Hollowreaper93: Thank you very much! Katerea had no idea what she was getting into triggering Freyja like that ;D
Fish on Land: That means so much that you liked it better than canon. I will try to keep that in mind, I try to mix up the pronouns often to keep it dynamic but will try to prevent it getting to vague/jumbled.
tamagat: Lol, if she gave the full title of what she is the goddess of she would be there a while and give a bit of an open window for Katerea to attack xD I don't quite understand the last question, why is that unique to Dorian? Wouldn't that apply to every character?
GunBlade2019: I most certainly will, I hope you love the fights going forward.
FateBurn: Thanks.
Jwebb96: LoL, not a good sign for the bad guys.
Slayer Cross: Thank you so much! I hope not to disappoint on the battles themselves, keeping so many running firefights simultaneously going can be tricky to keep everything interesting and maintain continuity.
IluLugal: Lol, the one who can make the Allfather afraid is not to be underestimated. Poor Thrud, the connection is growing...but she would not want to interfere with her long-time friend Rossweisse, if only the three knew so they could talk it through.
Natalie: That question will be answered, though at this stage Freyja is WAY out of Dorian's pay grade lol but there will be plenty of fights to go around. The Hero season will be further down the line, after this will be the Loki and Young Devil Gathering along with an original arc all their own before the Kyoto school trip. I actually have a question to my fans at the end of this chapter in regards to the order to go as it is different between anime and Light Novel.
fanficcyberman: Everything has been going amazing, thank you and I wish you the same :D I am also excited about writing the future. One more chapter after this one and the Peace Summit arc will draw to a close. I hope you enjoy it!
naruto: Good question, we know how canon goes...but in that Katerea was arrogant to the nth degree enough to think she alone could take all 4 Faction leaders and their escorts. Here, the odds are much closer...
andresf1703: That is one of the big questions, we know that he and Rossweisse are true loves, but with his nature and ties to those closest...will he catch the eye of others? You need not worry as Issei's ridiculously large harem was one of my least favorite parts of canon as it left no time for each individual girl's story. If that route is selected here, it will be an appropriate size.
Mackdaddy3ful: I don't know what to say other than thank you :D Akeno I especially wanted to do right since I felt in canon they made her so emotionally dependent on Issei later on it made their relationship super unhealthy. Romance has definitely been the trickiest aspect to planning ahead in my story, the Loki arc is when I plan it to be more at the forefront. The characters have grown so much since I started I want them all to be happy, but not at the expense of the story...it is a difficult balance lol. And yes...Frejya is about to show them they did NOT want to cross her. XD
And with that...Onto the show!
"RIDER'S REGALIA!"
Dorian's gauntleted hand closed over Ona's face, clasping tight to slam her through the wall. His armor was brighter than before, even a bit more muscular and filled out though he did not realize it in that moment. He still did not like fighting women, yet could sense that with the strange power emanating from her if he did not fight at his best he would not survive the day. Twilight Star was clashing with her devil wings, each now hard enough to act as weapons of her own. Despite being planted through the wall, Ona's hand grasped his, impossibly strong as she buried a fist into his gut and sending him flying. The desperate Einherjar righted himself after soaring several feet, silently thanking Thrud and Rossweisse for the hours of daily training that had improved his stamina significantly since Olympus and Kokabiel.
"Hold me here? You think my exclusion from the battle will change anything?"
Dorian raised an eyebrow, uncertain to her meaning.
"I developed the ritual to induce and augment Balor's abilities at a compounding accelerated rate," she explained. "It was child's play, a whim done only for my overbearing cousin. But you, if you can draw HER interest, then this was all worth it.
"Her?"
"It doesn't matter, I can almost see you," her eyes glowed brightly as she looked at him with words mirroring Gasper's own. "Even with this much power I can only barely make out your movements. I thought that locking the Dhampir's powers in an active that through me would give greater amplification to my own."
"Through…you?" Dorian didn't like the sound of that as he generated a ball of Hestia's flame, trying to recover as much stamina as possible during the downtime.
"I…empathized with the hybrid," her eyes almost softened behind her manic interest in their battle. "I left him awake without torture, however needed his strength. His being freed will not affect the time field, as long as I will it, this effect will continue to grow."
The thirty minute timer never stopped, his heart plummeted as he realized the fear of the leaders being frozen was still very real.
"Turn it off!" He raised his swordspear towards her, forking into a trident before firing a blast of Olympian lightning. Ona turtled behind her newly acquired wings, tanking the hit though one was twitching and scorched.
"No chance of that," the mania behind her eyes spiked. "We are just growing so close, my power, that serpent and your Dhampir all allowed me to draw closer to you. How much more must I get to learn your secrets!?"
She propelled towards him, somehow ducking beneath his swing, her speed amplified as high as her other attributes. Holding her arms out, Ona created two spheres of demonic energy, crashing them together till they fused into a larger one. Pressing forward, the blast caught Dorian in the chest, throwing him backwards. His Balance Breaker held, allowing him to stand to his feet.
We don't have time for this! We have to beat her BEFORE the others succumb to Gasper's Sacred Gear.
