Magic pooled together in the hands of a stone giant, twisting the desert sands at its feet. Small stones were pulled in, forming into a massive arrow, notched into an ever larger bow. A second later, it was released, streaking across the sands like an angry spirit. Soaring over the heads of it's enemies, the payload found it's mark. The spells holding the arrow together broke on impact, expelling the force outward. Stone punctured matted fur, flesh, and bone alike, scattering the rats arming their artillery piece.
One or two more shots, and they would break. Already, the crew had been cut down to around half. Routing them off would be simple, even if they returned, it wasn't like there was much of their Warp Lightning Cannons left. Meanwhile, the catapult nearby fired into the single unit of Stormvermin, tearing into the armored unit without mercy. Already, the Skaven front was already beginning to buckle. Clanrats were ok, mostly due to the cheap price tag, but they couldn't hold up to Tomb Guards.
"This crude simulation is a waste of time," an all too familiar voice rang inside my head. I sighed, hitting the pause button before I got too distracted.
"I heard you the first time, Albion. And the fifty times after that." I groaned, trying to keep myself from speaking aloud. "I've got my homework done, I've already done both my physical and magical training in tonight. I'm pretty sure I'm close to making a breakthrough with that aggression issue," Honestly, I have no idea what his issue is at this point. Until my family moved to Japan, or more specifically, Kuoh, he was perfectly willing to go through the motions of my daily life. Be the best student I could be, keep myself in good shape, and practicing spells, avoiding being detected by the supernatural community.
Yeah, that was kind of important. See, what knowledge I did have came from Albion, and personally, I wanted no part in all that mess. Gods, monsters, angels, devils, any and all of it, I wanted none of it in my life if I could help it. I'd much rather grow old rather living my life than run a high risk of cutting it off early.
"Ddraig is here," Albion spoke, as I resisted the urge to smash my face into the desk before me. Oh, I was more than aware of Albion's rival, the Crimson Dragon Emperor. He had informed me more than once that if the wielder of Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing were to meet, they would fight. Again, something I'd personally care to avoid.
"One, Albion, I have no interest in punching whoever is host to your rival in the face for you, and second, who? I have no interest in ruining any of my wards looking for this guy anyway. You know that I don't want to get involved in this."
"Understandable, but it is fate. Ddraig has yet to awaken, which give you an upper hand."
"What do you mean, has yet to awaken? Don't you want a fair fight? And besides, anyone with a Scared Gear would have already awakened at this age," ok, maybe that wasn't entirely true, seeing as I only had a sample size of my sister and myself. I could almost feel Albion's pride take a hit from my remark.
"I know not their identity, only that they are present," Albion's displeasure was easily felt, either due to my reluctance or his inability to find his rival. "His presence is faint. I nearly mistook what I was sensing to be that boy in the Student Council at first."
Wow, Ddraig must have been buried deep if even his rival couldn't find him. Still, a dragon type Scared Gear was nothing to scoff at. So long as it couldn't sniff me out, things were perfectly fine. Seeing as no alarm had yet been raised about me had been raised yet, it was safe to assume I was in the clear.
Albion seemed to withdraw for the time being, and I hunkered back down into my seat. Now, where was I? Oh, right, I was just about to win this engagement, likely crippling the Skaven force that had been advancing towards my cities. This army was the largest they had, and stopping them would be a decisive blow in my favor.
I was just about to unpause the game when a rune formed next to my head, flashing bright red. My eyes widened, gazing at the floating mandal in shock. That was not good news, not good news at all.
"Mom, whatever you do, don't open the front door!"
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The fallen angel was in no certain means sutile. Abducting someone from their home in the middle of the night in the guise of 'helping' them was a blatant lie. I had only one reason to go along with it. There was no way I was starting a fight with a fallen angel of unknown strength so close to a residential area, let alone my own family. The supernatural world needed to remain hidden.
