Part 1

The boy landed on top of the water, recreating one of the miracles of Christ. He twirled slightly, seeing the symbols that floated just above the water: a sword, a beast, a lance, a horse, a wraith, a scale, a skull, a wand, and a bow and arrow. Above him was a statue of a girl trying break free from the ceiling, desperately trying to reach out to the bottom. Her outstretched hand was close, but far to the point where he couldn't touch it no matter what. Beneath him was a watery abyss, where the clear waters were shrouded by darkness.

"This dream again." Issei started to move and with each step there were ripples sent throughout the water. He began to walk in circle and once he completed his first circuit, he looked up at the statue. "Just who are you?"

The statue did not respond of course.

"Did I ever meet you before?'

The model, if there was one, of the statue must've been very beautiful if nothing was embellished or altered. She looked to be a few years older than him and possessed the beauty that matched up to some servants he knew. Most of her pale skin was covered in a black dress, but the most notable thing was her silver hair that glinted in the faint light. Her eyes were covered by a black cloth, hiding her eyes as if she was blind.

"No, I would've not forgotten your face if I did." Issei muttered, but then he noticed the water begin to move. "I wonder whose dream am I seeing tonight?"

The water that held him up rose and swallowed him whole. Issei Hyoudou did not cry in alarm, but he let himself go under. He sunk into the depths of the abyss, waiting for something to happen.

It was snowing that day. The pure white landscape that was dyed red, the lifeless bodies that littered the ground, and broken weapons that were stabbed into the earth were slowly being covered by the gentle flakes of frost. There was a battle here.

Issei could hear the footsteps of armies retreating in the distance. Anyone who was wounded or alive had left the scene, but there was two people who remained at the scene.

A girl who possessed uncomparable beauty, even by the servants he had met. Her body was in perfect proportions and every shape seemed to have been carefully sculpted out by a goddess. Her pink hair was slightly ruffled and her white dress was strewn in mud, but it added a hint of sexiness to her perfect body. She sat on the floor, despite holding no weapons she stared fearlessly at the man who held a crimson spear to his throat.

Berserker.

"Cu Chulainn, Child of Light and the Hound of Ulster, you have won the battle. Are you going to take my life? If so then do it. I am not a coward who would throw away her pride for survival."

"Can you walk?" The great hero of Ireland held out his hand to the girl.

He was different from what Issei could remember. This version of Cu Chulainn did not wear the black armor that was made from the creature he once slayed. Although they both had the same expressionless face, Issei could tell that this person was more human than the man he knows.

"What?" Issei noticed the girl surprised expression. Out of all the things that could've happened, she didn't expect this situation.

"Can you walk?" He repeated once again.

With eyes filled with caution, she grabbed his hand and stood up. Cu Chulainn started to leave and motioned the girl to follow him.

She realized from the path he took that she wasn't going to Ulster. She was going back to her kingdom, to Connacht.

A beat was heard. Maybe at the time it went unnoticed by the legendary hero, but Issei noticed. Loud heartbeats and yellow eyes filled with adoration.

This memory may have been nothing to the hero, but it was important to the girl.

This was a beautiful memory to the girl. It was a special memory to the queen of Connacht. An irreplaceable memory to Medb.

At that moment the entire landscape, the people, even the sky turned to that into water and Issei once again drowned. His body felt like lead, no gold, and he continued to sink into the abyss.

At last he opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He turned to look and the clock and sighed.

"I'm going to be late."

Part 2

"Sorry Issei-chan, but you sleep like a rock sometimes. It was ruining my beauty sleep when you slept through it so I decided to turn it off." Ruby apologized, but she didn't really sound sorry at all. "And it's not like this is the first time it happened."

[Isn't that just bad then. You're enforcing bad habits.] Ddraig grumbled as Issei continued to run. [You're irresponsible Little Tool.]

"Ehh~ I remember a dragon cheering me on when I turned that stupid alarm off." Ruby nonchalantly said. "That dragon was like 'yeah Ruby turn it off.' 'you're the best Ruby.' 'You're the one most suited for Issei, Ruby.'"

[Stop spouting lies Little Tool.] Ddraig yelled. [Never have I ever said anything like that.]

"Fine, but I do recall you not doing anything to stop me from shutting the alarm off."

[I can neither confirm nor deny that. So Partner what did you dream about today?] Quickly changing the subject, Ddraig asked his master.

They all knew that ever since the cards went dormant, various memories would appear in Issei's dream. Some of them they already had heard before, but once in a while Issei would get a new memory.

