"So, how did you kill Dohnaseek?" Raynare asked, while the Knight glanced towards her, her spear aimed right at it.
Alright, first things first, it had to figure out the best strategy for its current situation. The angels were floating above it, close enough for the Abyss Shriek to reach them. This should take care of them, the human would be killed with a blade made from the Void, easy enough. The problem was, it didn't want survivors or Asia to remember what it was about to do. However, with the help of a dream nail, modifying memories would be easy enough, it supposed, at least for one person.
However, it's current form was rather limited all things considered. It allowed it to blend in and avoid suspicion, but combat wise it was less than optimal. So, seeing no other option, the Knight called upon the power of the Void. The angels blinked, as the Knight's body changed, becoming pitch black in the process, it's human face replaced by a pure white mask of some kind, it's body different from anything they had seen before, a blade of pure darkness in it's hand.
"...What the?" Kalawarner asked.
"Kill him!" Raynare yelled and everyone unleashed their spears at it followed by a gunshot from Freed.
But the Knight was ready and jumped into the air, before it Pogo-jumped one of the projectiles propelling it further above, a pair of spectral wings appearing from it's back, making it fly closer to the trio of angels. There, before they could react, it gathered the power of the SOUL and Void, shaping it into a devastating attack it hadn't used for more than 10 years, Abyss Shriek.
It's body turned black, it's eyes glowing white, while ghost like beings erupted into the sky, white and black alike. Neither Kalawarmer nor Raynare had time to process what was going on, before both of them were devoured by the Void, black fathers falling from the sky. Only Mittelt by the virtue of moving away from it and her spear was spared, but not unscathed. She fell from the sky and crashed into one of the walls of the church.
Most of her wings were gone, stumps bleeding red, multiple bleeding wound visible on her. Her outfit was torn, a trickle of blood was coming from her lip, pure undiluted terror evident in her eyes. She didn't even have the strength to stand, simply leaning against the wall, not able to believe what she had just experienced.
"Holy shit!" Freed yelled, as the Knight landed on the ground, the sword aimed at him. "Die you shitty devil!"
The former exorcist yelled as it squeezed the trigger a couple of times, sending bullets towards the Knight. However, before any of them could impact the Knight, Dream Shield appeared in front of it, blocking the bullets before they could deal any damage. Freed fired a few more, but none of them worked, the Knight slowly walking towards it. However, a wicked grin appeared on his face, before he aimed at Asia and pulled the trigger.
Immediately, the shield went to protect the girl, blocking the bullet, which the boy expected. He rushed forward, lightsaber in his hands, ready to kill the Knight. However, the Knight knew exactly what to do, as it focused power in it's sword, before it unleashed Great Slash at the exorcist, which was cut in two, before he could react, pieces of his body sent flying.
All that happened, in less than ten seconds, Asia looking pale as a sheet, as the Knight began walking towards the last fallen angel, who desperately tried to back away from the monster in front of her. Before she could understand fully what was going on, Asia rushed in and stopped in front of the girl, blocking the Knight, which turned towards her.
"… Move," The Knight ordered.
"No! Don't kill her!" Asia ordered, the Knight tilting its head.
"… Why not?" It asked, not sure what the girl was doing. All it did was defend itself.
"Because… killing is wrong!" She argued.
"… Is it?" The Knight asked, not really seeing a problem with killing. The number of bugs it killed easily in thousands at this point.
"It is!" Asia said, tears in her eyes, Mittelt looking at the spectacle, with her jaw at the ground.
"… She tried to kill me, same with others," The Knight argued.
"Even then, God orders that we should be able to forgive the sins of others!" She protested. "Please… don't."
"…," The Knight looked at the pleading eyes, then at the fallen angel, then back at the girl. "… Only her. Nobody else. Dream Nail first."
"Thank you," Asia said weakly. "But... what is a dream nail?"
"… Watch," The Knight said, before a blade of purple energy and then it touched the girl.
