Ugh… American buses truly are the prelude to hell.
Vali shifted his weight on an uncomfortable seat, careful not to disturb the slumbering child upon his lap, and trying his best to ignore the drool slowly soaking his pants.
Dammit Ritsuka! You better not make it look as if I pissed myself!
At his thoughts, Ritsuka stirred; gently rubbing her cheek against him before settling back to sleep, mumbling incoherently about "Mash" and "Avenger" doing "phantasms".
What the hell has Ritsuka been watching with Azazel? Sounds like crappy knockoff of Super Sentai.
Sighing, Vali looked out the window at the passing cars on the highway, doing his best to ignore the cries of babies and the various smells of humanity assaulting his nose.
The escape from New York City was uneventful, with the pair spending the days suffering on uncomfortable budget buses while spending the nights in cheap motels. The greatest hazard on the trip was Ritsuka's utter boredom, which the White Dragon Emperor was ill equipped to destroy. After the first day of being a nuisance, constantly complaining and fidgeting in her seat, she eventually mastered the art of falling asleep peacefully throughout the entire day on the bus.
The only stipulation was that she needed to feel safe, ergo Vali's current status as lap pillow, futon, and stuffed animal wrapped up in an easily annoyed bundle. He endured, however, finding a numb leg a lesser of two evils and head patting the defenseless girl oddly soothing when dealing with the eccentricities of their fellow passengers.
At least we are almost there, only a few more hours before we arrive. Then we can fly back, right? They better not say that we have to repeat this 'travel by land crap' again.
His thoughts were interrupted by a child kicking the seat behind him. Only the realization that Ritsuka was still happily asleep on his lap spared the child from Vali's furious gaze and killing intent. Growling, he once again shifted his attention to the rolling plains and cities in the distance.
This medicine better be worth it.
As the pair exited the bus, they were greeted by most eclectic of sights, wide rolling plains divided by roads, both dirt and asphalt while sparsely dotted by buildings, both modern and antique. Their fellow passengers formed groups, gathered around their respective tour guides as they were led away, leaving Vali standing alone with a half asleep Ritsuka, nodding off while holding his hand and leaning on his arm, drooling once more.
"Oi, wake up brat! You've drooled enough on me during the ride, I'm not having you do that to me out here as well! And why the hell are you still tired?! You just spent hours upon hours sleeping in the bus, right after spending a night asleep in a motel. With all of that sleeping, you should be wide awake for the next 3 days."
"I dunno Vali, I'm just sleepy, besides you're nice and warm…"
Trusting herself to Vali, Ritsuka leaned against the taller boy and promptly fell asleep once more, breathing heavily as a familiar wet sensation graced Vali's side.
"Damn brat."
"Heh, don't be harsh on her. Too much sleep has an odd tendency of making people tired."
At the sudden interjection, Vali pivoted towards the voice, carefully holding up an exhausted Ritsuka, only to see an elderly woman standing alone behind them.
Where the hell did she come from? I didn't sense anyone nearby neither did I hear anyone approach.
"Be at peace White Dragon Emperor, I am the one who is to escort you to your final destination."
"Oh? Do you mean for the medicine or some poorly worded metaphor for an ambush?"
Frowning, the elderly woman narrowed her eyes in annoyance.
"The medicine you paranoid fool. You can expect treachery from the Vatican and the American government, but not from the Lakota and our gods. Now come, I'd rather not walk back home when there is van. And no, it's not a white van like your treacherous kin used."
"You seem to know quite a bit about our journey."
"Of course we do. You are taking a journey under the gaze of our gods in exchange for a medicine and a boon. Why wouldn't we be watching? And I must say, you two did not disappoint. Now come along. I'd rather not spend the entire day out in the sun when there is A/C available, and a nice cozy cot for the child to sleep on while the adults speak."
"Hmph, fair enough."
Nodding, Vali picked up the slumbering child, and allowed her drooling head to rest upon his shoulder, giving the aura of a beleaguered brother. Sighing in annoyance, he casually walked towards the woman's brown van.
"Let's hurry this up, I have other things I'd rather be doing now."
Nodding in agreement, the woman walked before the pair and opened the van door, ushering them in.
"Indeed, time is of the essence, is it not? You are but 20 minutes away from gaining what you desire."
