A New Goddess in Town

by Darkglade

God's death had left them broken, devoid of their original purpose. Their numbers dwindled as they fell one by one to despair, until hope herself came to raise them back up. (No Rebellion)

4. Shining like a light

"Care to explain yourself, Akemi-san?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."

Homura and Sona were sitting together in the Student Council clubroom. The other members rushed around, filing paperwork and filling out forms, while the president had pulled Homura aside for a "private chat".

"Need a refresher? You should know that I just got back from watching Rias's Rating Game against Riser."

Homura blinked at the familiar names. "Ah, I remember that. How did it go?"

Sona adjusted her glasses as she continued. "At the end of the match, Rias's newest Pawn, one Issei Hyoudou, smacked some device into Riser's face, upon which it promptly detonated, grievously injuring Riser and blowing himself back."

She looked Homura in the eye.

"His last words before he passed out were 'I made soggy fried chicken.'"

Homura retained a blank expression.

Sona gazed sternly at her. "Riser's wounds were covered with holy water, as well as some traces of holy fire. I asked Rias where she acquired such a potent device, and she referred me to you."

She clasped her hands in front of her. "Since you did it to aid a dear friend of mine, I won't ask how you procured such a device. It should go without saying, but I trust that you won't bring anything like that here?"

Homura nodded. "I understand."

Sona sighed. "Good, in that case, that will be all."

They bade each other farewell, and Homura began the walk back towards the church.

"Homura-chan! How have you been? Made any new friends?"

Homura was startled out of her thoughts by the message from Madoka, but she soon had a small smile on her face. "It's good to hear from you again, Madoka. I am well, although I have not made any new 'friends' yet."

Homura couldn't see Madoka's expression, but she got the impression that the goddess was pouting.

"That's no good, Homura-chan! It's not healthy to be alone all the time, you know? Surely, you've talked to some of the people there?"

Homura's thoughts drifted to Asia, who had begun residing in the church with her. "There is a nun that moved into the church some time ago. I've been teaching her various skills to help me manage the church."

"That's wonderful! Anybody else? Maybe someone at the school?"

"I have spoken to a select few students at the school several times."

"Really? Who are they?"

"They're all devils."

"Well, that's not a big issue!"

"Isn't there a tenuous truce right now? Spending too much time with them might draw suspicion."

"Don't think about it like that! Instead, think how it'll be a great example that we can all live peacefully together!"

Homura smiled warmly. "It's just like you to phrase it like that."

She heard the goddess giggle across their connection.

"Being optimistic is one of my strong points, you know! Anyway, how's the renovation coming along?"

"It's complete; I even added a few aesthetic details that I think you would like. However, very few people have visited the church."

"Well, at least you managed to help the one person that did, right?"

"I didn't do anything. That was all Asia and you."

"But if you hadn't convinced that woman to stay, we never would have gotten the opportunity to help her."

"I suppose . . . ."

"You've been working very hard, Homura-chan. Why don't you take a break and come visit Heaven sometime?"

Homura was tempted to immediately accept, but her sense of duty caused her to hesitate. "I wouldn't want to trouble anyone by shirking my position here."

"It'll be fine! We can send someone else to help watch the place while you're gone, and everyone deserves a vacation at some point."

"In that case . . . I would be happy to accept."

"Wonderful! I look forward to seeing you again, Homura-chan!"

"I as well."

xxx

Madoka let out a tired sigh as she cut the telepathic link with Homura.

"Are you alright, Madoka-sama?"

She turned to Michael with a smile. "I'm fine, Michael-kun. Just a bit tired." She yawned as she stretched a little. "It's strange: ever since I got here I've been feeling wearier." Madoka adopted a thoughtful expression. "Before, I never felt sleepy. But now, drowsiness feels like a new experience, yet it also feels familiar at the same time." She looked at him quizzically. "Is that weird?"

"I know not of your station before," Michael said, "but with your new burdens, it is quite normal to feel exhausted at times. Even Father grew weary at times."

"Oh? How did He cope with it?"

"The number of times where He felt tired was few, but the one time where it actually mattered . . ." Michael's face became downcast. "Regardless, I believe that you are feeling tired due to the high demand for your power coupled with the meager amount of faith you are receiving."

"Is that so? Isn't Christianity one of the largest religions?"

"It is, but they are praying to God. Not you. Their faith is rerouted to you due to your position, but it is weakened in the process."

Madoka furrowed her brow in thought. "When that woman I helped prayed, I felt a much larger influx of faith than usual for one person."

Michael nodded. "It is likely because she was praying directly to you. You received the full benefit of her belief, without any loss to the process of conversion."

"I see . . . in that case we may need to inform the masses of the new situation in Heaven."

He frowned, worry creasing his face. "Are you sure that is wise? Such an announcement will create a severe backlash. Many will be shaken by the idea that God can die. Many more may stubbornly refuse to believe the truth. Some may refuse to accept you and simply abandon their faith."

Madoka smiled sadly. "I don't like deceit. When the people pray, they should know who they are putting their faith and their trust in. I would like to end this pretense sooner rather than later."

"That may be necessary for the long-term, but we will need to be very careful how we deliver the news."

Madoka pondered the issue. "We will need to do this slowly. Give hints that there is more to the situation in Heaven than meets the eye. Maybe sprinkle a few miracles here and there to push the doubters into becoming believers."

"Are you sure that is wise, Madoka-sama? Intervening directly like that can potentially backfire if done too recklessly."

