Chapter 7-) Heartfelt Illusions
Hell, that is what he could use to describe the mindscape he's in. Torn and ravaged by the skirmishes, not having any resemblance to the place he once called home. Destruction and death loomed in the place, no longer having any sign of life. The boy began to sprint, he wanted to escape from this prison. Soon, his legs gave in, he could run no more.
"Ddraig? Are you here? Answer me, partner, please. Anyone?" Dread and desperation evident in his tone, his hazel eyes lost their light. The boy had tired himself out, no one could hear his pleads, his screams. Collapsing right in the middle of the street, he hung his head down, tears running down through his face.
He couldn't endure it, they kept telling him that it was his fault, he was to be blamed. He kept pleading mercy, forgiveness, anything that would relieve his conscience. However, he did not earn it, he wouldn't be spared, this was his demise, a burden he is expected to carry. Familiar faces all around, with their heads impaled on stakes, agonizing screams he heard coming from the sides.
This was the definition of hell for him, he wouldn't mind suffering alone, but when it came to people he held in high regards, it tore him apart. The brunette experienced the horrific nightmare again and again, everytime he came closer to someone, he would bring about their demise. The boy didn't want to be alone any more, he wanted to cherish those people.
However, fate showed him that he would only hurt them, their downfall would come sooner than it would, due to him and only him. This burden, craved for his blood, but never came close to it, only taking the lives he swore to protect. Destroying apart the only sanctuary he built for himself, his heart.
Looking up at the sky, which did not have the usual warmth and peace in itself, only the traces of Crimson Purgatory, Red Dragon's blaze scattered across the domain. Sekiryuutei had again, clashed with the Hakuryuukou, ending the lives of innocent and pure, leaving only the heartbroken. Crumbling buildings and lost lives, those were the costs of the unwanted victory one Dragon had on another.
The world came to a halt, destroying itself apart with its creator. In the last moments of the night terror, a figure made its appearance. Silky, short and smooth silver hair adorned its properties. A girl of young age, a child with a stained face, look of determination and hatred permanent on her face. A little white dress embraced the child, upon her hands, carried a very distinctive Katana.
The figure approached the sulken boy, her steps filled with eagerness. The brunette knew that child very well, how could he forget? She had been the first one he had let down, but definitely not the last. On that fateful day, he had lost her, becoming the initial source of his self-hatred. Finally finding the strength to speak, Issei opened his mouth.
"...Anna…?" Upon uttering the name, the figure stopped dead on her tracks. Eyeing the boy before her in a menacing, yet familiar gaze. Like a scolding and furious mother would do to her child.
The figure did not respond, simply observed. Upon hearing the boy, she gave a glimpse of smirk, indicating the assumption was correct. Anna herself did not seem to be bothered by the atmosphere around her, rather, she seemed to be used to it. In all fairness, that would be the only truth.
Issei couldn't open his mouth once again, he was too mesmerized to speak, to see his little sister in front of him. To be able to see her beautiful face, her smile, her eyes, it blinded his judgement. He couldn't understand the hatred and pain before those eyes, just like he couldn't understand her intentions.
It was a sight to behold, even if the world was falling apart, The balance being broken, all the lives he knew being at stake, those didn't matter to him at that exact moment. Nothing could break the form of paralysis he is in. It all felt too real, every single detail on her face, unfathomably realistic. Even if this is a dream, it is one he did not want to wake up.
Evidently, his mind had played its last trick, to crush apart any single piece of hope he had left. Being surreally appealing in this form of her, Anna gracefully approached her Big Brother. She seemed to be happy, to have found the last piece of puzzle, she looked as though she missed his presence. As though, if only Issei could realize that.
As Issei pulled her in for an embrace, to feel the warmth of his sibling, he didn't want it to end. All he wanted to do was to cry on her shoulder until he couldn't take it. This way of life, had taken his feelings away. Forced to being cynical and opportunistic at all times, for a kind and optimistic person like Issei, was devastating.
His first tears eventually made their way down to his cheeks, one drop… two… and a whole flood of tears, not seeming to stop any time soon. The brunette had become very vulnerable over time, even if time could heal all wounds, it was unfortunately limited to physical injuries. One thought of his once-happy family proved to be enough to break him down.
"I..I-I-I'm s-s-so… s-s-s-sorry." Being able to utter a few words was all he wanted. To scream that he had been hurting himself with the pain that came through losing her, not being able to be the protective big brother. Even though her embrace was cold as a blizzard's zero point, Issei found solace.
The strings of fate haven't forgiven him for his accomplishments and failures, tangling him with an unseen curse. He who walks among the Throne of Legends at the young age of eighteen, is not welcomed by Gaia. The safe haven he had found in the realm of Earth, will be shaken to the core.
Complaint hadn't been in the nature of Hyoudou Issei, for the things he couldn't do, or the things that grew outside his control. Even then, he couldn't get over one thing. One failure that had reshaped his very life. The ambush at the playground, the time when he lost one person very dear to him. All this power, meant nothing if he couldn't use it to protect what is dear to him.
It is not about loss, it never has been. Strength itself is a choice, fighting like there's no tomorrow to preserve what's rightfully his. Wielding the might of a Dragon, a creature that stood above all his opponents in his prime, Y Ddraig Goch. In his veins, runs the blood of a pure-blooded Devil, of Euclid Lucifuge's.
Those particular powers that were gifted to him, were of no importance if he couldn't put them to good use. Not Carnage and Chaos, but Peace and Prosperity. This image laid before him, would be the future if Hyoudou Issei gave up from his dream. A world of Innocence and Innovation, to those whom he wished to not experience the same fate as him.
