Today had been a rather uneventful day at school, the teacher had been exceptionally boring, Matsuda and Motohama, had accused him of a numerous things involving the Rias, and the rest of the peerage, some of which where true, but Issei could not spill the beans on his activities or face getting his ass kicked by the duo put of jealousy. Once the last class for the day finished the peerage met in the club room and waited to hear Rias's plan for the days training.
"Right everyone settle down! We have a lot of work for our next rating game, and I need you all to be at your best, so today we are going to be training till exhaustion, you will be training as if your lives depend on it...Issei your up first, your our battering ram and we need you to be at 100% when the time comes. I'll explain how we will be doing this once we are in the gymnasium." Rias bellowed in her presidential tone.
"Hai." the peerage called as they headed to the gymnasium.
"I'm really not feeling to good for this...lack of sleeps a killer." Issei yawned as he talked to himself.
"Well partner, you'll just have to deal with it, In battle your life is on the line, and not enough sleep wont be enough of an excise to stop your enemies from killing you" Ddraig called
"I know Ddraig, its just I feel really sluggish, like I'm moving in slow motion, any ideas why that is Ddraig?" Issei asked quietly
"Hmmmm, given your lack of sleep it likely causing your mind to not run at peak performance, I cannot sense any illness or magical presence causing your issues so, lack of sleep is the obvious answer. If It troubles you this much id suggest you tell Rias and go for a check up." Ddraig stated in a clinical tone
"I will, but I can't stop now, we have to prepare for out next rating game, and me dropping out, isn't good for the rest of the team." Issei stated
"Your right partner, but you need to take it easy once this is over, take a few days to recharge, you'll be fine after that."" Ddraig droned, a hint of worry marking his voice
"Thanks Ddraig." Issei sighed, rubbing his eyes trying to freshen up, for the training.
Once they peerage arrive in the gymnasium, they did a basic warm up and got down to business.
" Issei your up, two rounds, first only boosting yourself and your powers and are up against Kiba and Xenovia, then the next round you will change into your scale mail form and face me, Akeno and Koneko,,. we need you to be at your best, even if your armoured or not." Rias proclaimed as Issei
"Okay...just give me a sec." Issei yawned as he stood in the centre of the gymnasium, while Kiba and Xenovia set themselves for the challenge.
"Issei, I know we are friends but I wont go easy on you." Kiba yelled from across the gymnasium resulting in Issei giving Kiba a thumbs up
"i agree with Kiba. I need you to be strong to protect our child when the time comes." Xenovia bellowed resulting in Issei's skin turning a pale shade of off white, as her statement hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Come on! You had to say that now,, that's so embarrassing!" Issei yelped, as his pale complexioned changed to a bright shade of red.
"Calm down! We have training to get along with, so please refocus...Akeno could you please do a count down?" Rias proclaimed with such authorities that the issue ended their.
"Sure Rias, okay...three...two...one... begin!" Akeno yelled, resulting in Kiba and Xenovia walking towards Issei each summoning their weapons of choice.
"Okay...Kiba is the more refined fighter, but Xenovia a powerhouse with Durandal, so I need to be smart in my choice...Ddraig, any ideas?" Issei called as he summoned his gauntlet and talked with Ddraig
.
"As you said, Kiba is a very skilled opponent and while your swordsmanship is better than it used to be, your not on Kiba's level, and Xenovia isn't weak in this area, however her tendency to rely on brute strength is her downfall, go with Xenovia, and maybe push her to use an attack that could disrupt Kiba, making an opening for you
"Great thanks Ddraig...BOOST!" Issei yelled as he raised his gauntleted into the air and started to boost, only for the gem to start glowing then fade away, the sound of Ddraig's boost echoing away, as if he had run out of power.
"Shit, what happened" Issei growled as from the corner of his eye Xenovia charged towards her Durandal raised above her head. Issei managed to get out of the way, but was soon knocked aside by Kiba who had shouldered him from behind
"Got to keep yourself focused." Kiba said as he brought down his holy devil sword down
"Fuck, that hurt, right that's it BOOST!" Issei cried as he finally managed to get a boost and with the increase in strength and reactions this afforded him he managed to raise his gauntlet to block the strike
"Nice block Issei but not good enough." Xenovia stated as she brought Durandal down on Issei unprotected side, resulting In Issei having to act on instinct
"This better work...Ascalon!" Issei yelled as in the the nick of time the blade of Ascalon, releasing from his gauntlet and blocked Durandal's strike, however Issei's block and started to buckle.