She smiled at him. "I already said that I preferred a hands-on approach, didn't I?"

He sighed but deferred to her judgment. "As you wish."

Suddenly, he straightened up with a grimace on his face. "However, I'm afraid a troubling situation has arisen. Several of the Excalibur fragments have been stolen from the Church."

"Excalibur? Isn't that a famous sword?"

"Indeed, it is one of the strongest Holy Swords to ever exist. However, it has been broken into seven fragments, each fashioned into a new sword that contains one of the original abilities of Excalibur. Our agents have informed me that the stolen swords are likely to be in Kuoh."

"Kuoh? That's where Homura-chan is!"

"Could you request her to investigate this matter? A problem such as this must be handled promptly, lest the other factions take this as a sign of weakness."

"I can . . . but I am a bit worried . . ."

"I agree; a group with the resources to steal three valuable artifacts from high-security vaults should not be trifled with, so we should send some more personnel as backup. Would you like to send more of your followers?"

Madoka slowly shook her head. "Homura is unique. I'll need more time before I can send any more of my girls out. Can you send a few exorcists instead?"

Michael nodded. "There are a couple of promising young exorcists that are suitable for the task. I shall send them to provide support."

"I have complete faith in your judgment."

A voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. "Hey, Madoka-chan! Mami-san is hosting a tea party! You coming?"

Madoka turned around and replied, "Coming, Sayaka-chan!" She turned back to Michael. "I'll leave it to you, then."

Michael smiled back. "Farewell, Madoka-sama."

xxx

Homura was cleaning up the church when the doors suddenly opened. Two young girls walked in, each wearing a Church battle suit. One had short, blue hair while the other had chestnut hair tied in twin pigtails.

They looked around, perplexed by the strange interior design and decorations.

"Are you sure this is the right church, Irina? This place looks strange," the blue-haired exorcist said.

"I'm pretty sure about it, Xenovia! I even double-checked it on the map," her partner replied.

Homura cleared her throat to attract their attention before speaking. "Are you two the exorcists that Michael-san sent?"

Xenovia regarded her with a critical gaze. "Yes, we are. I assume that you are the one we are supposed to team up with for our mission? I hope you can pull your weight."

"Xenovia!" Irina chided. "Be respectful."

"I assure you that I will not be a burden," Homura replied. "My name is Homura Akemi."

"Xenovia Quarta."

"Irina Shidou!"

Homura nodded as she committed the names to memory. "Would either of you like something to eat?"

"We wouldn't want to impos –"

As if on cue, Xenovia was cut off by the rumbling of both exorcists' stomachs, causing her to look away in embarrassment.

Irina chuckled weakly. "A meal would be really nice, if you don't mind . . ."

"This wouldn't be an issue if you hadn't spent all our money on that fake painting!" Xenovia hissed.

"It's not a fake! It's a genuine representation of Saint–"

Homura cut in before their argument grew too out of hand. "It's no trouble. I was feeling a bit peckish myself, and it's important to be in peak condition before an important mission. Please sit down while I go prepare."

She headed into the kitchen, where Asia had already been in the process of making lunch. The nun looked up curiously as she approached.

"A couple exorcists dropped by. After lunch, I will join them on a mission," Homura explained.

Asia nodded. Her face fell as she spoke. "I see . . . maybe it's better if they don't notice me here . . ."

Again, Homura felt a voice in the back of her mind, an instinctive urge to comfort. She gently put one hand on the other girl's shoulder as she said, "You shouldn't have to hide like that. They don't know your circumstances; they don't know the injustices you went through."

"I – I don't want to cause any trouble . . ."

"You would cause far more trouble by hiding away whenever someone from the Church drops by. You need to face your fears; running will only delay the inevitable."

Asia looked hesitant but eventually nodded in agreement. "Al – alright. I'll try."

They prepared the meal in silence. Only a few words were exchanged for passing cutlery around and sharing various tasks. Soon, lunch was ready to be served.

They brought the food out to the table where the exorcists had made themselves comfortable. The latter had been speaking in hushed voices, but looked up as the aroma of the imminent meal drew near. They stared eagerly at the food, but their eyes widened as they caught sight of Asia.

"Hey . . . aren't you that Holy Maiden that was banished from the Church a while ago?" Xenovia asked.

Asia's eyes darted around, not quite meeting the gaze of the exorcists. She nodded meekly to the question.

Xenovia scowled. "You shouldn't be here. Who told you that you could seek refuge in a church after being exiled from the organization?"

"I did," Homura said.

Irina, sensing an argument brewing, tried to intervene. "Hey now, we have an important mission coming up and arguing amongst ourselves like this probably isn't the best idea –"

Xenovia turned to Homura and continued speaking, heedless of her partner's words. "You would defy an edict from the Church? The rules are in place for a reason; people are less likely to stray from the proper path when dire consequences await those that do!"

"Rules are cold and merciless. They care not a whit about extenuating circumstances or other factors. To them, there are only two extremes: guilty or innocent. Would you want to be judged by a system that could not look past the deed and peer into the heart of the accused, to see the reasons that drove them to do what they did?" Homura replied.

Xenovia frowned. "What are you trying to get at?"

"While I do not know Asia's exact transgression, I know that she did it with good intentions in mind, only to be punished for it. Doesn't that seem unfair to you?"

Xenovia had a pensive expression as she gazed at the timid girl shuffling her feet. Eventually, she relented and dropped the subject. "Fine. Whatever."

