Dance: Why We Train
In a large round room, often mistaken to be Komui's office, was a room filled to the brim with books of all kinds. Books with small, large or no bindings lined the shelves, so tightly it was a wonder how anyone could take a book out. The amount of books seems endless but each book had its proper spot as no book littered the tiled floor. In fact, the ground was spotless. Not only was this room the opposite of Komui's office, it was also the main archive for all sorts of information. This was the Order's bibliotheque.
Like most bibliotheque, laconism filled the room. However, unlike most, there contained only one inhabitant. In the deepest corner of the room, hidden from view, sprucing the mundane titles was a litter of paper arranged in such a way that it was almost methodical. Amidst the white mess was me.
My eyes darted from side to side, reading each line quickly. I took out a red marker and scribbled '#201' on a post it and stuck it on the corner of the page. Report #201 soon joined its brothers, nesting comfortably under its heavy title, 'Noah Annihilation Project'. The project had been long and tedious from the vast number of reports. Report #201 was the last one and consisted of only one page. A much, much lighter report than its brothers. But it was to be expected as the number of pages dwindled as the number of the reports grew.
The Noah Annihilation Project seemed to have sprouted many other, smaller missions. A red string trapped under a push pin ran across the array of paper, stopping on the 'Akuma Plant Mission', a mission that my father, Cross Marian, had recently completed.
That wasn't all, there were several other missions that held relevance of some sort to the Noah Annihilation Project. All of which also held an end. All but the Noah Annihilation Project.
That wasn't my biggest concern. The biggest question was - I glanced past the manila folder to the one line of report #201.
I will only die by his hand
Rolling my bottom lip, I pried my eyes away from the single page report. That was thirty-five years ago... I thought to myself, trying to reassure myself from the pressure building inside my chest. It had been indeed more than thirty-five years ago since that last report was written. But still, I could not stop the conglomeration of uneasy emotions to build as I read the status of the exorcist assigned to this long and uncomplete project. Like, it somehow, was distorted.
Status: Deceased.
My eyes kept glancing back to the last report. The determination in those words contracted the condition of the exorcist. However the images of her pale body, her autopsy told me otherwise. Yet those words...
"AKUMA!"
My head snapped towards the open library doors. Immediately, I was out the door, running towards the source of the sound.
The manila folder had slip from my lap, joining the group of papers on the ground. The sudden movement had cause the organized mess of papers to become indecipherable as wind lifted the light-weight sheets into new positions. The sheets settled on top of the manila folder, covering all but the last name of the lone exorcist assigned to the Noah Annihilation Project. The name of the exorcist capable of destroying five Noahs single-handedly.
Marian.
"Lavi, use Iron Hammer!" I called, spotting the redhead whacking the large black barrier blocking the doorway to Laboratory 5 with a caution sign. The attack didn't even scratch the black wall
"It's not repaired yet!" Lavi shouted back. "The Science Department's been too busy analyzing the akuma plant."
Damn, that means my fans aren't fixed yet either. I thought as my hands brushed against skin instead of the thick band of the holsters. "Where's the plant being held?"
"In there!" Lavi exclaimed, pointing a slender finger towards the black wall.
"So they're after the plant." I mumbled while a shout erupted from behind me.
"Esme, Lavi, out of the way." Allen warned.
Strong arms gripped around me and pulled me away from the dark wall. I turned back to see Allen with Crown Clown and Bookman with Heaven Compass activated behind me. Alongside them was Allen's watchdog, Howard Link. The two exorcist leaped forward assaulting the mysterious wall mercilessly.
"How was that?" Allen grunted, staring at the slowly clearing smoke.
"No way..." I gasped as the smoke cleared. Before me remained the black wall, standing tall. Not a single scratch was embedded into the strange barricade.
"Reever... and all of the Science Department is in there..." Allen muttered. The gear over his left eye whirled noisily.
"What?!" I shouted back. My orange eyes turning blue.
"I can't hear anything from the other side!" Link notified, his ear pressed against the wall.
"Damn it! I'll wrench this thing open." Allen swore, raising his Edge End.
