He took his first breath in a body he had not been in for eons, for he had no actual physical form ever since he ascended. Muscles rippled under his void like skin as the ground under his taloned feet, electricity dancing across his form as he let out a deep growl of a breath. Steam rushed between his teeth, filling the air as he pulled oxygen into his reformed lungs. This was a form he had not been in for eons, one that was what his kind choice before becoming the hydras of the cosmos that they were. Unlike his kind, which picked forms that were draconic in nature, he picked a form that was more humanoid. Of course, he had many draconic traits but the two legs and pair of arms made him a cut above the rest of his kind.
That and his much more prodigious intelligence, while many of his kind were smart, they remind closer to animalistic brutes that followed "might made right". He turned that on their many heads as he tore through them through sheer brutal cunning and tactics, those same abilities that allowed him to go from the lowest of the low to the one that was picked for galactic combat by several other races with technology that surpassed his kind's lack of it. In the centuries he fought and bleed planets dry, he learned combat and war. Armies rose up to face him, few ever succeeded in defeating him twice.
But here he was, back in a body that had torn apart planets by sheer physical prowess alone. He may only have a third of his true power but that power was so gigantic in magnitude that he could tear this world apart just as easily as he was generating a storm that was converging on this very tower. But, he wanted to enjoy this moment of freedom. He had been too hasty when he got control of this boy's body during that blood moon ages ago. Looking up, he spotted the personality that allowed him to even gain control in the first place. The imposter that was Riser Phenex, the fake personality that was staring at him with utter loathing.
"Oh…its you," He mused aloud, smirking darkly as the false personality spluttered, "I'm surprised you even lasted as long as you did. I created you purposefully to be as destructive as possible, to isolate you completely from everyone else."
"Y-YOU!" The personality spat out, "YOU LEFT ME AFTER GIVING ME SO MANY PROMISES! HOW DARE YOU!"
He laughed, long and deeply. Oh, had this being forgotten his place already? Lightning boomed overhead as electricity coiled into his palm, dancing before he hurled it into the child. The bolts of energy collided and slammed Riser into the wall, body convulsing under the effects of his power. He came closer, relishing in the pain he was putting on the implanted identity. He simply enjoyed playing with his creations, especially if they thought they could overpower him or kill him. Riser finally screamed as he powered more lightning into him, his lips turning into a sadistic grin of malic.
"Yes, yes," He purred, tongue flicking out between his fangs, "scream for me, little creation! Writhe in pain as I tear you apart."
Riser shook violently as his body started to blister and burn, tearing itself open as the electricity tore into his flesh with its eldritch energies. However, he stopped the cascade of blasphemous power from fully killing the unwitting pawn. Riser collapsed, body smoking as fires tried to repair the damages by burning it away. It was only moderately successful, as small flames flashed into existence in the cuts and long ravines of torn, scorched flesh.
"You were simply a means to an end," He said, floating closer to the boy as he snorted, "something to tear down those in the society that viewed itself as better. They are not better, I've seen those with technology far beyond this pathetic excuse of an Earth. All I've seen is a civilization that is barely even able to exist because it lives in ignorance and bliss from the other half hiding away like cowards."
He slammed a fist into the devil's chest, his bone gauntlets being tipped with sharp talon-like protrusion that bit into Riser's flesh and bone. His ribs snapped as many buildings hand, gaining a gasp of pain from the blonde. He grinned as he wrapped his fingers around Riser's torn button down shirt, lifting the fool into the air. The boy tried to fight back but his flames only splattered across his armored skull as he gripped his toy's head with his other hand, grinning as he brought Riser closer.
"It's time for your life to end," He chuckled darkly, as electricity swam up his arm and down his fingers, "I hope you enjoyed it because you aren't getting it back."
Riser's head pulsed and burned as anyone that could see saw his brain light up, the electricity burning away the fake personality completely. In mere moments, it was over. Riser slumped before he tossed the body to the side, turning to face the other occupant on the tower. The one called Rias Gremory, whom was staring in disgusted horror.
"Well, if it isn't the little child that my former host trained in close combat to fight that personality?"
"You're evil…" She hissed, eyes glowing with trapped power.
