Chapter 8

"It is often remarked that diplomacy is just warfare by other means. Our battles are no less desperate for being bloodless, but at least we get wine and finger food."

Attributed to Tollen Ferlang Imperial envoy to Ultramar M 41

I am Alpharius.
I am Alpharius.
We are all Alpharius.
We are Alpharius and we are all one.

Attributed to All.

Kuoh academy Wednesday 2012 M 3

Issei was enjoying his history class. His teacher was an older man that was quite passionate about his field of study and the class was further enhanced by the fact Revelation and Ddraig would tell him, more Revelation than Ddraig because the dragon had lost a few memories each time he switched hosts, about what life was like for the humans at that time period. The history of the world was in many ways almost identical to Revelations, there were a few things that were different such as the fact that revelation had been his reality's version of Jesus Christ, something that Ddraig teased him about furiously.

His teacher was getting into a particular part of his semi rant about the suspected first pseudo nation of Japan when a young first year student knocked on the door and that had halted the lecture.

The first year had extremely long twin tails that reached past her back almost to her knees, the hair color was a light brown, and her eyes were grass green, the most unusual thing about her was the thigh high socks also in the color green. She bowed her head to the teacher and said her voice had potential to be good with singing. She was also a devil.

"Apologies Sensei, I have a request from the student council president to grab Mister Hyoudou and escort him to her office. She wants to speak to him about his current grades and a few other school activities."

Issei was only a little impressed, this was definitely Sona Sitri making her move, he had honestly thought the first peerage he would have to dodge would be Rias who was after stretching his senses on the second day found based with wards on the older building in the back of the campus and found smaller wards obviously a base of operations.

The teacher looked at the first year for but a moment and then gave his permission for his visitor to take one of his charges. Issei got up and ignored the now quite common whispers that broke out about him. He moved towards the door and the younger girl who would be his guide was already in the hall.

"Let us finish this as quickly as possible please. I would like to keep my grades up."

The girl nodded in clear understanding. It seems she was also a diligent worker and that spoke well of her.

"I am sure the president knows this Hyoudou-san. She is extremely dedicated to making sure that everyone is getting a good education. I am Ruruko Nimura it is a pleasure to meet you."

Issei nodded in acknowledgement. They were making their way down the main hallway and eventually stopped at a door near the center of the main building. Ruruko knocked and then opened the door.

The room had several small cubicles set aside for the various members of the student council and as the two made their way past them only one was occupied by the other member of the student council that Issei had met. The man who had tried to stare him down. He was working on something at his desk in his office space and only glanced up at issei for a second before he dropped it again.

His emotions betrayed him. Where issei had gotten friendly feelings and curiosity from Ruruko as they walked, the other male was a turmoil of jealousy about something, anger towards the newcomer to the school for making him back down from his glances and shame for feeling the first two.

Ruruko knocked again on the door at the back of the first room and spoke up.

"President-sama I'm here with Hyoudou-san."

"Come in."

The door opened and a tall long black haired woman with heterochronic eyes, one violet and the other light brown gestures for them to enter.

Inside the room on the back wall is a bookcase running entirely across it. The bookcase is stuffed with many books and before that bookcase was a very well made mahogany desk and sitting in expertly made leather seat was the president of the school's student council who had been working on a document that Issei got a glimpse of and saw that it contained a very precise and detailed spreadsheet of the school's club's funding.

The president was also black haired, and it was cut in a short well maintained hairstyle. She also like the first black haired woman who had moved to the president's right side had glasses covering dark violet eyes. Her face had few wrinkles of happiness lines meaning she was profoundly serious, the lack of lines for a frown were also not in as high amounts as issei would have thought.

The president gestures to him towards a chair sitting directly in front of her and then nodded to Ruruko. Who bowed and said in goodbye.

"It is nice meeting you Hyoudou-san."

He smiled back at her before sitting down in the chair. Sona looked him up and down looking for something before she spoke.

"Hello Hyoudou-san I apologize for having Ruruko take you out of class. I will try and make this quick so that you can return. My name is Sona Shitori, and I am as you can guess by everything the student council president."

Smart to hide your true name with something that sounded Japanese.

"Greetings to you Shitori-san. I understand. You wanted to speak to me?"

She nodded.

"Yes I do want to speak to you about something. I have gone through your school history, and I have to say I am extremely impressed with what I have seen. I want to extend to you the offer to join the student council. I know that your desire is to go to an engineering college in Tokyo and it would be a terrific opportunity to build up your future resume for the school."

