"See you at school, sweetheart!"
Issei paused, folding his hands together and pointing in front of him. "Okay, so let me get this straight: That's not Aza?"
Walking down the street was someone that did appear to be Aza, waving back at him as she walked on, but Issei could tell there was something...off? Wrong? It didn't feel like Aza. Some buzz or spark about her was missing. Along with the sensation of otherworldly limbs just behind the thin veil of reality. But it definitely looked like her human body, and he had gotten very familiar with said body.
"Indeed," Gactha confirmed. "It is a distortion of reality, filling in the perceived role of her human persona in her absence. She is aware of all it does, as it is an extension of her will."
"And her human form isn't?" Issei countered curiously.
The macabre eldritch paused in consideration. "That is a conscious effort, this is subconscious."
"Ahh, so this is Aza literally on autopilot," Issei mused. "Don't suppose I'll be able to do that anytime soon?"
"I am not aware, Master. I know little of how your ascension operates," Gactha informed.
"Right. Where is she going, anyway?" Issei asked, watching the not-Aza curiously. "We just passed my house, so not there...?"
"She will disappear once all humans that know of her mortal identity cease watching her," Gactha elaborated.
"Ah," Issei said with a nod.
"...Master, you still are considered human by this power," Gactha clarified.
Issei suddenly stopped, looking very sheepish. "Right, should have picked up on that. So, guess you'll be heading off to do...whatever you do when you're not watching me?"
Gactha nodded before tilting her head. "Master, could you please hold out your arms?"
Issei blinked but did as she requested. "Like this?"
"Yes, now please brace yourself," Gactha said before vanishing into mist and shadows.
"Wait, wha-WOW?!" Issei exclaimed as something suddenly fell into his grasp.
Someone, rather.
"My hero," Aza greeted teasingly, kissing him on the cheek, her arms wrapped around his neck.
"Aza? Did you just drop out of the sky?!" Issei exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, yes I did," Aza answered with a giggle.
"I...Okay, fair enough, but a little warning next time?" Issei requested, unable to resist smiling at her.
Aza tilted her head at him. "That's what Gactha is for."
"And she was horrible with the warning," Issei mused with a chuckle. "Miss me?"
"Every instance," Aza said, snuggling into his chest. "Did you miss me?"
Issei grinned, holding her close. "Oh hell yes, but I've been keeping myself busy."
"I've heard," Aza acknowledged before smirking against his body, stronger than when she left. "And I can feel it. You've been training."
"A bit, but come on, you don't have to stroke my ego all the time," Issei said, grinning widely.
Aza leaned up to his ear and whispered. "What should I stroke then?"
Issei stiffened, in more ways than one.
Aza let out a laugh as Issei suddenly turned and started walking, herself still carried in his arms. "Issei, where are you going?!" she asked in between giggles.
"My room," Issei answered bluntly, making her turn scarlet, but very excited. "Mind time-freezing my parents. You know, if Yog hasn't?"
"Not a problem, Belo~" Aza stopped midsentence as they reached the door.
Issei paused, looking at her in concern. "What? What happened? Did a star go supernova or something?"
"No, there's someone in your house," Aza informed with a frown, suddenly leaping out of his arms and landing on her feet. "And they're not human."
That had Issei concerned, forming his red gauntlet on his hand.
Without warning, Aza snapped the door open, her powers ready to strike down the intruder that might threaten her beloved's family-
"Wow!? Hi?! Boss?!" the seemingly-human female greeted in surprise, looking ready to jump off the couch. "Er, Bosses, I guess," she said, glancing at Issei.
Aza stilled and tilted her head while Issei lowered his fist awkwardly and dispelled the gauntlet. "Okay, who are you and why are you in my house?" Issei asked curiously.
"Xothra, Queen," she explained quickly. "You know, the Hidden Devourer?"
Aza stared uncomprehendingly for a long, tense moment before blinking. "Wait. Are you the Worm that works for Yidrah?"
"Worm?" Issei muttered curiously.
"Yes, Sultana, that is me," Xothra answered, nodding quickly. "Sorry, um, I believe this is the first time we met in person?"
"Oh, okay," Aza said with a nod before frowning. "What are you doing in my beloved's home?"
Xothra held up her hands in surrender. "I-I was expecting Mistress Yidrah to be here! They said she had business with the Kungur!"
"She did. That's done," Aza answered flatly, making Xothra uneasy.