He laughed at her before saying "Evil? What is that? Am I evil, then, or am I simply stronger and more awake than others?"
Rias looked at him like he had gone mad, as he chuckled. The foolish child had no idea of what he had experienced or knew. Evil, a concept only those with a narrow mindset like these foolish people saw it as. She, herself, was an evil and blight upon the Christian religion.
"Is that a fact?" He asked, smirking before continuing, "Who gives more shape to sentient history, the good: who adhere to the tried and true, or those who seek to rouse beings from their stupor and lead them to glory? To wash away the old and complacent and prune the galaxy of deadweight."
He grinned as he got closer, invading her personal space and his jaws snapped closed near her nose, "Who are you to decide what I am when you are an evil born into sin and a death that will leave you soulless and without any chance of ever being redeemed. But who am I to judge?"
"B-because," A rough, hoarse voice said, rasping and breathless, "I won't let you end her life like you tried to end mine."
Riser Phenex slowly woke up inside his own body, finding it very heavy. Of course, he was also trying to figure out what was wrong with his brain, being forced into the back of one's mind gives them a good look on how it works. All he found was lines of nerves burnt out completely, no signals or anything to show where the other personality had been. Of course, he was also getting a pair of voices in his mind that were saying something.
"Ugh…could you repeat that? I just got back into the pilot seat." He mentally groused as his body slowly started waking up.
"You have to get up and stall that monster," The pair of female voices said, both sounded the exact same so maybe twins, "We are trying to bring ourselves into your universe but we are finding resistance. You have to hold Monster Zero back until we can arrive and seal him away until the time comes for his final defeat! Hurry Riser Phenex, you are our final hope in this battle!"
Riser blinked before images of planetary destruction filled his head; fires, chaos and death while a massive shadow with massive wings and three heads blotted out the sun. Gritting his teeth, he forced his body to get up as he spoke upon hearing the voice of the monster the two female voices had called Monster Zero.
"B-because, I won't let you end her life like you tried to end mine."
Oh maou, his voice was so dry as the sahara and rough as sandpaper. But at least it worked, as it got the attention of the beast that had taken control of its host's body. Fire erupted across his form as it healed all the wounds that were previously there, forcing bones back into place as he rolled his shoulders. Glaring at the monster that stood two heads taller then himself, Riser contemplated his options before making a decision.
It was clear that he would have to go all out on this monster that was causing the hurricane around the tower that his false half had commissioned ages ago.
"The real Riser Phenex stands once more," The beast hissed, its fanged maw twisting into an amused slasher's grin, "welcome back to the world of the living or should I say, the half-living?"
Riser growled before lifting his arms up, letting his family's gift course through his veins as his skin started to glow. He stared at Monster Zero before his body exploded into a flaming pillar, the stones underneath him melting from the heat as he let his flesh and blood turn into flames and heat. Unlike this counterpart, who fought without thinking, Riser was smart enough to realize what he needed to do.
He needed to stall this monster, so something far more powerful could seal him once more. So, he'll make his final stand here, a final battle cry for the world his false half had tried to destroy. A fitting, if bittersweet ending for the son of Abban and Elizabeth Phenex. Riser let the fires heat up more and more before pulling his inner strength forward, the flames becoming blue then a furiously burning white haze as stone melted and hissed. In an instant, Riser moved with unparalleled speed, slamming his fist into the monster's skull.
The beast's armor cracked but he retaliated with his own assault, a furious beating of fists, legs and tail. As Riser fought, he could feel his body burning away at the black hide of the beast that struck with the force of meteorites into his body. Lightning coursing across the fiends limbs as each strike against him caused him to spasm for the barest of heartbeats. Within these moments of weakness, the monster struck harder and faster. Teeth, claws, bone like armor tore at Riser and all the while, it was laughing at him. The shock of that brought him into listening to what the monster was saying.
"YES! YES! HAHAHAHAHA! Never has anyone fought me on physical footing like this in centuries! The burning in my muscles, the seering of my flesh as I counter! Its exhilarating!"
