::Author's Note::

I don't know why, but this Chapter was like pulling teeth. It didn't help that work was crazy busy but for some reason I was having writer's block again as I was working on it. Not the horrendous kind I had a few months ago where I had no clue where the story was going. It was more like...I've got all these loose ends I need to tie up and I wasn't sure what order they needed to be tied up in. Jon needed to get back in the game, Delta Squad's story needed closure, and the final stage of the war needed to get under way.

This Chapter was a strain to get out so I apologize if there's too much Lemon filler, but what's important is that I finally got the story where it needed to go.

I shouldn't have this issue in the future, because from here on out, I know exactly where we're going. So please sit back and enjoy the rest of this crazy ride with me. I now present Chapter 33.

::End Note::

Asia was tired of waiting. She'd prayed for as long as her head would allow it, and now sitting there in the ORC Headquarters, alone, was becoming maddening. She wanted to go back out into the field and help tend to the wounded some more, but Akeno insisted she take a break. And so long as Rias was away, the Queen of the ORC was in charge.

Still, this was miserable. How many times was she going to have to wait for days just to know whether the people she loved most in this world were dead or not?

"You're worried about them too, huh?"

Asia turned her head to see Koneko standing at the doorway to the Chapter Room, a concerned look on her face. She smiled at Koneko and patted the spot on the couch next to her.

"Wanna join me?"

The Rook nodded and took a seat next to her. Her features were droopy and her whole demeanor melancholy.

"Is it always like this?"

"Is what always like this?" Asia asked in response.

Koneko shrugged. "Waiting for him to come back."

She frowned deeply while her thumbs fidgeted nervously together. "Unfortunately."

The Rook's expression darkened even more. "I think I preferred it when I didn't care."

At that Asia smiled and shook her head at her. "I don't believe you."

"That's fair."

"No, you misunderstand." She quickly corrected. "I don't believe you used to not care. You've always held Jon and Rias both in your heart, even if you never showed it."

"It's scary feeling like this." Koneko admitted. "It's scary feeling things in general."

Asia nodded in understanding before taking Koneko's hand in hers. "It is scary. But it's a little less scary when you share the fear with someone else."

She tried to smile up at her. "No matter what happens, you'll never leave right?"

"Never." Asia assured.

The two Treasure's kissed and at that exact moment, a portal behind them opened.

Koneko quickly pulled away and gasped. "Asia look!"

Both girls shot up from the couch and ran over to the red portal that formed behind them. A lone figure proceeded to step out of the red glowing circle and enter the Chapter Room.

Lady Grayfia bowed to both of them respectfully.

"Where are they?" Asia asked nervously while Koneko squeezed her hand for support.

After a moment, a small smile formed on Grayfia's lips and she stood off to the side.

Another figure appeared from behind the portal, slowly walking into the Chapter Room while clutching something in both arms.

Jon slowly walked through the portal, beaten, battered, and burned, his expression was blank and his steps heavy. In his arms he carried Rias. Most of her clothes had been burned and blasted away, and her body was just as battered as his was.

She wasn't moving.

"Rias!" Asia quickly ran up to Jon and immediately began using her Twilight Healing. She breathed a sigh of relief and her heart steadied. "She's alive."

Upon hearing her President was still breathing, Koneko turned her attention to Jon next. "So...did she do it?"

He slowly cast his gaze to her and grinned.

"Yep...she sure did."


Asia worked diligently on Rias in the President's room while Jon informed them of what happened. The two of them had fought each other for nearly two days straight, pushing the limits of their power and holding absolutely nothing back.

It wasn't until nearly a day and a half into their fighting that it happened. Rias's Blood triggered her hidden power and Jon was forced entirely on the defensive. It cost him almost all of his magical energy and she very nearly killed him more than once.

But together, they did it. Rias was now in control of her Mother's Blood. The President of the ORC had access to her full power.

"It'll take some time for her to recover." Asia announced. "At least a day."

"So what does this mean?" Koneko asked Grayfia curiously. "Is Rias as strong as Lucifer now?"

She shook her head. "No. Just because she's tapped into her full power does not mean she has Mastered it yet. With time and training, however, she will prove one day to be his equal, I have no doubt."

"Those are two luxuries we don't have right now." Jon commented glumly, wincing in pain as he nursed one of his fractured ribs. "The whole point of this was for Rias to gain enough power to match Kokabiel."

Grayfia smirked at him. "You misunderstand. Rias may not be as powerful as Lucifer yet. But with you at her side, she should have enough power to confront Kokabiel."

At that moment Akeno came bursting into the room, a worried expression on her face. "I came as soon as I heard. How is she doing?"

"She'll be fine." Asia assured. "But her magic reserves were completely depleted. She needs a full day's rest and plenty of healing magic."

She nodded in understanding before attending to the next order of business. Akeno immediately rushed to Jon's feet and dropped to her knees with her head bowed. "Master, please let me tend to your wounds."

"I'm fine, Ju'kara." Jon assured. "Rias is the one who needs attention."

She shot him a pleading look to which he sighed and shook his head in exasperation.

"Very well. If not for my sake than for yours."

Akeno smiled and nodded approvingly before standing up and sitting next to him on the bed. She immediately began inspecting the damage with her magic.

"Some of these burns are really bad." She observed woefully. "Rias really did a number on you didn't she, Master."

He nodded. "Once she awakened her Mother's Blood it was like I was fighting something else entirely. The Rias I knew and loved ceased to exist. Replaced with that...thing."

"What thing?" Asia asked nervously.

He shook his head. "It'll be better if Rias explains it." He then turned to Akeno who was still tending to his wounds. "For now, I'd like to hear about what's been going on since we left."

Akeno smiled at him and bowed her head. "As you wish Master. Asia, if you would do me a favor when you get a chance and bring me my medicine kit, I'll take care of Jon while you tend to Rias."

Asia retrieved Akeno's medicine kit for her and she immediately began applying ointment to Jon's injuries before bandaging them up. As she did this she caught him up to speed on everything that had been going on in the city. As well as mentioning how Matsuda, Motohama, and Aika were currently fighting in the city with Xenovia and Sammy to retrieve the Holy Swords as well as rescue Irina and the remaining survivors.

He took the news about as well as they could have hoped.

"I have to go help them." He immediately tried to get up only to be pushed back down by Asia and Akeno.

"Absolutely not!" Asia huffed at him like a fussy mother. "You're in no condition to help anyone right now, you need to rest and recover."

"Please Master." Akeno pleaded with him insistently. "You mustn't overdo it. Your body needs healing just as much as the President's."

"I'm not gonna just sit here while my friends get themselves killed." Jon spoke stubbornly. "Sammy doesn't know them as well as I do. It should be me leading that mission, not him."

As he attempted to stand up, Koneko grabbed Jon and roughly slung hin back down onto the bed with her massive strength.

"Don't be an idiot!" She growled. "If you go out there now you'll only get yourself killed and put all of them in mortal danger."

"I know how you must feel about this, but please try to see reason." Grayfia implored. "If you leave now, Kokabiel will flood the streets with Fallen Angels looking for you. A small squad of Demons is far more effective for a task like this."

