Chapter 3: Fallen Hero
"It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace."―Chuck Palahniuk, Diary
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The person was just standing there, covering partially by the translucent curtains which were fluttering lightly in the breeze that came into his room. His arm shifted slightly, brushing his long fringe aside.
"If I ever lose control, please kill me."
He heard his own voice talking to the person hidden in the darkness.
"You won't."
He let out a soft yet bitter chuckle at his instant, unhesitant reply. It was cold, and his body started shivering. He leaned against the wall, and as he peered at the sunset, he smiled.
"Until this holy war ends, until this bloodshed ceases and the world becomes peaceful again, we will not die."
There was silence for a moment, before he finally spoke.
"What about you?"
He was about to answer when no words came out of his throat. He just stared, and he wondered why he was here, and the reason for carrying out this conversation. Does it hold any meaning to his existence? And who was the person listening to him in the background?
Just...who...?
Silver eyes slowly opened, staring ahead as the wagon was moving slowly on the rough and uneven road. He swallowed dryly, sitting up as he turned and peered at the plains, wondering where he was. The hoofs clattered on the uneven ground as it was heading to the next city. He sighed, leaning back as he closed his eyes, listening to the soft murmurs of the wind.
It was that dream again. In that particular dream, he was unconsciously searching for something; a piece of him which had been missing ever since he woke up, and that person who was always there, listening to him in silence. The same conversation would always replay again and again, and whenever he was about to answer, everything just blackened and he woke up. Allen pressed his hand on his chest, not liking these emotions stirring within him at the recollection.
He could not remember much about his past memories when he woke up. Two years ago, he was an Exorcist in the Black Order. Those memories just came and flashed past quickly, and soon after, the people whom he once knew slowly became faint shadows as their voices echoing softly in the background. Their faces slowly blurred into something unrecognisable. He began to forget them, one by one.
Now, his aim was to revert everything back to its original place―to kill the Millennium Earl and destroy the Black Organisation and Innocence. He could not forgive the Millennium Earl for ruining the beauty of this world which was currently rotting away. He could not forgive the Black Order who treated people as mere tools to destroy the enemy. He could not forgive the Innocence which was making use of people's greed over its power to fight and hurt the others.
Most of all, he hated humans. He could not stand how weak, naive and selfish they were.
The wagon slowly halted in the crossroad junction, and the white-haired teen hopped off, paying the driver some tokens for the journey. He then walked towards the town just a few distances ahead, enjoying the cooling breeze and the tranquility of nature as he was surrounded by trees and flowers. His boots shuffled softly, kicking some of the yellow leaves which were lying on the ground. Light rustles from the trees travelled melodiously into his ears, and he wished that he could just stay here a little longer...
"I can sense the Akuma coming, my nephew."
...if that Noah could stop interrupting his peaceful moments. Allen hissed in irritation as he quickened his pace, walking into the town. The place was much livelier than the previous towns that he had visited. It was obvious that nothing had happened in here...yet. The white-haired teen tucked his hands into his pockets, looking around the market in slight curiosity. It had been boring for the past few weeks, and such activities could help to loosen himself once in a while.
He peered around the vicinity closely, not letting any one of them slip past his eyes. Until he found the rumored Innocence which was here, he would not allow anyone to be in his way. Allen closed his eyes, and after a few seconds, golden irises were opened as he scanned around the area.
"The Innocence is equipped by someone."
Allen stiffened slightly by his words, stopping in his footsteps. The Noah sensed his hesitation and snickered.
"Don't tell me that you are afraid of killing people, Allen."
"Shut up," Allen said sharply as he continued to walk. He took a small quiet alley at a corner, moving towards a church which was at the other end of the main street. As he came out, he stopped, seeing a young man who was only slightly older than him standing there. He was gripping onto his left arm which had a weird black tattoo around it. He then noticed the small cross at the back of his palm.
"Parasitic Innocence..." Allen then peered at his black arm which was also a parasitic weapon. Memories which he did not want to remember flooded his mind, and he shook his head, not wanting to be distracted for now. As he was about to approach him, someone ran to the young man hurriedly, a grim look on his face. He whispered something to his ear, and the young man's peaceful face changed instantly.
"How dare they come to harass my family again...!" He seethed, and the two of them ran off. Allen peered at them in slight curiosity, and decided that this was worth to see before he finished his task. He followed them behind, and as they were further away from the town, he saw a small cottage at the meadows, surrounded by large sunflowers swaying in the cooling breeze.
