Magekillers

Lorei

"I can only hope that we don't end up in another situation like earlier." Cutter says once my aunt has left.

"I second that." I say.

"She seems nice." Millie says.

"Just you wait, she seems nice, and then it just gets plain annoying." I laugh to show I am kidding, but the laugh sounds forced.

They wouldn't find us here, I was sure of it, but still I worried.

I couldn't stand it if something happened to Emmett. I think. I realize a seond too late emmett and Cutter can hear me. Cutter gives me a look, and there is no response from Emmett. I get up and leave.

Once I am down the stairs I start running to my room. Why did I have to be such and idiot? I knew they could hear me. Why couldn't I control my thoughts? I sigh, and flop down on my too-small bed. I resist the urge to cry, knowing my father was dead. But before long the tears leak out. I wish life could be simple again.

Suddenly I hear footsteps outside my door.

Inspector Gideon

"We have plenty, thank you very much. You can leave now." the one named Ken said. Instead of dignifying her with a response, I turned smartly on my heel to face my adjunct, Kirill.

"I want a man stationed at every entrance to the house," I hissed, "I want it done now. Send Anthony's squad to round up any servants or family members that are still inside. I will be interrogating within the half hour."

"Yes, sir." Kirill saluted smartly before giving orders to the heavily armored infantry units forward. These mages might have escaped, but they wouldn't get far.

"Just what do you think you are doing!" Ken thundered, obviously annoyed with my attempts to rectify the trios failure.

"Taking control," I responded, as I pushed past the trio of bewildered magekillers. "Show me where they were hiding."

We started marching toward the front door where the servants were being herded like cattle by my honor guard.

"You can't just barge into our investigation like this," Jess mumbled under her breath.

This time I couldn't control my frustration. I pulled out my sturdy sidearm and shot the closest maid in the chest. The high caliber round was enough to kill her, but the antimage rounds completely vaporized her in a mist of blood.

The remaining house staff screamed in unison.

"Oh can't I? I seem to remember you requesting back up from the Lord General's office in order to catch these mutant vermin. Is this not true?" No one said a word.

"So it's true," I smiled back, "I am the back up you requested. This conclave of mages you've smoked out is obviously formidable considering three well trained warriors such as yourselves failed to capture them or am I mistaken?"

"No sir," Server responded.

"Let me be clear, I have the resources and the political pull to accomplish anything. I've been killing this rabble for almost ten years now, even before the government decided to make it legal for bastards like me to kill 'em. Now tell me everything you know about these fugitives."

Ken is a girl....

Ken

"Let me be clear, I have the resources and the political pull to accomplish anything. I've been killing these rabble for almost ten years now, even before the government decided to make it legal for a bastard like me to kill 'em. Now tell me everything you know about these fugitives.

"Well, there is a girl protecting, hiding them. she is tall, blond hair, tan skin. Not a mage. And there are two boys. One's got long hair, brown, the other a bright blonde. Both have blue eyes. Those are the only ones we saw, for now...."

"All you can give me is a physical description?" He asks. I nod. He looks like he wants to slap me, or shoot me.

"Well, I guess I would expect such from a child." He says.

"We are not children." Jess chimes in angrily.

MILLIE

She didn't like this at all. In fact, she was so nervous and scared shw could hardly stand to even think about using her powers. Sometimes she wished she wasn't even a mage. She hated this hassle!

She felt someone's eyes on her. It was either Cutter or Emmett. Or both. Either way she wasn't ready to talk to anyone right now.

Millie raised her chin angrily. She wasn't going to get all weepy and start moping around because things weren't going right. She was a mage and she needed to be tough.

Millie felt so bad for Lorei. She wanted to go after her and look after her, after all she was so nice, but she wouldn't. That was a job for Emmett. After all she'd seen between them...she suspected a lot.

She attempted to create an illusion of a waterfall and mossy rocks around it. She needed to work her powers now. It was always harder when she was stressed. It didn't work.

