Alright, so I'll start off with a reminder. The Q&A session will be ending tomorrow, around 10:00 AM, so if you have any questions for me, then be sure to head over to my Profile Page and copy the link in the section talking about the Q&A and visiting the forum. Of course, if you do post a question, then please adhere to the rules I set.

As for how I'll answer everything, I'll post the answers for questions for each story at the next update, in case no one sees them in the forums.

Anyways, I don't have too much to say for the opening, so I'll just let you all get to reading.


Chapter 3: A Glimpse into the Past

Caught in the rush of the moment, Issei dashed into his house and grabbed a suitcase, packing away important information and his belongings before dashing towards the door. Much to his surprise, Vali was waiting in the Living Room, her arms folded and her eyes staring out onto the street. She looked so vigilant, as if a statue that was there to stand guard against any threat.

"Are you ready?" Vali asked.

"Yeah."

"Stand close to me. We're going to make this a short trip."

Doing as told, Issei stood next to the silver-haired young lady as he then noticed that a magic circle sprouted from underneath her feet. It looked like one from an anime or video game. With a blinding shimmering light that grew increasingly powerful, Issei's eyes were overwhelmed by particles before everything went white.

When the light died down, Issei found that he was in Vali's Living Room.

"What was that?" Issei looked at Vali, flabbergasted.

Vali merely chuckled.

"Teleportation via magic circle. It's the preferred method of travel for supernaturals." Vali walked towards the hallway.

Issei took a moment to get himself together as nausea caught up to him a little. Holding his hand to a wall, he rubbed his forehead.

"Here, this will help." Vali walked back with a cup of green liquid.

"What is this?" Issei sniffed it. It smelled like mint and eucalyptus leaves.

"It's a special herbal remedy meant for nausea and stomach ailments. It'll help get rid of your urge to vomit." Vali smiled.

Taking a drink, Issei's face puckered as the bitter and sour taste flooded his taste buds. Vali couldn't help but giggle when she saw his face. His brows scrunched and his lips puckered while his body cringed and stiffened.

"Uwaaaaaghhhhhrrrrrrr. It's quite unique." Issei hoarsely groaned as he coughed and wagged his finger in a refusing fashion.

"Yeah, nobody likes it, no matter who you ask, but it helps you feel better." Vali set the tray day as she looked at her watch.

"So, what now?" Issei asked.

"We wait for my grandpa. There's a few things that we need to talk about."

That was when Vali noticed that Issei's navy gauntlet had disappeared again.

"What happened to your gauntlet?" She asked in bewilderment.

"I don't know. It just went away a few seconds ago as soon as we got here." Issei shrugged.

"Well then, we need it to appear again." Rizevim's voice echoed down the halls.

Walking into the Living Room, Rizevim sat down, looking as casual as usual while maintaining his stern eyes.

"Now, tell me what happened?"

"Fallen angels were waiting to ambush Issei when he got home. Not only that, but there were at least 20 of them."

That number raised a brow from Rizevim.

"Well, we can't rule out that it's not a very small group when there were at least 24 fallen angels involved in this incident. Did they intend to kill or capture?"

"They wanted me alive, but they said that it didn't matter what state I was in." Issei answered.

Rizevim stroked his beard in contemplation.

"Well, then, can you tell me if something was different this time with your Sacred Gear? Also, do tell me how it looked." The elderly devil asked.

"Well, this time, I heard something from Issei's Sacred Gear. It kind of…sounded a bit like a roar. It wasn't a specific sound but it was a little like a monster's roar. And it was colored navy, silver, and black." Vali recounted, trying to remember the details.

Rizevim paled considerably.

"Did it have wavy spikes and manifest as a gauntlet with several plates layering over each other?" He asked again.

"Yes." Issei nodded.

"I see…" Rizevim trailed off.

"Grandpa, did you learn anything new?" Vali asked.

"I spoke with Azazel and he's made it clear that he isn't involved. If anything, a few of his own have disappeared without a trace. I can officially rule out that Grigori is launching an operation." Rizevim shook his head.

"Then do you have an idea of who and why someone wants me?" Issei asked.

"I do, but none of them good. I'm still not sure, but when I have something, I'll let you know. Now, Vali, take our new guest up to a room of his choice." Rizevim smiled warmly.

"Alright."

"Um, Sir, will there be arrangements for anything?"

"Arrangements?" Rizevim was perplexed.

"Matters such as rent and individual belongings…" Issei laid out a few examples.

