Summary: (AU) Below, under the light, where hope and longevity exists, there lies those that shouldn't exist. But like one man once said, "All it takes is one bad day."

The Descent

Rage In Exchange For Hope

"I finally have all the time I'll ever need."

He laid there in his bed. The shadows of the night and the darkness of his room covering him, embracing him, soothing his humiliation and shame. Tempering it into a dark and twisted rage.

"Please...come out! You tried your best, I know you did. It'll all workout in the end, you don't have to sit in shame, PLEASE say something back!"

The soft and kind voice of the former nun would normally ease his heartache. The thought of a cute girl worrying over him would normally be enough.

But it wasn't.

His rage wouldn't go away. It wouldn't shimmer down, it refused to die out, it refused to let itself be unheard, to be let go and cast aside.

Seven days.

That's how long he had to train. She said it would've be plenty of time. Time for him to grow into the servant she knew he could be. And what did he do with that belief?

He casted aside the moment he lost.

Too weak. That's what the dragon inside of him had said. Normally, the ancient spirit had said, a sacrifice would be enough to gain extra power, power to beat that asshat of a devil and save his king. But as he stood now, in his current form and ability, he was too weak. The would be sacrifice would be meaningless.

Better to cut your losses, he spoke indifferently, grow stronger than challenge him for your king.

He gave a humorless chuckle, one full of self-deprecation and self-loathing, As if he'd let that happen, he remembered saying.

So there he laid, wallowing in his shame and defeat. His rage the only thing keeping him from falling into a deep slumber. His king need justice, for the crime of being married off to the one she hated most, and he craved vengeance for how he treated and emotionally tormented his king.

"What if I could offer you both?" The sound of a dark and twisted voice ringed out, with a slight echo in its voice. Giving it a more haunting tone. "That rage inside of you, your thirst for justice and vengeance, it reminds me of myself. For different reasons, yet the strength of the want is the same."

"Who are you?" The boy sat up and swung his legs to the side of the bed. "How can I hear you in my head?!"

"I am much like the dragon that resides in you, cursed inside of tool because of my power, because I could challenge the gods and win." The voice answered with barely contained rage. Something was off about the voice though, the underlying insanity it held, the bloodthirst it held.

For some reason, the dragon remained quiet.

As if sensing his question the voice spoke up, disgust evident in his tone.

"I can offer you more than what that dragon ever could. That lizard was weak, unmotivated, and lacked the will to sacrifice for the greater good."

"What did you do?"

"I have removed him from the equation. It is only you and I now."

He didn't need a college degree to understand what he meant.

"How?"

"By using the power that you seek. That you crave."

He should've been scared, but he oddly enough he didn't feel fear. As matter of fact, he couldn't feel anything. Only the rage that swelled in him.

"I'll ask again, who are you?"

"I used to be a fool. I believed in an unyielding code and fought for justice. Like a fool I fought and fought, against foes as weak as the common thug to foes as strong as the gods themselves. I believed I could make a difference in the world. That I could handle anything that came my way." The once underlying insanity came to the forefront. "But the very reason why I fought took everything AWAY FROM ME! I didn't know until it was too late! That never ending fight took and took and took, and it costed me everything!"

"I'm-I'm sorry." And he truly meant it.

"It doesn't matter, not anymore." He paused, letting his insanity simmer, "I can stop that from happening to you, all you have to do is accept."

The boy opened his mouth to speak, before another voice cut him off.

"Issei! Stop! Don't liste-" Then it vanished, as if it was never there.

Startled, the boy, Issei yelped "Who was that?!"

"Another fool, but unlike me, he lacked the ability to sacrifice for others."

"If-If I accept can I save them?" He asked, he ignored the other voice all that mattered was that he saved Rias and kicked Riser's ass.

"We could save everyone." The voice assured him, "Together."

Gulping, the boy known as Issei Hyodo steeled his resolve and stood up, "Then I accept!"

"Good."

"Kid, you don't know what you're doing! He'll take-"

Through the halls of the glamorous hall, a red streak blurred through its halls. The streak left bloody smears along its floor and walls. Severed torsos and legs laid strewn about as the streak continued on its bloody path.

All the unsuspecting devils were turned into a bloody paste along the walls of the castle. They didn't even have the time to scream. For they were long dead before they even knew it.

This was justice. The filith known as devilkind didn't deserve life, to continue to take advantage of his people. He could kill them all, but he wouldn't. Something was holding him back.

"Kid! You have to stop!"

No, he didn't.

"You're running a dark path!"

He was finally free.

"You're doing what he wants!"

Another bloody smear on the wall.

"Stop!"

And another.

"Please!"

And another.

Soon he ended up in front of a set of large doors. The guards that once stood there, were now a bloody paste at his armored feet.

"You can't give up on yourself, Issei! There's always hope!"

He didn't need hope.

All he needed was the anger inside of him.

His red, armored, hands reached out and pushed the doors open.

"Issei!"

AN: Something I wrote cause I was bored and the idea wouldn't leave my head. So tell me. Yay or nay?