The moment I walked into the room I knew something was up. A square table had been set up, with four seats placed around it. Currently, none of the seats were occupied, but someone was perched on the side of the table.

"Hey Samael." Michael nodded at me, his arms crossed. "You were called in as well?"

"I guess so." I replied. "Any clue what this is about?" Michael shrugged.

"Beats me. Central didn't say why, only that I needed to get here as fast as possible."

"Same." I replied, taking the seat on the Eastern side of the table. "This is an odd turn of events."

"You're telling me." Michael walked over and took a seat on the North-facing side. "Branch heads are seldom required to report to Central. Especially you."

"It should be fine. I left Camiel in charge." Michael nodded. Camiel was a powerful Hunter in his own right, more then capable of leading the Eastern Branch in my absence.

Both of us turn when the door slides open. Gabriel, the head of the Western branch, and Raphael, the head of the Southern branch, step in.

"Oh. So you guys are here as well." Michael stood up to greet the two ladies. Gabriel walked over and embraced Michael.

Raphael however, made a beeline for me. Stopping before me, she inclining her head slightly.

"Hello Samael." Raphael said, greeting me.

I don't answer. The familiar haze around my mind is lifting. I reached into my pocket, fumbling around until I find what I'm looking for.

The other Branch heads silently watched as I pulled out a container.

With slightly trembling hands I break open the top, before pouring the contents of the container into my mouth. I begin to chew, not even wincing at the bitter taste of the pills.

Immediately, the haze returns, along with a feeling of relief.

"Hi Raphael." I replied, placing the now empty container back in my pocket. "Sorry about that. I needed to-"

"I understand." Raphael placed her hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it." I smiled.

"Thank you." Out of all the Branch heads, I was closest to Raphael. Michael often told me I should push out relationship further, but I was content with our friendship. Raphael smiled back at me, before moving to her seat.

"So…" Gabriel was currently reclining in her chair. "Does anyone know why we're here? I am fairly busy in the West, with all our enemies being there and all."

"I was wondering the same thing." Raphael admitted. "I had been in the hospital when I received the summons. I hope to return as soon as possible to treat the patients."

"I have troops to train." Michael said simply. All three Branch Heads turned their gaze to me.

"I…I have my projects." I spoke, after a moments pause. The three heads nodded, understanding immediately. "Though, I too am curious about the reason behind our summons."

"Then allow me to answer them." A familiar voice said, seemingly from nowhere. Suddenly, a tiny person appeared on the table. "Hello Branch Heads." Upon hearing the voice, all four of us stood up and bowed. "Please, sit down." The voice sounded embarrassed.

We all did as he asked. The small person was silent for a moment, before beginning to speak.

"Now, I'm sure you're all curious as to why you were summoned here." A collective chorus of agreement came from the Branch Heads. The hologram waited for it to die down before continuing. "The reason is simple. It is time for a new Crusade."

Silence filled the room as we tried to digest this new piece of information. I myself was unsure how to react. The first one to break the silence was, of course, Michael.

"A Holy War? You wish to start a new Holy War?" The hologram nodded.

"Correct, Leader Michael. As of now, the Higher-ups have decided to wage war against the Pagans. For too long we have tolerated them. Recently however, they have gone too far. Too much damage has been caused, some of which has affected our own people. Thus, it has been decided that you are to destroy them."

Michael nodded, satisfied with the hologram's answer. Not surprising, considering he was in charge of military might. For him, a Holy War was perfect. I knew however, that one person in this room would definitely object to this.

"I refuse." Raphael said simply. As a Healer, Raphael firmly believed in peace over war. The taking of life, to her, was the ultimate sin. "I will not allow my followers to partake in such brutality."

"Leader Raphael-" The hologram tried to speak, but Raphael cut him off with a glare.

"I agreed to become the Southern Branch Head only to protect and heal as many as I can. While I may, with a sorrow heart, consent to the slaying of demons, I will never consent to the killing of Man, whether a heathen or a believer."

