Chapter Text
“I understand. So, besides not being able to bring the Innocence immediately, there's no imminent danger, and both are safe. That's a relief.” Kanda didn't need to see Komui to know he was excited about everything he had just told him. “And Allen has managed to better control her innocence. At least she wasn't seriously injured in the process. How long did you say she remained unconscious?”
“I didn't tell you. But since you're asking, it was just one day.”
“Good. I guess even in those circumstances, you didn't manage to see or perceive anything in her, did you, or am I wrong?”
“No. Nothing at all.”
“At least now we know it's some kind of ability thanks to the Akuma.” For some strange reason, Kanda didn't think that was a good thing. But Komui seemed to think otherwise. “And it seems that even she doesn't know that. There must be other factors left to discover.”
“Either way. Even when she had that... power outburst, I didn't sense anything in her.”
“With time, that might change. For now, it's best to wait until the doll breaks or something. If more Akuma don't show up, I don't see why they wouldn't. When that happens, come back as soon as you can.”
“Whatever.”
Komui suspected that Kanda wouldn't listen to him, but it didn't hurt to ask.
“Well then. Let me know if anything happens. And please, I know I don't have to ask you, but I'll remind you anyway. Don't tell her anything about what I told you.”
Kanda snorted; of course, he didn't need to be asked. It's not like he cared, but...
“Fine.”
“Good luck.”
And without saying goodbye, he disconnected his golem from the Finder's phone and handed it over. The Finder looked at him with doubt when he walked away to find the bean sprout.
After placing the Innocence back in the doll, she fainted and didn't wake up for a whole day. While she crawled towards the dying man near her and began singing tirelessly. And she had been like that for three days.
No one needed to say anything. The doll was no longer the same as before, and it didn't seem like it would stop soon. When she woke up, Allen dedicated herself to staying close to them, just in case Kanda took the Innocence in a fit. Not that he intended to. He didn't have the strength, nor the desire to start a fight with her over it. He understood that she wasn't going to change her mind. And as it didn't particularly affect him, he let her be.
During that time, he waited for the seal to repair so that his body would also heal. It had cost him a lot, and he still felt exhausted. He was grateful that the city was deserted, and they only had the Finder with them, who didn't stay long and had the grace to go get them food and water.
A shower was impossible for the moment, but at least he had managed to get them some things to freshen up a bit.
While waiting for the seal to regenerate, he reflected a bit on everything that had happened. It was extremely strange. He hadn't asked the bean sprout anything because he still couldn't fully understand what had happened exactly. He went over the information he had about her. According to what Komui told him during the call, she had successfully activated her Innocence with apparent success, and without major complications in the scientific department.
She couldn't materialize fire, but she had given it the form of two axes that, in Komui's words, looked extremely lethal and frightened more than one. For them, it was a good sign. During the battle, he had seen almost nothing of her fight with the Akuma, but it mentioned that it had been difficult for her to activate and shape it. That didn't make sense.
Why hadn't it been difficult for her in the scientific department, and in the real battle, it had been? Precisely on the same day?
When he asked the Finder what had happened while he wasn't with them, he told him that, apart from not being able to save the other Finders when he separated from him, the British girl had trouble activating her Innocence on the first try. That was enough for them to kick her out, and the Akuma took advantage of it to kill the others. He hadn't been able to see much because when the girl had been thrown against the wall, it had been difficult for him to evade the Akuma, so he ended up in the same condition as the Exorcist. Everything else was blurry until he realized that she was dragging him while looking for him.
The rest was history. There were many gaps to fill in the time before he found him and if, rescued him from the clutches of the Akuma. Like, for example, why when he found him, she seemed to be crying while keeping the Akuma away from him?
From what little he had been able to see, she held the naginata in her hands when she sent the akuma flying. But he didn't know if it was formed by both rings or not.
No one had asked her about it yet, as she seemed absorbed in her thoughts while listening to Lala sing.
But when she faced the akuma after taking the heart from the doll, she could see that at first, she was acting guided by anger and instinct. Not fully aware of how to use her innocence. This seemed to be the reason her attacks were somewhat ineffective.
