(A/N): Hey everybody! Thank you for the lovely reviews! I love you all! Guess what? Good news! We're close to knowing what Chrno's gift is in about... hm... I guess...maybe... urgh...gah! (head fuming and popping pop corn while counting the remaining chapters with her fingers, Chrno takes some and starts eating them.)

MASE: (eye twitch) Chrno! That's my pop corn! Ahem, anyways we're about...6 chapters away I think! Time surely flies fast! The fic's at its turning point. Kind of...

AION: Finally! I couldn't stand being trapped with you in here no longer!

MASE: You know Aion... there can always be sequels... (evil grin)

CHRNO: YAY!

AION: T.T

Oh and in this chapter there are many German phrases that Satella uses, the meaning is following the word in parenthesis, k? I found all information about Hexen De Juwels and the meaning and correct writings of these words thanks to the CC site "Believe" so most of the credit goes to the sitemistress

Disclaimer: You know, this is disapointing. Yesterday I went to the Gonzo Animators' studio to claim Chrno Crusade as mine. So I stood in front of the lady in the counter and told her that as one of the top members of "The Crazy and Devoted Chrno Fangirls' Club" (join anyone! But Chrno is mine! All mine! Wahahahaha!) I had the right to own him. Yet she ignored me and told me that I should go to the bottom of the line like the other fangirls waiting for their turn! Grrr (fuming) and the damn line went off to God knows where! Maybe it even ended in Mars! Anyways when it finally (after hours, I even camped there) was my turn the lady started talking about Cpoyright this, Copyright that, yare, yare, yare... Damn you Copyright! Wherever you are, I will get you! I swear!

CHRNO: (sweatdrop) Why don't you just go on and read the chapter, ne?

Chapter 16:

Empty Shell

"Damn it!"

Chrno 's ruby pools opened wide at the sound of such nasty vocabulary being uttered, and by non other than his Contractor, Rosette. Chrno turned his attention to the speaker, the blonde whose ocean eyes were searching every corner while cursing. Because of the strange mist that appeared from out of nowhere there was no sign of the demon that had attacked them earlier. She could only rely on Chrno's sixth sense but even for the young devil boy it was hard to spot any trace of demonic Astral energy.

"Just what is with this stupid fog anyway?" screamed Rosette while aiming to a random place with her gun, "Why is it so hard to find this guy? Is he a low class creature or what?" she then shoot, the loud booming noice piercing through Chrno's sensitive pointy ears and forming a dim light cross showing a Sacred had been wasted. Rosette, noticing she had hit nothing but timber from a building, clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Chrno continued looking around, his senses alert for any trace of danger. This kind of situations were always dangerous and trusting only in your eyes was not something resourceful. He frowned as he pondered about Rosette's question but his thoughts were interrupted by another shoot from the sister.

"Argh! Chrno this is not working! What is--"

"Miasma."

"Huh?" Rosette turned to Chrno who was giving her back at her, "Miasma? What do you mean?"

"This is certainly a low class demon's deed. Miasma is usually used to entrap high class demons for fear of their powers. The user must be some kind of Legion."

"A Legion?" frowned Rosette loading her gun, "Well I will blow that imp's head no matter what! He's ruining my birthday!"

Chrno sighed but had to agree to Rosette's comment. She was right, why did evil devils always appear when it's less convinient? Rosette looked around while clenching her teeth and holding her gun tightly, a Gospel in her pocket. They were silent, waiting for the attacker to show up. Nothing happened, Chrno could listen to his heart beating and Rosette's steady breathing. Then the sound of the pocketwatch reached his ears. Then he remembered something he wanted to ignore, to forget and to hide in the corners of his mind. The fortune teller's words. Darn! Not now! But this had something to do with what she said. She had said that Rosette was gonna die today and now a demon attacked them! There was something fishy about this...

"Chrno..."

The devil boy snapped back to reality by listeninng to Rosette's tender voice whispering his name,"I'll undo the seal so this end up quickly."

Chrno felt as his blood boiled inside his vein, he turned to see his Contractor holding the seal tightly. Then he bit his lower lip and took hold of her hand tightly, "No you mustn't!"

The blonde gasped at the devil's sudden reaction as her blue pools were locked in his matching red orbs, "Chrno...?"

"No Rosette. Don't undo the seal... at least not today..." he turned to the ground as he let go of her wrist. The militia stared at her demonic assistant some more before smiling and nodding,"Alright."

