Author's note: A small notice, Kashii Yui and Akitsuki Fuuka are not my OC, they came from the two other series "Hajimete no Gal" and "Fuuka"
Chapter 2:
"Eh?"
It was raining.
"What are you doing in this kind of place?"
Silence.
"Where are your mommy and daddy?"
"... don't have one..." the curt answer came in a quiet tone "... I got thrown away. Nobody wants me."
"... Is that it? But it's really cold out here, you know?"
The umbrella was lowered upon the smaller figure sitting on the ground before a small motherly smile appeared on the face of the taller figure
"If you feel like it..." the gentle voice was like a soothing melody as the child looking up "... do you want to come to my house?"
He was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming.
"What is His Grace's current situation?"
"Good news first. Physically, His Grace will be back on his feet in about three or five Earth days. With Trinity Prime's personal involvement in the healing, His Grace's ability to use Void energy will be protected. Though we have to thank the Void that it was someone knows to deal with wounds was summoned first."
In front of his eyes was the black sky with a sea of stars shone brightly as he felt himself weightless and floating aimlessly.
"Indeed. And the bad news?"
"We basically have no idea about His Grace's mental state. Great physical pains can cause negative effect on one's mentality, especially if His Grace is already mentally unstable. Without a full therapy and further observation, we can only hope that 'the worst case won't happen' according to Trinity Prime's words."
"Just the last thing we need to hear..."
Such a mesmerizing scenery that he doubted it could be seen from Earth.
"By the way, how is the current public opinion?"
"Joyous that we have finally found His Grace. But after knowing about what had happened to His Grace, all are demanding blood and retribution now. Some like the Zephyr even want to call in a full scale airstrike."
"*chuckle* Only airstrike? Heh, don't tell me that those Zephyr has gone soft after the hibernation?"
"They couldn't call in more, to be more precise. Our combat effectiveness is only above average after the slumber and we need time to fix that. We just only managed to identify a possible leader after successfully tracking the signals of the bugs Equinox Prime had planted on those 'vermins'. Even with five teams of Loki currently on the ground, it will take some time to gather all the intel on what species they are as well as their full military's ability. Not to mention setting up the necessary sabotage before bringing in the big gun."
If only this dream could last...
"But that doesn't mean a small... 'warning' can't be given, does it?"
"One thing you should have already known, my friend, is that when Loki Prime personally does something... he never does it half-ass. And did I mention that Mirage Prime had decided to tag along?"
"Heh, I almost pity those poor vermins for angering our very Loki Prime and Mirage Prime."
"*chuckle* Almost. That aside, is His Grace's first teacher ready?"
But what were those voice? What were they...
"Oh, he is always ready. But whether His Grace is ready for him or not... We will have to wait and see."
*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!*
Night time. The time which was supposed to be calm and peaceful in order to give the Underworld's citizen a necessary rest after a working day. But for some people, it was not.
Sitting behind the table, a certain redhead satan let out a mixed childish cry of exuberance and frustration. His paperwork was finally done! At least one minor problem down... and another huge problem waiting.
It had been five days after the incident caused by his cute little Ria-tan's arranged fiance and until now, nothing had happened, yet. While the Elder Council had deemed the unknown entity's 'advice' as an empty threat, Sirzechs knew better than that. To hear some unknown entity could effortlessly shaken up Grayfia Lucifuge, the very one who held the title of The Ultimate Queen, like that, Sirzechs knew it would be suicidal to recklessly dismiss the threat like that. While he had managed to convinced the council to step up the general security, a part of his mind said that it would only be the matter of time until... something happened.
Especially that the unknown entity said about devilkind's 'extinction'. Declaring the devilkind enemy or even war was understandable. But 'extinction'... That wasn't something could be declared on the whim or thrown around as an empty bluff, unless it was coming from a small company of dragons or someone who was really confident in his ability.
Or in rare cases, it came from an arrogant individual, which he must admitted that the Council had a point with that theory.
But there was another possibility that Sirzechs dreaded. What if there were more of them, not just two? Granted, it would depend on the summoner but what if somehow, more entities with similar or even greater power were summoned?
If the white entity could force Grayfia down on her knees without really doing anything, what would happen if both the black and the white entity were in presence? He would need the help of Serafall, Ajuka and Falbium to emerge victorious. And it would be a victory with heavy casualties for them.
And in the worst case, there were about twenty to thirty of them... Devilkind's extinction was not a far-fetch scenario.
"Would you 'allow' me to have some words with you, Sirzechs Gremory?"
The apathetic yet sarcastic voice nearly made him jumped out of his seat as his head snapped to the source of the voice, which was an unknown being stood passively with its arms folded. Two downward curve horns along with its outfit's black color like the color of the night with gold lines and a strange sigil on the chest gave the entity a simple yet majestic aura that only best of the best leaders could possess.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" asked Sirzechs cautiously. How in the hell this being could come here without being detected? Even him couldn't sense its presence until this entity spoke
"You will know eventually." Again, Sirzechs could easily detect sarcasm laced in his unknown guest's tone "That aside. I would like to know you are going to do with a certain recent... 'incident' now?"
