Chapter 15
And they smote the enemies of the Emperor with a righteous fury, for they knew they were doing His work.
Attributed to Kronin millennium unknown.
Forge of Dreams Wednesday early morning Throne room.
Charles was standing here in the presence of the Omnissiah. He was not alone. Caroline, Daliea, Lord-Commander Freed and two unfamiliar faces were here too.
One of the unfamiliar faces was someone who was named just Inquisitor. He nor anyone else could see his face. The other newcomer was standing to the Emperor's right holding a new weapon. It was one Charles had made himself. It was a long spear with a gun near the end of the blade. That and the golden armor he wore would intimidate others. He was Antony Constantine Valdor. The new Captain-General of the Emperor's new personal bodyguard. Scions would be the face until the Captain-General and those who would follow would be ready.
The Emperor had stunned Charles, Caroline and His Captain-General. They were not alone in the galaxy. More pieces fell into place. Charles was not afraid of the Xenos.
"I will have my adepts start more shifts from those who are willing. We need more STCS my adepts are swelling in numbers. We will push that green line ever upward."
The Emperor nodded his thanks for the support.
"I will pull my plans forward and anyone who wants the enhancement will get them. The Fabricator is right. We will need more."
None missed the eagerness in Daliea's face. It was an open secret she wanted more kin.
"Belisarius is all but awake father. I know we need the land, but this is now desperately needed again. Perhaps we can set up the forge at the training camp? We have extra space there and his forge could be bigger. We could make the bigger guns there and the las guns and armor. My forge can move towards special weapons and armor."
Those were incredibly good points. Charles really did appreciate the AI. She was logical. She was an immense pleasure to work with. She was extremely helpful.
"My adepts can have the forge built by Sunday. We need this milord."
The Emperor considers the plan. It would help them a lot. More would make the steam roller go faster. He finally nodded.
"Build the forge. Do not activate him till I and Daliea are there. He should not be in darkness. He will make the guns and the armor. Both types of it. Lord-Commander."
"Yes milord!"
"Double the training we have no shortage of recruits now. Ask more of first company to teach. Tell them this is now a priority. Have the hammer grow."
"At once!"
Akio saw the growing fear. His friend was scared of the Xenos. He was right to be. They who were Alpharius in the various space programs were telling them that the interest in space was dwindling. Their funding was being cut for earthly problems. They had a particularly good ally, however. There was one who was pushing the dream. He was Alpharius. He was wacky but he longed for the dream. He had considered making a company specifically for space. But he did not have much backing. Daliea had gotten him the money needed to start up. The man had smiled so brightly when he saw the support from his lord.
"Let the Aquilla be my company symbol. I want to shove the boot of our success up the space programs ass. Fuck them. I will never back down on this."
He was not. More were flocking to him from the programs. Terra Shipbuilding Corporation. His critics were laughing at their man. Called him crazy and a dreamer. But dreamers build more than critics. He had converted to the Cult Mechcanicus. He had always been a child of the Omnissiah. He was so very eager to screw with his critics. Profit would come but he would be running at a deficit getting the supply networks up and running.
This would be pushed. Just like the energy company that would be a sister company. That was also something he had been grinning about. He had also wanted to build a car company too for the purpose of eventually going green. He would get something better than electric.
The other Alpharius's were told to make ready. A medical firm was being built that would start gathering information on their area of expertise. So many people were sick of not being able to help their fellow man more. The mundane Alpharius had been activated just this morning. She was so very eager for unification. Her grin had spread down the hydra. All of them who were legion had cheered when the activation order had begun going out.
The hydra was so very eager for revenge against the world that had screwed so many of them. To be in service to something that was greater than themselves. Dreams that had been sacrificed to reality for one thing or another. For them to be returned to reality by the order.
The head said she could get the activation order into the first country to join unification. She said it would take time for them to all be informed but they had pushed hard on this country. The hydra was very deeply intrenched in had been ready. It was a massive surprise.
Chapel to the God of Humanity ORC building Tuesday night,
Akeno took the plunge. She stood before the bird and was waiting for her father to pick up. He did just a moment later.
There was silence in the chapel. Before he spoke.
"Akeno."
That voice had so many emotions in it. The biggest was hope. She hated that he was truly that sad. That she had made him this sad.
"Hello dad."
A sigh of noticeably clear emotion and relief.
"You are right to hate me. It was my fault."
She gulped nervously. Before saying.
"We are both in the wrong. But more so me now. Why were you not there when they came? Did I and mom mean nothing to you?"
The honest heart of the problem.
"I love you both so much. I made a mistake. I trusted a rat from the king of rats. I was busy that day trying to find us better accommodation. I knew the clan was trying so badly to kill you both. I was with Azazel. I was getting us a better place in one of the communities in Japan. I was trying so hard to get home. But the ever cursed paperwork got in the way. I know now that the king of rats did that to make you both die so I would recommit to his desire for war. He wanted you to die grisly ends. It is utterly my fault. I will never be forgiven for my actions."
Akeno wanted to cry. He had not been lying. She knew her daddy's voice. He had tried so desperately for them. He had tried. She broke down.
"We did matter to you. You were trying to save us. I had long thought it was the opposite. That you secretly hated us because we were weakness to you. Daddy."
One word that spoke so much.
"Please."
She opened the portal to him. He rushed through and slammed her to his chest. Her daddy had loved them, and she had made both of them suffer because of spite. They both cried in front of the bird.
"I'm sorry baby."
That fell from his lips like a record player stuck on one line. Koneko had been entering the chapel and saw the two of them together hugging and crying. Koneko silently closed the door and let the two long estranged family members reunite.
Akeno looked at the bird while holding her dad and she could swear that it was smiling at her. God wanted them both to be happy. She would never leave its side again. It brought hope.
Her dad noticed after ten minutes that they were in a chapel. He was ready to move them out because his baby was probably hurting from being in a holy place. He was beginning the motion of movement when she stopped him.
"I am ok daddy. I am not in pain. I have found God. He loves us both and it was he who promoted this."
That was a massive surprise. What God did not hate devils? He did not know one.
"Which one baby?" What God?"
