"Pierre Doulin," the figure said as it approached the stunned professor. "You know what this is," he said, holding up the Red Ruby of Alvara, "don't you?" Professor Peridot knew that revealing his knowledge of Jewel Summoning to others could be detrimental. Acting ignorant, Peridot simply replied, "It's a ruby." "Don't play dumb with me..." said the figure. Then, he finished his sentence, referring to Peridot as, "...Jewel Summoner." An expression of surprise came over the professor's face. "Yes," said the figure, seeing Peridot's confused expression, "I know your family history. I know that your clan has produced some of the most gifted Jewel Summoners the world has ever known. Now knowing that feigning ignorance was ineffective, Peridot asked the tall man, "What kind of Jewel Summoner are you?" Uproarious laughter came from the man's mouth at Peridot's question. "Jewel Summoner..." he said, acting as if peridot had just spoken the most absurd statement he had ever heard. Despite the man's behavior, Peridot continued trying to get information from the dark figure that was standing over him. "The Dagomars were in possession of the Red Ruby of Alvara the last I heard," said Peridot. "Are you one of the Dagomar clan?" A sharp contrast to his previous tone, the man's next spoken words were gushing with rage. "Do not mention the name 'Dagomar' in my presence again!" The man swung his arm around, calling forth another powerful force from the Red Ruby. Peridot was thrown headlong toward the man, and then was met with a hard punch to the face. The man was about to hit the professor with another attack from the Ruby, but Peridot managed to get out of the way before the attack hit. Peridot reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a green apatite crystal. Using apatite's power of location, he used it to home in on the man he was fighting, allowing the crystal to propel him toward the man. Peridot was in striking range of the man when suddenly, with a flash of light from the Ruby, the man altered Peridot's perception of time, and instantly appeared behind Peridot, hitting the professor with another attack from the Ruby. Although face-down on the ground, Peridot swung his leg around, attempting to trip the man. However, he saw Peridot's attack coming and jumped to avoid the blow, landing with one foot crushing Peridot's outstretched leg. The professor cried out in pain as he felt the bone snap where the man's foot had landed. "You obviously do not know what you are up against," the man said, standing over a crippled Professor Peridot. "Do you know any clan of Jewel Summoners that can control the power of the Red Ruby of Alvara?" The truth was beginning to dawn on the professor. "You're no Jewel Summoner," he managed to choke out. "You're a descendant of the elves!" "I'm surprised it took you that long to realize it," said the man. Peridot knew that he needed a different tactic. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a golden-yellow crystal. The crystal glowed yellow as Peridot concentrated on it. After several moments, the glowing of the crystal stopped. The elfin descendant was confused. "And what was that all about? What power does pyrite have, the power of entertaining light shows? I suppose the Doulins are not as skilled in the art of Jewel Summoning as I thought. As the man finished his degrading remark, he kicked Peridot, sending the injured man several feet away. ---------- Mia and Arine were awoken by a loud banging on their door. "Mia! Arine!" a frantic male voice cried from the other side. "It's me, Sam! Are you there?" "Is that Sam?" Arine wondered, here eyes still hazy with sleep. "What the fuck is he doing here at this time of night?" Mia said, very cranky. The banging on the door continued. "Please! This is an emergency!" Sam cried. Mia groggily stood up and walked to the door, opening it to look Sam in the eye. "Sam," she said, "what the fuck is wrong with you?" "Professor Peridot is in danger," Sam replied. "What?" Mia asked, not fully registering what Sam had said. What Sam did next caused both Mia and Arine to become wide-awake. He pulled out from his pants pocket a glowing pyrite crystal. ---------- The tall man picked up Professor Peridot by his shirt collar. Peridot tried to look into the man's face, but in the dark of night and distracted by the pain in his body, he could not make out the man's features. "Pierre," he said, "you know where the elf is, don't