A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter for you!
Before anything else, I wanted to answer a question in the reviews from Childline. He asked who are still Issei's allies? Since I'm sure others would like to know as well, here's the answer.
The fact of the matter is he does have a lot of allies or people who would be willing to help him, even though he doesn't acknowledge it. Besides Azazel and Vali Team (obviously), there's a bunch more. Sairaorg's Peerage, Riser's Peerage, Ravel, Greek/Norse Pantheon, Journey to the West Team, Shinto Faction, and the Hero Faction. Lastly, for Dragons, there's the Dragon Kings, Crom Cruach, and various other Dragons that live in the Underworld,
There is also another possibility in Sitri's Peerage, but I kind of cut that option off in the first chapter, when Rias and Serafall talk about Sona. At the very least, if not the entire peerage, Saji for sure, would side with Issei. Those two are bros.
I'm sure I missed a couple of allies, but that's the gist of who is still loyal to Issei.
So, the issue here isn't a shortage of allies, Issei has a plethora of them. He just doesn't make use of them. The truth is as of now, Issei doesn't care for the supernatural right now and spoiler alert, he's been settled into his isolation phase. I won't say anything else here. If you want to figure out what I mean by that, read this chapter!
I also wanted to say this as well so everyone has a better picture of the story. This is a betrayal story, where Issei gets betrayed by the ones he loved. However, I never said anything about him wanting to get revenge on them. I know other writers have made these two go hand and hand but this is not the direction my story will go.
Issei will not seek nor want to exact revenge on his former comrades. The only reason he would attack them is if they did so first then he would act in self-defense.
That's all I have to say here. Enjoy!
Chapter 3: Time Changes Everything
Winters are harsh in Japan, especially in its northernmost prefecture: Hokkaido. Much of its plant life withers away and most of the wildlife goes into hiding. Add in the fact the temperatures are freezing and the terrain is mountainous, very few can call this place home. However, some forms of life stubbornly survive in these harsh conditions.
A deer jumped out of some nearby shriveled bushes, trotting towards a riverbank that practically froze over. Desperately looking for a place to drink, it spotted one in the middle of the river. Swiftly walking, but also careful not to slip on the ice, the deer reached the hole in the ice, sipping the freezing water.
Unbeknownst to the deer, its life was coming to an end.
Coming from the same direction as the deer, a figure emerged from out of the snowstorm. The figure had tracked the deer to this point and was certain it was near. The figure walked closer to the edge of the clearing as the snow crunched underneath its feet. As it reached the river it turned out to be a hooded man dressed in fur clothing armed with a bow and arrow.
Determining that he was close enough, the man grabbed the bow off his back and crouched down to make himself more difficult to see. Firmly grasping the bow, he pulled an arrow out from his quiver, resting the front of the arrow on his right hand while holding the back of it with his left. Pulling the string back, he prepared himself, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
As the deer finished up drinking the water, it lifted its head and started to walk away from the hunter.
Wasting no time, the man let his arrow loose. Even with the howling wind in his ears, he could distinctly hear the arrow whistling through it. The arrow traveled through the air, quickly making it to its destination: the deer's neck. The deer instantly went into shock, jumping and squealing as the arrow lodged into its neck. The deer started to run downstream but ended up collapsing onto the ice, sliding a little further until coming to a complete stop.
Heavily exhaling through his nose, the man stood up, sheathing his bow. When he secured it onto his back, he walked over to the edge of the frozen river. Testing if it would hold his weight, he cautiously stepped onto the ice. While it did make some visible cracks, it supported him. The man carefully started walking over the ice, with each step creating new cracks along with it. Reaching the deer, he knelt to pick it up. Throwing the deer over his shoulders, he carefully made his way back to the side of the river they both originated from.
After making it back with relative ease, the man walked back into the woods, beginning the long trek home.
Despite the fact the walk was indeed long, to the man, it only felt like minutes. One moment he was at the river and the next he was entering another clearing in the woods.
Stepping into the small clearing, a cabin was visible in the center of it. It was a simple wooden cabin with a set of stairs and a small porch connecting to the front door. On the side of the cabin, the roof extends past the main house. Held up by a couple of wooden posts, the awning covered a stack of chopped pieces of wood for making fires with. On the other side of the cabin, a small farm was visible. However, nothing was planted since it was the peak of winter and anything planted would die almost instantly.
Walking towards the cabin, the man felt the wind pick up significantly. Looking up to the sky he mumbled to himself in a deep voice.
"A storm's coming…"
Swiftly walking, he chose to bring the deer inside with him. Normally, he would butcher his food outside. However, with it already snowing heavily and an impending blizzard fastly approaching, he had no choice but to bring the deer inside with him.
Walking up the few stairs and across the porch, the man opened the door, entering the cabin, closing the door behind him.
Securing the door to make sure it wouldn't swing open during the storm, the man turned around to face his home.
It was essentially one gigantic room with various sections in it. A huge fire pit sat in the center of the cabin. It was not only for cooking food, but also light and warmth. Two wooden posts sat on either side of the fire pit with a 'V-like formation at the top. A metal skewer rested on those two posts to hold the man's meat. A couple of stools were placed around the fire pit to sit and eat the food that was cooked there. A hatch was visible on the roof which was accessible via a ladder, allowing the man to let out the smoke. Normally it would be opened when cooking, but with the heavy storm, he had to keep it closed.
Near the front of the cabin, various shelves, cabinets, and various other storing containers for all the man's tools and other belongings. On the far side of the cabin sat a simple desk and chair with a book and several pieces of paper littered around it. There was also a purple gem resting on the desk as well. There also was a bed that was in the corner. While the frame was made of wood, the bed itself was made from hay with various animal hides covering it with a white cotton blanket on top. Lastly, the floorboard in front of the bed was able to be taken out. The secret compartment stored one of the man's most priceless belongings.
Tossing the deer onto the floor, the man walked over to the fire pit to illuminate the dark cabin, the floorboards slightly creaking as he did so. Kneeling, the man picked up two sticks he got from outside before going hunting. Setting one on top of the other, he started rubbing them together to create a fire.
