I do not own Highschool DxD nor do I own Diablo. All rights respectively go to Ichiei Ishibumi, the series' creator, and Blizzard Entertainment, the company who made Diablo.

'Aidan. My brave, strong, sweet Pawn. Thank you for fighting for someone worthless like myself. I'm so sorry for everything.'

*GASP*

When Aidan opened his eyes, he was slaying on his back and looking up at a familiar ceiling. Sitting upright, he looked around to see he was back in his room, resting on his bed with the blankets covering half of his body dressed in his sleeping attire.

Bending forward, he felt his head feel heavy as it dips, catching it with his right hand.

"What…What happened?" He asked.

The door to his room opened, and in came Grayfia, much to his confusion. When she noticed him staring at her, she closed the door and walked over to the side of his bed.

"I'm surprised you're awake," She said, now standing about two feet away from the bed.

"Grayfia, what are you doing here?" Aidan asked, only to feel pain on his chest as he tries to move. He grips his chest tightly like he was having a heart attack as Grayfia comes over and assists him in standing up.

"Please, do not exert yourself too much," She said, before helping Aidan up. "You're wounds were severe and you have just woken up from a two day coma."

Two days? Aidan was asleep for two days? He couldn't have. He felt like the Rating Game was yesterday. But he could not recall what had just happened.

"What happened, Grayfia?" Aidan asked. "How did I get here?"

"Lady Rias surrendered, ending the Rating Game and conceding the game to Lord Riser." Grayfia answered.

But Aidan was left shocked and speechless.

"We…lost? Impossible. Rias would never surrender unless…"

"It was to save you from yourself," Grayfia revealed, making Aidan turn her head towards her in.

"What do you mean?" He hesitantly asked.

But then he remembered what had happened. He was battling Riser and was already losing despite the boost in power and corruption from his Sacred Gear. Truthfully as it dawns on him, it was not enough. Then, as Riser was about to land the final blow, Aidan snapped and went into a deranged state, nearly killing Riser but not without almost killing himself in the process. The truth is he would have died before Riser did.

"You did your best," Grayfia tried to comfort. "Even with your strength and magic gone, you continued to push forward. Never relenting. Never backing down. But in the end… you went into a crazed state, like you were possessed."

'Diablo…'

Aidan then remembers that in that moment Riser was about to destroy him, he heard Diablo's dark voice telling him to give in. Whether it was his choice or not, Diablo assumed control and gave Aidan a boost in power, but it was already destroying his body and Rias barely saved it in time.

He had once again felt ashamed for his actions. He dips his head a bit to the point his front hair bangs covered his eyes. Rias had surrendered to save his life, which is unusual for her. Feeling ashamed and powerless to have failed to save her, Aidan felt guilt grip his heart like a gnarled root. He wasn't strong enough to save nor to stay with her. He was not able to keep his promise to her to the end.

And now Rias belonged to Riser forever, and it was all of Aidan's culpability for having lost control of his power once again.

Clenching his fists tight, he asks in a low voice while not looking at Grayfia, "Where are the others?"

"Lady Rias has instructed Miss Asia Argento to stay here and tend to your injuries," Grayfia answered, feeling not just pity but also a bit of sorrow for the young man. "The rest of them are with Lady Rias, escorting her. She wanted them with her for what will be starting soon. They're all at the engagement party down at the Underworld."

Aidan's head dipped lower. He was unworthy of someone like her. She placed her faith in him, and it only led to failure. Those unrequited feelings he had for her were starting to drift away to the wind, like sands from a dune. The sorrow and guilt was soon replaced by a feeling of emptiness, as if Aidan was shattered emotionally.

"Listen, Aidan," Grayfia said. "It's not your fault. Rias is abiding by the decisions of the Gremory Family and you did everything you could to win. Sadly, the outcome of the battle is the way it was always meant to be."

Ravel's words to Aidan during the Rating Game soon came back to Aidan's mind. His face bore a serious expression as he briefly closes his eyes.

'Face it. With our money, tears, and immortality, the House of Phenex was destined to win every Rating Game we compete in. You and Rias have reached your limits. You have no more moves to play, am I right?'

…Ravel was wrong once again.

With his opened-up eyes covered by the bangs of his frontal hair, Aidan spoke in a low voice in a serious tone.

"Grayfia… the thought of Rias forced into a life she doesn't want is something I will not accept. No, I will never accept it! That fool Riser is blinded by his own pride and arrogance that he does not know the meaning of terror. Does not know loss!"

Aidan looks at Grayfia with fierce determination, if not have a look of blood, on his face. His eyes were starting to change from blue to red once more, now filled with vengeance.

"It's time I truly teach him a lesson on fear."

"And how exactly do you intend to make that happen?" Grayfia asked with a bit of a worried tone in her.

Aidan then plays his trump card as he turns face to face with the maid with a stern expression.

"There is something you keep in the Gremory Treasury Vault. Something that the Gremory Family currently guards."

"What is it that you speak of?" asked Grayfia curiously.

Aidan took a deep breath, ready to give his specific request, standing face to face with the maid.

"I want you to grant me access to the Red Soulstone of Terror."

Grayfia was beyond shocked, with her eyes wide open. The Red Soulstone of Terror was an ancient artifact of evil guarded by the noble families of the Devils. It was never used in the Great War, rather it was an object of great importance, meant to keep watch over a terror that must not be named nor unleashed. Its true disposition is known only to the Four Great Satans, spreading the lie that it was a symbol of evil. That meant, among the members of the Gremory Family, that only Sirzechs Gremory, one of the Four Great Satans, knows of the artifact's true nature.

However, because of Grayfia's knowledge of the object and of her marriage to Sirzechs, it meant that she knew of it too. For Sirzechs must've told her as well because he loves and trusts her enough to keep secrets.

"Absolutely not!" denied Grayfia. "The soulstone is non-negotiable!"

"Why not?" asked Aidan.

"You are willing to use an artifact of evil to defeat Riser and save Rias? You will only bring terror and destruction to all!"

"I know the risks, Grayfia," Aidan said firmly yet calmly. "But I finally figured out the source of the nightmares. Why my Sacred Gear is acting up the way it is: the soulstone is calling me. And my Sacred Gear reacts strongly to it. And no matter how much I attempt to resist the nightmares that plague me or of the black veins that corrupt me, I cannot shake it off. If I am to be freed from them, then I must answer its call. HIS call."

"And what makes you think you can control such power?!" Grayfia asked vehemently in a disapproved tone. "You really believe that you can control such evil that lingers inside the stone?"

"No, I don't," Aidan admitted, surprising Grayfia a bit as her face stutters in disbelief. "But the power I have now is not enough." Aidan clenches his left fist and looks at it. "I need more. And if the soulstone will provide me the edge to defeat Riser, I will use it."

"And then what will you do afterwards?" asked Grayfia in an interrogative mood. "Will you allow HIM to walk amongst Devils once more? Spreading fear into the hearts of everyone?"

Aidan was silent when he looks away briefly, before a face of melancholy overcame his expression as he turns to face Grayfia.

"When the battle is over, and if I am still alive and in control, I will return to Earth - no, Sanctuary, and seal myself beneath an ancient monastery whose location only I know of. Nobody must know where it is, not even you. Not even Rias must know where I am afterwards."

Grayfia was once again stunned at such a thing but she had to make certain that he knew what he was doing. She asked in confirmation,

"You are willing to seal yourself away forever? Battling Terror for all eternity? Leaving Lady Rias and her peerage behind forever? You would forsake your life for them?"

Aidan brought up his right hand and clenched it to make his vow.

"I would give anything to save Rias from the terrible fate that has been bestowed upon her. And if it forever damns my soul to do so, then so be it. Like the Horadrim Tal Rasha before me, I will imprison myself and wrestle with the Prime Evil's spirit for all eternity. This I vow."

Grayfia could see Aidan's conviction but still, her mind refused to give up the soulstone. Knowing of how dangerous and suicidal it is, and of the secret the soulstone contains, Grayfia, or any other member of the family, would not allow anyone to gain access to it. It was way too dangerous and was only meant to be sealed, locked away forever to ensure the Terror does not return again.

But here, Aidan, a mere pawn to Rias, was willing to take on the dangers and risks of using the soulstone. He was willing to become the Terror needed to teach Riser a lesson. He would save Rias even at the cost and damnation of his soul. He could very well die from all of this, but Aidan did not care for his life.

"I only ask that you take care of my uncle in return," Aidan cordially requested. "Along with Rias and everyone else in her peerage. That is all."

It could just be Grayfia's imagination, but she could see some part of Aurelia-sensei within Aidan. This truly was her son. In her mind, she asked Aurelia-sensei if this was the right thing to do and if she should place trust in hm.

Grayfia, defeated, gives in. She had hoped Aidan does not regret what she considers to herself a mistake.

"Very well," Grayfia relented with a heavy sigh. She then prepares a magic circle right underneath her feet, that glowed red with the Gremory family symbol on it. "Get your things ready. I will be waiting."

Aidan soon gets dressed properly in his Kuoh Academy attire and takes a few healing potions with him, storing them in his bag. Then the door to his room opened.

Aidan turns his head to see Asia, standing there with a towel and a bucket of water.

"A-Aidan?" She gasped, dropping the towel and the bucket on the floor, the water splashing all over the place. Instantly, she ran and jumped into his arms. "Aidan!"

Aidan stumbles back a bit but manages to gain his footing as he catches Asia in his arms, the blonde nun holding him tightly around his body. "Ow! Asia, are you okay?" He asked pushing past the pain from his chest.

"No…" She said after a brief silence before her sobbing was heard, tears beginning to leak out. "But I am so glad you're okay. You've been out for two days. You were badly hurt. I…I thought you wouldn't…wouldn't open your eyes again. And I'd be all alone!"

She shuts her eyes tightly and sobs into Aidan's chest. The man felt guilty as he hugs back, gently petting her blonde hair.

"I'm sorry," He whispered. "I never meant for you to worry so much. This wasn't how it was supposed to end."

After a five-minute hug, Asia and Aidan let go before the latter grabs a few things from his desk. Asia however deduced what he was doing.

"…You're going to rescue her, aren't you?" asked Asia.

"Yes," Aidan immediately answered as he packs his things and turns to face Asia.

"…Then I'm coming with you." Asia exclaimed with a serious face and no second thoughts.

Aidan however shook his head slowly with a smile and eyes closed briefly.

"No, Asia. Where I am going, you must not follow."

"I don't want to lose you!" Asia snapped, surprising Aidan as tears started to form again. "I can't fight like you or everyone else, Aidan! But your uncle has taught me how to use spells, and I've learned how to use my powers!" Asia runs up to him and hugs him close. "Please don't leave me, Aidan."

Placing his hands on her trembling shoulders to calm her down, Aidan kneels a bit to look at her eye to eye.

"Asia… listen to me," Aidan said. "I need you to stay here and tend to my Uncle as you have these past few months. The path I am about to embark on now is a path only one can take. And only I must take it. But I promise you: I will return home, with Rias free from this blighted marriage."

"…You will get bloody, battered, and mushy again… Are you going to go through all that pain again…? I don't want to see you in that state ever again…"

Aidan received critical injuries when he took Asia back from the Fallen Angel and the group of Stray Exorcists. He also got battered in the battle against Riser. He probably would have died if he didn't get healed by Asia.

He can even imagine Asia crying while healing him, something he found familiar with Rias. It is without a doubt that he will probably continue to make this girl go through sadness even from now on.

He could not imagine the future to be written like that.

