Chapter 13 – Angel of Innocence

17:25 8th April 1899 – Algeria

There were too many Akuma for Leona to reach Alex and Artemis. She watched as the guns pointed at them. She ignored the numerous Akuma between her and them, she ignored the guns pointed at her, all she could concentrate on is the look of terror on her child's face. She didn't think, she could only act, as she heard the click on the guns just before they discharged she leapt forward intent on reaching her child and the only thought in her head was to protect.

Alex could hear the rattle of the Akuma guns discharging. His vision was obscured by smoke and dust. He waited for the feeling of those bullets to tear through his body. He waited for the feeling of the virus ravaging through his system. He waited hoping that even if he did die then the child enclosed in his arms would manage to survive. However as he waited with the sounds on the guns firing, the bullets exploding he couldn't feel anything.

Alex looked up and behind him, as he looked up the sounds around him became muted. He felt detached. Their between him, Artemis and the Akuma was Leona, she had managed to cross the impossible distance and put herself in the line of fire, only something had changed. Sprouting from her back and surrounding them was two enormous crystal wings. They were a light blue; each feather gleamed in the light and looked as if it was still real and not made from crystal. The wings seemed to give off a faint blue glow that matched the glow coming from the crystal in the walls. Her eyes glowed with power and she looked determined not to let anything happen to her child.

The Akuma kept firing and no matter how many bullets they fired Leona stayed exactly where she had leapt to and took every single one, she wouldn't let any harm come to Artemis.

Lenalee and Kanda rushed through the numerous caverns in the mountains racing towards the explosions. They both felt a pull and followed that instinctively through the many twists and turns of the mountain, past numerous forks and caves. They both knew that they had finally found Leona although they both hoped that she would be alright when they found her.

The explosions got louder as the pull got stronger. They turned round a bend and saw numerous Akuma firing at one point that was obscured by dust and debris. Without a though they activated their innocence and charged in taking out the level 1 Akuma ruthlessly. The Akuma took a while to realise that they were under attack but both Kanda and Lenalee were too fast for them to hit. Finally all of the Akuma had been destroyed and they deactivated their innocence and waited for the dust to settle.

As the dust settled they could make out a large blue glowing object at the end of the cave, they slowly drew closer and as the air cleared they could make out a large pair of crystal wings wrapped round something. They waited for the wings to open and for the accommodator to come out, hoping that it was Leona.

The protective haze that had clouded Leona's mind retreated and she realised that it was silent. Looking around she found that both Alex and Artemis were unharmed and they were surrounded in crystal wings. With a start she realised that the wings were hers. Suddenly she felt the strain of the forced activation and the numerous wounds that she had gained catch up with her and she fainted as her innocence deactivated.

Alex saw the crystal wings disappear he looked around and realised that everything was quiet, he caught Leona as she fainted and lowered her to the floor. Artemis peered out from behind him but upon spotting two figures at the entrance to the cave she walked out from behind him up to them. Alex went to stop her before recognising the two as Black Order Exorcists Kanda and Lenalee.

"Help Aretim, you help Aretim"

Artemis' child like voice commanded both Kanda and Lenalee into action. They raced towards Alex and Leona; Lenalee began to bandage her wounds while Kanda questioned Alex about what had happened. After both of them had finished their jobs they sat back and studied Leona. She looked slightly younger than they remembered her she was still tall, slim with pale skin, instead of the bracelet and necklace she had worn before they seemed to have merged together into a sing necklace with the same crystal surrounded by two silver wings; the crystal seemed to glow with a hidden power. Her hair still was dark blue, almost black, with the light blue streaks in it that matched the crystal swirls that now crept over her shoulders.

Kanda picked up Leona while Lenalee carried Artemis as they made their way out of the cave and began the journey back to the Black Order Headquarters with their new Exorcist and her daughter in all but blood, all Lenalee could think of is what to tell Komui.

Finally another chapter finished. Sorry for the wait I had stupid coursework last week and it took ages.

Please leave a review I appreciated every single one.

Phoenix