Chapter 1- Starting A Fire
Observe.
A stray streak of light traveling from our life giving sun at speeds unimaginable across millions of miles. It's destination? A small house in a certain devil-controlled city.
It's purpose?
To hit Aotaka Yume right in the fracking eye.
"Gaaaahhh" he groaned, waking from his eternal slumber to reluctantly walk the earth once more. His body rose and he started to scratch his messy black hair while fumbling for the glasses on the desk next to his bed.
Aotaka glared at his curtains which despite being rearranged thousands of times never seemed to stop the sun from shining right in his cerulean eyes and waking him. It made him wonder what the point of even setting an alarm was, then he looked at the clock on the opposite side of his room and noticed that it was five minutes past when his normal wake up time.
Flopping out of bed and putting on his glasses. Taka shuffled his way towards his desk where his phone was and groaned when he realized he forgot to charge the damn thing. After plugging it in to give a bit of life while he got ready, he opened the curtains and gave the sun a look of reluctant thanks.
After bathing and putting on his Kuoh academy uniform with a blue shirt underneath, he headed outside before stopping to look at his father's picture on the wall which showed a well-built man with Aotaka's own messy black hair and a grin that showed to everyone that he was a man that full enjoyed life and did so to the end.
Looking for a few seconds with an inscrutable look on his face. Aotaka then turned his attention to the sticks of incense in a bowl that laid next to the photo, he snapped his fingers and they light up filling the house with the soothing scent of cherry blossom that was the favorite of both father and son.
As he always did Taka remembered for a few seconds when they light them together and worked on their projects, Kokū Yume on his books which even now paid for his life and Aotaka on his magic, mostly fire, which despite his meager reserves still brought joy to them both with every success.
A small smile came to his face and he headed out the door, a tune playing in his head that he hummed along too.
Kuoh Academy
After a set of morning classes filled with languages, Taka walked through the school hallways, bored out of his mind and wishing for something to break the monotony.
It wasn't that he had a problem with Kanji in fact he had a knack for languages which helped with his magic, but it was an over-complicated system and English wasn't much better since much of it didn't follow any logic at all being an amalgam of god-knows how many languages.
All in all they didn't engage his brain and for most of the classes he was pretty much in a daze waiting for something to happen
Sadly even though Devils were in control of the school, it wasn't more interesting than any other in Japan, in fact the source of most of the chaos at Kuoh Academy tended to be a certain trio of
"PERVERTS!"
Ah speak of the not-a-devil, Taka leaned against the wall next to corridor where the yell came from and waited 1,2,3….
"Sup Issei where are the other two?" he said as a brown hair boy ran past like he had all of hell's legions on him
Skidding to a halt Issei Hyoudou turned around to face him. "Hey Taka. Matsuda, Motohama and I decide to split u.p to evade the Kendo Club, so I haven't seen you in a while however you been."
"Yeah not since two weeks ago when I had to stop the swim team girls from kicking your ass, honestly man are you a masochist or something? because that's the only reason I can come up with."
Ise looked stricken by my words then he suddenly steeled his body and he got the feeling that he was in for another one of Ise's speeches that sounded epic until you realized that they were all centered around peeped at girls.
"A masochist? Of course not! But the price of being a pervert is high; pain, mockery and loneliness despite that I will not abandon it! I will follow this path for eternity and never shall I regret it not matter what the price!"
Taka could only nod along in amazement thinking that if he ever got over the pervert thing he could probably become a good damn politician, then he looked down the corridor and said.
"Good speech Ise I'm glad you don't regret it because its looks like it's to pay the price."
"What do you mean" he said before noticing where Tora was looking and seeing the enraged and utterly merciless kendo club heading his way and without a word he sped away so fast Tora could swear he left an afterimage.
Shaking his head with a grin as the group of enraged females followed him Tora started heading to his next class before hearing a soft giggle.
Turning around he felt a shock at seeing Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima, Kuoh Academy's top idols and more importantly high-class devils who could destroy him with the same effort as blinking.
Still it's not like this was the first time he had seen them so he could control himself easily.
"Oh hello Gremory-sempai I didn't notice you there, how are you."
"Fine …Yume-san right? I was just listening in on Hyoudou-san speech, he's quite amusing when he gets worked up isn't he?"
Gremory was beautiful as always with red hair that stood out a lot more than his ordinary sable did, He also wished he knew more about the devils since her surname was in the Ars Geotia which meant she was born with power that far exceeded him even with all his training.
With a small giggle Akeno interject "Yes he has such passion and drive still I wasn't aware that he had friends outside of those other two."
He didn't know what it was about Akeno because while she was just as attractive as Rias, had greater *Cough*assets*Cough* and was as far as he knew the perfect Japanese woman something about her was…..off. Maybe it was how some of her words could be taken the wrong way…like deviant wrong but he always felt uncomfortable around her like she both pulled and pushed at him throwing him off. She probably wasn't originally human like Kiba and those girls in the student council but that didn't explain the feeling.
"Well even though we're in the same year Ise and I don't really hang out. I just know him since I'm in the swim club and have to chase him away when he tries to spy on the girls still conversations with him are always amusing. Still despite his…tendencies he's probably the most interesting thing here at Kuoh." he said with a small grin at who he was saying this too.
To Taka's surprise Rias agreed.
"Yes now that I have gone to see him for myself instead of just hearing about his antics I must say he certainly is a most interesting person."
Her words made a small frown of suspicion appear on his face 'why does she sound so interested in him…could it be…nah' but it soon disappeared.
"Well it was nice talking with you Gremory-senpai, Akeno-senpai but I have class so see you later."
With this he left the two idols, wondering what a high-class devil wanted with Ise, he did feel something strange about him and his classmate Yuuto who was a devil felt the same way but it didn't feel like magic or demonic power, he wish he knew more magicians but unlike most he learnt his magic from books without an instructor so his knowledge was pretty limited in none spell related things.
Rias Gremory looked at the departing second-year with some curiosity.
"Aotaka Yume…. Why do I know that name? Akeno do you know?"
"Hmm….I think he was actually somewhere on the list of people who had some potential, he's in good physical shape from his time in the swim team, he goes to a gym occasionally and I think he has a bit more magical power than an ordinary person so he might be a decent magician with a bishop piece and some training"
"Ah yes now I remember, but training a novice in magic takes too long so I forgot about him, still… wasn't he acting strangely just now?"
"Yes…perhaps he was nervous about talking to both of the great Oujo-samas and his insecurities began to eat at him, driving him to despair until all he could was run away in fear." she said with an evil smile and a disturbing blush on her face.
With a sigh Rias responded "Akeno please control your sadism at school, any way like he said it's almost time for class so let's go and remember we need to talk about Issei later."
Kuoh Academy Pool
"Ahhh" all of Taka's worries went away as he slipped into the school pool. While going to a devil controlled school was annoying at times, he could not complain about the facilities in the slightest. It may be a bit strange for a fire magician to love the water so much maybe it was because his favourite colour was blue? Still it was useful as for practice by using his magic subtly to surround his body in heat, it always felt like swimming in a sauna.
He wasn't sure how he would rate amongst other magicians since he couldn't use too many spells without tiring but he focused on using what he had to the greatest effect and his control was enough that he could avoid the aggravating chill of the pool water without anyone noticing.
