Red Feathers

by Creno K

War, nothing but the endless destruction of war. That is all Issei knows from the day he was born into a world taken over by war, all creatures choosing a side to survive. Fighting for control of the Underworld was his main concern, even hating the enemy he had been killing since he began fighting. Devils were nothing but pests the Fallen would kill, well not all of them.

12. Chapter 12: Valefor part 2

Red Feathers Chapter 12: Valefor pt2

As we made our way up the mountaintop with overwhelming force sending the devils into a panic our forces had been held up against stronger defenses near the peaks. As I looked on from a crater, I could tell the devils near the top were much stronger than the fodder we had already torn through.

I still hadn't even used ten percent of my reserves yet, that fact alone was enough to tell me that there would be something much more difficult ahead of me. Even if there are stronger devils it doesn't mean shit.

I tapped on my chest plate; Lord Azazel was right about the technological advances in this new generation of armor. Most demonic power can't get through it, along with our auras disrupting the flow of magic weaker devils cannot damage me. This means I can just walk through their attacks and easily slaughter them. As I looked around, I could tell when each section was fired.

One after the other they would unleash a barrage of demonic bullets in an overlapping pattern to ensure that anyone attempting to attack them would be completely overwhelmed. If I were a normal fallen angel then this would be problematic, however, I was different from all of them, a true force of nature.

Concentrating my magic on the air around me I began to focus all of it into a dark form, in the sky above storm clouds quickly began to form. As the clouds grew, they began to engulf the mountain peaks, it wasn't long before the demonic bullets started to die down. Taking advantage of this I leaped out of my crater and rushed forward.

I summoned an array of light spears behind me and directed them to launch at the peaks ahead of me, as they exploded, I could hear the panic of devil soldiers who failed to escape the storm clouds that were concentrated with a heavy amount of lighting.

When I was younger, I had trained with the Cadre Baraqiel, due to my ability to manifest storms he taught me how to utilize the lighting to its utmost potential. It wasn't too difficult to learn how to mix our cursed light with normal lighting, something like this allows me to truly turn a battle in my favor.

However, I wasn't the only one who was taught by Baraqiel, even then Issei was there with me. His training was focusing on manifesting his power to mimic lightning so that he could use it in mass attacks. Red lightning was very dangerous, my best guess is that it would eventually surpass even holy lightning when Issei fully matures.

I focused more power on the storm clouds, the lighting flashing every few seconds and the smell of charred devil began to fill the air.

I rushed forward with such speed that the air around me was being sucked in hard enough that the storm clouds began to swirl behind me.

I summoned a sword of light in my right hand as I neared the peak, the constant volley of demonic bullets was all but completely stopped.

I looked over one of the dug-in positions only to find the burnt-out remains of the devil garrison that had been at the forefront of my lightning assault. I guess I can call it effective, but it still isn't proper. I'll need to develop my tactics more and test them against the devils later.

I looked left to right to find any remains of a defense force; however more and more fallen angels began crossing over the peak.

After managing to overcome the defenses on the peaks it became clear that my storm clouds began to fog up the battlefield. It was nearly impossible to see more than ten meters away, luckily our light spears give off such a vibrant color it passes through the fog with ease.

As I began to make my way around the devil's placements something made the hair on my neck stand up, I immediately looked around. That's when I spotted two bright red glowing orbs through the fog, something in my gut was telling me that this wasn't good.

"You're not a cadre, however, your strength is nearly there. If you were to train for a month longer or obtained some sort of limit-shattering power you would reach their domain, however, you would have to live long enough to get there." The figure in the distance I assumed spoke out.

He can read my power easily, not to mention he said I wasn't a cadre, so is he looking for them specifically?

"Does it matter if I am or not? If you're looking for a fight, I'll be happy to kick your ass." This guy might be trouble, if that is the case then I would need to deal with him myself.

"I suppose it doesn't, but I would have preferred an honorable kill, anything less is displeasing to his lordship. I'll find one later though since we just got here." The figure walked closer to me; I could make out some of his features through the fog.

Prominent was his all-black uniform aside from the golden chest plate, that outfit reminds me of something I spoke about with Issei a while ago. Whatever it is will have to wait until I talk to him again, if I am correct, he should be on the opposite side of the battlefield.

This guy might be hunting down the stronger fallen angels, I guess having Malpas stay back was a good move. He wants me dead; I can feel it coming off his aura, he's strong.

