Witch Hunt

In the year 2310 ad theres been an outbreak of witches being possed by dead souls and creating choas. It wasn't just the witches as it controled mortals and those who were possed were zombies in the end who answered to only one person. The man who mastered the art of controling the dead.

One witch who hasn't been affected sits in a dark herbal store as she looked to the blood red moon. She understood the signs of another witch dead. Sighing as her once black hair now white flowed behind her as she walked to the door to lock it shut. She was a pyro witch with an extensive knowledge of herbs and how they affect the human body. Her green eyes went to the side as she noticed a shadow outside her door. When she turned around it was gone. Her once green eyes sparkled with flames as her finger tips ignited with her walking to her door. She didn't hide who she was to the world as she was proud of her blood and her taste for it when it came to fighting in the underground rings. Where most witches got to work their agression out. Though she unlocked her door as something told her she'd be getting a visitor shortly to her small but yet profittal store.

The 23 year old woman slipped to the back where the shadows seemed to swallow her hour glass form. In her black skin tight pants she sat back in a chair as her black zipped vest made her ample breasts look larger. Around her neck was a blood red gem which was passed down through her family. Aiko sat there with her watching the door as the shadows concealed her completely.

John Baker was twenty-four, and a third generation sorcerer. He’d also just made the jump to Detective which surprised him since the rest of the force tended to ostracize him for his abilities. Two days ago he’d finally gotten the damn promotion after six years of busting his ass, and was it because of his accomplishments? Nope, it was because of these damned recent events. Some psycho had been running around messing everything up, so who do they send after him? Who else but the precinct psycho? Sure they may not have ever called him that to his face, but he’d heard them from around corners more than once.

Now here he was walking the streets for a lead. The principal targets seemed to be young witches, usually between 18 and 25. His initial thought was a serial criminal, but that didn’t explain the diversity in ethnicity and appearance. He stopped outside of one of the local witchcraft shops. This one seemed like it was still open for business, hopefully a good sign for its owner. He turned the collar of his duster up as he walked in. Sure it wasn’t standard issue, but it made the quarterstaff he carried look a whole lot less awkward than it did with his uniform.

His deep hazel eyes surveyed the dark surroundings. Planting one end of the six foot pole on the ground, it stood just a few inches taller than he did. He held out a hand and spoke a brief incantation. “Luminos.” A small orb of light appeared in his palm and he used it to survey the shop better. The light reflected easily off his pale skin. Despite his dark hair and eyes, his skin seemed to have little or no exposure to sun. He was definitely a night person.

Aiko had her eyes closed when the bell went off signalling someone entering. She tilted ehr head listening to an incantation. Smirking as she opened her eyes seeing the man looking around. "Here this maybe easier..." She said as she snapped her fingers as the candles that was in the center of the room suddenly burst into flames. There Aiko shifted in her chair as a lock of her snow white hair few over her eyes. She studied the man closely before getting to her feet.

She stood around 5`3 but with heels she was 5`6 with her slowly walking over as her hips swayed side to side with her eyes scanning the man before her. She never seen him before she she had to guess either new comer or police force. Usually those with powers fought underground to release some steam safely atleast so when they come out in public they are smilnig and horsing around. "How can I help you?" She asked as she moved behind the counter but her eyes stayed on the man before her. The years of fighting taught her not to take her eyes off the person.

As soon as the lights came on and he heard her voice, John was raising his staff to a fighting position. The tip of the staff aimed at her, he was ready to shoot with a bolt of energy if he needed to, but he was really hoping he didn’t. Looking at her she seemed to be in the right age range, and she was most definitely a witch. He kept the staff leveled at her as he spoke.

“Detective Baker, Preternatural Case Squad. Identify yourself.” Two days he’d been saying detective, and it still felt foreign. Never mind the bile that accompanied it, especially since he’d only gotten the promotion because he was a sorcerer and that’s what they needed on this case.

He watched her as she moved. He could see she was an experienced fighter. Her eyes never left his; they were locked the entire way as she moved to the counter. If she was experienced as a fighter that meant she frequented the underground rings. How many of those had he helped bust up. Hell that’s how he learned how to fight was mopping up those sorry messes. Most of those punks had laughed because he used something like a staff for a focus, but then if something happened and he couldn’t cast, well he still had something to beat your ass with.

Seeing the staff aimmed at her even when she was behind a counter. "Better put that down before I burn it...." She warned him as she turned from him as she grabbed a hot tea pot and poured the water over a tea bag. Listening on him command her to identify herself to him. Cocking an eyebrow as she turned to face him. She wasn't the type to be pushed around. Unlike him she didn't need to chant to activate her powers. Raising her hand up in front of him as it bursted into flames.