This would make for a weird news story. I could already see headlines now. "High School Boy beats up Blonde Middle Schooler". For all my wanting to avoid this, I suppose it was inevitable. Power attracts trouble, and there few things mightier than a dragon. Yeah, I wanted nothing more than to never get involved with the supernatural, but that didn't mean I hadn't bothered being prepared. Hope for the best and prepare for worst, all that good stuff.
"I think this is good enough," I stated, taking note of my surroundings. Honestly, the park was the best place to have a fight like this. Replacing dirt and trees was nowhere near as difficult as putting down new pavement, and no one was going to here at this time of night.
"What are you talking about?" my sudden bout of defiance seemed to have taken her by surprise. I paid her no mind, my eyes flickering behind me. That tree was about two meters behind me, and the fallen was behind me by a half meter, her pink spear in hand.
Divine Dividing was easily, in my opinion, one of the strongest Scared Gears. Simply being able to divide the strength of anyone, every ten seconds, and add to it's wielders power was something to good to ignore, even without Balance Breaker. Anything more than I could handle would be expelled through the wings, simply allowing me to drain more and more power, even if I couldn't normally take it.
Half Dimension took this a step further, allowing me to divide the size anything within a radius, organic or inorganic. And yeah, these were all great abilities, and time spend developing them was well spent, but there had to be more. For one who could divide anything, what I had seemed limited. So, I did what I do best. Experiment with things that should be better left alone. I learned two things that day. The first was that trips to the ER were expensive. Second was that one could divide their place in space, so long as there was a reference point to divide from. Like, say, the tree just behind the person who's pointing a spear at your back?
"Divide," I intoned, and one second later, I was directly behind the fallen angel. My fist connected with the back of her skull, sending her tumbling forward, landing in a heap. Mandal's had already begun to form in my hand, building up magic swiftly. Despite the blow that destroyed her pigtails and hair ribbon, she had recovered faster than I would have cared for.
A pink spear flew from her right, an underhand throw as her black wings unfolded from her back, allowing her to take to skys. An impressive manvor, without a doubt, but a futal one. Lightning arced forth from the mandal in my hand, smashing it's way through the spear like it was made of paper, connecting with the ground the fallen had been only moments beforehand.
The second remained in my right hand, having just finished charging. Unlike the lightning bolt, this spell was something I forged myself. A snap of my fingers, and lightning roared to life, crackling over my hand like a wave. Brilliant blue, it held its shape, that of a massive javelin. A spell made to break the scales of a dragon. Several degrees overkill, yes, but it wasn't wasn't the strongest spell I'd whipped up.
"So the weakling has some fight in him after all!" it was a taunt, and a clear one. An attempt to insult my pride and strength.
"If I'm the weak one, why are you staying up there?" I returned, wanting to activate Divine Dividing and take to the skys. But that was a terrible idea. As much as I liked to fly, those wings had been on her back the moment she was born, or whatever was done to make new angels. I had no hope of matching that type of experience, and even if I could, flying was going to draw too much attention.
She didn't take the bait. So at the very least, I was concerning enough to make sure she remained in place. And I wasn't moving, no matter how much taunting or jeering came my way.
"So, we're at a stalemate, then," I couldn't tell whether this was a good or a bad thing. Sure, the lightning spear wouldn't last forever, but I'd already used a much fast spell to destroy her own spears. Even if it faded, I could protect myself. But that was for now. Sure, I did a good enough job of keeping myself hidden from the world, so she thought she could handle this alone. But now it was clear I was more stronger than she had anticipated.
I quickly ran through my options. Balance Breaker was there if I really needed it, but such an action would paint this town on the supernatural map more than it already was. Simply fighting it out was possible, but too risky.
"Or you could use that spell," Albion's voice entered my mind, and I didn't need more than a second to figure out what he was talking about. My sister called it overkill, uncessicary, and impractical.
She was correct on all counts. It took too long to cast, ate too far into my magical reserves, and was a calling card that simply screamed 'Powerful Mage Here!'. Then there was the largest downside of all, being caught in the blast myself. If I were to ever consider that spell in combat, I would need to iron out that bug first.
