Sailor Moon:
                           Seven Knights
                           *************
                       Part 4:  "Homecoming"



                      Written by Strike Fiss
                      Ninja Crowbotics, 1999












                            Touchdown


	

	
	They say you never really appreciate something until it's gone. 

	That simple, overused phrase takes on a whole new meaning when 
you experience the absence of reality.  Every sense is turned upside 
down.  No breath, or gravity to remind you of home.  Even your thoughts 
seem raw and alien to your own mind as it struggles to comprehend what 
is basically nothing, but is also the potential for everything.  
	It's like running out of air.  Drowning, without actually dying.  
Something you were born with, and lived with for all your life is 
suddenly snatched away from your lungs.  It's frightening.  Powerfully 
terrifying, even though you are calm inside and out.  

	And then, there's that first breath.  The man, close to death in 
the icy ocean, swims with what is left of his strength to try and reach 
the surface.  To the oxygen that sustains him.  

	And in that one, last, desperate thrust upward, he breaks free of 
the water, and is nearly torn apart by the sudden gust of air filling 
his lungs.

	Now...imagine taking that first breath of a universe.







	C-R-A-C-K!

	An ocean of reality slammed through each and every cell in their 
bodies, nearly ripping them apart in it's overwhelming haste.  Wave 
after wave of invisible force passed over and around and everywhere in 
between.  The three of them gasped for air at the same time.  That's 
exactly when they realized they were back in an atmosphere.  
	SNAP!  Air crushed into their bodies.  Michael grunted and 
clenched his teeth as his wings nearly tore themselves off of his back.  
Dave and Chris were wholly unprepared for the force.  Lab and trench 
coats yanked their heads and torsos like parachutes, tangling with 
Michael's wings.  
	"Whhaa...tch out!" Michael gasped in the thin air.  With a quick 
leather whipping noise, his wings melted away into his coat, joining 
the other's into ragged tangles.  
	That's when one of the universal...at least in some 
universes...constants took over.  Gravity.  Dave's eyes widened as he 
realize nearly all his manipulative power was going into keeping them 
light enough for the journey.  "Michael??" he coughed.
	"Don't let up or we'll fall faster!" Michael yelled.  "I can only 
slow us down if we stay light!"
	"What's going on?!" Chris turned his head, trying to shield his 
eyes from the buffeting wind tossing them about.  "Michael?  Where are 
your wings!?"
	"I have to rest them!" he growled.  
	"For HOW LONG?!" Chris looked down.  Horizon turned into endless 
blue.  What had started off as a near-orbit view of an Earthy globe was 
now turning into clouds fast approaching.  If it wasn't for the 
overwhelming knowledge of the ground approaching, and the mind-jolting 
trip across universes, it would have been a spectacular view.  
	Darker, twilight blues melted away to familiar navy colors.  
Strange red clouds leapt up and whisked over them.  Moments later, the 
three tumbled through on the other side to an even brighter shade of 
rich sky blue.  
	The ground was visible now.  Green and mossy forests dotted and 
stretched over the landscape.  Mountains were rare, but the entire view 
held rolling hills and distant lakes.  An ocean was visible slightly to 
the side, covered partially with a rolling fog.  "Try and aim for the 
ocean!" Chris yelled.
	"No!" Dave interrupted.  "If you hit the water you die instantly!  
Ground and dirt compress!  Liquids don't!"
	"We're NOT going to hit!" Michael yelled.  "Now try and slow us 
down!  I just need some time!"
	Dave used only as much force as he dared to re-direct from 
keeping their weight down to stop their spin.  Slowly, they flattened 
out in a combined spread eagle.  "Chris!  Reach back!  Get our fucking 
coats apart!"
	Chris' arms threw back and began to wrestle with their coats.  
"Makes you wish we wore wind-breakers instead, huh?" he mumbled to 
himself, finally separating them as they passed through another layer 
of cloud.
	"This is why I was only going to take back Chris!" Michael said, 
pointing to the approaching ground.  
	"Shut up and get ready to fly!" Dave demanded.  "How much longer 
you need?  We're at a minute till pancake!"
	"Fifty seconds then!" SkitZ nodded.  
	"So, fifty seconds." Chris raised an eyebrow.  "What can I do in 
fifty seconds?  I KNOW!  Samurai Pizza Cats, oh yeah!  Who do you call 
when you want some pepperoni?  Samurai Pizza Cats!  They're stomping 
out crime any you know that ain't baloney!  Samurai Pizza Cats!  
They're so bad, they got more fur than any..."
	"Chris?" Dave interrupted.
	"Yeah?"
	"Shut the fuck up."
	"Good plan."
	They passed through one last white cloud, now able to pick out 
the fuzzy evergreen tree-tops.  They were definitely not heading for 
the water.  "Michael, have you ever heard the expression 'Hug A Tree?'" 
Dave asked.
	"What?" he shook his head. "Hell no!"
	"Well, you're about to get a first hand lesson in becoming a 
tree-hugging hippie if you don't start flapping now."
	"Fuck that cooter!" SkitZ growled, stretching his arms.  Seconds 
later, his coat exploded into feathers, spreading over their backs.  "I 
ain't no fucking tree-hugging hippie!!
	With one, mighty SkitZ-like flap, they shot forward and down, 
gaining speed fast.  He gritted his teeth as his sore wings tried to 
stay together.  Trees came up fast.  They narrowly missed the tops of 
some of the tallest, dodging them into a valley a heartbeat away.
	Finally, SkitZ brought his wings around one last time, angling 
them back up in a neck-breaking swoop.  Dave gasped, suddenly having to 
redirect his power to balance them out, not knowing how they got 
lighter suddenly.  "Just a little more!" he yelled back to SkitZ as the 
air threw them back, slowing their climb.
	Sliding down on their backs now, Michael angled his wings for one 
final maneuver.  "Hold on!" he grunted as the ground rushed up.
	They braced themselves as, just a meter above the earth, he 
flapped again, just barely creating enough lift before his wings 
snapped back into leathery coat tails.  The breaking flap was just 
enough that they landed on their asses without injury.

	As the dust cleared, both Dave and Michael looked up at each 
other.  "Holy shit..." Dave laughed.
	"Bet they don't teach you that in the Omega Web." Michael said 
proudly, ruffling up his hair.  
	Dave's smile faded as he looked past Michael.  His lab-coat's 
belt had torn, and hung in tatters off of their waists.  "Uh, SkitZ?  
Where did Chris go?"
	Both their eyes went wide as they scrambled to their feet.  

















                          Chapter 1









	On stumbling upon this sacred place, one would notice many 
things.  Probably, the first of which would be the smell.  It was 
almost sharp in texture.  A kind of unnamed spice mixed with dusty 
odor.  Not in itself un-amazing, but definitely stronger than it should 
have been.  Especially for a garden.  It didn't smell like one, not 
even one from this Universe.  It was almost like the rich, green wild 
grass and the golden annual pines weren't allowed to spread their 
scents and aromas in the forbidden air.  Only a lone beetle dared to 
chirp in the underbrush.  
	High walls of ancient trees and Yama Vines surrounded the garden 
in the hazy, twilit distance.  A starless, unmoving sky roofed off the 
view above.  If there hadn't been so much attention to the garden, it 
could have been mistaken quite easily for a tomb.  That wouldn't be far 
from the truth, actually.
	In the center of the roughly circular garden sat a large hill of 
sand.  It was crystal white, almost like snow except for a hint of 
silver coloring.  Silently floating above this circle of sand was a 
young man.  Just beneath him, Theban script was scrawled along the 
edges.  He was adding to what was already there, using the long handle 
of a weapon that was mostly hidden in his robes.  
	The beetle's chirping became urgent, alerting the young man to 
someone else's presence.  Cold eyes looked up from the sand over to the 
shadows.  "Raphael." His voice leaked out into the darkness.  It was no 
louder than a whisper.  "Do you ever knock?"
	Two footsteps could be heard.  Loud from the weight of a large 
body, but muffled by the soft turf nearby.  "Forgive me, lord." An 
ancient, scratchy voice, to counteract the silent one.  
	The first man looked only twenty.  Long, dark brown hair fell 
over his shoulders.  A white robe fell over the rest of him, exposing 
only his head and his upper back.  He turned his attention back to the 
sand around him.  "You have news?"
	The first thing to emerge from the shadows was a huge, golden 
breastplate.  What little light there was in the twilit garden turned 
yellow from the armor's reflection.  A long, gray and white beard hung 
over the armor, moving slightly when the massive man spoke again.  
"There has been another shift.  Just as you predicted."
	"Was it bigger than before?" the whisper asked back as a long, 
gnarled handle of his weapon was pushed gently into the sand in front 
of the younger man.  "Or was it the same as when Michael left?"
	An uncomfortable silence.  Raphael decided it would be best to 
get the bad news out of they way as quickly as possible...but he could 
still do it with some finesse.  "It is as we all feared.  The latest 
shift was ten times as great.  Too much to account for himself."
	"And yet not enough to account for anything that might bring us 
trouble." He corrected, tracing the outline of a half-moon.  "But, you 
are correct.  That means the boundaries are getting weaker like 
before."
	"And Michael is weakening them further." Raphael growled.  "I see 
no reason to delay."
	"Now now." He replied.  "We must not act in haste." A thin smile 
crossed his lips, though he never turned to show it.  "After all, 
patience is one of our seven virtues, is it not?"
	No answer.  Raphael was clearly embarrassed to be caught on such 
a basic rule.  Though embarrassment and obedience made him an excellent 
warrior, he would never rise to as much power as the others.  He was 
too easily controlled by those rules.  "Send a messenger." He began 
again.  "Over to the House of SkitZ."
	"Are you sure that is wise?" Raphael asked.  
	"When are my actions otherwise?" came the reply.
	With a sigh, Raphael bowed his head slightly.  "Of course.  What 
message do you wish to deliver?"
	"Tell them that Azrael is pleased to inform them of their 
Knight's safe return." He smiled to himself.  "Make sure to use my 
name." He added.  "And that I wish to congratulate Michael on arriving, 
causing only tenfold the damage of when he left."
	Raphael's old eyes glinted with realization.  "I'll send my 
swiftest angel before middle night."
	"Good." Azrael nodded, never taking his eyes off of the sand at 
his feet as he crafted script.  "That should put some doubt into their 
faith.  Just enough for us to use if the time comes we need to." He 
looked up suddenly.  "And please add that the House of Fiss has a 
surplus of food, should their city be behind on the harvest this year."
	Confused, Raphael frowned.  "But your house barely made quota 
this year.  Why are you offering those scum charity?"
	"I can spare an offering." Azrael said.  "Hungry enemies are 
easily turned into content allies."
	"Wont they see that?" Raphael grunted.  "The House of SkitZ are 
perhaps the most paranoid of us all."
	"True." The younger man nodded.  "Some will decide on loyalty.  
But all we need is one spy." He nodded to himself.  "One spy is worth 
much more than food.  Especially now, when timing is so important to 
our plans."
	"I'll send the messenger at once." Raphael smiled and turned 
around to leave. 
	"And find Michael." Azrael said, just before the man left.  "I 
expect your messenger to report to me upon his return."
	Raphael bowed silently and strode off back through the shadows.  

	Alone again in the dark sanctity of the garden, Azrael Fiss 
continued to draw his script.  Something wasn't quite right.  Raphael 
had confirmed his suspicions of Michael's return.  But had the man 
succeeded?  
	If he had failed on his selfish little crusade, planning was 
already in effect to use the maneuver against him.  With paranoia 
running ramped, it would be an easy task to convince the House of SkitZ 
to revolt.  Even a minor civil war would weaken them enough.  
	But if he had succeeded...?  On a mission where nobody knew the 
goal?  What could SkitZ have possibly found outside the boundary?  
Could he have met with the Traculedez?  
	No matter.  Even if he could find them, they would not listen to 
a raving lunatic such as Michael.  
	Even if he did find them, they only talked to Azrael.  That alone 
gave him confidence that he had time to discover what Michael had been 
up to.  He would prove to be an exciting diversion, as he always had 
been, but not much more than a minor threat to the scheme of things.  

	Azrael's dark, crystal blue eyes looked up from the sand.  Still, 
there was something else.  Something he could feel at the back of his 
mind.  Something that he could feel past all the Noize.  

	Shaking his head lightly, Azrael ignored the feeling and drew the 
next character in his spell.  

	







	

	It seemed late afternoon.  Strange, considering the odd blue 
light.  Strike Fiss looked up from the ground.  All around him lay long 
grass.  At his back was what he and Maury affectionately called a 
Wheetz.  The legendary Wheetz.  The hay-bails that dotted the farmer's 
landscape.  Appearing almost year-round, they helped feed the cattle 
during the Winter months.  They were also nearly indestructible.
	On occasion, the two of them would take trips to the country side 
and attack the cylindrical Wheetz.  Chris usually brought his sword and 
destroyed half a dozen, while Maury usually took a 4X4 truck and ran a 
few over.  
	Before leaving the realms of known space and time, they had over 
a hundred 'kills' to their names.  One day, they were going to make a 
documentary on the Wheetz, and how they attacked farmers and passing 
cars on the highway.  
	He held his sword in his hand, resting up against the Wheetz in 
the cool air.  The sky above flickered like the Omega Web training 
universe, though it cast a blue, eerie hue.  
	A black crow fluttered down and landed on the Wheetz across from 
him.  Fiss looked up and raised an eyebrow.  "Is that you, Brandon 
Lee?" he smiled.
	The crow glared back.
	"My sister loves your movies." He continued, shrugging.  He took 
a moment to sheath his sword.  
	When he looked back up, the crow had changed to his double, this 
time clothed in black.  "I never thought you'd come this far." He said 
in a low whisper.
	Strike Fiss looked up.  "Why are you here?" he shook his head.  
"I never did understand why you came here...this is my place.  Not 
yours."
	"Your place?" laughed the other.  "You dare call this...ANY of 
this, YOUR place?" he frowned.  "It is MINE.  All of it.  It always has 
been mine."
	Fiss cleared his throat.  "My my...someone hasn't learned how to 
share...has he?"
	"No matter." His double continued.  "You're on my ground now.  We 
will soon finish this."
	"I look forward to it." Strike Fiss nodded.
	Chris smiled and produced an identical nod.  "Oh, one last thing 
before I let you wake up."
	"What's that?"
	"Look up."
	Reluctantly, Strike Fiss looked up.  Just in time to see Chris, 
who somehow appeared on the Wheetz behind him, shove a bokken down his 
throat.





	"God DAMMIT!" Chris gasped, sitting up, causing pine needles to 
fall off his body.  
	Dave, Michael, Rei, Andrea, Miharu, Demeter, Beavis and Maury all 
jumped back in surprise.  "Are you okay?" Rei asked.
	"Fine." Chris grumbled, shaking hair with a free hand.  "Just 
gotta stop listening to myself in those damn dreams.  He ALWAYS does 
that."
	The group all blinked, out of lack of anything better to do.  
	Michael smiled, picking Chris up with one hand.  "Come on, 
people.  We better get to town before the sun gets any lower."





















                             Chapter 2










	Right away, they noticed differences.  Well, the big one was the 
golden colored trees that dotted the forest.  They were exactly like 
evergreens, without the green.  Though, most of them were at least four 
times taller and bigger than the other trees.  
	Small, fuzzy spiders skittered across the path as they walked.  
Miharu nearly jumped out of her skin when one exploded in a puff of 
smoke.  "What the HELL was that!?!"
	Michael shrugged it off.  "Oh.  Thems is just Cookers.  They have 
no internal body heat, so they sun themselves on rocks all day long.  
But, sometimes if they get to warm, when the air cools down at night 
they explode."
	Maury grinned.  "Wonder what happens when you microwave one of 
them."
	"I was thinking the same thing." Chris smiled back.  
	"They're great fire starters." SkitZ nodded.
	Rei shuddered.  "Well, I'd rather not torture any wildlife while 
we're here.  I'm sure starting fires won't be a problem with me 
around."
	"Yeah, but then it won't be nearly as much fun." SkitZ supplied 
with a crooked smile.  
	Dave was busy typing on his laptop, which would have been weird 
except that it was floating in front of him as solid as it would be 
resting on a desk.  "I'm still pretty amazed that you survived the 
fall, Chris."
	"Yeah.  Good thing he only fell on his head." Andrea said.  
	"Landing on your head can be mentally stimulating!" Demeter 
nodded.  
	"Well, my head couldn't feel much worse, so I don't think I would 
notice." Chris mumbled.  "I thought you knew how to tie knots, Dave?"
	He smiled.  "I'm an Omega Web superintendent.  Not a boy-scout."
	Maury laughed.  "Damn.  You'd look cute in a little brown sailor 
outfit."
	"Sometimes I wonder about you, Maury." Dave sighed.  "I mean, you 
have a school-girl and boy-scout fetish, and you don't like 
Penguins..."
	Maury growled.  "You wanna live to see tomorrow?  Then you don't 
mention them little bastards again."
	Dave shook his head.  "Oh well.  Nobody's perfect."
	The trail they were following seemed to be slightly beaten down.  
A little less than a horse trail, but there didn't seem to be any sign 
of horses.  The sun had just gone down over the treetops a few minutes 
earlier, but the sky had a nice orange glow to it.  According to SkitZ 
and Dave's initial scans of the area, they were only five or so 
kilometers away from some kind of camp.  
	"We're headed to a neutral village." SkitZ said after they had 
all been silent for a few minutes.  "We can check our supplies there, 
and I can send for a messenger to signal my House.  I'd return myself, 
but I think both you and I will feel a whole lot better once we get you 
to the Pool.  We're saving three days from the trip by going their 
directly."
	"I appreciate it." Chris nodded.
	"Maybe once we get there, if you don't mind, we can visit my 
House, and I can give you more of an overview of the situation." 
Michael said.  "Chances are, though, you'll pick up on things fast 
here." He paused.  "But I don't want you trying to read too much Theban 
until I can train you to recognize corrupt script."
	"Media censorship?" Chris raised an eyebrow.  
	"Hey." Michael turned to him.  "I'm here to help.  If you go 
insane from some kid's scrawling on the side of a building then I 
wouldn't be able to do much about it."
	"Yeah yeah." Chris sighed.  "Just make sure you keep us in the 
know."
	Beavis cleared his throat.  "You might want to heed that warning, 
SkitZ.  Chris especially gets ornery when you don't tell him things."
	"Hehe." SkitZ giggled.  "Ornery."
	"I'm sure if SkitZ got us all here safely he won't start acting 
all psycho on us now." Andrea smiled, punching his arm playfully.  
"Right Mike?"
	SkitZ smiled back and punched Andrea right back in her arm.  
"Right."
	Andrea frowned and punched him back harder.  That, of course, 
prompted SkitZ to return the shot until they were both trading all out 
attacks on each other's arms.  The others ignored them as they 
continued their little battle.
	Dave finally put away his computer and maneuvered himself so he 
was walking besides Chris.  "The data collected during the trip was 
astonishing." He paused.  "But I don't think the raw data really does 
justice to what we saw."
	"You saw them too?" Chris smiled.  "The Universes?"
	"It was quite breathtaking I must say." Dave nodded.
	"What was that third one that was almost touching ours?" Chris 
paused.  "More importantly, what do you think will happen if they 
collide?"
	That prompted a raised eyebrow.  "Well, from what I managed to 
scan, neither universe is moving, so I doubt they would ever collide." 
He smiled.  "But I thought you knew...that other one was the Negaverse.  
Turns out you Scouts are actually pretty experienced at this inter-
universe travel."
	"Really makes you think, doesn't it?" Chris nodded.  "I mean, 
here we are, on a planet in the middle of nowhere.  In a galaxy 
surrounded by billions of others.  And even after all that, there's 
still more." He grinned.  "Looks like Gene Roddenberry was full of 
shit...Space really ISN'T the final frontier."
	Dave chuckled to himself.  "Well, old Gene was a good man.  I'm 
sure he would have loved to come along."
	"Anyone who invents stuff like Tribbles is good in my books." 
Chris replied.
	They both walked silent for a moment.  "My scans are not as 
effective here." Dave mentioned suddenly.  "I don't know why.  I think 
it's this planet.  Some funky EM fields are coming from it's core.  And 
that rapid-phase pulsar up overhead isn't helping."
	Chris smiled.  "What kind of fun would this be if we knew 
everything already?"
	"Yeah, yeah.  I know, but it's my job." Dave sighed.  "In a way, 
I'm thrilled to have a chance to look at a new world, but I'm also 
scared.  Everything I know is cast into doubt here."
	"You get used to it." Chris mumbled.  "Just be glad you can count 
on your own mind."
	"You have a point there." Dave nodded.  "If there's anything I 
can do to keep you sane, just ask."
	"Some music would be nice.  I hope you didn't nuke my MP3 
collection off of my laptop."
	"I added about nine hundred million songs, actually." Dave 
smiled.  "I think we have ninety-four percent of all English and 
Instrumental songs in human history."
	"Dave, you truly are a great man." Chris laughed.  
	




	By the time the sky finally turned to night and stars began 
showing themselves, they reached the village.  Both Andrea and Michael 
were rubbing sore arms, long forgetting their little duel.  
	Michael walked over to a small sign on the side of the trail, 
pressing his pointer and middle fingers onto the wood.  A small flicker 
of light flashed in front of his eyes, letting him know they had come 
to the right place.  "The village we're going to should have a few 
rooms open at the tavern this time of year."
	"Well, besides the exploding wildlife I'd say we had a pretty 
good first day." Andrea smiled, hugging Demeter's arm as they walked.  
	"Speak for yourself." Miharu smiled.  "Scared the shit out of 
me."
	"Miharu, watch your language." Rei scolded playfully.
	"I could use a nice long sleep." Beavis said, ruffling his quills 
in the light breeze.  "I figure that if I can fall asleep before 
something goes wrong, at least that's one good day."
	"Good plan." Dave smiled.  
	Feathers suddenly rustled as Michael stopped in his tracks.  
"Shoosh!" he whispered angerly.
	Chris' sword was out a second later.  "What is it?"
	"Put that away!" SkitZ demanded.  "They can sense them!"
	"What the hell are you talking about?" Chris whispered back.  
	"Put it AWAY!" SkitZ almost yelled.  "NOW!"
	Slowly, Chris slid his katana back in it's sheath.  "What's going 
on?"
	Dave was scanning with his laptop, but the confused look on his 
face showed he wasn't too sure what he should be looking for.  Rei's 
eyes suddenly widened.  "Something's nearby..."
	Beavis shook his head.  "Why did I open my big mouth?  I bet it 
isn't even midnight yet."
	"Aszaps." SkitZ growled, hunching over like a cat.  His wings 
stood tall off his back, ruffled angerly.  "I hate Aszaps." He raised 
his hand, motioning for the others to get down.  Everyone hunched down 
low, following SkitZ's lead.  "Everyone just keep quiet."
	"What's an Aszap?" Maury asked.  
	Chris shrugged.  "Maybe it's a penguin, Mo." 
	Maury clenched his teeth.
	"Doo-bee-doo-bee-dooo!"
	"Shut-UP!" Maury growled.
	"Unless you all want to be brutally killed and fed to 
disgustingly unspeakable monsters...you might want to shut the hell 
up." SkitZ whispered casually.
	"Fiss started it." Maury grumbled.
	They were all silent as SkitZ slinked down the trail.  Peering 
around a thick, golden tree, he motioned for the rest of them to catch 
up.  "They're gone.  It's okay." He stood, withdrawing his sword.
	They all blinked.
	"Just because the Aszaps are gone doesn't mean they didn't leave 
something behind."








	The first thing they noticed were the doors.  There were none.  
Building after building displayed holes where a door would be.  On some 
of the smaller houses, the entire front wall had been uprooted and 
thrown aside into the dusty street.  Though the buildings had an almost 
Egyptian style to them, the village looked like an old ghost town.
	Demeter's face blocked out what little light there was left as he 
peered through a jagged gash in the wooden tavern door.  "Holy shit..."
	Chris edged open what was left of the frame with the tip of his 
sword.  "That must have been some fucking big bear..."
	"We don't have bears here." SkitZ replied dryly.  
	The Senshi walked into the deserted building, one by one.  Rei 
found an old oil lamp and activated it with a touch of her powers.  
With the aide of a little light, they found a few more, until the 
entire main hall was visible.  
	Maury knelt down to the floor, examining something gray and wet.  
"What the hell is this?"
	Dave's eyes were wide.  "A brain."
	Mo's finger stopped just before he touched it.  "Oh..."
	They spread out.  Along the sides of the walls and bar were 
puddles of gray matter.  No blood...just brains.  It was almost like 
they had been dehydrated.  
	"You don't seem to surprised by all this, SkitZ." Chris 
mentioned.  "Please tell me you haven't seen this before?"
	Michael shook his head.  "I've never seen it in person.  But 
yeah, I know what did this." He pressed the tip of his sword into a 
frontal lobe, making a soft squishing noise.  "In the morning, we'll 
burn this town.  We can't leave these here to be collected."
	Andrea shook her head.  "Oh no...nobody said ANYTHING about 
coming into a universe of Brain-Harvesters!"
	"It's nothing." SkitZ replied, sheathing his sword.
	"Nothing?" Hooze laughed.  "Where the hell are the bodies?  WHY 
are there two dozen brains sitting on the floor?  That's a little more 
than nothing in MY books, buddy!"
	SkitZ sighed and nodded.  "Fine.  The bodies are probably 
scattered in the woods to feed animals, so they won't go for the 
brains.  You see, in my world, there are mages who can convert brain 
tissue into powerful weapons.  We have nothing to worry about, though.  
They must be removed in only a specific manner, and left to dry for a 
few days.  The Aszaps are the only House that have this ability down to 
a fine science, though.  It looks like I was right."
	"Another HOUSE?" Chris slammed his sword down into the floor 
boards.  "You mean angels did this?"
	"Not Knights." SkitZ nodded.  "But yes, you could call them 
angels." He sneered.  "Well, I personally wouldn't dirty our name by 
calling them angels, but theoretically they are like us." 
	Dave was still staring at the first brain.  "I must admit, I find 
this rather disturbing."
	Suddenly, SkitZ smiled.  "Change of plans.  We're not going to 
burn the village."
	Demeter blinked. "But you just said that these could be made into 
weapons?"
	"Only if they're from simple minds." SkitZ replied, taking out 
his sword again.  "We have nothing to fear.  For one thing, angelic 
minds are structurally different from humans.  This is why they only 
prey on people who aren't allied.  No influence whatsoever." He touched 
his sword to the first brain, closing his eyes.  A moment later, he 
moved on to the next gray noodle.  "Since you are all with me, you will 
be safe...even if Christopher never decides to follow my footsteps."
	"That's nice to know." Maury nodded.  "Now, why the hell are you 
touching the brains with your sword?"
	"All in good time, Maury my friend." SkitZ nodded.  "The rest of 
you, go look for more.  Bring them here.  Just in this building, 
though."
	They all looked at each other.  Dave finally nodded.  "I'll do 
it.  I can get the job done faster anyway." He disappeared in a flash 
of falling light.  
	SkitZ looked up from his task.  "The rest of you, maybe find some 
nice rooms and try to get some sleep." He sighed.  "We were lucky we 
came too late.  Tomorrow, we might not be so lucky."
	"Yeah." Beavis nodded.  "Tomorrow we might actually have a chance 
to save lives."
	SkitZ ignored the comment.  "I'll keep watch.  Goodnight."



