Except for the last moments before destroying the Akuma.
When she stood up, after being thrown to the ground countless times, there was something in her gaze that seemed as if she had finally made a decision. Like someone who knows exactly what to do. The opposite of when she started attacking. Then she extended her hands, where the innocence began to spin, and from it came the fire that made her famous upon arriving at the Order.
Between the pain and dealing with keeping her mind awake, she could barely distinguish that her lips seemed to be moving quickly, murmuring something she couldn't understand or hear. The Exorcist didn't notice it, and he couldn't confirm it with certainty.
Furthermore, the heat and light emitted by the fire prevented him from seeing her for too long while doing that. He couldn't make out much, but for a moment, it seemed to him that there was something around her.
But amid so much blinking and the fire preventing him from seeing well, he wasn't sure if it was his imagination or the reflection of the light emitted by her innocence. Also, when she started bleeding from her nose and ears, she looked extremely pained. But something told him that it wasn't only because of the release of the power of the Innocence.
The combination of all these events and actions made him feel uneasy about the girl.
The Vatican doubted Allen because of his synchronization level and because he apparently didn't remember anything about it. From his point of view, that was absurd. But now, he believed that they should have reasons to feel aversion towards her.
As he suspected, Komui confirmed to him that the higher-ups doubted the British girl not only because of the aforementioned reasons but also because she couldn't see anything around her. That's why they had sent them on this mission together. He had asked him earnestly not to mention anything, and he affirmed that he wouldn't, but now he also had certain suspicions about her.
The way she handled the weapons she materialized was not that of a novice. Neither luck of a beginner nor a simple hobby learned in school. He doubted that where she studied, they taught something like that to the students.
According to Komui, she practiced gymnastics or something similar. And those movements did not correspond to simple artistic gymnastics. And the look in her eyes when she attacked. It was a look he had seen before.
All of this gave him a bad feeling. He didn't know why, but he felt a horrible discomfort when he remembered that fight. Which he still couldn't get out of his head.
While thinking about all that, he approached the place where she was sitting; embracing her knees and with her eyes closed as she rested her chin on her crossed arms. She was still a bit bruised with a few scratches. Even under the moonlight, her eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks, and strands of her platinum hair swayed in the night wind. Seen like that, she looked delicate and fragile. And also...
He let out a growl, stopping his thoughts and steering them away from the direction they were taking without his consent. A witch. She was definitely a witch. Yes, that made sense.
She didn't seem to be asleep despite having her eyes closed. Her bangs only concealed the left side of her face. She furrowed her brow, and her lips tightened into a line.
"If it's too painful for you, turn off the doll. That's not Lala anymore, right?" she said as she sat far away with her back turned to her.
"Her promise was that only Guzol could turn her off. So, I won't do it."
"You know it's impossible."
She didn't reply; she just shrugged. As he was about to start arguing with her, she began speaking again, causing him to glance at her.
"So that's what that Millennium Earl does." Her gaze was dark and seemed dim, almost sad. "He corrupts people's souls to turn them into something that doesn't measure their actions, just to kill others and destroy Innocence."
Then he remembered. This was the first time she faced Akumas while conscious. This girl used to be an ordinary person, unaware of everything, leading a quiet life. The reality of it hit him hard. He said nothing as she continued speaking.
"I still find it hard to understand how a creature that used to be human enjoyed causing so much pain and destruction."
She started trembling and hid her face in her arms. Kanda didn't know what to say; she seemed to have been thinking about it for a long time. She had so many doubts, so many things she wanted to ask about what happened, but she forgot everything completely with her next words.
"I hesitated," her voice sounded choked, but he could clearly distinguish it. "At first, I hesitated. I saw the Akuma evolving, and a part of me was stupid enough to believe there was still something human in that thing. That's why I didn't attack it immediately."
She laughed without a hint of humor, laughing at herself.
"It took me a while to understand that, to reach that state, it had already killed a bunch of people. And for a moment, I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing. The way it killed those finders filled me with rage. And my hesitation was enough for it to send me flying and finish off the remaining ones." She swallowed, as the tremor in her voice became more evident. "I was completely stupid. My doubts caused the death of many people, and that's why my Innocence struggled as I tried to activate it."
