"I-I..."
There was a small amount of hesitation in the agent's tone as he subconsciously clenched his fists. When Ciel finally reached the man and gave him his orders, Rean couldn't conceal his disapproval. He was still going to comply, but that didn't mean he had to like his orders. It was the only option they could do that did not require a memory wipe from the Goddess. Even if that was not the case, Rean understood that the two Gralsritters were fated to experience the upcoming disaster. It selected them.
As both men kept their gaze neutral, Ries stared intently at the agent with her hand ready to swing; in case she felt any bloodlust. His appearance was too similar to the Ashen Chevalier's; it was hard to fault the woman when comparing the man's appearance to the infamous war hero of Erebonia. Recalling Kevin's words, the red-haired sister kept the possibility of the mysterious man being connected to the war hero alive.
Noticing him taking a deep breath, the two Gralsritters tensed up slightly in shock at his next words.
"I need to talk to Carnelia— Ein Selnate."
"How do you know her?" Ries questioned with a suspicious gaze. The name and alias of the First Dominion weren't public knowledge. Only a few allies outside of the Gralsritter, as well as their enemies, knew of her identity.
"Easy there, Ries. I'm just as surprised as you, but let's hear him out first." Kevin patted her back with his free hand before fixing his gaze on the red-eyed swordsman. His expression remained neutral as he took in the other's facial clues and body movements. "You have a reason why you need to talk to our boss?"
"I do. It'll make explaining everything less troublesome if the Grand Master of the Gralsritter joined our conversation." He stated matter-a-factly, unaffected by the squire's stare. There was a momentary frown etched on his visage, which the spiky-haired man took note of. "So, what's it going to be?"
For a minute or two, the Dominion contemplated his decision. A hand ruffled his hair before the man shrugged his shoulders, smiling a bit.
"Sure, why not?"
Ries' head snapped to look at her childhood friend as she frowned. "Kevin, are you sure about this? He might be lying and tell us nothing..."
"It's fine, Ries. I have a feeling this guy might be our ticket to getting some answers." The Thousand-Hand Guardian assured her with a smile. The squire looked uncertain for a moment but nodded soon after, trusting her friend's words.
His smile grew upon her nod before the priest shifted back to his neutral countenance. This man knew the Grand Master of the Gralsritter's identity, both her alias and real name. No ordinary person could have known info about their boss just like that. Then again, the guy was about to finish off a devil if Kevin didn't beat him to it. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't just a strong swordsman.
"Before I give her a call," The green-haired Dominion snatched the holy scriptures from his squire before showing the very last page to the man in black. "You know anything about this?"
The black-haired swordsman didn't need to come closer due to his enhanced sight. Narrowing his eyes, he replied with a nod as a frown tugged his lips downward.
"That's all I wanted to confirm. Fair warning though, she might not answer since she's busy doing her own crap right now." Father Kevin received another nod as he shrugged before taking out his orbment.
The Dominion wasn't one to call his boss during his missions unless he completed one or if it was absolutely necessary, and the latter fits the situation right now. His dark blue eyes glanced at his partner, seeing the obvious tension in her body. His hand went to her right shoulder as the nun's muscles tensed slightly before easing up. Knowing that Ries loosened up, even if it was only a bit, the priest dialed Carnelia's number.
RING RING RING RING
The darkroom of the underground passage was void of everything but the sound of the ARCUS trying to contact their Grand Master. Ries remained on guard but was more relaxed compared to earlier, likely thanks to her partner's comforting touch. The black-haired man with white streaks stood still, an unreadable expression attached to his visage.
The ringing soon stopped as their desired person picked up.
"Kevin? What do you need? I can't talk for too long; you know how busy I am on my end."
"I know that, Ein, but we have ourselves a... situation."
"Eh?" The older woman's confusion was not hard to detect, despite her facial expression not being visible through the speaker. "Is it related to that errand you're doing for Thomas? Better tell him about it than me; I won't be able to help that much until I finish my own business here."
It was Ries who spoke next. "Forgive us, Lady Ein. However, the reason for us calling you instead of Father Thomas is because the situation calls for you... quite literally and figuratively."
"You've lost me..." Carnelia admitted with a sigh, prompting the red-eyed man to speak up.
"Put her on a video call, and I'll handle the rest."
"That voice sounds awfully familiar... wait, are you two with an outsider right now? I told you two to keep outsider contact to a minimum if you were going to do Thomas' errand for him. And you had to call me right in front of them, really?"
"Hey! Don't go assuming things!" Kevin groaned, slightly annoyed at his superior for jumping to conclusions. "The voice you heard is connected to this whole mess we got involved in, and he asked us if he can talk to ya."
"And you just agreed?"
"Yup." A groan came out of the speaker as the red-haired sister sweatdropped. Kevin requested a video call request, to which the First Dominion reluctantly accepted. "Here."
The spiky-haired Dominion faced the screen of his orbment towards the swordsman as the woman on the screen narrowed her eyes, analyzing the mysterious individual's features. It was not difficult to see the similarities between the man and the Ashen Chevalier they had heard so much about, but Ein had a feeling he wasn't a simple copycat.
The agent began walking over, slowly closing the distance between him and the ARCUS. Ries slowly gripped her templar sword just in case while the Thousand-Hand Guardian observed his next actions. The man clad in black fished out a blank card from his coat pocket, earning him a raised brow from the Gralsritter pair.
His lips parted to utter voiceless words...
Ein's eyes grew wide when she read his lips, the blank card glowing gold as the outer layer turned to the same shade. The image of a woman in white appeared in the center, the scenery of a blue sky surrounding her figure. Carnelia was speechless; her eyes showed amazement and the smallest traces of shock. Kevin and Ries were dumbstruck as well, but unlike their superior, they were unaware of the true meaning of the golden card.
As the light slowly faded into a dim glow, the olive green-haired woman gulped and closed her eyes.
"Kevin, activate the hologram function of your ARCUS."
Her voice snapped him out of his stupefied state. "U-Uh, okay."
Not questioning her order, the Dominion set his ARCUS down and activated the special hologram function the Gralsritters installed in their orbments. The figure of a woman with greenish-blonde wavy hair appeared through the hologram; her outfit was a special variation of the Gralsritter attire, which was accompanied by a crimson cloak attached to her collar and a golden medallion with the symbol of the Grail hanging around her neck.
