“So, why don’t you just tell him your feelings?” Philip asked. “I am sure that Dimitri will hear you out kindly.”
“I know that he will hear me out. What I am afraid of is… getting rejected, I guess.” Angel said with a solemn voice. “The captain was the one that saved me from the streets.”
Angel told Philip how she and Dimitri first met.
“I was a pick pocketer when I was in my teens, trying to live by and buy medicine for my sick mother. My father just dies because of the same illness and I do not want my mother to follow him in the afterlife and leave me all alone.” Angel explained. “Back then, other people were not so fond of Atlantian refugees and we were not given a chance to work for a living like other people do. And so, I resort to picking pockets and thievery on the streets, and that was where the captain caught me doing such unlawful things.”
“I never thought you were a thief back then.” Philip teased while chuckling.
“Hey, don’t tease.” Angel replied. “I also never wanted to do such things. It was just… I had no other options left for me back then.”
“But then, Dimitri came to save the day.” Philip smiled.
“Yes. I still remember that day I first met the captain.” Angel smiled. “I was running away from the city guards that were trying to catch me. I bumped into him after taking a turn in an alley. He was wearing a dark cloak, and together with his black hair and eyes, he looked mysterious.”
“Won’t you be more wary of a man like that rather than swoon for him?” Philip teased.
“Heh, whatever. Let me finish.” Angel replied. “And so, my eyes looked into his dark orbs. That was when he heard the city guards that were coming after me. I tried to get away from his hold and used my magic on him.”
“You have wind magic, correct?” Philip asked.
“Yes, you are correct.” Angel replied. “And so, I used my wind magic to push him away, but he did not bulge an inch which surprised me. He just stared at me intensely. And I remember what he did as if it were yesterday.” She had dreamy eyes.
<Flashback>
“If you do not want to get caught, then just play with me.” Dimitri said to the teenage girl in front of him.
“W-What do you mean?” Angel tried to get away from the grip on her hand but to no avail. She tried using her wind magic a while ago, but that did not work as well.
“Shhh…” Dimitri gestured.
Dimitri pushed the teenage Angel on the wall and pulled her hair tie off.
“W-What are you…” Angel was surprised with their sudden position.
Dimitri had Angel’s back on the wall while he was getting closer and closer. Angel tried to resist but Dimitri was strong.
“I am sorry about this, but please b.a.r.e it for now.” Dimitri said.
Dimitri had placed some kind of ring on her finger and her hair color changed from auburn to strawberry blonde. She did not realize that her green eyes turned into light brown. Dimitri had her upper buttons of her dress open just as her cleavage was exposed. He also grabbed her t.h.i.g.h up and her skirt a little higher exposing her light t.h.i.g.h.
“No…” Angel resisted but her lips were covered by Dimitri’s hand.
“You want to get away from the guards?” Dimitri asked and Angel nodded. “Then follow my lead.”
Not long, they heard the footsteps of the city guards chasing Angel. Dimitri leaned closer to her, having the impression that they were kissing. Angel’s heart was beating fast with closeness they have.
“Hey you!” A guard called out to them. “Have you seen a teenage girl run along this way?”
“Do you think I am in the position to see who are running around here?” Dimitri acted as if he was out of breath.
“Oh, sorry.” The guard said. He looked at Angel but because she had a different appearance, the guard did not notice that she was the one they were chasing. “C-Carry on.” The guard blushed after seeing Angel and Dimitri in such a situation and walked away.
The city guards searched the vicinity for some more and so Dimitri and Angel stayed in that position for much longer. When the city guards left, that was the time Angel sighed in relief. She did not even know she was holding her breath the whole time.
“T-Thank you.” Angel said after they were in the clear.
“You… you are an Atlantian.” Dimitri asked instantly.
“How did you know?” Angel was surprised. She became on guard against Dimitri in an instant.
“You used wind magic just a while ago.” Dimitri replied. “Do not worry, I will not harm you. I am an Atlantian as well.” Dimitri nodded.
