Mikage was standing across from me in a large room with a dome of blue stained

glass above us. I don't remember what we stood on, but it didn't matter to me at the

time. Mikage was here before me , smiling in his clean white shirt as we held each

other's hand. I wore my old gypsy shirt and skirt that were taken away long ago.

Mikage was holding, in his other hand, a thin gold bracelet that gleamed in the blue

light of the room. I was holding one too and I gasped when I realized this setting.

It's a gypsy marriage ceremony.

As I smiled in happiness, Mikage said, his voice bringing me back to those happy

memories together,

" Shall we begin, Carmen? I can't wait anymore."

I murmured " Yes."

Mikage had to say his oath first. I brought his warm hand closer and said

"Mikage, with the Seven Ghosts as our witnesses, do you swear to be forever at my

side with the outmost love and devotion to me?"

Mikage said " I do."

I brought the bracelet to his hand and slipped it over his wrist.

" Then let this bracelet that I bestow upon you be our unbreakable bond."

I released his hand as he took mine closer. " Carmen." he said with such longing

that I released a shaking sigh, my hand trembling excitedly in his gentle grip.

It was finally happening. It was almost complete.

Tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks and I closed my eyelids to stop them. I

felt the cold metal of the bracelet being roughly forced over my fingers and down

my wrist. This was was not how the ceremony was supposed to go.

I opened my eyes with a smile to tell Mikage he was doing it wrong with humour

when the eyes I was staring into were not the gold, loving eyes of Mikage.

They were the cold, purple eyes of Ayanami.

The tall Barsburg Admiral was holding my wrist tightly in his gloved hand as

he gazed on me with a smirk, looking amused by this dark joke. I gazed back at this

white haired villain with a horrified face, spotting the same bracelet around his

wrist.

" Carmen." Ayanami slowly spoke my name with relish " with Verloren as our

witness, will you be forever mine, and mine only, with the outmost love and

devotion to me?"

I wanted to rip my hand away and swipe that eery smirk off his face which I so much

detested. I wanted to yell at him that I will never be his and I hated him with all my

heart. But none of that happened.

I only gaped at Ayanami with trembling lips. Every muscle in my body was frozen

as I continued to stare into the deep violet of his paralyzing eyes. I held my voice

inside, refusing to give him what he wanted.

Ayanami only grinned at my resistance.

" Say it, Carmen." he coaxed as he pulled me closer, taking my jaw into his other

hand to tilt my face up to his cruel smile. " Why won't you finish our ceremony? I

want you, my Carmen. You'll be finally mine. Make your oath. I want to hear it from

these soft lips of yours."

He pressed his thumb upon my lips and rubbed them from corner to corner. My

breath shook as the pupil of his eyes narrowed into daggers, glaring down on my

frightened face.

" Swear to me now, Carmen Iglesia." he hissed.

My voice disobeyed my will and went up my throat to dance upon my tongue.

" I-I do." I choked on my words.

Ayanami laughed softly through his grin as he released my wrist and cupped his

hands over my face, tenderly stroking my tear crusted cheeks.

" Good girl." Ayanami sneered before taking me in his arms and lifting me off the

ground to meet his lips.

" NO!" I screamed out loud as I bolted up from my bed. I fearfully looked around the

room while I sat sweating and panting on my sheets. When I finally realized I was

back in one of the church's rooms, I let out a giant sigh and tried to calm down.

It was just a dream, I told myself, none of it was real.

Or was it?

I decided to go for a walk, to get some air and try to forget about the dream. I

noticed it was still dark outside, but I imagined morning was drawing close. Flinging

my sheets to the side, I rose from my bed and then halted when to gaze at Teito's

empty bed.

Oh that's right, I thought , he's sharing a room with Hakuren in the acolytes dorms.

They made quite a fuss over it.

I found a brown, wool jacket to pull it over my nightgown and then slipped my feet

into my boots. I quietly left my room and tip toed down the stairs to the courtyard.

The night's air was slightly chilly but the cool wind was refreshing. With my arms

crossed over my chest, I strolled across the courtyard and went up onto the

church's wall.

