The God's Clown and The Prince of the Sky Chapter 17: 16: RENUO, a D.Gray-Man + Final Fantasy Versus XIII Crossover fanfic

Author's notes: Hello! It's been a long time since I updated The God's Clown and The Prince of the Sky. How is your news? I've been graduated from university last December and still searching for a job. It's been a year since I updated the last chapter. I'm very sorry for made you waiting for so long. Not to mention I made the newest fanfic about TAMNI and Saint Seiya. DX Thank goodness I managed to made this newest chapter after. I kind of free right now so I made this chapter and posted it as soon as possible. I hope this chapter will worth your long wait. This chapter is very long because I made two chapters of DGM into one chapter, more than 39.000 words and 95 pages.

At first I intended to divide it to two chapters but I changed my mind. I also skipped few scenes because I'm sure you have read DGM from chapter 186-187. I'm trying to avoid the repeated scenes too much in here, so I hope you will understand this. Repeating scenes which already inside the manga sometimes made the viewers bored. T_T; There were also few scenes from Noctis world concerning Ignis and friends with Regis and Luna about how they reacted with Noctis absence. They might not appear too often but their role is still important. There are few locations in DGM that I decided to change or in this case, trying to actualize the places. Judged from their scenes, Jordan's side where Ellen fought the Akuma might be the Petra of ancient city, Wan Shan might be Huang Shan, Lefcus might be Ancient Corinth. Only with Jikaljan I have no idea what kind of city is that in the real world, Russia is an enormous country, it have many cities and towns. It will be difficult to find the the real city which became the fictional city Jikaljan. While I'm happy that FF XV had the newest trailer and introduced new character (who revealed to be Luna), it made me slightly disappointed that DGM hasn't updated for 2 years, perhaps more. I wished Hoshino can continue this marvelous manga. By the way, feel free to review or critic this fanfic as many as you want. If you don't want to review, you can just read, favorite and follow this story. It will become my biggest pleasure. These are my responds to the last reviews.

For ladymelancholy17 : I'm very glad you loved this story. It's become an honor for me. XD You can see the newest chapter I've update here, thank you for your patience!

For evelvet : It's good to see you to, friend. :D I must admit the studies were quite difficult but Thank God I managed to graduate from my university. Glad you liked the previous chapter I've posted. Tyki…well, let's say he's gonna shows Noctis who's the guy who deserved Ellen though I doubt Noct will back away from what he suspected the Noah as pervert. XD

For Apocalyptic Wanderer : Thank you very much for your compliment.

Disclaimer: …I own nothing obviously, if I did own Ellen and Noctis, I'll be famous which I don't. -Man and Final Fantasy Versus XIII or Final Fantasy XV belongs to each their respective owners.

Warning: This fic has gender bender element, some of the spoilers, the possibility of AU, few swearings, and a lot, lot of bad grammars, due to the reason I not have a beta.

P.S : By the way, I kind of having this confusion with Ellen's eyes color. You see, I described her eyes as bluish silver while in another time, I described hers as grayish silver. I'm pretty sure you have noticed this as well. So after a thought, I decided to give her a grayish silver color for her eyes. I hope this will settled the confusion when you read my description about her eyes. T ˬ T;

The God's Clown and the Prince of the Sky

Story15: RENUO

"…"

Truthfully, he had no idea how in the world he was standing in this here.

He had no idea how could he opened his eyes again only to see this odd room.

He supposed to sleep in his small yet comfort bed, not stood like a dumb in the middle of a room he never saw before.

If there was a word to describe what Noctis feeling right now, it was taken aback.

Noctis still wore his cerulean t-shirt and white pajama pants, along with his plain white shoes. However he didn't have his jacket with him. It kind of understandable since the young man with the sky colored eyes only wear it when he was still out from the bed. Noctis had his memory correct. He was already in his room, already took a bath, and prepared to sleep after went to dinner in cafeteria with Ellen and Link. He remembered clearly that few minutes ago he still on his bed, reading another book he lent from Lavi. He then felt sleepy and decided to end the reading for tonight before he pulled up the blanket and went into sleep.

It only lasted for several minutes when he noticed something was wrong. He didn't feel the warm bed and blanket anymore. He also didn't lie in his bed anymore, he stood instead. Feeling suspicious, he opened his heavy eyelids, only to have them widely opened in the next second. Noctis was in the room only colored in purest white. The room looked like made from the highest quality and the purest color of marble. It wasn't too huge although enough spacious to hold a small party. Sky blue eyes blinked dumbly. He turned left and right.

Nothing at all.

"…Where am I?" Noctis questioned, responded only with silence.

Having no idea on what to do, he finally did the first thing which crossed in his mind. He was scanning around the snow colored room. There was almost nothing in there except for a wide mirror made from some rectangular pieces in the wall not far from him and…

Noctis eyebrow rose in puzzlement. His sky blue eyes narrowed just slightly. He had his attention on what stood in the middle of the room. He didn't notice it before. Before he even realize it, his feet already moved forward and taking step after step. The euclase eyed young man approached the thing he had just took a notice. Once he stopped near, confusion even clearly painted on his face. He recognized it. It was a music instrument he very familiar with. His deceased mother used to play the same instrument in the palace many years ago. His right hand moved and touching the instrument's music rack. Noctis felt the smooth texture before he moved his right hand to press one of the keys. It made a soft sound, echoing through the white room. He lifted up his hand once they key he pressed made no sound anymore.

His mouth mouthed the instrument's name quietly.

"A piano?"

It was a spinet piano. Like the entire room, it colored in the color of untainted snow. He knew the piano's type because his mother also had one like these. It had a simple yet elegantly antique appearance like the one his mother once had. It even had a similar shape although this one had a lip which can be opened. However his puzzlement only increased as he took another notice about the piano. The keys had their color different. The ones which supposed to coloring in white had been colored in black. So were the keys which supposed to be colored in black. They colored in white instead. It made several questions arose inside Noctis' head none the less.

'Are the coloring has been intended since the beginning?' He pondered thoughtfully.

If the keys had their colors switched, won't it get the player extremely confused if he or she ever playing a song? Moreover the keys with the switched black color would only make them difficult to play. How was a player supposed to play a song when all of the white keys were black instead? The player could press the wrong keys due to this coloring confusion. He or she maybe could play it but it will take a time to adjust before the player could play this odd piano properly. Noctis shook his head. Whoever made this piano, he must be a one heck eccentric if peculiar was not the right word to describe it. So was the player.

If only you knew, Noctis.

If only you knew…

Noctis gaze went from the odd coloring keys onto the room again.

"This place…it looks familiar but where did I…?"

A smooth, flowing deep voice answered him from behind.

There was a deep amusement filled his voice.

How Noctis never noticed that someone had been standing in there and watching him, he would never knew.

What Noctis will acknowledged in the future however, was this will become the first meeting between him and the person who responsible for bringing him into this world.

The first meeting and face to face with the Musician, the said Fourteenth of the Noah Clan.

"This is inside the Noah Ark. You're inside one of numerous rooms in the highest tower inside of the Ark to be precisely."

"…―?!"

His heart stopped abruptly at that very moment. Everything seemed to be frozen in time for a briefly moment. Then his alertness flooded him and as he flared his magic, Noctis spun his whole body. Expecting an enemy, ready to strike him. The young Lucis however didn't expect a young man stood only one half meter away from him, his lips curved into a charming smile. The young man was handsome with a slim yet athletic build. He looked around in his late teens to early twenties. The unknown young man had the same height if not a bit shorter than Noctis. His short spiky hair was as the same color as obsidian, his eyes colored in amber color, and he had a light tan skin. He wore white shirt, black ribbon tie and black vest, white long jacket, apair of white gloves, white colored pants and equal white colored shoes.

The mysterious young man continued to smile as he explained further for the baffled prince.

"This is the hidden room to control and move the Noah Ark. The piano you just touched is the control instrument. With the right person, intent, and song, you can activate or even moving the Ark."

Noctis had a frown on his face. He straightened his stance but never lowered his guard a bit. He had no idea why but the amber eyed young man before him. He felt familiar for unexplainable reason.

"…Who are you?"

The young man's smile widened slightly.

"Ah, where's my manner? How rude of me for not introduce myself…" The short spiky haired young gentleman bowed his upper body. "My name is Neah Walker. I've been eager to meet the young man who captured my niece's heart."

Noctis soon got completely frozen in his place.

…

"Pardon?" Noctis asked with a strained voice.

Did he just say…Walker?

And niece?

Please don't tell him that the young man before him was…

Unfortunately, it seemed the amber eyed young man didn't hear or simply ignored his question.

"Move aside," The young man in white, Neah, continued. "I must say, by lending the power of Etro through the Great Crystal and the Ark itself, brought you to this world was taken a lot of effort. It's not easy to teleported you from your home world, you know. Besides even though she had briefly told me about her favorite crystal guardian, I want to meet you personally. I want to see what kind of young man you are exactly."

The young man tilting his head, his eyes solely fixed on the other young man.

"So far, you've fulfilled my expectation, Noctis." He admitted, mirth filled his smile this time.

Something the amber eyed young man had said then stunned the euclase eyed prince.

Euclase eyes went as wide as saucer.

"…How do you know my name?" Noctis asked incredulously.

He quickly noticed another absurd thing.

"And how did you lending Etro's power, let alone summoned me? How? It's impossible for a human to lend Etro's power unless you're her Guardian!"

The young man in white then chuckled. His shoulders shook slightly.

"But of course I can." The amber eyed young man replied. "Let's just say both Etro and I have an agreement regarding…your condition. It was just a coincidence at the beginning."

Noctis felt nothing at first.

Almost a second later, his sky blue colored eyes changed briefly to the color of the brightest spinel.

Neah was receiving a hard gaze from the euclase colored eyed young man.

"What do you mean!?" Noctis asked demandingly.

Those amber eyes of the young man in white narrowed slightly.

The mysterious young man took a step forward.

His ever polite smile kept intact on his lips.

"My name is Neah Walker," Neah introduced for once more.

Though this time, something happened with him.

Without any warning at all, his polite smile turned into a sinister smirk.

Noctis jerked on his place. He completely caught off guard with the other young man's sudden change. The young man's skin darkened onto an ash color. His amber colored eyes were changing to burning liquid of gold. On his temple several black colored of odd injuries appeared from nothing. They shaped like star shaped crosses thus it made them quite odd. It took another second for Noctis to realize that the odd injuries were in fact the stigmatas.

"And I am the Noah of Destruction, the Musician, and the one you called as Fourteenth." Neah ended his introduction with a grand bow.

Sky blue eyes went widened in shock.

Noctis unconsciously took a step back.

He was so shock to the point he forgot to use his magic or call forth his sword in defensive manner.

His brain couldn't think anything but one.

This must be some kind of sick, twisted joking, right?

The young man before him…was theFourteenth?

"No way…" Noctis muttered in disbelief at the young man stood only a few feet before him. "You are…Fourteenth?"

The red haired young man just offered a mysterious smile. Gray skin, golden eyes, just like Komui's description. The seven stigmata on his forehead however were barely seen due to his pony.

"I am. And true, I'm the one who summoned you."

The black haired young man went alarmed. His blue eyes flashed threateningly at him. So he was the one who pulled him into this world just as the Bookman had suspected.

"What do you want with me?" He asked in cold tone.

This only served the Noah of Destruction's smile, no his smirk grew wider. "Simple," he began.

"I want you to help and protect my dear niece. That's why I summoned you to this place, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum from the Kingdom of Lucis."

Noctis' fist clenched so tight. He didn't understand him. He didn't understand this man, not even a bit. What was exactly the apparently revealed Noah had been thought in his mind? Summoned him from another world? Why would he go that far for Ellen? Even though he admitted the snow white haired female was his niece, it still didn't make any sense to him.

"Why…?" Noctis asked.

Sky blue eyes were gazing sharply onto a pair of mirth golden colored eyes.

Neah once again chuckled.

"You have met my niece, my dear Ellen." Neah began smoothly. "You see, she's an innocent 's a precious niece, the only 'family' I ever have. She is the only one 'family' member after the others are…passed away."

Noctis could've sworn he saw a bitter grief flashed within those yellow eyes.

He wasn't too sure since it happened too quickly.

Neah then continued in lofty tone.

"As you have known already, she's an Exorcist thus she's being exploited to any kinds of danger. Be it's small and great, danger will always become a part of her , death will become apart from her life too. While she has those friends and comrades of her, it still made me worry for her. They are strong indeed but they aren't enough for her. What kind uncle am I if I didn't fear for her wellbeing? That was why I was looking for someone who can protect my dear niece, Noctis. I wanta guardian who will shield her. A very capable knight who will protect the precious princess of mine. I need a young man who will willingly protect her, regardless the situation."

At the end of his words, Neah sighed exasperatedly.

"It wasn't an easy task to begin with. I need a young man who had no connection with either the Black Order or the Noah Clan. A young man who posses a dependable strength and extraordinary power. Not the Innocence and certainly not a Dark Matter. Not an Exorcist and not a Noah. I kept searching and searching for months and years but found no results so far. It almost made me hopeless. So I decided to take a stroll for a moment, preferably to a place I've never been in there."

The maniac gleeful within Neah's eyes alarmed Noctis greatly.

He began to dislike this man already.

Something was very, very wrong with him.

"That was when I found your goddess by an accident. The Land of Between, such a fascinating name for a land existed between the world of the dead and the living. Your goddess was in distress, you see. With all those foolish humans tried to have their hands for the crystal, she was anxious for your safety. In order to guard and keep the crystal, she needed you to stay alive. Then her anxious became reality. The attack toward the Lucis Palace happened. I saw what you did within that chamber. Your strength, your magic…You're the one whom I've been looking for all of this time!"

Neah couldn't help but was chuckling so eagerly.

At a very rare time, Noctis shivered uncontrollably.

Not even his archenemy was this lunatic!

And he had a feeling this wasn't the half of it!

Were all of the Noah members having this trait as well or was it only this man who had it?

"Then an idea popped in my mind! It's killing two birds with one stone. So I proposed her a deal. I will help her get you to a faraway place where your enemies will not find you. As an exchange, he must stay by my niece' side and protect her. Etro, your death goddess, approved it in the end. Through combined both power of the Noah's Ark and your Great Crystal, I used this piano to teleported you through dimension layer straight to this room. It was a wonderful experiment and a great success at the same time. Who knows two different type of energies could combined together to create such a feat?"

Noctis got hit by a realization.

So that was why the Great Crystal acted on its own during his fought with the white robed young man. The holy crystal of Lucis could only commanded by two beings. One was the Lucis line and their followers. The other one was Etro, the goddess who given the crystal by her own hands. And through the crystal which acted as a medium, this Noah capable to send him to another world, to this world. The fact almost made him stopped his breath. How many things this golden eyed young man was capable at?

Suddenly the young man before him became a very much real threat compared to his archenemy.

Etro, please guard him, he didn't want to die ridiculously in this world!

Heck, he didn't want to die before he can do something for Ellen!

She had helped him so much and dying in front of her was the last thing he had in his mind!

She could kill him for that!

"I've been ecstatic on what you can dofor Ellen. I had seen a bit of what you can do, yes, but I want to see more. I wonder what you are being capable of. I want to see the further length of your true power. My wish got answered again, not only once but twice. Ellen had this mission and you followed her. I saw what you did back there in Paris. A good job you did, I must say." With his white gloved hand, he amber eyed young man combed his hair.

"She has a bigger role to fulfill, she can't and she mustn't die before she fulfills it."

Something within Noctis snapped at those words.

The memory of his first meeting with Ellen inside the dream.

The memory of meeting her in the real world.

The memory of pouting Ellen.

The memory of angry Ellen.

The memory of sad Ellen.

The memory of blushing Ellen.

The memory of injured Ellen.

The memory of laughing Ellen.

The memory of smiled Ellen.

The promise they made in that night inside the garden. All of them flashed before his eyes.

Before he even knew it, the euclase eyed young man grabbed his falchion and thrust it in front of Neah.

Sky blue eyes now turned completely onto bloodshot red.

Neah lifted an eyebrow intriguingly.

"The ability to changes iris color depends on the guardian's emotion. It's kind of ironic for you to have such a beautiful, mesmerizing, and lively color of red when you're in angry state." The Musician took a note.

"What role are you drawling about?" Noctis demanded in venom."What you want her to do?"

"My, so impatient you are."Neah only took his anger as an amusement. "But then again, you are younglings. Younglings tend to have hotheads."

Noctis gave him a death glare in return.

"You're really being impatient, aren't you?" Neah scratched his head. He made a slight frown expression.

"As much as I want to answer your question, I cannot do that."

Noctis extremely annoyed. This Noah really had his nerve!

"Why you can't?"

"Because that will spoilt me the main reason and purpose I brought you here, dear Noctis."

As soon as the words left the Fourteenth's mouth, the white room went brighter slowly. It was happening in a slow phase but as the time flowed, the bright light soon consumed everything in the room. The currently spinel eyed young man snapped his head at his surrounding. He saw how the piano behind him now slowly vanished eaten by the blinding light. Socked, he also turned at the huge mirror and it served him more shock when the mirror also in the middle of vanishing.

"Oh my. Look at the time." Neah tilted his head nonchalantly.

"It seems your time in here has been up." The Musician added.

"What…?!" Noctis barked furiously, now gazing angrily at the Noah of Destruction.

"I haven't finished yet!"

Neah sighed as he shook his head exasperatedly.

"It can't be helped. We're inside the dream. Every dream must come to an end."

The Noah of Destruction pocketed his hands inside his pocket jacket.

The smirk Neah wore previously turned back to a normal smile.

"Well then…See you again, Black Prince. I hope you're doing your job properly." The golden eyed young man sent him another polite smile.

Noctis wasn't about to letting him go so easily. He still had so many questions to be answered!

"Wait!" Noctis tried to reach for the Musician.

The bright light began to consuming the Noah of Destruction.

"I said wait, you bastard―!" Noctis shouted.

Then a moment before the light consuming his vision, his ears caught Neah's last words.

"Take care of her, Noctis…"

BADUMP!

"Until next time…"

BADUMP!

"When the new game is begin."

BADUMP!!

Euclase colored eyes snapped open suddenly.

"I said wait, you―!"

He shouted from his lung, ire filled his tone.

GSRAKH!

He bolted from the bed so abruptly to the point he made noisy sounds along with his awake. His right hand tried to reach the Fourteenth.

Or was supposed to.

"KYAAAAA―!?"

Almost at the same second, a shrilly shout filled with surprise came from beside his bed.

"?!" The shout snapped Noctis from his post dream. His anger soon dissipated, completely forgotten. He turned left to come with an eye contact with wide silver eyes. "Ellen…!?"

Ellen had her right hand on her chest, probably still being startled from saw the young man's sudden woke up.

She had sat on his chair near the table, with Timcanpy already landed on his table.

Her face was blank from the surprise at first. The look she gave at him as if he had sprouted devil wings.

Noctis felt a pang of guilty; he didn't mean to make her jump.

Few moments later after she managed to get her composure back and few attempts to take deep breaths, she showed a not too happy look and looked more than ready to scold him at any given moment.

Noctis gulped his own saliva.

Oops.

"Noctis, what on earth…!? You nearly gave me a heart attack! Why you woke up and shouted suddenly like that…?" Ellen half chided.

"Ah…"

He now felt extremely guilty for made her in aghast.

"You scared me. I thought you had some bad convulsions and nearly knock you out before calling out a nurse to check you!" The owner of the Crowned Clown pointed out with solicitous tone.

"Ellen, I'm so sorry. It's just…" Noctis couldn't continue his words. Instead he took a deep breath.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw the sky got gradation colors of purple, pink, a bit of red, orange, and yellow in the horizon. The sunrise just started to arose. The meeting with the Noahof Destruction inside the Ark…so it was a dream after all. Whether he should be glad or should be irk instead, he had no idea. Ellen's soft voice gained his attention. Noctis stared that beautiful face of Ellen. Confusion was being in present on her face.

"Noctis…?" She called him.

It was then Noctis noticed Link's absence.

"Where's Link? I thought he's always near you."

Ellen blinked.

"He's waiting in the door's mouth. See?" She pin pointed with her index finger.

True to her words, the long blond haired male was standing in the mouth of the door. When his name being mentioned, Link opened half his eyelids and glancing to their direction with those mahogany colored eyes of his. He had his arms folded in front of his chest. Kind of odd since he was usually tucked his arms behind his back. You know, like those soldiers' stance when their superiors in the present or something along with the line. It made the euclase eyed young man wondered how the braided Inspector managed to keep himself calm, let alone collected during the earlier ruckuss.

"Oh…" Noctis could only nod his head.

Ellen followed his glance on Link who had closed his eyes again.

"Is there something bothering you?" She asked after a brief silence.

"He seems disturbed by…something." Noctis shrugged his shoulders.

Ellen stole one last look to Link and sigh a long breath.

"I know, it's kind of obvious. Judged from the way he interacted with those 'Third Exorcists' we met few days ago, I have an assumption that he has a close relationship with them." Ellen told him her theory.

She had been thought about this ever since their whole fiasco with the said Third Exorcist. Link's reaction when he talked with one of them was quite odd. It was as if he knew the big guy quite well. Even if their origin were same which was CROW, somehow Ellen had a strong guess that those Exorcists and Link were more than just acquaintance. Link's behavior explained it, his way of talking with the Third Exorcist a bit too emotional despite his effort to make it appeared professional and calm. She had been with Link for long enough to reveal some of his characters. Still, being guarded by him for almost a year didn't meant she knew the braided Inspector well enough. She didn't know what past Link had and what his true connection with the Third Exorcists.

"I still have no idea what kind of relationship he has with them, though. I think they're maybe some close friends or something along with the line. "

"…"

None of them said anything. Ellen stole a quick glance on the euclase eyed young man. She took a note how off Noctis was this morning. The white haired Exorcist realized ever since he woke up abruptly from his bed, he had this troubling look on his face. It made her made few assumptions. A bad dream perhaps? After a brief pondering, Ellen braced herself and took a chance to confront him.

"Noctis?" Ellen called him. She was putting her hand above his, startled him in the process and locked his gaze onto hers. "Your face is looked unwell. What happened?"

He looked hesitated for a moment. "Ellen…"

"Do you have a bad dream? Or do you sick?" Ellen lifted another hand and checking his temple's temperature. Hm, his forehead didn't feel hot.

"Ellen, I'm not sick nor I had a bad dream." Noctis replied listlessly.

Ellen pulled back her left hand away from his temple.

Her dark pink lips pursed to a questioning frown.

"Then what is it? What troubling you in your sleep and made you jump in your awake?"

"…"

Noctis was in dilemma. It certainly not a good idea if he told her about met the so exclaimed her uncle and apparently crazy man within the Ark in his dream. No, there was no way he was going to tell her about his encounter with the Fourteenth. At the same time, this was Ellen we talked about. She didn't like when someone, especially him, lie to her. She would have this disappointed look if you ever lie to her and to see her disillusion was hurting him. She might deserve to know the truth, she had a right to know.

"It's okay. You can tell me. Maybe I can help." Ellen assured the young man when she saw the hesitance deepened within his eyes.

Noctis felt his heart being stabbed numerous times when she was gazing to him with those silver eyes of her.

No way.

