Disclaimer: I do not own High school DxD
Chapter 12
On a rooftop two figures could be seen under the veil of night – the two exorcists that arrived at Kuoh were prowling the city, their senses acute, patiently waiting for their enemies to show themselves. The tension was clear, even under the dark sky, as no words were exchanged between the two – an unspoken rift forming between them…that is until someone spoke.
"Xenovia you can't keep this going…ignoring the matter won't make it go away" Irina calmly said, her eyes still fixed on the dark streets below them.
"…I won't cooperate with them…even if the mission is at stake"
"This isn't about Issei and his friends, you will help, I know you after all…this is about him…your friend"
"He isn't my fried, he is a heretic, a betrayer and I don't wish to associate with him"
"…Xenovia…we haven't had a mission this big before, even with Jeanne-sama help, there is a chance that-"
"I do not fear death Irina"
"Neither do I; my life exist only as a tool of my faith…still…I know it troubles you…even if you hide it…right now there better be nothing left unsaid, that is why I made up with Issei…you should try too"
"…" Xenovia stayed quiet; her eyes set on anything but Irina's own when she finally broke the silence between the two, her words sounded hollow and apathetic; her true emotions hidden behind blades of steel "Any word from Jeanne-sama?"
Irina couldn't help but sigh at her partner's stubbornness and dropped the matter entirely – arguing against her right now would be as productive as talking to the wind.
"No…it's strange, she should've already-"
Suddenly her words died; their battle-hardened instincts spiked and they felt the calm before the storm. It was a simple feeling, nothing more than a cold wind slightly brushing their necks…yet they knew Kuoh would soon see battle so without second thoughts the jumped across the rooftops, hidden under the veil of night, towards a battle of unknown fronts and unknown combatants.
The sound of swords clashing permeated the night, as one man faced a hundred.
Sparks illuminated the dark street, as light bullets flew across the battlefield – each of them bouncing of his body or being split by his blade. It was chaos, shapeless yellow lights clashing and being extinguished by a single glimmer of twilight, indiscernible for untrained eyes…yet…the inner machinations of combat were another thing entirely.
Every altercation lasted less than two seconds; against so many opponents staying on the move was the best option. If the wandering hero were to lock blades with someone and prolong their clash for more than half a second, he surely would be swarmed…so he opted for the more ruthless option – if he saw an opening on his opponents he would take it and end their life there – after all, no matter how he tried to distance himself from that life, he was just a soldier and in battle it was his life or theirs.
So, he flowed through the battlefield like a river, from one enemy to another, their faces barely registered before switching opponents – to the point that only his instinct guided his body. Katsuo wasn't a speed-based swordsman like Kiba; unlike the knight of Gremory his fundamentals were a peerless defense and unparalleled strength, but now against so many staying on the move was his best bet. So, every action he made carried the momentum of his previous one to the point that even his own body and mind weren't able to keep up and everything was reduced to a blur in his eyes.
One brazen Stray Exorcist tried to plunge his sword into his back…only for his arm to be segmented in the blink of an eye – his head rolled on the ground shortly after.
Another kept firing light bullets from a distance, each and every single one of them bouncing of his skin as he cut down enemy after enemy. Like a raging bull he made his way to the Stray exorcist and with no second thoughts smashed his left palm into the exorcist's face – it sent the stray crashing into a group of gunslingers and broke every bone in his body.
Simultaneously his right hand had already parried and incoming attack from an unknown assailant and retorted with a slash across the body. Blood hadn't even spilled from the wound and he was already engaging another Stray.
A single push of his blade created a shockwave that, with the power of a loose train, smashed and sent a group of strays flying like ragdolls; the pressurized wind adopting a moonlight color due to the Sword's silver blade and magical origin.
He needed power, more power than he now had, enough to brute force a win or a stalemate. He needed to win…no…he wanted to win, so his primal instincts answered the call. His 'real heart' started beating and dragon blood started running through his veins filling every inch of his body with cursed power, that dreaded yet familiar power; his veins lit up for a second, like an electric circuit being turned on, as magic went through them while his skin darkened – he was now deep in it now, that power was strengthening him, reshaping him into what he should have been.
His right foot was quickly raised and brought down like a hammer hitting an anvil; a foot that impacted the pavement creating a web of cracks across the streets and shaking everyone's footing, like a miniature earthquake. Many lost their footing and fell down, some held on but were inevitable shaken and others simply got clumsily stuck between the cracks.
"W-what is this Monster!" a trapped exorcist screamed in fear; the strays saw no longer the wounded high scholar from before, his laid back tone and mocking attitude gone the moment that cursed blade was unveiled…now they saw a monster, a monster that couldn't be wounded by any weapon, a monster that cut them down like simple wheat, a monster whose strength could match giants – their breath died on their throats as the large sword closed on them…
And with one swing of his moonlit blade a large gust of wind was expelled; like an almighty drill that began on the sword's tip and extended to the clouds above, two opposing winds started rapidly rotating around each other in a swirl of destruction, barreling against anything on their path. Like a tornado it wiped clean the path it traveled, it displaced the clouds above and broke the ground below. Like string less dolls the Stray Exorcist were blown directionless and in the middle of the maelstrom the Silver-haired Swordsman stood alone with his sword tightly clutched unmoved.
When the winds died down the ground was laid barren his opponents scattered those still conscious running in fear; for it was not a display of magical power nor was it the true ability of that cursed-holy sword...no…they ran because they knew that was just a display of physical strength…mighty and unnatural strength that couldn't have come from a normal human, strength to match a hundred in battle.
Katsuo, on the other hand, fell to his knees; his only crutch was the large great-sword in his hands. He would give them chase – follow their trail of breadcrumbs and eventually find Kokabiel, those who were unconscious and incapacitated were of no threat to him…so he would leave them be, but now he had to control himself…his back wound was still fresh the blood pouring from it kept that grim remainder, moving around so much hadn't help it heal, and that last attack left him very exhausted…but he wasn't worried of that, he was worried that…among heavy breaths a small and almost muffled chuckle broke through, a small grin followed it.
"…I am enjoying this way too much…I have never feared for my life before…but now..." he felt it; his heart beating faster than ever, his blood boiling like magma running through his veins, each heartbeat filled his body with renewed cursed strength and the rush of winning starting to cloud his thoughts, like a thin veil of smoke that would grow to the point that nothing else can be seen through it "…is this feeling…this joy…is it mine...is it his…or is it your influence…"
When those words left his mouth his eyes drifted to his own chest, around his heart area, even now with his whole torso bandaged he could see it – the old primeval language of the Gods of the North trying and failing to contain a more dangerous power hidden within; the white letters being slowly evaporated by the aquamarine hue that emanated with every heartbeat…and his body was reacting…slowly but surely becoming the Evil Monarch awakening from his Golden Sleep.
"…So, I don't have that much time left…" he proceeded to pick himself up once again and slowly moved forward one step at the time; then he noticed and looked up to the sky "It started raining…"
"Well, we are comrades. And we belong to the same group. And you helped me out before as well. It's not like I'm trying to repay you, but I thought I would give you a hand this time."
"If I act by myself, then I would cause trouble for Buchou. That's also the reason, right?"
