As night fell, she flew high above the ocean, back towards True Cross Academy Town. She still couldn't believe it. Rin and the others, mercilessly massacring demons for no reason. Her stomach lurched and she sped her flight up. Normally, nothing would make her feel like this. But the memory of what she had seen was enough to make her feel ill. She landed in the forest surrounding the academy and panted for her breath, her stomach threatening to remove all of its contents. She leant against a tree, unable to stand on her own two feet as her chest tightened its constraint upon her heart. She lurched forward, using the trees for support as she moved towards the academy. As she did so, she heard voices coming from the edge of the forest. Edging closer, she saw a small group of students talking to each other.

"Did you hear the latest news? They found someone who will help destroy the demons once and for all." One student, a girl barely older than Rin and the others said.

"That's old news. Did you not hear what happened at the Vatican? Apparently two of the prisoners there managed to break out and escape! They say that one they're searching for has something to do with it." A boy said excitedly. Astarte's ears perked up slightly. Amaimon and Mephisto had both escaped the prison. The tightening of her chest eased off slightly as she sighed. That was a great relief to her. She continued to listen in.

"You mean they still haven't caught that one yet?" Another boy asked. The shaking of their heads answered and she strained to hear more.

"Rumour has it she actually managed to break into the Vatican Headquarters and see them, which is why they managed to escape. But apparently she'll come back here." The first boy said.

"Maybe it's so then she can kill us and devour our souls." A girl squeaked, causing the others to squeal. She rolled her eyes and decided to head off when she caught the last part of the conversation.

"I know something though. If she does come back here, my father and his friends will tear her apart for all the terrible things she's done to the world. She won't last five minutes anywhere as she doesn't have a friend in the world." The first boy said. They all laughed as she fought to keep her flames in check. She did have friends, or at least, she considered them allies. And now, one of them was in danger.

As she headed towards the academy, she replayed the conversation in her mind. They've found someone who will help destroy the demons once and for all. That means someone who can open a gate. But they'd need a full gate and only father and I can open them...Unless... "They're going to use Rin!" She gasped before looking up at the sky. A dull red hid amongst the orange. "A sky for blood to be spilled." She murmured.

Her gaze was drawn to something on the top of the academy. Even with her demon sight, she still struggled to fully comprehend what it was. All she could register was that it appeared to be a cross. Her head tilted to one side as she looked at it. "Why would they need something like that?" She asked herself. Her tail swayed as she tried to contemplate what they would need it for. It was at that moment she heard the gun click. She stiffened and slowly turned around. A young exorcist stood behind, his legs trembling and sweat beading on his forehead as he pointed the weapon at her. She glanced to see both his hands clamped around the weapon. He was a newbie.

"D...Don't M...Move! Y...You're coming w...with me!" He stammered, trying desperately to sound braver than he actually looked. She tilted her head to one side and took a step towards him. He backed up. "I mean it! I'm...I'm taking you to the Vatican!" He said, the weapon shaking in his hands. She let out a sigh then stepped towards him again whilst muttering in the language of Gehenna. Her eyes began to glow softly as she reached forward and touched his forehead. A calming sensation flowed through him and he let out a content sigh whilst dropping the gun.

"You don't need to tell anyone about this. You never saw me." She said. The young exorcist nodded and she left him. "Now go on. Leave here and go look somewhere else." He turned and walked away as she opened her wings. "I need to find out why that cross is up there." She murmured before taking off and circling the roof of the academy. She saw symbols on the ground but couldn't make sense of what she was seeing. She recognised them vaguely from somewhere but where? She growled outwardly and flew to a nearby rooftop. She quickly took up a perch there, her wings folded back but not fully retracted and crouched as she waited for her dream to unfold before her. As she did, it gave her plenty of time to think about what had happened and what she had done. As the sun began to sink, the angel of demons sat and thought about all the wrongs she may have committed in the past.

As Rin was led, his hands bound in chains and his head bowed, she watched silently. But in her heart she knew she could have stopped this if she hadn't had run away. But she had run away. She always ran away. It was her first instinct whenever something went wrong. It's what she used to do as a child when her father was in one of his rages and would attack all in his sight. And once again, as she saw everything going wrong with every action this new pope who had stolen all she cared about in Assiah from her, she considered running away. But she knew she had to see if this truly played out like her dream. So, as the twisted joke of a pope tortured Rin, she sat and she waited.