That was a particularly good pitch. She was right joining a club would make his resume more attractive for said college and the student council would sweeten the pot more. He would have accepted that if he was going to the college.

A small vision showed him a branch of timelines and he chose the timeline that was most appropriate for the situation.

"Thank you for your generous offer Shitori-san but I will have to decline. The college has already seen my grades and even some of my work and they have already offered a full pay scholarship to me. I do appreciate that you want to help me get into the college. It speaks incredibly well of you."

Sona took the rejection very well.

"I see thank you for the recognition of what I was hinting at. It is rare to find someone who can read between the lines. I understand what I am about to ask is a little strange. But would you be down to play a game of chess later this week?"

It was a strange request, but it would be an opportunity to study this young woman more.

"I am free after school Friday Shitori-san. What time would be best for you?"

The young woman considered for a second.

"Five a clock would work best Hyoudou-san. I apologize again for taking you from your studies."

"I will see you on Friday Shitori-san. It is no trouble."

Issei got up smiled and bowed before leaving the room.

A moment of silence to let a small privacy ward go up and the two young women scowled.

"Did you feel a gear Tsubaki? I for a few seconds thought I did before it disappeared."

"I did not feel anything my king, I did get the impression that he thinks he is above us, that and he seemed to hyper fixate on something for a second before making his choice. It was not our looks. He was like speaking to your sister when she is not in her coping mechanism."

"That was also something I noticed; he saw through my offer in only a few seconds. He is indeed very curious. And he would make an excellent knight given what Rias and we saw from our familiars yesterday."

"That is true my king, but I feel like there is something noticeably big we are missing here. The offer would have enhanced his resume further if they had already made the decision. And it would look better to the companies that are always seeking new management."

"Correct. Have Momo or Tomoe keep their eyes on him. Even if it means Tomoe needs to join the kendo club for further investigation."

"As you say my king."

It was now a race against the clock to get Issei in her peerage before rias. The fact that he had not tried at all to look at them in a perverted way had won him more points with both of them. Rias was unbelievably beautiful, and she could use that to her advantage. She had assets that Sona did not. It was a secret source of shame for Sona, and she had always wanted to be as beautiful as her mother, sister, and her friend. Still the meeting could have gone worse.

Kuoh city Wednesday night.

Kalawarna had entered this expensive restaurant to finalize her possible agreement with the one Mittelt had called Alpharius. She was dressed to impress in a stunning red gown that was risqué enough, while still considered classy. Her hair was in its typical style of hiding her right eye.

She made her way over to the greeter and smiled beautifully at him before asking if a man with the last name of Johnson was here.

"There is one of my countrymen by that name is here already madam. Are you his date for tonight?"

"Yes I am. Can you please escort me to the table."

"Right away madam."

He had led her deeper into the establishment and he stopped when they arrived at a table that was at the very back of what was an area reserved for the rich and powerful.

"Johnson-Sama your date has arrived."

"Thank you. Here is a tip."

The man in the booth handed over to the greeter an exceptionally large amount of yen. The greeter grinned happily and bowed. Before leaving Kalawarna to meet her future employer. She sat down across from him and like Mittelt had said he did not have a face. The greeter had not made a single comment about that.

"I am Alpharius. You are Kalawarna, the fallen who wishes to strike an agreement."

It was definitely a statement. She had been about to say that there were people around them before remembering that there was no one else in this section. Seeing her thoughts, the 'man' spoke again.

"We will not be overheard. I am gladden that I can help you somewhat with your situation. What do you want further for us to make arrangements?"

She was still in some shock at what this man had done for her.

"There is nothing else I want. The fact you did this deed and from what I can understand from my friend, you did it out of the kindness in your heart has shown me what kind of person you are. I am here tonight to pledge myself wholeheartedly to whatever you ask of me. Even if that means I betray my sworn head and become a renegade fallen. I swear this on my father."

Alpharius did not react.

"Very well. But know this. I will not ask you to do things that violate your dignity and rights as a sentient being. I will ask much. I will expect much. But your feelings matter. Just because what I seek to stop is extremely important and must not occur, that does not mean I will use and then discard you like wet paper. You also matter. If you need to betray your head do you want me to have a team ready to extract your brother to safety?"

"Yes, what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to continue gathering information. I want to know where the exorcists are going to be housed here in the city. Other than that, I want a list of the sacred gear users you find."

"You will get all that and more milord."