"I know it hurts to hear this, Master, but right now you'd really only be getting in their way. This is THEIR mission. They must see it through to the end."

His whole body tensed up and he slammed his fist down into the sheets. "Dammit! I can't stand this!" Smoke flared from his nostrils. "There's a war going on out there and I haven't done anything to help."

"You just helped give us the decisive advantage over Kokabiel's forces." Akeno insisted. "Rias could never have pulled this off without you." A small grin formed on her features. "And besides. You haven't seen what your friends have become. They're not the same humans they once were."

He sighed. "I believe you, Ju'kara. That doesn't stop me from worrying."

She giggled sweetly at him. "Well Master...I can think of you things to keep you distracted until...until…" Her head started to swim and she was suddenly very woozy.

"Hey, are you alright?" Jon asked her worriedly.

"I'm fine, Master." She assured while clutching her head. "Just...a little worn out."

"When's the last time you ate?" Koneko asked sternly. "Or slept? You need to go lay down."

"I'll be fine." She insisted though it was clear she was indeed quite tired. "Someone has to…" Akeno yawned drowsily.

"You should listen to them Akeno." Asia encouraged. "It's not good to push your body to its...to its…" A dizzy spell washed over her.

"Oh dear…" Akeno giggled at Asia. "...perhaps you should speak for yourself, Hun."

"No no, I'm fine." Asia yawned. "I've just been...using a lot of healing magic lately."

"Alright, that does it." Koneko spoke up insistently before pointing to the door. "Both of you out, now."

"But…"

"Uh uh." The Rook shook her head vehemently. "Whatever you're gonna say, save it. You two need rest. Nothing good will come out of both of you collapsing alongside Rias."

Asia and Akeno both exchanged worried looks with each other before sighing in resignation.

"I suppose she has a point." Akeno admitted

"A nap might do us both some good." Asia added.

Grayfia nodded in agreement. "I will watch over Lady Rias. You should all take some time to recover."

"Thanks, Grayfia." Jon smiled at her appreciatively.

"Alright, enough stalling. Off to bed you two." Koneko snapped her fingers and pointed towards the door.

Once Asia and Akeno had both kissed Jon and were out of the room she gripped him by the lapel and pulled him away.

"And you...you're coming with me."


Koneko shut the door to her room the moment she and Jon were both inside. A nervous flutter formed in her heart that he almost immediately picked up on.

"Everything okay, Kani?" He asked sincerely. "You ain't usually in the habit of letting me come in your room."

She fidgeted in place, her cheeks flushing as she stared at the ground with uncertainty.

"Wait a minute…" A knowing grin slowly formed in his features. "...don't tell me this was just an excuse to spend some time alone together."

"So what if it was?" She mumbled, her face turning even redder. "You got a problem with that?"

That was a shock. Jon immediately regretted his choice of words as it was clear he had completely misread the situation. To be fair, Koneko was always incredibly difficult to read.

"So...you really did just want to spend some alone time with me?"

"Don't make me say it again, Dummy." She grumbled once more. "You and Rias could have died back there...I'm just happy to see you're okay."

Well crap...this was certainly out of nowhere. Not that it wasn't appreciated, quite the opposite. But now Jon felt like a damn fool. He knew how difficult stuff like this was for Koneko and he joked about it without considering her feelings whatsoever.

He placed a hand on her cheek and peered lovingly into her catlike eyes. "Kani, I'm sorry that we haven't gotten to spend much time together. What with how chaotic things have been the past few days." Jon gave her one of his award winning smiles. "But don't worry, I intend to spoil you rotten the moment all this has blown over."

She scoffed at him and rolled her eyes, yet was still grinning all the same. "Listen to you, trying to butter me up like that. Don't think that southern charm will win me over so easily, Hyodo."

He snickered at her in response and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Ah hell, it was worth a shot."

Koneko sighed contently into his hand. "Look...I'm not like the other girls, okay? I'm a free spirit. I enjoy my space and don't need constant twenty four hour attention.

Despite this, Jon did not move away.

"That's all fine and well." He assured while continuing to pet her. "But you're still one of my beloved Treasures. I made a commitment to you as I did to them. I don't ever want you thinking you're bottom of the barrel just because you were the last one to open up to me. Because nothing could be further from the truth."

He stopped petting his Kani long enough to guide her over to the bed and sit her down in his lap. Koneko didn't seem to mind, in fact she leaned into him as they both sat on the mattress.

"I'm happy to hear you say that." She rested her head on his shoulder, a content look on her face. "But a few moments like this are all I need. Just a small reminder of how you feel."

Jon needed to get his act together. It wasn't going to get any easier from here. And there were three other girls who needed to feel just as loved and important to him as he was trying to make Koneko feel. The affection couldn't be a one way thing.

"Hey...Jon?" Koneko suddenly looked up at him with nervous eyes again. "If you really wanna spoil me then…"

A thought occurred to her and she suddenly smiled again. Koneko shifted around to where she was facing him before straddling his lap and placing her hands on his cheeks.

"Actually, never mind. A Treasure shouldn't have to ask her Dragon for something like this."

Koneko shut her eyes and brought her lips to his. This wasn't like how Koneko normally kissed him. This was far more reminiscent of the first time she kissed him for real. The sensation was soft, gentle, and just a bit timid. Her small thin lips continued to peck at him, as if exploring the different ways she could kiss Jon. Soon, her petite tongue made its way into his mouth. All while Koneko moaned and purred in between each and every kiss.

"Your taste...your smell…" She panted quietly as she kissed him. Meanwhile Jon pressed her tightly against his body, his hands resting on the small of her back, before inserting his tongue into her small mouth.

"Mmm...Jon...ha…" She finally pulled away, slightly out of breath and her face flushed with arousal. The strength drained from her arms and she fell into his chest.

"I like the way we kiss." She spoke in a small, heated voice. "When we REALLY kiss. It's like all the barriers come down. What I can't tell you in words, I can tell you through my lips touching yours."

"You'll find it in words someday." He assured. "In the meantime, I'm going to do everything in my power to make you feel like you can trust me completely."

She sighed in a melancholy tone, her expression darkening. "I DO trust you completely, Jon. You're not the problem anymore."

He quirked a brow at her. "So then...what IS the problem?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She glared up at him sadly. "It's me...I'm the problem. I've ALWAYS been the problem. I'M the one I don't trust."

He frowned at her worriedly. "I wish you would open up about it. Just a little bit."

She sat there quietly for a moment. He could hear her heart racing but it wasn't from arousal anymore. This was fear he was sensing.

"When you...helped Rias unlock her power. What was it like?"

He felt his stomach twist at the memory. While certainly not the worst ordeal he had ever had to endure for the sake of gaining more power, it certainly wasn't easy to think about.

"We were trying to kill each other by the end of it." He spoke in a dull placated tone. "It was nearly two days of nonstop fighting, during which time we said and did things to each other that…" Jon shook his head at the memory, casting the dark thoughts away. "...we had to break our bonds apart, cast away all doubt and reservation, and commit fully to fighting each other to the end. Only then did we get her Mother's Blood to trigger."