Vali merely sat in silence, focusing more of his attention upon his ward and ensuring she did not fall during the bumpy ride.
How the hell can she sleep through this? Is she a genius at sleeping?
Shaking his head, he merely looked out the window, scanning the horizon for any possible threats.
After the ride, Vali followed the elderly woman into her humble home, a building barely a step above a trailer, its worn and weathered exterior sharply contrasting its neat, clean, organized interior. Various shelves could be found adorning the walls, each bearing a multitude of vials and bottles with various liquids inside.
Following her into the next room, he noticed a wooden table with a pitcher filled with ice tea, surrounded by simple glasses bearing the symbols of the Lakota people. To the side was the promised cot. Sighing in relief Vali softly walked over and gently placed his ward on top of it, trying is best to ignore the drool connecting her cheek to his shoulder.
Dammit Ritsuka! Are you trying to give me a shower with your spit or something!?
Unable to suppress his eye twitching in annoyance, he cooly walked over to the table where a glass of iced tea was awaiting him. Sitting down with a notable plop, Vali shifted his gaze towards their host, only to see her stare at him strangely.
"I've been meaning to ask this young man but…"
"But?"
"How does that girl stay hydrated with the sheer amount of drool she produces?"
"I have no idea. Weird part is, she only drools on me. The beds in the motels? At home? Nothing. On me? Fucking waterworks."
Chuckling at his answer, the elderly woman shook her head before taking a sip of tea.
"Well then White Dragon Emperor, I know you were expected a god to greet you, but unfortunately none are available. In their stead, I, Mika shall deliver your prize."
Vali's brows raised in annoyance at her words.
"Oh? So we aren't worthy of their time or something? We are too unimportant to be dealt with?"
"Of course not! They merely are not in a presentable condition. Currently, only the White Buffalo Calf Woman is not hung over, and she is needed to tend to the others in their incapacitated state."
A silence descended upon the room, as an incredulous expression dominated Vali's face.
"Wait, what?"
"There was a several day long party after your actions in New York City. It is pretty rare for the Vatican to suffer losses of that level in America. Besides their reputation, at least."
At her words, Vali could only pinch the ridge of his nose and sigh, with Mika sporting a wry grin at his reaction.
"Do not worry White Dragon Emperor, the medicine shall work as intended once I give it to Ritsuka."
"Why Ritsuka? Why not just give it to me now?"
"The legend specified the daughter, as such it will only work if I give it to her."
"Hmph, so why enact this farce to begin with? Couldn't your gods just bless it and we can just pick it up?"
With a resigned sigh, Mika shook her head and shifted her gaze to a nearby bookshelf, filled to the brim with an assortment of books. A profound melancholy filled the air as she spoke.
"Much has been lost, White Dragon Emperor. When the Europeans came, they brought their diseases, their ideas, and their people. Our numbers were culled by smallpox, while the colonists launched genocidal campaigns against us. Those of us that survived then had to endure cultural purges as our kin were forcibly converted to their faith, the western way of life while all that was truly ours was purged by fire and steel. Then we defiant survivors were forced from our lands and into these pitiful reservations. Still we have endured, but much of our culture, our identity has been lost. Not even our own gods can remember all of our tales, our legends of old. When Azazel came to us for help, it kindled a memory in the gods, a tale once lost to us. By re-enacting the tale, the hope was that perhaps the names could be recovered, and through them, more memories."
At her words, Vali became somber, nodding briefly in respect before shifting back into curiosity.
"If you needed our help, why did the old man still have to pay you?"
"It costs money to pay for lawyers. Even today, we suffer injustices, with the American government funneling the pollution and waste of their industries to what little land we still have. With our survival at stake, we cannot afford to let any opportunity for resources go to waste."
"I see, so once the brat wakes up we take the medicine and go on our way. Do we need to go by land again?"
"Unfortunately, yes. At least until you reach the airport. Travel by land until then, and the medicine will be complete. At least this time you can take a more direct route so you won't spend as many days on the bus."
At her words, Vali shivered.
"Must we?"
"Yes."
"Fuck."
Vali glanced at his drool stained clothes and grimaced at the thought of repeating the journey. Chuckling once more, Mika shook her head and offered a lifeline towards the young man.
