It has been a year since the incidents in the Academy. Lukas graduated with distinction despite the problems caused by his reckless actions.
Due the fact he handled and defeated the evil Mirror Entity known as Bloody Mary mostly in a single handed combat, he was assigned to assist the SSS Unit -Supernatural Special Squad- fighting and helping cleaning the word of all creatures and entities with evil intentions, meaning prison or kill if needed.
Lukas was asleep when the silence of the hotel room he was staying was disturbed by his phone. Ring! Ring! Ring! Sighing, Lukas lazily moved one hand towards the table near the bed until finding what he was looking and pick up. "Yes...?" He asked, still half awake.
"Pack your things, Lukas." Said the voice.
"Huh? They already are, Sir..." He replied while rubbing his eyes and slowly sat down. "I'm leaving this afternoon. The mission is over."
"Yes, we know! A good job like usual. But you have another mission. You're going to Greece this afternoon."
"Why Greece?" He asked and looked around, watching Azazel sat on a corner cleaning the blade still covered with lamia's blood.
"Four months ago we received reports of a mysterious creature lurking the surroundings of Athens, more precisely around Agora."
"Agora? Isn't that...?" Lukas mind seemed to race. Agora was where the Medusa had been buried.
"Yes! We believe we are dealing with gorgons. We sent a two men team soon we got the news, one of the best. After their last contact three weeks ago, we stopped receiving messages. With no more information, it was only logical they had found what they have been looking for. Two weeks ago the Council sent another team of four from the SSS. Yesterday, our contact in Athens informed us they had been found. Two of them turned to stone and with pieces all over the place. The third one had signs of being strangled and the autopsy revealed several bite marks all over his body."
"What about the forth?"
"The forth asset is still missing. This time, however, we will be sending another four man team. You and your guardian along side one of the European's Unit assets and her guardian." The voice explained.
"And who is she?" He asked almost immediately, wanting to know as much as possible about the person he would work with. Last time he had teamed up with someone, he was almost killed by the Spirits of the Ghost Forest.
"Her name is Tarashi. Since the incident in Ireland six months ago, you might had noticed by now all the rules of the Supernatural had changed. She's able to see and communicate with her guardian which has allowed her to access other type of power. She was the one dealing with the Headless Horseman in Norway two months ago. I think you two will make a pretty good team and, after the tragedy of your last partner, it's time you have someone else. Besides, this is the perfect opportunity to join the SSS units around the world. With the North America and Japan fused as one, that left the European unit. In that case, if all goes well, we can proceed to the final preparations." Explained calmly.
"I understand, sir! Failure is not acceptable." Lukas stood up and glanced at Aze who was currently listening to the call with curiosity. "When is the flight?"
"A driver shall be there to pick you up in twenty minutes. Make the check-out and wait by the entrance. Good luck, son."
"Thank you sir!" He said immediately before the call fall and sighed lightly. "Well, it seems we are not going home yet."
"You talk like if you wanted." Azazel replied with a chuckle, looking at him. He had grown much more mature since the last year and had almost became a mini version of himself. The Fallen was more than proud. And glad he was able to control his human desires a bit better. After all he had almost got seduced by the kitsune they both had faced where their last partner had died facing the arachne guarding the temple.
"You know what I mean." He stretched before slowly strip himself from the pajamas and walk to the bathroom for a quick shower. "Wouldn't mind a break. It has been work and more work since eleven months ago."
"Nobody said it would be easy and you did well in join the SSS. With our skills, we could bring some good to this chaotic world." Azazel remembered.
"I know! I know!" He quickly replied with a smile and closed the door.
Azazel stood there, smiling to himself and glanced at the sword leaned against the wall before the weapon slowly fade like smoke. Tightening the cape around him, Azazel spin around and poofed. Unlike last year, their bond had become stronger and he would always know when his most dear friend would need help.
.
.
.
The flight to Athens had been long and Lukas woke up long before the sign for placing the belts appear. Looking around, he noticed Aze a few steps away from him, almost like a ghost has people passed through him while standing up and moving to stretch their legs a bit or use the bathroom. Aze was usually on the Astral Plane so, it was only visible for Lukas, which still founded slightly weird seeing him almost like a ghost with no ethereal body.
The plane landed half hour later and the boy slowly stood up, glad the Council had bought him a First Class ticket and reserved the seat next to him so he was alone the whole flight, which had been a way for Azazel to sit and not stand for eighteen hours. Exiting the airport, he easily recognized his contact as the old woman with an incredible strong green aura all around her.
"You must be Lukas." The boy nodded and smiled, bowing his head lightly towards the Grand Maester. "Come! Your partner arrived yesterday night. She's waiting for you in the house."
"Thank you!" He said softly before entering the car.
Patting the shoulder of the driver, the old woman leaned back and handed him a file from the suitcase she was holding. "Here! You have all the details you must know."
