Book Theif101: Nah, I like long reviews (I got a review from someone that exceeded the 10,000 char limit by three times, IE he had to split one review into three in order to send it). And you are forgiven. :D
Angel Fantasy: You didn't "lack clearance" or anything, don't get me wrong. It's just that I posted a chappy then you asked for another to be done in 2-3 days. And to be honest, I tried to get it done, I really did, but I couldn't. Really though, where'd you get the whole Friday thing? I update whenever, it has never had a set day (and your chapter 17 review was asking about Sunday, so now I'm double confused... (and I DID meet that deadline :D). And you don't have to worry about this story dying or slowing drastically, some things just got in the way this chapter. Should typically be one week a chapter from now on. Thanks.
Requiem of Time: Chapter Twenty-One - Allen
Allen glanced once at the retreating boat before facing forward again. Without realizing it, both Crown Clown and his cursed eye had activated, his eye honing in on the countless Akuma lurking around in the area. While he may have taken the Ark here the first time, a brief chat with Lavi told him exactly where to go and how to go about it.
But first…
Allen closed his fist and concentrated on a brief spell. Afterwards, a slow rumbling began as the ground opened up and slowly began consuming Grave of Sarah - for safe keeping, so to speak. This way he wouldn't have to drag that coffin around with him everywhere he went, yet was still able to summon it from the ground when needed. Cross certainly knew his stuff when it came to magic.
Allen sighed as he rested a hand on the black wood before it finally finished sinking into the earth, regarding his former apprentice with a sad look. He had failed her, too. "You are the last, Sarah. I won't let another fall to this kind of fate." If any of his other fragments of Innocence reacted, he would give the new candidate to Tiedoll. That man at least kept good care of his apprentices, much better than Allen could.
Then, the coffin was gone, and the ground sealed up again as if nothing had happened. And with a single prayer for her, Allen turned and began his long walk to Edo and the Earl, ascending the long stairs up the cliff.
Of course, he only got about twenty steps before he had to stop. A single women had been coming down, Japanese by look and dress, with a veil covering her hair. Allen's eye had spotted her easily from the distance, and he could see the comatose soul floating above her. Modified Akuma. That thought was emphasized when Timcampy - that everlasting companion - took flight from Allen's top hat to meet her. That golem was modified as well, hence its golden color (1), and reacted well with others of its kind.
More importantly, however, was the large field of Dark Matter that Allen saw around the stationary girl. The same web that Timcampy suddenly found himself trapped in. Allen sighed as Timcampy began struggling, trying to bite his way through his bindings.
"A little stuck?" Allen asked, Crown Clown detaching from him and subtly drifting off to the side, behind the flag banners.
"E-Exorcist…" the girl choked out, voice strained. "R-Ru…n."
Allen waved off her concerns, drawing his massive sword. "And leave a pretty girl like you here to a fate worse than death?"
"A…llen… He…l…p."
So many voices, so much anguish. The souls of the dead, already bound in agony after being called from the grave, could only cry and call out for him as the Third Exorcist swallowed up the Akuma. Then, that lake of black - sea of blood - that swallowed the bodies then swallowed the souls. Allen's Level Two cursed eye had cried blood at the sight of this, but this eye in particular, Level Four, forced him to feel the hopelessness and anguish those souls where experiencing as they were consumed.
As usual, the feeling brought him to his knees, vomiting. His head spun, and his nose tickled with nausea. He tried to look away, but Mana's Curse was having none of that. The eye remained focused on the now damned souls, peering through Allen's skull to see them. That wave of empathy rose in Allen again and he vomited once more, tears welling in his eyes.
This was his curse, his punishment for bringing Mana back from the dead and living to tell the tale. This agony was his final gift from Mana. It was enough to drive a man mad, to slowly crack one's sanity until grinding it to bits and pieces. Not even Allen could be an exception to that.
And to think people envied that eye…
Worse than death indeed. That was the result of an Akuma being consumed or destroyed by anything other than Innocence. Fortunately, at least Allen hoped, since she and all other modified Akuma had been modified by Innocence, even a death by cannibalism allowed their souls to pass to Heaven.
A sweep of the sword severed the web of Dark Matter, and the girl fell into Allen's arm. Timcampy, too, was freed, and he took his place under Allen's top hat, nervous about being stuck like that again, with his fiery tail sticking out from under it.
To Allen, as usual, holding her was strange. In his arms was a reserved woman in a blue kimono, hair masked by a piece of cloth. Yet above her, right before Allen's face, was an identical woman, sleeping peacefully, garbed in a white robe with her long, black hair resting around her ethereally. And to make matters even more trippy, Allen could only see that hovering girl with his left eye, so with his right eye he could see the scenery behind here, giving both the girl and the behind scenery a blurred look.
