Requiem of Time: Chapter Fifty-Three – Millennium Earl

The Millennium Earl sighed.

"It really is a tragedy when family must fight family, huh Wisely-kun?"

In recent days past, the Earl had sought the source of those phantom memories that found him his bodyguards prematurely. It didn't take long to discover the secret of those black cloaks, an echo of Allen Walker's Innocence, and both he and Wisely had recovered the rest of their memories from the first life.

Settling himself in this past now, the Millennium Earl had come to realize the frightening advantage Allen had carried with this foreknowledge. So many schemes had been revealed ahead of time, forcing him to readjust and reposition. These last few days, he had been busy covering anything Allen might already have known and turning other ideas into new plans he couldn't have known.

Another point, he acknowledged the host of the Fourteenth as a formidable and valid rival to himself. His awakening had made certain it was thus. Unlike the laughable Order and their apostles or the Heart that still remained in the shadows, Allen was very real and so was his threat. The Fourteenth himself managed to cause more than a little bit of damage in his treachery, and now armed with a Marshal-level synchronization with Innocence, he appeared to have leveled the playing field.

How surprising it had been when, after starting up his new schemes and positions that Allen wouldn't be able interfere with, Wisely had approached him with troubling news. Allen apparently had tried to... recruit Wisely. Something about Allen trying to finish what the Fourteenth had set out to do and turn himself into the next Earl of the Millennium.

Troubling news indeed. So troubling, Adam had called in the rest of the Noah back to his Ark. His darling Rhode may have left with the cursed Allen Walker, but he was certain the rest of his family would remain true to him and his cause.

So far, none had come.

And so both he and the remaining Wisely were in the Chamber. There was a significance to this room, a certain defensive advantage to himself. More accurately, it was the key and access to his control over the Akuma, where he could see through their eyes like cameras and hear through their ears like microphones.

Outside of the main control system against that far wall, where he and Wisely currently resided and were watching the mini screens, the rest of the room was somewhat reminiscent of a coliseum. Granted, of course, this room and its design were constructed years and years before the Romans ever got that idea, but it was still the best to relate. It's center was a circular arena, surrounded by smoothed walls of solid marble slabs. Behind those walls were the ascending steps of the audience, made of carved stone, and finally the columns rimming the uppermost layer.

But there were also the differences in this room from the Roman Coliseum. Mainly, the spectators' stands didn't seem to stop at any natural distance. It rose and rose, to where that top was so far the human eye could only barely make out shapes – taking advantage of the Ark's dimension-constructing nature. And then, there were the 'observers' who filled those stands. Akuma, all of them. Only the most powerful, an endless sea of Level Threes and Level Fours.

To be honest, most of his Akuma were in the room currently. Above the arena floated a monstrous sea of aerial Akuma, so thick one could mistake it for a massive black cloud. If anyone (Allen) were to try invading this room (again), the resulting rain of Akuma bullets and other unique firings of Dark Matter would be so heavy and multi-directional that escape and movement would be impossible, let alone the ability to challenge Adam himself in single combat.

And if, by the insane chance that Allen drudged through the Akuma unharmed, then the Earl still had a special little surprise for Allen. His trump card, his greatest defense (aside from his bodyguards): the Level Five. It was one of the very first Akuma soldiers he had ever made, the last of its kind to not be destroyed, and the slaughter it had evolved from was so much even the other Akuma bent to its will, while it bent to the Earl's will. Ah, poor Iscariot, the original soul brought back for this Akuma. Adam had actually been trying for an honest resurrection at the time of its making, back before his quarrel with God and Innocence.

Presently, Adam was staring at the screens of his Akuma eyes and ears. He could see it. Allen was coming. The Fourteenth was coming. Coming here to raise challenge to his place as the Millennium Earl. Coming here to finish what he started. The poor fool didn't realize what he was getting himself into, and the revelation that Allen was using his Noah abilities as the Musician meant nothing in the scheme of things. If the Fourteenth couldn't do it with those abilities, Allen wouldn't be able to.

Behind Adam lay his final defense, a battalion of Skulls fifty strong. Although their fighting prowess was weak and insubstantial, their dabbling in magic made them useful additions. Allen's cursed eye would be negated, his animation of the Exorcist's corpse would be held in suspension, magic could bind and limit human limbs, even seal up active fragments of Innocence.

Oh, Adam's poor brother would not see this assault coming.

The grand entrance way to the Chamber opened.

The Fourteenth entered. He had the face of Allen Walker, but his skin was the dark grey of the Noah. His right eye glinted gold in the light, but the left was a monstrous thing. The cursed eye had taken over that half half of the face, a massive black pentacle, while the eye itself was just an empty socket spewing black vapors. The activated Level Four cursed eye. More, though, and Allen had the band of stigmata along his forehead, and his white hair had curled unnaturally. The ease of his movements, the gentle smile on his face, the complete waves of Dark Matter radiating from him... There was no doubt in Adam's mind that this was the Fourteenth, no longer Allen Walker himself.

Strangely, though, his brother had chosen to remain dressed as Allen would have. Black and gold Marshal jacket remained zipped open, a brilliant white blotch of what could only be Innocence flashing from within that coat, opposing the dark grey skin around and leaving a little trail of smoke as the two opposing elements fought each other. Crown Clown, the cursed Innocence itself, had cloaked the Fourteenth, the mask peaking over his right shoulder as if he were two people instead of one. The childish focal point remained on his head, Allen's white and black, gold and silver top hat perfectly complimenting the Marshals garb and the Innocence.