Dorian! Iggy's voice echoed in his head full of concern as he continued to maneuver ahead of the aggressive devil. Open the path to Nidavellir!
I thought you said that was a bad idea!
For five seconds, no more. Your soul can avoid the corruption that long at least. I…have been saving something for you and believe I figured out how they work.
Dorian did not ask for specifics yet, Jotunheim roots emerged from the ground, several coiling together to create thicker tendrils before seizing Ona's leg and squeezing. The Barbatos descendant growled with annoyance, her very aura proceeding to set the foliage ablaze.
NOW!
Dorian complied, flipping the gem on his wrist to a void-black, almost instantly his mind was filled with dark thoughts. Despite his knowledge he suddenly saw the worst in everyone. The ideas of how Odin and Freyja only saved him to have a weapon, Rossweisse playing with his emotions out of some sick game, even Thrud's spars being to exemplify her superiority swirled in his head.
The feeling of bugs crawling in his head subsided as a great flash of light emerged from the gem, the black fading away a moment later with its purpose was fulfilled. A spear of holy radiance emerged, firing full speed towards the charging Barbatos who had scarcely time to widen her eyes in surprise before the projectile struck her center of mass, impaling her to the wall nearby. A second followed suit, adding to the impact as it shattered against her chest with a thundering explosion.
Dorian looked confused at first as to how a weapon of heaven had just emerged from Laerad Ragnarok though the uncertainty was short-lived. He recognized the aura of power, the pain when such a javelin had pierced his chest leaving a permanent scar when he had first tapped into the depths of Iggy's power…light spears of the fallen angel Forcas.
That which enters Nidavellir is swallowed whole. The attack you absorbed at Olympus remained there all this time swirling amid the emptiness.
"And as a devil, Ona would be weak to such an attack," Dorian explained to himself aloud despite being unnecessary. "Iggy you're the best!"
They have been within me since then, I was able to study them and I believe that I…
"Hehehehehe."
Oh for the love of…
Ona took hold of the light spear, her hands burning as she squeezed, shattering it in an instant. The attack did serious damage as she had been through, blood dripping onto the floor from her wound and mouth.
"Norse, Greek, now Heaven? Your Sacred Gear is quite the crossroad all her own is it not?" She bit back the groan as she doubled forward, unable to stand any longer. While on her knees, Dorian did not notice the vial she slid from a pouch. "Bottoms up."
Dorian had no idea what it was and did not react as he should have. The vial was filled with a crimson liquid; the smell wafting over gave away its identity as blood. Unbeknownst to him, it was none other than the leftover samples she had acquired from his hand meant to prevent her suicide distilled with the energy stolen from him the previous night. With a final swallow and a satisfying "ah," she cast the vial away to shatter on the ground, and that is when Dorian saw them.
He had wondered over and over since the battle at the arena why her name was Barbatos. Due to the presence of her multiple wings she was clearly a relative of the original Leviathan family, yet she did not claim their name, why? The answer revealed itself as she opened her mouth to smile, revealing a pair of glimmering fangs, her blood red eyes lighting up in the same way Gasper's had not so long ago.
She's a Dhampir too? Vampire and Devil? The purity of blood was more important than all among the Old Satan Faction, a half-breed would never be allowed to carry the name of a greater family.
Dorian fired a bolt of Olympian lightning with a sheath of black fire towards her, yet Ona leaned back, disappearing behind the wall and was gone when his attack blasted through it. He noticed before she vanished that the wound caused by his holy spear was repairing itself, already nearing completion.
"I knew it!" Her voice echoed around him. "I FUCKING knew it! Your flesh and energy separately contained the building blocks of your unique chronal signature…I…see…YOU!"
Dorian felt a powerful grip seize his left ankle, a painful crunch heralded Dorian's scream of agony as it broke and caved in under her iron-girp. Without even looking, he moved to stab downward yet Ona had only risen enough to grab him and his weapon impaled the floor without reaching her. His gems rotated accordingly, preparing an attack.
"Silly plants, lacing them with ice will not help, that fire will be tricky to dodge but is doable."
All she muttered came to pass as Dorian caused ice-reinforced roots moved to seize her arm, Ona released him at the last possible moment and ducked to avoid them, causing the attack to miss. Dorian had generated Musphelheim fire to strike once she was immobilized, however she bent in the exact way to avoid it precisely without a missed step. Dorian's shield was all that protected him from an immense blow of energy generated by her wings. He hovered off the ground, darting to a safe distance while keeping off his limp and useless foot as Ona placed a hand on her hip with a confident sigh.
"Okay, a few things slipped through but I am getting closer, I can smell it!" Her blood-red eyes swirled purple with a golden light within just like Gasper.
She is…very strong.
Do we have anymore spears in there? He asked despite not recalling any others absorbed. Iggy shook her head internally which he understood.
I fired all we had, but I think this may help.
The gem closest to Twilight star rotated as the others all went blank. Finally it flipped to a golden radiance that matched the spear he had just fired. Dorian smiled with a bit of satisfaction as he realized what she had done.