What if that was really Ayanami?, I frowned at the thought. Is he trying to mess with

my mind?

So what? He's not going to succeed. My thoughts turned to Frau, imprisoned now

in the hidden dungeons that only the bishops know. I touched my aching forehead

when I saw Bastien ahead of me.

The Archbishop Assistant was overlooking the wall at the town below, his

expression thoughtful and serious when he noticed me watching him.

" Miss Carmen?" he said in my language puzzled, " What are you doing out here

alone? Is everything alright?"

I nodded as I drew closer. " I'm fine. It's just…I can't sleep."

" Ah. I see." said Bastien as he sadly gazed at me, " Troubling dreams?"

" Yeah." I sighed, " And you, Bishop Bastien? Can't sleep either?"

Bastien faintly smiled " You and me both, my dear."

He turned back to the quiet town with the same look as before. I joined him on the

ledge to gaze down on the sleeping village from high above. It was strangely still;

not a peep of noise or a flash of movement to disturb its perfect silence. It was both

awing and creepy.

" Are you cold, Carmen?" spoke Bastien. I shook my head. " Not really."

Bastien made a soft chuckle, " My silly girl, I can see you're shivering. Here, come

closer."

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and gently pulled me into his warm side.

" Better?" Bastien murmured as he rubbed my arm.

" Uh huh." I said while leaning my head against him. I didn't mind at all at this

closeness to the bishop. I liked Bastien, his company was comforting, but

something about him was nagging me.

" Bishop Bastien?" I said. " Hmm?" inquired Bastien. I continued

" If I may ask, why can't you sleep?"

He was silent for awhile until he sighed " I've been thinking about Frau. That boy is

always getting into trouble, but this is the worst."

I said " Do you believe Frau is a Warsfeil?"

" They told me they've found him holding a Warsfeil knife with dead bodies of our

slain brethren in the room. It seems clear enough."

Shaking my head, I said " But that could've been a setup. What if someone is

framing Frau so he could get executed? I don't believe for a second that he's a

Warsfeil. He's done so much for us."

Bastien smiled sadly, " That's what I like to believe. I've taken him under my care

when he was brought to this church as a small orphan. Frau was a troublemaker

but he had a compassionate heart. You know, Miss Carmen, that this place where

we're standing right now is where me and Frau used to come and talk. This is

where he opened up to me. I became attached to that child. He was like my own

son."

Those words, they're similar to what Father Fea said about Teito.

I said, " Then why do you doubt him, Bishop Bastien? You love him, don't you? You

should be trying to prove his innocence."

I felt Bastien pull in front of him to place his hands on my shoulders. His sad grey

eyes gazed sympathetically on me as he said " I know Frau has been kind to you

and its difficult to believe he's a being of darkness, but sometimes my dear, people

are not as innocent as they seem. They can be deceptive creatures and those

kinds must be destroyed. Frau committed a terrible act and there's no evidence to

object it. You are young and pure, Carmen, there is still much to learn about this

world. I do love Frau but there is nothing I can do for him."

I kept my silence and didn't continue my argument. I came out here to calm my

mind, not to boil my blood which won't change anything. I now felt weary from this

conversation. Bastien noticed my eyes were drooping from exhaustion.

He smiled " I think it's time for you to go back to your bed, my dear Carmen.

Weariness has caught up to you. I'll escort you back to your room. It's still

dangerous to be out here alone."

I nodded and murmured " Thank you, Bishop Bastien."

Bastien gathered my shoulders into his arm again and made our way back to the

main wing. When we reached my room, I turned to him and said

" Bastien, I want to apologize for what I said. I shouldn't have brought that on you."

He smiled softly and affectionally pressed the palm of his hand against my cheek.

" You're still a pure hearted girl, Carmen. You will always be. Now rest my child,

mourning will come soon."

He dropped his hand from my face and said " Sleep well, Miss Carmen."

" See you in the mourning, Bastien." I yawned before we both turned to go in our

own directions. *

Mikage awoken me in the late mourning, licking my face while I slept on my bed.

