I posted Double Chapter! I had doubts of putting Akeno in the story, but in the end i thought about it and decided she was worth the risk if I could talk about a very fascinating topic it summons and also the very own character arc that forces Diodora to do.
WARNING ALERT: The Following chapter involves the topic of Slavery and goes on with a brief discussion in Critical Race Theory (Though Twisted and Applied to Devil Society). If you don't like Slavery or don't like allegories to Race, or if you don't like the topic of the American Civil War (Including the Lost Cause Revisionism) then skip this chapter altogether because it goes deep into the topic (Contextualized to the DxD Universe)
Once more i thank you all who made this chapter possible. Read and Enjoy :D

Present Timeline

"Run!" A Shinto priestess clutched her left ribcage, as it bled actively still, her eyes didn't even dare to look back. She could only look at her beloved daughter running away, this wasn't supposed to happen, not this way. She was aware that the Himejima Clan weren't welcoming to her and they wanted to kill her, they were about to do so and her daughter when suddenly there was a cry. A cry that reverberated in her very soul and then there were flashes of light and blood, blood everywhere. All she could do was run away while the other Priests of the Clan tried to fend off the new threat. Will she live? 'Akeno has to live, she must live.' She wouldn't ever forgive herself if her daughter died while she lived or if both of them died. "Mamma!" Her daughter turned back at her which made her smile sadly as she coughed blood, her breath was shortened and yet she tried to run and follow her daughter. "Akeno, go on. I'll…follow." She wheezed, and her little daughter shook her head. She was still so innocent, in between such deep forests so far away from any civilization

"Do you think you can escape!?" A voice snapped and she turned, only for her to meet an orange flash of light before her eyes and pain, an immense amount of pain, she then stared at the green leaves, that slowly turned a beautiful greenish orange due to the setting sun.

"Mamma!" Her daughter cried.

*Slap*

"Leave them to me…" A deep baritone voice almost made her shiver, it reminded her of her beloved husband's voice, of her dear Baraquiel. Of Akeno's father and yet this one sounded more, colder and more distant. Cold steps were heard as she turned to a pair of purple sclerae eyes with green irises, odd eyes on a hedgehog-being who stood at both of his feet, his height wasn't that much either, he dwarfed little Akeno's height. Yet his back was met with crystalized pins instead.

"We never met, my name is Iblis, but nowadays I go by Mephiles. You seem to have met my twin brother Baraquiel." The pointed teeth crept around her, as she gasped and tried to speak, feeling a hand pressed on her midsection she hissed.

"Don't leave us yet Shuri Himejima…I would like to make sure my brother gets to know who finished his beloved family." Wicked chaotic red flames were now in his left palm as he slowly approached her, feeling the heat nearing she hissed and grunted. Until his hand touched her abdomen which caused her to scream out loud in pain, slowly the skin was reddening, before forming blisters and slowly charring and scarring, forming horrible wounds as it burned through her tissue.

"Sweet music to my beautiful ears. Father may have chosen him to stay in heaven, but I will get to end what he loves the most. I shall leave this flame here to burn you Shuri Himejima, cry all you want…let it out…SCREAM…" Mephiles's wicked chaotic smirk and sadistic glint revealed the true wicked chaotic nature of Braquiel's twin brother. As he got up, he turned to see the shocked dark-haired girl in Akeno Himejima.

"Ah, I've always wondered what it would feel to create life; my flames only burn and purify to ashes. Nothing to make up from them perhaps…a sad conclusion." He stared at his right hand which bore its flame, as he held a leaf, it progressively burned to ash, as he closed his hand tightly, it left not even ashes but particles as they spread in the air.

"Kokabiel is calling us back." The black robbed figure deadpanned all while the white-hooded and silver-haired female angel who kept Akeno grounded turned from the former to him, back to the former.

"Ugh, while I commend him for his short-sighted geniality, he doesn't let me have my fun." Iblis growled with irritation before turning back to the direction where the temple used to stay.

"Let's go." Not caring about Shuri Himejima who was being burned alive, blisters and other horrible wounds forming as the flames consumed her and she never ceased to scream ever…until she laid her gaze one last time upon Akeno and stayed silent, there was hope in her eyes as she burned.

From his back, four pairs of wings emerged, black crow wings expanded as the girl didn't cease to cry.

"You were entertaining while it lasted." Turning back to the girl from his left hand a crystal-like purplish-blue light-spear pierced through the air akin to an arrow and pierced through young Akeno's chest, her face was shocked as he laughed out loud.

NO!

Shuri Himejima's loud cry was heard through all of the Himejima Land as Iblis levitated in the surface, outstretching his arms behind the girl a slowly expanding wormhole would send her to the underworld. "When my father threw me away, I landed on a slaver market land; where I was sold and my dignity stripped of myself before I killed them all with my flames and fell. You will fall like me if you survive…" Iblis's evil laugh reverberated through the Himejima land as he flew away.

Chapter 3

8TH Commandment

Kuoh Town / Japan / July, 2003

He coughed intensely as he tried to rub his eyes to clean them from particles of dust that may have reached them, the vision he had now was minimal and his ears still could hear the aftermath of the white noise. As he cleared his sight, he took a few steps away from the bushes into the light. Finally with his eyes clearing his eyes softened in sad melancholy as he stared at the stony surface filled with blood, many of them Shinto priests just killed and even there were various priestesses also murdered without any sense. This is where he has wondered when life acquired the trait of violence; yet he knew that in the end, it was something deeply related to the brain's own complex nature. Even then, it was sad to see such death in front of him, as he slowly walked through everything, his eyes noticed the main temple's building, with a fissure in its exact middle and the two sides collapsing on that middle and all that maintained them near the other was the magical spear that now was stabbed in the depths of the stone, the surface and maintained the building firm in itself.

~This reminds me of the past. Immensely.~ He closed his eyes, the weight of his soul's mistakes and melancholy caused his eyes to grow watery yet no tears cascaded down his eyes as he looked up.

Blood…

Salahdin's hiss brought him back from his musings which caused him to turn to the snake creature as its eyes were fixed near a blood smear, with a frown on his lips he glared at the trail it left as he widened his eyes as he saw a tiny black crow wing. Slowly his eyes widened in realization and slowly he followed the trail, Salahdin slithering by his side at a fast pace also to attempt and follow him, his legs kicked up their running pace into the depths of the forest.

