Chapter 11

The world of the Guardians

They were on their way to the mysterious training area that was called `the labyrinth´.

Before that however the Vampire Seras had given them a tour over the entire area. A few minutes ago they came across a large place where a half dozen... spaceships - yes, that was quite obviously what they were - were standing in line. A few of them were very similar to the machine that had been flying over them a short time ago.

As Seras had explained to them, it was the main space-port of the organization. While their main `device´ for travel were the interdimensional portals, a part of their transportation was still being done over `simple´ vehicles. That, in this century, included space-ships.

It was kind of ironic, Issei grinned, most of their group were supernatural beings, Fallen Angels, Devils, Sacred Gear users. But they were in awe at something like an actual space-port. If he had imagined that he would see Raynare and Rias Gremory, a Fallen Angel and a Devil, standing side by side, starring with open mouth at something Seras had called a `Interstellar Light Cruiser´.

The one most freaked out under them however had to be Murayama. In opposite to the rest of them she did not have the chance yet to get used to the idea that she was actually in another world... and also in the far future.

xxx

In the moment they were being led to one of one of the wings of the wide estate. The building itself was designed in a very classical style and would just as easily fit into the 19. or 20th. Century, as in the far future.

"Is the place where we are going underground?" Xenovia questioned.

"That is right," Seras answered.

"And you were a cop once?" Raynare asked her, remembering something that Alucard had said. "I am surprised. You seem more like the innocent bubbly type like Asia here," she commented, looking at the small Ex-Nun, who reacted with a blush.

"Oh, you have noticed? And I have spent centuries trying to become more intimidating. As a Vampire I have to keep up a reputation after all." She smirked.

"What happened then?" Irina asked, "I mean how did you become a...?" a Vampire. That was not a question you get asked every day.

Seras told them the story how she had once been a policewoman in London in the 20. Century, until her entire squad had been wiped out by a Vampire who had then been killed by her future-master.

As she ended her tale, they were just entering the building and arrived inside a great hall.

"What in the world is this?" Issei called out as he saw what the insides of the large room.

The hall in front of them was filled to the brink with countless weapons, artifacts and various other mythical and historical objects. There were swords, axes, shields, riffles, magical devices, even a few lines of books and ancient looking scrolls assembled at one corner of the room.

"I don´t believe it," Raynare said stunned as she saw the sheer amount of magical weaponry and... power that was placed here.

"With the kind of arsenal that is lying around in this room you could easily outfit an army to start the next Great War," Kalawarner commented.

"What you see here is, as you could call it, the `weapon chamber´ of the Guardians," the old man who had joined them a short time earlier explained. "It are of course not only weapons, but also all sorts of other magical objects. All that collected over the course of thousands of years," he stated.

"Since we are joining you, at least temporally, will we get some of these?" Xenovia asked.

"The ones under you who have joined our Order will probably be given a weapon or maybe something else that could be useful to them," he replied.

Rias and her peerage were also looking at all of it in awe. But since they knew of the Guardians view of them, they didn't really expect to be allowed to take anything out of this arsenal.

They were being led straight through the room, to another large door that was at the other end.

xxx

When they had arrived at the other side of the hall, Kiba was suddenly starring at something, one place at the wall... where one of the many weapons was hanging. His expression was one of anger.

The others recognized what he was looking at, it was nothing else than the swords Excalibur. The blade was broken into three pieces that were mounted at a central place between the other weapons.

"Excalibur?" Irina called out. "But it´s remains were forged into new weapons," she said, thinking about the blade she herself was carrying, one of the `Seven Excaliburs´.

"Not the one of this universe," Seras replied.

"Are you alright?" Xenovia asked Kiba who was standing beside her. She wasn´t even sure why she showed worry about a Devil, but something about the expression he showed for a moment had unsettled her.

"Yes," he answered simply. "It isn´t the same sword... not the one that did it to me..." he murmured strangely.

Xenovia and Irina had no idea what he meant. The other members of the Gremory peerage however had a knowing look in their eyes. They knew having Kiba close to the sword Excalibur, even if it was not the same one, was not a good combination. It was actually a good thing that neither of the two Exorcists had their swords drawn since the confrontation with Alucard a short time ago, since both were `Excalibur fragments´.

xxx

"This here is the entrance of the labyrinth," he said to them. "The ones under you who are new recruits may enter. You will go in together, but inside you will all go your different ways. Each of you will face tests and will meet a member of our Order who will be your teacher for the coming weeks."

"You are absolutely right," the heard a loud voice coming from behind them.

"What the fuck?" Issei called out as he realized someone had suddenly appeared right behind him out of thin air. To that came that the person had bowed slightly over his shoulder and literally been shouting into his ear.

"Darien," he said as he recognized the man, who was only giving him a sly grin. "... Or should I call you Galahad now? And since when are you of all people playing pranks like this?" he asked him. He could barely believe that the super entity in form of a man had just acted like a schoolboy playing a joke.

Issei saw that some of the others could also barely hold back the grins on their faces.

"Darien is fine. It is one of the names I have adopted several centuries ago. And to answer your question, I saw you standing there and it was just a good opportunity. You know sometime you have just to do something to keep you grounded, a joke, a task... helping someone, doing something a `normal´ person would do."

"Yes, by the way, I never came to thank you," Murayama addressed him. "You have taken care of me after Hyoudou-kun had brought me here after all."

