Disclaimer: I do not own DGM or any of its characters. I only own my OCs and this fanfiction.
Leverrier stood on the edge of the train platform; taking in the spectacle of chaos around him. Seconds upon arrival, people who disembarked the train were quickly coaxed back onto the carriages by attendants at the station. Apparently a fire had started in Valencia, not too far from the station.
Leverrier needn't display his level of authority; as many attendants could see that he wasn't going to be hustled back onto the locomotive. He was waiting for someone.
He searched the clamouring masses for the person of interest; his eyes landing on a familiar figure just entering the station. Walking forward, he met with the dark-skinned man.
"Inspector,"
"I see that it has already begun." Leverrier responded, exchanging glances with Grualonan. The dark man nodded in confirmation; a light smirk across his face.
"All that is left to do is to contact the exorcist and give him the order. He will not be able to disobey." Grualonan stated as he turned to exit the station. Leverrier followed close behind.
"Grualonan," Leverrier pulled firmly on the man's coat sleeve, forcing him to stop and look back. "Whatever happens, the exorcist must not be killed in this conflict." While the inspector wanted to weed out the traitors on the inside of the Black Order, he knew that losing an exorcist wasn't acceptable. The Order was already limited with its exorcist numbers, and another loss – especially in a set up – could not be tolerated.
"I assure you, Inspector, that, if Lavi is a trained exorcist, he should have no trouble defeating the girl," Grualonan said in an even tone. "Her energy reserves are low; she's flown from England to Spain and hasn't so much as rested. Fidelia will put up a fight, but she will exhaust quickly."
"You had better be right," Leverrier leered sharply at Grualonan; their strides equal in pace as they left the station.
Lavi had expected one of two things. One was to wake up in the pleasant light of dawn; the other was to be woken up by Kiyre in the middle of the night to investigate the fire anomaly. No, instead he was roused from his sleep by the frantic hands of the innkeeper, screaming in terror about an evacuation of Valencia.
The moment the drowsy teen took a look out the window, it was clear that the fire had decided to come to town instead.
"The authorities are urging us to take refuge by the beach!" The innkeeper explained hurriedly. He left the inn wearing his bedclothes, joining the masses of fleeing citizens.
Again, Lavi had stayed in most of his uniform, allowing it to be only seconds before he was fully equipped and ready to take on whatever came to face him. With his weapon in hand, the red-head took to the streets.
Even from the pathway, he could see the glowing red light of the fire that burned at the other end of Valencia; the smoke billowing into the sky and blotching out the stars. Horrified shrieks of townsfolk could be heard all around, and in between them, the shouts of the town authorities commanding people to make for safety.
"This is bad…" Lavi muttered aloud as he drew his weapon into activation. "I need to get across to the fire… whatever caused it; I have to help put it out…"
With a deft swing, he slammed the weight end of the hammer into the ground, propping one foot onto it before taking the handle in both hands.
"Extend!" His order prompted the Innocence to respond; the handle stretching out, carrying him over the rooftops.
From the air, the seriousness of the blaze came into perspective. Ravenous fire engulfed the north eastern end of Valencia, spreading fast as embers carried across onto adjacent homes, taking hold on anything dry and flammable.
Before he got too close, Lavi jumped down onto the roof of a two storey house a few blocks away from the fire. With his critical eye he surveyed his surrounds for any sign of Akuma. Satisfied, Lavi made his next move, swinging the hammer around to activate its second stage.
"Wood seal," Lavi struck his hammer through one of several illuminated symbols in the air; skilfully turning his hammer into position as he raised it above his head. Bringing the weight down onto the roof, the wood seal's symbol stretched out across the surface, shining with a holy light. "Roots entwining heaven and earth, let there be rain!" At Lavi's order a beam of light ascended into the smoke filled sky. Clouds formed above the whole of Valencia, swelling with water that soon began to fall to the ground.
"The rain will hamper the fire's progress…" Lavi noted, turning his attention back to the raging inferno. Amidst the crackling flames, a thunderous bellow sent a chill down the exorcist's spine. "Akuma…?"
When his eye saw what resided within the heart of the burning structures, he was unable to bring himself to believe it. What he had seen also saw him, and made short work of closing the distance between them. Bursting from the fire, the black creature swooped low – talons flexed to grapple the exorcist on its way into the air. Lavi leapt out of harm's way just in time; rolling over a few times before taking a look at the attacking beast.
"No," He murmured in disbelief as he recognized the creature. The ash black scales, scarlet mane and lithe body were all too recognizable. Circling around in a deadly fast loop, the beast was closing in fast; embers licking around her closed jaws.
Lavi got to his feet, still unsure of what exactly was happening. They were seconds apart; eyes meeting at the distance; sapphire blue and emerald green. Instead of raising his weapon; he hollered as he stretched his arms out from his side, "Kiyre!"
Eerios tensed at the sound of crumbling rock. The sealed entrance to the dungeon had been opened. He braced for the impact of sharpened talons on his back, followed by a cruel and unrestrained laugh – but it never came.
Lifting his head from the floor of the cavern, he peered over his shoulder to see who had entered his compound.
"Eerios?" The other dragon spoke with a voice that could have only been filled with astonishment. "What are you doing in the Council dungeon?" The serpentine dragon hovered across the room; thin long whiskers rippling in a steady wave like motion beside her head.
"Goodness, am I glad it was you and not Grualonan…" Eerios sighed in the greatest relief. Shakily, he got to his feet and turned himself to fully face the golden scaled Elder. "He incarcerated me here so that he could interrogate me. You have to understand, what Grualonan is trying to do will undermine everything the Draconican Council stands for." The gold dragon motioned her whiskers forward to the frantic Eerios, calmly running them across his muzzle.
