Author's Note: Thank you to those who have reviewed the story. Chapter two is probably the kickoff of the story. Maybe we'll find out what happens to Amon. Who knows?

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Chapter Two: New Beginnings

Robin was in a state of confusion. What was STEA-L and why did Amon send her here? What made matters worse was that without her glasses she could barely see anything at all anymore. "Hello? Are you alright? Why aren't you answering? You aren't mute," the unfamiliar voice spoke. "Who are you?" "Oh. You probably can't see without these. You've been pretty careless Fire," the kind voice replied, ignoring her question. Robin felt two hands around her face, putting a pair of glasses over her eyes as the view of the room around her became clear. "That should help for now." Robin finally found the man sitting in front of her. He had a very pleasant smile and his eyes matched his long green shirt. His long brown hair brushed his shoulders, looking as though it had been tussled by the wind. "You can see me now right?"

All Robin could do was nod. She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't recognize this young man at all, but he looked very kind. "Yes…I can see better now," she whispered, readjusting the glasses for a perfect fit. "And to answer your earlier question, my name is Kaze Suzu, and I hope I didn't make a bad impression," he laughed merrily as he shook her hand vigorously. Robin stayed quiet, just watching him smile happily. "I bet you're wondering about all of this, and you should. That's what I'm here for. I'll be your guide for now, so let's get moving!" Suzu jumped from the bed, hurrying to the door. As he walked, Robin noticed a small keychain attached to the loop of his worn black jeans. A leaf? What is that? Some sort of symbol? Robin remained frozen as the cheerful boy left the room. "This is strange, but if Amon sent me here, then I must go along." Robin made up her mind, following Suzu down the hall.

The walls were decorated with portraits and paintings of very regal looking men and women. Robin gazed in awe at the quality of the building. "Almost there," Suzu called behind to her as they reached an elevator. "The next room should seem familiar to you." Robin watched her feet quietly as the elevator moved up, never once looking or speaking to Suzu. After they were jolted to a stop, the doors swung open to a place that looked almost exactly like the STN-J's headquarters. The only difference was the most important one…the people. "Wow," she whispered. "Yeah. Come on, you should meet the others." Suzu stepped forward to the station of computers, looking over the monitor to see a young boy typing rapidly. "Finally. How long does it take you to wake someone up?" "Relax Chris. It's not like she's feeling all that well. Come on, just smile about it." "That's not something I do." Robin heard the young voice but saw no one, so she curiously stood beside Suzu, leaning over to see who was speaking. "It took you long enough to find us," he remarked.

Looking over, Robin saw a boy who had to be at least four years younger than her. His hair was short and blonde, his eyes were a beautiful hazel, yet they held a cold gaze. He wore a yellow jacket covering most of his body. He propped his feet up, showing off his black jeans and yellow shoes. He looks like a regular school boy. What could he be doing in a place like this? "You can stop staring at me now. It's annoying." Robin blinked, quickly apologizing as the boy lowered his brow. "So, this is the great fire witch Robin?" "Yes…I am Robin…if I may ask your name…" "My name is Hollington Christopher." "We call him Chris though," Suzu added as he ruffled the boy's sandy locks. "I really don't care. Just as long as you get your work done and leave me to mine." He returned to his work when the computer beeped. "Hm." He turned his attention back to the screen, his eyes darting as he read. "Something wrong?" "Yeah. I can't find any trace of Darkness on here." Robin listened in confusion. "Darkness?" "Don't worry about that now Robin. I should show you the rest of the team," Suzu said urgently, pulling Robin away.

The two walked around to the other computers where Robin met a few others. There was Samuke Kan, a cheerful and intelligent young lady with long light blonde hair and pale blue eyes. The one person that shocked her was who she met next. He stood as she came by, his gaze seeming cold yet oddly comforting. "And this is one of our best. Odaki Taki." His blue eyes pierced hers, looking through her immediately. "You are nervous about something?" He asked in a deep voice. Robin looked him over. He had black hair framing his face with blue highlights in various places. He wore a dark blue shirt, and the rest of his outfit was black, but that wasn't what made her stare. His face. He looked so much like… Amon…Suzu looked back and forth as they stared at each other. "I think that's enough," he said as he hastily pushed Robin away. "Anyway. You are still confused I'm sure. Now is the time to explain." Suzu looked around for a chair, catching one that was kicked over by Chris. After Robin took a seat, she looked around at all of them as they continued their work. "Let's start with the name STEA-L."

