Highschool DxD: The Prime Evil

by TalonAlpha3

"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." Aidan Kain was just living a normal school life as a human with nightmares before being sucked into the Devil world as a pawn of Rias Gremory. What further adventures await for this Kuoh Academy student?

15. Chapter 15: The Dark Lord

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.

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UNDERWORLD…

Back at home, a meeting between the Four Great Satans was held to discuss the most recent of events. They met within their meeting chambers where the Satans and other important individuals gather in times of crisis.

"To think that Diablo had played us all for fools," Falbium Asmodeus, a tall man whose head is completely bald and has a goatee on his chin and wearing purple and black clothing, spoke. "How could we have not known?"

"We knew the risks, Falbium, of safeguarding the soulstone," Serafall Leviathan, a beautiful girl looking in her late teens with black hair, tied into twin tails and blue eyes and wearing bluish green clothing, said. "Tyrael warned us that they would eventually return. We just didn't think it would happen like this."

"But we could have had we not seen the signs!" Falbium said. "If only we had—"

"The soulstone is taken!" Ajuka spoke up. "Diablo is freed. Two of the three Great Houses are severely damaged, one of the Satans is wounded, and we leave this matter in the hands of the heirs to the Gremory House and the Sitri House. We could not have known when it would happen."

"But the Horadrim were able to seal them away and were more powerful than us," Serafall mentioned. "So how was it that they—"

"Even the Horadrim were not as foresighted as your mythology tells us," Deckard Kain soon arrived as the doors opened, accompanied by Grayfia who acted as his escort.

"Deckard," Sirzechs greeted. "It's good to see you again, old friend."

"Yours as well, Sirzechs," Deckard bowed courteously to him before he continued. "When the Horadrim sealed the Prime Evils, they knew that inevitably they would return and that it would require not them to stop them but rather mortals who understood the threat better than anyone ever did."

Taking out a book from his large sash bag, Deckard opens it and the book levitates to the center of the table. The words and contents light up in a pixelated yellow before it showcased seven humans.

There was a large man with a blue tattoo on his face grinding his axe with a rock as it creates sparks. From the look of it, he looked like a Barbarian of Bul-Kathos, allegedly the first nephalem barbarian.

Next to his right was a man wearing black robes and armor made of bones, identifying himself as a necromancer, a Priest of Rathma. He emerged himself in a blue flaming light of souls.

There was also a young man shrouded in armor and carrying a sword and shield. He knelt to the ground as if he was praying to the light, but it gave away all too clear that he was a paladin of the Zakarum faith, the predecessor of the Crusaders.

There was a young blonde woman with a ponytail dressed in red leather armor and held a spear and shield. By the looks of it, she appeared to be an Askari, or Amazon as they are commonly called, from the island of Philios, lying within the Skovos Isles.

Finally, there was a woman in teal colored clothing with golden bracers on her legs and arms, along with a golden necklace. She carried in her right hand a wooden staff with a purple gem embedded on top as she drew lightning into her left hand from above.

All five of the mortal heroes stood before the Four Great Satans.

"Who are they?" Serafall asked.

"These mortal heroes were the ones who stopped the Prime Evils when they had emerged three hundred years after the first Dark Exile," Deckard explained. "They had pursued Diablo from Tristram all the way to Kurast and through the Burning Hells itself. Even though they failed to stop the reunification of the Prime Evils, they did defeat all three of them, destroying their soulstones at the Hellforge."

"Were they not also too late to prevent the Worldstone from being corrupted?" asked Falbium. "As it said in our Mythology?"

"Indeed," Deckard confirmed. "Though they defeated Baal, they were too late to prevent the Worldstone's corruption, thus making the archangel Tyrael destroy it. Since then, all of Sanctuary has been scarred and changed at the same time. It drew the attention of the Three Factions and the Great War, fought over control of mankind and their inherent power."

"And the Second Dark Exile," Falbium added. "A piece of history we did not want anyone to know about."

"But as always, the Burning Hells have not forgotten their intention to bring humanity under their thrall," Deckard noted. "And I fear this day would come eventually. For all of us."

"What are you saying?" asked Serafall.

"That Diablo's return may be a sign of the End of Days," Deckard explained. "A time when the Three Brothers would reunite and enact a final invasion."

"But that cube that was used!" Serafall said. "It worked before when we trapped the Prime Evils. Why did it shatter though?"

"That was because back then, the Horadric Cube was only used to contain the soulstones that imprisoned the Prime Evils," Deckard explained. "Using the cube itself is very dangerous and with its destruction, there are no means of containing the soulstones."

"So it can contain the soulstones, but not a Prime Evil?" asked Ajuka.

"That is what I fear to be," Deckard nodded. "With fear as his power source, it became all too easy for Diablo to break free. But even without a host like Aidan, the outcome would remain the same."

"Either way, Diablo deceived all of us," Ajuka concluded. "Even with him in Tristram, it's only a matter of time before the Demons pour through. And everyone is demanding answers to what is going on. The heads of the families are having a hard time accepting this and are beginning to doubt us."

"What say you, Sirzechs?" asked Serafall, concerned for the Lucifer.

But Sirzechs' mind was in other thoughts, mainly concerning his sister. Everyone though could plainly see that his face was decorated with fear, his mind flashing back to his fight with Diablo and Rias' powers unlocked.

"Sirzechs?" called out Deckard Kain, which made him snap out of it.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I was thinking of…something else. You were saying?"

"The Underworld is in crisis," Serafall repeated. "Everyone is demanding answers for what has happened. It's getting us all worried."

"Yes," Sirzechs confirmed. "At this point, the worries will give way to instability. Everyone will want to look for answers."

"We will have to tell the truth at some point," Serafall said. "Starting with the three great families about the Prime Evils and the Second Dark Exile. They will learn our Devil Mythology is real and the truth we implemented about all of Devilkind beforehand is a fake."

"I suppose that is the price we must pay when it comes to Demons," Falbium said.

They were all silent once again. Indeed, after the Second Dark Exile, the Four Great Satans had to cover up the truth and discovery of their species as a whole to ensure that nobody lives in fear of the Burning Hells' return. After all, the Devils were slaves once to the Demons and gained their freedom at such a heavy cost. Though the present Four were not there to see it, their ancestors certainly did and only a very few today would recount such traumatic experience.

"Tell us something, old friend," Sirzechs said. "How is it that the Horadrim have survived for so long into this new modern era?"

"The Horadrim have worked in secret, quietly hiding traces of themselves while working in the shadows to protect the world from others and from itself," Deckard soon showed a book that opened up before them. As the words lit up, a light shown forth as several historical figures came about.

Several notorious figures popped up; like George Washington, who was the first president of the United States; Lincoln, who led the American Civil War upon the issue of slavery; Franklin Roosevelt, who was commander in chief of the American forces during World War II.

There was even the legendary King Arthur, who formed the Knights of the Round Table with the Holy Sword Excalibur; Queen Victoria, whose British Empire became one of the largest in the world in an effort of peace; and Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister who led British forces during World War II.

Far in the East were several Asian figures like Lao Tzu and Confucius, the two philosophers whose ideologies became the basis of Chinese society. Even Sun Yat-sen, who founded the modern-day China after overthrowing the Qing dynasty, was counted amongst the Horadrim. In Japan, there was the Emperor Meiji; who opened up Japan to the rest of the world and modernized it, Oda Nobunaga; who unified Japan under the rule of the shogun after the Warring States Period and allowed foreign religion to enter the country; and Prince Shotoku, the legendary figure who introduced Shingon Buddhism to various parts of the Kansai Region.

"What the…?" Serafall saw. "Humans? No, these are important figures in human history. But how or why are they deemed Horadrim?"

"Many of these figures in the modern era, long after the Worldstone's destruction, were instrumental in not only safeguarding Sanctuary from the Demons and Elder Angels, but also itself," Deckard explained. "Each of them carried a Horadric insignia in secret, careful not to reveal their allegiance to their people and to keep the truth about our world clandestine. Whether it was through military action or through religious diplomacy, a lot of these figures were considered Horadrim, their accounts and identities well hidden amongst other members."

"So… they knew about the existence of the Demons?" asked Falbium. "Of the nephalem as well?"

"Indeed," Deckard confirmed. "And such knowledge was kept secret from everyone in order to prevent the attraction of the High Heavens and the Burning Hells."

"But why hide it?" asked Sirzechs. "What do the Horadrim gain from all this secrecy?"

"Stability for the world and its inhabitants," Deckard said. "Mankind had to live without knowing of its true past lest they attract the Demons back to them as they undoubtedly did in the beginning of the Sin War millennia ago."

It did make sense. If the Horadrim have studied the Sin War intensively, which brought about the Angels and Demons over to Sanctuary, then a repeat of history is something mankind does not want to have. It could very well make the Elder Angels of the High Heavens destroy the world with the Angelic Host alongside the Demonic Legions by bringing the Eternal Conflict over to that realm.

