Fate/Purgatory
Disclaimer: The original story, elements, and characters of High School DxD and of Nasuverse belongs to Ishibumi Ichiei and Kinoko Nasu respectively. Any other elements and characters that may appeared in this fic belongs to their respective owners. I only own this plot and any original characters within this story.
AN: This story has been in my mind for quite some time so I decided to write it down. One thing I know, it took a lot of paper to turn what you think into a legible piece of writing. Also, I'm going to say in advance for any grammar mistakes. My English is not that good since I'm not British, American, or native to any country that speak English. Oh, and for all flamers that may appeared later on, burnt in Hell.
–Fate/Purgatory–
Prologue
Shinto district of Fuyuki City
Ten Years Ago
Fire.
There's nothing around me but fire consuming everything, anything, on its path.
How long has it been? An hour? Two? It felt like it's been hours for me. I can't run anymore. I can't even feel my legs and the heat is just too much for me. I can see burnt marks on my arms and feel burning sensation in my lungs, but I'm just too tired to bring myself to care. But I can't… no, I must not stop. No matter what happens, I must survive. And then I saw it, just past the wall of thin smoke and fire, part of the city that wasn't touched by the fire. "Succeed," I thought. Despite the injuries and how tired I am, I managed to survive. Safety was just a few steps in front of me. But then, as if fate trying to mock me, the cursed mud suddenly flooded my way, burning my only path to safety and my last hope.
"Useless," I thought as I stared blankly at the wall of wild fire in front of me. Everything is for naught. No matter how close I am, safety feels very far now with that accursed flame on my way. This is no different from when I started running. Hopeless.
The mud finally got me on its grasp as I fell on my knees in the midst of flames and ruins, but I just don't care anymore. Strange, it didn't burn me like I thought it would. Suddenly I felt excruciating amount of pain accompanied with sudden feeling of intrusion as dark thoughts started to fill my head.
The starting penalty is five.
Life penalty, Body penalty, Freedom penalty, Fame penalty, Fortune penalty.
Give the penalty that extends so much punishment, mud, darkness, and malice.
Elimination of human rights by castration, exile, and execution. Torture and sadism inflicted upon the human body through digestion. Denial by the consensus of the colony that eliminates all honor.
DIE.
Scorn from judgment and selfishness that takes away men's fortune.
Death penalty, penal penalty, imprisonment, custody, fine penalty, crime from a grudge, crime from self-interest, unconscious crime, self-conscious crime, civil war, inducement, false statement, theft, robbery, kidnap, suicide, rape, arson, bombing, violation, negligent homicide, mass violence, death at work, overconfident accident.
DIE. DIE. DIE.
Misdiagnosis, concealment, violation for benefit, violation for self-protection, violation for love, violation for respect, selfish. Stealing, fraudulent, fraud, concealment, murder, theft, crime, personal grudge, attack, attack, attack, dirty, dirty, dirty, YOU are dirty, atone, atone for your crimes, atone for the crimes of others, atone for every crime, every victim, atone for everything.
The world you know is ruled by something not human. Know the conscience to reform crimes.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
Know the penalty to reform crimes. People's kindness is here. There is so much it cannot be noticed. Know the violence to hide crimes. Know the power to hide crimes. People's malignance is here. It is so rare that it is noticed. A hundred acts of kindness and one act of malignance. Malignance shines bright to keep the balance and exists as a great EVIL to compete with the masses of kindness. The starting penalty is five.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
No one is innocent. Everyone is guilty. Everyone has committed crimes. Bathe in the sins of humanity. Know the pain of their victims. Feel their terror. Feel their despair. Atone. Atone for the crimes of mankind. Atone through death. Kill. Be killed. Atone by death. Atone. DIE.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
I couldn't breathe and my body screamed in agony. I couldn't think as my mind was filled with memories; memories of every sins committed by humanity; I can feel their wrath, their greed, their lust, their hunger and thirst for more; I could feel the scream of anguish from every victim resulted from those sins and it brought nothing but pain, hellish pain. I opened my mouth in silent scream as I tried to forget those memories, but I couldn't. Something inside me forced me to watch it, to feel it, to embrace it.
I couldn't stand it. All those sins, all those greed, wrath, hunger. All those hatred. I don't want them. I want them gone. I don't want to feel them. Even death would be better than this. I want them gone. I want all of this GONE!