"Of course, Buchou would get sad if you were to go around on a rampage. Well, the fact that I made this plan by myself will cause trouble to Buchou as well. But it's better than you becoming a Stray, right? Well it turned out to be a success, since we made an agreement with those guys from the Church."
"…Yuuto-senpai. I would get lonely…if senpai disappeared…I will help you…that's why please don't go."
Issei's and specially Koneko's appeal didn't fall on deaf ears. They spoke truly and with emotion that even he, in his blind range and lust for vengeance, couldn't dismiss. It made him feel guilty just seeing Koneko's sad expression, for someone like her who shared few words and fewer emotions the sadness in her words and face cut more deeply than a thousand swords – he couldn't just say no at that point, so he agreed…on one condition.
"I will gladly accept your help Issei, I'll accept Koneko's, I'll accept Saji's…but not His…"
Issei knew exactly who Kiba was referring to and had to reluctantly agree…if just to please the knight of Gremory and bring him into the fold once more. Kiba knew he was being shortsighted and stubborn, but he didn't care not when he could avenge the death of his late family – he justified it so…blinded by his own emotions.
"Fuu, no progress today; well it's to be expected…it's the first day after all" Saji's whining brought Kiba out of his inner thoughts.
Their day of searching had come and gone, all without any trace or interaction with any stray exorcist. Even after dressing like priests and after walking the most secluded and desolated areas of Kuoh, there was no sign of Freed Sellzen.
"Well we didn't expect it to be easy, not like a horde of exorcist would come running to greet us…what do you say Koneko-chan, should we call it a day" Issei said motioning to the white-haired devil, yet she remained quiet for a solid minute.
Her eyes were seeing the horizon, aloof and unreadable but not without reason. There was something in that direction, something that picked her attention…and even the densest of the group could recognize that fact, as their jovial and lighthearted banter suddenly came to an end. Time slowed and seconds became minutes, a distinctive sound broke through the silence of night, with each passing second the sound grew closer and closer becoming more recognizable until…
"…Swords…"
Kiba instinctively muttered as his hands tensed up. Though the source was still relatively away from them, just a few blocks, the sound in itself was unmistakable to the Knight of Gremory.
Koneko suddenly perked up, her eyes becoming wide in uncharacteristic surprise and her posture becoming stiff, a single word was instinctively uttered from her mouth.
"…Senpai…" then suddenly…
BLAST!
The winds roared and all sound was consumed by a whirlwind's screeching, like a jet turbine that had been suddenly ignited. If any words left their mouths or screams, they couldn't tell, as the rotating winds just a few blocks from them consumed all sound in the vicinity. A large rotating pillar of wind rose to the sky and played with the night's skies like an almighty finger and just as it came, it disappeared the trail of displaced clouds being the only prove of it being there in the first place.
Silence…
…
…
Rain followed soon; the sound droplets impacting the ground provided a much-needed background sound for their thoughts to organize and come to terms to-
"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?" Issei exclaimed in indignation.
"My thoughts are the same Issei-kun" Kiba couldn't help but nod and agree with the pervert.
"…Senpai…" a small whisper left Koneko's mouth.
"Guys I don't know but I guess we might just find out…" and Saji simply pointed ahead of them in absolute worry – following his finger they saw what elicit it.
Strays Exorcists – Around forty to fifty were barreling through the streets at full sprint like rabid dogs, uncaring of whom or what was in their way; with weapons still in hand and set to an inevitable collision course. Unluckily for Issei and his comrades, they were blocking the way for these mad dogs.
"Damn it Hyoudou! You had to open your mouth!" Saji snarled while summoning [Absorption Line] and readying himself for the inevitable clash.
"Like I knew this would happen! Ok then, it's not like we would be swarmed by a bunch of big breasted Onee-sans"
"Now it's not the time" Kiba reprimanded; swords already in hand and steel gaze focused on the incoming wave.
"…Ready…" Koneko curtly said with her fist already raised and body in stance.
"Alright then, come you bastards!" at last the pervert summoned his red gauntlet and braced himself for the inevitable.
And then as the swarm was upon them and their weapons were raised ready to meet their opponents head on something unusual happened…they ran past them…only a few exorcist slowed their pace to simply scream "RUN!" into their faces to only then continue their marathon sprint headed to…wherever they were headed. In the end it left the small group of devils staring at each other in confusion as their so-called enemies ran like scared children.
"…Wha…what was that? Did they confuse us for their own?" The pervert of the group voiced what was on everyone's mind as eloquent as possible.
"I don't know…but we won't know if we stay here" The Knight of Gremory didn't hesitate much; rather he dismissed his swords and broke into a sprint. He knew that the trail those Strays left behind would most likely eventually lead him to the Excaliburs…also he didn't want to find out what had these killers so scared.
"Hold on pretty boy; last time I heard following the trail of Stray Exorcist isn't the best idea"
The lone Pawn of Sitri whined in protest…sadly his words fell to on deaf ears, as his fellow pawn and the white-haired rook were already on Kiba's side.
"…Yuuto-senpai is right…"
"What are you waiting for Saji? We have an Excalibur to destroy!"
Rallied by Hyoudou's words Saji begrudgingly followed suit…yet an unmistakable and unshakable sense of dread formed in…his rear end…as he imagined Sona's disapproving glance on top of him – It was then that Saji Genshirou knew, he couldn't do anything against his fate anymore…
"…but…Oh man, Kaichou is gonna kill me for this!"
Two sets eyes were glued to the sky above them and, as the whirlwind died, violet orbs widened in awe and brown ones sharpened in recognition.
"O Lord, what was that?" Irina Shidou couldn't help but exclaim in
"…you bastard" while Xenovia Quarta muttered softly, inaudible for Irina to hear.
The area grew quiet and their honed instinct made their hands move towards their swords. Even if their eyes were still glued to the place where that whirlwind originated from, their fighting instinct was ready for a threat they could not see, but knew it was there – their heartbeats quickened as they felt a killing intent closing in on them.
Within the shadows of the night a beast jumped on them, like a snake attacking its prey and in less than a second.
Clash!
The sound of Holy Blade meeting Holy Blade resonated throughout the area. The sound of blades grinding against each other was the bell that signaled the wake of battle. The flash that followed suit showed the monster before them; it had red eyes, silver hair and a malicious grin. A trigger ignited in their head and the clock of battle started…
One second…
With a push from his blades the two exorcists were sent back; Irina performed two consecutive back flips, stabilizing herself from the sudden impact, and landed gracefully with her blade pointing at their assailant, while Xenovia dug her feet into the ground and like an unmoving statue held her stance; the trail of broken cement beneath her being the only indication of her displacement across the battlefield.
Two seconds…
Both of them quickly got into stance, Xenovia's hands griping tightly the handle of Excalibur Destruction while Irina had Excalibur Mimic transform into a Japanese blade. They leapt into action; the protestant-exorcist was the first to make contact moving to her target with fluidly timed acrobatics and fast strikes. Her Catholic counterpart followed soon after, using her strength to jump at her enemy followed by heavy and powerful two-handed strikes; which used the momentum of each strike to make a follow up or a counter attack, while never leaving her guard too open for an obvious strike.
