The last thing I remember before waking up in the middle of the forest was seeing a beautiful meteor shower and then an earthquake. I saw a huge meteor crash near my home.

Maybe it was stupid to approach, but I was so curious that I couldn't help it. Would you have done the same if you were in my position? When I reached the meteorite, all I could think about was touching it.

After touching the stone, it felt cold to the touch, like ice, and I felt a headache. I squeezed my eyes shut before blinking, trying to get out of the crevice. In that instant, everything went black.

***

The smell of smoke woke me up; there was a sweet aroma of soup and roasted meat that finally awakened my senses. I heard voices, but decided not to open my eyes.

"So pretending to be asleep, that won't work," a loud, authoritative voice sounded.

"Be more polite, Chiron," another man's voice echoed. "He passed out at least two hours ago; he needs a break to work."

"Shut up, this isn't your business."

"Yes, it is, weirdo. This business became mine when He sent me here to help," the boy replied to Chiron. Their conversation gave me a headache.

"Who are you? Why am I in the forest?" I asked, looking for a way to escape. If they were kidnappers, it would be bad.

"Don't worry, Deianeira, or rather Deyan," the only girl in the group said softly. "My name is Joan, but many also call me Joan of Arc."

"My name is Chiron, the same one who trained Heracles." The one called Chiron introduced himself; he doesn't have the horse aspect of the myths.

"It's an illusion. If he showed his true form, we'd be discovered," the boy spoke kindly. "My name is Noah, the same Noah from the ark."

I tried to process what they were saying; they looked very different from the paintings. Or was it another illusion to break stereotypes? At first, they had mentioned someone named Deianeira or Deyan. Who could that be?

"Come on, Deyan," Noé called with a cheerful smile.

"Who's Deyan?" I asked aloud, the look of panic on Juana's expression not going unnoticed.

Juana seemed to be thinking quickly, as if trying to find a solution to a rather serious problem. She even felt sorry for me and wanted to offer to help me.

"Where do you live?"

"Where do I live?" The question was simple, but I couldn't remember. "I don't know."

***

Reality hit me at that moment. My only memory was the meteorite. At first, I panicked, but then I thought it was useless.

"It was the shadows that caused this to you, the shadows that were drawn by the meteorite's fall."

Noah had a small apartment nearby, and it didn't surprise the rest, but it seemed shocking to me that someone who, according to the Bible, existed thousands of years ago was here, alive, just like Joan of Arc and Chiron, who was from mythology. The apartment was in the center of the city. I felt like I'd been here before, but I didn't remember.

In Noah's own words:

"My Lord paid for a month's bills for all the utilities. When it's over, we'll have to work."

I didn't remember my age, but I highly doubt that, given my height, I'm old enough to work.

They were very different from what people said, or so I thought. Chiron was very kind, although sometimes he would argue with Noah about his beliefs, but afterward, Chiron would snort childishly as if he'd lost and continue reading a history book. Joan of Arc was sweet and quiet; if she wasn't busy all day, she'd be reading a book. Noah was lively and slept in odd positions—the positions someone would use if they were sleeping in a very uncomfortable place. Most of the time, he left the house to gather information and then prayed when he returned.

I decided to follow my own routine. Chiron had obtained my medical records—now I was worried about who he stole them from—and I studied them. No illnesses, no bruises, and nothing unusual, just as the centaur said, were the work of those shadows.

***

Noah returned two days later; he had been arriving very late lately. When he returned, he was loaded with books. They didn't look like school books or anything similar to the ones Chiron read.

"Study about France, you'll thank me later. We're leaving on a journey."

Could dying make you polyglot? Noah proved that it most likely was. If he died, he would at least want to learn Japanese.

A news report came on the television about a bank robbery in France. The shadows had attacked, and now it was our turn to travel to them. I really didn't want to die, but I also didn't understand why we had to go to France.

"Your summoning power will be useful. You're a summoner, and thanks to the cards in that backpack, we can fight," Juana explains with some hesitation. She doesn't want to bring a child into battle, even though it seems I'll have to go no matter what.

I really didn't want to go to battle. I don't want to die. I was barely 15 and I was already in this. If I had my memories, I could refuse this deal. They helped me recover my memories, and in return, I helped them with the shadows. If it weren't for the fact that I'd have to fight, it would be fair enough.

What happened before that meteorite fell? Why did the shadows take away my memories?

Those questions were the only ones on my mind these days. I'm in a bit of trouble.

I decided to close my eyes for a while and try to remember my life. I wouldn't mind remembering anything, no matter how simple it was. Anything, no matter what it was.

After several minutes, I only felt a very strong headache. It was a migraine if I wasn't mistaken. It was useless; I couldn't remember anything. I focused on getting some sleep; it was the best thing I could do right now.

Traveling was exhausting and boring; there really wasn't much to do on a plane. Jeanne looked excitedly out the window; she had explained to us that she had always wanted to see modern-day France.

She must be really excited. At least one of us is excited about this trip; the atmosphere had been rather sour from the moment we boarded the plane.

"In my time, there were small towns; I'm sure everything is very modern now. Can we stop by my town?" she asks, a twinkle in her eye that prevents Noé from saying no.