Issei had money saved up for himself, but he really hoped it wouldn't be like renting a 5-star hotel. His wallet wasn't that deep.

"Oh, that! There's no worries, Hahahahaha! You are a guest that was dragged into this involuntarily. I really don't think it would be appropriate for you to have to pay for anything." Rizevim let out a hearty laugh.

At this point, Rizevim found that Issei was showing some shreds of earnest manners, and was mildly satisfied with it.

"Don't worry, Issei. The only ones who pay bills, are the ones who own this place." Vali chuckled, reassuring Issei that no one expected payment from him.


Walking to an elevator, Issei was awestruck.

"You even have an elevator?"

"Yep. This place has at least 5 floors, so we made sure to have one installed. Your room will be on the second floor." Vali informed him.

"How do you pay for all this? This place must cost thousands of dollars just for one day." Issei marveled.

"Well, it helps that we have multiple branches of business that literally delve into everything, so paying for this place isn't a problem." Vali shrugged.

'Sounds like an empire.' Issei muttered to himself.

"Anyways, seeing as how you're not safe on your own anymore, we'll be commuting to school together and we'll come back here after it ends. Thankfully, we don't have much longer until the Semester ends in a few weeks. After that, we can really get started on sorting out what to do."

Issei found that he couldn't really contribute much since he didn't know anything. It was actually a little frustrating since he was being marked for death but he had such little information. He looked at his right arm and stared at it. Clearly, it only manifested when he was in danger or when he really wanted to live. When Raynare was about to kill him and when the Fallen Angel attacked him earlier, his gauntlet would materialize and his instincts would kick in for his survival. He was a little thankful since it was clear that this Sacred Gear in his arm had such a strong survival instinct.

"Say, Vali, there's something that I wanted to ask you."

Issei had been thinking about this request for a while, but now, after what had just happened, he'd decided that he couldn't stand around anymore. The fight was coming to him and he couldn't hide forever, nor could he keep risking Vali and her family's safety because of his own cowardice. If there was one thing that Issei didn't like to do, it was for others to take on his own burdens.

"What's that?" Vali inquired.

"Can you teach me how to fight?" Issei asked.

Vali stopped in her tracks, not turning around to look at him. Issei could hear her breathing slow down, as she entered a state of contemplation.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Issei? If you do, then you should understand that things will change forever. It's not too late for you to back out and go back to your quiet life once this is all over. You may think that this is only to learn how to protect yourself, but you'll find that events will line up to the point that you can't return. Believe me when I say that. Also, you're going to get messed up. I'm not just talking about cuts and bruises, I'm talking about broken limbs." Vali warned him.

Issei understood where she was coming from, but that wasn't going to stop him.

"I do, but Vali, I can't rely on everybody forever. Sooner or later, I'll be alone, and what then? What else can happen when I'm caught alone and there's nobody left to defend me?" He asked.

Vali sighed, relenting. She'd seen others behave like Issei, and she'd watched as the Supernatural world devoured them whole without a trace. Issei was a very nice and soothing person to be around. It'd be a shame to let some sort of fate claim him before he could do anything with his life. She was just so reluctant to see good people die early or be cursed to fates that not even death could solve. That was how scary the supernatural world was.

"Fine. As soon as break starts, we'll begin." Vali nodded.

Issei had a point. She couldn't be with him everywhere he went and it would be suffocating if she was. Issei gave her a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Vali."

"Don't thank me just yet." Vali shook her head.


The following Monday, Vali and Issei went to school, and much to Issei's chagrin, they were met with the same old annoying outrage that was typical for animes and mangas.

"No way! Hyoudou's coming to school with Lucifeln!"

"That quiet loser scored that rich bitch…"

"Damn it, I'm so jealous!"

Issei honestly thought this was a ridiculous reaction, but ignored it, ultimately. He walked further along, with Vali right next to him.

"Wow, so you deal with this every morning?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, pretty much. It eventually loses its effect, thank goodness. It was getting really annoying with all those creepy men leering at me." Vali mumbled.

"Yeah, I bet that's annoying. Well, at least their attention and hate are on me and not you." Issei chuckled.

"I don't think that's much better." Vali joined in on the small laughter.

When lunch time came, Issei and Vali continued their usual tradition. Sitting outside at a bench, the two ate and casually conversed, trading jokes and small stories. However, Issei had decided that it was time to talk about more serious things.

"So, Vali, can you give me a full explanation as to what a Sacred Gear is? Also, do you have any ideas about what my Sacred Gear does?" Issei asked.

Vali swallowed her food, forming her thoughts.

