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Chapter Six - Debate of Trust

Cross and his group had traveled as fast as they could to Italy, in search of the group of Exorcists unlucky enough to have been targeted by the Millennium Earl. And of course, after contacting HQ, Cross learned that this group was headed up by none other than General Klaud Nyne.

She was a new general and had actually trained together with both Cross and Maria. And, as the first female general in Black Order history, she seemed determined to prove herself.

"This isn't going to go well," Cross grumbled as he and the girls made their way to the inn where he had been informed that Klaud and her group were staying. All he wanted to do was get there, warn them about the attack and then get the hell out of here.

But of course he knew that this wasn't going to be what happened. When it came to luck he had two kinds; bad and none. Which pretty much assured that something was going to go wrong on this little trip.

Most likely the Noah brat had given them false information, sending them away from the location of some big event. That had been the first thought when the brat had informed him that this group of Exorcists had been targeted and yet he had still chosen to traipse across the damn continent to prevent an attack that in all likelihood wasn't even coming.

"You seem somewhat angry," Maria commented as the trio made their way toward the inn where their comrades were rumored to be staying.

"Oh I'm beyond angry," Cross growled, his hands clenching into fists. "I can't believe that I'm actually taking that brat's word."

Normally Lyssa would listen as her master complained but this time she felt the pressing need to say something. "Why would he tell you something like that if it wasn't the truth Master Cross?"

"That brat's up to something," Cross growled, not even bothering to turn and glare at his apprentice. "I just haven't figured out exactly what that something is."

Lyssa's thoughts shifted back to the mahogany haired young man from the Clan of Noah. The voice in the back of her mind, the one most influenced by the Black Order, was whispering that it was highly probable that the young man was using them but Lyssa chose to believe that he was being truthful.

After all she had definitely seen the haunted look in his gray eyes and she recognized that look above all others. It was the very same look that she had seen in her own brown eyes in the days, weeks and months after losing her family.

And she desperately wanted to know what had put this look in the stormy eyes of the young Noah.

"We have to look into the situation," Maria said in her musical voice, placing a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder in the hopes of calming him down before his irritation escalated any further. "Because if he is telling the truth we're the only ones who can help the Exorcists."

Cross growled a monosyllabic reply, knowing that Maria was right whether or not he wanted to acknowledge this fact. He couldn't very well tell the Order that a Noah had informed him of an impending attack by the Millennium Earl.

When the trio of Exorcists finally arrived at their intended destination it was to find General Klaud and her students leaving the premises. And a shocked expression appeared on the blond general's face when her gaze fell upon Cross and his two companions.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she and the others accompanying her made their way toward the Cross group. She was gazing intently at the three new arrivals while the little monkey sitting on her shoulders chattered in an irritated tone.

"Sav…"

Maria held up her hands at this point and gave her husband a meaningful glare. He couldn't tell Klaud whey they were there because then she'd want to know how exactly they had came across this information.

A question that they would be completely unable to answer lest they get themselves into a world of trouble.

"Just happened to be in the neighborhood," Cross amended, knowing that this explanation didn't sound sincere on his part but not caring enough to try harder.

"Sure," Klaud said, obviously not convinced by his words. "Well you can just get back out of the neighborhood. We have this mission under control."

Cross opened his mouth to say something on the subject however Maria, sensing trouble, beat him to it. "I'm sure you can handle it General. We'll just rest here for awhile and then be on our way."

Klaud nodded and she and her group continued on their way.

Maria waited until the group of Exorcists were out of ear shot before whirling to face her husband, a scowl on her face that would rival his any day of the week. "What were you thinking?" she demanded as she slapped him on the chest. "We can't tell them why we're here and we can't seem like we know too much or else they're going to be suspicious. We'll just have to wait for something to happen."

Lyssa couldn't help but smirk at the expression that appeared on her master's face as he was rebuked by his wife. Maria was the only one that Lyssa knew who could cause that reaction in the red haired general and it never failed to elicit amusement.

"Hey!" Cross snapped, turning just in time to see the smirk that was plastered on his apprentice's face. "She doesn't need any help from you!"

"I didn't say a word," Lyssa said in her own defense. It was true that several things had came to mind that she would have liked to have said but the fact remained that she'd managed to hold her tongue this time.