She spent the rest of the night enjoying a satisfying meal and hammering out the rest of her agreement. And her new boss was an incredibly interesting person. He knew fallen culture and society well and what had made Kalawarna suspect he was not of her kind was the fact, he had a few barely noticeable ticks that in her own opinion pointed him towards being a devil or possibly even a pure angel.

She was very wrong.

Kuoh academy Gymnasium Thursday.

Issei entered through the double door of the gym and was met with Murayama and Katase eyes looking in expectation. The entire kendo club was looking like that. He made his way over to the bleachers and put his work out bag down. And began warmups.

When he was done he looked to the kendo club and asked to see their stances and a few small steps into their blade work. The club moved, the eagerness showing in body, face, and soul. The first forty five minutes of the 2 hours the club was allocated were spent looking through the various young women's stances and gently correcting the sometimes very apparent problems that the girl would have. He was always kind. That, they all agreed on. He never spoke down to them when explaining to them why what they were doing was wrong. Each girl saw that they when he was talking to them, they were the only thing that mattered.

It was no wonder that their unofficial sensei was already now passing Kiba as the first choice as prince of the school. His fan club had been growing exponentially and now there were only a few girls in his year that were not in the club. Those were ones with a relationship. Still, he was never cruel to those who asked him to be their boyfriend. It was clear he did not want a relationship. Still, he was kind.

It was at the last thirty minutes when another entered the gym.

He was Issei noted what others would call a pretty boy. He had short noticeably light blonde hair with polished blue-grey eyes. He had a smile that was good-natured to the world. To Issei who passed it there contains wrath.

The club fell silent when they saw him entering, a few days ago they would have had hearts in their eyes for him, now those hearts belonged to another. He never took his eyes off Issei. He spoke to Murayama and after a nod from her she slowly made her way to issei and said to him.

"Issei-kun would it be all right if you spar with Kiba-kun? I and the others would like to see you in action more. He is better than me with a blade."

He had never taken his eyes off the other man either.

"I do not know Mura-Chan, I need to be home tonight sometime before dusk. My folks have a remarkably close friend of theirs in the hospital and I have to make dinner for when they get home."

Murayama could see the story was true.

"I understand, Issei-kun I am sorry I did not know. "

"It is all right Mura-chan, you did not know. Maybe another time. "

The other male let the smallest hint of a sneer show for a second before it vanished.

"Afraid Hyoudou-kun?"

Issei did not take the bait.

"I am not afraid Kiba-san. But other things are more important than a simple spar. Maybe another time."

The kendo girls were understanding of the statement, Kiba however was not. The male now openly showed a frown.

"You are showing me more about you, it is pathetic that you will not spar. It shows me that you are indeed what I think you are a true coward."

The young women recoiled violently at the words. Issei again did not take the bait.

"Believe whatever you want to believe Kiba-san, your opinion does not matter or change my situation. I do not see why the female population speak so highly of you if this is your answer to a simple refusal. "

The sneer was now in full force and made the kendo club see what was hidden behind the smile he showed to the world.

"You are just reinforcing my view on you Hyoudou-san. You say you want to help the kendo club with their goal. Yet refuse to show them what you might be like without holding back. A coward is what you are prove to me and them that you are not one."

The move was masterly done. He could see despite the fact the sneer was visible the kendo club had more history with Kiba. He was moving them against him. Murayama and Katase were on his side because they had seen more of him. The others had not. He made the choice it was the wrong choice, but appearances had to be maintained.

"Very well. I will not hold back with you. Be ready."

The two assumed positions facing each other. Kiba had a vindictive smirk on his otherwise handsome face. Issei would knock that smirk off and then bury it in the soil.

"Best of five."

Katase said, she looked increasingly worried. She could see the very well hidden anger that welled up in her and Murayama crush. The boys both nodded neither taking their eyes off each other.

They did not move for five minutes. Each looking critically at the other. No weakness showed. So issei made the weakness. He slowly moved forward and that prompted Kiba to act in the mistaken belief that his opponent was the one who started the fight.

He charged forward and brought his wooden blade down on the one who had mocked him and made him lose standing with the club's members it would be a bitch and a half to make them forget the incident so his pride would not be damaged any further. The tri color haired young man moved fast catching the blonde's blade before then throwing the attack back and bringing his own blade at the blonde with a very vicious slice that was parried. They fought each other with fury. Kiba openly and issei well hidden. The first spar was called when issei landed a blow on his foe's left elbow.