"It is new. But it is so amazing. It genuinely loves us. I am his now and forever because it gave me the courage to call you. I now will never know fear."
Her father looked disturbed by the new zeal. But Akeno hugged him further. She saw the unspoken questions.
"It not a cult. But all religions start as those. It will be the predominant religion of our planet. It will not demand us to kill all the other religions. We are all human in some way. He loves us. Please do not try to sway me from my new path. I know you still love your maker. But when you feel low try this god. It is so amazing."
He saw the pure happiness in his daughter's face. He did love Big G still. He had always hated that during the Great War. But after his passing he had come to absolutely love him again. Was this god really that good? He looked at the bird. He knew that symbol. It was the Red Angels.
Baraqiel was of two thoughts on that thing. He feared it. It left bodies in its wake. It really seemed to hate the fallen. The other train was that he took glee every time it slaughtered those who followed the Angel of the Stars. Fuck the prick. He indulged his people in such disgusting things. The peace faction hated him so very much. But they too liked it when he bullied Kokabiel.
How did his daughter end up believing in this? He heard the answer.
"Do not fear me or my avatar. We very much care. Yes I can speak. But only you can hear me right now. Your daughter was not forced into her faith. She was desperate for something to help her with the sadness and shame. I just happened to come at the right time. I love you too. I heard your pain. I wanted to make you happier too. Try to accept her. She is so worried now you will force her from this path. I do not force my followers to follow me. If the pain gets too bad again even though you have her back. Turn to me I will help you."
Baraqiel did not like that this god was talking to him. But he looked into his baby's eyes, and he saw her pure happiness. She had found a faith that did not hurt her. How could he take that from her? It had given them both the thing they had each so very much wanted.
He would give it one chance. Just one. That choice made something happen.
His wings unfolded unconsciously, and the action startled him and his daughter. Her wings did the same out of reflex. They stared at each other. Akeno had a devil wing and a fallen wing. But her fallen wing now instead of black was a pure gold. He gazed at it in amazement. He did not notice his own wings.
Akeno saw her daddy's wings now had one gold feather on each wing. She looked to her own and saw the same gold on the whole wing. She wept again and kneeling again began prayers to her new god. She would be worthy of her other. She would do anything for him.
"Thank you almighty! Thank you!"
Her father saw the joy and finally noticed his own eight wings. He wept too. He had always secretly hated the black. He wanted to join her. But he was still cautious. More feathers were slowly changing. He was beginning the path.
He sat with her as she prayed. He noticed that the prayers where heavy on knowing no fear. Was that what had brought him his miracle back to him? His baby wept as she prayed begging her god to protect her mother and them. Begging it to help her during the game. Begging it to never let her know fear ever again.
They stayed together for several more hours. She is crying her happy tears in gratitude. He is holding her. They were together again. Forever.
Camp of Light Wednesday morning.
More warriors were coming. They would now never stop this journey. It was not just the Abrahamic faiths either. Hindus and Buddhists were coming. They were also ready for change. Not because they had something like Asia. They came because they were feeling the call of Unification.
A portal had been opened and camp sergeants had begun taking voluntary men and women into moving building equipment. The many former camp builders had sprung forward immediately to help. Adepts in the now accepted red robes were laying the foundation of a massive factory. More of the warriors who were feeling the call of the Omnissiah had stepped up to help.
They had put a single red mark on their uniforms and had begun to build. They were building fast. By midday, the factory was mostly up with everyone at the camp who did not have las guns giving aid.
Those with the guns were watching as the red lights flew down shooting ranges and slammed into the targets made for this purpose. The guns had next to no recoil. Center of mass became the method. Headshots were always good, but the guns were punching through.
Another area held training dummies and there the chainswords were being made use of. The roars had scared many at first before the new warriors began to hear those roars as a war cry telling the, that it was always their fellows.
A brave Muslim man had shouted.
"Hear the roars and know no fear. For the Emperor!"
That had sent his comrades shouting the same and the fear was now replaced with hope with those sounds.
The first supernatural beings were also beginning to arrive. The shadow network was bringing they who were Alpharius. Several devil peerages who were made by the still uncommon, reincarnated kings that were sick of the bullshit they experienced had brought themselves and their fellows. Janet had moved them to a section of the camp where they were being trained in becoming mobile artillery.
Angels with their now gold wings who had been from both sides of the divide in their race now reunited came and where being formed into specialized air units that would send down their now renewed holy wrath onto the enemies of humanity.
The two extremes had a new war cry of their own.
"For he on Terra the bringer of hope and the dawn!"
They were willing to fight. More would come. Nymphs who were tired of the fighting between the Olympians. Nature spirits from many parts of the world had begun to feel hope. They could feel Mother Gaia telling them hope was now coming. They were flocking to the Aquilla.
Lady Yasaka had been sending her people to the Red Angel who was now her most trusted friend. The youkai of Asia were tired of the bullshit too. What had shocked many was that a Valkyrie had come to the camp with three Einherjar. This Valkyrie had silver hair and was young and somewhat stern.
"I have come to see the one. I will not take no for an answer. I who has become sick of the one eyed fucker. He who mistreats so very many. Show me the one who I will kneel to and start making a better world. I do not care that this is Ragnarök for them. I will only bow to him."
Issei had luckily been able to slip away and had come to the camp. He had thanked Sona for that. His second had smiled at him in understanding.
Rossweiss had been utterly serious. When he entered the building at this camp that her dreams had pointed her and her three friends too she had seen hope again. He was tall. He was so very handsome. He understood her desire with only a single look.
She and the three immediately knelt. He was the true ruler she had always wanted to serve. Her dreams of one day teaching had changed to being his most trusted aide.
"My Emperor."
They had all said that. He took the acknowledgments but touched them each.
"Only if it is what you all want."
They had replied with zero hesitation.
"It is."
"Then rise. Your dreams Valkyrie. Do not give up the first. You can have that dream. I will never take that from anyone. Dreamers build. You do not have to leave it behind. I know a way for you to have the old and new."
Rossweisse wept. Here was her true lord. He saw the dream. He was telling her to not let it go.
