Chapter 11: A Theft of Madness

'What is past is prologue…'

~ William Shakespeare

Stein's eyes snapped open just in time to watch Crona stumble against Kid's bed, her face contorted in agony and terror. He reached for her, but it was Ikelos's firm arm that steadied the meister, the man's face void of emotion.

Around Kid's room, a torrent of questions erupted from the students and Spirit. Even Endymion was demanding answers, though his words held an air of contempt for the sorry state of both the professor and black-blooded meister.

"This was a mistake," the man cried, shaking his head in disbelief. "Look at the both of you! What happened within the young reaper's soul?"

"Professor, is Crona all right?" Maka cried, having already rushed to her friend's side. "What happened?"

"Damn it, you'd better have dealt with that freak!" came the irate cry of Black Star. "Kid should be awake, right? Is that Dark Reaper gone or what?"

"Everyone, please!" This command drew the attention of everyone to Lord Death's mirror, and immediately the room began to quiet down so the shinigami could speak. Slowly, the headmaster directed his attention to Stein and nodded.

"Thank you, Lord Death," Stein murmured, moving towards where Crona had been gently eased to the floor. "I'll get right to the point: The situation isn't good. The Dark Reaper is strong, as we'd suspected, but his grasp on Kid's mind is… tentative at best."

"Were you able to get into the Hollow of Kid's soul, Professor?" Liz inquired.

"Thanks to Crona's abilities, we did," Stein confirmed. "It is my belief that Kid's current Hollow is structured from childhood memories, specifically the ones from his previous encounters with the Dark Reaper. He hasn't just retreated into his soul, he's retreated into his mind."

While the others began with another stream of questions, Stein directed his attention to Crona, kneeling down in front of her. The meister herself was trembling and holding her right knee, her eyes wide as she muttered incoherently under her breath.

"Professor Stein, what happened? Is Crona okay?" Maka repeated, reaching out to place a hand over Crona's and finding it eerily cold.

"She went up against the Dark Reaper," Stein responded quietly. "I don't know how much damage he caused. I wasn't there when I should have been."

The black-blooded meister raised her eyes to the voices around her, locking eyes with Maka and blinking wearily.

"M-Maka?" she whispered as her grip tightened over her knee. Then, a look of realization passed over her pale face and she turned to Stein, eyes frantic as she exclaimed, "I'm s-sorry, sir! The Dark Reaper was there and I couldn't do anything! I really tried, and Ragnarok wasn't… He didn't…"

"Calm down, Crona." Stein's voice was soft as he carefully pulled Crona's hand from her knee, inspecting the darkened skin. "You did nothing wrong. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I never should have let my guard down and left you alone."

"H-He just appeared," Crona murmured. "He grabbed me and Ragnarok tried to fight back. He used bloody needle, but I couldn't… I tried to stop him, but the reaper…"

"Can you move your leg, Crona?" Stein asked. "If your knee was injured in the fight, I need to see if there's any damage now."

"Now?" Black Star's voice broke into the conversation, his eyes narrowing. "They were in Kid's head. How the hell's that supposed to work? It's not like you guys are actually injured, are you?"

"Clearly you're lacking in research," Endymion responded with a sigh, ignoring Black Star's scowl. "You've recently learned of Rings and Hollows and now believe you're entitled to a brand new battleground. The fight may be fought inside the soul, but provided your opponent is strong enough, the body outside can be harmed."

"But Tsubaki wasn't!" the assassin objected, turning to his weapon for confirmation. "When she fought the Enchanted Sword, there wasn't a scratch on her! Tell him, Tsubaki!"

"It's true," the dark arm weapon responded nervously. "I fought within the Enchanted Sword. I had to stop its wielder from continuing down his dark path, and I was absorbed into the Hollow of the blade's soul. The fight was difficult for myself, yet when I returned to the world outside the sword, I was fine?"