He probably wouldn't do too well in a fight since he couldn't throw large fireballs like the books said he should do despite having the necessary knowledge and calculations but if he could get close he had a few tricks that should help even things out but he wasn't looking for trouble and it's not like anyone was interested in him.
After the swim club ended he threw on some clothes go ready to leave, he would get rid of the chlorine at home using some minor cantrips designed to remove impurities that he found applied to more than curses and other evil magic.
As he reached the exit to the pool he suddenly paused.
'I feel something….a presence I have not sensed since….this morning'
Taka looked at a nearby bush, one that was very close to the changing room of the female swim club members and his eyes narrowed.
He walking slowly towards the bush and stared at it intently, anyone watching would think he was crazy but he knew the dangers that the bush contained.
"Really? After this morning you're doing this...I got to say your intentions aside, your determination is admirable."
The bush remained silent but it did shuffle guiltily like a child caught with its hands in the cookie jar.
Taka continued to look impassively before sighing.
"Well…I suppose I could turn a blind eye this time in recognition of your efforts…" at his words the bush straightened in joy.
With this Taka turned and headed home leaving them to do as they wished…..
AS. IF.
"Yeah Right!" he yelled running to the bush and elbow dropped it which considered his above average size and strength cause critical damage to it's contents.
"Gahhh! You dick" groaned Issei code name 'King of Perverts' as Taka could now see him and his friends the other two thirds of Kuoh's Perverted Trio.
"I trusted you!"
"Really? You actually thought I would just let you get away with this? Geez Ise you've got to be less gullible, you're lucky I didn't light the bush on fire."
"How do you always find us." yelled Ise rubbing his head since he's the one that got most of the elbow drop.
"Your perversion taints the very earth and God guides my fists to smite you of your deviant ways."
"You bastard why…why would you give us hope only to take it away so cruelly" cried Matsuda code name 'Perverted Baldy'.
"Because it amuses me" he said with a completely straight face.
"Why should you be the one to enjoy the swimming bishoujos, why can't we have that" this was Motohama code name 'Perverted Glasses' who had tears in his eyes.
"If you wanted to see the girls why don't you just join the swimming club?" Taka asked.
"…huh" the trio said.
"I don't have a girlfriend but if you guys work hard in the swim club without being a pervert about it, I'm sure some girls would be interested in you and Matsuda didn't you use to be a sports star?Surely some girls were interested in you."
At his words the perverted trio huddled up and began discussing this revelation in hushed tones, after a few moments they broke apart and Issei, the appointed leader went and looked at Taka straight in the eye.
"Too much work"
Cue face fault.
Getting back to his feet he looked at the trio with a look that said quite clearly. "Seriously?"
"Hey doing sports takes a lot of time and to get good takes even longer." this was Matsuda.
"Sure some girls was interested but I didn't have time to date a girl and after I stopped sports they all pretty much disappeared."
"Huh….that actually seems reasonable…kinda and here I though you guys were doing this because you were the scum of the earth."
"Hey" yelled the not quite scum of the earth trio.
"Still you guys should tone it down if you want to stop getting in these situations it's getting kinda creepy."
Ise however took offense at his advice and decided to strike back.
Taka braced himself from another speech but the intensity was much greater than this morning.
"Tone it down? How dare you! Our acts are fueled by our manly passion! It is our dream! To abandon that dream in the face of adversity would be to deny ever being a man in the first place!"
At these words Aotaka Yume found himself face with a will and desire so strong and intense that it made him back away and what's more it seemed to empower the other two of the idiot perverts and give the trio a presence that Taka had struggled to withstand.
'Damn! I forgot the power of Issei's speeches is increased in accordance to the numbers of perverts in the vicinity.'
His power fading, he utilized a weapon so powerful that he hesitated to use, but it was the only way to prevail.
"Your words are powerful but the fact remains that your actions have prevented all of you from having a girlfriend and fulfilling those desires!"
At the power of Taka's ultimate weapon both Matsuda and Motohama instantly succumbed, falling to the ground tears in their eyes unable to deny the truth of his words.
To Taka's shock however Ise seemed to be immune to his words! Impossible!
"Hahahahaha your weapon is indeed powerful Taka, even a week earlier I would have been defeated but now I am immune because I Hyoudou Issei." He proclaimed with his head majestically facing the sky. "have a girlfriend."
At these impossible words, a blow struck Taka in a place he had never been hit before. His pride as a man.
"It can be" he said struggling to deny those incomprehensible words.
"It is" Ise said cruelly "her name is Yuuma Amano and we're going on our first date tomorrow….and what more" dealing the final blow
"She was the one who asked me out!"
Taka could not withstand this. Even if romance was never an important thing in his eyes, for Issei Hyoudou, a man who was a famed pervert to get a girlfriend before him seemed to be wrong and made him question the universe and its inner workings. Surely God was dead and now only cruel chaos reigned on his place.
His legs shaking, Taka wander away in a daze. "you have won this round Ise, I…I wish you happiness in your relationship."
"I'm sorry Taka" he said solemnly "as a former single man I did not wish to use such a weapon but your words pushed me, I hope you can forgive me."
Taka did not respond so shocked was he but he gave a short nod before leaving the pool defeated.
With a sigh at what he was forced to do, Ise turned around to face the wrath of his friends who had recovered and were now preparing to punish this man who dared to get a girlfriend before them. He knew the price he would pay for revealing his hidden weapon and accepted it with dignity.
The Next Day
Aotaka Yume looked at himself in the mirror and in a voice that brook no question told himself.
"YOU ARE AWESOME."
"So what if Ise fricking Hyoudou got a girlfriend before you, it doesn't mean you are any less awesome! So what if she's the one that asked him out! You know Magic! You can make Fireballs! Can Issei do that?!"
"Sure you're no bishonen like Kiba but you work out and you've got cool blue eyes YEAH AWESOME!"
"…maybe I should start wearing contacts?"
His self-worth somewhat recovered from yesterday's revelation, Taka decided to start practicing his magic and see if he could refine his control further. He had long accepted that his magic power wasn't going to grow by much. He didn't know how other magicians trained but even if he exhausted his magic supply the increase was minuscule and while he continued to do so, it was an inefficient method. So he opted to focus on improving the effectiveness of his magic instead.
Sadly this didn't work too well either since most of the magic he tried he either failed or the effect was once again minimal. Teleportation he learnt after a couple weeks of training but it took much magic to use from going home to school and back plus it would alert the devils and then he would be screwed. Seals and other word based magic were decent since it mainly required the necessary knowledge. He had some success with barriers but even though he could make a shield it didn't matter if every person you faced had enough power to simply overwhelm it.
Healing was a bust requiring too much magic for him to use and illusions was ill-suited for him since while he did have the necessary control, it required character traits that he simply did not have like unswerving faith and determination to solidify the illusion and he was just way too fickle and erratic. That left the elements which he had the most success in not that that was saying much; earth and water were a bust, he could make sparks with lightening, with extreme focus his wind was average and then there was FIRE.
The first day he used fire was the most exciting moment in his life, when he used his magical energy like his tomes dictated the results was…..average.
But considering what his previous results this was a miracle and when he felt the red fire appear in his hand even though he should have been tired he never felt more alive.
As he practiced his control over fire grew and while he was still limited by his reserves when he wielded the flames they DANCED.