                            Chapter 3












	Wings.

	So many wings.

	They filled the sky, flapping faster than a humming bird's, yet 
you could still see each feather like they were slowed down for the 
mortal eye to behold.  
	Each feather was like thunder and lightning in one.  Terrible 
noise rocked the sky as they descended, yet they glowed a strange, 
heavenly light.
	Even as each of the three monsters landed on bronzed hooves, they 
glowed.  Claw like arms snaked out from their sides, visible now as 
each wing folded it's great length next to the body.  They were some 
kind of strange, muscular centipede centurions.  Though she couldn't 
see their faces when she tried, she doubted she would have wanted to.  
	They were terrible things.  Moving towards the tiny city as a few 
stray inhabitants looked on in wonder at the amazing beasts that fell 
from the sky.  Rei wanted to scream for them to run.  Please, just run.  
Try to escape...don't just stand there!
	But the spell was too much.  They didn't understand what these 
creatures were doing.  The three monsters split up.  Rei almost 
screamed as she saw the first kill.

	It was amazing.

	Almost like a machine.  One hand swept around, taking off the 
young man's head.  Another caught it, then split the skull open like an 
egg.  Slowly, the precious brain inside leaked out.  Blood never hit 
the ground, somehow cauterizing under the intense, white light from the 
winged beast.  
	It dropped onto the ground like an egg.  Ready to be fried under 
the afternoon sun the next day.  

	Still, the people would not run.  

	As it's brother slaughtered another young man, one of these 
gigantic monsters moved forward in a smooth glide, almost like it was 
walking on a cloud.  
	To the tavern.  The mighty wood door, closed to harbor the 
drunken party inside, was nothing compared to the thin, wicked claws of 
the beast.  They shredded the barrier like it was paper.  Faces inside 
the pub all turned in wonder to the amazing intruders.
	Rei watched in silent suspense as not a scream was heard from the 
quiet wet slurps and splatters inside.
	The final turned to her.  Face nothing but a shadow in the middle 
of blinding white light.  It's hoofed legs carried the massive beast 
towards her in a rolling strut.  Rei stood her ground, bracing herself.  
She brought out an ofuda, charging it up with the fire in her eyes.  
"Get back." She growled.  
	It didn't even slow as it's arm wound up, sweeping around to her 
body.  Her eyes were wide as a brief flash of pain cut through her. 

	Chris felt the shudder next to him, followed by Rei nearly 
falling out of the cramped bed.  Due to SkitZ's warning, they slept 
with most their cloths on for the night, taking only their backpacks 
and boots.  
	Rei hated it.  Sleeping in her anything but her silk nightgowns 
or her birthday suit, depending on the company.  Clothes meant battle 
was too close to enjoy sleeping.  She woke up completely on the floor, 
gasping for air.  
	Uncurling from his trenchcoat, Chris knelt town next to her as 
she caught her breath.  "Not you too, Rei..." he whispered.  "Please 
don't go crazy."
	Hot tears rolled down her face as she laughed.  "We're quite a 
pair, huh?  First it was me who had the crazy visions.  When I finally 
managed to keep them under control, you picked up the habit."
	"Can you blame yourself with all this shit that's going on, Rei?" 
he whispered.  "I'm sure I haven't helped.  This is all a nightmare." 
Chris stood, stretching.  "Well, I can sure pick em, huh?  Vacation on 
a world filled with brain sucking monsters and an angel's war."
	She smiled to herself.  "Thought you said I was an angel?"
	"And Cupid isn't the Angel of Death, now, is he?" Chris smiled.
	"And what if you are?" Rei's eyes asked as she looked up at him.
	He said nothing, just knelt over to rub her back.  A staggering 
breath later and Rei relaxed noticeably.
	"What the hell are we doing here?" Rei whispered.
	"What we always do." He sighed.  "Make it so the rest of the 
planet doesn't need to go on adventures if they don't have to."
	"Do you remember last year?" Chris smiled.  "How bored we were?  
How we drove each other nuts, asking what we should be doing?"
	"Yeah." She smiled.  "I just need some sleep.  I won't be bitchy 
once I get a good night's sleep." She sighed, looking up at him as he 
rubbed the back of her neck.  
	Suddenly, Chris' eyes shimmered.  "It's the uniform, isn't it?"
	She blinked.  "What?"
	"You transform in less than ten seconds, Rei." Chris whispered.  
"Why on earth would you need to keep them on to be ready for battle?"
	"Fuck." She sighed.  "I can't even think clearly anymore.  Powers 
I've owned half my life, and I forget about them to this day." She 
looked over to him.  "What about you?"
	"Shhh." He stood, walking over to his backpack.  "Just a second."
	Curious, she looked over to see him bring out his laptop.  "What 
are you doing?" she asked, but got no reply as he then brought out a 
long, soft-gray dress-shirt.  Her favorite.  Well, it wasn't hers, but 
she always ended up wearing it somehow.  Pressing a few buttons on his 
computer, sound began to fill the tiny, oil-lamp-lit room.  A silly 
smile crossed her face.  "What are you doing?" she repeated.
	A low, blues-y guitar kicked in with the piano riff and bass.  To 
the music, Chris shrugged off his coat, letting it fall to his elbows, 
but then as a particularly soulful distorted riff played, he dropped 
down on his knees, letting his coat slide back up his back.  Standing 
with a slow spin, he rotated around and had 'her' shirt in his hands.  
She laughed as he slid over on his socks, gliding over the wooden 
floor.  "Well, guess that trip to New Orleans got to you." She smiled.  
	"Us Fisses are just naturally soulful." He smiled, leaning over 
and offering his hand.  
	Reluctantly, Rei took the offer, and he helped her to her feet.  
Moving to the music, he gently rolled her along his arm, then began to 
untie her chest bow.  Nightmares long lost to the gentle music and 
touch, Rei leaned back against Chris without complaint.  She had been 
so scared to spend the night with him unless they were sleeping.  It 
seemed like any moment of sleep they could get was precious.  But he 
was offering this time on his own regard, and it felt too perfect for 
her to stop it now in the hopes of an uneasy sleep.  
	Adept hands finally found the last fold in the knot, and with a 
gentle tug, her bow released.  Behind it rested a row of tiny white 
buttons.  Just three.  Enough to keep the front of her suit on tight in 
battle.  "You're doing pretty well..." she whispered.  "Considering I 
don't even know how to take this thing off..."
	 "Shhhh..." he replied.  "No interrupting."
	"Sorry." She smiled, biting her lower lip as he finally popped 
the last button.  
	His hands came up to the collar of her neck, pressing gently 
along the edge to find the clasp that held the two halves together.  
Rei's hands came up and helped tug the last clasp open.  The white 
leather skin split open on the front.  Reluctantly, she let his hands 
go back to work, and they helped the soft leather slide down her arms, 
exposing her shoulders.  
	The music slowed to just a bass solo, sprinkled with piano.  "How 
ya doing?" Chris whispered into her ear.
	"Stop and you die." She replied with a content smile as his hand 
reached around her front again, then slid down the dropped front.  He 
found the skirt clasp and popped it with his thumb, producing a content 
moan from Rei.  "I didn't know you could do that..." she commented as 
her skirt dropped to the floor silently.  
	"It's all in the wrist." Chris smiled, now working on the last 
bow on the small of her exposed back, holding the body suit on just 
barely.  
	The guitar kicked back in with a sexy sweet sound.  Rei found 
herself moving to the music, pressing up against Chris' front, taking 
him with her.  Finally, the last bow was untied, and with a gentle 
coaxing, the rumpled Senshi fuku slid down Rei's legs, leaving her only 
clad in panties.  
	After helping her step out of the pile of clothing at her feet, 
Chris traced his fingers up along the sides of her legs, up to her 
waist, and then over to the insides of her arms.  "Lift." He whispered 
into her ear.
	Rei needed no coaxing at that point, and her arms came up high 
above her head.  The soft touch of cotton filled her senses next, as 
Chris slid her favorite shirt over the tips of her fingers.  The fabric 
was smooth.  The amazing perfect feel of a shirt that you could wear 
all the time and never notice.  The kind you could snuggle up to 
someone in and fall asleep in the middle of the day, covered with 
nothing else but sunshine.  The kind that you couldn't buy in a million 
years.  Only find by accident.  She hummed to herself as it rested over 
her shoulders.  
	Chris gently lifted her pony-tail out from the neck of the shirt, 
spreading it to the side, not wanting to push her away, taking only 
quick breaks from her warmth to smooth out the back of the shirt for 
her, tracing the line of her back and enjoying the little shivers that 
ran up and down her spine.  
	Almost done now.  Starting low, his hands came around to her 
front and began to fasten the buttons.  They paused at her waist as the 
music moved both of them together.  A gentle sway and touching dance, 
governed by nothing except the music.  
	Eventually, the entire front of her shirt was closed and their 
hands joined for the rest of the song.  "Were we just dancing?" Rei 
asked softly.
	Chris smiled.  "Guess we had to learn sometime." He rested his 
head against hers as they stared, spellbound by the oil-lamp's 
flickering light and shadows.  
	"How long until sunrise?" Rei whispered, turning around in his 
arms.
	"Another five hours." Chris replied.  "Nights are a little longer 
here."
	Rei's eyes dropped slightly.  Realizing there was a long day 
ahead, and feeling the effects of her arousal fading due to too many 
sleepless nights...
	"Come on." Chris smiled with a gentle nod.  "Let's get some 
sleep.  Should be a lot better now."
	Despite herself, Rei nudged herself up on her toes and gave him a 
soft, slow, passionate kiss that he returned.  They parted a moment 
later.  "You're right." Her eyes shimmered.  "A lot better now."
	Chris sat down on the bed.  She followed and they stretched out 
together in a spoon position as the tiny glowing computer nearby put on 
another song.  This one more relaxing and quiet.  Gently, Chris draped 
the long end of his trenchcoat over Rei's body like a wing.
	"Chris?"
	"Yeah?"
	"Thanks." She whispered, eyes closing.
	"Sweet dreams, Rei."



















                            Chapter 4










	Beavis watched the dark horizon fade to a crisp blue line in a 
matter of seconds.  Dave, who had been taking the second watch with 
him, smiled.  "Wow."
	"I didn't know you liked watching sunrises too?" Beavis smiled.  
	"Name a person on Earth who doesn't, and I'll show you a sorry 
soul." Dave smiled.  
	They sat on the roof of the pyramid shaped home.  The family 
inside had been reduced to only their brain-matter.  Far off in the 
distance, they could hear some kind of animal moving around, snorting 
like a wild pig.  Whatever it was probably gorged itself on the 
village's inhabitants bodies over the evening.  
	"You seem pretty quiet, Dave." Beavis commented.  "Something 
really big on your already big mind?"
	"Yes, actually." Dave sighed.  "Something that happened during 
Armageddon is getting to me.  Something my friend said to me."
	"Oh?"
	Dave nodded, fiddling with the torn belt on his coat.  "I think 
he foresaw this trip.  He actually touched the vortex.  He saw what was 
in it." Dave closed his eyes.  "And I saw it too.  Just for a second.  
I couldn't even figure it all out.  It went by too fast, and it must 
have been in at least five dimensions."
	"What did you see?" Beavis asked, eyes wide.
	"Did you ever read the bible, Beavis?"
	Beavis shook his head.  "No.  Chris never had a copy lying around 
for me to look at." 
	Dave nodded.  "Well, a lot of the text is screwed up.  It's 
either misinterpreted, translated incorrectly from the original 
scripts, or just plain bullshit written by the church to keep people in 
line.  However, a few passages now and again could be considered 
prophecy."
	"What do you mean?"	
	"Well." Dave sighed, trying to think of the best way to explain 
his thoughts.  "You know the script that Michael writes?  How it leaps 
out at you and lets you experience it, rather than read it?"
	Beavis nodded.  "Sure."
	"A true prophecy is like that.  It's not meant to be read, but 
experienced.  However, some prophecies can be told in words and phrases 
that have certain magical effects on the mind.  
	"One of the chapters in the Bible is written like that." Dave 
said.  "Revelations to be exact.  The Angel's War." He took a deep 
breath.  "That's what I saw.  Or at least what I could make of it." He 
cleared his throat.  "In particular, as William said, he saw the Angel 
of Death.  Though it's true that pretty much any angel can be the Angel 
of Death, there are three in particular that are mentioned more than 
once."
	"And who are they?" Beavis asked.
	"Well, Michael is one.  Though he's usually referred to as a 
warrior against evil, rather than the taker of souls." He shrugged.  
"Azrael is another.  Though few texts mention it, it is a common 
believe.  More like a superstition.  Finally, we have Gabriel, who made 
an appearance in the Ten Commandments as that funky green mist that 
killed all those Egyptians."
	"Where does Moses come into all this?" Beavis laughed.
	"Well, Maury's here.  That's pretty close." Dave smiled quickly.  
"But the problem is that this little universe is following a lot of 
those guidelines." He shook his head. "Michael mentioned turning cities 
into salt, and what could be considered a baptism in that Pool of 
Angels." He shook his head.  "For all we know, God's some guy who lives 
in a castle here.  I'm not sure I could accept that.  Even in a 
separate universe, it makes no sense."
	"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Beavis sighed.  "One of my 
personal guidelines is that speculation only leads to needless 
worrying.  We'll be able to get more information before we leave."
	Dave nodded.  "I'm just wondering how a universe that never 
existed was seen by William and I even before all this started."
	"All before what started?" Michael asked, landing besides them.  
They hadn't even heard him fly up.  
	Dave caught Beavis before he rolled off the roof, startled.  "I 
was just saying that I need more information.  But once I have it, I 
might be able to figure out this whole mess."
	Michael smiled and nodded.  "Good!  Maybe you can get the Noize 
out of my head then."
	"Maybe." Dave nodded.  "It's a strong possibility."
	Wings folded back, Michael stared off into the distance at the 
approaching light.  "You might want to get inside, by the way."
	"Why?" Beavis asked.  "We were just watching the sunrise."
	"That's not the sunrise." Michael laughed.  "Come on.  It's 
almost here.  We better get inside." He flapped his wings, shoving up 
into the air and off the roof.  "You're lucky I noticed you two 
missing.  Come on."
	Dave and Beavis both exchanged confused looks at each other, but 
followed Michael, using their respective powers to slide off the roof 
at a controlled rate.  "Why do we have to go inside?" Beavis asked as 
they opened the door to the tavern, ignoring the pile of brain tissue 
in the middle of the room.  
	"Watch." Michael walked over to a set of shutters and opened 
them.  A thick woven mat acted like a window.  It's dry reeds nearly 
transparent.  They could see the thin line of the sunrise coming 
towards them.  
	Dave closed the door behind him and they sat at the bar, watching 
for whatever Michael had warned them about.  It came as a low rumbling 
at first.  The wind getting louder until it was almost gritty.  Then, 
something started impacting on the reeded window.  Sand.  At first, it 
was only a few grains here and there.  They could hear it hitting the 
side of the building as well.  It grew louder, as more sand started to 
hit, though.  A lot louder.
	"What's going on?" Beavis yelled out over the noise.  
	Almost at the same time, the rest of the Senshi tumbled down the 
stairs, ready for battle.  "What's going on!?!" Rei demanded as well.
	"Sunrise?" Dave shrugged.
	Everyone watched as the window started to bulge into the room.  
Sand started to leak through a few grains at a time. 
	Suddenly, with a great, final howl...it was gone.
	The window snapped noisily back into place, showing now enough 
light to account for a dawn instead of a sunrise.  Michael went over to 
the bar and poured himself a glass of water.  "I assume you all don't 
know what just happened."
	They all blinked.
	"In the early Summer, the sun heats up the desert into a kind of 
a vapor that picks up terrific speed in the morning wind.  But when it 
starts going fast enough, it cools down and goes back to sand.  It 
creates the nastiest sandstorms you've ever seen." He toasted the air 
with his cup and took a sip.  "Can eat the flesh off of a human in a 
matter of twenty seconds."
	"Holy shit." Chris blinked.
	Dave nodded to himself.  "That's why all the buildings follow 
Egyptian design.  The pyramid design stands up to desert environments 
the best."
	Michael downed the rest of his water.  "Let's get going.  Their 
angels will be coming back for the brains by midday."
	"Well of course." Andrea shook her head.  "After all, who ever 
heard of brains for breakfast?"
	







	Miharu packed her things quickly as the rest of the group got 
ready downstairs.  Thanks to Dave, they all had to pack only their most 
important necessities, but she still had a good backpack full.  
	On her way out, she noticed something in the room next to hers.  
Peering in, she saw where Rei and Chris had spent the night.  

	Her backpack dropped.

	At first, she wasn't sure, and had to take a closer look.  Lodged 
in the middle of two of the pillows was a tiny white feather.
	She walked over to it slowly and pressed her hand against the 
fabric.  Still warm.  The feather was still warm too.  She brushed her 
finger up against the feather and took a step backwards.  It was 
perfectly smooth and warm to the touch.  
	A smile was on her face as she picked it up and quickly stuffed 
it in her pocket.  "I knew it." She picked up her pack and ran 
downstairs.  







	The bright white sun finally topped the trees, flooding the 
little ghost town with a warm late morning heat.  Inside the dozen or 
so buildings, a total of four dozen brains lay in a heap on the tavern 
floor.  
	Shadows slid silently across the town as four winged forms 
descended, touching down on the dusty trail after making a quick check 
for intruders.  Seeing nothing, they slid their long rapiers back into 
their belts and nodded to each other.  They walked into the tavern.  
The fourth held a large leather sack.


















                          Chapter 5








	Under orders from Michael, the group walked silently for over two 
hours.  The trail they chose out of the village had been overgrown with 
gigantic trees, blocking off view of the sky and keeping the afternoon 
sun off their heads.  
	It also hid them from anything flying. 
	"Not all," Michael finally broke the silence "of the Aszaps are 
those monsters I mentioned about earlier.  They're actually a House 
like ours."
	"So why did you get all pissed off when you realized they were 
there?" Maury asked.
	"Because most of the Aszaps are assholes, and have the fight of 
an Archangel in them because they're too stupid to realize 
differently." SkitZ shook his head.  "They're damn annoying.  And if 
there's enough of them, they're damn dangerous to be around.  From what 
I could tell there were probably..."
	"Three." Rei interrupted.
	Michael turned curious eyes toward Rei and nodded.  "Yes.  
Probably three of them.  It would have been more than enough to 
slaughter the town in a matter of minutes.  The Aszaps have a breed of 
Cherubim that are particularly nasty."
	Dave's eyes widened.  "Those things that ripped out all those 
brains were Cherubs?"
	"Yup." Michael nodded.  "Most of the Houses have a nicer version.  
For instance, the House of SkitZ uses their Cherubs for watchtower 
guards.  Lookouts.  They're small and fast.  Sometimes, if we're in a 
difficult situation, they double as messengers." He ruffled his wings.  
"The Aszaps are huge, though.  They have seven wings, metal hooves, and 
are as long as our group is wide."
	Rei shuddered to herself, already knowing exactly what they 
looked like.  
	"I've fought my way out of two of them, but if I hadn't been 
lucky, they would have least been able to give me a few scars for my 
troubles." He nodded.  "That's why I didn't want us fighting them when 
you all have no idea what to expect."
	Miharu skipped up to the front of the group.  "I found these." 
She pulled two white feathers from out of her pocket and showed them to 
SkitZ.
	Michael's eyes shot wide open as he held them.  "On the trail??  
Here?"
	"No.  Back at the tavern." Miharu nodded. 
	SkitZ relaxed noticeably.  "These are Archangel feathers." He 
gave them back to Miharu.  "One's a few months old, but the other is 
fresh." He paused.  "I don't remember any of the Knights staying at 
that village." He turned to the group.  "But if you see any more 
feathers, please let me know.  It could mean someone's tracking us.  No 
birds here shed feathers like these."
	"Who could be following us?" Chris asked.  "I mean, we just flew 
in from another universe.  I don't think anyone saw us at a toll-booth 
or anything."
	Michael nodded.  "There are spells to let the caster know when 
someone breaches the barrier.  I can't be sure, but some of the other 
Houses must know by know that I left and came back." He smiled.  "But I 
don't think anyone else believes that I could find anyone outside.
	"But if some of the Knights suspect I am back, they may want to 
make sure." SkitZ continued.  "I can only assume that there are a few 
search parties around."
	"Will they be much trouble?" Demeter asked.
	"Only if we let them tell their House." Michael nodded.  "They 
usually are armed, but if you are all as good as you say you are, it 
shouldn't be anything we can't handle." He nodded.  "Especially if 
they're only expecting me."
	They walked quietly past a crossroads, seeing only an old man in 
a traveling cloak moving away from them.  SkitZ let his gaze linger on 
the man for an extra moment, making sure he was not a threat.  
	"Normally these roads are fairly well traveled." SkitZ said, 
mostly to himself.  "But not since our universe was reborn and Fiss 
took control."
	"When did all this happen?" Chris asked.
	"Well, the Armageddon we experienced lashed backwards in time a 
little.  History is a little muddled for almost a full year before the 
re-birth."
	"When was the re-birth?"
	SkitZ shook his head.  "There's no way to tell.  My guess would 
be three weeks ago.  But that's just time that I can account for this 
Noize being in my head."
	Dave nodded to himself.  "We can't really be sure because of the 
cross universal effects of time.  It's quite possible that our 
Armageddon caused this universe to re-genesis three into the future 
compared to ours."
	Chris shook his head.  "You're saying OUR Armageddon caused a 
dead universe to come back?"
	Dave smiled.  "Yup."
	"Every time I try to understand the cosmos, it throws something 
else at me." Chris mumbled. 
	"Fun, isn't it?" Miharu smiled.
	"Painful, more like it." Chris sighed.
	That was when they heard a tree crash to the ground.  Everyone 
stopped, dead in their tracks.  SkitZ swore to himself for not noticing 
earlier.  To their right, the forest shook as something massive moved 
through it's plant-life.  "Everyone be quiet!" Chris whispered.
	Michael turned to him.  "It's already too late...It saw us..."
	"WHAT saw us?!" Andrea blinked.
	"RUN!" SkitZ ordered, wings spreading and sword tasting the air.
	Not knowing why or where, the Senshi all took off in a sprint.  
Dave's eyes widened as his laptop finally managed to scan what was out 
there.  "Hoooooooooly SHIT!"
	Behind them, trees as thick as Volvos bent and snapped in half, 
crashing to the trail floor and letting the massive beast through.  
Both Miharu and Chris turned and looked at each other in disbelief.  
"Not again..." she gasped.

	A long, green head swiveled to point perfect, black eyes at them.  
All along it's skull and neck were staggered spines only an inch or two 
thick, but six feet tall.  It's body crashed through the underbrush, 
showing muscular forearms ending in crescent-shaped claws.  They dug 
into the dirt as the creature eased itself into the clear roadway.  A 
long, whip-like tail balanced out it's head and neck.  On it's back 
were two leathery wings, tipped in three larger claws and edged with 
spines that all swept back along the wing.  
	Michael and the others stopped as they realized whatever this 
dragon was, it was probably more than capable of out running all of 
them.  "I...I've never seen a fully grown Dominion before..." he 
whispered.
	Demeter turned to SkitZ and raised an eyebrow.  "Wonderful.  Now 
what the hell do we DO about it?!?!"
	Intelligent eyes scanned the group as the Dominion took a step 
forward.  It's entire body flowed like water.  Despite it's size, they 
never even heard a footstep.  It's jaws opened slightly and a low growl 
filled the air as it recognized an Archangel.
	"I think it's hungry." Michael observed as a long thread of drool 
escaped from the creatures mouth.
	"Funny.  He doesn't look like Sherlock Holmes either." Demeter 
mumbled to himself.
	In a sudden rush, the Dominion lunged at the group.  Jaws wide 
and head sideways, they had to jump into the bush to avoid it.  Rei, 
Miharu and Chris had to duck as the beast turned.  It's massive tail 
slicing down the trees around them like a razor.  
	Rei couldn't believe it when both Chris and Miharu leapt up at 
the last possible second.  Miharu had the speed advantage and her blade 
slid through the tip of the dragon's tail.  
	Howling in anger, it spun around again, this time smashing trees 
over the heads of Michael, Maury, Dave, Demeter and Andrea.  Hooze 
raised her head up when it was safe.  "Jan Ken Pon STONE!" she made a 
punch toward the Dominion's body.  Half a second later a red blast of 
energy slammed into it's hind leg, nearly knocking it over as it's 
wings flapped desperately to keep itself upright.  
	"EEEEEAAHHHHHHRRRRGHHH!" it growled, smoke rising from it's jaws.  
	Chris swung around his sword to face the Dominion.  "Well well 
well, this is familiar."
	"WATCH OUT!" Michael yelled.
	The massive creature's belly puffed out, drawing smoke into it's 
lips...then in one massive jet, fire speared out and enveloped Chris.  
A second later, a blue pulse split the fire and it shot around him.  
	Confused, the Dominion took a step back from the little man who 
had avoided becoming a chicken nugget.  Of course, that gave SkitZ 
ample time to walk casually over to it's bleeding tail, wind up his 
sword like a baseball bat, and slice off another two meters of the dark 
green flesh.  
	The Dominion lost it's balance with the sudden spike of pain and 
loss of even more tail, falling forward onto it's belly in a massive 
cloud of dust.
	
	It looked up with wide eyes to see Chris and Michael standing 
over it, both their swords pointing at it's head.  "You think it gets 
the message?" Chris smiled.
	"We'll, I hope so.  We can't kill it." Michael said, leaning down 
and looking into it's crystal clear black eye as it stared back.  "If 
we do, there's a chance it will explode with all that fire in it's 
belly.  If we survive the explosion, we still have the forest fire and 
the attention of a black smoke cloud to deal with."
	The Dominion kept glancing back and forth between the two, 
shaking slightly.  Rei put her hand on Chris' shoulder.  "I think it 
knows."
	They nodded and backed a few steps away.  Slowly, one heavy foot 
at a time, the Dominion stood to it's full height.  It gave the two 
Knights one last look, then spread it's wings.  "Eaaahhhh..." it 
hissed, then took off over their heads, breaking through the canopy of 
the forest and into the sky.  
	Everyone let out a long sigh.  Michael sheathed his sword.  
"Well, I must say that went better than I expected." He smiled. 
	"Told ya we were good." Andrea nodded.
	






	Two young men with wings almost soiled their pants when they saw 
the Dominion rip up from the trees in a flash of green.  But something 
wasn't right.  It was scared, not hunting.  
	One of the angels pointed out that the tail had been lopped off, 
almost half way.  The other's eyes widened.  Not too many things could 
do that to a fully grown Canopy Dominion.  They were quiet as a 
whisper, able to sneak up on their pray even in the densest forest 
without snapping more than a twig.  Their spines were strong enough to 
fight metal, and their skin was often used as armor for some commanders 
in the Old Army.  
	"Should we check it out?" the first asked.  
	"It could be Michael." Replied the second.  Then, with a gleam in 
his eyes, he nodded.  "And if he just fought a Dominion, he could be 
hurt."
	They both checked their swords and the long, battle-worn shields 
between their wings on their backs.  With one flap of their wings, the 
spiraled back down towards the trees.


















