Chapter Eighteen - Wings of their foes
* Team Akeno, Mansion le Barton, France *
The turquoise light cast by the sigil of house le Barton faded and yet immediately Akeno was blinded by another weight of powerful light. A blast of noise assaulted her ears along with the squeal of screeching tires. A hand clenched roughly onto her left shoulder and dragged harshly. With her vision returning from the temporary blinding, Akeno found herself on a footpath beside Ravel with Sara and Sebastian on the opposite side of a dual lane road. Traffic flowed busily along the arterial road and Akeno caught the trailing tail end of a few choice words of anger from the driver of the long lorry that had almost hit her.
Sebastian scooped Sara up in his arms before dashing between the vehicles and across the road at an incredible pace through the first opening he could see. The soft glow of light created by the dull street lights was not enough to light the paths up to the traffic passing along the road and coupled with Sebastian's speed, it was unlikely that he would have been seen by mortal eyes. Depositing Sara beside Akeno in a quick manner, the le Barton devil spoke directly to her.
"My spell should have taken us directly to the manor. This doesn't bode well. We have to get there immediately." His words urgent yet measured.
Akeno immediately understood the ramifications and responded by unfurling her wings and floating upward a few feet. She turned to leave when Ravel's voice broke through the sound of traffic in protest.
"We can't fly here. There is way too many people. I bet plenty can see you as they drive by now. Have you lost your mind?" her words full of concern for the consequences of their actions.
Akeno began to reply as Sara took flight beside her, "You saw the video circulating the human world of Issei. Cat's already out of the bag. We need to get to the manor fast. Protocol can be damned on this one." Akeno didn't wait for a reply and simply addressed Sebastian, "I don't know the way, so you will have to lead."
The Frenchman nodded as his own black wings unfurled and he took flight and passed by Akeno to lead the way but not before also addressing Ravel. "I understand your concerns Lady Phenex, I too worry about what the loss of secrecy will mean for our world. But now I am more concerned about the life of my liege."
At that Sebastian beat his wings fully and soared upward above the buildings to quickly take in his bearings. It took him only a moment to confirm the landmarks around them and without looking back he soared off directly toward his target. Akeno followed at full pace with Sara waiting a brief second to ensure Ravel followed. The light that sparked to life behind the group confirmed that her own fiery wings had indeed unfurled and the proficiency of her skill in the air was apparent with her catching up alongside the lead pair almost instantaneously.
Following along behind Sebastian, Sara couldn't help but ask the thought that circled in her mind.
"Why couldn't Sebastian take us straight to the manor?" Genuine curiosity filling her words along with the slight sound of panting. The youngest member of the group was simply not conditioned to flying at such a pace for any great distance.
Akeno kept her eyes on Sebastian, following the slight dips and turns that the man made so as to make the best pace through the air. She still replied to her friend though, "It is a simple tactic that has been employed since the civil war. Blanket an area with a hex to prevent teleportation before commencing an assault and the defenders or target will not be able to flee or call for reinforcements so easily."
The cogs turned in Sara's head, "But that would mean," she began.
"Yes," Akeno cut over, "The assault has already begun."
Silence filled the air as the group flew on for another ten minutes. The manor coming into sight and growing rapidly as they approached. Its windows dark, no lights on. Grounds immaculate, no signs of damage. Sara was about to comment about the strangeness of the building appearing to be completely unharmed and uninhabited when Sebastian appeared to smack into empty air. His body became instantly rigid and wings crumpled as he was abruptly stopped in the seemingly empty space.
Akeno ceased her flight immediately less than two metres behind him and hovered. She thrust her arm out to catch Sara, aware of the girl's lack of flight experience she had expected her to struggle to stop so sharply. Ravel swooped down and caught the man who began to tumble slightly at the beginning of falling with his wings no longer beating.
He shook his head a few times to remove the shock of suddenly being stopped via crashing face first and addressed Ravel, "Thank you."
She smiled in response as Akeno floated forward and stretched out her hand. At reaching the point that Sebastian had crashed she felt a firmness to the air that prevented her hand from passing through. A smooth yet solid and completely invisible construct that ran in every direction that her hands could reach.
"A barrier." She stated. Although this one had to be highly advanced and require a significant knowledge and weight of magic. Normal barriers shone or flickered when touched. This one remained completely translucent. Only touching it confirmed its presence.
"It must encircle the whole property. Probably seals in like a dome at some point as well." Ravel stated having come to the same conclusion as both Akeno and Sebastian. Sara simply kept quite, she was acutely aware that her knowledge of magical theory was lacking and that she would simply distract and slow the rest of her group's understanding of the problem.
Akeno ran all her knowledge of barriers through her mind and felt uncertain. "I don't know if I can cut through. Rias was always the one to deal with barriers that we have encountered."
Sebastian coughed slightly before replying. Allowing himself to drift from Ravel's grasp and fly under the weight of his own wings.
"That is fine Lady Akeno. I know this property completely. I believe I can cut us a way in regardless of what is unfolding past the barrier."
At that he drew his sword, the ethereal energy cracking to life immediately. Slowly he once again repeated the same manoeuvre that he had used to strike at the necromancer within the excavated ruins. The air before his blade appeared to render with energy as he opened up a tear in the space. Despite Sebastian's actions, the scene inside the barrier remained unchanged and Akeno became concerned for what they would find. In the cave she had seen the portal open behind their foes as Sebastian cut it open on their end. The lack of visual representation further confirmed to Akeno that something untoward must be occurring inside and she felt the gnawing itch of worry within her stomach for what she would find once they entered.
The group floated in the air, close to thirty metres above the ground. Comfortably able to look down upon the intricately tiled roof of the manor in front of them which Akeno simply stared at silently as she waited for the French devil to finish opening the rift. His sword finally halted its slow progress through the air cutting both the rift open and the tension that each member of the group felt.
"I don't know how long I can keep this open, let's go." Sebastian stated simply before throwing his body through the rift.
Akeno grabbed Sara's wrist before turning toward the rift and diving forward, following Ravel's figure that vanished as she entered. As Akeno entered she saw a kaleidoscope of colours and a violent pull as the rift enveloped her. It was only a single mind boggling moment of colours barraging her visual senses and a weight of silence piercing her ears before she felt herself thrust harshly out the other side of the rift.
*Whiteness, Issei's Mindscape *
Rias opened her eyes to find herself standing within the white nothingness of Issei's mindscape. A shiver ran through her as she entered though, where the realm within her boyfriend's mind was usually warm and inviting, it now felt cold and devoid of welcome. The large curled up form of Ddraig rested before her but as she looked around Rias was unable to see her boyfriend. The monumental dragon stretched out of his catlike position and sat up while smiling a sombre smile toward the Gremory heiress.
"It is most welcoming to see you again Miss Gremory." His voice almost consoling as he spoke.
Looking upon the ancient dragon, Rias could almost see the physical manifestation of the worry and sadness he felt. Over the millennia, Ddraig had many hosts but it was clear that in Issei he had found the host that meant the very most to him. It was a position that she could understand fully.
"Where is he?" the words quivered from her lips as she asked the question that she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to but desperately needed.
Ddraig frowned as if trying to find the words to explain himself. "He is … both here and not here."
Rias remained silent waiting for the dragon to continue.
"Pure Ki as you know is drawn from combining the three elements of a beings life force. It is both immensely powerful and extremely dangerous to the wielder. Should someone expel every facet of their Ki then they will quite simply kill themselves."
