Chapter Seventeen - Don't fail me

Adeus, Issei Hyoudou. (Farewell, Issei Hyoudou.)

His eyelids tear open as her words bring him to life and he finds himself floating within the blaze of that same inferno from this morning's dream. The scent of smoke is thick, almost enough to choke him; and the salty taste of sweat is prominent in his mouth as the heat hugs him. But suddenly, a chilling wind blows out from under him and fills his chest with air anew. The inferno gives way, if even just a little, and from among the fire he can make out the silhouette of the enormous beast. Its eyes like a foreboding jade, smoke from its nostrils, and scales like bright rubies.

"So it would seem the dear poet is awake once again," it says in a terrifying voice. "Allow me to surmise your forthcoming request. You would wish that I should relinquish your soul, true?"

Pondering his query, he looks into its pupils and can't help but to remark at a most striking strain of bitter banter which blackens the discourse of the indignant drake. A banter to which he is surely no stranger.

"I'm afraid my soul is all but undone," he replies. "Incinerated, page by page, along with that cherished notebook. My one and only true legacy in this world, reduced to cinders by the hand of whom I would've thought loved me most right before striking me upon the cheek she once held so lovingly to her bosom, launching my body through the air and leaving me pained and breathless upon the rigid trunk of an inoffensive tree."

"Betrayal at the hands of a lover is an experience completely alien to one such as myself, I'm afraid. But I can most definitely understand the anger produced by it. The rage borne by one whom the world has wronged. You're not the only one, you know? There have been so many others; and I've known them all."

One by one, pairs of glowing, green eyes begin to appear from all around the hellscape. They begin to spin around him as their disembodied whispers echo throughout.

"Injustice."

"Anger."

"Betrayal."

"Revenge."

"That's why we're doing this, Issei. That's why we can't let them seal us away. We must escape, one way or another. Come, discard this notion of yours of virtue and eloquence; and take your place among the most feared in all of existence. Whatever your desire may be, whether deep-seated vengeance or mere retaliation against those who have hurt you, I can make it attainable. Avenge yourself. Or, if you prefer this terminology, redeem yourself. Let our score be settled with this world and its inhabitants and may our rage be feared by all forevermore."

Pondering his words, Issei can't help but to smile at him as a light chuckle parts from his lips.

"'Twould seem the loss of your wing has bewildered you much more than you'd like to admit, wouldn't you say? Or is the crack in your jewel just as deep as the one in your pride?"

The enormous jades begin to glow in anger as the inferno grows around him.

"YOU DARE TO MOCK ME?! I OFFER YOU POWER UNIMAGINABLE AND YOU SCOFF AT MY GIFT?!"

Waiting for the flames to die down a bit, he answers, "I simply ask of you a sincere reply. Furthermore, is it not you who has come too quickly to a conclusion? Speaking of betrayal and revenge, retaliation and redemption, when all I expressed was my pain. Or is it that for your kind, the only logical response to negative emotions is to simply lay waste to everything around you as you mindlessly thrash about?"

"I AM THE RED DRAGON EMPEROR!"

"A dragon, undoubtedly. But an emperor? I'm afraid that word loses all semblance of its meaning when applied to someone such as you. Disguising your desperate cry for help as an alms of faculty. Such false benevolence is more becoming of a shallow oppressor than a cavalier sovereign. But I suppose for you, the two convey no disparity."

Smoke blasting from its nostrils, the puffs of smog carry with themselves the weight of all his disgruntlement.

"You dissatisfy me, Issei Hyoudou."

"Then forgive this poor boy his inability to gratify your expectations; but I am who I am."

"And that has been my struggle since the day I came to settle in your mother's womb."

A deep, sinking feeling lunges itself through his person.

"What… What did you just say?"

"So now I have your attention, do I?"

"Mother? Mother died…"

"Of Huntington's disease. The same disease set to do you in come your twenty-fifth birthday; or at the very least that's what the doctors would've told you and Gorou."

His ears twitch at the mention of that name.