My eyes fluttered open to see the little dragon's eyes filled with worry.

" Mikage…" I moaned as I took him into my hands. I lazily rose from my pillow to

stare at him through squinted eyes. " What's wrong boy? Where's Teito? I thought

you were with him."

Mikage chirped at me before flying off my hands to scurry to the door and paw at it.

He wanted me to follow him.

I quickly leapt from bed and tore my nightgown off to slip on my clothes. I combed

my hair with my fingers as I briskly walked to the door and opened it to leave.

Mikage ran ahead of me to gallop down the halls.

I followed him at a fast pace, wondering what was Mikage trying to tell me as he

momentarily stopped and chirped at me to hurry . He lead me outside and into the

courtyard where I found the source of the little dragon's worries.

Teito was sitting on the fountain's marble, alone while gazing at the ground with the

most depressed expression I have seen on him. Mikage was right to bring me here.

Me and Mikage went to Teito who was deep in thought. I had a sense of what the

cause of his depression could be.

" Teito?" I said when I approached him. He jumped at my voice and quickly looked

up to me with huge eyes. " Carmen." he mumbled, relaxing but returning to his

gloominess. I went to sit by him.

" Mikage came to my room this mourning to wake me." I began, staring at his face,

"He sensed your grief and came to get me. I know what you're thinking about and I

want to say you are not alone in this."

Teito said " Frau…I can't believe…but he did have a cold look in his eye one night."

I grabbed Teito's shoulder and turned him to face me. " Teito, we both know what

Frau really is. He can touch Warsfeil tools without being affected. He was probably

tricked by a Warsfeil to touch the knife. Frau could still be innocent."

A little more life came to Teito's face. " It's possible." he said, " but we don't have any

evidence of this. He'll be executed."

I said with determination, " Then it's our job to uncover the truth and present the

evidence that we find. We have to save him, Teito. He saved ours. We can't let him

die!"

Teito started to look like that fearless boy that I knew. " Where do we start?" he

asked.

I looked around first to see if anybody was eavesdropping but none were seen and

I could sense none.

" We'll have to talk to Frau to get his side of the story." I whispered to Teito. He

whispered back "But we don't know where he's imprisoned. The dungeons are kept

a secret remember?"

I put a finger to my lips and said " Good point. Then how can contact him?"

A light melodic voice sang behind us and we turned to see Lazette smiling up at us

from the water.

" Mourning Lazette." I greeted the friendly mermaid but wondered how much she

heard our conversation. Lazette shook her face to change it into Frau's handsome

features.

Teito sighed " We're really confused now."

" I think she's on to something." I said and then asked the mermaid " Lazette, do you

know where Frau is?"

The Frau impersonator nodded at me before changing back to Lazette. She

pointed her webbed finger at the water and beckoned to us with her other hand.

" The dungeons are under water!" exclaimed Teito, " Frau is down there!"

" And Lazette wants to lead us there. She knows exactly where she is." I said. Teito

turned to me,

" Only one of us should go. It'll be quicker that way. I'll go."

I watched him take off his priest clothes to stand only in his shirt and shorts.

" Then I'll go investigate the scene where Frau was seen holding the knife."

Teito froze to look at me with a stern expression. " I don't think that's safe." he said.

I sighed, " Look, we don't have time to argue. We got to find evidence quickly before

Frau is taken to court. There's no time to be cautious for personal safety. But I'll be

fine. Go Teito, he needs you."

Teito was hesitant but agreed. " We'll meet here then."

" Good luck." I said.

With a nod, he took a deep breath and dove into the fountain where Lazette was

waiting. I watched Teito and the mermaid swim down into the deep blue of the

fountain until they were faint figures in the darkness.

Right. Now it's my turn, I thought when a voice called after me " Carmen!"

I whirled around to see Hakuren running towards me with a bascule. He glanced at

Teito's clothes piled on the ground and asked " Where's Teito?"

Castor was right, I thought while hiding a smile. I said " He's going to speak with

Frau. Hakuren? Do you believe Frau is a murderer?"

