Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction ❯ It's in the Family ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own any of the characters in SSO.

This is set after Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Revenge. This is based off the Anime only and the English ADV versions at that. Warning Spoilers!

Author's note: If you have not read my fanfiction titled It's in the Blood, go and read it first. I cannot stress this enough, I am picking up where that one left off and without any preamble or re-cap. Also, the language will get rough from time to time as our heroes' frustration level rises. And believe me, their frustration level will rise.

Prologue*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Orphen was standing by what appeared to be dwellings of the Heavenly Ones. He wasn't wearing his usual black leather pants and vest. Instead, he was in the attire of a Magician from the Tower, which consisted of navy slacks, white shirt and navy jacket, which nearly reached the ground. The buildings were inside the cutout of a cliff, protecting them from the elements. He and several others were searching the silent halls and streets for signs of Garik. They'd been told he was hiding here and the Hunter teams had been gathered to defeat him.

Of course, she'd insisted he wasn't here but somewhere nearby. The others scoffed at her instincts but, unfortunately, he had to agree with them. She got these feelings sometimes and, if she wasn't deterred, it would invariably get them into trouble. Often he took her insistence as a red flag to go the other way. However, that said, her Hunter instincts for the demons couldn't be beaten. She'd saved both their lives several times, just by warning him when a demon was about to attack. Of course this morning, although she was hiding it, she was in the bushes puking, thanks to that accursed morning sickness she seemed to get as soon as she conceived. `Like, I wouldn't notice or be able to figure it out after nearly ten years of marriage. I think I know her cycle better than she does.'

[I know that, but I don't like you to worry.] She replied in his mind.

[Will you quit that? You know it spooks me out when you listen in.]

He heard her footsteps behind him, "Then, stop thinking so loud." She gave him a good morning hug and kiss. "Have they found anything yet?"

"No…we should be out there looking too," as he gazed across the ruins where their seven companions were spread out. They were searching for signs that Garik had been using this area as a hideout, since they'd chased him out of his main fortress several months ago.

"Why? He's not here. I understand why they don't want to listen to me, but this time is different." She paused, as she remembered something. "You know, I saw Helios at the last battle, rubbing his ears before Garik arrived. He seems to be able to sense things too, and he might actually listen to me, if it weren't for Dimitrius."

"Well, Dimitrius is the First Hunter."

"I don't care, he's stifling change. We have to adapt. You know that."

"We've talked about this. You can't go challenging his authority at every turn. He was put in charge by the Council."

He soon realized she wasn't listening to him, but gazing towards the cave-ridden hills near them. The area where she'd insisted Garik was hiding. `Oh shit, she rubbing her ears.' Out loud he asked, "Where is he?"

"Huh?" She initially asked as she realized what she was doing. She concentrated a moment. "He's `porting now….Oh no…he's somewhere near, in the dwellings."

~Orphen got his first good look at Garik at his full strength, `My God, he's huge! He must be over 20 feet tall with a wingspan of almost 40 feet.' His mind felt frozen, although he kept on reacting to the unfolding events.~

"Damn it. We're scattered." He grabbed her hand and they started running. As they ran, she whistled, calling that damn mutt to her. There was an answering howl, some distance away indicating that the Wolven would not arrive for some time. He knew she had a special bond with the Wolven, but he didn't make things any easier. Although, thinking about it, each of the Hunters had an animal companion that looked to them. `I wonder if….'

[Research later, dear, to the task at hand. Could you give me a boost so I can take care of the wings?] In response, he simply picked her up and flung her at Garik, beginning the battle, hopefully their last, to finally rid the world of his evil. As he launched her at Garik, "I don't have to remind you to be careful, do I?"

~Orphen thought, `Why am I just throwing Cleo into danger? Am I crazy?'~

She responded, like Orphen hadn't said or thought anything, [I'm always careful. You're the headstrong stubborn one.]

[Remember, you're carrying precious cargo.]

[You're just hoping for a girl to spoil this time.] "To the left!" As she reacted to the movement of Garik's dodging. [It would be nice to know which way he's teleporting.]

[Well, now you've got something to work on.]

[Hey, you're the researcher. I just hack and slash.]

She shouted a challenge at Garik, "Your running ends here!"

"I wasn't running," Garik replied with a sneer, "I wanted all you pests together to show you how easily I can and will kill you. My patience with your measly attempts at interference is at an end."