"The Ark," I called, my voice echoing through the sudden silence. "Allen can open a gate inside the lab." My blue eyes fluttered to the individual from Central, patiently with mild assertiveness.
"This way!" Link nodded before heading off towards the third gate.
"Lavi, let the others know about the akumas." I said, tapeing a label to the door to gate four.
"You're going in too?" Lavi questioned, grabbing my wrist. His eyes immediately dropped to the bandages I was wrapped around in. Slowly, his eye traced back to my face, taking note of the bandages peeking out from my clothes. I was still battered from my interrogation. "...You don't have Ukenhan with you."
I paused, glancing at my bare thighs. "I still have my eyes." I smiled at him. I was thankful that he hadn't mentioned the bandages out loud. If Allen or Bookman heard about it, they'd probably forbid me from going in too. Especially Allen. "Bookman and Allen can't do it alone."
"We'll hold them back for as long as we can. There are generals here." I added, trying to calm the worry on his face. His vivid green eye bore at me with worry
"...Lavi, don't forget... you're part of the Bookman Clan." The color in his emerald eye dulled. The iron grip around my wrist slipped. And I slipped through the gate.
Sorry, Lavi. I thought as I dropped from the white thin gate.
Every since the mission to search for General Cross and the time in the Ark, Unit Cross and I got a lot closer than before. That proximity between me and Lavi developed into secrecy. It wasn't that Lavi or I had feelings for each other, no, we thought of each others as siblings at most. But during that time in Road's Dream world, we both found out something about each other that we never knew before. That we didn't want anyone else to know. For Lavi, it was his misstep into humanity. For me, it was lapse away from humanity. Never had we brought it up. It was a silent agreement.
One that I just broke.
"I will not forgive a single one of you." Allen announced, standing on his sabre. A dead Skull was cut in two below it.
Coating the lab like a second skin was several level three akumas. Some of them held injured scientists while the rest of the science department laid in rows on the ground. Each of them were heavily injured. Some of them had their skulls crushed while one from the rows were sitting up. He looked exactly like a skull. The scientists beside him were crying, mumbling 'Tupp'.
"Reever, get somewhere safe please." I said, smiling at him. Gently, I place a hand over his shaking hand. He was holding a gun. "Thank you for holding them. We'll take care of things now." He should never have to use that gun.
I bit my lip, looking at our surroundings. There was a good few hundred level threes here and only three of us exorcists. The odds weren't in our favor.
Invocate! I thought as the akumas let out a bone chilling shriek before charging at us.
"Third gate of Hell! Open!" I shouted. I flipped over the dissipating akuma and landed squarely on the ground. The impact had drawn the attention of several other akumas standing away. Immediately, the bounded forwards towards me. I stared back at them, all of the dissipating before they reached me.
"Enemy attack alert!" I heard the golem beside me broadcast before it got crushed by another level three.
Quickly, I swivelled my head around, glancing at the akuma.
Clunk.
"Shit!" I cussed as the gate closed just before I locked eyes with the demon.
"Esme!" Allen shouted as an akuma rammed me into a wall. Its hand gripping at my throat.
"Heaven's Compass!" Bookman called after Allen destroyed another pair of akumas. "Get on, kid!"
Without hesitation, Allen jumped onto the stack of needles and using it like a magical carpet, flew around, slicing akumas on the way. Each Akuma grew a cross with looped circles at the end that ripped them in two.
"Esme!" I heard Allen call. He was getting closer.
Open! I choked out. The locks turned and the third gate of hell opened again. The Akuma before me perished from Allen and mine simultaneous attacks.
"Are you alright?" Allen questioned, his gloved hand extended.
"Mhm, thanks." I took his hand.
Another scream erupted throughout the laboratory, except this time it was more humane, albeit blood curling. It belonged to one of the scientists lying on the ground. While the battle was going on, the Skulls had ceased to examine the inured scientists' brains. They were trying to determine whether the scientist' brains were superior enough to be converted into a Skull. To become a puppet of the Earl, set on protecting the plant.
Allen's silver orbs flickered towards me as if asking permission to leave my side. It was obvious that he wanted to go save the scientists. That's just the guy he is. Ever since our first mission in Matel, Allen was the kind of guy to jump into battle without disregard for his own safety. And he still is.