"Yet somehow...you came through it?"

His smile returned and he nodded. "It was those very same bonds we had to break that saved us. Turns out...if you love someone deeply enough, there's nothing you can say or do that will completely destroy the ties you forged."

"How did you do it? How the hell did you manage to bring her back from that."

Jon pointed to the scar on his chest. "Rias put an enchantment on my heart to prevent her from stopping it during the fight. Once I was certain she had fully awakened her Mother's Blood, I undid the enchantment."

She sat up straight and glared at him in disbelief. "You did what?!"

He nodded in confirmation. "It's crazy, I know. She had gained so much power and had fallen so far into her own darkness. I knew the only way I could bring her back was with a choice. So I undid the enchantment and told her if she really wanted to kill me, all she had to do was command me to die and I would." Jon smirked. "And that's when it happened."

"When what happened?"

"She came back. Rias clawed her way back into her own head and retook control. Just like that, she had tamed the wild magic of the Power of Destruction."

She blinked at him several times, as if not quite believing his words. "That's all it took?"

"It wasn't easy." He assured. "Not by any stretch of the imagination. But in the end...Lucifer was right. This was the only way we could have done it."

Jon placed his hand behind Koneko's head and rested his forehead against hers.

"Sometimes love can break you. I've felt what that's like first hand. But if there is one thing you girls have taught me it's that love can also save you from yourself."

She let his words sink in. Truly sink in, down to the very core of her being.

"Jon...could you…" She swallowed her fear and asked her question. "...could you do that for me one day?"

"Do what?" He asked curiously.

"Help me face my darkness." She blushed. "The way you helped Rias."

He smiled and kissed her lips tenderly. "Do you even have to ask?"

She sighed against his chest again, content to simply hold onto him for awhile. Until at last that loving look appeared in her eyes again.

"It's strange...I haven't always known you." She commented. "It's getting harder to picture a time before we met."

"Must have been pretty bad." He replied with a shit eating grin. "Try not to dwell on it."

She chortled and rolled her eyes at him derisively. "Oh yeah. It was pretty dramatic, all the years I've spent without that giant ego of yours."

After a moment, her expression softened again.

"I love you, you know?" Koneko admitted with a flush of embarrassment. "I know I said it before but we were all drugged up on Loa Dust then. I just...wanted you to hear it while I was sober."

He chuckled and kissed her lips again. "Guess I should say it for you too then. I love you, Kani."

"Damn…" She laughed happily. Though she was trying to be coy it was clear by the smile on her face she was elated. "...and I didn't even have to get naked for you, this time."

"We could always fix that." He offered in his usual, not so subtle way.

Koneko sighed in exasperation before chuckling at him. "How did I know you were gonna say that?" Her smile faltered somewhat. "Jon, I owe you a bit of an apology. The truth is, part of why I insisted Asia come with us on our date for Halloween was because I wasn't ready to be completely alone with you." She then quickly added. "Don't get me wrong. I love you and I love her. I don't regret what we did, it's just-"

"Kani." Jon spoke insistently before cutting her off yet again with a kiss. "You don't have to explain it to me. I understand. If you ain't ready then that's all there is to it."

A sultry look formed in her eyes and a playful little grin spread across her lips. Koneko pushed him down on the bed and pulled open his shirt.

"Who said I'm not ready?"

Koneko fell onto him and their lips found each other again. Feverish, furious, kissing followed. She broke long enough for Jon to pull her blouse over her head, revealing the blue polka dot bra she was wearing underneath. They kissed wildly for a moment longer before Jon rolled over on top of her.

As he leaned down to kiss her again she slapped him. After shaking off the brisk encounter he looked down at her in confusion. There was a coy look in her eyes as she stared back into his. Koneko slapped him again, a little harder this time.

"What are you doing?"

She shrugged, that same coy look in her eyes as she slapped him yet again. That's when it finally clicked.

"So that's how we're doing this, huh?" He growled at her.

Koneko responded by slapping him again. Smoke flared from Jon's nostrils and he pinned her wrists down into the mattress. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist and used her strength to roll herself on of him, assuming the dominant position. Before she could pin his arms down Jon lurched up and bit her ear. A surprised gasp escaped her lips as her whole body went rigid and she proceeded to moan reflexively. Jon held her tight to his chest and bit down her neck while unhooking her bra. He then tossed it away before hooking his arm under her leg and rolling her onto her back again. She kissed him roughly, biting his lower lip until it almost drew blood before digging her nails into his back and clawing all the way down.

Their primal sides took over as they continued to wrestle with each other. Koneko played the cornered prey well and pretended to resist, biting, scratching, and clawing him whilst not even trying to conceal how turned on she was. Jon, meanwhile, continued to play the dutiful Dominant and put her in her place each time she fought back. They played this little game of cat and mouse with each other until finally she surrendered to him entirely.

Jon flipped her over on her belly and tugged her skirt completely off her body. Revealing her gorgeous ass and a pair of matching polka dot panties which he quickly did away with. She mewled as he proceeded to force himself roughly inside of her and start thrusting. Koneko gripped the sheets in a tight ball with one hand while gripping the back of his neck with the other. He then pulled on her hair roughly and she arched her back for him, moaning in heat as he fucked her good and rough.

Jon then grabbed her thigh and laid her on her side with her back pressed against his chest. He spread her right leg high into the air before proceeding to piston in and out of her like a well oiled machine.

"That all you…*gasp*...got for me…" She challenged in between shakey breaths. "Come on, fuck me harder! I wanna-Nyah!"

Her words were cut off by his teeth digging into her ear. Suddenly she was a mewling kitten in his hands again. That right ear of hers was definitely Koneko's weak spot. Going a step further Jon silenced her for good by gripping her throat and squeezing from behind as he pumped his full length in and out of her over and over again. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she came hard against his cock. He let her ride the wave of her orgasm but he did not let up on her throat until she was done. Only then did he finally let go, permitting her to gasp in fresh air before flipping Koneko on her back and holding her down by her throat once more.

Jon began squeezing again and she gripped his wrist with both hands, her eyes firmly locked to his. She completely trusted in him not to push her past her limit while choking her, and the steely grip of his strong hand pressing her into the mattress was such a turn on it sent her over the edge once more. Her orgasm was completely silent as she convulsed in the sheets, her eyes bulging out of her head.

With an animalistic roar his nostrils flared and he slammed his full length into her, pumping his seed into Koneko until her belly bulged. Only once he was completely spent did he release her neck and collapse next to her.

Koneko gasped and choked out her next few breaths as she sucked precious oxygen into her system. Jon quickly sat up to check on her.

"You alright?"

She collapsed her head back into the mattress and gave him the thumbs up, too tired and too loopy to respond with words.

Jon chuckled at her. "You keep riling me up like that and someone's liable to get hurt."

Koneko finally found enough air to speak back. "Oh relax. I know you'd never intentionally hurt me."

He winced in pain as his bruised ribs suddenly began to protest the sudden unexpected exertion. "Yeah...I wasn't really talking about you." His side flared up and he layed back in the bed. "Dadgumit."

