Chapter 4: The beginning
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
Locations
Noises
"All units begin mobilization! I repeat all units begin mobilization!" A voice came from the intercom. With a matter of seconds, the ground began rumbling with the footsteps of thousands of fallen angels marching.
Issei stood next to Hanibal and Malpas on a balcony overlooking the mass of soldiers lining up. Issei had a look of amazement across his face, the boy absorbing in the view.
"The time has come you guys, we are going headfirst into the devil's strongest fortifications. I can hardly wait!" Issei shouted out the last part.
Malpas had a bead of nervous sweat going down his face.
"I can hardly believe we have to do this on our own, the thought still gets to me." He then wiped his head. Hanibal patted him on the back.
"Don't worry about it pretty boy, I'll make sure they don't cut your face. Then that would truly be a tragedy, hahaha!" Hanibal kept laughing as Malpas frowned.
Issei looked back towards his friends, the image of a corpse ridden battlefield flashed through his mind.
Issei jerked back slightly, this catching the others attention.
"Are you alright?" asked Malpas as he moved away from Hanibal. Hanibal turned his head towards the direction of the door, hearing a knock in the background.
Issei calmed himself down and looked over towards Malpas.
"Yeah, just a flashback of something. I'll be fine, don't worry yourself about it," spoke Issei in a soft tone. Malpas raised an eyebrow as he continued looking at Issei.
"Alright then, I think Hanibal heard a knock on the door. We should see what it is about." Malpas had turned back towards the inside of the room they were in.
Hanibal opened the door, finding Azazel and two other fallen angels with something in their hands.
"Is there something you need Azazel?" asked Hanibal as he looked down at what appeared to be a red armored combat uniform.
"The Grigoris Armament and Weapon division just produced new combat uniforms, I came to deliver them to you three and speak with Issei." Azazel then stepped inside room, passively moving Hanibal to the side.
Issei and Malpas then walked inside the room from the balcony, they looked down at the three uniforms that were placed side by side.
Azazel looked at Issei and waved.
"I brough you guys new uniforms." He then picked up the red one and tossed it to Issei. Catching it in his hands he looked at it.
Azazel then tossed a white one to Malpas and a black one to Hanibal. All three looked on in curiosity.
"These are state of the art and customized to fit you specifically. They have enhanced protection and durable enough to take blasts from multiple Middle-Class devils."
Issei grinned heavily, the look in his eyes igniting his thirst for battle.
"I see they went all out this time, I'm glad. My old armor still has a hole in it from the last fight." Issei and the others then began to equip them.
A solid single piece tunic was covered in thin armor padding as a base. Then the other parts of the armor followed including a reinforced chest plate, arm pads, leg pads and groin plates. A cape was also present, being the same color as the armor.
Issei moved around in the armor, finding it far more flexible than he originally anticipated.
"I see that you noticed the flexibility, we managed to produce a new material a few weeks ago. This stuff is far superior to the old stuff and works better to." Azazel had a smirk across his face, his ego being lifted.
"Is that so, only testing it fully can I see the results." Issei then put on the last piece of the armor. Hanibal finished putting on his armor and did a spinning kick.
"Wow, this thing will do wonders. I can't wait to get to the front!"
Azazel looked over at Hanibal.
"Calm down kid, I still have something to say."
All attention was then directed towards Azazel, he then cleared his throat and looked towards Issei.
"Since I have put the trust into you to lead a battalion you are responsible for bringing them back, I expect casualties, but not bringing back any men will be an issue. I'm not placing Issei in charge for bringing everyone back either." He then looked over towards Hanibal and Malpas.
"You two are also responsible for your men too, since this is a test for all three of you make sure you are careful out there. We march in ten minutes, be ready." Azazel then turned around and began to walk out the room. The two with him followed, closing the door as they left.
The three still in the room looked at the door, their facial expressions all saying something else.
Issei was the first one to speak up, the other two looked over at him.