At this point, Rias face displayed outright worry and she was on the verge of tears once again.
"During the conclusion to the fighting with Bikou, Issei pushed himself to such an extent that he, in the process of his final Kaio Ken infused Galick Gun, dropped his Ki to below that of an ordinary human. By the time he struck the ground his body contained less energy than a newborn. Add to that, the requirement to heal his multiple internal and external injuries and his body was placed on a knife's edge. So much so that not even I could make contact with anyone outside of his body via telepathy. So little Ki remained that Issei did not even manifest within here."
Rias listened somberly. She knew the potential price of Issei's power. She also knew that the amount of power he threw into fighting Bikou was more than he had ever utilized in a single fight before and yet still it cut deep into her heart to know that he was so close to death. As her thoughts started to dwell, her eyes lowered to look at her feet. She fought to hold back tears that she didn't want to let fall. Some of Issei's pride was rubbing off on her. She would hold them in.
"But things are improving, the Ki you provided has strengthened his body and spirit. Even now his healing has rapidly increased and Issei is no longer at risk. As evidenced by how I was able to communicate with you and your ability to enter into this part of his subconscious. So don't worry Miss Gremory. He will be fine." Ddraig's words were kind but Rias shook her head. It wasn't his current situation that truly had her worried. She knew he would survive. She had already connected the dots by drawing the same conclusion from being in his mind. It was what would inevitably happen next that worried her.
She faced the mighty dragon before speaking, her eyes drier and a sobre finality to them.
"It's not that. What worries me is what will happen when he awakens. Issei won't allow Bikou to have just beat him. We know him. He will try and challenge Bikou immediately. Track him down and fight him. And next time, next time I worry that Bikou will kill him. I don't believe that he would allow Issei to survive again."
A silence filled the air as they both remained motionless at the end of her words. Both knew that Rias was right. Issei was not the most subtle in his goals or attitudes. His single minded pursuit of Bikou was inevitable. Rias steeled herself. If he was inevitably going to do that then she would have to find out as much information as possible to ensure he would survive the next encounter.
"Ddraig," she began with a determined tone that spoke of her resolve and that caused a small smile to tug at the red dragon emperor's lips. "What do you know of Zenkai and Super Saiyans?"
"I know some things," Ddrag began before pausing, "But these things I have kept from Issei."
"Why?" The words left Rias lips before she intended them. Despite their situation and familiarity, she still felt respect for the dragon and meant no offense to him. Her worry was unfounded because clearly none was taken.
"As you said Rias, Issei would pursue strength single-minded and a powerful opponent more so. He would give everything and risk even more of himself to achieve it. I kept things from him that I was worried would lead him to engage in such reckless courses of action."
Rias let him speak and made no indication to interrupt. She knew that he was right and couldn't fault Ddraig from trying to protect the boy she loved.
After a moment the dragon continued,
"Zenkai is a physical attribute that is unique to the Saiyan race. An evolutionary switch that I suspect evolved alongside their drive to build martial prowess and biological draw toward conflict. In essence it allows the Saiyan body to recover and vastly stronger in terms of Ki reserves, raw strength and resilience the closer the Saiyan comes to death. A power boost, to say it in layman's terms. Surviving Raynare's first attack, beaten by the Saiyan clone and the fight with Riser. Each time Issei became markedly stronger through his body's adaptation with Zenkai. Now that he has been on the absoluteprecipice of death, I expect it to occur again."
Rias wasn't sure how to respond to that. It was something that she had never heard of. No being that she knew of possessed such an ability and that worried her. She could tell immediately what it would mean if Issei was aware of such a characteristic being open to himself. He would fight with the intent of suffering as close to death as he could but the line between almost dying and actually dying was waifer thin. How many times would he be able to balance along it before failing, and failing meant dying. Rias suspected that it would be sooner rather then later. She pushed that thought away,
"And the Super Saiyans?"
"A myth, supposedly. Saiyans of such power and ability that when an event causes a triggering effect within their bodies, they unleash a power beyond anything. Becoming the pure embodiment of power and wrath upon the earth."
"I think we can take it from the myth basket into the confirmed one." Rias stated before continuing, "How does it happen?"
Ddraig shook his head for a moment before responding, "I don't know. I have some of the knowledge from Shenron and I hold some memories of the past Saiyans but I can't access those memories myself. The closest I have been able to come was in being able to clone the warrior for Issei to face."
"Maybe those memories still hold the answer. I've seen Issei interact with them. Do you think I would be able to?"
If she was able to understand the nature of the transformation then perhaps she could help Issei. Help find a weakness in it to defeat Bikou and also help Issei attain it. It was a given factor that he would want to. Ddraig was pensive before nodding.
"I don't know which memories will help. We have been rather successful with finding them so far. Issei says that focusing on what you want to see helps while it is essential that you only attempt to grab a single memory or they will be too much for your mind to take in."
Rias nodded as the wisps of ethereal energy floated up and danced in the air before Ddraig. The dragon concentrated on maintaining the spectres of the past as Rias approached them. With her left hand stretched out, subconsciously taking a deep breath, she grabbed forward with her hand splayed open as if catching a ball. Her fingertips grazed the floating essence before a barrage of energy and images invaded her mind. She felt a sharp pain, like an instant headache hammering onto her frontal lobe. Instinctively she wanted to pull away but instead steadied herself.
A Super Saiyan. A Super Saiyan. A Super Saiyan.
She repeated in her mind over and over whilst focusing on trying to catch a single memory. She saw an image sharpen before her eyes and the air warmed. Her fingers tightened and she fell forward. Immediately before she could even register the sensation, she was falling. Yet the air she fell through didn't whistle or strike her. It was flat and stale. Everything remained white yet the images of other memory wisps had vanished and Rias could no longer feel the presence of Ddraig around her.
Summoning and flaring her wings, Rias floated down until her feet touched what she assumed was a form of ground. It felt the same as the surface of the whiteness within Issei's mind. In fact everything in this place did. Had the memory failed? Was she not able to view it? Because she was a Devil? Rias hesitated and then noticed the differences. Where she was, this place, was warm. Also she could feel an increase of gravity upon her. She was unsure of how much but it was definitely higher then earth although not too much higher.Certainly less then the extremes she had felt in the gravity chambers. She tucked her wings into her back but didn't dismiss them before looking around.
She was close to cursing this place for being a useless memory when she turned around fully and saw a building. A single lone building existing within the whiteness. It was one of the single strangest buildings that Rias had ever seen. A large three chambered Indian seventeenth century style structure with white washed smooth walls, curved marbled pillars and a golden tiled room that was topped with a small golden weather vane. The central chamber acted as a thoroughfare with each chamber on either side comprising some form of rooms that Rias couldn't decipher from her distance. The building itself was situated upon gray slabs of some form of marbled tile. The tiles forming three tiers of steps before the whiteness took hold all around the structure. The strangest component was the large structures that adorned either side of the building. Two giant hourglasses, bigger then the building itself and capped with golden tiles as well. Sparkling grains of sand fell from both hour glasses. Ever so slowly filling the compartment below. Both showed the majority of their sand to be in the top component and even from her distance away, Rias suspected that it would take many months for the sand to fill the lower compartment. At least half a year.
