Well, one thing's for sure, I think I have a mental twin somewhere out there in the world.
I originally had a lot to say, but the words were taken right out of my mouth by "Antihater2950". I seriously appreciate the message that they wrote. It's in the reviews for Chapter 57, but it's titled as Chapter 60 in the review section. I encourage everyone to go read his/her review because it's a very well-thought out and mature statement that shares many of my beliefs and elaborates more than I normally would (for time). So, thank you to Antihater2950 for writing that review because it addressed a lot of things that I was going to address regarding that chapter and this story as a whole and did a great job explaining what I was going to explain. So, it'd be redundant and copying for me to paste what they said.
However, there are a few things that I wanted to say, myself.
No, the Adelaide and Issei thing isn't forced. Why? Because there's actual explanation as to why it's happening. Steps were taken to hint at it and there's actual development going on and more will follow. It's just that we haven't gotten to the point where it gets answered yet because I also have a personal life to attend to. The results and setup were pre-planned, and hints were thrown here and there. You just have to look carefully. Things aren't just happening and we're going along for the hell of it.
Nowadays, people just say something is 'forced' because things aren't going the way they imagined it or how they want it to go. When a plot device is forced, it's because it's mainly caused by 'coincidence' and a lot of them. Isekai is a very prime example for being a genre of 'forced' plots. That is why I utterly despise it. An example of a plot being forced is if some dude is about to give up on dating. All of a sudden, his dream girl moves in next door but she's dating. Boom, her boyfriend dies and she suddenly goes to the MC for comfort despite only talking to him for a day. Then he needs a car. Boom! He gets a prize from a lotto without having any prior liking for it and it turns out that it's a car. THAT is forced.
I threw hints here and there all over my stories, but you just gotta keep your eyes peeled. And if the explanation isn't happening then and there, then it's gonna come later as a call-back or a call-forward.
Adelaide and Issei are actually getting development and you get to see them bond and see each other for who they are and you will get to see more of Adelaide. Their relationship will actually have a very big impact on the story. I mean BIG. The only reason why I say it is because I know where things are going because I'm the writer, obviously. I know things seem incomplete and forced at first, but I can only write so many chapters at a time and I make sure to release chapters whenever I get the chance since I don't know when the next chance will come. All I'm asking for, is for people to not jump the gun too early. I'm the kind of writer that'll throw hints, call-backs, and call-forwards all over the place before I connect them.
Moving on.
Before anyone tries to say this, not once did I ever say that Vali and Issei were the final pairing. I've been accused of it before and I know the people that said it just did it to shove words down my throat to try and pressure me into going along with what they wanted. Either that, or they just weren't paying attention and jumped the gun.
I love Vali and I love Adelaide equally. However, it's my story, so at the end of the day, it's my decision to make because I'm the one sitting in front of the computer to plan this all out and write it all out. I'm the one who's spending hours of my free time to create content for your enjoyment and to also hopefully, speak through my stories. I'm not making money, either, so the least I get to have is the creative freedom.
Now, don't misunderstand, I'm not angry or anything. I'm just speaking more in-depth with things and informing. I also want to remind you to not be bias and to take off your "Shipping Glasses" before you make judgments. We're in a time where people are being toxic over ships, AKA "Toxic Shipping". Please don't be like those people. Being that attached over something fictional and becoming so depraved just makes you look terrible, shows your nasty colors, and makes it evident that you're incapable of objective thinking over something that's just meant to entertain.
Anyways, rant over. With that said, enjoy the 1st chapter of this 3-chapter update.
Chapter 58: Who We Are in the Dark
Vali was left defeated on the ground as Adelaide had made off with Issei. Her mind ran over the details of what had happened tonight. Then, her mind started clicking pieces together.
How was it that Adelaide was so powerful for someone who seemed like a human? How did she know so much? How had she been able to counter so many strategies? Just what did she want with Issei so much?
Then there as the fact of Adelaide's energy, itself. It felt so familiar. Her power over light was like her own. The same intensity, a similar light with a different shade of blue with the same effects. She even had wings of light. Her features were so similar that Vali and Adelaide could've been mistaken for twins. The only genuinely unsettling thing was that her instincts were screaming at her to attack and destroy Adelaide.
During that fight, something had washed over her to destroy Adelaide when she was at their mercy. As ugly as it made her feel, Vali hated Adelaide. She hated her on an instinctual level. She hated her just as much as she hated the Aviturs!
Wait a minute…Vali then thought back to the feeling she constantly felt around the Aviturs. That desire to fight, the reaction to be repulsed bv their presence, the dark and foul aura that just seemed to exude from her. Vali hadn't understood it at first, but as she thought about it more, it made more and more sense. Issei had stated in his video logs that when creatures of the Void and Abyss get near each other, they get the instinctive desire to fight. The prime example was Bahamut and the Aviturs, who felt the primal urge to eliminate the other, not just out of personal desire, but on instinct.
Vali gasped as she realized what was going on.
"What's wrong, Vali? It's the middle of the night." Rizevim's groggy voice asked.
"We need to meet, now!" Vali demanded.
Rizevim knew better than to ask questions until further notice. Vali was very rarely ever panicked.
He teleported over via magic circle. He was bombarded by Vali's intense panic as she sat him down.
"What's going on?" Rizevim asked.
"We found Issei and I believe I've figured everything out." Vali said.
"Shoot." Rizevim prompted.
"I found the girl who took Issei. She looks just like me, except she has ice-blue eyes and white hair. Other than that, she's an exact copy of me." Vali said.
"Keep going." Rizevim prompted.
"She's strong. I don't know why or how, but she's clearly more than she appears." Vali said.
"She was able to hold all of us off and fight Vali to a standstill. That just doesn't happen. A normal human can't fight like that unless you're superhuman like Arthur." Kuroka groaned.
