Disclaimer: Don't own stuff.

A/N: Yeah it's about time I got off my lazy butt and put the story up. Here's the turning point in the story– – The truth at Roklen. Hope you like.

Engel: Sacrifice

Chapter Twenty-Three

All Hell Breaks Loose

'I had a dream that I could fly

I can feel each moment as time goes by

We'd never be too far away

You would always be here, I heard you say

I never thought

Thought that this would be our last goodbye

I still can dream

The one day love will fall out from the sky

Do you still remember

All the time that has gone by?

Do you still believe that

Love can fall out from the sky?

(If you still believe– – in love, in me…do you believe?)'

-Legend Of Dragoon (Lyrics from 'If You Still Believe')

Vash yawned as he woke from his nap in the corner of the small sand steamer. The automotive was still pulsating against his back, proving it to still be in motion. He reached behind him and fluffed the pillow that had been comforting him and snuggled deeper into the cloth. The room was dark, full of several beds, though not enough for everyone, but he couldn't handle sleeping in a bed right now. The bed at the inn had been too much for him to bear, tearing his back up after a night of tossing and turning. So the corner was just fine with him.

He closed his eyes, ready to resume sleeping. He knew he had to be prepared when he saw his brother and he was surprised that he could sleep at all with such a heavy burden resting on him.

He, too, was afraid about the consequences for bringing his friends along for the ride. Knives was vicious, he knew, and he wouldn't hesitate for one moment to slaughter all of his friends around him.

"Mr. Vash are you awake?" That was abrupt. Vash hadn't even heard the door open. But he had recognized the voice of the taller ex-Insurance Girl.

"No," He replied groggily.

"Oh, good, you're awake!" Milly clapped her hands together and walked in, her green cloak swaying around her feet. "I brought you some sandwiches. Meryl and I made them."

"Anything that the smaller Insurance Girl makes is bound to be poisonous," He shifted his body to adjust to the comfort of the pillow. "I'm not hungry."

Milly purposely ignored that remark. "They're your favorite Mr. Vash. Salmon sandwiches."

"Oh?" Vash opened one eye, suddenly interested. "Well…if YOU helped make them, I might consider eating them."

She handed the plate to Vash and he immediately sat up and looked the plate over, deciding which slice he was going to consume first.

Milly smiled as she sat herself down on the floor across from him. "Well now that I've got your attention, can we talk Mr. Vash?"

"About what?" Vash didn't bother to bite into the sandwich. Instead, he just inhaled it in one big gulp.

"I…" Milly looked away from him. "I realize that you don't…like us anymore."

"Whatever gave you that impression?" Milly couldn't tell if he was being sincere or snide.

"You hardly ever talk to us, you put up a big stink if you have to be within a two-square radius of us," Vash looked up at her briefly. "You and Meryl always fight."

"The Insurance Girl and I always fought."

"You won't even call her by her first name anymore, Mr. Vash." Milly objected.

"You call me 'Mr. Vash'." Vash countered, politely.

Milly sat there on the floor, unmoving. "Do you hate us…Vash?"

Vash hardly noticed that she hadn't used 'Mister' in his name. He paused before answering this. "I don't hate anyone," He said as he resumed eating. "However, I DO dislike people."

"Well then…do you dislike us?" There was a long hiatus in the conversation and Milly knew that Vash had no intention of answering her question. "Meryl…doesn't hate you…Vash."

"What about you?" Vash asked, someone nonchalantly, eager to get off the subject of Meryl.

Milly shook her head. "I could never hate you. I don't hate anyone."

"Well then," Vash licked his lips, savoring the taste of the sandwiches. "Do you dislike me?"

"No," Milly replied.

"Because I never could really tell after you guys took off when I left."

Milly cringed. So, he was still perturbed about this, was he?

"We went out to look for you," Milly protested softly.

"But you girls always managed to find me. Why couldn't you this time?" Milly stayed silent. She had no answer.

"But you always took off and never came back even though Meryl was so worried about you…"

"But I had my reasons back then and you knew it."

Milly's mouth hung agape, words failing her. "I…I know Vash, but…but this time, Meryl insisted that we find you and…"

"But you DIDN'T find me."

