Chosen || Sailor Moon and VanillaCola ||

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

Casey

Daily prayers were done and dusted, but Casey remained in the pews of the church. As other church members left, going off to do their midday training or teaching sessions, Casey stayed seated, staring up at the monolithic stained glass windows. Unlike the traditional scenes that other church windows displayed, these windows depicted mythical creatures being slain by glowing warriors. Three-headed beasts, half-man half-wolf abominations, pale ghouls covered in blood. All of the were being slain by cross-wearing people of light – the hunters of the church.

"Casey," A rough voice said, prompting Casey to look away from the windows. Father Black was stood beside her, dressed in his usual priest attire. Looking around, Casey found that she and Black were the only two people left, everyone else having now cleared out. She realised that now was one of the best moments to bring up her concerns and questions, the thoughts that had been plaguing her for a while now.

"When will I do all that?" Casey asked, gesturing toward the stained glass windows. She was nineteen now and knew about her responsibilities as a hunter. She had received training, had been taught the way of light. And yet, she still hadn't gone out into the world and hunted the supernatural beings that existed in the shadows. The young woman yearned for a fight, craved to follow her chosen path. But she couldn't. She had been held back due to her lack of experience and the need for a partner. Father Black had explained this many times, and she expected him to give her the same spiel he always did.

However, this time seemed different. He took a seat beside her, a slight smile gracing his lips. His age showed in the wrinkles on his face, and he was well past his days as a hunter. Nowadays, he taught the new recruits and sought out the chosen ones, listening to the words of the gods and goddesses as they gave him the names of those they had selected to be hunters. Taking a deep breath, Father Black began to speak. "You may not have to wait long. The higher beings have spoken to me, and they told me of a new chosen one. She is the same age as you, and whilst she does not have nearly as much training as you, her abilities show a lot of potential."

Casey was more than intrigued. She raised an eyebrow and smiled, glad to hear of this new recruit. "Where is she?" Casey was desperate to go out and hunt, and she knew that the only way she could do that was if they found this new chosen girl.

"She is yet to be approached," Father Black replied. He stood up from his seat and motioned for Casey to follow him as he walked through the pews, the young woman doing so as she listened to him. "Her powers are developing, and we need to teach her how to use them before they get out of hand. And as you know, those who are not approached soon are often turned into targets. For her sake and ours, we need to find her and bring her to the church. Since she is planned to be your partner, I have decided that I want you to come with me, Casey."

Casey stopped in her tracks, Father Black stopping shortly after her and turning to watch her. She couldn't believe that he was asking her to come with him – approaching chosen ones was usually reserved for the elders and most powerful members of the church, and the opportunity was something to be valued. "Really?" She questioned, grinning.

"Of course. You need to meet your partner as soon as possible, after all." The two of them continued to walk, Casey trying her best to conceal her excitement. She was looking forward to finally going out there and taking on the supernatural beasts that roamed the world, more so than actually meeting her partner. Sure, she wanted to see who she would be teaming with, but her main concern was fulfilling her destiny as a hunter.

The two of them exited the main church building and went out into the small front courtyard. The day was rather dreary, the sky a light grey colour. Clouds had come in – it was going to rain. But that wouldn't ruin Casey's mood. Besides, she liked it when the days were darker and greyer. There was a slight chill to the air, causing goosebumps to form on Casey's bare arms. But not even that could faze her, the young woman following Father Black over to the grand oak tree in the centre of the courtyard.

"A letter has been sent to her residence, informing her of our impending arrival," he explained. "We will go to visit her today, in a couple of hours. I apologise for the lack of notice, but I have been busy. The higher beings have been much more vocal over the past few days – something I am a little concerned about." He looked at the oak tree, his gaze moving up the trunk and toward the branches and leaves. "Something isn't quite right, but we need to focus on our mission and responsibilities." After a short pause, Black looked back at Casey and smiled. "Go and prepare for the meeting. No formal clothes are needed, but maybe dressing up in more smart casual attire is the way to go."

"Of course, Father." With that, Casey took her leave, returning to her quarters to get dressed. Who this new chosen one was, Casey didn't know, and she looked forward to meeting the girl. With any luck, this new recruit wouldn't stand in the way of Casey's path. She was aware that some recruits took the news of being a 'chosen one' better than others, and she could only hope that there wouldn't be any issues.
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks

Chime

Chime was seated on the floor with several of her college textbooks open when her roommate Brael entered their dorm. She hardly spared the girl a glance, her mind focused on absorbing as much of the course material as possible before her test in a few hours, and the last thing Chime needed was any distractions. Unfortunately, Brael being in the room had made studying for Chime all the more difficult as her energy was nagging at Chime, and her thoughts were scattered all over the place. Words like 'letter' and 'Church of Celestial Shadows' kept being repeated, and then 'Chime', which caused the teal-haired girl to glance up at her roommate, who was now hovering over one of her text books. One of their dorm rules was to not disturb each other when either of them was studying, which explained Brael's reluctance to approach Chime.

"Chime?" Brael said, arms held behind her back as she looked down at her roommate.

Chime finally gave in to her roommate and smiled calmly, like she hadn't just been disturbed. Her roommate must have had something important to tell her if she was willing to break one of the first rules they had ever established, so she waited for Brael to fess up. "Yes, Brael?"

"I accidentally opened one of your letters. I know, I know. We said never to go through each other's things, but it was just so weird," Brael confessed, a guilty look on her face. "It was from this like, weird church or something, so I opened it to see what it was about. I really don't know what compelled me to even do that, but apparently it's called 'The Church of Celestial Shadows' and honestly it sounds like some weird cult. Are you in a cult?" Brael asked, eyes wide as she looked down at her roommate.

Chime closed her eyes slowly and sighed deeply as she processed what her roommate had just told her. She couldn't believe that Brael had gone through her mail, but even more strange was this 'Church of Celestial Shadows'. "No, I'm not in any sort of cult, Brael. I've never even heard of this Church of... whatever. Do you still have the letter?"

After hearing Chime's answer, Brael relaxed some and decided that her roommate was telling the truth. She had no reason to lie about being apart of a cult, right? And even if Chime was a little weird at times with her spacing out, she was pretty nice most of the time. "Okay. And yeah, I still have it..." Brael reluctantly moved her arms from behind her back, where she was concealing the opened envelope and letter. She extended her hand to Chime for her to take the letter.

Chime looked at the letter and hesitantly reached for it, but paused before her fingers could touch the paper. Something about this whole scenario seemed strange to Chime, but she shoved the negative feelings and paranoia down and took the envelope from Brael. "Alright. Thanks," Chime said, settling back down on the floor. "Oh, Brael?"

Brael turned to go into their kitchen, but stopped when she heard her name and looked at Chime. "Yeah?" She chirped, smiling.

"I would really, really appreciate if you didn't go through my mail again. Cult or not, it's none of your business." Chime said, her tone warm, but with an edge that meant she was serious. She didn't want to be rude, but Brael had invaded her privacy and she didn't want it to happen again. "That's all." She shifted her gaze onto the envelope in her hand and retrieved the letter, which triggered a vision. In it, she saw an older man dressed in priest's attire and a dark haired girl walking through a small courtyard. Their voices were muffled, but it was probably the clearest vision she had had in a long time.

After the vision ended, Chime blinked and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She set the letter down on the table, wondering what all of this meant. She hadn't yet learned the significance of her visions and the things she saw in them, especially since they usually outlined small things in the future. But something about this one seemed different than the others. ​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

Casey and Father Black had arrived at Chime's dorm not that long after midday, Casey dressed in more smart-casual attire whilst Black remained in his priest clothing. The two of them were an odd sight as they walked around the college campus, students staring at them and making small remarks. But Casey didn't mind. She was confident in who she was, and she wouldn't let anyone put her down for being around someone as important in her life as Father Black. He also didn't seem to pay any attention to the wandering eyes of the campus, focussed on going to Chime's dorm and addressing the chosen one.

"So this is what colleges look like," Casey noted, looking around. "I didn't think they'd be so crowded."

"A lot of people your age attend college. And we must be here during a break period, otherwise all of them would be attending lectures," Father Black explained. "You know, the option for you to attend college was always open. Is it something you regret not following up on?" Whilst Casey was a member of the Church of Celestial Shadows, she was also a young woman, and Black knew what ordinary young people usually did these days. Everyone at the church was given the option to follow a relatively 'normal' life, and Casey had been no different.

