CHAPTER 10 - Taking Advantage.
The meeting room was full. After the information from the demon, Dana, during the week, it seemed like a good time to try and formulate a plan to stop the possible end of the world.
Reginald Brannon, the head of Guild liaisons, sat at the head of the table. Next to him, and chairing the meeting, was Salanzer, Effy's mentor. Effy and Isha sat on one side with Gavin, the techno-mage. The two nymphs, Espin and Deilla on the other side, with Amy next to them.
"Ideas anyone?" Salanzer said, looking around the room. His eyes stopped on Effy. It was her idea to have this brainstorming session. She was desperate to go on the offensive, ever since the attempt on her and Isha's lives.
"Dana's information was great," Effy said, giving a wink to Amy. The pretty blonde returning her trademark killer smile. "We just need to think of a way to use it to our advantage. We need to track down this Master before he gets strong enough to come through to our world."
"And to kill him," Espin mumbled. Everyone looked her way, and felt the same minor terror in the look she was giving off.
"And that," Effy said. She nervously played with a small spot on her bare thigh under the table. She was wearing her Hunter gear. Dark red leather shorts and cropped top. Long leather thigh high boots hidden under the table.
Reginald Brannon didn't look amused by this exchange. It did nothing to allay his fears that Espin was a liability. At least it sounded like she might be on their side.
"Any luck your end Gavin?" Effy asked the computer expert.
"I've been tracking abnormal mystical energy to see if I can narrow down his gateway," Gavin said. "If it's started to open already, or he's part way through, there must be a residue leaking out somewhere."
"I get that every morning," Espin giggled. "Doesn't take long to cure with some quick finger work." Amy laughed and quickly stopped at the look Isha gave her.
Brannon tutted. Again eyeing the small Sun Nymph suspiciously.
"I should be able to find him with a little bit of time," Gavin carried on, ignoring the comment.
"Good," Effy said. "I want to take the fight to him. I'm fed up with all this waiting around."
"So do we have any idea what this Master wants to achieve yet?" Salanzer asked. No one answered straight away, so Effy took it.
"No not really," Effy said. She was getting incredibly frustrated with the lack of progress in their plight to be more offensive.
"Marvelous," Brannon replied sarcastically. "So we're not getting very far at all then?"
"Well, we have Espin on our side now," Effy said. "That's some progress."
"And do we know the Sun Nymph's intentions yet?" Brannon said, not taking his eyes off Effy.
"This Sun Nymph's got a voice of her own fuck face," Espin said. Effy only just concealed her smile. Brannon looked furiously Espins way. "And as long as you want the big boss man dead then I'm on your side. Once that's done I'm off, and you can take your evil looks and shove them up your ass."
"It's not too late to lock you up," Brannon said, an eerie calm in his voice. Espin held his gaze. Flames flickered in her eyes.
"Would me being out the way be a benefit to you?" Espin said, her eyes piercing, not taking them off Bannons.
"There's still doubt whether your destiny is to help us, or kill us all," Brannon said. "I'm not sure it's worth the risk."
Espin shrugged. "Well isn't that exciting," she said, instantly calming down and smiling, throwing Brannon off course. "One way or another we're in for quite the show, but if you try and lock me up I might just pop." Everyone scooted back slightly from her as she produced a tiny fireball in her hand. It was only the size of a pea, but the heat from it was incredible. Melting the table by Espin's feet, a black mark scorching into the table. She rolled it in her palms for a second before putting it out.
"Bad ass," Amy muttered to Isha, who couldn't help but be impressed. Espin had really started to master her powers.
Brannon looked slightly flustered. "Well...... are we done here?" he said. He looked around and got a few half hearted nods. No one had anything else to add. "Good." He got up and stormed out.
"That went well," Isha said. She smiled at Espin who gave her a sad smile back, before looking away. Isha occasionally felt sorry for the small Sun Nymph. As annoying as she was, today was just another example of someone judging her for being different. No wonder she's a little shit, Isha thought, she had every right to be.
"It might not be wise to advertise how powerful you are, Espin," Salanzer said.
