Commissioned by Connor Worsnop! I await thy hate and anger, me fren!
The first and only time I've been on this train ended up with me killing a disgusting Devil in the most painful way I could imagine.
And now, here I am again, boarding it to go to Japan. And within the territory of more Devils.
I shouldn't really judge a book from it's cover, but my very first impression and meeting with one of their kind didn't exactly go wonderfully.
To not talk about how their very existence is simply to be weapons for Lucifer to use and throw at God and his Angels.
That really doesn't put them in a good light.
I shake away those thoughts and sigh through my nostrils, then glance around the train car.
It looks the exact same as I remember it to be, before I destroyed it with Halvanhelev, that is.
I stalk towards one of the rooms with a hum, having purposefully come a lot earlier just so to have some time for myself to think.
Albeit I wouldn't consider my training fully done, this mission is far too urgent and could end with disastrous results if it fails, or something goes wrong.
And Rosaria… I don't know. She insisted on me going on this mission, even when I had already decided to go, and made my last training training session far harder than usual.
I feel like she was testing me, for some reason. Like she always has.
During each training session, there was always this look in her eyes, like she wanted to see me do something.
And I always failed.
The only time I didn't see that hidden disappointment in her eyes was during our first training sessions, when I created my more… Evil Armaments.
Once this mission is over… Once this is over, I'll ask her what is it that she wants to see from me. Because thinking about it will surely not bring any answers, especially with how little I know about her.
"Lord Keter, do you know who Rosaria is?" I couldn't help but ask my Sacred Gear, the most ancient Artifact in existence.
He, who sat upon Adonai's head, has probably witnessed the creation of all Angels by his hand.
And if Rosaria is one of them, he surely would-
"She feels familiar, but I can't… I can't put a name to her presence."
Strange...
But it also shouldn't be. Amelia did once tell me that people's auras change through time, and through experience.
So after who knows how long, Rosaria's magical aura must have become completely different, though it still holds a faint sense of familiarity.
And due to my senses, she feels… Hot, and smells of ash and brimstone.
It's a scent that always lingers around her, no matter what. Her very presence is also scalding hot during training, clearly telling me that her main strength is Fire Magic.
She's so mysterious…
Speaking of Fire Magic, that too is my greatest strength.
My Lanza Del Sol is by far my most destructive Artifact/Spell, with the greatest literal firepower in my arsenal.
Albeit Halvanhelev is a close second, especially in it's Parveshlev form.
My mastery of those initial elements has reached perfection, but Rosaria's very presence made me think of something. A crazed plan.
I have perfect command over the Law of Fire itself, which is the highest form of Fire Magic, even greater than a God with a Domain over Fire.
But that's it! I control the Law of Fire… But what if I wanted to be the Law of Fire itself?
Become one with a Law, unleashing greater power than I am already capable of while wielding it.
And that thought, thanks to my already perfect mastery over the Law of Fire, led to the creation of this;
[Ignis]
You have become Fire itself. Your control over the very essence of Fire can make even Gods flush in shame.
Cold flames, or flames as hot as the Sun itself, they all will abide to your very command.
It's an active Skill, one that I created just with a thought and a small flex of my Law of Fire while I was coming back to Italy to go to the Vatican.
I haven't tested it yet, nor am I going to, because I feel like it's sheer power will be beyond what this train and the surrounding city can handle.
Especially since I am having trouble controlling my enormous amounts of Mana right now.
I feel like I went a bit overboard when training with it, and now I have a tiny bit too much.
So much so that my previous fine control over it just… vanished.
It's going to take a while to gain it back, unless I manage to finally improve my Mana Core yet again.
I perk up when two familiar presences enter my Mana Domain.
Albeit it's been a long time since I've last met them, it's easy to recognize both of Xenovia's and Irina's magical signatures.
And they have both grown quite a bit stronger. Especially Xenovia.
Irina feels far weaker than Xenovia, but still is Middle Class in terms of power, while Xenovia is several times stronger than her companion.
