Chapter Text
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If you want to be saved, first, you must be destroyed ,
If you want to be saved, you must atone,
If you want to be saved, you must sacrifice,
If you want to be saved, you must redeem,
If you fail to do so,
There's no salvation
For your damned soul.
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Third Testament - Sacrifice
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"There is no other way."
"..."
"I'm sorry."
Neah bolted awake. His- … Allen's body heaved shuddering. He raised Allen's human hand and ran it through the white sea of hair.
To dream of that…
With a shaky sigh he pushed the memory away.
Just a little more. He just had to endure a little more. And then finally everything will come to an end.
He pushed himself up from the white sofa. The stains of blood quickly disappeared as the Ark repaired itself. The clothes he wore already mended as well and his injuries closed.
He sat down to the copy of the dining table of the Campbell mansion. Even though he was the only one eating the other places were set as well.
Despite the almost eternal hunger, he could barely bring himself to eat. In fact, the thought of eating made him feel nauseous ever since-Still he forced down each bite. He needed his (and Allen's) strength.
After he finished his unfulfilling meal he turned his gaze at the seat beside him. He and Mana would often secretly switch what they didn't like. In front of Mana their mother would sit, smiling at her sons gently. Neah's gaze turned to the seat right across from him. He could almost see his Allen munch on his meal with very ill table manners. Katerina could never get rid of that bad habit of his. Some things didn't change.
Without further ado, Neah stood up and walked towards the exit. Recreational time was over, he was on tight schedule. Only 6 days left.
He reached out to Allen's chair, gently ghosting over its back, before letting all of it disintegrate.
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Wisely awoke with a pounding headache. Groaning, he pulled the pillow over his head. One would probably find streaming sunlight and birds chirping as a pleasant way to awaken, but Wisely wanted nothing more than to explode them.
Even though he kept reaching out for Road she couldn't find her. He hated to admit it, but he was worried sick.
It's been 6 months.
6 entire. Months.
True, Apocryphos got to injure her one and only weak spot but she couldn't be dead; their Noah within him would have felt that. But to have no signs at all from her… It was alarming.
What if Neah got her first?
No, that wouldn't make sense, Neah wouldn't have asked then-
What's the guarantee that Neah couldn't block that as well?
Wisely screed his watering eyes shut, pressing the ball of his palms on them, trying to regulate his breathing as the mixture of physical pain and worry pounded in his skull. Calm down. It was ok, as long as there was no proof-
But what if that was his attempt to confirm Road was really dead?
No, Neah had no means to even reach her-
He could. If he used Allen as bait.
Wisely was tempted to shake his head but it sent another wave of pain explode in his cranium.
Road was strong. The strongest after the Earl- if not on par with him.
The Earl himself, he was definitely alright - physically at least. If anything happened to either of them, again. his Noah would have felt it.
But his mental health-
Wisely groaned in pain having all these sceptical questions buzz around in his brain.
He needed the Earl's painkiller. Badly.
Maybe if he looked around he would find some. After all, the Fourteenth probably took it into account that the humans could get sick. They, Noah, would be unaffected, but mere humans could die from even the likes of pneumonia. All the science that defeated these illnesses were lost in the Flood.
Okay big breath. Maybe he could find some medicine in… the bathroom, one of the desk drawers or the kitchen. That place was most likely to have some.
Squinting his eyes, he threw off the covers, trying to straighten. His blurry eyes immediately zeroed on a jar filled with round pills along with a glass of water.
…
So he took this into account too, huh? Wisely wasn't about to complain, but he sure wasn't grateful. Clumsily slipping out a pair of pills, he quickly drowned them with a mouthful of water, then fell back into bed. Until it took effect he could rest a bit and think of a way to overcome this hopeless situation.
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Roughly 30 minutes later he was already scarfing down breakfast, ignoring the look of Exorcists. Beside him Tyki was eating in the same unsightly fashion, but no one actually called them out on it - there were more important matters at hand.
"As one could expect, while the windows and balconies can be opened, climbing out of them is a no-go as well," said the frizzy haired General.
Hah, how foolish, Wisely mused, they were tapping in the darkness.
"From the outside there didn't seem to be any special about the roof. If there are some clues, they are probably in here."
Well, at least the female General seemed to have more brains. But again, she was naive to believe that Neah left single hint to his plans out in the open; he was a very cautious tactician who didn't entrust anything to chance - and with that set of skill he was able to kill almost all of them single-handedly.
If there was any place of actual valuable information, that was the control room - which without doubt have been hidden and locked so only he could find it and open up.
Besides, even if they did find it there was no guarantee they could play their way outside - the Fourteenth being able to anchor this Ark proved that only he was the one who had full control over it.
Which meant their only hope was indeed Road, General Cross or that golden golem, Timcanpy if he recalled correctly. But thinking about it he begrudgingly came to the conclusion that it wouldn't. In the end, even that golem that seemed so affectionate with him had turned out to have ulterior motives all along.
He really wondered about the loyalty of that golem. Allen really seemed fond of him, consider him his closest friend even. But that golem was also the one, along with his master Cross Marian, who pushed that boy down the path of destruction, effectively sending him to his demise. Wisely couldn't read the thoughts of a machine, but he was certain the golem was a viper Allen cradled to his chest, even though its loyalties were made painfully clear when it showed him the score and acted in ways to trigger Neah's memories.
Cross at least was clear about hating Neah just as much as them, even though he had to work with him. Said man disappeared though - allegedly murdered. Definitely the work of Apocryphos. The Order was desperate for the truth and the last thing the Innocence wanted was for these pitiful humans to learn - this was the only thing Innocence and Noah had in common.
With the destruction of their Innocence and their current position, Wisely wondered if he should tell them, if only to taunt them. But no, he must not be careless. With both Road and the Earl breached he had to keep an eye on his family. There is still a slim chance that those Innocences can be revived, just like Allen's. And if they repossess their Hosts and one of them were the Heart it was all over.
If Allen was- used to be the Heart then… then they were all doomed for good. Without the Earl, his entire family would get killed along with their Noahs. Was this perhaps the reason Apocryphos was so desperate for Allen? To not let the Heart fall in the hand of Neah? Looks like this was the second thing Innocence and Noah agreed upon. Neah should be in deep shit for having the entire world turn on him and yet, he seemed to flourish. How frightening annoying.
According to the Akuma sentries that golem was destroyed by Apocryphos and its remains were collected by Kanda Yuu. Seeing how it wasn't around could only mean that they couldn't fix it.
But if Neah successfully broke in the Order undetected, then without doubt he collected it - perhaps even fixed it by now. Which meant that now it supported Neah and the Exorcists were mistaken to expect salvation or even mercy on the golem's part. Not even Allen had any, despite him being so close to it.
Which meant that it was up to him to somehow get Road's attention at all cost. And that was going to be tough, he's been searching for Road ever since she disappeared. He failed to find her for 6 months. Wrath burned within him towards Apocryphos for harming his dear sibling to such extent. Not even the past 3 months of intense torture made up for it - that monster simply laughed all their attempts off. Not even the Earl seemed to cause significant damage at it, it always picked itself up in a matter of seconds. That bastard still wanted to devour Allen so badly.
This made Wisely wonder: did Neah destroy it? Or did it manage to escape in the fray on its own?
Well, it missed that boat, for Neah to control Allen's body so flawlessly, it could only mean that the original host has long been engulfed and was already fully consumed. Road will be furious and heartbroken when she finds out.
"Wisely," the frizzy haired General addressed him, "I think in our current situation you are the one knowing most. What do you suggest?"