With the building being the only other thing present aside from endless whiteness, Rias moved toward it. Steeping up onto the tiles, she felt the weight of the gravity vanish from her body. Instantly the world was back to being as per on earth. The temperature cooled slightly to that of a pleasant spring day and the air felt more alive. More pleasant. She stepped back into the whiteness and felt the immediate shift back to the weight, heat and stillness. Returning to the tiles removed the changes once again. Strange was the only way that Rias could describe it but it was not vastly different from transitioning between the rooms of their own gravity chamber.
She proceeded up the steps toward the central foyer like component of the structure when the silhouette of moving individuals made her stop. Silently two people exited the rooms on either side and approached toward her. Rias prepared to attempt to hide herself when she remembered what Issei had said of the memories. Its inhabitants couldn't see or hear him and conversely, Issei couldn't hear them. This appeared to be true for Rias as well. As the two figures exited the central building onto the steps toward the white nothingness she could see their mouths moving yet heard nothing. Not their voices, nor the sound of their feet on the tiles or any other noise. It was almost disconcerting to be in a world of such total silence now that she noticed it.
Shaking her mind of such an unpleasant thought, Rias focused on the two figures that passed her by and made their way out into the whiteness. A man and child. The man stood at just over six feet tall, similar to Issei. His broad body was even more muscular than Issei's, almost as if carved from granite, black hair that shot out at messy angles and black eyes. His skin was fair and his face was shining with a broad and friendly smile.
The body walking in lock step beside him held as similar physique. Rias placed him at around ten years old, possibly eleven however the boy's musculature held as much power as the older man's. His hair and eyes were the same shade of onyx black yet his hair was longer and wilder if that was even possible. It seemed that all he had considered in the way of hair care was to tie it back roughly into a messy pony tail. The boy's face also had a happy and carefree smile upon it as he spoke with the older man.
Rias couldn't confirm their relationship however with the similarity of their features she suspected that they were father and son. Both wore the same clothing. Blue spandex style suits that covered from ankle to neckline and down to their wrists. White segmented chest plates, boots and gloves. Their clothing and armour reminded her heavily of the style worn by the Saiyan clone Issei had fought after defeating Raynare. On closer inspection though Rias could see tears and damage throughout their clothing, as if they had been fighting heavily for quite a while.
Following behind them she pondered if the pair were Saiyans. They held a lot of physical similarities with Issei however she noted that both lacked a tail. The form fitting nature of their clothes meant that there was simply no way to hide such an appendage. Were tailless Saiyans a thing? Or were they humans. Rias followed them into the whiteness hoping to find out. After all this memory was related to Super Saiyans. Or at least she hoped it was.
Moving further from the structure the gravity steadily increased while the temperature rose higher and higher. Rias felt herself begin to become uncomfortable. The gravity was reaching a level close to the maximum that she had trained in, around forty times that of earth, while the heat was becoming blistering. She would be able to deal with these things yet their effect seemed to do nothing to the two individuals moving before her. Each walked casually and yet with the grace of a trained combatant.
Rias was considering stopping her silent pursuit of the pair. They appeared to be immune to the strain that the environment was creating on her. Similar to Issei's rapid adaptation to increased gravity which was yet another factor to consider in them being Saiyans. Almost as if the pair had heard her plea for them to stop, they came to a halt before her. She watched as they turned and spoke briefly. The boy nodding almost in confirmation of what the man was saying before they shot apart from each other. A moment of serenity passed between the two before they flew back at each other in an awe inspiring display of power, speed and control, both shooting across the space between the other without ever touching the ground below. Despite the silence of the memory, Rias could almost feel the explosion of power as the two warriors struck each other. Their fighting skills were phenomenal. Rias understood and recognized multiple fighting styles and saw the two shift effortlessly between multiple as they fought. Not styles she knew precisely from Earth but similar styles to those utilized by modern martial artists.
Strike for strike, blow for blow the two fought in the air. They moved in speeds similar to Issei and Bikou. Possibly at a speed similar to Issei's Kaioken multiplied to three or four times. Rias struggled but was able to follow their movements. Despite the ferocity of their attacks though she could understand what this was. Sparring. Training to improve themselves.
She watched as their battle raged higher and higher into the air, both flying and darting in the same manner that Issei utilized. If they could fly like him then would they also wield Ki in the same manner that he did. Her answer came less then a minute later when the older man disengaged from his melee with the boy and began barraging him with an onslaught of burnt orange Ki balls approximately the size of his fist. As each blast shot toward the boy, he pivoted his body and deftly maneuvered around them. Those he couldn't avoid he countered with a blast of his own. The shots that missed the boy struck the ground far off in the distance and exploded in a monumental display of power.
These two were definitely Saiyans. The final confirmation came for Rias as the pair paused after an extended bout of blows. Despite panting heavily, wild smiles crossed both their faces. The same sort of blood filled pleasure that crossed Issei's visage when he drove himself further and pushed against his limits.
Watching the pair once again engage into another foray of brutal melee combat, Rias wondered for what reason they were training so harshly. Was this simply a daily occurrence for the pair or were they preparing for something specifically. It was a mute point to think about in the end. There was no way for Rias to find out. She couldn't ask them and even if they talked about it in front of her she wouldn't be able to hear a word of anything they said. Perhaps she could read their lips, but what would be the point. It was unlikely that even with her Devil abilities that she would understand the language that they spoke. This powerful pair had existed over a quarter of a million years ago. On a different variation of her planet. No, their reasons would remain a mystery but the ferocity and dedication with which they fought was still something that captured her attention and interest.
For hours the two fought and honed themselves against one another. Despite the harshness of the combat, the young boy fought consistently. Rias wondered whether they would be able to defeat Issei. She could tell by their display that both could easily handle any Devil that they fought. Maybe even easily defeat the four Satans. She was beginning to question whether she would gain any answers within the memory when the man disengaged away from the body and shot high into the white air. His Ki aura almost translucent in contrast to the surrounding backdrop. The boy took in great chestfuls of air as he maintained his composure and prepared himself for what was to come.
The man halted his ascent and faced the boy from far above before clenching fists and shouting. Rias averted her eyes briefly to gauge the boy's response and immediately cursed herself for doing so. A golden flash filled the air, overtaking the whiteness and bathing the entire battlefield in a pulsating golden glow as Rias shot her attention to the man. With the flash gone, he once again floated in the air however now an aura of dazzling gold formed around him. His hair stood up in a blonde golden sheen. With her enhanced vision Rias could tell that his muscular build had enhanced even more so and his warm inviting onyx eyes were now a teal that held a cold hardness to them that previously hadn't been present. The man was a super Saiyan. Rias could only stare. Even in this memory she could feel the pure power ebbing from him. It filled the air and environment around her. When Bikou had attained this form she hadn't had a chance to examine it but this time she could. Physically there was little more to note but in the way of raw energy she could tell that just by his presence this man was beyond what Bikou had displayed.
If she hadn't been paying such total attention then she would have missed the movement. Instantaneously the man had engaged the boy. Where previously their fight had been even, the combat was now heavily one sided. It didn't seem to matter that at a minimum these two were allies and most likely kin, the man hammered into the boy without restraint or compassion. He drove his fist into the boys belly after breaking through his guard and propelling the younger warrior through the air like a bullet.
