NMHA Ch. 80 - Mayday, Mayday

A/N - Not feeling particularly inspired. But then, not feeling particularly uninspired either.

At the time of my writing this, I feel... like a canvas. If that makes sense.

I doubt it will last, but it isn't a terrible place to be in for an art form like writing.

And weeks later, I'm still not done with the chapter.

Burnout is a real bitch, I gotta say.

"So... we're really doing this."

"Is there a problem, Rossweisse?"

"N-no, it's just..."

"Just what, girl. Spit it out- you need to be more assertive!"

A sharp intake of breath, followed by the stiffer tone of one with gritted teeth. "It doesn't feel right, I have this bad feeling. I think that we're making the wrong choice."

Odin took a moment to rub his head. "Loathe though I am to ignore gut instinct, Ragnarok is upon us. We cannot act on nebulous feelings any longer- we must act based on what we know."

A shudder passed through the air, the feeling of wrongness intensifying multifold as something integral to the world died.

"So it was said, so it now is." Odin sighed. "A pity that such truly has occurred. Order the attack, then get out of here."

"S-sir, I'm a Valkyrie too! I cannot simply turn my back when my brothers and sisters are fighting."

"I am not saying retreat from the battlefield, fool girl, merely that you focus on enemies within your capacity to do battle with! Only I can face her on even footing."

"I..." Rossweisse paused, before bowing her head in acquiescence. "As you wish, Allfather."

Koneko stared at Issei as they traveled, eyes locked on the back of the young man's head. He stared out into the distance, brows drawn together in thought.

He was still a mystery to her. And yet, he was not.

He was still the same Issei she knew. And yet, he was not.

'More mature. More grounded. Perhaps iss a better way to put it.'

Stronger, she decided. In more ways than one.

Before, she knew that Ddraig - and the Boosted Gear - was the main reason he had become such a formidable person. Not that there was anything innately wrong with him, aside from the way his entire being was defined by his pervertedness, but he wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as he did without the Dragon of Domination.

'Now, though?'

Her eyes shifted to Asia who met the nekoshou's gaze with a faint smile.

"Did you need something, Koneko-san?"

"What did you do to him?"

"-eh?" Asia blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Issei. He's strong. Very strong." She didn't mean it in terms of actual power- though she could tell he had plenty of that too; to her perception of Senjutsu, there was energy bundled tightly beneath his skin, thick and compressed, as though he had a second layer of skin that was just sheer force.

But that wasn't what was special. Or rather, it was special, but that was not what had garnered her attention.

Asia's lips parted in a small 'oh', eyes widening faintly as she caught onto her meaning. She didn't answer immediately, however. Instead, her gaze went to the young man in question, and how he had started talking with Rias as they all rode down the unpaved road.

The fondness in Asia's eyes was unmistakable. "Ise-kun and I met when we were ten," she started, looking back at the white-haired girl. "I had just been adopted by tou-san - er, Masaomi-tou-san - and we had returned to his home in Kuoh. He was setting up a parish, and the Hyoudou family came to express their congratulations over his promotion to a pastor."

"Masaomi?" The name rang a bell, but Koneko couldn't quite place it. "I see."

"Thing was, Ise-kun wasn't all that interested from what I've been told. He was brought along so he and I could meet. His other friend had gone away, so he didn't have anyone he was close to any more."

"Irina?"

"Er, yes actually." Asia fixed a quizzical gaze upon Koneko. "How did you know?"

Koneko furrowed her brow. "Issei is pretty honest. We spoke a bit at Kuoh Academy."

Not much, but here and there. She never specified when, though. Having visions of a different time helped.

"Really?" She smiled. "He held Irina-san's departure pretty close to his chest. I didn't learn about her for a little while. I'm glad he had healed enough to be able to share that with you."

"He was defending the idea that he had a girlfriend when he was younger," she deadpanned.

"That... definitely sounds like Ise-kun, alright." Asia giggled. "The first thing he said to me was 'I like video games, manga, and big oppai - let's be friends'."

"Pervert."

"He's really not that bad," the blonde insisted, glancing over at the brunet, who was gesticulating wildly, clearly invested in whatever discussion he was having with the Devil that had asked them to travel with her. "He's honest - to a fault, perhaps, but he doesn't hide what he wants."

Koneko stared at him again. Honest to a fault- yeah, that wasn't too far off. He certainly didn't mind letting other people know what he wanted, but... "Just what he needs."

Asia looked over at the white-haired girl. "Hm?"

"He doesn't hide what he wants. But he does for what he needs," she said, crossing her arms. "But he doesn't hide that from you. You two are practically inseparable. Even when Buchou tried to... appeal to his tastes."

"You mean seduce him."

Koneko didn't answer, but her expression pinched. She had her own feelings about that particular move. A slight schadenfreude that Rias had failed, would probably be the best way to describe it.

That didn't stop the way her chest tightened with a twinge of envy, though.

If only she hadn't been bedridden and underdeveloped for six years...

"Rias-san does have a habit of doing her own thing, doesn't she?" Asia sighed. "I might still be irritated with her for that, but it means a lot to me that Issei didn't bite."

The two of them sat in silence for a while.

Eventually, Koneko broke it with a simple statement.

"You love him."

"Yes. I do." Asia turned her way and smiled again. "And I think you do too. Despite not knowing him like I have."

The nekoshou-turned-Devil glanced away, looking at the road they had already traveled.

She stared silently back at a time that was no longer the 'now'.

"Then is it really love?" the white-haired girl heard herself say.

"You want to be closer. But I see the way you look at him sometimes."

Koneko swallowed.

"I had my chance."

It had ended in screaming.

And death.

So much death...

"Are you alright?"

Koneko froze, unclasping her hands from her arms where she had started hugging herself. Asia had knelt down in front of her in the middle of her fugue, eyes wide with concern.

"I'll be fine."

Asia tilted her head knowingly. "But you aren't right now."

The white-haired girl's expression pinched again. "You're frustratingly perceptive."