And she clearly recently reached High Class too, seeing how her Mana is starting to fuse with her body.
Still… I'm so much stronger than her that it's terrifying. Yet I am still not satisfied with the level of power I currently wield, and I do not know why.
The door to my room opens up a few seconds later, and I can't help but smile when my gaze lands on Xenovia and Irina.
"Told you it was her." Xenovia sniffs at Irina, then grins at me and walks in as I stand up just in time for her to brings me into a tight hug the moment I do so. "Glad to have you back!"
I chuckle softly as she pulls back, then blink when I have to stare down to meet her eyes.
Xenovia does the same. "Damn, you grew taller too." Just half a head, and I didn't even realize it.
All my clothes still- Ah, they are Artifacts, so they change to fit me. Guess that's probably why I never noticed then.
"Come on, take a seat. Tell me what I've missed." I pull back and retake my seat as I offer the others to them, which they swiftly took with smiles on their face.
And oh boy, did I miss a lot.
A little over a month after I left, the Mist Gates started spiking up in numbers, to the point where tens of thousands had appeared all over Italy, and some even in the Vatican.
This led to some of the Angels themselves to descend from Heaven and clear the area, which… Didn't help much, as the gates just kept on coming back.
Until Lord Michael himself descended upon Italy and sanctified the whole land, forcefully sealing away whatever was creating those gates.
And this… This worries me so much.
I hope Hunter is well…
Time between here and Yharnam flows differently. Very differently.
Years might have already gone by for her…
I shake away that worry and those thoughts, mostly because once this mission is over… Once this is over, I'll go find her and try to put an end to this madness.
Bring her away from that hell she found herself in.
"Oh, and have you heard about the God-Killer?" Irina asks as the train starts moving, and I withhold a faint wince at that.
Instead, I nod and force a thin smile on my face. "I have indeed… What do you think of them?" While I do not regret my actions of taking the lives of those filthy Gods, I do not wish for the people I view as friends to think badly of those very actions I have done in disguise.
Xenovia hums and sniffs softly. "I'm glad they are gone, but Miss Griselda said that Gods are needed, so they must not die." I can't help but clench my fists at that.
Why is filth that uses humanity as cattle and entertainment needed?
"Confusing adult talk…" Irina sighs out, and Xenovia nods in agreement.
And I of course do the same. Even Lord Keter hasn't answered my question on this subject for some reason.
"Either way, how's your Sacred Gear coming along?" Xenovia switches the conversation, and I tilt my head in confusion. "I know that attaining a Balance Breaker can take years, but with your monstrous growth I'd half expected you to have it already."
Oh right, Sacred Gears have those…
And I can actually make Sacred Gears too, I just focused on creating Artifacts instead.
Well, my Artifacts are sort-of Sacred Gears, which I can improve if I seal a powerful Soul within them.
But… Do I even have a Balance Breaker?
"You do."
Lord Keter's ancient voice rings out in my mind, bringing me to a slight pause.
"I haven't achieved it yet, unfortunately." I do wonder what it is though.
I can already create Sacred Gears and Artifacts, so what will my Balance Breaker be capable of doing?
Xenovia shrugs at my words, "Oh well, that takes time." Then she shakes her head and leans forward with a serious look on her face. "Either way, let's focus on the mission ahead."
"Luckily, Irina actually lived in Kuoh during her youth, so we have a sort-of guide." Said girl nods with a big grin on her always cheerful face.
"I do have a childhood friend there. I wonder if he even remembers me…" Well, we can always make a detour to let her find him after we settle down.
"Our first course of business is to of course meet up with the Devils… 'owning', the territory." Gods, that feels disgusting to say.
Devils owning land in the Human World, a clear way for them to harvest cattle for their twisted Evil Pieces.
Disgusting.
Xenovia clearly views it the same way I do, seeing the deep frown on her face. "I hate the fact that we have to waste our time protecting that filth."