I let out a sigh, staring at his gloved hand in mine. As much as I would have liked for him to stay by my side, I knew Allen needs to be Allen and save the people in need. I let his hand drop, slowly and gently. "I'm fine." I reassured, smiling.
With that he was off.
Silly boy, as if you needed my permission. I thought, unable to keep myself from smiling.
"What are you smiling about?" A broken voice questioned from behind me.
"Just thinking of how I'm going to kill you." I retorted, spinning around innocently. However my blue eyes bore a more dangerous message. The second gate of hell was open.
The akuma before me melted, revealing another akuma behind him leaping for me. Quickly, I jumped to the side, out of his way, and reached for my fans to slice him in two. My eyes widened as I touched flesh instead of metal. Ukehan isn't with me. I remembered a second too late.
Five akuma had reached me from a blind spot created by the other akuma. They knocked the wind out of me as my back collided with the cold tile floors. They hovered over me smirking evilly, their murderous intention overflowing.
I smiled back at them much to their confusion. My eyes snapped open and the akumas holding me down turned to dust. I panted as I pulled myself up.
"Damn it," I cussed. My breath was coming in gasps. "I'm not used to fighting without Ukehan."
My eyes widen at the sight before me. "Bookman!" I cried out in shock. The eldest of us three was trapped against a cauldron. Sand was slowly creeping across his skin, entrapping him in it. He was surrounded by several other akumas. They were slowly approaching him, their excitement to kill him, an exorcist, was oozing out of them.
"Book-" I heard another voice shout.
My head snapped towards the source of the sound. There, on the other side of the lab, between several akumas was Allen Walker.
"Allen!" I cried, dashing towards him.
A pull tugged me away to the side, slamming me into a wall. An akuma materialized before me, grinning madly.
"I got you now," It laughed maniacally. Ignoring it, I pulled myself from the hole and tried to make my way towards Allen again. Instead, I was flying towards the side again. The akuma charging at me. "You can't run from me. My ability is telekinesis."
I glared at it, annoyed at this stupid game of tag. Before it even reached me, it vanished, melted into dust. However that didn't change my course of trajectory. The wall didn't seem as hard as it was before. Glancing up, I realized why. I had landed on an akuma.
Quickly, I flipped back, realizing I was once again surrounded by akumas. To make things worst. I was further away from both exorcists than before. I gritted my teeth, looking up at the machines as my gate closed yet again.
"You. Touched. Me." The akuma I landed on chanted gleefully. Its head twitching with each word. Its face split into two as a white grin creep across its face.
My confusion lasted not even two seconds. A scream escaped my lips. My limbs, the ones that touched the akuma were hot. Very hot. They felt like they were on fire, burning from the inside out. It felt as if my arm could and calf would liquify any moment now. "W-what did you do to me?" I hissed through gritted teeth, glaring at the akuma strolling towards me. Its crazed grin widened.
"Whatever touches me burn." It explained. "That's my ability." As if to emphasize, it cupped my cheek. Instantly, my cheek felt aflamed.
"Damn you." I glared at the akuma who refused to look my way. Angered, I switch my gaze towards the oncoming akumas. None of them fell. One by one, they reached closer and closer to me. All of them grinning haphazardly. "Why don't you evaporate?" I hissed, looking back at the demon with the fire ability.
"You need me to look at your eyes for your attack to work, don't you?" It questioned, knowingly.
I bit my lip, backing up. That's true. It was the one weakness that renders this innocence useless. I glared at the akumas before me, the gate closed. It was pointless to waste the strength needed to keep it open hoping that an Akuma would forget and look my way.
My back touched the cold metallic wall of the lab. There was no where left to go. My hand aimlessly brushed against my thigh. It was pointless, I know. I entered the battlefield without my fans, Ukehan. There was no way they'll suddenly appear by my side.
I glanced back, six akumas surrounded me. On the other side was Bookman surrounded by his own onslaught of akumas. My eyes darted past the akumas towards the white hair boy. He was limp in the hands of two akumas. A large akuma head stood before the boy. I snapped my head down, looking at my limp arm and calf. We were in trouble.
