Ketso was still shaking, and he was afraid to stand up. Even to sit up. He couldn't think. A face. Vann's face. That stupid angel. Ketso hated him. And he was holding those holy swords. They were just so bright. Ketso knew he couldn't make it. He had lost to that awful reality. It wasn't a room; it couldn't have been. It was too real. As Vann brought his sword down, Ketso realized that it was impossible to survive. He waited for the inevitable. It was nearly over.
Crack. Ketso's eyes widened. He turned his head, pain searing through his neck. He ignored this, and was surprised to see someone standing over him.
Her blade was locked with Van's, The sharp end laying on her palm. She was blocking Van's blow. Van's. Van-who-always-destroys-the-heck-out-of-Ketso Van. Ketso threw his weight onto his arms, nearly sitting up to watch. The girl had curly brown hair and was quite a bit shorter than Ketso. She wore a long, dark denim trench coat. A white t-shirt underneath with black cargo pants covered the rest of her. Black gloves guarded her hands, and her eyes were grey.
Ketso stood, looking into those eyes. They were bearing down into Van's, who looked amazed at this girl. He was shuddering, though he had tried to take the offensive. It looked as though Van would break, but then-
The boy threw a cowardly blow toward's the girl's stomach with his other blade. Ketso yelled out, but, surprisingly, there was no need. The girl had stopped that blade with a well placed hand, her palm resting on the edge, fingers lightly touching the flat.
She snapped her attention to Ketso, gripping the blade in her glove hand. Ketso was shocked; a glove that thin couldn't protect her from Van's sharp sword. Surprisingly, she smiled at Ketso. He looked astonished towards Van's blade, which was cracking and splintering. Within seconds it had become a pile of rubble on the floor, Ketso's ally throwing down the last piece.
She fought half-heartedly after that, which was more than enough still to take Van. He was sweating profusely, shaking, and whimpering it seemed. The girl, however, spoke to Ketso while she blocked, parried, and struck Van.
"Name's Amme," she said, her head turned to Ketso. He nodded, shaking in suspense. He kept looking jerkily at Van, worried he was going to hit the girl. She merely laughed.
"He couldn't hit the broad side of a farm house!" Amme said. Then she saw the horrible condition Ketso was in. "Oh. Well, he gets lucky sometimes!"
Ketso laughed. "Thanks, but I don't need your reassurance."
The girl walked towards Ketso. Van attempted to leap into the air, thrusting his blade down at her, but she sent it flying with a wave of her free hand. Ketso heard it clink as it bounced, as if the nothingness had a floor made of stone. Amme ignored all of this, examining Ketso. She muttered a brief incantation under her breath, and Ketso distinctly heard the word "Curaga" mentioned. A green light surrounded him, healing all wounds and disappearing into the air slowly, as if it were smoke.
Van appeared out of nowhere, charging at Amme, who cracked his last blade with a sweep of her arm. Van was sent flying. He came back with two shards of his broken blade.
"I'll be back!" He snarled to Amme.
"I"m sure," she nodded. He scowled, face turning purple. He walked away, suddenly disappearing in a flash of light. Amme turned back to Ketso, who was still bewildered.
"That was- He was... You were.... For an angel, he's not that angelic," Ketso concluded. Amme looked grim.
"None of them are," she said, bitterly. Her eyes flicked back to Ketso. "But that doesn't concern you. C'mon. Let's get out of this manor for a minute."
With a flash of silver light, they were out of the nothingness.
Ketso looked around, amazed. They were in the most beautiful place he'd ever seen. Flowers grew everywhere, a doe was drinking from a crystal clear pond with a fawn, and birds were chirping. Ketso sat down on the ground, and Amme took a seat on a log.
"This place... It's beautiful!" Ketso said, wonderingly. Amme laughed.
"My friend Piku would've said, "This place is sappay! Fo rizzle!", and she would've told the flowers to stuff muffins," Amme chuckled. Ketso stared at her.
"You know Piku?"
"I did," Amme nodded. Ketso stared at her, confused.
"I know everyone. Everything and everyone. I am the Guardian of Hearts."
Ketso gaped at her. His mouth opened and closed, but he couldn't find the right words to say.
"Ketso, Van cheated. You weren't supposed to go through two rooms consecutively. Who do you want to see?"
"Can I meet someone?" Ketso asked, biting his lip. Amme nodded.
"Sean. I want to meet Sean," Ketso said firmly. And he was gone.