The Darkness Unveiled [DGM Wattyaward 2015 Winner]

Chapter 6

Slowly, one by one, they all entered the garden, astonished by its beauty. 'This is all too good to be true.' Cross thought, as he wandered amongst the roses. Each one he saw reminded him of her. Her smile. Her laugh. The way her eyes lit up when she laughed. Everything.

Allen walked behind him, awe struck at the scene. "Master, what is this?"

"Its the seventh day. This would represent the day in which God rested and let the earth be. But why so-" He was cut off by a sudden sight.

Yeager, only not. A bush cut in his shape, was fastened to a mighty tree by poison ivy. Red flowers dotted the ground as if to be blood. The bunches of leaves that made up his clothes moved slowly- back and forth, back and forth- like the wind had blown them when he died.

Next to him was Diaysha, shaped as how he had died as well. An old log was holding this bush up, a burning candle placed at the top. The lap post Tyki and tied Diaysha too. Tiedoll looked on it with tears. 'It's just a plant," Cross thought. Then he caught a glimpse of what surrounded them.

Topiaries. One of Allen and Lenalee. Kanda and Lavi. Krory and Miranda. Everyone of the exorcists had one. He watched them all move. An occasional hand gesture, a turn of the head. All those that were alive. Everyone stared at them; whatever the Earl had done, didn't matter much. It was fascinating.

"Who's this?" Miranda said, pointing towards one of the arrangements. It was of a woman, young and frail, of whom they had never seen before. Blue flowers surrounded her and her branches moved slowly, calmly.

"Water." Lavi replied, examining it closer. "She must have been an exorcist, but drown before she could get the chance." Cross had to hold back tears. He knew exactly who she was, but the order didn't need to know that. They never would.

***

Kanda had his hand on Mugen the moment they had entered the room, his guard on high alert. What Tyki had said left him troubled. Something deadly lurked behind these roses and beautiful bushes. Something they had never fought before.

While everyone sat, gawking at the creepy plants, he was pacing the garden. Little bulb shaped shrubs dotted the trail, each one pulsing with life. 'I assume these are the exorcists we haven't found."

His eyes flicked around, but he couldn't find a topiary of her or her mother. Just bush and vine and teez.

***

Allen noticed Kanda was walking around looking at each bush. It was like he was trying to find something, but couldn’t. Kanda was followed down the path until Allen saw something strange. He walked to the end of the path and stood before a large coffin. The coffin was as large as one he had only seen once or twice and was adorned by a large cross. It looked too much like the Grave of Maria to him, but not only was it wrapped in chains; those chains were old, rusted, and looked like they had been in the same place for hundreds of years; it was wrapped in thorn covered vines. Locks lined the side of the coffin, all of which were locked and there was at least ten, there could have been more or there could have been less.

“M...master!” Allen called.

“What is it Idiot pupil?” Cross asked in return.

“This is Grave of Maria.” He was astounded by the sight. Cross had only used Grave of Maria once or twice and he hadn’t activated it yet. Cross walked up to the coffin and stood beside his apprentice. One by one, each exorcist came to stand close to Allen and his master all gawking at the coffin that eyes had only seen once.

“Stupid apprentice! That isn’t Grave of Maria!” Cross stated, scolding the young boy exorcist.

“It looks identical though Master.” Allen replied, trying not to step away from his abusive master.  Cross backhanded him and turned to the others. Allen rubbed the back of his head and glared and the back of his master’s head.