It seemed that was why she found him crying when she found him.
"Our role as exorcists is to destroy; we're not saviors of anything. We..."
"At this moment, I should be in school," she interrupted, apparently not paying attention to his words. "Doing calculations, I should be taking my final exams. But instead, I'm here. In a ghost town in the middle of nowhere, destroying creatures created from the souls of the dead. Listening to the song of a doll that moved and thought like a human being. That even allowed itself to love someone, to the point of wanting to be with that person until their last breath."
Once again, she fell silent. Again, not knowing what to say. But his confusion was great when this time her laughter sounded a bit more sincere.
"And the truth is, I can't help but realize that I was actually born for this."
He saw her stand up, the wind blowing stronger, and the doll's voice ceased. He watched as she turned with a purpose, heading towards where the Innocence was inside the doll and the dead old man.
He hesitated for a moment before following her; he didn't understand that woman at all. For a moment, it seemed like she regretted everything that had happened. He had thought she even hated becoming an exorcist and missed her old life. And suddenly, she seemed happy to be compatible with the Innocence. Indicating that, more than accepting her fate with resignation, she was glad about it.
It wasn't just the fact that he couldn't see or feel anything in her. Her attitude and actions changed abruptly from one moment to another, and his instincts told him she was hiding something.
When he caught up with her, he found her holding the doll. Carefully taking the Innocence inside, and then placing it gently next to the dead old man. He was bewildered to see the small smile on her face and tears in her eyes.
"Maybe you're right about us being destroyers." She gently combed Lala's hair, took her hand, and intertwined it with Guzol's. "But as I told you, I'll always find a way to save whoever needs it. And if that makes me a bad exorcist, I don't care. I won't change the way I do things."
She stood up, never taking her eyes off the bodies lying on the ground.
"I'll keep walking, and I won't stop. I won't, until I destroy the Millennium Earl."
Then she burst into uncontrollable crying. And Kanda could only watch her in silence.
-XXX-
The shadows of the clouds concealed the moonlight, giving the path an ominous air that would frighten anyone, making even the bravest of men think twice before venturing into it.
It didn't seem like the kind of environment a sane person would willingly traverse. However, that was not the case for the figure of medium height with violet hair. She appeared fragile, hopping from side to side with an umbrella in her left hand and a lollipop in her right, savoring the sweet treat as if strolling through a field of flowers rather than a city teeming with Akumas.
"Road, it's almost dinner time. If you don't hurry, the count will get angry."
"Skinn, I went to get some sweets for you. And, by the way, to play a bit with a couple of Akumas."
By "play," she didn't mean board games. There was blood on the girl's cheek, and Skinn wasn't in better condition.
"Looks like you had quite a bit of fun," Tyki emerged from the shadows, joining the pair as they began walking towards the castle in the city center.
"And you seem to have been busy too, Tyki," unlike them, the man seemed to have emerged from a pile of rubble. "If you don't change, the Count will get angry."
In an instant, his appearance took a 180-degree turn.
"Just killing time."
"Sure," Road laughed. That kind of entertainment wouldn't last long for her companion.
When they reached the castle, several carriages were at the elegantly illuminated entrance of the building.
The carpet adorning the entrance was also filled with people coming and going. All humans, some with a glass of liquor in hand, and others just smoking their expensive cigars. Women, finely dressed in tight and revealing dresses, clung to men, their bodies pressing against parts that would shock anyone.
But that seemed to be the normal atmosphere in the place. No one seemed particularly worried, especially since the whole place was surrounded by strange creatures that would normally be tearing apart anyone in their path. Unfortunately, they had orders not to attack and watched with hunger as people passed by.
Of course, not everyone there was ordinary humans.
As they made their way through the crowd, the path opened up for them leading to the highest point of the hall. Their attire and appearances had completely changed, and there were no signs that moments ago they were involved in something that included the deaths of innocent people. Except for one, of course.