He swallowed the last bit of his breakfast and pushing his plate to the side - as if sensing his wish, the Ark dissipated his plate along with the leftovers. It was time to seize control. "Looking around our immediate surroundings is a waste of time, this is something not even my Demon Eye can see through. Neah is too careful to leave out any hints. I hate to say this but as of now we have no way of busting out."
"So then we're going to sit here doing nothing?" Chaoji spat scowling.
Tiedoll sent his apprentice a look. "Chaoji." The young man casted his gaze down but his frown didn't ease. Tiedoll turned his attention back to Wisely. "I see. Then perhaps what we can do is observing the Fourteenth. He promised he would come back along with Bookman Junior and explain what he's up to. That's our one and only opportunity to get out of here. We have to come up with a proper plan to take him off guard and use the opportunity to escape. And if we want to accomplish that, we need to seek out Bookman Junior."
Wisely's thin eyebrow rose. "Junior? What use would that serve?"
"The Fourteenth is very cautious but I sincerely doubt he would expect Junior to sniff around. With his keen Bookman eye I'm confident that he will find useful information."
A memory of 6 months ago flickered behind Wisely's lashes. He pushed the images aside. "I had no result in trying to make Bookman reveal information on the Fourteenth." Tyki glanced at Wisely hearing his candid confession. "I cannot guarantee that I can reach him... And it's not like he'd wake up for my voice, we have no bond whatsoever."
Tiedoll's eyebrows creased. "So you say you'd need a bond next to that ability to awaken him? That's quite a pickle..."
"I could help then."
All surprised eyes landed on Timothy in the corner. The boy had hollowed pale cheeks with dark circles under his jaded eyes, but there was still a spark of desperation within. "Usually people go unconscious when I possess them, but if we work together we might be able to awaken him… Or if that doesn't work then I could go around and look for stuff."
Marie shook his head. "Timothy, that's very dangerous, first off, there is no guarantee you can use your Innocence at all."
"I can feel Tsukikami again," the boy replied. "Back then when he destroyed your Innocence I couldn't but now it looks ok. I think I can pull it off."
"But even then, it's too dangerous!" Lenalee protested. "We have no idea when the Fourteenth reappears and what he will do to you if he finds out you tried to escape! He might even kill you! And this Noah might even use this chance to put you in danger on purpose so the Fourteenth would-"
Small hands curled into fists. "If we sit here doing nothing he will kill all of us!" He countered yelling. "I know it is dangerous but I have to do it!" Seeing her flinch he casted his gaze at his knuckles and added in a lot quieter tone. "I'm the only one who can do it." Despite his claims he could feel the fear crawl up his throat with its cold skeletal hands and squeezed. He sniffed, keeping his hot tears at bay. "I know how dangerous it is… But that's why I have to do it. I just… I can't bear to sit here and wait to lose everyone else after Big Bro Allen."
Lenalee flinched but as he looked down he didn't see her reaction. "Back then, when he left… I should have gone there and ask him to take me with him… And if he didn't let me then just see him off as always and say 'hurry back home'. I didn't even get to say goodbye to him… So I need to be strong and do my best so I can say 'welcome back' with a smile. That's why… This time I have to do all I can."
The adults looked at him with a mix of worry and pity and the Noah as well, were uncharacteristically unintrusive on the matter.
Wisely nodded. "It is likely that the Fourteenth lifted the restrictions on you because you are still far from possessing a Level 3, let alone a Noah. Alright then, I'll establish a connection between you and Junior and navigate you within the Ark to the best of my knowledge."
Wisely's normal eyes slid closed, only the three on his forehead remained open and watching. The knowledge of Exorcist watching and being completely vulnerable was unsettling but the presence of his brethren soothed him enough to be able to submerge.
The boy nodded and managed to summon his Innocence - a part of Wisely wondered if Neah's attention was slumping due to outside factors but ultimately he didn't have the time to really think about it. Once the boy's body sagged with the invocation, Wisely telepathically connected to the boy's consciousness. Instinctual revulsion seeped from his Noah memories but Wisely held them at bay - he had to save his family from another massacre.
"There," Wisely said, attracting Timothy's attention to a turquoise-white thread drifting in the air. It was one of a bundle, each strand connecting to his fellow Exorcists. "Follow this thread, it will lead you to Junior."
Nodding, Timothy left his body and using the thread as a path, he passed through obstacles with ease. He flew upstairs to the left wing of the corridor, seeking out Junior's room. Wisely experienced no hardships entering there this time. Just like his door has been Junior's room was a simple door with a golden plaque his name was written onto. He phased through the door to be met with darkness. Not complete darkness, just the comforting shade with pale moonlight filtering through so one could see without candles but still sleep peacefully.
There, among the warm and cozy looking nest laid a much paler and thinner Lavi than Timothy remembered. First Big Bro Allen and now Big Bro Lavi… He swallowed the lump he felt in his throat. With an inhale, Timothy phased into Lavi, whimpering as he felt the terrible ache in Lavi's body; he felt an urge to flee back to his own but persisted - it already hurt terribly to cry after Allen, curled up in his bed, sobbing himself to sleep; he didn't want to lose Lavi too. He needed to do his job so Allen could concentrate on winning.
Timothy was about to flutter Lavi's eyes open when Wisely felt a presence. "Someone is coming! Get out of him and hide!"
Tsukikami ripped Timothy's consciousness out, ignoring his protests and hid in the blind spot of the room, ready to fly(?) for it if it was Neah. The boy stilled as well when they heard footsteps stop outside the door and opened the door with a creak.
If it was Neah it was over, even in this form, there's a chance Neah could program the Ark to see and feel them. He may have even left this path open to lure them into trying to escape and kill them.
They were utterly confused to see a man of the same height as the Fourteenth but with a long braided hair approach Lavi. Wisely clamped his hand on Timothy's mouth and shot a side glance at the boy who seemed to be in utter disbelief.
Thoughts ran amok in Timothy's brain. It can't be,Big Bro Link is dead! I was at his funeral too! He is the reason why Big Bro Allen had to run! Because the big bosses said Allen killed him! Despite not having a body, Timothy shook with a very bad chilly feeling in his gut. … What was Allen really hunted for, then?
Link placed two trays on the bed stand, one with what appeared to be something akin to porridge, one that held medical supplies.
First Link fumbled around changing bandages. Wisely held an unwavering gaze at the sight of numerous scars Sheril inflicted; Timothy let out a whimper but was shushed by Wisely.
Link then pulled Lavi up into half sitting position and fed him, stimulating Lavi's adam's apple to help him swallow. Once he was done, Link collected the instruments and left. When he finally turned to face them, Link appeared to have dark circles under his eyes and his shoulders and movements were stiff. Believing himself to be alone, the young man's facial expression conveyed all. Any emotion that grew in him as he basked in Allen's universal love while he was by his side, feelings started to lean towards more than just inspector and his charge; was crushed, stomped, weeded out and utterly buried; all of them withered away and devolved back into the wound up thoughtless and heartless soldier he was forced to become. All his gaze held was the terror of despair and the cold resignation of futility. Like the ghost he appeared to be, he left without a sound. Timothy left out a quivering gasp.
"Why…"
"We'll figure that out later. Now go and try to awaken Junior, that Crow can come back any time and blow the whistle."
Blinking away the burn he felt, Timothy went back to possess Lavi, moving his body to rouse his mind while Wisely searched his consciousness.
"Junior. Bookman Junior." Fuck, was the damage so deep that he couldn't reach him? He and Junior didn't have emotional bond after all, he had no reason to reply. Then maybe…
It was a very low-likely opportunity. Even if he's only an Apprentice they were talking about a Bookman. A Bookman who made no ties and had no biases, who could talk to anyone like they knew them then walk away like nothing happened.