"Point Issei-kun."

Kiba did not believe it. He wanted to snarl at the girl that he had not been hit but the glance he sent to his elbow did indeed have white chalk that marked someone of being hit.

The second match started this time with Kiba fully committing to a grim and vicious assault. He was feeding his second primary sin and it felt SOOO good. Strike blow swipe and stab were all blocked or dodged. The blonde made a mistake again somewhere in his guard and a second blow put more chalk on him, his upper arm.

"Point Issei-kun."

The wrath grew. The third fight Kiba was taken aback by the fact his opponent went on the offensive first and his fury was frightening fast. Only the blondes devil enhanced reaction time caught most of the ten strikes but again the blond made his final mistake. A blow that had been coming for his right arm suddenly switched direction midway and when he had moved the worn wooden blade to block it the strike again switched at the very last second and it landed.

"Point and match to Issei-kun!"

Kiba wanted to let out a roar of pure rage and fury and also wanted to toss the blade at the referee. He was almost going to do it. But the look his opponent sent him made his blood run cold. It said that if he tried to do the action he would take his sword and jam it into Kiba's heart. That made fear leak into the devils body, and then incredible shame. He had been about to hurt people because of wrath. He was about to do something that in his wrath he probably would have at best injure the pink haired young woman and at then worse outright kill her. That was not how a knight should act. The shame grew more his opponent had been ready to move in front of the almost projectile to protect her. He a lowly human, was willing to take injury or death rather than let another be harmed. That, that was a true knight.

Kiba dropped to his knees in a bow that scraped the floor, greatly shocking the club.

"I was wrong. I was very wrong. You are not and will never be a coward. You know what honor is Hyoudou-kun. Better than I could ever truly know. Please accept my deepest apologies."

That restored faith that the kendo club had lost in the blonde. Issei simply looked at him and spoke.

"Then prove that you know now what honor means. To them, then yourself then me. Remember this feeling and never forget it. Then you will begin the journey on the path of honor that you clearly want. I forgive you."

There was so much wisdom and light in those words. Kiba felt tears enter his blue grey eyes. He only nodded in gratitude. Issei turned to the kendo club before bowing to them.

"My apologies miladies, I hope you do not think less of Kiba-san and me."

The response was a very loud and zealous clapping of hands. The match's had shown more of the men before the club. The good, bad, and ugly. They were all human.

Kuoh Academy Friday

The news of Issei's victory over Kiba the day before hit the student population with more respect for the two young men. When pressed on it all those who had been there told the tale truthfully and while it had killed some of the female students love of Kiba it had made the remaining ones more understanding of him. Issei could clearly see that his fan girl club had tripled in size and helped him topple the other as the king of the academy. The boys understanding more than the girls how hard pride is for a man to lose, especially in front of a crowd. The fact Issei's opponent had insulted the other gravely by implying he was a coward and then after the fights that he had forgiven the other. That had made him the most popular boy in their own minds. Issei deserved the title of king of the school.

It had changed more opinions on the new student. He was no longer a stranger. He was a part of their school, and he was a good person. He may come off as the height of arrogance, but he was not that just reserved.

Koneko was still confused about the tri colored hair young man. She had approached him at lunch that day before bowing in respect to him.

"Thank you for forgiving Kiba-senpai. He really is not as bad as what your first impression of him probably gave."

The golden eyes of the other met her white ones.

"I do not think he is a bad person. I think he has very deep emotional pain that he is hiding. I think that he is crying out for help in ways that are unique only to him. I did not want to humiliate him when he fell to his knees. He deserves to have dignity and respect just like everyone else. He deserves understanding not belittling."

Koneko could hear so much wisdom i those words. Now that she was closer to him she could almost feel what type of gear he might have. Even if he did not have gear he was a good man.

"Thank you again Hyoudou-senpai. Kiba is like my older brother."

The man before her, he was not a boy in any way shape or form, if what she had been hearing from the few openly perverted members of her year were saying.

"It is not a problem. White hair-san."

"My name is Koneko."

He smiled again before bowing back to her.

"Very well Koneko-san. You may call me Issei-san."

City of Kuoh Thursday night.

He was walking the streets to see if what his newest mole had reported was true. She had sent a short message with four apartment complexes that were in close proximity to the forgotten church. Each had wards. Just as she had said. Not great ones his prior knowledge said. Still, he marked them on a data slate. Before moving on. He also got eyes on the church where the best of the humans serving this fallen flock would be hidden. Again, good wards but they were in slight disrepair.