Damn it, what's taking the generals so long? I thought, glancing up at the white ark hanging on the top of the hangar. Their targets spinning around, darting from side to side.
"Praying?" A strangled voice asked. The slowly approaching akumas were now upon me.
I darted my eyes towards Bookman and Allen once more. I bit my lip, looking at the ground. Was this really the end?
How would you like full access to your powers?
The offer Leverrier made.
"This is the medical examination of your innocence from the Asian Branch." Leverrier announced holding up a black sheet of paper to the seal's invisible wall.
The paper gave a crude outline of my body. In my hands were two white long rectangles with two long flowing ribbons. I recognized them as my fans. "They look fine." I mumbled. Infact, the fans were solid. They were refined after the seal removal! Better than ever. I bet even my synchro-rate went up.
"Are you sure? Look at your parasitic innocence." Leverrier commonaded.
My eyes were filled in solid white. Like Usual. there was nothing- Hold up. The orbs weren't full circles, instead they emitted white tendrils that spread across the outline of my face. It look like it was reaching... no spreading across my head.
"W-what's going on?" I asked, staring up at the man. I knew it was pointless. He had said there is only one courtesy question and that was already gone the moment he walked in. But maybe, he'll forget.
"The last time you were like this was immediately after the Black Massacre." He paused, enjoying the look of anguish on my face as he mentioned the horrific event. "You were at your best then. The innocence is a strange but fair power from God. Imagine the power that God is exchanging to you."
My eyes darted across the vast numbers of akuma then to the white gate above. This amount would be easily reduced if a general was here.
I was a general. The thought erupted into the corners of my mind like wildfire. My blue eyes darted across the lab, calculating. I could take on this amount, easily wipe out a third of this with that power. Then I'll just have to...
Say No. Allen's voice erupted into my thoughts this time. I don't want you to go through that pain again.
My eyes fell to the dark titles on the ground. I didn't want to go through that pain again either. That agonizing pain from the knowledge that I held the blood of twenty-six lives on my hands. That I couldn't control my own innocence. Then the fear crept in, what if, after three years, I am still not able to controll my innocence fully. That I'll just repeat the same mistake three years ago and this time it'll be worse. Worse because it's not just twenty-six lives. Worse because there's exorcists here. Worse because I know them well. Worse because one of them is Allen Walker.
Esme, why do we train? His words continued to resonate around me. When we train, we're doing just that. We train to become stronger, become better at controlling our power. That way we become able to protect those close to us.
To protect those close to us... That's right. In those last three years, I've trained. Trained almost daily and because of Yuu-nii, sometimes I trained through the night. I've trained for strength. For the strength to protect those important to me. I've sealed away power for the chance that my friends and family may live another day. And I'll use that very power if it means they'll live to see another day.
But, if I force release my innocence, then I'll be going back on that standing order. I might even endanger those here if I'm not careful enough. But if I don't, then all those here would die.
I clenched my fist.
When Allen forced released trying to save Suman and Lenalee force released to defeat Eshi, they broke the rules. The rule is only to force released if you reach 100% synchronization. For it, they both suffered greatly from the consequences. Allen lost his arm and Lenalee can barely use her legs.
I was a general before. I've reached past 100% before. Long ago. I haven't been able to reach it again since that incident. But I've reached it before.
So technically, I'm not breaking that rule, right?
But the rule's the same.
In exchange for power, I'll be giving up something.
I shut my eyes tight, scared as to what little left will be taken from me.
"How much are you willing to give for the power to protect your friends?"
I released my lower lip, inhaling deeply and exhaling from the mouth. As the low cool air slipped past my slightly open lips. Slowly, I lifted my head to face the akumas.
"Your attack won't work on us. We know your requirement." It screeched.
"We'll see about that!" I snapped my ethereal blue eyes open. The hard contacts shattered, splitting into a million tiny little pieces, floating in the air around me. There's no going back now. I told myself, hoping that the phrase would help my resolve.
Force release!
