Chapter 2 - Meeting the Gang
As all diligent students do, our hero got out of bed bright and early to plan out his day. His plan for today? how to make sure that the devil heiress who owned him didn't find out he was apparently part freaking angel. He was surprised that turning into a devil didn't cause some kind of system error in the universe and blow him up. That would suck
But since that didn't happen his problems were much more manageable.
"Ok now how do I prevent my ass ending up in a dungeon somewhere in the underworld."
He probably should have figured out something last night but after one too many life changing events, Aotaka's mind had pretty much shut down and he stumbled to bed and fell asleep in a futile attempt to escape the reality of his situation.
After waking up an hour earlier than usual he decide that doing whatever he could to hide that he was a half angel from Rias was his only option.
'I can't trust that she won't reveal what I was or that she would even accept me, our relationship is way too unstable to even consider that. She won't trust me because I hid that I'm a magician, at least not yet and I can't blame her for that.'
How could he? They were both using each other to get what they wanted and he couldn't expect her to be lenient when He had deceived her for so long and she wasn't even going to be the worst case considering the another high-class devil he knew.
'Her reasoning was mostly influenced as a way to get Issei who's more malleable (read gullible) on her peerage and I'm just an unknown variable that may pay off.'
He also couldn't just run, Raynare was still out there and he needed allies, even if he had to deceive them. Not to mention he didn't think that he could simply run away from Rias and there not being some repercussions; would she be obligated to hunt him down? Or was there some trick in the evil piece that would prevent him from leaving or punish him if he did so? He needed to find out discretely and plan out his future.
So for now he had to hide his angelic sides by all means possible, thankfully he could summon his set of devil wings on their own with ease, it would take a conscious effort to release his other set so he wouldn't make the mistake of releasing a pair of angel wings in front of other devils.
'That would possibly be the stupidest way to get outed but I won't have an issue there.'
The major issue was simply people sensing what he was. He believed that as long as he did use any of the holy power connected to his angel heritage which he could now sense within him, he could hide what he was from devils. The major issue was the fallen, their presence stuck out at him and while Akeno didn't seem to feel anything from him when he was just human, who knows how that would change now that they would spend more time together.
After thinking he found that his solution could potentially be found in the same method that he had being using to prevent anyone from sensing magical energy when he practiced in the basement.
A simple set of runes placed in a circle that every magician knew to prevent excess energy from escaping during experiments was what he utilized in his exercises and what could save him.
Such a thing on a person would simply put a dampener on all of their energy until they used it and while it was unneeded for him before as his magical energy was just above average for a regular human it would be very useful for his current predicament.
While it wouldn't prevent anyone from sensing his prevalent devil nature it would make it seem weaker than he actually was until he actually used his demonic power and it would fulfill the needed purpose of obscuring the already suppressed holy power. Rias might question it as she knew how he sensed from last night but he could just say that he wanted to trick any enemies into underestimating him and he felt reasonably sure she would buy it.
'Deceit was a trait of devils after all.' He thought with a small smirk.
'It will be fine' he reassured himself applying the needed rune to his chest and covered it with another blue shirt before putting on his Kuoh Academy Uniform.
As long as he remained alert and hid his nature, he could learn more magic from Rias and hopefully get stronger while hopefully finding out more about what kind of being he was. Akeno was related to the fallen yet she and Rias were close so he felt Rias at least knew what she was and accepted her despite it. This gave him some comfort, but he didn't know their past and couldn't assume that she would do the same for him, at least until he became a more established part of her peerage.
His mind set he left towards wondering if his decisions would allow him to rise farther than he ever thought or bring him crashing down.
Kuoh Academy
He spent most of the school day wondering when he would be called by Gremory. Aotaka figured that at lunch Kiba, who he knew like other members of the Occult Club were devils under Rias would call him, but apparently not and he stayed in his seat stewing until the final class of the day.
"God this is going to be so annoying" he murmured under his breath as a strange grinding noise seem to come from someplace
He didn't like all this planning out lies and whatnot. He could lie fairly well but never had to conceal something for an extended period of time considering he was a closed off type of person that preferred more to observe than partake in conversations.
'Haaa I've done all I could, now I guess it just time to roll the dice and let fate rule and what do ya know there's fate's messenger now.'
"Hello Aotaka-san, Bucho sent me to call you, is now a good time?" asked the Prince of Kuoh.
"Yeah sure might as well bite the bullet" Taka replied getting up and grabbing his bag attracting the collection of Kiba's omnipresent fangirls.
"Wait why Kiba-kun and Yume-san walking together?"