"STEA-L stands for Special Team of Elemental Arcanas Library. You see, we are quite similar to the STN-J you once worked for. The only difference is that we're all witches." "You are?" "Yes. We each have a special ability from an element just like you with fire. I have power over wind, Chris has power over light, Kan has power over ice, and Taki has power over water. There was another, but we have lost contact with him. He had power over darkness, but sadly, he never got around to discovering it. This castle is home to several books containing information about witches and several other beings that we have had to hunt. We knew of your existence, but were unable to find you until you came to our doorstep," Suzu explained quickly. "Can I ask you something?" Robin interrupted. "Of course!" "What was the name of the person who should be able to control darkness?" "His name…It's kind of hard to remember. I never knew him personally…The others might know…"

Robin looked over at them desperately, her eyes begging for an answer. Chris turned away, sighing quietly. Kan looked down quietly, shaking her head slowly. Taki was the only one to speak. "His name was Amon, but he abandoned us before we could even get to know him. He was such a jerk." Robin stood in shock hearing the name she knew so well. "You know Amon!" "Of course I do, but I don't care anymore and neither should you." Taki's voice was dark and very angered. "I'm glad he's dead!" "Dead…" Robin was taken aback by his fierce statement, causing a reaction from Suzu. "We don't know that for sure. He could have lost his tracking device. That's all…" "Who cares? He won't come back here." Once again, another blow was dealt to Robin's fragile heart. This time, Kan spoke up. "Oh come on. You're just jealous because he was so much better than you. You know it and we all do," she said in a very sarcastic voice as she walked over to Robin. "Hee. Don't worry about it. I have a feeling you and him have a very interesting relationship. You look really worried." "I…" "Don't worry. We might stumble upon him again someday. Just keep hoping," she cheered. Suddenly, Robin felt a bit better. At least someone was on her side.

As Suzu and Kan talked to her a bit more, the elevator stopped, opening its large doors so another could enter. "Everyone, look alive. I have work for you." Robin looked up to see a very striking older woman with long black hair and clothes approach them. "That is Karama Suzuki. She's our boss," Suzu explained in a whispered tone. "Well well, it looks like Fire has finally awakened." "Why do you all keep calling me Fire?" Robin asked in slight frustration. "It's a code name." "We have no time for chatter. It seems that a bunch of undead witches have been attacking workers who have tried to clean up the recently destroyed factory. Light, can you fill in Fire before she leaves?" Before anyone could respond, the mystery woman had walked out. "Sorry about that. Boss can be in kind of a rush…" "That's alright, but I would like a bit more clarification if you could..." "You guys go ahead and I'll give her the explanation," Chris mumbled as he waved his hands towards the others. He waited until they were gone before he began.

"The missions are executed as such. Everyone is paired up and goes to the destination from a different angle. We only use our powers. We have never used orbo and we never will. I'm sure you can understand that." Robin nodded silently, continuing to listen. "I contact you through this," he said as he slid an earpiece across the table. "I have the scale of the building you will be in on my computer, and I can give you tips and warnings. You can also communicate with other members through it. You must only look out for your partner and yourself. If someone else is injured, leave it to their partner unless it is an emergency. The job comes first. Lastly, be careful while using your arcana abilities. They can become out of hand, especially with one such as yours." "I think I understand," Robin answered as she eased the earpiece into place. "I just need to know who I'm partnered up with." "I think we should put you with someone more experienced. Taki will be the best choice for you. You'd better hurry." "Yes," Robin called as she ran to the elevator. Chris quickly typed something, waiting for a screen to pop up. "Water." "Yeah?" "I'm putting Fire under your command for now. Think you can handle it?" "Of course."