He had finally found his niche and it felt good, he wondered why fire suited him so well and he found that fire was…..apparently the easiest element to use but also the hardest to control and contain which didn't apply to Taka since he didn't want to contain the fire he want it to flare and burn.
From the information he gathered fire was best for impulsive, willful people and while he tried to deny the negative trait, he did happened to make uninformed spur of the moment decisions like trying to learn magic without any advice from any of the magical groups around, not that he knew how to contact them.
He wondered what he could do with this since despite this he was still just above an average person in terms of magical energy. Then he figured that if he could learn to use the giant spells he would just use his body to make up the difference.
He wasn't sure which sport to go into but he figure that with swimming he could train his magic and body at the same time and with swimming exercising his entire body he made sure he wouldn't neglecting any part of his body.
He wondered how to use this to fight and since his books didn't have anything on this he went to his other major source of information…anime.
The results were varied he thought Fairy Tail would work but the main character's moves looked that they'd take a lot more magical energy than he had to imitate though increasing the weight of his blows by using flames was useful.
Naruto was mostly a bust since the fire moves weren't feasible, he thought he had something with the rasengan but while he could concentrate the flames by spinning, turning the normally red flames orangish and more destructive, making it into a sustaining ball was out of his reach, still mixing wind with fire was also informative but took a lot of energy.
Then he found an answer of sorts in something that wasn't an anime but animesque; Avatar the Last Airbender, the creators of the series mixed martial arts with the elements and while he couldn't really imitate the techniques, the focus on precision and wielding the elements using your entire body gave him ideas.
He went to kickboxing gyms in order to build a foundation of how to fighting, there he learnt how to do basic things like how to properly throw punches and kicks; straights, uppercuts, front kicks and the obligatory round house kick. After learning how properly give and take hits and honing his reflexes, he was ready to figure out how to apply his magic to give his attacks the needed push.
Which leads to now as Taka stood in his basement, in the past he practiced his magic here and it was full tomes containing information on the arcane arts that hand lasted throughout the ages.
Then he realized he could save a lot of space if he just scanned the pages and put them on a tablet and now those books were in a box somewhere next to his grandmother's knickknacks.
He took a regular boxing stance and accessed his magic power and made the necessary calculation to create fire. Then he then did something that was of his own making using his will to direct the magical flame. While this would normally require arcane calculations he did not have the necessary knowledge so he instead guided the flame with his will to spiral around his arms, he tried to do the same with wind the only other element he could use effectively but no avail, still fire was more offensively powerful so it wasn't a big loss.
With the flames spinning Taka took a breath and launched a series of punches at a non-existent foe, he didn't have the energy to waste on throwing a barrage of fireballs so instead he concentrated the flames on his arms and focused on increasing the power of his blows while losing as little magical energy as possible, the faster he spiralled the flames and turned them into a deeper orange the hotter and more destructive his blows became, exceeded what he could with a fireball for less energy though manipulating the flames also drained him magically and mentally especially at a distance.
When he tried sending spinning fireballs the results while effective were way too draining, the smaller bullet versions though were much better though they took a good deal of mental focus.
After practicing his techniques for while trying to refine what he had, he had worked up a sweat and his magical power was low so he took a nap after cooking a light lunch.
Then he dreamed of the past just a short 2 years ago when his father, a man who dreamed and wrote of extraordinary things died an ordinary death.
Wet roads coming home from a late night party with his friends, he didn't drink he was smarter than that but just smart can't stop chance from screwing with things.
Even in a world that he knew had devils, angels, fallen, magicians and a hundred other crazy things, that doesn't stop the most ordinary of things from happening.
He knew then that even if he had magic it wouldn't be able to protect him from chance, some day he would die. He had no idea about any details but he knew that he would fight it the only way he could by living a life that burned like a flame.
He had some ability with magic, who cares if it wasn't much it was part of him and he wouldn't deny it. He tried to be a person like his father someone accepted their flaws and didn't let it stop them from enjoying things and experiencing the twists of life.
He wanted a life that burned even in the face of death, he may face regrets but they wouldn't be because he denied himself. What mistakes he made were his own but so were the successes and experiences that life gave him.
These were the little guidelines he made up and now all he could do was try to live up to them.
He woke and looked out of the window it was still day but only for about another hour, he considered what to do, he though about cooking dinner but didn't feeling like it, order something? If he was going to get some food might as well get out of the house he had been in all day.
In Town
Taka wandered around town just looking around, He had only eaten a small lunch but I wasn't hungry just yet so just walked around the town looking around for something to do, his headphones had worn out so he got a decent blue pair to replace it and continued looking around, humming along to some songs from various anime
"Now You Feel Like Numbah One…."
'Oh Bleach how I miss you and your awesome soundtrack.'
Taka was just about ready for some early dinner when he saw something that made his self-worth which was repaired after some magical training take yet another blow.
Ise walking with a girl with black hair in a short purple jacket and black dress, he couldn't see her face at a distance but he doubted Ise would look so happy if she wasn't pretty.
'Guess he wasn't lying, good job I guess Ise. Though I wonder how in the hell you did it.'
He turned around wanting to leave the new couple alone when he felt….something, it was familiar but seemed stronger than what he was reminded of and he walked around for a couple minutes trying to remember where he had felt this.
'Is it some residual magic? Some people were giving out some flyers with some demonic summoning circles but I burnt mine. This doesn't feel similar and why does it bother me so much? There are plenty of types of magic out there especially in this town so why…"
It was only after he took off his headphones and focused on the energy that he realized why that the energy refused to leave his mind…because when he was around a certain high-class devil, something about her power made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
Taka head in the direction that the couple was walking trying to calm his mind putting his new headphones around his neck.
'So is this Yuuma a friend of Akeno? I thought the devils were interested in Ise for some reason, but she doesn't feel like a devil at all so why would they call her to recruit Ise? And I don't think Devils attract their recruits by asking them out on a date.'
He followed the uncomfortable feeling trying to suppress the feeling of distaste that it brought.
"I go to a school with fricking devils why does it bother me so much?"
After a couple minutes of half walking half jogging he finally reach a park outside to see at a fountain, Ise and Yuuma…
Talking!
'Alright maybe I was wrong'
Then things turned to shit, 'Yuuma' grew a pair of black wings and even if he had never met one, Taka knew what that meant and the implication of one of them in devil-controlled territory.
A pink spear of light appeared in her hands and she threw it just and Taka who was running towards them even if he couldn't reach it in time raised his hands and in an instinctive act sent a spiraling bullet of fire at it deflecting it from skewering Ise who stood shock as the revelation that his girlfriend was a fricken fallen not that he knew that was what they were called.
"Huh?" Raynare so eloquently stated before looking for the interloper who had interfered to see only a human who had reached her prey.
"Ise run you stupid bastard!" Taka yelled dragging a shocked Issei away from the fountain.
"Taka? What going on? Yumma and wings and spears and fire."
Taka turned and sent a second spiraling bullet at 'Yuuma' which hit but only distracted her and simultaneously slapped Ise in the face.
Note slapping people in the face does not usually help, in this case however…..
After a dazed looked on his face for a second Ise's brain rebooted and looked at his friend.
"Taka! Yuuma wants to kill me!"
"Yeah I figured what with the deadly weapon of tainted light and all."