I shrug with a low sigh. "We can't help it. If they die, another Great War will surely start, unfortunately." I sniff in amusement at Xenovia's loud click of the tongue.
To be fair, prejudice against the Devils isn't something only the church has.
Pretty much 80% of the Supernatural World despises them, while the rest doesn't even care about them.
The Yokai absolutely despise the Devils due to taking grounds within their continent without permission, and a War can't be pushed for due to the unfortunate disparity in strength. Even if the Shinto Pantheon were to join, they'd still face far too many losses.
Which then will lead to the enemies of the Devils pouncing forward, taking advantage of such an opening and the further losses in their ranks to deal a vicious blow.
In the end, it'll very likely end in another Great War, started just from a fight to reclaim territory wrongly owned territory.
"There should be a church in Kuoh, so we'll make that our base of operation for the foreseeable future." Mostly because Fallen Angels are weakened within it's vicinity. Devils even more so.
And if I strengthen it and turn it into an Artifact, that effect will be greatly enhanced, so it'll give us greater safety.
I do not know how strong our opponents will be, but I'd rather be fully prepared.
I can't even Sanctify all of Kuoh due to the presence of the Devils. I'd very likely erase them from existence due to the might of my Holy Light if I were to do that.
Luckily, even if our opponents are out of our league, Lord Vasco can reach us with just a leap within seconds. That's how strong he feels to my senses.
And Rosaria is far beyond him.
Just who is she?
"I was wondering…" Irina suddenly speaks up, poking her chin with her finger as she does so. "The Devils should surely know that their lives are targeted, right? So why don't their Satans order them to go back to the Underworld?"
Xenovia instantly snorts at that. "Because they are too stupid and prideful, that's why."
Alas, that is true. They are truly so idiotic.
They know that the younger sisters of two of the Satans are in danger, yet said Satans do not order them to come back to the Underworld. Nor grant them additional protection.
Instead, if they do die, they'll whine and blame us for not protecting them, like it's our fault.
What a pathetic lot of morons.
"Fair enough…" I share a snort with Irina at that.
The easiest solution to their problem and danger is a quick teleportation spell, yet… They won't do it.
"So we just meet up with 'em, tell them to stay out of our business but also don't make things hard on us because we need to protect them… then what?" Xenovia lists off what we worked out so far on her fingers, and I hum lowly in thought.
"Find the Excalibur pieces, duh." Irina shrugs, swiftly earning a deadpan stare from both me and Xenovia.
Who swiftly facepalms. "Yes, because we can do that on a whim…" Irina just sighs at Xenovia's exasperated sigh.
"They'll very likely waiting for us to arrive before showing themselves." I speak up thoughtfully, drawing their attention back to me. "They are already there, but haven't attacked the Devils just yet because then the Devils won't have a target to blame."
"I'm sure we'll face Fallen Angels too, so that the terrorists will be able to bring in all of the Three Biblical Factions into the trouble with one attack."
Xenovia clicks her tongue and turns her angry gaze away. "All just for a big dumb war. Like it means something." I can only shrug at that.
"I don't care about the lives of the Supernatural beings that will fall during the war. Just the lives of the innocent Humans that will get dragged into the conflict."
And this, I swear I shall stop. With all the strength I can muster and squeeze out.
And that's when the train slowly comes to a stop, marking the arrival to our destination. "I'll never get used to how fast this train is." From Italy to Japan within the span of half an hour if not less.
I get that it travels between Dimensions, but still…
"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Xenovia sighs and sits up, then reaches out to grab the cloaked form of Excalibur Destruction before strapping it to her back with ease.
I nod and stand, allowing my normal clothes to be replaced by a more minor form of Adonai Melek. Just armored clothing that still offers the same boosts it usually do.
"That's a different one…" Irina muses cutely, staring at my glowing platinum-gold armor with big sparkly eyes.
I should really make some weapons for the two of them too. Something far greater than the Excalibur Pieces they possess.