Robin shielded her eyes as the sunlight beamed down on her. The day was bright, yet it seemed so gloomy to her. Everything was moving so quickly, and it seemed she was right where she started. Hunting witches. She stopped in front of the street as a black car pulled up. The window lowered and Taki looked out at her. "Looks like I'm stuck with you. Let's get this over with." Robin silently slid into the car, not saying a word to him. Every now and again, she would look at him, admiring his features. She couldn't help herself. The hair, the cold gaze, the voice. It was just like Amon's, but something between them was different. Even if Amon had a look of dislike or annoyance towards Robin, there was something more in his eyes. Robin missed those eyes. She missed everything they held. "Why do you keep staring at me?" Robin had been in such deep thought that she began to stare with longing at Taki without realizing. "It's…it's nothing…"

Taki watched Robin turn away, her sad gaze watching the world go by. "Why do you care so much about him? What could he have done for you? He's all about himself." This subject was something that Robin wouldn't keep quiet about. "He saved me several times and treated me differently then a lot of other people did…Amon was a very great man even if you don't think so." Robin was surprised to see Taki give her a half smile. "Amon and I…we're closer than you think." "You are? What do you mean?" "I'll…tell you some other time, but now…" The car jolted to a stop as they came upon the desolate building that stood before them. "We have a mission." The mysterious man's eyes flashed with sudden exhilaration as though he knew something deep inside the walls was waiting for them. As Robin joined him, their earpieces rang. "Hey you two, can you hear me?" A young voice called through the piece. "We're here Light. What do you have for us?" Robin listened intently as the young boy gave them an idea of what to expect. "The witches shouldn't be too much. Try to take care of them quickly. They are being controlled by something. See if you can get a sample of the blood for me. Kill the rest."

Robin felt her stomach churn. Kill Killing should always be a last resort, but to the STEA it seemed second nature. "Why do we have to kill them?" Taki grumbled, turning to Robin. "Listen. I don't know what the STN taught you, but here things are a little bit different. These witches aren't all nice normal people like you've heard." While Taki scolded her, Robin felt a cold tingle down her spine. It felt as though she was being watched from all over. Suddenly, a pair of glowing eyes darted from the darkness around them, reaching for Taki's open shoulder. "Look out!" Robin warned as her eyes narrowed causing flames to shoot out at the creature just in time. Taki watched behind his shoulder as the ashes dropped to the ground in a heap. Robin gasped, realizing how quickly she reacted. Why did I do that? I was so quick to jump to his rescue…Robin was shaken from her thought with a finger snapping in front of her face. "Thank you, but try to control your fire. You realize how close to my shoulder that was. Let's not do that again," Taki ordered as he turned and began walking into the broken down facility.

What was it about him? Robin was becoming frustrated with this reoccurring feeling she had about Taki. "HURRY UP ROBIN!" His low voice called as the crashing of waves came into play. The young girl stumbled into the building, seeing several disfigured beings crawling forth, only to be washed away in the mighty waves of Taki. His hand motions were intense, never giving the slightest flinch when a howling creature flew at him. As soon as the door slammed, their attention turned to Robin. Her heart pounded out of her chest as she darted her eyes around, flaming anything that came at her. Why am I doing this? Their fate should not be such…These zombie like creatures were once human, or seemed to be. Punishment because of something special they have is hardly fair. Robin gasped as she felt a knick at her foot, looking down to see a smaller figure clawing at her. She jumped back, dodging the desperate attempts of the moaning child. "Hurry Robin!" Taki called through his own mess of undead. "But this is only a child," Robin hollered back to him as she turned the last ones surrounding her into ash, only leaving the small one that was still trying to gnaw at her boots. "I can't hurt a child! It's wrong! There has to be some way…"