"Why!"
"No idea but I don't think she's done yet"
"Correct filthy magician, I'm surprised the devils sent a human magician to stop me."
"…the devils? Sorry miss I'm just a wandering mage doing my good deed for the day, saving mostly innocent teenagers from creatures of tainted light."
'Yuuma' looked pissed and another spear of light appeared in her hands.
"So some random human magician things they can stop me, Raynare!"
'Oh good her name's Raynare those quotation were getting annoying.'
This and other nonsensical thought were rushing through Taka's head as he realized that he was in what was probably a life or death battle with only a teenager with no fighting ability as his ally and with magical reserves that he realized were only half of his already small normal supply thanks to his earlier training.
'Why didn't I order so takeout but no… I had to do things, see the town, get some fresh air and light spears in my lungs.'
Ise was coming to terms with the rather abrupt turn his life was taking.
'So Yum- Raynare is some kinda of monster even though she's still hot and Taka is some kinda of magic guy with fire and I'm….crap I'm the damsel in distress aren't I.'
"Um Taka….thanks for...you know, saving my life" Issei said figuring he might as well get it out of the way now, maybe he would give him some of his 'collection' as a thank you if they got out of this.
"Yeah no problem…..but Issei."
"Yeah?"
"If I die because of your fallen angel girlfriend I'm kinda gonna have to beat the crap out of you…cool?" He said while sending some more fire bullets that threw off Raynare's aim but failed to do any real damage
"…Alright and what are our chances?"
"Well….." Taka said pulling Ise out of the way of another light spear which this time exploded shattering the pavement.
"I'm going to be honest ...you're pretty much dead weight."
"I figured…."
"Plus I'm not at my best right now." he said dodging left to avoid an attack from an increasingly aggravated Raynare.
'…Do you have a plan?"
"Run Ise….. Run away very fast if I don't have to worry about you and I can take this in close combat and end it."
Ise was horrified at what Taka was saying, could he just leave one of the few people he was friends to possible die alone?
'FUCK THAT.'
"Are you crazy? I'm not leaving you, make a better plan."
Taka took a second from avoiding death to give Ise a blank look at his ridiculous demands before he let out a sigh and a small smile came to his face.
"If you don't want to leave then just stay back, keep alert of her attacks and don't die so I can finish this."
Raynare stopped her assault and look at him with an incredulous look.
"Finish this? He's right you are crazy. How many magicians do you think I've killed already?'
"No idea but…." Taka said with his open hands in an inviting pose as the small almost peaceful smile on his face turned into an unnerving grin and red fire appeared in his hands before spiraling around his arms cloaking them in flames.
"Let's just see if you can continue that streak Fallen."
With a burst he ran at the enemy, he didn't know why but while it was impulsive, stupid and likely to get him killed it felt right to attack.
It wasn't just because she tried to killed Ise whose only crime as far as he was concerned was being hit by puberty too hard, her existence just pissed him off, with Akeno somehow becoming a devil apparently made him more at ease around her than if she wasn't.
He dodged left and right to evade the spears of light using small bursts of flames on his feet to increase his speed allowing him to avoid the spears as Raynare was now focusing solely on him.
'Good Issei will be alright as long as I can end this.'
Taka could then focused solely on the foe in front of him trying to simultaneously get closer while dodging, all the while conserving his ever diminishing power for the needed blow.
Because of this he couldn't avoid the blows completely and some spears nicked him splattering his blood on the once peaceful park.
He knew that this would happen so continued onward not letting it bother him but not knowing it did bother someone else….
Issei Hyoudou was a person who was ordinary in most aspects; home life, grades and ability these were normal and common which was uncommon for one with the power he possessed.
If one thing could make him worthy of the power he unknowingly possessed it would be that he embraced things fully; when he became a pervert he became one without equal, when he made friends he would embrace them for life and when he was hurt…the wounds would not heal easily. Yuu-Raynare hurt him but when he saw a friend getting injured on his behalf…suffering because of him that pain was swallowed by anger
And when Issei Hyoudou became truly angry he felt something that did not suit a teenager from Japan but rather a creature of raw power that was and still is feared by those of the three factions and Issei Hyoudou didn't notice that his left hand which was clenched so tightly blood began to drip on the ground began to glow Red.
'Finally' Taka thought as he finally reach close enough to Raynare that she couldn't through her spears without giving him an opening.
Raynare looked at him a human who despite being blood stained and obviously drained still looked at her with that unnerving grin that could give Freed a fun for his money and arms that spun with fire had forced her into close combat which was her main weakness. Still doing so brought up then question.
"Why bring this into close combat at all? Magicians fight from a distance" she asked while forming a sword of light that she charged enough of her power that it would get rid of this troublesome mage after a single touch.
With a shrug that hide how hard it was becoming to maintain the spiralling fire he replied "Hey I like a personal touch. Attacking from a distance is too…. unsatisfying." a chuckle escaping his lips and unnerving Raynare further which Taka found he rather liked for some reason.
'Figures it would take a life or death battle to learn I'm a sadist.'
"Fine then." Raynare said steeling herself and wielding a broadsword of light with both hands and aiming it right at Taka. "come on so I can finish my job."
Done with the banter he launched himself at Raynare if he wanted to end this he couldn't waste any more energy with dodging.
'Just go in, end this and trust in the Japanese medical system to patch you up afterwards.'
He was then just in range to attack and so was she.
A broadsword of light was incoming from the left and steeling himself he put an arm to take the blow hoping she would be shocked enough that by the sacrificial play that she would falter reducing the damage to his body further.
Then he looked in her eyes and that hope died, she had something, something that made her blade swing without hesitation.
In the span of a single second Taka's eyes looked at the incoming blade and the same instincts that told him that Raynare was wrong told him that the sword would explode like some of her spears and that the moment it hit him, he would die before he could lay a single blow.
And in that same span he came up with a plan.
That same arm that was going to block pulled downwards shocking Raynare and Issei.
'What is your plan magician?'
'What are you doing Taka? I've got to do something!'
Then in a calculated, controlled, completely insane move that arm shot up just in time to hit the blade on its flat side causing it to fracture.
Even with this timing the explosion at close range would still end the fight but Taka didn't want to end the fight just yet so continuing his strike he shifted the blade upwards, focusing so intently on the spiralling flames on his left arm that he almost lost control of the one on his right.
And just before the blade exploded he release those concentrated flames on his right hand upwards.
With those flames as a guide all Raynare could do was scream in pain and frustration as fire ate at her hands and made her explosions travel skywards harming leaving her foe unscathed.
With that unnerving grin Taka looked Raynare right in her eyes his message clear.
"Checkmate."
Spinning the flames as much as he possible could, turning them into a pure orange his fist crashed into the fallen's stomach and he released the fire allowing it to do want it wished so much and Raynare was sent careening into the nearby fountain shattering it.
Panting at the effort laying out her he tried to keep his leg steady and ignore the pain from the numerous small cuts on his body.
'I should feel amazing, my first fight was against a fallen angel part of the three factions that have been around for centuries and I won!'
'But….. I'm just tired and bleeding and fairly certain I overdid with that attack and ohh things are getting blurry.'
Taka tried to steady his legs which now were uncomfortably jelly like and turned to Issei and tell him the important of checking dates on Facebook. A little background information could stop little problems like this happening.
