"She said she wanted to leave the Fallen Angels right, you're sure?" Rias asked as she looked over her Pawn, his clothes tattered with ash and slightly burned. On the outside she looked clam if a bit displeased but in the inside she was raging. These Fallen Angels dare to attack her servant and kill humans that were under her family's protection. Both were grave offences and they had been only getting away with the first because she knew that Atreus was a far better match than the peons that he had been fighting. But now things have changed, with the attack on the dinner and the loss of mortal lives she was in the total right by both the laws of Hell and the Fallen Angels own laws. But the question she was asking was for the last piece of the puzzle, Asia Argento.
"Yes, before the explosion came she said that." Atreus answered as he had just finished explaining what had happened. After dropping of Raynare at the hospital to be healed by his mother he went straight to Rias with all the haste he could muster. He was just as angry as Rias, this entire thing had been building to this point and he was happy to finally end it.
"Good, than they have kidnapped a mortal human that does not wish to be in their company. And any human in my territory is my responsibility when in relation to the Supernatural." Rias said very carefully and Atreus guess she had to given the tense relations that the Devils and Fallen Angels had. Rias then stood up from her desk and looked to her Queen who was standing ready. "Akeno, I want you to send a message to Hell, my brother and the Foreign Affairs Department. I want them up to speed on all that has been going on. I want all of this on the books and I want our story to reach the official channels first."
"At once president." Akeno bowed and left the group to go do as told. This left Rias and the rest of her peerage in the main room of the old school building.
"I want all of us at the church as soon as possible. Given the crimes it no longer has the right of sovereign ground of either heaven or any Angelic element." Atreus, Koneko, and Kiba all nodded and started leaving to prepare their gear for battle. "Atreus wait, I want any insight into the enemy I can get."
"She's ready to kill at any moment." Atreus said as he stayed back, his words didn't seem to surprise Rias but did worry her greatly. "I've seen people like her, it's like breathing to them. They have a need to kill to prove that they still can feel something. Or maybe it's the only thing that feels real or whatever." Atreus said thinking back to Magni and Modi, but most of all their father Thor. They felt a lot like Rehael. Not caring about who they hurt so long as they got something out of it.
"Then there's no talking our way out. Very well." Rias said much to the mild surprise of Atreus, which showed on his face as Rias could clearly tell. "I've killed before Atreus, I don't enjoy it but I know that its necessary. I can assume you've done it?" She asked and hoped that she was wrong but that was a naïve hope and she knew it. She just didn't like the idea of her servants being forced to commit sins on their souls.
"Yeah, but my father taught me to respect the kill. Though what we're talking about isn't at all like killing Dräger or a stag. Killing men has never sat well with me." Atreus rarely but still had them, nightmares about his first kill. The dead eyes of some bandit as it lay on top of him. It usually ended with it coming back as a Dräger and he would kill it effortlessly. "But this bitch needs to be put down."
"I couldn't agree more, but I needed to wait until now to get this done." Rias sighed as she leaned back on her desk. She knew from the moment that the Fallen Angels had come to her territory that something like this would happen. She wished that it wouldn't but it did. This cold war between the Three Factions meant that when one side got involved with the others it would only end in bloodshed, and humans would pay the price. "But do you think that we can beat her?"
"She's currently poisoned with the Mists of Niflheim. Unless she knows someone that can cure one of the most deadly toxins in all of the Supernatural World she'll be dead in two days if the placement and amount she got hit with was anything to go by." Atreus said with a smile but that faded as he recalled a crucial fact. The reason they wanted Asia in the first place. He just hoped that Asia could last until they got there if she hadn't already been forced to heal Rehael.
"Fucking break you little bitch!" Rehael shouted as she smacked Asia across the face, but then doubled back as she felt a biting pain in her side. Asia dropped to the ground and whimpered but remained defiant. For two hours now she had been able suffer through the beatings that Rehael had given her. She wouldn't heal the woman ever, she wasn't worthy to be healed by Asia's gift from god. "Fucking fuck fuck… this hurts. How the hell did that little brat get me like this."
Rehael stumbled over in pain as she fell into one of the pews. She looked down to her uncovered side, the green skin and black veins were spreading faster and faster. The pain was starting to get unbearable. Whatever this shit was it was deadly but slow. She would have admired it if it wasn't for the fact it was happening to her. She looked back to the one person that could fix this and snarled. She worked up her strength back and fought the pain back to tolerable levels. Standing, she strode back to the former nun and yanked her back up by grabbing onto her face.
"Rehael! We nearly have the ritual ready!" One of the priests that remained with them called out. Her little bitches of fellow Fallen Angels had abandoned her when they saw how bad the poison was. Her killing Dohnaseek might also have something to do with it. It didn't matter as once she had Twilight Healing they would all fall before her.
"You hear that you little whore, soon that lovely little Sacred Gear will be all mine and your nasty tantrum will be for nothing." Rehael smirked but then scowled at the still hateful glare that Asia was giving her. Where did this sudden backbone come from? This was the meek small girl that could be bully by a kid with cancer right? "Maybe I should teach you the same lesson I had to give my darling daughter…" Rehael chuckled as she reached up to form a spear of light but then stopped as the two gate doors on the church were blasted in. Rehael looked forward and past the dust cloud that was now settling to see the local Devil brats walking in.
"Fallen Angel Rehael, you killed humans on my territory and have kidnaped a human that has renounced her allegiance to your Faction. Return Asia Argento now and be ready to face judgement." Rehael continued to hold onto Asia as she dropped the girl back to the floor, she gave the gathering of young Devils in front of her a dismissive blank look. She really did hate it when Devils used the word judgement, like they had such a high place to judge people from. But then again… she wasn't one to talk.