"I see. And what of Issei?" Rizevim asked.
"He was taken again." Vali trailed off.
Rizevim groaned in frustration.
"What happened? Start from the beginning." He demanded.
"I met the enemy and we fought. She refused to give up Issei's location. After I got cornered, the others came and we almost had her. We were about to apprehend her but then Issei arrived and…" Vali trailed off.
She took a deep breath.
"It's become obvious that he's lost his memories or they were manipulated. He didn't remember any of us or anything we went through. He was loyal to her and her alone. We tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't have it. We eventually scuffled. I tried to use my powers to help him remember but she used her powers to counter me. In the end, Issei lost consciousness and she escaped with him." Vali summarized.
She forced herself to stay calm. The haunting memory kept replaying in her head but she had to bit the bullet. She had to keep herself together if she was going to see this through, somehow.
"Explain more." Rizevim prompted.
"That woman had the same powers that I had. She could sing and influence Issei."
Rizevim's eyes widened in shock.
"Two?" He muttered.
"Two?" Vali asked.
"This is something that I've been talking about with the other members of the Alliance. Remember how Issei explained in his video logs about the Songstress of Serenity? About how she can use her powers to influence and soothe Bahamut's Rage and affect his Hosts' behavior? What if there were two of you?" Rizevim theorized.
"But how? A soul can't just split in two." Vali asked.
"Not true. Certain gods can do it and then there's the Abyss and the Void. This whole fiasco can be traced back to the Abyss and the Void, who're primordial forces that we don't fully understand. What we know could be false and what we thought wasn't true could be true. We know too little of everything. As far as I'm aware, the Abyss could be up to something. It was the one who sealed Bahamut and altered the Sacred Gears before God could do more with them. I'm sorry, Vali, but there's too little to go off of. However, based on what we do know, it's not outlandish to say that the powers were split. One could be a back-up in case something happened to the other. Or something crazy happened and it caused the powers to be shared." Rizevim hypothesized.
"That can't be right." Vali shook her head.
"Why not?" Rizevim asked.
"Because I felt something when I fought her tonight. I didn't realize it at first, but after careful thought and analysis and with everything that's happened, I can confirm it. That girl that was with Issei is an Avitur. She's the missing one out of the seven! She's gained human form just like the others!" Vali declared.
"Are you sure?" Rizevim asked, alarmed.
"Yes, I'm sure. There's no mistake. Issei didn't realize it and probably won't because of whatever happened to him, but I can't mistake that feeling. That entire time we fought, she seemed familiar but now I understand what she is and the reason why she took him away. That girl is an Avitur and took Issei away for whatever purposes they had." Vali said.
That explained Adelaide's powers and how she could fight so well. That explained the constant negativity she felt towards her. That explained why she was so obsessed with Issei, unwilling to say a thing about his location. That also explained why she kidnapped him.
"Shit." Rizevim was now in high-pressure mode.
Issei was now in the hands of the Aviturs.
"I have to convene with the others." Rizevim immediately left.
He had to meet with the Alliance.
Adelaide was left frantically caring for Issei. Thanks to her clash with Vali, their two conflicting songs nearly fried his brain. Adelaide was absolutely enraged at herself. In her desperate impulsiveness, she had caused an incident and put Issei at the center.
She also groaned in frustration. Vali had a point. Adelaide had taken him away from the people he cared about, but in her mind, that was the best option.
Issei was associated with Vali Lucifer and by that logic, he'd be the biggest choice to send out into battle. He was a genuine powerhouse. He was the freaking Host of Bahamut. It was the logical choice to use him as the first and last line of defense. From a different point of view, Issei was a weapon, regardless. She hated that.
Based on what Issei had told her, the Khaos Brigade had wanted to use him as a weapon. The Alliance came in and stopped it, but they ended up doing the same thing. They just didn't say it outright and treated him nicely while wearing a radiant mask. It wasn't hard to understand. Issei was fed sweet words, convinced by the Alliance that they were altruistic, and his friends were used to keep him around to fight battles for them.
The Alliance and their pantheons were aware of the Aviturs and knew of the Hosts of Bahamut. Yet, they never stepped in. They never saved him and never even thanked him properly. They didn't even acknowledge his past deeds. They left Issei and his past lives to their fate. The gods, angels, demons, and beasts were just floating around, doing nothing. They laid claim to this world but did nothing to actually protect it. In the original Galaxy, Bahamut took care of that all alone and it led him down a dark path.
It didn't stop there, either.
In this life, Issei eliminated the Aviturs alone and then he died. He dealt with so many problems in one fell swoop and now, all of a sudden, now that everyone had gained knowledge of news that wasn't even new, they wanted to act as if they cared.
Issei was treated as a weapon and nobody questioned it because the 'Alliance' were the 'good guys'. That was a load of BS to Adelaide. She'd seen the cruelty and the negligence of deities and creatures firsthand. It was what caused the Calamity Persecution, after all. She didn't trust a single one of them.
They kept saying that they were doing what they could for the world, but it was just a mask to appear good. And if it were true, then why did everything always have to fall on Issei's shoulders? They were centuries old, Issei was only a young adult who almost never lived past the age of 23 because he always ended up being the sacrifice for some crisis that could've been resolved with the snap of a higher power's fingers.
Adelaide hated those two-faced bastards.
Even so…she couldn't keep denying that she had indeed done something wrong as well.
She plucked Issei from his life and kept him away from everything. His supposed friends, on the slight chance that they were really his friends, were also grieving, perhaps as much as she would.
Then, suddenly, there it was again. That feeling in her heart. The urge that told her to never let go of Issei. That burning urge to keep him close no matter what.