Inside the hall, unlike the entrance, everyone wore masks that matched their outfits. And each time someone entered, a similar accessory was handed to them so that everyone was on equal footing. No one seemed to have trouble identifying each person, as groups of men and women chatted amiably throughout the venue.
The only people with uncovered faces were them, and that was because they were the hosts of the meeting. And that castle could be considered their home. A home they wanted to leave soon, but for the moment, it wasn't possible.
"Oh! Finally, you're here. I was starting to worry. What kept you so long, Tyki, Road, Skinn?" greeted the man disguised as a clown with a top hat, sitting at a table accompanied by four other people, who didn't seem surprised by the man's appearance.
"My dear Road. You're finally here," Sheril Kamelot enthusiastically stood up to hug his daughter. The girl allowed it, laughing delightedly as she teased the umbrella in her hands.
"We apologize for the delay, Count Millennium. Just some minor details on the way."
"I can't imagine what could have held you back," that was sarcasm; he, of course, knew where they had been. "But since we're all here, it's time for the main event."
With dramatic flair, he spread his arms, and the candles illuminating the place began to flicker; the atmosphere grew darker, making everyone pay attention to the table occupied by the hosting family members.
Each of those present walked in a semicircle around them, knowing they had the attention they desired. The person known as Adam began his act. Something that took place once every six years and was considered an event that determined actions to be taken according to the times.
"Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends and cherished family. Thank you for joining us in this important dinner. Welcome to my humble home. I am especially glad that this year the audience is larger."
Everyone listened to his words. Applause followed his opening speech without delay.
"As you all know, only once every six years can we carry out this event of utmost importance. Some of those present here have the honor of not being here for the first time. And it is my pleasure to announce that this is the last time we hold this event in this place. Hopefully, we can carry out the next one in a better and more manageable location."
At his words, some were confused. A few, who understood what the Count meant by "manageable," applauded, celebrating that their master could finally get rid of that cursed house.
"I am also pleased to announce that among you are those who have inherited the memories of the missing members of my family. And their awakening is closer than you think. So, I want to toast to those who are about to officially become part of this table soon."
Everyone raised their glasses, making the corresponding toast. Again, only some knew that this was another approaching event and knew exactly what it meant. But at the same time, they were aware that the identity of these individuals would not be revealed, as an additional precaution by the Count. And more than anything, because he liked surprises and was a lover of twisted games. This was more personal entertainment than caution.
"Well, since I've made all the announcements I had to make. Road, would you be so kind as to start?"
"With pleasure, Count Millennium."
In front of the crowd, and before the amazed and frightened eyes of those there for the first time, the appearance of the girl and all the members of the table changed again. Their skin turned grayish, and a row of crosses formed on their foreheads.
Road hopped towards the curtain behind the table, crossed it without revealing what it hid, and created anticipation in the place.
On the other side, his true form materialized, and joining his hands in front of him, he invoked that object for which everyone was there. Between the flickering smoke emerging from his hands, a sphere, no more than thirty centimeters in diameter, began to emerge.
When it finished taking shape, it slowly fell onto the pedestal prepared for the sphere. Only then did the curtain fall, and the sphere, along with the childlike appearance once again in place, was revealed to everyone present.
The members of the table, who waited for the curtain to fall, stood up and surrounded the object, with the Count in the center of the line they formed. With the umbrella that Road had before, he touched the sphere, and it began to create a small storm inside.
Everyone clenched their hands into fists, while small lightning bolts appeared inside the crystal ball. Then, a strange smoke started to come out from its interior, immediately filling the place with an unpleasant smell of sulfur.
As the minutes passed, from within the fog, a body made of shadows began to take shape. When it finished taking a shape indiscernible to human eyes, the being that emerged opened its red eyes and smiled maliciously. The Count addressed him.
“Dear Oracle, I ask you to discern what remains for us to do until your wisdom reaches us again. Tell us which paths we must take and what direction our decisions should take.”
The creature gazed at the crowd with a critical look. Only when it finished scanning the hall with its voracious eyes did it close them again, as if pondering what to say.
To everyone's surprise, the entity seemed distressed as its body began to tremble slightly.
