Lkaita's original "The Dark that Reaches..."

[lakita_phoenix]

The Dark that Reaches...
chapter 1
an angel & a demon

It's bee over ninety-three years since that war began. The war was almost the end of the world, & it was for that reason alone, that my kind was sent down here. We are angels; most of us anyway. There were some who turned their back on the great creator of life, corrupted by mortals & even more so than they, & for that they are demons. The world is ash now; the sky is forever red with fire & stained with the blood of so many who should not have died. Battles between the two types, angel & archangel; not that mortals notice it. They go about their business without even a clue about us; as for all the destruction that takes place during these battles, they assume it to be a normal bombing or raid of some kind.

Most cities are in ruin, though people still live there; where else would they be? It is in these streets Noame walks; dressed in black & white, bleak as what the world seems, the umbrella she holds is to keep off the ash filled air from herself & the diary she reads.

A fight breaks out, angels & archangels again. Noame stops only for a second to glance at it, & moves on past it; mortals either ignore it or stare a minute to amuse their thoughts. One is thrown into a sky tower, white winged angel or ash winged archangel, she did not take to notice or look to see; she was just glad it was not her. She was an angel, though she never wanted to be. It has been a long time since she smiled.

Atop a tower an angel lay slain, the archangel bathed in blood & now too exhausted to live himself; he falls at the cold toes of his counterpart. Night was falling close behind them; though it was hard to tell, since from morning the day bares an evening light.

"Noame!" calls a cheery voice from behind the inn counter as Noame enters. "You are safe & at home! How is our city today? Do you think the war will be over soon?"

Noame remained silent. She closed the door behind her, folded her umbrella & closed her book, setting down her umbrella after, while clenching tightly to the book.

"No Lupin, I don't think the war will even end.Nor will there ever be a morning, only evening," She spoke about it as though she were saddened by it, though clearly for Lupin to hear her.

"Well I have faith. Yes! The war will be over, before i am old & die! I am certain of it!"

Noame stood watching him become exited over his own words & felt sorrow for him; when he finishes his speech, she departs for her room. There are about thirty other guests at the inn named "Sanctuary", though Noame rather calls it a wooden death trap. It is twenty years or so in age, & is already falling apart. As she makes her way down the hallway, she looks back at Lupin while he cleans out a mug for a guest to drink their ale. She had already knew he was pushing his late forties; but did as she had done earlier with the fight earlier in the day, & moved on.

In her room, a piece of the roof is missing; branches are placed over it, as though someone had began to repair it but never quite finished. Her bed lay under it, & by the morning she will be covered in a blankit of ash; she'd move it herself, but what would be the point? It would just be moved back in the same spot by the house keeper. The cream sheets are now stained gray from the ash. The mirror over the dresser is layered in ash dust, as is the dresser itself, & the wood furnishings are beginning to splinter. Half filled perfumes & a make up or two, eye shadow it looked, stood dusted atop the dresser's surface.

Noame dusts off a spot on her sheet to sit, & reopens the diary.

"Another evening rises, the day is about to end again..." she read aloud. "My happiness is somewhere in these pages." That last thought & she began to read again

Light flickered from outside, "morning" had come. Noame had fallen asleep reading the diary, as she had for the past three days. It was not a thick book, she had read through it once before already. She woke softly to the day, & saw no reason for her to get up; rather, she went back to sleep, & dreamed.

"ROOKIE MOVE! He's a demon!" She cried out to her student, one she called rookie from being new to the trade. "Get out of the way rookie!" She raced over to her friend, who tried to stand her own ground against the archangel, & ignored her teacher.

She was too late, the archangel had killed her friend, the rookie. Her eyes widened, & tears began to fall; she ran still. "CREE!!!!!"

The archangel had flown off, leaving Noame in a pool of blood. She could do nothing now, but stare down from her knees at the lifeless face of her friend & student. Her dyed maroon hair drenched in her own blood, her tan face becoming discolored, & the hopeful spirited smile she always had was nowhere to be found.

She woke from the memory in a sweat, panting as calmed herself. She looked down at Cree's diary & closed it; a moment of silence passed.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Cree; I spent all my tears on you that day. Cree? Can you hear me? I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."  

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter two
The bridge

In every story there are two sides, & a bridge between them; & the lines between good & evil are said to be drawn great for all to see where it is that they cross the line.
It is curious that no one ever questions either side, but rather the ones who walk along those distinguished lines. Are they dark by birth or by right?

"Get back here kid!" the fish marketer shouted.

Izi was on his way of causing mischief again. He had upset the market man when playing with the fish that lay frozen on display; now he runs, jumping over crates of fish that rest in the allies of the market, wearing a wide grin. The marketer had had enough of this, bringing in bad business & tampering with the merchandise; he chased Izi down through the half empty streets, all the while being antagonized by the boy. The marketer did his best to keep up with the child, but lacked his stamina, & ultimately lost sight of him.

It was not that Izi was poorly behaved, actually, he was a very sweet boy. When it was that he asked for directions, he was ignored, & so thought of a way to get attention; but in all the commotion, had forgotten the reason for it.