As soon as her image fully materialized, the First Dominion got on one knee as she kneeled down before the black-haired swordsman, shocking the two Gralsritters.
"Ein?!"
"L-Lady Ein? Why are you..."
The olive green-haired Grail Knight ignored her comrades as she lifted her head slightly to meet the man's crimson gaze.
"Ever since becoming the Grand Master of the Gralsritter, there was a small part of me hoping that I would meet one of you someday." She confessed as she closed her eyes. "With each year that passed, my desire for the occasion began to be forgotten in my mind. But now, I remembered that selfish desire all over again." Opening her eyes once more, Ein saw the man pull back the golden card.
He threw the card straight to the ground as the higher elements burst forth, divine energy erupting as Kevin and Ries covered their eyes from the blinding light as both sensed a radiant and holy presence arrived. As the brightness of the golden hue died down, a woman with long, flowing white-blonde hair that defied the laws of gravity stood in front of the swordsman. Her beauty and radiant glow somehow filled them with warmth.
"It's an honor to meet you, Avatar of Aidos, Agent of Aidios."
The two Gralsritters unknowingly got on their knees upon the woman's arrival, as if it were their instincts that gave them the order.
'Why did I...' Kevin thought to himself, realizing that he got down on one knee. He glanced briefly at Ries as the same look of confusion plastered on her face. The thought of getting up did cross the man's mind, but for some reason, the thought faded as quickly as it came.
The black-haired agent cleared his throat and crossed his arms, throwing a glance at his superior as she took the hint; her glowing form slowly dimmed down. The invisible power that prevented them from committing to getting up was lifted, causing Kevin to almost fall forward before catching himself.
"Current Grand Master of the Gralsritter— Ein Selnate, you are aware of why my agent and I have decided to contact you, correct?" Carnelia dipped her head down for a yes. "Good. Now, I believe you owe these two an explanation first."
The unspoken question of the Fifth Dominion and his squire was finally about to be answered as both stood up, facing their superior. The older Dominion adopted a serious look, one that she would use that gave no room for jests.
"Kevin, Ries, you two are already aware that the church has many secrets that are kept hidden from the rest of the world, but the Septian Church has few secrets that only myself and a select few know about."
The sister understood why they would keep a few secrets to themselves, likely because they were too dangerous to reveal, even to the other Dominions. That didn't stop her childhood friend from frowning, though. Ein resumed as she looked up, sighing.
"As Grand Master, I hold the knowledge that could be considered forbidden to those who follow the teachings of the church. Would you believe me if I told you that the world we live in; is just one out of millions of worlds that Aidios created?" She questioned as the squire backed away slightly.
"T-That's... unheard of! Can such a thing truly exist...?" Ein just gave the younger woman a nod, a visible frown on her face.
"...That's the first I've heard of it." Kevin couldn't help but blurt it out. It was a secret only Ein and a few others outside of the Dominions knew, yet the small scowl revealed his true feeling about the matter. "So, it's possible that there are other versions of ourselves living in those otherworlds?"
"That's right. We all have alternate counterparts in some form in those worlds, and while there are numerous versions of Zemuria that exist, there is only one Goddess that governs them all." Carnelia turned to face the woman in white as the Gralsritter pair came to their own answer, both facing the radiant being.
'No freaking way... is she...'
"Aidios...?" The young Argent finished her childhood friend's thought as she stared at the woman in disbelief.
The woman in white simply shook her head, a ghost of a smile stitched across her face. "Not exactly. I am known as an Avatar of Aidios, a representative of the Goddess. I am but one of her avatars that have been tasked to protect her creations." The two nodded slowly in understanding as the woman placed a hand on her chest, her smile fading. "As you two know, there is a realm known as The Beyond that exists outside of the world created by Aidios. Her set of rules does not apply there, preventing Aidios from interacting or trying to come in contact with the beings in that realm. Despite the beings in The Beyond possessing great power, they do not blindly cause harm to the mortal plane. However, there is another realm where beings of absolute chaos and destruction seek to disrupt the balance of time and space exist."
"What the... another realm where beings that dangerous exists? And you didn't bother to tell us?" Kevin sent his superior an accusatory glare, the woman brushing it off as she turned to the woman in white, who gave a nod.
The First Dominion crossed her arms, closing her eyes for a moment. "Kevin, I didn't tell any of the other Dominions about the threats of the other realm because it is not our responsibility. The tasks of dealing with those dangerous beings belong to the Avatars of Aidios, one of the many fragments of the Goddess that she created to act as her representative."
After Ein's declaration, the Thousand-Hand Guardian took in all of the information in silence, not noticing the concerned gaze of his squire. Deep down, Kevin understood why Carnelia would keep that kind of information secret to the other Dominions; the revelation would plant unnecessary worry in them. He knew that, but the frustration he felt was hard to brush off.
The demons, the aura he felt earlier, and now this bullshit... it's giving the poor man more questions that before now.
Still concerned for the Dominion, Ries squeezed his hand gently. Thankfully, her touch did help ease him up, just like how his touch eases her.
"This other realm you mentioned... just what exactly is it?"
"It's called the Outer Realm, a place where demons and beings capable of interfering and entering the different worlds and timelines reside in." Speaking for the first time during their conversation, the swordsman provided the same answer the avatar told him back then. "They're the main threats that the Avatars of Aidios and their agents have to exterminate to protect the different worlds and timelines. The devils you fought earlier on the highway were Time Devils, demons from the Outer Realm."
Before Ries or Kevin could ask him to elucidate further, Ein did it herself.
"The Avatars of Aidios also have representatives of their own known as the Agents of Aidios. They are the ones who actually deal with the beings of the Outer Realm and exterminate them before they could use their power to bring destruction to the world they are currently in."
That piece of information helped Kevin slowly put the pieces together as he looked toward the Ashen Chevalier lookalike. "Those agents are chosen by the Avatars of Aidios, aren't they?"
The representative of the Goddess bobbed her head slowly in response to the Dominion's question. "You are almost correct. We choose individuals who we think are worthy of becoming our agent and give them a choice: whether to become an Agent of Aidios or return to the Goddess' arms."
Ries gasped as she snapped her head towards the swordsman, the man looking away as his bangs shadowed his countenance. Did the man... "His appearance makes sense now. He's a Rean Schwarzer from a different world..."
