he should call Gallerian? No, even if he did that he couldn't trust the angel to behave or even focus on what he needed, Gal wasn't a bad person but... he was too air-headed like Derek would say, at first he found it a bit mean but now he doesn't even deny that.
Miss Ariana I don't think I'll- - He couldn't even finish his sentence when the girl started dragging him all around the stable. So many horses, so many of them and even bigger ones, Thomas felt his own face becoming more green than red, he even forgot about his grudge against Camilla for breaking the cup and making him pay, and also agains Ariana for just sneaking aout with the other girl.
He felt the cross in his chest to warm up a little, he observed it slightly, it didn't glow or even move... he didn't knew what he was expecting, maybe he should rely on the angel... NO! He shouldn't! What kind of priest would be if--? No, he already managed to give a really bad first impression to the other priest.
He pretended that he was thinking deeply in his choice, grabbing his chin with one hand and eyes closed, he prayed for the angel's presence...
Something warm and kinda wet poked his forehead. He opened his eyes and a black horse with deep blue eyes was standing in front of him, moving friendly near the boy.
I- I've gotten chosen by this one! - He commented happily, he shouldn't blame the angel, he always tried his best, and doing your best doesn't always mean success.
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Post by othus on Aug 25, 2018 6:46:19 GMT
"wonderful! I guess we are good to go!"- Ariana said as she bolted out of the stable with her characteristic speed, the owner quickly went out following them by foot "Wait up young girl! let me go with you, it's safer to go together, at least four people are better than 3, you never know if wolves or bad people will be lurking around", the owner quickly went for his horse, another brown Bardigiano, the animal looked somewhat older than the rest, but it seemed to be strong enough for the old man, he tied up the creature outside as he ran into his home for a minute, he seemed to have some trouble walking, at least the kind of trouble that comes with age, as he couldn't help but gimp every two steps or so. after a minute he came out with an old hunting shotgun, the weapon seemed in good condition, but it must have been quite a while since it was last fired. he grabbed the weapon and saddled the animal as they went out.
Camilla was already waiting for them outside, her calculations weren't really up to par with reality, she wanted to get to Norcia by 10 or 11 am, but at the current pace, they would barely make it for lunch. As they moved out of the small town, the trail would begin to become steeper and even rougher than before, the rocks that paved the ground were entirely replaced by grass and dirt, and a thick fog began to appear giving the forest a distinct aroma of wet earth and moss, Camilla was glad there were guides for this journey, as getting lost was one of her specialties, and Thomas wasn't exactly reliable in her eyes, she closely followed Arianna, who was just behind the stable owner.
"My name is Angelo by the way, pleased to meet you," he said without attempting to look back, moving on a horse was already difficult, and looking back from an uncomfortable position while you are 70 years old isn't exactly a good idea, the way the trail began to form made the horses line up one after the other, two could probably fit with ease, but it was easier to follow in line, the slight steeps in the trails made it seem as if they were slightly going up, but the mountain was too big to feel any sort of inclination. The visibility was getting to the point you could barely see the silhouette of the person in the front, light wasn't really doing much for the group, as the rays diffracted when in contact with the fog, making it seem even thicker than it already was.
"Please make sure to stay close, getting lost in the middle of the forest would be very bad, Arianna, please make sure you don't leave them behind"
"No problems there sir!"- Arianna said as she saluted almost mimicking a soldier.
Camilla began to feel the minutes of the trip, this wasn't nearly as comfortable as the first ride in the Mercedes, she had to kill time somehow! she looked back to see Thomas, hoping he would be faring better than her.
"So...Father Thomas, you seem to have experience horseriding, your mount hasn't complained even once, where did you learn?!, also, what happened to your luggage? did you not bring it?! we could be at Norcia for days!" - Camilla was very curious, and she would gladly hear stories from him, most of the time she was sent alone on missions, so he must also be considered special by the Vatican...Hidden world as the cardinal would say, at least, that was what she dealt with more commonly.
"Yeah, that Is interesting, I would also like to hear more, what kind of horses do people ride in other countries anyway? I've been to the middle east, but I don't know anything about the rest of Europe"- Ariana replied in the front.
"That is also curious Mrs. Arianna, are you not from Aosta?!"- Camilla said as she turned around, she kept Thomas story in hold as she listened to Ariana.
"No...as you may have noticed I only arrived here barely a month ago, I'm actually from the capital...the holy city you know? I like traveling every now and then, staying for several months in small towns like Norcia...but enough about me, you were asking father Thomas about his luggage and the horses! we cannot go back at this point you know?! unless you pay us double the fee that is!"