The healer giggled faintly. "When my best friend is someone who wants to shoulder everyone else's burden, I learned to catch his own between the lines."

She stood back up and stepped back into her seat. "I could say the same for you, though. About being perceptive. Ise-kun needs people like that in his life. By his side. For someone so direct, he can be pretty inconsiderate of his own needs." Asia hummed thoughtfully. "I think you should give it a chance. He may be more open to the idea than you think."

The nekoshou knew that. "Are you?"

Asia smiled. "I'm willing to give it a try. Ise-kun has a big heart- big enough for more than just me. It'd be selfish to keep it all to myself."

Koneko shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. She still had her reservations, of course.

But then, Issei was stronger than he was before, wasn't he?

Maybe this time, it could all work out.

The world tilted, and Koneko's blood went cold.

"No-" she hissed, tail and ears manifesting as she drew on both Youkai and Devil powers to wrap around her like a blanket and protect her from the wrong that rippled through the world.

"Koneko, what's wro-?!"

KKKKKRRRRRSHHHHHHHH

But it did no good. Distantly, she realized that Rias had seized up and fallen as well, but was herself too busy to pay any attention. She curled into the fetal position, desperately trying to protect her core.

A light she hadn't even known was there had gone out, sharply and painfully.

And darkness came flooding in to take its place.

"-neko-! Koneko! Are you alright?"

She bolted to her feet from where she'd fallen, tail lashing wildly as she looked around. There was only Asia within arm's reach, who had scrambled back from the Nekoshou's rapid ascent.

She felt cold. Dark. Dead.

She'd dealt with feeling like that for six years before, but she was much stronger than back then.

"Sorry. I'm fine." The nekoshou shook her head. "What about Buchou?"

Her gaze snapped up to the front of the carriage, where Issei, and she hurried over to the prone form of Rias, whose chest was rising and falling rapidly, her head in his lap.

"What happened to her?"

"Tremors, dilated pupils, hyperventilation, limited physical awareness." Issei's voice was steady and quick, firmly reciting back the redhead's symptoms as his eyes snapped back up at Koneko. "She's in shock right now. Is there an emergency blanket stored in these carriages?"

She shook her head, then drew on the world around her to cover a palm with chakra. It was... colder. But it was still alive. She could already feel it warming up again, placing it against Ria's forehead. It was quickly joined by Asia and the rings of Twilight Healing enshrouding the Devil's body with a warm glow..

It took a minute, but the redhead's shuddering subsided.

Unlike the nekoshou, though, Rias didn't wake up immediately.

"Of all the times to leave my jacket at home," Issei grimaced. "Whatever that was, it's good to see you shook it off quickly, Koneko."

"I've had experience with it," she replied, though her expression grew somber. "Hopefully it won't take Buchou six years to wake up like I did the first time."

"Six ye- Sirzechs would literally kill me if I came back with his sister in a coma!" the brunet yelped, eyes wide. "To say nothing of what Venelana-sama would do-"

"Then we don't go back."

Issei paused, eyes shifting back to Koneko, then back down to Rias.

"What do you mean, Koneko-san?" Asia queried.

"Whatever's going on, I don't think we can just wait this out," Issei added, voice calmer now.

"We're close to Phenex territory," The white-haired girl said.

"I don't think he'll help," Issei shook his head. "I got the impression he wasn't particularly fond of me when we met."

"He is fire-" Koneko insisted. "-and even if he is not fond of you, Lord Phenex considers the Gremory family his allies. He also has a stranglehold on medical practices and materials in the Underworld. Buchou needs warmth and treatment. If anyone can help her down here, it's him."

"Koneko, this isn't Ruval we're talking about- we're talking about the rebirth of the Demon Phenex," Issei warned.

"I know," she responded to the blinking surprise of the Red Dragon Emperor. "But even among Demons, Phenex was one of the nicer ones."

"One of the nicer ones, you say. After threatening to immolate me if Riser's legs couldn't be healed." Issei grimaced, but conceded the point all the same with a sigh. "Alright, fine. Waking Rias up comes first. If Phenex can help, then let's go."

He turned back to the front of the carriage, then back to the girls. "Uh, do either of you know how to handle a magic-powered carriage? I never exactly got a driver's license."

Koneko shook her head and climbed around to the front. "Useless pervert," she drolled, but it had a certain warmth to it, even as said pervert squawked in indignation. "Fine then. Be a good lap pillow for Buchou."

She'll need it, especially if whatever just happened really did have something to do with Trihexa.

(Arbiter Base)

Lunarunn was short on time and shorter on patience. "I need a sitrep five minutes ago!"

"The whole world's gone mad, High Arbiter!" The technician swiped his hand, a holoscreen appearing in the air between them. "Riots all over the place; security online and off are both in shambles, and I've heard rumors that soldiers have had to restrain some of their own men from triggering each countries' nuclear arsenals. The global death count is rising, and fast."

Heaven's System had died- she knew it. From her conversation with the memory of Azrael, she knew that this time would come soon.

She hadn't expected it to be this quick though. They still weren't as ready as they needed to be.

"Shit," Luna cursed as she rapidly panned through the reports. "What of our own men?"

"About five percent of our forces have succumbed to hysterics, but the exact number is still up in the air. Could be higher, could be lower."

"And the Enforcers?"

"Getting reports from all over that things went FUBAR the instant we felt that wave of- whatever that was. The Enforcers have mostly shaken it off but," the tech shook his head and grimaced. "Ma'am, whatever happened, it seems to have hit everyone, and something fierce."

Fuck. It was one thing to be warned of it and another to experience it outright. "The prisoners?"

"Holding up, but the guards say Azazel's begging to talk to you- on hands and knees, no less."

Superbia wasn't Azazel's sin, and he was one to be facetious, but in a situation like this? "I'll talk to him. We're in uncharted territory now, his insights may prove useful."

"Uncharted territory? With all due respect, I think everyone knows that, Ma'am."

"Keep that cheek," Luna smiled grimly as she closed the holoscreen and turned around to leave. "We'll need it going forward."