In that moment, the Knight's body turned to particles, before it disappeared, the fallen angel falling unconscious at that very moment. At the same time, the Knight found itself deep in the mind and memories of the fallen angel. There were all the memories she acquired over the years, good and bad alike. It didn't care for those, but it wanted to find the recent memories and those regarding Asia, why was she invited here specifically.
However, it didn't know where to look, fortunately the time passed differently in the dream realm giving the vessel plenty of time to search. Most of the memories were rather worthless, showing how the girl became who she was, including her fall, although the Knight did learn a thing or two about the Fallen and their chain of command. However, the most recent ones revealed something very vile.
First of all, there were several dozens of exorcists below them, murders, rapists, all kinds of human filth. However, that was nothing when compared to a device called Sacred Gear Extractor. It was meant to be used on Asia as soon as possible, killing the girl in the process for the sacred gear she possessed. With that knowledge in mind, it knew what it had to do. First of all, it was able to use the dream nail to erase memories of everything that transpired, before it returned to reality.
As soon as the Knight arrived, Asia yelped and fell on her butt. "...I'm back."
"Wait, what happened?" Asia asked, while the Knight turned towards her.
"… Figured things out," The Knight said, noticing that Mittelt was mostly healed, except for the wings. "… What about the wings?"
"I can't heal missing limbs," Asia admitted reluctantly.
"… I see," The Knight replied.
That actually made it think. Could it heal others with the power of the SOUL? It never tried that, not that it had to. However, the girl in front of it would make a good test subject and since it promised it would spare her, the least it could was make sure the girl wasn't suffering for the rest of her life. It gently laid a hand on her, before it began transferring power of the SOUL to the girl. Asia blinked and gasped as her wings began to shine, before they began regrowing in front of their eyes, the angel fully healed, except for the clothes.
"Was that a sacred gear?" Asia asked, while the Knight shook its head.
"… No, inherent ability," It replied, before standing up. "… Need to take care of something, please wait here."
"Okay, but… what is it?" Asia asked, while the Knight began walking towards the vault.
"… Taking care of trash," The Knight replied on it's way there, the girl blinking innocently.
"Huh?" She asked, but the Knight was already gone.
Inside, the Knight found a massive chamber, where a big group of exorcists immediately turned towards it, drawing their weapons in the process. However, the Knight wasn't afraid, it dealt with many opponents at the same time during the Coliseum, this wouldn't be any different. First, it charged up another nail art, before it dashed forward and unleashed a massive slice, bisecting five individuals with a single strike.
Other exorcists yelled, but the Knight didn't stop, as it began cutting and slicing them, jumping over them and killing them as they went. However, it landed in the middle, exorcists surrounding it from every side, who then proceeded to rush it. However, that was nothing new to it, before it activated another of its abilities, shadow dash, powered by sharp shadow charm.
The Knight's body turned dark, six-eyed void creature dashing forward, not taking any damage in the process. The same couldn't be said about the exorcists it passed through, who were turned into minced meat, blood erupting from their bodies. The other exorcists paused, but the Knight didn't as it unleashed a cyclone slash around it, killing another group of exorcists around it.
That was enough as the exorcists tried to flee, but the Knight wouldn't let them and slaughtered them all, not letting a single one of them escape. It looked around at the carnage it caused, feeling nothing, it wasn't the first time it had killed nor the last. It never felt anything when fighting back, it was forced to do so from the beginning, humans, bugs, all that would cross it would die.
That left only one thing left, the extractor. It looked like a giant cross with chains wrapping around it. A vile thing indeed, one that was better off destroyed. Using the blade in its hands, the Knight cut the device into pieces. Now that was taken care of, it needed to return to Asia, pity those humans didn't have Evil Pieces, it could use them to refill it's soul or something.
Making its way upstairs, the Knight found itself in front of Asia, who put her baggage next to her. "What happened? I heard something coming from downstairs."
"… Long story, tell you later, for now, we must go," The Knight said and turned back into its human form.
"Why?" She asked.