Cross growled profanities under his breath but didn't say anything else as he turned and began walking in the direction that Klaud and her cronies had traveled in. He had to keep an eye on this group and therefore didn't have the time to deal with his insolent apprentice.

"Come on," Maria mouthed to Lyssa.

Lyssa nodded and together the two women hastened to catch up to the irritated red haired man.

The youngest of the trio of Exorcists was bringing up the rear of their strange little procession and she turned quickly as she suddenly caught sight of a flash of gold.

"That's strange," the girl thought to herself as she strained her eyes in an attempt to catch another glimpse of the strange object. "I wonder…"

The young woman's thoughts returned to that day when she had first met the Noah of Praise and she vaguely recalled seeing a flash of gold duck into his coat as she and her companions approached. Thinking of the black golems used by the Order a theory formed in the young woman's mind.

Could the Noah have a golden golem? And if he did would he have ordered it to follow them?

"Strange," Lyssa muttered to herself, deciding to keep this newest development from the others. They didn't need to know about what she had seen until she was certain what was going on.

"We're getting close," Cross muttered as he began to pick up snippets of the conversations between the other Exorcists.

Maria nodded and began to sing softly, invoking her Innocence. 'Magdala Curtain' would prevent Klaud and her group from knowing that they were being followed while allowing them to keep an eye on the targeted Exorcists.

Lyssa was familiar with Maria's powers and knew that they were now enveloped in an invisible field that would shield them from detection. This was a very useful skill and Lyssa thought back to the battles that the two women had fought together and, reaching up, she gently fingered the pendant that hung from her neck. Their particular powers worked well together as had often been proven in combat with Akuma.

Noticing that the younger woman was absently playing with her Innocence, Maria reached out and grasped Lyssa's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Stay calm."

Lyssa smiled weakly and allowed her hand to fall back to her side. She had little battle experience, having been a member of the Black Order for a short period of time, and she always felt butterflies begin to fill her stomach at the thought of battle.

But at the same time she realized that it was necessary and that the cursed souls inhabiting the Akuma both needed and deserved to be saved.

At the thought of saving the Akuma a by now familiar face appeared in Lyssa's mind's eye.

The face of someone else that she found herself wanting to save.

Nicholas.

The Noah of Praise.

Lyssa still wasn't certain whether or not the young Noah was telling them the truth about his intentions but she found that for some reason that didn't matter. She could tell, by the look in his eyes, that he was a person worth saving and she vowed in that moment to try everything in her power to do just that.

"I hope I'm not making the biggest mistake of my life," the young woman thought to herself as she continued to follow along behind her comrades.

Several hours passed while Cross and his group maintained surveillance on Klaud and her group and during that time absolutely nothing happened. Which of course only served to add to the irritation that was already radiating from the reluctant leader of this rescue mission.

"When I get my hands on that brat…" Cross growled, fire gleaming in his eye as he envisioned strangling that arrogant Noah brat.

"Master…"

"Stop," Cross demanded. "I don't want to hear one syllable in defense of that brat."

"No master…" Lyssa blew out a frustrated breath but was determined to try again to relay this rather important piece of news to the stubborn man. She needed to get through to him somehow, whether he wanted to listen or not.

"I said shut it!" Cross snapped, turning to send a glaring look in the direction of his apprentice. It was in this moment that he caught sight of a large group of Akuma approaching from behind them. "Shit!"

Lyssa sighed as her master caught sight of the Akuma that she'd been trying to warn him about. If he'd only listened to her then he wouldn't have been taken by surprise but of course she wasn't really surprised by this fact.

That was just the way Master Cross was.

Lyssa's first impulse was to attack the Akuma and, seeming to sense this, Maria reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. The young woman turned questioning brown eyes to her friend and received a gentle smile.

"We have to wait," Maria said quietly her gaze focused on her friend. "We can't let General Klaud and the others know that we've been following them because they're going to want to know why. And as you know we can't tell them why."

"Right," Lyssa said, nodding. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Maria said gently. "I know how you feel. Just have a little patience and we'll be able to come to their aid soon."

