Author's notes: The last two chapters need revising, but that can happen later. Chapters with important fights will be longer, and Malenia will not be paired with anyone. Probably. Maybe.
If the story is too hard to understand, I will revise it with labeled points of view.
That said, I wish I could own DxD or Elden Ring, but sadly, I do not.
The lost Empyrean
Chapter 3
'A Valkyrie?'
'A swordswoman...'
Thoughts burst through Irina and Xenovia's minds; their bodies already tensed enough from the sight of the dead vampire on the ground.
"Have you come to challenge me as well?"
A calm, indifferent voice brought them away from their thinking.
"No... We-"
"Why did you kill the stray?"
If the tall woman was surprised, she didn't show it.
"Is it not one's right to defend themself from an attacker?"
Xenovia frowned, slightly shifting her feet into a stance. Irina noticed this and did the same.
"You will end up like him."
The woman warned them, the short sword in her hand held a little tighter.
"You are an unknown, who has just killed a target of the Protestant church, and by extension, the Vatican."
Xenovia nodded at her partner's words, deciding to voice her own thoughts.
"Explain yourself, heathen, or we will cut you down."
Malenia, on the other end of the field, facing the church duo, remained impassive, her answer clear.
"I refuse."
...
"Damn you!"
Irina shouted, her limbs tired and the sword in her hand shaking. Her partner, ever cocky, was already lying face down behind her, having been eliminated almost instantly.
"I told you. This battle is unwinnable for you."
Even still, the brunette before Malenia let out a battle cry, racing forward with a slash of her katana, her eyes clearly unfocused. Just with the rest of her attacks, this one was deflected, and Irina earned yet another kick in the chest, sending her back to the ground.
"Xenovia! Get up!"
The brunette yelled, her eyes pooling with unshed tears, her uniform in tatters, and her skin abhorred with cuts and bruises. She stood up on wobbly legs, her arms barely able to hold Excalibur mimic any longer.
"Will you not concede?"
"Never!"
Irina shot right back at Malenia, her long-bladed katana cutting through the air, aimed up at the red-haired woman's neck.
'Clang'
A golden hand caught the blade, keeping it held within its grip. Irina blanched, fear forming in her eyes.
'Shink'
"A-ahh..."
Irina took a few shaky steps back, Excalibur mimic falling from her hands. Fresh blood leaked down her body, and her eyes trailed downward to look at the sword embedded in her chest.
"The easiest opponents are the desperate ones."
Irina heard the woman speak, as she crumbled to her knees, what was left of her fighting spirit extinguished. The sword was then ripped from her chest.
'Shing'
"You were brave, yet rash. Victory had been assured for me since the beginning."
"It's not over yet..."
Malenia turned to the voice, the blue haired girl from earlier now standing.
"O Peter, O Basilius and Dionysius, and the blessed virgin Mary..."
'An invocation.' Malenia deduced, her attention now fully on the girl.
"I ask you to please hear my prayers!"
A magic crest appeared beside the girl, gold in color and shining with an almost familiar light. A sword slowly came out of it, bound in chains.
'A blade of the golden order?'
"In the name of the saint living within this blade..."
The girl grabbed onto the sword, its binding chains breaking.
"I hereby set you free!"
Xenovia gave the blade a swing, before pointing it at her opponent.
"The name of this holy sword is Durandal, and I shall use it to defeat you!"
Malenia prepared herself, the aura oozing from the blade sending alarms through her mind.
"An interesting weapon. I thank you for providing me with a suitable replacement for my own lost sword."
"I'm ending this here and now!"
Xenovia ignored the woman's rambles and charged, jumping high into the air and swinging down on the woman's head.
'Danger.' Malenia listened to her gut, sidestepping the swing. As soon as the tip of the blade hit the ground, it caused a shockwave, leaving a tear in the earth where Malenia had stood.
"That sword..."
"It will cut right through your heretic heart!"
Xenovia swung again, the blade nearly slashing across Malenia's chest as she leaned back. Malenia finally lifted her borrowed sword up, attempting to deflect the next slash from the girl. Except, her blade was cut straight through, the other girl's sword finally drawing blood.
'Impossible.' Malenia pressed a hand to her side, seeing blood coating her digits.
"Durandal can cut through anything, even magic."
The blue haired girl now sported a grin, repositioning herself back into a stance.
"You might've beat Irina, but with this sword, I can't lose!"
"Your reliance on that blade will be your downfall here."
Xenovia scoffed, Durandal held high as she went in for another high slash.
"Die now, heretic!"
Xenovia swung down, her momentum too heavy and quick to dodge. For an amateur, that is.
"Too weak."
"What!?"
She tried to move her wrist, her feet touching the ground once more, her attack intercepted.
"H-how...?"
"It simply wasn't enough."
The red-haired woman had caught her wrist, stopping the swing of the blade right in its tracks. Xenovia stared up in surprise, watching the woman's golden hand launch straight into her face. She quickly collapsed to the ground, Durandal landing a few feet away.
"N-no..."
Xenovia turned quickly, attempting to crawl over to her dropped sword, before cold metal grabbed onto her hair, yanking the girl away.
"You wounded me. Not an easy feat, even if I had been withholding my true strength."
Xenovia, shocked, could only stare up at her opponent in obvious fear. Blood ran freely from her nose, her eyes unfocused and her lips quivering. The grip on her hair was tight, and her arms were already limp at her sides. She had no fight left in her.
"Take this opportunity to learn from the many mistakes you made, and better yourself."
Malenia let go of her hold, dropping the girl to the floor. She stepped past the other girl, who was desperately holding her palm to her bleeding chest.
"Pray to whatever gods you follow that we never meet again."
Leaving those final words, Malenia left them behind.
...
"Ce in...?"
"Domnisoara?"
She gathered looks from nearly everyone around her as she walked through the streets, the looks ranging from glances up and down her tall frame, to direct stares at the gash at her side.
"Excuse me, miss?"
A heavily accented voice called out to her, causing her to turn to it.
"You need... spital? Hospital?"
She narrowed her eyes, her gaze roaming over his odd clothing, and the multitude of items hanging on his belt.
"Yes, a hospital shall suffice."
She gave the strange man a nod, following behind him as he led her to her destination.
...
"Xenovia..."
A muffled, 'I'm alive' came from the ground close to her.
"I'm sorry..."
Irina could only look around from where she was planted on the grass, her vision blurry from the loss of blood.
"It's my fault too."
Xenovia lifted her face up to speak, her chin propped up on the ground.
"If I could've grabbed Durandal there, at the end..."
"Xenovia..."
She could hear her partner's voice shaking, her fists clenching at the weakness she's most likely reciprocating.
"X-Xenovia... I'm going to die..."
"You'll make it..."
"I feel tired..."
She grimaced. Her friend was going to die, and it was all because she was too weak to defeat their enemy.
"I want to go home."
Xenovia could only console her dying friend with words now.
"Home? The church?"
"Japan... Kuoh... To issei..."
Fortunately for her, a tip to the police led to them being rescued and hospitalized.
...
Chapter end
Notes: My first real fight, and sheesh. Do feel free to ask about anything, because I have lots of answers waiting. But for now, Malenia stabbed Irina with the purpose of killing her, but didn't move to fully end Xenovia. Why? She's interested in her and Durandal. It should be obvious as to why that is. Also, if you haven't realized, Malenia is rot free. That is a very important part of this story and will be explained. (Random bullshit go!)
All that aside, I honestly don't know where this story is going, but I will do my best to keep it as canon as possible. But with mommy Lania in the verse, who knows what could happen.
Dlc finally announced tho. Sweet!