Taki had finished his group, rushing towards the young undead with his hand raised, water ready. "Robin, I told you already! You can't be sensitive to the dead! You can't think of that thing as a person! She's dead like the rest! She's dead like Amon! She isn't coming back to live a normal life, and neither is he!" This was the spark that made the fire wild. "HOW DARE YOU! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!" Robin held her head to block out the cruel words he spoke, her eyes glowing red in anger. Before she knew what she was doing, flames had surrounded her partner, burning a hole right through the floor. The thin rimmed glasses dropped to the floor as the room spun around Robin. This feeling…it's like I'm on fire… She heard the disappearing call of her partner as he fell into the deep passage she had created. I'm losing control of myself… Her body was burning with deep hatred and pain. She needed someone to help her. She couldn't stop herself.

She was brought back to her sanity with a sharp sting on her ankle as the young zombie bit through her pale flesh, drawing thick blood. Robin riled in pain, stumbling backwards as the teeth ripped away from her skin. "Such a young girl…" She sat on the floor, holding her ankle as she stared deep into the eyes of this child. They were pitch black filled with nothing but a lust for blood. "No. You are still a child. You don't want to hurt me do you…?" Robin reached her hand out, only to pull it back with curving thrash marks along it. After a few more attempts, Robin could barely move. She crawled along the floor as the drooling monster continued after her. "I can't kill you…even if you hurt me. Even if you kill me. You're still like me, and that's why." The low growl coming from the undead witch startled her, causing her to accidentally send a spark at her enemy, burning the rotting flesh on its arm. The screech of pain sent further panic into the wounded witch, her energy draining out along with the blood from hers wounds. It's hard to see…the fire won't come to me…It's ove…

Robin's thoughts of despair were interrupted when she heard a loud crash. The large window before her shattered, glass flying every which way. Robin shielded herself as the shards fell around her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the young monster still grabbing at her, but her attention turned up. As Robin uncovered herself, a round of shots rang out, sending the undead witch to the floor. "NO!" Robin cried as she watched the childlike creature squirm for a few moments, finally stopping in silence. Strangely, a neon green liquid caught Robin's eye as it exited the dead body. Upon closer looking, she found it to be... "Orbo…" How was that possible! No one in the STEA would use orbo…but what about the STN? "Whoever you are, come out!" Robin said through tears. "Explain to me why you killed this child! COME OUT!"

She turned as a boot kicked some glass away from the window. She could only see the outline of the person in the black clothes before her, but she could tell immediately. "Amon…" Is it really you? You didn't die? "It is you…" Her blue eyes twinkled with hope as he jumped down, landing a few feet away from her. He looked the same. His hair was still around his expressionless face, his eyes dark and distant. As he came upon her, he knelt, reaching for her earpiece. "ROBIN! ROBIN! What's going on? I heard a gunshot!" A worried Chris on the other end called. Carefully, Amon removed the earpiece from Robin's ear, speaking into it clearly. "I'll be taking care of Robin from here. You'll get her back later." "Amon! What are you do…?" Before Chris could finish, the earpiece was crushed between Amon's gloved fingers, then dropped to the ground.

Before Amon could speak to Robin, he was interrupted when she pressed herself tightly against him, holding him as if her life depended on it. "Are you alright?" She spoke into his chest quietly. "I'm fine, but that is beside the point. How have you been?" Robin smiled to herself, glad that he was concerned. "I did what you told me to and now I'm working for the STEA-L, but why aren't you?" Amon looked down at Robin, his eyes seeming…sad. "I have my reasons, but I want you to know that everyone back at the STN-J headquarters is alive…They were here but I'm sure they aren't anymore." "Can't I come back with you?" The young girl asked, clinging tighter to the one she could not stand being parted with. "No. It's better for you this way. They can teach you far more than anyone at headquarters. It's safer for you here anyway." Even if it is safer…I don't want to be away from you Amon…I need you… A revving sound was heard, and Amon looked around. "I have to go. Be sure to get that wound looked at. Goodb…" "Please don't!" Amon's eyes widened as Robin looked him directly in the eye, leaning closer. "I can't continue without you…"

