It was almost 9 p.m. when Lok went out of his room. Without looking where is he going, he started to run.
"I am so late. Dante will so kill me!"
With that he started to run even faster. Finally he managed to come out of the hotel. The team was on the other side of the street so he started to run again. The same moment he put his foot out of the hotels yard on the street he bumped into and fell on someone.
"Perkele!" he heard a familiar voice.
"Get the hell off me you idiot!" the girl under Lok yelled at him.
Dante, Zhalia and Sophie run across the street to Lok. Zhalia and Sophie helped Lok to stand up, while Dante helped the girl.
"We are really sorry miss. Are you ok?" Dante asked her.
"No, we are not sorry. Next time look where you go" Lok said without turning to face the girl.
"Oh really, and you should…" the girl stopped arguing when she turned to Lok and recognized him.
"And you should be more polite to me before I kick your ass back to Ireland Lok"
Lok quickly turned around to see who he bumped into. He saw a girl that was as tall as him. She had dark brown, almost black straight hair that went down to the middle of her back. She was built similar to Zhalia. She had emerald eyes and her usual black make up. She had a seductive smile.
"Amy!" Lok yelled and hugged the girl.
"Hey Lok. Bumping into the wrong person again?" she asked him, still smiling.
"Obviously, isn't it?" Lok said laughing.
They let go of each other, and Lok that remembered that his team doesn't knows her.
"Oh, guys, I want you to meet a friend of mine. This is Amy Greene", Lok said and showed them at the girl.
"Hello. Nice to meet you" Amy waved with her hand.
"Amy, these are my friends, Dante, Zhalia and you know Sophie" he introduced them.
"Sophie, you know Amy, right?"
"No, not really. The only thing I know about her is that she is one of those rebels and bullies" Sophie answered in a rude way.
"Hm, almost correct. I'm no rebel, and I'm no bully. I used to skip a few classes, so what? And, yeah, I used to have some fights, so? That doesn't make me a bad person. Lok is skipping classes too. And you as well as I see. And I got into a fight just to save Loks life. Don't forget that one" Amy answered in a rude manner.
Lok wanted them to stop "Oh come on girls, stop fighting. Sophie, if you forgot, I do own my life to Amy. She saved me from those guys. Even if she almost got kicked out of school for fighting. Actually, who won the fight? I was knocked out." Lok asked scratching his head.
"I don't know, the headmaster came, but I'm the one who got most of the bruises and the one who got grounded, so… I think I lost the fight. You still own me one" Amy smiled at Lok.
"So, Amy, what are you doing here in Finland? Tomorrow is school day" Lok asked laughing.
"I could ask you the same" she tried to avoid the answer.
"I asked you first, so you answer first"
"Um, I… um… I'm here to… um… pick up something… something that belongs to me… Yeah, I'm here to pick up something" Amy answered, all confused.
Zhalia noticed something weird about this girl. Her experience was telling her that the girl was lying, lying big time. And it was obvious too. She was all messed up, confused and was avoiding to answer at first. And than she felt it again. The feeling that something will go wrong. Really wrong. And this girl will cause it. Zhalia didn't knew how, but this girl will make the team fail their mission. She had to keep an eye on her.
"Lok, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but we really need to go. We are already late" Dante said before Amy would ask Lok what is he doing here.
"Oh, yeah. So, see you in school these days Amy?"
"Yeah, of course. Try not to bump into wrong persons, ok? Bye Lok. It was nice to meet you guys. Goodbye." Amy waved them and vanished in the darkness of the Helsinki streets.
"Ok, lets go team, we have a mission to do" Dante told them and lead the way.
They caught a taxi and went to the seaside of Helsinki. From there they took a boat and went towards the great sea fortress Suomenlinna. They set sail on one of the six great islands.
"Ok team, this is the plan. Get in, avoid all traps, get the titan Ravenheart, get out, and go back to Venice with the next plain tomorrow. Everything clear?" Dante explained them the plan again.
