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The cardboard box made gurgling sounds as the girl emptied the remaining fluid through her straw - Head Nurse had insisted that she drink nutrition supplements. The girl had, more than once, attempted to convince the Head Nurse of its horrible taste, but no avail, the woman cannot be persuaded.
Spotting white hair amongst monstrous piles of dishes in the Dining Hall, the girl walked over swiftly, pulled out the chair next to Link, and sat down.
Allen tensed but continued to eat. He barely saw her for the past week, all the rehabilitation had confined her to the Infirmary for a majority of the time. The rest were spent with Klaud in the training arena to familiarise her new form of Innocence. Meanwhile, Allen was subject to multiple "interviews" that resembled interrogations. They haven't spoken since that day in the basement with Rouvelier and Hevlaska…
"They released you?" Link commented, reading Master Sweets Anthology.
Sighing as she exhausted the contents of the box, she crushed it in her hand. "Finally."
Allen took the time to observe her properly. Although still slim, Allen was relieved to see her gaining her weight back gradually. More colour has returned to her cheeks, and she looks a lot more energetic.
He leaned his cheek onto his hand as he propped his elbow onto the table. Her sleeveless, form-fitting turtleneck allowed the tattoo on her right upper arm to be largely visible. Allen stared at it, realising that he never inspected it close enough to discern the motifs. He blinked, identifying individual shapes, a rose cross in the centre, vines in other places, some were senseless to him. A portion of the pattern disappeared into her top. He wondered if the design meant anything to her.
"Are you going to eat that?"
The English boy blinked. He followed her gaze to the single stick of mitarashi dango remaining on his plate. "Do you want it?" He asked lifted the plate towards her.
Picking up the bamboo stick, she popped the small balls of glutinous rice into her mouth, muttering something about not getting enough sugar and even dangos taste nice now.
Allen smiled subtly. Komui said something about increased appetite due to her new Crystal Type Innocence. Allen still thinks she eats too less though.
He naturally stacked the new plate onto his tower.
Link sat silently, flipping a page in Master Sweets Anthology. He was relieved that their hostility seemed to have disseminated with time.
"Help me with something." She suddenly said.
"What is it?" Allen blinked. She never asks him for help.
"Fight me."
Allen was surprised. "Now?"
She nodded, discarding her crushed box into the pile of rubbish Allen had generated. "I'm sick of being beaten around by Lau all day. Plus, I wanted a comparison."
Allen smiled. In terms of training, he must admit that General Klaud is much tougher than Cross. The training arena was basically obliterated and rebuilt once per day. "I will gladly help."
~x.X.x~
The battle marks generated by yesterday's sparring with Lau were already erased with some meticulous ploughing.
She turned slightly to glance at Allen, who had stopped at the doorway, and shot him an impatient glare.
Allen scratched his head. "Are you sure this will be okay?" He stepped down onto the sand.
"What's not okay?"
"Don't push yourself too hard."
She frowned. "Don't tell me what to do."
He sighed. He should've known better than to prod at her terrible case of superiority complex. However, his worry supersedes his rational thoughts.
Activating her Innocence silently, her black cloak appeared, originating from her necklace. The armour piece over her right shoulder was quickly secured, following by the appearance of a black blade in her hand.
Allen decided he would only defend. But she's not planning to hold back, is she?
Activating his own Innocence, his white cloak draped around him as he drew out his sword.
"Ready?"
Allen poised himself. "Yes."
Charging forwards in a blur of black, the Eurasian exorcist aimed her attacks on the defending blade of the white-haired exorcist. She noticed the ease of control she never felt before, Thora's weight seemed negligible in her hands…things she had had forgotten to appreciate whilst being bombarded by Lau.
The sound of metal impacting on metal was accompanied by the screeching of blades sliding past each other. Without too much of a break, her arms rose her head, before she swung vertically down with all her strength.
Expertly, Allen blocked her attack. However, instead of pulling back, the girl forced her blade against Allen's. He glanced at her eyes, only to find a transient shimmer of gold in her expressionless voids.
Slowly, she added more force upon her blade.
Pushing back against her, Allen easily overcame her strength. Desdemona jumped back effortlessly, and sighed. He's still stronger.
Allen rested his sword in the sand, draping his forearm over its hilt. "Are you okay?"
She looked at her blade. There were small dents on the sharp side where it met Allen's Innocence. However, small tendrils of black whirled around the dents, and they were quickly repaired by newly materialised Innocence. Her weapon seemed to self-repair, she never noticed. "Worry about yourself."
She lashed out upon the hilt. Flexing at the tip, the blade instantly transformed into the black leather whip. With another flick, it transformed into the blade, its segments detached.
He watched with amazement. Her weapon looks so fluid, its transformations more seamless and almost instant. "Dem, you're stronger."
"You're still stronger." She shook her head. "Strength isn't my style."
Allen wondered if that was a compliment…
"It's strange. The strongest Innocence…shouldn't I be able to do more than this?" She frowned to herself, puzzled by her battle abilities which were significantly disproportionate to the powers her Innocence is supposed to hold.
