Chapter 7


Allen placed her fingers on the sides of Marie's and started humming her healing spells. After a while, she removed her hands from Marie.

"Remember anything yet?" she asked.

"No," Marie said, frowning from the effort he was using to recall his memory.

"Daisya, your turn," Allen said.

Like Marie before him, Daisya submitted to Allen's efforts. Again, there was no success.

"I don't know what's going on," Allen said, sighing.

"There's still Kanda," Daisya said helpfully.

"I guess so," Allen said.

"Just wait for Kanda's examination," Marie said. "The truth will come out. Trust me. Trust Kanda and his memory."

Allen nodded. "Take care, Marie, Daisya. I'll be off now. Thank you for your time and patience today."

As Allen left the room, Daisya turned to Marie. "You think she's fine? She seems down today."

"She's probably tired," Marie said. "We all are."

:::

Allen next saw Kanda two days later.

"Kanda!" she called, and the captain turned to face her.

"Beansprout," he said by way of greeting.

"I told you not to call me that," she said, annoyance flickering briefly in her eyes.

Kanda shrugged.

"How are you feeling?" Allen asked.

"Fine."

"Good," Allen said. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Where are you going now?" Kanda asked, seemingly unwilling to move off to his original destination.

"To see Hevlaska," Allen said. "We're going over the archives for more information on the Curse of the Noah."

Kanda looked at Allen. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

He walked away, leaving Allen standing alone in the middle of the corridor, looking after him with a bemused expression.

:::

"Allen," Lenalee said, "we've got to go now, unless you want to be late."

"Go where and be late for what?" Allen asked, looking up from a dusty roll of parchment.

"To the Questioning, remember?"

"Oh yes, that." Allen stood and pushed her chair back. "Should we look for Kanda?"

Lenalee blinked. "He has to go through the purification process, remember? He might even be there already."

"Alright," Allen said. She picked up her official cloak and draped it over her shoulders. "Let's go."

Allen and Lenalee walked to a secret chamber situated deep under the City. Its stone walls stood tall and bare and grey, decorated only with strange diagrams that Allen knew to be spells waiting to be invoked in the defence of key personnel, who would be bundled down to the underground chambers in times of crisis.

A semi-circular dais stood at one end of the room, facing a lone wooden chair. Many of the City's high-ranking officials were there; the various section leaders of the Black Order, Bookman and Lavi sat in the back row of chairs, surrounded by stacks of parchment and inkpots, while the Generals and Komui sat in front row, alongside none other than Inspector Leverrier.

"I didn't know he was still here," Allen said, pausing at the door. "I thought he went back to the capital."

"Me neither," Lenalee said, shivering slightly.

"Are you ready to go in?"

"I'm fine," Lenalee said. "Don't worry about me."

Averting their eyes from Leverrier, Allen and Lenalee entered the room, whereupon they were ushered to their seats beside Hevlaska.

"Priestess," Komui said, "the spells, if you please."

Allen nodded and stood, reciting the ancient words which would cast a spell of secrecy over the chamber, a spell which would ensure that no one else could be tempted to treachery.

"Bring Kanda Yu in," Komui said.

One of the guards opened the door to a side waiting chamber, and led Kanda out. Kanda was not in his usual uniform; rather, he was decked in a plain black robe.

"Sit," Komui said, indicating the wooden chair.

Frowning, Kanda took his seat and looked around, as if unsure for once how to proceed.

"You do not have to fear," Komui said. "We are not interrogating you."

Leverrier laughed softly, without humour. "This room was once used as an interrogation and trial chamber."

"Not anymore," Komui said, frowning. "At least, not frequently. You are here today before us, Kanda, not to stand trial or to be interrogated, but to tell what happened to you at the hands of the Noahs to all who need to know the truth."

"I understand," Kanda said.

"Kanda Yu," Komui said, gesturing to the same guard who had led Kanda in, "you must now take the oath to tell nothing but the truth."

The guard stepped forward with a Bible. Kanda reached out, touched the holy book, and waited. Komui, sensing Allen's uncertainty, turned to her. "You have to ask him to swear, Allen."