"Ma'am, we've also got a message from the medical wing- Serafall has awakened."

She froze.

That was the last thing she needed right now.

"Status?"

"They didn't report anything more before their comms dropped. You'll need to talk to them yourself."

Fuck. Azazel needed to speak to her and likely vice-versa. But then there was her friend...

Priorities. Prioritize.

"Tell the med-techs I'm interrogating Azazel, then I'll see Serafall," Luna ordered, turning back around briefly. "She's to be treated with every possible courtesy except permission to leave that room until she's cleared by me, understood?"

"Ma'am." The tech saluted before returning to the commset. A moment later he shouted, voice strained. "Shit- We've got bogies-"

The building rumbled from the roar of thunder, the hologlobe flickering out before the emergency lights lit up and the backup generator kicked in.

An electricity-based attack? Of enough intensity to drain their primary shield batteries? She'd already killed Zeus, so that meant-

"Thor," Luna's frayed patience snapped. "Oh God fucking dammit, Odin!"

"Leave it to the oh-so-wise Allfather to make the wrong choice now that Ragnarok is upon us," Loki commented snidely as he leaned against one of the terminals, crossing his arms. The tech yelped at the god's sudden appearance. "And to my idiot nephew to be a good little prince and abide by his will."

"I'll see if I can't knock some sense into them," Luna promised grimly. "But first, I need to talk to Azazel. Can you distract Thor and Odin until I can confront them?"

"You mean hold them off? I'm a trickster god, Lunarunn, not a warrior god. Combat is not my domain."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not telling you to fight them. Run interference. Illusions, teleportation, even just stalling them with dialogue, doesn't matter. I just need to get things cleared with Azazel - what he knows might be critical."

Loki smirked. "I knew there was a reason I liked you. I'll do what I can to give them the run-around."

"That's all I ask." The brunette turned back to the communication technician as Loki vanished, as suddenly as he'd appeared. "Order an evacuation of all noncombatants and nonmedical personnel from Arbiter Base, as well as any combat personnel below Ultimate-rank. This could go from bad to worse very fast, especially if the Underworld's somehow involved."

"Including me?"

She nodded once. "Place the order, then get the hell out of here."

"Ma'am." The tech turned to the comms and quickly started an announcement. "All personnel, we are under attack by Nordic forces! Any soldier beneath Ultimate-class is to evacuate immediately. Medical personnel, get those beds to ground ASAP! I repeat-"

Luna turned and rushed down the hall, muffled shouts and explosions acting as the background to the technician's message across the base.

"We need to talk," the Fallen former leader's voice sounded slightly tinny through the enchanted glass.

Luna inclined her head. "I know- that's why I'm here, risking my men and women in a fight against the Nordic Pantheon while I hear what you need to say."

Azazel took a breath, and nodded, cutting directly to the chase. "Heaven's System is dead."

"I know."

"How did-? Right, Azrael." Azazel grimaced. "But what we felt- that was distinctly Trihexa. But you aren't the kind of person who'd destroy it."

Lunarunn had an urge to be snide, but there was no time, and Azazel was worldly enough to normally get a good read on people.

"I've got a feeling it was Lucifer."

"But Lucifer is dead." Then again, technically so was Azrael, and the doubt on his face showed Azazel's understanding of the fact.

"Or maybe he just created a false persona," Luna offered. "I've heard it on good knowledge that Rizevim wasn't who he said he was."

A beat passed as Azazel processed the additional information.

"Normally I'd call you crazy, but this is the Great Deceiver we're talking about, and these are far from ordinary times." He gave a single clap, though his face was anything but amused. "Bravo to him for pulling it off, if that really is the case."

"You're taking this pretty well."

"Really? In my own head I'm freaking the fuck out."

"You too? Glad I'm not the only one."

They shared crooked grins before Luna's fell.

"Was that all? I really need to go."

Azazel's gaze turned to the door. "Let me help you."

She frowned. "How can I trust you to not try and wrest the Fallen from Kokabiel again?"

"You can't. I'll definitely try to reclaim control of the Grigori," he admitted, facing her from the other side of the enchanted glass again. "But frankly, you need all the help you can get, especially if you want to minimize casualties."

His logic was unsurprisingly sound. Still, there was the risk that he could turn on them and make this whole situation even worse.

Last time she trusted one of the big players in DxD with a role like this where she could easily be backstabbed, she got burned - badly.

The problem was what he thought 'helping her' entailed.

She didn't know.

But peoples' lives were at stake here. Her people. She had a duty to them.

If he was saying he wanted to help? If she wanted to stick to her ideals?

Damn it, what other choice did she have?

"Fine, you and Shemhazai are unofficial Enforcers for the duration of this crisis. Your actions will determine your future status within the Dawn Legion." Her expression darkened. "I hope you know what'll happen if you betray this trust though."

"Heh, I was there when several of my corrupted brothers and sisters were scattered across existence," Azazel met her intense gaze with a grim smile. "I know perfectly well. So can you unlock the door please?"

Luna did just that, and for the first time in months Azazel stepped out of his cell, taking in a deep breath.

"Yeah- confinement definitely doesn't suit me," he exhaled, eyes shifting to the monstrous limb that the brunette had made for herself. "So, what needs doing, boss?"

Said 'boss' ignored the glaring sarcasm in the last word. "You and Shem get to the medical wing- help evacuate the patients there. Serafall's there too, but I don't know her condition beyond her having woken up from the System's death throes." She pointed down the hall with her good hand. "Your secretary's kept that way. Emergency code is eight-three-two-five. You let him out, fill him in, then go get those patients evacuated. Once their safety is secured, you've got carte blanche to assist."

He gave her a sloppy salute before leaving.

'I hope I made the right choice.'

She shook her head and raised the inside of her wrist to her mouth, triggering the communication array Le Fay had created for her. "All soldiers, be advised - Azazel and Shemhazai have been released from confinement and granted provisional Enforcer status until this crisis is resolved. Unless they act against the Dawn Legion, they are to be considered allies. If they do turn on us, inform me ASAP. High Arbiter, moving in to engage the Nords. Kokabiel, if you're listening in - we need to talk once there's a lull."

