Chapter 15
A/N: - First off, I want to say sorry for taking so long with this update. I kept getting busy and then when I had time, I wasn't really in the mood to write anything DxD related. I'm in University now so I can't guarantee that I will be updating regularly so sorry about that. I will try to update more though, at least once more during my holiday before I go back and hopefully in the others as well.
Second, in order to remember what I had written I needed to reread all of this story and to be honest I hated rereading it. I never do like reading my own stuff but my first thought when reading this was that it could be so much better. So, I was wondering. Do you want me to continue with this as is or do you want me to do a rewrite of the story by going through past chapters and improving them? Up to you.
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"Your face is an absolute picture; seriously can you hold it while I take a picture." His aura leaked, matching Sirzechs' own aura that had once again flared. The smile on his face not matching his still jokey attitude at all. At the end of his fingers a ball of his power of destruction gathered. Everyone else felt incredibly tense. Yu Long, Sun Wukong and Grayfia were all waiting in a small group, Helios and Vali stood in front of them, ready to fight if it came to that. Vali watching Serafall carefully, while Helios watched Azazel. Azazel was at the back, with Rias and her peerage, who were all still recovering with Asia healing them all but were each just as if not more shocked then Sirzechs.
Yasaka and her daughter were standing off the side, not really taking a side. "So, your move Zechsie." Lucifer grinned. Sirzechs wasn't sure what to do, Lucifer was a massive threat, but was he worth risking Kyoto and the fallout of whatever fight they would have.
"What do you want?"
"Awe, you're asking me questions? I thought we were gonna fight." He shrugged. "Oh well, a fight wouldn't be the best option considering. Just so you know," he looked over Sirzechs' shoulder and looked toward Azazel, who met his gaze "I'm not your enemy. As of right now I have no interest in taking back my throne, my family name, yes, but not the throne. My idiot of a son's goal risks too much to throw the Underworld into another Civil War."
"What're you talking about?" Zechs growled.
"He intends to bring about the end of this world by releasing the rival of Great Red. It would be best for all of us to ally, forming a stronger whole that stands a better chance of preventing the release of the beast, and failing that, hopefully together we can defeat it."
"You expect us to trust you!"
"No. I expect you to be the leader you believe yourself and what our people believe you to be, put aside your petty personal grievances and look to the more important threats. Even me and God put aside our differences to seal the beast in the first place."
"That's why you and him both vanished during the war." Azazel stated as if he found the last piece of a very old puzzle. "You left to stop this… beast."
"It took all of God's power to seal him away, I was there as his backup plan since I had the power to finish the job if he wasn't enough." Lucifer explained. "For what its worth, he did consider both you and Michael being brought along but thought better of it."
"I think we should listen to him." Azazel advised Zechs, walking forward to join him and Lucifer.
"You trust him?" He accused.
"No. But I don't trust you either. Still, my brother wouldn't side with God unless it was something important enough that he saw the need to set aside their personal problems." He turned to his brother. "You mentioned Ddraig and releasing Vritra, could you explain?"
"Perhaps, but not here. I think our factions should meet, once we do, we can share information."
"Your faction?"
"Oh yeah, I took over the Old Satan faction, beat some sense into them and all that. Pretty hard for them to hold their arrogance when one of the people they were trying to emulate kicked their spoiled, entitled assess." He shrugged nonchalantly. "So, meeting?"
Sirzechs ground his teeth, he really didn't want to answer. Serafall however did. "Sure!" She smiled, stepping forward to take a closer look at Lucifer. "You look really young."
"Well I am a teenager again, although thanks to Semiramis I have all my powers replenished." He smiled as he looked her over as well. "Are you married?"
"You have a problem." Vritra stated.
"Nah." Lucifer yawned. "But this is getting boring. I'll have someone come to Kyoto in a week to hear the time and place of the meeting. I assume Yasaka will also be taking part in this meeting?" He looked to her and she nodded. "Nice."
A magic circle appeared under him. "With that I'll be off." He winked at Yasaka and Serafall. "Are you coming with us?" He asked Yu Long, who nodded, Sun Wukong declined. He and Lucifer's group joined him on the circle. They vanished in a flash of blue light.