"It was a new memory from Berserker." Issei spoke a bit absentmindedly. "It was when he took Medb back to her kingdom."

[Medb? Ah, you must mean the Queen of Connacht.] Ddraig said. [I never met her, but from the stories I heard about she was a powerful woman indeed.]

"The girl who had many loves right?" Ruby chimed in. "From what I know of she was good ruler, but as her title went she had a lot of men at her beck and call right."

"So essentially she had many lovers right?" Issei asked.

[Yeah it took seven men to satisfy her libido or so the tale went.] Ddraig went on to explain. [She wasn't just a sexually active person, but was also a strong ruler. It wouldn't be strange to call her the ringleader behind the biggest war in the Ulster Cycle.]

"Hmmm. That's pretty interesting to know."

"Nevermind that Issei-chan we have more pressing matters to talk about!" Ruby spoke loudly. "Why can't I have a dream sequence with you?"

[...Because your Little Tool, Little Tool.] Ddraig bluntly said. [Your creator never optimized that sort of function on you.]

"I know that, but if we alter me a bit then it could be possible." Ruby rebutted. "When we alter my prism trance function then we can do it."

"No."

[No.]

They both rejected the idea of the mystic code created by the great Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.

"Why?!"

"Remember the last time that happened?"

[Yeah I swear it took Partner ages to get rid of that personality.] Ddraig complained. [I don't think Partner's parent ever looked at him the same way ever again.]

"Fine." Ruby huffed. "I concede with you point, but I will admit that it was super funny. In fact, I have a recording of it."

"What?! Get rid of it." Issei grabbed on to the mystic code. "Ruby where did you put the recording?'

"The safest place on the planet. The internet." She replied cheerfully.

Issei froze and felt a little piece of him collapse.

[Sniff. Sniff. My poor Partner just died a bit.] Ddraig mourned. [How could you do that Little Tool? No, why?]

"I'm just joking. In fact I have it right here." She pulled out an SD card and held it up proudly. "It contains Issei-chan embarrassing moments."

Without hesitation Issei grabbed and broke it with his fingers using reinforcement.

"Ah! How could you!" Ruby cried as she mourned for her loss of data. "That was even in HD!"

[Serves you right Little Tool!] The sacred gear taunted the mystic code. [Go suffer and lament as punishment!]

"At least I know where I got my drama from." Issei muttered. "From the both of them."

Suddenly the crying and the yelling stopped. They both stilled and Issei was about to ask them what was wrong before he felt it himself.

Overbearing. The pure aura of power that felt like a sharp knife to the neck. He turned to the source and his eyes widened in surprise.

What is she doing here?

Purplish brown with the ting of red to it, straight hair that covered her back like a curtain. Red eyes that seemed to be looking elsewhere, the eyes that represented divinity for some beings but in her case it was different. A black suit that clung to her body, showing her curves and the familiar silver like shoulder armors she wore.

"Can you kill me Setanta?" The woman murmured as she watched her student leave. It would be the last time she would've seen him directly. "Will you be the one to kill me with that spear?"

Even before he left she knew the answer.

[What is she doing here?] Ddriag whispered. [I never heard of her ever coming to this country before?! She doesn't have any reason to come here so why?!]

"I don't think we can run away. The distance between us is too close. If she notices us running-"

They could die.

Crimson eyes, shaped like cut rubies, turned to face them. Faster than what could Issei react, she was in front of them already.

[Scathach, the Immortal Witch, what brings you to this land?] Ddraig asked with a polite tone. [I do not recall a member of the celtic faction having any business to be here.]

"It has been a long time hasn't it,Welsh Dragon Ddraig." She replied back evenly, but irritation was laced in her tone. "Normally I wouldn't but I'm searching for a person who has escaped from my realm"

[Someone escape from the Land of Shadows?!] Ddraig blurted out, surprised. [This is the first time such an incident happened!]

"Yes it's the first time, but putting that aside is the boy your new host?" She inspected Issei like how people inspect horses to buy. Guessing his value in combat.

[Yes he is, but he is inexperienced in combat and is not a worthy opponent for you.]

"Is that so?" She took a look at Issei who nodded agreeing with the dragon. "What is your name boy?"

"Hyoudou Issei, but I suppose in your culture it would by Issei Hyoudou." He replied, a slight droplet of sweat emerged from his brow.

She stared and Issei fidgeted unsure of what to do. The suspense was started to get him and he could feel his heart race rapidly.

