Chapter 12

There is nowhere left to hide. We know you now. We shall hunt you in every plane of reality. We will cleanse the void, then we will cleanse the warp. So, look on me now, and know your slayer.

Attributed to unknown source.

City of Kuoh. Sunday afternoon.

A ping hit the wards. This time near the Kuoh academy. Suku was very scared about that. Was he going to go after the two heiresses? She was inclined to say that he would not go after them. Suku gathered three pawns and had found the alleyway with the body of a single exorcist. He had been split from head to toe. She was sick of this.

Suku was getting so very sick and tired of cleaning up bodies. Another ping had happened, and she was now just resigned to finding them. Her king filed a complaint to lord Lucifer and the man had apologized to her, understanding what the red angel was doing was weakening her authority. He had, however, done them a huge favor by suppressing news of the angel in Kuoh from the senate. It was incredibly good for them. Cleria had asked what the satan wanted for the favor.

"Nothing. I understand very well that he is destroying your credibility. He will be gone in two months from what I have been able to gather. I am extremely interested in the fact he has a faction now."

Suku hated it so much that he had a faction now. He was bad on his own. But his foot soldiers also were becoming terrifying. Another apartment complex was found by yet another ping of a holy gun that late afternoon. There were bodies everywhere. A total of seven. They had finally figured out something that was genuinely concerning. The red angel was smuggling his people into the city in small numbers by these apartment complexes.

He or his footman would kill the terribly bad ones in that cell. This was confirmed by going through the belongings of all the dead. It was how they had finally learned that there was a fallen flock in the city. That was bad too. The peerage could not go after him. But they could them.

Cleria had summoned Rias and Sona that night to her mansion to get the weekly report of contracts and other details, when Rias had asked for her quota to be lowered. For two months. Cleria had looked at the younger woman for second before understanding why. She was finally training for her upcoming ratings game. Cleria understood why it had taken so long for rias to commit. Her sloth was somewhat bad. The redhead's minor sin was remarkably close to her greed. Still Cleria had decided to grant the request. Better late than never. Still, she had told Rias that they would pick up other slack. The red angel had been running them ragged that weekend, with the dead. They wanted a break. But making the younger peerages find the bodies would be worse.

Morale had dropped further like Suku had said it would when the rest of the peerage finally learned of Masori turning stray. One of the pawns who had been close with him a man named Ryan had actually been incredibly let down by the news. The other pawns had been silent. Even Yoursuf was concerned. Cleria had looked them all in the eye and said to them.

"I am not cutting the piece. It was my fault. He should be fine. Please keep this to yourselves. I know you all understand what will happen to him if others learn about it. They will blame him not me. I freely admit that."

They all knew her. She had helped most of them. The few that she had not helped got it too. They were in an exceptionally good peerage. Their king cared about them. It is why they were loyal. Masori had only been in the peerage a month. He had not seen her entirely yet. Ryan had asked in a very small voice if they would have to kill him.

"No. I want you to capture him. He is as I said right about his reason for running. He did not do the wrong. I did number one, and you all know very well that I hate that so badly."

They had winced at the confession. They did all know that she hated that action. Masori had exceptionally good reason to run. Ryan had been a little happier knowing that they would not have to kill him. But he was incredibly sad that it had been number one that was the root. Their king was always honest with them. She never would lie unless there was an ultra good reason.

Still, they were ready to be done with the red angel.

Sunday night student council office.

Sona read the message that Issei sent her after he had returned from his grim work. That one of the kendo captains had a sacred gear was a surprise. He had told her that they would be living with him and that the person that he was originally her for was not coming anymore.

That made the day so much better for her. But also, worse. Issei might leave the city completely after he and his people would clean up the flock. She did not want that to happen. She really enjoyed being friends with him. He must have known what she was thinking because he had said that he was not going to leave. She had wanted to cry happy tears at that moment. He wanted what they had too.

Sona had brought Tsubaki and the others into her office that night before saying to them.

"I know you have reservations about Issei. Please do not. I learned a few things this weekend from him that are unbelievably bad. I cannot tell you. He is truly trying to tell us something and it is very big. Tsubaki Ruruko please stay after. He gave me permission to tell you a few things. He really likes you two."

That surprised Tsubaki. Not so much Ruruko. When the others had left she had put up her ward before speaking again.

"Do you remember when we were talking about the tree at lunch?"

The two nodded.

"It is connected to what he can do. It is a metaphor for our reality. He can see likely future timelines. Tsu that is why he hyper fixated during the first meeting."

That shocked them. Ruruko asked.

"Is it a new type of sacred gear?"

"No. We are all in noticeably big trouble. The tree is our reality. There are incredibly significant threats to the tree. When I say that. I truly and utterly mean it. He wants to tell you. But the idea of what he is trying to accomplish with the red angel is to stop a humongous number of lines that are highly likely to happen."

"How bad. On a scale of one to ten?"

"It is beyond the scale. The clues are in what he says. Think about that and take the leap if you realize it. Your likely right. The red angel has a big plan. It works. Please believe me."

That revelation made the two other women think before Ruruko had thought back and then violently flinched. She liked to read and while sci-fi was not her favorite genre, it was the implications.

Sona seeing that flinch. Looked at her pawn.

"You probably saw it. Tsu. What is a staple of the stars?"

Her queen had kept thinking while Ruruko was now shaking more and looking sick.

"The alien worlds that are very likely out there."

She paused then her eyes widened significantly.

"He cannot mean that. There is no proof of them."

"He does. We are in very big trouble."

"How does he know! There is no proof!"

"Because. I trust him utterly. The tree is in excessively big danger. He showed me a line. It was ultra bad. They exist. And they are not friendly in the slightest. We all die. I mean all who share the planet."

