Devil x Darklight
Life 7: Discarded Saint
"And here we are."
The engine of my motorcycle rumbled to a halt as I brought it to a stop at the entrance of Iris' mansion, Asia looking up at the antiquated building with widened eyes as she set the borrowed helmet down.
"It's big and… rather old. Is this where you live?" Asia asked, prompting me to snicker.
"Thankfully no. I have a couple of friends who live here. I can't just go and take you to my house, my parents would flip… and besides, this old look is just an illusion." I answered, Asia looking at me with a confused tilt, and I pointed off, right at the familiar bird that told me Iris was keeping an eye on me. "See that bird? It's a familiar. This friend of mine has dozens like it scattered all over town, and this one right here is assigned to watch me. She likes to be informed."
"But wait… if she has a familiar, then is your friend another Devil?"
"Heh, no, she's not. She may be immortal, but Iris is no Devil… she's a Witch. And not the "witch because she uses magic" kind… I mean a Witch as in the magically influenced subspecies of humans."
"There are people in the world like that?"
Asia's confusion was honest. Magician and Witch bloodlines typically did a damn good job of flying under the radar. While Magicians often contracted with Devils-in fact I have a contract with Aoi-and were more well known to the Supernatural Side, Witches were more… secretive about it.
"Believe me, there's a lot more to things than you may know." I said such as I approached the door, and rather than knocking shimmied a key of my own into the lock. The key was a rather old item, cast iron and clearly from a different age… but it also meant the thing wasn't easily replicated. Only three exist, and only people Iris trusts get to hold the other two. No points for guessing who has the other one. "Though… at least stick close to me."
"O-Okay."
Asia did as told and stepped a bit closer as I pushed the door open, which immediately revealed to the nun how the interior of the mansion was far more well-kept looking than the illusionary exterior. When Asia stepped forward, I held an arm out. The blonde girl yelped as the door shut behind us with a loud noise.
"W-What's going on?!"
"Haaagh… Iris, quit messing around!" I shouted, Asia looking around in surprise… and then came the yelling from the stairwell.
"Dammit Soren! Do you know what time it is?!" Of course it was Aoi, who rushed into view with a clearly agitated look, though she stopped dead when she saw that Asia was with me… and one could see a twitch in one of her eyes. "What did you do now?"
"Why do you immediately react like I've committed a crime?!... don't answer that." My response also promptly came with Aoi vaulting off of the railing and aiming a kick right at me. Which since it was coming form a mile-away, I caught her foot easily… even if I was shoved across the carpet and into the wall. "And don't immediately kick me dammit! Hear me out first!"
"I'm just mad you showed up this damn late!" Aoi snapped, stepping back as I released her foot, then pointing to Asia. "Who the hell is she?!"
"Give me five minutes and I'll explain that! But where's Iris?"
"In the library as usual. She used one of her damn birds to wake me up. It kept pecking my head! Look!" Aoi pulled aside part of her bangs to show that there was a rather red mark on her forehead.
"Oh my… uh, I could fix that for you, if you'd like." Asia said, Aoi raising a brow. "Well, if you'd just let me see where you're hurt…"
Aoi looked at me with a brow raised, and I merely gestured over to Asia. With a sigh, Aoi bent down a bit, Asia lifting her hands over the peck-mark on the girl's forehead. The rings of her Gear appeared, and that soft green glow formed again. In seconds, the red mark on Aoi's head vanished, and she tapped the spot with wide eyes.
"What in the name of… Soren, explain. Now." Aoi tersely spoke, Asia looking to me, and I sighed as I pocketed my hands.
"She has a Sacred Gear… and apparently, Asia is a church-exile who came here at the behest of those Fallen Angels who won't leave me alone." I answered, then stepping over to the wall and tapping it, revealing a small port. "I know you heard that Iris! We're coming to the library, got it?"
"Whatever." The reply from the stoic girl reverberated back through the port, which quickly vanished in response, and again Asia was staring.
"I am… very confused right now. So… you're not Iris?" Asia said, pointing to Aoi, who let her fringe drop back down.
"Nope. I'm Aozaki Aoi, this idiot's contracted magician." Aoi said. "Alright then, to the library we go!"
"Yeah but uh… maybe put on something more than that shirt! I can see freaking everything!" I snapped, drawing attention to the fact Aoi was wearing nothing but a rather loose, and opened, button-down and black panties… and no thanks to the size of her bust and how she moved, it kept showing more than I would've liked. It also prompted Asia to finally pay attention to that and blush hard.
"Oh please like you really give a damn. I bet you actually liked the view." Aoi sniped, a smirk on her face as she only did a few of the buttons to keep the shirt closed. "Though you've both got a lot of explaining to do."
"Yeah I figured as much. Come on Asia, the library is this way."
"A-Alright!"
Once we did get into the library, well, I think you can guess the result. We got to the center area, a book came flying at my face, and of course I managed to catch it.