Still, this was the only thing they could do. Failure was unacceptable; failure was - Wisely gulped the lump in his throat at the gruesome last memory fragments of the precious Wisely - death.
"Hey brat," he called out to Timothy who was getting rather desperate and weepy as he failed to find Lavi. "Call him on that name."
Timothy's face was momentarily wiped of despair in favour of surprise and confusion. "Huh?"
"Call Junior on the name he introduced yourself. 'Lavi', am I right?"
Timothy blinked his tears away and once again possessed Lavi, reaching into the psyche he usually suppressed when taking over someone. "Lavi," he called, voice quivering with sorrow and fear of what happened, of what might happen- "Lavi. Please, wake up Lavi. Lavi."
There! A tiny spark barely noticeable- but there!
"That's right!" Wisely encouraged, intent to grab hold of that essence and drag it onto the surface. "Keep that up, kid."
"Lavi! Wake up, Lavi! We need you, Lavi! Lavi! Lavi!"
But in the end, despite seconds then minutes ticking by, it bore no result. As if a weed, Bookman burrowed himself so deep in his subconscious that Wisely couldn't drag him out.
"Damn it, why isn't he waking up?!" Timothy cursed, his despair growing that Big Bro Lavi was not responding. Why was this happening?
Wisely scowled, cursing Sheril for his inability to control himself and rendering their bargain chip useless. "Let him be, looks like he still needs time. Let's try that Inspector instead."
"I can't, he is heavily on guard."
Wisely sighed. "Alright, then let's just leave Junior alone and follow him instead."
Timothy spared one last sorrowful glance at Lavi, then phased out of his room to follow Link in the dimly lit corridor .The lush wallpaper and golden chandeliers screamed wealth but the fake mansion was devoid of any personal touch, not a vase, not a painting, not a portrait. The Orphanage operated in an old townhouse of a noble family that donated their old estate to the church and haven't seen any renovation since then, but the torn wallpapers were covered with children's scribbles and the windows were covered with curtains sewn by Emilia and the orphans. It was a lackluster job but it gave the space coziness and familiarity, it turned that house into a home. The memory of his old home left a pang of loneliness in his heart. He shook his head to rid himself from thoughts that could jeopardize his mission and instead attempted to strike a conversation with Wisely.
"Hey um, I know you're only doing this for your own sakes too… but thanks for helping me out."
"It's the best course of action I can take right now," the Noah of Wisdom replied in a low voice.
"Yeah, but when I volunteered to do this you didn't say anything against it and didn't ask anything. You took me seriously… so… thanks."
Timothy heard Wisely huff. "There's nothing to thank me for, given the chance we'll bust out here with Road and leave you here to rot. It's just even I'm just not boorish enough to bully a little kid, especially not when I have other matters at hand."
"... I guess you're really worried about your family as well."
Wisely didn't answer but Timothy took comfort in the shared feelings of concern that connected them, even if it was a begrudging one.
From Lavi's room Link had led them to the bright Piano Room. Wisely couldn't believe the luck that smiled upon them.
"We absolutely need to be you to be able to possess that guy, I can play the piano through him."
"I can't distract him, I can't touch anything when I'm out of my body."
Wisely cursed. "Neither can I. ...But if I connect Sheryl maybe we can use his telekinesis."
Yes, this will definitely work. While Neah was still distracted they could still pull it off. They might never get a chance like this and had no time to play safe. Whatever Neah planned they-
"What are you doing, Master Disciple?"
They both froze, brain short-circuiting hearing a familiar emotionless voice. Slowly they peeked behind to take in three familiar forms. Timothy gasped and Wisely cursed their luck seeing the fully Akuma turned former Third Exorcists. To think Neah could so easily convert them.
"Ah, my deepest apologies for not noticing you Timothy Hearst." Timothy flinched hearing Link's exhausted voice address him so formally. Timothy had never seen him this drained, even after all-nighter missions and Allen's antics he never looked this lifeless. He reminded Timothy of those faulty Nutcracker figures he saw tossed away, lying in the filth of the slums. "I failed to notice your presence, as I, unlike my fellow former Crows am unable to sense Innocence. Please return to the rest, the Fourteenth and us will join you soon."
For seconds, Timothy could only gape, he was absolutely numbed with the unexpected reaction, only for anxiety to return with its gnawing cold teeth. "W-what? Aren't you angry or anything?" Aren't you going to punish me?
"You attempting to plot an escape is a normal human reaction, it was expected. That wasn't against the rule but it is futile and dangerous, you have no idea what would await you on the outside."
What awaits you outside. Timothy's blood ran cold at the words. What happened after we got taken?
"What's going on?! Tell me!"
"I'm afraid we cannot Master Disciple," Tokusa replied his demand, his voice lacking its usual mocking tone. "We ourselves are just as uninformed as you are. We are merely following the orders of our Master."
Timothy glanced at Link imploring. "Big Bro Link, come on! What's going on? Why did you pretend to be killed? Allen got a death sentence on him because of it! And now you are working together with the guy who is possessing Allen and made everyone fear and hate him?! Didn't Allen mean anything to you?!"
Timothy felt a tingle of guilt seeing Link's eyes widen with pain, as if Timothy touched him in a sore spot. Maroon eyes trembled and fluttered close, then opened cast down, reflecting guilt.
"I… have no right to apologize," he whispered, voice raw, choking back emotions. To Timothy be looked like someone wanting to cry very badly but being unable to. "There's nothing I could offer to repent. So please just believe me when I say: I never wished for any of this."
Wisely didn't contain masking his snarl of disgust but refrained from commenting on the betrayal.
"We're going back," he said to Timothy, his voice dripping with withheld anger and revulsion. "There's nothing we can do right now."
"Please do," Link agreed. "Feel free to leave Bookman Junior's body behind, I was about to prepare a bath for him."
After a few beats of hesitation, Timothy left Lavi's body, relieved to see Link catch him. He gave Link one last look then turned to follow Wisely back to their respective bodies.
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Pain. He only knew pain. All over, his body was quivering with ache. He was tormented by a strong fever that burned his body up and had it freezing the same time. His eyelids were so heavy and breathing was so hard. Why was he awakening? He just wanted to sleep.
But there it was again. That tug, that prickling pain, that call. Someone was calling that familiar name and every experience and emotion it entailed. All the agony of it.
No. Stop that. Don't call me that. I'm not that person anymore. Just let me sleep so I don't have to feel or remember.
The call insisted but he stubbornly ignored it. It will disappear like always.
He didn't bother hiding his sigh of relief when it finally stopped and he returned to comforting nothingness. In this void there was no meaning of time, no past or future, just constant present. It was all and nothingness at the same time. And what a blessing that was.
And just like any gift, it did not last forever.
He was called again. But unlike that frail, fickle bond, the voice of a comrade he was never supposed to have, that one voice, that one bond he couldn't shake off.
Grabbed by a strong, divine hand, he was yanked back to reality to the voice of his Master.
Junior's back arched as he threw his head back, sputtering and gasping for precious air to ease his pain. As he was taught, he quickly tried to get his breathing under control and manage his pain. Black dots danced in his vision as his eye fluttered open, meeting the sombre eyes of Bookman.
"Old man..." he rasped, eye stinging from unshed tears. He felt like utter shite and from the looks of it, Bookman wasn't off much better.
The man brushed his overgrown hair out of his eye with rare gentleness. "I'm glad you're finally awake as well. I'm sorry that I woke you but I'm afraid we can put off our duty any longer."