Irina looked relieved that the issue had been resolved without much conflict.

They settled down, gave thanks, and began eating. Conversation was sparse, with only the noise of chewing to punctuate the silence. Soon, lunch was wrapped up and they began cleaning up.

"Thank you very much for the meal!" Irina said with a smile.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Xenovia said.

Homura nodded in response. "It was no trouble."

"I – I 'm glad you enjoyed it!" Asia said.

Xenovia glanced at Asia briefly but did not bring up the topic again. She offered the nun a small nod.

"Before we do anything major, we should inform those in charge of this town what we are planning to do," Homura said.

"Agreed," Xenovia replied.

Irina nodded.

Homura looked back at Asia before they departed. "Take care."

Asia waved back. "Good luck!"

xxx

"Is that so? That's troubling," Sona said.

Homura and the exorcists were currently meeting with Rias and Sona in the Occult Research Club's clubroom. Tsubaki and the rest of Rias's peerage were present as well.

"I assume you two are here to assist in the reclamation of the stolen Excaliburs?" Sona asked as she looked towards Xenovia and Irina.

"Correct," Xenovia replied.

"We would like your permission to move freely in your territory while we are on our mission," Homura said.

"I see no problem with granting such a request, unless Rias has any objections?" Sona asked as she looked towards her friend.

Rias shook her head, but she appeared distracted, glancing at Kiba periodically. The Knight in question seemed unsettled by the topic, his fist clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

Irina noticed these subtle gestures and spoke up. "Ah, I mean no offense, but since this is Church business, we'd appreciate it if you devils stayed out of it."

"That should be no issue as wel –"

Sona was interrupted as Kiba cut into the conversation. "Stay out of the Church's way? That would be a lot easier if the Church didn't drag innocents into its schemes in the first place!" His piece said, he stormed out of the room.

"Kiba!" Rias rushed after him, along with her peerage.

Homura frowned as she witnessed the scene. "I assume that he has some personal history with the Church?"

Sona sighed. "Indeed, he does. Hopefully, Rias can reign him in and prevent it from being an issue, but you three should watch out just in case."

They nodded and took their leave. Once they were outside, they began discussing their plan.

"Before we begin, we should share our capabilities, so we know what to expect from each other in a battle," Homura said.

The other two girls nodded in agreement.

"Irina and I are both proficient with the sword as part of our training as exorcists," Xenovia said.

"Close quarters combatants then," Homura noted. "Anything else?"

"The Church also gave us two of the remaining Excalibur fragments to use on this mission," Irina said. She plucked a string that had been tied to your arm, and it shifted and warped into a katana with a gold guard and a long grip. "I have Excalibur Mimic!"

Xenovia gestured to the object wrapped in cloth she had been carrying with her. "And I wield Excalibur Destruction."

Homura frowned. "That seems like a risky decision on the Church's part. If you two failed, the enemy would have gotten two more of the Excalibur shards, and the situation would only have gotten worse."

"I trust in the Church's judgment. With these weapons, our odds of success are much higher," Xenovia replied.

Homura still looked skeptical but didn't press the issue.

Trying to get the conversation back on track, Irina asked, "So, what can you do, Akemi-san?"

"I am primarily a long-range combatant with some utility magic at my disposal."

"Magic? So, you're a magician?"

"The proper term would be 'magical girl'."

Xenovia and Irina looked at Homura strangely.

Homura glanced away out of embarrassment. "Anyway, I can teleport myself short distances, and I can do the same with anything I'm touching, people included. I can also detect nearby magical signatures."

"Wow, that's really handy! You can teleport us to quickly get us close to our targets, and you can teleport yourself away to maintain distance from the enemy!" Irina said.

"Yes, but we would need good coordination to perform the former without the risk of either of you getting struck while disorientated. Since we have not worked together before, I would like to avoid teleporting either of you in the midst of combat if possible."

Irina looked disappointed but conceded the point.

"Now then, do we have any leads?" Homura asked.

"Nothing specific. We only know that the Excalibur shards are being hidden somewhere in this city," Irina said.

Homura rested her chin on her hand as she pondered the issue. "They would not want to leave such valuable artifacts unattended to for long periods of time, so they will likely have people guarding them. However, personnel, especially those involved with the supernatural, are likely to draw attention, so they will need to base themselves in a relatively isolated location."

She glanced back at the two exorcists. "I'm thinking that the outskirts of town are the best candidates at the moment, unless either of you have any other suggestions?"

Both of them shook their head, so they proceeded with Homura's plan. They moved swiftly, and as they neared their target location, the number of other people began to dwindle. Soon, they arrived in a section of the city that seemed to be mostly abandoned, with derelict buildings scattered around.

Homura discreetly glanced at her Soul Gem; it pulsed faintly, indicating very weak traces of magic. "I'm picking something up, but the source is very faint. Should we investigate or look for stronger signs?"

"We should follow up on every lead we get," Xenovia said. "There's no telling when we will find another one."

Irina nodded in agreement.

"Very well then," Homura said.

They slowly closed in on the area where Homura detected the magical signature. As they got closer, she noticed that the target seemed to be moving around quite a bit. Suddenly, the source's magic level spiked.

Alarmed, Homura scanned the nearby buildings for any sign of an enemy. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a cloaked figure perched on a rooftop, a light spear in hand and poised to throw. It aimed and fired directly at . . .

