Hello everyone! Much, much better job this time around. I get to do shout outs again! *happy dance happens* Lets get to it:

death'ssontripo: I feel your pain. I had to get that done thrice on the same toe, after which the doctors just went like 'fuck it' and removed the left side of my toe - that one aint growing back in anymore. I hope by now you have at least somewhat regained the ability to move around, get well soon!

: magnificent comment, can't wait for more. Please write more soon.

soundion: It takes a lot for Issei to 'fall', as you put it ;). It's happening in some 12.000 words though.

Dasher911: Read on and you'll find out in time where he is going. If I told you, you wouldn't have so much fun reading right?

Sunsengnim: HERES MOARR! Thank you for the support and kind words! I will try to stay as active as possible.

Enjoy chapter 10!

Heaven – The Throne of Michael

The throne room was empty. If there was a god left, he was smiling on Issei today. Carefully he moved past the golden throne, to the chamber beyond. Behind the throne stood his objective; the Eye of the World. If one would not know better, it would be dismissed as a simple marble basin. Issei, however, knew better. The Eye of the World was one of the most useful tools of Heaven, allowing angels to find any living being on Earth with some simple magic.

It was filled with crystal clear water. Issei picked up the dagger on the edge of the basin and carefully nicked a finger. When the drop of blood hit the water, it turned a milky gray, and then whirled in an awe inspiring display of colors before finally turning a murky black. Issei took a deep breath, leaned in and pushed his face through the surface.

"Come now, Shirone. You musn't be so stubborn." Kuroka's voice sounded. "I will die before I use Senjutsu!" Koneko shouted. Koneko was in a cold, dark place. It was windy. Lights unfolded miles beneath her, spreading far in each direction. Was she on the roof of a sky-scraper?

In the distance a church bell started to ring, striking a low call. Kuroka grabbed her head, shaking it as a dull headache spread through her skull. Devils truly could not stand anything remotely holy. He recognized the loud banging. It was a relatively new bell, post 1900 for sure. Issei could tell since the method of casting had changed since then.

"Come now, Shirone. Soon Vali will come and take us out of this vile place." Kuroka said. "I don't want to go!" There was an imperfection in the sound of the bell, like the it had been cracked once. Issei searched through his memories. He had once known every church bell in the world, made these kind of tracks very easy.

Churches had gone out of fashion in the previous hundred years or so, though. Now only the bigger and older ones remained as landmarks. Suddenly it popped into his mind: Cologne! The world's largest free swinging bell! It was cast in 1923, cracked in 1951 and then repaired. 'Fat Peter' Is what the humans called it.

Swiftly Issei withdrew from the basin, coughing slightly as he regained the ability to breathe. "Well, well. What do we have here?" Issei spun around only to be faced by none other than Michael himself. "Should I ask for what treacherous purpose you infiltrated my throne room, or should I be done with you and kill you right now?"

"You will do no such thing, Michael!" said Issei, drawing Aurora from his back. He had to fight with his bare hands; manipulation was useless against other angels with the Gift. They were immune. "Ah, so you were the one who re-forged it." Michael said. "No matter. I have blocked off all exits. You are, in fact, trapped here." Nine more figures walked into the room. Issei felt dread rise in his stomach as he recognized the nine remaining Seraph.

"Issei!" He turned to face Gabriel, who made to go towards him but was held back by Raphael. "You will die here, Issei. Heaven has no time to deal with whatever little escapades you have undoubtedly planned by now." Uriel said. Issei responded by crossing Aurora in front of his body, taking a battle ready stance. "You are welcome to try, birdboy."

"No one calls me birdboy!" Uriel shouted angrily, drawing his own sword and flying at Issei. Time slowed down for Issei, who carefully back stepped, narrowly dodging the sword. In response, he angled Aurora, slightly nicking the angel's third and fourth wing. Everyone stood, breaths held and watched as blood dripped from the flawless white of Uriel's wing.

"If you can bleed, you can die." Issei said, before spinning around, slashing at Michael with a graceful whirl. A lot of things happened at once right then. Sariel, who had raised her bow, fired an arrow at Issei. Metaron, Raguel and Sandalphon raised their hands, calling upon their divine power in an attempt to smite Issei. Raziel, Remiel and Michael raised their swords, ready to fight Issei in melee, taking a protective stance in front of Uriel, who was nurturing his wound.