~Please don't let it be her, please don't let it be her…~ He repeated in his thoughts, pleading not to be late than those that murdered. He could only hope, for this not to be…the worst day of his life yet. As he ran, he could hear the loud screams akin to being the very bells of fate. Running as fast as his legs could carry him, as the sun was hard still very above. He felt airy, wheezing, and his very chest could explode, as he ran through thick forest bushes and grass, some steep hills were present, and he almost tripped.

"Agh." He cried out as he almost fell face-front had it not been for him balancing himself and running even further, as he felt the specter of death itself following him. As he grunted and Saladin slithered before and lightly beyond him, he followed Saldin's mad trail, wanting not to be left behind, as the sun slowly started to set. The loud screams finally reached his ears, they were a woman's.

A gigantic fire surprised him and in the middle was a woman, that was slowly turning skeletal.

Yet he ran forth to meet someone as his heart broke; as the sun set even further she was on her knees. Black hair and with a broken gaze, puffy red eyelids, and a slack-jawed face of shock. Breathless, and stabbed into her very chest, a light-spear. He looked beyond and found that it was a wormhole, as it sucked with strength, he tried to reach Akeno's body before it was pulled into it; he ran towards it also as it rapidly shrunk. As the world around him rotated madly and shifted, he almost vomited as he cried out loud, until his very face landed on the floor. On his blurry gaze, he turned to meet two men who looked normal to him, finding Akeno's body and taking her away. He grunted and wheezed, feeling nauseous as he rose to his feet once more, he glared at his surroundings. The buildings were made of brick and had an overall renaissance-age design, as carriages passed by stone streets and women with Victorian-like dresses and sharply-dressed men passed by their day-to-day. Shaking his head, he focused on Akeno who was dragged through an alley, as he followed the men, Salahdin followed after him without ever losing him. The ally led to a big urban three-floored housing complex in which a purple-haired man with a pointy curled mustache talked with the two men. He wore a burgundy-colored tailcoat, with a white button-up shirt black formal pants, and brown shoes, his right hand gripping an elegant cane as he stared at the young girl. With the bottom end of his elegant cane, he tipped the girl's forehead and a single pair of black crow wings spread out from her back. He crept closer as near as he could without being seen to listen to the men conversing. The garish elegant man looked lightly with some disdain.

"One and a Half." The elegant man shrugged and both men could only widen their eyes.

"One and a Half!" One of the men cried out in indignation. "For a Fallen Angel? This is another species. It is worth at least Five Gold Bars!"

To which the elegant man on the porch of his own elegant household could only approach. "Three. The new generation of devils already have their evil pieces, I don't know how you've brought her, the auction will be soon, hence Three Gold Bars is my end deal." The elegant man pushed forward.

"A slave market." He growled, he wasn't new to slavery. It was once a common practice in 19th Century United States before the American Civil War; Slavery used to be an honorable American institution until eventually, the southern states suffered because of their overdependence on it, and even today those southern states still suffer afterburns of that war.

~I'm getting off-topic.~ He shook his head and turned around, the society around him lived at that time even. Just where was he?

"Three And Three-quarters." The two men were a green-haired man and a brown-haired one. Green-head pushed the negotiation forward but Brown-hair was bold this time to retort the offer. "Three and a Half." The elegant aristocrat gruffly replied with a poker face as he turned to his wristwatch. Before brown hair could retort Greenhead nodded.

"Deal." The green-haired male replied earning the Aristocrat's nod as he threw a beanie bag forward at them, from his house emerged two tall men, dressed in black coats and fedora hats that took the girl away and the aristocrat bowed lightly. "Pleasure to do business with you, now if you excuse me." The aristocrat turned away, as the two men didn't hesitate to sell Akeno's soul to the slave market.

He adjusted himself and walked towards the street, about to assault the house and take out Akeno, just as he emerged from the alley into the street, to the very light. A hand gripped his shirt and he was shoved to a nearby wall.

"Are you stupid boy!?" A man's voice hissed and he turned to meet the hazel golden eyes and the shining armor of a dark-skinned elven knight, it was Ser Ellyldor Barassard. The man turned around in paranoia before turning back to him. "You shouldn't be here, you should be back in the human world. Do you know the risk you are in now!?" He asked as the boy shook his head.

"But I have to; they, they sold my friend and-."

He was shushed before he could speak further.

"A friend of yours, was sold? Please, Lad, think about it. It's not worth endangering you to-."

"I can't leave her alone and I won't." His firm eyes stared back into Ser Ellyldor's as he frowned, he turned around.

"Just to my luck. We're deep in their turf and you're like this." He spelled out as he turned back around, a few of the men who were walking stared at them both strangely. He immediately moved his coat slightly to reveal his sword and that got them running away and not turning ever again, even some females also turned away and forgot about their meddling. "How are you going to do it kid?" He asked which got the boy to frown back and stare at the floor in deep thought. Rising his head to meet the Knight's eyes.

"They spoke of a big slave auction, something about evil pieces and an auction." This caused the man to snort even further.

"I see." The man brought out with a smirk as he tugged on his sleeve and neared to his right ear. "Follow me, say nothing. Be my shadow and tell your snake to maintain vigilance, K?" With a nod, both stepped onto the wide stone-floored street, as various pale-horse-drawn carriages passed by, and many people walked by in their own business. Heading through the road, Ser Ellyldor felt comfortable, like he had never been before in a lifetime.

Ser Ellyldor Barassard II (P.O.V)

Barassard the Goldenhand they call him at his face. Yet, behind his back, he hears them say Barassard the Turncoat.