"Is that charm yours?" She picked up Ruby who was still tied to Issei's belt. "Did you make it?"

"It was given to me by someone." Issei replied a bit too quickly. "As a gift."

It felt like infinity had passed until she had let go of Ruby.

"Boy, if you're interested in getting strong to defeat the white dragon I suggest you come visit the Land Of Shadows." She turned around and started to walk off. "For a person like you, owning Boosted Gear will lead you to your death eventually. If not by people who wishes its power then surely the white one will do it."

",,," Issei didn't say anything, only watching the woman leave as she continued on her way.

Part 3

[Scathach is the famed warrior maid who ruled the country known as the Land of Shadows. She appears briefly in the Ulster cycle as the teacher of Cu Chulainn who learned under her because of Forgall Monach's order who hoped the hound would die during his training. Unfortunately for Forgall, Cu Chulainn survived the grueling training, learned the arts of Runes, and became even more of a peerless warrior.]

"Wasn't the reason why Cu Chulainn went to that place in the first place was in hopes of marrying Emer?" Ruby interrupted the story.

[Yes, in the Wooing of Emer that was the whole point of the journey. When he came back and Forgall refused, the warrior stormed through Forgall's fortress, killed 24 of the men there, killed Forgall himself, and took Emer.]

"So in the end Scathach never really played a major role in the Ulster cycle. She was a minor character who only played one part in Berserker's story." The kaleidostick concluded. "So what is the untold story about her?"

[A warrior that killed too much to the point where she stopped being human anymore.]

"What?" Ruby asked, stunned.

[As I said she killed too much. People, wraiths, divine beings, she massacred them, and she became someone who was infinitely close to becoming a god. For her feat she was given the Land of Shadows to rule over and she continued to fight even then. She fought the dead and the near gods and eventually, at one point, on an ordinary day, she realized that she couldn't die.

She realized that she wasn't human anymore.

A person who turned halfway into a divine spirit. An abomination not quite human, but not quite a god either. A woman whose destiny is to watch the world till it ends. She will for sure continue pasts the lifespan of gods, continue past the lifespan of humanity, continue past the lifespan world, ruling over her realm of the dead.]

"I hope we aren't fighting her then." Ruby gave a laugh. "Even with the servants I'm pretty sure that without unleashing a noble phantasm we wouldn't even survive a serious battle."

"True, I'm pretty sure even Cu Chulainn wouldn't even be able to beat her as she is now." Issei chimed in. "She's gotten stronger since then. She also was in love with him."

Ddraig and Ruby froze before giving off a weak laugh. Imagining that woman as a maiden in love was something unimaginable itself.

[What a funny joke Partner. To think of that woman in love with someone…] Ddraig shivered, not finishing his words.

"Well first of all the Cu Chulainn we have is from a different world. I'm pretty sure history is a bit different here then there." Ruby assured him. "Maybe in this world Scathach is not in love with him."

"That could be." Issei shrugged. "We might as well walk to school now. First period started 10 minutes ago."

"Hey can you buy me a new sd card on the way?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"Nice try Ruby but no."

Part 4

"Hey hey Hyoudou, why were you late to school today?" Aika nudged him with her elbow as the class broke of into their little cliques. The teacher had an emergency meeting so they had a free period. While they were expected to study, a majority of the staff didn't care as long as they weren't too loud. "Did something happen on the way to school? Like bumping into some random girl with toast in her mouth or tripping and falling face first into some girl's crotch?"

"Are you trying to suggest that I am a otome game protagonist?" Issei asked.

"Oh sorry then, they must've been male right. I feel sorry for that guy's balls then. You must've crushed it, using it as a cushion."

"That sounds super painful." Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama had to shudder, feeling the imaginary pain.

"So spill what happened?"

"So are you curious Kiryuu? I just happened to have my destined encounter, so you can tell the manga research club that the HyoudouxGenshiro ship is over now."

"Personally I was more of a GenshiroxHyoudou fan, but I'm sure the manga research club will be willing to jump a sinking ship. So tell me the gender of your destined partner."

"If it's female Issei I will curse you." Matsuda muttered.

"If it's female Issei I will curse you." Motohama also muttered.

"It's female who happens to be mature lady." Issei blabbered about with a comical leery expression. "A beauty who happens to be a foreigner sightseeing here. I feel like we already have a great compatibility together and maybe in the far future we will marry and have ten children."