Behind the Fourteenth trailed the rest of his procession, those the Millennium Earl had seen through his screens.

All the Marshals and Allen's former friends were there, including those the Earl had sworn disappeared off the face of the earth. Lenalee Lee, Miranda Lotto, bookman alias Lavi, bookman alias Bookman, Aleister Crowley, Marshal Cross, Marshal Nine, Marshal Winters, Marshal Tiedoll, animated corpse Sarah, animated corpse Maria, and a disgruntled looking Yu Kanda. The Japanese swordsman appeared to have his memories back as well, which was likely necessary in a group consisting of both Exorcists and Noah.

Which brought attention to the next group, trailing shortly after the Hands of God. Adam's own family strode together, heads down and faces grim. Tyki, Skin, Rhode, Sheryl, Debito, Jasdero, Fiddler, Mightra, Tryde, Mercym, and finally – most unexpected of all – his dear Lulubell. His own family had turned against him, everyone except for Wisely. This was heart breaking.

And finally, there came a gaggle of modified Akuma. The Earl disregarded those with a sniff. It was interesting, though, how he could feel that the Dark Matter had been purged from each of them, meaning he had no hold over any of them. A couple of faces stood out, however. Sachiko and Eliade, he had seen both of them living with two different Exorcists in recent months. It appeared there may have been some sort of relationship between them. The notion of that amused him. To finish off everything, there was a final man – just a man – mingling with the modified Akuma. A former Finder, Adam believed, by the name of Kevin. He was interesting because he lived through an Akuma bullet without any Innocence, by cutting off his arm before the poison spread... Clever man.

While Adam knew this wasn't the full extend of Allen Walker's army – currently missing the reported Hevlaska, Meilin (whom Lulubell had destroyed the Innocence of in the first life), Chouji, guardian angel Fo, Timothy, and a spattering of others – this was the largest the man had ever managed to smuggle aboard his Ark and challenge him with. Perhaps the Fourteenth would stand a chance again at testing blades with him.

"Well, well, well. Welcome, nuisance of mine. I welcome you back, brother," the Earl called out to the invaders, but his heart just wasn't in it today. He sighed. "It is a shame to see my family turned against me so. Tell me, was it something I had done? Why, why did none of you confront me about it?"

Silence among the Noah, who instead of looking bashful appeared even more grim. The Fourteenth saw that and spoke for them, "Perhaps because they remember what you did to me when I spoke against your scenario?" He shrugged, resting the massive sword against his shoulder. "Regardless, I am here to end your darkness, dear brother. Forgive me, but I will save your soul before taking your place as Millennium Earl."

There was a tense moment of silence then, the Earl staring at the Fourteenth without a hint of emotion. The ancient sorcerer's thoughts had to have been churning hard, struggling for a final decision against the man he called a brother and the family he had laughed with, lived with, and died with so many times. Finally, he sighed again, nodding once. His large and unique top hat bounced with the movement. "I understand, but I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Fourteenth. The only way you are taking my place is... well, excuse the cliché, but over my dead body."

Thud! ...Thud! Thud! Three Akuma leaped from the audience stands into the coliseum, three brutishly large Level Fours, likely with a strength to match their size.

Allen gave them no real regard. Perhaps Adam had forgotten how... ineffective Akuma were against Noah? Or maybe he was relying on them crippling him through damaging his Innocence. Either way, he wasn't worried. Crown Clown had proven itself capable of handling anything Adam could throw at it, been his impenetrable armor when he needed it.

How surprised Allen had been this morning, after leaving his room to meet up with the Noah, to find Cross with Anita on his arm waiting for him. First of all, somehow Cross had heard of Allen's plans, and he had set out gathering the Marshals again for another push. They had rallied behind him, defying Central's orders yet again.

But then there was Anita. Lavi had reported the woman dead in the Akuma attack from Japan to China to destroy the Fallen One, her brothel burned to the ground or something. Cross waved the notion off, mentioning that Anita was a strong woman and had managed. However, that told Allen something. That theory that had accompanied Lavi, that Time itself tried to fix the errors Allen was making, between Suman and Yeager, was defeated. Chomesuke too, she had lived beyond the first life. Allen was certain that the occurrences like Daisya and the attack at Headquarters were just coincidences. He could defeat Adam here, and Time would have no say in it.

Later this morning, however, after reuniting with Cross and the other Marshals, Allen had found another surprise. After some pestering from Chomesuke, Lavi had caved in and returned to the Ark, offering to make amends. Allen accepted gratefully, apologizing for the inconvenience of him having to work with his two most hated foes. Finally, though, there was the reappearance of Crowley and his wife, Baroness Eliade. The man appeared a bit more savage, more world-weary, but he mentioned an unexplainable urge that he had to be here, and he was eager to assist in this last push. Allen attributed that 'urging' of his to his super-senses, like how he could sense Jasdebi through the trick glasses so long ago.

And then, also appearing through his emergency Gates and just on time, was Lenalee and Miranda. More than that, though, accompanying them was Kanda, whom Allen honestly hadn't seen much of in this life. Apparently, Wisely had tried confronting him about something, and they both fell prey to the Destroyer of Time, and thus Kanda had all his memories back. To say the man was displeased to have died in the first life was an understatement.