Not content to allow his young adversary a moment of respite the man disappeared and snapped into reality within the boy's trajectory, striking him with a kick that fired him back the way he came with just as much force. Rias was shocked by the brutality of the fighting as she watched yet even as his armour was destroyed and blood seeped from multiple wounds, the young boy never backed down. He continued to fight back against the overwhelming opponent with everything he had.
A presence fluttered through the air as a shock wave of energy erupted upon the combatants fists striking each other. Rias felt a familiarity to it when a sound caught her attention. A voice to be specific.
"Rias."
She spun immediately with a look of incredulity upon her face. Issei stood before her. He wore simple clothes. Dark green baggy pants and a white singlet. His skin covered in bruises and cuts that looked as if they threatened to open again but he was conscious and upright.
"Issei, how? When?" she asked while unable to formulate sentences properly. The devastating fight behind her now gone from her thoughts. Iseei began to walk toward her and Rias rushed to meet him.
His arms enveloped her and she pressed herself into his chest. Despite his injuries, despite the heat and the gravity of the memory, he held firm and stood holding her. Silently tears fell down her face. After a minute they stopped and she looked up to him.
"You're an asshole Issei Hyoudou." She almost shouted at him. The look on her face accusing him of causing every pain she had ever felt. Yet still he didn't look upset. He smirked slightly and ran his right hand over her cheeks. Removing her tears carefully.
"You are so cute when you are worried."
Rias didn't respond, she simply put her face back onto his chest and began hitting him in the left shoulder with her fist. She felt overwhelming relief but also frustration at the boy. Yet her hits were only taps, she had no desire to cause him harm. She loved him far too much.
For the next few minutes they simply remained in that position. Rias' fist stopped and she simply held onto him. One of his hands wrapped around her waist, the other stroking her crimson hair gently. Soothingly. Pulling back she raised her gaze to his with a question that need not be asked.
"You have been in this memory for hours. Far longer then I ever did. When I regained consciousness in my mindscape Ddraig explained what you were doing so I came to join you." He looked to her and she smiled while just taking in the life in his face. "So a super Saiyan huh."
With that his gaze broke from hers and changed to watching the two combatants who continued to fight relentlessly. Rias turned in his arms and Issei floated upward while turning her into a bridal style hold. Rias felt instantly comforted by the grip as she watched the ancient fighters continue. Once again she was amazed by Issei's strength as hours ago he had been so close to death and yet now he was able to float while holding her easily within this oppressive environment. She thought briefly on whether it was from his training in a hundred times the gravity of Earth or if his Zenkai is what had strengthened him so much. Most likely it was a combination of the two.
"They were evenly matched in this fight until the man transformed." Rias stated softly at the same time as almost nuzzling into his grip.
"I've seen him before. Watched him in other memories." Issei softly spoke. "The boy though I have never seen, but the man. I watched him train as a young boy. He had a tail then. I watched him on a strange planet train under enhanced gravity with the Kaio Ken. It's where I learnt of the skill. But this power he wields now is incredible. Both of them are. The boy's Ki is massive as well. But the man's in monumental."
Issei's voice took on a tone of awe as he watched the fight.
For almost an hour the two combatant's continued with Issei and Rias discussing what they were witnessing. It was amazing that the boy was able to withstand the barrage of torture that his body was withstanding. Eventually they ended up in a similar position to how this fight had started. The man floating in the air, his armour and clothing torn and damaged. The boy panting heavily on one knee. His clothes and armour almost non existent. Grazes, bruises and bleeding wounds across his body. He seemed barely able to remain conscious. The man's mouth opened in what was clearly a yell and the boy looked up at him with as much attention as he could muster. The man spoke a few words. More then had been spoken for many hours between the two. The boy responded with something that Rias took to be doubt or somewhat negative. It wasn't that she could understand the words but rather that his body language and expression were easy to read. A quarter of a million years made no difference when it came to reading the expressions of a soon to be teenager. That would probably remain true until the end of time.
The man responded with something swiftly and the boy's eyes widened with shock and another that was either fear or rage. Gravity seemed to be drawn to the man and both observers witnessed as a Ki ball formed in his outstretched left hand. Pointed at the boy the orb grew and grew. Fed by energy funneled by the man, the attack grew to be as large as he was. As he released it the boy looked on in horror as it approached him. Rias was unsure about the exact power of the attack but understanding how Issei could detect Ki, she believed that these two could as well.
She could see clearly by the boy's response that he seemed to believe that the attack would seriously harm or kill him. However he was unable to evade it. Standing up shakily, he took a break to focus himself before with a primal shout, the white aura of Ki erupted around him and the boy braced to tackle the rapidly descending orb directly. With his arms outstretched he caught the Ki and fought back against it.
Both Rias and Issei watched intently as the boy fought. His knees shook and aura wavered before a flash emitted from him. A flash of gold. Momentarily his hair flared golden. Then black again. Another flash and then a third.
With a fourth flash the aura stuck. The boy's hair remained golden and the aura of raging golden Ki roared and shot up around him. With a yell as the newfound power burst through him, the boy tossed the Ki orb off into the depths of the white void further then Rias or Issei could see. The impact of the orb was marked by a tremendous explosion off in the distance. As it occurred none present took notice. The boy was struggling to hold onto his energy. It was very similar in appearance to Issei's first attempts at gasping and holding onto the Kaio Ken. The man landed beside him and spoke calmly. Rias looked up to Issei's face and watched his transfixed expression. He was determined to learn every detail he could.
Returning to the two historical Saiyans, she saw the boy's body rock with a burst of golden energy, his aura brighten briefly before extinguishing and his body collapsing. Hair and eyes back to black. A moment passed before the man dropped his transformation and knelt down to lift the boy up in a caring manner into his arms. He spoke softly to the unconscious boy as he walked back toward the strange building. The expression across his face was two things. Relief and pride.
As the man vanished off into the distance, both Rias and Issei floated upward. The scene flickered and a moment later the pair were both before Ddraig. Rias instantly felt awkward before the great dragon while being held in such a romantic position by Issei. She squirmed and he placed her down with a cheeky smile. She instantly suspected that he had held her like that deliberately.
"That helped?" Ddraig asked simply.
"Oh yeah." Issei exclaimed. Excitement in his voice. He had seen someone become a Super Saiyan. Saw how they had initially transformed. Now he would too.
* Team Akeno, Mansion le Barton, France *
Akeno had expected the situation to be chaotic. She had expected a battlefield. But what she had expected utterly paled in comparison to the reality that lay before her eyes.
Fire licked almost every surface of the mansion. The entire west wing was reduced to rubble, craters littered and disfigured the once immaculate gardens and bodies were abundant. Devils, Fallen Angels, Humans. The corpses of all three lay strewn across the ground, some bearing grotesque wounds and evident marks of partial cannibalization while others still fought. Demonic creatures utilized strange magic and above it all, high in the sky, floated a strange sigil. Purple and gold, three concentric rings with a symbol of five pairs of deformed wings inside. From the sigil, bursts of lightning struck down against the mansion and defenders. As Akeno took in the hellscape before her a bolt arced into the chest of a man wearing the crest of House le Barton fighting against a fallen angel. Both were disintegrated instantaneously. She grimaced, Kokabiel didn't care for his allies any more then he cared for any other. He was truly heartless.
It had been only a moment since arriving and with so much to take in, Akeno felt an almost overwhelming wave of sensory overload. She paused, uncertain of where to move when a bolt of energy narrowly missed her head. At the last moment she had been wrenched down by a set of small yet firm hands. Sara's hands.