you? You know everything there is to know about the Prophecy of Awakening. Tell me where he is!" "What do you want with the elf?" Peridot demanded. "Our clan lord has a deadly disease," the man explained. "Only the elf has the power to cure him." Then, the man simply dropped Pierre. "You don't know what it's like," he said, now with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Seeing you uncle, lying there on his bed, completely unresponsive. You feel so helpless, not being able to do anything to help him." the man's voice filled with anger again. "If it weren't for you Jewel Summoners, Lord Blake would not have to suffer this curse upon him." Unable to know who his enemy was, Peridot could not understand what the man's intentions were. "Who are you?" the professor asked. "Do you not recognize my voice, Pierre?" asked the man. "Maybe you do, but you just don't want to accept the fact that one of your oldest friends is causing you this pain." With the man throwing the truth in the professor's face, Peridot began to realize the identity of the man that was speaking to him. "Perhaps I should shed some light on the subject." The Ruby of Alvara started glowing and the man held it close to his face, allowing the glow of the crystal to illuminate his features. Peridot gasped as he saw the face of his assailant, his terrible suspicions about the man's identity painfully confirmed. ---------- Several miles away, Mia sped down the highway in her silver convertible. Arine was in the back seat, reserving the front seat for Sam. Sam was holding in his hand a glowing, green apatite crystal to guide them to the professor. Mia and Arine were still a little stunned that their best friend had such an important role. "Why didn't you tell us you were a Jewel Summoner?" Mia asked. "I didn't think you would have believed me," Sam replied. "We believed Peridot when he gave us a demonstration this afternoon," said Arine. "I didn't think I had a reason to reveal my powers," the boy explained. "I never heard of the Legend of Alvara until just a few days ago. I had no idea that Mia could be an elf. I simply accepted her pointed ears without a second thought." "Just like I did," said Arine, softly. The apatite drew Sam in a different direction. "Take this exit, he said." Mia did as Sam directed. ---------- Peridot stared in shock at the person that was in front of him. It was difficult to believe who it was that was attacking him. They had met in Europe 20 years before. And ever since then, Pierre's closest friend was Professor Johan Mustanen. "You never thought that I was a descendant of the elves, did you, Pierre?" Mustanen said. "And I only thought you knew about Norse mythology because you were Finnish," Peridot said, still in a state of shock. "But it's more than that," he realized. "The Legend of Alvara itself has been passed down through your family line!" "Now you know why I stuck by you all these years," Johan said. "Ever since I learned that you were one of the Doulin clan, I knew that you would be the key to finding the elf." Again, Johan picked up Pierre by the shirt collar." And now, I ask you one last time. Where is he? Where is the elf?" Just then, Johan was caught off-guard by a thick fog suddenly appearing around them. Confused as to the cause, he dropped Pierre. Pierre, knowing that help had arrived, pulled out his apatite crystal. As the crystal began glowing green, it pulled Peridot toward where the fog was emanating. When he emerged from the fog, he found himself face to face with Mia, Arine, and Sam. Sam was holding a glowing, blue fluorite crystal, which was creating the fog. "Samuel," he said, relieved. "You got my message." "Yes, Sir Pierre," the young man replied. Then, a bright, red light came from within the cloud of fog. All of the fog was blown away in one gust, which had emanated from a glowing ruby, held by Mustanen. Mia, Arine, and Sam stared in surprise at the man holding the red crystal. "Professor Mustanen?" Sam was confused. "Well," said Johan. "It seems we have a Junior Summoner." It was then that Johan realized what Pierre had done. "So that's what pyrite is. It has the power of communication. Pierre must have sent you a message with that crystal he had with him. I never knew that the Lancestors were Jewel Summoners as well." "What is Mustanen doing here?" Arine wondered. "Remember what I told you about humans being able to use elfin powers?" said Pierre. "Johan is one such