Chapter 3. Nature of the World
A man in his early thirties with black combed downward hair and a shoulder-length ponytail at the back of his scalp. His physique was an athletic build with broad shoulders and a firm chest. His skin was sickly greenish pale. The color of his eyes was gray with dark circles around his eyelids by the fatigue waiver to lack of sleep. He wore a lab coat, a gray button shirt, blue jeans, and brown dress shoes.
He was filming at a rundown laboratory, the Philips tube light flickering with a buzzing sound of the generator. Glass of discarded test tubes scattered on the floor, walls decaying about to come to a crumble, and large claw marks were at every corner.
"If you're watching this then I'm already dead or I have finally lost my last brick of sanity thanks to my pawn piece. I was a former head Mage researcher of the 1920s. Just to clarify, I have no allegiance to the Magus Faction, nor am I associated with the Hexennacht." The Mage added with an alligator growl, but later regained his composure with a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "My apologies…. My mutation is becoming more rampant than I presumed it to be. Every moment is a constant battle with my psyche and I can feel my time is near an end… I could only hope whoever watching this is the enemy of the Devils. What I'm about to disclose, is the labor of the last remaining remnants of Mages who oppose the Devil Faction."
"I am Enzo Romano, a former pawn of Ajuka Beelzebub. To explain further, I need to go into detail about how the Magus Faction came to be and our relationship with the Devil Faction."
"Before and even after the Great War, us Mages were once three independent factions Grauzauberer, Golden Dawn, and Rosenkreuzer. All three of them allied with the Devil Faction during the Great War… a decision that will come to haunt us."
"Grauzauberer also known as the Grey Wizards was founded by Johann Georg Faust. After his death, his Devil contractor Mephisto Pheles took over as acting chairman of the organization."
"Golden Dawn was founded by William Robert Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and MacGregor Mathers… the bishop of Sirzechs Lucifer."
"Rosenkreuzer also known as Rose Cross was founded by Rudiger Rosenkreutz, who later became the Devil bishop of Mammon's Peerage."
"I take it you are noticing a pattern here, during the day when the other supernatural factions taught humanity of their Magic Artes. Three separate organizations are dedicated to learning the construct of how magic works by the pursuit of knowledge, lust for power, or a means to defend ourselves from the supernatural of our… 'unique' properties, that separate us Mages from the average human.
Thanks to our flexibility in learning different forms of Magic Artes from other races, Devils began to have their eyes on our selected few. At first, it was a close alliance. However, our relationship became more parasitic when the Evil Piece system was created. Mephisto began offering Grauzauberer Mages of becoming high-class Devils, and both MacGregor and Rudiger did the same as well, trading their humanity to become… 'higher beings.'"
"Knowing full well that our leaders were a puppet regime, a scheme of being cattle to high-class Devils. Two powerful Mages aligned with each other, forming a reluctant alliance, Merlin and Morgan le Fay. They led a rebellion by each separate member of the three Mage factions. Thanks to the political interference of Jeanne d'Arc, both she and Azazel allied with their factions to foil the Devil's attempts from interfering in the Mages' civil war. Both Merlin and Morgan le Fay killed the founders and united the three mage factions, into the Magus Faction. For decades the two led the Magus Faction, cutting all ties from the Devil Faction, focusing on their magic and sovereignty."
"We believed that would be the end of our worries… How wrong we were."
"For decades, we have lived in peace researching new fields of magic. That will all change in the climaxes of World War 2, a cold war between us Mages began to occur. I didn't know how it started but infighting, sabotage, and assassination attempts from rival families become more frequent… Merlin's assassination being the catalyst of our downfall."
Enzo sighed and pinched the bridges of his temple, "Damn fool, his weakness was always beautiful women, and Morgan didn't lack."
"I didn't find it hard to believe that Morgan was conspiring with the Devils from the beginning, reverting to the three founders' original plan. The family Mages in Morgan's favor join her cause, in return, they rise to higher positions in her new regime and not be abducted by the Devil Faction Evil Piece system. While their rivals were reduced to lower houses. To keep us in line the youngest siblings were transferred to the higher houses either being held as a hostage or… become servants of the Devil Faction."
"I was part of a separatist movement that was loyal to Merlin, intending to secede from the Magus Faction. Our leaders formed a plan that each member of the lower houses volunteers to be recruited to the Devil Faction, sparing the youngest siblings from being slaves or used as hostages. I and my colleagues were part of the 'Reincarnation program,' to infiltrate the Devil's inner circles to steal the formula of the Evil Piece system."
"We hope to reverse engineer the system to stop the Devils recruiting other races and find a cure for Stray Devil mutation. For years I went from battle to battle, Rating Game to Rating Game, being traded to master and master, suffering any kind of abuse and torture. Finally, I was in the service of Ajuka Beelzebub as his pawn."
"I infiltrated his notes, finding the formula of the Evil Piece system as well as how it originated."
"Though different, Ajuka is using a similar process that Lilith used in creating the first generation of Devils. It is just a hypothesis, but the dark arts she used that created the Devil race were used by the knowledge of the Tree of Knowledge of the Garden of Eden. To find a cure we need to find Eden. If there was a way to create Devils, then there might be a way to destroy the Evil Piece system."
"Unfortunately, our conspiracy was discovered, and the leaders of the separatist movement were executed. The surviving members went into hiding, losing contact with each other from the volunteers of the Reincarnation program, they were either executed or became Stray Devils. The only progress I made was creating a vaccine, a temporary solution that halted the mutation."
"I joined a band of Stray Devils trying to find a cure for their mutation… with little progress. Being hunted down by the other three great powers halted our progress. At first, I pleaded for cooperation with the Church… However, I understatement of the Heaven Faction's tendencies to shoot first and ask questions later. We were separated from our group during our scuffle with the Exorcists. Our situation was even grimmer than before… that all changed when we met Asher, a man I care little for. He claims to have a cure for our mutation, but would not share it unless we follow his instruction."
"I don't know what his motives are and if our situation wasn't so grim, I would have convinced the others to decline his offer. But my vaccine is starting to lose its effect, our mutation is near completion. We already lost half of our group going to this country and I don't know if the others are even alive or turned into monsters."
"If I become a fully realized Stray Devil… When my mind is no longer mine. Where I lose the last visage of my sanity." Enzo chokes hung his head down, struggling to get his word out, "I'm sorry, for every life that I will take, of those I will devour in the future, of what atrocity I will commit."
"But most of all, for my family. I'm sorry that I failed you."
Oh, my God…
Dumbfounded, Gabriel slouched in his seat agape watching the entirety of the video at his desk. There were other files within the flash drive, giving more details of the Evil Pieces system, the formulas for creating a vaccine for the Stray Devil mutation, and notes related to the Garden of Eden. Even with all this new mountain of information that poured on his lap, the sacrifice of Enzo Romano was awe-inspiring. To volunteer, to become someone's slave, to suffer what kind of horror he would face it with blind hope and sheer determination.
Making his death even more tragic than before. His movement was destroyed before they could have a chance to start. Being betrayed by one of his leaders, even when his movement failed, he still didn't give up even after death.
The only thing Gabriel doesn't get is why Enzo hasn't gone to the other factions for support or become a sub-faction for the Grigori. Even if the supernatural society is heavily based on a feudal system, there has to be someone having issues with the high-class Devils kidnapping and enslaving their people. It couldn't be their hold of power the Devils had in the supernatural.
You would think God would have a problem with an enemy faction kidnapping his creations?
Then again, given that every religion and mythology is true, he's not quite sure if the biblical interpretation of the world being created during seven days is accurate. Hell, he's not even sure the theory of evolution has any weight anymore given this new whole bunch of craziness.
Still, why hasn't any of the faction leaders allied against this?
He figures the Grigori and the Heaven Faction would be the main opposition opposing the Devils. Not to mention with God on their side it would give them more reassurance of victory.