"Sacred Gears are magical items or abilities that were created by the God of the Bible. They all possess different abilities and are nearly uncountable in total. They can be considered divine relics in multiple tales and have been gifted to humans randomly before birth. However, don't get them confused with other items, such as Mjolnir and Excalibur, those are creations that aren't of biblical origin. Sacred Gears are unique to the biblical pantheon. Not only that, but there are two classes of Sacred Gears: the normal Sacred Gears and the 13 Longinus."

"Longinus?"

"Named after the man that stabbed Christ in the side with his spear. The Longinus Sacred Gears hold power far above any regular Gear. Some of them are known in legends, such as the Holy Grail and the Spear of Longinus. The Longinus tend to have more anomalies with what they can do and their effects are often more powerful. So, if you ever come across one, you'd best hope they belong to a friend."

Vali then took another bite of her food, trying to create a proper answer for Issei's other question.

"Now, quite frankly, I can only tell you what I think, based on what I've seen with your Sacred Gear. So far, it looks like a melee-type that enhances your physical abilities, for starters. As for the deeper things…I think it improves your reaction time and intuition. When I saw you fight, it was sloppy, but I could see that you were moving in anticipation of things. I'd say survivability is something that your Sacred Gear focuses on a lot."

"So, you're saying that something is alive in my Sacred Gear?" Issei looked at her with skepticism.

"Yes, there are Sacred Gears like that. Often, the more powerful Sacred Gears have creatures or the souls of formerly living beings sealed inside."

"So, are your shining wings Sacred Gears?" Issei inquired.

Vali nodded, casually. Clearly, she didn't have a problem telling him that part.

"My Sacred Gear is the Longinus, Divine Dividing. Inside it, is one of the two Heavenly Dragons, Albion."

'Vali, I specifically told you not to tell him.' Albion, the White Heavenly Dragon spoke in her mind.

'I see no harm in it.' Vali responded with a carefree tone.

"Heavenly Dragons?" Issei asked.

"Two dragons from ancient times that were sealed into Sacred Gears by the deity of the Bible during a time when devils, fallen angels, and angels were at war with each other. Their war had disturbed the Heavenly Dragons and in rage, they lashed out at all factions, whether they be friend or foe. They forced all three factions into total desperation, forcing them to cooperate to seal the two dragons away. Their bodies were severed apart and their souls were encased in metal and were put into the System that regulated the Biblical pantheons' miracles." Vali concisely explained.

"Wow…" Issei was quite surprised.

If that was the case, then Vali's Sacred Gear must've been extremely powerful.

"My Sacred Gear's main function lets me halve the strength of an individual whom I've touched and absorb it."

Issei looked at his right arm, wondering just what exactly his own did. It was putting him on the fallen angels' hit list, so he wanted to know.

"Don't worry. I'm certain that you'll find out soon, Issei." Vali smiled reassuringly.

She was right. The end of semester was on their doorstep, so that meant it was time to train, and it was time to find more answers.


When school ended, Issei and Vali immediately made their way home, not wasting a single moment. Issei was quite thankful, as he didn't even ask for Vali to help him with much more, instead, she took it upon herself to help him with whatever seemed to trouble him.

"Alright, before we start training, let's do some reading. We just might discover a thing or two since there's more than one of us working on this now." Vali smiled as she opened a red wooden door.

Inside, was a towering room with a massive amount of levels, with aisles and cascades of books, scrolls, sealed pages, and protected documents that came from all eras.

"My grandpa and I've been reading through most of these, but there's just a few left, so it shouldn't take as long to finish things up. So, let's get cracking." Vali stretched as she began retrieving the records that had yet to be read thoroughly.

After stacking about 12 books onto a table, Vali and Issei poured over page upon page, trying to learn anything. About 4 books in, Issei felt like his head would burst. He had been reading through the Lucifer family tree and found that Vali was a direct descendant of the original Lucifer, being his great-granddaughter, with Rizevim being his son. That was only a little bit of info, though. He ended up reading about the other Underworld clans and their ranks too.

When the final book was reached, Issei doubted there would be much relevance. He was proven right when he found that the book was really just a tattered navy booklet with only a few pages inside. Whoever wrote in this book, didn't want anyone seeing it. To add to that, the pages and binding was corroded, as if thrown into water and then left to air-dry.

"This was something that my grandpa found while traveling at sea. Sadly, the book had a ton of pages burned and torn out already, but I never bothered to actually look at it since he said that it was in another language. He said that when he opened it, the book was blank but let's look at it for the sake of looking at it." Vali shrugged.