Neither of his moles had gotten a hint of if Pantier was here in the city or not yet. They had both been curious about a satyr with the description given, but they did not question their handler. They would keep their ears open.

Kuoh academy Friday after school.

Issei entered Sona's office and took a seat opposite her in front of a chess board. He was given the white pieces and she the dark. They both watched the other. So, he made the first move. The match was very enjoyable between the two and the student council was watching. Most in fascination and only a few in boredom that would quickly change as the game continued and Sona began losing momentum and more pieces. She gave as good as she got, claiming several in short order. It was finally down to each having two pieces when Sona called the check.

She was grinning very widely; this had been immensely fun and had given a clearer insight into the thought process of what her desired future piece thought. He was clearly always trying to protect his pieces as if they were real people. He would, however, willingly sacrifice some that were of higher value. He knew what sacrifice meant. He was vastly intellectually gifted and sometimes she had not seen moves he would make as having any clear advantage, she had come to regret those always paying the price heavily in pieces when his trap would spring. She would love to play against him again as he had taught her a few very cunning tricks that would take most players off guard and make them wonder why they had lost so quickly. She paid the price again.

He moved his king to a spot that was behind his other piece. She moved and took the position to take the second to last piece but came up short by one space. It was then she realized the mistake and the trap. He moved his rook and took her knight. The game was over yes she was not checked but her king was now alone and without support. It was over, every move made after would just be her trying to delay the inevitable while he would slowly advance his two pieces. It would be pointless.

He then was at least gracious enough to give her an out that kept her dignity.

"We can call it a draw if you want Shitori-san. I do not need the win."

She shook her head.

"Hyoudou-san this is your victory. I immensely enjoyed the game. Thank you for playing with me. I learned a lot about you and a few new tricks. I would like to play again against you in the future if you would allow me too."

He shrugged in non answer.

"Perhaps, I too immensely enjoyed the game. You are an incredibly talented player. The answer to your unspoken question is still no. You are right it would look good on my portfolio, but I am not interested in a club right now. The situation with the kendo club is where I pass on information to those willing to learn to improve who they are, not just in general knowledge of the field, but in the teaching of others to question and then eventually find the answers to those questions."

She felt her admiration grow further; this was a fellow being who understood what it truly meant to be a teacher. She was deeply disappointed he would not join her. She even for a moment considered offering to be his girlfriend, but she then feels shame for that. He did not want that either. The game had shown her so much about him, but not what he wanted. It stumped her.

The disappointment must have been noticeably clear on her face. He, however, looked at her and Sona looked up at him.

The gaze she got made her feel like she was an empress, she was seen in his eyes with such tremendous respect and even admiration that she felt like he knew she was not Sona Shitori but Sona Sitri. The young woman who was laughed at by her fellow nobles for seeing the clear problems in their world and trying to make it better. The Sona who was mocked on a daily basis at the parties of the nobility, dragged through the mud constantly. But he saw her as the woman who could and would change devil society. He saw both sides of her and still admired her drive. Still admired what she wanted. She mattered.

All this was but a moment of two eyes meeting. She turned away. But he spoke softly to her.

"Your drive is amazing Shitori-san."

She felt a tear enter her eye.

"Thank you. May I please ask for permission to call you Issei-Kun?"

His smile was all the answer she needed.

"Then please allow me to call you Sona-Chan, only when we are alone. I understand that appearances must be kept."

She nodded happily. Her grin was now one filled with true happiness. It still hurt that he would not join her peerage, but she had found a true friend. That was so much better than the first. Her peerage was smiling so happily for her, even Saji.

Saturday morning

The shadow that the figure left as it made its way towards one of the apartment complex's that were housing the foot soldiers that the flock were gathering, was one that spoke death.

The figure made a small gesture at the primary ward stone and broke then reforged it to their desire. It was finished in a single second. They approached the door. With a build up of psychic power, the door was disintegrated, and death had now come.

The wave of energy hit the exorcists who were still sleeping and induced various reactions, some woke screaming about dreams that had turned into nightmares, others woke and bile rising fought their way to a toilet to hug, still others had piercing headaches. Only one felt something else.

Two of the humans rushed down the stairs half-dressed to meet the unknown attacker. Their light swords ready.

The first was cleaved from shoulder to groin through with the blade. The second took several steps back up the stairs before attacking the unknown. The sword that ended his life roared like a tiger and took its opponent's legs before a blow to the heart. The ghost moved forward.