"And that means one of those bastards from the Outer Realm managed to enter our world..." The spiky-haired priest mused to himself after they disclosed the forbidden info to them. He flipped through the pages of the holy scriptures before showing the three the eerie passage that suddenly appeared earlier. "These verses suddenly appeared on the blank page at the end of the scriptures after Ries and I fought those Time Devils. After listening to everything you three disclosed just now, these verses are related to what's coming to the capital, aren't they?"
Rean simply closed his eyes and nodded while his boss looked down. Ein skimmed through the texts as a thoughtful expression made itself known on her visage. "I see... so the Kassandraruf activated."
The looks of confusion she received from her Gralsritters were understandable. It was another term they were unfamiliar with. Though, the two had a feeling that whatever the Kassandraruf was, it was a secret exclusive to Ein alone.
"That's something bad, isn't it?" Just the name of it made a wave of dread creep into the younger Dominion's being.
"Even as the Grand Master of the Gralsritters, the only piece of information I know of the Kassandraruf is that it's a system the Goddess created to warn the Gralsritters of any upcoming danger to the world. Unfortunately, that's all I currently know about it."
The red-haired squire pursed her lips in thought as she glanced back at the scriptures. The appearance of the mysterious texts raised alarm bells, and now her worries were confirmed by her mentor. An approaching threat that could endanger the world is coming, whether they like it or not.
Ries turned her head towards the woman in white. "Can you please elaborate on what this Kassandraruf is? It can't possibly be just a forewarning of the dangers to come. The Kassandraruf would have activated more often if we took into account the experiments Ouroboros had done and the potential damage they could have done to parts of Zemuria."
"Ries is right. The Liber Ark, the Azure Tree incident in Crossbell, and the Infernal Castle in Erebonia could be considered threats that could ruin the whole continent if not dealt with. Still, those events didn't trigger the Kassandraruf." Kevin pointed out as he recalled the past events that occurred in Zemuria. "This time, though, the Kassandraruf activated after we fought off those devils on the highway."
"Perceptive. You're quite right, Fifth Dominion. The Kassandraruf is indeed a system Aidios created to deliver warnings and predictions of future dangers that could harm her worlds to the Gralsritters; you can compare it to the Silver Dew Orb artifact, but a much more powerful one. Still, it is only exclusive to threats from the Outer Realm." The whitish blonde-haired woman revealed as her lips curled downward. "The text of the Kassandraruf will appear to the Gralsritters who will inevitably be involved in the matters of our divine workings and our mission to eliminate the being."
The true mechanics of the Kassandraruf was truly a confession of information; not even Carnelia could mask her shock. The First Dominion managed to grasp why one of the Avatars of Aidios and her agent wanted to talk to her, but she still wanted to ask...
"I'm beginning to understand why you came to me, Lady Aidios... but are you sure we are allowed to assist your agent? I recall that the Agent of Aidios has strict rules that they must follow?"
"Do not worry about that, Ein Selnate. The true Goddess of the Sky has given us approval to void the first three rules of the contract of my agent due to the activation of the Kassandraruf." The avatar said and showed a smile. "And please, call me Ciel. That is my name as an avatar."
"Understood, Lady Ciel."
Looking at both his superior and the Avatar of Aidios, Kevin took a deep breath as his orbs turned to the swordsman. He gazed at his childhood friend, his eyes meeting hers as they conversed each other wordlessly. Nodding, he rubbed the nape of his neck and shrugged.
"Heh. So, we'll be teaming up with Schwarzer until whatever came here from the Outer Realm is gone, right? Say no more; Ries and I will help out." Kevin said as he threw his arms behind his head. 'It's not like we have much choice, but following Schwarzer might resolve that aura I detected in those devils...'
The sister dipped her head down in agreement. "Even if the Kassandraruf didn't involve us in the affair of the divine, we won't just stand by knowing that there is an otherworldly being out in Zemuria capable of causing mass destruction."
Both agent and avatar were astonished by the Gralsritter's resolve; Ciel's eyes widened before a wide smile soon graced her lips. Her agent's face softened considerably, replaced with a nostalgic and wistful look.
'This kind of reminds me of back then...'
No one besides Ciel and Ries noticed the sudden pain that flashed across Rean's face, but it quickly disappeared as a second passed. Rean's look of indifference returned, much to his superior's sadness and the squire's concern and curiosity. She had to ask him about that when things had settled down, though Ries had a nagging feeling that it was personal.
Ein stared at her Gralsritters approvingly as she bobbed her head twice before turning her attention to Ciel.
"We will do all we can to support your agent, Lady Ciel. The other Dominions are currently handling other matters, but I will inform those available to come to the capital to assist the Agent of Aidios."
It was reassuring to know that the other Dominions would aid them, but Rean didn't exactly share their feelings...
"No."
All heads snapped towards the hybrid, a scowl present on his face.
"What do you mean 'no'? Isn't having more allies better than just the two of us help you?" Perplexed, Kevin frowned at Rean's disagreement.
"You saw the text of the Kassandraruf yourself, Rean Schwarzer. Are you certain that we three are capable of defeating your enemy all on our own?" Ries did not doubt Rean's strength. On the contrary, she was positive that he was far stronger than she or Kevin combined. No one would just be an Agent of Aidios if they weren't powerful enough to take down unworldly beings.
But the main cause of her concerns was because of the passage of the Kassandraruf. Who wouldn't feel doubtful and scared upon reading that kind of text? It didn't help that there was a feeling of trepidation in each word she read.
The First Dominion and Avatar of Aidios stayed silent as they waited for the black-haired agent's answer.
"Until we see the threat ourselves, I don't know," Rean started. "but we don't need to contact the other Dominions, at least not now." His crimson jewels eyed Ciel's fuchsia ones as the woman put her trust in the agent. "We'll be attracting unnecessary attention if the other Dominions are around the capital waiting for orders."
"Can't we just have them on standby in the sky around Heimdallr then? They can use their Merkabahs' stealth function to stay hidden from the public eye." Kevin suggested as he quirked a brow and crossed his arms.
Rean shook his head before sighing. It would have worked if they weren't dealing with an eldritch being from the Outer Realm... "The entities of the Outer Realm are capable of seeing through stealth abilities. If they notice one of you, they can effortlessly cause enough damage to alarm everyone in the capital."