"That's definitely a greeting…" I muttered, Asia staring with wide eyes as I lowered the book. "Have we gotta do this evert time Iris?"
"Maybe when you stop being so reckless." Iris called the book back to her with a flick of her wrist, turning and looking straight at Asia. "Honestly, what were you thinking? You understand this means the Fallen Angels will definitely try to take the girl back, don't you?"
"Yeah which is why I brought her here. That golem of yours is a pretty good guard." I answered, then looking to Asia as she still looked confused. "Like I said earlier, Iris, the expressionless girl right here, has familiars all over town… there's hardly anything that goes on here she doesn't know about."
"O-Oh… well, I'm Asia Argento then and uhm… well…"
"Hey hey, don't get hasty just cause this dumbass brought you here." Aoi made a point to headlock me as she spoke. "Iris and I will decide if you can stay once we get an explanation! Right Soren?"
"Yeah yeah! Just quit with the arm lock! You're shoving your boobs in my face!" I snapped, Aoi snickering as she released me, "But where to start though… well, actually, I think I have an idea for that. Asia, that psychopath said you were a heretic… I doubt someone like you is actually so bad you'd get kicked out of the Church for legitimate heresy, you come off as pretty damn pious."
"It has to do with your Sacred Gear, doesn't it?" Iris remarked, Asia nodding. Iris then sighed. "I get the feeling this will take a bit… fine then, take a seat."
"Th-thank you." Asia took the seat across from Asia while Aoi and I took the nearby sofa, the nun then clearing her throat. "Like you guessed, I wasn't exiled from the Church for what would be a proper reason… rather, it's because of what my Sacred Gear can do. Like I showed earlier, it gives me the ability to heal. There's not many injuries I can't quickly relieve."
"Go figure. A power like that would be seen as pretty valuable to a group like the Church." Aoi said, rubbing the spot where she'd been pecked, Iris staring at her friend's(?) forehead. "But, it's a Sacred Gear, not some healing magic based in a holy sacrament of some kind."
"Yes." Asia said, her hands bunching at her knees.
"Well, I see where this is going." I remarked, leaning on a hand. "So, Asia, just to make it easy, why don't you just start from the beginning with this?"
"I am always amazed how well you take having to frequently be informed of things." Aoi said, earning her a prompt flick on the forehead from me. "Hey!"
"You're often in the same boat as me Aoi, so shut it."
"Peh!" And like a child, Aoi stuck her tongue out at me
"He's not incorrect. So then, Argento-san, where would you say this starts for you?" Iris said, Asia giving a hum.
"Well… I suppose since I was a baby." Asia said. And now time to gear up for the backstory part of "meeting a person who obviously as 'a past' segment" of these kinds of things. "My parents abandoned me right after I was born. I was told I had been found crying in front of a small European town's church. I grew up there. When I was eight, a wounded dog near death wandered into the church. By myself, I prayed as hard as I could. After that, a miracle occurred."
"Your Sacred Gear manifested for the first time." Iris said, Asia nodding. "They respond to the owner's strong feelings. It's the entire reason Soren was able to alter his Boosted Gear to his liking."
"That's what I've been told." Asia said, taking a breath before continuing her story. "Soon after that, I was taken to a much larger church, where I was ordered to heal illnesses and wounds of Christians coming from all over the world. I was so happy that my power could help people!"
I felt my face suddenly droop a bit. I knew where this was going. This is where the twist to the story happens.
"Then one day, I encountered a man collapsed on the floor, heavily injured. But, the man I came across was…"
"A Devil, right? And for that… you were branded a heretic." Asia's nod only made the sudden drop in my tone worse in effect. None of us had to guess what the response to learning Asia could heal a Devil would be. The Church isn't really keen on sharing, especially if it involves Devils. Damn the fact this girl could heal any wound or illness… all because this power of hers was universal and not exclusive, they branded her a heretic?!
Dammit just… dammit! There's a damn good reason I hate the Church as it is now, and it's not just because I'm a half-Devil.
"Well not like I didn't have enough reason to hate the Church already." Aoi bit one of her thumbnails as she gave a hiss. A lot like me, she's not very fond of the Church. Magus clans like the Aozakis are hardly ever trusted by them. The only place to go is really the Association… at least they're not a bunch of fucking xenophobes who can't stop kissing up to God. "So, after that, with nowhere to go, you ended up working with the Fallen Angels then?"
"But, I never stopped praying to God, expression my gratitude." Asia responded, though that left the three of us God-forsaken-beings to stew in repressed despise a bit. "Not to mention, I never knew what terrible things they were doing. The Lord must be testing me. If I can overcome this ordeal, He will surely make my dream come true someday. That's what I believe."
I know Asia doesn't mean it, but that's damn hard for me to believe. I'm a half-Devil, I never had the chance to get into God, or Heaven's for that matters, good graces from the moment I was born. To someone like me, the idea of a God is a farce. I don't have the time to sit around and pray for assistance or divine intervention.