"Heh, I wouldn't go back for even 3 times the fee, my old bones cannot afford going back and forth such a long trip, besides, we are almost halfway"- The owner replied in the far front.
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Post by RedLenai on Aug 25, 2018 18:40:36 GMT
Well... I'm... I-I've learned in Weissenkirchen, where I lived since I was born... I've started when I was 12 years old... Oh! And about my luggage, I used a spell to make it smaller! - The boy would explain, gently patting his horse thankful Gallerian is making a good job for once. He'll think how to repay the angel for his hard work. Despite not being so tall Thomas knew he wasn't exactly light as a feather. As well, he was glad of coming out with a descent answer for Camilla, the true was that he stopped ridding horses after a whole year of failing, even if Derek and Michael did their best to cheer him up Thomas just couldn't ride a horse, most of the time he ended being dragged by the horse or being thrown in mid air and end in the bushes.
About the horses... from what I know there are four types of horses in Austria, still people bring other breeds to our city. Sadly I don't remember the names anymore, I'm more of a car and motorcycle person - He honestly answered Ariana. He couldn't believe their guide when he said they were almost halfway! Things were faster than expected and they'll be probably in Norcia in no time, that made him happier, at least to the point to hum as he contemplated the view and vegetation.
Sister Camilla, what about you? You seem pretty good with horses as well... - He asked when he stopped humming, even if his face didn't show anything but a calm expression, his hands were lightly shaking. Worried that the angel would just do whatever he pleased and making the boy end in the mud again like in the past, flashbacks returning from moment to moment. So that's why, better keep talking so he doesn't recall those things.
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Post by othus on Sept 3, 2018 2:57:13 GMT
"Ah me? Well I-"
Camilla's words were deafened by a gunshot in the front, birds on the trees began to fly in all directions as the sound settled. The fog was too thick to witness what had happened, but soon a scream would be heard, it was Ariana.
The young cleric immediately rushed to her side, what Camilla would find horrified her to the depths of her being.
the owner of the barn lied on the ground, a pool of blood spouted along with the horse, something had decapitated both the rider and the animal in a single movement, the horses began to panic as Arianna's horse bolted into the fog along with her.
"Ariana!!"
Camilla's horse also wanted to bolt, but she pulled the reins of her horse tight managing to keep it in place. still horrified, she shouted at Thomas for help
"Father Thomas!!! please come here! something attacked us and Arianna is gone!!!"
Camilla knew Arianna would be fine since she knew the way, in fact, she was more worried about herself and Thomas. Upon getting closer to the corpses she noticed that the horse had a massive claw mark on the chest and ended on where the head should have been. the sight nearly made Camilla vomit as she desperately awaited for Thomas to arrive, she took out her bible as she looked around in panic, wondering what had happened, the rustling in the trees might have looked like the wind before this, but Camilla wasn't so sure now, she embraced her book as tears began to swell in her eyes, she wanted to leave now!
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Post by RedLenai on Sept 3, 2018 3:29:09 GMT
What was that!?!!? - Thomas shouted as his horse went diretly towards Camilla. He inmediatly got off the horse and ran towards her.
Calm down, you need to focus right now - He said as he bitted his lips.
He observed the decapitated body as he tried to examinate it. He touched the place where the head was supossed to be... he didn't saw a single movement, not even a weapon so he wasn't sure if it was caused by a sword or even something similar. He had experienced that before with a type of vampires that lived near Szentistván and were killing people with strange methods, they shapeshifted their own bones to create such sharpness to even cut other beings completely. Then the marks in the horse... wendigos? No, from what he knew Norcia or even Aosta weren't a place for wendigos, they were common in Austria as well in Canada... colder places... He observed again the wound in the poor animal, claws... banshees had claws... no, but they don't need to decapitate... A harpy? No, they didn't saw anything that big flying... a monster of Ravenna? No... or maybe yes, the creature was Italian but it also was confirmed with medical history that it wasn't really a monster, just a bad formation of the human body in 1512... No time to think! His gloves turning white as his Colts appeared, he was in position to see any attack coming.
Sister Camilla, if you can create a barrier to protect ourselves right now I'll appreciate it - He said as he observed their surroundings... No movement by the moment. What was going on?