He turned and saw a brown haired blur in the distance a less unnerving grin appeared on his face and he opened his mouth to give a snarky comment.
'SHUNCK'
'What The?'
Taka looked down and saw the point of the pink spear that was currently lodged in his back poking out the center of his torso.
He didn't really…feel anything.
Slowly he raised his hand to touch the pink spear.
"Not Right." he choked, not fully knowing what he meant by that as something that tasted liked copper filling his mouth.
He tried to turn and face his attacker but found he was only able to shift his upper body towards her. Losing control of his legs all he could do collapse on the ground and see his blood flowing on the pavement so very very slowly and finding that he didn't like the idea of pain very much.
'Maybe I'm not a sadist maybe I just like messing with people like schadenfreude figures it would take dying to figure that out.'
Then his eyes turned to look at Raynare a large burn embedded on her stomach, her hands burnt but holding a knife, no more like a spike of light and a large grin on her face, the smile that comes from turns the tables on someone who thought they had you, Taka should know he had it a minute ago.
"Heh looks like you were wrong, it was just Check magician….anything to say before I shove this in your heart and finish this pain in the ass job?"
He gathered the last of his strength and looked his killer right in the eyes opening his mouth to defy her only to realize that...
"I can't really think of anything."
Raynare…..actually looked somewhat disappointed, he supposed she had heard a lot of final words and was expecting something more from someone who almost killed her. A shame, he hated to disappoint a lady.
Not that he really knew many….
Or ever been in a position to disappoint them…
'Man I need a girlfriend.'
As last thoughts go he honestly expected better of himself.
Still Raynare apparently got over her disappointment and head to stake him in the heart.
'What am I? A vampire?'
Deciding to have final thoughts that actually meant something he decide to considered the reason he got into this mess. Issei Hyoudou. Not that he had the energy to blame him..
He looked at the fallen angel standing in his blood with a small smile on her face and decided that he might as well continue with the retrospection.
Issei Hyoudou who had if he had any intelligence would run away while Raynare was desecrating his corpse.
Who apparently had a secret that had interested High-class devil in him and Fallen trying to kill him that he would never find out.
Who was just an idiot teenager with an abnormal libido.
Who was now punching Raynare in the face…
'Wait….what?!'
"Yaahhh."
Issei had no idea what he was doing or how he was doing it.
But he knew why.
Because his friend was dying while he just stood there.
And when he could stand no more, It appeared.
Covering most of his arm but leaving his fingers free it gave him strength.
Strength enough to stop the girl he thought…no he knew he loved.
She wasn't paying him any attention and why should she?
He was just there on the side-lines while Taka did most of the work but with every part of his being he knew he was going to finish the job his friend started.
The first blow was the cleanest sending her tumbling into the pavement and gave Issei the time to look at his dying friend.
Taka look at him and then at his left arm covered in a red gauntlet with shock and then…realization with a throat filling with blood he spoke.
"A sacred gear huh…..guess I got my answer, go and finish it….I'll keep."
With a nod he turned and faced her to put an end to the first and crappiest date of his life.
Raynare got up slowly and look at the boy she had deceived with pretty words and cute looks.
The boy who now though he could end her centuries old life….
'Let him come and try' she thought readying the stake she had, with all the damage she had taken this was the best she would giving him an opening.
She gave him a cruel smile to throw him off as the magician had done to her.
"So you finally got tired of watching someone else die for you huh."
He looked her in the eyes and she saw that her words were even truer than she thought and he look for a moment like he was going to ask her something but his eyes flickered back to where his friend laid dying and he just clenched his jaw and charged at her.
He was faster than she thought an untrained human could move 'twice as fast in fact'
Her eyes studied the new born sacred gear on his left arm and her smile once meant solely to unnerve her opponent and prevent him from noticing the damage done to her, turned into actually relief.
"Huh so that's your sacred gear, I don't know why the high-ups were so interested must be faulty intel. Do you know what it's does? 'Twice-critical' doubles your power for a time but it's not like twice the strenght of a child can't defeat me!
He didn't look shocked or afraid by this news instead he looked at his arm impassively.
"Twice the power huh, well for all it's responsible for...it better be enough to send you flying shitty angel!
Adrenaline and rage flooding him and the gear doubling it, he attacked with a series of blows faster than he thought he would ever move.
But it just wasn't enough, he was an amateur who had never gotten in a fight or done training and when he overextended Raynare struck, leaving a long slice across his chest not fatal…but painful and Issei was unaccustomed to physical pain.
"Scared Issei? A little boy facing a something much bigger and stronger…that's what you are."
"You thought you could be a hero? Well heroes suffer, bleed and die while my kind laugh. So you still want to try being a hero?"
He stayed silent his eye obscuring his eyes and he put his armored hand on his chest and pulling it back looking at his blood blending in with the red metal.
"I'm nothing like a hero…I'm just really sick of your face" and with his jaw clenched and his gauntlet "and this pain is not nearly enough!"
"BOOST."
With inexplicable speed he closed the distance and punched Raynare right where Taka's blow landed flooding her with pain and she dimly noted that his arm had changed becoming more jagged at the sides and claws covering where skin once was before her mind went white
For ten seconds Issei he pummeled her, not stopping to take a breath, not noticing that her stake was now stick in his side he just wanted to end this!
"BURST"
His body suddenly felt incredibly drained but with one more push he punch her in the face sending her tumbling back in the ground.
He did not falter or look away.
He just looked at the fallen angel and he waited.
Slowly she rose and he waited.
She looked at him with shock, anger, fear and he waited.
She meet his eyes and her black wings flared threateningly but he did not flinch he waited.
Then she rose in the air and looked at the rising dragon and the broken magician.
"All these wounds, all your efforts, in a few days someone will come and they will no longer exist and then I will come with all my powers and allies and kill you both."
Issei Hyoudou looked at her and while she floating above him she felt as if he was looking down on her.
"I'll be waiting"
After she disappeared over the horizon he sighed and looked at the stake still in his side, he pulled it out flinching slightly at the pain and watch as the weapon disintegrated into fragments.
Then he headed to his fallen friend, someone he really didn't know if today's events were any indication and yet someone he could trust completely despite this
Taka looked at him with a grin.
He was always smiling.
When he was stopping them from peeping.
When he watched other clubs chasing them.
When he walked home listening to music.
When he faced a fallen angel on a whim.
When a spear of light struck him in the back and he laid dying, he smiled.
"Sooo how did I end up the Damsel in Distress."
If he could joke he could answer questions like.
"…..How are you still alive?"
"Not healing magic if that what you're thinking, I don't have anything that convenient but after the spear broke down I seared the hole with some fire, hurt like a bitch but I'm a big boy."
"Are you…will you live."
"I… think so, I think I'm stable but…..I'm pretty sure it hit something vital, I'm too numb to really know for certain but I can't feel my lower half" There was bit of fear in his blue eyes as he said that, though the smile didn't waver.
Issei fell down on the ground the sacred gear disappearing and held his head in his hands wishing for something to fix this.
"THis isn't right...I don't want this…I beat Raynare but I don't want to live because my friends suffer in my place, I want my friends to be happy, I want to be stronger enough to stop this from happening ever again, to protect my friends from Raynare and whatever else is out there, I want to live a long life with a giant harem with all my friends alright…is that too much to ask" he asked brokenly.
