Hunter Among Devils
Hey, I got through the super stressing period so I should have more time to write. I'm up for any suggestions by the way.
"That miserable piece of human scumbag how dare he-" Kalawarner drowned out Mittelt rent. After the 'human' knocked them out, they spent a moment unconscious and when they woken up, he wasn't anywhere in sight. Following their woke up, Mittelt started cursing over the fact that they taken out by a mere human as she put it since they left the scene and until which has been a while now. They were now in the church they used as a base of operations.
"Won't you shut up already ?" Raynare had just about enough, first her target, Issei Hyoudou, was alive and now she beat by a man, it wasn't her day.
"You shut up, if you had done a better job, that boy wouldn't have been alive !" Mittelt spat back at Raynare's face.
"You little-" Before it got any louder Kalawarner got up and flew off leaving the two fuming fallen angels.
She needed to clear her mind of all this. First they were sent to watch the possible threat known as Issei Hyodou and his possible Sacred Gear, then Raynare kill him saying she disposed of him before he could become a threat, now the same threat a devil in Rias Gremory's peerage. Then there was that man who appeared out of nowhere and annihilated them before they could do anything and with such ease too. Kalawarner was angry, but even more she was intrigued as how a human could have done this. She knew he wasn't a magician, she was certain. But she felt nothing from him, no energy or sacred gear, simply nothing.
'No point thinking about him over and over, I have to focus on the matter at hand' she stopped in her flight as the sun's first ray hit the face and warmed her skin. She contemplated it for a moment before looking down and saw the town getting busy. She flew down and landed somewhere people couldn't see fer and started walking with no specific destination. After an hour or so, she stopped in a park and sighed.
'What I am doing, after all this I having doubts ? Azazel-sama ordered this so why ?' Her thoughts were interrupted as cold shivers went down her spine, slowly she turned around and saw a beautiful blue haired woman with equally blue eyes, but those eyes were giving a absolute zero sensation to Kalawarner. She was wearing a white shirt and blue pants that stopped below her knees.
"Who knew I could find something worthy of being tortured amongst those weaklings" the woman smirked. Kalawarner was frozen in fear she never experienced this feeling, Azazel when he was fighting seriously but that was long ago. Gathering her thoughts, she prepared to flee, until someone spoke.
"Hey come on Esdeath you are not gonna to kill someone the first day you are in this place are you ?" Kalawarner looked around and her eyes widened seeing that it was last night's man.
"It does not matter when or where the weak die, because only the strong get to decide" she explained in knowing manner.
"That doesn't answer my question" he sweat dropped "but then again you have a way to see things. Anyway I thought we were going to catch up since we last saw each other 2 years ago" he said as he made a friendly smile to the fallen angel who was still shaken up "how about we meet up at my place later today so we can discuss without interruptions"
"Why not ? I was already told where you lived. Until then" she left and any traces of the freezing presence with her.
"Okay, you'll be safe for now. You got lucky I got here before you ended up in a million pieces of ice" Max looked in Kalawarner's eyes and saw she still wasn't there yet. He snapped his fingers near her ears and she snapped out of it.
"W-what was- no what is she ? And you- you are from last night ?" she was still freaked out by the whole meeting.
"Well you are pretty coherent for someone who met her, usually they end up in a daze for some time" he said it like it was a fact "so, Kalawarner right ?" she now had a good look at him he was taller than her. He wore a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled back, black trousers with black shoes.
"Wait you know my name too ?" she was ready to attack him now
"Well sorry about this night, I really am but you kinda tried to kill me. Even if I was spying on you. But I would really like if you didn't try to skewer me in broad day light" he held his hands up with a nervous smile on his face "if I can avoid fighting you right now I would" there was no deceit in his words she knew that much, but she was still wary of him.
"... what is your name ?" she asked after a while.
"It is Max, nice to meet you Kalawarner. And once again sorry for knocking you out" he apologized. She scoffed internally. That was the human that took them out so easily ?