The two others were now very sickly green.

"Unification. It is to fight that. The lines where we are all doing well in branches from that plan working. That is why, despite what you hear the red angel doing, whatever he does is to stop that. It is what Issei told me this weekend. He did not lie. I put three different truth spells on him with his permission. Each time was the same. Truth."

Ruruko finally was sick but had made it to a garbage can. Tsubaki, however, did not hurl. She was now more scared than ever before. The red angel was unknown. But he was still something that thought like them.

"You are right this is unbelievably bad. Worse now. I will talk to him more this week."

"Please do so Tsu. He showed me a few lines where we are in a very much state than now. The red angel and his army are taking the first steps to prepare to fight them. We are going to have to be in that army too. They are really bad. I mean extinction in less than two months bad. Hint this to the others. Do not make them panic."

"I will not. I will talk to momo and Reya. Ruruko. Talk to the others. What about Rias and Cleria? They need to know too."

"They do but not now. The red angel has two more people in the school now. He saved them today from death. We will help them with whatever they need help with. They need to skip a day. Grant it immediately. If they need information about something supernatural? Give them the books. The reason the angel met Rias last Friday was to tell her he will help her with her game. He is not here to kill anyone of us."

Ruruko had finally stopped being sick and had accepted the orders from her king and queen. She too would talk to Issei. She will get him to sit with them at lunch every single day from now on.

Sunday night forge of dreams. The "throne room"

Freed looked to his lord. He was now truly a part of the inner circle. He was finally told about the existence of Xenos. He had been shown several lines. All were bad. Despite all of that he, he knew no fear.

"I will step up the militariums training. Our first officers for our future regiments. I have found some already. From all stripes. Will we need elite formations for our brothers and sisters that are not human? The books are written from a human perspective."

"We will modify them. I have several ideas about how we can integrate the angels and the fallen into the regimental structure. The devils will fill pseudo mobile artillery roles. The wall of guns and the sword arms will be human."

"I had similar thoughts milord. The enhancements. More want them. Will we make scions regiments? And the astartes. Will we get them?"

"Yes to the first, unknown for the second. You are telling them that the pain despite what we are still trying to refine further is bad yes?"

"I have told the utter truth. They still want it. I will need a larger military training camp. The forge is good for now, but we are getting many new recruits. It will not work in the long run."

"We are going to get land in the underworld in two months. I will buy more from the fallen and the devils if I have to. I will have Daliea buy more land in china for another training center. The next step of the plan for the mundane side will take off after we build the next stc. I will have our people on that side contacted and told to make themselves ready. Caroline has several healthcare products that she reworked ready for production. Our law firm head is ready. He knows this side and has been preparing for the legal backlash of what our actions will cause."

"Thank you milord. That Unification is well under way is good. I will pull my future new officers in one by one over the next two months. See who wants to teach. We need to be ready for everything. When will Caroline know?"

"Soon. Probably at the beginning of next month. Then we will bring in Charles. I will have him his adepts for volunteers to be ready to move to the new town we are building. Any further questions?"

"No milord. Not at the moment. Thank you for sharing this with me."

"I trust you freed. Never doubt that. Just like I do not have doubts about you."

"I have no doubt. Just faith."

The man moved and left the office that was what Issei had claimed as his own. It was small and humble. A simple desk and chair and then finally an aquilla on the back wall. There was also a date slate rack on the right side of the office.

Daliea had told the man the bare bones basics after Sona had left the home on Saturday and he had filled the blanks in tonight just like Sona had with Ruruko and Tsubaki. He liked both of them a lot. The lines had shown that they had potential futures that were of significant importance.

Ruruko as a potential commander because despite the fact she was young she like her king had a good strategic mind. Tsubaki was harder to place, her point would always change. Sometimes as a future adept of the mechcanicum, sometimes she was the future administration high lord. At other times something else that was equally important. Sona would not be his first sigillite. That fate was with another.

The fallen flock was not getting reinforcements. Pantier was not coming. He had been angry about that. He had wanted to remove a piece of that triad. But today had shown what he had seen from the mind of Gustav, that Raynare had to die soon. She was very evil.

He would have a small company of the Militarum prepared for the final stage of this fight would happen on Wednesday. He needed to extract his two fallen agents and the three remaining exorcists that were his too.

Gustav had brutally tortured the forth before killing her. Her name, Marie, was now on the wall of martyrs along with Aaron. They were the first two on it. He had stayed near that wall and had bowed his head in grief. They were the harbingers of more. He had failed them.

He would never be religious; he hated those cults so very badly. That thing in the warp. It was now talking to him more. Always whispering. It said that the both of them were now in its afterlife. They were better off it said. He did not believe it. The thing had lifted the veil hiding sol for him a little bit before showing him some of the Xenos.

He actually liked one federation. They were actually trying to be good people. But they also had terrible sins. Another Xenos empire was beyond evil. They actually controlled what he estimated was about a quarter of the galaxy. That federation of mostly good? They only controlled five percent. There were others too. They were mostly bad. Not like the orks, drukari, Aeldari and the other tree. There was actually a ton of Xenos life here. He had seen a people that were somewhat dangerous. They were somewhat close to earth. They were reptiles. They had a small empire of only three planets. They were not good. But they would have a very big advantage over them. Their technology was very weak. A side effect of their thinking process

They didn't consider changing quickly as a good thing. They laid plans that were generational, they had subjected two other Xenos species that they had then forced at gun point to adopt their thinking process. It was not all bad. One of the other species had been awfully close to extinction. The reptiles had technically saved that race. But there was a lot of bad.

They had a remarkably similar god. It was not too powerful. It too was slow thinking, and it did not change very well. This empire would have been able to beat terra about 70ish years ago. But not now. Even without the weapons of war being made.