Of course what Issei said was all nonsense, but it was funny to see the duo's reaction sometimes. If Issei said where he got that type of hobby from, he would obviously say Ruby.

"What's her boob size!" Matsuda and Motohama leaned in to here the answer.

"D."

"UWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The perverted duo yelled out. "No fair Issei! Why can't we have our own encounters?"

"Shouldn't you fix your own reputations before thinking about an encounter?" Aika said. "And quiet down. I don't want any of the next door teachers coming around."

They both closed their mouths.

"We seem to have a lot of foreigners coming around here though. Sona Sitri, Rias Gremory, Asia Argento, Yuuto Kiba-"

"Wait I understand those three, but isn't Yuuto Kiba through and through a Japanese name?" Issei interrupted her listing the number of foreigners.

Aika gave a look that was between amused and disbelief.

"Tell me what part is Yuuto Kiba is a foreigner? No matter how handsome he is, there isn't a single part of his body that suggests that he is Japanese. If you think about it, it's more likely that Yuuto Kiba isn't his first name."

"Isn't that a bit unreasonable to say that?"

"True, but I like to consider it my headcanon."

"..."

"Here is the evidence that I have gathered. Evidence one, Yuuto Kiba lives alone."

"That could just be that his parents are working overseas or that they live away from here." Issei pointed out. "It's not that unreasonable to consider. Despite everything Kuoh does to screw the males over they have one of the best education systems and the teams here tend to dominate a lot of the competitions."

"Evidence two, Yuuto Kiba is part of the occult research club." Aika ignored his argument and continued on. "They must be part of a secret organization or something. If you think about it, there has to be something special about that club if all the schools idols and beauties are gathered in one place."

"I don't have anything to deny that, but why isn't that student council mentioned if that's true?"

"Isn't that obvious? They have Saji, he's fugly compared to those girls."

"So brutal!" Motohama blurted out.

"Now that I think about it. Isn't it the perfect time to go back to the conversation we had yesterday?" Aika grinned, changing the subject. "So what can we do Issei? What can we do to help this helpless pervert improve his life and his future? What can we do to ensure that he grows as a decent human being?"

"I don't know." Issei shrugged. "Does Motohama have any talent besides that weird ability of his?"

"No. Unlike Matsuda with his athletics ability as a former sports star, Motohama has no special talents whatsoever."

"Isn't that a bit cruel to say that in front of me? I know it's true, but why?!" Motohama started to sob and the two watched him break down as he muttered sorry over again.

"Don't you think it's weird though? All the members of the Occult Research Club live alone. They don't have a legal guardian living with them. Isn't that too much of a coincidence?"

"It does seem weird, but what seems weirder is how we managed to go from my morning, to Kiba Yuuto being a fake name, to Motohama's life choices, and then to Occult Research Club member living all alone."

It took a minute before Aika grinned and playfully knocked on her own head.

"Teehee. I really do wonder why? Maybe it's because I'm a whimsical woman."

"That doesn't make much sense." Matsuda pointed out.

"Seems like Matsuda wants to be hit over and over again." Saying those ominus and threatening words, Aika gave a bright cheery smile.

"Please forgive me please Aika-sama." Matsuda replied with a matching grin and the same cheerful tone Aika used.

"Like hell I will!" She gave him a knuckle sandwich and Matsuda screamed for mercy.

"Hey!" The teacher from next door slid open the door. "I'm trying to teach a class here so be quiet alright!"

Although Issei wasn't part of the cause of the noise, he had to apologize along with his other three friends.

Part 5

Rias resisted the urge to tremble or show any signs of weakness in front of this person. Despite not giving a single glance and Sona, she was sure that her friend was doing the same.

They were dealing with the God Slayer after all. A woman who was not created or born into divinity, but reached into the realm of the gods with her own two hands. She suppose that this woman would by the person she and Sona would look up to as a role model, but there was something off with her.

If she were to compare it to something, then she would compare it to where to the märchen where the wolf dressed up as the grandmother. An inhuman monster prancing around in human clothing. She set down her cup with a soft clink, before getting to business.

"What brings you to this place Scathach? As far as I recall the Celtic faction has no business to be here." There was a little amount of sass, but Rias was sure that the Immortal Witch wouldn't take any offence from it. Besides she needed to show that they weren't door mats willing to be stepped upon.

"They don't." Scathach replies, she didn't show any intentions of touching her teacup. "I'm not here as a representative as the Celts. I've arrived to this town as the Queen of the Land of the Shadows. One of my people have escaped and managed to arrive to this town."