With white hair as white as all the winters and summers he's seen. These days, he finds myself visited by the faces of the kings he's served. The faces of those he swore to protect, the faces of those he failed. In his life, all he ever desired was to live a life of honor defending a King worthy of his service. In the Great War, he defended the purgatory from the siege of Archangel Michael, and he resisted his siege with honor and made sure whatever claim he had on the Underworld lands was only left in the dust. To show his gratitude King Lucifer the Morningstar elevated him to his Royal Guard, it was the proudest day of his life. Yet, such a King died in a battle he couldn't be at. Where many of his shield brothers died also in that last stand. And his vows were assessed when the Queen's mood soured. She and the king's son became obsessed with the thought of everyone being their enemies, of wanting to fight the great war and wishing to elevate our race once again. But the swords of the Royal Guard couldn't defend them from the enemies they saw in every shadow. His queen went mad. He saw his Lord Commander, Ser Crynston Rofocale Lucifudge, murder Reshiram Bael right before his eyes and his king's son level a section of the beautiful city to get back at the 72 pillars. What followed…was blood. All the realm bled. As his queen slowly descended into madness her son grew even more anxious and suffocated.

Daily he had to see women of many races be raped before the throne, tortured and then bisected all while the king's son laughed gleefully and enjoyed the pain of others. Poisoning his soul ever so slowly.

He tried to fight for his Queen, but he was denied.

He had to see any aspirations his Queen had dying on the watery fields as the blood was washed into the rivers Their herald of the king's true heir, the great-grandson showed gallantry never seen before. In a turn of events, he fought against a superior enemy and conquered. And on that day, in his silhouette, he swore he saw the afterimage of his glorious King Lucifer. When the battle ended, Sirzechs's medics tended to him. They were spared out of respect.

Respect, for what?

A Royal Guard shouldn't survive one king, let alone another one who should've been.

He swore an oath to House Lucifer, and yet all that remained were whispers of fear from the Lords. Out of a child, a weak child whose body is consumed in its immense power and potential. And a maddened uncle wanted to kill it to ensure its power. A single ember surrounded by darkness. If fate was kinder, then I would've been in fullness of strength, yet whatever was the cost that day. I turned my cloak twice and fought for a baby. And thus, hope happened.

Protect my family, Ser Ellyldor. Things will change. That was the last thing his king Cassygnus told him before he went to negotiate with the Gremory Family, and all he obtained was being stabbed in the back and the world to forget him. In Prince Diodora, Cassygnus's son, is the prince any kingdom could ever hope for in a ruler, even at his short age. A strong boy and intelligent for his age. Kind and yet also dutiful and firm. In a chance encounter he found his prince, and he won't ever leave him away, he had a promise and he will fulfill it.

Each time a Lucifer is born, fate throws a coin, and the entire supernatural world holds its breath to see the side it lands. Madness…or greatness.

Words are never truer. 'And this time, I know it will land in greatness.' He believed. In between his thoughts, he slowly took the time to speak with the boy, he called him his page, yet he was aware the boy would be a good squire. He slowly told him the story of the defiance of the Purgatory. "And Ser Rembrandt faced down Uriel, their two swords moving faster and faster, and then with a loud crash the seraph's sword broke, Rembrandt chivalrous as ever paused the fight and allowed him to pick up another sword"

"It's your sword I want Ser Rembrandt said Uriel said pointing at his sword. Then you shall have it, Ser" Rembrandt replied. The two blades clashed again and again, the seraph was skilled but Rembrandt, was an artist, the finest swordsman I've ever seen, perhaps the greatest ever. It was inevitable he would win and win he did, wounding the Seraph and bringing victory to the siege of the Purgatory."

"He knighted you didn't my lord"

"Aye, that he did. The Proudest day of my life was being knighted by him, the finest Spellsword of the Underworld, the finest man I ever knew".

Ellyldor told the lad more stories as they went through the city. They arrived however in a more crowded section of the city, where a caravan was passing by, on the streets in the middle of the different beings dressed only in white dirty rags with ankles and wrists in chains and shackled, being dragged by a horse at their front.

"Ah." He toned seeing the boy's silent contemplative gaze of shock at the cruelty.

"Slaves." He replied which got the boy to turn to him in shock. It was expected out of a devil boy who's been most of the time mingling with mortals. "They were given a choice no doubt; Death or Serve." He voiced almost mockingly and turned his head with a snort. "Most choose death." He replied soberly with a shrug on his expression.

"The funny thing about them is that they discard their old lives and get a whole new one." He ended his musings just at the front of a thick wooden door. He knocked on the door that had a lid that slid, and a pair of eyes glanced at him.

"I'm here to meet Starman." The eyes fixed on him before a grumble was heard and the door was opened causing the lad to widen his eyes in shock as a blue-skinned alien with two horns and creepy red eyes glared at them. He had a long tail, long ears, arms, hands, legs, and feet.

"Ellyldor."

"Gygas." The knight replied back coldly as the alien, who floated in the air gestured for them to follow. What received them was the being's house.

"Lady Trisha?" It was Diodora's turn to ask the female servant who turned to him and widened its eyes, bowing lightly. "Lord Diodora."

"I see the motive of your visit. " Gygas was glared at by the knight, the room was a living apparently, and beyond was a chimney with a warm fire, there was carpet on the floor, soft carpet.

"It's been too long, so I will keep it short. One of the lad's friends is in trouble, such a friend was sold to a slave market trader and there is a big auction coming on. We want in on it."

The being floated as he curled himself in mid-air, it was quite amusing to watch, had they not been rushed. "Hmmm, you mean the big tri-yearly auction. Interesting." Gygas floated up further and explained.

"Every three years, all devil families of fame and fortune secretly convene in Slave Auctions; not for the sake of the Lords but for the sake of their heirs and children. These tri-yearly auctions sell slaves of all types, to be sold to high-classed devils with peerages so they will be members of a devil's peerage. All devil children have at least acquired one of their peerage members in such auctions. It's tradition."

With those ending words, Ellyldor turned to see the boy lightly grimacing, as two bags hovered and floated right before them both

"Lady Trisha, things are happening recently and I have to ask-." He wasn't given the chance to end his question when they were shoved clothes.

"Change into these outfits. The thing about these Auctions is a 'Do but not be Known' basis. Which means, no one can know who you really are." Gygas complimented, and as both got dressed in aristocratic clothes he wore a Fedora Hat and feigned his coat with a high collar. While the lad instead wore a masquerade mask.

As the neighing of horses was heard outside, the door was opened.