"Run away little kiddies, grownups are doing grown up things." As she said this a file of exorcists began pouring out of the secret entrance to the underground cavern below the church and into the main chamber. Led of course by that lovely psycho Freed. Rehael then focused on the boy that poisoned her. A deep scowl cross her face as she really wanted to tear him limb from limb herself but she needed to get the ritual done before the Devils had a chance to ruin it. "Freed, I want that ginger's head on a spike when I get back." Rehael ordered as she began to drag Asia down into the depths of the church caverns.
"Righto! Time to kill some shitty Devil ass!" Freed shouted in glee and the surrounding exorcists all shouted in holy reverence toward the act of purging Devils from this world. The four Devils standing at the front of the church all blankly looked at the mass of moronic men playing priest, then continued to watch as their Rook lifted up one of the still intact pews.
"Good idea, stay real close together would ya." Koneko said as she lifted the large pews with ease and made the exorcists all freeze up at the sight of such a small girl doing such a feat. She then threw the pew into the men as they coward in its shadow.
"Not so fast half pint!" Freed mocked as he jumped up and used the thrown pew as spring board to supposedly launch himself at the Devils. Ready to kill them all with a sword of light and blessed bullets. But instead of that, he looked up and found a small white haired girl in the air and in that moment he knew he was fucked in the ass with no mercy of lube. "Ouchy!" Freed cried as Koneko smashed his face in and sent him flying into the standing cross that loomed over the central chamber.
"Lame." Koneko commented as Kiba and Atreus passed by her. The Rook's attack had not taken out the Fallen Angel's soldiers, only pinned them for the moment. Atreus and Kiba both nodded to each other and he used that moment to hop over them and enter the secret carven. The remaining Rook and Knight would take care of the remaining exorcists while the Pawn traveled down deeper into the underground base of the Fallen Angels.
Atreus sped down the stairs as quickly as he could. He had no idea how long it would take for Rehael to do this ritual to take Asia's Sacred Gear but he wasn't about to slack off and risk being too late. As he came to the bottom of the steps he found more exorcists all surrounding a raised alter where Asia was placed on a giant gothic cross. Her arms chained to the object and Atreus could feel even from this distance her aura being syphoned into the device. There at the altar stood Rehael who was focusing all her attention on Asia, waiting for the first moment to take her Sacred Gears so she could heal herself.
"Die Devil!" One of the priests roared out as he rushed forward swinging a sword of light. Atreus didn't even give the man a passing glance as he ducked under the swing and back handed him as he popped back up behind the priest. More and more exorcists tried their hand at trying to kill the Pawn only to be effortless taken down by the teenage boy that was a far more experienced warrior than they ever could be. He glided through the crowd of white garbed priests, dodging and knocking them out with every step. And as he reached the back of the horde he snapped his fingers and summoned a spectral stag, the summon began its slow walk back to the front and out of it came arcs of lightning zapping all that came close to it.
"Lady Rehael, the ritual is do-" The attending priest choked on his final word as Rehael snapped his neck in rage. She could hear the sounds of defeat behind her. And as they stopped she knew that it wasn't because they had beaten the Devil brat. She had enough and reached up and yanked one of the rings off Asia's hand, breaking the girl's finger in the process. She quickly shoved it on her own hand but as she went to take the other ring she was shot in the back by three arrows, all of them having a sickly dark green mist falling off them.
"Get away from her!" Rehael wanted nothing more than to tear out that brat's spine and beat him to death with it. But as she felt that agonizing pain of the poison now infecting her back she needed that other ring now more than ever. She bit her lip and fought through the ungodly amount of pain flooding her system and grabbed Asia' hand. Then she felt something pull on her wings. Her eyes widened for a moment before looking back to see the Devil brat covered in a wispy green flames, his hands on her wings and then with a roar of rage he flung her from the alter and into the back of the cavern.
"Atreus…" Asia weakly mumbled as she heard his voice but could barely think straight. She felt tried and wanted to sleep but something told her that would be bad. She didn't know why sleeping would be bad but she listened to the voice that told her not to. She tried to open her eyes as Atreus unlocked her from the device and gently brought back down to the floor.
"Don't worry Asia, I'm here. I'm…" Atreus stopped as he looked to her right hand and saw her ring missing. "Shit." She cursed and looked back to where he had chucked Rehael but saw that she was gone. He then cursed himself and letting his family's anger get to him. He reacted to fast and recklessly. He then looked back to Asia and while he could feel her lifeforce waver at the loss of half her Sacred Gear she wasn't going to die just yet. But he was going to find Rehael and fix this, and the only way he knew he could was by ending her.
Rehael washed a glowing hand over her back and side. For the fifth time this night. No matter how many times she used the incomplete Twilight Healing on her infected wounds they wouldn't go away. The pain would and the poison would stop and even recede a bit but not vanish as it should. Growling she grabbed a nearby candle stick and chucked it out the window. This little club house that the Devils had made their nest was still too pristine for her tastes. Even as it lay in ruins after a quick but brutal fight.
"Dirty little half breed, telling me what to do." Rehael grumbled as she looked down on the beaten and bloody form of the Devil that had been here keeping their nest warm. A filthy Devil and Fallen Angel hybrid that disgusted Rehael to her very core. But the pure-blooded Fallen Angel showed a little restraint and the girl was still alive. Rehael watched as she struggled to stand back up and even another arc of electricity danced around her body.
"You won't-" The girl began to say but Rehael quickly shoved her heel into the beaten girl's back. Even with half of Twilight Healing she was invincible. All throughout the fight the Devil tried to destroy her and nothing stayed. The poison was irritating but any wounds given to her by the pathetic attacks this hybrid gave Rehael were promptly healed back up.
