NMHA Ch. 29 - Measures


Masaomi wasn't quite sure what he'd expected for the day. Considering he'd gotten a Devil to pray, ended up crashing on said Devil's couch, and then left, Masaomi wasn't sure how the next day would get any stranger.

Then again, he was an exorcist, a fighter for humanity against the titans of the other side, the Devils, beasts, and all those who would prey on the weak. Life in the realm of the supernatural was only dull when the supernatural wasn't at all present.

Indeed, even as he walked down the streets of Tokyo, he was struck by the mundane nature of it all. The businessmen walking by, the students chatting about their various hobbies, none the wiser of the world around them, and how it was so much more than met the eye.

Much like Lunarunn, he supposed. When they first met, she was earnest, forthright, and entirely sincere in her wish to join them in hunting down that one Stray. Yet, fast forward some time and she was... less earnest, a melancholy that hadn't been there before, and a more hesitant

Even he could tell that the Underworld, supposedly what should be home for Devils, wasn't kind to her. Another point to her lingering humanity, perhaps? Was it really 'lingering', though, if the Worldweaver seemed so desperate to cling to some sense of justice as to begin crumbling?

The black-haired man had truly hoped that Heaven might grant her some level of aid, but it seemed as though God decided it best for Lunarunn to determine her own direction.

Perhaps that was for the best, though. She was strong, he knew she'd figure things out.

And if she ended up slipping, he'd be there to keep her on the righteous path.

He paused, looking up as a hand rose to cup his chin.

'There', insofar as he'd lend a hand when he could.

Masaomi had his own fair share of problems, after all.

A breeze brushed by him, and years of finely-honed instinct shrieked as that breeze gave way to a familiar pulse of magic.

A bounded field? In the middle of Tokyo?

Eyes sharpening, Masaomi's gaze darted from side to side, noting how the crowds of people had faded.

"Who's there?" He asked, warily, one hand on his light sword, ready for an attack in any direction.

That being said, the exorcist froze when from one of the store sides a woman with a short, cropped haircut and several tattoos stepped out, dressed in the garb of a central Asian martial artist. Indeed, the woman had a very strong Asian appearance, likely of very recent descent somewhere in China or Tibet.

She could also only be a Devil, and a strong one at that. Said Devil was taking no measures to conceal her power, indeed, one hand was extended at him, and though no magical circle had yet formed Masaomi knew that he would have less than a blink of notice before whatever spell was to be fired would do so.

"You ask, and so I shall answer. I am Xi Fan, Bishop and Qi specialist under the Blue Phenex. My liege demands your presence."

"Blue Phenex..." the name sounded familiar, taking but a moment before he remembered who exactly Lunarunn was in a relationship with. "You mean Ruval Phenex? What is he doing in Tokyo?"

"You mean to imply you are unaware?" Fan queried, eyes narrowing as the dragon tattoo racing down one arm started to glow ominously.

"Of why he's here? I've no clue." Masaomi's face firmed, ready to move if the Devil started to attack, though he had a bad feeling about who would come out on top were they to actually fight. "Please, enlighten me. Ideally, before we come to blows."

Her head tilted to the side, though her eyes never left Masaomi's, scrutinizing him before finally obliging. "Dame Bael has been kidnapped."

Wait, did Fan say what he thought she did?

"What?" Without waiting for an answer, Masaomi pressed on, eyes widening and stance loosening as his expression became one of concern. "When? How? Last I knew, she was holed up at the penthouse Ruval reserved for her!"

"And how do you know that?"

"I literally slept on the couch there last night, of course I'd know!"

There was another long second, before the Asian Bishop lowered her arm. "I see. Then you will come to speak with my liege willingly? He is agitated, but if you mean to assist then he will explain the circumstances."

The exorcist nodded. "Lead the way."

The Devil across from him gave a brief shake of her head. "No. You in front of me. That way I will know if you try and run."

"I..." he almost protested that, but Masaomi thought better of it. If Luna had been captured from the hotel... "Alright, that's justified. Let's get moving already."


Black hair. Youthful appearance. Japanese descent. Exorcist's cloak.

That was the one he'd been told about earlier.

Immediately Ruval strode over from where he'd been in discussions with one of the other hotel management informing him of the owner's untimely demise, standing over the exorcist - he could almost smell the holy energy that lingered on the man - with aura leaking into the air around him, heating up the very room.

"You are acquainted with Lunarunn Bael?" he asked, tone brooking no formality, no politeness beyond getting directly to the point.

If Masaomi was bothered by it, however, he did not show his discomfort, instead lifting his head to meet Ruval's gaze evenly. "I am. I heard she was kidnapped, and I want to help."

"Help?" The Phenex's eyes narrowed faintly. "What can a human, and a suspected party to the kidnapping, do to help?"

Masaomi's own did the same. "Don't dismiss me out of hand. I'm trained in hunting down Devils, even when they cover their tracks. If you are having issues picking up a trail, then you may damn well need my help to get Luna back."

Ruval stilled, gaze sharpening as he stepped into the exorcist's personal space, chest nearly touching chest as his voice dropped to a dangerous murmur. "And this is just another hunt to you?"

The exorcist swallowed, perhaps intimidated by the sheer threat that he felt from Ruval, but stood firm regardless. "No. I'm doing this because a friend was taken out of a safe place, right under my nose, who knows how soon after I left the building. Considering I'm a suspect as you mentioned, it's probably a pretty short timeframe. If I don't try and help somehow, I'm not sure how I'd be able to look at myself going forward."

They remained in that same position for several seconds, before the Blue Phenex responded.

His voice maintained its deadly quiet. "You wouldn't have. I gave my Peerage direct orders to execute you then and there, if you refused to meet me upon confrontation."

The black-haired man frowned. No wonder Ruval's Bishop had looked ready to throw down; she would have without a second thought. "She means that much to you, huh?"

"I do not take attacks on those I consider... part of my inner circle, lightly."

"Inner circle. Right." The briefly lifted brow that Masaomi gave Ruval suggested that he had an inkling that was not the whole story. "I've heard a bit about the relationship between you two from Luna. She's lucky, that you've been there to keep her grounded."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, exorcist."

"Masaomi." Said exorcist lifted a hand, one finger resting on his own chest. "My name is Masaomi, and I know to speak plainly in a situation like this. If we are to work together, then we will do it knowing each other's names."

Finally, Ruval stepped back, reining in his aura as his gaze grew less confrontational, and more calculating. "You have courage, I will give you that much. Not many will stand up to someone as far beyond their means as I am to you."

Humble brag, much? The black-haired man's frown deepened. "Means mean nothing to me. I refuse to be pushed around, especially by a Devil, regardless of how strong they are."

The two stood in silence, keeping their gazes locked in a staredown of rapidly-increasing tension, before finally something happened.

Ruval smiled. It was small, only barely noticeable, but he smiled nonetheless. "Such irreverence. Perhaps you are insane, rather than brave. I can't help but wonder. Still, I can see how you and Lunarunn get along, if only to some degree."

"Meh. Sanity's overrated anyway." Masaomi rolled his jaw, the stress building up in his shoulders loosening once he saw he'd managed to break through Ruval's aggressive exterior. "And I prefer 'defiance' to 'irreverence'. Down to brass tacks though. Have you managed to figure out Luna's last known location?"