And so, with them, Allen's gathered Noah, and the not insignificant amount of Akuma Allen had horded, they again boarded Adam's Ark. No mistakes, no distractions. Rhode guided him to the Chamber, himself and the other Noah banished the Akuma away... They reached the Chamber immediately and without any problems. Hopefully the rest would continue as smoothly.

Allen unsheathed his sword from his arm, drawing in a breath as he did, and suddenly all things went to Hell.

Millions and millions of Akuma suddenly began firing their weapons, the sound coming like the worlds loudest and longest explosion, resounding through the room and echoing off marble walls and within his head as well. Never before had any sound been so deafening and chaotic and deadly, bringing upon a storm of pink and tidal wave of Akuma bullets.

Despite that, it was but a whisper compared to the consuming Music already in Allen's head and throughout his being. His smiled at the incoming attacks.

At the same instant the Akuma began firing, the Skulls tapped into their magic and wove a spell around him. With only a flicker inside his mind, Allen's cursed eye shut off suddenly, removing the sea of purple Dark Matter and agonizing souls. That was a burden off his back, and an advantage barely lost. Another spell wove around him, and suddenly arrows of magic touched down in a ring around him. Five arrows.

Allen knew what was about to happen only a moment before it did. Bolts of black connected the five arrows, trapping him in the center of a pentacle, binding him in place for as long as the spell was held. The plan was obviously to immobilize him, preventing him from dodging the Akuma bullets. The gunshots were still firing from all around him.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" a deep voice boomed, audible even above the cacophony of destruction.

Allen watched as Wrathra – Skin Bolic – was there, his hulking form already armored in the shell of gold. He intercepted the Akuma bullets from in front of him, arms spread wide to shook arcing bolts of lightning out and shell Allen from the other bullets.

Allen watched, amazed, as the shrieking lightning formed an almost solid dome, destroying Akuma bullets the moment they tried slipping past. Skin himself proved immune to the bullets, watching them just bounced off his chest harmlessly.

"You know, Duke Millennium," a smooth voice commented from behind Allen, somehow recognizable over the rest of the sounds, "it really wouldn't do to have you defeated like this so easily. It appears really are just a... boy."

Allen turned his head in his magical binding to see Tyki there, halfway phased through the floor with a grin on his face. One hand reached out and grabbed one of the arrows, ignoring the backlash that tried destroying him from doing so (Allen saw some bolts shoot through Tyki's arm and realized that none of it was 'touching' him, thanks to his Noah ability). As soon as that one arrow was out of the ground, the integrity of the spell was disrupted and the spell failed, freeing him.

After shaking the dust off himself, Allen shouldered his sword and nodded his thanks to Tyki. "I guess that's why I have bodyguards, right?" Tyki winked and then disappeared into the ground, leaving to join the fight elsewhere.

Skin dropped his protective dome, and a sudden torrent of sound rushed him again, explosions happening left and right in addition to the many gunshots both near and far. Instead of the bullets reaching him again, Allen saw a wall of Noah around him. Skin in front, Tryde and Sheryl to the left, Fiddler and Mightra to his right. The twins Jasdebi were doing something behind him, laughing and jeering rancorously as they did.

Lulubell was right next to him, eyes nearly closed with feigned boredom as her arm suddenly lashed out in the form of water and captured something in the air. Allen watched, almost speechless, as a ribbon of seals launched by the Skulls destroyed itself in a sudden explosion. Lulubell's water arm was obliterated, and without a care she transformed the remaining parts into a normal arm, leaving her entirely unharmed.

Mercym stood by Allen's other side, arms crossed but still tense, ready to defend the new Millennium Earl to the best of his abilities.

This whole thing was a new experience to Allen, who's body had already flooded him with enough adrenaline to be dodging and fighting his way through this considerable muck of an attack. Instead he was standing here... watching his former enemies defending him from any conceivable attack.

Allen let out a little laugh at that, exhilarated by this. So this is what it felt like to be the Millennium Earl.

Considering himself safe for the moment, Allen made to check for his friends, the Exorcists who weren't defended like he was.

He saw them mostly close together, defending and fighting with an odd sort of teamwork. Since most of the Akuma were firing towards himself, they weren't quite as disadvantaged. Kanda seemed to sense that, or was too hotheaded to care otherwise, and he leaped away from the others to begin engaging the Akuma on his own. Winters had already done so. Cloud remained protected in the group, but her Innocence Lau Shimin was already across the coliseum and demolishing the Akuma in the stands.

Walking forward now, steps not hurried and confident, Allen saw Tyki appear form the ground just in time to protect Miranda from a stray Akuma bullet, then disappear back in it. They were safe, for now, leaving him able to take care of Adam.

Allen jerked to a stop when he saw the very ground beneath him light up gold suddenly. He looked down to see what it was and saw his mistake. A giant eye, the Third Eye, glared back up at him, and Allen knew he had fallen for the trap. Already, Wisely was tugging his mind inwards, likely to torture him with visions of his past or something similar.

However, before Allen's world could even turn black, everything snapped back into place. He staggered forward a step, Lulubell catching him and steadying him, but he was still himself. Allen, baffled, looked back at the Third Eye and saw it cracking. The source of the crack was...