"Don´t mention it," he replied. "As I said, you were also doing me a favor as well. Helping you was such a task that I spoke of. The reason is... Well, Murayama, why don´t you try to read my thoughts?" he asked her.

"What? but..." she wanted to say - but then the `thoughts´ were already appearing in her own mind. "It helps to keep you normal," she said in surprise.

"It keeps us human, you could say," Darien responded. "You should understand, some of our members have developed a level of power that can barely be conceived by regular people," he explained.

"Like you," Issei pointed out.

"Yes," he replied tonelessly. "But it is not only power. It is a fundamental change in the way of who we are. In general, every creature, even the very powerful ones, are subject to the laws of reality and nature. At a certain point however, this changes. It is the border between what you could call a person with supernatural power and a Cosmic Entity. Instead of being subjugated to the laws of reality, such beings can control these laws and rewrite them at will.

They are just as much `a person´, as they are manifestations and incarnations of certain forces or better aspects of the universe. The being you know as Ophis for example embodies the Infinity of space, Great Red stands for the thoughts and dreams of the life of your reality. There are also others, in many universes, life, death, chaos, some of the various gods. In most cases, such creatures are born by the cosmos itself in one way or the other. They come into existence as cosmic entities and in most cases they don´t change much over the eons. They are born all powerful by any regular definition and have no reason to. Ophis, Great Red, Ddraig, Albion, your version of God, every single one of them would be able to wipe out multiple words or even entire star systems.

Sometimes however, in a few cases it happens that an originally `regular´ or even mortal being manages to evolve into a Cosmic Entity. Some of the older members of our Order and also of our enemy have crossed this border."

"This explains beings like you in charge here," Rias Gremory commented. She and some of the others were still trying to wrap their minds around the idea that the super being in front of them had once been born as just a human.

He nodded.

"Of course not all of us had reached this level individually. We have been working together, exchanging knowledge and power. And having the original version of God at our back also doesn´t hurt either," he remarked. "Still it has taken us centuries. Myself and Alucard for example had begun to completely transcend our physical existence around the end of the 20th. and the beginning of the 21st century in our world... and we started to become what we are now," he explained.

"In many cases an originally mortal being connects itself with an already existing cosmic power and merges with it. We actually have a few members who are bounded to the Phoenix Force that embodies Life and Death. But it is easy to loose yourself in the power and in the changes of your own being," he stated. "There had been a few who had reached this kind of power and... you could say they lost their humanity... became insane. They became a danger for everything that exists and needed to be contained or destroyed. A few of these times it was actually us who had to do this. That is the reason that doing so seemingly `small things´ like helping a single person in need is so important to us. It reminds and helps us to stay human."

"Hold up," Rias called out. "Destroyed? You are talking about actually killing creatures like that? They are almighty you said that yourself, right?"

"Believe me," he answered sternly, "everything can be destroyed if you use the right method and enough raw power... all except the Creation and Destruction itself," he said cryptically. Some of them realized he was talking about the two `supreme powers´ that were stated to be guiding both the Guardians and their enemies.

"The `normal born´ entities, who had been these from the beginning, are mostly mentally stable and willing to exist along in peace with the rest of the multiverse. Or they are so destructive and chaotic from the beginning that the other Cosmic Powers interfered to stop them a long time ago."

"Does that mean that the same thing could happen to me as well?" Issei wanted to know.

Darien looked at him.

"That depends. If you mean becoming a Cosmic Entity. Yes, with the potential Ddraig gives you, I am pretty sure you might be able to do it," he replied. "If you mean going out of control, no, I don´t think that will happen. If I had reason to believe that would happen, I would have never resurrected you in the first place. No matter if I wanted to. I actually believe that, with the guidance of Ddraig, you have the best chance that there won´t be any greater problems in the long run. Isn´t that right Ddraig? I can trust you to keep an eye on him," he addressed the Dragon.

[Of course. He is my partner after all,] he replied for them all to hear.

Issei suddenly felt how a pair of arms were wrapping themselves around him.

Issei suddenly felt how a pair of arms were wrapping themselves around him.

"Yes, we won´t let anything happen to him," he heard Raynare´s voice purring into his ear and he sensed his own body freeze at her touch. "I made this mistake once and I won´t let it happen again," she said. A part of him wanted to push her away, another was happy to hear her say these words.

At the same time, he noticed yet another glare that Irina was now sending in their direction and one a bit more insecure look from Asia.

"Very good," Darien stated, interrupting their short scene, "then let me show you an example."

As if he was making a demonstration, he lifted his hand and the room around them suddenly changed. A moment later they were no longer standing in the hall inside the mansion, but on a wide open field, surrounded by a line of small hills and mountains at one side and a lake on the other. Both were in about a mile's distance in opposite directions.

At first glance, it was nothing more than a place in a quite beautiful mountain-area. But they realized instantly that it was something completely different. They all felt instantly the enormous weight on their shoulders and after a minute they realized how they seemed to be growing weaker with every moment.