Adelaide suppressed that urge, ignoring it as best as she could. For days now, that feeling had been growing stronger, but often times, it was as if it didn't exist. Sometimes, she even forgot about it, even though she normally wouldn't.
She thought back to that night where she took Issei away. Honestly, it was so unlike her to do something so audacious and extreme. Kidnapping wasn't something she'd do in her sane mind. Free-will was something she valued very highly.
Yet, the moment her memories as Aria came back, so many things changed. They'd changed so rapidly that she was completely blindsided. Once or twice, she had felt the fear of snapping on a mental level. Yet, she'd managed to hold on. Any normal person would've broken but why was it that she was alright? She was coherent and yet she did something she'd never thought she'd do. There were so many contradictions and no answers.
"What am I doing? What is going on?" Adelaide sighed, her voice cracking.
She looked at Issei.
"What do I do, Issei? I don't know who I am anymore. I'm doing things I'd never thought I'd do. I'm saying things I never thought I'd say. I don't even look like me anymore." Adelaide said as she got up and walked over to the pictures.
She brushed her fingers over the pictures of her dead family, wishing for some guidance.
"What do I do? Mom? Dad? Grandma? Grandpa? Uncle? Auntie? What do I do? I have no idea who I am anymore. I don't know what's going on anymore." Adelaide said.
For so long, she tried to stop herself from cracking. The throes of having her memories returned to her, as if returned to life as Aria, Adelaide realized that it was all just for show, bravado. Now that she wasn't fighting for her life, she realized what was going on.
It was as if Aria had taken the back seat as Adelaide truly came out and fully grasped the situation. The highs of her life were gone and now the gravity set in.
"What the hell was all that? I was shooting magic. I was flying. I was wearing armor. I was fighting like it was some kind of action movie. What am I turning into?" Adelaide asked.
As if awakened by Adelaide's distress, Issei awoke. He slowly blinked awake as he felt a burning itch in his head. He scratched at his head, but it didn't do much to help. Instead, he could only leave it alone. After some time, the burning itch subsided, giving him a slight bit of relief.
He looked around and found no one. He then recalled the events that had happened. He wiped the puddles of sweat off himself as he got up.
'Gotta find Adelaide and make sure she's okay.'
"Adelaide?!" Issei called out.
"Issei?!" Her voice came from down the halls. The sound of a pan drop caused him to sprint towards her.
As he tried to muster the strength, his body failed to meet the demand. His legs gave out, only for Adelaide to catch him before he fell.
"What're you doing? You should be in bed." Adelaide scolded him.
"What happened?" Issei panted.
His head was spinning, he wanted to vomit. His body was feeling as if he was wrapped in hot coal as the sticky sweat kept dripping down his face.
"We managed to get away." Adelaide said.
"Where are we?" Issei asked.
"It's a safe house I set up in case anything crazy happened." Adelaide said as she helped Issei back into his bed.
"What's our plan?" Issei asked.
"We'll be safe for a while. I don't know how long, exactly, but I'll think of something." Adelaide said.
Issei knew that wasn't enough, but one look in her eyes spoke volumes to him. She was terrified right now. Issei knew that look. It was the look of being lost, as if you'd blanked out and someone else was piloting your body. He'd also dealt with it before. The very first time he ever fought and awakened his Sacred Gear, he felt himself being moved and driven by instinct, as if he'd gone into autopilot.
He hadn't shown it to others, but he'd been scared out of his mind. It had been the start of wondering who he was and the events that followed him till now. Deep down, he saw her going to war with herself. A war with the unknown and the past.
Issei looked at her hands and saw them trembling. Sweat was coming down her face just like him. Her breathing was ragged, and it wasn't from any fighting, either. Issei felt bothered. He disliked seeing her upset and emotionally turbulent.
(Fate/Prototype OST – Knight of Sky Silver ~ Strings Version. Play Song)
Issei sat up and brought her into his arms.
"Issei?" Adelaide asked.
"You don't have to hide it, Adelaide. Tell me what's wrong." Issei prompted.
"I'm okay, Issei." Adelaide shook her head.
"No, you're not. I know when you're lying to me. Your hands are trembling and you can barely look me in the eye. I know something's really scaring you." Issei responded.
Adelaide pursed her lips. There was just no hiding how she felt from Issei. She surrendered, unable to keep everything bottled up any longer.
"I didn't question it before but now that my head's clearing…what the hell is going on?"
Adelaide dropped her head on Issei's shoulder.
"It's terrifying. It's like I'm not even myself anymore. Am I Aria or am I Adelaide? Who am I? Am I even me anymore? Where did I learn how to fight like that? How am I still alive? I've never been able to do that before and it just happened! I didn't even stop and think of how to make sense of it all." Adelaide took a deep breath to calm herself down.
"I know it's scary. I've been there too. You'll be yourself one moment and then a prompt or life just comes along and suddenly, you feel like you're in the passenger seat. Your body moves on its own. You say and do things you'd never thought you'd do or could do. The stuff of dreams and fairy tales comes true and you're involved. It's like a crazy story that you read about, except it's real and there's no one to explain it to you." Issei recounted.
"But, sometimes, the only thing you can do is accept it and move on. I know it's scary. I know that you want answers, but sometimes, they just aren't there. I know you're scared of what's happening to you, but sometimes, you have to let things flow because sometimes that's the only course of action for that split moment. But what can be done is to not be alone. I'm here for you just like how you've been with me throughout all those nightmares." Issei smiled at her reassuringly.
Adelaide nodded.
That was it, however, as Issei was panting now. Adelaide and Vali's actions had done a real number on him. It was taking all his willpower to keep himself together. He wanted to faint right then and there, but for Adelaide's sake, he had to be strong.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Issei. It's because of me that you ended up like this." Adelaide teared up.
She saw how hard he was fighting to keep himself together.
"It's okay." Issei chuckled.