"Thank you milord. I will serve in what ever capacity you need."
"Then serve in the first true schola. The future schools of humankind. No discrimination. No smug superiority. Only reason and faith in each other. Serve the one who will be the head."
"At once! I your true servant forever!"
They had walked out of that building. Guardsmen had seen him next to his Custodian. They came to see their Emperor. Many wept. They saw his young face. But they saw who had given them hope.
The army knelt to him. He who was their father of the species. He who to some would be their true father. The supernatural there knelt to. He who was the champion of the humans who had every right and reason to hate so many of them for the suffering they had sometimes caused. But he was not hateful. He loves them too. They lost the last doubts. He was their forever lord.
"Rise all of you."
They all did. It surprises them all and brings tears to their eyes. He who is their lord kneeling to them.
While he is kneeling, he looks to each of them. The same look of no fear they had all felt now on him.
"I will always kneel to you. You men and women who have given yourself to me. I will train you all. I will take you onto the forge of Unification. I will make you all into the finest warriors. Not for me. But for your fellow humans and others. I will clad you in great armor. You will have tactics and strategies so that no foe can best you. The weapons you wield now will always get better. Never doubt that. We all will be the bulwark against terror. You who are my Imperial Guard. This war and every war we take will never be for personal glory. They will be for our species. I will never know fear knowing the army in front of me will always hold the line against the night. You have my unconditional respect and faith. You all will never be just a number. I will never forget any of you."
That speech was recorded. It was not done by design. It was utterly the truth. Many who were there would count that day with those words said as the first true day of Unification. The Army of Light wept. To know that they would never be just numbers. It made the newcomers love him. The old would see this and love their Emperor more. The Imperium they would fight for would never die. Not when they and everyone else after would hold the line.
From many mouths came the shout. It shook the ground. It shook souls. It made gods finally see him.
"For the Emperor of Mankind! For our Imperial Guard! For Terra in Excelsior! May we never surrender to the night! For him on Terra!"
In the warp.
The Buddha and Indra saw the light. They now both saw the other. Him. The Buddha saw more of it and had understood. He was just like him. They had both been material beings before ascending.
The Buddha saw that tree. He saw the horror. But he also saw the good. He saw how bad humanity had it in that tree. How bad this one could be.
Indra saw all that too. They both moved to meet the new.
They faced him. They were ready to possibly fight it. The Buddha saw the first attempt at invasion. How the other had shielded Sol.
"Thank you for that. My people would have suffered. Had they come. I see that now. Your still something I do not like. Your avatar however is the better you."
Indra spoke in support of his closest ally.
"I agree with Bud. My people would have had it bad too. We will attempt to accept you. But we are not allies. We will not help you fight the others. But we will not help them either. You represent some very evil things."
The new one shrugged. But took the criticism.
"I know. But my avatar is and will always be the better me. I did not do the shield for you. Nor for gratitude. I did it because you all were blind to the Xenos. How can you defend against something that is not widely accepted as fact? I do appreciate the offer. Both of them. I really like you Bud. We who are kin. Indra you are not bad either. But in my tree you were a right prick. I cannot condemn that because I was a mega prick. I still hate gods. You shackled my species. But now that I am on the other side I understand why you do it more. Fuck the Asgard. That one eye fucker killed my avatar's parents. Just because he has marriage problems. The only one among them I can stand is Baldur. He is not so bad."
The others had nodded. They were of the same opinion. The Olympians were bad too. They were all spiteful beings except Hestia. She was nice. They had her over for tea a lot.
Their club was decent. Deities that did try. The club held members from every pantheon. Many were just minor gods. They who had not gotten caught up in the infighting of their often families. They would have invited Big G, but he had been a somewhat loner.
"You are welcome to join us at our next gathering. You are trying so desperately to help the humans. You have taken over most of Big G's system?"
"I have. I am doing what I can. I am not like either of you. I was never perfect. I think that clicking with my followers will make me stronger eventually. But I do not want to kill those who have tried to help."
They both understand. He was an atheist who had become God. He was not there to threaten them. He would grow past them. His ideas gave men and women dreams. It was refreshing to see that. The world had truly begun to stagnate. The new was truly trying to help. Indra snorted when he saw the confrontation between the new and his avatar.
"I like your other a lot. To stare you down with no fear. He hates you. But he knows what sacrifice is. I will not stop those who want to help him. How bad are the Xenos? I cannot see past your barrier."
The new had laughed at that comment before turning grim.
"I like him too. I have to be careful. The Xenos have gods too. The closest are dangerous in that they have warships and because of how regimented they are. The second is also their weakness. That god is just there. A collection of souls of their almost God kings. It is pretty weak compared to us. Their souls are not as powerful in the sea. Here."
A hole is made. Bud and Indra look through it. The first Xenos are not that bad. But the ones after make them so extremely sick. The other was right to fear them. Their god was ultra disgusting. One of megalomaniacs and narcissist to the zenith degree.
They had untold legions of slave armies. Massive fleets. Advance technology. But they were very feudal. They had stopped expanding because of serious infighting. They would not even hesitate a second to commit genocide on species that were a threat.
The Buddha had more humanity than Indra. He really did not like the Xenos. Well that one federation was not so bad. But they have a Dark-tide over them too.
"I will try to help. The second are bad. I would much prefer you and your avatar to them. I will send a few dreams to my people. Tell him that. Just do not make them go against their beliefs."
Indra had nodded the second Xenos were so bad. Aliens were real and they primarily hated humans. He had liked some of the races in the good federation.
"I will do the same. We are still not allies. But you are indeed preferred. Unification will make many people's lives better. The offer for tea is renewed. Show the others. They will need to see this to believe."
The new nodding in thanks for the support and offer.
"I will come. I have been alone for a long time. I would like it. Thank you for shielding that moment from the curs. They need to go. I will show the good ones. But it has to always be quick looks not full. The second races god is always watching. They love genocide. And I have to keep the barrier up at all costs. They would kill us in two months. He is a god who really enjoys slaughtering for fun. His or others it does not matter. That is the Xenos filth I hate. I never liked genocide. But I had no other choice by how bad my tree was. The Xenos were very much worse there."
