Chapter 36- Beginnings: A History of the Order of the Falcon

The Order of the Falcon was a sect of warriors (mainly warlords) that prided themselves on hiring out mercenaries to do their dirty deeds. The sect was organized in Sofia, Bulgaria as far back as 840. The members were known as the Falcons, and they were recognized because of the birds they used to track their prey. The founding fathers of the Order of the Falcon were against hiring mercenaries that were not mortal, but minds were changed in 1000, when some of the Falcons decided to hire some inhuman allies to help them with their work.

They should have really thought better when they were deciding to hire these inhuman allies—it wouldn't have cost them so many lives.

Those allies turned out to be the Nightwalkers. Boy, were they wrong to hire them or what? I sure as hell think so.

When the Nightwalkers had been called on to do the Falcons' dirty work, it had been 1026—which had meant that they worked with the Falcons for nearly 74 years by the time 1100 rolled around. Why the Falcons decided to break their contract with the Nightwalkers is a different story.

Let's get to the reason why the Falcons hired the Nightwalkers.

For starters, the Nightwalkers were very useful in cleaning up house—literally.

The Falcons tested the Nightwalkers on a trial basis for three years—1027 for Damian, 1028 for Hunter, and 1029 for Xavier—before they found they could trust them to do their bidding.

Flashback: Sofia, 1027

Damian, Hunter, and Xavier sat quietly in the common room of the Falcons' headquarters, waiting to show their prospective employers who they really were and how useful they could be in infiltrating enemy lines.

"Well, now," Terrion said to his fellow Falcons, "We need to test these creatures on how well they deal with enemies. Subject 1: Damian Zinesdiet. His ability to kill in dreams. How do we know that really works?" he asked.

Damian let out a growl. "Let me show you," he taunted, and waved his hand. At once a frightened enemy lieutenant was brought into the room by two of the Falcons. "Put him in that chair," he instructed them.

"Yes, sir," the men replied as they tossed the frightened man into the chair.

"Now, gentlemen," Damian continued, "Watch and prepare to be amazed as I show you how my dreamkilling really works." He cast a sleeping spell on the man, which almost immediately put him to sleep. Damian closed his eyes as well, and began to chant an incantation that would allow him to go inside the man's dreams.

The Falcons watched closely as the man began to shake in his sleep-induced state. Suddenly he began to moan and toss about. With a final scream, the man became still. He was dead.

Silence was heard throughout the room. For several minutes, no one uttered a sound.

Damian slowly opened his eyes, which had turned silver. "Well, now," he hissed. "Do I need to demonstrate more, or are you satisfied?"

Terrion spoke first. "Amazing," he said. "I don't need to see more. That was amazing."

Damian had his ways of getting rid of enemies, which included his ever-effective dreamkilling ability. The Falcons were afraid of this ability at first, but when they realized that Damian could destroy an entire army with this talent, they decided to give him a chance.

They gave Hunter a chance as well because his negotiating was another useful skill. Hunter was able to make deals with the enemy, which both intrigued and made the Falcons—as well as the Nightwalkers—richer. He would talk deals with enemy captains until a deal was made—and then when the captains thought they were walking out with what they thought was a good deal, he would strike, killing them within seconds. The Falcons, who were listening in on the other side of the meeting room, would run into the room—only to find Hunter feeding on the dead man (or men), and a few bags of gold neatly stacked in a corner. It was only after Hunter threatened to kill them as well did they learn that having him around was a good thing.

Flashback: Sofia, 1028

"Subject 2: Hunter Majistal. Apparently he can negotiate to a person's doom."

"How is that possible?" Nicolai asked. "There is no such thing."

Hunter was growing more and more irritated with Nicolai's attitude. "How about you shut your face and let me explain. Did you give Damian all this mouth? Sheesh."

Nicolai shut his mouth and let Hunter talk.

"That's a good little bitch. Anyway, as I was about to say, my talent is simpler than that of Damian and Xavier's. I can talk deals with all sorts of people. But if you doubt me, I will kill you as well as the enemy themselves. Do we understand each other, or should I start killing you all?"

Nicolai shook his head. "That wouldn't be necessary, Hunter. Trust me. Just show us how this talent works."

"My pleasure," Hunter replied, a smile on his face.