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In the hidden territory that the Old Satan Faction called their home was a very large palace liked estate, behind which was a large and elegant garden. In that garden was a section for relaxation, with four arranged benches. Two rectangular benches stood opposite one another, on either end were curved benches that left a small gap between the ends of the straight benches and the curved ones. Already there and sitting on those benches were several high-ranking members of the faction and their allies. On one of the straight benches were the three heads of the Old Satan Faction, Creuserey and Katerea on either side of Shalba. Then on the bench to the right of them, a curved one, was sitting Semiramis, on the end which was closest to them. Tiamat was sitting on the other end of that bench, in her human form. Yu Long was shocked to see her sitting there but shifted into his own human form and took a seat between her and Semiramis. On the left end of the other straight bench was where Vali chose to sit, facing Katerea, Lucifer sat in the middle of that one, and gently guided Grayfia to sit beside him, leaning slightly into him. Ddraig was sitting in his own human form, on the end of the other curved bench, putting him beside Grayfia. Lucifer and Semiramis' peerages were there as well, standing behind their masters, while Vali's team also arrived and stood as close to behind her as they could without butting into Lucifer's peerage.
The members of the Old Satan Faction seemed shocked to see that Grayfia was there, but they ignored it when she leaned into Lucifer, assuming correctly that he had seduced her to his side. Shalba smirked. Kuroka was watching Lucifer with a sultry smile that made Vali sigh heavily. Ddraig smirked at Yu Long, who kept a flat expression. "So, why did you call this meeting?" Creuserey asked. "I thought you wanted us to train."
"I do, but I think we should sort out who does what and stuff." Lucifer shrugged. "First off I wanted to say that Grayfia is with us now." He squeezed her gently with the arm that was around her, which she gratefully accepted, feeling a little awkward despite herself considering where she was and who she was with. "Have a problem with that and we can fight about it." His smiled did not fit his threat at all. No one said anything. "No? Good."
"She's where she should've been all along." Shalba commented.
"Well said, now. Ddraig spoke to me about the creation of a new faction, one made up of dragons, that of course Ddraig will be the leader of since he is the strongest dragon here." Lucifer began. "Not sure if you want to fight between yourselves later to decide that properly or not, but it's up to you really."
"I don't have a problem with it." Yu Long commented.
"So, you're joining us then?" Ddraig questioned.
"I was on the fence, but I think siding with you is in my interest. Dragons deserve a place in the world, but we need to expand our numbers if you want us to be considered a real faction." He explained.
"Our kind naturally follow the strong. When word spreads other dragons will come, and until then we can look visit the other dragon kinds and see if they want to join us." Tiamat added her thoughts. "Although I'm not sure where many of them are. Tannin is an option though, and he sided with the Devils to protect the dragons that followed him in the first place so he should be fine with our idea. Although, I'm not sure if he will join us completely since he is loyal to his King from what I've seen."
"Vritra and Fafnir are both sealed." Lucifer added. "Fafnir with Azazel and Vritra inside the Sitri pawn. I can free them both if that's what they want, but I don't think Fafnir will."
"Why not?" Tiamat asked.
"He isn't sealed like a normal Sacred Gear, but rather he formed a pact. He won't leave him until the pact is complete, but we can at least approach him about it." Lucifer explained.
"Fair enough." Ddraig grunted. "Did you organise a meeting?"
"I mentioned it, but the time is yet to be decided. We'll find out in a week." Lucifer answered. "So, you have just over a week to try and get as many to join us as you want."
"Hmm." Ddraig put a hand to his chin in thought. "I'll go to Tannin. Yu Long, do you want to approach Midgardsormr?" Yu Long nodded. "Tiamat, what do you plan on doing?"
"There are some dragons in the Familiar forest, I'll ask them what they plan on doing. I'm sure they'll join us."
"So, is that all sorted?" Lucifer asked. They all nodded. "Great, then let's talk Devils. Obviously Shalba was your leader, but if no one has any arguments I'll be taking over that role," no one protested "great. Being the next strongest, Grayfia will be my right hand, then Semiramis since she is the next most powerful. However, each of you are head of your families and should become future leaders as well as Kings. I expect you all to train hard and increase your power to make my old friends proud of the legacy they protected. I'll also get a hold of some Evil Pieces so each of you can start peerages. The idea that reincarnated Devils aren't real Devils is a foolish idea that seriously annoys me."
"Do you have people in mind for us?" Creuserey asked.
"No. Who joins you will be up to you, but I suggest you travel a little, search for talent outside this faction rather than looking only internally." He sighed as he summoned a drink to his hand, then followed by summoning one for everyone else. He took a sip. "As much as I told Sirzechs I had no interest in reclaiming my throne, to be honest I am only of that mind as things stand with Trihexa on the horizon. After, and once things have calmed down, I will be looking to reviving my family and doing something with the Biblical Factions."
"Biblical? You mean all of them?" Tiamat questioned.
"Perhaps, but I am undecided." Lucifer took another sip and then paused. He looked to Grayfia. "Would you also become a King?" He asked. She nodded. "Thank you." He kissed her cheek. "That means we'll have six peerages within our faction."
"Can you guarantee they will hand the pieces over though? I doubt they would be okay with handing us more power." Katerea spoke up for the first time.