"This here is the special training area where you all will spend a great part of your training for the next two weeks," Darien stated. "As you all can feel; this is not Earth. It is a dimension that we have formed and designed especially for this purpose. The gravity is higher and the air thinner is as in your usual environment to help with the physical aspect of your training. Beside that however the structure of the space in this dimension itself is created in a way that makes it harder to form supernatural energy. This will help rise your reserves and strengthen your attacks. As a demonstration. Raynare, would you form a light-spear. Rias Gremory, would you please use your Power of Destruction... on that rock over there." He pointed at a very large nearly a half meter long stone lying a short distance from them.

The `demonstration´ showed all too well what he meant. Being supernatural creatures, both had got used to the thin air very quickly and somehow managed to deal with the gravity. Others, like Issei and Asia, who had little prior training and Murayama, who didn´t have supernatural abilities until a day ago, seemed to have greater problems to adjust. Irina and Xenovia were doing somewhat better, since they had experience in both.

Raynare was trying to form a spear, something that she normally could do while she was asleep, but couldn´t for a few seconds. After a few tries, she finally managed to do it. But the spear she had formed was only very thin, short and seemed to flicker, as if it didn´t have enough energy.

It was the same with Rias. For the first moments she couldn´t use her powers and then, she was only able to form a very small globe of energy that just blew a chunk out of the rock, instead of vaporizing it like it should.

"As you can see, this environment is designed to make it harder for you to use both your physical and magical abilities. By the time you will be able to access them like you are used to, your strength and energy will already have grown and when you continue to train, your power will rise exponentially."

As he said these words, some of the others had begun trying out their own abilities at this place or in case of Xenovia who had instead drawn her sword and went through various moves of swordsplay. Something that was also much harder here and she was exhausted after less than a minute.

Darien said nothing for a few minutes and gave all of them a chance to get an impression of this place.

"Issei, Raynare, Asia... and you as well Gaeriel, I want you to stay right here," he finally announced. "Since you have all basically already been recruited several days ago, the test of the labyrinth won´t be necessary for you. Murayama, you are still under my personal care. The Gremory peerage can stay as well. Since you are not joining our organization, there is no reason for you to enter the Labyrinth and you too can begin your regular training right now. And for the rest, Seras, Odin, would you please return to the entrance."

They all noticed how Darien had addressed the old man they had met earlier.

"You are Odin?" Irina asked him in surprise.

"The one of this universe, yes," the old man confirmed. An eye-patch suddenly appeared on the side of his face, that he had obviously magically concealed earlier. "But that is a tale for later. We have other matters to attend to," he said.

Suddenly he, Seras, Irina, Xenovia, Dohnaseek and Kalawarner found themselves back inside the hall where they had been a few minutes earlier. The rest of them had stayed in the dimension Darien had transported them to.

"Now," Odin stated, "if you would go inside?" he gestured to the door.

"What will await us there?" Kalawarner asked a bit nervously.

"The Labyrinth will face you with a few challenges," Odin responded. "But it will also lead you to the person who will be your main instructor for the coming weeks. It is designed to lead you to the person most suited for it."

At his statement, the four of them passed the door and walked inside.

xxxxxxx

The `trainings-dimension´

They had just watched how the others disappeared. Issei, Raynare, Murayama and Asia had gone together Darien, leaving the Devils behind to get used to their new environment and begin their training on their own.

Meanwhile with the others they were following the Guardian leader to a place close by.

"Red, Ophis, Albion, Ddraig, have you asked yourself why so many of the entities I mentioned are Dragons?" Darien asked them.

"Dragons are just under the strongest supernatural creatures known," Raynare replied. "Everyone knows that."

"At least in your universe," he stated. "But why are they? One of the reasons for their power is the nature of their minds."

"Their minds?" Issei questioned.

"Yes, the nature of the Dragons is different from the one of most creatures in the sense that they, their thoughts and souls, are directly connected to the universe. In a sense they can draw power directly from the cosmos. Infinite power, as long as their forms are able to channel the energy.

Some people would say their thoughts are `purer´ by nature. But don´t confuse this sort of pureness with innocence. It is not a question of good and evil if you can reach this stage. After all, our enemies have reached this level as well," Darien reminded them.

"Like I said, the most powerful Dragons or other creatures are in a sense just as much `people´ as they are manifestations of aspects of the universe. But sometimes it is possible for a normal being to change the nature of your thoughts, to connect them with the universe in a similar way a Dragon´s would be. But it is not easy, not by long shot. Unless you have direct help from a higher being that is already on this stage, it can take centuries. This will actually be one aspect of the more advanced part of your training."

"You mean we...?" Raynare asked stunned.

Darien grinned a bit amused.

"You will not grow power hungry on us again will you?" he asked her sarcastically. "Like I said, it is not easy. It had taken me 15 centuries to truly reach this stage... and that was after I absorbed part of the Holy Grail. So you can imagine how your chances are. Of course you also first need certain level of supernatural power to make this transformation. In other words, you need to be incredibly powerful before you can even hope to achieve it. And to be honest you are all far far away from it. But we will show you how to lay the groundwork."

"Okay," she answered. "Why exactly have you separated us from the others?" she wanted to know.

"Like I said, they are completely new recruits," Gaeriel replied in his stead, "while you already have a few days of training. So they will have to pass the test first. Aside from that we both know that you have done a few... well, questionable things. We know that you are willing to change. With your two comrades however, we are not so sure. They are only here because we have saved them earlier after all."

They had just reached a small pond surrounded by a group of trees. With the high gravity, the trees didn´t seemed to have grown very tall and were looking a bit different than they would have been on Earth. Close by was a structure build of stone, that looked by some sort of small shrine.