individual." "What's that he has in his hand?" Mia wondered, looking at the crystal that Johan held. "Oh my God!" exclaimed Sam. "It's the Red Ruby of Alvara!" "Ah, so you know what this is," said Johan, slightly amused by the 18-year-old boy's knowledge. "Although you are clearly a Jewel Summoner, I didn't think that anyone as young as you would know the Legend of Alvara." "The Lancestor Clan is charged with reconnaissance duty," Sam explained. "We are taught about the legend at an early age so that we may find the Legendary Elf." As he heard Sam's words, a knowing, eager smile came across Johan's face, "Which you have found already." The others were surprised by Johan's statement. "I can feel the elf's presence. The Red Ruby is searching for him." Johan held the Ruby up for a moment and started swiveling his head about, as if searching for something. Then his head stopped swiveling and he looked strait ahead. "It's searching for her!" Everyone looked in the direction that Johan was, directly at Mia! "I have foreseen this moment, Mia Carver," said Johan, approaching the brunette. "I knew that I would find the elf and so I have! You are the one that holds the key to the future of my clan. Come with me and I will spare your friends." Suddenly Arine jumped in front of Johan, coming in between him and Mia. "Back off!" Arine brazenly demanded. "Or else you'll do what?" asked Johan, amused by Arine's valor. "You are not a Jewel Summoner. You do not have the mystical elfin powers that I sense in your friend. What do you plan to do?" "I plan to protect the person I love," was Arine's reply. "You've been reading too many romance novels, Arine Sylven," Johan laughed. "Love alone cannot stand up to the awesome power of the Red Ruby of Alvara!" Johan held up the Ruby, which started glowing red. "Now you will witness the true power that crystals possess." The glowing of the crystal grew brighter, letting Arine know that Johan was gathering energy to fire at her. Arine closed her eyes, but stood her ground. "Die!" said Johan as the energy in the crystal reached its limit. A bright red flash came from Johan's vicinity. The force was enough to throw Johan to the ground. However, the force had not come from the Ruby. It had come from a giant soldier appearing in front of Johan, encased in armor made of glowing red crystal. It was protecting Arine and Mia! "A crystal soldier?" Johan said, alarmed by the colossal soldier standing over him. Johan then turned his attention to the injured man that was lying on the ground next to Sam. Pierre was holding a glowing, red spinel crystal! "You summoned this monster!" Johan realized. Pierre said, "Even with the power of corundum, the elves could not defeat it." The giant soldier took a fighting stance, ready to charge at Johan. As the silver-haired man stood, Pierre sent his crystal soldier after the Finn. Johan held up the Ruby, again gathering power. A blinding flash emanated from the ruby as the crystal soldier reached him. Everyone was caught off guard by the bright light that the Ruby of Alvara was giving off. When the light subsided, Johan was nowhere to be seen. "He's gone..." Sam said. Mia was still wide-eyed with panic. "He--He knew I was the elf?" she stammered. The brunette fell to her knees, her breathing shallow and labored. "Mia!" Arine cried, grabbing Mia and holding her tight. Sam rushed to Mia's side as well. "Don't worry, Mia. Mustanen's gone." "Arine and I are here to protect you," said Sam. "You're safe now." "We're both going to make sure that nothing happens to you, Mia," said Arine, hoping that she and Sam could help calm Mia down before her heart put out. "I promise I won't let anyone hurt you." Slowly but surely, Mia's heart rate slowed and her breathing returned to normal. Both Arine and Sam gave a deep sigh of relief, knowing that they had prevented Mia from having another cardiac episode. "Are you all right, Mia?" Sam asked. "Yes," Mia said softly, "Yes, I'm fine. For a moment I thought I was going to have another attack. Thank you, both of you." Mia embraced both Sam and Arine, happy that she was still alive after the incident with Professor Mustanen. However, the mood suddenly changed as Sam sensed something was wrong. He looked at where Johan was to see the crystal soldier disappear in front of his very eyes. The boy then turned to Pierre to see that he had fainted. "Sir Pierre!" Sam cried, rushing to the man's side. After making sure that Mia was