However, both of them were still extremely cold and wet from sitting out in the snow, which gave the man a hard time even getting smoke. Getting frustrated, he thought of lighting the fire himself, but in the end, he decided against it. Giving it one more try, the man was able to see smoke coming off the stick. Placing it gently on the stack of wood in the pit, the man gently blew onto the stick. After a few blows, the smoke turned into embers, which ignited the rest of the wood. The flame quickly grew in size until it took up the entire space of the pit.
As the size of the fire grew, so did the light in the cabin. Succeeding in warming up his home, the man took off his coat and put down his bow, revealing his appearance.
He had spiky brown hair with a ponytail running down his back. He also possessed the physique of an Olympic swimmer or track runner, having lean muscle all over his body. But by far, his most noticeable feature was his eyes. His left eye was a piercing, almost ominous, golden color. His right eye, however, was completely milky white. So much to the point, it was almost impossible to tell the pupil, iris, and sclera apart. His last defining feature was a long, slightly slanted scar that went over his right eye. Starting at the top of his forehead and ending near the middle of his right cheek.
He was the savior and the 'betrayer' of the supernatural, the former Red Dragon Emperor. Issei Hyoudou.
Blankly staring into the fire, Issei thought about everything that has led to this moment.
It had been thirty years since that day happened. Thirty years since his 'family' betrayed him. Thirty years since his best friend sacrificed himself. Thirty years since his entire life crumbled before him. It still made his heartache to this day just thinking about it.
Even though he would never be able to forgive them, Issei had grown to move on with his life. He held no grudge, no hate, and no resentment. Still didn't change the fact that he was both physically and emotionally scarred from the event.
Physically, aside from his blinded eye, he had various scars all over his body. Many of which came from his former brother-in-law Sirzechs and when he hit the sharp rocks of the ravine. Back then, in his weakened state, Issei had never felt more pain in his life. But eventually, all that pain went away. Emotionally, it was a different story.
Emotionally, Issei had never truly recovered from the betrayal and the wounds have never fully healed. He doubted they ever will, especially after so long. How could he? Everything was going great. He had a bevy of beauties, they had stopped the villainous Rizevim, and were ready for another era of peace. Until they decided to betray him and Ddraig.
Ddraig…
Over the years, Issei had worked on controlling his emotions, refusing to let them cloud his judgment. However, every time he thought of the Welsh Dragon, he couldn't help but find himself sentimental about the loss of his friend. He was someone that Issei felt more comfortable sharing his thoughts and feelings with than anyone. Since, well, he was there from the very beginning. From the moment Issei was born into this world, the Dragon of Domination watched over him, long before Issei even awakened the Boosted Gear. So, it wasn't a surprise to him that he felt comfortable confiding in the Heavenly Dragon.
But now, he's gone.
After Ddraig sacrificed himself, Issei's connection to the Boosted Gear was completely severed, including, of course, Ddraig. Hell, Issei wouldn't be surprised if the Boosted Gear ceased to exist now because of his friend's sacrifice.
When Issei found this out years ago, he wasn't upset to lose the Sacred Gear itself, but to have truly lost the soul that dwelled within. Regardless, Issei knew he had to move on and continue his life without Ddraig, but this came with ramifications that Issei hadn't thought about.
Without Ddraig, Issei lost all the powers he gained from the Boosted Gear as well all his Devil powers when his pieces were extracted. This caused Issei to lose the majority of his magic reserves and lose his Devil status. However, Issei was still a Dragon due to his body being made from Great Red's flesh, making him a Humanoid Dragon.
Honestly, even though Ddraig sacrificed himself, Issei knew it was a miracle that he survived. His chances of survival were incredibly low, let alone escaping the Underworld. Ddraig could've sacrificed himself for nothing. However, despite his astronomically low odds, he survived.
He didn't miss a single damn person that he was close with. Well, that was a lie. There was a person he missed. In fact, there were two.
He missed his parents profoundly. He hoped they were doing alright. He knew those Devils told lies about his 'betrayal' and 'untimely death'. However, he also knew that it was extremely unlikely that they would kill his parents, but no doubt keep them in the dark about the truth of their son.
Issei wanted to do nothing more than go back to Kuoh. He wanted to tell his parents he was okay. He wanted to tell them that it was the Angels and Devils that betrayed him. He wanted to fill the holes in their hearts that he knew were there.
But he couldn't.
As much as he wanted to, he couldn't go.
If he were to go to Kuoh and Angels and Devils found out, he'd risk his parent's safety. While he could easily defend himself, his parents had no defenses whatsoever. They could be used to force Issei out of hiding. His parents could be detained, tortured, or even worse. He knew what his former comrades were like, especially the leaders. They would scour every inch of the Underworld, the Earth, and the Dimensional Gap to find him.
It was simply too much of a risk for Issei to take.
So, he decided against it. Even though it pained him to say it, this was the right choice.
Lamenting, Issei turned to chop up the deer until he heard a voice.
"Are you alright, Issei?"
The voice boomed through the whole cabin, but it didn't startle Issei, not in the slightest. He knew exactly where it came from and who was speaking.
On the desk, the purple gem glowed as the voice emanated from it. The voice came from someone Issei knew far too well. He had been with Issei for the majority of his isolation and was the only other being Issei has spoken with for decades. The voice belonged to a fellow Dragon, the Golden Dragon King Fafnir to be exact.
Years ago, when Issei found the Dragon, he discovered that he was once again sealed into the gem of the Down Fall Dragon Spear. He spent almost an entire year trying to break the seal. Alas, he was only able to break half the seal, resulting in Fafnir only being able to communicate and allowing Issei to wield Fafnir's abilities. He couldn't leave the Sacred Gear at will anymore, he was bound to it. Nevertheless, Fafnir was grateful for Issei's efforts and offered to make a pact with him. They have been working together since.
Not turning to face him, Issei got out one of his butchering knives, responding curtly to the Dragon King's question.
"I'm fine… Just thinking."
Fafnir frowned from within the gem. While Issei's voice had deepened and matured over the years, as well as him being much more succinct, Fafnir could easily tell that something was bothering him. When he talked like this, it was a sensitive topic that was bothering him, usually his parents or Ddraig.
Deciding to test the waters, he inquired about exactly the two reasons he thought was the reason for his friend's distraught.
"Does it involve your parents or a certain Dragon?"
Issei didn't say anything as he proceeded to gut the deer.