The light of Heaven is unique, I'm sorry I can't use Norse or Olympus while tapping into it, the contradictions are…confusing. I didn't quite understand it but the spears helped. I hope to one day visit there, we could learn so much more. Until that time I hope this is enough.
A holy aura spread across Twilight Star and enveloped it. In that moment, for however brief a time as it would last, Dorian had a holy blade of his own.
"Never apologize Iggy," he whispered under his breath. "I guess Mr. Azazel was right about your adapting to other realm energies. You're always learning just like Rose, she'd be proud." If Iggy had a body in that moment, her cheeks would have been flushed red.
Ona flew at the warrior of Asgard, forcing him to brace for the attack, catching her on the shaft of his swordspear as the force blew them both out of the old school building. Their clashes were widespread, grand and would have been deemed impressive beyond words were the titanic attacks of the three factions and old Satans not so close nearby. Their fight continued back and forth all the while drawing them ever nearer to the central conflict….
At the Frontlines…
Thrud slammed into the wall behind her, crashing through it as the entire segment of the new school building collapsed atop her. Bikou jumped forward onto the rubble, seeking his foe as he was certain that would not be the end of her. His armor was dented; his face black, blue and bruised from their savage back and forth. Blood ran down a gash on the side of his head and he was panting heavily from the exertion, yet through it all the grin of sheer satisfaction never left his lips. He almost didn't mind when Gullbjorn emerged from the ground, striking him dead center and cracking his armor before throwing him across the field. He rolled several times before righting himself with a head shake to clear his vision.
"Dear gods you absolute header of a gal!" He cried out with joy as she emerged. His opponent was similarly battered such as he, yet unlike so many he had fought who would give up or succumb to their injuries, she was going strong with a smug look of superiority on her face. "Kuroka will never let me hear the end of it but I think I've fallen for your womanly charms. If I asked really nicely do ya think you could do me the honor of bearing me a son or two?"
"The flattery is appreciated," Thrud replied while smiling sweetly as she twirled her weapon once more. "Though I hate to disappoint you, but I am not a fan of brunettes."
Lightning erupted from the base of her axe, propelling her forward like a thunderbolt to slam into Bikou. The current Monkey King brought his staff up to take the hit, the two completely lost in their struggle having found an opponent with a fighting determination and strength to match their own.
Not far, a wheel of blue energy struck Rossweisse's seal, denting but not breaking it as the combined youkai and demon magic assailed her defenses. Another dozen struck from other angles though with less impact as a half dozen Kuroka stood about her.
"Am I here…or here?" She teased as her illusory clones dashed about to confuse Rossweisse and split her focus.
Rossweisse hovered off the ground refusing to accommodate her sultry opponent's desire for conversation, darting back and forth to keep ahead of the attacks. Not only the Kuroka's were illusory, but so were the impacts behind each one. She had no way to determine which were real or fake based on sound, feel or sight and none could surpass a youkai in sense of smell. She had foregone flight after Kuroka revealed how many avenues of attack she had in the wide-open field, forcing Rossweisse to remain relatively grounded.
I need to narrow down the real one, I can't split my attack among all of them, she planned while continuing to move, keeping up a near-constant suppressing fire with smaller runes. Just one direct hit should be enough to…
In her deep thought, she missed the dirt in front warp and reach, entrapping her leg and stopping any further evasive maneuvers as every Kuroka moved in for the kill.
"And here you were supposed to be the smart one," the cat-youkai mocked as she generated a new pair of fused magic wheels in her hands.
Rossweisse's seals shattered under the combined assault though she was swiftly generating new ones, the training since Olympus not only strengthening Dorian as she had developed new strategies. Kuroka's attack struck Rossweisse in the chest as one of her hair clips glowed brightly and shattered, another charm she had made herself for an extra defense layer similar to Dorian's enneagram she had gifted that he wore proudly on his breast. The last wheel to strike it slowly petrified, turning to stone before her eyes and following the flow of magic back to its owner.
Kuroka's eyes went wide as the fringe of her clothes started to calcify over. Thinking fast, she burned off the entire sleeve, leaving her arm bare as the rest of her material turned to rock, shattering one the ground below. That display of her Olympian magic bought Rossweisse time for a new seal of fire to erupt from the ground, scorching Kuroka's kimono and hair while hardening the dirt prison, allowing the silver-Valkyrie to shatter it with a single motion.
"Top of my class," she finally retorted as a gravity-glyph emerged beneath her large enough to encompass every Kuroka illusion which had clustered for the perceived final blow. One by one they were plastered into the ground as the force was amplified many times over.
Only one of them remained standing at great effort.
Rossweisse swung forward, punching the real Kuroka in the gut. A light aura shimmered around the nekotama, lessening the hit as she reinforced her physical proficiency.
"Please," Kuroka held her ground. "I can simply use…"
"Touki?" Rossweisse finished for her. "Someone very close to me knows the same skill to augment her physical abilities; she refuses to use it despite how often I stress to her her it can be necessary. I am well aware of that technique among Sage Arts; it passively outputs just enough energy for this."