"… Dangerous, devils could come," It explained.
"… Not a dragon," A voice said, the two turning towards it, Ophis walking up to her. "… Not a human, not a yokai, nothing I can recognize."
"… Why are you here, Ophis?" The Knight asked.
"… Felt the power, saw a glimpse of it, watched you fight, powerful, proof provided," She explained.
"… Not going to deny that," The Knight said.
"… Devils coming, we should leave," She said, the Knight's eyes narrowed. "… Can teleport us home, if you wish."
"… Asia?" The Knight asked and gestured to the girl, while Ophis nodded in return. "… The catch?"
"… Answers to questions, three of them," She replied.
"… I accept," The Knight said, before Ophis nodded and focused her magic, making them disappear, leaving only a fallen angel behind.
"What was that?" Tsubaki asked, as she and Sona flew to the source of whatever they heard? Or perhaps felt more like?
"I am not sure, Tsubaki," Sona replied, the duo arriving in front of the destroyed church.
"Feathers?" Tsubaki noticed and scooped one of them up. "Holy power, those belong to fallen angels."
"Fallen Angels? Here? In Kuoh?" Sona asked, but before she could move deeper into the structure, a flap of wings alerted them to new arrivals. "Rias? Akeno?"
"Indeed, you saw it too?" Rias asked, while Sona shook her head.
"More like heard, what did you see?" Sona asked.
"I saw… ghosts?" Rias said, while Sona gave her a deadpan.
"Rias be serious," She ordered.
"I am!" The girl protested. "They looked like ghosts, didn't they, Akeno?
"Ara, I think so too, President. Black and White shapes like those ghosts in the cartoons for the children," Akeno said.
"I see… In any event, let us search the premise, but everyone be on your guard," Sona ordered. The trio nodded as they slowly made their way inside, magic at the ready. As soon as they entered the church, they turned pale, the corpse of Freed fully visible to their eyes.
"Oh my," Akeno said, as she walked up to it. "… Clean cut, single strike."
"Somebody cut him with a single strike? That's worrisome," Rias said.
"That's not all, Rias, I am inclined to believe there were fallen angels here, perhaps they were involved in what we saw?" Sona said.
"Perhaps, hey, look there," Rias said and pointed to the fallen angel. "Is she alive?"
"Let me check," Tsubaki said and walked up to her, making sure the girl wasn't faking it. She knelt in front of her and checked her vitals. "She is still alive, perhaps, she can tell us what happened?"
"Indeed, Tsubaki, wake her up, everyone, be ready," Sona said, while the group spread out.
"Wake up," Tsubaki ordered, the girl staring from her slumber.
"What…?" She asked, blinking her eyes in the process, then she immediately turned pale as she noticed four powerful devils standing in front of her. "… What is going on here?"
"That's our question for you, who are you, what happened here and why are you trespassing in the devil's territory?" Rias asked.
"Mittelt, a fallen angel, here… huh?" She said and came up blank.
What happened here? They were supposed to meet Asia today and then get her sacred gear extracted by force. The reason for that was Raynare, who said that were the orders from Azazel himself. Then… there was nothing, that couldn't be right? Why was she unconscious? What happened to Raynare and everyone else? She didn't know and that scared her.
"I… don't know what happened here," Mittelt said.
"You don't expect us to believe that, do you?" Sona asked, while the girl bit her lip.
"It's true, something happened… but I don't know what, I can't remember," She explained, the devils looking between each other.
"Memory alteration?" Rias suggested.
"On a fallen angel? Whoever did that must have been pretty strong," Sona said, before turning towards the fallen angel. "What about your reason being here?"
"… Raynare, she ordered us to come here and look for powerful sacred gear users," Mittelt explained.
"Why is that?" Tsubaki asked.
"… So that we could extract their sacred gear, she was the one to kill Hyodou Issei," Mittelt responded truthfully. Her life depended on the fact, whether or not the devils believed her or not.
