"Well, that... just sucks ass."

Hailee Londar looked at her cell's screen, irritated. It was already flickering wildly, words and pictures mumbling with each other. Hailee cursed.

And we haven't even crossed the Trel desert. Fuck.

She sat on the bench under the station's shed. It was cool there, and although she wasn't especially sensitive in the heat or the cold, she was glad for the shed's shade. It was a really hot day in the Trelenburg Prefecture, which was a little bit unusual for October. But the station was in the start of the Trel Desert, so sudden heat waves were to be expected at all times.

Hailee took the pocket mirror out of her travel bag. She had stopped caring about her appearance somewhere around last year, wearing little to no make-up powders or lip and eye pencils. But she always wanted to look clean and fresh, hating the little sweat-beads that now formed on top of her head. She took out her silk handkerchief, a gift from her dad, and wiped the sweat from her face.

Except her dad's handkerchief, her bag was full of presents from her step-mother, Sheila and her two twin half-brothers, John and George. Hailee thought of her little family, and smiled. She especially loved these two little devils, who were really proud about their big sis fighting the "bad guys". The smile was erased from Hailee's face.

Hell, how can you tell two five year olds lying in your bed, hugging you, thinking you are a hero, that you are in fact the bad guy?

The irony made her chuckle. When she was in their age, she imagined bad guys having sinister looking eyes and sharp teeth, incapable of feeling anything positive, like happiness or love.

But her eyes were violet, her hair dark brown and her complexion pale. She had lots of hobbies, trusty friends and loved her family to death. But still she was the supervillain in her own story. Lucifer's own flesh and blood.

***

The trees were long gone from Hailee's sight, as she looked outside the train's windows. Only endless desert opening up in front of her, never-changing. She let her imagination flare wildly, inspired by the music on her cell. The screen was once again stabilised, due to the hyper-speed train's signal modifiers. Brand-new, straight from the Brand Metropolis, especially made for travels through the Trel desert.

The train passengers were plain people, businessmen heading for the Keiko Sub-Capital, and tourists admiring the small villages of Trelenburg's countryside. Nothing out of the ordinary. But still...

Maybe someone is my future enemy. A Holy.

She sighted and shook her head, resting back on her shit. The Hollies were her least concern right now. It was just her and her desert. Her journey. Her pilgrimage.

***

Hailee was totally engulfed by her music, maybe even dozing off a little, when she felt the gentle nudge in her arm. She turned around startled and looked at the source of her disturbance.

It was a guy in his late teens, maybe early twenties, exactly like she was. He was lightly tanned, with shiny black hair and enormous green eyes, a goofy smile on his face. With a medium-height, a healthy body-built and a large back-pack on his back, the guy was the typical specimen of a happy-go-lucky, low-budget traveller.

Probably on a great self-discovery journey. Typical.

"Hi. I didn't mean to scare you or anything. I just..."

The traveller came closer, leaning over her, his spectacles almost touching her nose.

"I just wanted some help, and everyone on this train is either old or pre-occupied."

He winked at her, trying put her in his idea of old-people joke. Hailee smiled her brightest smile, and reached for him, giving him an all-too-friendly slap on the back.

At last, some entertainment.

"Sure dude. I am from around here anyway. What do you want to now?"

The guy took half a step-back, disturbed for a second, his eyes doubtful. His smile didn't falter however, even though he clearly did not expect her reaction. Hailee chuckled.

"Natives a little bit warmer than you can handle, eh?"

He laughed, his sweet expression real this time.

"We are indeed a tiny bit colder in the West. I personally prefer the warmth of the East. Name's Theo by the way."

He extended his arm and she took it gladly in hers.

"Hailee."

The two indulged themselves in pleasant small-talk, with Theo as the main participant. His questions were endless. How was it like in Keiko Sub-Capital? Had she ever been there? And if yes, was this her current destination? Would she want to travel alongside a poor tourist for fun?

"I don't want to sound like a rapist or anything, although my requests do seem suspicious", he exclaimed, ruffling his hair awkwardly, as Hailee looked at him with a comically doubtful look in her face.

"We will only meet by broad daylight and go around places, you know. I was attacked in one of my previous journeys and since then I am dead afraid of big cities."