"Because of my song clashing with Vali, we overtaxed your mind and knocked you unconscious. We caused you so much pain because we were being selfish." Adelaide couldn't stop herself, a tear dripping down her face.
The guilt she felt was heavy. She had tried to protect him from others but only ended up harming him instead. There was still no telling the level of damage that had been done to him.
"I'll be okay. I just need to rest." Issei passively said, not wanting her to feel worse.
Adelaide helped him lie down in bed as she placed a cold towel on his head. As soon as he laid down, she was about to sing but stopped herself. It was because of her singing that he ended up such a mess.
Issei noticed her stop herself and held her hand. He wasn't going to lie. He felt that he really needed this. Not only that, but he didn't want her to come to avoid her powers. Once fear had its gripped, it was extremely difficult to shake free, especially when it mattered.
"Can you sing me a song, please?" Issei asked.
Adelaide looked at him with eyes full of fear. Ultimately, she forced it down as she complied.
Sleep safe and sound and loved eternally in my arms
Leave your pain and fear behind in the lasting dark
A thousand steps you've taken, and a thousand lives were saved
I will hold you safe and sound with a thousand charms
No more will you have to fight in pain that's stark
I will keep you in the light on the path that you have paved
Home at last and home you will be in my arms
Don't be scared of all that's in the dark
I will love you for all time and we will rejoice in what you have saved.
As Adelaide sang her song, Issei felt the burning itch in his head go away. It had been damaged with song but now, it had been healed with song. How much was healed was unknown, but Issei felt some peace wash over him, cooling that intense pain that had plagued his head.
With some semblance of peace, Issei had managed to fall asleep. After it was clear that he was going to be out of danger, Adelaide went outside to fortify the area around her safehouse.
She had no idea why she even had one, but her body had moved as if it were the right thing to do. She didn't question it. She didn't second-guess. She just moved as if it were natural.
Using her powers over light and [Rejection Zone], she made it as strong as she possibly could to keep others from discovering their location. After Issei recovered, they would need to come up with a plan to resolve all of this.
(Fate/Prototype OST – Knight of Sky Silver ~ Strings Version. End Song)
Adelaide had stayed awake the entire night, keeping watch over Issei and the house. She even made some breakfast for him when he awoke. Despite her desire to just close her eyes and nod off, she refused to do so. She forced herself to stay awake to try and think about everything.
She didn't tell Issei, but sometimes, she had these weird impulses. They were dark and scary, urging her to take actions that she normally wouldn't do. By the time she'd even realize it, she'd already taken action. It scared her. Was she developing some sort of personality disorder? Was it some sort of mental illness that was always there or did it just develop after her memories came back? Was something possessing her?
The moment her memories suddenly came back, everything had changed. Those intuitive feelings that she had before became stronger.
Adelaide sat across from Issei, wondering what to do.
She now considered letting him go back to Vali and the others. She thought back to the previous night. The look of anguish and despair that Vali had on her face was all too familiar to her.
Thanks to her spiritual connection to Issei, Adelaide had gotten a peek at several of Issei's past lives, namely how he died. She had avoided saying anything to him. She didn't want him to relive any of those memories, which were better off left buried.
She had seen him die over and over. Adelaide didn't understand it, but she felt that being the Songstress of Serenity gave her a powerful empathetic link, allowing her to feel what Issei was feeling to an extent. It was kind of like a warning flare for her in case Issei ever started to approach the path that could lead to Bahamut's release.
This was a double-edged sword, however. This had caused Adelaide to see and experience things that she'd never dared to imagine, nor asked for. She had no control over it. It just happened.
Was it karma for her negligence in several past lives for failing to help him?
She had seen into snippets of Issei's past, specifically his deaths and the circumstances. Maybe it was because they'd forged a connection and it was her lack of control. Maybe it was a higher power doing things to her. She didn't know. All she knew was that the sights she saw were twisted and maddening.
Issei had been burned at the stake, decapitated, hung, melted, poisoned, drawn-and-quartered, suffocated, drowned, electrocuted, bled out, starved, and obliterated so many times that Adelaide…often wondered if she'd gone insane already.
The despair, the loneliness, the defeat that Issei felt all those times. All of it had poured into her mind, allowing her to come to a deeper understanding of the endless hell that always waited for him.
He would fight whatever crisis came along and he would die, whether dying in battle, sacrificing himself, or being betrayed. Adelaide hated watching all of that. It came and went like bad dreams as her own memories of her past lives mixed in. Her mind was often a mess at times, but she didn't say a word.
Compared to Issei, she felt that she had it easy. Issei had to be there himself. He had to fight those battles. He was the one who died those ways. He was the one who experienced all of that, not her. All of this was why she didn't want Issei to go back. She didn't want him to die like that ever again. He wasn't a weapon that was just pointed in the direction of an enemy and expected to take care of them and then left to die whenever and wherever.
'Then don't let him go back. Keep him with you. Keep him safe. Keep him close. Keep him away from those sad deaths. Keep him from feeling that horrible pain. Keep him to yourself.'
Again, that voice came haunting her. Adelaide froze in shock and fear as that voice distantly whispered in her mind. She had come to fear that voice when it came. It was cold, erratic, yet serene and alluring. For a while, she'd been haunted by it. Yet, she was afraid.
"Stop it. Go away." Adelaide shook her head, trying to shake the voice away.
She had already worried about it being insanity working on her. She'd already been alone for a long time. She'd lost her parents and grandparents at 13. Her aunt and uncle then died before she graduated high school. In between all of that, the adults in her life were often away, doing work. The friends that she had left, going away to walk their own paths in life.
For a normal girl in a normal life, this was quite a lonely life. Then, the supernatural came and started to exert itself upon her as well. It made it so much worse because it was out of the blue. There was no one there to explain anything to her. There was no one to guide her. This was a journey that she had to go alone.