Charging at him once again, she flicked her wrist and swiped at Allen's feet with her segmented blade. He quickly jumped up, pulling his sword out of the sand. Pushing himself off a temporary glowing circle in thin air, he rose higher.
He glanced back down, yet was surprised when she was nowhere to be seen.
With a dark shadow falling over him, Allen quickly turned to catch a glimpse of her black cloak. Reacting quick enough, he held his sword before him just as her sword neared his chest. However, the force cancelled out his upwards momentum from his jump milliseconds ago, pushing him back onto the ground.
Using Allen's strength, Desdemona sprung herself backwards. Yet as soon as one of her foot landed on the ground, she pushed off once more and engaged in attacks. Her eyes watched everything intently and frowned. Why was he slower than usual?
Link, standing by a pillar at a safe distance, watched the great speed at which the exchanges were occurring. Even with his trained eyes, there were some details in their movements that he had missed.
After a while, the two stopped again. Neither of them showed any signs of fatigue. Although the girl seemed utterly agitated, while the boy was pleasantly surprised.
"Are you even trying?" She huffed at him. "Why are you so slow?"
"I'm not being slow." He raised his hands in defence. "Do you have your heels on?"
She glanced down at her feet, where her boots and heels were perfectly intact. "Yes."
He smiled at her gently. "Dem, you have become faster."
She looked sceptically at him. "You're not slowing down?"
"I swear!" Allen nodded firmly.
Looking down at her boots again, she contemplated for a while before kicking her heels off. "Again." She commanded.
Allen prepared himself, not knowing what to expect…
Suddenly, she disappeared from where she stood. Before it even registered to Allen that she was no longer there, his vision was obscured by black. In an instant, she swung her sword towards his neck, yet he could not even lift an arm to block.
The sword quickly stopped at his neck, although the cold blade was already touching his skin. Shocked, Allen looked over at Desdemona, whose eyes reflected a great amount of panic and fear, yet at the same time, were gold.
Her sword disappeared quickly. She stepped away from him and frowned. "Why did you not dodge or block?!"
"S-sorry, I didn't even see you." Allen stepped back, his knees slightly weak from the shock. He wasn't sure whether it was the blade at his neck, or the moment of overwhelming murderous aura he thought he felt.
Inhaling in exasperation, she deactivated her Innocence. "I'm done." She looked away from him.
Deactivating his Innocence too, Allen still felt shaky. In fact, as seconds passed he grew more aware of the fact that she could have killed him. Falling backwards onto the sand, he landed on his bottom and sat there frozen.
She panicked again when he fell. She could see that a thin, red mark slowly appeared on his neck where her sword grazed him. Markedly, a thin trail of blood oozed out from the small wound.
She quickly stepped closer and knelt down beside him. "Allen…" She breathed, reaching a hand out to his neck.
He watched her, her eyes now normal. She looked so worried...
She touched around the small laceration softly to examine the wound, and was relieved to find that it was immensely shallow. She exhaled, not realising she was holding her breath. "Idiot." She scolded.
He stared at her with wide eyes for a while. "Pfft…" He suddenly snickered. "Ahaha…AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." Breaking into a round of laughter, he leaned back on the sand, supporting himself with his arms.
She frowned even deeper, irritated by his behaviour. "What are you laughing at?"
Rubbing his eyes and wiping the tears from his laughter away, he shook his head and smiled at her. "I am an idiot."
"Huh?" She tilted her head.
He crossed his legs and leaned towards her. "You were trying to protect me."
"What are you on about?"
He flashed a cheeky grin. "Despite what you say, you can't kill me."
She flushed. "Of course I can!"
"You can't." He asserted.
"I can!"
"You can't."
"I can…"
"You can't."
"I…" Standing up, she turned her back towards him. "I'm ignoring you."
He kept smiling at her. "Yes, Madame."
Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she glanced back. He noticed the strange look in her eyes.
"Sorry."
"Are you sure you can manage it?" Komui asked for the hundredth time. "You can always wait for someone to return from their mission. I would feel more at ease if someone else went with you. Like Kanda, for example."
The girl shuddered next to Allen, who smiled at her reaction.
"No, we'll head out now." She was firm.
Komui sighed. "You know, regarding Rouvelier's-"
"That will not be a problem." The Eurasian girl cut the chief off forcefully. Komui glanced at Allen, who shrugged.
"Dem, what are you planning?" Komui frowned at the girl. He had known her for so long that he can pick up a conspiracy when there is one.
"I'm not planning anything."
Komui sighed again, he's been doing that a lot lately. "Please stay safe, both of you."
Desdemona turned and left Komui's office.
Allen looked at Komui worriedly, but the Chinese man nodded at Allen. The boy quickly followed the girl out.
Komui picked up the phone at his desk and dialled. Waiting a few seconds, someone picked up on the other side. "What is it, Chief?"
"Desdemona, Allen and Link are granted permission to use the Ark, please let them through. And yes, destination gate is Chapmans'."
