It felt like we spent an eternity in that awful dark place. I had no idea if we were alive or dead,
whether we were conscious or dreaming.
It almost drove me to insanity. The darkness soon crumbled around us. Our sphere cage of
Wars dissolved to the ground, letting in a fierce light to engulf us. I covered my eyes with my
arm to protect them from the blinding light when I heard the singing of birds.
I peeked over my arm to see that we were outside, on a roof of one of the church's towers. We
got moved to a different location but still within the church's grounds.
What's going on! I thought as I rose from Teito to stand on my knees and hands. I stressfully
gazed into Teito's face which was still covered in Wars. I have to get help!
"There they are!" said a child's voice, "And one of them is awake."
I quickly looked up to see Kuroyuri and Haruse in their military uniforms, standing only a few
feet away from me.
"We got them both in one catch!" mused Kuroyuri as he smiled at me, "Including the gypsy girl
that Ayanami-sama wanted back. "
Haruse said in that emotionless voice, "We shouldn't waste any more time. They'll be here very
soon. I'll get them."
Haruse began walking towards me and Teito. When I realized I still had my rifle in my hand, I
leapt to my feet to stand over Teito and aim the barrel of my rifle at Haruse.
"Back off!" I demanded as I glared at Haruse through my scope, "Or I'll blow your head off!
Don't think I won't!"
Haruse stopped his advance to scowl at me. "It's over, Carmen Iglesia." He said, "We have you
now and no one is going to save you this time. Give up already."
I spat with ferocity, "You're not getting Teito or me!"
I began looking for an escape route. I had no chance in fighting these two Warsfeil. The odds
were against me. It didn't matter anyway. Teito can't move and if I carried him to run, we'll just
get caught. The thought of abandoning him was scratched from my mind. I would never leave
him to face this danger on his own.
So what do I do? I guess fending them off until someone comes is my only option. Easier said
than done.
Footsteps rapidly tapped behind me and I heard Kuroyuri say close to my back
"What do you know of unbreakable bonds? You're just Ayanami-sama's pet."
What the…! I thought as I reactively turned to face Kuroyuri, drawing my attention from
Haruse. He came at me at a sprint and sent his fist into my gut all in a mere second. I bent over
Haruse's arm and gasped breathlessly from the powerful blow, my insides inflaming with pain.
My mind couldn't take it and began to shut down. The last thing I remembered before falling
unconscious was Haruse flinging me over his shoulder like a sack, taking no heed of the rifle
that my hand still gripped.*
The drone of a loud engine beneath the leather of the seat awoke me. I shivered from the cold
wind as I lay stretched out on a seat. I opened my eyes to find two seats in front of me, each
one occupied by a Black Hawk.
I realized we were in an open Barsburg aircraft, speeding its way through the clouds to a
warship that was surely close by.
Haruse sat in the driver's seat while holding Teito on his lap. Kuroyuri was in the seat beside
him and I heard him say
"So the Wars finally took over him, huh."
Haruse replied "It was probably due to the weakness of his heart."
As they talked, I quietly grabbed my rifle from the floor while being careful not to draw their
attention. I slowly pressed the rifle's butt against my armpit and aimed for the control panel. I
slid my finger to hook around the trigger. I took in a breath and fired.
The rifle made a loud crack followed by a small explosion on the controls.
"Crap!" cursed Kuroyuri as the vehicle's engines sputtered, shaking the aircraft violently. The
engines then exploded into thick black smoke, teetering the aircraft to nose dive to a giant lake
below us.
I quickly leapt from my seat and rammed my shoulder into Haruse to make him let go of Teito.
With the aircraft's tremor and the steep position, Teito slipped from Haruse's fingers and fell
from the aircraft.
"Damn it!" Haruse shouted as he tried to grab for me but I was already diving after Teito head
first. I straightened my body to sped up my fall, my eyes focused on Teito below me as the
wind tore at my eyelids.
I finally got to him and grabbed his shoulders to pull him against me. I looked down on the lake,
thankful that at least we'll land in something soft but if we stay like this, we'll break our necks.