"The carriage will take you both to where everything's happening. Go." Those were the alien's last words before they were shoved outside, Ellyldor turned and ruffly called out.

"Gygas." The alien turned to him. "Thanks."

With no further words said, both went into the carriage and they were deeper into the City's territory. "How are you feeling, lad?" He asked the boy who looked towards the window of the carriage, almost mystified at what he had seen. "Afraid." The boy confessed and stared right through the eyes of the man who couldn't hide even in the depths of the high collar and his fedora hat. "I know boy, but you have to be decisive. Choose, and choose true because you only get to do this once every three years. And time…"

"Is not a luxury." The boy replied.

"Precisely." Ellyldor ended, he hoped to have given the boy enough security to remain true to his choice and search for the girl. "I suppose Slavery in our society, is more of a need rather than a luxury." Diodora Theorized earning the nod of the knight who remained unphased.

"Slavery is always a complicated matter, no matter if its human or supernatural who speaks it. In our society for example, blood purity determines rank and the same 72 plus 4 have determined the fate of our society. You might not realize but those that you see living in the cities are in a way or another partially-freed slaves to a Lord of high rank. You see, devil society is ruled by four great satans. Who in ceremonially precede over the Council Delegation of Seventy-Two and Four. The Delegation of the Seventy-Two and Four is an institution that studies Devil Law and either invents new laws, corrects the existing laws, or just retrieves away past laws. They also determine how many things in the government are executed, they act as a Parliament in a way." With a nod in a tiny page the Knight continued to scribble.

"Now, here's where it gets interesting. Who makes sure law is applied, who is judge, jury, and executioner? Well; each Lord is his own Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Each of the 72 Lords represent their own judges, of course the supreme Judge are the 4 great princes. There exist no juries and therefore each of the 72 Lords have the right of being Judge and Executioners." He nodded, eh could understand the concepts being worked on, he now realized why the Devil Lordships were far too powerful. Each Lord.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but if a Devil Lord has the faculty of creating new laws on the wide scale, on the local territorial scale…"

"The Lord's Law is the Only Law."

He resisted the urge to whistle, therein comes the Power each of the Devil Hold. Not only do they determine justice in their territories, they also can do their own bill of laws if they so desire. Why have institutions when each Lord is their own local absolute institution?

"So Slavery in the end was instituted by the Old Satan Faction and no Lord has abolished it." He understood how the wheel turned.

"Exactly; just because on the wide scale Slavery is abolished, doesn't mean that on the local setting the Lords would do so. More so if a Lord doesn't like a Law he can simply not apply it on his territory."

It screams to him familiarity, in the United States Civil War the same thing happened. The Union purposefully sought out slavery as a condemnation in its declaration of independence but didn't made it boldly as to enact it. Imagine when Slavery turns into the topic to address, people would normally in this setting feel loyalties to their states rather than to the global identity; hence the birth of the term State Rights, and other useless beliefs such as the Lost Cause Revisionism which in the end just speaks about the cause as the defense of State Rights which they all agreed on one thing, Slavery. It was the same conclusion; they were just going in circles.

He was full blown; of course, Sirzechs was such a spent king and was doing nothing. His crown was under the threat of turning into a Holy Roman Empire, like literally having 72 or so Lords each with their own patch of land and laws, it would be a lifetime endeavor to just be able to civilize them to accept a single widespread code of law. Therefore, with each Lord everything was fair game; if a Lord was a pervert, then he would have the 'Prima Nocta Law' for the Lord.

'What a shitty place to live for the Low born.' He thought with a frown.

"So in the end Slavery is an institution promoted by a state."

"Yes." The knight concluded.

And it was a bitter conclusion indeed. As the carriage stopped, both stepped down and looked at what was a big manor, the entrance was luxurious and had some stairs before a gigantic maple wood entrance doors were closed. The ballet gestured to the doors. "Welcome to the Sunrise Estate." The Ballet gestured and Ellyldor stood up. "My client is here for the auction." He deadpanned, earning the nod from the Ballet as slowly the image weaved showing a set of stairs that went to the side and not the main entrance, both were led by the ballet through them until the more elegant doors opened and it revealed a gruff blond-haired man.

"Who is the buyer?" His green eyes danced between both, and Ellyldor gestured to the lad. As they stepped inside, the first room was a cozy living room, it had a loveable crimson red carpet with a pattern of yellows, violets, and browns. All were beautifully arranged, yet there was a nearby table. The guard gestured to it and the lad took a seat on the straight stool, sitting in it, the boy was asked to show his hand, holding a tiny needle the guard prickled the boy's index finger and instructed him to drop it on a piece of paper. The piece of paper soon turned into a parchment. Soon the parchment revealed the holographic projection of a woman.

Greetings, young Devil. I'm Grayfia, servant of our king Sirzechs Lucifer. You've been allowed to be part of the Tri-Annual Auction for the benefit of Lord Beelzebub's scientific endeavors. If you could kindly open your parchment, inside it will be your slot number which you will hand to the slot-taker. This slot will immediately open to you the choices you have according to an overall value you're given by taking into account; your family's nobility rank, your numbering in the 72 pillars, and the potential devil power you wield. Depending on these factors also, our system will assign you a place in the choosing of slaves. We don't auction slaves per se, here; all the factors mentioned earlier are…the value that will determine the acquisition of your prospective peerage member.

The holographic projection of Grayfia Lucifudge remarked as the piece of paper was reduced to nothingness and he was led deeply inside the house to a carpet-like entrance, where a fat-bellied orange-haired man wearing glasses, an expensive black suit, and an elegant cane. Hanging from his lips was a pipe, the overall stereotype of a magnate. Handing the man the parchment, the man blinked and turned to the boy, before turning back to the parchment. The man's widened eyes were enough to cause him an edge, he was ready to reach for his blade yet the man immediately cast a magical spell on the parchment and it transformed into a pristine soft black leather menu with a golden symbol at the center, the edge of the menu had many golden letters and such golden letters had gemstones in it also. With the edges of the menu having expensive diamonds encrusted in them. The man placed an alarm clock on his podium.