The girl in his arms then opened her eyes, clutching to his black and gold jacket and pleaded, "You must get out of here, Exorcist. It is not safe right now!"
Allen smiled softly at her, forcibly repressing his memories of the Akuma modified by his own hand, friends he had seen die as fast as they came. "You mean those three Level Threes heading here right now?" The girl's eyes widened even further in fear, but then there was the sound of three consecutive explosions right behind her. "Oh, I don't think we have to worry about them."
Crown Clown then drifted down the steps, revealing itself the destroyer of the Level Threes. As Allen's eye targeted more Akuma in the area, Crown Clown shot off again, the bond between them telling the cloak of Innocence enough. More explosions followed, keeping the area clear for Allen.
Once the woman was situated on her feet, Allen gestured upwards towards the stairs. "Well, shall we go meet up with Marshal Cross?"
The woman looked at him once, then up the stairs and nodded once. "Right, I will show you the way, Exorcist."
"Please, call me Allen," the young marshal waved off as they continued climbing up, sheathing his sword back into his arm.
The Akuma looked down at him (Allen told himself it was because it was she was on a higher step (but in truth she is actually taller than him)) and smiled softly. She removed the cloth from her head - no longer needing to remain discreet - and allowed her long hair to spill out, much like the white-robed figure above her. "And you may call me Kawamura."
Upon cresting the long set of stairs, Kawamura looked back at the ocean with a sad look. "I had hoped Sachiko would have reached you safely, Allen."
Allen didn't stop walking, one hand on her lower back to keep her moving too. "Don't worry, she's fine." The woman blinked and looked at him (she was taller because of the clogs!), clearly surprised. "More than fine, actually." Allen said slowly, thinking about the situation. Technically, Kawamura was under the same risk Chomesuke was. "Say, would you mind if I modified you again?" It is never too early to start my own army of Akuma again.
A brief explanation and incantation later, Allen was relieved to see only one image of the woman next to him, though now she was exhausted. So Allen was stuck carrying her for a time, and he took advantage of that to explain the situation. In the meantime, Crown Clown was out keeping the path clear, destroying teams upon teams of Akuma.
By the time the dubbed 'Box' became visible with the rest of Edo, Kawamura was walking again and Allen had finished his abridged story. The soulless Akuma was shocked and impressed by him, showing a more humane side by relating her independence from the Earl yet still being subject to him with Allen's Noah/Exorcist internal conflicts.
"I see, so you and Cross are going to actually steal Noah's Ark right now," Kawamura said with a smile after he finished, before eying him up and down with her dark brown eyes. "An older, experienced man in a young, stamina-ous body. Very… intriguing." Allen swore she was walking a step closer to him.
Definitely master's Akuma, Allen thought dryly, his smile slightly strained as he took a step away from her. "M-Married man, remember?" The woman just pouted, causing Allen sigh.
When they reached the outskirts of the town, that was as far as Allen was willing to keep company. If she stayed with him much longer, soulless Akuma or not, she would be destroyed, and he had plans for her and whoever else he managed to modify. With their high synchronization rate, words and commands were unnecessary between Allen and Crown Clown.
The cloak was hovering there next to them, having stopped its Akuma hunt as Allen thought that. Kawamura noticed the cloak's return, and looked at Allen in askance. He said to her, "This is as far as you go. Head back to the coast, or some nearby hideout. Crown Clown will escort you. After I take back the Ark, I'll open up a gate at the hideout and let you on."
Kawamura was silent for a moment, studying him before looking beyond him towards the heart of Edo. Then, she nodded her acceptance. "As you command." With a small bow, she was headed in the other direction. Crown Clown followed in silence.
Allen watched her go before moving into the town. Unlike every other Akuma he'd had under his control, she was wild. What he had done to both her and Chomesuke had been experimental - never done before - and unlike the normal form of re-modification, which left them independent of the Earl, it had also broken them free from Cross's control. Thus, both Kawamura and Chomesuke were truly free.
Akuma soon noticed the lone Marshal, and Allen's eye locked onto them all as they approached. He smiled as he drew his massive sword, pulling out his left arm. He reached the center of the town, beneath the floating palace - the disguised Ark - and before him was a grounded building. On that building's roof was the one man who could set Allen's blood boiling in rage. Both men smiled at each other.
"Earl of the Millennium," Allen greeted as he performed the polite British bow, his grip on the sword tightening.
"Allen Walker," the Earl greeted back with that insufferable grin. "We've been waiting for you, me and my beautiful army." With that, he thrust his hands forward, gesturing to the sea of purple Dark Matter filling Allen's vision in one eye, the countless Level Two Akuma in the other.