Hell, from Enzo's report both Heaven Faction and Grigori cooperated in stopping the Devil from interfering during the Mages civil war.
Gabriel wandered off to Rias peerage. For slaves, they were often defensive around her even when he calls out the flaws of her plan when dealing with Enzo.
Why were they loyal to her? Knowing full well if they rebel, they become mutated monsters if they ever abandon her.
Gabriel clenched his shaking fist as he turns to an unconscious Arachne resting on his bed.
Just how many were manipulated to keep in line?
When Rias turned him into a Devil, she thought he would be obedient and grateful. She left him for dead just so he could enslave him, turn him into another species that he never asked for, nor wanted. Manipulate events as a facade that she saved him or rather she thought she did and believes that he owes her eternal servitude under her boot.
Were Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko being manipulated into serving her or acting grateful just to keep their heads down?
In all honesty, Gabriel couldn't tell.
Just how many people were Strays facing the exact or similar situation he was in?
Gabriel pulled out the flash drive from his laptop. Enzo gave him this for a reason, and Arachne mentioned that he could cure them.
Just how far did this go?
The Heaven Faction and the Grigori were not cooperating like before. It took the leader of the Fallen Angels and the saint of New Orleans from stopping the Devils from spreading their influence to the Magus Faction. Jeanne d'Arc wasn't even an Angel, but a saint from France.
Why did she have this much influence with the Heaven Faction?
Gabriel logged in to the Devil internet, typing Jeanne d'Arc's name on the Devil version of Google, Doogle. Real imaginative, DevilTube, Devil internet, he swears whoever comes up with these names has the imagination of a downgraded fantasy isekai author. Even if there was bound to be biased information, anything was useful for him to this point.
Gabriel's heart stopped cold, his hand shaken at the keyboard in a trimmer, sapphire blue eyes widened in shock.
"This is impossible…" Gabriel muttered, rubbing his blue eyes, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Mother…"
There were profile images of his mother, of the battle records of the Great War and Hundred Years' War in France. Images of her in her late teens, her long blonde braided hair in her usual style. She wore a dark blue navy tunic, with medieval armor, wielding a white flag with a golden emblem and a rapier.
He scrolled down seeing various images of his mother fighting both Devils and Fallen Angels. What caught his eye is a version of her at her current age, wearing a white tunic with golden stripes, a golden armor, her long hair loose, and twelve golden angelic wings sprouting from her back.
Gabriel clenched his skull in pain as he stumbled back from his desk. Screams of terror echoed through his mind once again as he felt a burning heat.
"SNAP OUT OF IT!" Gabriel yelled, punching himself in his face, a dip of blood leaking from his nose. He let out a breath of relief as he fixed his jaw and wiped his bloody nose with his sleeve. "Next time I pinch myself when I'm having a panic attack."
Even since his 'date' with Raynare, it has been non-stop hallucinations. Gabriel swore if this kept happening, he might as well make a drinking game out of this.
He stared at the laptop screen of the saint and shook his head dismissively. They're no way that's his mother, this has to be a coincidence. His mother was amazing, but she wasn't a warrior or an Angel, she wouldn't hurt a fly… this couldn't be her.
Maybe, it's a doppelganger, it's not uncommon… who happen to have the same first name and French.
He shook his head.
Get hold of yourself, Gabriel. If this was his mother, why haven't they stayed at one of the Heaven Faction territories or Vatican City?
He glimpsed at the picture of the angelic warrior, noting the slight difference between her and the standard Angel. Rias told him that Angels have blonde hair, green eyes, a halo, and white birdlike wings. Jeanne got the hair down, but her eyes are sapphire blue instead of green, and her wings are golden instead of white, not to mention the lack of a halo over her head and the extra five pairs of angelic wings. Then again Rias said that Fallen Angels have black hair and violet eyes, Dohanseek happened to counter that argument.
Gabriel grunted, with every answer he got there was another question popping up in the corner.
He let out a tired sigh as he dragged his face with the palm of his hand in exhaustion. The circles of his eyes were even darker with the lack of sleep.
For now, he got his can of worms to deal with. He barely knew a little about the Evil Piece system, besides turning into a mutated monster if he ever 'abandoned' his master. Not to mention he has a runaway slave sleeping in his bed who can turn into a monster at any moment.
Arachne twisted and turned from Gabriel's bed, beads of sweat pouring from her forehead as she mumbled in her sleep.
"Hey, take it is," Gabriel tried to reassure her as he grabs Arachne's shoulders, but that only made her squirm even more.
"ENZO!" Arachne shot up with a batter breath, her heart racing as she observes her surroundings.
"It's alright, you´re safe now," Gabriel reassured as he let go of her.
Arachne's breathing began to relax, as she observed her surroundings while still having her guard up. Her mask was at the counter and her gray rag was in the trash bin, now wearing a blue t-shirt and gray shorts that were too big for her as the pajamas were hanging loose on her body.
"Where's Enzo!?"
Gabriel frowned as he shifted his gaze away from her, unable to answer her question.
"Please tell me, the last thing I remember was him, knocking me out." She pleaded with desperation in her tone.
Gabriel let out an exhausted breath, how did one even begin to explain?
"Your friend and I hid you in a crate as my master came towards us, Enzo… your friend swiped me aside as he attacked my master, and… he died." He finished struggling to get the words out.
Arachne shook her head rapidly in denial. "No! You're wrong, he wouldn't give up without a fight! He would've… his transformation was complete." She muttered in wide-eye realization, remembering her last conversation with the reptile Stray Devil when he gave her the two serums. His vaccine wasn't working for him anymore, he knew… Enzo knew he was going to be a full-on Stray Devil. "Oh, Enzo…" she whimpered as water started to leak at the corner of her silver eyes.
"I'm sorry… I…" Gabriel struggled to get the words out.
Arachne didn't listen as she huddled at her knees and began crying. "Damn those Devils," she muttered with a weeping breath.
Gabriel hung his head down, unable to say or do anything to help the poor girl.
On the outskirts of Kuoh was an abandoned church, ruins of bust statues of Angels were placed in every corner of the chapel, cracks forming the rainbow-stained glass window of various Angels and saints. A common practice for Fallen Angels whose resentment towards God mirrored their base of operation.
Dohanseek sat in the theatrical row of seats in the chapel, waiting for his squad leader.
He hated this.
Here he was in Devil territory hiding under the nose of those parasites just to simply determine a Sacred Gear user wouldn't explode. He had to yield over an incompetent brat who deemed wise to let her servant walk around without a crest. It's even more clear that Kokabiel or Amadeus should be the ones leading the Grigori instead of that coward. Azazel's obsession with peace between the other factions, better not led them to eternal servitude of that damn Evil Piece system, making Amadeus's claim about him even more accurate.
What Raynare and the other cheerleaders saw in Azazel was beyond him.
Raynare arrived at the front entrance, wearing her BDSM bikini and one pair of wings sticking out with Mittelt beside her, licking her eight scoops of ice cream in her little hand.
An eleven-year-old girl with blonde hair styled in two messy twin tails with a single wavy strand of hair sticking out downward towards her bangs, she had slightly pale white skin, a cute little fang sticking out, and sky bright blue eyes. She wore a Gothic Lolita attire, which consisted of a black Lolita dress with white frills, an emerald jewel embedded in the collar, white thigh-high socks, and black shoes. She also wore a large black bow on top of her hair.
"We could have stayed longer, I wanted to play at the arcade before coming back," Mittelt whined with a puff.
"Not happening, we're in Devil territory and I rather not deal with those bats. Go to your room and eat your ice cream or whatever." Raynare scolded with fleeting patience.
Mittelt huffed as she went to the backroom leading to the upstairs spiral staircase. "Reish would have stayed longer with me," Mittelt muttered to herself as she left.
Raynare's scowling face softened, turning to a frown as she gently touched her golden amethyst bracelet.
"Don't hold it against her, she just misses him," Dohanseek reassured.