Irina actually doesn't have hers anymore, as I can't sense it on her, so a weapon for her is a must.
"It's the same one you all know, just in a different form." Opening my left palm, I conjure Sandalphon and it's sheath into my hand before strapping it to my side with magic.
I know that it lets off an immense amount of Holy Light, further enhanced by my out of control Mana, and that is mostly on purpose.
I need to squash the pride of the Devils so to make them understand that they don't control anything until we leave, and I'll do it by showing them how outclassed they are.
A bit cruel, and not something I enjoy doing, but the mission is more important than my feelings. And theirs.
"Let's go-" I stop just as I exit the door to my room, a frown swiftly pulling at my face. "There's two Devils outside. Incredibly weak, but keep your guard up." Are these the Reincarnated Devils owned by the lords of this territory?
Xenovia frowns and clenches her fists while Irina hides her hands beneath her cloak. Ah, she has two Holy Light Guns with her…
I lead the way out while keeping my senses sharp, and soon my eyes land on the two Reincarnated Devils.
I can't even call them beautiful, because I know that the majority of that beauty just comes from the supernatural charm gained through becoming a Devil.
One has heterochromatic eyes and wears glasses, while the other is far bustier and feels slightly familiar.
She isn't just a Reincarnated Devil… But also a Fallen Angel?
I know how they feel like due to my dear Aponia being one, after all.
What a horrid match-up of races though. Whoever this girl is now has an immense weakness to Holy Light.
Devils are already horrifyingly weak to it, and so are Fallen Angels… And now, those two weaknesses have fused.
It's either diluted, or heightened.
"I presume you are the servants of the lords of this territory?" I question with a raised brow, my sheer proximity to the two Devils causing them to be quite pale.
A resounding gulp came from their throats, but their expression are perfectly schooled.
Looks like they already had the Devil's etiquette whipped into them.
The bustier one of the two, and the part Fallen Angel girl, is the first to speak up. "My name is Akeno Himejima." She bows lightly, an action clearly forced. "I am the Queen of Rias Gremory." I raise a brow at that.
A Queen? And she's so weak?
Even Xenovia can handle her with ease…
Perhaps I might have overestimated them a bit too much. Or perhaps me and Xenovia just trained too hard.
I miss the introduction from the other girl in a school uniform due to losing myself within my thoughts, though I don't really care.
They are Devils. Not worth me remembering their names.
"Couldn't even bring themselves to come and meet us directly." Xenovia scoffs to the side, loud enough for the two Reincarnated Devils to hear.
They frown slightly, but don't say anything in retaliation. "Please follow us, we'll lead the way to-" Yeah, no.
"All this useless posturing is a waste of valuable time." I cut them off with an irritated sigh. "Teleport us there. The more time we save, the better." Xenovia sniffs in agreement as I stare down at the two Devils before me.
The two share a look, seemingly exchanging words without talking, before the one with glasses turns to me. "I shall contact my master and seek permiss-"
"What part of 'not wasting time' do you not get?" They are starting to get on my nerves. "Do you even understand the gravity of the situation that you'd put useless and utterly pathetic posturing over your lives?"
Xenovia snorts. "Obviously. Else they'd have gone back to the Underworld to be safe." She spits out from behind me, and Irina lightly reprimands her with clear amusement in her voice.
Again, the two Devils frown, but Akeno stops the girls with glasses from saying anything. "You are right. Let us hurry." What a disgustingly fake smile.
I scrunch up my nose and shake my head lightly as the girl in school uniform deploys her twisted magical energy to create an equally twisted magical circle.
A Devil's power just feels so wrong and filthy. I doubt I'll ever get used to it.
Xenovia crosses her arms behind the back of her head as she steps on the magical circle with me, a 'harmless' way to keep her hands close to the hilt of her sword just in case the Devils try anything.
We swiftly disappear in a flash of light and appear in a place that has a more… Devilish air to it, probably due to the Devils having spent quite a lot of time here, so the very room is drenched in their twisted magical aura.