Gil slid back, feet causing tracks in the ground as he skidded to a stop from the hammer blow. As one of the Dawn Legion's strongest Hero Descendants, Mjolnir's direct impact merely broke his guard.

But Thor was one of the best-known Nordic gods for a reason, and the redheaded deity didn't hesitate to rush back in, capitalizing on the young man's unbalanced state to strike a ringing blow.

The world around him shifted, and he found himself away from Thor, the god swinging at his desperately backpedaling form - or rather, the illusion that had seamlessly taken his place.

"Thanks for the save, Loki."

"It is no trouble at all- it is easy to fool Thor, even after all these years."

That being said, when Thor finally managed to strike the illusion and disperse it, he looked awfully mad as he whirled on the human and trickster god.

"Are you truly so weak as to require my uncle's tricks to face me, child of Sumer?" the god bellowed. "My goats put up more of a fight! Then again, you would know quite well, wouldn't you Loki!"

Ooh. Gilgamesh could see Loki twitch at that. The sneer just cemented that the insult struck home.

Gilgamesh swallowed. He might have been strong, he might have been strong enough to throw down with gods even, but Thor was a powerhouse even among deities.

He wasn't quite sure he could pull this one off.

In his ear, he heard a brief crackling before his commander spoke through.

"High Arbiter, moving in to engage the Nords."

His face split into a grin.

"Finally. I can only bear the inane prattle of my half-nephew for so long," the trickster god muttered. "Welcome news indeed."

"And the fact that he's good enough at insults to prick at your pride has nothing to do with it?" the hero descendant teased.

"The chaff are advancing," Loki noted loudly as Einherjar and Valkyrie alike moved forward, the sounds of conflict erupting anew as the Dawn Legion's troops met them.

Gil's grin fell. "Not as welcome," he responded. "Cao Cao should have that handled, but since Georg's still out for the count we don't have a way to disperse them."

There will a lot of bodies today, he could tell. Lunarunn wouldn't be happy about that.

Still, it was them or the enemy. It was as simple as that. Not to mention he couldn't hold back against Thor.

With another roar, he lunged forward to re-engage with the Norse god, golden axe carving a gilded blur through the air as the redhead weaved out of the way. Their shoulders collided, as each tried to tackle the other. The god's hand shot out. Gil disappeared again, a swift teleport from Loki saving him from the thunder god's grasp.

It was a game of cat and mouse. Though Gil could match Thor's blows to a certain degree, Mjolnir was a force unto itself, and he knew that if Thor managed to grab him and leverage his greater strength, he'd find himself shattered on the ground.

Hopefully Lunarunn could confront Odin and stop this before too many people got seriously hurt - or worse.

Gil had a feeling he might be one of them.

"So this is your choice, Odin?" the brunette asked coolly, arms crossed as she appeared in front of him. "Even after I warned you what might happen?"

The god in question's face remained carved from stone as he lifted a hand, thumb and middle finger touching and the rest outstretched. "It would be remiss of me to allow the destruction of the world as we know it - Ragnarok is upon us, and you its herald."

Luna's face twisted, as did her body as she evaded the stream of runes that sprung into existence around her - damn, she should have considered studying up on her Elder Futhark. "I would think the King of Asgard would know the difference between harbinger and herald. Ever since the summit, I have always called myself the former, not the latter!"

"It is a misguidance- my half-brother has taught me that the most effective lies are the simplest ones. So spare me the sophistry, scion of Trihexa, scion of the Outsider." Gungnir appeared in motes of divine light, the king brandishing his spear toward Lunarunn with clear intent. "You will find your words hold purchase upon me no longer!"

The Worldweaver's expression grew agonized, before swiftly falling into a grim scowl. "Sirzechs convinced you to take this path, didn't he?"

He didn't answer the question. "Once you revealed your plot to remove the remainder of Yahweh's legacy, your true colors became clear. It took a while to find your primary base of operations, but it's time to root out your chaos, lest it spread any further."

She so desperately wanted to deny the allegations but Odin had already made his stance clear. He wouldn't listen.

She needed to save her breath. The longer he remained at large, the more people would die by his command. It was as simple as that, wasn't it?

If Sirzechs was the mastermind, then why not tag team her? For the Norse to turn on her so swiftly, much less locate Arbiter Base so far out of their own territory - that smacked of some sort of interference.

Still, she had to focus on what was in front of her. She could ruminate later.

Though her initial salvo was met with barrier runes, they could not stand up to the inherent tearing of Cataclysm Eclipse. But they did their purpose, and with her initiative spent, Luna engaged Odin.

The cloudy sky broke with the force of the conflict that ensued, god against Demon.

When Azazel and Shemhazai arrived at the medical wing, they found themselves in bedlam- people scrambling towards evacuation routes, only to find themselves blocked by Devils, magic flying in all directions.

And over there, in one of the medical rooms, was that-?

Azazel grimaced. Things had gone from bad to worse, very, very fast.

With a glance to Shemhazai, Azazel's secretary broke off to engage the other Devils present, while Azazel barged into the medical bay with a shout.

"Sirzechs!"

The redheaded Devil didn't even pay attention, staring down at the bedbound Serafall, who stared blankly back up at him with glowing pink eyes.

Oh no.

"..." Sirzechs breathed out shakily, the hand letting him lean on the wall curling slowly into a fist.

"Serafall." Azazel swallowed as he stared at the Satan in question. "Is she-?"

"Okay?" the sole male Gremory muttered, not even looking his way. "She's had her mind completely ripped open, and all of the Dantalion family's accursed programming dragged back to the surface. The lights are on, but nobody's home- just a doll, made to be their lapdog."

The Fallen's face paled as the realization sunk in, even as Sirzechs turned to face him, his expression stiff.

"Tell me, Azazel," Sirzechs said, voice so very quiet. "Does that sound okay to you?"

"Ah. Shit," the black-and-blond-haired genius breathed. "Is Serafall being here why you-?"