Issei opened the book and true to what Vali said, the book had nothing in it. The pages were as blank as clouds and the damage done to the pages were enough to make anything illegible even if there was something there. Tracing his finger down the pages, Issei sighed, disappointed.

Just then, a glowing blue line began emanating from the page. Issei jumped back.

"Issei, what did you do?" Vali was shocked.

"I don't know. All I did was touch it."

With another sudden movement, the book violently shook as its pages began to rapidly turn, as if moved by some ominous force. Issei and Vali backed up, watching as the pages began to slow down before it finally stopped. It had been like looking at a horror scene. Bright blue lights began glowing from the page, prompting Issei to get closer. He couldn't fight his curiosity as he got closer and closer.

He looked at the letters and much to his surprise, he could understand what the letters meant.

'Today's date is the first day of January of the new year. I regret to say that this may be the final entry within this journal. The war is drawing closer to a fate that will end in nothing. The sky is all but fire, water has become searing vapor, the earth is dry and charred darkness, and the very air we breathe is all but poison. All of the elements that nourished us, has become our own worst enemies. It is clear that days of humanity will soon end and we are all helpless to stop it.

Up above, the gods, angels, demons, and creatures battle all around us, caring nothing for our misery. Any attempts at peace have gone moot as the pantheons have grown more and more desperate. Their arrogance has blinded them to all that are below. Everyone is starving, dying from disease and war while the gods that we worshipped have ignored our prayers. The fault isn't entirely theirs, however, as we humans have also become consumed by avarice and depravity. It is no secret that we are deserving of our fates.

What is worse than all I have just said, is the fact that the ancient one is soon to be released from his prison. For 100 years, he has been trapped within his cage, placed there because of our paranoia and greed. When the Calamity is released, our fates will be sealed and when it happens, death will be the final answer for us all. I, myself, am indifferent to the ending, as death is an answer to this wretched life. The Calamity's shadow is drawing closer and I am powerless to do anything against the Beasts that continue to prey on us all. I pray to whatever higher powers that be, to just grant an end to this sorry tale. There is nothing left to save and heal. Please, just let this end.'

Issei was struck silent. Whoever wrote this journal entry, whoever owned it, was clearly from a time of war and agony. As he read the entry, he couldn't help but imagine the kind of world that was described so tragically. However, that was the least of it. As he read each symbol, Issei felt something strumming the chords within him. Something just seemed to resonate within his mind and soul and it was so paralyzing that he was unable to do a thing.

Vali noticed how out-of-it Issei was and gently touched his shoulder.

"Issei?"

He didn't respond, merely leaning against the table as he thought about what he just read.

"Issei?" Vali spoke again.

Suddenly, Issei felt his mind flash. Images of burning wastelands, exploding skies, and terrified screams filled his consciousness, drawing him into a world that he didn't know was real or not. He began trembling as all feeling left his legs and his body grew cold. As if pulled into another world, Issei lost sight of what was in front of him. Within the blink of an eye, he found himself on a smoldering world, where he felt as if staying there was killing him. It didn't feel like an illusion, as his felt his skin itch and lungs itch from the atmosphere.

Just then, he felt the entire world shake and crack as a magnificent burst of blue light pulsed through the sky. He looked above, and a wave of massive and unrivaled power cleared away every single explosion. The sky was left black and navy, with only the crumbling moon to serve as a fading source of light.

Issei looked closely, as what caused it was eternally burned into his mind. The same massive dragon that was within his dreams as of late, was there. The six-winged dragon with black and navy scales and patches of silver armor floated in the sky, dwarfing everything above and below. Its glowing red eyes leered at its surroundings, growling with so much power that thunder sounded weak and tame in comparison.

"Issei!" Vali's voice screamed, echoing deep into Issei's ears.

"Huh?!" He jumped, looking at her in shock, snapping out of his daze and back into the real world.

"What's wrong? You zoned out and then you just started looking like you were freaking out!" Vali held him gently, seeing as how he was about to fall over.

When she looked into his eyes, she saw trauma and panic settling in. She could tell what it was as she had that look in her own eyes in the past. Whatever he was seeing, he didn't need to be there any longer for his own good.

"I-I saw something." Issei grasped his forehead.

For some reason, it just kept pulsing, causing waves of nausea and migraines to plague him. He wanted to just drive a drill through his skull and vent out whatever it was that was bothering him.

"What'd you see?" Vali asked.