He slowed at the beginning of another ally way, certain that he was no longer be chased. He kept a few chuckles to himself & walked a usual pace. It was at a cross way, that two archangels cut his path, & looked down at him; a long pause was held. Izi made a break for it, he knew what they wanted, & had he stayed may have quite possibly been killed over it. However, the archangels were not about to lose him; they pursued him closely.

Izi ran off to the heart of the city, his only hope would be to blend in with a crowd of people, & even so it would be risky, the archangels would still be able to follow his aura in the crowd if there was no angel in the crowd to distract them. For a while it seemed to have worked; he thought for sure he had lost them, & so he turned into a deserted ally. Once again, they found him; the first, slammed his crushing fist into Izi's lower ribs, & sent him out into the street. Izi barely had the strength to prop himself up with one arm, the other he used to hold his stomach. A car came at him seconds away , & would not be able to stop in time if at all; surely this was his evening, his end of the day.

Noame flung herself from a sidewalk & pulled him from the vehicle's path, onto the other side. The driver continued on without a word.

"Are you stupid?" Noame said lowly as she dusted the ash from her dress; black, lined with white & baring a white apron chest & pendant of a slightly tarnished gold. "why were you just lying in the middle of the street?"

"I didn't do it on purpose you know! I was thrown out there," he looked at her directly, though she herself did not meet his eyes.

She looked across the street; there on the other side were the two archangels, waiting. She pulled Izi to his feet & took him from there. "Just walk okay," she said in almost a whisper. They went around a corner, & she opened up her umbrella.

They must have gone about forty minutes of nonstop walking before Noame said anything more. The streets became less & less crowded as they walked.

"They've given up on following it seems. It's safe for you to go now," she began to walk off in her own direction back to her residence.

"Gee, thanks lady, but where are we?"

"The outskirts of the city."

"Well don't you want to know why those guys were chasing me?"

"No."

"Huh? Why not?"

"I don't care."

"Well then why did you help me?"

Noame stopped; even she didn't know why; she could have gone about her business & ignored him as she usually would with anything else. So, why did she put her own life at risk for this kid, someone she didn't even know? There was nothing more she could tell him besides the truth.

"I don't know."

Izi watched her stand still for a moment, then she began to go on her way again. Curious, he followed her.

"my name's Izi, what's yours?"

"None of your business."

"That's an unusual name; you look more like a 'Rose' or 'Virginia' or--"

"My name is Noame, & it's none of your business. Why are you following me?"

"If it's really none of my business you wouldn't have told me. & i'm lost, kinda. I got separated from my sisters back in Rothalion city," he said with a grin.

"Rothalion? That's quite a ways away. How did you come to be here?"

"What about, 'it's none of my business'?"

"Why are you following me?"

"I got no place to stay. I'm hopping you know somewhere I can crash for the night."

"You almost crashed into that car back there."

"No, I mean, like, to sleep."

"The city is full of hotels & inns. You can find one any where."

"Where's yours?"

"What?"

"Where is your home?"

"It's called 'sanctuary', it's an inn just before the outskirts of town."

"That's sounds nice. Hey, what's that book in your pocket?"

Noame did not answer.

"Hey, did you hear me?"

"So why were those two guys after you?"

Izi smiled,"Well, those are archangels."

"So your an angel then?"

"Not exactly. You see I'm at the half point of it."

For the first time since they met, Noame looked down at him to see his face. "What do you mean?"

"It's not that uncommon. See, there are specific qualities that define angels & archangels, as by the great creator of life, but once in a while these traits accidentally cross in ordinary humans. That's how Bridges are formed."

"'Bridges'?"

"Yeah, you know; not angel but not archangel. You never herd of it?"

Noame looked away from him, & remained silent. She knew very well what a 'Bridge' as Izi called it was; a being who has yet to be determined either as good or as evil. She no longer had any sort of interest in what he had to say, since usually 'Bridges' were easily corrupt into becoming archangels or demons; losing all sens of sincerity & kindness or forgiveness.

Izi continued on talking, though Noame ignored him. When they reached "Sanctuary", he stood looking at it dumbfounded.

"Are you coming in?" said Noame.

Izi jumped & hurried inside, "Oh, right."

"Noame!" said Lupin joyfully. "i see you brought a friend home with you."

"Far from it Lupin. He followed me here, & he's more acquaintance than friend. I don't know a thing about him."

"What Noame? Didn't you listen to me the whole time?"

"Well I'll check him into the hotel; but in the morning he works it off; I'm one room short now."

Lupin's smile never faded from his face. Noame payed no attention to what he was negotiating, & headed for her room. She didn't read the diary that night, for the first time since she found it.

Light of the next day flickered about, & a silent day started Noame's waking.

"HEY! NOAME!" Izi shouted at her bedside.

Noame jumped up from her bed into an upright position. She looked over to see Izi with a mop & bucket.

"Izi? What are you doing here in my room?"

"Don't you remember? I have to work off my debt to the inn keep for last night. He said that I should probably just stick with you to make sure your okay rather than clean the inn," he smiled.

Noame put her palm on her forehead before rubbing her eyes awake. "So why do you still have a mop?"

"Well he just told me, so i was on my way to put it back, but i decided to stop in & see if you were awake," he laughed.