"I want to know how a human can move like that, that's no small feat" she started to think he wasn't human or was at least different from the others.
"That kind of information is hard to give, if I do tell you then I'll get in trouble. Plus we will have to be in slightly better relation to actually exchange any information don't you think ?" he made a point, one wouldn't give any important information.
"Does it have to do with the fact you are not from around here ?"
"Yes, but that's all you get from me" he finished the discussion "anyway what are you doing here ? I 'm pretty sure you being here as nothing to do with your mission or I'm wrong" he inquired while putting his hands in his pockets.
"Who knows and I can ask you the same" she didn't want to let him have his way once more.
"That's easy enough, you remember the woman from before ?" she nodded "she is a... friend and it's been a while since I last saw her so I wanted to talk to her for a bit so I looked for her, and you know the rest"
"That woman is insanely strong, are you and her in some relationship ?" she wondered why he hesitated saying the word friend to describe them and she felt... annoyed ? That's new.
"Her and I ? In a relationship ?" he repeated her words then began laughing. It lasted a moment then he took a deep breath "Thats not gonna happen any time soon because we don't have that kind of feelings for one another, and while she is nice with me it's more like we respect each other in a siblings way" he stated while smiling.
"That's all ? That is why you wanted to catch up with her ?"
"Well yeah, she is strong I admire and respect that. She's like an older sister of some sorts. But coming back to you, if you have nothing to do how about we spend some time together and while we're at it I'll make it up to you for last night, how does that sound ?" he was genuine, like a little boy but held himself like a man. Kalawarner felt odd while looking at him.
'Somehow, he makes me feel... get a grip ! He's human !' she thought for a moment then answered "why not I don't have anything to do anyway" she said like it was a bother more than anything else but slightly red face said otherwise.
"Great, let's get going then" he started walking and she followed him.
Later that day, on a hill over looking the city
This 'date' has been pleasant unlike Kalawarner's original thoughts. Max made small talks, which annoyed her at first, but then he began talking about history and said he was interested in it and she actually talked about it with him. After he began to ask about all the the Great War and the three factions or even religions. That got Kalawarner's attention, first because he was not biased, he didn't defend angels, fallen or devils but also because he said it in a way as if it didn't concern him. She tried and ask him about him like where he came from but he didn't answer. But she wasn't annoyed, rather it could be used as an excuse to see him or talk to him.
'Wait where did that come from' she froze after realizing what she was thinking. She couldn't have feelings for him could she ? No, she had to cast out such feelings if she had them.
"Well I don't know about you but I had a good time" he said while stretching, he does that a lot "so what about you, did you have a good day so far" he looked at her with a small smile.
"... it has been nice" she was unsure as to what she should say, she did enjoy the day with him but her duties or even the fact that they were of a different kind didn't help. Max leaned
"You know, I don't really care about what you are going to do tonight with the others because I'm an outsider but I believe you should only do something when it is right. What about you ?" his smile didn't budge but his eyes were curious, waiting for answer.
"You saw the girl ?" she rose her hand a bit, ready to attack if he was a threat to the plan.
"Yep, but before you try and pierce me would lower your hand please ?" she hesitated, but did it "thank you, so I did see her but I don't know what you plan on doing with her" he paused "however the look on her face and her tattered clothes told she wasn't in a good situation" he proceeded to sit on the grass and stared at the sky. She watched him and moments went unnoticed for the both of them.
"Hey how does it feel to be up there ?" he asked still looking up.
"Why do you ask ?" that came out of nowhere, she looked in his eyes and saw longing, that was unexpected he was so carefree until now.
"Since you have wings you don't know but all humans seek freedom, me too. And I'm sure it feels like a whole new world when you have wings on your back, being less restricted" he looked in Kalawarner's eyes and she looked into his. He then got up and walked over her "you may not believe me but soon things might change and not for the better, a new kind of threat not only to the fallen but to the devils and angels too, it will affect the world as you know it" he was serious she could tell "so you should be ready in case" he then gave her a small glass ball with what looked like black fog inside "if you ever need help destroy that, as to why I'm giving that to you take it as a thanks for spending the day with me" she studied the orb then turned around but Max was nowhere to be seen.