His question was met with a short nod. "We've narrowed it down to a single alleyway; my Knight pieced together evidence of a flashbang laced with unicorn dust, and there was a high-caliber sniper round embedded in the wall of the penthouse suite. At the moment, the running story is that Lunarunn was injured and provoked by a sniper, who then used her ire to draw her into an ambush. I'll lead you there."

"A flashbang with unicorn dust?" Whoever went after her wanted to make sure Luna wouldn't get away. Masaomi rubbed his chin, following Ruval as the two stepped outside, moving quickly amongst the people coming and going. A quick privacy ward later and the exorcist continued. "So we know that they use modern equipment, but also have a benefactor wealthy enough to get them top-shelf goods. That said benefactor would get them unicorn dust to mix into a grenade means that they would have trust that the kidnappers would get the job done. That suggests professionals, people who'd have worked for them for a while. Who have you determined has info, motives, and means to grab her?"

"Considering that Luna was supposed to have time for herself, information about her vacation was intentionally kept sealed. The hotel owner here was bribed into disclosing it, though. I've sent the coin used in the bribe to a Phenex-allied forensics lab for analysis, so there are a few suspects. However, time is still of the essence; we cannot simply wait."

"Where is this guy anyway? Sounds like we might be able to shake him down for more information."

"Dead. I told you that I do not take kindly to those who endanger those I keep close."

Masaomi stopped, Ruval a second later when he noticed the exorcist stop, gaze shooting back to see the other man now eyeing the blond warily.

Seeing that the black-haired man disapproved, the Blue Phenex shook his head, not even turning around fully. "He shouldn't have put what's mine at risk."

"Cold-blooded murder aside..." and boy, did the human want to tear into Ruval for that. Still, considering who was at stake he would tolerate it, at least until their mutual friend was rescued. "I'm not sure how I feel about you objectifying Luna as 'yours'."

"She is mine; my responsibility, my friend, and my fiancee. Someone I hold in high regard, and someone I consider thoroughly under my protection." The Blue Phenex stared, eyes icy just as when Exorcist and Devil first met. "If I wanted your opinion, Masaomi, then I would have asked for it. As it stands, however, I wonder if your jumping to conclusions will extend into the investigation..."

The exorcist's hackles rose, and his head tilted downward as he mustered a glare in turn. "Absolutely not. I stand by what I said before; I'm in this until Luna is found and rescued."

"Then enough blathering on about something that does not matter, and continue following."

Did that hotel owner's life really mean that little to Ruval? Masaomi's mind harkened back to all those lessons about Devils, and nobility, and how someone who fit both categories could be exceptionally callous to those they deemed 'beneath' them. He'd heard kinder things about Ruval from their mutual friend, but he could see full well that the Phenex would stop at nothing to see those who'd hurt the people close to him dead at his feet.

...Perhaps uncomfortably similar to how he had been, at one time in the past.

He couldn't exactly back out, though. Someone had to make sure that Ruval's path was kept as clear as possible of innocent people.

Though if asked whether or not he wanted a piece of whoever it was that took his friend... well. Masaomi would be lying if he said no.


When Luna finally woke up, it was to a level of peace that she hadn't been expecting considering she'd been kidnapped and relegated to experimentation. Whatever it was she was sleeping on, while not nearly to the standard of the beds she'd long since grown used to, was much more comfortable than a stone floor. Indeed, after getting up into a sitting position - with a wince from the burning protest of her electrically-abused muscles - she recognized herself laying on a cot, a light blanket draped over her.

Considering that Eltren clearly had no regard for her well-being, that meant...

"Ah. You're awake."

Eh?

Luna blinked, noting the bars between them, and the fact that her body still felt that slow burning from before, and the seriousness of the realization sunk in again.

She looked down, at the trivial comfort that she'd been allowed, then back at her kidnapper, with mask now removed. A thin face topped by short black hair, matching the thin voice that had held the shotgun to her back before, stared back, sitting without a hint of aggression. That didn't mean he didn't have that weapon, though. Indeed, even now said gun was resting in his lap, one hand on the barrel as the other lifted a steaming mug to his lips.

A gesture from him, and the brunette recognized a similar mug sitting on the ground. She slowly got off of the bed, nearly collapsing again, and crawled over to the edge of her cell, taking the mug and lifting it to her lips.

Tea. The brunette wasn't sure what kind, and the quality was far from what she'd gotten used to, much like her sleeping arrangements... but considering just how shit she felt, anything was better than nothing.

Especially since... well...

"I'm... surprised," she started, coughing slightly as her battered throat protested much like her muscles from use. "I... thought I'd be given nothing."

That didn't seem to sit with her warden quite right, who lowered his mug to stare at her as though asking 'really?'

Yet, his own expression became amiable, as he gave a nod with a tilted head, before returning to a fully upright position once more.

"We're professionals. Not callous drones. Making your life as unbearable as possible? Starving you? Lord Naberius never said anything about that."

"He probably wants to save breaking me for himself," she muttered, glancing away with a scowl.

"Heh." His chest jumped briefly, as the short laugh escaped. "Perhaps. But he is also a scientist. He knows not to break things that have value to him."

But he also knew how to cut troublesome elements loose, given what happened with Kuroka's mom.

Dangerous.

The Worldweaver really hoped that Kuroka had realized something was wrong and gone to ground with her sister...

"Considering what he's researching?" The Worldweaver sighed, letting the ponytail sway side to side as her gaze dropped back to her "I suppose it's a good explanation for what he does."

"You mean an excuse," the other individual called Luna out, clearly catching on to her wording.

One side of Luna's mouth quirked upward. "Your words. Not mine."

"It is easy enough to guess. I am fully aware our patron is not a good person."

"Probably a very good Devil, though."

"Oh, certainly." He smiled again. "He is a fitting heir for the Naberius Pillar. Egotistical and crooked, but very true to his dogma. Someone who will take any steps necessary to achieve his goals."

The brunette frowned, brow drawing into a furrow. "And you respect that?"

"I respect his ambition. Not so much his personality."

Luna sat there, thinking his words over as quickly as she could manage.

"Then... you're using him, too?"

"A rising tide lifts all ships. Should Lord Naberius ascend, our group will stand to gain as well."

The Worldweaver's frown deepened. He sounded rather assured in that. But hadn't Eltren shown earlier that he didn't consider non-Pillar Devils as little more than animals, to say nothing of humans?

She lifted her tea to her lips and drank again. Soothing to a scratchy throat, she decided. Perhaps that was the intent?

Perhaps this group that worked for the Naberius also had something up their sleeve.

She wanted to ask if they did.

"...Who are you all?" Luna decided to ask instead. "From the sounds of it, you're also Devils, but... you use modern weapons?"

"Not all Devils can use magic like the Middle and High can. Some Lows are near-impotent." The now-confirmed Devil set his mug on the ground, picking up his weapon, holding it out as though showing it off. Perhaps he was. "But all Devils are adaptable. In a world where we must survive without aid, we improvise. We adapt. Many Devils are ignorant or dismissive of human engineering. We learned not to be. We had to, outside the 'civilized' lands."

She tilted her head. That answered one question, but not the other, and raised several other notions in her mind. But right now, all that mattered was how to get out. With her powers sealed, the brunette was in a very dangerous predicament.

Even if the Devil overseeing her at the moment was friendly enough, he was still her unjustly-assigned warden.

Still, if they were on... amicable terms, perhaps she could use that.

"Improvise, adapt, overcome?"

The smile widened. "Indeed. It proved quite effective against you."