"I already told you to stop harassing them!" The young man snarled angrily at a mob of gangsters who were not threatened by his words in the slightest. They only stared at him in silence, before they roared out in hysterical laughter.
"Harass? Until you paid me the full sum, we will not stop this 'harassing'," One of the guys sneered, grabbing a young woman by his hand as he caressed her face on purpose. The young man growled as he tried to take her back, but the gang held up their guns and rifles in their hands as they pointed at both the young woman and a middle-aged woman who was his mother. The young man froze in position, his eyes widening in shock.
"Young man. I have already told you. As long as you have the money, we will not do anything to them. You are the one who does not keep to our promise, isn't it?"
The gang snickered as they took the young woman who was screaming away. The young man glared at them hardly, his eyes burning in rage.
Silver eyes narrowed, and the Noah within him just burst out into laughter, eager to see this show which was soon to begin any moment.
"Give them back!"
His left arm started to glow in blinding white light. The skin started hardening, forming a coat of silver hard metal for his entire arm. Everyone just stared in horror at what was exactly happening, and both women fainted immediately at what they saw.
"What the hell...?" The gang leader was furious, and as he signalled to other members, they started firing at him. The young man just stared at his left arm in stupor, and before he knew it, his arm moved on its own and blocked off every single bullet flying in his direction. The gang just stared at him, totally stunned. He just stared at his new formed weapon, and a sinister smile formed on his lips.
Shouts and gurgling screams echoed in the silent air. It only took him a split second to kill the entire gang in the field. The young man stared at his arm, and he laughed out hysterically to himself, marveling at the great power that he had just obtained. The house was half destroyed, and the sunflowers around it withered instantly. He could no longer feel the quiet and soothing ambiance in this place. It was totally ruined.
Allen hissed in anger, clenching his hands tightly.
The young man stopped laughing, realising that there was someone standing in front of him. He smirked, brandishing his new weapon which was formed by his own emotions and feelings. He opened his palm, revealing at least twenty gun holes as they started to glow brightly at an overwhelming speed.
Parasitic Innocence chose its own host. No matter who he was, as long as he fit its criteria, it would form itself into him, turning him into a living weapon and use him to destroy the enemy. It continued to make use of its host, draining away every energy and strength it could gather until there was nothing left.
"You have no idea what you are exactly using," Allen said, raising his left hand as his Innocence was activated, reflecting the bullets instantly. The young man growled in fury, and several gun holes formed along his arm with stronger fire power as he started firing them. The white-haired teen walked towards him calmly, dodging every single one of them with ease.
"DIE!" He shouted, his arm transforming into a large cannon which was strong enough to blow up at least several yards away. Before he could fire, the black claws gripped onto his weapon, stopping him. Golden eyes narrowed, and Allen clenched it hardly, shattering his weapon completely. The young man howled as he stumbled back, holding his arm which was bleeding profusely, but he grabbed his arm firmly, his fingers brushing along it gently until they stopped at his upper arm. His eyes just widened in horror and he screamed as they slowly slipped beneath his skin and tore the Innocence out of his bloody flesh forcefully.
"Please...don't hurt him..."
Allen paused and turned, peering at his mother who was half-conscious. She struggled to get up as she stared at him pleadingly, hoping that he wouldn't do anything which would hurt her son. The previous him would definitely hesitate at those words, but at that time, he was just utterly stupid.
The anger somehow subsided and he did not have the mood to kill him. Allen clenched his hand, breaking the Innocence into bits. The white-haired teen then walked out of here, his arm slowly reverting back to normal as his Innocence was deactivated. He was about to step onto the path leading back to the town when he heard a shout from behind.
"I will not let you get away with this!"
He felt a hard stab on his back. Allen slowly stopped, feeling his shirt behind soaked with his blood which was gashing out of the wound. He turned, seeing the smile from an insane man who foolishly thought that he had finally done a good deed. He had completely lost himself, and his only aim in his mind was to kill anyone who was in his way. He continued to laugh, his eyes twirling upwards as they gazed at the sky.
"He's dead...he's dead...they are finally dead! I killed them! I killed them all!"
The him in the past was willing to sacrifice himself for the safety of the people, but what exactly had he got in return?
"Are you happy?"
The man stopped laughing, looking up at the white-haired teen who finally spoke. His eyes slowly widened at seeing the wound which had stopped bleeding, the damaged tissue regenerating at a gradual speed. Allen turned to face him, and the man only trembled as he screamed out.
