"Talking"

'Thinking'

("Oblethe.")

('Oblethe')

Chapter 10 - To The Rescue - A Fight With The Fallen Angels (Part 2)

The sun is beginning to set. Rias, Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko are lounging about chatting about events.

Lucille and Issei bust through the door carrying a half awake Cassius. His blood seeping through his clothes as he still grips onto the wound in his stomach tightly. He pushes off them as he falls to the floor on his knees. Rias and the others look onward in surprise As Cassius lays down on his stomach. He bit down his bottom lip to the point where it started bleeding.

"How did this happen?! Are you all alright?!" Rias panicked in worry.

"Y-yes. We weren't trying to fight anyone purposefully but we ran into Issei with that priest from before and-" Lucille began as Rias went up to Issei being furious looking down at him.

"Issei! I already told you to cease meeting this priset. Is it that hard to understand?"

"I'm sorry, Rias but she is my friend and I have to-" Issei was to explain but she slapped him in response. Everyone minus Cassius who was on the floor and Akeno tending to him was looking on to the argument before them. Issei has his serious look was Rias looked on again in frustration.

"It seems you're having a hard time understanding. When I say don't you don't! Got it?"

"I'm sorry but no. I have to save her!"

"You do realize Cassius is injured again. He almost died because of the fallen angels because you want to make friends with that priest."

"Oh just shut up already." Cassius said as he struggled to sit up. Akeno attempting to protest but he shrugs it off as he sits up straight. "It wasn't his fault that I got hurt. It was mine because I let my guard down. I thought what I did would be more than enough...but I'm let the dragon's power get to my head. It was due to my arrogance, not the kindness Issei has for someone blessed by the gods themselves.

"Cassius..." Lucille said softly as he tended to him as well. A smile came to her.

"In any case, regardless of what happened, you're still injured, Cassius. You need rest."

"No.." he said as he got up struggling. "That...bitch needs...to get what's coming...to her..."he said as his eyes went shut and his body gave away as he fell to the floor.

"Cassius!" the group shouted simultaneously. As they look at the prone Cassius.

We drift once again into the confines of Cassius's inner mind. He wakes up as the void looks different. It was dark before but now there is some color as streaks of grey, white and black now surrounding the drifting boy.

Out comes Oblethe which he pierces through the veil this the suppression stops him halfway. Cassius can see the majestic wings clearly without the shroud covering the giant dragon. Cassius could only look in awe.

("Damn. I was hoping I could finally be free to roam around.") Oblethe groaned. as his nostrils flared blowing a heavy smoke.

"Hey if anything this is progress. Although I don't know why everything inside here has changed. There's actually color in here and not to mention I can see half of you now."

("Maybe that since we have the sphere, which was made with one of my eyes, I can bypass more of the suppression. I can feel it trying to pull me back inside, though. We just need to get stronger.")

"Wait the sphere is made with one of your eyes?!" Cassius' eyes widened at the revelation.

("Yes. I am a dragon with several eyes . My existence is more of an oddity. In time, I will tell you more of me. We need to discuss what happened when you fought that fallen angel. A strange power overwhelmed you and while you were stronger, you were fighting as if you were a rabid animal. Going berserk all over the place.")

"I...I don't know honestly. I saw Lucille get hurt so quickly even when I promised that no one would hurt her. I saw nothing but darkness."

"I think I can explain everything hahaha.." a strange voice cackled as he hopped into Cassius' view as Oblethe looked onward and immediately knew who this was.

"Allow me to introduce myself, wielder of the Hollow Dragon. My name is Grimwald." he stated proudly as he chuckled underneath the ivory mask he hid behind.

"You seem very chipper." Cassius retorted.

"Oh because I'm excited to finally meet you! I felt your presence when you went after that fallen angel striking fear into the creature's heart! Such joy! Such despair! Oh how I missed such ferocity!" Grimwald clinged to himself all giddly. Giggling for what he saw to him was like theater.

"Oblethe was this seriously someone who wielded you before?" Cassius looking up at the great dragon.

("Yes. He was one more attuned with his emotions so he was able to grasp my power much earlier than previous wielders. Although with that he grew mad at one point and what you see before you is the result of that.")

"Oh poo! You say it like a bad thing, Oblethe. We had wonderful times together! Come on you had fun as much as I right?!"

("You slaughtered many people for the sake of fun.") Oblethe deadpanned.

"But they were mean and I had the power to silence them so why not do just that!"