Four seconds…
Their fighting forms were the opposite of each other, yet they complimented each other perfectly – Irina moved around the battlefield like a hare, while her sword cut her opponent in fast slashes and spins. Her attacks didn't have much power behind them but that wasn't the intention of her form; she appeared less like a person and more like a blur that jumped across the field, poking her opponent until an opening appeared – very aggressive but not mindless, a style made to fight against opponents larger than her.
Meanwhile Xenovia swung her sword down with the might of crocodile; just like the animal itself her attacks were crushingly powerful and her defense solid like the beast's hide…but her mobility was dampened because of her sword's weight…yet her oppressive strikes and her momentum redirection made up for her weakness – her form was one of power and strength to end a battle with a single swing of her blade, to destroy with a single timed counter, to achieve peace through superior firepower.
Seven Seconds…
They were on the offensive hacking and slashing at the white-haired monster before them. Their teamwork was impeccable; fast and nimble attacks were followed soon after by heavy and powerful blows forcing a disadvantageous prolonged defense and an opening to exploit, their swords came crashing at opposite angles making it very improbable to block for any normal fighter and their cooperative consecutive strikes created a deadly duet between the two exorcist; once an attack was done the partner followed soon after creating a window of recovery for their ally and none for their enemy making it nigh impossible for any normal swordsman to keep up with their tempo…yet despite their incredible skill, overwhelming technique and number advantage…the monster parried, sidestepped and blocked their best efforts all with a smile on his face…a deranged and sadistic smile with eyes wide open like a predator analyzing his prey, there was no fear, no sign of exhaustion or pressure – there was only bloodlust.
Twelve seconds…
Then suddenly the paradigm shifted…with a quick parry and a side-step, he stopped their attacks on their tracks and without second thought went on the offensive this time. The Stray lunged at Irina first with bold and direct strikes that caught the exorcist off guard. Xenovia tried to regain the offensive…but the speed of her adversary increased…drastically…more than was the human peak and more than what he showed before, power blows and heavy strikes were too slow and swatted away easily.
Fifteen seconds…
They now became the hunted, being forced on the defense by unrelenting blows, retreating and blocking in a desperate attempt to mitigate the furious barrage of swords was their best option…though no wound was taken on either side – such fact was soon to change for the worst if they continued like this.
The Stray Exorcist swung his holy swords wildly, Xenovia could see that, like a ferocious and unhinged beast…it looked unpolished and amateurish, like someone who just learned the basics of swordsmanship and nothing else. Each attack was bold and direct with the only intent being to kill…but his strikes were unconnected there was no follow up, no rhythm or thought to his strikes – each attack of his swords existed in an isolated bubble independent of each other…yet…if their opponent was so amateurish…why were they being pushed back so harshly…why was it so difficult to predict his movements.
Seventeen seconds…
His blades moved aggressively, driven by the wielder insatiable bloodlust and killing intent, each strike aimed at a vital point; head, neck, collarbone, heart, lungs and groin. Despite his novice strikes and berserk-like attitude his stance was spotless, every step he took had a reason behind it be it, driven by natural instinct. The blades started gaining speed, slicing through the raindrops and leaving a trail behind it, each strike ramping up the next one…then a third blade appeared, with the exact same unconnected and kinetic swings…then a fourth appeared, followed by a fifth, then a sixth and in the end there were eight swords furiously moving through the air.
Twenty seconds…
Xenovia tried to block all the attacks, but against eight blades that had no discernible pattern or connected movements…she could only last so long. Irina wasn't doing any better…rather worse…she was out of her element; her style was aggressive and relied on movement to avoid damage instead of heavy guard unlike her partner, against eight blades that cut off all her mobility options it was only matter of time for one of the eight to strike true…
Slice!
The sound skin being cut and the smell of blood permeated the night. A quick yell followed soon after.
At twenty-five seconds the clock stopped…
Xenovia saw the downed form of Irina, a hand clutching her left cheek in an attempt to stop the bleeding; her agility saved her neck in a split moment resulting in only a cut instead of a severed head. The blue exorcist attention was quickly pulled from her partner to their enemy…there he was standing in front of them his silver-white hair still untainted and his blood-red eyes fixed on them, his tongue was out in the open while he sadistically and mockingly licked the blood off the holy sword's edge – just one sword in hand – not two neither four nor eight…from the start just one…
'He…how…this…this can't be the work of an amateur…'
Xenovia was right and in a split second realization downed on her – There had never been eight swords; his unconnected strikes and bold movements may have looked amateurish but that couldn't be farther from the truth, they were purposefully making his strikes unpredictable and as his speed increased so did the illusion of more than one blade existing; each swing existing detached from the others, each swing a blade of its own. This style was paradoxical and useless in the hands of anyone else, it was a song made entirely of staccatos that at first glance didn't make much sense…yet only a true master could understand and play its deadly tune.
This man…this monster before them couldn't be anything else than a true genius.
"Mmmm~ Tasty"
A mocking and sadistic voice broke the silence.
"Freed Sellzen…" Xenovia spat out with venom dripping from her words.
The person in question made a mocking bow and answered, his grin never leaving his face "The one and only"
There was a glint of trepidation in the blue exorcist's eyes, yet it was squashed as soon as it appeared. She knew her duty and would see it through regardless of the outcome. Excalibur Destruction was firmly planted upright into the ground, as its wielder gripped its handle firmly with both hands and spoke in a commanding voice.
"In the name God you are sentenced to death, return us the Excalibur and this can end quickly"
Freed's grin widened and gave Excalibur Rapidly a mocking twirl.
"A little late to be grandstanding in the name of your hateful God aren't we"
"...Tch!"
Irina was slowly getting on her feet with the cut on her cheek still bleeding, yet her face resolute and her eyes fixed on her enemy.
"Your bitch-friend tastes pretty good, a nice appetizer…. but I'm ready for the main course and when I'm done, I'll take those swords from your dead corpses"
"…" Her grip tightened around Excalibur Mimic.
Then a faint sound reached their ears, a sound that grew with each passing beat. In their battle they somehow ended in the middle of a construction site, with both of them blocking Freed's escape, they had the environmental advantage…yet the sound of footsteps coming from behind them quickly shook that notion.
"Looks like we have company to our little party hahahahaha"
Amidst those maniacal and unnerving laughs both exorcists watch them…white cloaks approaching them. They immediately shifted their stance, standing back to back; Irina faced Freed while Xenovia faced the incoming Strays, both swords tightly gripped.
Freed Sellzen took a step forward, his demeanor was jovial even if the words that came from his mouth were filth.
"Hey there boys, came to join our little gangba-"
Suddenly a stray of the group interrupted him, stepping forward with heavy breathing and a terrified expression clearly plastered on his face.
"Boss, Boss! Please help us!"
This displeased him…greatly; his former mocking grin changing into a sickening snarl and an annoyed expression, his next words came out more like an animal bark than actual human words.
"Oi, what are you pissing yourselves about"
"The-there was this g-guy…white hair…c-couldn't be hurt…c-cut us down like n-nothing" the stray tried to clarify but between his stammering and worried voice it didn't do much outside angering Freed Sellzen.
"Speak louder you dimwit!"