"I know that these topics are difficult for you to talk about Issei, but we need to be open and honest with each other. We're partne-"
Fafnir immediately stopped himself from saying that word. From the few times that he did it in the past, while Issei didn't explode in anger, he became so reserved and silent it pained Fafnir to witness it. However, this time Issei did something entirely different.
"It's fine Fafnir," Issei shortly said, stabbing the meat with the skewer. Placing the skewer on the posts, he walked over to Fafnir. "We have been for years. It's just hard to hear sometimes…"
Fafnir didn't need him to finish; he understood fully what Issei was trying to say. The death of Ddraig messed up Issei for years. Fafnir knew that sometimes, Issei blamed himself for Ddraig's fate. One of those times, when Issei thought Fafnir was asleep, Issei made almost alien-like noises in trying to hold back the tears. He mumbled things like 'he's gone' or 'it's my fault. Fafnir heard it all. It was without a doubt, the most severe mental breakdown Issei ever had.
While Issei has gotten significantly better at handling emotions since then, Fafnir knew they weren't out of the tunnel yet.
"I understand Issei. Just know that I'm here for you to talk to about Ddraig or anything else that's bothering you. However, we must clear up one thing."
Issei stood over the desk, prepared to listen to the Dragon King's words.
"We're partners, Issei. We have each other's backs no matter what. We both didn't trust each other much in the beginning, but we've grown to firmly rely on and support each other. I believe that we can only go forward from here, both in terms of power and friendship, but there's a misconception that we need to remove before we can do so."
Issei gripped the back of the chair in anticipation as Fafnir continued.
"I think sometimes you see me as him, whether it be unintentional or you truly do see me as him… I'm not Ddraig, Issei. He's gone, and I could never replace him. He was one of a kind, in terms of power and personality. I know you miss him, but I refuse to act or pretend to be somebody that we both know I'm not."
Issei's eyes widened as he heard this. He was shocked that Fafnir knew about that. Despite that, he didn't say anything. He continued to listen.
"Not only that, but I've noticed all the times you broke down when you thought I wasn't watching. All the episodes you had when you thought you were all alone. Well let me tell you, you're not! You have me! I may not be as strong as Ddraig, but that doesn't stop me from reaching new heights. Do you know why? Because I'm Fafnir! The strongest Dragon King and I REFUSE to act like my friend just so you can feel better! That's disrespectful not only to me and Ddraig but also to yourself!"
Realizing he was letting his emotions get the better of him, Fafnir collected himself. Toning his voice down.
"As I said, I know you miss him, Issei. You and I both. But this is not how we should honor his memory. He wouldn't want to see you act like this. We must be better."
Issei didn't respond, he just stood there with his eyes closed, absorbing what Fafnir said. During the entire monologue, the Dragon King spoke in a passionate, assertive, and somewhat angry tone. Issei knew Fafnir meant every single word that he said.
He didn't deny that sometimes he saw Fafnir as Ddraig, going so far as to talk to the Dragon King like his Heavenly counterpart.
But the way Fafnir described it, Issei did it far more times than he thought he did. Resonating with Fafnir's words, Issei was ashamed of himself. Ashamed that he made Fafnir feel like his personality wasn't worth as much as Ddraig's. Issei balled his fists, unable to not compare this to the betrayal his former friends did all those years ago. Just as Fafnir refused to be someone he's not, Issei would do the same. He refused to be like those traitorous people he called his friends in any way. He refused to lower himself to such an atrocious level. He would be better.
Opening his eyes, he looked towards the gem, towards Fafnir, and spoke.
"You're right Fafnir, this isn't what Ddraig would've wanted. I'm sorry that I've treated you this way for so long. You didn't deserve it. I promise you that I won't let it happen again. I won't speak to you like Ddraig, I'll speak to you like Fafnir."
Fafnir couldn't help but smile at Issei's statement.
"I know you won't, Issei."
Nodding his head, Issei grabbed the gem off the desk and brought it over to the firepit. Gently placing the gem on one of the stools, Issei tended to the meat that was cooking over the fire.
The two Dragons sat in comfortable silence as Issei went over to his shelves. Resting on one of them, Issei picked up a wooden cup and turned his attention to a barrel next to him. Taking the lid off, the barrel was revealed to be filled with fresh water Issei collected.
Scooping some into his cup, Issei put the lid back on and walked back over to the fire pit to take the meat off.
He picked the skewer up rather recklessly, placing his whole hand on the piece of metal. He was lucky that he retained his flame resistance or he would've burned his hand off.
Sliding the meat off, Issei placed the skewer aside. Gripping the bone of the meat, he put it towards his mouth and began eating.
As he ate, Fafnir spoke. Curious about something.
"Issei, I have a question for you."
Issei took another bite as he turned his head to Fafnir. The Dragon King took this as his cue to continue.
"Do you think… that you will ever return to the supernatural?"
Grabbing his cup off the floor, Issei took a sip of water. Setting it back on the floor, he responded to his friend's question.
"You know the answer to this already, Fafnir. I don't plan to return. Ever."
"Now you're just being stubborn. If you think about it, Issei, there's practically no reason for any of your allies wanting to betray you. I know you think everyone you knew turned their backs on you but that simply isn't the case. If you have done good things to people, they will only wish and bring good things to you in return, unless they are corrupt and selfish beyond reason. We've seen how the Angels and Devils are twisted firsthand, but not everyone is like that. Hell, not even all Angels and Devils. We can narrow this down to just the Maou, Seraphs, Rias, her peerage, and Irina. Surely you can see that."
Dodging Fafnir's claim, Issei spoke.
"Regardless of who betrayed me, I don't want to return. I have found a new life here. Is it the most eventful? No, but I have found nothing other than peace and tranquility here. I'm not willing to ruin that by returning to the place that nearly broke me."
Fafnir retorted, "You do realize at some point, something will force you to return. Whether you're willing or not."
"Perhaps. But until that day, I'm not going anywhere."
Sighing, Fafnir decided to drop the conversation as Issei finished up his dinner.
Putting everything away, he spoke to Fafnir.
"Let's rest. Our training tomorrow will be no easy feat. We're going to give it everything we have when we do."
Agreeing with Issei, Fafnir teleported himself back over to the desk to rest. Issei followed suit, walking over to his bed.
Pulling the covers back, Issei climbed into bed, bringing the blanket over him.