Allen and Link were sent to the guest room to "rest" while Desdemona was forced to sit down to discuss important things with Margaret and Franz. Margaret had an absolutely horrid expression on: a mixture of fear, anxiety, anger and dismay, which made her pale complexion appear lifeless.
"What do you think they are talking about?" Allen asked Link.
"It is impolite to inquire into private matters." Link replied with a stiff tone. Rouvelier had told him to observe the girl carefully…he suspected that she may have something up her sleeve, provided the ease with which she agreed to his terms.
Allen sighed and waited in silence…
~x.X.x~
"We are leaving now." Desdemona entered the guest room following a single knock. Her eyes were blank yet Allen could detect that slight hint of sadness. She stood at the door, putting on a pair of leather gloves that Allen had never seen before. However, the small silver cross at their cuffs suggested that it was from the HQ, probably Komui's work.
"Ah, yes!" Allen jumped up and headed out the door, followed by Link. The exorcists, plus Link, walked passed the kitchen where Margaret sat knitting and Franz read the newspaper. Both of them were silent and eerily uninterested in the party heading out on a mission.
Desdemona headed for the door without so much as bidding the elder couple farewell, which Allen found extremely worrying. However, as guests, Allen and Link did not forget to thank the Chapmans for their hospitality.
Margaret turned to give Allen and Link a half-hearted smile. "Take care and stay safe." She said routinely before turning back to her knitting.
Exiting the house, Tempest and Clancy were already tied to the porch railing, waiting for their riders. Desdemona untied Tempest and mounted him smoothly before helping Allen up behind her. Link had no trouble with Clancy.
It wasn't long before the party silently departed from the Chapmans' estate.
~x.X.x~
"What you said was a little harsh." Franz commented from behind his newspaper.
Margaret was focused on knitting.
Franz lowered his newspaper. "You could have left her with a bit more space-"
Margaret suddenly threw her knitting onto the table, stood up and left the kitchen, heading upstairs.
Franz shook his head, the interaction replayed in his mind…
"Must you go?" Margaret's voice was shaky. "You might die!"
Desdemona avoided eye contact with both Franz and Margaret. "This is something I have to do."
"I did say that we would support your decisions…" Margaret's voice sounded desperate. "But after what we saw…I don't think I can do it anymore. I realised that we never truly understood the dangers you face. Letting you place yourself in such peril, I can't do it."
"Margaret…" Desdemona inhaled. She had never seen Margaret like this before. While death is something she got used to, it wasn't so for the Chapmans. She could somehow understand their feelings, and acknowledge that her situation placed them in distressing circumstances, but there is no way around it. "My brother should have died long ago, but right now he is trapped in unimaginable agony. I can do something about that and I-."
"Any exorcist will do." Margaret suddenly said.
She shook her head in dismay, "Margaret, I think this is what my mother hoped I would do."
"I disagree." The older woman's tone was firm. "No mother would place their daughter in harm's way, ever! I know, because you are my daughter too."
"…" She couldn't rebuke Margaret because...Bidelia would never place her in harm's way.
However, she remembered Bidelia's prayer: Bidelia's gift to her was so that she won't be powerless to protect those she values. She has the power to help Chase, and if she doesn't…if she leaves this task to another exorcist, she can't imagine living another day without regretting her decision.
"If I run away from this, it will haunt me forever." She replied.
"Do you realise you are not alone?" Margaret was exasperated. "There are people who care for you! Franz and I didn't sleep a wink the entire time you were unconscious! Allen seemed completely wrecked, blaming himself! Komui and the nurses worked day and night to save you! Why don't you understand? Your life isn't just your own!"
Desdemona frowned. "What does this have to do with Allen?"
"Don't change the topic, young lady." Margaret sighed. "I don't know what happened all those years before you came to us, but I do know that your brother means you harm. If you still consider us your family, then don't go." Her tone was final, there was no room for negotiations.
The Eurasian girl stayed silent.
Margaret shook her head in disbelief. "You still want to go, don't you?"
"Margaret, I-"
"Fine!" Margaret suddenly stood up from her chair. "Go! Just go! Our words don't reach you, do they? Because we are not your real family. I should have realised it earlier! I was deluded!" The woman turned away from the girl and faced the kitchen sink. "I should have realised it earlier."
Franz looked worriedly at the girl, to see her expression contorted in pain and dismay. He remained silent, unable to say anything.
"Margaret…" The girl began, but she was unsure whether she could improve the situation.
"If you want to leave, leave already!" Margaret's anger was but a thin mask that obscured her sadness and disappointment.
Desdemona stood up slowly. "I will return."
"You don't have to!"
Clenching her fists, the girl left the kitchen and headed for the guest room.
"Are you okay?" Allen asked as gently as possible, unconsciously tightening his grip on her waist.
After a few silent seconds, Allen assumed the girl would just ignore him. However, she sighed.
"Dem?" He wasn't able to observe her expression from his position behind her.
"Did you…ever feel that the relationship with Mana wasn't enough…because there was no blood relation?" She asked hesitantly, picking each word carefully.