No way would he tell her. He couldn't do it. Screw about she had a right to know. If he does, she will not accept it very well. It might as well as made her even more worry and restless. He couldn't. He must shut his mouth and keep it away from her. It hurt his heart, he isn't a person who like to lie, just like when he must hide his true identity from her and her friends. This was the same. To hide this from the snow haired Exorcist was hurting him but sometimes ignorance could become a great bliss for certain people. He couldn't bear seeing her hurt when he told her about Neah and his intention to use her on 'something'. Whatever it was, it wasn't a good thing for certain. No he couldn't let the girl before him acknowledge it. Not now.

"I…" Noctis shook his head. "I'm not so sure, Ellen…I'm not sure."

Those silver, beautiful eyes were gazing deeply into his. Searching for any lie he might had made. So far, he was telling the truth but it obvious he didn't let her know the rest of it.

"Is this something which you aren't going to share with me yet?"

"…"

He didn't say a word but his quietness had said a lot to the silver eyed Exorcist.

"Tell you what?" Ellen patted his shoulder with tenderness and gentleness like a mother should have. She smiled widely as he stared her with wide eyes. Ellen continued to pat his shoulder. "You don't have to tell me now. I'm understand, Noctis. I'm just being…concerned, that's all. I mean you're far from your home and I'm worry that you have a home sick. I guess my worry didn't get any proof which is good. A gloomy aura doesn't suit you, doing a lot of stupid things far more suitable for you…"

Noctis eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Are you saying that I'm stupid?"

Soon after, a series of laughter broke up from the snow white haired maiden's lips.

"Of course not," Ellen retorted between her laugh. "I said you're more suitable in acting like the usual."

Blank then painted on Noctis' face, he stayed like for a good amount of time before he realized that Ellen just threw a joke to him. A smile crept out from his lips and soon he too broke into laughter. They laughed together, the previous uncomfortable aura soon replaced by infectious happiness and joy. Then a heartbeat later once they laughter began to die, Ellen felt Noctis' arms wrapped around her willow figure, pulling her unexpectedly into a hug. The slim female gasped softly but the young Lucis was pulling her body even closer to him. Her white lock head buried into his broad yet warm shoulder. The young girl could faintly smell the cool, fresh scent came from him. Where was she smelled that scent before? Her thought got cut abruptly when she felt his face buried into her neck's crook and the big hands which holding her gripped more tightly. Ellen felt her cheeks grew hot increasingly. Her stomach felt like having few butterflies inside, her whole body tingled with odd yet endearing sensation.

"N-N-Noctis…?" Ellen stuttered lowly, glancing from the corner of her eyes.

She couldn't see his face clearly but she could hear the content and blithe in his voice. What he said next however was making her stunned. So stunned to the point she couldn't think any word, it made her so…speechless to say at the very least.

"Thank you." He whispered faintly. "For your concern…Ellen."

"…!"

Her whole world stopped spun out of sudden, everything seemed frozen to her. Even the time seemed frozen and stopped ticking. The only sound ever moving within that room was the sounds of her heartbeat and his. Ellen could hear her heart was beating loudly in her eardrums. Her ears also caught the sounds of his heartbeat too. She only stunned in there, within his long yet strong arms. The owner of the Crowned Clown then picked his soft voice again. His voice had been filled with gratefulness and…sorrow. She have no idea why would he was in sorrow. It seems like he had been upset about something. She felt his head snuggled deeper into the crook of her neck, seeking for a comfort to ease his upset, whatever it was.

"Thank you…"

He repeated once more.

"…" The snow white haired maiden stayed still for a longer moment before she sighed. "Noctis, you're an idiot."

Ellen allowed a gentle smile crept to her dark pink lips. Gently, she wrapped her slim arms around Noctis. She returned the hug as she was burying her head into Noctis' broad shoulder. The slim female Exorcist could smell the same cool and fresh air, this time the scent was stronger than before. It made her intrigued. The scent smelled so…natural to her. It was a very refreshing scent as if she inhaled pure, untainted mountain's air. Before Ellen even realized her own action, the silver eyed Exorcist inhaled it contently. The smell calmed her anxiousness and helped her getting relaxed somewhat. She closed her eyes, allowing a content sigh slowly escaped her nostril.

"We're friends. Of course I will be worry for you."

Noctis couldn't help but laughing. Ellen also followed his example.

"Kyaaawl!"

The golden colored golem didn't want to be ignored by the two of them. Timcanpy had watched them from the side quite long. Not fair! He also worried for the black clad boy too! And he wanted to get a hug to from Ellen! He wanted to become a part of their quiet joy. So Timcanpy flew from above the table and landed on Ellen's head, opening his mouth wide to Noctis. Ellen blinked owlishly before she laughed again, this time amused with Timcanpy's behavior. Wasn't he a cute little guy?

"See? Even Tim worries about you." Ellen spoke.

Both the silver eyed Exorcist and the young man broke away from the hug.

Noctis stroke the tailed golem.

"Thank you too, Tim."

"Grawl!" Timcanpy pushed his head onto his hand, asking him for more strokes.

"I don't forget you, okay?" He replied with a smile.

"Raaaaw～" Timcanpy responded merrily.

The golden golem enjoyed the strokes very much as he flipped its wings once-twice times.

"You better get up and take a bath hurriedly. I'll be waiting in outside with Link." Ellen reminded the young man.

Noctis blinked. "What's with the sudden hurry?" He got up from his bed.

Timcanpy flew to Ellen's side and landed on her shoulder.

"We have a mission." The silver colored eyed Exorcist shortly replied.

"A mission?" Noctis parroted.

Ellen gave him an affirmation nod. "Yes. I'll tell you the rest when we walk to cafeteria but first, go bath already." She turning at her heels at began to walk away when his voice stopped her from walked further.

"…Noct."

Ellen abruptly stopped her steps and glancing to him quizzically. "…Eh?"

Noctis took a pair of clothes from his little cupboard and gazed back to her.

"Please just call me Noct. It's simpler that way."

"…Are you sure?" Ellen a little bit hesitant.

It didn't mean she didn't want to but calling someone by nickname was meaning the said person allowed the other person to gain a closer relationship. Some of them prefer to call by their full name and keep their distance like Kanda, others allowed to be calling by nickname and having no problem like Lenalee. Sometimes Ellen called the green haired girl just Len for short. The said girl didn't mind it at all. Different case happened with Kanda. Then again, he was keeping his distance from everyone. Furthermore, the long haired Japanese didn't let most of the people crossed his line. Lavi was one from few exceptions of course. It didn't surprise Ellen to be honest. The red headed young man has tended to approaching everyone he deemed interesting.

Noctis nodded. "Very."

"Okay then…Noct." Ellen went relief when Noctis gave her a faint smile. "See you soon in the outside?"

Noctis nodded. "See you soon."

She saw him entered the bathroom and closed it shortly after.

"…" Ellen put both her hands on her soon flustered cheeks. "I…can't believe it…" Ellen murmured softly

'He allowed me to call him only by his nickname.'The flushdeepened rapidly at the thought.'I guess…it's a good development.'

"…Noct…" Ellen tasted his nickname, her voice hushed. "Noctis…Noct…"

The snow haired maiden suddenly snapped from her dazzling thoughts. She shook her head hardly.

'What I've been thinking just now!?' Ellen extremely embarrassed.

Timcanpy made a roar sound to Ellen. Ellen jerked on her place and gave the golem a side glance. She almost forgot about Tim and Link.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Come on, Tim. Let's wait in the outside."

Ellen walked away from the room with Timcanpy and Link who leaned in the mouth of the door went away with her, now changing his position to the wall beside the door. Ellen was closing the door behind her carefully. Once she closed it, she leaned against the door. Ellen stayed silent in her place. Link did the same too although his mahogany eyes sometimes kept glancing to her from the corner of his eyes. Ellen then noticed his presence and gazed on his chocolate colored eyes.

"Link…"

"Walker…" Link began with quiet voice. "I heard you yelled from inside. What's going on?"

"…"

"Can I safely assume that this has something to do with Caelo?" at her slight nod, Link sighed in a suffering manner. "Why I don't surprise with this? I can't believe he's a trouble magnet almost as bad as you are." He commented.

"Hey!"

Link shook his head slightly. "So what happened back there?" He asked.

"…I'm also as clueless as you are though from what I've gathered when I saw him, I think…" Ellen took a thinker position. "I think he had a bad dream."

Link raised an eyebrow questioningly. "A bad dream, you say?"

There you are…in the darkest night.

Nowhere to run, just sitting there lonely…

"Or a very unpleasant dream at least. Whatever it was, it made him woke abruptly and literally shot up with pale face afterward." Ellen exhaled a deep breath.

"Must've been violent enough to made him woke up in such way."

"Yeah…"

"…You worried, Walker?" The blond haired Inspector asked after a rather uneasy pause.

And you feel…like you're so far away…

Can't find your way home…

Ellen gave him a concerned look. "This is the first time I see him awake with...troubled expression. It concerns me to be honest."

Link was listening to the girl in silence. The more he heard from Ellen, the more he suspected the euclase eyed young man did have a bad dream. His concern also grew increasingly along. Caelo didn't seem to be a type who disturbed by bad dream so easily. He was almost as stubborn as the grayish silver eyed Exorcist. A haunted past crystallized into a dream? It made sense. He too, after all, also had his past haunted him in a form of nightmare several times. Ellen looked like she had something more to said but unsure whether or not she explain it to him.

Crying out, but no one's there for you.

And you feel like, you want to escape…

"Ellen…?" He prompted his charge to go on.

Ellen took a brief glance on the door behind her.

Her mind replayed the memory of his silence when she asked him.

Don't close your eyes.

No need to hold your breath…

Shouldn't be afraid to make another step.

"Since he isn't and will not saying anything, I thought it might be the best if I'm leaving him a room just for once."

"Does he say he will tell you sooner or later?"

"No but his quietness said more than he let." Ellen replied.

In which Link narrowed his eyes.

"Pardon me, Walker. I'm afraid I do not understand your point. Care to elaborate it further for me?"

"Noctis…" The silver eyed maiden shook her head slightly. "Noct's silent actually spoken more expression than he realized, it's easier to decipher what is in his mind when he didn't say a word than Kanda."

Don't give up,…don't give in…

There's always an answer to everything in life.

"And…?" Link prompted.

"I can tell it, Link. He's been bothering by something. I do not have the slightest idea of what it is. It can be anything. His family, his enemy, his home, anything is possible. He maybe has a homesick. Like I said, it can be anything. I really wish it will do nothing to Noct."

Link gazed to her for a while before he averted his mahogany colored eyes to somewhere else.

"…I see."

Once you fall,…you will rise.

Just listen to your heart and say it out!

Another silence formed on the corridor where they stood. Ellen stroke Tim's head while the braided young man gazed to the end of the corridor. They wrapped in their own thoughts. Ellen was with the thought about Noctis and Link with the thought concerning the revealed Third Exorcists. It still disturbed the blond haired Inspector. He had kept this away from everyone but the Third Exorcists were actually his friends. He had been together with them ever since they were very young and lived in the street. They shared their happiness and pain together when they must do anything in order to survive in the cruelness of England's streets, including stolen foods. Even after they got taken to CROW, they still shared their bonds. Thus it was the very reason why Link Howard was in a deep confusion. It disturbed him to the point he almost keep distracted during doing his job. Link didn't understand at all. He thought his friends still with the CROW. Why and when did they become the Exorcists, the Third Exorcists above that? He felt he was missing something important while he was away from the CROW but he didn't know from where he should start looking some answers or clues to.

Think.

There must be something which made them became the Third Exorcists but what?

I know I can make it!

I'll stand up again even through the rain, through the night!

I'll be much stronger…!

"...Link?" Link's thoughts were interrupted by his charge's voice. "This may be too sudden for you but can I ask you something?"

Link shifted his head to the left.

His mahogany eyes met with serious filled grayish silver eyes of Ellen.

Link frowned slightly. He wondered what made the snow haired maiden had such serious look. Perhaps she had something important to discuss with him? He wondered what she wanted to talk with him. It made him a little curious none the less. Perhaps it can distract him from the thoughts about his friends for temporary.

"And that is?"

'Cause I'm gonna make it!

And nothing can stop me from holding tight…to my faith…!

I'm unbreakable…!

(Un-Un-break-able! Un-Un-break-able!)

"You know how I considering Noct to be my precious friend, aren't you?" Ellen inquired.

Link felt the slightest feeling of puzzlement but he still answered her question. "…I know it very well."

Ellen looked away from him. He caught the fond emotion within her eyes.

"Actually, now he's not only my precious friend to me."

"…?"

Ellen snickered lightly.

Yet Link didn't miss the irony on her face.

"I wasn't realized it at first. I mean we're stranger who just met more than few weeks ago. Noctis…He is just being lost from his faraway home. He is alone in dangerous world which unknown to him; I couldn't help but think how similar his situation was before I met Mana."

Long, long way,…that's how far you have come…

Never look back, 'cause you sacrificed.

"Walker…" Link's mind was a complete blank at this.

He didn't have any word to say to her.

Ellen closed her eyelids, replaying the memory when she met Mana.

It was one of her most precious, treasured memories.

"Before I met Mana…I have no one to take care of me…I knew nothing but how to survive in this unforgiving world. I know nothing about the warmness of human, everything seemed bitter to me." She gripped the sleeve of her left arm with gloved her right hand. "Then Mana came to my life. He was the first people who showed me human's kindness and warmth. He taught me various things I didn't know before, he taught me things I should and must know as a woman, and he taught me how beautiful this world is beside the painfulness."

Her mind then replayed the memory when the owner of the Crowned Clown met the Lucis prince.

It feels like it only happened yesterday.

Don't hesitate,…just keep on walking on your way.

There is nothing in this world that you can't face.

"When I saw a little of myself who knows next to nothing about the world in Noct, I knew he needs my help. He needs a friend. He needs someone who he can trust." Ellen explained in hushed tone.

"…"

"You know, I always want to become a guardian figure like Mana so I'm trying my best to be by his side and tell him things about this world and answer his questions. At first he felt like a protégé to me, in a way." Ellen admitted, laughing fondly.

She wasn't lying to Link. Ellen always had a wish to become a figure like Mana. Mana had taught her many things as an adoptive father would. He would tell her various things she should and must know as her guardian. He protected her from anything deemed as dangerous things to her as her protector. Little Ellen Walker was very admired her father. She really wished she could act like Mana when she was grown up. Thus when she found out the young man was actually far away from his home and knew next to nothing about this world, she saw the shadow of herself inside him. Ellen saw the image of her little self on Noctis. Lost, having no one but one self, having no idea what he must do, and having no one to keep them safe and teaching them about many things of the world.

Thus Ellen took a decision to teach him a lot of things about this world and its current situation, just like what Mana did to her. Ellen may have some flaws but she did try her best to help him. The white haired female did what she has to do to help him socialize with the rest of the Black Order's members. The owner of the Crowned Clown did her best effort to maintain both her and his relationship. Ellen did what she deemed as necessary when she acknowledged his magic' side effect to his body. Ellen did what she can do to keep him safe and unharmed despite her efforts wasn't always successes.

Time passed and when she realized it, he had become an important person to her.

Deep inside…your heart.

You want to let the world know what you can really do…

"He then becomes my dear friend and I can consider as family. And now…he's started to become someone very important to me as well. Someone I must protect, whatever it will cost. However, the mission in Paris had realized me that even though I wanted to stay by his side as he wanted to stay by my side, there is a time or a moment when I cannot stand together with him."

Link straightened from his previous steady position.

The blond haired Inspector now was fully facing the platinum haired young woman.

"Walker," Mahogany colored eyes narrowed with unreadable emotion. "What are you trying to say?"

Ellen lifted her head up. "I want to ask you a favor."

The braided Inspector was totally dumbstruck.

His mouth slightly gaped and his eyes were staring widely to his charge.

He could only think one from various questions which popped in his mind.

"…What?"

"Link, I wonder…" Ellen exhaled slowly. "If I can't stay with him or I'm not with him anymore…can you keeps him safe for me?"

You can try,…one more time…

You just need to stand tall and say…!

"Why are you asking me this?" Link completely baffled, for rare occasions he didn't bother to mask his emotions. "I tasked to guard you and you alone. Why can't you asking Lenalee or Bookman Junior?"

"As much as I wanted to, I think you're the only one who capable with this favor. Besides, I'm asking you not as an Exorcist but as a close friend."

"Close…friend?"

"Yes. A close friend." Ellen replied genuinely. She was smiled with radiating warmness and sincere. "You're also one of my best friends. You're also important to me."

"You are a really odd girl, Walker…" Mahogany colored eyes were gazing her as if she was some kind of puzzle he yet to solved. "You think of me as your friend already?"

Elen glanced at the blonde Inspector as if he grew two heads out of sudden. Okay, she thought quietly. The braided young man before her was almost as weird as Noctis although it was for an entire different reason. It couldn't be since he was an Inspector and a CROW from Central. Maybe he didn't really getting use being regarded friend by everyone, especially from the person who he supposed to guard. Their relationship more like became the watchdog and being the watched. Their relationship at best was awkward at that time. To her however, Link had changed so was their relationship. compared from the first time they meet, this Link already quite opened up despite the professional act he always show to everyone. And rather than the guard and the watched, they more like a couple of friends now.

"It's quite normal to trust your friends and you aren't an exception." She stated in the matter of fact.

"Despite the fact I'm coming from CROW?" The confusion on Link's face more pronounced.

Ellen tilted her head, her grayish silver colored eyes blinking innocently.

"Does it matter? You may be came here as my watcher and a stiff guy but even I can see you're actually a good person beneath. You also have helped a lot whenever we're in trouble be it's me or the other Exorcists, despite you're only ordered to watch me. Isn't that what a friend will do?"

I know I can make it!

I'll keep going forward to change my life, get the life!

I've always dreamed of…!

"Ellen…while I'm not and can't deny your point, I doubt I can carrying your request while we're in the middle of war with Earl. What will you do if I refuse or I can't fulfill your favor?"

"That's why I asking a favor, not an order. Who I am? Levellier?" Ellen shook her head and straightened her body from the door. She walked in front of the blond haired Inspector. "It's because you're Link and you're my friend, I'm asking this request. By the way, it's okay if you refuse it. I'm not going to force you." The snow haired Exorcist added.

"…"

At this moment, Link was torn between his belief and his loyalty.

At one side, his loyalty demanded him to do his duty as a CROW and to put it above everything else. That was also including his friendship as well. His has to obey the orders given by Central and by Levellier even more. The blond haired Inspector must defend the order at any cost, even with his own life if he forced too. He couldn't let his emotions clouded his judgment in order to carrying his duty. He couldn't let his emotion overtook him in making decision. One small mistake and everything will go wrong and abysmal for certain. Link wouldn't let such thing happened. So he locked and keeping his emotion in check and in control. He was Link Howard, a CROW member, an Inspector, a guard dog tasked to watch Ellen Walker. He must put his task in the line. His life was Levellier's. If the man ordered him to die, the braided blonde will gladly do so. Becoming the CROW also meaning you will becomes someone's tool. It shouldn't be a problem for him.

…

But was this what he really wanted now?

Was he?

'Cause I'm gonna make it.

And no one can tell me it's impossible…

Now come to think of it…

His life began to change when he met Ellen Walker.

This was the starting point to him.

A point when his belief began to change as well.

Here I am…!

I'm unbreakable…!

(Un-Un-break-able! Un-Un-break-able!)

(I'm Un-break-able!)

(Un-Un-break-able!)

( I'm unbreakable…!)

At another side, his belief demanded him to listen to his own heart. His belief was tugging to him in gentle yet demanding attention manner. Whispering to him to follow his true emotion and feeling no matter what happen. Asking to him of this what he was wishing for. Link clenched his fists unconsciously. He couldn't lie to his own heart and feeling. The blond haired Inspector indeed must perform his duty and carrying it with his own life. However, his duty to watch over Ellen was starting to affect him. At first both the braided blonde and the white haired girl had nothing more than the watcher and being watched. Time passed from days to weeks and from weeks to months. The time they spent together started to form a bond between Link and Ellen. The distance between then began to gone as they grew closer and closer without their realized. Link began to open and warmed himself bit by bit toward Ellen and so was she to him. The mahogany eyed male also began to open himself toward the rest of the Exorcist although not as fast as he was to Ellen. Friendship then born from their bond, made it even stronger than before. He never thought he will have friends aside from Madarao and his group in CROW, but he did. Link gained a friendship from the girl he supposed to guard and watch.

He didn't Ellen as the subject he needed to watch anymore.

He was seeing her as a friend who dear to him.

A person he cared and being close with.

Link's heart was throbbing achingly when the thought crossed in his mind. He couldn't ignore her. He couldn't just abandon the snowy haired female, he couldn't. She rarely requested to him. No, Link quickly corrected himself, Ellen almost never make a personal request to anyone let alone with him. Ellen rarely asked him and her friends for help even though she began to ask help frequently and let her fellow Exorcists help her in the present days. If his memory served him right, she never did until now. It caused him a genuine concern. If she went as far as making a personal request to him, she might be in difficult time and in need for his help. She needed him in this matter.

Hesitation then bloomed in his heart.

He also questioned himself with this.

I'm unbreakable…!

Sticks and stones, break my bones, but I will stand strong.

Can he do it?

Can he accept her request and watch Noctis for her?

Can he watch the euclase eyed young man in Ellen's place?

What if he can't? What if he forced to carry his duty first? What if Levellier gives him an absolute order he can't refuse? What if he forced to do something bad to both Ellen and Noctis?

Link shuddered unconsciously at the final question.

No.

He didn't want that!

Link didn't want to make a wrong decision for Ellen and Noctis.

Absolutely not, no way.

Link closed his eyelids and taking a deep breath to calm himself. He tried to calm his chaotic mind. It took him a time but he did calm down in the end. His mind finally went clear from any disturbing thoughts and questions. He didn't have much time to ponder although. The blond haired Inspector must choose between the two choices in hurry, he also couldn't hesitate any longer. Not when the decision he was going to make was very crucial not only to him but to Ellen and Noctis as well.

His loyalty or his belief.

Link must choose one from the two of them.

He took another deep breath.

He steeled himself.

I just wanna try…

He prayed to God that he may take the right choose.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Those chocolate colored eyes filled with silent yet firm determination.

Link Howard has made his decision.

"So what's your answer?" The white haired maiden asked.

Link glanced briefly to her.

There was a long pause on that corridor.

But then, Link broke it at last with his answer.

"I can't promise you anything, Walker." The blond haired Inspector began softly. "You know already about me being a CROW and without Inspector's or Central's order, I can't do whatever I want. I have to follow them. I am ordered to watching you…"

"Ooh…"

Ellen lowered her gaze. It was an understanding. He was an Inspector and he had given a duty to watch her. Perhaps asking him a favor to watch Noctis will disturb his performance. She should have known it. Well, she mentally sighed. It can't be helped then. The short haired female Exorcist will have to ask her other friends who she could trust. Maybe Lenalee can help her―

"...However…"

I just wanna try…

Link's voice interrupted Ellen's thought.

The wrinkles on her forehead increased slowly.

Ellen lifted her head a bit, facing Link.

Her head was tilting to right.

"…?"

"However," Link continued, fixing his gaze to her. Ellen was almost taken aback when he had this gentle look on his face.

And…was that a smile she just saw?

It happened so quickly to the point Ellen almost thought she imagined it but no, she didn't.

Ellen was standing close to him, separated by a half meter distance.

"Since you've asked me to watch Caelo, I'll see what I can do for both of you. Even though I'm still having no idea what I must do in future, I'll try my best and make sure to watch his back. Not as a CROW's member but as a friend."

