"Hey guys," I smiled at everyone as we all gathered together.
"So Ashley gave us some healing potions each and a silvered weapon for self-defense." Grace and I explained handing out everything.
"Wait I don't get a weapon?!" Grace questioned sounding very upset.
"Well, Ashley said you being a paladin and all you wouldn't need one since you do some glowly weapon stuff," I explained.
"Yeah, but what if I lose my weapon? or I get disarmed or something..." Daisy began to sulk.
"You can have my dagger." Jay offered.
"No it's okay, it just would have been nice to be included, that's all," Daisy replied looking a little annoyed making us chuckle a little.
"Morgana, did you see anyone you recognized," I questioned.
"There was one but she didn't seem to be doing anything shady, just walking around with her friends seemingly enjoying time off classes," Morgana answered.
"Did you attach a spore on her?" Jay questioned.
"I did, right now she's just visiting the stalls," Morgana answered after taking a small pause to focus on something.
"How about Yuna and Sven." Any word on them?" Grace asked.
"We found Yuna, she said she will look for Sven and meet up back here, she said she won't be too long," Helen answered.
"Daisy, did you sense anything abnormal from the student?" Jay questioned curiously.
"I did try, to my surprise somehow she had a stronger sense of good over evil," Daisy answered making us all a little confused.
"How can that be possible?" I asked in shock.
"I dunno." Daisy shrugged as if she herself didn't quite understand how her power worked.
"So from what I understand the Demons are evil, but their followers might not be evil?" I questioned curiously trying to understand it all.
"It seems as if," Jay answered.
"So there's some sort of moral grey area? or maybe she hasn't devoted herself to the Demon just yet?" I wondered.
"You might be onto something, maybe the more they devoted themselves the more power they gain and more evil they appear to Daisy," Helen suggested.
"Maybe once one fully devotes themself they become some human demon hybrid and become fully evil?" Jay suggested.
"Like when that other student became that Demon thing he was fully engulfed in his blood thirst and everything I did to him was extremely ineffective, so I do believe at that point he was more Demon than Human," Grace answered.
"Why on earth would anyone worship a Demon? if you end up paying with your life or soul." I questioned utterly lost on why someone would do such a thing.
"From what I've been taught it's due to the promise of power or the promise that something a mortal cannot do." Daisy answered.
"I don't mean to be offensive or anything, I just want to clarify things but what makes it different to say a follower of Serra?" I questioned.
"Generally being a follower of Serra has several criteria, for example, I must protect the weak, I must follow the teaching and guidelines of Serra if at any point Serra feels I have strayed too far from the path she can easily take away the powers she has gifted me." Daisy began to explain, "Demons and Devils on the other hand entice you during a moment of weakness taking advantage of the situation and moment of weakness, in many cases being the ultimate mastermind in that individuals corruption. Whereas Clerics and Paladin's it's a choice, generally once you've accepted help from a Demon or Devil, it only gets worse they will do whatever they can to give up more and more of your body and soul, even to the point of possessing the individual at times to , it's a downwards spiral." Daisy explained further, "for example unknown to many Khorcus 'blesses' his followers with his blood thirst granting them enhanced strength and durability but also a loss of self control the deeper and deeper the individual falls, he is also the Lord of the Dead so he also entices his followers with visions of loved ones and the false promises to bring them back." Daisy concluded her explanation.
"So he can't bring people back to life?" I questioned curiously.
"Well he can, but the individual he brings back will most likely not be the same person, maybe even one of his demons puppeting the body of the loved one. Just remember when it comes to Devils or Demons they will always come out on top." Daisy answered.
"And the good God's like Serra and others they can also bring back the dead?" I questioned again.
"Some God's can bring back the dead but its only during great times of strife or when the individual is important enough. For example during the great war the Serra's chosen had the ability to bring back the dead, it is said she was gifted that ability to turn the war and avoid more blood shed." Daisy answered.
"So maybe she believes what she is doing is good? that is why she's giving off a stronger good aura than bad?" Jay questioned curiously.
"I doubt that's the case, but my best guess is that she has good intentions and hasn't been corrupted too much yet," Daisy answered.
"Hey everyone!" Yuna smiled greeting us with Sven following closely behind.
"So we're the select individuals who are trusted to deal with this threat huh?" Sven questioned as they both joined the group.
"Apparently so," Grace answered.
"So I'm assuming the House head doesn't know who he can trust and how far this problem has encroached into Atlantis," Sven replied.
"And I'm sure he doesn't want any of this information leaking out since all the S-ranked students and a number of VIP's are on Atlantis grounds as well," Yuna added.
"Do you think any of visitors are working with them?" I questioned in shock.
"I highly doubt it, such action would essentially be a death sentence." Yuna chuckled at the thought.
"So what are the plans so far?" Sven smiled.
"No plans so far. All we have is a potential student that Morgana thinks have been acting strangely the other night." Jay answered.
"Well, that's a starting point." Sven smiled.
"So any more important information, we should know?" Sven questioned.
"We have theorized that maybe a VIP is involved since that would be the most likely way to smuggle in contraband," Jay answered.
"I sure hope not, the number of very strong individuals that were invited and arrived is quite daunting," Sven expressed a deep sense of worry.
"Since you all are still juniors, I hope you all don't mind if I take command of the team, and Yuna takes command if a combat situation arises." Sven politely asked.
"Not at all, I'm sure you both have more experienced than us." I nodded in agreement closely followed with everyone else.
"Okay, so Morgana I would like you to lead the way and let us know if you spot anyone you recognize." Sven requested.
"No need I have already spored one of them and currently tracking their movements throughout the campus." She answered.
"Ahh one of the abilities of a druid?" Sven questioned.
"Yes, the student I've identified is currently attending the market stalls," Morgana answered.
"Wow impressive, that's made our jobs a million times easier." Sven smiled, "So any of you guys have any tricks in listening?" Sven questioned.
"My spores also allow me to listen as well but I'll need to focus, having two voices in my head get very confusing," Morgana answered making Sven gave her a look of absolute shock and surprise.
"Is there anything it can't do?" He asked her in utter disbelief.
"Well, this type of spore can't hurt them," Morgana answered totally oblivious to his rhetorical question.
"So Morgana I don't suppose you have some sort of spore vision as well?" Jay questioned sarcastically like such a thing shouldn't even be possible.
"Of course not, they don't have eyes," Morgana answered like it was as obvious as day.
"They don't have ears but can listen but for some reason, they need eyes to see," Sven muttered under his breath quietly. "Okay so I'd like to somehow keep an eye on them, anyone has any suggestions on that?" He asked the rest of us.
"I can become a small creature," Helen answered raising her hand a little.
"Okay, that would be great! I'll attach a line onto you since I'll be needing to keep it very loose so if something happens you need to tug on it real hard and I'll pull you out of danger." Sven explained the plan to her.
With a determined nod, Grace pulled her staff from her back and began casting a spell in what I guess is Elven, she quickly began to shrink into a tiny little brown mouse that looked totally identical to a wild mouse. "Awesome." Sven smiled and with a small flick of his finger, I guess he attached one of his threads on her.
Helen looked at us giving us a small nod and began scurrying away towards our target. A part of me wondered how a girl who isn't even that bad according to Daisy is in cahoots with a Demon and what on earth her reasons might even be....