The god of humanity had stopped them from preparing an invasion by making terra look like it was still going through the ice age. He had been protecting them. Issei still hated it so very much.

Still there was at least some hope in this galaxy. He could possibly see that his imperium could highly likely have a good relationship with the good federation. He had not liked what they had done. But he understood why that had done the two really dreadful things they had committed.

He would be training Kat and the twins in how to begin accessing their sacred gear tomorrow.

Kuoh church Sunday night.

Raynare was oh so very livid. They killed her mood kin! Gustav had been fun. She suspects that they have a spy. Because of the sociopath's death and because almost twenty minutes before their second to last cell outside the church was to move here they had been slaughtered. They now had only nineteen bodies left.

She had gotten Dohnaseek to begin a search for listening devices. He did not find any. She believed him, he was scared shitless of her. Still, she was angry. Oh well that tape would keep her happy for a bit.

Dohnaseek had followed his bosses' orders. He, however, had lied to her. He did find bugs. They were still up. He wanted to be angry with who he suspected was the culprit. Mittelt. She had been here first. But he was not. She had been kind to him. That was why he did not rat her out.

He had confronted her that night and would at least give her a chance to tell him her reasons for doing this. He had shot a privacy spell at the entrance to their shared quarters.

"I am going to ask this once Mittelt. Are you the one who set bugs up in our base?"

The younger fallen had a decent poker face. It was good enough to have won several rounds against Gustav when he was alive. But he saw it.

"What do you mean Dohn? Do we have bugs? Is that why we are struggling here?"

"Do not lie to me. I know you are the culprit. You were the scout before the rest of us arrived. Tell me who you work for, or I will kill you right now, despite the fact I like you."

The challenge had been issued. She was scared now. Dohnaseek liked bloody kills. Silence. Before she opened her mouth.

"Dohn. What we are doing here is disgusting in the extreme. I hate it. I hate the cadre. I do not want the war he clearly seeks. It is not worth it in any way. I work for someone named Weaver. He doesn't want the war either. I understand you are in an unbelievably bad way. But please do not tell Raynare. I want peace not war!"

He looked at her. There it was. He was right. She was the one. He was almost ready to kill her. This coward. But then a memory of what she had done for him multiple times since the mission her started. She had helped him get to a toilet to hurl the contents of his stomach up. She had not judged him, she did not like that he was like that at all. But she had never said the words, she had been sympathetic.

"I will not say anything for all the times you helped me. Who is this weaver using to kill the humans?"

Relief crossed her face and then sincere gratitude. That was nice.

"Thank you so much Dohn! I will never forget this! It is the red angel."

"The red angel is here! He is the one! What the fuck kind of pull does this weaver have that he knows that thing? What the fuck Mitt!"

"I do not know. But the angel is here, and it is doing the grim work. Dohn. I know you do not want to hear me say this. He might be able to help you."

There was only one way to do that. Her death. It hurt so much, but she was right. That thing could help him. It hurt so much. But there was now a way out.

Should he take this? Should he commit? He saw his sister's face of when they had been young. It was wonderful. But that she was now very dead. Replaced by a horror that wore her skin. Tears came down his face. He fell back against the door. He wept. Mittelt had run to him and had pulled him into a hug.

"I want to Mitt. How can you do it? I am trapped by that favor. It is so extraordinarily strong. How can you do it?"

"I know no fear Dohn. He can help you. Like he will do for me. Please have hope enough Dohn to leave."

"Our oaths."

"I am ready to run. That part of our society is so very wrong Dohn. We should be able to leave."

"I know. I am near despair Mitt. They own my soul. I am so scared. They would hunt me down. They know me so well."

"I understand Dohn. Have faith this last time. I want to show you something. It will shock you."

Mittelt extended her wing from her back. They were pure gold. Not black. He stared wide eyed at that the tears still coming.

"How? How are they like that? What made them like that?"

"I do not know. But this started happening after I found renewed faith. Kala is like this too. Dohn try to have faith, for this."

He was amazed. The wings looked beautiful. His own had extended unconsciously. He saw that they too were changing to gold. Because he had hope. It was as if the sin of the lust of battle was lifted from him. He cried again. The wings were now turning back to black. He wanted the black gone.

Know no fear. That was the key. That was the way up. Dohn did not want to feel regret for this if he said no. Kala was like Mittelt now. They were both free. He could be free.

"I will try. Mitt. She will kill me if I run. She loves the boss. My sister is the one to whom I owe the favor."

The other paled significantly.

"Dohn."

"I know. But I will try. When is the extraction? I am coming with you."

"Wednesday night. There are three others. I cannot say their names."

"I get that. Tell the head I am in. But they have to kill her. She is worse than Raynare."

"I will. Be ready Dohn."

Kuoh academy Monday lunch time.

Issei was back with them at their table, he was not alone this time. Katase and Murayama were with him. They looked incredibly nervous about the student council. That had let the others know that they knew.

But Issei had broken the ice between them with a conversation that was about philosophy. It drew everyone in and soon they were debating on points. The two human girls were still nervous, but they were better. Ruruko had surprised everyone when she asked Issei if he would be her senpai for a few weeks. He had smiled softly and said yes. They both agreed to talk after school today. He was trying so hard with all of them.

Ruruko was really beginning to like him. When she had asked about the tree, he said that there was hope in it. That had made her and Tsubaki feel better but confused everyone else but Sona. Still the lunch ended, and the council had parted ways with Issei and the kendo girls. It had been nice.

Kuoh Academy track field after school Monday.

Ruruko had met her senpai and his two new friends at the field. Sona had managed to get the field for this day forward by promising the track club that they would get some spare funding. This deal would last for two months only on Monday.