"You have thirty seconds to choose one slave boy. Before we begin, is this your first time?" The man exhaled tobacco smoke, the lad nodded and the man brought another more simple, brown-colored menu, perhaps it was one for show only and the man briefly explained the menu's layout. As the boy went through the book in record time, in the first seconds glowered at the cover of the manual indicating his first selection.

"I'm searching for one that isn't here. A fallen angel recently acquired." The fat man raised an eyebrow and went for a thicker manual and then frowned.

"Wounded slaves aren't open in offer-."

"She's my choice."

The fat man frowned and pressed the ledger he held and a blinking red light appeared on the head of the manual of the boy.

"In case of death, there is no refund." The man grumbled back which the boy nodded, and handed back the menu to the man. Just as the slave merchant received it, green check-mark light marks were met, and the man widened his eyes.

"Is something the matter?" He asked the fat man who shook his head and adjusted his glasses, picking documents and parchments. "It's just that, usually it takes a short while for the system to process your data and finally qualify you as capable or not of choosing what you desire. This hasn't happened before, a clean sweep fast selection of slaves. Yet, we are dealers and we don't question the market." Without further ado, the man got inside the tent and the lad was led inside the room. He noticed slowly as the entrance was soon personalized with the boy's house's colors and tiny symbolisms, he smirked. The icing on the cake, so all halls were personalized after selection. The magnate sucked in tobacco from his pipe before exhaling and snapping his fingers, magically as sounds of chains were heard. The room was nothing like he expected, it looked like the same entrance room, yet the lad was gestured to take a seat near the chimney's warm fire, it was a loveseat and it was lightly uncomfortable nonetheless, more so with its throne-like shape.

Diodora's P.O.V.

"Where is the wounded one?" The man frowned and turned away.

"Sir, her health at the moment-."

"I want to see her." He insisted to which the fat man raised his hands in a giving-up gesture, exhaling tobacco smoke as he nodded, as he was led through the room and through a set of stairs that went down until a pair of doors were opened and revealed a brown haired man who was trying all his magical energy to heal her but she didn't cease to bleed at all. "I'm losing her." The devil healer cried out in effort, cleaning the sweat from his forehead, and combing his dark hair back. With alarm, he shook his head. She cannot go, and Akeno cannot die.

"Step aside!" He cried out to the man as he took a pair of scissors cut through all of the clothes she wore and stared at the bleeding wound on her chest. "Light." He deadpanned and immediately the brightest light he could be set in the room, as he asked for blood packets. He glared at the mess he was left in his hands. The tips of all his fingers grazed as his hand glowered neon blue at first. Before he started the first cut with the use of his Magical Scalpel technique; with his right hand's index finger now glowering with a pulsing dark blue energy, he started to make the first cut. Opening the plane of operation as he stared at the cause of the bleeding, it was the remnants of sharp pieces of light spear still on her being which traumatized tissues constantly. He had to take it out piece by piece, both of the pinky fingers of his palms glowered with pink energy as each time he found an active bleeding vessel he would curl his pinky of either hand at the vessels. His glasses were slipping down the bridge of his nose as he frowned and his vision blurred.

~My glasses.~

Feeling a stranger's warm hand at his front adjusting his glasses on his behalf. Slowly a tray was filled with tiny bladed pieces of light spear that were constantly wounding her. One he made sure it all was clean and using sterilized water to make sure there was no more bleeding. Tapping his fourth right digit's knuckle on her skin, slowly a thread of pure magical energy curled around his finger and he nodded.

~Indeed, the source of magical power is imagination and creativity.~ He smiled as he gripped the suture's hook pierced through the first vessel and connected. Taking his time to connect each vessel he could and sealing those that he couldn't. He slowly closed each tissue level, until finally all healed but left a curled scar that took a portion of her right sternum up to the middle of her left ribcage's edge.

"We'll prepare her for you, my Lord." The magnate's eyes shone brightly as he was escorted away from the wing, he tried to argue but settled into not saying anything further and instead going back to the loveseat by the fair. As he closed his eyes and leaned back to the loveseat. He felt at peace once more knowing Akeno would be alright and that she was healed.

~It wasn't on my plans to get this involved with the timeline, so much to involve Akeno on this. She was supposed to be with Rias and fall in love with Issei, that was her destiny, her fate. And I altered it.~ He thought bashfully, he did something wrong. What else will change now? What else will happen? Yet he found himself smiling, almost smirking. Diodora Astaroth underestimated his enemies and underestimated the nature of manipulating others or even taking advantage of something as resourceful as information.

~I'll preserve Akeno as she is and help her with her trauma.~ He thought closing his eyes, a psychological experiment he hoped would bring an interesting result.

~And undoubtedly I've acquired a hostage in case Azazel tries to point guns at me.~ He thought reserved, flinching since it will be time to make a move on many things he waited too damn long to do.

Why must it always be me? Why must I always make the hard choices? His own subconscious complained, earning his deeper sadness and melancholy. It seems that he walks the rocky path while everyone else walks in the clouds. Even in fictional worlds such as this one, which is now his real and 'supposed' logical world.

~Regardless of my thoughts, I saved Akeno from death and a life of slavery. I'm a devil, therefore I claim my prize.~ He deadpanned without any further scoff, growing slowly colder and colder in his own emotions.

~I've been weak.~ He admonished himself and glared further at the floor, not again; he shall be colder and start to make his moves. Once the transactions have been sealed, and even against the wishes of the man to rewire Akeno's mind, he chose against it and teleported away back to the Phenex Manor carrying an unconscious Akeno in his arms in a bridal carry.

"Lord Diodora." Lady Trisha was the first that call out alarmed as all the staff was roused from the tranquility of the sunset, he clearly didn't mind the alteration as he walked through the entrance of the Phenex Estate and once he found the stairs that would lead him to his room. "Monsieur Allairo took the liberty to inform to your Uncle and Aunt where you've been."

"Thank you, Lady Trisha." He lightly bowed his head as a gesture of thanks as he carried both females with effort, yet did not accept any aid from the maid at all neither from Monsieur Allairo all while Saladin his pet snake did not hesitate to take his side.