I just wanna try till I fall down again.

Ellen was astonished to hear the blonde's unexpected answer.

For once his usual stern expression changed softer.

"I hope you don't mind."

"Really?" Ellen asked slowly, her face was lit up.

Link gave her a slight reassurance nod. "You can trust and have my words in this."

Link was slightly surprised when Ellen had a very delightful smile formed on her lips. She looked very happy when he accepted her favor. Link began to think about his friendship with her. Perhaps this would not turn into a bad thing to him as he had been expected to.

"Thank you…" Ellen thanked the long blond haired young man. "You have no idea how much he means to me."

The braided blonde had a double take look but it then gone quickly.

"Don't be." Link responded with quiet tone. "And I can see it very well, Walker. No wonder there're so many rumors concerning both of you." Despite the composed expression he wore, he had a teasing tone in his calm voice.

I know I can make it!

The delightful smile on her previous happy face went gone. She now was blushing madly and stuttered in embarrassment. She tried to find some words but none of them managed to get out from her dark pink lips. So instead she slapped his forearm although it wasn't hard and shouted to him.

"Link!" Ellen yelled warningly while Link hide the twitch of a smile which threatened to broke on his lips by turning his face to opposite direction.

He once had thought about teasing his charge would be boring, not to mention wasting his time which he could use for better purpose.

On the second thought, teasing this white haired Exorcist might not boring and wasting time at all.

I'll stand up again even through the rain, through the night.

I'll be much stronger…!

"Ellen?"

The door opened and Noctis got out from his room, looked baffled.

"Why you're shouting so loud?"

Ellen spluttered, the blush on her face deepened few shades.

"Noct…!? When did you here?!" She asked demandingly. Was he just heard their conversation earlier?

Noctis raised an eyebrow. "Just now."

Okay. That does mean he didn't hear the whole conversation. Which to the snow white haired Exorcist, it was a really, really good thing. Ellen didn't want him to acknowledge this. The slim girl preferred to keep this as a secret from him. From the way Link glanced to her direction and gave her another reassurance nod, it seems he also intended to do the same thing. Again, this was another good thing for her. Ellen huffed in relief when she happened to notice the clothes he was wearing currently.

"Those clothes..." Ellen's eyes went widened in recognition. "You wore them when I found you inside the Ark. I never expected you to wearing them again."

Noctis did a quick glance at his clothes.

"You said the place where we will go is hot so I think I will wear these for now. Is it looking weird?"

In which Ellen quickly shook her white lock head.

"No. I think you're actually more casual and easily approach when you look like that." Ellen gave a brief pause. "Aren't you cold? Although, I'd say about going to hotter countries, this place is still cold. You should bring a jacket."

'Cause I'm gonna make it!

And nothing can stop me from holding tight…to my faith…!

I'm unbreakable…!

Noctis blinked. "We're going to leave soon. Bringing jacket isn't necessary to me."

"What if you catch a cold?" Ellen frowned.

"It's autumn in here. The temperature is still warm enough."

"I already warned you." Ellen sighed exasperatedly. "Don't blame me if you really catch a cold, Noctis…."

"I will not. Trust me."

(Un-Un-break-able! Un-Un-break-able!)

(I'm Un-break-able!)

(Un-Un-break-able! Un-Un-break-able!)

(I'm unbreakable…)

Ellen gave him an approval nod. "Those clothes…I think it's looking good to you."

"Thanks." Noctis smiled. "You mentioned about finding Kanda first. What has happened?"

"Oh, right! I almost forgot. I guess I owe you an explanation. You see, the mission we are taking is located in…" Ellen began to explain the mission details to him.

The three of them walked through the corridor with a yellow golem flew around them.

It's a long, long way…

(May J., 'Faith'. God Eater Rage Burst Ending Song.)

"A special ability to transport a human to parallel worlds?" The current King of Lucis repeated quizzically on his throne.

Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII frowned deeply, the wrinkles on his forehead increasing a lot. Bowing few meters away from the sitting king, was the form of Ignis Stupeo Scientia. The bespectacled man nodded solemnly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Regis was about to open his mouth but shut it closed. He put his head on his palm, waving his head in utter disbelief. Ignis felt sympathy toward the king who now seemed a decade older than his true age. He couldn't blame him, this was the knowledge only passed through Lucis family and yet the king had no clue about this recently revealed ability of the Great Crystal until Ignis told him.

"It's…sound unbelievable." Regis spoke out his thought.

The brown spiky haired man straightened his upper body.

"While this fact sounds almost absurd, unfortunately the parchment had made it clear." Ignis then processed an old parchment and presented it on front of the king.

Regis sky blue eyed glued widely on the parchment.

"Is that…?" His question hanged in the air.

"The old parchment we found from the library." Ignis confirmed. "If I may ask, is Your Majesty recognizing this document?"

Regis stood up from his regal seat and walked toward the spike haired man. Ignis stretched his arm and holding the parchment in front of the middle aged man. The Lucis king took it in from Ignis' hand and examined the parchment thoroughly. His sharp eyes narrowed before they widened in realization, his mouth opened a bit. The bespectacled man didn't miss the king's reaction.

"I took that you knew this document."

Regis glanced to Ignis in amazement and reminiscent as the current king of Lucis showed the parchment in his hands.

"This is the document assumed to be lost more than 40 years ago." Regis told him.

This time it was Ignis who had his blue eyes widened. Regis fondly looked down on his hands. His hand touched the parchment in nostalgia while the other kept holding it. Even though the king smiled, his sky blue eyes otherwise filled with sadness.

"The late king, my father, used to bring this parchment a few times. He once said this parchment is holding a special secret which mustn't fall to wrong hands. It was supposed to given to me once I'm reaching my age but then something bad had occurred. There was a fire happened on library."

"What was the cause?" Ignis asked intriguingly.

Sky blue eyes which seeing many things in this world then went hardened.

"A spy from Niflheim had been the culprit. It caused many ancient achievements from the past had gone. I thought it was gone with the fire." Regis gathered his attention to the parchment he was holding. "Where did you find this, Ignis?"

"There was a hidden room behind the bookshelf where we found this old document, Your Majesty." The spike haired man replied. "It can safely assumed the previous king was the one who done this."

When he found the old document, it was Prompto who then noticed there was an empty room half hidden behind the bookshelf that he hit previously. It was small enough and with the bookshelf being placed in front of the small room, nobody would ever think there was something behind there. Gladiolus, who obviously had the strongest body between the three of them, immediately moved the bookshelf so they could see the better from this empty room. Rather than a room, in reality it was a rectangular shaped space. The space had small enough size to hide one or two parchments. A thick board from thin metal coated with plaster lied on the floor right beneath the space. The hinge had some corroded on few of its parts. Ignis could safely assume the hinge had been corroded through a long time before Prompto knocked the bookshelf hidden the space and knocked the old metal door, revealed the small room and knocked the parchment hidden inside it.

"He must be wary for another attack from Niflheim. He hidden it in a secret place but he passed away before he can give this to me. It explained why the ancient document was never found until now." Regis explained further. "But how in the name of Etro it can work?"

"While it's sounded impossible, this ability may works under special circumstances."

"Special circumstances, you said?"

Ignis cleared his throat.

"From what we've known so far," Ignis began in professional tone. "In order to activate this ability, it must fulfill few specific conditions. Should we have one condition left unfulfilled, the Great Crystal can't and will not awaken this certain ability. I believe should we have these conditions, we may bring Prince Noctis back from another world."

"And these conditions are…?" Regis saw the sudden hesitance written deep within Ignis' blue eyes. Apprehensiveness began to crawling in his heart. "Ignis?" The king asked in full anticipation.

"Your Majesty, My King…" The tone Ignis used was only made the King even more anticipated on what he will go to tell him next. "Before I explain these conditions, please bear that these conditions aren't as easy as they sound. There were risks which following these conditions should one of them is not fulfilled. I wouldn't lie to you that these risks may include your very own soul."

Regis stunned in his seat. His face went completely blank.

There was a solemn understanding in Ignis's face.

"I will only explain these conditions further only if you're ready and desired it, Milord. If you asked my opinion, Your Majesty, it will be better if you consider about this first."

Regis could felt a shadow headache coming to him. The current king pinched his bridge nose, sighing a long deep breath. So many obstacles for him wanted to bring back his son to home. When he thought there was a single ray of hope in the form of ancient document and information concerning the Great Crystal's secret ability to send a person to another planet, there was an unexpected catch. Regis frowned a bit. Well, not really, he should've expected it since using the crystal always taking a price, no matter how small it was. This was also the same.

But he was Lucis, he was once the keeper of the crystal before Noctis took his position.

He had protecting this crystal ever since he was still a young teenager.

He had the right to know everything concerning the only crystal left in this world.

He was already familiar with danger and the long shadow of death ever since he became the Keeper or the Guardian.

The same thing was still occurred as he crowned and becoming the King.

If taking the risks will meant he can bring his own son home then he will take it.

It was also about his son, the only thing his deceased wife left in this world.

He couldn't and will not hesitate anymore.

It was now or never.

Regis had his resolve.

He already has the answer.

Regis lowered his hand, gazing toward the bespectacled man.

"Please do continue, Ignis." Regis ordered in steely voice. "If we're going to take back Noctis, the first thing we must do is learning what the Great Crystal is capable of. He's my son, Ignis. I must take him home before anything bad happen to him."

There was a long pause as they locked their gaze on each other. Ignis had been taken aback by the king's resolve but he managed to get back his professional façade, setting a straight face. He was only a guard and Regis was a king. There was no way he could refuse his king's personal request. He prayed that the king will keep this resolve even after he told the middle aged man about the special circumstances they must done.

"I understand." The chocolate haired man nodded in submission. "To use the crystal's ability, one must fulfill 3 conditions before sending one or few humans to parallel world. In which they are…"

…

…―!

"What!?" Regis bewildered. "Are you certain…?!"

Ignis nodded once. "I'm very certain, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, this parchment is our only lead so far and until today, we haven't found any other useful information from other available documents."

"Dear Etro…" The middle aged man shook his head, clenching the parchment in his grip.

Regis was face palming, the shadow headache now growing worse than before.

The brown spiky haired man shifted uneasily.

Guilty filled his mind and heart as he was seeing his king like this.

"Milord, please forgive me for telling you this, but―"

Regis motioned a hand to Ignis, cutting the younger man from saying any further.

"Don't say it. You have no fault to me." Regis spoke softly. "It's me who asked you to tell, you don't have to feel sorry."

"Your Majesty…"

The current king gave him a warm smile. "Thank you for telling me this, Ignis."

Ignis was biting his lower lips and lowered his head.

He gave the older man a slight yet respectful bow.

"At least now we have an idea now how to bring back Noctis. We should be glad." Regis gazed briefly on the parchment before went to bespectacled man. "For that I thanked you, you have my earnest gratitude."

"…You're welcome, Your Majesty."

Regis went thoughtful for a pause.

"Ignis, if this may ease you, I will have to give you two requests."

Ignis's blue colored eyes blinked.

"Requests?" Ignis parroted quizzically.

"Indeed."

"And they are…?"

Regis's smile widened.

"The first request is to let me have this parchment. I wish to study more from this old document. I took that you've finished with studied this document?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's yours since the beginning and I had intended to return it to you."

"Very well. I will take this with me. And for the second request…"

"Yes…?"

"The second request is…"

"Oh, I see…Old man Zhu wanted to see you." Bak stood near the table.

He was eyeing Kanda who took a sit on the balcony rail in secret.

He didn't want the long haired male caught him stared and got a death glare in return.

That afternoon, Bak had been intended to go after Reene and demanding for answer. The others tried and managed to stop him when he arrived in the Gate Chamber when someone else stepped through the gate. That someone turned out to be Kanda Yuu and he came for Zhu. The old man had called the Japanese for a reason yet to explain. An half an hour later, they were in a room somewhere inside the Asian Branch. The room had been designed in oriental. The room heavily took its basic in Chinese style. The room itself while not extravagant, was neat and clean. It had a balcony to look outside. Bak and Sammo stood around the tea table while Kanda sat on the balcony, holding his Mugen.

"Yeah, that's the deal. I'm not a certain Branch Chief, I don't go visiting places for no reason."

"… ;－ˬ－|||"

Bak could only stare hurtfully toward the Japanese Exorcist. That was some cruel words. Well, this was the sharp tongue Kanda Yuu we talked about. He will throw at least one or two jab words to someone in a day. Ellen and Lavi were his main targets in Main Branch.

In Asian Branch?

Bak Chang the Asian Branch Head.

"Haha. Bak-sama, look here, it's a lucky tea stalk." Sammo Han Wong, the Assistant Branch Head was standing near the tea table.

He gave the stalk to his superior groggily. He was an old man around seventies with white Donegal style beard and hair. He had served to Bak for a quite long time. He had seen many things. He had seen both good things and bad things. But Kanda easily became one of few things he never wanted to mess up. The long haired Exorcist was already infamous for his temperamental and along with that his past with the Asian Branch only a handful people knew. Only few who could ever face his temperament, even less who could ever tolerate and handle it.

"…Tch." Kanda only clicked her tongue and gazing to elsewhere.

"Well…I guess Mugen is the greatest work that old man ever made, after all. It makes sense that he'd want to check up on its wilder too." Bak commented. He sat on the chair as he was sipping his tea.

"You must forgive Bak-sama. He's venting a little stress." Sammo chuckled, tried to lightening to mood.

It failed spectacularly.

Nobody said anything for a good amount of time.

It served more awkwardness between Bak and Sammo.

Kanda, ignorant as ever, didn't care about the tense air oozed from both of them.

"…"

'So awkward!' Bak mouthed with frustration.

'Bak-sama, please talk as much as you want!' The white bearded man whispered tensely.

'But his face is scary!' Bak responded hastily. He now was paling a few shades.

Before they could argue any longer, Kanda spoke to no one in emotionless tone.

"So…they've started it again, huh…"

Blinking, Bak was locking his gaze on the long haired young man's sitting figure.

"This time they're turning people into half-Akuma so they can feed on other Akuma?" He asked flatly. "…Brilliant, just brilliant."

"!" Bak jerked at Kanda's inquiry. The man instantly ascertained on what the Japanese Exorcist referred at.

'He's talking about the Third Exorcists…'

"I knew it…We have hurt you haven't we…?" The blond haired man rose slowly from his chair.

Kanda stunned for a second.

Slowly, he took a glance toward the short blond haired man.

Shooting an extremely perplexity look.

"…Eh?"

"No,no, it's only natural…I'm so sorry, Kanda." Bak shakily approached the baffled Japanese.

"Wait. Wait―"

"We failed to keep the promise we made to you!" Bak grabbed Kanda by his shoulders, bursting into waterfall tears. "Hit me!"

"Whoa…" A blood vein was throbbing on Kanda's head. Looks like his patience already reached its limit.

"I have no excuses to make! Just hit me, Kanda! Hit me with all your―"

"I'm not 'hurt'!" Kanda finally snapped and brought his fist down.

He hit the blond haired man on the cheek. The sound echoed loudly through the room.

WHAAAM!

"GUAH!"

The blonde fell onto the ground with a loud thud and swollen left cheek. Sammo, who watched the whole episode from the beginning, was screaming in horror. The old man looked very frightened as he watched Bak fell.

"Bak-sama―!" He truly panicked.

"Stop coming up with weird ideas." Kanda now stood with his clenched fist.

There was a dark aura radiated from his being.

"You don't have a thing to apologize for. I don't have a crap what happens to the Order." He coldly stated, lowering his hand after unclenched it.

Bak rose from the floor. Sammo had already beside the Chinese. He was about to help him to sit but the short blond haired man shook his head at the old man. Sammo frowned for a moment but he reluctantly obeyed and took a step back. Bak wore that grief expression on his face.

"…You may feel…that way…But that's not how we…feel about you." Bak spoke grimly. "It was our clan…who created you in the synthetic disciple project that Central forced upon us…9 years ago."

Bak's gray colored eyes narrowed in pain.

He erased the blood came from his lips.

"Caught up in our dreams of a group of 'Second Exorcists'…It was my clan, the Chan family and Reene's, the Epstein family that made that huge mistake."

The long haired Exorcist stayed still. However his mind replayed a memory from a long time ago. His dark blue eyes darkened on the memory. They filled with unexplainable pain and sadness. The memory was still fresh in his mind. The memory flashed across his eyes. The memory concerned about him and the old man Zhu.

The memory about how he always saw that thing.

And how Zhu told him it was just an illusion.

An illusion.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

"Kanda…do you still see the flower?"

Zhu sat face on face with the young boy. The boy had shoulder length hair and wore a typical Chinese dress. The boy kept silent, he didn't say a word. His frown already became an answer for the old man however.

"I see…" Zhu spoke again with quiet acknowledgement. "Let's keep this as a secret, just between you and me."

"You mustn't dwell on it. It's just an illusion." The old man told the boy.

The boy's lips twisted into a deep frown but he still didn't say anything.

Not far from where he was standing, a single pink lotus flower with its leaf sprawled.

It lied innocently in there.

The boy could see it as clear as a day.

"That flower is an illusion."

…But the others couldn't.

Not even the old man Zhu could see the flower.

It just lied still in there.

It was as if to it was there for the young Kanda.

Watching him silently from the side.

"Let me get this straight…we have a mission to Istanbul in Turkey then we move to Syria and Jordan before we go to Egypt."

Ellen nodded affirmatively as she was walking beside Noctis.

"There is abnormal increasing of Akuma around those countries and we've been ordered to exterminate them along with saving as many civilians as we can." Noctis continued.

Ellen nodded again, her silver colored eyes still fixed on the black prince.

"But first we need to find Kanda and therefore we go to this Asia Branch of Black Order?"

"Yup." Ellen responded.

Noctis furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why did he go there?"

Ellen took a long sigh and shaking her white head. "That's what we have no idea about. Though, I has suspicion it has something to do with them."

Noctis stole a glance behind him. Ellen also followed the suit, staring the two of Third Exorcist walked with them. The Third Exorcist who had huge body and an appearance like sumo named as Goushi. The pale green haired young man with cocky attitude named Tokusa. They were wearing their trade mark red clothes in east style.

"They are really coming with us?"

"It's an order. We didn't have any choice but to obey it." Ellen went frowned. "If you want me being honest, I feel uneasy about this."

"…"

"I know what you've been thinking but I think it's no use worrying the Third Exorcist too much." Ellen pointed out with straight forward face. "And I'm pretty much fine. I know that look. It's still disturbing me but I'm trying to ignore it in here. It's work quite well to me."

Noctis threw her a look that written doubt all over his face.

Ellen patted his shoulder good naturally.

"My point is let's tried to not show it too much in front of them. We're trying to cooperate with them in this mission. So unless they intimidate us first or they do something not necessary, there's nothing to worry about. I'd say you should do the same." Ellen flashed him a comforting smile. "It's not good if you worrying too much."

"I'm also trying." Noctis replied shortly, finally decided to go along with the owner of Crowned Clown.

Ellen glanced at him, humming a tone. "If you say so."

"We're here." Lenalee announced, walking ahead of Link.

They arrived at one of Ark's Gates with number 6 written on it. They soon walked through the white gate and stepped onto a different place. It looks like this structure made inside some sort of cave in the mountain since there were stone walls you often find inside the cave. The structure was as impressive as the Main Branch. From the corner of her eyes, Ellen was watching her black haired friend gawk at the spectacular sight.

"Welcome to the Asian Branch of Black Order." The gate keeper welcomed the group, Lenalee and Ellen looked at him. "Your purpose?"

"We want to get Kanda Yuu before headed for Istanbul." Lenalee stated formally.

"May I have your identification numbers?"

"Sure." Lenalee nodded and gave both hers and Ellen's numbers.

Ellen had asked the green haired girl earlier to also give her number to the guard. Thank goodness Lenalee understood that Ellen wanted to watch and show their other worldly guest around, so she accepted her request happily. Ellen made a mental note to give a present for Lenalee if she ever gets the chance. Ellen went back to Noctis, chuckled amusedly when she saw the wonder in his eyes as he was glancing around.

"How's your first impression?" She asked curiously, wanting to know his opinion.

"…It's huge." Was the only word Noctis could describe.

Her quiet laugh soon broke up from her dark pink lips. His face was so funny and priceless! It was quite rare to catch him dumbstruck like this.

"I know!" The platinum eyed Exorcist said in mirth. "I have been once in this place before. I made and have some friends while stayed here for temporary. I can introduce them to you if we can meet them today."

"Really?"

Ellen then caught some familiar figures walked not far from them. The smile she wore widened slightly.

"Speaking about them… They're here."

Before Noctis could ask her further, two different voices had beaten him first.

"It's Walker-san―!" A female voice shouted eagerly.

"It's Lenalee-chan―!" Another voice, a male, shouted in equal eager.

Ellen waved cheerfully toward the three person with white lab coats approached them.

The first person was an enthusiastic looking female with glasses. She had black wavy hair tied to twin tails. Underneath the lab coat, she wore white shirt with dark neck tie, dark colored jacket and skirt. She wore long dark socks just beneath her knees and dark colored shoes.

The second person was a tall young man with short spiky hair, also had this enthusiastic expression. He looked like easy going yet hot headed person. Like the girl, both his hair and eyes were dark. His way of clothes was quite similar with the girl. The third except being him a male, he wore black trousers instead.

The third and last figure was a shorter young man with black hair above his shoulders and long bangs. He seemed to be a collected person and not saying words too much. He too, like his companions, wore the similar clothes.

"Eh…?"

Noctis did a double take before he stole a glance toward the silver haired beauty beside him.

"Loufa-chan!" It didn't take time before Ellen showed happiness and smiled so brightly. "It's good to see you again. By the way, thank you for the present you sent me."

"Y-you ate it then?! My mitarashi dango…?" The wavy haired girl asked with hope.

Ellen nodded.

"Of course. It's delicious." She told the bespectacled girl. "I would like to eat it again."

The twin tailed girl squealed in delight. There was no exact word to describe her happiness.

She felt extremely happy while Ellen chuckled at the girl's respond.

"Lenalee-chan, what brings you here? We don't see you very often around these parts." The young man with short spiky hair asked the certain green haired Exorcist.

"Oh, well, we got a mission, you see. And…"

"Walker-san? Who is this?"

The question suddenly brought everyone's attention to Lou-fa. Their eyes soon fell on a certain figure. The black clad figure shifted uneasily, very much aware that he was becoming the center of attention now. Rikei raised an eyebrow at the unknown young man.

"Hey, I don't think I ever see him before. Is he a new exorcist?" Rikei turned at both female Exorcists, wanting an explanation.

"He didn't wear an Exorcist uniform, though." Shifu tilted his head to the left, pondering slightly.

Ellen jumped slightly at the question. It reminded her that only those who working in the Main Branch were ever see her other world friend. That and she promised Noctis she will introduce them if they ever meet the researchers. To her delightful surprise, they did. What a good coincidence. She hoped they will like Noctis as their friend. After mentally slapped herself for almost forgotten the introduce, Ellen clapped her gloved hands.

"Oh, where's my manner!? His name is Noctis Caelo. He's a guest in our place so he's going to stay with us for a while. Noct, this is Lou-fa, my friend in Asia Branch, the boy with pony hair is Shifu, and that guy over there is Rikei. They're in Science Department like Komui." Ellen introduced both the sky blue eyed young man and the researchers to each other.

Finally being mentioned, the euclase eyed prince nodded with a polite smile.