They went thru the details on the way to the island. They all nodded in agreement.
"Good. Let's go"
They were walking thru the open space of the island. There was no one around, so they had an easy job.
"Dante, you said this is an inhabited island. Why aren't there any people?" Lok asked wondering.
"It's because the town is on the other side of the island and it's almost 11 p.m. No one would come out so late in such a cold night so far from the town"
"Oh, right"
As they were heading towards the huge fortress, Sophie started to talk about its past and what it represents.
"The fortress is built on six islands. Its name means 'Castle of Finland'. It has been called Sveaborg by the Swedish rulers. Finns call it Viapori, and that name was used until 1918, when it got its name that we use nowadays"
Zhalia rolled her eyes. She knew everything about this fortress. Back in the Organization a mission like this was given to her, although she never made it to here. She got a more important one instead, but she heard nothing was found. The suits looked on the other five islands, except on this one. This island, Länsi-Mustasaari, was nothing special. There was nothing on this island, only a museum and a community. It was new, so they haven't bothered to search here. She told Dante all about this, but he told her that she's going to be surprised when she sees where they are going. She woke up from her thoughts when Sophie went on with her 'history lecture'.
"The Swedish crown commenced the construction of this fortress in 1748 as protection against Russians. Unfortunately, in the Finnish War the fortress surrendered to Russia on May 3. 1808"
Now the team was close to the fortress' museum, but Dante went in the other way. The others followed him. Now they were heading to the hills. As they were walking, Sophie started one more time, but got cut of by Zhalia.
"You know so much about the fortress. Do you know who built it?"
"Who built it? The Swedish crown. I said it already" Sophie said wondering.
Now they could see a tunnel entrance in the hills side. Zhalia looked at Sophie with a self satisfied look.
"The fortress was built by Augustin Ehrensvärd, which made him famous. It was built as a counter to the Russian Kronstadt. The fortification of Helsinki and these six islands begun in January 1748. When the fortress surrendered, it didn't take part in the war until the very end." Zhalia finished her talk.
"Wow Zhalia, I'm impressed! You know more than Sophie AND you made her be quiet! Congratulations!" Lok cheered and gave Sophie a grin.
Zhalia just smiled at his words.
"Ok team, we are here" Dante announced and caught the lock that was on the tunnels entrances a second, the lock was down and they went in.
"Now be careful, we don't know what's down here" They went deeper into the tunnel, and it became really dark.
"Boltflare!" Dante called a glowing orb that was flying before them and lit the way.
They went thru lots of chambers, underground halls and small traps that Springer turned off easily. At one point they came into a huge chamber. On the other side was another entrance, but in the chamber was no floor, but a pit with spikes in it. With really big and sharp spikes.
"And what now?" Lok asked as he saw the situation they were in.
"I think we should go back and find another way" as Sophie said that, the entrance behind them closed.
"Or NOT!" Lok corrected her.
"Wait! There is writing on this wall. Sophie, can you read it?" Dante showed her at the wall beside them.
"I hope it's not Finnish" She walked over to the wall.
"Whatever you do, don't touch anything. I'm sure this is a trap, it just didn't activate properly" Dante warned them.
As he said that, Sophie touched the writing on the wall, and they heard a slight 'click' sound. Nothing happened. Sophie took a sharp breath.
"Uh, good. I thought I activated it. Huh" she let out the breath.
"Um, guys… I don't want to spoil this, but the wall is getting closer" Zhalia said pointing at the wall where the entrance was thru which they came in.
"Sophie, read it!" Lok started to panic.
"Ok, ok! Don't rush me! It's on… on… On old English?" Sophie said with disbelief.
"I REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT LANGUAGE IS IT ON! JUST READ IT!" Lok started to yell as they were only five steps away from the pit.
"Thou who puts your feet into here arst doomed. Thou shall be saved only if the heart of thy is noble. Thou shall pass unharmed. Trust and thy soul shall be saved"
Sophie read it loud.