More exorcists came out of the rooms and into the embrace of death always fighting, always believing that they would be the one to kill the enemy. The cull continued, the full assault lasted less than 8 minutes before the ghost was before the last door. Instead of destroying the door, the ghost knocked.

A human man opened it and then looked at the one before them, he let out an excessively big sigh of relief.

"I am Alpharius, the Red Angel."

"I too am also Alpharius. The others are gone, probably in a very gruesome way. That means the curtain is now gone."

"It is you have all the information about the other formations?"

"I do, you are the one that Kangelia reports to. I did not think she would be reporting to a bloody warrior."

"She knows Weaver who is the head not I, I am the instrument of the one on top. I made sure that your escape is possible and a woman in a blue blouse will meet you at the extraction point. Where is the usb?"

The turncoat pulled from his left robes the asked for item and handed it to Alpharius.

"The terms of the first agreement and future service to my new lord will be fulfilled. Correct?"

"Absolutely without hesitation or tardiness. I and Weaver are beings of our word, we will get the mob off your family, they will see reason, or else."

"I do appreciate that; they have been increasingly aggressive in the last two months. All because my brother made a mistake and said something wrong in front of one of them. Good day Alpharius."

The man made his way past the now silent giant and moved quickly out of the building. He only once felt bile rise.

City of Kuoh Saturday morning 17 mins later.

Suku was looking at the bodies of the dead humans who littered the building. There was blood and gore on the walls, floor and ceiling, it was noticeably clear someone had a grudge against them.

The cities wards had pinged when holy weapons were detected, Suku took with her to investigate this with three others a rook, knight, and bishop respectively. When they had arrived in front of the location of the pings they found destroyed wards that revealed the slaughter.

The only thing that had been left at the scene was an emblem of a two headed eagle. Suku knew no faction in either world that used the symbol, she had ordered the bishop to search for a magical signature and for the rook to guard the complex. She had shown the knight who was somewhat new to the peerage the symbol, he had replaced the previous knight who after struggling against the depression that the Night of Red Flames had brought her, she didn't stray , she had in a return to the faith she once had before she had became a devil prayed to god to forgive her until she died from the releasing of holy words against her unholy nature. They all miss her.

"What do you make of this Aquilla? I know nothing about it myself."

The man was from Japan, an exiled member of the five clans. He searched through every time he had possibly seen the symbol.

"I have never seen it either, this is a calling card of someone who is incredibly dangerous. The blood splatter shows me we have someone who is incredible, the weapons he is using are barbaric, we must find them."

The assessment was exceptionally good and Suku could see why her king had reincarnated the man.

"Agreed."

The bishop had come from his grim task of gathering the bodies before setting them ablaze with a single fire spell.

Suku gave a glance to him.

"How many bodies?"

"Nine my queen. But we may have a potential survivor, ten rooms were inhabited. The last room was prepared in advance with everything you would need to run. They whomever they are had some connection to the attacker."

"I will have the pawns look for them, I will also have our king talk to the other kings and see if they can spare members this weekend to look. It being the weekend and all."

That was all they could hope for.

Kuoh academy student council office

Rias was nervous, a glance over to her friend saw that she was also feeling the same. Their mentor Cleria Belial had contacted them 20 minutes ago and had commanded that the two junior kings be here in this office. A magic portal opened, and the older king stepped out of it with her queen a tall Oni next to her. The Oni was carrying something that looked like a gold bird.

The older woman nodded her head in greetings to the and their peerages who were in the room, something that was ordered alongside the summons.

"Thank you for being here. I am sorry for having to interrupt your weekend. I will be swift because time is of the essence. Earlier this morning a few pings of holy energy were found by the wards in an apartment complex. Inside were the bodies of nine exorcists. This was found at the scene."

Suku set the gold bird on Sona's desk and had the two younger peerages look at it.

"We cannot find a match to any group on either side that uses this symbol. Do any of you know of an organization or individual that uses this?"

The younger devils all stared at the eagle for a while before each shook their heads. They had never seen anything like it before either.

Seeing the looks Cleria did not look at them with disappointment, if her more experienced peerage could not place the eagle then how could they? It was better to cover all the base.

"Very well, then I am going ask you. Rias, Sona, that you lend me members of your peerage for the weekend to look for a possible survivor that may be here in the city. I understand that the action will cut down on how efficient you all are with answering contracts with the humans and other activities. But this must be tied up. The individual who did this is extremely dangerous. I will not allow a threat like this in my city."