As they were standing in front of it, they sensed Darien activating his powers and suddenly two more figures appeared before them. One of them was a man with sandy blonde hair, dressed in a archaic looking armor, the other was an old man in dark green colored robes.

"Galahad," the younger man greeted Darien with his original name. "It is good to see you again."

"It is good to see you as well," he replied. "... Your Majesty," he added smirking.

"You know I told you not to call me that," the man said. "That was a long time ago... and we are dead after all."

"Why have you summoned us here?" the old man asked Darien.

"I have a few new recruits here who I think could use a few lessons from you." He turned around to them. "May I Introduce, the spirits of my former king, Arthur Pendragon and Merlin, Sorcerer of Britannia and also former head of the Order of the Guardians. I am sure you can learn much from them."

xxxxxxx

Back at the entrance of the labyrinth

Just like Odin had told them, they had been entering together.

But soon the corridor they were walking in branched out and separated into a line of different tunnels. And somehow, in a mysterious way, they seemed to be loosing each other.

It was as if something was influencing their minds, a few of them realized. Every time one of them looked around, one of their group seemed to be gone from one moment to the other, having taken a different path without the others even noticing.

Until a short time later they were all by themselves... each on their own way.

xxx

Irina had noticed how the others had disappeared one after the other. After a few minutes she had run into the first problems. A creature or maybe more a thing, was standing in front of her. It was completely grey and looked as if it were made from nothing but clay.

The creature was clearly challenging her. It´s arms were forming themselves into blades and it was going into a fighting stance.

She draws her Excalibur and was ready to defend herself. The creature attacked nearly instantly. After just a few moments, she had outmaneuvered her opponent and slashed right through its `body´. But the strange mass it was made of was only reforming itself after she had slashed it and the creature was standing before her just like a moment earlier.

"A golem," Irina heard a voice coming out of a corner. "It is here as a test for new recruits. It has no life of its own and only does what it was created to do. But it can regenerate itself and continue to fight, no matter how often you strike it down. To defeat it you have to use your own spiritual energy, channel it directly into your blade and combine it with the power of your weapon that you already possessed," the voice said.

As she turned to it, she saw a blonde haired young man in casual looking clothes standing at one of the corridors. This had to be the teacher she was supposed to meet here, she thought.

Irina tried to do what the stranger told her. But without any real success. Normally she was relying on the mystical power that her weapon alone possessed and her ability to wield it.

"That is enough," the man finally said and the golem froze in its move. "You couldn´t have been expected to learn a new use of your abilities from one moment to the other. To be honest," he admitted, "I hadn't been really good at it myself when I first learned this stuff. I have always been more relied on regular combat and weapons myself. Your name is Irina Shidou I have been told?

She nodded.

"My name is Steve Rogers," he introduced himself, "former captain of the US Army, experimental super-soldier and super-hero and since a few centuries now member of the guardians."

He took something from his back. She saw that it was a round shield with a star painted on it, styled in the colors resembling the US flag.

"I am here to instruct you," he said, "so let us asses the rest of your abilities." He went into a fighting stance.

xxx

Kalawarner was in a similar situation. She had just lost contact with Dohnaseek a few moments ago and was now walking through the seemingly endless corridors. The `test´ she had to face however was a bit different.

After a few minutes, she suddenly heard a loud noise and then she saw a young human woman with short brown hair running from one of the corridors before her.

The girl seemed to be in panic and running from something.

"Please... please help me," she called out. "It is after me."

For a moment Kalawarner had the urge to ask why in the world she should help a human. But then, for some reason she herself didn´t quite understood, she formed a light-spear and turned in the direction the girl had come from.

`It´ turned out to be another golem who had been following the girl and was now facing the Fallen Angel. And just like with Irina the golem was regenerating itself after the first strikes they exchanged. Then, however the creature suddenly simply stopped moving.

"Very good," the `girl´ told her. "You have actually decided to help what you thought was only a helpless human," she stated. "I am going to be your teacher. My name is May. I admit we had our doubts about you. But as it looks you seem actually worthy to join us."

Kalawarner was staring at the girl, getting angry as she realized that she had been fooled.

"You," she growled.

"You should calm down a bit," the human girl said. "You don´t want to ruin the good first impression so quickly, would you?" she asked her grinning.

In this moment Kalawarner lost control of her rage. She formed another light-spear, ready to throw it at the human. How did this `human´ dare? First she tricked her and then made fun of it.

But to her surprise the girl had already moved, quicker as she could react and was now standing behind her. As Kalawarner turned around for another strike, the girl made a giant leap towards the wall and after some acrobatic moves, landed on it with her feet first. To her surprise however the girl´s feet actually seemed to be somehow stick to the wall and she was hanging on it like some kind of insect for a few moments, before she made another incredible quick jump in Kalawarner´s direction... landing right before her, already in a fighting stance.

She wanted to attack her with the weapon she was still holding in her hands. But before she could the girl was shooting some sticky substance at her from two small devices on her wrists. The substance actually reminded her of... spider-web? Moments later however she realized she had been completely shackled down by it. Whatever it was, the stuff was incredibly resistant.

Her new teacher was only looking at her smiling.