"Aiko Daisan, I suggest Detective..." She said as the flames disappeared as she fixed her tea. "You ask since you're on equal terms another another of your kind." She said politely as she sipped her tea though she brushed her hair back from her face. "Like I said before....How can I help you?" She repeated once more to him as if getting down to the point why he was here.

The young police officer narrowed his eyes at her. His equal? What the hell did she mean by that? He lowered his staff enough that it wasn’t pointing at her, but if needed he could get it back into position to defend himself. He was always cautious when he was dealing with witches, or other sorcerers. Not all of them had to use incantations, they were rare, but he’d run into enough of them that he never lowered his guard until he knew someone was safe.

“Don’t push me. I only need incantations for things I don’t do regularly. I’m investigating the recent murders of witches in the city. The proprietor of this shop is a known witch so I figured I’d start looking here.” Wasn’t expecting someone who matched the profile though, he thought to himself. She wasn’t bad looking, and now that he thought about it he did have ammo he could use against her if she wouldn’t cooperate willingly. Technically the underground fight rings were illegal, but since they kept sorcerers and witches under control, the police turned a blind eye to them unless they got out of control.

"Excuse me?" She asked as she looked at him with her sipping her tea as she added honey to it. Shrugging her shoulders as he mentioned the busniess owner was a known witch. "Guilty on being a witch.." She said as she moved to the corner she was sitting at the chair when he walked in. There she pointed to the chair from her. "I'm going to say this one more time and if I have to ask once more please leave....How can I help you?" she asked as it was clear she was getting annoyed by repeating herself to him.

She was close to toasting this man but she knew already her peaceful night was ruined because of this rude bastard and him not telling her what he was looking for nor how she can help him. Aiko had a record on the illegal fights but seeing she was the fiery type they slapped her wrists and let her go. Every night the ring moves to another location but she looked over at him with her green eyes. "I was going to close before you got here but wanted to enjoy the night so...Please don't waste my night that I planned to soak in a hot bath and read a novel." She said with her setting the mug on the table as she was a woman who enjoyed a mortals life at times.

John let out a frustrated groan. Great she was one those witches. Either obfuscatingly stupid, or else she was one of the ones that didn’t make the same logical jumps. Probably the latter and that worried him, since it meant she could also probably cast without incantations. He muttered something quietly under his breath and then looked back at her.

“A glass of tea might be nice at this point.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, and let his staff fall into a resting position. If she could cast silently, his best option was just getting the hell out of the way of her spell. “Other than that I need info. Like I said I’m investigating the recent murders. What info I got on the case is so pitifully small that I can’t do anything with it.”

Nodding to him as she poured the hot tea into a mug and sat it there across from her. "I know bit of the person you're after but I'm afraid I won't be of much help." She said as she sipped her tea silently then set it back. "Sorry for the if I have to ask once more get out...I don't like beating around the bush when a detective comes calling." She said as she got to her feet and walked to the door. Looking out it she pulled the curtains closed and locked the door.

In grace she approached the table and sat back down with her crossing her legs. "I've seen his latest victim being 'turned' in the ring. Alot of us managed to get out but there were the rare few that were torn to shreds. Nasty business you got with this one." She said as she leaned her head back to think it out. "Lets see...I only heard of this power from the orginals...The summoner of death.. This power we're seeing is nearly exactly like the orginal's..."

John looked at her confused. “Originals? As in that old military experiment? The thirteen died centuries ago, and none’s been close to that level of power since. How the heck is anyone doing this crap?” He hung his head and started drinking the tea. He was hoping for some answers, now all he was getting was more questions. At least she’d given him another potential lead, if he could wrangle it out of her.

“Where and when is the next ring? This guy’s been following a serial pattern, so if he can find his targets easier there, then he’ll go back.” He may have been a cop, but at this point he was more concerned about the larger issues than some fight club.

Aiko sat back down when he asked about the next fight. Shaking her head to him as she noticed a pattern as well. The losers in the fight were the ones taken over. "I know it sounds odd but who would you explain a semi docile witch sudden kill a dozen people?" She asked but finished her tea off.

"Also I can't tell you about the ring. You've shown your face down there plently of times to break it up. If you and I came down there or you came then you're not going to get anything useful other than many on your cut ass." She said with a wink to him to show she was teasing about him having a cute ass. "I am just warning you if you wish to continue down that path...Also I will tell you this an opponent of mine was turned and hasn't been found yet."

John glared at her over his mug. Cute ass? How the hell was she even seeing it with that duster on? Still she had a point; they’d be lining up to kick his ass if he showed up. Still he was just doing his job, and there was a way around it. It would be dangerous, but then if something happened, he’d also be right there, and might be able to do something about it.

“Whatever you say honey. As far as the ring goes, I’m counting on it. I won’t be going as a cop. I’ll be dropping my money down as a contender. Commissioner can kiss my ass if he doesn’t like it. He wants to promote me just because of my abilities, then he’s got no business telling me how to conduct an investigation.”