Another set of words were about to leave the stray's mouth, when suddenly from the crowd of white robes an unlikely voice rang out full of fervor superimposing itself over all others.
"[SWORD BIRTH]!"
Swords – They sprout from the center of the group of stray exorcists; the lucky ones were simply pinned down by the flowering blades, meanwhile the less lucky ones were skewered by them. From the center the perpetrator dashed out blandishing his signature black blade and steel eyes.
"Damn it Kiba, tell us next time! Well let's go [Absorption Line]!"
Soon after the Knight of Gremory made his debut, a lizard-like tongue sprouted out from the background snaring another group of Strays – Genshirou Saji following suit after with a small black bracer that resembled a chameleon's head.
Last but not least were Issei and Koneko, who closed lined the remaining escaping exorcists. The pervert had already his Sacred Gear, the bright green gem of his gauntlet illuminating the night.
[Boost]
"Issei-kun" Irina hopefully whispered as a small smile appeared on her face.
A smile also appeared on Freed's face…though his was more sinister and less hopeful "Yo, Ise-kun long time no see, did your power increase? Can I kill you now?"
The only response the Stray got was an overhead swing from a black blade [Holy Eraser]; an attack that he blocked purely by instinct and with a lazy and mocking demeanor, as if he was swatting a fly.
"Your fight is with me Exorcist!"
Freed met the eyes of the blonde devil before of him before letting out a mocking laugh.
"Pleaseeee your little trinkets can't compare against my Excalibur-chan"
[Holy Eraser] broke with a simple push from the Excalibur blade and Kiba was thrown back slightly…not that it mattered…in less than a second a copy of the same blade was already on the knight's hands and once again bolted blindly into the offensive.
Xenovia was also about to jump back into the fray but was stopped by her partner's extended hand – she understood the gesture; Freed's barrage had taken its toll on Irina and she needed a few seconds to gather herself.
"Damn it, Yuuto left us the dirty work" The pawn of Sitri pessimistically exclaimed.
Kiba's reckless assault left the remaining devils surrounded by enemies; even if some stray's now lay either knocked out, immobilized or dead, they still held the numbers advantage and would likely not sit by and let their leader do battle alone – now they were thee against thirty, if they wanted to somehow come on top they had to take ten each. They got themselves into a tight formation and readied themselves from an uphill battle – the Strays ran at them at full sprint, weapons already in hand, and as they were about to clash…
BLAST!
The winds roared and the sound of turbine echoed; a gust of pressurized air crashed into them like a train and sent them sprawling like ragdolls…as for the devils…they couldn't wipe the surprise and relief from their faces, even the stoic Koneko wasn't above it in this situation. Their numbers were halved in a heartbeat…then the stray exorcists who remained conscious saw him, recognized that silver hair, and were frozen in fear.
A lazy wave was directed at the now shocked devils and the new arrival broke the silence.
"Why didn't you invite me to the party Issei…"
Another light spear was reflected back at its wielder, impacting straight into his chest. The winged being plummeted and, like the other three before him, his dead body banished into black feathers that scattered in the wind.
The Saint released a short sigh of relief after her prolonged fight and quickly dispelled her rapier into white light. One minor problem was already gone…now she had to focus on the larger one. Wasting no time, she steeled her gaze once more and ran straight into the forest before her – she had to get back into town and fast.
She had to inform the devil heiresses of Kokabiel's plot, she had to stop both Valper Galilei and Freed Sellzen, but most importantly she had to protect Xenovia and Irina from falling into a trap.
Now with the city finally in sight she had to locate her juniors, she needed to know where they would be before they went there…there was only one way she could do that.
She got into prayer position and reached deep inside her, connecting with the spirit that lived alongside her, the spirit of the real saint of Orleans. Both of them connected, their fine tuning and synchronization made them almost indistinguishable from one another and now in that trance she prayed.
"…O Lord, show me the way…"
'The sky was eclipsed in black fathers, as light rained on the ground below bringing naught but destruction in their wake.
The Fallen Star of God stood as their herald, ten wings displayed proudly.
Many retreated, many were broken, yet one stood alone. Like a castle's walls he braved the storm of light, keeping those behind his back from harm.
His skin was tanned and his chest glowed brightly in the night. Hair flowing wildly to his back, like a white wolfs hide.
Shining brightly like polar lights, a sword he clutched tight.
In one last stand he put his life on the line, as stars rained down on him in that final night.'
Clairvoyance – an ability of the original Jeanne d'Arc, allowed to her descendant thanks to her high synchronization with her hero soul; normally it aid her in battle showing her glimpses of what was to come, a maximum of one or two seconds into the future, but if drawn into it more intensely she could receive a vison of something that was yet to pass, a possible scenario. She wasn't yet a master of the ability, but until now it only showed her visions of something in her mind…but right now she had no idea what she saw or what it meant.
"what does it mean" her confusion was clear, she expected a vision of the Excalibur, of her juniors…but to be received with something completely different wavered her previously confidence into that skill.
She was about to reach down and pray for another vison…when suddenly a flash of twilight light caught her attention, like a glimmering star emanating from the city…yet it wasn't its brilliance that caught her attention, it was the holy energy she felt coming from that direction.
No other vision was needed, as she quickly got into action and sprinted to the source of it.
The rising battle stopped and the sound of a pin dropping could be heard. Emotions flared from all sides; fear, worry, surprise, happiness, hate, excitement, relief but most of all shock…yet none of it mattered his attention was laser focus as he ignored the people around them and headed straight for the person of authority. Only his tired steps could be heard and he raggedly made his way through the battlefield, his large blade resting lazy on his shoulder, blood covering him head-to-toe from who it belonged they couldn't tell, his chest was almost laid bare if not for his ragged bandages and jacket – he stopped in front of his fellow silver haired swordsman and, ignoring the people around him, spoke.
"So, you know where Kokabiel is?"
His demeanor was still calm and his words had a hint of cheekiness to them, this made the stray before him chuckle slightly…a chuckle that turned into a loud maniacal laughter.
"Hahaha, you truly are something else. So, it was you who cut down my men like pieces of meat"
Katsuo mundanely shrugged.
"I gave them a choice – to tell me where Kokabiel is and live, or don't and stand in my way"
A playful and sickening grin appeared on Freed's face.
"Is that what you tell yourself? Does it make you sleep well at night?"
He in returned ignored it, but his next words came with less of his previous calmness and more of a deadly edge.
"…I extend that choice to you. Where is the crow? I only care about him and I don't want more bloodshed tonight, so unlike your men I recommend you to choose wisely"
The Stray eyes narrowed for a second before letting out a dry mocking laugh.
"Ha! As if…No. I know those eyes…you like your kill as much as me…tell me what is it, what gets you off – is it the blood, the adrenaline rushing your body, the sound they make, tell me what makes you tick" Freed eyes were wide and his grin wider with excitement and anticipation.
A tired sigh left Katsuo's mouth in return.
"Huuhh…so…is it going to be the hard way"
The stray exorcist that remained conscious were taking advantage of the temporal cease fire and tried to scurry away. They had no fight left in them after seeing their numbers fall from a hundred to fifteen, and as they were trying to blend into the background…
"Any man that leaves this place, I'll rape his corpse!" The Boss snarled and they complied, their fear of him outweighed their reason – Freed proceeded to lick his sword and point it at the newcomer "You owe me a dance"
"Sorry to keep you waiting, perhaps a sword to chest would provide as compensation enough" Katsuo proceeded to take a signature Vom Tag stance, raising his great-sword to his side, and readying himself.