Bud nodded.
"I can see that. The Orks were at least somewhat funny sometimes."
"Depending on what they were doing yes. I really liked one named Tuska. He made me laugh when I saw the trail of destruction he left on the tumors. I was sad when he fell into the blood gods service, but it was fun while it lasted. My people were very confused when he entered the sea instead of attacking the bulwark fortress. They scratched their heads for 20 years at that."
Bud laughs at seeing that ork. That and the one who had somehow managed to travel through time and then kill a version of himself just so he would have a second copy of his favorite gun. Bud could see the funny. The orks had been disgusting in so many ways. But they had shit grandparents. Stupid lizards.
Indra saw the Eldar. Space elves who had doomed the galaxy. Just because they had gotten super horny. That stupidity made him chuckle before asking.
"The tumors. They are here?"
The new shook his head.
"They are not. The spooky scary skeletons managed to kill the old ones completely along with their client races. The skellys are dead too. Unbelievably bad trusting a star vampire called the Deceiver. We are mostly safe from them. The cowards with the kickass mech suits, however, are very real. They are ok here."
Indra and Bud admitted that those mechs had been very cool. But they asked.
"And the brainwashing? Do they?"
"They do not. They are ok here. They are, however, pre-spacefaring. Like us. The Ethereals are there. But that gene missed them here. I only ever liked one of the goats. He was very kick ass. Used his mech to enhance his melee. Was very much like me. In fairness he could have led his race around to truly be good people. He tried. But he kept getting screwed. It is nice to have possible friends. I know I am not a good person. The one I liked very much saw that. She betrayed me badly. But even though I was pissed with her for an exceptionally long time. She tried to do right by our sons."
The two other gods could see he was not a good person. But he was really trying to be better. Bud placed a hand on the news shoulder. The other flinches at the touch.
"I am sorry. I see you are trying. You are not alone anymore. I see you lost the only one of us that saw you. I liked him too. His followers not so much. But he tried to do what you are now doing. He tried desperately to help humanity. We were neutral with him. We extend that to you. You are utterly correct in that a lot of the others are bad. My version in your tree was horrible too. But I am not him. Make this your new chance."
The new nodded.
"I am. I never thought this would be my fate. I remember everything I and my followers did. I am trying so badly to be the god who helps people. I never was big on faith. But I see it now. My sins are unnumbered. But I am making him be better. It hurts that the vast majority of my soul hates what I have to do. But I put myself forward and helping others makes the pain better. I would be honored to try and build something with the two of you."
The Buddha smiles as does Indra. He really is not as bad as they first thought.
Kuoh Academy lunch time Wednesday.
Rias is so incredibly happy. A small pendant that carries the Aquilla on it is around her neck. Kiba has one too. As does Akeno. She had told her king what she did last night.
Rias hugs her so closely that she heard a small snap. Akeno winces but is ok. She has her daddy back. They promised to talk every night from now on. She had demanded that he take down the rope. He had accepted the demand instantly. He had smiled so brightly at her.
Rias had seen that Momo had an Aquilla now too. Rias had moved to the student council table and had humbled herself before Issei. The school watched in amazement.
"I am so deeply sorry Issei-san. I am sorry that I said and did what I did yesterday. You are an amazing person. Accept my apology."
The school lost the anger that had built yesterday. Rias was being better. She still lost the top position in the order. But she was trying to be better.
"Like I said yesterday Rias-san there is no grudge. But I accept the apology. Let us both try to be better. He said he is still willing to help. He means it."
Issei had known the situation because Lord Lucifer had sent his queen to him that was Alpharius and had offered the Red Angel another favor. He had denied it. The maid had been surprised but he had simply stated that the original terms still stood. That made the maid smile in some approval at him before she disappeared.
Sona had been worried. She had developed a fear of him leaving her forever. But he calmed that feeling. He had hugged her that morning.
"So, I am immortal. I will never leave you or the others. Your stuck with me."
They talked more about his nature. He told her the first bit of Lorgar. Sona had felt hatred for him. He had killed a dream. But when she learned of the abuse he had undergone from his adoptive father. She cried for him. He had been a little boy who had trusted an unbelievably bad man. He was never able to get rid of the toxic relationship.
Sona still hated him. He had given up hope for many just so he could take the position that he had always been right. She pity's the boy. She hates the man. She had been so mad at Lorgar. Issei had not been.
"He just had an awfully bad life. His planet was shit. They were medieval times with the absolute control of their church. He was raised in that. He made the best of his situation. He was very weak as a person. But he tried. He saw his father as a god. In his defense the father never really tried to stop him from that until he did something that was a major prick move."
"What did he do?"
"He made Lorgar and his sons forcible kneel in the ash of their Jerusalem. The god is not a good person."
Sona saw that more now. Her other was right. That was a very ultra prick move. To know that Roboute had been the one to burn it hurt. She liked him so very much.
"He hated the order. Lorgar was in many ways his opposite. They both tried to build good support networks for worlds they many times were liberating. Rob was simply better at it. It is partially why he had so many sons in his Astartes legion. Lorgar had an almost equal number. But they were just too slow in their building. Faith Vs Logistics. Had Lorgar stayed loyal he would have been a brilliant space pope. But he just did not."
Sona wanted to know more. The next one on the list was named Vulkan.
"You will really like him. Exceptionally good man. He was also a perpetual. He was one of the most human of the sons. Just really liked fire and hammers."
Rias had gone back to her table after the apology and had touched her new sister and brother. Before she had left Rias told Momo she was always welcome in their chapel. Momo had smiled so brightly at that and had nodded vigorously. She had touched the bird. It helping as a focus for her mental control.
It helped so very much. She had told issei that. He had nodded.
"Just do not make it your only center. Make several."
Momo had smiled before looking at Saji with a happy smile. The man had blushed at that look, and he took the good natured ribbing from the rest of the club. He had also seen the bird. Momo had offered to show him the chapel. He had said no.
Momo had smiled before patting his hand in understanding. Ruruko had taken the offer. As had Tomoe. They wanted Momo's happiness. Ruruko because she was starting the path. Tomoe for curiosity.