And humanity would not stand a chance as they all are now. With their ancient magic now lost and their memories of events prior erased, they would see this as the end times. The apocalypse.

"But what made any of these humans Horadrim to begin with?" asked Falbium.

"Asides from their knowledge, their actions throughout human history left an impact that regarded them as important." Deckard explained. "For example, when the 1st president of America, George Washington, led his troops in the American Revolution, it was not just a fight for independence but rather to escape the corruptive influence within the British royal family plagued by Demons in disguise. Or when the Emperor Meiji opened up Japan to the rest of the world, he did so with the intention to ask for aid from other allies to wipe out the Demons infecting all of Japan within the Tokugawa shogunate."

"Interesting," Ajuka said. "But it still doesn't change the facts. We will need to know about the status of the other soulstones."

"The only way to know is if we go ask the leaders of the Fallen Angels and Angels," Falbium said. "But I doubt we can just walk right in their domain and ask for a chat."

"It's also highly likely they know Diablo is freed and will want to double their security around the soulstone to prevent an outbreak," Serafall said. "With tensions as they are now, it won't be easy to get them to talk."

"I believe that can be arranged," Sirzechs said. "We have Deckard Kain, the Last Horadrim, and we still can contact the Archangel Tyrael. Put the two together, they can convince the other leaders for a meeting regarding the soulstones and the return of the Burning Hells."

"I agree," Ajuka concurred. "It's high time we stop hiding and protecting our borders. If the Eternal Conflict has finally reached to this point, then we need to start working together if we are to survive."

Everyone else around the room agreed, nodding their heads.

"This meeting is adjourned," Sirzechs concluded as the Satans take their leave. Well, only Serafall and Falbium, who leave out with Deckard Kain and Grayfia in tow.

As soon as the other two Satans and Deckard Kain left alongside Grayfia, Ajuka and Sirzechs were all that remained in the room. The former pours some wine for the both of them and hands Sirzechs a glass once the atmosphere no longer becomes tense due to the meeting.

"How is your wound, Sirzechs?" asked Ajuka to Sirzechs.

"Better at least. Still sore though," Sirzechs said. "It's been a while since I had to fight with my spear. If only I-"

"You could never have known when Diablo had made his move," Ajuka said. "None of us knew."

"But still, I could have prevented it," Sirzechs frustratingly said as he brings a hand to his face. "And now I have to depend on my little sister to do what I could not."

"No one can kill Diablo, Sirzechs," Ajuka painfully admitted. "Terror does not die so easily."

"I know…" Sirzechs responds with a sigh. "And yet, I feel ashamed for having failed. Myriam was right. The Brothers are indeed returning."

"We knew they were going to return," Ajuka reminded as he poured glasses of wine for him and his friend.

"And still, they have been manipulating us this entire time," Sirzechs said. "I feel as if capturing them and bringing them here was a mistake, Ajuka."

"You and I both knew that we could not venture into Hell with the soulstones for the Hellforge. It would have been way too dangerous with so many lives lost," Ajuka said as he drinks his wine.

"But was sealing them really the only option, Ajuka?" Sirzechs wondered. "Could there have been another way?"

"If there were, then we just could not see them," Ajuka responded.

Sirzechs did not know how to respond to that. Indeed there could have been another way, but each race of the Three Factions had vowed to guard the Prime Evils in their prison to ensure that they do not reemerge to terrorize all of creation. Tyrael even suggested sealing them away was the best course of action. An assault on the Hellforge would have been too costly at the time considering how their forces were completely exhausted.

Even with Tyrael by their side, he would act against such an action less it had dire consequences, such as when he lost his lieutenant Izual in an ill-fated assault on the Hellforge.

"How is Grayfia?" asked Ajuka.

"She's stable and recovered," Sirzechs revealed. "But a small part of her still feels ashamed. I can't blame her."

"Neither can I," Ajuka agreed. "Diablo had found her an easy target to manipulate for his host to set him free."

Sirzechs could not find a way to respond to that. He knew Ajuka was right, but it left him bitter. To think his hated enemy had found a way to use his wife as one of many tools for his release through persuasion by his host, his little sister's Pawn. Grayfia in the meantime was ordered to take care of Deckard Kain, per Aidan's last wish.

And now his little sister was on her way to perhaps the most haunted place on Earth to save his soul from damnation. A battle that will surely harden her heart afterwards when it comes to the nature of Demonspawn.

Sirzechs was worried his sister may change for the worst, hoping that she will not lose sight of herself.

Ajuka saw the worried look on his best friend's face.

"I'm sure your little sister will be alright," Ajuka reassured. "She is a Gremory, just like you."

"But she has never faced what you and I have faced before," Sirzechs replied whilst looking towards Ajuka. "What she will find in Tristram may very well change her, make her heart hardened."

"It is the risk we all took during the hunt, old friend. None of us returned back home the same after the demon lords were captured and imprisoned. Even I sometimes have flashback memories of those days."

Sirzechs was surprised. "You do?"

"Almost all the time," Ajuka confessed. "But I never let them get the better of me. I lost a lot of friends during that time. We all did."

Sirzechs would attest to that. He indeed had a lot of friends, many of them Devils and some Fallen Angels or Angels that he made friends with, who were killed during the long hunt for the Prime Evils in the Second Dark Exile. In the Underworld and in the Lower Heavens is a memorial shrine dedicated to those whose lives were lost during the hunt. It was a simple giant slab of marble with names carved, deriving from Devils, Angels and Fallen Angels. Of course the public did not know about the latter two since there were so many names to be read off of.

The memorial shrine was called the Wall of the Loss, as to commemorate those whose lives were lost during the hunt.

Officially to the public, it was to commemorate the lives lost in the Great War. But just like before, only the Four Great Satans knew the real purpose behind the memorial.

Many of Sirzechs' friends' names were written on that wall and at times he would come to read them off to himself, as if he was visiting a large tomb.

"I spoke with the Vecin Mystic, Myriam, that day," Sirzechs revealed to Ajuka. "It turns out she knew all this time."

"I am not surprised," Ajuka confessed. "The Vecin are a spiritual people blessed with foresight."

"She knew Diablo would return. When I asked her why she didn't tell me, do you want to know what she said?"

"What's that?" Ajuka sips his wine.

"She said the future keeps coming. And that she had to let Diablo come back, for she knew he was always coming back eventually."

"Hmm…" Ajuka did not know what to say. It was so cryptic at best. Then again, with a Vecin like Myriam, they were almost always so cryptic of what they had foretold with the future and not everything would come out one hundred percent all the time. They may be gifted with foresight, but that doesn't mean what they see is true. Just a small part of the future.

"We should have heeded her prophecy more carefully," Sirzechs regretted, remembering a time when the Four Great Satans ignored her prophecy when she spoke to them about the Prime Evils' return.

"All we can do now is wait, Sirzechs. I am sure your little sister will not fail nor will she die. We just need to believe."

Having had enough for the day, Sirzechs gets up from his chair. "I will take my leave."

He heads out to the exit door, ready to turn in for the night.

"One other thing, Sirzechs," Ajuka called out, making Sirzechs turn around to face him. "Have you found any other trace of…her?"

Sirzechs knew who Ajuka was talking about. His head dipped a little as his mind flashes back centuries ago where, alongside Grayfia, he saw a feminine figure with white clothing and blue angelic wings, those same strands of light reminiscent of the High Heavens. The Elder Angel stood in front of Sirzechs and Grayfia without a face, but her wings fluttered in joy to see them.

It was one of Sirzechs' most proudest and warmest moments as it was the day he had proposed to Grayfia for her hand in marriage for which she accepted. The Elder Angel had appeared to congratulate the two, feeling proud for Grayfia being her student.

But to Sirzechs, it was the last time he had seen the Elder Angel. When he had learned she had disappeared, he had comforted Grayfia as best he could, knowing of the deep bond his wife had with her teacher.

'Aurelia-sensei…'

Regaining his mind back to reality, Sirzechs turned back around and said, "No… I have not."

He then took his leaving, making Ajuka the last person alone in the room. The Beelzebub Satan gets up from his chair with his wine and stares out with the rain splashing onto the window. The storms kept coming into the Underworld, but for Ajuka, he knew this storm was an omen of things to come.

---

TRISTRAM CATHEDRAL LEVEL 15…

"We must be getting close," Kiba said as the group went down to the 15th level. Already they had to fight through the last fourteen levels full of monsters and demons. All of them ranged from skeletons, ghosts, zombies, succubae, and various others. They even had to be careful of avoiding the traps that were still in place.

While ancient and primitive, the traps within the Cathedral still provide to be deadly as ever. They were easily disarmed and overcome but it just proved how even ancient and worn down and broken monasteries can be quite deadly.

As everyone walks through deeper and deeper into the cathedral, it felt as if they were walking on the edges of Hell. Torches and An'Naresh had lit up the way yet the whole underground was like a maze. They had to circle back a few times to go in the right direction but as always, they pushed onwards, deeper and deeper they go into an unknowable darkness where Terror awaits. With each level they descend further into, Hell seemed to be emerging ever closer. If there was ever any place on Earth that could lead someone down straight to Hell underneath their feet, then Tristram Cathedral was but the perfect portal for such a dark journey.