"Are you okay?" She sat up and looked at him worriedly. "I didn't push you too far did I?"

"Nah." He grinned and shook his head assuredly. "I'll be fine."

"Good." She laid herself on top of him. "Because I expect your friend to wake up and play with me again in the next five minutes."


Aika's head was swimming. A high pitched ringing in her ears was the only thing she could hear. All around her was the chaos of battle and all out warfare. Not that she had any clue where she was or what was going on. Between the tinnitus and possible concussion she received, it was a miracle she even still knew what planet she was on.

Their mission had been doing fine up until they got to the next district. The path they had to cross was right in the thick of some of the heaviest fighting in the city and Delta Squad was forced into the middle of a firefight they weren't prepared for. Most of their time was spent running from one piece of cover to the next and praying to whatever God might be listening that a mortar didn't hit them.

A figure ran up to Aika as she lay their completely discombobulated before pulling her to her feet. The ringing in her ears slowly dissipated and her hearing returned.

"...to move...we need to...move now!"

Suddenly, she remembered where she was. It was Sammy yelling at her, and she was still very much in the line of fire.

"Move!" Sammy ordered before tugging her along with him.

As they ran through the street, keeping their heads down while mortar shells and gunfire went off around them, all of Aika's focus was on keeping her feet moving. It wasn't until Sammy shoved her through a door and slammed it shut behind them that her senses returned completely.

They were in a hospital. The rest of Delta Squad having already made themselves comfortable resting in the front entrance.

"That was too fucking close." Motohama gasped for breath as the adrenaline slowly wore off. "Holy shit, I thought we were goners out there."

"Did you see all that shit out there?" Matsuda was pacing back and forth, equal parts angry and panicky. "Their were dudes crawling around with no fucking legs! This whole situation is so fucked man! Fucked!"

Aika was a million miles away. Nothing could have prepared her for this. She thought the zombies were bad but compared to this those things were a joke. Seeing men get torn to shreds by machine gun fire, blasted to pieces by artillery, cut down by mutants and devoured, the whole city had gone completely to hell.

"Aika? Aika, are you with me?"

She felt a strong, reassuring hand grip her shoulder. Aika jumped and aimed her crossbow at the one who touched her.

"Woah woah woah." Xenovia raised her hands up defensively. "Aika, listen to me. It's okay. You're just a bit shell shocked. Just try to focus on breathing. You need to calm down."

Aika's trembling hands slowly lowered her weapon as she slowed her breathing and her heart rate returned to normal.

"That was some quick thinking." Xenovia complimented her after seeing she was finally in her right mind again.

"If you hadn't thrown up that shield we would have all been in serious trouble back there."

The events of what happened before she briefly lost consciousness slowly began to come back to her. They were running through heavy gunfire and artillery strikes towards Kuoh General Hospital where they planned to cut through en route to the outskirts of the city. A shell dropped on their position and it was all she could do to throw a barrier up before they were hit.

They had barely gotten out of that with their lives. The Scout Battalion around them, however, was not so lucky. Seeing their mangled bodies littering the streets like that would haunt her dreams for the rest of her life, she was all but certain of it.

Matsuda continued to pace around like a feral animal, getting himself more and more worked up. Finally, he kicked over a trashcan unable to keep his emotions in check anymore.

"Fuck this shit, man!" He exclaimed angrily. "Did you see what those bastards were doing to our guys out there?! These fuckers are Nazis! They ain't even human!"

"That's exactly the point." Sammy growled at him, getting right in his face. "These guys ain't human. They never WERE human. That's the kind of enemy you're up against. Monsters."

Matsuda flared, his temper was raging out of control.

"Now you need to get a grip before you give away our position."

"Am I not allowed to be angry about this?" He was fuming, the redness in his face made that readily apparent.

"I didn't say don't get angry." Sammy insisted. "Angry is good. Angry gets shit done." He thumped Matsuda's shoulder with his fist. "But you gotta channel it. You can't let it bottle up in ya and blow up on ya squad. Hone that anger, and turn it against your enemies."

Finally he seemed to calm down. Or rather, Matsuda simply internalized his feelings to better prepare him for the conflict ahead.

"When you were facing zombies you didn't think about what you was killin." Sammy explained to all three of them. "The dead were trying to eat ya so you fought back. Zombies are easy to kill. Soldiers are a different matter. Seeing the monsters responsible for all this death is gonna get inside ya head one way or another. How you handle that battle fatigue will dictate whether or not you survive this mission."

Motohama nodded in understanding. Surprisingly enough, out of the three Rookies, he seemed to be handling the stress of this ordeal the best. "Understood, Sarge."

A shell hit the hospital, shaking its foundations and causing the lights to flicker.

"It ain't safe here. Let's get moving." Their Team Leader ordered.

"Umm...Sarge?" Aika spoke up timidly for the first time since they got in the hospital.

"What is it Rookie?"

"We will see our families again...right?"

He looked around at the three worried faces staring back at him. They all wanted an answer to that question. After a moment of thought his gaze turned sharp as he addressed them.

"Let me make something clear. I will NOT allow you to die." He growled, black smoke flaring from his nostrils. "I will NEVER allow someone in my squad to die."

He turned around and shouldered his weapon.

"...never again."

They all peered at him curiously. Before they could say anything, he ordered them to keep moving.


The Hospital was in ruins. Whatever staff or patients were once here were gone. Trash covered the hallways and the ceiling was in danger of collapsing in several areas.

"What the hell do you think happened here?" Motohama asked nervously as they made their way through the halls. Doing their best to ignore the constant shelling from the enemies and sounds of gunfire.

"It's basic laws of causality." Xenovia explained. "During an epidemic of this scale, the Hospitals are always the first things to go."

"All of the citizens who were initially infected were most likely taken here." Aika deduced. "After they...turned, it's likely the zombies left to go infect other people."

"Man...I would NOT have wanted to be here when the outbreak hit." Motohama looked around at the abandoned wreck of a hospital.

"Dammit!" Matsuda seethed. "I'm gonna kill these bastards…"

"Let's move." Sammy ordered. "Focus on clearing the combat sight."

They continued to move as a unit from corridor to corridor. Barring the occasional zombie there wasn't much left in this blasted out husk of a building. Aika took care of each straggler silently with her crossbow while the others cleared every room just like how Sammy showed them.

"Everyone stop." The Team Leader ordered. "Up ahead."

Several figures off in the distance darted down the end of the hallway one by one.

"Eyes up front and stay focused. Looks like we might have some targets that'll fire back."

"Why would the Fallen forces come in here?" Motohama pondered.

"Maybe they're looking for us." Aika cautioned nervously.

"Or…" Sammy offered with a grin. "...maybe our boys are hittin em harder than we thought."

They made their way down the hall and into the bleachers of a large auditorium. An abnormal sound caught Sammy's heightened senses and he ordered them to stop.

"Alright, everyone find cover and wait for my signal." He commanded before hunkering down behind one of the rows of seats.

They all took cover and waited for whatever signal Sammy was referring to. Down on the main stage, a group of fallen forces armed with shotguns and AK-47s entered the large auditorium from one of the lower doors and began making their way across the room.