"Um, so, what do we have to do?" Lok asked confused.
"You must believe that your heart is noble and walk thru the chamber. That's it" Sophie explained.
"BUT THERE IS NO FLOOR!" Lok yelled back.
"I have a noble heart. I do" Sophie said and stepped of the ground into the pit. She didn't fell down. She just simply went on, stepping on nothing but air.
When she was on the ground again, in front of the next entrance, she yelled back to the rest of the team: "Come on! You just have to believe!"
"Hm. I went thru the test in Atlantis when I walked thru fire. They say fire swallows the ones who aren't noble. If it didn't swallowed me, I have a noble heart" With that Lok simply walked on the other side.
"Let's go Zhalia" Dante told her.
The whole time she was standing like a statue and was watching the spikes.
"I don't have a noble heart Dante. In my whole life I've done too many bad things. I can't do this" she muttered.
"You have the noblest heart of all I know. You can do this. I know you can" Dante was assuring her.
Before Zhalias eyes were the pictures and the facts of all what she did while she was in the Organization. She just couldn't do this. It was too late for her. And she hasn't even told Dante how she felt for him. Zhalias eyes filled with tears.
"I can't Dante. Not this time. Go without me" she whispered in front of herself, still watching the spikes.
She didn't want to die, but she couldn't get out of this. The wall reached their backs and it was slowly pushing them into the pits way.
"Come on! What are you waiting for?" Lok and Sophie yelled from the other side.
Dante saw that Zhalia is not going to move on her own, so he had to think something up and act quickly.
"You two go ahead and see what is waiting for us" he yelled to Sophie and Lok.
They nodded and went thru the entrance into the next chamber. He turned back to Zhalia.
"I'm not going without you"
"But…"
"Listen to me" he caught her shoulder and turned her, so she would look at him instead the spikes.
He gently pushed away some hair from her face to calm her.
"Do you trust me?"
She thought about it for a second, but than answered with confidence in her voice: "I trust you more than anyone else on this earth"
"Would you trust me even your life?"
"I would"
"Good. Now close your eyes"
"What?"
"Close your eyes. Trust me. It's gonna be alright. Do it"
Zhalia closed her eyes. She felt Dantes hand slip into hers.
"Whatever happens, don't open your eyes. Ok?"
"Ok. I won't open them. I trust you completely Dante"
Dante closed his eyes as well, with only one thought. If we fall, we fall together.
"Let's go"
They slowly started to walk forward. Zhalia caught Dantes hand harder as she felt that she has no ground under her feet. On her great surprise, she didn't fell down. In a few moments they had hard ground under their feet again.
"Can I open my eyes now?" Zhalia asked, still with closed eyes.
"Yes, you can" Dante told her softly.
As she opened her chocolate colored eyes, she noticed they went thru the trap safely.
She hugged Dante, whispering into his ear: "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"It's ok. You are safe now" Dante told her as they separated.
They went into the next chamber. Lok and Sophie were walking all around in the chamber watching and searching for something they could use to locate the titan.
"What did you two found?" Dante asked them.
He looked around in the chamber. This chamber was huge. It was all bright (because the torches were lighted), full of gold and jewelry on the floor and all kinds of gems a big altar in the middle of the chamber.
"Let's find the amulet" Dante told them.
After searching in the whole chamber, they found nothing.
"Here is the place where the amulet was. I'm sure it is" Sophie told them as Dante was scanning the room with his holotome, now for the third time.
"Nothing, just nothing" Dante said as the holotome couldn't find any trace of the titan.
"Dante, can you read this?" Sophie asked and gave him a paper she was trying to read for some time.
"I really don't know what language is it on" she admitted.
"Hm. No wonder you can't read it. It's Old Italian. It's not easy to read something like this. Fortunately, I can read it. I was thought by Metz. But I really don't know what is an Italian document doing in Finland"
After some time he put down the paper and started to think about what he just read.
"What is it Dante?" Zhalia asked him as she saw his look.