"For wha…" Kuroka started before seeing the glow from her torso. An elaborate seal formed drawing upon her own magic for power.
Rossweisse's calculations were correct as ever as the first seal grew into two, then four, then eight. Once they reached their apex, a dozen explosions appeared across the Kuroka's frame blasting her backwards, scorching her body. The youkai assailant slumped down, barely staggering back up to her feet.
"Your powers will not help you here," Rossweisse announced confidently. "Surrender now and we may show…"
The seemingly victorious Valkyrie started coughing loudly turning to an uncontrollable hacking, only then seeing a previously invisible green cloud roll in. She covered her mouth but it was too late to block it out completely. Her legs started to wobble, mind clouding, making it hard to concentrate on the more complicated magic formulae. She felt weak yet managed to stand, flexing her muscles and shaking her head to keep calm.
"My magic mist," Kuroka explained in her confidence. "Never tested it on a Valkyrie before, considering you can still move I guess that means I need to make some adjustments. No matter, you won't be much of a threat like that."
"Y-you underhanded…," Rossweisse muttered as her opponent lunged again. She wasn't faster than before, possibly slower with her new injuries, yet Odin's bodyguard could barely focus on her movements fast enough.
Far in the distance, a familiar white-haired young woman spotted the battle as she arrived. With fists clenched, she rushed towards it, eyes locked on and never moving from the black-eared youkai who pressed the attack in earnest.
Not Far…
"Do you find fate cruel Issei Hyoudou?" Vali asked, floating high above the battlefield staring down the possessor of his dragon's rival. "I am the strongest natural wielder of Albion in history with my Satan blood. While you on the other hand, without your boosted gear you are nothing, a normal high school student with a bland future. It's so sad it's actually quite funny.
Issei gritted his teeth from the ground; he had recently arrived with Koneko and Gasper only to be met with the battlefield before them. Vali had rounded on the Red Dragon Emperor immediately, all but ignoring his so-called allies. The young man wanted to shout his threats to the silver-haired teenager, how he should shut his mouth but instead he could only keep looking, fully aware of the insurmountable difference in power between them.
"We are both Sacred Gear users, and yet you and I are separated by the heavens themselves in terms of power, perhaps also Hell itself. Why couldn't another have inherited it, like that one…" he recalled the words of the girl atop the rooftops before the summit. "How can we make this fight actually mean anything? It is clear your current motivations are insufficient to draw out your real power, how about I kill your parents?"
Issei froze, eye twitching at those words. Images flashed in his mind of his mom and dad, smiling and enjoying their normal life completely oblivious to the world of angels and devils around them.
They aren't involved; they have nothing to do with this! Vali noticed his sudden shift immediately and latched onto it.
"Ah yes, the path of an avenger, if I kill your parents would you be able to break your limits? A death like that would be far more preferable than living out and dying after a long and boring lifetime. Perhaps those friends of yours still frozen in place?"
"Issei…" Rias muttered, knowing full well what emotions were raging within her pawn. Even she did not expect the eyes of rage as he looked up at the White Dragon Emperor.
"I'm going to kill this bastard; I don't care how large the gap is…YOU WON'T TOUCH MY FAMILY OR FRIENDS!"
An aura of energy flared up as Issei revealed a metal band adorned with a gem clasped to his arm, the parting gift from Azazel before his and Rias' departure. Another of the eccentric fallen angel's inventions, each one could replace the bodily substitute requirement Issei needed to unlock his imperfect Balance Breaker. He was warned, however that multiple use would decrease the length of time he could remain transformed, but Issei did not care. The first use would be the strongest, and he was determined to make the most use of it.
WELSCH DRAGON OVER BOOSTER!
The energy swirled and erupted as a new form exploded into being around Issei. Glimmering red and gold armor styled after dragon scales complete with a terrifying helmet, the same he had used to close the gap in his previous rating game against Riser Phenex. Green orbs glowed across his body drawing Thrud's attention as she continued to clash with Bikou.
Another Balance Breaker, like Dorian's.
"I'm not going to sit back and let you kill my parents!" Issei roared, a rippling crimson aura enshrouding him with power. "ASCALON!"
The holy dragon-slaying blade erupted from the gauntlet on his left hand. Taking flight he caught Vali almost unawares as he was contemplating how well rage brought up Issei's power to nearing his. The blade grazed his left arm, despite the minute touch, Vali's armor crumpled beneath it to draw a bit of blood. Issei overused his strength and kept going, flying past though quickly turned for another attempt. Such was the power of Ascalon, not even the White Dragon Emperor could easily withstand its attacks. Giving him no time to think, Vali rocketed forward, Issei meeting him in kind as the two met and clashed nearly as terrifyingly as the three faction and old Satan leaders around them.
Rias reached out for Issei but was pulled behind the barrier by her brother, in that moment even her high-class devil powers could not guarantee her survival if she got involved. All she could do was watch as the new war of dragons began.
"Incredible," Shalba marveled at Issei's growth, having pinned Michael to the ground with arrows. "How your God could miss such a potential of his creations only exemplifies his short-sightedness."