The Crazy Stray-exorcist gave a quick glance to the silver sword and licked his lips in anticipation.
"You even have a holy-sword of your own, I hope it's strong"
Conflict was brewing – even for those who stayed in the background for most of the exchange; Kiba had more ferocity in his eyes and was ready to pounce into battle...against who of the two silver-heads only he could tell, Xenovia's grip of her Excalibur had tightened, Irina was now ready to take her payback against Freed, The sudden intervention of his friend had lifted Issei's spirit and now was ready to duke it out against the remaining strays, as always his contagious enthusiasm spread to both Koneko and Saji. The whole scenario was more akin to a Mexican standoff with every party circling and carefully watching each other, hands on their weapons waiting for the best moment to quick-draw.
…
…
The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut easily with a knife…
…then in a single second…in less than a single heartbeat…
Freed lunged and then…
"Freed. What are you doing?"
A voice stopped everyone on their tracks – the voice of a man that both Sellzen and Kiba knew too well…
"Old man, me and the boys found some new friends to play. You even can have their swords after we are done"
There he stood, in the balcony of an unfinished manor, watching them from above like he owned the place – a short and mustached elderly man with glasses. No other than the infamous Genocide Archbishop, Valper Galilei, a man that Yuuto Kiba had seen many times in his nightmare. The Archbishop's eyes swept the sword-wielding group and a disturbing smile appeared on his face.
"[Sword Birth] and Two Excaliburs…good, very good and…" The old man's gaze turned into intrigue, even if he was exclusively devoted into the Excalibur, he knew every Holy sword in existence and their respective legends – yet before him was an enigma a piece that didn't fit in any puzzle he knew "hmmm, that sword looks odd…could it be…no…they would have been the first to know"
"Do you remember me? Valper Galilei!"
The ferocious scream of the Knight of Gremory broke the Archbishop's concentration from the unknown blade to the devil in question – his glassed eyes needed to fall on him just to recognize the boy.
"Ahhhh a Holy-Sword Project subject, to meet you here in the Far East…it must be fate…perhaps a sign…yes that must be it; a sign that my experiments are far from over, kukuku"
The Knight's blood boiled and his reason was almost lost consumed by the want for vengeance.
"You bastard!"
The Archbishop made up his mind and addressed his mad dog once more.
"Freed. Kokabiel ordered us back…but seeing the company present, take the two Excaliburs and the survivor, I'll need them for my experiments, as for the others…"
"…Fill"
Divine Energy was released from the blue jewel, ancient magic fused with the blade's drill like aura creating a bright typhoon of destruction – with a quick upwards strike a small wave of twilight was released. It hit true and destroyed diagonally the entire upper half of the manor, travelling through the night's sky until it disappeared under the moonlight. It wasn't the blade's true power, not even close, but a demonstration of it…the silence that followed was prove that it worked.
Without much to sustain itself the balcony collapsed and with it came the Bishop tumbling down in fear, screaming for his life.
"FREED!"
A silver flash bolted through the battlefield, leaving a resounding boom and broken ground behind him, and just as the priest was about to become human paste a hand caught him by his throat…sadly for him it didn't belong to the silver-head he expected.
"Sorry, guess my hand must've slipped" Katsuo playfully said while lazily waiving his sword like a kid's toy "…you see old man, I don't know nor care about you, but I have a bone to pick with your boss…sadly for me no one wants to tell me where he is, now I'm tired of asking and showered in blood….You, unlike his other grunts, strike me as type that values his life…the cowardly type – so I'll ask one last time. Where is Kokabiel?"
Valper Galilei couldn't breathe nor speak properly, the steel grip form the boy saw to it, his robes were also wet after falling to his supposed death and now his supposed savior had placed a great-sword firmly on his neck…yet none of that took priority on his head…that silver sword before him was the only thing that caught his attention right now, his eyes were entranced by the moonlight its edge reflected…he now knew.
"Th-that s-sword…I-I now k-know…I t-thought it had no wielder, t-that it w-was l-lost the…the...The Institution said so! …that is n-no ordinary h-holy-sword…that is the cursed s-sword of The Nibelungs!"
The blade was pressed strongly against his neck and those scrutinizing aqua eyes sharpened in recognition of a name.
"…I take it you won't tell me" his voice came cold like the winter' snow this time, devoid of any emotion he had formerly shown to his previous opponents.
The pressure of the sword shook Valper out of his stupor and his survival instincts took control of his body in full force; clawing at his neck, trying and failing to pry that blade from him and lastly pleading to his attack dog.
"FREED SAVE ME, USE THE HOLY ELEMNT I GAVE YOU, USE ALL THE SWORDS SAVE ME!"
"You got it Old man, hehehehe" with a sickening laugh the rotten exorcist jumped at his partner's command, his bloodlust and battle hunger palpable. From his robes he pulled another blade and small lights shone through his robes, then both of his blades shone a bright gold, powered by whatever he had on his back – a single word was uttered from his mouth "Excalibur Nightmare…"
Freed lunged blindly at Katsuo, but in a single motion the former exorcist dropped the evil Archbishop, pirouetted bringing the full weight of his sword with him and met Freed's dual-sword attack in a resounding clash that sent a shockwave of silver and gold through the field.
Valper tried to take advantage of the ensuing chaos and tried to scurry away while holding his wounded neck…the keyword being 'tried' as Kiba appeared in a flash of red his sword raised overhead accompanied by a blood curling cry.
"FREED!" the old man cried again.
A flash of bright golden light intercepted Kiba's attack and as the glow dissipated the form of Freed Sellzen was revealed, a displeased frown present on his face.
"Dammit Old man, I said I got this. You do your thing while I handle these shitty devils", he concluded by reaching into his robe and throwing another blade into the priest hands.
Realization dawned on the Genocide Archbishop.
"The Ritual? But Kokabiel said…more importantly during battle it might not be perfect…IT NEEDS TO BE PERFECT"
"AND I DON'T CARE SHITTY GEEZER, YOU WANT YOUR LIFE AND SWORD, I WANT MORE FUN AND POWER – SO DO YOUR THING, I DO MINE AND WE ALL GET WHAT WE WANT, DON'T RUIN THIS MOMENT FOR ME!"
Valper was silent, even if his partner was deranged and crazy…he was right. Freed could not fight all of them successfully without more power and right now performing the Excalibur Ritual was their only option…so he simply nodded and retreated into a safe position.
Chaos – absolute chaos had ensued; Issei and his team had resumed their fight with the remaining group of stray exorcists, Irina and Xenovia intended to chase after the retreating Valper but were stopped by two copies of Freed Sellzen. Their shock continued as they attack the two clones; everything seemed real, the strikes carried true strength behind them and sparks flew when their swords crossed…but as Xenovia went for a direct bow…the clone disappeared into a mirage.
"Damn…an illusion" the blue exorcist said.
"Excalibur Nightmare" her partner confirmed after dispatching her own.
