I do not own Highschool DXD or anything else I may use. They are all property of their respective owners. The Only things I own are any OC I may use.
[Ddraig Aloud]
[Ddraig Thoughts]
(Anastasia Aloud)
(Anastasia Thoughts)
Prologue - The Great Hunter Starts Early
Alexander PoV
"Promise me something Nii-san," The girl's voice said to me. I looked down at her, blinking rapidly as I tried to remove the tears that fell from my eyes onto her cheeks.
"Anything Ana-chan!" I tell the girl in my arms, her long, earthy green hair draped over my arm.
"Always smile," She says to me. "No matter what, keep smiling." With that, her final breath is had. I let out a yell, cursing the heavens and anything that could hear me. The sound of horns sounded out around me. Then all was darkness.
"Ana-chan!" I cried, shooting up in my bed. I blinked a few times, my breath coming in labored gasps. Catching my breath, I heaved a sigh, looking at the bedside table beside me. Pictured there was a year younger me, and my Imouto. The very same little girl who…
(I'm still here Nii-chan…just not the way you want me to be). I blink, and shake my head, a smile on my face.
"I know," I whisper. My Imouto had died two years before when I was only eight years of age. But, something had happened that night. Something that had led to her becoming a part of me. My body had gone through changes as well during that time. I had grown taller, and my hair had grown longer. My eyes had changed in color as well. No longer were they a pure emerald, but one was a forest green, and the other was an ice blue. Otherwise, I was the same though. I had changed somewhat in that time for other reasons though. My body was thin and muscular. I looked down, taking in the form I had now, noticing the small scars that served as a constant reminder of that night. I had done nothing more than train and study since then. As a result, I had become more muscular, I could run longer, fight harder. Magic became second nature to me, something I thanked my Imouto for. She had always been the brains of our family, though I had heard my late Onii-sama was the same. But, now I was the only left. The last son of the Noble Leraje house. One of the seventy-two pillars of Devils. I was the only remaining heir to the Clan of Leraje, a family of Devils that was considered to be extinct by most of the Underworld. We had been nearly wiped out in the Great War hundreds of years before. Ojii-san, my Otou-sama's Otou-sama, had died during that war. My Otou-sama had been saved by one known as Sirzechs Gremory. That man had saved him and gone on to protect us and help keep us hidden. Years later, he had become Sirzechs Lucifer and had led the other three new Maou's here. Otou-sama had still been young at that time and had panicked when they came. But, together the five of them had come to an agreement. It had seemed that a multitude of Devils had died during the great war, and a multitude of the seventy-two pillars had been wiped out. Because of this, Purebloods' were a rare and dying breed. But Maou Beelzebub-sama had come up with a way to save the Devil race. Through something called the Evil Pieces, one could resurrect humans and other species back to life as servants. But it seems that there were limitations. For instance, one could not bring back a God or resurrect a God-class being as a Devil servant. Still, there were many advantages to it. While Otou-sama did not have any pieces for himself, nor did Okaa-sama, they had taken a set of pieces, to give to the heir when he or she came of age. My Onii-sama had died during the Great War, so Otou-sama and Okaa-sama had given birth to me. It seems it was touch and go for a time, but through some miracle or another, I was born and raised. No one had expected my Imouto. When she was born, she was sickly, and could hardly do anything. But reading was her hobby. Reading and strategizing. She loved the human game of chess, which the Evil Pieces were made after. And she loved me. She would always sneak out and come watch my training sessions or else follow me into the woodland at the edge of our territory. That was what led to…
(No Nii-chan) I heard her chide me. (It was not your fault, only theirs) Though she told me this, I never believed her. If only I had told her to go back…
"Alexander-sama, it is time to awaken" A feminine voice came from my door. I rose from my bed, dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers, and opened the door. Standing there was a beautiful, silver-haired woman dressed in a maid's outfit. Despite being tall for my age, she was still taller than me and had bright red eyes. She looked over my form for a moment, before frowning. "You should dress properly before answering your door Alexander-sama" She chided. I laughed lightly, rubbing the back of my head.
"But I knew it was you, Grayfia-Onee-chan," I told her. Grayfia Lucifuge. She had been on the opposite side of Devils like Sirzechs-sama during the great war. But through some deals, she had become the Queen of Sirzechs and had actually helped win the war for him and the Other Maous. While she was technically his servant, and in turn a maid for the house of Gremory, she served my family and guided me in the ways of being a noble Devil in this new world. She frowns at me, and I feel like ice has entered my entire being.
"While it does not matter if it is me or someone else of this household," She begins stepping into the room. "A Noble of a High-Class Clan should not answer his door in nothing but his underwear." I laugh again, feeling my cheeks go slightly red while making my way to my clothes drawer. While I do that, Grayfia opens up the curtains to my room, allowing the artificial sun of the Underworld to brighten my room. I smile, looking outside and stepping into the sun, allowing its warmth to wash over me as I begin to get dressed. For most Devils, the sun is but a curse, causing pain and draining them of their energy and stamina. For my Family, who find their homes in the trees and the forest, the Sun is a blessing, as it brings us warmth and comfort.
"I wish you could feel this," I whisper lightly, thinking of my Imouto. She had been beautiful too. She had long, bright green hair that fell well past her shoulders. She was thin, with one green eye, and one blue. She had the brightest smile, and she cared for everything and everyone around her. Even with so much evil in the world, she found hope.