"A burning world, where everything was poisonous. The sky was red and orange, and wherever I looked, there were explosions. I only saw it for a few seconds, though." Issei groaned.

Vali was honestly disturbed. She'd also looked at the pages when they began glowing, but she hadn't experienced anything at all. She didn't see anything, nor did she feel anything, but Issei did. Without a doubt, Issei was connected to this book, after witnessing what had happened.

"Come on, let's go sit down somewhere else." Issei gently took his arm and guided him outside of the Library.

Whatever the case, Vali wanted him to get some distance, since he looked seriously freaked.

Sitting him down in the Living Room, Vali went to the kitchen and began brewing a tonic for Issei. When she returned, she set the tray down and noticed that he was sweating profusely while staring off into the distance, still reeling from what he'd seen.

Retrieving a cold towel, Vali handed it to him.

"Here, wipe yourself with this and drink this tonic." She kindly set the tonic down in front of Issei.

"Thank you." Issei muttered.

Just then, the door to the mansion opened and Rizevim entered.

"Where's Vali and Issei?" He asked a butler.

"In the Living Room, My Lord."

"Oh, and here's a gift for you and the family, just like I promised." Rizevim's chuckle could be heard from the doorway before he popped into the room.

When he saw Issei's disturbed expression, he knew that something was immediately wrong. Rizevim had lived through several wars and had fought numerous battles. He knew the look of trauma when he saw it.

"What happened?" His tone shifting to a serious one.

Vali took her grandfather to the Kitchen and explained what had happened.

"So, as soon as he touched the book, he saw things?"

Vali nodded to Rizevim's question.

"Yeah. It was kind of sudden. He just flashed into his own little world and he said he saw some things."

"And did you?" Rizevim asked.

"No." Vali shook her head.

Rizevim nodded in understanding. Walking back to the Living Room, Rizevim sat across from Issei, attempting to be as calm and soothing as he could be. He was used to this, actually. He'd consoled many soldiers who'd been traumatized by war, having shared the pain.

"Hey, how're you feeling, Issei?" The old man asked.

"Uh…strange…I guess." Issei frowned.

That was understating it. Issei had lost all feeling in his body and he was dazed and disoriented. What he saw didn't just look real, it felt real, it smelled real. He could smell the iron of blood, smoke, and ozone. He could feel the crackling crunches under his shoes, and he could hear everything going on around him as if he were really there. Just thinking about it made him want to vomit from the horror.

"Vali told me about what happened. She said that you two were trying to find out about what your Sacred Gear was and you saw things. Can you tell me what they were?" Rizevim asked.

Issei sat silently, thinking. He tried to piece everything together so that he could give a coherent reply.

"I only saw glimpses and bits and pieces."

"That's fine. Whatever you're willing to tell me." Rizevim nodded in understanding.

"I saw a sky. It was blood-red, with smoke and fire everywhere. Lightning and dark clouds filled it. The ground was layered with at least a foot of ash. There were corpses everywhere, some of them in pieces, others merely ashen remains. I could hear screaming everywhere, and I saw creatures I'd never seen before." Issei recounted.

"Issei, tell me more. Did you see anyone or anything?" Rizevim continued.

"I saw…something…"

Issei decided that this was something that he had to talk about. He'd never sleep soundly if he didn't. He took a deep breath.

"I saw a dragon…" Issei muttered.

He flinched when he said 'dragon', as if the haunting memory was still newly-seen. Rizevim narrowed his eyes.

"What'd you see?" He raised a brow, wanting clarification.

"I saw a black and navy dragon with red eyes. It had a bladed tail, two arms and two legs, and it had a total of six wings."

Rizevim froze instantly. That surprised Issei and Vali. For a small moment, Vali saw her grandfather's eyes widen in horror and fear. His breathing hitched and a small gasp came out of his mouth. Before anyone could question why he was like that, Rizevim resumed his usual mood.

"I see. Issei, is it possible for you to manifest your Sacred Gear now?"

This time, Rizevim sounded more eager, as if it really mattered this time.

Issei held up his right arm and willed for it to appear, commanding his body to summon the metal gauntlet. This time, it did exactly as demanded. The navy and black gauntlet wrapped around his arm from navy vaporous wisps, allowing Rizevim to finally see it.

He looked at it solemnly, as if hoping for a different conclusion.