Akeno was by Rias' side, keeping watch over her best friend. Ever since they went into the cathedral, Akeno noted that Rias' heart was beginning to harden. With each Demon slain by her Power of Destruction or Dawnbreaker, Rias' thirst for revenge grew. To Akeno, it was almost as if Rias had developed a burning hatred for the Demons, a desire to see them all exterminated to the last. Her hatred was well justified. After all, they did take Aidan away from her.

Akeno would normally feel the same but that did not mean she would allow it to control her. Of course for Rias, this was gravely personal for her. Diablo was indeed the one to influence everything and cause great damage to the Gremory Family. Such an atrocity would not go unheeded and unnoticed by those seeking justice.

Yet still, Akeno could not just sit by and watch her best friend be consumed by revenge.

"Rias…" She called out to her King. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Rias said as she turned around and smiled. "I'm fine, Akeno. It's just this place is sapping a lot of our strength due to its dark magic. But we have to push on."

Akeno however saw through the fake smile and asked cautiously, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Rias said. "I'm fine, Akeno."

But still, Akeno was not convinced.

"Rias, I know you. I practically grew up with you. I know when you're not alright and I can already see it. So please…tell me if you really are alright."

That made everyone stop to look at Rias as she too stopped. There was no way out of this, not with all eyes staring at her in concern. Sighing in defeat, she had to come clean.

"…You're right," Rias admittedly said. "I'm not alright. When Diablo spoke to me, he showed me a vision of Aidan. He was trapped in Hell, bound in chains and tortured mercilessly and brutally by Diablo. He claimed his host body was ready to end the Eternal Conflict. I don't know if he really meant it or was just taunting me."

"It's most likely a taunt," Akeno tried to reassure. "Something to break our spirits with, Rias. This is Diablo's lair after all and he is watching us from within. But as you say, our will is not broken that easily. That is something Diablo will never understand."

Rias nodded her head and apologized, "I'm sorry, everyone. I just want to rescue Aidan and get out of this hellhole."

"We all do," Akeno spoke for the group. "And we will rescue him. Together."

Everyone else smiled and agreed, continuing their traverse into the darkness of Tristram Cathedral's lowest levels.

Soon, they came upon a large room that was mostly empty, with only the cold stone of the floor, walls, and ceiling.

"Hey, what's that over there?" asked Yubelluna as she points to what was ahead.

Up ahead appeared to be some sort of stone altar. Everyone walks towards it yet as they do, they see blood dripping down, spilling to the floor.

Looking slowly upwards from where the blood was coming from the altar, they saw a corpse of what appeared to be a young man with black hair, his face turned to the right, away from their sight. His flesh was cut open, showcasing all the organs and rib cage bones.

It was a disgusting sight of sacrilege and everyone felt repulsed. Yet for Rias, that corpse looked familiar.

"A…Aidan…?" She hesitantly whispered, not wanting to believe that it could be him.

But her voice caught the others' attention, in disbelief that the body was Aidan's. Akeno, not wanting to believe it, kept Rias back and asked to Kiba and Karlamine,

"You two, check it out."

Both Kiba and Karlamine slowly approach the corpse, swords drawn at the ready in case it springs back to life. Karlamine holds the torch over towards the gory body, and both her and Kiba felt really repulsed, not wanting to touch it in any way possible. But they had to confirm whether the body was Aidan's or not, based on such description that almost matched his.

As Kiba gently grabs the head and turns it over, his eyes widened. The face was indeed a man, but it looked nothing like Aidan's. Rather a young boy who must have been tortured and gutted by his oppressors and bearing an expression of despair. His image burned into Kiba's mind.

Once Karlamine saw the face, she too was shocked. But she turns her head to the group and shakes her head.

"It's not him," Karlamine confirmed. "It's just someone else."

Everyone felt relieved but that would not last. Soon the whole room lit up to be some form of desecrated church, with demonic runes and sigils covering the walls. The unholy altar with the dead boy's body stood in front of a statue showing Diablo, standing upright with its arms open, as if the Demon was looking down on its audience.

"Everyone regroup back to me," Rias ordered as everyone met up in the middle. They then felt a dark presence waiting for them, like a wave of pure evil washing over their very souls.

"It would seem that we have guests here," A loud voice proclaimed, revealing what appeared to be an archbishop of the Church as he emerged from flames that shot upwards to act as a teleportation spell of sorts.

He was clean shaven yet old and shriveled, like he was in his 50's to 60's. His archbishop clothing was red and black, bearing a symbol of a cross on his chest, and he carried a vile staff of Demonic origins with a black orb on top and coveted by two horns holding it up at the tip. His eyes were filled with devotion, but not to God.

"An archbishop?" A stunned Asia saw in horror. "Aligned with Demons?"

"No…" Rias replied. "Not just any archbishop. This is Archbishop Lazarus of the Zakarum, a servant to Diablo."

Lazarus was surrounded by countless Demons, many of them demonic succubae in servitude to the archbishop. They were more so less for pleasure and rather as loyal servants to Lazarus and his dark master below. But among the succubae were fallen mages and skeletal warriors, most likely corrupted by the Lord of Terror and resurrected to serve Diablo.

Lazarus then made a famous proclamation.

"Abandon your foolish quest! All that awaits you is the wrath of my master! You are too late to save the child. Now you will join him - in Hell!"

Archbishop Lazarus soon conjured up a powerful ball of energy and hurls it at the group of eight.

"Take cover!" Rias calls out as everyone splits up.

The fireball zips past by the group as they disperse away, and Lazarus sends down his goons while staying behind.

Xuelan and Koneko plow through the Demons with fists and feet, punching holes through the Demons' flesh. One tries to punch Koneko, but she easily blocks it and punches the face twice before handing it over to Xuelan who finishes it off. Koneko comes to another who dodges her side strikes by ducking under and then scarring her face. Xuelan assists as she stuns the Demon with a flying flaming kick.

With the Demon stunned, Koneko and Xuelan both take this chance to wound up one powerful punch.

"EEEHH…" Koneko readied.

"HAAAH…" Xuelan cried.

*BAM*

Their fists contacted with one another as they both punched clean through the Demon's temples, the head exploding with blood in the process. The Demon's corpse falls as Koneko and Xuelan fight on, covering each other's back.

Rias, Akeno, and Yubelluna utilize their Power of Destruction, lightning, and fire magic to hold back the Demons coming at them in groups. Of course they did not just stay still but worked in harmony as they covered each other's back, slaying Demons that came in from their blind spots.

Karlamine was busy with Kiba slaying Demons with her sword. Thanks to the training from the Crusader Johanna, she was able to cut down each and every one of them. She had to learn new techniques and new training to predict what moves the Demons make. Though they move slowly and with brute force, that did not make them necessarily dumb.

Karlamine uses a backwards stab motion on one incoming Demon before taking out her sword and slicing its head off. Then, she is knocked down by one Demon's club, to the floor and would have met her end had Kiba not blocked its downward strike with his sword.

Kiba then slices its stomach and impales its chest from behind, killing it.

A Demon tries to cut down Karlamine but is blocked by her sword before she takes out her dagger and stabs it in the stomach. She then wraps her hand on the back of its head and rams it to the wall, killing it.

She then looks to see Kiba strangled by one Demon, unarmed and incapacitated. He was held up against the opposite wall. Karlamine took this opportunity to assist by taking out her dagger from the Demon she killed earlier and throwing it to the Demon's head, killing it and releasing Kiba from the chokehold.

"KYAAH!" Everyone looks to see Asia scream as she was surrounded by Demons, eager to cut her open and spill her blood. The scared nun was backed in a corner and separated from everyone else.

"Asia!" Rias yelled as she takes out Dawnbreaker and cuts her way through to reach Asia, but there were simply too many. She won't make it to her in time yet still she had to try.

Asia is backed to the wall as her legs gave away and made her collapse. She was scared and filled with despair, feeling the imminent death ever linger close to her. One of the Demons raises its crude axe at her, ready to cut her down.

As it does though, Asia violently throws her hands out.

"NOO!" She cried.

*SAPIIINNG*

Then out of nowhere, the Demon was suddenly flung away and hits the opposite wall, burning in a holy fire that turns it to a crisp. The Demons, for a brief instant looked surprised to see one fo their own bested by a little girl.

Asia slowly opens her eyes to see An'Naresh glowing from its runes. She was amazingly surprised that she defended herself with just a mere swipe of her hands, making the Braid of Longing come to life. Auriel was right; An'Naresh was both a healing weapon and a self-defense tool.

And speaking of Auriel, Asia heard her voice echo in her mind, her Twilight Healing rings glowing in their usual green before pulsating in blue.

'The power of hope flows within you. Let it fuel your flame.'

