I knelt down and carefully touched my injured arm. I didn't feel any pain from that, but the pain in my heart wouldn't go away as I went to the spot where Martin was killed. Halfway there, I spotted his broken glasses; it was covered with dirt from the explosion. I picked it up and I saw another vision; this time, it was about Martin.

He was outside of town, hiding behind the bushes. I didn't get it at first. But as the vision became clearer, I found out that he was listening to a conversation between akuma.

"Time to kill! Kill! Kill!" said one.

"We found Innocence" said the other. "The Millennium Earl will be pleased"

"What about the humans? Should we play with their guts?"

Then, a level 4 appeared from the shadows and said "Bring the Innocence as swiftly as possible." They laughed and went their way.

"Elisa… Armando…" he couldn't stand what he had heard. He knew that his friends were in danger, and he could just stay in a safe place knowing that they would be in danger. With that, he needed to go there; he needed to see them first before the akuma.

After seeing the vision, I finally understood Martin's intentions. I knew how it felt to protect the people who were most precious to you. I wished that I had protected Martin better.

"Martin!" I cried. "Where are you!"

I knew that he wouldn't respond. No matter how many times that I would call for his name, he wouldn't answer me anymore. I couldn't stop myself from crying. I regretted it so much. As I listened to the melody, it became painful. However, I appreciated the music. I knew what it meant. And so, I needed to go. I knew that Allen and Link would be in danger.

"Come on…" I thought in my mind. "This is not the time to cry!" I stood up and ran to the source of the melody.

The melody became louder and clearer until I reached my destination. There, I saw Allen and a few people with him, some finders who were using barrier talismans, and Lady Elisa and Armando who were convincing a blonde haired woman at their side to let go of the source of the melody. It was Celtic Harp, and with it, there was a jewel, just an ordinary jewel.

"This must be the source…" I said to myself and rush my way to their side. I was successful that Lady Elisa noticed me.

"Miss Nicole!" she shouted and everyone else followed "Wait—your arm!"

"This is nothing…" I said. "You need to get out of here…" I saw a level 4 and two level 3's fighting Allen.

"I won't" Armando said. "I won't leave Ana here…"

He had that expression again, those dead eyes and the face that had immense pain and guilt; it was the same as the one I saw in my vision. I understood that they needed more time, and I knew Allen needed backup. So I went out of the barrier and called my weapon once more. I was aware that I might not last long because of my wound, but I wanted to protect them this time. I didn't anyone of them die because of this.

I was about to jump in to the fight when I noticed dark chains surrounding me.

"What the-?" the chains began to hold me tighter and there was a burst of electricity, making me shout in pain yet again.

After that, I accidentally deactivated my weapon. I almost lost consciousness. I looked up and I saw another level 3 in front of me. The akuma pulled the chain and I was being dragged to the enemy side.

"Keep her alive" said the level 4. "The Earl wants her."

"Nicole!" Allen shouted.

"Sorry Allen…" I was already exhausted; I couldn't even struggle my way out of the chains. I thought that it was the end of me that it was the end of me as I heard people calling my name. Allen was fighting the level 4, so he couldn't reach me.

As I saw Allen fighting, I realized that he had done so much for me. He was really what I had expected in the manga, which was thinking of others first before him. I wanted to help and the only way to do that was escaping the grip.

"I… won't go down easily!" I struggled, but the electrocution kept on coming. I felt pain yet I concentrated in breaking free. Then, I was able to free my right hand and reactivated my Innocence. I cut through the chains and I was able to free myself.

"Shit…" I suddenly felt dizzy. I knelt down and I panted heavily. The level was going towards me until a cluster of needles suddenly appeared in front of me as a shield.

"Heaven Compass: East Crime" I found myself being save by Bookman and…

"Fire Seal: Configuration of Ash." Once more, I saw a huge fire snake, devouring the two level 3's. As the snake disappeared, both of them were burned into ashes.

"Reinforcements have arrived." My eyes widened as I heard his voice. I watched as he continued helping Allen with a level 4.

As I sat there, watching them battling with a level 4, I had sensed that they had become stronger. I realized that I was still weak, still inexperience. As they finally defeated the Level 4 with their powerful blows and attacks, for the first time in a long while, I admired their backs; they had indeed become stronger.

After the defeat of the akumas, we gathered around the harp. Ana still couldn't bear leaving it behind. She had lost sense of reality because of regret. Armando needed to protect her as promised. But in my standpoint, she wasn't listening to the melody. That was why I needed to do this. I needed to get the Innocence.