While putting on a gentle smile, Aidan cups Asia's face and wipes away the tears.

"Asia. Remember how I was alive when I saved you? That's why I will be okay. I will not die. I will live, and when this over, I will be with you forever."

Asia nods while her heart soothes, replacing her sad face with a smile of reassurance.

"…Then please promise me one more thing."

"What is that?" asked Aidan.

"Please definitely come back with Buchou." Asia says that to him with a smile.

"I will."

When Aidan answered her like that, Asia smiles really happily.

"Asia…" Aidan said. "I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?" asked Asia.

Aidan then privately told Asia of his plan. When Aidan told Asia the circumstances he would be in, she agrees to it and went to her room with him.

After all that was said and done, Asia tends to Deckard Kain's arrival back home as Aidan steps in with Grayfia in her teleportation circle. His eyes were filled with determination, if not dread for what he was about to do, with Grayfia being his only witness.

They were soon gone, returning back to the Underworld.

Arriving at the Gremory Treasury Vault in an instant from the teleportation circle, Grayfia and Aidan beheld two doors leading to the vault. Only members of the family may have access to this vault, along with the dark secret it covets. Luckily for Grayfia, she was a member of the family and had access to it.

Grayfia opens its golden doors to reveal all the latest artifacts, gold, and even armor that the Gremory Family kept, all stemming back to the days of old. But the truest secret was at the end of the hallway, locked behind another door. A large ornate and emerald door with the Gremory symbol etched on the center of it.

The two approach the door and stand right in front of it.

"I sure hope you know what you are doing," Grayfia said. "But just so you know, no one can control something like Diablo."

"Terror comes in many forms, Grayfia," Aidan said. "A child, a warrior, even… a friend."

Grayfia could not help but feel disturbed at that comment. Nevertheless, she continues on leading Aidan through the vault.

The large ornate emerald door, accessible to only high-ranking members of the Gremory family, appeared before the two. Grayfia soon uses her magic to open the way. The lock on the door, which was the Gremory symbol, glows crimson red and turns counter clockwise before a large light emerges. Then, the door opens itself to reveal its most treasured prize.

Lifted off of its black cylindrical cover, a red crystal was suspended in the air. It had a jagged tip at the southern end of it. It was rough in shape as it looked like a simple crystal. But such power and evil emanated off of the ancient relic, one that would make even the Devils be filled with such dread.

The Red Soulstone. The Soulstone of Terror.

"It's all yours," Grayfia said before she asked one last time. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Aidan merely nodded and approached the soulstone, with Grayfia watching his every move.

Taking out his sword Dawnbreaker in his right hand, Aidan raises it up and slices down on the protective barrier covering the stone despite being invisible to the naked eye. But Aidan, with his new foresight abilities, had foreseen this easily. After slicing down the barrier to make way for the stone to be grabbed, Aidan tosses Dawnbreaker to the ground with a loud clang and leaves it behind, moving forward.

Aidan takes the soulstone off of its pedestal with both hands, the crystal having some weight to it. He stares intently at it and feels the evil aura emanating off of the crystal. This is definitely it; the very entity within the soulstone, a being of unimaginable power calling to him. It is asking him to thrust the soulstone into his body, for it to be free and take control. Such power coursed through it, tempting Aidan to wield it.

Doubt briefly weighed over his choice though. Questions being asked about if what he was doing was right? Or if something could go wrong? What if he dies in the process and everything goes wrong? Was this really the right thing to do?

Alas, what choice did he have in the long run? Rias was in danger. She was about to be forcibly married to a man she hates. The rest of the peerage, except for Asia, were forced to attend the party. Was Aidan just going to sit by and let this happen? Allow the result of the Rating Game be the reason for this forceful marriage?

No. He would never do such a thing. He will never accept what this fate has decreed. As he told Grayfia, he would give anything, even himself, to see Rias free from that terrible fate. And if he was going to damn his soul to do so, then so be it.

Aidan looks intently at the soulstone, feeling its tremendous power and evil aura radiating off of it. His hands shook a bit and his throat felt like it was being choked with great regret, but his heart and mind knew that what he would do is necessary.

Aidan closes his eyes shut, seeing the smiling image of the beautiful red-haired woman he had admittedly loved one last time before it disappeared into thin air.

"Forgive me, Rias…"

A small tear fell from his face and drops to the ground in the process, hitting the floor in a loud sound.

And with that, Aidan thrusts the jagged tip of the soulstone straight into his forehead, instantly feeling the crystal pierce his skull and brain.

*CRUNCH*

What followed afterwards was the stuff of nightmares.

Blood instantly filled Aidan's vision, the whispers of the damned echoing in his ears as he could feel the entity within the soulstone clawing his way up from the dark recesses of his soul. Aidan collapses onto his knees in anguish, feeling his soul being sucked dry from his body. His voice was soon heard crying out in pure agony.

"EEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Screams of suffering and torment echoed throughout the halls as Aidan's forehead bleeds and the soulstone glows crimson red, his mind shattering as a result of his body losing control. Pain like no other enveloped him, like his skin was being torn apart piece by piece as his insides became ravaged and broken. His throat as he screamed felt like it was slit and choked at the same time. His bones ached with pain, as he felt like he was paralyzed from the entity that entered inside of him. Tears of pain poured out like waterfalls and his head was filled with perhaps the worst headache ever, more so than a migraine.

As Aidan's suffering continued, the soulstone grew only brighter and brighter in color, feeding off his pain. The black veins emerged once again, covering his whole body in a matter of seconds.

Grayfia could only look in utter fear and shock of what had just transpired. Her legs buckle as she sinks to the floor, her body shaking in terror and her eyes were wide open. She brings a hand to her mouth as tears of horror pour down her face.

What she had just witnessed would haunt her forever.

PHENEX MANSION…

Rias sighed in annoyance when she walked up to a tall mirror looking at herself. She was in a large dressing room, with six maids standing behind her. The redhead beauty wore an elegant white wedding dress that fit her form perfectly with her crimson hair tied up.

"This is an engagement party," She said annoyingly. "So why am I in a wedding dress of all things?"

"It was by my orders," An all too familiar voice said as it made Rias turn around to see a vortex of flames a few feet away from her. It died down to reveal Riser standing in its place.

"No, my Lord Riser, you mustn't," one of the maids pleaded. "Men are not allowed in here." But Riser walked past her with a raised hand.

"Just a word with my bride and I will be out momentarily." He said as he approached Rias, who merely glared at him with her arms crossed. "Look at that beautiful dress. You look like the perfect bride, my dear Rias."

"I am not your bride yet!" She venomously told him. "Now why am I dressed up?"

He leaned closer as he moves to her right and places an arm around her shoulders. "I just want you to make a good impression on our esteemed guests, my dear. After all, we need to demonstrate to the world that our two houses have joined together, right?"

Rias would have tried to lean her head back from the arrogant Devil, as she could feel his breath on her right cheek. But to keep her purity intact, she decides to bring him down a knot.

"I see your wounds are healed." She commented with her eyes closed.

The attempt was successful as Riser's smirk turned into a scowl. While his family powers may have kept him alive and healed his wounds, it did leave some nasty scars that were either thick or thin depending on where they were on his body. And they were noticeable.

"Yes, they have," He said pulling away from Rias, but didn't go far enough away to her liking. He then stood in front of her and looked down at her with a bitter expression. "That damn servant of yours caused me quite a humiliation. In fact, it all started when I paid a visit with you in the human world. Some are even questioning my ability to uphold my family's name."

However, his cocky smirk returned.

"Although, I cannot help but wonder about that man himself. The only known weapons that are even able to harm a Phenex like that are Holy Swords, but he had no Holy Sword at all. Not even his sword that he never used was a Holy Sword. And his sudden influx of power that cracked the reality of the artificial battlefield, with its combined strength of his Sacred Gear."

"If you're expecting me to be a 'good wife' and tell you about him, then you're dead wrong," Rias said, interrupting Riser, before opening her eyes with a hateful glare at him. Her mind flashes back to the memories of Aidan's most recent fights, along with the corruption that took over him.

"He was more special to me than you could have ever imagined."

Riser chuckled a bit, surprising her. "Is that so?" He asked before turning around. "Could you say the same with how he had behaved in the human world and in the Rating Game?"

Rias had a bad feeling about this. But soon Riser changed topics.

"Oh, and don't worry about the dress," Riser said as he stopped a few feet away from her. "When the time comes, you'll be dressed in a gown of flaming feathers." He opens a teleportation circle, summoning a flaming vortex. "It's only fitting for a lady of the House of Phenex!" His voice echoed as he was engulfed in flames, laughing in the process.

Rias stayed where she was standing when he left, not very pleased to hear about her future wedding dress' design. "A dress made of flaming feathers? I'd rather stain them in my own blood than wear it."

She could not believe this was happening. That she was going to be married to Riser Phenex of all people. The promise and trust she had in Aidan to finish this was now broken, destroyed by her own hand so that she could save her favored Pawn from his own power.

But she would've still made the same choice over and over again, just for Aidan.

Since the Rating Game, she could still see the beaten and bloody face he had, along with the anger and wrath he had emanated. The reason Rias resigned was because she knew that without Aidan, the one person she wanted to fight alongside with, and her drained magic, she had no chance of beating Riser. Not only that, but Aidan's powers were out of control and he would've killed Riser instead of incapacitating him. Any much longer, and he may have likely be killed by his own demonic power.

And now her hopes are turned against her. That she was going to marry Riser Phenex. Aidan was incapacitated, and Riser would have had the chance to kill him. But when she saw Aidan at his lowest, he fought back in a different state. Along with that wrathful and furious look he had while fighting Riser, it looked as if he was possessed by something. But who? Or what? She did not know.

A dark presence unbeknownst to Rias looked at her from behind, like it was watching from the other side of another realm. A dark and shadowy presence with two glowing red eyes, its sight set exactly upon her.

'Aidan…'

"Lady Rias, it's time," one of the maids informed.

"…Right."

LATER…

The engagement party was held in a large ballroom with two large wooden doors. Guests attended the party wearing elegant dresses and suits, chatting amongst one another while sampling on food and drink.

Ravel Phenex, the youngest of the Phenex family, was in a purple dress with matching gloves and boots, giggling as she held a pink folding fan in front of her mouth. Despite her injuries from the Rating Game from that torture by Aidan, she had recovered quickly and maintained her normal noble attitude.

"My brother just won himself a bribe by demolishing the Gremory heir," Ravel bragged. "I knew he was going to win from the beginning, but he had to keep it close, so it wouldn't be a total bore. Hahaha."

A few feet away, the rest of Rias' peerage, minus Asia and Aidan, were watching her talk, not showing any resentment. All three had cups of wine in their hands. Kiba wore a traditional tuxedo with a black bow tie, his hair combed back. Akeno wore a black kimono and Koneko wore a pink dress with white gloves.

"She sure is delightful, that one," Kiba commented.

"Ravel Phenex has quite a mouth on her, doesn't she?" asked a familiar voice, which turned out to be Sona in a blue dress.

"Sona, what brings you here?" asked Akeno.

"While I am saddened about the outcome of the Rating Game, I thought it was a good match," She said with a smile. "Then again, I wouldn't have complained if the results were any different."

"Thanks for the support at least, but I promise this thing isn't even close to being over," Akeno said, surprising Sona a bit.

"We'll get another chance, I'm sure," Kiba said. "We just need to be more prepared for their tricks next time."

"…Yeah, screw those idiots," Koneko muttered before taking a sip of her glass.