"Get back!" Homura yelled.

Her hand made contact, and with a flare of her wings, a startled Irina was transported a few paces back. A few moments later, the light spear struck the ground where the exorcist had stood, dissipating soon after.

The foe, seeing that the ambush had failed, turned and began retreating.

Homura grimaced but did not give chase, knowing that doing so would force her to leave her comrades behind and potentially allow them to be picked off individually.

Xenovia approached her partner and gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. Irina, shaken by the sudden attempt on her life, took a deep breath as she tried to calm down. She smiled weakly. "Thanks for that."

Homura gave a quick nod in reply.

Soon, Irina managed to regain her composure and stopped trembling. She glanced curiously at Homura's manifested wings.

Noticing her gaze, she said, "They are a component of my magic."

Irina nodded wordlessly.

Xenovia wore a scowl on her face, troubled by the underhanded attack on her friend. "A sneak attack? If the treacherous fallen are the culprits, I should have expected no less. We should pursue; we can't let them get away with brazenly attacking us."

"I agree, but we must be cautious. The enemy is likely reporting back to their superiors, and they now have some idea of my magic as well as our location. They could be setting up more traps as we speak."

"Then we should move quickly, so they do not have time to do so!"

"We cannot afford to be reckless. The enemy outnumbers us, and if they can use several of their members to take down even one of us, that is still a good trade for them. Completing our mission quickly is not worth the additional risk to our lives."

Xenovia grumbled, but as she glanced at her partner and recalled Irina's near-brush with death, her expression softened. "Fine. We'll do it your way."

Homura nodded, then began explaining her plan. "If our enemy consists of fallen angels, then open areas are the worst terrain possible for us. They can use their flight to stay out of range of your swords while constantly harassing us with light spears to weaken and eventually kill us. We have no means of restricting them to an enclosed area either, so a direct confrontation is out of the question."

She pursued her lips as she looked at the various buildings surrounding them. Some were grouped together, while others were spaced apart from each other. "I believe the best course of action is to be stealthy. The fallen are unlikely to give up their height advantage, so they will have very few forces on the ground, if any at all. We can use the buildings as cover as we move toward their main hideout, and I can teleport us across any stretches of open space."

Homura glanced back at the two exorcists. "Any objections?"

They shook their heads.

"In that case, let's move. I'm not detecting any of them nearby, so we don't have to take cover just yet."

Homura led the way, using her Soul Gem to track the magical signature of the fleeing enemies. After covering some distance, more signatures began popping up, and Homura signaled her comrades to duck into a nearby building.

Using her Soul Gem to determine the positions of the nearby fallen angels, Homura deduced the best route for her party to take to avoid drawing attention to themselves. When there was not an easily accessible building close by, she would teleport the other two girls to the nearest suitable building before doing the same for herself.

This pattern repeated as Homura led the group in the direction where she felt the strongest concentration of magic.

Finally, they arrived at the building where Homura felt the source was located. It seemed less run-down than many of the surrounding structures.

She whispered, "I'm detecting a large number of magical signatures in this building; this might be the enemy's base. If we're lucky, the stolen Excaliburs will be located here. Either way, we're going to need to hit them hard and fast while we have the element of surprise. On my signal, Xenovia, you'll start us off by blasting our way in."

Xenovia and Irina nod; the former unwrapped her sword while the latter formed the string on her arm into a katana.

Homura manifested her bow in one hand as she held up her other hand, five fingers splayed out.

I am sorry, Madoka.

Her thumb tucked itself in.

I will likely be responsible for several deaths in the coming moments.

Her pinky joined her thumb.

I know you detest killing, but it is the privilege of the strong to show mercy.

Her ring finger curled down.

And against these odds, I am not strong enough to be able to take the risk of sparing my enemies.

Her middle finger bent down.

Forgive me.

Her index finger joined its kin.

For a brief second, she felt a surge of warmth rush through her, as if someone had embraced her.

The moment passed, and with a battle cry, Xenovia unleashed a destructive blast that tore a large hole in the wall and charged in. Irina joined her soon after.

Homura stepped through the rubble and immediately assessed the situation. The exorcists had managed to cut a swathe through the enemy ranks while the fallen had been reeling in surprise, leaving several bodies lying on the floor, unmoving. However, the remaining foes had managed to reorganize themselves, using their light spears to keep the exorcists at a distance while they retreated to the exit.

Not a chance, Homura thought.

She drew back an arrow and infused it with holy fire. In her mind, she visualized the effect she desired, and the Sacred Gear responded, the flames on the arrow twisting in response to her will.

She fired, and the arrow struck the ground ahead of the retreating enemies, coating it in a sea of purple fire. The enemy, startled by the sudden appearance of the hazard, hesitated as their natural instincts warned them to avoid touching the flickering flames.

In the meantime, Xenovia and Irina capitalized on their enemies' brief pause, closing the distance and striking down foes left and right in close quarters, as was their strength. The fallen angels were in a panic now; several sought alternative escape routes while others attempted to fend off the two girls making mincemeat of them.

None of them had noticed Homura yet, giving her a few moments where she could shoot down several enemies without fear of reprisal. However, her actions soon drew the attention of a few of the remaining enemies. They charged at her, seeking to leave through the hole Xenovia had created and clearly expecting her to be an easier target than the exorcists.

A mistake that they direly paid for.