"My Lord," Michael grunted beneath his foe, his faltering radiance rising to shatter the demonic arrows. "Saw many things and was stronger than you know, yet unlike you and your brethren was fully aware he was not omniscient. None of us are."
Shalba roared in pain as one of his own arrows turned gold rather than disintegrating, purified by Michael's shining presence. Removing itself from his hand, the projectile zipped up, slashing the old Beelzebub's right eye as he dodged at the last moment too slowly. In the moment of his blinding pain, the archangel took the opportunity to plant a miniature nova of holy energy into his breast. The resounding explosion sent his opponent flying, stopping himself in mid-air much to the angel's sorrow as his attack did far less damage than it should have. The energy they had received was immense indeed, Michael's own healing abilities were barely keeping up with the older Beelzebub's power.
"God's everlasting mercy be with me," he muttered, reforging a new divine halberd and leaping back into the fray.
"It was you wasn't it!" Serafall roared, battering the stressed defenses of the Asmodeus devil. "Katerea-chan wasn't like this…YOU blackened her heart!"
"I opened her eyes to our right," Creuserey countered. "Only we TRUE Satans can rule as was deemed in the beginning. "Your machinations for her post were obvious once we analyzed…."
She did not allow him to finish, with a look that would have horrified all who knew her, the new Leviathan held a hand directly into his face. Her family's emblem appeared within it as a mass of demonic power dwarfing anything she had summoned that day slammed into Asmodeus, blasting him through the ground as fissures appeared from the force. Despite the impressive display, Serafall huffed subtly, she had remained on the offensive but it was taxing, a fact not missed by the White Dragon Emperor in the distance…
Katerea swung, her scimitar fading to mist as it neared the twinblades of Vanaheim, the devil magic used to create it being drawn within the gems affixed upon them. The swords bit deep into her gut, Freyja spinning gracefully to avoid any hope of counterattack and burying her heeled boot into her chest, throwing the Old Satan mastermind far into the distance trailing blood.
"I doubt I'm even needed," Azazel let out a quick chuckle that the Queen of Asgard did not slightly soften for. With a chance, he leaned back to rest, only then noticing the disarmed staff lying nearby to draw his curiosity.
"Every…single…day," Freyja asserted to the battered devil struggling to her feet. "I killed people, more than you can count. Traitors, Aesir, humans, giants, trolls…the list goes on. Your war was stopped before it got to the point ours did, though not soon enough."
"Why you…" Katerea's aura flared, a field of dark crackling energy enveloping her body which would kill near-anything that entered it. The goddess Freyja was not most things."
Her dark field clashed with Freyja's rainbow one, the strange power wielded by the older Leviathan the only thing keeping her from being overwhelmed by the sheer force before her. The supposed ultimate power that Katerea had gone into battle so sure of was failing her. How long she and the others had convinced themselves of their superiority over all, especially those of other mythologies. Freyja's wings flexed, the shockwave dispersing her demonic aura and all defenses Katerea had left.
So fast she missed it, one blade phased into the other, their combined might growing to a greatsword. Freyja used her now-free hand to grasp Katerea by the throat, slamming her into the ground and pinning her.
Across the field, Thrud glanced away from her own fight for a moment, eyes widening at the sheer intensity of her grandmother. How many years had the daughter of thunder studied at her feet never knowing of what lurked beneath the surface from darker days?
"You didn't see the worst it could get," she spoke stern and short like a teacher getting a point across to a particularly dense or disinterested student as she narrowed her blade to the Leviathan's throat. The anger at another faction making the same error as her own had Freyja's blood boiling. She flexed her fingers again and again, feeling oddly stiff despite her extensive attacks. "You don't know the depths of despair it can drive one to…so I will show you EXACTLY what can happen!"
Elsewhere…
Kuroka leapt in close, relying on touki to augment her physical strength versus the Valkyrie who clearly excelled in ranged combat. Even with her moves sluggish and breathing ragged from her mist, she kept up with the youkai criminal.
I can repulse her attack with a kinetic seal, but…was it a secondary layer or a loop pattern to complete?
She couldn't think straight, the mist affecting Rossweisse's mind as well as her body. Being too slow, Kuroka planted a fist in her stomach, sending the Valkyrie reeling backwards with cracked armor. She had left a surprise behind, a simple seal even dazed she could recall. The platform exploded in Kuroka's face, forcing her to frantically pat herself down to put out the flames as she pulled back to safety.
"You just…don't know when to quit," she groaned, hardly better off than Rossweisse despite the handicap she had taken. She had expected an easy win, yet the tenacious woman had kept up as best she could and delayed her. "I can't believe I might have to actually…"
"STOP!" A calm yet stern voice caused Kuroka to pause, a sly smile spreading across her face as she realized the source.
"Why Shirone, I thought you weren't attending. How has the Gremory girl been treating you?"
"I knew you were obsessed with power, but this is too far," Koneko continued, ignoring the name Rossweisse did not recognize that Kuroka had used. "How can you be working with them?"
"Vali was VERY persuasive," she purred. "Though I was so worried about your choice in alignment, if you came back with your big sis you would put her mind at ease."