"BOOST!" Issei yelled as he felt the his power level increase, allowing him to push Kiba and Xenovia back, giving him much a much needed break.
"That was close...Ddraig what the hell happened their!? The first boost didn't work" Issei asked Ddraig
I'm not sure Issei, it just deactivated like your connection with me was severed for a brief moment, we need this to be checked once the trainings over." Ddraig sighed, trying to work out what had just happened. As the duel went on Issei, managed to get a few more boosts in and avoid a prolonged duel with Kiba and Xenovia, however he had made a good account for himself but the moment at the start of the duel, had stuck out in the eyes of Rias.
"Akeno, did you notice that Issei failed to boost at the start of the match?
"Yes Rias, it was rather strange, he didn't have that issue once he had access to Ddraig, could their be an underlying issue that he isn't aware of that's causing this?" Akeno asked as she kept her eyes on the match.
"Ill check with Issei, once the training is over...Alright that's enough for this round, you all did a good job...Issei are you still up for the next part of training, we can stop if you like?" Rias called a hint of concern marking her tone.
"I...I should be fine Rias. don't worry about me" Issei stuttered,
"Okay, give me Akeno and Koneko a minute and then we will start." Rias stated as she took her position. Followed by Akeno who got into her battle attire, and Koneko who had revealed her nekomata form.
"Man, I cant believe in training with beautiful babes, what a lucky guy I …." Issei said to himself as he looked round the girls, onlt for a voice to start whispering to him in the back of his mind.
"Issei...would you die for..."
"What's the matter with me...why am I hearing that voice now." Issei groaned
"Issei are you alright?" Ddraig called as he took on his dragon from and talked to Issei who was focused on the voice repeating the sentence over and over.
"Can you not hear that Ddraig its driving me crazy...SHUT UP!" Issei yelled to to the voice in his head.
"No...something doesn't feel right, Issei you need to stop the training and get help…" Ddraig growled in worry as he was soon cut off by Rias calling to Issei breaking Issei's concentration on the voice and Ddraig.
"We are ready Issei... Kiba can you count us done"
"Sure...Three...two...one, begin!" Kiba yelled causing the girls to charge at Issei, Akeno taking to the skies alongside Rias, while Koneko had started to charge her fists with senjutsu magic, to amplify her already terrifying striking power.
"Okay...SCALE MAIL!"" Issei called as he successfully encased him in his scale mail armour, and prepared for his first strike which was a lighting bolt from Akeno, Issei raised his hands and blocked the strike on his forearms, but the force was enough to knock him off balance, allowing Koneko to get behind him and throw a powerful left hook to Issei's kidney
"Issei look out! " Ddraig called as Issei caught sight of Koneko from the corner of his eye and using the armours thrusters he managed to narrowly avoid the strike, but Issei noticed something, he had barley noticed the strike and even as he moved away he felt as if he was being weighed done by something.
"Thanks Ddraig, I almost got hit their" Issei sighed, as he scanned the area of the gymnasium for a further attack.
"Your movements are off Issei, your not moving as fluidly as you usually do. Be on your guard another attack like that you may not catch in time." Ddraig droned as Issei kept moving, managing to avoid a flurry of lighting bolts and destructive bolts of demonic energy.
"We cant keep fighting like this Rias, he's managing to dodge our attacks." Akeno called to Rias.
"I know Akeno, but knowing Issei he will likely go for a head on attack, he knows he's got the power advantage and will try and press his advantage when there is an opening, so lets give him an opening." Rias stated as she started to reduce the number of destruction bolts she was firing, followed my Akeno who reduced the size and number of lighting bolts she produced.
"They seemed to be getting tired...its not easy keeping that volume of magical energy up...here it goes!" Issei yelled to himself as he activated his thrusters and charged at the airborne Rias and Akeno, charging up a massive Dragon shot, he would use to knock Rias and Akeno out of the sky.