"Oi," Sara yelled in her face. "Don't zone out. I don't know what to do. Tell us what to do."
In emphasis Sara shook Akeno by the shoulders.
Akeno focused, her eyes snapping from Sara to Sebasian as he sprinted across the courtyard toward the remaining structure of the mansion.
Moving forward, Akeno led Ravel and Sara in pursuit of the le Barton devil. A corrupted beast of little more then twisted flesh, claws and fangs shot itself from within a raging fire that was consuming the previously prized hedges and plant rows of the mansions exterior. A guttural roar leaving the creatures lips as a display of its intent to harm. Lightning and long green darts impailed into the creature as both Akeno and Sara unleashed onto the creature while refusing to slow down their forward momentum after Sebastian. Another horror bounded toward the group in a demented shuffling motion as they passed the initial walls of flame and onto the cobblestone path leading to the East wing entrance.
In a flash Sebastian drove his ethereal blade into the twisted monster. The crackling energy of the weapon seared flesh and sinew while the blade sank deep into the vile creature. Cutting through the beast with ease. Twisting his wrist and driving with his forearm, Sebastian rendered the fiend in half. The carcass rapidly evaporating into a mess of caustic, toxic goo that burnt into the wood and stone below upon it's death. The sounds of fighting echoed through the air as the members of House le Barton valiantly defended their ancestral home against assault from all directions. Screeching filled the air as twisted humanoid creatures close to the size of the average twelve year old child with withered wings and molting skin skirted around the roof of the building firing burning bolts of red energy into the windows and attacking any defenders on sight.
"Harpies." Ravel spat in disgust.
The vile demons were a retched product of the Abyss and something that she was most glad were not welcome in Hell. The fact that Kokabiel's group consorted with denizens of the Abyss spoke of how far they were willing to go so as to achieve their goals.
"Focus." Sebastian urged while leading the small party into the east wing entryway.
The once intricate stonework of the courtyard was now little more then broken rubble, statues blasted apart and the mosaic like brick walkways home to cracks and the dead or dying. The white lattice doorway torn from its hinges and utilised by a pair of devils that Akeno didn't recognize however were engaged in defending the entrance from the minions of Kokabiel who continued to attempt to breach in. A fallen angel commanded the besieging monsters that assaulted relentlessly. Clearly he didn't care for the demons under his command and sent four of the twisted monstrosities forward. Waves of magical blasts sent from the defenders tore into the flesh of the creatures, their spells tearing swaths of flesh from the malformed bones of the monstrosities. The carcasses by the door a clear indicator of the effectiveness of their spells however it was plain to see that they were becoming exhausted and the enemies force would win through attrition.
With a bellow, Sebastian charged the closest of the besieging enemies, a golem of rock and fire. Akeno, Sara and Ravel screamed out as they joined him in taking the enemy by surprise. As Sebasian's sword struck between the compact stone of the construct, finding a weak point and driving in with honed precision, the fallen angel spun around. Surprise evident on his face as he clearly didn't expect to be enveloped by reinforcements. His expression turned to pain and agony as green needles released from Sara embedded themselves within his abdomen momentarily before exploding. The exploding magic tearing into his flesh and causing the rapidly dying fallen angel to drop to his knees. Before he could retort with any final act of violence, Sara's red claws buried into his throat silencing him.
Sebastian struck multiple blows against the rock hide of the construct. It retaliated with exaggerated swings of its long limbs. Clearly this creature was designed for menial labour or breaking static objects, as while it was sturdy and able to take a heavy beating, it was slow and cumbersome. Unable to utilize its might against Sebastian, the le Barton swordsman continued to push the creature back with a precise and endless flurry of strikes.
With Sebastian and Sara engaging foes Akeno and Ravel continued to rush forward, Akeno unleashing lightning into the twisted foes before her while two long daggers of pure flame close in length to that of a dirk formed in each of Ravel's hands. The Phenex girl projected herself forward in a flurry of burning strikes into the beasts. Dancing between each one, she gracefully sliced her blades into the demented demons. While generally inclined to ranged combat with her magical hell fire, Ravel was aware that with the weight of foes upon them and the expenditure of their magic within the excavated catacombs that now it would be prudent to reserve as much as she could.
A final yell of triumph erupted from Sebastian as he broke through the golem's outer shell and shattered the core within. The remains of the construct clattered to the ground as he swept his eyes around the courtyard. The corpses of the twisted creatures bubbled and spat in a final toxic defiance however the immediate threats had been vanquished. Jogging forward Akeno led the way to the defending devils. A middle aged devil with dark skin and short hair knelt over his compatriot attempting to tend to a large wound in the younger man's chest that oozed blood heavily. With their arrival in the doorway the group slipped around and into the building as the older man spoke up.
"Sebastian. You're here." His words both a sign of temporary relief and concern.
"Victor, our destination was a trap. Kokabiel and Riser set us up. Where is the Duc and Lady Maree?" Sebastian's words direct and blunt. He was concerned about Antoine's injury that he most likely wouldn't survive but right now there was priorities.
"They are still within the grounds. We haven't seen them." His hands firmly planted over the oozing wound of Antoine but being over flowed with blood that refused to abate in its path from the younger man's chest.
"Hold here as best you can." Sebastian offered in a softer tone before turning and leading into the foyer of the east wing. Akeno offered the wounded defender a sympathetic smile before following with the rest of her group. Worry gnawed into her as she hoped that Koneko was still ok.
Moving into the centre of the well decorated foyer was accompanied by a strong ripple of kinetic energy and the building violently shaking. Paintings fell from the walls, statues and other valuables toppled and crashed to the ground. Splinters, wood and porcelain dust filling the air. Without uttering a word Sebastian bee lined for the stair case leading to the upper floors and bound up them. He was determined to reach his lord as soon possible but Akeno faltered in following. Koneko's room had been on the ground floor. She knew that the Nekomata wouldn't have voluntarily avoided the fight but also with her previous injuries may have been unable to fight.
"Ravel, go with Sebastian. Sara come with me. We will check for Koneko quickly and then move to meet up with you both." Akeno projected her voice with as much confidence and command as she could. She didn't feel it. She felt frightened that her friend was in trouble and that this battlefield was beyond them but she wouldn't let it show.
Ravel launched herself upward behind Sebastian, her flaming wings propelling her forward while the French devil gave a curt nod of understanding to Akeno and pressed on. The pair left Akeno's sight as she ran toward the hallways leading to the rooms that they had all slept in.
Orange light flooded into the narrower halls as the fires out side flickered in the windows creating distorted shadows. Akeno was glad that the smoke hadn't filled the hallway yet as she could still breathe and see easily. The first bedrooms proved to be empty. Beds disheveled where their occupants had vacated hastily in support of the mansions defence.
Turning down the hallway that had serviced as the entrance to the rooms they previously slept in, the ambiance was a harsh contrast to the peaceful scene of the morning with the windows shattered and the deformed bodies of a swarm of harpies and imps steaming in. The imps' bodies like those of bloated babies with peeling crimson skin and solid white eyes. A demented cry of a small child left their lips as they screamed at the two Gremory devils. Not slowing down, Akeno and Sara unleashed lighting and green darts of energy toward their foes. Each harpy and imp that was caught was instantly disintegrated or blow apart but their number swelled as more flooded through the shattered windows. The imps surging toward the girls with gnashing teeth and clawed hands. Bolts of red energy fired out by the harpies behind with no care for the imps charging ahead, as evidenced by the explosion of two imps caught by the harpies shots as they surged forward. Both species of demon single minded in their pursuit of violence, death and destruction.