"Rhode," Allen breathed, and his first wife grinned up at him, winking.

Her voice appeared in his head, bypassing the other noises entirely. "I'll handle Wisely, you go save Millennie."

Allen's ring of Noah moved with him, protecting him from the endless assault. He kept the corpse of Sarah with him, hovering just behind him. Adam watched him approach, watched the futility of his defenses. As he had assumed, he and the Fourteenth would be drawing blades before the battle was finished. But first...

The three hulking Level Fours moved forward, looking not at all bothered by the seven Noah between them and Allen. If they had any taunts to say before confrontation, it was drowned out by all the other commotion in this room. The first reached Skin.

The giant of a man sent a huge bolt of lightning out before rearing back a fist to knock the Akuma away. It was quicker, blurring away from the lightning and hitting the man squarely in the chest. Skin let out a monstrous, "OOOMPH!" before being rocketed away from the fore of Allen's defense.

Tryde, Mightra, Sheryl, and Fiddler saw that and realized the threat, adjusting their flanking defenses to prepare against these three. Lulubell and Mercym both took a step ahead of Allen, intending to protect him. Allen himself recognized a certain futility to their movements. Wrathra was their physical strength, and he was blown away. There was something about this Akuma... It was like the Earl had prepared against his own Noah.

Sheyl's controlling hooks were deflected, as well as the others' abilities. Tryde, like Wrathra, was knocked away. He was followed shortly by Mercym, who moved to confront it.

Allen's defenses were falling fast, and his hand shot out to Lulubell's elbow as she moved to confront the first. She paused to glance at him, and Allen shook his head. He didn't quite see how it would combat her ability of transformation, how it could counter a being that could be a giant humanoid of water than a dragon then the air itself and a blazing inferno whenever it wished, but he wouldn't put it past the Earl to have a way. Some weakness she herself didn't even know about.

However, as Allen gave her a gentle smile and stepped past her, he had a theory about these Akuma. If they were specialized against the Noah and yet he has never seen them before in previous confrontations against the Earl, then obviously they weren't that effective against Exorcists. Perhaps they were better than any Akuma, but it wasn't worth the loss, considering their true purpose.

Lulubell gave him a subtle touch on the back of his arm, and Allen's grin became feral. Her, giving a touch of comfort. He briefly wondered what Adam would say to that as he continued forward, eyeing his new opponent. Sheryl was the only one with a morsel of usefulness, using his hooks to swing objects and scraps of Akuma that had already been destroyed at the thing, but for the most part they just bounced off harmlessly.

Those still remaining, along with those who were just recovering from the heavy-hitters, saw Allen's intent and turned instead to continue deflecting attacks away from him. In their absence, already Clown Crown had shielded Allen from nearly a dozen bullets and beams. Allen paused as a fist of water shot past his had to snatch another spell from the air and destroy it. Lulubell had finally discarded her clothes for free transformation, currently the giant beast of water. She regarded Allen with a single nod before moving off to the side, still guarding him from the spells.

Allen turned his smile to the Level Four's, unable to escape a sudden reminder of the previous night. He ignored the spikes of worry about hers and Rhode's safety, trusting them. Rhode could handle Wisely easily, and Lulubell had proved herself time and time again. He needed to focus here.

An Akuma bullet had slipped by his Noah defenses, but Allen ignored it as it slammed into the ground just to his left. He readied his sword, angling it slightly. Funny enough, the Fourteenth had quite a few memories of sword fighting, it having been the primary method of war for so long. More than once he had been drafted into armies, and there were times he had a fondness for it to the point he took lessens in the art.

Allen didn't think the skills would drastically affect himself, especially since the Fourteenth had grown rusty in the last century before finding the Sword of Salvation, but a few maneuvers would catch Kanda off-guard if they sparred again. Hopefully, they'd do the same to Adam when he reached him.

Ready, Crown Clown? Allen thought to himself, in a mind so blessedly his. He felt the warmth of the cloak around him, that affirmative of its readiness.

Allen tensed his legs, then threw his sword and burst into motion. The first Level Four cocked its head and dodged easily, blurring back into place as the sword passed it. Allen smirked and watched Crown Clown block its counter attack, then turn the spikes of cloak into Crown Belts that held it in place. The Akuma was confused for a moment, then it's eyes widened as the sword suddenly impaled it from behind. Allen held his summoning of the sword until it had tore through the Level Four entirely, allowing it to sheath back into his arm.

Before the moment had passed, the Akuma still gaping from its sudden impaling, Allen's newly formed claw raked across its form. The Akuma froze, and the Crown Belts retracted from it. Allen's gaze turned to the two remaining ones, who were watching him curiously. The first Akuma had five lines of gold appear across its form slowly, it still frozen, and then it fell into pieces. A huge explosion followed, whipping at Allen's clothes in a burst of air.

He drew his sword again.

Fighting with Clown Crown over his shoulder was a rare luxury nowadays. It was usually in the pitch of combat on its own, leaving him with his claw to do its own thing. Allen laughed as he felt his Innocence's equivalent of rolling its eyes in amusement. "Yeah, yeah, I know that I'm the one who usually sends you out. It's just nice to have you back for the moment." Of course, those words couldn't be heard at all in the roar of this enclosed combat, but the Innocence picked them up anyways and gave a little burst of warmth again.