"Yes, but…"

"What do you think would've happened if I went back there and found you all gone? Which, of course, is exactly what happened."

Milly couldn't stop the tears from welling in her eyes or hold back the lump forming in her throat. "We didn't abandon you, Mr. Vash…"

"There you go, calling me 'Mister Vash' again," He handed the empty plate back to Milly. "Thanks for the sandwiches, Insurance Girl. They really were rather quite good."

Milly refused to end the conversation. "Can't we…can't we be friends again…Vash?"

Vash sighed softly, and turned his gaze to the floor. Milly wiped her eyes and arose to her feet. "Then it's true what Meryl said…you really don't want to see us again after all of this, right?" She backed up towards the door, her gaze remaining solely on Vash. "I wish you'd forgive Meryl, Vash. I wish you'd put aside all those bitter feelings towards us just to listen to our side of the story."

"That's not so easy, Insurance Girl," Vash responded. "You're asking me to forget four years of pain and sorrow. Scars don't mend that easily."

"I don't want you to forget it," Milly slowly opened the door. "I just want you to put those four years aside temporarily…just until you've heard what Meryl has to say. Even if you hate me, Vash…"

"I don't hate you," Vash interrupted.

"Then you hate Meryl…" Milly finally pulled her gaze away from Vash and spun around on her heel. "And you can't hate Meryl without hating me too." And with that, she left.

Vash sat in that same position for a few moments longer, running the conversation over in his mind.

'Maybe I should give them a chance…' Vash's eyes saddened. 'Hatred breeds only hatred and I'm certain that they wouldn't have abandoned me intentionally. It just never seemed to be in their nature.' Vash leaned backwards into the pillow.

"Even if Meryl and I fight, I know that deep down she could never hurt anyone…like I used to be…" Vash chewed on his bottom lip. "I've hardened so much over the last few years. What's happened to me? Have I really changed so much?"

Meryl downed her third shot of Wild Turkey, while sitting in the small bar located to the left of the dining room of the sand steamer. Cozy as it was, she still couldn't shake that lonely feeling from creeping into the room. She almost slammed the glass down on the table, a slight buzz overtaking her.

'What's wrong with me?' She nuzzled her cheek with her forearm, her hand still holding the crystal glass. 'I never used to let him get to me like this. I never used to drink like this ever.'

"Drinking again?"

Meryl sighed. "You need to stop showing up at the right times, Demonte."

"There's nothing we can do but wait until we get to Roklen. It's only another half-hour drive, yes?"

"Yeah, but you should be up there baby-sitting Brilliant. I doubt he's intelligent enough to know what he's doing."

"Well, he's gotten us this far." Demonte took a seat next to Meryl and pulled the shot glass from her hand. He observed it and nodded. "This is really petty of you."

"And what? You never drink?"

"Of course I drink. Just not over reasons that I have no control of." Demonte looked at Meryl. "This isn't like you. This is just something you've recently acquired along the way, Meryl. Where's the strong-willed woman I know?"

"This may come to you as a surprise Demonte, but I've been a drinker for a few years now."

Demonte shook his head. "You're a fool for letting the past get to you. And human emotions."

Meryl began to drum her fingertips against the counter. "It's not just him you know."

Demonte laughed. "You're worried about Roklen?"

"Is it so funny?"

"No but I just don't understand it. What's the reason?"

"A big war is about to take place Demonte. A man that I supposedly knew four years ago is our enemy. And people are going to die."

"That's usually what happens in wars, Meryl."

"You're not the slightest bit worried?"

Demonte shook his head. "Meryl we ARE in a continuous war. All these little fights are nothing compared to the war that we are engaged in now. It's a fight for survival, not Roklen."

Meryl agreed absent-mindedly. She was too busy concentrating on the half-empty bottle of Wild Turkey sitting on the counter next to her.

"Get up Meryl," Demonte said. "And stop drinking. There are still people who need you." Demonte handed the shot glass back to Meryl and stood up.

"It's not that easy," Meryl muttered before Demonte could leave.

"What?"

"It's not that easy," She repeated. "to be so strong."

"Only to those who are incapable of trying," He responded.

Roklen appeared on the horizon, the small and quaint city cutting through the fog. Demonte stood, staring outside as a piquant aroma came into the room.