"Be at ease, Eerios. I have been aware of Grualonan's change in behaviour for a while, though, I did not know he was going to such lengths as imprisoning and beating his own kind." Eerios frowned heavily; anger rising inside of him as he recalled the red dragon's actions. She noticed this and continued. "I have been given the command to apprehend Grualonan and return him to the council chambers. I will be leaving at once to carry out my task; you are free to go, Eerios."
The olive-scaled dragon perked up, a temporary wash of joy coming over him. He recovered his serious demeanour as the Elder began to make her exit.
"Wait, you cannot do this on your own," He warned, striding fast to the smaller dragon's side. "I do not doubt your capabilities, but Grualonan's mission is exploiting the circumstances of a young dragon – she has been unknown to the rest of the council. I have met with this young one, and I feel it would be best if I were to come with you."
He could feel the Elder's jade eyes search his own for sincerity. When she smiled, he knew she was content with what she saw.
"Very well, you shall accompany me."
Lavi's vision was coming into focus again; still there was heat warped air and an atmosphere of glowing embers – but on the other side of a window. The inferno outside was the only source of light within the room.
The screams of citizens had mostly died down, and only the sound of ravaging flames and the faintest echo of a roar could be heard through the building's walls.
The last thing he had seen before blacking out were the unrelenting ferocity in the dragon's eyes, as merciless bright flames came for his unshielded body.
Shakily, and with yet clearing vision, Lavi pushed himself up from what felt to be wood panelled floor. Crouching on his knees, he reached for his weapon – relieved to find that it was still fastened to his trousers. Judging from the lack of burning sensations, he could safely assume he was unharmed by Kiyre's attack.
"Kiyre…" He murmured. "What the hell is going on…? She was herself just hours ago..."
"That was a very reckless thing you did, jumping straight into the path of a rampaging dragon…" A barely recognizable voice spoke from outside his line of sight. "You must be disoriented from all of the developments that have occurred." The red-haired exorcist whipped his head around in the direction of the speaker; his gut tightening at the figures he was greeted by in the darkness.
"Inspector Leverrier," Lavi managed to choke out, before his eye recognized the man beside him. The African man he had bumped into in the Order, was right next to Leverrier. "And, you. Who-?"
"His identity is none of your concern, bookman junior," Leverrier said sharply, cutting Lavi off from his sentence. He began a steady walk around the kneeling exorcist; keeping both eyes on the young man as he spoke. "It has come to my attention that there is a traitor within the Order. At this stage of the war, the Order simply cannot afford internal enemies. So it is my intention to snuff out this particular traitor." Lavi furrowed his brows in a belligerent glare, knowing fully well what he was being accused of.
"I am no traitor!" He growled, hands tightening into a fist. "What proof do you have?" It was then that Lavi noticed the sneer that the dark man pulled.
"You have been conspiring with a subordinate of the Noah clan." He indicted confidently. Lavi was paralysed. "Fidelia Paloma – or Kiyre as she has been called – was associated with the Noah clan prior to her arrival at the Order. She had every intention to exterminate the exorcists."
"She isn't capable of killing an exorcist, she hasn't the heart to-" Once again, Lavi was cut short.
"She means to kill you, Lavi!" Leverrier snapped; the intensity of his gaze was soul-crushing. "We also know that you were affiliated with Kiyre before you had joined with the Black Order, Lavi, so of course it would only be natural for you to defend a childhood companion. She is your enemy, and an equal threat as you to the integrity of the organization." He looked down upon the red-haired exorcist with an unwavering fierceness.
Lavi could only stare back in complete shock. He grit his teeth and averted his gaze from the Inspector. He felt dizzy and overwhelmed by everything that had just come to pass.
"If the Black Order is to remain strong in this war, action must be taken to avert a catastrophic attack from within. Kiyre knows the location of the new European headquarters, and she could easily relay that back to the Noah." Leverrier carried on as he resumed his circling pace. "Silence her, Lavi."
The weight of Leverrier's command felt heavier than anything he had felt before. It was hard for Lavi to even comprehend that he was trembling. He shut his eye tightly; trying his best not to show weakness.
"W-why must I be the one to do this?" He questioned. "There has to be another way, Leverrier."
"I will resort to blackmail if I have to, Lavi." The Inspector answered. "Your ties with the Bookman line make it easy for you to weasel in and out of situations, but it can also make it extremely difficult." Lavi felt himself dragged to his feet; the crushing grip of the dark-skinned man causing him discomfort as his head was forced to face the Inspector.
"If you refuse to obey my orders, I will expose everything you have done against the Bookman code."
"You can't do that." Lavi met Leverrier's fierce gaze with his own. He was cornered.
"Oh, but I can, Lavi," Leverrier's mouth twitched a slight smirk. "I'll have my associate here show Bookman everything he showed me."
Lavi glared and bit back on the profanities he greatly desired to shout. Leverrier was a man who always had his way and was smug about everything he did. Lavi hadn't liked the Inspector, and from this moment forward, he never would.
A thunderous roar boomed within the city; mildly audible over the sound of his heartbeat in his ears.
He couldn't remember the last time he had felt such a weight on his chest – in his heart. The burden of killing the woman – the dragon – he had come to know so well, was overpowering. He couldn't afford to be banished from the Bookman line; it was what his life had been dedicated to.
Once again he found himself choosing between Kiyre and his duty, and this time would be no different to the rest.
Duty came first.
Author's Note: Half the size of the last chapter, but it sets it up for everything.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, what's to come next will only be better.
KHue~