Noame looked at him still half asleep, a moment of silence before he left to return the mop & bucket to the house keep.

Noame fell back on the bed & rested her hand on her head. "this is going to be a long day..."  

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter three
the burning

from the minute Noame stepped foot out the door, Izi had done nothing but try to get her to talk about herself. He questioned & talked; about everything & nothing. They came back into the urban part of town, & she had pulled out the diary to read on.

"So what do you do for a living?" Izi inquired with a large smile.

"I'm retired."

"Wait,so what do you do all day? How old are you? What did you used to do?"

"You ask too many questions."

"Well i would ask as many if you just answered them one at a time..."

Noame stayed silent, almost cringing at the thought of him talking more rather than her answering his questions, or was it that she cringed at the thought of answering?

"So, how old are you?"

"I'm eighteen."

"Really? You don't look it, but me myself, I'm twelve. what did you used to do?"

"I was an officer, a highly ranked guardian of the city."

"So why did you quit?"

Noame took a pause before answering. "Personal reasons."

"Well, what do you do all day now?"

she kept silent.

"Do you just walk around the city now?" Izi watched her with a frowning patients. "Is it a force of habit or something?"

"No. I just find it easier to be left alone if I'm moving constantly."

"Why? Don't you have any friends you'd rather hang out with?"

"No," she walked a bit faster. A minute of silence passed between them.

"So, what is that book you're reading?"

"A diary."

"Why would you read your own diary?"

"It belonged to a friend of mine." Noame worked hard not show emotion when she spoke.

"Well where is she?"

"Dead."

Izi stopped a moment, & let silence pass. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"For what? You didn't do it."

"I meant sorry for asking. Who did do it?"

Noame stopped talking, remembering Cree's death. She fought now to hold back a trembling voice. "I did."

When they arrived back at the inn early in the day, Noame took lunch & returned to her room, where she fell asleep, & dreamed again.

"I want to be the best! Maybe if I work hard enough, bad things wouldn't happen anymore. What do you think Noame?"

"I think you got your work cut out for you."

The two looked out over the gray ocean as the ash fell lightly, neither of them carrying anything to keep off the ash, but let it come as it did.

"Hey Noame?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think the war will ever be over?"

"I don't know...maybe."

Cree smiled with a laughing sigh. "Then I'm going to be the one to end it!"

Noame raised an eyebrow & smiled as she watched her student jump up in excitement.

"Noame?"

"Yeah?"

"Noame?"

Noame woke to the sound of a different voice that was not her student Cree.

"Noame?!"

She jumped from her bed, in a panicked awakening. Izi looked over her with a half smile on his face.

"Ugh, what are you still doing here? shouldn't you be on your way home or something?" she asked half asleep.

"Well i keep getting into debt. but I thought of a way i can get out of debt, get home, & then get out of your hair."

"& how's that?"

"You come with me to Lenderbrok,my home. After that I won't be around you any more, & you can finally get out of this...what did Lupin say you called it? 'A wooden death trap'?" he grined.

Noame was not at all happy with his idea; but if it would bring back her solitude again, what other choice did she have.

"So how 'bout it Noame? Lupin thought it was a good idea; actually, he was the one who suggested it!"

Noame stared at him for a moment. "Fine..."

"Yes! Well grab your things, the sooner the better! Come on!"

An hour passed while Noame gathered a few things for the long journey. She had decided, for the trip, that it would be more appropriate to wear her old retired officer uniform. Long dress pants, T-shirt, trench coat, & short boots; all of it black. She began to button the cuff of the coat, the buttons reading in fine print, the name of her city, when Izi opened the door & took a step in. He barely recognized the figure to be Noame. Looking over at the bed, he saw a rather small black leather backpack, still opened.

"Is that all your taking?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, I guess i pictured you taking more..."

"I don't need all that much..."

Izi peaked into the bag without touching it, & spotted the diary sitting close to the top. "You're taking that diary?"

Noame stopped and looked over at him as if to snarl. Izi backed down in his expression.

"Sorry, I just was thinking, you know, what if it got lost?"

Noame still didn't speak, & silence fell over. Izi felt the tension he had caused & decided it was best to leave her alone for a moment; he left the room, & as the door closed behind him, Noame made her way to the backpack. She pulled out the diary and looked at it a long while.

Outside the inn, Izi waited. When Noame finally came out, he jumped up with excitement, & glanced into the inn to see Lupin smile at them. The door closed & they began to head off on the journey.

They had just exited the city at a hill top, where the city slopes. Izi stopped a minute.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, i just remembered," he said. "I left the photo of my family back at the inn. Can you wait here while i go back & get it; it's really important to me."

Noame nodded, & Izi turned; he began to run down the hill when an explosion erupted at the near heart of the city. Fire spread fast, & in a matter of seconds, the city was engulfed in flame. Noame could see & identify almost every building aflame, & saw "Sanctuary" burn up fast & watched it sadly. Izi had an expression of shock & horror at the sight, tears began to escape his eyes.

Noame turned back away from the city & looked down at Izi, who had fallen on his hands & knees. "Come on, we have to go."