I tried forcing our legs downward but it was difficult with two people and the wind being too
strong.
I was growing frustrated when I heard a Hawkzile above me. Oh no! They're back!
The Hawkzile came to my side when its rider called to me " Grab on Carmen!"
" Frau!" I cried through the wind as the bishop came into view on the Hawkzile. He stretched
his hand out for me and I grabbed it while holding Teito close. Frau pulled me to the back and
put Teito in front of him. Once I was sitting on the seat, I wrapped my arms around Frau's waist
and buried my face into his back.
" Hold on!" Frau shouted and pulled the Hawkzile's nose from the water to shoot up into the
clouds. I felt sick by this maneuver but I was glad to have Frau here.
Once the Hawkzile was leveled, I shouted " Frau! Teito has the Wars! We have to get it out!"
Frau took a flask of water from his coat and yanked the cork out with his sharp teeth. He said
while holding the flask over Teito,
" This holy water might not work here, but we'll give it a shot."
Frau then poured the water on Teito' dark face.
" Wake up Teito!" he yelled. The water seeped into the Wars and for a while nothing happened
until the shadows faded from Teito's face. His eyes turned back to green and he coughed as air
rushed into his relieved lungs.
" Oh thank god…"I whispered.
" What…What's happening!" Teito wheezed, quite confused of why he's in the sky all of a
sudden.
Frau said with a frown, " Teito! You got to get rid of the Eye of Mikael! There are still Wars in
it!"
As Teito blinked, his green eyes instantly turned scarlet red.
" That's impossible." said the God with a scowl, " You will not tear me from my master."
As me and Frau worriedly looked at each other, we heard a loud mechanical hum of something
very big beneath us. Suddenly, a massive Barsburg warship rose from the clouds to face our tiny
Hawkzile.
We were all awed by its appearance but something about it was frightening familiar to me. I
could imagine what the interior would look like, I could see the endless corridors and cabins
that I have walked through. I gasped as my skin shivered from a cold darkness coming from that
ship.
It's him! He's in there! I could feel his cruel eyes on me.
" Frau!" I shouted, " Turn around now! It's-"
" Ayanami!" Teito snarled in black rage, " I'll kill him!"
I heard another Hawkzile behind us and I turned to see Kuroyuri coming at us while holding his
giant sword.
" You will not get away!" he yelled before swinging the blade at our poor Hawkzile, slicing the
engine in half. Me and Frau quickly jumped from the Hawkzile before it burst into flames. We
aimed for the Imperial Hawkziles that followed us from below. I caught a glimpse of Frau kicking
a solider off the Hawkzile when I fell on the other.
" AARGH!" I growled intimately as I kicked at the pilot who blocked with his arm.
" Carmen! It's me!" Hakuren shouted.
I cried his name as I sat behind him. I didn't know how he managed to get a Hawkzile but I was
glad he wasn't an Imperial solider. Frau came beside us.
" Where's Teito!" he shouted while looking around. On cue, we heard Teito's cry above us. We
looked up to see Teito standing on a Hawkzile with thick tendrils of Wars grasping his neck.
Haruse was behind him, drawing Teito closer with the Wars that flowed from his fingers.
I raised my rifle and said " Hakuren! Get me closer!"
Hakuren pulled our Hawkzile up to Teito and Haruse and then cruised along their aircraft. I set
the scope to my eye and aimed the rifle's snout at Haruse. I fired and the bullet struck Haruse's
chest. Black blood burst from his torso and he clenched his teeth from the impact, but his Wars
kept holding on to Teito.
I fired a few more times at Haruse, at his arm, his legs and his head. Haruse wobbled from the
shots but he kept his stance as he bleed and the Wars refused to let go of Teito.
" Damn you!" I growled under my breath as I cocked another bullet into my rifle.
" Carmen! More soldiers are coming!" yelled Hakuren. I could hear their Hawkziles. I had to
hurry.
I was going to fire again when Teito's hand began to glow red. It intensified and burned the
Wars to ashes in its light . Soon, it engulfed Haruse who watched all this with a shocked look.