"Fuck em," Espin said. "I'm fed up with being threatened." Espin eyed Salanzer carefully. They all knew there was still an unidentified traitor in the group.
"Don't get me wrong my friend," Salanzer said. "It just might be prudent to only show your capabilities when they least expect it."
Espin nodded thoughtfully. Maybe the sorcerer was right, she thought. An unexpected fireball up the ass would take anyone by surprise. She giggled to herself. Little did she know how sightful this was.
"Come on," Effy said. "Let's cram some research in." She ignored a couple of groans. Effy stood and headed to the door, holding it open as the others followed her lead.
"Good luck," Amy said, slapping Effy's ass on the way out, who yelped in surprise. "Don't forget our date later though." Amy virtually skipped out in excitement for their trip to the club. They all needed some down time.
"Sorry sir," Isha said to Salanzer. "She gets a bit excitable." Salanzer just smiled back. They all started filing out. Effy hung back to catch her mentor. Isha looked over her shoulder and gave Effy a delicate wink.
"Can I have a word please?" Effy asked. Salanzer stopped, smiling down at the petite Hunter.
"Of course," Salanzer replied. "What's the matter?" The anxiety on Effy's face obvious.
"We've been........." Effy paused, thinking of her words carefully. She wasn't sure if what she was about to say could be construed as disloyalty to The Guild. She changed her tact. "Growing up we're led to believe that all demons and certain magical creatures are evil. Do you think that's true?"
Effy noticed a slight smile pull at Salanzer's lips before his face turned to its usual passive expression. "It's a good question Effy," Salanzer said. "And an old age discussion between many members of the Sorcery community. Some sorcerers believe that demons shouldn't be.......demonized.......say, just for the fact they exist."
"What do you think?" Effy asked.
Salanzer studied Effy. He knew he could trust her. There were reasons why he chose his Hunters and Searchers carefully, and this curiosity was one of the reasons he had chosen Effy, amongst others as equally important.
"When I was eleven I had an accident," Salanzer said. "I was playing in the woods near our house and climbed a tree. I was an only child and my parents had gone out for a few hours. Being young and a child of sorcerers, I thought I was indestructible, and climbed way too high. A branch snapped and I fell, landing on a rock beneath, by the trunk. I snapped my leg and the snapped bone protruded out from my leg. Ripping through the veins around it."
Effy cringed and felt herself pale slightly. "What did you do?" she asked. She ran her hand through her Hazel coloured hair. Her fingers sliding through the waves of shimmering brown.
"A young demon boy emerged from the trees," Salanzer answered. "He must have heard my cries of pain. I cringed when I first saw him, remembering the stories from my parents. He had purple slimey skin and sharp teeth. I thought he was there to finish me off, eat me alive. I screamed at him to leave me alone as he neared and kneeled next to me. He didn't even protest as he took my leg in his hands and sent healing magic through my bones. In seconds my leg was mended. I was too stunned to thank him. He looked at me sadly and then ran off into the woods."
"I know I would have died if it hadn't been for my savior," Salanzer said, his face saddened. "I'll never forgive myself for how I looked at him when I first saw him. Judging him because of his appearance. I tried to find him many times after, to thank him, but he never appeared again."
Effy thought for a second. "Does that mean that what we're doing is wrong?" Effy said. "Hunting them down just because of how they look."
"Not all we do is wrong," Salanzer said. There were after all a lot of evil demons out there.
"But some of it?" Effy pushed.
"I need you to make up your own mind," Salanzer said. "You need to find out for yourself. I know you'll do what's right Effy."
"Okay. Thank you." Effy mumbled. Still not sure what to think, but Salanzer had given her some things to consider. Effy wondered about the next thing playing on her mind.
"Effy?" Salanzer prompted, seeing her desire to ask something else.
"It can wait," Effy said. She was close to asking about the strange feelings she had been experiencing, but she wasn't yet sure if she had really been sensing the sexual thoughts of others, and if she had, was she ready to share it. It scared her to think of what it could all mean, her own brain denying the only truth.
Effy decided she should talk to Isha first.
"Are you sure?" Salanzer asked.