I summoned a light sword and focused most of my attention on his aura, by solely focusing on his aura I can read his movements faster and react more accordingly. His aura was warm, it was burning and full of hatred. Compared to Issei's whose aura feels like being bombarded by an intense amount of light, this guy is more like being cast into a storm of hellfire.

One's aura is more in line with what their power is, being able to counter such is what those dozens of veteran soldiers I grew up with in the barracks had told me. I will not let their knowledge go to waste, and they would want me to use it to my fullest.

I then took an offensive stance and readied myself for him, as the fog began to settle, I could feel the shift in the air begin to cool.

I then bolted towards him; I was going to end this battle in a second. As if it were slow motion, I had closed the distance and was ready to cut him down. I could see the look in his eyes as he looked at me, he wasn't scared or worried.

As I swung my light sword, he vanished from the spot he just stood in, I was taken back for a second as I didn't even see him move. His aura just vanished from my sight and detection. I changed my position and spread my wings out to get my distance from where I had last seen him.

"Hmm, fast, but you're not focusing on the right areas. You're reading my aura; I can sense that easily. Were you thinking I would let you get close to me?" The devil spoke from within the fog somewhere.

He had vanished, but it's where he had gone that worries me. I flew into the air and summoned an array of light spears above me.

"Shut up, just stop hiding and fight me." I declared as I threw the light spears in a chaotic bombardment to clear out the fog, I wasn't going to let my techniques be the reason I lose today.

I focused my aura and pushed and forced the air to blow the dust away, clearing the now-cratered battlefield. Yet he was still nowhere to be found, I tightened my wings closer.

"I'm not hiding, I've been in the same spot since you tried to attack me."

I looked back down at where he was at first and was shocked to see that he was still there, but his aura wasn't. Is this an illusion? Or is it some sort of power that he has, interesting?

I lowered myself down and stopped in front of him.

As we stood in front of each other I could tell that he was no ordinary soldier. He stood taller than me, around the same height as Lord Azazel.

This guy was going to be in trouble, and for once I mean it. I need to find out how this power of his works, the moment I can do that then I'll be able to defeat him, and we can charge towards the castle.

His aura vanished the moment the air went cool, so is it some sort of suppression he can do that hides his aura? If that is the case, then I would only be able to take him on with the poor visibility that surrounds us.

"You don't seem as scared as I thought you would be, even for a powerful fallen angel standing against me is unheard of. I'm impressed, tell me what your name is?"

I didn't shift my eyes from him.

"Hanibal, and yours?"

"I have no name; I am only my title. An Archdemon." I swung my arm upward as a blast of demonic power came flying at me from near point-blank range. Responding, I summoned another volley of light spears and hurled them in his direction.

'Archdemons, fuck.' I jumped back whilst more and more light spears were flying in his direction. I know this tactic won't see me through, I must get up close and personal.

I curled my wings and focused on him, but it was difficult since his aura forced my concentration off him. That's strange, there must be something else to it.

I quickly jumped in his direction, bringing a sword of light from my waist. I closed the distance almost instantly, however as I brought my light sword closer to him, I noticed he smiled.

Within a fraction of a second a wall of fire separated us, I had to turn upward to not be caught in the flames. These flames are dark red and feel unholy, fuck. This guy is an Archdemon, those flames I remember them. Unholy in all its conception, with a burn worse than hellfire.

"The Fire that scorched Heaven. You're one of the angels that joined Lucifer in his rebellion against God, he who scorched the throne of God." Something was telling me to flee, this wasn't good. This devil, if you could even call him that, was a true veteran one who is on par with Lucifer.

During the Rebellion against God, those who followed Lucifer had been either killed or cast down into Hell. Some who were not as strong had been killed off in the battle and were the only twelve that survived. Those angels turned devils had pledged their allegiance to Lucifer and became the Twelve Archdemons.

This was a trap, no wonder the defenses were weak. They knew of our plan to attack and prepared the best that Lucifer could give out, those damned bats. Do the Cadres know about this?

I calmed myself down, I don't ever show worry, I never show fear. I am Hanibal, he who has given everything to kill the enemies of the Fallen Angels. I don't have parents and only two people I can call friends, I am alone, and I will show this world my true nature as the embodiment of the storm.

At that moment I could feel something within me ignite, my arms were on fire and my head was throbbing. Was this it? Is this my desire and will push me to even greater heights?

"Oh, this is interesting. Your power is suddenly rising, given enough time it would reach the lowest levels of Cadre." The Archdemon then began releasing a dark red aura that covered his entire body, suddenly a storm of fire began to rain down upon us.