Allowing her senior to continue the magical barrage, Sara darted forward with her red claws held up at the ready and began to slice and render her way into the mass of small creatures. The imps and harpies proved to be little more then soft flesh sacks before the fine almost needle like razor blades of fighting claws. Sara fought savagely while trying to ignore the putrid smell of their unwashed flesh and the faces of the imps. While the disfigured harpies were revolting, killing them didn't effect her over much but the twisted baby faces of the imps were another matter and Sara was determined to be rid of them as soon as possible.
She felt pain flare in her left side slightly below her rib cage and twisted to throw the imp that was biting into her side from her body. With a spin, Sara drove her hand into the little monster's face. Two clawed fingers piercing its eyes and killing it. A strong bolt of lightning arced over her and blasted a gap through the mass of foes, killing and dismembering an untold number of the grotesque little monsters. Akeno was right behind her, pushing her forward to break through. Sara struck, swung, swiped and drove as hard as she could but still the mass came. She needed more speed, to be faster. She pushed herself forward and kept repeating the thought over and over. A gnashing face of an imp lunged for her own. A quick uppercut and the face stopped inches from hers. The body of the creature impaled on her right claw. With a pained grunt Sara threw it off as a wave exhaustion born nausea threatened her.
With grim determination she pushed forward, her fatigue building ever higher. As it rose she feared that she was nearing the point of collapse but instead a sigil of house Gremory began to glow on her chest and she felt a new surge of energy fill her body. It was as if the cool refreshing water of a shower on a warm spring night passed over her, washing her exhaustion away and instead, in its place Sara felt augmented, faster beyond belief. Now the creature's moved as if caught in a thick liquid. Strike after strike, bolt after bolt, the pair carved through their remaining foes and continued down the hall. Sara moving with more grace and speed then she ever had before. As if previously she had been in the gravity chamber under ten times gravity and was now free to move unhindered.
Akeno caught sight of her confused but relieved face as they proceeded to kick in the door to the room that had been Koneko's.
"You promoted to Knight I see." Sara simply nodded but didn't respond. She was still trying to avoid her stomach expelling its contents at the smell left by the small horrors.
All the rooms previously occupied by the members of the Gremory party proved to be vacant. Exiting the corridor, the pair moved toward the dining room that Sebastian had conducted his brief from. This bottom floor was largely deserted. With few access points, it would have proven advantageous to neither side to be caught here. Another shock wave rippled through the structure and both devils looked upward toward the ceiling. Plaster fell and cracked, filling the air with a dust that tickled the lungs and made their eyes water unpleasantly.
Akeno cursed, she wished she could detect people like Issei could as she led Sara through the last remaining rooms of the floor. The last being the kitchen door that refused to open when Akeno pressed against it. Summoning a harsh bolt of lighting, she blew the hinges off and the door fell forward into the room.
Inside both found almost a dozen servants of house le Barton slain and a handful of the twisted flesh monstrosities feeding on the bodies. A portion of the back wall had been blown open which provided the access point for the deformed demons. Leaving the creatures to feed on the dead was an insult to them that Akeno wouldn't allow.
Charging at the grotesque creatures, Akeno and Sara cut them down with bolts of magic and the precision slices from the younger girl's deadly claws.
"We need to go up." Sara stated with Akeno thinking the same. Both passed through the gap that had exposed the kitchen to the northern portion of the yard. No foes remained on the ground however the air whistled as a spear of purple light struck within an inch of Sara's head. The girl's enhanced reflexes in her position as a knight allowing her to whip out of the way at the last moment.
Both looked up to see a trio of fallen angels with a retinue of harpies firing bolts of magic into rooms above them. Spells returned giving credence to defending member's of House le Barton being above them. Two of the rogue grigori had noticed their fight below and now prepared to fire lethal spells upon both girls.
Wings unfurling in unison, both Gremory devils shot upward to clash with their new adversaries. Sara shot toward a older looking female angel with white hair and bloody robes who wielded a light spear in a two handed manner. Thrust after thrust the grigori struck forth in an attempt to impale the young girl however continuously Sara weaved through the strikes while patiently closing the distance. With only a foot between them, Sara shot a volley of explosive darts at her foes that caused the angel to recoil and created the opening for her to close in and strike repeatedly with viciously precise strikes. Flesh rendered away from the fallen angel's face along with a piercing scream as Sara tore into her. Beside her, Akeno shot further upward unleashing bolt after bolt of lightning until she was above her foes. Harpies turned to engage her with the red bolts of light while both remaining Grigori desperately increased the volume of light spears that they fired at the swift devil. Now above them, Akeno unleashed a torrent of typhoon level winds that drove her foes toward the ground. Startled, the Grigori and harpies were crushed into the ground. The corpse of Sara's foe falling with her companions as the young Gremory devil shot herself back to avoid the powerful wind magic. With her ally out of the beating zone of her spells, Akeno channeled energy into herself before conducting wave after wave of high powered electrical blasts into the area of the falling foes.
Screams cut short as she incinerated all below her, harpy or Grigori alike.
A short female devil in a pink leotard with blonde hair in a pixie cut gave Akeno a thumbs up from within the ruined room that she had been defending herself from. With a few quick beats of her wings, Akeno swept down toward the room and landed with Sara arriving momentarily behind her. The strangely dressed female devil remained the only occupant alive with five members of the le Barton staff dead in the room. Before any could speak another eruption shook the very foundations of the mansion causing all three to grasp onto the drywall to avoid tumbling over. The room itself being brought into a state of even further disarray. The blackened and spell marked walls cracked even further with a large portion of the far wall falling away beside the only door into the room. Whatever the room was previously used for, no longer apparent or relevant.
With the shaking subsided, Akeno moved swiftly toward the door and drove it open. "Come with us." Her words simply a statement. She had no right to command the woman but that was a bit of a mute point at this stage.
The devil in question quirked her left eyebrow at Akeno but followed both her and Sara none the less.
"The shaking is coming from the Duc's quarters. You are the member's of Lady Gremory's peerage." The devil spoke as she moved along beside Sara whilst following Akeno. Each room they passed Akeno or Sara would check for Koneko but continued to fail to find their friend.
Sara spared the older woman a quick glance, "That's right. That's Akeno. Rias' Queen and I'm Sara. Nice to meet ya." She spoke in bursts while checking rooms and the French devil almost smirked at her relaxed manner of speaking. If the situation had not been so grim she just may have.
"I am Bella. A maid to the Duc."
Sara smiled back in response but stopped her response as Akeno held up a hand with a quick glance telling the both of them to be quiet.
The trio came to end of the hall with only an open door ahead. The clear sounds of combat emanated out from within. Moving so as to not be within the doorway itself, Akeno peeked inside, another hallway with a stairway leading upward to the right and the left broken apart where the west wing had been obliterated from the structure. The large gaping hole to the left showed the sigil above the mansion clearly as well as a mass of Fallen Angels, harpies, imps and other winged monstrosities emerging from a crimson like tear below the sigil and firing spells or descending upon the ground.
Akeno groaned inwardly, more adversaries. They couldn't keep fighting more.
Looking toward the stairs, the French devil mouthed "The Duc" to her silently.
