Disclaimer: I do not own -man, just the OC
Matt walked up to the beach; the tide had begun to go out revealing an almost natural causeway that led to the fortress that was still a half mile away (.8km). After a moment of watching the tide quickly receded past the fortress. Matt then began to walk in the path.
"Hey Matt, should we get more akuma" asked Road as she caught up to him.
"No need, I doubt they'll put up that much of a fight" said Matt as he continued to approach the fortress.
"I suppose you're right" said Road. At that moment a large cannonball hit the ground only about 2 yards (1.8m) away from them. Matt looked briefly at the ball that had just skipped past them and turned his attention back to the fort.
"You think that they meant to miss? Or is their aim really that bad" asked Matt as another cannonball landed nearly missed them.
"I think they just have bad aim" grinned Road. The two continued to walk cannonballs missing them by varying lengths but all the time not even flinching to them. After a few minutes the two finally reached the small gate to the city. Matt walked up and placed his right hand on the and after just a moment the wooden gate splintered into pieces. There waiting for him were a line of finders, all armed with guns. They immediately began to open fire at the exorcist but a large stone wall rose out of the ground and blocked every shot. Immediately after the shots stopped the wall quickly fell back into the ground and Matt charged at them, his right arm turned into a sword. Matt quickly took care of the finders that guarded the gate and he retracted the stone sword revealing his hand.
"Hey Matt" said Road as she entered the fort. "Why didn't you change your left arm into a sword as well? Usually you do."
"That's a good question. It doesn't look like my stone armor surrounds my left arm anymore. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that it is cursed" said Matt as he looked at his left hand for a moment then looked up the path that leads further into the fort. "But now is not the time to worry about that we need to finish up here." Matt then began to follow the path. After just a brief moment of walking the two approached a drawbridge that blocked the path that led further into the fort.
"Another" asked Road in disbelief. "How many gates are in this place?"
"Who knows, but it it's not like this can stop me" said Matt and two stone spikes shot out of the ground and hit the chains that kept the gate up. The chains broke and the drawbridge fell to the ground revealing an iron gate behind that.
"Seriously" said Road in an even more disbelieved voice, which caused Matt to laugh.
"It's almost like they don't want us to get in" said Matt as he grabbed part of the iron gate with both hands. After a moment the iron began to creek and break apart.
"I didn't know you could manipulate iron" said Road who was a bit surprised.
"I'll be honest with you, neither did I" said Matt. "I figured that iron comes from the ground therefore I can manipulate it, I guess I was right."
"And what would have happened if it didn't work?"
"I would have" said Matt as he thought about it for a moment. "I'm not sure. Probably just bring down the entire gate itself and the building on top of it and just have some akuma rebuild it."
"That's pretty crude" Road said with a smile. Matt grinned back and began to walk into the village that was part of the fort.
They met almost no resistance as the path led followed the side of the mountain then turn back around to go up. After a few minutes of walking the two finally reached a massive double door.
"I think this is the entrance to the abbey" said Matt as he looked up at the massive doors."
"Must be" agreed Road.
"Hey Road, can you go check out the rest of the town, I think I can handle things here."
"No fair, I want to play to" complained Road.
"I know, I'll make sure to keep a few alive just for you" said Matt.
"You promise?"
"Of course. Why would I lie to you?" Road thought about it for a moment almost as if to try to find a reason, which sort of bothered Matt.
"Nope" said Road after a moment of thinking.
"That response took longer than it should have" said Matt.
"I was just teasing" giggled Road and she walked off along the side of the stone wall that was part of the abbey's entrance.
"Of course you were" Matt muttered to himself and he approached the doors. As he approached the doors he noticed that one of the two doors was opened slightly. He pushed open the heavy door and began to walk up even more stairs. Matt entered a large room; to Matt's surprise they were completely empty. As he walked through he saw another open door leading back outside. He walked through the door to see a large curved staircase that led to the abbey. Across the stairs were pieces of destroyed akuma and clothes from dead finders. As he reached the top he even found the clothes that belonged to an exorcist. He looked over and saw the entrance to the actual abbey that rested at the summit of the mountain. Matt walked up and pushed the door open. As he walked in he looked around the large chapel. As he scanned the room he saw 2 people, which Matt could tell were exorcists, standing at the opposite end of the room where the spire began. Matt began to walk towards them when they noticed Matt.
"Good afternoon exorcists" said Matt, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "I must say I didn't expect to see anyone here."
"Were you the one who sent those akuma Noah" asked one of the exorcists.
"I may have been" said Matt playing it off as if it were nothing.
"Why you son of a" said the other exorcist as he activated his innocence and tried to charge at Matt but the other exorcist stopped him. "Hey why did you stop me?"
