3
A Calm

�My dear Sumi, why so flustered?�

�That rotten no good!! Err!! He just� he� he� laughed at me!� Sumi stomped around the room, completely enraged at the behavior of the blond. �I don�t know why I pledged loyalty to HIM! I should have just gone out on my own!�

�Perhaps you thought he was cute. Your judgment gets cloudy with handsome men around.� The voice was mocking her. The man sat on a cushion and played with a knife. He wore red and blue armor, like Jaron, but the colors alternated against his.

�Hush you. I hope those angels take Jaron out. He�s a pest and doesn�t like orders. He�s sure to betray us. You wouldn�t like that, would you?� Sumi smirked, the subject being changed to attack him instead.

�Now, you know quite well I wouldn�t let that happen. I would die before he and you know it.� The man stood to leave, his short white hair catching a glimpse of light before the door closed. Sumi knew she hit a nerve and snickered, that being her intention. Her computer flickered on and made a sound, catching her attention. She sat at a small table and read what was on the screen.

�I hear you hunt angels but don�t call yourself a hunter.� Sumi looked at it quizzically and typed a response.

�I don�t hunt angels! I just clean up after sloppy hunters.�

�Not what I recall. You stole some fresh meat from me. It hadn�t rotted enough for you to clean up.�

Sumi was trying to figure out who it was and how they would know her. She typed more in. �Then you were slow. Not my fault.�

�You don�t remember, do you?�

�Remember what?�

�That you finished off my prey, broke my sword and ran off to your Sire for all the credit.� Sumi jumped at the sound of another person in her room. She turned to see someone sitting in the same seat as the white haired man had been. The Huntress stood quickly but stopped moving forward when she saw a sword flick up to her chin. The person stood, the voice was female, and so was the face of the intruder. She smiled. �I hope you intend on reimbursing my sword. It would be a nice gesture.�

�I don�t know what you�re speaking of.�

�Oh, you don�t? Fine. I�ll just have to make you remember.� The sword began to glow, showing the girl�s face in the darkened room. She had overshadowing burgundy bangs and bright violet eyes. Young. She looked up to Sumi but was completely confident with a smirking expression. Sumi started to recall the young angel hunter from a few weeks ago. The girl came closer to Sumi, pressing the sword against her neck sideways, like she was going to slit Sumi�s throat. �Remember me now?�

Sumi smiled with her black lips. �Why did I forget? The rogue angel hunter, Sai. Nickname Red Tiger, was it? It looks like you don�t need another sword so why come at all? And how.�

�To make sure you don�t do it again. Wonder how I got in here? Top secret, you�ll have to kill me first. As for the sword, I recall a sword you used to break mine. I want it.� She stepped back, letting Sumi get some air. Sai looked confused when Sumi laughed at her.

�So you�ve been reduced to petty theft? How low are you? I thought for sure you would have better sense than that!�

�I�m not stealing it. You are going to give it to me. As for how low I am, I�m higher than you, what can that say? My senses are much more keen than a puppy like you has. I�d be getting that sword if I valued life.� Sumi walked to another table and took a sheathed sword from a drawer. Sai followed her movements with her sword and took the �gift� Sumi handed to her. �I�ll see you, bitch.� Sai jumped up as someone came into the room, Sumi trying to follow after but stopped when she noticed someone had come in. She looked back exasperated.

�What?�

�Sire wishes a meeting. A report on your hunt a few weeks ago. He apologizes for being thorough but he received some information of foul play on your side. Shall we?�

�Yes of course, as he wishes.� She left with the guard and Sai snickered from the ceiling beams. The rogue left through a window with her new sword in hand.

The light in the room came back on to show Lina finish off her opponent after about 10 minutes of darkness and sounds of fighting. Daniel looked up, having almost fallen asleep, to see Lina sitting down across from him at the other end of the room, breathing hard from her struggle. He wanted to say something, to make sure she was all right, but hesitated. That cost him as she stood up speaking to the computer.