They had been joined by two twins five minutes later and Issei had immediately began showing them and Katase how to begin making contact with their sacred gears. The three were meditating in a triangle.

Ruruko and Murayama had then been gestured over to the bleachers and Ruruko noted that the other girl was extremely nervous. Issei had smiled before asking kindly a question.

"I never did figure out your sin Ruruko-San. What is it? You do not have to answer if it is too personal."

The first year had smiled at the question.

"It is very unusual. You'd probably never would guess it. It is wrath."

"Wrath? That is surprising. How do you feed it? Your so happy that I would have never guess that."

"I feed it by thinking of how I will channel my wrath on our future opponents in the ratings games scene. I want to make the nobility suck a fat one for making Sona feel the way they do."

"That I can respect greatly. I was right in liking you. You can call me Issei-kun if you want. As long as I can call you Ruruko-Chan?"

"I am ok with that. You are trying so hard with us. I know we tried to do something that you hate."

"I hate the system. Not the people who go through it unless they are forced into it. I know it was needed for the species."

"What system?"

"Mura-chan. We are talking about the way devils recruit. They have an exceptionally low fertility rate. Everyone at the table except Sona are reincarnated devils. Sona is a pure blood."

"Sona is wonderful Murayama-San the system is based off chess. I am a pawn."

That had made the human ask multiple questions in curiosity. Ruruko had answered happily and the two feel into a discussion. Issei excused himself to go help Katase and the twins when he saw they were close to a breakthrough.

"Why do you devils have to feed your primary sin? Issei-Kun said it was like breathing for you?"

"It is part of our psyche. We all have flaws. When you are reincarnated the piece that you are given amplify your strongest sin. I hate my grandparents. They treat me and my mom bad."

"I am sorry. What would you guess mine would be? I do not want to be a devil. Simply curious."

"I would say probably pride. You are good at swordplay. You might also have two sins sometimes but that is uncommon."

Murayama had thought it over for a sec before shaking her head.

"That's not me."

"Like I said a guess. But I understand. The not becoming one part. I did it to get help for my mom and dad. He really does try to stand up to my grandparents. But they are very mean people. I think something bad happened when he was a kid. Sona got us away from them. My family is happier now. And I will always love my king for that."

Murayama smiled seeing the happy face the younger girl had. Issei was right. They were good people.

They had broken off from the field with Issei and the other four figures leaving at the end of the day. The twins had gotten their gear to open, and they would now be trained how to enhance the damage they did. Katase had almost been there. But she was disappointed in herself.

Issei had told her gently that she had nothing to be ashamed of. It just clicked better in some. Ruruko had enjoyed the answers that she had gotten from her senpai. It was a good day.

Forge of dreams Monday.

Freed looked to the six men and women who were volunteering to undergo the genetic enhancements. All were not cowed by the last chance he was giving them. They wanted this.

"I will be pulling you in with me sometime in the next few weeks. I am going to be blunt and honest with you all. Be ready for that day."

"Yes Sir."

Caroline was waiting for them in a special wing in the forge with the enhancement equipment. Asia and Ramiel were not with her.

Kuoh academy Tuesday lunchtime.

Rias was very curious why the student council table had two new people. Sona had not said anything to her about them. But she was exhausted and was not bothered by that. Her peerage was too.

Issei had talked with her yesterday before school and the two of them being seen together had sent the school rumor mill rolling. Many of the girls in her year thought that they would make a great couple. The girls in his hated her more now. He had just been confirming a few things.

The angel would truly help her with riser. She trusted him. He was not a bad person.

Kuoh church Wednesday afternoon.

Dohnaseek was ready. He was told to when the attackers came tonight, make the sign of a bird over his chest. The attackers would know he was friendly. The red angel was coming. And he was bringing friends. That scared him. He was informed more about the prior attacks. That thing had an army. And they were just as brutal as he was.

Still, he was so ready to be done with Raynare. She was getting worse. She and her now new second in the flock, a man named Marcus were bad. The human was not as bad as Gustav though. He was just blood thirsty to a somewhat normal degree. He did not do torture.

Still, he was waiting for this to finally be over.

Kuoh city warehouse near the church Wednesday night.

Freed stood with the ten guardsmen ready to go. They had like at every single other beginning of their operations, made an oath of moment. They were all ready to kill the head of the flock and her people. Two of Aaron's comrades were with the group. They both had lasguns and chainswords and were eager for blood.

The single heavy weapons operator was using a new gun. It shot white hot plasma. The operator a woman named Alice was quite a good shot with it. It was for the fallen just in case. She still had a regular las pistol and chainsword. They were all in carapace armor painted a black for the operation tonight. The oath had been joined by their lord who was ready. They respected him more when he had done that. Freed had his hell gun and his power sword charged. This would be the end of operations for them in the city. They were ready to start building unification.

He had already found another potential officer tonight. A man named jasper who had been a former member of the Canadian army before joining the church after something happened to him. He was private about that something. Still, he had slipped into the role of third naturally.

They were taking a spell to the church. The agents in the church were told to make the sign of the aquilla as soon as they saw their people. There were six out of the now twenty something enemies. They would not show mercy to the enemy.

Kuoh city church Wednesday night 10.30.

The portal spell opened and the eleven of the attackers got into position at the edge of the wards that covered the grounds of this church. Outside it were several tents holding their foes. Issei gently touched the ward stone that was the weakest and changed the ward scheme. No running. He and his people were ready he would blow open the steel gate that was the outside entrance. Freed had nodded to his lord and was distinguished from the guardsmen by a single red mark near the spot where his heart lay.

Issei nodded then began the countdown.

A massive loud clang was heard by the pawns on the outside of the church. They rushed out of several tents, armed to the teeth with guns, swords, and several with magic. The gate that had been the entrance to the ground flew from its hinges and slammed into the path leading up to the church.