'As thanks ? If I need help ? As if that will happened' but she didn't crush the ball. Instead she put it away and flew off toward the abandoned church.
At Max's place
"Sorry to make you wait" Max apologized to Esdeath as he entered his flat.
"It's fine I had time to see for myself how does the inner territories differ from the Outer Rim, and I'm disappointed to find out that our fellow humans are so weak" she was sitting in the living's room couch like it was her own.
"Well you can't except everyone to be at your level, can you ?" he got out of his shoes and went in the kitchen "you want something to something to drink"
"No thank you I already helped myself" he went out of the kitchen and sat on a chair facing Esdeath "what did you find so far ?"
"Well this town is a supernatural magnet to begin with, and maybe a catastrophe magnet attracting both natural disasters and supernatural ones, meaning we will have problems working without being disturbed by someone or something" he sighed and started drinking what was in his glass
"Then we just have to remove whoever gets in our way, and if you are right about danger beasts being altered by someone then we can't afford being bothered by amateurs" she crossed her legs and her arms.
"While I'm not sure about removing them, it's true amateurs can't get in our way, it's why Aria has been making calls to a lot of people, but she's keeping as much information as she can from them" he informed her.
"It's good, this way we won't have too much trouble" she paused for a moment "that woman from earlier, what is your relationship with her ?"
"Oh, is Esdeath interested in my love life ?" he teased her but stopped when a really cold smile crept his way on her face "well I'm not sure, but I heard the Empire was shocked when you basically kidnapped that boy" he laughed when her eyes widened a bit and looked at him "yeah I know, first time you do that to another human, not saying me because you just want to fight me, and you that you actually confess to him"
"How did you even hear about that ?"
"I have my ways, I'm not sure about Kalawarner yet, but she is nice once you get past her rough side" he said in a thinking tone, Max liked her but not in a romantic manner. Well not someone he met last night.
"What are your plans for tonight ?"
"Mainly recon, but I got a bad feeling about tonight so I'm getting ready" he stood up put the empty glass in the sink and went in his room. 5 minutes later he came out in his combat gear, but this time around he had metal gauntlets and elbow protectors.
"Then I'll also be scouting the area" she stood up and made to leave but stopped at the door step "don't get too excited playing with your prey, we still have our fight to finish" she closed the door after leaving.
"Can't say I won't for sure" he opened the window and stared at the falling sun and the night slowly taking hold of the sky.
At the fallen's church
"Raynare did Azazel-sama really order that we extract the sacred gear from Asia ?" Kalawarner needed answers and she would get them now.
"Is it really important now as we are going to do it ?" Raynare didn't spare a glance to her fellow female fallen, she was too focused on the nun that was attached to a giant cross.
"I only wish to know if what we are doing was ordered, the first orders were only to watch and now we have a reincarnated devil and this ceremony going on" she closed her eyes and thought about the last days and opened them "so were we ordered to do this ?"
"Actually we did not receive direct orders about this, rather this is an initiative on our end to please Azazel-sama" she looked back at Kalawarner, a malicious smile was plastered on her face.
"...I'm sorry, I can't do something like that if we weren't ordered to do so" she proceeded to go out until Freed got in her way.
"You are not walking out on us, are you ? Right ? Right ?" the crazed exorcist kept asking. Kalawarner summoned her wings and flew out. Freed tried to go after her only to be stopped by Raynare.
"Don't waste your energy on her" she kept looking toward the blond nun "you should head upstairs and prepare for possible guests"
"Yes ma'am" he sported a crazy smirk on his face.
