Chapter 5
The next day, Father Remington went to Sister Kate's office to give her the documents regarding Rosette's brother, Joshua. "So, it seems that you have finally found him." Sister Kate said as she was looking at the picture of Joshua while the minister was looking out of the window. "The agent that was sent for investigation compiled the file, so I trust the authenticity of it. With that being said, we now have some evidence to proceed with." The minister explained. "Speaking of which, where is Rosette and the others?" Sister Kate curiously asked the minister as she had a bit of a worried look on her face. "Rosette and Chrono have decided to take Azmaria to the place where it all began, at the Seventh Bell Orphanage." Father Remington revealed. "I see." Sister Kate said in a worried tone. Meanwhile, the trio had finally arrived at the Upstate New York countryside at Adirondacks Mountains, where there was a huge fort like structure with a big, heavy metal door. "Well Chrono, here we are. The orphanage that brings back so many painful memories." Rosette said to Chrono nostalgically. "Yeah, I can't believe it has been four years since we have first met." Chrono stated. "Is this the place where you two have met?" Azmaria asked curiously. "Yes, but it didn't always looked this way. When we get inside, you will understand why." Rosette explained. Rosette opened the door by clicking the on switch and walked inside the fort. Once they got in, Rosette went inside to find the off switch for closing the door. Chrono stayed with Azmaria as he knew it wouldn't have been wise to leave her behind. As soon as the door closed, Azmaria became scared and she grabbed Chrono's arm as everything around them was now all dark. "It's alright Azmaria, nothing is going to happen to you!" Chrono said as he was trying to reassure Azmaria who was still spooked out by all the haunting darkness. As Chrono and Azmaria were walking, Azmaria became more and more frightened as she had a feeling that something creepy might be lurking around the corner. Just then, the lights turned on and all around them they saw children and two women turned into stone. The orphanage building was extremely damaged and everything around it was turned to stone as well. As Azmaria was seeing all of this, she screamed out of fright, shocked at what she was witnessing. "Azmaria, is everything alright?" Rosette called out while she was running towards them. "Azmaria, what's all the screaming about?" Rosette asked her. "It's them, those poor children. It looks as if they are turned into stone. And that building up ahead, it looks severely damaged." She talked in a frightened tone of voice while pointing her finger towards the wrecked building. "What's going on Rosette, what is this place?" Azmaria asked Rosette. "This was the orphanage where my brother Joshua and I grew up after our parents died. Back then, everything looked beautiful and lively. However, four years ago something terrible happened which changed everything. Since then, nothing around here has changed." Rosette explained in a serious tone of voice. "Nor will it ever change. This place is still as frozen as it was four years ago." Chrono stated seriously. "Did your brother Joshua do all of this?" Azmaria asked. "No, it wasn't him who did something like this! Aion was the one who did all of this!" Rosette said both angry and sad at the same time. "Azmaria, if you're willing to fight on our side, then you must know what Aion is capable of and the forces that he set in motion." Chrono said to Azmaria.
