Disclaimer: I don not own D. Gray Man in any way.

PS : I got the name of this chapter from chapter 54 of the manga Vinland Saga written by Makoto Yukimura. I don't know if chapter names go on disclaimers too but just in case. ^ ^

Chapter 8: End of Prologue

Wisely and Tyki enjoyed a game a poker. Road on the other hand remained with her body unmovable. Millions of thoughts crossed her mind. From cursing Wisely and Tyki, to cursing her powerlessness, to wondering how Allen was.

" DAMN YOU GUYS! ALLEN! ALLEN! " Road was not crying or struggling. She had long grown tired of struggling. But she was extremely angry.

She shouted Allen's name as to try to remind them that Allen existed and that the boy was in serious danger. Tyki and Wisely had barely spoken since Tyki poked Wisely's eye. They heard every single thing Road shouted but were to distracted on their own mind conversation, completely leaving Road out of it. They ignored her and continued their poker game in boredom, not really caring what she said. Wisely even turned his mind reading from Road as to ignore her.

" DON'T YOU CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO ALLEN! "

" Not really. " Tyki spit out.

" Nope " Wisely said sighing.

" Haaa... " Road sighed. She had struggled for almost a whole hour. And yet all they did was ignore her. Wasn't the Noah genes supposed to make them worry for Allen too? But then again Earl's order were way stronger than the Noah genes. And right now the Earl's orders were not to intervene on whatever Allen was doing. Probably fighting with Cross.

" Shut up! " They both said in unison.

" You ~ I am SO going to kill you two when I finally move! "

Wisely looked at Road. He took his tongue out. Road's vain almost popped in anger.

Wisely suddenly put the cards down.

Tyki looked up at Wisely and at the cards confused. " Huh? You tired kid? "

Road saw as Wisely got up. " Wisely? "

He raised his arm and touched the huge eye on his forehead with his arm. Dark Matter covered it similar to that of a small flame. He whispered soft words to himself. Road tried to figure out just what he was saying but just couldn't get it. Suddenly Wisely came back to were Road and Tyki were. Tyki was just annoyed the game had been disturbed.

He exchanged faces with both Tyki and Road. He was surprised they had remained silent. Road was anxious to hear just what Wisely had to say. She knew he had been talking to the Earl just now, Tyki could also tell so he remained silent as well.

" Ahem. " Wisely started.

He raised both of his arms and smiled innocently. " Uh, don't kill me but yeah, uh~ "

" Spill it! " Road exploded impatiently.

Wisely frowned. " Alright! Alright! Ok thing is - don't kill me - "

" Just say it already! " Tyki threw the cards at Wisely's face. Even he was getting impatient. Seeing how nervous Wisely was, he could tell the news weren't good.

" Oh it's nothing just that Allen lost! "

" WHAT! " Road shouted angrily.

Tyki hit the floor. " I knew something like this would happen!"

" What are you angry about? You totally had the freedom to save him Tyki~ " Wisely rolled his eyes.

Tyki picked his cards up and put them onto his pocket. " Well yeah, but the Earl would had punished me if I went! ; I could tell as much. "

Wisely clapped. " Bravo Ty - "

" SHUT UP! " Tyki interrupted him. Wisely glared at him angrily. Tyki gladly returned the gesture back.

On the other hand Road stared blankly at the floor. She was mad, so mad, she would had tried killing Wisely AND Tyki at the spot if her body weren't controlled by Wisely. She was sad, confused and extremely worried. She knew he would loose but it was the EARL'S orders to stay put. Both her, Tyki and all the Noah's knew how scary and horrible the Earl's punishments were at a disobedience. The Earl was even more scary when his plans were ruined by Noah's. Another reason why Road didn't struggle on getting released much and why Tyki didn't ran toward Allen.

Road barely breathed. " Allen's alive right? I can still feel his presence. " She said not happy but in sorrow.

Wisely nodded. " Yeah. "

Road sighed. She calmed down a bit. " That's fine but if he lost then - " She cut the words herself. Wait how could she have been so stupid up until now. Allen's presence had been fainting slowly by the moment. Then was Cross torturing him or something right now?

Wisely looked at Road annoyed. " Man Road, your slow! ; Of course his dying! "

Wisely noticed as Tyki eyed him suspiciously. He didn't seem to be buying the story. " There's more to it, isn't there? "

Wisely sighed. " Kinda. Remember Allen got possessed by Neah? Well yeah he went towards Cross, got his butt kicked, woke up as Allen. For some odd reason Cross didn't kill him. Our little Allen almost joined forces with him but still fought with him anyway, Cross kicked his butt AGAIN and then Cross took him to some hospital. And now Earl's with Cross. Earl seemed pretty angry too. I wonder why~ "

Road and Tyki remained speechless. Betrayal? Allen? What? Impossible! They had suspected it but for him to actually try it was shocking. To had proven it in real life was different than having thought of it!