I stood up and the remaining energy that I had. I took out my blade and aimed it at the harp.

"P-please no!" Ana sensed I was going to do. "I won't leave him this time!"

"I'm begging you…" Armando blocked my way. "It's my fault… I should be blamed for Ana's sorrow. If I hadn't agreed to separate them for a day…If I had woke him up…if I had saved him that time-"

"He would have died either way…" I interrupted and the people were shock of what I had said. I remembered that vision. "I don't know about your past, but I'm sure that your lover made that game for a reason."

"A-are you saying—"

"Your lover…"I continued. "…knew that he was going to die. He wanted to make sure that you will live on even though he's not at your side anymore. So that's why…" I was shaking as I slashed that part where the jewel was hanging. I then caught it and gave it to Ana. "Listen to the melody more attentively."

"Please…" Tears finally rolled down my cheeks as I looked at Ana. "Listen to his voice…"

I held her shaking hand as we both listened to the melody for the last time. She closed her eyes and tried her best to calm down. After a while, we heard a gentle voice coming from the harp. She eyes widened as she was familiar with the voice as it said:

"You did it love, now live on for the both of us."

"Darling…" she held my hand tighter and started to cry. From that moment, his voice finally reached her.

I woke up the next morning, realizing that I had collapsed after the incident. I sat up and noticed that my wound was already healed. Later, Lavi came in to the room. He had a tray of food in his hands and placed it on my lap.

"What's this?"

"Can't you tell? It's breakfast" He said. "Now say aahh…" he gleefully took the opportunity to grab a spoonful of porridge and about to place it in my mouth, but I declined it.

"I'm not a kid you know" I said as placed the spooned down. "What happened?"

"You passed out. We had to take you back to the Headquarters for your wounds." He said as I became aware that I was in my room.

"Where Allen and Link?"

"They're bringing the Innocence to Hevlaska at the moment; they'll visit you later." He said.

"I can still walk, and I'm fine now." I said with a weird pitch on my tone. I guessed that I was still affected of what had happened to Martin.

"You were great on your first mission" He said so calmly. That shocked me.

"No, it wasn't" even though the mission came out to be a success, I felt as though that I had truly failed. "Martin, he—"

"What about me?" I jumped as I heard his familiar voice. It was there I saw Martin with a bandage on his forehead, and arm. He was carrying another tray of tea. "Good morning Miss Nicole" he smiled.

"M-martin…"

I didn't know how to react. He was there right in front of me, alive and kicking. I already thought that he had already turned into dust, and that I couldn't save him. I didn't know whether I should cry or be surprised as I saw his face. Then finally, I let my body do all the reaction for me.

"Don't scare the life out of me!" I leaped out of my bed and gave him a forceful kick. "You better not be a ghost!" I continued kicking. I couldn't have been more alive as I saw his face.

"Uh…Princess, I just save him. So please don't kill him" Lavi interrupted.

"Eh?" I was dumbfounded. He had this usual yet mysterious smile of his and left the room.

"I was saved by him" Martin said. He told me that while I was busy fighting with the level three, Lavi and Bookman were already there in the scene and killed the remaining akumas there. I was astonished of what I heard yet I felt stupid when I didn't realize it sooner.

"So, what are you going to do after this?" I asked. Not that I prying or anything; I just wanted to know.

"I'm going back home with Elisa. We came here because we worried about our friend." He answered.

"What about Armando and Ana?"

"Ana recovered from her grief and wants to travel, and Armando is staying in Oregon." He smiled. "He wanted to finish his work as soon as possible so that he could see his girlfriend." I smiled in relief, knowing that they were getting better.

"Armando wanted you to have this" he then placed a small sketchbook on my lap. "Thank you, from all of us."

When Martin left, I lifted up the flap of the sketchbook. On the front page, I saw a drawing of a small coffee shop. It had nice flowery pattern and a vintage design. I smiled at it for a long time when I thought that it was Martin and Armando's favorite place. It was how they had described it. Also, there was more than the drawing; I saw a small note under the drawing that was written from the artist himself.

Here's a little secret:

I only give out free drawings if and only if I'm really fond of them. You really do remind me of the people from back home. With that said, we would definitely meet again.

-Armando-

"Yeah, definitely" I giggled for it was something that my friend Angelo would say. They also reminded me people from my home, and for that, I would like to meet them again, both of them.

UntiedGeneration: I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll be posting another chapter later that expected.

Nicole: GET a new notebook already!

UntiedGeneration: uwaaah! -runs and hides-

Armando: Thank you for the support of this arc and for reading the story!