He fights for those who can not, be the hand reaching out for them. To realize their dreams, live their life wholly. Hyoudou Issei had burdened himself with an ambition bigger than himself, and he will carry it without regrets. Devoid of selfishness, unaware of his being, becoming a beacon of Hope.
Still, he wasn't one without faults. He cared, he put his trust to the people that didn't acknowledge it. The brunette had failed to realize, being selfless would destroy him little by little. Not having that one dear person would cost him dearly, have that one column to rely on. Alone and bitter he had become, over the years of isolation and search for power.
Power he may have found, but compassion? Not entirely. Only real feeling he could call as positive he had at the moment of his life, was only a fickle imagination of hope, a rather false one, according to himself. He wasn't an expert at reading people, quite dense in fact. However, even he could tell if someone liked him or not, and from the looks of it, the reason for that hope, did not.
As long as they continued to be happy, be glad that they are in peace, have their family and friends at their side, Issei could withstand the burden with a smile on his face. His own happiness perished long ago, might as well use his strength to preserve others'. One such example would be, Valerie.
Oh Valerie, dear Valerie. How would she react, if she had known that he had spent his entire highschool life to get that smile from her? Would she ridicule him? Perhaps a bone shattering cold gaze would be much fitting. In regards of Valerie, positive thoughts didn't cross his mind. Not that he couldn't dream of seeing that smile everyday, but rather, he wasn't exactly optimistic about that.
Yet, none of those mattered anymore. He had found his peace, his happiness, his solace. One of the few that would make him give up everything to unite with, his little dear sister. He's complete now, more than he ever had been. Even if this was a dream, Issei didn't want to wake up from this one. Destroyed the world may be, but his world has just been reconstructed.
As her embrace continued to become colder and colder each passing second, Issei felt warmer somehow. Inside, he was like a giggling little girl, like her parents had pulled a funny prank on her, and that's what mattered to him. Her scent, Anna's scent, hadn't changed a bit, still the innocent and perplexing perfume she had around.
If Issei wasn't blinded by the sheer force of his own emotions, maybe he wouldn't miss the growing malice and hatred in her eyes. The happier he gets, the more she feels like going on a homicidal killing spree, except the only victim was her own brother, over and over again until she could wipe that damn smile from his face.
A fickle thing that was Destiny, always bracing him for obstacles, granting him powerful allies and strength. Yet, he didn't ask any of those, only one thing mattered to him in his quest of vengeance, that was to pull the biggest middle finger ever pulled to Fate itself, to deny its advance. Freeing himself from the shackles and attaining the true will.
Seeing Anna's face once more ignited his resolve, on the rocky road he shall perish, for the dream he holds. How many tragedies had happened in the world? How many could've been prevented? Had the world become that bitter for children with pure hearts and smile? If it had, he had more than enough reason to wipe it entirely.
Horrified, scared as his hand gazed through his chest. If this was how he was going to face his demise, he was more than happy, to be able to pass away in the arms of the one he holds dear. Perhaps, this would be the only way he would acknowledge it, to be slain by his own kind.
"You shall not, Brother, as much as it irritates me to call you this way, I suppose that's the least I can do. We share the same blood, after all." Of course, venom evident in her voice. How would it not? He failed as a brother, that is only right for her to hate him. Issei wouldn't have minded to have his sister hate his guts, even then, he would be glad, if she was alive.
Vision blocked, dark are his surroundings. He could feel his consciousness slipping away, as blood was drawn out from the wound he had suffered, not even having strength to pull out the foreign object from his body. He would pass away eventually, he would much rather go out with a smile on his face. This life… has blessed him with many joys, and cursed him with many tragedies, still, it was worth living.
"Huu… Haaa…" He was finally kicked out from the dreamscape he was in, still, all of those felt real, as if it was a warning special to him. Issei realized his vision was blurry, his heart aching, his mind, feeling deceived. Clutching his heart, squeezing it hard with his left hand, Issei gave in to the pain. Even if it's cause wasn't physical, it hurt a lot.
He had noticed that his vision was blurry, when he ran his hand up through his face and hair, he understood why.
He had cried, cried so hard that it soaked his blanket and face. The brunette was anxious, scared and hurt, all of those put a strain on his body. Yesterday's events had a great deal of backlash as well. The broken heart syndrome came back, he realized. This much pain wouldn't come from nowhere. His stress levels must've shot through the roof.
He had ways to deal with the pent up emotions and stress. One way of those was having counselling sessions and rehab with his counselor. It had been a great deal of time since he contacted her, maybe this would be the right time. He would've someone to spend his time as well, maybe this wasn't a bad idea as he thought initially. Sure, she was a busy secretary, but she had always spared time for him.
'Uf… Gotta skip school today, I don't want to look like a walking wreck.' Upon deciding his plans for today, Issei slumped back into the bed, only to shoot up again, with fear evident in his appearance.
'If I don't show up, Kaichou will probably blow my place up… or worse, come to check up on me, which would do no good. Hey Buddy, do you have any suggestions?' Shifting his attention from the blanket to the wall, the boy waited for his mentor's advice.
Such a short wait didn't seem to end as Issei finally gave up. Ddraig would be often off on days like this, as Issei wasn't the only one to experience night terrors, such a host he was, causing his own partner pain due to his own weakness.