A raspy chuckle broke out from Taka.
"Desire huh…It's a bad joke if I didn't burn that flyer I bet you could summon a Great Satan with all those wants.
"…..A flyer?" Ise asked "Like this?" pulling out a paper some strange person gave him before his date and that he kept on a whim.
Taka looked at the flyer then back to Issei and back again, this repeated for a couple seconds before Taka realized that yes this was really happening and he gave a resigned sigh.
"You have to be the luckiest son of bitch on planet earth you know that Ise?"
"Now focus on that paper and I want you to think about every single desire in that head of yours from the most important which better be healing my ass to the smallest, hell even throw in that harem thing you were talking about.
After a couple of seconds of Ise throwing every desire he ever had including that race car he wanted for his birthday and to see that childhood friend that left for England when he was a kid
A light came from a couple meter away and coming out of the darkness was….
Crimson
"I have to say when I felt such a strong reaction I was expecting quite a lot but not this. Now what happened here?"
"Gremory-senpai?"
Rias Gremory looked at the war-torn park with a shattered fountain, gouged out pavement and the smell of blood in the air most of it coming from…
"Ah Aotaka Yume I thought there was something strange about you but this was a bit outside my expectations, do you care to explain."
Rias wasn't blind Ise had summoned her and was friends with Yume who currently had a hole in his torso and laid in a puddle of blood.
It didn't take a genius to know what he was going to ask but she needed to know how he was connected to all of this and who he really was.
With a sigh Taka summoned the energy to give some exposition.
"Long story short I'm a magician, a crappy one that could hide under the radar, Ise here was dating a fallen angel and I stepped in when she tried to kill him, I thought I took her out, didn't, then Ise stepped up with his sacred gear and laid her out now I'm laying here with a light spear sized hole in my chest….help?"
Rias's mind raced. 'a trained magician living under my nose all this time! i can't believe i missed that and I can't heal that kind of damage in a human easily. My bishop piece would be probably fit him well but his power is apparently weak so would he be worth the cost? But he was confident enough to challenge a fallen or maybe just stupid…and I also need to consider Issei, he could beat a fallen with a fresh sacred gear and no combat experience with only a few wounds to show for it. I need more details on how but I can get that later, right now I think I could accept them both as part of my peerage, friends with such strong loyalty would be an excellent addition even if Yume doesn't work out power wise.'
She took a breath and look at Issei.
"My help comes at a price Issei Hyoudou, do you understand that?"
"Who are you Gremory-senpai are you…are you like Raynare…?"
"Who?"
"Uh Ise, Gremory-san's a devil and so some free advice don't compare them to fallen or angels also don't worry the price won't be something cliché like your soul, right Gremory."
"Right your eternal servitude will do just fine."
"….."
"….."
"So Gremory–senpai….you're a devil"
"Correct" she replied revealing her black bat like wings which shocked Ise and intrigued the still numb Taka who was starting to get bored with the whole being stuck in a near dead state thing and wished it would just shift one way or the other.
"And you want me to work for you in exchanging for healing Taka?"
'Get on with it Ise I wish I was dead of boredom instead of just dying of it.' the paling mage thought.
"Correct in exchange for joining my peerage I will turn you and Taka as members into devils which will heal you both of your injuries."
'Huh so that how the peerage system works, I really need more knowledge about the magical world in general if I'm going to be a dev…hey wait a minute.'
"If being part of your peerage already heals our wound what are we getting out of this?" asked Taka
"Hey yeah! I didn't expect that kinda of legal fast talk from you Senpai' complained Ise who was pleased that Taka could get healed but miffed that she tried to trick them.
"Well I am a devil after all but the reason is I'm accepting Taka is because his wounds are so severe and are beyond conventional healing plus he may be a magician but he is a self-proclaimed 'crappy' one which I should be understandably reluctant to add to my rather limited peerage."
The two stayed silent for a moment digesting the information before Ise replied.
"That still sounds like legal gibberish Senpai."
She sweatdropped since she really couldn't deny it.
"But Taka's condition is my fault so I accept being a part of your peerage as a price…" Rias was pleased "but he shouldn't have to at least not without his own payment" Rias was somewhat displeased she didn't mind paying a price, fair's fair ,but she had no idea what type of person he was and what payment he wanted so she decided to fight it just to get a better impression of what he was like.
"I'm…not sure, I'm already accommodating by making you part of my peerage Taka, most magician would be ecstatic to simply be contracted to me but becoming part of my family? That is a gift few would even be considered for and plus if you refuse then I will be unable to help you and you'll be left here"
Taka looked Rias in the eye a captivating bluish-green and saw that she was bluffing him, the decision had already been made she would accept them both she just wanted to know who the magician living under her nose all this time really was.
"Rias two things, one I have no idea how other magicians would feel about this because I don't even know the first step about contracting a devil and two don't try to predict an erratic teenager suffering from blood loss whose mind has been exposed to unknown arcane energy since he was 12 without any form of supervision, my wants are simply to make sure this never happened again." His voice became less pain and instead more intense despite Rias having to strain to hear what was said.
"That I will never have to lie on the ground unable to get up and watching as an idiot of a friend has to make a decision which neither of us fully understand to save my ass. This happened because of my inexperience and lack of knowledge so Rias Gremory can you help me? Can the house of Gremory of the 72 pillars give a broken magician the strength to fix his weaknesses?"
"…..Yes" She stated solemnly "We will."
"Then I accept." Taka said with a smile so small it was barely visible in the darkness.
"I do as well Gremory-senpai" said Ise knowing that his life was now changed forever and that his journey into this strange world were people you thought you knew are completely different had begun.
"Well this has been a most productive day" responded Rias with a content smile at having new members into her family.
"Now we get to pick pieces!"
"Pieces?" the other two echoed.
"Yes becoming a devil will make the two of you much stronger both physically and magically but depending on the evil piece I use on you to reincarnate you various other enhancements are possible."
"Hmm so it's like RPG classes, different styles to suit how you fight." Ise reasoned "I don't suppose there some awesome uber prestige class is there?"
With a cough Rias answered. "that isn't how I would call it but there a piece like that, the queen piece but that spot has already been taken."
"Wait queen?" Taka interjected "are these pieces…chess pieces?"
Rias gave him a small smile amused at seeing someone try to work out the peerage system by just comparing to chess.
"The queen can move in every directions right?" asked Ise who knew the basics but had never really played the game, tech games were more his thing.
"Yeah so that probably translates into having the powers of all the other pieces to represent that; knight, bishop and rook….." and then a realization struck him and he looked at Rias with a smile "but was about the pawn? If this system is really like chess can a pawn, the weakest piece, become the strongest in one move?"
She just smiled at their deductions as the two looked at each other and made their decision.
"If we can't get the Queen piece, we choose the Pawn pieces Gremory Senpai" Ise stated resolutely, both of them were inexperienced and lacking in various ways for now they were pawns but with the right opportunity they could be, no they would be the strongest. This bit of wisdom Ise had just learnt when he who was weak had gain a power that allowed him to defeat a fallen.