The younger kings nodded immediately. Both looked up to Cleria, she was a very good ruler and took issues that arose very seriously. In the two years they had been here, she had taught them skills and solutions to what might come up in their own future endeavors.

She who was from the opposite side of the unseen conflict that plagued the underworld. She was a GKF member while they were both intending on joining the NKF in support of their older siblings. She did not have to teach them anything. But she did. She knew what it was like to make something work.

Sona spoke first.

"Of course, Lady Belial, I will have one of my bishops my rook and one of my pawns aid in the search."

Rias not to be out done spoke next.

"I'll have my bishop who is good with computers look through the internet for the symbol and have my rook and my knight help too."

The world-wearier king nodded to both of them thankfully.

"Tell your members to talk with Suku and she will have direct them. Have your bishop personally contact me rias, I am interested what he can dig up."

"At Once."

That had been spoken by both girls and Cleria had nodded in truly clear approval, she looked one last time at the bird before opening another portal and stepped through.

City of Kuoh Saturday afternoon.

Raynare was absolutely pissed. One of the four safe houses for the lowly humans that made up the bulk of her flock's strength, had been painted red with the blood of the pathetic beings who served them. Oh, her rage was legendary. It was so bad that Kalawarna, Mittelt and Dohnaskeek had fled from her office in the basement of the church that was their stronghold here in this damn devil infested city.

She had broken five wooden chairs in her rage the splinters of which lay scattered across the floor. The session of feeding her sin that had made her fall was exhilarating. She had fallen because of the wrath that she felt when she at the time a barley made new angel, had been denied the chance to fight in god's army for a few years.

She had been so enraged that she fell. That had created bitterness and when she had been approached by the Angel of the Stars, she could see the same bitterness in his electric eyes. She loved being in his service, she loved killing and maiming the humans who she and many others had come to regard as truly lesser beings that should at their best be the slaves to them beings made by a god.

Or at worst slaughtered to the last like the animals that they were. Then they would do that to everyone single other group of beings that inhabited earth until only the fallen angels remained and could enjoy the world as it should be.

They were so close to a new war. She wanted that war.

Kuoh academy Saturday evening ORC building.

Rias was looking over the digital information that her bishop had dug up in his neet existence. He had also not been able to find a match for the eagle. He could find no mention of it in anything that he could hack or see anything mentioned in blogs or forums that the world turned to during down time.

The image of that Satan damn bird. It had been almost as if when she looked at it, Rias could see something, feel something. She could not identify the feeling. Was it fear? Was it worry? Or was it something else completely?

Kuoh academy student council office. Saturday evening

Sona was remembering the eagle. It said something to her, she had for the barest hint of a moment, when she gazed upon it, the twin eagle heads with eyes both open looking forward and backwards without shame or doubt in whatever they were looking at. She had felt hope.

City of Kuoh Saturday afternoon.

The man was hurrying to where the one called Alpharius had said his extraction was waiting for him. He was part of the ring of beings at the exorcists biggest rest point in Italy who now served the one known as weaver. He had been brought in because of how disgusting the jobs were and, as he had come to realize the church and to a very small extent heaven itself was. He wanted to change that.

He was from Sicily, faith to God was an extremely important part of life there. The southern part of Italy was and had always been more faithful than the north. A legacy of the HRE and the church who had proxy governed the south. A great many of the exorcists who entered the church's service came from the south. But the north had more influence.

That influence had sunk its teeth deep into the church. And now more than ever the church would pay lip service to god's word. The church was not perfect. It had never been perfect. Nothing men or women would make could be perfect.

He had been gladdened greatly when a number of new exorcists had joined the corp with the belief that they should all serve the children of God without favoring one or the other. He and a great many of them and the older exorcists that had joined this growing movement in changing the faith had been heartbroken when the one who had started this unofficial movement had been imprisoned and almost been excommunicated completely from God's protection.

That had broken in him and many others at the stations including his spy ring heads hearts. No one knew what had happened to that brave young woman. That was until a member of the movement had spotted her in Vatican City with the Great Seraph Gabriel.

That the young almost martyr had been saved by a Seraph had brought faith back to many who had doubts about if the angels who did not visit Earth regularly, cared about the humans who fought died and had been injured in service to God.

The anger and even outright hate had instead been directed at the church's who made up the Christian faith.