"Shut it, the only reason why your alive is to be bait for the rest of your little friends. I'm not leaving this shit of a town until I get the rest of that power. It should be mine already but that son of a bitch stole it from me." Rehael snarled as she dug her heel deeper into the Devil's back. Not in the least bit caring if there was any serious damage. She could heal any wound that proved too fatal. That had been the one of the many reasons why she wanted this power, to keep her playthings alive longer to extend the fun. "Now leave a nice blood trail, I'm bored of this place and want a nice wide open place to see every inch of blood I'll paint the ground with."
"Atreus, what is the worst way you can end this bitch?" Rias asked as Atreus led her and a weakened Asia up to the front door of his home. After they had saved Asia, tied up the remaining priests, searched the church for the last two Fallen Angels, and finally concluded that Rehael, Freed, and the Fallen Angels all had abandoned the Church they returned to their club house. Only to find it totally trashed and littered with many blood stains. Rias had immediately tried to contact Akeno only to get no response. It was evident just who was responsible.
"She's already dying from it. The Mists of Niflheim is a slow and painful way to go. They eat away at your being and leave you a lifeless husk." Atreus answered as he let Asia lean on him for support. He had been very impressed with the former nun as she powered through the obvious pain she was in. Her soul was drained and incomplete with only half of her Sacred Gear with her. But this couldn't go on for much longer, he only hoped that Freya was home so she keep help out again. But as they approached his home he noticed something. "They already have the security system up."
"What?" Rias asked as she didn't see much difference between the house now and when she last saw it.
"The flowers in the garden, they're all turned red." Atreus pointed to the small gardens that were planted by the front doors and lined the walls of the house. "We have a system, Vanir magic and other Norse Rune Stones guard the house and when the system is on high alert the flowers all turn red to tell family." Atreus explained, deciding to leave out the fact that those same flowers could grow into giant monsters that attack anyone that tried to enter the building. And that the underground Nordic Rune Stones would shred anyone that tried to teleport into the house. "You can only get in safely if someone opens the door." He said as he handed off Asia to Rias, despite the blond girl's strength she still was only barely lucid. Most of her strength was just used for standing, something that she insisted that she could do. Even if she still needed help walking and not swaying.
"All good, Asia will be safe here while we go out to look for Rehael." Rias smiled but she was also curious as to why Atreus' family felt the need to have such a impressive security system. Not even her home here in Kuoh was this stringent.
"Oh no, trust me… we've had this thing tested. It can keep gods out." Atreus chuckled as he turned back toward the door, as he knocked he didn't see Rias' surprised look at just how causal he could say things like that. He was expecting either his mother or Mimir to open the door. Nope.
"Welcome home Atreus… hey! You two weren't supposed to be here!" Atreus and Rias both stared at the sight of Raynare standing in the doorway with nothing but a white apron barely containing her bust and only just scarcely was low enough to cover her hips and what was between them. The sight was enjoyable for Atreus but also very confusing. He wasn't exactly aware of Raynare's feelings as they only ever had one date and he still couldn't recall the last part of that date. The letter helped but it was still very new to him given all that had happened.
"Raynare, why are you here?" Atreus asked drawing the Fallen Angel's attention back to him. She stopped pouting at Rias and Asia and beamed at him. Ignoring her attire and how all of their neighbors could see her if they decided to look over.
"I am officially running away from the Fallen Angels faction. That means that the second I step out of this town I'm dead meat. Your mom was nice enough to grant me shelter." Raynare smiled before jumping on the copper haired boy and pulling him into a hug, burying his face in her scarcely clad bosom. This was only the very beginning of the time she wanted him between her tits, and the current arrangement would certainly allow for it. "Isn't this great babe, now I'm living with you."
"In your own room, I won't be cleaning nasty sex sheets every night!" Atreus heard Mimir call from inside, he could guess that he wasn't too happy with this.
"Oh can it you old goat! Go find a sock to spend the night with!" Raynare angrily and nearly comically shouted back to the Satyr as she continued to keep her man in her chest, unwilling to let him go. But then a sudden ahem brought her attention back outside. There she saw Rias Gremory standing behind Atreus with a not so pleased look on her face. "What, don't look at me like that. If it wasn't for me, you'd never even have Atreus as your little servant to begin with." Raynare said bitterly as she wasn't at all happy with idea she would have to share Atreus at all with this devil bimbo.
"Yes, I painfully aware of that." Rias dragged out of herself, it was true even if the details of that night didn't paint Raynare in the best light it was still thanks to her that Atreus still lived. And Rias had to admit that her new favorite servant was only hers because of Raynare.
"So that means you're not going to go after me because of the whole Fallen Angel thing rigggght?" Both women knew that Raynare was just digging her heel with her attitude but Rias let the woman have her moment. It was the bigger person thing to do.
"You will be allowed in My territory so long as you behave. Don't interfere with the lives of humans in any supernatural way, respect my household and those Devils of authority in my territory, and lastly make no contact with your former allies." Raynare listened to Rias' demands and nodded in agreement, even if the first one was a little irritating as she would now have to deal with humans without being able to do as she wanted. But now she had her Atreus and that was all that mattered. Speaking of which…
"Raynare… can you let go of me."
"No." Raynare said as she still held Atreus in her bust, too happy to have him so close to let him go just yet. "By the way, why'd you bring Argento? I'd had expected that you would have offered to make her a Devil after you killed my mom." At that Rias and Atreus both had an uneasy look on their faces and Raynare quickly went through a gambit of emotions ranging form fear to joy to anger. "She's not dead yet is she?"