(I do silly, I feel it through you) She chides me, and I can hear her giggle, the sound like chimes in the wind. I smile and pull my shirt on. It's Moss green in color, and buttons up, though I leave the top two buttons undone. I wear a pair of dress pants as well, and to complete it, I go into the closet and take out my bow, a weapon made of the darkest Oak, taken from the forests surrounding our home. From what Grayfia had told me, many Devils preferred to fight with blades and magic, making me unique. The bow had always been the symbol of my house, and I would use it with pride.
"I'm ready, Grayfia-chan," I look over at her, just as she finishes making my bed. She gives me a once over and nods to herself as if satisfied.
"Very well, let us proceed," She tells me. The two of us leave my room, me giving one last glance at the picture as we go. I give a nod, and follow her down the hall.
"Again!" Sensei yells. I nod, the barrier showing up in front of me. As soon as I raise it, I grunt as Sensei launches blast after blast of magic at me. Lightning, fire, ice, and earth all come flying towards me, crashing against the Forest Green barrier before me. Grayfia stood to the side watching with a passive look on her face. This was the standard routine. After being woken up, I spent two or more hours training with Sensei. Currently, he was training me in defense, something he said all leaders need if they wish to also be good at offense. I noticed the barrier beginning to crack as he upped the density and speed of his attacks, so I concentrated harder, putting all my power into holding up the barrier. It began to reform but only did so for a few moments more. With a shattering sound, I cried out as a blast of flames caught me in the chest, sending me flying. I hit the ground with a thud, coughing as smoke filled my vision.
"Not bad Alexander-sama, you held for quite some time," Sensei said to me, helping me back to my feet. I groaned, shaking myself off before looking at him.
"It's still not good enough," I tell him, and he rubs my head, ruffling my hair. Sensei and I had a good relationship. He didn't treat me like the other servants, only as a pupil, and as he once said, a son. He had lost his own son during the Great War, something that he seemed to deeply regret.
"You did fine lad, soon you'll be wiping the floor with me, and then Grayfia-sama will have to train you," Sensei said, and I laughed while smiling lightly.
"Grayfia-chan would kill me Sensei," I state bluntly while shuddering, and the two of us share a laugh once more, while Grayfia merely looks on.
"Alexander-sama, Leraje-sama has requested your presence," A man says from the back door. I look at him and give a nod, before following, Grayfia right behind me.
"Bye Sensei!" I call over my shoulder. The man gives a small salute, placing his arm over his chest, and smiles as I walk away.
"Otou-sama, you called for me?" I ask as I enter his study. The room is huge, easily the biggest room in the small mansion my family owned. It was at least three stories high and was filled from top to bottom with various bookshelves. Ancient records and books resided on those shelves, and it was one of my favorite rooms aside from the training hall. As I entered I noticed Otou-sama wasn't alone. Otou-sama himself was a tall man, easily Six feet, with broad shoulders and an equally broad chest. He wore regal clothing, with a Forest Green cape draped over his shoulders, the symbol of our clan on its back. He had Forest Green hair, much like my old self, and pale gray eyes. His hair had specks of gray in it now, not surprising considering his age, and some wrinkles formed his face. While most Devils had the ability to change their appearance, Otou-sama was reaching the point where he stopped caring and thus allowed age to take its toll on him. The Man beside him was another person entirely though. He had midnight-blue hair and was equally as tall as Otou-sama. I would say he was in his mid-late twenties, and his eyes were bright with intelligence. They were currently focused on me with a sort of curiosity, and I noticed that he had the House of Sitri's mark inscribed on his upper-right breast pocket.
"Ah, Alex, good you're here, you're here," Otou-sama says, looking at me with a small smile. He never blamed me for Anastasia's death, nor did Okaa-sama, but they both knew something strange had happened that night. They didn't talk to me the same way as they had since then, though both encouraged me to train and get stronger.
"This is him?" The man from the Sitri household asked, looking at Otou-sama while pointing to me. Otou-sama smiles and looks at him with a nod.
"Yes Nycholas-san, this is the one I was telling you about," Otou-sama says. The newly named Nycholas looks at me, before walking over, taking a close look. He smiles and sticks his hand out for me.
"I am Nycholas Sitri, Current Lord of the Sitri household, a pleasure," He says to me. I take his hand, grasping it firmly like Otou-sama and Sensei had taught me. I feel a spark almost pass between us, and for a moment, I can smell the ocean and hear the sound of the waves. He looks at me, his eyes wide, but his face smiling. "Remarkable…perhaps…" He trails off, before clearing his throat and letting go of my hand. I look at him in confusion, unsure of what just happened. "Yes, he could indeed do…I will be in touch, Leviathan-sama will be as well. Good day to you Gilbert-san." With that, he gives a small bow before turning and leaving. Otou-sama gives a bow in return, before smiling at me.
"Otou-sama?" I question, looking at him. He laughs lightly, before coming over to me and placing a hand on my head.
"Nothing my child, just securing the future for you," He tells me. I raise an eyebrow, but I'm unsure what he means by that. "Run along now, but tell Grayfia I need to speak with her." I nod, turning and leaving, but not without hearing Otou-sama humming a small tune, something he hadn't done since the days of my sister.