Even now, it was starting to eat away at her more and more as time went by. She'd tried her best to suppress it, but her attempts were getting worn down as the days went by.
'They used him. Abused him. Killed him. Are you going to just let them keep doing that? If you let him go, they'll point him at the enemy and sic him on them. Then, when he's outlived his purpose, they'll kill him or leave him to die like they've done for so long. The safest hands are yours because all you want to do is protect him.' The Voice said.
"Stop it. I said leave me alone." Adelaide said with a bit more force in her voice.
As she demanded, the voice stopped. Sadly, that didn't stop her trembling. She wanted to say something but was so terrified. If she told Issei, would he fear her? Would he hate her? Would he run away?
For her, that was the scariest outcome. What she feared most wasn't being killed. Death was cheap for her since she'd always ended up coming back to this world. She was rather sick of it. No, what scared her most was Issei's resentment, his departure, and his absence from her life. He was everything to her now. She was afraid that if Issei ever discovered this, the one thing that kept her from falling apart, kept her from being consumed by loneliness, would leave her life forever.
After 3 days, Issei had recovered enough to sit up straight without falling over. It was at this point that he decided to have a talk with Adelaide.
"Make sure to listen well, Adelaide. I wanted to talk to you about the reincarnation cycle and how it works. I'm sure Aria knows, but I want you, Adelaide, to know about this. I want you to know in its entirety." Issei said.
Adelaide nodded.
"The Reincarnation Cycle is the conflict between Bahamut and the Aviturs throughout the eons. Each reincarnation cycle happens after a new Host of Bahamut is born and when the Aviturs begin to reform after their previous destruction. Aviturs embody the elements and number in 7 in total. All of them were made from the Void while Bahamut was made from the Abyss. The two have been fighting against each other for ages, with no clues as to why it keeps happening. That's something that I also want to have answered." Issei said.
"Anyways, after each death in those cycles, we reincarnate. The purpose of this is so that the experiences and skills that we've learned in each life gets passed onto the next incarnation to improve chances of victory. Whatever we learn in one life gets passed on as a set of skills that we can recall in our next lives after our powers awaken. For me, my powers awakened during a life-threatening situation. For you, I believe it was a combination of time and being in proximity to me after my powers awakened. I think it must've begun the first time we met when I went to the Resort the first time." Issei continued.
"But how was it that I was that strong?" Adelaide asked, referring to her fight with Vali and her peerage.
"I can't explain that part too well. My theory is that your powers weren't broken apart like mine was. My full powers were split up into 6 parts, which kept me from accessing all of my skills as well as the skills of my past lives. From my understanding, you didn't have that problem because the Songstress of Serenity's powers weren't chaotic like Bahamut's, so you were able to remember all those skills nearly instantly all at once. As for your physical capabilities, that's not something that I can explain. Perhaps it's as you said, and your body evolved to adapt to your powers, clued by your hair turning white." Issei pointed out.
Adelaide had already assumed all that but hearing it from Issei was more reassuring. He'd been aware of all this for a lot longer than her. Even if the information was a repeat, she felt more at ease because it wasn't as doubtful. It felt more solid to hear all this from him rather than it just being guesswork from her.
"I see. I assumed that was the case. But, hearing it from you, I feel like I'm less crazy." Adelaide nervously chuckled.
"You're not going crazy, Adelaide. You didn't ask for this." Issei smiled at her, gently caressing her face.
Adelaide held his warm hands to her cheek, finding comfort from his touch.
"Neither did you." She said.
"I did, remember? I volunteered to have Bahamut's soul bonded to mine to keep it away from the wrong hands. Sure, it was to keep him out of the hands of others, but it doesn't change the fact that it was my willing decision when I was Ardjis." Issei shook his head, smiling bitterly.
"But what about Issei Hyoudou?" Adelaide asked.
"Issei Hyoudou has accepted it and is moving on. Don't worry, Vali." Issei chuckled.
Adelaide remained silent as she gasped. Did he just call her Vali? Was his mind beginning to wander.
"Vali?" She gasped.
"Sorry. I don't know why I said that name, either. I'm probably still winded." Issei had paused as his smile faltered for a split moment.
"You should get some rest." Adelaide laid him back down, dropping the matter.
She wanted it to go away NOW.
Issei didn't argue as he went back to sleep. These past few days had been rough for him.
As much as he wanted to, he kept himself from telling her the truth. He was beginning to remember his past. They were only snippets, but Issei could definitely understand that they were past memories of his life in the now. He remembered some of the events that he'd gone through with the Vali Peerage, but not everything. They were all slowly coming back to him.
Even so, he knew that Adelaide would worry and that was the last thing he wanted. She was already scared enough as is. He would wear a strong mask for her as long as he needed to. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
Yet, his mind refused to be still. He needed to know more. One thing he had forgotten was that he always wanted answers. That was a fragment of Issei Hyoudou that had been lost with this evolution.
While Adelaide was asleep, Issei had managed to gain enough control and energy to walk about.
He wanted to know more about what it was that he was missing in his head. He wasn't going to lie when it troubled him during his last encounter with the Vali Peerage. He didn't like the idea of fighting them. Hearing Vali's confession was quite painful to reject. He loved Adelaide but for some reason, Vali had equal capability at disrupting his composure.
It was stupid. It was stupid to even consider going to where Vali and the others were for mere answers. It would put Adelaide and himself in danger. They could track him if he came back and who knew who else they'd brought along if a fight happened.
Issei relented. He curbed his curiosity and decided that he had to sit still for now.
He decided to look at his phone to pass the time, unable to sleep anymore. He looked at the news and then saw something that caught his eyes.
"What?" Issei noticed a picture in a particular article.