"Hello. You can call me Noctis or Noct. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lou-fa, Sir Shifu, and Sir Rikei."

Rikei only laughed in friendly manner. "Just Rikei is fine! You made me as if I was an old man!"

"It's nice too meet you too, Noctis." Shifu bowed respectfully.

"…"

The girl woth the glasses however, had a different reaction than her fellow researchers. Lou-fa stared wide at the euclase eyed young man. Her dark colored eyes didn't blink a bit. Her odd reaction thus gained the others' attention, including Ellen and Noctis.

"Miss?"

"…"

"Miss, are you feeling okay?" Her silent made him started to worry.

The bespectacled girl didn't give any respond to him, not even the slightest twitch at all. Even the ever quiet Shifu had been considered the option to snap the girl out of her trance like state by shouting her name.

The Lucis heir obviously didn't prepare for the next occurrence. So were with the Exorcists and Rikei. Out of sudden, the petite girl screamed with high pitch. It was so high to the point even the guard who stood quite far from them actually winched in discomfort. It made everyone who near her either jumped or took a step back from surprise.

"WALKEEEEEEEER-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN―! Since when and where did you meet such gentleman like him―?! Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! He's so handsome and gorgeous…! I never see such shiny black hair and mesmerizing blue eyes! He's one hot guy!"

Noctis did a step back. His face slowly went pale in horror.

"Eeerrr…you're welcome? ° _ ° |||" He replied hesitantly.

It only made Lou-fa even squealed higher with blush was being evident on her face. She then latched and gripped tightly Ellen's forearm's uniform and brought her face to Ellen, much to the white haired Exorcist' sudden nervousness.

"KYAAAAAAAAHHH―! ≧ ∇ ≦ " Lou-fa squealed in high pitch.

It made Ellen cringed slightly and her ears were ringing loudly from the screech.

"Look at him, he's also a polite man. Where did you meet him? How did both of you meet? Is he your boyfriend…!? I can't believe it, you're so lucky! I want to have a boyfriend like him too!"

"Lou-fa!" Ellen whole face went as red as tomato. "He's not my boyfriend, he's my friend! We just met few weeks ago!"

It did gain Lou-fa's attention as she now stared to her with few dumb blinks.

"Eh? Really?"

Ellen nodded frantically.

"It's really the truth! He's in need of our help so he's staying with us for temporary."

"Huh? Why?" Lou-fa let go her grip from Ellen's uniform.

"The Ark accident happened. He had been brought to the Ark somehow and he can't go back to his homeland for a rather complicated reason, that's why he sticks with us."

There was a heavy silence formed between them. Rikei furrowed his eyebrows while Lenalee had this sympathy look fixed on Noctis. Lou-fa shot a confused look between Ellen and suddenly gloomy Noctis. It made Lou-fa wondered what had happened with the sky colored eyed young man.

"Complicated reason?" Lou-fa managed to ask the question popped in her mind.

"…My country is in chaos for uncertain time so I'd been force to go from there before I came here accidentally..." Noctis quietly replied.

"Oh…" Realization came down to Lou-fa once she fully processed this information. The petite girl then held a gasp and covering her mouth. "Oh, oh my, what I have said!? Noctis, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"

Noctis shook his head dismissingly. "It's fine. You have no idea at all, Miss Lou-fa."

Link who had said nothing ever since they came to this place, had decided that to end this ridiculous conversation.

"Walker! Caelo! This is no time for idle chatter. We must find Kanda Yuu at once." He reminded them in stern tone.

"Yes, yes." Ellen huffed in annoyance. She then took Noctis' hand and pulling him gently behind her. "Come on, Noct. We have to go find him. Oh! Before I completely forgot, stay close to us, okay? While it's not as big as ours, this place can be so confusing like a maze if you don't know your way."

In which Ellen noticed how Noctis looked pale for a reason. Ellen raised one of her white eyebrows. Was he not good with direction? It would explain his paleness. The snow white haired Exorcist grimaced at her own memory and experience. Even though she quite smart and can mentally mapping some areas, there was a time when she got lost in Asia Branch and for a good amount of time, wondering around with stress. She wondered into a deep part where people rarely came. Fortunately, Ellen found a kind researcher who happened found her and took her to her destination. In there, Lou-fa, Rikei, and Shifu had been looking for her. Once they saw her coming though they rushed to her and asked where she had been gone to. They told her they were worried about her got disappeared. Thus after they found out the certain grayish silver eyed girl got lost, few days after, one of them would always accompany her to make sure she didn't get lost again.

"…I'll keep that in my mind, thank you for the warning."

"We will remain here and await your return." Tokusa simply spoke to the Exorcists. Ellen, Lenalee, and Noctis glanced at their way.

"!"

Tokusa only smiled and placed his index finger below his mouth.

"Be quick about it, if you would, Master Disciple."

"…" Lou-fa was staring at the red garment Exorcists thoughtfully.

Ellen, still holding Noctis hand, gave him a signal by clenched his hand briefly. Motioned to him that they had to go now. Understand the silent message, he gave her a smile and nodded slightly. Ellen returned the smile and they began to walking away from the Ark's Gate. Timcanpy flew above her head. The others also followed them not far.

"We have got a major mission to attend to in Istanbul and we're here to find Kanda so he can come with us. Do you know where he is?" Lenalee asked, opened her dark long jacket and slung it on her arm.

"I think he's with the Branch Chief at the moment." Rikei answered.

"…Are those people the half-Akuma 'Third Exorcists' we've been hearing about…?" The bespectacled girl asked.

It was Ellen who provided the answer for the wavy haired girl.

Although she seemed hesitant for some reason, the grayish silver eyed girl took a choice to reply the clueless girl.

"Yes…Yes, Lou-fa. They are." Ellen said.

She had to let go Noctis' hand for a moment and took off her dark long jacket too. It was warmer by 10 degree Celcius in here than the Main Branch of Black Order. She didn't need to wear her long coat anymore. It was hot and the coat kind of heavy.

"They're kind of creepy…" Lou-fa put her index finger in thinking position. There were some wrinkles formed on her forehead. "I can see why they make Chief Bak angry. I'm not too sure about all this myself."

"But they are going to be real boost to our forces…" Rikei interjected easily. "Isn't it kind of unavoidable? It's not like we can control when we find new compatible Innocence users…Having them around is going to help take some of the burden off Walker and other Exorcists."

"But making people into half-Akuma…doesn't that make us hardly any different from the Earl?" Lou-fa quickly voiced her disagree.

"Uhm…You two…?" Ellen tried to catch both researchers' attention but went ignored in vain. Timcanpy, that followed Ellen by flew until a few moments ago, landed on Ellen's top head, now watching the argument between the twin tail haired girl and the spike haired young researcher.

It didn't help the arguments between the petite scientist and spike haired scientist was growing heated than before. Rikei's tone went unexpectedly hard to Lou-fa.

"It's easy enough to talk idealistic nonsense like that, but that's not going to help us win this war, isn't? You just don't get it Lou-fa! If we lose, we're all going to die! How can you…"

"SO WHAAAT―!?" Lou-fa shouted loudly, effectively startled both Rikei and Ellen. The shout made Tim fell from Ellen's head. She stood defiantly as she held the hem of her skirt shakily, holding a sorrow filled anger. What was alarming Ellen however was the fact that there were pools of tears pooled in her eyes, threatened to fall any time given. "If we won by doing a thing like that…that just wouldn't feel right, would it…?"

"Unhhh…" The twin tailed girl hiccupped loudly.

She was biting her lips as if she tried hard to not cry.

Her attempt obviously failed. Her tears started to fall one by one from behind her glasses. Thus it made both Ellen and Rikei paled in instant and panic, especially Rikei.

"∑ O_O|||…!"

" ∑ ° □ °||| AHH! Don't…Don't cry…!" Rikei was moving frantically once he saw the tears were coming from Lou-fa's eyes.

"What do you think you're doing, Rikei?" Shifu elbowed the frantic Rikei hardly. He had this dark look plastered on his usually calm and serene expression.

"I think you'd better apologize, Rikei. You can't go around making girls cry." Ellen slung her arm around Rikei' s shoulders. Her silver colored eyes glared sharply.

"B-But…" Rikei stuttered very badly.

"Rikei." Ellen warned the spike haired researcher, she have this dark smile on her face.

A dark aura soon oozed thickly from her.

"Apologize. NOW." The short haired girl threatened in a tone that promised extreme pain should he didn't do it soon.

Rikei went paling drastically.

"I-I'm sorry!" He shouted fearfully, tears ready to burst both from his eyes.

Noctis and Lenalee couldn't help but to sweat dropped profusely.

"Ahahahaha…" Lenale laughed nervously.

Noctis only send the poor man a sympathetic glance when from the corner of his eyes, he caught the ever silent Inspector.

"…"

'Link…' Noctis felt concerned for the braided Inspector.

"Don't cry, Lou-fa." Lenalee tried to comforting the still crying Lou-fa.

Ellen felt sympathy for the twin tail haired girl. Thus the white haired maiden also got moved to take the initiative to cheer up the bespectacled girl. Ellen took some steps, approaching crying Lou-fa. She made Lou-fa stopped crying and jumped slightly as she wrapped the other girl in her hug. Ellen hugged her as her right hand patting Lou-fa's back consolingly.

"It's all right, Lou-fa-san. Whatever happens to the Order…we will still be us." Ellen heartened the other girl, a smile filled with solace evident on Ellen's lips. "As long as we keep moving forward for what we believe in, it will be all right! We'll all end up smiling in the end!" She reassured the bespectacled girl.

Lou-fa's previous gloom mood went lightened. She looked better than before although the tears were still coming from her eyes. She brought her hand, took off her glasses while her other hand erasing the tears. Lou-fa was smiling shamefully.

"I guess you're right, Walker-san."

Ellen released her from the hug and nodded approvingly.

"Good." She said.

However despite the smile she placed in the surface, beneath it she also was being restless. Ellen began to feel discomposure and seeing how Lou-fa's cried for the Black Order's wrong way, the feeling only worsened from before. It made her belief began to wavering and it even made her more restless.

' "It will be all right"…' Ellen thought edgily.

'I recited those words as though they were some kind of charm.'

She felt really ironic. She felt pathetic to her own being. She felt pathetic on her own situation. Here, Ellen cheer up her anxious friend and told her that everything will be fine by keep moving forward and believing what they believed. But now look at her. The silver maiden was also being as restless as the twin tail haired girl, perhaps even more than Lou-fa. Ellen began to question her belief whether it was true or not. She often told everyone, including herself for everything will be alright. She always reminded everyone, including herself to keep their belief strong. Again and again, she told everyone, including herself that no matter how difficult the obstacles were, happy ending always in the end of their paths.

Now look at her.

Ellen Walker the Exorcist, who supposed to be Apostle of God.

Ellen Walker who was supposedly became the Chosen One.

Ellen Walker that prophesied will become the Destroyer of Time.

Ellen Walker who her duty was to save humankind...

Was lost in the path she chosen by herself.

Know nothing of what she must do.

Ellen couldn't help but smiled bitterly at the thought.

Some Exorcist the short haired female Exorcist was.

Her dark, chaotic thought must abruptly end though. Ellen felt something heavy fell on her head. At first she thought it was just Timcanpy. The thing then was moving and stroking her head in comforting manner. At that moment Ellen came down with realization that it was not the golden colored golem landed above the head. She also realized the thing in fact was someone's hand.

"…!"

Ellen followed the hand and imagine how surprise she when she found herself staring at Noctis. She got taken aback when Noctis offered her a warm smile as he continued to stroking her head. His hand not as big as Mana but his hands still can bring some comfort and warmth to her. Her previous dark thoughts slowly went disappeared. The apprehensiveness still in there but compared to what she felt few moments ago, this was almost like nothing. Sometimes it amazed her how such simple gesture can casted away and easy negative feelings. Ellen always tried these on other people, just like when she hugged Lou-fa to cheer her up. The grayish silver eyed female didn't often have these from other people or in this case, Exorcists. Only Lenalee, Miranda, and few others people who ever gave her the simple cheer up gestures. Most of them were females of course, in which why Noctis' touch given an impact to her.

"Noct." Ellen didn't drive her gaze away from his.

"You just said something remarkable." The euclase eyed man said. Ellen could tell his voice was truly sincere. "I hope you don't mind."

"What for?" Ellen blinked owlishly and tilting a bit her head. "I'm just saying what I believed. Why do you patting my head?"

Noctis hummed thoughtfully.

"Respect, I guess…"

"Respect?" The girl with the pure white hair parroted.

"It's good thing to cheer up people and assuring people that everything will be fine. I'd say you did a nice job, Ellen."

"Eh? Really?" Ellen blinked rapidly.

"Really."

Ellen felt her mood lightened and about to started feeling happy when she witnessed something else. The silver maiden didn't miss the glint flashed briefly within his sky colored eyes. Suddenly she felt uneasy about the odd glint. Ellen was immediately in alert when she unmistakably saw the smirk formed on Noctis' lips.

"What are you―" Ellen didn't or couldn't finish her sentence because his hand now ruffling her hair.

"Noctis! Akh! No, don't do that! Stop messing my hair―! You ruined it, please stop…! Kyaaah!" The ruffles only increased much to her annoyance.

She heard an amused laughter came from Noctis. On the back ground, she also heard chuckles and laughter came from Lenalee, Rikei, Shifu, and Lou-fa. Link even cracked a faint smile as he glanced on her direction. Finally, Ellen had it enough. Her right arm reached blindly for Noctis. She was trying to reach the young man.

"Noctis! Stop it at this rate or I will pull your cheek, I mean it!" Ellen threatened.

Noctis still laughed but he lifted his hand away from her head.

"Sorry! I can't help it." He admitted.

"Don't do it again! Gosh, look what you've done! My hair is now completely in mess. I have to comb it again…" The fair Exorcist half whined, her hands were working on her messy hair. They might be short but they can be quite a challenge when they got tangled. It took her full 5miuntes to get her hair straight in her morning routines. Timcanpy also gave some help to the grayish silver colored eyed Exorcist. It busily tidied her hair.

Noctis felt a little guilty for ruined Ellen's hair.

"Err, sorry. Would you like me to help…?" He offered hastily.

"…On the second thought, never mind." Ellen sighed, her gloved hand combing the hair carefully. "I can comb it by myself."

"Wow, Noctis-san. I didn't know you're this close to Walker-san."

"Believe me, they actually much closer than you thought." Lenalee then leaned to Lou-fa. "Just between us but they're like each other though they're hiding it." Lenale whispered gleefully in Lou-fa's ear.

"Eh…?!" Lou-fa stole a glance at the mentioned couple with bright red cheeks.

The reaction was almost immediately.

"WE HEARD THAT, LENALEE―! O Д O;;;; " Both Ellen and Noctis shouted simultaneously.

Both were having deep shade of red on their faces.

Not far from the group, stood an old man and a girl with pink hair.

"The future, huh…" The old man reminisced. His memory brought him back to the past.

"Dear me…this truly does…make one consider one's own sins…"

"Zhu…" Fo looked at the old man with a hint of sadness.

'Say, Kanda…'Zhu asked mentally, his eyes still watching the chattering group.

'Do you still see the flower…?'

Deep inside the Ark, a certain Noah was watching the present occurrence. He sat in front of the white piano. His eyes closed, his one hand absentmindedly played a cheerful tune. Sometimes his head also nodded, following the rhythm of the tune. Few moments later, the Musician opened his amber colored eyes, gazing toward the pure white cellar.

"Well…"

Neah could only chuckle in amusement, his eyes filled with mirth.

Ellen's emotion and mind had been connected to him. Whatever she feels, he also feels it. Be it happiness, angry, sorrow, even pain as well. He sensed her joy and happiness flowing through his being. Her care for the euclase eyed young man also increased. It made the spike haired Noah very pleased.

"Isn't this became very interesting…?" He couldn't resist a huge smile to appear on his lips.

His fingers skillfully push some keys, playing an unknown song.

"Are you started to wavering, my dear niece? And your anxiousness and fear has the better grip on you?" Neah asked in sing sang tone.

His other hand also joined above the keys.

Now both his hands played the piano.

He played another unknown song, this time it sounded gloomy than the previous song.

"And you. How thoughtful of you, Noctis. You raise her spirit up, giving her your own cheer up way."

Neah hummed along with the flowing song.

He enjoyed the random music he played with the white piano.

"I am not wrong to choose you as her keeper. It seems the decision I made to take you here as a part from my agreement with the Goddess was a right thing to do." The young man in white exclaimed.

The tune grew rapidly fast and complicated at the same.

The musician's hands were moving smoothly.

His hands danced above the reversed colored keys.

"Now then…" Neah looked in a deep thought. "Time to oversee the next phase."

The song became even heavier as each second pass. A grin replaced his smile.

"I wonder what those two will do…" The grin grew maniacally and in no time, Neah laughed so hard. His laughter echoed loudly through the pure white chamber.

"I can't wait!" He ended gleefully.

He then dropped both his hands on the keys, abruptly ended the playing.

"The girl who afraid to lost in her path and searching a reassurance for her belief. The young man who must walk forward despite the consequence." The black spiky haired Musician rose elegantly from the seat.

He walked away from the piano to somewhere else.

Neah hummed an entirely different tune.

"I wonder what kind of bond they will shape in their path. What kind of bond they will forge between them."

The maniac grin on his face widened slightly.

"…And what kind of bind they will share through the next phase."

"Long day?"

"You have no idea." Ignis who just came replied Gladiolus' inquiry absentmindedly.

The spike haired man sighed as he took off his glasses and pinching his bridge nose. Gladiolus was eyeing the younger man carefully as if he didn't do so, the brown haired man may collapse any time. In which Ignis already looked like he needed and deserved some rest one of these days. Prompto, the ever cheerful and easy going sharpshooter, also shoot him a worry glance as he cleaning her shotgun. They were in the balcony corridor of Nocturne Garden, a garden placed inside the palace. Just like any royal garden its size was huge and spacious. It filled with various beautiful and rare plants native only to Lucis Kingdom, there were a numbers of exotic plants brought from another countries like Solheim and Accordo for an example.

The garden had been design and structured neatly with few artistic lamp posts and a medium sized pool in the middle of it. The pool filled with one of Lucis' sacred symbols, the precious white lotus species. They bloomed across the pool, showing to the world their simplicity yet captivating beautiful. Added along with the white lotus, bloomed in the side of the pool were blue pickerel weeds and blue with yellow strip irises. Other flowers currently in full bloom were Russian sage, Colchicum, Peony, Roses, Leadplant, and Witch hazel. Seeing them bloomed at the same time will made a person's heart felt at easy as if some burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Ignis leaned against one of the pillars with Gladiolus stood near him and Prompto sat on the edge of balcony. Gladiolus had his massive sword with him while a katana always accompanied Ignis. The blond haired young man had his beloved shotgun and currently cleaning its barrel dutifully. Prompto stole a glance between Gladiolus and Ignis, both wore a rather gloom expression. His mood dampened a bit and he put down his shotgun and his shotgun cleaning tool on his lap.

"How is King Regis?" Gladiolus suddenly asked.

He started a conversation, hoping to get some good information.

Ignis done back his glasses and inhaled deeply.

"He doesn't take this very well but thank Etro, he's a strong father and king. He was in relief when the chance to get back Noctis is still big enough. He's taking to parchment with him and intended to study it."

"He's a determined father..." Gladiolus sighed tiredly. "Not knowing where his son could've gone is a parent's nightmare."

"At least he believed his son is still alive outside there." Gladiolus concluded in the end with uncertain feeling.

"Glad, seriously, aren't you feeling disturbed by this? How the heck Noct got himself hurled to alien world and unlocked the Great Crystal's super duper secret ability?" Prompto, who stayed silent beside him until earlier, then open his mouth.

"I would be lying if it didn't disturbing me but…I don't think now is the best time to discuss how Noct got sent so sudden."

"Our main focus is to find which world Noctis ended with and we can use the parchment's description to bring him back somehow." Ignis, the ever brain in the group responded professionally. "If we're lucky enough, we can send one or two of us to fetch him through the crystal."

"But didn't you tell me about the first and second requirements are…"

"In which why I must hand the parchment to King Regis."

"It's only him who can fulfilled both first conditions, isn't he?" The sharpshooter blonde hung his head. "If only there're other Lucis members…"

"Prompto, you know why the other members of Lucis family cannot fulfilled the second condition." The scarred man told him with soft tone. Despite his rough appearance, Gladiolus was actually a soft and caring man.

"I know…but I don't want him to pushing himself too far." Prompto's grip on his shotgun tightened. "I'm worried, Glad."

"We're all have the same feeling, Prompto." Gladiolus replied softly. "But he's the King of Lucis. Even we tried to remind him, he still and will try to save Noct, just as we try to bring him home. We have to trust our King."

"…How is Luna?" The blond haired young man decided to change the subject. "Did she…?"

"She still not found out yet." Gladiolus quickly answered. "She's currently in Altissia, taking a refuge."

"So she's made it out alive." Ignis was very relief at the news. He let a small, relieved smile adorned his usual stoic face. "Thank Etro."

"It seems so." The scarred man nodded in idle. "Poor her. I know how important Noct is to her."

Prompto also nodded his blond head.

"I know. Her heart will be broken if she knew what exactly had happened to Noct."

"We're supposed to meet her in Altissia in near future." Gladiolus straightened his body from the balcony and stretching his body. "What are we going to there, again? She wants to see him?"

"That and I heard from Noct she has something for him although I have no clue what it is." Prompto shrugged.

Ignis fixed his glasses. It gleamed under the light of the sun. "Another reason to verify why we're must find in which world Noct is currently stuck."

"That's what we're agreed together." Prompto agreed.

"How many worlds we have to comb before we find the correct one?" Gladiolus took a glance toward his brown haired comrade.

"You want to find out?" Ignis throw back the question but not without the challenging tone.

"…Great." The older man grimaced, not liking the idea they have to comb through worlds to find their prince. "This is gonna be fun." He muttered weakly.

In which Prompto couldn't help but to laugh at Gladiolus' grimace. He took his shotgun and his cleaning tool. The blond haired young man half hooped from the balcony and smacked the bigger guy with friendly gesture.

"You've forgotten about us? Don't worry. We're in this together."

Ignis nodded. His expression was firm. "We're going to find him, Glad."

"We will find him."

「46 hours later.」

「Jordan.」

「02:53 AM」

It was past midnight in this land. Jordan located in the Middle East thus like most countries within the region, it had desert across the country and semi-dry climate as a result. Petra was a good example for this. Located on the desert canyons and mountains in the southwest Jordan, these canyons made from magnificent sandstone cliffs and granite rocks. Tonight, the cold and white colored full moon made its grand enter tonight. Its light shone over the sandstone wall of the canyons, enchanted its mystic sight. People often travel through this place since there was a village built near the ancient city of Petra. Sometimes there was a time when the villagers must go to the town and doing some business, such as trade so they can feed their family. Usually it should be a safe trip remembering the thieves rarely hiding in Petra. It should be a quiet night and a good time to come back home. However tonight, the peace in this ancient city had shattered by the barks of a dog.

The barks echoed by the canyon's sandstone wall. It came from inside the canyon.

"BOW-WOW-WOW!"

"It hurts…! It hurts…!" A little girl cried fearfully from the clutched of Akuma Level 3. Tears were flowing from her light brown eyes.