Suddenly, a Phenex transportation circle formed in front of one of the large doors, and the usual vortex of fire shot from it. Out of it came Riser, wearing a white outfit that exposed his chest, preparing to give the announcement.

"Greetings, renowned Devils of the Underworld!" Riser announced to all. "On behalf of the House of Phenex, I, Riser, would like to thank each and every one of you for coming today. This is a historic moment for all of Devilkind, and I want our dear guests to know that two great dynasties are about to become one. I, Lord Riser of the distinguish house of Phenex, will wed Lady Rias of the illustrious House of Gremory!"

Riser then gestured his right arm and hand to his right side.

"And now I present to you my new bride—Rias Gremory!"

Rias soon appeared next to him wearing her white dress. Everyone all gazed at her magnificent beauty, but she was still not happy about recent events.

*BAM*

The door entrances to the hallway were suddenly knocked violently. Though the gates were firmly shut, they shook with a violent noise. Everyone turned their heads towards the doors, wondering what that noise was.

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BOOM*

A couple more knocks and the doors were shattered from a crimson red blast, broken in splinters as the way was open. Guests shielded themselves from the blast and once it calmed down, there was nothing.

Nothing but smoke and darkness from the entrance.

"Guards, investigate this now!" Riser demanded with a pointed finger, clearly not happy with the interruption.

Some of the hall guards went to investigate, but the minute they went into the smoke and dust, all was silent for a few seconds. Then…

*SLASH*

*CRUSH*

*SPLATTER*

The sounds of metal and flesh crunched together sent chills down everyone's spine but that was just the beginning. Screams from the soldiers followed as blood splattered all over the place, with some of the guests screaming in horror.

"UUUWWAAAAAGGGGHHH…" The guards' screams were heard, like they were being thoroughly and extremely tortured.

Then, from the dust, one of them was tossed so far away from the broken entrance high into the air and landed roughly on the floor. As he did, his helmet, crushed and bloodied, rolled itself over to Riser and Rias' feet before they got a look of it once it stopped in front of them. It only brought them dread of who this invader was.

Clearly the guard was dead, but the damage inflicted was gruesome and devastating. Blood was all over the body but so were the many cuts and nearly severed limbs.

The dust from the destroyed doors settled down to reveal a bloodbath of the guards. Every single one that investigated who interrupted the party were all dead. Their limbs torn from their bodies and their armor horribly dismantled. The expression on each of the dead guards was one of shock, horror, and death. Fear crept onto everyone present like they saw a mass execution, the blood decorating the entire doorway. Some of the guests covered their mouths and turned away in pure disgust of the horror show.

Soon the attacker reveals himself to be a stranger wrapped in a black cloak wrapping from top to bottom, covering himself entirely. He wore a hood that concealed his facial features, but a red glow seemed to have emanated off from inside the hood. Despite the blood spilled all over the floor, the stranger did not seem to have one stain on his cloak and just walked over the corpses with black leather dress shoes.

He walked slowly towards the end of the hall, towards Riser and Rias. With every step the stranger took, it echoed throughout the hall, leaving bloody footprints. No one bothered to ask who he was, for the sight of the dead guards and the man behind it left them the impression of fear. A man in a black cloak concealed from top to bottom destroyed the doors and slaughtered the guards effortlessly. But his aura was that of malevolence and fear, paralyzing the guests where they stood. Everyone kept their eyes focused on him in fear.

Riser was clearly not happy at this sudden interruption.

"You- You dare show yourself to my party, you fiend!?" Riser exclaimed. "This is my moment of victory!"

The stranger was unfazed by Riser's arrogant proclamation as he continued walking.

"We all think that at first, Riser," The stranger said as he stops walking, his dark voice echoing as he speaks. Then, the stranger takes his hood and flips it off, revealing a face only one could be in pure disgust and horror. "We are all wrong."

The figure revealed itself to be Aidan, whose diluted pupils were red and bloodshot as blood poured down from his eyes. The eye sockets were filled with darkness like he had not slept and woke up with raccoon eyes. But the soulstone was evident in his forehead as were the small cracks around due to its entry point. Red veins protrude around the soulstone and go outwards throughout Aidan's forehead, glowing in power as they do. Black veins also appeared on his neck upwards, stopping at his jawline. His cheeks were hollow as demonic features started to procure a little on his face.

Everyone gasped at the sight of it, Rias most especially. Her knees buckled as she struggles to stand, horrified of what had become of her favored servant. She brought her hand to her mouth, as if she was ready to spew at the terrible sight. Tears were forming into her eyes of the monster in front of her.

'Aidan… what have you become?'

As for her peerage, Koneko hid behind Akeno, terrified of Aidan's new appearance like a cat that got scared of something. Akeno held the little Koneko close yet her hands shook a little, wondering how on earth Aidan became such an abomination. Kiba, for all of his bravery as a Knight, was struck with fear, unable to even draw out his sword as his legs buckled and made him step back or two.

Sona was also stunned, her glass slipping out of her hand and dropping to the floor, shattering and spilling the wine. She could not even move or speak at the sight of such a depraved horror. The man she had respected, if not liked, had now been turned into some sort of twisted monster incomprehensible for her eyes.

"Who…who do you think you are, boy?" Riser demandingly asked while pointing his unstable finger, recognizing who it is. He was trying to keep his pride intact but the sight of a pawn with such terrible features shook him a bit.

Aidan remained silent, fixing his gaze upon the arrogant Phenex now filled with fear, probably as a mocking insult to their previous encounters. Slowly turning to his right, he spotted Ravel in the crowd trembling in fear along with everyone else. Her fan was dropped lifelessly as Aidan's gaze was fixed upon her, paralyzing her with terror.

But this gave Aidan an idea.

Bringing out his right hand that was clawed, Aidan telekinetically brings Ravel over to him swiftly and grabs her by the neck, choking her as she does. Everyone gasps at the action.

"ACK! AGH…GAHH…." Ravel begins to be choked, her hands struggling against the tight grip.

"Ravel!" cried Riser as he watches his little sister grappled by the pawn of his fiancé. Not even Rias was an exception to everyone's shock of what her favorite pawn is doing now.

Ravel struggles as Aidan grips her throat, tightening with every second that passes by. Riser attempts to come forward to help but was halted by the tightening of Ravel's neck. Keeping his dark and cold gaze onto Riser, Aidan decides to make a proposal.

"Hand the Gremory girl over," Aidan said in a dark tone. "Or I snap this one's neck."

To make his point across, Aidan tightens his grip a little bit harder, the youngest member of the Phenex family turning blue and losing air. Rias looked further shock at Aidan, looking as if he was enjoying this, inflicting suffering on a young Devil of nobility.

This… this thing was not Aidan Kain. Not the Pawn of her peerage. And especially not the favored servant she knew and treasured dearly from the beginning. This was also not the same man she gave her first kiss to, not the same man she brought back to life that night from Dohnaseek.

This was someone else entirely using Aidan as some sort of host. It was like that same presence she felt emanate off of Aidan during the Rating Game and even before that. But this one made its existence more well-known, as if whatever was inside Aidan finally awoke.

Was it really…Diablo?

Riser was torn in his decision, gritting his teeth in anger. For all his arrogance, he was left with a decision that would affect his reputation and his family line. Was he just going to hand his fiancé over to her pawn in exchange for his little sister's life?

He couldn't have. His pride would not allow it. In all his years as a nobleman of the house of Phenex, for all of his victories in every Rating Game he has competed, he would never allow things to go in anyone's way but his. This was meant to be his moment of triumph where he would wed Rias.

But his little sister Ravel hung by a thread of life, with Aidan tightening his grip even further. With every second that passed by, she was losing air. She even reached out for her brother for salvation and cried for help with tears of desperation pouring out.

"Onii…sama… help me…" Ravel barely uttered.

Riser did not know what to do. Normally he would make such a quick decision but was now faced with such a dilemma he could not comprehend. What was more important to him: his victory or his family? The answer should be obvious, but for one so full of himself, he could not give a clear answer.

But time waits for no one, not even for Aidan. And he was losing patience.

*SHIIINNG*

Red electricity sprouts from the hand that grips Ravel and envelops her painfully. Her screams of pain echo throughout the halls as her suffering becomes worse and worse. Losing even more patience, Aidan coldly tightens his grip to get his point further straight across. He can see Riser slowly lose his conviction and no one was willing to stop Aidan of the terrible action he was doing.

"AAAAHHHHH! AH AH AAHHHHHH!" Ravel's torturous cries of despair rang throughout. It brought only nightmares to everyone in the room.

Aidan's spell was more than just torture but it was also draining the very life from Ravel. Her family's power of immortality was not working, unable to regenerate the many wounds that were cropping on her body from Aidan. Her Devil power was also being drained, as it traveled through Aidan's arm and into the soulstone on his forehead, fueling it up with power.

Ravel's hands lost strength as her struggling began to cease immediately. Riser took notice seeing that his indecision will soon cost him.

"Alright, STOP!" cried a repentant and trembling Riser.

Aidan halts the torture and loosens his grip on Ravel's neck, giving her some room to breathe, if not a few more seconds to live. He lowers his hand a bit for Ravel's feet to touch the ground, but still kept his hand wrapped around her neck, even as she bent her knees against the grip.

Riser immediately knew that this Pawn somehow became more powerful than him, more powerful than what he felt in the Rating Game. But his pride and arrogance will not allow him to accept such a proclamation.

He can only grit his teeth and fists, wanting to kill Aidan. But with his little sister and Bishop in the way, he was in no position to fight nor to make a counter-deal.

"I give in. Just hand my sister to me first. Now!" demanded Riser.

Aidan agrees to the terms…

*SNAP*

A sudden and loud cracking noise was made as the scene showed Ravel's neck twisted 180 degrees backwards. Her face was filled with shock, like death had suddenly swiped its scythe across her neck. Her hands immediately went limped as they fell to her side.

Screams to the horror of everyone who witnessed were heard, especially for Lady Phenex who had fainted upon seeing her now dead daughter, making her husband and one of her other sons, Ruval Phenex, catch her fall. They were both equally shocked as well, horrified to see what had transpired before them.

Even Rias had gasped, nearly screaming in pure horror to what she had seen her fully corrupted Pawn do to a prestigious member of the Phenex Family. Although Rias saw Ravel as the same as her older brother, she had only respect for her due to her being the youngest yet the most insightful. After all, the two young ladies are the youngest members of their family line.

But now…now there was only one left between the two.

Riser though was absolutely stunned. His mouth was left ajar, stuttering in words of what he had just seen.

"Wh—you—wha…have you…?"

"You didn't ask for her to be returned ALIVE," Aidan emphasized on the last word before he violently throws the dead body of Ravel to Riser's feet with an underhanded throw.

Riser got a good look of Ravel's dead face as the body rolls up to him, shocked with lifeless eyes as blood pours from the side of her mouth. Her body grew cold as night, unable to regenerate her wounds.

She was dead.

Anger and rage soon infuriated the Phenex. His own sister, let alone the Bishop of his peerage, was now dead right by his feet. His family, his own flesh and blood, lied broken before him. His indecisiveness has now come to this moment. His triumph was interrupted by this Pawn of his fiancé and his sister was now dead because of it. Fury enveloped him like never before as he turns it towards Ravel's murderer, gritting his teeth very tightly. His eyes became filled with wrathful vengeance.

"You… YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Riser screamed as he charges forth with flaming fists. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

*PANG*

Aidan, undeterred, merely brings his right hand up and halts Riser's attack effortlessly, still standing in one place.

"Weak, very weak…" Aidan merely muttered. "Die!"