Reluctantly but obligatorily, Issei stood up to have breakfast. If he wasn't going to attend today, might as well spend his day taking care of himself. There are plenty of games waiting to be played on his shelf, plenty of activities to do and lastly, chores. Not that he minded though, doing chores was fun, over time, he had begun to appreciate the beauty that was the newly clean scent of his kitchen.
"So, Boss. Our plan is still in effect, right? I need to fetch Laira Silver." In a questionable manner, spoke the boy. Strolling beside him, was an unmatched beauty that was his King, Valerie Lucifer, clad in her school uniform, she radiated the energy of a pure hearted girl.
"Yup, the only difference is that you'll have to bring someone else as well." Kirin could see the worry in his master's eyes, and became intrigued.
Valerie followed. "That Hyoudou boy we've talked bout, your friend. I want you to collect him as well, we shouldn't gamble our chances, it's a human's survival we are talking about, it's crucial."
Now he had an idea at what his master was implying. Kirin himself wasn't a fool, he could very well see the gleam in her eyes whenever the topic changed, especially those concerning Issei. Well, If she was interested in him, then be his guest and actually put a stop to this operating-from-the-shadows thing the brunette was trying to pull off. They just began and he had already needed to deal with headaches.
"I-uh. Sure thing boss. If he's around, I'll pick him up as well." Chiming in with a rather nonchalant tone, one unexpected of him, Kirin replied.
"I mean, why wouldn't he? If I remember correctly, Hyoudou has a near perfect attendance score." Great, his idol turned out to be a stalker. Oh joy. Is that his future? To be a pawn in the Great game of stalkers? Wait, it does make sense though, he is already a Pawn.
"I dunno, he looked pretty exhausted and sick last night. I'm just saying though, I don't know for sure." Now his master made a face that couldn't be seen in school grounds, a kind of face that had a hint of worry in it. To see that expression from her is like having a glance to the Garden of Eden, not impossible, but definitely once in a lifetime. Well, the latter could be seen in the afterlife, but whatever.
So, he had to fetch Kyle's sister, whom he is acquaintances with. The thing is, he didn't know how to do that, especially under the brother's watch. Kyle had been known to break people's noses just because they glanced at Laira, for a split second. It's a miracle how they keep not expelling him after all of these, still. Having a you-know-what measurement contest with him isn't a solution either. Stealth it is then.
Go to class, spot Laira, have a chit chat with her, convince her to come with him on her own free will and do whatever it takes to not get his face buried six feet under Kyle's or Issei's shoes, cause he too, sees her as his own sister and had his fair share of doing any% speedrun attempts to break jaws, record at 10 seconds. Lovely.
Last but not least, there is the possibility that he might bite the dust. If the sibling duo are actually aware of Supernatural, got their early game grind done, have at least a dozen of real life battle experiences, then he would fuck up pretty bad. Well, taking one for the team is something he's accustomed to.
'I'm probably gonna screw in a way that no one can fix my mess, but whatever. What's the worst that could happen?' Boy, you don't even think about that, it's illegal. You're entirely making matters worse.
Well… This could be even worse. Glancing at the duo that were ready to get in a fight, Valerie and Kyle, both wanting to jump at each other's throat, Kirin could only sigh to himself, trying to figure out how did it even end up like this. His part was a half-success, sure he couldn't get Issei, but he got Laira, their main target.
On how he did that, Well… not entirely the way he hoped, truly. So there he was, trying to fetch Laira by using his charisma and newfound Speech of the Devil, to convince her to come along with him to a literal nest of Devils, Occult Research Club. Which didn't work as well as he planned, due to the obvious reason being Kyle.
Long story short, Kyle proposed to have a contest with him as to who decapitates the other first if he didn't agree to let him come. Pretty cool threat, he had to admit. Having no other choice, Kirin agreed, cuz why not, he liked his head intact, above the shoulders and functioning without an issue. Sure he had a thick skull, but for someone who can pretty much create and materialize swords by barely imagining them, his head would get rekt.
This was one part down, the next one is actually him trying to explain as to why hadn't Issei showed up, to Valerie, who was quite upset about the news. He had looked around, searched for any clue that would clear things, but no, his friend has no other dudes than him, Great. No one will ever think about Kirin, am I right? Screw him, by the way.
Third things third, Silver family turned out to be actually Angels, in Devil's Territory, arguing over a Fallen Angel incident with his Boss, Battle Royale but in real life. His assumptions quickly turned out to be correct as Kyle himself boasted 6 wings, pure silver with many, many black dots, fitting. He also didn't stop at that, materializing enough blades to blow up the entire school ground was the icing on the cake.
Things heated up pretty quickly afterwards, with his Boss getting herself ready for a confrontation, Rias and Akeno-Senpai having their usual King-Queen talk like nothing's gonna happen. The air is tense, that's for sure, but regardless, a fight would only dampen the relationship between the parties.
So, even weak he is, he's gotta support and protect his King. Words can be pretty deadly in the right tongues, after all. And, there's no such bullshitter even close to him on this school ground, save his retarded companion, Issei, who's not present at the moment.
"Again and again, I'm telling you, Lucifer. We have no relationship with Heaven, we are not here to spy on you, and most of all, this is basically our territory as we were born in it. Step back, if you don't, you'll face the consequences of your actions." The younger sibling spat with an irritated tone, which could be understood that Valerie didn't seem to give up on the subject.
"Then why wait for so long? You've known our identities, far longer than I could've known, and you've yet to make your presence known, until today. I doubt you've been ever planning to make this official, at all. As one of the owners of Kuoh, that I can't allow." Both parties didn't seem to back down from the inevitable, as if they've forgotten that there are actual human beings that didn't know about the dark side.