Issei sighed and placed a hand on Aza's shoulder, her annoyance dispersing as she looked up at him in surprise. "It's fine, Aza. It's not like she did anything to my parents," he said before looking at Xothra with a raised eyebrow. "Right?"
"Umm..." Xothra looked vaguely confused. "They're not home?"
"Oh," Aza and Issei said in sync.
"Sorry about that," Issei apologized. "But, yeah, Yidrah's not coming back here."
"Umm, actually, Sir? I'm here for both of you," Xothra explained to their interest. "Lady Yidrah had me go see the leader of the Fallen angels about what he wanted to give you."
"Oh. She knew about that?" Issei asked curiously.
"Yidrah knows almost everything important that happens on Earth," Aza explained casually. "I honestly don't care about the rest of them, but I don't turn down free offerings. So, what is it?"
Xothra sighed in relief as she held out her hand over the couch.
Issei was mildly disgusted by the swarming worms that suddenly came out of every hiding spot in the living room, forming a mass on the furniture. Then, just as quickly as they came, they scurried away and out of sight, hopefully out of existence, and left behind the offering in question.
And Issei's disgust was forgotten as he looked at the very cute foreign girl that appeared, lying peacefully on the couch. Blonde, pretty, small, lovely little breasts and a nun outfit of all things.
"Okay, controlling my perversion for five minutes, who and what is that?" Issei asked with wide eyes. "Is she an angel princess or something?!"
"No, Issei, she's human," Aza answered with a head tilt. "What's so special about her?"
"She's got one of those things Yahweh made. Apparently, it's great for healing," Xothra answered, shrugging. "He thought it'd be helpful for you both: something to heal the Kungur, in case he needs it. As for the girl, well, she's for the Kungur."
Issei raised an eyebrow. "Aren't both those points to me?"
"No, no, that's fair," Aza agreed, patting his arm. "So, what should we do with her?"
"Phrasing," Issei muttered. "Well, we kind of need to talk with her."
"We do?" Aza asked in confusion.
"What, you just going to mind warp her into being a priestess or something?" Issei asked rhetorically. Silence greeted him. "Aza, no."
"Well, it's an option," Aza defended.
"Yeah, but that's jumping the gun a bit- and I just agreed that mind-warping her is an option," Issei said with a facepalm. "How do we even wake her up?"
"Oh, that's easy," Aza said as she snapped her fingers.
The girl hummed and stirred.
"What'd you do?" Issei asked idly.
"Induced insomnia. That always breaks sleeping spells and curses," Aza explained with a smile.
Issei blinked as he thought about that. "Can't argue with that logic," he mused.
"Since I delivered the package, am I okay to leave now?" Xothra asked cautiously.
Aza nodded, prompting an uncertain wave from Issei. "Thanks. Umm, dig by sometime, I guess?"
"Anytime, Kungur," Xothra managed to grin before heading out the door.
The sound of it closing caused their new arrival to abruptly sit up with wide eyes. She looked around owlishly before looking at the couple before her. "Ciao, chi sei? Dove sono?" she asked in what was not Japanese.
So Issei was mildly surprised that he understood her. "Um, hi? I'm Issei and this Aza," he greeted.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to use Japanese," she returned, and Issei was even more surprised by how good her Japanese was. "I'm Asia. Asia Argento. I'm in Japan then?"
"Yes, yes you are," Aza answered with a head tilt. "What exactly did the Fallen tell you?"
Asia looked down in thought. "It's a bit hazy. But I remember Lord Azazel telling me that Raynare had been using me and gone rogue. And...and that she was dead."
"Well, not exactly dead," Aza murmured to herself. Issei chose not to address that.
"H-he didn't say what happened exactly, just that she might have nearly started a war," Asia continued. "I-I asked if there was anything I could do to help and-"
Asia stopped and slowly looked back up at the two.
"What? Something on my face?" Issei asked in concern.
"I don't mean to be rude, but if you don't mind, may I ask...what you both are?" she asked nervously.
"Eldritch Gods," Aza answered with a smile.
Silence reigned over the room as Issei silently sent a "prayer" scolding Aza for her bluntness.
Meanwhile
"Where is that bitch?"
Freed grunted as he sat in the kitchen that belonged to some devil-summoning sinner. At least it did before he had spilled their brains all over the living room. He had been sleeping in the abandoned church, but it was truly abandoned now. The Fallen Angels and other exorcists had flown the coop without telling him anything!
