Demon Fever

By: Lexa

Author's Note: Gomen ne, it took me longer this time... but I hope you haven't given up on this story by now!

And because so many people bugged me about the spelling of Chr(o)no... in order to explain it, I'll just quote the review of Dessa: "The Japanese name is Chrno. The US name is Chrono. Quite frankly, it sounds more like Rosette is saying "Kuruno" than "Kurono" anyway, so I think that the 'o' shouldn't be there, even if the Japanese katakana spelling is "Kurono" (but in Romaji it's "Chrno")." I hope that answered your questions ;-) and if it doesn't... heck, people, just ignore the missing 'o' or whatever!

And to make this long speech even longer, I have to say something about my inspiration... I started writing this after watching episode 8. If I like a character, I like it even more to make him/her suffer grins evilly this plot jumped into my head just like that, like most ideas do... however, imagine my surprise/shock when I watched the episode where Chrno is sick and gets nursed by Rosette... they stole my idea lol this was somewhere during chapter three, so I decided to keep writing anyway. Just take notice that I wasn't influenced by said episode at all! ;;

kitsunedemon: Don't worry, our dearest Reverend will get some action in this chapter OP

FlamingSunBird: argh, just remind that this idea isn't new sobs

kyanightdragon: you'll give me all the reviews in the world? Awwwwh, that's music to my ears grins evilly but I hope you got to know about my inspiration in the Author's note ;;

shadowdancer: OO;; wow, a fanfic-hater is reading/reviewing/liking this tiny story? I'm really really proud, thanks!!!

And as always: thanks to all reviewers!!!!!!

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Chapter IV

Of course, it didn't take Rosette long to jump into her Militia's dress and grab her weapons before rushing out of the door and into the hall, where Remington and the Elder were already awaiting her.

Remington only nodded his head into the direction of the stairway down to the cellars of the convent. "Let's go," he said, and without another word headed for the stairs.

"Where's Sister Kate?" Rosette wondered, her eyes searching the hall for the head of the Order, before coming to rest on the still unconscious devil in Remington's arms.

"She wanted to fetch some information on the cave system," the Elder replied while lighting a lantern to illuminate their way. "And told us to meet in the crypt beneath the chapel."

Actually, Rosette had never bothered exploring the many, many chambers, halls, and passages deep down under the houses she lived and worked in, hadn't even known of their extent, so she was more than a little surprised to see the 'labyrinth' down there. How the Reverend managed to find his way to the crypt was a mystery to her.

And since she could only follow his steps in the dark that was barely illuminated by the flickering circle of light that the Elder's lantern was giving off, she concentrated on her steps, from time to time casting a worried glance to Chrno's sleeping face, and wondered what exactly she was getting into.

After walking in silence for some time they finally reached the catacomb. The typical chill of a tomb brushed against the bare skin of her arms, making her shiver.

Obviously Sister Kate knew the way through the basement better than Remington did, for the bespectacled nun was already there, a lone, motionless figure in the dark between the coffins.

Quietly, Sister Kate motioned Rosette to come closer and handed her a piece of paper that she'd been holding in her hand. As the blonde girl opened the folded sheet, she discovered a rough yet neat scribble that seemed to be some kind of map. Questioningly, she looked at Sister Kate.

The convent's head pointed her index finger at the lines on the paper. "In the very few notes that still exist from the time the convent was built, I found this plan of the caves. It's not very precise and might contain mistakes, however, this copy should be helpful."

"Th-thank you," Rosette stammered, still somewhat surprised by Sister Kate's sudden helpfulness.

The older nun sighed, seemingly embarrassed by her change of behavior, then took a step to the side to reveal a trapdoor on the floor, hidden by a thick layer of dust. Several cross-shaped signs covered the withered wood that sealed the secrets beneath.

"This is the gate to the cave system. I'll explain everything to you now," she said while looking into Rosette's eyes. "Because once we open the door we can't afford to waste time before closing it again. Just follow the main passage without turning off, you understand? After some miles, the original map doesn't give any clue to the actual distance, you'll reach a bridge over an abyss. With this bridge you cross some kind of borderline and will have left the convent's reach of influence. There it should be possible for Chrno to heal properly. Do you understand?"

Slowly, repeating the orders in her head, Rosette nodded. "I understand."

"All right then," Sister Kate murmured, grabbing the rusty handle of the trapdoor, pulling, and to Rosette's surprise, it opened easily and soundlessly, revealing a dark gap in the ground.

The Reverend took a step forward and knelt down beside the gate, looking down in the black nothingness. "Not very deep . . . two meters at most," he said before letting himself slip over the edge and down the gate, his shoes making a soft noise as he landed on the stony ground, gracefully despite the additional weight in his arms.
"Why?" Rosette protested vehemently. "You can't come! This is my mission, Reverend, you mustn't endanger yourself like this!"