A tear fell from Road's eye. " Damn it! He did it again! "

She closed her eyes. " He still hates us! "

Tyki pressed his arms into punches. " Stupid Earl! Stupid Allen! Damn Cross! Wisely just what the hell it the Earl planning! "

Wisely raised his elbows in an I don't know gesture.

" LIAR! " Tyki shout out at him.

Road suddenly started to sob loudly. Suddenly she felt as her arms could move towards her face. She could finally feel movement on her whole body. She didn't even bother on running towards Allen. Earl's orders were absolute.

" Baka Allen! " she sobbed.

Suddenly Tyki, Wisely and Road looked up. They stared as an army of Akuma quickly came from the ocean, towards the small town. It was almost night. Suddenly they saw as a a woman with long black haire arrived along with a tall bald woman and some men. They stared at the Noah's in horror.

Wisely smirked. Tyki as well. Road stretched her muscles and cleaned her sobs.

Wisely blinked. " I don't know what's up but the Earl has clearly told me to eliminate ANY nuisance. "

Wisely sighed. " What a pain~ "

Road and Tyki were a bit glad. At last would they be able to do something.

Road looked up at Tyki and Wisely. " We should take Crosses ship out to see. "

Tyki and Wisely nodded.

AT THE HOSPITAL

Cross quickly got up from his sitting position and called out to Maria. He pointed judgment towards he Earl. Earl just kept staring at him with his annoying smile. Cross not even bothering on saying anything to the Earl began to shoot bullets with his gun. Bullets that the Earl evaded easily. Suddenly the Earl appeared before Cross and took hold of his arm.

" Calm down Exorcist, I'm not here to fight you. " He said with a twisted innocent voice.

" Yeah right! " Cross shot Earl on the head, soon Cross noticed it was just an illusion as soon as he felt Earl's presence on his back.

" Now, now Cross, didn't I tell you. - " He pressed Crosses shoulders. " I'M NOT HERE TO FIGHT. "

The injuries Allen had left on Cross had temporarily weakened Cross. But they had long healed a little thanks that they weren't too deep. Cross was a strong man after all. Earl knew this so he took slight advantage out of it.

" Tsk! " Cross removed Earl from his shoulders. He jumped toward the other side of the corridor.

" Are you here for Allen? "

Earl chuckled. " Ohohoho, of course! ~ "

He grinned and evil demonic smirk. More than usual. " He OBEYD after all! "

Cross was about to use Maria's power but stopped. Suddenly he felt his backs cut and the scratches on his chest sting like crazy. He fell to his knees. He breathed heavily holding his chest. He could see his clothes getting wet in blood and as everything got blurry. He felt a flash of pain pass threw his head quickly raising his other arm towards his mouth, hiding the dripping blood that he puked.

" Sh - shit! Why now! " Cross battled to speack up as he searched fro breath.

He looked up and saw as the Earl was nowhere to be found. The door toward Allen's room was open. He heard as the men inside shouted in horror, as body fells and as blood splashed out. For a moment the thought of loosing Allen again paralyzed him in a cold terror.

" No, NO! not again! I can't let Allen be taken away again! ; Not after I finally - "

Cross quickly stood up from the floor. Blood dripping violently from his injuries. He ran toward the door with his innocence ignoring the pain. He called out for Maria. Maria sang her song. He took out his gun and started shooting randomly, not even focusing on what, his vision was extremely blurry. Suddenly he heard as someone laughed. Wasn't Maria taking effect?

His vision cleared a bit as he saw the fat crazy man sat just beside Allen on the bed. He stared coldly at the boy who was lost inside his dreams. Cross couldn't quite understand how, but a shield covered Allen and the Earl. One that prevented any innocence powers as well as anything from passing by.

" Damn you Earl! " He shoot more violently. Cross felt a pain on his head and body again. He couldn't hold his urge to puke blood again. He was loosing blood violently. He had been foolish in letting Allen injure him earlier. Now he could even loose him again!

Earl stared in boredom at the red haired man that foolishly did his best to pass trough the shield. He would had left him and play around a bit if they had met normally. But now wasn't the time for playing. Earl though he wasn't expressing it much looked down at the injured boy in sadness.

He caressed Allen's hair. " Are you ok now Allen? " He caressed his hair with tenderness.