Chrno sighed as if a thousand tons were removed off his back in the exact minute she said these words,"Thank you."

Rosette nodded but then her face turned stern as she felt something strange behind her. Then a blurry figure ran past them. Chrno glanced back at her concerned expression and he nodded. She smiled mischivieously as if she was about to play a prank and turned while pulling the trigger, "Gotcha!"

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Satella had summoned her jewel knight the instant Chrno and Rosette had vanished within the fog that floated ahead of her. Azmaria was standing next to her trying not to get into trouble or caught by the devil as she looked around anxiously . Nothing had happened though there was still a faint aura of demonic energy that didn't belong to Chrno but their opponent lurking over them. Satella clicked her tongue as she kept close vigil to area around her and the Apostle. She then heard footsteps and turned, Brave May doing the same.

"There you are!" she screamed turning to one alley and standing in battle position.

Azmaria gave the Hexen De Juwel a curious glance as she turned to the place her friend was staring at carefully. The albino haired girl spotted a small dark alley in between two brick buildings and felt as strange feeling she stared at its entrance. There was something odd, so their opponent was hidden there? A shiver trailed down Azmaria's spine and she gulped, "Satella... is it... there?"

The jewel witch didn't answer as she continued glaring at the alley with deep concentration. Then she saw something fidget in between the shadows and smirked, "Found you!"

She then took her emerald off the summoning bracelet and closed her eyes, "Erlöschen! (to be extinguished)" she shouted as the jewel knight shined and then vanished withing the gem. Azmaria glanced at the female with worry and wonder, "Why did you do--"

Yet Satella wasn't paying attention to the Apostle's claims as she closed her eyes and placed a violet jewel on its place and recited a few charms before the stone shined, " Laden! Fruhtbares-waage! (The Abundant October) "

A pink light covered the witch's body as sparkles hoverted all over the zone and then the sky turned dark. Azmaria looked at it carefully and noiced it was not the sky. satella had created a huge entrapong barrier! "I never withraw in battle Az." The albino haired girl turned to Satella who stayed calm as ever as her sigh remained on the dark alley. She then removed the purple jewel she used for summoning the barrier and replaced it with the same emerald she always used.

" Erscheinen! Ritters Juwel! (Appear! Jewel Knight!) Mutig-Ster! (The Brave May!)" she shouted as from the the green gem a huge crystla surged and then spiky vines surged from it, then they shatered and showed an arm as its content. The same happened over and over until only glittering pieces og the crystal were hovering around the free bejeweled bull knight. Satella smirked as she ordered the apparition to attack the person in the alley that still remained hidden inside the shadows.

"Mutig-Ster Lernichten! (slice him Brave May)" she ordered as the knight hovered toward the small street and, with a command of Satella's arm, it hit its brick walls with his glimmering sword. The walls started crumbling as huge bricks crashed against the ground and creating a small powder cloud. Brace May was blinded for a moment because of all the dust. Azmaria coughed because of the dirt that reached her and Satella and turned to see the outcome of the battle. She then gasped at the following scene, she could see as a ray of energy surged from eithing the alley ran through Brave May's chest and making it blurry for an instant. His armor chest shattering and piecesof it falling to the ground. Satella instantly screamed in pain as she fell to her knees panting and holding her bleeding chest since Brave May are connected mental and physically. ´But how is it possible for it to be able to summon such a thing inside this place...?´ thought the puzzled German.

"Satella-san!" screamed Azmaria heading to where her friend laid. She gasped when noticing the condition of Satella as she ran to her side. Suddenly, the following scene was something no one had ever expected. It all seemed as if it had turned into slow motion as another light beam was aimed toward Azmaria and ran her through, the light spreading across her body. The Apostle screeched with pain as she landed on the floor roughly and the attack's power electrocuting her body. Kind of like when Ricardo was forcing her to gather Astral Energy in order to revive his wife Melda. It felt so painful, as if her body was being crushed by invisible chains. She screamed and tossed and turned with pain not noticing she was losing control of her powers as Astral Energy emerged from her body, the mystical power bouncing against the force shield's walls. Satella forcefully tied to get up and crawled next to the crying Apostle's side.

"Azmaria..." she whispered combing her locks away from her pinkish eyes. Crystalline tears streamed down both females' faces as their eyes met. The little girl took hold of the witch's bloody hands and held it firmly, her skin turrning pale as snow.