"Worry not Dragon Emperor, we are not so destitute as to deny our new friends clothing for their journey. We can provide yourself and your ward fresh sets of clothing. Enchanted to whisk away water and any other liquid if you desire."
"Good."
With a sigh of relief, Vali took a step back and gently started shaking Ritsuka.
"Wake up brat! We've arrived! Let's pick up the medicine and go home!"
"Ugh… is it morning Vali?"
Ritsuka was slow to stir, tossing over to her side while rubbing her eyes, unwilling to truly get up.
"It's afternoon brat. After all that rush to get here, now you want to take it slow? The medicine is literally right in front of us!"
At his words, Ritsuka suddenly shot up, slamming her head into an unsuspecting Vali's chin.
"What the hell Ritsuka!"
The pair doubled over in pain, with Vali rubbing his chin while Ritsuka her forehead. They could only glare at the elderly Mika as she refused to suppress her laughter at their antics.
"Hahaha… oh if only you two were my grandchildren. My real ones are nowhere near as amusing."
Shaking her head, she walked out of the room, only to return a moment later with a filled waterskin, with a small white buffalo calf embroidered into it. Her previous jovial demeanor vanished, replaced by a stern seriousness and authority befitting of a medicine woman of the gods.
"Ritsuka, you have travelled far from home, losing everything but your family, yourself, and an earnest prayer to save your father. Your resilience has impressed myself, the spirits of nature, and even the gods. To honor your achievements, we bestow upon you that which you have journeyed so far for. Spill not a drop before it reaches your father's lips, and he will awaken from his eternal slumber, and be at your side once more. Ritsuka, do you accept this responsibility?"
At the sudden change in tone, Ritsuka's glare shifted to that of bright determination. Nodding, she reached outward to accept, while Vali stepped to the side, watching stoically at the interaction before him.
"Yes. I swear that it will reach my father, no matter what."
"Well spoken Ritsuka, with that, I bestow this gift of the gods upon you."
Ignoring Ritsuka's outstretched hands, Mika knelt down and tied the waterskin to her waist, tugging gently to ensure that it would not fall from the little girl's waist. Satisfied with her work, the older woman nodded and returned to her previous jovial demeanor.
"There, the stuffy part is down. Sorry about ignoring you there Ritsuka, just had a feeling you'd drop it in your tired state."
At her words, Vali barked a laugh, much to the embarrassment of an ever reddening Ritsuka.
"Good call Mika! There's a reason why the old man never trusts her in the morning."
"Vali you jerk!"
Unable to contain her embarrassment, she charged at the older boy and started punching his sides. Only to elicit a raised brow from the boy who felt nothing from such weak blows. It was only until she could hear Mika's chuckles did Ritsuka pause in her assault, looking down in embarrassment at the realization that the elderly woman was still there and saw everything.
"Ah, I wish the two of you would stay, but after receiving the new clothes, you'll leave right away, won't you White Dragon Emperor?"
"Yes. No offence to you, but outside of this house, this entire trip has SUCKED. The sooner we get home, the sooner I can rampage."
At his words, a mischievous smile formed on Mika's face.
"Oh? What if there was a way to rampage a bit BEFORE taking the plane ride back… and maybe strike back against your enemies?"
Silence filled the room, as both Ritsuka and Vali stared at her in curiosity. Intrigued, Vali curtly nodded, prompting her to speak further.
"Your enemies should know by know that you have reached your goal and are now returning back to the airport and are setting up ambushes to intercept you. Therefore their homes, their precious cathedrals should be unguarded right now. If you want, we can even provide you the means to attack without consequence."
"Ho? You have my attention Mika. Do tell, how do you plan on managing that?"
Undaunted, the elderly woman walked towards the back of the room and pulled open a cabinet drawer, sounds of miscellaneous items being rummaged around coming immediately afterwards.
"Centuries ago, back when the Spanish Conquistadors were consolidating their rule in what is now Central America, the Spanish sent countless missionaries to convert the Aztecs, Mayans, and others to their faith. Using the defeated peoples as slaves, they built their churches, their monasteries on top of the ashes of the Meso civilizations, and worked tirelessly to strip them of their culture, of who they were to force them to submit to the Vatican..."
Narrowing her eyes, she pulled out a golden pectoral cross, humbly engraved with angels flying towards the center.