I could see the hologram struggling to think of what to say. I knew that it was a lost cause. Raphael was a pacifist, someone who refused to harm. She would use diplomacy instead of violence. And we loved her for that.

But I knew that diplomacy was no use for this enemy. For I had once met them. And still bore scars from that encounter.

"…very well." The hologram finally spoke. "Leader Raphael, you and your followers will not be required to fight in this War. However, will you at least offer your healing to our troops?"

"I will never turn an injured person away, whether friend or foe. All who require healing, I welcome with open arms." Raphael answered. The hologram nodded, satisfied.

"How about you two, Leader Gabriel and Leader Samael? Have you any doubts about your mission?" The hologram turned to face me. "Well, Leader Samael?"

"I have no qualms. The Witch Hunt will participate." In the corner of my eye, I could see Raphael's face fall at my declaration.

"Very good. And how about you, Leader Gabriel?"

"The West will lend their support." Gabriel replied. "I see no problem with waging war."

"Very well." The hologram sounded satisfied. "Leader Raphael, you are dismissed from this war meeting. Leaders Michael, Gabriel and Samael, please remain seated. Your orders will be given."

Raphael immediately stood up and wordlessly left the room. Gabriel, Michael and myself remained seated, waiting for the hologram to continue speaking.

The moment the door shut behind Raphael, the hologram suddenly disappeared, only to suddenly reappear, human-sized, in Raphael's chair.

"Now then." The hologram said, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. "Let us begin the war planning."

Two Days Later. In a Chateau off the coast of Lake Geneva, Switzerland.

Whenever I was nervous, I cleaned my weapons. Today was no exception.

In front of me lay a variety of blades.

One USN MK3 MOD 0 Combat knife, acquired from the same company that supplied the US Navy.

Two modified Philippine Karambits, forged by a metalworker in Japan.

An array of throwing knives, also made by the previously mentioned metalworker.

A set of thin throwing darts, each laced with a potent nerve toxin.

A pair of modified combat sickles, their hilts shortened to allow for concealed carrying.

And finally, a sheathed Japanese wakazashi, made centuries ago by an infamous swordsmith and modified by master blade smiths to fit my specifications. Of all my weapons, this one was the only one capable of actually killing my target.

However, my order was only to send a message to the opposition, with a strict emphasis on keeping the target alive. Thus, the wakazashi was for security purposes, in the off chance that something went wrong in the mission.

I doubted anything would go wrong. The enemy was completely unaware that I existed, much less of my intentions.

After about twenty minutes, I finally finished polishing my set of throwing knives.

"I need a drink." I muttered, putting the last knife on the table. "Maybe some lemon juice."

"Is wine fine?" A male voice said from behind, startling me. I would have normally sensed someone entering the room, but I had been so engrossed in my cleaning and sharpening that I had failed to hear him come in. "We are in a vineyard after all."

"Yeah, wine is good." I replied, turning around. "Pour yourself a glass and sit down Cassian."

Cassian Gray inclined his head towards me. One of the leaders of Witch Hunt under me, Cassian was powerful. For a human.

"Thank you Leader." I smiled and waved my hand.

"No need for the formalities Cassian. Just call me Samael."

"As you wish, Samael." Despite his words, I saw Cassian relax. He pulled up a seat and sat down, before handing me my glass of wine. I waited as he poured himself a glass. "To the Crusade." Cassian said, raising his glass.

"To the Crusade." I echoed, our glasses clinking. I took a sip of the wine. "Not bad. Swiss?"

"Well, we are in Switzerland." Cassian replied, placing his now half-empty glass on the table. "Though I suppose I could have brought some French wine from across the Lake…"

"Nah its good." I replied, taking another sip. "To me, they all taste the same anyways."

"Don't let a Swiss man hear you say that." Cassian said, half-jokingly. "You might die before the Crusade even starts."

"That would be bad." I replied, a tight smile on my face. "I'd prefer to die with a sword in my hand then at the hands of a drunk vineyard owner. Imagine how Michael would laugh!"

Cassian leaned his head back and laughed. After a moment, I too begun laughing. It wasn't even funny, but the weight of the task in front of us made us all slightly hysterical.