Issei nimbly bent, avoiding the fatal shot Sariel sent his way. Unable to completely avoid it however, it managed to cut a narrow but long scratch across his cheek. He shifted Aurora into an urumi. Carefully wrapping the blade around his waist, he ducked low and sent the five meter long blade out in a slashing motion. Remiel and Michael jumped, avoiding the blow to their lower legs, but Raziel was too slow. He cried out in pain as the sharp edge of Aurora sliced through his shins like a knife through butter.

A sickening crack was heard as the man's legs gave way, leaving him bloodied on the ground. Issei was unable to finish him however, distracted by a retaliating arrow from Sariel. Avoiding taking the shot to the heart, Issei turned. He groaned as the arrow embedded deep within his waist. Not stopping, he broke the shaft a fist length from his body.

He threw the flimsy piece of wood at Uriel, who once again charged at him. The move caught the man by surprise. It did not do any significant damage, but it provided the opening Issei needed. With a powerful thrust he had Aurora embedded in the man's sternum. Uriel gurgled, coughing up blood before going down.

Quickly Issei pulled Aurora from the dead body, shifting it into a khopesh. He whirled around, placing it in front of him as Metatron, Raguel and Sandalphon finished their spell. The beam of light split right across Aurora's blade, but scorched up Issei's arms pretty bad. Quickly ensuring none of the wounds on his arm were beyond second degree burns, he hopped over the charging Michael and removed the three mages' heads from their bodies with a single motion.

Another one of Sariel's arrows hit home, embedding in his shoulder as he was not paying attention. Issei staggered. Remiel took advantage and thrust his blade forward, slicing open Issei's calf. Issei roared and moved the curved blade in a wild slash around him. He scored a good hit on Remiel, slicing open his ribcage. The blow was not fatal, but incapacitated the angel.

Raphael, who had been passively watching and keeping Gabriel in check, now pulled out his sword and shield and stepped forward to aid his liege, Michael. Issei engaged him with a strong overhead swing. Raphael deflected the blow with his shield and sliced straight down with his own sword, cutting large chunks off Issei's lower three left wings.

The blade in Issei's hand shiften into a haladie, more suited for the close combat battle. Issei parried and dodged Raphael's blows as Michael tried to find a gap in Issei's defense. Sariel dared not shoot, in fear of hitting either one of her two allies. With his remaining strength he thrust Aurora straight forward, piercing Raphael's shield.

Then he switched Aurora into a morning star, shredding the other angel's arm. The shield split in two, falling to the ground. Quickly Issei picked up one of the heavy pieces and hurled it across the room. Sariel, who had not seen that one coming, was hit square on the face and was knocked out.

"Enough." Something hit Issei hard on the side, knocking him off his feet. He slid several meters across the floor, coming to rest at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the throne. Michael walked towards him and raised his sword "Die now, Issei Hyoudou." He pointed the blade towards the sun and it gained an eerie glow about it. "For the good of this world, I end you." Issei closed his eyes, realizing this was the end.

"Noooo!" Before Issei could do anything, a flurry of white wings covered him. "I will not allow you to hurt him!" Gabriel stood between Issei and Michael, arms spread. "Gabriel, He killed three of the Saraph, wounded five more. Would you stand between him and justice?" Michael said. "Would you strike down your own sister?" She retaliated.

"Issei." Gabriel said, not once taking her eyes off her brother. "The shields are down, leave. Quickly." Michael radiated fury. "You would oppose Heaven?" He asked, anger rising in his voice. Gabriel ignored her brother. "Issei! I'm begging you, leave before it's too late!" Quickly Issei struggled to his feet, hesitating for a moment.

Then he sunk through the clouds below him, dropping to the earth below. He could hear Michael's shout of anger behind him as the shields went up again. Issei adjusted his heading for Europe, wincing as the numerous wounds on his body were stretched by the strain of his muscles. Quickly he looked over himself. What he saw was not good. His clothes were in tatters, stained by blood mostly his own. His arms were a deep red and he was losing feeling in his fingers. The arrow in his shoulder was mostly a nuisance, but the arrow embedded in his abdomen hurt. Bad. It had probably caused internal bleeding.