                             Chapter 6









	The midday sun was the first real proof of summer they had seen 
since arriving.  Luckily, they reached a lake just as the worst of the 
heat hit.  It could have been a mountain lake, except for the lack of 
mountains.  The water was crystal clear and reflected the sky almost 
perfectly.  Surrounded by trees, split only by three trails that 
branched off on the other shores.  A rocky beach and the grassy wild 
bush gave the impression to the group that nobody had been there in 
months.  If this picturesque scene were on Earth it would have been a 
camping ground with a hundred visitors a day. 
	Gratefully, they all dropped their backpacks at the edge of the 
water.  Dave took off his coat and folded it on the ground.  "Anyone 
for lunch?"
	"What are we having?" Miharu asked happily.  
	Dave reached into his coat and somehow pulled out a collapsible 
table from PenguinSpace.  "Well, brought mostly just standard pre-
packaged meals.  Chicken, beef, pork, or veggie.  Milk and water.  A 
little supply of Jolt, cause I knew Chris would have a heart-attack if 
we didn't have it."
	Chris smiled.  "The Web really DOES think of everything, doesn't 
it?"
	"Yup." Dave nodded.  With a flick of his wrists, a pair of 
sunglasses appeared, and he threw them over to Chris.  "This is for not 
exploding our universe during Armageddon."
	Rei smiled as Chris put them on.  They were a little sleeker than 
his previous ones, but kept the same ray-ban design. "Oooh, looking as 
Fissy as ever." She laughed as he flipped up the collar of his trench, 
doing a 70's TV show pose.  "And now you can get rid of your broken 
ones."
	"Nope." Chris shook his head.  "I'm keeping them.  Sentimental 
value."
	"From his battle with Tumbler." Beavis explained, having seen the 
alley.
	Michael walked over to the water and began to step on the 
surface.  Walking on water.  "Who's this Tumbler guy you keep 
mentioning?" he asked, kneeling down and taking a handful of water up 
to his mouth.  
	"Have you ever seen anyone with a face made out of white bone?" 
Chris asked.  "Then split into quarters?"

	SPLASH!

	"Guess he has." Dave smiled as Michael pulled himself out of the 
lake and shook off the water.
	"You saw him too?" Michael asked, eyes wide.  "He was the FUCKER 
that started the Noize!"
	"He mentioned something about my sword." Chris sat down on the 
rocks, shrugging off his coat.  "I think he nuked this universe just 
before he came into ours."
	"That mother fucker ripped apart each of the Knights until only 
Fiss was left." Michael growled.  "Somehow, that bitch got away.  But 
by then it was too late." He closed his eyes.  "No...I'm sorry 
Fiss...this was before the war."
	Chris nodded.  "It's okay.  I'm not offended."
	Michael walked back over to shore and shook his wings dry.  "We 
were still brothers back then.  All the Knights fought for the Word and 
were true to their Thrones and the virtues." He sighed.  "It was when 
we all came back.  There must have been time in between where 
everything got corrupted.  Everything got screwed up, and Fiss fell." 
He gritted his teeth.  "And then, Falling didn't seem so bad to the 
others, and they began to be influenced."
	Beavis smiled to himself.  "Still thinking that nuking Tumbler 
from existence would be a bad idea, Dave?"
	Dave regarded him with a dry look.  "Don't start with me, Beav."
	"He came to us." SkitZ growled.  "Just out of the blue.  He 
slaughtered half our House.  Said it was a test from our God." Michael 
laughed.  "That's when we knew he was full of shit.  God was just the 
first Archangel." SkitZ smiled.  "He was a nice guy.  Definitely the 
most powerful, but he spent much of his life's energy on miracles that 
we could hardly imagine in a million years.  He only lived a few 
hundred.
	"But this Tumbler...we only knew him as the Bone Man since he 
never told us his name...he just laughed at our attempts to kill him.  
Nothing worked.  We called upon all our powers, and this monster only 
shrugged them off." Michael sighed.  "The Houses collapsed.  The entire 
world began to slow down.  A kind of orange light filled the sky one 
day...and the Noize started.
	Michael was quiet for a moment.  "I was the last besides 
Fiss...as far as I know.  He killed the rest of the Knights.  Guess it 
was enough to start this Armageddon thing."
	"He was an assassin." Chris said quietly.  "Hired to kill 
universe after universe.  Ours was the final hit."
	"Why?"
	"Fuel." Chris sneered.  "Some assholes in some other universe use 
the collapsing realities as fuel for some kind of eternal life 
machine."
	Michael's eyes fluttered somehow.  The expression on his face was 
nearly blank.  "Our...universes?  Fuel?"
	Dave handed Chris a cup of water.  "Not just ours." Chris closed 
his eyes.  Forty others."
	Everyone turned to Chris with jaws dropped.  "F...forty?" Rei 
blinked.
	Chris shook his head.  "Sorry.  I promised myself I wouldn't tell 
anyone else." He downed his cup in one swig.
	"You kill him?" SkitZ asked suddenly.  
	"No." Chris shook his head.  "But I promise you he regretted ever 
meeting us."
	Michael dry-washed his face with his hands, gritting his teeth.  
"Fuel." He looked around, pointing at the horizon.  "All of this.  The 
stars.  The ground and water.  All of it.  Just fuel?"
	"The Noize is the fuel, SkitZ." Dave said, pulling little foil-
wrapped meals out of his coat.  "The first thing I'm goinna do when I 
get back to the Omega Web is exactly what we did with that Dominion 
earlier on today.  Make our universes a whole lot less appetizing to 
the bastards who did this."  
	"This is insane." Michael sighed.  "All of it.  Fucking insane."
	They all nodded.  Whoever hadn't already been sitting on the 
ground sat down to rest.  Michael remained hunched over at the edge of 
the lake.  His face and eyes unreadable as a stone block.  





	"Who are they?" Asked the first angel.  "I don't recognize them 
from any house."
	"Well they can't be commoners.  They wouldn't be acting so calm 
around a Knight." The second advised.
	They watched from the bushes with fascination as the one closest 
to Michael walked over to him and turned around, grabbing a long coat.  
Their eyes widened as he put it on.  "Another angel?" they scanned the 
group.  Another wore a black robe.  Then there was one more with a 
white one...but it didn't look right.
	"I don't like this." Whispered the second.  "He found two more 
angels.  Those colors aren't from any House I know of, either."
	"They could be fake robes." Said the first.  "They must be.  The 
Pool has been lost for over a decade."
	Their eyes widened.  "Unless Michael knows where it is...just 
like Azrael predicted." He crossed his heart.  "He is a wise lord."
	"What of the child?" he pointed to the younger girl.  
	"Perhaps another to be lead to the Pool." Grumbled the other.  "I 
do not like this.  There are too many."
	"Azrael will not be pleased if we let them go." Warned his 
partner.  "We must do something."
	A long pause as they considered the options.  "They are resting, 
yes?"
	"Yes."
	"And believe they are alone."
	"Yes." Nodded his friend.
	With a grin, he nodded.  "The element of surprise is a great 
advantage, yes?"
	A pause.  "Yes..." he whispered, then smiled.  "Yes indeed."
	"And we do not even know these two are even angels.  They are 
probably imposters."
	"Yes." A more excited nod.
	"And they are weakened from fighting the Dominion, yes?"
	"Oh yes..."
	The first nodded.  "Then we attack."
	With a thin smile, the other nodded.  "Yes..."




	"Think of all of this as our second chance." Chris said to 
Michael as they sat, overlooking the lake.  "We're both back from 
Armageddon, and wars, and Noize and Tumblers.  All that stuff is in the 
past."
	SkitZ nodded.  "You're right, you know.  We can finally say funk 
dat cooter and maybe get things back to normal."
	"Exactly." Chris smiled happily.  "And who knows...maybe one day, 
we'll figure out a way to send a pipe-bomb up the asses of the bastards 
who hired Tumbler.  But either way, we have a chance.  The worst is 
over.  All we have to do is not fuck up this chance."
	"Like Azrael Fiss is doing." Michael sighed.
	Chris nodded, then looked around to make sure nobody else was 
listening.  "Exactly." He sighed.  "I know I was supposed to look 
around first.  See if fighting in your war was worth it.  But I know it 
is."
	Michael looked over to him.  "Oh?"
	"I can feel it." Chris nodded.  "It feels right.  I don't know if 
it's just the fact that I know that I'm finally home, or maybe it's 
just the excitement." He smiled happily.  "But I feel better than I 
have in over a year.  Knowing that I have a mission to fight what I 
don't want to be.  I've seen what Fiss means in this universe, and I 
will do anything to stop myself from becoming that." He shrugged.  "But 
at the same time, I'm saving myself from becoming another thing I never 
wanted to be."
	"What's that?" SkitZ asked, eyebrows up.
	"Boring." Chris laughed.
	Michael patted him on the back, smile back on his face.  "I think 
you just found the eighth Virtue, Chris."
	"I mean..." Chris nodded excitedly "...back there, when we were 
fighting that Dominion, my heart was racing.  My mind was spinning.  
All the pain was gone.  It was great!" he laughed.  "And not because of 
the fight...hell...we didn't kill the poor guy, and he was probably 
more scared than us...but just being here." He smiled.  "I like it.  It 
feels right."
	"I knew I made a good choice coming for you." SkitZ nodded.  
"Wings or not, you're definitely the Fiss I used to know."
	Chris stood and bowed, letting his coat flare up over his head.  
"'Tis my pleasure, SkitZy."
	As he sat back down, SkitZ looked surprised.  Chris blinked, then 
was pummeled on the side of the neck with a large gauntlet.  He fell 
over, blacked out.  Before SkitZ could react, there was a long rapier 
pointed at his neck.  
	"Move and a new color gets added to this lake." A stern voice 
ordered.  
	He looked up to see an angel dressed in the traditional robes of 
the House of Fiss.  A silver stripe across the left tunic breast showed 
a rather high ranking swordsman.  Only a double stripe was higher.  
SkitZ had a double, but this was a rather bad situation.  Especially 
when a second blade pressed up against Fiss' neck.  Chris groaned as he 
realized what happened.
	The rest of the group looked up in horror to see them.  The two 
angels looked over and pressed their blades to their necks harder.  
"Nobody move." The second added.

	Dave Reinquest stood.  

	"I don't think you know who you're dealing with here." He said in 
a low tone of voice.  
	Both angels blinked, then laughed.  "A skinny little man without 
any sword?" offered one.
	Dave regarded himself.  "Skinny?  Nobody ever called me skinny 
before." He smiled.  "Actually, sirs, I am my scientifically determined 
ideal weight."
	"Keep these two covered." The first said with a smile as he moved 
his blade down SkitZ's chest and cut the leather strap hold on the 
scabbard.  Michael growled as his sword fell to the rocks and was 
kicked away.
	"Do you know what I'm going to do to you?" SkitZ whispered.  
	"You can wait right there as I talk to your friend." He smiled.  
"I'll be back for you later."
	Dave nodded.  "That's right.  Come talk to me.  Leave those two 
little boys alone.  Talk to me for a bit." He smiled.  "If you think 
you can."
	"Ooh." The angel guarding Chris smiled.  "He's got some balls 
under that skinny coat of his."
	With a thin smile, the other turned his sword to Dave.  "Not for 
long."
	Slowly, Dave took off his coat and threw it on the ground between 
them.  He nodded to it.  "That's so you don't get your feet dirty."
	"Thanks." He smiled, taking a step on it, ready to leave a dusty 
footprint.
	
	And he disappeared into PenguinSpace.

	The second angel gasped, and in the one heartbeat it took, Chris' 
katana came up, snapping the rapier in two.
	Almost telepathic, SkitZ was next, diving at the stunned man with 
the full force of his wings driving him into the angel's chest.  The 
sound of grinding bones filled the air as the man landed on his back, 
and both his wings folded over and broke in a thousand places.  Against 
his neck, Michael's hands crushed the man's windpipe and turned two of 
his vertebrae into pulp.  
	Chris sheathed his sword as Michael retrieved his, wiping his 
bloody hands on his inner coat tails.
	"Bring him back." SkitZ ordered to Dave.  His eyes were dark and 
his teeth bared.  "NOW!"
	Dave regarded the man slowly, and finally picked up his coat.  
With a shake of his wrist, the first angel came tumbling out on his 
ass.  Sword still in PenguinSpace.  On his face he wore a look of pure 
confusion if such a look ever existed.  
	Michael put a careful knot in his scabbard's strap and then took 
out his sword.  "You never did let me finish, Veguaniel." He growled, 
pointing his sword at the ground.  Veguaniel backed away hurriedly, but 
fell to his back on the uneven stone beach.  "I'm going to let you 
touch the Noize.  I'm going to let you feel what I feel for the last 
few seconds before you die.  I'm going to let you know the truth." He 
took a few steps toward the shaking angel on the ground.
	"Michael..." Chris stood.  "He's harmless..."
	"Stay back, Fiss.  This is my turn." SkitZ growled, never taking 
his razor sharp eyes off of Veguaniel's confused face.  With one final 
breath, "Blessed be." And his sword thrust forward and into the angel's 
skull.
	Instantly, Veguaniel's face turned to an expression of horror, 
and his entire body shook.  They all took a step backwards as they 
watched the tragic death throws continue long after SkitZ removed his 
sword.
	Miharu had wide eyes as she watched.  "When...is he going to..."
	"Die?" SkitZ filled in. 
	She nodded.
	He looked down at the shaking body.  "He's already dead." He 
sheathed his sword.  "That's the Noize torturing his soul."
	Dave looked up to SkitZ with an odd expression.  "How?"
	SkitZ shook his head.  "My powers work on sound.  I can reproduce 
the Noize anytime I need..."
	"That's NOT what I meant and you KNOW IT!" bellowed Dave, 
shaking.  
	"What?!"
	"How could you let another living soul hear that fucking Noize?!" 
Dave growled, closing his eyes.  "I thought we were working towards 
STOPPING that shit!"
	Michael regarded Dave with cool eyes.  "It wont last.  He'll be 
free of it in a few hours." He frowned.  "I could have done worse, 
Dave.  I could have let him live with the Noize.  I could have driven 
it into his soul a thousand times louder than even I hear it." He 
turned his back to the man and walked over to the lake.  "He touched my 
sword.  NOBODY touches my sword."
	Chris looked up from the quivering body and back to Michael.  
"Come on, everyone." He said to the group, but kept his eyes on the 
Archangel.  "Let's get moving.  Lunch is over."

	They packed up what there was to pack and left the tiny makeshift 
camp, leaving two corpses.  Michael stayed, watching the lake until 
everyone had been ready.  
	Just before he walked off, though, he closed his eyes, muttering 
something to himself.  He walked over to the twitching body of a friend 
long lost to both the Re-Genesis and now, to death.  "Go in peace, 
brother." He pressed his first and middle fingers to his lips, then 
touched Veguaniel's forehead where there was no blood.  
	He stopped shaking.  His face and eyes smoothing out to a 
peaceful expression.  
	With a quiet sigh, SkitZ rose and followed the others back into 
the forest.  His wings folded neatly against his coat.  



















                             Chapter 7



	




	The mood lightened considerably when Chris put on some music.  It 
had been a full hour after the lake incident, and the tension had been 
thick enough to bite through.  Miharu also felt a lot better when Chris 
offered her a piggy-back ride, and Rei laughed as Chris tried not to 
show he was surprised how much Miharu weighed.  
	"You're getting bigger." Chris gasped as they walked.
	"You're just getting older." She retorted.  
	Both Maury and Chris scrunched up their faces.  "EAAAAHH!  We're 
OOOOOOOLLLLLD!" they said in geezer voices.  
	"God dammit!" Maury geezered.  "Me hemorrhoids won't get off me 
arse!"  
	"Where's me dentures!" Chris replied.  "I can't eat me peas!  
They're too hard!  Dammit!"
	Demeter, having never heard them do that before,  fell over 
laughing, which in turn caused the entire group to laugh.  Andrea 
picked him up.  "You poor deprived man.  You've never heard the geezer 
voice before?" she asked.
	"I didn't know you could do that!" Demeter laughed.  "That was 
cool!"
	"Youngins today." Maury mocked.
	"Yeah.  Back in my day we had to walk uphill in snow twenty 
meters deep to get to the Pool of Angels.  None of this fancy pansy 
'trail' stuff." Chris added, his geezer voice complimented to Miharu on 
his back.  
	Rei shook her head.  
	Dave had a vacant look on his face, however.  Even when the music 
started.  As they walked, he kept the scan running.  The fact of the 
matter was, though, he looked lost.  He was lost.  Chris had never seen 
Dave yell like that in his life.  Even if it was at SkitZ's rather 
disturbing killing method.  
	"Break." He said suddenly.
	Everyone stopped and looked over to him.  "Pardon?" Miharu asked.
	SkitZ nodded.  "The next town is just a few hours away.  We 
should keep going before..."
	"Please?" Dave asked.  "I need to take a whiz." He looked over to 
Chris.  
	Michael yawned.  "Yeah, sure.  Whiz break everyone!" he smiled 
bounding off into the woods.  
	Chris put Miharu down.  "Gotta whiz too.  Be right back."  He 
walked over to Dave and followed him a bit back down the trail where 
they stopped at a large gnarled bush.  
	"Something's wrong, Chris." Dave said.  "Something bad."
	"Should I guess or are you going to tell me?" Chris sighed as he 
parted his coat and pretended to take a piss so the rest of the group 
wouldn't notice.
	Dave followed suit.  "I tried to nuke those two angels a hundred 
and fifty feet over the lake and let them drop." He said slowly.  "But 
nothing happened."
	"What do you mean?"
	He frowned.  "I'm serious, here.  Try to follow me." He sighed.  
"I can't transport other people."
	"So?" Chris shrugged.
	"That's not all." Dave replied quickly.  "All of it.  It's 
knocked down to nothing." He shook his head.  "I mean I can transport 
myself, I can keep all my PenguinSpace running, and all the little 
extras." He shook his head.  "But the angels...they do something to my 
powers.  This entire planet...probably this entire universe...does it 
to me."
	"Do you know why?" Chris asked, now concerned.  "How much is 
gone?"
	Dave shook his head.  "I'm not out of the woods, but I'm still in 
the fight." He took a deep breath.  "Turns out my packing was a good 
idea.  The PenguinSpace is actually part of the good old universe back 
home.  I've shunted all my available power into it.  It shouldn't 
deteriorate any more than it has."
	"How much is 'any more'?" Chris asked, eyes wide.
	Dave sighed.  "I'm going to have to fight like a Senshi, I 
suppose. Fight smart with limited resources."
	"As opposed to what?" Chris smiled.
	"Fight like an Omega Webber.  Almost never, but smart and with 
ridiculous overkill potential." Dave smiled.  "No overkill I guess."
	They both 'zipped' up their pants after a good fake shake.  
	Dave continued.  "All the long-range stuff is gone.  I'm still 
okay on the personal hand to hand stuff, though.  I can transport if 
needed, along with a passenger or two." He grinned with a crooked 
smile.  "And wait till you see my handshake."
	Chris nodded.  "Why didn't you tell the group?" he shrugged.  "I 
mean, I'm honored you'd chose me to tell first, but..."
	He shifted in his coat uncomfortably.  "Hey, I feel kinda naked 
without the full deal.  It's not easy for me to forget about."
	Fiss smiled.  "Okay, don't worry.  I won't tell anyone." He 
paused.  "But you really should learn how to use a sword in the 
meantime."
	Dave snickered.  "A Webber using a sword?  Never." He sighed as 
they walked back over to the waiting group.  "Though, I suppose it is a 
brand new universe..."
	"That's the spirit!" Chris smiled.  "I'll teach you.  You can 
spar with me and Miharu."
	Dave's eyes were wide.  "Really?"
	
	As they continued onto the town, a pair of old eyes watched from 
the wilderness.  They were wide with something between surprise, shock, 
fear and joy.  
	"They're back..." he whispered to himself.  "Oh my...so much to 
do..."
	
	With a ruffle of leaves, the eyes were gone.