"…Wish…"
Despite the agony I was in, I could hear the voice though only barely. The voice itself was no louder than a whisper.
"...make…wish…"
That voice again. Why? Why should I? Does wish something will free from this pain?
"…Yes… Make a wish… It will…free…you…"
The pain I felt is still going on, increased even. My wish is definitely clear. To be free. Free from all of this, especially this… hell. I tried to say my wish, but the agony prevent me from doing so and my voice wouldn't come out. When I managed to say my wish, it was barely more than a dying breath.
"…I…wish…to…live…free…from…this…hell…"
"…yes…" the voice responded to my wish. There was a hint of underlying malice at its tone but I didn't notice it. Then the world glowed as bright blue flame engulfed it and there was a surge of… something as the flame burned through the mud. Then suddenly, all those feelings stopped as if the fire cleansed them too. The next thing I knew was my view slowly blurred and darkened, but the image of blue flame burning brightly never truly escape me. Awe and content was all I felt left as darkness engulfed me completely.
As if his internal alarm was set off, Kotomine Kai awoke as his eyes were snapped open at all sudden, revealing the cold blue irises beneath them. He straighten up from his seat and took a look around. A flash of confusion appeared on his eyes as he observed his surroundings before he remembered where he was now. He was on an airplane heading to Japan to accomplish a mission given by the order of the Church.
He took a deep breath to calm his mind as he remembered just what he had dreamed of. It has been a long time since the last that memory haunted his dreams. He thought he had gotten over it just like many times before when he no longer dreamed of it, but then the memory visited him again as if to remind him he could not escape what made him who he is now. He should've known better. That memory was his origin. His beginning. He has no memories of his life prior to that hellish night. He couldn't remember his former name, his real parents, whether he has siblings or not, his home, or even his own birthday. Whoever he was before, that boy was no longer exist. In his place, Kotomine Kai who was born in the sea of flame forever stood.
The last thing he remembered before he passed out was a scene of a city set ablaze in brilliant blue flame; an image he would carry to his death. When he finally woke up, he was laid in a bed in hospital hall and six months had passed since that fateful night.
Kai didn't know it at the time, but that night was what started his path in the world of supernatural. World where humans were prey for monsters hidden in darkness. Where only the strongest could survive and carry on with their lives.
Such was a cruel world Kotomine Kai dedicated himself into. Almost half of his life was spent in this world. In fact, he thrived in it. At the mere age of 17, he was already become a part of the notorious Burial Agency in addition to his status as a First-class Executor of the Holy Church. His hands were already stained with blood from hundreds or perhaps thousands of monsters he had slain, all for the sake of humanity. Wars, battles, deception, cruelty, and death had become an inseparable part of him, part of what made him into who he was now, part that he privately admitted to enjoy.
Having been involved in the supernatural world for so long, it was inevitable that Kai would find the normal world 'foreign.' A world where humans could live mostly peaceful and only need to worry for petty things was… unfathomable for him. Kai understood should he ever stepped into that world, he knew he would be lost immediately. He would have no purpose, no way to relate with the common folk. Peace was not something meant for him. He had been a sword for so long, and a sword was meant as a weapon, a tool used to kill, not some meaningless wall decoration. A sword has no place but in the battlefield.
Even amongst dark-siders of the Church, Kai has a reputation of a sword; cold, unfeeling, sharp, efficient. Something he found to be ironic as the description was the exact opposite of his element. His greatest weapon and just about one thing he truly mastered in the art of Magic.
Even so, Kai could not say that they were wrong about him. A sword was the correct analogue for him. He knew he had change quite a bit from the blank, apathetic kid he was when he joined here the first time, but in some aspect, he was still a sword just the same. And as a sword, he shall cut down the blight that stained this world as God has commanded him.
The cabin's speaker suddenly sprang up and announced that they would arrive at the airport shortly. The cabin suddenly filled with noises as passengers got up from their seat to prepare their luggage. Deciding to follow their example, he got up and took a simple duffle bag from the luggage rack before sitting back and looked out of the window as his mind went back to mission that was given to him.