"Absolutely not!" I returned. "Too many reasons not to, and all of them are good. I'd much rather not fry myself if I can help it."
"It would deal with her, even from here," Albion responded. He wasn't wrong by any means.
"And everything else in the park. I'm not desperate enough to electrocute myself, at any rate."
"Are you done talking to your imaginary friend down there?" My brow furrowed in frustration. I was still working on fixing that bad habit. Talking to myself was something I just simply did from time to time, but Albion's telepathy made it so I actually could be talking to someone. It was a childish insult, but it still touched a nerve.
"I know you look like a child, but isn't acting like one a bit much," I shouted back, doing my best to hide my smirk.
It seemed to do the trick, too. I didn't hear what she said, or if she had said anything at all, but the pink spear was descending from above. I threw mine upwards, arcing from my hand like an actual bolt of lightning. It didn't stop, it didn't slow, not even as it barreled through the spear of light. Lightning screamed into the night sky, thunder let loose it's wrath, and the fallen was no more.
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"I told you he would win," the girl seemed smug, looking at her parents as they shook their heads. At least this served an actual purpose, and could actually be explained naturally. Lightning could strike, without a storm. It just happened to be extremely rare, that's all.
The three watched in silence as the thunder died, waiting for the fourth to return home.
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"It seems like Mittelt lost. What a pity."
"If she lost to someone who hadn't even awakened their Scared Gear, then she didn't deserve to be hear in the first place."
"He said divide. Unlike the one Raynare killed, his Sacred Gear is active. Divine Dividing, from the sound of it."
"Azazel said that both of them could be a danger if their Scared Gear's awakened. You mean to tell me that it's been active this whole time, and Azazel didn't even know? That shouldn't be possible."
"It is possible. All those wards make it seem like he's normal, but he's aware. He might just want to be left alone."
"That was not a display of someone wanting to be left alone. That was a show of force."
"You are both correct. It is a message. 'Cross me again, and you will suffer the same'."
"What is our next move then, Raynare?"
"He's proven that he isn't a danger, as per Azazel's orders. Leave him be. If he wishes to be left alone, he shall. But if he comes after us, kill him."
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To think the Fallen Angels would have been bold enough to strike at two in the same day. Issei was expected, though there was little that could actually be done about the matter. His reincarnation was successful, a small blessing given what had happened.
Baker James was a second year Transfer student from America to Kuoh Academy. He wasn't the most impressive student, with only above average grades for the most part, with Math, English, and Science being the exceptions, while Japaneses was below average. His younger sister also attended the academy, one Baker Lily, if Rias remembered correctly. Much better all around than her older sibling academically, except in the areas where her brother expelled, she was nearly at the top of her class. She was also a member of the archery club, unlike her sibling, who participated in none.
Their father worked under hers, indirectly, of course, and their mother worked at a local hospital. And none of them were magical. Or, that's what she had thought. What her familiar had shown her was forcing Rias to change that assumption. James was a magician, a strong enough one to fight a Fallen Angel and win. But there was more to it than that. He was talking to something. A familiar was a possibility, but that didn't seem likely.
There was no reason for a Fallen Angel to accost a magician away in the middle of the night, but a Scared Gear user? They'd already attacked Issie, who she was certain had Boosted Gear. Did that mean another Longinus user had been hiding under their noses?
She would need to inform Sona of this development. Rias redirected one of her familiars to keep an eye on matters. While it was unlikely anyone would make a move after a display like that, it didn't hurt to be prepared.
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Kuoh Academy was an interesting place, a small little hive of perversion. Well, not in the traditional sense, most of the time. Sure, the Perverted Trio were always a right pain in the ass for everyone, most of the male population was under the sway of good old fashion hormones. Seeing Kuoh used to be an all female school, and it didn't take a genus why so many guys wanted to be here.
Still, the gender disparity remained a bit wide, which is why I was able to transfer into the school so easily. My sister had less of an issue, better grades and all. A model student from America, what could possibly go wrong? Actually, surprisingly little. Something I was thankful for. Ok, I may have had more to do with it then I was willing to let my sister know about, but there were good reasons for that.