Hakuren looked surprised when I asked but answered with a solemn look

" No matter how many times they explain it to me, I believe Frau is innocent. He

cured my mother's curse long ago when my father forbade it. So he can't be a

Warsfeil if he can do that."

I grasped his arms and said " Then will you help me prove Frau is innocent?"

Hakuren nodded, his violet eyes shimmering excitedly. " How can I help?"

I whispered to him " We have to go investigate the crime scene. I need you to help

me find any clues to what happened in that room."

Hakuren warned me " We'll have to be discreet then. They don't want us snooping

around that place."

I nodded. " Right, then let's hurry. Mikage, stay here and wait for Teito."

Mikage chirped his acknowledgement .

" This way, Lady Carmen." said Hakuren before we went into the church. We didn't

run because we would look suspicious if we did. We walked at a fast pace but

casually talked to look natural. We can't afford to be stopped by the church's

guards. That would ruin our mission.

We reached the room where crime scene tape was set up around the entrance,

warning others to stay away. I ignored it and was going to duck under it when

Hakuren exclaimed " Wait! I can't bring my bascule in there."

I paused to watch him lay the weapon against the wall.

" If a Warsfeil was in there, my bascule would be tainted by its Wars. It'll kill the

power in the bascule."

" Good thinking, Hakuren." I commented. Hakuren smirked in satisfaction and said

" Let's get in there."

We stooped under the tape and entered the dark room. It was bare of any furniture

and it reminded me of a jail cell. We began searching the room when Hakuren

found splotches of blood stains on the floor.

" This is where the bodies were found." he said. My gaze ran up the wall to see

more stained blood.

" Hakuren look up." I said. He followed my gaze to the blood stains.

" That…doesn't make sense." he said, " Why would there be blood up there when

the bodies were here?"

I tapped my chin as I pondered over this strange setup. Were the dead priests up

there before they came down here? But why and how?

The notion was confusing and I wondered around the room to think when

something bright on the floor caught my eye. I kneeled beside it to take a closer

look.

It was strands of pink hair, stuck in the cracks of the stone floor. I immediately knew

who the hair belonged to.

" Hakuren! Come over here!" I almost shouted excitedly. Hakuren ran across the

room to where I was standing. " What is it?" he said as he dropped to one knee.

" This hair, " I said while pointing at the strands, " belongs to one of the Black

Hawks, Kuroyuri. His hair is the exact same colour as these strands."

Hakuren gasped " Which means Frau wasn't the only one in here! He was probably

fighting this Kuroyuri!"

I nodded. " I can't see Lazette or the other nun with pink hair being the culprit. It's

definitely Kuroyuri. Let's take this to Bishop Castor and Labrador. They'll know what

to do."

I was about to pluck the strands when Hakuren caught my hand.

" Don't touch it Carmen!" he exclaimed " It's still tainted with Wars. It'll hurt you if it

hasn't been purified yet. We'll have to-Carmen?"

I was staring above Hakuren's head with a dumbstruck look.

" There's girls floating above us." I said out loud. I swear I wasn't going crazy. There

were actual beautiful ghostly girls with bright coloured hair flying around the

didn't seem to see them. I guess I was the only one who could. They

reminded me of nymphs.

" It's okay, kiddies!" smiled one of them, "This room has been purified. It's safe to

touch anything. So go ahead!"

" Oh, thank you." I said with awe to the giggling spirits.

" Carmen, who are you talking to?" Hakuren asked, puzzled and a little worried.

I explained " The spirits of this room said the Wars has already been purified."

" What?" said Hakuren, " That quickly? Who could've have done it?"

" I did." said a familiar male's voice. We leapt to our feet to see Bastien walking

towards us from the dark end of the room.

" Bishop Bastien?" I said, " You purified this room?"

Bastien stood before us with a solemn look. " Yes, Miss Carmen, I was just finishing

up here." he said, " But you two shouldn't be here. It's a restricted area. You were

investigating this place, weren't you."

Hakuren bowed, " Forgive us, Bishop Bastien."