"Koneko now!" Rias yelled as Issei got within 20 feet of them and out of the blue, Koneko jumped from the ground using her senjutsu to increase the speed of her jump allowing her to get in front of Issei and and using more Senjutsu she landed a powerful Straight right on the helm of Issei, who was at full speed, the strike caused a shockwave to be produced at caused the windows of the gymnasium to shatter.
"Shit!" Issei yelled as he was stunned b y the shot and hit the ground, hard enough to create a small crater in the floor.
"Now's our shot" Akeno called as summoned a large bolt of lighting followed alongside Rias who summed are large ball of destruction magic who both released their attacks together, in unison.
"Issei you've got to get moving, or else we are done for!" Ddraig yelled as he saw that Issei wasn't listening, his eyes were focus on the ground , his armoured fingers digging into the ground.
"Would you die for me?" The voice called.
"Get out of my head!... Issei yelled only to be struck by the combined might of Rias and Akeno.
After the strike the pair landed on the ground and walked over to the crater, which was covered in black smoke.
"Issei, you okay...i know we hit you pretty hard back their, but we had an idea that you could take this, given how well you took a hit from Sairorg. Issei?" Rias stated as approached the crater, only for no response to come.
Rias Akeno and Koneko rushed into the crater to find Issei in his dragon form, covered in cracks and chips, as he lay on the ground not moving.
"Issei!" Rias screamed as she cradled Issei who wasn't moving
"Asia, we need you here...Issei's unconscious and we need to heal him" Akeno called as Asia sprinted to the pit followed by Kiba, Xenovia and Gasper. As soon as Asia got to the hole she jumped in an approached Issei and without saying a word she started to heal him
"Come on Issei wake up I...I shouldn't have pushed you this hard..." Rias whimpered as she held Issei close.
"Issei said he was up for the training, this was an accident..." Akeno whispered trying to comfort Rias, but she wasn't having any of it.
"Issei said he wasn't feeling right, and I should have taken that into consideration, but instead I didn't listen to him and now he's unconscious and badly hurt.
Luckily for everyone Issei took a large gasp of air. His armour still covering him.
"Your okay Issei, you had me worried their, I'm so sorry...i should have went so hard on you." Rias sighed as she pulled Issei into a hug,
"I'm fine...that sure did hurt though haha" Issei chuckled rubbing his helmet checking to see if the crack from Koneko's punch had healed as he got to his feet.
"We knew we had to hit you with something big...at least your all right." Koneko stated as she scanned Issei over for any injuries but none could by found thanks to Asia.
"your right, plus I never saw it …." Issei stated only for him to stop talking.
"You okay Issei? You just stopped talking. Why don't you get out of your armour?" Asia sheepishly stated as she saw that Issei was standing stock still.
Issei never responded to her question, his thoughts were purely focused on an intense pain in his head.
"Why is my head hurting so much...i feel like its being crushed...Ddraig! What's going on!" Issei yelled in his head, but Ddraig didn't respond. As he finished he heard Asia asking him to switch of his armour, but as he tried to do so, his armour refused to switch off
"Why wont you go away!?"
"I think your armour, wants to stay on Issei...i believe you don't have control anymore." a woman's voice echoed in Issei head.
"Who the hell are you...and you cant be right, Ddraig wouldn't keep me in this armour."
"It seems that Ddraig has different ideas. your body and sacred gear are mine and you cannot stop me from taking what is rightfully mine!" The voice yelled as Issei felt a strong magical presence envelop him as the voice grew lower. As the voice grew louder Issei' body dropped to one knee; his fist dug into the ground.
"Issei what's wrong, are you still hurt?" Rias gasped as she dropped to her knees to see Issei was looking at the ground, only a few words escaping his helm.
"please...help...me" Issei gasped as every word became harder to say due to the magical presence enveloping his very soul, and the pain that he was in.
"Your soul belongs to me now Issei...and you shall be my slave till the end of time." the voice chuckled as it took control of Issei's body. Issei spirit trying to hold back the immense power that tried to take hold but his efforts were not working.
"What is it Issei? What's wrong?" Akeno whimpered as she tried to reassure Issei, as best as she could.
"Issei listen to me you're going to be alright. I promise you." Rias stated as she put her head on Issei's helmet, not noticing that the green eyes of the scale mail armour had turned a dark shade of purple.