Akeno steeled herself before moving into the hall and ascending the steps in a manner that was both as quick and silent as she could while being unable to utilize her wings.
The stairs ended with a shattered doorway follow by an extensive room that lacked a ceiling or roof. The open night air filling the room that took up as much space as half the mansion in an eerily soft glow from the giant sigil. This was evidently the Duc's quarters but all displays of grandiose and opulence were long gone. Furniture was shattered and smashed against the walls as if blown out of place. The king size bed of the duke barely recognizable as anything other then torn fabric. Many figures filled the room and Akeno took them in quickly. A shining silver barrier split the room in half from close to Akeno to far from the entrance that she occupied. It was domed and locked in the far side of the room completely. In the space that was close to her Marie, Koneko, Sebastian and Ravel clashed against Riser, two of the strange robed individuals and a large twisted monstrosity with more teeth, claws, fangs and sharp appendages then she had ever seen on a single creature before.
Akeno prepared to join her friends when her eyes swept passed the barrier. The duc stood in a cuirass of fine metal across his chest with an axe in one hand, a rapier in the other. He fought a single opponent. A tall male with sickly alabaster skin, pointed ears, blood red eyes and long black hair flowing down over his dark almost midnight cloak. Five sets of black wings sprouted from his back. The enemy leader, Kokabiel.
Akeno froze. She had been thinking how she would react upon seeing him again for so long now that she wasn't sure how to respond. Hate filled her mind as she looked upon the man who sickened her.
Sara's yell grounded Akeno's thoughts as the young girl sprinted forward to assist her friends. Akeno felt her mind recover from the semi state of shutdown that it had been in as she watched her friend rush forward with the French devil behind her. Akeno shook her head and shot forward also intent on joining the fight.
The twisted monstrosity shot barbs of bone toward Sebastian who parried and sliced them from the air with his ethereal blade. Gracefully engaging with his fine blade as Koneko shot past him and stuck against the creature over and over. The beast weathered her strikes well but its large size was battered by her attacks allowing the momentum to cause its bulbous body to be thrown of balance. A leg like appendage flailed upward as the beast fell backward, Koneko dropped her body and swept her leg outward to take its remaining foot out from under it. Her kick struck true however the leg failed to move as if it were rooted to the ground. She gasped as the creature drove its second leg like appendage back down over the prone girl who cursed at herself for getting caught in such a position. Blood wept from her semi healed wounds where the exertions of fighting to defend the mansion had caused them to open again. Koneko swore once more as the creature shot a disformed arm of bulbous red flesh and jaggered spikes at her chest.
Before she could react though, red claws cut into the creatures new arm, severing the flesh as a harsh strike of lightning bit into the creature. Koneko felt arms pull her backward as she looked up into Sara's face and over to see Akeno keeping a steady stream of potent lightning into the vile abomination. Moment's later a large royal blue scythe sliced into the creature's abdomen wielded by a girl Koneko didn't recognize.
Allowing herself to be pulled up upright onto her feet once more, Koneko exchanged a deep smirking smile with her close friends before Sara and herself shot themselves back toward the creature to continue the attack. While the attacks of the group took flesh from the beast it continued to attack with whole limbs regenerating before their eyes.
Behind the fight, Ravel engaged the two hooded figures, each armed with a midnight black dagger that crackled with a vile red energy and fought in unison together against the Phenex girl with her flame daggers and any sporadic gouts of hellfire that she could afford. She was back to back with Marie who countered spells unleashed on them by Riser with magic of her own. For each torrent of flame he unleashed she produced ice, freezing mist and bursts of water to confound him. Yet her spells were unable to reach him and it was clear that he would over power her sooner rather then later.
Seeing that the majority of their fighters were concentrated on the twisted creature, Akeno redirected her bolts of lightning toward Riser. The arrogant devil caught off guard by the arcing electricity while not keeping his awareness on his surroundings. The powerful magic of the Gremory Queen launched him back into the shimmering silver barrier.
With Riser momentarily stunned, Akeno rushed forward to take advantage of his position, sliding under a limb thrown out by the creature to catch her and righting herself immediately, lightning ripped from her hands into the closest hooded figure. The silent adversary's eyes widened as the electrical current overwhelmed his body, cooking him alive. Dead before he could hit the ground, Akeno rippled bolt after bolt at the second hooded foe. This one however sprung back into a defensive stance and began back peddling as he dodged and weaved through the lighting and strikes of the flaming daggers that Ravel struck out toward him.
Marie unleashed a flood of ice crystals into the air and buffeted Riser with them as the Phenex traitor picked himself back up. The frozen shards cut at his skin and tore his clothing but his body healed faster then the attacks could damage him and there was no possibility of him being overwhelmed by her power alone. With a sharp shout flames erupted around him and negated the cold magic that permeated the air around him. Marie prepared another assault when bursts of hot embers flew at her from Riser's extended right hand. Forced to move backward herself, she bumped into Sara as the young girl leapt over an attacking limb from the twisted horror and the pair sprawled onto the ground.
Akeno saw Riser observe the scene for a moment before smirking arrogantly. "Oh good. It looks like all of you filthy vermin survived the fun in Normandy. Too bad your pet monkey isn't here or I could crush you all at once." His racial slur against Issei caused her blood to boil and immediately Akeno shot toward him to engage him in combat.
She knew that she was not as skilled with her fists as Issei or Koneko but Riser would be able to over power her with magic. While he often chose to fight in close quarter battle unarmed it was due to his over confidence in his regenerative skills rather then any real skill at martial arts. With an angry yell Akeno threw her right hand forward in a jab that Riser lent backward to avoid but left his abdomen open for the left uppercut that she planted into it with full force. It was a combination she had seen Issei use multiple times and she got a thrill of satisfaction at feeling the strike connect full force with her opponent's stomach.
Riser grit his teeth and began to lash out with a combination of jabs, hooks and haymakers. Akeno blocked and weaved to avoid the attacks from the angered devil. While his attacks lacked finesse and his haymakers were highly telegraphed, his strength and speed outmatched her own. It was only through what she had learnt with sparring against Rias and watching Issei with Koneko that Akeno was able to hold her own. Frustratingly Riser kept more awareness of his defences and Akeno found that as the fight continued her hits were ineffectual and less often. Ducking under an overhead haymaker a gurgling broke the air and Akeno allowed a glance to her right.
Ravel had embedded one of her flaming daggers into the jaw of the hooded figure and with a harsh swipe sliced the second blade through the man's throat. Her victory wasn't easy though and bloody cuts and harsh bruises formed along her arms with a nasty gash on her left cheek.
Akeno's glance, even though only being momentary cost her, as Riser's right foot crashed into her with a powerful straight kick and she found herself propelled backward. Unable to stop her rearward momentum, her body crashed into the far wall.
Momentarily stunned from the harsh impact, Akeno observed the movements of those around her. Koneko, Sara, Sebastian and Bella continued to battle the raging pile of twisted muscle and flesh. The French devil's scythe cut deeply into the creature which formed piercing gauges into its hide. Sebastian followed after her strikes with precise cuts and stabs from his sword with Sara focusing her explosive needles into the wounds. All in an effort to cut into the beast before it could regenerate. Koneko, unable to assist directly in tearing through the gelatinous mass of the creature with her strikes, utilized quick flurries to keep the monster engaged on herself, off balance and unable to effectively resist her allies.