"In part. But this only reinforces my belief that striking here was correct." Sirzechs's head turned slowly from side to side. "To think, she's stuck here like this, and I haven't even been able to see her until now."

"From what I've overheard, she wasn't actually awake until Dad's System kicked the bucket just a couple minutes ago." Azazel rubbed the side of his neck. "But- no wonder she fought rescue from the True Satan Faction."

"So I've heard as well." Sirzechs mused, head tilted with an inscrutable expression. "Once I'm done fixing my mistake, there won't be a place in Hell for the TSF or any of their bootlickers. I'll make it completely inhospitable if I have to."

"And the others?" Azazel gestured out the door, where Dawn Legion soldiers were still trying to fight their way out of the medical wings.

"Fixing my mistake," he repeated. "Those soldiers are here because of her. They made their choice. They signed up for this."

A moment passed. "I'm not sure how you got out. I think I have an idea, though." He looked back at Serafall. "Help me, Azazel. I know you don't want any part of this, I get that. But she needs to be stopped."

Azazel's mouth opened, then closed.

He'd hoped that it wouldn't have come to this, but... he shook his head.

"Lunarunn released Shem and I to try and limit the number of casualties," he said, looking at Sirzechs and meeting his gaze when it shot back up to meet him. "She might be Azrael's legacy, or maybe even Azrael herself, but she wants to stop the killing-"

"You were there, Azazel!" Sirzechs snapped, tightly-clenched emotions tearing free briefly. "You were there when she murdered Ajuka in cold blood! How can you even believe that, when she took my brother from me?!"

"He signed up to fight for you, Sirzechs," Azazel said quietly, turning Sirzechs's words back upon him. All too easily, he noted. "All I want is to limit the casualties. Minimize how many die. Besides, her killing a top-tenner certainly did stop the fighting at the Summit. But that's not the point. You're here of all places, leading a charge with hospital patients in the line of fire."

His voice rose. "I know these tactics, Sirzechs. I've ordered them done during the Great War! You came here specifically to kill these people, to prevent them from becoming an enemy in the future!"

It was clear Sirzechs was fraying - his temper was short, his words chosen not with the cadence of a master politician, but of a man slowly coming apart under the pressure he was placed in.

He walked in those shoes all too well. Azazel knew he'd made mistakes with the Grigori. With how he led it. With how he had it torn away from his grasp. Sirzechs was still young in comparison. He wouldn't let his own failures happen to the Underworld's best, if he could help it.

"I'll give you a counter-offer, for the peaceful times' sake," the Fallen said. "Call all this off. Let everyone evacuate in peace - Serafall included. Take the fight to those that can actually fight back - and deal with Lunarunn face-to-face instead. I won't stop you. I'll even get a vow from Lunarunn that she'll do everything in her power to get Serafall back from her own head."

"She already is, I'm sure." The bitterness in the crimson-haired Devil's voice was palpable.

There was so much in those words that Azazel had no intention of trying to unpack. "Then leave these people alone. If you have an issue with her, I've no doubt that she will gladly work it out with you - one way or another."

He didn't respond immediately, instead turning to face Serafall. Once again, she stared back blankly. The pressure in the room rose swiftly as Sirzech's thoughts whirled, Azazel matching the unconscious flare-up of power with one of his own..

Something dark flickered in the Devil's gaze, and his hand twitched.

"I'm not the only one who had a hand in this."

"I know." Azazel could tell that Sirzechs was at least a reluctant participant. "Your mother hasn't lost her ruthlessness, it seems."

"Then you know that this is a joint effort from multiple Pillars."

"I do."

"And you expect me to be able to just walk away?"

"Of course not. But if you focus your efforts on specific targets-"

"Azazel." The tiredness in Sirzechs's tone stopped the Fallen cold. "I've always known you were a hypocrite, but even I can't ignore what's in front of me right now."

The Fallen sighed, running a hand through his hair, solutions and contingencies already forming in the face of failing negotiations. "It seems that leadership has made you one as well, old friend."

"I swore to burn the world to keep my family safe if I had to. That I'd do it with a smile. You know my Sin. Serafall and I have grown distant, but I still consider her one of my own."

"Then there's no dissuading you from walking further into the pits."

"Ajuka was always the more reasonable between us."

Sirzechs stared at Azazel. Azazel stared back.

"Serafall." Sirzechs's voice rose to a commanding peal. "Retreat to the Gremory Household and remain there for further instruction."

Azazel struck, but Sirzechs was ready, the light of innumerable spears meeting avaricious Destruction.

Masaomi wasn't having a good day.

First there was the creeping sensation that something was very wrong. He could sense it, a lingering acrid stench that constantly pricked at the edge of his conscience. It had been nagging at him ever since he woke up.

Next was the feeling of ... dimness from the church in Kuoh as he entered it. As though God's light had somehow become diminished.

He wasn't the only one to notice; even the typical churchgoers seemed unsettled. He did his best to soothe their nerves, but he could do nothing to dispel the feeling that the notion of 'holiness' was fading.

And wasn't that a scary thought?

Then came the darkness. The crashing sound in the back of his mind as something integral to the world died.

He could have written it off but in that same moment, the dimmed light he'd been feeling all morning went out entirely, abruptly. And much like the dimness before, everyone could feel it.

When the first screams broke out in the church, Masaomi immediately stepped forth. He knew that if he didn't, the panic would spread, and the situation would turn dangerous fast.

"Everyone, remain calm!" he bellowed. "Take deep breaths, and focus on me!"

Even if he himself felt a cold clamminess seep in, the exorcist remained strong - he had to, for their sake.

"I only have an idea of what happened, but we must hold fast- if what I believe has occurred truly did happen, then we must band together-"

"No! NO! NO!" one of the churchgoers shrieked, leaping out and lunging at the former exorcist. "God's dead! He'd DEAD! You knew! You knew, didn't you!?"

Satsuki Tetsuo was a pious man - for him to devolve into hysterics like this could only mean one thing.