With Kalawarner
After getting out of the church, she landed on the roof and looked in the city's direction. Her thoughts went to her mission, to what happened to Issei Hyoudou and what was going to happen to Asia Argento. Then to what this young man said "you should only do something when it is right". His words kept repeating in her head, but it confused her. She was older than him yet she let his words affect her. But she stopped thinking when she saw people coming towards the church. She flew down to them.
With Issei
"You again" said Issei has he remembered the woman who attacked him not too long ago.
"Issei Hyoudou, what did you come here for ?" asked Kalawarner as she landed. She took notice of Kiba and Koneko who stood alongside Issei.
"I came here to save Asia, and you won't stop me" he summoned his Sacred Gear as he spoke "so get out of my way or I'll take you on" he raised his arms to show that he was ready to fght.
"... you want to save her ?" her voice sounded curious "you just met her, so why would you want to save her ?" she crossed her arms and waited for his pathetic excuses but what he said surprised her.
"Asia cried and she's my friend, so of course I'll help her !" he shouted in an anfry manner. Kiba summoned his sword and Koneko raised her fists. Nobody moved, but Kalawarner broke the silence.
"She's is under the church floor, tied and undergoing a ceremony which will strip her both of her Sacred Gear and her life. However you might make it if you act now" the three devils were shocked.
"The only reason you would tell us this is to disturb us" Kiba stepped forward sword still held up.
"Believe or not, time is running out" she stepped aside and gestured toward the church "so you better hurry up". Issei walked and glanced at Kalawarner but ran once he got past her. Kiba and Koneko did the same.
'What am I doing ? I am betraying my own comrades just like this' she mentally struggled as her thoughts clashed against each other, should she take advantage of their backs being turned and attack them ? But her body didn't move so she stood still and watched their running forms.
Skip to the scene where Raynare is about to get reduced to ashes by Rias, only Kalawarner was not alongside Donhaseek and Mittelt when they were destroyed.
"Please wait Rias Gremory" Rias turned around and saw the blue-haired fallen angel.
"Ara ara, there was still one left" Akeno said as her hand began sparkling with lightning. Issei was confused as to why the woman came now, but he was the only one as the others devils got ready for another fight.
"What do you need Fallen angel ? I was about to give justice to my servant" her hand was still raised toward Raynare who was still in her 'Yuuma' personality.
"I would like you to hand over Raynare, Azazel-sama will punish her accordingly as she didn't follow our orders" she didn't show it, but she was afraid of the Gremory heiress and her power. But she needed to keep her cool.
"So you want me to hand over the person responsible for killing my servant in the first place, attacked him again and now killed this girl ? If my memory is right you are no stranger yourself to this situation" Kalawarner tensed at the heiress words, her action might not only amount to nothing but she might also get killed. She fidgeted a bit and felt something in her shirt pocket, she realized that it was the glass ball given to her by Max. She slowly reached for the ball, grasped it, took it out of her pocket and examined it. As she moved, everyone tensed. When they saw the glass ball they did nothing and waited for her to do something. When she crushed it, they were ready for whatever may come at them. But nothing happened.
"... I don't know what this was meant to do but I am not going to delay her death any longer" Rias looked back at 'Yuuma' and saw that she was still shaken by what occurred. Rias gathered her Power of Destruction and was about to use it on the fallen when something caùe through the ceiling and crashed on the church floor.
"Did I came in at a wrong time ?" a voice said as the smoke cleared, and standing in the middle of the crater was the black haired hunter.
Max P.O.V a moment ago
I was moving along the roofs when I felt the energy from the glass ball being released in the Fallen's church. That glass ball was used as tracker when we hunted monsters, I gave it to Kalawarner because I had a feeling something would happen around her soon, and when monsters are involved my instinct is rarely wrong. So as soon as I felt the tracker going off, I made a break on the rook and soared toward the church. It was too late to stop, thinking about what monsters could there be in the church to realize it was actually a super-natural presence that was located in the church. And when I crashed on the floor and caught glimpses of red hair or a familiar orange ribbon, I didn't think much of what to say, so I said what a lot of people would say.