"You know the orders that all exorcists were given. Any exorcist with a synch rate under 80% can't attack him."
"But my synch rate is 78% I can help you" said the exorcist.
"No you can't, follow orders and get out of here, inform headquarters that we have lost control of Mont Saint Michel to the Noah of Madness."
"But what about you?"
"I'll be fine, just go I'll distract him" said the other exorcist as he placed two ordinary gloves on his hands. He activated his innocence and the gloves transformed into large metal gloves. The exorcist then charged at Matt just stood there as the exorcist punched him in the gut which sent Matt crashing into the wall behind him and he slumped over. The exorcist then turned to the other, "Go get out of here." The exorcist nodded and ran out of the door that Matt entered. The exorcist turned his attention back to Matt who was quietly laughing. Matt lifted himself back up and took a few steps from away from the wall. The exorcist saw that there was stone crumbling around the area where he had hit Matt.
"So you're a close combat fighter" said Matt. "What's your name exorcist?"
"Jason Meriwheather" said the exorcist. And Matt gave him a warm smile even though his eyes were closed.
"Well it was very nice to meet you Jason. I hope you put up a good fight." As Matt finished speaking he opened his eyes revealing that his left eye color had changed from gold to red and the white of his eye changed to black. Before Jason could move Matt turned to smoke and vanished. Jason, instead of panicking closed his eyes and began to concentrate. Matt appeared behind him, his right arm in the form of a sword and began to attack Jason. However Jason quickly turned around and punched Matt in the chest sending Matt flying back, breaking many of the benches within the hall. Matt faced Jason who saw that both of his eyes were gold again.
"What's wrong? Giving up so soon" Jason taunted.
"Hardly, but you were certainly the first to ever stop that attack so congratulations to you" said Matt. "I wonder if I use that form if it would be a fair fight" Matt asked himself.
"What are you talking about" Jason said impatiently.
"Oh I was just wondering if I should use my ultimate form to fight you in hand to hand combat."
"I think I can take you. I'm the best hand to hand fighter in the Order."
"Very well, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into" said Matt as a black aura surrounded him. After a moment, the aura dispersed and Matt's blonde hair grew out again and both of his eyes had changed to red with the white of his eye turned to black. Matt grinned at Jason as he walked up to him and raised his fists. The two stared each other down for a moment before Matt made the first move and tried to punch Jason in the stomach. Jason however had fast reflexes, he grabbed Matt twisted him around and punched him the back. Matt went flying through one of the back doors and landed on a stone courtyard at the edge of the mountain cliff. Matt rolled across the ground before recovering. Jason rushed after Matt and took a swing at Matt as he recovered. Matt however, managed to grab Jason's arm. A single Madness Chain emerged from the ground and wrapped around his left arm.
"I thought you said you would fight me hand to hand" said Jason as Matt grabbed the chain.
"Yeah about that…I lied" said Matt as he pulled the chain which ripped Jason's arm off. Jason screamed in pain and tried to hit Matt again. But Matt easily dodged the attack then grabbed his second arm. A new chain came out of the ground and wrapped around Jason's arm. The chain then receded into the ground tearing off Jason's other arm. Despite losing both arms Jason still attacked Matt who spun around and punched Jason in the back which sent him flying towards the edge of the courtyard. Jason hit the barrier at the end of the courtyard, breaking it and Jason fell off the cliff of the mountain and fell to the ground below.
Matt reverted back to his Noah form as he peered over the edge. As he did Majnun appeared in his shadow again.
"Why didn't you just fight him in hand to hand? You could've easily beaten him that way" said Majnun.
"Yeah but he was weak, his punches barely broke my stone armor" said Matt.
"Hey Matt I've been thinking for a bit, why exactly do you want this place?"
"It would seem like such a waste to just destroy it wouldn't you agree" asked Matt.
"That doesn't answer the question."
"I know. I guess I just wanted it, I can use the abbey as a little get away for myself and any other Noah who wants a break."
"You wanted a vacation home" Majnun asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"With the Kamelot's wealth, you could have just bought a nice place" Majnun pointed out.
"True, but this was ever so much more fun" said Matt which made Majnun laugh as he vanished from Matt's shadow. A few moments later Road walked in, dragging the body of the exorcist that tried to get away.
"There are a lot of stairs in this place" said Road, out of breath which made Matt laugh.
"It would have been easier if you didn't drag a dead body here" said Matt with a smile.
"Oh he's not dead" said Road. "I played with him for a bit but I decided to keep him alive."
"Why would you do that" said Matt in a playfully disappointed tone.
"Cuz I wanted to know if you wanted to do anything special with the last survivor."