Then three grenades were launched at the still stumbling enemy and then went off blindingly. Then the roar of a chainsword. The light had only hit a few of the defenders and those that could see immediately began taking cover and returned fire with their regular guns. Several snap-hiss noises went off and the blinded foes went down dead. Two had been wounded a leg and an arm blown off. Then the angel came, and the slaughter began in earnest.

Fire was still being made against the guard and their commander's bullets pinging off the armor. Two foes quickly saw the emblem had run and hidden behind a tree. They had quickly made the sign of the aquilla before running.

More snap-hiss noises and another enemy had gone down. Reinforcements were coming from the church. A man had managed to get off a spell informing those inside that they were under attack. Raynare had come with Marcus and she and he began to fire spells at the attackers, Marcus knew magic. Behind them came more grunts. At the far back of the church we are the four agents. Mittelt, Kalawarna, Dohnaseek and finally a man who was shaking badly. Raynare roared at them to move forward, and attack theses bastards and the only human had run and hidden instead. The three fallen had gulped before moving forward to obey.

The fight continued to drag on and the attackers were not reloading their guns at all that and the red hot beams were dancing across the yard hitting the church and whatever cover that the flock was using leaving black scorch marks. The plasma gun operator got a chance to kill the fallen commander and had taken it. That white ball of death was only stopped because the bitch had thrown another body into the path of that ball.

The man disintegrated into a puddle of white goo. The angel took that open and charged using his psychic might to enhance further his body and had brought his chainsword down on Raynare. She blocked the blow. Mittelt could see that the only one of the regular attackers with a hint of a rank structure had looked at them at the back line and she heard the vox bead go off in her ear.

"Try to pull back slowly. My men were given just your description. Have the others fall back with you."

"Rodger. The last human is behind the pulpit. The other two you probably saw are at that tree at the far left end."

"We saw. Thank you for telling me about the last we have been holding back trying to make sure. We will not do that anymore."

Those words had been the catalyst as further fire now came from the guard and they began killing more of the regular human defenders. That plasma gun went off again and a woman preparing a lightning spell joined her comrade that had become goo.

Raynare was being forced away from her meat shields by the red angel. He was truly here. She had traitors in her ranks. She knew who it was now. All three of her kin had backed away and then ran into the church. Those damn flashing red lights had picked up in intensity after that. She was beyond mad.

The fallen blocked another swipe by the red angel and she then countered with a stab of her light spear into his guts. He just took the blow before punching her right in the face sending her back with a blow that would have killed a two wing fallen. She definitely had broken teeth. She spat them out with a good chunk of blood following it.

"Fuck you."

That was what she had said. But the missing teeth made the words unintelligible. The red angel had known what they were.

"Fuck you too. You are going to die very painfully. That will be because you killed my kin. Treated them like worms."

He again charged forward at her with such incredible speed and brought his sword down on her right flank. She parried most of the blow. But some teeth from the blades tore into her side and a hunk of meat came off. It hurt so badly. She was bleeding badly now that he had taken a chunk of her kidney.

They continued fighting. More stabs by her light spear entered his body and would never penetrate. Another lunge of the blade came towards her and then took her left arm.

Raynare howled but fought the urge to scream more before unfurling her four wings flying into the air to try and run. That hope died painful.

A psychic scream stunned her followed by a warp fire thrown hit her right wings. Burning them and making many of her feathers on them come crashing down onto the lawn while on fire and would have started to make the now back of the church where the graves were surrounding grass a lite had a quick water spell not hit them. Her fall was bad, and she hit the ground hard crushing a cross that had marked some damn humans last resting place.

She tried to get up and was able to do so and just barely dodged a swipe that would have bisected her in half. It hit her left leg and more meat came off.

This time she did scream. She dropped to her knees and dodged another blow that slammed into the ground with chunks of dirt flying into the air from the sword. Another swipe came and this time instead of a wound her legs were taken completely.

The Black haired woman kept screaming. And the red angel looked down on her broken body.

"This is your death Raynare. Look upon me and despair."

She stared up into his green eyes and then the final blow came. Raynare lost her head. Her face had shown every bit of pain and fear.

Issei had quickly thrown a warp fire at her now corpse making it go up in flames before another water spell dampens them. He was happy to finally kill her.

The noise at the front of the church was dying down and he moved to where the guard were ending the wounded enemy. Issei made his way to the church while freed and the heavy weapon operator were now talking to the two men who had hid by the tree.

Issei entered the church and felt such disgust at even being here. He hated churches. But he would not burn them.

Mittelt and the rest of his agents quickly made the aquilla and he just nodded.

"Agent Mittelt. Your family has been moved already. You are free to leave weavers service after this. They and you will be well hidden. I say that in good faith for your work here."

"Thank you sir."

The voice was trembling with the words. Kalawarna had surprisingly taken a knee and then spoke quickly.

"I told Alpharius that I would do and give anything. I give my oath of allegiance to you and to him. For Unification. I will fight."

"Front or back."

"Back I want to help medical work. This I swear."

"Very well. And you good sir?"

Dohnaseek whimpered before finding courage.

"Front milord. I like battle. Just not against you and yours. You must please kill my sister, Anavie. She is the angel of the stars second."

Silence.

"Done. She was already on my incredibly special list of people. I will have my intelligence head speak with you more."

He sighed in pure relief. Mittelt had spoken up.

"I want to still serve. Back. I wanted to become a teacher when I was young."

Another pause.

"Done. You may get with one of my people. When we leave. Get the human behind the pulpit moving I will be summoning the ruler of the city. You do not want to be here. Move."

The three fallen moved and hoisted the man hiding and they quickly ran past freed who was entering the building.

"All dead. Jasper is moving the two on the grounds. Are you still going to stay?"