The Black Hawk was turned to ashes himself.
" HARUSE!" screamed Kuroyuri from somewhere, filling the skies with his despair. Kuroyuri
was the least of my worries.
The Eye of Mikael rose from Teito's hand, a great terrible power beyond human understanding
was awakening from the red talisman. The Eye hovered in the air as the skies turned from blue
to red, the wind tearing at our clothing and hair in great gusts.
I thought I was imagining bright specks of light growing above us when huge beams shot from
the skies like falling stars to bombard the ground, burning the forests into a raging inferno. Me
and Hakuren watched with awe as the rays rained on the Barsburg fleet who were fleeing
from the destructive power.
As some of the warships were hit by the beams ( I prayed to God that one of them would be
Ayanami's), my attention strayed back to Teito who was falling from his burning Hawkzile.
" Get Teito!" I screamed to Hakuren over ear shattering rumble of the inferno below us.
Hakuren turned his gaze from the destruction and speeded for Teito.
Meanwhile, the skies turned back to blue and the rain of fire ceased, letting us get closer to
Teito safely. We dove under Teito and then flew up to his back. I tightened my legs against the
seat and stretched my arms for Teito. His body almost fell past us but my hands caught his
robes and pulled Teito, who was unconscious, onto the seat in front of me.
" I got him!" I shouted in success when my eyes caught the red glow of the Eye falling past us in
a flash. I sighed and then yelled
" Hakuren! Catch me!"
" WHAT!" he exclaimed as I leaped off the Hawkzile and dove after the Eye. I couldn't let any of
the Imperial soldiers get it, not after from what I just saw. If the Eye fell into the Empire's
hands, this world is doomed. I just hoped I would get it and be saved from my fall at the same
time .
I could see the talisman below me and I straightened my body to speed up. I quickly caught up
to it and it was close enough to see the black markings of the Wars on its shiny surface. I
reached my hand for it but my fingers only brushed it .
" Come here you little bastard!" I growled at the Eye of Mikael and reached for it again when I
heard the engines of two Hawkziles and the clashing of blades coming my way. I flailed my arms
my hands after the Eye in haste as the Hawkziles drew closer.
" I…almost…have you!" I cried through my clenched when my fingers finally closed over the
Eye. I didn't have the time to cry out my victory as a Hawkzile zoomed by me and an arm
encircled around my waist to pull me into the Hawkzile.
I was pressed into a chest face first as I sat sideways on the seat. I was relieved to be caught just
in time by Frau when I realized I was staring right at the golden Barsburg insignia on my
savior's black coat.
" Long time no see, Carmen-chan!" Hyuuga sang into my ear as he held my shoulders to crush
me against him. I jolted in my seat at his annoying voice and began struggling against him.
" Let me go! " I snarled at Hyuuga. I would rather die than go back there!
Hyuuga only laughed at me, "And let you fall with the Eye! You think I'm crazy? ( Don't answer
that) This is my lucky day! I caught you and the Eye you're holding! Aya-tan is going to be
thrilled to see you!"
I tried reaching for my rifle that was strapped across my back but with the way I'm positioned
on the Hawkzile and with Hyuuga holding me, it was impossible. Hyuuga leaned his face into my
neck and I jumped when I felt his mouth roughly nibble on my skin.
" I can't wait until we get back to the ship." He said in a low, sadistic voice, " I want to get my
fun out of you, once we're alone in a locked room…"
I felt Hyuuga's wet tongue run up along my neck while wearing a smirk on his lips.
" Ugh!" I cried in disgust and tried moving my head from him.
The Hawkzile suddenly shook as something bumped into its side, drawing both of our attention.
" Carmen! Get on!" Frau yelled from his Hawkzile while its wing was on top of Hyuuga's aircraft
wing.
" Hehe. Carmen-chan is not going anywhere, Blondie." Hyuuga sneered as I slowly drew
my hands up his chest to his arms without catching his eyes, " As you see, she's coming back
with me."
I had enough room to squeeze my hands past Hyuuga's arms and caught his shoulders to hoist
myself to his shades.