"Whatever," Raynare huffed, "I got your message when I was babysitting Mittelt. You need to speak with me?"
"Yes, I… D-did you wear your bikini while you two were getting Ice cream?" asked a perplexed Dohanseek.
"I hid while Mittelt was getting her snack just in case any loose cannon Devils were getting any ideas, and I wasn't in the mood for ice cream. So, what do you want to talk about?"
"I met Gremory's newest chess piece, black hair, sapphire eyes… a two-cross necklace. He met one of our kind before, someone named Yuuma. Care to explain?" Dohanseek insinuated.
"He still alive!?" Raynare snarled with a clenched fist, a violet aura surrounded her body. The sheer power sent the church shaking. She didn't know what enraged her more, the fact that all that planning to lure her 'date' to a secure location was all for nothing or the fact she was used by those Devils just so they could resurrect him.
Despite Reish turning rogue, it felt like she was cheating on him with that human.
Raynare blushed at the thought, shaking her head. This wasn't time for that kind of thinking.
"Apparently, but now at the service of clan Gremory," Dohanseek answered unfazed by Raynare's little tantrum. "You might want to keep your power in check you don't want to scare the other Exorcists."
Raynare let out a sigh, starting to calm down as her violet aura vanished, "How did you meet Gabriel?"
"I spotted him wandering off at the park without a crest, I presume he was a Stray Devil and attacked him. We fought until his master showed up, Rias Gremory. She clears up this little misunderstanding with subtle threats, myself included, and goes within our separate ways."
"She didn't ask you to leave her territory or ask for my presence?"
"Apparently, no," Dohanseek smirks as he cracked his knuckles avidly. "Look like the brat wants to start a fight with us, she probably assumes you're just a two-wing Fallen."
Raynare huffed as she wavers the whole thing, "I could care less what a Devil thinks, but I rather not deal with the sister of Lucifer. I would stay away from her unless you want to deal with the Crimson Lucifer?"
Dohanseek scoffed, "Unless she tries anything on us then you have nothing to worry about." He reassured as his face stiffen, getting back on topic. "So, I take it that Gabriel is the Sacred Gear user Azazel asked you to keep an eye on."
Raynare sighed, so much for keeping things classified. "Yes, soon after he gave me orders to assassinate him, deeming his Sacred Gear unstable."
"That can't be right, when I fought him, he only had a Twice Critical."
Raynare violet eyes widened in shock. "That can't be right, Lord Azazel would never make a mistake about this."
"Well, whatever it is, what's special about him couldn't be his Sacred Gear." Dohanseek stated as he got off his seat, "When we fought, he wielded one of my Light Spears without burning himself, despite being a Devil. Did he reside in any kind of holy energy?"
Raynare pondered his words, this couldn't be right. There wasn't any trace of magical energy that her 'date' had, nor any essence of Ki control. He was nothing more but an average, annoying human. Either way, there was nothing she could do about it, Gabriel was under the 'protection' of the Gremory clan. Any course of action to eliminate him would escalate to a conflict, the last thing Lord Azazel wanted. Especially with Kokabiel and Amadeus leaking in the shadow waiting for him to slip up.
"I report this to Lord Azazel, make sure none of the Exorcists wanders far off from the church," Raynare ordered.
Dohanseek shrugged. "Fine by me, but what about you? This, the first human you killed?"
"Yeah, what of it?" Raynare bluntly asked, "We were trained to kill since birth, what's the difference between me killing a human to a Stray Devil or anyone else that could bring harm to our race?"
"Just saying a certain Nephilim wouldn't like the idea of killing innocent humans or Sacred Gear users, just because they were unstable," Dohanseek mused.
"Like the Grigori give a damn about morality!" Raynare snapped, but immediately shut her mouth walking past Dohanseek shifting her gaze away from him, "Just follow your orders."
Gabriel slouched beside his bed with a subtle frown as Arachne cried herself to sleep. He pinched out his eyelids and let out an expurgated breath.
What was he going to do?
Raynare's group was lurking at Kuoh, Rias not reporting her presence to her superior could leave conflict escalating into a second Great War if they fought. She even went as far as to goad Dohanseek to attack her. Then there Raynare, besides killing him, there was no telling what she was capable of or if she had any other kind of motive why she has in Kuoh.
Gabriel shifted his sight at Arachne in deep slumber, tucked by her sheets.
Protect her.
That was Enzo's request before he was murdered. Every time he closed his eyes the Stray death replayed like a vivid dream. Maybe he could have saved him, if he understood his situation sooner, he would still be alive, maybe he could… There was nothing he could have done.
Gabriel took out his crosses, his exhausted sapphire eyes darting solely off his necklace, the fiery crackle of an inferno echoing through his mind.
The world is cruel, that's the truth of it all.
"Glad to see you up," Gabriel cheered, placing a plate of omelet at the chabudai table with his rubber spatula.
Arachne slowly got up from Gabriel's bed, her eyelids were red from crying all night. She took a subtle glance at her rescuer, still wearing his school uniform however it was more wrinkled than before. There were dark circles around his eyelids that were even darker as bags started to form. She takes a slight whiff of him and immediately winces, scrunching her small nose.
His odor rink.
"Did you stay beside me all night?"
Gabriel blinked as he took a whiff of his armpits, and sour immediately turned sickly green, swallowing the vomit that he was about to hurl.
By the grace of Emperor, was he a champion of Nurgle now?
"Sorry about that, keeping up with my good looks is more of a chore now when I become an indentured servant to a spoiled brat. I swear I'm much more like Sanguinius than Mortarion." Gabriel reassured with an awkward shaking toothy grin.
Arachne was unfazed, shifting her gaze towards him as she took her seat at the table, "I'm sorry about my outburst, I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that."
Gabriel laughed. "Hey, it's cool, what you've been through seems pale in comparison to my descent to insanity. I'm pretty sure I was just hit by a truck when I died, and this is basically hell. Could be worse though, I could be isekai´d to Warhammer 40k."
Arachne let out a soft chuckle. "You're a funny one or it could be I have poor taste in humor. Being hunted down by Devils does that to a person."
"Well, pain is the most performed comedy."
"Usually accord a kick between the legs is the most humorous to the majority. Although it is, however, the laziest."
"If it's not broken, don't fix it," Gabriel said as lazily waved around his spatula while continuing, "Cheap comedians relay this gag nonstop. One bit is a golfer swinging his golf club but missing and hitting the guy behind him between their legs," Just in cue Gabriel's grip with his spatula loosens downward his hitting himself between the sack with a feint whack with his rubber spatula faking being in agonizing pain, as his cheeks redden, eyes shrunk, mouth open wide in agony.
Arachne laughed even louder, and despite everything that happened, she couldn't help herself. She was sure he only did this to cheer her up so she could answer his question about who they were, but at least he was considerate to ask until she was in a better mood.
"Thank you, thank you, you have been a lovely audience." Gabriel praised with multiple facade gesture bows.
"You're kind Mr. Amakusa,"
"Just call me Gabriel, formalities aren't my thing, miss…" Gabriel lingered with a wavering hand, gesturing for Arachne to continue.
"Arachne Rella, I assume you have a list of bombarded questions you want to ask me?" Arachne asked, not wanting to beat the bush any longer.
"You don't know half of it." Gabriel put two syringe needles on the table. "I watched your friend's video and read some of his notes. I have lists of questions I need to ask… but take your time. After what you have been through, you need some rest and a new pair of clothes."
"Clothes?" Arachne looked at her attire and grimaced as the pajamas were hanging loosely on her body, "That's kind of you, but you don't have to do that."
"Believe me, it's for the best for both of us." Gabriel's phone rang, as it was time for him to go to school. "Damn it," he cursed under his breath, "I got to go to school, I'll pick you up when I'm finished."