"You heard him, let's go meet up with our units." The other two nodded and they left the room.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at the army. Issei paused as he realized something.
"Where the hell are our units as anyway?" they looked around searching for their men.
Malpas looked towards the center of the formation, Hanibal looking towards the rear.
Issei looked for something else, a Cadre.
"Hey! Uncle Shemhazai!" Issei shouted over at his uncle. Shemhazai looked in the direction of which he heard Issei's voice.
Shemhazai walked over to Issei with a clipboard in his hand.
"Ah, Issei. You should be meeting up in the front with the other Cadres. Take Hanibal and Malpas with you and inform Azazel that all forces are ready to march." Shemhazai then walked away from Issei as he went back to going over the army.
Issei stood there bewildered as Shemhazai walked away. Turning back towards his friends he walked over.
Malpas looked at Issei for an answer.
"What did he tell you?" asked Hanibal.
"We're going to the front of the army with the other Cadres, also I have to tell Azazel that everything is ready to go." Issei scratched the back of his head.
"Alright then, we should hurry." Malpas looked nervous again. Issei frowned.
"Malpas, you know you don't have to be nervous right?" The three of them began walking past dozens of fallen angels, some looking at them with envy others with ill intent.
Malpas tried to fake a smile.
"I know that, I'm just worried that something bad will happen. I wasn't trained to fight, I'm a healer."
Both Issei and Hanibal looked at him suspiciously.
"Are you fishing for compliments?" asked Issei as he glared at Malpas. The fallen angel figuratively shrunk in his place.
"I thought so, keep your chin up and come one. You can't earn respect if you're just going to look like that." Hanibal grumbled, Issei agreeing with him.
He cared for his friends a lot, but when it came down to it, he had to force reality on them. Either it being in battle or it being around the Grigori. Hanibal was a stubborn delinquent at heart, Malpas was a naïve pure hearted fool. Issei was the glue that held them together, otherwise they wouldn't be friends.
He could remember the day that he and Hanibal first met Malpas. They were in a training camp five years back, their goal was to survive the longest before tapping out. Left with no food or tools they had to do everything themselves.
It was day 13 when a problem had occurred. Issei was busy hunting down something to eat with a light spear, his prey being a common animal similar to cattle in the Underworld.
He was chasing it in a mountainous territory, danger filled the area as he flew around it. Something was bothering him about the area though, it felt heavier than it should.
Eventually he caught up to it and impaled it through the stomach. After it fell over dead, he went to land next to it. He dissipated his light spear, after that he began to disembowel the creature. During that process he heard a noise coming from a nearby bush.
As he looked over towards it something jumped out, he didn't get a good chance to look at it as it tackled him of the side of a cliff.
During the fall he managed to kill it by stabbing it through the chest with a light sword. After the struggle was over, he tried to release his wings to fix his fall. Failing to notice how far he fell he unfurled his wings the moment he hit the ground. That broke them with a sick crunching noise.
He screamed out in pain trying to flip over to get off his back. A broken wing was painful in itself, eight of them was excruciating. To this day it was still the most painful thing he had experienced.
After he managed to stand up, he took a good look at his wings. Some were bleeding whilst others were bending the wrong way. The view was depressing, his wings were his pride. To be born a fallen angel was one thing, but to be born powerful was something else. His pride was scarred, the thought made him sit down and cry.
Whilst he was doing a noise came from one of the caves near him, but he didn't acknowledge it.
Still crying as he sat there the noise revealed its owner. A young blonde boy with blue eyes, dressed in a white uniform. The young boy walked over to Issei, his face donning a frown.
He didn't ask Issei anything only getting on his knees behind him. Slowly he placed both his hands behind Issei, and a green glow came out of them.
Issei looked behind him as he saw his wings being coated in green glow.
"Don't worry about your wings, I can heal them quickly for you." The young boy smiled.
Issei didn't respond, he just sat there as the pain faded away slowly. After a minute or so the pain was gone.