Sona touched her other's hand. She knew now. She loves him. He is not there yet. But she sees it. The first has to come soon. Then Sona would take him. Tsubaki had been right. She deserves to be an Empress.
She was just worried about her sister. Serafall was coming today. She had asked Issei if he would talk to her right away.
"I will tell him to wait. I'm happy to talk to your sister as me. I will show her my Sigillite."
That last bit had caught Momo's attention before she squealed and was hugging her king so incredibly happy. Sona had blushed with her queen smiling and began teasing her. Issei had helped Sona be a little less serious. He was also smiling at that and had joined good naturedly.
Kuoh Academy Student Council office Wednesday after school.
Issei was sitting with Ruruko near Sona's office and the two had been joking about something Reya had done that had left her somehow stuck to the wall. They had helped get the other down and it had been an enjoyable day. Ruruko got up and made her way to where Momo and Tomoe where and the three headed out to the chapel in the ORC building.
Issei enjoyed the normalcy of being a worker and it was also good practice for when he began to really have nothing to do but paperwork. He envies how Roboute had been able to do it so well. Still, it was an escape for a bit from the growing Imperium. He was brought out of his work by a portal opening in the office space set aside for it. Out of said portal came Serafall Leviathan in an honest to science magic girl uniform.
The Satan smiles a very false smile that was clearly exaggerated before doing cartwheels towards Sona's door slamming it open.
"So-tan! Do not be scared magic girl Levia-tan is here!"
Issei bites back a hard snicker at his friend's sister. Ddraig and Revelation are laughing their asses off and had so desperately wanted to see Sona's reaction.
A cry comes out of the office as Sona is scared shitless by her sister.
"Serafall-sama why do you always do this!"
Tsubaki had come out of the office and closed the door before she cracked up and began a full belly laugh. She loved Serafall.
"She does that a lot doesn't she."
Tsubaki's laughter is that answer. That was both funny and a bit scary. Serafall was the diplomat. That still makes him laugh again Serafall was somewhat funny.
Sona was again somewhat mad that Serafall was pulling her usual shit but hearing Issei laugh as the door closed was a genuinely nice feeling. He did not truly smile or laugh much. His destiny was so overwhelming. That made a smile come out on her face and she made a small promise to get more happiness for her other. Her Emperor.
Serafall saw the smile and was incredibly surprised. Sona usually hated this stuff so much. She did it to try and lighten her ever serious sister. That and it was funny to fuck with her.
"I see magic girl Levia-tan has made the princess smile! Do not worry So-tan! Magic girl Levia-tan will protect you from the big meanie that is the red bird!"
Sona sighed now because she knew Issei would never hurt her. Well intentionally but Serafall was always a good sister. A dark smirk of glee crosses her face. She knows things that Serafall does not. Fuck you stupid magic girl obsessed ego.
Serafall does not like the evil grin on her sister's face or the fact that she had giggled like a villain on her tv show. That was not a good thing or sign for her. The switch flicks off and she drops the ego.
"You are not hurt are you Sona? I heard through Sirzechs-Chan about the Red Angel. How one of his kills was near the school. Please tell me he did not try anything."
There was the sister that Sona liked most. She shook her head.
"That kill was made to protect two people that were about to die Sera. You are not stupid and know that the Red Angel protects people. They were going to die painful deaths. He saved them."
"I am not. I was just worried about you who is the one good thing I have. You always know that. How did he even make contact with you?"
"He has an army of agents. You saw one not even five minutes ago."
Serafall frowned before her eyes narrowed and she pulled her magic girl wand. Before her frown further increases.
"If the weird haired young man is his agent why does he have your club's badge? And why is everyone else not freaking out about this?"
"Because Issei is a really good person. He is wonderful to be around, and my peerage really likes him. He is my dearest friend. Even more so than Rias. I like being around him."
The frown grows. But Sera sees the truth.
"You like him. As in you want to be with him. Sona. That is extremely dangerous."
"Yes. But he understands me. He believes in my dream. He will help me with it. You will like him. He beat me three times at chess!"
That makes Serafall's mouth drop to the floor. How! No one has ever beaten her sister at chess! Let alone three times! She says something.
"How the flying monkeys and their parents fuck did he do that!"
Sona enjoys the proclamation so very much. She giggles again evilly and now sees why her sister fucks with her so much. This is incredible fun!
"He is really good. I want him. It is that simple."
Serafalls mouth stays glued to the floor. That fucking giggling again. This person was incredibly good for her sister. She hates that giggle and now feels tremendous fear because there had now been multiple. Sona knew things. She always had. Now she knew more things.
"Ok. Are you sure? He serves that thing. But I see how we can get him for you. What piece?"
Serafall is so incredibly surprised when her sister grows angry with that question. Her face contorted with red hot rage.
"I will never do that to him! He does not want that to ever happen and I will support his decisions like he does mine! That you suggest that to try and take him from who he serves freely and willingly because the Red Angel is not a monster! He protects people truly and utterly and puts his words into action and does not play a mummer! You ever suggest that again Sera and I will not call you my sister till you get on your knees and beg for his forgiveness. I love him as the human he is!"
That rage had been pure and unfiltered. Serafall had actually backed up at that and she was a Satan! New rule. Never make her sister that mad ever again. Second new rule never suggest that again. But the rage had shown her that Sona truly did love this Issei. The romantic in her comes out full force at the potential story.
A human wins a beautiful devil heiress heart and fights to gain his acceptance up the mountain to join her without becoming a devil. Big G damn that is a good book!
She and her sister apparently shared the same brain cell that had formed that thought. They both giggled evilly. They could make so much money! Fuck they could make a tv show about it! They just need an exceptionally good name! The giggles continue.
Issei really does not like the giggles he is hearing. A very ice cold shiver runs down his back and he sneezes. That was extremely not good!
The giggles continue from the two of them unabated. Sera is now very curious why Sona likes this human that much. She sees that her sister will without hesitation give up her pillar to be with him. Even though he will die eventually. Sona sees the look and the giggles from her intensify.