"You don't think…."
"Can it be that the Kiba X Yume couple has formed?"
"Well I don't think he doesn't a girlfriend…so who do you think is the Uk-ahhh!"
Suddenly the fangirl, who was about to say something that Taka couldn't allow, found that the fringes of her hair had started to smoke and spark for some inexplicable reason and Taka followed Kiba with his glasses shining and a mischievous grin .
"I must say I didn't expect that someone in my class would have such capabilities and go unnoticed Aotaka-san" noted Kiba who saw quite clearly what he had done and silently approved.
"Huh? call me Taka since we'll be working together and don't feel bad for not noticing. I barely have enough power to register as a practitioner and I don't even do cheap tricks like that around you guys so there was nothing to sense."
"Still as a knight that doesn't really excuse my negligence." he replied ruefully
'Knight huh...so that's your piece, fitting I suppose' Taka noted silently.
On the way they stopped by Ise's class to get him which promoted Kiba's fangirls to complain about Ise ruining the couple which lead to both Ise and Kiba having to restrain Taka from burning down the school.
Club Room
Upon entering the Occult research club which from outside looked old and wooden, Aotaka, was actually surprised when he entered to see that its interior was nicely designed with wooden paneling and some tastefully Victorian type coaches and chairs though he should have expected it. He was also noted that the room was covered with various sigils, for what purpose he didn't know though he did recognize a teleportation type circle in the center of the room.
He then saw another well-known Kuoh Academy student, Koneko Toujou the schools unofficial mascot.
'Why are all of Kuoh's most notable people devils?' Taka wondered moving towards the couch she was on.
'Are devil generally more attractive than regular people? Do they exude some type of charisma?some type of attraction magic?'
Pondering these thoughts he absently took a sweet that was on the table and was about to pop it into his mouth when he felt a very small, very strong hand grab his arm halting him in midsnack.
"Mine." Koneko said with uncharacteristic alert eyes and no small amount of anger. WHen Taka just looked at her with a riased eybrow she simply tightened her grip and sending Taka to his knees in pain as he swore he felt his arm crack.
"Forgive Toujou-sama I knew not what I was doing" he cried, she held out her other hand prompting him to drop the pilfered sweet.
'Geez how does she have that kind of physical power at her size? Is this the effect of one of the other pieces?' he though as he rubbed his released arm.
"Ara Ara and here I thought that it was hawks that hunted cats not the other way around" said Akeno looking as beautiful as ever with her trademark long ponytail and piercing violet eyes still Aotaka didn't forget for a second that she was the most dangerous individual in the person he should be most wary of.
"Well that cat's got a nasty bite Sempai" Taka retorted keeping an eye on Koneko who looked peeved at the comment but didn't come after him.
"We don't have any snacks but perhaps this will do" Akeno said as she offered both Ise and Taka a cup of tea, Taka noted that his was a bit cold and channeled a bit of heat into it. After taking a sip from the now slightly steaming cup he saw Akeno giving a contemplative look. Did she already know he had fire magic? Was this some kind of test?
'So where's Bucho? Akeno-sempai" asked Ise looking around gulping his tea.
"Oh she's just in the shower."
Both Taka and Ise turned to the sound of water splashing and noticed that there was a bath in the club-room causing Taka to wonder how they stopped water from damaging the wooden floors before his attention was distracted by the shapely figure hiding by a curtain that was getting out of the tub. Akeno went to help the figure as Ise looked on drooling.
"Perverted face…" commented Koneko and despite their bad meeting Taka had to agree. He still looked of course but he liked to think that he didn't seem quite as bad.
After a few minutes Rias came out looking as beautiful ever without any makeup or magic as far as Taka could see.
"Sorry for the wait you two I see you've meet my peerage, though I'm sure you know them already."
They exchanged introductions and as Taka assumed, they were a bit wary with him. He understood but it still kinda bother him though he supposed they would accept him eventually.
"So know that we've introduced ourselves I hope to learn a bit more of how you beat back that fallen angel. I understand you used you sacred gear Ise? Could you shows us?
Rias' peerage looked at him interested to know what gear he had and Taka as well, not knowing what it was called and hoping they would be able to identify it. As they all looked at him intently as Ise lifted his arm and then...
"I don't know how?" Ise responded awkwardly causing them all to face fault.
Composing herself Rias gave him a bit of advice.
"Well just concentrate and try to draw out power from inside yourself, how did you feel when you first did that would help."
"…I felt useless and…angry" Issei responded, his eyes turning a bit harder and Taka observed that Kiba looked like he was remembering something when he looked at Ise.