"MONSTER!"
It was a word that he hadn't heard for years. He remembered just how he hated himself for being different when he was still a child, and no matter how he did, all people said to him was that he was a monster.
"Yes, I am a monster." He smiled, his left hand turning to a darker colour as his fingers turned into sharp claws similar to his Innocence. His golden eyes darkened, and he pierced through his heart instantly, not battling an eyelid as he continued to stare at the man who slowly died from the pain without any emotions or sympathy. He then pulled out his bloody hand, licking the dark liquid from the sharp claws which slowly turned back to his fingers.
And he decided. He was not going to help anyone. He only lived for his own, and he would not hesitate to kill anyone who was in his way. After all, he was getting tired of living on for the sake of others who did not look upon him as human.
The woman cried out as she hugged her son's lifeless body. Her hoarse voice echoed loudly at his ears. His chest tightened slightly, and Allen slowly reached up and touched it, letting out a deep breath. She turned and glared at him, and he could see hatred burning in her eyes, making sure that he saw it clearly, such that he would regret for what he had done. He just stared back at her with an emotionless face. It did not matter how she wished so much for his death at that instant. At this point of time, it did not matter anymore.
The white-haired teen stepped onto the dirty path leading back to the town, before he suddenly stopped in his footsteps.
"When are you going to come out?"
There were soft shuffles in the bushes behind him, before someone appeared who was none other than the secretary working for the Vatican. Allen turned and stared at the blonde with an expressionless face.
"Walker," He said, stopping in front of him. He guessed that the Black Order had been following his every movement ever since he 'died', and he had not expected them to find him so early. Well, why was he so surprised? After all, they were the ones who were scared of his existence, and they would not give up until they saw him dead once and for all.
"Are you going to stop me?" He asked coldly.
"I am surprised that you are alive. How did you survive?"
"You do not need to know," Allen answered plainly.
"You have seen the Fourteenth's memories?" Link asked. Silver eyes widened slightly, remembering that moment when the Noah entered him and he saw various memories from different eras that the Fourteenth had travelled to, and he saw his Master Cross Marian and Timcanpy in some of them. What he couldn't understand was a particular memory of someone talking to Neah who had similar appearances as him. He had tried to ask the Noah himself, but Neah refused to answer him.
"I assumed that the Fourteenth saved you at that time," The blonde said, noticing the faint cross marks at his forehead as the wind blew by. Allen saw the same face expression which was found on others when they found out about his inner Noah―pity. He hissed in anger, his skin slowly turning dark as Dark Matter slowly accumulated at his finger which was aiming at him.
"You know that you cannot fight me, Walker."
"Don't be too conceited, Link," Allen growled, releasing the dark power which whizzed past the man's face within millimetres, grazing his skin. Link didn't move, his hardened gaze fixated upon him. Silver eyes widened slightly. Even though he knew the attack was going to hit him, he wasn't intending to move from his position? Even though he had the spells which were strong enough to restrict his movements and reflect his attack, he wasn't going to use it?
"Are you playing with me right now?" Allen hissed, humiliated by his actions.
"Why are you destroying Innocence, Walker?" He asked, ignoring his question.
"Because I hate them," He spat in disgust. Innocence had destroyed his childhood life, and he was forced to fight even though he did not want to. He had thought that he would use this power to save the others from the same pain he was experiencing―to make his life a little better than before. But as time passed by, that responsibility had gradually become a heavy burden, so heavy that he was sinking with it.
"You might become a Fallen One," Link warned, staring at him in a serious gaze. He then recalled the incident when he failed to save Suman Dark who had turned to a Fallen One after he betrayed the Innocence. He was slowly sucked into the substance that his Innocence had turned into―the consequence and punishment that he had to take for abandoning his duty. At that time, he was afraid that he was too late, yet as he stared at the Innocence which was attempting to swallow him as well, he was also afraid that one day, he might also end up like him.
"Even if I reduce to a Fallen One, I do not care," Allen said, raising his hand as the dark power began accumulating at his fingers again. As he was about to fire, dizziness hit him all of a sudden. He stumbled slightly, touching his spinning head as he felt his energy slipping out of this body in an escalating rate. The white-haired teen started swaying, before he collapsed onto the ground.
"Walker!" Link ran to his side, and as he was about to reach out to him, he spoke.
"Do not touch me."
