Trials of the Hunt

Introduction
Things have changed on Mochina Island. Daimon and his thugs have started to make they move, they bombed and seriously damaged the Twilight Hall and several other bases for the Mochina Guilds. They've also taken over The Triad Islands three of the northern allies to Mochina Island. This caused the remaining islands to create The Alliance a coalition of the collective armies and guilds.

The Twilgiht Phoenix Guild is the Vanguard of Mochina Island, but they've been forced to move from their original location and take up residence in the old Hotaru Estate.

"Well seems we get to see how MArkus lived as a kid huh?" Said Victor to Axel who was walking next to him. The two had just returned from a 4 week long job scouting The Triad Islands with members of The Alliance's special forces. "Wonder what it's gonna be like."

"Yeah but he hardly remembers his life before Bolterus took him in. I think it'll be alittle run down...Ya know? I mean he hasn't lived there since he was 6." Said Axel carrying a large bag on his back.

They reached the front gate and were greeted by a older gentleman wearing a butlers outfit. "Greetings gentlemen....I am Keiji Maeda butler to the Hotaru Family." The man said as he bowed.

"Wow they still got a butler!" Said Victor as he bowed back. "I thought you'd join another clan."

"I would enver leave these grounds....Me and the other staff have stayed here and kept the estate in almost perfect condition." Smiled Keiji.

They were led into the estate and to the main garden where Markus and Yama were sparring. Yama using hsi weight and staff to his advantage pushing Markus back abit more, Markus then knocked him down using the staff against him.

Ray had left to take on a mission from the Guild, due to still needing money to finance his travels, only to come back to a burnt down guild, which made him run in quickly. All he could see where the ashes of everything that once was. He turned and stood in his fighting stance, only to find Adrian and Frejya with bags in their hand.

"Guys! You're alright!" He said running up to them and giving both a big hug.

"Of course!" Said Freyja as she hugged back. "The Hall's security kicked in and protected all the guild members and they protected more treasured possesions from the explosion and following fire. Only a few got injured while we tried to gather up all the items and get out of the hall."

She went to walk out and gestured to Ray to follow her and Adrian. "We're going to the new base come on! It's amazing, we're staying at Markus' old home!."

Ray nodded and walked with the couple for quite a while, eventually the trio made it back to the mansion, "There is it my friend, Markus's mansion, is it awesome or what?" He said looking over Ray's shoulder only to find him looking a bit aprihensive at the sight. "Everything alright?"

"I... I just don't like big houses" He said with a grimice.

Markus appear next to them holding a large fish over one shoulder. "It's actually smaller than it looks....The gardens and forest are the biggest parts.....My family wasn't that powerful but still we did make up some of the greatest Royal gaurds....So i'm told." He said walking towards the door. "You can hang around the grounds if you like....It'll take you nearly a day to walk aroudn the whole place."

"When did you get the fish Markus? Last i saw you were sparring with Yama." said Freyja putting a hand on her hip. "Didn't blow him off again did ya?"

"Nope finished early....Liz got a job and wanted Yama's help. I took that moment to go and get a fish from Mr Okita.....He just caught this one this morning" Said Markus as he openned the gate. "Only 500 jewels as well."

"Good to know we got friends!" Chuckled Freyja. "So whats the occasion?"

"House warming party....The Kign and the royal family are coming as well....So behave ok?" Said Markus looking back. "I'll take this to the kitchen...Go see how the dorms are coming along."

"Is there something I should be doing?" Ray wondered as Adrian went with Frejya to check out the new rooms they were gonna share.

"Don't think so go relax....See if you can find Becca she's been worried about you." Smiled Freyja as she put her bag on the bed. "She'll be in the forest somewhere."

Ray nodded and quickly ran outside to find Becca while Adrian smiled and went next to Frejya, "I wonder how Becca will react to Ray coming back?"

"I'm betting fainting.....She's been so worried but kept all the emotions in the shock will be too much!" Giggled Freyja putting her arm around Adrian and using her stretch magic to close the door.

Quickly reaching the forest, Ray looked around, trying to find Becca when his sense of smell picked her up, eventually leading him near a waterwall where he saw her looking at the water. "Becca" He said as she looked over with a smile on his face.

Beeca screamed in shock and dived into the water. "R-Ray?! When did you get back?!" She quickly ran out and hugged him. "How was your trip?"

Ray laughed a bit as he felt the water dripping down his clothes, "Sorry if I startled you, didn't mean for that to happen, it was alright I bagged the mage and earned my reward. What are you doing out here? There's a party going on"

"It's not starting till tonight....We got time!" She smiled letting go of Ray. "So what ya do?"

What the two didn't relise that Markus was training at the top of the waterfall.

"Have you seen Markus by the way? I need to show him sometihng." Asked Becca looking around quickly.

Ray could feel the presence, but decided not to give it away just yet, "What is it that you wanted to show him?" He wondered.

"A new spell! I've been working on it for awhile now!" She smiled proudly as if finally able to prove herself. "He said to show him when i've finished it."

Markus stopped training for a moment and looked over the edge of the waterfall. Smiling after hearing Becca has finished her new spell.

"Alright, let's see how it is, hit me with your best shot" Ray said with a smile on his face, taking a fighting stance and awaiting Becca's spell on him.

Markus smiled and quietly appeared on a rock near the base of the waterfall. Becca smiled and stepped back to the edge of the water and closed her eyes. Suddenly the water behind her began to move, suddenly it flew into the air and surged towards Ray taking the form of two dragons. The dragons froze mid flight becoming ice dragons, they however fell to the ground causing no damage at all.