"So that's why, that explains a lot," Rias said and began charging power of destruction, a sphere of pure darkness in her hands. "Now then, I suppose we should get rid of you."
"Wait! I haven't done anything to you!" Mittelt protested.
"She is right, Rias," Sona said, stopping in front of her friend. "She may be a fallen angel, but she is not responsible for Issei's death. Having said that, where is your leader?"
"… Probably dead," Mittelt admitted.
"Ara, what makes you say that?" Akeno asked.
"I am unconscious, I can see four devils in front of me and my memory was altered most likely, since I can't remember what happened just a few moments ago. Raynare is… was stronger than me," She replied.
"Hmm… we did see a bunch of feathers outside, that could explain it," Sona said. "I have to ask, what can you tell me about this Asia person? What is she like? What does she look like? And what does the extractor look like?"
"Blonde, nun, green eyes, excommunicated by the Church," Mittelt described the girl. "As for the extractor, it looks like a cross."
"I see, thank you for cooperation, Mittelt," Sona said, before turning to Rias. "Well, at least we have got a rough idea of what happened here. In any event, let's look for more clues. Tsubaki stay here and keep an eye on the fallen angel, we shall go inside and see if we can find anything."
"That seems like the best solution," Rias agreed.
"A shame, I was hoping to keep little miss fallen angel company myself," Akeno said in a certain way, making Mittelt shudder.
"I am afraid it will have to wait, Akeno," Sona said. "Now then, shall we go?"
"Let's," Rias agreed.
The trio then descended into the depths of the church, where they found sight that made all a bit green. Corpses, dozens of them, brutally butchered, the floor wet with blood. Cut in half, cut into pieces, cut into even smaller pieces. However, it didn't look like it was made by a group. The corpses looked like they were butchered by a single individual, very mobile in fact.
"This looks like it was made by someone very skilled with a sword," Sona began as she tried to keep the contents of her stomach in her body.
"Yeah, I think so as well," Rias said as she began flying to avoid all the blood. "Isn't that… the extractor?"
"That pile of rubble?" Sona asked as she flew to it herself. "Hmm… that seems to be the case. Killed fallen angels, killed exorcists, destroyed extractor. That's rather specific, don't you think, Rias?"
"Do you think that somebody found out about what was going to happen to this Asia girl and then came and butchered the fallen angels?" Rias suggested.
"Perhaps, but who could have done that?" Sona asked.
"I don't know, let's ask the fallen angel just in case," Rias said, before the trio returned to the surface.
"Mittelt, wasn't it? Tell me, is it possible that someone found your plan?" Sona asked.
"I don't think so, this whole operation was meant to be kept under wraps," Mittelt explained. "Although, can you tell me what you intend to do now? With me specifically?"
"Well, we will contact the leader of fallen angels and explain everything that happened, probably ask for reparations since you operated in our territory without our consent," Sona explained. "As for you, we will let not let any harm come to you, you're a witness in all of this."
"I see, thank you," Mittelt said. Well, at least she would live for the time, she supposed.
"Do not thank us, but since you cooperated, it's the least we could do," Sona explained, before turning to Rias. "It seems that's all we can find here. Shall we leave?"
"Let us go," Rias agreed, the group taking the fallen angel with them.
"… Here we are," Ophis said, the trio arriving in front of the Knight's house.
"… Thank you, Ophis," The Knight said, before it opened the door and turned towards Asia. "… Please come inside, Asia, we need to talk."
"Umm…," She began, this wasn't what was supposed to happen, she expected to begin a new life, not this…
"… The angels didn't intend to help you," The Knight said, the girl blinking in response.
"What do you mean by that?" Asia asked.
"… Explain everything, but inside," The Knight said, the girl reluctantly entering, shortly followed by Ophis.
"Please, tell me, what makes you say that the fallen angels didn't expect to help me?" She asked, a part of her hoping it was a lie.
"… Sacred Gear Extractor, use it on you, kill you for it," The Knight said, the girl's eyes spread wide open. "… Saw it in her mind, in her memories."
