Tears of innocence

---Chapter 2: The dusk of a long night

"Mr. Chrno? Are you still there?" Rosette called softly, her voice echoing through the long and dark passageway. There was no response for a few moments, and Rosette's face fell. So he's gone, huh. She thought, tears already forming in her eyes. She had wanted to see him again, even if it was for a moment just to see if he was alright... she felt responsible for him, and the thought that he had left, alone and lost after 200 years of being in that dark place was really bothering her. She shouldn't have left him in that state… Rosette walked a few steps more, and was about to sit down and cry her eyes out, when she heard his deep, yet soft voice coming from the room at the end of the dark hallway.

"Little girl? Is that you?" He said, his tone of voice completely different from yesterday. It was almost friendly, unlike the harsh tone he had when he first met Joshua and her. Rosette ran towards the room, which was considerably brighter than the hallway due to the soft glow of the Latin letters on the walls. Chrno's tall figure was clearly visible, sitting on top of the big stone bed, looking very weak, yet somehow glad to see her.

Rosette walked inside, feeling immensely relieved. She was so glad at seeing him again, that she momentarily forgot about Joshua's parting and smiled at him. "Good morning, Mr. Chrno. How are you today?"

Chrno forced himself to smile. He didn't like anybody to see him like this, so pathetically weak that he could barely stand, but there was nothing he could do. The girl and her Apostle brother were the only means he had to survive, and he would not turn them away again. "I'm fine. You came alone today? Where is your brother?" He asked, trying to appear friendly. He had to admit, however, that he didn't mind too much to see the girl once more. There was something about her that made him very curious... why had she come back to see him? Why wasn't she scared, after everything he said the day before?

Rosette's smiled faded a bit upon remembering Joshua's parting. "He... he went away. I won't see him until next year, maybe." The tears that she had managed to hold back suddenly fell from her eyes, and she suddenly stepped forward and embraced him, sobbing, head pressed against his hard chest. Chrno froze. What was she doing? He knew nothing about human emotions, so he just stared at the girl's golden hair and patted her head awkwardly, not sure if that was the right thing to do. Why was she even crying? She would see her brother soon, wouldn't she? A year was such a short time, after all... then again, human lives were so short, that a year probably meant far more to her than it did to him. "I see." He didn't really know what to say. This was so foreign to him... "Where did he go, anyway?" He said after a while, wanting to change the subject so he could at least understand what was going on.

Rosette pulled away from him slowly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. She felt a lot better after letting her emotions run free for a bit, away from the rest of the kids at the orphanage. All of them were her friends, but she wanted someone who wouldn't feel sorry for her, someone who would leave her to cry all she wanted without trying to console her with the same old phrases she always heard. "You will see him again soon", "You should be happy for him", "You can write to him", "He will be coming to visit you soon." This last phrase made her remember Minister Remington's face, and she felt a small surge of anger. Joshua would no longer live with her, she wouldn't see his face everyday like she used to. His visits were going to be short and far between, and they would be separated again. Why should she feel glad for that? She knew that Joshua and her were going to go separate ways when they were older, but this was too soon… she wasn't ready to let go of him yet. She looked at Chrno's face, totally devoid of sympathy, yet still making an effort to understand her, and she decided to tell him everything. She sat down next to him, and began to speak.

"A week ago, a minister from the Magdalan Order came to the orphanage, saying that he had heard rumors in the town that there was a boy who could heal people." She said. "The minister wanted to meet Joshua, and after making him some questions, he said that Joshua was an Apostle, and that he had to take him away with him to the headquarters of the Order in New York so he could train to become an exorcist." Rosette's voice was calm, but she couldn't hide her sadness, nor her resentment towards the minister everybody but her considered such a great hero.

Chrno's body stiffened. The Magdalan Order. He had never heard of it before, but it ringed a bell. It couldn't possibly be... he thought, forcing himself to remain calm. "What is the Magdalan Order?" He asked almost indifferently, despite the sudden racing of his heart. Magdalan Order... the name certainly reminded him of... he clenched his fist.

Rosette made a small pause before answering, afraid that he would throw her away like he did the day before once he heard her answer. "It's a sort of army that specializes in fighting demons... but I don't like them!" She added quickly. "They only care about Joshua because of his powers, and they don't even allow me to visit him!" Chrno was a bit amused at her indignant tone, but his face remained serious. Rosette continued. "You see, the Magdalan Order is very famous all around the world, because there was a big war a long time ago between humans and demons, and they fought against them and won." Chrno's body tensed, but he forced himself to remain calm and listen to everything she had to say. Rosette continued. "Anyway, Minister Remington is very famous because of his deeds in the last demon invasion..." She told Chrno what she knew about the hordes of demons that had attacked some cities in the recent past, trying to make light of the fact that he was talking to someone who considered himself a demon, even if he really didn't look like one.