"Well that sucked...." Said Becca dejected at the results. "I guess it's not finished yet....."

"I wouldn't say that!" Said Markus making becca jump again and causing her to fall into the water. "Your heart wasn't into the attack.....Your magic wasn't focused enough for a spell of that complexity to work."

"He's right" Ray replied as well helping Becca out of the water and giving her a towel to dry off, "When you use it, focus your instincts and mind into it, imagine you are the attack itself and strike" He said with a kind smile.

"Better yet try and hit me with it!" Said Markus walking to a large boulder. "I'll move out the way so go all out and try to hit me."

Becca looked unsure but after closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she nodded and used the spell again hitting the boulder, She didn't see Markus move and as the icey smoke cleared the frozen image of MArkus became apparent.

"Markus?!" Shouted Becca worried that she's killed Markus. "No no no no no!!"

"Relax will ya?" Said Markus sitting on a near by rock. "I said i'd move but just didn't say how...."

"Your a jerk....." Mumbled Becca as she threw a ice ball at his head.

Ray walked over to her and placed his arm on her shoulder, "That was a great shot, you have potential to get stronger Becca, I can see that" He said with a smile on his face.

"He's right!" Smiled Markus. "You got the skills and power to become a S-Class Mage....You just need the confidence in your abilities to use them correctly."

The day went on and eventually the party began, guests from all over the island arrived including members of the Mochina Council and Royal Family. Keiji greeted all the guests and showed them to the main hall or garden, to see either the toher guests or watch the sparring tournement the guild had put on to show their skills for potentual job offers.

Markus stood at the top of the stairs overlooking the entrance and used a Lcarima and projection device to greet the guests. "Welcome honoured guests of the Hotaru Estate." He said with pride. "This party is a house warming party but consider for tonight this is your home as well....Explore, chat and enjoy the surroundings!" He then walked to the sparring tournement to join in for afew rounds.

Ray and Becca were near on of the tables, laughing and drinking when they heard footsteps and saw Frejya with Adrian come towards them.

"Hey you two, how's it going?" Adrian said with a smile as he grabbed a drink and chugged it down.

"We're fine i guess....I'm watching Markus beat the apparent top bralwer in the Royal Gaurds....." Said Becca pointing to the fighting ring where Markus had pinned the hulking man down, sitting on his back and holding his arm against his shoulder. "I'm kinda worried for the Royal Family now...."

"Oh come on it IS Markus we're taling about here." Said Freyja smirking at the event. "He's a demon in a fight....Though it is worrying that he's not putting much effort into the technique...."

"It's a basic joint lock....Doesn't require much effort once in effect." Said Yamatora as he walked off to give Liz a drink.

"It is pretty impressive that Markus is able to hold back quite a bit, though it is thanks to the sensei's seals, same with you right Ray?" Adrian asked looking over to see Ray putting his arm around Becca's shoulder again, slightly bringing her closer to her.

"Yeah, though I would say my power is still not yet fully unleashed just yet, Markus had his powers fully shown, my potential is still a bit more than his".

"Actually Markus has held back recently....When we took on that Drake was a breif glimpse of his full power....One attack." Said Freyja as she smirked at Ray. "He doesn't rely on just his magic though he uses every skill in his knowledge. Martial arts, Magic, Stealth, Knowledge and skill."

Markus caused the guard to tap out and the two went off both showing eachother respect as they did. Makrus then went to join Ray and the others. "Well that was fun....Kind short but fun." he said ordering a drink. "I overheard what you were saying by the way....My power is it's peak but i can still learn more from my experiences....So i've not reached my full potentual just yet."

"I can tell, in a sense, it's the same with me, but my power has been reduced quite a bit with the sensei's seals, my immersion actually weakaned a bit because of it" He replied.

"Then adapt.....Learn new skills to aid you, don't rely just on one thing.....A truely great warrior is near impossible to predict in combat." Said Markus as he sipped his drink.

"He's right Ray....Everyone here knows that focusing on one skill alone is foolish in the constant change of war." Said Freyja speaking from her experiences as a Rune Knight. "A swordsman needs to know the ways of unarmed combat as much as the ways of a sword."

"Believe me, I know that lesson first hand, I'm not just a fighter, I'm a hunter in most things and I'm very capable of adapting to most situations" Ray said replied as he drank some more from his cup.

"Well thats good then....Saves time on training you...." Smirked Markus as he finished his drink and went off to chat with the other guests.

Markus walked around chattign with the various guests ranging from pwoerful nobles to the king himself. Alot of the talking after the royal family was with the young princess he cares for so much.

Freyja smirked at Markus "He's always been good with kids...Even the whiners....I remember going on a job with a kid that whined os much i nearly threw her off a cliff, MArkus just scaed her stupid and still protected her.....We weren't even getting paid that much for the job." She chuckled as she ate some sweets. "Though after Markus scaring her she stopped whining and showed a more....normal side to herself."

"It's interesting to see how he behaves around different people" Ray replied.

"Yeah the wise old warrior with us, The big brother around kids he's sworn to protect like the princess there, Grim Reaper to his hated enemies and God of death to Daimon." Smirked Freyja as she ran out of sweets. "Awww talons....I'm gonna hunt down more sweets, go and say hi to people....Avoid the Finance Counciler....."

Adrian smiled and decided to go with Frejya to grab some more sweets, leaving Ray, Becca, and Markus behind to talk for a while. "So I've been meaning to ask, are we going to get whoever trashed the guild?" Ray said looking over to Markus.