"Well. I can't really deny that," Luna demurred, glancing away with a wry smirk. She'd always liked the idea of flashbangs, so there was a twisted sense of irony that she'd be captured through the use of one. Her gaze shifted back. "But... I've also never had any wartime experience. I'm mostly just a good fighter for a civilian."

"Inexperienced. Most would not have taken the bait so easily."

Now she looked down to her cup of tea, a conflicted expression coming over her face. "Yeah. That was... reckless of me."

The Worldweaver took another long sip.

Reckless was an understatement; looking back at how she reacted, Luna could see she screwed up big time.

It was disturbing, though, just how easily she went down. She was confident that she could take an entire Peerage, a decently strong one at that, and come out on top, yet fell for a kidnapping attempt by supposed low-class Devils using a sniper and a flashbang.

It was mortifying, it was infuriating, and it was terrifying.

It was humbling.

Had she gotten too big a head, and figured that everything would turn out okay?

Considering that she was under more pressure than ever, given how she was currently kidnapped, under 'investigation' for money laundering or something of the sort, and still had the Marchosias mantle hanging over her head like a Sword of Damocles, how had she thought that?

Was she still so fixated on her old life that her previous expectations had come over with her?

Had she just not been thinking?

Was it because she didn't want to think about how her life had spun out of control?

A shiver went down her spine, teeth gritting as eyes widened slightly.

Was that it?

Had she really lost control of her own path and tried to pretend she hadn't?

Maybe.

No.

Not maybe.

That must be it. She didn't want to realize that her way of handling issues had come back to bite her.

She had been so used to things just working out, that her lack of initiative ended up getting her dragged along by the likes of Eltren, by Zekram...

Maybe even the FFP?

The brunette had thought that it was an opportunity for her to make a difference in the Underworld that she couldn't otherwise have made, helping those who were left in the cold by those in power.

Yet if these were Low-class Devils who'd acted to kidnap her, the very same that she'd tried to argue for, were they the outliers?

...Or were the ones who supported the party she spoke for the outliers?

"...Hey. I know it's... nothing personal, for you lot to have captured me." She knew, because she'd been in the very same position before, with the heir-killers. "But... what is it you think of me?"

"Clarify?"

"You probably know who I am. An up-and-comer in the aristocracy. The girl who was born a Devil but bears a human soul. The girl with an inheritable power never before seen in the Underworld. Someone who... at least tries to speak for those who don't get a voice." Luna swallowed. "It's probably dumb of me to ask this of the person who kidnapped me, but... if you really are a low-class Devil, then... have I been able to help you and yours any?"

Her warden tilted his head briefly. Eyes slid shut, and one hand went to stroke his shotgun like one might a pet.

He seemed to think on her questions for several seconds, before finally reopening his eyes. The smile was gone, and in its place was a solemnity. "I see you as misguided. Yet your heart is in the right place. You fall for trappings. Your efforts have laid primarily in foreign relations, and the Reincarnated. The OSF and GKF have given ground, but very sparingly.

"I think their slow concessions were planned. To prevent you from addressing other issues. To maintain face while taking actions one or the other saw necessary all the same. To keep you so focused as to ignore greater injustices. Like the Devils who must survive in the untamed parts of the Underworld. Where every day is a fight for survival. We adapt. We overcome. Yet we struggle to live all the same. For no other reason than our place of birth. Us, so far removed from the Pillars as to be denied their surnames."

Luna looked down again, closing her eyes as the realization dawned on her where he was going with this.

"So have you been able to help me and mine?" The gaze sharpened, and he gave a single, damning word for an answer. "No."

That one word hung in the air for several seconds, the brunette setting her mug on the ground before lifting her hand to her mouth.

'Ulan. Is he telling the truth?'

"That is not for-"

'Ulan. I know that you know. Just tell me.'

The being behind her powers was silent for multiple seconds, which was telling enough. Still, she did eventually reply, confirming it for the brunette.

"...Yes."

Though it was hard to see visibly, she could feel her eyes grow hot, and moisture begin to collect.

"Then I'm sorry. That I've been such a fool."

"Apologies mean little to me. Action has more weight. Learn. Do better." Her warden paused, then continued. "In the event that you somehow survive Lord Naberius."

"Hmh." Luna's eyes reopened, and she smirked, albeit shakily. "So supportive."

"You wanted to know my thoughts." He shrugged. "Also, I have a gun filled with cold iron filaments and orders to blow your legs off if you attempt to escape. Additionally, your powers are sealed. Answering such a question is harmless to me."

Sealed.

Last time she tried to use her powers, there was a whiplash. It hurt like hell, but getting electrocuted had certainly blown that out of the water.

She supposed that 'sealed' wasn't a bad term though. It had felt as though she'd been stoppered up by something, after all. Even now, her body felt sluggish and feverish like it had before, with an extreme muscle fatigue to top it all off.

No powers.

No resources.

No help.

'Fucking hell, what a situation to be in.'

Things were bad. Really, really bad.

"I believe you are putting too much weight on the issues at hand."

'How so?'

"What do you have available to you? Focus on what you do have, rather than what you do not."

Easier said than done. Luna grimaced, taking her tea with her as she crawled back to her bed. A few seconds later, and she climbed back onto it with some difficulty.

She hated feeling so weak, even if it was justified due to the abuse her muscles had went through from the electrocution.

What did she have going for her?

Her powers. Not now, though. Those were being suppressed by whatever it was that made her feel sick.

Her Devil attributes. Enhanced strength, speed, stamina, and recovery. Yet, her body was still trying to fix the damage the electrocution had done, and without being able to actively restore her muscles Luna was forced to rely on her passive healing factor.

Her wits. She wasn't sure how they would help at the moment, when physically she had such few options available to her, but... she did still have her mind. And Ulan, to act as a voice to reason. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless, and potentially something to make use of.

Her charms? Perhaps. She had no intention of seducing the same jerkoffs who'd kidnapped her in the first place, but Luna might be able to pry some information out of them by playing nice.

The brunette's eyes shifted back to the warden, who was now flipping through a magazine.

Case in point. Their brief discussion had given her things to think about, and a little more background on the Devils who'd kidnapped her in the first place. As well as things to work on, when she got out.

If she got out.

'No, when I get out,' the Worldweaver corrected herself, frowning as the grip on her tea tightened. 'Right now, I have to focus on acting decisively.'

What else did she have?

Knowledge. Training, even. From the best that the Underworld had to offer, at least for a few years. Deciphering reason in the actions of others. Hiding and faking emotions to put on a good show for those watching. Speechcraft.

'Speechcraft...?' Literacy. Understanding. Ability to create.

A memory that had arisen before flashed through Luna's mind once more, and her eyes turned again; this time, however, they turned to the wall her cot was situated next to.

Her gaze once more returned to the mug of tea.

'...I'll have to be creative for this one, huh?'

But there was still the issue of her captor and his boomstick, as well as whatever was keeping her powers blocked.

'Blocked. Suppressed, but not entirely sealed.' If her powers were entirely cut off, then wouldn't she be unable to communicate with Ulan at all? Their bond was wholly through the blessing of Worldweave, after all.

Which... lead to the crux of the matter.

If Worldweave was a power that had roots in her soul, even if it extended to her body, would that mean that it couldn't be entirely sealed away unless the soul itself was bound?

'...Ulan. I'm still able to use Worldweave, aren't I?'

"You're talking to me."

She closed her eyes.