When I said nothing, Bastien said to me " Carmen, you never cease to amaze me.

To go this far to put yourself in danger …"

" It's for Frau." I said, " I know he's not the culprit. I want to help him."

" She's right." Hakuren joined me, " The true offender could still be out there."

Bastien silently stared at us, looking very displeased when he smirked.

" Young people. They're full of fire aren't they? Well, I guess I'll let you go this time.

You may continue your investigation."

We both sighed in relief and thanked the Archbishop Assistant.

" So Hakuren," Bastien said " You can bring your bascule in here. I'll get it."

He went out side and came back with the bascule. When he gave it to Hakuren, he

said to him " Never let this leave your side. Protect Carmen with it."

Hakuren bowed his head, " Thank you, I will."

" Now Carmen." Bastien said " If you would like, I can tell you something that might

help you with your investigation. "

Curious, I said " Sure. Anything would help."

Bastien continued " Those men who were killed in this room, did you know what

kind of men they were?"

" I thought they were bishops." I answered.

" They were criminals. They sought refuge in this church from the authority. They

thought they could make their atonement by serving God. But the Seven Ghosts

decide who will live and who will be punished. They are not merciful. They will take

a sinner's soul."

I slightly gasped but listened intently.

" Those dead men were judged as too evil to live and were disposed of by the

righteous hand of God."

My skin crawled at Bastien's words. I never seen him this frightening before. What's

gotten into him?

" What do you think now, Miss Carmen?" Bastien asked me with a gentler tone, "Do

you think this crime was actually justice?"

I made a thoughtful look and said " They might've done something terrible in their

lives and they may have deserved it, I don't think its the right punishment. They

should continue to live while being always followed by their crimes, never moving

on in this world. Only trapped in their never ending guilt. I think this mental suffering

is worse than death. So no, this crime is still a crime."

I thought I saw Bastien's eyes narrow at me until he smiled and touched my

forehead with his fingers.

" It seems we have a philosopher on our hands." he chuckled as he smoothed my

hair from my face. " Be careful my dear and good luck to both of you."

With that, Bastien walked pass us and left the room .

" Let's take the hair and get out of here. That's all we can find." I said to Hakuren.

He said " Teito is probably done by now."

We carefully pulled the hair from the crack and wrapped it in a piece of cloth. I took

the bundle and hid it in my pocket. Me and Hakuren then left the eery room and

went back outside to the courtyard. We silently made our way to the fountain and

found only Mikage there, chirping loudly at us as we approached him. Teito's

clothes were still on the ground.

" Where is that brat?" fumed Hakuren, " He should've been back by now!"

" Mikage? Have you seen Teito come out?" I asked the little dragon. He shook his

furry head. Damn.

The thought of Teito drowning made my heart pump unnaturally when a white

curtain covered my eyes. I was still as the white space darkened to pitch black.

Soon, I saw movement in the darkness and when my eyes adjusted, I cried out in

horror.

Teito was covered from head to toe in shapeless, grotesque shadows. Wars. I

watched its claws and teeth snare Teito's arms and legs, holding him still as the

Wars slithered onto his body. I noticed there was another person in this dark space,

someone wearing the robes of a bishop who was controlling the Wars.

I focused on his face. My heart almost stopped.

" WHY!" I screamed when the vision vanished and I was back at the fountain in

the arms of Hakuren. He shook me as he shouted in hysteria

" Carmen! Can you hear me! Are you okay! Your eyes went all white!"

" I'm fine. It was just my vision." I said dazed when I screeched

"Oh God, Teito! He's in danger! He has him! Why didn't I see this! I'm an idiot!"

I tore from Hakuren's arms and dashed into the church without explanation.

Hakuren followed close at my heels and exclaimed while we ran,

"Carmen, what's going on! Who has Teito?"

I cried with a trembling voice, " Bastien. It was him all along! He betrayed us!"

" Oh God, no." Hakuren whispered in shock.

I said while trying to get a hold of myself, " He's taken Teito to a dark place. I don't

know where but I have a feeling we should check in his office."