"Do you, Kanda Yu, swear to tell the truth?" Allen asked.

"I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth," he said.

"I declare this session open," Komui said. "Declarant, we are here today to hear your explanation regarding certain events. Please start."

Allen leaned forward; from the corner of her eye, she saw Leverrier doing the same, his hand propped against his cheek.

"Daisya, Marie and I found a trail," Kanda said. "It led from the City Walls to the outermost boundaries. It was the usual kind of trail, nothing unusual about it, at least until we reached the boundaries."

"And then?" Leverrier asked, stroking his chin.

Kanda angled his body towards Leverrier's. "And then we continued following the trial."

Silence sank in among them as they started to ponder the meaning of Kanda's words, silence that was broken a few minutes later by Komui.

"Please continue," Komui said.

"The trail led back into the lands within our boundaries. We were very surprised to find it so. We followed it, on."

"Did you pass Suman Dark's garrison?" Cross asked.

"Yes, General," Kanda said. "We rested there and spoke to Captain Dark about the strange trail. We asked if he had seen anything unusual."

"What did he say?" General Nyne asked.

"He hadn't seen anything," Kanda said. "So we went on. To search."

"How far into our boundaries did this trail lead?" Cross asked.

"We followed it for a week," Kanda said.

The people in the room shifted in their seats, whispering among themselves, seeking to make sense of this revelation. Kanda himself showed no surprise at their reactions.

"Silence," Leverrier said, raising a hand. "Please."

"A week – that's worrying," Komui said.

"For three fine horsemen, a ride that lasts a whole week is indeed worrying," Tiedoll said, leaning forward.

"We didn't ride for a whole week," Kanda said. "We kept meeting obstacles along the way. I estimate that it would have been a ride of four days if the obstacles had not delayed us."

"Still, four days," Cross said. "That's bloody far in."

"That means they might have been near when you went out for the Summer Rites," Komui said, turning to Cross.

"We didn't see anything," Cross said. He took a cigar from his pocket.

"Not here, Cross," General Nyne said. "You'll stink the room up."

"Pass me one," General Sokalo said.

"No smoking here, Generals," Leverrier said.

Cross shrugged and tucked the cigar back into his uniform. "Fine, you pleasure-suckers. So. There was nothing weird on the journey, eh, idiot apprentice?"

"None that could have –" Allen's eyes widened. "Oh, something weird did happen."

Cross raised an eyebrow.

"The village, remember?" Allen said. "There was this empty village. The villagers had all been murdered by the town's blacksmith."

"And?" Komui prompted.

"We found out that the blacksmith had been tortured into it by someone who looked like a young girl," Allen said.

"Rhode Camelot," Cross said. "That little bitch."

"Language, Marian," General Nyne said. "That's interesting. And very horrifying."

"They've managed to get in beyond our borders," Tiedoll said. "But how? There should have been no way – the protection spell ranges around the entire boundary, except for where our fortress stands."

"We need to find out," Cross said.

"Continue, Kanda," Komui said.

"When we came to the end of the trail –"

"How did the end of the trail look like?" Tiedoll asked.

"Nothing," Kanda said. "It just ended, as if the maker of the trail decided not to go on."

"Was there anything suspicious in the vicinity?" Komui asked.

"No. We were puzzled, so we searched the area. Nothing."

"When did you get attacked?" Leverrier asked.

"The day after. After we finished searching, we decided to return."

"Where were you attacked?"

"Near the end of the trail. We'd ridden maybe for an hour northwards," Kanda said.

Allen leaned towards Hevlaska. "Am I allowed to ask questions?"

"Of course, dear," Hevlaska said, raising a brow. "Everyone here has that right. You have that right above all others."

"Thank you, Hev," Allen said. Turning to the front, she spoke again, though she addressed Kanda now. "Did you manage to observe who your attackers were, Captain Kanda?"

Kanda's expression did not change as he transferred his gaze, hitherto focused on Komui and Leverrier, to Allen. "Yes."