His hand halted in mid-air as the blonde stopped immediately. Allen opened his eyes as he slowly got up to his feet. He peered at his body which was slowly fading in the sunlight. It looked like he had reached his limit. He staggered for a few steps, getting a grip of himself as he decided to return to the town to rest. The secretary just stood there, not intending to follow him.
"They are coming to find you. Your friends."
Silver eyes widened as he froze, stopping halfway.
"Lavi Bookman and Exorcist Kanda Yuu. They are ordered to collect the remaining Innocence and kill you if necessary."
He just stood there, silent.
Link said no more, and Allen left, walking back to the main street. He dragged himself to a quiet alley, before his legs finally gave way and he collapsed. The white-haired teen gasped out in deep breaths as he stared ahead, his vision gradually blurring. Even if all of his strength had been used up; even if he was about to lose consciousness, the blonde's words continued to echo deep in his mind, getting clearer at every repeat. Even though he had died once, why did those feelings refuse to leave him alone?
"They are coming to find you. Your friends."
Even if those memories he had gotten was just a fleeting moment, he wished to forget.
He closed his eyes, his body gradually fading away as it disintegrated, changing into a blue butterfly which landed on a nearby bicycle. Seconds later, it flapped its blue wings and flew out of the alley, disappearing within the crowds of people in the street.
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Kanda slowly opened his eyes, staring blankly at the dark ceiling in front of him. He dreamed of that particular night when he found Allen dead by the lakeside. He had stopped dreaming of it a year ago, but recently, it came back again. Every time, he would see the blue butterfly fluttering in front of his eyes, hearing his pained voice calling out to him before it flew away. Did Allen want to convey something to him before he left? If so, what did he want to say to him?
He slowly sat up, stretching his arms and limbs. The pain was gone, and he recovered his strength. Before he knew it, it was already late evening, and it seemed that Lavi had not returned yet. Kanda stood up and walked over to the window, pulling the curtains aside as he peered at the sun which was setting behind the mountains. He had wasted the whole day sleeping and doing nothing. The raven-haired man hissed softly as he took Mugen and went out, deciding to get a breather.
He walked out to the empty street. There was no one around, as though the entire place was abandoned and deserted. He peered at the broken wooden houses which were on the verge of collapsing. The banners and posters which were once used to sell things were ripped in bits, scattering all over the ground. What had exactly happened here which made the whole town in this state?
After reaching to the end of the street, Kanda noticed a small dirty trail leading to the outskirts of the town. He followed it, walking through small bushes and thick weeds as a silver lake appeared in front of him. The raven-haired man slowly stopped, peering at the greenery and trees around the area. He walked towards the lake, staring at the small lotuses floating on the surface of the water in silence.
He remembered the time when he knew he was part of the Third Exorcist project, and the fierce battle between Alma Karma who was the reincarnated form of his lover he had been searching for all these while. He remembered the moment when he stabbed Allen who was in his way, and the moment when he threw the both of them into the Ark to aid them to escape. Alma was already dying, and his last words for him were to live the life that he wanted to have without regrets. His mind went back to Allen Walker, and somehow, he began to regret slightly on how he had been treating him for the past few years.
The raven-haired man slowly knelt down, his hand reaching out as his fingers brushed the soft petals of the flower in the slightest touch. He looked up, and his eyes widened slightly at the blue butterfly which descended on a jasmine flower at the side of the lake. He slowly reached out, only to stop as the butterfly fluttered away. Kanda stared as it slowly disappeared into the darkness, his eyes narrowing in anger and frustration.
"Are you really alive, Moyashi?" He hissed softly, his hand slowly clenching.
If so, where are you?
"You are here, Yuu." Kanda turned, seeing Lavi standing at a tree. The redhead then walked to him.
"I found the Finder. He is currently waiting for us at the inn. I was just wondering where you have gone to. What are you doing here?"
"Nothing." The raven-haired man stood up, walking past Lavi as he headed back to the town.
"Are you alright?" Lavi asked in concern. Kanda only snorted in reply. The two of them returned to the inn, and the Finder began to report to them the latest activities and the Innocence that they had located so far.
"There is an Accommodator who lives in Fusha Village, just a few miles away from here. We are supposed to meet him and escort him back to the Order, but he is found dead a few hours ago."
"His Innocence?" Kanda asked. The Finder just shook his head.
"His Innocence is a parasitic weapon, and it seems that it was wrenched out of his arm forcefully."
"W-Wrenched out?" Lavi stammered slightly, his eyes widening in shock.
