HighSchool DxD: Bad Black Chapter 1
I laid there in my bed, silent as I watched the shadows dance in response to the early morning sunrise. The reflection of the light in the mirror across from me occasionally bounced into my eyes. "Fuck you... stupid sun. You're not making this fucking hangover any goddamn easier, you shit." I grumbled. I slumped over onto my left side, my eyes falling on the bottle of mixed berry rum my sister had brought me just a few nights before.
Instinctively, my hand reached out and wrapped around the bottle's neck. I shook it a few times and estimated that about a tenth of its original contents still remained. I uncorked it and downed the last of the dull, fruity liquid. As I tossed the empty jug back onto my nightstand, I sighed and pulled myself up. "Why the fuck can't I just die in my sleep? Urgh... my head... dammit... I need to lay off the booze." I threw myself onto my legs, trying not to fall over or make myself vomit.
I stumbled across the room to my sink, my small apartment offering no difficulty in traversing its floor. I ripped open an Alka Seltzer packet and dropped two tablets into a cup of water, watching with boredom as they fizzed enthusiastically in the liquid. "Fucking water." I groaned as I drank the bubbling liquids. The carbonation stark and scratchy against the back of my throat. RIIIIIINGG! I sprang up straight, hurling the now empty glass across the room, where it shattered against the wall.
"You... ffffffuucking SHIT!" I snarled as I grabbed my phone from the counter. "Why the fuck did I make you so goddamn loud?" I said, answering the call. "Greymoor." I said. [Ah, Mr. Greymoor... I was worried you wouldn't answer my call.] Said a male voice from the other side. "Yeah? Well who the fuck are you? I don't like when random fuckers call my phone, so if you've got something to say, spit it out." I said.
Silence, then I heard a cough. [Well... I have a contract for you, and I was hoping you'd come meet me to discuss the terms.] The man said. "Well, me meeting with you is gonna depend on the price... what are you offering?" I asked. [Five million... U.S. of course.] He said. The numbers took a moment to click, then I laughed. "Listen pal, I don't do political assassinations, so you're gonna need to look elsewhere." I said. [No... this isn't political... I was told you were the man to go to when one needs... a supernatural cleansing.] He said.
His words triggered a rather giddy feeling in my chest. "Ah! You meant that kind of contract... well... where are you?" I asked. [There's a church... well... the only church... near your home, please meet me there at your earliest convenience.] He said. "Yeah... I'll be there in a bit." I said. I ended the call and began rifling through my closet. "Hmm... its probably gonna be some Devils... so... I need something that's warded." I pulled out a black leather jacket, gave it a sniff, and confirmed that it did indeed have one of my sister's wards placed on it.
I threw it on over my white undershirt, then zipped it up. "Fuck... did my torso get longer? This thing feels a bit tight." I mused. "Oh well... better give her a call." I said. I dialed her number, and her familiar annoying dial tone rang from the speaker. [Hey. What ya calling for, Big Bro?] She sang. "I got a job... I'll need you in a few hours." I said. [You got it... I'll meet you at my place when you're done getting details.] She said.
We ended the call, and I pulled on a pair of black jeans. My thoughts drifted to my sister, Myan. We weren't actually family, but we had been around each other for more than a decade, and had become family by association, more than anything. I've always wondered why she stayed around... she's got her own life... but I'm still glad she's here. I took a look around my barren apartment, the only real furniture my bed and desk. "I could afford a better place... but I really don't care. I like the small room." I said to myself as I grabbed my comb and ran it through my hair.
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It took me a bit less than thirty minutes to make my way to the church. The streets were uncrowded, at least I assumed so. It wasn't as though I made it a habit to see how active others were... but the silence was eerie, to say the least. The church doors were ajar, and I felt no need to knock, so I simply pushed them open and went in. The chapel was just as barren as the street, empty save for an older man sitting on a pew in the corned. Dressed in a priest's robes, I quickly deduced that he was the one who had called me.
"So... I need the details on the job." I called to him. He turned around slowly, his withered face pale and tired. "Ah... there you are... I... assume you noticed the distinct lack of people on the streets, correct?" He asked. "Yeah... and it gave me a pretty bad feeling... which means either you have a ward up... or people are afraid to be outside." I stated. His hand moved into his vest and he pulled out a small photo, handing it to me. It was a family, more specifically, a father, mother, and daughter.