"Hmm…I understand. Well, Issei, this is my advice to you. Don't dwell on what you saw. It was from a book that no one understands and most of all, we don't know if it's true or not. I understand that your mind may stay on it, but don't allow those images to convince you that they're real. They're merely apparitions from some unknown time or fantasy. Magic can take any form and create many things, but it all boils down to belief. What you saw, isn't something you've experienced in real life nor did you cause it, so don't you allow it to take hold of you. Don't let those images convince you to turn them into parts of your past. It'll do you nor anyone else good."

Rizevim gave Issei a reassuring smile before getting up.

"By the way, Vali, your grandmother and peerage will be coming home tonight, so we'll be having a nice dinner." He said to his granddaughter.

"Oh, really?!" Vali looked at him excitedly.

"Yes, they've completed their jobs and will be here in a few minutes."

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared in the Living Room, similarly to how Vali first brought Issei here. Issei stood up, unsure of what to expect or do. When the sparkling light died down, Issei was met with five people, some of whom looked greatly unusual.

The first was a woman who looked about 27, with long sapphire hair that reached her waist, a gifted bosom, a formal red dress, white shoes, and several pieces of jewelry on her person.

The second was another young lady, being around Vali's age, with a black kimono, long black hair, and red clogs. She stood out the most to Issei, since she had two black cat-like ears and two furry black tails sticking out of her kimono. If Issei had his anime/manga/game culture right, she was a cat-girl. If he hadn't seen fallen angels already, he was certain that he'd be freaking out right now.

The third person was a young girl, looking to be about 15, with short blonde hair that touched her shoulders that curled at the ends. She wore a school uniform with a light-blue jacket and cream shirt with a matching skirt. The only thing that he found odd about her was that she had a pointy witch's hat.

The fourth person was a tall young man wearing glasses. He had the same color of blonde hair like the young girl in the witch's hat, but he looked more solemn in contrast to her cheery demeanor. He wore a nicely-sewn suit, which enhanced his regal posture and look, giving him the appearance of a gentleman.

The fifth and last person was wearing red armor, with golden accents, with short brown hair, dark green pants, and he had a golden bo staff in hand.

"Welcome home!" Vali rushed forward to give hugs.

"Oh, I've missed you so much." The woman with sapphire hair returned a fierce embrace.

"It's been a while, Vali. You haven't gotten into any trouble while we were away, did you?" The cat-girl asked.

"Not really." Vali shook her head.

Turning around, she walked to Issei, grabbed his arm and walked him over.

"This is the guy that I told you about, Issei Hyoudou. He's my classmate at Kuoh Academy and our current boarding guest." Vali introduced him.

"Hello, everyone. As was said, my name is Issei Hyoudou and I have been generously allowed to live here. I hope to be of service to you in the future in repayment." Issei bowed to a low angle.

"Oh? So this is the one?" The cat-girl remarked with interest.

"Issei, these are my dear friends: Arthur Pendragon, Lefay Pendragon, Bikou, Kuroka, and my grandmother, Ezagyra Valefor."

Vali pointed to the man with glasses, the cat-girl, the young witch, the monkey-looking guy, and the lady with sapphire hair in respective order.

'Wait…she said grandmother…' Issei's mind trailed off.

He blinked twice. Did he just hear Vali properly? That didn't make sense did it? Now that he thought about it, these people looked far younger than they were stated to be. He looked at Rizevim, who had silver air and a lengthy goatee, but aside from that, there weren't too many hints as to his real age. He didn't look like a grandfather, aside from his silver hair, which could be mistaken for grey hair. Then, he looked at Ezagyra, who had luscious and vibrant hair, without a single wrinkle on her exposed skin. She didn't sag, either. Issei was mystified.

Vali noticed his expression and leaned into his ear.

"Devils tend to age very slowly, some of them use magic to sustain their youthful appearance. My grandmother, has actually stayed this youthful since she was young without any magic." She whispered.

"Oh." Issei nodded in understanding.

'So, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' Issei noted, looking at the similarities between Vali and her grandmother.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Issei Hyoudou. I am Ezagyra Valefor, Vali's grandmother. She's told me of what has happened recently, and I promise, we'll solve this issue so that you can go home soon." Ezagyra smiled confidently.

Issei returned the expression, hopeful.

"As I understand, you've just been thrown into this crazy world, so if you have any worries or complaints, then don't ever hesitate to tell them to me." Ezagyra added.

"I will, Madam."

"You make me sound old with that title, even if you're not wrong." The Lady of the Lucifer house chuckled.

"Hello, Mr. Hyoudou, I am Arthur Pendragon, descendant of the original Arthur Pendragon. I do hope that your stay here shall be pleasant." Arthur gave a polite remark as he shook Issei's hand, wanting to give proper greetings.