A terrier type dog was clinging to the evil monster and barked angrily. The dog barred its fangs, tried the best of it in order to save its master. The humanoid Akuma wasn't alone. An Akuma Level 1 also accompanied it. It had a grotesque form almost as ugly as the other one. It had 4 faces with a black star on each head. It hands clapped into a prayer and it had what people would think of twisted version from spider legs. An old man, the little girl's grandfather was terrified with both monsters' appearance. He fell from his horse because one of those had knocked him and the horse. The horse itself neighed loudly on the ground. As if it wasn't enough, one of the monsters had grabbed his granddaughter.

"Somebody help! My granddaughter is!" He shouted, hoping there was someone who can hear his plea to save his granddaughter.

"Help her!"

His plea went answered when from above the cliff, someone was barging through a bunch of humanoid Akuma. The white cloaked figure floated weightlessly in the air as she cut one of the Akuma with her big sword. There was a yellow creature flew along with her. When she caught the sight beneath her, she dove rapidly toward the humanoid Akuma. The twin braided little girl lifted her head just in time when this cloaked figure swung her sword and slashed both Akuma. Both monsters destroyed in an explosion, leaving only one arm still clutching the captivated girl. The arm soon fell with the girl and the dog. Terrified the little girl screamed as the ground below her grew rapidly closer.

"KYAAA―!"

BLUK!

A black, slim hand suddenly was holding the Akuma's arm. The mysterious figure from before ―now that the little girl with the hat now could see from closer― was actually a young woman with short white hair just a little bit above her shoulders. Beneath her white cloak, she wore a sleeveless black shirt, a belt with few small bags attached, black colored pants, and brown boots meant to travel in dry land. The young woman most likely around her 15 to 16 judged from her built. Yet despite her slim figure, she was strong enough to hold an Akuma's arm with a little and a dog with both of her arms. Not to mention she held them above her head. The snow white haired girl kneeled on the sand dunes with one leg stretched out, keeping her balance though the sand beneath her made it difficult. The little girl, now had a blank look on her cute face. Blinking owlishly, she glanced at the young woman beneath her.

"Thank…Thank you." The twin braided little girl thanked her savior.

The white haired girl lifted her head a bit, revealing a pair of grayish silver eyes and a scar with star shape. She smiled with radiant warmness. The girl was beautiful, even the sweats rolled on her face didn't dimed her beauty.

"You're welcome." The older girl replied.

'The star in her face, it's lucky…' The braided girl thought in awe.

A familiar voice suddenly called for Ellen from on top of the cliff.

"Ellen, are you okay…!?"

Ellen looked above to see Noctis upper body popped up from above the cliff. She sent him a confident smile and nodding a few times. Her hands were full at the moment since they still gripped and supported both the Akuma' arm and the little girl.

"Yes, I'm fine! What about yourself? You've been casting Holy for umpteenth times. Doesn't it tiring you?"

She asked this because he looked no better than she was. He also was dirty as she was and he had bruises in several visible places, black falchion held firmly on his hand. Noctis had helped her destroyed those Akuma by casted white magic over and over again. Moreover, it had taken a lot of his stamina, just like her with Crowned Clown.

"I've faced worse than an extreme fatigue." Noctis was teleported to Ellen's side. "Dear Etro, don't go running away like that. Link will have my neck if something happen to you…"

"Sorry. But if I didn't jump from the cliff, I can't help her." Ellen flashed a comforting smile to the little girl she was currently holding along with the Akuma's left over arm. "Right, little Miss?"

"Uhm…" The girl flushed when she saw the grayish silver eyed Exorcist's smile. The lady was so beautiful and she also had a beautiful smile too.

Noctis sighed in suffering manner. "You could've asked me to teleport you."

"With your health and stamina are risking to going down? Nope, I don't think so." Ellen rejected. She dropped off akuma's arm before she helped the braided little girl got out from its grip carefully. "Here. Your Grandfather is waiting for you." Ellen told her.

Ellen was gently pushing the little, encouraged the little girl to go to her waiting grandfather.

"Kokona!" The old man cried in great relief as he bent down and held out his hands for his granddaughter. His eyes were bursting to tears.

"Grandpa!" The little girl called jovially. She run in tears into the old man's hug and snuggled to his shoulder.

Too bad both the grayish silver eyed Exorcist and the black haired prince couldn't see the heart warming scene for longer. There was a crackled sounds came from transmission from their communication devices. They were given to them when they came to this land few hours ago in the sake for practical. Another familiar voice was calling to them with urgent tone. It was Link's voice and the news he brought with him didn't bring them any good either.

"Can you hear me? This is the message from HQ. The number of Akuma is still increasing."

"…Wait. What?" Noctis astonished.

Ellen's beautiful face twisted into a deep frown.

"That's not a very, very good news." The white haired female Exorcist stood up.

'Not to mention our current location is unknown. This is bad…Where are we? I have no idea how both of us even managed to get here...' Ellen scanned her surrounding, only to go frowning when she realized she was not in any part near their base camp.

Not good at all.

"Get to camp, Walker, Caelo! We'll regroup!" Link urged before the transmission went off.

Ellen switched her attention to Timcanpy. "Tim, do you know…?" She had to stop when Timcanpy held a white board with frantic gesture. What was written on it wasn't encouraging both the slim female Exorcist and the black haired man. The stuttered voice of the old man and the little girl from beside them only added the worse.

"Awawawa…" From the corner of her eyes, Ellen was seeing how pale both the white bearded old man and the twin braided little girl became as they hugged each other.

Behind you! Behind you!

Tim furiously motioned the board he still held on one of his wings. Soon after, her left eye tingled with all too familiar sensation. Akuma. Lots of them and every single one was Level 3. They were coming from behind and fast. Ellen shifted her left arm back onto her trade mark huge sword and gripping it tightly.

Noctis turned around to see another massive wave of Akuma already stood on the cliff opposite of them. They glared ominously toward them. Beside him, Ellen was ready to counter attack them, her Innocence began to pulse. His euclase eyes widened drastically.

"Crap." Noctis cussed before he darted to both the old man and the girl them. "Get down!" He shouted, tackling them to the ground.

The Akuma jumped from the cliff and ready to assault the humans. At the same moment, Ellen already stood between the wave of Akuma and the humans. Crowned Clown in her right hand, humming and pulsing with rising power. More than ready about to unleash it to those Level 3 Akuma. Ellen swung it onward to the sky, letting go the Innocence power within Crowned Clown and casted away Akuma that came too close to her. White bluish sparks came from the sword, a silent proof the Crowned Clown building a surge of power to be used by its master. Finally reached its limit, Ellen shouted with all of her might and using one of her deadly attacks.

"HAAAAAAAAA―!"

Death Ball!

There were some loud and bright explosions around the white haired Exorcist. Ultimately destroyed all of the Level 3 Akuma attempted to attack her. Before Ellen, both the old man and the little girl got shielded by Noctis. Timcanpy flew near them, shielded them from the Akuma and the series of explosions itself. Thick smoke arose from below the cliff, many Akuma already surrounded the area, started to advance once they not being hold anymore.

"Talisman force! The Akuma are no longer restrained! Exorcists, evacuate immediately!"

In seconds, they were being surrounded again by Akuma. Noctis muttered a curse and summoned two-way sword. Despite still tired from used Death Ball, Ellen readied her sword. Kokona supported her grandfather, terrified written all over their faces.

"They're coming from everywhere! There're too many!" Kokona exclaimed, her voice shaky.

'Even though I just killed a bunch with that technique I can't win…' Ellen tried to think a strategy to get them out from the Akuma's cage.

"Leave me. You should go with those guys and escape." The old man told his granddaughter.

Both his voice and expression painted with grim and hopeless.

Seeing this, Kokona shook her head. She didn't want to leave her grandfather. The twin braided little girl didn't want to leave her family no matter what happen. Family must stick together, that was her father once said. She wasn't going to leave her beloved grandfather alone.

"NO!"

Ellen's gray colored eyes narrowed. Her knuckles went white from gripping the Crowned Clown too tight. All direction had been closed off by those Level 3 Akuma. They completely trapped in this place. Ellen didn't give up. She continued to think, the gears in her brains worked up. The snow white haired Exorcist was trying to find any way, any solution to get the old man and his granddaughter to safe place. Come on! There must be a way for them to escape from this blasted place!

'How I am going to get out of here with an injured person? Unless…'

"Noctis…?"

Noctis snapped his head toward her direction.

"Yes?"

Ellen turned her head slightly, not letting go the Akuma's sight around them.

"...Noct, I don't want you to do this but…" Ellen seemed hesitated to share her thought. "Can you teleport us to another place, preferably a safe place?" She ended lamely.

In which Noctis immediately grimaced.

"Need some distraction with these many Akuma." He gave a quick reply.

He saw the slight disappointment in her eyes.

'This is one of those rare times when I desperately need an Eidolon…' Noctis groaned mentally.

While acquired an Eidolon can be a pain in ass, having one of the Eidolons will greatly help him. Titan and Leviathan were two examples from those powerful magical creatures. Eidolons were beings that took physically manifestation from the stars' power. Eidolons were the guardian of the nature and they protected the land where they resided from destruction. Only the Keeper of Crystal could summon them. In which him had none Eidolon made this knowledge became quite an irony. If he had Leviathan or Titan, getting out from the horde of Akuma would be simple. Too bad reality was different from what we wish and on top of that, it always not fair.

Ellen took a deep sigh before she blocked an attack from another Level 3 Akuma.

"I wish the others will be in here too. I can't battle with all these numbers of Akuma!" She half shouted, her voice latched with frustration.

Then at that moment, Ellen heard the faint footsteps came from above her.

The sounds of the footsteps grew rapidly closer.

They were two pairs of footsteps and they run toward her direction.

The way Noctis suddenly jerked his head to above the cliff had confirmed Ellen's assumption.

His euclase eyes widened slightly.

"Speaking about others…" Noctis let his words hung as three figures jump off from the cliff.

One of them, the one with ice blue haired, held a numbers of talismans.

" 'Guardian Feathers'." The figure chanted.

The talismans immediately went activated and acted up. They flew from the ice blue haired figure, surrounding Ellen and the others, fulfilling their use as a magical shield. The three of them landed around the grayish silver eyed maiden. The first figure was a tall young man with a head band around his forehead and had spiky ice blue hair. He also had two shoulder length metal beads added with a single blue feather. He easily became the tallest from the three of them. The second figure was a young man with side ponytail and pale green hair. The second young man was quite tall although not as tall as the first young man. The third figure was a boy with bob, green colored hair. All of them wore red clothes. Their arm soon transformed into an Akuma like appendage arm. Ellen recognized the three forms that came for her aid.

"Third!" Ellen surprised at their arrival.

Gakikai Byakukou!

It happened too quickly for all those Akuma to process.

One second, they had the upper hand with those puny humans.

The next second, two more humans came and a very deep black shadow outspread beneath them.

Before they could even acknowledged what the shadow was, their bodies started to drown into the ink colored shadow. Realized they began to sinking, they began to moving any available part of their bodies. Yet all of their efforts were useless. They still drowning, even the struggles made them sinking even deeper and faster.

"What is this black shadow?!" An Akuma shouted.

"Sinking?!" Another Akuma yelled devastatingly as it struggled to get away from the muddy like shadow.

Few meters away from the all drowning Akuma, Tokusa was in kneeled position. His Akuma arm touched the ground.

"This hole leads straight to hell." Tokusa simply stated with that smug tone of his. "Eat this, metal garbage."

One by one, the Akuma drowned completely inside the shadow. The longer they stuck in the dark shadow, the more impossible they can get out from it. Their numbers became fewer as more of them sinking and sinking. It keeps continued like that until the last Akuma gone into inside the shadow.

"Glop!"

It hand tried to reach for the sky. However the last Akuma still disappeared from the humans view. For few seconds, there was only eerie silence and the faint sound of night wind. Then like a passed nightmare, the shadow came from the Third Exorcists' arm began to disappear. Once the shadow had gone, Kokona finally had a piece of courage to turn around.

"Eh? All the monsters vanished…" Kokona looked so baffled.

'Amazing…' As she was steadying her breaths, Ellen fixed her gaze on kneeling Madarao. 'All of them swallowed up in an instant…Does it affect his body?'

BADUMP!

Her left eye suddenly gave a reaction. Her silver colored pupil changed to blood red color while the sclera's white color changed to black. What she saw next with her left eye made her completely frozen on her place. Before her, a glob with lots of melted faces slowly drowning into the deep, black colored water. They opened their mouths as if they wanted to scream but there was no sound came out from their mouths. They shouted their agony in utter silence. Their shouted their sorrow in silent. Ellen soon realized the melted faces screamed no voice were actually the souls of the Akuma. It made the Crowned Clown owner jerked in shock as one of those faces approached her. Her hearts beat faster and frantically at the sight.

"!?"

Her grayish silver colored eyes widened drastically when the face before her cried in blood tears and begging for her help sorrowfully.

"E…llen…H…el…p…"The facecried in tears before it also went gone along with the other melted faces, sunk completely into the black water.

For few long moments, Ellen was just stood unmoving in there.

Ellen was staring devastatingly at the vanished souls' direction.

Her heart clenched in great pain and hurt.

'The Akuma that were swallowed by the Third…' Blood tear flowed from her wide left eye.

'Their spirits…are disappearing…at the same time…'

A very deep penitence filled her heart in no time. Anguish swept through her blood veins. She couldn't help but to blamed herself inwardly. Ellen never felt so upset and sad like this. The pain and the sorrow that slashed her heart over and over again could be compared like the time when she got fooled by the Earl and foolishly tried to revive Mana from the dead. The short haired maiden should have avoided this. The owner of the Crowned Clown should have anticipated this. The prophesied Destroyer of Time should have capable to destroy all of those Akuma and save their souls with her Innocence. She should have been able to save them. Ellen Walker should've been able to find a way to save those poor, tortured souls. Yet she didn't do it. Yet she did nothing to prevent it. Yet she couldn't do anything to stop it from happened. Yet despite her pure intent to end the Akuma's souls, she could only standing in her place. She could only watch helplessly as they erased those souls into nothingness. She was an Exorcist. She was an Apostle of God.

Yet in the end, she couldn't do more to save the Akuma's souls.

Ellen felt her eyes started to burn. Her tears already gathered in her eyes. However she held it. She didn't let them fall from her eyes. The white haired Exorcist wanted to mourn for those vanished souls. The white haired Exorcist wanted to cry for them who didn't get any salvation and just went disappeared as if they were some worthless, cheap things that could easily got thrown. Yet she couldn't do it for now. Ellen couldn't let her tears fall for now, she couldn't shed them in this current situation. So she took an oath to herself quietly inside her mind. At this moment, she will hold back her tears. She has bitten her lower lips in determination. She swallowed back the sorrow she felt briefly earlier. It took a lot for her to not cry, in the end she could holding back her tears.

At this moment, she will bear her regret and sorrow for the erased Akuma's souls. At this moment, she will bear the pain from being not able to do more. The owner of the Crowned Clown would never forget them. The prophesied Destroyer of Time would never forget either of their pain and grief. She must walk forward and never let this rather painful event occur in the future again. She must fight the Earl and his Noah Clan and save both humankind and the world itself. Ellen had to bear her burden for now. For now, Ellen must stay strong for her friends and the peoples she must protect behind her back. Ellen will face all the obstacles no matter how hard and painful they were thus when the time is right she can finally properly cry and mourn those who lost their life and souls in this war, including the Akumas' souls erased by the Third Exorcists.

"…gh…"

A grunted voice had gained Ellen's attention from the spot where the Akuma's souls had been gone. It was Noctis voice. It sounded as if he was holding a pain. Ellen stopped abruptly when she though this. Had he got hurt while she fought those Level 3 Akuma?

"Noct?" Ellen turned on her heels just to found Noctis clutched his shirt and had his eyes shut.

Her silver colored eyes widened in fear. She turned back the sword she held into her left arm in hurry. Wasted no time, the owner of Crowned Clown dashed to the spike haired young man.

"Oh my God. You're so pale! Are you hurt in somewhere?" Ellen searched for any visible wounds he might have but her worry soon gone when Noctis shook his spike head. "You're not? If you're not hurt then what made your face paling like that?"

"…felt it."

Ellen stunned when she heard his mutter.

"Pardon?" The white haired girl spoke quizzically. Ellen didn't miss how his clutch on his shirt tightened.

"I saw it. Their deaths. It's so…" Noctis took a few deep breaths, calming himself. "…Violent." He admitted in sorrow.

Ellen looked straight to him. Sorrow and pain also found their way to her heart. It was hurting her so much, to see those Akuma souls gone without getting purified. Could it be that he too felt their disappearance to nothingness?

"You can feel their agony…?" Ellen asked him in quiet tone. She just wanted a confirmation. 'Is it because his ability? Then again, Noct had nearly died once…' She pondered.

"Only because my eyes..."

"Your eyes?" Her silver colored eyes locked on his euclase ones. Was it just like she had been thought? "Are you telling me that your eyes are…"

"I can foresee someone's death, sometimes their emotions too." Bangs covered his eyes. "I didn't notice it when we're in France but now…"

His words left hanging in the atmosphere. Ellen sighed heavily, her hand reached out. She landed it on his head, feeling the softness of his hair. The beautiful Exorcist started to stroke his head in soothing manner. She had to do it. She must cop her own sadness too for those poor souls. Stroking his head did easy her and lifting her pain away from her heart.

"…I know, Noct…" Ellen spoke softly. "I know the feeling. I'm also never feeling this helpless before."

"It hurts…" Noctis murmured, only audible to Ellen who happened so close with him.

Her dark pink lips formed a forlorn smile. "I would be lying if it didn't affect you so much." She said, her hand continued to stroke his head. "So am I."

"B-Big Sister? Your eye is bleeding…" The little girl, Kokona's voice gained Ellen's attention.

Ellen turned around, Kokona was staring at her with puzzled look while the old man backed away and looked scared for a reason.

Ellen blinked once, twice.

"Eh…?"

For a moment, she had a clueless expression on her face.

"Hold on. I don't think…" Ellen closed her mouth when her hand did touch something wet on her cheek. Not helping since her nose also caught the undeniably smell of iron despite the faintness. "…I even didn't notice it until you mentioned it."

Ellen brought her hand in front of her. The blood stains were evident on her dark gloved fingers. Another second passed when she heard a movement came from her left side. The scarred girl lifted up her head just in time to see Noctis had already stood in front of her and crouching a bit so his face in the line with hers. It kind of fortunate that Noctis actually had his attention focused on something else. Otherwise he would be able to see her red face since this was the second time they got this close since the Third Exorcist incident. His hand was inside his pocket, searching for something. Thus it did raise a question within Ellen's mind. What was he looking for? Her wonder soon answered when Noctis turned to her.

"Ellen, can I ask you to stay still?"

Ellen tilted her head confusedly. Noctis brought the hand which previously inside the pocket and Ellen found herself being held by Noctis on her side face. Ellen felt a pressure and soft gesture of linen on both her left eye and cheek. Ellen did yelp in surprise when she felt the cool linen touch her skin. The white haired female felt gentle pats which moved from her left eye to her left cheek. It took a moment before Ellen realized that her left eye and cheek were being wiped.

"N-Noct, what are you―"

"I have asked you to stay still." Noctis continued to wiping her left eye and cheek carefully.

Ellen then stayed still as the euclase eyed man was trying to wipe the blood tear. Few moments later Noctis stopped, he looked satisfied and moved away from her.

"It's done." He exclaimed.

Ellen once more touched her cheek, this time with her right hand.

"…Did you just wipe the blood from my left eye?" She asked when her gloved fingers noticed the absent of blood tear from her left cheek.

"Isn't it obvious?" Noctis took her right hand and put the linen on her grasp. "Here, for you."

Ellen was gazing to the folded linen that now lying innocently on her palm. She quickly recognized what the folded linen was.

"…A handkerchief?" Ellen looked bewildered. "I never thought you'll borrow one."

"I do. You need it more than me." Ellen could hear his tone saying more.

You can take it.

She caught his silent message and truthfully, it made her felt uncomfortable. She couldn't accept his gift since she had nothing to give to him. This had happened a lot much to her discomfort. He planned to give it to her and Ellen was trying to refuse it politely.

"But this is yours." Ellen interjected. She didn't know why but she had a gut feeling that the handkerchief must be an important object to him.

Noctis gently closed her hand with both his hands. "Now it's yours."

"But I can't accept this, Noct―"

"This is my gift. Will you accept it?" At Ellen's hesitance quietness, he then nodded. "I take it as yes."

'...He even doesn't let me say no…' Ellen sweat dropped, watching him walked away from her.

She glanced back to the handkerchief as her grayish silver eyes caught something which she missed before. There were small patterns draw along the handkerchief's border. Flower patterns to be precisely, placing on each opposite direction. Ellen raised one of her elegant eyebrows. These flower shapes somehow felt familiar to her.

'…Eh? These flower patterns…I think I recognize them. If my guess is right, these are…'

She brought closer the handkerchief. She finally could recognize the pattern. Round, pointy flower petals, and white flowers with faint green color of slender stem and wide, round leaves. The color if different from what Ellen usually saw from the books she read but there was no mistake from the flower and leaves shape.

'Lotus patterns? But their color is white…' Ellen amazed.

Pink lotus was a stunning flower and Ellen even more captivated with the pure white the lotus patterns' possessed. Untainted color in heavenly flower like this very much ethereal to her. Only today she knew such flower existed in this world. The lotus patterns were made into simple curving and swirling patterns. While the curving and swirling quite simple, they had some uniqueness.

'They're such odd patterns for handkerchief and made in unusual way. Even so, I have to admit that they're undeniably so beautiful…' The platinum haired maiden brought it closer to her chest, her cheeks felt hot. Ellen closed her eyes briefly.'And now it's mine.'

Madarao gathered all of the talismans he previously used as barrier.

His deformed Akuma's arm was still touching the ground.

"A Level 4 confirmed, 5 kilometers ahead. We're exhausted, let's retreat." The ice blue haired Exorcist briefed shortly.

"In that case, it will be better for us if we move Kokona and her granddad immediately. The farther and the safer the place is, the better for them." Ellen concluded, putting the handkerchief inside her pants pocket.

"…" Noctis took a one last glance toward the certain spot.

"I'm still wishing that I can do even more for them." Ellen suddenly said after she followed where his eyes were gazing at. "They don't deserve such an unforgivable pain."

Noctis then glanced in sympathy for Ellen. "Ellen…"

Behind them, Tokusa rose from the ground, dusting his red pants.

"Oh? Were the souls of Akuma in pain?" Tokusa put a thoughtful pose although his expression was anything but.

"Too see such sights, I envy you." He continued nonchalantly.

WHAM!

"…"

Madarao was silently casted a glance from the corner of his eyes.

Tokusa held what was closest to a smirk, or perhaps he did a smirk.

The pale green haired Exorcist's Akuma arm was blocking Ellen's fist.

He held the other Exorcist' left hand aimed to his face.

He glanced at Ellen, who had previously thrown the punch.

Their hands locked each other.

"How you think about it is up to you." Ellen smiled challengingly.

Her gaze however sharply contracted with her smile.

She was not amused with Tokusa's intimidating words.

"Aha. Those kinds of things are taboo to me, so please don't mention it." Ellen smiled disarmingly which promising immense pain should the pale green haired Exorcist said any offended words.

"But I can't help but to think about it." Tokusa countered, with smile which daring the white haired female to attack him.

Both the old man and the granddaughter who witnessed the banter were surprised and hugging each other. Timcanpy also followed their example.

