Good morning everyone, O'Ryaner here with the next chapter,
a few shout outs to my reviewers - you guys are amazing!
aGoldenLion: You will find out soon enough what Issei is (capable of)! I promise you :). First time someone reviewed within an hour of me uploading a chapter, and you are the first reviewer, which makes you extra special I guess. Thanks dude!
: Is the next day soon enough? Enjoy reading!
Kage no Kenshi: Thank you for the input man, I corrected the mistakes and sincerely hope I didn't miss one. You have my eternal gratitude for becoming my first proof reader.
the DragonBard: Well, that goes for showing how limited my knowledge about the DxD universe is :|. I don't think I'll be changing it around though, since there is a lot of unpublished story based on a few of those points. So I guess we will be calling those changes 'intentional'. Thank you regardless! I really do appreciate the review.
Earth – The abandoned church
'Well, here goes nothing.' Issei thought, mentally bracing himself. With a firm kick, he unhinged the two massive doors. Splinters flew everywhere as they collapsed. The church was surprisingly empty. Cautiously he made his way in. Maniacal laughter filled the once hallowed walls. "Look who walked into my little trap, hahaha!" Issei immediately pinpointed the source of the sound, but chose to humor the poor fool. "But you are not a devil, no. Regardless, I will still enjoy killing you!"
A man in a long white coat emerged from behind the altar. He made a mocking bow. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Freed. Freed Sellzen. World's best exorcist." This clown really made it too easy. He would not kill Freed, that was not in his mandate. It, however, stated nothing about not harming him.
Rias, Akeno, Koneko and Kiba stood in the forest, perhaps a small hundred meters away from the church. "Well, look what we have here! Looks like Raynare was right to post us on guard duty after all. Nosy devils wanting to disrupt our party." Rias motioned for Koneko and Kiba to go. They had barely left when Rias and Akeno found themselves locked in an energy barrier with three fallen angels.
"Well then, Mittelt, Dohnaseek. What shall we do with these naughty devils?" Akeno giggled and Rias had a stupid grin on her face. "What's so funny?" The fallen angel asked. "I believe you should know one of our allies is already inside." Rias said. "Impossible! There is no way-" A blood curling wail of unimaginable anguish ripped through the night, originating from the church. Rias released a giggle akin to Akeno's. "My Queen, if you would do the honors?" Thunder sparked between Akeno's fingers. "It would be my pleasure." She said with a sultry smile, licking her fingers.
Kiba and Koneko were not ready for what they found in the church. Writhing in a pool of his own blood, a man lay. His arms and legs bent in perfect curves like his appendages lacked bones, The white of his clothes was disrupted by hundreds of pinprick sized holes, all of them slowly bleeding. Thousands of white needles were spread around the man, with him at the epicenter. Kiba looked down at the man, wide, frightened eyes staring back at him. "I don't know what happened to him, but it appears most painful, doesn't it, Koneko?" Kiba said. "…"
Issei found himself in a large underground chamber. A fallen angel with long black hair who Issei could only assume was Raynare stood on a platform. Asia was chained up next to her! Issei made to intervene, stepping out of the shadows. With a wave of her hand, Raynare extracted a green gemstone from Asia, who let out a pained scream before going limp. Holding it in her hand, Raynare turned to face the intruder.
"Oh, it's you!" She said with an unnatural enthusiasm. "I felt something off about you when you visited my church. It's of no consequence now. Whatever you are, you will die now!" Issei merely pointed a finger at her, breaking every bone in her body. The sudden overload of her nervous system caused her to give a pained yelp and faint. Her body collapsed on the floor with her arms and legs bent at unnatural angles. "Funny, you are weaker than your exorcist buddy upstairs. He is still conscious." He turned to the mass of exorcists in the room. "You can either leave now, or undergo the same fate as her!" Issei announced.
The four who chose to defy him were easily dispatched. Issei carefully retrieved Asia's sacred gear and returned it to its owner before snapping her chains and scooping her up in his arms. She no longer breathed. It was a shame such an innocent life had to end. He had failed her. Once again he had been too late to prevent such a loss of life, but he would rather not remember that fateful winter night.
Koneko and Kiba stood a little dumbfounded as they witnessed an army of a good hundred exorcists run by like God's fury was on their heels. A minute later, they saw a lean boy, perhaps sixteen years of age with icy blue eyes. A young blond girl, clothes tattered, within his arms as he carried her up the stairs bridal style. "Come." He said as he walked by. "Well Koneko, looks like you may find a friend in this guy, he is just as eloquent as you!" Kiba said, smiling. "…" Silently the white haired girl turned and walked after the man.
