The Order of Archane

Authors Note: This story was written by Emma [LittleWolf] and Hollie [scary miss mary].  Emma writes for Melanie Gray and Hollie writes for Nikoli.  Please read and review to let us know what you think of it. 

Thanks.  :) 

Emma & Hollie

Chapter 1 -  Runes and Birds of Prey

Bodmin Moor was a desolate, yet hauntingly beautiful place situated in Cornwall, England. It lay spreading out for miles green and unchanging, with the exception of a few areas in which large pieces of granite rock could be found protruding from the ground, creating beacons of white against the endless green.

But then it is in places such as these where anything can be possible, where the boundaries of the possible make for the impossible. Bodmin already had its own legend that attracted tourists in their hordes each year, along with scientists searching for a logical reason. The Legend of the Beast of Bodmin.

However, this year a group of Archaeologists from the University of Bournemouth had arrived, but this group were not searching for the evidence of the Black Cat that roamed the moors, this group had stumbled across something that in their eyes was far more important than a mystical big cat.  They had stumbled across a set of ancient ruins in a small granite cave.

Melanie Gray dropped her rucksack down on the ground as she watched the thick mist rolling in across the moors unexpectedly. The twenty three year old was on an archaeological dig with the University of Bournemouth, trying to uncover clues to the origins of the mysterious ruins found in the cave.

She was a delicate, quiet, but independent young woman who was only just five and a half feet tall with strange haunting violet eyes and rich chocolate hair that shimmered red in the sun and hung past her shoulders when not tied back as it was now. Dressed in a thick black turtle neck jumper, with a pair of mud stained jeans and walking boots, she looked like any normal hiker, so that even in the most isolated and deserted place she went unnoticed.

As she watched the sea mist was creeping across the moor at an alarming rate towards where she and her group were digging.

Climbing as quickly as she could without falling from the rock, she was using as her vantage point, Melanie scrambled back into the small entrance of the cave.

The team was a small one, consisting of nine members, including herself. Moving carefully over the site to where her Professor was brushing away dust and dirt, from a small area in front of him, Melanie cleared her throat.  “Um Professor Raleigh, there’s a sea mist coming in”.

Professor William Raleigh was a rather good looking man for his thirty-nine years, with short black hair that was flecked with grey and very darker eyes. He was silent and some what short tempered, especially when he was concentrating. “What is it Miss Gray?” he sighed irritably, not even glancing at her.

Melanie shifted slightly, suddenly feeling foolish for some unknown reason, “The sea mist Professor, it's coming in across the moor”

Her Professor gave an exasperated sigh and rose to his feet to face her “And what was wrong with coming to tell me earlier?” he snapped “We’re in the middle of an important discovery,” he told her.

Melanie opened her mouth to answer, feeling as though this man had some personal reason to dislike her so much, “I know that Professor, that’s why I came to tell you…”

“If you knew the mist was coming you should have informed me sooner Miss Gray,” he interrupted her.

Melanie could feel the eyes of the other students staring at her, making her feel even smaller than she did already, “Professor it’s not my job to play weather girl!” she snapped back angrily. “I’m here to translate the Runes and other writings found, if I wanted to be a weather girl, I’d have gotten a job with a weather station,” she hissed angrily, immediately wishing she hadn’t just said what she did.  She very well could have just cost herself her qualifications and gotten herself kicked off the course.

The Professor stared at her in silence, his eyes flashing with anger and something she couldn’t place at her open show of defiance. “Pack it up people, we’ll have to continue this once the mist as dispersed, let hurry it along please, I want to back in the village before mist leaves us stranded in the middle of nowhere,” he spoke to the others sternly, never once letting his gaze stray from Melanie. “As for you Miss Gray, I’d think very carefully the next time you wish to speak to me in such a manner. I am the man who holds your future in the palm of his hand, and I can have you removed from this course in the blink of an eye,” he warned coldly.

As the small group trekked back into the village, jogging at points in the hope that they would make it back in time, Melanie ran over everything that had taken place during her brief argument with the professor, why did he find it appropriate to humiliate her all the time? It was almost as if he enjoyed it, it seemed to Melanie as if she was the only one he ever spoke to with contempt, if he disliked her so much why she still on his course?

She disliked him a great deal before she came on the dig but now she down right hated him. ‘He’s so arrogant and controlling, I wish I’d never signed up for this dig,’ she thought bitterly, as they crossed the small leading into the village where they were staying.

“I want everyone down in the reception at four thirty tomorrow morning, if your not here I leave without you,” Professor Raleigh barked, as they all trooped into lobby of the small Victorian style hotel.