"The name's Bikou. I'm a descendant of Sun Wukong. Nice to meet'cha." Bikou nodded.

"My name is Kuroka, a nekoshou. Don't mind me too much, and don't worry, I don't bite." Kuroka winked.

She noticed Issei looking at her fangs, ears, and tails, tempting her to mess with him.

"My name is Lefay Pendragon. It's an honor to meet you. If there's anything you need at all, then you can always come and ask me." Lefay bowed.

"I understand. The same could be said for me. If I can help, then I will." Issei nodded.

"Alright, with introductions out of the way, let's have dinner. We can get acquainted more comfortably that way." Rizevim grabbed everyone's attention.


Sitting down at the dining table, Issei found that the Lucifer Clan was quite close, based on the few minutes he was sitting with them. It was like watching a family, rather than a group of associates.

"I told you, we shouldn't have gone left." Arthur sighed.

"It's not my fault we got lost, Kuroka lost the map!" Bikou retorted.

"And no one told you to jump into the water. Seriously, it was a sacred spring." Kuroka deadpanned.

"Let's not mention the mermaids. They wanted to filet you for doing that." Ezagyra sighed.

Rizevim, Lefay, and Vali merely chuckled as they listened to the story of the newly returned group's travels.

"So, how are you all related?" Issei asked Vali.

"Well, we're not related, rather, we're associated. The only ones here who are related are me and my grandparents, and Arthur and Lefay, who are siblings. Aside from that, we have no familial connections. We're tied together because everyone else at the table here are my 'servants'." Vali began.

"Servants?" Issei asked.

"In the Underworld, the devil hierarchy has a system where High-class devils and Ultimate-class devils obtain items called Evil Pieces. They're modeled after chess pieces and total to 15 in count. You get 8 pawns, 2 knights, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, and 1 queen piece. You can choose anyone to receive these pieces and in turn, they become your servants. They become associated to you, live with you, and serve you, or in our case, work with us. It wasn't always like this, and things were far more brutal back then, but times have changed us. This was originally a system created to counter the falling population of devils because of wars. So, we chose nearly anyone who was acceptable, and made them servants." Vali finished.

"I see."

Issei was incredibly weary of this idea. He didn't really know how he felt about this, since it meant changing your species to another and adopting a completely new way of life while discarding the old one.

"Now that that's out of the way, I believe we have a very important matter to discuss." Rizevim smirked.

Issei thought he looked rather devious, even mischievous. He was smiling from ear to ear, with a trickster glint in his eye.

"No…" Bikou gasped.

"I know that look. What're you thinking?" Kuroka asked.

"This matter concerning young Issei is a matter that will cause everyone trouble down the line, especially to our plans. I am personally, very curious as to see why this is happening now and who's behind this. While I have my suspicions, I would like for their confirmation." Rizevim continued to smirk and grin as he rested his chin on his hands.

"Ufufufu, I think this is actually a pleasant thing. You lot haven't gotten to try this before. You might like it." Ezagyra smiled pleasantly.

"I've enrolled the rest of you into Kuoh Academy as students. There, you will weed out all the information you can as to who might be connected to whoever is targeting our young friend, here." Rizevim gestured towards Issei.

"And you will report back to me all that you find, no matter how miniscule. Kuoh Academy has started to become a breeding ground for supernatural matters to occur. It's the perfect place to hide and gather information, as well as getting close to Issei without as much suspicion. As of late, exorcists, angels, devils, and fallen angels have been entering this place, so I will treat this as a matter that will impact us down the road. From another point of view, three children of some of the most influential devil families attend that school, no one could resist that. As disappointed as I am, I can't continue to guarantee normal lives." Rizevim gave Vali an apologetic look.

Vali merely smiled in understanding.

"As the son of Lucifer, I will stamp out these troubles before they get out of hand to the best of my ability. To start, we will begin acquiring information."

Ezagyra held her husband's hand, gently smoothing her thumb over his hand. He gave her a grateful smile as they looked into each other's eyes endearingly.

"So, until the semester starts again, the rest of you better start studying and controlling your supernatural quirks and traits because the last thing we want, is for your cover to get blown." Rizevim chuckled.

"Wait, we didn't agree to this." Bikou groaned, almost pouting.

"Well, I sign your paychecks and I've redirected your jobs to others for now, so you've got all the free time you could ask for. Also, don't forget that you swore you'd help Vali." Rizevim gave Bikou a dastardly trolling grin.

Bikou sweat-dropped. Rizevim got him.