Rias and Akeno were patiently waiting for him. "Who is she?" Rias asked. Gesturing to the girl in his arms. "Hopefully someone you can save." Issei said. "Why would I save a stranger?" "She has a sacred gear that may prove useful to you. Twilight Healing. Her soul is pure and her spirit honest. She would make a good bishop." Rias looked at the pale girl, smothered so brutally in the beginning of her life. "What's in it for me?" She asked. "Always so egocentric." Issei muttered. "Fine. You have seen here what I am capable of." He dug into his pocket and removed a piece of paper. "This is a summoning circle. It's the only one in existence of this kind, because this circle summons me. Save her, and I will allow you to call upon me in a time of need."
Rias looked at the piece of paper he held out, weighing her options. Was she going to trust a stranger on his word? Granted, he was a powerful stranger, but a stranger nonetheless. Still she knew she recognized him. A face just out of reach, floating at the edge of her mind like a haunting dream. Rias took the leap of faith. "Fine." She took the paper from his hands and got to work.
"Hey." Issei turned to Akeno. "I must say I love what you did to the exorcist guy there." She gestured to Freed. "Very sexy." She giggled. "You can take him with you when you leave, have yourself a new play toy." Issei said, not paying her words much mind. "What did you do to him anyways?" "Shattered all the bones in his arms and legs and scattered the fragments with enough force to pierce through flesh and skin. It's not sexy, it's a skill I'm ashamed of, but one I'm good at." Akeno made a look of sympathy. "What did you do to the three stationed outside?"
"We reduced them to ashes!" Akeno said excitedly. "My god, Baraqiel's daughter. You are a true sadist at heart." He whispered to her. Immediately Akeno slapped a hand across his mouth. "Do not say his name here. He is no father of mine!" She replied in an angry whisper. Their attention was drawn to the blonde girl who suddenly sputtered to life again. "Where am I?" She asked in a frightened whisper. "Am I dead?" Tears were brimming in Asia's eyes.
"No. You have been saved." Rias said, tentatively embracing the girl. "Th… Thank you." Rias gestured to Issei. "You should thank him. He made me do it." Asia launched herself onto Issei, who was startled, but awkwardly returned the hug. "Don't thank me just yet, Asia. I'm afraid there was a catch to saving you. I think Rias could explain best, she is an expert on the subject." Issei gave her a meaningful glance.
She caught on. "Come, let's go outside." She said, gently touching Asia on the shoulder. Issei watched the two walk out the hole in the wall where the door had been. His eyes absently went across Rias's peerage. Her Queen, the sadistic daughter of Baraquiel. A girl, a latent natural power of senjitsu, perhaps Nekomata? She was cute. Perhaps in a time where his scars had not run so deep he would have harbored something petty like a crush for her. And a boy with striking eyes. He remembered those eyes. A flash of emition crossed Issei's face. Perhaps that night in his life hadn't been a complete catastrophe then. One soul had been saved at least. "Excuse me, this may sound like a weird question. Your eyes, they somehow seem familiar. Have we met before?" The boy with the blond hair asked. "No, you must be mistaken."
Asia and Rias walked back into the church, the expression of the former saddened. "I guess you are not as happy anymore now, are you?" Issei asked. "I understand what had to be done. I am still thankful." Asia said. She walked up to issei and tentatively pressed a kiss to his cheek, blushing like mad. "Now you lot should go, I have some business left to take care of here. Something I will not have you present for. Asia Argento, your soul shines bright, even with the taint of devil hood on it. if you ever find yourself in a need of me, talk to Rias. She will know what to do."
Issei turned back to the altar, heading for the underground chamber. "Wait." Rias said. Issei turned around and quirked an eyebrow at her. "I like the puzzle that is you. A hint perhaps?" Issei smiled, though it did not reach his eyes. He spread out his fourteen wings behind him, earning gasps of awe form everyone. "I am the splinter that grew." Issei announced. He gave Rias exactly seven seconds to observe, then turned and headed down the staircase.
Issei paused, waiting to make sure Rias and her peerage, along with their new member, had left. He felt the presence of their souls fading. He found the underground chamber as he had left it. He walked up to the body of Raynare, who was barely breathing by now. He focused on her fading soul, looking for any excuse, any reason not to have to kill her. End her like her three comrades. He found a soul surprisingly pure for someone of her… caliber. What had driven her to do these things?
He sighed, getting to work. He repositioned her arms and legs in positions that roughly resembled where they should be, were their bones not shattered. He focused and willed her bones to mend, healing her broken body. He felt something wet on his face, rolling down his cheek like a tear. He wiped it away, only to find the back of his hand stained with his blood. He had overexerted himself again. Well, there was nothing to do about it anymore now. Issei picked up the unconscious girl and flung her over his shoulder. "You are coming with me, little raven."