Junior's brows furrowed in confusion for a few seconds, then his eye widened with sudden clarity. Summoning the little strength he had, Junior pushed himself up despite his Master's warning, his green eye seeking a familiar white form, the prophesized Destroyer of Time. When his eye focused on a familiar white haired pale face, his very own got drained of the little colour it had.
"A-..." He called out, but his voice died in his throat as his brain registered the look in those familiar eyes. His shoulders sagged and hand stung as it rolled into a fist as he casted his gaze into his lap. "Fourteenth."
The Noah sighed in the stolen body. "What's with all of you calling me Fourteenth, even just Noah would be better, that's just one letter off of Neah," he remarked dryly. "But yes, while you two were captured I devoured Allen."
His heart abruptly throbbed painfully. Junior gulped down the lump in his throat, mentally writing 'deceased' on the log he had of Allen before turning to a black page, burying the memory of the sweet boy. "... I see."
Bookman's hands tightened around his shoulders in sympathy.
A- Neah's stabbing gaze lingered on the two of them before turning away. "Get up. Now that all of you are here it's time I fill you in."
Junior noted, dully noting that despite the persistent ache in his chest his body was overall starting to feel better, his bruises were dissipating, fragmented bones mending, cells regenerating by the Ark's magic. The agony in his body slowly eased into a general state of stiff discomfort. Pushing the covers off, Junior stood on his shaky legs and followed the true Destroyer of Time, the one who killed Allen Walker.
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From the way Wisely's face crunched and how Timothy's body stiffened with unease it was clear they were unsuccessful in their mission.
"What happened?" Klaud asked.
"The Thirds," Wisely spat bitterly.
She withheld a curse with a click of her tongue, mindful of the children around her and raised a hand to her chin. "So he reprogrammed them too, huh. But why bother keeping them alive?"
"Presumably for the same reason as us," Wisely supplied. "It seems the Fourteenth wants to collect anyone touched by Innocence or Dark Matter and lock them all inside the Ark." And if the Thirds obey him, that means he can gain control over all Akuma as well.
So that's how he managed to play the Earl's security system. And since the Ark still their data it was easy for him to kidnap them all.
But how the hell was he able to achieve that and why? Just what was the power of the Fourteenth?
"Fuck it, I'm contacting Road," Wisely cursed, screwing his eyes shut, using all the Dark Matter flowing in him to power the Demon Eye he possessed. There was no time to be careful. The tangible world faded around him, the voices of his family distant as he sought Road's world following their bond. He momentarily faltered feeling the accursed headache that plagued each incarnation of Wisely return with vengeance; he wanted to curl up and cry at the agony of his head feeling like it would split apart, he could feel hot blood flowing out from his nose and eyes, dragging him back to his body but with unprecedented tenancy, he shoved the pain aside.
Just focus on finding Road. Failure is not an option.
Reaching out he grasped desperate for what seemed like eternity until he had finally found it - the tendrils of a frayed, magenta thread. Without hesitation, he grabbed onto it and poured his own Dark Matter in it, making it wind into a stronger tie.
"ROAD!" His scream boomed in the dark, like the voice of one calling back their deceased loved one. Feeling Road stir Wisely could collapse in relief.
"Wi...Wisely?" His heart convulsed painfully hearing just how broken Road sounded. Her light flared up, pulling into her human form, but she was obviously very unstable - cracks were apparent all over her body, fizzling, missing parts, disintegrating. Despite their nakedness he enclosed her in a tight hug.
"Road! I finally found you!" He whimpered, voice coloured with a mix of joy, worry and fear. He then pulled back, placing his hands on her delicate shoulders, seeking her glassed over eyes. "Road, I'm really sorry to come to you while you're still this hurt but we need you now. Neah is back and he kidnapped all of us and the Exorcists! He's been gathering us for some reason but he locked us all in the stolen Ark and locked our abilities! I don't know what he is plotting but it can't be good. We need your help, you're the only one among us who can deal with him!"
He felt terrible for begging her like this when she was obviously still so weakened, when she barely survived a situation like this 35 years ago and lost all of them. But their very mission of serving and guarding the Earl was at stake. Without them, the Earl was vulnerable to the Heart and -
Road bolted with a sudden instance of clarity but before Wisely could ask what was going on he was rudely dragged back. Road extended her hand just a bit too late and Wisely was pulled away from her light through the darkness, yanked back into reality. His back arched back like a bow, muscles flexing as he inhaled sharp then curled back into himself and collapsed back into his seat. Tyki's familiar hands were between his shoulder blades and on his shoulder, steading him, a warm and comforting presence on his cold and quivering body. Despite the wave of pain it caused, Wisely looked up to Tyki's face, surprised at how hard and hateful it looked past him despite how gentle his hands were.
Having an ill feeling in his gut, Wisely turned to see a gloved palm holding more of the painkillers.
"Sorry I was rough with you but you were nearing a seizure," Neah droned unsympathetically dropping the pills in his plate, then leaving for his seat in the middle of the table, like a parody of the Last Supper. As he sat down, dishes materialised out of nowhere, filling oversized plates to the brim. He leaned forward, taking his bite but no one joined. "Now that all of you who were closely involved in this war is present I'm giving you an update on what I've done the past two days. It's unsightly to eat while speaking but this body burns through feasts in a matter of hours."
'This body.' The subtle reference that it was stolen and the knowledge of whom that body was stolen from made many clench their teeth in fury.
Looking around, Wisely was surprised to see several new members thrown into the party. The punished General Sokalo who looked like he'd throw up any moment, a presumed to be dead and positively looking like dead Cross Marian, the worn Bookman and his awake and even more messed up Apprentice all occupying the empty seats reserved for them. The former Crows were looming behind Neah like loyal servants, their gazes submissively on the floor.
Kanda could only scoff with fury and contempt at the Bastard wearing the Beansprout face ate there peacefully, but as if sensing his hatred and bloodlust, his entire body was weighed down, fixed into the chair he was sitting in every time he thought about stabbing him in the throat. He could only watch as the Bastard meticulously diced up his dish and eat at a calm pace. The Beansprout always had a ridiculous over the top sized mountain of food he would gorge down with absolutely no table manners, his cheery mood at getting to stuff his stupid face an annoyance Kanda had to learn to live with. But this guy posing there like some self-absorbed spoiled rich kid actually bothering to properly use the laid out multiple sets of utensils. The air rang with cold silence without the gluttonous slurps of that foolish brat. Kanda never thought he would miss those sounds.
"As you know, first I kidnapped the Exorcists and quarantined them here. I started with them as it was hard to create an opportunity where you'd all be in each other's presence for long." Neah placed a piece of steak in his mouth, chewing it thoroughly before swallowing. "Also, their sudden disappearance was sure to wreak havoc on the Noah side too, you'd know I was back and took action and would surely swarm around the Earl to protect him. Too bad Road weren't with you yet but there's no more time to wait for her to return."
No more time? Why would Neah suddenly have such a short time restraint after 35 years of inactivity? Wisely remembered that Neah was not the rash type, he was calculative and patient, he broke them up until they were alone. That's why last time he could take out all of time with deadly efficiency. Who or what was enforcing such sudden constraint on him?
Wisely shuddered thinking of a possibility. The Earl's health steadily deteriorated as the hassle to continue hunting so far undiscovered, steadily depleting Innocence pieces. Without Allen to be lookout for Akuma, logistical asset and one of the best warriors; coupled with losing Cross Marian with his vast knowledge, impressive battle prowess and secondary Innocence; and finally the loss of Kanda Yuu's great healing factor; the Order failed its latest missions spectacularly. Not that they couldn't simply slaughter them before but now they were just pathetic and more desperate. As only a few undiscovered pieces were left, they were getting closer and closer of cornering and revealing the elusive Heart.