The laboratory started to shake. The tremors shook the lights causing them to sway violently. The fact that they were flickering didn't help much with visibility. Books amongst other things dropped, some shattering as they struck the title floor.
"An earthquake?" Some of the injured scientists cried. They were lying in the open with nothing to hide under as dust fell on them from above.
"We're going to die!" Another cried.
As if to answer his plead, the ground next to him split open. From the large, black crack shoot out a large bony frame. The body was made also of bones littered in a way that the whole thing itself looked like a giant monstrous fossil of a foreign beast. To add on to the beast-like demeanor, chains dangled from the door.
"W-what is that?" They cried and pointed at the gothic architecture towering over them with their eyes.
Two red glow materialize from the beasts eyes. The chains grew taut with each breath the beastly door seemed to take. The inhales and exhales seemed to frighten the humans near it.
"I-It broke!"
Haze flooded the mysterious door, Slowly crawling across the dark tiled floor. Creeping towards the injured bodies on the ground. Sizzling could be heard through the strange thick fog. Black holes was left in the fog's wake; the once tiled flooring reduced to nothing but a dark abyss.
Despite the screams that came from the paralyzed bodies, the fog continued to roll on. Only had it reached the edge of tile before the scientists did the fog dissipated. It didn't roll up like an invisible forcefield was place there. It just vanished. Vanished as if it never existed.
"Gate 2, 5, 6. Awake!" I called. Three giant gates erupted through the laboratory. They stuck out of the lab like swords stuck into a magician's box. Gate 6, a gnarly gate sporting several skeletal decorations with six breathing eyes, extended from the ceiling, between two hanging lights. Gate 5 was bloodstained red doors adorned in smoking rags remains. There was five oozing green eyes on each vertex of the gothic arch. Gate 5 had erupted on the other side of the room, behind Allen and before the Noah. "Set the perimeters."
The gates may appeared to have risen randomly, however if viewed from afar, it was clear that there was some sort of division being made. The gate entitled '2' blocked off the scientists from the akumas. Gates 2, 5, and 6 made a very lopsided triangle that encircled all akumas, exorcists and a Noah.
"Burst!" I commanded and the chains vigorously wrapped and strangling the breathing gates snapped as the heavy doors swung open.
Heavy fog creeped from Gate 2 melting the akumas it touched while several long, opaque hands reached out from Gate 5 dragging the akumas through its giant mouth. Lastly, Gate 6 shot out long, rewinding chains towards the akumas' necks. Once captured by the chains, their bodies would be pierced by all kinds of blades that appear for only split seconds. The remains of their bodies would be dragged back into the gate by the retracting chains.
The Noah leaped back, dodging the opaque hands that just took away her minions. Her eyes narrowed at the white-haired exorcist. The boy was just standing there, barely conscious, as the hands weaved around him, minding him no attention. Why wasn't it attacking him? She knew enough of the boy to know that this wasn't his doing. His innocence was his left hand.
Lulu Bell scanned the area. Her akuma underlings were easily being overwhelmed by the three gates and their extremities. When had the tables turned? Out of the three exorcists that came, none of them should have been capable of such a feat. None of them were generals. And yet.
"Better take the Akuma plant and leave." Lulu Bell decided. She glanced back at the 14th's Requirement. He was still surrounded by those same hands. There was no way that she could take him with her now. She brushed off the slight disappointment and focused on her main task: Getting the Egg back.
Lulu Bell glanced over her shoulder, looking at her Master's precious egg. Her golden irises landed on the blonde standing too close to her Master's egg. The blonde was standing before a three-headed dog, chatting with it. It was then that she knew whose innocence that was attacking them.
"You know what the funny thing is?" I questioned the flame ability akuma. "In the last two weeks, I've been burned alive, tortured with fire and been made a human bomb - the last one courtesy to you - and yet, none of them beats the flames of Hell that you're about to meet."
I waved goodbye to the akuma as the opaque hands clapped over his ankles and shoulders, dragging him from me, into the gate, in a matter of seconds. It was kind of relaxing not having to battle with such physical vigor. I was just standing there, watching the numbers of akumas decrease exponentially. It was almost apathetic; this lackadaisical battle.