Homura stood her ground and relentlessly barraged the incoming foes. They attempted to parry and dodge the arrows, but in such close confines, they were unable to avoid all the attacks. The ones struck writhed in agony as holy fire began eating away at their flesh.

The remaining enemies recklessly continued their charge, heedless of their fallen comrades.

As the rest closed the distance, Homura tapped a nearby boulder with her foot.

It reappeared a moment later in front of the enemy in lead, materializing just in time to trip him up.

He fell, and his allies behind him, unable to arrest their momentum in time, tripped on his body and tumbled to the ground with him in a heap.

While they were incapacitated, Homura calmly aimed downward, and with a blank expression, served as their executioner.

Their screams were short; Homura made sure to aim for vital points to ensure quick deaths instead of letting them burn to death from the holy fire.

She glanced around the room; Xenovia and Irina had finished off the last of their opponents. The smell of blood and charred flesh lingered in the air.

After taking several lives, I only feel numb.

She glanced down at her hands; her nature as a ranged combatant meant that no blood had stained them.

Even so, my hands are perpetually tainted. Ever since that day . . .

The day where she had been forced to shoot her friend.

She was forever haunted by that memory, the sound of a soul shattering.

Compared to that, killing these nameless, faceless enemies is child's play.

Xenovia spoke up, interrupting Homura's thoughts. "You didn't mention that you could use holy fire."

Homura shrugged. "I primarily use it to augment my attacks, so I did not think it was worth mentioning."

She glanced at her Soul Gem; several magical signatures were clustered around the building, but one-by-one, they began fading away. "The rest of them are outside, surrounding us, but they're beginning to leave."

She narrowed her eyes. "If they've decided to cut their losses and run, then I doubt that the Excaliburs are here. If they were, they most definitely would have stayed to prevent us from taking them."

Xenovia grimaced. "So, this was a waste of time then."

Irina attempted to cheer her partner up. "Don't think like that! We might still find something useful here, such as more information."

"I agree," Homura said. "At the very least, we have thinned the enemy's numbers substantially. That will make it harder for them to conduct operations in the future."

Xenovia grunted, then began searching the room. Homura and Irina joined her in looking for papers and other objects that could serve as messages or data. After a few minutes of rummaging around, Irina discovered a message on a scrap of paper.

"Hey! I found something."

Irina began reading the message aloud. "The Church has kindly decided to bring more fuel for the impending bonfire. Relieve them of their artifacts, then bring the fragments to this location."

Listed below the message was an address, presumably, the one referred to in the message.

Homura glanced at the address. "That area? I believe there are only abandoned warehouses there. A likely area for the supernatural to hide their activities."

"In that case, we have our next lead. Let's hurry to this spot," Xenovia said.

Homura looked outside. Night had fallen, and the moon languidly hung in the air, reminding her of the weariness she was feeling now that the adrenaline had worn off. However, there was no time to lose.

"Let's go," she said.

xxx

As the trio neared their destination, Homura detected another large collection of magical signatures nearby. She signaled her comrades to slow down, and they proceeded cautiously to investigate.

In the darkness, Homura could make out several figures dancing in the moonlight. She recognized four of them: Issei, Kiba, Koneko, and a boy that she recalled being in Sona's peerage. They surrounded a man with a gleaming sword in hand, and while this might seem like a losing situation for the solo party, the defendant was keeping up with his attackers and even managing to score solid hits while avoiding the worst of the attacks thrown his way.

She noticed one more figure, an older man, standing nearby, observing the spectacle.

"Freed Sellzen, and Valper Galilei," Xenovia uttered with a disgusted expression.

Homura turned to her curiously. "You know them?"

"The man with the glowing sword down there is Freed; he was an exorcist that was a prodigy for his mastery with the sword, but was exiled for being too bloodthirsty and crazy. The guy hanging back is Valper; he was excommunicated for experimenting on children in his 'Holy Sword Project'," Irina supplied.

Homura nodded in understanding as she looked back at the battle unfolding. "So, it seems the devils decided to get involved after all."

Xenovia scowled. "We didn't need their help."

"Be that as it may, they managed to lure out two potential leads for us; we should capitalize on this opportunity while we can. You two help them with Freed; I'll secure Valper," Homura said.

Xenovia grumbled as she kicked off towards the fight, Irina close in her wake.

Homura heard the clash of steel as well as excessive swearing and cursing soon after. He may be good, but I doubt he can handle two more combatants putting pressure on him.

She turned toward her target and noticed that he had begun trembling and sweating. He said something, possibly an order to retreat. Not giving you the chance!

She pulled back an arrow and willed her magic to blunt the tip. He's just a human, so I'll have to hold back a bit more.

Valper was backing away, soon breaking into a full-on run. Homura fired, and the man ran straight into her attack, collapsing. Now to capture him.

However, Freed suddenly appeared by Valper's fallen body, looking noticeably worse for wear. "Shitty priest! First, you stop me before I cut up these filthy devils, and now I have to carry your sorry ass out of here too?"

He gave Valper a quick kick before slinging the man over his shoulder and moving so fast he appeared to be a blur.

The sudden disappearance of her quarry left Homura briefly startled before she composed herself. One of the stolen Excaliburs had the ability to grant enhanced speed. I should have accounted for that sooner.

She dashed after the enemy, teleporting short distances in an attempt to pick up their trail. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Xenovia and Irina similarly in pursuit. However, the darkness prevented her from using vantage points to see long distances, and she found herself unable to track them down. Sighing, she regrouped with the exorcists, who were both panting with exertion.