We sprinted without stopping to the traitor's office and when we entered the neat

room, I started looking at the book shelves.

" He must have a secret passage here." I said as fingers trailed along the soft

spines when I felt a smoother book. It was stone. I quickly pulled the fake book back

to hear a loud click behind the shelf.

The whole book shelf slid to the right to reveal a dark passageway holed into the

wall. Without wasting anymore time, we sprinted down the stone steps, descending

into the earth's dark belly. Our eyes quickly adjusted to the dark but it wasn't long

until we saw a faint torch's glow at the bottom of the steps. We sped towards it, our

breathing nervously shaking as we braced ourselves for a battle.

With knives in hand and a bascule ready, me and Hakuren sprang from the

passageway to gasp at a grotesque sight. In the middle of the cellar was Teito

wrapped in Wars that snarled and squawked as one horrible living creature. Teito

was struggling against it, trying to break free but the more he moved, the more

energy was being sucked from him. The Wars was devouring him.

" Teito!" Hakuren yelled and raised his bascule at the Wars to fire his zaiphon.

Nothing happened.

" Your bascule is useless." said the unmistakable voice of Bastien. He came out of

the darkness like a wraith, his narrowed eyes glinting with red. All the kindness this

man had on his face was gone. It was only the will to kill.

Bastien coldly glared at us as I sensed a powerful dark aura surrounding him.

Hakuren was still trying to get his bascule to work. I noticed it had black splotches

on its white stone.

Bastien said " I tainted your weapon with Wars. It was foolish of you to let someone

else touch it."

We both remembered that time at the crime scene when Bastien went to get

Hakuren's bascule. We were so careless.

Teito made a strangled cry and I whirled to him to witness the Wars slowly crawling

across his face, changing the green of his eye to a blackish purple.

" Let him go!" I screamed and threw two knives at Bastien.

He mumbled something in a low whisper and suddenly two large tendrils of Wars

appeared in front of him and swiped the knives away.

" Those mundane weapons won't work either, Carmen." said Bastien as the Wars

swirled and sputtered. He was right. Our weapons can't do anything to the Wars

and if it touches us, we'll be swallowed up too. We came to this place off guard and

unprepared.

Hakuren leaned over to me and whispered " Go get help."

Knowing full well of his intention, I sprinted to the exit while Hakuren sprang at

Bastien. I heard Hakuren's cry followed by an insect growl but I kept going while

clenching my teeth in anger.

The stairway was just a few inches away and I almost had my foot on the first step

when Bastien's voice called " Carmen."

My heart jolted at his ice chilling voice and I instantly stopped just before the exit.

" Are you going to leave your friends to die?" Bastien spoke.

Move you idiot! I snarled at myself, Don't you dare turn around!

I ignored my conscious and turned to Bastien while sweating buckets.

" Hakuren!" I screeched when I saw him dangled in the air by the Wars coiling

around him. He tried ripping away the dark creature while Bastien stood beside it

calmly, watching me with that sinister stare.

" I always knew you were a kind hearted human, Carmen Iglesia. " said Bastien, " I

would never guess you would sacrifice your friends to save your own life."

I yelled " Why are you doing this, Bastien! Were you a Warsfeil from the very

beginning!"

Bastien commanded " Come here, Carmen."

I didn't want to obey but his cold eyes were daring me to make a move, to give him

a reason to kill Teito and Hakuren right now. It was hopeless, I couldn't save them.

But I went to Bastien all the same.

" No! Carmen run! Get away from him!" Hakuren shouted at me but was silenced by

the Wars who covered his mouth. I glanced at Teito, almost engulfed in the Wars,

his look distant.

I turned back to Bastien, who was only a few feet away with his Wars, still swirling

at his feet. I halted to glare at him. Bastien mumbled the strange words again and

the Wars disappeared at once, allowing Bastien to stride towards me. I didn't back

away but watched this monster come to me while struggling to keep a calm face.

Bastien stopped to stand close to me. " Carmen," he began" when I asked you if it

was right to kill a evil human, I was in a disagreement with your answer. You see…"

Bastien raised a finger to my face and trailed his nail against my skin. I shuddered

from his touch, feeling the strong Wars in his finger burning my face.