"No, and she's taken my Queen hostage. We were dropping Asia off here so she can be kept safe while we search for Rehael." Rias explained as she held up Asia and Raynare processed this information. On one hand she was scared that her mother was still out there and while there was a part of her that was happy at the chance for revenge, she knew that she wasn't strong enough to take her mother on. But then she looked down to the boy in her chest and had to believe that if anyone could kill Rehael it could be him. But even so…
"I'm coming with you." Raynare said as she let Atreus go and ran back inside to change. Both Atreus and Rias didn't have a chance to say anything before she was gone. Atreus didn't want Raynare anywhere near this fight as it both was likely for her to get hurt and possibly hinder him in a fight due to the personal business between her and her mother. The two then helped Asia into the home, Mimir began looking over her and applying what little healing magic he knew. It wouldn't be enough to save her but hopefully keep her stable long enough for them to beat Rehael and get Asia's Sacred Gear back. Mimir also explained that Atreus mother was working over time to help those injured by Rehael's attack on the dinner. By the time that they had gotten Asia settled Raynare was back down in her normal state of dress… which honestly wasn't that much more than just an apron.
"I don't think this is the best idea." Atreus said and Raynare just stared at him for a moment before suddenly closing the distance between them. Knocking him down to the ground and kissing the hell out of him. Mimir just chuckled at youth and Rias was silently fuming about Raynare's conduct. "Uh… that was for?" Atreus asked after a deep breath to get some air back in his lungs.
"Because I have a few weeks of time to make up for and you were talkin' stupid. This was more fun than slapping you." Raynare said as she laid on top of him. "I am going out there, I've dreamed about killing my mom for as long as I can remember." Raynare stood up and Atreus followed as she spoke. He knew that there was iron solid conviction in her words and she wasn't going to let this go. She wanted desperately to be apart of her mother dying, even if she knew she wouldn't be the one to kill her. And she knew that part very well, the small edges of fear in her voice told Atreus that much. He then looked to Rias who shrugged noncommittedly, this wasn't for her to decide.
"Fine." Atreus said but he had zero intention of letting Raynare ever see her mother again. He hated lying, even lying by omission. But he wasn't going to let Raynare get hurt like she did again. To nearly die in such a brutal way by your own parent's hands was a pain that he never wished for anyone. He felt bad enough as it was that this wasn't the first time he learned or experienced this thing. "We need to hurry, Asia doesn't have much time." Atreus said simply, nearby Mimir was chuckling at how much the boy resembled his father when taking something seriously.
"Where are they, I'm not exactly hiding." Rehael growled as she paced in the middle of a large clearing. It was in the middle of the forests that hugged Kuoh's borders. Nearby Akeno was tied to a tree with nothing but some chains that Rehael had scrounged up. The only reason why Akeno didn't break free on her own returning strength was because she was smart enough to know that it would be pointless. The result would be the same or worse than when she first got into the this position.
"Need to wait for someone to find us." Akeno thought as she kept her eyes on the edges of the clearing. The fight with Rehael the first time had been tough but now it would be impossible. Akeno's body had heal a little but Rehael was completely back to one hundred percent… sans one thing. Akeno hid a smirk as she watched Rehael reach back and activate Twilight Healing again. She did this every five minutes, fixing the poison that Atreus had infected her with. Akeno's enjoyment however was muted as she felt a hand move over her mouth.
"Shh, don't draw attention to us." Akeno heard Atreus whisper into her ear and to be honest she found it really hot to both be bound up like this and hear his voice so close. But she shook those thoughts away for the moment. "She has some sort of spell or something preventing Illusion magic." Atreus said as he removed his hand from her mouth.
"Yeah, I saw her setting it up when we arrived. Where's everyone else?" Akeno asked as she continued to look forward and not acknowledge the boy hiding behind her. When he didn't answer however she knew he was all alone here. Heroic and manly yes, smart… maybe not so much.
"I might have put them all under an illusion to have them walk in circles while I handled this." Atreus admitted and Akeno had the urge to sigh at his bravery. She knew that he was strong but this woman had a powerful healing spell she could spam like crazy. But then she remembered that it wasn't complete and she constantly had to heal a poison that Atreus gave her. "Listen, all I need to do is rip that ring off her finger and she'll go down in minutes." He said and as he spoke, she could hear the string of his bow pull back. Then she felt a sudden surge of power, so much so she couldn't help but feel a tad bit excited. Then he fired and Rehael must have sensed it to as the streaming green arrow flew through the air Rehael unfurled her wings and shot up into the air.
The Fallen Angel responded quickly and formed dozens of spears of light and shot them where the arrow had fired from. Both Akeno and Atreus dodged out of the way of the attack, Atreus dashing into the middle of the cleaning and Akeno broke free of her chains but still kept to the edge. Rehael looked to not care in the slightest about Akeno and focused all her hateful glare toward Atreus. Then watched as he continued to fire up the misty green arrows that she knew horribly too well. She dodged out of the way, twisting in the air and avoiding every single arrow at any cost. If she was hit by any more than she would be spending the rest of her short life trying to heal every wound before another would just start acting up again.
But this gave the Devil pawn the perfect opportunity to fly up and land a solid punch to the gut as Rehael missed one of his poisoned arrows. Atreus smirked but that quickly vanished as he felt something tug at the back of his head. Rehael snarled angerly as she caught his head, the blow to her stomach hurt like hell but she had long since grown accustom to pain and could fight regardless. Pulled back and then thrown back down to the ground, Atreus slammed into the clearing with a massive thud that masked his gasp of air and pain.
"You little pissant, you really think that a greenhorn like yourself can beat me. I may have missed out on the Great War but I'm no fucking slouch." She shouted as she quickly fixed up whatever damage he had inflected on her while reducing the green infection on her side. The only answer that she received was a murder of sickly green crows flying up toward her. Rehael groaned as they played this game again, but she was on the clock and so decided against just playing it over again. With a wave of her hand a sphere of light enclosed her and then began rapidly expanding outward. The spectral crows all slammed against the wall of light and were dusted instantly. The bubble of light popped and out from its edge appeared Rehael spear in hand.
She landed down with a thrust toward Atreus, but her strike missed its target and pierced the ground instead. Before she could react she felt a fist clock her jaw and then another her side. A barrage of punches continued on prevented her from making a counter. A disturbing thought was creeping into her head, that this pissant wasn't a normal Reincarnated Devil. She had read the file on him that the Grigori had compiled, that he was suspected of containing a Longinus or was a demigod of some sort. But even then that didn't explain the fact he fought like a actually warrior.