Ries and Kevin paled slightly at the statement. They already knew that their enemy would be dangerous enough to endanger the inhabitants of Zemuria but to hear someone who fought them firsthand inform them of their strength; truly opened their eyes to how powerful those bastards sounded.
"For now, the three of us will be enough. I prefer only a small amount of people know about my identity. You can still inform them about everything we have talked about; the ones out of Erebonia should remain on standby and await orders in their current locations. The Second and Eighth Dominion will likely arrive at Heimdallr for their own matters without Carnelia giving them the order to come here." Rean stated, assuming that his former instructor and classmate would come just like in his world.
"And having a small group suits Rean's current objective more than a large one," Ciel added before she peeked over her shoulder to inspect her agent's expression, his scowl still present as she fought the urge to frown. "I suggest you hold back on disclosing everything to the Eighth Dominion for the time being." The fragment of the Goddess subtly gestured the swordsman to Ein.
Kevin and Ries exchanged a glance, unsure how to respond, before turning towards their leader, who had her arms crossed with a contemplative countenance. It was strange that they wanted to exclude the newest Eighth Dominion, but they concluded their comrade was connected to Rean in some way, noticing the subtle way Ciel gestured at him earlier.
Returning her arms to her side, Ein decided her decision. "If that is what you suggest, Lady Ciel. I know you have your reasons for not including our Eighth Dominion in the disclosure of your mission, so I will refrain from asking any more questions." She shifted her attention from Ciel to Kevin and Ries. "Fifth Dominion: Thousand-Hand Guardian— Kevin Graham and his squire— Ries Argent, your instructions are to assist the Agent of Aidios in his mission. You two are to follow his orders and support him in any way you can. Is that clear?"
"Crystal! / Understood!"
Ciel smiled in approval. "I'll be taking my leave now. I'm not one to show myself to mortals, but this time it was necessary. Always be careful, you three. I'll be watching from above." With her piece said, Ciel's form faded, disappearing as if she was a ghost.
Releasing a sigh, Ein placed her hands on her hips. "I never expected I'd actually meet one of Aidios' avatars or her agent today. I have one hell of a story to tell Toval if the situation permits it." She tilted her head to the side slightly and eyed the hybrid swordsman with an observant eye. "Anyways, I'll be following Lady Ciel's orders. I'll contact you two again once I finish my own errands. Good luck."
Carnelia's hologram projection turned off, leaving the three on their own as Kevin picked up his ARCUS. Rubbing the back of his neck, he faced Rean's direction. "I guess we're in your care, Schwarzer."
Being addressed by his adoptive family's name again made his scowl emerge on his visage, the Dominion noticing the change of expression. It was not hard to detect, considering how apparent it was. Whether it was a conscious action or not was up for debate.
Ries set her sight on the agent, frowning. Her frown, however, was a sympathetic and concerned one. "Do you not want us to call you by your real name?"
Turning his head away, the agent grunted slightly as his scowl deepened. "...I prefer if you don't."
"Lady Ciel called you Rean, though?" Kevin sighed, ruffling his hair.
"I owe her a lot. It's the least I could do after everything she has done for me." He answered simply. "I threw away my real name a long time ago... being called 'Rean Schwarzer' by someone other than Ciel makes me uncomfortable. You can call me anything but that... please."
The desperateness of his tone made Ries' heart act, the two taken aback.
"Then... how do you want us to address you for the time being?" The squire queried in a soft tone.
"Rin... or Nameless, whichever you prefer." The agent received a nod of acknowledgment from both before they walked closer to the man.
"Guess that settles what we call ya. What're we going to do now?"
"We're heading to the next location of the abnormal state of the higher elements. You two must have felt the sensation when you were heading to the cemetery, right?" Rean presumed when he noticed traces of their auras coming from the entrance of Himmel Cemetery.
"Yeah. We felt it before when we arrived at one of the clearings in the South Ostia Highway." The green-haired marksman said as he put a hand on his chin, frowning a bit when he recalled the familiar aura in the demons. "Then those devils popped out of nowhere. I'd be lying if I said they were easy, but we managed to beat them."
The Time Devils were a tricky and annoying bunch. With intelligence higher than your average monsters, they can conjure up plans and use their future sight ability to their advantage. Ries and Kevin were only able to defeat them through the use of the Dominion's stigmatized crafts and powerful arts.
"I shouldn't be surprised. The Dominions' stigmas are effective against beings from the Outer Realm, or maybe I should say that they're one of the few things that can do reliable damage against them." Rin remarked matter-a-factly. "In any case, I'll answer any questions you might have as we head to the area beneath Valflame Palace."
"Isn't that the area where the Infernal Castle emerged from?"
"Better question, how are we gonna get inside the place without alerting the guards or the royal family?" The Thousand-Hand Guardian followed up Ries' question with his own. "I doubt Prince Olivert is there to help us out. Knowing him, he's probably out somewhere doing his own business."
"Not like I would rely on His Highness to help us out, I'm not supposed to be seen, you know." The agent heaved a sigh as the two sweatdropped slightly.
"My bad..."
"Just grab on my shoulder, and I'll do the rest."
The two were skeptical but complied nonetheless. Both rested a hand on the agent's right and left shoulder, respectively, as a white light began to shroud around them. Panic did not rise from the two, but they were caught off guard by the uninvited appearance of the light.
"Hold on tight."
"W-Wait a sec—"
The trio was enveloped in light before disappearing from their spot.
[07/ 09/ S. 1206]
-17:04-
The Black Workshop
His pale crimson orbs glared at the ground in annoyance. Clicking his tongue, a hand ran through his cyan hair locks. A man wearing a familiar red coat leaned against the wall; his vibrant orange-red coattails freely hung just above the floor as he took off his signature glasses. This man was Enforcer No. 1: The Almighty Conflagration.
Also known by his other title, The Blazing Demon— McBurn.
The mixed being growled to no one, unable to rid himself of the irritating sensation crawling up his skin. He didn't know what it was, but he knew it was driving him insane ever since he felt it. All he wanted to do right now was to incinerate the cause of his irritation.
But the Enforcer couldn't do that because it was a damn feeling!
Uncertain whether it was just a creeping feeling that he found maddening; or if someone was to blame for his agitation. Demonic markings appeared on his skin for a moment as he took in deep breaths. His eyes and cyan mane began flickering from their usual hue to their demonic shade. His blood boiled with no way easy way to calm it down.