'Then that's a yes. But the fact is that it is blocked by a significant margin. Like trying to fit... I dunno, shove a stick of string cheese through a hole smaller than it? If I try, it's going to get messy, even if I do succeed.'

"That is... a very interesting analogy, Luna."

'It's not wrong though, is it?'

"Not at all."

So she'd have to learn how to... cut the cheese?

...

"..."

'...'

"Luna, I see myself as a rather tolerant being, but that pun... were it not for the laws of this land, I would take over your body right now and throw your soul back out of this world."

That... that was warranted. Though Ulan's reaction did manage to lift Luna's mood to some degree, which in turn let her focus more.

So she needed to work with a much smaller opening than before. The window of the soul, rather than the conduit that was her body.

Even if she succeeded, Luna knew that she'd only be able to get a small amount of Worldweave's reality-altering potential through the block.

She'd need to store that smuggled potential somewhere.

But where?

Ruval's pendant? That could have been a good container.

Had she been able to keep it, anyway...

'No use thinking about it now. It's gone, so I'll need to work something else out.'

"Ah-"

Luna tried to stand again, but found that her muscles were still not quite recovered enough to keep doing so. Instead, she found herself toppling forward, throwing her arms out to try and break her fall, crashing against the ground painfully as even her arms didn't have enough strength to completely stop her from eating the ground. The mug in her hand shattered, unable to withstand the impact, the little tea that remained spilling out with the shards of the ceramic.

"O-ouch..." the brunette winced, tilting her head to look back up at the warden, who'd set his magazine down to stare at her. She lifted a hand to her chest, giving an apologetic smile. Though, it might have been more of a grimace, given the way her eyes crinkled. "S-sorry. Tried standing, didn't work out."

"Lord Naberius did a number on you." her captor sighed, rubbing one side of his face before pulling out a phone. A quick few taps later and he started talking across the line. "Jamie? It's me; our prisoner took a spill with the tea you brewed. Yes, it was an accident. I'm keeping an eye on her right now. She still hasn't recovered from her meeting with Lord Naberius. You come in and stand guard while I clean up her mess."

The Worldweaver sat in silence as one of the other soldiers, this time a large man, presumably 'Jamie', stepped into the room with pistol at the ready. Naturally, he was pointing it directly at Luna while the other one got out of the seat.

Naturally, she stood stock-still, swallowing as the inside of the barrel glinted ominously at the brunette.

"You really thought to give her a ceramic mug, Lucas?" he grumbled, tilting his head with nose scrunched in distaste at the mess that the now-named Lucas was walking over to scoop up.

"If we had something more suitable for a prisoner, I would use it," the thin Devil protested from his place kneeling in front of the mess as he gathered it together. "We don't have plastic cups here. Trying to keep the trail as clean and empty as possible."

"What if she did that on purpose?"

"I saw her toppling over. That was definitely not faked. Besides, her powers are sealed. Even if she does somehow make a magical circle, unless one of us channels power in this room, there's nothing she can do."

Well, Luna could agree with everything he just said there.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just make sure you've got everything, so I can get back to my nap."

The Worldweaver remained still, intent on not letting the big guy with the gun have any reason to open fire, while the other went and cleaned up her mess.

"Thanks," the brunette said as he finished up. "Sorry again for making a mess."

"You need more rest," he replied, in the same tone of voice as before, picking up the pieces and looking through them. "Quite the spill. Too many pieces to count. Looks like everything, though."

"Good. Then I'm gonna head back. And bug Basara for plastic cups, for the next time you decide to give the prisoner a drink. Don't interrupt me with this shit again, got it?" With a dismissive wave, Jamie left the room, leaving Luna alone with Lucas once more.

He tossed the shards in a nearby waste bin and went back to reading, seeing as any risk of her obtaining anything useful was now taken care of.

Yet...

Luna looked down at her chest now, and more importantly, the relatively medium-sized fragment, roughly half the length of her finger, that had she'd somehow managed to sleight of hand into her bosom, safely nestled out of sight.

It was no pendant, but it was still a receptacle.

The Worldweaver could use that.


Masaomi's eyes flicked from left to right, resting briefly on the reconstructed soot mark of the detonated flashbang as he strode around the alleyway, stopping at various points to investigate seemingly innocuous locations. His face was contorted in a rictus of utmost focus, while the Phenex who'd enlisted him to grant assistance stood not too far away, arms crossed and face indicating a growing frustration with the silence of the exorcist.

Indeed, a couple minutes passed further until finally Ruval spoke. "What is it that you're looking for, exactly?"

"I'm trying to pick up a trail," the black-haired man fired back, not so much as breaking stride as he knelt by the flashbang mark again. "If I can get a whiff of any remnant of a Devil's presence, I could start tracking them."

Ruval clearly did not believe it. "Like a dog?"

"Exorcists are called the dogs of the Church by many factions." Masaomi took a moment to crack a sly grin at the blond, before returning his focus on the area around them. "It's something of an inside joke that we're trained to sniff out trails by way of remnant energies. The moniker's more accurate than many would expect."

"I imagine the Church would not like you using this skill to aid a member of an enemy faction."

"I'm working with a Devil to find another Devil, who so happens to be a friend of mine. I think I've definitely crossed the line of 'heresy' by this point." He didn't seem the slightest bit repentant about it, though.

"You... you are not like other exorcists I met."

The black-haired man shrugged. "I was something of a late student. I didn't take to Church propaganda quite as readily as most did."

"Quite?"

"Well, how many Christian Nihonjin have you seen?"

"Hmh. Point taken."

"Back on topic, though. I think I'm getting something here. But it's faint, really faint. I can't pick up a trail with this, but I can tell that they were Devils, and that maybe one spell was used in the area. Interrupted though, otherwise we'd see more structural damage." His nose flared briefly as he inhaled, before continuing. "I'm pretty sure that one is from Luna before she was stunned."

"We already determined that," the Blue Phenex's mood immediately took a downturn. "So are you saying you're at an impasse too?"

"No, I'm saying I'm going to need more of a contrast between the ambiance and Luna's trail if I'm going to get a bead on where she might have been taken. There's two ways I could do this. Firstly... are there any dirty cl-"

"Finish that query and it will be your last."

"-Right, angry firebird. Okay, then I'm gonna need you to saturate the area with your Id."

"And how is that going to help, rather than snuff out the trail completely?"

"Look, it's pretty obvious you're attracted to Luna." He ignored Ruval's scowl and continued unabashed. "Your Id, without direction, is going to try and prop up any remaining aura from her. I can cross-reference the locations that your Id seems to react with the underlying scent in order to get a good trail."

The Phenex could hardly believe what he was hearing. "So you're saying that my... affections, for Luna, are the linchpin to tracking her down?"

"Not the description I'd use, but that's basically the gist of it." Masaomi paused, then grinned again. "Can't wait to tell her that love led us to her when things looked bleakest, though."

"I think I very much dislike you."

"And I think you're a callous, dangerously selfish prick, but here we are." He turned around and walked off back over to one of the intersections between ground and wall. "Good heart-to-heart, by the way."

Ruval was nonplussed. How was it that Luna and Masaomi supposedly got along? He just couldn't see what she saw in him, beyond an equally foolhardy level of stubbornness. "You were much more tolerable when you weren't talking."

"Yeah, well, you're the one who wanted me to open my mouth, so you've only got yourself to blame." The black-haired man turned back over to the Phenex, brow lifted. Now are you gonna help me find your girlfriend or what?"