"It's cold... Satella-san..." she whispered, more tears forming in the corner of her crimson eyes. Satella held her hand tighter as she felt her heart being crushed, "No Azzy, it's alright. Don't give up..." Satella looked at the place the attack had come in contact with. There was no wound but the energy had gotten into her. Just as a ghost would do. Realization seeped into her as water in a wrecked boat. Something had entered Azmaria's body and was going to possess her! Then it was not an attack but a spirit! Then that meant these demon could aim spirits and use them as weapons! Maybe it had no effect on Brave May since it was an Astral image but in Azmaria's case... She turned back at the alley when the sound of hoarse chuckles reached her ears. Brave May appeared once more next to his master and waited for her orders yet the jewel witch didn't budge as a figure started coming out from the alley, the attacker's features being finally uncovered by light. Satella's eyes widened when the fellow finally came into view. How could this be? It was... an old woman!

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"Rosette! On your left side!" screamed Chrno as he took a drainage tube that laid on the ground and threw it at the creature that jumped toward his Contractor from a roof. He heard the metallic surface of the tube crash and then followed by an angered roar. Rosette, after listening to the fury call of their opponent, rolled on the ground and was able to evade the devil's assault. The nun got back to her feet and headed to where the creature had landed. She glanced at it and bit the inside of her cheek. It was a huge pig-like creature with long fangs and wearing a black leather armor around its snouth.Rosette placed the gun's mouth next to its head and prepared to pull the trigger. When suddenly Chrno joined her and took her by the arm, stopping her from commiting such deadly act.

"Chrno, what's wrong?" she said gaving her full attention to the violet haired boy.

Chrno didn't respond as he gazed at the whining devil laying before them. He then glanced at Rosette, their eyes matching. The blonde blushed and turned back to the other devil and watched as it tossed, turned, and moaned below them.

" Please...don't... kill it.." whispered the young devil to his precious Contractor. Rosette's eyes opened wide, "What? Why not!"

Chrno stared at the creature's form once more before taking from out of his pocket four golden cross-barriers, "Chrno? Wha--"

"Here," he said handing two to the confused nun, "Place these, I'll take the remaining ones."

Rosette puffed her cheeks in annoyance as she snatched the crosses from the young devil's grasp, "Fine! but why--"

It seemed Chrno had enjoed cutting her off in every secntecne she made or started to say as he glanced at the crosses and back at the moaning devil they had hurt, "Because, these creature... is innocent.."

Now the "good" sister seemed terribly confused as she scratched the back of her head, "What do you mean by that?"

Chrno glaced at the spot where Rosette's bullet had hit it earlier, it was only an empty hole on its arm, "You see any blood?"

Rosette shrugged, "No, so?" Then something in her brain clicked, "But, how can that be...?"

Chrno smiled but the friendly gesture was gone in the same second it came and was replaced with a cold stare, "You see? This demon is not bleeding because... it's an empty shell..."

´Wha--´ thought Rosette more confused than ever, "What do you mean by ´empty shell´?" she asked, knowing from the inside that she wouldn't like the answer. Chrno sighed as he dug on cross next to the devil, " This creature is only the cover, there is no soul."

´No soul! ´ gasped the girl as she placed the crosses around the body as her demon assistant had commanded, "But.. how...did that happen?"

Chrno placed the last cross before a clear barrier surrounded the corpse of the unconscious demon, "I first noticed it would not attack us directly, because of two pissibe options, it is a coward or a marionette that must not be risked."

(A/N): Oooh! Chrno's very smart! ...I'm confused! (And I was the one who wrote this, Tee-hee)

Rosette nodded in understand and Chrno continued with his quite complex explanation, " Next, the many times you shoot him, and hit the target he didn't act like a wounded demon woul and didn't activate its Legion to heal itself. Next is the blood, there's not blood. That means..."

"...It was all a trick to get us separated and the real demon is somewhere else hidding, am I correct?" interrupted the blonde.

Chrno nodded gloomily as Rosette held her pocketwatch tightly and clenched her teeth, "Curses!"