“It has appeared.” It opened its eyes again, and its voice sounded like that of thousands of people at once, which frightened some of those present. While others seemed more scared by its words. “Arg! It has appeared. The Heart has appeared, and it is about to awaken. The Defender has also awakened. The worst misfortune of all. We must hurry to fulfill the objective. The path for the three days of darkness must begin to be prepared. It is time. We can deal with the Heart if things are done as they should be. Its defender cannot do anything if we attack with cunning. We can eradicate it again. Yes, it can be achieved.”
It fell silent again, while rage and fear filled the air. Damn, that inconvenience again. The Heart could not have appeared at a worse time.
“What do my eyes see?” It looked confused, and its strange eyes moved from side to side quickly, as if seeing too many things at once. “What is that? Who is that person? It's not the Heart. Nor the Defender. But it is dangerous for our cause. His will and power are devastating.”
That confused everyone present again. And the joy of knowing that the Heart was not indestructible vanished. But its words were not finished.
“That person. No, that envoy. AGH!” it screamed, seeming to suffer from what it saw. “His power is so great, and the protection that surrounds him is so powerful and ancient that it prevents me from knowing where he comes from and what he intends to do. AGH! I cannot... I cannot see who he is. He will destroy everything. He must... He must... he must be stopped as soon as possible. He is already here, he is already here.”
Just as it had started to speak, it stopped. It was agitated, and it was not precisely because of its first words. What was that?
The consternation among those present, especially in the main family, was great. That was not what they expected to be revealed to them. The Oracle had stopped in its prophecy without an apparent solution to its bad omen. But the show had to go on; only the offering for the entity remained.
“Your warning is well received. Oh, Wise One of Darkness.” The Count and his family bowed in gratitude. “Now, take what you desire from among us. It is our offering for your message.”
Despite the pain that seemed to consume it, the demon extended tentacles that emerged from its back. And from among the crowd, it took those who were in that place for the first time. Then, it dragged them into the smoke with screams and disappeared.
Strategically, all those taken by the entity were left in the center of the place. Everyone attending this meeting every time it took place knew how to do things. The crowd was full of people who had made deals with the Count to reach the privileged positions they held.
“Now, my dear friends. This does not have to be a cause for distress for anyone. We will find a way to prevent our goal from being thwarted.”
No one moved, even though they had received warnings like the one they had just been given on previous occasions. But that "envoy" mentioned by the Oracle stayed in everyone's minds. They had not been given a clue as to whether he could be eradicated, and not even the demon could see who he was. That was not good news in any sense.
However, the meeting continued until the sun began to rise. But no member of the Noah family stayed to continue the party.
“What do you think that means exactly, Count?” Tyki asked the question everyone wanted to ask.
“I don't know, Tyki-pon, but we will find a solution. The Oracle said, ‘He must be stopped,’ which means it's possible. We just need to find out how.”
“And find out who he is.” observed Road. And that diminished the mood that the Count was trying to give himself.
“And find out who he is.” The Count repeated, not happy to be reminded of the main problem. “You said it, my dear Road. However, I can get an idea of where to start looking.”
“The Black Order.” Lulubell said.
“Exactly, the Black Order. We must start watching them more closely. Also, the Vatican. I have infiltrated people who can give us the information we need.”
“Meanwhile, we should also start looking for the Heart.” contributed Sheril.
“That too, but while we conduct our investigations, we must also prepare the stage for the main event. The Oracle has said it; we can achieve it if we do things right. So, we need to start working. Each one will be assigned a task. There is no time to lose.”
And so, their plans continued.
Meanwhile, among the crowd of guests, there was someone who came in and out without anyone noticing. He arrived at the right moment and left once he got what he needed. The information brought by the Envoy of Darkness.
He smiled half-heartedly as he left. So... that's why you haven't come back.
The concern he felt before infiltrating the party vanished as soon as the last words of that despicable being who had appeared were spoken. This was not his main task, but it was the one he had been waiting to complete for a long time.
With renewed spirits, he resumed his path.
"He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts; yet mankind cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
These were his words before leaving the place. A warning of what was to come. And a reminder of something he had forgotten.