"But the people resisted. They placed their idols within the churches they built, and subverted every cross and christian icon they could, ensuring their prayers went to their gods, not the one of their conquerors."
Walking solemnly towards Ritsuka, Mika could barely contain the disgust oozing from her as she placed it in the child's hands, before wrapping her fingers around it.
"So the Spanish Crown sent the Inquisition, armed with the tools to detect the defilement and corruption within their idols and crosses. Filter the light of the Christian god unto this cross and it will reveal all which has been debased."
Taking a step back, Mika wiped her hand on her pants, grimacing as she tried to remove herself of the perceived impurities. At her actions, Vali raised a brow before crossing his arms.
"Cool story. So where the hell did it come from and more importantly, how the hell does this help us attack a cathedral?"
A smug smirk formed on the elder woman's face as her eyes betrayed nostalgia.
"Not every inquisitor's intelligence matches their faith. An arrogant exorcist who attempted to accuse natives alone in an isolated village discovered quickly if his god was true. As for how this helps you, have you forgotten? Your journey is a trial ordained by the gods. All that happens in relation to it will be observed and judged by our standards."
Taking a step forward, Mika started patting the young girl's head, with Ritsuka briefly meeting her gaze before looking back down at the cross in her hands, he eyes full of curiosity and wonderment. Smiling warmly at the child, Mika closed her eyes briefly before turning to face the young Dragon Emperor.
"Little Ritsuka's journey to my home is now a tale, a new bedtime story for those of the Lakota who are aware of the supernatural. As the ones narrating this story, we can see the actions and motivations of all involved characters, including antagonists. Such as a corrupt bishop who colludes with a high class devil to murder the daughter of their enemy. A devil with blue hair and orange eyes."
At her word's Vali's eyes narrowed in disgust as the image of one of the Grigori's most hated enemies appeared once more in his mind. With a cold voice he eventually spoke.
"Explain."
An arrogant smirk formed on Mika's face, knowing full well she has already won.
"The Archbishop of New York City entered a covenant with the devil lord, and at his urging did the Vatican ambush you. In their hubris, they spoke of their plans in St. Patrick's Cathedral, utterly unaware that our gods were watching. The devil lord has long since exited the story, and thus left our sight, but the archbishop remains. He has realized that you must have arrived here by now, and is preparing to ambush you near the airport using the uncorrupted and loyalist exorcists as expendable pawns. The cathedral itself is now undermanned, with most of the remaining forces the traitors of the Church. Using the inquisitor's cross in Ritsuka's hands, you can reveal their treachery and burn them."
"Heh, I see… not bad grannie. If we publicly reveal their Archbishop as a traitor, the Vatican would have to make quite a difficult choice. Do they condemn our actions and march war at the risk of appearing to condone consorting with devils and undermining their absolute 'moral' authority, or condemn the traitor and ignore our actions, at the cost of undermining their 'political' authority."
"Indeed young dragon emperor. And although men will always crave political power, what would their heavens, their angels deem more important? Mortal political power, or the absolute moral authority of their father?"
Feral smiles adorned the faces of the older woman and the young man.
Soon…
Oh father, who art in heaven, please give this sinner your aid…
The irony of a consorter of devils praying to god for deliverance was lost on the Archbishop of New York, who knelt quietly before the cross.
A cross he unwittingly allowed to be defiled.
Eventually standing up, he walked out of his office and into the main hall of the cathedral where 4 of his loyal followers awaited.
"Any news from our forces?"
"Nothing, your Grace. Still no sign of the fallen child."
"Odd, they should have appeared by now. Call Father Mckienze, if they do not appear by tomorrow, we'll abandon the pursuit. They must have somehow evaded us."
"Of course your-"
A resounding thud echoed in the halls of the cathedral as the front doors were brutally kicked in, with only the voice of a small child filling the following silence.
"Vali… the doors open outward! You didn't have to kick them in!"
"After all the shit we went through, they had it coming."
"Vaaaallllliiiii..."
The Archbishop and his subordinates could only watch in mounting horror as the white haired teen casually strolled towards them, followed by small girl with black and vermillion hair. The man had a scowl on his face, betraying utter annoyance and frustration, while the girl walked with a small mischievous smile.
"Hmph, so you're the fools who tried to kill Ritsuka. Good. Saves me the trouble of finding out where all of you live."