	
	The group's mood continued to brighten as they saw the town.  
People milled about along the dusty main street.  Live people, instead 
of brains, were a rather pleasant change from yesterday.  
	A young boy chasing a Cooker ran across the street, glancing 
briefly at the group...then fell on his ass stammering.  Everyone 
realized the little boy was staring at Michael.  Then, over to Chris, 
with equal shock.  "K...k...nights!" he shivered.
	Michael smiled and knelt down.  "Hello, Gerrif."
	A confused blink.  "How...how did you know my name?" the little 
boy asked nervously, standing up.  
	SkitZ shrugged.  "You look like a Gerrif." He stood and placed 
his hand on the boy's shoulder.  "Can I ask for your help?"
	The little boy nodded with military crispness.  "Yes sir!" he 
replied.
	"Is the local general market still owned by an old woman named 
Janna?" SkitZ asked, pointing somewhere over into the town.  
	With a wide smile, Gerrif nodded.  "You talking about old Jittery 
Janna?  Yeah, she's still around.  Though most of us think she must 
have made a deal with Lu..."
	"Gerrif..."
	"Sorry." The boy blushed.  "Well, we just can't figure out how 
she's not dead yet."
	Michael grinned.  "That's easy.  She scares us off." He reached 
into his pocket and pulled out a tiny silver-colored pebble, handing it 
to the excited boy.  "Thanks."
	With ecstatic eyes, Gerrif ran off to show his friends the prize 
he got.  Chris chuckled to himself and walked up to Michael.  "You 
certainly have a way with children." He said.  "What was that little 
thing you gave him?"
	"It's a Watching Stone." Michael said as they started back down 
the busy street.  He reverted his wings back to his coat in order not 
to startle anyone else.  "They let you know when a fallen angel is 
around.  Very rare, actually.  But I happen to have a good collection." 
He smiled.  "You can never be too sure when you're surrounded by angels 
in a time of war."
	"So where are we going now?" Miharu asked, leaping back onto 
Chris' back without warning, almost bowling him over.  
	"An old friend of mine's place." SkitZ said.  "We can get 
supplies and a few extra goodies that we'll need to pick up." He 
sighed.  "And we can find out what's been happening."
	Rei had a sudden flashback of when they had been walking through 
the Negaverse.  The people milling around the main street were almost 
scared to look at the Senshi as they passed by.  Most of them were 
women and children going about the daily chores.  A few men and women 
wore tired old armor and broadswords on their back, but blended with 
the crowd, talking casually.  
	As they turned the corner to one of the alleys, they saw a run 
down building that appeared over a century old.  Even with it's age, 
however, it was by far the biggest they had seen in the entire village.  
It could have been a type of city hall if it wasn't for the racks of 
meat and fish laying on the display tables next to the front door.  
Vines of spices, alien to everyone but Michael, hung from every 
outcropped edge on the vaguely domed structure.  A small metal plaque 
lay next to the entrance.  Michael never even bothered to read the 
script, let alone touch it.  "Wait here." He ordered, disappearing into 
the dark doorway. 
	The rest of the group milled about in the alley, not sure what to 
do.  Chris let Beavis down to the ground to roam around for a moment.  
	Rei casually loosened her bow and undid one of the buttons on her 
front, making a more causal neckline under the hot sun.  Everyone but 
Chris blinked.  "I didn't know you could do that?" Maury mentioned.
	"I didn't either till last night." Rei smiled.
	"Two years of Home-Economics class were good for something after 
all." Chris winked.  
	"Anyone know what we're doing here yet?" Miharu yawned.  
	"Not a clue." Beavis sighed, walking up to her so she could have 
a turn carrying him on her shoulder.  
	"Well, if SkitZ doesn't start making time to tell us a little 
more, I'll ask him to." Chris said, arching his back and making a few 
snaps and pops.  "It's been almost two days."
	"I've been scanning ahead...usually I can only get a dozen 
kilometers range...but I think we're headed for a peninsula." Dave 
said, making a little tea-cup appear in his hand.  "I think the forest 
is going to be turning into more of a jungle soon."
	"Wonderful." Beavis shuddered.  "More bugs, I bet."
	"What do you mean?" Maury replied.  "I haven't been bitten, 
stung, annoyed, or buzzed around yet!  This place is great!"
	"Who needs bugs when most of the population flies?" Chris replied 
with a smile.  
	"True enough." Maury nodded.  "So what else we know about this 
place?"
	"Gravity's a little more." Miharu mentioned.
	Dave smiled.  "Good observation.  I barely noticed myself."
	Chris looked up.  "How come we can't see any red clouds?"  he 
pointed up at fluffy white vapors.  "We passed through some red when we 
dropped in."
	"Don't know." Dave said between a sip of tea.  "Can't scan that 
high yet.  The air reflects the beam almost as much as the forests do."
	"You gotta stop scanning Dave." Chris smiled.  "Try guessing.  
It's lots more fun."
	"Well, it's my guess that there's some kind of microbe in the air 
and water.  Maybe just life-force.  Who knows.  I think it runs on a 
level of energy much closer to pure thought than our universe does.  
That's why it's so hard to break through the static.  Even at the Omega 
Web's level, a computer can not think.  It doesn't have either a mind 
or what we could consider a soul."
	"What about the peninsula?" Chris asked.  "Any temples or 
buildings?  Any lakes?"
	"Can't scan that far." Dave said simply.  "But if the Pool of 
Angels is there it's not a very strategic location for a fight."
	"Never stopped us before." Rei smiled.
	SkitZ poked his head out of the door, scaring everyone half to 
death.  "Ready?  Come on."
	They all picked up their backpacks and went inside.  "Who's this 
friend?" Chris asked as they followed Michael through a kind of dark 
hallway.  
	"My mother." SkitZ replied quietly.
	The hall then made a long room, showcasing more of the strange 
plants and spices, along with smoked meats.  Though it looked like a 
grocery store, somehow they didn't quite believe that it was one.  
	They got to a spiral staircase that was at the back of the room.  
SkitZ went first, and it was a good thing, because nobody in their 
right mind would walk down the decrepit old pile of wood without 
knowing it was safe.  At least not without an angel.  Luckily, they 
were in abundance here.
	And so, the angels of Stair-Cases blessed the Senshi, and they 
descended into the lower level without crashing into a massive heap of 
splintered death.  
	Well, that, and the floor below had been build for dwarves.  Even 
if they did fall, it was only a six foot drop.  That included the floor 
above.  Chris, Maury, Demeter and Michael had to almost walk on their 
knees.  The rest of them just had to bend over.  "Anyone else read Cask 
of Amontillado?" Chris muttered.  
	"Shh." SkitZ demanded.  "My mom has really bad hearing.  Keep 
noise down."
	They saw a yellow light past SkitZ's hunched over form.  Looked 
like a small room opened up somewhere under the street.  "SKITZ?!!" 
someone yelled from within.  "CLOSE THE DOOR!"
	Michael muttered something that Chris couldn't quite make out.  
"There IS no door, mom!" he yelled back.  "We're coming down!!"
	"Okay!  Just close the damn door!" came the reply.
	They finally got to the room.  It was a lot higher than the 
tunnel, and they all spread out along the walls when they got in.  
Turned out it was even bigger than the shop above appeared to be.  All 
along the walls were book cases.  Books and solid tablets with Theban 
engraved into them filled the cases almost to bursting point.  In the 
center sat an old woman hunched over a solid stone desk.  She wrote on 
curled yellow paper with what looked like a sliver of a human bone 
capped in ink.  A small row of white candles sat at the edge of the 
desk, dripping wax onto the dirt floor.  
	Michael dropped his traveling pack at the entrance and walked 
over to the opposite side of the desk.  "Glassio menma." He got down on 
one knee and bowed, flipping back his coat over his leg as he did.  
	Tired eyes looked up from her paper.  "You still can't pronounce 
it right." She scolded.
	SkitZ frowned and stood straight as an arrow.  "Nice to see you 
too, mom."
	Miharu walked over to the old woman.  "Excuse me, ma'am." 
	"It's not polite to talk before you've been introduced." Snapped 
the woman.
	"So is treating your son like some beggar off the street." The 
young girl replied.  "Now, are you going to give him a hug?  Or keep 
scribbling like a child?"
	SkitZ couldn't help but a little smile.  "It's okay, Miharu."
	"Miharu is it?" the old woman stood.  "That's a pretty name for 
such a disrespectful girl."
	"That's enough, mom." SkitZ said, his tone had no humour in it.  
"I'm back from my mission, and I need your help."
	She sat down.  "Mission?" she mumbled.  "I'm surprised you had 
the guts to go in the first place.  Figured you wouldn't even draw the 
first point."
	Michael finally had enough of the bad attitude and gently tugged 
the paper out from under her pen, assuring her undivided attention.  
"I'm back, mom.  And I found Fiss."
	Her eyes looked up reluctantly to Michael.  "And let me 
guess...you brought him back, didn't you."
	SkitZ nodded.
	Her eyes were wide.  "And why does this world need MORE fallen 
Archangels?"
	"He's NOT fallen, mom!" SkitZ nearly yelled.
	She shook her head.  "Well?  What of Yamato?"
	"Dead." SkitZ sighed.  "He was dead long ago.  Much too long to 
try the jump again."
	His mom sat back down.  "Then you failed anyway." She shook her 
head.  "Should have stayed at home and trained the Cherubs like I told 
you."
	Everyone blinked.  SkitZ looked lost.  "But...Mom...?" he pointed 
over to Chris.  "Fiss!"
	She glanced over to Chris and frowned.  "He looks too skinny.  
And where are his wings?"
	"THAT'S why we're going to the Pool, mom." Michael growled.  "I 
thought I told you."
	She laughed.  "He hasn't even visited the Pool yet?" she walked 
over to Chris and scrutinized him closer.  "My my...then I should make 
a correction.  Your mission was not only a failure and a complete waste 
of time...but it will make a good joke in a few years for the House Of 
Fiss to be laughing at when they destroy the city."
	Michael grumbled the same thing under his breath that Chris had 
heard him say earlier.
	The old woman sighed and looked up at Chris.  "Well?  Don't you 
know how to bow to your elders?"
	Chris raised an eyebrow.  "I prefer to think of an elder as 
someone who is wiser than myself."
	The little remark got the desired result, and the woman's face 
turned beet red.  "Well I don't know what kind of rock you crawled out 
from under, but HERE we BOW!" she all but demanded.  "But I don't 
expect a Fiss to care much about that in the first place."
	Slowly, Chris followed the bow he had seen SkitZ do.  Going down 
on one knee, lifting the back of his coat to drape over his leg like a 
cape, and placing one hand on the ground to steady himself.  
	Annoyed, the old woman gave him the once over.  First checking 
his coat...apparently quite pleased with herself when she found it to 
be cloth.  She knelt down, trying to make sense of his hiking shoes 
that he had on.  Then pausing at his wrist watch with some amazement.  
Finally, a wrinkled hand came up and grabbed his face as she peered 
into his eyes.  
	"Well..." she said slowly.  "Are you sure this is Azrael?" she 
looked over to SkitZ.
	He nodded.  "He's Fiss, alright."
	She turned her attention back to Chris, poking a finger into his 
mouth to his surprise and hauling out his tongue for inspection.  She 
let go and ruffled her hand through his hair.  "You cut your hair 
too...?"
	"It's always been this short." Chris offered.
	"Shh." She continued.  Finally, she reached into her pocket and 
pulled out a Watching Stone.  This one was about the size of a golf-
ball, though.  
	"What are you doing?" SkitZ demanded as his mom passed the stone 
over Chris' head.
	"Just checking." She muttered to herself, satisfied that the 
stone didn't do anything.  "So, you're Fiss, huh?"
	"Strike Fiss, actually." Chris bowed his head a little more.  
"Prince of Saturn and deliverer of free Crazy-Bread."
	She opened the front of his coat a little wider.  "What's that?"
	Chris' hand shielded his sword.  "It's my swizzle stick.  What do 
you think it is?"
	"I see the sense of irony is just as strong with this one." She 
smiled.  "Where did you get that sword?  I don't recognize the design."
	"Twenty Questions?" 
	She ignored the comment.  "None of the Knights have a weapon like 
this...it can't be from the God Forge." She turned back to SkitZ 
briefly and made another sigh.  Then, back to Chris.  "But..."
	SkitZ nodded.  "But what?"
	His mother pointed at him.  "Settle down, Michael.  All I'm 
saying is that you were right.  He's definitely a Fiss.  Definitely 
Azrael."
	"Chris." He replied.  "My name is Chris."
	"Well, good for you, Mr. Fiss." She replied quickly.  "You are a 
Fiss.  That's all that matters." She smiled.  "You got his 
eyes...they're a little brighter though."
	"Well, he hasn't heard the Noize." SkitZ said.
	"Enough with your Noize talk." Scolded his mom.  "Looks like you 
might have done something right.  Don't start gibbering and make me 
change my mind."
	Michael smiled slightly at the badly veiled compliment.  "So what 
do you think?"
	She nodded.  "Who are these people?" she asked, walking back to 
her desk.  
	"Friends." Dave offered.
	"They do anything?" she frowned.  "Besides stand there?"
	"Well, we took down a Canopy Dominion before it snapped it's 
teeth at us." Michael offered.  "Chris and I never had to take out our 
swords."
	"How did you all get here?"
	Michael cleared his throat.  "Mom.  We don't have time for this.  
We need supplies for the trip, and the usual goodies."
	"What trip?" she grumbled.  "You're always going off on trips and 
never telling me where!"
	"To the Pool." He replied.
	That prompted more laughter.  "You can't be serious." She 
chuckled after a hearty twenty seconds of howling.  "For HIM?" she 
pointed at Chris.  
	Michael nodded.
	"And you expect him to put up a fight against Azrael afterwards?" 
she continued laughing.
	"No."
	She stopped.  "What?"
	Michael walked over to Chris and put his hand on his shoulder.  
"I want to save his life first.  I don't really expect him to fight 
Azrael.  He's offered to help, but that's not why he's here." He tapped 
Chris' forehead, prompting an odd look from Chris.  "The dreams have 
got him.  Even though he's been living away from us all his life."
	For the first time since they met her, the Senshi saw a look of 
confusion on the old woman's crunched up face.  Michael smiled and 
knelt down to his mother's eye level.  "He's the Fiss we knew before 
the Fall.  Don't you see?  Even if he leaves, at least I'll be helping 
an old friend." He sighed.  "I don't have many friends left, mom.  Even 
if it is just Fiss from another reality, I want to try and help."
	
	There was a long pause.  

	"Tell your friends to wait upstairs." She ordered Chris.
	They all shrugged and filed back out of the room.  Rei gave Chris 
a re-assuring squeeze of her hand before she left with Miharu back down 
the cramped dark tunnel.
	She turned to SkitZ.  "You too, son." She said in a softer tone.  
"I just want to talk to him for a bit."
	Reluctantly, SkitZ nodded.  He brought two fingers to his lips 
and then to her forehead.  "I'll be up if you need me."




















                            Chapter 8








	
	They waited for Michael's weight to make the stairs creak, 
insuring he was out of hearing range.  The old woman stood.  "Well?"
	Chris frowned.  "Well?"
	"What do you think?" she smiled.  "Of our reality, as SkitZ calls 
it."
	"It's a lot like mine." Chris smiled.  "Well, I suppose it IS 
mine anyway, so I feel at home either way."
	She walked over to her bookshelf, flipping through a number of 
leather-bound books, but apparently not finding what she needed.  
"Nobody believes Michael, you know." She sighed as she looked.  "Poor 
boy.  He even thinks that I think he's full of cooker dung." She smiled 
a toothy grin.  "But I know he's right.  He did good."
	"Why don't you tell him that you know he's right, then?" Chris 
blinked.  "I mean, the guy has a lot on his mind...it would probably 
make him feel a lot better."
	"I know." She sighed.  Her voice much softer and quieter than 
when SkitZ had been in the room.  "But he needs that kind of 
uncertainty.  The paranoia that he's the only one that knows what's 
going on."
	"Why?" Chris asked, exasperated.
	She stood on her toes for a moment, de-shelving a book from the 
top row.  "It drives him." She said simply.  "Gives him the kick he 
needs to perform miracles like he did with you." She cocked her head to 
the side slightly.  "He brought you back from another reality in hopes 
of saving not only you, but us all."
	Chris blinked. 
	"He's a great boy." She smiled proudly.  "I'll never forget the 
day that Yamato said he would become a Knight.  I always knew there was 
something special about the boy.  Makes me glad I had children."
	"I would have thought just having a child would make you glad to 
have children." Chris offered, leaning against the wall.  
	A raised eyebrow.  "Not in this place."
	"What do you mean?"
	She walked back over to her desk and sat down.  With a gentle 
touch, she slid the book across the stone and let it rest in the center 
of all the other clutter.  "Are you a father, Strike Fiss?" she asked 
slowly.
	He shook his head.  "Well, Miharu is my adopted daughter.  I love 
her as if she was my own."
	"But you do not have a spawn to continue your family name." 
	Chris laughed under his breath.  "Well, 'spawn' is a weird way of 
putting it, but I suppose not."
	"Do you plan to have children?" 
	"Actually..." Chris paused.  "Well...it's not that simple."
	"Course it's not." She nodded.  "Would you bring another life 
into a world where you knew that that child would be either dead before 
the age of ten, a slave by the age of seven, or a fallen angel by the 
time they were twenty?" she shook her head.  "Where only about one 
child in ten has an honest chance at life?"
	Chris shook his head.  "I see what you mean." He looked up to the 
roof.  "So Michael was lucky?"
	"Actually, he was born long before Re-Genesis, so he had much 
better odds." She opened her book.  "I kept a journal every day of my 
life since the moment I could write the most basic Alael script." She 
pointed at a page closer to the end of the book.  "This starts about 
five seasons ago."
	He leaned over in the candlelight, taking a look at the book.  
"Jeez!" he squinted, trying to make out the individual characters.  
"This stuff is like microfilm."
	"Each page represents a day or so." She smiled.  "Less if it was 
a busy month."
	Chris gently flipped through the pages.  But something strange 
started to happen as he did.  Every page got lighter and lighter until 
the ink was almost gone.  At the same time, though, the script got 
muddled with another set of writing.  "What's this?" Chris pointed.
	"That's just the thing." She nodded.  "I remember writing this 
new script, but not the old.  Our history was erased.  Replaced with 
what we know now." She sighed.  "Only Michael and perhaps one or two 
others remember anything but shadows of that past."
	She pointed at the exact space where the script became a gray 
blur.  "That's when your Armageddon hit.  That's when we started to 
exist again."
	"SkitZ told you about that stuff, right?" Chris nodded.  
	"Yes.  He explained what the Noize was.  I believe him.  I don't 
pretend to know exactly what happened, but I know that this is all more 
than a coincidence."
	"I don't believe in coincidences any more." Chris sighed, 
crossing his arms.
	"So you believe in fate?" smiled the old woman.  "Destiny?"
	"Nope." He replied.  "I believe that certain things cause other 
things to happen.  Chains of events that crisscross and affect each 
other." He shrugged. "But the initial actions, and the effects are 
still up to us humble mortals."  
	There was a wide smile on her face as he said that.  Chris 
frowned.  "What?"
	"The irony of that will not hit you till many years from now, 
Fiss." She shook her head.  "It's a shame.  I think you'd appreciate it 
even more while you watched it happen."
	"I'll just smile and nod." Chris replied with a smile and nod.
	She closed her book and stood to put it back on the shelf.  "I'm 
supposed to give you something.  The problem is that if I tell you what 
it is that I'm giving you, you'll never use it correctly." She turned 
around to the opposite side of the wall and picked out a book with a 
heavy ringed binding.  By the grunt she made when she took it into her 
hands, it must have been rather heavy.
	"This is Theban." She huffed, slamming the thick leather covered 
block of paper and metal pages onto her desk.  "One of the original 
copies written by the Archangel God himself." She sat back down and 
opened the cover.  "It's an instruction manual." She continued after 
catching her breath a little.  "How to write.  How to prophesize.  Even 
how to help others.
	"But this book is never read the same way twice." She flashed 
another toothy grin.  "When you read this book, it will cause visions.  
Though you will never see a character of script past the first lesson, 
you will learn it through example."
	Chris raised an eyebrow.  "I thought you said you weren't allowed 
to tell me what it was?"
	She laughed.  "Oh, I'm not.  However, I DO know what you will see 
when you read it.  That is the part you must find out on your own." She 
paused.  "But this book has rules."
	"Rules?"
	"Yes." She nodded, passing a shaky hand over the first page.  It 
was gold-leafed.  Beautiful despite it's ancient looking paper.  "You 
must only read one golden page a day.  Just before you sleep."
	Chris bend down and looked at the binding.  The book had to 
contain several hundred pages, but only four tinted with yellow.  
"That's still a lot of reading..." he mused.  "What about the other 
pages?"
	"Ignore them." She replied, slamming the book shut.  "And one 
more rule." She leaned over the book, looking directly into his eyes.  
"Burn it once you're done."
	"Pardon?" Chris blinked.  "BURN it?"
	A crooked smile that echoed SkitZ's crossed her face.  "If you 
don't burn it, you will wish you had."  With that, she gently shoved 
the book towards him.  "You were right.  You aren't supposed to know 
that either." Her eyes closed.  "But we do not have time for you to be 
bumbling over Theban Script for half a century."
	His hands touched the ancient book carefully, not sure what to do 
with it.  It was heavier than he expected, but nothing he couldn't stow 
in his backpack.  As he gazed at the nearly blank cover in fascination, 
Michael's mother walked over to get a fresh ink well.  "What's the 
hurry, anyway?" Chris asked as he stowed it in the pocket of his nylon 
hiking pack.
	"That's the one thing I can't tell you." She shook her head, 
opening up another journal to write in.  "The first lesson the Pool 
will teach you is to be patient.  It is one of our seven virtues.  
These above all else will be your weapons and your shields." She 
glanced over to his sword.  "And judging by your little knife there, 
you'll need them."
	Before Chris had a chance to defend his sword, she stood and blew 
out all the candles except one.  "Now, we must go.  If SkitZ actually 
manages to find the Pool again, it's going to be a long trip." She 
patted him on the back as she walked past and into the tunnel.  "A hot 
meal will do you all good."

	Chris stood alone in the room for a long time.  "Hope they have 
nougat here..." he sighed, turning and leaning over to return through 
the tunnel.  












	
	
	

	They sat in a circle on the floor.  The only window in the entire 
building was at the top of the structure, letting the golden afternoon 
sun stream into the corners.  Each had a place mat with a bowl of 
wriggling worm-like food in it.  Only Demeter seemed able to look at it 
for more than three seconds before turning away.  Michael chowed down 
happily on the grub.
	"Aren't you all hungry?" he asked, tipping the bowl to his lips 
and sucking back the little that was left.
	Maury and Chris shrugged at each other, then dug in.  SkitZ's mom 
laughed.  "You sure can pick em, Michael."
	"Well, they followed me home." He replied with a smile.  "Can we 
keep em?" 
	"Woof." Fiss smiled, coughing.  "Good grub."
	"After dinner..." Misses SkitZ (as they were beginning to think 
of her) continued.  "We'll get your supplies topped off with a few 
things you'll need if you're going through the desert."
	Michael promptly coughed up a grub, tossing it into the middle of 
the circle.  "WHAT?!  That's the LAST place we should..."
	"Michael...what did I tell you about respecting your elders." She 
snapped.  "Don't interrupt me."
	He grumbled and took a swig of what looked like water but tasted 
like cheese and smelled mildly alcoholic.  
	"Now.  Both the Houses of Aszap and Bikko are rallying their 
flags in the plain.  It would be a lot safer if you took your friends 
through the desert.  Especially if they just arrived."
	Michael had a scowl on his face.  "Either way it's too close for 
comfort..."
	"Just taking them to the pool is too close to comfort, Michael.  
You know each house must have three dozen angels looking for you.  
Chances are someone knows you're here."
	"I know." Michael nodded.  "But it's not an option." He motioned 
over to Fiss.  "He needs to get there."
	Chris raised an eyebrow.  "What do you mean?  Why all the 
secrecy?"
	Both Michael and his mom glanced at each other.  "Well..." SkitZ 
cleared his throat.  "The Pool has been lost for about three years."
	"I knew there was a catch..." Chris sighed.
	"No no...what I mean is that it's been lost to everyone ELSE for 
three years." Michael smiled, tapping his head.  "I know exactly where 
it is.  It's in me head."
	"I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse." Chris 
replied dryly.  
	"Why exactly are you keeping it a secret, then?" Dave offered.  
"I thought all angels had to visit the pool."
	"Because ever since the Noize there have been nothing but fallen 
angels." Michael sighed.  "Because Azrael has been throwing armies 
against me in order to try and find out where it is.  He has some kind 
of a plan, and right now, anything except a plan for suicide on his 
part makes me very edgy." He shook his head.  "I've even denied a few 
of my own men and women access to the Pool in order to keep it secret.  
You'll be the first to visit in at least three and a half years."
	"Well count me lucky I brought my swimming trunks." Chris smiled, 
taking a sip of his own cheese-wine.
	"The ones with the little fishes on them?" Rei asked.
	"Yup.  And with the little diver-skeleton ones." He nodded.
	Misses SkitZ shook her head.  "And I thought our universe was 
weird."





















                              Chapter 9









	

	It was like someone shutting a door, locking him in.  A gust of 
air hit his face, knocking him over.  

	When he looked up he saw a chalk board.  Scrawled on with white 
filthy chalk was the phrase:  BOOK REPORT DUE TODAY!!

	The last day of high school, Chris mused.  Last day before he and 
Maury took off to the next chapter of their lives.  He stood, looking 
around.  Midnight blue had been replaced by a green glow that filled 
the deserted classroom.  Thirty or so desks sat like little skeletons.  
Alone without anything to fill their empty frames.  
	A classroom is a peaceful place when not filled by screaming 
assholes and teachers trying to scream over them.  Here, in the hallows 
of suburban educational, many fell to the noise.  Or was it just Noize 
in it's basic form?
	Compared to the person that once stood in the same spot, Chris 
was an imposing presence.  Taller and wiser, the insecurities in this 
young man's eyes were as distant as the planets he once traveled.  On 
his hands were the blood of a thousand souls, yet in his heart echoed 
the gratitude of thrice that many.  Sharp silver blue eyes scanned the 
desks, waiting for this nightmare to begin.  Unaware that in a 
nightmare, nothing ever begins.  Nothing ever ends.  That's when he saw 
the mirror on the other wall.  It hadn't been there so many years ago.  
It was the dream's offering to the scene.
	
	Azrael looked at the alien surroundings in wonder.  The 
architecture was so simple and crude, yet the complexity of the vision 
astounded him.  A mirror.  A REAL mirror.  He couldn't believe it when 
he saw it.  The perfect reflection of the room around him.  
	If he had grown up in the same classes, he probably wouldn't have 
changed much from the way he was now.  A tall, medium built form with 
long hair down to his shoulders and eyes that could pierce armor with 
their dark crystal gaze.  The blood on his hands would have filled an 
ocean.  The screams in his soul were only added to the Noize that 
tormented the Fallen Angel.  Where as the Noize had weakened anyone 
else who had heard it, Azrael used it to clear his conscious and 
justify many more atrocities worse than death.  
	He stared into the mirror, almost curious to what might be on the 
other side.

	That's when they saw each other.

	Chris saw Azrael glaring back.  Black wings scruff around his 
shoulders and draping over him like a cloak.  Eyes too much like his 
own, but with a darker side he prayed wasn't a reflection.  Even though 
no blood was in his mouth, Chris could almost smell the coppery tang.

	Azrael saw Chris glaring back.  No wings.  No Noize in his eyes.  
Eyes that were annoyingly clear.  They bore into his soul and 
threatened to rip a hole through it.  
	He was just about to turn away when Chris reached for his weapon.  
It wasn't even a sword as Azrael knew it.  Thin and long.  Curved 
through some kind of magic smith's work, he assumed.  It was like a 
mirror when the light struck it, casting blue-silver light along the 
floor as it was brought around to the young man's front.  
	Reaching for his own weapon, Azrael realized he was too late, and 
Chris' sword smashed the mirror.





	He woke in the garden with a start.  He must have been howling in 
the last moments, because two aides and nearly three dozen double-
silver guards broke in through the massive doors in response to their 
Knight's outcries.  
	Almost like clockwork, thundering footsteps announced Raphael's 
entrance, and he single-handedly threw a dozen of the angels away to 
reach Fiss.  "Are you alright?" he almost demanded as he saw there was 
no attacker.
	It was all too much, and for one second, Azrael lost control.  In 
one sweep of his arm, the angels and aides around him flew back like a 
massive hand had picked them up and tossed them aside.  "ENOUGH!" he 
screamed.  
	Only Raphael stood his ground, looking on in concern, but also 
wise enough to keep his mouth shut as Azrael regained his bearings from 
whatever he saw in his dream.
	"I..." he gasped, desperately sucking in breath.  "I am fine..." 
he said in the same tone he would give an order.  His wings were 
ruffled, though.  His eyes unsteady.  Even his breath told he was far 
from fine.  Turning to his confidant, he grabbed Raphael's arm and 
walked out the broken wooden doors.  "Come."
	
	Spun of stone and magic, the entire city was an awesome sight.  
The First Hall was only a small room of the whole House.  Though 
Raphael had never seen much more than the First Hall because of his 
status as an outsider, he had never failed to be amazed.  
	They passed from the garden and into the First Hall.  The heart 
of the House of Fiss.  Even in Fiss' agitated state, Raphael easily 
kept up to him with giant strides.  "Another dream, I surmise?" he said 
casually as they passed statues a hundred meters high.  Each of an 
angel or archangel of lore.  Loyal to the House.  
	Gold and silver statues to the heavens.  Marble floor with 
patterns of blood-like red that seemed almost liquid in their form.  It 
was quite possible to shout as loud as your lungs could carry your 
voice, and not reach a listener on the other side of the hall.  Where 
the floor met the wall scrawled angelic script from all the dialects, 
melding upwards into one jumble somewhere on the impossibly high roof 
that could never be seen unless a sun was handy to illuminate it.  
	Azrael noticed nothing around him except where he was going.  The 
air seemed almost to part for the young man as he ran, towing the much 
larger man behind him like a dog.  "Yes.  Another dream.  He is close.  
I can feel it."
	"It would make more sense to me if you would tell me what was 
going on more often." Raphael mumbled.  
	"This is NO time to walk you through prophecies." Fiss' voice 
cracked higher as he swallowed another breath of air, unaware he had 
been holding it.  "I think something in the Noize is trying to come 
out." He said as they reached another door.  
	Though Raphael had never heard the Noize, he held Fiss' word as 
the truth.  Even his lord mentioning Noize meant something bad was 
about to happen.  The last time he did, Michael had escaped the 
boundary.  Who knew what would happen now, especially with the boundary 
so weak from the intrusions.  "What was it?" he asked anxiously as they 
walked through the smaller doors.  
	They came upon a set of stairs.  By the layout of the city, they 
looked as if they went straight to the top observation deck.  Not 
bothering to use the stone stairwell, Fiss' wings exploded out and he 
took flight straight up, ascending fast.  
	Raphael's old wings were tattered and worn, but they still held 
enough magic to let him not get too far behind.  The ends of them 
flapped like a flag in the wind as he jetted up after Azrael.  "WHAT 
DID YOU SEE?!?" he bellowed.
	It was strange to see the huge man following around the younger, 
frail-looking angel.  Battle-hardened and wise in many schools, Raphael 
of Weskic was perhaps the oldest Archangel alive, and had preformed 
miracles in his time that rivaled even God's.  But the Noize had 
twisted his universe.  Let Fiss seize too much power over his mind.  
And so he tagged along like a child would to his parents.  Fiss knew 
that if it ever came down to a choice, Raphael would die for him, and 
not the house of Weskic.  
	Such loyalty would come from the others in time.  All Fiss had to 
do was be patient.  But such thoughts of loyalty were shattered by this 
dream.  He had to see what this was all about.

	At the very top of the City of Fiss was a crystal dome.  Many of 
the other Houses had only the tops of their cities closed off by walls.  
Crystal was the closest thing to glass that their world had.  It was 
unprecedented to have this much in one place at one time.   
	The City took only a few decades to complete, yet the dome took 
centuries. Completed just before Bone Man came, Fiss had yet to enjoy 
it's luxury more than a few days before the battles started.  
	Though much magic existed in the Cities, this room was special.  
The thick crystal, besides being a window to the sky...nearly unheard 
of in the world...it had been perfectly sculpted to focus the sun's 
rays into a point three meters above the floor.  A ball of pure light 
spun above their heads as the two archangels fluttered down to the 
floor from the access porthole.  
	Though it was almost twilight now, the light collected above them 
was enough to squint in.  Below the light focus was a small pool of 
water surrounded by a ring of marble that was slightly indented into 
the floor.  It was almost completely filled with gray sand, and what 
sand there was had script scrawled in it with such perfection it could 
be chiseled in rock and look exactly the same.
	Across from a large pillow throne of cloth and feathers used by 
the Knight of Fiss to relax and gaze out over the ocean and sky...there 
was a large, red drape over a rectangular object.  It leaned up against 
the far wall.  Dust showed it had not been touched in perhaps years.  
	Raphael got nervous as Azrael walked over to the curtain's 
release string.  "What are you doing?"
	Azrael pulled the cover free, revealing a mirror.  Slowly, he 
walked from the side of it to the front...directly before the flawless 
silver plate.  "Oh my..."

	Staring back at him was Strike Fiss.  A young man he only knew 
from nightmares and dreams.  Rough, un-kept hair that somehow was a 
little different each time he saw it.  Crisp black and white clothes of 
a style he had never seen before, adorned with simple black and gold 
buttons and cufflinks.  On his hip was a scabbard of a sword that until 
earlier on, he had never seen drawn.  
	His eyes gazed past the crystal and silver and bore through him 
with a kind of determination he had never seen before.  With a slight 
smile, the reflection mouthed one single word.

	"Soon."