"Who?" Cross asked.

"A little girl," Kanda said. "I do not know who she is."

"Might it be Lulu Bell?" General Nyne said. "She can take on other shapes, after all."

"I am certain it wasn't her," Kanda said.

"Why?" Leverrier asked, tapping his pencil on the table before him. "Why are you so sure, Captain?"

"I've fought with her before, a few times. The way the girl fought – that was not Lulu Bell's style."

Cross sighed. "How did this girl look like?"

"Small," Kanda said. "She was short."

"A young girl with short, spiky hair, carrying an umbrella?" Cross asked.

Kanda nodded. "That is so. She had a companion too – a dark man."

"A dark man," Tiedoll said, rubbing at his chin. "Could it be…"

"Curly hair," Kanda said, "a mole near his eye. Tall."

"That might be Tyki Mikk," Cross said, to Tiedoll. "The physical description certainly matches."

Tiedoll nodded.

"The girl attacked Daisya and Marie. I fought with the man," Kanda said. "I don't remember much of the fight. It happened very quickly."

"How did it end?" Leverrier asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Surely you must have some idea?" General Nyne said. "The other two captains can't remember a single thing, so you're the only one who can shed light on this whole confounded matter."

"Language," Cross said, smirking at General Nyne. She ignored him and fixed her gaze on Kanda.

"I was fighting with the man – Tyki Mikk. Then suddenly, the girl shouted that they had to leave. I remember some disturbance, so she must have injured Marie and Daisya."

"You didn't actually see it?" Komui asked.

"No," Kanda said. "I was busy attacking Mikk."

"And what happened between Tyki Mikk and you?" General Sokalo asked.

"He escaped," Kanda said.

"How did you get your injuries?" Hevlaska asked.

"I don't know."

"From what I can see," General Tiedoll said, "we have more questions than answers now. This is a most perplexing affair."

"I agree with Froi," General Nyne said. "I'm simply confused."

General Sokalo shrugged. "We should kill them all."

"We can't just do that, General," Komui interjected. "There are other pressing concerns."

Leverrier touched his moustache. "Did you omit anything, Kanda Yu?"

"No," Kanda said, his eyes burning at the implied meaning of Leverrier's question.

"Inspector!" Komui said. "Kanda would not lie."

"I had to check," Leverrier said, "even if it offends you. Many trustworthy men have lied before. One has to be careful when so much is on the line."

Bookman cleared his throat. "Ahem. I would like to have the attention of this room for a while. There is something I have to say."

"Go ahead," Komui said.

Bookman nodded and stepped before the assembly. "I once read an old scroll before I came to this city. The scroll spoke of the children of the night, immortal beings, immutable in their strength and vitality, who will not die until touched by the hand of god. If they are killed by mortal man, and not by a priest or priestess sufficiently pure, then they were merely destroyed for a while, only to rise again after some years."

"Why have we never heard of this before?" Leverrier asked.

"The Bookman Clan keeps its secrets well," Bookman said.

"You owe your duty to this country," Leverrier said, pointing an accusing finger at the old man.

"I do have this duty," Bookman said. "But I am also of the Bookman Clan. Do you want to hear the rest of the tale? Or will you continue to dictate the extent of my loyalty?"

"Please go on," Komui said.

"The scroll spoke of a girl; she was very young and she didn't age like normal humans. She had a door."

"A doll?" General Nyne said.

"A door," Bookman said. "It was, allegedly, a portal."

"Are we going to start dabbling in the supernatural, now?" Sokalo asked. "A portal!"

"We live with the knowledge of supernatural elements every day," General Nyne said, glaring at her colleague. "You know that."

"That is right," Leverrier said. "We have seen instances of the supernatural in our own City and in the protection of our lands. You spoke too hastily, General Sokalo."

Sokalo laughed loudly. "I'm a boorish man, I wouldn't know about such things."

"About this door," Tiedoll said, "what else do you know, Bookman?"

"Nothing much else."

"So you're trying to imply that the two Noahs – for Noahs they surely are – came through the door?" Allen asked.