"Yes, of course," Noé speaks, then sighs, realizing what he said.

It was dusk, the sky had beautiful colors, and seeing them from a plane made it even better. A flight attendant walked around, asking what people wanted to eat. When she got to our seats, she began to give us a short list. Good food would make this trip worthwhile.

"A Coke, please."

Jeanne ordered a milkshake, and Chiron ordered a malt. It's strange how they've adapted to this modern world. It was surprising to see, and even wonderful how adapted they were.

I have the feeling this isn't the first time I've traveled by air, although I don't know why. My mind is a mess, and it's terrible.

"Order him not to order wine," Chiron whispers in my ear, pointing at Noah.

"Noah, you can't drink wine or anything alcoholic," I said, as if reminding him of something, even though I didn't know why; I was planning to find out.

Noah sighs, looking offended at Chiron.

"A Coke."

"Right away," the flight attendant says, taking out a can of soda.

Noah looks at his watch, which says 5:30 PM, and then begins to get disoriented. Chiron looks somewhat worried, as does Jeanne. Is it normal for a watch to do that? I really don't remember seeing any watch react like that.

"Is it broken?"

"See the reaction? If we get close to France, where there's a threat from Shadows, this happens. This watch will guide you to the objective. We must return to the cards you have in your backpack because the Shadows will attack us if they see us," Jeanne explains with a grimace.

Are they planning to leave me alone on this mission? I felt a little scared just thinking about this. My memory was in chaos, and now I had to go alone.

This definitely wasn't my vacation plan this year. The best vacation in the world. I hope the sarcasm in my thoughts shows.

As soon as the plane landed and we got my bags, I saw the strangest and most terrifying thing in the world. Noah, Jeanne d'Arc, and Chiron dissolved into a blue light and entered the case where the cards were.

This is what they meant by the cards. Luckily, I had directions and they had explained how this worked. I ran outside looking for a taxi or something that could take me to my goal. I felt a strange presence. This feels terrifying.

I walked for several minutes in the direction of the presence, even though my attempts screamed "Run away." I had to stop several times to catch my breath before moving forward. It was just a presence, and no one else seemed affected.

The other people walked and shopped normally despite this strange feeling of danger. I wished I could get a little pay for this. Many would say it's selfish, but risking my life without thinking about it would really boost my motivation, especially for the travel expenses.

I looked in the direction of the Eiffel Tower, an incredible structure. The presence was coming from there, one floor above the elevator's capacity. I really didn't like this. I decided to buy a coffee, since fear was paralyzing me. I hoped this would help a little.

The coffee woke me up enough, and I went up to the Eiffel Tower. The presence vanished while I was in the elevator, and in its place was a fainter one.

It just escaped. I wanted to dive in when I realized that.

A little sightseeing wouldn't hurt anyone.

The views were beautiful, and there were maps that told me where I was. Maybe it would be worth it after all. After a short walk, I decided to take the elevator down to the first floor and eat at the restaurant.

"Everything goes on this account," I said through the translator. I smiled nervously as I felt Noé's menu seem to move restlessly.

Sorry, Noé. I really planned to pay him back when I got a job. The Gustave dinner was really good.

This dinner included a starter, main course, dessert, and a drink. I preferred coffee since I was a minor. I hope Noah will forgive me for using his bank account. Noah hadn't given me any money for this little adventure, but Chiron handed me a credit card.

I later found out it was Noah's when the waiter asked me where the man named was. My excuse was that I was his daughter. If you thought about it, all of humanity was descended from Noah, so it wasn't a lie.

I left after eating; I needed to continue searching for the presences I felt. A dark, humanoid shadow stopped and stared at me. I didn't need to watch a horror movie to know what would happen. Remember Jeanne's explanation? I took the three cards and grimaced, thinking this would look ridiculous.

"I'm calling you to help me. Noah, Chiron, and Jeanne d'Arc, come from your sleep and help me face the enemies attacking me," I said, concentrating.

The cards began to glow brightly, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, the three of them were actually there, wearing different clothes. Noah was wearing a very elegant robe and several golden garments, surrounded by animals.

Jeanne d'Arc wore a war dress with magical armor, and she had a flag that she used as a weapon. Chiron now looked like a centaur, with two swords and the armor of a Greek warrior. They really are incredible.

"Let's attack," Jeanne d'Arc ordered, waving the metal pole of her flag like a spear.

The battle began with Jeanne d'Arc's exclamation. Hundreds of shadows began to approach our position, sending chills down my spine. Chiron threw me a silver dagger with golden designs.

"What do I do with this?" I asked fearfully, staring at the shadows.

"Fight," exclaimed the centaur, joining Noah and Jeanne d'Arc in the center of the arena.

Shadows began to surround them with cruel laughter.

Jeanne d'Arc took the flag and began to swing it like a spear, a style filled with the grace and elegance of a dancer. She slashed at shadows and decapitated them with graceful movements. One slash after another. The shadows vanished with a terrifying shriek.