"You can move your wings now, they're all fixed." Issei looked behind him as his wings were restored.
Issei turned around and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you… what's your name?" asked Issei as he raised his head to look at the boy. The blonde boy released his wing, 2 pairs releasing from his back. Issei looked at him with thankful eyes.
"I'm Malpas, I was an angel, but I fell from grace not that long ago."
Issei raised an eyebrow.
"What are you doing out here?" asked Issei.
Malpas looked at Issei with an embarrassed face.
"I was banished to the Underworld after I committed a sin, I ended up here once I was transported. I've been here for a few days surviving off the common fruits." Malpas pointed over towards the cave he came out of.
Issei looked over to the cave, the creature that he killed was next to it.
"Holy shit that was a dragon!"
Malpas looked over to the corpse of the animal. The blood from the wound in its chest spilled across the ground.
"What about you?" asked Malpas as he turned back to Issei.
"I'm in a training camp, I was hunting down dinner. I was on top of the cliff and that dragon ambushed me."
"Oh, I thought they sent someone to kill me." Issei turned around confused.
"Either you are just blissfully ignorant or just plain retarted. You can come back with me, my friend Hanibal is waiting back at our hideout." Issei then stood up and retracted his wings.
He then looked back at Malpas who was still on his knees.
"Welcome to the Grigori!" Malpas smiled brightly.
After that he introduced him to Hanibal who began to bully the poor guy. Those were the good old times; war wasn't something that was the main concern to him.
Issei unknowingly was staring off into the distance, his friends were looking at him funny.
"Issei look out!" shouted Malpas. Issei came back to reality, but it was too late.
Thud
Issei fell over onto the ground, he caught himself before his face hit it.
"Who the hell did that!" looking back Issei noticed the leg of the person that tripped him was still sticking out.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite nephew Issei. I thought you would have been a little more careful. You might end up tripping over a mine next time." The voice was deep, Issei immediately knew who it was.
Standing back up and dusting himself off Issei looked at the person.
"Nice to see you as well uncle Kokabiel, I see you're still the same cunt from last time." Issei retorted with an unenthusiastic look. Kokabiel smirked, the Cadre placed a hand on Issei's shoulder.
"I see you're trying to step up into the big leagues. For someone like you that shouldn't be a problem, however." Kokabiel looked over towards Hanibal and Malpas.
Issei looked back towards them as well, he then narrowed his eyes as he looked back towards Kokabiel.
"What about them?"
"They don't have what it takes to be Cadres, I can only assume they will hold you back from your true potential." Issei glared at Kokabiel.
"My friends do not influence my abilities, no one is standing in my way." Issei then knocked Kokabiel's hand off his shoulder. The Cadre grunted.
"I see how it is then. Just know that when it comes to it in the end the only person that you can rely on is yourself." Kokabiel then walked away. Issei watched as he walked towards the other Cadres.
'Bastard.'
Underworld- Devil territory
The march into the devil territory was a long one, currently the army was preparing separate coming towards the city of Mordith. Issei, Hanibal and Malpas where walking with Azazel.
"You three prepared?" asked Azazel as he began to put on a small amount of armor. Issei smirked at his question.
"Yes, we already went over the plan with the units under us and agreed control over leadership."
"Let me guess, you are the leader?" asked Azazel as he fitted some guards on his arms.
"Yep, the others can't lead the way I can. I want to make sure that we can effectively deal with our enemies." Issei turned back to look at his friends. Hanibal had Malpas in a headlock whilst giving him a noogey.
"Hanibal stop bullying him, try that with me and see what happens." Issei's glare met Hanibal's. The two stared each other down until Hanibal inevitably backed down.
"Fine, always have to ruin the fun." Hanibal let go of Malpas. He then tried to fix his hair from where Hanibal had messed it up.
"Thanks, Issei." Malpas then fixed his hair. Issei just shook his head.
"No problem, just stop him from doing it next time. Get ready, we might start the attack soon!"