With that announcement, the thousands of Akuma attacked.
Allen watched them come, sidestepping several beams of Dark Matter with who knows what effect. Crown Clown wasn't here to help him yet, but Allen was not helpless. Lifting his sword, he shouted, "Death Ball!"
With a deafening roar, the Akuma all exploded. The individual pops were so numerous that it sounded like one long one. Smoke clouded Allen's human eye, while his other watched - pleased - as the souls broke free of their bondage.
Always so beautiful.
Despite the apparent victory, Allen knew that despite how many he killed here and now, he would be no closer to actually winning this war. For however many he had just killed, there was hundreds, thousands, millions times more, awaiting the Earl's command. And command he did.
Almost like water, a black wave of Level Threes came swirling together in the air, and they fused together. Allen almost laughed at the black monstrosity. Although huge, it was gangling, long neck bending forward to peer at him with girlish eyes. For some reason, despite the gender of the Akuma fused together, this type of Akuma always seemed female to Allen. They all had breasts, after all.
Well, unlike Cross, the sexing of Akuma meant little to Allen. He had to focus on his current mission. Much like Marshal Winters when Allen first met the man, Allen could easily destroy this beast with a single cut, yet he instead… ran away.
The fusion of Akuma let out a loud, confused, "Huh?" as Allen darted away, and the Millennium Earl chuckled, "I'm sorry, little Allen, but there is no where for you to run nor hide at the moment. You made poor little Lulubell-chan cry, and for that you must die."
That was one of life's mysteries, Allen reflected as he sprinted along roads in the general direction of 'away.' Imagining the emotionless Lulubell cry seemed almost impossible, yet the moment she failed the Earl, that was almost a guarantee, and upon receiving praise from him she practically glowed with a smile. Then again, Allen realized as a quarter mile of land was destroyed not far from his current location, this was probably not the best time to be focusing on that.
Like knowing where your own hand or leg was, Allen knew where Crown Clown was: less than a mile away and approaching fast. That was good. Also, judging from where it had turned around in the first place, he found where Kawamura was currently hiding. So far, everything was going according to plan.
Allen's flight ended outside of Edo, when he reached a cliff and the coastline. He stopped there, and in a few moments Crown Clown was also there, standing by his side. Allen turned around to face the approaching Giant Akuma. It saw that its prey had stopped, and after its dulled reasoning skills realized what had happened, it charged up another super attack. "Evil Star Gita!"
Allen quickly re-sheathed his sword, forming Crown's Edge, and Crown Clown surrounded him again. As the immense pink blast began, Allen slashed his left hand down in front of him and then across and shouted, "Cross Grave!"
A white cross appeared before him, surrounded by a white circle, and enlarged as it spun forward. Stronger now, the shield reached to around thirty meters in diameter before the pink blast slammed into it. It held as the attack split around it, destroying the cliff to either side of Allen.
Allen grinned, and by the time the dust from the attack cleared, it was revealed that Crown Clown was no longer with him. The Giant Akuma took a moment to realize its prey was still alive, and then another to realize that the white cloak was no longer there. That was all the time Crown Clown needed.
In a flash, the cloak was there, hovering before the thing's round "Thomas the Train" face. Then, Crown Belts by the dozen shot out and impaled the Akuma. It gave off a loud sound, retching back, but Crown Clown wasn't done. The belts continued working their way through the Akuma, with some protruding out of the thing's skinny neck before arcing back in, continuing all the way down to its stomach before they all retracted. The Akuma gave a loud, near deafening groan, as black blood oozed from its many wounds. It reared back, still groaning, and tumbled into the ground.
Allen watched as the purple aura around the Akuma bled away, and a giant apparition of white - the hundreds of freed souls - rose from it as one and ascending into Heaven, thanking him in passing. Step one accomplished…
Sorta.
Allen scratched his head as he saw the giant carvings into the Earth to his left and to the right - where his Cross Grave didn't protect. With a shrug, he walked over to them and slid down, using that as a way to reach the bottom of the cliff.
Once he reached the sandy bottom, Allen was near floored by his luck. Of the part of the cliff remaining, the cave he and the others had hid in previously remained intact. With a smile, he entered the cave and waited.
It took roughly thirty minutes before his eye activated and he saw over two dozen more of the Giant Akuma approaching from the distance, still too far to make out with his human eye. They were not a threat, even if he were to fight them. But, as it was, and as planned, he did not have to.
*Zwip!*
Ah, now Allen's thinking with portals.