"B-but…"
"Make yourself at home, we'll talk some more after I come back." Gabriel grabbed his backpack in a hurry and runs to the door slamming it shut. Then he immediately burst the door open, his hand on the doorknob, "Uhm, quick question, you aren't going to mutate into a man-eating monster, are you?"
Arachne blinked rapidly in a daze, "N-no, Enzo injected me with his vaccine when I turned into a Stray Devil..."
"Great, we talk later, bye."
"B-but…"
Gabriel slammed the door shut, leaving a dazed Arachne.
That was odd, to say the least. She would think that everything that happened, he would have demanded answers. He's a Devil now more likely unwillingly like so many others, she just hopes Asher was telling the truth and not stringing them along. She needed to find Viser and the others before the Devils do.
Arachne stepped outside of the second floor, garbage litter everywhere in the street. Graffiti sprayed towards the complex walls of the surrounding buildings, marks of different gangs claiming territory, inappropriate profanity, and racial slurs. A stark contrast to the clean small apartment she was staying in. The neighborhood wasn't too different from most hideouts her group used while in hiding. She just hoped they were alright, they come so far, lost so much all she needs to do is hold out until she and the others can be cured.
Then the Strays will finally be able to fight back.
She cupped her hand as thousands of minuscule spiders begin to materialize in her small hands, she gently throws her spiders at the edge of the rail of the building. She unleashed a huge gust of wind by the palm of her hand, her spiders floating by the use of their cobwebs gliding by the gust of the wind hovering over Kuoh, slowly making their descent of the town whole over.
"Please be safe," Arachne muttered before she heads back inside.
Next door to the complexes, in the shadow of a nearby alley, was Gabriel, witnessing the whole thing.
Is this even the right thing to do?
He was far from a boy scout, but this just felt wrong.
Gabriel was sitting on the school courtyard bench with his laptop atop his lap, watching video recordings of Arachne. He set up micro video cameras in his apartment last night while Arachne was unconscious. It put a dent in his wallet, and he had to go to non-legal sources to get those cameras, but it was worth it. At first, he bought those cameras for the Occult Research clubhouse to spy on his new 'friends.' He managed to get some reading of Devil biology, even if Devil's senses were sharper than the average human, they weren't to the extreme like pinpointing a grain of sand or hearing minuscule of a pin drop. Ironically Devils could easily get sunburns.
At least he didn't have to worry about Hell or the Underworld being an infinite inferno… It could just be a tundra, from Dante's Inferno.
Or whatever, he could indulge his curiosity later.
Gabriel stared back at his laptop watching Arachne eating her omelet.
She seems so harmless, yet again so was Yuuma. He couldn't let his guard down again, not with both Devils and Fallen Angels breathing down his neck. He didn't know what she was planning with those spiders of hers, but he doubted it was with any form of malice. He doubted she would try anything to harm or kill someone, not unless she wanted to stir attention to herself. Also, even though he barely knew her, it didn't seem she would hurt anyone given what he has seen during her last moments with Enzo.
Gabriel sighed as he closed his laptop.
Was this even necessary or even right, after everything she had been through?
He might find an ally of this steeping pile of crap of a mess in the supernatural. Just until she safely gets out of Kuoh towards her comrades.
Gabriel got up from his seat and just on schedule, a crowd of schoolgirls pinned the 'Prince of Kuoh' clung to the wall.
"Kiba, would you go out with me?" one of the girls pleaded.
"No! He is going out with me!" shouted another girl as she pulled her rival hair.
"Would you help me with my kendo?"
"Can you walk me home?"
Hordes of hair-pulling and shoving girls were suffocating Kiba that the only thing he can do is give a nervous shaky smile as he sweats, his back pressed to the wall.
"I'm kind of busy with my club and I got to go?" Kiba pleaded as he tried to push through the mob of hormone teenage girls.
Gabriel's eyebrow twitched, seriously, what do people see in him?
Gabriel's frown shifted to an eerie grin. Might as well make the most out of his situation if nothing else, he can screw the people who left him for dead.
"KIBA YUUTO!" Gabriel shouted with overzealous outrage stopping the crowd of girls from their squabbling, they all flinched, their skin pale as he approached them, "HOW DARE YOU!" Gabriel's back slapped Kiba to his face.
"OW! Gabriel, what was that for?" Kiba whined as he rubbed the swollen red skin of his cheek, just for Gabriel to slap him again.
"You dare ask that, while you flaunt your natural looks of these unfortunate maidens!" Gabriel gestured to the crowd, "To hide your engagement of your vast, unfortunate admirers is unspeakable, heartless even!" Gabriel declared with a pointed index finger in the mid-way air.
"Engagement! What-" Gabriel stomped at Kiba's foot, and he cried out in pain as he held his knee and hopped.
"Do not play coy with me Yuuto!" Gabriel snatched the shinai of one kendo practitioner that was fawning over Kiba. "Such infidelity could not be overlooked!"
"Kiba is engaged?"
"But whom!"
Whispers of gossip spread to the crowd like wildfire, wondering who was the lucky girl that snatched their prince.
"By the name and honor of your fiancée, I would deliver divine retribution!" With shinai in hand, Gabriel gave a righteous divine intervention blow, below Kiba's groin.
Kiba's mouth gaped, he cupped between his sack, legs crossed and wobbling. The pure dread and agony of suffering reach the climaxes of Gabriel's abuse reach its end. Kiba collapsed to the ground, his face planted towards the grassy dirt.
The crowd of girls departed as they whispered in disappointment.
"I always did have a way with women," Gabriel mused as he tossed his shinai aside and helped Kiba up.
"Did you have to go over the top?" Kiba whined as held his balls, struggling to reach the bench.
"Well, excuse me for helping my comrade in arms. I saw you in dire jeopardy and acted." Gabriel mused with a fake hurt, his hand on his chest.
"Well, thanks… I guess." Kiba mused with uncertainty as he sat on the bench.
"You wouldn't have to worry about a crowd of girls going after you for a while, not with you tying the knot of your nonexistent fiancée. That would give you a couple of days until they wise up."
Kiba sighed slouching in his seat "I don't get it. How were they able to find me? I always take this route."
"You just answer your question. If they're bothering you so much then just tell them off."
"It's not courtesy, I'm Rias knight after all."
Gabriel narrowed his eyes suspiciously - knight, pawn, it seemed the Evil Piece system was related to chess pieces.
"I yearn for the day of true gender equality." Gabriel mused under his breath, "They're a difference between being polite and being a doormat. Although I wouldn't complain about being chased around by hordes of girls. "
"Anyway, how are you holding up?" Kiba asked sincerely as he got up from his seat. "Facing off a Stray wasn't probably your best introduction to the supernatural."
"A lot of things weren't,"
"It's a good thing you're with us then," Kiba reassured with a hand on Gabriel's shoulder, "Rias is an amazing master and we're lucky to have her."
"Speaking of Rias, what's your story with her?"
"Story?" Kiba blinked in confusion.
"How did you join her peerage?" Gabriel clarified.
Kiba let go of Gabriel's shoulder, took a step back, and shifted his gaze towards him, his bangs covering his eyes. "I rather not talk about it… it's personal."
Gabriel focused his sight on Kiba's downcast gaze. He lost someone, if Rias tends to 'recruit' someone on the verge of death she might have a hand on whatever story Kiba has. For now, it's just speculation on his part.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to reach a touching subject,"
"It's fine," Kiba reassured with a polite smile, "We should probably go to Rias, she wants to have a talk with you about last night."
"Gabriel, glad to see you doing well after what happened yesterday," Rias started with polite courtesy.
No thanks to you.
The entire club was here, Koneko gawking down a dish of brownies Gabriel made with Kiba sitting next to her and Akeno standing beside Rias behind her desk.
"Yeah… I want to apologize for my attitude from yesterday, with the whole thing with the Fall Angels… and… well dying. I lost my temper and lash out at you." Gabriel semi-bow towards Rias, concealing his clenching shaking fist in his pocket.