�Room 5-4-4, Level 7 Training Unit. Request train, again.� She stood ready as her opponent appeared then turned the room black again. There were a few rustling sounds of wings before they heard Lina call out. �Starzmic blaze!!� Am immense light brightened the room and the heat was unbearable. The walls brightened with that attack and they could now be seen. Lina made quick work of her sparer and took him by the neck to finish the training. The room went to normal and Lina was gasping for air as she stood. She was sweating, from her training and from the effects of her attack, as was Daniel, Vamp and Aran. She looked to them with a small smile.

�Heh, you shouldn�t have been in here. It was hard keeping him over here.� Vamp stood and stretched.

�Aye, but I knew you could do it, Miss Eva. Nice to see you again. You�ve grown.� They smiled to each other and Lina composed herself as she walked over to them and hugged Vamp. Daniel still stood silent, not knowing what to say if he even had the voice to speak.

�Oh I�m sure Daniel�s been in one of these rooms while I was recovering. So, what�s he?� Lina looked to Daniel who returned the look before she looked back to Vamp. Vamp answered proudly.

�He�s a level 6 healer. I trained him myself. Sadly, he was right with his inability to fight. Level 2. I had to cancel the level 3 train before he got killed. But yep! He�s a level 6!� Vamp laughed and then turned to Aran. �Could you go to see Doy on level 29 and get these two updated? Miss Eva to a level 7 fighter and Daniel to a level 6 healer, level 2 fighter. Thank you much!�

Vamp hadn�t waited for a response and pushed Aran out of the room then turned back to Lina and Daniel who still hadn�t talked to each other. She smiled, waiting for them then saw they were uncomfortable. She laughed lightly and began to leave. �I�ll leave you two love-birds alone. I�m sure you have lots to catch up on. Be quick! Time�s running out.�

They tried to protest but Vamp had already shut the door evilly. Lina crossed her arms and looked to Daniel, who was looking at the floor while leaning against the wall. This wasn�t what they were supposed to be doing. They were supposed to be hugging and making sure the other was fine and laughing. With Lina�s icy personality and Daniel�s shy disposition, this wasn�t going to be normal. Lina walked to stand in front of Daniel, letting the ice be melted.

�Are you okay? I�m sorry I didn�t seem happy when you came in, I was focused on training. You should know that.�

�I do.�

�Then what�s wrong? Why aren�t you happy to see I�m okay? That we made it?� Lina was confused now. She could have sworn it was because she hadn�t greeted them when they came in but now that it wasn�t, she was lost.

�I don�t know.� He looked up finally to see her smiling but had seen a glimpse of worry on her face. He smiled. �I�m sorry. I shouldn�t be like this. Vamp showed me around this Spire place. Want to get something to eat?� Lina smiled and nodded.

They opened the door exchanging laughter but stopped when they saw Vamp talking to a few guards that were looking their way. The guards brushed passed her when they spotted the two and Lina stepped in front of Daniel protectively. He smiled at her gesture.

�What�s wrong, sirs?� Lina questioned as Vamp ran up behind the guards and rounded in front of them to speak before they could.

�Your time is up. I tried to extend it so you could wash up and eat but they wouldn�t have it. I�ll get some food for you and meet you at the dock, okay?�

Lina smiled. �Thank you, Vamp. I�m sorry Mitra couldn�t be here as well.�

�Nonsense Miss Eva! She�s always around, no matter. See you!� She ran off ahead of the guards as Lina and Daniel were escorted to the elevator and taken down to the dimensional docks. This was the first time Daniel had seen the docks and he was, how Vamp put it earlier, flabbergasted.

�Wow. It looks even bigger than before.� Daniel looked to his side to Lina, who was staring at the same sight he was. The walls were lined with doors, glass doors. They led into a room, a glass room. In each room was a gateway to a dimension. Everything seemed to be glass except for the gates and Daniel made a point to ask about that. Even the floors and ceilings were glass, seeing up and down to the other floors with more of the gates. Lina walked behind the guard leading them and in front of the one taking up their rear, Daniel followed behind looking around in awe.