"Fire is my ability!" The Akuma shouted. Its voice was heavily labored. It was pulling its way out of the gate's frame. Flaming tendrils fell from its already corroding skin back into the flaming inferno erupting from the gate.
Before I could even say that escaping was a horrible idea, the part of the Akuma that had passed the gate's frame was instantly gone. The head of the Akuma was found, crushed, in the snarling jaws of the three-headed hellhound, Cerberus.
Snapping his jaws together, the Akuma along with its severed head dissolved into the air. "It's been a while, Esme." The beast spoke, spitting out any remains of the demon.
"You've finally gotten it through your thick head that you need us, huh?" The second head grunted. He was clearly displeased.
"You mean, you're happy that you finally got to go out." The third head rebutted. The past three years, they remained within the gates of Hell, attacking the akumas through my eyes.
"Psh, says the one who's happiest to see her." The Second spat, embarrassing the Third.
"Whoever said that, I'm pretty sure you were happier than me."
"Yeah right, I'm just happy that I get to stretch my legs for once."
"You mean our legs."
"Would the two of you just shut up!" The First and Centered head roared. Immediately, the two fell into a silent glaring contest. "We all know why we haven't been summoned these last three years." The glaring contest died as the two's eyes dropped to the ground.
"Uh..." I honestly didn't know what to say. I hadn't expected this. In fact, I had practically forgotten about Cerberus until that day in the lavatory when he threatened to appear. Looking at Hell's greatest guard, the number one most demonic-looking hellhound, staring at the ground in embarrassment and shame while a strange tension of mixed emotion hanged in the air around them, brought a small smile to my face. Slowly the smile turned into laughter.
"What's so funny?" The Second Head snapped. His four eyes narrowed, earning a warning glare from the Centered Head.
"It's not everyday you get to see one of Hell's greatest creations looking apologetic." I laughed.
"We're just an illusion your innocence created. We take on any form you want us to." The Third reminded.
"So that strange face is all on you." The Second snapped, embarrassed.
"Doesn't make any of this less real." I giggled, gesturing to the battlefield around us. My parasitic innocence's ability is illusion. With both the shield and contacts forms, anything I imagine, my illusions, will be reflected into the mind of the creature that is locking eyes with me. Without the contacts, I pass critical point allowing me to my innocence's full power. The ability to bring the illusion from the mind's eye to the world.
"Don't worry about a thing," The Third Head smiled though it looked more like a snarl. It seemed to have noticed where my blue eyes were wondering to. Gate 6. The mostly invisible blades weren't something I understood. The slice would appear at different time intervals, at different places. "Watch," As if on cue, the once invisible wielders of the blades appeared. Wraith-looking grim reapers were the dead that had escaped from Gate 6 and made to cutting, skewering and mutilating the Akumas it captured. The reapers were mobile too.
"This would even the odds a bit." I nodded. If each reaper were counted as one exorcist and Cerberus was added into the mix, then the number of players on my side just went up by a lot.
"We can't have that, can we?" A feminine voice questioned. Judging from the volume and location of the of the sound, I was able to conclude... she was right behind me!
The next thing I knew was that I was in pain.
A strangely familiar pain.
Blood bubbled passed my lips, dripping down my chin. I hunched over, looking at the suddenly too familiar sight. My hands wrapped around a slimey and slender whip-like rapier, stabbed through the left side of my lower abdomen. The weapon slipped from my hands as it drew back through my body, rubbing against my insides. I fell to my knees, doubling over, I wanted to puke. My hand sprawled over the six inches wide hole, trying to cover it as much as possible. I pressed against the hole as best as I could, but the thick slippery blood was proving it a hard task.
"If I cut off your head, will the gates disappear?" The Noah quested, already raising her now axe-like hand. Without waiting for an answer, Lulu Bell swung her arm down.
Clang.
The axe struck the tile floor. The heavily injured exorcist was off to the side, dangling from the Hell beast's jaw.
"The wound!" The Third Head shouted. His eyes followed the trail of bloody drag marks towards the fragile body in the Centre's mouth.
"I know," The Centre whispered around the cloth in his jaws.
