EMBER [Black Haze Fan Fiction]

Claire Arnleigh

I DO NOT OWN BLACK HAZE! Enjoy reading!

*****

Claire's POV

"This job, really..." the voice from the crystal ball on my hand sounded irritated. Well, I would be too if my mission was that silly and easy.

"Blow, if you hated the job so much why'd you take it in the first place?" I asked and the crystal ball glowed.

"I had no other choice! Master kept giving me these easy and unnecessary jobs I swear I'm going to hit him once we get back." He replied and I let out a chuckle.

"Well, my job wasn't that fulfilling either so I guess we're both going to hit him." I replied and Blow sighed just as I rounded a corner in the village we're supposed to be meeting.

"I'm here. I see a bar, I'll be in there. You'll spot me." I said and he replied with an OK before the crystal ball turned back to black.

I placed the communication device back in my backpack and started to walk along the streets of a quiet town; it was half deserted since it was the dead of night. I have just finished my mission in delivering Baroness Brown's letter to Lady Mirage and I have contacted Blow who agreed to meet with me so we could head back to Opion's Building together.

Blow is a close friend of mine. Him, the Master of Opion and Ms. Ren; Master's secretary, are the only ones I trust with my real identity; my unawakened identity. Nobody really recognizes me as Opion's Fire Phoenix when I'm not awakened besides them. And I would like to keep it that way.

I've known Blow since I joined Opion and I too along with the Master and Ms. Ren are aware of Blow's secret that is also quite similar as mine. Although Blow and I had different reasons for having these secrets, I would say they're almost the same.

I walked inside the small bar and sat by the counter before ordering a glass of water. The bartender looked at me weirdly.

"What?" I asked sharply and his breath hitched.

"N-Nothing." He replied and ducked down to get a glass and poured some ice cold water in. I chugged down the glass and felt relief wash over me. Thank god! I've been parched since I started walking back from the forest.

"Hey. You're in my seat." A deep voice said from behind me so I turned around. The man in front was at least seven feet tall. He had a square face that was half covered in his brown beard, his eyes were slanting dangerously at me and his arms were crossed in front of his chest, flexing his overgrown arms.

"You're in my seat, girlie. Move." He repeated and I looked around the bar. There were obviously a lot more unoccupied seats besides the one I'm in.

"There're a lot of seats over there." I nudged my head to my right where no one else was sitting except for one old man.

"You dare direct me, girl? Don't you know who I am?" He asked, his tone rising and his chest heaving.

"No. And I don't care. Just sit somewhere else, I got here first." I turned my back to him and saw the bartender's horrified expression. His hands that were cleaning a wet glass seemed to be frozen in place.

"You little shit!" I heard the man behind me say and I felt a tug on my hood. But before he could pull it down, I had moved swiftly behind him and drew out my scythe before placing it dangerously close to his neck.

"W-What the hell?! Hey! No weapons in the bar!" The bartender stuttered.

"Then don't piss me off." I replied when I felt a hand on my shoulder.