Core Pride and Innocent Sorrow

Chapter 21 - The Family

Allen is running through the darkness. He is light on his feet as he runs. Allen's footsteps echo around the empty white corridors. The white coat is fluttering behind him as he ran. The gears floating in front of his cursed eye turn and focuses. In his hand is his Sword of Exorcism. Allen is searching for something. Hunting for it. A demon.

He pauses and waits. A demon runs away behind him. Allen sees it and chases it. It ran for its life but its too slow. Step by step Allen is getting closer and closer to the figure. The demon finds itself at a dead end and turns fearfully facing Allen. Without any remorse or care Allen runs his sword through him.

"Ah... Allen..." It whimpered in pain.

Allen finally looks at the demon he stabbed. Its Rin. He has a look of shock and betrayal written across his face. Horror bloomed across Allen's face.

"No! Rin!" Allen shrieked. He tried pulling his sword out but it wouldn't budge. It just remained planted into the teenager's chest. Red patches of colour bloomed from Rin's shirt. Blood.

"... why... I thought you were my friend..." Rin coughed weakly. Blood dribbled from his mouth. Allen kept pulling more frantically.

"I am! I'm so sorry! Rin please I didn't mean-"

Click

Allen froze. He slowly turned his head to see Yukio pointing a gun at him. His eyes are filled with hatred, his hand is shaking. He could barely keep the gun steady in his anger.

"Get away from him you murderer." Yukio snarled.

"Y-Yukio..." Allen whimpered taking a step back.

"I said stay back!" Yukio snapped at him.

Allen flinched and fell back into someone tall. Hands grabbed his shoulders.

"Allen..." That's Shiro Fujimoto's voice.

Allen spun around shock. "Father Fujimoto!" He exclaimed in shock.

Sure enough he was here standing before him. He had a disappointed look on his face.

"This wasn't what I expected at all." He said in a low voice.

"Father Fujimoto! I'm sorry I didn't-" This was all coming too fast. He killed Rin. Yukio hated him. He failed them. He failed everyone.

"That's enough." He said softly. He put his hands on Allen's shoulders in a comforting manner. "Just breathe..."

Allen gasped and panted. His heart and brain had been going a mile a minute he almost forgotten to breathe. He breathed and out and slowly calmed down, trying to process everything.

"Good. Now just take it easy..." Father Fujimoto lets go of his shoulders. His hand then slowly creep up to his neck. "... and die."

Allen blinked and stared up at the priest in shock and confusion. "What?"

The older man's hands clamped around Allen's neck. The priest body lit up in blue flames, his ears grew long and pointy, hist teeth big and jagged and his eyes are blue with jagged irises. Satan's eyes.

"Fa.... Father Fuj..." Allen gasped and spluttered.

The man, no demon, smirked widely. His grip tightened. He felt a burning sensation in his stomach. His vision stared to blur. All he could see is Father Fujimoto's glasses and Satan's flames. Flames and Glasses.

"Everything would be just better if you just died."

Allen gasped and shot up out of bed covered in cold sweat.