He had to find the source. No... he needed to. It was like his primal instincts were calling him to take action.
McBurn stopped his subconscious transition to his demonic form as he put on his glasses. Flames began circling the Almighty Conflagration, getting ready to hunt for his prey. Before his teleportation fully activated, he sensed his associates walking toward him.
Without meeting their gaze, the literal flame grunted. "What do you four want?"
"What do we want? Where are you even going at this time?!"
"McFireBro probably just wants to loosen his muscles and wanted to go somewhere secluded~."
"Well, if ya wanted a little fight, I could always lend a hand."
"..."
Duvalie the Swift, Shirley Orlando, and Rutger Claussell stated with varying expressions: the brunette wore an irritated look with her arms crossed, the Sanguine Ogre had one of amusement, and the Jaeger King kept a friendly expression on his face while Azure Siegfried chose to stay quiet, a look of detachment present on his features... The cyan-haired demon scoffed and buried his hands in his pockets, his patience starting to slip.
"None of your business."
"W-Wha?! What do you mean it's none of our business?! You have a habit of causing clear evidence of your whereabouts whenever you 'let loose'! We don't need Class VII or anyone else's attention on us when it's still not time for—" Duvalie's rant was cut off with a deadly glare. If looks could kill, the woman would be dead nine times over by now.
Even the redhead Enforcer and corps commander were surprised by the sudden glare of the demon. Both Shirley and Rutger saw McBurn as a laidback, casual guy who loved a good fight. This side of him, however, was foreign to them. The laziness that would occupy his eyes was gone, replaced with irritation and burning fury.
'I've never seen McFireBro act like this before... his eyes are kinda freaking me out.'
"It's none of your damn business. If you keep pestering me, I won't hesitate to burn you to a crisp." His tone altered into a deep and menacing voice that made the four take a step back out of instincts, his demonic orbs glaring daggers at another source of his growing irritation.
As the head knight was about to speak once more, Azure Siegfried opened his mouth to speak. "Let him do what he wants, Swift. As long as he doesn't compromise Alberich's plans, I have no interest in what he does. Besides, he's an Enforcer. He can act on his own whenever he wants, remember?"
Duvalie gritted her teeth but backed down, the other two looking at each other with confusion written all over their faces. McBurn's eyes returned to normal as he heaved a sigh. He had more important shit to do than be interrogated.
Crimson flames whirled around him before his form disappeared along with the fire.
Releasing a breath he didn't know he was keeping, Rutger looked at the masked man. "You sure we should let him be by himself? Guy looked like he was about to murder someone."
"Yeah. I knew McBurn could make a crazy-looking face whenever he fights, but that look he had was... something." Shirley concurred, putting her arms behind her head.
"You all saw the look on his face. As he is right now, McBurn would not think twice about killing all of us if he lost his temper. He was clearly irritated. He left to deal with the source of his irritation and probably won't come back until he finds it."
The crimson eyes behind Siegfried's mask gandered at the Swift, noticing her scowl in thought.
"This is the first time I've seen him genuinely upset and angry..." The knight muttered, eyes glued to the floor. Duvalie pondered to herself what caused the unstable temper and vexation of the Almighty Conflagration. "What could have caused his agitation...?"
Underneath the residence of the Imperial Family, a sphere of light materialized before dispersing, revealing the Agent of Aidios and the Gralsritter duo. The two were momentarily fazed at their arrival but quickly recovered as they began scouting the area. During their transportation through the spirit veins, Nameless answered the questions they wanted to ask him.
Luckily for the man, all of their queries were related to the tasks of an agent and their abilities rather than personal questions about himself. He answered them honestly since three of the rules of his contract were nullified, not to mention that the swordsman needed them to be informed if they would be of use. Harsh it may sound, but without knowledge of the Outer Realm, the Dominion and his squire would only hold him back.
Rin disclosed the usual weaknesses of the demons from the other dimension: the three higher elements, stigmatized techniques, and the blessing of the Goddess. Those three were the main attributes that would aid them in defeating their enemies. In addition, the hybrid gave the two a fragment of Ciel's blessing so their normal attacks could have an effect on the demons.
While the two began feeling out the distortion in the area, Rin thought back to his telepathic conversation with his superior back at the underground passage.
...
"Rean, I am aware of your situation. A memory wipe would normally be ideal, but that is not an option right now."
'What can I do then? I don't want to engage them in a fight. They might have seen my face, but a peaceful solution is better than me beating them.'
Ciel was silent for a few seconds before giving in; it was their best course of action. "...All right then. Tell them to contact the current head of the Gralsritter and ask for an audience. Once you get in contact with her, manifest me through your blank card, and we'll reveal everything who we are. We need their cooperation. The first three rules of the contract are now null. I have already asked the Goddess for permission."
It was Rean's turn to fall into silence. Ciel knew her agent never liked involving the people of the alternate worlds in their business, but she couldn't ignore the Kassandraruf being triggered and warning the two Gralsritters of the threat they've been looking for.
"I understand you dislike dragging others into our mission if you can help it. But the Kassandraruf activated in the squire's scriptures, you know as much as I do that their lives will be put at risk if we aren't there to keep an eye on them. They are certain to mee our foe, and the Dominion's stigma won't be enough to deal with our target." Dammit, she was right. She was always right when it came to seeing the bigger picture.
Conceding, Rean sighed inwardly. '...We don't have much choice, huh...?'
"No... we do not."
The agent closed his eyes, clenching his fists as he took a deep breath. It's been a while since he had to work alongside the people of the alternate timelines, not like he was looking forward to it again. When was the last time he had to work with mortals from the alternate worlds? His memory was so foggy that recalling those occasions proved to be difficult.
"I-I..."
...
The agent shut his eyes and rubbed his temple, feeling the mental exhaustion of today's events hit him.
"Rin?"
"You found something, Argent?"
"Kind of. The instability of the higher elements here is strange. One moment the elements would flow erratically and then stabilize themselves soon after. It's been messing Kevin's senses." She gestured at her partner, his frustration apparent.
Now that she mentioned it, the swordsman could sense the odd behavior of the higher elements. It was different from the other areas where the irregularities in the area were easily noticeable and continuously flowed in the air like gas.
'Something's coming!' His hand instinctively drew out his tachi.