	Azrael leapt back from the mirror in horror.  "NO!  NO!  It's NOT 
SOON!" he ran over to the elegant velvet drapes and tossed them onto 
the mirror, hoping to hide the vision he saw, but in his frustration, 
kept sliding off to reveal the mocking face of his counterpart.  
	"HELP ME!" he screamed to Raphael, who was so startled he 
actually backed up a step.
	Finally, the man trotted over and helped Fiss cover the mirror 
with the cloth.  "What did you see, my Lord?" 
	In a shaky voice, Fiss looked up to his friend and said "Find 
Michael."
	Raphael nodded. "We already have searches..."
	"NO!" Azrael screamed back.  "FIND HIM!  NOW!  YOU!  FIND HIM!  
FIND HIIIMMMM!!!!" he launched the larger Knight back with a push from 
his hand, toppling him over.  "GO!  DO NOT STOP UNTIL YOU FIND HIM!" he 
huffed and puffed desperately.  "And when you do, kill anyone with 
him."
	"My Lord?" Raphael stood.  "How do you know he is not alone?"
	Fiss walked over to the far edge of the dome, looking out over 
the ocean the City was built next to.  "He brought something back with 
him." He said with a slightly more confident voice.  "If that something 
comes to disturb me further I will not be pleased.  Kill anything you 
have to.  When you find him, kill anyone around him.  If he is found in 
a city, destroy the city."
	With a silent bow, Raphael spread his wings and left through the 
hole in the floor.  

	Azrael stared blankly out over the horizon.  For the second time 
in his life, he was scared.  Terrified.  

	Very well, he thought.  Time to speed up the plans.  





















                         Chapter 10










	The fire crackled slowly.  Rolling almost like a pond's waves 
would move across the fire pit, bouncing off of the side to return and 
join the center mass of yellows and reds.  It was surreal.  Peaceful.  
Where fire in the other universe had been destructive and violent...it 
was almost graceful here.  Maybe it was just the gravity, or maybe it 
was the whole planet around them, but whatever it was that made the 
fire dance like that had captivated everyone's attention.
	Rei watched with what could only be described as pure awe.  Her 
weapon and her soul had been shaped to something so amazing and liquid.  
Every once in a while, her lips would part as if she was about to say 
something, but she never did.  She just let the golden red light dance 
in her eyes.  Blinking only when the urge to do so knocked her out of 
her daze.  
	The group sat a bit away from the trail in a tiny camping spot 
they erected between the largest trees they could find.  SkitZ assured 
them that, in the forest, the morning sand-storm wouldn't be able to 
hurt them, so they could rest easy.  Between the number of swords and 
magical powers, clearing enough room had taken about half a minute, and 
they put up tents around the central fire to keep warm in the rapidly 
cooling summer air.
	Dave continued scanning for his map information, managing to get 
a little more range than before with a bit of imaginative programming.  
From what he could gather, they were heading for a peninsula.  The 
forest would let up to a desert soon...probably what Misses SkitZ was 
talking about.  "Chris, can I see your computer for a bit?" he asked.
	Chris had been looking at the book he had been given.  Not quite 
ready for bed, he decided to fulfil the instructions to the letter and 
only read it just before sleep.  "Sure." He flung over his laptop to 
Dave.  "So how much longer till we get out of this forest?"
	"About noon tomorrow." Michael replied.  "If we get up early.  
That way, we'll hit the desert after it's hottest hour, and have all 
night to cross it.  Should be lots of time."  
	Rei looked up from the fire, shaking her head.  "Okay.  I'll take 
first watch, I suppose."
	Maury raised an eyebrow.  "Well then I better help, otherwise 
she's going to be staring at the fire all night." He smiled.
	"Well it IS pretty funky." Miharu said with a grin.  "I'll stay 
up too."
	Both Chris and Rei looked over to her in protest, but the 
determined look on her face left them no argument.  "Guess she gets 
that from you." Rei told Chris.  "You staying up all night too?"
	"Depends on how good this book is." He said.
	Michael chuckled to himself.  "You might like it.  Depends on 
what page you read."
	"Is this how you learned Theban?" Chris asked, placing the book 
down on the dirt.
	"No, actually." SkitZ said, taking off his inner coat and folding 
his wings against his shirt.  "I learned from Yamato." He shrugged.  
"Any way you learn is fine.  That book is just the fastest." He 
grinned.  "From what I hear, it's pretty wild too."
	"Wild?"
	"Well." Michael nodded.  "It's supposed to hold some kind of 
script that...well...is forbidden outside the use of those books 
because of it's realism." He smiled.  "You remember the prophecy I 
showed you back on the snow?"
	Chris nodded.  "It scared the hell out of me...how can I forget?"
	"Well, it's like that.  Only amplified and faster.  It's like 
watching everything in double speed and slow motion all at once."
	"Kinda like when you sniff too much gasoline when you're filling 
up your car." Maury added with a grin.
	"Yeah, but you TRY to sniff too much gasoline." Andrea countered.  
"You're not SUPPOSED to shove your nose into the fuel line after you 
just finished pumping gas."
	Maury leaned back against a tree trunk.  "I still say you're 
missing out." He smiled.  
	"Well." Dave interrupted the little conversation before it lost 
even more intelligence.  "Got some good news and some bad news."
	"This better not be about penguins." Maury said with a dark look 
in his eyes.
	"Nothing so mundane, my friend." Dave continued.  "I finally 
managed to defrag all the data we collected on our trip across the 
universal void.  Good news is that it's ready for the multi-dimensional 
processors back at the Omega Web's AI system..."
	"Bad news time." Chris chimed. 
	Dave nodded.  "Bad news is that if I devoted all my time and 
energy into deciphering this stuff with just my own brain in order to 
find anything of use from it...we'd be here for a few centuries." He 
smiled.  "It's some wild assed shit.  Definitely not what I was 
expecting, but at least nothing that we can't handle."
	Michael's face was blank.
	Andrea leaned over.  "Basically he thinks he can make our 
universes safe...but it's going to take a long time to figure out how."
	His eyes lit up again.  "OOOHH!  Okay.  Good!" he paused.  "How 
long?"
	Dave shook his head.  "You can't tell just by looking at the raw 
data.  If the AI back at base is hit with it, and starts getting bogged 
down, then it will take a decade or two.  But if it manages to find the 
right analytical..."
	Michael's blank look had returned.
	"Uh, a few years, either way." Dave smiled.
	"Oh, okay poker!" SkitZ nodded, throwing another log onto the 
fire.
	"I also have something..." Dave sighed "that I wish I didn't have 
to do, but I've decided it's better safe then sorry." He reached into 
his inner pocket on his coat, accessing a small pocket of PenguinSpace.  
He pulled out a dozen crystal wafers like they had seen him install 
into Chris' new computer.  
	"What are they for?" Mo asked as he was handed one of them.
	"These," Dave said "contain all the data on the trip so far.  
Including up to this evening." He waited until everyone had one.  "I 
want you all to keep backup copies."
	"What for?" Demeter asked, tapping his finger against the little 
crystal.
	"In case not all of us get back." Dave said.  "I don't want to 
sound pessimistic, but this information is worth a lot to the cause.  
If Fiss or I were to get killed or trapped here, I want to be sure that 
anyone who gets back will be able to give the Web the data.  Even if 
only one of us gets back, this trip could save more lives than any of 
us could ever imagine."
	Everyone had solemn looks on their faces.  It was true.  If this 
little trip did turn into a war there would be a chance not all of them 
would be coming back to the Universe.  At least this way they had a 
better chance of making the trip count for something bigger.  
	"Anyway." Dave cleared his throat.  "These little buggers are 
damn near indestructible when in contact with air.  You don't have to 
worry about sitting on them and breaking them." He turned to Demeter.  
"But I wouldn't want to see what happens when you eat one, so I would 
advise you against it."
	Demeter grinned and pocketed the little crystal rectangle.
	Chris pulled out a pack of marshmallows from his coat.  "So what 
time is it?"
	"About ten P.M. equivalent."
	"Good." Chris smiled, taking out his sword and impaling a 
marshmallow on the tip.  "We still have a few hours of camp-time left.  
Anyone know a good ghost story?"
	Maury shook his head.  "No, but I could tell you another one of 
my dreams..."
	Both Chris and Andrea shook their heads desperately, but 
Demeter...always the innocent soul...had a look of pure joy on his 
face.  "Ooh!  Please!"
	Everyone else groaned. 
	"Okay." Maury nodded.  "Which one you wanna hear?  The one where 
I made out with Drew Barrymore in some kind of a lake?  Or the one with 
the flying cheesecake monsters with the heads of Bob Dylan?"
	"You mean YOU have those back at home TOO?" SkitZ gasped.
	Everyone had frightened looks on their faces.
	"Kiddin." He smiled, swiping a marshmallow from Chris.  
	"Drew Barrymore it is." Maury grinned.








	Despite Maury's graphic retellings of his rather unique dreams, 
and the added sugar in their systems from a few bags of marshmallows, 
the group finally parted into their respective tents.  Rei promised she 
wouldn't get hypnotized by the fire, so they let her take first watch 
alone.
	Chris found his curiosity in the book returning as the first 
stages of sleep were beginning to hit his brain, so he pushed them 
aside and sat himself up against the back wall of the little one-man 
tent that he had been smart enough to put against a tree for just such 
an occasion.  
	A smile came to his lips as he imagined a big, stylized "O" as 
the first character on the first page.  "Once upon a time..." he 
whispered to himself as the ancient book cracked open under his 
fingers.  The first page was blank, though.  He paused, then turned the 
page. 
	It was gold.  Amazingly bright and shiny for a book of such 
obvious history.  Paper thin, but indented with angelic script so 
precise that for a moment, it looked like an engraved stone instead of 
a book.  "Wow..." he found himself saying.
	But nothing happened.
	Chris paused, flipping the page.  Blank.  He turned back to the 
first golden one.  That's when he remembered about the script on his 
sword.  "Mmm..." he raised his index finger and took a deep breath.  
"Here we go..."
	
	The moment his finger touched the first character, he was asleep.






















                          Chapter 11












	And up in the air.

	At first, Chris couldn't believe it.  In the blink of an eye, he 
was not only submersed farther into a dream than he had ever been in 
his life...but also at an altitude that some NASA pilots would feel 
their stomachs doing flips at. 
	What's more, he wasn't falling.  He hovered, spread out like he 
was making a snow-angel, somewhere in orbital space above the planet.  
SkitZ never did tell him what it was called, but he assumed it must be 
either Earth or Heaven.  Made sense considering how closely everything 
was tied in with modern religious believes. 
	It really did look like heaven.  Even though the planet was so 
far below, white, lazy clouds were just beyond his reach.  The 
atmosphere must have stretched up a good two or three times that of 
Earth's.  Clouds went off into the horizon, blending together to give a 
surreal glow to the sky.  
	Chris smile to himself, wondering if he could make a "I went to 
Heaven, and all I got was this lousy T-shirt!" shirt.  
	
	Suddenly, one character materialized in mid air right in front of 
his eyes.  It looked like a little ringed moon with a cross poked into 
the top.  It was written in gold, and looked three-dimensional, even 
though it hovered like a cloud.  
	With a smile, he touched it.  "Why not."

	Instantly, he knew what it meant.  "First Lesson."

	That's when he began to fall.  "HOLY SHIIIII!!!!" he didn't even 
have time to finish the swear when a column of gold seemed to reach up 
from the planet's surface and smash into his head.  Character after 
character of Theban Script smashed over him, again and again, jetting 
through his body like he was air.  
	His mind could barely keep up.  Each one represented something 
else.	Life.  Death.  Air.  Water.  Heaven.  Earth.  Hell.  Fire.  Sky.  
Angel.  Devil.  Demon.  Right.  Left.  Wrong.  Correct.  Honor.  
Patience.  Judgement.  Goodness.  Mercy.  Wisdom.  Protection.  Battle.  
War.  Miracle.  White.  Black.  Soul Mirror Blank Archangel 
CherubDominionTitanHeathFoodDrinkJourneyPainPleasureKillNoiseSilenceArm
ageddonGenisisSwordKeyKnightTimeInfinitySunriseSunsetDesertForestAllNon
eScreamOldYoungCrystalShatterIntellegenceRepulseImaginationMindHeartBre
athNeedWantHavemurderwinlosefallflightflyingwingscloaklaksdjiwoIWIROIiR
howihrOIWHIOHI!!!!!!!!!!

	Thousands of words slammed themselves through his mind, 
threatening to tear him apart with the sheer velocity of it.  Chris 
kept falling faster and faster, desperately fighting against the 
onslaught of information, but not slowing it in the slightest.  
	He had the overwhelming vertigo of advanced deja-vue from just a 
few days ago when they had fallen into the universe.  
	"STOP IT!" he yelled desperately, trying to shield himself from 
the script with his hands, only to find it passing through them too. 
That's when he remembered one of the first characters.  Stop.  With 
that, he reached out with his finger and tried tracing it in mid air.  
	It was a small, horizontal line with a kind of lightning bolt 
outline crossing over it.  He tried three times before he got it right.  
Finally, his finger traced the right outline, and it lit up in bright 
golden light, forming the symbol.  
	
	Everything stopped.

	Three symbols down from the ground.  Chris smiled, reaching out 
and getting the last three with a sweep from his arms.  "Energy, 
Thought and The End." He laughed.  "Nice touch."


	








	Sunlight...REAL sunlight, was the next thing he saw.  Morning 
already.  
	Despite a bad back from sleeping against the tree, he felt 
refreshed.  The book in his lap was on the last page before the next 
golden one. 
	"Wow."

	Rei's head poked in through the tent.  "Chris?  Did you even 
sleep?"
	"I'm not sure...?" he admitted.  
	She smiled, then shook her head.  "Come on...we have to hurry." 
Her face turned grave.  "Someone's found us.  Michael's checking it 
out."

















                            Chapter 12










	He was a young man.  If he had wings, they were reverted into a 
little petty-coat of a off-green color.  His vest was white with two 
satin white stripes across the chest.  The only extraordinary thing 
about him were his ears.  Almost elf-like.
	Michael raised an eyebrow.  Chris couldn't quite read the 
expression in his face.  "What is it?" he whispered.
	"He's a scout." He replied in an equal whisper.  "House of 
Bikko." A small smile.  "He's no problem.  Only a double white stripe.  
But if we kill him, the rest of the army will know."
	"How?" Maury asked.
	"Well, a large column of lightning will erupt from his body and 
shoot into the sky." SkitZ smiled.
	"I'm getting the distinct impression that things don't like to 
die peacefully in this universe." Dave said with a grin.  
	"That's why we're not waging any wars until I get you all up to 
speed on things." Michael nodded.
	"So what do we do about him?" Miharu asked anxiously.  She hated 
crouching in the bushes like this.  Action was preferable.  
	Michael sighed.  "Well, I'm not sure.  I didn't think we'd run 
into any this far out.  This is actually kinda bad.  Bikko and Aszap 
must be at war, or having some kind of huge game." He shook his head.  
"I wish I could contact my House, see what was going on.  But I don't 
even trust them right now."
	Rei smiled.  "Let me handle it."
	"What??" Chris blinked.
	"I'm bored." She shrugged. 
	Before anyone could argue, she stood in a hunched over position 
to make sure the Bikko scout couldn't see her, then ran off a bit down 
the trail.  "What the hell is she DOING?!" Chris whispered angerly, 
putting his hand on his sword.
	
	They watched as a huge jet of flames came roaring down the trail.  
The scout nearly fell backwards on the ground.  Rei came running out of 
the bushes, screaming.  "HELP ME!  HELP MEEE!"
	The poor young man had no idea what to do, and couldn't even 
stand until Rei damn near dragged him to his feet and started shaking 
him by his shoulders.  "Wh...what WAS that!?!?" he asked, trying to 
maintain a steady voice but failing badly.
	"A Dominion!" Rei gasped, pointing back to the way she came from.  
"I think I hurt it though..."
	"W...was it a big one?!?" the scout gasped.
	Rei shook her head.  "No.  Just a little guy." She raised her 
arms to about a meter wide.  "Like this."
	Instantly, he relaxed.  "Whoooooooo.  Well, don't worry about 
that, Miss." He tried to laugh, but it came out jittery from all the 
excitement.  "It was probably just a baby then."
	Slowly, Rei appeared to relax as well.  Then, she smiled and 
flashed what had to be the most obvious flirtatious eyelids at the 
little man.  "Could you go see if it's dead yet?" she blushed.  "I'm 
scared of Dominions something fierce." 
	"For good reason!" he nodded back, straightening his tunic.  
"Well don't worry, Miss.  I'll go check for ya." He pulled out a medium 
length rapier that was resting on his hip.  "You wait right here." He 
smiled and walked past her.  
	She waved her thanks, then motioned for the others to get ready 
to take off down the trail.  
	"Down here?" he called back from a few yards down the trail where 
a slope started.  
	Rei nodded.  "Just at the bottom of the hill.  I think he crawled 
into the bush!" she yelled back.
	"Okay!" he replied, then disappeared down the slope.  

	Michael almost laughed out loud as everyone emerged from the 
bushes and took off in a light jog down the trail.  "My God, did I pick 
the right people to fight with."
	Chris had to hold back a smile to keep up the impression he 
didn't approve with Rei's flirting talents, but in the end, had to 
laugh too.  "Wonder how long he'll look for the Dominion."
	"Ahh.  Now I feel better.  Even if we gotta go home, at least I 
had some fun." She smiled.
	They were all congratulating Rei on a job well done when they 
heard "MISS!  MISS!  I THINK IT'S SAFE!!!"
	Everyone turned at the precise time it took for the young man to 
return from beyond the hill, spot the group, and slap an expression of 
surprise on his head.  "Oh shit." Michael sighed.
	"HEY!" the little man trotted up to them as they stood there, not 
sure what to do.  "What's going on here?!?  Where are you taking this 
lady?!?" he demanded, waving his sword at Rei to make his point.  
	"Uh, well..." Rei coughed.  "These are my friends, and we're 
following the trail to...uh..."
	"The Howling Desert." SkitZ provided.  
	"Yeah.  The Howling Desert." Rei said.  "Thanks for your help 
though!"
	"The Howling Desert is off limits to civilians." The scout 
replied, walking up to them.  "I'm afraid I'm going to have to bring 
you in to my commanding Seraphim."
	SkitZ walked up to the little man.  "WHAT!?  Who ordered the 
desert off limits!?"
	"Uh..." he took a step back.  "I'm afraid I can't divulge that 
information."
	"You mean you don't know." Michael sighed.  "It was Jeremiel, 
wasn't it!?!"
	He nodded quickly.
	"Then you tell your Knight that if he wants to stop me from 
crossing the desert to face me." He smiled, puffing out his chest.  "I 
am the Archangel Michael, Knight of SkitZ.  Virtue to the Pool of 
Angels." He looked down at the scout.  "And who the hell are you?"
	"Aniel, s...sir..." he stuttered, dropping his sword and 
scrambling to pick it up.
	Michael nodded.  "Very well.  I understand I am being searched 
for?"
	Aniel nodded weakly, barely hanging onto consciousness.  
	"You tell Jeremiel that I'll be waiting for him and his armies on 
the Howling Desert.  I expect a duel with him.  Is that clear?"
	"Yes sir!" Aniel gasped.
	"You sure?"
	"Y...yes!  Crystal clear, Michael!"
	Michael nodded and waived his arm like he was extremely bored.  
"Now, go.  And if you don't deliver my message to the word, I'll be 
sure we meet again."
	The poor man bowed...half due he was finding it hard to 
stand...and then took off down the path, managing only to take flight 
after he realized his wings hadn't sprouted from his coat yet.  
	Everyone had a look on their face that Michael couldn't quite 
make out as he returned to the group.  "What?"
	"You told them where we were going?" Chris blinked.
	"AND told him to bring an army?!?!" Rei added.
	Michael nodded and walked past them, continuing on the trail.  
"Yes.  In about three hours, the House of Bikko will divert three 
legions of their finest angels, and their Knight, one Mr. Jeremiel to 
the Howling Desert.  Their forces will be rather intimidating and there 
is little doubt that they will be victorious against a small group of 
travelers."
	With a wicked grin, he continued.  "Of course, we are going to be 
in the Trinity Desert at the time, so I don't think that we'll have 
many problems." He smiled as he saw everyone's relived faces.  "And the 
Aszaps will follow, since the messenger was one of theirs.  They'll 
think that while Bikko is divided to fight the House of SkitZ, they can 
take out some of their forces.  However, they'll find a nice, un-
occupied force of enough Angels to flood an ocean, and I'm sure 
whatever happens after that will keep them too busy to annoy us.  The 
best part is that Aniel is a little dinky.  If anyone stops to question 
his information, they will assume he's an idiot and probably be 
killed."
	He cracked his knuckles and reverted his coat back into his wings 
with a quick stretch.  "God I love politics." He laughed.

















                            Chapter 13



	
	



	They had to have walked for a good ten hours that day.  Though 
eager to get where they needed to go, SkitZ forced them to stop just 
before the desert.  "You don't want to fuck around with these sand-
storms." He mentioned.  
	"So why are we stopping now?" Miharu asked, looking up at the 
sun.  "It's still evening."
	"I think the idea is so we can all get some sleep before we go 
across the desert at night." Dave mentioned as he un-rolled his tent 
and started looking for a nice tree to prop it up against.  
	"The sandstorms are nothing once you get a bit of the way into 
the sand.  Just kind of a mist then.  It's only when they leave the 
desert do they get nasty." SkitZ explained as they pitched camp.
	"How far, anyway?" Chris asked.  "To the Pool?"
	SkitZ smiled.  "Well, actually we're ahead of schedule.  Should 
be there in three days.  Now that the armies will be changing deserts, 
we can knock off a good two days from the trip."
	Miharu sighed, taking off her sword and scabbard.  "Well, I'm 
bored.  When do we kick some ass anyway?"
	Michael regarded the young girl with a strange look.  "Well, I 
was only planning on taking your father in the first place.  We're not 
going to fight any wars for a while."
	"I KNOW that." Miharu sighed.  "I'm just bored."
	"We'll have plenty of chances for action." Chris promised.  "If 
not, we'll spar once we get home.  Go on a nice long training mission 
to the middle of nowhere.  Sound good?"
	Demeter helped Rei gather some fire-wood.  "I know!  Let's tell 
stories!"
	Maury's eyes widened happily.  Rei shook her head.  "No, not you 
Mo.  We've heard enough of your dreams for a while."
	"How about Michael?" Dave asked.  Michael blinked, looking up 
from his tent.  "I mean, he has to get into why we're hear anyway.  Why 
not tonight?  While we have some breathing room?"
	"I'm not a very good story teller." Michael replied. 
	"Sure ya are!" Chris smiled.  "And you can use some script if you 
want.  I'm sure nobody would mind so long as you don't start recreating 
prophecies."
	"Okay poker." Michael nodded.  "You're right.  Time to tell you 
the horrible details." He smiled.  "What's that phrase I heard when I 
was walking down the street in Edmonton?" he frowned.  "Mm...oh 
yeah...it was by that really fat hut with the blinking lights."
	"What, XXX, Girls Girls Girls?" Maury laughed.
	"No, that was a little before that." SkitZ nodded, folding his 
arms as he sat down on a log in front of the fire.  "Oh yeah." He 
nodded.

	"A long time ago, in a galaxy far away."

	Everyone rolled back their eyes, but let him continue.  Not 
before Andrea made a rather good Chewbacca howl, though.
	Dave cleared his throat.  "Uh, SkitZ?"
	"Yeah?"
	"It's actually 'far...FAR...away...'" he smiled.  "I have the 
script at home.
	"Whatever." Michael shook his head.  "Anyway.
	