****
Flat on his back, Allen was suddenly staring up at a familiar artificial sky. Around him, too, were familiar white buildings with doors that could lead to anywhere. His Ark… It was a beautiful sight indeed.
It took a moment for Allen to realize something was squirming against his back, and sitting up revealed that he had crushed Lero. The flat, pumpkin-headed umbrella popped up with an accompanying sound, coughing as if it had been strangled before laughing. "Ahahahahahaha - lero! You are going to get it now!"
Allen grinned down at the umbrella, bringing his face uncomfortable close. Crown Clown, draped over his body, brought its mask-like face up close as well from over Allen's shoulder. Lero's grin dimmed somewhat as it looked between them. "Say, Lero, why don't we play a little game?"
The umbrella was sweating now, trying back away from the two of them. Allen didn't let it. "Wh-what kind of game, lero?"
Allen's grin turned demented, his eye gleaming with malice. He lifted his claw up sinisterly. "The kind where…" The was a sudden snap sound, and Lero wretched his glowy eyes shut. "We play cards!"
"Lero?" Lero asked, cracking an eye open to see a deck in Allen's proffered hand.
"Oh, Allen, there was no need to scare my dear little Lero, was there?" a cheerful voice asked suddenly. Lero's eyes widened in happiness at the sound. The voice continued, "After all, he did so well in his mission. Time to depart, my dear Marshal; it's time to depart with this boat to Hell." A sudden Projection of the Earl erupted from the mouth of Lero to finish the speech, grinning madly.
Advanced magic, that Projection, or perhaps a simple trick to one of the Earl's caliber, but for now Allen paid it little heed. Even when the explosions began. He just stood there, smiling, as the world around him crumbled.
The Earl's Projection continued its message happily. "This Ark will now break off the pieces that have finished downloading. It will momentarily be absorbed in between dimensions and disappear. You have three hours left to live before that happens." The Earl's widely grinning face leaned in close to Allen's, almost close enough to touch. "There are no longer any active exits from this place. You were interesting, Allen Walker," cold grey eyes met beady gold, "but it is time I bid you adieu."
The inflated Projection then began to rise as if it were a balloon, floating off into the sky while Allen stepped to the side to avoid a collapsing building. His eyes never left the Earl's. As the Earl rose higher and higher, it called out one last time, "That sword of yours… It is a shame you shall perish here along with your Innocence. Farewell, Allen Walker!"
Allen restrained a few violent comments, and another few that could potentially endanger his advantage against the Earl. Instead, he waved at the Projection cheekily and shouted back, "Until next time, my dear Earl! Apologize to Lulubell for me!"
Then Allen was sprinting, clutching Lero in his human hand. He had to get to higher grounds, away from the crumbling outer layer. He continued down the narrow pathway for a time before ducking down an alley, ending up at a higher tier. He continued that method until he was safely away from the downloaded portions, and from that higher vantage point he watched as his Ark was slowly eaten away one stone at a time. Well, it wouldn't be long until Tyki-
A key appeared in Allen's vision, and a silky smooth voice whispered into his ear, "Would you perhaps like an exit, boy?" Allen turned to see Joyd there, his scandalously clad form a little too close for comfort. "You know the game."
Allen slipped off his Marshal jacket as he approached the table, resting the heavy cloth and gilt on the back of a chair before sitting. "A game, huh?"
Tyki grinned at him as he shuffled his deck. Perhaps the more important part of this Tyki was that he was in his 'white sleeve' form, with the thick glasses and cigarette firmly in place. A form that had been impossible after his forced awakening by Allen's sword, six years prior.
"The best kind," Tyki acknowledged, winking knowingly.
Allen glanced at the others at the table, seeing only Jasdebi, Mercym, Lulubell, and Wisely. His eyes strayed on Lulubell for only a moment. The last meeting between him and her, Lustul had reawakened. She refused to meet his eye.
Debito kicked back and growled in annoyance, flicking a hand towards the female Noah. "Strip poker, but despite our numbers we have yet to get Lulubell past her tie."
Jasdero continued from there. "Yeah, yeah, so we brought you here 'cause we hear that you never lose. Hehe!"
Tyki leaned forward with that friendly grin. "And to add a twist, if you happen to lose a total of three hands throughout the whole night, we get to kill you. So how about it, boy?"
Lulubell's… tits…? Allen thought to himself in shock. He slapped the table. "I'm in!" Gah, no! Damnit, Fourteenth, THIS IS MY BODY! Allen groaned suddenly, clutching his head as he forced the Noah away. If it actually went away.