Rias smiled. "I'm glad we were able to put this bad experience behind us."
Lashing out at her was a stupid move on his part, like Raynare he doesn't know what she is capable of or what she could do to him with an Evil piece inside him. He needs to control himself until he finds out who the Gremory family´s rivals are and can blackmail her. Until he knows enough about the Pillar families, he has to act like the polite loyal lab dog. For now, Kuoh's and Arachne's safety is more a priority to deal with… and possibly stopping a rekindle of a supernatural war.
"For now, time for your first duty as my pawn. Gabriel, do you know what contracts are?" Rias asked as she put a Summoning Card on her desk.
"In what way?" Gabriel hesitated to answer, "we're not going to take away people's souls, are we?"
"Of course not," Rias reassured as she placed a flier at her desk. "With Summoning Card contractors can summon us and perform a task for them. This helps us keep the Devil Faction's influence in the human world and easier to recruit other humans. Thanks to the Great War and the civil war with original Satan's descendants our numbers dwindle."
"I'm assuming that your top contractors happen to be officials in power, either in politics, law enforcement, media, or in the entertainment industries."
Rias blinked perplexed, "Uhm, yes, I'm surprised you were able to figure that out. If you have enough contractors, you might be able to be promoted to a high-class Devil and have your peerage."
Under service of Clan Gremory.
Gabriel lingered at the flier with an inquisitive observation, it was no different from the one Rias used to 'save' him from Raynare.
"So, the contractor can summon us just by a request, right? Can't we just forcefully teleport with the Summoning card?"
"Yes, but why would you do that?"
"I'm just indulging my curiosity," Gabriel stated flatly, "So anyone can summon us if they have this?"
Rias pinched the bridge of her nose, what with her new servant asking the insignificant questions she never has trouble with Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, or Gasper. "Yes, they can summon us with these fliers?"
"Is there a safety measure for the Devil if they were captured with the Summoning Card?"
The whites of Rias pupils widened in shock as her skin was cold and pale. "What are you talking about!? Why would there be safety measures for using a Summoning Card!?" she yelled frantically.
"You're not worried that an enemy faction can use these fliers to lure us into a trap, just by summoning us by command, not knowing who's summoning us or where?"
"N-no, that's ridiculous, you're overthinking this!" Rias flabbergasted.
"Was this issue even addressed?"
"No, because such things never happen." Rias clarified with shaky confidence.
"How are you even sure? We are in a cold war with both the Grigori and Heaven Faction, it's not far-fetched that they're using this tactic and covering their tracks so they can do it again."
Kiba, Koneko, and Akeno looked uneasy. Koneko stopped the pettiest gobbling of her brownies, Kiba listened intently with a single drop of sweat dipped at his forehead, and Akeno's polite smile faltered to an alert gaze.
"That's, uh…" For once Rias was lost for words, her mouth agape. Did they use a walking death trap without even knowing it?
"You know what, forget I said anything. I'm probably overthinking things." Gabriel dismissed as he awkwardly scratches the back of his scalp. Don't need to rekindle another fight.
"Right, right," Rias repeated in a blank daze, "I just… I just..."
Akeno giggled as she stepped in front of Rias, "I think that's enough for today. Kiba, Koneko can you teach Gabriel how to use the Summoning Card before class starts?"
"Yeah, sure, piece of cake. It would just take a couple of minutes."
The three left, as Akeno poured Rias steaming hot tea into her cup.
"Are you alright Rias, you seem a bit off?" Akeno asked with concern in her tone.
"Yes, I'm fine, Akeno. Thank you." Rias took a sip of her tea, "It just, Gabriel. I don't know why, but he just rattles my nerves."
"He tends to ask a lot of questions and… a bit of an attitude. I honestly don't know what Sona sees in him.
"It just… he's not like you four when I reincarnated you. You were all grateful for being my servants, but him, I just don't know."
"He just needs time to adjust, at least he apologizes for his poor behavior towards you."
"One thing I don't get is how he is worth eight pawn pieces when having the Twice Critical as a Sacred Gear."
Akeno shrugged her shoulders, "Who knows, whatever that makes him special might be the ace in the hole when dealing with Raiser."
"I just hope he was worth it."
"Well, this was a bust," Gabriel said bluntly, lazily holding the Summoning Card in his hand.
Both he, Kiba, and Koneko were on the outskirts of the forest hidden by a barrage of trees not too far from their small white Victorian clubhouse.
"You just have to concentrate, Gabriel. Just focus on the Summoning card and it will work by itself naturally." Kiba advised.
"I already did, still nothing happened. Maybe you could teach me how magic works. I might get a handle on this."
"It's just like summoning your Sacred Gear," a long sword materializes in Kiba's hand, "it comes naturally."
"Well, it's not working for me here, Koneko do you have any pointers?"
She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly with that stoic stare of hers, "Beats me, probably means you're not talented."
"Koneko!" Kiba scolded.
"Well, thank you for your kind words, my esteemed teacher. Truly your in-depth analysis of my lackluster performance by simply focusing on a mystical force with no form of training is truly insightful." Gabriel mocked Koneko, who just seemed unfazed by the gesture.
"She doesn't mean it like that." Kiba apologized on Koneko's behalf.
"Whatever?" Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Look just teach me how to use magic or whatever superpowers Devil has that might help me use this stupid flier. Not to mention I need to defend myself from Raynare´s group. We're not even sure if she even left Kuoh or if is she going to take another shot at me, not to mention who else is going to be caught in the crossfire. Cool as it is to boost, my speed, strength, and durability with my Twice Critical. I can't do much if I only know one trick."
"Just have patience Gabriel, I'm sure Rias will teach you when the time is right." Kiba pleaded.
"How about you teach me what can I do right now? Rias said I'm worth eight pawns and you mention you're her knight. I'm assuming it's related to the Evil Pieces system."
Kiba and Koneko stare at each other contemplating whether they should teach him how the Evil Pieces system works without Rias' permission. Koneko shrugged her shoulders in unfazed agreement.
"Okay, I don't see any harm in teaching how the Evil Pieces work." Kiba reluctantly accepted, he just hoped he wasn't betraying Rias trust. "Did you get any reading of the Evil Pieces system?"
"Not yet, I was preoccupied with something else."
"Evil Pieces systems are based on chess pieces. My chess piece, the knight, is worth three pawn pieces and gains increased speed and mobility, enabling them to perform high-speed attacks and maneuvers. However, their main weakness is their low defense, making them vulnerable to powerful attacks if they are not careful. Another weakness among knights is their legs. If their legs are injured, their mobility is greatly reduced."
"The rook is worth five pawn pieces like Koneko gains superhuman strength, leading to high offense and defense. However, they are not very quick and can get beaten easily by a high-speed opponent. Casting is a Rating Game move granted to the Devil with the King position that allows them to teleport themselves and another of their servants to one of their Rooks' current locations. The selected Rook is then swapped over from its location to where the Kings originally used this move."
"So, Rias can teleport any one of us to Koneko's location for backup or she switches places with her. That's a clever move, a perfect way to deceive your opponent and switch places if it's too much heat for them." Gabriel rubs his chin in acknowledgment, "But wouldn't it be more beneficial if all chess pieces have this ability?"
"I honestly wonder about myself," Kiba rubs his head with an embarrassed smile. "Anyway, the bishop is worth three pawns and focuses on the Mana aspect of magic casting on Artes, spells, demonic power, and magical abilities."
"But isn't having super strength and super speed the gist of magic abilities? And isn't Mana and magic the same thing?"
"Not necessarily, Mana is an aspect of how magic works. Knight, rook, and bishop are based on the fundamentals of the three aspects of magic. But we're not here to talk about that."
Gabriel shrugged his shoulders in disappointment and here, he thinks he can shoot thunderbolts from his hand.
"Queen pieces like Akeno are worth nine pawn pieces and possess all the characteristics of Rooks, Knights, and Bishops, making them the most balanced piece as well as the most powerful. Within individual peerages, Queens typically act as their master's second-in-command, overseeing the rest of the peerage."