Asia slowly rises up and before long, a scream, one like that of an angel, echoes from her as she is enveloped by the power of hope in a cyan color due to her Twilight Healing rings and An'Naresh. The Demons back away at this surprising turn of events, holding their ground against the shockwave of the sudden scream.

Then, from behind her back sprouted six tendril wings, like those of the High Heavens in a turquoise and white color. Asia's eyes glowed white as she looks upon the enemy before her, who did not even flinch in fear.

Everyone was so astonished by this sudden power influx, the Archbishop Lazarus included. He did not think it was possible that someone, a Devil, was blessed by the High Heavens and was among the party.

Rias and the others were amazed at what had become of Asia. It was almost as if she became an Elder Angel of the High Heavens. But it could just be a temporary form for her to fight. But still, she had no knowledge that Asia possessed a power like this or even An'Naresh, granted to her by the archangel of hope.

Levitating off the ground with her wings, Asia utilizes An'Naresh to its fullest and swipes away the Demons away, burning the enemy in righteous fire. She throws one of her braids over to a Demon, pulls it in, and slices its head off with the other braid.

Seeing more coming, Asia creates a crystal aegis above the group as it forms and stays still for two seconds before shattering, scattering its holy energies and crystal shards at the Demons, killing them instantly.

"Asia…?" Rias called out to her Bishop, making her turn around.

Asia slowly powers down and reverts back to her normal form, bearing a small smile. "I'm…okay, I think."

Before she could say more, Asia stumbled a bit but was supported by Rias and Akeno who caught her fall.

"What happened?" asked Akeno as she and Rias tended to her.

"Auriel…" Asia replied. "She's aiding me through An'Naresh and has helped unlocked its true potential. But I still don't have a good grasp of it."

"I'm so proud of you, Asia," Rias said with a smile. "It looks as if I don't need to worry too much then."

"Th-Thank you, Buchou," Asia replied with a blushing smile. But soon, a sphere of Demon magic races towards the three, prompting Asia to turn around and quickly use An'Naresh to deflect the sphere. Sure enough, it came from Lazarus.

"It seems I was mistaken," Lazarus said. "I did not think you would dare bring an Angel here in my master's domain. But it matters not."

Raising his arms, Lazarus summons more Demons to hound onto the group.

"Soon enough, you will all become sacrificial lambs for the master's return!"

Lazarus soon raises his staff to block an incoming attack from a screaming Kiba, who held two swords in his hands. Sparks fly as the corrupted archbishop and the young Knight come face to face.

"Aren't you a bit young to be in the servitude of someone else, boy?" Lazarus said as he pushes Kiba back, making the Knight flip backwards to land, although one of the swords was broken, making him discard it.

"Young I may be, but by this blade I serve the Gremory House with honor," Kiba answered back as he draws upon a Flame Delete sword. "And it is by this blade that I will cut you down!"

But the Archbishop could only laugh at such a proclamation.

"How naïve, boy…" Lazarus said as he fires from his staff a streak of red lightning. Kiba barely dodges as he advances forward, trying to dodge every lightning streak from the archbishop. Yet as Kiba gets close enough for a slash, Lazarus disappears in a teleportation spell. He then reappears behind as Kiba turns around.

*BAM*

But Kiba was met with a lightning streak that sends him flying and crashing him to a wall.

"My lord is nearly ready," Lazarus said. "He will carve out your flesh and scatter your bones across the Burning Hells before consuming your soul to eternal torment."

"That's not going to happen!" Kiba said as he gets up and prepares another fire sword. "You're going to die for all this!"

Kiba charges in towards Lazarus as the corrupted Zakarum archbishop lifts up several bricks before turning them into deadly projectiles and hurling them towards the Knight. Kiba dodges and destroys some as he advances while a few scar his cheek a bit. Kiba closes in with a strike but the archbishop holds up a barrier to halt his advance.

But that barrier was soon dispelled by Akeno's lightning as she struck at Lazarus' blind spot. Then Yubelluna followed suite with her fire magic as she unleashes three blasts at the archbishop, staggering him backwards for a bit.

*SCHPONG*

Suddenly, his staff was flung out of his right hand thanks to Rias' Power of Destruction knocking it away.

"My staff!" cried a briefly panicked Lazarus. He then looked forward too late to see Kiba charge right towards him with his sword pointed.

*SCCHING*

A warm oozing spray of blood spills out as Kiba drives his sword deep into Archbishop Lazarus' chest. The blood sprays like a fountain onto Kiba, as he vengefully ends the life of the madman. Lazarus cries out in agony as he spews out blood.

"Your madness ends here, betrayer!" Kiba said as he drives the blade deeper, making the Archbishop scream in pain.

But Lazarus merely laughed a moment later. "Hehehehe…"

"What are you laughing at?" asked Kiba spitefully.

"You…are too late," Lazarus said before he proclaimed in a loud voice of madness. "The master has come… Heheheheehhe Ahahahahaa HAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!"

Archbishop Lazarus then laughs manically, the devotion to the Lord of Terror clearly evident before him as his laughter echoes off the walls for all to hear. Kiba had enough of this mad archbishop and takes his sword out of the archbishop's chest.

"HAAAH!" Kiba cried.

*SLASH*

And in one horizontal swing, Kiba cuts the head of Archbishop Lazarus clean off. The head is flung violently to some other part of the room, retaining its laughing face as the body of the archbishop soon falls to the ground.

Rias soon picks up the dead archbishop's staff.

"This staff should open the way to Diablo's lair," Rias said. "And to Aidan."

As soon as she said that though, more Demons surround the ORC and the Phenex servants. So many of them that the former believed they were going to be held back by an indefinite amount of time just to get to Diablo.

But for the latter, they knew that at this point, there was no time left.

"Lady Rias," Yubelluna called out to the redhead. "Karlamine, Xuelan, and I will hold them off. You get to Diablo's domain. Now!"

But Rias was stunned, reminded of how she had to leave Sona behind to deal with the Butcher. Since then, she has heard no contact from her or anyone else in her Peerage.

"There must be another way," Rias said in disbelief. "I won't leave you like this!"

"Aidan needs you," Karlamine said with her sword at the ready. "Save him at all costs!"

"We'll deal with these monstrosities. HYAAH!" Xuelan cried as she uses a flaming kick to one of the Hell Knights and destroying it.

"Go, Lady Rias," Yubelluna ushered. "Every second counts."

Rias hesitates as she sees the three Phenex servants hold their own ground against Lazarus' remaining demonic forces. With Karlamine swinging her sword and acting as the front line, Xuelan the support, and Yubelluna the backup, they could hold the line for the time being whilst the ORC went to find Aidan.

Rias didn't like it, but she had little choice.

"Be careful, you three!" Rias said as she and the others take off, with the Gremory heir holding the staff of Lazarus in tow.

Once they were gone, only the three Phenex servants remained, surrounded by Demons.

"How long has it been since we've had a fight together like this?" Xuelan asked with a grin to her other two companions.

"A century, I think. Or two," Karlamine responded with a smirk.

"Feels like only yesterday we fought like this," Xuelan said.

"I think we've just found ourselves a way to kill some time," Yubelluna said. "The Burning Hells does have an infinite amount of Demons."

The three servants were back to back with each other as they square off with the surrounding Demons.

"If this is our end…" Karlamine said. "Then let me say that it's been a great honor to fight and die alongside you two."

"You and your stuff about honor…" Xuelan snarked. "But then again, I could not think of a better end than this."

"Then let's take as many of these Hellspawn with us as we can!" Yubelluna proclaimed as she readied her staff.

The Demons soon roar and charge in, engulfing the trio as they meet destiny.

---

LEVEL 16…

The staff of Lazarus was used to open a red fiery portal leading the ORC directly to a place unlike any other. Standing on cooled volcanic rock that formed a large platform-like trail, they saw a place unlike any other.

Vast rivers of flame surrounded them, bearing extremely hot temperatures. Magma flows are never-ending and the shattered landscape that they all stood upon comprised of both bone and rubble. Souls and corpses of mortals decorate all over the entire area, giving off that dreadful feeling of despair.

"Heaven help us…" Asia quivered. "Is this-?"

"No doubt about it," Akeno confirmed. "The Burning Hells."

The sudden realization dawned upon them all, confirming that they are now trapped in the true underworld; the very place of evil where their masters, the Demons, reside.

For the ORC, they came across an enormous cross-shaped building that resembles a shattered cathedral. Piles of skulls conceal the bottom of the walls, and inside, skulls lie scattered on the floor and are piled in cracks in the walls. Light comes from the glowing lava and from huge torches set in the floor, with souls chained around them. It was set on a stone rising from the sea of lava and surrounded by rivers of blood. Both the lava and the blood have scorched the cathedral's exterior over the ages of its existence.

"What on earth is that?" asked Kiba.

"If I am correct, this is the Chaos Sanctuary," Akeno said. "This is Diablo's seat of power within the Burning Hells, according to The Seven Evils."

"So… we really are trapped in Hell?" A timid Asia said as she stayed close to the Queen.