Kevin and Ries seemed to notice it as well as they took out their weapons. The trio snapped their heads to the back as cracks and tears began to rip themselves an entrance, the presence of the higher elements becoming more unstable. A large tear manifested as it slowly opened, revealing a large winged demon the size of a Goliath Soldat. Its ebony exterior reeked of blood and malice, wings flapping to keep it in the air. Three spiral-shaped horns protruded from its forehead as its talons glowed an eerie red. The jaw of the abomination snapped open, showing off its fangs and reptilian tongue.
The cracks and tears burst open as several Temporal Golems entered their dimension.
Kevin scowled at the sight of the demon's small army but not because of their numbers. It was because of the aura within all of them, especially the devil's aura. The atmosphere grew dark with killing intent, courtesy of the demon in front of them. Its crimson orb locked with the agent's, narrowing its gaze as it steadily raised both arms.
"Agent of Aidios, no... deceiver... you must disappear!"
Swiping both arms into a cross, the demon fired claw-like energy blades from his talons as the Temporal Agents advanced.
The squire closed her eyes and began reciting lines from the holy scriptures as a barrier of light formed around them. Eyes flickering to gold, Nameless raised a hand as the barrier's durability and size increased. The barrier protected the three from the demon's projectiles as well as the spheres of space energy sent their way. Kevin's stigma manifested on his back as he poured time energy into his crossbow, aiming at the golems as a spectral figure of an ominous human skull hovered above the Gralsritter.
As the agent and sister deactivated the barrier, the green-haired father pulled the trigger of his bowgun. "Strike, unholy spears of time!"
Numerous spears of stigmatized time energy appeared as they flew towards the mechanical fiends, Rin and Ries darting towards opposites sides to engage their foes. Several spears landed on their intended target, piercing their metal frame before blowing up. The agent and sister launched themselves toward a group and began hacking through the golems.
Ries' slashes were stronger and more effective, thanks to the blessing. It wasn't like cutting through butter, but it was far easier to combat them compared to her last encounter with a being from the Outer Realm. The woman formed a combat link with her childhood friend as two arrows passed above her shoulders, striking down two more golems.
"Don't lose focus, Ries!"
"That's my line, Kevin!" Azure runes surrounded her form as she held out her arm. "Cross Crusade!"
A golden cross made an appearance on the ground as the demon and golems tried moving away. As the mechanical monstrosities made their escape, they were pulled back by an invisible force. They helplessly looked around for the source of the gravity controller, seeing a small speck of gold getting bigger and closer from above.
The flow of time seemingly slowed down for one of the golems as it saw the identity of the speck of gold. A blade covered in golden flames flashed before him; crimson orbs glared at the golem before it was cut in half and exploded. The agent vanished from his spot as Ries' art fully activated, light erupting from the ground, drowning them in the art and exterminating them.
Rin reappeared beside Kevin, who fired a few more stigmatized arrows at the remaining golems, destroying them as Ries regrouped with the two.
"Looks like it's just the big guy and us now."
"Now is not the time to breathe easy just yet. This one might prove to be difficult..."
The agent closed his eyes and linked with his superior. 'Ciel?'
"It is an Ebon Archfiend, Rean." The divine being confirmed as the man started scanning its attributes. "The same method should still apply. I have already sealed the area as soon as they appeared. You three can make as much commotion as you wish."
'Gotcha.' He reopened his orbs and cut off the link before assuming the second form's stance. "We have to cut its horn if we want to finish it off. Its abilities are similar to the Time Devil's, but it's stronger and has a healing factor. Cutting off its horns will weaken it."
"Sounds simple enough, but it won't be that easy, right?" Kevin chuckled wryly as Rin nodded.
"The archfiend has a barrier surrounding its horns to prevent anyone from cutting it, but with enough force," Magenta flames flickered to life, surrounding the agent's radius as he gripped the handle of his tachi. "We can easily break through it."
"We'll leave it to you then." Grinning, he loaded up his bowgun as he readied another stigma-enhanced craft. "Ries and I will keep it distracted while you break the barrier. Out of all of us, you're the strongest one here."
The black-haired swordsman's lips curled into a frown. He won't deny his strength, but Rin was certain Kevin was capable of destroying the barrier with a stigmatized attack. His initial plan was to deal threatening blows, forcing the archfiend to focus on him and giving the Dominion the chance to attack his protection. He opened his mouth to reply, but their foe's roar cut him off.
"You humans... have talked... long enough! Die, deceiver!"
Raising its talons, the devil conjured thousands of energy blades from nothing before firing them at the trio. Kevin and Ries dodged the projectiles by rolling to their sides as the agent deflected the incoming blades with his tachi.
"You two, alright?!"
"Not a scratch!"
"Me as well!" The Dominion and squire exclaimed as the redhead raised her templar sword, the blade illuminating a radiant glow. "Please leave the distraction to us!"
She slashed horizontally as her blade extended like a whip, colliding against the energy blades of the devil. Kevin smirked and fired another round of Spears of Loa, penetrating through the archfiend's chest as it grunted. That damage was not enough to hinder its performance, however.
As the holes on its chest started closing up, the devil lunged at the redhead squire with its right talon ready to strike. Ries leaped back just in time as its claw smashed the ground. The devil pulled its arm away before firing its claw-shaped attack at the trio.
Nameless drew his blade back, about to cut it in half, when a light barrier surrounded him, nullifying the demon's attack. He turned his head to the caster of the barrier; Ries Argent held her arm out while Graham charged his next craft. The agent stared at them for a moment as he pursed his lips.
'They're holding their own against the archfiend pretty well. Maybe I can...'
He was pulled out of his thoughts when the agent heard the Dominion raise his voice. "Get going!"
"...Right!"
Dissolving the light barrier, the spears of space flew at the Ebon Archfiend as Rin kicked himself off the ground, speeding like a bullet. The devil bellowed, using its right wing to shield itself from the projectiles while dodging the Agent of Aidios' execution of slashes. The regeneration of the fiend healed the cuts and burns Rin would inflict on it, the man grunting in annoyance as he dodged a swipe from its talons.
"Your attempts... to stop my master's plan... are futile! You cannot... avert... destruction, agent!"
"I will, demon. I won't let your plans become reality!"
The archfiend growled and warped the space around him, using the rubble around its surroundings to create large spheres before imbuing them with an aura of malice. The combat link Kevin had with Ries caused a cold sweat to trickle down his forehead, a bad feeling bubbling in his guts. His heart sped its pace as the familiar aura within the devil became clearer to the Dominion. Without giving the three time to react, three spheres fired at a sound-breaking speed.