They were silent for a moment, Robin staring deep into his eyes, praying he wouldn't leave her again. "You are going to have to. I'm putting you at risk by even being here," He said in a quiet voice as he rose to his feet. "I told you to forget about me and I meant what I said." Amon turned his back to her, walking towards the window he came through. He stopped when he heard the small pair of footsteps shuffling behind him. He sighed, turning to see her following him. "I'm not going to try to convince you to come back, and I know you won't tell me why you won't stay…but I want to tell you that I'm still going to believe in you…" Robin felt her flush returned and she looked down in shame. "You're still a friend to me and I still…" She trailed off, unable to find her words. She was forced to look up at him when he turned her head up. "I know." "There's so much I want to tell you," Robin began again. "I also have many things to tell you, but not now. All I can say is continue. Nothing more."

For a moment, Amon drew his face closer to Robin's, looking deep into her gleaming eyes. Just looking into those coal black eyes built a fire deep down in Robin's heart. She found herself breathing out loud, and suddenly she pressed her lips to his. She was still unsure of why she did such a thing, but she needed to touch him. She needed to know he was still there. She pulled away, looking at his surprised expression before he calmed down, speaking to her. "If that is what you need to survive, then remember it. Remember how it felt to you. How you crave more each and every time you feel me. See me. Maybe if you do that, then our paths might cross again." Robin stared straight ahead as the sound of glass being crushed became faint. He was gone.

There was nothing left. Just silence. Robin kneeled on the ground, gathering her emotions together as her heart's beat returned to normal. She was startled when she heard the slow moving of a wave. As she turned, she saw her forgotten partner rising on a small wave back to the floor. Once he landed he looked at her, his eyes filled with hurt. No anger was in them. Just hurt. "Yeah I found her Light. We're done. Alright. We'll see you back there. Bye." Taki finished speaking in his earpiece. He began walking past Robin, a slight limp in his walk. He stopped when they were side by side, taking a staggering breath before he talked to her. "Don't go after him anymore. He's not worth the trouble. I can give you something that he can't…I can protect you." Robin gasped silently as she turned to see her partner continue hobbling away. I am not quite sure what he means, but I should trust him a little more. He got injured when I lost control. I owe him. Robin hurried to his side, putting his arm around her shoulder to better support him. When he glanced over at her, she just smiled slightly. She wasn't sure, but it seemed like he smiled back.

"This is a pretty nasty wound, but thanks to you, we got a pretty big sample from that witch," Chris explained as sat beside Robin on a small cot in the infirmary. "Taki said you did pretty well for your first mission. How are you feeling about it?" "I'm still a bit sore but it's nothing a good rest can't fix…" Robin tried to put on a brave face to hide the deep thinking she'd been doing. Others might not have noticed, but Chris was smarter than most. "I suppose you're thinking about Amon…Well we have files on him too. If you need to know anything, come find me. I'm sure I can help you." "Really? You would do that?" Chris smiled as he reached into his pocket to put on a pair of glasses. "It's all in the job. Now let's get you to your room."

"You'll probably be off duty tomorrow due to that injury on your ankle so you can get as much sleep as you need. You will be working with me tomorrow." Robin nodded, feeling a bit better. She was glad to get to know Chris, and was even more glad that he was a lot friendlier than he comes off. "Well get some rest…and one more thing," Chris turned as he was about to shut the door. "Don't break anymore of those earpieces. They take a lot of material to build." Robin laughed to herself as the door shut, leaving her alone. "I have to find out more. There's so many secrets…" She spread herself out along the large bed, breathing in the scent of the newly cleaned sheets. "I want to know what's going on…Why Amon and Taki look so similar…The connections between STEA and STN. Everything." She then remembered Amon's words. I also have many things to tell you, but not now. All I can say is continue. "There are some things I will figure out by staying here, but others things… Amon. I will wait for…I just have to use this new beginning to my advantage." There is so much for me to find out. I will eventually. For now, I can only continue

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Wow this chapter took a lot of time! I hope you liked it. Oh and…

means the name is typical Japanese style( last name, first name)