The wound on his calf stung, he had already noticed he could not put too much weight on it which meant the cut had probably struck a few tendons. Issei looked up, seeing the city of Cologne rapidly head towards him. He flared out his wings, but forgot his lower three left wings were mostly clipped. The result wasn't pretty.

He left a long trail of blood behind him as he crashed into the roof of the skyscraper, successfully scratching open most of the skin on his back and opening up bleeding wounds on his burnt right arm. He winced as he felt the bones in his upper two wings break. He groaned as he got to his feet, everything hurt.

"Kuroka, you have… no idea… how pissed I am right now." Issei said through labored breathing. "Who do you think you are to interfere with the doings of a superior creature, nya?" A voice behind him asked. Issei turned around. She had grown. That was to be expected of course, since the last time he'd seen her she'd been a seven year old girl.

Recognition filled Kuroka's gaze as she took in Issei,s appearance. "Issei!" Koneko shouted. She was bound up a few meters away from Kuroka. "Will you give Koneko back to me willingly, or must I snap every bone in your body first?" Issei asked. "Even if you knew me as a little girl, you will not take my sister, nya!" Kuroka replied.

A green poisonous mist emanated from Kuroka. "Have it your way…" Issei muttered, then shattered Kuroka's ribs. It felt good to be matched against an opponent on which that trick worked again. Angels with the power of manipulation were immune to the Gifts of other angels and the Seraph all had Gifts. He watched as Kuroka hit the cold concrete, it gave him no satisfaction. He quickly went over to her and pulled her on her back, ignoring her cry of pain. "You will recover, don't move or you will speed up the internal bleeding." He said, before hurrying over to Koneko.

Quickly he changed Aurora into a dagger and cut her bindings. Above Issei, clouds were starting to gather. Michael was quick; he had to give him that. "Come, Koneko. Quickly. You don't want what is after me to find your sister in her current state." He said, pulling Koneko to her feet and tugging her towards the rooftop access. Issei did not trust his wings to make it down to the street safely. "Can you walk?" She nodded.

"You are hurt." It was a statement more than anything else. "Yes, and I don't have the strength to fight you as well, Koneko. Now please." He said. Issei could feel the blood loss tugging at him, beckoning him into that dark void. Quickly he led her down the emergency stairs, not bothering with the shocked cries of the human onlookers as they saw Issei's appearance, wings included.

The exited the tower on a large crossing, busy with traffic. "Koneko, can you open up a magic circle?" Issei asked, not stopping. "No, I never found the need to learn, Akeno always does the circles." Koneko replied, running next to Issei. Ahead of him Issei saw a white light descend from heaven. "Shit." He silently swore, tugging Koneko into a side alley.

Not a moment later a light projectile exploded at the alley entrance. Quickly Issei flipped open his cellphone. Thank the lord for modern conveniences. He impatiently waited as the phone rang once, twice. "Issei! Where are you, is Koneko safe?" Rias's voice came from the other end of the line. "Come here! I will strip every last feather off your wings!" Michael shouted from the street.

"Rias, I don't have time. I have Koneko, but Michael is after me and he is angry." Quickly he turned another corner, tugging Koneko with him. "Can't you simply duel him into submission?" Rias asked. "You know, Gabriel was shouting your name all the while when we dragged her to the dungeons!" Michael yelled, before another projectile of light narrowly missed and exploded a few meters ahead, shattering the brick wall of the building ahead.

"If I didn't have to fight the rest of the Seraph first, then maybe yes!" Issei shouted over the explosion. "Rias, you must come for Koneko, she still has a life to live. We are in Cologne, near the old cathedral. You can turn on the TV if you want to watch, Michael is causing quite the ruckus." He said, running into the building Michael just opened up. "And what about you?" Rias asked, worriedly. Ahead of him was the heavy thumping of industrial machinery.