"What do you think Otou-sama meant by "Securing my future" Ana-chan?" I asked sometime later of the girl that resided within me. I was currently wandering around a small forest in some part of Europe far away from any Devils. The human world was a wonderful place that I tended to go explore when I was confused or unsure of something, as it allowed me to speak to Ana-chan without worry. I heard the girl hum and hah for a few moments, trying to think clearly before she gave a little giggle.
(I haven't got a clue Nii-chan, but it must be important and have something to do with Sitri-sama) She answered, giggling once more. I nodded, thinking the same thing.
"I think you might be right," I said, thinking about what had happened when I had touched his hand. It was strange. I had been near the human Ocean a couple of times before and even gone to the false one in the Underworld with Grayfia-chan a couple of times. I was familiar with the smell and the sounds, but this felt different. It felt like true mastery over the ocean, like a hunter who had set the perfect trap. I had read somewhere that the Clan of Sitri excelled in water-based magic, but why would I get that feeling…
(I think you're worrying about it too much Nii-chan) Ana said to me. Hmm, perhaps she was right. While I was here, I should go and have some fun. I knew of a nearby town, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to head there and enjoy myself a bit. The humans generally didn't suspect a thing as long as you didn't do anything crazy. With my mind made up, I whistled a happy tune, and made my way, oblivious to the going-ons around me, and the thing that followed me.
"Wow…Ana-chan look at that," I said sometime later, looking at the necklace that was on display in a small shop in town. It was big and pretty. It had a large emerald as it's show-piece and several smaller ones beside it. The price on it was listed in Euros, but it was far higher than anything I currently had.
(Okaa-sama would love it) The girl said, a sad note in her voice. I frowned, looking at the window. Just behind me, I could see her, the incorporeal image of my sister. She had grown over the last two years. Her hair was longer, her form more filled out. She still had that lost puppy-dog look, but it was cuter now.
"I'm sorry Ana-chan…" I mumble out, but she shakes her head, a smile on her face.
(It's fine Nii-chan, I know you don't mean anything by it,) the girl says to me. I nod but still frown, before walking away from the shop. There's a multitude of people in the area, some browsing shops, other's simply chatting away. The town has a very archaic feel to it, in that there's not much electricity, and most of the stores are little more than stalls on the side of the street. As I'm walking, I'm not really paying attention to where I'm going, so I'm surprised when I suddenly bump into someone, falling to the ground.
"I'm so sorry," A male voice says from above me. I go to wave them off when I notice it. The cross. A young man stands in front of me, probably only a couple of years older than me to be honest, dressed in black robes and a cross hanging from his neck. He has blonde hair and bright green eyes. The boy had a smile on his face and had his hand reached out for me. Even I could sense the power coming from him, causing me to shudder lightly.
"Ah, thank you," I say, taking the proffered hand. Almost as soon as I touch it, I feel a sharp stab of pain go throughout my body. The smell of bakeries and honey and the laughter of children fills my ears, followed by the rumble of thunder and the smell of rain, and I feel tears sting the corner of my eyes. While I'm unsure what this is, it's happened almost my entire life. I could almost sense what a person was like or where they were from simply by touching them. The boy gasped and looked at me with curiosity while I tried to bite back the cry of pain. Whoever this boy was, he was so pure and filled with holy energy, it would be dangerous to stay around him for long.
"I'm sorry, I was distracted by the sweetest smell, and just lost track of where I was going," The boy said giving me a small bow. He still gave me a curious look but seemed to ignore whatever he may have been feeling or thinking.
"Ah no, it was my fault," I said to the boy. "I was lost in thought myself." I smiled giving a light chuckle. I could feel Ana-chan sending off warning bells in the back of my mind, but I tried to ignore them. I knew being around this boy was dangerous. "anyway, thank you," I said trying to skirt around him, but he stepped in front of me.
"No please, allow me to pay you with some food as a way of an apology," He says to me. He then produces a small loaf of bread, from where I'm unsure, and hands it over to me. It smells delicious, and my mouth waters just looking at it. I had forgotten to eat lunch before leaving the underworld, so I was pretty hungry at this point.
"Thank you!" I exclaim and scarf it down. The bread is warm and practically melts in my mouth. I can detect the slight hint of oats in it, and it tastes like the Underworlds version of Heaven. It doesn't take long, and the whole thing is gone, the boy in front of me laughing heartily.
"My name is Dulio, Dulio Gesualdo," he introduces himself, giving a small bow. I panic again, unsure of how to introduce myself. He waits patiently, a smile on his face. Just as I'm about to say something, however…
"Iyaa!" A cry sounds out from the edge of town. The two of us look in that direction…and I'm nearly sick. A creature, for that's all I can really describe it as, is there, roughly the size of a grizzly bear. But it seemed to almost be like a squid. It has white, slimy skin and long, pointed tentacles that it uses to crawl forward. A maw filled with row after row of sharp teeth awaits any who get too close. All in all the thing looks repulsive.
"Run, run away!" A man screams, running in the opposite direction of it. "It's the Krojemanchen!" I frowned, unsure of what that was, but I didn't sense anything really magical about this thing. It moved slowly, making its way towards the village center…and me and Dulio. The boy looked at the thing as if studying it, a small frown on his face, but he showed no sign of moving. My eyes widened.
