Shadow Angel: Volume 1

Distant

When he entered the headmaster's office, Milo didn't know what to expect. As he entered, he saw Xander sitting at his desk, looking down with the grimmest of looks. Seeing the headmaster's expression made Milo feel uneasy as if his gut was warning him of bad news to come. Yet, he was curious about what Xander had to say. He approached the man in red's desk and sat down on a vacant chair.

Upon sitting down, Milo was the one to initiate the conversation. "You said it was urgent?"

"Yes," Xander answered flatly. He didn't even give the boy any eye contact.

Milo furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't do something wrong, did I?"

"It's not about you, it's about your sister." Xander paused and pursed his lips together. "Something happened to her last night."

Milo's eyes grew wide as he gasped. "Tell me! What happened?!" he demanded, his voice full of concern and fear.

While he was caught off guard by the freshman's demeanor, Xander didn't show it. Instead, he took a deep breath and began. "Last night, a cargo ship carrying new weapons arrived at Morningstar Harbor. Alma went there to examine the goods for herself. No one sent her. She went there of her own free will."

"Why would she go somewhere by herself? Shouldn't a Slayer never go alone?" Milo raised an eyebrow.

"What Alma was thinking that night is beyond me, Milo."

The freshman looked down at his lap and hummed.

"Anyway," Xander continued. "As Alma was inspecting the cargo, the harbor was attacked. The cargo ship was holding explosives and the sudden ambush caused them to go off. A lot of cargo workers were injured and a few were killed."

"What is an Eldritch?" Milo asked.

Xander became quiet for a few seconds. Then, he finally looked the boy in the eye and answered, "You could say that."

"And Alma, she fought it alone, didn't she?"

"She did, but when she thought she had the upper hand, she let her guard down and was attacked from behind. But you don't need to worry, she is alive. The harbormaster found her unconscious and had her sent to the hospital."

"How bad is her condition?" Milo leaned forward.

"Alma was struck with a giant piece of metal from behind. It should have killed her, but knowing her, she's resilient. She won't be walking for a while, though."

"I see." Milo nodded. Then, he asked, "May I see her?"

Xander frowned and shook his head. "Unfortunately, your sister is not accepting visitors."

"Oh." Milo wore a face of sadness.

Xander leaned back into his seat and said, "That will be all. You are dismissed, Mr. Rossi."

"Thank you for letting me know, sir." Milo stood from the chair and made his way to the door.

Once he left the office, he walked down the hallway and frowned at the floor. Milo felt sick to his stomach. While he was relieved that his older sister, his only living relative, was alive and recovering in the hospital, he was upset that she didn't want anyone to see her, let alone him.

For as long as he could remember, Milo had always looked up to Alma. In his early childhood, he had good memories of her. While she trained to be a Slayer, he would spend his days under DEA's foster system. It was a place where children who lost their parents to Eldritch activity were rescued and cared for. These kids would also be tested for an ability when they turned six. If any child tested positive, they would be immediately registered as a Slayer-in-training. But if they tested negative, they would be given two choices: they could either be given job training at DEA as a medic, operator, scientist, navigator, pilot, driver, or combat instructor or be put up for adoption and live normal lives.