At his words, the Archbishop's teeth began clattering, and a cold sweat covered his face. But even then, he was able to muster enough willpower to speak.
"Don't… don't think too highly of yourselves heathens! You are in a Cathedral, a bastion of holy faith and the Father's light! A foul devil and a spawn of the fallen have no place here!"
At his words, the few remaining priests and exorcists of the cathedral stormed into the hall, surrounding the pair. But not a single one made a move towards the pair, the memories of the Bronx burning fresh in their minds.
Seeing their hesitation, their fear, Vali barked a laugh before grinning derisively. With arms wide open, he took a few steps forward, the Archbishop retreating farther back after even the slightest advance.
"Yet a devil and a fallen were able to enter with a simple kick to the door. So that begs the question, is this place truly holy?"
"What… what are you insinuating, devil?!"
"Simple, fool. You are a traitor to be judged."
"Oh, a devil thinks he can judge the clergy? Like you have any right heathen!"
"Of course I don't dumbass, but she does. Ritsuka!"
At his words, she took a few steps forward, raising her pectoral cross above her head, her angelic light filtering into the cross of the inquisition.
"Oh heavenly father above, give your sons and daughters sight, so that they may see all that is evil, and safely return to your flock!"
At her words, a blinding light surged forth from the bathing the cathedral. When the clergy opened their eyes, their mouths dropped open in horror. Written upon every cross, every holy symbol of the cathedral, was a devil's sigil, hidden only by the barest of glamour magic, their unholy taint now oozing and suffusing all within. But most disturbingly of all, was that the devil's sigils adorned the pectoral crosses of the archbishops and his most trusted subordinates, while devil's runes protected their priestly robes and cassocks. Only the lowly exorcists and priests who ran in defense of the cathedral were clean of the taint, their voices betraying incredulity and shock.
"Archbishop Eugene… you-"
None could hear the rest of the words, as it was immediately drowned out by a clear and enraged voice, unbefitting the small girl as black armor materialized upon her.
"-are a traitor that has caused the suffering of countless innocents. How many of the faithfuls' prayers went to the Satans instead of the Heavenly Father? How many just men and women did you condemn to death for the sake of your hellish overlords? How many burned at your command?"
The Archbishop could only stare in morbid fascination at the girl's changing eyes, now a sickly yellow which promising nothing but suffering.
"I wonder, holy men… how well will you burn?"
Mana flared from her being as hellfire seethed from her steady steps forward, snapping the Archbishop and his followers out of their stupor.
"You… your lies mean nothing witch! May god's wrath fall upon you!"
"Heh, if I lie, then let god strike me down, for he knows his own. Or have you forgotten in your degeneracy, Archbishop?"
Unnerved by her words, the fallen exorcists drew swords of light and charged while the Archbishop raised his cross and began chanting exorcism hymns, magical and holy power filtering into the air. Upon seeing their desperate charge, Vali narrowed his eyes and arched forward to intercept the fools, only to stop upon seeing Ritsuka's raised hand, motioning him to stay back.
Oh? She wants to handle this herself? Hmph, alright kid, I'll humor you.
Amused, the White Dragon Emperor unfurled his wings and jumped back, next to the loyalist exorcists watching with conflicted eyes.
I'll just serve as a deterrent for the fools watching. Now then Ritsuka, give me a good show!
This… this wasn't supposed to happen!
The Archbishop's mind raced in fear at the approaching child, her presence all but suffocating the atmosphere. His loyal men, who followed him even after they learned of his friendship with a devil charged forward in a desperate attempt to buy time. But the girl made no attempt to stop them. Instead, she merely raised an arm to block the sword with half lidded eyes.
"Idiot! Even a non-devil would fear being cut by light!"
Two of his subordinates swung in unison, each aiming for a blind spot with every ounce of strength and skill they could muster. Only for the sword to shatter upon touching the girl.
"Your swords will not hurt me."
Taking advantage of their shock, she grabbed two men, the warmth of hellfire in her hands snapping them out of their stupor. They tugged and squirmed with all their might, only for their bodies to be consumed by fire, their screams echoing throughout the hall.
"Dammit!"
Panicking, the remaining two exorcists sprang into action, one drawing a pistol loaded with blessed bullets, the other pulling out a rosary and chanting exorcism prayers. Round upon round of bullets and exorcism spells bombarded the girl as the Archbishop and his minions attacked unrelentingly…
"Your bullets cannot touch me, your words cannot reach me."
