Allen pressed his back to the wall, in the corner under the overhang, and prayed. He clutched his left arm to his chest; it hurt, and he couldn't get through the pain to activate his Innocence. He needed just a little time. Time to catch his breath, and recover, just a little. In his head, he recited the Lord's Prayer.

It was the first prayer he had learned, when he was very small. Mana had taught him; it was a faint memory, but a good one, of a warm fire, and food, and love. 'Allen,' Mana had said. 'This is a good prayer. It'll keep your soul safe.'

When he was older, Allen had learned it in Latin, all by himself. Pater noster qui es in caelis; sanctificetur nomen tuum. The priest in the church that he had asked about it had been surprised, and pleased; perhaps he had hoped Allen would join the priesthood.

Well, if so, he got his wish, sort of, Allen reflected. Later, Cross had taught him the prayer in German, French, Russian, Greek… more languages than Allen could actually speak, in the end.

'It might save your life someday,' his Master had told him, without, of course, any clue as to why. At that point, Allen would have believed almost anything Cross had said; later, he learned better, but those words still ran true to him. He trusted in God; he was an Exorcist for a reason. There was a purpose to everything in the world, and Allen knew his in the way that very few others truly did.

The prayer centered his thoughts, and calmed his mind and body. Allen felt his breath and pulse gradually slow back to something closer to normal. The pain wasn't gone – he would need Komui to repair it for certain, even if the very thought made him cringe – but he could bear it.

It is not my purpose to fall here, he thought. There are people I must protect. And if it does cost me my life in the end, I will die for something good. It was a grim thought, but ultimately, like his prayer, it was a comfort.

Slowly, he drew his arm away from his chest. His meditations hadn't taken more than a couple of minutes, and he could see the Akuma growing close again; it was no more than a hundred meters away now and getting closer. He didn't think it could see him, but it knew that he had gone in this direction, and Level Two Akuma weren't stupid.

Lord, Allen prayed one last time. Hold me in Your hand today. Grant me the strength to carry on, even if my body fails. Our Father, who art in Heaven…