"Pardon?" Sirzechs's eyebrow raised briefly before a thought came to his mind. Was this being...
"One of your kind assaulted the heir of our empire unprovoked and nearly killed him, just because our heir looked like a piece of trash in that vermin's eyes." The sarcasm now was replaced by pure disgust "What are you going to do with this, Sirzechs Gremory? You can only answer one time. No more. No less."
This entity... was in the same league with the two black and white entities. And had he just said 'heir' and 'empire'? He tried to find a sign proving those words were just merely bluffs but he could find none, especially when those words were said naturally like breathing. And if what this being had just said was the truth, then it could only mean one thing.
Riser Phenex, his cute little sister's arranged fiance, had unknowningly provoked a whole unknown empire. An empire that had individuals with unknown power that could easily surpass the power of the four satan.
And now, it was safe to assume that what Sirzechs would say to the entity in front of him would determine whether the whole devilkind would survive or become a real myth in the human's story.
A weight that was thousands heavier than the weight he had carried back in the devil's civil war.
*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!*
Huh? Wha...! Ouch! What in the... Wait. This was... his room?
*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!*
The ringing sound of his alarm clock shock him out of his stupor as before he got up from the floor and turned it off. Was everything, including the report forms delivering and the... encounter at Occult Research club, just a nightmare from the very beginning? But if it was just the nightmare, then why it felt so... real?
And what was this strange lingering feeling that kept crawling under his skin? As if it was the remnant of the agony he had felt earlier, whether it was real or not.
Shaking his head, he nimbly got out of his room. His stomach was rumbling like he hadn't eaten for days. Time to clean up and help his mother with cooking breakf...a...s...t...
"Ah, you're awake, Itou-kun." The familiar gentle tone greeted him as in the living room, there was his mother sitting calmly at the table. But that was not what gained his attention.
Sitting right on the other side of the table in seiza position, a... humanoid figure was sitting with such an alien and imitating yet serene air around him. His face was concealed by what looked like, no offense, a saucer-shaped crown along with a strange visor. His outfit was rather simple yet it possessed an aura of superior that he doubted even the best sci-fi designer could come up with something that could be even be half-good as the unknown entity's outfit.
"Your Grace." Said the figure with a small respectful bow
Huh? 'Your Grace'? What was the meaning of that?
"What... who are you?" came his cautious question, his eyes never left the two swords hanging on the entity's hip "... And why are you calling me like that?"
As if noticing his wary look on the swords, they quickly disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place. Just how exactly...
"I am Teshin of the Conclave, Your Grace. And I mean you no harm." Despite his clear reaction of disbelief after hearing the 'mean no harm' part , the one named Teshin continued "But before I give you any explanation or answer, may I see the back of your left hand Your Grace?
His left hand? Why would this Teshin want to se... e...
"The Tenno Sigil."said Teshin with marvel as he carefully inspected the bright lotus-liked sigil on the back of his left hand "The proof that you are The Heir of the Tenno. The one who will lead the Tenno to a whole new age."
Okay, he was completely lost now. Some explanation would be really appreciated here.
"I will go prepare a meal." Said his mother gently as she stood up from her position "Take all the time you need, Itou-kun."
Also, how could his mother act so normally in front of such an unknown entity like that?! Sure, he knew this was his mother he was talking about but there had to be some kind of line...
"While I respect your desire to remain standing due to your understandable caution Your Grace, sitting down is much more appealing and more comfortable position for a possibly long conversation, no?"
After eyeing Teshin carefully for a few seconds, he gingerly sat down next to where his mother sat a few minutes ago as his mind pondered all the questions he wanted to ask, which happened to be a lot. Which question should he ask first?
"... Was everything real?" the tilt of Teshin's head forced him to clarify his meaning "My last memory was delivering paper to the Occult Research Club and then I saw... orange before... hot... and pain... and black and white... "
Teshin raised his right hand signalling him to stop
"If you meant being incinerated to near dead five Earth days ago then yes, Your Grace." Said Teshin evenly "Luckily, somehow you managed to summon Equinox Prime in last moments or else, we wouldn't even have this conversation in the first place."
It was real?! And five day ago?! Did that mean...
"You mean... I nearly died?!" he could still hear his voice became shaken and incoherent despite his best effort to calm himself down "... And the last five day... But why?... How did I... "
"We put our best effort to help you fully back to your feet. The reason why it took five days was due to the time difference between Earth and the Void. What is your next question, Your Grace?"
Taking in a long breath as he tried to push the panic in his mind away
"... What are you, Teshin? And who are these Equinox Prime and Trinity Prime?"
Nodding his head as if he had just hit the point, Teshin said seriously
"I am just a mere remnant of the Orokin era, while Equinox Prime and Trinity Prime are Tenno." Again, Teshin raised his hand "I will explain it fully right now, just please do not interrupt me Your Grace, for this will also be the first history lesson of once proud civilization you will receive."
(Chapter end)