"Run," I tell him. He looks at me, confused, before smiling.
"It's fine, you should run though, I'll take care of this," He says to me. I raise an eyebrow as he steps forward, raising both his arms in front of him. I gasp in surprise as I feel a sudden surge of power. Clouds begin to gather around the area…no specifically around the Krojemanchen. I see Dulio's shoulders rise and fall, meaning he's breathing heavy, and hear a crack of thunder. The villager's in the area stop running, staring at the boy who stands between them and the monster, fear, and confusion on their faces.
"In the name of God almighty, begone!" Dulio commands and I wince as he says God, and almost at the same time hail the size coconuts and blasts of lightning begin pelting the thing. It lets out a roar of pain, and put's its tentacles in front of its face, trying to stop the damage. The smell of burnt fish fills the air, and a particularly large hailstone severs one of its arms. As I watch though, the spot where the tentacle once was beginning to boil, and a smaller tentacle begins to reform. The remaining tentacles lash out towards the boy, who seems to be pre-occupied with focusing on the storm.
"Damnit," I curse and dash forward. I raise a barrier, managing to block the attack, though I grunt under the weight of it.
"What…" Dulio begins but then shakes his head, giving me a curious stare, while focusing on the storm once more. Deciding to forgo being hidden, I raise my hands, and a bow forms there made of pure green energy, much lock the arrow that's knocked in it. I let the arrow fly, and it split into a multitude of little ones. The arrows struck the thing at the same time as several more bolts of lightning.
*Dooooooonnnnnnnnn*
An explosion sounded throughout the area, and I heard another cry of pain from the creature. When the dust cleared, it was gone, nothing more than the remains of a few tentacles left. I was unsure if it had died, or simply retreated, but I did know I had to get out of there swiftly. Before I could move more than a couple of steps, however, I found myself surrounded by the Villagers.
"Thank you!" They cried, and suddenly I was lifted into the air, along with Dulio.
"Our heroes'!" They cheered, and we were thrown into the air and caught. Dulio was eyeing me with interest, but as he saw the look of panic on my face, he began laughing, a long, heart filled laugh. Soon, I was laughing too, unsure if I had made a new friend or a new enemy. Soon, they put us down, invited us to feasts and dinners. I waved them off, informing them I had to leave, but Dulio accepted with gusto. I watched him be led away by the Villagers but noticed he turned to look back on me. A small smile was lit up on his face, and he mouthed the words "We'll meet again." With that, he disappeared into a large building. I turned and sighed, beginning to make my way out myself, when a small child ran up to me.
"What's you name Hero-san?" He asked. I smiled and looked at the sky, before looking back at him.
"Alexander," I said to him. "Alexander Leraje." With that, I leave, smiling as he called out a thank you once more.
"What were you thinking," Grayfia scolded me as I arrived back home. While she knew I took these little excursions, she said she would only allow it if I never got into trouble, nor did anything stupid.
"I was thinking that the boy was in trouble and I needed to help him?" I questioned, not meeting Grayfia's eye. I knew it was stupid, I knew he was an exorcist of the Church, or at least related to them somehow, but I still didn't want to see an innocent boy die for no reason.
"Did you think for a moment that perhaps he knew what you were, and was just trying to lure you into using some sort of power?" She asked me. My eyes widened at that, and I didn't answer. "From the sounds of things, the boy was quite powerful." I lower my head, tears stinging my eyes once more.
(It's okay Nii-chan, you couldn't have known) Ana-chan comforts me, but it does little to appease me. I sigh and turn around, facing my bed.
"I'm sorry," I say lightly. I almost hear the sigh Grayfia makes, and am slightly shocked when I feel her hands on my shoulders.
"It's fine…I was just…worried," She admits. I look up at her, noticing just how close she is, and also noticing the light dusting of pink on her cheeks. I smile and turn, wrapping my arms around her.
"My, my Grayfia-chan," I tease. "Would you be so saddened if I disappeared?" I ask. Her face turns brighter red, aside I don't see ever, and she steps back, removing herself from my grasp.
"Of course not," She states, not meeting my eye now. "I would just be out of a job if you were to die." I laugh lightly and scratch the back of my head.
"I won't let it happen again, Grayfia-chan," I say and give a small bow. She nods her head at that and gives a small curtsy.
"Very well then, I'll be on my way then Alexander-sama," She says to me. I give a nod, and she leaves, closing the door behind her. I strip down, before tucking myself into bed, my mind wandering and thinking of the new friend I made today. Despite him being an exorcist…I wondered what he thought of Devils? I had heard that all exorcists were trained to hate us…but for some reason I couldn't see Dulio being that kind of boy. How could a boy hate something?
I was walking through the woods, Anastasia just behind me, the two of us smiling brightly. It was a beautiful day, and we had decided to go exploring in the woods, just the two of us, to see if we could find a place to play. Otou-sama had warned us not to go too far, as it was getting dark out, but we had ignored him, telling him that we would be perfectly safe in his territory, that there was no way there was anything dangerous out there. I had my bow just in case, but I didn't think I would need it. Soon the two of us found ourselves a small lake. We both cheered in excitement, and before Ana could say anything, I had stripped down to my underwear and jumped in. The water was cool and refreshing, and I could feel the life flowing through it. Ana-chan followed me shortly after, though she kept her dress on, and just let her feet get wet, not going into the deeper part.