Suddenly, I felt the fog begin to lift. I immediately scrambled for my pills. Cassian watched as I poured the capsules into my mouth and crunched them to dust.

"…how is it, with the stress and all? You coping?" I nodded.

"The stress makes it worse. I had to increase the dosage by around threefold. But I'm doing alright." I reached for another package of pills. "Though for the mission, I'm suppose to cut it down to half my regular amount. I need access to my powers." Cassian nodded, but I could see the worry on his face.

"You think you'll be alright?"

"No clue." Seeing Cassian's face, I quickly added. "OK, that came out wrong. I should be able to hold my concentration long enough to complete the task. Though I'll probably need to tranquillise myself immediately afterwards. Afraid you'll need to help me with that."

Cassian stared at me for a while, trying to figure out if I'm joking. Realizing I wasn't, he sighed. I reached out and patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry. It won't kill me. Just shoot me with about a dozen elephant darts and I'll be sleeping like a baby."

"I know…but do we really have to do this? I mean, can't you function without…" Cassian pointed at the tablets.

"You know what happens if I don't." I murmured. "I may be fine, but those around me…"

"…You're right." Cassian said after some hesitation. "I apologise for that. I was being selfish."

"It's fine." I replied, pulling my hand back and reaching for my drink. "I understand that you're worried for me and I'm grateful for that. But sacrifices have to be made. Better my mind then your lives."

Cassian nodded, his face showing that he was still unconvinced. Inside, I sighed. I have such good subordinates. Sometimes I wish they didn't care for me so much.

"Anyways, I better get to sleep." I said, standing up and placing my now-empty wine glass on the table. "I have a big day tomorrow. Night Cassian."

"Night Leader." Cassian replied, his eyes looking out the window and at the lake. "See you tomorrow."

Paris, France. Sometime in the evening.

The club was nice. Upscale and suave, it catered to only the rich and famous Parisians. A plethora of expensive cars were parked in the club parking lot, each one easily worth a small fortune.

As I turned around the corner, I could feel the eyes of the pedestrians on me. Not surprising, considering my attire. I was dressed in a black leather biking outfit, a black helmet covering my face. My bike, a modified Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR, was also black. All in all, I made quite a sight, especially since I was barreling down the road at nearly 100 miles an hour.

Nearing the club, I slowed down, making sure to skid for the last twenty meters before stopping directly in front of the entrance. I immediately stepped off the bike, feeling the eyes of every single person outside the club. The smoke bellowing from my tires probably helped catch their attention.

Taking extra care, I slowly pulled my helmet off, revealing my hair and face. I could feel the gaze of the pedestrians intensify. Not surprising, considering I had taken my True form. Silvery grey hair, angular features, a thin scar running across my left eye. It was my eyes however, that attracted the most attention.

My left eye was a silvery grey color, the same as my hair. My right eye however, was blue, with a gold ring around my pupil. I seldom took this appearance, as its highly unusual nature meant I was the center of attention no matter where I went.

For this mission however, the center of attention was exactly where I wanted to be. Standing next to my bike, I began to strip off my biking suit, revealing a smart casual outfit of a long-sleeved collared t-shirt and slacks. The color? Black of course.

I walked towards the club entrance; the pedestrian's parting before me. Upon reaching the entrance, I flashed the bouncer a smile, before sliding past him.

The inside of the club was pulsating. The ground, made entirely of hardened glass, had strobe lighting built underneath it, giving an unreal feel to the dancers. At the far end of the club, I could see what I appeared to be a man wearing a large cartoon bear head. Judging from the discs he was spinning, he was the DJ.

My target however, was not the dance floor, but the bar. Approaching the bar, I sat down at a barstool. On my left, two girls sat. I assumed they were twins, judging from their similar facial features and age. One twin was wearing a red and black dress, while the other wore a light blue and white dress. Both of them were surveying the club while playing with their drinks.

Despite their relaxed appearances, I could tell that they were on the lookout. Probably bodyguards of some sort.

