Guardian Angel

Chapter 14: Alliance

"If you think I'm just going to roll over and let you and the church have your way with me, then you're dead wrong," Asia confronted the two exorcists confidently summoning her own angelic sword.

"Very well if combat is how you wish to resolve this, then through combat it shall be," Xenovia agreed.

"No, Asia will not fight either of you, I will," Kiba stated as he came into the room.

"And you are?" Irina asked him curiously.

"I am Kiba Yuuto, your superior," he declared, but Túrin could see the rage boiling in Kiba's eyes. "I will not rest till all the Excalibur Fragment swords are destroyed, starting with yours," he stated.

"Kiba enough of this!" Túrin berated him knowing full well what was going through the young devil's mind.

"With respect Túrin, I don't need to listen to you," Kiba scoffed at him.

"You dare defy the Archangel of Protection and Justice?!" Xenovia asked in outrage.

"If he was the Archangel of Protection and Justice, then where was he when my friends, my family were killed?" he asked them. "Where was the Archangel, who declares himself Guardian of Meek when those of the Holy Sword Project, were killing innocent children?" he continued to persist and even Túrin was silent.

"We'll talk about that later if you're willing to listen, Kiba," Túrin told him solemnly. "But understand this, not a day goes by where I don't hate myself for countless lives lost because I was incapable of getting to you all in time," he stated before leaving the ORC without another word uttered.

As they all stood there in silence, Asia still went through with battling Irina and Xenovia with Kiba at her side.

"Let's just keep this a sparring match," Irina suggested.

"Agreed," Asia stated before Kiba just gave a slight nod.

With the two exorcists making the first move, Túrin flew to the abandoned church, where he knelt before the large cross, leaning against the altar. Kneeling there in silence, he was soon joined by his sister.

"Ariel," he spoke solemnly.

"Túrin, for all the times we argue, we're still family, why didn't you tell us?" she asked him.

"About what?" he asked her.

"About how you've been suffering in silence," she confronted him.

"Ariel, listen to me, I am the Archangel of Protection, if I cannot even save children from death, then what good am I?" he asked her. "Because I wasn't fast enough children, innocent children who had their whole lives ahead of them were killed, because I wasn't there when they needed me the most!" he yelled in a fury, but he wasn't angry at his sister, he was angry at himself.

"No, you did everything you could to save all of them, and because of you the children you did save are leading happy lives, with families who love them," Ariel reminded him. "And if you're to blame anyone for the deaths of those children, blame us," she pleaded.

"Why would I blame you?" he asked her curiously.

"You've been so riddled with guilt, that you've forgotten. When you saw what was going to happen to all those children around the world, you beseeched us to help you so the children could be saved, but we refused, only Michael went with you, but we refused," she reminded him. "So if you are to hate anyone for deaths of those children blame those who didn't help you, blame those who willingly let those children die because we were too stubborn, blind, and prideful to help the race of men," she beseeched her brother.