While Fafnir fell asleep relatively quickly, Issei didn't, finding it difficult to fall asleep these days. Though he was always unsure what the root cause was. Was it something that he was already aware of or was it something Fafnir brought up during dinner tonight?
He honestly didn't know.
Unable to fall asleep, Issei simply stared at the ceiling as he heard the snow hit his roof. The snow had turned into a full-blown blizzard but Issei wasn't worried. He had his fair share of blizzard experiences and knew his cabin was sturdy enough to withstand it.
Besides that, Issei found the sound of snow falling relaxing. There was something about it that soothed him and made him feel more at peace with himself.
After what felt like hours, Issei felt himself getting drowsy. Slowly breathing in and out, Issei closed his eyes, falling asleep.
The night went by unnaturally fast as Issei began to wake up. Quickly stretching, Issei pulled off the covers and stood up.
"Wake up Fafnir, we got training to-"
Issei stopped talking when he turned to the desk and Fafnir was nowhere to be seen. Thinking that this was some sort of prank, Issei called out the Dragon King.
"This isn't funny Fafnir, come out."
Alas, no response came.
Issei was about to call for him again until…
-RUMBLE-
The ground shook violently, causing Issei to lose his balance and fall face-first on the floor. Doing his best to stand up, Issei thought about what could cause this.
But he didn't need to.
He already had a dreadful feeling about who could've caused this.
"It can't be," Issei said, "How did they find me? After all this time?"
Using his bed as support, Issei managed to stand up. Looking around he saw his cabin collapsing.
He needed to get out of here, now!
As he looked towards the door, however, Issei saw a foreboding crimson light seeping through. Seeing this, Issei couldn't help but think about what was waiting for him on the other side? Was it just Sirzechs? Or was there an entire army waiting outside his door? He didn't have Fafnir at the moment and couldn't sense his presence. He needed his power to hold off this attack, but he was nowhere to be found. Issei had no choice, there was no time to find him.
He would have to deal with this on his own.
Looking below him, he thought about opening the floorboards and taking 'that' with him. Without Fafnir, he would need all the power he could get. He thought about it for a short moment, but in the end, decided not to. If he were to lose, they would get their hands on it and Issei refused to let him keep his only reminder of his deceased Dragon friend.
Shakily advancing towards the door, Issei struggled to stay upright as the shaking got worse and worse. Once at the door, he put his hand on the handle, but he hesitated. What if he wasn't strong enough to deal with this threat? What if he found himself backed into a corner? What if things ended just like last time?
Shaking his head, he knew he couldn't think like that, Ddraig would be disappointed in him. He wasn't sure where Fafnir was at the moment, but he knew he would be too.
Taking a deep breath, Issei opened the door causing the light to blind him. Covering his eyes, the light continued to consume him as his entire world turned white.
When the light started to fade, Issei was able to open his eyes. What he saw shook his very being.
"No. No, no, no, no, no…"
He was at a place he never thought he would return to, yet here he was. He couldn't mistake this place for anything else, he knew exactly where he was.
The Underworld.
Although, it was different from the one he knew.
The skies were pitch black; the artificial sun wasn't visible at all. Issei could hardly make out anything further than a hundred feet around him. Although barely visible, Issei saw clouds had filled the skies, pouring heavy rain down. The wind howled in his ears, even more so than the strongest snowstorms in Hokkaido.
The ground wasn't much better.
The ground was made of nothing but barren, black rock. All forms of vegetation were nowhere to be seen. The only form of plant Issei could see were a few dead trees scattered around him with naked branches on them. Lastly, fires burned in various locations, despite the fact it was raining. Issei didn't know how they were burning, but he was glad they were, considering they were the only sources of light.
Essentially, it was a hellish version of Hell.
"Hello, Issei."
Issei froze when he heard that voice. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.
"Why don't you turn around and face me?"
Issei's body seemed to move on its own. He tried to keep his body in place but it refused to listen to him.
As his body turned around, he was shocked at what he saw. He saw his iconic crimson hair and foreboding crimson eyes, glowing menacingly. While he expected Sirzechs to be standing there, what didn't expect was everyone else.
Not only was Sirzechs present, but also the other Maou, Seraphs, Azazel, Rias, her peerage, Irina, Vali Team, Sitri's Peerage, Sairorog's Peerage, Riser's Peerage, Shinto Faction, Hero Faction, and every other person Issei considered his ally during his supernatural days.
"Everyone," Issei mumbled.
"Oh, don't worry," Sirzechs eerily stated," The best has yet to arrive.
Not saying another word, Sirzechs turned his head to the sky as if he were expecting something.
Unwilling to attempt a surprise attack with all these powerful people present, Issei turned his head to the sky as well. As he did so, he saw two creatures with scale-like wings barreling towards Issei's location.
In less than a second, the two beings made contact with the ground, landing behind the enormous group of Issei's former allies. Once the dust cleared up, the creatures he saw shook him up even more.
Standing tall behind the group of supernatural beings was Albion: The Vanishing Dragon, and Fafnir: The Golden Dragon King.
Both Dragons looked down at Issei with pity and disgust as their auras flared around them.
Issei stared at the Heavenly Dragon and Dragon King for a moment before finding his voice. Looking towards Fafnir, Issei spoke.
"Fafnir! What the hell are you doing? Why are you with the enemy?"
Scoffing, Fafnir curtly responded.
"YOUR enemies. They helped me see reason and realize that you're too much of a threat to be kept alive. You're the chaos bringer! The end of all life as we know it!"
Before Issei could retort, a drop of rain got into his eyes. Irritating him, Issei wiped it off with his hand. But to his surprise, it wasn't water at all.
Stained on his hand was a smeared red substance. It only took Issei two seconds to figure out what it was.
Blood.
As soon as the realization hit him, blood started to fall from the sky instead of water, drenching Issei in blood. His 'allies' however, did not, remaining clean and dry. Balls of fire rained from the sky, striking various locations as well as illuminating the surrounding area. Issei didn't know why the rain of blood didn't disturb him, but he remained calm.
Disregarding Fafnir's claim, Issei spoke.
"If that's the case," Issei began, "why bother saying all the shit last night? What was the point of it?!"