Allen didn't doubt that the other two Akuma had learned his trick already and they wouldn't allow themselves to fall prey to it. Didn't mean he couldn't summon his sword again, only that they wouldn't be so easily defeated by it.

With a shout on his lips, Allen engaged the next closest. His quick double swipes were dodged in blurs of motion, so fast it was as if he was hardly moving, and only the quickest of reflexes had him bring up his sword in time to parry a sudden counter-attack. And the dozen following it.

Allen took a couple of steps back to regain his balance, arm tingling from the force behind the blows. As he sucked in another breath, both Akuma approached him at the same time. Joy.

Crown Clown became an active participant, not to be outdone by any lowly Akuma. The tendrils of Crown Belts became a defensive wall against the blows, sometimes restraining the beasts momentarily before they'd break free and reengage. It was only a matter of time before Allen would manage to get a lucky strike in during the stalls.

As it was, among the lightning quick fighting, Allen managed to do what they didn't expect. He pointed his sword towards both of them, but instead of a jab, he shouted, "Death Ball!"

Both Akuma staggered back, the destructive ability shredding the fronts of their armored chests, yet amazingly not destroying them. Crown Clown capitalized their stuns, multiple Crown Belts piercing the weakened front of one of them and ripping it in pieces from within. The explosion followed, leaving just Allen and the final one, which had recovered from the injury if not entirely.

Allen had his final trump card now, and he didn't hesitate to use it. As he moved to reengage it, both him and Crown Clown, the Akuma focused itself on defending. What it didn't expect was the spire of Earth rising up from behind it and impaling it near instantly, the tip sharped steel before contact was made.

The Akuma twitched, maybe to remove itself, but suddenly a dozen similar spires rose and impaled it from all sides. Allen smiled, then cleaved it in half. The explosion was a rush against him, drowning away the rest of the noise of combat for a moment. Sarah would have been a great asset to the Order if she had lived, especially great if she ever reached the rank of Marshal.

The memory of her brought a smaller twang to his heart now, but Allen refocused himself immediately as the Noah fell in around him again, Lulubell remaining a large tiger due to the loss of her clothes. That shifted into a massive scorpion suddenly, and the stinger lashed out and liquified just in time to intercept another spell, reforming into another stinger after destroying the spell.

Adam didn't appear bothered by the loss. He stood stock still, both hands on an umbrella before him as he simply watched Allen approach.

It was that lack of action that surprised Allen slightly when another Akuma appeared. This one also froze his insides the moment he took in its form.

It was much like a cherub, a grey skinned child of perhaps five years old. It had small feather wings keeping it aloft, with a golden halo above it disguising the evil Allen knew lurked within. It had big, innocent-looking eyes, along with a very noticeable black pentacle on the center of its forehead. His deactivated cursed eye stirred at the sight of this. It looked so much like a man, not at all a machine like the rest of the Akuma...

The Level Five.

Allen's left eye suddenly erupted in agony, which he struggled to reduce within his mind as he'd been taught. However, the pain was so great – as it had been the first time – his tight control was overwhelmed and he roared his agony, hand slapping over the eye as he fell to a knee. Tears welled in both eyes, both from the pain and what he knew awaited him.

Allen could feel the skin and flesh and curse shifting under his hand, shifting and evolving. The black vapors like a cool mist seeped past his fingers from the socket, as was his Level Four cursed eye, but then something grew inside the currently empty and spewing socket. It grew until it filled it, then something pushed against his hand. As Allen took shuddering breaths, mind crackling with anguish, he couldn't stop the disgusted trickle running down his back like a sludge. Unwillingly, he moved his hands as if burned by the thing that touched it.

Allen couldn't stop his own horror as the ghostly image forced its way out of his eye, the curse a separate entity of its own. The Curse of Mana peered into the world with dead eyes, bringing with it whispers of the man Allen had called father. Unlike the other evolutions of the curse when this happened, the skeletal head remained out. This was the final evolution of his curse, the Level Five, and its power overwhelmed even the spell the Skulls had cast to negate it.

Allen fought down the urge to vomit as the soul of the Level Five was revealed to him again, and the eye forced the images and life of the captive soul into Allen's mind. All the things that soul had been forced to witness and be a part of since its original binding, all the horrors and atrocities, the pain and anguish of it. Allen was forced to feel it all, Mana's final act as an Akuma himself, forcing Allen to know what he had tried to make Mana go through.

The worst part of it... This binding soul of the Level Five... It was no longer a captive. No longer chained by the Earl's own soul of Dark Matter. Allen had witnessed the birth of a Level Five in his first life, and as he tried to recover from the sickness of it, he watched helplessly as it slayed Kanda. The final stage of Akuma evolution, the ocean of Dark Matter that surrounded the Level Four grew and absorbed into the soul. The soul turned, corrupted, and it broke free of its chains.

"Papa..." the monster called to him, the grin of the soul matching the grin of the cherub. "Why does it hurt, Papa?" Tears were in both of their eyes, and Allen could feel the pain. He vomited again.

Allen could feel it within the Akuma. The Dark Matter was giving it pain, so much pain. The soul, once pure and innocence, was working its way into a raging bloodlust. Already that thing had decided to kill everyone in this room, and it was more powerful than anything Allen had felt before.