He frowned. "Why do you ask?"
She shook her head. "It's nothing, forget it."
The English boy contemplated. "I thought Mana was the best father I could ever have. I never knew what a real family is like anyway."
"Thought?" She turned her head slightly towards him. "What do you think now?"
Allen shook his head, "That isn't relevant."
"Do you doubt that Mana's love for you was just his love for Neah?"
Allen was caught off guard. Why was it that she can always find his most vulnerable thoughts so easily? At times when he doesn't want her to see through him, she breaks through all his defences like a relentless storm.
But, when he wants her to know how he feels, she is blatantly oblivious.
"Never mind me." He didn't want to discuss this with her right now. "What happened with Franz and Margaret?"
"Don't pry." Her tone was unimpressed with a hint of warning.
He looked at her helplessly. She is terribly unfair.
They remained silent for a while. Link appeared to lag behind, and the trotting of the horses' hooves would make the exorcists' quiet conversation inaudible to the Crow.
Allen glanced behind him slightly, before leaning closer to the girl's shoulder. "At least tell me what you are planning to do when we get there."
"I'll talk with him." Her tone suggested she will say no more.
"Then, what will you do about Rouvelier's…request?" He struggled to dictate his question.
"You don't need to know."
"…"
The girl watched Allen's sullen expression from her peripheral vision, before returning her attention to the front, subtly steering Tempest along the compacted dirt road.
She was suddenly reminded of what Margaret had said. "Allen seemed completely wrecked, blaming himself!"
Desdemona tightened her jaws. Without him, she mightn't be alive right now. She knows that to him, in his fragile state of mind, having to share her burden may prove to be too much. Even though she constantly warned him to leave her alone, he never conceded in devoting his time and care to her. Furthermore, the purely incidental way in which he injured her would surely aggravate his self-blame. She knows that he couldn't possibly take the burden all upon himself, yet his righteousness would never allow him live any easier.
She is really indebted to him.
As always, she despises having to owe anyone anything. But to him, she is powerless. What he had done for her isn't something that can be easily repaid.
At least not until this is all over.
"Allen."
"Hm?"
"Sorry…if I worried you."
Allen blinked, but soon smiled disbelievingly. "You are alright now, that's what matters. If you are really sorry, then promise me this…"
"What is it?"
"Don't make me so afraid again…" He hugged her waist a little firmer.
She blushed slightly, "I'll try."
The young Eurasian male exhaled as he leaned against the thick trunk of the tree he sat upon. Gazing expectedly towards the path that shall lead his sister back to him, he was disappointed again and again when there was no sight of her.
She should have been awake by now. Why is it that she still hasn't arrived?
His eyes darkened in anger.
The Order must have retained her. They must have imprisoned her within their Headquarters.
Chase looked up to the sun, directly overhead.
If by the end of today, she still hasn't appeared, then he shall raid the Europe branch of the Black Order to rescue her. The Earl will surely support him.
He turned his eyes towards the town once more. Level 1 akumas can be seen floating around. There were dark smoke rising from the Town Centre, but he paid it no heed.
There was no harm in letting the Level 1s feed on this town. Making them stronger would be a great help to the Earl, after all.
Desdemona knelt down when she landed on the rooftop of a nearby house. The house was taller than most others in town, giving her the vantage point to examine the place. Allen stood beside her, his left eye completely activated and raring to kill. Contrary to his bodily instincts though, the boy was horrified by the sight.
Hundreds of Level 1s were on a rampage, and several had already turned into Level 2s. There wasn't a living person in sight, as those who kept their lives either hid or ran away.
Occasionally, the exorcists can see akumas surround a house and knock it down with their artillery. Quite often, dead and half-dead humans emerged amongst the rubble, upon which the more dominant akumas pounced and killed.
"This is horrible…" Allen breathed. "We have to help them."
"Do what you want." She said dismissively. "I'm heading straight for the circus."
"No." Link suddenly said with a stern voice. "The two of you must not split up."
Ignoring Link, she pushed herself off the ledge of the roof. In an instant, her Innocence was activated, and a certain blue glow surrounded her form. Allen noticed that she held no weapon in her hand.
Landing on the large body of a Level 1 akuma, the girl simply jumped using it as leverage onto the next roof. The akuma froze, then contorted as if struck by lightning, before bursting into dust.
Allen blinked, what did she do? Could it be that in her new form, her cloak would be able to produce the same effects as her weapon?
Link watched in dismay as the girl quickly proceeded through town by rooftops and akumas, straight towards the pile of burnt debris at the edge of town. Any akuma that remotely got close to her burst. None of the slow-reacting Level 1s even attempted to chase after her.
Looking to Allen, Link frowned. The boy's gaze was fixated on a group of akumas gathering around a house. Through a small window, there seemed to be movement within. Without saying a thing, the white-haired exorcist also jumped off the roof he stood on, heading for the assembly of akumas quickly in a flash of white as he activated Crown Clown.
Link shook his head. Why are they so uncooperative? Chasing after the white haired boy, Link called out. "Allen, there is no end to this. Please just follow Desdemona to the circus!"