"What?!" Rias let out and then coughed. "I'm sorry, but how?"

"That is my business to know, not yours." Ruby eyes glinted ominously. "I'm here to ask permission to set up a barrier around this town. I'll finish my job tonight and we can be out of each others hairs. Is that alright?"

"It's fine, but I do have a condition." Sona spoke up. "Rugal come over here."

"..." Rugal complied and walked to stand a bit behind, but at the side of his king. 9

"Hoh, a lycanthrope." Scathach evaluated him and gave a short nod. "I suppose it makes sense on why you obey your master's command like a dog. Tell me is this your innate nature to follow? Or is it because of the piece inside of you?"

If that bothered Rugal then he didn't show it. Neither did Sona Sitri, but there was a brief moment where she clenched her fist.

"Hey!" Saji yelled out.

"Saji! I suggest you stay quiet." Sona raised her voice and then lowered it. Still she maintained that calm tone of hers. "So you have something against the reincarnation system Immortal Witch?"

"My concern about it isn't important right now." She stood up and walked up to the werewolf. "I suppose you want me to take him along?"

"Please. He'll accompany you during your preparations." Sona didn't bother to turn around. "We'll also lend you are support if necessary."

"It isn't."

"Still with more people to help, the faster the work gets done right?" Rias turned around and smiled. "That's our other condition."

It took a minute of silence before the woman sighed, finally responding to their terms.

"I accept those conditions so here." A manilla folder was pulled out and was thrown on the table. "I'll be off preparing for the hunt." With Rugal trailing after her, the witch left the room. It was then did the devils in the room begin to relax and Sona and Rias sighed in relief.

"You did nice Sona." Rias patted Sona's back in comfort. "If she insulted my peerage, then I wouldn't be able to keep my cool like you did."

"Let's not talk about that for now." Sona brushed away Rias's hand. "I'm still not sure if I can keep my cool."

"It's best to see what Scathach has left for us." Tsubaki picked up the folder and opened it. The rest of the two groups peered behind Sona's queen to see the contents.

"Medb?" Saji read the name. "She looks beautiful, but a girl like her managed to escape the equivalent of an ultimate security prison?!"

"Well she did and this gives us reason to not underestimate her." Akeno said, stroking her chin. "She has to more than a pretty figure to accomplish that."

"Well then." Rias and Sona turned around to face them, their precious peerages. "Let's get to work."

The faster the witch leaves this town, the better.

Interlude 2

Kalawarner, Mittelt, and Raynare, those three were his comrades. Those three and he himself were fallen angels, but unlike the great leaders of the Grigori they only had one pair of wings. The lowest of the low, the things left over at the bottom of the barrel. They weren't allowed to fulfill whatever dreams they had, only to live the life of mediocrity.

Perhaps if they were still angels they would've been content with that, but they weren't angels. Like immigrants giving up their old life for the hopes of a better life in a new place, they were the same. They gave up the comforts of the heavens to come here, to this land, to reach the infinite possibilities.

That's why when Raynare came up with this unreasonable plan they had agreed to it. They were willing to bet everything again to reach their dreams, the chance to go high no matter the cost.

Now, after the event, it was just him in a small apartment room.

Grabbing his dusty hat and giving it couple pats, he set it on his head, For some reason he felt like going for a walk.

Part 6

"Looks like your friends abandoned you today." Ruby lightly teased him as Issei walked out of school alone.

"Kiba, Saji, and Asia have club duties, Kiryuu had to do something, and the perverted duo went off somewhere." Issei sighed. "While I can guess what Saji and the others are doing, I wonder what Matsuda and Motohama are up to?"

[Can't we assume that they went off to go buy porn?] Ddraig asked. [Sounds something that they would obviously do.]

"But they blew all their money buying that film with Momo Momozono on it." Issei pointed out. "Besides I remember them leaving with a camera bag…"

"Ah…"

"[Should we go find them?] Ddraig asked. [If they get caught I'm pretty sure they wouldn't get in trouble with a slap in a wrist. In fact for a town as small as this I wouldn't be surprised if this was on the front page of the papers.]

"Two High Schoolers Get Caught in Voyeurism" Ruby spread her wings outwards, to emphasize the title. "Their Punishment, The Death Penalty"

"That isn't enough of the death penalty, but they'll be ostracized even more." Issei started to look around nervously. "I hope they didn't go far. Matsuda! Motohama! Where are you guys!"