"May I introduce myself," she said. "I am May Parker... sometimes however I am also called Spider-Girl. I am here to teach you a few things for the next week."

xxx

Xenovia was still following her path. Like the others, she had lost sight of her comrades and allies. But it didn´t worry her too much. After all this was exactly what the old man had said would happen.

After a few more minutes, she saw someone else. To her surprise, as she came closer, she saw that the figure in front of her was actually just a teenage boy, who was sitting in the lotus position on the way before her.

The boy had dark hair, was quite lean from his statue and as far as she could tell in his sitting position, not very tall. As he opened his eyes and looked at her, she saw that they had an unusual violet color. But he didn´t seem to be a Fallen Angel. No, all her senses told her that he was human.

"You are my teacher?" she asked a bit disbelieving.

From his looks he couldn´t be any older than her. But she knew these beings were immortals, so he might have been around for centuries.

"Yes, I am here to teach you some lessons," the young man replied. His voice sounded smooth and confident. Of course his statement of `teaching her a lesson´ could be interpreted in two ways. The second one caused her anger to rise up inside her.

"You can call me... Zero," he told her. He stood up, completely casual, as if she wasn´t a threat at all.

She pointed her sword at him.

"Then let us begin," she said.

"Yes, but before that," he replied, "... could you please give me your weapons." For a moment it was as if she saw a strange light in his eyes.

... As Xenovia came back to her senses, the `boy´ was standing right before her and holding her own Excalibur Destruction to her throat... and she didn´t have the slightest memory of how he got it. Her other sword Durandal, was lying on the ground, a short distance from them.

"What... what had happened?" she asked in shock.

"You depend too much on brute force and strength," the teenager explained casually. "Ironically, it is in some sense the opposite of a weakness I once had. I had once been relying mostly on my strategic abilities and neglected physical combat. Beside that you also have no real defense against mental powers, like my Geass for example. Well, over the next few weeks, we are going to change that," he stated.

xxx

Dohnaseek had passed his `test´ as well... even if he certainly didn´t look like it in the moment. Like the others he had meet his teacher. As it turned out however, this `teacher´ was not quite what he had expected. After about ten minutes wandering through the labyrinth he found the not very tall human with wild dark hair they had seen standing between the group that had welcomed them earlier that day. To that came... the guy was barely paying attention to him. He was just sitting on the ground and seemed to be... meditating?

"Hey you," Dohnaseek had finally yelled at him as he had enough.

"Ah, I see, you are the guy I am supposed to teach some lessons," the man replied casually. "Fallen Angel, right? I am not sure if I am supposed to be impressed," he said, still sitting on the ground.

It came as it had to. He could no longer hold his anger at being treated so casually by a `mere human´ and attacked the man. And it came as it had to, even if the Fallen Angel had not been aware of it, as this `mere human´ wished the floor with him.

To his horror he saw how his opponent stopped his light-spear and broke it apart with his bare hand.

Now, only a few seconds later, he was lying on the ground, the `human´ standing over him with three metallic claws that were in fact growing out of his underarms pointed at his throat. Dohnaseek suddenly felt very small-

"I know your type. Always out for a fight, always looking for a challenge," the man told him matter of factly. "Good. But you should never underestimate your opponent. Especially not just because he belongs to a race that you deem `inferior´. When it comes hard to hard, it is never save to say what someone else might be capable of. And even more important, you should not attack people with deadly force just because of a `perceived´ slight. If you cannot respect the lives of others, no matter what race they are, you have no place here. Did I make myself clear?" he asked, his claws moving even closer to his throat.

Dohnaseek nodded.

"Good," the man responded. "My name is Logan. Sometimes people also call me Wolverine."

xxxxxxx

In their own reality

The small group consisting of Sirzechs, Grayfia and Serafall had just arrived back in their own universe a short time ago, as they were confronted with another unwelcome surprise.

As they returned to the Underworld, after giving Sona further instruction to deal with the two week absence of some of her fellow students, they saw that Lord and Lady Phenex, along with their son Raiser were already awaiting them.

They were telling them about what had happened and the kidnapping of their daughter Ravel. Nothing of it sounded good... especially since the attacker had been identified as a Fallen Angel.

"This is a serious situation," Sirzechs stated. "A Fallen Angel invading our territory and was unnoticed by everyone around and then kidnapping a High Class Devil like this."

"Yes, this will surely cause a crisis," Sirzechs agreed. "The situation with the Grigori is bad enough as it is."

"I don´t care about any of this," Raiser interrupted them. "I demand that you do something immediately and save my sister."

"Raiser this situation could ultimately lead to a new war if we aren´t careful," Sirzechs pointed out. "Don´t forget that also two servants of your family had been killed."

"Who cares about these lowly servants. My sister - a High Class Devil - had been kidnapped and if the Fallen Angels are responsible for it, I say we crush them all like the..." Raiser wanted to say more, but he couldn´t because Sirzechs had grabbed him by the throat and was drawing him closer to him.

Lord and Lady Phenex were looking shocked and a bit irritated how he was treating their son. Despite that they knew that Raiser´s behavior was out of line.

But the Maou couldn´t care less right now.

`You are sitting on top of a system of corruption... and are fooling yourself into believing you are a good person, ´ the words of that creature were shooting through his mind.