As the boy went for a sweeping kick to her legs, she had her chance and jumped over his leg and countered with and lunching roundhouse kick to his head. She needed to keep him away from close combat. While up close and personal was her favorite means of punishing weaker opponents, ones on her level were not the same story. Large barrages of light constructs was a better strategy but that was thrown out the window due to those summons of his. As she took the time heal herself back up she knew that if she had the full Twilight Healing than she could draw this out. A battle of attrition would always land on her side if she could just heal any injury.
But with things the way they were she couldn't do that. The poison that was trying to kill her, ironically it was the fact it was doing so slowly that was saving her right now, would do its deed if left unattended for too long. And if this boy was allowed to beat on her for more than two minutes than her combat effectiveness would depress due to the infection. Rehael knew it was a spiral down effect that she was fighting against.
"Tch… I don't have time for this." Rehael unfurled her second pair of wings and flew back up into the air. She scanned the clearing and found the Devil irritatingly just standing there. Aiming his bow at her but not actually firing at her. Deciding that she wasn't going to let him do whatever it was that he was planning on doing she smirked and let out her wings as far she could spread them. He seemed unfazed by the fact she had two sets, a marker of a higher ranked Fallen Angel, but that's not what mattered. With a flap of her wings she sent down hundreds of her feathers down to the ground where they all stuck straight up into the air. This move did in fact make the boy visibly tense up as he was unfamiliar with the technique. And how could he, it was something only the highest ranked Fallen Angels could do… and her. It was what made her so in demand among the Fallen Angels, that she could pull this off even at her level of development.
"Atreus get off the ground!" Just before she activated her trap, someone called out to the boy and he listened. As the tips of the grounded feathers suddenly lit up and formed a web of linking strands of Light, Atreus flew off the ground seconds before the holes in the web were filled and the entire clearing was covered in a pane of Holy Light. Rehael was irritated that the first stage of the plan didn't finish him off but she didn't mind that as she was able to spin around and grab ahold of the woman that warned her prey. She took the Devil girl by the throat and pull her in close, turning them both around to face the Pawn.
"Well isn't this interesting… how does a half-breed your age know about that little trick huh?" Rehael asked in a sweet innocent voice, like a longtime friend asking about their day. Akeno struggled against the Fallen Angel's grip around her body but found it like a vice and couldn't move in the slightest, not without Rehael tightening her grip at her throat. The plan had been for Atreus to fire a Lightning arrow, intentionally missing Rehael but for Akeno to sneak up behind her and then redirect the power of the arrow into her back. Given that the Fallen Angell had looked like she discounted Akeno entirely in the fight it seemed like a good idea, but then Akeno saw her using that power and she couldn't let Atreus get caught up in it.
"Let her go!" Atreus yelled as he formed a new murder of spectral crows around himself and Rehael. All of them infused with Lightning rather than the Mists of Niflheim. Rehael glanced at the change in power with a keen interest. The sudden change in element wasn't a fluke, she knew he had been targeting her with that poison the entire fight. The variable that had changed was the girl, which meant she had an affinity with Lightning as it meant even if he accidently hit her it wouldn't be nearly as much damage done. There was also that smell and look to her that had been bugging Rehael since she first saw the girl. It clicked in her head and she smiled ear to ear as she figured it out.
"Oh, this is delicious." Rehael said in a flowing voice of pure enjoyment. She glanced down to the Devil in her hands and with enough intent and focus was able to pierce through the Glamor that was covering her wing. It wasn't difficult to break it as well. Akeno then screamed as Rehael quickly transferred her hand from her throat to her Fallen Angel wing. "You're Baraqiel's little whelp aren't you?! I heard rumors that you turned Devil but didn't think you would stoop that low." Rehael cackled as she began pulling harder and harder on the mismatched wing.
"I said let her go!" Atreus roared as he sent the summoned crows toward the pair, hoping that this would be less painful than whatever it was this psycho bitch had in store for Akeno. But then below him the tips of the grounded feathers glowed with Holy Light and then pinpointed the flying summons and shot them all down. "This… isn't good." Atreus mumbled as he started looking down at the feathers down below, innocently swaying in the slight breeze.
"This is often called the Reverse Bird Cage by Our people." Rehael said with a mocking emphases on Our as she looked down to Akeno, clearly in pain but also visibly pissed by the insinuation. Atreus didn't claim to know the full story here but he understood that this was all kinds of torture for Akeno. "This trip as been so fun, seeing my daughter and having good bounding time with her. Getting this Scared Gear. Finding a very annoying little pissant that might be a little more than that. And now having Barky Boy's bastard daughter all to myself to play with." Akeno screamed even louder as she felt something on her back began to snap and break. "To start with, since you seemed intent on leaving your heritage behind, let me help you with that." There was a loud cracking sound laced with wet and bloody squelching as she finished her manic threat.
Rehael was having so much fun that it took her brain a moment to realize that it was in fact one of her own wings that had been torn off. Then the pain followed through and she dropped Akeno as she screamed in agony. The half Devil and half Fallen Angel dropped through the air and was barely conscious from all the pain, but something caught her before she could crash into the ground. Dozens of laser like beams began firing around her but not a single one could land a hit. A massive flock of sparrows was circling the battlefield, acting as a cloud of flares to distract the beams of Holy Light. As the darkness ate away at her vision, Akeno could see Atreus enveloped by wispy flames of green power, the power that hung in the air was the densest she had ever felt in her life and she could feel the rage and wrath that permeated it.