"Dang it," she sighed, trying again.

~Emmett~

I stare in surprise as Lorei leaves the room in a rush. It's not exactly uncommon for her to think things like that, but she thinks it about everyone, right? It's not as if she only cares about me.

I catch Cutter giving me a sceptical look. <As if.> he thinks in an exasperated tone, and I send him a bewildered look.
<What?>
<Just stop being so stupid, the pair of you.>

I pause, not really sure what he's saying, then get up. <I'm going to make sure Lorei's okay.> Cutter gives me a knowing look as I leave the room. He can't be saying... No. It would be stupid to think that me and Lorei...

As I reach Lorei's room, I stop, listening quietly. She's crying. I swallow thickly, feeling her sorrow wash over me. This was why it was always so hard for me to comfort people; I generally tended to end up sobbing with them. But I can't let Lorei down - she's always been there for me. I take a deep breath and knocked on the door softly.
"Can I come in? It's Emmett."

Lorei

"Can I come in? It's Emmett." He says.

"Sure," I say, thankful my voice doesn't break, "just give me a sec." I try to think of happy things.

"Okay come in." I say, deciding it was a wasted effort.

"What's up?" Emmett asks.

"My dad just died, in case you haven't noticed. And I am the only girl in this entire world who can't keep her thought to herself!" I notice myself getting angry, and try to calm down.

"Neither is your fault. Besides most normal girls don't have to keep there thoughts under control." if I wasn't being such a downer and running Emmett's mood I think he would have laughed.

"Well, that, and...I love you." I tell him.

Aunt Beth

I burst into the room where the mages are. Cutter looks like he is about to be sick, like he just got done watching the most cheesy romance movie ever.

"What's wrong hun?" I ask him. He shakes his head.

"Ah, well. I'd like to know a bit more about y'all." I turn to a girl nearby, "how'd you end up with Lorei?"

Cutter,

It doesn't sicken me, exactly. No. I guess...I think I'm jealous. Jealous. It doesn't seem right. Lorei and Emmett have every right to be together. Just because I can hear their thoughts doesn't mean I can force my opinion on them, but...

And then Lorei's aunt bursts in on us. She looks at me.

"What's wrong, hun?" she asks kindly. I just shake my head.

"Ah, well. I'd like to know a bit more about y'all. How'd you end up with Lorei?" She asks Millie.

"When the Purges began, we went to her, 'cause she's been our friend since we were little." says Ollie.

"We've been living with her for two years now," I say, "And if we hadn't, we'd all probably be dead now. And if I hadn't been stupid enough to teleport in the middle of broad daylight, we'd still be there. And Lorei's dad would still be alive." I end bitterly.

Hii

Name: Adam

Age: 21

Profession: Magekiller

Equipment: Secured on a slender silver belt wrapped around his petite waist, Adam carries a slim gun loaded with magebullets, and a tightly fastened illusion disperser. In his black, over-sized boot he keeps a large, sharpened dagger that has slit the throat of hundreds of men and women.

Appearance: Adam is a young, genteel man that steps as lightly as a ballerina whilst walking across the grassy plains and bustling streets of Rossain. Closely fitted to his lithe, slender body traditionally is a dark uniform, casual enough not to be feared, but distinguishable among his peers. A pale boy of five feet, six inches, his freckled face is shaded by the flaxen hair that sweeps across his jaded brown eyes.

Skills: Adam is extraordinarily light-footed, and can keep up with even an air-borne mage, especially when tailing him through a forest. He can spot a magical creature a mile away, known to whip out his gun and murder random passerby on the street; he's never been wrong. His father being a magekiller, he's been shown autopsy after autopsy, weapon after weapon, mage after mage, since he was a child. His father would sit him on his lap and muse in his gruff voice about the young man he tasered early that evening.