"Did I came in at a wrong time ?"
General P.O.V
"What are you doing here Max-san ?" Rias was the one to voice everyone's thoughts.
"Well" he looked back and saw Kalawarner with the glass renmants in her hands "I owned her favor and you could say she called in this favor"
"Then you are going to help those two get away with what they did to my servants ? This one" she gestured at Raynare "was the one who killed Issei and stole this girl's Sacred Gear, while this one"motioning Kalawarner "attacked Issei and didn't do anything to make the situation better" she finished and crossed her arms. Raynare was so afraid of her power that she wouldn't move an inch.
"I don't know about the one who killed Issei but if I can I won't let you kill Kalawarner because she is not a bad person" he sported a small smile but his fingers were flexing as he spoke. Tension began building up, until another presence manifested itself. It was somehow twisted. They looked around, Kalawarner did too but her eyes stopped on Max who looked at a precise spot near the church entrance. She did the same and soon everyone also did, even Raynare, then the space began warping.
"A... rift ?" Kiba wasn't sure since he only saw it once but the feeling was the same.
"Yes, that's a rift" Max said as his hand reached out to his sword "but something is off about it" he then held his sword with both hands in front of him. Then something 'jumped' out of the rift and sprang toward Max. The hunter made to block the incoming form but was blown away. Kalawarner watched everything unfold in slow motion and when Max was blown away, she went after him.
The others stared at what blew Max away. It was standing on his four appendages, had wings along his front appendages. Sharp claws adorning those appendage's end. A yellow and blue hide. It's face was like a tyrannosaur's. It was bigger than the other monster, the Rathalos, they first saw. Akeno didn't wait as she sent her lightning at it, the lightning hit it but it was as if he didn't feel it. By the time the lightning strike ended, Akeno realized the monster was looking at her and it's gaze made her feel like a helpless prey that was about to be shredded into pieces. Kiba and Koneko reacted at the same time, they assaulted the monster with stabs, slashes, punches and kicks but it leap back so they attacked air. When the monster touched the ground; it leap forward targeting both close range devils with a sweeping motion with his claw. But it's attention was drawn to the side by a shout.
"Ahhhhhhh ! Boost" Issei ran to the monster with his Sacred Gear glowing. The shining coming from the jewel got the monster's attention. Long enough so that Koneko and Kiba retreated and that Issei was in punching-range, but the monster made a U-turn and struck Issei with it's tail sending him in the church's walls.
"Issei" cried Rias and as soon as she did, she drew to herself the monster's eyes. Upon realizing it, Akeno took flight and aimed her lightning at it. As lightning fell, Rias gathered her Power of Destruction in her hand and fired the black and red ball of death to the ennemy. Smoke erupted as magical attacks came in contact with their target. When it cleared, the monster moved toward a still target, Raynare who didn't understood what was happening. As it's claws neared Raynare's face, she was pushed out of death's grasp by Issei who ran from where he was previously sent crashing to her.
They were both alive, with Raynare looking at Issei with wide eyes. The monster was about to attack them again when a voice interrupted.
"Well, I didn't think I would see your ugly mug you sorry excuse for a predator" Max taunted it. He didn't look harmed but was angry, his sword strapped on his back and Kalawarner flying above him.