Izi was in no place to argue it; frightened & silent, he did as she said & followed her.  

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter four
uniform results


"What was that Noame?"

"I don't know?"

"Was it a bombing? An archangel?"

"I don't know!"

"Don't know or don't care?!"

Noame turned & slapped him across his face. "Just because I'm not crying doesn't mean I don't care! Some, if not all, of the closest people to me are dead now!"

"So why don't you cry?" he said teary eyed.

"The fire would just evaporate them," she said slowly. "What would be the point?"

Izi didn't like the answer, but felt that he knew she really meant something different, & so he remained silent standing.

"Come on. We have to keep moving. We can't stop until we reach the next town."

He wanted to defy her, but knew in his heart that he could not do it. She needed him as much as he needed her; he saw that now in her face, & realized why Lupin had asked him to make sure she was alright.

It was late when they reached the next city; thankfully the world was so industrialized, that cities were never that far apart from each other.

In the heart of the San city, were they able to find an inn that would take them to stay the night.

"Not too many folks come here now a days," says the inn keep.

"Why is that?" asked Izi.

"you may want to ask your friend the--er, uh-- officer."

"I do not know anything of this city in particular," Noame said lowly.

"Do you uh, know the unwritten laws?"

"The unwritten laws are to raise paranoia, they are illegal to practice or uphold."

"Mrhp, doesn't stop the police around here. Peeps is scared out a their wit."

"Does the city council know?"

"They're behind it!"

"Then go to state. The officials will dissolve & rebuild your police force."

"Mmmm. You may be right about that. In any case 'we hope you enjoy your stay with us'."

There was limited space in the inn, and so they shared a room. Izi slept peacefully in the bed, while Noame stood beside the window, thinking on when she took out the diary back at "Sanctuary". It was a slow night, & Noame spent most of it plotting on what to do next.

When morning came, she woke Izi early. "Get up. We have some things to do before we leave this city, & the sooner we leave the better."

"Huh okay." he got himself up sluggishly, & put his boots on.

"Here," Noame handed him a bit of money. "I need you to go around near the hotel to pick up any supplies you think we may need; while you're at it, get yourself some breakfast. I'm going to get some myself before I cart out the quickest way to get you home."

Izi looked down & counted how much money she had actually given him. "Wow! That's a lot!"

"Shut up! If anyone else knows you got that kind of cash, they'll either rob you or swindle you. Pretend that you only have some change, haggle if you have to convince that far." She began to tie back her hair with a ribbon she had brought along, & waited for Izi to leave. She had already planned on what direction & path they should take, but saw this as an opportunity to finally be alone & awake.

She did however, go to a coffee shop next to the inn; where she got her breakfast & coffee. The little shop kept quite; she assumed it was because of her uniform; either way it didn't matter to her, she found a reader's digest book on a near table & read it with her cup of coffee.

She was just past the half way point of her coffee, when she heard a ruckus from the street, & was ultimately disrupted of her peace.

Izi ran down the half empty street in a panic; behind him were three officers of the city in hot pursuit. Two of the officers tackled the boy, & knocked him straight to the ground as a criminal transport vehicle pulled up; the final officer took Izi's hand & placed them in cuffs behind his back.

"We got you now punk!" shouted one of the officers holding him down.

"Thought you could run from the law?!" said the other.

"Get off of me," Izi cried. "I didn't do anything wrong, I was just buying some supplies!"

"Get in!" said the first officer as he tried to push the boy into the vehicle.

Noame put down her book & coffee as soon as she saw Izi knocked down, & made her way to the commotion. "With what is this boy charged with?" she inquired the finale officer.

Izi looked back to see who it was, still he pushed his legs against the vehicle to push himself back. He realized that it was Noame, coming to his rescue, & wriggled around even harder.

"We have reason to believe this child is in ties with demons if not one himself, ma'am," he said with a smirk. Obviously he had thought her to take his side at the news.

"I see," she said slowly, & let a pause pass as she looked over at Izi looking back at her. "you know very well that there is no written law about being an archangel nor is there one on having any sort of connection with them; release this boy, private."

"But, ma'am; it is a um, unwritten rule yet, but still a rule." He said baffled.

Noame looked at him impatiently, "There are no unwritten rules! That sort of practice is illegal itself; I should have your badge & strip you of your title right here for such nonsense!"

The man backed away. "But what about the peace?"

"That's right," she said as though she had forgotten something about what he said, & he creped a smile on his face. "You have been disturbing the peace of this city with illegal activity; I'll be sure to press charges for that. Thank you for reminding me. Now unhand that boy!"

The other officers did not try to defy her, & uncuffed the boy, who ran over to her as a lost child would to its mother. They stood with shaky legs, & could only hope to let them slide with a warning; they had seen many of privates become a punching bag for disrespecting or ignoring orders from a higher officer.

The man standing before Noame snared at Izi as he passed, & began to throw a small tantrum over it all. "This is ridiculous! All we're doing is trying to protect the people from threats like hi--"

Noame had heard enough & knew exactly where he was going with his words, & so she pulled out a handgun from the holster under her coat, & directed it square in the middle of his forehead. "Don't you ever talk to me like that, or ever disrespect my friend here. I am greatly tempted to pull the trigger right now."