This was going to be a long and grueling summer.


Later that night, Rizevim went to his bedroom, where his lovely wife waited for him. After several months of handling political affairs while maintaining his Human Realm cover, he could finally have a relaxing night. Most of the time, he barely came home, having to deal with the two sides of his life during the night and day. He couldn't think of another way to unwind, than to spend time with his wife.

Having changed into a simple shirt and shorts, Rizevim smiled at Ezagyra as she laid down on their bed, waiting for him. As soon as he got close, she dragged him onto the mattress.

"Oh, how much I've missed cuddling with you." Ezagyra pulled her husband into bed and held him close.

She snuggled against him and took in his scent, resting her head on the crook of his neck.

"It's been lonely, these past several months. Vali and I missed you a lot." Rizevim kissed her forehead.

"She's grown up so much in such a short time. Physically, she's kind of the same, but emotionally, she seems much more open. She's gotten much friendlier in contrast to when she was a child. I can't remember the last time she dove at me for a hug like that."

"I think it has to do with that boy she took in. Issei Hyoudou…a total enigma." Rizevim sighed.

"You don't like him?"

"No, it's not that. Ever since Vali started going to school, she's always come back home with a smile, but…" Rizevim trailed off.

"But?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

Ezagyra looked up. The tone of Rizevim's voice wasn't happy nor pleasant. It didn't have the playfulness that it usually had. If anything, she could hear the fear trickling from it.

"What happened?"

"The boy looked at that blank book I found at sea. You know the one that just randomly passed by our boat?"

"The one that you said was glowing?" Ezagyra guessed.

"Yeah, that one. I kept it in the library and brought it here. Vali and he looked at it. She said that almost as soon as he touched it, he saw things. He saw bloody battlefields, a sky on fire, with explosions and screams everywhere."

Ezagyra was disturbed. She knew of countless magical books, and had expected that journal to be one too. She just didn't expect this one to be so gruesome. As Rizevim told her the details of what Issei saw, she grew more concerned.

"Traumatic." That was the most basic thing she could say.

"That's not the end of it, Ezagyra. He said he saw one last thing."

"What was it?" Ezagyra was hesitant to hear this next part.

"He saw the Calamity Dragon."

Ezagyra loudly gasped, her face paling.

"That journal was from the Cataclysm War. It was from the last day of the War." Rizevim added.

"That was too long ago…" Ezagyra grew nervous.

"I saw the boy's Sacred Gear. It's it. It's exactly it." Rizevim spoke with dread.

"So, that's why he's been targeted. He's an exploitable tool." Ezagyra sat up.

"Or a ticking time-bomb." Rizevim suggested otherwise.

"Does he know of this?"

Rizevim shook his head.

"If I told that innocent boy of the stories of that Dragon, he'd never sleep. He'd probably have nothing but nightmares. He's not ready for all of that, Ezagyra. He's barely coming to terms that he's been plunged into this crazy world. I can't do that to him."

"Then what'll we do? Proceed as we planned?"

"Yes. However, Vali plans to train him. I think that's a good thing. He needs to learn to defend himself and how to control his power. The last thing we need, is a rampage."

"I understand. I just hope…nothing happens." Ezagyra looked down sadly.

"It won't. I can feel it. We'll be fine this time. We've learned our lessons." Rizevim brought his wife into a strong embrace.

The Cataclysm War…a most horrific period in the his and his wife's lives. During that time, they'd lost almost everyone they held dear. It was a war to end all wars and it was a conflict that reeked of so much blood and death, that it had changed nearly everyone who'd taken part in it. How could it not when it's end was brought about in one day, with one entity?


And that's the end of this chapter. I know things are developing slowly, but I had just decided what direction, in which I wanted to go, so as you can see, the story is already starting to deviate from the original's storyline at this point. I've read about your concerns, so trust me, I've been paying attention to your reviews. Yes, this story is still single-pairing, and yes, I'll try to develop characters and the plot more instead of rushing. I won't spoil the pairing, because there'd be no point in reading further if I did do that.

However, please understand that some characters that were in the original story, won't be in here. Also, yes, I am still continuing "The Dragonic Will" and "The Grim Herald." Don't worry, those two stories will definitely be finished, as they are integral to me.

Other than that, I don't have much to say. Again, thank you for taking the time to read my stories and please let me know what you truly think of the chapter. It always helps me understand where I'm going wrong and what to consider. Sometimes, it's very interesting to talk to you all through PMs. Now, then, I will see you all at the next update.