"Nii-chan isn't this great!" She yelled to me, excited. I smiled and laughed, looking back at her.
"Yeah, how come Otou-sama never takes us here?" I ask. She shrugs, not sure herself.
"Otou-sama and Okaa-sama are always busy," She says, moving around in the lake. The moon is just beginning to rise, but it matters little to us as we are pure-blood devils, and can see in the dark perfectly fine. I swam for some time, before getting out and lying on the grass. Ana-chan came and joined me, laying her head on my chest and taking one of my hands in her own. We had always been close like this, and I ran my hand through her hair lightly as we lay there.
"I wish this could last forever Nii-chan," She said to me. I nodded, not wanting to answer as my eyes drifted closed. I had meetings in the morning with Otou-sama, and Okaa-sama was to teach me about various manners, like the proper way to dance and such. Grayfia-chan was to teach me proper etiquette as well and then guide me to Sensei. "Do you love me Nii-chan?" I looked down, confused as to why she would ask such a question all of a sudden. But my confusion turned to shock and horror as the scene changed before my eyes. Fire lit the forest in flames, and Ana-chan lay in my arms, blood pouring from the open wound in her chest, just below her heart. She raised a single, bloodied hand to my face, a smile on her own and tears running down both our cheeks. "Do you…love me…Nii-chan?" She asks once again and I nod quickly, still running a hand through her hair. "Good. Always smile. Keep smiling even when you can't. Make lots of friends. Make lots of family members. Always…keep…smiling. It's not your fault."
"Anastasia…Ana-chan…Ana-chan!" I cry and let out a howl of pain. The air fills with the sound of horns, and the smell of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers fill the air. Green waves wash off of me…the shadows melt.
I sit up, struggling to breathe, my heart pounding in my chest like it's trying to escape. My breath won't come and I feel like I'm suffocating. Tears flow down my cheeks, and the door suddenly opens. Standing there is Grayfia-chan, and it only takes her a moment to realize what is going on. She strides over, moving surprisingly quick, before she sits beside me, bringing my head to her chest and running her hands through my hair.
"Shhhh," she coos, and I can hear her heart-beat, moving surprisingly quickly. "Shh, shh, shh, calm now my little one, everything is okay. You did nothing wrong, you did all you could." I cough, the tears coming faster now, and I breathe in deeply, the air feeling refreshing for me as I find myself able to breathe. I cough and hiccup frequently, and it takes me a moment to realize I've soaked the front of Grayfia-chan's outfit. She tells me not to worry about it, that she will fix it shortly, and continues to comfort me.
"It's…it's *hic* all my…fault," I say at last. I can feel the sympathy washing off in waves from Ana-chan, but I ignore it, much like I ignore her telling me it's not my fault.
"No," Grayfia says sternly, pulling me back. She looks me in the eye, and I realize just now how panicked she looks. "It is not your fault, and don't you ever think that. I don't think it, your Otou-sama doesn't and neither does your Okaa-sama. The ones to blame are the ones who did the deed, to begin with." I try to look away, but she places her hands on either side of my face, forcing me to keep looking at her. "Do you understand that? Don't ever blame yourself."
"Yes…Grayfia-san," I murmur at last. She says nothing for a few moments before she pulls me in for another hug. She holds it for a moment more, before standing and looking at me, flattening the wrinkles out of her dress, and using some her magic to dry the front.
"Now then, I will wait for you to get dressed, and then it's off to training," She tells me. I nod, and she goes to walk outside.
"Wait," I say. She stops and looks at me, one eyebrow raised slightly. "Can you…stay here?" She seems slightly shocked that I would ask that, but then nods lightly.
"Very well Alexander-sama," She says to me with a small bow. It does not take me long, and soon I find myself standing beside her, my hand in hers. She says nothing, but I swear I feel her hand tighten just a little bit in my own, and the two of us walk out of my room together.
"What is the number one weakness of Devils?" Sensei asks sometime later. I was currently sat in the library with him and Okaa-sama, the three of us going over some history lessons. Grayfia-chan had to leave as she had to do some things for Sirzechs-sama but said she would be around later.
"Light," I answer simply. Sensei nods, and Okaa-sama sits forward. Okaa-sama is much like Ana-chan was. She has long, flowing Forest Green hair, though some gray can be seen within it, much like Otou-sama. She has a bright smile and the brightest blue eyes. She also is wearing an elegant dress, with a small badge showing the Clan symbol just above her left breast.
"Which house has control over the power of Destruction?" She asks me, her voice like a harp. I think about it for a few moments, before giving my answer.
"While the Gremory family is known for it in this day and age, it is actually the Bael family that originally possessed the power of Destruction, and still does to this day," I answer confidently.
"And why does the Gremory Family possess such a power?" Kaa-sama presses.
"Because the current Lady of the house was originally from the house of Bael," I state, earning a nod of satisfaction.
"Who are the Four Maou?" Sensei asks. This one was easy, as they were part of the original group that came here to introduce themselves to Otou-sama.
"Sirzechs Lucifer, Serafall Leviathan, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Falbium Asmodeus," I answer.
