Chapter 29: A Few Words

Adrian could hardly believe his ears,

"You want me, your head pawn, to stay behind, 'for everyones safety?' Are you serious?"

"Yes Adrian," said Rias with certainty, "I don't like it either, but I don't want to bring you into the fight, and watch you end up hurting yourself or our friends on accident."

Rias' words stung Adrian like a hot knife, and he couldn't hold back his glare as his eye turned firey orange,

"And what do you mean by that?" He asked, his voice growing demonic.

"She means she doesn't want you going berserk again and getting hurt!" Said Issei, cutting between the two, either to protect Rias, to stop Adrian or both. "Think about it, last time you were in a fight, you charged that Darius guy into the woods, with no backup or even a plan, and that isn't like you."

"He's right," said Damon, joining Isseis' side, "and believe it or not, I don't want to Forest Gump it and carry your Lieutenant Dan ass back to the house."

When Damon finished his reference, several glares were shot at him,

"That was not even funny," said Adrian bluntly, "for more reasons than one."

"That time, it wasn't supposed to be!" Yelled Damon, "What if Asia couldn't have healed your back? What if you were stuck paralyzed from waist down, and never able to walk, use the toilet or even fuck on your own again?" Adrian had his mouth open to argue with Damon further, until it was now Katrina that stood between him and the three devils,

"Adrian, I remember being on that desert planet where Zeus tried to use his God-Slayer on us. How about you?" Adrian turned away from the war goddess, his orange eye squeezing shut as it flared, and his Sacred Gear hand tightening into a fist as she continued, "Do you remember turning into some full scale bone dragon, maiming the holy shit out of Richard and his goons? Or how you actually lashed out at me in the middle of all that?" Adrians' posture didn't change, and Katrina continued, this time with a more gentle tone, "I'm not bringing that up because I hold a grudge against you..." Katrina scoffed, "...hell, I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your position." Adrian kept his eye squeezed shut, his eye still flaring, until he finally exhaled, releasing his fist as his eye reverted back to its' fierce green,

"You're...probably right," he admitted, letting his inner stray subside and everyone that was prepared to protect Rias to somewhat relax. Katrina brought a gentle hand to his cheek, speaking in fluent Greek,

"I love you Adrian, just know that." Adrian hooked an eyebrow in confusion, and Katrina drew her hand back in surprise, "You don't know Greek?" Adrian looked back to the side, and huffed,

"You know, out of all my memories, all the languages I know, I don't think Greek is one of them," he said in surprise. Katrina stared, bringing her hand the rest of the way back, and simply gave Adrian a smile,

"I said we all love you," she lied, "just know that." She then made her way back to the group onto the giant green magic circle, but before they could be teleported, Adrian made one last call out,

"Hey Kat! Damon! Issei!" The three pawns looked to a grinning Adrian, "If you three get close enough to Loki, make sure to give him an extra kick in the ass from me!" His friends smiled back at him and gave him an affirmative nod.

"Alright, off you go," ordered Sirzechs. The group then vanished with the magic circle, with Sona and her house members vanishing in a flash of blue lightning thanks to Raiden, leaving behind the majority of the adults (save for Thatan and Rossweisse), Adrian, Pennie, Asia and Gasper.

Everyone turned to Adrian, seeing his grin had vanished, and was left with a stone hard frown.

"Are you okay?" Asked Pennie, clearly concerned for the one eyed devil.

"No..." answered Adrian, "...no I am not."

"Might I say a few words, Adrian Michaels?" Asked Raiden, his hologram still speaking from the medallion in Beelzebubs hand.

"Not right now, Lord Raiden," Adrian said with a low tone, his eye shadowed by his hood, "I think I just want to be alone." He slowly began to make his way to the mansions' entrance, until Raidens' voice stopped him,

"I think it will benefit you in the long run," said Raiden, "after all, I did manage to help you, Miss Katrina and that buffoon Damon go after Zeus in the first place." Adrian turned to the medallion, not wanting to listen but did so nonetheless, "If love is universal, then no one is truly left behind."