Great, he's a battle maniac too, Riser grimaced as he slammed his foot into the beast's thigh before flipping and smashing his other foot across its face. The armor shattered but was already repairing itself as Monster Zero grinned at him darkly. Riser hissed before unleashing twin torrents of flame into the chest of the monster, the armor turning to ash as flesh boiled, sizzled and cooked from the flames that burned at the hottest of dragon fires only could. He then rushed forward before kicking the monster into the tower, its body causing a cloud of dust and debris to erupt from its landing.
It stood up with its wicked grin, its chest a mess of flesh, alien bones and organs that were completely burnt into crisps. The wounds were repairing themselves as the monster laughed like he was having the time of his life.
"Bravo, Riser Phenex," The beast laughed as he stepped out of the crater he had caused, tail flicking, "I've been finding that this body is still adapting to my physical prowess and strength. Having you as a combatant is a mighty fine way to regain my strength. But, I believe this spar is coming to an end. My strength may only be a third of what it was but that third is still enough to tear this planet apart with my bare hands."
Monster Zero launched himself off the tower, slamming into Riser with the force of a small moon. Riser gasped as his body shattered then reburned itself back into full health as the beast slammed his fists into his body with the speed of bullets, over and over until he was gasping as his flames were slowly dying. He growled before elbowing the beast in the throat. He would make this monster pay before he would die. Gathering his final whisps of power, he let it gather in his other hand as it started to grow.
Bigger and bigger until the flames were a pillar that turned into the visage of the mighty flaming avain. Riser's creation let out a roar of challenge as Monster Zero looked at it in shock, as though he expected Riser to just give up. Riser growled before he shoved even more of himself into this assault, soul, heart, strength. Everything to burn this fucker into the tower so he wouldn't harm anyone ever again.
"Doesn't matter to me what happens," Riser snarled, the arm that had elbowed Monster Zero came up and gripped the beast around the throat in a vice-like hold, "I will burn you until you stop coming back, your soul nothing but ash! I am the son of Lord Abban and Lady Elizabeth Phenex! I may only be the Third Heir of the House of Phenex but I am proud of it! So eat my family's power you bastard!"
The Phoenix creation screeched as Riser slammed his fist into the face of Monster Zero, roaring with his very soul, "Draconic Phoenix Flamma Aeterna!"
The kaiju sized flame creation followed his fist as it collided into Monster Zero, hurling the beast back into the tower. Monster Zero roared as he burned under the assault of the power of Phenex, slamming into the top of the tower as it exploded. With a groan, Riser dropped onto the tower after barely controlling his descent. He was dying, he could feel it as his power had burned everything away. He was not long for this world now, but he looked up and felt his heart sink as Monster Zero stood up.
It didn't look so well, as the right side of his body was completely burnt away. The muscles were charred and even the alien bones were exposed as he slowly stepped forward out of the flames. Slowly, its body started to repair itself but it was very slow. Riser chuckled as he had caused Monster Zero's own body to use up most of its energy to save itself.
"That would have put me into a coma if I was eons younger," Monster Zero snarled, his black head exposed as the armor had been burnt into ash, "it seems I underestimate the power of the Supernatural World just a bit. Doesn't matter now, now I kill you here and now."
Rias opened her eyes, thanking whatever deity that could hear her for keeping her from getting hurt that much as she watched the battle between Riser and the monster that had taken over Issei. It slammed into the weakened Riser before grabbing his shirt, Lightning crackling in its free hand before something happened that made sound stop.
A sharp, screeching cry that caused Rias to feel peace within her own heart and soul. Looking around, she couldn't find the source of the noise but then the beating of drums filled the air. The monster growled before looking at Riser in hatred.
"What have you done, child of sin!?"
Riser grinned weakly before laughing, "Oh, I simply stalled you, Monster Zero, for another to deal with you."
Monster Zero dropped Riser, the look of panic creeping across his draconian visage as he looked up into the sky. The storm boiled and roared before quieting as light seemed to be coming out of it. That was until the clouds erupted with a searing light of something so powerful that it caused the storm to die. The massive light blew the storm away as its lights caused Rias to try and hide her face from the source. The source was in the shape of a titanic moth, with wings that looked like they were over six hundred feet. With another harmonious cry, Monster Zero howled in anger.