Why would you all agree that this young woman who was a very real representative of what they all swore to do to protect God's flock. Was an enemy of God's belief?

The divisions in the exorcist corp one for each major branch of the religion, increasingly were seeing that the institutions they all served did not care about them. There was a quiet movement of resignation from the corps. Those who still believed in the lord and his work, but utterly disappointed and disgusted by the growing apathy.

He was the same, but he had stayed. Kan that was what the humans that called the six wing angel who ran the way station had noticed that she had pulled him aside after a mission against vampires in Hungry had gone extremely south and out of the twenty-five who had been assigned to the operation only seven including him had survived.

Bad intelligence had been the biggest thing that had gotten most of those men and women killed.

That had come from a crooked father who unbeknownst to them was in the vampires' pockets. He had gotten the others killed. When the team had realized this and had retreated from the ambush they had to leave behind the bodies of those who had fallen.

It had been the hardest test of faith he had ever had. He was the commander now. The first second and third were dead. He was the fourth. So, he made the call even knowing that their comrades' bodies would be violated by the night walkers.

They had fled, losing two more in the flight. He and the others had been royally pissed. They had confronted the priest and found beyond reproach evidence of his dealings with the blood suckers. Then they had killed him painting the chapels walls with his foul tainted blood.

He and the others knew that they would be excommunicated. But that had not mattered to them. The faces of their brothers and sisters were what mattered.

That priest was friends with an enormously powerful cardinal, and he was making moves against the survivors.

Kan had told him to relay to the others that, yes they were excommunicated. But she was and had always been on their side. It was then that the man called Arnaldo Giuseppe had learned that like he she had extreme doubts about the church, and he learned about heaven. She told him she served a being who was called weaver. He, she said was like them had seen the dark side of both sides of the world. He wanted to help people. Truly help them not speak the words of a mummer and pretend.

She would get them passage to this being and there they could keep fighting for humanity, this time without being seen as nothing.

"You matter, you and the others who I see as the children I can not have without falling. I held those who come back here, sometimes until they left the world, telling them that they matter. I am tired of holding those people. Yes I have doubts about heaven and my lady. But they are not doubts of her dream, they are doubts of the fact that peace is not as she sees it always made in the light. It is made in the in between by all sides. I fear that while her push and desire to see the Cold War between the three to end are commendable, that she who has not been your mother will forget about you all. We might have been supposedly made perfect by God. But what I have seen we are as imperfect as you his second children."

She stopped before continuing.

"I think we were truly made that way. To be like you so that we may understand you better. The one I serve in the shadows understands this and more. You and the others all matter. Your opinions should not be left to rot, and then fester like a pus filled boil. Let me as the last act of a mother help you all find a cause that will not forget that fact. You will have to join with a fallen flock. But the one who you will meet, he is the guardian of humanity. He cares. I know he does because I have faith in him, just like you should."

He did have faith. He and the others who all accepted Kan's help did. So here he was moving to the restaurant that he had been informed about.

Arnaldo sat at a table in the front of a tea parlor, he had ordered a local favorite as he had been instructed to do, and less than a minute later a young woman with black hair that had a few hints of white in it and grey eyes had sat across from him. She smiled and then greeted him.

"I am Alpharius, you are also Alpharius, yes?

He nodded.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Alpharius. Have any of the others already made contact with you?"

She tilted her head.

"I have made contact with three others; they were escorting a nun whose heart is pure and deserves the world. The other now three I have not met yet. They should be here in a few days yes?"

"They should. But things happen."

The woman nodded all too well at the statement.

"I see the doubt you have, I too, have had those same doubts, our lord told me about his mantra on how he manages everything. It is know no fear. Simple and complex but it speaks of his will to do anything."

Know no fear. The phrase was she was right simple yet complex. Yes he would accept this, to know no fear. Like when he and the others killed that priest because the dead had mattered as much as they who were still living, because it was right. The woman spoke again.

"We matter, that was what he also told me. We all matter."

Arnaldo Giuseppe could see the truth in those words, they all who lived on earth, they all mattered.

"I know no fear."

The two made the toast as they drank their tea.

An If it isnt becoming apparent i really like Sona. She is someone i can respect because she sees the problems of the underworld. and is trying to fix them. She has her faults but we all do. i like her better than Rias.

ANN. Shypunk thank you for the correction. im an American and in my american raised view that is normal. That you for letting me know. i will correct the prior instance that was mentioned before sometime this week. thank you for informing me of this. it should be fixed now.