Shifting red to black, Rin slowed his perception of time and covered his weapon with his hellish flames, slicing it in half.
"Crap! ARCUS, activate!" Two projections of a clock appeared beside the Dominion, blessing him with its boon before a black scythe took form using the time energy in the area. "Demonic Scythe!"
The Grim Reaper's scythe spun around as it sliced the approaching mass of debris. Ries wasn't as fast, though. The woman could only form a barrier to shield herself from the sphere. She grunted upon the impact as a smirk crossed the demon's features.
It fired the rest of the orbs reinforced with malice directly at the squire's barrier, launching the projectiles at the same speed. Each sphere struck the barrier, each hit causing the woman to recoil slightly as the force field endured the blows. Kevin clenched his teeth and sprinted towards his childhood friend, Rin following suit. His blue gaze observed the barrier weakening due to the devil's assault.
The archfiend refused to allow the Dominion and agent to assist Ries. His nature as an archfiend and the aura fused within his being wanted them to suffer. With a downward swipe, gravity pulled them down, forcing the two to the ground.
"Ugh...! What the... hell...!?" Kevin struggled to get his words out as his face got smashed on the ground.
'This power... an archfiend shouldn't... possess this much power! It's just like earlier in the underground passage!' The Agent of Aidios resisted the invisible force. He felt like there were hundreds of weights stuck on his back as he got on his knees, trying to get up as the Ebon Archfiend laughed maniacally.
"Watch and suffer!"
Lightning flickered and crackled on the demon's right palm, creating a spear out of negative energy and the higher elements. Gripping the shaft, the archfiend warped himself in front of Ries as her eyes widened. Kevin watched in terror and bellowed, his bones beginning to crack due to resisting the gravitational force.
"Nooooo!"
As the spear began its descent, a memory from thousands of years ago resurfaced in the agent's mind: A burning battleground, corpses of differing ages surrounding him. The innocent screaming and running away from the source of calamity. A little girl with hair he couldn't discern sat on the ground, helplessly staring at the bringer of her death. He held an arm out as if trying to reach her, save her from her cruel fate.
The last thing he heard was...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
The girl's desperate plea.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
The roar of the hybrid echoed as his left eye turned to gold while the other turned black. The gravity holding him in place disappeared as he warped beside Ries, pushing the woman away from the archfiend. The Ebon Archfiend's spear continued its descent as it stabbed through the agent's left arm, ripping the appendage off and sending it flying as blood leaked out. The Gralsritters gasped in horror.
"Rin!"
"Curse you, agent! I won't miss... this time!" About to pull its spear back and lunge, every muscle in the fiend's body ceased functioning, freezing him in place. "W-What?!"
His white streaks shaded his orbs, bright gold and black glow being the only sign of his eyes. The red liquid stopped its escape from his left stub in an abrupt matter as he sheathed back his tachi. Letting out a cry, Nameless fired a series of Thousand Swallows: Space in the direction of the demon's eyes.
Unable to do anything but take the brunt of the attack, the swallows scorched its instrument of vision as the devil howled in pain, blinding him temporarily.
The swordsman's eyes glowed an ebon and auric hue as he unfroze the demon, jumping onto its arm before darting towards his right shoulder. The absence of a limb did not deteriorate his speed as Rin made his way to its shoulder. As he reached his destination, the agent leaped high towards its horns.
"You won't... cut off my horns!" The archfiend refused to be defeated as its vision began to return, attempting to grab the agent.
"NOT ENOUGH!" Removing his scabbard from his waist, Rin struck its palm as a shockwave knocked it away, slicing up a storm as its fingers were chopped off in seconds.
"RAAAAAAAAH!"
"Attack it on my signal, you two!" He barked as magenta flames burst out of his sword.
"A-All right!"
"Leave it to us!"
Ries and Kevin prepared their crafts as the swordsman spun clockwise and slashed the barrier. The shield of the horns cracked at the impact of the tachi before the flames roared to life, growing in size as the barrier cracked further.
"Strike!" Pushing his blade with more force, Rin slashed through the protection and the horns, slicing them in half as the Ebon Archfiend howled. "Now!"
"Spear of Ur!"
With his job finished, Rin used the eldritch fiend's forehead to kick himself away. Thousands of stigmatized spears rained down on the demon as they pierced through its body, the Fifth Dominion's stigma appearing on the ground as more spears impaled the demonic entity. Each projectile that struck him sent immeasurable pain to the archfiend. Without its horns broken, the demon's defenses were as strong as paper.
A ball of light fell from above as it took the form of an angelic valkyrie; her wings flapped as he raised her sword, spirit energy gathering on the tip of her blade. A sphere of light formed as Ries raised her right arm before bringing it down and pointing at the fiend in front of her.
"Heavenly Sphere!"
At her command, the valkyrie gripped her sword with both hands before swinging the blade downward, the sphere of light mimicking its motion. The Ebon Archfiend could do nothing but express its pain as the lethal attack made contact, bathing the demon in light as light exploded from the ground.
Its ear-splitting roar reverberated throughout the chamber as the blinding light gradually dimmed and faded. Kevin and Ries fell on their knees, panting in exhaustion from expending too much energy.
The body of the archfiend fell to the ground, barely clinging to life as it tried getting up but ultimately collapsed. The agent walked forward and brought his blade close to its head.
"Do you plan on talking about this master of yours now?"
"Haha... foolish agent and mortals..." The archfiend chuckled... with amusement in his tone. It was about to perish, and it still found its situation amusing. Why? "You are all delaying... the inevitable... This world will be conquered and ruled by my master..."
"Just who is this master of yours anyway?" The Dominion asked, getting up while catching his breath. "Your aura isn't entirely your own. You're powerful, but that's likely due to the fact that your abilities were heightened thanks to the energy mixed with yours."
"Not to mention that your presence as a devil isn't a natural one, just like those Time Devils we fought earlier," Ries observed, doing the same while using her weapon for support to keep her from falling.
"Observant fools... but fools nonetheless. Every single demon and Temporal Golem in my master's army... possesses a fragment of his almighty power." As its lower body started to turn to dust, the devil's lips curled into a chilling grin. "You agent trash do not possess... the power to defeat my master. and his arrival... approaches."