"YOU WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO FIND ME HERE YOU BITCH!" It roared, the storm roiling as lighting struck at the raised arms of Monster Zero, "YOU RUIN EVERYTHING! DIE!"
Golden light erupted out of his four glowing red eyes as lightning thundered from his palms, slamming into the gigantic insect. The energy didn't seem to do anything but then blue lights burned across the lights, starting from the tips of the wing and forming before the head of the massive moth. With a mighty roar, the ball of energy that had been created was shot at Monster Zero. With a scream, Monster Zero rushed to meet the ball of blue head on.
The two collided as the beast was pushed back, slamming into the tower as an explosion covered everything. Monster Zero roared in defiant fury before the roar became a scream of pain as light blocked Rias's vision. After the explosion died down, Rias looked up and gasped as she saw Issei laying in the rubble. He was covered in burns and cuts, but something else was on his body. Two blue glowing female figures appeared in rather risque two piece clothing, before they started to dance upon his chest as they were only six or so inches tall.
Mothra ya mothra!" They sang, dancing across Issei's chest as a blue circle formed above him, the power giving her the vibes like a seal, "Dengan kesaktian indukmu. Restuilah doa hamba hambamu yang rendah Bangunlah dan tunjukkanlah kesaktianmu!"
As they danced, the beating of the drums got louder, the wind instruments became shrill as the seal drew itself in the air. A moth as seen from a top down view as runes carved themselves around the shape as the two sang louder, as though with the voices of ten thousand generations of others.
Mothra ya mothra! Dengan kesaktian indukmu. Restuilah doa hamba hambamu yang rendah Bangunlah dan tunjukkanlah kesaktianmu!"
With that sung, the twin figures vanished as the seal slammed down into Issei's chest. Issei gasped as air was pulled into his lungs, Rias rushed over to him as she found her restraints missing. She checked him over before looking up at the titanic moth in the sky, as it slowly flapped its wings. It let out another cry, soft and sweet as Rias felt her heart grow lighter as the voices of the twins came to her.
"Young Hyoudou will live, Miss Gremory," The twin voices said into her mind, "However, that seal can't hold Monster Zero forever. Once all three sealed parts of him come together, the seal will break and he will escape to cause planetary chaos and the apocalypse."
"So its only a stop gap," She hissed, eyes closing, "what can we do to end this madness?"
"When Monster Zero's eternal enemy comes here and puts him to the blade. But until then, you have to return Riser to his family. His time on this mortal plane is coming to a close. His final attack used his very soul as fuel to even tear into the beast as much as it did."
With that said, the massive insectoid goddess took off, heading towards the reaches of space. By the time Rias realized that she was being picked up, she had watched the massive moth erupted into light in the night sky above the Earth. It would be spoken about in the news for months on end, as humanity saw the massive moth in the sky that started something that would change the course of history.
Issei woke up in a hospital bed with a groan before opening his eyes, looking around slowly. He was trying to remember where he was before a voice got his attention.
"You Issei Hyoudou?"
Looking over, he blinked as he looked at the face of Riser Phenex. His eyes a soft blue, his blonde hair looking white from what Issei remembered.
"Y-yeah, whats…?"
"Issei," Riser coughed, before grimacing, "I'm not exactly long for this world. I have been doing some thinking and I realized that I need people to look after my family, especially my little sister. She was at my side, even though the fake personality was in control. She'll take this the hardest when I'm finally dead, so will my mother. Could I ask you to watch out for them?"
Issei blinked before frowning, "B-but, I'm the one who did this-"
"No," Riser said firmly, giving him a cold glower, "you were not in control when Monster Zero took over. You were also facing a traumatic time because of what the false personality did, so he is to blame. Issei Hyoudou, you got past everything he set up, despite being possessed by that horror."
Riser took a deep breath, "Just say yes or no, please. I'll be much more comfortable if someone like you could keep an eye on them, given how good and kind you are. At least, that is what I heard."
Issei pondered on that before sighing, "I'll do it. It's something I feel responsible for after I did this."
Riser chuckled, "don't hold onto it. You were not responsible for this, Issei. Monster Zero is and will forever be responsible for my final battle."
Riser then sighed, "I entrust them to you, Hyoudou. If you help them stay happy, I'll be at peace."