fine, Arine followed Sam to Pierre's side. "He must have used up too much energy by using spinel," said Sam. "He also took a beating from Mustanen," Arine added. "We have to get him to a hospital!" exclaimed Sam. Looking at Pierre's condition, Arine said, "I don't think he has enough time to get to a hospital." "We have to try!" Sam cried. "Wait," said Arine. "Do you have any quartz on you?" "Quartz crystal?" Sam reached into Pierre's coat pockets, rummaging for any kind of quartz crystal. Finally, he managed to pull out a purple amethyst. Sam looked at the crystal in his hand, not knowing if he was able to use a crystal with a hardness as high as seven. He said, "I don't know if I have the training necessary to use a crystal as powerful as quartz." "If you don't, Peridot is going to die!" Arine cried. Knowing that he had no choice, Sam held the crystal over Pierre's body and concentrated on it. The amethyst started glowing purple as Sam used its power. The power of quartz was working! However, after a few moments, the glowing of the amethyst started flickering. Sam tried using more effort to keep the power of the quartz stable. "What's wrong?" Arine asked, seeing the stress in Sam's facial expression. "I'm only a Summoner in training," Sam choked out. "I can't heal Sir Pierre's wounds by myself." "If I can help in any way--" "You can't," Sam interrupted. "Only Jewel Summoners can use the power of quartz. Just then, in that moment of despair, Mia somehow found in herself the strength to stand. The brunette staggered to her feet and started walking toward Pierre, each step becoming stronger and steadier. Although nobody was watching to notice grains of sand sparkling in Mia's hair, Sam did sense something unusual. Before Sam could determine what it was that he sensed, Mia walked up behind him and put her hand to the crystal that he was holding. As she did so, the flickering of the purple glow stopped and it turned to a steady glow that was unusually bright. Arine could not believe it. Mia was helping Sam use the powers locked inside a crystal! Peridot began to regain consciousness. As he did, Sam and Mia used up all of the strength they could from using the power of quartz. The glowing of the amethyst stopped and Sam and Mia both collapsed to the ground. "Mia! Sam!" cried Arine. "I'm all right," said Sam softly. A moment later, Sam managed to sit up. "Are you all right, Mia?" Arine asked. "I'm tired," Mia could say in no more than a whisper. Arine took one of Mia's hands in her own. Trying to give strength through their contact, Arine asked, "So you think you can drive Sir Pierre to the campus medical center?" Mia managed to sit up. "I can try," she said weakly. Arine and Sam then helped Pierre to a sitting position. "Are you all right, Sir Pierre?" Sam asked. "I think so," the middle-aged man said. Looking at Sam and Mia, he asked, "Did you use my amethyst crystal to help me?" "Yes," Sam replied, still a little surprised at Mia's newfound ability. "I didn't have enough power to use it, but somehow, Mia was able to help me." "It must be the mystical energies she has as an elf," Pierre suggested an explanation. "Can you walk, Sir Pierre?" asked Arine. Pierre tried to stand, but blinding pain shot up and down his leg, causing him to collapse and groan in agony. Sam and Arine draped Pierre's arms over their shoulders and they helped him to the car, Pierre hobbling on his one good leg. Mia jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine. As Arine and Sam laid Pierre down in the back seat, they got in the car as well and Mia drove off back toward campus. ---------- As Mia, Arine, Sam, and Pierre entered the campus medical center, the receptionist was astounded to see the condition that the middle-aged man was in. "My God!" the receptionist cried. "What happened to you?" Pierre was about to answer when Sam butted in, "I think he had a bit too much to drink." Pierre looked at Sam, surprised by the statement. "We were out partying," Sam continued, "and he fell down a flight of stairs." Pierre rolled his eyes, insulted by the story that Sam was telling. "I'll show you to the emergency room," said the receptionist. The receptionist led Mia to the emergency room and Arine and Sam followed, carrying Pierre. As the doctors checked Pierre's condition, the three friends waited in the lounge. "Nice thinking there, Samuel," said Mia in a sarcastic tone. "What did you expect me to say?" Sam asked, just