"So, the queen is the strongest. No surprises there, so Akeno is just as fast and strong as you and Koneko?"
"Not necessarily, while Akeno does have this attribute, she primarily focuses on the Mana side of magic and neglects the other attributes of magic. I'm much faster than her and Koneko is stronger than her, if she wasn't Rias queen, she might have been her bishop."
"Can you focus on the other attributes of magic despite you being a knight piece, can you train on your strength and defense?"
"You can. A perfect example of Sairaorg Bael's Peerage. They focus on a different aspect that is not related to their chess piece. It's honestly hard to tell who is his queen or a bishop in his peerage."
"I'm going to take a swing here and assume Rias has the king piece, what can she do?"
"Not that much, the king piece is reserved for high-class Devils, who had their peerage, were all connected to her."
"What about pawns? What can I do?"
"Pawns are like a downgraded version of a queen, as you may notice your body feeling different from you much faster and stronger than the average human. You can also perform magic if you learn. You get to increase your abilities of the three attributes of magic but only as standard power, not to the extreme like the other pieces, you are strong as an ordinary Devil with one pawn piece. Also, as a pawn, you can promote to other chess pieces, gaining their abilities, but that only works with your master's permission."
"If that is the case, I can screw off the other three chess pieces and be the queen the entire time, the rook is only good if Rias decides to pull me back if I'm stuck in a pinch. Would I be as strong as Akeno if I was promoted to a queen?"
"No, as I said before the chess pieces give you an increase of the strength of the attribute the chess piece represents. When I started as a Devil I'm just as strong as an average Devil, but a knight piece increased my speed three times faster than an ordinary Devil when I started."
"Rias mentioned, I was worth eight pawn pieces, care to elaborate?"
"That would be the Mutation Pieces if a person requires more than one piece, a combination of other Evil Pieces that can recruit others that take more than one chess piece. It could only work with the same chess pieces. You see Gabriel there is a certain group of people who hold a powerful Sacred Gear, be a powerful warrior or just something special about them altogether. One of the machinations of the Evil Pieces can hold power, not just gain a boost of power. Just to be clear it's not a measuring contest of how powerful an individual is."
"Do the Mutation Pieces increase my power? Making me stronger, almost close to the average queen?"
"Yes, it does, but Rias seals your power until we train, so you will adjust the new power. Don't worry, I'm sure you will be able to get those eight power-ups sooner and later?"
"I'm assuming whoever gets the other pieces will focus on the attributes of magic the chess piece focuses on."
"Yup, do you have any questions you want to ask?"
"Just one, pure-blooded Devils can join high-class peerage. I'm going to take a wild guess, that if they get an increased power-up of whatever chess pieces they get. Can they become a Stray Devil like any of the other races who abandon their master?"
"No, they can't since they're pure Devil the demonic energy wouldn't affect them like the other races. They are judged severely, dealing with time imprisonment rather than being executed on the spot. Also, they and their family are blacklisted. In some cases, if they and their family happen to be high-class or middle-class, they are demoted to low-class Devils and blacklisted from being prevented from moving to a higher status."
Gabriel just gawked at him in disbelief, he figured Devil society was oppressive. Slavery and a feudal system clued him in. But this was ridiculous, "All that just for leaving their master? Don't you think that's a bit much?"
"Joining a peerage is about trust and commitment, to break one trust for your self-gain is unforgivable."
Gabriel closed his eyes and like last night the lizard Stray Devil's final moments flashed into his mind. His alligator eyes stared directly at his sapphire blue as he was devoured by the red-black flame.
"For that they deserve death."
"You should stop talking." Koneko chimed in, grabbing Gabriel's attention, her golden hazel eyes staring blankly at him.
"Let me guess freedom of speech is limited at the Devil Faction?" Gabriel scoffed sardonically.
"They're people who won't like what you have to say, so shut up." There was no agitation in Koneko's voice, just merely stating the cold facts.
"Koneko!" Kiba scolded the little girl.
Gabriel clenched his teeth, about to retort, but steady himself.
She left as the school bell rang.
Kiba lifted a reassuring smile as he places a hand on Gabriel's shoulder.
"Don't be too hard on her, that's just Koneko's special way of giving advice. The people in the Devil Faction who are less cordial than Rias."
"I keep that in mind." Gabriel shifted his gaze away from Kiba and left the forest.
It is as it is, there is no changing that.
"So, what do you think?" Gabriel asked Arachne, his back leaning on the outside door of the dressing room as he held left-off clothes from multiple customers.
He was back at work with Arachne in tow, trying out multiple clothes that Gabriel handed to her.
"The clothes you gave me are great. I never took you for having a sense of fashion, also sorry that you have to buy clothes for me. Materializing clothes isn't my specialty, there is too much concentration, and keen details, that's complicated for me to do."
"Hey, it's cool, I learn a lot from Kaguya when it comes to fashion. Business perceptive not so much, heck, if it wasn't for me, she would have lost her spot at the mall."
"Quite the businessman you are?" She complimented with a giggle.
"Just a few tricks I got from my mom. She often helped the other businesses in my village by offering advice."
"Quite initiative of you."
"More like I'm repaying a debt to her. When I first arrived at Kuoh, finding work was… complicated, to say the least."
"Given how delicious the omelet you made for breakfast is, I assume you were a chef."
Gabriel chuckled nervously, coyly averted his gaze while scratching his cheek with his index finger, "That was my first choice, but there were complications."
"How do you like your clothes darling?" Kaguya walked toward them with a bundle of clothes in her arms.
"They feel great, really comfortable," Arachne stepped out of the dresser, now wearing a pure white turtleneck sweater that squeezes her small frame, short black jean shorts, black stocking pants, double round belt buckle, and brown dress shoes.
"Marvelous! Seep ling marvelous darling!" Kaguya praised with a 'chef kiss' with her fingers, "It seems the gods above bless you with the keen eye of fashion!"
Arachne flushed as she politely waves off Kaguya's compliment, "Actually Gabriel is the one who suggested the clothes."
"Naturally the boy might be a handful, but he's a fast learner with a sharp mind."
Gabriel blinked in a daze at her as he cleaned his ear with his pinkie finger, "I must be going deaf Kaguya, for a second there I just heard you compliment me."
Kaguya huffed, "Don't get used to it, your head is big enough as it is," Kaguya then handed the bundle of clothes stacked at the confused Arachne's arm, "I brought other clothes that you might like, by Gabriel's request."
"You didn't have to do that."
"Don't worry about it, just check out those clothes and see if you like them. My treat." Gabriel's gestured, at which Arachne bit her bottom lip and hesitated. After the whole mess she dumped into his lap it felt wrong to take advantage of him like this. She shifted her gaze towards his eyelids, still dark circles around them, his skin even started to look sickly pale of fatigue.
"Okay, I'll be fast." She bowed in gratitude and went back inside the dresser.
"Take your time dear. Gabriel, can you help with the register for a second."
Gabriel grunted as he ground his teeth in hesitation at the corner of his eye, he shifted his gaze at Arachne's dresser.
"Yeah, sure. Arachne I'll be right back, okay."
"Okay."
They head to the register and an earshot away in the dresser.
"She seems sweet, but she is a bit young for you. I always thought your type of woman is with luscious curves."
"First of ew," Gabriel cringed, "Arachne thirteen, second lolis does nothing for me except for an exception to be protected with a loaded bolter. Third, I still prefer the hourglass hips that sway back and forth, long slender legs that could be seen in miles, the curves of the river waist intersecting with plum rear rivaling the firmness of the waist. With all those features in mind, the breast takes the crown at the pinnacle of the creations of the libido. Two magnificent vigorous spheres pillows of soft flesh, that one can-"
"OKAY!" Kaguya shouted with a battered breath.