This mockery of an angel was finally allowing that thirst for blood to take over its visage. "Papa... Papa. Papa! Papa! PAPA! PAPA! PAPA!"

It struck.

Allen felt the tear of blood leave his eye as he witnessed the soul of this new Level Five. The soul was just screaming and roaring within, crying and shouting and blubbering in madness. Just a child, so tortured. Because of the eye, Allen saw the whole life of this screaming child, found him almost as old the Fourteenth himself. So many terrible things happen to him, so many...

Allen wept.

A hand on his shoulder diverted him, and Allen saw Lulubell kneeled down next to him, concern washing away expressionless. Allen wanted nothing more than to dive into her bosom and cry, cry and wail like she was his mother and hope against hope that she could comfort him. But she couldn't, not comfort him against what that child had gone through. It was so terrible, so so terrible.

Her hand on his shoulder suddenly gripped it tightly and her eyes hardened. She couldn't speak to him with the volume of everything else going around him, but her look told him enough. What she expected of him currently.

Allen drew in a shuddering breath, trying to ignore the demon of his left eye. He couldn't find the strength within himself, but he found it in the contact. He drew in strength from Lulubell's expectancy, her unyielding grip, and he forced back the visions of the boy named Iscariot. There was nothing that could be done to change that past, all the pain had already happened. This could and would be solved only from saving the soul now.

Allen had beat a Level Five before, and he would do it again.

He met Lulubell's look and nodded firmly, showing he was back in control of himself, and she smiled back, glad. Her hand moved from his shoulder and she helped him stand. Allen swayed only for a moment before steadying himself, then glared at the innocent looking Level Five.

Allen's grip over his sword tightened until it hurt, then tighter still. His arm shook in his fury, ready to rip this corrupter of the soul to pieces and save Iscariot. Despite the bodyguards intending to do that for him, Allen took a step forward, knowing he would do this himself.

A sudden figure leaped between the Noah and landed just before Allen, before any of them could stop it. Allen almost struck, but stopped when the figure settled itself after the jump.

Yu Kanda rose smoothly, flicking his pony tail behind him and leveling his sword before him. A grin was on his face. "It's about time you showed up," he called to the Level Five. "We still have unfinished business."

Allen's eyes widened when he realized what Kanda intended, and he remembered clearly what had happened the last time he and a Level Five fought. "Kanda, wait-"

"Shut your mouth, beansprout, and mind your own business," Kanda spat suddenly, but not as harshly as he could have. "We aren't going to win anything if you keep fighting all the Earl's toys instead of the Earl himself. Besides, this is my fight. So butt out."

"Bakanda," Allen muttered. He had forgotten how different sound was to the Fourteenth, realizing now why he could hear everyone when they spoke among this maelstrom of sound. Regardless, he didn't have much say in this fight, as Kanda suddenly leaped forward past Skin and engaged the Level Five, going through his Demon Illusion Techniques.

Allen sighed and watched the swordsman go, drawing the Level Five away in the rapidly destructive fight. He turned his attention back to the Skulls between him and Adam. "Shall I destroy these as well, brother, or will we fight now?"

"You really have become bothersome, Fourteenth," Adam sighed, lifting Lero off the ground and allowing it to produce his black sword with the white inlaid cross. "All I've ever desired was a complete family, yet you've taken that from me, piece by piece."

Allen shrugged. "If you want to join me and renounce your claim as Millennium Earl, go right ahead. We can be a family again. However, I cannot stand by and watch you continue this plan of destroying the entire human race. You have fallen too far into darkness, and I will bring you back, no matter the cost. It was the Fourteenth's last and greatest wish, and I will honor it in my efforts to end this war against humanity."

"Last wish...?" the Earl repeated, then understanding seemed to dawn on him and his expression became even more saddened. After a moment, that became a flash of anger which he quickly controlled. "Speaking of war against humanity, Walker, have you heard about what rages at this very moment?"

Allen approached with casual steps, passing his Noah guards and watching the Skulls clear a path for him. "I have not."

The Earl's eternal grin widened spitefully. "War rages. War of man against man. The largest war this world has ever seen. I can feel the anger and bitterness now, the helplessness and grudges as man slaughters man and armies are crushed and people and families die. The best part is, this war isn't my doing. Believe my surprise when I found out it was yours."

After considering it for a moment, Allen shrugged. "Nothing that I can do about it now. By defeating you here, man will have the ability to freely kill each other as they wish, without it meaning something in the grand scheme of things with you and your Akuma. There will no longer be the fear of the entire world perishing... You could have been so much, you know. Instead of starting chaos and conflict, you could prevent things like this. You could have patched things in America when the country split into North and South, instead you forced the conflict along. You could have saved the Roman Empire, could have saved China from the Mongols, saved Jerusalem from the Muslims or at least halted the following crusades. Instead of attempting to use your influence to appease the warring parties, you have brewed fear and hate, at times making the fighting more violent and lasting than it could have. You, Adam, do not deserve the title Millennium Earl."

"I'd advice less on lecturing me on my duties and more on paying attention to where you're standing," the Earl suggested playfully, the malice obvious behind the words.

Allen smirked. "Forgive me for my presumptions, but I had used Sarah to fuse this entire platform into a solid piece of steel. I... didn't want to face the annoyances of press tiles or any other childish trap."