Oh, that means she knows something! Big G damn it! She had never seen her sister this happy before. He must be really a good person to make her stick up her ass sister so happy. The giggles finally stopped.
"Ok. I will give him a chance. After meeting the Angel. I want to meet him properly. But it will be hard So-tan. But I will help in what ways I can."
"I know it will be. Nothing that is worth it is ever easy. I love him. He is a very good man. You will see it. Our parents will see it."
Her sister began giggling again this time it was a giggle of a young woman in love.
"Thanks Sera. I am going to try and lighten up more. I know that you have the other ego to throw people off. But be the real you. I much prefer this you. The fun sister. Not the batshit insane sister. He has remarkably interesting ideas. You will like a lot of them. Plus, he has lots of really good tricks up his sleeve. One will make the nobles bend over and kiss his ass for eternity."
The giggles of evil returned. They were so very evil. Sera wants to know Morningstar damnit!
"I will try. I will try so hard. You are so happy. I love seeing you smile more. I really miss seeing it because you got that stick and it never went away. Till now. But do not ruin my fun of fucking with my sisters intended."
The giggles returned with greater force.
Issei and now Tsubaki are shaking in pure fear at the sounds. What the fuck are they saying that makes such evil noise! He sneezes and now has more fear. So, this is what the Red Angels' foes feel!
They stop again. Her sister looks at her. Sona signed know what she wants to ask. The look is extremely easy to see.
"About our story. For now, no. But give me a favorable deal and I will back the book and the possible tv show. Also, I have creative control. I do not like something in it your rook writes it is gone immediately. I know Behemoth is really a good writer, but his strong point is actually not romance. Do I make myself clear sister?"
"So very crystal. And done let us torture them a little more. They have been shaking out there. It is so much fun!"
"Oh, Sera you are exactly right, and we are for right now very much mood kindred! Let us do it!"
The noise coming from the office now has the entire remaining student council who had come over to investigate the noise and why Issei and Tsubaki had been shaking had joined them. Saji was so very scared. Reya was trembling. Tsubusa was about to cry in fear! Issei was in a corner rocking back and forth as the shivers and sneezes grew worse.
"What are they talking about damnit!"
The words had only just come out before another sneeze.
That torture and fear continues for another 15 minutes.
Unknown Time and very much Unknown location.
The call had finally come. The agent who was Alpharius had been ready to make their report for a long time. They had so much information that needed to get its way back to their handler. The agent was in an unbelievably dire situation. They were deep in a bad terrorist network. Worse than the Angel of the Stars. So much more worse.
They had seen human beings have their minds taken from them along with their souls. They had seen one faction of this movement sacrifice massive numbers of people to please darkness. They had seen magic most unforgivable. They were scared. They who were all Alpharius in here were. The worst part was not that it was happening. That was bad. What the worst part was that the leader of this monster in the dark. Saw the crimes against humanity and just shrugged and let them continue. They all hated that so very much.
They were deathly afraid. But their minds had been reworked willingly by their owners when they had all volunteered for this assignment. The head of the hydra had tried to talk them out of doing that. But the cell had all agreed unanimously to undergo the work.
They would never be discovered. But they had only one outside of their cell. A young woman who had run recently. She was the one to volunteer. The head had asked her if that was what she wanted. That blonde woman had nodded.
"We need to make the report. This evil must be stopped. I am willing to go. I who is Alpharius but is ready to see the light again. I will go."
That cell had done everything it could to help her passage. It had worked. The cell was through the entire system. They made the reports about the runner disappear without causing suspicion. They had sabotaged the defenses on the escape route. They had even had a body that the runner's DNA and magic signal produced and then the body was discovered.
The one head for that runner of the three major factions that made up the Brigade had nodded and said that was his person. He had shrugged.
"Not a big loss. She was weak. Not a bad field agent. But she was troubled."
That had hurt the others who were Alpharius. She did have a bad childhood. But she had been getting better. Still, they swore in their safe minds that they would have the Red Angel kill him brutally for saying that. They had made oaths of moment for those feelings.
She had run. The others had done so well. She was free! Free from evil at last. She would tell the Emperor. He who was the beacon of light. The runner touched the now free to show Aquilla. She sent a prayer to her god and asked for support.
The god had held the runner and touched her soul reassuring.
"He knows now. Know no fear. The night is almost over for you."
So, she kept running her god strengthen her resolve. She was scared but hope was near. Her facility was in China and her head had begged her to be careful.
"You deserve the world. The Emperor is with us. We who are in the dark."
Her head had touched the bird. They had said a prayer for her. She kept running.
ORC building Wednesday after school.
Momo knelt before the bird with Rias, Kiba and Akeno. They had become something more than they were before. At the back of the chapel was Ruruko, Tomoe and Koneko. The three in the back saw the bird in separate ways.
Koneko saw the hope of her species. That bird promised so much. She had wanted to join last night after Rias had gone to sleep but Akeno had needed the bird more it seemed. The white haired woman was happy for her friend. Her father had been her unbelievably bad Achilles heel. Her sister was her own.
Still, she wanted to join. The Buddha had sent her a dream that night and said the the new god was ok. He would treat her well. Koneko took the plunge. She moved and knelt before the bird with the others. Rias had smiled understanding how hard this was for her. The bird welcomed the nekomata and Koneko wept for the first time in an exceedingly long time.
"Thank you God. For giving me hope."
Her new god held her in a hug. She had not had one like this since Kuroka.
The other two women see the hope that the god had brought to the troubled young cat girl. Ruruko had been more hopeful. Tomoe had wanted the certainty. She was agnostic. But this god asked for nothing that she could see except being a good person to others and to not to feel fear. Those were not hard tenants.
The knight wanted to believe. She liked Issei. He was so kind to all of them. When she had asked him his opinion on the new faith. It had been brutal honesty.
"I hate religion. I am like the Red Angel in that fact. I have seen those who believe have another excuse to be terrible people to others and then act holier than thou on you for saying something that does not fit into their small world view. But we do that with everything. I do not begrudge people who try and actually be good people from religion. I just hate the insidious way it can get. But I understand faith. I have faith in the Red Angel. You can have faith in many things. My primary concept is scientific. I am a scientist first. But faith can overcome anything that it sets its mind too."