Bookman looked up at Allen. "Yes, Priestess," he said. "That is what I am trying to say."

"I have never heard of this," Hevlaska said, "the knowledge passed down from priestess to priestess says naught of this door."

"The information might have been destroyed or failed to be recorded," Bookman said, displaying no sign of being troubled. "I assure you there is no doubt as to the veracity of the documents kept by the Bookman Clan."

"Does that mean," General Sokalo said, banging on the table, "that this blasted girl can walk into our city any time she feels like it?"

"Not the City itself," Bookman said. He looked up at Allen. "Not while she resides here."

"You mean – Allen?" Komui asked.

Bookman nodded. "The lore scrolls state that the Priestess who wields the power of the Innocence lays the final boundary for the Noahs."

"So we have to keep her here, safe," General Nyne said. "That doesn't seem too hard."

"Except we do not know the tricks the Noahs have up their sleeves," Tiedoll said.

"To order," Leverrier said. He knocked on his desk to gain the attention of the assembled parties. "That is all for today. We have learnt a fair deal from Captain Kanda's account."

Komui turned to Leverrier. "But –"

"Enough, Chief Administrator. We are all tired today. For now, Allen Walker will not leave the confines of this City unless she is ordered to. That is all." Having spoken his piece, Leverrier stood up and left the room, his boots clicking smartly against the floor.

The rest of the assembled parties then dismissed themselves as best as they could.

:::

Allen woke before the sun the next day. She washed and dressed in the dark, before tiptoeing her way down the corridor just as the cockerel started to sing its morning song. Under the cover of shadows, she slipped past servants carrying out their morning chores, until she reached the training grounds. There, she sat by the door, waiting.

Barely five minutes after her arrival, another silhouette separated itself from the shadows and stopped before her.

"What are you doing here?" Kanda asked.

Allen stood up. "Waiting for you, of course."

"Why?"

"For my lesson," Allen said. "I hope you remember that you were in the midst of teaching me some self-defence moves?"

"Go in," Kanda said, holding the door open.

He handed Allen a stick sharpened at one end. "Practise."

"Practise?"

"Practise the moves I taught you."

"On my own?" Allen asked.

"Yes," Kanda said. "You probably have not practised much since our last lesson."

Allen gave an uneasy laugh. "You can tell?"

"Of course. Now practise."

Kanda took a seat on his meditation met and closed his eyes. Allen, meanwhile, walked to the middle of the room and took a stance. She practised the formations taught to her, swishing, moving back, kicking and bending.

Allen finished her first set and looked at Kanda, who was still meditating. He looked so peaceful now, with his brow only slightly furrowed and his jaws unclenched. Allen walked back onto the practice mat and went through her routine again.

She was in the middle of the second set when she felt a slight rustling behind her. A foot moved into her field of vision, heading straight for her knee. She left the stance and twisted her body, tripping away from the threat. Kanda spun on the spot to regain his momentum, the stick in his hands now heading for her unprotected middle.

Allen took a step back and swung her stick before her, barely deflecting the blow. She feinted to the side, but Kanda saw through it; within a few seconds, she lay flat on her back, the side of Kanda's stick resting against her neck.

"You should have been more careful," Kanda said, moving the stick away.

Allen got up. "How was I to know that you were going to attack me?"

"Your enemy," Kanda said, eyes flashing, "is not going to tell you before he attacks you."

"I can fend them off with a spell. I've seen Cross do that quite often."

"What if you don't have the time to cast a spell?" Kanda asked. "General Cross has been on the battlefield for so long. He knows whether he has enough time to cast a spell. He knows all his spells by heart; he can cast them very quickly."

"I just need to practise more," Allen said, sitting on the practice mat.

"You need to practise that, yes, but you need to know how to defend yourself too, with a mere weapon."

Allen shrugged. "Did the priestesses before me learn this?"

"You should ask Hevlaska."

"I will. But –"

"When you're good enough, you can combine your weapon with your spell."

"Pardon?" Allen said. She looked at Kanda.

"You heard me."