"Sir Howard Link came to the scene, and it is confirmed that the white-haired teenager was at the scene, and he was the one who took the Innocence out and destroyed it. He also said that there is Innocence located at France, and told us to head there immediately in the morning. There will be another group of Exorcists there to assist the two of you if there is a need to."
The room was silent. Lavi peered at the floor with a flustered look, before he turned and peered at him. Kanda remained silent with an emotionless face. He wasn't really sure how he should react. He wanted to ask whether the white-haired teenager was Allen, but when his lips parted, nothing came out. Those words felt so heavy, weighing down at his chest. It was as if he was hesitant in confirming that the teenager was really Allen.
"I see."
"Yuu?" Lavi stared at him in slight puzzlement. Kanda stood up and walked to the door.
"I'm going out for a moment. Do not follow me, Usagi."
He left the room, walking down the stairs to the main halls where the counter was. The clock at a corner ticked softly in the silence. His mind continued to repeat the words that the Finder had said. Kanda stopped at the door, leaning against it as he stared at the moon from a distance away, thinking back to that particular time when Allen helped him and Alma escape, allowing them to be together.
I will not allow any one of you to interfere!
He slowly closed his eyes, hearing the lulling sounds of the wind at his ears as his strands of raven hair brushed against his face. At that time, he wondered whether it was the first time that he was truly grateful to the silver-haired teen for helping him. He had wanted to return the favour, but he hadn't expected it to become like this. The raven-haired man opened his eyes once again, staring at the darkness in front of him. His grip on his sword slowly tightened.
Are you running away, Moyashi?
"Yuu?"
He turned around, seeing Lavi standing behind him. Kanda turned back and stared at the night view as the redhead went to stand beside him. The two of them just stayed silent for a moment.
"Do you think he is Allen?" Lavi finally asked, brushing away strands of red hair as he gazed at the stars in the night sky.
"I told you not to follow me."
He then showed a strained smile as he let out a soft chuckle.
"I wish...it isn't him. Allen isn't someone who would do this." Kanda just let out a snort.
"That person isn't him. He is already dead."
"Even so, why I couldn't dismiss the idea that it might be him? Even though I watched him being cremated, why do I have a thought that he might be alive somewhere, Yuu?" Lavi said softly, taking out his head band as he led down his long fringe which covered his right eye from view.
Kanda pulled his coat closer to his cold body, and as he stared ahead, a small butterfly fluttered past, descending down onto his hand. He stared at the small, vulnerable creature, recalling back that moment when he saw a blue butterfly before he found Allen's body. He then stretched his hand outward, and the small butterfly slowly flapped its wings and flew away. Kanda stared at its disappearing shadow, his hands clenching tightly.
"Even so..."
Lavi turned and stared at him. His gaze slowly hardened.
"Even so, I will find him, to confirm it with my own eyes that he is truly dead. If I do not make sure of it, I can never move on."
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She held a bouquet of jasmine flowers, standing in front of his grave. After staring at it silently for a moment, she bent down and put the bouquet onto the ground gently, before she stood up and stared at his name which was carved onto the tombstone. A breeze blew by, and the forest around her stirred slightly, as though it was responding to her heavy emotions. The memory of his funeral was still fresh, as though it had only happened yesterday. The reality of him dead just felt so unreal. Till now, she couldn't accept the fact that he was already gone.
"It has been two years," Lenalee murmured softly. She paused, taking in a deep breath.
"How have you been, Allen?"
The trees rustled loudly, and several yellow leaves fell onto the ground. She slowly closed her eyes, hearing the howls of the wind crying softly at her ears, as though Allen was beside her, answering her right now. Her lips quivered, and tears slowly fell from her eyes, streaming down her face.
"Allen..." She breathed, opening her eyes as she knelt down, her hand reaching out to the tombstone as she touched its cold surface. It felt so unbearable, and even though she promised herself and Allen on the funeral day that it would be her last time to cry for him, it was still hard to let the feelings go and move on. The days felt painfully long, so long that she couldn't even differentiate what she was really doing all these time that passed. Everything just became so meaningless.
Lenalee wiped away the tears and stood up, showing a determined look on her face. Even so, she had to move on. Allen wouldn't want her to live in this state forever. After taking a bow in front of his grave, she turned and walked back to the Order. She sighed, peering at the blank sky above her.
"It would be another year before I can visit you again, Allen..."