It was about a possible terrorist attack. Issei played the video.
"Authorities have no explanation for this incident. Reports state that there were complaints of strange smells in the area before several explosions went off around Boston, Massachusetts. There are no details on why or who did it. Authorities have stationed a perimeter around the area to ensure civilian safety as evacuations begin. There is speculation that there're more explosions waiting to happen. Here is an overhead view of the explosion from our chopper." The News Reporter said.
Issei narrowed his eyes as the video cut to the overhead shot. All of the fires in Boston were set up to shape into a dragon swallowing a planet. It was the symbol of the Cult of Bahamut. Issei grit his teeth in anger. These deluded cultists really were genocidal to the core. They didn't care who they killed as long as they could indulge in their delusions to sate their insanity.
Issei was feeling anger boiling. They were using him as the face of their crusade and here he was in hiding, unable to cut off his connection to their insanity. It disgusted him. The people who used their beliefs to try and justify their egotistical crusade so that the true ugliness of their actions could be given sympathetic light.
Issei walked over to Adelaide, who had finally lost her ability to stay awake after 4 whole days without rest. He decided to leave her be. This was his fight. He knelt next to her and kissed her gently.
"I promise I'll be home soon." Issei said as he left to go back to Boston.
When he arrived, he was already wearing his Balance Breaker, prepared for whatever may come. He had an idea, but he already expected it to fail. He'd already gone through dozens of plans already, but this one was the most peaceful and least likely to literally explode in his face.
"Lord Bahamut has returned!" A voice cried out in joy.
Below him, were several hooded figures in robes. They began to bow and stand in awe. Issei disliked this greatly. He had the urge to tell them off but knew that the wrong words could make things worse.
"What was the purpose of this?" Issei asked.
"It was a tribute to you, Lord Bahamut. We were all overjoyed to hear of your return and in your honor, we have burned your crest onto this land where you were found." A Cultist replied.
Issei felt the violent urge to destroy erupt in his mind. Bahamut was utterly livid within the confines of his seal. His name was besmirched, used by these bloodthirsty fanatics as they dragged him into the mud, going against everything he had once stood for.
"Hear me, all of you." Issei bellowed with a commanding tone.
He decided that if these people were going to fanatics to him, he'd try and use it to his advantage.
"Cease your actions. This won't bring you any benefits. This will only waste your time and bring about nonsensical suffering. The glory and utopia that you seek will not be attained from this. You will only be attaining the opposite. You will only be devoured by the flames of suffering and hatred and nothing else will come of it. The efforts that you've poured into this, shall only be wasted. I have lived for a long time and I have seen many things. Destruction will only end this galaxy. It will not be reborn a second time." Issei's voice boomed as he manifested the [Abyssal Aura] to maximize the use of his words and get through to these people.
He looked around and saw the crying people. He saw the flames that were devouring everything, turning so many things to ash. He could smell the smoke and the blood in the air. He saw the navy night dyed red and orange with blazes. He hated this sight. It was a sight that he was tired off.
As much as he wanted to unleash his power and teach them all a lesson, Issei restrained himself. That was where Bahamut made his mistake. He couldn't repeat that while he had his head on straight. He would only end up doing exactly as the Cultists wanted and bolster the symbol of fear that was Bahamut.
"Look around you. Is this the progress that you want? The evolution that you constantly preach. Do you wish for this to be your legacy? A legacy of fanatical bloodshed and death that did no good?" Issei pointed at everything around them.
Slowly, the Cultists took in the sight that they caused.
"Evolution and progress can be reached without this senseless destruction. The only thing you have created, is pointless death and hatred, the worst foundations to build from. You will begin a cycle of hatred and death and war. You will sow even more seeds that'll cause the same problems over and over. Again and again, the world that you despise will come about again and again. It is an endless loop that will continue, and it will have been all your fault." Issei said.
Some gulped when he roared.
"Stop this foolishness. Repent. If you truly wish for a brighter world, then do your part. Fix and repent for your sins. Help those who need your help. There are those who are suffering. Instead of putting them out of their misery, help them out of their suffering. Do not submit to your lower instinct to destroy. Evolve, grow, and learn to become better people. That is the true path to creating a better future." Issei decreed.
He was ashamed of himself. Here he was, using his image to manipulate these people. Even so, he saw no other way to get to these people. He couldn't do what Bahamut did and destroy them, for it would be giving the Cultists what they wanted. He also hated the idea of mass-murder. He didn't want this to continue, either. Rather than have them go through a mental breakdown sooner or later, he'd try and get these people to redeem themselves, even if it was through deceit.
"We understand, Lord Bahamut. With your divine decree, we shall do what you have gifted to us." A Cultist said.
"I shall speak one last time. Disband this cult. This parish cannot continue. Do not be manipulated by others who wish to only do harm. Do not be deceived by sweet words that are designed to shake your beliefs and hearts. Be strong in heart and mind. You do not need this group. Go forth and help others with true altruism. It is only through coexisting in peace and helping one another, that our true strength can arise to build a true ideal world." Issei said.
"Y-You mean, you want us to disband?" Someone asked.
"That is correct. This parish is soaked in blood, blood that was shed unjustly. By the laws long past, your lives would have been taken. However, there is a way to redeem yourselves. Do as I have requested. Disband this parish. Forget about it. Burn all you have written of it. Allow it to fade away without a trace. It is time to move on with your lives. The past has been done and engraved. You must forsake the darkness of your past so that you can build your future and cherish the present. That is how you can grow stronger." Issei said.
Countless murmurs echoed across the masses before he felt a small impulse of impatience. With one massive flap of his wings and ice magic, he extinguished the flames that had been lit in the shape of the Cult.
"Enough! Go now! Forget all about this cult and move on!" Issei commanded with all the authority that his voice could muster.