... only for her to casually walk forward, utterly indifferent to their struggles as the bullets ricocheted off her and the light dissipated harmlessly. Raising a hand, black stakes formed in the air before launching themselves into the arms and legs of her enemies, pinning them in place. A sadistic smirk callously informing the men to their coming fate.
No… not like this… NOT LIKE THIS!
At his panicked thoughts, the devil's inscriptions woven into his cassock flared into existence, a cacophony of devil magic erupting to protect the contractor. Ice, fire, wind, and arcane energy surged towards the girl, followed by potent curses. Smoke soon filled the cathedral, followed by a deafening silence. All that could be heard was the panting of the injured, and the collapse of the damaged pews, until…
"And no magic can stop me."
Hellfire erupted from the ground, incinerating the two remaining followers before they even had a chance to scream, leaving only the steady clacks of her armored footsteps as she approached the defeated man.
"What… what are you?"
A maniacal grin formed on the girl's face
"Your executioner, Holy man. Heh, he.. Ahahahahahahahahahaha! What a farce! You, who claim to be one of the shepherds of humanity! Serenading the people with your lies before sending them off to be slaughtered, all the while telling the rest of your flock they deserved their fates for their 'sins'. Blinding them to your abuses as you use faith and righteousness as hammers against those that see and speak of your hypocrisy! Heh heh… oh I'm going to enjoy seeing you burn."
A wet stain not of blood formed on the Archbishop's legs as he trembled before the small girl, the pain of his wounds nearly muting him as he spoke.
"Mercy… mercy child…"
Ritsuka's brows raised at his pleading, followed by a cruel grin.
"Oh? Did you forget in your old age or has consorting with devils driven you further away from the light than I thought? Do you not remember the reason for why the Inquisition burned heretics and witches? It was a mercy, to prepare them for God's judgement and the time they will spend in purgatory or hell. So there's no need to plead, I am already affording you mercy."
"No… no! Please! I'm sorry!"
Closing her eyes in disgust, she turned around and with a snap of her fingers, a pillar of hellfire consumed the man as she walked away. The remaining priests and exorcists parted before her, giving her a wide berth lest they too incur her wrath. As she walked by, Vali merely shrugged at the stunned silence of his traditional enemies before dissipating his wings and moving to walk by her side.
"Not bad Ritsuka. A bit wasteful in your moves there, but you got the intimidation bit down. Wanna get pizza before we go home? Our flight isn't due for another 15 hours."
"Really?! Sure Vali! Let's go!"
With a bright smile, her armor disappeared and her golden eyes reverted back to their normal bronze. Sighing at her antics, Vali merely grabbed her hand before she could dash off and somehow end up in someone's white van yet again.
"So the operation ended in total failure?"
"Yes Lord Maestrif, although unmitigated disaster would be a more apt term. The Archbishop was killed and the Vatican has evidence of our dealings. Several of our contacts have already fled to us for protection against the coming purges."
Hidden in the underworld, far from the sight of his enemies, Lord Maestrif, a lone high class devil with blue hair and orange eyes listened stoically to the reports of his pawns within the comforts of a gaudily furnished study, complete with a fireplace burning with a dark purple flame.
"And of our Grigori contacts?"
"Most have been silenced. The few that are still active have already confirmed Baraqiel's recovery. He's currently undergoing rehabilitation, but is expected to fully recover within a year."
Sighing in frustration, Maestrif reaches under his desk and pulls out a glass of wine to soothe his nerves, all while being watched by his pawns.
"So, the Grigori will soon enter the battle in full force, and now we are utterly blind to the Vatican's and by extension, the Heavens' movements. I anticipated the possibility of failure, but nothing this catastrophic."
Swirling the wine in his glass, he breathed in the aroma of the drink, soothing his fraying mood.
"And let me guess, the Old Satan faction have deemed it fit to annoy me once more with promises of alliance and riches."
"Indeed my lord. Shall we accept?"
"At our current moment of perceived weakness? Any negotiations we perform now will be at our disadvantage."
Pacing around the study, the Lord absentmindedly swirled his wine as he voiced his thoughts.
