Fantasy Demon Hunting: The Seven Seals (Closed)

[Da Doofus]

Demons, Angels, Hunters . . . The Eternal War continues to be fought in the shadows. On Earth at least.
You were a freelance Hunter on a case one day, then everything goes upside down when a new threat looms over all.
It is now up to you, a cockney half-demon, and an insane Hunter from another century to root out the coming Destruction before that prophesized day in 2012.

 

[Da Doofus]

You stood outside the gated facility, with the letter of invitation in your hand.
All the way to Salem, New Jersey did it specify the exact address.

They somehow knew of your . . . Profession, but what of what kind of person you were?

 

[Caits_Meow]

It was the most formal request for her business that she had ever received. Meera Gray stood outside the facility, having driven pretty far compared to the jobs she was used to taking. She had been raised by hunters, normally accepting work that was contracted through the family. This, however, she specifically had been called in for.
A low whistle escaped her lips as she stood in front of the gate, sizing up the building and wondering how she would ever come out again. She knew very little of the facility or who in it was requesting her expertise.
The day was cool, but the sun shone bright, causing Meera to dress casually in some light wash jeans, white tee, and black leather jacket. Her blonde locks were tucked behind her ears, though the breeze kept unsettling them.
Meera pulled the thick black sunglasses from her eyes, moving them back into her hair as a makeshift headband. She looked at the letter one more time before approaching the gate attendant's booth.
"Excuse me," she began, tapping a few times on the dark glass. Even from up close, it was hard to see if anyone was actually inside. "I'm Meera Gray... I'm here for the job," she offered, feeling silly if she was just shouting to an empty booth.

 

[Da Doofus]

A man soon approached the gate, dressed in a black suit with no tie.
He eyed Meera suspiciously before opening the gate.
"Ah yes." He said blankly. "We were expecting you." He offered her a small plastic bottle of water. "Here, I understand it has been warm today."

 

[Caits_Meow]

(( sorry. It didnt notify me you replied ))

Meera nodded toward the man, thanking him for the water. She approached the gate as she unscrewed the top and took a drink, giving him a once over. Plainly, albeit nicely dressed, but no corporate logo or identifying markers.
"I don't suppose you could tell me more about the "we" expecting me?" She offered, though the man was probably just in charge of getting her inside to meet with the actual people who requested her. Still, if she could get any information as a heads up, she would take it.

 

[Da Doofus]

"People who've been monitoring your work, and are in similar lines of work." He said, escorting her to the door.
"Head down the main hall, and it is the last door on the right. Do not go anywhere else." He cautioned, opening the door for her.

 

[Caits_Meow]

Well that was purposefully vague. Though Meera didn't spend too much time on the thought -- she had come all this way on the little information she had, it was not going to stop her at the door now.
She followed the man's instruction, though did find her curiosity pulling her eyes in every direction as she walked. Meera was nothing but observant, a staple of her line of work, though had to admit it did tend to get her into some tight spots as much as it got her out of them.
Meera approached the intended door, lightly knocking three times once she stopped in front of it.

 

[Da Doofus]

The door unlocked automatically, and an office became visible inside. Paintings of notable angelic figures lined the walls, along with marble busts of ancient philosophers.
At the metal desk sat a woman with snow-white hair, an odd quality considering her youthful beauty.

"Thank you for coming earlier than expected." She smiled for a brief second. "Please, sit down."

 

[Da Doofus]

The door unlocked automatically, and an office became visible inside. Paintings of notable angelic figures lined the walls, along with marble busts of ancient philosophers.
At the metal desk sat a woman with snow-white hair, an odd quality considering her youthful beauty.

"Thank you for coming earlier than expected." She smiled for a brief second. "Please, sit down."

 

[Caits_Meow]

Meera entered the room, immediately drawn to the paintings and sculptures. She thought she recognized some of them, potentially Raphael or Guido Reni depictions of Michael or Gabriel, but they seemed more detailed and in much better condition than just any old world fresco painting.
"Not a problem," Meera answered the woman, taking a seat opposite her. She set her water bottle down on the side table next to her chair, folding her hands in her lap. "Though, I am a bit surprised at receiving your invitation. Most jobs go through my family and are assigned by random, but the envelope was addressed to me specifically."

 

[Da Doofus]

She eyed the water bottle, and looked at her.
"I prefer to keep our recruitment processes in the safety of anonymity." She wrote something down on a notepad. "That and a lot of families in such a heritage don't care to hear of us."

 

[Caits_Meow]

"And who exactly is this us, if you don't mind me asking?" Meera said, not unkindly. "I don't mean to prematurely ruin your anonymity, but I would like to hear more about what this place is and your intentions. You're not exactly" she gestured around to the elaborate room decor "my normal clientele."

 

[Da Doofus]

"Ah yes." She nodded. "The name I'm commonly called these days is Az. You may have heard of the Exodus Commission?" She raised a brow.

With that name, it would become clear why anonymity would be priority. The Commission was an underground, international group of Hunters that employed unorthodox methods. Making bargains with Exiled Demons, being the most condemned.
Some families and freelancers treat them no better than Dregs.