"Like hell!" I spat before head butting my forehead into his face. Payback time! Hyuuga snarled
as his hands flew to his nose allowing me to quickly stand on the seat and hop onto the locked
wings.
I carefully walked across the wings while keeping my arms stretched out on each side for
balance and gripped the Eye tightly in my hand. It was difficult as the strong wind threatened to
push me off.
" Grab my hand!" Frau shouted and reached his long arm for me. I stretched my free hand to
catch his fingers when another hand grabbed my other wrist from behind. I looked behind to
see Hyuuga stretching over the Hawkzile to hold my wrist which held the Eye. He sneered
darkly at me ," That was a big no-no, Carmen-chan. You're not getting away with the Eye."
I tightened my fingers over the talisman and tried ripping my hand from Hyuuga. But his iron
grip wouldn't let my wrist slip away and he squeezed it painfully as I struggled.
I then felt Hyuuga's hand start to pull me towards him. Frau noticed this and shouted
" Hang in there Carmen!"
Frau slightly pulled me back from Hyuuga. The Black Hawk said amusingly with those smiling
eyes " Oh? You want to play Tug-A-War? I can do that."
Hyuuga gave a big tug on my wrist, almost ripping my whole arm out of its socket. I screamed
from the unbearable pain as I was pulled a foot back to Hyuuga.
" NO!" Frau yelled, holding on to my hand in his strong grip as Hyuuga continued to pull,
making my arm burn like my muscles were on fire.
" Listen to her scream, bishop!" Hyuuga laughed over my cries, " You better let her go or you'll
tear her arms out!"
Teardrops fell from my eyes as I gazed into Frau's sapphire eyes and said with a shaking voice,
" Frau…Please…Take the Eye."
The pupil of Frau's eyes narrowed like a cat's and he shouted to me " Let go of the Eye! Do it
now Carmen!"
My hand acted on instincts and let the Eye slip from my fingers. I had no conscious of releasing
the talisman. The Eye of Mikael flew backwards from the intense wind of the Hawkziles.
Hyuuga immediately released my wrist and turned his Hawkzile to zoom after the Eye.
A wave of soothing relief went up my arm as Frau pulled me across the wing to sit in front of
him. I watched with a beating heart at Hyuuga's Hawkzile diving for the Eye and then shooting
back up with a red glow lit in the cockpit.
" Oh no…" I whispered and then yelled angrily " I screwed up! I let him get the Eye! Frau! Why
didn't you get the Eye! Why me! Now Ayanami has the Eye!"
Frau's hand flew up to my head and pulled my face into his breast.
" Your life is much more important than that of the Eye." Frau murmured into my hair, " You did
everything you could."
My tense body relaxed at his words, my shaking breath slowed to a calm rhythm. " Frau…" I
whispered and grasped at his black coat.
As the Barsburg fleet made their retreat, me and Frau found Hakuren and Teito, who was fully
awake, staring at us with his green eyes. We then flew back to the church without bumping into
any more trouble and landed the Hawkziles on the church's yard.
I leaped from the Hawkzile as soon as we touched ground and ran to Teito and Hakuren.
" Teito!" I cried. Teito shouted with frantic worry, " Carmen! Are you alright! Are you hur-
Umf!"
I wrapped my arms around his head, clutching at his hair and back as I softly cried
" You're safe! I thought I'd lost you!"
I paused, closing my eyes before I said " I'm also sorry, Teito. I lost the Eye of Mikael. They have
it now."
Teito's hand pressed against my back, his warm fingers trembling on my spine.
" Carmen." He said, " It's not your fault. None of it was. It was all mine. I'm the one who
burdened you like this. You shouldn't suffer. And you won't anymore."
I raised my head to stare in disbelief at Teito's face. " What are you saying, Teito?"
He said " It's time that you left me Carmen. I'm nothing but trouble to you. And you must be
missing your family. They're worried about you. You should go to them. You will be safe with
your kin. It's okay, Carmen, I'll be alright on my own. I just want you to be happy."