Chrno listened attentively, absorbing every bit of information. He needed to know what was going on in the world before deciding what to do, so he nodded in encouragement and pretended to be friendly. "So what's this Minister's position in the Magdalan Order?" He asked tentatively. "He's a member of the Militia, the elite forces of the Order." Rosette answered. "Everybody says that he's been in a lot of battles and that he's a real hero, but I really don't agree with them. He doesn't care about me, he only pretends to be nice because the Order needs Joshua's powers, that's all." Chrno nodded. Apostle power was indeed priceless. "And how many years has it been since the big war you mentioned?" He asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"Hmm... about 200 years, I think." She answered, trying to remember the exact date. "Hey, weren't you at the war too?" She asked, suddenly remembering that Chrno had been sealed for about the same time. Chrno avoided her gaze to look at the ceiling. So demons lost the war after what happened to me... not surprising. He thought. "Maybe." It was all he could answer. There were too many things on his mind at the moment...

Rosette didn't ask him more about that. His past really didn't matter to her and she wanted him to trust her, so she decided to let him keep his secrets to himself. She looked at his somber face for a moment, trying to think about what to say, when she suddenly remembered the cookies Mrs. Jean had given her more than an hour ago.

"Hey, are you hungry?" He turned his head to look at her. "Mrs. Jean, our guardian, prepared Joshua's favorite cookies yesterday. Try them, they're really good!" She said enthusiastically, trying to cheer him up.

"No thank you, I'm not hungry." He replied, which was mostly true. What he needed was Astral energy. Being almost deprived of it was somewhat similar to starving, and he longed to feel the rush of energy flowing through his body once again...

"Oh, come on, at least try one!" Rosette insisted, with her friendly, yet slightly commanding tone. "Cookies can cheer you up if you feel sad. Well, that's what Mrs. Jean said to Joshua once, and it really worked."

Chrno fixed his gaze at the girl. He really wanted to be alone, but if he wanted to gain the girl's trust and be free from the seal, he would do anything, even something as embarrassing as following a little girl's suggestion. "Thank you." He said forcefully, taking one of the cookies and eating it. Human food was not really bad like he had imagined it, but it wouldn't help him recover his energy either. "It's really good." He said, trying to be polite despite the lack of enthusiasm in his voice.

"Yeah, isn't it?" Said Rosette, glad that he didn't turn her away like he did the day before. "Those are Joshua's favorite cookies. He's always telling Mrs. Jean to make some for him... or used to, at least... Mrs. Jean gave these to him as a farewell gift, but he forgot to take them. He's so silly, he always leaves something behind wherever we go. Can you believe it?" She was speaking almost to herself now. Chrno just shrugged, still at loss for words. "Anyway," she continued, "he is such a nice brother... I'm really going to miss him. I'm sure you two would be good friends, he was really excited about meeting you, even when he didn't say anything about it." Rosette made a pause. "Hey, tell me... what's your favorite food?" She asked, wanting to change the topic before she started crying again.

His favorite food? What kind of question was that? Did something like that even mattered at that moment? "I don't know, I guess it would be cookies if they existed in the place I come from." He said, a faint hint of humor on his voice. Cookies, yeah. The food she had given him the day before was not bad, but the cookies were a lot better... he took another one and ate it, trying hard to smile.

Rosette smiled warmly at him. It was so strange, they had just met only the day before, and they knew practically nothing about one another, yet she felt strangely connected to him, as if he was a long time friend. She didn't know if he felt the same way, but she really wanted to believe it. He needed a friend, and she wanted to take care of him like she did with Joshua, though in a very different way... Joshua was a sickly boy, and Chrno was an adult, much older and more experienced than she was, yet he seemed to be so lonely, that she couldn't help but to think of him as an abandoned boy.

"Why don't we go outside? This place is so cold, and it feels dreadful." She said amiably, raising from the stone bed and offering her small hand to him. Chrno sighed internally. He didn't think he had enough energy to walk, but he couldn't stay in there forever, either. He took Rosette's hand and raised slowly, wincing due to the effort. He'd never been so low in Astral energy, and he could tell that he didn't have long to live, a few days more, maybe even a few weeks... but no more than that.

"Are you alright? You don't seem too good... here, let me help you!" Rosette put her arm around his waist and offered her support. Chrno put his hand on her shoulder, and started to walk slowly, leaning a bit on her. He felt so weak, but he wouldn't give up... not now, not ever. He had to keep fighting...