"We can't be dragging her everywhere in her condition." The Second grunted. "But the Noah's right, the Gates and everything with it will disappear."
"Esme, are you alright?" The Centre Head questioned. His eyes never left the approaching Noah.
"Esme?" The Third Head questioned, breaking his glance with the Noah to stare at me. Heavy pants could be heard from my slump body on the ground, however my face was covered by my bloodied bangs.
"She is Esme Zillah?" The Noah asked, "The 'Gracious Protector of Shade'?" Taking the silence of the glaring three-headed dog as a yes, she let a crooked smile stretch across her usually emotionless face.
"My," she laughed, sashaying towards the hound with his master. With a flick of her arm, akumas sent the growling hound flew across the lab. His master, limp and leaning against a the akuma plant. She paused before the body, bending over slightly to reach the thin chin "What are you doing on this side?"
A familiar lewd smirk greeted the question. Then the same blood red lips mouthed muted words as if taunting the Noah.
The Noah's golden irises flickered indistinguishably, then her plump red lips thinned into a tight frown. She pulled her toned arm back, her slender fingers pointed together forming a sharp spike. Then like a released slug, her arm shot forward, aiming at the pale face twisted into a lascivious smile.
"Esme!"
Cling.
I'll protect you.
Silver orbs bored warningly into golden ones.
"Are you alright?" Allen questioned after pushing the Noah and her rapier arm back. His white cloak flared out behind him as he turned around and offered his glove arm.
"Thank you," I muttered, taking his hand. My breath still raggy. With Allen's help, I got back on my feet, albeit unsteady. That was quickly fixed with Allen's strength. Slowly, I lifted my bloodied hand off the hole. Under my hand was just new flesh. The wound had already closed and been healed. "I'm fine."
"You're a..." Lulu Bell strutted to us. The attack from Allen hadn't done anything to her. She was perfectly fine. However, something seemed to bother her. Her eyes on my freshly healed wound were calculating. "...Second?"
I froze. I hadn't heard that terminology since nine years ago.
"Allen!" I shouted, sparing a second to look at the unconscious boy before returning my gaze towards the Noah before me. My eyes narrowed. When had she attacked Allen?
Cerberus growled behind me. His muscle tightened and his snarling face dipped. His murderous intent oozed out of him like the saliva pooling and dripping from his blackened lips. When did he get behind me?
"You are, aren't you?" She said, her voice flat yet amused. Like she had just figured something out.
I bit my lip. Damn it! I cussed. That one word had caught me off guard, distorting my senses and leaving me oblivious to my surroundings until Allen had flown away.
"You really are on the wrong side." She cooed, lifting my chin so my eyes met hers.
"And why would I help the Earl?" I questioned back. My blue eyes narrowed. I was starting to realize how much I hate golden irises. My lip twitched. I was tempted to shut off the physical gates and send the Noah before me into fiery abyss.
"Oh, you don't know?" She said slowly. The pauses in her words hung heavily in the air around me.
Why does there seem to be so many things I don't know recently? Wasn't I the girl with the innocence who gives out information?
As if understanding my thirst for knowledge, Lulu Bell smiled seductively, "I can tell you," she teased, whispering in my ear and sealing her lips on mine. Before I could respond, I felt her whip shaped arm stab back into the freshly healed wound and dragged it to the side, slicing out.
I jerked my head back and felt myself falling backwards with the momentum. My eyes never left the Noah as I fell. Silently, I cussed as I watch Cerberus fade away before sinking his jaws into the her. "Bitch..." I muttered as the world flipped upside down..
The ground below me and the Egg beside me disappeared as a black gate opened up underneath, taking us away. Lulu Bell's melodic voice surrounded me. "We'll bring her along with the Egg. I'm sure Master would be happy to know that the Noah's Protector is back."
The Noah's Protector?
The world around me darkened.
Sorry for the long wait guys, I wanted to finish the infiltration ark before publishing it in case I decide to make any changes. As a result I held this chapter back in case and it's a good thing I did. I almost rewrote it! But on the bright side, that means I have this and the next chapter done! The next chapter should be up right after this one! I hope you guys enjoyed reading it!
-Airi