Their story began on one spring day 4 ½ years ago when two boys at the orphanage accidentally made a mess of the orphanage's laundry. "You brats, come back here!" Rosette yelled out and began running after the two boys with a water filled bucket in her hand like a cheetah chasing after its prey. "She's really mad this time." One boy said as they were running away from Rosette. "She's so mad, she'll murder us." Another boy commented. "You messed up the laundry!" Rosette yelled again and continued chasing after the two boys. "Yayy, smash them good Rosette!" One little girl said as she was cheering for Rosette. "Stop Rosette, it was just an accident." One female caretaker said as she unsuccessfully tried to calm Rosette down. "You won't escape! Take this!" Rosette said and threw the bucket at one of the boys. However the boy was able to dodge the attack and Rosette then grabbed the boy by his shirt. "Alright Billy, do you know what awaits you now?" Rosette asked the boy sternly. "No, what?" Billy asked with a petrified look on his face. "Since you've made a mess out of all the laundry, you shall take the responsibility of tending everyone's laundry today, got that?" Rosette demanded him. "But it was your turn to do the laundry today Rosette." Billy stated. "I don't care if it was my turn. Since you made a mess out of it, you're the one who is going to clean it!" Rosette said in a slightly cross tone. "Hey, where did the bucket go?" The other boy asked. "It's over there." The young caretaker said nervously while she was pointing her finger towards the bucket. Just then, Rosette noticed that the water bucket had hit Joshua's head, much to her worry. "Aaahhhh, Joshua, are you alright?" Rosette asked worriedly while shaking him. "You clobbered him." The boy said to Billy. "It wasn't my fault Kevin. It was Rosette who did it." Billy said. "I wonder if I should go and get Ms. Jean?" The caretaker asked herself. Joshua, who was on the ground, regained his consciousness and began laughing. Rosette lifted the bucket off his head and found him sticking his tongue out at her. "Hahahahaha, I got you, I got you! You thought I was hit with the bucket? Geeze Rosette, you're such a sap!" Joshua teased as he continued laughing. Just as Rosette was starting to get angry again, Joshua began coughing. "Are you alright Joshua? Did you take your medicine today?" Rosette asked worriedly as she went close to him. "Yes, but I feel great today! Can you just please let me stay outside a little longer, just this once?" Joshua begged his sister. "What about your health condition Joshua?" Rosette asked. "Don't worry about me Rosette, I'm fine! Please let me stay outside some more." Joshua asked as he was trying to reassure her. Rosette nodded her head up with a slight smile on her face. "By the way Rosette, isn't the minister coming here this afternoon for a visit?" The caretaker asked Rosette while she was pulling Joshua up. "Oh, is he? Well in that case, I guess we better make a run for it!" Rosette said, grabbed Joshua's arm and ran out into the woods, with the intention of staying there until the minister had left. Shortly afterwards, the minister by the name of Father Remington had arrived and was in a room having a conversation with the head of the orphanage, Ms. Jean Wilson while tea was being served. "Today again I see?" The minister asked as he knew this wasn't the first time that Rosette ran off with Joshua in order to avoid him. "Yes, I am afraid she ran off with her brother Joshua to the forest once again. I am so sorry Minister Remington." Ms. Jean said apologetically. "Well I guess it can't be helped." Father Remington said. "So, you have decided to take Joshua away from the orphanage?" Ms. Jean asked. "Yes, we cannot deny that this boy has an incredible ability unlike any other we have witnessed. Therefore it is important that we bring him to our Order. We have been searching for someone with an ability like Joshua's for quite some time. So in any case, I would like to have a word with him in person?" Father Remington asked Ms. Jean as he explained the reason for taking Joshua to the Magdalene Order. "That would be an excellent offer for the young boy, Minister Remington. However, if Joshua does decide to join the Order, I'm pretty sure it will be hard on Rosette." Ms. Jean stated. "I sense that girl really does have a disdain for me, doesn't she?" Father Remington chuckled. "Those siblings do look out for each other. I imagine that Rosette fears that her younger brother will be taken away from her." Ms. Jean explained. Meanwhile, Rosette was still dragging Joshua deep into the forest as far as she could. "Rosette, are you sure it's a good idea to be running off so far out into the woods like that?" Joshua asked as he knew that they had been going farther than what they should have been. "Of course it is, and we're staying here until that weird minister has left. Have you noticed how strange he is? Do you have any idea what will happen to you if you get involved with crackpots like him? You'll get strapped onto a laboratory table, be subjected to weird scientific experiments, and