Empowering the soulstone in his forehead, Aidan unleashes a terrifying breath of fire and lightning mixed together from his mouth and hits it at Riser in point-blank range.

"EEEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Riser screamed, feeling the intense lightning and heat combined and searing his flesh.

It engulfs Riser entirely, his screams heard as the fire and lightning, much hotter than even his flames, boil and burn his skin. The force of the breath sent him flying backwards, making him crash to the wall and slump back to the dead Ravel. Normally with any injury, a member of the Phenex clan would regenerate their wounds. But for some reason, Riser's was nullified. His white engagement outfit was now tattered and burned from the attack.

Aidan approaches him, fear gripping the Phenex's face entirely as his body refuses to move. His entire skin was boiled and charred. He watches as the empowered and awesomely terrifying Pawn approach him, with his Sacred Gear activated and at the ready to dissect him.

"I asked you this one simple question, yet you refused to answer," Aidan said. "So I'll ask again: How tastes your fear?"

Riser, too scared to even comprehend the situation, only screamed cowardly, making Aidan once again irritated and frustrated. Grabbing the Phenex's head, Aidan lifts him up and slams him to the ground behind him.

Bringing him up again, he punches him away hard, making his ribs crack in the process. He was sent flying across the floor as his body dragged along, scraping his garments. Normally for a Devil like him, his Phenex powers should heal him but they were still nullified by Aidan's fire and lightning breath.

Telekinetically lifted by Aidan's right hand, Riser wracked in pain as Aidan clenched his hand slowly, the Phenex feeling his body crushed and curled into a ball. He felt his bones, mainly his legs, snap in two like a twig as they were bent in an odd shapely way.

Aidan then hurls him to a wall on his left before slamming him to the floor next. Then he pushes Riser over to the wall behind him.

Conjuring up a demonic barbed spear in his hand via red lightning particles, Aidan grabs ahold of it in his right hand and throws it at Riser with his full might.

*PIERCE*

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Riser cried out in pain as the spear penetrated straight through his stomach. Blood poured out from him and he was unable to pull it out and regenerate.

Aidan, levitating in the air, approaches Riser quickly and keeps a stoic face. But then he smiled malevolently as his demonic teeth showed. Grabbing the spear, he flings Riser off of it in a spin behind him before stopping his movement via telekinesis with his right hand. Discarding the bloody spear in red lightning particles, Aidan brings Riser forward to him and body blows him straight into the stomach wound with his left arm wielding his Sacred Gear.

*SPLORCH*

"GWAAAAAHH!" Riser's stomach wound only grew wider as Aidan's left hand was now inside of it. It reached up all the way to his heart as Aidan grabbed ahold of it.

Staring face to face with the mortally wounded and bloody Phenex, Aidan tightened his grip on Riser's heart, with the Phenex screaming. His face was all mangled, his white dress bloody and tattered, and his pride utterly shattered. Arrogance was now replaced with fear, utter fear in the face of this thing that he could not comprehend.

With what words he had left to say, Riser writhingly asked, "W-Wh…Wha….What a…re you?"

Aidan did not bother waiting to answer as more demonic visages grew on his head.

"I…am Terror."

Letting go of Riser's heart, Aidan brought his hand down and instead grabbed Riser's entrails. At this point, a part of Riser wanted to die since his suffering was too much to bear. What began with the death of his little sister ended with him having a hole in his stomach and his heart damaged.

But Aidan would never grant him the release of death. Instead, he intended to make a lasting memory on a fool whose pride was his downfall.

*SKLOORCH*

Immediately pulling his hand out of Riser's stomach, Aidan pulled out his bloody hand that held a part of Riser's entrails. Riser threw up both blood and vomit mixed together, some of it splashing onto Aidan. Not that the demonic Devil cared.

Down below, people were beyond shocked. And that doesn't even come close to what they had just witnessed. Some of the female guests fainted to see such a horrible sight and some of the men turned away and spewed a little. But one thing is certain; everyone was consumed and paralyzed by fear.

Kiba was absolutely stunned by what he had seen. He certainly had seen Aidan with such chaotic powers that were often out of his control. But never did he think that someone he had called a brother would go this far. The corruption within his Sacred Gear must have been more thorough than he had anticipated. He soon recalls Aidan's words.

'I cannot feel anything in my left arm at this point, and the corruption that is of these veins is slowly destroying my body. In a way, I guess I could very well be turning into a Demon.'

'Rias' magic and Uncle's have only slowed it down, but it is begun to adapt to it. At this point, the corruption will spread at a faster rate the more it continues to grow in power. If that happens before or after the Rating Game…'

And it did. It made Kiba shocked with awe and terror, believing that a Demon had played everything from the shadows. And now that Demon has possessed Aidan.

Akeno kept a tight hold on the scared Koneko, now giving those disheartening eyes. Although a part of Koneko's mind was satisfied of seeing Riser get beaten up, she didn't like the gory sight of it all. The blood and screams made her quiver with fear, making her hide underneath Akeno's kimono dress like a stray cat running from danger. Koneko was not usually one for expression, not even for being afraid.

But this one made her feel real fear.

Speaking of Akeno, she could not believe what she was seeing as tears poured down her face. Admittedly early on, she developed something for Aidan not just for his looks but his kindness and self-sacrifice. He was brave and selfless, putting the needs of others before his own. He had helped Akeno out on a few occasions in battle and, in their times together, chatted with each other.

Sometimes the two had flirted behind the scenes, though Akeno did most of that on her part. She had made advances of which Aidan replied kindly. The truth is, she felt something for Aidan that she never had felt before.

But now, seeing all this from a man she had liked so much, brought about only terror before her. And she was also more concerned for Rias despite her forced fiancé getting a brutal and gory beating.

Thank goodness neither Asia nor Deckard Kain were here to witness this, or they would not be able to handle the sight.

Sona was so shocked that, in secret, she had to call for her Peerage for help. She had to mainly call on one who, with his Boosted Gear, could perhaps contain the situation and turn the tide of this slaughter before it turns into a full-fledged genocide of everyone present.

Setting the entrails aflame into ash, Aidan throws the Phenex into the air and soon teleports behind Riser and unleashes another flame and lightning breath straight onto the Phenex's back. The force of the breath plummeted him straight back down to the ground near the dead Ravel. Riser at this point was barely alive, yet his healing ability came back to heal his injuries but did so very slowly. Hell, it was the only thing keeping alive and away from death for the moment.

Aidan lands on the ground gently, everyone backing away in fear all the way to the walls of the hallway. With no time to waste, Aidan deploys his Sacred Gear on his left hand, the claw emerging forth as black spikes appeared off of his arm. Soon a blade-like extension weapon emerged off the arm, ready to impale anyone in his way.

He began his approach to Riser, intent to make him suffer even more. But someone soon steps up front to Aidan with her arms outward, shielding the nearly dead Riser. Riser, with unsteady eyes, was able to see a certain redhead with a white dress shielding him.

"Aidan Kain, I command you as your master to cease this madness now!" Rias demanded.

While it looked like she put up a brave front, in reality she was shaking with fear. Her teeth chattered quietly as her knees buckled. Her heartbeat was climbing higher as sweat pours down her head.

Aidan only glares at Rias, his demonic eyes fixated onto the young Devil in her white dress. He stares face to face up close to Rias.

"I take commands from no one. Not even you," Aidan threateningly said, his eyes and the red soulstone flaring up.

But Rias could only look in pity and sadness at him.

"Aidan…" Rias pleaded, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't know what you have become, or what led you to this state, but please. Stop this. This is not the man I remembered. The man I know would protect those he cared for most, not slaughter innocent lives. He would not spread fear to those around him and take delight in people's suffering. The man I know is someone I care for more than anything in this world, a man who would continue moving forward no matter what lay before him."

Either courageously or foolishly, she slowly yet willingly puts her left hand on Aidan's right cheek softly. His face was cold to the touch, like it was empty void. She had hoped that her warmth will eventually bring color back into him. Though the skin also felt rough due to the demonic features, she could also feel Aidan's normal face.

"The man I know is the one whom I have fallen in love with in the beginning," Rias added at the end. "Please…stop this before it's too late. Don't make me alone again."

The tears she attempted to hold back finally poured down from her eyes. For her eyes only, she thought she could see a change in Aidan, no matter how minuscule it was.

In a surprising move, Aidan retracted the arm blade back into his left hand. This in turn gave hope to Rias, seeing him stand down from the slaughter.

She had hoped that her feelings would reach in to Aidan, wherever he was in the black recesses of the one possessing him. A small smile of hope appears on her lips, believing that Aidan was listening.

But she could not have been more wrong.

*SLASH*

"…Heh?"

Confusion spread on Rias' face, with eyes wide in shock. She felt herself lifted in the air and being thrusted back from the slash. It took her seconds to digest it, but she saw a claw, Aidan's claw from his Sacred Gear, raised up with blood drawn.

Her blood was on all three fingers and the arm blade deployed back. Along with her white dress that was now torn to shreds.

Her back hits the wall as reality sank back into her, making her scream as blood leaves her mouth. Clutching her bloody wound that hurt like hell, Rias finally felt what true terror feels like.

Her favorite Pawn had done something inexcusable to her, and to the rest of devilkind.

She could only watch as Aidan glares at her, tears of sadness pouring down her face as she clutches her wound. And in that moment, Rias knew fear.

"Your favored servant died when I took him," Aidan said as his voice becomes more and more demonic. "Feel free to join him at your leisure."

Aidan soon approaches Rias, ready to finish her off with the arm blade at the ready. Her peerage attempt to move in to save her but were stopped dead in their tracks by a familiar voice.

"Diablo!" cried out Sirzechs, whom Aidan stops, turns, and looks at the former Gremory heir at the other end of the hallway, panting like he had arrived on scene. Aidan growls in annoyance, recognizing that voice.

"Ugh, you," said an aggravated Aidan as he turns around.

"I'm sending you back to your realm, monster!" Sirzechs declared but Aidan was undeterred as he turns around approaches him at his own pace, clearing away from Rias. His footsteps left burning tracks as his Sacred Gear on his left arm grew on his body, taking on a more demonic appearance.

"You will send me nowhere, boy," Aidan said as more spikes begin to protrude from his back and his skin turned a bit scaly and red in color. "I slaughtered many of your kin during your hunt for me and my brothers. I am the one who orchestrated all of this, in a chance for freedom."

Aidan's height grows as he rises above Sirzech's height, a mere two feet above his head. His features became more and more distorted in the process as his voice changes to being more demonic.

"In the end, you all serve the Lord of Terror!" Aidan/Diablo claimed.

"We do not serve you nor your brothers any longer," Sirzechs said as his power aura flares up, his expression and tone very serious. "This is our Underworld. This is our home. And you are not welcomed here."

Sirzechs gives one last cry to the demonic entity.

"Now back to the Burning Hells with you!"

Taking his chance, Sirzechs brings out some sort of gold and black cube device that opens itself up. Aidan is a bit confused as he looks at the cube.

Breaking apart into the shapes that form it, the pieces float around Aidan before a gold mystical energy shield entraps him in. Aidan claws and slashes at it, but the barrier is impenetrable as it shrinks down on him, encasing him with every second that passes. The demonic Aidan screams as he attempts to push away the shrinking prison but to no avail.

"NOOOOO!" Aidan screams before the cube bears down and seals him inside. The pieces of the cube came together, containing the demonic entity within.

Soon enough, the sealing worked. Aidan was soon enveloped by the cube that entrapped him, and the device reverted to its normal size after shrinking. It remained floating in the air in front of Sirzechs, who sighed in relief that a disaster was averted.