Then his arm glowed and when the glow faded it was covered in a red gauntlet that how that he looked at it clearly, Aotaka as he took another sip of his tea thought that it looked…lizard-like.
"Well…this is surprising" Rias said looking at Issei's arm with no small degree of surprise "I knew it had to be a powerful sacred gear to allow you to beat a fallen but to be a Longinus…"
"Pfttt!" was Taka response to this revelation spraying tea out of his mouth, coughing heavily with his glasses disheveled while everyone looked at him
"Th-that's a Longinus?" Taka asked after getting himself under control "as in one of the sacred gears that's designed to take on freaking gods!" He may not be an expert on sacred gears but even he knew what a Longinus was.
"Yes" Rias responded "I believe that it is the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet also known as the Boosted Gear, able to double its user's power every ten seconds
'…OK that is ridiculously OP'
"Yes I am truly lucky to have you as part of my peerage, with that sacred gear any goal, any desire can be fulfilled with its power"
"And it's in the hands of Ise?"
"Hey!"
"Sorry Ise you're a good guy but that sacred gear is the most impossible thing I've heard of. I knew Sacred Gears could do some crazy stuff but yours takes the cake."
"Well it's not as unbeatable as it sounds" Rias interjected "it still takes time to build up power and each increase is supposed to take a good deal of stamina…which leaves me to wonder how did you beat that fallen? I doubt they would give you as a normal human enough time to increase your strength"
At this Rias and peerage all focused on Ise wondering how he managed it but Ise just looked saddened
"I…I barely did anything I just stood there until Taka was almost dead and even then he had already done the hard part"
Aotaka took the cup from his lips and look at Ise wondering how guilty he must feel and was a bit saddened by it, he was alright now stronger too. So Ise shouldn't feel bad about him but he would, he's an idiot like that. Taka wondered what he could do to get Ise's mind off of what had happened yesterday when he noticed that everyone were now looking at him expectantly.
"Well Aotaka-kun I'm curious as to how a magician as weak as you proclaimed yourself to be, almost beat a fallen angel" Rias asked wanting to know more about the X-factor that Kuoh had hidden from her all this time
Raising his cup back to his lip appearing to take another sip despite it being completely empty. Taka looked his King in the eye and took a moment to compose himself, straightening his glasses which reflected light from somewhere to obscure his eyes
"Well Bucho it is an epic tale, one of valor, luck, secrets, brotherhood…." he noticed that Rias was starting to look a bit annoyed and decided to get to the point. Aotaka placed his cup on the table and raised his hands.
"And like all good stories it contains copious amounts of fire."
With this his hands erupted in flames, orange and red dancing around his fingers more alive and hungry than ever thanks to his new demonic enhanced energy feeding it.
Everyone looked at his display with interest most intently Akeno and Rias which lead Taka to guess that they were the magic experts in the group which fit with what he already learnt, with Kiba being a knight and probably using weapons while Koneko had brute strength.
So this is how you give your 'fire punches'" Rias asked with a small smile and Taka had to grimace at the name, he had to nip that in the bud
"Uh I need a better name than that…how about Burning Spiral Fist?"
"Burning Spiral Fist?"
"Yeah" Aotaka replied feeling that it fit more than 'fire punch'. "part of the Yume house fighting style"
Everyone was silent for a moment before Kiba decided to ask.
"So…why Spiral?"
Taka blinked and then looked at his hands, realizing that the colour of the fire made him forget that he hadn't applied rotation to the flames
"Oh yeah that must be have been confusing"
Then he spun the fire around his arm, he saw with a smile that the fire had become a bright orange and he didn't even feel tired, encouraged by this he continued to spiral the flames noting that the fire made with the demonic power seemed more…responsive to his will somehow.
Then shocking him, he passed some kind of boundary that he never reached as a human and the fire coalesced around his arms fitting them like some kind of covering. He got up with a start shocking the others who were watching the display intently.
"Is there something…wrong Aotaka–kun?"
"Call me Taka" he said absently before tearing his eyes from his arms and looking at Rias.
"Sorry it's just becoming a devil has apparently pushed my abilities in some…interesting directions."
"Does this mean that you couldn't do this before Aotaka-kun" asked Akeno, intrigued his magic style.
"I could spin the flames increasing their power and heat but it always looked like fire spinning around my arms not like this" he responded looking at his covered arm and seeing that within the covering he could see the orange flames flowing but slowly like water in a river or perhaps more aptly like flowing magma and then he noted that after reaching past this new limit, he did not need to apply rotation he had actually reached some level of stabilization and his attack no longer needed a constant influx of power.
