Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto and Highschool DxD
Various historians and scholars believe that the Invasion of Babylon marked the beginning of the end to the Old Order. Whilst many as Abaddon and Mammon acknowledge the strengthening of the angelic forces in the early years, it was Invasion of Babylon that started the downward spiral of the Morningstar.
Records reveal that legionnaires of devils fell prey to the angels' mirage enchantments as they were led towards Babylon and were slayed by five angels whom were believed to be five of the ten archangels of heaven under orders of the one who sits upon the heavenly throne. Decarabia speculates that it was this event that further fueled the Morningstar's spiral into madness. His attempts to nurture and retain his lost pride lead to an overall increase of arms effort. The rapidly increased taxes caused increasing poverty and dissent against the Morningstar's rule. The disastrous offensive on the fallen-angels that led to the opening of more warfronts against the devils did not support Morningstar's cause.
"666 Years of Tyranny: The Rule of Morningstar Lucifer," - Pollux Dantalion
"Sirzechs-sama, the 4 Satans request your presence." Said Grayfia, the new head maid for the Gremory household. Sirzechs respected Grayfia, a devil without a last name meant that they were abandoned the moment they were born. Most worked as foot soldiers or as simple servants without any motivation but Grayfia took her job as a maid most seriously.
The message she brought however brought a sigh to his lips. He knew what the 4 Satans were about to ask of him. 'War participation' was what the Satans would have of him.
It all started when Morningstar Lucifer decided that angels were detrimental to their cause, that they were preventing devils from having a contract with humans and they should therefore be eliminated.
Sirzechs didn't know why the angels were protecting humans but he did share their understanding.
The underworld was separated in 2 factions when it came to contracting with humans, the conservatives and the liberals. The 4 Maous were of the conservative faction, demanding the taking of the whole human's soul once the deal has been completed.
The taking of the whole soul was a tradition when devils' magic were inefficient and the whole soul was needed for the survival of the race. The process however, took the human's life. The founding of the underworld where spiritual energy was plentiful enough to cultivate devils' food allowed devils the ability to sustain themselves without humans' soul. This meant that souls became a commodity, a gourmet for the rich.
The new method of harnessing souls also meant that only parts of the soul would be taken, allowing the human to live on, it was a method which devils in the liberal side of things like him preferred.
The war efforts against the angels were a failure. The initial skirmishes took away many needless humans' lives and the first large confrontation at Babylon became a massive loss towards the devils' side. Serafall Sitri, heiress to one of the 72 pillars vanished leaving her brother, Sinclair as the heir instead.
The large loss of the devils troop resulted in mass conscription, forcing the average male devils to take arms against the angels and their fallen comrades.
The angels' power of light was a devil's universal weakness. One shining spear through the gut and the life of an average devil was forfeited. The army, whilst large, was mostly made up from these average devils. It was not wonder they were on the losing side against the forces of heaven which somehow seemed incredibly organized.
To make matter worst was the plight the average devils. The devils' society was too traditional in many ways, most females did not work, and once their husbands left, they had no source of income. Most employees looked down upon widowed women, and families which lost their fathers slumped into destitution.
Poverty was widespread in the devil's capital, Lucifaad. Beggars were among the streets, most were women with young children, begging for money and begging for food.
The rule of the 4 Maous left a bad taste in his mouth. One who ruled should not disregard the lives of their subjects so quickly. Sirzechs however did not protest against the Maous' decision. He knew what that led to. The house of Orobas and Murmur simply disappeared off the 72 pillars after their family head advocated their liberal stances against the conservative cause. Others as the house of Glasya-Labolas left to the human world in hiding.
Taking his father's seat on the council of 72 was a decision which Sirzechs deeply regretted.
The Lucifer family's grand palace in Lucifaad was a landmark. Its opulence only grew under the rule of Morningstar Lucifer. The palace expanded, outside chateaus were built and flowers that wasn't supposed to grow under the violet sky grew, fueled by the lavishness of magic. The colossal palace marked a steep contrast to the well-being of the normal populace.
It was no wonder why the underworld became the breeding ground for rebellions. And rebellion was probably the topic of his visit to the grand palace.
The hallways were gilded with gold and the humans' empowered souls acted as the lights along the path.
In the waiting room stood Ajuka Astaroth, his best friend and rival. Sirzechs waved his greeting and Ajuka responded with a nod. His silent message that the were both called in for a mission went unsaid.
Ajuka was an eccentric individual, preferring to stay in his room and create strange inventions. It did not help that Ajuka was rather blunt with his words and often deemed other devils too 'boring' for him, hence why Sirzechs was his only friend.