" I was the one who killed those damned men. I made them suffer greatly before I

slowly took their lives. I want to do this to all such despicable humans. Vermin like

them are not needed on this earth."

I swallowed " But you're hurting innocent people too."

Bastien smirked as he hooked his finger under my chin.

" No one is innocent in this world, my dear." he said with that dark smile, " Even you

are not as pure as everyone thinks you are. Your human kind are all disgusting

creatures. My master understands their nature completely."

I growled in Bastien's face " You're wrong and so is he!"

His hands fell to my neck and violently wrapped his fingers around my throat. A

choked cry escaped my lips as Bastien strangled me , crushing my throat in his

powerful grip. My sight was blurring but I could still see Bastien's black rage on his

scowling face.

" You shouldn't speak what you don't understand ,foolish girl." he hissed in my face

as I grasped his arms, " You think you know everything about this world, how pure

and beautiful it is! You haven't seen its true darkness!"

I struggled to speak " It's true…I haven't…But you must know…no one in this world

is perfect. We all make mistakes…"

Bastien tightened his grip and I coughed at the unbearable pain.

" That's enough talk, Carmen." Bastien said, " Sleep now. You will see my master

soon enough. I will present you and the Eye of Mikael as a gift to him."

Feeling my mind slowly slip away, I shouted with everything I had left,

" What about Frau!"

Bastien ceased his strangling but kept his fingers tightly around my neck as he

glared at me. I continued, hearing my own voice tremble

" He loves you. He loves you as his own father. You are his father. You raised him

with love and kindness when others wouldn't. And you loved him too, even though

he's a human that you despise. You still love him, Bishop Bastien."

Bastien gazed into my watering eyes while wearing a sorrowful look.

" Release my master's most beloved, Warsfeil." said a familiar voice behind me. A

pure white web of unknown substance appeared above us and came down at

Bastien. He dodged the assault by releasing me and leaping back a few feet away.

I coughed for air and touched my throat when an arm slipped around my waist

protectively and drew me against a small body behind. I gasped when I saw the

same white substance growing from the same hand that held me. I noticed a small

red sphere embedded in the back of his hand, glowing as more of that substance

grew from it.

" Do not be afraid." said the stranger behind me when I realized it was not a

stranger. It was Teito!

I turned to see him, free from the Wars but he looked different. His eyes were blood

red and he wore a scowl unlike his.

" Who are you?" I whispered. Teito answered with a deep voice " I'm the Eye of

Mikael, the one that resides in my master's hand. He wished for me to save you. I

answered to his call."

Remembering Bastien was still here, I looked to where he stood and felt my heart

stop. A Ghost had appeared, holding a giant scythe and skewering it into Bastien's

body.

The curved blade stuck out of the Warsfeil's back, pools of black blood dripping

down his robes to the floor. Zehel, Frau, and Bastien, his guardian, gazed into each

other's eyes. Blood dripped from Bastien's mouth as he spoke in a hoarse voice

" My son…I just listened…to what that lovely girl said…and she's right…I love you

Frau…I'm sorry…"

Bastien made a weak smile on his bloody lips as his breathing started to slow.

" Bastien…" said Zehel, watching Bastien close his eyes to never open them again.

" Why?"

The Archbishop Assistant died on Zehel's blade.

Zehel slowly pulled the scythe from Bastien and carefully laid the dead bishop on

the ground. The God said behind me

" If my assistance are no longer needed, I will go back then."

The God closed his red eyes and his scowl relaxed to Teito's sleepy expression.

His arm dropped from my waist and his body slumped against me. I caught Teito by

the shoulders before he could fall to the floor, leaning the unconscious boy against

me.

" Hakuren!" I exclaimed and looked over my shoulder to see him lying on his

stomach without any Wars in sight. I was thinking of laying Teito down to check on

him when a monstrous long arm robed in black scooped me and Teito off the floor.

Zehel held us against his large chest as he went over to Hakuren to pick him up

with his other arm.