"What?" The old man stuttered.

"What happens?" Kokona asked with wide eyes and a sweat drop rolling from her head. She has several question marks above her head.

"They have some disagreements. I'm apologize if it's cause you some discomfort." Noctis replied drily.

"R-Really?" The old man didn't feel assure with the scene occurred in front of him.

"Yes, Sir. I can assure you." Noctis himself wasn't so sure inwardly.

Madarao gave Tokusa a warning glare from behind his back. His dagger glare was continuously stabbing the pale green haired Exorcist's back. Tokusa smiled uneasily as he started to sweat profusely from his forehead.

'Ooops. I feel uncomfortable.'

Tokusa released the snow white haired maiden's hand. Ellen then let go a silent and long annoyed sigh before turning her body around. The platinum haired female Exorcist approached both Kokona and her grandfather, who got a help from Noctis to stand up. They had taken a notice of her presence once she was standing near them.

"…Alright. Let's take them to safer place. Noct, can you teleport us?" Ellen was tilting her white lock head slightly.

"Of course."

Ellen offered her hand to Kokona. "Your name is Kokona, isn't it?"

At the little girl's nod, Ellen motioned her gloved hand for Kokona to take it.

"Let's go. We're going to take you two to a sheltered location."

"Is it safe?" Kokona accepted the older girl's left hand.

Imagine her surprise when the little girl found out the gloved, black colored hand and arm that holding hers was warm and far gentler than she thought.

"It's certainly far safer than this place." Ellen responded kindly.

"Sorry about my attitude. It's just that I feel irritated when I see Master Disciple…" Tokusa spoke. "I get high spirited when I beat an Akuma."

"…"

'Did he say irritated just then?' Ellen thought in irk, spun her head halfway around. Her lips twitched violently.

'Must he say it aloud and in front of her?' Noctis frowned mentally.

"My heart wobbled with emotion when I thought that I could be any help to God―"

"Speaking about emotion," Noctis interrupted suddenly, hoping that this rather irritated conversation ended now. "What is the boy with that emotionless expression doing here?"

At first, Ellen was staring him inquiringly when Noctis point his finger at a direction. She followed the direction he had pint pointed, she soon caught a little figure clad in red clothes. Ellen finally grasped the inquiry he threw. Stood and watching them, was a boy around 12 years old. He had green hair made into a bob style with twin short braids on each his side faces. The braids' ends held by two metal hairclips. Each hairclip divided into three bulbs. His eyes colored in reddish amber. He was gazing apathetically toward Ellen and Noctis. Ellen recognized the petite boy.

"I know him. If I'm not wrong, shouldn't he come with Krory and Miranda to Russia?" Ellen blinked inquiringly.

Meanwhile, while both Ellen and Noctis weren't looking, Tokusa sent a dagger gaze toward the young man with the blue eyes. He didn't like when he was being interrupted by someone he considered not too important. However, he still had some polite sense with him so he still answered the question although the tone he used wasn't too nice to begin with. Not that he care anyway.

"There's a change in plan since Middle East area holding more Akuma than Russia so she is coming with us." He replied coolly.

Noctis went frozen on his place. So was Ellen. Did their ears catch correctly what Tokusa said earlier? Did they hear it right?

Slowly, Noctis turned his head and facing the certain Third Exorcist.

Ellen also followed his example but she hidden her surprise better than the dumbstruck Noctis.

"…Excuse me but could you repeat that again?" Noctis requested with a strain.

Tokusa wanted to scoff at the older boy's stupidity but he did answer the dumbstruck prince.

"Kiredori is a girl, moron."

One second.

Two seconds.

Then an incredulous shout came from Noctis' mouth.

"HAAAAAAH?!"

Although Ellen didn't shout like Noctis, the silver colored eyed Exorcist was no less surprise.

"Kiredori is…a girl?" Ellen mouthed disbelievingly. She then stole a glance toward the smallest Third Exorcist. "But with that hair style she's looked like…"

"Just because she's small and has shirt bob hair, doesn't mean she's a boy. If you failed to notice small details like this, you'll never able to become Exorcist and fight Akuma that often wearing human skin." Tokusa stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Both the fair female Exorcist and black prince glared at the pale green haired Exorcist.

"…"

"…I think I hate you already." Noctis grumbled.

Tokusa smiled victoriously.

"Oh, I'm scared." He mocked playfully.

"What will you do then? Are you going to threat me, the Third exorcist who served as God's servant?" Tokusa continued.

Noctis narrowed his eyes. "…Responding your sarcasm certainly is not an option."

With that remark, Tokusa's smug face change onto a frown. Ellen was hiding her smile with her hand and looked away. She wanted to look polite and yet her shaking shoulders did give an obvious clue. Tokusa sent her a withering glare but Ellen ignored it as she struggle to hiding her smile. Madarao who watched the whole bickering only sigh in resign. Noctis was about to walk away when he came face to face with Kiredori, who somehow managed to close the distance. The petite girl already stood not far from both Ellen and Noctis. Her reddish amber colored eyes were gazing straightly at Noctis. Quizzically, the stared young man decided to politely ask the bob haired girl.

"Is there something you need from me?"

"…"

Kiredori didn't answer him, instead she kept staring unblinkingly at him.

Slightly scared, Noctis leaned to Ellen and whispered warily to her.

"Why she looked at me like that?"

"Noct…" Ellen began once she noticed something. "I don't think Kiredori is looking at you. She's looking at something else."

"What?" Noctis furrowed his eyebrows. "But what it is..?"

Ellen followed Kiredori's gaze until her own pair of magnificent gray eyes set on his side. Once she fixed her gaze on his pocket, understatement dawned on her face. Ellen finally understood what Kiredori has been looking at. It was hidden by his black jacket but there was a dark object hanging out from his pocket. Kiredori actually gazed at that object.

"She's looking on your pocket. Something's hanging from inside your pocket for more precisely." The silver eyed maiden explained.

The gears in Noctis head clicked when he heard the explanation. His sky colored eyes widened slightly.

"…Could it be?"

Ellen blinked several times but before she can ask anything, the dark haired man already reaching for his pocket. Her grayish silver eyes then caught the sign of black familiar thing Noctis got out from his pocket. He mentioned the said thing as cell phone. However Ellen caught another object which hanging from the cell phone. Ellen had just noticed there was another object attached to the cell phone. The object was took a form of anime looking black cat. It looked like the cat was in the middle of nap as both its eyes closed and the body was made a circle. It had velvet made fur in all around its body, it looked fluffy and cute. The small object held by silver clasp. The clasp itself connected with thin and black strap tied to the cell phone. Held and attached along with the cat figure, was a small bell with light blue color. It made small rings whenever the bell moved. The green eyed girl had her eyes glued completely on the small doll. It confirmed the suspicion. Ellen quickly recognized the small doll despite it appeared quite different from what she often saw whenever Lou-fa showed her few of her things.

"…Noct, isn't that a charm?" Ellen tried to confirm her assumption. Noctis' quick nod affirmed it.

"Do you like it?" Noctis showed the charm to the bob haired Third Exorcist.

Her expression didn't show anything signified. Yet the flash of bright gleam within her eyes had said the opposite. Noctis soon in a deep thought. The short girl reminded him of someone he dearly missed. Someone he loved as a younger sister. Kiredori had the similar gleam with her when she wanted something. It was an innocent and happiness gleam. His heart clenched tightly at this similarity. Kiredori reminded him of the blond haired girl who bearing the name of the moon in his home world. Without any thought, his hand reached for the thin strap tied on his cell phone and try to open it. Once he managed to set it of from the cell phone, he thrust his hand in front of the green haired girl. Kiredori did a blink on the charm then her reddish amber colored eyes locked with Noctis' sky ones.

"Here. For you." Noctis said. "You can have it if you want."

"…"

For a few moments, the petite girl in red was not making any motion. Her eyes glued on the cat charm. Then slowly, her right hand rose up from her side. The movement was hesitant at best. However she did take the charm from his hand. Kiredori eyed the charm in her hand, not before she was closing her hand gently. Her nearly expressionless eyes went softened a bit. A ghostly smile curved on her lips for a brief moment. It was so faint to the point Ellen and Noctis might miss it. Unexpectedly the green haired girl, who almost said nothing as long as they remember, muttered something under her breath.

"…ke it…Thank you…"

Noctis was taken aback with the girl's mutter.

"Eh?" He blinked rapidly. He didn't quite catch her words.

"She said she like it and thanks." Tokusa instead responded.

"Oh." Noctis finally understood.

"You loved giving presents to everyone, aren't you?" Ellen commented.

"Not really. She reminds me of…" He trailed off.

Ellen became curious, wondering of whom Noctis reminded for.

"Reminded you with who, Noctis?" Ellen prompted him to go on.

Grayish silver eyes met sky blue eyes.

"…Luna."

Ellen tilted her head a bit to right.

It was a rather unusual name to her.

It was also obvious a girl's name.

Was she a friend or even close friend of his? Or a family maybe?

"Luna?"

"An important person. She's very close to me, in a friend and sibling manner."

Ellen nodded thoughtfully as she processed this piece of information. This was new to her. He never mentioned any girl aside from her mother. But then again, she also never got close with any other people other than Mana, let alone boys. It caused a strong nostalgia feeling to the white haired Exorcist. It was because of this, Mana often fused about getting a friend or two friends. Sometimes, he fused about getting known a boy she liked and she might want to marry in the future. Of course she ignored him in this one, made the adoptive father of her even fused more and more. She let a fond smile formed on her lips.

"Is she the person who gave that charm to you?"

"No, but she did force me to bought it by looked at me with those bunny eyes."

"…So that's why you gave her your charm. She gave you a bunny look too although it more like expressionless." Ellen concluded. "But why would she force you to?"

Ellen noticed how his cheeks went to faint red. Ellen narrowed her eyes.

"Noctis?"

Noctis looked away from her.

"…She said the charm reminded her of me."

Ellen stared widely at Noctis. There was an odd pause floated on both of them. Then a twitch on Ellen's lips broke the silence. It didn't take long before the twitch became a giggle. It didn't take long before the giggle became a series of muffled laughed that erupted from Ellen's lips because Ellen put her gloved hand over her mouth just in time to cover her laugh. Behind her, the little girl stifled a laugh too as the grandfather had this amused smile and their dog barked once.

"Prft… ≧ ˅ ≦ " Both her cheeks puffed and red from the laughter she tried to resist.

"Don't laugh. ∑ O □ O;;; " Noctis warned her, still with the red cheeks.

"I'm not." Ellen defended herself.

"You are." Noctis insisted.

"Am not." Ellen replied.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Noctis finally rolled his eyes, realized that he wouldn't win from Ellen's argument as long as she was very persistent.

"Fine…You win. ‾ □ ‾ ; "

In which Ellen flashed a brief and bright, victorious grin to him.

Tokusa's response however wasn't as kind as the prophesied Destroyer of Time.

"A sleeping, chubby, and black colored cat? Really?" Tokusa was smirking. "It does suit you very well, though."

Noctis' right eye twitched violently.

Noctis had spun his body so he could face in face with the cocky Third Exorcist.

"Excuse―"

Noctis couldn't finish his sentence as his whole body shuddered violently. His heart felt like being squished by invisible hand, it made him hard to breathe for a moment. The danger alarm inside his head suddenly blaring loudly, it signaled a dangerous threat was being near him. Very near in fact. The cold wind brushed the back of his neck and he knew at instant the chaos soon to be erupted. Too bad he had been too late.

Few seconds ago, everything seemed fine to Ellen Walker. Aside from Tokusa who has been acting difficult in this mission, they handle it quite well. While they had found some obstacles, they managed to get through from them all. She had no feeling about something bad may interrupt their mission. The threat of Noah will attack them always shadowed every mission but truthfully, she had no premonition for this mission. Not the slightest at all. Then her sixth sense alarmed her within a second, telling her a very real danger was coming to them. Grayish silver colored eyes widened instantly. That was when everything went south. Tokusa' arms got cut onto few pieces harshly, a man with long wavy, pony tailed hair already standing behind the caught off guard Third Exorcist. His long, oddly gray skinned right arm stretched out. The wavy haired man made a move as if he cut something with his arm and hand.

Both Ellen and Noctis stunned.

It took a while to register what had happened for the past few seconds before they realized they got attacked.

'…What?!' Both Ellen and Noctis thought the same line.

Tokusa's body began to wobbly.

His reddish amber went unfocused as his body staggered, alarmed both the white haired Exorcist and the black haired prince.

The moment his body started to fall forward, gone Ellen's previous annoyance for him.

Her beautiful face now showed a concern panicked.

"Tokusa!" Ellen had shouted in great concern.

When the pale green haired Exorcist in the middle of fall, Noctis took a quick teleport to Tokusa's side and managed to catch the amputated Exorcist by his waist. He wasted no time to teleport again backward, away from the assaulter.

"I got him!" He said once he got near Ellen.

Ellen did a quick check on the fallen Tokusa. She scanned his cut arms. Her silver eyes hardened in seconds.

"He's okay." Ellen stated. "He's bleeding a lot but he just fell from the injury. He should be fine for temporary. I can stop it with―"

"Hey." The man with pony tailed hair spoke.

Ellen lifted her white lock head.

A moment later, the silver eyed Exorcist held a shock gasp once she recognized the newcomer with wavy pony tail.

Noctis sensed a dreadful feeling soon after.

Definitely was not a good sign.

He could feel it.

This man was strong.

"Long time no see, young girl." The man greeted nonchalantly, turning his head partly. "Ah, should I call you Ellen instead?"

Now that he turned his head to them, Noctis finally could get a better look on the white dressed man. He was a tall young man in the middle twenties. He quite handsome with long wavy hair tied to low pony tail. The young man wore some sort of odd white dress with one long sleeve and one without sleeve. On his non-sleeve arm, he wore a white hand band around his wrist and other on his upper arm just beneath a scar. Paired with the odd stile white dress were black, fitting pants with knee high black fitting bots. Even more terrifying and deadlier was the young man's gray skin, along with those pair of burning yellow eyes and seven stigmata's on his forehead.

Noctis stopped cold at this. He saw the same stigmata and gray skin on the other Noah inside the Ark.

A Noah.

A freakin' Noah was standing before them.

But it wasn't what made Noctis went cold.

The face before him…

It was just slightly older and looked mature but…

He has the similar face with the Musician he met in his dream.

Beside him, Ellen felt her body tensed at instant at the appearance of the gray skinned young man.

"Tyki!" She shouted the Noah's name.

Madarao and Kiredori were kept their calmness but their body language signed the pure tension in the built. They eyed the newcomer Noah warily as their hands already touch the talismans. Tyki took a one step forward. His golden colored eyes narrowed ever slightly when his gaze met Noctis. His right hand twitched slightly but he managed to keep his emotion at bay. So this was the mongrel who dares to approach his Ellen and hanging together with her while he was gone. The Noah of Pleasure had to admit that the spiky haired boy with the blue eyes was handsome. No wonder Road wanted to make him as her puppet.

The boy's handsome feature wasn't like most of the people. He wasn't like the certain samurai Exorcist with his girlish face or like the eye patched Exorcist with his boyish yet mature face. His face indeed handsome and yet that feature seemed ethereal in a way. It was faint but there was this aura around him which lined with royalty. In short, the boy was handsome enough to make females would look at him twice and idolized him. The boy was handsome enough to get Ellen's attention. The boy's was handsome enough to have her let him stay with her.

Ellen had let an unknown young man standing beside her, not him.

Not Tyki, the Noah of Pleasure.

Not the Third Disciple from the Noah Clan.

Not he, who far superior from humans.

But a despicable bug named as human.

His jealously soon spiked rapidly because of the thought. He forced back the twisted, dark feeling of wanting to rip this weak human into pieces and throw him to the deepest part of the hell. No, he couldn't do that now. As much as he wanted to, he will deal with this lowly human later. The boy was quite strong from what he had observed, his power had intriguing him a bit. Tyki saw him casted light explosion a lots to destroy the Akuma and teleported from one to another place in a flash of light. A new Exorcist, perhaps? Whatever it was, to present them to the Earl was very necessary. Moreover the pony tailed Noah must perform his duty first. Couldn't let Earl and Road disappointed just because he pummeled the boy to the inch of death, could he? Besides, Tyki needed all of them alive for their party.

"The Fourteenth's name is kind a long to call. Let's just call her Ellen." Tyki was smiling politely. However he has his right hand holding a thumb down. "Don't worry, we don't have much business here."

From behind the pony tailed man, two other men with gray skin, yellow eyes, and stigmata on their forehead appeared. Ellen felt her stomach twisted in very unpleasant way. This was getting worse and worse. Not only there was one Noah she had to deal with, but now she also must deal with three Noah Clan's members at the same time? The first man was without a doubt must have a blood relation with Tyki. He was an older man around thirties with the same trait of black and long wavy hair. He had his hair slicked and leaving only two side bangs. He wore the odd white dress too but unlike Tyki, the white long dress had long sleeves paired with same colored pants and knee high long boots. The second man was also a man around thirties with bulky appearance and thick lips, suggesting the man might be a Negro. He had spike hair and sunglasses with sleeveless, odd jacket with pairing black colored fitting pants and knee high boots in white color. He also wore a pair of white hand bands and a black colored band on his right upper arm.

"We are only hunting Exorcists." Tyki added with cheerful tone.

"Noct…" Ellen pulled Noctis to behind her. "Stay back."

"Ellen!?" Noctis was taken aback with Ellen's sudden change.

"They're far more dangerous than the Level 4 Akuma. Stay behind me, I meant it." Ellen hissed, Crowned Clown already in her right hand. "They're not your opponent. I know this because I've fought them few times."

Noctis went alarmed with this new piece of information.

"Ellen, you can't face them alone―"

"Noctis, we can't just abandon the old man and his granddaughter. We must get them out from here." Ellen already cut him, her urgent voice demanding him to listen to her.

Noctis had to shut his mouth at this, sensing the weight of the truth within her words.

"…"

"As much I hate to say this," Madarao spoke up, his eyes trained on the Noah. "She does have a point."

Noctis gritted his teeth. He really wished he had been stronger than the way he was now. He was a man, a keeper above that and a keeper's duty was to protect those he cared, not letting them protect on other way around. Out of sudden, the older man with long wavy hair had his eyes focused on him. Noctis tensed when the man stayed still with his yellow eyes was keep fixing to him. The man in question then tilted his head slightly.

"Oh? If my memory served me right, isn't the young man over there is the one who Earl told us always standing near Ellen?"

"―!?" Sky blue colored eyes widened in shock.

Ellen held her breath for a brief moment but she regained her compose and was ready in her battle stance. She took another step back, shielding the euclase eyed prince completely from the Noah's disciples. The man only chuckled in mirth at her reaction but he decided to let it go for now. He could handle her later or leave her to his younger brother. Sheril had another matter to look at. This human young man was one of them.

"Are you Noctis?" The older man with wavy hair scrutinized him thoroughly.

Noctis didn't like the way the man examined him but he didn't want to see as weak opponent so he used his cold mask and glaring at him. Judged by the way Ellen shifted her position so she stood closer to him, it seemed the slim Exorcist also didn't like the way the man scrutinized him. But then again this was a Noah we talked about. If you got their attention, something will go south for certainly.

The wavy haired man hummed thoughtfully, tapping his finger on his chin.

"Despite the clothes you're wearing, you look more charming and handsome than I thought. No wonder Ellen likes you very much and Road want to meet you. Shame on you, Tyki." The wavy haired man glanced in mischief at the younger male with same wavy long hair which tied to ponytail.

The younger man, Tyki, was scowling unhappily.

"Shut up, Sheril. Not you too. Having Road talked about him," Tyki glared at Noctis. "Has made me pissed off enough."

Noctis began to let out his magic carefully, trying not to alarm the three Noah before him and Ellen.

Invisible falchion was now within his grasp.

Ready to use whenever the Noah should decide to attack.

"How do you know my name?" Noctis half demanded. "Who are you?"

Sheril glanced back to him, blinking a few times before he realized that he had indeed acted rude.

He hasn't introduced himself to the young man and the Third Exorcists!

How forgetful of him!

That won't do any good.

Moreover the first impression was crucial. He wouldn't become a good host if he couldn't make a good first impression, would he?

"Ah? How rude of me! My name is Sheril Kamelot, the Fourth Disciple of Noah Clan. Also known as Dezaiasu, Noah that represented Desire. It's a pleasure to meet you, young man. This is my younger brother Tyki or Joyd, the Third Disciple and the one over there is Maashiima, the Seventh Disciple."

"Sheril." Tyki reminded the older man with dangerous tone.

His voice was low and clearly not in the good mood.

"Oh, forgive me. I got a little too carried. So," Sheril cleared his throat. "Ellen Walker, Noctis Caelo, and the Third Exorcists…" He began.

Sheril wore a gentlemanly smile.

"The Earl invited you all to his party." Sheril spread his arms in welcoming manner.

"So please come with us or you'll face the worst."

At the same time, everywhere else around the world.

China, Huang Shan.

"What happened, Lavi?" The voice from the golem asked.

Lavi only narrowed his one green eye.

Bookman also tensed on his left side.

They had just got themselves into a big problem.

A vey big, big problem by it seems.

Lavi got sent to China with Bookman and Chaozii. A few Finders and Exorcists also accompanied them. They were currently in Huang Shan or 'Yellow Mountains', a mountainous region in the southern Anhui province. The region had peculiar, odd shaped granite peaks with its famous pine trees and hot springs. They were in the middle of mission to exterminate some Akuma that reported to be in sight. They did found the reported Akuma and fought them. It was a hard battle but they killed all of them in the end. It supposed to be a succeed mission. And now, standing nonchalantly before them, was an unknown Noah they never meet. Lavi could instantly recognize the gray colored skin along with the yellow eyes and stigmata on his forehead. Full moon shone the land including with the unknown Noah with its cold, eerily light. The moonlight only made the Noah even more frightening. An encounter with lot of Akuma in your mission was one thing. Encountered a Noah with unknown ability was another whole different matter.

"Marie," Lavi responded after a brief, gripping pause.

"A Noah just showed up."

He readied to activate his Innocence.

The Noah smiled darkly in response.

Russia, Jikaljan.

Jikaljan wasn't existed in world's map since it was a small city somewhere in the Russia. Jikaljan was a city with beautiful architecture and landscape. The city was quite far from the nearest cities but still accessible. It was a cold night in this small city with the pale, white moon hanging above the city. For most of the time, the city was always in peace.

However the peace would not happened for tonight.

Krory and Miranda followed General Winter Sokalo to this small, peaceful city for Akuma. Lots of Akuma sighted to wander around this city in these few days and it made the citizens very apprehensive, they didn't dare to go out from their home once the night fall. Thus the Exorcists got sent to this small city with few other Exorcists and Finders to terminate the Akuma. It had been a difficult battle for them since the Akuma numbers' actually a double from the report they received. They did defeat those Akuma after a long 2 hours fight. But they couldn't let their relief yet. For the newcomers had come to their face.

Standing and sitting a top of a building, were three members of Noah. The first two Noah were Jasdero and Devit, The Noah represented of Bond who Krory fought in the Ark before. They were sitting together at one side of the building. The last was an unknown Noah with spiky black hair who carried a big sword behind his waist. He had his arms folded in front of his chest.

The unknown Noah lips' curved into a faint smirk.

Greece, Corinth.

Ancient Corinth.