"Listen Raiser, the last war had nearly devastated our species. We are still trying to repopulate. That is one of the reasons you were set up to marry my sister in the first place if you remember. I have no patience right now for people who only care for their family and their status. Do you get this?" Sirzechs asked with visible venom.

"Yes... Yes," the now intimidated Raiser stammered.

"Good," he replied, letting go of him. The other Devils around were only starring at the red haired Maou, somewhat distraught about how he had just reacted.

xxxxxxx

Five days later - the world of the Guardians

They were currently all assembled in the `training area´. In the last days, they all had made remarkable progress.

Issei had become much stronger physically, had extended the time he was able to use his Boosted Gear and the number of boosts he could withstand, had trained his Dragon shot technique and had reached a better control of his telepathy. He had also gained access to his Balance Breaker and was by now able to hold it for nearly a minute. Well, in a few cases at least.

Raynare had recently grown a second pair of wings and by what they had been told, Dohnaseek was not far away from it and Kalawarner had improved a lot as well. All three of the Fallen Angels had grown stronger and also improved their magical powers, especially their psychic abilities.

Irina, Xenovia, Issei and also Kiba had also gotten several lessons in swordsplay by the various masters here. Asia and Raynare had learned better and more complex use of the Sacred Gear they now both shared.

Both the humans and the Fallen Angels had also been trained in the Ki control technique that the Guardians used and how to apply it in combat. While the two Exorcists, Dohnaseek and Kalawarner were completely new to it however, Issei and Raynare were now improving on what they had already learned.

After the lessons they had taken from the spirits of both Merlin and King Arthur, Issei, Raynare and Asia had been introduced to their permanent instructors for the two week training. As it had turned out it were the two identical looking red headed women they had met earlier. Jean Grey and Madelyne Prior, Darien had introduced them.

Both were, as they were told, human mutants and extremely powerful telepaths... former members of a team called the X-men. As it turned out they were also two of the members who had merged with what Darien had called the Phoenix Force. Another curious part was that Madelyne, as they were told, was actually a clone of Jean... and that while they now considered themselves something like sisters, there had been a time that they had not been going along well and could barely be in the same room without trying to kill each other.

It was nice to see that he and Raynare were not the only ones with a `difficult´ past, as part of Issei thought sarcastically. What was kind of ironic to him was that both Raynare and Asia now had the same teacher, since they were both being instructed by Madelyne, who was not only an immensely powerful telepath, but also a former healer and sorcerer with great magical abilities. So in some sense an ideal teacher for them both. While he was being trained by Jean.

Issei for his part admitted that he could not have hoped for a better trainer if he had to fight against someone like Raiser. She possessed similar abilities like the Phenex family, only that she made theirs look like a mere joke.

While most of the others were currently mostly training with their different `instructors´ - none of them had actually been able to win their first fight with their teacher... or better said they had no chance, but they all were making progress - Gaeriel and Raynare were at the moment having a sparring match with each other. Both now four winged Fallen Angels fought each other to a draw.

Like it was agreed, Rias and her peerage were getting training as well. Only that they were not being thought any special techniques or magical abilities. But they as well had improved significantly.

The day was just coming to its end and for now they were returning to the normal world. They were spending the evenings and the nights in one wing of the giant estate that was `reserved´ for guests. Each of them had been given a bedroom for themselves and also a common room and a few other places where they could spend their time. in other words, the entire part of the building complex was theirs. It was actually like a very large hotel or holiday center.

Well, in some way it was truly like a school trip, Issei thought. Only that he was here with a bunch of supernatural being. But on the other hand, it was the same in school, wasn´t it?

xxx

This evening though Gaeriel had an announcement for them.

"I have something to show you," she said. Following her they all sat down in the large lounge of their residence. She showed them something what looked like a half dozen hyper-modern compact discs that she was holding in her hand.

"What is this?" Xenovia asked curious. "Some kind of movies?"

"Not quite," Gaeriel replied. "To tell you the truth... " She hesitated for a short moment. "... we have been monitoring parts of your universe and also of several other realities that had a great resemblance to yours... a very great resemblance actually... with concealed spy drones."

"You mean that there are... well... other versions of us?" Irina questioned.

"Exactly. Of course Kuoh and the Underworld were only a few of the places we have been watching. To be honest, we have been watching these realities for signs of activity from the enemy. But luckily we haven´t found anything. What I have here are the recordings from the realities that have been cleared by us."

"If they have been cleared, why do you want us to watch them?" Rias asked.

A smile formed on Gaeriel´s face.

"It is true; we haven´t found signs of the enemy or any other outside threat. I have already watched the material myself. It is just that I think you will find part of the scenes that we have recorded... very entertaining."

"Wait a second," Akeno asked, "is that something like scenes where our doubles are looking, well... foolish?"

"Yes, exactly that." Gaeriel´s wicked grin was now mirrored by Rias Queen.

"Let us watch them right now," Akeno declared.

"Akeno... " Rias wanted to say something.

"Yes, let us do it," she was interrupted by Raynare who was standing right behind Issei and suddenly draw him into a hug. "What do you say Ise-kun, don´t you want to have a good laugh at my expense? Even if it is not this me."

"I have already selected the scenes you will find `interesting´," Gaeriel said. "That means of course the ones where your other selves appear."

"No double of you?" Rias asked a bit provocative.

"No, our drones had not caught one of them as it seems. But I promise, as soon as they do I will show you." She grinned.