The door opened and Sirzechs was disgusted. Soulless human bodies littered the floor, their flesh were still fresh, telling him that they were just eaten. He looked up to find the 4 black thrones, upon them were Morningstar Lucifer, Accaron Beelzebub, Nargis Leviathan and Ashma Asmodeus.
"Ignore the mess from our banquet." Lucifer imperiously said and Sirzechs merely nodded, trying his best to hide his disgust as he approached the 4 rulers with Ajuka.
The system was called the rule of the four Maous but the house of Lucifer had always stood on top whilst Beelzebub, Leviathan and Asmodeus always followed.
How nice would it be if they could simply do away with the 4 Maous. He and Ajuka were hailed as the genius among geniuses of their generation, and whilst the 4 Maous were certainly strong, the two of them stood a chance of winning.
Of course reality wasn't ideal. Sirzechs still couldn't fully control his power of destruction and Ajuka's kankara formula were still in its early stages. The destruction from such a battle would leveled the capital, killing its denizens in the process, it was something Sirzechs wasn't willing to do.
And even if they killed the Maous, the 4 families remained and rumours of prince Rizevim's sadistic tendencies did not lift Sirzechs fear of the future. His musings came to an end as Lucifer said.
"My crows brought me much distressing news." Crows, the name synonymous for the house of Lucifuge, a secretive vassal house of the Lucifer family, a house responsible for the elimination of all dissent towards the Lucifer family, the Lucifer's watchdog.
"The rebels' main base is in Auros, find them and let none survive."
Sirzechs clenched his fist that his nails were piercing his skin. The rebels had done no wrong, they were simply trying to live. Trying to live in a life free from the senseless wars concocted by their 4 rulers. What right did Sirzechs have to judge them, to kill them. Lucifer was asking the impossible and he knew it.
"I Re-" Lucifer cut Sirzechs off.
"Now Sirzechs, think about this carefully. A wisp of disloyalty from you and I might cut my loss with the Gremory family." Lucifer made a sinister smile as he looked down upon him.
The threatening of his family was something the Sirzechs was not willing to forgive. Calling upon the void depths within his soul, Sirzechs radiated his power of destruction.
There was surprise in Lucifer's eyes but that soon turned to amusement as Ajuka erased away Sirzechs' magic. He felt a Ajuka's hand on his shoulder.
"Get a grip you idiot!" His friend whispered with haste before his pushed Sirzechs' head down to a bow.
"We apologize for our misconduct, your majesties." His friend bowed in subservience and Lucifer simply snorted.
"You have a month to eliminate the rebels in Auros. I will await good news."
"Yes your majesty." Ajuka blandly said as he created a red teleportation magic circle beneath the two of them.
In a flash of light, the two of them left the throne room.
Two days passed and Sirzechs was still in his castle in the Gremory lands rather than in Auros. Ajuka called it Mooching but Sirzechs preferred to call it 'the contemplation of his future actions.'
His father wasn't much help. Not when Sirzechs' questions were answered with "Sirzechs, you are the Lord Gremory now, the decision is yours to make."
Time was ticking and he had to decide.
A click resounded and Grayfia walked in with trays of pastries and tea. She gave him a severe look and Sirzechs realized he was still in bed.
"Sirzechs-sama, please stop mooching and please but on some clothes." Made Sirzechs realized he was also rather naked. Covering himself with his blankets, he chuckled softy to the Gremory head of maid.
She seemed to know what he wanted, walked to his wardrobe and brought out a set of clothes.
Sirzechs was a little by Grayfia's lack of reaction to his naked body as he donned his attire. He was one of underworld's most eligible bachelor but Grayfia's bland expression showed no interest. Maid training was something to be feared indeed.
"Join me Grayfia?" He asked as he sat down, prepared to start his breakfast.
"It will be inappropriate." She said and Sirzechs knew he lost the argument.
Breakfast was a silent affair. Grayfia was the type to not speak when not spoken to and it was in these silent times that Sirzechs wanted siblings or extensions of his family but that could only be a dream. The devils' reproduction rate was incredibly small and most family had only once child.
Sirzechs remembered Ajuka's new project in turning other races into devils and made them an extension of one's family but didn't give it much thought. Most of Ajuka's project ended in explosions, though it would be nice to have his own extensive family.
Of course it was a secret project. Ajuka would be sentenced to death if the Maous knew about such project. To the 4 rulers, blood purity was paramount to everything else, even more so than the rapid decline in the devil's numbers with the ongoing war.
"Grayfia, would you kill innocents to protect the ones you love?"
