"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Ephesians 6:12

Chapter 15

One would think things like this would become easier with each encounter. Meeting angels, searching and striving to protect others, fighting off demons of all sorts and causing all sorts of trouble and damage in the wake of it all; you would think a woman would rather just give up or go stark crazy mad. However, Rosette had never done either despite facing so many seemingly unsurmountable challenges in her young life. She definitely had the makings of a Saint if she could just live long enough.

Rosette and Chrono now stood face to face with Sister Kate, along with Sister Anna and a few others, but with the barrier still separating them. Clearly Sister Kate was not in a good mood. Far behind her, other members of the order scrambled through the compound checking the perimeter for any other threat.

Chrono slightly tilted down and whispered to Rosette. "Remember there's a gate there," he reminded.

She huffed. "I remember!" she hollered despite turning a bit red.

"Well," Sister Kate sighed. "You better come in quick. We can't have you standing outside right now unprotected," she explained, stating the obvious.

The gate was opened by one of the sisters, but Rosette made no move to enter.

"Rosette." Kate warned.

"Aren't you going to allow Chrono entry? Invite him in?" Rosette stood waiting. With the barrier strengthened, Chrono couldn't just walk in. He had to be granted permission from God's chosen ones. Rosette could have walked in and done it herself, but things were different now. She wasn't one of them anymore. It wasn't her place to make that decision, but regardless she would refuse to leave her partner behind.

Chrono just focused on staying alert despite the drowsiness he was fighting off. The only reason he was still on his feet was because Rosette wasn't safely inside yet. He didn't care about himself, but hoped he'd be allowed in for Rosette's sake.

Sister Kate still didn't look happy. Typical.

"Yes I, Sister Kate, grant you, Chrono, entrance. Now hurry along!"

Rosette faced Anna, "Here catch!" she said as she tossed one gun back to the red head who fumbled to catch it safely. Rosette then grabbed Chrono's hand and dragged him across with her. He winced only slightly as he passed through.

"Now," Sister Kate said while taking a calming breath. "What happened?"

Others gathered round, to learn more than what Sister Anna had been able to share with them, as the gate was locked up behind them.

Rosette sheepishly smiled as she passed off her remaining gun. "Ya, about that."

"What were you even thinking leaving your room?" Sister Kate demanded.

"It's not our room! It's the dining hall!"

"Not presently."

"We can't keep being a burden on everyone, but I don't want to part from Chrono right now and I know you'd separate us eventually. I can understand that you don't really want us here, why would you?"

"I never said-"

"But I know it's time Chrono and I start searching for answers. And I also didn't want anyone else getting hurt because of me."

"Rosette Christopher! We are all family here and I expect you to remember that, but that aside, you cause too much trouble on your own! You were a walking disaster before and now that you're blind, your knack for causing chaos has tripled!"

"Sister Kate, that's not fair. I haven't even broken anything yet!"

A popping sound followed by a large resounding crack silenced the argument. All eyes turned to the far left perimeter wall. Rosette and Chrono listened intently. A massive tree toppled in the distance, knocking into another weakened tree which groaned and crack as it too fell into a third tree which toppled with such tremendous force it broke right through the courtyard's wall.

Rosette and Chrono both flinched at the sound of concrete breaking into rubble.

Sister Kate took a deep breath, clasped her hands tightly, and turned back to face Rosette. Those checking the perimeter in the background now rushed to the broken wall in alarm.

Rosette let out a nervous laugh while scratching the back of her head.

Sister Kate was unfazed nor amused.

Rosette swallowed down her laugh. "I'm sorry Sister Kate," she said dejectedly.

"In her defense," Chrono surprisingly voiced in; all eyes shifted to him. "She couldn't see the trees while Anna couldn't see the demons consistently. Shouldn't you be thankful that she was able stop this small attack before anyone was hurt?"

Rosette's mouth was hanging open in surprise, Chrono never interacted directly with the New York branches head leader if he could avoid it, while Sister Kate gave pause to give Chrono a good solid look over. She had been worried about this new change of his all week. Yet, for all her fretting, the tall man before her still showed no evil in his face nor gave any hint of his internal damnation or changes. He just looked like a very tired young man who just wandered down from a mountain path. As a side thought, she wondered how that cross of his was developing under his red bandana. She'd have to inquire about that later.