then you'll get pickled in a phernaline!" Rosette said trying to scare Joshua to stay away from the minister. "I can see that someone has been reading too many science fiction novels again." Joshua cringed. "Oh, and that stuff in your occult novels are so true?" Rosette asked exasperatedly. "But the minister came all the way from New York City. I'd bet it must be more exciting over there than out here in the countryside." Joshua said with excitement. "It's a Convent, it's not like it would be any more exciting than what it is here." Rosette said in a slightly irritated tone of voice. "But since we are going to have to leave the orphanage when we turn fifteen anyways, I don't see how there is much difference with moving now or then." Joshua said. "Well I don't want to! You are still too weak and it's also too dangerous to be going anywhere by yourself." Rosette said trying to justify her over protective nature towards him. "You're a pill, you know that." Joshua said as he was put off by her protectiveness. "I just want to let you know that it is my duty as an older sister to take care of you no matter what!" Rosette said and as she was walking down the hill, she accidentally slipped on the grass and screamed. Joshua grabbed her arm and slid down along with her. They reached a bottom of the hill and dropped into a river. The stream dragged them to the rapids with a waterfall which then sent them flying to the other side of the river. All soaked they finally landed on the ground. A moment later, the ground they landed on, suddenly opened beneath them, like a trap door, which led them to an underground sewer. "Where are we? This isn't the stream!" Joshua said as he realized that they had ended up in some sort of sewer. Just then, Joshua noticed the bloody wound on Rosette's knee. "Oh no Rosette, are you okay?" Joshua asked in a shocked tone of voice. "No! Does it look like I'm okay? My knee is bleeding!" Rosette cried out. "It's just a scraped knee." Joshua sighed. "But it hurts!" Rosette yelled out. "Don't be such a baby Rosette. Here, let me tend to your wounded knee." Joshua said gently. He placed his hand on Rosette's knee and the blood disappeared. "Thank you Joshua!" Rosette said gratefully as she was stunned with Joshua's healing ability. "Sometimes I think this is the only thing that you are truly grateful to have me around for." Joshua jokingly said. "Well if you insist on joking like that, then we should go and be finding the exit!" Rosette said in an aggravated tone. "Rosette, there is something I just don't get. Why can I heal other people's injuries and illnesses, but not my own?" Joshua wondered and Rosette looked at him with sympathy as she knew how hard it was for Joshua. "Joshua, don't worry about it. As long as I am with you, I will always be there to protect you!" Rosette said gently to Joshua as she was helping him up. "Come on, let's get a move on!" She said optimistically while she was holding Joshua's hand and began walking. As the two siblings were trying to find a way out of the sewer, Rosette and her brother had spotted a giant gray door made of stone. "Wow, this door is so huge. This has got to be the exit!" Rosette said with amazement. "Look, there's something written on the door. An eternal becoming saint Magda, sleeping I think." Joshua said as he unsuccessfully tried to read the descriptive writing on the door. "What does it say?" Rosette asked. "I can't tell. It's too descriptive for me to read." Joshua said. As he came closer he touched a symbol on the door that resembled the Magdalene's Order symbol, which started glowing brightly. This suddenly caused the door to open. "It's opened. I have a feeling that this isn't the exit." Rosette said nervously as she didn't know what was behind the door. "Now that I think of it, didn't Ms. Jean say something about the forest, something about an underground tomb?" Joshua asked while Rosette was walking forward. "What, a tomb?!" Rosette asked startled. Just then, an array of candles began to light across a chamber which contained a coffin. "Oh my god, a coffin?!" Rosette said with fright as she was spooked by what they were witnessing. As the shadows wavered, a mysterious boy like figure appeared beside the coffin and demanded to know who woke him up. "Who are you and who dares awake me?" He said with an intimidating voice. The two siblings looked at him with disbelief, as if they had seen a ghost. "Tell us first who you are?" Rosette asked reluctantly. "My name is Chrono. I am who you humans would call a demon." He explained in a serious tone. "A demon?" Rosette asked surprised as he didn't look threatening. "Yes, that's what I said." He answered firmly. Just then, the demon all of a sudden felt weak and Rosette came closer to him to see if he was okay. "Are you alright sir?" Rosette asked the demon. "Since I was asleep in this tomb for so long, I lack spiritual energy." The demon said. "You mean you're weak? Then you should eat something." Rosette said and puts her hand into her pocket to see if she had anything for the demon to eat. She found some cookies and handed them out to