Ruval may have taken a bit too much glee in the way Masaomi's eyes widened near comically-large when the Phenex let his self-control drop, subsequently unleashing his aura.

Actually... no. The blond thought that the petty satisfaction he got from it was quite warranted. Especially since it sent Masaomi bounding out of the alleyway after but a couple seconds, face set in concentration once more.

Much like a bloodhound with a scent. The exorcist really was living up to the 'dog of the church' moniker.


Unfortunately for Luna, she was unable to use the smuggled ceramic shard to make any etchings, even as she crawled back into bed. The time she had, she needed to spend on relearning how to use Worldweave.

The brunette really hoped that Eltren was going to try for getting as much research from her as possible, rather than going for a vivisection right off the bat. If she was lucky, she might get away with muscle tests and blood drawing for their first session. If not...

"That is not worth focusing on. You must learn how to draw solely from your soul, instead of using your Id to do the heavy lifting."

Ulan, as usual, had a point.

'Any suggestions?'

"Beyond inward-reaching meditation, no."

Well, she certainly could do meditation. Luna hadn't started with Senjutsu yet, which she imagined was probably the inverse - that being outward-reaching meditation - but she also had the feeling that her connection with Ulan would help.

Maybe her own bodily circumstances might help. It wasn't the body that Luna had lived longest in, which meant that there was probably still some disconnect between it and her soul, perhaps the two being held together by her mind in a more literal sense, rather than the three being interwoven.

Ulan didn't seem to be making any comments, so maybe Luna was on to something with that line of thought.

So if she wanted to use Worldweave, it would need to be solely through her mind, in the absolute purest sense. Otherwise, she would channel Id and trigger the sealant on her powers. Which meant...

"You will need to separate your mind from your Id," the conceptual being confirmed.

Since the Id was a natural part of the Devil's physique, flowing inside them much like a scond bloodstream, that meant she'd need to separate her mind from her body.

Luna's eyes reopened with alarm.

'Hang on. Are you saying I'll need to manifest an astral fucking projection!?'

She was nowhere near trained enough in spiritual arts to be able to perform such an action.

"No, just get partway to doing so."

Oh, that was much better.

'Well, that's good, I guess I'll just need to learn fifty percent of the process, rather than a full hundred.'

"Luna, if you would stop bitching, then you would realize you already have a solid grounding in the process, and not just because of the times you dove through our link."

Ah. Ulan cursed. Had she gone a little too far?

'...Sorry.'

"Thank you. And you wonder why I tend to stay out unless I have something to say; you're such a pessimist."

'I'm a realist, thanks.'

"The jury is still out on that," Ulan drily sniped back. "Now get to it. There is much ground to cover and little time to do so."

The brunette huffed, though it was with a slight smile as she let her eyes slide shut. Ulan was right, though. She did have prior experience. She wasn't - or at least, she hadn't been - a particularly spiritual person, but she did know how to open her mind, whether that's to release stress or to pass time.

It really was half of the path to projecting her spirit in its purest sense. She just needed to get into that space where body and mind started to separate, so she could draw from one and not the other.

'Alright. Breathe in, and breathe out. Slowly.'

Her chest rose, then fell.

'In. Out.' Again.

'Good, do that again.' Breathe in. Breath out.

'In. Out. Again.' Once more, Lunarunn breathed.

'Focus. Focus inward.

Let the stresses and pains of the body fade. They are of little import now.

What matters is freeing the mind.'

'...Ẁ̷̡̛̰̱̹͙̝̯̻͔̥̥͕͎̦͍͖̖̳͇̘͍̤̗́͛̓̀̒̒͆͛̀̃͆̆͑̇͌̇͑̽͐̓̽̉̈̿̋̑̅̐̆̚͝ͅh̶̡̧̡̞͉̫͈̲̪̬̬̞̳̠̘̫͙̳͎̫̓̀̅͛̿̈́̎̓͑͑͊̀̈́̆̈́̽̐̄͂̃̑́̄̅͂̀̒̿̔̚̕̚͜͜͝ͅá̷̢̧̨̢͚̥̜̻͇̱͇̪̫̞̣͉̥̅͑̑̈́͑̾̃t̵̨̧̢̩̙̤̪̫̹͓̰͔͎̦̼̝͎͔̰͉͉̤͍̪̪͚͎͖̼͔͖͎̀̔̅̌̇̄̓̓̊̀͐̌̽̿̌̾̈́̕͝͝͝͝?'

'So focus on that.

F̷̛̥͈̞̈́̀͆́͊̅̉̏o̵̳͖͚͖̺̲̰̽̽͑͆̐́̿c̵̢̧̲̰̫̩͓̆́u̵̢̢̪̼͈̣͕͆͋̓͋͋̋̉̏̾̀̚̚ͅs̵̛̫͖̝̩̲͍̜̘͔͉̈̀̾͂̅͂̓́̑͛͘͠͝͝.'

Her next breath came heavily; she struggled to do so like she had before.

"Good. Just breathe. In, and out. Reach further within yourself. To draw on Worldweave at its purest, you must separate yoursef from your ego, and your Id. As a Devil, that means recognizing your hangups, and make peace with them, if only for a time."

And to handle each hangup would mean... addressing each of the sins that represent a Devil's Id, and events in her life that incited them for her?

'Yeah... that sounds about right.'

Maybe. She wasn't sure. But again, Ulan wasn't correcting her, so perhaps there was merit to the guess.

'First off... Acedia. Sloth.'


All his life, Sol had never had to put much work into anything. He'd always been blessed with an easy living. Never wanting for necessities, given help achieving the things he wanted, loving and caring parents; his life was not one of excess, but by all means could be considered the pinnacle of what a middle-class individual could hope for growing into adulthood and beyond.

Yet, unlike his father, who'd come from a family where he had to work to get where he was, Sol never faced hardship and failure like the ones who'd raised him.

It had all come so easily, all the good things in Sol's life. It may have remained that way, too.


'But that life's gone. Luna's would have been the same, but I made the choice to try and be something more.'

In.

'It's time I stop expecting everything to turn up the way I think they will. Where I am now is because of my own lack of initiative and foresight.'

Out.

'It's only fitting that I start acting, rather than reacting, to get out of this place. I can't sit idly by anymore.'

"Good. You're doing well. On to the next one."

Avaritia, then. Rampant greed.


Yet, when Sol found himself in a new body, in a new world, where only he knew what was going to happen next, within him grew a spark of yearning. Not for any particular thing, but rather to become... the main character, so to speak. To become someone capable of towering over the titans of DxD, a person able to have anything or anyone he so chose.

It terrified him, to see just how high, and how steep, the mountains stood. Sol, in his first days as Luna, received just the barest taste of what true power was, choking at Sirzech's feet for daring to insinuate his family in their negotiations.

But at the same time, that very same power, the strength to make others kneel, to make them bow to her will and whims? Luna wanted that. She wanted that bad.


'I still have so far to go before I even get close to actually achieving that. And even then... it's not so much that I seek that strength for power's sake, but because I think I would be able to handle it responsibly.'

In...

'I know what it's like to be used, and thrown away. I don't want to be that sort of person to others.'

'̸̧̮̝̭̹̋̍̇?̵͓̗͔̹̣̿͒'̶̨̢̙̮̖̔

Luna's felt herself curl inward, as though coming down with a severe stomachache. Immediately, she knew why.