"And? Why them?" I asked. "They moved in about a year ago... they're Devils... but we left them alone, as they seemed harmless... but about four months ago... people started disappearing, just a few at first. Then, more... the police have been looking into it heavily... but they've found nothing. The location of the disappearances was once condensed to the neighborhood. Now however... it seems the whole city is under threat. I must say... I'm surprised you haven't noticed." He said.
"Actually... I was in Venezuela for about six months, I got back two days ago." I explained. "Ah... that would make it a bit more understandable. Anyway... we'd like for you to... see what you can do to remedy the situation... we aren't certain that the Devil family is responsible... but you understand our apprehension about approaching them, I'm sure." He said. "Of course... now..." I grabbed a pen from my pocket, then took the photo from him.
I wrote down the pertinent information on the back of the photo. "Before I get started, I need you to send thirty percent of the reward beforehand, so I know it's serious. If the job is completed and the other seventy isn't sent, you will regret it." I said. He nodded, pulling out his phone and spending a few minutes entering the info into his banking system. My own phone buzzed, and it confirmed that 1.5 million dollars had been transferred over to me. "Alright... dead or alive?" I asked.
He seemingly pondered the option, then decided. "Alive is preferred, but if they have to die, they have to die." He said. "Understood... what confirmation do you want that it's done?" I asked. "Pictures... and if they aren't responsible, record them claiming their innocence." He said. "Alright... that can be done." I told him. He offered his hand, and I shook it, then made my way out of the church.
I dialed Myan's number, holding my phone out while I made my way to her side of the town. She answered and I activated the speaker. "I'm sending you your cut from the job, I'll be over in a bit so we can talk about the details and the approach." I said. [Good shit... how much am I getting?] She asked. "You're getting 1.5 million, I'm getting 3.5." I said. [Alrighty then... this must be unnatural, right? I guess you're gonna need my wards.] She noted. "Yep... I'm gonna be there in a bit, so get ready." I told her.
I sent the money to her account, then slowly walked down the empty streets. Her house was already visible from my position. It wasn't surprising, in contrast to me having a simple two room apartment, she decided to purchase an enormous mansion in the middle of rural southern Virginia, thus, it was almost visible in any part of the small city we resided in. It took me about fifteen minutes to reach her gate, and the guard waved me in, having seen me plenty of times before.
I opened the door with the key I had been given by the guard, and there she was, as always, in the foyer on her laptop. "Hey bro, so... tell me about the job." She said. She closed the lid on her laptop, then set it down gently on the step of a nearby staircase. "Simple... people have been disappearing, so I've been asked to see if a local Devil family are the culprits." I explained. "Devils, huh? If they've been kidnapping people to fuel some sort of slave trade... hmm... maybe..." She trailed off, then looked up to me.
"Why do you think they do it?" She asked. "Uhh... well... they do gain power by getting people to sign contracts, right? Maybe they're doing that? If they're forcing people to sign free contracts, it may explain the kidnapping." I said. She snapped her fingers at me. "Bingo, Bro. They want power... maybe... they hunkered down here to hide from an enemy, and they're using people from around the city to gain strength." She said.
"Well... they'd have a motive, they definitely have a means... but... what are they doing with the people... why not have them sign a contract, then erase their memories so that they completely forget?" I asked. "Well... that is a very good point... I... suppose that we'll find out later... do you want to wait until tonight?" She asked. "Yeah... I didn't eat breakfast... so let's get some food." I said. She nodded. "That's a great idea... I'm fucking starving." She said.
After partaking in a what for me was a rather late breakfast, we sat and spoke about my contract in Venezuela: Clearing out a village infested with demons. "So... how many were there?" She asked. "Well... that's a difficult question to answer... I used a exorcist ward as soon as I saw ten of them... they were some mean motherfuckers. So I wasn't really interested in finding out how many there were." I laughed. "I guess I see your point... but come on... six months? That's pathetic." She said.