Remington looked up from the bottom of the underground passage, still holding Chrno's limp form. "Just come down here and stop arguing, we can't leave the seal open for long. Besides, someone has to carry Chrno while the other one fights off possible dangers, right?" His tone of voice left no space for quarrel, so Rosette complied, following him into the impenetrable darkness after only a moment of hesitation.

Sister Kate's face hovered above them, the Elder's lamp creating a halo around her head before the old man passed her the lantern. "May the Lord bless your way," she said softly as she handed Rosette the light before withdrawing and closing the gate, leaving the two people and one devil on their own.

"Let's go," the blonde man's low voice echoed from the walls around them, carrying his words into the shadows laying in front of them. "So we can get out of here as soon as possible."

—

Rosette

In the deep darkness, where the circle of cold light was our only haven, I had lost all sense of time.

We might have been wandering along for minutes or hours, and still there was nothing around but walls of dark, wet stone, shadows, and from time to time, junctions to the left or the right. The passage, leading slightly downwards, had become larger and wider now. At first it'd been so narrow that I couldn't stretch my arms. Now water was trickling down the black stone, and the quiet "plop-plop-plop" was, aside from our breathing and our steps, the only sound down here.

I went first, Reverend Remington following close at my heels, and little by little the demonic aura around us, that tingling, cold sensation, grew stronger as we got deeper and deeper into the tunnels that would bring us to hell if we followed them long enough.

Strangely enough, I thought while we walked on and on, around Chrno this 'evil' aura is weak, and even when he's in his true form it's nowhere as chilly and unpleasant as the other demons.

He is different in many ways. He's just Chrno, uniquely himself. And it was just like him to refuse our help, not wanting to endanger us, instead going as far as accepting death in order to protect us. To protect me. And that's why I had to help him, no matter what.

Because it's all I can do to repay his protectiveness, again and again bearing pain and sorrow if it means I'm safe. And it's not only me, more than once he stepped in front of Satella to protect her, saving her life. The same goes for Azmaria . . . for all of us.

Sometimes his behavior irritates me. It really does. Sacrificing himself, blindly throwing everything away for someone else, without thinking of himself.

Even if his pain hurts me more than my own does. Even if he doesn't see it.

A sudden movement somewhere in the dark in front of us alarmed me, I stopped and told Remington to do so too by lifting my hand. He'd probably seen the same, for the shift in his posture and the wandering of his gaze spoke of wariness.

All nerves tensed, I had my gun ready, the flickering lamp in my other hand as I tried to figure out where the enemy was. This time, it wasn't only myself I had to defend. Remington was, because of the hampering weight in his arms, practically helpless.

"Rosette! Up there!" His warning cry made me bring up my gun as I looked up to see the small gargoyle crawling along the wall just above my head. As a Militia, I had enough experience to hit a target, even if I only caught a glimpse of it. The Sacred was ready in my pistol, and just as the demon jumped down on me, I pulled the trigger, marking a blazing cross on the devil's forehead before it literally exploded into ashes.

Standing still for a moment, watching out for any sign of another demon, I breathed in deeply before putting my gun back into the holster. Remington nodded approvingly as he stood next to me. "Good work. But this certainly wasn't the last encounter, so stay careful."

"All right." I knew I had to stay on guard. However, I got more and more worried that Chrno still hadn't woken up. I hoped the Reverend's knockout didn't hurt him, his body was already weakened.

I wonder what he dreamed about while lost in his fever. I think I heard him whisper my name once or twice. . . . But maybe that was just imagination. His kiss, however, wasn't. And I'm still not sure what to think about that. It was . . . nice, I admit that. Still . . . it simply wasn't him. The "normal" Chrno didn't do things like that.

Not that I'd mind. . . .

Change of topic, please. Stupid, distracting thoughts.

We had walked for a long time without reaching the abyss. I just hoped Sister Kate's map was right. Otherwise, we'd have a serious problem.

The next attack came without warning, only an unnaturally cool brush of air against my skin a second before a black, clawed paw struck out of the dark, almost slashing my chest as I jumped backwards, bumping into Remington and making him stumble.

Fortunately, I was used to see the most gruesome of demons, otherwise the being in front of me would have made me gag. A big, ugly, horrible mixture between an ant and a slimy worm. I guess that's what describes the dripping, grunting . . . thing best.

And obviously it was smarter than the first one, because it instantly concentrated on the weakest ones of us, Remington and the still unconscious Chrno. Another paw thrust forward, aiming at the Reverend's blonde head, and all he could do was jump aside, losing his balance in the process, falling, watching the claws racing toward him. I pulled out my gun and fired as fast and as exact as I could, severing the beast's leg from the rest of the body.