Silence from the Earl, though the war still raged on all around them. For the second time, Allen felt the finality of the approaching battle. The first time was the only other time he had been in this room, with battles raging around him and Adam much like this. There was no escape from this room, save the single entrance he had walked through. Just like then, either it was himself that would fall or Adam that would. Unless another random Level Two sent him in the past, of course, but the Earl, fortunately, took precautions against that this time.

If the Noah were to help him, this battle could be quite quick. However, in the conditions of those who decided to join him, it always came up that they refused to harm the First Noah. Joining Allen was one thing, but they couldn't turn against their own brother like that, not after the care he had shown each of them.

Allen resigned himself to this being a sole battle between himself and the Earl. Well, nothing was gained from delaying anymore.

With a shout, Allen struck first with a simple swipe that Adam parried, and then they began the real battle.

Adam disengaged and swung low, which Allen jumped over with an overhead strike. Another parry, but suddenly Adam began charging up a ball of Dark Matter in his hand. Allen wasn't impressed, feeling the Crowned Clown stir over him and suddenly whirl around him as the orb was launched at him, the cloak brushing the attack off, then countered with Crown Belts.

Adam in his fat outer-layer bounded away gleefully, sending more and more orbs, each leaving large explosions on impact. Allen and Crown Clown remained safe, but a mental command to Sarah had spires rise from the platform and form obstacles for Adam. Allen sheathed his sword into his arm and aimed his claw towards the Earl. "Crown Edge!"

Golden rings fired like bullets. Adam saw them and gasped, holding onto his top hat as he pranced around in his mad dodges. Seeing that Allen no longer held his sword, however, he pivoted and raced back for Allen, swinging sharply.

Allen was expecting this, and he smirked as the Earl came to a final landing in his strike. The man's golden eyes bugged behind his spectacles as the very floor sank beneath his feet, trapping both legs there and sending his swing way off. Allen drew his own sword and struck, not hesitating.

Adam cursed and blocked, wincing at the strength behind Allen's strike. He tried to loose a hand to destroy the floor that was trapping him, but Allen's blows were coming too quick to divert attention or his two handed hold. The floor suddenly increased the pressure over his legs, and he knew his armor was breaking. The pressure would have flattened a normal man's legs by then.

With a huff, Adam put more strength than usual into a deflect, and Allen spun unexpectedly by it, breaking his flow of strikes. Perfect.

It only took a step to regain his footing, but Allen knew that by then it was too late. A huge explosion of Dark Matter hurled him back and likely freed Adam as well. As he was still airborne, Allen called to Sarah. The debris flying everywhere suddenly changed shape, and then they all turned into mini spears and spike heading back towards the Earl.

There was another explosion, this time a flash of golden light. Allen mentally cheered.

Adam stood in the center of a small hole, entirely unharmed. However, around him were the bits and pieces of his outer-layer armor. The man did not look pleased. The true fight had begun, now.

The other Exorcists, while Allen was busy against the First Noah, were doing quite well, considering what they were up against. The endless tide of powerful Akuma had yet to wear away their defenses. Upon seeing that there were no Level Ones or Twos to be useful against, the modified Akuma had retreated outside the Chamber door, much to the relief of Lavi and Crowley.

Presently, Crowley had pinned another Level Four down and had his fangs latched onto the things neck, engorging himself on the blissful taste of such powerfully corrupted Akuma blood. In recent months past, he had given up his timid nature in favor of survival, and he had grown skilled in his method of combat. None of these Akuma could even begin to challenge him, though he had consumed more than enough blood to make a blood creation that could fight as well. Wiping his mouth as the Level Four's armor crumpled inward with lack of substance, his ferocious eyes searched for another victim.

Lavi and Lenalee had taken to the skies. The crystal-type Dark Boots raged a storm of destruction as Lenalee reached Mach 2 and ripped through ranks of the Akuma. Lavi himself used other Akuma to maintain his altitude as he destroyed them, having a blast while doing so. Finally, Lavi stopped his rampage on top of a Level Three with a large, flat head. He spun his hammer in his hands and called out, "Earth! Fire! Heaven! Combo seal: Hell's Prison!"

Lavi was certain the technique worked better on the ground but he was interested to see the result in the air. He wasn't disappointed.

Instead of a pit forming, Earth simply appeared in the air with them, a massive cup forming under a good many confused Akuma. The dozen or so tried escaping, but bars of lightning suddenly meshed and trapped them in, while fire rapidly began filling the prison. Lavi watched as one of his most powerful abilities demolished the Earl's toys.

On the ground, Cross, Tiedoll, and Cloud Nine were not slacking, while Miranda used Time Stop to help with their defense. Winters was in a mad world of his own, splattering himself in the blood of Akuma in a spree of slaughter.

Rhode had also finished with Wisely, leaving the man unconscious on the ground and her with her fingers laced behind her head, grinning. The man was such a baby, crying from almost the very start of the game she made him play. His poor mind couldn't handle much at all, and he fell unconscious before the fun truly began. Now, she approached the ring of Noah that were making sure no stray Akuma bullet interfered with Allen's fight against Millennie – Allen may be the new Duke Millennium, but Millennie would always be Millennie.