[Don't you have their phone numbers?]

"Oh yeah I did." Issei pulled out his phone and typed in one of their numbers. No one picked up.

"How about the other?"

Issei typed another phone number in. No one picked up.

"This is a good time to panic." Issei concluded.

"Two High Schoolers Get Caught Committing Voyeurism" Ruby spread her wings outwards again, to emphasize the title. "Their Punishment, The Death Penalty"

"What's with that level of foreshadowing! Do you really want that to happen?" Issei yelled. "Can't you do something to help help locate them?"

"I can, but nah. It seems pretty interesting to see the duo get sent to die." Ruby shrugged.

There was only one way to get this useless wand to help. As much as Issei hated doing this since it led to weeks of Ruby acting extra snidely, it had to be done.

He gave and deep breathe and deeply regretted this decision.

"Magical boys should not have friends who are sex offenders." Issei stated in hopes of getting Ruby to be a bit more cooperative.

No response. Dammit it wasn't embarrassing and cliche enough.

"And since I am a magical boy, I should do my best to protect my friends."

Still not a budge. Fuck (Ruby would surely chastise him for language if she could read his mind), he has to use his last idea then. Put the cliche to the max.

He weakly raised his hand. "In the name of love and justice!" He ended it with an embarrassing pose.

[...Partner.] If the disappointment wasn't strong enough, it just increased.

It didn't even take a moment for Ruby to react explosively.

"You're right Issei-chan!" Ruby shouted in joy. "Magical boys must have a reputation to uphold. Let's find the two trashes- I mean friends. Activating radar mode!"

A screen appeared before them and showed a grid with multiple dots moving.

"Ruby…" Issei spoke after a full minute. "This doesn't help at all. There's not identification with the tags!"

[Partner your mistake was relying on Little Tool in the first place.] Ddraig stated with his tone a bit tired. [When will you ever learn that simple fact?]

"Seems like you're having fun." A person called out from behind them. It was Scathach.

[Why is she here again?!] Ddraig whispered urgently.

"I don't know either?! What are we going to do?!" Ruby panicked as well.

"Keep calm guys." Issei whispered and then turned to the person. "Hi Scathach! What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to be hunting someone down?"

"I've just finished the preparations and so I've decided to take a short break for now." She ran her fingers through her hair, letting it flip. Issei counted his stars that she didn't point out his forced tone. "I can't capture that person until nighttime. Will you keep me company for a bit?"

Part 7

"So you have a heir?" Issei remarked as they sat at a bench eating takoyaki. "I mean considering that you're immortal and everything, I would assume you don't really need one."

They couldn't really enter a restaurant with Scathach in a skin tight bodysuit so Issei opted getting something at one of the food trucks around town.

"I don't for the most part, but if I need to leave the Land of Shadows he's the person who would normally look after the things there." Scathach stated, stabbing the bamboo skewer into the round treat. "He should be fine after all I did train him before. The only problem people have is taking him seriously because of his apparent age, but behind the appearances he is a competent replacement for me."

[I didn't hear about you training someone within the past few centuries.] Ddraig commented. [Normally, there would be a huge uproar because the people you end up training turn out to be very powerful warriors, thus highly sought after. Cu Chulainn would be the prime example of it.]

"I haven't." Scathach commented. "I asked Dagda for a favor and took a fragment of his cauldron and used it on a previous student."

[You used that?] Ddraig asked surprised. [That's a powerful artifact to be handling.]

"Wait what so important about the cauldron?" Issei asked. "I know Dagda is one of the main gods, but isn't the cauldron something that just never ran out of food? How did she use it on her student?"

Surprisingly it was Ruby who answered his question.

"Issei-chan my knowledge of the celts may be bad, but you should know the cauldron from a magus point of view." Ruby tutted at Issei and shook her head. "It's one of the four treasures of De Dannan which is the equivalent of the three regalia in this country, but the main point is that it is the prototype of the holy grail."

Issei's eyes widened at that statement, but he quickly put on a neutral expression when he noticed Scathach staring at him

"Does that mean you revived someone?" Issei asked the witch.

"Yes." Scathach answered. "Normally I wouldn't do it, but as the administrator of the dead I could make a few exception from time to time."

"Doesn't that mean you could let the person go or abuse your authority to revive Cu Chulainn?"

The air stilled and an immense amount of blood lust was released. Issei looked down at his chest and saw a similar, yet different red spear pierced through his heart.

