Chapter 13

Walker Rises

Warmth filled Allen, a blanket of assurance and security. Some unknown force pulled him up from the ground and onto his feet. It thrashed wildly, wanting to attack Akuma. His Innocence.

Allen opened his silver eyes. He didn't expect to see the white wisps dancing in the wind. Even stranger was that each particular strand felt as if it a part of his own body.

"Moyashi?" asked a gruff and uncertain voice. The boy turned towards the long-haired teenager. He finally realized who—or rather what- this person was. He smiled.

"What are you just sitting there for?" Allen teased."We have Akuma to kill."

"Why you—" Allen leapt off in search of one of the trapped souls. He gave his unnamed Innocence a silent thanks for giving him this power once more and for purifying the poison in his body. It was more, much more, than he felt was deserved.

Allen slaughtered the Akuma in a way that was similar to how he had helped the children escape. Jump on an Akuma, wait until the others coalesced on him before he would send out a pristine white belt that would encompass all of the lethal machines. A small tug caused the belt to cut right through the monstrous bodies.

Every now and then he would see the other Exorcist about to receive a lethal blow and Allen would wrap the cloak of Innocence about him. Then the Exorcist would once again rush towards the hoard.

Allen found comfort in fighting like this. There was no time to think about anything except the world of battle. Allen Walker wasn't a constant reminder of what crime he had committed. Innocence was his comrade rather than a mere tool of redemption. And he didn't have to worry about Master's debts.

The fight ended with Allen's clawed hand catching the blade of Mugen as they both cleaved through the last Akuma. For a moment, one intense gaze met another. Then they disengaged.

"Tch. You'll live," was what the Exorcist told Allen. The boy's eyebrow twitched.

"That's all you have to say?" he demanded."I saved your life Baka!"

"The name is Kanda," growled the teenager. "And you're the one who should be grateful to me. I just spent two weeks looking for you!"

Allen froze. Two weeks? He had only contacted the Finder two days ago at the most.

"How did you know I was kidnapped?"

"General Cross sent a letter with the news about the attempt on your life. I've been looking for you ever since, thinking I'd only find a dead body until I realized you had in actuality been kidnapped. You've been missing for a total of a month."

A month. It seemed like he had been with the Noahs for so much longer than that. Years would be an accurate description, and most of the passing of time had been spent in boredom—that frightened and confused Allen the most. The Earl hadn't really hurt him for most of imprisonment. There was only that recent...bloodshed... with Road.

"Are you here to take me back?" Allen wanted to know. His voice was soft and it trembled.

"I'm here to take you and the General's golemn back," Kanda replied rather than answered. "Do you have it?"

Allen shook his head. "We got separated on the Ark. He flew off—"

A sudden movement in his pocket startled Allen. He reached into it and blinked as he pulled out a golden ball with wings.

"When did you get there?" he asked."When I was asleep?"

Tim nodded enthusiastically. Kanda reached over and took it out of the boy's hand. He slipped it into his own pocket.

"Best not to let anyone see that I have him or that he's even with us," the Japanese youth explained impatiently. "Now let's go. We have somewhere to be."

They both deactivated their Innocence and began their way to the Black Order Headquarters.

::+::+::+: ϒ :+::+::+::

Road surged forward, about to stop the two Exorcists as they began to leave the town. A large hand descended down onto her head and she looked up to find that it belonged to the Earl.

"Let them leave," he told her gently.

"But we can't use him as a puppet!" she protested. That large grin on his face widened fractionally.

"Just wait and see, my dear Road. Wait and see," he purred. Tyki, who had followed the Earl, watched as the boy became a speck in the distance.