Rosette and Chrno got out of the room and walked very slowly through the long dark hall towards the entrance. Each step was a big effort for Chrno, but he endured it without saying anything, his face hard and set. Only a little bit more… they finally got out of the tunnel and reached the edge of the forest towards the river, where Chrno's knees finally gave way and he leaned back against a tree, breathing hard. The seal on his chest was burning slightly, but that wasn't bothering him as much as the feeling of being completely vulnerable, his life in the hands of a small human girl that knew nothing about him.

"Is there anything I can do to help you? Are you still hungry? Do you want some water?" Rosette asked nervously, worry evident in her eyes. To see her new friend so weak, so tired after only a short walk made her feel terrible.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Said Chrno, resting his head against the tree and looking up at the sky. He really didn't want to speak to anybody, he only wanted to sleep... funny, he had been in a deep slumber for almost 2 centuries, but that had been induced by the seal placed on him, and he longed for a bit of natural sleep, even if it would bring him nightmares. Yet he knew that sleep in his current state wouldn't help him recover. It would only make him lose precious time, which was running out for him, unless the seal was removed, at least partially...

"But you don't look so good." Said Rosette, sitting next to him and looking at his face worriedly. "Can demons get sick too?" Chrno almost snorted. Demons, sick... obviously the girl knew nothing about demons, which was probably why she wasn't afraid of him.

"No, I'm not sick. I'm just lacking Astral Energy." He said simply, still not looking at her.

"Astral energy? What is that?" Asked Rosette, a bit confused. Chrno sighed, not wanting to explain everything to her just know, though he knew he had to.

"Astral energy is something we demons need to live. You see, the source of life for all creatures in the planet is an invisible river of energy, called the Astral Line. It's said this river flows directly from Heaven, and falls upon the earth. When a human is conceived, its soul is formed within the Astral Line, and descends upon it to give life to a new creature." Rosette nodded. She had heard that before, though the way he said that had made it sound like something new, something magical...

Chrno continued speaking. "Before I was locked on that place, I was sealed, and that seal doesn't allow me to gather energy directly from its source. What I need now is a human willing to help me." He said, still not looking at her, yet watching every movement out of the corner of his eyes.

"Oh, I see... and how can a human help you?" Said Rosette curiously. Maybe she could help him gain some Astral energy, though she had no idea about how to do it.

Chrno chose his next words carefully. It was too soon for him to reveal his intentions to the little girl, and if he spoke too hastily, she would most probably refuse to help him and go away. Much as he hated to admit it, she was the only means to his salvation he had at the moment. If he was a bit stronger, he would look for somebody else more... appropriate, somebody who wasn't a child and who would accept to offer his life in exchange for his services. Humans were greedy, there were lots of people who would want to have a powerful demon at their service, regardless of the cost. However, his time was running out... he couldn't hesitate if he wanted to get what he needed.

"Tell me, little girl. Are you really willing to help me?" He asked, fixing his gaze in Rosette's blue eyes with intensity. Rosette nodded, not taking her eyes from his. "Of course!" She exclaimed. There was just no way she would let down a person in need without her doing something... "Even if we've just met, you are still my friend." She said resolutely.

Her friend... if only she knew. Chrno thought. He spoke slowly, fixing her gaze hard on her. "There is something you could do for me... however, it won't be easy, and it will probably hurt a lot." Rosette's eyes widened, but she remained silent, allowing him to continue. "I need you to remove the seal they put on me, so I can recover my powers. It's not something easy to do... to remove the seal from me, you have to offer your life in exchange. In other words, your life would sustain me, until I can find a way to break the seal entirely." His eyes bore into hers. "You would have the power to seal or unseal me at will, and I would become your servant. I would do anything you asked me to do, no matter how difficult."

"But what... what do you mean when you said that my life would sustain you?" Asked Rosette, already dreading his words, though she didn't understand everything he just said.

Chrno sighed. There was no way the girl would accept his offer, unless...

Unless you tell her the whole truth, Chrno. His inner voice said. That meant telling her about his weaknesses, letting her know just how vulnerable he really was. That meant that he had to trust her, and hope that she wouldn't speak about him to anybody... even if he risked losing everything again. But such was life, and though he hated doing this, he would do it if it meant getting what he wanted.

"The seal placed on me doesn't allow me to get the energy I need to live. So, in order to survive, I have to take the Astral energy I need from you. Humans have a certain amount of Astral inside them... their lives are longer or shorter depending on how much Astral energy they have left. If I can't find a human willing to help me, I will die in a few days at most." He said, now avoiding her gaze. He didn't want her pity, so he fell silent, angry at himself. To think that a demon as powerful as he had been would be reduced to this state... It would have been better to die. He thought. But not without a fight... there were a lot of things he wanted to do, and he would stop at nothing to reach his goal. If the girl was afraid and didn't help him, then he would do something about it...