Her gold eyes twinkled as she watched the savage ferocity Allen fought with, his unstoppable drive to win, while Adam was a cold fury against him, movements controlled as they were brutal. Millennie was right in the pains of family fighting family, but it was necessary. She had thrown her lots in with Allen, and only with his method would they all still be alive in the end, himself included. She didn't care if all the humans were slaughtered, only that her family and Allen were still alive.

Allen parried a blow of Adam's with Crown Clown, then struck from over the tangle while the other blade was snared. Instead, Adam leaped back, panting, holding his blade low as he took two more steps back in and twirled his blade up. Allen's met his in a shower of sparks, massive sword against massive sword, and they both stepped forward and shrugged their blades low against the other in similar disarming techniques. Needless, neither succeeded and the fight continued.

At times, the Earl could pause just long enough to cast a spell, and suddenly Allen would fight off a certain ailment, like stiff legs or a shocking weakness in the arms. Other times, the very ground under Adam could suddenly thrust him upwards and then jerk back down, destabilizing him. Both could end up tangled in a knot of Crown Belts and weaves of Dark Matter.

After another separation, Allen felt the slow burn in his arm. He was getting exhausted. So was Adam, though, just as breathless as he was as they eyed each other down. With the hand holding the sword, Allen wiped his sweaty brow and smiled at Adam. "Please, tell me... What defines the Millennium Earl?"

Allen reacted as soon as Adam did and met him in a parry, faces mere inches from each other. The other man's eyes glared a powerful hate, directed solely towards himself. Like that, struggling against the other man in the parry, Allen continued, his exertion obvious in his voice, "Is it the... Akuma? His stance against Innocence... and God? The Noah... who protect him?"

Bending his legs slightly, Allen snapped up and shoved forward, putting his weight into the maneuver. Adam was pushed back briefly and disengaged the parry, whirling his blade up in another complex set of attacks that Allen worked at dodging and deflecting, looking for the advantage to strike back.

A Crown Belt and another trick from Sarah broke Adam's assault, and the man backed away warily, holding his sword between Allen and himself, tip pointed at Allen's throat. He was panting, but he spoke finally. "No," it came as a gasp, as he quickly drew in another breath. He was using the moment as a breather, much like Allen himself was. A time to allow aching muscles a brief rest. "It is a... symbol of the one... who will usher in a new millennium..."

Allen smirked. "Exactly."

The first Millennium Earl's eyes narrowed at that, then Allen took a final lunge for him. Crown Clown broke into four addition Crown Belts, all of them arcing wide to the sides of Adam. The man attempted to jump back to gain distance and time, but as his legs tensed the ground suddenly wrapped around his feet, holding him in place. His eyes widened, realizing his position and the lack of time to break himself free. Dark Matter gathered into his hands, preparing a quick and destructive spell, while the sword prepared to deflect Allen's away.

The Crown Belts reached him first, binding both arms and legs and snapping his limps in place. The spell died instantly as his arms were forced outwards and bound legs reinforced by the belts. There was nothing to prevent Allen's sword from its destination.

The former Earl of the Millennium let out a loud scream at that, eyes wide at the sight of the sword protruding from his chest, feeling the power of God burning away at his very soul. Innocence was the exact opposite of Dark Matter. Allen twisted his sword, and the pain had Adam drop his as he lost control of his motor skills for a moment.

It was... over.

Adam sagged against his bindings as Allen retracted his sword, positioning it for the finishing blows. The man's top hat of glittering stars fell from his head, leaving just a defeated man before him. Allen felt a spontaneous pity for him, understanding for just a moment the position Adam was in, the man's life obvious from the Fourteenth's memories.

"I forgive you, you know," Allen whispered finally. That was the only way he could sum up his current feelings, and he shook it off as he prepared to finish it.

Adam huffed a pain laugh, head bowed. "You always were... an interesting one... Allen Walker."

Allen brought his sword down, cleaving the man from left shoulder all the way through. Then, he brought it back around in a smooth motion and rent him from the right shoulder through. Two crosses appeared on him, signs of the cleansing happening within. Allen then continued the flow into a final strike, and it decapitated the Millennium Earl.

There was no wound, of course, but the result was much the same to a man housing Dark Matter. Adam let out a piercing roar as his very soul was cleansed, the Dark Matter that made up who he was getting burned away viciously. At the same time, Allen felt a change happening within himself. Nothing drastic, but he could feel that something inside him became different as the previous Millennium Earl went through his final moments.

He couldn't destroy the Millennium Earl, no, but Allen found he didn't have to. He watched as Adam was cleansed, the Fourteenth's greatest desire now filled. The world had been saved from a terrible evil.

It ended when the grey skinned man in bindings became a normal gentleman in the middle of his life, skin now the fleshy of any other human. Crown Clown released him then, and Allen had Sarah release his legs. He caught the limp man as he fell and lowered him gently to the platform.

All around him, Allen could see the Akuma now inactive. The machines had been powered by souls, energy harvested by and kept bound by Dark Matter. Without Adam to supply, they all went into inactivity as the souls were released, machines powered down suddenly. Even the horrifying Level Five, which Kanda snorted disdainfully at and kicked over.

The terror of the first Millennium Earl was now over, Adam was now a normal human... Allen himself was the new Millennium Earl. It was over. It was finally over...

January 1st, 1900, the Fourteenth Noah succeeded the First Noah as the Earl of the Millennium.

End.