Flaws: Adam cared not for the magekilling profession, albeit growing up around it. His mother was a ballerina, and she enrolled him in a dance studio before his father could enroll him in a boot camp. Unfortunately the moment he turned 18, his father ripped him out of the dance classes and recitals, bringing him to work as often as possible. Adam winced as he watched innocent people get murdered, but against the protests of his mother, trained with his father to become the quickest, slyest magekiller in his unit. He's still very petite from nearly two decades of dancing, and is not nearly as strong and powerful as the other killers he works with. Also not a very sociable fellow; he has zero tolerance for stupidity, and takes pride in his talent and intelligence, turning fiercely competitive when somebody rises above him.

He's up for love, I suppose.

MILLIE

She was so tired of being cooped up in here. She wanted to get away.

Millie gave a gusty sigh and got up, no one caring where she was going. After all, everyone had their own problems to deal with. Still, Millie wished she had...someone like a friend to talk to. She was close, and even liked, everyone here but it was different.

She wasn't even sure what a true friend was.

Millie slipped away from the others. She'd take a quick walk and be right back. No one would notice. Besides, she could take care of herself.

JONATHAN

He didn't like this inspector. And he wasn't about to take orders from him. He did what he wanted, when he wanted. No one else had a say.

He felt the dagger hear his wrist. He had seen the silver blade died crimson before. He wanted to do it again. His parents deaths were, again, starting to haunt him.

Cutter,

The others talk quietly with Beth, but I remain silent. I notice Millie slipping out of the door and going downstairs. I follow, but don't want to intrude. She goes into a back garden, and meanders around, going nowhere in particular.

"Tired of being cooped up?" I say quietly, trying not to startle Millie.

She looks around, "Cutter, I was trying to be alone. But yes, I was."

"Sorry. I just didn't want...didn't want," my ears go red. This will sound really awkward, "I just don't want to lose anyone."

Jess

Just who was this guy who came barging in and ordering us around? I wasn't going to take it, and I knew my fellow Magekillers felt the same way. As Inspector Gideon started bossing his men around, I made eye contact with Ken, Jonathan, and Trae, who both nodded at my raised eyebrow. I knew we had come to the same decision.

Slowly, casually, we started wandering further from the inspector and his men. Then we snuck around the back of the house and took out the lone man who had been stationed there. Others would come soon, so we didn't have much time to move.

"Let's go in before the inspector finds us," I hissed, working on the lock.

Jonathan shook his head and pointed up to the second floor, where a single small window was. "I can sense them up there," he said in a low voice.

"Then let's climb," Ken said determinedly.

"Hey!" someone called, and we spun around. A slim boy with light hair was walking towards us. "You're the other Magekillers, right?"

"That's right," Trae said suspiciously.

"I received your signal for help and I came right over."

"And who are you?" I asked; he certainly didn't look familiar to me, but then again I didn't know very many other Magekillers.

"My name's Adam." He gestured to the house. "Looks like you need some help getting up."

Inspector Gideon

"Sir?" I had been interrogating a terrified butler when my second in command's voice cut into my ear piece

"Yes, Kirill?" I responded, touching my earpiece to activate the device.

"We have a positive I.D. on the mages' get away cars, a ferrari, a hybrid, and a yellow lamborghini left this house a little while ago."

I couldn't help but smile. Kirill was by far and away the most competent soldier I had ever had the privilege of commanding. He never failed me.

"Possible destination?"

"The owner of this house had a relative on the other side of town, I suspect that is their hideout, sir."

"Load up and roll out in five. Send word to the Lord General's office I want all house staff members detained at the barracks."

"Of course." Kirill paused. "It appears Drezmond's comlink has been severed or he has been neutralized."

~Emmett~

I stare at Lorei for a moment, completely thrown off track. It's not as if it's something I haven't longed for... it's just... strange, to hear her say it so bluntly. I guess I'd always pictured it different, somehow. But I know she's telling the truth, her aura burns with honesty and.. and love. Of course. A lot of things make sense now, I realise.