He quickly moved, locking their arms behind their back and pushing them to the ground on the pews. Even as the churchgoer struggled, Masaomi could see the truth circulating, and the anger quickly arising.

"I did," he admitted, loudly, to the crowd and to the man he was holding down alike. "But we're still alive. And His message. His word, His world, still remains. So it falls to us to be His hands in His place."

"LIAR!" the man he held screamed back, grunting and panting as he tried to break free.

"What's the point!?" another cried. "If He's dead, then there is no place for us in Heaven-"

But Masaomi was a former exorcist - and a Dawn Legion Enforcer, to boot. So his grip and his voice remained firm.

"Please, just listen to me! Give into that line of thinking, and you will be lost!" Masaomi shouted back. "Just like we must be His hands on Earth, the Angels still live on, and they still guard the gates to Heaven!"

And yet, he wasn't sure of even that anymore. It was as though the light of Heaven itself had been devoured.

"But even if that isn't the case- and this was the death throes of Heaven itself," Masaomi continued. "What that means is that cooperation to lift each other up is even more necessary now than ever!"

Satsuki spat and hissed, but the others were looking at each other, doubt written clear as day on their expressions.

"...Alright," another said. Tears streamed down her face, but she hadn't completely lost it like the man Masaomi was still holding in place. "But what should we do?"

The pastor let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and smiled kindly back at them. "It's simple- do what you can to help keep the peace. Look after your family once you leave- we will need each other for the trials ahead. If anyone needs assistance, send them here- I will provide sanctuary to the best of my ability."

"It's no use!" Satsuki ranted. "God's dead, the world's dying, the apocalypse is upon us! Live how you want, tomorrow we die!"

"Even if that is true, then let us be remembered by the courage with which we hold ourselves to, rather than the animals we became," Masaomi gritted his teeth. "Please, Satsuki-san, calm down before I have to subdue you."

Outside, he could hear sirens start blaring, and then the rumble of an impact.

"Can someone check out what's going on outside?" he called.

"Y-yes sir!" another young man stammered, before hurrying out.

Masaomi had to hold Satsuki down for several more minutes before he finally began to settle, though there was still a poisonous air around him.

But he let the man go anyway- and Satsuki immediately bolted as though he could no longer stand the sight of the church.

He hoped that Satsuki-san would get a hold of himself. But for now, others needed what aid the pastor could offer.

Masaomi fell into an aged, but familiar rhythm; going around, distributing water and blankets to those that found themselves at his door. The pews of the temple were quickly pushed to the side in favor of as open a floor plan as possible, then pushed back to create makeshift bunks.

And the tales he heard...

"I-I don't know what happened. One moment everything was fine, but then everything went cold, and some people just- just went crazy!"

"There was so much screaming. I think I was one of them. I don't feel like screaming anymore. I just feel like I wanna curl up and disappear."

"Something is terribly wrong. I can feel it in my bones. It's like the sun's gone out- I know it's still here, but it's... I dunno, cold I guess."

The stories varied slightly, but the tone was always the same; the light went out, and people went mad - wailing, gnashing of teeth, and all.

"Kuoh Hospital's on lockdown; some of the orderlies lost it too, and they say the rooms have already filled up."

"I could have sworn I saw a tengu trying to calm down a cop- that can't have been real, right? Maybe it's a distraction?"

Masaomi stifled a curse. The Youkai might not be affected as much due to their non-Abrahamic lineage, but if they were being seen, then things were really bad.

It was bad enough already, given how many people were seeking refuge at Kuoh's church.

Normally he'd be glad to see so many people interested in learning more about the Lord, but even over the course of a few hours the church had instead become an encampment of the lost and wounded.

He was glad to be able to help at all - but the sheer scale of the problems at hand weighed heavily on his mind.

He could only do the best he could, and pray that it would be enough.

"Father Yaegeki?"

He looked up from where he was wringing out a towelette for one of the children who'd collapsed. "Yes, Kentaro?"

"I, uh- I found a few more that need sanctuary." He rubbed the back of his head. "They- uh, it might be best to see for yourself."

He grimaced, but nodded, rising to his feet to let the young man lead the way. As he weaved through the temple, filled with soft conversation and weeping, he could only wonder to himself.

'How did things get so messy so quickly?'

"Kentaro- why are we going to my rectory?"

"They, uh- she said it was probably best if they weren't around the rest of us. It, it wouldn't be good for morale." Kentaro shook his head. "I, uh, don't really know what they meant, but you might."

Morale? The 'rest of them'? Masaomi hadn't opened his rectory to the people yet - though he was getting close. So what would that mean?

"...How were they able to get inside?" he realized.

"That's, ah, that's the weird part. She had a key."

His eyes widened. Asia would go straight to the people, to help them in their time of need. If 'morale' was an issue, and she had a key... "Gabriel is here!?"

"Gabriel?" Kentaro echoed.

Masaomi cleared his throat, suppressing his shock. "Someone who helped me out of a tight spot a while ago. You could say she's my superior."

His voice was small. "I, uh, I don't think we're talking about the same Gabriel, then."

And wasn't that the crux of the issue? Gabriel was supposed to be in Heaven - or at the very least, the Vatican. If God's System was gone, then why was she here, in his house?

'Unless...'

No. Perish the thought. He could not draw any conclusions, not until he saw for himself.

"Kentaro, what should I expect?"

He grimaced. "Two bodies. Both unconscious, maybe comatose. They're in a bad way. Blood everywhere. She said she carried them here herself, but even she looked like she might topple over to a stiff breeze."

Two bodies? Carried herself?

He forced himself to remain firm. "Then I'll take it from here. You head back and help distribute water, let them know that I'm speaking with Heaven's emissaries and will be back as soon as I can."

"Uh, y-yes Yaegeki-san." The young man swallowed and nodded, hurrying back to pick up the slack left behind by Masaomi's temporary departure.

He walked up to the rectory and slid the key into the lock. With a twist of his wrist, the door opened, and he stepped inside to the smell of iron.