'Thank you Naruto. Now I just need to try out combining fire and wind magic'
"Your style of magic is very interesting, Aotaka so it was thanks to this spiral technique of yours that you could defeat that fallen despite your low reserves?" Rias asked.
"That plus she was an idiot" he stated thankful that Raynare was such an unskilled opponent though she almost killed him despite her shortcomings.
"Huh what do you mean Taka?" Ise asked still shaken by his ex-girlfriends true form and powers.
"Well…I'm not an expert at fighting since that was all done at gyms and stuff but Raynare was just way too egocentric to be effective. She spent most of the time throwing spears from a distance which we could dodge, wasting a large chuck of her energy because she thought we would just die from that. I mean I got some scratches but those were pretty minor all things considered, then once I got in close range she didn't even fly away because a human wouldn't be a serious threat and she just put another chuck of her power in a direct attack without any backup plan. Truthfully I wasn't much better coming up with ideas on the fly but she really had most of the cards and she wasted them, letting me give her a direct blow when she had low energy and her defences down. If I didn't let my guard down we probably could have gotten out of there without much damage and even after she got lucky she made the same mistake I did and let you finish the job."
His tale done he looked at his listeners and saw that they were all silent digesting his story when Rias decided to comment.
"I have to say you seem to sound very accustomed to battle to act as you did."
"…just good instincts I suppose." He said thinking about what effect his angelic blood had on his mind in battle before letting his glowing arms turn back to normal, the ]covering dissipating into orange flakes of fire that flared before vanishing.
With a sigh Rias looked at her two pawns, One a Longinus wielder who would likely equal if surpass her once he got a firm grip on his powers and Other a mage with a strange style of magic that even he didn't seem to really grasp, and so she couldn't tell how he might grow but he had the desire for power and she had promised to help him gain it.
"Well now that we've got to know you two a bit more I formally welcome you to my Peerage and hope you can both grow to become wonderful devils.
She then explained how the current system of devils came to be to the two as well as the nature of the three factions, information that Taka already had general knowledge about.
Ise seemed a bit put out at being a servant but then Rias did something that Taka knew would haunt the world for years to come.
"Well Ise if you work hard you can become a high-class devil as well and become the king of your own peerage."
Ise froze and a frightening light appeared in his eyes that made Taka know he was about to get into one of his speech modes and he tuned out.
After much proclaiming about how his route to becoming a harem king had finally begun and that he would move forward in his new life, Aotaka was originally about to dismiss Ise's raving like he always did and then he remember that Ise had a freaking Longinus and that he could actually pull it off. This made him to once more wonder if there was some kind of bug in the universe.
"Well it's good that my peerage has gotten an interesting pair of little brothers now but before either of you can achieve your dreams you both need to start from the bottom which means grunt work.
With this Ise and Taka were faced with the menial job of handing out flyers and they left the club house with Ise determined to finish quickly and get to better more harem related things, but Aotaka needed to talk to him beforehand.
"Ise I know that you want to get on with your harem thing but we got to talk…about Raynare."
At her name Ise seemed to deflate and Taka could see some wariness run through him.
"wh…what about her?"
'I wonder if this harem thing is just a way of avoiding what she did to him'
It was a depressing thought but Aotaka couldn't help feeling that he had reached the correct answer, but he didn't think he could do anything to fix it…he wasn't a psychologist and he had even less experience in love than Ise had.
'Sucks but emotion problems are not my forte, you can't punch feelings into a fountain.'
"Well she kinda swore eternal vengeance on the two of us, with my power up I think I can handle her even if she takes me seriously but she's got friends and I don't like our chances then."
"So what should we do…we're with Bucho and rest of the occult research club, they can help us!"
"…Yeah, becoming part of her peerage gives us some protection but if we get attacked when we're alone then we're screwed and I didn't like the first light spear in my chest"
At this reminder Ise's demeanor darkened and Taka cursed inwardly. He didn't want to make him more depressed!
"Listen Ise, my point is that we can't just ignore that she's out there, we have a bit of a grace period before she'll be ready to attack so we need to get ready for it."
"Well what can we do in a few days that will give us a chance? I don't think a little training can help now."
"Well…" Taka crossed his arms and thought "For me you're probably right, in a couple of days the most I can do is get familiar with my new limits but…Ise you've never really fought before right?"
"Well no apart from Raynare I never actually got in a fight."
"Well then we should just get you a bit of experience in fighting, you won't be able to change much but if you can learn how to take hits and throw a proper punch things it will do."
