Exalted
Chapter 11, Danse Macabre
This is becoming my most popular story, easily. It is the fastest growing, gaining 218 reviews, and over 23000 views. HOLY. COW. MAN. In just 10 days? Dude, my most popular story has been sitting at 223 for 5 dang years now! I havn't updated it since 2011, but you know...
I love you guys. I have been pretty down lately, and writing has really improved my mood. I actually want to do something besides work and sleep now, and that's a wonderful feeling. So thank you, from the bottom of my coal black heart!
Also, due to unforeseen circumstances, it seems Issei will not be gaining his peerage way down the line. We have basically robbed him of most of his Harem. Good job team!
Don't get me started on the depravity that are Oranges. I have seen sum shiiet.
I do not own anything relating to either series. Seriously. What a shocker.
[EX]
"I... I don't know." Minato mumbled out as his left thumb gently stroked the aged painting in his hand. He blinked back the tears that welled in his eyes and placed the painting back in its protective casing made of papyrus. "I cannot begin to explain."
Sirzechs continued to stare at him as if he were looking past his physical body and into the crystalline depths of his soul. Those sea foam green eyes pierced the silver veil, and Minato could see the sadness lurking behind those conflicted eyes.
"Well... I am sorry for bothering you with this." The Devil eventually relented and sighed deeply, the tension in his shoulders seemingly melting, along with his anger. In its place was a sort of dejected feeling, a melancholy that felt as if it had been lurking there all along.
Minato did not know what to say, so he said nothing. The two stood there in silence for quite a while, listening to the cheerful banter and beautiful music that wafted gently through the night air. The night sky was more beautiful than on the surface, Minato noticed, but maybe it was that majestic shade of deep, deep purple that stained his opinion.
"You know more than you let on." Minato idly noticed, tilting his head to stare at the crimson Satan with heavy eyes, "What am I missing?"
A knowing look was sent his way before Sirzechs tapped his jacket where the envelope was tucked away.
"You may not remember the World you left behind, but the World remembers you... Thanatos."
[EX]
Tears spilled from blue eyes as a small figure with blond hair pulled back into two drill-like tails on either side of her head stared downwards at her brother, bathed in false moonlight. She shuddered as she studied the pale figure resting fitfully under sheets of white, heavy sweat pouring from his face as if his internal temperatures were too much for him to take. The tears would fall onto the figure before hissing and steaming away, just as his body fluids were beginning to.
His flesh was blackened in places and beginning to rot in others. The doctors that had tended to him stated there was nothing they could do, as the energy from the Pawns attack was eating away at his own, preventing its ability to regenerate from the wounds.
She continued to cry as she placed her hands in a praying position before kneeling over the sleeping figure, and she bowed her head. She prayed to any God, Goddess or Divinity to hear her prayers, but nobody came.
A few moments after kneeling, she rose with a devastated expression on her face. A small tap on the door barring entrance to the room rang out, causing her to wipe her tears and brush her hands across her dress.
"You may enter." Came her voice, in flux from the emotions she felt roaring through her. The door opened slowly, and a figure that looked strikingly similar to the man in the bed stepped through.
"You are missing the party entirely..." The concern in the figures voice was nearly palpable, "Come... He has been spotted in attendance."
She nodded her head and a blank visage quickly settled over her face, hiding away the pain, sorrow and fear she was feeling.
A single flash of reddish orange light later, and she departed from the wounded figure. She did not see him twitch his hand in their direction as they disappeared.
[EX]
Minato walked back to the celebration side by side with Sirzechs, both with conflicted looks on their faces as they drew closer and closer. He schooled his face into its usual apathetic mask and stuffed his hands in his pants pocket before scanning the room once more upon his reentry.
He spotted Sitri Sona and her group of Student Council members in the crowd within the first few seconds due to being familiar with their faces and energy, though he could not admit to recognizing any other person. It was to be expected, he supposed, but it was still discomforting to be in such a crowded room with Supernatural beings, knowing that any one of them could turn their ire on him at any moment.