"Why would we? Can't you see the reason already, one particular encounter and boom, guess what. You're trying to antagonize us before you actually have any tendency to listen. You'd suck as a politician, Lucifer." In a somewhat joking manner, came their reply. Laira herself didn't seem to grasp the current topic, as she sulked down and tried to ease herself.
Which struck an opportunity, if he could talk it out with Laira, Kirin would solve this issue without resorting to violence, nice. A retard he may be, but not without any conscience. He could feel the burden on the poor girl even from here, even if they wouldn't stop, helping her would tick one mark off from his to-do list. Assist to a damsel in distress, well, one hell of a beauty still counts.
Formulating a plan of his own, Kirin acted. He was a firm believer of unshakable peace and given the right circumstances, he would very much prefer to do his bidding without bloodshed. Even if the situation demanded him to fight, he would always try to talk it out until no longer his mouth had any effect on his opponents. Well, it seemed that he was the only one as Issei, Valerie and Kyle would often want to solve their problems with violence.
He at least knows some boundaries, whereas neither Issei nor Valerie do. Having the opportunity to see his companion in fights a few times, Kirin could admit that the brunette was no joke when it came to spilling blood with his bare hands. His master, well, was as notorious as Issei in terms of wrath she would unleash upon thee.
'Now's not the time to think about that Kirin, get a hold of yourself. There's a lady in need of your help, Angel or not, You have to help him.' Quickly composing himself, Kirin made his way through the damsel. The only way to encourage cooperation by both parties would only be possible in the form of friendship and peace, unlike their masters, Kyle and Valerie, who pursue to solve this issue with violence.
Upon approaching the sulken beauty, the Cat got Kirin's tongue. How could he even begin the conversation? With meaningless crap or actually rational thought solutions? There's gotta be somethi-
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Oh shi-
That's when both parties focused their attention on the duo, even Akeno and Rias raised eyebrows at the strange one liner from Laira. An irritated Kyle switched his stare and magnificently sharp blades at him, followed by a much more disappointed Valerie facepalming at his direction. Well, at least he eased some of the tension, that's a plus in his book.
"Our only objective is that we can live in peace with different races, like Youkai and you, the Devils. We mean no harm and will not intervene with your rulership on this town. In return, we ask you to respect our choices and agree with our terms on your behalf." The younger brother listed their conditions, earning a meaningful glance from their counterpart.
"Your conditions are approvable, however, we have to make sure that you respect our traditions. As such, we have to inform our leaders about this agreement. Do you have a leader figure, or are you two rogues in our town?" Valerie objected with her demand, hopefully, they have someone that could have reason with Maou Serafall. Nearly all of the Devil Sentiments on Earth have to report to her on a monthly basis. This event would surely make an interesting topic on Kuoh's Report.
"As the representative of my house, you have my word on that. As for the leader figure, We have our father, a pure Angel. We can arrange that meeting with your leader, Maou Lucifer I think?" The education from his father came in handy as Kyle easily solved the problem for them in a favorable way. They could live as they wanted without interrupting Devils' business, just like how they have been doing for up until now.
"I have one more condition though, after that we should have no problems with each other. Also, I believe that we can handle this meeting without any further delay if your party agrees with our demand." The Silver haired beauty made eye contact with the younger sibling, who in turn returned the contact with a bashed face and confused look. As she expected, they are rookies in interracial politics.
Having formed a great deal of deals and treaties with the Fallen side by herself, Valerie came to acknowledge the importance of guarantors. On her treaties, she would often use Akeno as her guarantee, as she's a hybrid of both races, she could handle these situations fairly well. The guarantors are often chosen from hybrids, but pure kins are able to be guarantors in instances.
Picking your guarantor is mostly the hardest part of an agreement, as hybrids are much lower in numbers, let alone a Nephilim, A Devil/Angel Hybrid, one of the finest specimens among the tainted. Alas, a creature with cultural links to both sides is more appropriate in this kind of situation.
"I need to have you acknowledge the fact that you may not meet our demands with the way you have been operating, thus I request a formal treaty, signed by both parties as well as their guarantors. If you have any objections, please tell us now, and we will take actions regarding your choice." The Stern Lady explained in a tone that demanded their cooperation, which would benefit them both actually.
Now was the time for the Siblings to think about appropriate candidates for their guarantor, who would understand interracial politics and would be able to reason with Devils? Also, that candidate needed to be someone strong and honest, there were only 3 people that fulfilled those conditions.
Their Father, as a man of upper echelon and a loving father, would be the best fit for something like this. However, they couldn't use him as both their guarantor and guardian figure, so having his support on this one would merely be encouragement and spiritual, more or less.
Asking their Sister would be seen as swallowing their words, according to Kyle. After his uprising against her yesterday, asking something like this would give her too much confidence and she would soon start to mock Kyle just because of it, and he couldn't even stand the idea of her looking at him smugly.
The last option was, well… asking Issei to do a favor for them. Kyle knew firsthand how much he values them and would not hesitate to do something like that. Plus he's a Devil, he could even make them the advantageous side if he knew how to handle this whole ordeal, which Kyle had no doubt of.
Evaluating their options and finally deciding on the last one, Kyle excused himself to have a talk with his brother figure, of course, he wouldn't outright say his name, there's a possibility that he would reject his idea.
Ring Ring, Ring Ring… Ring Ring, Ring Ring…
"Ayo what's up Ise."