"NOW! Smoke em!"

Delta Squad popped up from out of cover and fired. Aika hit them with a massive blast from her magical arrow while the others sprayed them with automatic weapons fire. The Fallen forces were completely decimated by the surprise attack, reduced to a pile of bloody bullet ridden corpses.

"Now that's how you do it." Sammy complimented.

"Hey, Sarge! One of them is still alive!" Motohama pointed towards one of the creatures of the Underworld who was still crawling on the ground, blood gushing from multiple wounds.

"I've got this." Matsuda growled before descending the steps of the auditorium and approaching the wounded enemy.

"Matsuda?" Aika called to him worriedly but was stopped by Xenovia.

"Let him be." She insisted. "He needs to work through this."

Upon seeing him approach, the creature pulled a handgun from his pocket and fired. The bullets pinged harmlessly off his body armor as Matsuda proceeded to kick the downed creature onto its back.

"Eat boot." He snarled before bringing his foot up into the air and down on his enemies head. Smashing it to paste.

With the last enemy felled, all was clear in the auditorium.

"What's gotten into him?" Aika asked Xenovia worriedly. "He's not behaving normally."

"War can change people in different ways." She explained in a calm detached manner. "Some can't handle the stress of combat as well as others."

Sammy shook his head. "That ain't it."

They both peered at him curiously.

"I know what battle fatigue looks like and this ain't it."

"Then what is it?" Aika asked curiously.

"Whatever those Orcs did to him." He explained. "I don't think eating that heart was purely done for ceremonies sake."

At that moment, a Mutant burst into the auditorium and roared.

"Matsuda, look out!" Aika screamed.

As the creature lunged for him, Matsuda revved his chainsaw and cut diagonally into its midsection. Shredding it in half and spraying blood all over the place.

Despite now being covered in mutant gore, Matsuda seemed less than bothered.

Sammy grinned. "Like I said. It ain't fatigue. I've seen this before."

Matsuda turned his eyes up at them, fangs like a saber tooth were protruding from his mouth.

"It's bloodlust."


Koneko nestled up to Jon on the bed and rested her head on his chest while he gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. She loved the way he did that. And he loved the way she almost seemed to purr like a Kitten whenever he did.

"You know what?" She smiled with her eyes closed. "You're okay."

He smirked playfully. "That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time."

She sighed, too tired to do anything but mutter at him. "A bit of an egotist...but still okay."

Koneko summoned the will to move and peered up at him.

"When Rias first talked about you, I had no idea what to expect. But it wasn't this." The Gremory Rook frowned thoughtfully as she tried to come up with the right words for how she felt. "What I'm trying to say is...I think you're awesome. And…umm…" She blushed before burying her face in his chest and groaning in embarrassment. "I don't know what I'm trying to say here."

He laughed at her cute little gesture. It was rare to see Koneko flustered like this. "It's alright, like I said, you'll find the words eventually." Jon rested his fingers beneath her chin. "Until then, let MY lips do the talking."

They kissed sweetly for a moment when the two lovers were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Never fails…" Jon grumbled as they were forced to part.

"It's open!" Koneko called to the door after covering herself with a sheet.

Lady Grayfia entered the room and bowed to both of them. "She's awake."

Jon and Koneko both looked at each other before jumping out of bed, now fully awake. Grayfia quickly diverted her gaze as they both proceeded to throw on their clothes and head for the door.

"How's she doing?" Jon asked as they made their way back to Rias's room.

"She's alert and talking." Grayfia assured. "Rias insisted she speak to you as soon as she was awake."

"I'll go let the others know." Koneko left to go wake up Asia and Akeno while Jon continued to follow Grayfia to Rias's room.

The President was waiting for them patiently in her bed. Sitting up on the mattress, her expression was calm and poised as always.

"Rias." Jon rushed over to her side and knelt down, taking her hand in his. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." She leaned her forehead against his. "A little tired, but no worse for wear."

He sighed in relief before kissing her fiercely. "Rias...what we did...those things we said to each other...I-"

She placed a finger up to his lips. "It's over now. Our bond pulled us through, just as you knew it would." Rias kissed him back, more gently this time. "I love you more than life itself. Whatever we may have done during that fight, it's behind us now."

"I…" He finally allowed the dark thoughts to leave his mind and relaxed into her. "...okay. You're right. It's all behind us now."

At that moment, Asia came bursting through the door.

"Rias!" The President's Bishop ran up and leapt onto the bed, landing in her love's outstretched arms. "Thank God you're okay." Asia began to tear up as she held her dear Master close to her. "We were so worried about you. About BOTH of you."

Rias kissed her Bishop tenderly before finally speaking to her. "Honestly, you're going to worry yourself to death one of these days, Love. Worrying over us the way you do so."

"I can't help it." Asia sobbed like a small child. "The two of you mean the whole world to me."

Jon wrapped Asia and Rias both in his arms. As he did so, Akeno and Koneko made their way inside.

"Good to see you awake, Ms. President." Akeno bowed respectfully.

Koneko nodded in agreement, a bright smile on her face.

"As much as I hate to put a stop on this reunion, I fear time is not a luxury we have." Grayfia spoke up. "Lady Rias, there is much your Vice President needs to catch you up on."

Akeno nodded in agreement. "Yes. A lot has happened since you've been out, Ms. President."

Rias nodded in understanding. "I'll hear the pertinent details in the Chapter Room."

She then raised a finger in the air.

"AFTER I've had a shower."


While Rias left to go bathe, Koneko went to go check on Kiba. Leaving Asia and Akeno alone with Jon in Rias's room. His Treasures finished inspecting Jon's wounds to make sure they were healing well before treating their Dragon to an energy massage to encourage more rapid recovery.

While Akeno oiled up her hands and massaged his shoulders, Asia proceeded to drop to her knees without saying a word and remove her top and bra before pulling down Jon's pants. The Bishop then applied a fragrant oil to her healthy breasts and placed them between his fully erect cock. She finished by placing her mouth on his head and beginning to suck while bobbing her breasts up and down along his length with her eyes firmly locked to his.

"I swear, what has gotten into you ladies tonight?" Jon groaned in pleasure as she worked on him. "Between the two of you and Koneko you'd almost forget there's a war going on."

She popped her mouth off his head and stared up at him with desperate eyes. "Jon…you don't understand how much it kills us every time you have to put yourself in danger like that. Koneko and I were so worried." Asia continued to pump up and down his shaft with her heaving mounds as she spoke. "I know there's a war going on and I know that there's probably a million other things we should be doing right now besides this, but I can't help it. I just...need this. I need to show my love for you." Asia licked his head and swirled her tongue around it.

Akeno giggled at the overtly eager blonde beauty. "It's not without reason, Master. We need you back in top shape as soon as possible and there's no faster way for a Dragon to recover then to be served by his Treasures." She continued to rub oil into his shoulders as she spoke. "Asia has naturally submissive tendencies same as me, Master. Though whereas I happily identify as your submissive, I believe our Bishop is a little different."

Asia blushed deeply at Akeno's words. "I...I want to be your housewife, Jon."

His heart skipped. "My what?"