"I don't think I've heard of someone so eager to be a pawn and without even hearing what benefits the other pieces have but here are two of them but there is something I haven't explained which the two of you missed. The different pieces have different values and depending on the person's level of skill or potential different values may be required; the Queen is worth 9, the Rook is 5, the Knight and Bishop are both 3 and the pawn is 1, plus the pieces are limited with 1 Queen, 2 Rooks, Knights and Bishops and 8 Pawns.
"So we might not be able to both be pawns" Taka said annoyed at this delay to his renewal and when he saw Ise about to do some heroic sacrifice speech he just cut him off.
"Ise you're going first" at his look he elaborated "I wanted to be a pawn because it's was the most flexible piece and I'm a sucker for symbolism but I'm already trained as a magician while you don't really specialize in anything so flexibility is more important for you."
Ise stopped and thought about Taka then he asked a question directed at Rias.
"Senpai are there any pieces good for magicians?"
"Yes Hyoudou-kun the bishop which is also suited for mages since they are normally worth 2 or 3 and I have an available piece. Bishops are always important support for the knights, rooks and pawns on the frontlines
"Support? But Taka is awesome at fighting up close, he annoyed Raynare from a distance but once he got close he owned her with one fire punch!"
Rias turned to look at Taka "…Fire Punch?"
"Okay another two things you needed to know; one I don't really name my attacks though I probably should, I'll need to shout something to strike fear in my enemies ….I'll workshop it later and two my magic is kinda different, I don't really use conventional spells at least in battle since those require magic power that I lack so I basically invented my own."
"…..So you've been working with magic since you were twelve without any guidance from the magician council, assorted associations or even a passing magician on the street and what's more you developed a close range magic fighting style on your own with no help."
"….I had books"
"Books…." Face-palming Rias has to ask "how did you not end up killing yourself or at least burning down your house."
Taka remained uncharacteristically silent and nervous after that last one but Rias and Ise looked at him intently until he relented.
"My dad was….very supportive of my efforts."
"…..How many." asked Ise
"Just 2, costs went down after we fireproofed the basement where I practiced."
Rias groaned inwardly so she invited a crazy destructive pyro magician who liked to experiment into her peerage, this was surely going to end well.
Still it's not like the rest of her peerage were much better; two which denied their blood because of the actions of those close to them, one who held an extreme grudge against a bunch of swords that were designed to destroy devils and the less said about the issues that the cross-dressing, hikikomori vampire had the better. Ise was their school most famous pervert but he might be the most balanced person in her family, she actually shuddered at what that might mean for the future.
"Alright if you favor close combat then really the knight and rook piece might also suit you but there is a loophole that might allow the two of you to become pawns even if your combined value exceeds 8."
The two looked at Rias both considering on important topics.
Taka though what other loopholes this peerage systems had and if this loophole was one that required Rias to sacrifice something of equal value like a different type of piece or one that broke the rules but few people had access to.
Issei was angry that he had gotten worked up about Taka not being a fellow pawn, he even had a speech prepared about friendship and how he would never stop follow his harem route even if he couldn't do it as a pawn.
Rias ignorant of her prospect's thoughts began placing eight pawn chess pieces in front of them. Seven of them looked like regular pawn pieces though they were red but the eighth which he suppose was another pawn piece though it was strange, misshapen, almost….
"This is a mutation piece which should solve any potential problems."
"It looks strange…what does it do sempai?"
"well Ise while it looks much different from the other pawn pieces it is also more powerful, Mutation pieces have higher values than regular pieces and only one in ten kings can get one. My brother is friends with the creator of the system and I got this piece as a present along with the regular pawns. I'm not sure how much this one is worth but it is a mutation piece and I would be willing to use it on you Yume-kun, since you helped save my prospect."
She looked at the two who looked relieved that everything was work out before deciding to promote them to begin.
So Ise are you ready to start your new life as a devil?"
"Huh." he was trying so hard to learn more about this new world that he was jumping into that he forgot that it would mean first abandoning his humanity, he knew this choice was no choice at all his friend was paralyzed because of him and needed his help.
Plus with Raynare and her higher-ups after him, he and Taka needed all the help they could get and becoming a devil would make them stronger immediately.
He turned to Rias wondering if he could devote his life to her and found himself silently admiring his blue green eyes and crimson hair that seemed to be to glow in the night, She hide that she was a devil so he didn't know if he could trust her but Taka hide that he was a magician and he was still trustworthy.
He steeled himself and accepted that Gremory had told him from the beginning what she want and that have such a hot senpai as a master could be bad.
He could let Yuuma stop him from ever trusting people not matter how she hurt him.
"I...I'm ready Senpai."
"Well then lie down Hyoudou-kun and after today you should call me Bucho"
Following her instructions he laid on the cold pavement hoping that he could handle the craziness that he knew the world was going to through at him.
Taka wondered if he and Ise were going to regret this moment still the site of battle between humans and a centuries old fallen angel where blood was spilt and sacrifices made just to beat back the tainted light for a moment seems like as good a place as any to resurrect a devil.
"I order, in my name Rias Gremory. You, Issei Hyoudou. I, resurrect you back to this soil as my servant, and be reborn as a devil. You, my "Pawn", with a new life, be delighted!"
With these words she placed a red pawn in Issei's chest and he feel unconscious and the wound on his torso and side began to glow red as She began adding more pawns before the glow disappeared leaving unmarred skin, otherwise he looked exactly the same though Taka knew that now he would likely be completely outmatched even if he was healed and at full power. 'The power of a sacred gear capable of giving an untrained human the power to defeat a fallen angel now wielded by a devil, who are naturally stronger…the possibilities are scary'
"It's your turn now Yume-kun and I much say Ise has quite some potential, I have to see what his sacred gear can do but that can wait until later."
"I wasn't counting how many pieces did he take?"
With a giggle Rias answered "seven, if onni-chan didn't play favorites you wouldn't not get this chance to be a pawn, you should hope that this piece matches your potential Aotaka-kun I would hate for it to be wasted."
"Don't worry impulsive decisions have never turn out badly for me….excluding just a while ago and that really more subjective if you think about it" he rambled before Rias gave him an exasperated look.
"Well I'm ready to see how the other half lives" he said steeling himself and giving a smile which for once had a little bit of fear in its. After all this would be his last smile as a human with the free will to damn or redeem himself as he saw fit, after this his place was in the night but he closed his eyes and centered his mind thinking of a song to play in his mind.
'I'm feeling for some 'nightcore' and 'Closer' is fairly appropriate.
"I order, in my name Rias Gremory. You, Aotaka Yume. I, resurrect you back to this soil as my servant, and be reborn as a devil."
'Gather a handful of courage in your heart'
"You, my "Pawn", with a new life, be delighted!"
He felt the piece being placed on his chest and being absorbed in a blaze of heat before falling in the black
"If you want to survive another day….."
When he woke up the first things he noticed was that the numbness that his body had suffered from since Raynare's spear hit him was gone and he could feel the chilly evening wind on his face, he felt great and as he looked around he saw that Gremory or 'Bucho' was now wearing a broad smile
'You really are lucky, that mutated piece was just enough to revive you, I guess you really were destined to be a pawn"
As he took a moment to wonder if she was insulting him, she then began walking towards Issei who was running around at speeds that suited a professional athlete more than a teenager who never trained a day in his life.