I spread my wings and forced the air around me to shoot upward. In the sky my storm cloud began to darken, and areas began to swirl forming tornadoes all around us, rain poured down and clashed with his fire causing an immense amount of steam to surround us alongside the fog that remerged.

I could see him coat his fist in those unholy flames, those things were enough to burn through the magic that sealed the throne of God. Being caught in them would be far worse than anything Issei could throw at me.

"Let's dance." He quickly vanished from my sight; I jumped back to the ground. I need to time this right if I'm gonna kill him without taking much damage.

I looked right, a blurry red form took me by surprise. I immediately ducked as his fist came flying past my head. I countered by swinging my sword upward behind me to turn to face him, but he met me as he used his fire to grab ahold of my sword of light.

"Strong but lacking." I curled slightly as a sharp pain found itself in my side, before I could look, I was sent flying in some random direction. Did he kick me?

I grabbed ahold of the ground and fixed myself, I put my wings away and looked back from where I came from.

Suddenly I felt the cold hard ground across my entire body, my back felt as if it was going to snap. I could feel something pressing against me as I tried to get back up, damnit is that him?

"Come on now, maybe I had praised you more than I thought. You aren't strong; a Cadre would have given me a fight I can remember. Your clouded mind must be going crazy, who is this guy right? Hehehe. Poor fool." I could hear him mock me as he pressed his boot into my back even harder, I needed to do something.

I released my wings; they might not be as strong as Issei's, but they are powerful if I use them correctly. Once I felt him get off, I maneuvered myself around so that I could look back at him. I looked at him with nothing more than burning hatred in my eyes. I know he isn't as strong as this, he must be feeding off something. He said my mind was clouded, is that it?

I summoned two more swords of light in my hands and took an offensive stance, I zeroed in on him as he looked at me from above with his ten devil wings. Only Satan clans and Archdemons possess more than one pair of wings, his were a dark abyssal black and were massive.

'Don't let it scare you, you need to kill him and do it now.' I felt a surge of energy inside that wanted to explode. I jumped toward him as fast as I could and together, we clashed violently.

As I swung my sword to his chest, he would parry it with his hand and follow up with an attack of his own that I would block with my other sword.

Each of these clashes would send a shockwave of power outward in a ferocious gust of wind. I had to keep this up. I began to incorporate my storm cloud into this fight, and lightning began to strike all around us.

I moved my sword to block his fist from hitting my stomach and followed up by breaking up the clash by moving my arm outward before spinning to slice at his stomach. He jumped back slightly and brought his arms down in a hammer-like motion.

I dove down and rolled until I had both hands on the ground and delivered a two-foot kick directly into his hands, stopping his attack. I used the momentum to launch myself upright and swing down on his head.

He stepped out of the way and tried to kick me from the side, I countered by moving my knee to meet his leg. As he made an impact, I could feel it nearly blow my knee out of place. It hurt, and it hurt badly. No wonder he hurt me so much earlier those kicks are dangerous. I used my other leg to push him out of the way and ducked my head to avoid a blast of fire he sent at me.

I know I must keep him in close-quarter combat, this thundering storm around us made sure of it as more and more lightning began to strike around us. Entire stones were being blasted apart with each strike, it became harder and harder to balance as the rain began to flood the mountaintop. Pools of water formed around us.

Dodging another blast of fire, I jumped closer to him and swung my sword of light towards his head, he grabbed it with his fist and shattered it. I didn't let go and formed another immediately, he started his offensive assault and I had to counter each punch he threw with a strike from my swords of light.

One strike near my abdomen, one near my leg, one near my head, all to be followed by a massive blast of fire.

I had to throw one of my swords of light and detonate it to stop the blast of fire, never let up, never stop fighting. I summoned a massive array of light spears above our position, I was going to use them when it was time.

I aimed low with a sword of light and tried to bring it up to cut his abdomen in half, but once I got low enough, he stomped on my arm.

As I looked up at him from below, I could tell the look in his eyes had become much darker, he wasn't playing around with me anymore. I tried to pull my arm out from beneath his boot to no avail, he must have been putting an incredible amount of force behind it.

"You're a fool for staying here, stupid child." I could feel my heart clench as he raised a hand and pointed it at my head.

"I'll make sure you burn quickly." A massive ball of dark red fire formed in his palm, that heat was incredible, from this close I felt as if I was going to melt.