"Either that, or Diablo must have dragged it up from his Realm of Terror up to the Cathedral's level." Koneko speculated.

Rias stayed quiet as she looked at the Chaos Sanctuary intensely with a serious expression. This was it. This was where Aidan was trapped underneath Tristram Cathedral, where Diablo must have dredged up the depths of Hell upwards towards the cathedral.

Within those abominable walls lies Diablo…and Aidan.

She knew Diablo was waiting within for her. And that the only way out of Hell is forward to have a confrontation with the Lord of Terror himself. Only then, by whatever and however the chance, will she finally free and see Aidan again. This was indeed a one-way ticket to Hell on a suicide mission.

"Alright, everyone…" Rias took a deep breath. "Let's end this."

Everyone soon proceeded to meet their destiny.

Yet as they were about to trot forward, Rias felt an ominous presence coming from within. As did everyone else, as if they were drowned in the sea of fear within the air. Rias knew who this was though, being in the Realm of Terror and at the very heart of its land.

"Your actions have not eluded my gaze, Rias Gremory," Diablo spoke, his voice echoing from the building. "Your plans are not hidden from me… And you, are too late."

Rias soon beholds a vision, coming directly from within the Lord of Terror's lair. She saw Aidan, bound in chains and fully corrupted as Diablo has now taken complete control and form over him. The soulstone on his forehead glows as demonic eyes stare right back at Rias.

"Behold, the form of your god," Diablo proclaimed. "The culmination of a design set into motion when the rebellion began. As I was your beginning, so shall I be your end."

Rias nearly collapses to her knees as the vision ends, realizing that Diablo has now assumed form and total control over Aidan. And he was waiting for her within.

"Know the truth, Rias Gremory: your people, your beliefs, your history… everything, a lie. There is nothing left of you."

But Rias shook her head in denial as she rises up.

"You are wrong," She said defiantly. "We are finally free to become something more, and you will not stop us. Prepare yourself to taste the vengeance of Rias Gremory!"

With that, Rias releases a blast of her Power of Destruction.

*HYU BON*

And the doors to the Chaos Sanctuary fly open, making the group rush inside almost immediately.

Once they make it to the very central chamber of the room, they behold for themselves what had become of their friend. Of Aidan.

"There he is," Asia pointed, where in the middle of a platform in the form of a reversed pentagram made of stone, lied a corrupted Aidan, wearing nothing but a black tattered waistcloth, bound in chains and barbed hooks and surrounded by a strong shield of pure demonic energy. He was bound by some sort of obelisk stone structure behind him filled with demonic runes, ones that looked similar to the one Rias saw in her dream when he was sealed by Tyrael. The chains were attached to the obelisk and held him in place.

"Aidan…" Rias whispered, finally seeing the love of her life bound to some crude contraption. She was tempted to rush over and release him but was reminded of Hadriel's warnings about the innermost sanctum protected by five seals.

"So this is where Diablo has been…," Kiba noted. "Using Aidan as his host body to grow in power and awaiting our arrival."

"I can sense Diablo's power growing rapidly, consuming Aidan's power and lifeforce at an alarming rate," Akeno noted. "At this rate, we won't have much long until Aidan expires so we need to work fast."

Koneko then noted the five seals sprawled throughout the Chaos Sanctuary. "The five seals… Hadriel warned us that unlocking each of these seals will release Diablo. They seem to be running on the souls of Demons."

"And they are guarded by Demons as well," Kiba said. "Cut them down and we feed the seals enough for them to be unlocked."

"Will…Will Aidan be alright though?" Asia fearfully asked. "If things take a turn for the worst—"

"They won't," Rias interjected, catching everyone's attention. "We break the seals, free Aidan, and confront Diablo. Let's just make sure we get out of this alive."

"What's the plan, Buchou?" asked Kiba.

"Since there are five of us, I would normally say we each take one and activate it. But Asia, I want you to stay with me. Everyone else will split up and take one. I suspect the last seal will be the one most guarded, so we will reconvene and take it together."

"Right!" Everyone nods their heads.

Soon they all split up away from the central chamber to head to the five seals that lay on the outskirts of the Chaos Sanctuary.

---

Towards the first seal, Koneko bashes her way through the Demons, punching and kicking them and sending them skyrocketing all over the Sanctuary, carving a path of destruction in her wake. Since the seals are powered by the souls of Demons, with each slain, the seal is empowered.

Once Koneko does her work, she looks around at all the Demon corpses, covered in their blood. She huffs and pants yet sees the first seal light up with demonic runes.

"Choke on it, Hellspawn," Koneko blatantly said.

Onwards to the second seal, Kiba draws out two swords and charges forward, battling the Demons head on. Though the Demons were indeed strong, brute force was all they ever knew. There was no strategy in mind, except for perhaps the most powerful and cunning of Demons. But those that would qualify would be the Seven Evils.

But Kiba focuses, knowing that despite their numbers and brute strength, he can see the seal activating with each Demon slain and their souls absorbed into it. As soon as the last Demon is cut down, Kiba, covered in their blood along with his swords, sees the seal light up.

He acknowledges with a smile and moves on.

Right around was the third seal. Akeno Himejima arrived with lightning covering her form, signaling her arrival like she was some sort of herald. But none of the Demons even flinched in fear at the sight of her. They even had the nerve to surround her and roar at her.

"Ara ara…" She said with a smile and eyes closed. "You are either brave or foolish to go against me."

To Akeno, these Demons were nothing but monsters with minds barely intelligible like a human or Devil. But that does not mean they were dumb. Cannon fodder they may have been in service to their masters, but these Demons have fought the Elder Angels since the very beginning of time and are not to be underestimated.

Once Akeno lands on the ground, her expression becomes serious she conjures lightning within her hands and then stretches her arms outwards.

"HAAAH!"

*ZAP VROOM*

Lightning shoots out from everywhere from Akeno and from above, each strike hitting a Demon and electrocuting them to death. Some were fried to a crisp while others exploded. Soon, all the Demons laid down and died before her and the seal behind them lights up.

"Alright…" Akeno is relieved. "Time to head to the last one. Rias, be careful."

The fourth seal laid before Asia and Rias. And it was guarded by what appeared to be knights in dark demonic armor.

"Hell Knights," Rias saw. "I've read these in the archives. Supposedly they are former human soldiers whose souls are twisted and perverted to serve the Demons after death."

Rias was about to take out Dawnbreaker to fight them until she feels her arm tugged by Asia, who looked at her in the eye with a different color. Instead of her gentle green, they had a blue fierce determination to them.

"Allow me, Buchou," Asia said, her voice changing a bit as she steps forward towards the Hell Knights that spotted her. Her Twilight Healing rings glow blue as An'Naresh unfolds itself to her arms.

Her form then glows white and blue as a few pieces of angelic armor decorate her front, along with bracers on her ankles and wrists. The angelic wing strands once again form from her back almost instantaneously. The Hell Knights charge at her with their swords but Asia opens her eyes and, with An'Naresh at hand, brings them to her side and does a sweeping strike.

*THWATANG*

In an instant, all of the Hell Knights that charged at her were suddenly obliterated, screaming as they were as the holy light from An'Naresh disintegrates their forms to the point that all that remained was their armor.

Asia, retaining her blue white eyes looks at the corpses of the Demons before she eventually powers down, her armor dissipating and her wings dispersing. Overwhelmed by such a power influx she falls backwards, only for Rias to catch her.

"Asia, are you okay?" Rias asked in great concern.

Asia moans as Rias embraces her, opening her eyes that change back to that familiar green. "Y-Yeah… What happened?"

"You let your angelic form take hold again before it dissipated," Rias said. "But I still don't understand how you are given such a form even though you're a Devil."

"I-I don't know either," Asia said hesitantly as she tries to stand up. "I'm scared, Buchou. I don't-"

"It's okay," Rias reassured. "We'll figure this out once we get back home."

Asia smiles and nods as the two girls look to see the fourth seal unlocked.

At the fifth seal, everyone rallies over to the last seal. Strangely though, it was left unguarded.

"Strange…" Kiba said. "Where are the seal's guardians?"

Then, the Cathedral darkened in red once more as Diablo's voice was heard.

"Gaze upon the terror I have wrought. It will be the last thing you see. Iskatu! Destroy the slaves!"

Suddenly, a Terror Demon, whose form takes shape similar to that of Diablo by their sheer size and spikes, with very dark colored skin on the outside followed by an orange hue on their bodies, appears before the seal.

"A Terror Demon…" Akeno recognized.

"Wh—What is that thing?" A frightened Asia asks.

Rias remembers what these particular Demons were thanks to Uncle Deckard.

'The ancient texts describe the terror demons as unconquerable foes, the dreams of Diablo made flesh. They appear in shadow to torment their victims, and then...in shadow they vanish. The mere sight of one drove a Horadrim to madness, leaving him screaming and clawing at his eyes until the end of his days.'