'But... if I said that I didn't want to be strong, to be able to defy people like Sirzechs as utterly as he'd overwhelmed me back then... I... I'd definitely be lying. I want that power, and I want it so that I protect myself and those close to me. Still, I don't think I can stomach using the lives of those undeserving of punishment for my own gain anymore. So I won't... as much as someone like me can avoid.'

Out.

Slowly, but surely, that foreboding ache faded, leaving her feeling a little lighter than she had before.

"Very good. Continue, Luna. You're on the right track."


Invidia. Spiteful Resentment.

She struggled to understand just how someone like Sirzechs could be so absurdly strong. How he could have such a grip on the Underworld, that he could abandon a girl to potentially be kidnapped and turned into breeding stock, and almost nobody would bat an eye at his actions.

Yes, she knew that he had a long and storied history forming the Underworld as it stands today, but even still.

Was that power really what gave him such liberties as to throw her away?

If Luna said she didn't hate him for that, she'd be telling the truth.

She didn't hate him. She loathed Sirzechs. She loathed him for his power, for his influence, for the charisma he used to make everything that happened to Luna occur with such minimal backlash as to be nonexistent. She wanted him to suffer as she did, to know the torment that she'd went through, and the desperate hopelessness as the walls closed in. To know that to come out of that night unharmed or unsullied would be a miracle in and of itself.

For someone so powerful, Luna felt a bitter satisfaction at the idea of him coming to terms with powerlessness once more.

After all, were it not for Ruval, the brunette probably would have 'vanished' before sunrise, never to be seen by anyone who knew her again.

Simply put, she wanted to do unto Sirzechs what he did unto her.


'̸̹̯̹̎͐̈̅̎̈͐̓̓̕͠W̸̛͚̝̙͈̺̤̌̈́͒̾̓̈́̑͒͌͆͘͝ḩ̸̢̺̝̬̮̟͉̖̟͓̘͙͋à̸̢̻͚͎͇̤̦̦̫̤͓̯̇̑͌̈́̏̍̔̀͘ţ̵̺̘̞̺̩̹̣͓͈̥̓͒͜͝ͅ'̵̛̻̤̀̏͛͗̉̈́̂̃̉̏͌͜͠s̵̫͍̣̠͍̗̥͇̞̻̍̓̓̓̈́̀́ ̵̯̦̫͕̯̘̱͈͈̒͒͐w̵̛͎̤̻̦͙̗͓̼̠̳̿̽͊̉̅̀̍ŗ̴͍̪̟͈̤͓̗̭̳̪͙̍̈͌o̷̺̟̫͙͚̙̿̅̈̈́̐̾͑̕n̶̰̗̂̽̎̐g̴̨͚͙̪̳͚͎̻̍̈́̃͜ ̶̝̝̠̖͎̠̼͔̦̚w̶̢̠͙̫̝͓͇͎̺̭̹̬͕̑̌̆̋̑̂ͅì̸͈̫͉͈̱̜̪̄̀͊̂̋́̃t̵̢̛̬͉̺̱̞͓̲̟̱̂̊̐́̎͆͊͐͗̈́̃ẖ̶̤͖̠̣̰̣̪̒ ̶̢̣̤̥͍̗̩͓̘͉̫͓̬̥͊w̴̧̢̹̹͖͉̰̉̅̊͊́̌ă̸̤͗͌̉̃̇͋̆̉ņ̸̩̯̮͉̱͕͍̋͐͒̇̄̽̀̌̀͆͝t̵̡͎̦̀̍̈́̈́͗͛̌̀ǐ̵̡̙̝̠̳̪͔͖͈̟̹̣̗͆̿̌͘͜͝ṅ̴͕̥̲̝̮́̔g̵̫͚͙̞͎̖̮̮̹͚̫̘̑̓̆̽̀́͛͘͘ͅ ̷̥̑͌͂̌͒̋͘͘̕r̷̡̼͎̞̝͚̮͔͑̄̐̑̊̈́̓̅̃͘ͅe̵̢̯̪̮͉̗͎̗̰̿̇̈́̿̏̔̊̅̈́̕͝v̸̧̲̤͉̭̗̱̀̏̃̈̅̏̈́̀͛͝͝e̵̢̛͖̦͎̗͙̻̎̽̀̎̓̒̉͂̈́́͘̚n̵͉̩̉ģ̴̡͔͔͖͖̺̠̈́̔̄͋̓ȩ̵͇̩̃̀͐͆̆̐́̂͐?̶͔̗̳̹̈́̀̈̔̄͠͝ͅ'̴̢̮̭̹̲̼̞̔̈́́̑̈͌̉̕͘͘͠

Luna's chest grew tight, and where before she'd felt a foreboding ache, now inside her burned a green fire, noxious and spiteful.

It was contained... though even now, that spiteful flame rattled its confines, seeking purchase in the Devil it was part of.

She knew that if it ever got out, it would mean she no longer cared about the extent of which she'd go to see the Crimson Satan suffer.

'Sirzechs wanted to protect Rias, and Serafall brainwashed me to ensure that I played the part to keep both their sisters off the arranged marriage block. If I'd known that would happen...'

Would that have changed what Luna did?

In...

'Maybe. But maybe not. I wanted to protect them too. I just... wanted to be a part of their team. To be a peer, or at least a subordinate, not just some... disposable tool.'

Part of why she wanted to get back at Sirzechs was because he was so completely unrepentant: for lying to the Phenexes, for abandoning her, for having someone she'd trusted effectively turn her into a puppet for the moment of truth. All to ensure that she absolutely succeeded in what they'd set out to do that night.

'I'd have let Serafall do her work in my head anyway, if I'd simply been told the truth that despite our efforts they still weren't comfortable with my performance.'

Out.

But they hadn't. So here she was now, coming to terms with the depth of her hatred for the Crimson Satan's betrayal.

Even now, however, she knew that any grievance she had with Sirzechs would be between the two of them. That her revenge would be justified in both scope, and spread.

'Taking revenge and not caring who else gets hurt in the process wouldn't be justice. It would simply be cruel spite.'

It would be harder, far harder, to enact justice where the Underworld failed her. But what was right, and what was easy, were usually two wholly separate entities.

And she was alright with that, as long as Sirzechs one day saw duly-deserved repercussions for his selfish actions.


Gula. Unceasing hunger.

Perhaps there was a time that she ended up caught in the excesses of the Underworld. The ambrosial apples grown by the Bael, the finely-brewed teas from the most prestigious of leaves, the vast meals that boggled the mind, especially as most would never even be consumed.

Her thirst for comeuppance on Sirzechs, her hunger for strength, had for a time been squelched by the trite comforts the Underworld possessed. Looking back, though, that had been during a time where she hadn't been under such pressure.

But even now, Luna knew that she could walk away from it all.

After all, she could still enjoy even the modest cup ramen that Masaomi had gotten her as an apology for her passing out from prayer.

Yet still, there had been a chance she could have ended up becoming addicted to that excess; the endless physical pleasures of the Underworld giving her but a modicum of perceived freedom, even as she bound herself further to its whims.


'I enjoyed it all, yes, and perhaps a bit too much considering how I stagnated those first few years. I guess my gluttony fed into my sloth, or maybe the other way around, focusing on such trite fulfillments that I stopped moving forward. That I needed the aid of the Satans Beelzebub and Leviathan to keep growing... looking back, I'm disappointed.'

In.