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Post by othus on Sept 3, 2018 4:23:54 GMT
Camilla still trembling opened up her book, the Bible transformed into a gold grimoire with unintelligible characters on the inside, she rustled through the pages as the shadows in the fog became more and more apparent, the rustling of the trees was more intense and the horses began to panic again, finally Camilla found the spell Thomas had requested, a large square on the ground began to illuminate with intricate patterns as Camilla recited the words
"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed! Magic of the first order: ασπίδα της μαγείας"
a transparent cube envolved both Camilla and Thomas, deep within the fog a creature lounged itself towards them, it was almost two and a half meters tall, It had the head of a human, but massive wings akin to those of a vulture, the monster had oversized hawk talons on the legs and extremely large claws in its hands, sparks lit as it lashed against the barrier, slightly cracking it as the beast howled in pain, immediately retreating back into the fog.
"A Vrock?!! what is such a demon doing here?!! they are not supposed to roam the earth! Father! we must send it back to hell!"
Camilla looked around as she noticed something was very wrong, there wasn't just one of those demons, several figures moved within the trees of the forest, 3, perhaps 4?
"Please be very careful! my barrier won't hold too many of those attacks!"
Camilla's barrier allowed an attack to pass from the inside, so, while the spell was still up, Thomas would be able to retaliate, the young cleric found herself panicking as she didn't know when the next attack would come.
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Post by RedLenai on Sept 3, 2018 13:33:03 GMT
Thomas ignored Camilla's fear the most he could, he won't deny he was terrified as well. So.. Vrocks huh? Fusing his Colts, the priest turned them into a AA-12. As he noticed movement, he loaded his weapon, ready to shot bullets with Holly Water in them.
O'Lord reward them according to their evil deeds. Repay the works of their hands. Avenge thyself upon them. Strike them down so they never rise again... Blessed by the Lord.
He chanted before shooting, the bullets turning in a white light as they were aimed towards the demons surrounding them. He shot four times before making the Arm dissapear. Taking off his gloves, the priest bitted his own lip, letting the blood rise, making a symbol in one palm the boy began to chant again.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you... Deuteronomy 31:6! - As he yelled, his hand bursted into white light, new symbols appearing in the barrier. They weren't completely christian... those were celtic symbols, but Thomas didn't care, most of it because it was thanks to both Gallerian and Chloe.... Chloe.... What would she do? He asked himself. He reloaded his guns once again, this time without fusing the Colts so he could attack to enemies at the time...
C'mon you demons! Take a taste of the plumbum of the Lord! - He yelled, not by confidence, just because he wanted this to be over
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Post by othus on Sept 4, 2018 7:17:46 GMT
the shots of Thomas obliterated the wings of one of the demons, it fell into the ground as it rushed towards the barrier, all the other demons followed as well, six of the creatures thrashed around the cube as sparks shook them back, the spell of the young priest had managed to hold most of the damage, and the bullets of the colt were very effective at driving the creatures back, surprisingly they were winning! A couple of demons went down before they stopped their trashing. A figure in a dark cloak appeared from the fog, the creature was barely taller than the clerics, and it had metal gauntlets that covered its hands, it held a red leather book on one hand that sported a burnt pentagram with a ram in the cover, the demons knelt as the figure began to whisper and recite the texts in an unintelligible language The cube's pattern suddenly turned into a pentagram as it shattered, and the figure vanished into thin air. The demons looked back at the clerics as they walked on all fours getting closer to them. Camilla, despite being terrified, had been whispering a chant of her own, she shouted the last part trying to make the spell work. "Magic of the null order: reactionem!"The demons lounged towards them as they noticed the spell of the young cleric, but Thomas would notice something was off, the demon's movements looked much slower now, Camilla's magic had amplified his reaction time multiple times over, while she, however, was left defenseless, simply because the spell worked on one target at a time. Thomas had to take advantage of it or they would die, the young cleric ducked to the ground hoping for the best as Thomas faced the 4 demons on his own.
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Post by RedLenai on Sept 4, 2018 21:08:24 GMT
Feeling cold sweat running over his forehead, what kind of person could control demons... and with which purpose? He immediatly forgot about the figure and went in position, four demons... it was better said than done. The priest moved his hands, having two demons in his vision field. He shot, praying for aiming at them. No time to check results, the boy inmediatly moved to look at the other two and shot again.
There wasn't any spell to vanish them? No...? What could he do?
Gallerian could-! He noticed that the black horse ran away, completely scared... Wait... why he... it wasn't Gal this whole time?