"I'm dying, let me die in peace."
"Well, Laira and I are actually dying so I need you to do me a favor."
"Rejected."
"B-But! Hear me out first, okay?"
"Nah."
"For a moment, please?"
"I'll think about it."
"So…"
"And that's what happened, you know that I wouldn't ask something like this if it weren't for the fact that I really can't trust someone else for this deal. What do you say?"
"Nope, not in the slightest. I'm not gonna pull a middle finger to all I have done until now to keep my identity a secret, but I'll arrange someone for you, don't worry bout that."
"Thanks mate, I owe you one."
"Yes you do, and I want something right now, Okay?"
"Uh..? What do you want?"
"I'm gonna pull a trick to confirm my suspicions, keep a close eye on Lucifer, even the tiniest bit of reaction would be helpful."
"Fine, I'll be your observer for the time being. Now do whatever you're gonna do and save us from this shit."
With that Kyle hung up, leaving behind a curious and tired Issei. The brunette needed to call a favor for this incident, which would leave him indebted to a Devil he knew all too well. After all, they had spent a considerable amount of time together for her to consider him as her hero.
'Yo Ddraig, you here?' Establishing their telepathic link, Issei tried to communicate with his partner. He didn't know whether the Dragon would answer or not, they usually wouldn't talk on days like these, in which they both would have night terrors. He had asked about what Ddraig had seen in his nightmares, but the Emperor would wave him off and tell him to mind his own business.
['Better make it quick, I don't want to deal with anything in this mood.'] Ddraig's voice came in the form of an exhausted grunt, which made Issei feel a tad sad. He didn't even need to do this but for the sake of their plans, he needed to confirm his suspicions regarding the one and only Lucifer in the town.
'I was wondering, could we produce a sound that no other beings but Dragons can hear?' Now The Emperor was interested, from the looks of it, Issei wanted to call out Albion if Valerie turns out to be the White Dragon Empress. Brilliant idea it might be, but it could backfire at them quite harshly, especially on days like this.
['I can arrange that for you, however, I can only roar in a specific decibel from inside, enough for Albion and his host to hear. I will arrange a special message for us, don't you worry.'] Ddraig's tone sounded like he was sure it would work, but somehow would end up having Issei in a worse position than he already is.
'Listen to me you lizard, if you try anything funny, both of our lives will be over before we even begin to enjoy it.'
['I'm in a Sacred Gear, I will pass on to another host, hah. You, on the other hand, would be stuck in the Gear with me, either win/win situation for me.']
'You're an insufferable asshole, you know that right.'
As patient as he is, Kyle is starting to get really nervous.
First of all, he didn't think Issei would react that harshly to a favor he asked, which wasn't even something he called out for his entertainment. They actually needed help and his help would be tremendous, especially in a bargain with the literal Devil.
Secondly, it seemed that Issei was playing around for a while now. His acquaintance didn't seem to show up for the last hour, which affected their reputation in the eyes of the Devils. Sure, the brunette was a man of his word but Kyle started to think that Issei snitched them.
His assumptions would quickly be proven wrong by the magic crest of a Devil, linking themselves to the middle of the room. The crest was pure crimson in color and shone brightly each passing second, reflecting the progress by the light it spread. The acquaintance Issei talked about must've found their way to the Occult Research Club.
*Gremory?!" In an instant the Ruin princess shot up from her seat, confusion visible on her attire. No way they knew someone from her Family, as far as Rias was concerned only her brother, Sirzechs, was handling and dealing with interracial politics.
Her reaction also caused confusion among her friends and peerage, even Valerie wasn't expecting out of everyone a Gremory would come to be their guarantor. Maybe a Nephilim at the very best, an Angel at worst. A Devil? Someone from the Gremory family at that? Not even in their wildest dreams, as it would complicate things further with having a deal with someone from the same family.
A Rather relative figure stepped out of the teleportation circle, her shoulder length crimson hair still waving from the aftereffects of the teleportation. Emerald orbs of pure confidence radiating good will to her allies, fear and carnage to the opponent. The Gremory's face resembled that of a pearl, round and fresh, overflowing with such perfection that no model would hope to catch.
No shorter from Valerie but definitely not taller than her contractor, she stood between the Angels and Devils, turning her back towards the former, signifying her trust. Her ears had an interesting ornament around them, earrings made of pure silver, taking the shape of a Griffin's wings. The aura she radiated with much expertise was that of a warrior, wise in power and knowledge.
Her overall attire consisted of a white mini skirt with black stripes, under which was a pantyhose with the same color of the stripes, upon it was a newly laundered and tight black shirt, which welcomed and paid its gratitude by encompassing her great figure tightly. Lastly, a black jacket, modified with magic to withstand and cover her from the freezing cold of the harsh conditions of the Underworld.
"A-Almalexia?!" With the arrival of her cousin, Rias was left speechless. They actually had a connection with the unreachable Almalexia? Just how? Those Angels are surely dangerous, Rias made a mental note to especially keep an eye on them, and find out how they were able to get into contact with her.
Almalexia has been known as the dark horse of the Gremory family, everybody knew about the potential she had, even before she was brought to the world of the living. Her parents themselves were prodigies of their generation's, it was only natural to expect her to go beyond the boundaries.
Sired by the Heir of the Marchosias and Zurich Gremory, brother to the Zeoticus Gremory, making her a first degree relative of Rias, to be precise, cousin. Almalexia had attained both of her parent's gifts, immense physical strength and magical capacity, from Marchosias and Gremory, respectively.