"No, I don't regret it," Casey replied. "I wanted to stay at the church and learn everything I could there. I'll never regret taking that path." She meant every word. Casey loved the church, loved the path it had allowed her to take in life. It was why she listened and followed every teaching, why she read the scriptures and attended every daily prayer session. The church had become her life, and she had become better because of it.

"There are many paths in life that we can take. Sometimes we can take more than one path to get to where we want, Casey." Father Black was doing that cryptic thing he liked to do again. Casey didn't mind it a lot of the time, since she had become accustomed to him speaking in such a way. But sometimes, she just wished that he would say what was on his mind in more direct terms. He just had to make it difficult to gauge his thoughts and feelings – that was something that couldn't be denied.

Once they had arrived at Chime's dorm, Father Black knocked on her room door and gave Casey a glance. A warm smile grew on his lips, and Casey returned it. However, she was slightly nervous at the prospect of meeting her partner. What if they didn't want to join the church? Would Casey be left to wait another year before she could go out and fulfil her duties? She hoped not, and as they waited for a response, Casey held her breath.

Assuming that Chime had opened the door, Father Black looked over and smiled. "Hello, we're looking for Chime Sparks? I'm Father Black of the Church of Celestial Shadows, and this is one of the church's members, Casey Ryan-Jones. We need to speak about the church and Ms. Sparks' membership." He paused, and then continued. "Could we come in? This is a rather private topic to speak about, and I feel it is best discussed where everyone is most comfortable." The two of them could only hope that Chime would take all of this well. They hadn't gotten into the meat of it all yet, but when they did, the best they could hope for was that a meltdown didn't occur.
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks
​

Chime managed to finish studying in time for her morning classes, but her mind was so consumed with questions about the odd letter she had received from this 'Church of Celestial Shadows' and the supposed visit they would be paying today that she could hardly focus during her exam. She kept thinking about the two people that she had seen in her vision, positive that the Priest she saw in the courtyard was the man who had also signed her letter, Father Black. The woman that she saw accompanying the priest was still a mystery to her, and she wasn't sure what role she played in all of this. Maybe the girl had been misplaced somehow, though that seemed highly unlikely.

The timer to signal the end of the exam buzzed and Chime had several unanswered questions. It wasn't that she didn't know the material, but that she spent more time than she had meant to ruminating over all of this weirdness. She groaned quietly to herself as her professor walked down the rows to pick up everyone's exams, before dismissing the class. Chime joined the crowd of students exiting the classroom and made her way across the campus, and to her dorm.

Chime knew that Brael still had an hour left in one of her lectures, so she had a bit of privacy to herself. Normally, she would take a nap, but with the knowledge that her guests would be arriving soon she decided to tidy up their tiny living space. "Or I could just call campus security and avoid this meeting altogether," Chime murmured as she threw away some soda cans and fast food bags. She began wiping down their coffee table with disinfectant wipes when there was a knock on the door. She looked at the door for a second before standing up and tossing the wipes into a trash can. She dusted her hands off and went to answer the door, though she only cracked it just a bit to see who she was dealing with.

When Chime saw that it was indeed the two people from her vision, she was at a loss for words. It was oddly relieving, yet horrifying that she had imagined something so vivid that had come true. She finally blinked and opened the door after registering what had been said to her. "Okay. Sure," Chime agreed, stepping aside so that the two of them could enter. She made wide eyes to herself when they had passed her, and then shut the door.

"I'm Chime." Chime figured she may as well introduce herself since they were looking for her anyway. Or, maybe they had her pictures and had already known who she was from the start. "I have a couch...if you want to sit down," she motioned over to a love seat pressed up against the wall, and then moved to take a seat in a mushroom chair. Chime didn't say anything to them at first, only watched and focused on their auras. Neither of them seemed hostile, so that was good at least. "So, can you tell me what this is about? How did you find me? I've never signed up for any memberships at any church."

"It was my parents, right? They sent you." Chime asked, and then concluded. She should have known from the start that this was the work of her parents, trying to reconvert her. ​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

When Chime stepped aside, Father Black and Casey entered her dorm room, the two of them going over to the couch and taking a seat. As questions began to arise, Father Black sat back and listened, prepared for anything. In all of his years of meeting the chosen ones, he had heard and witnessed everything he believed he could, and so he knew exactly how to approach all of these questions. Even when Chime brought up her parents, Father Black knew how to respond. It wasn't the first time that someone had assumed their parents were trying to convert or reconvert them – it was actually a rather common belief, especially in modern times.

"No, your parents didn't send us," Father Black began. "And you may not have signed up for any church membership, but the Church of Celestial Shadows calls for you. What I am about to tell you may shock or surprise you. You may not believe what I say, but please listen to me and suspend any disbelief you may have, if you can."

Father Black paused, and Casey watched as he took a deep breath. He was amazingly calm, though she assumed that he would need to be if he was to convince people of that what he had to say was true – no one would believe a madman, after all. Glancing around the room, Casey noticed the textbooks and other college-related items lying around. She had some textbooks based on traditional religious teachings, and so felt that she could somehow relate to the life of a normal college student. Of course, she also had access to very ancient and revered scriptures, something she imagined other students didn't have as much access to.

"Chime, you have been revealed to me as a 'chosen one'. I know that you have probably experienced your powers to some degree already, and the higher beings linked to the Church of Celestial Shadows have told me about you. We want you to join the church, so that you can be trained and gain more knowledge and control over your abilities. Learning more about your powers is sure to help you, and as soon as you have more control over them, the better." He paused. Now it was time to explain what the church wanted from Chime. Whilst they did train people, they also needed something in return. "Becoming a part of the Church of Celestial Shadows will require you to move into the church itself. There are quarters set up, and people your age live there as well. Casey, for example, has been living with us for six years. You can still go out, still have visitors and attend college. But to make sure you are safe and well, living at the church is for the best."

And now onto the hardest part. "With your powers, you are a potential target for forces that are beyond your knowledge. The church is responsible for hunting down supernatural creatures – we've been doing it for centuries. And you can help us, once you've gained more control over your abilities and have received proper training. I just want you to know that if you do not come with us to the church soon, your life, and the lives of those around you, may be in great danger."

"It's worth joining," Casey said, staring Chime right in the eyes. "The church isn't a terrible place, and they won't hurt you or force you into anything. They can save you, teach you about things you never knew existed. The church is worth it." Father Black smiled at Casey, before looking back over at Chime to try to gauge her reaction to this news. Casey just hoped that it would all go well. With any luck, this girl would become her partner, and Casey could finally go out there and do what she had wanted to do for so long.
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks
​

Chime felt little relief after learning that it wasn't her parents who had sent 'The Church of Celestial Shadows' to her. If not them, then who? She soon received the answer to that question as Father Black revealed that they had sent themselves. The conversation then took a sharp turn into crazyville, leaving Chime's head spinning and her eyes wide with disbelief. They nearly reeled her in with the talk of her 'powers' and she genuinely felt intrigued, possibly understood by these two strangers in her living room. No one knew about Chime's strange abilities except for her parents, and they had never referred to them as 'powers' or 'abilities', they were symptoms of her 'mental disorder' or the Devil's work in their eyes. It couldn't ever be seen as something positive.

As Father Black continued to explain, Chime's emotions bounced between belief and disbelief with disbelief being the dominant emotion majority of the time. She scoffed at the idea of 'supernatural creatures', though she continued to listen to what Father Black was saying. The fact that she was even entertaining a word that Father Black said was baffling to her. A part of her did believe what they were saying, but where was the proof? Her eyes went to Casey as she spoke up. Casey didn't look like a weird convert or victim of a cult, but that didn't mean she wasn't crazy too. They probably did this all of the time, cult leaders and it's members were masters of manipulation, and there was no guarantee that anything they said was true. Even if this seemingly normal girl could vouch for the authenticity of Father Black's claims, did they really expect her to uproot her life to move into some strange church?