After a short pause, the Cultists began nodding, shedding their cloaks and leaving. Issei didn't know just how many took his words to heart, but at least some were taking him seriously. With a small spark of fire, he incinerated the cloaks that once belonged to the Cult.
Issei took a deep breath. He'd nearly lost it. Bahamut's rage had bled onto him, nearly causing him immeasurable levels of rage. All of this destruction; and for what?! Issei couldn't believe that there were people that were so depraved that they'd ignite the sparks of war out of a false belief. Bahamut spent every single waking moment roaring for their destruction, nearly tempting him to strike against this injustice as well. Ever since he was reborn, he'd felt Bahamut's impulses grow even stronger.
He took several deep breaths to try and calm down. His hands were still trembling, but he felt it working.
"Issei!" A familiar voice called out.
(Gundam Seed/See-Saw – Anna ni issho datta no ni ~ Retracks. Play Song.)
A young woman with silver hair and sapphire airs flew in front of him.
"Vali Lucifer." Issei breathed.
A part of him was relieved, the part that still remembered her.
"Do you finally remember?" She asked with hope.
"No, not much. I know that you're no enemy of mine, but I can't say I remember enough to consider you a friend." Issei responded flatly.
'He probably only remembers you when you two met in school.' Albion guessed.
"My name is Validia Lucifer, daughter of Rintilr Lucifer and Ileana Misticona. My grandfather is Rizevim Lucifer and my grandmother is Ezagyra Valefor. You once lived with us as a part of our extended family. You used to be my only Pawn in my Peerage. You were like a brother to the rest of my peerage. Do you remember any of that?" Vali desperately asked.
Issei merely shook his head.
"Where is the proof of all this? If it's as you say, then show me something or tell me something that would convince me that we have any sort of connection." Issei demanded.
"Your mother and father were homeless until your father was hired by luck. Your mother lived as a housewife until she decided to help with the living expenses. They left you alone after you learned how to live by yourself. They would visit periodically to check up on you and always taught you life and moral lessons so that you'd be wise. Earlier this year, they died after Shalba Beelzebub kidnapped them and me to try to get to you. After they died, you snapped and went berserk, killing him. Then, after a while, you learned you were dying and traveled the world to kill the Aviturs before they could regain all their powers. You ended up dying and were brought back to life by some unknown power and as an effect of that, your body and powers evolved." Vali summarized.
Issei felt his doubt slowly go away as she perfectly recounted many of his life events.
"I see. You do know a lot about what happened to me." Issei nodded.
"And that's not all." Vali turned on the Memory Catcher that Issei had made for her and the others.
Several memories came to life, playing all around Issei as a cascade of screens. All of them were recordings of the times that Issei spent with the Lucifer Household after he gave them the trinkets.
Issei slowly turned around. He felt something. He felt a powerful sense of familiarity as he looked at everything around him. He saw himself playing games. He saw himself playing jokes. He saw himself just…enjoying life.
Issei knew he could call all of this fake. He could call every single image a fabrication. Yet, he didn't have the heart to do it. Something told him that this was no trick. This was real. Issei felt his head pulse suddenly, a headache working its way into his brain.
"Issei!" Vali cried out in worry as he clutched his head.
"Stay back!" Issei pointed a sword at her.
"Issei…" Vali trailed off.
"I'll admit it, I do want to remember the blank parts in my mind, the parts that I didn't even realize were missing. But I can't go with you. Not unless you answer this question." Issei shook his head.
"I'll answer anything." Vali said, jumping at the chance.
"What do you intend to do with Adelaide?" Issei asked.
Vali paused. The real answer was imprisonment, maybe destruction. That wasn't even her own verdict. That was something that the Alliance was most likely to do. Adelaide was an Avitur, or at least partially. That automatically marked her as an enemy by the higher-ups.
Even so, Vali didn't have the heart to tell him that. It would just drive him away.
Issei saw her hesitance. That already told him volumes.
"So…imprisonment or execution?" He guessed.
Vali pursed her lips. That was the only response, Issei needed.
"Adelaide didn't do a thing. What would warrant such a punishment?" Issei asked.
"Issei, she's an Avitur! Even if you've lost your memories of us, you can't have forgotten about them!" Vali cried out.
Issei paused at that shocking accusation. Adelaide? An Avitur? That was preposterous. The entire time he was with her, she gave no indication, nothing. Bahamut didn't react. His instincts didn't even cause him to flinch any time she moved close to him.
"The entire time we fought, I could sense it. She has the same energy signature as an Avitur when she fights. That dark and foul feeling. The aggression that riles you up when she attacks. I'm not saying this out of pure spite. If she exerts her powers, then you'll understand." Vali calmly said, trying to keep herself from making the situation escalate.
Issei thought about what she said. The night Adelaide fought the Cult of Bahamut in his presence, he had indeed felt something dark. He had chalked it up to the Cult, not Adelaide at that time.
"I don't know what's happened between you, but isn't it possible that she's done something to you?" Vali asked.
That question bothered him a bit. Yes, it was possible, but it was also possible that this was a trick,
"And what would you do if I came with you? Turn me into a lab rat? Point me at something and have me attack it?" Issei asked.
"No, we'd bring you home! To your family! To us!" Vali cried out in shock.
It was hurting her to have him act this way.
Issei was still so cold and distant. The way he looked at her was like how he'd look at a possible enemy. And now, he was assuming horrible things too to add salt into the wound.
Issei paused. Family? Home? Despite having his sword pointed at Vali, as if frozen, he felt the urge to lower it. Deep down, in his heart, he felt that she meant him no harm. There wasn't malice to her words, and she didn't seem to harbor any dark intentions, given how Bahamut wasn't stirring.
Slowly, he felt that there was some truth to Vali. He didn't have concrete evidence, but his heart, which he trusted very much, told him that it was alright to lower his hostility with Vali.