"We've also notified your friends of an emergency you had and thus had to take a detour young Master. Mister Hyoudou took the freedom to invite you to the beach tomorrow." He nodded, he would have that in mind. Monsieur Allairo did him a favor by twisting the knob of his room's door once he walked the entirety of the hallway and going through his room, he dropped both unceremoniously on the bed as he outstretched and some of his bones popped. He groaned as he twisted and stretched once more. Once relieved, he took a moment to contemplate his actions, to absorb what he had done. Saving two from disgrace, two that shouldn't be his at the start.

~What am I doing?~ Diodora asked himself, dully adjusting his glasses as he turned his head away. "Monsieur." He muttered and a sudden popping sound announced the appearance of the infamous butler of House Astaroth.

"Please prepare a wardrobe for my new guest. I…I need some time alone." Exasperated, he took a trio of books from his bookshelves and left his room, even if he wanted to he just couldn't be in the same room as 'Them'.

Kill her…

His own survival instincts kicked in, a sense of preservation due to the knowledge he had of the events. Both would be key instruments in his downfall, more so one than another but the other held influence too just as the former.

~Just because Akeno once attacked me with no hesitation and almost killed me, doesn't mean that she'll do so here.~ He tried to give the benefit of the doubt which of course made him more afraid. What if she betrays me? What if she sees Issei and falls for him?

Would she understand? Or just see Diodora Astaroth?

~Akeno is just-.~

Would you risk it?

He contemplated looking back at her and he felt his heart wrenching at the thought, dissing someone that way because of fear of self-preservation was something that he hated to feel, that he understood that but that he didn't like to feel. So much for calmness, as he walked to his bedroom's door. He directly laid the female on the other side of the massive bed, all while he sat on the other side, far off from her. He hung his head and his shoulders were soon sagged, he had altered too much the events already he dared not to even think what would happen tomorrow or soon enough. Closing his eyes, in the depths of his darkness.

First Person P.O.V.

I found myself standing shoeless on a calm river.

Who are you?

Hearing the whispers in my ears, I turned around to find nothing but grassy hills and meadows of beautiful flowers yet my body was unmoving standing by the river. Feeling afraid, my breath was stolen from my lungs as a strong bigger hand than mine gripped my shoulder and caused me to turn my whole body back, I was received by a livid-looking teenage male with cyan-colored hair and I knew him as Diodora Astaroth, the ghost of what he used to be in life. His glare was one of mad anger. Diodora wore the same attire he wore the day of his death by Rias Gremory, his livid face was one of mighty anger and visceral hatred.

"Where are my whores!? What have you done to my life!?" Diodora's ghost demanded back and gripped my shirt with his fists as he rose me from the floor, glaring at me.

"I'm not you..." I quipped back at him, knowing that I was blessed enough to not be as disgraced as him, which all it caused was his snort and his low chuckles to turn into full loud laughter.

"Certainly." He almost laughed as he turned to the side and giggled. "At least I had parents, unlike you, who only got a half-assed Phenex Uncle and his family that doesn't gives a shit about your well-being."

His laughter caused me to close my eyes, which stung pretty deep because it was a true.

"At least my mother was not A WHORE!" Diodora cried out with a mad glint and smirk on his lips.

"SHUT UP!" I cried out and tried to shake my body, swat my arms against him, but he didn't cease his hold and all my attempts didn't seem to work.

"I want my bitches back; our body needs it. There is nothing more relishing than pushing myself as I see their faces when they break…It gives me the greatest of pleasures."

He was

a twisted being, a twisted rapist who enjoyed defiling others.

"What makes you think I would-."

"BECAUSE YOU'RE MESSING IT ALL UP!" Diodora cried out and pushed me against the river, back colliding to the stone floor which caused me to grunt and my eyes to grow watery with the pain I felt.

"Her!? Of all people you take that Dirty Blooded Whore!?" Diodora's ghost cried out in indignation against me, until he stood and stared at me, he snorted.

"Poor, Poor you; so pitifully trying to change your fate. Do you think Issei Hyoudou would have mercy even if you were his friend? Do you think he will hesitate when those bastards point their fingers against you? Do you think anyone cares about you at all?" Against my own will, he rose me and pinned me to the surface.

"I want you to drink this water, and look into it. Look at your past, our past." Diodora shoved my face into the running waters but it spitted all the water that attempted to get into my throat.

"No!" I cried out.

"LOOK BACK!" Diodora's ghost demanded.

"NO!" I protested.

"You're a defiant one, eh. Don't you want to relieve those bitter old memories of your last life?" He wondered but I stayed still.

"If I look back, I get lost."

Diodora snorted. "You're quite responsible and mature; then again your age doesn't match my body at all." Diodora's ghost mused and by gripping my hair forcefully he raised my face.

"I like to look back because I like to take advantage of that which makes me afraid and cowardly. I prefer to get drunk in the past."

A mistake, a foolish mistake. Staring at the past is a double-edged sword and it always tends to hurt, if used as a tool of self-growth, in the end, it all leads to disaster pain, and chaos.

"You were afraid…" I whispered back in realization.

"I'M NOT AFRAID!" Cried Diodora obsessively as he shoved my head back into the running calm waters.

"I CONQUERED MY FEAR AND COWARDICE BY USING THEM AS AN ADVANTAGE! I AM MY OWN MASTER! I RULED MY LIFE! Who could've taught you such a thing to simply forget the past? And not look at it."

Words and wind, words, and wind stolen and sealed by my own lips, it felt strange living through this oniric experience knowing I wasn't conscious, yet I still felt the danger and my heart beat fast. I smiled as a tiny remembrance of a certain read passage read in my head.

"You wouldn't ever understand."

So in his obsession with raping nuns and maidens was he that he overlooked everything else.

"No, It is YOU who understands not! Your foolish seeking of love and empathetic bonds is futile."

What can someone who never tried to aid another in need understand?

"The medic, he who aided others wants to repeat and redeem himself of his past mistakes." My heart sank as his words of mocking revealed me completely.

"It was so hard, wasn't it? Your duty." He mused. "Let go, of those selfish desires you want to let go. That toxicity you keep in your soul, free it, LET IT RIP IT ALL!"

'Help…' Pleaded my thoughts all while I tried to breathe.