Why, he didn't know. Probably the Devils or someone had raided the place and made them move. But they should have found him by now! Or at least stopped ignoring his attempts to summon Raynare. He needed a damn update on what the plan was.
Now he was reduced to killing off sinners to loot their homes for food, money, and the occasional shower. Not the first time he had to live like that. Life as an excommunicated exorcist wasn't pretty some days. Not the blood, the blood was plenty pretty! But not his body odor after a week without a way to clean up.
"Ahh, who am I kidding, it's not just her," he said, taking a swig of some alcohol he found in the fridge. "Everyone's fucking gone silent. Fallen, Ex-Exorcists. I swear to God's crusty balls, I'll fucking gut someone if I find out the war started somewhere else and I got left out!"
"Wouldn't it be God's rotting balls?"
Freed turned and shot at the speaker, aiming right between the bitch's eyes.
She raised an unamused brow as the bullet slowed to a crawl. With a sigh, she brandished her sword and gently pushed the bullet aside. "Seeing as God is dead and all?" she continued idly.
"Who the fuck are you supposed to be? King Arthur's sister-fuck of a daughter?" Freed asked, eyeing the young woman with a cape, European sword, and armor over the lower half of her legs and arms.
"My name is Yad-Thaddag," she answered solemnly. "I'm an Elder God."
Freed blinked before he let out a mad, high-pitched laugh. "Oh, bravo sugarbitch. That's a good one! You're a fucking tentacle space god tossed up in a cute girl's body. Right. Naw, let me guess. You're the one this sinner was summoning, right? Here to show him a good time? Did he tell you to pretend to be some tentacle girl that could fuck his ass?"
Yad looked less than amused. "I can see why she wants you."
"Oh? Who? The Dream Witch? The old Dreamer in R'lyeh?" Freed asked mockingly.
"Nyarlathotep."
Freed froze. The air got cold, and the lights dimmed unnaturally while the shadows began to flicker. "H-hey, you stupid bitch. You shouldn't say their names. Especially if you know they're real!" Freed called out in warning.
"Nyar-la-tho-tep."
Something giggled! Freed spun around and shot blindly into the shadows. He looked in every direction, his gunshots echoing far longer than they should.
"Are you scared, Freed Sellzen?" Yad asked quietly.
"Shut your trap, bitch! Are you trying to get us killed!? You want that Eldritch watching us!?" Freed shot back as he turned to her-
He stopped. A whimpering struggled out of his throat as he looked at Yad and Saw What Was Behind Her.
"She was already watching you, Freed," Yad answered with a head shake. "But you're too much trouble to let her have. So..."
She stepped aside. From a dark corner emerged blue and black smoke. From it, through it, of it came some creature. It...it was like a hound, but larger. A hound with tentacles for a snout with blue puss dripping from the twisted flesh of its body. It had no eyes, but it could see him! It could see him!
"T-the Hound of Tindalos," Freed murmured in terror. "The Attack Dog of Time. Y-you-"
"Were telling the truth, yes," Yad finished. "This one will take you somewhere far from here, Freed. Some place where even the Black Pharaoh won't try to grab you."
"W-wait. J-just fuck wait!" Freed demanded as he backed away. "I-"
"You don't understand. I don't care," Yad mused. "I could say sorry, but...I can't even bother to pretend for you."
"Y-yeah? Well, fuck you and this dog!" Freed yelled as he shot at the Hound and made a run for the door-
He turned the corner and the Dog was there, the long tendrils of its mouth pulling aside to show the horrific maw that lay within.
Freed screamed. He screamed as he fell backward and tried to crawl away. "No, no, no-!"
"You can't escape," Yad remarked as she watched without compassion. "The Hound lives in every angle of time, and he would never stop hunting you.
In pure desperation, Freed threw his empty gun at the eldritch beast. It bounced harmlessly off the hound, the gun...unmaking itself into a crude and unrefined chunk of metal, falling to the floor with a thud.
"No, no, no," Freed kept muttering, eyes feeling like they were going to pop out. "Get away, stay awa-GAHHHH!"
The Hound snatched onto his arm, more like a serpent than a canine. It reared up, holding the screaming and panicking Freed in its maw. With a gurgling howl, it leaped forward, into the nearest corner and-
With a final, terror-filled scream cut off, Freed Sellzen vanished from the earth.