Chime bit the corner of her lower lip and shifted her gaze to Father Black and then back to Casey. She could sense that they both wanted her to believe them, that everything they were saying was true. It was all overwhelming her. "I don't know," Chime said. She exhaled deeply, shaking her head lightly and closing her eyes briefly as she attempted to process everything that had just been told to her. "You guys are either really good liars, or convinced that your lies are the truth." Chime folded her arms and crossed her legs, making eye contact with Casey. "Okay. If these supernatural creatures actually exist why haven't I ever seen them? Have you ever even seen them? What if those six years you spent in that place were all a waste of time and there's no such thing?"

"Actually, don't answer that. I don't want to hear anymore lies," Chime interrupted, getting up from her mushroom chair. "I'm fine where I'm at. I don't want to join any weird church or hear anything more about it." The teal haired girl walked over to the door and held it open, refusing to look at the two of them as she waited for them to take their leave.


​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

When Chime spoke up, Casey and Father Black listened in closely. As Chime dismissed them as being liars or speaking lies, Casey immediately frowned. Father Black, on the other hand, remained smiling. He had dealt with this all before. Whilst he didn't want to seem cocky, people rejecting the ideas of the church was nothing new. This wasn't over, despite what Chime may have wanted to believe. Even if Casey had become disheartened, Father Black would not. In fact, he had dealt with reactions far worse than this – there was no way they were walking away just yet.

Once Chime addressed Casey, the young woman was desperate to respond, but Chime was having none of it, it seemed. Before Casey could even open her mouth, Chime was interrupting, saying that she didn't want to hear any of it. Casey scowled, though she hid it by looking down at the hands in her lap. She only looked up again when she heard the door opening, Chime clearly wanting the two of them to leave. Standing up from the couch, Casey was prepared to go, her excitement at the possibility of going out and being a hunter dissipating rapidly. Before she walked out of the door for good, she looked over at Father Black, who was still seated. Casey stopped in her tracks, conflicted as to what to do. She looked over at Chime, and then back to Father Black as he began to speak.

"Us leaving now won't stop any of this," he said. He was still as calm as could be, unfazed by the fact that Chime wanted them gone. "You may not hear from us, but you will hear from the creatures that will soon be hunting you down. This isn't just about a church or a cult or whatever you think we are, this is about your safety."

He stood up from the couch, moving a little closer to Chime. "Your powers won't control themselves. I was told you have psychic abilities – they are integral to the church. And if you allow us to help you, then we can teach you how to use them properly. All whilst keeping you safe from harm." Father Black thought back on an earlier point that Chime had made. "I have seen these creatures. Ghosts, demons, werewolves, vampires, creatures you cannot even comprehend...they are all very real. More real than you want to believe they are. And if you don't listen to us, they will hurt you. It's horrible, but they will target you."

"You don't have to give up everything. There are people just like you in the church. People who have jobs, who go to college, who have families. They can still live their lives, just whilst living with the church and following it's teachings. Give us a chance, Chime, that is all we are asking now. Come to the church, see what life is like there. It will be beyond your expectations."

With Father Black finished, Casey began to speak. "I'll stay by your side," she began. "I may have stayed with the church for six years, and during that time I may not have had the kind of 'normal' life some others have had. But I can help you." They both hoped that that was enough to convince Chime. Neither of them wanted to leave having accomplished nothing, and with any luck, Chime would have heard them out. All she needed to do was come with them to see the church and what it was like – maybe then she would change her mind.
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks
​

Chime once again found herself drawn in by Father Black's words and reluctantly made eye contact with him as he tried to persuade her to come to the church. He was so old that Chime couldn't just be a jerk to him. Plus, he was a priest, and while Chime wasn't exactly religious she still had respect for him. She wished the both of them would just leave already, but somehow she was still listening to everything they had to say. Father Black was so convinced that Chime was in danger that she began to think it could actually be a possibility. Were there really supernatural creatures plotting to harm her?

Chime felt overwhelmed by the news that Father Black had given her. She was fearful, and also hesitant to trust either of them. She looked to Casey as she spoke up, the dark haired girl claiming to stay by Chime's side. Chime could tell that Casey meant it, that she meant no ill will towards her. Her expression softened and she released her grip on the doorknob, hands falling to her sides as she made up her mind. "Alright. I'll go with you to see the church, but I'm not making any concrete decisions," she said, sighing. She grabbed her coat off of a hook in the wall and put it on, before leading the way out into the hallway. When they followed, she locked the door after them and started leave, unsure of where to even go. She didn't have a car, and had no idea of where this church was located.

​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

Noticing Chime's expression softening, both Casey and Father Black smiled. Father Black knew he would be able to convince Chime to go with them – after all, she wasn't the most difficult he had had to deal with. When she finally said she would go to the church with them, Casey couldn't do anything to hide her grin. She was glad that they had managed to convince Chime. Now to actually let her see what the church was really like. Casey didn't doubt that seeing the church in real life would be the final step to convincing Chime to join.

"That's good to hear," Father Black said, following Chime out of the room. "We will allow you to make your own decisions once you get there. Try to keep an open mind, and remember all that I have told you." Father Black led the way through the campus, remembering the way they had come and where he had parked. Casey followed, still smiling slightly at the idea of Chime giving the church a chance. With any luck, she would see how great it was to be a part of the Church of Celestial Shadows, and would have no qualms with joining. Reaching Father Black's old sedan, Casey took a seat in the back and Black waited for Chime to get settled before setting off for the church. The journey wasn't a long one, and Father Black decided to stay quiet, filling the silence with the sound of the radio. He turned it to some old rock, the kind of music he used to listen to in his youth. Casey remained quiet for the journey as well, keeping her excitement under wraps as best as she could.

When they arrived at the church, Father Black parked up and led the two young women inside. A few members of the church were tending the garden outside the front door, both young and old people working together. They greeted Black as he passed, and he nodded back out of politeness. Now was a time for business, though he would still keep an air of friendliness about him. "This is the Church of Celestial Shadows," He said, stopping in the doorway and turning to look at Chime. "It's been here for many years now, and it's hardly ever been renovated. You've probably passed it a few times, maybe even given it a quick look-over."

Leading Chime and Casey inside, Father Black gestured at the stained glass windows. "These have been collected over several decades. They detail the creatures we fight as hunters of the church. Don't let them scare you though, a lot of the paintings are somewhat exaggerated." Walking down past the pews, Father Black paused near the front stage, looking around as he smiled. "This is where a lot of our ceremonies take place, as with any other church. We have daily prayers – which are optional but encouraged – and we perform all manner of events here. Weddings, funerals, christenings, hunter ceremonies, we do everything here." He continued on, leaving the main church area and heading out toward the main courtyard behind the building. Father Black gave Chime a tour, with Casey tagging along to gauge Chime's reactions. He took them to the living quarters, which whilst being rather antiquated, were still very nice and well-maintained. Casey had always loved her room, it had made her feel more welcome than ever. Black showed Chime the library, the classrooms, and the training areas. With almost everything explained, he led the two back to the main courtyard, offering for Chime to take a seat on a nearby bench.

"As you can see, we are more than just a church. We aim to please every member of our community, and we won't leave anyone behind," Father Black told her, still smiling as warmly as ever. "All of the teachers here know what they are doing, and they can help you with your abilities. They will do everything in their power to make sure you are happy here, and you are learning."

"Everyone is great here," Casey added. "And the ones who aren't – well, you don't see a lot of them."

"Is there anything else you'd like to see before you make a decision, Chime?" Father Black asked. "Or have you made your mind up?"​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks
​

Chime sensed hope radiating off Casey and Father Black as they walked across the campus. They were relieved that was Chime had agreed to go to the church, holding onto the possibility that she would join their cult. Chime was able to hear Father Black's thoughts, and he was convinced that she would be impressed by the Church and it's members. That thought was enough to make Chime smirk, but she remained quiet and got into the sedan after Casey. The darker haired girl seemed to be cool about it all, but Chime knew better than that, Casey's aura's was flickering and waving with excitement.

