AN: I don't own anything as always.
Hashed this one out quick after the first chapter since the idea is still fresh on my mind. Might do the next chapter at this pace.
Reviews appreciated.
Chapter 2: Almost easy
-Grayfia
For man, 500 years is more than enough to recount the tales of their ancestors, generations and generations of legacy with edges lost to the translation of time but for a devil like Grayfia Lucifuge, 500 years was but a nostalgia trip to her youth.
The devil civil war was ingrained into her memory, just the slight thought of it brought a strong wave of emotions that threaten to bile up, only maintained by the cold exterior of her seriousness. For all the chaos and suffering it brought to their people, the only positive thing out of it was the love story between her and Sirzechs. A love that stood the test of conflict, a symbol of reconciliation, that devils could love another. In honesty, it was over exaggerated for propaganda. Anyone smart enough would see the blatant use of it post-war to curb lingering animosity within the underworld. Then again, it was still effective enough that people kept quiet over it, no one wanted another inside war.
Grayfia did love her husband and king still after all these years and surely he felt the same. That was why when that shockwave of power occurred, he had asked for her to investigate and she obeyed. It was easy to locate after all, the border of France and Italy, far away from human civilization. No wards prevented her from just teleporting there. Strange but not out of the ordinary.
She pondered further on that thought as demonic magic pushed her towards her destination. The strongest queen was always prepared for anything but there was not much to worry about recently. The three factions wished to maintain the fragile status quo for the sake of peace and while subterfuge and back alley plots still exist, they were usually minor things. At most, this was a recently awoken greater beast or a human discovering a sacred gear. She chuckled at the unlikeliness of it as she reached the source.
Deep within the woods, a wide clearing of land where ruins of a mansion once stood. Recent signs of a fight were strewn about, fallen trees, small craters, the smell of blood and death. There was even the lingering taste of mana in the air.
The faint whimper of a wolf, no, a warg could be picked up and as she went to it's location, Grayfia came upon the source of a shockwave, standing inbetween a motley crew of monsters. Golems, knights, skeletons and a wraith of sorts, all kneeling before a young male as the warg in his arms was drained of life until they crumble into red dust. A crest of magic remains after that on his hand, a crest that is proof of demonic power. The young man was a devil, not one of the new reincarnated devils but a pure blood devil. Stepping closer, she begun to recognize his back, the red tinged black hair of a certain house. There was one name she was acquainted from that house so she gave it a try and see if he would answer back.
"Arslan Nahemah?"
He turned and that was all the confirmation she needed. 500 years after all was but a nostalgia trip to her youth.
Centuries ago...
"You will be taking care of the Nahemah heir while I am meeting Lord Nahemah, understood Grayfia?"
"Yes, Lord Lucifuge."
"Be off then."
There was a time when Satan was not a title. The titles of the 72 pillars were the ranks in Lucifer's great army against heaven and her destiny was in servitude of their leader as a Lucifuge, a servant house. That was the hierarchy of things.
House Nahemah was different. While both Lucifuge and Nahemah could be considered part of the same Extra Demon faction, Nahemah were truly outside of the politics. No one but the top knew of the reason why and so only rumors fill in as poor substitute for answers. They run the underworld's underworld. They serve as Lord Satan's unseen blade against our unseen enemy. They are the ones holding the puppet strings of Satan.
All of them were false, some more treasonous than others but no clear answer can ever be found. Only her father knew and he would never tell.
The doors to the lounge open by itself as she stepped in, her guest was already there, tucked into the corner of the sofa with a book in hand. This was but only the second time they met and as far as she was aware, the second time the heir has been seen in public. The initial impression she got was a quiet devil, guarded and reserved as if it was instilled in the very being of his nature.
"Heir Nahemah." She took a deep bow, making use of the maid training and the uniform she was in.
"Heiress Lucifuge." His eyes never left his book as he replied. A bad impression to their second encounter. "You do not have to wait on me, I am no Heir Lucifer, just a devil dragged out of his room because I needed fresh air."
"I am afraid I can't do that. It will only cause trouble for me if I were to be relieved of my duty." The maid in training stood to his side, waiting for whenever he decides to give a command.
"Suit yourself then." Silence filled the lounge to form an awkward atmosphere as one kept to his book and the other kept to fulfilling her duty. Eventually, one would break the atmosphere, not being good at dealing with it.
"So what would you do then if there is no guest to serve, Heiress Lucifuge?"
"Training."
"Then as a guest's wish, would you please go train by yourself?"
"I am afraid I will have to refuse such a request, if only to spite you."
"Not afraid I will report this disobedience to Lord Lucifuge?"
"I am sure Lord Lucifuge and Lord Nahemah will understand when they hear my side."
A light chuckle as he closed the book and stand to finally face her. Dark blue eyes like the edges of a setting sun skyline met hers.
"I can always read this book later. There is an activity I am interested in that requires two people . You can also consider it training if you like. Would you care to join, Heiress Grayfia?"