"Will that really change much?"
"By itself…no but you've got that game-breaking Longinus on you and if it can double your power every ten seconds even the smallest improvement in your base power can help a lot.
Ise looked a bit uncertain and Taka was a bit stumped as to how to encourage him, he was not a people person and then an idea came, a wonderfully manipulative idea that would fix all
"Plus the quicker you learn how to fight and become a badass, the quicker you can become a high-class devil and then"
He then threw his arm over Ise's shoulder and pointed towards the overhead sun
"You can create the best harem the world has ever seen"
"The best?" Ise asked eyes wide open and a childish smile on his face, Taka swore he could see sparkles
"Yes your path is just beginning but stand tall! Do that Ise and you can form a harem without equal! can you do that Ise? Can you persevere and become a legend? Can you become the God or rather Maou of Harems?"
"The Maou of Harems…I could play with all the oppai I wanted" His arm trembling as he rose it in the air and in a flash of crimson light it transformed into the boosted gear.
"Yosh! I will do it Taka, I will achieve the dream of all men and create the ultimate harem!"
"Good Ise I know you can do it, all I ask is that you leave some for the rest of us puny mortals"
With Ise's spirits refueled the two set off to start their grunt work leaving Rias and her peerage to discuss their new additions
"Well? What do you all think about the two of them?" this question was directed from Rias to her family.
Kiba decided to start "I was certainly surprised that Ise turned out to be a Longinus wielder, it certainly explains why the fallen would try to get rid of someone with such potential in devil territory."
"Fufu but they failed and now our little peerage has a silly younger brother to play with." Everyone in silent agreement decided to ignore what Akeno meant by 'play with'
"Pervert" was all that Koneko had to say about Ise and what she felt about him.
"Yes he may be a pervert Koneko but I'm sure that he has plenty of other good qualities…probably."
"I have to agree with Bucho, for a regular human even with a Longinus to stand up to a fallen without any prior knowledge or experience says a lot about his fortitude, hidden by his perverted nature it might be."
Akeno decided that now would be a good time to bring up the main issue with their new additions.
"Yes standing up to a fallen does make me hopeful about Ise's potential but perhaps we should discuss the person who gave Ise the chance he needed to defeat the fallen."
At this they all fell silent for a moment thinking about the unknown that they had in their group.
"Aotaka is a strange individual, you're in his class, Kiba what do you know about his personality."
Kiba thought for a moment before giving his impressions.
"I'm…sure you know Bucho that most guys tend to avoid talking to me cause of…you know" he gestured towards his general bishonen-ness "Taka however just didn't seem to care, we weren't friends but he and I have talked a couple of times. Just idle chatter, but that's more than I normally get from the guys in my class. Instead being jealous of me, he mainly just grinned when he saw the girls bothering me. I'm not sure but he really doesn't seem to stay with any specific group of people…he just drifts to wherever something interesting is happening."
Noting her knight's observations Rias gave her own findings.
"Yes… from what I've gathered Aotaka is generally known through the school but he isn't known enough to be talked about and while people know that he's in the swim club, he doesn't participate in meets so he doesn't get any recognition from sports.
'What do the other swim club members think about him?" asked Akeno growing more curious about the unorthodox mage.
"That's the thing, even though they spend time with him they don't really know more about him than anyone else. While he stops Issei and rest of the perverted trio from peeping on the girls there, it seems to be more for his own amusement than anything else and while the girls appreciate him for it, things never really go any farther."
"Why?" Akeno asked from what she could see someone like Aotaka was in shape, attentive and defended girls from perverts even if it was just for amusement would be an enticing prospect. He should have attracted some romantic attention.
"I don't know, it's not some kind of magic or we would sense it but something about him just wards people off from associating with him too closely."
"Fire burns" Koneko said remembering his little demonstration.
"You think he's dangerous? Even with what little I know, he doesn't seem the violent type." rebutted Kiba
"While I agree with your assessment, it's still just based on what we know from when he was hiding from us so it isn't reliable. He has hidden some things that I only found out when I went to Sona and accessed his records."
"Like what" Kiba asked curious about what other things his classmate had been hiding.
"Shortly before he came to Kuoh, his father died in an accident, from what I could tell it was just an ordinary car crash and now Aotaka lives alone."
Kiba's brow furrowed as he tried to remember what Taka was like in their first year and he dimly recalled that he was withdrawn at the beginning and didn't really talk with anyone at all for a month or so. He got better but by then people in their class had already made connections and Taka just…missed out...not it seemed to affect him.