Both fallen nodded and rushed towards the three battalions under their control. Issei remained with his father, the two of them having stern expressions.
"Issei, I have a feeling you might want to be extra cautious with your friends. They might be the thing that screws you over, make sure that they listen to you. I don't want to have to go back home and tell your mother that you died today."
Issei looked at Azazel angrily.
"What's up with you guys not trusting Hanibal and Malpas?" Issei was suspicious of something at this point in time. This was the first time that Azazel had ever said something negative about his friends.
"We just want to make sure that you make the right decisions, nothing against them. Now get your men ready, we move again soon directly towards the city!" Azazel had practically shooed Issei away.
"Fine, I'll see you on the battlefield then." Issei then released his wings and flew away. Azazel watched as Issei disappeared among the masses of armed men, the noise of the army drowning out the sounds of flapping wings.
'Don't fail them son.' Azazel then turned around and began walking towards the other Cadres.
Underworld- Mordith
Issei looked on at the enemy city, the massive territory was extremely large. You could compare it to a territory belonging to one of the many pillar territories., the massive rows of houses and buildings were as far as the eye could see. A large river ran through the center of the city, bridges and houses lined the canals that were created. In the center of the town you
"A majestic site to say the least my dear friends, perhaps bringing destruction upon it might be too sinful?" Malpas spoke as he took in the view. His hair was blowing in the wind as he stood next to Issei and Hanibal.
"Since when do we care about sinning?" asked Hanibal as he looked at the city. Issei turned his head to look at Malpas.
"You fell from grace years ago, blowing up a city or two isn't evil." Responded Issei as he put a hand up to his ear.
"This just seems a little too much for me Issei." Malpas looked at Issei with a frown.
"They literally attacked the Grigori not the long ago, I'm getting revenge for that!" Issei summoned a communication circle in his palm.
"Malpas stop fucking complaining already, it's too late to pull out we already came here." Hanibal then turned back and walked towards the units of soldiers.
Malpas's frown strengthened, Issei who was talking to someone through the communication circle.
Malpas looked at Issei as if he was waiting for him to say something.
"Alright, I'll inform them." Issei then hung up the call. Turning to face the units he was now in total control of.
"Attention everyone, the attack on the devil city will commence immediately under the order of Azazel. Let's begin our campaign to the devil capital of Lucifad. Let's give these bastards true hell for what they have done to our homes!" Issei short speech had excited the fallen ranks.
"My dear friends, let us march into the city and incinerate it completely." Issei then raised his arm above his head and summoned a mass of red-light spears.
"Hanibal take the men into the air and have them summon as many light spears as they can. We will bombard the devils until they come out of hiding, then slaughter them all!"
Hanibal looked at Issei with a ferocious grin.
"Yessir!" Hanibal was now excited. Issei had given him an order to do what he loved, destroy the devils until he was tired.
"Malpas, you stay in the rear and make sure that our flanks are protected with your men. If enemy forces are gathering or approaching, then use the communication circles. I'll leave this area to you." Issei then flew over toward the cities northern sector.
"Alright then, be careful!" shouted out Malpas as Issei flew away. Malpas looked back towards his men, he was determined.
Issei had his spears still floating in the air as he approached the city entrance, there was no sign of any devils in the nearby area. Something felt off about it, Issei could feel it as well.
'An ambush most likely, probably to deal the most damage in one attack.' Issei thought as he walked through a street. It was lined with businesses and homes, a tavern stuck out through. The windows were boarded up, Issei could feel an aura from inside the building.
"This is way to fucking obvious." Issei then threw his hand down, every spear that he had summoned then started moving towards him.
SHIIN
The light spears then landed around him with him at the center, some buildings had been pierced through their roofs. The devils inside began to scram out the doors into the streets.
"Ha."
Snap
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM
Issei had detonated each of his spears with a single snap. The spears exploded, causing an eruption of flames to cast over a large chunk of the area.
Issei smiled before flying up into the air.