"That isn't entirely correct," Endymion responded. "The dark blade referred to as the Enchanted Sword is not a typical case of entering a Hollow and Soul Expulsion. The Enchanted Sword is a weapon with the ability to utilize Soul Possession. This is the ability of forcing wavelengths to resonate and ensuring a partnership, even if reluctant. To enter someone's Hollow does not require a compatible wavelength, that's what makes it a barbaric skill."

"What the hell do you know about it?" Black Star snapped. "Tsubaki and the Enchanted Sword aren't any of your business!"

"I take everything into account when given matters involving the next Lord Death," Endymion responded, an icy gaze resting on both assassin and weapon partner. "Especially potential threats."

Before Black Star could make a move, Soul stepped forward, a firm grip over his friend's shoulder to stop the assassin from diving towards the other man.

"What does that have to do with Crona's injuries?" the scythe demanded. "Soul Possession, entering into someone's Hollow, compatible wavelengths… How does any of this explain what just happened?"

"It's difficult to describe, and I'm sorry we can't give you guys all the answers right now," Stein replied, passively extending Crona's leg and gently palpating the bony structures around the joint. "To put it simply, when souls are compatible with each other, even if by force, their synched wavelengths benefit each other. It's impossible to harm the other."

"So when Soul and I weren't getting along during the fight with the Immortal Werewolf…?" Maka offered quietly.

"It was difficult to wield your weapon partner, wasn't it?" Stein confirmed. "Due to your wavelengths being at odds with each other, you were potentially at risk for harming each other. That's why compatible wavelengths are key in meister-weapon relationships."

"That's right," Lord Death interjected. "Even if two souls are forced to get along, like in instances of Soul Possession, there's still a compatibility that keeps both souls safe, at least to a certain degree. However, in the case of entering a Hollow and Soul Expulsion, there is no compatibility to speak of. This puts both souls at risk for damage. Even if it's only the mind and soul doing the fighting, should one soul be stronger than the other, this can lead to physical damage, as well. This depends entirely on the strength of the soul you're fighting."

"The Dark Reaper didn't do as much damage as I'd previously feared," Stein said, nodding in relief upon completing his inspection of Crona's knee. "Everything is intact, but there's only mild swelling and bruising."

"He was really powerful," Crona whispered. "If not for Ragnarok, I don't think I could have held on to the image of the Hollow for as long as I had. Ragnarok held him back and when my knee was broken, Ragnarok fixed it, but the Dark Reaper still…"

Stein's eyes narrowed, taking in the trembling frame of the pale student and the fidgeting soul wavelength. Softly, he released a low curse under his breath.

"Professor?" Maka's nervous gaze jumped between the two. "What is it?"

"It's Ragnarok's soul wavelength." The meister removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "It's extremely weak. That battle was worse for him than it was for Crona."

"I couldn't stop him." Crona's voice was hoarse as she suddenly grew aware of the cold sensation pricking the corners of her eyes. Before she could stop them, the first tears slid down her cheeks and into her open hands. "After using Blood Needle, the Dark Reaper just… He did something to Ragnarok. He saw he was black blood and told me I had madness in me and he wanted it and so…"

Maka placed a comforting arm around the sobbing girl, but her own heart was racing. She was beginning to see what had Stein so concerned. Ragnarok's wavelength fluttered weakly around Crona's like a frail barrier. It was almost as if the weapon himself had been…

"You little fools," Endymion hissed, drawing the eyes of everyone as his expression morphed into one of absolute loathing. "You gave this black blooded creature access to the soul of the young shinigami and now we must deal with the consequences of your actions!"

"Crona didn't even do anything!" Black Star shouted indignantly, motioning frantically to the meister who was growing paler by the minute. "How can you blame her for anything?"

"You've given the Dark Reaper a valuable asset!" Endymion cried, whipping around to face the mirror across the room. "Lord Death, surely you understand? The Dark Reaper needs all the strength it can get to destroy your son and they've presented it with black blood! It didn't just attack this cursed child; it stole a piece of her madness!"