Not my problem. I reminded myself, motioning to the barman.

"One Gin and tonic." The barman nodded, disappearing to make my drink. I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. Checking the screen, I note that I have three new messages.

From: Cassian

Re: Target

The target is known to occupy Club BlackBeat on weekends. From our tracking, we've deduced that she normally arrives at around 8PM. She occupies the bar first, before making her way to the dance floor to look for a partner. Thus, I advise you wait for her arrival at the bar.

I checked the clock on the top right hand corner of my screen. 7:49. A little over ten minutes till her expected arrival. Closing Cassian's message, I moved on to the next one.

From: Central

Re: Target

Hello Leader Samael. I hope this message finds you well. As you may be aware, your first target has been located and the details sent to your Chateau. I'd just like to remind you not to kill your target. Please don't partake in unnecessary brutality. We want to send a clear message, not a corpse.

I sighed. Another reminder. I understood why they'd be so cautious though. Since I had cut my dosage in half, the fog was dangerously thin. Even now, I could feel the urges beginning to claw at my mind. As it was, it took all my willpower not to go for the twins.

"Your drink sir." The voice of the bartender startled me, nearly causing me to drop my phone. I scrambled for some Euros, making sure to give him a hefty tip. The bartender smiled tightly at me, before moving off to serve another customer.

"Relax." I muttered to myself. "Think peaceful thoughts. Green fields. White clouds. Small fluffily animals."

Oooo Small fluffily animals? We should kill them! The moment I heard the voice, my hands were reaching for my pills. No! Don't do that! I haven't been able to talk to you in ages!

"That's cause I don't want to talk to you." I muttered under my breath. I had forgotten that I hadn't brought any of my pills on this mission. Mainly because I needed access to my powers. "Now shut up and let me concentrate."

How can I just shut up? I'm you remember? The only reason you can hear me is because you want to hear me.

"I'm aware." Unfortunately, the voice was right. "But please, just let me finish this mission."

Are you sure you don't need my help? I am after all, your real-.

"Yes I'm sure." Even as I said that, I could hear the uncertainty in my voice. "Stop influencing my thoughts damn it!"

I'm not. You're the one who wants to meld. I'm just sitting here.

Before I could come up with some witty retort, my phone vibrated. It was one of my subordinates outside, signaling that the target had arrived. At the same time, I realized that save for the music, the club had gone silent. A musky smell entered my lungs, causing my body heat to rise slightly.

Oh wow…that's some presence…Want me to give you a little immunity?

"Shut it." I spat, before turning around. Upon seeing my target, it took all my willpower not to let my jaw drop.

Yeah…hold on. Suddenly, I felt an ice-cold bolt of energy go through my body, purging all feelings of lust. There, much better.

"Thanks." I muttered unwillingly.

No problem. Now if you'd just let me-

"Quiet. She's coming over here." I tried to rearrange my facial features into what I hoped was a charming and flirty smile. This really was not my thing. Michael was so much better at this.

The target sauntered over and slid into the seat next to me.

"Vodka Martini please." She said huskily. The bartender immediately rushed to compile with her request. The target turned to face me. "Now then, what's your name?"

"Daemon." I replied, turning to face her. "Daemon Ferris."

"Nice to meet you Daemon." The target smiled, placing her hand on top of mine. "My name is Aphrodite."


Hi!

I'm back again. During my (relatively) long absence, I've come to the conclusion that I really suck at long stories involving deep character development. So, I've decided to write a new story that allows me to develop characters but not to the point where I start to struggle about what to write. This will be a 1st person perspective story that will swap between multiple perspectives. Those who have read my previous (unfinished) fics [Sorry about that], may recognise some of the characters and themes. Let me assure you right now that they are quite different in this story.

Hopefully they will be more mature, as I too have matured since 72 Pillars.

Will there be romance? Probably. I think I've gotten better at it, but we'll see.

Will there be action? Definitely. With a name like "The Hunt", you can rest assured that it will be quite action-y.

Anyways, hope you enjoy it. Comment and fave if you enjoyed it.

Daemon