"His father dying just before he came here sounds a little suspect, it could be faked. He obviously not with the Fallen but could he be from the Church? Spies aren't their style but it's a possibility" proposed Akeno. She was bit worried that her theory might be true and what both the fallen and the church intruding their territory might mean for the three factions.
But then Kiba shot it down "No I remember what he was like in our first year, he didn't seem overtly sad but he was definitely withdrawn and silent for a while. I assumed that was just his personality but he was likely just dealing with the loss."
"Yes" Rias agreed "He and his father have been living in the city since he was born and what's more his father was actually a fairly well-known writer, he wrote fantasy novels involving…angels and devils" she said with a small smile at her peerage.
After a small silence at that piece of information Kiba just rubbed his eyes and said the obvious.
"If he is a spy then either he's an idiot for being so blatant or we are for not figuring it out."
"I think we can all assume that he's not a spy especially considering no member of the church would become a devil just for the sake of a mission. I believe that his father was aware of our world but not a magician since Aotaka said he didn't have a teacher and I don't see why he would lie about a detail like that."
"Can we trust him?" asked Koneko, the longest sentence she said for their little meeting.
Rias was quiet for a couple minutes considering the question and what she knew of Aotaka Yume.
"He doesn't act trustworthy. He hides not just his magic but himself from people and that isn't a good trait in a peerage" She paused for a second before finishing "but when someone he knew was in danger, not even a close friend, he threw away that anonymity and risked his life for another and that is a trait that I feel will be most welcome."
"He has his secrets but he won't hold onto them if the situation requires it. His loyalty is not what I would want in a member of my peerage but I don't think he would become a stray devil though he should know the consequences. Issei's his friend and his presence will help Aotaka feel more at ease here, in time I think he'll have the same friendship for us that he has with Issei so I won't rush things."
Akeno, Koneko and Kiba accepted her decision easily, the Peerage of Rias Gremory was a family and they would show that to their new member.
"So we also have a shy little brother that we need to coax out of his shell…Ara Ara this should be fun" Akeno said with her hand on her face and a smile, the implications of which everyone else again elected to ignore.
As Kiba and Koneko left, Rias asked her queen a question.
"So what do you think Aotaka is doing now, handing out flyers?"
Akeno considered the question "Hmm he seemed a bit surprised by how the demonic power affect his spells so he might be experimenting with them somewhere."
"Well from what I know of his previous 'experiments' he better not be damaging the place, Sona was already annoyed with the damage he did to the park."
Sadly for Rias, Taka was in a manner of speaking practicing his abilities and wasn't particularly shy about causing collateral damage as he avoided yet another light spear from the fallen angel he had been fighting for the past five minutes.
This particular Fallen was pretty different from Raynare being a middle-aged guy in a trench coat and all, he was also quite a bit better at melee than she was and judging from the crazed smile also a bit of battle manic despite the formal clothes under the trench-coat
"Very interesting Devil! From your aura I thought I was dealing with some pathetic newborn but you've got a bit of fire in you!"
"Dude…you have no Idea" Taka shot back, his hands erupting into the familiar and soothing flames and then he shot back literally, firing small spiraling bullets of orange fire at the blood hungry fallen.
None a single one touched the winged foe as he used a spear of blue light to slice through them all but they fulfilled their purpose giving their master some space to collect himself.
'He's a lot different from Raynare, I don't know if he's got more power necessarily but his viciousness gives him an edge and he knows how to use it.'
He had no idea who this fallen was, the guy just sent a spear of light that he was only able to dodge thanks to the scent of tainted light that they exuded and then he brought things into close combat.
'So…mind telling me why we're fighting Mr Fallen cause I've got stuff to do."
His opponent only chuckled "Well I saw a filthy little devil pest and decided to do a bit of cleaning, I thought it would be a chore but you, you are somewhat entertaining. Know that the name of your killer is Dohnaseek and I hope you die well."
At this Taka could only groan inwardly 'Seriously? Is that what my life is going to be like? All those years practicing magic without anyone noticing and now a fight with a Fallen every day.'
"So Raynare didn't send you then?" Taka asked his arms spiraling in flames that soon sheath his arms in the strange orange covering "Good one on one is more my speed."
"Raynare?" Dohnaseek questioned out loud, wondering how this devil knew the leader of their little group before the pieces fell into place and he erupted in laughter.
"HAHAHA! I see so you are the little mage that got her so angry last night. So you became a devil for protection? Good it would annoying if a foe didn't do all in his power to survive. Not that it will do you much good, by abandoning your humanity you are now weaker to our light! Did you consider that Magician?"