as sharp. "That he was beat up by an elf and then used too much energy using the power of a crystal against him?" "We all know full well that Professor Peridot doesn't go partying with us!" "Stop it!" Arine cried. Sam and Mia turned their attention to the teller girl, surprised by how assertive she had been all night. "This isn't the time to be arguing," Arine continued. "Right now, we have a dangerous man out there, trying to capture Mia! Peridot was barely able to summon a crystal soldier before he passed out. What is that compared to an elfin descendant with the power of corundum? And the Red Ruby of Alvara no less!" "You're right, Arine," said Mia. "We shouldn't be throwing sarcastic remarks at each other. We all have to work together if we are to get through this." "This past week has been full of surprises," said Sam, partially to himself. "First, Mia has her attack. Soon afterwards, my parents teach my the Legend of Alvara. Then, I find out that Mia is the elf that the Prophecy of Awakening speaks of. And now..." Sam trailed off a moment to catch his breath. "...now, Mustanen is the most dangerous person to us." "What I don't understand," Arine said, "is what Mustanen wants with Mia." "Didn't he say something about the key to the future of his clan?" Mia asked. "What is it with all these clans, anyway?" Arine wondered. Sam explained, "The clans are families and extended families that have survived for hundreds of years. Knowledge of the family's origins is passed down from generation to generation. This knowledge may include the Legend of Alvara, the history of the elves, or even something as simple as Jewel Summoning. Each clan of Jewel Summoners has been charged with some duty relating to the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Awakening. The Lancestor Clan is meant to be on the lookout for anything that could lead to the discovery of the elf. Aside from what happens inside my own clan, I don't know much." "But Peridot sent you a message with one of his crystals," Mia said, "Iron pyrite," said the boy. "All of the Jewel Summoner clans are kept in contact through the power of pyrite. It has the power to communicate thoughts to other people with the crystal. Thoughts are usually not as coherent as words, but they can be communicated much more quickly than by phone. Pierre knew that I was close to you two. That's probably why he contacted me." "I take it you know nothing about how the elf is supposed to completely awaken," Arine guessed. Sam replied, "All I know is that it has something to do with the Red Ruby and Blue Sapphire of Alvara. Beyond that, I know nothing about the Prophecy of Awakening." "The Doulin Clan protects the Sapphire," Mia said, remembering what Pierre had told her and Arine. Although Mia's statement was seemingly mundane, Sam suddenly became very interested in what Mia had said. "Really?" he inquired. Before Mia could reply, a doctor exited from the emergency room. "Are you three Pierre's friends?" he asked the group. "Yes," Sam replied. "Aside from a broken leg," the doctor explained Pierre's condition, "Pierre only has a few cuts and bruises. He should be good as new in about eight weeks." "Thank you, Doctor," said Arine. "We wants to speak with you three," the doctor said. "Us?" Mia inquired. "He said that it was urgent he spoke with you." Arine, Mia, and Sam stood up and the doctor led them to the recovery ward. Pierre was sitting up in bed. His leg was elevated and several bandages where adhered to his forehead and arms. "Good, you're here," Pierre said as he saw the three friends enter the room. "Thank you, Doctor," said Sam. "We'll take it from here." The doctor nodded and exited the room. The group walked to the side of Pierre's bed. "What was it you wanted to talk to us about?" Sam asked. Pierre's response was a good smack to the side of Sam's head. "Ow! Jeez!" Sam cried. "What the hell did you do that for?!" "Had too much to drink, did I?" said Pierre. The three friends laughed nervously as Sam rubbed the bump that Pierre had raised. Becoming serious again, Pierre said, "The Mustanen Clan should not be in possession of the Red Ruby of Alvara. Protection of the Ruby was the Dagomar Clan's duty." "How did they get a hold of the Ruby then?" Sam wondered. "I don't know," said Pierre. "We will have to meet with the clan lords, find out exactly what has been happening." "Meet them?" Mia asked. "But all of the clan lords are in Europe," Sam said. "We