Her face turned even more crimson. Somehow this was more embarrassing to Asia than what she was currently doing to him. "It's...what I've decided to call it. I'm not exactly comfortable doing what...Akeno does. I can't really do pain or chains or anything like that." She licked up his shaft and kissed his head before pressing her breasts between him again. "But I still want to submit to you. Belong to you."

"In BDSM, there's a type of play known as 1940s Household, Master." Akeno explained. "One that emphasizes gender roles and household etiquette. Asia has been very interested in exploring that with you."

She nodded. "Instead of a collar, I want a ring. And maybe a ceremony to go with it. Instead of Master I want to call you Darling or Honey. I want to cook for you, clean for you, help you relax after a difficult hunt by performing my wifely duties in the bedroom. If I do well I want to be praised and if I do poorly I want to be spanked. Rias once said I'd make a good housewife and that's what I want to be for you."

Hearing all this while she was squeezing her tits against his cock was too much for Jon to bare all at once. With a pleasure filled growl he came all over his beloved treasures face and breasts. Asia responded by opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out as he did so, a heated look on her face.

Akeno snickered in amusement at his reaction. "I think he likes the idea, Love."

"So...will you do it, Jon?" Asia stared up at him with doe eyes, still coated in his sticky seed. "Will you let me be your Housewife?"

He smiled at her and nodded. "Of course, my Love. If that's really what you want then you will have it."

She beamed at him before clapping her hands excitedly. "Ahhh! I can't wait to tell Rias!" A thought occurred to her. "Oh! And don't tell me when you get the ring. I want it to be a surprise."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "My lips are sealed."

"And you absolutely must spank me if I mess up! No matter what!" She forced herself to say the words despite her face turning scarlet again. "Don't go easy on me just because I'm in training."

"You've got it, Honey." He offered teasingly. Just hearing the word made her melt.

"Asia, sweetie, he still looks very pent up." Akeno pointed to his still very erect cock before standing up and heading for the door. "Master, with your permission, I'd like to go check on Rias."

He nodded. "That'll be fine, Ju'Kara."

She bowed her head submissively to him. "Thank you, Master. I'll leave you in the capable hands of your Housewife in Training. Asia, you know what to do."

She nodded in understanding, a determined gleam in her eyes. "I understand." Asia took his shaft in her hand and licked from the base all the way up to the tip just like how Akeno showed her. "You need to relax as much as possible, Darling. It's important you're properly recovered before the next fight."

"You're really going all out for this, aren't ya?" He commented, an amused grin on his face.

Asia pouted at him. "Of course I am." She stood up and removed the rest of her clothes before laying herself down on the bed and spreading her legs. "When I became your Treasure, I did so with a heart full of fears and insecurities. But...by wearing your ring, by becoming your housewife, I'll have my own identity in the Peerage. My own place within your heart."

"Asia, you know I'll always-"

"I know Jon." She gazed up at him lovingly with two emerald eyes. "You make me feel so special and so loved every single day. But I don't want to just FEEL special, I want to be BE special. For me, that means becoming your housewife and expressing my love for you as only I know how."

She spread her glistening folds open for him.

"There's one more thing…" Asia spoke softer than before, biting her lower lip nervously. "...the greatest duty of a housewife is to bare and raise her man's children."

He felt his stomach do a flip upon hearing her say that.

"From now on, Jon, whenever and however you decide to make love to me, I want you to do so with the intention of getting me pregnant." She spoke in earnest. "More than anything I want to have your child."

He was floored. Sure he always knew he'd have kids someday. But Asia wasn't just thinking about it anymore. She was ready to go.

In all honesty it was a miracle none of his Treasures were already pregnant. He hadn't exactly been conservative with where exactly his seed landed during his alone time with the girls. And given the frequency of their alone time, the fact that none of them had woken up with morning sickness yet was a little baffling.

This wasn't the first time he had thought about this. Jon had brought the issue up to Rias once before and all she said in response was "Don't worry about it." Something that was much easier said than done.

But this was what Asia wanted. And above all else, his Treasures would get what their hearts desired most. So long as it was in Jon's power, he would commit to fulfilling their every wish. If Asia wanted a ring, she would have a ring. If she wanted a ceremony, she would have a ceremony.

And if she wanted his child, she would have his child.

"Okay." He nodded. "If you're ready to take that next step, Darlin, then so am I."

She was elated. For a second she looked like she might cry but Asia fought it back. Instead, she bit the tip of her finger and spread her folds wider for him.

"I'll take care of you however you want me to. I only ask that you cum inside me next."

He spread her legs back and slowly lowered himself down onto her, pushing his full length deep inside Asia while she moaned his name.

"Whatever the Misses wants, she gets." He teased sweetly into her ear.

Jon kissed her passionately and she surrendered completely to him.


Delta Squad managed to fight their way out of the hospital and reach the outskirts of the city before they finally encountered their first Cyber Squadron. Just as the Rookies had feared, these advanced infantry were every bit as deadly as Sona warned. Their plasma rifles were no joke, and not even Matsuda's armor could hold up to them. As Motohama quickly learned, they were also deadly accurate with those things. Meanwhile, Aika almost learned the hard way that her magic barriers didn't hold up as well to plasma based weaponry as they did to normal bullets.

Yet despite this Sammy was still pushing them through. Xenovia helped to pick up the slack and lead the charge against the squads of Cybernetic Husks and they eventually managed to push the enemy back and send them into a retreat after she unleashed her Holy Excalibur Destruction upon them.

And from there, things got eerily quiet. The closer they got to the Church, the more nervous they felt. Considering how near they were to their destination, the enemy sure wasn't putting up much of a resistance. In fact, the city felt unsettlingly calm considering it was a bullet blasted hellhole not but a few hours ago.

The fight couldn't have been going THAT well. There was no way they were that lucky.

As the group made their way up the hill towards the Church, a tense awkward silence hung in the air.

"Ethical dilemma for you all." Motohama spoke up, finally breaking the ice. "Let's say your mother and your girlfriend switched bodies, and the only way to switch them back was to sleep with one of them. Who would you choose?"

The whole group collectively groaned.

"See...this shit right here is why my parents stopped inviting you on roadtrips dude." Matsuda griped at him.

"Alright, enough small talk you two." Sammy ordered. "We're almost at the Church."

"About freaking time." Aika groaned. "This has been the longest hike of my entire adult life."

As they neared the crest of the hill, they passed what looked like a scene from a war movie. The entire cliffside was burned, bullet casings were everywhere, and the corpses and metal scrap of the Fallen Forces littered the ground. Clearly, they were not the only ones who had seen action in the past few hours.

"Damn." Motohama sucked a breath in through his teeth. "This place got blasted to hell. I hope the survivors are okay."

Through the clearing in the trees they spotted the Church. Though it had clearly been hit with plasma rounds, it was still standing. Makeshift barricades had been erected around the churches perimeter that had clearly seen gunfire as well.

All was deathly quiet.

"You think anyone's still alive?" Aika asked worriedly.

As if on cue a human popped out of cover and fired his shotgun. While it didn't hit anyone the blast did come close enough to startle all of them.