The ancient city located 5 km on south-west from the current Corinth. The city was once one from the most powerful and largest cities in Greece in ancient time. However in current times the only left from the wealthy ancient city were the ruins of temple and certain buildings. Temple of Apollo was one of these ruins. This temple located at the highest point of ancient Corinth city. The night had fallen in this land. The moon shone the 7 Doric style columns of Apollo Temple with its pale light. It supposed to be a magnificent view of the night…

But tonight a fierce and cruel battle was about to take the stage.

Lenalee along with two other Exorcist and Goushi, one of the Third Exorcists, were staring at a direction. They just finished a intense fight with a large number of Akuma when their attention focused at the temple's columns. Or rather, they stared at what has landed above one of the columns. It was a dragon. A huge dragon with long neck, bat wings, reptilian like body, thick scales, and sharp talons. However it wasn't a normal dragon. For those Exorcists, they had an idea of the true form from this fantasy beast. The dragon was a Noah.

Not a good sign for the green haired girl.

"A Noah…?" Lenalee stood beside the other Exorcists, still panting tiredly from using her Black Boots.

The dragon's eyes gleamed under the moonlight.

Back to Petra, Jordan…

On top of the very same cliff where the Exorcists fought previously, alone figure jumped between the rocks. The figure continued to leap until he reached the mouth of the cliff. He stopped and called his friends. His voice echoed loudly through the cliff's wall. He was Link and he looked for his charge, Ellen Walker and Noctis Caelo.

"Walker! Caelo!" The blond haired Inspector turned to his right and left, searching for any sign of Ellen and Noctis.

"Where are you, Walker!?" Link shouted loudly, holding his cloak from the wind blow. "Walker! Caelo! Respond to me!"

Only the deafening silence replied back to him. A bad premonition started to grow as he continued to search for the Exorcists. So far, the only sight that greeted him back was empty cliff and plateau canyon. No sight of Ellen or Noctis. Link gritted his teeth in frustration.

'Neither Madarao or Tokusa is responding. Not even Kiredori give any responds.' Link erased the sweats and dust from his cheek with the back of his gloved hand.

'I sense that something bad happening…'Link turned around for once more hoping to find the Exorcists for the last time but his hope didn't get realize in the end. 'What is it!?'

His hands fisted and gripped so hard.

"I should've following them quickly…" Link muttered. "I should've foreseen this."

The mahogany eyed young man let out a curse.

"D*mn!" He then running to another direction, continue his search for his missing friends.

'What is going to happen!?'

Meanwhile on the other side of Petra…

In one of the Nabatean temple's ruins on the cliff's wall…

Drop…

The sounds of dripping water drops.

Dark.

Damp.

An odd smell which Kokona felt familiar but she couldn't place where she had smelt it before.

Her whole body was numb. Her body felt so heavy and she felt so drowsy. The twin tailed little girl had a half mind to continue to sleep in bliss. However her half mind alerted her to wake up and find out where are they exactly. A flash of previous memory came into her mind. There were lots of flashes and explosions before anything went blurred and she didn't remember anything after. Curious, Kokona opened her eyelids carefully despite the sleepiness. It was quite hard at first but she forced her eyelids to open. Not easy at first but she did it in the end. Once the little girl with the hat managed to open her eyes, she found herself staring to stalagmites. From the corner of her eyes, she caught the very same older girl with star shaped scar who saved her and her grandfather from those monsters.

"…Star Sister?" She was staring at the older girl. "Where is it? Where are we…?"

"…We're in a cave. Don't worry, we're safe." The scarred maiden told her. Kokona noticed how the blood was flowing from her fresh injury on her right forearm. "Noct ―by the way, he's the big brother with blue eyes― has healed all your injuries. While they're only minor, you and your grandfather need some rest."

"My friend ―the ones with red clothes― put up those talismans. Don't leave here until all of them come off." She told the little girl. Kokona did take a glance to found a numbers of paper with odd words written on them got attached on the wall around her and her grandfather. "The scary things are following us, so we're parting with you here. Please take care and be careful, okay?"

The snow white haired lady's figure then turned into a blur before gone completely. Timcanpy closed its mouth once it done delivered Ellen's message to the braided little girl. Understanding came to Kokona when the golden golem flew closer to her.

"You give me her message?" Kokona eyed the yellow colored…being with uncertain feeling.

The golden golem responded happily.

"Rawr!"

"…Can you please tell her my message?" The little girl asked after a brief ponder.

The golden golem nodded eagerly.

Kokona smiled thankfully at Timcanpy.

"Please take care as well." She began only to pause for a moment.

"Oh, and thank you for saving me and Grandpa. I really hope we can meet again. If Star Sister will come again, we will be very happy to welcome you at our village." Kokona's smile widened at the thought of having her and her friends as guests in her village.

She wished that day will came for sure.

Kokona couldn't wait!

"I will be waiting. See you again."

A happy yowl replied the twin tailed little girl.

In another part of the cave…

"Huff…"

"That will do for now." Ellen backed away from the panted Third Exorcist.

She wiped the sweats from her forehead with her right hand.

A sound of step then brought her attention to Noctis.

"Noctis." Ellen noticed the euclase eyed young man.

"How's your injury?" Noctis kneeled.

He was eyeing the injury on her forearm, Ellen followed where his gaze landed.

"Oh, this?" Ellen showed her injured right forearm then shook her head. "This is nothing. I'm still in the good shape." Ellen replied, smiling reassuringly. "How about you?"

"Still recovering. I'm fine otherwise."

Both Madarao and Kiredori were in the higher part of the cave, searching for any sign of Noah. So far, they didn't come after the Exorcists. It should be a good thing since they got fresh injuries from fought the Noah, they just barely got away from them. Yet it didn't mean they wouldn't stop the chasing, sooner or later they will catch up with the Exorcists and they must ready at any time. Ellen, Noctis, and Tokusa were in the lower cave's floor. Tokusa leaned against the cave's wall while Ellen and Noctis kneeled around him. Ellen had tried to stop the blood flowing from both his amputated arms with the first aid. It worked surprisingly well but she still concerned about the injuries. They must get close soon or the infection will affect the arms.

The silver eyed maiden originally wanted to ask Noctis for healing magic but due to chase and fight between the Noah, Noctis had been forced to use his teleport a lots to save their ass before they could lose the Noah. By the time they found this forgotten temple by coincidence, he already had little strength to cast a spell. Ellen forced to make a decision between healing the little girl and her grandfather who got injured during the mad chase or the Third Exorcist first. The owner of the Crowned Clown finally asked Noctis to heal the little girl and her grandfather first since they were just a couple of normal humans that had nothing to do with this fight and their safety was her main concern. Noctis healed them secretly because he wasn't sure with the Third Exorcists' reaction. He asked Ellen to keep this from them, for now. Ellen agreed and let him healed both civilians. After they placed both Kokona and her grandfather in a safe place, they went to another part from inside the Nabatean temple. Once they settled down, Ellen checked for Tokusa's injured arms and gave him a first aid. It did stop most of the blood flows but the drops didn't completely stop at all.

"This is not good. The blood is still flowing." Noctis watched the blood flow frowningly.

"I wonder why the blood is still flowing. Maybe I should check once more…" Ellen was about to touch Tokusa when he snapped angrily to her.

"Don't touch it!"

Ellen startled, her hand stopped barely from touching Tokusa's arm.

"Dammit…!" Tokusa cursed in the middle of panting. "Running away when Noah was right in front of me…I can't allow this…sh*t!"

"…"

Ellen and Noctis took a glance toward each other. Noctis could only shake his head to Ellen. Ellen sighed a long breath in response, her shoulders slumped slightly. This was not going to be easy. This was Tokusa they currently handling. Of course he would not go without few struggles due to his pride. So instead, Ellen touched his shoulder and giving him a suggestion.

"Treatment first. You can't fight with this wound. We also must head back to the camp."

Tokusa snapped. "Shut up! I'm…not going back there…"

"You will die at this rate!" Ellen shouted anxiously. "Noctis, please use your healing magic! I don't care what you will use, just anything to close his wounds, please! There's got to be something you can do, right!?"

"Let him be." Madarao simply replied before Noctis could give any reply. "His wounds have already closed."

True to Madarao's words, the wounds on Tokusa's arms closed by itself in abnormal speed.

"!"

Ellen was taken aback by the rapid healing process.

"This is…" Sky blue eyes widened at the sight.

"Amazing…" A cold sweat was rolling from Ellen's forehead once the injuries completely closed off. She remembered this skill only used by a certain Japanese Exorcist. "You have the same skill as Kanda…"

"…Skill you said?" Tokusa repeated in inquiry tone. He then snorted mockingly. "Humph…That's right. That guy was…Alma Karma's…Hahaha…"

"Alma…?" Ellen mouthed confusedly.

"Who?" Noctis furrowed his eyebrows.

Timcanpy that flew back from the deeper part of the temple, stopped above Ellen's head, joining the crews.

Between the pants, Tokusa spoke more.

"I can…only close the wounds. I wish I had a skill like the Second has…"

"…?" Ellen furrowed her eyebrows intriguingly. 'The Second…?'She repeated mentally.

"Madarao." Tokusa begged once he managed to get better a bit. "Please."

There was a tense silence when Madarao only shifted his head a bit. The tense broke away after he made a movement and started to walk onto their direction. Kiredori didn't move away from her spot. Her amber colored eyes only following Madarao's steps in silent. The ice blue haired Third Exorcist had his right arm turned to modified Akuma arm.

"!?"

Ellen glanced toward Madarao questioningly. Noctis also did the same thing though Madarao ignored their stares and stopped before Tokusa's slumped form.

"Swear…that you will survive and become a 'womb'!"

A bad, dreadful premonition soon filled the white haired Exorcist's mind.

"Yeah." The ice blue haired young man simply answered.

'What is he talking about?' Ellen sensed something very wrong with this.'And why I have a bad feeling about this!?'

Her premonition soon confirmed. Madarao kneeled in front of the pale green haired Exorcist. He placed his Akuma arm on Tokusa's chest. Ellen saw how the glowing orb on Madarao's arm began to shining brighter. A sign that the Akuma arm was about to activate to absorb the target.

"!"

Grayish silver colored eyes went widened as realization struck her.

Madarao was going to absorb Tokusa.

He will go to kill the pony tailed Third Exorcist.

To absorbed Tokusa into nothing.

The flash, fresh memory of the absorbed Akuma then went through her eyes.

Those Akuma's souls which gone before she could even save them.

No.

She couldn't let it happened, not while she was standing in there.

"Stop!" Ellen stopped the ice blue haired Exorcist.

She stepped between him and Tokusa and knocked Madarao's transformed arm away with her Innocence arm.

"What are you doing?! He's our fellow…!" The white haired female Exorcist shouted angrily.

Noctis already stood too. He focused onto Madarao, staring warily.

"That's right." Madarao replied as his amber eyes gazed apathetically to her silver ones. "I'm going to absorb him."

"Can you not get involved, Master Disciple?" The pony tailed Third Exorcist interrupted with a smirk on his face.

He too, already stood up from the cave floor.

"…! What―" Ellen looked at Tokusa incredulously. She didn't understand them. Why would they even do this far? Why should Madarao absorb Tokusa? Ellen turned her head to the ice blue haired Third Exorcist.

"Why…?!" She asked this to Madarao, she couldn't comprehend them.

"Since Tokusa can't activate it anymore, there's no reason for him to continue on living. That's why I'll take Alma cells absorbed in his body."

It was rather devastating answer.

It made Noctis even stunned on his place.

Of course Ellen wouldn't accept such answer.

"Are you crazy? Stop messing around!" Ellen finally snapped. She had enough with all of these non senses. "What the heck is that Alma thing anyway…!?"

"Alma Karma…The first womb that gave us the cells fused with the Akuma eggshell." Madarao explained tonelessly. "We, who have absorbed the Alma cells, have been given the first grade mission of 'womb transformation'."

"Womb…transformation?" Ellen parroted. What was that?

'I don't think I'll like what will follow…'Noctis thought uneasily. 'The name's giving me a bad vibe already.'

"Alma cells multiply by absorbing Akuma." The ice blue haired Third Exorcist further explained. "When we transform into a womb, our life is taken by God and our cells are used to bear other Thirds. This is how Anti-Akuma power expands and become the foundation of world wide mercy. That is the Third Exorcist Project."

Ellen was stunned as the whole information from Madarao came sunk to her mind.

"You, who were chosen by Innocence and effortlessly become Disciple, won't understand…" Tokusa smirked mockingly.

"―!"

Ellen glanced at the pale green haired male. "No way…"

Ellen was about to retorted him when she noticed the tears flowing from Tokusa's eyes.

"Through this…we too, would like to save this world…"

Ellen' heart pained to see him cried like this. "Tokusa…"

"Don't get in our way! Now my last wish is to be absorbed and become a part of Madarao…" The pony tailed Third Exorcist yelled. "I'd never accept being killed by the Noah like this!"

WHAM!

"!?"

"!"

The sound of punch echoed within that cave.

At the same time, Tokusa had his face already snapped to the right side.

Due to the punch, he hit the cave's wall with a loud thud.

Everyone surprised.

Everyone had been caught off guard.

Ellen gasped softly once she recognized the arm which just punched Tokusa's cheek.

The fair female Exorcist snapped her head and taken aback when she saw the angry face of Noctis. His jaws tightened, his lips pulled onto a scowl, and his euclase eyes now burning with rage. Ellen almost took a step back when she saw this. She never saw him so…angry as she was witnessing it now. There was once time when Kanda confronted him inside Komui's office but it was a defensively anger. This time his anger was entirely different. His glare filled with hot rage like a wildfire that ready to destroy anything which becomes its intended target. It frightened her a little bit if she could admit her feeling.

Astonished and still with the throbbing right cheek, Tokusa gazed at the culprit from the corner of his eyes. He shocked to see the young man who he considered not too important since he wasn't an Exorcist, now looked threatening and intimidating with that scowl and glare of his. The euclase eyed young man pulled back his arm and approached the pale green haired Exorcist. Tokusa's shock furthered by the time Noctis grabbed his collar shirt and pulled it harshly, forcing Tokusa to look straight at him.

"…Know what I've been thinking, Tokusa?" Noctis glared sharply at the pale green haired Third Exorcist. "I'll never accept someone like you wanting to die when many people out there are fighting teeth and nails to live."

A wave of anger surged inside Tokusa.

"What!?" He responded rather irately.

Noctis' grip on Tokusa's shirt hardened. "You heard what I said, don't make me repeat it! If you don't have a reason to live then find another! Trying to save the world isn't only by die from fighting a war."

As soon as the sentence left from his mouth, Ellen was standing still on her place.

Trying to save the world isn't only by die from fighting a war.

His final sentence echoed repeatedly within her mind over and over again. As if to make her remember that in order to protect this world and humankind, took an active role to fight wasn't the only way to achieve this purpose. It could be achieved with other ways, lots of people would never or rarely think of. Being the researchers was one of them. They may not have the capability to fight like Exorcists and CROW but they had brain and intelligence to cover their lack of strength. They could create things which helped the Exorcists win the battle with the Akuma. The Finders were the same, they didn't have the same strength and intelligence like their fellows comrade but they had their own capability to search any information about Innocence or anything unusual. They too, also can defend themselves to one point should they get ambush. They could help their fellow conrades, the Exorcists and the researchers in a way. When Ellen pondered about these facts, an idea popped in her brain. Her face a bit brightened at the idea. It was still a theory not yet to be proven…but if it can work then maybe Tokusa didn't have to die from being absorbed.

The pale green haired Exorcist's loud voice brought Ellen back to reality.

It was bringing her attention back to Tokusa and Noctis.

"You don't know anything, you don't understand anything!" Tokusa snapped, giving the young man an equal glare.

"I may not understand," Noctis responded hardly, he was gritting his teeth. "However I know the feeling. She's too, also know it as well." He motioned at Ellen who still staring at him with her wide silver eyes.

"You―!"

Noctis let go Tokusa's shirt and had his right palm facing Tokusa.

For a second, Tokusa was having himself caught off guard.

His ears then picked the euclase eyed guy's voice spelling a word.

"Sleep."

There was a dimly blue light soon came from the black haired young man's hand. Before the pale green haired male even knew, his sense went dulled drastically and he felt drowsy out of sudden. It alarmed Tokusa greatly. A spell!? But it was different from what he had been taught during his stay in CROW. Tokusa didn't surrender under the spell, instead he struggled to stay awake. Yet his struggle all in vain since his sight darkened in few seconds. He lost the control of his body and gave away to the spell. The last thing Tokusa ever saw was the cave floor as darkness consumed him completely.

He felt his body swung forward onto the floor.

Then nothing.

Ellen saw how Tokusa subdued to a bliss sleep as his eyes closed.

His body then lost balance and would be fell straight to the ground should Noctis didn't spread his right arm just in time to catch the pale green haired Exorcist.

For few moments of odd pause, everyone was standing still.

Every pair of eyes trained on both Noctis and Tokusa.

Ellen blinked her eyes blankly before the gears in her brain finally processed the whole event.

The white haired Exorcist then gaped incredulously at the rather bold act.

"Noctis, what are you doing to him!?" Ellen shouted in slight panic as the euclase eyed male held Tokusa' limp body.

"Make him stay still." Noctis ran his hand through his spiky hair.

His anger had gone for most of parts, only to be replaced by tiredness.

Noctis then noticed the unreadable stares they were giving to him.

"What?" He asked them in discomfiture.

"I don't think knocked a fellow Exorcist when we desperately need him will be a good idea." Ellen hesitantly told him.

Noctis' right eye twitched irately.

"You want him to babble those things and getting absorbed after?"

Ellen had a sudden urge to slap her own forehead when Noctis mentioned it.

She almost forgot it.

Crap.

She couldn't and wouldn't deny that fact hidden beneath the question.

The white haired Exorcist didn't want the pony tailed Exorcist to die.

In fact, she had just an idea involving the pony tailed male so Tokusa didn't have to die.

Ellen still had no idea if the idea can work or not.

Still, better trying than not, right?

It was a worthy idea to her, although she still must to tell this to the rest of the crew.

Her though then went back to certain pale green haired male.

Remembering Tokusa's stubborn and apparently quite hot headed nature…

Perhaps they should knock him out first and discussing the idea after.

Ellen somehow doubting the said Third Exorcist will accept the idea without some biting arguments.

"…On the second thought," Ellen cleared her throat awkwardly, sweat dropping. "Maybe have him out of cold is a far better choice than he's being absorbed. He still can help us, after all."

By the time Ellen ended her sentence, she got a sharp gaze from Madarao.

He had this tight frown on his lips.

"You're not listening to me, aren't you?" Madarao had his eyes narrowed. "I've told you once he can't activate the Anti-Akuma, he has no reason to live."

"He has." Noctis retorted. "He just doesn't know yet."

Madarao didn't look too happy.

His left eyebrow twitched violently.

The ice blue haired male looked more than ready to give them his own thought.

"Before you can give another retort to us," Ellen cut the ice blue haired Exorcist before he can give a retort. "The three of you can use spells and talismans, right?"

Madarao snapped his head to Ellen almost immediately.

"We are from CROW. Of course we are trained to use spells and talismans before we became the Third Exorcists."

"Both his arms might have gone but he still can chant the spells."

"Your point is?" Madaro asked with impatient.

Ellen told the ice blue haired Exorcist of her idea finally.

"Why you don't ask Noctis to assist him?"The white haired maiden asked, folding her arms across her chest. "He's not an Exorcist but he has his hands intact to grab those talismans and he uses magic like you although his is a lot different, you also saw it in Paris."

Madarao gazed frowningly at her. "Where did you…?"

"I asked Link yesterday. It took me a while before he finally told who the Third Exorcists that helped us in previous mission. From what Link had told me a bit in Istanbul, you were in there. You must've seen it. He can protect Madarao from the Noah should they attack us again." Ellen explained lengthily.

"…"

She did ask the blond haired Inspector when they still in Istanbul concerning the Third Exorcists. She asked him which one from those Third Exorcists who helped them inside the barrier. Link reluctant to tell her at first and didn't want to tell her first. However Ellen insisted that she was going to work with them so she had to know which one that had saved their lives. The owner of the Crowned Clown insisted further that he didn't have to tell her the whole things he knew about them, she just wanted a name and she will not bugging the poor Inspector anymore unless she really need something. Finally, Link gave her the name of the Third Exorcist that did save them in Paris but he made her swore to never ask him about them unless it was really important. Ellen accepted the terms without any problems at all.

Back to the present time, after Ellen finished her explanation both the rest of the Third Exorcists now staring her with strange stares as if they have been told to finish a puzzle no more than 10 seconds.

"You never thought of this, aren't you?" Noctis rolled his eyes. "Never mind. I'll carry him. Let's get out of here and find Link."

Noctis shifted Tokusa's body and circling both his arms beneath the slept Third Exorcist's shoulders and behind his knees.

The young Lucis then lifted the Third Exorcist's body onto a bridal style.

It was kind of weird for Ellen to see him carrying someone in this…style.

Her lips twitched from an ironic smile she managed to hold.

Another good thing why Tokusa must got put in deep sleep.

If he ever find out, he will prefer to die rather than getting carried by the euclase eyed young man.

"With the Noah now chasing us, we will need as much as manpower. I said we have head back to camp and get Kanda." The white haired Exorcist suggested the crew. "Do you still strong enough to teleport us once more? Just this once."

Noctis turned to her, tilting his head a bit.

"Why?"

"You had teleported all of us few times before we found this cave." Ellen reminded him.

"U-huh."

"Are you still recovering?"

"…If I given a little more time, I will." He answered weakly.

Ellen chewed her lower lips, grimaced slightly. Well, it wasn't entirely good news. Noctis' teleport was quite handy but not only had it cost his stamina, he teleported extra loads of three Exorcists, a golem, and a couple of civilians with their dog. Bringing more loads meant it given more pressure and strain into his body. Not helping since he was rarely teleported more than one person and he couldn't teleport more than 150 meters. Ellen felt guilty to ask him to teleport them again but they didn't have any time, they were in urgent situation. Those Noah were looking for them, they must go back to their base camp and get reinforcement. They must move fast before the Noah can find them and they screwed for good. Guess they have no choice but to move themselves as quickly as possible.

"If it can grant you more rest even just a little, I can take him with me if you want." Ellen offered, eyeing the unconscious Tokusa in Noctis' arms.

The pony tailed male was actually more peaceful and looked more innocent when he slept like that.

It was also kind of adorable though she doubt Tokusa will ever accept such comment.

Noctis shook his head disapprovingly.

"We need you, Ellen. You're the only Exorcist here aside from them. You said it yourself, you have battle with Noah before." He pinpointed.

"Are you sure, Noct?" Ellen looked to him with some uncertain feeling. "Because for all we know they might be after you and Tokusa since he's vulnerable right now and you are not an Exorcist."

Noctis gave her a firm nod. "Definitely."

Honestly, the grayish silver eyed female still unsure whether she can put her confidence to him or not. He never faced a Noah as long as he stuck in this world, let alone Akuma Level 4. Other than that, Ellen had to admit that the young man was a capable fighter. He had some point also, Ellen was the only Exorcist within their small group who ever fought Noah more than once. The owner of the Crowned Clown even fought Tyki at least three times. In the end, Ellen finally trusted his ability to defend and take care of himself so long he didn't fight any Noah and stay away from any battles which disadvantaged either him or the rest of the Exorcists.

"If you need something, just ask right away. I will help you with my best effort." Ellen told him.

Noctis smiled slightly.