I stretch my senses out and hum out lowly.
A massive school, and a flimsy barrier around it that I can shatter with a flick of my finger.
Are these two really the sisters of two Satans?
If so, what are they thinking putting such pathetic protection over them?
Are they using them as bait, or as an excuse to kick-start the war once again?
Whatever, not my business. I just need to make sure these things- They don't die.
How vexatious.
"Issei?" Irina speaks up, drawing my attention to her. "Is that really you?" Her childhood friend?
I follow her gaze and frown when it lands on one of the Devils. One of the Reincarnated Devils, that is.
Just a teen with light brown hair and… Why did they even Reincarnate him? He literally has no magic. I didn't even know that was possible…
Looking deeper, I see that he actually has a Sacred Gear. A fairly strong one too, from the feel of it.
"Hm?"
The presence within the Sacred Gear stirs, clearly somehow sensing my gaze, so I draw it away and analyze the other Devils.
The majority are of course the slave Reincarnated Devils, while the two Pure-Blooded ones stand in the middle of them all, clearly surprised to see us.
One is tall and has crimson hair, while the other has dark hair and glasses and is much shorter. And less curvier too.
And they all feel so weak.
Younger sisters of Satans, and yet…
"Looks like your friend fell to temptation, Irina." Xenovia sneers as Irina shakes her head with clear sadness on her face.
"Oh, I am so disappointed in you, Issei." The teen seemingly recovers his wits at that point, and quite rudely points a finger at Irina with an irate face.
"I don't even know who you are!" I raise a brow at that. Wow. He doesn't even remember his childhood friend.
And here I was expecting a teary and romantic reunion of sorts.
Before Irina can say anything else, the crimson haired teen speaks up while facing Akeno. "Akeno, why did you teleport here?"
I step forward at that. "I told her to." A pair of blue eyes flick towards me and narrow. "I don't have time to waste with your useless and stupid posturing."
"I'm simply here to tell you to not get in our way, and to stick together so we can protect you more easily. Else the consequences will be catastrophic." I flick my gaze between the crimson haired teen and the glasses wearing one. "Something you two clearly do not understand."
I flick my gaze to the side when I sense a great deal of hostility, all coming from a blonde teen glaring bloody murder at me, while also flicking his gaze down towards Sandalphon several times.
Hn, no greed… So a grudge or some form of hate against Holy Swords? How childish.
"We can handle ourselves." The crimson haired teen sniffs haughtily, clearly proving my point that she underestimates the danger. "We allowed you entry out of courtesy. Don't make me have to kick you out."
I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. "You and what power?" She flinches back at them, and I flick my gaze around the other Reincarnated Devils. All people who were easily deceived and fell into temptation. "These slaves, who hold a meager amount of power?"
The Devil's hands slam onto the desk before her as she stands, an irate look on her face. "Watch your mouth!" Ah, so now they get offended if we call slaves exactly what they are.
How idiotic.
"Sister." Xenovia speaks up lightly, and I turn to face her. "We gave them the warning that they needed, but they are clearly too obtuse to listen. Let us not waste more time and simply do our mission." She is right, but…
"Their idiocy puts countless innocent lives at stake." I nearly growl out, but suppress my rising anger. "If they just go back to the Underworld, we'd be able to go and assist the others, further boosting our chances of success in stopping this act of terrorism."
The crimson haired Devil raises her voice yet again. "I am sick and tired of you insulting us!" I turn and raise a brow at her.
"You want to be praised for your idiocy?" Yet again, she flinches back at my words. "The enemies that will attack here wield weapons that can turn you into dust with a mere paper-thin scratch, and you think you are brave in staying here and holding your ground?"
"You aren't being brave. You are being pathetic, and a pain to deal with." They are just making the job harder for us, and easier for our enemies.
But whatever, I can't be bothered to reason with them.
I shake my head and turn towards Xenovia and Irina. "Let's just leave. I need to set up measure that'll assist me in catching the intruders." They nod, and Irina sends one last disappointed glance towards her childhood friend before turning around.