'But I can leave it all behind. I know I can. Simply being alive and whole, especially after all this? It'll be a joy that keeps me sated for a long time to come.'

Out.


Luxuria. Overwhelming desire.

If Luna was honest, she was a creature of many base desires. She knew that, and she fully accepted that about herself.

She's certainly tried to not let it affect her, and felt that for the most part she was able to succeed in doing such.

Yet...

There were times when it was hard to think about what was right, over what she wanted. Sometimes, it was hard to understand what the difference between the two was.

Even when it came to something like her freedom, of being able to carve her own path within the Underworld, unbowed to its nature.

Was it really so wrong, to have such powerful desires and act on them? S̴̞̠̊͘h̵͎̒͋e̴̲̅'̵̻͖̝̑̊̀s̵̱̖͔͒͌͗ ̷̠͇̀n̸̫̍e̸̜͗v̶̫̰̮̈́̃ê̷̪̟͔̾̕r̸͖̉̕͝ ̴̧̟̦̔͘͘a̵̙̽̓͘c̴͍̖̈ţ̷̪̓͂͝ẽ̵̗̙͉̐̐d̵̲̾ͅ ̷̯̊͐͠o̸̖̒̉̓n̷̛̹͐ ̴̡̨͎̋ṯ̴̮̪͛h̴̯̀͝ë̸̼́̀m̵̡͎̟̈́̀ ̵̜͊̋̀ẗ̷͙̬́̈́̈o̶̞̪͋ ̷̡͈̏̂͒a̸̬͠ṇ̸͓̯̐͋ÿ̴͔̻ó̸̢̠n̶̜̣͙̽e̵͔̐'̸̛̭͍ṡ̸̺̆ ̷͓̌̿d̷̲̔ḗ̴̙t̷͈̾ȑ̶͕̘̀ì̷͚m̴̙͋̄̕e̷͈̳̲̾͠n̸̡͝ṭ̶̤̥͆͊͘ ̷͓͛͗̾b̶̼̬̙̉̉̀e̵̩͎͔͝f̷̩̺̈́o̵̺̠͆͐ř̴̤͍̺̕e̸̦̔̌.̶̢̖̹̾̚.̷̢̜͕͝͝.̷͍̹̂͠ͅ


Had she not fallen into a meditative state, Luna would have writhed as an empty, desperate longing filled her, an all-encompassing need for... something. What that something was, she wasn't sure, but she longed for it, needed it almost as badly as she needed air.

No, what she'd said was wrong. Luna had acted on her rampant desires and harmed others as a result. She decided the lives of Devils, even those who deserved their reprieve from the Underworld, to be beneath her goals of achieving High Class. That she'd use them to fuel her climb for those Evil Pieces, their lives for those of the people she knew and had originally set out to protect... what was that, if not a lust for power strong enough to bend her morality?

'I think the fact that I have to even bring it up is telling enough.'

In.

'I was so focused on the people I sought to protect, the powers that I sought to obtain, that I compromised myself in achieving them. Their stories, their faces... they still haunt me. That I sacrificed them was wrong, even if it was for what I think is a noble goal.'

Lunarunn swallowed, hard, mind briefly flicking over to an idea that had been rolling around in her mind for a long while.

'Especially since... if I'd tried hard enough, I could have saved them too.''

Ever since she started feeling choked out by the ways of the Underworld, in fact.

'Those faces... they still haunt me. As they should. If I ever stop feeling regret for what I did to those people, who were already screwed over to begin with, then...'

She didn't finish.

She didn't need to.

Out.

'If I could go back and change it, I would. But I can't turn back time, not to this degree. So... the only thing I can do now is live knowing that my success was bought on their bones, and try to give their deaths meaning. To remember them, where nobody else will, and remember my guilt so that I don't use anyone else like that again.'


Superbia. Insidious self-importance.

Luna, even back when she was known as Sol, always felt that there was a wall that separated her from her peers.

Not so much that she was distant; if anything, she felt like she got along with most people remarkably well, at least when there was nothing to hate each other over.

No, what she felt was a sense of... superiority, perhaps. A feeling as though everyone else were just side characters, while she herself was the main character in the story of the world.

Even coming into the world of DxD, Luna considered herself as someone special. Someone with an ability nobody else possessed, someone with a knowledge of a canonical path of future events, someone who would go on to completely derail that path and twist it to her whims.

Even now, despite all evidence to the contrary, despite the fact that compared to the real movers and shakers she was still but vermin, she held on to the belief that as long as she didn't simply let bad things happen, everything would be okay.


'But that really isn't true. I know it's not. I'm not omniscient, or omnipotent. I still was brought low by a military-grade firecracker to the eyes and ears. So why do I hold onto the idea that I'm better than anyone else?'

In.

'Nobody's perfect. Least of all me. I know that, yet... I still act like I am all the same. Is it arrogance? Is it a facade? Or am I just that scared to admit that I'm just the same as anyone else? That I'm not special?'

Out.

But her chest still felt tight.

'...It really does come down to that. Doesn't it?'


...Ira. Endless rage.

'B̶̡̛̛̥̣̳͈̱̹͇̠̲̞͇̳̥̭̳͉̣͎͐͊̿̈͊̀͊͋̈́̈́͒̈́́̽̀͊̒͑͐̀͋̿̋̉̈̔͐͗̽̀͋͒͘͝ŗ̷̡̧̛̬̹̱̺̭̯͑̒́̆̂̇̂̔̇̋̍͊̂́͊̒̔̄̌̿̂̾͌̐̈́͒̔͘͘̕̕͝͝ȩ̷̹͍̪͖̘̹̝̠̬͇̜̣̙̼̪͓̥̝̪̖̃̓̀̔̐͐̍͋͗͊͗͆̈́͋́̌̍̾́̓́͗̂̅̍̍̓͊̀̑̚̚͜͝͝ͅå̴̧̡̢̡͈͕̲͓̠̣̞̘̝̳̠͈͇̭͉͖̩̰͇̫͙͍̻̘̟̜̟̳̂t̵̡̢̛̛̼̩̻̺̱͕͚͎͎̦̱̹̬͕̠̫̦͚͕͈͓̣̠̜͖̟̪̝̫͓̖̺͓͚̂̄̋̐̏͗̅̀̏̃̉̀̿̑͋̾͂̒͗͠h̷̢̞̘͔̥̩̯̝̗͔͓̜͓̲̱̹̺̍̉̇̃͑͠é̸̡̧̢̛̛͎̖̤̞̱͓̺̪̲̠͍̟̱͎̼̤̤̏̒̒͛̈́̎̀̉͌͆̓͊̎̓̃͆̋̉͠ͅ.'

She couldn't breathe. Something ugly was forming, something putrid blocking her throat-

'Drift down.'

'D-ft -o-n.'

'Ḑ̴̨̨̨̛̞̱̼̹̜͙̫̤̦̘͈͗͛͆̈̑̄̿̋̾̿̈́̍͒̄̀̄͗̐̌̈́̓̎̍͛̇͝͝ͅr̷̢̨͉͓̪͎̺̪̣͖̟̱̱̹͇͙̬̯̥̯̊͂̋̒͂͛ó̸͔̭̥͖͔͍͙̳̥̘̹̗̥͓̬̱̩̮̥̝̺̽̽̃̏̀̉̐̐͘͘ẃ̷̢̧̨̳̻̥̻̣͍̬̜̻̻̮̪̝͈͎͇̰͎͇̰̻̀̌͌̅̀̃͑̏͌̃̎́̃̇͜͜ͅͅņ̷̪͕̺̘̗̹̮̥̤̫̘̖͍͕͓͎̥̦̖̱̤̦̣̲̱̻͎̌̃̌̐́͘?'