"I have to save at least these people!" Pulling out his sword from his left arm, the boy swung at the Level 1s and they easily became dust. He landed on top of the house at the centre of the akumas, and poised himself.
It never occurred to him before. But after so long, Level 1 akumas became insignificant enemies. Everyone is growing stronger day by day, but he wondered if that is a good thing.
Lunging towards the floating akumas, Allen slashed through the air, leaving in his wake a trail of large explosions that took out the Level 1s four at a time.
Link dropped to the ground, kicking down the door and rushing into the house as the akumas were distracted. He ran up the staircase and found two huddled figures hiding beneath a table. He reached out to them, only to receive screams of terror.
"Do not fear, I am here to rescue you." Link reassured, only then were the figures able to lift their heads from the large cloth around them. Link recognised a mother and her young son, both were extremely pale. "Please, come with me."
Taking Link's hand, the three humans quickly left the building and ran onto the streets.
The fighting exorcist spotted them, and diverted the group of akuma he had attracted in the opposite direction.
~x.X.x~
Desdemona proceeded carefully along the dirt path. Navigating her way to Bidelia and Chase's gravestones, she turned and scanned her surroundings. There was…no one. She willed her Innocence to deactivate, and the black cloak disappeared from around her.
"Chase?" She spoke his name at a moderate volume. Could it be that he was not here?
Suddenly, she realised that there was not even a hint of a breeze. Everything was eerily still. It was too still. She inhaled, "Chase, are you there?"
"I knew you would come."
A familiar, quiet voice spoke from behind her. The girl tensed, feeling his breath right against her right ear.
"I thought they imprisoned you, I'm glad you are here." His voice revealed his smile. "How are you? Was the process painful? I'm sorry if it was."
"I am an exorcist." She said simply.
"I know, but you won't be now. You can finally leave the Order, with me." His gentle tone was endearing as ever.
"Did the Earl tell you? What happens to an exorcist…" She slowly turned around to face him. "who betrays their Innocence?"
He paused, and shook his head.
"I thought so." She smiled, at which he frowned. "My Innocence would have killed me."
Chase blinked and shook his head slowly. "What…does that mean?"
"You know what it means."
"You would have been killed…either way?"
She nodded.
"The Earl would not lie to me!" Chase stepped back slightly. "If what you say is true, then how are you standing here now? How are you still alive?"
"I didn't turn."
"Impossible…"
The girl glanced to the ground as her hand reached up instinctively to her necklace. "Bidelia gave me more than I realised."
Chase inhaled sharply. He would recognise that necklace anywhere. Their mother never let it leave her side. Only, in the last few weeks of her life, she gifted it to his sister. At the time he thought he didn't mind, but it was odd how Bidelia often warned him to never touch it…
"Bidelia…she is so unfair." Chase held his forehead with a hand, shutting his eyes tightly. "She always cared for you more, she gave you all her love, but left me with a load of responsibilities." He opened his eyes, they have turned blood red. "Why is it so unfair? I went through all that pain just to survive and return to protect you. But once I asked you to join me, you reject me and escape the suffering I had to go through! You have everything so easy…"
"Chase." Her tone turned cold. "You know nothing of me."
"What do you know of me?!" Chase's eyes darkened, the anger within them overflowed. "I have done so much for Bidelia! I have gone through so much for you! Why does none of you ever appreciate me?! Do you understand how much pain I went through? Do you know what it feels like to have your every cell broken and rebuilt, over and over again?"
"I do." The excruciating pain of Dark Matter invading one's body was not unfamiliar to her, the burning sensation is constant and knows no relief. However, the vivid memory of her brother's contorted soul made her believe that she knows more of his suffering than himself.
Staring straight into Chase's red eyes, within which she found no trace of the brother she once knew, her decision was reaffirmed. "That is why you shouldn't be alive."
His expression clearly displayed his disbelief and sense of betrayal. "No, you are wrong…"
"You should have died years ago." She stepped towards him, her demeanour displayed no hint of hesitation. "You, being alive right now, is wrong."
"You are wrong!" Slowly, he lifted a hand. "You are the one who never should have existed! Without you, Bidelia and I would have been happy! You should never have been born!"
She tightened her jaws and inhaled sharply through her nose. The person standing before her is not Chase. He would…he would never say something like that. She shouldn't have been born?
But…if she wasn't born…
Bidelia would have been able to leave the circus as she wished. Bidelia would not have the burden of two children to care for. Bidelia would be able to save up enough money to leave with Chase. They…would have lived an easier life…without her.
If only Bidelia left sooner, she wouldn't even have died.
Desdemona froze. Maybe…maybe what Chase is saying now isn't all fake. What if these are thoughts her brother had all along, just never vocalised. To think that through all those years, her caring brother was wishing that she never existed.
Strangely enough…she didn't know what to think right now. She wasn't sure how to react.
She hesitated.
"If you won't join me…" Slowly, he placed down his lifted hand. "Then I'll let you join Bidelia."