"Cease fire!" Sammy barked before muttering quietly. "...Dibshit."

"Hey...these guys aren't monsters." Another survivor spoke up after popping out of cover.

"Really? What gave THAT away?" Matsuda commented sarcastically.

"Sorry about that." The guy who almost shot them apologized profusely. "Are you guys Survivors too?"

"Nope." Sammy shook his head. "We're the ones whose gonna save your asses."

Their faces lit up.

"A rescue team?!" One of them asked excitedly.

"Quick! Come speak to Irina. She's the one in charge."

The survivors beckoned them inside. Xenovia felt a nervous pit form in her stomach as they were guided inside. Would Irina see reason? Or would this be a repeat of the convenience store?

Delta Squad made their way inside the Church, where a man with dirty blonde hair and a well groomed beard was waiting for them inside.

"So...you did come." The man commented with a wicked grin. "Irina warned us the other side might send someone here."

Sammy cocked a brow at him. "So you know who we are?"

He chuckled. "I don't just know who you are. I know WHAT you are."

Xenovia gave him a sour look. "And just who might you be?"

"Names Aldin Zefford." He spoke indifferently. "No one important, I assure you." Mr. Zefford then pointed with his shotgun down towards the basement. "She's down in the cellar tending to the wounded."

As they moved to head to the cellar, he suddenly stopped them.

"If you're planning on sticking around, we could use you in the next firefight. The sun will be down soon, and the beasts out there get stronger at night." He then added with a grin. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

They didn't comment. Xenovia lead the group down the stairs to the massive underground cellar beneath the Altar. Below, thousands of civilians were grouped together in makeshift tents and bedspreads. Their tired, beleaguered faces belying the nightmares they had endured over the past two days.

"These poor people." Aika spoke solemnly at the sight.

"Say what you will about Irina, but she did good saving this many." Matsuda commented, a hint of respect in his voice.

Delta Squad eventually reached what appeared to be a makeshift clinic. A corner of the cellar had been sectioned off as a space to bring the wounded and deceased from the past battles. Amongst the survivors acting as nurses they eventually spotted Irina speaking with the Doctor in charge of the clinic.

As she turned around and caught sight of them, her expression immediately soured into one of contempt. Xenovia raised a hand up to stop her squad from moving any further.

"I'll handle this."

Sammy and the others elected to stay behind while Xenovia approached her former partner. The two eyed each other warily for a moment, neither one saying a word to the other.

"I must say, I'm impressed, Irina." Xenovia looked around at the survivors camp. "To do all this in so short a span of time, it couldn't have been easy."

"Give me one reason I should listen to a word you say." Irina replied coldly.

"I'm not the one who lied to her partner." She challenged. "You switched the cases on me before we left."

"I couldn't let you do it." Her ex-partner insisted. "Those swords are humanity's only hope of overcoming the creatures of the Underworld. You would be handing the forces of Hell a decisive victory over the human race by relinquishing them into their hands."

"Better they should end up in the hands of the Fallen?" Xenovia was starting to get angry now. "Kokabiel and his men would see the entire human race exterminated if he had his way. Say what you will about the Devils but they aren't trying to commit genocide."

"So what? We offer our souls to them? Become slaves of our Dark Lords in exchange for being allowed to live another day?" She shook her head defiantly. "I don't know why you came here, Xenovia, but you're wasting your breath. My stance hasn't changed. I will NOT make any more deals with the Gremory Peerage."

Xenovia sighed at her stubborn headed partner. "Irina, see reason. You can't possibly hope to defend the Holy Swords and these people all on your own."

Irina clutched at her Mother's cross. "I am NOT alone. So long as-"

"ENOUGH!" Xenovia barked.

Irina was taken aback by her sudden outburst. All around them, the camp went deathly quiet.

"How far will you go just to avoid seeing him again?" She seethed. "These people are going to DIE without our protection."

Irina glared at her hatefully, she wanted to argue but she couldn't.

"You and I both know what's coming." Xenovia warned severely. "The final stage of the invasion is almost here. When it arrives, every single one of these people will be slaughtered and the swords will fall into Kokabiel's hands. UNLESS you surrender them to us for protection."

She clenched her fists tightly.

"How many more have to die? How many more innocent lives have to be lost before you finally admit that you can't keep going on like this?"

Irina's expression fell as she turned to see, off in the distance, a young Alice helping one of the nurses tend to the wounded.

"That girl deserves to have a future." Xenovia spoke, seeing the look in Irina's eyes.

"What kind of future are you talking about?" Her voice trembled. "A world run by Devils? A godless land where profit and power rule over everything? If I do this I'm forsaking everything you and Jon once stood for. Everything my PARENTS stood for." She stomped her foot, cracking the ground beneath her feet. "What kind of future is that?!"

"The kind where that little girl lives to see her next fucking birthday." Sammy growled, having officially heard enough. "Look, I get you ain't thrilled about seeing us again. But at this point, you're just being an idiot." He shook his head. "Actually no, fuck that. You're not being an idiot, you're being a CHILD!"

Irina flared at him. "Wh...what did you just call me?!"

He walked in front of Xenovia and got right in her face. "You act like you're the only one who's suffering right now. You think we all don't have skeletons in our closet? I've got plenty of stories for ya, Doll. Most of which end in, and then they died horribly."

She was about to speak when he cut her off again.

"And before you start whining about your parents, or Jon, or Xenovia again, take a moment to consider what THEY have gone through. All the same suffering, all the same grief. We've ALL felt the loss you feel."

Irina resigned herself to silently glaring at him.

"Yet you think you're better than everyone else here. Simply because you never had to make an impossible decision." He observed. "Yet there you stand, the pious holy woman doing absolutely NOTHING while true evil triumphs.

Her whole body began to tremble and fresh tears leaked down her face.

"But as your rigid dogma crumbles around you and everyone you've sworn to protect dies, at least you can say you stuck true to your ideals...you were a COWARD until the very end."

All was silent around them. Alice watched off in the distance as Irina slowly began to break apart at the seams. As she broke down, Xenovia slowly approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder, finally smiling at her again.

"I fear not that I will die, but that all I have come to love will perish with me."

Irina cast her gaze up at her, now more unsure than she was angry. "I'm not familiar with that verse…"

She shook her head. "It's not one. See...a smart girl once helped me realize there are words beyond our scripture that hold wisdom."

Her voice quivered and Irina ran into Xenovia's arms, hugging her tight. At long last, she had seen the light.

"Irina! Irina!"

She broke away from the hug as one of the Survivors manning the barricades ran up to her.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's happening in the sky!"

Irina and Xenovia both looked at each other nervously before running up the stairs along with the rest of Delta Squad. They ran outside to see, up in the sky, a giant rift forming, behind which lay another plain of existence. From this chasm in reality, hundreds of what looked like black birds came pouring out.

"What...is that?" Matsuda asked nervously.

"That…" Sammy gulped. "...is seriously not good."


Asia's breasts bounced in perfect rhythm as she bobbed up and down on her Dragon's manhood. Her breath heaved and huffed as she moaned in fits of arousal, her face flushed and the look in her eyes one of pure passion. The Blonde Beauty arched her back and moaned louder and louder as her climax approached.