After a few seconds he was next to Hanibal, the fallen having battle hungry eyes.
"Rain hell upon them, they are inside the buildings. I'll hunt for a leader in this area, then the massacre can happen." Issei then took off once again. Hanibal turned back to his men.
"LAUNCH YOUR SPEARS!" at that moment a large volley of light spears began to cast down upon the area. Hanibal throwing multiple in quick succession.
Below the devil garrison was scattering in order to escape the area. Hundreds of devil soldiers began to fly into the air. Hanibal then put his hand up, signaling something to the men behind him.
The mass of fallen angels then flew down to intercept the devil soldiers, the two sides began a vicious one-sided clash. Hanibal watched as his men overwhelmed the panicked devil masses, but something had caught his eye. The devils that had been running away were all heading in the same direction.
He decided to investigate. Flying over towards the direction of where they were heading, he saw some sort of underground entrance.
Hanibal then put a hand up to his ear and summoned a communication circle.
"I assume that you ran into something, judging from the noise you're making it had to be something that caught your attention." Issei was on the other side of the communication circle.
"Yeah, there is some sort of underground entrance near me. I think they are trying to hide underground, any ideas?" asked Hanibal as he continued to rain down light spears against the devil soldiers.
"Secure the entrance and any others that you find, wait for me to get back then we can investigate any further." Issei gave a direct order.
"Alright, how's the hunt?"
"I can't find any high-power signatures at all; they might be in a different part of the city. I'll be over in a couple of minutes." Issei then hung up the call.
Hanibal then descended to the ground near the entrance, he summoned a light spear in his hand and walked over to the entrance. Waiting for any devils to either come out or attempt to enter.
"What the hell?" He looked into the entrance; it was pitch black.
His curiosity was high, but a bad feeling in his stomach was preventing him from entering. A feeling of dread had rushed through his person, the feeling had almost never had flooded his senses before. He slightly backed up whilst summoning another light spear in his other hand, he wasn't about to deal with this singlehandedly.
Back with Issei who currently flying high above the city scouting for any leader or powerful devils. He had failed to locate any of them, this made him very suspicious of what was going on.
"Where's Hanibal at?" he surveyed the area once again. After looking around for a bit he managed to find Hanibal due to an influx of power coming from a certain direction.
He quickly flew down towards him, summoning a light spear as he descended. Hanibal looked up as Issei landed next to him.
"What's the status on any other entrances?"
"Oh. I didn't give any order to search, this entrance had to be cut off from anyone getting in or out." Issei face palmed.
"I gave you an order and you didn't even follow it. Hanibal this goes against everything that we had planned out, LISTEN to a direct order!" Issei was angry. Hanibal not following directions, the only reason was that it could potentially cost them victory.
"Chill out Issei, I had a job to do. If you haven't forgotten, then you know that me and Malpas are also being tested in this. We have the right to act on our own if we see fit." He then pushed Issei.
Issei then punched him across the face, causing Hanibal to fall to the ground.
"Don't you ever try something like that with me again you stubborn son of a bitch! I have been placed responsible for all of you, if I have to knock out numbers I will." Issei spoke in a cold tone, Hanibal looking at his friend with wide eyes.
For once he noticed how serious Issei could be when it came to being a leader, his figure was appearing dark as his aura took on an ominous feeling. His red eyes pierced through his body, the expression on his face was one of pure terror.
Issei didn't say another word, he casually walked away and flew towards the main force. Hanibal was still on the ground when Issei left, the fallen getting a hard check of reality.
That's a wrap for this chapter. The next one will probably be longer since it's the true start to the actual battle for Mordith. I have some chapter layouts ready for some near future events which I think might work for what I plan on doing for this story. I have some things I wanted to say but I don't think that they would fit here, anyway I hope this got you excited for the next part of the battle. I know it seems that it is odd right now but trust me, it will change next chapter. Also Issei meeting Malpas in the way he did was supposed to be funnier, I just didn't know what to do.
I thank you for reading.