The warning he received from Sirzechs was much appreciated, as it let him know to stay on his guard. He was going to make his way to Bennia and Asia to warn them to also remain vigilant before he was cut off by Rias Gremory, the very person the nights festivities were thrown for.
"There you are! I was worried my brother was going to keep you all night, Minato!" She called out, causing him to pause in his forward path to his 'Servants' as they called themselves. He shrugged his shoulders and turned to face her fully, doing his best to forget his troubled thoughts to at least pretend to enjoy the rest of the night.
"Hello, Rias. Congratulations on your victory, by the way." Minato greeted back, taking notice of the black dress she wore with pride. She was beautiful, he had to admit, but spoiled. Very spoiled. He could tell that the dress was probably worth its weight in silver, and the jewels she wore could buy a city. It suited her.
"Thank you, very much!" Rias smiled, her face threatening to split in two when she reached out. "Will you share a dance with me? Please?"
He nodded shallowly before allowing the redhead to guide him towards the middle of the room, and the watching eyes followed their every movement. It was almost embarrassing, but he pushed passed it and hoped that he could remember how to not make a fool of himself.
It was to be expected, he supposed, for the 'guest of honor' and the star of the party to be watched so scrupulously. Any nervousness disappeared when the song changed to a classical piece he vividly recognized.
"You know, many people are talking about you, Minato." Rias admitted as the two embraced one another not unlike lovers, Minatos' hand wrapped around her waist and his hand placed in hers. She held lightly to his shoulder and took the lead of the first dance.
"Let them talk. They know nothing about me." He murmured back, his voice easily carrying over the music despite its low tone. It held a chilling effect, like the sound of crystalline snow falling from the branches of dormant trees. He was not a member of 'High Society', whether Human or Devil. Minato knew that he was being spoken about frequently by those present in the halls, he could hear them very well and he knew that his face would become well known soon enough.
"They think you look great." He could also tell she was inferring that she, too, thought he looked great. The second pair of sea foam green eyes stared into silver that night, though hers reflected happiness more so than somberness. He could see the confusion and the pain she hid skillfully. He had a feeling it was related in some fashion to her Pawn and something he did, though whether it was related to his perversions or not was a toss up.
"I thank them for their compliments."
The two enjoyed a relaxed silence between the two as they twirled in between the other couples, each lost in their own thoughts. He could tell the redhead was conflicted, but it was not his place to voice his thoughts and they both knew it. Instead, he distracted her with his skill in the waltz, taught to him by another gorgeous redhead he left behind.
He considered it a moment of mourning as he thought of her.
[EX]
Asia, Bennia and Koneko quickly let him know that they, too, would enjoy a dance with him before the end of the night. Asia was kind in her assurance that she could wait until he was ready, but Koneko and Bennia, however, were not as kind.
His ribs were sure to be bruised by Konekos' prodding.
The white haired Devil was not as skilled in dancing as her King, but she was no slouch when it came to not stepping on toes. He enjoyed the silence she, too, offered him during their moment on the dance floor. The purple dress she wore complimented her, Minato had to admit. Not too conservative, but nothing as daring as what he had seen quite a few women wearing in the crowd.
She smelled of cherries and chocolate, something that tickled his nose with its scent. It was not unpleasant, and he found it to be fitting of her. She seemed almost sleepy with how lazily she danced, but he was equally as slow in his movement and complimented her style.
He was a fan of some of the finer things in life, and Koneko had received lessons.
Bennia was the polar opposite. She had no skill in dancing, but demanded his attention regardless. He humored her two dances, and his toes ached far more than they did before. It was only the skillful, and silent, application of a Dia spell that kept him going through the second dance he shared with her. She would mutter out apologies and before long she was blushing from embarrassment. He quietly assured her that he was fine, and guided the Grim Reaper through the dancing as they moved.