"It's an old legend. It says that this titan, Ravenheart, belonged to the first vampire on this earth. Her name was Lilith. It says she was an evil queen, who didn't cared about anything but her self and how to get more power. The titan was her guardian. When she died, the titan was so sad that he took its own amulet and flew into the grave of its mistress, and stood there. After it, the amulet was taken away by another seeker who tried to bond with the titan, but it disobeyed and took away the amulet from the seeker and flew away. It was obvious that it didn't wanted a new master, and it was far too dangerous to leave it fly around. The guardians of the royal vampire family took the amulet and buried it here" Dante finished.
"So the titan is evil? If so, we can't leave it here! What if another evil seeker bounds with it?" Sophie said worried.
"But it's not here. We checked every corner of this chamber and there is no other chamber" Lok answered.
"Wait! It says: Only a daughter of Lilith can become the mistress of Ravenheart and make him happy again" Dante translated the legend completely.
"A daughter of Lilith? Another vampire?" Lok wondered.
"I think…" Dante started to answer, but suddenly stopped. He saw a shadow behind the altar.
"Did you saw that?" he asked quietly the others.
"What? The shadow? Yeah, it's here from the beginning" Lok told him casually.
He turned to follow the shadow. He was just in front of the altar when they heard a door open, and the shadow vanished.
"What the…?" Lok asked surprised.
Behind the altar was a door, leading downstairs into the darkness.
"Do we really have to" Lok asked complaining.
"You can go back on those doors," Zhalia showed him the entrance and the other chamber with the pit full of spikes "but I'm going down here" Lok sighed, but went after Zhalia. Soon the team was in a really long hall.
"Be careful, we don't know who that is or who sent him" Dante warned them as they were running down the hall.
In about five minutes they were out in the nature again. But this was not the place where they came in. They could hear the sea.
"We are at the south of the island" Dante told them after scanning the place with his holotome.
They got out thru some kind of old tunnel. It was made out of clay bricks. The hill they were in went all over the island to the sea. It ended as a cliff. Around was nothing but open space, but they still couldn't see anything because of the darkness.
"Boltflare!" Sophie called out and an orb appeared. It wasn't too big or too bright but it gave them the needed light to see. In the completely edge of the light Dantes eye caught a movement of a shadow.
"You! Introduce yourself!"
There was a moment of silence. Zhalia felt it again. It was the same feeling that she felt when they got this mission. She felt it even when they met Loks friend. She told Dante everything about this feeling and the events when it appeared. He told her it's going to be fine. After all, they defeated the Professor, why would they fail to gain a titan back? She lightly agreed with him, but she decided to be on guard. And now she felt it again. It was too strong to ignore, even if she tried hard to do so. It was so strong that it literally paralyzed her. She couldn't move at all.
While Zhalia was thinking like that, a figure moved out of the shadows into the light of the small orb. They couldn't believe their own eyes.
"Amy?" Lok asked not willing to believe who he is looking at.
"You! I knew you bring nothing but trouble" Sophie yelled at the girl.
As she came closer they could see the amulet around her neck. For the first time they saw Ravenhearts amulet. It was shaped like a raven with wings spread wide. It was made of some kind of black gem, some sort of precious stone as Dante saw it from that distance. He hasn't said anything. If she was really a friend of Lok she won't fight them back.
Amy stood there in silence, she wasn't moving at all, but her emerald eyes were shining with danger and anger. But behind this, there was so much more. Dante saw disappointment and fear.
"I'm sorry Lok" Amy told him turning away so she wouldn't have to look into his eyes.
"But today… You… You were… You didn't…" Lok tried to say something.
"Until now I didn't knew you are working for the opposite side" Amy told him with an emotionless voice.
"If you give us the titan you can go" Dante told her, stepping forwards to her.
"Never. He belongs to me now" Amy answered him taking a step backwards.
"You want him, you take him" she said provoking him.
"As you wish" Sophie wanted to join him, but he just waved her off.