Everyone looked on, either in fear, confusion, or relief. It seemed that Rias' pawn, or rather Diablo as Sirzechs called him, had been contained within the cube-like device Sirzechs had in mind. They had to give the former Gremory heir credit. To think he had a device like this up his sleeve.

All appeared peaceful in that it was now over despite the tragedy.

Or so it seems.

A small noise was heard from inside the cube-like seal device. This shocks everyone, even Sirzechs.

"Hmph… Heh heh…" Aidan's quiet laughter was heard. "Is that… truly your best?"

"Wha—" Sirzechs' was flabbergasted. To think Aidan was able to withstand against Sirzechs' full force, the force of one of the Four Great Maous. His mocking voice echoed throughout the halls.

The area begins to shake like an earthquake before the cube device started to crack. Red and black power seeped out of it like a wound violently, forming tendrils. The walls around the building began to form cracks.

Sirzechs raises a shield around the unstable cube, but the energies from the cube became more and more unstable. Yet the shield required his full attention and effort to prepare for the incoming implosion.

"Impossible… After taking a beating like that…?" Akeno asked.

Kiba can feel what was happening and knew it was not good. "Ngh…! Everyone, get back!"

"Did you believe you could seal me again?" asked Aidan. "PATHETIC!"

"Everyone get down!" cried Sona as she and Akeno run towards Rias and raise a shield around her. Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko also take to cover, shielding themselves behind the former's barrier.

The injured Riser covers Ravel's dead body with his own despite the tremendous pain he was in, intent to take the blast. The heads of the Phenex and Gremory family, along with what little guards there are left, all raised shields around everyone else to protect them from the incoming blast.

*CRACK*

*BOOM*

The cube finally shatters as a huge crimson explosion of raw energy ensues, destroying Sirzech's shield spell and devastating the entire structure, leaving only charred ash.

A FEW MINUTES LATER…

Once the smoke clears, everyone looks around to see the utter devastation of the hallway. The roof was completely torn off, the walls turned to rubble, and fire was everywhere. While most of the guests were safe, including the Phenex family, the Gremory family, and even Rias' peerage, the sight was just disastrous. Luckily the whole building was not destroyed.

Kiba was the first of the peerage to emerge out of the rubble. Coughing from the dust and smoke, he turns to his right see Koneko emerge out as well.

"Puwah…" Koneko cried out, before she looked at her dress. "Dirty…"

"Koneko!" Kiba called out. "Are you alright?"

Koneko nods, "I'm okay."

"Koneko, attend to the guests. I'll look for Akeno," Kiba said, with Koneko complying immediately.

In another area where the smoke eventually cleared, Akeno and Sona held up magic shields to protect themselves and Rias from the blast. Their shields had cracks in them from the blast and Sona and Akeno gave it their all to shield one redhead behind them. As they lower their barriers, they fell to the ground onto their knees in exhaustion, with Akeno on all fours and Sona on her butt.

"Akeno, are you alright?" Sona asked panting a bit.

"Yeah," Akeno responded. "But Rias…"

Both look behind to see the still alive Rias, still bleeding from her wound. The two girls assess to her and luckily for Sona, she just happen to have the one thing that could heal her severe injury. Pulling out a Phoenix Tears bottle, she empties one drop onto Rias, which her form glows pink before her wounds eventually heal up and the blood was now washed away.

But the injury left a nasty scar on her, thus making both Sona and Akeno tend to her well-being. After all, they knew she was traumatized more than just the physical sense but also mental.

"Quickly, get everyone out of here!" The head of the Gremory family ordered to the guards as they began to open portals for the guests to leave through. One by one, all the guests left, with many of their outfits covered by the dust and ash.

Soon the head of the Gremory family left as well, tending to his wife.

Some of the maids who survived the blast also helped, mainly with the Phenex family. Concerning Riser, the guards lifted the immobile Riser out and onto his feet. His expression was still one of pain and in shock, keeping his hollowed eyes on the dead Ravel. As he is lifted away, his eyes kept onto the corpse, his arm reaching out to her as he is taken away.

Ravel's body was soon covered up in a blanket and spirited away by the maids, with the heads of the Phenex Family following them.

Sirzechs eventually comes out of the rubble but he is left in shock of the wide area of damage. Though many of the guests were alright and evacuated, a large portion of the hall was heavily damaged.

"Impossible…" A stunned Sirzechs said. "But the cube… It was meant to—"

A small yet audible growl was heard as everyone looked up in the fires to see where it was coming from.

(Author's Note: Insert Soundtrack: Diablo III OST – Heaven's Gate)

Black smoke covered the entire area from where the cube exploded. Whispers of the damned echoed like maddening spirits. No one could see what was happening from within. But for Sirzechs, he had seen this before, many, many years ago when he last faced Diablo.

With that in mind, Sirzechs summoned up a spear in his right hand and stood up. It was crimson red in color and was etched with the symbol of the Gremory Family on its hilt. He stood up and came up to the eerie smoke, about a hundred feet away from it.

"My old enemy. You cannot hide from me, no matter what form you choose to wear. Let your true self be revealed…Diablo!"

Sirzechs, with his demonic power coursing in through his spear, fires a large stream of flame to cleanse away the smoke so as to give light. As the flames made contact with the smoke, an invisible hand was put up to shield themselves from the fire. This kept on for a few seconds as Sirzechs intensified the flames from his spear. The hand struggled against the intense pressure before the being within the smoke screamed. Seeing its true form revealed, Sirzechs retracts the flames back to his spear.

When the smoke and fire cleared, Aidan's form was revealed. More spikes, scales, and red skin emerged from his body and his feet became demonic-like. He also produced one spiky tail. A red and black power aura illuminated behind the demonic being and the cloak he once wear was nearly in tatters save for bits of it wrapped around his hips and parts of his upper body. The red soulstone still stuck out from his forehead and his curved arm blades were deployed.

It was clearly evident that the demon Diablo, Lord of Terror, was emerging forth and showing more of its familiar features, trying to reveal its true form slowly through Aidan.

"Your long hunt ends today, Sirzechs."

As the demon stands up on his two feet, he gives a demonic roar to Sirzechs, who gives his spear a twirl before he charges in. Aidan/Diablo does the same and once the two combatants meet in the middle, the demon slashes at Sirzechs with his right arm blade, only for the Maou to dodge in a spin.

"HAAH!" Sirzechs cried as he swings his spear from the right side of Aidan and slashes across Aidan's left cheek. Aidan is stunned briefly and staggers to the right but uses the opportunity to swing his tail at Sirzechs.

*HYU POW*

"Ugh!" Sirzechs is hit by the Demon's tail, like he was hit by an incoming car and is sent flying backwards.

*CRASH*

"AGH!" Sirzechs cried. In the process, he crashes through a crumbling pillar, making him land on the floor and tumble backwards with Aidan/Diablo charging at him.

As Sirzechs rolls backwards and lands on his feet to slow down his speed, he looks to see Aidan/Diablo raise a right arm blade at him. Bringing up his spear, with both of his hands grabbing the two ends, he blocks Aidan's strike.

*CLANG*

Unfortunately, as Aidan's arm blade struck the spear, it broke in half and shattered, the sound of it like a broken window. A large shockwave unravels from the broken weapon.

As the shockwave disperses forth to dispel the flames, Aidan/Diablo takes this moment to use his other arm blade on his left as he clenches into his fist. With Sirzechs distracted from the broken spear, he was wide open for an incoming attack.

And Aidan/Diablo took the chance. The demon thrusted his left hand forward and impales Sirzechs directly in the chest.

"HAH!" The demon cried as his talon-like claw goes through.

*PIERCE*

"AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" Sirzechs screamed, unable to dodge or block the attack.

"ONII-SAMAAAAA!" Rias cried out in horror.

Blood spewed out from Sirzechs from both his chest and back, and more from his mouth that he coughed. Soon he was lifted into the air by the demon, who had something he wanted to say.

"Take one last look at your shining Underworld, Sirzechs," Aidan/Diablo exclaimed as Sirzechs struggles. "For soon, nothing of it shall remain but my laughter."

Sirzechs soon teleports away from Aidan/Diablo, on his knees and clutching his wound with his left hand. Though still alive, he was badly wounded and unable to fight. Clenching his bloody fist, he looks to see Aidan/Diablo take a few steps forward.

Aidan/Diablo soon takes a deep inhalation of breath and roars with such loud noise that the shockwave, directed at Sirzechs, pinned him down to the wall behind him that began to crack from bottom to the top like laminated glass. Once the cracks fully reached the top, the wall suddenly crumbles, burying Sirzechs inside the rubble.

Aidan/Diablo approaches the rubble as it continues to fall on top of the downed Maou, intent to check on him and finish the job.

Sirzechs manages to appear out of the rubble, using the last of his demonic energies to blast him out. But while the rubble cleared, he was further injured as the blast was a point-blank range shot of the Power of Destruction.

Sirzechs gritted his teeth, still clutching his wound, as the demon approaches him casually with every step taken, the tail swishing back and forth.

*POW*

Aidan/Diablo suddenly feels a hit from his right cheek as his head turns. Another stranger with the red Boosted Gear appeared and struck Aidan/Diablo on the face with a hard punch. The demon staggers back and clutches his jaw before turning to see who his attacker was, skidding in front of Sirzechs and catching his feet onto the ground.

"Issei!" cried Sona, in relief with a smile that he had arrived. Soon she heard a contact from Tsubaki.

"Kaichou," Tsubaki called. "Everyone is here attending to the guests. What is your location?"

But Sona did not answer and merely relayed new orders.

"Tsubaki, stay back and attend to everyone. Issei and I will join you shortly."

Issei stood in front of the wounded Sirzechs with a full Scale Mail armor of his Boosted Gear. Unfortunately, it was an incomplete model, but it would be enough for him. Hopefully anyway.

"You…" Aidan/Diablo spoke. "The Red Dragon…"

[This time we settle this for good, demon.] Ddraig said from the Boosted Gear on Issei's left arm.

Aidan/Diablo, however, laughed at the proclamation. "You seem to forget that I put a hole in your stomach, dragon. What makes you think this time is different?"

"Wait," Issei spoke up. "Ddraig, you know of this thing?"

[Long story.] Ddraig said. [Short version: we fought, and he cut open a hole in my stomach, leaving a permanent wound.]

"I see," Issei said as he focuses back his attention on his enemy. "Aidan, I know you are in there. Snap out of it now! Can't you see all the people you are hurting?"

"When I am finished here, I will seek my brothers and release them," Aidan/Diablo laughed as violent flames surround him and Issei. "This world will burn with our coming!"

With demonic power flowing out of his right hand, Aidan/Diablo creates a large flail, whose ball falls to the ground and sharp spikes emerge. Issei gets intimidated by the weapon, stunned that Aidan can just create weapons out of thin air.

Aidan/Diablo soon jumps forward into the air with a spin and slams the spiked flail at Issei, who barely dodges out of the way and backs off. But the demon comes forward in a spin, creating a large axe in his left hand to strike at Issei on the ground.

Issei was just inches away from the blade that struck right next to his face.

"Holy shit!" cried Issei.

[Told you.] Ddraig noted.

As Issei flips back onto his feet, Aidan/Diablo charges in with an unholy demonic sword and tries to cut Issei, only for him to stop the blade with both of his arms to block it. Bearing down on him, the demon uses his claw from his Sacred Gear to try to do a forward slash at Issei's head, only to scrape his right arm. It was not much of a wound despite piercing Issei's skin.