Melanie sighed heavily and headed up the stairs to her room. Pulling out the key from the bottom of her rucksack, she unlocked the door and slid wearily inside, closing the door behind her.  Flinging her bag on the large four poster bed, Melanie went over the nearby writing desk and glanced over the notes she’d been making on the Runes found at the top of the cave above the ruins. Sitting on the chair to undo her boots, Melanie allowed her eyes to glance over the copies she’d made of the runes and sighed heavily.  They made no sense; she had translated easily them enough, they were runes from the Nordic and early Germanic peoples, a rune set she, herself was extremely familiar with. Melanie raised her hand to her throat where a piece of black onyx hung on a silver chain with the rune of Eolh, the rune of protection, carved into the smooth black surface of the stone, lay against her skin, warm from her body heat.

Shaking her head Melanie rubbed her hand over her eyes “Archane…” she muttered, “but what does it mean..?”

*  *  *

Nikoli was worried.  He had been waiting at the Parisian flat for two hours and ten minutes, and Cassea hadn't turned up yet.  She was meant to be meeting him with news from the Elders and details of their next mission.  "Stupid witch," he cursed under his breath, tapping long fingers impatiently against the mahogany table.  Nikoli sighed heavily, rising from his seat he paced the length of the room.  His tall, lithe body ate up the distance between the fireplace and the door as the chimes of an electronic bell echoed throughout the room.  Nikoli paused for a moment, completely still against the door, his hand frozen on the latch.  He peered through the spy hole then allowed himself an amused smile as Cassea stormed in, long black hair swirled around her like a hurricane. 

"You idiot!  You told me the flat was on the first floor!"  Cassea raged, slamming an old leather briefcase down on the table.  Nikoli shook his head with slight amusement.
"No, I said third floor.  I must have told you at least several times, ironically.." His voice, clear but tinged with a faint Russian accent, was cut short by a distant rumbling sound, like an avalanche or thunder.  Cassea's eyes glowed bright green with anger, pure witch fire energy crackled around her aura like lightening, causing Nikoli to notice that she was floating a foot off the ground. 
He rolled his eyes.  "You witches are so dramatic."  Cassea advanced on him, the thunder rumbled dangerously loud.  Nikoli flashed her a look that said 'Try me' although he knew better than to piss off a witch; especially this witch.  Her feet touched the ground again, the energy disappeared and the thunder rolled away back into the mountains as Cassea's eyes returned to their normal lazy green. 

"And you vampires are so completely obnoxious.  Now can we please get to work."  The witch collapsed on a chair for a moment in apparent exhaustion, then shifted slightly and started to sort out a few papers from her briefcase.  She looked at Nikoli intently and opened her mouth. 

"When you're ready."  Nikoli said coldly.  "After all I've only been waiting for two hours."  Cassea gave him a look that could turn milk sour. 

"As I was just about to say before you rudely interrupted...  I spoke with the Archane Council earlier.  They want us to regroup and join them in England.  Cornwall to be exact.."

"That's it?" Nikoli interrupted.

"Let me finish,"  Cassea continued with a look of annoyance.  "They want us to keep track of an archaeological dig on Bodmin Moor.  Apparently the archaeologists have gotten very close to the Crypt and are attempting to decipher the Archane Runes, which..."  She paused for breath.  ".. tell the reader how to open the Crypt and also contain information about the Order."   Nikoli stared at Cassea, disbelieving. 

"The Council want us to be their guard dogs whilst they hold their annual meeting?"  There was no trace of humour on his chiselled face, only deadpan seriousness. 
Cassea grimaced.  "Basically, yes.  We can hardly say no, can we?"

"Of course we can.  Tell them we have more important things to worry about than their decomposing crypt.  If they want guard dogs then they should hire some werewolves - I hear the Des Loups are in England.  They're good fighters; why haven't they contacted them?  Do the Council not realise we're on the verge of civil war?  Or are they just too stubborn to accept it..?"  he hissed angrily, pounding a fist through the table.  Nikoli swore, rubbing his hand whilst Cassea rolled her eyes in exasperation. 

The witch and the vampire were part of a team of elite fighters that worked to uphold the Rules set by the Council.  They were part of a society.  A society so secret that no-one in the human world knew it existed.  It was home to all of the supernatural creatures in the world such as Elves, Witches, Vampires, Shifters, 'Wolves and many others.  The society was called The Order of Archane and dated back to the Burning Times when the supernatural creatures had been hunted by the humans: Vampires for their rich, intoxicating blood, Elves for their silvery hair and slave labour, Shifters for their animal hides and Witches were just generally hunted by the religious and superstitious for fear of their magicks. 
On the verge of extinction in 1666, the remaining Elders had formed The Order of Archane, which represented everything that was old and magickal in the world.  The remaining creatures went into hiding and after several generations became but a memory, a myth, a child's bedtime story. 