"No. I will handle her on my own"
"Alright, but be careful. I feel something strange about her. She's not an ordinary seeker" Sophie answered stepping back at her previous place.
Lok went back to Zhalia who was standing behind them all time long.
"Zhalia do something! Dante will hurt her! She's not a seeker! She doesn't know how to fight! I saw her fighting, she's just an ordinary girl! Help her! Please!" Lok begged Zhalia while holding her arm with his hands firmly.
She didn't knew why, but she didn't wanted Dante to hurt the girl. If Zhalia learned something from her past life, it's that they aren't allowed to judge her. They didn't know her, didn't know her past and background, and didn't know why she is doing this. She felt that she has to prevent Dante from hurting Amy; even if she knew they will fail this mission because of her.
"Dante!" she yelled. Dante turned to see what Zhalia wants.
"Do whatever you need to get the titan but don't hurt the girl!" she finished and looked at Amy with a worried glance. Dante nodded his head.
"Well, lets see are you going to give up the titan or not. Give us the titan and you can go. I promise you" Dante tried to talk to her.
"NEVER! I'd rather die than to handle you Ravenheart!" she yelled.
"I don't want to hurt you!"
"Well you don't have another choice"
"Boltflare!" Dante attacked Amy without warning, but he missed her for a few centimeters.
"You missed me" Amy told him.
"I didn't want to hit you. Last chance Amy. Give up"
"You know my answer. You knew it before you told me this" she answered him in a silent voice.
"Boltflare!" As Dante threw it at Amy she put her arms across her chest, so it wouldn't hurt her too much.
"Raypulse!" it hit her again, but this time the power knocked her down on the ground. She fell on her back on the ground. It was cold, wet and really hard. She was close to the cliffs edge. Amy slowly got up, but in the same moment she fell down on her left knee.
"Why aren't you fighting back? Or at least protecting yourself?" Dante asked her with anger. He hated the idea to attack someone who couldn't or didn't want to protect herself. It felt so wrong.
"He's going to hurt her" Lok said to himself and wanted to go over to Dante and stop him, but Zhalia caught his arm.
"What is she doing? Is she insane or what?" she asked him with worry.
"I've told you. She's no seeker" Dante started to walk over to Amy. She quickly got up.
"Enough with this. It's over. You can't even protect yourself. Now give me the titan" At his words Amy stepped on the very edge of the cliff.
"Hey! Don't be stupid! It's not worth it! Get away from the edge!" Dante told her with worry and stepped away, so he wouldn't frighten her.
"Maybe it's not worthy for you, but it is for me. You want me to get off the edge? As you wish" With that Amy jumped down the cliff.
"NO!" Dante and Lok yelled in the same second. But it was too late. She already jumped down. Lok run to the edge of the cliff, but Dante caught him before he could jump. Dante was holding Lok down with his hands behind his back. Lok was still fighting back, but he couldn't move out of Dantes grip. Zhalia and Sophie quickly run over to help Dante hold back Lok from jumping after Amy.
"We have to help her! She will drown!" Lok was yelling while still trying to move.
"She couldn't survive it Lok. I'm sorry" Dante told him. Lok dropped on his knees.
"I didn't know she was going to jump"
As Lok calmed Dante let go of him. Zhalia put her hand on Loks shoulder. There was a minute of heavy silence. It was broken by the sound of wings flapping in the middle of the night sky.
"What's that?" Lok asked noticing with his sharp eye a movement in the darkness.
"Boltflare!" Zhalia sent it straight in front of them in the direction of the sound and where Lok pointed. Under the light they saw a huge raven carrying someone on its back.
"So that is Ravenheart" Dante said with wonder.
"She's alive!" Lok yelled with joy in his voice.
"Yeah, she is. But we lost the titan and failed the mission" Zhalia told him. She was happy that Amy was alive, but she knew that they failed the mission. She felt that in some way she is responsible for it.
"Come on Lok, we have to go" Dante offered him a hand to help him up.