"DEM! WATCH OUT!"
Allen's panicked voice yelled from behind the girl. Her black cloak appearing, Desdemona disappeared from the spot she stood. Milliseconds later, several large Level 1 akumas crashed into the ground, raising a dense cloud of dust that obscured any vision.
Desdemona landed a few metres back, shielding her lower face from the dust. She coughed to clear the lungful of dust she inhaled.
"Are you ok?" The white haired exorcist appeared beside her. She couldn't see his expression from behind his mask, yet from his tone she could imagine his worried face.
"I'm fine." Desdemona turned to see the source of the footsteps behind her, to see Link rushing over as well. "What are you two doing here?"
"We were taking the survivors out of town, when all the akumas suddenly left and headed in this direction." Allen explained, resting his large sword in the ground.
"I didn't think you came with friends…" Two glowing red orbs were seen from within the clearing dust cloud. "It doesn't matter, I will send you all to heaven."
As the dirt settled out of the air, the girl froze. She glanced up, they were surrounded by no less than a hundred akumas.
"Oh wait…" Chase stood where he was, unmoved. He smiled at her in an eerie manner, "even if there is one, you're not going there, are you Mony?"
Allen gritted his teeth. Pulling his sword out of the ground, he instinctively stepped in front of the girl. "Is he actually trying to kill you?"
"…"
"Dem?" He turned at her lack of responsiveness, but saw her pale complexion drained of blood. Her expression was bland, but he noticed her tightly clenched fist. He stared at her…of course she is not okay.
"That person is no longer my brother." She spoke quietly, but Allen could hear her. "We'll deal with these akuma, first."
Allen nodded.
The black blade whip appeared soundlessly in her hands. Her eyes were fixed on the akumas overhead, yet Allen saw no light in them.
Pzzzzzz…Crack.
The same blue glow surrounded the girl's form, but Allen also noticed the small tendrils of electricity appearing to short circuit between the handle and her leather glove. The points where the sparks touched smoked slightly, and the boy could faintly smell burnt leather.
He wondered if that was the reason for her gloves. She couldn't handle her Innocence in this form barehanded?
"Brothers, sisters…" Chase's voice boomed with a certain strange resonance. "Kill the exorcists!"
"GYAAAAAAAA!" Screaming simultaneously, the myriad of tortured faces of the akumas turned to the exorcists, charging in with no hesitation.
Allen moved first. Crown Clown surrounded him avoided attacks from all directions. With ease, his sword cut through their metallic flesh, eradicating handfuls of Level 1s at a time.
Attaching Clown Belt to adjacent akumas, the white-haired exorcist manoeuvred easily in mid-air. Despite elevating himself well above the ground, looking up, he could still not see the sky, only endless tortured souls, begging for salvation.
He inhaled. He will destroy all these akumas. He must.
Throwing up the hilt of his broad sword and catching it with a repositioned grip, Allen landed on a Level 1 and plunged his Innocence deep into its body. The akuma let out a deafening scream, before swelling up drastically. Allen jumped away from the akuma as it exploded.
Somewhere more distant, Allen heard the low rumble of thunder, followed by an echoing crash that shook the air around him. It was extremely loud, and thus extremely close.
Sensing an akuma attacking from his side, he grabbed onto another akuma and pulled himself away from the incoming bullets. He launched himself off the closer akuma, cut through the body of the other, and found a secure footing on the thick branch of a taller tree.
Crash!
A blue iridescent tint flashed from behind the akumas ahead. Allen frowned, the akumas were too dense, he couldn't see her. And…what was she doing?
The male exorcist contemplated for a while, he does recall something in the recesses of his mind. Something she used during the last attack on the Level 4 at the Headquarters…Not that he was completely conscious at the time.
With a warning chill running down his spine, Allen jumped off the branch only to have it obliterated by an akuma a second later. Allen turned in midair, attached Clown Belt to the akuma, pulled himself towards it, and cut it to pieces. "Rest in peace, soul of the akuma."
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The deafening crashes and the transient blue glow was appearing more and more frequently, and by the intensity of the light, Allen could tell it travelled on a path closer and closer to him. As he decided to elevate further among akumas to see what exactly was going on, he was surrounded by three Level 2 akumas.
"GEEEEEEHEHEHE. Kill an exorcist, and the Earl will certainly be happy!" One of them laughed hysterically, its humanoid form was tall yet extremely thin.
"I'LL KILL HIM FIRST!" A larger akuma announced, charging at Allen. The others followed, competing amongst themselves.
Allen pulled his sword back. "Rest in peace."
Preparing to swing through all three of them, Allen was suddenly blinded by a bright blue all around him. He boy blinked, there was no pain…A moment later, the same crash was heard from beneath him, the volume made his ears ring.
Around him, the screams and low growls of agony echoed repeatedly. He could squint and make out the faint outlines of the three that attempted to attack him, to see them twitching and contorting wildly, before slowly disintegrating into dust.
With nothing attached to his belts, he began to fall.