“You are also a fellow Atlantian?” Angel was surprised. It has been long since she met a fellow countryman.
“Come with me.” Dimitri offered his hand. “If you come, I will promise you that you will not need to steal again to live.”
Angel was hesitant at first but took the outstretched hand Dimitri offered. It felt warm after she had touched it. She felt the callouses in his hand, something that she will know came from the years of holding a sword.
<Flashback end>
“I can still remember how his hand was so warm to touch.” Angel was still smiling brightly. “And the time when he was so close, how I wish he had really kissed me back then.”
“Ewww… don’t talk about such things in front of a child.” Philip made a retching expression.
“Well anyways, that is my story.” Angel replied.
“Then I advise you to confess your feelings to Dimitri.” Philip replied. “There are only two outcomes after all, one is a good ending and one is the bad ending.”
“I guess your right.” Angel had a solemn smile on her face. “I think I will try.”
After a moment, they heard rumbling coming down from above. Philip and Angel looked up and saw the birds fly away. Angel thought of the worst-case scenario from where such a sound could come from.
“LAND SLIDE!” Angel screamed. “Philip, run to the camp and alert them fast!”
“… y-yes.” Philip was surprised. “What about you?”
“I will try to hold the landslide as long as I can!” Angel said.
“Hmm, be careful.” Philp nodded and ran towards camp.
Angel used her wind magic to levitate from the ground. She had practiced her wind magic hard that she had been classified as one of the tope tier wind magic users in the special army. She flew to see if it was really a land slide coming, and as she had predicted it really was.
Some of her comrades came to her aide after Philip had warned them in camp. They were the first ones that Philip had said of the situation.
“Captain Angel, we are here to help.” One said.
“What is our plan captain?” Another asked.
“Those with earth magic, try making a dike. Those with fire magic, help the earth magic users to strengthen the dyke.” Angel ordered. “Those with wind magic, help me push the landslide as much as possible. Water magic users, try averting the water of the landslide away from camp until the people have ran to safety.”
“YES!”
They start executing Angel’s plan. Earth magic wielders built a dyke made of earth, but because the rain is pouring hard the dyke was soft and hard to form. Some with plant magic tried to grow tree branches as foundation for the dyke. The fire magic wielders tried their hardest to try and dry the dyke even with the pouring rain. The wind and water magic wilders had gone ahead and tried their hardest to stall the landslide from reaching the camp.
“Captain… we can’t maintain this much longer!” One yelled.
The Atlantians were at their limit with using their magic. Not many of the ones that came with the envoy were high class magic wielders.
“Try your best until the last!” Angel yelled. “Just until the people at camp have ran to safety!”
Angel was the one with the highest-class magic user currently there. She felt the burden of the responsibility to try her hardest.
“Angel!” Dimitri’s voice was heard. “Get your men out of there now! The people in the camp are all in a safe place!”
“My lord!” Angel sighed in relief after seeing him. “You heard the grand duke, get out now!”
Angel’s comrades followed her command and started to run for safety. She stayed back until she saw that all her men had left.
Dimitri than used his earth magic to make the dike Angel’s men did higher and sturdier. The rampaging landslide was at bay with the reinforced dike that Dimitri made.
“Angel, get out of there now!” Dimitri yelled.
Angel was still hovering above the rampaging landslide. She nodded to Dimitri and when she was about to fly away, a huge tree came rushing from above the mountain. Angel’s position was in the way and she was not able to react fast. She looked at the tree with huge eyes in shock.
“No, this can’t be.” Angel whispered. “I still haven’t told him how I feel.”
When the tree was about to hit her, she heard her name being called.
“Angel!” Dimitri’s voice was so near.
Angel then just realized that she was moved out of the way of the rushing tree and in the arms of someone. When she looked, she saw Dimitri’s face so close to her until she felt her body submerge in the thick water mud of the landslide.