He thought about her question for a moment. Docile? Now that she mentioned it, most of the witches in the case file didn’t have criminal records. Those that did were usually misdemeanors, or fairly low key white collar crimes.
“If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say it’s because their low power level makes them an easier target. Stronger targets would take more effort since they’d be able to put up more of a fight. What’s your opponent look like? We got a Jane Doe in this morning, might be your missing witch.”

She smiled when he said "Honey" of course a slight remark from her cute ass though she crossed her slender legs as he went on to say he'd mostly risk his career and this skin to get in. At that moment her mind drifted on how she could help him con the dozens of witches that he wasn't with the police force but that was until he mentioned the lower powered witches may be easier.

"That would make sense. Low power equals low will power which could be this jackel's way in..." She said softly though looked up at him when he mentioned an Jane Doe in his hands. She narrowed her eyes as she didn't go to the last fight but heard this monster striked once more. "Long black hair, brown eyes, looks to be twenty...if she has a rose on her left shoulder blade then that Lilly Raven. She's my best friend and the weakest of the group." She said with her slumping back as she had this nagging feeling something was wrong but she dismissed it all day. "Where did you find her? Also I got another theory on how he's finding the weaker ones. Its the eyes...."

John’s only response was to pick up his radio. He’d magically enhanced it so he could communicate with the base regardless of where he was at. It was one of his numerous little ways of getting back at his boss. “This is Detective Baker. I need to issue a BOLO for a young witch. Appears to be in her twenties, black hair and brown eyes, has a rose tattoo on the left shoulder. She answers to the name Lilly Raven.”

The base operator came back over the radio on his end with a little static. “Roger, is she a suspect?”

“Negative, she’s a victim. Do not engage. If she’s sighted notify me immediately.” Fat chance of that happening, since the commissioner would likely have her drug in regardless, but he’d made the official request, and if something happened; now it was off his hands. He turned back to Aiko and shook his head.

“Sorry, different one we pulled out of a back alley dumpster this morning. Blonde hair, about shoulder length, and green eyes, she had a dragon for her tat on the right side. Poor girl, she must’ve been a real looker when she was alive.”

He quirked an eyebrow when she mentioned the eyes, but said nothing more, and waited to hear this theory. There had never really been an accurate way of gauging their powers just on appearance, but if she’d figured something out, then that could very likely help them ID potential targets, as well as who was doing this.

Her heart eased up when she heard her friend wasn't the body they found. Smiling in relief she noticed his reaction to her eyes theory. Blushing slightly realizing she was taught on a different scale. "When two people pit against eachother and when opponent A has suffered more loses but hopes this fight will be a win. If the fight goes south you can see it in their eyes they accepted defeat and gives up easily. I seen it in their eyes when I fight in the ring though I fought those who are on my level as well. I lost my fights but I don't give up I have to be either dragged or a ref calls it their win." She said trying to explain the eyes theory.

"Sorry if I confuse you but trying to explain it the best I can...The best I can say is it refers to the eyes are the windows to the soul. You see life and sparkle in their eyes then you know they will fight to the end. IF you see nothing then they won't fight back." She said with her pulling her phone from her pocket seeing the ring had moved. "You may be in luck on getting to a fight but you're going ot need my help on getting in. You got to bare two marks to get in and every person has their mark."

He nodded his head. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He’d seen the same kind of effect when dealing with normals. The one’s that had given he could talk down into surrendering, but if the held on to that defiance to the end, there was so avoiding the fight. “I’ve seen something similar. The difference between when someone’s willing to fight to the end, and when they just don’t have the will to go on. There are other ways of seeing it, but the eyes are the easiest to read.”

When she mentioned the marks, he furrowed his brow thinking. He’d remembered his father talking about them when he was younger, but the knowledge escaped him at the moment. “Marks sound vaguely familiar, but I can’t recall right off the top of my head.”

"The marks I'll place will be temporary...If you don't mind." She said to him but continued. "Each fighter gets one mark thats basic say...a pass in fighting. The other mark is completely different. That Jane Doe that you have and you said she has a dragon...Well I know ten people with dragon markings but each dragon is of different race and color." She said as she shrugged. "Thats one example but for a new comer they have to fight a member and if they win they are marked by the loser...Its a sign of proof you won." she said with her leaning forward with her cupping her chin.

"Detective, I can help you here....I can give you the member's pass and my mark. It'll wear off in a week but you'd have to get back to me in five days so I can reink the markings to keep it looking real atleast. I'm apart of the higher ranking so I can mark those who are worthy of fighting underground."