"I would." The resolution in her eyes unnerved Sirzechs but who was he to judge. The Gremory were known for their irrational love, if push comes to shove he would protect the loved ones and if to do so meant killing innocents then he would kill them.
"So you think I should put down this rebellion? You do know that Auros is just one of the places where resistances against the rule is being built up."
"Certainly. It is not my place to advise but putting down the rebellion would allow the liberals in the council of 72 to gain support." Grayfia replied tonelessly as she cleared some finished plates off the table.
"The council of 72 is a façade, our society is a ruled under the Lucifer's dictatorship. The Lucifuge destroys any opposition against Lucifer." His comment drew a small wince from Grayfia but he dismissed it and continued, "Again, it's not like I have a choice to begin with. If I refuse, they will send someone else and the Gremory would be labeled as traitors. Better dirty my own hands then dirty someone else's right?"
"It is as you say."
Auros used to be a brighter place. It was a place where magic was abundant allowing agriculture to prosper.
The Auros before Sirzechs was a much different place. The devil plague that happened recently greatly damaged Auros. The 4 maous refused to send aid claiming that they were at war with the heavens and did not have spare resources. Hence the once plentiful agricultural grounds were now unused and the once cheerful town became glum.
The sky was still shining down it's purple light as if to mock the devils' misfortune. The liberals had wanted to change that purple skies to reflect the skies of the humans' world but the proposition was shot down the moment it was launched by Leviathan who asked, 'why one would want the same living conditions as those inferior humans.'
But Auros was different. Ajuka seemed to realize this too. The people of Auros had fire in their eyes, fire that said they would not tolerate the Maous' rule. The people of Auros looked feeble and weak but Sirzechs had expected worse, especially after the plague had struck. Most citizens should be in their deathbeds if the reports about the plague's severity were true. It shouldn't have been possible, but someone was healing them.
The streets of Auros were not littered with beggars in contrast to that of Lucifaad. Women in Auros were ignoring the historic norms and were working. They couldn't replace all the workforce lost as shown by the derelict farmlands but at least they were working. Working in determination in their eyes.
Things were strange in Auros and after a day of information gathering, everything was leading Sirzechs and Ajuka to a group called Renatus.
Renatus, also meant rebirth, was surely the resistance group against the Maous' rule.
"Oturan-sama saved us all from the plague. Sera-sama and Falbi-sama taught us about agriculture and other things and showed us how we should live." Was the answer Sirzechs got from one villager. Even the soldiers stationed in Auros were praising the efforts of the Renatus, It was probably why Sirzechs and Ajuka were dispatched.
After two nights at the village, the two noticed a trend. At midnight, citizens would leave their home and head towards the town hall. Energy signatures would rocket and some times later energy levels would return to normal.
He was certain that Renatus was responsible for this meeting.
In their disguised cloak, Sirzechs and Ajuka made their way to the town's hall. As they neared the large construction, the two performed concealing spells on themselves before the peered inside the building.
The citizens inside were being taught magic. Ranging from teenagers to middle aged women, the citizens were accessing their magic and turning them into weapons. It was combative magic, magic that was only taught to members of the 72 pillars.
One thing was clear, Renatus was creating an unified army for their rebellion.
A spell went wrong and a teenage boy screamed in pain. A blonde man walked over in hurry, he accessed his magic, his palms emitted a green glow and in a flash, the wound caused by the spell disappeared.
Devils of the 72 pillars were taught how to detect power and that display shocked Sirzechs. It was not because the hands of the boy was healed. He was shocked because in a single moment, the blonde man's power rose up to incredible levels that it dwarfed the maous, he was shocked because in front of his stood the most powerful existence he had laid his eyes on and he was shocked because that existence radiated the same power he felt in angels. He turned to Ajuka and could see that his friend shared the same thought. They were in for more surprise when 2 more voices appeared.
"Quick Falbi, I want to see Oturan-chan's healing!" Cried a rather high pitched voice before a woman dressed in green appeared dragging a man along with her.
It was impossible but they were here. Serafall Sitri and Falbium Glasya-Labolas, the heirs to the 2 houses if the 72 pillars. Serafall was reported to have been killed in the Battle of Babylon whilst Falbium should be in hiding with his family in the humans' world yet the two of them were here aiding the rebellion.
He turned to Ajuka, their gaze met and knew they shared the same plan.
The blonde man, Oturan, along with Serafall and Falbium were the 3 heads of Renatus. Oturan's power were the likes that Sirzechs had never felt before whilst Serafall's and Falbium's power rivaled that of the Maou, yet if the 3 of them were dealt with, the rebellion would be over before it even began.
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Mickey