"And what might this dream be?" Iris most likely saw I wasn't in the mood to say anything now. Though it's funny… she's a Witch, even more God-forsaken than a typical Magician… she and I are kind of similar in where we stand in the world.
"I'll make lots of friends. Together we'll buy flowers and books, and chat… that's my dream. I don't have any friends, you see?" Asia responded with earnestness in her voice. It was something so simple. So easy that I wanted to say "You don't need God's help to make friends." But even a Devil like me can't full well snap at this girl for something like that… I can't, not after hearing that.
Rather…
"Well then… I'll be your friend, if you want one so badly." I actually thought this one through. Asia's shocked face surprised me though. "What? It doesn't matter that I'm a Devil and you're a nun, we can still be friends! Besides… I brought you here, so I gotta take responsibility for what I did and… well, look after you, at least for a bit."
"Yeah, about that!" Aoi then promptly grabbed me by the face, quite the look on. It was not a smile I would call "friendly," not when it's coupled with that glare. "You didn't think this through entirely, did you?!"
"Admittedly at the time I was kind of running on how pissed I was at that priest I fought." I answered, ignoring the fact Aoi was pulling at my cheeks. "So, yes, I did not think this through all the way but… come on Aoi, you know me. When I make a decision, I take responsibility for it and see it through. I told that bastard Asia was going with me… so it's my responsibility to keep an eye on her… of course I can't just take her to my house so uh… it's kinda why I'm here."
"I don't have another key to hand out you know." Iris pointed out, then looking at Asia, then back to me. "But, he's right Aoi. Soren hasn't gone back on his word once since we met him years ago. He's going to stick by this decision no matter what we say."
"Geez… you're the worst Devil in history, you know that? You're too damn nice sometimes." Aoi let go of my face as she muttered that out, then giving a sigh. "But dammit… I'd be acting like a jerk if I just threw Argento out after hearing that. Iris, how about this? As long as she sticks with Soren when she leaves, Argento can stay here with us… until we find another place of residence."
"Hmm... well. Argento, what do you think?" Iris said. "Like I said earlier, part of the problem is that I simply don't have another key to hand out. This mansion doesn't open for anyone but keyholders, and one of the three has to remain in my possession at all times."
"I-I don't mind… staying with Soren when I'm out. But, what about the Fallen Angels? They… well, they'll likely come after me." Asia's remark got me and Aoi to glance at one another, then the magus girl scoffed.
"I wouldn't worry to much about that Argento. Our boy here is pretty damn strong, not to mention basically impossible to kill. He won't have a problem dealing with a few dumb Fallens." Aoi remarked, and that earned a nod from me.
"Going by the two I did fight, for as brief as it was, their level of power isn't that high. Sure if I was a totally fresh Resurrected Devil I'd probably be in for trouble… but I've had a good two years of training with these two nutjobs here and a lot of Stray Devil hunts. Don't worry about me Asia. Besides… I'm pretty sure that priest counts as the fourth attack… which means I have clearance to go kick their tails now!" I snickered as I clenched a fist… but then my expression suddenly dropped. "Ah shit… I just remembered I'm gonna have to deal with Gremory about this… FUCK!"
"And you also totally forgot you're under management… man you can be forgetful!" Aoi snickered, a snide look on her face even as I glared at her with a twitching eye. "But I guess it's settled. As long as you let her stick with you when she's out, Argento can stay here for the time being. Iris?"
"So long as Soren keeps his word… and doesn't try anything funny." Iris said, looking at me with a frosty gaze.
"Oh stop with the look. I'll just crash here tonight. Ka-san won't freak if she knows I'm at a friend's house." I was already pulling out my phone, but then I took a glance at Asia, who had clasped her hands. "Is now really the-OWWWW! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PRAYING FOR?!"
It was like someone was driving nails into my skull, and Asia suddenly yelped as she opened her eyes.
"I-I was just giving thanks… and hoping you could be blessed for being so kind to me."
KEEN!
"Owwhahowww! I appreciate the sentiment but please don't! I'm a Devil, trying to pray for me like that only gives me killer headaches!"
"I-I'm sorry!"
"It's fine…" As I grumbled, I looked at Aoi, who looked away as she held a hand over her mouth, and Iris was keeping her face hidden behind a book. Of course they found that funny…
"Uh… hello? I know it's a day off today but uh… anyone where?"
I poked my head into the ORC room with a bit of caution. I figured I might as well make a point to at least check in, try and bluff my way out of the fact I now basically have a hostage stowed away at my magician pals' house outside of town. Hope is I can just explain there was a priest and I fought him off… but then maybe that would bring up the question of where I went after the fact.
"Nooo? Okay then… I guess I'll leave…"
"There you are! Do you know how worried I've been?!"
I sighed a bit as the other door in the room flew open, Rias appearing along with Akeno, and she was giving me a stern glare as I shut the door I'd entered from behind me.
"Okay look I can… wait why the hell would you be worried about me? You know I can handle myself just fine!" It suddenly registered what Rias had said to me. The crimson haired girl then gave a sigh of her own.