"Just stay here, I'll handle this." It was a little more gruff and lacked any of humorous lightness that it normally had but it was Atreus that told her this. Akeno felt herself be placed down on the soft grass and back against a tree. Something started wrapping itself around her limbs and she felt a easy glow of rejuvenating power but the very last thing she saw before falling unaware was Atreus walking away back toward the fight. Something seemed fundamentally different about him now but Akeno couldn't possibly think on what it was as she closed her eyes to the rest of the fight.
"Just what the fuck are you." Rehael had a look of utter burring hate as she glared down at the approaching Pawn. Something bad had happened, the level of power that he was radiating was on a whole other level. This wasn't a low-class newly reincarnated Devil before her, if anything this gave her shuddering flashbacks to the one time she had been witnessed to the power of a Ultimate Class Devil. She struggled to maintain her power still distributed between her body and the feathers, But she needed it more it repair the damage done by having one of her wings ripped off from her. A wing that was now on the ground, in the crater that had been made earlier.
"I could tell you, but your about to be dead in a minute anyways." Atreus brushed off as in a instant he vanished from sight and reappeared behind Rehael. The utter speed that he had used was beyond what she could sense. And the second she looked back with a horrified look on her face he was already pulling back his first punch. A thundering crack echoed out as his fist slammed into her face and then was followed by another into her ribs. Over and over again he proceeded to beat her mid air, each time the force from one of his blows made her fly through the air he would come into her path of momentum and deliver a stopping blow. There was no time to react, no time to counter, or time to heal her growing list of wounds. And just like Atreus said, a minute was coming to a close. One last two fisted slam down on her back sent Rehael plummeting into the ground. The force of the landing sending her feathers scattering in the wind.
She was beaten bloody, her entire body covered in either red from the blood, blue from the bruises, or green form the gnawing infection. The expensive dress that she had started out with was in tatters and not a hint of the well groomed visage that she had previously had been maintained. She spit up more of her own blood as she struggled to move her hand to any of the many injuries dealt to her. The glow of Twilight Healing began only to be smothered by Atreus' hand crushing Rehael's own.
"I-its m-m-mine…" Rehael choked out with snarl as she used the last of her strength to maintain a hold on the Scared Gear. Atreus then snapped her hand in a very unnatural way, she gave a gaps of pain, her throat unable to give out a scream. But her hand went limp and with that Atreus was able to remove the Scared Gear. "Gi-giv… mine…" She dragged out as her arm shakily reached out for the ring.
"This is the only thing you can think about? You're on death's door and not a thought of regret, or maybe a loved one to ask for forgiveness?" Atreus asked with a sad look in his eyes. The wrath and anger he had before changing to pity as the aura of his godhood dissipated. Rehael didn't respond any further than one last final grasp toward Twilight Healing. But her hand fell down as life left her completely and she was gone. Her beaten and blood body just laid there lifeless and Atreus sighed. With a snap of his fingers a torrent of crows barraged down onto the body, all flaming with the power of Muspelheim and turning her body to ash.
Akeno slowly opened her eyes, her body hurt… no surprise there. Most of it was on her back though. At that realization her eyes widened as she recalled the last thing that was happing. She started to stir but felt something tighten around her body to keep her in place. Normally she would have loved the bondage play but right now wasn't the time for that.
"I'm sorry but I need you to stay still, your wounds are still healing." She heard Atreus say and turned her head up to look at the boy that had saved her. His arms were covered in glowing vines that extended down onto her body. But it was the memory of when she last saw him that was on her mind. The sight of him so powerful and angry still sent shivers up her spine. But that was muted at the fear and dread she was feeling at the thought of him seeing her greatest shame.
"You've seen them… my wings." She wanted to cry, she wanted to find a corner and be as small as possible. She hated her wings, proof of her freak heritage and sin. One half Devil and the other half Fallen Angel. The cruel fact of her life was she nearly wanted the bitch to go through with her torment if it meant she wouldn't have the side of her she hated most apart of her.
"Yeah about that." He said with a look off to the distance, a guilt smile on his face. This confused her as that wasn't the reaction that she had been expecting. "I've known since I first saw you use your wings." She could barely understand what he said. That he knew all this time and said nothing.
"How?" It came out without much thought behind it. Her mind was still grasping with the idea that he had known and done nothing.
"I can see through illusions, the low level glamor spell you used wasn't hard at all. I didn't say anything because well… I don't have any control over this power and so I was just trying to respect your privacy." He said solemnly like he had done something wrong. But Akeno could only feel several tears forming in her eyes at the kindness that he had shown. A kindness that so very few people have ever showed her. She looked away, she didn't want him to see her cry.
"Thank you, that means a lot." Akeno said weakly, she really meant it but couldn't force the happiness and worry that was building her heart to stay quiet. Atreus said nothing and continued to work at healing her with the Vanir healing magic he knew. He still wanted to keep her privacy intact and so wasn't going to take her to Asia. The two maintained silence with Atreus focusing on healing and Akeno conflicted with how Atreus had been acting. As she felt the vines loosen and her body was freed she needed to ask the question that was burning in her mind.
"There… It's not the best but at least now you're not in any danger." Atreus said as he started to stand up only for Akeno to grab his sleeve and prevent him from leaving her.
"Why… why did you keep treating me like everyone else even after learning my secret? That I'm this disgusting monster." She could still hear the screams of those that hated her for what she was. Those hateful roars of everyone that learned of what she was. The looks of disgust and scorn never left, they only felt far away thanks to Rias. With her best friend she had a place but the ghosts of her past still would not leave her. So she would try to distract herself, pleasure and pain both worked the best but work also numbed the echoes.
"Your half Fallen Angel right?" There was a pause and then he chuckled. "I'm one part Jotun, one part Greek god, one part mortal, and now one part Devil. By your logic… I'm three times the monster you are." Atreus leaned further back down as Akeno looked up at him, a wave of calmness enveloped her as she looked up at his supportive and genuine smile. It hurt to see someone that trusting and warm to her after learning her secret. "I treated you like everyone else because you're a good person. What you are doesn't change that."