Still, the day had gone by smoothly enough, despite my sleepness. Last night had left me a bit shaken, and more than a few degrees paranoid. Even a gust of went was enough to send me into high alert. It was safe to say I was an utter wreck, and it showed. Still, I was better off than Issie.
The brown haired pervert looked like he was even worse shape than I was. He was sluggish, with circles under his eyes like he didn't get any sleep. I didn't have much care for him or his two friends, personally, and most of the school didn't either. But him being this far from his usual antics was a different type of concerning. And then there was English class, where things got several levels of just plain weird.
He spoke perfect english, as if he had spoken it sense the day he was born! Nobody found it suspicious, either. The thing was, I wasn't even sure he had noticed what he did in the first place. Somehow, Issie had learned to speak perfect english. Out of all the species of supernatural creatures I knew of, only one had a power like that. Devils. It made sense. His sudden perfect understanding of english, too the fact he seemed sluggish under the sun's rays.
But two big problems came from that line of though. First was that I was fairly certain a few devils were at this school already, and I didn't notice their langue power nor did they react this venhimically to sunlight. Then there was the simple fact humans just didn't turn into devils. Devils were devils, humans were humans, and that was that.
More honestly, I personally thought that his lack of sleep was because that girl who came out of nowhere and attached himself to his hip finally realized how much of prev he was, and left him. Well, until I learned that everyone besides Issie had no memory of the girl. Well, I had yet to ask my sister, with us being in different years, but she should also remember.
There was no understating the problem something like that possed. Why would I remember, and why would he, but everyone else forget? Magic was at play here, some pretty powerful magic at that. And I couldn't imagine it being benign, or even petty. Erasing memories pertaining to a single person, only leaving Issie to remember under normal circumstances. For a school this large, that would be no small task.
No, something was a work here. But what? It didn't take much to see Issie was about as mundane as mundane got, even with his perversion and talk of harems. Personally, I wasn't going to approach him on the matter unless pushed. Mostly because I could simply be reading too far into the situation as things stood, and if I was, then I could be putting him in danger.
Did I like Issie? Not in the slightest. But did I want him dead? No. And if I was wrong, trying to introduce him to the supernatural, that's what I'd end up with. Once the veil was lifted, it couldn't be closed. And I would not be responsible for introducing someone who had no magical abilities, and no Scared Gear to that type of life.
Honestly, I was too tired to be even considering that as an option in the first place. I needed to know more, but a day to collect my thoughts wouldn't exactly kill me. And I should actually start eating, before I start looking like the weird American student. Well, I was the weird American student, but that's besides the point.
I just hopped today didn't have any further interference from the supernatural. I'd had enough for a week.
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It wasn't meant to be. True, the rest of the day was pretty much mundane, but that changed not horribly long after class let out. I would have already walked home by then, but both my sister and I agreed that it would be best if we stuck together.
That was until Saji showed up, telling me a certain Student Council President wished to speak with me. Oh, if that didn't set off warning bells. Unless she was going to talk about the bags under my eyes, which maybe, maybe I could play this off as a bad night of sleep.
Sona was stern, with no patience for troublemakers. And she took her job extremely seriously. There was a reason I had been surprised that Prevert Trio were even here, rather than expelled. Even more of one that I tried to avoid her when I could. I honestly suspected the girl wasn't human, as good as she was at her job. Something just, rubbed me the wrong way entirely. The same could be said for most of the student council, but Sona was easily the one who unnerved me the most.
Then there was my sister's, 'it's important, and you should go,' text pretty much a few seconds after he left. Her scared gear, no doubt, and that's what concerned me. In its most basic state, it allowed her to see three seconds into the future. Once a day, she could peer further into the future, usually only an hour or two in advance. Even then, she could only get so much, and some was left to interpretation.
But, it wasn't like I didn't have a choice. I'd just have to find a way to roll with the punches.