Cassea glanced up at Nikoli out of heavily lined eyes.  The vampire ran a hand through his pale blonde hair, suddenly looking very tired.  As the sunlight fell on his face it highlighted a deep scar that ran horizontally across his left cheekbone .  However, not even that imperfection could disguise the cold beauty which vampirism brought. 
"I don't like being the Council's lapdog anymore than you do," she said softly.  "But this is better than the alternative."  Nikoli looked at her sharply, his weariness disappearing as suddenly as it had come. 
The alternative she was talking about was The Defiance.  They had started off as a small group; rebels who refused to follow the Council's regulations on human feeding, secrecy and slavery.  The Defiance was mainly made up of young, strong vampires, Dark Elves and a few power hungry Shifters.  They were undoubtedly more dangerous to the entire human race than to the Archane Council.  Yet the Defiants were expanding, growing in numbers as more and more creatures joined in search for power and unlimited hunting.  They wanted the world.  For the Forces of Darkness, the Defiants would kill every last innocent human on Earth...  Unless they were stopped.  And unfortunately, that was where Nikoli and Cassea came in.  Their team of fighters, called The Valiants, were the best.  Although Nikoli and Cassea fought like cat and dog, they worked well together and had a reputation for never losing.  And it would eventually, be up to them to lead the Archanes into civil war against the Defiants...

Nikoli sighed in defeat. "You're right,"  he admitted quietly.  "But while we're making sure the silly little humans with spades don't get into the Crypt, who's going to be doing our job?  Who is going to make sure the Defiants don't get too powerful?"  Nikoli's fine face was expressionless, yet Cassea could read him like a book.  She noticed the strained look of worry in his eyes; the way he kept glancing nervously at the windows and doors, as if they were going to be attacked any minute.  And of course, she also noticed the pale blue vein that throbbed in his neck when he got agitated. 
She smiled to try and reassure him that things would be ok, but she wasn't even sure of that herself. 
"We're going to be at Bodmin for three days maximum.  If it's any longer I'll see what strings I can pull to make the archaeologists.." She grinned wickedly.  ".. unexpectedly leave." By the term 'pull some strings' she obviously meant working her magick to their advantage.  Nikoli returned the grin.

"The last time you 'pulled some strings' you caused an avalanche in Siberia." He said with a cruel smirk as Cassea turned a light shade of crimson. 
"Oh shut it," she snapped, lashing out playfully at him with an electrical green tendril of lightening. 
"OUCH." Nikoli jumped as the witch energy made contact with his skin, leaving a blistering red mark that smoked slightly then healed before his eyes.  He frowned darkly at Cassea, his gray eyes smouldered, dangerous as a forest fire.
"The last thing I need right now is a witch on a power trip."  He hissed, angry from the pain.  Cassea flashed him a look of pure annoyance, then sighed, signifying her compliance. 

"What are your plans?"  she asked, organizing the papers back into her briefcase.  Nikoli paced the room again, pausing by the fireplace thoughtfully. 
"I think we should regroup.  Tonight.  Can you get hold of Garnet, Pierce, Eve and Ronan?"  Cassea nodded.
"I can contact Eve through our mental link,"  she said, referring to her twin sister.
"Good.  I'll make sure Asteria, Bianca and Leon know we're leaving.  Shall  we meet at eight fifteen in Dieppe?  That way we're not too far from the coast, so we can travel overseas by night and make our way to Bodmin by day."  Cassea nodded in affirmation.

"Good plan boss,"  she winked reminding him of his higher rank.  Nikoli gave her a sharp toothed smile. 
"Now, we just have the rent to pay on this flat then we're out of here,"  Nikoli walked over to the fireplace and pulled out a brown envelope that had been leaning casually against a clock, obscuring the time.  He fished around in his pocket and removed a set of keys.
"Are you ready to leave now?  I can hand these in to the caretaker on the way out,"  he asked impatiently.  Cassea groaned.
"Yes sir.  Right away Sir,"  she saluted him, which earned her a sideways glare. 
"Good."  He tossed her the keys and envelope and sprinted towards the bedroom and grabbed a largish leather satchel that contained his only possessions; a change of clothes, a wallet and a cameo of a young woman he had once loved before he'd been changed. 

As they left the apartment Nikoli stopped by the caretakers' flat to drop off the keys and payment.  With a "Merci Monsieur, Au Revoir" they departed and drove off towards the outskirts of Paris in Cassea's black Cleo.  Neither Nikoli or Cassea had noticed the red fox watching them from the beneath shadow of an oak tree that stood tall, across the road from the apartment block.  They had also failed to notice the hawk that had been perched on the satellite dish only metres away from the window to Nikoli's flat. 

The golden eyed hawk swooped down beside the fox; they traded an intelligent glance.  A second later in their place stood a stunning young woman with flame red hair and cunning green eyes, and a thin, long haired, middle aged man with a long nose and a smile that could turn rivers to ice. 

"Bodmin Moor.."  He said softly, his voice was like an Arctic breeze, subtle, with a coldness that echoed death.  The woman laughed sharply and melodically changed the laugh into a bark as her russet paws hit the ground.  She took off towards the trees at a lope.  The man watched her go then bent his knees slightly and took flight as the hawk, his golden eyes shone with a ruthlessness that not even Nikoli could have imagined.  The hawk flew as high as he possibly could, turning towards a sparkling blue on the horizon. 

The English Channel.