When the car slowed to a permanent stop, Chime looked up from her phone and out the window. She saw the church standing tall, but didn't note anything 'special' about it. It looked just like every other Church Chime had seen, but with a bit more of a budget than some others. Chime put her phone away into one of her coat pockets and exited the car, following closely behind Father Black and Casey. Her eyes were naturally drawn to all of her new surroundings, the stained glass windows specifically catching her attention. As if right on cue, Father Black began to explain the meaning behind them, and Chime couldn't hide her disbelief. They really would not give up on the whole 'supernatural hunter's' spiel. "I see." Chime glanced over at Father Black and followed him over to the front stage. Probably the most uninteresting thing she had seen so far. The stained glass windows were much more intriguing, even if they were just lies.

The rest of the tour was actually pretty interesting to Chime. It all seemed sort of normal, not unlike her college, albeit smaller. She tried to envision herself living at the Church of Celestial Shadows, doing God knows what in her free time. Fighting Supernatural Crime? Training her psychic abilities? Even if she did agree to stay, Chime was convinced that she was the last person that this church would want on their team. She couldn't really fight at all, and was somewhat of a baby. The dark still frightened her at times, so how could she help fight off things that potentially lurked around in it?

Out in the courtyard, Chime was sitting on a bench, listening to Father Black and Casey as they offered their last selling points. After they finished up, Chime decided to say whatever came to her mind. "Look, I'd be lying if I didn't say the church was much cooler than I had anticipated, but I just don't know about any of this. You're asking me to move out of my dorm and into this strange place and change my whole lifestyle around for some...some church that supposedly hunts all of these creatures that aren't even actually supposed to exist?"

"I honestly feel like I'm in a dream." Chime said, pausing for a moment, though obviously not finished speaking. She gazed up at the trees shading the courtyard, and then back to Father Black. "How am I supposed to help you, anyway? I can't fight, really...Not that I've ever even tried. But even if I could, why me? Why not someone more qualified, like a cop?" Chime asked, turning her attention Casey. She didn't want to say it, but Casey was the last thing she thought of when imagining someone who hunted the supernatural. It just didn't make any sense to Chime.​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

Father Black listened to Chime's voiced concerns. They were valid worries, and he understood where she was coming from. Many others had been the same, even Casey's parents had voiced similar concerns. The idea of moving into a church was something that many found difficult to comprehend, but Father Black was intent on showing Chime that everything would be okay. And when she began to question how she could even help, Black wanted to explain everything to her even more.

"Moving into the church is something a lot of people have worried about, but it is no different from a college dorm. The only change is that you'll be right new to a church, and not a college building," Father Black said, smiling. "And we're not asking you to change your entire lifestyle. Yes, the church will come into your life, and hopefully become a priority, but you can still be a normal young woman. You can still attend college, meet your friends, go out and do what other people your age do. We just ask that you show some kind of commitment to the church."

"And as for how you can help, fighting isn't the only thing you can do. Casey can probably explain it to you better." Father Black looked over at Casey, giving her a small smile.

"Yeah, fighting isn't everything. I'm not the best at combat either, but I know how to use gadgets and weapons. They teach you how to craft them, and my tutor says I've got a knack for it. You can make all kinds of stuff – no need to even enter the battlefield. They will train you how to fight though, so you won't be at a disadvantage in the field. I use all sorts of gadgets that I craft myself: smoke bombs, flashbangs, throwing darts, all sorts." Casey was beaming, proud of all of her crafting skills. "Sure, I've never used them on supernatural creatures, but they're very effective in the testing stages. And I've even made some for other hunters, and none of them have ever complained."

"Cops are of no use if they don't have the abilities you do, Chime," Father Black finally added. "Please, consider your stance on this. We won't force you into anything you don't like."
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks
​

Chime heard what Father Black was saying, but none of it was enough to fully convince her that staying wouldn't be a huge mistake. She was beginning to regret having agreed to see the church at all, both Casey and Father Black annoying her with their niceness and smiles. They seemed to have an answer for all of Chime's concerns, which may have made an ordinary person happy, but not Chime. Chime was overwhelmed by all of the things she was hearing, especially from Casey. Casey's reassurance caused Chime to internally recoil away from anything having to do with church, her eyes squinting at the other girl skeptically. How could someone that wasn't a Nun or Priest be so content living in a Church? Another question for another time.

"Sorry. I just...don't think I can commit to what you're asking of me," Chime responded after Father Black finished speaking. The tiniest bit of guilt was tugging at her heart. She didn't want to second guess herself any longer - this was the right decision to make. "I have to go to school and I have a roommate. I can't just up and abandon Brael for something that isn't even for sure. She wouldn't survive on her own," she said, standing up from the bench and facing Casey and Father Black. "I appreciate the tour and ride, but it's just not in the cards for me right now. Maybe some other time?" With her final words spoken, Chime turned away from the couple and pulled out her phone. She had a few dollars to spare on a taxi, which was a much better option than taking an awkward car ride back with Father Black or Casey. And she doubted they wanted anything to do with her now after being rejected.

Chime made her way through the courtyard and, instead of walking through the interior of the church, she took a detour through a gate leading around it. Most churches had different ways to enter, and with how scenic it was there must have been a path leading back to the front.

​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

When Chime apologised and said how she believed she would be unable to commit to the church, Casey's smile faded once again. Father Black remained neutral, wanting to allow Chime to have her own opinion without feeling terrible about it. She was allowed to decline the offer to join the church, as much as that was a bad decision. Father Black was more concerned about Casey though, his eyes shifting over to the young woman and noticing the utter disappointment that was evident in her expression.

"That's fine, I understand," Father Black replied. "Joining the church is no easy decision, and I respect yours." The two of them watched as Chime left, Father Black wondering if he should offer Chime a ride back to the college. However, he saw her take her phone out, and imagined that she already had an idea of how to get back. He decided to let her get on with it – it was unlikely she wanted to be driven around by him or anyone else from the church, especially after rejecting the offer to join.

Casey took a seat on the nearby bench, Father Black joining her when he saw how disheartened she looked. Inside, Casey was absolutely crushed. Her chance to go out and do what she was meant to do as a chosen one was now gone, Chime having walked out on the church. It seemed like Casey would never be able to become a hunter, and that hurt her more than anyone would be able to comprehend. Why would no one be her partner? Why did the one person who was meant to join her leave before they had already begun?

"It's okay, Casey," Father Black ensured her. "She may return. And if she doesn't, we can find another partner for you."

"But I've waited for so long," Casey replied, looking over at Black. "Why won't anyone work with me? How long is it going to take to find someone else?"

"I don't know." Father Black could sense Casey's frustrations with all of this, and he knew how much becoming a hunter meant to her. It was just a shame that things never seemed to work out in her favour. "I promise you'll become a hunter soon. We just need to be patient for now."

Casey was sick of being patient, sick of waiting around. But she would do what Father Black said. Disregarding him and what he was saying was disrespectful, and the last thing she wanted to do was cause trouble for her teacher and guide. But the more Casey had to wait, the more impatient she knew she would become.
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks
​

A week had passed since Chime's meeting with the Church of Celestial Shadows and truthfully, Chime was happy to be done with that strange moment in her life. She had spent nearly a whole day after the fact paranoid and fearful that there might actually be supernatural beings preying on her - worried that at any moment some demon would reveal themselves to her. No such thing happened. In fact, nothing had changed, and Chime was convinced that the claims Father Black had made were bogus. She hated to say it, but there were some truly delusional people in the world, and some of them winded up in positions of power with loyal followers.

It had been a close call, but Chime was enjoying being a regular college girl. She had taken her normalcy for granted before, staying holed up in her dorm room with her college text books and not really going out much at all. Chime was like Casey in a way, but with this new appreciation for life came the desire to go out and do more with her youth. Lucky for Chime, her roommate was something of a party animal and was in with all of the so-called cool kids in the city. When Brael found out about how strange the Church of Celestial Shadows turned out to be she promised to drag Chime out to one the house parties to make up for invading her privacy, and as a way to get her out of their dorm room. There would be no excuse for Chime to be tempted by weird cults anymore.

Chime was feeling better than ever about this new leaf she was turning, and it didn't hurt that she actually looked decent. Her hair was curled, winged eyeliner perfect, and her lips painted a deep red all for this party that would be filled with potential new friends. Now, she just needed Brael to arrive already. Brael was supposed to be coming straight home from work to pick her up, but Chime hadn't heard a peep out of the girl since early in the evening and it wasn't like her to be this late. Poking her lips out in disappointment, she glanced over at her phone on the nightstand and waited to see if it would buzz or beep. She watched it for about thirty seconds, before sitting up in bed and snatching it off the little table. Her fingers began working away on a new message for Brael.