She may not have some sort of hereditary power on her own, but with the combined strength of her willpower and might, she is up there with the Most Influential Young Devil's. Especially after that, Almalexia had found strength in herself, making her by far one of the most dangerous young devils out there.
"Hey cousin, Whatcha doin'?" With a carefree tone, Almalexia brought everyone from their dumbfounded state. Upon realizing that everybody had questions for her, the beauty decided to explain herself, but before that, she needed to see why out of all people, hewanted her to handle this situation, were those Angels behind her mattered to him that much?
"So, you two are actual Angels?" Kind of monologuing, Almalexia began to carefully examine the pair in front of her, she could already see why they would need her help. Of course, Almalexia wouldn't even have the thought of letting that person down, he had already given her a second shot at life.
"Not that I'm complaining, cousin, but why did you show up here?" Rias asked the obvious, she couldn't be here to be their guarantor, right? There must be something else behind her arrival, Rias herself did not want to believe that out of all people, Almalexia was the one they found. The sole reason would be that Almalexia always minded her own business, even rejecting the idea of forming a peerage, much to the community's dismay.
"I see… You don't want to think that I'm here to help them, cousin. However, I can assure you that the only reason I've arrived at your club is just that." Replying with a smirk of her own, Almalexia sided with the Angel duo.
"My reasons are fairly simple, though. We do have a common acquaintance, upon their wish, I came all this way from the Underworld. I hope we can handle this quickly, Rias and Valerie." Now turning an eye to Lucifer, Almalexia waited for their answer. Rias was persistent on the issue, though she couldn't understand, she wanted to hear her reason.
"May I know who that acquaintance is? They must have tremendous influence, for you to even turn your back on us, Almalexia." Simple but direct, The Gremory Heiress exclaimed, now waiting for her dear cousin to explain herself.
"First of all, I am not deceiving or betraying our Family, Rias. I made it clear that I have my reasons, and if they wished, then so shall I do what they want me to do. I hold them in utmost regard, do not even dare to insult them in front of me." Dealing with Rias proved to be harder than she had initially thought, Almalexia might retort to her final card, which is explaining who that person is.
The truth is, Almalexia herself didn't know his name either. Only his alias, which was a big hit in their time. He promised to keep contact with her, and reveal himself to her if she helped his friends, as he called them his only family. It seemed that he held them in such high regard that he contacted her for help. Truly, they were blessed with such a caring person.
It seemed that Rias was not pleased with her cryptic answer. Deciding to not elaborate further, Almalexia began her explanation.
"I have arrived per the wish of Dark Slayer. It seems that those two know who they are, hence they've asked me for a favor and I will honor it with my very being. I don't have to answer your questions, Cousin. Let's get started and not waste any of our spare minutes." With a demanding tone, Almalexia repeated herself. Her explanation made different kinds of reactions throughout the room.
Rias and Valerie were quite shocked, not because they were surprised that Almalexia had a connection with the so-called hero of the Incident. It was clear as daylight that she had met him in person. Rather, they were clearly surprised to hear that these Angels had a connection with such an influential figure in the Underworld.
Nobody, albeit a few individuals, knew who Dark Slayer was. At that time, it was him that guaranteed the future of many Devil Houses. His appearance greatly impacted the wellbeing of the children of famous Devil families, who have become the Heir to their respective pillars.
The Night of Shattered Futures it was called. A Dark stain on the modern Devil-Era.
6 Years ago, on the brink of the rise of Khaos Brigade, the organization launched a devastating attack on the Underworld, an attack that would change the very future of the Devils. Organizing and arranging the scheme, they've launched their attack, an attempt to kidnap nearly every Heir of the Devil Families.
Thousands of Future heirs were kidnapped, among them were Sona Sitri, Almalexia Gremory, Razeth Phenex and Seekvaira Agares, four of the, if not the most, influential children up to their date. The realization shocked the entire Underworld, the Maous, which were extremely concerned, organized a special team of counterforce, an attempt to locate and retrieve the Heirs.
Days of unnecessary search came to an end as an entity named Dark Slayer had given them the exact location of the Fortress. Allowing the Government of Underworld to force a surprise attack, which had the goal of eliminating the very being of Khaos Brigade itself. Serafall Leviathan, the Current Maou of the Foreign Affairs, took a personal role in the retaliation force, beside her was one of the Super-Devils, Rizevim Livan Lucifer, the Head of the Great Council of Devil Families.
The incident had ended with more than thirty heirs found to have passed away and around Two Thousand and forty-three rescued successfully. The Underworld tried to locate the entity called Dark Slayer, in order to show their gratitude towards them, but have not succeeded in doing so. On Lucifaad Square, located there a memorial of the innocent children that passed away, with their names engraved on it. Every year, millions of Devils gather to mourn their loss.
Almalexia's story differentiated from the others by a brief fact, that she herself had been rescued by the entity called Dark Slayer. She had seen firsthand how he operated and his clash against the user of First Longinus, True Longinus, Cao Cao, the General of the Hero Faction branch of Khaos Brigade. She described him as being a boy of their age, with bright hazel eyes and brown hair, a fresh face, and a beautiful and caring tone.
Of course, Almalexia had not spoken to anybody about him but Maous. So hearing an offer from the same entity had been a pleasant surprise, and something like this would not even the score between them. The Gremory made sure to catch up with him, thus asked him to meet up with her, in a place of his choosing. Whether he agreed or not would be clear once she handled this request.
