Thought it was time to update at long last.
Disclaimer: Dont own anything canon but original Characters are mine! Am just playing with the characters and will return them in relatively good working order...
Chapter 12 Guardians, Angels and Trust.
"Guardian Ghost?" Van Helsing asked.
"That's what I heard," Kellan said, standing to the side of the hunter and gazing at Tarja as if she had grown a new head.
"Yes, I believe that guardian ghost would be the best term to describe the fact that Calvell has decided not to cross over, but become my protector until this is finished," Tarja confirmed, smiling at the looks on the people surrounding her. Carl had his mouth opening and closing as if he was trying to say something and no sound was coming out. Van Helsing and the others merely looked surprised, and in the case of the hunter, somewhat sceptical.
"Your dead friend has decided that he wants to remain in what you would call limbo and protect you until the cross is destroyed?" Gabriel asked, disbelief edging into his voice.
"That is the truth."
Tyris, keeping a close hold onto the arm of Kellan, now spoke up. "Guardian ghosts have not been heard of since the elder days, Tarja. Even Andala wasn't strong enough to call one forth."
"I believe it is only a temporary measure until the cross has been destroyed. It was his choice, not mine, but I am willing to accept the help," Tarja responded, feeling the presence of Calvell move closer to her. "Besides," she continued, "it's not as if it's something unusual."
Smiling, the other two elite agreed.
"I don't' understand!" Carl, who had been stood there with his mouth opening and closing, had finally found his voice. "There is no such thing as a guardian ghost!"
"If I didn't see the bizarre and unusual everyday, I would be agreeing with Carl on this one," Van Helsing murmured as Tarja turned to the friar.
"Carl, do you believe in guardian angels?" Tarja asked.
"Well, er, yes I do. But-" he trailed off as the question and its implications finally sank in. "You're saying that Calvell has become your guardian Angel?"
"In the way that you see it, yes. He chose to do this and is willing to help protect us from evil." She replied, smiling when the friar began to understand.
"How do we know that this is really Calvell and not just some ploy by Mercer to gain access to our plans?" Kellan asked.
"The only person who can answer that is Calvell, "The priestess relied with a mysterious smile. "You can come out now," she said to the air behind her and stepped aside to reveal the ghostly form of the once elite.
"Okay, now I have seen it all." Gabriel said, blinking a few times as if trying to clear his vision.
"Kellan, you've been prettier," the ghostly form of Calvell said. Moving forward the once elite came to a halt in front of the two elite, both of which were openly staring. "You two could do a good impression of a statue."
"Calvell?" Tyris managed, transfixed on the image of her friend before her.
"Yes, it's me. I've lost a bit of weight as you can see, but other than that all my marbles are still here." He said, a smile playing along his face and moving into his green eyes.
"Why?" Kellan asked.
"Why have I lost a bit of weight?" the ghost asked, mischief twinkling from his eyes. "That would be obvious Kel." His face sobered at the look the red clad elite gave him. Sighing, he continued, " I decided that the afterlife would be boring and with the cross in danger, any peace would be very short. So, when the hunter ghost came after Tarja I realised that my days of looking after her, weren't quite over yet."
"Hey, I don't need that much looking after, in my own defence!" Tarja replied to the small jibe.
"Are you really a ghost?" Carl asked. Throughout the whole exchange the friar had been waving his hands through the non corporeal elite.
"The whole point of my body burning twenty feet from you and that you have been waving your hands though me for the past five minutes haven't convinced you that I'm really dead?" the once elite asked. "In that case, maybe this will." Without warning the face of the elite bled away into bones, causing the friar to back away quick enough to trip on his robes.
At the tripping of the friar, Calvell burst into ghostly laughter and returned to a translucent visage of his former self.
"That is definitely Calvell." Kellan declared, trying to keep his face straight at the sight of the now prostrate Carl.
"I'm glad you agree," Tarja said. "We need not finish the ceremony since you don't want to be released," she said to her guardian ghost. "What we need to do is see how Cecaise is getting on with the forging of the weapon."
"That would be a good idea, plus it will be interesting to see Cecaise's reaction," Tyris added.
Turning and walking from the burning pyre, the group began to walk toward the stables. The ghostly form of Calvell had disappeared, as if moving long distances took too much energy to be visible also.
At the back of the group Carl and Van Helsing were having a conference, discussing the new developments in hushed tones. "So, Carl, have you seen everything NOW?" the hunter asked, regarding the shorter man.
"I would never have thought that coming to England would be so interesting! First we come across a banshee, then demons and zombies. And now I've actually met a guardian angel!" Carl replied, getting more excited by the minute. "This will all be very useful for the order's records!"
Smiling at the younger man's enthusiasm, the hunter followed the elite across the yard towards the stables. "What do you think of this Calvell?"
"Well, he certainly has a sense of humour. But I think that his intentions are true. She seems to surround herself with extremely loyal friends." Carl commented, observing the other elite.
"Yes, she does. I'm worried though." Van Helsing confessed. Something was till nagging at the back of his mind. Something that he knew boded ill for the future.
"You're having one of those bad feelings aren't you?" Carl asked, observing the preoccupied look on the fallen angel's face.
"Something is just not right. There is a great evil we must face, and I don't know if we will all come through this, or if we can save Nico." The hunter sighed, and observed the group in front of him. "They have suffered so much, what if we don't succeed? It feels as if we need a miracle to pull this off…" he trailed off as they entered the stables and the sound of metal on metal rang through the air.