Its howl of pain echoed through the caves, and for a moment it withdrew before rushing at us again with full force, not leaving enough time for me to load my gun again. A split second before I got the bullet ready, another tentacle-like leg whipped past me, and with a cry I turned to see the Reverend pulling out a small ampule of holy water and hurling it at the demon, the movement making Chrno's limp form slip out of his arms and hit the floor.

The holy water burned the thing's slimy skin, giving me time to load my gun and fire at where I supposed its head was, before running to Chrno's side. It seemed that the impact had woken him up, for he stirred and, blinking in confusion, opened his eyes. "Rosette. . . . What . . . ?"

However, he immediately realized where we were, and anger flashed over his features. "Why are we here?! I told you-"

"We don't have any time!" I interrupted him, frightened as I saw that his lips had taken on a bluish shade, and his breathing was strained. The Spirit's effect was wearing off!

Remington was on his feet again and had his guns in his now free hands. I guess he also realized the seriousness of Chrno's condition, for he grabbed the devil's uninjured arm and carefully, yet firmly, pulled him to his feet. "There's no time to argue, and we're already here anyway. The two of you just run, I'll take care of the demon."

"But!" Chrno and I tried to protest instantly, but Remington brushed our worries aside. "I'll finish him, just get Chrno to that bridge! I'll follow!"

Sometimes, like in this case, the normally nice Reverend could emit a truly authoritarian air, so I stopped arguing and grabbed Chrno's hand the moment the ant-demon decided to attack again. Remington fired his gun, and the Sacred hit the devil in the chest, distracting it long enough for me and Chrno to slip past it and start running.

While running and pulling Chrno with me, I heard the Reverend's low voice addressing the gruesome creature. "You won't hurt them. I'm your opponent now." A deep, feral growl was his only answer.

Then I concentrated on directing my steps through the darkness without stumbling, because I lost the lamp somewhere in the battle, and I guessed Remington was more in need of light right now. I just hoped we don't get attacked again. And I hoped I saw the abyss before we fell into it. . . .

Chrno was panting, but he tried his best to keep up with me as we ran to bring as much distance as possible between us and the demon.

Suddenly, I heard a soft thud telling me that he'd fallen to his knees, and was forced to stop since I was still holding his hand. "Chrno, are you all right?" I asked, but the question was more or less a rhetorical one. His frantic gasping for air and the burning heat of his hand told me otherwise.

Even if I could only suspect his facial expression, I knew he was shaking his head. "Sorry . . . Rosette," he uttered between ragged breaths. "I can't . . . go on. . . ."

"But-" I tried to protest, however, I could literally feel his condition worsening, and this time there was no Spirit to help him. We were running out of time. I was almost sick with worry, and I had lost all sense of direction in the endless dark. I could feel the panic creeping up my throat.

"Chrno! Don't you dare give up on me! We'll be there soon!" I cried while shaking his shoulder, though I wasn't certain at all whether or not we were coming any closer to the abyss, or if it even existed.

He coughed quietly and I could feel him trying to get up, but failing miserably. I knelt down next to him and instantly felt him collapse against me. Gathering him in my arms, I felt his erratic, unsteady heartbeat under my hands, and a sudden fear clawed at my chest, driving tears into my eyes.

"Chrno, please. . . ." I whispered helplessly. I'd never been so close to losing my partner, my Chrno, my friend, the one I cared for more than anyone else except Joshua. I didn't want to, I couldn't lose him! Without him. . . .

Only after the words had left my mouth, I realized that I'd voiced my feelings, but I didn't feel embarrassed. I could hear the weak smile in his words. "Rosette . . . I'm so sorry . . . after you came here . . . just for me . . . " I caressed his hot cheek as gently as my trembling hands would allow and tried to feel his features. "Don't speak. Just rest a little, and everything will be al-"

He coughed again, and an icy chill trickled down my spine as I felt a sticky wetness on my fingers . . . blood. "Rosette," he whispered, speaking my name the gentle way only he was able to. "You've . . . always been so kind to me . . . thank you. . . ."

"NO! You can't die! Chrno!" I shook him roughly, helplessly, and somewhere in my panic-clouded mind, another way arose . . . a way so simple and easy that I wondered if I was completely stupid not to see it earlier. . . .

"Chrno! Hang on! I'll open the seal!" My words seemed to bring his spirits back for a moment. "Don't!" he protested weakly, yet vehemently, as he always did. But this time I wouldn't waste time in arguing. "In your true form, you'll be able to heal!" At least I hoped so, but he didn't have to know that.

Without another word, I grabbed the clock around my neck and with a quick movement, broke the seal.

To be continued... the last chapter will follow soon!!!

Next chapter, the fluff starts (muwahaaaaaaaa XD)