"What about my partner?" He asked, looking at the information about all the six agents that had been sent there before. "There's nothing about her..."
"As you must know, this is the first time we are making a joined mission. This is our jurisdiction but, lately after the problem in Ireland, it has been decided there should be an alliance. If all goes well, you two might start the path for a new Era. You are more scholars than anything and we had always focused more in the direct approach. The time for diplomacy is no long." She said with a cold voice.
"Our SSS unit still believes in diplomacy. Not all cases should be handled with pure strength or we shall become worst than what we fight."
"Tell that to your dead partner!" Lukas gasped and gripped his leg, controlling himself from say anything that could ruin the negotiations. "You knew the case! They had innocent blood on their hands, and yet you two tried to argue. It was luck that saved you two and yet, one of you managed to die!" She stared at him, wondering what his reaction would be.
"I d know not all agree with our method. But many unnecessary deaths for both sides were also saved like that. We don't enter a dragon's lair with the full purpose to kill." He spoke politely and as calm he could.
The woman laughed and sighed. "You're still young, Lukas. Mercy and pitty are a weakness all enemies shall seize. If you show that, then you're a fool!" She finished as the car stopped. "Good luck!"
Lukas glanced at the driver and back to the woman, opening the door. After taking the bag, the car left and Lukas looked at the house where he stood in front. Azazel patted his shoulder and gave him a sincere smile.
"There's nothing wrong in have Faith some can change."
"Thank you..." He smiled and took a deep breathe before took the key he had been given along with the ticket to Athens and entered the house. "Hello?" He shouted.
The cabin had a big living room, with shells between each window full of books, a couple chairs and a couch around a big and beautiful carved wooden table. And door on the left lead to what could be the kitchen and the other one to the hallway. Humming as he explored his new house for the moment, he opened the first door on the right to see the bathroom and walked towards the one on the left a few more steps ahead. The room had two beds, one that it seemed already taken.
"Someone's here!" Said Azazel, turning around the moment an orb of light floating a meter from the floor and near the door. Before long Aze had charged, sword appearing as he moved the cape aside. A faint scream was hear before the orb faded as the Fallen had stopped his assault soon he noticed what was inside the orb. "Hmmph. Guess your partner is more skilled than you." He said jokingly.
"My partner?" Lukas asked, honestly confused as he looked around and noticed some movement outside. "Let's go." He said before leaving the room.
As Lukas stepped outside, Aze followed him a step behind. Someone was running down the hill away from the house and the boy quickly figured it was his partner. The woman with a young appearance smiled warmly as approached, her blue mesmerizing eyes literally distracting him from everything else for a few moments. Shaking his head, he smiled back and approached.
"Hello!" They smiled and chuckled upon speaking at the same time and after a somewhat embarrassing moment when figuring what to do, they shook each other hands by the time being.
"I'm Lukas. Please to meet you!" He spoke and nodded.
"The pleasure is mine! And I'm Tarashi." She replied with a warm and happy smile. Her brownish golden hair seemed to fall around her back and the bangs on each side of her head give her a beautiful look. Looking at the angel, the girl smiled even more. "And you must be Azazel!"
The surprise in their face's was original and, as Lukas was opening his mouth to ask how, he felt a strong and almost suffocating just aura. Emanating from behind! On the ceiling of the house, previously undetected by both Lukas and Haze stood an angel with crimson red wings, wearing a golden armor with arms crossed over his chest and smile on his face.
"HAZAI?!" Aze shouted, not believing his eyes.
"AZE?" The angel blinked and before both Lukas and Tarashi knew what happened, their guardian angels had lunged at each other gave a strong hug, patting each other's back with enough strength to cause a human to be out of breathe.
"You... you know each other?" Lukas asked, confused and surprised.
"Yes!" Aze replied happily in a tone the boy rarely had listened and the two angels hold each other's right arm firmly in a greeting. "I was his Captain!" He sad with a smirk.
"We fought side by side, long ago!" The angel known as Haai answered they both laughed.
"I see..." Lukas smiled happily.
"Well, why don't we leave them to chat?" Tarashi asked, playfully jumping onto him and ruffling his hair while one arm ruffled his air. "I'm sure they have lots to talk and I too would love to know more about my new partner."
"Yes!" Lukas smiled and squirmed a bit at the playfully rustle of hair before nod. "I would love to." He added and glanced at the angels.
"There's no danger around here." Hazai said as his sword appeared in hands, looking at Azazel with a challenge look.
"You two have fun." Azazel replied as he holded the handle of his sword with both hands, groaning lightly as the cape fell and his black wings .ripped through the skin.
With not warning both angels took off, flying higher until Tarashi and Lukas lost them of sight.
"What are they gonna do?" She asked with curiosity, also surprised for see Hazai so excited.
"Sparing." Lukas laughed and shrugged, looking at her. "Shall we go inside, then?"
"Yes!"The girl said and they walked side by side into the house.