"Unfortunately, I was unable to pinpoint their location," Homura said.

Xenovia shook her head. "No, it's our fault for letting Freed disengage. We underestimated his speed."

Irina sat down against a wall. "If he really was wielding Excalibur Rapidly, I doubt there's much we could have done to stop him."

Homura folded her arms and leaned against a wall. "We should retire for now. We are all exhausted, and any more we try to do will be more likely to hurt rather than help in our current condition."

Neither exorcist offered any complaint, and so the trio began the trek back towards the church.

xxx

The next morning, they set out again after eating breakfast and once Asia had finished healing the various wounds the exorcists had accumulated.

They searched all over town for any trace of the fallen angels or those allied with them, but their hunt proved fruitless. After hours of scouring the city, the trio was about to give up when Homura suddenly sensed an exceptionally strong magical signature some distance away.

Upon arriving at the area where the disturbance originated from, they were met by a young man with black hair, pointy ears, and a black robe. His face was unnaturally pale, and his red eyes glinted with malice.

"So, you three are all that Michael sent? Disappointing, but considering the trouble you've caused my subordinates, maybe I underestimated your capabilities . . ."

Xenovia bared her sword at him. "You're the leader of the group that stole the Excaliburs? How nice of you to show up for us; we'll take you down and get the swords back!"

Irina was tense but silent, eyes darting between the foe and the surrounding areas.

Homura was also on alert for any sign of a trap. It's a brazen move for the leader to reveal himself like this; either this is a trap, or he really is that confident that he can take us all on.

"What did you seek to gain by stealing those swords from the Church?" she asked.

"What do I want? Quite simple, really. I want to restart the Great War," the man replied.

The casual manner in which he disclosed his end goal briefly confused the trio before the weight of his words sunk in.

"Re – restart the Great War?! You're crazy! None of the factions could possibly be embroiled in something like that again without being pushed past the point of recovery!" Irina said.

The man smiled sinisterly. "You're wrong. I assure you that the fallen angels won't perish so easily, and by the end of the conflict, we will be the only ones left standing."

He laughed, a hint of mania creeping into his voice. "And then the whole world will see that fallen angels are the strongest race!"

"If the Heavens and devils band together to stop your madness, then I doubt that your group will be able to prevail," Homura said.

"Hmm, you might be right about that. Too bad it won't matter since the two groups will be at each other's throat. After all, if those two devil heiresses are killed using the Excaliburs, their brother and sister Satans won't think twice before bringing their wrath down on the Church," he said.

Homura froze. He intends to frame the Church!

Suddenly, the madman's plot didn't seem so unlikely. After all, if someone had hurt Madoka, she didn't think she would be able to restrain herself. If the Satans were even half as protective . . .

She raised her own weapon at him. "If we stop you here, then you won't be able to enact your plan."

The man laughed. "Do you know who I am, little girl?"

His wings burst out behind him, black and ominous, numbering ten in total. "I am Kokabiel, the Star of God, and mere mortals like you three have no hope of defeating me!"

Xenovia and Irina began trembling as his menacing aura intensified. Homura remained still, but her inner thoughts were in a panic. Ten wings?! He's way out of our league; retreat is our only option.

"Squashing insects individually is no fun. I'll let you all scurry back to your friends, so I can deal with you all at once. Who knows? Maybe I'll have to exert the tiniest bit of effort in the process."

"See you at Kuoh Academy." He turned around and vanished without a trace.

xxx

They arrived at the school in the nick of time.

As soon as they entered the grounds, a barrier appeared around the school, ensuring that collateral damage did not extend beyond the school. They gave a quick nod to Sona's group, who were maintaining the barrier, before heading towards the sound of fighting.

When they reached the battlefield, they saw that Rias's peerage was engaged with Cerberus demons as well as Freed, who was holding a sword that seemed far more radiant than his previous blade. Valper was hanging back, avoiding the fight while Kokabiel was hovering in the air, observing the proceedings with a grin.

"Go help with Freed; it's far easier for me to get a good shot at something as big as those demons," Homura ordered.

Irina nodded before leaping into the fray to assist Kiba against the rogue exorcist. Xenovia hung back for a second, concentrating as she pulled out a sword with a blue blade and a golden edge from what seemed to be a dimensional pocket before finally joining the fight.

Homura teleported to a vantage point and began rapidly firing arrows at the demon dogs whenever she had a clear shot. Combined with the relentless assault from Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and Issei, the Cerberus demons were quickly dispatched one by one.

She looked over at the group dealing with Freed and noticed that the insane exorcist was lying motionless on the ground, his shattered sword resting beside him. Kiba, armed with a sword that seemed to radiate both light and darkness, was advancing on Valper, who was blabbering in an attempt to distract the vengeful devil when the latter was suddenly struck down by a light spear.

"His whining was beginning to irritate me. I think I'll indulge myself a bit before finishing you all off," Kokabiel said.

Kiba rushed at him with a howl of fury, only to be casually knocked aside by a well-placed strike from a light spear. He picked himself up quickly and charged back in, followed by the other melee combatants while the others hung back and provided support.

However, despite the numerous attacks being sent his way simultaneously, Kokabiel was able to deftly avoid most of them, positioning himself so that his opponents got in the way of each other's attacks and parrying any blows that came close.

Too clustered; I can't fire without a high chance of friendly fire.

Homura cursed at her inability to help in the present situation. Her worry grew as the situation continued to deteriorate.

