Soul Eater - A Soul That Feels

A Promise Made in Tears

Justin felt his body transform. He held his eyes closed.

"Open your eyes, it's okay."

Justin slowly relaxed as his eyes opened. It had been so long since he'd been here. In a place where he was weightless and strong.

"See, isn't that better?"

'Where are you?'

A hand came out from behind him to his side.

Justin turned and was suddenly standing in a grand cathedral. It's walls were lined with glass murals made of all one color of different shades. There were no pews, but a large pair of crosses at the head, with the only white window. The right cross was a Kishin cross, with the eyes in the middle. The left was a Death cross, with the original mask of the Lord of Death long before he started the school.

At the base was a single, small cross of onyx stone with that same, angled swirl.

Justin was about to take a step forward when his eyes caught a shadow standing by a blue window. She was hiding.

"Come out of there. I'm afraid to talk to you by the door."

'Very well,' Justin said. He had to form some kind of plan to get her to come with him. He didn't care how many lies, he just had to get her to Noah. It was vital.

"A little more. There's good." She stepped out. Her barefeet made a strange sound on the floor, but she crossed her arms. "You seem a lot more logical than to stand near me when I'm consumed in madness." She cocked her head to the side. "You're not very bright, are you?"

'I'm on a mission. I can't be swayed by something else.' Justin smiled. 'Or do you wish for me to fail?'

"Fail." She was stern.

"No! Don't fail him!"

Justin was shocked and looked across the room from the witch at a young girl, no older than ten, with a shyness that took root when he looked at her.

She hid behind the pillar. "Please don't be mad."

'Why would I be mad?'

"It's not like he's going to help. He's here for himself and nobody else." She had gestured to him.

'I'm here on behalf of someone. I will do what I must to do what I must.'

"See? He's just trying to survive."

The witch stomped her foot and made fists as she yelled at the little girl. "Shut up and stay there! You don't know what's happened since we were sealed away! So shut up, you little insect!"

The little one got her strength. "Don't be mean to him! He wants to help us! Maybe this Noah can help you!"

"Help me? What about you? Don't you want to be 'saved' by a stranger?"

'Please, don't fight.'

"Look who's talking," said the witch. She pointed at the white window.

'What do you mean?'

"See for yourself." She slumped against the pillar. "You're not exactly earning any brownie points that way."

Justin blinked and realized, when his eyes were closed, he could see something. Closing his eyes, he gasped.

The guillotine went soaring through the air and it rebounded off of Harvard. As it rebounded, he felt the silver, thin chain pull tight and the blade swung through the air to land on the Twin Deamon Pistols. When that didn't work, a clamp formed from the other end of the chain and was swung wildly and captured two bodies inside it. With a swing, the two bodies collided with a stone wall, hard.

He opened his eyes. 'What? I don't understand. Why can't I feel you wielding me?'

The witch's smile was soft as she came up to him. "You can't feel it because I'm a Meister and Witch hybrid, just like Giriko's a hybrid Weapon."

Justin's insides plummeted. 'You mean that you can...?'

"Control and change you? Yes. I can do that to any weapon because of my lineage." She touched his shoulder. They were the same height and she smiled warmly at him. "But you're just what I needed. Tell me, where is this Noah? Maybe he can turn me back." She brought him in close and whispered in his ear. "If you're leading me to my death, I won't be afraid to slice you apart and eat your soul."

Justin's blood started to pump out at an unsteady rate. 'It's not your death. It's because we need your help as a Meister.'

"Good. Tell me where to go and I"ll be sure to keep you from getting hurt anymore." She held up her pinkie. "Promise me."

Justin was about to use his right hand when she shook her head. 'Wha-?'

"I don't like using the same hand. It means you can easily turn away and leave me. I'm using my right, hook it with your left. It's a witch's way of knowing that it's not a swear or a solemn oath, it's a promise of words." She smiled.

'Then I want you to promise me something.'

"Sure."

Justin's eyes suddenly softened and tears started to flow down his face.'Save me. Don't let the madness take me. I want to see his face before I die.'

"Then let's promise this," she said, gently touching his face with her left.

'S-sure.'

"Let's promise, right now, that we will stick together until we find what we're looking for."

Justin nodded and wiped his tears away. He lifted both his hands and she hooked onto both his pinkies. They swung their hands out and then in.

A white light shone and washed them out, illuminating the room to white.