"The real demon, must be a high-class creature since it has the ability to suck their souls out and use the bodies at its command..." responded his Contractor, ´I think I have fought someone with kind of power before but... it's impossible for him to be alive, is it?´

"Then let's join the others! Maybe they found something about--"

Suddenly the mist vanished as the sky was covered by a purple force shield. Rosette and Chrno looked around curiously and noticed the whole area had been rounded by this mysterious barrier. Then Rosette loaded her gun and cursed, "Chrno! This is satella's barrier! Something must have happened! Let's go! Hurry!" she screamed running back to where they had first come from. Chrno nodded in agreement and was about to run when he turned back at the devil and stared at its huffing form carefully. Then its tiny brown eyes spoyyed Chrno's ruby pools and its snouth started shakinf wealky as it tried to tell him something, "Thank...you...partner..." it managed to say before drifting off to unconsciousness again. Chrno smiled, "You don't have to worry. We'll recover your soul and bring it back to you. I promise." ´Not even a demon deserves to live that way.. as an empty shell...´

"Chrno!" he heard Rosette shout his name and snapped back to reality, "What's taking you so long! Damn it!" Then he sighed in defeat and ran after Rosette. Not long had they ran when the piercing sound of a female voice's screma reached their ears. Both gasped and stopped dead in their tracks.

"What was that...?"

"It's Az's voice! Come on!"

When they finally reached their destination they became cold as ice when they saw azmaria laying on the floor unconscious and Satella bleeding badly from her chest and about to fall dead on the floor. Brave May was just some minutes away from disappearing.

"My God..." whispered Chrno as he looked at the outcome of the battle. Rosette lost her voice as she swallowed a lump in her throat. Chrno turned to her in question as tears formed in her azure orbs and trailed down her cheeks, "Azmaria... Satella..." she then loosened her grip on her gun and allowed it to slip freely down her fingers and into the ground. She then ran toward the sleeping Apostle and fell to her knees sobbing as she cupped the young girl's face with her hands and let her rest on her hip.

"Azzy wake up..." but the Apostle would not budge. Rosette insisted as she combed the albino locks from her pale and flushed face, "Az please... wake up... don't give up!" She then turned to Satella who was being taken care of by Chrno, "Satella! How could you allow this to happen?"

The German bit her lowe lip and turned her face away,"I couldn't... do anything..."

Chrno stared at the gloomy looking female and tried to comfort her and helped her to her knees at least. The German grunted as Brave May vanished before her eyes because of her weak and poor state.

"Satella...don't force yourself..."

"No.. it was all my fault... I couldn't protect her..." now it was her turn to start sobbing as she hit the ground with her fist, a warm puddle of blood forming beneath her.

"Hang on..."

Suddenly the echoes of evil laughter overflowed the area as a figure emerged from the shadows but was still not visible for the human eye, "Well, well, well, what have we here?"

Chrno suddenly felt an extremely powerful and vilel demonic essence as he turned at their new opponent, "So you are the one who is controlling the demons aren't you?"

A hoarse male voice boomed through the room again, "Oh Chrno my dear, you don't know when to close your mouth do you? You should respect you elders..."

´These high demonic essence belongs to...!´

"You probabaly won't recognize me in this body for I need it in order to survive..." sounded the voice again, "...and all thanks to you!"

Chrno looked around, his eyes narrowing, "Show yourself!"

"Oh. Tsk, tsk, tsk.Chrno you haven't changed one bit since ´then´. Why should bother to spoil all the fun, the game's about to start..."

"What do you mean!" he shouted tightening his hold on his wounded comrade.

Rosette looked around for any trace ofthe damned devil who had done this to Satella and Azmaria when all of a sudden she felt movement below her. She turned her gaze downwards and spotted Azmaria who was shaking and moaning.

"Azmaria... Az!"

The girl squealed as she opened her eyes in shock and they turned dim. Saliva escaped her lips as she felt a great pain inside her body. Rosette tried to calm her down but it was useless, the girl didn't respond.

"Azmaria! AZMARIA! Chrno, something's wrong with Azmaria!" she screamed but noticed Chrno was paying attwntion to something else as their opponent's figure started walking away from the darkness, so his face was seen.

´No... it can't be...!´

Rosette snarled when she finally saw her foe's face and grimaced, "YOU!"

Their enemy chuckled. It was the fortune teller from earlier!

"Indeed Sister Rosette indeed. And now there's no way you can escape Pandemoniums's rage Chrno the Sinner!"

Rosette snarled and then snatched her gun back as she aimed it at the attacker, "What have you done to Az!" she screamed, fury bubbling in her veins.