And that's when a male voice speaks up. "Wait." I sigh through my nostrils in annoyance and flip to stare at the blonde teen that is still glaring bloody murder at me, just with a twisted sword in hand. "I challenge you to a duel."
Is this moron serious?
I just quietly stare at him for a few seconds before turning around with a shake of my head and leading the way out of the weird room they used as a 'meeting hall' of sorts.
And I directly ignore the moron's shout to wait and come back, because I can't be bothered to deal with him any further.
Couldn't he sense the disparity in our strength? Had we fought, I'd have blown him apart with a swing of my sword due to the lack of control I now have over my Mana.
And he barely passes as a Low Class in terms of strength.
May the Lord grant these fools wisdom and intelligence, because they'll need plenty for what is to come.
"First meeting with a Devil, and of course they are a bunch of idiots." Xenovia snorts and palms her face out of sheer exasperation.
While Irina merely sighs sadly. "And they even corrupted my friend. He had such perverse and disgusting eyes on his face…"
"Yeah, he just kept looking at our curves the whole time… I feel violated…" My blue haired shudders, and I chuckle softly at that.
As I do so, I spread my senses through the city by expanding my Magical Domain.
Supernatural beings can easily hide their magical signatures by sucking them deep within their body, especially if they are smart, so I clearly do not find anything out of place.
But I do find the church, so I lead the way there while keeping my guard up.
The initial plan I have in mind is to swiftly strengthen the Church, then empower the already existing barrier around the school where the fools reside.
Then, finally, one around the whole city. It won't have that much power due to being of massive scale, but it should still stall and help me detect any intruder within.
And if I use Haniel, then I can make the barrier even stronger than normal. I'd resort to it's Evil form, but then the result will be highly unstable.
I hate having to be so passive and just wait for the enemies to come. I wish I can just go to them and stop them before they can start their nefarious plan.
But alas…
Unfortunately, the state of the Church doesn't improve my mood. It actually worsens it quite a bit. "It's been utterly defiled and abused…" Irina whispers in horror.
It's rotted, and looks like it has been abandoned for decades. A house of God should never look like this.
Never.
My Mana roars forth and out of my body, sinking into the walls and stone of the church, repairing and augmenting it.
The dust and age is erased, and a brilliant white paint is placed upon the bricks.
Holy Light sparkles off each bright marble, and a welcoming and warm, loving air pours out from the interior of the church now that the repaired doors are open.
"Whoa…" Xenovia whispers in wonder as she stares at the pristine white building projecting such a wonderful feeling of love, while I smile proudly and gladly at the view.
Now this is how a church should be.
God deserves nothing less.
Though that's when I notice it. A presence within the Church.
One that soon steps out through the doors with a warm smile on their fairly handsome face.
It's a tall blonde haired man dressed in priest garbs, with bright and nearly sparkling azure eyes and an air of warmth around him. "Ah, you must be the people the Vatican sent!"
I can't help it… I narrow my eyes slightly at the man.
I didn't feel him until he made his presence known, and his energy signature…
"Are you the priest of this church?" Irina asks lightly, and the man chuckles and waves his hand before crossing them behind his back.
"No no, I'm just a useless care-taker." He says humbly, then hums and looks at the now bright and repaired church. "And you can clearly do a better job than me!"
Something's not right.
"Be careful. Something's wrong with him."
Yes, but what exactly?
I can't quite put my finger on it… It's familiar. Very familiar.
And it evokes a sense of hate from deep within my Soul…
"Ah, where are my manners!" The man claps his forehead with his gloved hand before sighing and bowing towards us. "My name is Aclius, it is a pleasure to have to host you! Please, come in!" Suspicious.
Irina and Xenovia step forward as the man turns around to lead the way in, but I reach out to stop the two of them.
Their confused gaze land on me as I step forward. "I didn't know an Angel had been assigned to be our teammate." Aclius's foot halts in the air.