Allen glanced up towards the Noah of the Fourteenth's affections only to see her sitting up straight, both arms on the table, with her eyes closed. In her human form as well. Well, this aught to be interesting, regardless. He wondered if him starting shirtless put him at the disadvantage. Now, to show the Fourteenth that he was in control of this body…
Time skip a bit, and you have the same group sitting around the table. Although, it was now everyone save Allen and Lulubell striped to their boxers.
"Say, boy, is there something you're not telling us?" Tyki asked with a forced grin. "It's getting kinda chilly."
Allen laughed darkly as he shuffled the deck, very discretely restocking the cards up in his Innocence. "Well, looks like I'm done here." He stood.
"Hey, don't fucking stop here!" Debito shouted as he jumped to his feet, dressed only in a pair of black boxers with little red hearts. He pointed a finger to the still fully-clothed Lulubell. "You're supposed to get her naked!"
Allen relished the sound of weeping inside his mind, easily able to isolate that off as the Fourteenth's tears. He grinned as he waved to them. "See you next time." Upon turning, he came face to face with three eyes glaring at him.
Wisely placed both hands on Allen's shoulders as all three of his eyes bore into Allen's. "Look, Master Allen, even with me looking into your mind, you dominated this table for over twenty hands. Please, please just this once do this for us. We will all owe you a favor, capable of being cashed in at any time."
The Fourteenth stopped crying, listing eagerly for Allen's response. Allen was silent for a moment, pausing to glance back at the table to see Lulubell sitting there, eyes now masked behind her sunglasses, with a small smile on her face. Allen looked back towards Wisely's determined face and leaned in, placing his own hand on the Noah's bare shoulder.
"Victoria." That was all he said, a grin slapped on his face, as he stepped out of the man's grip, grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair, and walked out of the room.
Allen was almost outside the building when he felt something warm and smooth drape over his bare and muscled shoulders. He turned to see Lulubell standing there, minus her jacket. "It is winter."
There was a time when Allen would have taken the act as an act of kindness. That was before she… 'trained' him. Now he knew better. Such as, he had his own thick jacket better capable of protecting him from the blizzard outside that door. Also, the gate to his Ark was only a ten second walk from the door. Neither he nor her believed he would have a problem with the cold. No, now it was quite obvious she was here to talk.
So, with one hand over the offer jacket, he faced her and asked, "Is this about Lustul?"
Allen's mind shot back to the present suddenly as he staggered back from Tyki, a hand on his head. All these flashbacks were becoming bothersome.
Remembering Tyki's question, he answered stiffly, "I'd rather not kill my brothers."
The Noah frowned at that, rubbing his chin in thought. "Hm, I always did like Sweet-tooth more than Wrathra." He then grinned at Allen, spinning the key around his finger. "Well, boy, I suppose the family is waiting."
Joyd entered the key to one of the random doors and opened it. He gestured for Allen to go in first, which the young Marshal did without hesitation. "Rhode, I got you a present!" Tyki called as he followed. The door closed and locked behind him.
That particular door led to the dining room, the one Allen and Rhode had shared alone for the past several years. Currently, it was in the hands of the Noah. Not just any Noah, Allen realized, his eyes widening. At the table, all staring at him with equally wide eyes, were Rhode, Bondomu, and Skin Bolic.
Bondomu… Jasdebi's awakened form, like Tyki being Joyd…
A hand suddenly clasped Allen's shoulder, guiding him forward. Tyki was by his side, grinning. "Now, let's enjoy a meal together… as a family.
"Welcome, Fourteenth."
(1) This is a little theory of mine. Timcampy was the Fourteenth's companion and was said to have been modified by Cross. As you know, he is gold. Chomesuke, modified by Cross, is gold. Also, Kawamura, a modified Akuma that lasted about ten-to-fifteen seconds in the series before dying, is gold (all we could see was the gold head, at least). The last example of something being modified was the guy who spoke with Tiedoll, but I forgot what he looked like. And now that I went and checked, that Akuma was a giant bumblebee (black and gold). So hah! My theory so far in indisputable… I think.
AN: Ack, sorry for the delay. I was suddenly hooked on reading these last two weeks. Literally... I read some fanfiction for three days, then started a new manga that took roughly four days to read, then WoT started consuming my life again... Yeah, anyways, here it is. I know I promised some Rhode before Lulubell, and, well, it's finally here.
And in case it was confusing, Allen won all the games in strip poker, but to deny the Fourteenth, he stripped everyone but Lulubell to their boxers (since the Fourteenth likes Lulubell). :D
One last question, what do yall think of the Fourteenth (betrayer of Noah) being Judas (betrayer of Jesus) from the Bible? Newest manga chapter name was "Voice of Judas" and the 14th does end up speaking... I kind of want to put it in this story, but I'm just not sure enough.