"Yes. Place the standard we brought out of the pocket spell and place it behind the pulpit. I will inform Cleria that we are done doing operations here. Have the men move the vans and everything out of the city by the end of the week. Tell them exactly what they did tonight besides the revenge."

"Yes milord."

The man grabbed out of the pocket dimension the item and placed the standard with the Aquila lightning and Terra down in the spot instructed. He then moved and began moving their people out.

City of Kuoh Wednesday night 11.00

The night watcher for the wards tonight. The pawn Ryan was shocked out of his chair as the wards again pinged that someone had used holy magic or weaponry. He was scared badly that means only one thing. The red angel or his people had killed again.

Cleria and half her peerage had come to the location. They were all grim. They noticed that they were near a church of the biblical god. Fun. Now they would have to hurt while they cleaned.

The gate to the courtyard was blown off its hinges, and on the front lawn were the bodies of nearly seventeen humans. Cleria had given the order to them to start gathering the bodies. This was definitely not the red angel. There were only three sword kills. Usually there were more. This was his people. The holes of some bodies were still smoking from the weapons used. There were also two plies of white goo that they did not know of what.

Suku had moved with her king, and they made their way to the entrance of the church. They saw the scorch marks that littered the front of the church. That was bad. That meant that there had been a lot of attackers.

They finally after a minute gathered up energy and entered the building. There at the back of the church was that fucking bird again. But it had more symbolism now.

"This is the full symbol."

That voice came from the right near a pipe organ and out stepped the red angel. Cleria and Suku both paled significantly. He was here. The man simply moved from his hiding place to the front of the two women.

"Lady Belial. I apologize to you for being here and for I and my people for cluttering your city. I know that does not mean much. We are done with our work here. And I truly do respect what your peerage do for the city. You are a good ruler. The flock is dead."

Cleria gulped. She was standing near him. He the monster. Was he telling the truth about being done? Was this waking nightmare finally over with?

He knew the question.

"It is. I speak honestly. I have stayed to let you know. I also have something to inform you of. The night of red flame was caused by a trio of agents that were killing a Longinus user. They might come back into the city. Your wards are good. Incredibly good. But one of them is a warder who broke one of your stones near the memorial park and that was how the flock and their people got in. Protect the heiresses. That is who the trio will try to kill next."

The two devils paled to completely bone white. That was their biggest lead on that night that had ever been made. Killing a Longinus was always considered something that you should do. The thirteen were extremely dangerous. They made humans into potential future red angels if they were not collared immediately. That the young ladies that Cleria had come to regard as her pseudo daughters were the target of people that killed 2250 people was really bad. That spoke of how bad this really was.

"I am done. I will still have agents here. They will not cause trouble. I give my word. That means something. They will be watching for those three. I will have my head here to inform you if I have to return. Again, I am sorry. Good night."

He made his way round them and then before he left the building he opened a portal so as not to be seen by the rest of the peerage. It was something that showed he had manners.

"Suku."

"Yes my king."

"Inform the others immediately. Have Yoursuf and the other bishop fix that hole immediately. Our nightmare is finally over."

"What he said about Sona and Rias and the night of red flame. I think it is true."

"I agree. We will set a guard on them. This is ultra bad."

The Oni had nodded. Before running outside the church to tell the others. Cleria had once again looked at that bird. Not with the hate that had become the base reaction. No. Now it was slight hope.

Kuoh academy Thursday morning.

Sona was so relieved. Issei had finished his work. The fear he inspired was now going to go away. She had seen rias and her peerages had been so happy for the first time in a few weeks. The looks had made her sad. He was doing things that had to be done, and instead of the praise he deserves for protecting people, yes his way of war was grim. He was just feared. No one knew that it hurt him when they were scared of him.

He had said that at the chapel to her. But the story of why he had taken the name had made her realize that it was not to honor what that forgotten son from the other had been. It was to redeem him, to give him respect for the warrior he had been before the nails. Not what he eventually became.

His story was toned down for her, but she could see why he had said that tree was a horrible place. To do the nails to someone. To remove everything that made him who he had been. A man who was fighting to free his fellows from slavery. To have the nails that just made that noble warrior who had been able to take others' pain away. Was instead forced to feel nothing but that pain.

It made her understand her friend more. She wanted to hear the other stories of those sons. Because they had been human too. He smiled at that.

"What was the name of the first red angel?"

"His name was Angronius of the red sands."

"I will help you in remembering him. He deserved better."

"He and many of his brothers deserve the galaxy. Some there was no hope for. I liked Roboute the most. He was extremely far from perfect. But he knew duty. He knew what being calm headed was like. Yes he mocked Angronius. But he did not understand how bad it was on that world. The nobility kept their evil well hidden."

"I want to hear his story next. Next we talk. I want to know why we would name the boy after him."

"You and he would have gotten along famously. He was like you in seeing the bigger picture."

The thought train was cut by Suku informing them that they had learned from the red angel that people were targeting them. They had both known that. But Sona had seen the file for Pantier. He was absolutely truly evil. The two others were too. She had nodded at Suku explaining to them that a guard rotation would be set up for the both of them.

Kuoh academy Thursday lunch time.

The student council and the three agents of the red angel were having a very enjoyable time as they began a very deep discussion on education. Sona had noticed that Ruruko was now openly smiling at Issei and the two had talked about her sin. The kendo girls were now no longer uncomfortable with the devils and Katase had told Sona that she had gotten the key into the lock and was beginning to learn how to use it. Sona had smiled brightly and congratulated her for the achievement.

Saji had looked at Issei and finally said that he was sorry for staring at the other that first day.

"There is no grudge Saji-san. I understand. Your not a bad guy."