John smiled at that. So that’s what she was talking about. He shrugged out his duster, and started to roll up the left sleeve of his uniform, revealing a black cobra with a silver diamond patter on its hood. It coiled all the way up his arm, and back under his shirt. “Think I’m only going to need one then. Dad gave me this when I was fourteen, couple years after I started showing the power. Him and granddad have the same one. Never was entirely sure what it was for, but he said it would come in useful one of these days.”

He pulled his sleeve back down as he continued. “So whatever we need to do for the member’s mark then? I’ve got a set of civvies in my car so I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

She saw the mark he had which she heard was the most elite fighters had. "Whoa!" She said as she moved over to him as her fingers ran over the mark. "I only heard of this mark but never got to actually see a person with it." She said as she looked at the dealing of the tattoo. Though she looked up at him realizing how close she was to him made her blush.

"I got the needles in the back room. I have members coming in to get their markings a more fresh look all the time. Though Rager..." She was going to say who the man was but decided to skip it. "Rager does mine since...Its in a hard place." She said as she turned her back to him and moved the top of her black pants down to reveal a small flaming fox and in the background was the member's mark. "I go by Vixen down there." She said as she covered the mark back up and slipped her hand into his. "Come on I'll place the members on you in that room." she pointed his hand that she held to the door in the shadows. "I need to make sure everything out here is shut down so once we're done I can go straight home."

John looked at her curiously. “Rare then I’m guessing? I never really gave it a second thought, though it might explain some of the terrified looks I get when I’m in the interrogation room.” He gathered up his duster and followed her into the back room.

Once there, he started unfastening his shirt. Underneath lay a well built structure of muscle. He wasn’t shaped like a body builder, but there was no mistaking the fact that he was strong in spite of his small appearance. The muscles were bound together in tight cords, and seemed to ripple under his skin with every movement. “So where are we placing this thing? And whose car are we taking to get there?”

Once she made sure everything was good she headed to the back to the room she directed him to. There she shut the door as she saw he was sitting there prepared for the new mark. Sitting there as she looked over his arm wondering how to do this mark. "First things first...Where to place this other mark. Its a tiny mark so a trained eye can spot it among the detailed work." She said as she sat there looking at the tattoo. "I can add something around your family mark and I can tell you more about it later on why no one has it." She said as she looked up at him.

She twisted where she grabbed a folder and showed him the backgrounds. "I know this is temporary but got to make it look good if you plan to con your way in." She said as she pointed out some backgrounds as she could alter them to his tastes. "Also taking my car."

John shook his head as he looked at the designs. “Don’t bother with making it temporary. If I get canned over this, I’m going to need to go somewhere to vent. Here this one.” He was pointing at a design that resembled the Uroborus. “Should go well enough with the snake. So am I going to need a nickname down there, or do they give you one?”

He leaned across the table and wated for her to get to work. The tail of the snake seemed to slither along his side as the muscles rippled under his skin. He took a few breaths to ready for the pain. “Speaking of which, why do they call you Vixen?”

Nodding to the design and him wanting it to be permant she dipped the needle and soon started etching but made a slight design in the shading area. Though he asked why she was called vixen and if they gave the name or you picked. "To be honest I didn't pick the name. I didn't think you'd needed one but after I been there for awhile the men were calling me Vixen." She said as she changed the ink out for a shade.

"More than likely you'll be Cobra or Diamond snake....Something along your fighting skills or the mark." She said as she held his arm steady knowing the process was painful for most. Though it didn't take her long to get finished with the process. After putting the guaze over the new tattoo in case there was some bleeding. "That tattoo you have...Very few who has it never looses. I heard of a family that has the same mark its the most of the MOST elite fighters I know of..."

John nodded his head. He knew his grandfather had still been fighting until he was hospitalized because his heart gave out in the middle of the ring after a victory. His father though, he’d never seen his father fighting, but then his father was the one that taught him most everything he knew. Perhaps after he’d started to show power, his father had enough of a vent teaching him that he didn’t need the ring.

“My father and grandfather both had the same mark. Thing is I don’t remember dad ever going to rings. I know granddad was kicking ass and taking names till he finally went, but dad…” he looked at the finished product and smiled. “Looks good. Blends right in so it shouldn’t be too noticeable for anyone who doesn’t know what they’re looking for.”

She smiled softly as he mentioned his family. "Lucky you had family. I was an orphan in Texas and came here to the city on my own...Though here..." She pointed to an slight odd shade that was in a shape no outline. "This is what they are searching for. The underground keeps this mark hidden from you cops so if your men looks at the tattoos thats all it is in your eyes." She said with a smile as she got up placing everything back where it was but she unbuttoned her tight black pants and pushed them down revealing her red cheekies.

"When we get to my car hide your fun and badge." she said over her shoulder as she pulled a pair of shorts off the counter and slipped them on. With her black shorts on she grabbed her sneakers and slipped them on. The whole time as she was changing her back was to him.