Orphen was aware of the other magicians casting spells at Garik, only to have him shrug them off. He was hovering low to the ground, almost like he was trying to make himself a partial target for the Hunters.

Orphen was getting frustrated. Why couldn't the others see that the best way to defeat Garik was working in tandem? Her catch-and-fling strategy was the most effective way to bring him down and injure key points. Without working in tandem, someone has to clip his wings to bring him down to the ground so that the others could have any effect.

The other Hunters struck at Garik their own way, from the ground with little or no effect. Two of the Hunters, including Dimitrius, were attacking Garik from directly below him, at his feet but were unable to reach him. Helios was hanging back, watching and apparently arguing with his magician.

Orphen saw her cut one of the wings and Garik crashed to the ground, flinging her away from him as he fell. Unfortunately, that brought him into clawing distance of the other Hunters, who were unaware of her actions. In one sweep, he eviscerated the two of them. Their magician partners anxiously waited for an opening to rush in to tend their wounds.

Orphen teleported to catch her, and she pushed off him to go after a cut down Garik's right arm. It was an attack Garik was expecting her to make, in retribution for the near death of the other two Hunters. He used her impulsiveness against her, dodged, and cut her back, from her right shoulder to her waist. Orphen `ported to catch her and immediately cast a healing spell, repairing the damage.

While he was tending her wounds, Helios had convinced his magician partner to attempt her catch-and-fling strategy. Unfortunately since it was a spur of the moment decision, the jump was mis-timed and Garik caught Helios from mid-air. Garik's hand was so large it completely wrapped around the young man's chest. He held, in the claws, the only remaining healthy Hunter, and crushed him. Tossing an arrogant smirk at Orphen, Garik flung the body aside.

~Orphen looked out at the scene; the force of nine had been reduced to six….no, four. Garik had taken advantage of the time she was being healed to cast at the two magicians before they could reach their partners.~

"Helios! NO!" She screamed, reacting to his death. "It's my fault, I should have been faster." As she started to push away from Orphen to go for another attack, she mis-timed her jump, went crashing to the ground, and lost her grip on her sword. She landed near Dimitrius' body, grabbed his blade out of his hand, and scrambled away from Garik.

[Come on, love. Don't lose your focus. We can't afford for you to be insecure now. You can do this. I know you can, I have faith in you, in us.] He calmly reassured and encouraged her.

She shouted in his mind, [I am focused! You must seal him!]

[If I do, I won't be able…] as they began their silent argument, the remaining magician was killed when Garik grabbed one of the Hunters' swords and threw it at him.

[Seal him! We have no choice. I'll distract him.]

[NO!]

[You must live, for the boys. Now, seal him!] Garik made a grab at her, only to be blocked by the arrival of her Wolven familiar. He blasted Garik against the back wall of the cliff, momentarily stunning him.

[Cast it! Now!]

~Orphen felt the spell, but he couldn't pin down the words to repeat it. It was powerful and took all his concentration.~

He held his right hand up with two fingers in front of his face as a blue whirlwind started around him and, with a mental thrust, he sent the spell at Garik. As the seal began around him, Garik started to shrink.

When he realized what was happening, Garik tried to interrupt the spell, but she blocked him, using the Dimitrius' blade, a unusual dagger, which glowed violet. She was taking damage in her efforts to buy the time needed to finish the spell and he blamed himself for each scratch.

Although the spell was cast, total concentration had to be maintained until the seal was complete, or Garik would escape and all the lives lost would have been in vain.

The spell took effect on Garik, causing him to move slower and slower. He knew the source of his torment and looked straight at Orphen with the promise of vengeance in his eyes. Suddenly Garik's eyes flicked to the side. This told Orphen exactly where vengeance would be exacted.

He saw the Wolven jump in front of a blow intended for her. The force knocked the Wolven against the back wall of the cliff, in much the same manner that Garik had been a few minutes earlier. She staggered in front of Orphen to protect him. She flicked her wrist, and the weapon the Heavenly Ones had gifted the lead Hunter, glowed brightly as it extended from a dagger's length to a full sword's length. Raising the sword above her head with both hands she sliced Garik's hand distracting him and preventing the spell from being interrupted. As she moved to stand at his feet, Orphen heard her say out loud in a shaky, tired voice, "Got to stop him…" Garik launched one final attack from behind her, with the claws from his other hand, killing her as she whispered, "Love you, Kylanthin."

"Cleotista!!" his soul screamed in anguish as hers was ripped away…..and Orphen woke up.