That had made Saji blush for a second, before smiling. Ruruko was happy about that. Her senpai was a good man. Tsubaki had finally asked about the tree.

"Can you please show me it, Issei-san? I believe you but."

"Of course, I told Sona-Chan the truth. I would be happy to show you some lines."

The rest of them were still confused. Momo had put something together at that moment. She looked wide eyed at him before asking in a ridiculously small voice.

"Issei-san. May I please ask you to help me with something? I think I might understand you a bit better now."

The tri hair color man had looked at her for just a second before he nodded.

"I think I see what you want to ask. I am free after school today. Are you and Tsubaki-San free?"

The glasses wearing Vice President had nodded.

"I am. Sona-sama said she can explain more to me. Is Momo?"

"Potential. We are all a bit of that."

Momo looked ready to cry. In a good way.

"I am free Issei-san. I want to learn. If it is that."

"Here is my address. I will raise more questions than I will answer."

"Thank you Issei-san."

He simply just smiled. Freed would be with Katase and Murayama today after school.

Forge of dreams Thursday morning

Freed was reading the reports that the guard had written on the fight last night. They were extremely critical. He had asked each of them what the biggest weakness of that fight was for them. Jasper had said that he had not timed his first shot right. Thus, the blown off arm. Alice had said that her weakness had been hesitating after the first shot and that the next two she had made had been better. It was she that had taken Raynare's human second.

That had been with a las pistol as the plasma gun was still very experimental. She had not wanted to have the weapon jam as it was a mark one and that had unfortunately been something that they could not yet get out of that mark. The next mark would fix that.

The others had reported hesitation at the first shots too. But when he told them that the ones they had killed had been allies of the ones who had caused an incident in France with two schools and where the trio had blown up a skyscraper in the United States where five thousand people had died.

The ten had been silent for a moment. Then Alice had moved forward and began swearing a new oath of moment that she would not let monsters like them continue their horror induced trade. It had been the start of a waterfall the rest of them had joined that oath. They were building the imperial guard.

Jasper had stepped up after the oath and said he was willing to teach at the new training center. He also wanted the enhancements. Freed told the truth. It would hurt.

"I want them. I heard about what you and our lord went through. What he will still go through. I serve the master of mankind. I will not back down when he who sees us despite his young age as his children. I heard what he said to the fallen. Before the vox was cut. He made her death painful for what she did to Aaron. I might not get all of what Charles and his people say. But we are indeed the children of the omnissiah. I will not let you talk me out of this."

"I want them too Lord-commander."

That had been the rest of them.

"I will have Caroline made known of your wishes. The last batch are almost off the beds."

Freed was taking two others with las pistols to watch over their lords' friends at Kuoh.

Kalawarna had started her new work almost immediately after extraction. She had met the rest of the fast growing medical team and was surprised when she had met a pure angel with her new wing color. He was wonderful. They were getting along really well. The blonde girl that she learned had twilight healing was nice too. Her new boss was kind.

It was so much better than the Grigori. That place was a snake pit. Azazel did try. But outside his inner circle, none of the cadre heads genuinely cared about them. She understands why it was like that. And she had long hated it. This goal that they each were doing. It was worth it. Her brother had wanted to help too. She had called him and the pure happiness on his face showed to her that he was immensely proud of her. He had shown her his wings. They were not gold. They were silver. He had met the one that the new cult of the machine god was beginning to call the fabricator-general and something had clicked with him. He was so much happier. She listened to him ramble on about the omnissiah. She did not get it. But it made him so happy.

Mittelt was enjoying her new position at what she was told would eventually be a new academy that would teach future generations of people. She would need to study the data slates and get the new things she was going to teach. She was learning so much. She did not believe even a quarter of what she was reading. And yet the proof had been shown so often. Her sisters were so eager to join the school when it opened. She would treasure that day forever.

Dohnaseek was somewhat nervous. The person sitting across the table from him was actually frankly just as terrifying as the red angel and his army. The man had no face. They had put a new symbol on the table. It invoked fear.

"Do you know what this symbol is fallen?"

"No sir."

"This symbol will be that of the eternal watchmen. It will be what makes sure we never fall back into darkness. Its users will be like Alpharius legion. They will watch for the enemy that will spring from up off the field of war. We will be the Inquisition. We will not shrink from our duty. The rest of this new imperium will know us. Not as the witch hunters. But as the ones who will not let the sacrifices that our species whomever they might be die after unification. You will answer my questions truthfully. Because my patience is not limitless. unlike my authority. Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. I have read your file. You will not be on the frontline that you imagined. You will be my first acolyte. Your frontline will be to defend our species freedoms in other ways. You will tell me everything about your sister and the angel of the stars. I who you shall call inquisitor. Now. Where is she based primarily?"

The speech scared the shit out of Dohnaseek. He never lied. Every single question. The inquisitor had been pleased. Dohnaseek was incredibly surprised when the mask fell, and he was faced by a young human. He had dirty blonde hair. He was deathly serious. There was pain in his eyes, just like Dohnaseek.

"I am Inquisitor Akio. I know what must be done by those of us who cannot enter the light fully. Our war will be a secret war. There will be no stories about greatness found here. No tales of honor or of courage over fear. But our fight will be more important. The sacrifices we will all make must be preserved for our immortal imperium. You will fit in. Acolyte."

Base of operations Thursday after school.

Momo was so extremely nervous. This was the scariest thing that she would ever revel. She and Tsubaki were sitting in a wonderful home and Issei had made them snacks and gotten them drinks. Issei had asked permission to touch Tsubaki's hand and when it was given he put a single finger on the black haired girl, and it caused her to freeze.

Momo saw the hints the flash of scenes. The tree. It was imposing.

The finger was removed and Tsubaki snapped out of the trance. She had so many emotions. Issei had smiled at Momo.