"Were they the original Maou?" He continues and I shake my head.
"No, they earned their titles after the Devil Civil war as they were shown to have power on par if not greater than that of the Original Satan's," I state. "Especially Maou Lucifer and Beelzebub." He nods in satisfaction.
"Of the seventy-two pillars, how many are considered extinct," She asks me next. I have to think carefully on this answer, as there are many extinct, but a few have surviving members in other clans.
"There are thirty-nine considered to be extinct," I begin, thinking carefully. "But we are still alive, aren't we? In addition, it is said that members of Buné and Sabnock families are still alive." They seem surprised, but give me a smile and nod at my answer. Okaa-sama looks at the clock, a large grandfather that her mother had given to her on her wedding day, and heaves a deep breath.
"Well, I think that is all for today," She says as she stands. I stand as does Sensei, Sensei giving a little bow. She smiles and bows slightly back, before leaving.
"Kaa-sama," I say just as she reaches the door. She turns, a look of confusion on her face. I go to say something else, but then shake my head. "Nothing, never-mind. Enjoy your day." She smiles at me and nods her head.
"And you as well, Alex-kun," She says to me before leaving. I turn and see Sensei looking at me, a smile on his face.
"Right, well, off to combat training," he says to me. I nod, and the two of us leave, him placing an arm on my shoulder as we do so.
"Come on Alexander-sama, hit me!" Sensei demands as I try another slash at him. We had been sparing for about an hour now, and I had yet to land a hit on him, while he had already knocked me down three times. Of all the forms of training we did, Sword-play was my weakest. I was okay at magic, I excelled at Hand-to-hand and archery, and I did well in my studies. But I couldn't grasp the art of the blade. Something told me I would never be a swordsman, which was okay with me and Otou-sama, as our family was known for their power over the bow. Still, I was told to train, as there could come a time where I would have to fight with a blade, and it was better to be prepared than not prepared. I grunted as I blocked a particularly vicious strike from Sensei, then feinted left, before trying to hit him on the right side.
*Thwack!*
The sound of wood meeting wood resounds throughout the courtyard as he easily blocks my attack. Before I can pull back, his foot rises up, trying to get my face. I lean back, narrowly dodging the attack, but miss the fact that his "blade" is now coming down on my head.
"Ow!" I cry out, staggering back and rubbing the top of my head. Tears well up in my eyes, but I shake them off. "Pain is a sign you're alive" Sensei would always say to me. I shake my head, trying to clear it, and look around, not sure where Sensei is. I know he wouldn't give up after hitting me one more time. He wouldn't allow me to stop until I landed a blow on him.
"Remember what I taught you, breathe," his voice whispered from behind me. I turned, but he was already gone, moving faster than I could see.
(Concentrate Nii-chan) Came my sister's voice. I closed my eyes, and with her help, I let my aura flow outwards, trying to find any interruptions.
"There!" I thought as I felt him moving to my left. Bringing up all my energy, I pointed my blade in that direction and launched a wave of freezing cold. Spires of ice formed in a path to where I had sensed Sensei, and after a moment he appeared, a smile on his face as one of the spires managed to dent the armor he had.
"I'm sorry!" I cry, realizing I could have hurt him. He laughs and shakes his head, stepping towards me.
"No, it is fine boy, do not worry about it," He tells me. "I'm impressed you managed to sense where I was." He ruffles my hair, and I feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. He frowns suddenly and looks to where the entryway is. I look too, as Sensei gives a salute and bow, and notice who is standing there for the first time. A man, probably around Sensei's age, with shoulder-length crimson hair and Blue-Green eyes stands there with a smile on his face. He has some sort of armor on, with a long gray and red cloak, and golden pauldrons. Standing behind him a little way is Grayfia-chan, who does nothing as I wave at her, and a small girl, with equally crimson hair. She seems to be around my age but is dressed much the same as a princess. She's currently looking at us with the curiosity only a child could have while holding the hand of the man. There was something familiar about that man though.
"There is no need to bow so low, old friend," The man said to Sensei. Sensei rose, an impish smile on his face, and the two strode towards one another before embracing. "It is good to see you."
"And you as well, Lucifer-sama," Sensei says, and my jaw nearly hit the floor. Lucifer-sama! As in the Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the four Maou! Why was he here? I notice the look of discomfort on his face at being called that and he gives a strained smile.
"Please, none of that here Piers, we're not at court anymore," Lucifer-sama said, and both men gave a laugh. Just as he looked at me the little girl gave a small tug on his hand.
"Nii-san…who are these people?" The girl asked. She spoke respectfully, or as respectful as a child could to royalty, but I sensed a familiarity between the two, one which was confirmed when she called him Nii-san.
"This is one of my oldest friends, Piers Ronové," He says. That brings a gasp from me and the two girls. The Ronové clan was said to have become extinct during the Great War, much the same as my clan. To think Sensei was one of them. Sensei grimaces as Sirzechs-sama says that, and looks anywhere but at me.
"Please Sirzechs…I haven't gone by that name in a long time…not since I was removed from their household," He tells him. That surprised me even more. Sensei had been nothing but loyal to us since he had been placed here all those years ago by Sirzechs-sama. What could he have done to be banished from the Clan before it was wiped out?