Kokabiel's strength was immense; a single blow from him sent a combatant flying away in critical condition. Soon, the entire front line was incapacitated.

"Disappointing. None of them were even able to scratch me. Maybe the ranged fighters here can do better?" Kokabiel said.

He turned and spread his arms in an inviting gesture. "Come! I'll let each of you get one solid hit on me. Maybe then you'll stand a chance."

Homura, never one to pass up an opportunity, quickly strung her bow and charged her attack as fast as possible.

She fired at the same time as Rias and Akeno, their attacks simultaneously landing and erupting at his location.

A figure stepped out of the dust, covered in purple flames that slowly faded away as they failed to find purchase on his skin.

The sound of a wingbeat was all she sensed before Kokabiel was suddenly in front of her.

"Well now," he whispered. "That actually hurt."

Startled by his sudden appearance, Homura had no time to react before a fist crashed into her torso and threw her into the side of the school. She collapsed to the ground, further aggravating what she suspected were several broken bones.

She clamped down on her emotions to suppress the pain and began channeling magic to her injuries, speeding up her recovery. Come on . . .

Her vision was blurry, but she could barely make out the vague forms of Rias and Akeno being similarly struck down.

"It's quite amusing, really, to watch you all struggle in vain," Kokabiel said with a sneer.

"We beat . . . your lackeys! We . . . can beat you too!" Rias said while struggling to stand up.

"That's right . . . we're not done yet," Xenovia said propping herself up with Durandal.

"You sound so sure of yourself, little exorcist. But really, you're one of the most pitiable ones here. After all, you're fighting for nothing," Kokabiel said.

Xenovia frowned as she asked, "And just what . . . is that supposed to mean?"

Kokabiel smiled sinisterly. "Exactly what it sounds like. In the Great War, it wasn't just the original Satans that perished."

Irina grew pale as she realized what he was trying to say. "N – no way . . ."

"God is dead," Kokabiel proclaimed.

Some people may have denounced that statement, writing it off as a lie created to undermine morale. However, the underlying tone and the sheer confidence exuded by the speaker all hinted at someone who truly believed in what they were saying.

No one could deny the fallen angel's credibility either. After all, he had been there in person.

Silence loomed as the weight of his words fell on everyone. The devils appeared shocked, while the exorcists had fallen to their knees in despair, their faces lifeless and empty.

Homura had seen faces like those far, far too many times during her life.

Her injuries healed, she stood, tall and confident, a beacon of light amidst the panic and fear that had gripped her allies. "Even if God is dead, so long as we hold onto hope, our future will not remain bleak."

Kokabiel turned to her with an intrigued expression. "Oh? And what is it that instills you with such confidence?"

She thought back to Madoka's kindness and her beautiful smile.

I wanted to protect that smile.

She remembered those final, few moments in the old world.

But she decided to throw her own happiness away for the sake of others.

But even with that burden on her shoulders, Madoka never stopped smiling.

As long as people like her exist, the world is never beyond redemption.

She gazed at Kokabiel and spoke with conviction. "A candle can light a thousand fires, and the new flame in Heaven is far, far more than a mere candle."

Kokabiel tilted his head curiously. "Is that so? Then after I crush you all underfoot, I'll have to go to Heaven and extinguish this new hope of yours. After all . . ."

He grinned savagely.

"Even brilliant lights will cease to burn."

He raised his hand; light spears began forming behind him, their numbers growing to the point that they blotted out the sun. "The next generation is the embodiment of hope for the future, is it not? I will utterly destroy this school and all the youth here to show the Church and the devils that there is no future for them!"

Homura's eye widened. He's going to barrage us and turn this whole area into a wasteland!

She teleported to the rooftop and prepared herself. Attacking him won't stop the rain of light spears in time, so I'll have to stop his attack somehow.

Kokabiel's arm fell, and his light spears began their descent as well. They whistled through the air, promising impending death to all within range.

Homura concentrated, and magic sigils appeared in the sky, a series of interconnected concentric diamonds. Arrows made of purple energy, wreathed in holy fire, flew out en masse from this structure, a torrent of flame raging against the current that was Kokabiel's barrage of light spears. However, the purple tide was rapidly pushed back by the torrent of white.

It's not enough!

As a powerful fallen angel that had lived for eons, Kokabiel's magical prowess was orders of magnitude above hers. Tactics and cunning did nothing when the disparity in strength was simply too high.

Transfer!

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Issei collapsing to the ground. At the same moment, a surge of energy ran through her body, multiplying her power. She channeled the newfound strength into her attack, and the retreat of the purple tide was slowly lessened.

But it did not stop.

Even with the boost, Kokabiel's barrage slowly inched closer and closer to the school grounds. Homura felt despair mounting as their predicament seemed more and more inevitable.

A fight where the enemy is simply out of our league. A futile struggle that ends in the destruction of everything we hold dear. Just like . . . Walpurgisnacht.

The rain of light spears was almost on them. In that moment before their defeat, Homura closed her eyes and . . .

A furnace within her soul awakened.

It spoke to her, with a voice that was a roar, a cascading tide that knew no bounds.

What would you sacrifice for the sake of your goal?

Wha – who are you?!

I am the blood that taints the cross.

I am the martyr.

I am the sacrifice.

You may know me better as Incinerate Anthem.

Her Sacred Gear was talking? She didn't think it was normal for Sacred Gears to talk.