"Well what else was I supposed to think? We went to investigate that house and with what we found… seriously, what happened?"
"Yeah I was gonna explain that." I said, Rias' eyes boring into me. "What happened was that there was a priest there. He'd kinda already killed the client before I got there. You probably saw it was… messy. So I fought him off and then got out of there."
"And you didn't bother to at the least come back here after that?" Rias said, her eyes narrowing. "We found traces of a barrier there… and barriers have to be maintained by someone if they're not rune-based… which would mean there would have had to have been a second person there along with that priest. There's something you're not telling me, aren't you?"
"Whaaaat? Come on, why would I lie? I was planning to report in later anyway but…"
"This has to do with that nun you met, didn't it?" And that got me to go silent. "Darn it… I told you not to get involved with that girl! Interacting with someone from the Church is nothing but trouble!"
"She's an exile!" I snapped, Rias gaining a surprised look. "That girl, Asia, isn't with the Church anymore. Yeah she still believes in God, but she was kicked out… and then those Fallen Angels picked her up. Look it's not like I'm actually one of your Servants, and you're the one who said I can do whatever I want so long as it doesn't directly harm your peerage! If those Fallens are gonna come after anyone, it's gonna be me. My actions reflect on me, not the Gremory clan. If you're gonna lecture me, save it."
"I can't control the actions you take, but it is my job to oversee your actions and stop you from doing something idiotic. Again, I won't argue with you going after those Fallen Angels, not after a Stray Priest attacked you… you have ever right to retaliate against them." Surprising to hear from here at this time. "But, seeing as it's also my job to mentor you, I can't just sit by when you do something stupid! What did you do with that girl?"
"Took her somewhere safe." I flatly responded. "I won't say where, you don't need to know. But I've got this. You said it yourself, I shouldn't have any trouble dealing with those Fallen Angels."
"That I did."
"So why the lecture?"
"Because you still don't understand enough of this world!" Rias replied, Akeno staying on the side. "A Devil and one of God cannot co-exist. They are two existences that don't intersect well. While you have every right to retaliate, who's to say the friends of those Fallen Angels may decide to attack themselves for revenge? Irrationality exists in every race."
"Then I must be the most irrational Devil ever." I said, my tone still flat. "Look, I get where you're coming from… but I can't just ignore that girl now that I know more about her. I may not have had it as bad… but I know what it's like to be left behind by others for reasons you can hardly understand. Former member of the Church or not, I told Asia I'd help her. And I told you before, I take responsibility for my actions, which means I don't go back on my word! And right now, that means if those Fallens come after her or me, then I'll deal with them."
"Rias, considering the fact this girl is a stray of her own type, maybe there isn't such a reason to be so… harsh." Akeno said, Rias looking at her with a surprised glance. "Like you said, Soren-kun can go and take care of the Fallen Angels however he wants now that your little requirement has been met. We can't help it when he does as he pleases, he isn't a member of the peerage."
"I know that." Rias muttered, looking back to me… and then reaching out and grabbing me by the cheeks. "But let me make this very clear to you, Edelweiss-san. Whatever mess you've started, don't drag my servants into it. After this incident is said and done, however it resolves, I will not allow you to repeat this kind of event. I'll only tolerate so much of this, but if any of it comes back to my family, be positive I'll punish you, harshly."
"Yeah I get it!" I shoved away Rias' arms, rubbing one of my now sore cheeks a bit. "Tch, is it seriously that troublesome for you? Again, this mess is entirely centered on me, and I'm a third party!
"The problem is those Fallen Angels may very well think you're an actual member of my household. Don't forget I have you that seal on your hand." Rias pointed to my right hand, and a small pulse brought to light the mark still on my palm. "I may have only given it to you to make answering summons easier, but Fallen Angels don't think like that. Our two sides have been glaring at each other for hundreds if not thousands of years. I'm warning you because a misstep could bring trouble to me household based on assumption alone."
Rias and I were now glaring each other down, you could practically swear that there was lightning in the air between our eyes.
"You know, at first, I took you as being different than a typical pure-blood." I said, Rias gaining a confused look. "I wasn't raised in Devil society, so maybe it's that talking… but why should I give a damn if Asia is originally from the Church? All because she's one of God's worshippers automatically makes her my enemy? What kind of bullshit is that!?"
"It's a simple fact of the world."
"No. It's not." My tone was harsher than I probably should've made it. I really could have chalked Rias' attitude up to a more sheltered upbringing. As far as she knew, the other factions that weren't Devils were her enemies, the fragile peace of the world could shatter at any moment and bring war back to all sides all because one side got too heated against another… but I don't have the patience for that kind of thinking. "Judge one on the actions they take as an individual, not those of their collective group… I was told that a long time ago by my mother. My judgement is that I don't give a damn where Asia comes from. I'll keep my word and help that girl."