I summoned the light spears down upon us and used my other arm to stab at his leg that trapped me, he easily deflected them with some kind of attack that manifested his fire with one wave of his arm. However, he didn't see me stab his leg.

With all the force I could muster I drove my sword of light deep into his leg as I could. He lifted his leg slightly, but it was enough for me to get out.

As I stood back up, I looked at him from some distance away, I saw him looking at his leg wound which still had my sword of light in it.

Much to my shock he simply pulled it out, it barely got through his boot let alone through his leg. He simply shrugged it off as if it was nothing, that's impossible.

"This is the power of an Archdemon, untested by even those who are deemed the strongest within our mythology." The Grigori won't last another century if these guys aren't dead soon, this will either see us victorious or the downfall of all our existence.

My body was injured, I'm used to being injured in battle, but this is rough. My body is covered in scars, even with my near-fatal wound from the last battle it doesn't come close to the true damage I've put on this body. It never gives out on me, even at my lowest I pull through because I have no choice. Even if I can't win this fight, I'm going to leave a wound that can't be healed.

Clearing my head, I blocked out all the noise from clouding my ears, only letting the sound of rainfall enter. I had to become one with the storm, I had to reach deeper and deeper for a power that is hidden within me.

I could feel it all around me, each raindrop as it hit the ground. The tapping sounds they made as they struck the ground. Once again fog set in, I could feel it all around me, each motion that disturbed its blanket-like feeling.

I closed my eyes and summoned a light spear in my right hand, I forced my body to ignore the pain from where he nearly broke it.

I took a deep breath in.

Then let it out.

"Someone's getting better, foolish to think you could cause a damaging wound. A little prick in my leg is nothing compared to what Michael did during the rebellion, I still need his head before I chose to die." I wasn't going to let his remarks bother me, I wasn't going to let him ruin my concentration.

I lowered my stance and gripped my spear tightly.

"Oh, you're trying to get stronger. Fine then, let us wage war greatly before I put you down." I could feel a massive wave of fire surrounding us; all directions were nothing more than this incinerating heat. However, in the middle of all of it, I could finally sense it, his blazing aura. The outline of his body was in it, and I finally honed it in.

I leaped forward to charge him, as I drew closer, I could feel him move within the fog to counter me. As I closed in, I changed my stance and hurled my spear at him like the Spartans throwing their javelins into the hearts of the Persian army.

I could feel it cut through the air with no resistance, right towards the Archdemon. Before it could hit him, I sensed a spark nearby before another massive wall of fire shot up in front of me catching the spear.

I turned my body and took to the air and focused the lighting on the wall, each spark was struggling to blast apart the wall. Even with the water it was nothing more than vapor the moment it got close to the fire.

This storm cloud was not going to help me, I need to rely on my light powers.

I summoned another massive array of light spears above me and sent them raining down on his wall of fire, I kept it bombarding his position.

I could feel it draining my magic reserves quickly, but I could not let it stop. Each spear that would explode against the wall would open a hole that is just large enough for me to get through. I had to time it right to close the distance.

As my reserves were on the brink of collapsing, I shot toward the wall alongside one of the spears. I braced myself as it exploded, the impact nearly sent me off course. I corrected myself last second before I was against the flames.

After I shot through the flames, I could feel him shift, I moved to intercept him as I summoned another sword of light. I put all my remaining energy into this one swing, if I didn't kill him here then I would no longer be able to fight for a prolonged time.

As we came face to face, I swung my sword of light at his head. Could feel something else around him, even still I swung with all my might.

As I moved my arm, I came upon something so resistant that it nearly stopped me in my tracks, however I used the momentum to glide off it and bring my sword of light around again.

I could hear clashes each time I swung my sword at him repeatedly. I could feel it as I pressed my sword of light closer to him, this fiery aura had transformed into a sort of blade that mimicked my sword of light.

As we stood against each other, both trying to overcome the other, he spoke.

"What is this technique you have created, tracing my aura via the fog around us, or is it focusing on each disturbance like some sort of hidden sense? Interesting I find it; you evolve quickly in a battle to overcome an opponent. Let us see if you can overcome the massive gap in power between us." He then pushed me back; however, I summoned a spear of light and hurled it at him as I turned around to regain my balance.

He grabbed it in his hand and crushed it, I summoned another in my hand and planted it into the ground.

"You still keep your eyes closed whilst fighting me, is it out of fear or does it make your other senses better?" I tracked him as he tried to flank me, his speed was incredible. I moved to intercept him, but not letting him get away I summoned another spear of light and planted it into the ground.

