Forever yours

Chapter 14

I stepped out of the car and eyed off the large cathedral in front of me, the demons getting out and standing next to me. I could feel their fear and anger as they stared at the building where their leader was being held. Kagami got out of the car, his head hung in shame. He had been like that since he had reported what had happened. The exorcists had set a trap for the two of them. They had known that Kagami had been teaching me and they used the fact that he was hunting for information on Haizaki to lure Akashi out. There had been no informant, just a group of exorcists waiting in the buildings and barrier traps around. I had wondered how he had been caught, Akashi was strong but Kagami told me it was a group of ten high level exorcists that had captured him and because Kagami was standing next to him, he didn't to get him caught up in the battle. I knew Kagami felt guilty but none of us blamed him, all our rage was directed at the exorcists who did all of this to get to me. Normally I looked a churches and blessed ground with a feeling of peace, today I felt only rage.

"Tetsu, you don't have to go. We will find a way to save him."

"I can't take that risk. If the roles were reversed do you think you would be able to stop Akashi from coming to my aide?"

Aomine sighed and scratched his head.

"You know we couldn't."

"Then stop asking, this is no different. I don't want there to be any blood shed here or risk them acting on their threat to kill him. I am going."

I followed Kagami across the street as my friends stayed behind, unable to cross the blessed ground. The moment we stepped across the threshold into the building what could be seen outside as a simple church turned into a room full of hooded men and women holding weapons pointed at me. Kagami moved in front of me as I froze, hands up in surrender.

"What is the meaning of this? You said you weren't going to harm him!"

A figure moved to the front of the crowd and I stared at him, disliking him in an instant. He had thick eye brows set over grey-brown eyes with shoulder length black hair.

"We still need to take precautions, especially with a beast that can cross over sacred ground with no problems."

He moved his arms from behind his back and I could see a metal band in his hand.

"Put this on."

"You can't be serious Hanamiya!"

"I am exorcist and you should hold your tongue, you are in trouble enough as it is!"

Kagami flinched as if the man had hit him and my anger flared. I stepped forward and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay Kagami."

I turned to the pale man and held out my wrist.

"I will co-operate with you. I have come peacefully and mean you no harm."

The man, Hanamiya, moved forward and clipped the band around my wrist with a smirk.

"This is cold iron, it prevents demons from using their powers."

I flexed me hand and it felt a little sluggish but other than that I seemed unharmed. I reached for my power inside of me and I could still access it. I mentally shrugged, let them think they had an upper hand, it gave me one up on them if they tried to harm either Akashi or me.

"Where is Akashi?"

Hanamiya nodded his head and the exorcists moved back as he led the way into the back room and pressed a switch. Part of what I thought was the wall opened up and I saw it was actually an elevator. Kagami, Hanamiya and I stepped in, flanked by four other exorcists and the doors closed. I looked at the numbers and was shocked to see it went down ten floors. Hanamiya pushed the tenth button and we stood quietly as the lift rushed downwards. When the doors opened I flinched as the smell of burnt flesh and a cold chill flooded in. Smirking the exorcist led the way into a long hallway of what I could now see was filled with cells. He took us to one of the last rooms and his guards opened the door. I peeked inside and then I was running. I slid to my knees beside Akashi who was slumped against the wall, his wings and arms chained above his head. I could see blood on his bare chest and above his heart was a rune carved into his flesh.