The monster immediately looked at him, forgetting everyone else "Hope you are ready because I am not going easy on you, you half baked Tigrex" he drew his sword and glared at the now named Tigrex, blackish thunder circling around the blade. Said Monster got on all-fours, reared it's head a little and roared. The roar sent everyone on their knees except Max. He was looking fiercely at the Tigrex, he was challenging it. What followed won't be described as a battle or a fight. It was a conflict between two beings who sought to annihilate the other, Max got stabbed trough the chest and paid the Tigrex back by running his sword through it's torso. He cut his tail, tore his wings, slashed it's legs. Whatever one would do to the other, the other would pay him back two-fold. Nobody interrupted out of fear, it was a fight to decide who is the predator and who's the prey. The fight was put to an end when the Tigrex took a step back, weakened by the hits it took and not ready to go on any longer. A disturbing smile climbed on Max's face when he saw the display of surrender, he took a step forward, then another, then started running and brought his sword down on the Tigrex's head. The monster's body went limp, stopped squirming, or growling. It's eyes rolled up and it died. Max's next action was to shout, but it was more like a roar. One of victory you could hear when you crushed your opponent. Issei unconsciously grabbed Raynare's shoulder, and Raynare grabbed Issei's hand, and Asia's body which he took in his arms during the fight. Kiba used his swords as a support to resist the tension. Koneko was behind Kiba, on the foor with her hands on her head. Rias was somehow still standing, Akeno too. Kalawarner was behind Max, somehow it was worst as she didn't really see his face and could feel more pressure because she was behind him. However what they all shared was the heavy breathing, the need to gasp air and horrified expression. They heard footsteps coming from the church's entrance. Kalawarner didn't look back as she recognize the presence from this morning.
"My, it looks as if you had a good time" Esdeath was in her original get-up with her rapier in her hand. She kept walking until she was 3 meters away from the hunter "Now I trust you are still capable of thinking" her voice had a excepting tone. Max turned his head and a manic grin found his way.
"Hey Esdeath, even though I just finished this guy I didn't have enough yet" he completely turned around and held with his right hand his sword at Esdeath "So mind if we spar a bit ? For old times sake" killing intent aimed at the blue-haired woman. Ths pressure was too much and everyone who wasn't on the ground yet was now. However Esdeath didn't move, instead a disappointed expression adorned her features.
"I have no interest in fighting you when you are like that" she herself pointed her weapon at Max "So you better calm down, or I'll freeze you to death now" as she said freeze an icy aura invaded the church. The two pressure combined were too much and most fainted, except the fallen angels and Rias. After a few moments both pressures receded and soon it was like everything that just happened was out of place. Max sighed and the energy emanating from the blade vanished.
"I got in a frenzy again did I ?" his eyes were closed, an arm resting on his sword and the other pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, you got lucky you snapped out of it so soon. If not I would have removed you" she said it like it was a fact.
"Yeah I know" he looked around and saw the shocked expressions of Raynare, Rias and Kalawarner "Sorry about that, I would appreciate if you forget that ever happened" he strapped his sword and helped Kalawarner up. He did the same for Rias and Raynare. Esdeath watched him helping them and left without a word. Max looked at the fainted members of the ORC, and sighed again. He'll need to explain some things since they won't be able to forget it just like that, but he also remembered the reason he was called here in the first place.
"Kalawarner, take Raynare and go" he reminded her "if you want to leave now's the time" Kalawarner also remembered and went over Raynare.
"Come on Raynare, we have to go" Raynare looked at Kalawarner then at Issei and saw the bracelet he offered her on their date. Then she took one of her feathers and put it in Issei's hands. She flew off while looking at Issei and disappeared in the night. Kalawarner looked at Max and he at her. Nothing was said, Max didn't smile. Kalawarner thought about what happened today, starting this mornig to now. How he could be childish, an adult, serious or kind, then now. She needed to stay away from him, anyone would tell her to, but her answer was different from everyone's.
"Until we see each other again" she took off not missing Max's eyes widening and the smile climbing his face. After she left Rias finally made her presence known.
"I won't ask you what happened" she went over Asia's body and took her bishop piece "but they might want explanations tomorrow" she warned him and started performing the devil reincarnation ceremony.
"Yeah, but tomorrow is tomorrow" when he finished his sentence, a magic circle formed on the ground and Aria came out of it.
"Good evening Gremory-san, I am here to retrieve Max and the monster's body. I hope you'll forgive me for being hasty but I have matters to attend to" Rias greeted the fallen angel and watched as Max walked over her and disappeared in a flash.
Now Rias was left alone with every member of her peerage knocked out
"How am I going to bring them all back ?"