Their Eyes shifted once again to the battlefield before them, the old man was nowhere to be seen while Kiba and Katsuo fought 'Freeds' of their own…which was real and which was the illusion, they couldn't tell. They had to split.
"I'll help the Devil, you take the Oathbreaker if you like…if not leave it to die" She wouldn't accept a retort from her partner, because as soon as those words left her mouth, she made her way to her newly stablished target.
Irina couldn't help but sigh in exhaustion, she wouldn't simply leave someone to die – so she made her way to the opposite direction of her partner.
'I am so close…so close I can see their faces…so close can feel it…my revenge'
Valper along the Excalibur Swords were here, Kiba only had to deal with this new blockade and he would be able to achieve it, for the sake of those who didn't have his luck…if only it were that easy. The stray exorcist moved fast, way to fast, dare he say faster…and his attacks were unorthodox and impossible to read.
Kiba used [Holy Eraser] black aura and kicked it into overdrive, to the point that the blade and his right hand itself became more like a mass of shadows. On his left hand he summoned [Stinger], a sword made to counter Katsuo's defense, and spread the shadows from one blade to another.
He moved at blinding speed for an x-shaped strike to his opponent's chest, but it was quickly blocked by the two holy blades.
Clash!
Their swords were now in the bind, their opposite auras of light and dark respectively trying to consume each other…Freed had no patience for that, he pulled one of his blades back and aimed for Kiba's right eye. Thankfully for the devil the Knight's speed is not to be sub-estimated, as his head jerked to the side milliseconds before losing an eye.
The Stray had left himself open, with just one sword in the bind and an arm wildly extended, so the Knight of Gremory took advantage of it; with a quick push from both his swords he opened his enemy's guard and used one sword to keep away his extended arm and the other to slash at Freed's throat…it would've connected were it not for Excalibur Rapidly extreme enhancements, as the priest spun to the side at high speed and, with no recovery time whatsoever, continued his deadly tune of staccatos against the Knight.
Theirs was a deadly dance – between Kiba's fluid motion attacks and Freed's ferocious and unreadable strikes, all of it without one or the other having a discernable speed advantage, it was hard to tell who would come on top…only a stalemate seemed possible or the interference of an outside force.
'Damn it…if only…'
Boom!
A wave of destruction traveled through the ground headed for the Stray exorcist, which he reacted properly and avoided…yet left himself open for a black blade to pierce his skull and he could not react until it was already there.
Then with a shit-eating grin…he disappeared in a mirage…leaving a very confused devil, who couldn't help but question what happened with a stupefied expression.
"…what the hell…"
"A life-like illusion, made by an Excalibur sword" the voice of his helping outside force clarified and made her known as Xenovia Quarta – who simply pointed to the other ongoing battle "The real Freed must there"
With no more words exchanged they both made their way to the next and final battle.
Irina was impressed…no…that was an understatement, she was astonished. She already knew that Xenovia and Katsuo had trained together, so she expected their styles to be similar…but seeing him do work up close with a blade, she understood why her partner considered him to be the best…even after he left the church. His style was an exact carbon copy of Xenovia's but taken to another level; incredibly refined, twice as overwhelming, changing her boldness for a tactical an acute instinct, each swing was perfectly timed and executed, no energy was wasted…yet…she couldn't help but think that something was physically dampening his true potential
'a wound perhaps?'
Considering all the blood he was covered in it wasn't that big of a stretch. She would see it tended to, as soon as the battle ends…but now she had to focus on her target. Reading his moves wasn't so difficult, after all he moved like Xenovia but more controlled, and he had already adapted to her mobility-based sword fighting…there wasn't an instinctual connection like she had with her partner, but they could predict each other's moves enough so that they weren't burdening one another.
…yet something troubled her…her Excalibur seemed to be reacting to something, its glowing aura increasing with every passing minute…to what she didn't know…
…
She saw an opening – her blade moved swiftly for a downward swing, but was quickly blocked…and she expected that. Instead of stopping her momentum she used it as a way to vault herself over Freed. Thankfully Katsuo followed instantly with a crushing overhead strike – good, her plan wouldn't have worked had he been a second slower. Forced with no other out, the stray couldn't help but use both swords to block the incoming attack…which left his back exposed. As her feet met the ground a backwards stab followed, going through their opponent's heart.
No blood came…no scream…just a grin and a broken Illusion…
…
Xenovia and Yuuto arrived to both a surprised Irina and steel-gazed Katsuo…all this wasted time, all this wasted effort…for mere illusions…now their surprise changed into loathing.
Clap…Clap…Clap…
"Bravo, a true display of skill. I'm so excited to prove it live this time"
Their attention shifted to the form of Freed seemingly coming out of nowhere. His slow clapping and mocking grin already intensified their collective hate for the man. Even if between them existed animosity, specially Kiba's hate for holy-swords wielders and his shared dislike of Katsuo with Xenovia, their collective hate for Freed surpassed it to the point that they would see the other way for once.
"What? You thought I would throw me against the four of you that easy….HA!" that mocking face deepened, before shifting to a sadistic and deranged smile "I like killing and I love living – doing both gets me off like no other thing in the world…I wouldn't be able to do both if I fought the four of you without the correct tools of course, hehe…"
With a simple snap of his fingers the final illusion died out. Beneath them appeared a large magical circle, hidden until now under Excalibur Nightmare's power – now it was in full display, to the point that even Issei, Koneko and Saji noticed it, their opponents already defeated. A chuckle could be heard only to be followed by a dry and short laugh…
"HA! Those stupid expressions on your faces are priceless. How does it feel to be caught in Nightmare-chan spell? HAHAHA!" the rotten priest said while licking the blade.
The brightness of the magic circle intensified temporally blinding those who stood inside it with its holy aura…The devils outside the magic circle jumped as far away as possible from the light, Kiba couldn't help but take the brunt of it – he summoned twin copies of [Holy Eraser] and used their darkness as a blanket against the light. Both Excalibur Destruction and Mimic reacted wildly against their masters, their aura heating up and burning their hands only leave them as they made their way above. Freed released his grip on both of his swords and they too levitated upwards. Soon they were five blades spinning against each other, ramping up their speed until only one blade could be seen…then a pillar of light was a herald of their forced reunion and where there were five now was only one.
A Fused Excalibur – it looked jagged, large, unnatural…even if clad in holy light the sword in itself looked like anything but the blade of legend…a cheap imitation that tainted its true beauty. The sword descended until it was on Freed's hands and from the side Valper's voice could be heard screaming as tears of joy fell from his eyes…
"Finally…Finally…it's complete…at long last…"
"OH, Glorious Upgraded Excalibur-chan, you do well in my hands" he gave the sort a mocking bow, before his eyes going wide with bloodlust and sickening excitement "Ready to taste some blood…"
They were in no shape to fight; Irina and Xenovia didn't have any weapons in hand…not like they could hold any with the wounds on them, Kiba wasn't doing much good either his whole body was littered red with burn marks…he was only able to survive thanks to his quick thinking and demonic swords, Katsuo had lost a lot of blood and stamina…his back wound wouldn't close and he had been fighting for way more time than he should have, it was a miracle he was still moving – now they were at the mercy of Sellzen in other words, they were sitting sheep waiting for the butcher to come.