Which meant-
"But overall, capturing you both was a success, both of you were pulled from the battlefield. I destroyed all the Innocence of the Order and then got to neutralising all Akuma. That concluded Day 1. There are still large amount of Akuma amd some stray Innocence pieces out there that are mass revealing themselves after I destroyed yours, so the Order is making strides to try and get them with Crows and Finders but they're failing miserably. The Earl himself is not making moves besides mobilising Akuma and Brokers, confident in the Order's continued failures."
As he cleared his plate, a new portion materialised in front of him.
"Day 2 was less hectic. Both the Order and the Earl are stagnatic which left me time to go after the Earl's supporters, be it Sponsors or Brokers. I framed them all with phony crimes they can't weasel their way out of, such as treason - the justice system can't prosecute them if the nature of their crime is a secret - so they all have their wealth confiscated and got jailed, probably for a lifetime if they don't get punished by execution that is. That part doesn't concern me, they're no longer able to support the Earl so that's good enough. Any questions so far?"
There was a tense second with all of them bursting with their withheld questions, seeking each other's gazes to silently debate the order of questions. The time Neah was going to spend here was probably limited to his meal so they had to ask the most pressing issues first.
"How come you're not just killing anyone? What is the contents of that promise you spoke about?" Tiedoll asked.
Neah took a sip of water and continued on his meal. "I think all of you can deduce that I'm not doing any of this for you. As far as I'm concerned you could have just happily killed each other and left humanity to rot." Hands halted and silver eyes looked up to stab the General a glare. "You're a wretched species that piles up mountains of corpses for their selfish needs even without the Earl helping; you have none of my sympathy." The silver knife he had made a shrill noise as it dragged along the china plate. Neah looked back to his meal and placed another dice of pork in his mouth. "And with that confession out of the way, I think you can guess why I bother with saving you."
"Are you implying that with this promise you achieved compromise with Walker?" Klaud asked.
Neah swallowed and nodded. "Correct."
At the edge of the table, Chaoji's hands tightened in a fist, rage colouring his cheeks. "So in the end he was a traitor after all."
Surprised and enraged looks snapped his way. The voices of Lenalee, Kanda and Marie spoke up at once
"What did you just-?!"
"You fucking piece of shit-"
"Not now, Chaoji-"
In the end the Fourteenth's voice dominated as he let out a humourless laugh. "See? Exactly why I despise your kind." Neah threw himself back in his chair, arms dramatically spread out, using Allen's normally still body to express what could not be conveyed with words. "God, the shamelessness, the audacity! I love to hate it!" Allen's shoulders fell as he lolled forward again, pointing his knife in Chaoji's direction, meeting the former sailor's heated look with a cold one. "A perfect human reaction of an ungrateful, spineless, snitching twat who spits into the memory of the very fool who died to save his useless arse."
Just as intended, the words stifled the outrage and cut his audience deep to the core. Noah and Exorcists alike gazed at him, at the face of the friend and enemy with varying mixtures of shock, disbelief and grief.
Timothy exploded in a fit of crying that Klaud and Tiedoll were quick to try placating him - the rest were simply too shocked or resigned to do anything.
"Snitching?! Me?!" Chaoji asked confused in a loud voice, body flinching with disgust. "But I despise you monsters!"
"That doesn't matter," Neah sang mockingly. "The one to leak information wasn't Allen, but you. Remember how sick you've gotten after facing Fiidora and how out of nowhere you miraculously recovered?" Chaoji paled at the mention of it, his mind putting the offered pieces together. A shudder ran down his spine seeing such a malicious sneer on Allen Walker's face. "He actually placed parasites in you that were used to monitor you all - that's they knew all your steps. So despite all your pathetic attempts to prove Allen guilty and someone dangerous to the Order, he was the one to keep the all of you safe while it was you who ended up as the traitor."
As if stuck, Chaoji recoiled, eyes wide as he struggled to grasp with the truth slapped in his face.
"Wait, the Memories are not supposed to kill the Hosts," Tyki said, quickly moving the conversation. "Possess and control us, but never actually destroying us. Even with the likes of Raasura who completely control their Hosts, the original owner never disappears."
Wisely exhaled through his nose somewhat irritated that Tyki was sharing such information in front of their enemies but it was muted by a sinking feeling of bitter pity. Sure, he had not known Allen personally like Road or Tyki, but he was the only one besides Road who knew his importance to their family. When he looked into the boy's broken mind, barren soul, fragmented memories - that obscured face and familiar voice that held him all together; from those ruins he could piece together the past and Allen's special connections, that one in the center of their worlds.
He and Allen Walker were practically strangers… he was a Noah with little to no mercy or sympathy for humans, yet alone Exorcists… and yet… That kid crushing under the weight of a traitorous Noah, a manipulative Innocence, an uncaring God, a bigoted society, uncaring and unhelpful humans, family as they had to call the audacity to call themselves… it resonated with the fears and anxieties he had during his own awakening.
Did he perhaps crumble under the weight of the Truth of this world?
Wisely would probably never know.
But whatever he did bought them time and he wouldn't stay in an Exorcist's debt. They may have held a deep, unforgiving resentment to the Innocence, but he wasn't so low as dishonouring someone who saved him.
"The Masters within us whose memories and abilities we inherit do not seek our destruction," he explained, presenting some of the Truth as tribute. "The Fourteenth, however is different. He is a Noah without the Memory of any of us who origin from seven millennia ago. He was a one-time anomaly who appeared out of nowhere. He has no Noah Memories, therefore cannot reincarnate like the rest of us - which is why he implanted himself into Allen. And that lack of Noah Memories is the exact reason why the two could not coexist. The Fourteenth wasn't *just* passing on his nonexistent Memories; a piece of his very soul was injected within Allen, which then parasitized on his and in the end devoured him to become complete. It's nothing like getting lost in the sea of Memories; he had everything, his memories, his bonds that imprinted his soul completely were fully erased and overwritten." To the very end, his voice was cold and biting, his burning eyes glaring into the soul Neah stole. The bastard only gazed at him with a cold upturn of Allen's lips.
Many of his siblings squirmed uncomfortably as they all turned his gaze on him. Even they, who killed masses and using the frustration of souls to fuel their Akuma, corrupting a soul in a way it could never recover was sacrilege.
"Then… the boy is never coming back?" Tyki asked, uncharacteristically serious and sombre.
Wisely ripped his gaze away from Neah to give Tyki a rueful look. "He is so utterly lost that he cannot even be made into an Akuma."
Tyki's eyes widened, a vortex or mixing emotions in his golden irises as he cast his eyes down, stunned. It was clear that he already thought of Allen more than just an enemy. "Ah."
"NO!" The tableware rattled as Lenalee shot up from her seat, palms slamming on the table eyes swimming with the tears she fought very hard to keep from falling. The transpiring conversations left her with a nagging suspicion, the promotions of a soul-crushing tragedy she was too terrified to fathom. "That's a lie! That's a filthy lie! He would never let such thing happen! He promised! He promised to me that he wouldn't stop, no matter what!"
Kanda's hand was quick to clasp on her shoulder as he stood next to her, finding that with an intent to comfort he was free to move. "Don't get distracted, Lena. You can't trust what a Noah says." Feeling Timothy's gaze on him, Kanda stole a determined glance at him, then returned his focus to Neah. "This Bastard is just messing with us, delaying us to waste our time. There's no way that idiotic Beansprout isn't there and nagging him around the clock, wearing him down with his annoying speeches about how he would save everyone and whatnot. We've gotta focus on getting info, deciding if it's true or not can come after that."