{"He doesn't answer to you,"} Albion stated abruptly, {"He has made the right choice joining the winning side as well as the side of the Heavenly Dragons."}
While Issei was pissed off about Fafnir's betrayal, he couldn't help but wonder what Albion meant by that. There's was only one Heavenly Dragon now, what did he-
Before Issei could finish his thoughts, a mighty roar was heard from above.
Looking up, he saw another Dragon speeding towards the ground. Unlike the first two Dragons, Issei felt a feeling of nostalgia looking at the Dragon, along with a sense of dread.
Violently landing, the third Dragon stood between Albion and Fafnir, looking more imposing than the both of them combined.
This dragon possessed blood-red scales all over his body, with piercing emerald eyes looking down upon Issei.
"It- it can't be…"
Issei was in denial. There was no way this was real. Before him stood the other Heavenly Dragon, The Dragon of Domination, The Welsh Dragon.
Ddraig.
While elated to see Ddraig was alive, Issei lost that feeling as quickly as it came. He stood by his betrayers, his former friends, his former family.
Finding his voice once again, Issei stammered.
"Ddraig… How? How did you survive-."
["It matters not how I survived Issei,"] Ddraig said, cutting Issei off, ["What does matter is that you don't see the end of this day."]
Everyone present nodded and made voices of agreement with the red Dragon. But at this point, Issei didn't care or listen to them. He solely focused on his first partner, who sided with the masses to betray him. Issei heard all this shit from others, but the fact this came Ddraig made something inside Issei snap, causing him to burst into anger.
"What! Why," Issei exclaimed, "You stood by my side when all others betrayed me! You gave me every bit of power at your disposal to hold them back! You sacrificed your LIFE to save me! So WHY! Why turn your back on me now?!"
Ddraig didn't respond.
"TELL ME!"
Done hearing his bickering, Ddraig replied.
["From the moment I sacrificed myself for you, I had a feeling it was a mistake. That feeling was right. When I was revived, the Maou and Seraphs told me of your atrocities. You brought nothing but havoc and destruction to Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld! Look around at what you have done!"]
Not even sure why he did so, Issei looked around, seeing piles of corpses lying at his feet.
"No! This isn't true! There must be a mistake!"
["There are no mistakes Issei,"] Ddraig stated, ["You've caused all this! You thought you could get away with it, but now we're here to finish the job. You have nothing!
No weapons!
No magic!
The only that waits for you is D̵͈̹̗͔̠̓̆̓͗́̓̂͠Ȩ̢̘͖͓̲͍̤ͮͤ͐͆͗͑́Ã͈̼̟̖̘͇͉̘̀T̨̩͕͌̽͝H̩͖̤̖̥͚͚̞̽ͬ̑ͧ̚͢͠͝ͅ!̵̴̳̖͂̑ͬ̏ͤͅ!͕͍̰͕̮ͩ̽̄̕!̶͓̺̫̳̦͛͒͂̊͊́͋͠"]
Done berating his opponent, Ddraig released a torrent of crimson flames at Issei. While shaken up, Issei was still aware of his surroundings and tried to move out of the way.
But he couldn't.
His body remained planted to the ground as the flames came closer and closer.
Unable to do anything else, Issei brought his hands up in his pathetic attempt to protect himself.
But before the flames could reach him, the ground underneath Issei disappeared, causing Issei to fall into it. Thinking quickly, he tried to grab the side of the hole, but he just couldn't get a good grip. And so Issei fell, further and faster as the light from the hole above got smaller and smaller.
Soon, no more light was visible, but Issei continued to fall further into the nothingness. His world was pitch black for what felt like an eternity.
Was he in the void? Would he fall forever with no end in sight?
His answer came to him soon after.
-SPLASH-
Issei plunged into the water at such speeds, it disoriented him. Recovering quickly Issei opened his eyes to view his surroundings, but the water was so thick that he couldn't see anything. Confused, Issei swam up to the surface. Taking a breath, Issei looked around only for it to still be too dark for him to see.
Suddenly, a small fire appeared over his head, illuminating a small area around the Dragon. Able to view his surroundings a bit, Issei first checked what he was swimming in, making a face of shock.
The liquid he was swimming in wasn't water but the same thing that got into his eye.
Blood.
Issei looked around, he was swimming in an ocean of blood, and every direction he looked in only had more of it. He wasn't sure which way to go until he heard what sounded like a little girl's voice.
"Come, come this way! I'll show you the way out!"
Issei looked in the direction he heard the voice and saw the small flame talking to him.
Before he could ask, the flame flew away, in the direction that Issei assumed is the way it wanted him to go. Whoever this was, Issei didn't trust them in the slightest, but also didn't have a better idea. Maybe this, whatever it was, could lead him to land.
Having no other choice, Issei swam in the same direction as the orb. Due to the thickness of the blood, he found it difficult to move quicker than he would've liked. Nonetheless, he kept swimming, not letting the flame out of sight. Aside from his breathing and blood splashing, there wasn't a single other sound present.
-BOOM-
In an instant, the sky lit up, revealing to be red just like the ocean. Issei also heard what he thought to be voices of people screaming and yelling coming from all around him.
Looking down, Issei saw what looked like souls swimming through the ocean of blood. Some swam past him, others gripped onto his arms and legs, trying to drown him.
Yanking them off, Issei continued to swim forward with more resistance from souls, hearing them scream in agony. But as he listened more closely, Issei soon recognized the voices he was hearing.
It was the voices of his former allies and friends, throwing insults and blaming him for something all the while he heard piercing screams in the background.
"Traitor!"
"We should have never trusted you!"
"You did this to us!"
"Heaven will never forgive you for your atrocious deeds!"
"How much more will you destroy?!"
"I hope you rot!"
"You took our families, our friends, our homes! How much more will you take?!"
"My sister is dead because of you!"
"You deserve nothing but the most brutal death imaginable!"
"The Underworld lays in ruins because of you!"
"You took our lives from us!"
"I hope you suffer for all eternity in the deepest depths of Hell!"
"You're nothing but a monster!"
"How could you?!"
"We've lost EVERYTHING because of you!"
Issei continued to hear them say demeaning things about him, almost letting it get to him. Shaking his head, he knew these things were taunting him. They were all just trying to get under his skin.
Toning them out, he followed the flame for what felt like a century until finally, he saw a rocky shore.
Desperately swimming to it, Issei crawled onto the shore, shaken even more than before. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.