Suddenly, his guard came back when someone appeared next to her. It was Rizevim.
"Issei! Thank goodness, you're okay." He smiled.
Then, he noticed that Issei had his sword raised and was fully donned in his Balance Breaker.
"What'll it take for you to leave us alone?" Issei asked.
He knew that picking a fight with the Alliance was a terrible idea. It comprised of so many powerful beings. He didn't want to resort to open war or destroying anything or anyone. He had to take the least violent measures to ensure his and Adelaide's freedom.
"Just come home with us, Issei. I promise, we'll find a way to help you get your memories back. Adelaide will be taken into custody until she's cleared of any signs of being a threat. We'll find a way to protect her, I promise." Rizevim said.
"And how do I know that'll happen? From the looks of it, you're family. That means your devils. In the Alliance, devils still aren't strong enough as a whole to oppose other pantheons. Your pantheon has the most followers but if war breaks out, you'll have quite a time defending yourselves. With that being said, how can you guarantee our protection if other pantheons choose to accuse and execute us?" Issei asked.
"It's not just me. The Norse Pantheon and several other pantheons have agreed to protect her if she proves herself to not be an enemy." Rizevim added.
Issei didn't lower his guard.
'How did things get this bad with him? He's so paranoid that not even we can say anything.' Rizevim thought to himself.
Issei narrowed his eyes. As hesitant as he was, he felt that Rizevim and Vali weren't lying. They'd do their best to protect Adelaide. But was it enough?
Issei was in a tight spot. He knew that sooner or later, the Alliance would grow more drastic, perhaps bearing arms if Adelaide was truly an Avitur. The scars of the past still haunted this world and all who remembered the old one. That fear wasn't unfounded.
"We'll meet again in 3 days. We'll meet here after both sides have come to agreed terms. We'll proceed from there." Issei said.
"That's perfectly fine." Rizevim nodded.
Issei teleported away. He had a lot to talk about with Adelaide.
"Is that true?" Vali turned to Rizevim.
"Yes. Odin, Wukong, and the Mage's Association have promised to give their support if Adelaide proves to be friendly." Rizevim nodded.
"Then it all falls on Issei's side." Vali sighed.
(Gundam Seed/See-Saw – Anna ni issho datta no ni ~ Retracks. End Song.)
Rizevim returned to the Alliance's headquarters to meet with some people from the the Tech Development and Research Department.
The Alliance HQ was a massive white building that stretched endlessly into the sky and underground. Symbols from all sorts of pantheons were carved into the building. It was singular, but all around it were countless other buildings that were made to accommodate the people set to work here, serving as milestone of progression and trust.
This place was called the Nexus Cluster, in honor of the Alliance's desire to share and grow from all sorts of places and people.
Thanks to the agreement to share magic and advancements, many top mages and developers were working together here to create new and better things to improve life. After the Aviturs had returned in human form, it shook the Council enough to create countermeasure for them if they ever came back.
Rizevim had gone to one of the researchers working on anti-Avitur measures: Enki, the Sumerian god of intelligence, mischief, and creation among several things. In conjunction with members of Grigori and other deities of medicine and technology, he helped prepare different approaches to matters concerning the Aviturs due to his own ingenuity.
He was a slim man with a long brown beard and wore a gold hat with green robes lined with gold fabric and brown leather boots. His eyes glowed with green light, a hint at his divinity. He wore a white lab coat over his clothes, complete with pens and paper on his person.
"Rizevim, is something the matter? You look bothered." Enki asked.
Rizevim had the urge to tell him the whole thing so that a proper countermeasure could be made against Adelaide. However, he relented.
"Have you created anything new yet?" He asked.
"Yes, I have, actually. I've created a device that can allow us to tap into a person's powers and find links to others of the same kind. If we were to hypothetically link up any living Avitur to this machine, we could tap into their mana signature and trace it back to anything that has traces of Avitur in or on them. Since we don't truly know if the Aviturs are dead, then we could use this to check." Enki said.
"And how does it work?" Rizevim asked, explicitly.
"Well, we just strap them in on the magic circle and activate the spell and the device will project it. I do believe we're on our way to producing the same level of magitech that ancient humans had." Enki said.
Magitech, a perfect blend of magic and science that humans had secretly invented back during the Original Galaxy. Where one fell short, the other covered and both enhanced each other. It was expected for the pantheons to have it, but for some reason, they didn't reach the level of advancements that humanity had. Was it because of hubris that they couldn't replicate it? OR was it simply because they didn't need to?
"And what about capturing devices?" Rizevim asked.
"We're working on it right now." Enki pointed at a table littered with magic circles and papers.
"You know, I was kind of surprised when you volunteered. You never seemed to like coming out much." Rizevim said.
"Well, the world's at stake. What choice do I have? The last time I ignored things, we lost our original Galaxy. I figured I'd try to avoid that this time since we won't come back to life if we fail. Besides, I've been given a chance to create and learn more. For a long time, I'd been trying to find new questions but couldn't think of any. This conflict has given them to me and I believe that I can do some good with it. Thus, I volunteered. Odd, isn't it? For deities to behave like mortals. Or is it the other way around?" Enki shrugged.
"Maybe. You did have a major influence on humanity in their early days. I still remember reading up on Babylon, the Tower and all that." Rizevim said.
"Oh, that. Well, I got a little greedy and it came back to bite me." Enki pursed his lips.
"Do keep the Council posted." Rizevim said, leaving.
"Yes, yes, yes. I will. I must say, things always stay fascinating around you all." Enki chuckled as he scribbled down notes.
When that was over, Rizevim went to the Council Room of the Alliance. He had a lot to tell.
Okay, time to go to Chapter 2 of the 3 Chapter Update.