"It seems I don´t have a great choice here, right?" Issei stated. "Well, why not? It might be fun."

xxx

About a half hour later, all of them had changed out of their training clothes and taken a shower and were now sitting together in the futuristic version of a living room `their´ wing of the mansion possessed.

Couches and armchairs had as it seemed not changed much in 700 years as they had realized during the week they had spent here. Beside the large monitor on the wall however, that had some resemblance to a TV set, there was also a device in the room that was known as a holoprojector and that Gaeriel was just about to activate.

"So, are you ready?" she announced and shut the device on. Before them in the room appeared a three dimensional picture and after a short moment the recording started to play.

Issei recognized the place as his own home or at least a quite similar version. But still maybe a bit different.

They all however recognized the figure lying before them on the couch, Issei thought. It was Raynare.

"It seems you got your wish Fallen Angel," Rias said to the Raynare sitting next to them. "You are first."

"And it seems you have the same `fashion sense´ in every reality," Kalawarner commented, seeing that the double was wearing the same revealing leather outfit.

"As if you are one to talk Kalawarner," Raynare responded.

At the same time the recording was still playing.

xxx

"Ugh what happened?" the alternate Raynare groaned as she was waking up... only to look around in obvious surprise as she took in her surroundings. "Where the hell am I?" she shouted.

"Yep, that sounds just like you," Irina remarked sarcastically.

"Man do you have to be so loud, some of us have school today," they heard another voice. It was his own, Issei realized.

They all watched as the alternate version of him appeared in the hallway, rubbing his eyes and only wearing black boxers.

He and this Raynare couldn´t have...? this Issei thought for a moment before he realized that his double had just came from another room and Raynare had been unconscious a moment ago.

"You!" she shouted and jumped off the couch, looking as if she was trying to form a light-spear and failing.

"Yeah *yawn* me," the alternate Issei answered completely relaxed, "now stop trying to kill me and quiet down, it is still too early for me," he said sleepily before muttering about people not letting him sleep past sunrise.

The group of spectators who were watching the entire even could only look in surprise at his reaction to a Fallen Angel trying to kill him. Especially Issei couldn´t quite understand it. He remembered his horror as he was in the situation.

The Raynare in the recording looked equally stunned.

"Where am I?" she finally asked sourly.

"My house obviously, my parents aren't home now as they are on vacation so it is just you and me here." Said Issei in a voice that was slowly becoming more alert and less sleepy.

"Uh… huh?" Was all Raynare could stutter out.

Issei sighed deeply before downing a glass of milk before walking over to her and offering her some orange juice which she eyed warily.

"Relax I'm not trying to poison you, besides you were the one who tried to kill me last night or did you forget?" he joked.

"Ok what the hell happened I demand an explanation!" Shouted Raynare angrily.

"Yes, that is clearly you," the Issei of their world said to that part of the recording.

"You will sit down and listen," the other Issei replied, levelling a cold, icy glare at her, "you will not demand anything from me, and thirdly you are not to interrupt me. I am showing you kindness here and if you continue showing such hostility in my house I can make things very uncomfortable for you, got it?' he asked coldly.

Raynare nodded slightly and sat down, surprised at the abrupt change in demeanor and if she was being honest with herself, a little turned on.

"And I wished you were a bit more like your double," their Raynare said purring to him, which caused Issei to nearly cough on his on breath.

The recording continued with a short explanation from Issei how he had survived her attack ad defeated her since as it seemed in their world he had activated his Sacred Gear years ago. And a few negative comments about Raynare´s level of power and her competence, that caused `their´ Raynare to frown.

Finally, they saw him reaching out him his hand, right to the center of her chest.

"You pervert!" Shouted Raynare in the recording as she tried to slap him before he grabbed her arm and glared at her.

The room broke out into laughter at her obviously kneejerk reaction, especially as they saw that `this´ Issei didn´t plan anything perverted, but merely activated a bounding spell that he had placed on her earlier. As he explained, to make sure she would not attack him again. That he had no intention to enslave her... and that she, as he told it... had `something´ he wanted.

"S-so what you kept me around just to have your way with me?" Asked the alternate Raynare shakily.

"No, sheesh, is that all fallen angels seem to think about, guess that is why you all fell in the first place. No I want information." Said Issei in slight frustration.

"As if you would have a problem with that," remarked Kalawarner in the `real´ world.

"Really Issei-kun, this version of you is either less perverted or a real hypocrite," Xenovia commented.

They continued to watch with alternate Issei giving Raynare one more dress down about her abilities.

"Hey I pierced your heart didn't I?" she retorted.

"I let you." Deadpanned Issei. So obviously he had powerful regeneration as well.

"Why?" Asked Raynare.

"You just flashed me so I was humoring you for a minute." Replied Issei nonchalantly.

"I knew you were a pervert!" Shouted Raynare accusingly.

The room broke now truly out into hailing laughter, humans, Fallen Angels and Devils alike.

"You were right," Akeno giggled. "This is great."

"You have to admit," Kalawarner said, "this version of you is somewhat of a ditz."

"As I remember you wanted to see the recordings Raynare," Rias stated, while holding her sides. "But I admit you were right... this is very entertaining."

"Just wait," Raynare countered, "I am sure you will get your turn to."