"Very well," Sister Kate decided at last. "Leaving the damage aside for now, explain to me exactly what happened outside just now," Kate specified, as she adjusted her spectacles.

Rosette explained everything the best she could. It wasn't like she was prepared for the assault. While giving her recount, she realized she was going to have to return to the Magdalene Order after all. Something big was going on and being unarmed was probably the worst idea ever. She had to protect her family, Joshua and Azumaria, the best she could.

"Chrono," Kate now addressed the pale demon. "Do you have anything to add?"

Chrono was lightly swaying on his feet. It was hard just staying conscious throughout all this pointless talking. He didn't even realize anyone was speaking to him.

"Chrono?" Rosette asked softly as she reached out to touch his arm.

That was all it took. It was lights out, as Chrono swayed one last time and crumbled to the ground.

"I'm worried… you know."

Chrono could faintly hear Rosette's voice as he was starting to come around. He could feel what seemed like an actual bed beneath him. The quilt covering him felt soft and warm.

"I understand what you mean," and old male voice answered.

Chrono easily realized it was the elder, Edward Hamilton.

"I know he was always… not that strong in the past because he didn't have his horns. But, he still was able to do so much without my life force to sustain him… I just don't know what to think about this." Rosette sounded really worried for him. He hated her feeling down like that, yet sort of relished in the fact she cared about him so much.

"His body," the elder deduced, "is truly at war with him. I just can't figure out why. None of the tests I've done make any sense." With Chrono so weak and feeble, the old man didn't even look twice at the busty blond next to him.

"Where am I," Chrono now voiced which brought Rosette instantly to her feet.

"Chrono! You're awake!" Rosette exclaimed with a beaming smile.

"Sorry to worry you Rosette," he apologized, but he had a gleam in his face. He liked it when Rosette would hover over him like this.

"Oh, geez. What am I going to do with you? But I guess fighting off a swarm of demons wasn't really on our to-do list just yet, was it?" she smiled with a slight tilt of her head.

"No it wasn't," he smiled back.

"Ah-hem," the elder interrupted. "You are in my shop to answer your question."

"Your shop? You never had a bed like this in here before," Chrono commented as he felt the frame work around him.

"No, I didn't," he stated as a matter of fact, while tinkering around on his workbench. "I had this purchased and brought in a day ago. I didn't want you feeling like you had to try and make yourself small again to fit back in to where you liked to rest before; on the account that you really couldn't stay on the dining hall tables anymore."

Chrono lightly massaged his sore head. He couldn't believe the strange mess they were in. I mean come on! This was all just the biggest fiasco he'd ever been a part of. What the heck is really going on? Why was he brought back to life?

Chrono just sighed and sunk further into his pillow with a mumbled, "Thanks."

It wasn't until later that evening when Chrono awoke again, that he felt some of his strength back. No nightmares had haunted him this time, and the ache in his head was minimal. He felt refreshed enough to face the senior woman's assault of questions. Rosette, who had fallen asleep carelessly in a nearby chair, was now up and about ready to go forth and concur the world. She had no idea the elder now had an embarrassing drool-faced picture of her.

Sister Kate was glad at least to see no harm had been done to either Rosette or Chrono for that matter. She didn't want them getting worse rather than better, like her reports had been saying to the higher-ups all week. However, what Chrono had revealed was rather troubling indeed. If his suspicions were to be trusted, then these adolescent demons they'd encountered shouldn't have been out and about at all. He believed they were from one of the many hives that existed in eternal sleep, waiting for the "End Times" to be released as a plague onto the non-believers of the world.

Someone, or something, had released part of this hive before its due time, and if that was the case, this was extremely serious. They needed to be found… and stopped.

Hey peoples!

Being in the military gives me a pretty crazy schedule. I don't always get free time, and what I do get, I can't always devote to writing. I will try…

Chrono has good instincts and has good reason to be wary of the future, but there will be a calm before the storm.