"Thank you"
They went back to Helsinki, to the hotel. When they arrived it was about 3 a.m.
"We are going with the first plane. It takes off at 7 a.m., so be ready by 6. Good night" With that all of them went to their rooms.
Lok, Sophie and Zhalia fell asleep not much after they went to bed, but Dante couldn't sleep. He was disappointed with himself. He failed the mission and attacked a girl who wasn't able to protect herself. He felt awful! He was thinking about her the rest of the night. When he finally fell asleep, he couldn't have rest. He was dreaming about her.
He could see her eyes before himself, looking at him with fear. Dante threw a power on her. As it hit her he could see the pain she was suffering. In that moment he woke up in cold sweat. He felt really bad for what had he done in his dream. This was just a dream, but he actually hurt her back on that island.
He took a shower and than packed his stuff. He met the others in front of the hotel after checking out. They went to the airport. For they great joy, the flight wasn't delayed. They were half way to Venice when Sophie and Lok fell asleep. The whole team was quiet during the whole flight, especially Dante.
When Zhalia made sure that Sophie and Lok are sleeping, she finally asked Dante: "What's bothering you the whole day long? You are so quiet. Are you ok?"
Dante wanted to lie, to tell her everything is ok, but when he saw her worrying he decided to tell her the truth. Even if he would try to lie, she would find out within a minute and he would be in big trouble, and she would make him tell her the truth.
"I can't shake out of my head her, her eyes. She was afraid of me. She wasn't protecting herself" Dante looked very sad, but soon he got angry.
"But she tricked me. She jumped down and got away with our titan. I don't know how will I tell Metz that we failed the mission because a girl Loks age! She stole the titan right under our nose! We are the best team they got! And we failed! Because of that… GIRL!" Dante was really angry. Zhalia never saw him like this.
"Hey, it's not your fault. I was the one who told you not to hurt her. She used it. Metz will understand. We will tell him together" Zhalia was trying to calm him down.
"But…"
"Listen. You look tired. Have a sleep. You haven't slept, have you?"
"No, I haven't slept much. And when I fell asleep, I had a nightmare about her"
"Have a nap. I'll wake you up when we arrive. I promise" Zhalia was assuring him to have a break.
She knew that if he stays up a bit more he will lose his self control sooner or later. It was obvious he can't take anymore. He was strong, but this was too much, mentally and physically, even for him. She knew she can make him whatever she wants, but she never tried to do that. Now was a good time to try it. Zhalia turned to face Dante and looked into his amber eyes. He was watching her for a minute.
"Please go to sleep" she asked him one more time, but now with a really nice and calming voice, the voice she always used when no one was around, just the two of them. It sounded more like begging than asking to Dante.
"Alright, but not for long" he smiled at her and slowly closed his eyes.
Zhalia saw that he is still tensed, so she put her hand on his and closed her eyes too. Now she felt how Dante relaxed. Slowly every muscle in him relaxed and he was feeling good. He felt Zhalias hand so nice on his. It was soft and warm. He loved this feeling. He completely relaxed and let go of himself enjoying this nice feeling, having Zhalias hand on his. In a few minutes his breathing became easy, so Zhalia was sure he fell asleep. She enjoyed holding her hand on Dantes. They used to do this a few times before, and she loved every second of it. Not long after she fell asleep as well.
The team woke up when the plane landed. As they got out from the airport Dantes cell rang.
"Hello Dante. Did you come back from Finland?" it was Metz.
"Hey Metz. Yes we are back from Finland. Listen, I need to tell you something" Dante started to explain but got cut off by Metz.
"Wait. You can tell me when you come here. Leave your stuff at your house and come here. I need the whole team. Ok?"
"Ok. See you in about 30 minutes" Dante said and put his cell back at his pocket.
"Metz wants to see us. We leave the stuff at my house and go to the headquarters" Dante said while getting pale. Lok saw his face and wanted to ask him something but Zhalia waved him off. He understood in the same moment.