"Hey... I had to fucking walk there, you stupid brat... all the way from Caracas to the bottom border with the State of Roraima. Four hundred FUCKING miles." I said, flicking my middle finger against her forehead. "Alright, alright, I get it." She laughed, looking out the window. "Jeez it's getting dark already." She said. "Yeah... it is winter about now, I guess... still just a bit warm though." I noted. "Sure is... I'll grab my markers, and we can get going." She said.
She gathered her ward markers, and we began traversing the now dark city streets. I realized as we walked that, if there had been any pedestrian traffic on the streets, her and I would be the shadiest characters around. Her, with her blonde hair with black streaks, and dark eye shadow, and me, standing just above six foot, with black hair. I smiled to myself as we made our way to the smaller neighborhood.
Eventually, we reached the address that had been provided to me. Immediately, a smell flooded into my lungs. "Hey... you smell that?" I asked. She gave the air a sniff. "Yeah... a basement... the earth is rather fresh... maybe a few months old." She said. "Bingo... that must be where they're keeping them." I stated. "Probably... alright... what wards do you want?" She asked, pulling out her small marking sticks and setting them up in front of the home.
"Ward three... then when I get inside... ward two." I said. "You got it... see you when you're done, dear." She laughed. I stepped onto the lawn of the home, and I felt her ward wash over me, accompanied by a black shadow washing over me. "Hmm... this should make it way easier to get in." I smiled. I eased myself into the ground, the earth beneath me offering no resistance to my movement. As I submerged fully, I pushed myself forward and soon was pressed against the stone wall of the basement.
I slowly slid myself through the wall, and upon my head breaking the surface, was hit with the stench of rotting flesh. I felt the food that had settled recently stir angrily. "Oh... fucking shit... yeah... these have to be the kidnapped. But..." I scanned the dark basement, which was filled wall to wall with corpses. I pulled out my phone, and sent a message to Myan. [Ward Two] Moments later, my eyes brightened, and the room lit up.
"Yeah... these are the victims... but... they seem... off... like they've been drained of blood. But that wouldn't make sense... not if they were vampires... if that were the case... then they'd just drain them a bit then let them go." I pondered the possibilities while I looked for a way out. I found a small staircase leading upwards, and I followed it. Opening the door, I peeked my head around the corner. "This place seems empty... the only ones here are the family... looks like they have to die... they did do it after all."
I began stalking through the desolate house, peeking my head around corners. My movement was slow, but soon I was upstairs and in the room of the adults. They were peaceful in their bed, and were seemingly unaware of my intrusion. "I'll have to praise my sis when we're done." I said. I pulled the small blade I had prepared from my jacket and hovered it over the woman. "Cut through... without movement." I ordered. An instant later, an enormous gash slashed into her neck, and blood began spurting violently from the wound.
Despite this, she was silent as she passed, and I quickly moved over to the man, finishing him in a similar manner. I turned away from them, their now blood-soaked bodies lifeless and soon to be cold. Sighing, I ran the blade along the bed sheets cleaning off the blood. "Well... that takes care of them... I can feel the daughter nearby." I began.
As if on cue, I felt a blade slide against my neck, not cutting, but as a warning. I immediately reconnected with the third ward and moved through the blade. I spun around, attempting to get a look at my assailant. It was the daughter, a lopsided, silly grin plastered on her face. She giggled as she spoke. "You killed them... right?" She asked. I nodded slowly, my eyes firmly locked on the knife. She sighed, and it looked as though she had been acquitted of a death sentence. "Thank you so much... they've been force feeding me blood for months, hoping to make me stronger." She moaned.
"Well... it's over now... I guess, so I'll be going." I said, making my way to the bedroom door. "Wait... I'm going with you, I don't want to be here when their friends come calling." She said. I looked to her, then to the bodies of her now dead parents. I sighed. "Fine... let's go then." I said. We rushed out of the home to Myan, who gave me an odd look once she saw the girl. "Who's this?" She asked. "I'm Ella, you guys killed my parents." She said. Myan gave me a look but I dismissed it. "Let's keep at that until tomorrow. The job's done." I said.
"Besides, we'll either be getting paid, or we'll be going hunting.