I opened my mouth to argue but as I thought about it, I closed my lips into a solemn line.
No, I was the one burdening you all this time, Teito. I can't protect you or even myself and I'm
always relying on others to save us.
I nodded and said " If that is what you wish, then I will go. But, I'm going because I'm weak, not
because you're making me suffer. I'm useless here. I can't cast zaiphon and the best weapon I
have is this stupid rifle. The bishops here are strong; they can protect you and you can trust
them."
I let my hands fall from Teito to hang at my side while Teito gazed sadly onto my face. He said
" Forgive-OWW!"
Frau had marched over to us to slam his fist into Teito's head.
" You got some nerve, you damned brat!" Frau growled furiously, " Telling a lady to hit the
road…What's wrong with you!"
Frau then shot me a glare as Teito rubbed his head. " And you!" Frau snarled at me, " You're
just as bad! You're not supposed to listen to this brat's stupid ideas! Didn't you say you would
always stay by his side!"
I frowned at the bishop. " I was being naïve, Frau. I thought I was strong enough, but I'm only
hindering Teito. You've seen what happened back there."
" That's not true, Carmen." Hakuren spoke up, " You actually saved Teito today."
" No I-!"
" Yes you did. If you weren't with him, the Empire would've had him by now. And that's not the
only time. You were the one who sensed Teito was in danger, you protected him from the
Warsfeil. Not only did you protect Teito, you proved Frau's innocence. You see? You're not
useless at all."
Frau put his lean arm around Teito's neck to lock him in a choke hold.
" And you, you ungrateful brat, were telling your savior to go home. What kind of thanks is
that!"
Teito tried prying the bishop's arm off but Frau wasn't done.
" Miss Carmen is giving up everything to be with you on her own free will. A friend like that is
the strongest here. That friend should stay with you, to make you laugh, to be there when
you're in trouble, comfort you in your darkest times."
Teito ceased his struggling and made a thoughtful look as Frau released him. Frau patted Teito's
head with a smile. " And I'm sure she feels you've been like to her as well, right Carmen?"
I smiled and nodded. " Yeah, definitely. Teito is exactly like that."
Teito gazed at me with wet eyes that threatened to spill tears.
" Thank you, Carmen." He said, " Please continue to stay with me."
" Of course." I murmured. A rare smile of happiness appeared on Teito's face.
" Whoa…" said Hakuren who was overlooking the wall at the mountains ahead. The rest of us
followed his gaze to a smoldering black crater that was the size of a city.
" Was that…my power?" Teito asked. Frau nodded solemnly " Yes. The Eye decided to separate
itself from you and then released its power to protect you. The military can't use its powers;
only the true holder can which is you."
I was relieved to hear this new knowledge about the Eye and then sighed " Let's go get some
rest. It's almost dusk. Tomorrow is the exam, remember?"
" Good idea." Said Frau, " I'm starving."
" I need to study a bit more." Said Hakuren.
Teito didn't seem to hear us as he continued to stare at the mountains. I held his shoulder in
concern. " Teito?" I said.
" Do you hear it." He said, " That song?"
Come to think of it, I did. It was faint but I could hear the light melody; tranquil like a lullaby. I
knew this song, but Teito didn't. I would tell him the name once we were in our rooms.
It was called 'Raggs Requiem'. *
" Okay , let's see. You both got your bascule, you're wearing the right robes, you memorized
every line in all one hundred volumes. You're both good!" I cheered to Teito and Hakuren as
we made our way to the hall where the bishop exams were going to take place. Already in the
late morning, there was a crowd of acolytes at the doors.
As we strolled across the courtyard, Hakuren said
"No need to worry about us, Miss Carmen. We'll definitely pass."
I smiled at him, " I like your enthusiasm!"
Teito said " We can't be too confident. We have to stay sharp. Calm."
" Can't hurt to have a little energy, Teito!" I cheered again as we climbed up the steps, " Like my
Auntie Lola used to say: Give it all or-Oof!"
I bumped into someone's back ahead of me and the person stumbled onto the steps. I gasped
and went to the fallen stranger who had blond curly hair and a thin blue head band.