What do you want? she asked.

It is not what I want, but what you want. I have the power to allow you to achieve your goal, but are you willing to pay the price?

Power at a price? She was no stranger to these types of deals.

She also knew better than to accept it without hearing all the details first.

And what is the price?

Your life.

My life?!

Your life energy, to be exact. The more power you take from me, the more life I will take from you.

Homura contemplated for a moment. Then she decided.

There wasn't really a choice, in any case.

I accept.

The entity was pleased.

Then take my power and burn away all who would stand in your path.

The difference was immediate. A wave of energy shot forward, crashing against Kokabiel, forcing him back.

He snarled. "Was that all –?"

Dark feathers blew past him, and his eyes shot open in surprise once he realized where they were coming from.

His wings. Or rather, what had been his wings. They were nothing more than sagging branches now, like winter-time trees that had lost their leaves.

Even as he struggled to stay afloat, the change did not stop there. It was like his body had suddenly experienced a millennium: his skin wrinkled themselves into knots, his hair fell out, and his limbs became spindly sticks.

And as his body atrophied, so too, did his power.

His barrage of light spears slowed, stalled, then finally came to a stop.

Without a opponent to struggle against, Homura's barrage shot forward unopposed.

Kokabiel's face twisted in surprise as he watched the flaming beast creep ever closer, its all-devouring maw eating up his light spears like they were mere toothpicks. "Wha – impossible!"

His face remained incredulous until the moment the fire consumed him.

And then, there were only screams.

And eventually, that too was extinguished.

But by then, Homura had long since collapsed, her mind falling into a dark void.

xxx

Up in Heaven, Madoka suddenly stood up in alarm.

"Hmm? What is it, Madoka-chan?" Sayaka asked as she contemplated her next move in their card game.

She did not answer, simply gazing into the distance vacantly as her thoughts tumbled around in turmoil.

Why is it that my connection with Homura-chan suddenly became so much weaker?!

xxx

Homura woke up to a pounding headache.

As it gradually subsided, she noticed that she was laying outside on a cot and that people bustled about while vaguely familiar faces barked orders.

As the din finally receded, she noticed a voice frantically repeating in her head.

"Homura-chan? Are you alright? Homura-chan!"

"I'm fine . . . Madoka." Homura wearily replied. "Just a bit tired, is all."

"I was so worried! I felt my connection with you weaken all of a sudden and I feared the worst!"

"Hah . . . I just used up a lot of energy in a difficult fight. We won, so don't worry about it."

"If you're sure . . . but be more careful next time alright?"

"Alright."

The connection severed, and Homura took the time to glance down at her Soul Gem.

It was extremely cloudy, with black mist obscuring almost all of its purple hue.

"Cutting it close," she murmured.

Focusing, she attempted to cleanse her gem with her Sacred Gear . . .

Purple washed back in, but she noticed that several black spots still remained.

Frowning, she tried again, but those black specks stubbornly remained uncleansed.

What . . . what's going on?

From deep within her soul, an answer came to her in a flame wreathed tongue.

The price.

She instinctively understood.

Magical girls were not a normal existence: their lifespans were not limited the way a mortal's life was. Their life was tied to their emotions, their ability to keep their hopes and dreams alive.

So long as she did not despair, a magical girl could live for a long, long time.

So for someone like her, the equivalent of life energy would be . . .

Hope.

And taking away hope is the same as giving someone despair.

So that is how the Sacred Gear exacted its price.

By forcing her to despair.

She had been wondering what this hollow feeling, this constant ache in her body was. She shook her head. What's done is done, and she would not regret her decision.

Looking up, she saw Sona approaching her with a curious expression.

"Look who's awake. An impressive showing at the end there. I suppose we should thank you for getting us out of that tight spot."

The magical girl nodded absentmindedly. "I was just doing my duty. It was nothing special." She glanced at the throng of people surrounding them. "How is everyone else?"

"Luckily, everyone received treatment quickly so there should be no lasting injuries. We weren't sure about you since you collapsed from a cause that we were unable to determine, but it seems that you've recovered just fine as well."

"Yes . . . I feel fine."

A white lie, but she didn't wish to burden others with her problems.

Sona nodded. "By the way, are you a magician? I've never seen magic resembling your style before," she said.

Homura shook her head. "I'm not a magician; just a magical girl."

Sona suddenly froze as she heard two very specific words in sequence. Slowly, she turned to look at the other girl with a completely blank expression.

Homura frowned at the lack of response. "Are you alright?"

Sona remained wordless.

A voice called out, and Homura turned to address it. She looked back and said, "Apologies, but it seems I have some other business to attend to. I wish you luck in cleaning up the fallout from the incident." With that said, she departed.

As soon as the other girl left, Sona collapsed to her knees.

Magical . . . girl?

She could feel her rational side beginning to drown in despair.

So, they really do exist after all.

She buried her face in her hands.

Onee-sama must never learn of this.

But of course, she should have known better than to tempt fate.

Meanwhile, in a certain Satan's residence . . .

"THERE IS A MAGICAL GIRL . . . IN KUOH?"

Serafall Leviathan was having a good day.

"NOW I CAN MEET THIS NEW GIRL AND VISIT MY CUTE LITTLE SISTER AT THE SAME TIME."

Truly, this was the best news she's had in centuries.

Meanwhile, back in Kuoh, Sona Sitri felt a shiver crawl up her spine.

She was already beginning to dread the coming week.