His Co-Head Servant as she dubbed herself, Asia, was too nervous to stop herself from also subjecting his feet to her pointed heels, and yet again he was silently healing himself throughout the ordeal. Minato made a note to himself to teach the two to dance if they were forced to attend another event such as this.
He had a feeling it was going to become a more frequent occurrence than he would hope for, and wondered if there was a good selection of classical he could find at the local music store near his home. Minato was sure it wouldn't take long to make sure the two were able to dance with the Lords and Ladies in the crowds, all whose eyes followed him as he moved.
He was departing from the dance floor when he was approached by a young blond girl dressed in purple.
"Death-Dono...?"
He had to prevent a groan from escaping his lips as he answered in the positive. He could no longer claim to be otherwise, and he was getting tired of being around crowds of Devils for the night. "Yes?"
"My name is Ravel Phenex. Would you... would you care to dance with me?"
The nervousness, the heart wrenching sadness in her tone caused him to nod, and he held his hand out for her to take.
The warmest skin he had ever felt melted into his icy cold palms, and he guided her to the area from which he just departed.
"What is it you wish to ask?" Minato eventually questioned as she moved closer to him, her body heat radiating outwards gently until he could feel her through his suit. The two were there for quite some time before he finally spoke up. She looked like she wanted to explain, but she stopped herself and drew in a shaky breath.
The two made another revolution before she spoke. "My brother... he is on his death bed. Whatever it is that Pawn did to him," The bitterness was palpable, "Whatever it is you granted him... it is killing my brother. He is withering away! I can give you money, power, bottles of my tears, I would give you my life, but I implore you, please... spare him!"
Her voice easily cut over the music and the many sets of eyes watched even more closely, almost accusingly. That was when Minato understood the anger he had been feeling from certain figures in the room, the tension in the air that wasn't just his nerves. He could feel that there were two particular types of people watching, or of two different political opinions rather.
There were the Purebloods, who believed that nobility should be maintained, and the purity of their blood status was at stake. This group likely supported the union that would have come between the Phenex and Gremory marriage, and for an outsider such as himself to interfere, even indirectly, it was the greatest slight he could give.
On the other hand, the families he could tell were more closely associated with the Gremory family seemed to find it most gratifying. These families more than likely had bad blood with the Phenex family, and would rather see the Phenex family lose 'Prestige' than have the clan heir of the Gremory married into their ranks.
He considered his options, and he was left wanting.
He could deny her, and allow Riser to perish. He would lose standing with the Pureblood Devils that rivaled the Gremory, who he could tell he already earned the favor of. It might very well be inferred that Issei using such an attack, something the Devil gained from stealing his energy, was an assassination attempt.
This could cascade into his own small group of dependents being made target for assassination attempts, as well as himself. If enough were in favor of declaring a war, no matter how small his numbers may be, he could find himself no longer neutral to the Devils and drawn into conflict his subordinates were woefully unprepared for.
If he accepted and attempted to heal the Phenex, and failed to do so... the repercussions might very well be the same.
He was left with no options, and it was all because he helped train the Gremory Group. This was Isseis' fault.
"Your brother... he is not a good man. He has done disgusting things to those in his Peerage, and he would have done the same to those who are loyal to Rias." Minato spoke while the two continued to dance, feeling her shoulders tremble in his grasp, "But you are not a bad person. You know what type of man he is, and you beg for him anyway?"
She did not cry, could not cry in the presence of other Devils, but she felt her breath hitching further. Ravel felt that her only shot at saving her brother was denying her this mercy, and she could feel her world falling apart.
Death, the one who granted the Pawn the strength he needed to destroy her King, would not spare her brother from his grasp. She felt she would collapse until he continued to speak, his voice gaining warmth to it.
"I will try my best."
She looked up and gifted him with a small, watery smile.