Lenalee stepped into the halls, deciding to visit her brother at his office. She looked around, realising that there were so little people around. Most of them were out on missions, and the rest who did not have assignments on hand were idling around, having nothing to do. Ever since Allen died, the Order was quieter than before. Some of them had gradually forgotten him and moved on, while others, like her, just continued to stay at one particular place, unable to go forward. She had wondered how exactly she lived on like this; how days could pass by without the familiar face of the silver-haired teen around anymore.
She stopped, feeling miserable and lonely. Her only closest friends, Lavi and Kanda, were currently on a mission and would not be back very soon. Her older brother, Komui, had suddenly sent them off, and no matter how she tried to ask him what the mission was, he refused to tell her. She knew that the information was strictly confidential, but didn't he trust his own sister? Was she someone who would reveal information to others?
Lenalee let out a sigh, continuing her way to Komui's office. As she turned a bend and came out of the corridor, her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Inspector walking into his office. There was no signs of Howard Link around, which was rather strange since the secretary always followed him wherever he went. Lenalee frowned, approaching the door as she stopped, her hand stalling in the air as she wondered whether she should knock.
"...Innocence was pulled out of his arm forcefully. The Accommodator died instantly."
She stiffened momentarily, wondering what she had exactly heard. Lenalee took a deep breath and looked around, making sure that there wasn't anyone around at this time. She leaned closer to the door, pressing herself against the cold surface as she continued to listen.
"...already identified who he is. It is confirmed that the unidentified teenager who appears at every scene is Allen Walker..."
Violet eyes slowly widened in horror.
"You should know what to do, Supervisor Komui Lee."
What are they saying?
"Yes, I understand. They are already on the way."
What are they exactly saying?
"Good. Then, I shall wait for your good news."
Leverrier opened the door and stepped out of the office. He stood there for a moment, looking around in slight suspicion, before he walked away. Lenalee came out from the pillar, her shocked face turning pale as she gripped her hands which were shaking uncontrollably. She breathed heavily, wondering whether she was on her right state of mind; whether this was just another nightmare that she had experienced every night. She slowly made her way towards the door, her trembling hand reaching for the doorknob as she opened it. Komui was sitting at his working desk, signing his documents as usual. She noticed the wary look on his face, frustrated about something in his mind, and she had a slight feeling what it was.
"Oh, you are here, Lenalee!" He said, beaming in happiness at his sister's arrival. She just stared at him, slightly baffled at why her brother could just do his own things as though nothing serious had happened.
"Are you okay, Lenalee?" Seeing the blank and slightly dazed look from her, Komui stood up and approached her, touching her shoulder gently.
"Nii-san."
Komui blinked in bewilderment at her strange behaviour.
"What are you and Inspector Leverrier talking about just now?"
Violet eyes widened, and she could tell that her brother was taken aback by her question. He fidgeted in slight discomfort, breaking his gaze from hers as he stared elsewhere.
"It's just work, Lenalee."
"Is it only work alone?" She questioned skeptically and in slight disappointment, seeing through her brother's intentions instantly. No matter what was happening here, she was his sister, his closest kin. What was he trying to hide from her, and why was he hiding from her?
"Who have you sent, nii-san? Exactly what good news is the Inspector waiting, nii-san?" Lenalee then paused slightly, remembering that time when Kanda and Lavi were sent on a mission all of a sudden, and they were required to leave immediately without telling anyone of their whereabouts.
"You should know what to do, Supervisor Komui Lee."
"Lenalee..."
"Why is Allen's name mentioned in the conversation?"
Violet eyes widened as Komui froze in place at her words. Lenalee stared at him in bewilderment, not understanding why her brother was so shocked and shaken. The conversation that she heard over the door echoed in her head. Her trembling hand slowly reached up as she clasped her mouth, her shocked eyes widening in realisation. She then started shaking her head.
"Allen is already dead."
Komui said nothing.
"You saw it too. You are the one who cremated him. Isn't it, nii-san?" Lenalee muttered softly, her desperate eyes staring at him for answers, but he still said nothing. She walked over to him, slapping her hands onto his coat as she gripped his arms tightly.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Say something, nii-san! Say something...just...anything! I really do not understand what the hell is happening right now, so please, I beg you, SAY SOMETHING!" She screamed out, tears falling down from her eyes. A stifled whimper escaped out of her quivering lips as she let herself fall to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Allen was supposed to be gone, so why couldn't they just let him go and rest in peace? Why must she be reminded of him again, when it was a fact that she could never see him anymore?
"He is still alive."
She froze, her eyes widening in shock. After staying in silence for a moment, she finally croaked out a weak murmur.