Chime's Phone

Me: Hey? Where are you? You said 7 and it's already 8:30

Brael: Sorry.

Me: Is everything okay? I know you're sort of forgetful, but I thought you really wanted to go to this party?

Brael: Come down I just pulled up.

Me: Okay. Omw down.

​

Usually Chime was the one with the curt responses while Brael would push for more information, but the roles had suddenly reversed. Brael was obviously not all that concerned with being late, or Chime's 'coming out' party. Chime sighed deeply, the brief text exchange from Brael leaving the teal haired girl exhausted. Perhaps, Brael was just having a bad day at work. If that was the case, then Chime was committed to making sure they both had an unforgettable night. Smiling at that idea, Chime got out of the bed and grabbed her cross body clutch purse off a nail hanging in the wall. She checked her reflection in the mirror quickly, and then hurried downstairs.

Outside, Chime could see Brael's car parked across the street from the dorm. That wasn't her friend's usual parking place, but Chime didn't find it too odd. Brael was very clearly off of her game. She walked across the street towards the blue hatchback car and swung open the door, taking her place in the passenger seat. Brael appeared to wince when Chime sat down, but a smile soon found her lips.

"You okay?" Chime asked, eyebrows narrowed and her eyes full of confusion. She couldn't hear much of anything in Brael's head at the moment. It didn't help that her mind reading abilities were limited to just words, but Brael's head was truly empty, which was strange for anyone. Her aura seemed heavily suppressed as well, not that Chime was an expert on these sorts of things. She chose not to ask any more questions since Brael couldn't be bothered with answers. Her attention shifted to what was outside the window as Brael started up the car and pulled into the street to begin the drive to the party.


After about an half an hour Brael took a sudden turn into a field of tall grass with no clear road anywhere in it. The car shook and bounced as they ran over only God knows what. Chime gave her friend a horrified look, unsure of what to say in this situation as she was torn between looking out the window and back at Brael, who had turned into a psycho over night.

"We're almost there, Chime. Don't worry, I'll take care of you," Brael said calmly, a sinister tone in her voice as she glanced over at Chime, who looked like a startled deer. She stopped the car on the outskirts of the field where the wood began. There was a small farmhouse almost completely covered by the overgrown grass, but it didn't look too intimidating to Chime. She trusted Brael. Some of her roommates ideas that had seemed outlandish at first actually turned out to be pretty enjoyable, so she would just follow her lead. Turning a new leaf, and all that.

Chime unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car only seconds after Brael did. She scanned the area for any other signs of life, but it seemed pretty dead. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure we've missed whatever party was going on out here. You sure they weren't just pulling a prank, or something?" Chime asked, growing irritated at the prospect that they had wasted their time.

"Come on," Brael responded, walking over to the front door of the house. It looked so old and so disgusting, that Chime refused to move. Brael turned the door knob and looked at Chime, a scowl on her face. "The party is upstairs, Chime. Would you stop being an infant and come on already?"

Chime had had it with Brael's attitude, and was about ready to snap back when her legs began moving on their own. That thoroughly shut her up as she was transported against her will into the house. It was dusty and smelled just as old as it looked. There was no possible way a party was taking place here. "Brael, this isn't funny..." Chime said, suddenly unable to move her own body. She heard the door lock behind her, and then several heavy foot steps coming from the floor above them.

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

A week had gone by, and Casey had lost any hope that Chime would be joining the church. Whilst Father Black had convinced her that she would soon have a partner, it was looking less and less likely each day. No new chosen ones had been named by the gods and goddesses, and the current members of the church were either already coupled with a partner, or just didn't mesh with Casey. Father Black had told her to look out for Chime, and whilst Casey had done that for the first couple of days, occasionally sneaking around the campus and checking in on Chime, she had given up after a while. Chime just didn't seem interested, and it seemed unlikely that Casey telling Chime she was stalking her would convince the college student to suddenly change her mind. The young woman had spent most of the week in her room, lounging around in bed and wallowing in her own sadness. The change had been easily noticed by Father Black, though Casey had shut herself off from everyone else, including him. For the first time in years, Casey had begun to question whether staying at the Church of Celestial Shadows was worth it. It was the only life she knew, but after Chime had so flippantly dismissed it and never returned, Casey wondered if she should leave it behind. Like Father Black had said, there were many paths in life...or something like that.

Strolling down the cobblestone path in the small front courtyard, Casey took in the emptiness of the world around her. Almost everyone was attending daily prayers, and those who weren't were either in classes, or doing their own thing inside. The weather wasn't the best, a slight chill to the air and dark clouds forming overhead. Casey was sure it would rain soon, and had prepared herself by wearing a long, thick jacket to stop any water from soaking her through. The coat also hid the wrinkled and old clothes she was wearing, the outfit having been found on her bedroom floor. There was no one around to see her anyway, so why would it matter?

Casey walked over to the large oak tree, following the path as it took her underneath the tree's branches. The shade was cold and dark, but she didn't mind too much - especially not when she began to hear the voices coming from the leaves. At first, she thought it was just another church member entering the courtyard, chatting away with a friend. But then, after realising that there was no one around except for her, Casey knew that it was the tree talking to her. Or better yet, the gods and goddesses communicating with her through the tree.

"Casey," the voices said, beckoning her. "You must help."

"What do you mean? Who are you?" Casey questioned, her gaze roaming the tree in search of the source of the voice. But it was coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once, from the branches, the leaves, the roots, the trunk... "What do you need me to do?"

"An important task has been laid out before you. You must protect others from the grasp of the supernatural who wish to feed on them. Stop those who reap and farm."

Casey looked at the tree with narrowed eyes, not quite sure what to make of the information that had just been give to her. "'Reap and farm'? Is that some kind of metaphor, or are we talking about literal supernatural farmers?" Perhaps she should have been more respectful toward the gods and goddesses, but she was a little too stunned and far too confused to worry about spiritual etiquette. "You want me to go and find these creatures?"

"Yes, find those who reap. They live where they farm. Go alone."