For her part General Klaud noticed the approaching Akuma a couple of minutes after Lyssa and her eyes grew wide as she took in their sheer numbers. What in the world could have caused so many of them to gather at once?

Lau Jimin began to chatter excitedly upon seeing so many Akuma and, with a few shouted orders to her companions, Klaud launched into action.

It was exceedingly difficult for Lyssa to stand by and watch as her fellow Exorcists engaged in battle but she knew that she had no other choice. So she toyed with the charm that was hanging around her neck, bit her bottom lip and watched the battle unfold.

The battle was fairly impressive and Lyssa gazed at the first ever female general with admiration in her eyes. Lau Jimin was impressive and the general quickly took out a large number of Akuma.

"Maybe we weren't necessary," Maria muttered, her gaze focused on the battle as well.

At that moment a slightly demented laugh echoed through the air and all eyes shifted skyward. The Millennium Earl was hovering above the battleground, a sinister smile spread across his face.

"You are indeed a nuisance," the Earl said, his beady eyes focused on the group of fighters.

"And that's our cue," Cross snarled, glaring at the figure in the sky. So the brat had been telling the truth; the Millennium Earl really had targeted this group of Exorcists.

Both Lyssa and Maria nodded and, the moment the barrier of Magdala Curtain was released, the trio rushed forward.

"More Exorcists?" the Earl said, sounding slightly shocked as his gaze fell upon the new arrivals. "You people come out of the woodwork like roaches. And you shall be squashed like them as well."

"That's what you think fat ass!" Cross snarled as he pulled Judgment and aimed the gun at his enemy.

Maria's heart skipped a beat as she heard the words that her husband directed at the Millennium Earl but she knew that he could handle himself. She needed to keep her attention focused on the Akuma.

"Are you ready Lyssa?"

The young girl nodded and, reaching up, pulled on the charm that hung from her neck on a thin golden chain. "Salvation! Innocence Activate!" The violin immediately began to glow with a strange aura and grew in size. Forming a bow with the energy of the Innocence, Lyssa narrowed her eyes and began to play. Luminescent music notes filled the air and began to wind their way toward the Akuma as Lyssa drew her bow across the strings, furiously playing the song that would bring death to the tragic creatures created by the Millennium Earl.

The music that would save their souls.

The Akuma who were hovering around her didn't seem even remotely intimidated by this strange girl nor the music notes that rose around her but they changed their tunes as the music seemed to infiltrate their minds. Screams echoed in the air as the Akuma began to explode.

Joining in with her friend Maria sang her song Carte Garde, opting this time for mind control. By controlling the Akuma she could keep them from fleeing and give Lyssa the time that she needed to bring an end to their pitiful existence.

"Curse you," the Earl snarled, realizing that this wasn't going to end as he had intended. The Akuma were quickly falling at the hands of the large group of Exorcists, something that he hadn't anticipated when planning this attack. This was a rather irritating turn of events and the Earl ground his teeth together in annoyance. He didn't want to engage the Exorcists at this moment and thus made the decision to flee.

After all, his Akuma had fallen, leaving him with no other options.

"We shall meet again Exorcists," the Earl said, his narrow eyed gaze focused on this group. They would all suffer for interfering with his plans and he made it a point to memorize all of their faces.

Especially the arrogant red haired man.

Taking a deep breath General Klaud surveyed the smoldering remains of the Akuma before her gaze came to rest on Cross. "I thought you guys were leaving?"

This question sounded nonchalant but the faint underlying tone of the woman's voice said that she was grateful that her comrades had hung around.

"We were on our way to another town," Cross said. "But we heard the noise from the battle and came to see if you needed help."

"Well," Klaud said, clearing her throat. "I'm grateful for the help."

Cross waved his hand dismissively. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I feel the need for a drink."

And with this Cross turned and began walking away down the trail that led toward the town that they had visited earlier.

"Master Cross…" Lyssa began once they were out of earshot of the others from the Black Order.

"What?" Cross said gruffly.

"He was telling the truth."

"Shut it!" Cross snapped, not in the mood to hear something like that right now. He needed a drink and he needed it now.

A/N - and there's the end of chapter six, hope that you enjoyed. Please be kind enough to leave a review as you leave. I really enjoy reading your comments about this story. Til next time the music has ended.