"That… can't be true, it can't…," She began tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, before she burst into tears.
The girl was crying, the Knight looking at her, not sure what to do. It wasn't good with emotions of it's own, much less than others. It didn't know what to do, but it did remember something from when it was young. Humans cried, when they cried, their friends would hug them or pat them on the head. Perhaps it would do, but there was one thing it needed to do.
"… Ophis, can you wait?" The Knight asked and got itself two bags of sweets, one of which it handed over Ophis.
"… I can," The girl said and began munching on the sweets, while the Knight sat next to Asia and gently patted her on the head. The girl turning towards it, her beautiful face stained with tears.
"… I apologize for making you cry," The Knight said. "… Didn't intend to cause any grief."
"I… thank you," Asia said weakly and wiped her tears. "I… just don't know what do anymore."
"… What do you mean?" The Knight asked.
"I have got nowhere else to go, I was excommunicated," She began with a weak smile. "I thought that… this would be different."
"… I see," The Knight replied.
What the girl said was true, she really didn't have nowhere else to go. And the reason she was in this situation was because of it. Sure, it was able to save her life, but it didn't change the fact that it was directly responsible for the mess the girl found herself in. It was only fair that it did something about it. However, what was it supposed to do? Invite her to the school, one that was filled with devils? That didn't seem like the best idea.
"… Then, stay here perhaps, until I can fix it?" The Knight suggested.
"Eh…?" She asked. "But… why? Why are you… helping me?"
"… I caused this, it's fair I fix this," The Knight said. "… If you want to, that is."
"I…Yes, I want to. Thank you," Asia said with a weak smile. "Thank you for… helping me."
"… You're welcome," The Knight replied. "… Can you not tell others about what you saw and heard and will see and hear? Without my permission?"
"I swear!" Asia said seriously, while the Knight nodded and turned towards Ophis.
"… Ophis, three question, three answers," The Knight said.
"… What are vessels?" She asked the first question.
"… Vessels… constructs, no mind to think, no will to break, no voice to cry suffering," The Knight explained. "… Created for one sole purpose."
"… What was the purpose?" She asked.
"… Sealing off an ancient threat," The Knight replied.
"Umm…," Asia began, the duo turning towards her, making her yelp. "May I ask a question?"
"… Don't mind that," The Knight replied.
"Who is a vessel, why are you talking about them?" She asked innocently.
"… I am," The Knight replied, making the girl blink.
"Wait… you're not a human?" She asked, while the Knight shook its head.
"… Not a human, act like one, look like one, not one," It replied.
"Eh…? Wait, no mind to think, no will to break, no voice to cry… suffering? Is that what you said? Is that… How are you?" She asked, while the Knight nodded. "But… you can speak, you can think, don't you?"
"… Vessels, imperfect, were meant to be that way, didn't turn out that way," The Knight replied, before it turned towards Ophis.
"… Last question, the power you used, where did you get it?" She asked.
"… Abyss Shriek, powered by SOUL, found in gardens, molded in the Abyss," The Knight explained.
"... The Abyss? SOUL? The Void?" She asked, while the Knight shook its head.
"… Three questions, three answers," It replied.
"Soul…? Do you… eat souls?" Asia asked timidly, while the Knight shook its head.
"… Soul, an energy, nothing more, nothing else," It replied.
"Oh… I see, I was… worried," She settled on.
"… Understandable," The Knight replied and stood up. "… Bring snacks, you hungry?"
At that moment, Asia's stomach rumbled, making her blush. "… A bit."
"… Understood, need to go shopping it seems, shall we go together?" The Knight asked.
"… Let's," Ophis agreed, the duo turning towards Asia.
"Eh… I mean, do you want me to go with you?" She asked, while the Knight nodded.
"… Fixing stuff, least I can do," The Knight explained.
"I see… Okay, I will go with you," The girl said and stood up.
"… Very well, let us leave," The Knight said, before the trio began to make their way out of the apartment.