" Are you alright! I'm so sorry!" I apologized as I bent down to help.
" NOOOO! You stepped on it!" shrieked the woman in horror.
I did feel something strange underneath my boot and looked down to see one of those golden
bishop passes. And I bent it with my foot.
I quickly withdrew my foot from the pass and exclaimed " I'm sorry! That was very clumsy of
me, Madame Bishop!"
The bishop stood up at her full height to shoot me a glare with those golden eyes.
" Who are you calling a WOMAN!" yelled the bishop in my face. I bowed
"I apologize again. I did not mean to offend a drag queen. You're a lovely one by the way."
The bishop's face reddened in anger as he picked up his pass and jabbed a finger at me.
" You stupid girl!" he shrieked, "I'm Bishop Lance who will be overseeing this exam! Wait a
minute…You're not supposed be here!"
Teito and Hakuren came between me and the furious Lance.
" Please excuse us, Bishop Lance!" Teito said, " Carmen I just seeing us off to the exam. She
didn't mean any offence."
Lance calmed a little when he laid his gaze on Teito. The bishop smirked "You're Teito Klien,
right?"
" Yes…" Teito said cautiously.
" I've heard the good things the bishops said about you." Said Lance, " But that won't get you a
pass through this exam. I doubt you'll even make it. It's not for the faint of heart."
We all glared at this snob when Lance glared at me. I could see in his eyes he was scheming
something.
" If you want to watch the exam," Lance said with a hint of edge, " you can come to the proctor
observatory."
" Really?" I said surprised.
" Yes." Lance said before turning to the boys, " Now you two should go. The exam is going to
begin."
Teito and Hakuren nodded with determined smiles and said to me, " Wish us luck!"
" Of course I will!" I laughed.
" Try not to get into trouble. We'll be bishops when we finish this. I promise." Teito said before
he and Hakuren joined the group.
This scene , I've seen it before.
I shook the déjà vu from my head and turned to Lance who was smirking at me.
" So, where's the observatory?" I asked. Lance said
" Oh, I'll lead you there except on one condition."
" Okay…" I said to this weirdo.
" You won't talk during the exam." He said , " If I hear a single word or even a peep from you, I'll
send you out."
I sighed and made a motion to lock my mouth. " My lips are sea-"
" Starting now!"
I bit on my tongue from retorting. Lance said " Follow me then."
As me and Lance made our way to the observatory, I kept telling myself that this will be over
soon and then I could switch this bishop's shampoo with green dye. We reached a dark room
with multiple gleaming glass pools on the floor.
Lance led me to one of them to stand over it. I looked into the glass to see the acolytes just
beginning the first trial. I spotted Teito and Hakuren among them and cheered for them silently
inside.
Each trial they went through was harder than the last and on some occasions, I almost cried out
in horror or anger. This exam was dangerous! Some of the acolytes almost drowned in one trial.
Lance calmly smiled the whole time. Scratch switching the shampoo. I'm going to burn his hair!
Teito and Hakuren finally reached the final part of the exam. For this one, they had to go into a
different room and close the doors behind them.
" We won't be able to see what's in there." Said Lance, " Only they can see the fear that resides
in their hearts."
I wanted to ask him what he meant by that when he said,
" You can go now. There's nothing else to see. You can wait for Teito at the door he'll be exiting
from."
" Thank you, Bishop Lance" I said. Finally! I screamed inside, almost jumping with joy.
Lance waved his hand at me, " Just go. You're annoying."
I smiled " I'll take that as a compliment."
I then turned and practically ran from the observatory and down the hallways to where Teito
and Hakuren were going to come out from.
I was almost there when a dark feeling came over me. I froze in my tracks as my skin shivered
from a frigid, unnatural wind.
Something was coming. I could hear the blood curling screams of agony that were about to
come. People were going get hurt.
I turned away from where I was supposed to go and sprinted down the opposite direction, to
the outside. I wanted to reach my room as fast as possible and retrieve my rifle.
An invasion was coming and I knew who was leading it.