have no choice, Samuel," Pierre said. "Right now, we know next to nothing about recent events pertaining to the elves. We must go to Europe and convene." "How long would a trip like this take?" Arine asked. "My parents call me once a week to check up on me." "I do not believe your presence will be necessary, Arine," said Pierre. "If the Mustanen Clan comes after Mia again," said Arine, holding the brunette in her arms, "I won't be able to protect her if I'm not there." "Arine..." Mia said, still surprised by her girlfriend's determination. "It shouldn't take more than a few days," Sam replied to Arine. "All we have to do is go to Europe, meet with the clan members, then go back. No one will know." "The Jewel Summoners would be more than willing to bear the cost of such a trip," Pierre said. "My parents should be calling tomorrow," Arine said. "If we leave the day after, we should have no problems." "Good," said Pierre. "We should all get some rest. I'm sorry I had to wake you all in the middle of the night." "We understand, Pierre," said Mia. "The medical center will discharge me tomorrow morning after they have done a few more tests," Pierre said. "I will see if I can arrange a flight for the four of us." "Thank you, Sir Pierre," said Sam. "Miss Carver?" said the Frenchman. "Yes, Pierre?" the brunette asked. "You put up with a lot tonight. You were under stress three times. First, you did not get a full night's sleep. Then, you were surprised when Johan realized you were the elf, which must have put almost enough stress on your heart to give you another episode. And then, you used even more energy to help Samuel heal my serious injuries. Yet, you were still able to drive me all the way to the hospital. How is that?" Mia then realized that Pierre was right. She had shown amazing strength that someone with her condition should not have been able to have. "I'm not sure," she replied. Sam added, "Just before Mia helped heal you, I thought I sensed something." "Was it a change in the mystical energies of the world?" Pierre asked very intently. "It might have been," Sam said, "I'm not sure. I don't have enough training to know exactly what it was I sensed." "Mia's elfin powers are continuing to awaken," Pierre realized. "She is finding the strength to handle the ill effects of her heart condition." "But you're still weakened, right?" Arine asked the shorter girl. Mia simply nodded. "We could all use some rest," Pierre said. "You three should go home and regain your strength. The next few days are bound to be strenuous." "Good night, Pierre," said Mia. "Or should I say, 'Good morning'?" "I'll meet you all tomorrow," Pierre said. "The Science Hall at five'o'clock?" "Sure," said Arine. "Rest well," the older man said. The three friends said in unison, "Will do." ---------- After driving Sam back to his house off-campus, Mia drove herself and Arine back to their dorm room. As she entered the room, Mia threw herself down on her bed, exhausted. "I don't know if I'll be able to get up in the morning," she sighed. "Don't worry about it, Mia," said Arine, lying down next to the brown-haired girl. "We shouldn't worry about classes tomorrow. Let's just worry about getting a good night's rest." Mia curled up next to Arine and wrapped her arms around the blonde. "I love you so much, Arine," she said. "I don't want you to ever leave my side." Arine embraced Mia, comforting her frightened friend. "I never will, my love," Arine said in a soothing tone. "Never." Arine and Mia fell asleep in each other's comforting embrace. ---------- 5:00 pm the next day. Mia, Arine, and Sam entered the science hall to confirm their plans with Pierre. Pierre was in the lecture hall, waiting for them. His leg had been put in a cast and he was using a pair of crutches to balance himself on his unbroken leg. "Good, we're all here," said the professor at seeing the three friends enter. "Do we have an itinerary for our trip to Europe?" Arine asked. Sam said, "Sir Pierre and my parents had a talk with the other clans this morning. We have arranged to leave tomorrow at ten AM. We will switch flights in New York, and then fly to Switzerland. As you can expect, my parents will be joining us." "Oh, wow," said Mia, feeling nostalgic. "It'll be nice to see them again after all these years." Mia turned to Arine and said, "Sam's parents are some of the nicest people I've ever met. I didn't see them much because they were always away on..." Mia