The Noah Clown

Black Birds and a Thin String

(Author's Note: I'm not dead! WOW! Also, sorry this took so long to get out, I just lost the will to write. But thank you for the many people that continued to show me the love for this story. I hope the quality of this chapter has made up for the long wait... Doubtful though. ENJOY!)

Chapter 24:

A loud explosion broke Allen out of his memory, gasping as he grabbed onto the Earl's coat, moving closer to the round figure. Allen's bony fingers shaking as he held onto the Earl as if were a lifeline, he didn't want to think that this was a dream and he'd wake up again chained to the floor. The ground shook as Allen's grip only tightened; the Earl wrapped an arm around Allen as the boy shook at his side, holding him tightly as Alma began his awakening.

. . . . .

He coughed and spluttered as dust entered his lungs and made his already dry mouth feel like he'd been eating handfuls of sand. His chest felt heavy as his eyes began to water from the pain that shot through his chest like someone had taken a hammer to it. He slowly cracked open his silver eyes that were screwed shut, his eyes widening as they slowly swept over the destruction that laid before him. He watched as the dust as thick as fog slowly settled back to the ground as countless of bodies either alive or dead were scattered around the vicinity. Blood and other fluids coated heavily like paint were splattered on some of the broken pieces of debris. His bony shaking hands tightened into the cream colour of the Earl's coat, moving closer to his form even though it probably wasn't possible.

A large hand was gently placed between his shoulder blades, rubbing small circles in a comforting manner as silver eyes looked up at the taller creature, his golden predator eyes flashing with a vengeance. Masking a pain that was soon to be inflicted.

The wind whipped his thin form as he trembled in the wind, hair dancing in the breeze like seaweed in the waves. He looked at the remaining figures with a silent terror that caused the air around him to turn to water, gasping for breath as the ruler of hell lay on the ground with a cut on his head, coating the right side of his face in a bright crimson that decorated the area like flowers scattered across a meadow. He slowly moved his trembling legs closer to the edge, peering down at the destruction as his slim fingers were only just out of reach from touch the Earl's coat. He release struggling breathes as he spotted more and more figures as wisps of dust and smoke remain floating at the enemies ankles.

He jumped away from the edge as a small explosion startled him, quickly going back to clinging to the Earl as he closed his eyes tightly. He couldn't do this. His chest burned as he gasped for air that felt like water in his lungs.

'You don't deserve to live, filth!'

His hands left the Earl's coat as they were harshly pushed against his skull, fingers digging into his flesh to cause small droplets to run from the faint cuts. A deafening static began to take a hold of his mind as he cracked open a silver eye to look at the concerned gaze of the Earl. He released whimpers of pain as he felt like his head was being bashed against a wall like a boiled egg being dropped repeatedly.

It all fell silent as a woman's cry broke through the static and causing a haze to cover over his eyes and mind. He couldn't see very well and a fog thicker than smoke made his thought's jumbled together, her voice.

Her voice, obey her voice.

"Impetum Corydon!" (Attack Clown!)

His once polished silver eyes dulled as he gazed blankly at the ground, head tilting to the side as he rolled his shoulders. His gaze met the Earl's and yet in his brain, he didn't realise who it was. Who was this man? Is he bad? He must be if my mistress wants me to attack him.

Attack him.

His body shifted into a fighting stance as his body lunged at the Earl, knocking him backward as the large creature narrowed his eyes at him. Green sparks of innocence danced along his left arm as the blackened limb grew and talons replaced his fingers, glinting as the Earl swiftly moved to the side as he leaped forward again.

'Kill him, clown. You have to kill him. He'll hurt you! CLOWN! KILL HIM!'

A scream tore from his throat as he was knocked from the platform, rolling down into the debris as he gazed over the injured people, inclining his head towards Renny and Leverrier. A smug look replaced the wounded man's face as cloudy silver eyes looked towards the figures bathed in shadows. He blinked slowly as his brows scrunched together, screams and shouts of a name that he remembered but didn't meet his ears as he shook his head.

He was a clown, a clown that was a fool that needed to be controlled, to be lead like a puppet with strings.

His silver eyes slowly bled to a gold as his sicken took on a sickly grey colour, thin limbs shifting as he readied another attack. Taking in a deep breath in and slowly releasing it as he activated the sword of exorcism, the black blade glinting in the sun's rays as the gold burned as bright as the eyes of the figure.

'Kill! KiLL! KiLL HiM NoW!'

He prepared to lunch towards the group of grey people before halting, a soft buzzing entered his mind as his brows scrunched together in confusion. A soft voice gently coaxed him into relaxing and dropping the sword of exorcism.

'Stop. Allen Walker, the Fourteenth Noah of Destruction. This is not you, we are your family. We are the ones that will always protect you. We are here because of you.' His golden gaze met another's as his red demon eyes looked into the far depths of his mind.

'I know you don't think that but can't you remember all the times you've shared with us. The time when the twins would hide Skin's candy and the big man would scream and chase after them. Or when the family breaks into food fights and the Earl scolds Road and the twins for starting it. Or when you play the piano for the Earl and he smiled like a father to a son. Or when you strip Tyki of his clothing, items, and pride in poker. I know you know very little about me and the other new members... I'm Wisely, the Fifth Noah of Wisdom. You probably know my name but we shared a similar past before the Earl found you and Mana did too. I know many things Allen and I know you would never harm us. Allen, please come back to us, we're family.' Allen's eyes were wide as he stared off into space, hands trembling as his knees buckled beneath his weight.

Tears raced down his cheeks like a waterfall as his vision cleared, a weak smile gracing his lips as the sword of exorcism returned back to his black limb. He slowly stood as he swayed like a leaf in the wind, taking a step forward only to freeze when a silver line went across his sight. A flower of red burst from his chest as thousands of petals were carried away in the wind, a river of red bubbling from his mouth as it dripped to the ground.

A choking laugh escaped his stained lips, hand pressing to the cut running from his right shoulder to his left hip. The owner of the blade had his back to him as he let his sword fall to his side, crimson rolling off the end of the blade. The tears flowing didn't stop even when he felt himself lifted off the ground and placed on someone's lap, his hand still pressed to the wound as he felt the blood seep through his fingers like water.

Why did death insist on following him, the dark figure that lurked just behind him was a crow. A crow that always followed him and only made a noise when something bad were to happen.

The crows had been surrounding him for years, was this last time he'd seem them.

The black ominous creatures.

His eyes grew heavy as he a smaller hand squeeze him tightly. The world around him wavering as he could feel himself slipping into an endless darkness, the string holding him here straining under his weight is it begins to fray.

The string was barely a thread as he waited for it to snap, to break, to signify the end.

It never did though.