Backing off, Aidan/Diablo comes in for a punch but Issei uppercuts him on the chin with his right fist before grabbing his head and slamming him to the ground.

Dazed and stunned briefly, Aidan/Diablo looks to see Issei power up a Dragon Shot at point blank range. The demon tries to stop it via a block, only for him to receive the shot directly on his chest and make him fling back some meters away.

Aidan/Diablo, wounded but alive, recovers almost instantly as his wounds heal up.

"You have a strong host, dragon,"Aidan/Diablo claimed as he stood up and watches Issei clutch his arm briefly before facing the demonic humanoid being. "But not strong enough."

With that said, Aidan/Diablo conjures demonic seals from his hands before he slams them to the ground. Very quickly, black spikes emerge from the ground, attempting to impale Issei. He didn't have enough time to react, which led to Ddraig to control his body for a bit and perform acrobatics backwards to avoid the spikes.

"WOAH! What the—" Issei cried.

[Hang on!] Ddraig said as he continued moving Issei backwards.

Issei did not know what he was doing, performing all of these tricks. But since Ddraig was in control, he could only watch and be nauseous from all the spin. He lands a mere fifty feet away from Aidan as soon as the spikes cease to pop up.

Retracting himself, Aidan/Diablo charges at Issei, both of their hands gripping on one another as Issei holds his ground, even as he is nearly slammed to the wall behind him. However, Issei knee blows Aidan/Diablo in the gut, stunning him briefly, before he loops around the back and slams Aidan to the wall next to the one, he was slammed into.

Issei then gets on Aidan/Diablo's back and chokes him from behind. Wrapping his right arm around the demon, Issei holds tight and uses his strength to hopefully render Aidan unconscious. The possessed Devil struggles from the grip, trying to grab Issei's arm and pull it away to no avail.

*SHINK*

"AUGH!" Issei cried as he is forced to let go of Aidan/Diablo and falls backwards, hitting the ground hard.

Black spikes emerged from Aidan's back, which was the reason why Issei was impaled and had to let go. Writhing in pain and bleeding, Issei struggles to get up as Aidan/Diablo, using his newfound strength, grabs a stone pillar from the wall and swings it horizontally at Issei, sending him flying.

"GAH!"

Issei coughs up a bit of blood as his body is sent a mere one hundred feet away from Aidan. His body drags along the ground in the process, scraping as it does and taking off some bits and pieces off of his Scale Mail armor.

By the time Issei stops, he looks up to see Aidan charge in on him from up high and slam him down with his right foot. The impact was so hard that Issei literally rebounded off from the floor briefly. Bouncing off of him, Aidan then grabs Issei's right foot and flings him to another part of the mansion, right towards an arena of some sorts as his back hits another wall.

Aidan rams into him shortly afterwards, driving him deeper into the wall. With Sacred Gear in his left hand, Aidan slashes at Issei's face, scarring the helmet severely. He then grabs Issei by the foot and slams behind him to the ground before rotating once in a circle and throwing him against a wall.

"GWAH AGH!" Issei cried as his mouth spews blood.

"Issei!" Sona cried in disbelief.

Issei was stunned and wounded. Even with an incomplete Scale Mail, it was not enough to go against the possessed Aidan. Aidan conjures a powerful fireball in his hands, a fire that burns hotter than the Phenex fire. He then fills that with something so shocking as a red and black aura of power envelops it.

Only the Gremory Family could hold such a power, Rias a prime example. Others like the Bael Clan also held this power which was passed down to the Gremory Family due to Lady Venelana Gremory.

The Power of Destruction. Except the power was much more volatile than Rias'. Its energies in the form of terrifying tendrils destroyed parts of the already damaged hall, bringing down more rubble as everyone gets to safety. It was eerily similar to the one from the Rating Game but induced with more power and malevolence.

"Impossible…" Akeno uttered in shock, seeing the demonic fireball covered in the Power of Destruction's aura.

"Issei, get out of there now!" Sona cried. But as Issei tried to move, his body was too badly damaged and he was immobilized with fear, just by looking at Aidan and his power alone.

[Partner, get up on your feet before he attacks us.] Ddraig warned Issei. [Partner!]

"Not even death can save you from me," Aidan/Diablo proclaimed. The attack was soon readied as Aidan unleashes it, firing at the immobilized Issei, who could only look in frustration, the Power of Destruction etching ever close to him.

"ISSEI!" Sona cried.

*HYU BON*

But then suddenly, a very powerful blast of the Power of Destruction from Issei's right vision hits Aidan/Diablo's attack and directs it away from Issei, hitting another part of the mansion that was undamaged. Issei soon looks to the direction of the shot of who fired it, much to his surprise.

Aidan/Diablo looks to his left to see that it was Rias who fired the shot. Although her white dress was torn and bloodied, her wounds had healed. Physically she was now alright, but emotionally and spiritually, they were something else.

Rias approached the demonic Aidan, her hands turned into fists and her head down covering her eyes. Every step she took echoed from her shoe wear, and every step was one filled with fury.

"So… it was you all along," Rias said, keeping her head down and her front bangs covering her eyes. Every step she took was one that was filled with hints of anger.

Aidan/Diablo remained silent as Rias approached him, keeping his eyes on her.

"You… You are the one who influenced everything," Rias continued speaking as flashbacks of her past interactions with Aidan came to her mind. "You gave Aidan those nightmares. You bestowed upon him a Sacred Gear you created so as to feed on people's fears. You manipulated Aidan with every moment his power grew so that your hold over him would be strong enough that you would break free from your prison. You took advantage of the Rating Game, corrupting Aidan even further with your twisted power. In the end, you used him to free you, to plunge your soulstone into his body so you could take control and form."

Rias then looks around briefly to see the scope of the damage. Sirzechs still clutched his wound as he looked at Rias. That alone made Rias so furious that her Power of Destruction aura enveloped her form, the red and black energies spiraling out of control as the rest of the undamaged mansion soon became damaged, cracks growing within.

"You not only harmed the people here; you killed a young Devil noble of my forced fiancé. You injured my friends and even my brother."

Asher power aura increases, both Sirzechs and Sona soon realized what she was about to do.

"Rias, stop! Don't do this. You need to control that power," Sirzechs pleaded, unable to approach his younger sister due to his wound.

"Rias, don't let revenge win. Fight it!" Sona desperately cried out to her best friend.

But Rias ignored them completely and stopped walking, face to face with Aidan/Diablo.

"You took Aidan, my favored and beloved servant, away from me. You are the cause of all of his suffering. Of my suffering. For all that you have done…"

Rias' power soon reached its maximum limit, the fury of it enveloping the room as everyone was covering themselves. Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko tried to approach Rias to stop her but the forceful winds from her Power of Destruction were too much.

Rias soon looked up, her face full of wrath directed at Diablo, tears of sorrow and anger streaming down like waterfalls. Her teeth were clenched and her eyes glowed red.

"I… WILL NEVER… FORGIVE YOU!"

Fashioning a very powerful Power of Destruction from her hands, she immediately fires at Aidan/Diablo, who stood his ground. The demon fired back with his fire and lightning breath to hold back the shot. But Diablo, despite the Sacred Gear and Aidan providing him power unwillingly, was not at his full strength and Rias poured on her attack.

Rias roared in unholy wrath as she increased the pressure, overcoming Aidan/Diablo's lightning flame and hitting him directly at the chest.

"GWAAHH!" The demon cried as he was sent flying backwards into another wall that crumbled, the rubble falling on top of him and burying him.

But Rias was not done yet.

Using her new awesome powers, she raises the demonically possessed Devil out of the rubble and throws him to a wall. She then teleports over and blasts another Power of Destruction at point blank range. Sending Diablo over to another wall, she lets loose even more, all in an effort to just kill the Demon.

Sona and the rest of Rias' Peerage try to stop her, but her wrathful power was too great for them to even get close. Not even Sirzechs could get close to halt his sister's vengeful madness.

After she powers down, Diablo reemerges and stomps the ground, creating a firewall that is sent towards Rias. She powers up again and swipes the firewall away, only to see Diablo come in with a growl and a right claw to swipe at her.

Backing away, she blasts at the Demon with one shot of her Power of Destruction, but Diablo shrugs it off and continues after her. Rias then decides to conjure up swords made of pure Power of Destruction energy, formed in crimson color and forming as a blade.

"Swords made of the Power of Destruction?" asked Akeno.

"No way! She can do that?" asked Issei as he was tended to by Sona.

"No…" Sona fearfully said. "This is her new power. But like Aidan, she has no control over it."

As Diablo charges in with its arm blades, Rias prepares herself. Though she has no experience in swords whatsoever, if she can at least block Diablo's attacks and counter with a stab, then she can wound him. Diablo's right arm comes down with a vertical strike, but Rias blocks it and fires a small Power of Destruction blast at point blank range. She tries to take a swipe with her other sword in a spin, but it barely scratches Diablo. The Demon smirks as it strikes Rias again.

Backing off to get some distance, she conjures more blades made of pure energy, surrounding her and pointed towards Diablo, and sends them towards the Demon. Diablo proved immune as either the blades broke or bounced off due to his spikes. Soon both the wrathful heir and her possessed Pawn engaged one another in close combat, trading power against power, blade against claw.

What seemed like an evenly match was not what it was truly meant to be.

Sona, as she watches from the sidelines, realizes that Rias is no match and she needs more power. With no experience with swords and relying only on her Power of Destruction, she stood no chance against Diablo.

'Power…?' She thought to herself before she turned to Issei. 'That's it!'

"Issei, use your Boost to build up your power, then transfer it over to Rias!"

"What?" asked a confused Issei.

"Just trust me. She needs a power boost to defeat Diablo and yours might come in handy. The Boosted Gear doubles the power of its wielder every ten seconds. We just need to reach over the maximum for you to transfer it to her."

"Oh okay." Issei complied as Sona helps him up. After receiving a nod from his master, Issei obeys her commands. "Boosted Gear, go!"

[BOOST!]

Every ten seconds, Ddraig, from the Boosted Gear, called out on the power, empowering Issei so he could transfer this power over to Rias.

Utilizing her new powers, Rias lifts rubble from her left and throws it at the dust cloud where Diablo was, but the Demon emerges in an angry tone, easily destroys the rocks. and fires a fire and lightning breath at her. Rias counters with a concentrated Power of Destruction blast as their energies met in the middle.

Neither were being pushed back but the intensity was so strong that strong wind currents were pushing everyone away. Streams of energy combined from Rias and Diablo's assault spiraled all over, randomly hitting targets. Sona and Akeno formed up barriers to shield themselves and their allies behind them.

Rias struggles to maintain her hold as her knees buckle.

'This is preposterous… How can Diablo possess such power? It's nothing I have ever seen before.'

Diablo presses his attack and enlarges his fire and lightning breath. Rias struggles as she is forced to her knee, the beam pushing forwards and nearly overwhelming her. Even with such a power influx based on her emotions, it wasn't enough.

But that would change for the better.

"Issei, now!" cried Sona.

Issei roars as he approaches Rias and touches her back with his Boosted Gear.

[TRANSFER!]

An enormous amount of power went to Rias from Issei's body to hers. She feels a radiating green aura coming off of her body.

"AH~" Rias lets out a sexual cry as her body instantly gained an enormous amount of demonic power.

With her body now adjusting to the power, Rias increases her Power of Destruction and pushes back the beam, enlarging and overpowering Diablo's. The Demon, surprised unto itself, was forced back.

Rias pours it all into her attack, her hair lifting upwards as she grits her teeth and focuses on her true enemy.

"HAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Screaming as she does, she launches one final blast into the beam, forcing it all the way back and overpowering Diablo's form. The energy intensifies greatly as the gale force winds accelerated.

*BOOM*

A massive explosion of energy engulfs half of the destroyed room, blinding everyone as they shut their eyes from the blast and shield themselves. Akeno and Sona's shield shatters but it held up long enough to shield everyone behind them. They were forced to the ground in exhaustion.

Over on each side of the beam, Rias stood her ground, panting in exhaustion as her aura of the Power of Destruction powers down. But on the other side, Diablo was nowhere to be found and all that remained was the dust and black scorched mark of where he stood. Rubble was a few inches off ground zero.

"Is he…?" asked Issei.

"No…" Sona said. "Not yet."

Issei gasps a bit. That blast was so powerful enough to overwhelm the Prime Evil, yet not enough to kill him? In Issei's mind, he had no idea just how strong this ancient Demon of the Burning Hells was.

Rias approaches ground zero to see the Diablo in pain as it emerges itself from the rubble and dust. Her eyes were still filled with vengeance.

"Had enough?" Rias asked angrily.

"Not…quite…yet…" Aidan/Diablo said as he stands up. Rias flies in with her aura of her Power of Destruction reactivated, only for Aidan/Diablo to stand up and swing his left arm frontwards and dispel a red lightning arc that hits Rias, dispelling her aura.

The lightning tendrils wrap around her as she screams in pain, tearing apart more of her wedding dress and leaving her in her white bra, panties, heels, and stockings. She is forced backwards by the blast and held together by the tendrils, wracked in pain as they continue to torture her.

"Rias!" Sona cried to see her best friend now immobilized and in pain. Aidan/Diablo walks towards her casually with an arm blade on his right hand at the ready.

"I am most impressed, Rias Gremory…" Aidan/Diablo commented. "You were able to overpower me, even though I am still not at my full strength. To be able to wield such power that my brothers and I created and instilled upon you and your kind. That was why you were supposed to be our heralds for our return to Sanctuary. But your rebellion gave us a setback, one that ultimately worked in our favor."

Everyone around heard Diablo's words and were confused. What did the Lord of Terror mean by all of that? Did he create the Power of Destruction alongside his brothers, Mephisto and Baal? What was this about a rebellion and for the Devils to be the Prime Evils' heralds return to the mortal world?

Was there any truth to the Demon's words? Or were they just twisted lies meant to throw confusion?

Rias continues to writhe in pain as Aidan/Diablo stops by her feet. He then decides to wipe away the tendrils one by one.

"And now, Rias Gremory…" Aidan/Diablo said. "Your suffering will echo across eternity as I claim victory from your death!"

With the tendrils dissipating off from Rias as she lays immobile and in pain, the demonically possessed Devil raises his right arm blade to stab through the downed redhead. She looks to see death ready to take her.

"Rias, no!" cried Akeno as she prepares her lightning.

Aidan/Diablo moves in for the kill, striking the arm blade forward as Rias closes her eyes to prepare for the inevitable.

*SHING*

After a few moments, Rias soon opens her eyes to see what she saw. A pointed arm blade, mere inches away from her face. Aidan was ready to strike, but something held his right arm back. Nothing physical, but rather some unknown force holding back.

Grunting and struggling, Aidan grabs the arm at Rias with his left, trying to pull it back. Diablo grunts and roars, knowing who was holding him back and trying to assert control.

"Get away…" A combination of Diablo and Aidan's voice was mixed in as the possessed Devil backs away from Rias.

"Aidan…?" Rias looked in concern, wondering if Aidan managed to break free.

Soon his body twitched in some parts and his eyes flickered between the crimson red and natural blue. He then grabs his head in pain, as if there was a splitting headache forming.

"I said…get away!" The voice spoke again as Diablo's will struggles against Aidan's.

Everyone beholds to see what was happening, ready to fight at a moment's notice or perhaps cut down something that was connecting Aidan to Diablo. But soon Aidan's body bent backwards, his chest pointed up to the sky as he screams.

"AAUUUUGGGHHHH!" A demonic scream roars around, making everyone cover their ears. Soon Aidan's body was lifted into the air as a white light formed from his form. Both he and Diablo continue to scream, vying for control over their shared body.

The light grows only brighter and brighter, with whips of pure crimson energy bouncing off from Aidan and randomly spiraling out and destroying whatever tread in its path.

"Everyone, get down now!" Sona cried.

"Rias!" cried Akeno as she brings her back.

"Aidan…" Rias muttered, seeing Aidan's struggle as she was pulled back. She didn't even bother to fight back, keeping her eye on the man she loved most.

As the light reaches its zenith, a massive implosion ensues in the form of some black hole, drawing in energy strands with a fire surrounding it. Once the energy is released, a massive outward explosion of dust ruptures outwards, leaving only smoke.

Everyone shields themselves from the light and the smoke as it clears to showcase Aidan, back in his normal form but with the soulstone still attached to his forehead. He was on one knee trying to sit up, wearing only a loincloth around his waist which covered much of it. Slowly he does sit up along with opening his eyes, only to show that crimson red color.

"Aidan…" Rias says, seeing her favored Pawn in ground zero. She wanted to approach and hug him but something in her mind held her back from taking that step forward.

Aidan can only look in pure horror however as he surveys the area. With so many people seeing him all at once, he could not bear the sight of it. Not even at Rias who was not only right in front of him but also wounded and bleeding, an action he had caused even if Diablo was in control. Despair and fear crept onto him as sweat poured down the side of his face, the soulstone glowing in power as if it was trying to tell him something. His breathing started to become abnormal, realizing what he had done.

Staying here was not an option. If he did, he would've been arrested or even killed. He had made a deal with Grayfia regarding the soulstone and he would keep his end of the bargain, even if it meant hurting the others.

Turning towards an open area devoid of people, he stretches his hands forward and tears open with his own two hands a fabric of space to create a red fiery portal of sorts. It was similar to the blue portals he used when leaving but this one was vastly different, more chaotic in nature.

And he immediately went through.

"Aidan, no!" cried Kiba but it was too late as he immediately went through.

The red portal soon closed unto itself. And Aidan was gone.

AN HOUR LATER…

It was a disaster. The hallway within the Phenex Estate where the engagement party was taking place had all but been destroyed. A severe scar was burned upon both the Phenex and the Gremory Family, all caused by one Prime Evil locked away within the latter's estate. Ravel was dead, and Riser was severely injured and put into a comatose state at the nearby hospital. The heads of the Phenex Family were left to grieve. The costs for repair were going to be immense, the talks between the Houses and the Four Great Satans were going to last for months. And to top it all off, word of this tragedy has spread throughout the Underworld.

The Phenex Family were initially going to point fingers at the Gremory's for this catastrophe, but now was not the time to do so. It would only waste their time and distract them from the true problem ahead.

Sona's Peerage arrived to assess the damage and clean up what they can; mainly putting out fires and rescuing anyone caught in the rubble. Luckily none of the guests were killed but the damage to the estate was so severe. They were left to wonder just how one Pawn with such incredible power managed to destroy a portion of such an expensive and large estate.

"Sir!" One of the Gremory maids came to Zeoticus Gremory and kneeled. "The family's treasury vault has been breached."

"What!?" asked a shocked Zeoticus. "That's impossible. No one should have access but myself and the others!"

But the maid only spoke the truth. "We had just received video footage of the vault doors opening, along with the emerald door at the far end."

"Then who did it?" asked an already angered Zeoticus Gremory. "Who allowed someone to give access to our vault?"

"I did," A voice called out to everyone. They all looked to see Grayfia by the destroyed doors, with a disheartened and regrettable face that was clearly evident. Her eyes of shame were covered by her messy hair bangs. "I'm the one."

"Gray…fia…" Rias muttered, seeing who it was that led Aidan to the treasury vault and the soulstone.

But the one that was truly shocked of it all was Sirzechs as he approaches his wife and Queen.

"Grayfia, what do you mean?" He asked, bringing his hands to her shoulders to keep them from trembling.

But Grayfia didn't answer, merely looking down in shame. Her body trembled in fear as she was too ashamed to face her husband, knowing that in her mind, she doomed everyone and led to the killing of one noble from the Phenex Family.

"Grayfia, please," Sirzechs pressed forward. "Is it true you did it?"

Grayfia soon recited ancient words, as if possessed. Her eyes looked as if she was entranced and her voice was shaky, filled with fear.

"And the Evil that was once vanquished shall rise anew. Wrapped in the guise of man shall he walk amongst the innocent. And Terror shall consume they that dwell upon the Earth."

Sirzech's eyes widened, for he knew what this prophecy was about.

"No…" He shakily said. "No no no."

"What?" Zeoticus asked. "What is it, son?"

"It… cannot be."

Sirzechs immediately stands up and starts speed-walking away.

"Sirzechs, where are you going?" asked Venelana. But Sirzechs ignored his mother's question and simply replied back,

"Look after Grayfia and my sister," asked Sirzechs as he disappears from sight.

Speaking of Rias, she was sitting alone, in her tattered white dress. She had her hands together, fingers interlocked as she sat in sorrow contemplation. Sona was beside her on her left patting her back gently to give comfort. But it rarely helped. Everyone else from her Peerage, minus Asia, stood around her in an effort to assist in the comforting process. Issei also joined in, rallying to his master Sona who was comforting Rias.

"So…" Kiba spoke up. "Diablo played us all for fools… How could we let this happen?"

"Aidan…" Issei softly spoke. "To think Diablo had control over him all this time."

"I don't think it was control, Issei," Sona said as she faces her Pawn and the rest of Rias' Peerage, still patting her back. "It was more like an influence. Likely from his Sacred Gear that the Prime Evil gave to him."

"But still…" Kiba said. "How could we have not known that Diablo was within the Gremory Estate all this time and he used Aidan to free him?"

Sona answered, "Perhaps Diablo knew what the outcome of the Rating Game would be and manipulated events to ensure everything worked in his favor. What better way than to target Aidan via his Sacred Gear."

"Is that why his power grew exponentially?" Koneko asked, remembering Aidan's sudden power influxes.

"Possibly," Sona speculated. "Diablo must've done this so as to further corrupt him and influence his mind to ensure that he would be free from his imprisonment."

It all made sense. Ever since Aidan was given his Sacred Gear, the dark and poisonous influence from the Lord of Terror, whom everyone thought to be myth, was slowly worming its way into his soul, twisting and converting him into a vessel for the Demon to tread amongst mortals. It was why he had those waking nightmares and visions. Diablo would have purposefully implanted them into his consciousness so as to ensure he would be shown his fate.

As for the Rating Game, Diablo would be cunning to take advantage of not just the game but also the circumstances surrounding it. If Aidan ever lost to Riser and needed more power, Diablo would know how to grant him that power. And what better way than to convince Aidan to become the Demon's vessel by thrusting the soulstone into his forehead.

And now a piece of a prophecy where the Evil would ride and walk amongst the innocent in disguise as a man had now come to pass, as was foretold long ago.

"But now is no time to dwell on past events," Sona said. "We need to find Aidan and stop him before Diablo's plans are fulfilled, whatever they are."

"I agree," Kiba said. "Diablo may have him but if we can save Aidan, then we have to try."

Koneko nodded. "That Demon is going to pay a thousand times over when I give him a good beating."

Issei was surprised as he turned to his King. "Kaichou, are you sure about this?"

"We have to be, Issei," Sona replied. "Diablo may have caught us by surprise, but we cannot let our fighting spirits be broken. He must be stopped and we are the only ones who can do it."

