> We have pooled our resources to hire a licensed therapist. Those who were emotionally affected by the news of Uriel’s engagement can join our group therapy sessions every Saturday, 6:00 p.m. at the SxUxS Fan Club headquarters.

>

> —Magda, #1 Fan, Kraej City Fan Coalition Fanzine

Sariel

When Asteria left to follow the hero, it was as though a light went out of Seraph’s eyes.

He went through all the motions, but his heart wasn’t in it anymore. He’d always loved fighting monsters but now he’d go in, kill everything with one powerful spell, and leave.

He took meticulous care of his plants but didn’t linger over them like he used to. He even stopped reading.

Ever since Asteria arrived in Kraej City, Seraph had been more cheerful and friendly, but now he’d reverted to his mostly silent and watchful manner. Everyone had noticed, but most people didn’t know what to make of it. I did overhear some of the female staff gossiping about how Seraph seemed more aloof than usual lately. They thought it made him even more attractive.

Idiots!

Then again, they were just Seraph fans. They weren’t the ones who had to deal with an EL who was down in the dumps.

“She called me yesterday. I was worried when she went to that abandoned mine, but now she's on vacation mode,” I said to Seraph and Uriel.

We were eating lunch in my office. People might think that I and the other S-class EL officers lived glamorous lives, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our offices, situated in one of the oldest Kraej Company buildings, were functional and austere, with white-painted concrete walls and small windows. The only difference that set the EL section of the headquarters apart from the usual grey, dreary Kraej Company offices was the fact that we had custom-made furniture that was double the size of the standard-issue modular furniture.

I’d personalized my desk with large, silver-framed pictures of my mother and my triumphs during the monster wave. Uriel had gifted me an antique sword that hung on my wall, and Seraph had provided numerous potted plants.

“Good for her,” said Uriel. “She deserves a bit of a break. She must have been working hard.”

In contrast to Seraph’s moroseness, Uriel was the happiest I’d seen him in years. He and his fiancee were planning a summer wedding next year. Asteria believed that we’d be fully cured within months, or possibly even weeks, and the prospect of finally being permanently free of the virus had lifted his spirits tremendously.

In contrast to Seraph’s voice that was softer and slower than before, Uriel’s booming voice was full of cheer.

“She went on a beach vacation without me,” said Seraph. He sighed. I couldn’t believe how much he was moping.

“Didn’t she say she wanted to go to the beach?” asked Uriel.

“Yes.”

“Then have you made any plans?” I asked.

“Plans? I don’t know when she wants to go,” said Seraph.

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“Tch.” Both Uriel and I clicked our tongues.

“What’s Asteria’s motto?” I didn’t wait for the answer. “Always be prepared! When your little angel says ‘I wish I could go on a vacation,’ you should be ready.”

Seraph frowned. “You’re right. I should make plans now.”

“I know a guy who has a fabulous beach house,” I said.

Helping Seraph make plans for the future with Asteria was sure to perk him up at least a little bit.

A knock sounded at my office door.

“Come in,” I said.

Gitte, my secretary, went in and said, “Sirs, deployment orders.”

We took the papers from her. It was the usual monster-hunting mission. The three of us checked the map, making sure that it was nowhere near the areas Asteria had told us to avoid.

Normally, missions were given to only one of us, but we could join in on any missions if we wanted to. Asteria had ordered us to stay together, so we’d been teaming up on all our missions lately. It looked like mission control was getting wise to our ways, since the orders were for all three of us this time.

We finished our meal before leaving.

“An EL’s work is never done,” I said.

***

Midway to the mission’s location, Uriel and I dozed off while Seraph started reading a new book. I always felt a little sleepy after a big lunch. When I woke up, I asked the helicopter pilot, one of Uriel’s men, our estimated time of arrival.

“Five minutes to the island, sir,” he said.

“Island? What island?” asked Uriel.

The three of us looked at each other in confusion.

“Damn, did the mission orders get mixed up again? That’s the third time for me this month!” I looked outside the tiny windows, but all I could see was water. “Hand me the papers.”

The pilot handed it over to Uriel, who was nearest. Seraph and I tried to read it over his shoulder.

“This isn’t a monster-hunting mission. Looks like this is an emergency escort order. Someone messed up and failed to notify us,” said Uriel.

“Wait! Isn’t this the same island Asteria is on right now?” I asked.

Seraph grabbed the papers and scanned them. “An escort mission for Magnus Kraej? It’s marked urgent so we’d better go.”

The three of us huddled together.

“She said not to come see her,” said Uriel. He frowned and fiddled with his bracer.

“It’s nowhere near the places she said we need to avoid,” I said.

“Why does Magnus Kraej need escort duty? There could be something dangerous there,” said Seraph.

We argued about it for a while, but Seraph and I overruled Uriel. Besides, we were almost there, and it would be exceedingly strange for us to refuse the mission or order the helicopter to go somewhere else. Even if I faked a heart attack or something, the island was the closest place to land so we’d still end up there.

Besides, as Seraph pointed out, it’s not like we would be there for more than a few minutes. We just needed to fly in then fly out almost immediately with Kraej. If Asteria was in danger, we could fly her out, too.

The Kraej’s private island was only a few minutes away. Seraph spent the time doing his hair. If we’d known we were going to see Asteria today, Seraph would have taken more care with his appearance. As it was, he hurriedly combed and rebraided his hair as fast as he could, making sure to firmly attach the hair bead Asteria had given him.

“You have candy?” I asked.

Seraph patted his jacket pocket.

“That girl had better watch out for cavities,” I said.

We landed on the island a little after noon. It was a tropical paradise with palm trees, white-sand beaches, and a pretty little cove. Only members of the Kraej family or their guests were normally allowed on the island. According to the tabloids, this was where the world’s richest family went to relax and let their hair down in complete privacy. The rumors of drug-fueled orgies were probably all fake.

Seraph wanted to run off to see Asteria right away, but we had to report to the head of security first. That turned out to be Alfred. He told us we weren’t escorting Magnus Kraej, but rather, Kraej’s VIP guest who would be ready in ten minutes.

The last thing I remember was walking to the other side of the island to see Asteria. She was not pleased to see us at all. She ordered us to leave, which we were going to but then… I couldn’t remember anything but a confusing jumble of sounds, images, and thoughts. For some reason, I was casting spells at some people. I recall bits and pieces of what happened. I think I hit Oren so hard he flew off and broke some bones. Someone kicked me in the face. I fell down and hit my knee hard on a rock.

Then I think I fell asleep. I had nightmares about a fanged mouth eating three stick figures. The little stick men ran away as fast as their little stick legs could, but the monster always caught up and swallowed them.