"Sure―"

A long, strong arm suddenly was circling around Noctis' neck.

Stopped him from finished his sentence.

Then a deep, unfamiliar voice responded from behind him.

It should be impossible because only cave wall existed behind him.

There was no one there.

Or that was he thought.

Apparently, he had been wrong.

"That was a nice speech, Noctis. It was quite touching. And you, Ellen, your concern is so admirable. You will make a good wife in the future." The unknown voice commented in praise manner. "Don't worry. We're not the ones who will finish him off."

It took a whole minute for Noctis to register that he had heard this voice earlier.

He felt his body frozen like an ice statue.

It was the earlier Noah's they encountered.

It was Sheril's voice.

And his power still hasn't recovering completely.

He could feel the arm around his neck tightened forcefully.

He was doomed.

Panic.

It was the only exact word to describe Ellen Walker currently.

"Tokusa!"

From the corner of her eyes, Madarao took a step forward, there was a not so hidden concern expression painted on his face.

Kiredori was more than ready to rush to Tokusa's place.

What was wrong with this day? Things were getting worse so quickly in tonight. From faced the wave of Akuma Level 3, saw them absorbed and left their souls to darkness, to met three Noah Disciples at the same time. Even fighting three Noah will be a suicide mission for her so they must get away from them. They did success to run from the Noah and everything went well until an arm wrapped around Noctis' neck, strangled him in the way.

She followed where the arm goes and much to her shock and disbelief, it was the arm of the Noah who introduced himself as Sheril earlier. Somehow he could penetrate the cave wall, which must had something to do with his Noah ability. It was a disturbing sight for Ellen. It reminded her painfully with the first time she met Tyki. Perhaps she shouldn't have too surprise. He was Tyki's proclaimed older brother after all, of course he will have similar ability with the pervert man. She caught the Noah's headlock strengthened rapidly and made Noctis gritting his teeth to resist the rushed pain, a grunt slipped from his mouth. However he still holding Tokusa firmly, not letting the slept Exorcist falls from his arms.

Ellen gasped fearfully at the sight.

Her heart was beating erratically.

Her tenseness increased rapidly almost at the same moment.

Oh no, anyone but him. Anyone but Noctis! He wasn't even an Exorcist and this man dare to use him as a hostage with Tokusa!

She must save both of them!

Ellen doesn't care anymore with the Noah, she must save Noctis and Tokusa!

"Noctis!" Ellen ran toward the captivated Lucis.

Noctis gasped inaudibly as his eyes fell to her far left side.

"Ellen, watch out!" He warned alarmingly.

Ellen caught a blur came from the corner of her left eye. Ellen had her eyes widened drastically. Spun her body, she was about to throw her left arm in defense when a strong and firm hand caught her wrist. The next thing she knew, the white haired Exorcist got pushed to opposite wall. She slammed the cave wall hard, letting out a pained shout. Her left hand twitched under the hurtful grip. A low, amused chuckle came from in front of her. Ellen lifted up her head to have a pair of rich golden colored eyes were staring to her. A smirk curved on Tyki's grey lips as he kept her left arm turning to Crowned Clown. Ah, how long has it been since he ever got this close to her? Too long to count already, months had passed since their last meeting. He must to endure all those days without having the certain beautiful Exorcist within his reach. It had been a torturing months for him due to being unable to see or meet his favorite Exorcist. So when Earl ordered all the Disciples to take some Exorcists for their party, Tyki was more than eager and ecstatic to meet his grayish silver eyed maiden. To have her close to him was his greatest pleasure after months of suffering. His pleasure couldn't be described by words because to him, it was how it supposed to be. It was how the natural to him.

She should be staying by his side.

Not by some random and inferior guy other than him.

Ellen was his and his alone.

She was his possession.

No one could ever touch her.

Not even in the past.

Not even now.

Not even in future.

Never.

"Sorry, young girl. No interfere." He purred to her with heavy pleasure.

Ellen threw him a glare filled with vexation. "Tyki!"

"…!"

Kiredori who had been watching from the corner finally took an action.

She pulled a handful of talismans, ready to use them to the Noah of Pleasure. Saw this from the corner of his eyes, Tyki snorted amusedly and his smirk widened ever slightly. He trusted his left hand onto the petite Exorcist's right shoulder. Kiredori's amber eyes winced as the hand sunk through her shoulder, incapable her at the process. The amber eyed girl had her hand squeezed the talismans between her fingers, resisting the throbbing pain from her right shoulder. From behind the pony tailed Noah, Madarao got kicked by the bulky Noah as he too tried to do the same thing with Kiredori. Madarao fell to the ground and the sunglasses Noah use this opportunity to slam his foot onto the ice blue haired male's chest while the other foot slammed the hand that holding the talismans. Madarao groaned in pain and he could feel his bones cracked under the Noah foot's pressure. As Kiredori saw her friend being hurt, Tyki spared a glance to the immobile Third Exorcist before him.

"Na-a-a-ah." Tyki playfully shook his head. "That's including you as well, Midget."

Kiredori glared dangerously toward the Third Disciple. "Uh…"

As he was watching the event, Sheril nodded in satisfaction to his younger brother and his fellow Noah.

"Good job, Little Brother." Sheril nodded approvingly at Tyki.

"Now…" The Fourth Disciple focused back to Noctis.

"I took us a while to spot you all. That was so sly of you, pulling such trick to us! Who knew you can use teleport and pull sword from nothing?" Sheril giggled jovially. "I'm apologized though. You will not escape from us so easily this time."

His arm tightened slightly and made Noctis winched painfully.

"I have something to tell to the boy you're carrying at. However since he's currently unavailable, guess it's you who should be listening. Have no worry, Charming Boy. I will not do anything to you, Road want you in one piece after all. She's my daughter, of course I will bring the best present for her～!" Sheril reassured to young man he currently held.

He chuckled in mirth when Noctis sent him a disbelief look. Wasn't he an interesting young man? Sheril laughed mentally, imagined the joyful face of Road once he bring the young man to her. He couldn't wait to see his beautiful daughter! And Ellen Walker as an extra bonus! He could imagine it, he could imagine it very clearly! Road will become the happiest daughter in the world thanks to him! It was an anticipating moment for him. But first, he must finish his task in this place. Actually he wanted to immobile the pale green haired Exorcist after Sheril told him who will finish those Third Exorcists. He had to change his plan when this young man he currently held as captive had knock out the Third Exorcist first. Well, no matter. He still has to relay the message.

Sheril then whispered to Noctis' right ear.

"Would you like me to tell you the name of the one who will finish him off?" Sheril asked secretively.

"―!?"

Sky blue eyes snapped to his direction, still wincing in pain.

Sheril smirked. "It's his…"

The Fourth Disciple's voice became a mere whisper in the end.

However it gave an impact to Noctis.

'!'

Euclase colored eyes went wide due from shock.

It really caught him of guard. He wasn't expected it.

From his opposite, Ellen who had her left arm clenched by Tyki then was letting out a gasp.

Almost as if giving him an answer, Noctis felt a hand grabbed the back of his head.

Then an unforgivable pain attacked his head.

It was an intense pain that went through his body. It was so painful until he had to clench shut his eyes. He could felt something pushed from inside his throat. Suddenly the taste of copper filled his tongue and he cough violently. The copper tasted liquid came out from his mouth, its drops fell onto the earth beneath his feet. Ellen was shouting frantically from his opposite but he couldn't make her words. It sounded gibberish to him for some reason. He was in the sea of pain as the arm which held his neck loosened before letting him go.

His hold on Tokusa gradually loosened. Tokusa slipped from his arms and fell with a soft thud onto the cave floor. He too, began to lose his strength as well as his own vision quickly. His vision went blurred and the colors mixed chaotically in a swirl as each second passed. His body tottered to one direction.

As the pain became more unbearable for him, Noctis finally gave up.

He saw as the ground draw closer to him in a quick phase.

Before completely swallowed by the darkness of oblivion, he saw Ellen's horrified face for one last time.

Darkness then took over him.

The last thing his ears picked up…

Was Ellen's scream which filled in terror…

Calling for his name.

"NOCTIIIIIS―!!"

SLASH!

KTRAAANK!

The sounds of fallen metal echoed clatteringly through the whole dining room.

It was a spacious, elegant, and luxurious dining room.

Antique tools and beautiful arts were placed neatly around the room. In the middle of the room, there was a dining table made from Cyprus wood. A lot of chairs made from the same type wood tucked under the table, except for one. It got occupied by a teenage girl around 17 to 18 years old. She had long blond hair which braided up and side pony. She possessed a pair of blue with purplish accent eyes and fair skin. The girl was not beautiful but she fulfilled the category of 'cute girl'. The girl wore a white dress and white elegant shoes with same colored sleeveless jacket above it. The only accessories she ever wore to accentuate her childish beauty were the moon and star necklace around her neck and the silver ring she wore on her right ring finger.

However there was something wrong.

Her blue with purple accented eyes widened in shock as she held her hand over the others. She placed them in front of her chest, where the moon and star pendant would be. Her heart was beating very fast and erratic as if she just did a 100 meters sprint. There was a letter above the table. It half opened, proving that the letter in the middle of being cut. Not too far from the letter, there was a silver letter opener with an angel carved. If one looked more closely, there were few amounts of blood on its blade and on the table. The girl slowly moved her right hand, revealing a cut injury on her index finger. The thin line of blood was flowing from the cut. The blood also stained her other hand. Not too long after, the blond haired girl heard a hurriedly steps coming from the hall. The door then suddenly opened from the outside.

"Miss Luna!?" A maid with chocolate colored braided bun and pale green eyes appeared from the door. She quickly approached her young miss.

"What was that sound earlier―, Miss Luna! Are you alright!?" The blond haired girl was about to answer when the maid soon gasped as her gaze landed on the injury.

"You cut your finger!" The brunette exclaimed in horror.

"Ah…" Luna was glancing between her finger and the maid as realization dawned to her. She hid her hand behind her back. "I'm fine…I think…"

The maid shook her head in disbelief, didn't buy her young miss' words. The maid came to the blond haired girl' side and caught her wrist. Luna protested but the brunette maid ignored it. Her pale green eyes examined the cut. The maid then shook her head again.

"Milady, please don't be reckless! You're lucky it's only a shallow cut. What I must explain to Master if you deeply injured yourself?" She fused.

"Chiara, you don't have to fuss over a simple thing like this. I'm just not being careful."

"It's still dangerous! You could've asked me to open the letter." Chiara scolded her young miss.

Luna held a grimace. "It's only a letter. I can open it by myself."

"Still, to open it with a letter opener knife…What were you thinking?!" Chiara let go Luna's injured hand and dashed away. "I will go to get a bandage. Please stay in here. I promise I will be quick."

"Wait, Chiara―" before Luna could ever stopped the brunette, she already gone from the blond haired girl's sight.

"She's gone…" Luna sweat dropped.

She exhaled a deep breath. The long blond haired girl was nursing the finger she cut accidentally. Luna then closed her eyes and seems in deep concentration for something. The purplish blue eyed girl then murmured a silent word and mysteriously, sparkles of crystals' shards appeared around her form. They danced slowly and lazily and following their appearance, the blood from the cut injury had stopped abruptly. Luna opened her almond shaped eyes on her index finger. She had a small smile of satisfaction when the blood didn't flow anymore from the injury. The braided girl then silently dismissed the crystals shards from her surrounding. Once the shards went disappeared from the world, Luna took a side glance at the nearest window.

The small smile gone from her pink lips, her face set into a frown. The white dressed girl walked forward. Once she already before the window, she stopped in her track. Her purplish blue colored eyes were scanning the outstanding view outside the window. Several mountains stood gallantly with lush green, a bit of light brown in here and there. Below the mountain, spread a wide and huge prairie with stunning color of green grass. A little closer to the mansion where she currently took reside at, were various buildings both in size and colors. Most of them colored in white and crème with red roofs sometimes dark orange roofs. Flower pots hanged in the windows, patios, and lamp post. The citizens walked on the road, busy with each of their own activities. Luna noticed a group of children just came home from the school. Amongst them, there was a couple of a boy and a little girl with same light brown color hair. Luna could guess they were siblings. They laughed along their friends and were holding each other's hand in sibling affection manner. Luna's heart tightened at the sight. They reminded her of herself with Noctis and Stella. When they were little, they also used to holding hands like that too.

Luna's mind then flew at the memory when she had to go and took a refugee to Altissia without having any choice. Getting separated herself from Stella and Noctis. Few weeks ago, she got news about Lucis got an attack from another country, possibility Niflheim. From what she heard they got some serious damages but thankfully all of them could get fixed within few months. Luna also heard how some Lucis citizens got injuries from the sudden assault and how many of them died during the attack. It made her extremely sad. They were just victim from this pointless war. They had nothing to do with the Great Crystal's scramble. Luna wondered about Noctis and the others as well. To be honest she really worried about their well beings. The news she got from the radio and the television said that despise the damage the palace had took, most of its habitants unharmed. However she didn't get any news from the King, Regis and his son, Noctis. Not even Prompto gave her news. She understood they might be busied themselves in repairing the palace and the whole city but she wished they would drop her one or two newest news about them. The braided blonde fisted her right hand.

"What has happening in Lucis while I'm in here?" Luna murmured faintly, her eyes were gazing afar.

After a long silence she got, Luna processed a charm from her dress pocket. It was a black cat in nap. There was a time when she went with Noctis and Stella to a festival. Night had fallen when they arrived. There were lots of stands and peoples in there and it was quite bright with all those lampions. Luna never felt that happy when she went outside. Noctis and Stella will hold her hands so she would not separated from both of them. They took a happy stroll from one stand to other stands. It was when she arrived in a stand filled with small accessories, she noticed those charms. All of them looked cute and beautiful but she had her eyes set on a charm with a shape of sleeping black cat. It reminded her of Noctis when he took a nap or slept. She had urged him and Stella to buy it for the three of them. The boy looked not too happy since he had a pout while Stella snickered inaudibly. In the end, Stella bought the charms for the three of them and Noctis accepted the charm with a thankful smile for little Luna. That night, Luna became the happiest little girl in the world. It was one of the most cherished memories she treasured with few others as well. The braided blonde considered the euclase eyed Lucis as older brother. It would be an understanding if she now very concern for Noctis.

'Even though everyone assured me that everything will be alright…' Luna clasped the charm with her hands.

Her hands made a prayer position.

"Why I am feeling so anxious and nervous all of sudden?" Luna wondered.

'For a brief, his face flashed in front of my eyes…' One of her hands then was reaching for the silver necklace. 'I couldn't shake it…this anxious feeling for him. Is he alright in Lucis? Ignis said that he will keep him safe. And yet…'

Luna gripped the moon and star pendant.

"Please be safe…" Luna prayed in hush tone, a desperate hope filled her voice. "I got something for you and I haven't given it to you yet."

"Please…" Her grip on her necklace tightened.

"Please come back alive so I can give it for you..."

"…Noctis…"

Far inside the cave, the talismans which protected both Kokona and her grandfather finally lost their power. One by one, they fell from the stone wall, showering both the little girl and the old man with thin, snow colored papers.

"Oh." Kokona smiled widely as the talismans continued to fell.

"Looks like your lucky charm fell off."

「Jordan.」

「Order's Camp.」

"Are you Kanda Yuu?"

Kanda didn't answer the question addressed to him.

He stayed still as his eyes scanned the unwanted guest almost emotionlessly.

Seeking for any possible weakness he could expose.

Mugen was ready to activate within his grasp.

Standing face to face with him, was a young Noah with white hair. Aside from his gray skin and the yellow colored eyes, the young man was still a teenager around fifteen years old at most. He had a stark white spiky hair with head band similar to turban with opposite white and black colors. He had a white long sleeved shirt which goes only to his chest, loose white pants with a long skirt, and a pair of white shoes. At the quick glance, the Noah almost like the bastardized version of your typical Middle East's Djin. The young Noah was standing relaxingly above the chunk of the sandstone.

However…

Scattered around him were the bloodied, lifeless bodies of the Finders.

What a 'grand' entrance the Noah had in here.

Few meters behind the Japanese male, another Third Exorcist named Tewaku was standing above the sandstone. She guarded the Order's camp with her talismans. Her amber colored eyes trained on both figures standing quite far from her. While she stayed out of the way from both the Japanese Exorcist and the newcomer Noah, the blond haired female prepared to give a hand should they in a tight spot. Meanwhile, both the pony tailed Exorcist and the white haired Noah still staring to each other. Despite the seemingly relax stance, Kanda already had his left hand on Mugen, his thumb draw the katana from its sheath, showing a little bit of shiny steal to the world. Kanda didn't let his guard go down even the slightest as his eyes kept scanning the Noah.

"Who the h*ll are you?" Kanda tilted his head a bit.

The young Noah grinned.

Look at him, acting so though and without care much to world.

Let's see if this young man was still can act high and mighty like that.

" 'Alma'." Wisely put his hand in front of his mouth. "Does that name ring a bell?"

Kanda jerked at the mentioned name.

His expression changed drastically.

Wisely's yellow eyes widened slightly when he saw the change demeanor.

So was the grin he wore.

Bingo.

"Looks like it does."

Taking his chance, the white haired Noah was activating the Eye on his forehead.

"Your brain," Wisely continued. "We will use it in our party."

'!?'

Before he could comprehend what the Noah was doing…

Kanda's vision had turned black abruptly.

He then knew nothing else.

「Same day.」

「America.」

「Black Order, North American Branch.」

Grand Canyon.

A canyon located in the state of Arizona, United States. This steep-side canyon was carved by Colorado River for more than 17 million years. This canyon was almost 446 km in length and 29 km in wide, with 1 km in depth, sometimes can even reach 1800 meters. It was famous for the colorful and magnificent landscape, not to mention its size was incredibly huge. The Native Americans used this place as their inhabitants for thousands of years, most of them reside inside the canyon and its caves. The Pueblo race even considered this canyon as a sacred place and therefore they made lots of pilgrimages into the Grand Canyon.

However, in this era, the natives weren't the only ones who used the canyon as their inhabitants. Located inside the valley, hidden away from the eyes of the world, was the building or the American Branch's Black Order. This branch had a rather unique building in the form of black pyramid. Surrounding the black pyramid were four towers with Native American totem carved style, functioned as barrier for the building. Somewhere deep inside the black pyramid and inside the man's toilet…

Someone had suffered a trauma.

Someone had a rather bad experience.

Someone was not having a good time.

And he was having a great vomit.

The sounds of vomiting could be heard from one of the toilettes.

Few moments later, a voice asked with concern.

"Johnny, are you okay?"

"…I'm fine as ever… TT д TT;;;;"

"Don't try to act though. T □ T; " Reever told the bespectacled young man from outside the toilet.

"… T_T"

A man around his middle twenties with glasses and bandana was watching both men from behind.

His chin was in his hand, he looked bored for some reason.

Meanwhile, Johnny vomited his lunch into the toilet's pit for the third times.

"Uaghghgh…"

"Oh, man…" Reever sighed exasperatedly when he noticed a couple of fellow researchers sat in squat position behind Johnny and Reever.

"By the way, what are you doing here, Section Chief Peck?" The Australian researcher narrowed his eyes.

"Watching." The light haired man answered.

"Chief, let's get out of here." Another man with dark hair sweat dropped.

"That much makes you puke already? You've been staying in Headquarters too much." Peck gazed to the dark haired man beside him. "How's my assistant doing?"

"A-Okay." The assistant smiled politely.

Johnny bursting to tears in the middle of his pants.

"It's…my first time to see such person…I am sorry…" He stammered weakly.

"Well, thanks to your vomit spree, we got throw out by Governor General Levellier…! I wanted to see more of 'Alma Karma'!" Peck shouted angrily.

The bandana male pointed his index finger accusingly to slumped Johnny.

Peck's assistant tried to get away and bringing the files with him.

The whole shouting and blame didn't help at all.

It even made the bespectacled young man more distressed than ever.

"Sorry…I'm so sorry…" Johnny continued to apologize, the gloomy aura was emitting from him.

Tears kept coming from behind his glasses.

Since the other chief seemed to not leaving the poor Johnny alone, Reever pulled the other man out from the toilet.

"Section Chief Peck! I'm really sorry about this…"

"Reever! Why did you have to bring that assistant with you on such an important research conference?!" Peck snapped toward the spiky haired man.

"…"

As Reever guided the furious Peck put from the toilet, Johnny finally managed to calm down.

His whole body was shaking like a leaf.

The tears still come out.

Despite that, he was feeling a little better than earlier.

Just a little but it definitely good than nothing.

"Come on, Chief. Let it go." The black haired assistant ushered his superior.

"Sack that, Four-eyes!" Peck shouted furiously.

"Uhm, Chief, you're Four-eyes too." The assistant reminded with a sweat drop rolling from his temple.

"…"

After both the other researchers walked away from the toilet, the spiky haired man came back to Johnny.

Reever spun his body to opposite side and leaning against the separator.

He crossed his arms in thoughtful pose.

For few long moments none from them said anything.

Johnny sniffed forlornly. He was biting his lower lips in frustration.

Despite being not able to see, the older man did know it.

That was why Reever felt guilty to poor Johnny.

"…We showed you something terrible." Reever spoke in quiet tone.

Johnny clenched the toilet's bowl desperately.

Laid down not far from him was a file written with codename 'Alma Karma'.

It was the cause of his vomit at the first place.

It was the cause of him to fell into distress situation.

It made his belief wavered because of it.

"I…don't know what I'm doing anymore…" Johnny admitted with a strain voice. "Chief…, why did you bring me here today?"

"…"

Reever went silent.

His gaze was far away and looked sad.

Suddenly…

"Intruder alert!"

An urgent announcement blared to live.

Reever's eyes went as wide as saucer.

On the corridor, Peck and his assistant wore equal shock expressions.

"An unknown had been sighted within the vicinity of the Headquarters."

On the other room, Bak was restraining Reene's wrist while another researcher with bald head seemed to approach the blond haired Chinese. Levellier was about to walking away when the announcement echoed through the whole buildings. Everyone wore the same shock expressions as well.

Outside the black pyramid, lots of golems were flying far above the ground.

They sole eye focused on the horizon.

The focused to where huge amount cloud of dust arose.

Something was breaking their barrier.

And it wasn't an Akuma.

"It's not Akuma. It's breaking through barriers fast!"

「Outside the HQ…」

Someone was standing above the large boulder which facing the black pyramid.

It was a man around forty to fifty years old.

Perched on his left shoulder, was a doll with short spiky blue hair, a ribbon and a dark simple dress.

The doll pointed its hand to the American Branch's building.

"The Alma Karma is there～" The doll said in sing sang voice.

"Okay." The man fixed his tall black hat.

The man was wearing a stripped shirt with a neck tie, a pair of black pants, black shoes, and white, swallow tailed jacket. He also carried a cane which he put above his shoulder almost nonchalantly. His hair was as dark as the moonless night. His eyes shaded of dark color with grey accent. He grew a thin beard and moustache on his face. His drowsy eyes were scanning the black pyramid critically.

This man was Earl Millennium.

The most fearsome enemy of the Black Order.

The doll perched on his shoulder was Road Kamelot.

She was the Noah of Dream, the Ninth Disciple.

And today…

"They're kind of excited to see a visitor after such a long time." The man replied in jovial tone despite the bored face he wore.

Today…

They came for the true invasion.

They came to attack the Black Order.

For real.

And without mercy.

There. All done. Reviews will be very welcome in here. :D