"This should be fun," Lysander snickered.

Hunter whipped his head around and stared at Lysander. "For shame," he began. "You won't be able to talk during this time, Lysander." With that being said, his eyes turned dark blue. "Try talking now, motherfucker."

Lysander opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Once he realized he couldn't talk, he began to freak out, and his hands began flailing wildly.

Damian and Xavier burst out laughing. "Good job, Hunt," Xavier said. "Wait till it's my turn. I have a LOT in store for these fools."

"Anyway, I can talk deals with anyone, as I have said before," Hunter said. "I can talk anything, from money to women for sex. The bad thing for these idiots is that they think they're walking out with a deal, when in fact they are walking out to their deaths. The minute they try to leave, I strike, killing them almost instantly. And all your money is still there—everyone gets richer by the second. Isn't that what business is all about nowadays?" he asked.

"Sure is," Nicolai said. "I love that ability! It'll bring us millions of gold coins—or even bars of gold."

"Figured you would," Hunter said, smirking. "Just put me to talk to the English and see what would happen." He turned to Lysander, who was still freaking out.

"You can talk now."

Lysander gasped for air. "Why I ought to—."

"Ought to what?" Hunter challenged.

"Nothing," Lysander said, looking at the ground.

Hunter laughed. "Never, EVER, under any circumstances, undermine my ability," he said. "Or I will make your life a living hell, got me?"

Lysander shook his head, shaking with fear.

Xavier, on the other hand, was just as dangerous as Damian and Hunter. His talent was his power to manipulate people into doing whatever he wanted them to do. He could fight just as well as everyone else, but he was able to kill an entire army with just a wave of his hand. Pretty simple, wouldn't you say? Out of the three Nightwalkers, it was Xavier the Falcons grew more and more afraid to trust, mainly because of this talent.

Flashback: Sofia, 1029

"Subject 3: Xavier Donzenza. Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Lysander asked his fellow Falcons.

"This one is capable of killing large groups of people, from what I hear," one of his comrades answered.

"Is that so?"

"It is," Xavier huffed. "Care to test me, minara?"

"What the fuck did you just call me?" Lysander was growing irritated with Xavier's attitude.

"Asshole. Which is exactly what you are."

Lysander drew his sword and pointed it at Xavier's throat. "Do NOT make me do something I will regret, demon," he growled.

"Do it. I dare you," Xavier taunted.

"Hey!" Terrion shouted. "That is enough. Look outside. What does everyone see?"

"Oh, my God. He's killed all our prisoners! But how?" Nicolai asked.

"Simple. I just used my powers of manipulation, and they did the rest of the work."

The Falcons were in shock. No one dared judge Xavier after that.

All three Nightwalkers stared at the Falcons and laughed. "Don't think for a second about blackmailing us or any of that shit," Damian hissed at them.

"Yes, because if you do, we'll be back for you," Hunter continued.

"What they said," Xavier growled.

"Of course not," Terrion said, shivering.

Of course, times changed, which meant that the Falcons were now thinking of ways to get out of their contract with the Nightwalkers, since all their enemies were rapidly dying and/or escaping the wrath of the Nightwalkers themselves.

This was when they decided to go to war with their bloodsucking soldiers for hire. That war had dire consequences, as many of the Falcons were slaughtered by the Nightwalkers, who grew stronger and more powerful by the second.

Of course, as history has already said, the Nightwalkers won the battle, but the three main Falcons, Terrion Jruekare, Lysander Meinskal, and Nicolai Draginskoi, had decided they no longer wanted to deal with these creatures.

In 1100, they hired a local bricklayer (whose name is unknown) to create three coffins out of lapis lazuli for them. To avoid any altercation, the man did as he was instructed to.

Once night fell, and the Nightwalkers awoke from their sleep, it was on. Another battle between ensued between both parties, and within the hour, the Nightwalkers had been overpowered and introduced to their fate: 2,000 years of sleep in the lapis coffins.

The Nightwalkers slept through those 2,000 years, and finally woke in 3100, they were bloodthirstier and more dangerous than before.

Nicolai, Terrion, and Lysander were now in for a whole LOT of a world of hurt because of this deed.

And now Damian, Hunter, and Xavier were going to get even with them...or die trying.

These guys had a whole new reason to be afraid...