Quickly, the blue light faded, and Allen saw the ground. Turning, he was able to land on his feet and crouched down to lessen the impact. He quickly stood and glanced up. The dense patch of akuma around him before…there was nothing left of them. He could see the dimming sky clearly overhead, the sun beginning to set. Behind him, the akumas disappeared as well, leaving just a tattered Link, wiping away the sweat upon his forehead.
Allen looked ahead, and was disappointed to see a wall of akumas still floating behind the Eurasian male. He was scowling in displeasure, and once he spotted Allen, shot the exorcist a full dose of that familiar glare.
Dropping down beside him in a bundle of black, the girl swung her intact blade. The dark liquid that clung to the black metal sprayed onto the dirt ground beneath, fizzled slightly, before disappearing completely.
"Dem, you took out all those?!" He gestured, almost hitting Link who was approaching from behind.
Desdemona looked to Allen with an unamused expression. "No. You did." Her tone was sarcastic.
The boy was amazed. Is this what her Innocence is capable of? Even if they are only Level 1…it is indeed incredible.
The girl glanced over to her brother. "You know, the way you see the world…it's horrid."
Allen tensed. "If it bothers you, I can stand further away."
She shook her head. "No. Seeing them makes me understand why you are the way you are…You are right. Killing them is the only way to save them."
"Dem." Allen read her tone, she was serious…he finally figured out what her plan is – she doesn't have a plan, she is really going to kill her brother. "You can't."
"I can." She insisted.
"He's not a normal akuma…Komui said he was living, right? There must be another way-" Allen was cut short. The look in her eyes was extremely frightening. It wasn't anger, Allen would recognise that. Instead, it's an emptiness that Allen had never seen before, despite the void-like nature of her gaze. The boy frowned and tightened his jaws.
"Allen." She said his name so clearly that it was almost foreign to his ears. "There's none."
"At least let me do it!" He stepped closer to her. "You mustn't do this!"
Link stood behind them, unable to comprehend the cryptic words between the exorcists.
"Would you rather had another exorcist kill Mana for you?"
Allen froze.
"Are you done talking?" Chase tapped his foot impatiently. He unfolded his arms across his chest and pushed one hand into his coat pocket, while his other hand raised in front of him.
The girl watched as he directed an open palm towards her. For a few seconds, there was no sound, no movement, yet an eerie aura pressed upon her in a suffocating manner.
Observing him closer, she suddenly noticed that his palm wasn't pointed at her at all. She followed the straight trajectory of her brother's arm with her eyes, and her gaze landed upon Allen, who frowned at the enemy's gesture in confusion. Widening her eyes, she saw a steadily growing iridescent sphere above the male exorcist's head.
Without hesitation, she launched herself towards Allen, tackling him laterally, away from the sphere and towards the ground.
Knocked off balance, Allen suddenly saw the orb close to where his head was. It continued to expand, quickly contract, compressing its contained energy for a massive explosion.
Before he felt the impact of the ground on his back, Allen was blinded by the light emitted from the explosion. A terrible force threw him hard against the soil beneath, and pushing him along, his back painfully slid across the ground, the friction burning his skin through his clothing.
Eventually, they came to a stop. Allen's sight was obscured by large black spots from the bright light, and he's somehow dizzy. He tightened his jaws. That technique…it is without doubt the technique of a Level 4 akuma.
"Argh…"
Allen quickly blinked and looked at Desdemona clinging onto him. She groaned, and shifted until she pushed herself up and off him.
With his recovering sight, he could see her black cloak activated and draped over her back, which made him relieved as he knew, like Crown Clown, her cloak was also armour.
"Allen get up." She quickly stood back up. Turning back to where they stood, there was a large, charred area on the ground. She deactivated her Innocence and touched around her back to assess the damage. The back of her outer coat was obliterated, and her black top underneath was singed. The flesh on her back was tender…probably burnt.
Allen clambered up, he still couldn't see very well. "Are you ok?"
"Worry about yourself." She ran a hand through her hair in frustration.
"You know, Red?" Allen tensed as he felt the distinct presence of an akuma by his side. His left eye throbbed, confirming the presence of the Eurasian male next to him. "You have always been a nuisance."
Before the exorcist could react, a heavy punch landed on his abdomen that knocked the air out of his lungs and sent him flying. His back impacted painfully against a tree trunk, which tilted slightly as it was partially uprooted from the force.
Allen felt something regurgitate in his throat, his cough reflex kicked in as he expelled a mouthful of blood.
Desdemona froze at the sight…why was it so eerily familiar? "Allen…"
"I'm fine…" The boy stood shakily, wiping the residual blood from the corner of his mouth. Broken ribs, ruptured organs…all of these were injuries insignificant to him considering what he's been through.
"Argh!" Chase grunted as he quickly dodged a blade appearing from behind. Desdemona's gaze was pulled back to her brother, witnessing a badly burnt Link attacking the half-akuma relentlessly. Although, except for the first strike which contained an element of surprise, Chase dodged each advance with utmost ease.
Clenching her hands, the black cloak materialised around her and her blade appeared in her grip. A sudden anger filled her, and she charged at Chase.