"N-no… don't say that." Akeno couldn't hold back the tears anymore and as she slammed her hands on his chest, denial and the intense desire to accept his words fighting out as cried. And she continued to cry as he held onto her, just letting her get it all out. Eventually she quieted down and just limply pressed into his embrace, unwilling to ever leave.
"I sometimes like to think of people as artwork. What we are is the medium that the art comes in. A painting, a song, a sculpture. All different kinds. But it is who we are that makes the art. Our actions and beliefs determine if its ugly, beautiful, deep, or horrifying. The most expensive marble can be sculpted into the most disgusting beast and the most stained piece of canvas can depict the most wonderous painting." Atreus slowly began stroking Akeno's hair and holding her close as he spoke. Her breathing became slow and she felt so at peace that darkness was starting to ebb at her vision. What Atreus was saying, it made her feel so content. This feeling of having someone like him see her as a good person… a work of beautiful art… it was dangerous. It was scary and she wanted it so badly she was willing to give up her fear. "I learn a long time ago that what you are doesn't make you who you are. I nearly lost someone I love because I believed that what I was mattered above who I was. I want to be a good person and I know you do too. That's all that matters in the end."
"Atreus… thank you. For everything." Akeno whispered as her mind drifted away into slumber, the emotional stress, the combat fatigue, and her lingering wounds all were taking their toll and sleeping in the strong arms of a cute boy sounded nice to her.
"Atreus! Akeno!" Rias called out as she, her household, and Raynare all combed through the woods trying to look for her lost Pawn and Queen. She hoped that they were okay and had defeated Rehael. About an hour into there search, they all stopped as they heard several bushes rustle and prepared for an attack.
"Hold up! It's us!" Rias breathed a sigh of relief as she heard her dear Pawn's voice carry through. She watched as Atreus walked out, Akeno in his arms looking quite pleased as she slept in his arms. Rias frowned at the sight, she wasn't sure why but she didn't like Akeno so close to her favorite servant like that. "What happened, did you beat Rehael?"
"Yes, we won't have to worry about her ever again." Atreus said with a firm nod and Rias was thankful for the strength of her Pawn. But someone else wasn't yet convinced. Atreus then looked to Raynare, he wasn't sure how to tell her he had killed her mom but was going to try regardless. "Raynare… I-"
"I'm going to make this simple. If you let her go, I'm gonna kick you in the nuts. If you killed her, I'm kissing you." Atreus blinked and his mouth hung open in shock at this. Maybe he really overestimated just how much relations in Fallen Angel society was. He had expected Raynare to be a bit more upset but to actively reward him for killing her own mother was a bit much.
"She's dead." Atreus answered and Raynare beamed with joy and flung forward to make good on her promise. However… instead of kissing the man she loved she instead got a hand to the face by a awakening Akeno. The girl in Atreus' arms yawned and stretched out just in time to basically slap away Raynare's attempt at kissing her man.
"Oh my, what a great nap." Akeno sighed innocently before looking up to Atreus with a happy smile with small suggestive hints playing at her lips. "Thank you Atreus, but I think I can take it from here." She said as she removed her hand away from Raynare and Atreus finally let the Queen back down to the ground. Akeno gave the boy one last hug, making sure to bury his face in her generous bust before skipping off to her best friend's side.
"Damn thunder tits… you did that on purpose." Raynare growled before quickly turning to Atreus and tackling him to the ground, giving him a searing kiss to insure he knew just who was his bitch. The other Devil frowned at the sight as Raynare had did little to endear herself to any of them, it took a little effort on the Devil's part to get Raynare to calm down but they eventually made their way back to town where Atreus, Rias, and Raynare returned back to his home to return Asia Scared Gear back to her.
"You three are lucky that you were able to get back in time, not sure how long the little lass had left." Mimir said as he watched over Atreus and Rias as they hovered over Asia. Raynare had vanished the second that they got home but right now Asia was the one that needed the attention. Once Asia's second ring had been returned to her, the paleness that had come over her skin began to clear. Both Atreus and Rias took a step back as Asia slowly began to awaken.
"W-where am I?" Asia asked as she slowly opened her eyes to a room that she had never seen before. It was a family room like she had always expected one to look like, having lived in the church all her life she never had been exposed to normal family living. Then she looked to her side and saw Atreus, then immediately shot out of the couch she had been laying in and wrapped her arms around the boy that had tried to save her life. "Atreus! I'm so happy you're alive… wait… I'm alive too!" Her mind finally caught up with her as she partially pulled away from the boy.
"Yes you are, and you have your Scared Gear back." Atreus said as he let Asia hug him, behind him Mimir was snickering and was just happy that Asia was safe and well. And she was thinking that with her ties to the Fallen Angels gone and how they seemed to be after her Sacred Gear, she was in need of a place to keep her safe. "You might need a few more days to recuperate, your soul was damaged in ways that will take time to heal. I'm sure we can find her somewhere to stay while she recovers." He said looking to Rias who had bigger ideas than just a short stay, but Asia surprised both of them when she tightened her grip on Atreus and buried her face in his shirt.
"(unintelligible mumbling)" Neither Rias or Atreus could understand what the former nun said but the Pawn sensed the conviction and confidence in the words he didn't hear right. The intent was still clear to him even if he couldn't hear the words.
"I'm sorry what was that?" Atreus asked even though he had a pretty good idea what it was.
"I want to join you and become a Devil!" Asia shouted as she looked up form Atreus's shirt. She had worked for the Church and the Angels and was used and tossed aside like trash. Then she worked for the Fallen Angels and was abused and nearly killed while having her gift from God stolen from her. And the first people that were genuinely nice to her ever in her life were the supposed enemies of God. She felt more safe and assured by this choice than she ever did with either of the two other groups. Asia then turned to the, admittedly intimidatingly pretty, girl that was with Atreus. "Please, I promise that I will work hard and be a good Devil. Just let me stay with Atreus."