I didn't bother to wait for a reply and barged out of the room. I need to go blow off some steam…
"Well, I suppose that's that." Akeno hummed as the door slowly shut after Soren left, Rias giving a long sigh as she went to her desk and sat down. "It sounds like he's made up his mind about this. Doesn't seem like we can do much of anything."
"Again, I don't care if he fights the Fallen Angels. I agree with him on that matter. Retaliation is warranted now." Rias replied, tapping a finger on the desk. "I just don't get it though… from the demands he made I took him for the kind of person who'd never do something unless he'd get something out of it… and yet he's decided to help some girl, one who's a Church exile no less, and for what? Seemingly nothing!"
"Well I mean it's kind of like his summoning so far." Akeno said, tapping the stack of the filed flyers they had. "He failed to get a real contract, but the clients enjoyed the time they spent with him. I think Soren-kun is an interesting case. It's fun to observe somebody who follows their own path… even if some of the turns are because of mistakes or impulsive actions."
"The kind of person who keeps his word… it's rare among Devils." Rias admitted, giving a sigh, looking out of the window to see that Soren was stalking off while stewing in his own mutterings no doubt. "But still… fighting off a priest is fine, but taking a nun and hiding her somewhere out of the eyes of the Fallen Angels she was working with? What was he thinking? It's almost like he's trying to bring trouble to his doorstep."
"Yes but when you think about it… whatever those Fallen Angels are planning could be troublesome for us even without whatever Soren-kun is doing to rile them up… or cute Provisionals rashness may just be lucrative, don't you think?"
"What is it you're getting at?" Rias thought about it for a moment, and while Akeno didn't say anything, a small smile came to Rias' face. "Oh, I see. We can't stop Soren from doing what he will, and I already gave him the go ahead… hmm… maybe we can find out why they were after him in the first place then. Something tells me it was more than just his Sacred Gear. Haaagh… I'm going to have to apologize to him now won't I?"
"Depends on how this goes." Akeno replied. "But, you're still angry with him, aren't you?"
"Of course I am, he's too reckless. He may not be my servant but it's worrisome to deal with someone who just rushes headlong into things without thinking." Rias sighed again, then looked back out the window. "But… maybe some rash bullheadedness is good once in a while. Besides, those Fallen Angels are likely to try and get us to stay out of whatever they're planning. We can't have that now, can we? And besides… I never told him anything about us taking action of our own accord."
"You used exact words with him? My how sly of you Rias!"
"Agh dammit! I do not get that damn red head at all!"
SLAM!
My fist flew forward and slammed the dangling punching bag in the arcade. I ignored how the numbers on the reader skyrocketed to the limit it could manage since I hadn't exactly held back how hard I'd punched the thing. I'd gone to the arcade and started doing… basically whatever while mulling on things.
Seriously what is with that girl?! One minute she's basically saying me doing what I plan to is fine and dandy, then the next even while saying that she's lecturing me for choosing to help someone purely based on that person's past allegiance?! Unless something else is going on here then I'm just gonna be thinking she's just pulling the typical Devil schtick… if she's locking me out of the loop then there will be words I swear!
"This is the worst."
I sighed that out as I exited the arcade and got back out into the main area of the business district. I… really didn't know what to do with this now… I mean really the only thing to do would be to go after those Fallen Angels… but I'd be a dumbass to just bust down the front door. I'm strong but I'm not a fucking idiot. One Devil versus a whole crew of Fallen Angels and likely a good number of Stray Exorcists?
Yeah no, I'm not signing that death warrant.
"Well let's see… Tsuno would be on board no problem, I just have to tell him to hold back a bit. He's pretty destructive though, I don't want him bringing the entire house down. But, check one I guess. Aoi? No… she's just as bad. That girl can't hold back to save her life. Iris won't help without due reason to since it's not directly involving her… tch, and no way in hell am I asking Gremory and her group. She made it obvious she doesn't want me dragging her peerage into this, so like I would!"
I hung my head as I flopped down onto a nearby bench… only to promptly get smacked in the head by something coming out of nowhere. While it only made my head lurch to the side a bit, I still felt a throbbing on the impact zone, and glancing over, now perched on my shoulder was that damn bird Iris had following me. Why did it come out of nowhere like that?
"Whaddya want now?" I muttered, though I looked up when I heard someone's voice. And surprise surprise, Asia was running towards me. "Asia? What are you doing out here?"
"I… wanted to look around town a bit. Aoi-san couldn't reach you, so Iris-san sent me out here with that little bird." Asia said, pointing to the animal perched on my shoulder. "She said that… it'd take me to you."
"They were really quick to immediately do that even though they said you should only leave with me…"
"They said that since it's daylight, that I should be safe as long as I stay in a crowd… though I got kind of lost along the way and had to find the bird again."
"Honestly… well whatever." I sighed, then an idea came to mind. "Well, since you're gonna be staying here a while, how about a tour around town? Why not have some fun… y'know, before I do something stupid when I go to fight those Fallen Angels."