Gabriel pressed his lips suppressing his laugh, after everything that happened to him, he needs to savor what kind of humor he could find to prevent further descending into insanity.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself, with the week I have I need an outlet," he said with a snarky smile.
"Sure, you are," Kaguya rolled her emerald eyes. "So, about Arachne?"
"She someone that needs help, that's all." He shifted away from Kaguya's inquisitive emerald gaze.
"That girl looks like hasn't eaten in days, is she a runaway?" Kaguya asked with alert concern in her voice.
Gabriel let out an expurgated breath, with a heavy sigh, "In a way… yes." He answered with hesitation in his voice.
He couldn't lie. Not to her, not after she gave him a second chance when many turned him down.
"Gabriel, you need to take her to the police!" she said with a most haste worried tone, "I don't know what you got yourself into, but this out of your depths."
She had no idea.
"I would if I could, but I can't… it's complicated."
"What's so complicated!?" Kaguya demanded her voice to gain much force.
"BECAUSE IT IS!" Gabriel yelled, his voice echoing in the empty store, "Kaguya, believe me, I would love it for the police to handle this, but they can't." His voice was low and gloomy, a hint of an apparition in the air, "There are people here Kaguya, people who control this town dragging all of us in their battles without our say. Me, you, Carmen, Arachne, this whole town is endangered."
"Gabriel, you starting to scare me, just a second ago you were telling jokes, and now you're worried Kuoh is endangered. What's going on?" She pleaded with a mix of fright and concern in her voice as she reaches out a reassuring hand on Gabriel's shoulder, but Gabriel stopped Kaguya's gesture as he gently pulled her hand away.
"I wish I could tell you, but I can't. Kaguya, you need to leave Kuoh, go anywhere, just leave as soon as you can."
"Gabriel, please just tell me what's wrong?"
"I can't…" he struggled to get the words out, "Just please get out of town as soon as possible… please."
Kaguya gazed at the boy, her blank stare at his tired fatigue, black circles around his eyelids, his posture lacking as he was on the verge of collapse.
Something got him scared, but what?
She shifted her gaze behind Gabriel towards the dressing room where Arachne with a pile of clothes in her arms. She let out a soft chuckle and shook her head.
"You have a kind heart Gabriel, never change that about you." She said with a tender smile, "I won't leave my home from an invisible bogeyman."
"What?! Kaguya, I'm not playing a trick on you, there are…"
"Gabriel!" she stopped with a soft firm tone, "I'm old Gabriel, I was born in Kuoh and I intend to spend my last days here, for better or for worse. I went to school here, had my first kiss, and married my husband before he died. I held my daughter when she was born, and she too was engaged and had her child. To this day I have no idea where they are, I would never know if they are even alive or dead. I would not run and hide from my own home. I would not abandon them if one day they return."
"I'm not asking you to abandon them, but…"
"Gabriel please!" She cried as tears threaten to pour from her emerald eyes, "You of all people know what it's like to lose your home, please understand."
Gabriel's heart sank, taking sight of her teary emerald eyes. He shifted his gaze away from her, the shadow of the bangs of his hair covering his sapphire eyes, a guilt-ridden ridden frown plastered on his lip.
Real smooth Gabriel.
"I see, I'm sorry. I won't mention this again."
Middle of the night both Gabriel and Arachne were walking toward the warehouse where Enzo died. A long, awkward eerie silence struck the air, not a word was sad. Gabriel was taking the lead holding a bag of clothes with Arachne following behind him.
Arachne stared at the back of the boy with a worried gaze, she overheard Gabriel and Kaguya's argument. Kind of hard not to, her senses were better than the average human. It was obvious Gabriel was referring to the Devils that controlled this town with his argument with Kaguya, which worried her. One of the Devil's enemy factions was in town, she wasn't sure if it was Heaven Faction or the Grigori, but from the look of things, it would seem that the 'governor' of Kuoh didn't report their enemy presence to the foreign department affairs.
But why though?
If they were here, did they come here to recruit Gabriel?
She was hoping she and her group would get to Gabriel before the Devils did, but they were too late. The way Asher mentioned him, as some kind of a missing piece of curing their Stray Devil mutation. There was a glimmer of hope in her group, she would think he would be a mighty warrior, but he was just a regular guy caught in a mess the Devils created. All the more reason, making this harder than it needed to be.
Asking a warrior for help is one thing, but someone who is a novice in the supernatural world was another.
Was it even right to ask for him to join her group with so many things he had to deal with?
Especially when he took a risk of saving her life and letting her hide in his apartment. She couldn't even fault him for thinking she might transform into a mutated monster.
But what about the others? She couldn't just abandon them. Without Enzo, they won't be able to recreate his vaccine even with his notes, little alone a cure.
"I take it you heard my conversation with Kaguya?" Gabriel said with a detached voice not averting his gaze to his path.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't spying on you, it just…"
"You overheard me. It's fine, I'm aware that Devil's senses are a bit superior to human hearing, you have nothing to apologize about. I'm the one who couldn't keep his mouth shut... Like a fucking idiot." Gabriel mumbled with self-hate.
"You don't have to be so hard on yourself, you were just trying to protect Kaguya." Arachne tried to reassure him.
Gabriel stops his staring down at the littered sidewalk clenching his fist with an iron grip, his fingernails digging at the palm of his hand. "All I did was make one of the few people who gave me a second chance cry." He said with a self-hate snarl but immediately took a deep breath calming himself as he turned to Arachne, "Look, I don't know what you Strays want for me, but coming here was a mistake. They're Fallen Angels in our territory and a fight about to escalate between us, that might cause a war. I help you get the supplies you need and help you escape Kuoh. You can stay with me until we find a way to contact your comrades. That's all I could do for you…I'm sorry."
Arachne didn't say anything as she hung her head down, "I understand," she whimpered with a weak voice, "You took enough risk as it is, thank you. I'm sorry for dragging our burden on you."
Gabriel could only give a sympathetic frown at the girl, he opened his mouth wanting to say something, do anything for this poor girl. He's turning down a runaway slave who can be killed any second by the three factions or transform into a mutated monster.
The two continued their walk heading inside the warehouse where lies a huge pile of burnt ash was in the center of the room.
"I-Is that… Enzo." Arachne trembles, her voice shaking by each minute, unable to tear her gaze away from the remains of the pile of ash that was the Stray Devil. She was fighting the pool of silver liquids that was threatening to burst her silver eyes.
Gabriel tightens his eyelids shut and shifts his gaze at the pile of ash of the Stray Devil. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and with a weak voice, he answered, "Yes… that's him."
The pool of liquid now threatened to pour out of her eyes. Arachne clasped her mouth, forcing down her cries.
Not now, not again, she won't show any signs of weakness again, she needed to be strong. Arachne knew what was left of Enzo wouldn't be a pretty sight, she prepared herself for the worst. She saw and attended the last moments of her Strays brethren before. With Enzo, he was her teacher, her mentor to see him in such a state.
Gabriel ran to the girl as he knelt reaching her height and wrapping his arms around her small back. Her head rested on Gabriel's chest.
"Let it out."
"What?" Arachne whimpered, her voice trembling.
"Take it to someone who lost people he loved before. It's more painful holding it in." Gabriel said with a sympathetic soft tone, "Cry until your heart gives out, like before. Shout out any curses you want to spur to God. Use me as a punching bag to let out your rage. It helps ease the pain."
Arachne buried her face in Gabriel's shirt, muffling her cries and wetting his shirt with her tears. Gabriel held her tight listening to her mourning, it was the best he could do for her. It was the only thing he could do for her. Not a day went by he didn´t miss his mother's warm presence to lift anyone's spirit or to rally others with a ray of hope. If only she were still here, she might figure out something to help these people.
A minute passed as Arachne lets go of Gabriel's shirt, wiping away the remaining wet streak of her tears with the palm of her hand.