"Ah, sorry Piers, I forgot," Sirzechs admits while rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, that's who he is, and this." He then turns to me a smile on his face. "Is Alexander Leraje, heir to the Leraje Clan. Go on and introduce yourself." He motions the girl forward. She seems hesitant for a moment, looking back at Sirzechs for reassurance before she comes forward and sticks her hand out in front of me.
"Ano…I'm Rias…Rias Gremory," the girl says. I take her hand and gasp at the sensations that pass through me. I feel love, anger, chaos, and destruction all the while the smell of strawberries radiates through the air. Rias gasps too, not sure what is going on, but she doesn't remove her hand from mine. After a moment, the sensation stops, and I feel a warmth pass from my head to my heart, and smile brightly, feeling very at peace with the world.
"I'm Alexander Leraje, but you can call me Alex okay!" I tell her excitedly, glad to have met someone around my age finally.
"Ah, okay Alex-kun," She says hesitantly.
"I have some cool toys from the human world in my room, wanna come see?" I ask. She seems unsure, looking back at Sirzechs who nods, before turning to Grayfia.
"See that they're okay Grayfia," He tells her. She gives a small nod and a curtsy.
"Yes, Lucifer-sama," she responds, earning a groan from the Maou.
"I wish you wouldn't call me that," he complains, but it goes unheard.
"Come along," Grayfia says, and the two of us follow her, me bouncing up and down in excitement.
"Wow, you're really good Rias-chan!" I exclaim sometime later. The three of us, being Rias-chan, Grayfia-chan, and myself were currently in my room playing on one of the gaming machines I had gotten in the human world. It had come with a bunch of games, including some sort of dancing game, which Rias-chan seemed to be really good at. She had gotten five stars on every match so far, while I had barely scored four. Grayfia simply watched over us, not saying much and a rare smile on her face.
"Ah, thank you," Rias says, a small blush on her cheeks. "Kaa-san makes me take lessons." She continues, not looking at me. I nod my head, my smile wide.
"Okaa-sama makes me take lessons too, Grayfia-chan is my teacher!" I exclaimed excitedly, looking at the silver-haired maid as I do so. She says nothing but gives a small nod to Rias when the girl looks at her.
"You're just like me in a way then," Rias says to me and I smile. She then looks past me, where my bedside table is and has a curious look. "Who's that?" She asks. I turn around and feel my heart skip a couple of beats as I realize who she's asking about. It's the picture of me and my sister, standing arm, and arm, the last picture we had together before…that night.
"Ah…that's my Imouto, Anastasia-chan," I tell Rias, not meeting the crimson-haired girl's eyes. "She…died a couple of years ago." She says nothing, and I feel I may have scared her or upset her. I gasp when I feel something press against my side, and the smell of strawberries fills my nose. I look over and see Rias holding me in her arms, hugging me with a sad look on her face.
"I'm sorry," She says simply, and I can't understand why. Once more I feel tears stinging the corner of my eyes, but I smile at her.
"It's not a problem, you didn't know, how could you?" I ask looking at her. While we are the same age, she is slightly shorter than me, so I almost look down at her. She shakes her head and looks up at me, a small smile.
"I'm not sure what I'd do without my Nii-chan…so, I'm sorry that you had to go through something like that," She explains, and I smile. She soon releases me, a small blush on her face, and the two of us say nothing for some time. It's not an uncomfortable silence, and I can feel Grayfia eyeing the two of us, a curious look on her face.
"Ummm, do you have many friends Rias-chan?" I ask after some time, trying to get to know the girl a bit better.
"Ah, I have one, her name is Sona, Sona Sitri!" Rias says excitedly. Something tells me the two of them are really good friends by the way her face lights up when she says her name. But then it clicks with me. Sitri…wasn't it Lord Sitri who had been here for a visit the day before?
"They're one of the seventy-two pillars, aren't they?" I ask and she nods.
"That's right," She tells me. "And her Onee-sama is the current Maou Leviathan." Hmmm, I didn't know that, though now that I think about it, her name was Sitri before it became Leviathan. The Asmodeus was from the Glasya-Labolas clan, and the Beelzebub was from the Astaroth clan.
"That's amazing, two families of Maou's, and their siblings get along so well," I say, surprised. She laughs lightly and nods her head.
"Well, we met because our parents are friends, as are our Onee-sama and Onii-sama," She tells me. It makes sense really. The two of them would spend a lot of time together due to who their older were, so of course, they would become the best of friends.
"Ummm, would you be my friend?" I ask hesitantly. It seems silly to ask, considering here she was, playing in my room already and all, but I felt the need to do so anyway. After all, she was only here because her Onii-sama had come to speak to my Otou-sama I assumed.
"Of course, silly!" Rias exclaimed, touching my shoulder with her hand. "One can never have too many friends! You should come with me next time I go to meet Sona-chan!" She begins brimming with excitement at the prospect, and so do I, but then I look down at the ground and sigh.
"Ah, I can't," I tell her. She frowns, confused, tilting her head sideways.
"Why not?" She asks with all the innocence of a child.
"Otou-sama says I'm not really supposed to leave the grounds or at least stay away from others when I do so," I tell her. "Especially other Devils, as they're not supposed to know about us." She looks disappointed at that but then gives me a huge smile.