Chrono. "Here, help yourself mister!" Rosette cheerfully said to the demon as she was holding out the cookies in her hand. "Thank you." The demon said, taken by surprise to Rosette's kindness. "My name is Rosette Christopher, and this is my younger brother, Joshua." Rosette said, introducing themselves. "Wow, this is so amazing! Can I shake your hand?" Joshua asked with great enthusiasm. "So you're really a demon? Wow, this is truly unbelievable!" Joshua said enthusiastically as he touched Chrono's hands and looked at him with a huge, dazzled smile on his face. Chrono however was feeling uncomfortable with Joshua's over the top reaction of him. "Now Joshua, don't frighten him. Considering how long he must have been in this tomb, we should try to approach him more calmly." Rosette advised Joshua as she could see that Chrono was feeling a little awkward. "By the way Chrono, how long were you in this tomb?" Rosette asked curiously. "I was asleep in this tomb for 50 years." Chrono revealed as he took the cookies from Rosette's hands. "50 years?" Rosette asked who was surprised by the amount of time he was in the tomb. "Yep, 50 years it was." Chrono affirmed while munching on the cookies. "Wow, you must be really old then?" Rosette concluded in an astounded tone. "How come you are so kind to me in spite of the fact that I am a demon?" Chrono asked curiously as he finished eating. "Because I don't think you're scary. On the contrary I think you're pretty interesting! Don't you agree Joshua?" Rosette said as she asked Joshua's opinion on Chrono. "Yes, I think he is very interesting indeed!" Joshua answered excitedly. "Thank you so much for the cookies Rosette!" Chrono thanked her as he got up. "No problem!" Rosette answered kindly. "So where do you two kids live?" Chrono asked. "We live in the nearby orphanage and speaking about the orphanage, we really need to go back! Hopefully they are not looking for us yet." Rosette remarked, realizing that they have been gone for quite some time. "Will we see you again Chrono?" Joshua asked. "Sure! If you like, we can see each other again tomorrow. Anyways I have nothing important to do, now that I have awoken from my slumber." Chrono said as he agreed to meet with them again. "Would tomorrow in the forest be good?" Rosette suggested. "Yes Rosette, it would." Chrono said with agreement. "Great, lets then meet tomorrow! Hopefully you will get your energy back by then." Rosette decided excitedly. "By the way Chrono, would it be too much to ask if you could please help us find the exit?" Rosette asked politely. "Sure! Come with me, I'll lead you to it!" Chrono said as he led them out of the chamber.
The next day, Chrono was sitting on a log by a lake, looking at some kind of mysterious seal watch. "Chrono, we're over here!" Rosette called out his name and waved towards him which caught his attention. Joshua and Rosette had brought with them a picnic basket filled with roast beef sandwiches and cookies, as well as a pitcher filled with lemonade and some mugs filled with hot chocolate. "I am so glad they finally let us out again!" Rosette said. "Yeah, who would say we would end up having a picnic with someone who turns out to be a demon, asleep in a tomb for 50 years!" added Joshua. "Not to mention that although he was sick in bed, he couldn't stop talking about you Chrono!" Rosette revealed. "What can I say? Chrono really is someone from out of this world!" Joshua said clearly fascinated by the demon. "That's because you have been reading too much of those occult stories of yours." Rosette remarked. "What's that supposed to mean?" Joshua asked slightly offended. "Just as much as you point out my constant reading of science fiction novels, that's how much I am going to point out your obsession with occult stories and mythology!" Rosette said while teasing Joshua. After their abundant lunch, they relaxed on the lush grass while Rosette was making herself busy with braiding Chrono's hair. "So, have you two ever heard of the Astral Line?" Chrono asked the two. "The Astral Line? What is that?" Joshua asked curiously. "The Astral Line is a river high up in the sky that is invisible to the human eye. It is the main source of all life that flows like that of a stream. Think of it like fragments of life force. These fragments fall to the earth and bring life to all living beings. When a puddle comes together, a soul will be born. When the life ends, the soul will rise to the sky to be rejoined with the stream once again and then the soul will ascend into either heaven or hell. This was supposedly God's creation of the life cycle which has been around for billions of years." Chrono explained while the two siblings were amazed at what they were hearing. "Wow that is so interesting! So if we go there, could we actually meet dead people?" Rosette asked curiously. "I don't know. To tell you the truth, I am just repeating the words from someone who meant a lot to me." Chrono said as he had a vision of a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair and blue, crystal like, eyes. "Wow, that is so incredible!" Joshua said enthusiastically