Hailee nodded, semi-interested and Theo proceeded to tell her about his travels, the Eastern Prefecture and its own Western Sub-Capital, Wilhelmin. His stories were indeed fascinating, and the attack he had suffered by a bunch of thieves in the Brand Metropolis brutal. She pitied his good-hearted nature, and was almost sad that had to decline his invitation. Almost.

"I am sorry, Theo. I would love to see Keiko once again, and I would have loved to escort you through Brand in your return journey. I was a student there, a mathematician protégé in fact, so I have no fear for our Metropolis. Unfortunately I am heading towards the northern Region of Lainburg. I really cannot say anything more about my travels. It's a really serious family matter."

Which isn't actually so far from the truth.

Theo looked at her, clearly disappointed. Then he sighted and looked towards the floor, smiling to himself.

"Pity. I could really use a friendly guide. Well, we still have one or two hours to reach Lainburg's capital, Lindor. That's my connection train. I think I'll explore this amazing train a little further. Care to join me?"

Her eyes scanned the young man from top to bottom. He was friendly, sweet, not even half-bad in terms of appearance. And still her heart pinched from pain at the thought of following Theo, getting to know him a little better.

How long has it been since the breakup? How long will it take you to realise that you are never going to see him again?

Not today.

"I am really sorry, Theo. I will have to decline your offer."

"Fair enough. Have a nice journey, Hailee."

***

Her troubled dreams and the sound of the trains' breaks made Hailee jerk violently from her seat.

"Reaching Lindor connecting station in twenty five minutes. Passengers please be ready for arrival."

I have to go take a leak before the feet-against-feet competition starts in here.

She reached for the WC doors, and saw Theo's large sack turning around the corner, towards the train's exit doors. A smile was on her lips.

Well a last goodbye never hurt no-one.

She walked towards her unexpected encounter, already a million tips to survive Keiko in the tip of her tongue, when she heard the wailing cries. A desperate voice of a child asking for help.

Hailee's felt her skin on the back of her neck crawl. Her thought went immediately to her twin brothers. Cold as ice, but with the rage burning inside her, she reached for the train's last compartment door. The wails intensified, turning into screaming helping pleas.

Her hand braced the door's handle. It instantly turn to melting lava from her devilish touch, her eyes turning slightly red. She wanted to save the child, but couldn't allow herself to be exposed. Not yet.

Hailee busted through the door, unhinging a huge metal part of it on the process. In front of her surprised eyes stood four grown men, white as phantoms, with raven hair, blood lips and sharp fangs. Fucking Vamps. Of all my Allies...

The child was a sweet little girl, not more than eight years of age. With bright sky eyes and her light brown hair tightly knotted in two braids, she cowered in the shadows, trying to avoid the Vamps' wrath.

"Well, well, well, if it ain't our lucky day today. First we get to wipe the earth out of this little parasite..." the Vamp's finger went straight to the crying girl, "...and then we get to devour this beautiful, young lady."

Hailee shook her head.

Those idiot can't even recognise their Lord's daughter. Oh well, at least that means Dad's charms worked.

The fact that this team was a threat to her remained whoever. Three of them started closing in to her dangerously, while the team's leader took a hold of the girl, squeezing her ribs. She squealed and the Vamp punched her straight in the face. Blood was trickling from the unconscious small body, her eyes dark and tightly shut. Hailee's own eyes turned red, every cell of her body surging from her father's cursed energy.

This is where you all turn to dust, you cock-suckers.

A gentle nudge on her back, for the second time this afternoon.

"Allow the gentleman to handle the matter, if you please."

Hailee returned to her senses, and turned around. In front of her eyes was Theo. And in his extended, veiny arms was a glowing, inscribed sword. The sword of a Holy. Green smoke was rising from its tip, making the Vamps scream with shrill, high-pitched voices, their bodies already turning to smoke from the immense heat.

"Impossible..." murmured the Vamp leader, his eyes open wide.

"And still I am standing here."

Theo smiled and bowed courteously in front of Hailee. But she wasn't looking at him, his smooth features, his green eyes or his hair. She wasn't even paying attention to the glowing sword raised against the Vamps. Her eyes travelled right behind Theo's back, on the two oddities that rested on his back instead of his old traveller's bag.

Wings. Magnificent, shiny-white wings.

And in the midst of this mess, in the heat of a battle which was about to ensue at the very start of her journey, Hailee had only one, single thought.

Holy fucking shit. AnAngel.