"Thank you. I'm sorry-" Arachne was cut off with a flick to the forehead from the sapphire eye teenager, causing her to wince a little as she rubbed the swollen red spot on her forehead. "Ow! What's that for!?" She wined with a single comical teardrop that threatened to spill at the corner of her right eye.
"We been hearing apologies and saying thank you all day. If I hear 'thank you,' or 'I'm sorry,' one more time I'm going to sock someone." Gabriel complained as he lazily sits beside Arachne, his back leaning with his arms supporting him from leaning on the cement floor.
Arachne burst laughing as Gabriel smiled at the scene, a nice change of pace from her gloomy demeanor.
"You're a funny one, Gabriel."
"I tried," he and Arachne got up as they stared at the pile of ash that was Enzo, "Did you want me to bring you here so you can pay your respects for him?"
Arachne didn't answer as she walked toward the Enzo ashes. She spurred a large gust of wind at the palm of her hand and coiled the pile of ash as it hovers in the air, but careful not to dissipate. Then the gust of air surrounded the pile of ash in a sphere-like motion scrunching Enzo's remains to the size of a baseball kept together by a sphere of wind.
"Yes, but also give him a proper funeral," Arachne held a flier in her hand, not too different from the one Rias used on his date with Raynare. A blue magic circle appeared on the cement floor below them with the circle having a different pattern than Rias teleportation circle, Gabriel immediately got up and summoned his Twice Critical in alert with his fist raised. "I know you don't fully trust me, and I respect your reasons why. You did enough for me as it is. This isn't a ploy to convince you to be a Stray nor do I have any intent to inflict any harm to you. But can you come with me?" She asked with deep sincerity in her tone, "I don't want to be alone giving Enzo his final respect. Can you come with me?"
Gabriel hesitated for a second but nodded, "What I got to lose?"
Arachne smiled as her blue magic circle consumed them.
In a flash of blue light, both Gabriel and Arachne were teleported to a cliff, above the salty seawater below the Pacific Ocean, not too far away from Kuoh. They could hear the rough waves of splash water from the cliff below hitting the sharp rocks. What caught Gabriel's eye was the thirteen wooden cross pedestals that served as grave marks with names on the wooden planks of those who occupy them in different multiple languages.
Gabriel could read them with the magical properties of being a Devil to read, write, and talk to understand multiple languages.
He wondered if he was still able to curse in French without people noticing.
Each cross-grave mark was draped with flower necklaces of cherry blossom, roses, and lilies. At the edges of the thirteen crosses were rose-scented candles giving the trim grassy cliff a pleasant aroma, hiding the salty sea below, and the decaying corpses. The pink candle wax didn't seem to finish off completely, might have been recently replaced or just placed. The graves dug into the groove seem to be buried not too long ago, the brown dirt standing out from each thirteen grave marks spot.
"To us Strays a grave is the only kindness we can do for each other when we die… If we're lucky to carry their remains and not killed by one of the three factions." Arachne said as she passed the thirteen crosses walking towards the edge of the cliff with her wind sphere in hand with Gabriel following her.
"Do… Do their families know? The ones that are not a Stray Devil?" Gabriel asked with hesitation in his voice.
Arachne shook her head as she stopped at the edge of the cliff, "No, they don't. The ones who do know about the supernatural don't even have the corpses of their families. Either being destroyed by one of the other three factions."
"Were these your comrades when coming to Japan?"
Arachne hung her down, staring at the water below, hitting on the sharp rocks on the bottom. "Yes, they were. They were either killed by Devils or took their own lives so their mutation wouldn't have complete control over them… They were good people… they never want any of this. I don't know what your master says about us, but they're the real monsters, not us. Enzo´s vaccine isn't a cure, but a way to halt the mutation process for some time. Making the battle of wills with our mutation less difficult than it is, but at some time his vaccine wouldn't work anymore. He saved a lot of lives with that vaccine of his, for both Strays and innocent people." Arachne gave a sad smile as teardrops leaked at the tip of her chin, "The Devil media did well keeping his presence hidden, fearing a revolt or a riot might happen. His family may never know the amount of good he did or what he sacrificed."
Gabriel said nothing as he hung his head down and grabbed his wrist in a matter of respect, for those who died as Arachne was about to give her speech.
"Enzo Romano was a Mage, a scientist, a warrior, a Stray, and a hero. He started his quest so his people might be free from the Devil's influence. He accepted a mission to infiltrate the Devil Faction as a Reincarnated Devil, so he could find a cure for Stray Devil mutation. He knew the risks and accepted them. Even though the Magus separatist movement failed, he still pushed on…" Arachne choked, but continued her speech, "His bravery may be forgotten, but we carry on in the hopes of him and all the fallen would not die in vain."
Arachne let go of her wind sphere as Enzo's ashes were carried on by the breeze of her wind.
Both Gabriel and Arachne gave a moment of silence as Enzo's ashes dissipated completely.
"I'll help you," Arachne broke her silence as she turned to Gabriel with a determined gaze from her silver eyes.
"What?" Asked a perplexed Gabriel, but immediately snapped-in understanding what she meant, "Arachne you got enough problems to deal with if you get caught…"
"I die." She stated bluntly, "If we don't do anything innocent people would be caught in a crossfire between the Devils and Fallen Angels or might escalate to war. While I want to see the Devil Faction destroyed, I don't want innocent people to die. There is also a chance the Grigori would lose the war and their people would become slaves to those monsters. I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone." She offered a hand toward Gabriel, "Out of the two of us, one of us can fight the supernatural."
Gabriel hesitated but accepted her hand, she smiled when they shook them.
"Okay, but you follow my lead, there is no reason to put your life at risk."
"Then it's a deal, Gabriel."
I'm sorry for the delay. I was binge-playing Assassins Creed Odyssey and Metroid Dread. I was hooked on the two games and I couldn't focus until I beat them. No offense to RPG games, but the only RPG I'm going to play is Fable 4… whenever it comes out. I don't have anything against them, it's just I get hooked when I start one of those games.
As for the story, the reason why Raynare didn't finish Gabriel off or that she was ordered to kill him. I would explain when her role with the first arc is over. Long story short, contrary to other beliefs in the canon material, Raynare didn't disobey Azazel… It's a long story.
Gabriel criticizes the use of Summoning Cards and points out the dangers of using the fliers. I know the first impression is Gabriel being the voice of reason, with Rias and the ORC being incompetent of the dangerous using the flier, but it's much more at first look. I rather not say any further, but republics and democratic governments are not only freer than feudalistic societies since you get to elect your leaders. It's more stable, safer, and efficient.
The punishment for pure-blooded Devils that "abandon" their master is something that I made up. There is no information in the Light Novels about what happens to them when they become Stray Devil. I doubt they get the death penalty like most Strays that aren't Devils. Insane, unfair, what you expect from the "good guy" faction that practices slavery and endangers the humans they claim to protect. I'm pretty sure Diodora's peerage was executed if they weren't killed by the ORC. You know the nuns that were tortured, brainwashed, raped, and left for dead by Heaven Faction? By the way, both the Devil Faction and Heaven Faction fault that this atrocity happened. There is no way in hell that no one bat an eye that Diodora's peerage is full of nuns. Matter of fact, I don't fault the rogue Exorcists and Angels for joining the Khaos Brigade if their leaders were this passive.
Mages don't rely on Devils to be able to use magic, it always rubs me the wrong way that for humans to use magic they have to rely on Devils. I have the idea of how mages come to be and what separates them from humans, it's similar to Fate/Nasu verse mages. Mages are a lump category of wizards, warlocks, witches, sages, shamans, etc.… It's lore I'm excited to create.
I'm also setting up a different magic system since I wasn't satisfied with the Ishibumi magic system… seeing the "problems" with it. Also, if anyone is curious about what Gabriel looks like, go to Deviantart and type "Gabriel Shinta-girl". Before I start this story, I went a "bit" overboard and asked the commission of him a bit early before starting my story. Fair warning, spoilers.