As the torture went on, as Rin's screams echoed through the air, she grimaced at the sound and tried to block it out. She waited, knowing that her dream said his brother would appear to save him. But as time went on, as the screams grew louder, blocking out the chanting of the exorcists blind enough to follow this fool, his brother did not appear. Where is he?! She growled inwardly. Her dreams can't be wrong, her dreams were never wrong. She thought it had said he would save Rin when she realised something. "I made the wrong assumption!" She gasped to herself. Her dream had never actually said that his brother would save him. She had merely assumed it because the saviour's face was never revealed. But her dream had meant she was the one who had to save Rin. Her eyes widened as she realised he was being sacrificed for no reason, that he would die and a gate would never open. She also realised that if she let him die, her father would beat her to within an inch of her life.

Before she could think about her actions. Before she could ever consider the possible consequences, her mouth opened and one signal word escaped her lips. "STOP!" Before her rational mind had any time to comprehend what was going on, let alone how to stop her, she had opened her wings and was flying towards them. The exorcists looked around in blind panic, unsure of where the word had come from, when they saw her landing on the rooftop and looked at her with utter disgust.

"Ah, so the abomination to the grace of our Lord in Heaven's eyes finally shows itself." The pope said, his expression showing the utter contempt he held for her existence. She merely looked at him with disinterest, she was too used to people looking at her with contempt and disgust and she had much bigger things to worry about.

"You're killing him for no reason!" She snapped at him.

"What do you care demon? You and your filthy kind have no regards for loyalty. And you are a monster to all." She glared at him after glancing back briefly at Rin.

"He will die if you do not stop this." She said.

"Then he will die a martyr in the destruction of Gehenna and all the monsters that call it home, including you." The pope chuckled. Astarte narrowed her eyes in anger, before the look was quickly replaced by one of concern as Rin let out an agonised groan.

"He won't open a gate for you."

"So?"

"So use me instead." Everyone froze, stunned by her response. "My blood means I can summon complete gates like my father. Release Rin and use me instead." She said.

The pope began to laugh, a few of the exorcists joining in weakly as he laughed joyfully. "Very well, they do say your blood is the purest of Satan's spawn. You'll be a much better sacrifice." She just looked at him in disappointment that he thought this was the only way to solve the problems of Assiah. She never put up a fight as some of the exorcists grabbed her and chained her wrists and ankles. She was dragged back as Rin was released from the cross and thrown carelessly to one side. She was chained in his place, her blade removed from her grip and handed to the pope who turned it over in his hands. "Such a vile thing, much like the one who wields it." He said before unsheathing it. Many of them gasped as her partial demonic form was unveiled. "Ah, so you use this as a limit to your powers? Seal some of your flames in your blade so that although you can access them, you cannot use them to their full potential without unsheathing your blade. A clever ploy. But not clever enough."

He raised the blade high above his head, ensuring it pointed down towards the ground and the symbols on the roof. "By the blood of its Angel, Hell shall be destroyed." He said, loud enough for all to hear before stabbing the blade into the ground. Electricity sparked and crackled from her blade and shot towards her. He stepped back and glanced at her face, expecting fear or anger. But he was shocked to see that she did not show any of these expressions. Instead, she looked at him like she thought him a fool. As the electricity struck her, the last thing she could recall was a blinding white pain that caused her to shriek and writhe in agony.


*Waves to readers* Yep, this story isn't dead yet.

Astarte: Though I might be.

Shut up you. You've lived through worse. Anyway, there is a poll on my profile for who you want to see Astarte with at the end of this fiction. If you haven't voted yet, please go and vote and let your opinion be known. I love to know what you lot think.

Astarte: If you don't, I'll get abused.

I don't think they mind if you'd get abused.

Astarte: What?!

Anyway, I also am in the midst of preparing a easter special for you, my dear readers. However, I would like to know if you have any ideas you would like to see in the easter special. Aside from that, the latest chapter of "Demon Training" and "Daughter of the Dragon King"...

Astarte: You mean you peado rapist story?

*Smacks with book then splashes with holy water* One, the power of christ compels you to repent foul demon! Two, that guy got his commupance. So, until next time my dear reader this is sayonara from me, the psychotic author

Astarte: *Rolls on ground* And me, the now in agony! Demonic angel