Adrian thought of Raidens words, and without a second glance he turned on his heel and strode to the doors of the Gremory mansion, closing the doors behind himself...

Meanwhile...

Rias, Sona, their current peerage members and their friends were all in a barren rocky wasteland, much similar to the one Rias' peerage were in when they fought Tannin, facing the large green magic pyramid that Loki and Fenrir are trapped in, ready to fight at a moments notice.

"So this is where Beelzebub sent Loki, huh?" Asked Damon, twirling Black Dahlia in his hand, "Looks about right."

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm not digging this," Sagi admitted to the other present pawns, "we just barely finished training and we're fighting a god? That's nuts!"

"Don't be so nervous Sagi," Wesker spoke, "especially when our master is close."

"I know that," said Sagi, annoyed with the red eyed devil, "but still..." Sagi then blinked, then held himself up with a newfound confidence, "...I'm fighting for Sona here, and there's no way I'm going to let her down!"

"I feel you man," said Issei, understanding perfectly. Sagi smirked at the Red Dragon,

"Yeah I bet. Sona wants to make a school in the Underworld; a place where even low ranking devils are welcome, so they can play the rating game," he said.

"That'd be cool," said an impressed Issei, "although, I don't get what that has to do with us fighting Loki."

"I can answer that," said Wesker, "more than a fair few devils hate her idea, for it goes against the class system. Some of you are already familiar with devils not being overtly fond of change..."

"Like Riser, when he came for Rias and we told him to chomp a dick?" Asked Damon with a smug grin. Wesker sighed,

"Very shrewd Sparda, but yes," he continued, "and with the crossings with other mythologies, like the new pact with Odin, that isn't going to help her case."

"Oh I get it," said Issei, cracking a small smile, "because if Loki had his way, her goal doesn't have a chance in hell." Sagi chuckled under his breath while Damon shot Issei a look,

"Hey! I'm supposed to be the one making puns!"

"Anyway," said Sagi, finishing his chuckle, "I'd be down with teaching kids at that kind of school, ya know?"

"If you teach girls gym," teased Issei, causing Sagi to rub the back of his head, slightly embarrassed,

"I think that's a bit more your route, Hyoduo," said Wesker with an eyeroll, causing the Red Dragon Enperor to rub the back of his head as well before the three turned to look back towards Sona,

"Anyway, that's why Wesker and I are standing in this nightmare right now. We don't care if it's a god, fallen or a stuck up devil..." Sagi then tightened a fist and pumped it with inspiration, "...I swear, I will own anyone who stands in our way!"

"Yeah," agreed Issei, taking the same stance with his gear arm, "and I'll be right there with you guys."

"He's coming!" Rias called out, snapping the other devils back at attention.

The magic pyramid began to glow brighter, and brighter and brighter until it was almost impossible to stare directly at the structure. Then, with a violet tinged light, the green pyramid floated into the air, revealing itself to be a diamond shape, and finally shattered, revealing an unhappy Loki floating in midair.

"Well that was annoying," said the Norse God tartly, "not to mention rude." Rossweisse then took the lead in front of the group, shouting at the God in a tone that made Thatan admire her even more,

"Hear me Loki!" She shouted, "Attacking the Allfather is unforgivable! If you have a problem, you should file your complaint through the proper channels!"

"Well said," James muttered to himself, keeping his hand close to his revolver that had the magic bullet, "pointless, but well said."

"And who will unforgive me? You?" Loki asked snidely, "Please. Talented and noble as you may be, you cannot challenge a god!" Thatan then stepped in front of Rosssweisse and the others, shouting,

"Loki! You may be a god via title and power, but from your act, you're nothing more than a spoiled brat!" Loki scoffed at the tall alien, with the latter drawing out his energy swords and allowing them to crackle to life,

"Heh. What a shame, I was hoping for better in the opening act of Ragnarok..."