"Yes, but…" Allen stood up and walked around the room. "Are you sure that can be done?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know, it seems a little too… a little too advanced."

"You have a long way to go. But, it can be learned. I have seen General Cross do it before."

"He has?"

"He's a great warrior, a strong fighter," Kanda said, "whatever his other faults."

"He has many of those," Allen said.

Kanda shrugged. "It's not easy being a general. They get what comfort they can."

"Will you ever…"

Kanda raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Allen said, trying to shake the thought away. "Were you – was it tough to take the stand yesterday?"

"No."

"Wasn't it? They were all questioning you."

"It is something that has to be done. A good soldier knows his duty."

"I'm glad I'm not a soldier," Allen said. "What do you think really happened?"

"My opinion is irrelevant."

"Will they send you out again? To investigate?"

"Perhaps."

"I don't want any of you to go," Allen said. "It's so worrying…"

"Someone has to go."

"But not you, not Marie, not Daisya. Why, you've all just recovered!"

"A recovered soldier is fit to fight," Kanda said. He almost smiled. "And who else can Leverrier send?"

"The generals, maybe?"

"They're too important."

"And you're not?" Allen blushed as she realised what she had said. "Miranda will be upset if Marie gets injured again."

"Soldiers must do their duty," Kanda said, shrugging.

"Why do you keep repeating that?"

"It's the truth. We must fight."

"I won't let you all go," Allen said.

"You can't order Komui around," Kanda said. "Even if Komui were willing to listen, Leverrier would not."

"But –"

"Something has to be done," Kanda said. His eyes glittered in the half-light. "You of all people must understand that."

"I understand," Allen said. "It's just that I – never mind, forget I said anything. I understand."

"Good. Now get that lazy ass of yours up."

"Why?"

Kanda stood up and tapped his stick against the floor. "More training."

:::

Komui caught up with Leverrier as the Inspector left the dining hall.

"Inspector!"

Leverrier stopped and allowed Komui to catch up with him. "Komui," he said, "you look winded."

"I was trying to catch you," Komui said. "I need to talk to you. Please."

"What about?"

"About further investigation –"

"Chief Administrator," Leverrier said, smoothing out his quivering toothbrush moustache, "I believe I said all I wanted to say that day. There is nothing left to discuss."

Komui drew himself up to his full height. "Inspector, you dismissed the assembly that day without any further order except that Allen was not to leave the city. But – shouldn't we send out another investigation party?"

"I fail to see the need."

"Inspector," Komui said, "surely you find the situation highly dangerous? The Noahs have managed to breach our boundaries!"

"Yes, I know that."

"Then why aren't we sending out another investigation party?" Komui asked, his fists now balled up against his body.

"We have insufficient resources," Leverrier said. "Who can we send?"

"Kanda, Marie and Daisya," Komui suggested.

"They're not well yet," Leverrier said.

Komui frowned as Leverrier's words sank in. When has Leverrier ever cared for our welfare? He's hiding something.

"You disagree?" Leverrier asked.

"Oh, no, Inspector, I agree. Perhaps they can set out once they are well. They have been discharged from the hospital's care, after all."

Leverrier shrugged. "I don't see what further investigation can do. We should concentrate our resources on the defence of this city."

"But we need to understand more…"

"We should harness Allen Walker's power," Leverrier said. "Think about it, Komui."

"Inspector, I –"

"Think about it," Leverrier repeated. He started to walk away.

:::

A month later

Allen sat in the library, combing through the ancient scrolls that few of the priestesses before her had touched. Unfortunately, it was two in the afternoon; the words on the scrolls started to blend into each other and Allen's gaze often slid off the book and to the windows.

Then, a chair screeched across the floor, and the top of Lavi's head could be seen across the stacks of books sitting between them.

"Found anything, Lavi?" she asked.

"Yes, I think so."

"What's it about?" Allen asked.

"It's a prophecy," Lavi said. "I think it has something to do with you."


A/N: This has been a long time in the making; it has been such a pain to write. So... I decided to post what I have as of now. Hope you enjoyed reading this!