—/—\—|—/—\—

Everyone separated to different floors of Gallows Manor to collect their thoughts and quiet their souls. One to the kitchen to sit at the table and think, while two retreated to the library. Another paced the hallways. Another remained by Kid's window, perched in the nearby tree. One sat at the bottom of the stairs, a sour taste in his throat.

Crona had confirmed Endymion's fears just before passing out from exhaustion which sent everyone into a commotion all at once, voicing fears and calling out over each other. It took Lord Death a few attempts to calm everyone, but in the end, Stein was the one to suggest they all take a moment to step out and breath. At first there was reluctance, then students and adults alike slowly filed out of the room, leaving only Ikelos and Lord Death with Kid.

Liz and Maka assisted Stein with bringing Crona to one of the many guest bedrooms in Gallows Manor so the professor could fully address the condition of the demon-sword meister and her partner. With the use of Soul Perception, both Maka and Stein agreed the presence of Ragnarok had weakened exponentially.

"We'll get more answers once she awakens, but Ragnarok isn't completely gone," Stein murmured, withdrawing a hand from taking a pulse. "He should begin regenerating more blood cells and grow stronger for the both of them, but for now, Crona needs to rest. They both do. As for myself, I need to go tell Lord Death all I can."

"We'll go, too," Maka said, motioning to Liz, but their professor shook his head.

"I want you both to take a moment to think, just like everyone else," he responded. "We'll call you back when we're ready, but let us discuss everything first. I need to find Endymion and Death Scythe, but you kids sit tight. I know you're sick of hearing it but…" The meister's green eyes fell to Crona's motionless figure and he let out a ragged sigh. "This did not go well. We should have known we were ill prepared and yet…"

"We had to do something," Liz muttered.

"I know." Stein turned to exit the room, running his fingers along the back of his neck in contemplation. "But I can't help but feel we made things worse."

—/—\—|—/—\—

"And you said Spirit was there, too?"

Stein nodded, turning to Lord Death as the headmaster bobbed in his mirror, a thoughtful expressed etched into his mask.

"Both of them were younger, leading to my belief Kid has gone back into his memories in order to protect himself," the young man responded, glancing over to where the young reaper lay and released a sigh. "His reasoning for doing so could mean it's possible Kid wasn't able to handle the Dark Reaper as soon as Asura's madness caused him to stir. If he's resorted to this state, we can be sure the Dark Reaper is acting more forceful this time. Between Asura's madness and now Ragnarok…"

"Things really have gone downhill." Lord Death's voice was low and he slowly pivoted within the mirror until his back faced the others.

"Where do we go from here?" Endymion demanded. "One plan has failed, and now we're back at the beginning. I don't believe it wise to send anyone else into the young reaper's soul, as that may place strain on it. There's also the fact we'd hate to… gift our enemy with any more power."

Stein ignored the jab, sending a look to Spirit before the red-haired man could say anything either. Quietly, the professor continued, "Lord Death, Endymion is right. I believe constantly accessing Kid's Hollow could put his soul in a delicate state, so we need to be extra diligent with how we progress from here. Not only that, but I'm also concerned for his mind."

Lord Death didn't turn around, but the reaper shifted to one side, asking, "His mind? You believe he's reliving his childhood, yes?"

"From what Stein has described, that memory in particular is from the first time I stayed with Kid after the Dark Reaper spoke to him," Spirit confirmed. "You'd asked me to watch over things because of the sudden change in the reaper's behavior, so you had me stay at Gallows Manor. That was the first time I experienced the Dark Reaper's malice, when he attempted to suffocate Kid."

"And after?" Stein inquired, gazing intently at the other man. "Do you remember what stopped the reaper?"

"I disrupted his concentration," Spirit responded. "Even though I couldn't see him, I knew he had to be in the mirror, so I broke it. As soon as the mirror shattered, I think I startled him enough and pulled Kid free."

Crossing his arms, Stein tapped one foot against the floor, disappearing into his own thoughts. He considered the information, and upon hearing Endymion's impatient cough, he returned his attention to everyone else. By this point, even Lord Death had turned back to face them.