Looking up, Issei saw the flame was in front of him and spoke to him once again.
"You're nearly there! Just a little more!"
Again, before Issei could ask anything, the flame moved further inland, moving so fast that Issei almost couldn't see it anymore.
Not wanting to lose it, Issei gathered what little strength he had left, pushing himself up to his feet, and ran in the direction the flame went.
He ran faster and faster but the flame continued to escape him. Eventually, Issei could no longer see the flame but that didn't stop him. He continued to run harder, faster in hopes of catching up to his only hope out of this place.
He ran for what felt like hours upon hours, but he still had yet to find the flame. Issei was about to cut his losses until he saw a very faint light in the distance.
Inspired, Issei felt invigorated as he felt adrenaline fill his veins. He ran at full speed towards the light, which continued to get bigger and bigger.
At long last, Issei finally reached the flame. Taking quick breaths in and out, Issei turned to face the flame, who began to cackle wildly.
"Congratulations! You've arrived at your place of death!"
The girl sounded nothing like she did before. Her voice deepened and had a creepy tone to it as she talked.
"What? The hell do you mean by that?! I thought you were leading me to the way out?!"
The girl, if you could even call her that anymore, laughed at the Dragon's statement.
"Oh, I just told you I would show you the way out, never told you how!"
Issei gritted his teeth, berating himself for making such an idiotic mistake.
"But don't worry! I'm not going to kill you! The person who will is someone you know all too well…"
While laughing, the flame fizzled out, becoming nothing more than a couple of embers on the ground.
"Issei…"
Issei's eyes widened when heard that voice. It was a voice he hadn't heard in so long and yearned to hear. Surely, he was hearing things. There was no way that was her.
"Issei, please turn around and look at me…"
Slowly turning around, Issei's eyes widened more when he saw what he wanted to see.
Standing a few feet in front of him was a middle-aged woman with dark brown hair tied into a ponytail. She didn't share many similarities with Issei except for her eyes. Her eyes were the same beautiful shade of gold as Issei's, confirming to him she was her.
Standing in front of Issei was his mother: Miki Hyoudou.
"Mom," Issei whispered, walking slowly to her.
"My son," Miki responded, opening her arms which Issei eagerly accepted, wrapping his own around her.
Issei had grown to be significantly taller than Miki, leading him to gently rest his head on hers, while Miki rested her head on his chest.
Both stayed in silence, enjoying the embrace they found themselves in.
Issei wrapped his arms tightly around his mom, he missed her so much. How couldn't he? He knew she, of all people, would stay by side and believe what he claimed to be true.
Lost in bliss, Issei almost didn't notice his mother tugging his shirt. Looking down at her, Issei spoke.
"What's wrong. Mom?"
Miki didn't say anything, she just continued to tug his shirt, her head buried deep in her son's chest.
Now slightly worried, Issei bent down slightly so he was more on the same level with his mom.
"Mom," Issei said, holding her shoulders, "what's bothering you?"
Miki didn't say anything. Instead, she pulled on his shoulders while standing on her tiptoes.
Assuming she wanted to whisper it into his ear, Issei bent down, even more, turning his head slightly sideways so Miki could say what was bothering her.
Both of them stayed like that for a couple of moments until Miki spoke softly into Issei's ear.
"Will you die for me?"
Issei's heart dropped when he heard that. Abruptly, he pushed her back while backing away himself. Did he hear that correctly? Perhaps he misheard? Anxious, Issei asked her to repeat what she said.
"What… What did you just say?"
Yeah, he had to have misheard. Surely his mother didn't wouldn't wish for her own son's death, right?
"I said," Miki eerily stated, slowly lifting her head, "will you D̤ͪ̒I̦̞̜̗͍̲̼͋ͩͤÊ̝͖̰̪̎́ for me?!"
Issei's heart completely shattered as he heard this. Not only did Fafnir betray him now, but also Ddraig and his own mother?! Issei felt completely hopeless. He wanted nothing more than to die right here and now.
Unbeknownst to him, his wish was about to be granted.
Looking at his mother, Issei saw her golden eyes were no longer there. In its place, two black orbs filled Miki's sockets. Her body seemed to twitch uncontrollably as she took a step closer to Issei. Issei, however, didn't react at all, blankly staring forward.
"Come on, Issei… Answer me."
She took another step.
"Will you…"
Another step.
"̗̱̰̳̥̹̐̔̅́ͤ̓ͯͅDͧͅI͖̰̠̹̤̪ͧE͚̤̎̚"͈̙̮͖̻̾
And another.
"̠̻̬̭̝̒̋̑ͤF̦̥̠̤̠̎̿̈́ͅO̰̟̅ͮR͉̳ͯ̏̒͌̄ͣͮ"̪͙̻̜̯͙̭̄̏
Miki took her last step as blood started to leak from her eyes.
"̠̺̦̰̤ͯͭ̂̽M̞̰̋̋ͯ̐E̴͎̜̮͙̪̦̎E̓̃ͤ͊̉E̼͎̫̗̓̊͆̚͢E͚̗̙̼̟̬̙ͥE̠͚̩̽̅͢E͙̗͉͚̮͇̎̅̃ͮ͆Eͩͧ̀̉̐̃̚͠E̤̪͗̈͋͡E̥̞̝̥͚̾̌̇͂́Ḙ̷̫͓̱̽̾̀!̪̙͖̩͈͔̉̾!̘͙̱͓̬̦͖ͬͨ̎!̝͔̞̘ͮͫ̔͛̊͛̚!̣̟̈́ͧ̑̚!ͣ̆!̶͓͇̥͍̹ͮ"̵̥̝̥̎̄͌̏
As soon as those words left her mouth. Miki transformed instantaneously, becoming what Issei could only describe as The Devil.
The Devil let out a violent shriek into the sky as fires and explosions raged all around them. The Devil lunged itself towards Issei, its claw ready to decapitate him.
Issei couldn't move, he knew this would be the end of him. He was so frustrated with no one but himself. With nothing left to lose, Issei roared in unison with The Devil, not in fear, but rather in anger and rage.
"ROOOOOOAAARRRRR!"