For a moment he thought that he was just using that sacred gear that allowed him to defeat Raynare but no it was just the natural ability of a devil at work. Taka then wondered about how his own body had improved, he was probably a fair amount stronger than Ise was physically at least until he used that scared gear of his but he really wanted to test his magic and see where it was at.
With his hand open he used the same effort it took to make a decent sized firebullet about the size of his fist and he got something around the size of a basketball and was surprised to see that it was already orange red without any rotation needed. He look for something to test it on and targeted at the already broken fountain, preparing to throw it he stopped a thought occurring.
'A fireball of this size would drain me too much to attempt rotation with it but now…"
Testing his theory the orange-red ball of flame spun with increasing speed until it coalesced into a pure orange sphere of power, only then did he release it at the fountain with informative results.
FOOOSH! Was the result as the spiraling fireball hit the water filled fountain.
HE waited for the steam to dissipate before taking a closer look and was shocked to see that all of the water had been evaporated and at the bottom of the fountain was a gouged out hole in the stone done by his attack and if the water wasn't in the way who knows?
"With firepower like that I would think you were revived as a bishop instead of a pawn."
"Yeah man I bet if you hit Raynare with that she wouldn't get back up again."
Taka started, he was so caught in his new power that he didn't even notice that Issei and Rias were next to him despite his senses being so much sharper.
In fact focusing he could feel the energy that she had and realized that it was not only large but also potent as well.
He couldn't feel it as a human but apparently his 'Bucho' had not just quantity but quality as well.
"Didn't you say you focused on close combat Aotaka-kun?" Rias questioned
For once he was actually speechless, he just used a spell any magician with decent reserves would use regularly with his rotation trick thrown in, but if he used his own style with this new demonic power….
Like a child eager to test out a new toy he started to access his new magical power only to be interrupted.
"Postpone that for now, this place has seen far too much destruction for one night and we can get a better sense of your abilities tomorrow when you meet the rest of my peerage."
"So how many other devils are part of your peerage Sen- I mean Bucho."
"Well I'm still young so I only have four others and one of them is…indisposed but I'm sure you'll know the other three fufufufu, now I hope I can leave you to get yourselves home safely."
With that she left in order to consider her acquisitions leaving Ise and Taka to absorb the major changes they had just gone through.
The two stood there and after a couple of minutes, they looked at each other, bumped fists and went on their way, they could have said a lot of things but right now talking wouldn't accomplish anything, too many things had happened this day and some quiet introspection was desperately needed.
Ise thought on how becoming a devil would change who he was, could he really get involved in a violent world like this and stay who he was?
Yes…he would
He was a fool, a lecher, a pervert and will these weren't good traits but neither was being a devil, so why should he change?
Didn't he just tell Taka yesterday that he wouldn't abandon his path for anything, like become a devil would stop the (self-proclaimed) harem king!
He would stay who he was and this new life would not change that, his mind set he walked unwavering to the future.
In contrast to Ise, Taka's mind was contemplating the past wearing his headphones that were thankfully undamaged to block our ambient noise and allow him the quiet to think. Now with his wounds healed and his mind free from pain and adrenaline he was able to reach a very disturbing conclusion about something.
He simply should not be here right now.
Not that the evil piece shouldn't have healed but that in that fight with Raynare he simply should have died.
Sure Raynare didn't take him seriously for most of it, judging him by his weak long range magic and not realizing his close range strength but still…
He was able to evade most of her attacks by using flames to accelerate him movements something he had worked on as a low cost enhancement technique but never had he done it so…instinctively.
His reaction time was much greater than normal as well and he mind felt unusually clear like battling was second nature. He had never had that kind of focus in matches at the various gyms he went to and never, not even when his reserves were full had been able to land a blow 'bright orange' as strong as the one he gave Raynare. He could generally estimate how strong and hot his flame were by how orange they were but in his training red has always persisted in his attacks not matter how hard he tried.
Now that he was a devil that he could understand being able to surpass that limit but as a drained human? It made no sense, if he had that kind of skill he might have been confident enough to let the devils know what he was instead of just going under the radar.
Was it become it was a life or death battle? Or perhaps it had to do with that strange innate feeling he got from fallen. He needed info and he hoped Gremory had it or maybe he could ask Akeno.
His thoughts reaching nowhere he walked on until he reached home at last.
As he entered he turned to look at the mantle like he always did and observed his dad, wondering not for the first time why his father chose to live in a devil controlled town.
'Did he wish for me to be involved with the three factions?'
He didn't know a lot of things like why his father who couldn't use magic had the necessary equipment for someone to learn it or why he didn't tell him about his mother just that he had her dark blue eyes.
Turning away from the mantle and heading to the window, he opened it to get some air in the house and looked up at the sky, a full moon shining down on the town and he was reminded of something.
'The moon-lit world you called it where devils and fallen and all the other stories existed…was mom part of it? Was she a devil? Is that why I feel this way around fallen.'
For a moment he imagined himself with devil wings and was about to chuckle at the ridiculous image before he realized that it wasn't ridiculous. Regardless of his origins he was a devil now and should have a pair of wings to go along with it.
This thought now in his mind, he stood still in the moonlight focusing on his back and imaging the same wings that Gremory had shown them just a short time ago. Concentrating, he could feel things along his back and tried to press them to free themselves but somehow they seemed stuck like they were tangled up somehow.
Then focusing and using his will like he did when rotating his flames he felt the pressure build up until finally in a burst the pressure released itself and felt things spring from his back.
'Alright now let's see my new wi-wi-Whoa'
He had the wings of a devil that was true, black as night and bat-like jutting out of his sides just like Gremory's, but what consumed all of his attention, what made a simply curiosity into a revelation, what answered one question and raised a lot more was the pair of wings above them, ones that brought images of another pair of wings he had seen today to his mind.
They were large and feathered, emerging from the centre of his back and while they reminded him of Raynare's they had one difference that his mind reeled It was clear in the moonlight that his wings were not the tainted black of a fallen but was instead the ivory white of a…
"ANGEL."
The words escaped unbidden for his lips but they were unquestionable. His mother, whoever she was dead or alive, was not a devil no she was the opposite, she was part of those who since times long past had stood against devils and fallen and all other evils that had threatened the Biblical God. She was an Angel
And he was her son, a half angel.
A half angel who now belonged to Rias Gremory.
Who was a devil of the Seventy-Two Pillars.
The same Pillars that had warred against heaven and fought angels for centuries.
The same Pillars that likely not be too gentle with an abandoned and alone child of their enemy.
At this revelation only three words seemed appropriate for the situation.
"Oh. Fuck. Me."
TBC
Welcome to the end of the first chapter of On Burning Wings, my first posted fanfic and my first OC. I've planned out how the events of the first three novels will take and how his presence will change them *hint* it includes large amounts of fire and I hope you'll enjoy it. Fans of Ise don't have to worry, he won't be ignored and he will get a harem through suitable acts of badassery though I will focus on Taka more as the series progresses. I'm uncertain about a pairing for Aotaka but I don't think it will a harem since he doesn't seem like that type of person but who knows. This is my first venture so please review you can be as blunt and descriptive as possible so that i can improve my writing, just avoid profanity and outright rudeness and I'll be listening.
Edit: So I've just done a bit of clean up on this chapter nothing major just fixed some errors with Taka's name, changed a bit of dialogue and some other minor adjustments.