I look into Lorei's eyes, understanding she needs a reply, needs my reassurance. but I don't say anything; I don't know what to say, how to respond. I just stand there looking like an idiot. Lorei sniffs sadly and looks away. "You don't feel the same. That's okay, I guess," she says quietly, softly, but she's already starting to tear up again.

I blink in confusion, then rush to her side, holding her close to me. "No," I murmur firmly. "It's not that. I just..." I sigh. Some sort of skill with words would be pretty handy right about now.

An idea comes to me, and I tilt Lorei's head up so she's looking at me again. "I don't.. really know how to explain," I start hesitantly. "So. I'll try and - try to show you."

Lorei stares back, looking slightly bewildered, and I press my forehead against hers gently, putting the tips of my fingers against her temples. Now, how to do that thought-projecty thing... Cutter was way better at it than me, but I tried to draw from my hurried lessons with my mage trainer before the Purges, and closed my eyes with a slight frown.

Then, I finally managed to do it. I opened my mind, sending all of my thoughts, feelings, emotions to Lorei. Just for a few seconds, mind. It took so much energy to keep the thought-stream open for even that long. I pulled away from her slightly, giving Lorei a concerned look.

"I think... I love you too."

Lorei

Emmett presses his head to mine, and puts a finger on each of my temples. I do my best to mask my confusion. Suddenly, I feel a rush of emotion, thoughts and feelings. It's all happy, loving, with a slight protective edge. It only lasts a second, but it seems so much longer.

Emmett pulls his face away from mine, but it it still less than five inches away. I grin, and he mirrors it, no doubt from the happy emotions radiating from me.

"I think... I love you too." He says. I lean forward, and press my lips to his.

Just a few seconds later there is a knock on the door.

"Lorei, sweetheart, are you in there?" She asks. Leave it to her to interrupt something like this. She has an uncanny ability to make herself present when not wanted.

"Yes." I say with a sigh. Emmett laughs at my thoughts.

"Very true." He mumbles so only I can hear. He moves about six inches

Aunt Beth

"Okay," I say, walking into the room, "just to let you know, dinner is in five minutes. And your uncle wants you to have this." I say, and hand her a small pistol.

"Wow, thanks." She says, obviously confused.

"Self-defense." I explain. The boy next to her leans over and whispers something to her. She grins.

"Well, I'll be downstairs dears." I say, and leave.

Adam

"And who are you?" Jessica asked him, looking uncertain. Her dark brown eyes wavered as they examined his appearance.

"My name is Adam," he replied quickly, motioning to the house. "It looks like you need some help getting up." Jessica narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Adam, ignoring her cold demeanor, approached the building. He ran his hand along the rough, wooden wall, eying steadily the window pointed out earlier. "So, what's the problem...?" He mumbled, turning his attention away from the window and onto his belt.

The smaller girl frowned and closed her eyes, exhaling quietly. She balled her small, pale hands and opened her eyes, making eye contact with Adam as he took out what looked like some sort of gun. "That.. commander. He doesn't know what he's doing; he's ordering us around like children," She spat, running her hands frustratedly through her hair.

"He's kind of full of himself," Adam agreed, turning the gun over and pressing a button. A large claw popped out and rested itself on the head of the gun. "Brilliant man, of course, but..." He stepped back, placing his right foot farther out front than the other, closing one eye as he aimed the gun. The claw shot up to the small window, grappling itself onto the sill tightly. "I wouldn't worry too much about him." He smiled brightly at the young girl, and firmly placed one boot on the side of the house.

His petite body was suddenly flung toward the window, expertly keeping his footing and he scaled the building. Upon reaching the window, he gripped it and rolled through, checking the darkness for any signs of life. Slowly he stood up, stepping through the shadows soundlessly. Closing his eyes, he listened for footsteps, breathing, nervous drops of sweat. Hundreds of attics he's invaded, with and without mages desperately trying to hide. This was one without. Adam turned on his heel and looked out at the annoyed magekillers staring up at him. "It's empty," he yelled down.