Suspicious.
"So, forgive me if I do not trust you." The man chuckles and turns his head to stare at me with closed eyes. Suspicious.
"You don't trust an Angel? Really?" Suspicious.
This wrongness…
"I only trust God and his word." I've only ever felt it in certain areas in the world. "The Angels are merely children of God, just as much as we Humans are."
The man's expression twitches, and his eyes open to reveal the barely suppressed anger within those collapsed pupils.
"Collapsed pupils." I hum as the realization hits me. "You are one of the Angels that tried to purge the Mist Gates in the past… But ended up broken, aren't you?"
I've only seen collapsed pupils in the eyes of the Mad Men I've slaughtered beyond the Mist Gates.
And that feeling of wrongness is hanging all over Aclius.
Then, I tilt my head to stare at his back as I send out a pulse of magic.
The outline of a sword attached to his back comes into view for a split second. "And would you look at that." My hand rushes to the hilt of Sandalphon. "We found Excalibur Transparency already."
Six brilliant golden wings erupt out of Aclius's back as his hand instantly grabs the hilt of the Excalibur on his back.
And his face twists into the post repugnant snarl I've ever seen.
A broken Angel… One that hasn't Fallen just yet, somehow…
"You truly are a sharp brat…" The Angel growls out, his pupils spinning clockwise within his eye-sockets. A very disturbing sight.
Xenovia and Irina swiftly get over their shock and horror and gather their weapons as Aclius grits his teeth together with such force and ferocity that they cause a screeching sound to ring out.
"How hateful, how hateful, how hateful, how hateful!" The hand wielding his Excalibur rises up. "Fuckin' kill the bitch!" He roars, and dozens of figures jump out from the nearby buildings.
The air booms and crackles as I pull Sandalphon out of it's sheath, then just cut the air before me.
And the surrounding figures pouncing towards us, both Fallen Angels and Devils, are torn asunder by dozens of raging wind blades, making blood rain down all around us.
I don't give Aclius time to recover from his shock and stomp on the ground, causing the very surroundings to shake and crack as I launch myself forward.
The sharp blade of my Artifact hammers against the flat side of Transparency with a deafening bang that shatters the windows of the surrounding buildings before the force behind my swing sends Aclius hurling through the air, flying straight through the roof of the church I just repaired.
"Hurry back to the Devils!" I shout towards Xenovia and Irina. "They don't plan to give us time to settle down! Hurry back and protect them!" This is smart of them.
Far too smart.
It reminds me of Henryk, and how he just kept farming the people of my village.
How he kept purposefully afflicting them with the Maddening.
Is their aim truly the renewal of the Great War?
If so, I feel like it's for another purpose.
It's like they want to farm something too- Blood Echoes… Henryk had mentioned them before I killed him.
He said that I am like him, and that I can absorb them. Whatever that meant.
They clearly come from the death of a being, so does that mean that they wish to farm the Blood Echoes released through the slaughter caused by the Great War?
But… why?
Xenovia and Irina swiftly hurry away, thankfully, so I give chase to Aclius form flying through the air by spreading Adonai Melek's wings.
The air booms as I soar across the city, eyes narrowed into a sneer as Aclius just keeps flying back, clearly leading me somewhere, yet acting like this is from the swing of my blade.
Soon, he lands in the outskirts of Kuoh, far away from the school.
Slowly, the Mad Angel sits up, bloodshot eyes glaring cruelly at me. "Crabinal, kill her." He calls out, and the titanic form of a ten foot angel with six radiant wings and clad in radiant golden armor lands right behind the men.
Together with hundreds of more magical signature. And they just keep increasing more and more.
Not just before me… But all around the damn city.
From hundreds… to at least ten-thousand within the span of a few seconds.
"How bothersome…" I sigh through my nostrils, then reach up and snap my cross necklace off my neck.
Before tossing it to the side, allowing it to burst into potent and violent flames.
[Kerubiel!]