	"Long ago, on this very planet, a loose civilization existed.  No 
governments.  No world leaders.  By some people's standards it was 
anarchy, but to the people living there, it was complete freedom.  Only 
a strict moral code prevented total chaos, yet it was enough.  Peace 
was prosperity and life was respected above all else.  
	"Mages were rare, but a valued creed of peoples.  What could not 
be figured out by herbal remedies and the basic scripts at the time 
could sometimes be discovered by these wise men and women.  Scientists 
and explorers of great insight and knowledge in both the physical and 
unseen worlds.
	"One such family of these mages was named Azer.  Angelic lore 
tells us that the name actually means Guardian of Fire.  Fire, as you 
know in this universe, is a very amazing thing.  Sacred and revered.  
In this world, it's actually just as much a magical force as a physical 
one.  It's a kind of stepping stone from one world to the next."
	SkitZ paused and smiled at Rei.  "You have more power here than 
you ever did back on Earth.  If the need arises, we should visit one of 
my mages back at the city and he can teach you a little more."
	Rei nodded with a smile, urging him to continue. 
	"Back to the Azer family.  Though relatively new to the crafts of 
the Mages, the two brothers were extremely bright; easily surpassing 
the masters of the crafts before either had turned fifteen years old.  
The richest and most prominent people of the time would seek out the 
Azer Brothers and spend small fortunes on their miracles.  Some of 
these included the ability to live dozens of life-times without aging.  
Or to be able to cast lighting and fire with will alone.  
	"Though the price was always high for these unheard-of abilities 
and cures, there was never a shortage of someone willing to pay.  One 
man, who had a small kingdom under his rule at the time, paid three 
years worth of his annual taxes in order to have all his citizens live 
longer, healthier lives." SkitZ smiled.  "Now is THAT a re-election 
stunt or what?" 
	"Bill Clinton eat your heart out." Andrea quipped.
	SkitZ nodded.  "But as the brothers became more and more powerful 
in their arts, and the demand for miracles became a daily thing, a rift 
formed in between them.  The eldest was the young man who would 
eventually become the Archangel God."
	Everyone's eyes widened.
	"We too had a religious system back then, you see." SkitZ sighed.  
"Though from what Dave has been telling me, it wasn't nearly as 
developed as your planet's Christian, Buddha or Jewish faiths, it 
echoed some of their aspects.
	"The other brother was, of course, Lucifer.  They took up these 
names when the Genesis Spell was cast."
	SkitZ leaned down to the moss and began to draw something in the 
dirt.  "Their studies and powers came to a barrier that neither could 
pass.  Pure thought.  Because of the duality of mind and matter, they 
could never fully explore either without becoming something completely 
different.  Think of it as exploring your mind.  Because you explore 
WITH your mind, it's impossible to loop back and look at your own 
thoughts objectively.  But to harness the kind of power they needed to 
make the jump meant they had to have a direct link with the Universe.  
With Reality itself."
	Dave's jaw dropped.  "The Keys?  The seven Keys?"
	SkitZ frowned.  "How did you know?"
	Chris smiled.  "Remember?  He's Dave Reinquest.  He knows 
everything."
	"Anyway," he continued "they cast the Genesis Spell.  What that 
did was grab the essence of the Universe and force a portion of it into 
a pocket of fire that the Azer Brothers had created." Michael sighed.  
"But that had some unforeseen effects on the Universe.  For one, it 
created a Crimp." He turned to Dave.  "Do you remember how our 
universes were shaped like rings?"
	He nodded.  "Yeah."
	"It bent reality so that much more was possible.  Thought became 
a much more powerful force.  So long as that power is captured, the 
Brothers realized they could finally complete their studies." He 
smiled.  "They hired a blacksmith by the name of Yamato to forge seven 
swords.  Yamato was just a young man back then.  Twenty or so.  But he 
was amazing.  Swords unlike the world had ever seen were produced in 
that forge.  Each one taking a bit of the power with it.
	"In reality, the Brothers had no idea how many swords would come 
of the forge.  Seven was the lucky number, though.  The final sword 
just barely completed in time...then the Genesis Spell sprung back.  
The power that was left floated back into the Universe."
	Chris raised an eyebrow.  "So how did everyone become Angels?"
	"Ahh.  I was just getting to that." SkitZ nodded.  "Now, both God 
and Lucifer took a sword each.  Sure enough, their powers increased 
exponentially, but never to the heights that they were hoping for.
	"Discouraged from their great dreams, they went back to being 
Mages.  Granting miracles like before." SkitZ raised an eyebrow.  
"Then, one day, Lucifer sold one of the spare swords."
	"Needless to say, his brother was furious.  God realized that 
with the added power came added responsibility.  That much power was 
not something that should be sold to the highest bidder.  Though the 
two brothers never fought, or even had much more than a casual 
conversation after the sale of the first sword, God had already made up 
his mind to leave.  The next day, he took three of the remaining swords 
and left under the guise of a hunting trip.
	"In reality, he went searching for a place to cast another spell.  
He tried many times on his trip, but each time the spell would not come 
together.  He created Theban...a potent written magic in an effort to 
create the spell...but even that would not work.  In the end, he 
realized he had to cast the spell back at the forge.  The place where 
the Universe had Crimped to allow the impossible."
	SkitZ shook his head.  "When he returned from his trip, Lucifer 
had already discovered much of what his brother planned to do.  The 
remaining sword had been sold, and the two men he had given them to 
wished to help defend their hold on the power.  Even Lucifer was hungry 
for more, un-content with settling for less.  
	"In probably the most spectacular display of magic that any world 
has ever seen, the four of them battled.  Though the men with Lucifer 
had not the control or practice the Azer Brothers had, their power made 
sure God could not gain the upper hand.  But as they battled, some of 
the spells that God cast brought them closer and closer to the final 
spell.  First, caused their home to sink a hundred lengths into the 
earth, taking the forge with it.  Then, disguising the spell as a 
lighting attack, he filled the forge with rain water."
	"So he made the Pool of Angels?" Chris asked.
	"Yup.  Making it look like he was evading an attack, he jumped in 
the pool and swam to the bottom."
	"How long is a 'length'?" Dave asked.
	SkitZ blinked.  "Uh, well, let's see.  About from me to you." He 
said, pointing to the three or so meters between them.  
	"Three hundred and forty meters?!" Dave blinked.  "He dove three 
hundred and forty meters?"
	Michael shrugged.  "He could hold his breath.  So?" he shook his 
head.  "Anyway, he wrote seven characters in the bottom of the now 
cooled forge.  Faith, Wisdom, Patience, Mercy, Judgement, Peace and 
Goodness.  Our Seven Virtues.  Then, he finished it off with a seal and 
the rest of the spell.  Lucifer and his two friends had already dove in 
after, and were caught in the spell's formation.  It was a Word spell.  
A defining force of a being.  At the time, these virtues constituted 
what was thought of to become an Angel, and so it was finalized in the 
fabric of the Universe."
	"What exactly does that mean?" Rei asked.
	SkitZ smiled.  "At that moment...becoming an Angel was a spell.  
Some say that Angels are real.  Some say that they are only myth.  But 
from that point on, it was actually possible for a mortal to become 
one.  Not only in the Pool, but the entire Universe.  It still takes a 
trip to the Pool to gain your wings, though." He yawned, stretching his 
own feathers.  "In a way, you could say they opened Heaven's Gates for 
the world." He said with a smile.
	"The Archangels who were fortunate enough to have one of the 
swords from the God Forge became the Seven Knights.  Though there are 
actually eight Archangels, Lucifer fell in the Pool.  Something that 
would become everyone's worse nightmare.  In his haste for power...his 
lust to become a deity...he lost his grace." SkitZ's voice was suddenly 
very small.  "The Pool of Angels is not a lenient judge on that matter.  
His wings turned into his chains."
	Everyone was silent as SkitZ cleared his throat.  "That is why we 
are usually turned to the Pool at an early age.  Innocent are the 
young."
	Chris' eyes were wide.  "Waaaaaaait just a second...you never 
said ANYTHING about that Pool condemning me to Hell!"
	Michael chuckled.  "Oh, don't worry.  Lucifer was caught in it 
when the Pool was formed." He paused.  "Even if the Pool decides that 
you are destined to be a Fallen, then you will still have your wings 
and a chance."
	Despite the assurances, Chris looked rattled still.  
	
	"But now." SkitZ said "We skip ahead a few thousand years.  To 
this generation.  The great Cities have been built by each House, who 
have all firmly defined themselves and established great followers of 
people who wish to one day become angels themselves." He shook his 
head.  "It's to the point that an angel is no big deal to most.  Only 
Archangels, Cherubim, and the Seraphim are anything special." A wicked 
smile crossed Michael's face.  "But I fixed that.  I hid the Pool.
	"During a massive quake about ten years ago, I was able to re-
form much of the peninsula's terrain." He said.  "Fucked up everyone's 
maps, that's for sure.  Only the most faithful angels even had an idea 
what direction to start flying to find the Pool, and they eventually 
forgot about it as well."
	"You hid the Pool to make Angels something special again?" 
Demeter asked.  "Don't you think that's a little retarded?"
	"Mmph." SkitZ frowned.  "Well, that was just an added bonus.  But 
the real reason was I found out that Azrael was planning to cast 
another Genesis Spell."
	Dave's super-fast mind examined all the possibilities.  "Wait a 
sec...so that means he would have caused another Crimp?  On TOP of the 
existing one?"
	SkitZ nodded slowly.  "He was going to pop our Universe."
	"WHY?" everyone asked.
	Michael crossed his arms.  "That is what I intend to ask him just 
before I rip his intestines out." He shook his head slowly.  "I don't 
know why myself.  Maybe he thinks he can get the power that God and 
Lucifer were searching for by trying again.  But that's not like Fiss.  
He has heard the Noize.  I don't see why he would still be searching 
for the Pool when I'm damn sure he knows a second Crimp could destroy 
our Reality again."
	"Maybe he wants to put an end to the Noize?" Rei asked.
	"No." SkitZ frowned.  "It's maddening, yes...but not unbearable."
	Dave raised an eyebrow.  "And what of the war?"
	"Oh yes!" Michael nodded.  "The war." He took a long breath of 
air.  "Well, you see, the houses of Weskic, Bikko and Aszap all support 
Fiss, thinking they can cash in on the power if it works." He grumbled.  
"You have to understand that not much has happened in millennium.  The 
Knights are restless.  Tired of squeezing what control they can from 
the population.  I think this was is mostly frustration of having 
immortal power in a mortal world."
	"Idle hands are the devil's play-thing." Rei mused.
	"Luckily, the houses of SkitZ, Bri and Vohal do not agree." He 
raised an eyebrow.  "Though I wouldn't trust either with my life, at 
least they are not allies with Fiss."
	Dave nodded.  "It's the swords, right?"
	Michael blinked.  "Wow.  You do know everything." He laughed.  
"Exactly.  Fiss wants all the swords.  Then, he can create all the 
Crimps he wants." He shook his head.  "So, for the last few seasons, 
the House of Fiss has been trying to take over the three un-allied 
Houses.  Again, the power-hungry force has help.  Though the war is not 
full-scale, I am very worried.  They're depleting our options and 
supplies.  I've lost almost an entire Host of my best angels to battles 
along the borders.
	"It's only a matter of time where they'll see the opportunity for 
one final assault, and none of the three Houses will be able to 
withstand it." Michael ruffled his wings.  "Azrael is in no hurry.  He 
knows it will happen.  Probably by the end of the Winter, he will be 
able to crush any opposition with laughable casualties of his own 
forces."
	Chris looked up from the fire.  "Well then.  There's only one 
thing to do then."
	Everyone turned to him with curious eyes.
	"Kill the Angel of Death." He said with a smile.





















                          Chapter 14








	
	
	The clockwork timing of the book caused Chris to wake up much 
earlier than he had expected.  The dream was already leaving his mind.  
For some reason, it wasn't nearly as vivid as the one before.  Perhaps 
it was the time of night.  
	In a way, he was kind of happy.  It made for one helluva good 
alarm clock.  Between the last few nights, he was actually getting back 
into a normal biological clock to sleep by.  He resolved to make sure 
even if he learned nothing of Theban, that he would at least learn what 
passages would allow him to get a good night's sleep.  
	He checked his laptop.  The day here was about thirty hours long, 
and so his watch was useless.  According to the little computer, 
though, it was still the equivalent of two a.m..  After that, they had 
about twenty minutes of hiking through the woods, and six hours of 
night before the sandstorms would start.  SkitZ told them they only 
needed half that.  
	So, he decided to take some time to go chop down some trees.  Not 
that he had anything against trees, in fact, he always recycled.  And 
even though his skills were about as good as they could get without 
someone teaching him Jedi Mind Tricks, he found that a little focused 
sword-play was a perfect way to relive stress and focus the mind.  
	
	Careful not to wake anyone else, Chris picked up his sword, tied 
back the tail part of his trenchcoat out of the way of his sides, and 
walked back over to the trail a few meters off from camp.  	
	In the darkness, he could just barely see the tiny path, so he 
pulled out the sunglasses Dave gave to him.  They powered up with a 
quick green flash, filling in the light for his eyes.  
	They worked even better than the original.  It was a good thing, 
too, because without them, he would have never seen Raphael walking 
down the path.
	"How did I know his name?" Chris asked himself before diving into 
the bushes.  
	
	My god, the man was huge.  

	None of the Negaverse Honor Guards had been this big, and they 
had been walking billboards for steroid use.  This guy was a walking 
tank.  Magic must have been involved, because his armor...a few hundred 
pounds of metal, never made a sound.  
	It was eerie.  This Knight had no cloak.  He never would have 
needed to hid his wings anyway.  As he walked, his tattered wings 
streamed behind his back.  
	Chris grabbed his coat around himself, hiding anything white on 
his body.  "C'mon...keep walking." He whispered.  
	The Archangel took three steps past where Chris was hiding in the 
bushes...then stopped.  "Azrael?" he whispered.  "M' lord?"
	"Oh oh..." Chris blinked.
	"Azrael?" he called out louder.  "Where are you?"
	There were a long number of heartbeats between the next sound.  
Raphael was clearly getting angry.  His brow crinkled under the 
enhanced light.  "My Lord.  Are you alright?  I can't see you.  I 
didn't expect you were coming out tonight." He stated in a plain 
speaking voice.  "Lord Azrael?"
	Taking a deep breath, Chris stood.  Raphael was NOT going to 
leave if he stood quiet.  
	"Raphael." He whispered in a long, low tone.  "I thought you 
would be in the Howling Desert with the others."
	In the dark light, Chris prayed he looked like Azrael.  It seemed 
to be working.  Whatever the hell kind of sword was on this giant's hip 
had not been reached for.  He got down on one knee and bowed.  "Thank 
goodness you're alright!" he chuckled.  "Normally I surprise you.  Not 
the other way around."
	"Why are you here?" Fiss demanded.
	Raphael stood.  "One of the scouts reported contact with Michael 
somewhere on this trail." He explained, voice returning to a whisper.  
"He had a group of people with him."
	"I know." Fiss nodded.  "I heard it too and came right over to 
check it out."
	"You really want him, don't you?" Raphael blinked.  "What could 
you have seen that was so horrible?"  
	Chris raised an eyebrow.  Azrael's having visions too?  "Perhaps 
later." He cleared his throat.  "I've already searched down this end.  
You double back and check for any signs of a camp.  It's dark, so a 
second look couldn't hurt."
	Raphael bowed his head.  "Yes, Lord." He turned, swinging his 
massive body and wings around.
	"One more thing, Raphael." Chris said, just before the man walked 
off.  
	"Yes, Lord?"
	"I ordered that Michael not be harmed, correct?"
	Raphael turned with a puzzled look.  "You ordered them killed, 
did you not?"
	Fiss swallowed hard.  "Yes.  Of course.  You may continue."
	Slowly, the massive Knight bowed, and walked off, leaving large 
prints in the dusty trail.  
	"Holy shit..." Chris whispered to himself, then ran back to camp.








	When he got back, SkitZ had already woke the rest of them.  
"Raphael." He grumbled.  
	Fiss nodded, not bothering to ask how he knew.  "We have some 
time.  He thought I was Azrael."
	"Good." SkitZ nodded.  "If he's after us, we'll need every 
second."





















                            Chapter 15










	Jeremiel was a tall man.  He seemed almost tree-like, actually.  
Limbs hung like branches from his core.  Knobby and lanky.  But he had 
eyes that could cut through granite.  A rich brown cloak fell down from 
his shoulders, molding around his perfect white swan wings.   
	On his hip rested a thin, long sword.  A Damascus blade of woven 
metal prevented the blade from shining, but the simple perfection was 
obvious by how sharp the edges were.  A century of battle had yet to 
wear down the killing abilities of the weapon.  
	Yamato had been his teacher for fifty years.  Most of the other 
Knights had only trained with the master for a decade or two.  Azrael 
himself would not have been able to strike this Archangel down in a 
fair fight.  
	
	That was why he knew something was wrong.

	Michael had been Yamato's favorite, but the two had only been 
apprentice and master for a fraction of the time Jeremiel had been.  
The mighty Knight of SkitZ would know full bloody well that if he faced 
the Knight of Bikko in a duel...the SkitZ would be looking for a new 
Knight.
	Though hot-headed, passionate to his cause, and a credit to the 
name Archangel, Michael was also not stupid.  That was perhaps his greatest
strength.  He had used the invitation of a duel to excite the Bikko troops, 
making it difficult for Jeremiel to ignore.  
	He had to come to the Howling Desert, to make himself known as 
the honorable party.  When Michael hadn't shown up at dawn...the time 
where all Angels dueled, Jeremiel hadn't been surprised...but he used 
the dishonor to his advantage.  
	One Host of his finest warriors stood behind him as he paced up 
and down the sand.  Quite literally, a Host was described as enough 
Angels to rule the Heavens.  Seven thousand of his finest swordsmen.  
Seven hundred Angelic WarMages.  Seventy Scouts and Messengers, who 
were the fastest of all Angels, conveyed orders through the group.  
Finally, seven red Dominions, raised from at birth to carry Mage 
Lancers.  
	
	And one Knight.  

	His eyes scanned over his army.  He knew each of their names.  
Their hopes and dreams.  Why they became angels and why they fought at 
his side.  
	When he spoke, only the wind and sand dared to be heard.  
	"Loyal Bikko." He began.  His voice was impossibly quiet to 
stretch out over the crowd, yet each heard it with perfect clarity.  
"Michael SkitZ once again makes a mockery of me." He chuckled a low, 
throbbing laugh.  "But, I do not take offence to this.
	"Instead, I offer that we teach him a lesson." He continued 
coolly.  "Lord Azrael of Fiss has put a demand out on his head.  This 
is true.  But although we support the Fiss, we are here today for our 
own reasons."
	The crowd was silent, but an unheard murmuring passed through 
them all.  
	Jeremiel paced back and forth between two ranks of his swordsmen, 
lead by a Dominion each.  Even the wild dragons were silent in statue-
like respect for this Archangel that passed under their jaws.
	"Many of our House seek entrance into a Host." He continued after 
a long pause.  "As beings of mercy, we honor this desire above all 
else.  To touch the light and become one of the holy." His wings spread 
slightly as did his arms in a wide regard of his troops.  
	"Today, we unlock the cage that has kept so many of them away 
from our Grace." He smiled.  "Within days, we will have the Pool of 
Angels."
	
	A roaring cheer erupted unlike any heard on Earth.  It sounded of 
a thousand gospels and voices singing.  Of fire and ice and steam.  
Beautiful or dreadful, it was intense either way.  

	The singing calmed back to a stark contrasting silence.  Smiles 
on the faces of his warriors were the only breach in perfect stillness.  
Their Knight had a smile as well.
	"In one night, we will return to Trinity's wasteland.  We have 
always known in our hearts that the Pool lies there." He nodded, 
crossing his long, skinny arms.  "But where as we have failed before, 
Michael will be our ally in the search." His smile broadened.  "And 
then, we shall have our duel."
	Another cheer, even louder than the first.  
	Not waiting for it to die down, Jeremiel spread his wings and 
raised his sword from it's sheath.  "And when we have the power of TWO 
Knights, both Bikko, not even Azrael will dare challenge our power.  
Him and his pet..." laughter "...will be forced to come to us for the 
Pool." He smiled.  Cheering wavered again, and let the man continue.  
	"Tonight is the last night of the House of Bikko." He said 
quietly.  "But tomorrow...we shall create the Paradise of Bikko!"
	Whatever cheers had been before shadowed in comparison to the 
thundering roar that greeted that comment.  Finished speaking, Jeremiel 
Bikko swept his sword up in an arch.  One by one, each of the seven-
thousand, seven-hundred, and seventy-seven warriors took flight.  

	So many wings.

	












	A desert and a day away, and with a narrow but grateful lead on 
both the Bikko and Raphael, a small band of travelers trudged across 
the Trinity Desert.  
	Chris and Michael lead the group with Beavis silently floating 
around overhead, keeping a crow's eye view for trouble.  Dave 
discovered for the first time that day that angels were damn near 
invisible to anything but visual scans in the desert.  Because of the 
endless horizon and the vapors coming off the ground, that wasn't even 
too reliable.  
	Nobody complained.  Everyone walked.  They had faced only three 
hostile beings in this entire universe so far.  It may have been 
boring, but even Miharu was beginning to realize that could change at 
any second.  Chris' description had been enough that none of them 
wanted to meet up with Raphael.
	They were already far enough into the ocean of sand that they 
would be safe from the terminal effects of any sandstorm.  It was 
interesting to watch as the top few millimeters of sand started to lift 
off the ground when the morning heat started to come.  A golden haze 
filled their vision.
	With a light smile, Chris looked over to Rei.  "You look like 
you're on Star Trek, only better."
	Rei blinked.  "Pardon?"
	"On the old Star Trek series," Chris explained "whenever a 
beautiful woman would come onto the scene, every time they did a close-
up of her, they used this cheesy diffusion lens to make her glow." He 
smiled.  "Though here, it's gold-colored."
	She shook her head with a sweet smile.  "You're doing this on 
purpose, aren't you?"
	"Why Miss Hino, whatever could you be talking about?" he 
fluttered his eyelashes.
	Maury suddenly jumped on Chris' back.  "I know!  He's such a 
tease!" he giggled like a little school girl.
	"Oh Mo, you know I'll always remember you as my first!" Chris 
laughed back as they started bonking heads.  
	Miharu sighed to herself.  "And my friends wonder why I never 
talk about my parents."
	Andrea leaned over and laughed.  "After a while, you don't even 
notice."
	"Tell me about it." Beavis called down from his lofty look out. 
	Demeter, actually, was quite happy.  The sand that started 
floating around him was a perfect silicate match for that on Earth, and 
he started breathing some of it in, not realizing just HOW good it was.  
"Wow.  I like it here." He hiccuped.  
	 Michael's walk quickened angerly.  "Keep the noise down, 
people." He warned.  "Sounds travel forever around the desert."
	"Hey!  Buddy!" Demeter retorted.  "I'll tell YOU when I've had 
enough!" he tripped on his own feet and fell.  
	"Haven't you ever heard of the rule of not getting drunk before 
lunch, Demeter?" Maury helped him to his feet.
	"Since when did you ever follow that rule?" Demeter giggled as he 
regained his balance.  
	"Remind me never to go to the beach with him." Mo said.





















                          Chapter 16










	Day 5.

	Though, in the City of Fiss, he had no idea how long the 
intruders had been in HIS universe, every day made him that much more 
angry.  Raphael had not reported in over thirty hours.  If he was dead 
and lying in a bloody ditch, the least he could do was send a message, 
Azrael mused to himself.  
	The dreams had been getting worse.  Every time his eyes closed 
long enough, he could see this echo of his soul like he was looking 
into a mirror.  The mirror wouldn't go away, though.  
	Azrael did not like being reminded of the past.  Anything before 
the Noize.  It haunted him more than these silly nightmares ever could 
on their own, but made them that much more disturbing when he 
remembered the old reality.  

	The one where he lost it.  Lost it all.

	He lost his power.  His universe.  His control over it.  He 
needed it.  Like a drug.  Anytime he felt the control slipping from 
him, he clawed to get it back.  
	He would tear across the heavens and hell to get it back.

	He already had.  

	The last year had been hard.  Clawing his way through the old 
Angelic Laws to force his new power.  He had almost lost his life to 
assassins and the other Knights what had to be a hundred times.  But he 
had fought them all the way.  While they had nothing to fight for, 
Azrael of Fiss fought for the sole purpose of making sure next time 
they DID fight, they would be weaker.
	Little by little, it had worked, too.  Fiss was now the most 
feared Knight.  The most respected.  The most untouchable and the most 
protected.  
	What had been a constant struggle became offered up to him.  The 
people never questioned his orders.  They followed with almost scary 
blind faith.  He could slaughter a million of them, and the rest would 
simply comment on his wise choice of victims.  

	That had been a fun day, he smiled to himself.

	As the three remaining houses warred back in anger, Fiss simply 
took his time.  Patience was becoming his favorite Virtue by far.  It 
made everything come together in the end.  Still, it was not as fun as 
Judgement.  
	The War would be over much sooner than anyone predicted.  Less 
than a year in all.  One quick final stroke to finish off the Houses.  
Then, the Knights.  They would be even easier to crush once the gears 
of his plan sped up enough.  

	But this mirror image.  This new Knight, if that's what he really 
was.  He was a disturbing and unexpected variable in the mix of things.  
If Michael did know anything about it, he would have been happier than 
a pig in slop.  If Michael actually caused this to happen, then 
well...that was just poetic.  
	
	When Raphael's heavy footsteps announced his presence in the 
garden once again, Fiss had a feeling in his bones that something was 
wrong.  
	"Lord?" he asked.  
	Azrael blinked, not sure how to respond to the tone of the man's 
voice.  "What is it?" he frowned, looking up from his sand.  	
	"I had looked all over for you in the Howling." The giant angel 
shook his head.  "I hadn't figured you would return so quickly." A 
sudden excited smile.  "Did you find them!?"
	"What are you blathering about?!" Fiss demanded.  "I haven't 
found ANYTHING except that I am running out of sand to write on."
	"I'll order the Aszaps to collect more." Raphael said quickly, 
not quite catching the meaning of things.  Finally, though, it donned 
on him.  The amount of Theban that Azrael had been working on could 
have only been done overnight.  

	Azrael literally heard missed heartbeat in Raphael's chest.

	"What." Azrael demanded in a whisper.  It was not a question.
	"M...my Lord!" Raphael replied nervously.  "You have been here, 
in the city, all night?  Since I left to search for Michael?"
	A raised eyebrow.  "Of COURSE I've been here.  Would you think I 
would be going to the beach, perhaps?  To work on my tan?" he pointed 
to his pale face.  
	Raphael took a few steps back.  His mind had all but seized up.  
"Oh my..."
	"WHAT!!!?" Azrael yelled.  Trees shook around them
	"M...y Lord..." he stuttered.  "I sensed you out there when I was 
searching one of the trails." He paused.  "I...I talked to you as 
well!"
	"That is impossible." Azrael growled.  His script forgotten.  
"What do you MEAN you sensed me?!?"
	"I...I recognized your presence, Lord Azrael!" Raphael said 
weakly.  He looked ready to pass out.  "I called out your name, and 
after a moment, you answered.  It was your voice exactly!  It was dark, 
but there was no way anyone could have tricked me with both your voice 
and your sword!"
	Azrael's eyes were wide.  "And what did I say?!"
	"You told me that you had already checked the trail, and I should 
double back to make sure I didn't miss anything." He continued.  
"I...you asked me if I remembered what to do with Michael and his 
company, and I replied that I was to kill them as you ordered before.  
I thought simply that you were shaken from your visions earlier, and 
had forgotten!" his voice was much tinier now.  "I thought nothing of 
it at the time..."
	"Where was this trail." Azrael demanded.
	"On the outskirts of the Trinity Wastelands, Lord Azrael." 
Raphael rasped.  "But that makes no sense.  Reports were that Michael 
was to challenge Jeremiel in the Howling Desert last dawn."
	"Send the cherubs." Azrael growled.  "All of them."
	"All of...?"

	"AAAALLLLLLLLLLLL OFFFF THEM!" Azrael bellowed.  

	"Michael has played us all for fools!  How he managed to echo my 
sword, I don't know.  But I do NOT intend to let this...BLASPHEMY...go 
unpunished!!!" His chest was heaving in anger.  "But if you do not 
bring me his sword...covered in his own blood...by day's next dawn..." 
he leaned over slightly, staring directly into Raphael's eyes.  "You 
will PRAY for a quick death."

	Raphael didn't wait to be excused.  He was already gone.










	Mist from the morning baby sandstorms had already started, making 
the usual golden shine to the air.  Rei had the morning shift that day, 
but found herself waking up from a nap.  A quick look around the camp 
showed her she didn't miss anything.  
	The last day had been hot.  She almost didn't think they had 
entered a desert until the sun was suddenly overhead, and the sand had 
settled, letting them take the full brunt of the heat.  At least she 
was getting a tan.  Dave, in his infinite wisdom, had even brought 
sunscreen.
	Rei was actually looking forward to putting it on later.  