Casey was beginning to put piece together, though she imagined that this cryptic clues may have more to them than what was literally there. Or maybe not – after all, she had never spoken with a god or goddess before. Maybe they were more straightforward than Father Black was. "Thank you, godly ones," Casey said, remembering what her tutors had told her about greeting spirits. She gestured a rushed cross in front of herself and strolled away from the tree, thinking over the words that had been said. 'Those who reap', 'live where they farm'. There weren't any active farms around the city any more, not since it had been modernised. Most farms were either on the outskirts of the city or in the bordering towns. And all of the abandoned farmhouses had been demolished, replaced with houses or had been overgrown by forest. All except for that one. Casey could remember passing the abandoned farmhouse a few times whilst travelling around town. It was pretty out of the way, concealed by long grass, but if you went down a particular road, you could see it in the distance, desolate and mostly-hidden. That had to be it.

~~~

Casey had wasted no time in gathering her various gadgets and devices in preparation or her journey to the farmhouse. She was certain that it had to be the place the godly beings had told her about, and she wanted to get there as soon as possible. Of course, there was no guarantee anything would happen that particular night, but considering the beings had reached out to her and not someone like Father Black, she assumed it had to be urgent. She had walked to the farmhouse, a decision she regretted about halfway there. The drive alone would have taken over half an hour, and trekking there took even longer, especially with all of the items Casey was carrying in her backpack. But with no way of driving, and not wanting to tell anyone about her task, Casey went the route of getting there herself. Besides, walking there was far less suspicious then driving through the long grass on the way up to the farmhouse itself.

Once she arrived at the farmhouse, it was already dark. The small farmhouse had turned into something rather sinister for Casey, with wandering through the tall grass not helping in the slightest. It was almost like a maze, and she had gotten lost a few times during her journey up to the farmhouse whilst marching through the field. However, upon reaching the farmhouse, Casey was hesitant to enter. Her training taught her to never run into a situation head-first – you always planned ahead and scouted the area if possible. There was no denying that there was something creepy in the house, and Casey wanted to find out what it was before confronting it. Grabbing a pair of nightvision binoculars from her backpack, Casey stood a good distance away from the house and began to survey it. Looking all over the house, Casey couldn't see anything that jumped out at her. The eerie feeling remained, but any source of this feeling was undetected. Then, as she moved away from looking at the house, something caught her eye.

Hidden in the long grass was an old, run-down car. Through her nightvision binoculars, Casey could see how normal the car looked, and how it lacked any sign of life. Heading over, she pulled out a flashlight and began to inspect the vehicle. Rust had developed all over the exterior, and the doors were unlocked. Peering inside, Casey saw nothing of interest – no blood, no signs of a fight, no bodies. But then she investigated the glove compartment. As soon as she opened it, a glistening object flew out of the packed compartment, along with a couple of outdated maps and brochures. Grabbing the object, Casey easily identified it – considering she had one herself, it was easy to recognise. A Church of Celestial Shadows necklace had been left in the car, dust collecting on the silver chain. Such a necklace was given to new members of the church, and once you had been with the church for a while, you either continued to wear it, or eventually took it off to show you had moved on from your first steps. But apart from the dust, this one looked barely worn. In fact, upon looking in the glove compartment again, Casey found the open necklace case that the piece had fallen out of. On the bottom was a sticker: 'joined 2016'.

"This year," she mumbled to herself, stunned. She wouldn't be surprised if it had never been worn. Not many new members had joined this year, and most of those Casey recognised. She saw them around, saw them wear their necklaces proud and drive around the city in their cars. And she certainly didn't recognise this car. "A potential recruit," Casey muttered. "They must have been meant to join – but didn't get the chance to."

Before she could investigate further, she heard the sound of a car coming toward the farmhouse. Turning off her flashlight, Casey hid behind the abandoned car, peeking out and just managing to see the new arrival. Even through the darkness, she could see the teal hair of Chime. Casey's jaw fell slack – why was Chime here? And who was that girl that she was with? Concealing herself behind the car, Casey tried to listen in, just managing to hear the two girls's conversation. It seemed this other young woman was getting impatient with Chime, especially when Chime refused to follow her into the farmhouse. Why would they be going there? The place was abandoned, with multiple efforts having been put in to demolish the place. Yet they had all failed...mysterious 'accidents' often occurred at the workplace, or people went missing, or tools and vehicles broke down after being left there overnight. There was no reason for two girls to be there, especially not at this time of night.

Peeking back over the car, Casey watched as Chime followed the other girl into the farmhouse. There was something odd about the way Chime moved, almost as if she was moving against her will. Casey wondered what had changed Chime's mind. Just moments ago, she seemed adamant against going inside, and now she was following this girl into the farmhouse, no questions asked. When Chime disappeared out of view, vanishing into the house, Casey knew she had to do something. But she still had to determine what this threat was. As much as she hated leaving Chime out of view for a moment, Casey needed to scout out the place a bit more before taking any action.
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks

Brael Appearance

​

"I think it's hilarious." A deep voice said from behind Chime. She jolted slightly, chills running up her spine as she debated on turning around, or making a dash for somewhere else in the small farmhouse. Shutting her eyes tight, Chime made up her mind and turned slowly to face whoever was behind her. She couldn't just run away, especially since Brael was there. What if something had happened to her? Holding her breath, she opened one eye slightly, seeing a male figure in the dark, a devilish smile with sharpened teeth his most prominent feature.

"What did you do with Brael?" Chime asked, eyes shifting around the room cautiously. No sign of her friend anywhere. It was as if Brael had never been there in the first place, but that was impossible. This had to be some sort of trick. "Brael, you can stop now. Just come out, please."

The man took great in amusement in Chime's confusion and decided now was the time to amp things up. Rolling his head back, his body began to shift and shake as it took on a new form. His hair color gradually changed to a light blonde, growing much longer than it had been seconds before. He looked exactly like Brael, except his aura was all sorts of messed up. Chime could see him trying to suppress and match her friend's, but it wasn't working. "What's the matter? Don't I look prettier this way?" The man asked, his voice deep and masculine, unlike Brael's. He clearly didn't care to mask his voice.

Chime was horrified, in awe of what she had just witnessed. Her heart was racing and she didn't know where to go, or what to do. This had to be a nightmare, but why wasn't she waking up? Chime subtlety pinched herself on the thigh as hard as possible. When that didn't take effect, she looked around for anything to defend herself with. Feeling around on the small table beside her, she grabbed a dusty flower vase off the table, holding it up defensively. "Don't. Move."

The man sniffed the air, Chime's adrenaline and psychic abilities causing him to salivate. It had been a long time since he had eaten anything that smelled this good. Normal humans didn't usually cut it, but ones with unique abilities were much harder to come by, and he would often have to settle. Not this time. Unable to control his hunger, he lunged forward, claws extending from his hand as he made a grab at Chime's throat. The teal haired girl was much faster than he anticipated, with her easily sidestepping out of the way and bringing the vase crashing down on the back of his head. He cried out, turning swiftly to grab at Chime.

A strange energy had filled Chime, and her will to live was stronger than ever. She saw another move coming from the fake Brael and just barely managed to back step out of the way. She felt powerful. The man grew angry, his eyes glowing red as he quickly recovered from his mistake. He faked a punch, prompting Chime to evade, and then kicked her in the stomach, sending her into a nearby wall. Chime hit the wall hard, her body sliding down and onto the floor. ​

---​

The others heard the commotion from downstairs. They had been resisting the urge to intrude. Mathius was a young skinwalker, wanted to prove himself to the clan and secure his place among the group by bringing in something 'special'. They were fine with the young girl they had brought in from the nearby college, but he was so sure that he could do better than them. Told them they could use her to get to something much better, much tastier.

"Go. See to Mathius," Dante said, frustration in his voice. Even from upstairs in the room he could smell the human's adrenaline pumping through her veins. He couldn't allow Mathius mess this up. Smirking, he placed his hand on Brael's forehead and caressed it gently. She was tied up on an altar, blood running down the sides of her head and on her wrists. She was alive, but knocked out. The only thing keeping her alive was the skinwalkers desire to have Chime instead.








​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

Casey knew that she had to act fast. She could sense supernatural presences in the farmhouse, and with Chime and that other girl having gone inside, it was only a matter of time before trouble erupted. Jogging over to the farmhouse, Casey wondered if there was another way inside. Going through the front door would mean colliding head on with Chime and whatever else was in the house, and she needed to take a stealthier approach. Unfortunately, the quick check she did showed that all of the windows and any other doors had been boarded up – removing them would mean making too much noise. Guess it's the front door then, Casey thought as she crept over to the door, though it seemed that was off limits too. The door was locked, no doubt having been sealed by whatever malevolent force was inside. It seemed there was no choice but to make a loud entrance.

Reaching into her backpack, Casey retrieved a small sticky explosive. It didn't do too much damage, but was good for distracting enemies and, now, breaking open locked doors. Placing the bomb over the lock, Casey listened in as she heard what sounded like fighting going on inside. The loud bang of the bomb and breaking of the lock alerted her, and she kicked the door open, her hand already reaching for another gadget. Storming into the farmhouse, Casey only just registered a downed Chime and a glowing-eyed girl before she threw a smoke bomb down at the floor, the canister ejecting thick grey smoke as it hit the ground.

The glow of the creatures eyes was still visible through the smoke, and Casey moved into a stealthier position as the creature growled and fought through the distraction. Once the smoke had dissipated, Casey had taken refuge in the shadows and watched as the creature's façade fell, revealing the human yet devilish appearance. A skinwalker, Casey realised as she retrieved a throwing dart. Before she could even aim, another man appeared, coming from upstairs.

"What the hell are you doing, Mathius?" The new man asked, words biting. He too had a strange not-quite-human look about him, though he looked older than Mathius. There were a few scars visible on the man's skin, and his age showed in his face.

"I was bringing that one in," he said, pointing at Chime, "but then another girl came in and attacked me. This new one is more equipped – she's one of those hunters."

"Just grab that one and bring her up to Dante, I'll deal with the hunter."

Hearing this, Casey threw her dart at the man, the sharp end lodging itself in his exposed shoulder and causing him to stumble out of shock. Mathius instantly looked in Casey's direction before she could retrieve another weapon, and she knew that she'd have to fight hand-to-hand now. Rushing at Mathius, Casey swung a few times, Mathius dodging most of them and only getting clipped by the last punch. In retaliation, he quickly swiped at Casey's face with his claws, catching her cheek and causing her to step back. Mathius lunged at her, but Casey dodged and gave a sharp kick to his knee, causing him to crumble to the ground. A final hard stomp to the face had him knocked down for at least a few minutes, but there was the other skinwalker to deal with. Before Casey could event turn around, the skinwalker had his arm wrapped around her throat, slowly choking the life out of her. Casey pushed him backward, though she could still feel her airways being constricted as he held onto her for dear life. Smacking the skinwalker into a table, Casey fumbled around behind herself in search of some kind of weapon before she was rendered unconscious by this man.