"I do not fear you, slaves," Iskatu said. "You'll find only death in this eternal realm."

Iskatu soon disappears after he jumps upwards and vanishes in a puff of smoke. Everyone stands back to back, with Asia protected in the middle, hearing the low roars of the Demon.

"There!" Kiba yelled as he sees Iskatu appear from his right, blocking off an incoming claw aimed at Koneko.

And the cat girl comes in with a kick to the Demon's head, before she gives several punches to the chest and pushes him back with an exploding palm strike thanks to her master Kharazim's training.

As Iskatu is pushed back, he charges back in, only to be backed off by Akeno's lightning that she sends towards him. Iskatu roars in defiance, realizing that alone, he is of no match.

"The armies of hell will trample your corpses - the shades will devour your souls!"

To that end, Iskatu summons Demon shades, called Shadow Vermin, descend like maggots across the battlefield. Like locusts, they swarm all over to the ORC.

The Shadow Vermin are wraithlike Demons with long arms and narrow faces. They glide through the darkness as easily as water, ready to smother their unwary prey. It has been speculated that the Shadow Vermin are a concentration of Diablo's power; the fears of all mankind made manifest.

Though one is easily dealt with, a whole swarm is problematic.

"Rias, we'll deal with these creeps!" Akeno said. "You go get that Terror Demon!"

"On it!" Rias acknowledged as she flew upwards, over the Shadow Vermin and lands in front of Iskatu, bearing a look of vengeance at one of Diablo's minions.

"I will send your corpse over to Diablo when this is over, Demon," Rias made her intentions clear as she draws out Dawnbreaker from her back.

"You believe you can defeat me, mortal?" Iskatu asked as if insulted while summoning more Shadow Vermin. "Our armies are ENDLESS!"

"That's why I will never stop until I cut down every single one of you," Rias charges in, with her Power of Destruction aura, called Heir's Wrath, engulfing her with power.

Iskatu charges in as well, meeting Rias' sword as he catches her downward strike. But Rias follows with a Power of Destruction blast at Iskatu's left leg, forcing him to knee.

Rias then tries to chop Iskatu's head via his neck but her sword bangs against one of the Terror Demon's horns. The Demon grins as Rias is now left defenseless.

*POW*

Rias is then swept aside from Iskatu's leg as he kicks her and sends her flying to a skull pillar, knocking it over. But she immediately gets up and charges back in with Iskatu doing the same, both of them ready to impale one another.

*SHING*

The two meet in the middle as Rias impales Dawnbreaker through Iskatu's chest, the Demon growling before it looks down to see who won. Turns out his claw had merely scratched her left cheek, yet she retains her serious composure, ignoring such a simple scratch.

*SKLOOING*

Dawnbreaker is pulled out of Iskatu as the Demon spews blood from its mouth and backs off. In pain and near death, it rises in the air in agony as its form is disintegrated before his vile, blackened soul was seen, drawn to the seal behind him.

The last seal soon activates as it glows white in its runes with Iskatu's soul powering it up.

"Rias!" Akeno comes over. "Are you okay?"

"Grazed but alright," Rias said as she drinks a Healing Potion to heal her wounds. "Iskatu was a lot tougher than I imagined him to be."

Rias stands up with Akeno supporting her as the redhead sheathes Dawnbreaker away on her back.

"Alright," Rias exclaimed. "Let's regroup at the central chamber."

---

Once the ORC reconvene towards the center of the cathedral, they see that the barrier surrounding Aidan had fallen.

"We did it!" Asia exclaimed. "The barrier has fallen!"

All seemed hopeful for everyone now that they have access to Aidan's prison. But soon things take a turn for the worst.

"No…" Akeno saw to her horror. "Diablo's form has awakened!"

Aidan, now fully controlled by Diablo, rattles from the chains that bound him to the stone and charges pure demonic energy through his arms. He then fires one long beam at the ORC, making them dodge out of the way.

"Everyone!" Rias called out. "Stay back! I will free him!"

Rias soon flies up and holds Dawnbreaker up, pointing it towards the sky and empowering it with her Power of Destruction, making its power reach maximum potential. White and red lightning ignite around her and reach the sword as its blade brightens in that white light with demonic power of fury. Soon Rias envelops herself into it in order to channel more.

With enough power drawn, she brings the blade to her and charges downward.

"HAAAAAAHHH!" Rias cried like it was her war cry as she plummets herself down towards her chained beloved, hoping to set him free.

"Go, Rias!" cried Kiba.

"You can do it!" Koneko assured.

"Please, save Aidan!" Asia prayed.

"Now's your chance!" Akeno called out.

Aidan/Diablo notices Rias incoming and fires another long beam at her, but with her surrounded by her Power of Destruction, she effortlessly plows through the beam and edges closer and closer to her target before…

*SLING*

A loud slash occurs as both flesh and metal were cut, creating a perfect line down the demonic and chained Aidan. The demon looked stunned before multiple holes of light emerged from the body and the crude binding stone behind him. As soon as more of those holes of light emerged…

*BOOM*

A violent explosion of pure energy thrusts everyone backwards. Debris and smoke from the prison flies everywhere for about a minute. By the time it clears away, the reversed pentagram platform the prison stood was gone, leaving only a large crater.

Koneko lands on her feet well enough to catch the flying Asia coming right towards her.

"Gotcha!" Koneko grabbed her.

"Th-Thank you, Koneko," Asia was relieved.

Kiba stabs his sword into the ground to stand up despite his injuries. And Akeno soon follows yet looks forward to see Rias also getting up yet standing in front of them with Dawnbreaker at the ready.

"Rias?" Akeno asked. "Are you okay?"

But Rias did not respond and kept looking forward towards ground zero from where the explosion had occurred.

*BAM*

A large steel door suddenly slammed between Rias and the others, separating them from each other. Rias paid no attention as she kept her eyes forward, even with the others calling out for her name.

*BAM*

*BAM*

Two more steel doors slammed down, permanently trapping Rias inside the room and separating her from her peerage, not that she cared for it though. To her, revenge was the only thing on her mind. Revenge and desperation to rescue Aidan from Diablo's clutches.

Rias soon looked forward at the fire from where the prison was to reveal Diablo, in his true form. As the flames surround him, the Lord of Terror's body rises as it was formed when skeleton and muscle came together. Soon the flames dispersed to reveal a hulking brutish red demon beast with black spikes protruding from his back, arms, tail, and head. The red soulstone is shown sticking out of his forehead.

Diablo chuckles evilly, coming face to face with Rias. The Gremory heir finally sees her real enemy, the one who currently possesses Aidan. And the one who got away from her wrath.

"Diablo…" Rias spitefully said as she stared at the gargantuan red demon from the other end of the room.

"Are you prepared to face me alone, Rias Gremory?" Diablo asked with a grin.

Not wanting to waste anymore words, Rias uses her newfound Devil powers to create pure weapons of demonic energy, point them towards Diablo, and fires at will, along with her Power of Destruction.

Diablo however effortlessly blocks the shots with the spikes on his arms, including the Power of Destruction. With him now at full strength, he would be more than a match for even a Devil like Rias, even more so on her brother. The demon looks upwards to see Rias charge in on her wings with two empowered weapons made of pure demonic energy, each empowered by her Power of Destruction. One of them was Dawnbreaker in Rias' right hand while the other was a short spear, shaped eerily similar like her brother's.

Rias attempts to stab Diablo but misses completely. Soon, she and Diablo are left fighting in close combat, sword and spear against claw.

"Your rage makes you powerful," Diablo commented as he continues to fight Rias, blocking her strikes. He then grabs the spear on her left hand before grabbing her right to stop her movements.

Face to face with the Gremory heir, Diablo adds, "Yet you hide it from your brethren."

Breaking out of the lock, Rias fires a magic spell at Diablo's head, stunning him briefly. Backing off a bit, she charges back in, spins, and horizontally cuts off one of the spikes on Diablo's back with Dawnbreaker.

"HAAH!" She cries as she cuts one of the spikes off.

Diablo was undeterred as he strikes back, managing to land a hit on Rias' right arm. Rias immediately backs away, her sword and short spear spear scrapping across to the ground as she halts her movements from sliding further back.

*DRIP DRIP*

Rias takes the time catch her breath in a series of pants, only to see her blood on Diablo's claws and the wound on her right arm as she looks. She was in pain but did not writhe from it, the adrenaline pumping through her like a river. It alone made her ignore the aching of her cut even as she saw the blood spill from it.

"Perhaps you fear them seeing you for what you truly are," Diablo inquires as he prepares himself.

But Rias was insulted by such nonsense. "I fear nothing!"

Charging in towards the Lord of Terror, Rias thrusts Dawnbreaker in the form of a stab wound to the demon's left hand. But this worked to the Prime Evil's advantage. He then uses his unharmed right hand to hold and choke Rias, incapacitating her and laughing in amusement of her pointless attack and struggle.