"You may see my reason, cousin. As I said, we should continue and officially conduct this treaty. I am willing to be their guarantor." With a formal tone, Almalexia exclaimed her desire to continue.
Without further ado, The treaty had gone into effect without much issue, thanks to Almalexia's understanding of Devil Culture and Angels desire to cooperate with them. Rias Gremory took the role of The Witness, thus she made an oath on her family's name to honor the treaty between the parties fair and just.
"With that, I think my job here is done. Thanks for your cooperation, cousin." After explaining, Almalexia took a final glance to the Angel Duo beside her, with her smile intact. If they mattered that much to Dark Slayer, they must be great people, regardless of their race. She made a mental note to look out for them in case they got into trouble.
"You can contact me whenever you wish, Kyle, Laira. I shall not disappoint you." Exchanging a fist bump with the older Angel, Almalexia left as she came, with a bright flash of crimson light.
Valerie was processing the intel she had acquired, those Angels knew who Dark Slayer is, and by that logic they also could contact Almalexia whenever they wanted. Truly, she had underestimated them greatly, they had many powerful allies.
{"Ddraig YOU BASTARD!"} Materializing upon his hatred towards the Red Dragon, Albion exclaimed furiously. Everybody present was shocked with the appearance of the White Dragon, few knew Valerie as the Empress of the White, but it was definitely a sight to see for Kyle and Laira, who couldn't understand the source of the voice just yet.
"Uh… You're the Hakuryuukou? No wonder why I felt that much pressure on myself." Even Kyle was amazed by the sudden discovery, A Dragon Emperor would make such an amazing spar partner. However, Valerie herself didn't know why Albion reacted like that.
'Care to explain what just took place, Albion?' The Beauty quickly dismissed her gear and waited for her partner's answer, Albion surely wouldn't do things like that out of nowhere. Something must've triggered him, and she needed to know what that would be.
{'He's mocking us, he knows who we are. He's watching us. That lizard used an ancient tongue, only he and I would use to communicate. He must've located us. We need to be extremely careful from now on.'} Albion's statement purely shocked his partner, Ddraig already found them? This must mean he is in Kuoh, waiting for her arrival to have their fated clash. This little bit of information brought a wide smile to Beauty's face.
'So let's give them what they want, Albion.' Communicating with the Dragon in her soul, Valerie quickly flashed out of the clubroom. Albion was able to locate the direction of the sound, rest of the deal would be done later. Now was the time for her destiny to take place, of which she would pleasantly go along with.
Revelations, Issei didn't like them. Revealing the secret truth behind certain individuals would often turn out to be heartbreaking, them not being the person you've thought of, sort of being deceived, fooled and tossed around. Lying time after time, only to be shattered by the painful truth.
"Where are you, huh? Calling me all the way from the clubroom to this dense forest, you must have some guts, Sekiryuutei!" The Lady shouted, trying to find the source of the voice her soulmate heard. Her recklessness was truly beyond the point, didn't she even think this was a bluff?
'No more turning back, time to give her what she wants.' Upon deciding to make himself known, Issei leaped down from the branch he was observing the beauty, of course, he had his artifact intact, meaning that she couldn't find him even if she wanted to.
["Welsh Dragon; Balance Breaker! Scale-Mail!"] Ddraig's voice echoed through the forest, immediately gaining the attention of the said beauty. When she noticed that Sekiryuutei had already made themselves known, she couldn't fight back the urge to smirk. For long she had waited for their arrival, to settle the score between them.
"Finally got your courage? Welp, I guess I have to play along. Albion!"
{"Vanishing Dragon; Balance Breaker! Scale-Mail!"} Upon the wish of his partner, Albion engulfed her in a pale blue light, successfully summoning their idiosyncratic armor.
The fight between the Dragons began as they both hurled at each other, with Valerie still provoking her Rival to get his attention. It was finally time to prove to each other that they were worthy to be their Rival, a question of strength arose, as they collided their fists.
["Boost!"] Doubling his power, Sekiryuutei used all his might to prove his strength to Valerie, who was shocked by the tremendous force he had displayed with just one boost. Truly, a fight between two Dragons was something else. As she regained her footing, she made an implication for her Rival to catch up with her.
'He's far stronger than I had thought of, this will prove to be an excellent fight.' Her instincts were through the roof, finally an opponent to make her use her utmost.
{"Divide!"} Albion's voice boomed against their foes, with a host like Valerie, they wouldn't lose against Ddraig, and Valerie would finally find her own way in life.
Quickly elbowing Sekiryuutei, Valerie followed behind. What she didn't think of was that he would have the reaction time of 84 milliseconds, as he swiftly evaded her strike and answered with his own, effectively sending Valerie to the ground.
'Damn! Even Tobio fell for that trick, considering he was the fastest among us at that time, Sekiryuutei is able to answer even faster than him. Fearsome!' Adrenaline pumped through her veins, this fight! It made the trouble to come all this way to locate him worth the shot.
"Did the cat get your tongue? Come on, let's have a chit chat, my Rival." Provoking him further, Valerie kept on her assault. Somehow, he was able to answer nearly every single of them, like he could read her moves.
'That must be it! I have been launching my strikes without even considering, I have to put all my faith behind it, to surpass him!' Faking an uppercut and quickly gathering Magicka at her hand, Valerie conducted an energy burst at the very left side of her palm, effectively staggering her opponent for a split second, that opening would be enough for her to go for a round-kick, aimed at his torso.
{"Divide!"} The Silver-haired beauty's plan worked flawlessly as she sent the Sekiryuutei crushing to the ground, she had put all her strength behind that kick, he would have at least a broken sternum.