She couldn't breathe, she was drowning, she couldn't breathe-

'Oh, no, Luna... it's okay. It's okay. Just, just let it all go.'

Something in her stilled, and the thing that had been forming dissipated.

Let it go?

'Yeah. Yeah, let them go.'

Let... her fears go?

Her worries?

Her doubts?

No. No, she couldn't.

She couldn't.

She couldn't, she coudn't, no she couldn't, nonono̴̡̡̡̨̢̩̖̺̱͇̙̮̘͖͖̤̤͍̞͇̭̠̣͈͉̤͕̖̜̭͍̰̯͕͑̐̂͌́̚͜ͅn̶̡̛̼̺̘̮̞͚̝̹͖͎̦̭͚̱͎̿͌̆͋͆̂̋̕ͅǫ̷̨̡̮̝͎̻̤̳̬͇̞̓̓̊́͐̏̀́̐̽̈́͋n̸̡̨̡̛̬͍͓̩͇͓̜͔̲̣͍̱̳̩̞͔̻̙̱͇̬̦̺̺͍͚͇̮͆̈́͛̀̂̈͊͐̈́͠͝͝o̷̡̡̰̥̣̩̗̗̞͎̰̖͕̫̼̖̦̬̦͔͉͙̙̻̟͚̤̘̼̮̺̹̯͖͕̅̐̈́̉͌͊̿̾̆́̀͛͆̐̓͂͌̉̋̏̀̓̓̚̕͘̚͘͘͝͝n̷̢̢̨̟̰͙̦̯͍͇̰̺̗̭̬̱̰̳̞̩͙̤̜̯̭͙̯͔̬̯̻̟̏͂͛̿͜͜͜ͅo̴̖͖͖͇̙̝̰͓̠̦̺̒̀̀ͅ-

'It's okay. It's okay, Luna. You'll be okay.'

'...But how?'

For a long, long moment, Luna was scared again.

Scared that she would find herself on her own with the idea of releasing these things which had been with her for so long.

Yet...

"By accepting it all."

Ulan was there.

She hadn't backed away.

She hadn't left.

Luna wasn't alone.

"By accepting that these shadows have haunted you.

That these chains have bound you.

Understand yourself, your flaws, your fears.

Understand, and accept. Accept yourself... and defy your weaknesses all the same."

'I...' Luna's breath hitched again, the next one she drew shuddering.

Her weaknesses.

Her rage.

Her naivety.

Her doubts.

...Her fears.

She'd acknowledged them. Accepted them, even. She always had.

But how close was she to being consumed by them?

How long had she been standing on the precipice?

'I don't know if I can.'

For someone who had insisted before on staying away from Luna during moments of weakness like this, Ulan sounded close. Soft. As though getting as close as she could, without actually pulling Luna through their link to her inner world.

"You can," she murmured, quiet and gentle. "Even if you struggle to believe in yourself. Hesitation is human. It's okay to be afraid. To not be okay. To understand you're not okay, and accept yourself all the same.

"You're not alone. When you decide to stop running and face it all, I will stand with you."

Even like she was...?

'...Promise...?'

From one of the so painfully few who hadn't gone back on one of those to her?

"I promise."

...She...

...She supposed she could live with that.

Her breathing steadied, and Luna felt herself begin to slip. This time, she let herself go, the shell she wore day by day fading from perception as her consciousness drew inward.

"Good. You are doing well. You are doing so well, Luna." The voice of her patron, usually located in the back of her mind, resonated all around Luna now. "Feel the cool lapping of the well of blessings at your feet. My blessing, the well of Worldweave, in its purest form. See the scintillating lights, the very colors that your wings are painted. Hear the soft swishes and rustles as it draws in, and pushes out, like a lake shore, like a breath."

Had she still had her faculties, Luna would have reached out. As it stood, there was only a mental motion, as through internally holding out an arm to draw upon Worldweave. 'All need be done is to will it. Will the well up. Upward, outward.'

"Upward. Outward."

As one, patron and benefactor spoke, their words uniform in purpose.

"See truth in the great lie of life. Accept what is, and rewrite what can be. Draw upon the well of potential, and change the world."


Luna's eyes reopened, and the pains of her battered body returned to her. Not all at once, but rather as a sensation that she had, for a time, let slip from her senses, as though a painkiller slowly wearing off, as she came to from her self-induced stupor.

There. She could feel something. Something she'd been missing, something she'd been without for too long.

Even now, the Worldweaver could feel the bond with her patron blazing in the back of her mind. A coiling tether from which Ulan's blessing could be pulled, white in the endless prism of colors that it represented. It had always been there, she knew, but now it was undeniable in its presence.

Her body still felt weak and sickly, hot tears rolling down her face again. Yet her mind felt renewed, reinvigorated. Brighter than it had been in years. Gone were the stresses and fears, at least for now; in their place was purpose.

What was it that Lunarunn née Sol Bael wanted?

'I want...'

What would she stand for?

'I stand for...'

What would she fight for?

'I fight for... '

Liberation.

To be released from the prison she was held in.

To release those she could reach from theirs.

Most of all... for her own happiness, empathetic fool she was.

And she knew what she needed to do to achieve it.

Luna was done waiting.

So she drew.

Stored.

Planned.

Prepared.

The shard nestled adjacent to the Worldweaver's heart would be the key to her freedom.

She would see it with her own eyes.

She wou̵̢̢̪̼͈̣͕͆͋̓͋͋̋̉̏̾̀̚̚ͅld.


Pierre set the phone back on the receiver, closing his eyes as he went over everything he'd overheard from the other side.

To think, that such events would unfold, over two girls, not even at the cusp of adulthood..

Yet... it made sense.

It made far too much sense, and the implications were chilling.

"Talon!"

And like that, John was there, the plain-faced assassin by the butler's side in an instant.

"Overseer, what's up?"

"I contacted Dame Bael's pieces about what they might know about the kidnapping. Once I managed to locate her and explain the situation, Dame Bael's Bishop proved to be a well of information. The Dame's Pawn was able to validate tangential records regarding the Bishop's story, and provided solid theories that if true further confirms the Bishop's legitimacy. These records and theories were cross-referenced with the forensics lab's findings and found accurate."

Despicable! Utterly despicable! To call such actions, as he'd heard of them, reason for a blood feud? It would be horrifically inadequate!

Pierre's eyes reopened, and instead of the butler, the Blue Phenex's Overseer stood in his place.

"Get in contact with Lord Ruval. We have our culprits."


A/N -

So I ended up getting some blood tests taken. As someone who's pretty averse to sharp, pointy things, it was... unpleasant, to say the least. The nurses and doctor were absolutely accommodating, unsung heroes of our time that they are, but I'd never had blood work done before.

A sample collection and vaccination that should have only taken thirty minutes ended up being nearly two hours. I didn't hold up too well during the process, so I ended up needing a lot of time to recover afterward.

I also had to drive 3 hours round-trip to make it work, so that was fun too.

I really hope the job that's asking for all this is worth the hassle, haha

Also, if people are wondering about the 'awakening', let me reassure you that every quotation is accurate.

This story, it keeps growing, it does this man's heart good.

Tempura Wizard out.