 

[Caits_Meow]

The Exodus Commission. Meera's expression became strained at those words. She would be all but disowned for even accepting the invitation to meet here, if her family ever found out about it. Apart from their namesake, the Gray family only saw the world in black and white -- the hunters and the hunted. They were a proud family, one that Meera had a hard enough time fitting in with all her life. This type of deal would threaten to outcast her even more.
"So this job..." she began, sitting forward in her seat more now. Az had definitely garnered her attention with that reveal. "What level of commitment does it entail? And what, or whose, agenda would I be fulfilling? I have to admit... this would be a bit of a risk for me personally."

 

[Da Doofus]

"You would become excommunicated from the Church and any prior contacts. As far as the rest of the world knows, you would be dead." She explained blankly. "In exchange for this commitment, you will have access to a vast network of resources and information regarding the supernatural, as well as our support in your endeavors. We are condemned by others, yes, but we are the ones who have survived the longest. Not my coincidence or luck."
She peered up at her with eyes that were an extraordinarily bright blue.
"Those are the terms."

 

[Caits_Meow]

"Dead," Meera parroted, standing up with a roll of her eyes. "That's quite a high price... you're asking me to leave my entire life behind. My family, my friends," she continued, pacing near the wall of particularly extravagant paintings and angellic trinkets. Not that she had many friends or a life outside being a hunter, but she had the freedom to chose those things if she pleased.
But the knowledge she would gain? The opportunity to do more good than she thought possible with her current network and resources -- could it sway her?
"When would I need to start?" Meera asked Az, eyes not leaving a particular painting of an archangel on the wall. She wasn't agreeing yet, but she certainly hadn't turned down the offer and stormed out of the building either.

 

[Da Doofus]

"You would begin orientation in the morning." She answered. "Normally we would authorize you within the day, but two of my operatives are working a case in town that requires supervision."

The painting that Meera had become transfixed upon was of a cloaked angel, whose face was shrouded by a cowl, piercing the chest of a fiery creature in the clouds.
The style was reminiscent of the classic Renaissance, but it was not one she had seen before.

The title read: 'Azrael's Fall with Azazel'

 

[Caits_Meow]

Of course, so soon. Meera exhaled, arms folded across her chest as she studied the painting, thinking through the pros and cons while she had such little time to decide for what may be the biggest decision of her life.
Who she would be working for, what she would be committing to... hell, who she was even discussing all this with right now was... daunting.
"Alright," Meera announced after a few more moments of calculated silence. "I agree to your terms."

 

[Da Doofus]

"Good." Az answered. "I will make preparations for your temporary quarters." She typed on a nearby laptop. "You can learn the layabout of the facility, but stay within authorized sections." Her eyes followed her on that last statement.

A cellphone rang, and Az answered it from her pocket.
"Yes?"

The response was an assortment of gunshots, discordant shouting, and the caller spouting something that sounded muffled from Meera's distance.
All that could be made out was a cockney accent in one of the voices.

"I'll take care of it." Az answered without breaking a beat in her expression, pushing the button to end the call.
"Like I said: requires my supervision." She stood. "Welcome aboard."
As she stepped from the chair, she did so with a walking stick to compensate for what looked to be a very bad limp.

 

[Caits_Meow]

Meera nodded and watched Az curiously as she completed her phone call.
"I have a duffle bag in my car, but left most of my personal belongings and supplies back home. I didn't expect the meeting to go quite like this..." she admitted, eyes lingering on Az's cane and leg for a half second before meeting her gaze again. "I assume having access to your 'vast resources' may include more clothes and weapons as needed?"

 

[Da Doofus]

"Of course, but aside from basic firearms, weaponry is dispensed according to the task at hand." She explained, picking up the laptop and a stack of papers.
"I apologize for the rushed atmosphere." She said, passing her with the cane clacking on the polished floor. "Please know that I am grateful to have you with us." She opened the door for Meera.
"Thank you."

 

[Caits_Meow]

Meera nodded, starting out of the room. "I understand -- business first," she commented when Az apologized.
She looked down the hallway, wondering what other sorts of rooms this facility housed that would be deemed 'unauthorized'.
"I'll keep to myself while you take care of things. Let me know if there is anything I can help with... otherwise I will plan for orientation tomorrow morning," Meera added, holding her hand up in a mock salute to Az before stepping off.

 

[Da Doofus]

Along the walls were cases of historical artifacts or more paintings of Biblical figures.
If this place wasn't shrouded in secrecy it would make an impressive museum.
One case bolted to the wall held a massive tooth that reminded her of something from a dinosaur, but the non-fossilized texture proved it was most likely from something from the supernatural foodchain.

Further down, the path forked. One led down a hallway that looked like a living quarters, the other held a list of active agents on a digital display on the far wall.

 

[Caits_Meow]

Meera looked along the walls in awe, eyes dancing over every display. As soon as the room forked, the instinctively passed up the hallway toward the living quarters for the other. She stood there in silence for a short while, looking over all the active agents studiously. She left turned around to start toward the living quarters.

 

[Da Doofus]

All of the names were intials placed next to assigned locations. Each one in pairs.
There was only one pair stationed in Salem, and the initials were S.L. and then just S.

The living quarters stretched out like a line of apartment rooms, only one stood open for her to enter.
The interior was a basically laid out room with the necessities. Bed, dresser, lamp, bathroom, closet.
It was almost like a hotel room mixed with an office.