Rias could not do anything given of her situation. She attempts to use her Power of Destruction, but it doesn't work as Diablo begins to drain the magic from her body. She tries to flee using her wings, but Diablo held her in place as her wings struggled to break out.

*CHIINNG*

Suddenly, the doors from the other side break thanks to Kiba's sword that allowed him to cut the doors in half.

"Buchou!" cried Kiba who saw Rias choked by Diablo.

Akeno flies in on her wings and uses her lightning to separate Diablo from Rias. The landscape was torn up a bit but at least Rias was free. With the two now separated, Rias was on high ground, looking down at the Prime Evil, but she lost her spear in the process as it dissipates.

"This was your trap, Diablo," Rias commented as she prepares another shot of her Power of Destruction with the empowered Dawnbreaker. "Pitiful!"

Diablo looks to his right to see the rest of the ORC approach.

"Yet, here you all are," Diablo commented.

Diablo soon stomps the ground with a fireball wall as five fireballs charge at the rest of the peerage. Everyone moves out of the way, with Kiba protecting Asia and slashing one of the fireballs in half vertically.

Koneko jumps over another fireball and lands a flying kick at Diablo, but the demon catches her leg with its right hand and throws her to the wall behind. The cat girl lands on her feet easily and goes back at it with a combination of punches and kicks to Diablo's chest. The Demon staggers and tries to claw at Koneko who promptly jumps over the claw coming from the right side.

She lands on his back, hanging onto one of the spikes as Diablo looks around confused of where the cat went. Koneko soon jumps off and double kicks Diablo to the chest, but Diablo soon grabs her legs and slams her behind him.

He then lifts and throws her up before punching her in the rib cage.

*POW*

Koneko's breath leaves her lungs as she is sent flying and crashes into a skull pillar and burying herself in it.

*SCHING*

Diablo feels a cut on his right leg as he looks to see Kiba with his sword at play. Diablo attempts to swipe his tail at the Knight behind him but Kiba jumps and lands on his back, striking several blows onto the Demon. Unfortunately, wherever Kiba stroke, only sparks flew off from the spikes as his blades made contact.

Turns out those spikes were not just for show but also rather for protection for Diablo's flesh. If that was true, then Kiba needed to stab through the very tough leather-like skin in order to deal some serious damage.

As Kiba lands on Diablo's right side, the Demon sluggishly yet powerfully swipes his right arm form behind to get him, only for Kiba to jump away and block another downward attack from Diablo's left claw with his sword.

Kiab struggles initially as Diablo's strength was nearly equivalent to that of a powerful dragon. Brought to his knees, Diablo holds tight of him and throws him behind. He then unleashes his lightning fire breath from his mouth in an effort to burn Kiba.

Kiba narrowly gets away as he jumps back to avoid the flames. Then, he charges up his sword with his magic, enough for the blade to glow white and crimson red.

"HAAAAH!" Kiba charges in towards Diablo, too fast for the Demon to see.

*BAM*

With a right diagonal slash to the Demon's chest, Diablo is sent flying out to a wall and crashes into it, with only rubble and dust emerging off of it.

As Kiba lands though, he hears the rubble move to his shock. Then out of the smoke and dust, a large destroyed pillar is flown out towards him.

Kiba barely ducks under it, with the blade scraping the pillar as it moves past him and crashes into another wall.

But just as Kiba gets his senses back together, he is ambushed from behind by Diablo who swipes him away, making him tumble across the Chaos Sanctuary. As he lands and gets his bearings, Diablo came up quick and grabs him before slamming him to the wall behind him.

Kiba coughs blood as he is squeezed tight, enough for him to feel like he was crushed by an elephant. He is then thrown out of commission and hits a wall, knocking him out.

Diablo roars in triumph, only to be blasted by lightning from Akeno from above. But the lightning barely did anything as Diablo counters with his own.

Akeno fires back and the two are met in the middle for a few seconds. Akeno struggles immensely, comprehending of the power of the Prime Evil. Even with using all of her power, she is no match for the likes of him. She dared not tap into her other power out of spite of her past, but at the same time, she cannot withstand enough against Diablo's power.

Finally, it was too much as Akeno was exhausted. Her lightning is overwhelmed by Diablo's as she is engulfed in it, shredding her clothes and sending her far back. Bleeding all over like she was flogged, Akeno struggles to even move as the lightning felt like she was stabbed and slashed multiple times.

Diablo ignored her as he turned his attention over to a frightened Asia, who rushed over to heal Akeno and wrapped An'Naresh around her. Utilizing her healing abilities with her Twilight Healing takes all of her focus and concentration. Thus she cannot do anything except heal Akeno.

But Asia was not only scared, but also filled with despair. Diablo's power of terror had left her like a scared puppy looking for help. Rias did not want her to fight Diablo as he was way too strong. Even with her new abilities unlocked during their earlier confrontation with Lazarus would not be enough for her. Hell, she would be swatted away like a gnat easily and that was something no one could bear to see.

Diablo began to approach her, his footsteps echoing with a loud thud. Asia was scared as she focuses on the healing process, but the Demon trekked ever closer to her.

However…

*BOOM*

Just as Diablo had arrived over towards a knocked down and frightened Asia, Rias suddenly lands between them harshly, filled with vengeance as her Power of Destruction envelops her with fury as she glares at her most hated enemy.

"You took everything from me," Rias venomously spited towards the Demon.

"And many more, Rias Gremory," An unfazed Diablo said.

"No longer," Rias retorted back as she empowers herself with the Power of Destruction. Then, as she levitates above the ground, she brings up two giant boulders of stone by her side.

Diablo charges in as Rias flings one boulder from her right towards the Demon. Diablo destroys it easily along with the other one thrown at him as Rias slams to the ground and unleashes her Power of Destruction in small but powerful blasts towards Diablo. While not enough to harm him, it was enough to push him back as he fights one on one with Rias.

Rias then takes out Dawnbreaker to fight Diablo sword to claw as she blocks an incoming attack from above. With her other hand, she fires a small blast of her demonic power at Diablo, stunning him before she spins and does an upward slash at the Demon's chin, sending him flying back to the ground.

*SLAM*

Diablo lands the ground hard yet gets back up, angrier than ever as he gazes at a vengeful Rias. She charges in with her sword and slices at Diablo's left knee, bringing him to the ground on one knee before she slashes across his face three times.

Jumping back, she fires a powerful blast of her Power of Destruction at Diablo, digging through the ground as it contacts him.

Diablo screams as it is forced to the ground. Before he could stand, Rias fires another blast from above, a more powerful one filled with her fury and wrath. She slams the blast down to Diablo as it screams before the blast subsides.

"HAAAH!" Rias screams from above as she tries to impale Diablo, but the Demon moves out of the way before grabbing her and slamming her to the ground.

*BAM*

"Guh…"

Rias struggles briefly before she gets up and sees Diablo charge at her. Swiping its claws, Rias dodges for the first two swings before deflecting off another. However…

*SHIING*

"AAAHH!" Rias cries as one of Diablo's claws pierced her sides. In retaliation she tries to swing Dawnbreaker, but it is caught by Diablo and knocked out of her hand from a powerful punch. Rolling backwards without her sword, she gets back up, only to be met by a powerful blast from Diablo's lightning.

She is sent flying across the ground before she eventually recovers. But her uniform was tattered and shredded a bit, dirty and blood covering her face as she faces her most formidable adversary.

Diablo tries to strike down at Rias as he comes, but she halts it with her power, keeping his claw at bay. Though she struggles initially as Diablo presses down on her, she found her opening as she fires one blast from below at his stomach, stunning him and pushing him back.

'Now's my chance.'

Rias uses her left hand to bind Diablo and restrain him, lifting him up into the air, and begins to tear the Demon's flesh apart. Diablo roars as it struggles, surprised at her newfound power.

"Enough!" Diablo cried as he unleashes a powerful shockwave blast that pushes Rias back and dispel her grip onto Diablo.

She then fires a powerful blast of her Power of Destruction at Diablo, but the demon lord holds his right hand up to block its continuous advance before walking forward, grabbing Rias by the head, and slamming her behind him. She bounces off the ground before being flung away by the tail.

Just as she was about to land, she adjusts herself with her wings, only to be met by Diablo's lightning breath which sends her flying across the floor, creating a trench in the process.

Once she stops, she struggles to stand as blood pours out of her mouth, seeing the Demon charge after her and launch a fireball from its right hand. She jumps high in the air with her wings just as the fireball hits the ground where she stood. But Diablo launched another fireball from below of which Rias barely dodges but it took out her right wing.

"AAAHHH!" Rias screams as her wing is burnt and she is sent plummeting to the ground.

*BOOM*

A massive explosion of dust emerges out from the impact as Diablo approaches his defeated opponent. Rias laid on her back, wounded and bleeding. Now crippled, she was powerless against him. Since she was now facing Diablo at full strength and in his own realm, it dawned on her the realization that like her brother, she was no match.

But still she had to try, even if it would kill her right here and now. Any person in love for someone whose life was twisted by a Demon would do the same in her shoes.