Izi looked up at her stone face & hid a smile; she had called him "friend" for the first time. The rest of the street stood in watch, hearing their own hearts race in the tension that grew; tension so thick that it could be cut with a knife; & there was silence.

The man changed his expression, convincing himself that she wouldn't dare shoot in front of an audience. "You wouldn't dare..."

In a fast single motion she moved the barrel only by a small percent & pulled the trigger. The bullet flew, tearing toe top most part of his ear & landing with a bounce on the transport vehicle. The man fell back & was clasping all around his head to check for blood in a panic, while the others ducked at the sound of the gunshot.

She leaned over him & grabbed his uniform, pulling him close to meet her blazing gazed glare. "Don't temp me!" she said lowly. "I am one of the highest ranking officers of the state!"

She threw him back & he went back to checking in a hurry for any sign of blood, while his comrades whimpered in the back as she began to walk away. Finally he found some blood on his ear where the bullet had singed it.

"You--you shot my ear!" He cried as he himself whimpered.

She looked back over her shoulder with a glare; she still had yet to put away the firearm. He scooted himself back, still on the ground.

Noame turned back around, "Be thankful it was only your ear, you disturbed me out of a good book & some coffee. You two!" the other officers straitened, but stood on legs still shaking. "I believe I sent my friend to get some supplies; that was some time ago..."

"We'll go with him to get any supplies you need!" said one in a quivering tone.

"We'll even pay for the expenses!" said the other cowardly.

Noame began back to her seat. "What are you waiting for?"

The two men rushed off with Izi leading the way, wearing a triumphant smile.

As soon as Noame reentered the open cafe, the crowed broke away from her, hiding pleased smiles.

"Can I get another coffee, please?" she asked before sitting.

"On the house," said the manager with a wide smile.

She sat & picked up where she had left off with before the disturbance, & placed the firearm back in its holster.

The private, infuriated at the mockery she had made of him, stood fast & pulled out his firearm & directed it at her, "You--". He was too slow, without skipping a beat she put down the coffee & used her handgun directed across her chest & shot another round. The man fell to the ground & dropped his own gun, while his other arm grabbed his bicep.

"It's just an arm, don't cry over it."  

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter five
hope dreamer
Ash, is the very symbol that something has died. It is cold from fire, & glooms even the happiest place in our lives. However, there is a beauty within it, if looked at closer. It glows an amber in the sun's rays, & like its sibling, snow, falls ever silently.

Noame & Izi had left just past noon after some lunch. Izi had gotten a large bag's worth in supplies for their journey, & had been silently happy; until, of course, they had long left the city.

"So why were those guys all afraid of you Noame? Did you beat them up before or something?"

"No, actually I had never seen those men before in my entire life, before today."

"So what was it? Was it your uniform?"

"It was. As i had said earlier, I was one of the highest ranked officers of the state." She walked a bit faster, in hopes that he would use his energy to move rather than ask her questions.

"Do you know where we're going?"

"We're taking a short cut; through the mountain valleys."

"Ha, good! I can show you one of my favorite spots on the mountain!" Noame did not respond, & for a moment there was silence. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"She looked at him.

"Back there, you called me your friend. Did you mean it?" Izi looked at her & looked down at the road ahead.

Noame looked away, back at the road. "I don't know."

Izi smiled & in his mind, filled in a yes for her.

The rest of the walk was silent; not that Noame did not enjoy it, but it did seem a little eerie not hear Izi constantly ask her questions, especially when he was walking right next to her. It was so, that when Izi decided to take a turn down a different road, Noame did not notice she followed him.

"We're here!" he said happily. Right where the road dead ended, & trees began tall.

"It's a forest; half dead."

"Well my favorite spot is just on the other side, but it's getting late so we should camp for the night."

Noame looked at his excited face as he began to set down the bag, & looked back up as she began to walk farther. "Lets make camp under the shelter of the trees, okay?"

Izi did not quite understand at first, but when realizing she had attempted to ask his approval, smiled & followed.

There was not much to the camp. Izi had brought out two blankets for them to lay on, & keep them from the ground. A small fire was built from fallen branches of the forest & a small rationed meal was eaten before sleep. Izi kept talking about his hideaway on the other side of the forest.

In the chill of the night Noame woke up; only a small portion of the moon light shined through the clouds of ash. She glanced over & could see Izi shivering in the cold, & the smolder of the fire that had died only moments before her waking. Stiffly, she got herself up & took her blanket to Izi, dusting it as she did. She placed it over him, careful not to wake him; in the moment she wanted to smile at his peaceful rest, but instead returned to her resting place to sleep once more before morning. There, she dreamed again, but not of the past.

she sat atop an ash-covered grass hill meadow, & looked sadly at her own feet; it seemed an out of body experience. A hand reached down to her, from a girl with a peculiar haircut. She reached with one hand while resting the other on her leg to keep balance as she leaned over.

"I think you could use a hand right about now," she said.