They got to Dantes house and as soon as they put down their stuff they were on their way to the headquarters.
Dante was full of questions. How will he tell Metz what happened? How will he tell him that it was Loks friend who stole the titan? And who was that girl anyway? As he was thinking how to tell all of this to Metz, they came to the headquarters.
Actually, they got to a big house. The real headquarters were placed under the house; they went deep underground and took lot of space. The background story was that the house belongs to a charity foundation. Fortunately, no one ever checked on it.
The team went into the house. They went thru a hall and into the library. Dante took a book off the bookcase that was written on with golden letters: "HERE, THERE BE TITANS". As he moved the book, the bookcase moved away. Behind it was a door with a screen and numbers. Every seeker had its own combination. Dante hit the numbers and they went in. The door automatically shut after them.
There was another entrance, but Dante never used it because it leads to the rooms (seekers who didn't have where to live for a longer time and who didn't had where to stay for a shorter time would use them). Seekers who lived there had their rooms with their manes beside their door. The HQ had two offices (Metz and Guggenheims), lots of room, a huge living room, a bigger kitchen (but most of the seekers never used it, only to make coffee and tea) and a big ambulance (with beds in it, so it was more like a hospital).
There were some seekers in the living room. Dante heard Montehues voice but went on in the hall. As they came to Metz' office, Dante slowly opened the door.
"Metz, are you here?" he asked in a low voice.
"Dante! Come in!" was the answer.
Dante opened the door and let Sophie and Lok in. Zhalia saw that he doesn't wants to go in. She gently caught his hand and pulled him in after herself.
"Hey Metz" Dante greeted him. Metz saw the worry and the sadness in his eyes, so he decided to talk with him alone.
"Sophie, Lok, Zhalia, would you like to say hi to Montehue and Tersly? They are in the living room, you went beside it while coming here"
"Of course!" Lok answered and was already at the door. Sophie went after him, but Zhalia stood by Dantes side.
"Zhalia, aren't you coming too?" Sophie asked turning back to her.
"I'll catch up later. You go" she answered. Sophie shut the door and went after Lok.
"What's wrong Dante?" Metz asked and walked over to Dante and Zhalia.
"I really don't know how to say this… We… No, more like I…" Dante sighed.
"It's hard to say this… And I'm really sorry…" Dante tried to explain, but turned his head away so he wouldn't have to face his mentor.
"Dante, what happened? What is bothering you so much my boy?" Metz asked him with worry in his voice.
"Dante, it's ok. This is not the first time" Zhalia tried to help him.
"Ok. I'll just say it. Metz, we failed the mission" Dante said at least.
"What?" Metz asked him surprised.
"I am really sorry" he answered with a sad voice. Metz started to laugh out loud.
"Are you serious? That was bothering you? That the team failed the mission? Dante! I got scared that you or someone from your team got badly hurt, or that you are leaving the Foundation or something like that! And now you are telling me that team failed the mission? O Dante!" Metz couldn't stop laughing. Dante was so surprised that he couldn't say anything.
"But… the mission… and the titan… and…"
"Dante, I myself failed lots of missions and look where I'm now. You and your team failed 3, max 4 missions and you are so broke down for this one… Cheer up! That's nothing! I'm glad everyone is ok. And now tell me what happened" Dante and Zhalia together told him the whole story.
"Hm. We will investigate that. But now I have to tell you something important. Dante, will you go and call your protégés?" Metz asked him after they told him every single detail.
"Of course! We'll be back in a minute" answered Dante with joy and run out. It was obvious he was feeling better after telling Metz what happened and that Metz told him that he doesn't minds about the failed mission. True, they lost a titan, but the team was alright and that was the most important thing.
"Zhalia, thank you for standing at Dantes side. It means me a lot to know you are here for him, but it means him much more. You mean him a lot, you know?" Metz told her with thankful eyes.