That was the truth. She was simply curious. This was not her place. She had liked the honesty. She felt her path lay with another.
Ruruko wants to believe. She was an atheist who had begun to doubt. She wants belief in something bigger than her utterly. She wants the happiness. Maybe another time. The two in the back tell Rias that they are going to leave.
Rias smiles and bids them a good day.
Issei's home Wednesday night.
Sona was smiling at the story of Vulkan. He had been amazing. She did not like the fire aspects but given his drive it made sense. She had been incredibly sad about the little girl and her death by Vulkan. She had been mad about that until Issei explained a bit about a species that was utterly disgusting.
"Nocturne was a favorite raiding ground for a species called the Drukari. They were bad. There was a very common saying for them. Do not let them take you alive. Humans and other species would rather commit suicide than be taken. The taken were never seen again. You know the worst depravity that your race does?"
She had nodded.
"The Drukari were a million times worse. I will not say anything else about that because it leads to the abyss. They did those unspoken things to humans and others hourly. They were utter bastards. Their counter parts the regular Eldar were not too bad but they would sacrifice worlds of humans to save just one of their kin. They were not ok. Vulkan hated the Eldar. With that context does that make you understand him more? He loved humans. Like I do. He was a paragon for our species, and he did many great deeds. He put up with torture from the worst of the sons and he still did not flinch. Sona he became a perpetual by getting blown to atoms by a nuclear war head launched at him by his thought loyal brothers. Do not judge him too much."
That had made perpetuals seem more like a curse. To know that he would always come back. Even from something like that. She now pity's Vulkan. Like she does Issei and now Irina. To never get to pass on. That was devastating. She had hugged him more. The next was named Magnus.
"He was a good son. But he fucked up royally. I will tell his tale to you tomorrow after school. You and your sister were not talking about anything bad were you?"
He asked that with only a hint of a shake. She had smiled sweetly and just shrugged.
"You will not know for a while. It was not bad mostly. Good night Ise."
She had left and for a moment she had wanted to kiss his cheek. But that had passed, and she had still left with that smile that promised more.
Issei heard giggling and a manly chuff from two voices. Daliea and Freed had been watching. So had Antony but he was not ribbing his Emperor. His first enhancements were being done tomorrow.
"She really likes you Dad. How is she not the first?"
"I do not know. But my first will just click immediately with me. Like those really bad soul mate crap novels. I just know it."
"Do not keep the frauline waiting forever. Be a pity to do that. Your good for each other boss."
There was Freed's rare slip into German. It is where the lab for the Sigurd project was located and run by.
"Your right freed. I won't keep So waiting. The first is coming soon. I have some good and shocking news for you."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Good news that we got a group of deserting exorcists today. There are three of them, two women and a man. They are your kin."
Freed spat out the water he drank. There were more of his tank kin?
"What the fuck! I thought they shut the project down after I became bat shit crazy. I have two sisters and a brother! Who was leading them?"
"A young woman who called herself Lint Sellzen. She was debriefed by Akio today and he learned that she was the last clone. They did horrible things to her and the other two. Lint got ultra pissed and in a break for her she freed the other two and killed the scientists and destroyed the sample of his DNA. They cannot make more easily now. Talk to them when you get a chance. Lint is very much in PTSD. She was the one holding the group together. The other man is name Heinz, and the second woman is Agna. They all are pretty down. Asia is helping Lint and she has just shut down completely. You might be able to help her. Heinz has tried to start doing something to keep his hands busy while Agna is asking about the machine god."
"I will talk with Lint when I can. Probably tomorrow. What is the bad news?"
"A very deep cover cell of the hydra has sent a runner to us. She is carrying several high importance pieces of information that were gathered in the last two years. I know this because that thing told me today. Have some men get to her immediately. There is something worse than Kokabiel."
"I will dispatch some men to collect her. There is something else. Is she one of you? Because I noticed that you told the perpetual part when I was around."
"She is. The skeins decided to not fuck with me today. She is to be brought to me immediately. She does not understand her condition. I will help her. Akio and Irina will help me with that."
"Rodger. Was it really a thing he went through? To be blown to pieces by a nuke and then coming back? What does that feel like?"
"The obvious is massive pain. You feel every single second of your death. Iri is lucky I killed her quickly and painlessly. The worse part is that a small percentage of your soul breaks off after each death. Vulkan went mad for a time from that. When I said the worst of the sons had him I was not lying. That man was a very ultra prick."
Daliea growled out his name with black hate.
"Konrad. He was a stain on existence. By fuck did he have problems. I get that he had foresight, but he was a defeatist till the very end. He was not like San who was a good man. Fuck Konrad."
"He must have been bad. You usually are nice Dal. What was his planet like?"
"It was an utter shit stain of a place. You know Gotham city from the Batman franchise?"
"Yes. I do not like where this is going. It was like that city?"
"Much worse. Konrad was like Batman but with absolutely no restraints. He was unbelievably bad. He once with his men captured a ship and then had that ship lead them back to the ship's crews home world. The Night Lords skinned the crew alive and brought the ship above the main city and once above the pushed out the still alive and now skinless crew. The sky was raining men."
The old Freed would have loved to serve someone like that. The new looked extremely sick. Daliea hated Konrad so very much. His story was disgusting, and he had really deserved his death.
"Dad. If they come back. Never bring him back. You ever do that, and I will kill you personally several times in the worse ways I can compute. I will kill him first then you."
"He will never return. He can stay in the warp in that dead realm. I have no sympathy for him. Lorgar was a weak man but there were a few good qualities in him. There was nothing good about Konrad. He was a terrible man and an even worse father to his sons. More so than even Angron. Angron put the nails in, but he did try eventually with some of them. Konrad never gave a damn about any of his sons. That thing will never set foot in this tree. I will tell Sona only a tiny bit about him. He does not deserve redemption."
Freed thought for but a moment before saying.
"I would help Dal do the killing if you ever thought he had a chance. He must never return."