An uncharacteristic laughter erupted from Allen's body, so alien it made Lenalee's skin crawl. "Oh dear Lord, isn't your denial just cute?" He asked in a sing-song voice, dripping with sadism and malice. "First Alma and now Allen." Pure, unadulterated rage flickered in Kanda's blue eyes, hand tightening on Lenalee's shoulder to a painful degree. In her own emotional turmoil she welcomed the pain that was not psychological. "I guess it must be pretty hard to take for a proud guy like you to have your ass saved by those who you both bitch at the most and want to protect. But that's fine. I know it takes time for you to have information to properly sink in. Don't worry though, I'll be happy to bludgeon it all into your thick skull."
He clapped Allen's gloved hands. "So! The promise! Indeed, I promised I wouldn't kill any of you or anyone else other than the Earl! You can rest assured that the Order staff is alive, even if in a state of disarray. Here, have a real time recording."
Screens flared up in front of former Order members, showing seconds of clips of different departments before flickering to a new location. Lenalee, despite the immense relief she felt seeing him alive, bit her lips seeing the state her brother was in. His cheeks were hollowed in, eyes sunken and frantic, visibly enraged as he snarled at Leverrier, Great Generals and Cardinals, desperate to find them. The Science Department, the Medical Ward, Finders, Cooks and other maintain staff, they all appeared battle worn, pushing themselves to find the disappeared Apostles.
So even laced with mocking, Neah appeared to tell the truth so far.
"It was about 3 months ago, when Johnny and Kanda told Allen that Link got killed, asking if he or I did it; as well as the Earl and Apocryphos simultaneously found him, that Allen lost his position as the dominant ego ruling this body. It was the first time I properly got to take over his body without having to worry about getting shoved back and thus his annihilation began. I was busy with the Earl and the Order so I couldn't talk to him but surprisingly, Cross and Road cooperated so his consciousness could appear in front of Allen."
Cross remained passive to the sudden gazes cast his way, he just stared forth to the lamb chop with red wine sauce in his plate. It was certainly the most appetizing dish he'd seen in decades, but it made his stomach roll. It was so precisely prepared as if made by the world's best chefs and yet, he was aching for the over-salted stews he made for and shared with a too meek, too goody-two-shoes, foolish, too caring, too kind, too precious-
"He warned Allen that from that point on, he would slowly dissipate and trying to resist would result in pointless agonizing terror as the process is not reversible or otherwise escapable. So Cross tried convincing him to give up and accept his fate, and offered to stay with him to the very end."
"I can't believe you, Marian," Tiedoll spoke up, interrupting Neah, visibly upset that a comrade, someone so young, someone who saved his own Apprentice, who had died for them all in such horrible fashion. "I always knew you were a rotten, corrupt man but this is disgusting even coming from you. Did you really stoop so low that you were willing to manipulate a child, the child you had raised, who despite all your wretchedness found it in him to honestly, wholeheartedly, truly love you? And yet you-" his voice shook, old eyes twinkling with wetness like dying stars as he swallowed the bile he felt looking at Cross's unflinching face. "You not only refuse to shed a tear for him, you even had the audacity to say it was for his own good that he died for you?!"
The man was shaking with rage unseen by any of them. Kanda too, was taken aback to see his Master utterly pissed to the point he looked ready to rip apart Cross any moment.
Despite that all, Cross remained uncharacteristically passive. "What exactly do you want me to say?" he asked, his voice scratchy from lack of use and an oppressing sense of resignment. "That I'm sorry? That I regret it? That I wished this never happened? That it didn't have to happen? That I wished he hated me? That I wished I could stand in for him instead? That if there was one person I wanted to save no matter what, it was him? " Tiedoll's rage was muddled with confusion at the brutal honesty the man talked so lowly about himself, how pained he sounded. "You don't have to tell me, I know; I'm the worst piece of shit to ever exist. I took him in, placed him on the path to become an Exorcist… and then led him to his death. There was nothing else I could do. To finally put an end to this damned war, we need Neah. Allen's destruction was inevitable. So at the very least…after all that unfair crap life kept throwing him; time and time again, traumas that none of you cannot even fathom… I just wanted him to finally find peace."
There was a beat of silence, the mute passing of judgements over the Judge. Then, Tiedoll shook his head in disdain. "That… was the lousiest, most self-pitying non-apology I've ever had the misfortune to hear. You will burn in the lowest circle of Hell."
Cross snorted at that. "Thank fucking God, Amen to that."
"Well," Neah picked back up again, side-eyeing the two, the voice he stole unmerciful as he continued with the tormenting exposition. "Allen being Allen of course refused Cross. Unfortunately." He added after a pause. His eyes locked on the surface of his glace, looking at the reflection of the person he had forsaken. He then turned those eyes to unmercifully glare at Lenalee. "Can't believe that him dying by this bastards side would be the less painful option, and yet he jumped headfirst into the absolute worst because of his dumb promise to you."
Lenalee's stomach did a backflip when Allen's eyes that could exude such wonderful warmth stabbed into her like icicles.
"Truly, what a fucking waste that he suffered and died such a dog's death for a useless, ungrateful bunch like you," he spat, his wrath confusing his audience as he looked over them. "Here you fucking are, given a second chance at life and you're bitching and tearing into each other at every turn. Some friends you are, this is shameless and honestly, embarrassing to watch. Is this how you honour someone who died so you all could live?"
"He isn't dead," she pressed on, unyielding despite the tremble in her voice. "He would never lose to someone like you." Her hands tightened to the point that her nails were digging into the flesh of her palms. "He… he promised that he would stop you no matter what."
The fact that he would have killed himself or allowed to get killed remained unsaid but was universally known.
Neah shook Allen's head disappointed. "Your selfishness really has no bounds. You're the main reason Allen suffered so much and have the galls to still cling to him like that?" Lenalee recoiled, body trembling as Allen's voice talked to her in such tone, with such contemptuous, cold eyes. Even though she knew it wasn't Allen talking to her, she stop herself from feeling like Neah was exposing Allen's deepest, dark emotions that he never conveyed out of politeness and pity. "You, who couldn't even say proper goodbye when he was running from his supposed home that contemplated torturing and executing him? Even then, you had to be comforted by him. It was because of that promise you made him vow that he refused Cross, even though deep down he was terrified and just wanted the pain to stop already."
Her chest burned, aching with the lack of oxygen. It felt like torture, those cold words had cut to her very core, unleashing an unstoppable torrent of silent tears from her eyes. She could only stare horrified, unable to even raise her hands to wipe away her tears.
"Would you fucking stop lying through your teeth already?" Kanda snapped, straining so the tremors of his body couldn't be heard in his voice. His memories were pulling him back to that town abandoned by God; back when those silver eyes were visibly clouded by grief and an unsettling, almost compulsive willingness if not outright need to hurt for other's happiness.
I want to be a destroyer who can save.
"He isn't some sort of coward who'd choose the easy way out. Me and many others of us being here is a proof of that. So fuck off with that bullshit and start talking about what that human form Innocence is and why was he up in the Beansprout's ass? Is it because of you?"
The Exorcists looked at him with expression of confusion but Kanda ignored them all in favour of glaring at the Fourteenth.
"Apocryphos, huh?" Nea scratched Allen's head, pondering. "Well, I can't really tell all that much about him as a lot of you are still possessed by the Innocence. Getting too close to the Truth might result in you Falling - and then Allen's sacrifice would truly be in vain."