The Earl leaned down and hugged the sleeping Allen. " Was this enough to make you happy? "

A tear fell down the Earls face. He was confused himself. Allen was in the verge of betrayal, of sweet betrayal. A betrayal that for a moment made him, the Earl, paralyze in nothing but fear. Fear over loosing him and a deep anger toward the boy. For a moment there the Earl completely had to hold his urge to kill the boy, as betrayal was unacceptable. But that didn't matter now as the Earl soon noticed just how much Allen valued his family. Yes, Allen choose him, he choose the Noah over Cross, so he didn't have to worry anymore.

He was glad he had done so but the Earl could still tell clearly. After all Earl had went through with Allen, after so many years, deep down, the boy still wished to return with Cross. He was faintly disappointed but at the same time proud Allen had at least chosen him over Cross. Even if it was only out of fear.

" I didn't want to. I didn't want to kill Cross. But I wanted to be by my family's side..."

Allen's words resounded in the Earl's head. Yes he had indeed seen everything. He had stood from afar looking the whole time. From the eyes of an Akuma who had hidden it's presence from Allen's cursed eye.

Earl passionately caressed Allen's neck, making Cross shout in anger. Earl looked up at Cross in amusement. He smiled as he scratched Allen's neck faintly. He loved this . Loved to see the red haired man suffer. Loved to see this filthy human battle trough all his strength and yet gain nothing. Nothing out of it. See as the great Cross slowly realized his own powerlessness. To laugh at the man who almost ruined everything was too pleasurable to stand. He truly hated the man who had made his lovely Allen stand on the chains of betrayal, plus, Allen he had to be PUNISHED.

" Damn it! Damn it! Leave him alone! " Cross shouted , his strength fading by the second.

Suddenly the Earl sticked his finger on Allen's cursed eye. Cross stared in horror as the Earl ripped Allen's left eye out and as blood gushed out.

Allen screamed in pain opening his right eye for a moment. He didn't know what was going on but his eye hurt way too much. He looked up in horror at the Earl who held his eyeball. " E- Earl ? "

The Earl smiled glumly. " It's all right Allen, many Akumas will come this way. The pain would be worse if you still had it. "

" H - Huh? " Allen felt as the Earl placed his warm hand on his forehead. Suddenly the warm feeling was exchanged toward deep pain. Allen shouted in pain. He didn't even have time to think, his head, his eye, his innocence, his body, the confusion, it all hurt too much. The last he could see was the nostalgic voice of the red haired man calling out his name. The other last thing he saw was the Earl's cursed smile spitting the contradictory words, " I'm sorry. "

A tear fell from the boys eyes. He raised his arms a bit toward Cross. " Cross, save me!" He shouted enough so Cross and the Earl could hear.

Tears fell from Crosses eyes half glad but mostly in pain. This few years were not in vain. It was worth it. Definitely worth it. The Earl on the other hnad burned not of sadness but in anger.

For a moment everything was silence. Allen's shouts disappeared. Cross remained in shock. " A - Allen? Allen! ? "

Earl raised his head and stared back at Cross. " Calm down Cross, Allen is still alive. " The shield cracked a bit.

Earl chuckled. " How nice at least you cracked the shield a bit. ~ "

Cross pressed his fists. " What did you do to him? "

Earl glared back at him emotionless. " Nothing. I just relieved his pain a bit. "

The shield broke and the Earl picked Allen's body and threw it out at the window. The Earl gritted his teeth so madly in anger blood dripped from his mouth. Cross heard the strong noise of the body fall into the ground.

Cross was about to shout again, till he felt a wave of dizziness hit him. He had definitely lost too much blood. He could barely breath or think. He looked up at the Earl. The Earl stood just beside him. He picked Cross up by the neck. He glared at Cross with the eyes of the devil himself. Cross would had normally battled with the Earl easily but the cuts had affected him too much. The Earl grinned in horror.

Cross widened his eyes as the Ark's portal opened behind the Earl. The Earl slowly walked towards the ark with Cross on his grasp.

" No, Allen! "

" Don't worry about him, he will be FINE. ~ "

Cross saw as the ark's door soon closed. He was shocked. Tears did not fall as he was way too shocked and dumfounded. Just what exactly was the Earl up to? Was Allen even still alive? No, he must be. He must be!

Cross stared at a white city. It looked pure and yet filled with malicious and sadness. It was empty. Earl had said nothing to him as he was humming some sort of song but still Cross could tell, he was on the ark. So this was were Allen had spent his days? THIS is were Allen suffered for so much years. Where the moron of the Earl had locked him up for years.