Ah… Ah… AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[Calm down Partner!] Ddraig panicked, his voice rising an octave. [You're still okay!]

Huh? The spear vanished and he saw his plate of takoyaki drop onto the ground, the piece now covered in dirt. There was nothing piercing his chest. Was it simply his imagination?

"You're even more pathetic than what I had imagined." She scoffed and didn't even bother to look at him. "For you who had the gall to ask me that question, I expected you had some sort of power to back yourself out."

"Aren't you being too hard on him?" Ruby asked. "That level of intimidation is something that even the devils here can't do."

"For children who haven't even experienced killing it's not surprising why they lack the ability to do it."

"I've seen them kill before."

"That's not killing." Scathach disagreed with the kaleidostick. "They haven't killed anything yet."

"Then what are they doing?"

"Slaughtering." She gave a cryptic answer and just left it at that.

Issei didn't speak, but he tilted his head in confusion and the witch sighed once more.

"I'll answer your first question boy. The reason why I'm chasing after the lost soul is because I had something stolen and I need to get it back."

[Who escaped?] Ddraig asked.

"The Eternal Lady of Ireland." She answered. "Though she is more commonly known as Maeve, or Queen Medb."

At that moment a single card gave a pulse.

Part 8

It was beginning to get dark now. The light posts were now lighting up and Issei walked home with slight hesitancy in his steps.

"You have that look again Issei-chan."

[You have look again Partner.]

"Do I?" Issei asked and they gave a sound of confirmation. "Should I leave this alone or…"

"Interfere?" If Ruby could grin she would have. "Isn't that what we specialize in?"

[We don't actually.] Ddraig corrected her. [We normally stay at the side, but Partner you need to make a choice. The window of opportunity is closing real fast.]

"To come out of retirement or not." Issei murmured, looking down on the ground. "What do you think I should choose guys?"

He lifted his head up and held a single card in the air. Most of the features were faded away, but there were traces of a beast painted onto the old card.

"That dream I had could've been a message."

[We'll flip a coin then.] Ddraig offered an idea. [If it's head we'll interfere and it it's tails we won't.]

"Like I can do that." Issei sighed. "That idea sounds ridiculous Ddraig."

"You can." Ruby spoke. "If you're so unsure then just leave it to fate then. You have the resolve to shoulder the consequences don't you? Like what we did at that time."

"..."

Issei tucked the card away and took out his cell phone. Pressing in familiar numbers, he called someone. It didn't take that long for the person on the opposite end to pick up the phone.

"Issei? Shouldn't you be near home right now?"

"About that mom. Kiba invited me over to his house for a sleepover with Saji." Issei lied smoothly with little effort. "I was wondering if it was okay if I go."

"Sure no problem Issei. Don't cause Yuuto too much trouble then." She lightly warned him and Issei let a groan.

"I won't, I won't. See you tomorrow then." Issei hanged up the phone after he received his mother's response. In one fluid movement he took both his bag and pocket inside the emerald that Ddraig had.

[Can't we stop by your workshop to dump your stuff?] Ddraig complained, but it had a resigning tone to it like he already knew that answer to that question.

"Nope. With the rebirth of Prisma Issei we can't stop!" Ruby yelled in delight. "Now onwards Issei-chan!"

[We should at least think of a new name for him. He isn't 12 anymore.]

"Hmm that is a good idea." Ruby went into deep thought for a couple of seconds. "How about the Vermillion Wonder?"

[What is he? A superhero?]

"Man you're so picky. Hmm… Kira Kira Issei-chan?"

[Vermillion Wonder was your only idea wasn't it?]

"How about Scarlet Dragon?" Issei asked and when he received only silence as a response. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"It isn't, but…"

[Making your own title makes you seem…]

"Egotistical" Ruby finished with a nod. "Yes it sounds egotistical, but it is a good title. Issei-chan did you spend an entire knight thinking about it?"

"Just let me transform Ruby." Issei said. "Haven't you been waiting for that?"

"Roger." And with that there was a big flash of light to reveal Issei in a different outfit.

Gone was the school uniform he wore and in its place was a something that wouldn't look out of place in a fantasy novel. HIs hair was flattened and was held together by a circlet with horns attached to the sides. Various gold rings held together the loose sleeves of his outfit and emerald tassels adorned the ends. On his back, there was a pair of small red dragon wings.

Ddraig himself shifted to the center of Issei's chest and became more defined.

"This outfit sure has changed, but what's with all the horns and the gold?" Issei asked as he looked at inspected himself. "The wings are also new to."