They passed a room where three angels sat against the glass, they looked dirty and worn out. He looked to another room with an angel hugging goodbyes to two others. Lina glanced back at him and saw him looking around. She attempted to explain.

�These floors are constantly monitored for newcomers and goers. It�s very restricted and normally a last resort to come here by those that do not live here, like us. That�s why we�re being sent back.� She slowed her pace to be beside him to be able to talk to him better, it seemed the farther they walked, the longer the hall was.

�But why is at all made of glass?�

�That�s so we can see anyone coming or going. The level above us is a security level and they can look down and see everything that happens. No use of computers or little televisions necessary when all you have to do is look down.� Daniel looked up to what she was talking about. There were several people walking above and looking down at them, just them at the moment. The escorts must give them unwanted popularity. �It�s also good for another reason. Since this is a last resort for angels, they get hurt while making sure this would be the last. When you come through that gate and you�re unconscious they will notice right away and come help you. I expect that�s what happened to us.�

�Well wouldn�t that happen to most people because of the heat?� Daniel remembered the unbearable heat he went through before he couldn�t stay awake any longer on the way there.

�The heat is the only method they have found to get the wind to take you up. Heat rises, you know? But as to why it intensifies when you get into the bottom spire that might be the air being trapped in the portal. Or it could be something else... Ask Vamp!� Lina laughed. Daniel was asking questions she didn�t know the answers to. Daniel laughed with her, knowing her frustration. The guards stopped and opened a door to the glass room they stood in front of. Daniel looked to the portal and saw that the frame was made of gold and in black onyx at the top it read �116th Dimension: Racell�. Inside the frame there were swirling colors of black, purple and blue with the occasional swirl of yellow. He made another point to ask if the colors meant anything, but then tossed the idea thinking that he would be asking too many questions. As they started to enter the room Vamp was running down the hall.

�Hey! Stop! I still have to give them something!� She pushed one of the guards out of her way to get to Lina and Daniel then huffed as she caught her breath. She held a bag on her shoulder and composed herself as she handed it to Lina. �Here. It has food for the two of you and some clothes. I noticed your dress is pretty tattered, Miss Eva. The one I gave you should last longer.�

�Thanks, Vamp. It means a lot.� Lina smiled, taking the bag and putting it over her shoulder. Vamp looked to Daniel and grinned.

�And don�t worry, I�ve got something in there for you too. I think you�ll like it.� She giggled a little and waved. �See you two! I think you can come back once you get that Hunter to go away. I�d be happy to see you again! Well, until then, bye! I�m off to get you clearance.� Vamp left the same she had come, running.

Lina looked at Daniel and smiled. �I�ll go first. See you on the surface.� With that she turned towards the gate and walked into the swirling colors. Her form disappeared and the colors became misshapen like she had stepped into water. Daniel looked back at the guards and nervously gulped and looked at the gate. He closed his eyes firmly and stepped through the gate to be greeted by the same heat as before, except not as intense. He floated down to the ground as he had gone up before except his wings were still in his back.

Daniel�s feet touched on the dirt of the planet Racell. He looked around; shielding his eyes from the new sunlight that had replaced the two moons the planet was lighted by the last time they were there with Taketo. Stepping out of the pillar of light he could see Lina sitting on the ground and looking through the bag. He sat down across from her and she looked up to him handing him a small box.

�Here is some of that food Vamp was talking about. I don�t know if you�ll like it, but it�s a specialty at the Spire. I�ve never had it, myself.� She explained and went back to looking through the bag. Daniel looked inside the box to find something green, blue and yellow. The colors unnerved him, but he managed to speak a couple words to her.

�Thank you, I think.� Lina smiled and looked up to him then laughed at the expression of unsure disgust on his face.

�Don�t worry, it won�t bite, it won�t melt and it won�t smell. It might move, though.� She tried to keep a straight face as he looked up suddenly but was unsuccessful and laughed again. �I�m kidding! It�s healthy, all angels should stay in shape, neh?� Her voice was mocking Vamp�s accent and manner.