"While you mention it," Gaeriel announced. "Rias, this one features `you´," she said, holding another disk in her hand. "What's wrong Devil, are you getting cold feet?" she grinned.

"Of course not," Rias responded, "play it."

xxx

The next scene played at a place that Rias and her peerage easily recognized as the Gremory mansion in the Underworld, to be precise the office of her brother.

They watched that universes version of Sirzechs sitting at his desk and doing paperwork, as it was knocking on the door.

"Oni-sama, its Rias, can we talk?" they heard Rias voice from the other side of the door.

"Please come in Rias," he stated while putting away some papers.

As the alternate version of the Gremory heiress entered the room, she walked straight up to her brother's desk and looked him straight in the eyes, with a rather confused look.

"Whats wrong Rias? You look like you just saw something impossible, and that's saying a lot considered we are a race of the supernatural." Sirzechs said with a slight smile, as to which she relaxed a little.

"I just had an odd conversation with my new pawn Oni-sama" Rias stated looking at Sirzechs.

"By the way," Gaeriel said in the real world, "this pawn she is talking about is not Issei. I have checked this. It is someone I have never seen before. "And by what I saw he wasn´t exactly happy as he found out he was turned into a Devil.

In the recording, the alternate Rias continued. Her brother had said nothing so far.

"He told me he wanted to explore this world, because it was so much different from his own, and then.." She paused for a bit, unsure if she should tell Sirzechs about him not looking at her like she was attractive, it was kind of embarrassing.

"Then what Rias?" Sirzechs asked with a sly smile, "Did he do or say something that would cause your cheeks to heat up like that?" he jabbed at her.

"ONI-SAMA! N-no he didn't! He just looked at me like it was common that girls are as pretty as me, and because I still had my nightgown on, which as you know is see-through, he didn't even bat an eye. He just called me weird like someone called Lucy... and said he was getting the vibe that I'm an exhibitionist!" the Rias in the recording blurted out.

When they had thought the room had broken out into laughter at Raynare´s scene, it was nothing compared to now. Their reaction was pretty much the same as the one of the Sirzechs they were watching.

"HAHAHAHAHA" Sirzechs almost screamed, for a good 5 minutes he was laughing while Rias pouted in front of him.

And similar to Rias alternate brother, it also took good five minutes for them to calm down.

"You are right," Raynare said towards Rias, while she was still shaking with laughter. "This is great. It seems you have truly managed to `surpass´me."

"Rias. That was just... " Akeno bursted out, trying to get a hold on herself. "I didn´t know there was that side of you," she whispered naughtily, "but I guess it explains a lot," she said, before once again breaking out into laughter.

Rias face was just nearly as red as her hair.

"Stupid recording. Stupid alternate me," she murmured.

xxx

Gaeriel was laughing along with the others. At the same time however, in the back of her head, there were also different thoughts lurking. This here was a nice distraction, a little fun with her new team, she thought. But it didn´t change what she had not told them... yet at least.

She had not mentioned the two other surveillance disks. In that worlds they had found signs of the enemy... and more than that. He was back, Crocel, Alyk... the man she had once known so well. It seemed there was no escaping her guilt. She would enjoy her time with the others for as long as she could.

xxxxxxx

Somewhere else

Darien was just watching one of the other two realities. The ones that Gaeriel had not told them about. In opposite to them however, he was not seeing a recording. He had moved himself to a place between the dimensions and was watching the actual events through time and space.

The scene he was following right now came from one of the world's nearly identical to Issei´s... nearly the same.

It showed Issei and Raynare, inside the abandoned church, stuck in a life and death fight. In that reality, by what he had seen, Issei had been resurrected as a Devil by Rias Gremory and Raynare had been going through with her plan to sacrifice Asia Argento to get her Sacred Gear.

He knew he could not interfere. Not without causing a temporal chaos since these events had already happened. He could save neither Asia or Raynare... nor could he do anything to help this version of Issei Hyoudou either. What he was watching were events of the past. He may have power that surpassed most gods, but that didn´t mean he had the arrogance to mess with the flow of time like this.

He watched how Issei was winning, barely... and how Rias Gremory appeared and was killing Raynare a short time later. Or at least it seemed so. Just before Rias had used her Power of Destruction against her however, he had sensed telepathic activity from the Fallen Angel... connecting herself... and Issei?

He knew what had happened. So this particular version of Raynare had cheated death by transferring her memories and a part of herself into Issei Hyoudou´s sub consciousness, he thought. Interesting... it was probably only in one out of hundred cases that attempting something like that actually worked.

But all that wasn´t what he was truly thinking about. No, what bothered him was something else. He could feel the eyes of the Lords on this reality. He knew at least one of them had been watching these events as well.

But so far they had not interfered directly into the events of that universe. And as long as they wouldn´t, the Guardians would hold back as well.

A direct clash with the Lords could easily obliterate that world and maybe devastate their entire galaxy... and destroy exactly the same life they were trying to protect.


Author notes: The first two scenes from the `Alternate Dimensions´ are from the stories `Heart of a Dragon´ from SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan and from `Dragon Slaying Devil´ by Payn3. Taken with permission.

The last scene of this chapter is from the universe of my story `Gods of Darkness´. It also explains in advance (for someone who reads both stories) how that story´s version of Raynare had `survived´ as a phantom.

The conversation of the `clear´ thoughts of the Dragons is based on a theory from Azazel in canon.