Noame did not know who this girl was, but reached slowly to take her hand. The girl seemed so happy in the bright sunlight; her blond hair shone beautifully, her peach skin perfect & youthful, her blue shorts & white tang-top made her seem all the more innocent & young; printed on the short was a pink heart with golden curly wings on either side of it. Noame was transfixed on the girl's sea blue eyes; she was so beautiful without even trying. She could not be any older than Noame herself.

When Noame finally made contact with her, the girl tightened her grip on Noame's hand & gentle pulled her up to her feet. For a moment in time they stood hand in hand, letting a warm breeze, almost as warm as the girl's smile, waved by. Then she turned from Noame, & began to slowly walk away.

"Don't be sad Noame..." Noame did not respond but stood still. "Smile." she said; & she was gone into the light. "Keep to the light, I will wait to see you again..."

Morning creped past when Noame finally woke. Glancing around, she saw Izi stretching with a wide yawn to wake himself. As he put his arms back down he noticed the blanket on him & looked over to see an ash-covered Noame, without a blanket.

"You gave me your blanket Noame? Weren't you cold?"

Noame took time to fully awake & comprehend what Izi was saying, then looked to the ground. "Well, when you have friends, sometimes you need to put them before yourself."

Izi smiled. "You said it again!"

"Said what?" She said looking up at him

"You said we're friends! That means you really did mean it!"

Noame turned away from him & released a quick breath. "A slip of the tung."

"Ya right. Whatever makes you happy, but I know you think of me as your friend; & even though you won't admit it, you're a pretty good friend too." Noame just looked at him while he smile widely, packing up the blankets. "Come on, my hideout is just past here; we can be there before noon!" He hurried his walk past her, & once more she got up stiffly to follow him.

Izi hurried his walk in such a way with his excitement, that, slowly but surely, Noame began to fall behind. It was either that she had no interest in his direction or was pulled out of habit to want to turn back & return to the road that was originally planned. Either way She continued behind Izi, who worked hard not to jump around & shout about going to his favorite spot, & was relatively quiet. The ash began to fall slower, not as much as in the cities.

Izi turned back & slowed for Noame to catch up. Though he remained beside her, he could not contain his impatience or his excitement, & had to release it in some way.

"So You didn't freeze or anything? I bet you had some weird dreams then."

"Funny you should mention that."

"Huh?" he looked up at her, though she never took her sight off the path ahead.

"I did have a strange dream. It was about this girl."

"Was she blond with most of her hair tied back but a lot had fallen in front?"

"You know her?"

"She comes to a lot of people's dreams. I don't know if she's real or not; I've only met her once in a dream."

"Who is she?"

"We call her 'Hope'. I think it might actually be her real name."

"Hope? That's a peculiar name these days."

"I think she's an angel, direct from God."

"I don't care much for religion."

"Well you got to have something to have faith in. That's what I believe in."

"& what do you have faith in?"

Izi ran ahead a bit with a wide smile. "Like hope said to me: don't give up, love."

"So you believe in love?"

"Why not? I love my sisters, & my friends; & one day when I'm older than you I'll fall in love & get married. Don't you believe in love?"

Noame looked ahead at the road. "Not in a very long time."

"So what did Hope tell you?"

Noame thought back. "She said...'don't be sad...keep to the light'. I don't know what that means; but she said she'll wait to see me again some day."

"Wow, you're really lucky if you get to see her again!"

The ash was almost not falling at all now, & green peeked from the branches of the trees, as well as beneath them. A clearing came into view, & the light of the sun shone brightly down. Upon entering, Noame had to shield her eyes with her arm at first. Looking past, she saw a vivid green open meadow, baring the minimal of ash that the wind carried, but seemed as though there was none.She stood in awe of it, as the wind coolly blew in a warm breeze. Flowers peeked here & there in the grass, & a small creek broke the last fifth of the meadow from the rest. Birds flew over & in the grass land.

"Hey! Noame!" Izi waved his arm wildly to gesture for her to come over.

Noame looked down at him, & shortly after followed. He led her to a hill top that over looked most of the meadow. There he sat down & gestured for her to do the same; she walked to the other side of him & sat with her knees up, holding them with her arms. The breeze blew softly again, while Izi dug through his bag. He pulled out a little bundled napkin, & opened it to reveal the pastry kept in it. He took a piece & handed It to Noame, who kept her gaze out at the life in the meadow.

"Her, eat this."

"What is it?"

"It's a type of cake; the name escapes me, but it's really good. Try it!"

Noame took a small bite. It was sweet, but not too sweet, & soft, moist, & a little sticky; it was, delicious. She lightened her expression, & Izi smiled at it as she turned back to look up at the sky; all the while still nibbling on the pastry; another breeze blew by. Izi too, ate his half of the pastry, & watched the sky as white clouds of water gently passed. When he finished, only just before Noame, he leaned back & propped himself up with his arms.

"This is my favorite spot in the entire world."

"The world huh?" she teased. "& how does a little boy like yourself know what the whole world looks like?"

"Well there's no ash here. You can see the sky clearly." She looked over to him & he looked back; his smile got wider. "Hey, you smiled," her expression faded; she had genuinely smiled. "I was wondering when I'd get to see you smile."

"It's been so long. I almost forgot how good it feels to smile." she looked back at him again with another smile. Her hair came untied, & now blew gently, free, with the breeze.