Freed was deathly serious. Issei nodded in thanks for the support.
"I will never give Konrad a second chance. He will never deserve it. Some of his other tree selves deserve the chance but not the main tree."
"Good. Fuck him Dad. I would rather even have Horus at that point. I really want to meet San. I like him a lot."
Her father laughed.
"Everyone loved him. Well, everyone but Revelation. But even he saw San's worth at the end."
Ddraig was nodding inside his host. He too liked San. Revelation had been very down when San was brought up. He had loved his son at the end too.
The bird was growing stronger again. She was getting more desperate to see her other. Her plan was so needed. She was so vital. She wanted to touch her other.
She saw the second. She liked her. She had smiled so wide when she had tortured their shared one. It plus the story and possible tv show had made her happy. She would definitely have to get in on that. The book would do very well. Her story would be good too. She wanted him.
To be understood. She had seen what happened to Psykers who were untrained. She had touched her other's soul and had used his face as her focus and anchor. The bird was her second. But the little boy with her hair and his eyes was her third.
Soon. So very soon. She had finally gotten a victory. She had blackmailed her eldest sibling and he had caved. She had also initiated her next goal. She had told her mother that she had seen enough of the peerage. Her mom had been surprised. But she had traded her unused bishop with her brother. She was free now for him.
Ravel Phenex was so very eager to be with her emperor. He was her sun, and he was everything she wanted in her partner. They would click so very well together. She saw one of his tricks. She had giggled evilly at it. Sona was very right. The nobles would kiss his ass and beg to serve him. It was the future.
Their story would be the catalyst for change. She loved Riser and her fellows in her former peerage. But he was really a big pig sometimes. She really did believe however that Riser would be much happier with his queen than Rias. But her brother had been spoiled too.
Still, she would see him on Friday. She was so very ready. That blackmail on Ruval had been saved specifically for that moment. Her eldest brother was a secret sis-con. He was an awesome brother, and he would make the Phenexs into an immensely powerful family with his open eyes.
Her dad was not too bad. But he was very conservative and while he was not a GKF member he had always favored them more than the NKF. He had made the arrangement with Lord Gremory to give Riser, who was the third son, an incredibly good life. Ruval was the heir. Ruven was the spare. But Riser had been a happy accident. Ravel had been a second happy accident.
She loved her mom and her dad. But seeing images of their sex life had not been fun. Some of it was interesting. But most was not. Ravel liked romantic stuff more than what her mom liked. Still her victory was coming. She had seen the setting too. He and she would be very good for each other. She the hard strategy and he the very human and kind one.
She was ready for the scandal. She was ready to meet her new family. She was ready to help her fellow Sigilites with their dreams. Sona would get more support from her family. Another would get her personal encouragement. All Ravel wanted was to be with him. She would be happier. They would get together. The lines had been favorable to her. Her contribution would be more land for more STCS. The loyalty of five minor houses who would swear to the Aquilla and produce great people for the Imperium. That and more contacts. She had known that there were no less than five servants in her home that were Alpharius.
Riser had set that forward by being his usual self. Ravel likes all five of the servants. They were good people. She smiles again. Not five houses now. Eight now. Two events had dragged the other three in. Oh, Ravel and Sona were going to be exceptionally good friends. They were mood kindred.
An there she is. The first. I really like Ravel. This tree version of her is pretty kick ass. She is indeed a psyker. The gene is there in devils too. That is because Lilith here was a human that the Morning Star hard corrupted. Thus, starting the slip from warp to material beings. Ravel was always the first. Sona was as everything was being written coming up so much in my plan that I just said screw it she is the second.
The scene with Serafall and Sona being very evil together was incredibly fun to write. I dread evil giggling Sona. The book and tv series. The book was a thought I had and the tv show is the Oppai Dragon counterpart. They will both do well. Plus, it is funny to me that Sera keeps the crazy magic girl shit going just to fuck with Sona. Now Sona knows stuff that she can use to screw with Sera. The secret tricks are very funny.
Ann. More hints about the Xenos. The second really are bad. The god club is kinda weird because they do get together and they do talk a lot about ways to help their devotees. The inspiration for that actually came from TTS. You know what I mean by that. But for those who do not simply put Revelation and the indecisive changer of ways would hold a get together in the warp every so often and just fuck around. The fact that Creed is there is funny. I do like to think that Caiaphas Cain is also there being his usual stupid but very funny self. I like Cain. But this god club is more like a simple party of just decent people. Baldur is the only Norse god here who is a surprisingly good person. There are a few Olympians there, but Hestia is the one who comes the most. The gathered are often very minor gods. They do not have much power, but they do care.
The fourth perpetual. She had it very rough as a kid. As I said, the Kaos brigade is unbelievably bad. The references to each of the three factions are important. The hero faction does their brainwashing. But it now reaches into the very soul of their forced recruits. Those foot pawns can never be saved. The Magician faction commits their evil because they are stray magicians that have delved into awfully bad and very fucked up magic ideas. The OSF is sort of like the Word Bearers in that they like rituals. The rituals are unbelievably bad. Ophis is very much not a good person. She simply does not care how Great Red is killed. She very much wants the silence. As for Team Vali I will not say much about them. Vali is a good person. She is very justified in her hate of her dad and grandpa. But she is kind of like an exceptionally good Konrad. She believes hard in justice just will not do Konrad's shit.
I have a very strange relationship with how I feel about Konrad. I pity him a lot. But he really was a very horrible person. I am a pessimistic person, but I am not anywhere near Konrad and his total defeatist nature. He and the night lords sicken me. Nostramo was absolutely a shit stain on the galaxy.
Annn. to the most recent reviewers. The plan for planets after Terra is Sol then out. The galaxy actually uses several types of ftl travel. Here are two the race uses cryo status like the necrons but its very primitive. The second race uses a few methods. One is kind of like the web way. the good federation uses a for now unnamed system. Warp storm idea while cool is not happening,much. To the guest who doesent like the first half and thinks its very vague and doesnt like the dialogue its a fair take. Im a big fan of stories with implications i like asking questions it world builds for me. i am sorry you dont like it. Thank you for reviewing though.