"I see. So... what do I need to do then?" Said Rosette in a small, yet determined voice, making him fix his eyes at her again, almost incredulous. Was she really serious about helping him? If so, then why? Why would she even want to help a stranger like him? What did she want in return? He studied her face carefully. Rosette's face had become a bit pale upon hearing his words, yet she didn't look like she wanted to leave him alone. Why?

"You need to put your hand on my chest and repeat the words I will tell you." He said cautiously, expecting Rosette to back away at any moment. He continued speaking, studying all her reactions. "Once the contract is made, your life will flow towards me, and the seal on me will disappear."

Rosette just nodded slowly, eyes a bit wide with fear, yet her face was set and determined. Her voice however, trembled a bit, clearly betraying her feelings. "You... you said that you would take the Astral energy you need from me, right? Tell me, am I going to die? How much time would I have left?" She said, in an almost imperceptible voice.

Chrno looked at her, a faint feeling of doubt tugging at the back of his mind. He quickly pushed it away, though, even as he made the decision of being honest with her. If the girl chose to make a contract with him after hearing what he had to say, then he wouldn't feel responsible for her. It was her choice, after all…

"I don't know. How long you live depends on you alone. I will take away the energy I need... how much you have left after that, I'm not exactly sure. Enough to live a few years more, probably, if you take care of yourself."

Rosette breathed a sigh of relief. For a few moments, she had though that she wouldn't live enough to see Joshua again... and though the idea of dying young scared her, she also knew that she just couldn't live with the thought of abandoning a person in need to die, so she just nodded in agreement and got closer to Chrno, putting her right hand above his heart, which was beating faintly. She closed her eyes for a few moments, and took a deep breath, trying to gather her courage. "So... what do I need to say?" She asked, lowering her gaze. She was really nervous...

Chrno put his hand on her chin and forced her to look at him, locking his ruby-red eyes on her deep blue ones. There were so many emotions hidden in those big eyes... worry, sadness, fear... but above everything, a strong emotion he was completely unfamiliar with. An emotion that overwhelmed everything else... but what was it? Pity? Much as he hated to admit it, it was exactly what he needed at the moment, but there was something else... something he had never seen in anyone's eyes.

"Do you accept giving your life to me?" He asked. Rosette nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. "Very well… then I will make a contract with you..." He held Rosette's hand to his chest in an a very strong, almost painful grip. "I accept your offering, and I will give you my services in return." He said, not turning his eyes away from hers. "Now, say your name and repeat after me... I accept, and seal this contract with my own life force " He ordered.

"I... Rosette Christopher... accept and seal this contract... with my life force..." Rosette whispered nervously, not completely understanding what Chrno meant by "Life force". She opened her mouth to ask him what exactly did that mean, when a sudden cold, dreadful feeling washed over her and she nearly fell over Chrno's chest, who was still holding her hand directly over his heart.

The seal on his chest started glowing suddenly, and Chrno closed his eyes tightly, his chest suddenly raising as he had received a sudden electric shock. Rosette wanted to scream, to ask him what was happening, when a sudden sharp, almost agonizing pain, nearly pierced her heart. She fell forward, clutching her chest with her free hand. Just what was happening? She felt as if all the blood on her body was flowing out of her. The hand that was placed on Chrno's chest, started to burn, and a soft red light started to glow below it. The last thing Rosette could see before falling unconscious, was an almost imperceptible smile on Chrno's lips as he continued to hold her hand over his heart almost possessively...

When Rosette opened her eyes at last, the sun was already hiding behind the mountains and a few stars were shining on the darkening red sky. How many hours had she been asleep? She raised her head a little, feeling horribly weak. What had happened? Where was Chrno?

"At last you're awake." A deep, yet soft voice spoke near her. "I was starting to think you were going to die." Rosette turned her head towards the direction of the familiar sound. "Chrno? Are you alri..." She stopped suddenly, surprised at the sight of the stranger next to her.

It was a tall demon, looking at her with impassible golden eyes. He had two ivory horns on both sides of his head, long furry ears and large dark wings on his back. His face looked very familiar, though he had what looked like 3 red jewels embedded on his forehead. His hand, that he lightly put on her forehead, had long sharp claws instead of nails, and his chest was bare, covered only with what looked like a dark cape around his wide shoulders. Rosette blinked several times, until her feverish mind could finally recognize who the stranger was.

"Chr... Chrno?" She asked softly, not fully believing her eyes. "Is that really you?"

To Be Continued...

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Next chapter will be ready in a couple of weeks, so please stay tuned! Love you all!