"ͧͭ̑ͤ͒̐̀R͈ͬA͖̮̥̣̻͗̌̓̒̒AẢ̗̬̲̆̊̓ͧ̃A͆ͪ͏̜͎͖͎̳̩A̳̳̺̟A͈͜Ä̬͙͎͖́͆ͮA̳̗̝͔̞ͭ̾́ͫA͉̗͙͓̮̮̔͢Ą̩͇̖͂ͤ̂A̤̜̞̗͍̲͂̊̃͂͗Aͤ̿ͤA̘̹̫̺̹̺̹̎̾̑̓A̫̪͍̝̼͒ͭͤ̀̚Ȁ̼̭͈͖̥̯͙̾̈ͨ!̹̱͎̥̗̟͉̀!̠̠̘͎̃!ͬ͋!̱̝͉͙̻̥ͪ̀͑̽̒͂̚!͓̩̺̫̦̏̾"̹̣̬̪̮̂̆̿̓ͮ̐ͦ́
Issei howled in fury as The Devil came closer and closer, abruptly throwing its claw forward to….
"ROOOOOOARRRRRRRR!"
Issei's voice boomed across his cabin, as he shot up in his bed. Issei frantically looked around and realized he was still in his cabin. He also noticed how the purple gem was resting on his desk. Calming down, Issei realized what he just experienced.
A dream.
Fafnir, who woke up about half an hour ago, was surprised when he heard the sudden noise coming from Issei. Worried for his partner, he voiced his concern.
"Issei! Are you alright? What happened?!"
After calming down, Issei threw the sheets off and sat on the side of his bed. Looking towards the Dragon King, Issei replied.
"Nothing, it was just a dream."
"More like a nightmare," Fafnir retorted, "Tell me, what happened Issei?"
Issei was about to brush Fafnir's concern to the side again when he remembered the discussion they had last night. He recalled how Fafnir told him he would be there for him and support him no matter what came his way.
Looking at the Dragon King, Issei couldn't help but recall what happened in his dream. About how Fafnir joined his former comrades. Shaking his head, he knew all that he witnessed was just his imagination and that Fafnir wouldn't even dream of turning his back on him.
With that in mind, Issei began to explain what he dreamt of.
"It… was a dream. A dream about the Devils finding me and you joining their side. I also saw Ddraig and my mother."
Fafnir simply sat in silence, absorbing the information his partner gave.
"Hmmm, interesting. Would you mind going into more detail?"
Nodding his head, Issei went into depth about what exactly happened during his dream with Fafnir keenly listening in on every detail.
After wrapping up his nightmare, Issei waited for Fafnir's response. Which came rather quickly.
"That was something. I'm sure that couldn't have been pleasant for you. I'm sorry that you had to experience that."
"It's fine," Issei answered, "It was only a dream, nothing more."
"Still, I find it bizarre that you saw Ddraig not only revived but on the side of the enemy. He would never do that to you."
"Yeah," Issei distantly said.
Seeing that Issei was still shaken up from his nightmare, Fafnir gave him his support.
"Issei, I know this was hard for you to open up about and I'm glad you decided to share it with me. You didn't have to, but you choose to do so because you trust me and I will respect that trust. I promise not to betray you. Even if all of the supernatural comes for us, I will stand by your side until the very end. I know I've only had two wielders including you, but you've been my favorite thus far, and I hope you'll continue to have me as not only a partner but as a friend."
Issei stood there with his head tilted downwards, not making so much as a peep to Fafnir. However, when Issei finally came to and raised his head, the Dragon King was flabbergasted.
There stood Issei, with a small yet bright smile on his face. Before he could comment on it, Issei replied to his friend.
"Thank you, Fafnir," Issei thankfully said, "that means a lot to me. My promise to you is the same. I'll have your back no matter what and we'll never part ways with each other. We'll fight, side by side."
Unable to not smile back, the Dragon King responded.
"It's no problem Issei," Fafnir affirmed. "Now, let's not waste any more time and get started with our training."
In agreement, Issei grabbed the gem off the desk and began walking towards the door.
"Yes," Issei replied, "let's."
A/N: So yeah, when I said isolation, I meant isolation.
(There is some important info about Issei's powers near the end of the Authors Notes. Please check it out so you aren't confused later on.)
I know some people like to visually imagine the characters they're reading so here's a quick description. Just think of normal Issei with slightly more spiky hair similar to my profile pic except, of course, his hair is brown and not red. As for the ponytail, if any of you know Zhongli from Genshin Impact, Issei has a ponytail like that.
I know this chapter was a lot of explaining and not a lot of talking. But I needed to set the scene and let you guys know, as the readers, what's going on and what's happening in Issei's mind. Many of you are also probably confused about some things like why Fafnir is once again sealed into the gem of the Downfall Dragon Spear or how Issei got to where he is right now. All will be explained in time with future chapters.
This is one of the major changes I wanted to see in a betrayal fanfic: a large time gap. Most of the betrayal fanfics I've read do one of two things. Issei gets betrayed, gets blessed by some powerful supernatural being, comes back and wipes the floor or he gets betrayed, goes away for a certain amount, and then comes back insanely strong. The second option varies as well, I've seen fanfics where Issei comes back within only a couple of months and he's super OP, rivaling that of the Dragon Gods. I've always found both these options to be unlikely at best and unrealistic at worst. Of course, some people make really good betrayal stories based on these two options and they're outliers outside these two options. But most follow this general trend.
Besides that, I just wanted to see a significant time gap between when he got betrayed and up to now. So much can happen within 30 years and so much can change as well. I know that this is a huge jump in time but don't worry. I'm going to post chapters dedicated to what happens in those 30 years that lead up to this point.
I know a lot of you may not be happy with these choices, but please keep in mind that while this may not be what you were expecting, this was the original idea for the story. Have Issei get betrayed, lose Ddraig, live in isolation for a certain number of years, and have the supernatural world change throughout that time.
Lastly, I wanted to showcase all the new powers and abilities Issei now possesses. I made a little wiki-style fact sheet for them. I was going to wait for a couple more chapters, but I'm just so excited about how they came out that I want to share them with you guys now! Plus, it'll give you all time to familiarize them.
Issei and Fafnir's Powers
After making a pact with Fafnir and much time and effort, Issei can use Fafnir's powers and the abilities of the spear. Not only does it include the abilities Azazel had, but also new abilities Issei developed. Throughout his training over the years, Issei also tapped into some of his own power. Although many of these abilities are hindered due to Issei's low magic reserves, he's still a force to be reckoned with for most beings.