"You care awfully lot for someone you killed," Lulu Belle remarked, obviously disturbed by the impact Allen Walker had left on her brethren. She disliked Allen Walker for the humiliation he had inflicted on her, breaking her Master's precious Egg, forcing her to return groveling with its shattered pieces. Her gracious Lord of course accepted her with open arms and complimented for her partial success which only deepened her hurt over the subpar job she had done. "You had no qualms killing the all of us last time - but this Allen Walker converted you to spare us. What is it in for you?"
Neah snarled at her. "Don't patronize me, Lustol. You lot can only thank yourself and your petty desire of revenge that you got killed. You were the ones meddling around, turning on me and trying to kill me. I only did what I had to to defend myself and my family. But of course, how convenient for you that you forgot that," he spat bitterly.
Lulu Belle scowled. "Not my fault you murdered my previous incarnation so brutally that I can barely remember anything but burning hatred for you," she shot back.
"I assure you, it's mutual."
The two held piercing gazes until they were interrupted by Marie.
"Let's stay on track. Tell us about this 'Apocryphos' as much as possible."
Neah shot him a gaze and sighed. "Apocryphos is an independent piece of Innocence that exists for the sole reason to protect the Heart. It appeared right after the Second Exorcist fully awakened me by stabbing Allen to what normally would be death; when the Order tossed Allen into prison and starved him to fess up info. Weakened by hunger and injury and oddly enough thinking about trying to understand me, I almost dragged him down to have a chat when it appeared and forcibly synchronised with him to stop the two of us from interacting. It rightfully feared that the guilt he felt due to the death of those two Third Exorcists you killed by the way, and the rest who were taken and converted to full Akuma, Allen would want to seek out a nonviolent approach with me. Of course, as a weapon of destruction with the sole purpose to wipe out Dark Matter, compromise is not an available function encoded in it. Also, Allen was pretty much the most useful pawn against the Earl; not only he was powerful on his own, he managed to make you want to follow him on his path to becoming an Exorcist. And that's probably as much as I can safely tell you for now. Besides it would be a waste of time though with Apocryphos around, he would just mess with your memories to believe what fits protecting the Heart best."
Marie nodded, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. In the fall to the Ark his headphones seem to have gotten damaged as he couldn't make out sounds as well anymore. He heard none of Allen's usual noises and it left him on edge. "How come he wasn't made into a Fallen One? Is he the Heart perhaps?"
There was a momentary pause that implied Marie was prodding awfully close to the truth. "You're correct to assume that Allen had a unique connection with the Heart, but it's a lot more complicated than that," Neah said in the end. "I can't fully explain it to you just yet though, as it goes into very dangerous territories. I'll need to settle the tab with Apocryphos before I can say anything meaningful."
This was extremely bad. There it was, in their plain sight, the clue to the Heart they sacrificed so much in search of and it was just out of their reach.
Some of them and certain Science Department members speculated Allen just might be the possessor of the Heart with his death-defying stunt, returning alive and restoring a destroyed Innocence and it evolving to mirror the Earl. But without conclusive evidence to support that - as other Innocence pieces went through transformation, then the upcoming internal conflict over the Musician, the questioning of his loyalties - this question was set aside.
How foolish of them.
"Are you going to destroy it?" Klaud asked, her hand never leaving Timothy's trembling form.
"Duh. After the Heart and the Earl, that thing is the greatest menace. Even the Order was smart enough to avoid doing anything that would piss it off."
Klaud surged forward, brows creasing. "Central knew of this?!" She spared one gaze at Cross's mournful expression, stomach churning at his lack of shock. She bit back a snarl and whipped back to the Fourteenth. "They knew it all long and kept quiet about it?! Quit messing with me! What have my pupils died for then?!"
"You're very heated for someone who knew she and her comrades were nothing but fancy cannon fodder," Neah deflected her anger. "The answer is pretty obvious: none of you were ever seen as anything other than disposable tools, mere sacrifices granted by God to keep the rest of the world they divided up among themselves from burning in Hell with you. Stuff like protecting human lives, saving humanity, that crap never mattered to them. Millions could die for all they cared. As long as they were unaffected no price was big enough. Your Supervisor tried his best to keep you all alive but there was only so much he could do."
Lenalee spluttered. "My brother knew of this?!"
"Of course." Neah replied nonchalantly. "Everyone in the top management and Central did, including those four standing behind you."
For the first time in the conversation, the focus shifted to the four standing in pairs by Neah's sides. Kanda stabbed Link with a murderous glare. "You fucking piece of spineless shit. All this long, even before your feigned death that caused the Order to hunt the Beansprout like a criminal, you knew. You fucking knew and kept quiet about it, even as his guts were spilling to protect your sorry ass."
"You are correct," he replied in a monotone voice. "All Crows know about the destiny of Exorcists. I also knew of the Fourteenth, before Walker himself did. However, I very soon realised that he wasn't malicious; that with absolute certainty, he would not betray the Order or humanity."
The grandiose way he talked about Allen only made Kanda angrier. "You're just begging to be killed aren't you."
"Don't," Sokalo practically whimpered. "Believe me, punishment isn't fun."
"Shut the fuck up, I don't give a shit!" Kanda snapped at him then went back to dedicating his attention to the Crow. "Go on, continue spilling your guts so I'll know how to strangle you most painfully with them."
Link hesitated, but not out of fear. If anything he almost seemed to welcome Kanda's gorey description as salvation. "We were told 'Apostles are possessed by God. That they are handpicked incarnations, living vehicles to carry out His Will. They walk the earth in human guises but they aren't truly or fully human. Their souls were blessed, they would all return to God, their place in Heaven guaranteed.' … I believed it. We all did. And we resented and envied you for effortlessly gaining access to Paradise. After all, unlike us regular humans, you were blessed with the ability to fight for this world while we could only anticipate our demise in terror and delay the inevitable with the Wings we achieve through blood and tears."
His gloved hands behind his back made a squeaking voice as he tightened them. "… That was what I firmly believed to be reality until I met Walker. I came to the realisation… that despite the war beating him into an Exorcist, he was still just a child. I thought I was taking my part in saving the world, but I only carried out atrocities in my Masters' interest. I began to doubt... but it was too late. My siblings are dead. Walker is gone too. And all their blood is on my hands. I have no other choice but see this mission to the end." He looked up dull, maroon eyes meeting Kanda's ice blue. "Kanda Yuu. If you truly wish to kill me, I have no objections. All I ask of you, is to wait until this matter is settled. After this week is over, you're free to do to me whatever you wish."
There was an unaddressed deep disturbance hearing the young man's seeming nonchalance to a very painful death but no one moved to pacify the sinner. None of them had Allen Walker's endless compassion.
Kanda pulled his nose up in disgust and whipped away. "You're so sickening I can't even bear to fucking look at you. You fucking ruined his life and that's all you have to say. You're so fucking dead."
Neah let out a long suffering sigh at the charade. "Hey, hey, is Allen's sacrifice really so worthless to you that you'd all toss it away like that? Didn't he mean a thing to you?"
Kanda slammed his palms on the table, fingers gripping the tablecloth tight to stop himself from jumping at that pale neck. "You of all people should shut the fuck up, you body-snatching piece of shit bastard! If Allen is really so damn bothered about us tearing into each other than he can fucking snap back on his goddamn own!" For the first time since they were kidnapped, Neah's eyes were blown wide with shock, speechless at Kanda's rant. "You might be a self-sacrificing idiot but you're no fucking pushover. There! I said it. I said your stupid name, Beansprout. If you have any complaints then throw it in my fucking face you annoyingly polite, fake piece of shit!"