The feeling of rusty metal hit her fingers, and Casey knew she had found something good. A knife? She didn't know, couldn't see it. But it was worth a shot. Grabbing the metal object, Casey used all of her strength and drove it into the man's side, more than relieved when she felt the sharp object sink into his body and his arm loosening from around her neck. Escaping his hold, Casey struck the skinwalker with a vicious punch as he tried to tear the knife out of his side. He fell down to the floor, though Casey knew he was only stunned. One more strike and he was out, joining Mathius. With the two of them dealt with for now, Casey rushed over to Chime.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she retrieved something from her bag. The small bottle of pale liquid was a healing mix, meant to treat any injuries, whether they be external or internal. Since Casey didn't know if Chime had any injuries, she imagined it was best to be safe. "Here, drink this. It might taste bad, but that means it's working." She didn't even know if Chime was 'awake' enough to hear her, but she hoped she was. "I'm going to go upstairs." Casey looked over in the direction of the stairs, then over at Mathius and the other skinwalker. "You need to go," she told Chime. "Just leave this place and go back home or whatever. This place is too dangerous for you." The feeling of blood on her cheek made Casey realise just how dangerous this was for her too. She wasn't experienced in fighting actual supernatural creatures, and anything could go wrong. Hell, she had almost been choked just a couple of minutes ago, and if it wasn't for that knife, she probably would have been dead. But Casey knew that she needed to check the rest of the farmhouse, even if it was suicide to do so.

Helping Chime get to her feet, Casey led her out of the farmhouse, noticing how weak she herself felt as she walked. I'm going to die, Casey thought as she exited the farmhouse. The cool night air was a welcome relief, and began to numb some of the pain she felt. Maybe having Chime around wasn't such a bad idea. Sure, the college girl wasn't exactly trained in combat, but she didn't need to fight. Chime could always help with detecting any more skinwalkers, considering she seemed to be good with her telepathic abilities. It was better than going in blind, that was for sure. "Look: maybe you can stick around and help me? I don't want you fighting, but if you can tell me if there are any other skinwalkers in here, then that would be handy. Or you can go home and forget any of this happened, your choice." Casey tried to smile, but she just couldn't. This situation was more dire than she had expected, and no amount of fake smiles would help to lighten the mood.

​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks
​

An explosion startled Chime out of her near unconscious state, gaze slowly shifting towards the front door as smoke began to fill the room. Someone else had entered the room, but Chime hadn't seen who it was. Chime searched the smoke for the person, able to see a faint outline of an aura through the thick cloud, but she was too weak and disoriented to match it anyone. She at least knew they were friendly. Relaxing, Chime shut her eyes and lowered her head involuntarily. Mathius had kicked her hard, and Chime was sure she should have been dead, or in much worse condition. Her vision blurred and she was just about passed out when she heard a familiar voice speaking to her.

Chime groaned quietly, eyes opening just slightly as Casey pulled out a vial. She stared at the darker haired girl, her thoughts running rampant with all sorts of questions, mainly about how she had been found. Chime took the bottle from her, cautiously putting it to her lips. Her thoughts were cut short and her eyes opened wide as the disgusting pale liquid hit her taste buds. The teal haired girl was reluctant to drink it down, but she did, the taste alone enough to bring her back to full consciousness. Whatever it was began working on her internal injuries, mainly the harsh kick and minor head injury she had sustained from hitting the wall. "Yeah, I can see that much," Chime murmured, attempting to get to her feet. She almost wanted to tell Casey not to go upstairs, but she seemed to be more experienced at these sort of things...Or not.

The teal haired girl smirked as Casey turned back around, coming to her aid. Wise choice. Chime looped an arm around Casey's shoulder, carefully making her way out of the farmhouse. As she passed through the doorway, a rush of electricity ran up her spine and she could suddenly sense Brael. She could hear her thoughts. Brael was inside somewhere, afraid and alone. Chime glanced over her shoulder inside the farmhouse, eyes going to the staircase leading upstairs.

Chime moved to lean against the hood of Brael's car, arms folding across her chest as she heard Casey out. "Fleeing would be an appealing option, but they have my friend in there. She's...scared, and hurt." She said, her mind taking a turn for the worst as she imagined what they could be doing to Brael. "It's my fault. They were after me." Pushing off of the car, she looked to Casey and then up at the house. She wasn't well versed in seeing supernatural auras, yet, but she could see that they were different than normal human auras. "Going in through the way we came is too risky. There are still more of them in there, two or three. I can't exactly tell," Chime said, concentrating on the farmhouse. After a moment, she looked Casey over, seeing how wounded she was. "We...can try climbing up, but you don't look like you're in any condition to do anything else."

Remembering the small bottle that Casey had given her, Chime looked down at her hand and raised the bottle. There was still about half of the weird mixture left, hopefully enough to help Casey. "Here. Take this," she suggested, walking over to Casey and holding out the bottle for her.​

 

[VanillaCola]

Casey Ryan-Jones

When Chime explained that her friend was being held captive by the skinwalkers, Casey's eyebrows shot up and she realised that this situation had gotten a whole lot worse. She had thought the other girl that Chime had arrived with was just a skinwalker in disguise, but it seemed they had captured the original as well. She had to help this poor girl, but that also meant dealing with the other skinwalkers in there, who were most likely more powerful than the two she had already struggled to take down. "It's not your fault," Casey assured Chime. "Skinwalkers take whoever they can – they could have taken your friend even if they didn't want to get to you."

Casey's hand went to her cheek, and her fingers came away bloody. This was a living nightmare. No wonder Father Black didn't want her hunting on her own. With the knowledge that there may be two or three ore skinwalkers inside, the nightmare became worse, and Casey was ready to accept death in order save Chime's friend. Maybe if she distracted them, she could give her friend time to run and get away with Chime. She looked over at Chime, noticing how the college girl was looking her over, no doubt checking her wounds. I'm so naïve, Casey thought as she looked at her bloody fingers. To think that she could run in and save the day single-handedly...it was ridiculous.

She was about to agree with the idea to climb up, but was interrupted when Chime handed over the vial of healing liquid. Casey noticed that there was still some in there – it seemed Chime hadn't been able to stomach it all. Taking the bottle with a quiet 'thank you', Casey swallowed down the remainder of the mixture, grimacing slightly as it left a vile trail of taste whilst going down her throat. Almost immediately, Casey felt her wounds closing up and healing, with the cut on her cheek completely sealing up within a minute or two. With her wounds mostly healed, Casey looked up at the sole unboarded window on the upper floor. Whilst climbing up was potentially dangerous, going up the stairs was a death trap. "I'll climb up," she said, nodding. "But you're staying down here. You can't fight these things, and I don't want you getting any more hurt. If I have to...die to save your friend, I will."

With that, Casey headed over to a nearby pipe that was attached to the wall. It was arguably the best way to climb up, and was conveniently close to the window she was aiming for. Before climbing up, she turned to Chime. "Stay here, don't make too much noise, and if anyone comes, then get in the car and drive – or just run and hide." After taking a deep breath, Casey began to ascend the pipe, using all of her strength to climb up and across to the window. Surprisingly, she got in with relative ease, though the thought of the task ahead of her was enough to cause her stomach to drop. The church had taught her about martyrdom, about how if you were in certain situations, you had to be prepared to die for the safety of others. This seemed like one of those times. And as much as Casey had convinced herself she would be able to follow the path of a martyr, right now, she was having more than a bit of an internal struggle. It was different when you were staring the possibility of death in the face. Ideas weren't as black and white – the world suddenly became greyer.

She found herself in a narrow and dark hallway, the smell of musk and blood in the air. But this blood didn't smell fresh – it had an old, rancid edge to it, the kind that stuck to the back of your throat and didn't budge no matter how much you willed it away. There was only one closed door in the hallway, and Casey knew that it led to Chime's friend and the other skinwalkers. Steeling herself, Casey crept up to the door, hoping that it wasn't locked. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a small stunning device. The gadget was still a little temperamental, but she hoped it would work this time around. Nearing the door, Casey listened in.

"What happened down there? It's a little quiet." One voice asked.

"I don't know. You want me to check on Mathius and Damon?"

"Don't bother. If someone comes up here, we'll be ready for them."

Two distinct voices. But that didn't mean there wasn't a third in there. Casey gripped the stun device tightly in her hand, her body trembling as she reached for the door handle. After a small pause, she shoved the door open and tossed the device into the room. It detonated almost instantly, a bright light exploding out into the room. Casey was momentarily blinded. She hadn't gotten the chance to shield her eyes, the device's flaws causing it to stun her as well as the three skinwalkers. But she got the least amount of damage, and powered into the room. Looking around, she saw the altar and the young woman tied to it. Chime's friend. Is she even alive? Going over to the altar, Casey rushed to untie the girl, and then carried her out of the room. The skinwalkers were down, though still conscious. She needed to take advantage of this situation.

"We need to get out of here!" Casey shouted, though she wondered if the girl could even hear her. Casey made it down the stairs and to the ground floor before she heard the skinwalkers stirring upstairs. They were growling and shouting, threatening to kill Casey. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she practically sprinted through the farmhouse. The open front door was what she was aiming for. Getting to the doorway, Casey put Chime's friend down on the ground outside, and then looked over at Chime.

"Go!" She told her. "Take your friend and get out of here." Casey slammed the front door shut and locked it, stopping Chime from coming inside and forcing her outside with her friend. The three skinwalkers descended the stairs and reached the ground floor, all of them with glowing red eyes and sharp teeth bared. Casey stood by the front door defiantly, staring at the enemies in front of her.

"Kill her," Dante hissed. "But make sure she suffers first. I want to feel the pain of this hunter."

They lunged for her, and Casey didn't know how to respond. She went to punch one skinwalker, but another caught her arm and had it subdued behind her back in no time. The skinwalker held her still as the second one struck her in the face with a sharp right, and then another immediately after. Casey's glasses were flung from her face and hit the floor, one of the lenses shattering. The healing mix had been left mostly redundant now, blood spilling from Casey's mouth and her jaw feeling unhinged. The skinwalkers were strong – too strong for her. The one that was restraining her let go, and she fell to the floor. Casey reached for her glasses and time seemed to slow as she extended a hand toward them. Dante stepped down on the glasses and they crumbled under his weight. Looking up at him, Casey scowled as best she could, though he merely laughed at her.

"If you hadn't helped those girls to escape, you may not have died alone," Dante said. He looked over at the other two skinwalkers and gestured toward the stairs. "Take her to the altar. She'll have to do for now." The two skinwalkers grabbed either one of Casey's arms and began to drag her over to the stairs. Casey stared up at them, her vision blurring and darkening. She was fading. In front of her, she saw faces: Father Black, her parents, Chime, that girl she had just saved. Her head hit the bottom step, and she passed out.