As Diablo approaches, he pins her down with his foot.

*CRUNCH*

Rias struggles as the foot crushes her slowly, feeling a small part of her ribs crack.

"Once again, you impress me," Diablo commented. "But in the end, you, like the rest of your kind, are mere slaves whose power does not rival our own. I will enjoy your screams of death as you die in the realm you were created."

Rias retorted back, "At least I will die a free Devil, monster."

Insulted, Diablo takes Rias and lifts her up above him and proclaims, "Free or not, it is as I've told you. Not even death can save you from me."

"Let go of her, monster!" cried out a voice from Diablo's right as Issei, in his Red Dragon Scale Mail arrives.

*POW*

And with a stunning blow full of Devil magic, punches Diablo's right chin, making the Demon drop Rias before she is caught by Issei and retreated back to two other people, being Sona and Saji.

"More nuisances?" Diablo roared in frustration. "To think you slaves evolved past what you once were."

In pure rage at such resistance, Diablo attempts to create another fire wall with a leg raised, but his back knee soon felt sliced from behind.

*SLASH*

Diablo screams as he is stumbled before feeling a charge of lightning crash down from above him.

*PSSSHH*

Turns out Kiba came in from behind to slash Diablo in the leg with a broken sword as Akeno uses the last remnants of her magic for one final discharge of lightning from above.

Diablo then felt his tail from behind grabbed by Koneko, alongside Issei who came to assist as the two lift Diablo up and over with their full strength.

Issei roars and Koneko grunts as the two slam the Demon to the ground behind.

*BOOM*

An explosion of dust and debris fly everywhere from Diablo's impact. Once it clears away though, Diablo looked beyond mad, now infuriated by the slaves that dared harm him. Then again, it was not the first time he had gone against such powerful mortals against immortal beings like him.

"Graaah!" Diablo roared. "I will drag your souls across eternity and feast upon your terror!"

"Feast upon our terror?" Issei asked. "Now that's twice man! Let me school you: You cannot eat fear or terror!"

Saji nodded, "He's right. You can't taste terror!"

"See? Saji here gets it."

Insulted by such foolishness, Diablo roars angrily, "Enough!"

Diablo soon charges in to fight the boys and kill them, but he is held back by Sona and Rias' combined barriers. Diablo claws and strikes at it, making the barrier form cracks like glass but everyone goes in to push the Demon back.

It looked futile as everyone was giving it their all and trying to wear down on Diablo. But their attacks did not do much against him. However, that was all their plan.

"Now Issei!" Sona cried.

"Dragon Shot!"

*BAM*

A full-on beam of concentrated Demonic Powers engulfs Diablo and pushes him back. The blast was so powerful that Diablo was sent flying. Yet at the same time, Issei had dropped to his knees and his Scale Mail armor dissipates. He was completely drained of his demonic power, probably utilizing too much to the point where he can barely lift his head up.

But it was all worth it in the end.

Once Diablo's back hits the wall, Asia utilizes An'Naresh to wrap the braid around the Demon Lord tightly. She then pulls it back off to reveal chains that glowed white with a blue aura before they reverted to mere titanium chains along with a few bits of extra hardened metals. Even a Demon would have difficult time breaking free from such restrains bound to him.

Diablo growls and struggles but cannot move, powerless before his opponents. Everyone gathers before the trapped Demon Lord, some wounded yet alive. Others were being healed thanks to Asia's Twilight Healing and the Healing Potions packed, alongside a few Phoenix Tears.

And with that, the battle was decided.

"At last, we have captured the Lord of Terror once again," Akeno said. "Now if we can find a way to separate Aidan from him, we just might-"

Akeno was interrupted by a vengeful Rias approaching Diablo. Stopping in front of him, hatred for the Demon that took her favored pawn coursed through her.

"Buchou?" asked Kiba, which Rias did not answer back. With Dawnbreaker in her left hand, she empowers it and herself with the Power of Destruction. Her magic circle appears behind her as she empowers herself and points the sword at Diablo's face.

The imprisoned Diablo looks at her in amusement and smiles.

"Take your vengeance, Rias Gremory," Diablo taunted. "Seal your victory."

Before Rias could take action, Sona intervenes as she stood between her best friend and the Demon Lord.

"Rias, wait! You cannot do this," Sona said in concern. "This decision does not lie with you alone. If you slay him, you may cause permanent damage to Aidan. Or worse, even kill him. If what I have read on the Seven Evils is true, then Diablo will simply return in time if you eliminate him. If we can just imprison him once again—"

"No!" Rias angrily shouted, surprising everyone as Sona frighteningly backs off. "Against his kind, there is only blood for blood!"

Rias soon jumps up into the air with her empowered sword Dawnbreaker right above her head.

"Rias, don't!" Akeno shouted.

"Buchou…" Koneko said.

"What are you-?" Kiba shocking asked.

Asia was too frightened to say anything.

"HAAAAAAAAAHH!" The Gremory heir screams.

*SLAASHH*

Rias, with an empowered Power of Destruction, vengefully cuts down at the imprisoned Diablo with Dawnbreaker, screaming in fury as she does and killing the Demon Lord instantly, slicing his body in half. Diablo's blood, black in color, spews out everywhere and covers nearly everyone, with half trying to shield themselves. The chains and the rock holding Diablo in place were shattered as Diablo's body slumps to the floor on his back.

"Rias…" A shocked and horrified Sona said, but once again Rias ignored her as she looks at her most hated enemy in anger, the Demon's blood coating half of her body and covering Aidan's sword as it drips to the floor.

Diablo was in his last moments, but he offered to give a few final taunting words, smiling as he did.

"So much for your unity. The trap, at last… has sprung."

And with that, Diablo was dead. His body was split apart in half as more of his vile blood pours forth and spills through the cracks of the earth. Everyone but Rias backs off a little bit while the redhead glares at her dead foe.

The rest of Sona's Peerage arrives, alongside the three Phenex maids who were all battered and bruised up. But they were all still alive, if just barely despite the many injuries.

Diablo's body soon turns to stone and crumbles, dissolving into rubble and sand as his form disintegrates to reveal Aidan, nearly naked and the red soulstone still attached to his forehead. Diablo's essence had returned to the stone, wounded and weakened but still alive.

But Aidan looked cold and lifeless. He was not responding to any stimuli, but the danger had passed. His face had the look of pain and fear as life started to come back to his natural blue eyes. He then slightly gasped his last breath before falling unconscious, his eyes closing in the process as his head turns sideways to the left.

*DING*

Rias impales Dawnbreaker to the ground, kneels down despite her injuries, and cradles Aidan in her arms, bringing him close to herself. Her pose was like that of the Pieta statue, looking at the moonlight shining down upon her from a hole in the ceiling leading to the surface. She should be happy and relieved that Aidan was still alive, but she could only find pain and sorrow within her heart.

Fresh tears poured down from her eyes as she looked at Aidan's sleeping form, brushing a bit of his hair back to see his face. Her expression, once filled with rage and vengeance, was now replaced with sorrow and regret.

"Aidan…" She softly spoke in mourning.

She then looks up at the light shining down on her in sorrow from the very sky that penetrated through the ceiling, going through all sixteen levels and directly into Hell itself. Everyone could only watch from the background in great sorrow and misfortune.

Angels. Devils. Demons. One can only fear that the upcoming conflict will soon engulf the world of men. And when it does, what hope will there be when even the wrath of the Gremory heir cannot be quenched?

---

And with that, the Tristram Cathedral dungeon is complete. The battle is now over and Aidan is rescued. Now begins the very long recovery process, both on a physical and mental scale. Also spiritual as well.

First the meeting of the Four Great Satans. We cannot just focus on the cathedral all the time and there needed to be a status of back home. The situation now though is far worse than realized and that it may be time to clal upon mortal heroes to succeed where the Three Factions had failed when it comes to the Prime Evils. One can only hope...unless there are nephalem out there keeping watch over Sanctuary.

Rias has now obtained her revenge but the cost was probably not worth it. Her hatred for Diablo is well placed and I do not blame her given of what has happened. Anyone else would have wanted the same. Still though, to slay Diablo like that was reckless and rash.

Regarding Asia and An'Naresh, I will explore more of her abilities with the new weapon given to her by Auriel but rest assured to all, it is NOT a Sacred Gear or a Longinus. Rather, An'Naresh is a weapon that is connected to her Twilight Healing rings and will become permanently bonded as an extension of her will. As for why I made her somewhat an Elder Angel, well I wanted to experiment something with Devils and Elder Angels, specifically their magic. Given that Auriel is very fond of Asia, I figured Asia should at least have some temporary form of an Elder Angel for when her power is at its peak but still retain her Devil persona and biology. I will explore more of An'Naresh though and of Asia's training with it.

Be assured I have at least three chapters left to do before I begin the second season, which is why this arc is taking a long process to make. Oh, and there will not be any fighting at least for now because honestly, I am tired of making fight scenes. The next one will just be recovery process and emotional reunions.

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