"Stein?" the shinigami inquired.

"What Spirit just said doesn't match with how things played out in Kid's memory," Stein explained. "I can't be sure until we get Crona's side of the story, but Spirit didn't break the mirror in the memory. I did, and it wasn't the mirror the Dark Reaper was in."

"Are you saying I just sat there and did nothing?" Spirit demanded incredulously.

"I'm saying you didn't have the time, that Crona and myself intervened before you could do anything," Stein said. "When I returned to Crona, she was nearly unconscious with the Dark Reaper standing over her. I attempted to use Soul Force, but I think Crona's grasp on the Hollow was already fading. My soul wavelength missed the Dark Reaper and shattered one of the Hollow's mirrors instead. What happened after… I'm not even entirely certain."

"You've given the young reaper alternate memories," Endymion murmured, eyes narrowing in speculation. "If you begin rewriting his past recollections—"

"I don't know what would happen," Stein finished quickly, turning to Lord Death. "What troubles me is when I broke the mirror, the entire Hollow seemed to… glitch. I was suddenly inside the manor, for just a moment, down the hallway from Kid and Spirit. As much as I don't want to believe it, I must admit Kid saw me. It was brief, but our eyes met, there's no getting around that."

"Stein…" Spirit began slowly, shaking his head, "…you weren't even there, not yet anyway. You only entered into the battle after the Dark Reaper grew more aggressive."

"So my son saw you," Lord Death said. "You're confident in that much, but we don't know if he recognized you. You're not as young as you once were, but to be on the safe side, we'll assume he did. Within his past memories, Kid has now witnessed something that never even occurred. Endymion is right… If we're not careful, we're going to begin rewriting his memories, and with the state he is in, this could prove most unfortunate for both ourselves and Kid."

"The Dark Reaper is already attempting to unravel him," Spirit murmured darkly. "Now we're just giving him a helping hand."

—/—\—|—/—\—

"Franken Stein?" Lord Death asked, the eyes of his mask widening in surprise.

"That's what he told me, after the mirror shattered," Spirit replied.

After the chilling incident with the soulless entity, the red-haired student had contacted Lord Death immediately. As for Kid, the young shinigami had been brought to his room where he was now resting. Spirit stayed by his side until the headmaster had arrived to the manor, and now both spoke outside Kid's door in hushed tones.

"And you saw nothing, Spirit?" the shinigami inquired.

"No, sir. I only heard the mirror shatter, but Kid is adamant he saw a man with gray hair and stitches all over his face and clothes."

"His face?" Lord Death looked even more dubious, leaning side to side as he processed the information. "Young Stein doesn't have stitches across his face. I don't doubt you or my son, Spirit, but is it possible the rush of adrenaline made him see something?"

"I agree," Spirit said with a helpless shrug. "But why Stein? I can confirm he wasn't here, and I'll even ask him myself. Is this another trick from that reaper, do you think?"

"I don't know." The shinigami bowed his head, and Spirit suddenly noticed just how tired the dark being appeared. His jagged appearance was less sharp, as if all the edges had been dulled down. He also didn't carry himself with the same energy, causing his entire form to droop.

"I'll continue to stay with him," the scythe murmured. "But I'm concerned about this last battle. I don't know why he stopped his attack. Out of nowhere, Kid could suddenly breath again, almost as if the reaper lost focus or something…?"

"It may be he's just not all that powerful yet," Lord Death responded softly. "If that's the case, we're past the point of waiting to see what he'll do. Now is the time we need to act, before his abilities grow to be any more dangerous."

—/—\—|—/—\—

A/N: Not gonna lie, I just want to chuck them into Kid's brain again to do a little more damage, but I'm working around this plot of mine... The issue with coming back three years later is the fine-tuning and switching up some details. I know what I want to write, I just need to determine if I really need some parts and what areas are lacking. That being said, there's still more story to go and plans to attempt, so I hope to see you guys in the next chapter. It's high time everyone started figuring out the game plan to finally solve this massive puzzle.