"I dare you to shoot me sister..." said the old woman chuckling though what was strange was her voice was...male and she was surrounded by an evil aura. Chrno pondered about thid and how did she knoew about Pandemonium and what did she say about it again?

"You said it punk!" retorted Rosette as she aimed for the target, her hans shaking with confusion and rage. Then suddenly two pale hands grabbed the blonde's and stopped her form aiming. She turned down and opened her eyes wide at what she saw. Azmaria was the one who stopped her from shooting!

" Az what are you doing?" Rosette stared at the girl's eyes which had turned dim and she emitted astrange feeling. Goosebumps trailed down her spine. Azmaria started giggling, her voice sounding roughed as she turned to face the militia and smiled bearing long fangs! A strange expression was depicted in her face as she pushed Rosette's arms and tugged her toward her in an intend to bite her neck.

´Azmaria...?´

Satella was able to find her guts and screamed, "Rosette! Get away from her now!"

Rosette was able to react from her current shock state and kicked the Apostle off her, "...This is bad... She's possessed...!"

Azmaria then got up as she started giggling evilly and stood next to the fortune teller whose eyes glimmered red. Azmaria's smile turned wider as she lifted her arms and rocks were levitated and aimed at Rosette who jumped out of the way and landed on the ground roughly, hitting her head in the process and getting a few bruises that started bleeding because of the pebbles. She could'nt shoot Azmaria then what could she do?

"Rosette!" she heard Chrno shout her name as he approached her and hugged her close to his chest. Satella laid unconscious on the ground.

Azmaria's silver hair started swirling around her face as Astral Energy surrounded her body, "... It was dark inside the place I had been held captive... but now that I'm free I'm able to do what I had always wanted!"

The fortune teller smiled pleased at her servan'ts words, "You see? You can't do anything now. I have won and what I profecised will come true. You Rosette Christopher and Chrno the Sinner shall die together today!"

"Wanna bet?" screamed Rosette loading her gun and pointing at the old woman's head, "This time I won't miss the spot!"

"Rosette wait!" she trned to his Contractor whose ruby eyes showed his concern for her state, "Rosette there's something wrong about this woman. I think she is possessed as well."

"What!" Rosette turned to the chucklinng lady as she nodded, "This old woman is for now the only way for me to remain in this world and have a real body to move with. So if you shoot at her, the woman will die but not me."

"Urgh! Why you...!"

"Rosette, we must find another way to beat him. I'm sure that if we draw the spirit out of the woman's body Az will be saved too."

Rosette glanced at him hopefully and then grunted in pain with one of her bleeding injuries. Chrno just held her tighter as he turned at their attacker once more. Protectiveness and hate reflected in his eyes for what they had done to his precious Contractor. Rosette huffed with pain as she held the pocketwatch tightly, then she looked back at Chrno and started to work on its mechanisms.

"I'll undo the seal..."

She could feel Chrno's grasp tighten a bit but they all knew and even himself knew better than anyone else that there was no other choice. ´I hope this works...´ She stopped the watch's hands and marked the time needed for the battle, 15 minutes, with her pale finger but shouted in pain when a small bolt of electricity was aimed from the watch and onto her. Chrno's eyes widened with fear. ´No... it can't be...´

"What's wrong?" screeched Roette staring at the watch with confusion.

She could hear the woman laughing hoarsely as a male voice spoke for her, "It is all thanks to your friend's barrier."

Both Contractors looked around as they stared at the force shield and then back at Satella who had fainted some minutes earlier, " The Abundant October can enclose opponents in a barrier and capture lower-class demons, sealing and neutralizing their powers. It's the same use given to Miasma barriers, don't you think Chrno? "

"Curse you...!" whispered Rosette as she moaned with pain and held onto Chrno tighter who hugged her for dear life. Cold sweat trailed down his temple as he pondered of a way to get out of this mess.

´Damn it... if only we could destroy this enclosing spell we could undo the seal to use my powers but now... now...´

He closed his eyes in despair. The fortune teller chuckled as she remembered Chrno's first plan and recognized that he was in the verge of giving up, "Wise election my boy. Though it will help you in nothing. If you shoot me, you'll kill this innocent woman. So now, what will you do?"

(A/N): And there it ends! Ha ha! I'm soo evil, what a nice cliffy! Mwahahahahaha! I'll try to post the next chapter ASAP so come back to check it often k? You won't know how they will get out of this one if you don't review!