"Well, I'm the one who has to thank him. He saved me in Helsinki. And yeah, I know how much I mean to him. And he means a lot to me as well. I really love him" Zhalia answered honestly. But when she realized what she just said she blushed a deep red shade.
"Please don't tell him that I told you this!" she begged Metz.
"You haven't told him? Did he tell you at least?" Zhalia shook her head.
"Instead of telling me what he feels for you he should tell you how much he loves you!" At these words Zhalia blushed even more, and Metz started to laugh again. Dante came in with Lok and Sophie.
"So, what did you wanted to tell us?" Dante asked him with interest.
"Oh, yes. Listen up. We have a new seeker without a team and, to be honest, I immediately thought about you guys. What do you say?" Metz asked them while watching the reactions of the team members.
"Lok?"
"Sure! Why not?" Lok was happy to have a new member. He remembered his way to become a seeker and how shocking it was for him. He wanted to help other people to understand why are they chosen to be seekers.
"Sophie?"
"Hm, I should first see and talk to the seeker and than I could tell you. But, why not!" Sophie was thinking a bit about this, but she was sure Metz wouldn't trick them. After all, he was Dantes mentor!
"Zhalia?"
"I'm not sure… I think I should meet the seeker first and than I could tell you… But if the others are ok with this I am as well" Zhalia didn't wanted to say it, but she had a weird feeling about this. But it wasn't like before. This was a good feeling. A feeling that everything will turn to better after this. In a really weird and slow way, but it will be alright.
"Dante?"
"You heard the team. So we take him in. Team, we have a new member!" Dante said.
The team cheered. Even Zhalia cheered. She was happy to meet a new seeker, someone who doesn't know her dark past and doesn't have prejudice against her. Maybe she could teach him a few spells.
"Great! So would you like to meet her?" Metz asked them with relief. He knew Dante would take her in, but he wasn't sure about the rest of the team. Obviously they did.
"Her? The new member is a girl?" Sophie asked with surprise.
"Yes, haven't I told you?"
"Well guys, it seems our team will have more girls than boys" Zhalia smiled.
"So where is she? Is she here?" Lok asked with excitement in his voice.
"She is right…" Metz wanted to say something but his cell cut him off.
"Um, sorry, I have to answer this" Metz excused himself and got up the phone.
"Hello?"
"…"
"Hey…"
"…"
"Where are you?"
"…"
"But what were you…"
"…"
"But I didn't…"
"…"
"But if I haven't who…"
"…"
"What? Are you alright?"
"…"
"Oh, so you got it?"
"…"
"Congratulations!"
"…"
"Ok. As soon as you get back come to the HQ. I have a surprise for you. See you" Metz finally put down his phone.
"What is it?" Dante asked him with curiosity.
"It was your new member. She's out of Italy. She went to a mission, but as long as I remember I didn't gave her that mission. Oh well. The point is, she's not here and you can't meet her now. Sorry" Metz explained them.
"Never mind. We will meet her later" Dante answered.
"Yes you will. As soon as she comes back to the HQ. Would you mind if I bring her to your house?"
"Of course not. We will be there. See you later?"
"Of course" They said goodbye and went out of the HQ. They took the way to Dantes house. Sophie, Lok and Zhalia were walking in front of Dante talking about the new member. They were curious about her, who she is, how does she looks like, how will they go along and similar questions.
But Dante was thinking about another girl. About Amy. Who is she? Why did she took the titan? Who is she working for? Why is she on the opposite side? Will they ever see her again? From all those questions he knew the answer to one for sure. They will see her again. He didn't knew when or where, but he knew they will meet her again.
Who was Amy? Will they see her again? And what's with the vampire legend? And who is the new member of the team? Where is she and will they meet her soon? And will be something between Dante and Zhalia? Will he tell her what he feels for her? Find out in the next chap!
Sorry for the late update, I can only do it at week-ends... Plus I writte my stories in a notebook and it takes time to tipe it on the computer...
So, what do you say? Was it good, was it bed? Review and tell me your opinion and ideas about the story! Flames are welcome too...