"Yes. Ajuka is as smart as the original or at least close to it, he will see that the benefits of doing so outweigh the drawbacks. And even if he did, I scanned both my own pieces and Grayfia's, I'm sure I can replicate them quite easily given the proper material."
"So, we have the Old Satan, Dragon, New Satan, Fallen Angel, Angel, Norse Pantheon and Kyoto Youkai lined up as potential allies." Ddraig summed up. "Will that be enough?"
"Perhaps. It depends on the growth of those factions. I'm not familiar with everyone yet. And we also have to consider the possibility that there will be other parties to contend with and the chance that my foolish son has gathered powerful pawns to his side as well."
"Including Euclid Lucifuge, no doubt." Shalba supplied bitterly.
"Hm? I'm sorry, what?"
"Euclid, he's my brother." Grayfia answered.
"Are you telling me he has someone with Lucifuge blood standing beside him, right now?"
"Yes, my Lord, why?" Shalba added, all of them growing confused and concerned when another grin stretched across his face.
"Well, what my son doesn't know, because Lilith and I planned to have another child and pass the name onto them, is that the Lucifer and Lucifuge families are a lot closer linked than most know. Each member of the Lucifer family is supposed to have a Lucifuge at their side. For me that was the original Lucifuge, up until his death in the war. That connection includes knowing where the other is, that way if the Lucifer is ever in danger the Lucifuge can rush to their side and vice versa."
"But doesn't that mean Rizevim and Euclid or connected, or is Grayfia connected to him?"
"Neither. Rizevim was linked to their father. Euclid and Grayfia were never linked to a Lucifer because they were too young at the time. However, the head of the Lucifer Clan is linked in a different way to the Lucifuge clan. They can't track me or anything, but I can them, and if I want to, I could even teleport to them, sort of like the castling move that can be done with the peerage system."
"So, you can teleport to Euclid?"
"Exactly."
"Meaning we can launch a surprise attack." Ddraig added.
"Right." Lucifer agreed. "I can't bring everyone with me, but I could transport a select group. Still, even if I don't like him, I have to admit he is somewhat intelligent. There is a chance he has made something to prevent teleportation that would interfere with the surprise attack. So, the timing needs to be right."
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When the meeting was done with, a few more finer details sorted out, and those in attendance each went off to do their own thing. Be that training, which the vast majority did, a few leaving to go about personal business or relaxing. Lucifer was one of the latter. He took Grayfia inside, although he did greet and kiss each member of his harem, as well as introduce himself to the people that he had yet to meet properly or at all. "How're you feeling?" He asked as he invited Grayfia into his room, shutting the door behind while inviting her to take a seat on the sofa. It had been a very busy day for him, but for her it was a lot more than that. She had switched sides, then been brought into a Faction that she had originally betrayed, found out that the guy she was falling for was actually someone else and he already had a harem albeit only a small one thus far.
"I uh," he came down to sit beside her, facing her but with a small gap between them, as she tried to find the right words "I'm a bit overwhelmed." She allowed a sigh to pass through her lips as her stern expression broke to show the weight of her words. He took her hands in his, stroking the back of her hand gently.
"I get it." He spoke gently. "If you want, I can show you to your room, leave you alone for a while, or we can stay here and talk for a bit or stay in silence, whatever you want to do." He kissed her forehead. "Just take your time." She nodded gently as she snuggled into his side, him putting his arm around her as they sunk into the sofa. They stayed like that for a long time, her enjoying the feeling of his arm around her, while he just enjoyed the feeling of her against him, the woman that he had been pursuing since he had awoken, while she absorbed everything that had happened. Adjusting to her new situation and what that meant for her future. She was unsure about a lot of it, but she was at least confident that following Lucifer felt… right. Even if she was going to have to share him with others, that was just a part of being a Devil, even Lord Gremory had a harem and his wife was fine with seeing them daily and even managed the time they could spend with him. It was bound to be harder to begin with, but she would rather have him and share him than not be with him at all.
Peerage:
Queen – Tiamat
Bishop x2 – Unclaimed x2
Rook x2 – Unclaimed x2
Knight x2 – Achilles, Mordred
Pawn x8 – Valerie, Unclaimed x7
Semiramis Asmodeus' Peerage:
Queen – Helios (Karna from Fate)
Bishop x2 – Shirou (Kotomine from Fate), Unclaimed
Rook x2 – Unclaimed x2
Knight x2 – Astolfo, Lancelot (from Fate)
Pawn x8 – Unclaimed x8
Harem: Valerie, Mordred, Vali Lucifer (Fem), Grayfia.
Possible Harem: Ravel, Tiamat, Akeno, Tsubaki, Sona, Yubelluna, Morgana Le Fay, Rias.