"My life is forfeit." He said softly, repeating the words he had said so often himself. "Goodbye, Rias Gremory. It was an honor." "Issei!" But he had already hung up the phone. Quickly he hurried up the iron stairs ahead of him and burst through a set of blue double doors. Ahead of him rows upon rows of extruders were thumping away. He ducked around the corner, pressing into the wall.

"Koneko, listen. You must run, get to safety. I will distract Michael. You must hide, call Rias and have her get you, preferably with her brother." Issei said, pushing the cellphone into Koneko's hands. "I will not leave you to die here." Koneko said defiantly. "Koneko, please. You are being selfish. You must think of the greater go-" He was cut off when she pressed her lips to his.

"If we were talking about the greater good here I'd have to sacrifice myself to make sure you got out." Koneko retorted. "Koneko, you should really stop kissing people you don't lo-" She shut him up with a slap across his cheek. "I do, you fool." She replied, then kissed him again to prove her point. "There you are." Said Michael.

Quickly Issei pushed Koneko to the side and dove after her. The wall behind where they had just been standing exploded, revealing Michael. Pushing Koneko behind him, he raised Aurora once more in full double handed state, the blade quivering in his hands. "You always did insist on doing things the hard way." Michael said, raising his own sword.

Metal clashed against metal as Issei and Michael traded blows. Issei was at a clear disadvantage, continuously parrying and dodging blows, never able to go on the offensive. With a powerful sweep Michael knocked Issei to the ground again. "This is the end, Hyoudou."

Something white then struck Michael's side, knocking him off balance. Michael stumbled back, then one of his wings caught in the industrial machines behind him. Michael shouted in anger and pain as the machine started to pull him in, shredding his wings as it went. "Fuck you! You bitch!" He shouted, furiously trying to pull out of the grasping metal arms.

"No one hurts my Issei." Koneko stated. She kneeled over Issei. "Are you alright?" She asked. "I sustained no new wounds. Thank you for asking." Issei groaned. Issei's vision went white as an explosion reverberated through the room. With horror in his eyes he watched Koneko fly across the room, hit one of the walls, leaving a significant dent, then collapsing into the floor where a puddle of blood started to form around her.

Michael laughed maniacally behind him as he struggled to his feet, stumbling over to Koneko, falling a few times in the process. Slowly the laughter was overpowered by the thumping of the machines as Michael's body was finally completely consumed. He dropped to his knees, turning Koneko over on her back.

"No…" He whispered, as he took in the damage Michael had done. Koneko's stomach was opened up. Scratch that, was destroyed. He could see the layout of her internal organs, her heart slowly faltering, the blood oozing into her stomach cavity. "No…" he repeated, pulling her head onto his lap and slowly tugging bloodied strands of her white hair out of her face.

Slowly Koneko opened her eyes. "I guess I got to sacrifice myself after all…" she said, weakly smiling at him. Issei leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. He felt Rias's aura appear, along with the rest of the ORC, and then rapidly head closer. He ignored the gasps and cries of anguish as they entered the room, solely focused on the girl in his arms.

"Oh no…" Rias said, hurrying over to them. She sank to her knees next to Issei. "Rias…" Koneko whispered. "I am here." Rias replied, taking one of Koneko's hands in her own. "Issei is mine…" She whispered. It was the last thing she said, for her heart stopped and so did her breathing. At that moment something fundamentally changed in Issei.

Something powerful, something ancient awakened in him as he pressed her mouth to his. Ambrosia – the food of the gods. The sweet honey-like substance welled up in his mouth and flowed into hers. The effect was immediate. Koneko gasped, eyes opening wide as all the muscles in her body tensed. Rias whimpered as the Rook crushed her hand. Koneko's Hazel eyes searched around, finally locking onto Issei's icy blue ones.

A black ooze dripped out of Koneko's mouth, nose and eyes. Flesh and bone stretched and opened up, pushing the Rook piece out of her body. Her devil wings appeared, then shriveled and turned to dust. In their stead a set of pure white wings, tipped with blue fire, unlike any other pair wings in existence unfurled. Immediately a white cocoon surrounded Koneko's body as whatever drove Issei pushed her conscious mind into anshara.

"What did you do?" Rias asked incredulously. "I think I made her an angel…" Issei replied, before fainting.