"You're honestly going to go and fight them?"
"Of course I am. Four times now. I won't just sit back and let them go for a fifth… but let's forget about that… have you eaten anything? Cause I'm starving…"
And now I was bearing witness to the hilariously cute sight of a nun pondering a hamburger from a fast food restaurant. I didn't even need words to know Asia had never been to one of these places in her life. She seemed utterly mystified by what was in front of her.
"Uh, Asia?"
"Y-Yes?!"
"Kehehe… alright then princess, here's how you eat one of these." To demonstrate, I picked up my own burger, I'd gotten two of the same meal since Asia still wasn't used to speaking Japanese properly, and pulled the wrapping open, taking a suitable bite from it. "You use your hands, see?"
"I-I never would've guessed they could be eaten like that! Amazing!"
"Thus is the world of the common folk. Hehe."
Asia giggled at the joke, and following after my own example, took a small bite, and her face instantly lit up before she swallowed.
"It's delicious!"
"Lemme guess, the stuff you ate at the church was way simpler."
"Yes. It was mostly just things like soup, bread, and whatever vegetables the garden had."
"That is… kinda sad, being completely honest. Food is the joy of mankind! It's crap the Church would feed their members simple stuff like that!"
"You really enjoy food, don't you Soren-san?"
"Hells yeah I do!"
The trip to the restaurant had turned back to me taking Asia to the arcade I had just left from before, which kinda turned into me showing off the fine tuned gaming skills I'd developed over the years thanks to multiple trips here with various friends since I was a kid. On the way to another machine though, I caught Asia divert off towards the crane catchers.
"See something?" Asia flinched at my remark, and I gave a chuckle. "Ah that Rache-kun one huh? You like it?"
"N-No, well…" The nun hung her head a bit, obviously trying to hide a blush. "Yes."
"Hehe, lucky you I'm pretty damn good at these crane games." I slid a couple of coins into the machine, Asia watching as I moved the crane. "I came to this place a lot when I was younger. As frustrating as cranes can be, I've had plenty of practice. And there!"
"Ah! Amazing!" Asia clapped her hands as the doll fell into the prize container, the girl catching it as I tossed it to her. "Thank you very much. This Rache-kun is a treasure I could only get because I met you."
"Aw come on, it's just a dang plush doll." My answer was curt, but, Asia really is cute. I'm also pretty sure if I hadn't taken her with me the other night, odds are she'd have run from those Fallen Angels… she's not the kind of person who should be involved in a world like the one I'm in. But… I still wanna try to be friends with her. I made a promise dammit, and I keep my promises. "Well, I got an idea of where to go next. Come on!"
"Okay!"
"Wow! You can see the entire town from up here!"
"Hehe, yeah. I found this spot with an old friend back in elementary, and we'd always come up here to act out whatever new scene we saw in the latest sentai episode… I was a dork back when then."
The area was a small sort of park just at the upper edge of the business distract, the plaza open to a walkaround of a man-made pond. Sure it was out of the way, and potentially dangerous since Asia and I were the only ones around at the time, but… still, I like coming up here.
"I also tend to come up here when I need to think." I said, Asia looking at me.
"Soren-san, I don't mean to pry but, have you always lived in this town?"
"Not really. When I was around six or so, my parents brought me here to live with some old friends of my dad's. I… didn't really understand it at the time but, places like this helped me think. I mean, now I at least get it a bit. It's kinda hard to raise a kid when you're constantly traveling the world, and it's not like I haven't seen either of them since but… well, that's just the long answer to that." I said, Asia giving a hum. "But… I know we didn't buy books or flowers, but I sure had fun today… that's at least something you wanted to do with friends, right? Or… is that really not enough?"
"No. No, not at all!" A smile came to Asia's face as she shook her head. "It's just… I know you decided to do this, but I'm causing you so much trouble."
"I'm a Devil you're a nun, so what? I said I was gonna be your friend, and that's what I'm gonna do! I gave my word. I was taught a long time ago to take responsibility for what I do. And this is one of them." I said, holding a finger up, Asia's smile getting brighter, though then I turned around. "But what's troublesome, is the person who's been following us this entire damn time."
"What?" Asia peered past me, and at the moment, nobody was there, but then, the one to appear did so in a drift of black feathers, light landing above the pond. I recognized her face, it was the same Fallen Angel who'd tried to kill me that time. Raynare, if I recall what that other one said.
"My my, you're more perceptive than I took you for." Raynare said. "You were aware of my presence this entire time, weren't you?"
"It's kinda rude to stalk a person in broad daylight you know?" I said, raising an arm in front of Asia.
"So, what Calawarner said about your really being a Devil is true. Well then, no wonder you'd kidnap my subordinate… that's just like your filthy kind." Raynare's tone dropped and became far harsher, to which I scoffed in return.
"Well ain't you just the perfect definition of racism?"
"Asia, you know you can't stay with this Devil. Come on back why won't you?"