Soon, the flames soar across the land, taking the form of a flaming twelve-winged being.
The flames shape themselves into a twisting suit of crimson armor before becoming solid, the heat pouring off the now giant ten foot tall Sentient Artifact being even greater than before.
The ground below his feet starts melting and sinking as he stands, golden flaming eyes focusing on the hundreds of surrounding figures around us.
"Kill them all." I command with a cold smile, and watch as flames fill the skyes.
[Galatine!]
And the heat just keeps on rising as I shift Sandalphon into a glowing white-hot saber.
Aclius releases a screech of madness and fury, and the surrounding army pounces forward as one.
A roaring sonic-boom tears the land beneath my feet asunder as Kerubiel's massive form pounces forward too, releasing oceans of flames with each flap of his mighty wings.
I need to kill as many of these bastards as possible, so to keep the heat off Xenovia and Irina in the city.
Hence, no holding back.
[Ignis!]
And with that, it's like the very Sun fell upon Kuoh.
xxxXXXxxx
"I understand. Thank you for informing me." With a sigh, Aponia ends the call and leans her head back.
Her eyes stare at the ceiling with a hateful and stress filled gaze for a few seconds before she shakes her head and moves down the hall.
"Ataraxia arrived in Japan." She sighs out while rubbing her face and stepping into the living room, only to pause when she sees Rosaria standing by the crackling fire.
Slowly, the buxom woman tosses letter after letter within the roaring and dancing flames before her.
"Rosaria?" Aponia calls out softly, a bit put off by the woman unusual quietness.
But then, she speaks after a few tense seconds, "You know… I am quite disappointed with Ataraxia." Those words make Aponia reel back in surprise and a the suddenness of the… confession?
"And why is that?" The Fallen Angel questions curiously.
Rosaria hums lowly and tosses yet another letter within the fire. "She never tried to kill me while we were training. Not once." The woman sniffs, and Aponia's stomach drops.
"What…?" The Fallen woman gulps softly. "Why would she do that?"
Her question brings Rosaria to a pause. "Ah, you didn't notice it, then." She muses softly, then turns her head to throw a glance at Aponia. "Ataraxia grows stronger through killing."
Those words chill Aponia to the very core.
Yet… she can't refute them.
Henryk… A large growth in power.
The Mist Gates… A constant growth in power.
The more death Ataraxia brings… the stronger she becomes.
"So… what?" Rosaria tosses the last letter within the fire, and with that… the flames surge out of the fireplace.
The blonde woman takes a step back as a pillar of fire fills the living room, the stench of ash and brimstone filling the air.
And Aponia's eyes widen in horror when a massive stallion with a red mane and hooves clad in crackling flames steps out of the fireplace, coming into view through the flames.
"Conquest…" Aponia shivers in terror as the very presence of the Horse of Apocalypse slowly falls upon the very country they are in.
And Rosaria reaches out to pat the neighing horse on the head.
"It's been a long time, honey…" The woman whispers softly, then turns a sad smile towards her friend. "Sorry… I'm the one that helped Kokabiel and Sathanael break the seal holding the Horses of Apocalypse."
"I just can't help my nature and desire War, you know?"
"Nor can I stand living in a Universe where the Devils get to breathe, eat and live happily."
Rosaria smiles and breathes in the scent of ash and brimstone in the air, the crackling of the fireplace slowly growing more and more similar to the heavy drums of war.
"And now, it's time I help Ataraxia achieve her true potential…" Warm eyes slowly turn cold as Rosaria grasps the hilt of her blade. "And I must start by cutting off the chains that bind her Humanity to her."
The sword cleaves through the air and towards Aponia.
And the mansion Ataraxia grew to call a second home explodes into a million pieces.
A.N. Uhm… I expect a lot of hate to come from this.
And all I can say is… Just keep reading. Heh…
I'm in danger…
Either way! Lots of love and thanks to all of my new and old supporters, and hope y'all enjoyed this chapter… Heh…
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Toodles!