"That seemed fast, I think the lad might have a greater enthralling effect on mortals and in particular the fairer sex than we had originally feared. I'm so proud." Mimir mentally cried as he took a step back from the ensuing ritual to make Asia Argento Rias' new Bishop. He and the other two adults in the godly family had long suspected that Atreus Godly aura was effecting his relationship with Katsue and Matsuyama. And that Atreus' linguistic talents also dipped into the indoctrination realm as well. Mimir wasn't sure just how effective these powers were now that Atreus was a Devil… even though to Mimir the boy had lost little of his godly potency in many regards.
Soon enough Asia was now a newly made Devil in the service of Rias Gremory and the two girls left so that Rias could start working on the paper work for Asia moving into Kuoh. Asia also was going to be healing some Akeno other injuries sans the one to her wings, as Rias knew that her best friend still wanted that secret to stay secret. Atreus waved them out with a friendly smile and wished Asia good luck in settling down in Kuoh. He noticed a mischievous smile on Rias' face when he said this but thought little of it. He was tired, using his own version of his father's Spartan Rage was taxing and right now he just wanted to hit his bed. But as he opened the door to his room suddenly his bed looked a lot more useful for anything but sleep.
"Welcome back Spartan, do you need comfort after a long day of battle?" Raynare asked as she laid out on Atreus' bed in a exotic, Greek inspired, slave girl outfit. However the sultry and lustful image that she was putting up was cracked when Atreus started chuckling at the display. "Hey, quit ruining my fantasy!" Raynare shouted in annoyance and was about say more but suddenly found herself pushed back on the bed with Atreus on top of her. Her lips were caught by his and she sighed in pleasure at the feeling of his hands slipping their way around her body. He then stopped and she whined a bit but he was having none of it.
"You seriously don't want to talk at all about the fact I killed your mother, even as horrible as she was you can't expect me to believe you are that cold hearted." Atreus asked and Raynare glanced to the side uncomfortable with this sudden damping of the mood. But Atreus could tell that while it was true that Raynare wanted this, she was also trying to cover up her feelings with sex.
"You could… I don't exactly do anything to suggest that I'm anything but a bitch." Raynare admitted with a small pang of regret. She could remember a time back when she was very young when she would spend days as a friendly and happy child. She had lots of friends and enjoyed being around them. Then her mother pulled her away and started… teaching her. It was painful and the promise of power was a vague concept to a young girl. But as she grew to hate her mother, that attitude started leaking out toward everyone around her.
Then she finally understood what power was, and it wasn't the power that her mother wanted. It was back when she first saw Azazel and how just standing in a room he was able to make everyone cheer and clamor for his attention. That was real power. And ever since then she had been drawn to power, but her anger never left and so it was difficult to find others to confide in. Soon enough time went on and she knew little else than to brush everyone away with walls of anger and bitchiness.
It honestly surprised her that Atreus had even stuck around her even now. She knew that he could see people better than they could themselves. She had learned a good deal of his powers from his stepmother. And so knowing what she knew, she questioned why someone like Atreus would even still smile at her let alone willingly want to be with her. He was smart enough to not chase her just for her body, and her personality left much to be desired. So why didn't he kick her out of his bed the moment he saw her.
"You might be a bitch but people can be more than one thing. And at the very least I know you can be more than just that. You didn't need to save Asia, you could have killed her and that would have prevented your mother from getting her Scared Gear." Raynare blinked at that, how could she have been so stupid. It would have saved herself a lot of trouble but she never thought to just off the former nun. She frowned as she looked back at Atreus who had a playfully smug look on his face. She never thought about it because it wasn't the right thing to do, that's what he was thinking right now. "Keep acting like a bitch, but I know deep down you're a real softy."
"Right, deep in my heart I'm really crying out because my mommy's gone and won't ever come back." Raynare joked but then she kept going and her voice became less and less jovial as she went on. "That she died without ever getting to hear me tell her how I really feel. Or me ever actually beating her. Never proving that everything she did was actually worth anything. Turing me into a social outcast and training me until I broke into some heartless bitch. Fuck I hated her but… just once I wanted all of that to mean something." Raynare looked back up to Atreus and their eyes met. Her were on the edge of tearing up, a buried hope and sorrow had been brought to surface. That every painful torment that Rehael had put her though had been for the purpose of making her stronger. That even if the means were horrible, the intention was good. "Atreus… what were my mother's last words? Did she say anything about me?"
"She… wanted you to not give up, that you needed to be strong to survive because that's all she wanted… for you to live stronger than her." Atreus lied with only a millisecond of hesitation. He hid his gut feeling of guilt for lying to Raynare but he knew she needed this. It was only him and Rehael so he doubted there was any chance that Raynare would find out. But he only hoped that this lie would be for a good cause, and as he saw a rare genuinely open and vulnerable smile grow across Raynare's face he felt a little better. She hugged him tightly and he held her back as she began to cry. This was the second time he had a crying girl in his arms this day and he hoped that both times he had done the right thing and didn't hurt either of them.
"Atreus… I know I'm dressed for it but… could we not fuck tonight." Raynare asked as wordlessly Atreus wrapped the two of- them in the covers. He held her close and she sighed contently as she enjoyed the closeness between them in this emotionally intimate moment. But she still couldn't help herself. "But in the morning your fucking me until I'm a drooling mess on the floor." She whispered into his ear, ending with a small nip to his earlobe. "I may be a bitch, but now I'm your bitch."
"My bitch huh, I'll be sure to remember that tomorrow." He promised with the full intention of living up to her long awaited expectation. Especially since tomorrow was the start of a weekend and he knew that with Asia in the household now, Rias would be too distracted to notice that he was missing for a day or two.