"KI-!" A sharp scream was heard by my ears as I saw flames, the flames reached me. And in between the flames, I saw…a snake that was in a den of Phoenixes, a place that had warm hearths, and fire and felt like the warmth of home yet the pale stone felt cold to the snake and the warmth caused its chest to ache. He could see the trees, his palace, on the horizon. He leaped towards the Phoenixes…and was pulled back harshly by a camel. The camel mercilessly bit on the Snake's body, leaving biting wounds on it. The Veiled princess by the side of the camel stared, all while the camel bit the snake. Yet the veiled princess's abdomen was bloody, so bloody that from her loins a snake slithered away and when the Camel destroyed the snake, the princess mounted the camel and left the moribund snake for the Phoenixes to be found.

Who are you?

A deep voice asked.

There was a roar overhead. A massive golden lion jumped; phoenixes were bloody bodies, a silver star with a blue core blinded the lion but the lion harshly clawed the star, causing it to pulse in multiple colors, ready to extinguish. A camel was near the lion, overseeing the slaughter; yet there was no snake, trails all around were of black crow wings with blood.

Blood was everywhere; blood on the floor, blood on the throne, blood in the crown, blood in his hands, blood on the camel, blood on the veiled princess, blood on his hands…

First Person POV End

A gasp echoed through the room and indigo-purple eyes stared at the ceiling mutedly, touching his chest to feel his beating heart Diodora Matsuda could only sigh and wear a sad melancholic frown. His confrontation with the ghost of his own fears takes the shape of the Diodora Astaroth of the past he took from. He closed his eyes and shivered remembering how he referred to the sodomized nuns he had as a peerage. Tightening his fists.

~I will never do that.~ He thought obsessively, to force his peerage to that level, just to empty his desires; it caused him to frown in disapproval.

There was a level, and certainly that level was something he dared to not cross ever.

~I already altered that timeline by rescuing Akeno.~ He thought defeatedly and turned to gaze back at her prone sleeping form, how much will things change now that Akeno Himejima the Queen of Rias Gremory was not the Queen of Rias Gremory anymore.

~Someone who actively celebrated and sought out my death.~ He complimented with hesitation, as a Queen Akeno was powerful, however with his own fear of being double-crossed by Akeno in the events of her getting back her memories. He preferred to help her but at a safe distance and preserve himself to survive.

Kill her…

He shook his head embraced his legs and closed his eyes, as long as he lived there was a barrier between him and the ghost of his nightmares Diodora Astaroth of the past. Because, even if they were the same, between Diodora Astaroth and Diodora ERTHON Astaroth there was a humongous difference, one difference that made Diodora the same he was yet at the same time so different. Because, even if the entities above him wrote the same ending for him; dying by Issei Hyoudou's hand in the end, wearing the same colors and the same skin. He's Diodora Astaroth and yet not, a confusing sentiment that brought him agony and yet also a triumph. What prevents him from collapsing to that ghost's temptations.

~…Faith…~ Tears cascaded down his eyes, a pained devil who took refuge in faith from the assault of the ghost of Diodora's own past, screaming at him for his recklessness in saving Akeno Himejima from a certain death.

~I should give her to Rias.~ He thought defeatedly in between tears and yet his body didn't move.

Cursed by his selfishness, he sobbed and wanted to laugh at his selfish notion of stealing something from Issei Hyoudou. Akeno Himejima, who loved Issei the most, would now be one of his most hated enemies. And yet when he could've given her that kind of life once more, someone to love him he frowned even more.

~If I've been fated to die as Diodora Astaroth, then you'll suffer with me and go down with me.~ He balled his fists and exhaled, Diodora Matsuda's face was one of an even sadder visage and greatly burdened with the emotional brunt of his own pain. Because inherently he was selfish, in the end, he is still a devil and therefore handing her back would be the kindest action anyone would've ever done.

~I'm tired of suffering alone.~ He sighed and lay back on the bed, staring at the unknown ceiling he had grown used for the last eleven years of his life. Could it be still unfamiliar when such a time transpired?

~It seems even we devils are fate to the mocking machinery of Heaven's System~ His red puffy eyes were half-lidded as he fell asleep, it indeed was a notion to consider. They are just prey to the fate of some higher entity unknown even to them, to their games and whims. Does it bring any comfort? No.

~Perhaps if I can defy and change my fate in the end…~ He turned to Akeno Himejima and thought about a single thing. ~I can change the pathway to the end…~ He thought with his lips lightly curving up. ~That…would be enough for me.~

"Not strong enough." The stern voice of Ruval Phenex drilled as a young girl of eight years old held a frown, this must be her twentieth attempt ever since she has been training her magic in attempting to use Fire and yet she struggled with summoning a potent enough fire. Her elder brother Ruval explained it to her as much as he could by using her beloved hobby, baking, as an example. Using the recipe that worked for him, she tried to follow that recipe, and after this, she could go out and play with her Riser-Onii-Sama, or if he was too occupied with his peerage then with her Diodora-Onii-sama.

"Alright, think of light…of your fire brightly, and then when you feel it touching it free it and let it out." Her elder brother Ruval did it so easily, a stream of controlled flames as she tried it once again. She imagined the fire, she could feel its light and its warmth, it was so beautiful, in the dark recesses of her mind she imagined it perfectly. As she thought of it, she tried to touch it, its warmth and its brightness, as she got it out her phenex magical circle was projected yet no fire came only smoke but no fire.

"Perhaps we should take a break." Ruval advised trying to be kind as possible but young Ravel shook her head. "I can do it!" She insisted and tried once again but only got out smoke, which caused Ruval to place his right hand on her shoulder causing her to turn to his face as she felt sad. She shook her head and ran away, with tears cascading from her eyes.

"Ravel!" Ruval's voice turned into a mere whisper in the wind. Why? Why can't she do the fire as they all can? Was she not a Phenex? She shook her head even more viciously trying to get those ideas out of her head. Yet as she ran her vision was blinded by her just running that she never saw her front and she felt pain and the sudden work of gravity on her very body dragging her down to sit on the floor as she continued to cry even more. The pain she felt on her forehead only caused her to feel even more upset, as she was just about to cry out loud finally she felt a soothing fresh feeling on her forehead as she opened her teary eyes.

"Are you alright?"