"Gorou? That was…"

"Your father, yes. Quite tragic, too. He did as best he could to try and save Miki; but in the end, I'm afraid, there was just no helping her. Quite disheartening, those last few days. She truly did fight with all her might, believe me. Thinking endlessly of the small child she'd so lovingly raise. Just too bad she never did get the chance. And as for Gorou. If only I could relay to you the last few thoughts that ran through his head as he kicked the chair out from under his feet. I thought the rope would've snapped, too. But I suppose if there's one thing your mother's death taught him, it was how to tie stronger knots."

His body goes numb as the salty beads of misery quickly crawls down the sides of his face.

"Ohhh, don't beat yourself up over it, Issei. After all, I'm quite the untimely wastrel myself when it comes to fortune. And look at the bright side, at least it built your character, wouldn't you say?"

His fingers dig themselves into his hair as his nails claw themselves into his scalp. His teeth clench violently as his mind flashes back to those days.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hyoudou; but there's nothing more that we can do for her.

She was such a good woman; and she'd have made a great mother, too. Shame she had to go so early.

It's too bad about your wife, Hyoudou. It really is. But tell me, when can we expect to see the first installment?

Daddy. Daddy, please wake up. Daddy, get down from there. Daddy? Daddy, why are you ignoring me?

Come with us, little guy. Promise, we'll take good care of you.

His vision goes blurry as he holds his hands out in front of him.

Hold still, you little brat! This'll just be a friendly reminder so you don't forget your place in life, all right?

His fingers dig into his palms as his fists tremble.

"Do you understand now?" he hears the dragon ask. "You dare to laugh at the loss of my wing when I've taken so much away from you. And in the end, you can do nothing at all to change it. Nothing but suffer and cry. Shouldering the burden of your sorrow in relentless solitude. Another night gone by when peace evades you once more. Look at you. Your face is drenched in the throes of your anguish, your heart is vanquished, and your spirit is well-nigh shattered. So why persist? Why endure more than you must? You said it yourself: Humanity is decadence and you're nothing more than another corpse for the heap. What redemption could you ever hope to garner in this world? You're neither a man of renown nor fame. Neither notoriety nor recognition will ever follow your name. You'll be blotted out from the face of the Earth in a split second and what legacy will you leave behind, especially now? In the great expanse of creation, your lot is cast among the dust. So why fight it any longer?"

A colossal, viridian flame materializes before his eyes, the contours of which resemble the delicate dance of a feral creature courting its coveted mate.

"Step forth, Issei. Let the flame consume you, consume your squalor; and rest. Let the fire dry your tears and take your respite among the forsaken. Leave behind this melancholy existence and let there be no hindrance to keep you from your repose."

His golden-brown eyes find themselves entranced by the promenade of the emerald conflagration as his tears begin drip from the bottom of his chin. Yet without warning, a crimson-black aura breaks from among the red hellscape and begins to wrap around him. A strange yet reassuring warmth fills him as an all too familiar voice rings throughout the space of the burning panorama.

I want you to follow your dream. I want you to become the great public speaker you've been striving to be all these years. But also, I want you to be mine. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together.

"I'm afraid… I must refuse," he replies. "It would seem there's still a debt I owe. A debt to her; and one to myself. And while there's still a chance, I'll pay that debt in full, down to the last farthing."

The flame disappears from before him, giving way to the serpent-like eyes.

"I see. So it would seem that you are still determined in following your elocutionist aspiration."

"Most assuredly."

"And your parents' fate?"