Izi smiled back at her, & reverted his gaze back at the sky, as she looked down at the meadow.

"I'm sorry you lost that diary in the fire."

"What?"

"Because--didn't you take it out & leave it in that inn back in Angelees? I saw you with a different book at the cafe"

"You're saying the name wrong," she took her bag & began to go through it, "& actually," she brought out the diary. "I never left it." She smiled still. Another breeze blew past.

She set the diary back in her bag, & they returned to their viewing. The sun felt warm, a soothing warm. Noame was not used to it, never had she felt, in all her life, anything like it, nor seen anything like it; to her it was, nice. Though soon, ash began to fall on the meadow.

Izi grew a shocked expression. "What's going on? What's happening? Why is there ash?"

Noame's smile slowly faded. "The ash is spreading. I guess even here, you can't escape it completely." she said it in a saddened tone, & was genuine about it. Silence passed a while between them. "Come on, we should get going."

Izi nodded & got up after her; & slowly they began away, glancing back every so often in remorse for the meadow.  

[lakita_phoenix]

chapter six
The Rules

At time, we lose things that are precious to us; &, at other times, we add on to those things. What is important is not, weather or not we still have them, but that we keep the sentimental value & learn from them. Things may grow, even in the dark.

Izi was fast asleep by the time Noame returned; & she took her seat quietly so as not to disturb his silence. Though as quiet as she was that even the sound of a pin drop could be heard, he awoke moments after she sat. He looked about his surroundings, unfamiliar to him, while Noame sipped at her hot tea with the diary in hand.

"Where are we Noame?"

"We're on the train, remember?"

Izi still glanced around, a little exited now, though Noame did not glance from her reading in the slightest. "A train? That is so cool!"

"You really don't remember do you? You were exited when we boarded; said you never been on one before."

"Heh, well I haven't. This is so cool!"

"You wore yourself out with your excitement last time. Let's see if you can do it again."

"Ha, the ride is so smooth, i can't beli--" his expression changed.

Noame finally looked up. "What is it?"

"I have to use the bathroom." he said in a whisper. "Where is it?"

"How should I know?" she picked up her tea to sip & read on. "Ask a stewardess."

He got himself up & rushed to another cart to find a stewardess. Some twenty minutes had passed before he returned. He took his seat & gazed out the widow, & took to notice that it was lined with a light to make the outside seem brighter; not that there was even much to make bright, since everything was covered in ash.

The train moved across toward the outskirt of a different city; by which time Izi had become fully awake.

"So how old is this train, it looks kinda new."

"It's over fifty years old. Nobody makes trains or train tracks anymore, your lucky if you can find someone who can still build parts for them to repair."

"But it looks so nice."

"My guess is that they're trying to keep the classic look to them."

"Oh."

The train shook. Both Izi & Noame looked out to see what it might have been, but saw nothing. It shook again.

"Is the train ride supposed to be this rough?" Izi asked.

"No. It isn't." Noame set down her cup & put away the diary in a slow cautious motion.

"Maybe one of the other carts has someone who knows what's going on. Should we go ask?"

Noame waited as she stared outside the window, & nodded.

They went to the next cart up. Everyone was doing the same as they were; staring outside trying to figure out what happened. They walked past & looked around for someone who seemed like they knew what had happened or had some kind of answer. They ventured to the next cart up, & again it shook. No one seemed to have any kind of answer or clue what was going on. There was only one cart left ahead, the captain's cart. Perhaps one of the pilots would know what was going on. As they entered, the pilots were frantic; not knowing what was happening, but trying to make certain everything was under control.

Form the corner of her eye, Noame caught a glimpse outside the windshield & saw wings. She pushed Izi back into the second cart.

"We have to go." she said, & pushed him to go back farther in building a running pace.

"Go? Where? What's happening? We need answers, remember?"

"Just go!" she said hushed.

Quickly they made their way to the last of the carts, all of them empty. They stopped at the third to last cart & gave a faint pant of breath.

"Noame, tell me what's going on!" Izi said confused.

"We have unwanted company." She began to pull out her fire arm from its holster.

The train cart shook violently; The archangel was on his way of tearing open the rooftop to reach them. Noame raised her weapon in aim, but through the window broke in another archangel & brought her to the ground, knocking the firearm out of her hands. She fought with the demoness to get her off; Izi looked about to see if their was something, anything, that could help him save his friend. From the corner of his eye he saw a shine from a long bundle; opening it, he found swords, & in near perfect condition, probably on its way to a collector of some sort; either way he took two blades. He then turned, & with all his strength, kicked off the she-demon from Noame, who hurried to get up.

"Noame!"

She looked over as Izi tossed her one of the swords he had found. The archangel from above finally broke through, & the two of them pushed Noame & Izi back to back. Izi looked at his attackers without fear, & tightly gripped the handle of the sword; he would protect his friend at all costs; this he promised himself. They fluttered their ash wings for a second & launched themselves with closed fists. Izi took a fell swipe, then Noame, neither of each from any side making contact. The archangels grew annoyed at this & came at them more violently than before. Noame & Izi were being pushed about in defending themselves; Noame was pushed down by the other archangel onto a cart seat. The dmon reached out for her throat; only in reflex was Noame able to push him off with her legs. She swung at him, success, she had cut from his shoulder to his cheek in two separate wounds in one swing. The archangel did not even check for the black blood that ran down his skin, he must have known it was there & only grew more annoyed at her.He flung himself again; thinking fast, Noame grabbed hold of him & threw him onto the other, who had only just, knocked Izi down.