~~~

Father Black had noticed Casey's absence. It was no secret that she had spent most of the week hidden away in her room, so when he found her room to be empty that evening, and no sign of her around the church, he knew that something was wrong. It had taken a visit to the church's best telepath to seek out Casey, and when Black had found out where she was, he knew that she had made a big mistake. Gathering his hunting supplies, the priest got in his sedan and drove out to the small farmhouse, paying no mind to road safety laws. His only priority was saving Casey from the inevitable trouble that she had gotten herself into.

Upon arriving at the farmhouse, Father Black's worry turned into a more gut-wrenching feeling when he saw Chime there. "Chime!" He called out, rushing from his sedan over to the girl, supplies secured and ready to use. "Have you seen Casey?" He looked over at the farmhouse, and then back to the girl. His gaze went to the other girl with Chime – this situation was looking dire. "She's inside, isn't she?" He waited for Chime to respond, though if she took too long, there was nothing stopping him from charging into the farmhouse and investigating it himself.
​

 

[envogue]

Chime Sparks

Chime watched Casey finish off the rest of the healing liquid, eyebrows lifting in slight amazement as the wound on her cheek sealed right before her eyes. Good. "Now we can go get Brael," Chime said, an intense look in her eyes as she waited for her turn to climb up. She didn't know who these skinwalkers were, or even what skinwalkers actually were, but she was determined to get Brael back from them. How could she live with herself if something horrible happened to her friend? Despite what Casey had said about it not being Chime's fault, Chime still felt she was responsible for what was going on with Brael, and she wanted to help in any way possible.

Unfortunately, Chime wasn't even able to get one foot off the ground before Casey was telling her that she wasn't allowed to come up. Chime gave the girl an incredulous look, the intensity in her eyes now directed at Casey in full. She had held her own against the skin walker inside, and the two of them together would be a much stronger force. Chime just didn't understand. Exhaling a huff through her nostrils, Chime crossed her arms over her chest unhappily. "Fine." Her eyes locked onto Casey as the girl made her way up to the roof. After Casey disappeared into the farmhouse, Chime shook her head lightly and paced back and forth.

Naturally, she worried that something may happen to Casey, or that they would be too late in saving Brael. Then, a thought crossed Chime's mind. Maybe joining The Church of Celestial Shadows isn't such a crazy idea after all. If Casey lived to tell the tale and rescued Brael, then Chime didn't see a reason not to join forces with them. She had already decided they would be much strong together than apart, and if they were going to help her develop her supposed special abilities while training her in combat then she couldn't see a reason to deny them. All that she needed was for Casey and Brael to make it out of there in one piece.

Hearing Casey's voice suddenly, Chime turned and saw the girl with her friend in tow. Of course before Chime could express her gratitude or relief, Casey had shut the door on them. Chime was left standing there with her unconscious friend and a horrible gut feeling. She didn't want to take Brael and go, not without Casey. They had already gotten their asses kicked once, yet it seemed Casey had some sort of death wish. Clenching her jaw, she walked over to the front door and wiggled the doorknob. From there, Chime didn't have a plan, but the door had been locked anyway. She cursed under her breath and then heard a light coughing sound from behind her. Brael was waking up.

"Brael!" Chime rushed over to her friend's side, taking her hand in her own. "Are you okay? Do you remember anything?"

Brael hadn't known much of what was going on, so when she saw Chime at her side and not the man from earlier she could have cried. "Oh god, Chime!" Brael said, voice shaking. "I was so scared. How did you find me? I was sure that I was going to die in there," Brael said, eyes watering.

"No, don't worry about that. Just know you're safe now. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you," Chime replied, a reassuring smile on her face. Her smiled faded as she looked up at the door, worried Casey may not come out. She shifted her attention back to Brael as the girl began to speak up again.

"I'm so sorry, Chime. They made me go with them, made me give them my phone. They said that if I cooperated then no harm would of come of me, but I was wrong. "Once they got me, they began saying sickening, horrifying things. I was supposed to be the appetizer in all of this...and you were-" Brael glanced away from her friend, ashamed of her actions. She had been so much of a coward that she sold out her friend.

Chime frowned and shushed her friend gently. "Brael, it's okay. You were just scared, I know. Anyone would do the same," She said, doing her best to remain calm. She was just as frightened as Brael, but moreso for Casey than herself. Chime's fear only increased when she heard another car pulling up to the farmhouse. Had the skinwalkers called back up? The teal haired girl thought to run for cover, but with Brael in her weakened state that would be impossible. She ducked her head just slightly as the headlights flashed in her face, and then perked up when Father Black got out of the car.

"Father Black!" Chime called, standing up to meet with the man. She took note of how worried he looked, and wasted no time in explaining herself. "Casey is inside. She's fighting the skin walkers alone, but the door is locked!" She said, suddenly panicked. "We have to go save her before something horrible happens. I can feel it. Please, hurry and save her."​