Aotaka did, becoming a Devil meant that the light of the fallen, tainted though it might be was now poison to him, small scratches like what he sustained yesterday would now drain and weaken him. Still he hoped having Rias's backing would be at the very least give him the numbers and power to offset his enemies despite this new weakness. The problem was that Rias and her peerage wasn't here and he had to do this alone.
'Still' he thought glancing at the results of his new demonic nature on his arms 'with this I should be able to handle a single fallen despite the weaknesses and if I can weaken Raynare's forces…' his mind set he followed the battle instincts that he knew he would need to survive and focused on his foe.
As Taka readied himself, Dohnaseek grew pleased. He had feared that like other devils he had faced, this boy would try to run from him fearing the sting of his spears. However this one he felt was a bit like him, someone who thrived on the battlefield. He was surprised that some random magician could do that kind of damage to Raynare and though she went light on the details he felt curious about the person who had done it.
Now he would find out.
With a yell he rushed the fire mage with a spear in his hand and released three sharp jabs of blue light that Aotaka dodged using a combination of footwork born of training, instincts of angelic heritage and speed enhanced by his devil nature.
Then Taka launched his own offensive, sending a straight at Dohnaseek's center but the fallen had seen the damage that he could do and with a sharp turn to the side evaded the orange flame wrapped arm, only lightly charring his ascot.
As Taka overextended his punch, the battle manic struck lashing out with a freshly formed knife of light with his free hand while the new devil recovered quickly and tried to block it.
He failed and the knife sliced his left arm through the orange covering leaving a small splatter of blood on the ground. Aotaka quickly back off not taking his eye of his opponent who was discarding the light knife which the mage could see looked deteriorated and misshapen, he gave a small hiss as the orange covering flowed back over where the knife had sliced through it cauterizing the fresh wound.
'So this covering isn't really like armor, it'll mess with anything that goes through but it won't really stop it like Ise's gauntlet probably could…'
His musings stopped as the fallen once more went on the offensive with a spear in each hand. He knew that he couldn't run from the fight and so Taka charged to meet his foe. The fallen had a grin at his prey's continued defiance and began to swing the spears in a wide arc taking advantage of their length.
Taka saw Dohnaseek begin his swing and knew that at their current speeds he would be hit by the slash but he wasn't planning on maintain his current speed. The fallen was then surprised as his opponent suddenly shot forward at incredible speed, fueled by an explosion of flames at his feet and enhanced by his devil wings sending him flying towards his foe. Then he did something that Dohnaseek had never seen a devil do before, willingly grab on to his spears, halting their swing and slammed his head into the fallen's.
Taka hoped that the attack would give him a chance to strike his opponent but the head-butt disoriented him as well and he couldn't risk leaving himself open to another attack so he instead took to the sky with the fallen close behind.
"That was an annoying but ineffective attack devil" said Dohnaseek with a small amount of blood dripping from his mouth, who was actually a bit impressed by the insanity of the attempt. Even if the covering allowed him to touch the spears without harming himself, grabbing onto a weapon in the middle of an attack took some guts.
"Some advice from an experienced warrior. No one wins in a head-butt… it looks cool but it's far more trouble than it's worth."
"Thanks" replied Taka still shaking away the fuzziness and taking the advice to heart.
'Still I can't continue this.' he thought sending two fireballs to intercept the deteriorated spears that Dohnaseek threw. He remember what a trainer at one of his gyms said about what not to do, a skilled fist-fighter had to wary of any person with a weapon even if they were a complete amateur and the person in front of him was no amateur. His body was too vulnerable and he didn't have a gauntlet like Ise so what could he do? Even though they relied on spears, the fallen could make whatever weapon they wanted out of light but he had none.
Once more the two clashed with Taka dodging the spears by inches and then he slipped up losing control for a moment in the air, something that Dohnaseek took immediate advantage off. The new born devil saw his death coming for him in the form of a spear point and knew he couldn't evade it, and so instead in a moment of pure instinct he lashed his arm at the spear. It would likely fail as even if he hit it the spear would still strike, fatally damaging him but dammit he had to try! He remembered once more the Longinus that Ise had and his desire for a weapon to combat his foe's own and felt rage. If he was going to die he would take this fallen bastard with him! And he began releasing the energy he felt in his arm but never got use, and then as all these things culminated he saw the orange covering on his arm change.
Its form shifted in mid-strike increasing in size and changing to become very familiar and when it struck, the incoming spear was not deflected, it was shattered. Both were surprised by the outcome and they separated with the fallen looking on warily as Aotaka in shock looked at his changed left arm. The color was the same orange shade but it was more solid, no flowing flames visible on the surface and its shape wasn't exact but it clearly resembled the features of Ise's Boosted Gear.