I brought my sword up to block an incoming attack, I struggled to keep it from pushing into me, but I managed to cast it off and follow up with one of my own.

As we continued to clash, I summoned another spear of light and planted it into the ground.

I ducked, I weaved, and I did a backflip to dodge a series of swings and stabs from him. I continued to summon more and more spears of light and planted them around. All I had to do was wear down his stamina because my reserves had no time to recover enough magic to truly compete with what I could still feel from him.

As we clashed once more, I parried the attack and then shot upward into the air, as I continued to track him, he made no effort to chase me. I could feel him watching me with his glare turning darker and darker by the second.

I channeled every single ounce of magic left in my body and focused it into the air, behind me for the final time a massive array that covered the sky above shining through the dark storm clouds formed.

This was it, my final send-off as if this attack failed it would mean my death. I was going to make sure I took everything on this mountaintop.

"Raining Thunder," I shouted out as I sent the wave of light spears barreling toward the Archdemon who remained in his place.

Across the mountain nothing was visible as the light spears from above and the ones impaled into the ground detonated in sequence causing the entire section of the mountain to be completely obliterated instantaneously.

I opened my eyes for the first time since I started my counterattack, however all that was visible was nothing, but the smoking remains of the mountain. My arms were weak, and my breathing was ragged.

Cough Cough Cough

The effects of draining every single last ounce of magic were making themselves very known. A pool of blood began to gather as I continued to cough as fell over onto the ground from the sky.

It hurt, it hurt a lot more than it should have. My chest squeezed itself like something was impaling my lungs.

Cough Cough Cough

Blerch

I couldn't take this anymore; more and more blood began to pour out. I looked down at my chest, that's when all the pain hit me at once.

There was a massive hole in the right side of my chest which allowed blood to keep pouring out.

"You finally realized I gave you a fatal wound, disappointing to say the least. That last pitiful attack you used against me was easy to see through. Did you not think I would notice the light spears you were planting in a circle around us?" I collapsed entirely, being too weak to hold myself up anymore, my body was going into shock.

It was getting colder and colder by the second.

Cough Cough

This was it; our healer was gone, and I had no magic to stop the bleeding.

"I don't even want to finish you off now, by this point you'll bleed to death slowly and painfully just like all you fallen angels should. I enjoyed our battle, that technique you used surely would have propelled you into the realm of the Cadres. I'll give you comfort in death as I was initially going to use these damned flames to burn your soul to ashes and let your lifeless body rot here. Enjoy this last gift from me as a thank you for this fight."

I could hear him walk away as his aura died down, I couldn't move anything anymore, not even my eyes.

…

I never feared this, dying in battle like so many others at the Grigori have. I should have known my luck was running out since my near-death encounter in our last battle against the Satan Leviathan. My own failures are the reason I lost here.

That man was truly an amazing opponent, I'll take pride in this defeat as he was the same devil that scorched the throne of God with those flames. He'll be known eternally for his accomplishments and power as a Satan-Class devil rumored to be on par with Lucifer himself.

I don't think it was ever my goal to be infamous as an opponent, I never made it to Cadre-Class. I failed those who raised me in those damned barracks. Flamberge, Bathlum, Dionolask, Mikael and everyone else I am sorry to never live up to the expectations that you have set for me before you all were killed.

If I was going to regret anything it would be not kicking Issei's ass one more time…

…

(Back at the Grigori)

We all looked westward; I could feel something in my chest hurting as if something had left me. This feeling had to be it.

"Death has finished taking his souls, he is gone." One of them was gone, maybe it was just my healing powers that detected it, or maybe just a gut feeling. All I know is that Death has reaped today, Issei, and Hanibal I hope that you both are safe.

"Lord Malpas, we've just received word that the siege has taken turn for the worse. Casualties are piling up exponentially. We need to get ready quickly." A doctor who had rushed into the room shouted out; I took my attention away from the west.

"Move those who have been given attention to the recovery ward, we need to be ready." I pointed out to a group who were recovering their stamina after being cared for.

Something within me knew that it was a dark day, and when I see those two again, I'll have to ask.

Chapter end.

I had to update this again, I'll be leaving for some time to let you know if you hadn't seen the announcement in the story I posted earlier. This battle has taken a turn for the worst. War is hell and unpredictable, that fight was pretty hard for me to put together due to the power gap and the POV.

Thank you all for reading and I look forward to seeing you all again.