"Well since this is your debut I decided to make something different this time." Ruby explained. "Consider this to be an out of retirement outfit."

"Well it just seems a bit too gaudy." Issei complained.

"Look do you know where she could be?" Ruby complained. "Chop chop we don't have all the time in the world right?"

"Don't worry I'm pretty sure of her location" The Scarlet Dragon grinned. "Maybe that dream wasn't such a coincidence after all. We'll have to visit the place where we fought him."

Part 9

Where is he?

She could feel the faint traces of his presence here, but it was microscopic. She was sure that even the Immortal Witch wouldn't have been able to detect this.

Then it brought it up a question. Why was she able to sense this?

It made no sense at all. She lacked all the magical skills that witch was said to possess, but she was able to follow him up to here. Was this just a miracle or her delusion?

But now was not the time to think about it. The witch would definitely come here for sure and she would certainly demand that back.

She knew that she wouldn't be able to last in a direct confrontation with the witch, but she couldn't just give up. She needed to find him. The man who managed to defy her, the man who managed to capture her heart, the man who woke her up from her long slumber.

The child of light, the hound of Ulster, the hero of Ireland stayed in this ruined church for a period of time, but why?

"Medb." A familiar voice called out to her.

"Cu?" She turned around to see the man in all of his glory. The deep blue hair that had the same shade of the ocean, those ruby red eyes that shone like blood, the familiar markings that patterned his chest. Even the crimson spear he had emanated that familiar air of bloodlust.

It was him for sure…, but then he wasn't.

In his place was a boy with brown hair and a strange outfit. He looked nothing at all like Cu Chulainn, so then why did she made such an obvious mistake?

"Who are you?" She asked. Her voice was sharper than any blade and yet sweeter than poison. "Are you with the witch?"

"Alluring nightingale?" The boy muttered. His voice was also different from the man. "A saint graph resonance? Seems like this is more troublesome than I thought."

"Who are you?" She asked again in a louder tone.

"My name is Issei Hyoudou and I'm here to help you." The boy stretched out his hand "Come, we don't have that much time."

An Excerpt From a Journal

The evil pieces

A "reincarnation" system invented by Ajuka Beelzebub to repopulate devil kind after the Post War. Although the creation processes of these pieces are unknown, one thing is clear for sure, it is not a method of true reincarnation.

It i-

A piece of journal has been censored out.

The evil pieces, they have been also called Devil's pieces, are based off the pieces in the game of chess. Each piece grants certained attributes to the 'reincarnated' being that helps them within combat.

Pawns are the lowest in terms of cost, but are the most plentiful in terms of numbers. Each high-class devils are given eight of these. Unlike the others they lack any base attributes, but in exchange those who possess it are able to promote into different pieces within enemy territory.

Knight are the same cost as three pawn pieces. Along with the bishops and rook, they are the ones given in pairs. Those who possess it are granted speed, but typically they have a weak defense to compensate for it.

Rooks cost 5 pawn pieces and those who were reincarnated under it gain a boost in offense and defense, whether physical or magical. Opposite of the rook in exchange for better offense and defense they lose their speed.

Bishops, like knights, costs 3 pawn pieces. People reincarnated under the bishop gain the magic attribute, but tend to balance it out by a decrease in physical performance.

Queens cost 8 pawns and there is only one queen per peerage. At base they are stronger than any other pieces and are considered to be the strongest piece in most case.

As it is currently a unique item only available to devils, many magician form contracts with devils in an attempt to gain access and study them. All attempts that have been recorded only ended in failure.

And that's a wrap. I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite Scathach speaking normally instead of the archaic language she usually speaks in. Call it laziness if you must, but yeah.

Sorry about the short parts. I really didn't want to delay this any longer.

I try my best to update monthly, but when during the month varies. For now due to real life, I'm not certain if I can make it for next month's chapter, but I'll certainly post the winner's story in April.

I heard your reviews about my choices of servants and I decided to not change them. I actually did make sure to plan incompatibilities and other debilitating conditions when Issei uses Archer, Lancer, and Avenger. Saber really doesn't have restrictions, but I do believe the 13 seals is good enough. King Hassan in general would break the story so I crossed him out first, but I did want to use a Hassan which is why I used Hassan of Serenity. Other servants you guys mentioned will make an appearance into the story.

Also Servant Scrapbook! If you seen my profile you should've seen that thing. I'm starting that soon now that I received a request for a character. First one up is Mata Hari!