Much to her shock, He stood up and cleaned the dust from his chest. He was durable enough to withstand one of her strikes straight, which meant good news for her, as Valerie could continue to examine the strength of her Rival without considering his demise.
["You two are definitely fearsome, we have to admit. Pardon my host's silence, he does not like to talk during battles. We promise to give our utmost to you as a mean of showing our respect, Albion."] Ddraig did the talking for both of them, with a little bit of lie here and there. If Issei talked instead of Ddraig, they could actually identify him, at least Valerie definitely could.
His goal wasn't to injure her or anything like that, he knew that Valerie would want to face her Rival before she did anything significant in her life. Issei could guess it from her fearful looks towards him, like she did not want him to get hurt between the Dragon's fated clash, as he felt that way as well.
Issei couldn't even live his life properly due to constantly being on edge because of Ddraig and Albion's rivalry, so having their clash early on would help them both to live their life to its fullest. He had to admit, if Ddraig didn't convince him to end their rivalry once they had found that Valerie was actually the White Dragon Empress, Issei would've walked away without confronting the Beauty.
{'As expected of Ddraig, he has honed this host of him greatly. Look at his moves, Valerie. Only people involved in actual wars would be that cautious, truly beautiful.'} Upon hearing the Supremacy's message, Valerie examined the Sekiryuutei in front of her, gracefully evading all her strikes with minimum movement.
She was almost glad that her Rival came in the form of an educated warrior, it's not everyday that someone this skilled approached them to fight against. It was almost that Sekiryuutei did not want to hurt them, but went along with them in this dance of fury.
["Boost!"] Again, Ddraig's fierce voice echoed. This time, Sekiryuutei approached them directly, engaging in a shower of punches, clearly a sign to not underestimate them. As many wielded the Longinus', none came close to mastering it than these two, a statement that Dragons agreed, albeit unknowingly.
Valerie was trying her hardest to evade them without ensuring great damage to herself, which proved to be a difficult task. Sekiryuutei knew where to strike precisely, angles that couldn't be covered without the use of magic, on which they had a silent agreement to not use, fighting like honorable warriors, going beyond the limits their bodies could offer.
As his assault came to a halt, Valerie caught her breath, silently praising the warrior that stood before her. It was her turn to take the aggressor, as Sekiryuutei made a gesture for her to come at him with what she could offer.
'A decisive attack to finish the fight so soon?' Even if she couldn't understand their motive, Valerie gave thought to the idea. Finishing their clash here would be a tad sad, but it would give both parties time to hone their skills and meet again in the foreseeable future. Truly, this day would mark the first clash between the Strongest Hakuryuukou and Sekiryuutei.
["Boost!"]
{"Divide!"} Came Albion's ear piercing reply.
Both parties had gained momentum and were smitten with Battle's Fury, an attack of this caliber would prove to be enough to destroy a part of the forest.
"Begone!"
"Not Today!"
They did not care for the final exchange words, instead focused on their all out strike. Their respective aura's covered their fists, Pale Blue for the Hakuryuukou and Deep Crimson for the Sekiryuutei, a means of enhancing their last stand. One way or another, the duo wouldn't be able to overpower each other, as the nature of the Dragons wouldn't allow them to do so.
As they collided, fate had already written its plan about the two of them. One shall not overpower the other, their strikes would prove to be just of the same strength. The excessive power their collision radiated as an earthquake, absorbing the power output from these two.
["My host and I thank you, Rival. This fight has truly been something else, we have come to respect you two."] Ddraig sincerely praised them with utmost pride in his host, holding his ground against Valerie without the use of his idiosyncratic Demonic powers was truly terrifying!
Before Valerie could speak, Albion came forward.
{"The pleasure is ours, Ddraig. A fine host you have, we are looking forward to our next encounter."} Even Albion praised Ddraig's host for his achievements, of course, Albion didn't even think that they could go toe to toe with each other due to his pride in Valerie. It seems that Fate does not disappoint them with its choices.
["May we meet again, Rival"] Ddraig's last words came as they vanished without any trace, leaving the Empress and Albion with smiles on their faces.
'It seems that my Rival is quite secretive, nevertheless, he is quite strong. He's been training hard, if I have to presume. A human of this caliber would definitely attract some attention.' Already speculating about the origins of her Rival, as expected of Valerie.
This day was full of mysteries that could actually be linked with each other, but Valerie was pretty exhausted to even think about them. Ddraig's appearance had changed her plans quite drastically, as she did not have to worry about a surprise attack anymore.
'Why does his voice sound so familiar..?'
Sike, It's over folks.
Not the story tho, the chapter.
Your lazy writer is here not to apologize but to shamelessly publish another chapter and go ghost mode again, heh.
Anyways, I don't think I need to say this but don't expect regular updates, I'm writing in my free time and I dun wanna sometimes, so it leads to months of delayed updates.
This chapter explains a bit of LORE, and smth. Valerie and co. are introduced to another character, another damsel in distress that was saved by certain wannabe samurai that goes by the initial I. And I somehow linked the OC from the last chapter with pure luck, trust me I didn't even plan it, just happened.
So you might notice the shift in grammatical structure between the texts. I need you to know that I decided to use different kinds of writing for each character, i.e Kirin's is more carefree and informal, whereas Issei is quite the opposite. Also I somehow forgot how to write in English, second language my ass.
Kthxbai
R&R Boys and Grilles
Shiwftie out.