"No…I don't want to…"

Everyone's heads turned towards the sound of the voice, coming directly from Rias. She kept her same posture with her eyes closed in shame. Soon, her body began to shake.

"I'm sick of this…" Rias said dejectedly.

"Are you serious?" Koneko asked in shock.

Rias merely confirmed, "Yes… It is too late to save him…"

"Buchou, how can you say that?!" asked Kiba passionately. "You saw Aidan fight against Diablo in an effort to save you!"

"You say that, Kiba…" Rias said as she puts her right hand into her face, her eyes still closed as she shook. "But how long until he is lost to us? How long must he continue to suffer like this, and I cannot do anything to help him? I failed him as a master, and I'm not happy about it at all!"

"Rias!" Sona cried. "You still don't understand why he went so far like this?! Why he went out of his way to save you?!"

"I don't care about 'saving me'!" Rias shouted as she stood up, with Sona's hand backing off in surprise. "What about saving Aidan? Had I known Diablo was controlling him like this, I could have stopped it! Yet now I lose him again not to Fallen Angels but to a Prime Evil that my family has guarded for years without my knowledge!? Don't you get it?! I'm sick of standing by and letting him suffer like this! Letting him fight for me and get injured so severely!"

But as she stopped shouting, she looks around to see everyone shocked by her shouting. Never had they seen this side of Rias where she was so passionate about one man, so sorrowful. All those emotions she had bottled up within her were now starting to pour forth like a waterfall.

With guilt overtaking her heart, she looks down with tears forming in her eyes.

"What if… What if you all ended up like Aidan, too?" Rias asked as she recalls a couple of flashbacks to Aidan's injuries from his fights: the first being from Raynare when she took Asia and the other from when he fell over the cliff with a Fallen Hound. "I don't want to see that happen! I just can't…bear the thought…"

Akeno was the one most quiet of the group. And quite frankly, she had enough of her best friend's ranting and depression. Walking up towards her, she raises a right hand with an open palm.

*SLAP*

Rias felt the full measure of the slap from Akeno, the stinging sensation decorating her left cheek as she holds it with her left hand. Shock and pain decorated her face, never thinking she would get slapped by one of her best friends. Everyone looked at her with a speechless expression.

As for Akeno, she was not just mad at Rias, but also disappointed.

"Coward…" Akeno said with a mutter before she raised her voice. "A coward! You are a coward!"

Rias did not deny it. "I am a coward… I'm not strong like you, Akeno!"

But to her surprise as she looks back at her, Akeno's tears fell from her face despite trying to keep a stoic expression. These tears were mixed with sadness, disappointment, anger, and sorrow; all of them directed towards Rias. And all of it concerning one man that they both lost.

"Akeno?"

"Aidan had always put his body on the line trying to protect a coward like you…" Akeno said bitterly as more tears fell before she lowered her head. "Don't you dare think you are the only one suffering like this. He gave his life so that you could be free from your marriage, not so you could just sit around feeling sorry for yourself."

Rias took that as an insult though. "You think I don't know that, Akeno!?"

"You don't!" Akeno retorted. "Aidan took one for you too. We all did. And for what!?"

"Enough, Akeno!" Sona stepped in between the two ladies and separated them before things got out of hand.

"I get it, alright? I get it!" Rias shouted angrily, her tears spilling out.

"Then get a grip, Rias!" Akeno shouted back. "Become the King we remember you to be, and let's go find him!"

Rias however was a stubborn one, keeping her frustration evident on her face.

"You think I like the idea of people sacrificing themselves for me, one after another?" Rias asked. "You think I do not know how much effort you all gave to protect me?!"

"Enough, Rias!" Sona pleaded as she grabs her best friend's arm. "Forget about it and come on."

Sona leads Rias away towards her parents as Akeno watches in frustration, tears still flowing down her face before she turns and walks away. Kiba and Koneko could not do anything, much to their frustration. They just witnessed their King and Queen argue, putting a strain on their friendship. It was agonizing to just watch them like this, yet they knew that trying to interfere and make them reconcile immediately would not be an option. They needed to get their feelings out of the way.

But perhaps it was well placed. After all, everyone in the Peerage was in the same mindset regarding the loss of one beloved Pawn that they all respected and adored so much.

Grayfia, witnessing all of this, could only sink to her knees and sob into her hands, her tears spilling out as she mutters to herself in a few short words.

"I'm so sorry, Aurelia-sensei… I failed you…"

The skies of the Underworld had turned red and dark that day, for it was a day when Terror had been unleashed unto all of creation.

GREMORY ESTATE…

Sirzechs was speed-walking over towards a room within his family's home that was underground. If anyone could describe the mood he was in now, he was both desperate and angry. This side of him is unusual given that he is mostly calm and collected.

But with the most recent of events, he only became worried and sought answers, especially with what he had heard from Grayfia. Her words echoed in his head.

'And the Evil that was once vanquished shall rise anew. Wrapped in the guise of man shall he walk amongst the innocent. And Terror shall consume they that dwell upon the Earth.'

He arrived underground via an elevator and beheld a door covered by a purple curtain on it.

Opening its doors violently, he looks forward to see some sort of woman right by a large purple cart filled such exotic ingredients and mystical artifacts. The woman was of very elderly age with grayish thick hair covered by a dark red bandana. Her outfit was purple and white, leaving her gigantic cleavage and her shoulders exposed. She wore golden bracelets, ankle and wrist, and wore a golden necklace with a ruby embedded in it. In her right hand was a staff whose golden circle held a blue diamond in suspended animation as it rotated around. Hanging off the rings of the circle were two large strands of wool.

"Myriam!" Sirzechs called out. "Don't you dare ignore my presence when I enter into your room."

"Sirzechs, you should know that I saw you coming here miles away. Am I not a Mystic of the Vecin in your service and your best friend, love?" Myriam asked with a calm and normal expression.

The Vecin are a group of nomadic people from the region of Kehjistan who travel via wagon trains. When their caravans are threatened, the Vecin will supplement their meager wagons and armor with whatever materials they have on hand. Their society is matrilineal, and they are a spiritual people, gifted with magical visions by way of a six sense of what they called The Sight. They attribute this gift to the Allmother, their patron deity.

Myriam Jahzia has been in the service of the Gremory Family for many years, along with the other Houses. She had known Sirzechs since he was a child and became one of his best friends, granting him visions of a potential future that were only averted by his hand.

But did she know about this? About the Terror that was unleashed? That he had to find out the hard way.

"You knew this was coming, didn't you?" Sirzechs asked vehemently.

Myriam turned around and kept a blank expression. "Of course, celsa."

If anything could describe the face Sirzechs had now, anger paled to describe it. The Power of Destruction aura radiated off of him, like his wrath was now exposed for the Vecin to see.

"What's the point of seeing the future if you don't stop bad things from happening, Myriam? Why would you let everyone suffer, even get killed, when you could have prevented it all if you just told me?!"

Myriam was unmoved by his threats. "That's the point of the future, Sirzechs. It keeps coming. You don't win a duel by blocking the first blow and going home. Nor do you win by drawing first blood either."

"So you just let Aidan become possessed? You allowed him to gain access to my family's vault, steal the soulstone, implant it into himself, kill Ravel and nearly kill Riser? Why?!"

Myriam simply stated, "I had to. Diablo was always going to come back. But now, you are here to stop him. And in your grief and rage, you will, my celsa."

Sirzechs was unmoved though, glaring at the elderly Vecin. In his mind, he was disappointed at his elderly friend for not telling him. He could have stopped Diablo before the Demon's plans came to fruition. But now, Terror is loose and somewhere in the world far from his eyes. It was only a matter of time before the Demon, in possession of Aidan, had made his next move.

And time was running out for him fast.

KHANDURAS…

Meanwhile, in the endless night, a lone Dark Wanderer, wrapped in dark clothing from head to toe walked amongst the empty road. He had been walking in the dark of night for a few hours. All that guided him on the road was the moonlight. The stars were shown across the night sky, yet every step felt like it was a heavy burden.

Thunder and lightning soon began to streak across the sky as heavy rain soon descended. But to the Wanderer, the concern mattered little, even as he walked an additional two hours in the cold, dark rain.

A noise came up from behind the Dark Wanderer, which was nothing more than a wagon pulled by two horses, its driver a farmer with a few bits of brown facial hair and was chewing on a piece of straw.

The farmer pulls up to the wanderer and stops his wagon.

"Ahoy there, my friend!" The farmer took his hat off to greet before putting it back on.

But the Dark Wanderer merely gave a nod in acknowledgement. The farmer did not care for that cold response though.

"It's dangerous to be out here alone at night," The farmer said. "Why don't you hop on back and let me give you a ride?"

The Dark Wanderer thought for a bit as he looked at the wagon, which was supplied with trading goods. Knowing that it could take him a long time walking, even though he did not mind, the wanderer climbed in the back of the wagon and sat down.

"So where are you off to in such a hurry?" asked the farmer as he turned his head briefly to look at his guest.

"…Tristram." The man replied, which surprised the farmer.

"Hoho! That is where I am headed. I recently got back from Kingsport due to some good trade." The farmer urges his horses to go and they take off. "Just sit back and relax. We'll be at Tristram by tomorrow afternoon."

The Dark Wanderer leans back to get some comfort as he drowns himself in his own reflective thoughts, sleep ready to take him over.

'Many moons have passed since I left Rias behind me. Since then I've tried to forget the terrors I beheld beneath the cold earth. And the twisted nightmares that have haunted my every waking moment. There's something dark within me now. I can feel it. Driving me towards the east. Assuring me that my salvation lies within the ruins of ancient kingdoms. Though I know the way, I know not what perils will rise to hinder my journey. And as I pass through the first gate, I know that the better part of my soul will remain behind. Forever...'

As he looks upwards, a red glow emanates off of Aidan's forehead and his eyes turn demonic red with terror. The thunder and lightning crack once more into the night as the carriage makes its way to New Tristram.

And with that concludes the Rating Game arc, with a big twist. Aidan becomes Diablo, the Lord of Terror, in a manner very similar to the ending of the first game. The next three chapters will consist of what I call the "Darkening of Tristram" arc. It's a work in progress title so any additional or alternative names would be greatly appreciated. Now if your thinking season 2 or Excalibur arc will come right after this, think again. Because I got a special chapter afterwards. Something about a Mad King with a grudge for Diablo.

So what do we know? Well let's recap the damage: Aidan has become Diablo, Grayfia is to blame for it all and remembers a certain prophecy, Ravel is killed, Riser is severely injured, Sirzechs is no match for his "old enemy", Ddraig and Diablo seemed to have a history, Rias gains new powers based on her Power of Destruction and her wrathful emotions (I will give them a new name, a special name), Aidan flees the scene, and to top it all off, a Vecin Mystic Sirzechs knows of knew this was going to happen. Everyone up to speed? Good.

Now I know some of you will think I went to far, especially with Ravel dead and Riser incapacitated. But rest assured for the former, she will NOT remain dead. I have something planned for her. But for the latter, well... he's going to need a long coma and rehabilitation after this. I like Ravel and the reformed Riser but I want to show the sibling bond they had and put it to the test.

And now Aidan is in Khanduras on his way to Tristram. Hmm, this seems like a familiar spot for those familiar with the Diablo franchise. It is from here where he slowly move from one universe to another i.e. from Highschool DxD to Diablo. I have it all planned out for this new upcoming arc so stay tuned and be ready. Especially with those Healing Potions and Scrolls of Town Portals you all got in hand.

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