trailed off, realizing the falsity of what Sam's parents had told them when they left them with Mia's parents. "Were your parents always away on business?" Mia asked her childhood friend. "I used to think they were," Sam replied. "It was only after the move that they told me the truth about the origins of the Lancestor Clan. Just a single flight across the Atlantic would get them to Europe if a clan meeting was arranged." "And that is precisely what has happened," said Pierre. "What about transportation?" Arine asked. "I can drive everyone to the airport," Mia volunteered. "That would be perfect," Pierre said. "I will be staying at Sam's house until mine is rebuilt." Mention of his house's destruction reminded him of the assailant. "What I can't understand why Johan was so aggressive with me." "He wanted to get to me," Mia said. "He knew that you were the Jewel Summoner that would take him to the elf. If he could put enough pressure on you, you would undoubtedly call upon the services of a Jewel Summoner on reconnaissance duty." "But how could Johan have been so accurate in his predictions?" Arine wondered. "He must have the ability of foresight," Pierre said. "It is an ability that elves have been rumored to possess." "How are we going to get past such an advantage?" Sam asked. "From what I have been told," said Pierre, "the Valentino Clan specializes in diversion. Perhaps they can use their abilities to block the Mustanen Clan's foresight." "I hope so," Arine said. "Or else keeping Mia safe will be difficult." "All of the clan members are on high alert," Pierre reassured. "The clan meeting will take place in Zurich. There is a large, underground shelter that the clans use for their meetings. It keeps outsiders from obstructing our duties as Jewel Summoners." "But we can't spend our entire trip underground, can we?" Mia said enthusiastically. "This is Europe we're talking about! So many historical landmarks. Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum..." "I don't think you should get too excited about this, Mia," Arine intervened. "Your heart might not be able to take it." "Arine," Mia said with a hint of sadness in her voice, "my weak heart is the reason I'm so excited. Who knows the next time I'll be able to see Europe? I have to make the most of what little time I might have left." There was a pause as Arine suddenly realized Mia's nature. "It never occurred to me why you were always so outgoing, so energetic," the blonde said, close to tears. "Now I know." Arine embraced her friend tightly. "We'll go see the landmarks together," she said softly. "Thank you, Arine," said Mia, tears in her eyes as well. There was another pause as the two Jewel Summoners watched the tear-jerking scene in front of them. Even Sam was close to tears as well. "So," he said, trying to change the subject, "are we just going to stand here all day, soaking up sap? This is all too lovey-dovey for me." Sam's statement was amusing, but the most everyone could do was smile. "I have the tickets right here," Pierre said, pulling 3 plane tickets out of his pants pocket. Mia, Arine, and Sam took the tickets from Pierre. "You must remember your tickets AND your passports," Pierre said. "Don't worry, Sir Pierre," Mia said. "We will." "Well," Pierre said, "now that everything seems to be in order, would anyone mind driving me to Sam's home?" The four of them laughed slightly and then exited the lecture hall. ---------- Mia and Arine picked up Sam and Pierre at 7:15 the next morning. After having breakfast at the airport, the four of them boarded Flight 103 to New York City. Pierre had a window seat while Mia got an isle seat. Arine and Sam were in between Mia and Pierre. After they had taken off, a stewardess came by to serve drinks. Mia and Arine ordered colas and Sam ordered a ginger ale while Pierre only ordered a glass of water. As Mia, Arine, and Sam talked among themselves, Pierre simply sipped his water, looking thoughtfully out the window at the clouds below him. 'Johan,' Pierre thought. 'Why have you turned against me?' Meanwhile, Johan Mustanen was at his house, watching an airplane fly overhead. He then looked at the Red Ruby that he held in his hand. 'I promise I will make the Jewel Summoners pay,' the Finn thought to himself. 'By the Red Ruby of Alvara, I will see to it that they suffer for what they did to my kind. Every last Jewell Summoner will pay.'
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