	Or rather, getting Chris to help put it on.  Rei wasn't one to be 
impatient, but if he kept teasing her like he did the night with the 
blues and the lesson in Senshi Uniform design, she was going to start 
taking matters into her own hands. 
	It wouldn't matter how close their tents were together, or who 
was listening.  The fact that she seemed to be the only one awake right 
now had her eyes glued to the entrance flap of Chris' little one-man 
tent. 
	She looked up at the sky.  Still dark.  Sunrise wouldn't be for a 
few more minutes, and they had all resolved to sleep in a bit since 
they were in no hurry to escape from any storms.  
	A quick peek inside Miharu's tent confirmed that she was asleep.  
A rather goofy smile crossed Rei's lips as she zipped back up the flap 
and snuck over to Chris' a few meters away.  "Fissy..." she whispered, 
poking her head inside.  "You want me to cook your breakfast?" she 
laughed at her own lame joke.  
	Chris was hunched over a book, fast asleep.  
	She frowned, then allowed herself a smile.  He looked so 
peaceful.  With him crunched up in the end of the tent, she was easily 
able to come in and close the flap behind her.  He hadn't had the 
chance to shave in the last two days, and his hair was all fuzzy.  But 
right now, Rei just classified that under rugged-good-looks, and 
crawled over to him, hovering an inch in front of his face.  "Strike 
Fiss...you have a mission." She whispered.  "You up to the task??" she 
played with his hair with her index finger.  "Time to wake up."
	Chris' eyes blinked open, and he almost jumped backwards.  "Rei!" 
he gasped, looking down at the book in his hands.  In a strange voice, 
he sighed happily.  "I was just dreaming about you."
	"Really?" she smiled.  "What were you dreaming about?"
	He blinked.  "I'm not sure I can show you."
	"Show me?" Rei's eyes flashed.  "Well, you're pretty capable at 
showing me things." She leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose 
softly.
	Chris nearly threw the book off his lap.  "Wait just a second..." 
he smiled.  "I'm going to try something."
	Rei couldn't help but smile at the way he said that.  "Oh?"	 He 
reached into his backpack.  His sketch book.  She raised an eyebrow.  
"So do I get to model for your next sketch?" she smiled.
	"Really?" Chris stopped scribbling in it, his smile was wide.  "I 
don't think I would be able to finish the drawing."
	"I don't mind." She smiled, leaning over his scribbling and 
kissing him again.  "Everyone's still asleep for a few hours." She 
whispered against his mouth.
	"Mmm.  You overestimate me, my dear." He smiled.
	"No I don't."
	"Yeah, but before breakfast?"
	Her grin was pure evil.  "Who says I didn't bring breakfast?"
	"As much as I'm sure everyone would LOVE to hear you wake them 
up..." Chris winked "I think we'll have to settle for something a 
little quieter."
	"What did you have in mind?"
	"My dream." Chris said, frantically trying to finish scribbling 
on the paper.  
	Rei watched with sudden interest as she saw him forming a rather 
intricate picture of angelic script.  "What's all that?"
	Finally, he threw down his pencil, giving the paper a once over 
to make sure he didn't misprint anything.  "Give me your hand." He 
whispered.
	Their hands met and interlocked.  "Hold on." He smiled, 
pressing their hands against the paper.






	It was like a flash of light.  Like what Chris saw when they 
broke out of the Universe, only much more subtle.  Reality shifted only 
for a second, and then reformed around them. 

	No more tent.

	No more backpack.

	No more desert.

	Rei opened her eyes.  "Oh my god..." she whispered.

	Morning.  They were in a park.  Back in Tokyo, just a few blocks 
from the temple.  They were both standing there in their first Senshi 
Uniforms.  Rei had on her original fuku, without the extended red bows 
and shoulder fins.  Chris was wearing his old dark brown pilot-jacket 
that he had first come with from Enceladus.  His sunglasses were again 
whole, and on his face.  He took them off, surprised with the accuracy 
of the script.  "It worked..." he produced a sigh of relief.  "Holy 
shit it worked!"
	"You did this?" Rei looked him over.  "Wow...with just that piece 
of paper!?"
	He smiled.  "Three lessons of Theban from God himself." He shook 
his head.  "But I never expected this...this...it was like instinct.  I 
just had the image in my mind and I wrote it down.  I didn't even know 
what I was writing."
	Her smile faded slightly, but only so she could raise an eyebrow 
at him.  "Chris...where are we?"
	"I seem to recall..." he started walking on the grass.  "...a 
perfect morning that had been so rudely interrupted by one of our old 
enemies." He sat down on a park bench that was only half covered by an 
umbrella.  
	Almost on cue, it began to rain.  Rei laughed and ran over to 
join him under the parasol.  "Chris?  This is..." she blushed rather 
brightly.  "This is the park where we spent our first night together." 
She sighed.  "I nearly forgot about it." She closed her eyes and looked 
up to the sky, letting a few fat, lazy drops of rain fall on her tongue
	Now, if there's one thing that Chris would never admit to, it 
would be how much he liked watching Rei's tongue.  Mainly because most 
of the times he saw it, it was being used to insult Serena.  Tongue-
battles between Rei and Serena usually gave him rather vivid dreams 
that next night.  
	But this?  This was a dream come true.  Their first morning as 
lovers, not just friends.  The "day after" had proved to be just as 
sweet as any day with her.  But he had always had a fantasy of not 
running into Zoicite that morning, and starting the day off right.  
	Rei was still catching rain-drops when Chris used his height 
advantage to lean over her and gently catch her tongue in his mouth.  
Whatever surprise she had was melted away instantly as they began 
kissing from there on.  It was sweet and warm and wet.  All the things 
a proper kiss should be, but with the added bonus of the two of them 
knowing exactly how the other liked to be kissed.  No first-time guess.  
	Finally coming up for air, Rei let out a little whimper.  "Rei 
wants more..." she said quietly as they met back in another.  "More." 
She echoed as they slid their hands around each other's backs, 
effectively eliminating any space in-between them.     
	Their past life in the Silver Millennium had been nothing.  Only 
an introduction to each other.  That day in the park had been nothing 
more than a chance to get re-aquatinted.  But THIS? 
	This was the product of five years together with their mutual 
life's love.  This was the coming together of two people who knew each 
other so completely that both body and soul were tuned into the act.  
"This was my dream." Chris whispered in her ear as he found her suit's 
clasps and buttons.  His own coat had been shed long ago.  
	"I seem to recall this dream a few times myself..." Rei whispered 
back.  
	"Wait till you see the one with the big Jell-o-mold on top of the 
pyramid with the thousands of naked women throwing little pickles at 
me." Chris smiled.
	Rei raised an eyebrow.  "Despite the disturbing mental image, I 
find myself getting strangely aroused." She kissed his neck and started 
unbuttoning his black dress shirt.
	"I'll save that one for our wedding night." He nodded, finally 
getting her soaking wet fuku off of her shoulders.
	"Good plan...mmmm."
	
	As the rain fell on them in a gentle spring shower, any words 
past that point weren't too intellectual.
























                            Chapter 17











	Michael blinked three times and looked up from the paper.  "I 
don't get it.  It's just a park."
	Chris shrugged as he packed his tent up.  "So?  What's wrong with 
a park?"
	"Rei was going on about how amazing something was.  I figured it 
was the script." Michael shook his head.  "I mean, there's not even any 
bees or anything in that park!  And why did it start raining?  You 
can't even have a picnic!"
	"I thought it was pretty good for my first Theban." Chris 
shrugged again, finishing a tuck and roll to get his tent in it's 
sleeve.  
	"This was your FIRST Theban?!" Michael's eyes were wide.  "YOU 
did this?"
	"So?"
	"Holy FUCK!  I thought you found this in the town back there!" he 
regarded the page in a new light.  "YOU did this?  I haven't even 
taught you anything yet!"
	Fiss nodded.  "So you like it?"
	"You're telling me you did High Theban Prophecy without any 
training?  And lived to tell about it?  More than that, but you took 
Rei inside it too?" Michael's jaw was almost hitting the sand.  "How 
long did it take you to draw?"
	Chris glanced over to Rei, who had been sporting a rather healthy 
glow that morning.  "Uh, what do you think?" he asked her.
	"Took you just over a minute." she nodded.
	"That's impossible." Michael stated flatly.  "I only know of 
three Mages who can write High Theban that fast.  You'd rank in the top 
ten."
	"Okay.  Minute and a half." Chris shrugged, putting on his 
backpack and going over to Miharu's to help her get it on.  
	"You're not kidding, are you?" Michael shook his head.  "This is 
dangerous stuff, you know.  You just barely pulled it off without 
making a mistake.  You should NEVER use something like that coal stick 
you use to draw."
	"Pencils work just as good as pissing in the snow." Chris said.
	"Next time you want to make a prophecy, you run it by ME first." 
Michael ordered, ripping up the paper to make sure it wouldn't be able 
to be read again.  "I will NOT have you going crazy just because you 
want to go on a nature walk back in your home town or something."
	"Relax.  It was spur of the moment." Rei frowned.  "It won't 
happen again."
	"At least not until we're married." Chris said under his breath, 
getting a sly look from Rei in response.  
	Michael shook his head and turned his attentions back to getting 
the camp cleaned up.
	"How much further is it to the Pool?" Miharu asked, shrugging on 
her backpack.  "I wouldn't mind washing my hair." She laughed.
	"Don't even joke about that." SkitZ replied.  "I don't think 
you'd like a trip in the Pool."
	"Why the hell not?" Miharu frowned.  "You saying I'm a fallen 
angel or something?"
	Michael laughed.  "No my dear.  You're a little young to be a 
Fallen.  But you're also a girl from a Universe outside of the Genesis 
Spell."
	"So?"
	"If you decide to take a swim in the Pool of Angels, you'll 
probably be erased from this reality." Michael smiled.  "But that's 
just a guess.  Pretty much anything could happen.  You might just swim 
to safety, or you could vaporize...or maybe your soul would be lost in 
an alternate plane of existence, but your body would be fine." He 
shrugged. "Or maybe, if you were lucky..."
	"Okay." Miharu sighed.  "I get the idea."
	Chris shook his head.  "I'm beginning to think this Pool isn't 
going to be a lot of fun." He rubbed his temples.  "Sure I can't just 
take a few Advil every day for the rest of my life?"
	"Well, if your head doesn't explode in a few days, I'll have to 
kill you." Michael stated flatly.  "Cause you'll have turned into a 
demon by then.  At least Fallen Angels had their wings to start out 
with.  You won't even have that."
	Miharu nodded.  "So how long till we can get my dad out of the 
danger zone?"
	Michael squinted his eyes, looking out over the horizon.  "I'd 
say we should get there by sunset."
	Chris laughed.  "Today is the greatest, day I've ever known.  
Can't wait for tomorrow.  Tomorrow's just too long."
	"Heehaw!  I've always wanted to gang rape an angel." Maury 
grinned evilly.
	"Hey, don't wait for him, then." Michael stretched his wings out 
and blew Mo a kiss.  
	"Lita's going to have kittens." Rei laughed.
	"Cats?  Where?!" Michael looked around.  "Oh...you were 
kidding..."
	They all blinked.  "Uh, anyway..." Andrea cleared her throat.  
	









	That day was hot.  Very hot.  The kind of heat that foretold of 
the first REAL heat of the summer.  For probably the FIRST time in any 
of her adventures with Fiss and the gang, Rei was more than happy to be 
trudging along in a skirt.  Michael had taken off his inner coat, 
stowing it on the top of his backpack.  Though SkitZ seemed to be 
wearing mostly black, his wings flapping in the breeze occasionally 
kept him cool enough not to collapse.  
	Chris was wearing his sword, but had collapsed his tuxedo back 
into whatever spooky pocket of space and time each of them used to stow 
their uniforms.  Tan dress pants and a Happy Noodle Boy T-shirt.  Maury 
never did have any problems with the sun, and was looking as cool as a 
Penguin (though he would never admit it).  Hooze also had the advantage 
of the Scout Fuku, and Demeter just looked drunk.  Beavis and Dave were 
hovering over his laptop, trying to get better readings on the scans.  
They both never noticed the heat.  Miharu had nice baggy clothes on, 
and was traveling behind SkitZ, who's wings and height acted like a 
beach umbrella. 
	"And THAT'S how you make glass." Chris said.
	"Wow." SkitZ shook his head.  "I wonder if we could do that 
here."
	"Tell me about your city." Chris smiled.  "It sounds like a nice 
place."
	"It's on the coast." Michael smiled proudly.  "In probably the 
best defensive position on the continent.  "Just a short swim and 
you're there."
	"Swim?"
	"Yeah." He nodded.  "It's built into an old mountain that used to 
be part of the coast, but got flooded around about a decade ago.  Turns 
out it worked better than any moat.  A lot of the angels of other 
armies are terrified of water."
	"Even flying over it?" Chris raised an eyebrow.
	"It's hard to explain." Michael said.  "You see, a lot of the 
assholes that had access to the Pool had no idea what they were getting 
into.  Flying is a very big step for some guy who really doesn't want 
to anyway.  When you fly out over water, it's a lot harder because of 
the air-currents changing, and it's a lot spookier when you look down 
and see an extra few dozen lengths to the ocean floor."
	"Rookies." Chris laughed.  "Why, back in my days as a pilot on 
flight-simulators, I could land any jet there was on a Carrier without 
even needing an arrest cable.  It wouldn't matter if they were docked, 
or out in the middle of the ocean during a hurricane."
	Both him and Maury stopped in their tracks, turned to each other, 
then began to perform long, violently fast head-bangs by nearly 
slamming their heads into the sand, then shooting up in a jump and then 
back again.  
	"What the hell are you doing?" Rei blinked.
	"Gee-force training." Maury replied happily.
	"Yeah.  Plus, the blood-rush to the head is a cheep high when you 
don't have any Jolt." Chris nodded, almost falling over from the head-
movement.  "Wohoahhha!"
	"You two are amused WAY too easily." Rei laughed, picking Chris 
up by the shoulders. 
	"Hee-yuck!  Blinky lights!" Maury started walking all retarded.  	
	They continued trekking as the sun started it's decent from high 
overhead.  In the distance, they saw a small group of rocks.  They 
looked almost natural, but there was something about them that didn't 
seem quite right.  "That's where it is." Michael said, pointing with 
his sword.  "The Pool of Angels.  The key to divinity, and the gate to 
both heaven and hell." He sighed.  "And the most dangerous fucking 
place on the planet."
	"Better than Disneyland." Chris mused.
	Rei yawned and stretched her neck and shoulders.  "Well, at least 
it looks like we'll be getting some rain." She pointed over to the 
horizon to the South.  "That's going to be nice."
	A gray thundercloud had begun it's gentle creep across the 
otherwise pristine desert sky.  Michael glanced over to it and nearly 
fell over.  "Oh my..."
	"What is it?" Chris asked, looking over at the cloud.
	"Dave." Michael turned quickly, ignoring Chris.  "Scan that 
cloud."
	Dave shrugged and directed the beam over to the dark fluffy mass 
of water vapor.  "Um...this is weird.  I'm not picking up anything." He 
frowned.  "I mean, this is REALLY weird.  I should at least be getting 
a barometric difference from inside the cloud.  I haven't had any 
problems scanning that."
	"How long until we reach those rocks?" Michael asked quickly, 
picking up the pace.
	"At this speed?  About two hours."
	"How long until the cloud..."
	"About twenty minutes." Dave replied.  "Why?"
	"Shit." Michael's wings spread out.  "We need some extra time.  
I'm going to start flying us in jumps.  Can you take anyone in 
PenguinSpace?"
	"Maybe a person at a time." Dave raised an eyebrow.  "I topped 
off most of our supplies.  There's only about three cubic meters left."
	"Do it." Michael ordered.  "No time to explain.  You'll find out 
in a bit." He turned to Miharu and Rei.  "I'll take Rei and Dave, and 
Miharu in PenguinSpace.  I'll come back and get the rest of us ahead 
two at a time."
	Without a question, Dave threw over his coat, letting Miharu 
inside, then, under each of Michael's arms, he took off.  
	Demeter smiled.  "Just a sec." He hiccuped, absorbing some more 
sand from the desert around them.  He morphed out his back and arms 
into a small stand.  Then, he grew another dozen legs.  

	Everyone blinked.

	"Wow." Andrea laughed.
	With that, they all hopped on Demeter's back.  "I can only handle 
this much glass for a while, but if it's an emergency, I might as 
well." He said in a slow voice, probably keeping most of his 
concentration on the new form he had assumed.
	"Do your best, Demeter." Chris nodded.  "Michael seemed in a 
hurry."

	Demeter's dozen legs began to run like a centipede.  Though the 
speed wasn't as great as flying, they were moving faster than an all 
out mad-dash.  Beavis hovered in front of them, keeping an eye on the 
cloud that was now quite close.  Maybe five or ten minutes away.  "I 
don't get it." He said.  "Why are we running from a rain-cloud?"
	"Maybe rain is toxic in the desert?" Maury shrugged.  
	A crash of thunder made everyone but Demeter and Beavis jump.  
"Shit, it is pretty close." Chris frowned.  "Something doesn't smell 
right."
	"Why do you say that?" Andrea asked.
	"Smell the air." He explained.  "When it rains, you get that 
shift in the humidity.  Even before a storm.  It still seems like 
desert though."
	"You're right." Hooze raised an eyebrow.  
	A brief but bright lightning bolt lit up the cloud.  	Chris' 
sunglasses adjusted to the light instantly, however, and he almost fell 
off Demeter's little train.  "Oh shit..."
	It started to rain.  Maury looked him over.  "What do you mean? 
'Oh Shit'?" he pointed to the cloud.  "It's raining.  So?"
	
	Everyone turned to the cloud.  A dark stream of color began to 
fall from it's bottom, the way any cloud would look like if it was 
raining in the distance.  Gossamer chains of water droplets too tiny to 
see from this distance.
	But then, Andrea squinted in the sunlight, and managed to make 
out something else.  "Wait a second..." she paused.  "I can see the 
raindrops."
	Maury laughed.  "What?"
	"Look..." 
	He leaned over and strained his eyes.  "Holy shit..."
	"Those aren't raindrops." Chris said...his voice dead serious.  
"Those are angels."

	The storm of angels kept coming, and the roar of thousands of 
wings began to fill the air.  So many wings.
	
	

















                              Chapter 18









	It was now quite apparent that the "storm" was not only going to 
hit them anyway, but was deliberately tracking them.  They had 
regrouped about half-way to the Pool of Angels, but upon sight of the 
scouts, they knew it was going to be a running battle.  
	"A fucking Host.  They send a fucking Host.  I don't believe 
this." Michael yelled to himself as they ran.  "If I had known, I would 
have brought three."
	Demeter had to revert back into his normal humanoid form, but was 
able to keep up easily with the rest of them as they ran.  Dave had 
packed away his computer, but kept a steady lookout.  Most of the cloud 
had dissipated, but what was left was still raining to the ground in 
the form of winged warriors.  The unmistakable rumble of an army on the 
march was heading towards them, even though they saw nothing but a dust 
cloud to the South.  Armor and swords clattered like thunder.
	"I have ten Pookies with me." Dave mentioned suddenly.  
"Antimatter should be just as reliable here as in our own universe, but 
I'm not sure how much damage it's going to cause."
	"What's a Pookie?" Miharu asked.
	"Pray we don't have to use them." Dave huffed as they ran.  "If 
we have to start fighting, I'm going to start transporting around, 
blasting the fuck out of them.  That should give you guys enough cover 
to make it to the Pool without the resistance of an army directly 
hindering your path."
	"They want my ass." Michael nodded.  "I'll help draw fire." He 
turned to Chris.  "Under no circumstances are you to risk not making it 
to the Pool.  You get in there and jump right in.  Is that clear?  No 
hesitation.  The Pool will sense that, and just make the journey 
longer.  The sooner you're out, the more options we have."
	"We'll make sure he gets there." Rei nodded.
	Maury smiled.  "Got your swimming trunks ready?"
	"Always." Chris laughed.
	"EEEEEEEAAAAHHH!"  The unmistakable screech of a Dominion filled 
the air.  Rising from the approaching cloud of sand, a red beast of a 
thing began to charge them.  
	"Looks like it's party time." Chris smiled, sliding to a stop.  
His sword was out in a flash.  
	Andrea took cue and stopped running as well.  "JAN KEN PON!" she 
held out her fist, ready to complete the spell.
	Fiss closed his eyes, then spun his sword upwards in a diagonal 
arc.  It's familiar blue energy slash flew out and crashed right 
THROUGH the Dominion.  For a brief second, the poor beast never even 
knew what was happening to it as it's body began to split apart.   
	"STONE!" Andrea said, and a moment later, the red Dominion had 
exploded into a red vapor from it's wounds.  The angel on it's back 
screaming in agony as it burned.  
	Michael nodded his approval, and they continued sprinting for the 
rocks.  "Nice.  Now just do that another seven and a half thousand 
times and we're home free."
	"Fuck!" Andrea gasped as they ran.  "Seven THOUSAND?"
	"Well, only a few more Dominions.  Most of them are swordsmen." 
SkitZ smiled.  
	"MICHAEL!  HAULT!" a booming voice demanded.
	Despite their rush, everyone stopped.  Michael cringed.  "Oh 
no...Jeremiel's here."
	
	The Host had stopped it's advance.  As the dust cleared, they saw 
a pair of perfect white wings on the back of a tall, sinewy man 
approaching them.  "What is the meaning of this DISRESPECT?" he growled 
in a low, dangerous tone.  
	Michael turned to face his fellow Knight.  "What indeed?  
Attacking a harmless traveling group.  I have been paid to protect 
these people on their trip to the coast.  Seems their caution was well 
warranted."
	Jeremiel wasn't falling for it, but he had to be careful.  If any 
of his Host thought he was acting unjustly, the tables could turn very 
quickly.  "That is no excuse." He smiled.  "You were to duel me in the 
Howling Desert." He took a few steps forward.  "Did you lose your way?"
	Laughter erupted from the Host, but died down just as quickly.  
	"WHO" Michael demanded "said I was to duel?  One of your corrupt 
spies?  One of your housewives perhaps??  I did not agree to ANY duel, 
let alone initiate one!" he took out his sword, pointing it past 
Jeremiel and to the Host.  "Did one of YOU speak such lies?  SPEAK!" he 
bellowed.  
	"Silence your mouth." Jeremiel sighed, unimpressed.  "It does not 
matter who said or why they did." He smiled.  "I wish to duel you on my 
own regard."
	"For WHAT?" Michael frowned.  
	"For the lives of your employers." He leaned over, letting his 
wings stand straight up from his back.  "Or do you value them that 
little?"
	"THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO YOU!"
	Jeremiel frowned.  "Someone in your group just killed my best 
Dominion Rider.  Do you deny this?"
	Chris and Andrea both swallowed hard. 
	SkitZ took a step back.  This was bad.  "And what if I win?" he 
raised an eyebrow.  "I am curious to hear what you are offering up for 
such a breach in honor."
	"Are you all CRAZY?" Hooze demanded.  "Your fucking Dominion 
attacked US first!"
	SkitZ held up his hand.  "Well?"
	Jeremiel nodded.  "Very well.  If you win, I will order my Host 
to return to our city.  You may save the lives of your traveling 
friends, and earn your pay." He laughed.  "Something I doubt you have 
done in a long time."
	Michael gritted his teeth.  "Agreed.  You win, you may try to 
kill us.  I win, you go home."
	"Agreed." Jeremiel turned to his Host.  "Are my wishes 
understood?" he yelled.
	The ocean of angels behind him bowed their heads.  
	
	The sound of two swords being drawn initiated the duel.  

	Jeremiel flapped once and easily covered the fifty meters between 
them, landing on the sand with a swish.  
	"What if he loses?" Maury asked, looking at each of the group.
	"He won't lose." Chris hoped.
	He immediately regretted saying that when he saw the first 
exchange.  
	Jeremiel was good.  Fucking excellent.  CRACK!  TING!  CRACK!  
SkitZ flew backwards, landing on his ass as he was pushed away from 
their clash.  Michael never even had a chance to stand when the Knight 
of Bikko almost landed on top of him.  Their swords met again in a 
cross, and Michael managed to keep the thin Damascus blade away from 
his throat just barely.  His sword erupted with a low vibration and he 
managed to use it to unlock their hilts, rolling away from his 
attacker.  
	He just laughed, and raised his sword.  A bolt of lightning 
crashed into the sand at SkitZ's feet, followed by his falling over, 
coughing from the smoky air it produced.  "Do not use any parlor 
tricks, Michael.  I'm not in the mood." Jeremiel said, walking over to 
him, waiting for SkitZ to stand.  
	Michael attacked this time.  A flurry of massive swings that only 
someone with a real arm and practice could ever hope to produce with a 
broadsword.  Still, Bikko easily blocked each strike, and even had time 
to fly over Michael's head, blocking the swing as SkitZ sun around to 
meet him.  
	A rapid blocking and thrusting occurred.  The volley lasted more 
than a dozen seconds.  Each of them returning attacks and blocking the 
counter.  Only Michael seemed to be actually trying, however.  Jeremiel 
just looked bored.  He finally began putting a little more power into 
each strike, and Michael was forced back.  He would have never even had 
a chance to give Jeremiel a taste of the Noize.  He couldn't even get a 
touching strike against the man.  
	Ducking under a sudden swing, Jeremiel caught Michael off guard, 
and his sword whipped up at an angle.  Michael yelped out as some of 
his wing-tip feathers fell to the ground, sprinkled with blood.  
	The pain, however, only seemed to help SkitZ.  Jeremiel missed 
the next attack, and Michael flattened the man with a mean punch to the 
jaw.  Blood of his own began to trickle down Jeremiel's face.  He wiped 
it away as he stood.  Each Knight regrouping themselves mentally for 
the next attack.  
	"I'm going to make sure you hear the Noize." Michael growled.  
His voice was low and primal.  The pain focused his mind and his anger 
to an edge so sharp, he probably could have used it as a spare sword.  
"Really fuckin loud, too." He added.  
	His sword rumbled in anticipation, growling like an animal.  
	The next clashes were amazing.  Each of them fluttering back and 
forth on their wings, weaving in and out of each other's sword slashes.  
Michael was still bleeding, however, and just wasn't able to get enough 
speed together in time.  Jeremiel landed a quick slash to his left 
shoulder, drawing more blood.  Before Michael could back away, another 
quick slash cut the skin on his forehead.  
	He fell backwards in an effort to get away, but Jeremiel had 
already thrust himself at the man.  "Farewell my friend." He smiled, 
stabbing downwards.
	CRACK!
	Jeremiel's sword hit the ground a full three seconds later, torn 
from his hands.  He looked up in disgust to see Strike Fiss standing 
there.  His sword over Michael's chest.  "I think that's enough." Fiss 
said calmly.
	Michael didn't move.  "Get out of here, Chris...this isn't your 
fight." He growled.
	"It is now." Fiss smiled.  "What do you say, Jeremiel?  Care to 
have a side-bet?"
	The Knight's eyes regarded Chris slowly.  "I am not done yet."
	"Oh, I say you are." Fiss nodded.  "You obviously won the duel.  
Since nobody said it was to the death, however, I don't see any reason 
you have to kill a fellow Knight."
	Jeremiel frowned...but then smiled.  "I suppose you're right.  We 
never did mention it should be to the death." He walked over to his 
sword.  "But what would I wager with you?"
	"I'll tell you where the Pool of Angels is." Chris said quickly.

	Jeremiel's eyes went wide.  

	"Not only that, but I'll take you to it." Fiss said, resting his 
sword on his shoulder.  "Michael has long since forgotten.  I'm the 
only one left who knows."
	"And what do you want for such valuable information?" Jeremiel 
asked, retrieving his sword from the sand.  "I have already won the 
right to slaughter any of you that I may."
	"True." Fiss nodded.  "But if I win, you must send all but some 
of your Host away.  You may chose perhaps two dozen of your best 
warriors." He motioned to the others.  "After all, that should be more 
than enough." He bowed.  "And then, you can slaughter us.  But at least 
let us have the hope of fighting back." 
	"Hope?" Jeremiel laughed.  "I suppose that is as good enough a 
prize as any." He nodded.  "You have yourself a deal." He cocked his 
head.  "But who may I ask is dueling with me?"
	Chris bowed.  "Christopher Fiss.  Guardian of prophecies and 
master of the mighty Nacho."
	A laugh.  "So you think you're a Knight?  I'm sure Azrael would 
find that amusing to have a fan of such dedication."
	"He stole my name first, sir." Chris smiled.  "Now, shall we?"
	Michael was extremely pissed off as he stood.  "If you die, I 
swear I'll kill you." He stormed off.  
	"I don't doubt that." Fiss nodded, turning to Jeremiel.  "But I 
won't kill you if you don't kill me."
	"Very well.  Another knock-down.  No death." He smiled, raising 
his hand.  "HOST!  READY!"
	Fiss blinked.  "What the hell are you doing??"
	Jeremiel shrugged.  "Like I said, I've already won the right to 
slaughter you all.  But, if and when you win the duel, I'll be forced 
to send most of my force away." His smile was toothy.  "I suggest you 
win before you have no friends left."
	Chris said nothing.  His only reply was the tiny squeak as his 
hand tightened around his sword's grip.  
	"HOST ATTACK!"


