while he interrupted his vision. "Is it really? I never thought that a life cycle system could be seen as something so interesting." Chrono said modestly. "Let me tell you what our dream is!" Joshua continued. "Our lifelong dream is to become world famous explorers when we grow up. Just think of it, the Amazon, Africa, and Antarctica. We'll be going to places no one has ever been to before. We will have our names written in all of the history books! And if we can find those Astral Lines, that will be our greatest discovery!" Joshua said ecstatically. Shortly afterwards, Joshua all of a sudden passed out with Rosette and Chrono watching over him as he slept. "He was so excited and now he is asleep." Chrono remarked. "All that running wore him out but I am happy that he still has his dreams. I was afraid that he had given up on them, considering that he hasn't talked about them for a while. Ever since the day my brother had those healing powers, he has this condition that no one can really cure. It's just so unfair to him. Why can he heal other people's injuries and illnesses but not his own? To tell you the truth Chrono, I would much rather become a doctor than a world explorer." Rosette revealed as she felt sorry for her brother. "For Joshua's sake?" Chrono asked. "Yes, my reason for wanting to become a doctor is so I can someday find a cure for Joshua's illness." Rosette explained. "You're a really good hearted person Rosette. You are one of the few people I have met with such a big heart like yours." Chrono said. "Thanks Chrono, but please don't tell Joshua that I said that." Rosette requested. A little while later, Joshua woke up and started talking like nothing happened. He was full of energy and insisted on continuing their fun. The three friends spent the rest of their day outside in the forest by Chrono learning how to fish, which he did successfully. Next, Rosette climbed up on a tree to pick some fruit from it. "Be careful Rosette, that doesn't look very safe." Joshua cautiously warned her. The tree branch then broke and seeing that Rosette was going to fall, Chrono ran towards the tree with Rosette landing on him. "Chrono!" Rosette shouted out as she saw him on the ground while he grinned with relief that he caught her on time. Later on back at the lake, as Joshua was busy eating the peaches that Rosette picked from the tree, Rosette was sowing Chrono's gray weaving cloth. While both Rosette and Joshua were asleep on the picnic cloth sheet, Chrono looked at Rosette with a smile on his face as he was lying down. He felt some sort of warm, indescribable feeling. A feeling he hadn't felt in a long time. It finally brought him peace and happiness and he wanted it to last forever.
Half a year had now went by and one night, Father Remington came to the orphanage. He went to Joshua's bedroom to talk to him about joining the Order. Joshua was resting in his bed and was badly coughing. "Some minor formalities remain, so I'll have to come back tomorrow. You will be leaving in one week, until that time it shall be best for you to take it easy and to recuperate." The minister explained after he gave him some medicine. "We won't know for sure until we take a full examination. But we suspect that this power of yours is putting a strain on your body. We have no idea how this happened so abruptly." Father Remington stated. "My sister, she is just so strong. Always running around freely and so full of life and yet she always makes time for me. But I know that she can do so much more if I wasn't holding her back and I don't want her to keep worrying about me anymore." Joshua said in a weak tone as he didn't want Rosette to be burdened with the responsibility of taking care of him due to his illness. "Minister, if I go with you, could I become that strong?" Joshua asked the minister out of curiosity. "I am afraid I can't say for certain Joshua. However, I do hope we might be able to find a cure for you once you have come to the Order!" Father Remington said. A week later, on the night when it was time for Joshua to leave the orphanage, Rosette ran back to the woods and stumbled upon Chrono who was sitting by the lake and beside the open tunnel that led them out of the sewers. "Chrono!" Rosette said brokenly as she was devastated and did not know what to do. "What's wrong Rosette? Did something happen?" Chrono asked. "It's Joshua, he made the decision to join the Order without me." Rosette yelled and she started to cry. The news surprised Chrono. Before Chrono could even try to comfort Rosette, some bald eagle with creepy glowing red eyes suddenly appeared, much to Chrono's shock. "Is something wrong Chrono?" Rosette asked as she came closer to him. "Stay back, you mustn't come any closer!" Chrono shouted as he tried to distance himself from Rosette. "So, we meet at long last Chrono, and I can see you've got company." A voice said through the eagle as its eyes continued to glow. "Aion!" Chrono said angrily as he recognized the voice. "Yes Chrono, you and I have some unfinished business." Aion stated and the eagle's red eyes glowed even stronger as the full moon was out.