Who's actually playing the fool?

And who's the true puppeteer?

"How can the Holy Chalice disappear so easily…" Allen murmured, a sinking feeling growling from the bottom of his mind. A womanly grunt came from behind, and Allen turned to see an ashen-faced Lulubell.

With a broadsword penetrating her middle.

Saint Lulubell coughed out blood as the weapon retreated, the mighty Judgement Knight falling to her knees to reveal the perpetrator. Allen screamed in shock as he saw the blessed broadsword that Father had gifted to them, the beautiful blade now tainted with the blood of an innocent angel, "EARL! What is the meaning of this?!" Allen raced towards his fallen sister, his blood crawling as he saw the gaping wound in her stomach.

Tyki and the others took Allen's side immediately, their own weapons unsheathed and ready for battle, "You traitor!" Tyki charged at the grinning Earl, but he was quickly wrapped by thin yet strong strings that belonged solely to one angel. The other angels were also taken by surprise as strings restricted their movements, the twin angels were forced to drop their beloved guns as they felt the strings tightening their wrists. Jasdero cursed out loud, echoes of his twin brother in suffering were making him see red at the attacker, "SHERIL! YOU BASTARD!"

Tyki saw Allen struggling painfully against the strings' hold, and it made him double his efforts in escaping his trap. Tyki called out in anger at such a blatant betrayal, "Brother! What is the meaning of this?!"

Allen was pulled away from a groaning Lulubell, who was trying in vain to reach out for her precious little brother. Allen felt tears coming out of his silvery eyes as he saw Lulubell's hand shakily reaching out for him but touching nothing but empty air. The distraught angel turned to face his brother in shame, "Why, brother? Why are you doing this?"

Saint Earl hopped cheerfully away from the shadows, followed closely by an amused Sheril Kamelot. The bubbly angel kicked Lulubell harshly, making the pretty archer cry out in agony. Allen's angelic instincts called out to aid the wounded angel, but Sheril's hold on him was too strong to be broken so simply. Saint Earl walked around gracefully, waving his sword around gleefully as he said in his musical tone, "Why, Allen sweet, I'm only doing what Father wanted us to do since the very beginning of time!" From his large coat, Saint Earl took out the Holy Chalice that shone brightly against the dark gloom, "with this, I can wipe away all sins and chaos!"

He came closer to his trapped brethren, revelling on their futile struggle to get free. He cupped the Holy Chalice as if the inanimate object was a loving person. His wide grin never wavered as he spoke his true thoughts, "imagine: the perfect world without sin… We can finally live in holy harmony,"

"That's not true!" Rhode cried out, torn by the treachery of his older brother and her father figure. The young angel was crying as she tried to make her brethren see reason, "Father told us to protect His creations! If you do this, you'll destroy His children!"

Fed up of his brethren's blind faith, Sheril snapped his fingers and his powers summoned the remaining Judgement Knights onto the stage. The angels were groaning in misery as their bodies were controlled by Sheril's strings, their faces were entirely covered by Sheril's magic.

"How dare you use my Knights like this?! Let them go!" Tyki roared as he saw his fellow warriors trying to fight against Sheril's control.

Saint Earl continued to speak aloud as if unaffected by Tyki's enraged outburst, "once I proceed with the offering, all will be cleansed~"

Allen finally found his tongue to argue vehemently, "Father won't allow it!"

As if noticing Allen's presence for the first time, Saint Earl approached his youngest brother with unconcealed resentment in his face. But as he came closer to the kneeling angel, Saint Earl's face turned pitiful as he stroked Allen's cheek, "Oh Allen~ you're always Father's favourite," then, his comforting caress turned rough as he grabbed a hold of Allen's face, "always so perfect. Whenever you're there, Father won't look at us. Because He thought that dearest Allen was so perfect…. So I proved Him wrong,"

Devit hissed at his brother, "let him go, you asshole!"

But Allen's eyes widened in disbelief as he registered Saint Earl's words, "W-what did you do to me?" Allen's mind quickly interpreted his brother's words and there was only one conclusion that he could think of. It was preposterous, but there was no other possibility available. Nevertheless, Allen didn't want to believe that his own brother did such a thing. No, he couldn't believe it. He didn't want to! No… No, it can't be!

Saint Earl must've read Allen's rejected mind as he laughed out loud triumphantly, "that's right, Allen. I was there when you killed those demons back in the village. I was the one who made you think that demons aren't worth saving! I was the one who made you turn against Tyki here! You were so naïve, and sooooo easily tricked by my magic~"

Allen shook his head furiously, trying to calm his rising nerves as Saint Earl's tore pieces of his soul away. It was effortless for a mind-manipulating angel like Saint Earl to plant thoughts and ideas into Allen's untrained head back then. Allen fell straight into Saint Earl's trap unconsciously and his wayward thoughts had broken the angels apart. Saint Earl had proven all too clearly that Allen was far from being the perfect angel everyone had thought him to be.

"YOU!" Tyki shouted at Saint Earl, his protective side rearing its ugly head as he saw Allen falling to his hands and his white wings were slowly losing their strength to keep upright, "you're the reason why we have Fallen?! Is it because of you that Allen is cursed?!"

"The angels were just mere puppets;" Sheril huffed casually, "The accursed Black Order clan was a bit of a hindrance, so I had to rush things ahead of schedule,"

Saint Earl danced around the large Sanctuary with his wings fluttering delightfully, "now that Allen is cursed, Father won't know about his condition.. So if I kill him now, Father won't come to help~"

Saint Earl lifted his broadsword up high, the silver blade glittering at the moonlight and sang its mournful song. The trapped angels renewed their struggle, their very hearts crying out at the still paralysed angel. "ALLEN! WATCH OUT!" Wisely tried his best to warn his brother, but Allen was still in shock.

Saint Earl's attack was abruptly halted by a swinging hammer that came out of thin air. Lavi jumped before Allen and his Black Order clan melted from the shadows as they surrounded the arena, waiting for their Demon Lord's orders. With his powers, Kanda used his demonic sword to break apart the strings that held the main angels captive. Lavi summoned his trusty hammer back and spat at the raging angel, "I thought angels don't lie. But the only truth I heard was that "demons are a bit of a hindrance". C'mon-"Lavi lifted his hand and cockily showed them the middle finger, "-let us show you how much of a 'hindrance' we really are!"

Whoots, Lavi's here to save the day! Oh dear, poor Allen's trap in his shock! I can't blame him though, I mean, imagine knowing in the worst way possible that your trusted brother betrayed you and is about to kill you. Ouch! Hopefully Allen snaps out of it in the next chapter!

I realised that this chapter is waaay too short for you/me/everyone. So I can give you my word that I'll write the next chapter ASAP, so sorry for this shortie! Again, I enjoy reading your comments and opinions, I appreciate everyone of them. Till next time, yeah? Have an awesome day! =D