She was received by the sight of her older brother, and the one she felt more familiar with. Maybe she was childish as she was told as she still retained her urge to play…But, she didn't have to be doted upon like a mere child! She was frustrated, she didn't have to be coddled. Even by her "Onii-sama!" that wasn't fair of him, to do the Elders' bidding, to just have his distance from the family affairs and say nothing. She could say something! She wasn't a servant! Yet, most of the time she is with him they just play video games, solve puzzles, and learn new things. Ravel had to say that no one dedicated her that much time as did her Onii-sama. Ruval was too bothered with managing the Family with her father, Revan was too focused on the businesses the family had in the human realm to bother, and Riser was too obsessed with Rating Game winning, prestige, and marrying Lady Rias. So much time her family didn't have for her that she naturally found Diodora in the household. Though she didn't want to be seen as wanting, so she lessened her time to be homeschooled and show she could also be something.

"Onii-chan." She addressed him, and he held the three books that compromised the mystery of her elder brother, in between hushed whispers Ruval-Onii and Revan-Onii agreed on saying he was 'too bright'. He didn't glower or anything but to each their own.

"You look…bothered." Her elder brother's gaze upon her eyes and face told everything, and once again like all times, his assessments were too precise and at times that was a trait that made her at times avoid him. Even in his own anti-social tendencies, he was too good at reading her, and anyone around him. In a way she wanted to be like that, just read people around and have them lead conversations with little things to say, that way no one would see her cry. "I…" She trailed off as she straightened her head. "It's nothing." She tried to hide the motives of her sadness but he seemed rather deep in thought.

"Let's go to the backyard." She found herself following her elder brother into the backyard of the Phenex Household, navigating through the halls, the stairs, then the other halls, and finally finding the sliding door which led to a beautiful grassy backyard, she gasped as she saw a big snake.

"Oh sorry, Ravel this is Salah-ad-Din my pet snake. Such intelligent and misunderstood creatures they are if I have to say." The creature slithered just following them as they continued to walk, at a considerable distance from their manor he turned to her.

"Did something happen with Ruval? You avoided his gaze and he had his concerned eyes on you as did your mother?"

"I…I can't do my flames." She confessed in sadness, tears threatening to leak from her watery eyes once more. Her pink frilly princess-like dress made it all more dramatic. Ravel Phenex stared at her elder brother Diodora who in silent contemplation stared at her as she projected her magical circle while focusing on her magical energies. "Tell me what you know about magic." Turning from her magical circle back to her, she lightly frowned and tried to remember the textbook source of information. "Well, Magical Energy comes from the Mana of our souls, the source of our lives and existence. Mana that flows through the entirety of our bodies and forms what we are." Even at a young age she tried to summarize the complex definitions of magical energies, which in itself is a field of study.

"A good textbook definition; do you know why magical circles exist? Why do they show up when we cast even the simplest of magics?" He asked to which she tilted her head to the side, she always had that question which had no answer, she thought it was something innate to Supernatural beings in general.

"It would be hard to explain but, the magical circle is a seal of individuality. Your magical circle won't be the same as Ruval's or Riser's, a magical circle is the most sacred brand of our own soul's projection into the world. Other factors are involved including the genes in our blood, our race, and so on and forth. Energy, in its nature; cannot be created or destroyed, it only is transformed." And on her elder brother's right palm she saw a ball of pure magical energy slowly take shape into a flick of fire before changing into a moving small wave of water before once again taking the shape of a condensed ball of light.

"Magic is power, controlled by my will and skill."

"But on to your fire, you must first close your eyes. Imagine living beneath the waves with a strong-sighted blessing of the most excellent surge of energy. Holding the energy over your gills, you would be in to breathe-drink its warp and weft. Through the plant matter fibers imbue your soul, the wretched plankton would pollute your hands until it stank to heavens of power. But are we the sea, or the breather, or the energy? Or are we the breath itself?" He took his time to start and put the same doubts and questions he had on magic on someone as young and impressionable as Ravel. She had difficulties in using her fire, and perhaps the problem was that devils expected to learn magic from their magical recipe without ever taking to note that living beings are different and their souls might be just as different as their next. Just because they are identified as devils in their individuality does not that the recipe is flawless and will always work.

"Can you flow through such energy as power flows through, being the water, or are we stuck morass of sea filth that gathers on the edge?" Slowly he could feel the power surging inside of Ravel, Animakinetics is a very powerful art for supernatural creatures. It is as dangerous as it is fascinating, some categorize it as simple meditative exercises used by Valkyries and other warriors but it is in fact entirely different. The manipulation and focusing of the soul to produce the most efficient magic.

"What is the purpose of this? I feel not-." Little Ravel tried to interrupt in her own impatience, but he insisted one last time. "Imagine, again Ravel. One last time, but different. Imagine being a phoenix bird cresting the wind lifted by a gust and downed by a stone. But the stone can come from above also if the bird is upside down. Where, then, did the gust come from? And which direction? Has the bird decreed their presence by their own mind-making? Do you feel it?" He asked and she stayed silent and he approached on her back.

"Breath deeply…"

She did.

"And let it go…"

A stream of fire propelled by a magnanimous gust of wind caused her to open her eyes and gaze in shock at what she caused.

"H-how?" She asked earning his smile as he took a book he had taken a long time ago back when he reappeared first in the world and he found such a book abandoned in a bookstore in the capital. "The source of Devil Power is imagination and creativity. Yet the main factor of imagination and creativity is visualization and to visualize you must feel. It is not easy to touch fire being aware it could burn, perhaps this path can help you." He handed his book on Animakinetics to the girl who looked at the book and then at him.

"Will I be able to learn water too? Other elements?" She questioned eagerly which made him chuckle. "Perhaps on some other day Ravel." He turned back to see Monsieur Allairo approaching, holding a big silver plate in his hand and on it two glasses. "Your appointment with your friends for a trip to the beach is in ten minutes, my Lord." Monsieur Allairo's even voice made him widen his eyes all while Raavel's eyes shone with stars.

"You're going to the beach! I want to go too!" She insisted which caused him to lightly chuckle, perhaps mildly awkwardly while he turned to Monsieur Allairo and made his way, leaving Ravel alone with her training.