" We have to go." Zehel said with a low, grave voice, " They'll see us."

I heard shouts and footsteps coming down the passageway along with the clinking

of metal weapons. The church's guards were coming, having discovered the

passageway open. If they saw us with Bastien's dead body, they'll think we're the

murders.

The Ghost glided back into the wall while taking us with him. We vanished from the

room right before the guards announced Bastien's death.*

Frau was proclaimed innocent of his charges. When they found Bastien's body, the

Church began to think that Frau may not be the killer since he was in his cell the

whole time, so how could he have possibly killed Bastien?

We backed this with the hair me and Hakuren found on the crime scene, telling the

judges it belonged to a Warsfeil. The Church interviewed people with pink hair like

Lazette and the nun. Neither of them were near the crime scene when the murder

happened and there were other witnesses to prove it.

Frau was released in a few days, just in time to attend Bastien's funeral. It was a

heartbreaking day; everyone attending the ceremony wore black morning clothing

and solemn, sad gazes.

Me and the boys told no one about Bastien's real identity. We left Bastien's death

as a murder by the real culprit. We wanted him to be remembered as the kind,

loving we knew. As Teito and Hakuren's tutor, Frau's guardian and my friend. *

Teito, alone with Mikage on his shoulder, was walking around the courtyard with a

depressing face. I couldn't protect him, he thought, nor Carmen or Hakuren. I let

them all fall into danger.

It's been a week since Bastien was buried and Teito still felt responsible for his

death. Life went on in the church like usual, but the loss of their beloved

Archbishop Assistant still hung over the inhabitants.

Teito and Hakuren went back to their studies and trained together. They were

starting to like each other but still feuded over the littlest things. Now the bishop

exams were only tomorrow and Teito was doing everything he can to be prepared.

If only he could get rid of his gloomy thoughts. It's distracting him.

" Boo!" Carmen popped in his face.

Teito jumped a few feet away with a surprised cry. Carmen laughed

" There! That should get you hyped up for the exam. I'll scare you again before you

take it, just to be safe."

Teito sighed as Mikage chirped at Carmen excitedly,

"Carmen, please don't do that ag-What the heck is that!"

Teito pointed at the long rifle that Carmen held in front of her. It was almost as long

as her, sleek and dark brown with a scope set on top.

" Really? Do I have to answer that?" Carmen said with a smile, not at all worried

with carrying a deadly and possibly an illegal weapon.

" Where did you get that!" Teito exclaimed.

Carmen answered calmly " I had it since I was thirteen. A birthday present. Vivo

had it on him."

Teito smacked his forehead. " Then why are you carrying it in church! You'll get

into trouble with the bishops!"

Carmen shrugged " It's for protection. My knives are useless for that. I'll use it if I

have to protect you and everyone else from the Warsfeil."

Teito didn't like it but he let the argument go. Carmen can't use zaiphon to protect

herself so the rifle is the best she can do.

She doesn't have to do this if I hadn't dragged her along. But, she doesn't have to

hang around me.

Teito said " Carmen? Do you miss your family?"

Carmen thoughtfully said " I do. I sometimes wonder if they're doing okay. But, this

isn't the first time we've been separated like this. We'll eventually find each other

again."

" Look, " Teito began," You don't have to-aargh!"

Teito felt his hand vibrate painfully when a sheen of black passed over his face to

cover his mouth and eyes, changing the irises to purple.

" Teito!" Carmen cried in alarm as she fell to the ground with him. She took his face

into his hands, staring down on the Wars that was once again choking the life out of

Teito.

Carmen shook him while screaming at the top of her lungs " Teito! Wake up!

Somebody help! Frau! Come quick!"

The floor beneath them suddenly turned black, forming a dark pool

that surrounded them. In seconds, a giant wall of Wars rose from the pool to trap

Carmen and Teito in a giant sphere of Wars.

Carmen hugged Teito to her chest, protecting his head in her arms as the Wars

blocked out the last precious ray of sunlight, swallowing the girl and the boy into its

dark abyss.