Gallerian where are you? He thought to himself but there was no answer... The horse was a mere coincidence? But he never managed to ride a horse the way he did today... Where did Ariana go? And why these demons didn't go after her as well?... Or the forest was infected by them? It was too late?
He prayed once again as he cried, he faced that horrible creature back in México but he wasn't alone at all! There were a lot of people fighthing and doing their best against one single creature, now it was otherwise!
Thomas panicked as he inmediatly hugged Camilla, his colt dissapearing and turning into a small dome to protect them and the only horse that was still with them. With one hand grabbing the cross he carried, he hoped that his attacks affected the four demons and made them retreat...
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Post by othus on Sept 5, 2018 0:07:19 GMT
Thomas did his best against the demons, managing to kill one more before the injured ones lashed against them. with his enhanced perception, Thomas had managed to protect his group once more, but the end was nigh, Camilla prayed in tears as Thomas embraced her, the dome began to crack before the demonic claws.
ℌ𝔞𝔩𝔱!
A powerful voice was heard from the sky as the fog immediately dispersed with a shockwave, the entire mountain...nay, the entire region of Aosta shook before the words of the celestial being as a light brighter than the sun descended from heaven. in the following days, the newspapers and local media outlets would report the event as an earthquake.
An angel, clad in golden armor and with a flaming sword in hand stood between the clerics and the demons, the angel had four wings rather than two, and stood over two meters tall, his face and most of his body covered by divine light.
Its mere presence made the demons burn as they turned to ash, Camilla had met angels before, and Thomas might have as well, but they were probably nothing like this.
With the light that the being emitted, it was impossible to look at him directly, he spoke to both Thomas and Camilla with a Voice so pure it would bring any living being to tears, the pressure it exuded was as great as the cosmos itself, if Camilla and Thomas were able to even exist before the magnificence of such being, it was only because the celestial deemed it so. no human or demon would be able to stand before the presence of this angel. Camilla, unable to look forward grabbed hold of Thomas even tighter, she knew the nature of this being was divine, but the might of it was naturally frightening.
ℜ𝔢𝔧𝔬𝔦𝔠𝔢, 𝔣𝔬𝔯 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔥𝔞𝔰 𝔡𝔢𝔢𝔪𝔢𝔡 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔩𝔦𝔳𝔢𝔰 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔥 𝔰𝔞𝔳𝔦𝔫𝔤
The holy said to the two as the being pointed towards the peak of the mountain.
𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔲𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔥, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔠𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔫𝔰𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔩 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔡.- He said with an undeniable word of authority
𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔢𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔟𝔶, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔦𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔩𝔲𝔡𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔢𝔫𝔡, 𝔡𝔬 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔣𝔞𝔦𝔩 𝔞𝔤𝔞𝔦𝔫.
The Archangel then vanished, and the fog returned once more
Camilla, still shaking stood from the ground, her faith had never been so fervent before!
"Father Thomas, we need to get to Norcia! The angel...those demons! this might be worse than we thought!"
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Post by RedLenai on Sept 5, 2018 0:43:59 GMT
Thomas let go of Camilla, his whole body shaking as he squeezed his hands so hard at the point of hurting himself, reopening the wound he had in his thumb.
… How? – The boy whispered before shouting his heart out - HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO NOT FAIL?!?! IT HAS BEEN A YEAR ALREADY, WHERE’S CHLOE!?!?!? WHERE’S SHE!?!!?!?
Despite of his anger, the boy bitted his own lips when he noticed the Archangel was already gone. He didn’t care he was saved, or that he almost died in hands of fricking demons. He wanted his partner back! He wanted Gallerian’s wife back! He wanted Derek’s guardian to be back! He didn’t get completely why she was sent to Heaven, but Derek explained it as best as he could, even Gallerian tried to explain him. It was forbidden for angels to possess a body without authorization of the mortal they are serving, they could have possessed Derek without any problem because it would mean they were protecting their Master… but that wasn’t Thomas case. It made sense because they were just friends, not related by blood despite their close bond as adoptive brothers.
Let’s keep going, you ride… - Thomas said without any compassion for Camilla, ignoring her relief after that disaster, he didn’t want to keep talking. Maybe that fucker of an angel wanted a proof, to show that the boy was worth it… He’ll show Heaven and even God to not separate him from his dear friend and mother figure. He climbed the horse, patting it gently so it stayed calm. With the other hand he held the Cross
Don’t worry Gal… If we are victorious I’ll claim Chloe’s freedom as my reward… - The boy whispered again, grinding his teeth.
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