The sound of hooves was the warning to the shadows. Chiron swung a sword that seemed all too simple. The shadows fell swiftly, unable to resist. The Hero Trainer demonstrated the strength that had trained hundreds of Greek heroes and led them to glory. His movements were precise and terrifying.

Noah swung his staff forcefully, striking the shadows, a blow capable of breaking every bone in the body. Animals like lions, foxes, and wolves attacked alongside the ark builder in a combination that destroyed enemies in their wake. Noah paused for a moment, raised his hands to the sky, murmured a few words I couldn't understand due to the distance, and then fought again, even harder.

I stopped focusing on the fight when I felt the shadows' presence around me. I narrowly avoided one, feeling like my head was almost being cut off.

"Nephilim"

I dodged the cut, rolling on the ground, not knowing what to do. Out of fear, I moved the dagger; a terrifying shriek was heard at that moment. When I opened my eyes, I could see that the dagger had stabbed where the shadow's heart should have been. It vanished like dust, having killed the first of twenty shadows.

I felt my lungs burning and my bones aching. I dodged another cut and decapitated a shadow; it was the tenth. This is terrible. The other three were too distracted to help me, so I had to fight on my own.

Nephilim, what did that word mean? I dodged another cut as that word echoed in my head over and over again. Nephilim was the son of an angel and a human, so my exhausted mind couldn't understand why the shadows were calling me that. My arms were covered in cuts.

"Blood traitor," another shadow growled before I decapitated him.

I really can't understand what they're saying. I felt a stab in my side. When I realized, a shadow had approached and plunged a dagger into my back. With a horizontal cut, I caused a wound that went from one ear to the other.

"Deyan... Resist... Don't blind... your eyes," Jeanne's voice was barely audible.

My vision turned gray and the voices grew increasingly distant.

***

I felt like I was in a comfortable bed in a room I didn't recognize. What a headache, a hotel? The place didn't feel like a hotel, but rather like a hospital room. I was trying to remember what happened.

"I'm glad you're okay. We were too careless. We thought you remembered how to fight," Jeanne apologized, her expression filled with regret. "Even though you beat up those shadows, you needed to smile more."

"Are we in the hospital?" I asked, curious, taking in the surroundings.

"We're in the summoners' offices. I'm Director Minato," a man with short brown hair and black eyes introduced himself, wearing a doctor's uniform and glasses. "You sure have some stamina. Anyone with those injuries would be dead by now."

Then I almost died. It wasn't a thought that relieved me, but rather unsettling. There were stabbing pains in my right leg, and I could barely feel my left hand, even though it was still there. From the bedroom window you could see everything moving.

"We're on an airship," Minato explained with a kind smile while eating a Japanese sweet called dango. "There are hundreds of summoners in the world fighting for the good of humanity. You'll need bigger equipment and better clothing to fight the shadows."

"Who said I wanted to help them fight shadows?" I began, expressionless. "I was almost murdered."

"If she didn't want to help us in the first place, you wouldn't have gone to the Eiffel Tower chasing that shadow." Minato laughed softly. He couldn't deny that she was right. He knew the risk and still ran after the shadow. "This is your mission, so you'll finish it, but first, I'll give you more cards to summon. Unfortunately, I can only give you three more cards since not many accept being summoned."

I nodded, not paying much attention to the conversation Noah had started with Chiron. The ark builder was complaining to the centaur about giving me the credit card that had Noah's last savings on it. I preferred to sleep a little longer before going with Minato to meet my new companions.

***

I followed Minato through the halls. This really is an airship. It looked too modern for an airship. Summoners and employees were walking through the halls, some stopping to glance at me out of the corner of their eyes.

Curiosity, superiority, and confusion, some even looked at me with disdain. "Why are you staring at me so much?" I ignored them and continued on my way.

The room was filled with strange devices and drawings on the floor, perhaps runes. Minato adjusted his glasses and stopped to begin.

"Remember the summoning phrase?" Minato asked curiously.

I nodded, knowing what to do as I approached the center of the room. I was equally nervous and terrified. It was my first official summoning, as I don't remember having made one before.

"Heed my words! My call for help! Your weapon forges my destiny!" I felt a burning pain and a sharp pain in my head as the seal began to activate, the runes glowing. "May the wind not strike you down! May the Creator allow me to call you from your slumber! Fight for justice and against evil!"

I had to squint at the glow of the runes. The light shone on the cards again and again like a light bulb. My head felt like it was about to explode.

One card went blank, but the other two began to spin in the air. Was it normal for a card to go blank? My thoughts were diverted when I saw my two new teammates.

A man appeared first, wearing a futuristic knight's suit and tattoos on his face. His name was Cruzadia Avramak, a robot human from the future. He had blue hair and very light blue eyes.

The next to answer was a woman. She had blonde hair and a blue eye color. She had arched eyebrows and a dimple in her chin, wearing a beautiful dress fit for a queen. Marie Antoinette opened a pink fan, covering her face.

A glow filled the room again. Marie Antoinette watched curiously as she moved away to a safe distance. Cruzadia Avramak began preparing his technological weapon.

...I have accepted your request for help, but now you must prove yourself worthy of asking the heavenly forces, Nephilim, for help....

...My name is Archangel Michael....