Freed held his finger up and mockingly pointed at their downed forms.
"With who should I start first…hmmm…the twin tail bitch? she is pretty hot outside I wonder if the same goes for inside…or perhaps Mr. mighty hero over there see if my Excalibur-chan can pierce his skin…hahaha…the shitty devil might be a good start too, I'd like to see if that redhead bimbo will come this time to the rescue. And what about…"
"AAAAAAAAA – HA"
Crack!
The resounding sound of a nose being broken stopped Freed's tirade, it also helped keeping him quiet that it was his nose being turned to mush. Unruly to the end Xenovia performed a dropkick into the stray's face, even if she couldn't use her hands she wouldn't go down without a fight. She fell to the ground while her enemy was flung unceremoniously across the dirt.
He slowly lifted his head…touched his bleeding face and stared at Xenovia, his face contorting into a vicious, rage-filled animal that wanted nothing but to violently ravage the person before him.
"THE BLUE-BITCH IT IS THEN!"
His snarl came barely comprehensible and animalistic, a result of the stump that once was his nose, as he already decided who would be the first on his chopping block. Xenovia got up quickly…but not quickly enough, Freed was already behind her appearing in a flash of light. She used her remaining strength to vault away from him…but that wouldn't have made any difference. With a single command the blade elongate, slicing her thigh in the process, a quick scream escaped her mouth. Freed approached her slowly…he was playing with her; he could kill her at any moment but she was now his plaything and he would enjoy the moment.
"That's what happens to bitches, they get stiches…"
Xenovia paid no mind to her pained leg…as much as she could…so she defiantly stood up. She refused to die in such a way, if today was her end she would meet it standing on her feet instead of on her knees. Freed pulled his sword back and, in a flash, closed the distance between them, Excalibur's tip leading the way.
…then…
Thwump!
The sword pierced, flesh…deeply…followed by gruesome gurgling sounds made by someone choking in their own blood. Blood splattered on the ground and then more coughing was heard, unnerving to everyone present…the sound of a life being ended, a life they once knew. As for Freed…his face lit up like Christmas lights and his laugh permeated the scene like a foul smell.
Xenovia's mind stopped – She witnessed it all, all before her eyes…yet…she felt none of it. No pain in her abdomen, nor coughing nor feeling of suffocation…yet her mind was frozen in the image before her, eyes wide and unmoving.
Instead of Freed's signature exorcist robes, she saw a Kuoh Academy jacket. Instead of a Golden Sword being gripped tightly, she saw a Silver Blade barely hanging of the wielder's finger tips…his hands with long gone strength. Instead of the stray's vicious face and blood-red eyes, she saw only a side of a familiar face…amidst dirtied silver locks a pair of aqua orbs with their previous shine lost…even among coughs and blood his mouth formed into a small barely noticeable smile directed at her, yet it was the most sincere emotion she had ever seen from him – peace.
She was at a lost for words and actions.
His body was then lifted like a trophy, still impaled into the holy sword and, with a violent yanking motion, thrown to the side like a piece of discarded meat. The body flopped and tumbled unceremoniously, dropping the great-sword in the process, until finally stopping on his back – his motionless eyes staring at the stars above. The sound of him hitting the ground was the last thing heard and then…
Silence…
…
…
"YOU BASTARD, I'LL KILL YOU"
Issei had enough of it – uncaring from the damage he could sustain from the remaining holy element in the air, he lunged at Freed. Tears filling his eyes and his sacred gear in full display. As his rage increased so did the ominous red aura that surrounded him.
"Ohhhh, another wannabe hero is hungry for the special Sellzen shish kebab"
He wildly punched and kicked wildly at his friend's killer, with rage and pain fulling his every move – yet it was fruitless, Freed avoided every attack with mocking ease. The holy sword was quickly raised and fell like a guillotine on the pawn…only for a lizard's tongue to hold the wielder's hand in place – a very distraught and conflicted Saji was at the end of it, pulling with all of his might.
Koneko was conflicted – between watching the unmoving body of Katsuo and fearing for her fellow Gremory devil, the decision was not an easy one…she hated the idea that one of them would die if did nothing, she didn't want Yuuto to die, she didn't want Issei to die and, even if they have never spoken before, she didn't want Katsuo to die…she hated seeing innocent people die…just like that day…she hated it, she hated the memory of it, she hated the memory of her…
"Leave him to us"
A voice broke her line of thought – a voice that belonged to no other but the Pawn of Sitri beside her.
"…but…"
She tried to retort, but was quickly thrown off.
"Hyoudou and I are shit when it comes to magic, we can't summon fire or heal, fists are all we know. You are the only hope he has left…and don't worry about us, I'll keep that idiot over there from getting cut down, okay" Saji concluded with the most confident and reassuring smile he could muster under such strenuous circumstances
Koneko slowly nodded as she made her way to Katsuo, leaving a concentrated Saji behind, that with each pull prevented Issei from losing his head.
'…am I…dying? …is this what it feels to be stabbed?'
He could barely move his eyes let alone his head, yet he knew that right his body was more like an open grapefruit and less like a human body; a large wound going from his bellybutton all the way up to his right cheek. Essentially his entire upper body was open for anyone to see. Also, now, without his makeshift bandages, his back-wound started bleeding once again with full force. The Initial pain had already stopped…his body now felt numb, unresponsive to his commands.
'…I wonder…is she alright…I hope so…she doesn't deserve to be hurt…'
Despite being at the end of his life he had little regret of the way he went, saving someone, giving his life for another…for the greater good…no…he wasn't satisfied…his life did amount to nothing, of that he was sure…but…was it so abhorrent for him the thought of living, not dying for another…why…why couldn't he do it? Why it went against his very nature? Why was it so difficult for him to picture an end where he could save everyone and himself? Even if he wanted that more than anything…why…
'…Why am I so cursed?'
A small tear ran through his cheek.
Perhaps if had more power at the time…if he used the full power of his 'heart', he could've…no…the end to that would have been worse than death, the end to that path is the death and destruction of everyone but him…
…
…
…yet he couldn't he shake the feeling, that perhaps it was exactly it what he needed, power…more power…to protect others, even if those he saves would shun him for it…either way all the paths he had led to misfortune…not like it would help this line of though anymore, he was going to die and there was no helping it.
He only regretted that he couldn't have a familiar face by him as his life faded…from his closing eyes he caught the blurry image white mop approaching him…
Koneko's eyes went wide as she saw Katsuo's eyes slowly closing. She tried to wave her hand in front of them but there was no response. For the first time in forever, emotion was actually breaking through her apathetic mask.
"…Senpai…please…stay with me…" she said, worry showing even in her quiet voice.
A raspy coughing escaped his mouth followed by a quiet grunt.
"…Ko…ne…ko…" he could only mutter those words.
The girl in question furiously nodded her head and tried to reassure the dying boy.
"…Yes Senpai…it's me…you are going to be fine…."
She proceeded to put both of her hands above his open chest and a weak blue light emanated from them. After hearing her words and noticing the faint light with his almost closed eyes, another weak yet extremely sincere smile appeared on his features.
"…Go…od..."