Beyond them, Ravel and Marie engaged Riser with both sister and brother coming to blows. Unlike her older brother, Ravel did not heal anywhere near as quickly as the older Phenex and Akeno suspected that it may have to do with his utilizing the foul magic taught by Kokabiel to enhance himself. Thoughts of that magic brought her view over to the fight beyond the silver barrier. The Fallen Angel and Duc continued to engage in a fierce bout of combat. The Duc's axe and rapier dancing through the air in a display of the finest mastery against the glowing yellow blade of his foes great sword. Despite his skill though, Kokabiel possessed an amazing mastery of his own combat style and wielded his massive blade expertly, parrying and striking against the Duc with continued precision. Sweat gleamed on the elder devils skin as he fought and Akeno could make out the signs of damage to the fine breastplate he wore. The metal clearly enhanced with magic had stopped the foes blade but for how many strikes it could last was unknown to her.
Sebastian shout out a tirade of curses with mounting frustration as the creatures flesh knit itself together around his blade, forcing him to exert himself in merely freeing his weapon to continue the fight. Its face bulged forward and shot out at him in an attempt to sink putrid fangs into his flesh. He rolled his shoulder back to deflect the blow and tore upwards whilst freeing the blade. Again the creature had healed itself and taking to the air with his wings beating, he paused momentarily to catch his breath. If this fiend kept healing then they would never win. Allowing his eyes to flicker to Ravel, he cringed in seeing the younger girl being overwhelmed by her brother. In an instant Sebastian reacted and shot down toward their fight. Dropping his knee into Riser's chest as he descended. The blow came in hard and the treasonous devil staggered back from the blow. Barely able to duck aside as Sebastian followed through with a overhand swing of his sword toward Riser's face.
Immediately the two males engaged in vicious combat with Riser further infuriated by Sebastian's harsh strike against himself. Sebastian's skill in combat however far outweighed the arrogant nobles and soon his blade cut into Riser repeatedly however if Sebastian had been frustrated at dealing with the gelatinous creatures healing then Riser's was even more so. Cut's from his sword healed the very moment that the blade left his flesh and no amount of injuries seemed able to slow his foe.
Riser laughed into Sebastian's face at the frustration displayed by the French swordsman. He was of full confidence that he could beat through them. Lightning arced over into their fray and immediately Akeno followed, joining Sebasitan in engaging Riser. The pair struck together. Sebastian's blade seeking to pierce his flesh while the Gremory queen aimed her strikes at his temple, solar plexis and organs. She sought to incapacitate him or cause maximum internal injuries from her strikes. She knew he would heal but also that as Issei had proven, healing drained his stamina and was not infinite.
Their bout drove them close to the barrier that separated the room in two and with his back to the glowing wall, Riser increased the furosity of his attacks. A straight jab caught Sebastian in the face and knocked him down while Riser's left hand caught Akeno by the throat and began to squeeze. With her airway cutoff she clawed at his hand as the pain and pressure increased. The look in his eyes said it all, he intended to snap her throat. Akeno felt herself begin to panic when Riser's face contorted in rage and pain. His hand released her throat involuntarily. Ravel stood between them with her left knee planted firmly into her brother's genitals, crush his sensitive organ and eliciting a high degree of pain.
"Move." Koneko's barked out loudly and in warning tone. Ducking to the right the pair narrowly avoided the flying mass of the gelatinous creature, launched by the nekomata warrior. The seething mass of flesh was unable to halt its airborne momentum and barraged into the stunned Riser causing the pair of foes to be crushed into the glowing barrier. Akeno pulled back from the fight to catch her breath and prepared to engage again when a blood curdling scream pulled her sight to Maree. She followed the French woman's view over to beyond the barrier and felt her stomach drop.
Kokabiel stood holding the impaled body of the Duc. His blade through the body of the proud French noble. The Duc's eyes wide with the last vestiges of life leaving them. Magic flowed from his hands toward the barrier separating them as blood coated his body. His weapons discarded to the ground below him. His eyes locked with his daughter and his mouth quivered, foam and blood leaving his lips as he mouthed a word to his daughter. Akeno couldn't be sure but she believed it to be "Run."
The girl in question screamed with despair, tears cascading down her cheeks as she formed magic within he hands. The light faded from her father's eyes completely and Kokabiel's twisted smile widened. His eyes swept over the crowd beyond the barrier that encased him in and lingered on Akeno. His twisted smile grew and she ripped her eyes from his. She had no desire to look upon his face that she hated so much anymore. Laughter filled the space from where Kokebiel remained before the sound of sparks joined it in a high pitched squeal as he brought his mighty blade crashing against the dome of energy that continued to encase him. The last vestige left by the Duc. Cracks formed rapidly as the powerful Grigori cut into the magic.
"We need to go. Now." Akeno yelled firmly, they had been struggling against Riser and the creature, with Kokabiel added, the group would be slaughtered. Sebastian nodded forlornly as Maree screamed in refute. Her words unintelligible but her intent to stay and fight clear. Tears flowed heavily from her eyes and she glared at Kokabiel. The vile creature of their foes began to pull itself from Riser with the traitor yelling angrily from below its mass. Time was against them and Koneko acted as she knew she must, She rushed to Marie's side, the older girl not noticing her at all and with a single precise strike to the side of the jaw rendered the girl unconscious. The older girl's eyes rolled into her head as she collapsed. Caught by the Gremory rook and hefted over her shoulder in a fashion similar to how someone may carry a sack of grain. Not the most dignified manner but now was not the time to be worried about such things.
Moments later Sebastian was leading the group back down the stairwell exiting the room. Akeno, Ravel and Bella remained at the rear with the Akeno and Ravel unleashing a final burst of magic at the creature to slow its rise and advance. Inside the stairwell the group could here the thunderous stomps of the monsters approach and Bella twisted herself around to block the stairway. Her scythe at the ready. She spared a quick glance to Sebastian, her voice curt and steadfast. "Protect Lady Maree."
Nothing needed to be stated further and outside the hallway the group hurried into the wrecked room before leaping toward the open ground below, and then through the ruined wall that had allowed Akeno and Sara to gain access to the second floor. The sound of metal striking into the flesh of the creature could heard alongside the scream of demons as the group sprinted toward the invisible dome containing the mansion. Reaching it Sebastian carved his blade through the air, ripping open a portal as fast as he could while still being able to maintain its stability. He knew the area beyond and could therefore hold it open for longer. With the portal open Sara and Koneko dove through with Marie still held firmly in Koneko's grasp. Ravel and Akeno fired magic at the harpies and imps drawn toward their position. Burning the small fiends as they attempted to dive down. The pair moved through next with Sebastian taking up the rear.
As he crashed through the swirling vortex of colour, Sebastian reappeared beside the exhausted group. Instantly he closed the portal. It was plain to see that once free, Kokabiel would destroy the barrier containing the mansion and his fiends would be free to pursue them further. The damage that Paris would sustain was going to be catastrophic. His eyes met Akeno and clearly the Gremory Queen had the same thoughts as him. Already the sigil of house Gremory glowed beneath her, it grew to expand and cover the six of them. The strain of generating the sigil large enough and for a transport of such a distance evident on the exhausted young woman's face but she didn't falter and a moment later, in a flash of crimson light, the group vanished from Paris, from France and from the mortal realm entirely.
Edited on 08 December 2021