Master Spearman - Soon after obtaining Fafnir, Issei immediately started training with the two-pronged spear. Although initially struggling to use the spear, Issei was patient and willing to learn the ways of the spear. In addition to adhering to Fafnir's advice, Issei eventually became masterfully skilled in wielding a spear, pulling off complex techniques with ease.
Spear Warp - An original type of teleportation magic Issei made to supplement his inability to summon Fafnir's Dragon Gate. Throwing the spear, he can teleport wherever the spear lands, making it great for continuous assaults and movability. It's voluntary as well, letting Issei choose if he wants to teleport or not. Issei found this ability so useful that he decided to keep it, even if he's able to summon a Dragon Gate one day.
Spear Recall - When he chooses not to teleport to the spear or if it gets knocked out of his hands, Issei can recall the spear to him. All he has to do is wish for it and the spear will fly back to him at insane speeds.
Spear Concealment - A useful ability that Issei made so he wouldn't have to carry his spear around everywhere. The spear can transform into a small, spherical gem to be easily transported. Issei can also absorb the gem into his body for further concealment.
Pierce - An ability Issei made that behaves like Penetrate. Although inferior to the original, Pierce has the ability to break through most defenses, catching enemies by surprise. Issei can also conceal its usage so only experienced opponents can detect which attacks are enhanced by it.
Spear Modes - Originally made from solid light, Issei converted the spear to be made from the same metal as his Balance Breaker. Enhanced by Fafnir's aura, it can pierce through just about anything. Issei can also change the spear's mode into a light spear. While still being made of metal, the spear gains a strong holy aura along with Fafnir's own, making it super effective against Devils.
Treasure Summoning - Originally Fafnir's signature move, he allowed Issei to wield it as well after a considerable amount of training and building trust. This ability allows Issei to summon troves of legendary weapons from Fafnir's treasure hoard. Unlike Fafnir who summons the weapons from his mouth, Issei summons dozens upon dozens of golden magic circles to bring the weapons into battle. Once deployed, Issei can command the weapons to attack, whether bluntly or by using their abilities to overwhelm his opponent. He can also summon other miscellaneous items such as chains to hold his enemies down. Combining this ability with his lethal spearmanship makes for a deadly combo.
Dragon's Guard - A powerful barrier that protects the user from attacks. Although, it can be broken through if the attack is strong enough. While Azazel made this ability, Issei is the one to give it its name.
Golden Aura - A powerful aura emanated by Fafnir and Issei as well due to his pact with the Dragon King. It has the ability to fully negate an attack so long as the user is strong enough to withstand it and at the cost of some of the user's magic reserves. If the attack can't be negated, the ability instead mitigates the damage as much as possible. Issei can also infuse the aura into Dragon's Guard for further protection at the cost of even more of his magic reserves and stamina.
Down Fall Dragon Another Armor - The Balance Breaker of the spear that Azazel made that resembles Issei's original Balance Breaker. The armor increases the overall power, speed, and abilities of the user. Because the Sacred Gear is artificial and not a real Sacred Gear, the armor initially did not fit Issei and was specified to Azazel's measurements. Yet as time went by and Issei grew older, the armor began to fit his physique, letting him wear it when he wishes. However, he can only do so for a limited time due to his magic reserves being low, unable to sustain the form for long.
Curse - An imperfect technique that Issei received from Fafnir. This ability is supposed to allow Issei to attack his enemies in their dreams for eternity until they go insane and die. Alas, Issei doesn't have perfect control over it like Fafnir, which led him to decide to only use it as a last resort.
Replication - Another one of Fafnir's abilities that Issei gained through their pact and much training. Originally, Fafnir used it to summon mini versions of himself to attack his enemies. However, with Issei's little magic reserves, he decided to repurpose the ability to simply make copies of himself that attack his opponents and act as distractions/decoys but fade away as soon as they're hit to conserve his energy.
Dragonification - An ability originally wielded by Issei when he still had Ddraig. Due to having his body made from Great Red's flesh, Issei is able to freely transform any part of his body into that of a Dragon. While he can still freely transform, in his current state, it takes a lot of effort and the process is extremely painful. Even with Fafnir's help, Issei has trouble transforming his body and has only successfully summoned his wings a handful of times. Issei states he finds it the most painful part of all from the times he attempted to do so.
Outrage - With the help of Fafnir, Issei was able to awaken his innate ability as a Dragon to go into Outrage. A unique ability possessed by Dragons, Outrage strengthens the user's power in response to their rage and anger, greatly enhancing their abilities several times. Using Outrage, Issei can transform his body into a Dragon including his wings with relative ease. Issei once noted that Outrage is similar to Juggernaut Drive as the user will continue to attack until their enemies perish or the user dies. But unlike Juggernaut Drive, Issei's lifespan won't decrease. Still, like Curse, Issei decided to only use it if all other options have been exhausted.
Magic - While unable to practically use magic in a fight, Issei still had Fafnir teach him everything he knew about magic and forbidden spells. Issei hopes if one day his magic reserves return, he will be able to use them in future fights.
Illusions - Over the years of isolation, Issei has gained the power to create illusions, mainly because his body is made of the flesh of Great Red as he represents Dreams and Illusions. His control over illusions is still limited to the size, in which he can't make illusions much bigger than himself.
Illusion Materialization - Issei is able to turn the illusions he makes into real physical objects, with the properties of said object. Issei can also give the object he manifests the properties of something else (I.E. creating an Apple which tastes like a Pear). Though he's limited in this ability, only able to materialize small objects.
Dreams - If traveling at night in populated areas, Issei can faintly hear the dreams of others while they sleep. There are even times where Issei swears he can hear Great Red saying "Zoom Zoom Iyaaan, Zoom Zoom Iyaaan" in his dreams.
Aside from the abilities that Issei carried over from Ddraig which are immense strength, durability, speed, stamina, master swordsman, master hand-to-hand combatant, and tactician, that's all for Issei's new abilities. I was going to add more, but I didn't want to get carried away. So, these are his abilities for now.
Let me know what you guys think about all of this. Like it? Hate it? All feedback is welcome.
That's all I gotta say. See you guys next chapter!