Neah blinked once, twice; then his face crunched into an exhausted frown, seemingly unable to believe the level of uncooperation. He rubbed Allen's white brows with gloved fingers. "This isn't going anywhere." He let the hand he stole fall. "Back to the Prophecy. All of this were imprinted into the Cube, the first Innocence ever found, the founding stone of your precious Order." Neah's gaze snapped onto Hevlaska, laying in a plate inconspicuously in her emergency shrunk form. "She too knew since day one what would happen but kept quiet about it. Hiding in the dark, quiet basement, out of sight, out of mind. You were terrified of what awaited you and out of desperation commited suicide throwing yourself off the top of the tower, head down to be sure." He said in an even tone, much to the surprise of her comrades. "However, unfortunately for you, you were a Parasitic Type. Even if your brain splattered all over it didn't matter. It was already too late for you. Once you properly Awakened, the Innocence never lets you go. It consumed your human body and granted you with an eternal one you couldn't escape, not even by sleeping. "
"Why are you bringing up her traumas like that?!" Lenalee whimpered, hating how weak her voice sounded under the psychological torture they were all subjected to. "Why are you toying with us like this?!"
Neah rolled Allen's eyes. "Please, you think you know her? That decade you shared with her was full of lies. She rather you went and died without really knowing why, just so she doesn't have to be alone. She knew what would happen but kept quiet about it, just like your brother."
"Brother?! What are you saying?!" She gasped scandalised, forgetting about the implications of Hevlaska's true motives. Hevlaska may not have revealed everything about her past, but she lived most of her time with her brother. "N-no! There was no way he would keep something like this from us- from me-!"
Neah cut her off as he stole a glance at the flickering clock the Ark produced. "Your brother had his hands tied. He knew what fate awaited Exorcists but he was terrified that if he told you or tried to escape with you, you would only get caught again, separated again, with a high likelihood of him getting imprisoned or even executed, leaving you traumatised or even end up Falling. So he did everything in his power to let you fulfil your duties but also keep you from harder assignments, delaying the day of Three Days of Darkness as much as he could so you all could live happily as long as possible. Unlike the Cardinals, he didn't know that Allen was the catalyst for the End to be set in motion."
Krory bit his lip, Innocence fang stinging at the memories of how he acquired them. It was Cross who brought Rosanne to him a few months prior to Allen and Lavi arriving, but from what Allen told he was the one to raise Rosanne. It was also thanks to him that he decided to live on. Krory peeked at Cross, not for the first time wondering how he knew Krory was the Host to that Innocence.
"Is it because of his special relation to the Heart?" he asked, glancing back at Allen's face, trying his best not to break down crying or chug a plate at the impostor posing as him. "But if that were the case, wouldn't it make more sense to keep him in the Order and protect him rather than sending him out to recover General Cross?"
"Allen's little pilgrimage was important to raise him into a proper Exorcist. I know you're all aware how the old form he had was highly unstable. Putting him under such pressure and making him feel responsible for all of you was planned all along so he could properly awaken.
In Lenalee's mind their shared moments flickered in her mind. Allen throwing himself at the Akuma. Him getting mad at her for stopping him. Her slapping him. Him apologizing when he clearly didn't understand what upset her in the first place. Saving him. Getting saved by him. Sharing meals and occasionally bed. Working together. Fighting together. Laughing together. Crying together. Saving lives together. Encountering the Fallen Suman. Her leaving Allen behind to save the little girl he dragged out. Her calling Komui, desperate for a solution. Learning it was all in vain. Trying to return but not finding either of them. Allen's pool of blood soaking the bamboo forest's ground. Wong neither denying nor confirming he was dead, ordering them to leave him behind. Agonizing in wonder if Allen was even alive or not. Tensions as Allen was missing from their group dynamic. And then Allen returning with a brilliant white angelic Innocence, instantly restoring their depleting morale. The Ark. Losing everyone. Allen saving them all. And then, a plunge into despair when Central came to investigate him. Musician. Fourteenth. Another invasion aimed to awaken Allen. Allen saving Kanda. Allen in prison for it. Allen running and disappearing from her sight forever.
All that pain and hardship he was put through… just so those monsters in Central could use him to the maximum.
"Another pressing issue was the seizing of Noah's Ark and the Akuma Plant within it. While the Order was aware that Allen was special to the Heart, him being a Noah host - and not just any Noah host - outranked that. They were determined to squeeze out as much use of him as possible before he died. Greedy bastards wanted to cover their own asses but they did not interfere so Apocryphos left them alone."
"How did the Order learn about the Akuma Plant?" Sheril asked.
"Benett. You probably don't remember him but he was another ally of mine. He was getting anxious that I didn't return in more than three decades and he was getting really old, so he sought out the Order for protection against the Earl and shared all information and passed on the legacy he inherited. He told them everything he knew and that's why Central decided to do everything in their power to get their hands on me even if it meant tossing aside a promising Exorcist. Innocence wasn't something humans could figure out in a century. Noahs however? They were humans. Their profiles could be mapped out and could be bribed, blackmailed or otherwise manipulated to suit their wants. And with that in their mind, they were ready to cast Allen aside and corner him to the point where he inevitably ended up breaking."
Done with his long meal, Neah used a napkin to wipe Allen's mouth clean and allowed his dirtied dishes to disappear.
"Well, this is it for now. I'm heading out." He pushed himself up, dusting off whatever crumbs that got onto him. "You lot should eat as well. Kill time as you wish. Mourn Allen. I'll be back tomorrow if all goes well."
A gate flickered up in front of him. He took a step forth in the light, creating the painful homage of the moment Allen left the Order with that forced, sweet smile to keep her at ease. Lenalee's mouth was faster than her brain. "Hang in there, Allen."
Neah stopped. Despite the constantly maintained pleasant, springtime warmth of the Ark, a cold chill seemed to sweep across the hall. Painstakingly close, Neah turned around to glare at her with the most furious, murderous glare any of them ever witnessed on Allen's gentle face.
"You really just don't know when to shut up," he hissed, lips twisting into a disgusted scowl. The Noah stood up form their seat instinctively feeling Dark Matter surge and ooze from him. "I told you already. He's dead. Why can't you get it through your head already?"
"Lena, knock it off, he's seriously contemplating killing you," Kanda whispered into her ear but she ignored him.
Lenalee's voice trembled as she pressed on. "Having you this upset over Allen can only mean he really is in there after all. Otherwise, you have no reason to be this angry."
Neah took a sharp inhale, breath trembling with the effort to hold back his agression. "Look, I'm really working hard here to restrain myself from killing you all so would you cut that shit out alread-?"
"Don't give up, Allen," she cut him off. "We… will definitely find a way to save you."
Silver eyes widened, a number of threatening emotions flashing within them. The table they sat by exploded, chunks of wood splitting apart, flying in the air but halted, cut off in an instant as Neah smacked Allen's hand over his face as if to stifle his murderous intent. He tilted his head back, took in a long inhale and exhaled slowly, letting Allen's hand fall to his side.
Much more composed but still venomous eyes turned to them. "There's no limit to your selfish audacity. All you can do it yap and annoy the hell out of me and trample all over Allen's gift to you. Even know you can only beg him shamelessly to save you even though you used and abandoned him." His audience was confused hearing how next to the vex he felt, there was something else in his voice. Neah didn't care to entertain them anymore though. He had enough of their stupid faces. He stepped forth, uncaring of their reaction to his last words.
"You're all just disgusting traitors and Allen wasted his life dying for you."
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End of Third Testament - Sacrifice
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