From below, Jon groaned loudly in pleasure as he erupted, sending her over the edge. Her toes curled and her thighs shook as she rode yet another wave. Finally, Asia collapsed onto him. Out of breath and completely spent.

The two lovers kissed each other passionately when a knock on the door broke them out of the moment.

Jon sighed in frustration. "Yet again..."

The door opened and Akeno stepped in, a nervous look in her eyes.

"Sorry Master, but we need you both back in the Chapter Room. Something's come up."

Asia and Jon both lept out of the bed and got themselves dressed as quickly as possible. They made their way into the Chapter Room to find Rias sitting at her desk, fully dressed and no worse for wear.

"I hope you're nice and recovered, Jon." Rias then shot a devious little grin at Asia who blushed and turned her head away. "Because I fear our moment of respite is officially over."

"The Fallen Angels have officially made their presence known." Grayfia explained. "They've arrived in force intent on wiping out our ground forces and halting our attempts to retake the city."

A steely look formed in his eyes. "So in other words...we're back in the game."

Rias nodded. "It's time for the ORC to officially join the war front. We've spent enough time on the sidelines."

He couldn't agree more. Jon was fired up and raring to go. "Just give me the word, Rias."

"There's...one more thing." She continued before turning towards Koneko who had a deep set scowl on her face.

"What is it?"

Koneko flared angrily. "Kiba is gone. He's awake and he left the Headquarters."

Jon went wide eyed at this revelation. "He WHAT?!"

Rias nodded, her hands folded in front of her, as calm and poised as ever.

"Yes...and we have a pretty good idea of where he's heading."


The sound of gunfire resonated throughout the underground cellar as the survivors nervously coward amongst their friends and family. Up above, Sammy, Xenovia, Irina, Matsuda, and Motohama were fighting a desperate last stand against Kokabiel's forces while Aika worked on creating a portal to link the Church back to Kuoh Academy. The process was taking a while due to her lack of experience and the temporal distortion caused by the barrier.

They didn't want to admit it, but Delta Squad was running on borrowed time. It wouldn't be long before their position was overrun by Fallen Angels.

Motohama fired a high velocity round through the helmet of a Cyber Soldier, hitting it right in its ocular lense and downing it in one shot. Matsuda, meanwhile, took shots at everything that managed to reach the barricade with his shotgun. Blasting the Husks into bloody scraps of metal with every shot. Upon running out of ammo, he switched to his bat and began swinging for the fences. Using his super strength and enchanted club to smash in their heads while he roared in bloodlust. Sammy unloaded his Plasma Rifle on the charging Cyber Husks. Mowing each one down as it came over the hill.

Meanwhile, Irina and Xenovia manned the frontlines. Switching to their Holy Swords Excalibur Mimic and Destruction respectfully as they proceeded to cut through the ranks of the advanced infantry. Despite everything the Fallen threw at them, the five of them were successfully holding their ground.

But they couldn't keep this up, Delta Squad was bound to run out of gas at some point.

As the last of the Cybernetic Husks fell, two figures clad in priests robes appeared over the crest of the hill. Unlike the infantry, they were not running. Instead, they walked with a calm, unbothered stride. Completely ignoring the carnage around them.

Irina and Xenovia both flared in anger upon seeing them. It was Freed Sellzen and Valper Gallilei.

"I'll give you this much, Irina, you've not made it easy for us!" Valper called out to her, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "But your efforts here are futile! Surrender the swords and we may just let the vermin cowering in that Church live!"

"Or don't!" Freed cackled in maniacal glee. "That works for us too!"

The Holy Sword Users responded by readying their weapons and preparing to attack.

Valper's sadistic grin widened as he raised his hands into the air. "Very well then. It makes little difference either way."

Up above them, a swarm of fallen angels descended upon the church. Matsuda and Motohama both fired on the flock as it swooped down from the sky.

"Everyone back into the Church!" Irina called.

Delta Squad fell into a full retreat back into the halls of the Church before shutting and barricading the door.

"That won't hold for long." Xenovia pointed out with severe emphasis.

Sammy nodded. "Right, both you two back downstairs." He commanded Matsuda and Motohama.

"But…"

"That's an order!" Their Team Leader barked. "These things are beyond you. You wouldn't even last long enough to pull the trigger of your guns."

They both looked at each other nervously before nodding. The duo made their way downstairs while the three heavyweights remaining readied themselves for battle.

"I hate to say it guys, but we're in real trouble here." Irina commented as she readied her Katana.

"Eh, we've been in tighter spots." Xenovia smirked before readying her massive two handed sword. "Still, as much as I hate to admit it, we could kind of use Jon right about now."

Sammy summoned his Sacred Gear, conjuring two black gauntlets to his hands and two black boots to his feet. His face became covered in the Dragon's Mark and two horns grew on his forehead. Finally, a pair of black and purple Dragon's Wings appeared on his back.

"Don't worry. You've got all the badass Dragon you need right here." Black smoke flared from his nostrils as he brought his full power to bare.

They stood in a triangle, each of them guarding the other's back as they braced for the inevitable.

The iron frames of the shattered windows were smashed to pieces as Raven Winged Warriors swarmed into the Church. Some appeared from the holes in the ceiling while others just blasted through the already crumbling walls. Finally, the door smashed in as even more angels swarmed in. They charged the three warriors making their last stand with Lances of Light and the fight was on.

Sammy, Irina, and Xenovia clashed with the Fallen Angels. Cutting down each one as it tried to overwhelm their position. Blasting with hellfire, cutting with blade and whip, and annihilating with energy produced by Excalibur Destruction. The titanic clash shook the Church to its core as one angel after another fell. The stone cracked and the foundations gave way…

...revealing hundreds more Fallen Angels waiting for them as the Church crumbled for good. They were hopelessly outnumbered. It was over.

Six Angels descended upon them and aimed their lances at the surrendering trio, keeping them in place. Valper and Freed calmly stepped over the rubble that was once a Church and approached, smug, victorious grins on their faces.

"A most noble attempt." Valper taunted. "Yet ultimately fruitless." A sardonic look shone in his eyes. "If it's any consolation. We were never going to spare the survivors."

Freed reared back and cackled psychotically. "Alright boys and girls! Once you're done butchering this lot, the scavenger hunt will begin. Men's heads are worth one point, women's heads are worth two, and children's are worth three. And if any of you find the Holy Swords...you win!"

The six angels surrounding Irina, Xenovia, and Sammy readied their lances…

...and their heads went flying off their shoulders. The six headless angels crumbled to the ground much to the utter confusion of the three would be victims. They each took it in turns to look around at what mysterious force saved them but found nothing.

"Wh...what the fuck?!" Freed took a step back.

A yellow blur cut through the ranks of the Fallen, severing the heads off of each Fallen Angel surrounding the group while they desperately tried to figure out what was going on. By the end, dozens of heads and headless bodies fell from the sky.

Standing in the middle of the it all was Kiba, his sword at the ready.

"So…" He commented dryly. "...how many were those worth?"