"Hello?" A familiar, if haggard, face stepped out from the kitchen, eyes widening in palpable relief as she recognized the man who entered the building. "Masaomi, thank Father. Where do you keep the bandages? I need more of them, he just won't stop bleeding-"

He was already on the move, hurrying over to the closet where he kept his emergency supplies, throwing the door open and grimacing as he realized that said supplies were close to depleted. "Who won't stop bleeding, Gabriel? What happened?"

"Metatron - Enoch, rather - and, well..." She'd already ran back into the kitchen. "Our oldest brother happened."

The growl in her voice took the exorcist aback. "Oldest- Are you talking about-?"

"Yes, I am," she interrupted stiffly, already out of sight. "Let's talk about that later, after my adoptive brother isn't bleeding out."

That sort of shortness wasn't like Gabriel.

Masaomi stepped into the kitchen with bandages in hand and immediately understood why.

On the ground, bleeding heavily, laid the bare forms of Michael and Metatron, one with wings of pitch-black and one with none at all, red pouring from the holes where those wings once extended. A human would certainly have died from that sort of blood loss, the floor was covered in red. Michael and Metatron were also littered with gashes and cuts, which too added to the expanding pool on the ground. Kneeling besides them was Gabriel, covered in ugly bruises.

"Shit-" he immediately joined Gabriel's side, kneeling down to gather. "I don't think just pressure is going to cut it here."

"I know, Masaomi! I might not be Raphael, but I'm not a novice in first aid!" Her face grew stricken, tears welling up. "F-Fuck, Raphael..."

Oh no. No, no, no. Was Raphael dead? How did Michael Fall? Gabriel using that kind of language? What in God's green earth happened!?

So many questions, so little time.

"Gabriel, focus. Metatron needs help." Again, military discipline cut through where grief ran rampant, and the blonde's posture immediately stiffened. "We're need to cauterize. Can you still make fire?"

"I-" She shivered, before nodding once. "I just- it's his wings, if I sear the wounds shut-"

"If you don't, he's going to die- it's a miracle he hasn't already!" Masaomi barked. "His wings are gone either way, I'd much rather he survive them getting ripped out!"

Gabriel swallowed, but nodded, discipline once again reasserting control. A shaky hand rose, burning with a crimson brand. "I'm sorry, I'm in a terrible state right now-" She shook her head, drawing in a sharp breath to compose herself. "Focus, Gabriel... I don't think Enoch has any strength left to move, but hold him down so I can minimize the damage this will do."

Masaomi nodded and obliged, and soon the stench of blood was joined by the sizzling of flesh. There was a brief strangled gasp from the gravely wounded Angel, but Metatron was too weak to even move, just as Gabriel predicted.

Burn, then cover. Burn, then cover. Again and again, until all twelve holes in the Angel's back were seared shut.

Once the grisly deed was done, they turned to the gashes and tears in the flesh of both unconscious men. It was arduous work; the two were covered in them. The culprit of those injuries clearly wanted Metatron and Michael to hurt, to bleed, and the sheer number of them made it impossible to wrap every wound with the supplies available.

They prioritized. They covered what they could, and once that failed, Masaomi took off his shirt to cut into extra strips.

It was enough. Barely, but what injuries remained unbandaged were mostly superficial. What mattered was getting them a clean location to heal.

Those locations ended up being the couch for Michael, the less injured of the two, and Masaomi's bed for Metatron.

And once they stepped out into the living room again, Gabriel finally collapsed. She sank to her knees, legs splayed out on both sides, hands rising to her face as the Angel finally started to cry.

He wished he could say something to help, but if the circumstances were any indication, he'd only make matters worse.

Thankfully she wasn't in any danger. She was badly bruised, but she managed to make it all the way from Heaven to his rectory, carrying the bodies of two of her brothers. She still had plenty of strength left, at least in body.

Heart and mind, though? Those weren't as immediately threatening to one's life, nor as easy to mend.

It was clear she desperately needed someone. But that couldn't be him, at least not right now.

He grimaced, exhaling as his gaze cycled between the blonde and the door. "I wish I could stay and try to comfort you, but things are bad back in the church. They need my help."

"I- I know," she said thickly, shaking her head. "I- I'll be f-f-f-" the Angel didn't finish the sentence, instead swallowing. "I'll be h-h-here."

He turned to head back out. "We'll talk later. You're welcome to anything in the house of the Lord."

Gabriel nodded once, but said nothing more. Neither did Masaomi.

Shalba Beelzebub was having a bad day.

First was the blackness that poured into him as though released from a glass barrier, a sure sign of God's System finally expiring.

He wasn't necessarily against that, so to speak; the weak would prove their weakness and crumple before the surge of darkness.

However, that left many of his own servants comatose, and others mad. They were dealt with promptly, but it also meant he had a sudden dearth in hands to tend to that which he, alongside Katerea and Creuserey, created.

Then came the assault, presumably from the GKF once they realized what happened. How they were able to notice their location, he didn't know.

That thing Lucifer created - the first one, not Diodora - was busy holding the line. The 'Marchosias' certainly acted like one, but he knew better. Blood was blood, after all, and a conglomerate of souls was no Pillar. Still, he would not begrudge the assistance as he ran through the halls, fighting off soldiers left and right.

"Out of my way, scum!" he snarled, the intense green magics of his forefather consuming all in its path, yet more still filled in to take the place of the ones killed. Their faces grew panicked upon seeing him, yet still they moved forward.

Shalba sneered. To think, this attack wasn't even being headed by that false Lucifer. Did the GKF really think they'd let this slide?

If only he knew where Diodora had taken Zekram. He'd kill the old traitor then and there!

But no, ever since Lord Lucifer infused him with Lord Dantalion's essence, the Mentalist was proving himself more and more of a maverick. This was the backlash from Diodora's failed coup of the Assembly, he was sure.

The strangest part though was the lack of Sirzechs Lucifer. Wouldn't the false Morningstar take the charge in wiping out the threat they represented?

Like grandfather like grandson, after all.

Then again, he couldn't exactly argue any difference. He very much wanted to erase the Devils who infringed on their land.