�S-sure. Here goes nothing.� He picked up one of the blue things in the box and popped it in his mouth. Daniel clenched his eyes closed as he chewed then eventually swallowed and opened his eyes. He was surprised. �Wow, that IS good!� The angel started to eat the rest of the food in the box and Lina brought out her own share and ate absently while still looking at the contents of the bag. Once Daniel was finished and Lina was fairly done with her share, he questioned the bag. �What�s in it, anyway?�

�Oh.� She looked to him and picked up a purple garment. �Vamp sent me this to replace the dress I have now and�� Lina grabbed the bag and threw it to him. He caught it in his lap and looked in it. �That�s for you. She must have noticed your taste in clothes.� He looked through the bag to find a white shirt, similar to his but with an open back and very baggy sleeves. Daniel smiled at the shirt and looked further inside the bag to find a note.

�What�s this?� He read the letter.

Dearest Daniel, For a guy, you�re pretty hard to find clothes for. Hope you like the shirt and I would have included some shoes for those sexy feet of yours if I knew what size you wore. You�ll have to come back and see me some time so I can find out more about you. Later, Curious Son, Vamp

�Awe, how cute. Daniel�s got a little fan.� Lina snickered as she finished off the rest of her food. Daniel blushed even deeper than he was from the letter and put the letter back into the bag. He looked to Lina slightly nervous and she raised an eyebrow. �Yes?�

�Do you� mind if I change?� He questioned as he held up the shirt. Lina smiled mischievously.

�As long as you don�t mind me changing, too.�

�Uh, no! Not at all, I�ll just turn around and�� Daniel turned away from her and resisted the urge to look back. �Is that good?� He could hear Lina shifting where she sat.

�Uh huh. You can turn around when I say. Go ahead and change.� She was sliding out of her dress as she said this and picked up the new one. Lina glanced sideways at Daniel as he was taking his shirt off and blushed slightly at herself for looking. The wing tattoo on his back looked grey on his shoulder blades. She seemed entranced by the look of him with his shirt off, even if it was just his back. Lina snapped out of it when he put the new shirt over his head and covered the tattoo she had been looking at. She slid the dress over her head and pulled it down over her body. It was almost the exact replica of the dress she wore before except for minor changes. For one, the back was much more open than the other, fully exposing her own wing tattoo and the top of her lower back. It seemed that the back of the dress was shifted to droop as it reached the back of her calves. The front was different, though. The purple fabric drooped a little on her chest, giving her a wide neck and loose front, then the bottom of the front part only reached to just above her knees. The transition was gradual from high to low on the hem and the dress remained sleeveless. Lina checked over herself, making sure the dress was fitting right and covered everything then spoke up to Daniel.

�You can turn around now.� Daniel had been waiting patiently with a small blush as she changed and looked over his shoulder first before turning around fully, making sure it was safe. The words he wanted to say her about the new dress escaped him as he gazed at her. �Well?�

�Uh, it looks� good.� He averted his eyes away from her to the boots on the ground. �Boots, too?�

Lina was slightly disappointed in his reaction and tried not to show it, though if he did wish to notice, he could. �Yeah, she said in my note that they were stronger than these and lighter.� She started to take off the old boots and replace them with the new ones. �Are you ready? To leave, I mean.�

�Sure. I want to get this over with. Too much has happened in such little time.� Daniel stood to join Lina.

�You can say that again. I just wish we could have had more time to prepare on Angel Spire. I�m sure you could have learned more about your healing abilities.� They started to walk towards the gate.

�I don�t think I would have made much difference.� They stopped at the gate.

�Oh, come on! I-�

�You look really nice in that dress, Eva.� Daniel interrupted her, then, when she blushed at the comment, rather angry with him, he pushed the gate open to further her frustration. She followed with a huff and the gate shut behind them as they walked out onto the path that had led them there. Daniel looked around for anything as Lina just slightly glared at him. �So, where is this hunter that we�re supposed to make go away?