One side of the stables typically held the classic stalls where both the covens and their horses were being stabled. The large stalls covered the entirety of the north wall, stretching into the darkness. Above, the hay attic could be seen with the stored supplies needed to keep the horses both fed and warm during the long winter months.
The south side of the stables was an entirely different matter, having been constructed as both a farriers and blacksmiths. A large furnace was burning away in the far corner, providing heat for the large building and was currently heating up a long section of metal held in the hands of Cecaise. Hands wrapped in thick gloves, the tall elite was priming the furnace, causing the metal to glow white. Hearing them approach he turned to greet them, idly brushing some loose strands of hair from the braid he wore, and released the primer for the furnace. Removing the half made sword from the fire he moved over to a nearby anvil and picked up a hammer to continue his work on the blade.
"I take it the ceremony went well?" he asked, green eyes taking in the slightly dishevelled appearance of Tarja and Van Helsing.
"You could say that," Tarja replied with a wry smile. "Mercer sent a hunter spirit. It must have got past the walls before the defences were completed and had waited until I was the most distracted to strike."
"That would explain your appearances," Cecaise concluded, eyes narrowing. "But, I sense that something else happened. I know that there is another presence here."
"We never could slip anything past you," Kellan griped.
"There has been an interesting new addition to our forces," Tarja continued, ignoring Kellan's comment. "At least, for the time being." Stepping aside she allowed the still invisible form of Calvell to come forwards and halt before the beige clad elite.
"When you said that we had a new addition you did not mean a new person. Hello Calvell. You can show yourself, I know it's you." Cecaise said to the ghostly apparition now appearing before him with a wolf like grin on his ghostly face. "Your flair for the dramatic has not faded with this new transition, I see."
"No, I'm still the same as I was, only lighter," was the flippant reply.
Cecaise stood there, allowing the image of his friend to sink in and the reality of his choice to sink in. The others watched with interest as first concern and then amusement flitted across the older elite's face before settling into its usual impassive manner. "I trust you will serve us with honour as you did before, my friend," he said at last, gazing over at the others.
The other elite were smiling at the exchange, knowing that this was as close to emotional the mysterious elder elite was ever going to get. Van Helsing and Carl, however, simply observed the dynamics with interest, hoping to gain a deeper insight into the working of the group of elite.
"How close is the sword to being ready?" Tarja asked, bringing the subject back onto the most relevant topic.
"I have begun to fold the metal as you can see, but it will be at least another twelve hours, if not more before I am finished." Cecaise responded, taking the hammer and beginning to meld the folded piece of metal into one. "The blood forging has just been completed, the exceptions being those of us stood here. Since we have the most power, I felt that it would be best if we waited for the final stages of the sword and use our combined blood to seal the rest of the magics into the sword."
"Why wait?" Van Helsing asked.
"Because the blade has already been empowered by blood under the cover of night. Its strength will be greatly increased if this could be done again under the light of the sun as well as the moon." Cecaise replied, taking the now cooled metal from the anvil and replacing it into the furnace. "If you recall from the calling of the spirits, our combined blood was powerful enough to call upon a higher level being."
"We have combined blood before at ceremonies, why have we not called upon a higher level being before now?" Kellan asked.
"The secret to that lies in our hunter of the supernatural here," Cecaise replied with a mysterious smile.
"Me?" Gabriel asked. The conversation had now taken on a direction that he was not following, having moved from the barely understood, into the 'huh?' area.
"When I took your blood, some of it dripped onto the floor. At the time I took the increase in power to be from the ceremony, but when the being of the crossways called you the Left Hand of God I knew that it was in fact the power of your blood alone that called her to us," Cecaise said, pushing the now reheating blade further into the burning coals of the furnace.
"You knew all this, and did not tell us?" Gabriel asked, confusion and anger colouring his eyes.
"You never asked," Cecaise replied, eyes cold. "And it is not my place to say who and what people are, fallen angels or not. The higher powers sent you to us for a reason, be it power or strength. The only thing I do know is that this plan will not succeed without your help. You are needed for many things hunter, and this is one of them."
"You need not be angry with Cecaise for not saying this aloud before," Tarja stated, turning to face Van Helsing. "He has been silent on my order, having spoken to me about it, and only me."
"How can you know that it is me who is the key to all this?" Gabriel asked, eyes searching.
"Because we have faith in the higher powers and what Cecaise says is true. We have never before called forth a higher being." Kellan answered.
Carl, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange; now landed the proverbial bombshell. "But she, the guardian of the parting of the ways, that is, said that the reason she was called forth was because mercer had took the cross of Rhade and was trying to unlock it."
"It is true, what you are saying Carl, but, she also said it was Van Helsing's power that also called her forth. Without his power, how would she have known where to appear?" Kellan argued.
Carl had to agree, it was a valid point. Still, he was not happy with the whole idea. "True, but why did you not mention this before?"
"We saw no reason to worry you with it. Besides, we were worried that you would think that the only reason we have asked for your help is because of the power we feel coming from Van Helsing." Tyris answered, drawing their attention to her petite form. "We feel that your power, Van Helsing, is a great asset, but even without it, we would still have asked for your help. Nico trusted you and so do we. But you must also remember that Nico trusted us also."
"I do trust you," Gabriel replied into the silence that followed. "I only dislike being kept in the dark. In my line of business it's what you can't see or don't know that kills you."
As always please let me know what you think, writers do occasionally need inspiration!