"I smell food!" Milly bounced into the dining room where Demonte was and smiled. "Mr. Demonte do you smell it too?"

"I would be mistaken if I said 'no'," Demonte arched his body slightly to meet Milly's gaze. "Who is cooking, anyway?"

"In here!" Came from the small kitchen across from the dining room and where Milly and Demonte were standing.

"Jessica," Demonte grinned slightly. "What are you cooking?" He called to her.

"Just some snacks," She responded in between the noise of the beaters. "I think we deserve it. After all, there won't be any time for resting once we arrive, right?"

"No, I guess not," Demonte agreed.

"Once BDN pulls into the city, let's all sit down and eat!" Milly suggested.

"Like what? A Last Supper type of thing?" Demonte turned to Milly.

Milly frowned. "Well no…I was thinking more of a Good Luck dinner…"

"Sounds good," Demonte said. "Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to attend."

"Why not?" Milly's face turned from a frown to one of a 'let down' kind of look.

"Because someone needs to go and find an inn." Demonte answered.

"And some of us need to head into Roklen on important matters," Meryl's figure haunted the doorway from the bar. "Isn't that right, Jessica?" She called into the kitchen.

Everyone could hear Jessica sigh. "Do we have to Meryl?"

"You know we do. You, me, and BDN."

"Then what's everyone else supposed to do, Meryl?" Milly asked.

"You, Demonte and the others go and find an inn. We'll catch up with you later."

Demonte stiffened. 'Important matters? Other than finding Knives? …What on Earth is she talking about…?'

Demonte, Celestia, Milly, and Vash were left at the steps of the sand steamer as Meryl, Jessica, and BDN took off into town.

"Well that was fun," Vash yawned and stretched. "So now what?"

"We find an inn," Celestia told him. "And wait for those three to come back."

"What about Mr. Knives?" Milly inquired. "Or those men from the ruins?"

"Don't worry about them right now," Demonte said, peering through the fog and down the street where his companions had earlier disappeared. "They'll find us."

"I agree," Vash said. "So I'll stand guard first. The Insurance Girl said that there should be an inn at the end of town here."

"It's nearing nightfall," Milly shivered. "How will they find us?"

"It's the only inn in town, Milly," Celestia smiled. "And besides, it's MERYL. She can't get lost."

"That's true," Demonte chuckled. "Even if you wanted her to."

The Innkeeper was an elderly man who owned the hotel with his wife. As he was checking Demonte and the others in, he proceeded to tell everyone about the big event in the square for the next day that had something to do with 'The Half-Eagle Alchemists' and 'stopping the Dark Ages'.

Demonte frowned as he continued to listen to this man babble on (Milly, of course, was very eager to hear more and told him so) but signed in and eventually pried everyone away from the old man to head upstairs where two rooms were set and ready for them.

Milly and Celestia fell at ease in their rooms as Vash stuck true to his word and went outside to stand guard. Demonte was left alone in the room to tend to his own thoughts.

"I can't wait this long…" He said, pacing back and forth in the room. "I can't wait until daybreak. I have to see him now." Demonte spotted a window in the back of the room, shutters bolted tightly to it and then breathed in deeply. "00, 34," Demonte muttered as he grabbed hold of a chair and thrust it into the window.

The shutters fell to the floor after a few beatings and Demonte effortlessly tossed the chair aside and unlatched the window. He hopped onto the windowsill and looked out into the foggy night.

He was two-stories up.

Carelessly he leapt out into the night, cloak fluttering as he remained airborne for a moment longer and landed almost weightlessly on the ground. He was behind the building now, too far for Vash to even notice that he had climbed out. He would be too occupied looking for a non-existent man anyhow.

All right, well maybe not non-existent but he wasn't in the town now was he?

Demonte, high on the tips of his toes, scurried away, over the rocky plains, outside of the city. Demonte did not need a map to find out where he was going. He had excellent night-vision and a good sense of direction. Finally he stopped on top of a dune of sand, the wind stirring him.

Demonte looked around and then paused. He shuffled forward, the sand closing in around his feet.

"You didn't stick to the plan." Cigar smoke. Demonte could smell it from far off.

"I know. I didn't like your plan." Demonte turned slightly to meet the tall gruff man. "I am in need of advice."