                          Chapter 19









	

	Dave spun around, a Pookie on each arm.  He threw another to 
Maury, and then one to Miharu and Demeter each.  "Aim and press the 
button marked 'fun'." He instructed them as the Host rumbled to life 
and began to advance.  Nothing more was said, only the shrill hum of 
antimatter being generated.  
	Demeter extended his free arm into a katana-like sword shape, re-
enforcing it's blade with as much silicates as he could spare.  Miharu, 
lacking any powers besides her sword, gratefully accepted the humming 
weapon and targeted the approaching wave of angels.  "Let's get some."
	"No no no." Dave scolded.  "It's Locked, Cocked, Ready To Rock." 
He smiled, aiming his Pookie at the nearest swordsman, and pressing the 
trigger.
	POOOOK!  IEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!  GGRRRRAACK!  BOOOOOOOM!!
	What was left of the angel exploded in a pink and white flash, 
throwing the other dozen or so backwards.  "See?" Dave grinned.
	All five Pookies lit up.  Dave even set his to wide-dispersal.  
The greenish streaks of light met their targets across the battlefield 
and reduced fifty angels to protomatter in a matter of seconds.  
	Rei steadied herself.  "Mars FIRESTORM!  IGNIGHT!"  Her gloves 
ignited, but instead of her usual attack, gooey fire rolled off into 
her hands.  "Dammit!" she threw the globs off.  "Dave!  Pass me a 
Pookie!"
	He tossed her his spare and shook his head.  "We'll figure this 
out later.  Press the red button on the side and make sure your 
shoulder isn't taken off by the recoil."
	All of them complied, and each Pookie expanded and grew in a 
mechanical whirring noise.  

	
	Jeremiel and Chris had already started their duel, surrounded by 
angels attacking the others, but who were bound by honor not to help 
their Knight.  This duel was much different than the first, however.
	They began circling each other like sharks.  Jeremiel thrust his 
sword in a few times, but each time Chris blocked it without effort.  
Suddenly, Chris jumped forward and landed a slash against Jeremiel's 
block, then spun, then slashed back down, and up again.  Bikko fell 
backwards, but easily recovered with aide of his wings.  "Nice sword." 
He said bluntly, shaking out his arms.  
	"Giving up so soon?" Fiss lunged.  Jeremiel knocked the blade 
away, but had to block again when the katana reversed direction and 
almost took off his ear.  
	He lunged forward to avoid Fiss' next slash, aiming to disembowel 
the Senshi, but Chris rolled out of the way easily and his sword hit 
feather on the spin.  
	The gash hadn't been to the Archangels' main wing-tips, but it 
did slice out a rather large chunk of the white fuzz.  Jeremiel lost 
his balance and fell over.  Rather than continue, weakened by the cut, 
his wings lay across his back and slid into their robe-form.  He stood 
quickly, and was able to get a few rounds of shots on Chris' defense.  
Despite his quick recovery time, Jeremiel was clearly frustrated.  
Every attack was not only countered, but seemed to lead to a counter 
attack by Strike Fiss and his blade.  
	Fiss knocked away a stab, then let out a series of three slices 
to Jeremiel's side, spun and instead of hitting the other side, swooped 
up at the same point.  The Knight had been unprepared, and a thin 
streak of blood splattered across the sand as he stumbled back.  
	"Concede." Fiss said simply with a small bow.  
	Jeremiel's face scrunched up as he held his wound.  "I've changed 
my mind.  To the death."
	He leapt up and began hammering away at Chris' sword.  Once he 
even got a shot through, and it hit his vest and bounced off with only 
a warning to Chris.  He countered everything, even shoving the Knight 
back with a kick to the stomach.  A clip to the head with his blade 
drew more blood from the angel.  "Pull back your troops." Fiss demanded 
as Jeremiel fell over and scrambled to get some distance between them.  
	Even before the Knight could finish the word "Never." Fiss shot 
out a pulse wave from his sword, knocking Jeremiel back over.  


	The Host stopped their attack abruptly as they had started to 
surround the Senshi, who were not able to hold them back as fast as 
they were coming.  
	"What's going on?" Maury coughed.  The dust kicked up by the 
Pookies was amazing.
	

	They had all stopped when they saw their Knight on the ground, 
bleeding from his forehead.  Everything was absolutely still.  Dave was 
amazed that such a battle could have been brought to such a sudden 
stop.
	Jeremiel stood once more, abet on shaky limbs.  Though their 
skills were fairly matched, Jeremiel's wings were hurting and his 
confidence fading fast.  If underestimated, Strike Fiss would always be 
sure to point out the error.  "I suggest you get out of here." He 
whispered, sword resting by his side.  "And take your assholes with 
you."
	"This isn't over." He tightened the grip on his sword.  "I'm just 
getting started."
	The Knight of Bikko resumed his attack even faster this time.  
Chris had trouble blocking each strike, and was forced to sprint out of 
the way of a few of the slices.  


	Everyone was watching the duel now.  Cornered, the Senshi could 
only watch as well.  There was no room amid the sea of armored angels 
to run.  


	Despite his best efforts, Jeremiel kept up to Fiss easily, 
dogging him down.  He had learned not to underestimate this young man, 
and it proved to be the edge he needed to start fighting back.  Every 
few seconds their swords would clash together.  Steel ringing against 
steel.  The best swords in their respective universes coming together.  
Each taught by the same Master.  The more Fiss fought, however, the 
smoother his movements became.  Rei noticed the same thing happening 
when they had been attacked by the assassins in Calgary.  
	It was almost like he flowed around each strike, now able to 
spend most of his blade's energy into attack.  Slice!  A hit to 
Jeremiel's leg.  Another to his armpit.  Left side.  Roll and a smash 
to the back of the neck with the dull edge of the katana.  Their swords 
barely touched anymore, and when they did, it was brief and deadly.  
Each jarring impact weakened Jeremiel's grip further as streaks of his 
blood dripped onto the sand from his wounds.  The only hits Fiss let 
were to his armor, causing Jeremiel to only get more frustrated that 
blood was not drawn whenever he DID manage to connect.  
	Though each sword was a Key, and Jeremiel's had been constructed 
well, Fiss' was easily the better blade.  The Knight lunged forward and 
was greeted with Fiss' foot driving his blade into the sand, then a 
sharp katana coming down hard on the handle.  

	CRACK!

	The base of the blade splintered off as the handle was cut from 
the metal.  Everyone in the desert opened their eyes to see Jeremiel's 
bleeding hands holding the wood and leather stump.  His eyes looking at 
Fiss in disbelief.  
	They both stared at each other for a long time.  Jeremiel closes 
his eyes, and with his final breath...before Fiss could react...yelled 
"DESTROY THEM ALL!"
	His head hit the sand a moment later.  The cloaked body crumpled 
up on itself.  

	Michael's eyes widened as the Host howled in anger.  "Chris!"
	Fiss nodded, looking towards the rocks just a few minutes away.  
"If that's the way it's going to be..." he adjusted his sunglasses.  
"then let's rock."





















                           Chapter 20












	"JAN KEN PON!" Hooze lined up her fingers horizontally.  
"SCISSORS!!!"  A bloody line was cut through the bellies of any angel 
unlucky enough to be in her way.  
	Though the swordsmen were cut down dead, some of the strangely 
dressed War Mages just let the attack pass through them, unscathed.  
They weren't so lucky against Pookie, however, and Dave used that 
knowledge to finish off a nice wide path to Fiss.  "Get his sword." 
Fiss said, throwing the blade to Dave.  
	Dave opened his coat and let it slide into PenguinSpace.  "Any 
ideas?" he said, recharging his weapon's antimatter stores.  
	"Get to the Pool." Michael said.  "We can hold them off from 
there.  It's going to be really messy, but these assholes aren't going 
to stop until one of our groups are all dead."
	"Nowhere to fall with out backs to the wall, eh?" Maury nodded as 
they ran.  Demeter and Rei laying down cover fire as Dave watched their 
backs.  
	Fireballs began to fly from the War Mages when it became clear to 
the Host that the swordsmen were not much more than a distraction.  
Dominions hung in the air, waiting for their chance to strike.  Andrea, 
getting pissed off, aimed a well-timed Paper spell that smashed into 
one of their noses, and they fell to the ground, crushing a trio of 
Mages in the process.  "This is starting to really SUCK!" she yelled.  
	There was still half of the Host that was actively battling the 
Senshi.  Three thousand warriors, who were now a greater ratio of 
Mages.  Andrea eventually had to erect Paper shields just to keep them 
from all being burnt.  
	"FISS!" Chris yelled.  A wide, high-energy arch of blue light 
lashed out and crashed through the entire army, killing at least 
another hundred swordsmen.  "We gotta keep moving!  Don't stop for 
anything!" he rolled past a sword and struck down, killing the angel 
and two more behind him.  
	Remembering his battle with Galaxia, Dave crouched down low and 
began firing rounds of antimatter into the sand, setting each of them 
to explode a hundred meters away.  After a good ten shots, a loud 
screaming could be heard as a section of the army sunk into the sand, 
falling on top of each other.  Rei rolled past a fireball and did the 
same, sinking a few of the Mages that were beginning to piss her off.  
Demeter managed to down another two of the Dominions overhead with a 
few rounds.  Miharu, SkitZ and Fiss ended up leading the assault 
forward, with their swords and Pookies.  Michael had pumped up the 
juice to his own sword's powers, and anyone caught in their direct path 
instantly dropped to the ground, holding their hears.  Miharu finished 
them off with a blast or two.  
	When they were close enough, Dave told everyone to stand back, 
and he threw his Pookie into the middle of the remaining opposition.  A 
moment later a white and red flash threw everyone to their feet.  
	As the sand cleared, there was nothing left of the seven hundred 
or so swordsmen and mages in their way.  "RUN!" Dave ordered.  

	They sprinted for the rocks as fast as they could.  Still 
stunned, the Host had no chance in closing around them, and they made 
it.  A large boulder was blocking what appeared to be a cave.  Miharu 
and Rei both let it fly with Pookies, and it was gone a second later.  
The entrance only two shoulder-widths apart. 
	"I'll stay here!" Dave said, taking another two Pookies out of 
his coat and latching them onto his arms.
	"Me too." Andrea said, preparing another volley of Jan Ken Pon 
Paper.  "You get in there Fissy." She smiled.
	Chris smiled his thanks, and they all dropped their packs and 
Pookies at the door, running inside.

	As they disappeared into the darkness, Andrea and Dave braced 
themselves.  A wall of very angry angels approached.  "Dave?" she 
sighed, picking up Miharu's weapon.
	"Yeah?"
	"Have you ever been this scared before?" Hooze asked.
	"Nope." Dave laughed, shaking slightly.  "I love the sensation, 
though."
	She laughed.  "Then that means you think we'll survive this."
	"Odds are about ten to one at this point." Dave replied.  "Could 
be a lot worse."
	"Ah, an optimist till the very end." She smiled.
	"Locked."
	"Cocked!"
	"Ready to ROCK!"

   









	Everything was dark until Rei lit up her finger.  They all 
watched her as she found what looked to be a torch, and lit it up as 
well.  
	"Better than a Zippo." Chris smiled, blowing her a kiss. 
	Though the outcropping of rocks had been rather small on the 
surface, it was clear they did not represent the entire cavern.  It was 
HUGE.  There could have been enough room to plant a football 
stadium...seats as well as the field...in the middle of the valley they 
now looked out over.  
	Michael looked out over the gentle depression.  It was like a 
meteorite crater covered by a cave roof.  "I haven't been here in 
decades..." he sighed happily.  "It feels good."
	The still air and eerie darkness forced the rest of them not to 
share that observation.  The air was damp, despite the desert above.  
Stalactites let a gentle dripping sound fill the cave, echoing so far 
away that it didn't even sound right.  This entire place was strange;  
extraordinary in any way they could think of.  "Look!" Miharu pointed 
at the roof.
	As the light from Rei's torch lit it up, green specks of light 
could be seen.  They spread and intensified their glow as more light 
was cast upon them.  "Wow.  Glow-in-the-dark caves." Chris smiled, 
sheathing his sword.  
	Michael finally ushered them forward.  They walked along the edge 
of the crater for a few meters until he found a small metal cube 
marking a path that lead down the side of the indentation in the rock.  
"Everyone," he whispered.  "This place is older than some planets in 
your universe.  We have to be absolutely quiet or the rock could 
collapse around us."
	They all nodded and continued to walk down the gentle sloped 
path.  A path every angel had followed down.  It was humbling to know 
they were in such a sacred place, even if it was in a time of war and 
desperation.  
	
	Descending the height of a twenty story building, they finally 
made it to a hollowed out flat area at the bottom of the crater.  
	In the center was a large, jagged hole in the ground.  Theban 
script seemed to pour out from it's opening, snaking across the ground 
in random patterns and vague geometric shapes.  The actual hole had to 
be a dozen meters across.  
	"Is that it?" Chris whispered.
	Michael nodded, but his brow was creased.  Slowly, they edged 
toward it.  Where there had been water...obvious from the color on the 
side of the rocks changing at the last few inches before the 
edge...there was only a dark chasm.
	"It's dry..." he whispered to himself.  "Fuck..."
	Chris pulled out his computer and tried to scan the pool.  "I 
can't get any readings at all."
	Beavis hovered over to him.  "I'll check it out." He whispered, 
gently lowering himself into the hole.
	"Is that safe?" Chris asked, looking over to Michael who looked 
just as worried.
	"What other choice do we have?" the little hedgehog smiled.  His 
blue glow disappeared down into the darkness until it was only a tiny 
pinprick of light.
	
	Ten minutes.  

	The glow began to rise again.  Beavis, eyes squinting in the 
sudden light of the torch, shook his head.  "That thing is deeper than 
three hundred meters, I'll tell you that." 
	"Is there any water?" Michael asked hopefully.
	"The last ten or so lengths as you call them seem to be still 
wet." Beavis nodded.  "But I don't see how that's enough water to 
cushion a fall like that."
	Chris' eyes widened.  "I think I have a plan."
	They all looked over at him.  "What do you mean, 'plan'?" Rei 
asked cautiously.  If there was one thing she didn't like was how Chris 
could suddenly get enthusiastic about some crazy 'plan.'
	"I had this dream." He explained.  "The first Theban lesson.  I 
think I might be able to slow myself down before I hit." He shrugged.
	"How will you get back up?" Rei frowned.
	"Beavis can help me." Chris nodded.  "He can use his levitation 
powers to give me a boost." He pointed to the rock.  "This stuff is 
just dirt.  Most of it is probably still damp.  I should be able to 
climb back out."
	Maury raised an eyebrow.  "Chris, the last time either of us 
climbed up something that high it was at a nice incline.  THAT, on the 
other hand, is straight fucking up and down."
	"I know, Mo." Chris nodded.  "If that doesn't work, I'll just 
wait for Dave to come back and he can just zip me back up with 
PenguinSpace.  How about that?
	"This is the entire reason why we're here.  Why you all offered 
to help me." He smiled slightly.  "If I don't do this, either my head 
will kill me, or Michael will.  Personally, I would like to be around 
to annoy you for a few more years." He looked at the Pool.  "It's a 
risk after another risk multiplied by a dozen more, but it's the only 
chance I have."  He turned to Michael.  "How long does it take?"
	Michael shook his head.  "About a minute."
	KRACKBOOM!  A sudden explosion from outside shook the cavern, 
knocking them all to their knees.  The ground was slick and damp, and 
they landed with a soft squish.  
	"I can do this." Fiss insisted.  "I only need Beavis and Michael 
here.  The rest of you go help Dave and Andrea."
	Rocks began to tumble down from the sides of the cliff, bouncing 
around them like popcorn.  "Sounds like they might need a little help." 
Maury nodded.  "Good luck, Fiss-a-fer!" he ran up the trail again, 
dodging any rocks falling down from the roof.  
	Demeter took off next.  "We'll send Dave down when everything's 
safe." He promised.
	Chris took off his coat and sunglasses.  He ran the belt of his 
coat through his belt-loops and tied it against his sword to make sure 
it wouldn't fall off or get caught on anything on the way down.
	KCRACH!  Another explosion rocked the surface.  Michael looked at 
the roof with worried eyes.  A few rather large stalactites were 
hovering above their general vicinity.  Dust and green glowing 
particles began to flutter down across their noses.  "You two better 
get going." He told Rei and Miharu.
	They stood their ground.  "Not until Chris leaves with us." Rei 
told him.
	SkitZ turned to Fiss.  "Are they always this difficult?"
	"Always." He smiled.  
	Miharu nodded proudly with her wakizashi resting against her 
shoulder.  "Damn rights."
	Chris was just about to reply when another explosion rocked them 
off their feet.  A horrible cracking sound filled the air, and the dirt 
around them began sliding into the Pool of Angels.  Michael caught Rei 
before she slipped, and then sidestepped a stalactite spear that 
slammed down in front of them.  Fiss managed to dig his fingers into 
the soft mud in time, stopping his slide, but Miharu started rolling 
down the incline to the hole.  
	"MIHARU!" Rei gasped.  Before she could jump out to help, though, 
rocks began to pour down from the ledge above, knocking both her and 
SkitZ down to their knees.  
	Miharu slid right into the gaping hole, the hilt of her sword and 
the four fingers of her free hand left deep channels in the mud as she 
tried to slow herself down.  

	It wasn't going to be enough.






















                           Chapter 21










	As the last glimmer of Miharu's sword disappeared into the Pool 
of Angels, it was followed by Chris' arm, shooting down to grab her.  
He missed her hand, but at the last moment, found purchase on the blade 
of her sword.  
	Miharu gasped as her shoulder almost dislocated and she smacked 
against the side of the muddy wall.  Chris' grip slipped for a moment, 
but just before he ran out of sword to grab.  "Don'...mooove!" he 
coughed.
	Everyone was still for a dozen of the longest heartbeats anyone 
has ever experienced.  
	Slowly, Chris edged his other shoulder over the edge of the Pool 
and grabbed the blade tighter.  Miharu looked up in horror as a thin 
red line of blood began to slide down her weapon from Chris' hands.  
	Barely even breathing, Chris desperately tried not to let the 
pain show in his face.  The sensation of the lukewarm steel slithering 
into his flesh was not a pleasant one, and he had to fight the urge to 
throw up.  
	Despite her best efforts to stay still, Miharu was shivering.  
"Dad...let go..." she whispered.
	"Miharu, honey, please don't talk.  Just hold on." Chris replied 
as calmly as he could.  The adrenaline and pain were mixing to almost 
unbearable levels as they slammed into his brain and passed through his 
body.  
	A small, bloody slurp signaled he had lost another inch of his 
hold.  His hands shook as red stained the silver metal.  Blood began to 
slide down the razor-edge in fat drops.  
	Michael and Rei dared not move.  Dared not say anything.  Beavis 
hovered in absolute silence.  There was nothing they could do anyway.  
Michael's wings had yet to heal, and Beavis' powers of levitation were 
severely limited in this universe.  If he tried to help, he could end 
up only making things worse when his powers wore off.    
	Finally, when Chris had regained the ability to breathe, he 
nodded slowly to Miharu.  "I'm going to try to pull you up now, Miharu.  
As soon as you can, start climbing up." He whispered.  His voice was 
shaking, but calm.  
	She shook her head.  "I...I can't..." she shuddered as drops of 
blood began to roll across her hand and fall onto her arm.  Tears 
mingled with the effort of just holding on. 
	"You can." Chris said calmly, trying to ignore the sword pressing 
against bones in his palm.  "Once I'm close enough, just use the hand-
guard as a hold."
	Very slowly, her other arm came up and found a hold on the end of 
the tiny hand-guard.  "Dad...please...let go...you're hurt..." she 
begged.
	"It's nothing." He said through gritted teeth.  "Just don't 
move." He let go one hand, grunting under the sudden sharp pain to his 
other.  Slow as a snail, it grabbed the blade just ahead of his other 
fist, gaining a good four inches across the metal.  He very nearly did 
vomit when the blade sunk back into the fresh cut.  It was either that, 
or suffer a new wound and add to the pain.  
	The blood ran off like rain on a windshield.  It was only sheer 
luck that her sword was as self-cleaning as his own was, or the red goo 
would have caused him to slip and drop her right there.  Another hand-
length was covered as Chris slowly brought her up, breathing only when 
necessary, and only when vomiting was the only alternative.  
	"I don't feel so good..." Miharu sobbed.  
	"You're telling me." Chris smiled weakly as another hand reached 
out and grabbed a fistful of sword.  
	"I...don't think I can hold on..."
	"You can and you will, Miharu." Chris said bluntly.  "This is no 
way for a samurai to die, and I will not hear of it."
	It was a long time until Chris could try another grab, and 
Miharu's eyes were distant and hazy.  "I love you, dad." She whispered 
quietly. 
	"I love you too." He replied.  "That's why I can't let you drop.  
You and Rei are the most important people in my life, and I don't think 
I could live with just one of you." He smiled warmly.  "You spoiled 
me."
	Miharu laughed weakly, then nodded.  "Okay."
	Finally, just a hand away, Chris prepared himself for the jolt of 
pain.  "On the count of three, I want you to grab my right hand with 
your right.  Drop the sword if you have to.  I can always get it back 
when we go home." He nodded.  "Okay?"
	She nodded, taking a deep breath.  "Ready."

	"Please let this work..." Rei whispered to herself.

	"One." Chris nodded.  "Two..."

	KARAAAAAK!  BOOOOOOOOOM!

	Easily the largest explosion yet rocked the Pool of Angels and 
the surrounding cave like an earthquake.  Chris slid forward, but 
managed to stop at his waist, and used the sudden jolt to grab Miharu's 
arm in both hands.
	"CHRIS!" she cried out.
	"CLIMB UP!" he demanded as dirt began to fall around their heads.  
"NOW!" he yanked her forward.  
	She managed to grab the back of his vest and used it to pull 
herself up onto his back.  He grabbed her feet and let her get a 
foothold on his hands.  

	Michael's powerful arms yanked Miharu up out of the Pool, sword 
and all, but he tumbled backwards on the shaking ground, unable to 
reach Chris' feet in time to help.
	"FISS!  GET READY!" he yelled.
	
	"Oh shit oh shit ooooooh shit!" Chris felt himself slipping head-
first into the endless darkness below.  
	With one, final, graceless tumble, he fell into the Pool of 
Angels.










	The fall was faster than he expected.  Maybe it had been the 
added gravity, or maybe the dark hole that offered no reference point 
for speed except the vertigo of dropping...but he saw water approaching 
fast.  Just a glimmer of a reflection.
	No time to think.  Just do it.

	No time to worry.  Just do it.

	He pulled out his sword, then began to trace the character for 
STOP.  It had to work.  It WOULD work.  

	It didn't work. 

	He tried again. 

	Faster. 

	Faster.

	Again.

	Again.
	
	"Come on..." he thought to himself, closing his eyes.  "One last 
time..."

	Golden light finally started to form where his blade touched air.  
Just a second before the water below. 

	Some distant thought in Chris' mind, just before he hit, reminded 
him of Dave's words when they had first arrived.  
	"Water doesn't compress."  

	It's not going to work, he thought sadly, even as he drew the 
last curves.



	KRACK!!!!





	Rei, Miharu, Michael and Beavis all looked overt to the Pool of 
Angels, eyes wide and jaws parted in horror.  











	A brilliant silver blade struck the bottom of the Pool of Angels, 
falling over in the sediment that covered the script that formed the 
seven Angelic Virtues.  
	The golden, flickering light of an almost-completed character 
hovered for a moment over the water's surface, then faded into 
darkness.  The only sound was the echoing SLAP that he had made when he 
hit the water so hard it knocked the life right out of him.

	Strike Fiss lay on top of the water for a brief moment before 
sinking.  The last rays of light from the hole so far above dying in 
his eyes.

	He sunk a moment later, drifting down the last few meters to the 
sandy bottom, falling next to his sword.  Blood from his hands and 
mouth hung in the dusty water, tracing his fall.
















To be continued.









***********************************************************************

Sad but true, this story was completed before 2 am!!  GASP!  But fear 
not, as most of it was written at Jolt induced caffeine rushes at 4-6 
am.  

Ahem.  Official Authors Notes Time!

I have no idea how many angels make up a Host (and believe me, I've 
done some MAJOR research), so I figured 7777 was just as good a number 
as any.  ^_^  I'd also like to thank Sara's Archangels page, and the 
Seven Archangels pages (check the links section when I have a chance to 
get it updated) for many of the names used in the SK series, as well as 
some of the hidden meanings.  

I'd also like to point out that Angels transcend any religion, and no 
effort to alienate anyone's faith has been attempted or implied.  I 
know very few people who don't believe they have a guardian angel 
keeping them out of trouble at times, so I'm sure you'll all agree.  

Mm, what else.  Yes!  Very special thanks to SkitZ.  The REAL SkitZ.  
We just call him Mike.  He's helped develop the ideas behind the SK 
series, and will continue to help come up with funky new stuff.  It's 
far from over folks, so just sit back and enjoy.  Hehe.  There will be 
at least 7 SK stories (Aren't ya tired of 7's yet?  So am I, but 
they're just so handy!), and will probably lead to a final three 
stories at the end entitled something completely different. Sailor Moon 
and the Japanese Senshi won't be left out for long, I promise you.  

ALSO, I'll be putting out a character listing at the end of either SK 5 
or 6.  It will show some actors and actresses that might be good for a 
live-action version of each character.  Personally, I think Jeremiel 
would have been played rather well by Jeremy Irons.  How about you?  If 
you have any ideas for a cool actor or actress...especially for ME, 
Hooze, Mo, and SkitZ, then tell me, cause it's hard to cast for 
yourself.  Someone told me that the weird guy (Jim Breuer) from "Half 
Baked" would make a good Fiss.  


E-MAIL!

strikef@bigfoot.com

I love mail.  Send if you want to chew the fat or drink the Jolt.  It 
doesn't matter!  I love to hear from anyone who can slam their head on 
a keyboard and cause letters to appear, so that covers pretty much 
anything or anyone who likes my stories.  

HOMEPAGE!

http://www.oocities.com/Tokyo/9110

Go here for all the stories.  All the art.  All the funky colored 
beans!  The whole experience!  Whee! 


So stay tuned for SAILOR MOON SEVEN KNIGHTS PART 5!  The only Sailor 
Moon Fanfic Series that requires this disclaimer at the end:

"WARNING!  Although this story is written in harmless English Text, and 
not Angelic Theban Script, it can still make you crazy!"

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