Joshua put two fingers in his mouth and let out a loud whistle. Rosette didn't understand the point of this gesture, but she didn't ask about it. She felt a little queasy, she didn't know whether this boy was still the Joshua she had once known. After all, it was he who had stopped the time in the orphanage so that the "frozen" people had been standing rigidly on the cordoned off area for 4 years. Rosette was torn from her memories when a huge, scaled demon bird landed just a few meters in front of them.
,, Joshua! What-"
“Don't worry, Rosette. He obeys me. "
Her brother began to get scary to her; always that mysterious smile, she couldn't read his look.
° Are you really still my Joshua? °

She stood in the middle of the forest. She was outside in the fresh air for the first time in many years. She took a deep breath and took a few more steps to get her numb joints used to the movement again.She sighed softly.
° Oh, Chrno ... How long will we be apart? We listen together ... °
She strolled slowly across the green meadow and waded through the cool, clear stream.
Nature was still so untouched here, but what was it like in the cities? How far had destruction and industrialization expanded?
“First I need something to wear. "she said to herself, looking around.
There was only thick forest here, where should she find clothes?
"Oh, I remember, I could find something in the orphanage where my children lived at the time."
She didn't have to walk too far either, until she got to the barricaded, abandoned house.
The first thing that caught her eye was the frozen, rigid people who were still standing exactly as they were 4 years ago.
"Please forgive my son ..." whispered and stroked a small, crying girl on the cheek, then she quickly went looking for clothes, after all, she couldn't lose any more time.The constant, impenetrable darkness covered Chrno's mind like a black veil. When he and Asmaria stopped in their desperate search for it, they put out the only torch they had left so that they could see something later in the tunnel.
Asmaria slept; her body, weakened by her broken arm, forcibly got the sleep it needed for regeneration.
How gladly would he have slept himself, preferably forever .....
But as he realized at that moment, now was not the time to rest:
Some milky white figures of light moved towards him and Asmaria ...
,,Stop! "cried Chrno, clenching his fists.
“Not one step further! "
He heard Asmaria wake up behind him with a startled * hiccup *, while the shadowy figures slowly approached.
Then he realized what they were:
Oath breaker; People who had not filled their pack with the devil and as a punishment were supposed to pull the mine wagons down here for all eternity to extract Angelsgrey, in order to make it possible for other people to close the pack with a devil.,, W-what do you want from us? ", stuttered Chrno, astonished that the oath-breakers were interested in him and the little girl at all.
"Come ...", their voices rang out all at the same time and sounded like in a dream.
He hesitated.
"Come on. We can help you ..."
Then he took Asmaria by the hand and followed the pale spirit beings through the tunnels. He just wished that they would lead the two of them to the Angelsgrey as quickly as possible and that Shor hadn't set this trap for them before they died.
Somewhere in the darkness a silvery lich shimmered that gave him hope again.

Rosette clung to her brother as the scaled demon bird started to land.
Fiole jumped off first and held out her hand to the siblings to help them off the bird's back. After Joshua had made sure that everyone had landed safe and sound, he sent the beast away with a wave of the hand and led his sister and Fiole into one of the many shafts.The maid took one of the torches from the wall and followed the siblings through the mine passages.
,, Uh ... Joshua ...? "
,, Yes, rosette? "
"How do you know exactly where we have to go? "
Joshua smiled understandingly.
"Because I know where his target is."
“Angelsgrey? ", Rosette raked worriedly.
"Exactly. Sooner or later he'll show up where the metal is being mined."

Chrno was blinded by the bright, silver light. Through the narrowed eyes he could faintly see Asmaria, who held her arms in front of my face and staggered around helplessly. The mist-like shapes of the oath-breakers seemed to dissolve in the silver light, as if they were losing strength with the mere presence of the Angelsgreys.
& # 8222; There is what you are looking for. & # 8220; They all said in unison and their bodies faded until they were gone.
° At least they are finally free ... °, Chrno thought, happily for the poor creatures.Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and reflexively turned around.
& # 8222; Rosette, what are you doing here? & # 8220;
The aged nun looked pathetic: her eyes were bloodshot and sunken, her cheeks sunken and deep wrinkles surrounded her whole face, in which snow-white strands fell.
Then his gaze fell on the boy who was leaning against a wall some distance away and it went through him like a lightning bolt of 10,000 volts.
& # 8222; JO- JOSHUA !!! & # 8220;
& # 8222; Hello, Chrno, old friend. & # 8220;
Chrno stood frozen and didn't know how to react.
He hadn't seen Joshua in years since Aeon kidnapped him, he was gone. Rosette's brother had got his horns and with it the many people in the orphanage were frozen in the flow of time.
Chrno's feelings of guilt flared up again, because indirectly he was responsible for everything, for all the suffering that Joshua, Rosette and the frozen children had to go through.And finally for her suffering ...
& # 8222; Asmaria? & # 8220; He heard his contract partner call out from behind her little friend in a worried voice.
The little girl ran towards the light, she seemed traumatized and no longer heard the calls of her friends.

At last she had found something to wear, it was just a simple, coarse, white dress, but it was always better than nothing. Her long, brown hair let loose over her shoulders.
& # 8222; I feel ... & # 8220; she spoke quietly to herself,
& # 8222; One of my children is doomed. There can be no more salvation .....
Oh, how I wish Chrno could help my child. But it's probably hopeless .....
Old life must pass so that new can arise .... & # 8220;
The tears welled up in her eyes, but she wiped them away and scolded herself for having to be brave now.It wasn't the end ... it wasn't time to leave this world forever and that's why it was needed now.
& # 8222; I have to go to you ... & # 8220; she sighed softly.
She would much rather have stayed here and not interfered, but she knew she had no choice.
So much would change now, just through their appearance, through their existence.
She almost regretted being what she was, but forced herself to remain calm and do her duty.