"You're not in a confessional, Demonte," Demonte traced the smoke rings to the far-off plains, but the body was even closer. Rohgsworn's body dissembled with every step. "What do you want?"

"I know what is going to happen tomorrow. I know that innocent people are going to die."

Demonte realized that Rohgsworn was not paying attention to him, but to the foggy sky.

"It is a beautiful night, no?" Rohgsworn smiled.

"It's the same every night. There is no moon; there is no dawn or dusk. Just fog." Demonte shrugged.

"The sun does not exist Demonte. It's only something that we've heard about––read about. That does not mean that it exists."

"I still don't know why you're after the Alchemists." Demonte almost shuddered against the night's chill.

"The Alchemists have the power to destroy this world," Rohgsworn explained. "It is us, the Hell's Mafia, who keep that in order. Without us, the Alchemists could have their way with the world, manipulating their plate as they like." Rohgsworn puffed off of his cigar, which luminous in the night sky. "Have you ever thought of a restaurant, Demonte? How you could always pick and choose whatever cuisine you desired? If you wanted lamb that night, you could have lamb. If you wanted to discard the corn, you were free to do as you wished."

"Pickers and choosers, eh?" Demonte stood from his place on the lone dune, staring over the city below, the fog lingering over the central part of the city. "You never put it that way before."

"Demonte, what is it that you want from me?" Rohgsworn followed Demonte's gaze out onto the open horizon. "Why have you deliberately disobeyed me and come here?"

"You knew I'd come," Demonte responded. "That's why you were waiting here."

"True," Rohgsworn nodded slightly. "I did."

"I don't want you to hurt my friends."

"You refer to them as 'friends'?" Rohgsworn's lips curled into a tight smile. "'Friends', Demonte?"

"I know that you want Vash the Stampede to aid you in exterminating the Alchemists, however…"

"If you remember correctly," Rohgsworn cut him off. "It was your idea back at the Enora Precipice to bring him here. That's why you've traveled with them, isn't that so?"

Demonte paused, unsure of how to respond. "I'm just asking…please, our only objective is the Alchemists and the I.T.F., Rohgsworn, not my companions."

"You have my solemn word that nothing…bad, shall we say, will happen to your companions. Whether it is their choice to interfere is strictly up to how much of a dent you engrave on them…warning them, Demonte."

Demonte remained silent. His stomach churned with such sickness. "This isn't like me."

"I know…I know. That's why I took you in sixteen years ago, Demonte. To HELP you." Rohgsworn lightly patted Demonte's shoulder and turned away from him. "Get some sleep Demonte…you'll need it."

Demonte could not sleep that night. Terrible visions of a premeditated prophecy haunted him as he tossed and turned for several hours in the bed.

Meryl and the others still weren't back.

Demonte stared down the lengthy bed and suddenly felt guilty. Vash was still outside, keeping watch. For what? For nothing.

And what would the morning bring? Blazing fires, scarlet streets of human bloodshed, and the heads of the Alchemists.

Dawn finally fed through the broken window from the previous night as the fog suffocated the sun from the morning's light. Demonte's chest went numb as a weight fell on him, ten fold of what he was feeling before.

Drowsily, he pushed himself up from the bed, reached for his revolver, and prepared for the worst.

"Vash," Demonte nudged the sleeping man lightly. The body was cold from the air's touch. "Vash wake up…" Vash stirred, but slowly opened his eyes, as though he hadn't been asleep at all.

"Is it morning already?" Vash asked, looking down at his colt.

"You need to come with me," Demonte urged. "Meryl and the others still aren't back."

"What?" Vash became alarmed. "You mean something bad has happened to them?"

"No," Demonte quickly responded. "They aren't back, but that doesn't mean that they won't return soon."

Vash relaxed. "What's that have to do with where you want me to go?"

"I found something important; I think you should see it."

Vash tensed up again. "What? Does it have to do with the men at the ruins? Knives?"

Demonte didn't answer the question directly. "You need to come with me," He repeated.

Vash obliged, still feeling somewhat confused. Demonte jumped from the porch and began on a slow jog that soon escalated into a quick-paced run. Vash, still groggy, only fell behind Demonte slightly.

"Where's it at?" Demonte heard Vash ask.