Link's sight was blurred by the explosion from earlier, whether it was the blinding light or the impact itself, he couldn't tell. However, within the blink of an eye, the enemy before him was suddenly engaged with a black shadow, and a resonating clang echoed in Link's already ringing ears.
Desdemona's sword hit something hard…although it is certain that her blade is indeed upon the forearm of her brother. The sleeve of Chase's suit was sliced clean open, but the flesh beneath was unscathed as it blocked the Innocence with no protection.
The girl was not surprised though. This texture, his feeling…it is unmistakably the weaponised flesh of an akuma. She glared into his eyes, which were an unfamiliar dull black.
"Don't touch anyone else." Her tone was colder than ice.
"You want to protect them?" Chase shrugged carelessly, although his expression grew darker. "That really irritates me…so I'll kill them."
She adjusted her grip on her sword, a bright golden hue of pure murderous intent flooded into her iris. "You won't."
"Ah…those eyes." Chase regarded her with an amused smirk, before he lifted a forearm, already transformed into a blade. "I remember how your father cowered in fear every time he saw them…"
Desdemona swung her sword violently, segmenting the blade and swiping at his neck. He dodged the attack by kneeling down, then shifting himself to her side, where she was temporarily vulnerable due to the distention of her attack.
Holding out his hand, the start of another glowing orb appeared.
"Unf!" Before the orb could gather any decent size, Desdemona saw her brother being tackled away by the familiar white form. She quickly retracted and reattached her blade, and pivoted on her feet to witness a slightly surprised Chase amongst the white cloak of Crown Clown.
However, in a split second, the older male disappeared from Allen's grip, as the white-haired exorcist landed on the dirt ground on his knees. Allen looked up, to see Desdemona also glancing up at the shadow against a crimson sky.
"Mony," Chase smiled with a grin that left his eyes empty. "it is time to show you something special…"
Frowning, the exorcists anticipated in caution. Soon, their trained intuition detected a slight change in the air.
A round of screams drew their attention to the group of Level 1s behind the half-akuma, they appeared to be slaughtered by something else. Their bodies dropped to the ground, and their souls drowned in an abyss of darkness. Allen felt nauseous, he couldn't save them… Uncontrollably, a gaging sensation constricted his throat.
"What is that?" Desdemona touched Allen's elbow, pointing towards a tall figure approaching them. Its dirt brown armour was patchy, and the akuma face beneath its headpiece was revolting.
While Desdemona rarely saw akumas beyond Level 2, except for the Level 4 that invaded Headquarters, Allen was familiar with that characteristic appearance. "That's a Level 3." The white haired boy frowned, the soul above its head was contorted and grotesque, but beneath his innate anxiety at such sights, there was a feeling of familiarity. Although, that feeling brought no comfort, only contempt.
Desdemona squinted and unconsciously tightened her grip on Allen's albow. The soul was barely visible to her, yet all of a sudden, a strong sense of foreboding came over her. An unexplainable irritation nudged at her subconsciousness as a dark silhouette continued to approach at an uncomfortable pace. A dull throbbing ache radiated from her right upper arm, a psychological remnant of childhood trauma that she never wanted to erase.
She frowned and clutched at her right shoulder, suddenly feeling a resistance to breathing.
"Dem?" Allen glanced at her worriedly when her grip quickly tightened to a painful clutch.
He noticed her laboured panting, her pale skin, and the perspiration glistening on her forehead. But more prominent was her eyes, glowing a bright gold with rage and hatred. Black tendrils of Innocence whirled around her, twitching and shifting in periodic aggression.
"Dem…" Allen breathed. The sight was familiar, her Innocence was reacting to her emotions.
"Why did you bring him back?" Desdemona glared at Chase.
Chase smiled. "Doesn't the sight of his suffering make you feel so elated?"
"…" Desdemona stared at the soul above the Level 3's head, more visible now that it was closer. The marching armour had stopped a fair few meters away from the exorcists, directly beneath Chase. Its silent screams brought no hint of satisfaction, only, years of buried hatred resurfaced.
She wanted nothing but to kill it. Kill it again and again.
"Although…" Chase placed his hands into his pockets. "It will please me greatly to watch your father kill you slowly."
"Dem!" Allen began to panic as the black tendrils began whirling around the girl with a vast force, not dissimilar to clouds swept by violent winds during a storm. "Dem, calm down!" He tried to yell over the increasingly loud gale, yet amidst a hurricane of blackness, her golden eyes were unwavering.
Her grip on her sword tightened, and the obsidian blade glowed an intense blue.
"That man is not my father."
A/N
Hey everyone sorry for the late update! The past few months were pretty hectic for me, and also my beta is not replying to my email Q n Q. I'm so sorry about the timing, and also due to the fact that I wrote it in a rush and didn't get a good edit out of it makes me feel unsatisfied with the quality of this chapter. Most most most likely I will rewrite it sometime later.
Next chapter will also be a bit late as I head back to uni.
My life is a mess welp.
At least leave a review for me?
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