'How…' he thought before the answer came to him…literally as he had to dodge a spear of light from a recovered Dohnaseek. 'Fallen Angels...are still Angels! Even if I've never met one they should have the same abilities. Can I manipulate the flames like Angels' manipulate light?
As another spear came hurtling he focused his mind and with his left arm still in the shape of a god-killer, orange and blue struck each other and he flew back as the spear exploded into fragments of light. He saw the makeshift gauntlet do the same turning into flakes of fire that quickly died and thanked it and Ise for helping him realizing his ability.
He looked at his foe diving toward him with a spear in each hand and then he look at his own empty hands but he wasn't worried as an image of something to defeat the spears came into his mind.
When the spears came as they had done so many time before they met something to face them equally, a pair of simple staves that burned a bright orange. With a grunt of effort Aotaka used the staves to deflect their opposites and with his hands clenched around them, he deflect again and again. Each time warping the spears further until finally Dohnaseek saw his spears shatter against the mage's staves.
Then the fallen felt his arm erupt in pain as he was struck with the end of one of Aotaka's creation that burned into his flesh, but he didn't falter as he channeled light with his other hand into a rough knife that he jammed into his enemy's attacking arm.
Pain flooded Taka but with adrenaline pushing it back for a few needed seconds he used to force the stave into Dohnaseek's torso and flood it with power before throwing himself away as the two crashed into the earth, both unable to maintain flight in their clash.
Aotaka pushed himself off the ground, and forced himself upwards until he stood on shaky legs to face the fallen.
Dohnaseek was broken; one arm useless as the fire stave burned through flesh, muscle and nerves until it almost reach the bone and another stave lodged into his stomach filling him with fire but he still stood with a spear of light with his functioning arm.
"COME ON!" he yelled stumbling forward, blood filling his mouth, "Let's finish it."
Aotaka looked at him for one long second before pulling the knife of light the fallen had driven in and crushing it in his hand.
"It's already finished Dohnaseek, this fight is over."
"Finished?" he asked incredulously "This fight doesn't end until one of us Dies!"
Once more Aotaka looked at him this time looking somewhat sad.
"…I know"
And then with the barest of mental effort he ended it, activating the stave of fire filled with power that he had left in Dohnaseek and watched as it erupted
filling his foe with orange fire tinged with blue before the fallen could even register it.
He watched as the proud warrior fallen turned into a pyre om the span of a few seconds.
He stood there looking at the flames until they slowly died leaving black ashes that were all that was left of someone he had bleed and suffered to defeat. His throat closed up. He had killed someone. Ended their life and what's more.
His victim didn't even know his name.
"You never even asked my name but I won't forget yours…it was a good fight Dohnaseek."
With that he continued on his path home finding the taste of victory was not as sweet as his dad's books made it sound.
The ashes of Dohnaseek were all that remained until a breeze came and scattered them in the wind, leaving no trace of the foe that had pushed him to new limits and taught him of his blood's power. But the memory would remain until his flames burnt out.
TBC
So welcome to the second Installment of On Burning Wings where Taka gets introduced to the rest of the Peerage and has his first 'victory'. I'm pretty pleased with the reception that my first chapter got and I got some decent criticism that makes me want to do a little rewrite of the first where I made a few mistakes. I feel that Taka being a pawn fits him since his abilities adjust to pretty much any piece even if it's cliche it works, Rias being a bit unlikable to Taka I think works for the story since I don't plan on She and Taka just instantly becoming friends. From what I've already written it's clear that Taka will be a bit of an outsider compared to the rest of the peerage which should add some interesting conflict in the group ,maybe Ise will help sort the two of them I hope this chapter cleared up how Ise beat Raynare, she was on her last legs and with two boosts, Ise should be around the average low-class devil so I hope that answers it. Now some pairing talk, some people wanted Ravel,Koneko,Sona and Levi-tan which made me think of some interesting scenes though I'm uncertain if I should pair Sona since that might sideline Saji and Levi is a Maou which would be a relationship I don't think I could write even semi-realistically, they might work as friends and have interesting scenes but I don't think romance would work. I've got a scene with Ravel planned so it might work and I liked the little interaction he got with Koneko in the chapter so who knows? I got some interest in Xenovia who being from the church could have some interesting interaction with a half-angel...it's still two books away but what do you think?Romance is pretty much an open game so far with only Rias and Asia being absolute for Issei