"Lets make a break for it! Come on!" Noame called.

Izi made no objection, but hurried to do as she said & ran in pursuit of her to the back carts. One man sat, Unfazed by the commotion that had come from the next cart up, & clearly from the strangers who had rushed in with bloody swords in hand. He supposed he had nothing to worry about; he knew not who they were, nor did he probably have any enemies to speak, & guessed that they therefore could not be after him, but someone else.

Half way down the second cart, the two archangels entered furiously. Noame turned in time to see one of them fly right at her, & so she pushed Izi out of the way. She toppled over, & just as she did so, The other archangel launched herself at Izi, who held up the flat of the blade to push her back. After he pushed far enough for a footing, he swiped at her. Noame brushed off the archangel from herself & the fight raged about the entire cart, the old man almost getting nipped or sliced himself a time or two. Noame made a run for the final cart, followed by an archangel. Izi had pushed off the other, expecting it to come back, but instead it followed in pursuit of Noame. In realization that they ment to gang up on her he followed after.

The old man sat now in a panicked anxiety, panting hard, & muttered to himself. "This was not in the description of the train ride. Remind me to sue when i get off." He did not known what exactly had happened, but non the less knew he was lucky to be alive.

Noame had reached the back rails of the train, & held herself in the doorway as the wind the train had made all other sound faint.

"Noame! Watch out behind you!"

Noame looked in time to see both archangels fly at her. She moved just in time against the outside wall; the two archangels had flung out of the train; the she-demon toppled & tumbled in the ash, perhaps shattering her bones into her death; the other held to the foot ledge of the train. Noame held tight & turned herself to face the remaining archangel. She brought out her second firearm & grasped it tight, aiming strait down at him; though it was hard to keep a steady hand in the rushing air.

"My world, my rules, my creator; & we say, you should not mean to exist, & exist no more you will."

The archangel hissed at her like that out of some vampire film. He put his other arm up in an attempt to climb up. Ii finally made it just to the edge of the door. The archangel pushed up half his torso, & hissed again louder. Noame fired repeatedly, & Izi turned. The archangel had tumbled off the train into the streets of the city; not yet dead he pursued after, & Noame continued her fire. He jumped off the ground to fly after.

"You don't deserve wings! You cheated out lives, including your own! So I'm taking back those wings."

She fired at his wings, & destroyed them; with one final shot,she fired at his leg as he fell, so that he could no longer pursue. He was not dead, though well on his way to be, & raised himself with his arm, glaring down the path of the tracks with tired eyes.

Noame stood with an empty firearm & stared into the distance. "Those are the rules Cree. Demons can't go to the heavens; they belong to the earth," she muttered. When the train finally stopped, she let herself fall & remembered.

"Cree, how do you really expect to be the best if you keep getting injured like this," she said as she cleaned Cree's cuts & other injuries.

Cree clenched her face in a stinging pain as Noame cleaned the wounds. "Because I'm the youngest."

Noame looked up at her confused. "You're sixteen, you're not invincible or indestructible."

"Actually," Cree began. "I lied. I'm only fourteen." a pause grazed by & she began to giggle.

Noame looked a bit baffled, but followed with a chuckle of her own. "Just don't go chasing after archangels all on your own."

"Thems is the rules?"

Noame rolled her eyes & smiled. "Thems is the rules."

She remembered two years later; at Cree's burial. She had stayed until there was no one left, & lay down mourning flowers & her hat at the foot of her grave stone. She stood up, "I'll make you proud Cree." She began to walk away, "I promise."

"Noame? Noame?!"

Noame looked up to Izi & stared blankly for a moment in time.

"Is he...dead?"

Noame blinked. "No. I couldn't do it. I don't have it in me to kill."

She looked back to the street. Izi thought on her words & smiled. "Well, come on then Noame! We have to get going." he stood up strait.

A steward came rushing to them. "Are you both alright?" he asked in a panic.

Izi looked up, "Ya we're fine. Come on Noame, get up!"

Noame brought herself up slowly & walked with Izi past the steward to fetch their things. The man jsut looked at them bewildered, & too, followed back. In the third cart he felt something falling on him & stopped to look up. A rather large hole was torn into the roof; he stood baffled & looked around, eventually finding Noame's firearm, to which he picked up & ran to catch up with them. they had only just began to walk away from the train when he caught up to them.

"MISS!" he called out. They stopped for him to catch up; when he did he placed the item in her hand as the other held the umbrella, & he waved his hands in front of his chest. "I won't even ask about it." he said & turned back to head for the train again.

Noame looked strangely down at what was placed in her hand & then back at the man; Izi too was confused by it all & did not understand.

As they began again, he spoke his mind, "He kinda seems familiar doesn't he?"