Day 4

"Get the level ones!" I called out as I slammed the base of my free foot into the level two's face, making him drop me. Kanda gave me a questioning glance but just dashed away as he dodged the purple bullets. I made eye contact with the level two as it raised its giant fists and slammed into the sand, trying to hit me.

"Insignificant Exorcist!" It screeched as it raised its foot and tried to crush my moving figure. This level two moves pretty slow, even for its huge size. I leaped up with my arms and slashed at the torso but he just slapped me away with his heavy arm. I rolled in the sand before stopping in a crouching position. I charged again but this time when he tried to swipe me away again, I ducked his attack and jumped up on his thick elbow and created two long claw marks into his golden, scale like skin. He screamed out as he shook off my body and threw me a few feet away from him.

"Ha, who's insignificant now?" I called as the level two peered at its wound. But now that I think about it, shouldn't the Akuma blow into ashes right about now? Suddenly he dove under the sand, disappearing from my sight. I whipped my head around to search for the Akuma because I'm positive it didn't die. I got my answer when it burst from the sand behind me and wrapped his thick hand around my body, crushing me in its grasp.

"Pitiful Exorcists like you deserve to die!" It screamed as it raised me up and slammed me into the sand. I blinked the dust out of my eyes as I struck the Akuma in its wrist a few times before it recoiled in pain. What I then noticed was the slashes from his elbow were gone, as if the scales regenerated in mere seconds.

I quickly rolled away from the towering Akuma and this time, I didn't give it a chance to heal. I ran at it and scratched its knees. It cried out again was it teetered in the wind. I turned back to strike a final blow to its head, but it ducked down into the dry sand again. I landed just in time to see Kanda dash by, chasing a hoard of fleeing Akuma while a few others tried to fire its purple bullets at him.

"Did you get the Level Two?" Kanda shouted over the ruckus, turning some of the enemies into gray ashes. I stepped forward, determined to help Kanda who seemed a bit over whelmed. The third step I took, I felt the familiar rumble in the ground and out came my previous enemy, the regenerated Level Two. It grabbed my activated arm and threw me into Kanda as we both tumbled in the sand.

"Damn it Ba-"

"Look out!" I cut Kanda off as I noticed the Level Ones aiming their cannons at us. So I did the most reasonable thing, I shielded Kanda with my body, covering his head and torso with my arms and my legs with his lower body. I squeezed my eyes shut as the pain rushed throughout my body from the oncoming bullets from the multiple Akuma. Soon, though, the projectiles ended, sending a tingling sensation all around my body as I felt my skin start to burn.

The Pentacles were spotting all around my body.

Kanda gazed at me with a look of shock and disbelief as I slowly sat up with the help of my arms, my nerves regaining their senses too.

"You okay?" I asked as I eyed the Akuma watching us, as if waiting for us to die. Kanda snapped back into reality after staring at my body for a few seconds, nodding gruffly.

"Your face. You've been infected." He replied as he reached a finger up to my neck, most likely feeling a Pentacle that's stained itself on there, and dragged it up to my cheek. I smiled as I grabbed his hand and brought it down on my lap.

"I'm fine, I'm a Parasitic type weapon remember? I'll drain the virus out of me in a few seconds." I said as I watched his expression turn into his normal uncaring features, but I couldn't help but mentally laugh at his worry. Seconds later, I shot up, the black stars faded from my arms and face, and glared at the enemy. Kanda stood by me with his sword gripped in his hands as we circled the foes.

"I got the Level Two again, apparently it has a healing feature with sand ." I whispered as we stopped trudging in the sand and he faced the Level Ones and I faced the Level Two. I heard Kanda grunt with satisfaction as I nudged his back with my spiked elbow.

"Don't die Dragon Lady." I heard him muster out without a damn in the world as I glared at him.

"That's new Butter-Knife. Same to you too!" I called as I shot forward at the Level Two, surprising it. I gashed his torso and gave him an uppercut which tore apart his chest. I sensed him about to dive back under the sand but I was prepared. I stabbed his forearm with my elbow and used my left hand to claw the Akuma's arm from its body. Screaming, he continued to dive under, little did it know that without the flesh of his arm, he won't be able to regenerate his arm.

I then ripped his appendage into two and watched it dissolve into gray ash into my palms. Seconds later, the fuming Akuma burst out from the ground and immediately tried to smash me with his fists. I jumped up and landed on its shoulders, ready to decapitate it. But he had other plans. He latched onto my arm with his single one and whipped my body into the sand, sending waves of pain through me. I try to get up and make his demise quick but he lifted his leg and smashed his foot into my chest, knocking the air out of my lungs.

Suddenly I cough up a handful of crimson blood on the dry sand as I slowly stood up and faced the grinning Level Two. Raising a heavy hand towards the sky, he prepared to smash my bones with a single blow.

I'm not gonna die yet!

I lurched forward and shot my arms through his stomach, turning his expression back into anger and fear. I slowly spread my arms apart, shredding the surrounding skin inside the Akuma and making him scream. As long as I was holding him in place, he wouldn't dive under.

"No!" I heard him shriek and swing his arm into me, sending me flying into a sand bank. He staggered and his limbs started to drain into ashes. I shift my weight and try to get up but I tumble back down and notice something.

Or rather someone.

Herald stood in front of the Level Two Akuma, stabbing the enemy with a sharp stick, making more holes which dissolved into gray ash. His features shone with determination and his skin was covered in black Pentacles. Herald was dying! But the Akuma swiped him away too and continued to sink under the sand.

"Y-You bastard!" I cried out as I shot up but fell again, covering the tan sand with my blood that leaked from my mouth. Just when all hope was lost, Kanda swooped in and sliced the head off the Level Two, the whole body turning into gray ash. I look at Kanda, stunned, but then turned to look at Herald, who was laying a few yards away from me, on his stomach. I get on my hands and knees and we made eye contact for a split second before he said something just above a whisper.

"Complete the mission." He trailed off before his features flaked into ashes, leaving his clothes blowing in the windy storm that still surrounded us.

Herald finally died, leaving just Kanda and me in the blazing sun.

"Get up, we need to get the Innocence." Kanda called out as he grabbed the collar of my Exorcist coat and hauled me up. I was still shocked about Herald's death, but not at the point that I would start crying, I don't cry easily. But knowing that someone died under my supervision racked my nerves, but sadly this happened before. I can just pay my respects and walk away.

"Okay, let's go." I said as I took a few steps after Kanda but stumbled. He glanced back at me and widened his eyes when he saw me start to fall. He dashed up to me and caught me in mid-air. I coughed up blood on the sand again, feeling like my stomach was in my lungs from that Akuma's attack.

"What the Hell happened?" Kanda demanded as he lowered me down on my knees, holding onto my shoulders as he glared into my eyes. I looked up with a dullness in my eyes, a half smile on my face.

"I-I'm fine, I just need a... A little r-rest." I stuttered as I slumped over on him, a sense of dizziness overcoming me. Kanda shook me to keep me awake. It took all my will power to stay conscious knowing that I have a mission to complete.

I'll finish this task, I will bring back the Innocence, I just need to get up... Get up...Stay awake... Stay... Alive...

"Sasha!" I fell down into the darkness as Kanda yelled my name.

Get up... Get back up! But why can't I?

Special Thanks to crownclown25 for all my reviews! Love your comments!