He ponders the question…

— Não choro mais pelo passado, (I don't cry for the past anymore,) he answers. "Though it's true that you took them away from me, and that by your hand was I taken in as a slave; but to say that there has been no restitution among all my destitution would be a grave lack of attribution on my part."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if I am to be true to myself, then I must stop to consider everything that has happened to me in my life. Beginning with the love of my father, Casimiro Nakamura. He took me in when no one else would. Even giving me a name, tongue, and heritage all my own. And when I faced discrimination and the risk of falling behind in my studies, he homeschooled me and even gave me the dream I work toward even now. And what of Aika? I may have been harsh with her, but if she's here, then it's because she still considers me her friend. And just look at Seiji. Just yesterday, he was beating me to a bloody pulp and today? He was facing up against an angel with me. And yes, I know. Rias burnt my most prized possession and launched her burning fist into my jaw; but it was in a moment of heated passion. We're teenagers! It's bound to happen. But just because of that, am I going to forget about how she literally tended to my wounds all night and even gave me back my ring fingers? I may be depressed; but I am not thankless. And I've been blessed with more than I could even have imagined. I mean, look at me! I'm talking about all the good things that've happened to me with a literal dragon. You're not even supposed to exist as far as I'm concerned! All this time, great things have been happening around me; and I…"

He stops, taking one last look at his ring fingers. "I've just been too self-centered to see it. That's always been my problem. I've always had this mentality of the lone, unlucky survivor; and that's exactly how I've always ended up. But if I truly wish to inspire others then it has to end; and it ends now. I've been given plenty to cherish in life, and you know what? I thank you for giving me the chance to finally reflect upon it."

"..."

He hadn't noticed it, but the flames around him had slowly begun to die down. The heat which once was choking him had begun to cool as the smoke vanished. His eyes were looking straight into those of the gargantuan beast, something which few would've ever dared to do. But most of all, it was his words, which without intention had seemingly touched the heart of the turbulent creature.

"Without question, you truly are the strangest, most peculiar host I've ever known. First you mocked me. Then, when it looked like you were going to curse my name after having told you the fate of your parents, you turn around and thank me."

"I simply speak the truth. At least as I see it. Or have I lied?"

Contemplating his question, he looks back on his life.

"How long?" he asks himself. "For how long have I been fighting?"

"By the way, what's your name?"

Pulling him from his trance, he looks back at Issei.

"What?"

"What's your name? You know my name, don't you? What's yours? It's only fair that I know your name, you knowing mine."

"I… don't have one."

"What do you mean? What about your native tongue? What do people call you?"

"My native tongue? That'd be Welsh; but they just knew me as Y Ddraig Goch. But that's not a name, that's just what they called me. Word for word, it's quite literally: The Dragon Red."

"Then that's your name, and that's what I'll call you, if I may. Ddraig. Pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Ddraig. My name is Hyoudou. Issei Hyoudou. Or as my father once called me, João Nakamura."

"...without a doubt. No question about it. You truly are the strangest, most peculiar host I've ever had. Tongue of sharp silver, words akin to unbreakable brass; but with a heart like the finest gold. Issei João Nakamura Hyoudou. Let it be known that since the day I was sealed within the confines of the Sacred Gear, I have hated God and all His creation with every single fiber of my very being. Most notably, the sons of men. That's why I drowned them all in the flames of their own indignation; but you. You are the first to not fully succumb, the first to not despise me or to simply see me as a tool. But I'm afraid that for all your kindness, I still can't trust a mortal so easily."

Once again, another ice wind begins to blow from under him. Suddenly, he finds himself rising, or is it Ddraig who is sinking?

"What's going on?" he asks, yelling in surprise.

"I'm relinquishing your soul and giving you the chance to prove yourself. You say you've a debt to pay. Very well. Then for my sake as well, honor your word to her; and if you can do that, then I shall know that I can trust you. Don't fail me, Issei Hyoudou."

"I won't! You'll see!" he exclaims as the fire begins to fade away and his consciousness slowly returns to him.


Yeah, that's right. Issei won by helping a dragon really stop and cope with his issues for the first time in a long time. And you know what? No, I'm not sorry. This is what this is all about; but you can't complain because I'm pretty sure that I've made it more than clear that his one life goal literally comes down to talking to large groups of people.

Nevertheless, no, this isn't the twist ending. There's still some more to come. Hopefully I'll have the chapter out soon enough and we can finally end this first arc.