Sis? Rossweisse struggled back to her feet behind Koneko, looking her up and down. But Kuroka is a youkai, Koneko doesn't have any…
"I'm not coming with you," she held her ground. "I am at home here with everyone, Rias, Akeno, Kiba, Asia…even that Issei though he's the worst of mankind. I'm…happy with them."
"Don't worry little Shirone, when all the others are dead I'll make sure you are kept safe and sound, just as a big sister should."
Rossweisse thought she almost saw a look of disappointment on Kuroka's face, almost. Despite the dark-haired nekotama's words, she did not advance or attack even though Rossweisse was in a near-incapacitated state. The two just stared at each other across the field, both contemplating how the next few minutes would play out. Between the tension of the situation and her own debilitations, Rossweisse didn't notice the tingling sensation traveling up her body…
Not far, a few minutes ago…
A monstrous bat creature more resembling a gargoyle than anything else slashed at Dorian, cracking his armor before engulfing him in its terrible wings. With a deafening shriek of pain, the gargantuan beast ripped itself from him, the holy-cleansed tip of Twilight Star cutting deep into its torso. Slamming into the ground not far from the new school building, the two combatants dropped, their titanic battle having carried them far. Dorian could even see Issei's clash with Vali from where he stood, taking note of the glimmering crimson Balance Breaker though had more on his mind in that moment.
"I can see you!" Ona smiled with euphoria, transforming back into her base form from the void-creature her drinking of Dorian's blood had granted her. "That attack, the withdrawal, even your hesitating actions…but I can't see anything else!"
The energized devil was glancing around her to the others fighting in the distance, Issei and Vali, even the plumes of light and explosions obscured by the barrier and clouds of the leaders still locked in battle. There was a twinkle in her eyes that was far too innocent to be coming from them.
"I can't tell what any of them are going to do. Did your blood realign me with YOUR signature instead of the worlds? Quite frankly I don't even care, everything is so…uncertain! This is wonderful! The world is interesting again; I don't know how I can ever thank you enough!"
Dorian swung again, his strike passing through her as Ona melted into mist, reconstituting herself just long enough to clock him in the face, sending the young man careening through the pavement. He struggled out, coughing blood as he realized his holy-infused weapon was now far from his grasp once again. The holy element Iggy had taught him burned Ona in several places, clearly paining her greatly. All the same, her tenacity refused to let her show it.
Dorian! Iggy was frantic and full of worry over his growing injuries, still requiring levitation to keep his broken ankle off the ground, ever since she drank Gasper's blood the Barbatos Dhampir had been far more formidable. No matter what he tried, she was one step ahead, the frustrating powers of her family finally donning on him. Please withdraw, we can think of something, maybe…
"There's no running, my ritual was perfect," Ona proclaimed. "Just look."
Dorian looked to the side and his heart sank. He spotted Rossweisse half-standing behind Koneko as if she'd started to get to her feet before stopping. She, along with Kuroka and Koneko, were utterly unmoving, an aura surrounding them that froze his soul as he recognized it. Quickly, he looked to the others. Sure enough, every single combatant was no longer moving. Thrud was in the process of kneeing Bikou who was cracking her across the face with his staff, even the three swordsmen and Ratatoskr atop Xenovia's shoulders clearing out the last of the magicians were trapped in their final acts. Issei and Vali were striking each other in a mutual hook across the cheek, faces locked in utter rage at the other.
Across the field, both sides, old and new Satans alike, Michael and Azazel, even Lady Freyja who was following through with a swing looking to decapitate several of Katerea's wings had been locked by Gasper's growing powers. The young vampire was the only one not affected, frantically scrambling from friend to friend trying to wake them to no avail. Tears streamed down his face as, unlike before, he had no idea when or if this would ever end.
"Y-you turned on your own people?" She was silent a moment before answering.
"They were never MY people, now we quite literally have all the time in the world. When I am through, I can kill who is necessary and free the rest. Don't worry, we won't be interrupted. At the current rate of growth this field will keep expanding, I would LOVE to study the boundary limits. And yet, not even a stutter from yourself…"
She renewed her attack, forked lightning of Olympus striking towards her but as before, she perceived and avoided. As before, nothing worked.
She froze them all, Lady Freyja, Thrud, Rose...fire burned behind his eyes as he imagined Ona slaughtering them like animals while they stood there unable to resist and any carefully laid plans started slipping away. I'll kill her, do whatever it takes to free them, I don't care if…
Calm down and think, know it or not, you are better than this.
The soothing words eased Dorian's mind ever so slightly, just enough to think clearly for a moment. Maybe…if I try something I've never done before she won't see it right away.
Dorian…what have you been hiding?
Sorry Iggy, I wanted it to be a surprise.
As he continued to dance around the advancing devil, one of Dorian's five gems went blank to be quickly replaced by another. Each went out one by one, molten red, gold, magenta, green, misty blue, until all were empty. Ona did not seem to notice, even her future-sight having a blind spot for something never before performed. The light of the gems had shimmered away, merging as one upon the gem etched onto his armor's back she could not see. Even he did not see the blue-green hue of Midgard, the one power Iggy had not recalled meld into the swirling mass behind him. The collected energies prepared for a signature move he had pondered and theorized yet never practiced.