"No!" Asia said, stepping out a bit. "I won't return to a place where I have to kill people!"
"Well you heard the girl." I said, standing in front of Asia. "She doesn't want to go back with you, so leave it at that. What is it you really want with her though?"
"A squalid, low class Devil like you shouldn't address me so frivolously." Raynare's tone got a tic to form on my head, and rather than a spoken response, I merely lifted my hand up, a ball of flames shooting from my palm and right past Raynare's head, the Fallen Angel turning with a surprised look, the edges of her hair singed as she turned to look at the now busted pillar behind her.
"Don't go and get all smug with me because you ran me through that one time." I added onto that by having my Sacred Gear come out, pointing the blade at the Fallen Angel. "You caught me off guard then, but it'll be quite a different story this time!"
"You really are quite cocky aren't you? Let's test that!"
Almost predictably, Raynare lobbed a light spear at me. And as with the result when her subordinates had attacked me, it was promptly cut from the air with a rapid slash of my sword, Raynare's eyes suddenly going wide eyed. The follow up move of a blast for flame flying from my sword in the following slash was met with Raynare shooting into the air, steam filling the air as the rater was raked by the flames.
"Let's get back!" Asia nodded as I moved to guide her to the trees, though our steps were stopped when a light spear shot to the ground in front of us. "Ah come on…"
"So, looks like that rumor was true. You really do have that kind of Sacred Gear." Raynare's voice was a growl, the Fallen Angel landing on the structure behind Asia and me, and I turned back to face her. "This makes things much more complicated… no, actually, why didn't you die the first time?!"
"Heh, I'm pretty hard to kill. Your aim must suck pretty badly, because you didn't hit me right! Sure blood loss was a bitch but I healed it off no problem." I tapped my chest where I had previously been impaled to make my point. "And because I'm not a dumbass and willing to give an enemy the benefit of the doubt, I bet you didn't come here alone. The second I move away from Asia, one of your two lackeys is gonna swoop in and nab her, aren't they?"
"Tch… you're more perceptive than I thought." Raynare muttered, earning a smirk from me.
"Like I said, I'm not some dumbass. I'm smart enough to assume an enemy won't be dumb enough to fight me alone after I drive off a couple of their lackeys easily." I looked around the area, my eyes focusing on two particular points. "Let me see… there, and there. You two pals are in those spots."
"What did I tell you Raynare? This one isn't ordinary. Frankly, since we confirmed he really is the Red Dragon Emperor, I'm surprised we've stuck around." The one to speak was the coated man from before, Dohnaseek if I recall.
"But, even if he was able to take on one of us easily, that doesn't mean he's powerful enough to face three Fallen Angels… we simply have to avoid letting his power increase to the point where he can." And the second was the same woman who'd attacked me the night of my first contract. Calawarner, recalling what she'd said.
[BOOST!]
"Oh now who's being the cocky one?" It kind of felt like the call came in response to what the Fallen Angels had said, though for a moment, my cocky expression faltered to a serious one was all three Fallen Angels produced light spears. "Asia, get back a bit."
"O-Okay…"
The next move was simple to see. All three Fallen Angels threw their spears at once. As the three objects came rushing towards me, shadows and light began swirling around my sword as I flipped it around into a reverse hold, the swing to follow it producing a mixed swathe of energy that collided with the spears, producing a wide swathe of smoke from the explosions that followed suit.
My eyes darted around across the smoke, the three Fallen Angels bursting out from it, renewed weapons in hand. In response to it, a blast of flame launched from my left hand at Raynare, pushing her back, while my sword parried Dohnaseek's strike with the spear, continuing with the stream of energy to blow him back, and my left arm drove through Calawarner's weapon to strike her in the gut.
"Remember there's three of us!" Raynare shot forward again. I aimed my sword back into a normal hold as her spear came forward, the two weapons meeting and diverting away… but, why was she smirking? "Mittelt, now!"
There's a fourth?! My reaction was to break the lock with Raynare and kick her away, already starting to turn as I did… only to be met with a sharp pain suddenly splitting my side as a spear of golden light flew out from the trees
"Gagh!" A bit of blood came from my mouth in response, even if the spear had only pierced my side. Thankfully away from anything vital (not that I wouldn't heal if off). But then there was the fact there was still three more Fallen Angels here. Even when I removed the spear and shattered it with my left hand, there was still the fact it had a goddamn hole in the left side of my waist, and I'm a close range fighter. "Well… shit…"
"Ahahaha, well look at that, I got him! You were right boss, we just keep him distracted and then bam!" The one to speak had to be the fourth Fallen Angel, said individual landing near the other three, a short blonde girl in a gothic maid cosplay… strange as it is to remark on.
"Huh, strange that he's not hunching over. Shouldn't a Devil be feeling the burn from light?" The new arrival said, Dohnaseek giving a hum.
"He's different. He's nearly immune to the effects of light for some reason. Not that it matters. With that injury he won't be able to fight as effectively."