"No, if we are to negotiate now, we will be absorbed into the Old Satans, not stand apart. We need resounding victories if we are to maintain our independence after negotiations. Thankfully the current leadership despises the Himejima and the other principled clans for their actions against the Princess of Destruction's queen. This will give us time…"
Pausing in his steps, he turned to face his pawns.
"What of the remnants of the Utsusemi Agency? After that cruise ship incident are they still capturing humans to fill their ranks?"
"Yes my Lord, although they complain that Yasaka's agents are now running interference."
"Of course they are… their very public abductions are bringing in too much attention. Ever since Himejima Hanezu and their other leaders died, they've become nothing more than disposable meat shields. Inform them to focus on only abducting those with talent, we'll provide the expendable hosts to the Utsusemi."
"And where shall we find said hosts?"
"There are wars and famines throughout the world. With modern technology such as bombs and airstrikes rampant, it will raise relatively few questions if civilians disappear in the fog of war."
"And about their ethnicities standing out in Japan?"
"Terrorists or something. Yasaka will have to figure something out to explain it away. It is not our problem after all."
At their concerns, he merely waved his free hand lazily, only to pause when he saw reluctance in his pawns' eyes. Sighing, he resigned to addressing the concerns of his peerage once again.
"Hah, alright, ask your questions. We've known each other long enough that I can tell you won't be satisfied until you've asked."
"My lord… why are you relying on such rabble? Remnants of defeated organizations. Wouldn't devils under your command be far more effective than using intermediaries, fools that do not even realize that they are mere puppets of your grand design?"
"Indeed, you and your subordinates would be far more effective, but at what cost? Personel is hard to train and replace, so why waste it in the early stages in the war, when it is far cheaper to spend your 'allies' lives. Some will join their rightful place among us, but most will die for us. They are weakening our foes, but victory will not be swift. Not anymore."
At his words, his pawn's heads tilted in confusion, bringing himself to ask the question his peers were too submissive to ask.
"My Lord?"
"One of the Grigori's most powerful angels has returned, and his spawn is already mighty. The scales are beginning to tip into our foe's favor, ever so slightly. And with our friends in the Vatican dead, we no longer have eyes and ears in our other enemy's camp. Without proper intelligence, it is far too risky to attempt a swift resolution to the war. It will take years, not months to achieve victory now. We must move now to solidify our sources of income, for this will become a battle of attrition soon."
"I see, so you are conserving us for later when it matters?"
"Of course. I will not spend your lives casually. To do so would be to disrespect your service and your oaths that you have for so long upheld. Do you now understand our goals?"
"Yes my lord."
"Good."
Seeing the curiosity of his subordinates sated, he nodded and waved them off, silently deploying them across the world. Finally alone, he slid unto his favorite chair and finally took a sip of his wine.
With Baraqiel back into the mix, this chaotic melee is bound to become even more turbulent. But this is fine, I'll just play the long game, as I always have. The Old Satan faction, the new Satans… Fools, all of them! I will be my own master, and my bloodline will follow suit.
Let my enemies bleed themselves, I can wait, afterall…
Victory comes to the patient.
Author's Notes:
Heya Peeps!
Got a new chapter out, it was a bit harder than expected to write, but I think it turned out ok. After this we'll be entering DXD, starting with the Raynare Arc I mostly finished before. I can finally cut out that exposition that stalled my flow the first time around. Oh and as for why this came out later than expected, I can only give you one reason:
ShadowBringers.
It was released just as I was finishing this chapter, so even though I finished writing, my editor and I were too busy playing a storyline so dark that it was bright outside (FF14 players will understand what I mean). And being chased by Master Asia… and stumbling into a village straight out of Jim Henson.
So yep, current plans are to finish revising the next chapter then writing the next chapter of Dragon Saint. Then back to Truth, my Truth fans are getting antsy.
Oh and what the heck is going on with the polls? The rankings save for 1st and last place keep changing that it's kinda shocking. Stuff I thought wouldn't be that popular are getting so many votes while those I thought peeps would love are lagging far behind now. Right then, back to Shadowbreakers, insta queue duties for me (Heals 4 life)
Editor's notes:
Shadowbringers. I relished in denying you your pleasure of reading this chapter simply to indulge in my own.
10/10 would stall editing a chapter for it again
Fans of 14 are bound to understand.