"Sure why not" said Matt as he walked over to Road who dropped the body in front of him. Matt kneeled down and lifted the exorcist's head.
"Well hello there" Matt said with a friendly smile. "Long time no see."
"Shut up" the exorcist said weakly. "Where's Jason?"
"Jason took a little fall" said Matt. "But I'm sure he's alright, after all it's only what, 260ft (79m) fall" Matt said sarcastically.
"You bastard" said the exorcist and he suddenly activated his innocence, which was a curved dagger. The dagger hit Matt's cursed arm but didn't pierce the skin. Instead it stayed in place at the surface of Matt's skin. Matt looked at his arm with a bit of surprise.
"That's interesting" said Matt. At the same time, Road summoned several candle and plunged them into the exorcist, killing him. Matt looked up at Road a bit upset. "Why did you do that?"
"I was just trying to protect you" said Road. Matt laughed a little.
"I guess it was a bit unnecessary" said Matt, Road made an angry.
"Fine, then I won't try to do it again" said Road as she turned around. Matt laughed uncomfortably.
"No, no Road. I appreciate what you did, really. Thank you" said Matt, trying to cheer her up. "I just said that because his blade didn't even hurt me."
"I saw" said Road, accepting his thanks. "Why do you think it did that?"
"No idea, but I'm not going to worry about it." Matt then grabbed the dagger and broke the blade revealing the innocence. He grabbed it and squeezed on the innocence with his right hand but nothing happened. He opened his hand to reveal that the innocence was still intact. "That's interesting as well" Matt said to himself. Road walked up to him not knowing that Matt just tried to destroy the innocence.
"What's up Matt" asked Road.
"Nothing, hey why don't you destroy the innocence around here" said matt handing over the innocence to Road.
"Why" asked Road.
"I don't feel like doing it." Road protested a bit but then destroyed the 2 pieces of innocence that were there. Matt then approached her. "Come on; let's go check this place out a bit."
The two travelled through many of the abbey's large halls. The two found many things that caught their attention. First, right off the main chapel they found a grassy courtyard surrounded by small pillars. The two then ran into a large circular room with a high ceiling. Massive stone pillars formed an open circle around the middle of the room and the limited light gave the room a sense of ominous peace.
"I think this place will make a great meditation spot" Matt said as he stood in the middle of the room looking at the pillars. Road laughed a little at how absolutely small the pillars made Matt look in comparison.
Eventually they reached a large room with massive stone pillars lining either the long way of the room. There was a table with paper scattered across the table. Matt walked over to the table and began looking through the papers until he saw a letter that caught his attention. After reading it he looked at Road.
"What's on the paper" asked Road.
"It's a letter from the Black Order headquarters. It mentions something interesting that should be brought to the Earls attention."
"What is it" Road asked curiously.
"I'll tell you when we return to the Earl" Road pouted.
"No fair, tell me!"
"Nope" Matt simply said as he placed the letter in his pocket. The two found their way back to a grassy courtyard that they had found near the main hallway of the abbey where Matt had fought. They looked out at the bay where the water was beginning to come back in. The two watched as the sun began to set when Road turned to Matt.
"I can see why you wanted this place. It's pretty cool" said Road.
"I know that's why I didn't destroy it."
"Lord Millennium is still going to kill you though" Road plainly said.
"I doubt it" Matt said with a grin. At that moment a few level two akuma walked up behind them and Matt turned to them. "Good, I'm glad you are here. I need you to guard this place with your lives; do not let anyone other than akuma and Noah into the fortress." The two akuma nodded, acknowledging his order. "Also, get this placed fixed up." The akuma nodded again as Road summoned her door and the two entered it. The akuma looked at each other, shrugged, and then went to work on what Matt had just instructed them.
Black Order Report
Communication was lost with Mont Saint Michel. An investigation was launched and was discovered that the fortress had been taken over by the Noah and was now guarded by an army of akuma. There were no known survivors making the death toll 3 exorcists and 38 finders, totaling 41. Attempts were made to reclaim the fortress, but all attempts failed.
To this day, the Black Order never recovered the fortress. Despite it now being open to the public, it is believed to still be under the control of the Noah. It has been confirmed that a white skinned man can be seen wandering the fortress many days with a pitch black left arm with a red cross on it.
Thanks for reading! Please review. Chapter 37 coming soon!
I really had fun writing this chapter (and the last one for that matter). I love Mont Saint Michel, and I really wanted to incorporate it into my story. I tried to mention several notable locations in the abbey; you can find photos of most of them. The only place that you couldn't find photos of was the circular room that Matt wished to meditate in. Anyways I realize thay this was a really long chapter (the longest so far) so I'll stop for toaday. I really hoped you enjoyed reading this chapter. Until next time!