Koneko wasn't sure of herself, the wounds were healing but way too slow…he would surely be dead before his chest closed. She didn't have Asia's sacred gear or the master-servant relation with Katsuo, that Rias had with Issei…simply put she had nothing that could save his life in time…
No…that was false…
She had something that could save him…but…no she wouldn't use it; she would turn evil like her…she would cause more damage than good. If only she was braver…if only she could…
Tears started streaming down her face…she didn't even notice them, there was no sobbing just tears…why was that?
"…wh…at's…wro…ng?"
Another set forced words caught her attention and she remembered what was important right now…and why tears were coming down her face…she couldn't save him, she only could if she accepted herself…and that conflicted her, she didn't know what to do…
"…I'm sorry senpai…I want to, but I can't save you…I can't accept myself…" Koneko closed her eyes and pushed more magic into her healing spell – she couldn't face him anymore.
"…acce...pt…my…self…" those words made him go into a deep trance.
Koneko didn't hear his words rather she kept trying, pushing every bit of magic into her hands…but ultimately she knew it was futile…the only way to save Katsuo was for her to accept a part of herself she had long buried and didn't wish for it to resurface…and now…someone she knew was going to die because of it…if only she was like Rias, if only…
"…I'll…do…it…" the raspy sounds of his voice brought her back to the moment "…accept…my…self…"
"…Senpai?"
"…my…heart…ple…ase…"
She didn't understand at first, but then she met his eyes…even if their light was almost extinguished, she saw determination in them, compassion and sincerity. So, she steeled herself and did what asked – at first, she thought he wanted her to ease his pain, for him to be able to pass away without discomfort…but when she removed the left side of his jacket those notions were quickly shaken off with a small gasp…
"…those are"
Koneko wasn't very experienced in different schools of magic, she heard that both Reya Kusaka and Momo Hanaki were, but that wasn't her forte, she was a Rook not a Bishop…but even someone as inexperienced as her could recognize what was scribed on Katsuo's chest, those letters were as widely know as the pantheon they originated from…
"…Nordic runes" she unconsciously said and the boy before her weakly nodded, before opening his mouth for possibly the last time.
"…bre…ak…them…"
Again, she was no bishop, but she understood the basics and what was required to break a spell. It was simple, apply a surplus of magical energy and the spell would implode like an egg in a microwave…but as backlash it would severely hurt the user – she didn't want that, she didn't want to hurt him – Katsuo gave her another weak yet resolute nod…and though she hesitated a bit she later reciprocated it…
Her Gaze shifted once again to the area were his heart should be and noticed a small glow beneath the runes, a glow that became more like a barely noticeable glimmer with every passing heartbeat…she once again hesitated, but went through with pressing both of her hands in his bare chest and pouring her magical energy into the runes.
Ba… …dumm… …
Thanks to her contact with his chest she could feel it under her palm – his heartbeat – it was slow, way too slow, and there was a very unsettling silence between each consecutive beat. She tried to pay no mind to it and focused harder on her magic.
The white runes started shining brightly…
Ba… …dumm… …
Koneko didn't know what was Katsuo's plan, she didn't know if what she was doing would heal him or kill him…nor did she question why there were runes etched into his body. She only trusted his resolution, even in his dying state.
The runes started cracking under the pressure – between the golden monarch's power and the foreign magic being forced on them, they wouldn't last long…
Ba…dumm…
She felt his heartbeat increase, somehow it was working, pouring magic into these runes would help him get better! The light of the runes didn't escape her eyes either, now they were a mix of white light and rainbow colors. Their spell was almost broken, it needed just a little bit more. So, she gathered the last bit of magic she had and like a defibrillator pushed…
The sound of glass breaking echoed, the rainbow lights disappeared and Katsuo's body jolted for a second, then…
…it went limp…
Shock, worry and guilt all flashed through Koneko's face as she touched his chest once again to check his pulse.
…..
There was none, it was a flat-line. His body laid motionless before her, all the blood it once had wasted, and the last light in his eyes had been extinguished. She waited and waited and no heartbeat came from it…she had done it…she killed him…it was all her fault…if only she had been a little bit braver…if only she could accept herself…if only…
A quiet whisper left her mouth as tears travelled down her face.
"…I'm sorry"
…
…
…
…
…
..
.
BA-DUMM!
A single pulse came out of him, like a shockwave it travelled to the field and everyone present felt it. It was heavy, powerful and ancient – it wouldn't be ignored nor would it be quiet. All fight ceased because of it.
Issei felt it once again, the sensation of his left hand burning, this time he was accustomed to it.
"AAAAAAAA!"
Saji fared worse…far worse…his hand combusted into a thick miasma of black flames and he fell to the floor clutching it in pain.
Kiba felt the overwhelming magical energy and its dark nature, like a curse forever etched into the earth…no…like a curse that would consume the earth! And wouldn't stop until all life was plundered.
Koneko felt it the worse…even without using her enhanced senses, she was extremely susceptible to the supernatural and the emotions it carried. She now felt a familiar yet different…horrifyingly different aura. It was Katsuo's but sent to its most extreme possibility, unhinged, overwhelming and oppressive, but what was muddied before and she couldn't sense…she could now – greed, lust for power, rage, Power, obsession, Greed, curses, POWER, GREED, GREED, GREED…
A monster had awoken and she had set it out of its cage…
Katsuo's body reacted immediately, lifting itself from the ground – His open chest partially closed, the scar left behind suddenly shifting and becoming and intricate sigil that glowed a brightly aquamarine green. Black scales sprouted like swords from random parts of his body shattering his jacket and covering patches of skin in a protective shell, his left arm was completely covered in them and fingers became claws. His heart didn't produce blood anymore, so blue flames took its place…pure and unhinged magic energy with every heart-beat. His skin darkened as the result of the fire fueling his body. Aqua eyes became slits like a lizard and a glimmer of a sickly yellow flashed through them. Lastly a single dragon-horn protruded from the left side of his head. He looked less human and more lizard-like…all for the exception of one single spot…
Koneko saw his horrible transformation and couldn't help but think of her. She wanted to apologize, had she known she wouldn't have done this to him, she wanted to ask him why did he force her to do this to him…but the only thing that came to her mind were the same words from before…
'…I'm sorry'
With her face down-casted she didn't notice when he approached her, yet she felt when a hand gently patted her head…it felt different…it felt nice…she liked it…Koneko slowly shifted her gaze and her amber eyes made contact with his aqua ones – though changed and morphed into something they were not, they still carried the same compassion and brother-like attitude they were known for. She understood by looking at them that the curses that emanated from him couldn't taint his soul.
He closed his eyes and let his usual laidback smile show itself; it wasn't toothy nor mischievous, it was pretty standard yet the honesty it radiated spoke louder than words. He continued to, even with his morphed hands, gently pat her head and uttered two words.
"Don't be"
A/N: This chapter was kinda of experimental, i definitely tried to use more onomatopoeia than usual, so tell me if you liked the style.
The following two chapters are already set in stone as the conclusion of 'Holy swords of the moonlit classroom' and the start of 'Battle for Kuoh academy' respectively, so they should take as much...but i'll rather not jinx myself, so just rest assure that they'll come.
Leave a review if you like it, till next time.