"W-what?"
Komui let out a sigh, staring at her solemnly.
"Allen is still alive."
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The next day, the Akuma came. They killed anyone they saw on the streets, not sparing the elderly and the children. The past him would surely stand out and fight, but now, he did not care. Allen just laid back in the dark alley as he watched humans falling down, one by one. Blood was spilled and splattered all over the place. He could hear the Akuma screaming in happiness as they went on with the killing spree, yet he just stood here, watching.
"Help me!"
He looked down, staring at an adult who was crawling towards him. His tearful face was filled with intense fear and horror, his hands desperately reaching out for him as his voice pleaded for him to save him. Unfortunately, he was found out, as an Akuma began dragging him away. He screamed hoarsely, his hands digging the sands and dirt messily in an attempt to grab just anything to stop this. His wide eyes stared at him pleadingly, yet he only stared at him with an expressionless face as he was pulled away. Piercing screams rang in the air, before he saw a trail of blood forming along the path where he last saw him.
If he saved him, he would not end up dead. However, to what obligation should he save him, when he had already abandoned his own beliefs? He could be a saviour in the past, but he now realised that he wasn't a Saint. He couldn't save everyone, no matter how much power he had. Sacrifices had to be made. Even if humans did not die now, they would still die in the future. It was only a matter of time.
"The Millennium Earl goes to such extent just to find you, Allen? What a pity. There will be lesser humans to play with," The Noah sighed. Allen turned and was about to leave when he felt a presence lingering dangerously behind him. He stopped, staring at the wall as the moving shadow was getting closer to him.
"What do you want?" His face turned briefly, glancing at the Akuma which had killed the human earlier on. The Akuma only snickered, a crooked smile on its face.
"Are you asking for the obvious? If I get your life, the Earl will definitely reward me!" The machine screamed out in laughter, bearing out his metal claws as he lunged at him. Allen tilted his head, dodging the first swing of his weapon heading towards his face. He turned around and faced it, a light smirk forming on his lips to taunt the Akuma for failing to injure him, and the Akuma fell for it, raising his claws as it started attacking him swiftly in all directions, its movements so fast that everything became a blur. Allen continued to dodge, and he heard soft snips as his white hair strands were cut off, falling onto the ground. The attacks stopped, and they stood there, waiting for each other to make the first move.
"Why aren't you attacking? You aren't that weak, are you?" The Akuma sneered, detaching its claws from his body as it gradually transformed into a large axe. The white-haired teen did not move from his position, staring at his white hair which was lying on the ground. Seeing that he wasn't intending to attack, the Akuma charged towards him, raising the large axe over his head. As the Akuma hurled it down with its monstrous strength, his hand reached up, stopping the massive weapon in an instant. A strong gust of wind settled between the two of them as the ground shook slightly from the impact.
"What...!"
"I'm weak?" Allen muttered under his breath. His nails pressed hardly on its steel surface, and the weapon instantly broke, shattering right in front of them. The Akuma just blinked and stumbled backwards, taken aback by what had happened a few seconds ago. The white-haired teen stepped forward, his hand gripping its neck tightly as he hoisted the Akuma in the air.
"You must have mistaken. It's not that I do not kill. I just do not want to stain my hands with blood belonging to filthy things like you and your companions who just do not understand what the current situation really is."
He smiled, tightening his grip as the Akuma choked and coughed, its claws struggling to pry his hand open. The wind blew by, and an explosion occurred just a few metres away from where he was standing. The fire began to spread, and he was surrounded by screams of people running for their lives. Silver eyes narrowed in anger, slowly turning into a dark gold colour as he glared at the Akuma.
"Your only mistake in your life, Akuma, is to show your face in front of me."
A clear snap echoed in the air as blood splattered all over the wall. The Akuma fell onto the ground, motionless. His unmoving eyes stared at its corpse for a moment, before he cleaned away the blood and left. He jumped over a wooden fence, walking on the thick fields as he followed the dirty trail which would lead to the place he eventually had to go.
Everything blew up, and the entire town was in flames. The white-haired teen stopped and turned, and as he stared at the town, he remembered the greenery which was once enchanting and the beautiful sunflowers surrounding the fields. It somehow saddened him just how things like this could easily be destroyed in an instant. He then remembered the words that the Noah had spoken just a few minutes ago.
"Yeah, it's a pity," He muttered softly. He could never get to see such beautiful things again.