"Don't forget I can still use magic!" I released another large gout of flames from my left hand, scattering the Fallen Angels, but no thanks to the wound being on my left side, it made my aim falter since the sudden movement caused a jolt of pain to shoot through that side of me. "Damn… my aim's off."
"Hahaha! You were so cocky earlier! Whatever… now I can actually finish what I started! I wonder, can you heal if I run this spear through that pretty face of yours?" Raynare mugged at me. I gripped my blade as she prepared to charge, ready to swipe her to the side… but then there was the other three. They moved as well… four directions, and I can only stop one effectively.
Like hell I'm just taking this!
[BOOST!]
"Keep talking… you're only pissing me off more!" As I yelled, a red aura began rising around me, and I drove my sword into the ground, the lower section of the guard opening up, flames beginning to flicker from the openings that had formed. "I'm burning all of you to ashes here and now!"
"Please stop!" Asia's sudden scream brought everything to a halt as flames began roaring from the opened hilt, all eyes turning to the nun. "Please… stop fighting… Raynare-sama, if… if I go back with you, will you spare him?"
"Hmmm?" Raynare hummed at that, though my teeth began grinding together.
"I know that you only want me for my power but… if I return with you, please, spare his life!" Asia said, Dohnaseek giving a hum.
"I don't think she gets it. Girl, we're going to kill this boy because he's a threat. He may be injured but he obviously still has the will to fight." Dohnaseek said, aiming his spear at me. "And I did say that next we met, I would kill you myself."
"Try me asshole. Asia, I can handle it… don't go with them! I told you I would keep you safe, didn't I?!" I said, Asia shaking her head. "Dammit… don't pull that with me… to hell with you Fallen Angels! Asia, get back!"
I turned the hilt of my sword, flames again bursting from the opened ports as I pulled it out of the ground, the flames moving to wrap around the blade as they continued to rise up.
"Buster Flamberge!" I shouted out as I swung the blade, the Fallen Angels all throwing their spears at me at once, the sudden torrent of magical flames bursting upwards in a tornado of flames, the explosions from the spears being stopped dead as the flames swept around, though on got too close and blew me back. I crashed down into the pond, standing up with a growl.
The pain in my side was also starting to fade, and taking a look, I could see that the wound was gone, even if blood still marked where I'd been hit.
"Man that was hot! My wings got burnt up!" The maid-dressed fallen angel landed on the remains of the surrounding pillars, her wings and clothes thoroughly burnt up, while her pals weren't in much different states… and Rayner certainly looked pissed. And thankfully, Asia was on the sidelnes, well away from the sorch marks that were now on the ground.
"And look at that, his wound is healed… so, this Devil is different than we thought." Calawarner spoke, then looked at Raynare. "Raynare, let's stop fooling around and kill him now. We're wasting time."
"I know that! So just shut up!" Raynare snapped.
"Heh, you got lucky with that… if those flames had hit you directly your asses would've been fried poultry!" I snapped, swiping my blade out. Sure my side is still throbbing, but at least it means I can keep fighting.
"Please… please just stop!" Asia shouted again, stepping into direct view. "I'll go back with your… please, just don't hurt Soren-san anymore."
"Asia, don't! I snapped, and as she looked at me with that sad smile, a snarl came to my face. "What are you doing?!"
"I'm sorry but… I don't want you to die. I know you said you would protect me… so please let me do the same." Asia said, Raynare chuckling as she lowered down to the girl.
"Good girl." Raynare put a hand on Asia's face, a smug grin on. "After tonight's ritual you'll be free of all suffering and hesitation. By the way Soren-kun, if you feel like coming to die, then feel free."
"Hmph, I still say we should kill him now. You're just inviting him to come after us with help." Dohnaseek said. "He is affiliated with the Gremory house."
"Oh who gives a damn? I doubt this shitty Devil has any friends who'd give him proper help." Raynare said, "Now then, we're leaving!"
"Wait! Asia don't go with them!" Even as I shouted that, Asia looked at me with a smile, even with tears in her eyes.
"Farewell, Soren-san."
Asia and the Fallen Angels vanished in drifts of black feathers, leaving me there. My left hand tightened up, my covered fingers digging into the armored palm of the gauntlet, my body shaking all over.
"Dammit… what the hell were you thinking?" A growl left my throat. I was mad, frustrated. This is such bullshit! But… ritual huh? And I have tonight to do it… fine then. They wanna play this game? Then I'll play. "Screw holding back… I'll tear that damn church down if that's what I have to do!"
But, like my thoughts before, I know I can't go into this alone… but this time, I don't have a doubt about who's coming with me. No holding back from any of us. If these Fallen Angels want a fight, then I'll give them a goddamn war!
A/N
And now this arc be getting into swing! I was chatting with a friend and kinda realized something… with the plans I have, Darklight is likely to end up like the Kara no Kyoukai to Freelance's Fate/Stay Night-ish elements… should be fun. Thinking of more complicated fights'll be fun!