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"You wished to speak with me Kiachou?" I barely got the final word out of my mouth, but thankfully, I didn't butcher it. Like the five other times I'd tried. She slightly nodded, or at the very least tipped her head, probably because I didn't massacre her title again.
"I'll get straight to the point," her voice was stern, akin to parent about to scold their child. A tone I was more than familiar with. "How much do you know about devils?"
It wasn't the question I was expecting, but my body froze all the same. One way or another, I'd have to tip my hand. This wouldn't be a question asked lightly. They would need a reason to suspect.
"Albion, I'm about to do something reckless."
"I would advise against engaging in combat. However, if you seek to tip your hand, try to avoid tipping all of it."
"Like with everything else most modern people consider myth, a very real thing. Along with both type of angels," my face was straight, and my tone was serous. Fallen was ruled out by default. Unless what happened last night was someone going against orders, then they would have already made an attack. And angels wouldn't be playing school house. Heaven had to be much too busy to allow that.
That left devils. The entire student council was made up of devils. If there was a joke to be had here, I wasn't finding it funny.
"Much less than I expect then," I frowned, still unable to read Sona's expression. I knew Albion's information was dated, but how far off could he be? It took him and Driagg fighting to cause a temporary ceasefire. And that was only long enough to lead to the creation of Divine Dividing and Boosting Gear.
"Though despite that, you think we are devils."
Note to self. Never play a game that requires a poker face with her. She read me like a freaking book. She wasn't denying it either. Out of all the times I've hated being wrong, this was swiftly taking the cake.
"Process of elimination," I shrugged, trying to play myself off as less concerned than I was, and likely failing horribly. "Angel's wouldn't have time for something like this, and Fallen would have already attack me."
It was only after I finished speaking that I realized I may have played a bit too much of my hand. My concern only grew when Sona had not showing of surprise by this revelation. I was fairly certain I covered my tracks and everything!
"So a Fallen Angel did attack you last night," it was a statement, not a question that needed to be confirmed. "And you were not the only one. Issei Hyoudou was as well."
The world came to a grinding halt.
"What?" I squeaked out, switching back to english on pure instinct. Him, of all people! Forget why they would target him, how the hell was he still alive! I shook my head, trying to focus myself before my mind went too far off the rails.
"It was that girl who attached herself to him, wasn't it," I asked once I finally focused myself. Sona nodded, causing me to frown. I wasn't going to like asking this question, but I need to know.
"How is he still alive?" Immediately, the room chilled several degrees, and Sona had a slight visible frown. A pawn piece came from her pocket, a blue colored crystal. Fancy, but I failed to see the point she trying to make.
"This is an evil piece. It allows High Class Devils to reincarnate humans and other species into devils, including those who recently died," my throat felt like it dropped into my stomach. Oh dear god, Issei had died. Died, and been reborn.
I felt sick to my stomach. The only thing stopping me from storming out in disgust was the lingering look of regret on Sona's face. Would Issei believe anyone if we told him his new girlfriend was out to kill him? This is what the boy had dreamed for, and he wouldn't believe it, without her buttering him up.
"He was reincarnated into Rias Gremory's peerage," Sona continued to act as if she were reading my mind. I knew off the red head, of course, most of the male population was infatuated with her, but to think she was also a devil. Kouh was even more of a hotbed for the supernatural, wasn't it.
"She suspects he has Boosted Gear as well, which explains the attack."
Once again, my mind went blank.
I didn't even get out a 'what', just a brain dead 'uh'. That made so much sense, but at the same time, it made no sense. Meanwhile, Albion seemed to be howling with laughter, as much as a dragon could. If it wasn't for the fact he didn't have a physical body, there'd be a raging earthquake. I kept hearing 'weakest' and 'most pitiful', and even 'so easy to punch in the face'.
"No, Albion, I'm not punching Issei in the face for you," I slumped over, completely and utterly drained. You know what, I was done. Today, you and I are completely through. Until I felt stares coming from all over the room.
"I said that out loud, didn't I?" I only needed to glance around the room to see the nodding heads.
Ok, now today and I were officially through.