The white-haired teen turned and continued his way to his next destination. He peered at the trees and flowers which still existed even though the war was ongoing. It was a rare sight, and he stopped once in a while to admire their beauty and enjoy the cooling breeze which calmed his mind. Allen then saw a nest with small birds up the tree, and a small smile slowly formed on his lips.
"It's such a rare sight."
"What?" Allen asked, closing his eyes.
"It's rare to see you smiling at such insignificant things," Neah said. Allen slowly opened his eyes, seeing the little birds flapping its small wings as they took off towards the sky for their first time. When was the last time he was able to relax; to act upon his true emotions? But he could no longer stay in that particular time anymore.
"It is the only thing that can keep me sane," He murmured softly. He moved on, following the small path which soon ended as it connected to the main road. He looked up, seeing the faint, tall figure of the Eiffel Tower which was a few miles away. He would be arriving at the border of France, reaching Paris within a few hours. Allen stopped at a tree, noticing more people and horse carriages taking the same route as they approached the city.
"Is there Innocence in there?" Allen asked the Noah, closing his eyes as he gripped his left arm which started to hurt a little.
"There is," Neah replied. "And..."
He knew what the Noah wanted to say.
"There are Exorcists inside the city," Allen said, opening his eyes as he peered at the entrance. He slowly reached up to his chest, wondering what this feeling was. How long had it been since he met an Exorcist? Two years ago, he abandoned his identity, covering his traces such that no one could find him. The white-haired teen stared at his parasitic arm which somehow reacted slightly in response to his thoughts. Was he actually missing his previous job?
"I'm getting a strange feeling from this place, though it's up to you whether you want to go in or not," Neah said, materialising himself in the outside world as he stood beside the tree, smiling at him. Allen ignored his presence, staring at the entrance which would lead him into the city.
"Even so, I have to move forward," He murmured, stepping into the open as he walked towards the gates. He mingled with the large crowd gathering at the borders, and soon, he found himself on the street surrounded by small bricked houses and stores. It was a bustling place filled with shouts and laughter as people were carrying out their daily activities in the middle of the day.
Allen looked around, pulling the black hood over his head such that he wouldn't catch attention. This city seemed fine to him, but there was something which was bugging him for a while, and he had to find out what it was. The white-haired teen headed for the alley where there were lesser people around, taking shortcuts as he walked towards the Effiel Tower.
He gripped onto his left arm which started to twitch again. The bad feeling sank into him once again, and he quickened his steps, as though he had a hunch that something was about to happen.
"Allen, behind you!"
Silver eyes widened slightly at Neah's frantic shout in his mind. His body suddenly went stiff, causing him to stumble and fall hardly onto the ground. Allen grimaced slightly from the splitting pain as he was slammed onto a nearby wall against his will. His vision blurred slightly, and as he looked up, he saw a faint figure stopping in front of him.
"Look what I have got," The man with long dark curls smiled, playing with his hair by his finger. His Innocence arm activated on its own, and his eyes narrowed as his hand reacted by itself and lunged straight at his face. The white-haired teen gripped his hand tightly, forcing it back as he glared darkly at the stranger who was chuckling away. He then noticed the marks of dark stigmata at his forehead.
"Who are you?" Allen demanded.
"Sheryl Camelot, Noah of Desire. I have been searching for you all these while, and now that I have finally found you, I have no intention of letting you go..." A smile appeared on his face, and silver eyes only widened as he heard a loud and clean break from his hand.
"...alive."
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A/N: Hi everyone! How have you been? I have been busy, so I don't have the time to update at the moment. However, I will keep track of my stories once in a while, and I am so happy that this story has been receiving good reviews and loves from all of you! I do wish that you readers can give me more feedback regarding the progression of this story, whether it is good at this current pace or there is something which I can improve on (my writing structure) etc, such that I can continue bringing you exciting and cliffy chapters in the future! Although my updates are slow, it does not mean that I'm abandoning my stories! Please keep faith on me, and do not give up on them!
I'm thankful for the answers that I received from the reviews regarding Kanda's new Crystallised Innocence. I have read information from the internet, but I wasn't really certain how it is activated. Just to remind all of you that this story is semi-AU, with spoilers up to the current manga chapters. If you have any questions, please mention it in your review or PM me and I will be happy to reply back :) The story is slowly picking up, and there will be more battle scenes between Allen and the two sides very soon. Oh, not to forget the Apocryphos which I hated...he will also appear very soon.
Thanks for reading, and please review!
SingingBlues