"I see I was right. You have the potential gift or curse. When did it manifest?"

Momo let tears flow. Issei knew her shame.

"When I was five. My family is amazing. But I was kidnapped. That thing was evil. I do not know how it came out. I was so scared. I wanted to be free so badly. The keys fell off the belt. I pulled them to me. I made them fly behind my back. And unlocked the cuffs. I am a freak. I ran. The police were nearby searching for me. I found them. I recalled the things face perfectly. They arrested it."

Momo was crying so badly now as the story continues. Issei listened and did not judge. Tsubaki looked at the bishop with wide eye shock.

"I am a freak."

Momo was now trembling. They both knew now that she was a freak and Issei had said that this was a curse. She wanted to die.

Issei had gently touched her face. She looked into his gold eyes through her own tear glazed eyes.

"You are not a freak. You are gifted. I am like you. I am not a freak. Never call yourself that again. It can be a blessing. I know another of our kind. She is beyond pure. She uses her gift to ease the pain of the people she helps. Here let me show you something."

A vision entered Momo's sightline. She sees herself. She is so happy. Saji is with her. He is smiling at her so brightly she for a moment thought it was brighter than sol. There are three children. Two of them have her gift. They are levitating rocks while she helps them. She was not ashamed here.

She returned to the tree. Issei was smiling at her so kindly.

"You are not a freak. This thing you have. It can do so much good. Believe me, I will help train you. Never say that word again."

"What am I?"

"You are what is called a psyker. It is a gene. That is why you can do this. I will explain."

He did. They both looked at him with so much amazement. The warp. Emotions. Good and bad. Momo felt herself slip into the sea. Issei was with her. He never was not there. Momo saw it. Unification. She saw all of it. She loved it so very much. The shame began to leave her soul to never return. She knew him now. So much fell into place. Why he and the red angel fight for this hope. She knew truth now. Issei was him. He hated being feared.

Momo slammed her new utterly loyal friend into a bone crushing hug. She wept for him. He who would be Guardian. He who had helped her. She was forever Sona's bishop. But he was the master of mankind. Her new lord.

"I am sorry. Issei-san."

"You can call me Issei-kun. If I may be able to call you Momo-Chan?"

"Yes. I will help you. Teach me. I see the tree now. Make me into something greater than what I had been. I do not fear you."

He smiled. It was the bird. Tsubaki had seen parts of the truth.

"Tsubaki-san. I would like to join the student council. Not the peerage. I want to be friends with all of you. Is that all right?"

Tsubaki had smiled happily.

"We would be honored to have you. Sona wants that so desperately. I now see why. I want it too."

"My loyal friend has my support Tsubaki-sama. We will all be better people with him around us."

"We will. I have questions about the warp."

"As do I Issei-senpai. Teach us. My sin is greed. I want to know everything."

"Since we are being upfront about sins. Mine is actually sloth."

Issei chuckled amused at that.

"Never would have guessed that Tsubaki-san. Also, Momo-chan you will never be alive long enough to know even a percent of the meanings of the warp. I am not now or ever will be a master of it."

They enjoyed each other's company, and he made them see so much. He was right. This would be how Momo would now feed her sin. Forever.

She saw him rising again so much more brightly. He was the one. She had made hints to her family about visiting the human world. They had just laughed them off. That hurt. But she still loves them. She saw her title now. Sigillite. She would be his first Sigillite. There would be others. That too had hurt. But she saw that she was happier accepting them, than fighting for his sole affection. He would be ashamed of that. He would not play favorites. She saw a child. A boy. He had her hair. His eyes. He would be like an angel. She loved him. He who was a chance. She had to find a way to meet him. She needed it so very badly. A line appears. That could work. No. It had to work. For the boy. For herself. But most importantly for him. He needed her just as much as she did him.

An. Surprises. More information. Momo is a psyker not a powerful one. Keep expecting this. A psychic awakening is starting. The ritual of the shamans delayed the awakening. That is coming to an end.

The inquisition. That was incredibly fun to write, Dohnaseek was originally supposed to die with Raynare. But I came to really like this trees version of him. He is the first throne agent. Akio. Another surprise. He was originally a one-off character. But he knows pain. He knows he will not be in the light. He who will be the inquisitor that is the harbinger. I see the inquisition in a very weird way. Yes they are 'secret' police. But they and pure faith kept the imperium together. But this version of them is significantly better than the original tree. They will fight against the corruption that does eventually taint everything we humans make. Including themselves.

The sigilites. That is the name for the harem. It is the most trusted circle. The ones who will slap the emperor here if he fucks up royally. I have the first. She is locked. The others are surprises. Sona is heavily implied. But that can change.

I hope the fight scene was decent. For the ratings game. No chainsword or bolter there. It will be a lesser weapon that is still extremely deadly. This ends the first mini arc of arc two. Lots of one-off characters. Some stay. Others return to being Alpharius and unknown.

Ann. i see i have hit both ends of the spectrum with my take on the evil system. here are somethings to know. The system is still very much in beta. Ajunka is trying to fix the flaws. but he is being stonewalled by several problems. Like in many trees the satans here are very good people. the reforms that they have been trying to pass are failing in the senate. those reforms would protect the reincarnated more. the votes are very close. Thus Rias and Riser's betrothal. That action will give the NKF the slim majority. The abuse that reincarnated suffer comes from both parties. The GKF is the primary abusers. but there are people like Cleria who are GKF members but they treat their peerages very well. there are snakes in the NKF too. we all know the biggest one. If i haven't convinced you yet thats ok. there is an alternative. But again its a very big plot point.

I also fixed several things that were pointed out to me in reviews and for other smaller issues like capitals for names ill be doing editing this weekend and will have most of it fixed