Cross bit his blood covered lips. " W - why are we at the ark? " He battled to speak.

Earl stopped humming the song and pressed Crosses neck even more. Cross battled for breath. " It's simple Cross... " He spoke softly and creepily enough calmly.

Earl opened one of the houses doors. " The ark is not our destination. " He laughed evily.

Cross got angry even more as he saw them enter a ship. A ship at sea. There Road, Tyki and Wisely almost jumped up as they saw the Earl appear suddenly from the main door.

' W- wha? What the hell Earl! " Road threw Lero at the Earl's face.

" Ahhh! Lero! " Lero fell from the Earl's face toward the ground.

Tyki blinked a bit. " What about Allen? "

Cross snapped in disgust at hearing the Noah's speak Allen's name.

" His alright. I already saved him. I did! I did! ~ " The Earl laughed jumping up and down, still holding Cross on his grasp.

Road didn't believe those words fully but she knew she could trust the Earl. Kinda. She looked suddenly at the man who she just noticed Earl was holding. She looked at his bloodied body, for a moment she could have sworn he would say something, but the Earls strong grip on his neck didn't let him. She looked at his long red hair, his opera mask and at his disgusting exorcist clothes. The innocence he held was unbearable. She hated it. She hated every thing of this man. From his innocence, to his appearance, to his influence on Allen.

" Is that Cross? " Tyki said smirking excitedly. He was still excited of the recent killing spree they had enjoyed just now. Earl nodded. He threw Cross to the ground. Cross started to spit blood. Earl raised his view toward Wisely who had ran to hid in a corner as soon as he saw the Earl. He smiled at him.

" Come out Wisely! ~ "

Wisely came out timidly. " Uh - uh. - "

Earls smile widened, he took his sunglasses off. " We will have some fun later right? "

"Tsk! " Wisely looked the other way seriously.

" RIGHT? " The Earl repeated again still with his marked widened smile.

Wisely gritted his teeth. " Yes... "

Road made punches with her arms. They trembled." Why is Cross here? "

Her gaze shifted into widened eyes of anger. " Why is he not dead! "

Earl chuckled, not softly, but loudly. " Calm down children, Cross is a gift from me to you. "

Cross flinched at this words. He wished to speack but couldn't as the Earl had broken his vocal cords.

The Earl picked Lero from the ground and flew up to the sky toward Edo. " Enjoy your new toy! "

He glared at Wisely. " Come Wisely! "

Wisely saw as the door toward the Ark opened in front of him. He smiled back at Road and Tyki childly before leaving. " See ya around! " He was about to enter until he heard the Earl calling him to stop suddenly.

" Huh? " he looked up at the Earl.

" Check Crosses thought's and memories before entering. " Wisely nodded.

A black eye similar to Wisely's appeared on Crosses head. Wisely kneeled down toward him quietly. Road and Tyki sat quite bored on a chair eating some candy they had found at the kitchen of the ship. They looked at the city that was being destroyed by the Akuma. After a long while, hours actually, Wisely stood up from Crosses side. The black eye on his forehead disappeared and Cross was left almost unconscious. He couldn't even move his body anymore.

Wisely looked up at Tyki and Road before finally entering the Ark. He smiled mockingly. " Don't overdo it guys. " He entered and soon the entrance toward the Ark closed.

Cross blurrily saw as Road and Tyki's legs stood beside him.

" Allen, are you allright? Was seeing me... enough...? "

The Earl continued humming his song from earlier flying in the sky. He grinned as he saw from afar, the ship, Crosses ship, sinking onto the deep sea. He saw as two figures flew toward his direction.

SOMEWHERE...

" What's this? It's warm. So warm? Cross... "

A white haired teen felt as light fell onto his view. He grunted a bit as he felt immense pain hit his entire body. He opened his eyes slowly. Everything was blurry but he could see a figure he had never seen before sat beside him. The figure slowly cleared better into view. Allen got up from the soft warm bed, and pressed his cursed eye quickly as he felt a sharp pain hit him.

" Easy there! " He felt as warm hands held him on his shoulders. He looked up dizzily, slowly toward the figure at the chair. There, right beside him, stood a Chinese man. His hair was a blue color. His hair reached his shoulders. His eyes were black, his skin was white, he wore glasses and some type of white chinese clothes. He looked to be like in his twenties.

" Are you ok? " The man smiled at him concerned.

Allen looked up at him dazedly.

" What's your name? " The man continued. " I don't know if you've heard of me, but my name is Komui, Komui Lee. "

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