Rin narrowed his gaze. He was getting tired of the archfiend's bullshit.
"You're irritated, aren't you? The bearer of the stigma... shares your feeling... as well." Half of the demon's body was now gone as it laughed. "Curious about my master's... identity?"
"You know the answer to that..." The green-haired Gralsritter regained an expression Ries thought he lost after the Phantasma incident...
The look of the Heretic Hunter.
The coldness of his blue eyes was nothing but lifeless and objective. The squire knew that expression all too well, and she didn't want the darkness to consume him again. Taking hold of his hand, Ries gave it a squeeze, which softened his eyes a bit.
Kevin inhaled before he mumbled a thanks. "Last chance to tell us before you die, demon." His voice remained stern and cold, but his eyes returned to their usual.
Seconds away from its oblivion, the dying archfiend humored the Dominion.
"His name... is... T—"
Just before it could reveal the identity of its master, the fiend completely faded into dust.
"Dammit! He almost spilled the name..." Kevin fell on his rear, running a hand through his spiky locks. They were so damn close to discovering their enemy, and their chance left right in front of them. It was frustrating, to say the least.
The agent of Aidios sighed and returned his blade to its holder. He could have shown his anger and frustration at the outcome, but he knew there would be no point in throwing a tantrum. He suddenly felt a wave of cleansing air wash over him as he turned to the source.
"What are you doing?"
"Healing your injuries as best as I can." Ries, with her ARCUS out, frowned as Holy Breath was cast on Rin."I'm sorry... If I had only reacted in time, I could have gotten away and you wouldn't have lost an arm." Her bangs hid her jewels, but the sorrow and guilt in her voice made her feelings obvious.
Kevin threw a glance at the agent's armless left before looking at his partner. "Hey. It's not your fault, Ries. Our enemies are on a whole 'nother level, and you still managed to protect yourself better than me. I barely managed to protect myself back there. And that devil set its sights on you the moment it saw your barrier."
"But—"
"Don't blame yourself. It is not your fault." Rin said sternly but with a bit of softness mixed in his tone. The squire looked down; their reassurance wasn't making her feel better. Sighing, the agent reached towards the woman's head and patted her, surprising both Gralsritters. "Remember when I told you two about the powers of an agent while we were traveling through the spirit veins earlier?"
"Yeah...?" Kevin said slowly as he quirked a brow. "You said agents have fast learning capabilities to gain information while on different timelines and worlds, a boost in their fighting capabilities, and the ability to control the septium elements at will."
"That's right. There are other abilities we possess, but this one is the most important ability you two need to know." The hybrid held his stub with his gloved hand and closed his eyes.
A golden hue flashed on his armless left, forcing the two to protect their sights. The glare of the light quickly dwindled until it was no more as the two looked back at his arm and gasped. Right in front of them, the missing left arm of the agent returned as if it was never separated from his body.
The part of his coat that got ripped when his arm got torn off was fixed as well.
"It... regrow?"
A nod was Rin's response to the squire as the two stared at him, shocked and a bit dumbfounded.
"Agents are blessed with semi-immortality, as I prefer to call it. Any injuries we receive will heal themselves over time, and any missing limbs can be recovered." Rin poked his chest with his thumb and continued. "Our true weakness is our heart. It's the only thing that can't regenerate. Once we're struck through our chest, and our heart destroyed, we're finished."
The Gralsritter duo said nothing, digesting the information with a pondering thought. They both thought it all made sense now.
"Is that why you didn't hesitate to rush into danger, despite losing an arm?" When Father Kevin got no answer, he frowned. He was perfectly aware of the difference between their constitution, but to continue attacking with that kind of injury was just...
"That's suicidal..." Ries finished his thought with a frown of her own.
"..."
It was not the first time the man had heard such a thing. Rin was often on the receiving end of similar statements from Ciel, remembering how she would gently scold him. The years he spent as an agent had dulled his sense of mortality, and his fighting style changed during his course as an Agent of Aidios.
To their eyes, maybe it was suicidal. Maybe it looked like Rin was charging towards his own demise. But it was nothing like that.
If losing a limb or two was needed to complete the mission or save someone's life, there would be no second thoughts on his decision. Their gazes reflected concern, sadness, and a hint of anger from the Dominion, probably because of his past of doing suicidal missions.
Sighing, the agent of Aidios decided to alleviate their worries. "I'm not planning on dying any time soon... not until I achieve my own goal. To keep my promise."
The two grew confused and curious at his solemn statement, their frowns deepening for different reasons. While Kevin was intrigued at this promise of his, Ries couldn't forget what happened just a few moments ago; Rin's sudden outburst earlier was imprinted in her mind. The way his eyes revealed negative emotions caught her off guard.
Hatred.
Rage.
And powerlessness.
All directed at himself.
She wanted to ask about what happened but chose not to. It was not the time for that.
"Ciel? The stability of the higher elements here has been restored." Rin said through the telepathic link.
"Excellent work, you three. All of the areas where the instabilities were located are stable now." She congratulated the trio before her voice turned serious. "The main threat to this world has yet to be eliminated. However, the Ebon Archfiend confirmed that it would arrive soon. I used the mirror to estimate its arrival to be within a week. For now, you three will be on standby until your next orders are given."
"Understood. I'll patch these two up in the meantime."
"Very well. Rest up, you three. And Rean?"
"Hmm?"
"I know you have heard me say this a thousand times by now, but please refrain from engaging the targets in such conditions. Your other abilities still take a toll on you mentally." Ciel gently chided the agent.
"...I'll try."
When silence was all he received, Nameless cut off the link and prepared to use the spirit veins. He glanced over his shoulder to confront their gaze.
"Let's go."
There were still a lot of questions they still wanted to ask; about everything that happened today. But the two wordlessly decided to bring them up later. They were tired, injured, and mentally exhausted. Nodding at the swordsman, Kevin and Ries held onto his shoulders before light surrounded their forms.
Notes: I wanted to explore how a really pissed off and more serious McBurn would interact with the characters. He does have his serious moments and times he was upset, but not to the point of being really pissed. He's usually laidback and casual most of the time. It is obvious why McBurn is acting the way he was, but that's all I will say for now.
I know I said that Agent!Rean is the main focus, but the next chapter will have a large portion on Alternate Timeline!Rean's side, but Agent!Rean will still show up.
Until next time!