A pity that Shalba's magicks weren't as awe-inspiring as Bael's.

They were not insignificant, however. He just hadn't had a good reason to use them yet.

"Lord Beelzebub!"

"Marchosias." Oh, but how the words tasted bitter in his mouth. The Aesle that stood before him was not their original general. But the skill present was very much the same - as was their loyalty.

Commendable, for sure, but he still could not, and would not, hide his distaste. Especially with the burns still only half-healed, leaving Aesle with the appearance of a casualty rather than the general they were supposed to be.

He came to a stop, glancing around the halls as the sounds of fighting echoed in the distance. A lull, then.

"Sitrep. Now," the Demon Child growled.

"Not good. The enemy got the drop on us- the border guards were dispatched quickly and efficiently. Not even the deadman switches we had put into the place went off." Aesle's sword flashed and from the corner of his eye the sole remaining Beelzebub saw a Devil fall to the ground, split cleanly in twain. "The more concerning part is the lack of magic being used by our assailants."

"No magic?" Shalba echoed in disbelief. He knew that the worthless chaff had been figuring out ways to combat the mighty, but to give them such trouble? "So we're not just dealing with Low-Class trash destroying our home, but impotent scum!?"

Aesle bowed their head, offering no condolences. Shalba was a Devil of reason. The fault was not necessarily the Marchosias's, but it certainly made them look bad. To say nothing of what Lord Lucifer might think when he comes back to a trashed headquarters.

Still, he wouldn't kill Aesle here. Not when enemies were about and Aesle was their best tactician.

Though some reeducation wouldn't be out of place afterward.

"Where is their commander?" Shalba hissed. "Sirzechs would have shown his face by now, if only to rub salt in the wound!"

"That's the thing- this isn't the GKF."

"Then who is-"

A burning gaze fell upon the little bug's presence. The heat was intense, a pressure that threatened to scorch the bug's mind, like how a child would scorch an ant with a magnifying glass.

The amalgamation's sword flashed, the ceiling turning into so many pieces of rubble, all of which hurdled at the bird of prey. None entered within arm's reach, burnt into so much ash by its very presence, and the heat intensified further now that the sole separator between the aggressor and defender was air.

"Lord Phenex..." the amalgamation whispered, awe and dread laced in their voice. Clearly, it still felt the heat of their previous encounter. "So you have chosen to betray your brothers and sisters."

"Not at all." Phenex crossed his arms. "The goals of our kind have been completed. Our blood lives on, and God's authority has failed. By all accounts, our concerns about the longevity of our kind has been put to rest."

"Then why do you strike us?" the insect protested. "We, who have clung most fiercely to the ideals you and your kin set before us!?"

"Because you and your siblings have failed," Phenex sneered. "Your primary goal was to extend the bloodline of your parents. Yet I do not see any grandchildren here, only the child of the Lord of Flies and a chimera, of which the child of Leviathan and Marchosias is only a part."

The amalgamation's eyes widened. "You knew?"

"Ever since I laid eyes upon you. I had hoped that the flames I engulfed you with would burn away your impurities, but it appears that the true child died far too long ago for something more to emerge." The demon shook his head, a sigh escaping his lips. "A pity. A pity still that you chose to remain with the stunted remains of the Satans, instead of serving under me."

The chimera's adopted a stance, ready to strike. "I have a mission that I must fulfill. It is a part of who I am."

Phenex's eyes burned. "Marchosias was always far too bound to notions of completing any task set before him to acknowledge when to cut his losses. Unless you mean the last part literally."

A few moments passed, before a chuckle escaped the demon, a hand rising to his chin. "Ah, I hadn't considered that possibility before. You are bound to follow a task as part of your creation. You are no chimera - you are even less. A homunculus - a thing created with a singular purpose."

The amalgamation's stance firmed, as did their voice. "And if I am?"

Phenex exhaled. "Then I see no reason to tolerate your tainted existence further."

He leaned out the way of the slash that nearly interrupted him mid-sentence, the firebird's burning eyes erupting with ghostly wrath.

The compound went up in ashen flames.

Lucifer, sitting atop the ruins of the Throne of God, opened his eyes with a small smile.

It was always good to see someone else take care of the trash.

Still...

"Ah, Phenex." He mused. "Have you considered that you might be the same, brother?"

But with his birdly brother picking up the Lightbringer's old toys, it was only fair that he handled some of the others.

Clapping his hands together once, Lucifer then pushed himself off the ruined throne and dropped, vanishing long before he touched the ground.

A/N:

Man, this chapter is overdue. Admittedly, I'm still not really satisfied with the quality.

But I got nobody to blame but myself. At least it's done.

Thankfully, we recently got some new talent at work. Hopefully, this means I'll have some more opportunities to sneak in some writing time.

Wishful thinking but, who knows?

I've also been looking at other projects. I know I made a brief chapter for Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds, but I haven't done much with that. I have a bit of a followup, but so far that's mostly been on the side. Considering that writing's already been on the side for me, that basically means I've got maybe a few thousand words in that. Most of which is just Gamer fluff. Ideally, I'd have a bit more content for my Chapter 2. Not much, just a few thousand more words.

Then there's the standalone project I've started working with... that one is gonna be its own thing. I think it'll be interesting to branch off into creating a work beyond someone else's content. Gonna need to plan ahead though, instead of playing it by ear like I have with NMHA.

Maybe I'll take a page out of Yoko Taro's book and try writing backwards?

Eh. I've already got a fair bit of the starting acts already planned out.

Though that doesn't mean I can't work backward and make my way to where I'm at now...

Hmm...

Back to this story. DxD is an interesting series for sure, especially with all the underlying stuff. I think I'm starting to grow out of it, though. Not necessarily occult stuff in general, I'm all for using demons as a metaphor to explore the darker impulses of humanity. But specifically this fandom. Yeah, I'd say I'm starting to grow out of it.

Fond memories for sure. I've even made friends because of my writing this story. But it's a chapter I do want to see closed on a good note. Hence why I'm still working on this.

Anyway, Tempura Wizard, out.