He approached closer, his tone changed to a playful one. For a second, a dark thought crept that he was about to create a scandal in her very home.
"What is it, milord?" Her maid training succeeded where her willpower, afraid on what was about to come.
"There is a recent human invention. An entertaining activity called a game. I know the rules but have no partner for it yet. Would you like to try, Heiress Grayfia? " His free hand conjured two pieces of wood, one of ebony and one of ivory. She would later come to know them as King pieces.
"A game of chess?"
Their father spent talking for hours, on what topic she would never come to know but it gave the two plenty of time to play this …chess. It was a shame she could not spend more time probing the wall that was Arslan Nahemah whose mind kept to the chess game.
It was a shame that their second meeting would be their last meeting or so she thought.
When House Nahemah left the underworld to hide, wherever they went. She had thought it to be temporary. When the civil war ended and she had found a new destiny underneath Sirzechs, there was a moment her thought lingered on the fate of House Nahemah and in particular, the friend she made within.
Years turned to centuries and that encounter became an old memory that etched into her life as a corner of the tapestry of her youth. She made her peace and buried him in it, only for him to crawl out of it alive and still as young as she had last seen him.
Destiny was a fickle monster sometimes.
-Arslan
"How can this be? No one has heard from House Nahemah in centuries. I- We thought you went extinct." Surprise, disbelief as she should be. Not everyday does a devil return from the grave. The rush of information from the old Arslan, the ease of assimilation between the old and the new, I have to thank the Company for at least providing the mind protection benefit. It was also either extreme luck or some careful deliberation that the old Arslan Nahemah and I have compatible personalities.
In that sense, there was no issue of dissociation. I am Arslan Nahemah.
Grayfia Lucifuge
Strongest Queen
T8
Status: Shooketh
"Grayfia... Lucifuge..." It was the first time I have spoken in this body. My voice was hoarse,a low tone that awfully demonic. At first I thought it was the long stasis and thirst, but no, this is my actual voice.
The encounter with the wargs really helped me, I realized. Feasting on them sustained me enough after a long stasis. There was little to no atrophy and I could still feel the adrenaline coursing in my veins. A final gift of my family perhaps.
"It's... a long story but tell me one thing first. What year is it now?"
We shared info in the ruins as I took a sit on a pile of rubble while she stood, guarded still. I was now properly caught up to speed with how devil society works now and she got the gist of how the rest of my family now rests underneath our feet.
"What about my family's home in the Underworld? What happened to it?" Whatever money we had was brought here and the remnants rest in my inventory but we did have an ancestral home.
"Some places were destroyed in the war but housing space is not problem, just birth rates. I don't think we ever found property of Nahemah. Your family was a very secretive affair after all, pardon my rudeness."
"None taken so what now?" It was crazy talk to suggest staying here for some out of place sentimentality even for me. Though I don't feel ready to deal with the aftermath of what returning meant. I will definitely be dragged to into some form of trouble.
"I will take you back to the Underworld. Lord Satan will surely want to meet you. It will be good news that a House has returned. You will be glad to hear how popular chess is now among devils too." A little excitement escaped her serious tone. Grayfia was happy for some odd reason that I could not discern.
Another voice cut in straight after that, arrogant and timed for the dramatics. Someone had been waiting for us. Multiple individuals had surrounded the ruins, brandishing weapons of silver and bearing symbols of the Church. Exorcist.
"When we got word of something happening at the border, we thought it was just some french idiot doing something stupid again but Our Father in Heaven has blessed us with a pair of dirty bats for the hunt. Amen. Ah, where are my manners? Fabio Galgano, offer my greetings to our maker when I sent you two to them."
The middle aged man stood forth, clearly the obnoxious leader of this ragtag exorcist group. He was bald and compensated for it with a beard but it was clear that he was combat experienced from his posture and build.
Fabio Galgano
Excommunicado Exorcist
Threat level: 6
Status: Seeking former glory
[Information Locked]
[Information Locked]
It was not just him, all of them were but he was the highest. The extra bit of hidden information was not something good but it did got me curious on what they mean.
"I think you might have the wrong idea about where we go to in the afterlife or us in general. We mean no harm." I was definitely not up to par for a fight but Grayfia could. I was also well aware that I would be a liability in any case.
"Ah ah ah, mere lies out of the devil's mouth but presenting your head to the pope as the cause for the magical disturbance will win me back to his grace. No more pleasantries, die." That explained the status at least. My creatures on standby begun to move again as I drew more cards to summon. I was going to need all the firepower I could get for this.
"Arslan, watch out." I felt hands push me aside as the ground I stood before erupted to form a massive wall, separating me from Grayfia and my previous summons. Wait, how do I call them back? Fuck!