[EX]
After departing from the celebration and sending Bennia and Asia back home through the teleportation spell provided by the Gremory family, Minato followed behind Ravel as she flew through the air as quickly as she could to lead him to her home, many many miles away. Due to not being a member of the Phenex family, nor having the location of her home, they would have to travel through other means than teleportation.
Minato kept up by stepping through the shadows and appearing further and further down the path she was taking, expending less energy than he would have if he ran. Before too long, the two departed from Gremory Territory and grew closer and closer to where he assumed Ravel lived, due to her picked up pace and the large castle they were rapidly approaching.
The guards that guarded the castle would have stopped him, and even motioned to do so, but her screaming at them from her position in the air stayed their hands. Moments later, he was standing at the massive portcullis waiting for Ravel to land.
No other servant dared stop them, seeing the look on the young girls face. Many even turned and went in the opposite direction. Minato found them to be reasonable.
He was standing before the blackened and beaten body of Riser Phenex moments later, listening to his raspy and uneven breathing as carefully as he could.
The appearance of two men who could very well pose as older brothers to Ravel and Riser in the doorway did not surprise Minato in the slightest, having felt them drawing closer from their massive energy sources.
"Death-Dono... What are you doing in my home?" The man he could only assume was Lord Phenex eventually spoke, his tone terse and barely restrained. The other male quickly moved to silence his father, though not harshly.
"At Ravels request, and my own, Father."
"Ruval? You dare? You dare bring this... this monster into our home, knowing that he is the reason Riser is in this condition?" The Lord of the Castle looked ready to explode into action, and Minato tensed the energy in his body to begin casting Bufudyne and Niflheim spells at the drop of a hat.
Ruval shot him a disarming glance before placing his hands on his fathers shoulders and leading him away. It was an understood request to do what he came to do.
Minato turned back to the wounded figure dressed in white, and allowed his energy to become unbound from its restraints. It leaked through the air and sought out that which dwelled within the dying Devil before him.
A frown appeared on his face as he began to notice a pattern in the energy network that flowed through the Phenex, and then came understanding.
The energy that Issei absorbed from him acted as a Mudo spell would, in the fact that it caused rapid cellular division to the point it could be considered rapid aging. The left over energy from Isseis' attack was preventing the Phenex from regenerating because it was too busy fighting the effects of the enhanced aging his body was undergoing.
Mortality versus Immortality.
Minato turned to Ravel and pointed to her necklace, which she nervously clutched at for a second before shedding it and handing it to him.
Placing the gemstone down in the center of his chest, Minato pulled the purplish black flames from the core of the Phenex and sealed them away, staining the once pristine gem with its deathly taint. He placed the necklace in her still extended hands and took a step away from his position over Riser.
Riser drew in a deep breath and his wounds began to vanish before their eyes. The color returned to his skin and his profuse sweating and steaming ceased almost immediately. The blackness did not fade right away, nor did the wounds that looked almost fatal, but they began to knit themselves back slowly but surely.
He felt something collide with his side, and tears began to soak into his jacket.
"Please get off of me."
She didn't let go of him until her brother opened his eyes. Minato chose that moment to make himself scarce, and stepped backwards into the deep shadows cast by the bright, false moonlight that began to fill the room. He took one last look at the massive orb and swore he saw a figure looming high in the sky, watching him as he disappeared into the cold, black depths.
An infinitesimal smile appeared on a porcelain white face, and long, silken black hair blew in the breeze.
[EX]
"May I help you?" Minato asked in a bored tone, staring down at the two tailed black cat that had begun stalking him around town the moment he left his home.
"Meow~."
"Don't Meow me, I know you can understand me."
"Meeeow~."
He snatched the cat up by the scruff of its neck and brought it to his face. His face became shadowed as he tilted his head downwards slightly and circular, silver eyes peeked from behind blue bangs.
"I am not going to ask again. What. Do. You. Want?"
The cat did not meow again. Smart cat.