"Outside of town," Demonte answered, trying to keep his thoughts focused.

Demonte followed the same path he had taken before. It was quicker and easier to find in the daytime for a second time around, but it did not ease the emotions in Demonte's soul.

"Where is it?" Vash asked after a few minutes of running.

Demonte halted and pointed up at the same dune he and Rohgsworn had stood on the night before. "Up there," Demonte whispered, adapting to a different persona. "Why don't you take a look while I keep a close watch down here."

Vash hesitantly glanced up the dune, suspicions targeting him at all sides. "What exactly am I looking at Demonte?"

"I think it's their hideout," Demonte lied. "But I can't be too sure. No one was there when I last checked but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?"

Vash nodded, not feeling fully convinced, but carefully started up the dune. Demonte edged his way down the hillside, still keeping his eyes on Vash, who continued walking towards the peak of the dune.

Vash held his finger on the trigger, leaning down on all fours and gave a thorough reconnaissance of the top before crawling over the edge.

Demonte's fingers curled into a fist and turned away, sprinting back towards town as fast as he had left, regret seeping within him.

Vash was busy scanning the range of other dune tops, the fog blinding him moderately.

"Demonte," He called down to where he had left the shady man. "What do you see?"

Then he heard the cocking of a gun and the steel barrel being placed to the back of his head.

"Checkmate," Came a cool voice.

Vash flipped over onto his stomach, gun aimed at the hostile figure, and then he squinted.

…Rohgsworn…

Demonte's lungs burned for oxygen as he gritted his teeth together and roughly turned a corner in the street. He stopped short as he found himself in the town's square, men and women all gathered around, staring into the center. Celestia and Milly were holding up in the back of the crowd, their distraught faces overseeing the figures in the center.

These people, faces that were both familiar and unfamiliar to Demonte, remained intransigent in the street, some staring intently at Demonte while others chose to ignore his presence.

Governess Stefany, Badwick, Ingway, Jean, Marvin, and all the other figures he had met along the way were held in the crowd. Even BDN, his face hardened and determined, towered over the people in the crowd.

"What's going on!?" Demonte shouted as he approached the hefty man. "BDN where have you been? What's going on? Why is everyone standing here in the middle of town!?"

Finally, some emotion fed back into BDN's face. "Where's Vash?" He asked.

"He went to go look for you," Demonte lied. "Listen, we can't stay here, the men from the ruins are here and they have weapons…"

"Demonte!" Demonte trailed off as he turned to another voice.

Meryl.

"Meryl!" Demonte pushed his way through the crowd to the center of the square where he saw Meryl, Doc, Elizabeth, and two other people he didn't recognize standing in a circle formation. "Meryl, we have to get out of here. Those people…!"

Meryl grabbed Demonte by the shoulders. "You wanted to know what was on my mind earlier Demonte. You wanted to know why I was so scared about going to Roklen…"

"Yeah, and…?"

"There's something that we need to tell you…" Meryl took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard of the Half-Eagle Alchemists and the Insurrection Task Force?"

"Of course," Demonte affirmed, still remaining oblivious as to what was so germane in this roundabout conversation. "Everyone knows about them."

Meryl pried deeper into herself to find the strength to continue. "And you know about their project here in Roklen, yes?"

Suddenly, Demonte didn't like this game of '20 questions' anymore. "Where's this going?" His brows knitted together.

Meryl closed her eyes tightly and bit her lip. How would she know how this was going to affect him?

"Demonte…we are those Alchemists."

"…What…?" Demonte choked out.

"The reason why I am called Henai is because I exhumed the Henai ruins a few years ago." Meryl clutched his shoulder, more fiercely this time. "We are the Half-Eagle Alchemists."

*******************************

Oh pooh…Now where is this going to lead? R&R please and let me know what you think. I'll be honest with everyone now; I haven't really had the energy to continue the story due to lack of time and enthusiasm but if things start picking up now that the story is out in the open and no longer dragging out, I may reconsider and start writing this story again. But it's all up to you guys. Thanks for your support.

BLD

Oh, and Demonte's sulking right now and doesn't want to talk to anyone (Especially after he was hit with that big blow about the Alchemists. Poor Demonte) but he says 'hi'. ^_^