"Aww, little devil separated from his maid and toys. Boo hoo." For devil's sake, this exorcist leader was a prick. He was also alone while the rest had to deal with Grayfia, my only ticket out alive which meant I had to deal with someone out of my league. I had at least have my two skeleton pawns at this side of the wall.
"Is your method of exorcism suppose to annoy me to death?" By just focusing my thoughts, it seems I can command my monsters instead of doing it verbally. The two pawns charged forward and I realized how dumb I was too late
Skeleton Pawn 2 defeated.
Skeleton Pawn 3 defeated.
In a flash, he pulled out his sword from his side and swiftly shattered skeleton 2 with a strike. With his free hand that had a sapphire ring on, he grabbed skeleton 3 just as the ring glowed. The pawn disappeared instantly and a moment later I knew why as it crashed down from the open sky. The skeleton pawns were really a waste of money.
"Like my sacred gear? I took it from this pagan kid with a little help from above."
Fabio Galgano
Excommunicado Exorcist
Threat level: 6
Status: Seeking former glory
Sacred Gear: Cerulean Flash, touch based space manipulation
Weapon: Sword of St. Galgano, C+ Holy Sword
Consider my curiosity sated, guess my cat is going to die now. I summoned the two [Wargs], [Knight], [Rook], [Bishop] and [Queen], avoiding using the pawns since they were useless. Bishop and Queen shot out magical bullets as my wargs and knight rushed him. Rook was slow and was there to protect me. I had the higher quantity but it was not enough as he simply touched himself with the ring and teleported in a blue burst of light towards me. My spear reactively clashed against his blade as he pushed me back.
"Weak! Weak! What are you, a newly born devil? They come instantly at this size or has mommy been coddling you? Hahahah." He pulled out a second sword from somewhere, not as significant as his first but it glowed with light that would not go well with my complexion.
I was not matching up to him at all, being outclassed in even strength and speed as cuts with the blade formed on my skin. Even the barest scratch stung with a manic heat, the fire of zealotry.
-Boom-
"Arslan!" A big chunk of the wall was blasted wide open with Grayfia on the other side. It seems like she was quickly done with her side. In that moment though, I left my guard wide open as Fabio sunk his holy sword into my stomach. My knees crashed to the ground instantly as if drained of strength. A feeling like being burned alive ran through my body. I could barely hold consciousness.
"Ooo, too late. Remember to send my greetings to our Lord and savior." Christ, he was annoying. The exorcist held me by the head as his other arm was raised high with the light blade , ready to do what he said he would, chop my head and present it to the pope. My vision began to blur.
"Arrgh! Stupid mutt." It seems a warg got the sneak on him somehow, biting his ankle. The flash of a fire bolt crashed against the asshole's face from somewhere. His hand was still on me as a blue flash of light enveloped me. I close my eyes as I accept the short run on life I lead.
I was awfully disappointed at myself.
Maximum distance to summons exceeded.
Returning monsters to deck.
-Asia
"Witch."
"Oh lord, you told us to love all things unconditionally, for we are all your creation."
"Heretic."
"Oh lord, I heed only your teaching, I preach only your words, I practise only your virtue."
"Harlot,"
"Oh lord, am I truly a sinner for doing so?"
"Please give me strength so I may endure this trial you lay before me. Amen."
There was a time when she was referred to as a holy maiden. Those time have long since past ever since she healed a devil. Now the people she knew looked at her with disdain, spoke of her with venom. It was a trial she had to endure, at least for a few more months. The higher up had already arranged for her to be moved away from her birth place to a far-off land in the Asian continent, an island country. It was basically exile but Asia took solace that it was God's plan for her. She can only wait and hope even as self doubt crept into her heart.
Trapani was just another coastal province in the far south of Italy, hardly anything happened here. Asia Argento was no longer welcomed into the local chapel there. She was also effectively homeless. A small luggage sat beside her on the bench at the Santa Maria pier as she waited, She was waiting for something, anything to fill up the loss she feels.
"Oh lord, please give me a sign."
Irony played their part at this moment as something from the heavens did fall a few steps before her, surprising her as it crashed with a bone breaking sound. A man gravely injured and dying appeared before her with a sword embedded into his stomach. Asia could feel the holy aura radiating from the sword. Was this a devil? God was really testing her once more. Would she heal a devil once more if given the chance?
Asia faltered, vacillating between two answers as time continued to move, ticking down to his end. She bit her lip, she gripped her knuckle but still she wrestled with the idea as she approached him. Her hands gripped the hilt and pulled the blade out of his stomach. Looking into his face that expressed such pain, she made up her mind.
"Oh lord, please forgive me."
The ring in her hand glowed emerald as she touched his wound. An oval of green light covered his body as Asia worked the miracle of bringing a man back from certain death.
Notes: Fabio Galgano is just a minor antagonist for this arc? just to kick MC at the bottom of the rung and set off this adventure and meeting Asia early. I don't have a plan for it, just writing as I feel it. There was more to write on but it would not fit the pacing so it will be moved to the next chapter.