Black tentacles emerged from Ona's back, gripping his arms and dragging him in, Dorian didn't want to think just how strong she was now, well beyond the middle-class she had been, Ultimate Class…higher? Her bindings held strong as he resisted, though not as greatly as he could have.
"That…thing saw something in you, Ophis showed some interest, what is it about you? I will have fun finding out all of your secr…"
Dorian reached out, gripping Ona by her shoulders, roots wrapping about her arms to hold her in place for the fraction of a second he required. The shimmering prism light faded from the gem on his back, empowering the one on his chest as its light reached an apex.
"You wanted to learn my secrets?" His visage looked more serious than ever as he held her tighter than any loved one. "Here's my first signature move...BIFROST BARRAGE!"
The rainbow beam erupted from his chest, impacting Ona Barbatos point blank as she was unable to move. She screamed in pain, her artificial devil wings burning away in the light of the attack along with the greater part of her borrowed powers. The brilliance representing the might of all nine realms tore through the air, annihilating an unseen serpent Dorian did not notice which tried to free itself from her back only to disintegrate before getting very far. Even the Einherjar had to squint and close his eyes in the face of it.
Despite the raw energies, Ona remained where she stood though eyes were glazed over unseeing from shock as the ray of energy continued its path. Only once the beam slowly sputtered and died did Dorian relax, breath catching in his throat as he realized an entire gap had been bored through everything behind Ona, reducing it to nothingness down to the very stone.
It is…more destructive than I thought.
You can only tap into five powers at one time, yet you saved a piece of each one in a holding state rotating all nine in a combination effort. That was…clever.
Th-thanks Iggy, Dorian sighed in exhaustion. His opponent was slumped forward against him unmoving, the adrenaline finally dissipating. He could not help but notice the sizable hole blown through her torso. If she is down perhaps Gasper can reverse the…
"M-more, I just need more!"
Dorian screamed aloud as a pair of sharp pains tore into his throat. The Dhampir's eyes lit up red and pink as she used her proximity to latch onto the Crossroad leader's neck before he could move, sucking at his blood greedily. Her body amplified by the renewed intake of blood, the gaping wound in her started to close, leaving unbroken bare blood-covered skin in its place. Her features changed somewhat, skin softening from grey into more of a natural pink color, ears becoming less pointed as she took on traits of her victim. Dorian pushed away but her remaining four wings closed about him in a twisted embrace, locking the Einherjar in place as his strength slowly faded.
"If a vial did that before," Ona's voice echoed in his mind through her powers. Dorian was fortunate for had it been a full moon her feasting would have bent him to her will to become her loyal slave. "Just imagine what the rest of it will do."
GET…OFF HIM!
"Who is this?" Ona asked, hearing the new voice once she her powers deepened with Dorian. "Oh you must be the daughter of Yggdrasil I heard so much about. I imagined you must be part of what makes him special. Do not worry; this will not take much longer."
You are not welcome here! You do not want to be in here!
"Shout all you like; it won't change a thing. I could see his movements from a single vial; with much more I can see that, his mind, dreams and memor…"
One moment, Ona was amid the battlefield drinking greedily, the next she found herself standing atop a pile of bones. Dorian was gone.
"Whe…what have you done?"
You were warned, you did NOT want to come here. You have stumbled onto the mystery without an answer.
Ona Barbatos took flight, soaring through the air though she did not get far. After a few yards, the sky was so choked with the stench of death and black smoke amid red flames that she was forced to the ground, doubling over and hacking for breath. She saw it all, fields burned, bodies piled as high as she could see, structures stretching across creation crumbled to the ground. And through it all, a monstrous towering silhouette far in the distance. All she could make out was the multitudes of heads turning to acknowledge her presence, marching in her direction just before she started to scream.
Back on the battlefield, Dorian had wrenched himself free of her grasp, holding a hand to his neck to staunch the bleeding. Ona's eyes were glazed over, a single hand retaining a death grip on his arm squeezing tighter and tighter until her knuckles turned white.
"Um…hello?" Dorian waved his hand in front of her, snapping a few times. No matter what he did, her pupils would not focus. He was uncertain what had occurred, one moment she was draining him of all blood, the next she just…stopped. It was not until he had pried the last of her fingers from him that her face slowly rotated to him; eyes clearly unfocused and shell shocked.
"You poor bastard," she muttered so low he almost didn't hear her. "What a sad fate to look forward to, you might as well just kill me now and then yourself before…"
Dorian had heard enough, before she finished he clocked her hard across the face, rendering the mad scientist unconscious at long last. She face-planted into the soft dirt, body rising and falling with steady breaths yet she did not stir again.
What was that?
Thank you for that. Please, do not heed her words, push them from your mind, Iggy sighed as Dorian bound Ona's arms, legs and wings in the strongest of Jotunheim's roots he could muster before trusting Iggy's words and rushing down to the others.