("Not every situation is be involved with mindless killing you buffoon!") Oblethe shouted blowing smoke through his nostrils at Grimwald.

"Oh pshhh! You're no fun! You however, you're tapping into something absolutely wonderful! The feeling where your restraints are unlocked and you can just rampage to anyone you despise. Did it not taste sweet?! Did it not excite you?!" Grimwald was shaking Cassius as he got excited talking about it once more. He was one that truly craved violence of any capacity.

"Please stop shaking me! I'm not going to rely on rage to fight. To rely on emotions instead on my own skills seems just stupid."

Grimwald chuckled disappearing and reappearing behind him.

"You'll never achieve Balance Breaker that way, boy."

Cassius pushed him away as Grimwald chuckled in a sadistic manner. His golden eyes staring at the mask.

"You can't discard your emotions. The Sacred Gears are tied to you in body and in spirit. If you just pretend they're not needed, you die quickly. Feel happiness, joy, sorrow. Dig your clutches into your rage and anger. It's your fuel, Cassius. Utilize it. True too much of one thing is costly. Don't do what I did. If you can't grasp and control it and not let it grasp you.. you'll be on the way to such incredible power. I can't wait to see what you do. You're an interesting boy. It's a shame that you don't remember much things."

Cassius seemed confused. Oblethe stared down Grimwald.

("Grimwald. Bite your tongue. He's not ready yet.")

"Alright fine I won't say any more."

"Oblethe. Don't keep secrets from me. You're one of the only ones I can trust. I'd rather not have to discard that."

("Another time. When you're stronger. I promise.")

"Alright. I'll hold you to that you know." Cassius and Oblethe shared a laugh.

"Bearer. We'll meet again. Just know you'll need to channel that rage sooner or later. Or else it will explode. They say there's nothing worse for a warrior...than blind rage..." he snickers as he disappears.

"Now that he's gone, there's something I wish to speak to you about, Oblethe. "

("Hm?")

"How is he?" Rias asked.

"He's resting. Jeez seems the newbies are always getting into trouble." Akeno giggled as she closed the door for the room Cassius is sleeping in.

"It's starting to worry me, honestly." Rias said crossing her arms sulking.

"Why's that?"

"They keep getting hurt. Issei more so than the other two."

"True. They just need to get stronger though."

"It won't do them any good if they don't live long enough to do so."

"Oh have faith in them, Rias. Come on, we got a job to do."

"R-Right." Rias softly said as they began heading downstairs. Rias stopped for a moment to look back at Cassius's room as a worried look layed on her face.

'Rest up, Cassius.'

("I see. You think things are amiss here?")

"Yes. It doesn't feel right. Lucille declined the offer when they first asked her. She wanted me to join the peerage for protection, but she wasn't weary of them to begin with. Hell when we first encountered them she stood firm on defending me cause they were going to take us away. She even said that no matters what her beliefs are important to her and she didn't want to abandon them. Not only a couple days later, she reveals her own devil wings."

("Even I thought it was strange, but I paid no mind to it. When she made her case it seemed it was to get closer to you, as well as protect you more efficiently.") Oblethe's nostrils flared as Cassius looked down in the ground.

"Even so, I sense foul play was afoot. It seemed liked at times her personality changed whenever we're all together."

("Do you think Gremory caused this?")

"I do know she apparently can use magic to manipulate memories. Issei told me that she did that with his parents to convince them for her to live at his house."

("I see. If that's the case, you'd better be careful.")

"Indeed. That is the plan. I'll have to keep up with playing face until an opportunity presents itself. If I try to brute force it, I feel it'll be more of a detriment than a benefit for me and Lucille."

("Yes. It be wise to focus on now. Until next time, my child.")

Cassius woke up as he heard noises. He ran out still in his pjs that were put on him as he saw explosions. He bursted out the door of the ORC and started running towards the loud noises. He caught up as he catches his breath.

"Cassius?!" Rias and Akeno said as he looks on to see three fallen angels. "What are you doing still up?"

"I would be sleeping if it weren't for the racket! Who the hell are they?"

"Oh just a couple pests." Akeno said cheerfully. "Wanna help us take em down?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "Sure why not?"

Hey everyone! Sorry for this taking a while. Life problems are kind of getting in the way currently figuring out apartment situations and whatnot plus work has been extra busy. For now I'm going to be taking my time with uploading chapter. Just cause right now I don't have as much time as I did when I first started writing this story.

Again sorry for the wait! Until the next chapter!