"Well, I'll talk to Onii-sama, perhaps we can find another way!" She declares, a look of triumph on her face. I laugh lightly, and she pouts, which I find to be cute. I feel a small pain in my head and feel the jealousy coming from Ana-chan.
(Onii-san, don't forget about me!) She cries while pouting and I laugh once more, confusing Rias.
"What is it?" She asks, and I quickly shake my head as Grayfia gives me a look.
"Ah, it's nothing don't worry about it, I just thought you were cute there," I lie. She blushes deeply, looking away from me.
"Cute…" She mumbles, but I don't quite catch it. She shakes her head and smiles at me, just as a knock is heard at the door. It opens to reveal Otou-sama and Sirzechs-sama, as well as Sensei.
"Well Rias, it looks like you were having fun," Sirzechs observes, looking at the two of us with a smile. I can see a smile on Otou-sama and Sensei as well, but try not to look at them.
"Nii-san! Nii-san, can Alex-kun come over to meet Sona-chan sometime?!" She asks excitedly. I look at the three of them, Otou-sama and Sensei looking surprised, while Sirzechs-sama simply smiles.
"Soon Rias, very soon," He says to her. She seems hopeful, and a part of me feels that hope as well. He then looks at me, granting me a small smile. "Thank you for entertaining and looking after my Imouto." I nod, giving a small bow, but he waves his hands, almost impatiently. "Please, no bowing…I get enough of that." I laugh, as does Sensei and Otou-sama. I feel a glimmer of hope, that I'll finally get to see some of the world, and get to make new friends at last. I love my parents and my home, but it would be nice to see parts of the world that aren't in far-off corners with very little people. Though I go out to the Human world and speak with the humans there, I have never met another Devil aside from the ones that help me here.
"Thank you!" I say excitedly. They all smile at me, and for once, I feel nothing but excitement for the future.
So, this is a brand-new story I'm doing. I have chapter 7 in the works for Rise of The Fallen, and Lord of Nature is kinda on hold for now, as despite writing so little, I find myself uninspired to write more for it at the time. I kind of trapped myself in Lord of Nature (which is funny considering my name) so, yeah. Anyway, so this particular story is going to be based on an extinct Household of the Seventy-Two Pillars known as the Leraje family. According to Demonology "Leraje is a mighty Great Marquis of Hell who has thirty legions of demons under his power. He is depicted as a gallant and handsome archer clad in green, carrying a bow and quiver." So, converting this over to the DXD world, I figured I'd make Alexander have a "magical" bow, which is something I don't see in any other Fan-Fictions (If someone knows of one, let me know!) Alexander will have a bit of a shadowed past, one which involved the death of his sister at the hands of unknown assassins. He blames himself for what happened and has panic attacks etc. because of it. More will be explained on that later.
I felt like throwing in that his Parents look "old". I wanted them to be kind of side characters, there but not overly important, as I want this story to focus on Alexander and his journeys. I also wanted to put focus on the strain that losing not only one child, Alexanders Older Brother, but two has put them under a lot of stress, so the magic to make them look younger is strained, and for the most part they don't care anymore about looking young, focusing on other things. I also want Alexander to be informed about what the Devil world is as it stands, hence Grayfia being his maid, despite being Sirzechs Queen.
Now onto the important parts haha. I tried to make it ambiguous as to whether or not Grayfia should be in his Harem (Of course it's gonna be a Harem, it's Highschool DXD). I leave that up to you, the readers, so please let me know. In addition, I didn't want to do anything just yet that would basically put someone in his Peerage (I.E, have him meet one of Rias' peerage members before her and claim them) so that I could leave it up to you if you want his Peerage to contain characters from Sona or Rias' peerage, or else just have characters that aren't in any peerage in canon (I.E Elmenhilde or Kuno, etc.). I'm also thinking of making a couple OC's for his Peerage, which would be listed much the same as his "stats" are below, and of course, they would have their own Arcs. I have ideas for OC's, but again, wanted to hear your opinion. OC's would most likely be Male, though I could make them female, but I want to keep the amount of people in his Harem reasonable (I.e I don't want him to have fifty girls in it).
Let me know what you think, look forward to Chapter 7 of Rise of The Fallen and leave a review here.
Name: Alexander Leraje
Age: 10 (same age as Rias/Sona)
Race: Pureblooded Devil, High Class, Rank Marquis
Appearance: Forest Green hair that comes down to chin, heterochromia eyes, left one being ice blue, right one being forest Green. Quite fit despite age, multiple scars on chest and back. Tall for age, and will be tall in the future.
Powers: Alexander is a powerful wielder of the Bow of the hunt, the magic that forms the basis for his "extinct" clan. The Leraje family were known as powerful Bowmen and masters of the hunt. Alex has inherited this, and more, and focuses on his bowmanship for the most part. In addition, because of his Imouto's influence, he has mediocre magical skills and is currently training in the art of the blade and Hand-to-Hand.
Alexander Peerage
King: Alexander Leraje
Queen: Empty
Rook I: Empty
Rook II: Empty
Knight I: Empty
Knight II: Empty
Bishop I: Empty
Bishop II: Empty
Pawn x8 (Just to save the space, not necessarily one pawn with eight pieces): Empty
Harem Possibilities listed in chapter 2 or 3.