He saw the young Valkyrie goddess taking the blow from Bikou's staff in return for her own strike. Slowly, yet surely, the aura was fading, he could see Thrud's bruises, wounds and exhaustion through it all.
You could have avoided most of these, he sighed with absolute certainty, realizing he didn't have much time. As much as you like to think so, you aren't invincible. The memory of her unconscious form at Olympus played out in his head; he didn't want to see that again.
Dorian took hold of Bikou's staff with both hands, pulling as hard as he could he adjusted the Monkey King's attack. With the time freeze coupled with the youkai's incredible strength, it took considerable effort yet Dorian succeeded, repositioning the weapon so that it would pass harmlessly over her head.
She'd never forgive me if she knew I helped out…just kick his ass Thrud. He let the vestige of a smile he did not intend to be so heartfelt grace his features before moving to the next. Freyja had Katerea well in hand and Dorian doubted he could do much to assist in a battle of God-class fighters; he did take in the sight of her shimmering Valkyrie Queen armor, jaw dropping at how different one could look from how you saw them.
"Rose…" he muttered as he approached her. She was still frozen in place yet the aura was nearly gone. He left a sphere of Hestia fire for good measure before turning towards Kuroka still glaring haughtily not far at Koneko
His arrival was just in time as the time dilation dispersed, causing the three women to stagger free utterly confused. He placed his hands on Rossweisse's shoulders as she nearly fell from a combination of the mist still running through her system and the sudden shift in time.
"D-Dorian!" Her cheeks reddened as she smiled at his sudden presence. "What happened?"
"Gasper is safe," he could not help but reciprocate her expression while motioning to the young Dhampir overjoyed as the others started to move once more. "Ona is down and the Balance Breaker's effects seem to be dispersing."
Sure enough, from Gasper at the center rippling outward, the aura was slowly fading as the others slowly but surely began to stir. Based on how slowly the forced Balance Breaker was disappearing, it would still be some time before outside help could arrive, but not long before all within were mobile again.
"And you sought out little old me," Kuroka remarked while grinning at him. "Are you looking for some one on one time?"
Dorian stepped forward, only for his wrist to be caught. Turning around he saw Rossweisse looking very determined and serious. She slowly shook her head before motioning towards Vali and Issei in the distance.
"You need not concern yourself with her," the young Valkyrie stood up to her full height, completely hiding her poisoned state of which Dorian was unaware. Rossweisse knew full well that the Einherjar would refuse to depart if he knew of her ailment. "The others may require assistance, leave this one to us."
"Are you s…?"
"We are," Koneko finished her sentence. "Go help Issei, you didn't hear it from me…but I'd rather not see him hurt."
Dorian was about to protest, but quickly lowered his finger and nodded. Before he could leave, Rossweisse placed a makeshift seal on his leg to set the ankle as best as was possible. Lastly, she leaned in close, rubbing a pair of fingers across his neck gently to send a shiver up his spine.
"Rose…wha…?"
"Y-your injury," she stuttered, referring to his bite marks. "That will prevent infection and hopefully stop any…"
"Are you two gonna need a room? Cause if you are I could always joi…"
"Good luck rebuilding your species," Dorian interrupted calmly, causing Kuroka to lose her playful smirk for half a moment. "I hope the price is not too high."
Rossweisse opened up a wall of seals, her mind suddenly clear to block Kuroka's vision from Dorian as he took off towards the crackling energy of the Heavenly dragons being freed from the time stop.
"Not even a goodbye kiss?" She asked as she regained her composure. "No wonder you're still a virgin at your age."
For the first time, such words did not bite so deep into Rossweisse, no longer concerned with failures of the past in the face of the man rushing away in that moment. She just smiled, turning towards her opponent to walk beside Koneko for a united front.
"S-such an action would not be appropriate at this time, though that is none of your concern," she asserted once more, laying a hand on Koneko's shoulder to augment her strength, stamina and durability. "You will not take another step towards him. Whatever your reasons are or what else the day may bring…I can assure you of that!"
Ona has been dealt with and the others slowly return to normal, but the old Satans remain standing and the battle of Heavenly Dragons clash all around them. How can Dorian help to resolve such conflicts before they take a heavy toll?
I wanted to take this opportunity to once again than everyone following, favoriting, reviewing and enjoying The Roots of Hope. Almost a year since I started this and I am blown away by how much it has grown from my desire to write a High School DxD fic, I cannot say enough how much it means to me that you all have liked it for so long. It is you the fans who keep my spirits high for continuing this story.
Once again I have a crossroads (pun partially intended) of ideas and would love to hear fan feedback. Up next, after some down time and original stories, will be the Loki and Young Devil Gathering arcs. In the anime, they opted to show Loki first then the Young Devil Gathering, while in the original Light Novel it was the other way around and the Young Devil Gathering was shown first. I would like to know which path you would like to see written first. I have big plans for each, Loki especially as it rounds back to the unresolved portions of the first arc. Which would you prefer, to travel to the Underworld for the start of the Rating Game initially, or to face the Trickster Norse God?
As always, I hope everyone Reads and Reviews, but most of all Enjoys! :D