His face was blank as ever, but a barely noticeable glint on his eyes betrayed that impassiveness, revealing the slight nostalgic feeling he has as he walked inside the room. It hasn't changed very much since the first time he entered through those very doors when he was only ten years old, specifically on the day he was officially inducted as an Executor of the Church. It was still plain as ever, barely furnished with just a few wooden book cases, a small fireplace, a desk, and several chairs within. Overall, the room gave the impression of antiquity and also dullness.
He shifted his gaze to the priest who sat behind the desk, busy typing using an antique typewriter. He was the very same man who welcomed him to this institution seven years ago, yet the man seemed not to age a day since that meeting.
The priest appeared to be a rather unassuming, though handsome, and youthful. Yet, his silvery hair, the scars that featured his otherwise appealing look, and the power behind the gaze of those blue eyes betrayed his true age and the untold amount of experiences he has. From his look alone, one could already discern him as someone who has been tempered by the harshness of life.
The priest garment he wore did not hide his well-defined physique. It wasn't a built of a professional athlete, however. Rather, it was a figure shaped for the sole purpose of fighting and killing. Built that is meant to be used.
"Hello Kai."
Kai had opened his mouth and was about to greet him when the priest greeted him first all of sudden without even stopping from his work.
"Father Garule," Kai greeted him back, bowing slightly to show his respect. "Your senses are sharp as ever."
The priest, Garule, chuckled in response. "Sharp?" he questioned rhetorically to his statement. "My senses now are no longer as sharp as it used to be, Kai. I can barely sense you entering the office anymore. Of course, the fact that your skill in concealing presence is improving also contributed a lot to it."
Kai let out a slight smile at that. "That you can sense my presence from that far only shows that I am still a failure as an assassin, Father," he said lightly.
"That you are, my student," the older man agreed. "Worry not, however. You are first and foremost an Executor, the sword that carry out God's order. So long as you slay our enemies, your mission is completed flawlessly," he continued as he returned his attention to the typewriter.
For a few minutes, there are no other sounds in the office aside from the sound made by the typewriter as the priest working on a paper. When he was finished, he handed one of the folder on the table for Kai to read. The words atop of the folder made him raise a brow.
Venatione Veneficae.
"A witch hunt, Father?" he questioned. This wasn't the first time Kai was sent to one, but since a witch hunt was considered to be a low-priority mission, such mission was no longer made available to him ever since he was promoted into a First-class Executor.
"Correct," the older man nodded. "You remember of the fallen Holy Maiden?"
"Asia Argento," Kai answered. "I was tasked to protect her during her time in Italy quite a while ago."
"And how did that turn out?"
"Mission was deemed a failure. She healed a Devil when she managed to slip past the watch who replaced me for the day. I returned in time to slay the Devil, but she was found guilty of heresy and thereby was excommunicated from the Church."
"Good. You remembered your mistakes. I want you to know that we were lenient toward you for that failure since your previous record were flawless," said Garule. He then gave him the paper he typed previously. "This order comes from the top and cleared by Seraph Raguel himself."
Kai accepted the paper and skimmed over it silently before putting it into the folder on his hand.
"If I may ask, Father?" he asked to which the older man signed him to continue. "There are no records of Asia Argento committing other heresy after she was excommunicated. Why gave the order, then?"
"That is no longer the case," Garule replied. "Several weeks ago, our intel reported that she was recruited by the Fallen. It's in the dossier."
Kai opened the folder and quickly found the damning evidence against her. "I see."
"She cannot be allowed to join the forces of the Fallen. The Twilight Healing's capabilities enhanced with whatever breakthrough Azazel may create from his research on Sacred Gears will put us at disadvantage should another war break out. When another war breakout."
Closing his eyes, Kai silently running through the scenario in his mind and he found no other choices to prevent the outcome. He opened his eyes and steeled his resolve as he knelt on one knee.
"I am the sword who shall bring forth judgement as God has commanded. Humanity's weapon against the damned. Point me to my enemies and retribution for blood of innocents shall be delivered."
Garule smiled approvingly as he nodded. "Good. Go forth and deliver the vengeance, and may the Holy Father be with you."
"Amen," he said the last word that decides his fate.
The sound of people walking out of the airplane snapped him back to reality. As he walked out of the plane, he looked up to the sky which somehow was no longer blue in his eyes. Rather, it was the dull monochrome of a forged iron sword.
Perhaps it was a sign that he would come to regret his decision later, but he had made his choice.
Asia Argento will die by his hand.