Yad stood there, saying not a word.
"Hmm, pity, I was going to have fun with that one."
Yad turned and stared pointedly at the figure in the darkness. "You have plenty more toys. That one would have brought about the ending of this earth if you empowered and unleashed him."
"My, so certain. Did your bigger self tell you that?" Nyarly asked toyingly. "I suppose it doesn't matter. Just don't think I'll let you take away all the interesting pawns, Dear Yad."
Yad frowned as a pair of hands placed a "comforting" hold on her shoulders.
"I wonder what Yog would do if you just...disappeared for a while?" Nyarly mused with a wicked grin in her voice.
"Nothing you'd enjoy,' Yad warned tensely.
"Hmm, maybe, maybe not," Nyarly purred before the shadows began to lessen. "Until next time, Little Key."
Yad shook her head as she cut her own portal in reality, muttering to herself. "Yog, you deal with her next time."
Meanwhile
It had taken a little bit to explain everything to Asia.
"-Issei is not yet an Eldritch God, but becoming one. And this all started because Raynare tried to kill both of you, not knowing that you are the, well, Eldritch Queen?" Asia summarized. "And I was given as a...sacrifice to make sure you don't retaliate more against the Fallen."
But she took it all pretty well.
"That's more or less it, yeah," Issei answered with a shrug. "Any questions?"
"I-I have a few, but..." Asia trailed off, looking back and forth between them. "Why am I still...sane? I was always told by the church that the Eldritch destroy a person's sanity?"
"We can reign it in while having a human avatar," Aza answered. "Well, I can. Issei only makes me insane for right now."
"Horrible compliment, but thanks," Issei said, understanding what she meant.
"Oh. I see," Asia said as she turned solemn. "Am...am I going to be killed as part of a ritual?"
Aza hummed. "That depends on-"
"Aza, no. Just hell no," Issei said flatly.
"What? I was just going to ask if she wanted to become an eldritch creature. That kind of counts as dying," Aza said with a shrug. "I'm sure Shub wouldn't mind."
"May...I ask what happens if I refuse, your Majesty?" Asia asked respectfully.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing," Aza answered with a flip of the hand. "Asia, right? There is only one thing I want from you."
Asia nodded slowly.
"I want you to help keep my beloved safe," Aza said, waving to Issei.
"Safe? Me?" Asia asked in surprise. "B-but I can't fight or anything. My Twilight Healing is only good for-"
"Healing, exactly," Aza said with a smile. "Which means if something does somehow happen to him, you can make sure he'll be okay."
"Right here you know," Issei reminded, feeling like she was talking like he wasn't present.
Asia blinked. "That's all? You don't want me to help you hurt anyone?"
"I don't need help with that," Aza said casually. "Asia, Issei is genuinely the most important thing in all the cosmos to me."
Issei tried not to blush at that. What was he supposed to do when his girlfriend casually said something so sweet and genuine?
"And he'll be very upset if his human body is killed, and he'll have to wait so long before he reforms," Aza continued.
Well, still sweet and genuine, if not a bit weird to think about.
Asia stared into Aza's eyes for a moment before smiling. "You truly love him, don't you, Lady Aza?" she asked softly.
"I have since the first time we met," Aza answered with a whimsical smile.
Asia nodded. "I understand. But may I make one request that might be...unwelcome?" she asked, cautious yet hopeful.
"Only one?" Issei asked in surprise.
"I...I was hoping it was okay, even though you are both Eldritch Gods if I continued praying to God?" Asia asked gently.
Issei swore she looked like a little angel herself. "That's fine, Asia," Issei promised, looking to Aza, who had been about to say something. "...It is, right? Is there some rule that she HAS to worship an Eldritch God now?"
Aza closed her mouth. "No, there's not," she answered, still having a weird look on her face. "But..."
Asia looked to the queen in concern.
"Well, I just don't know why you humans are still worshipping a dead god," Aza said curiously. "I mean, Eldritch Gods come back, but terrestrial gods either pass on to an afterlife or are reborn, so-"
"Wow, wow, wow," Issei said in surprise. "God, the God from the bible, is dead?"
"Umm, yeah?" Aza answered in bewilderment. "Is that not common knowledge? He's been dead for a little while now."
Asia just stared for a moment before promptly collapsing, fainting back into unconsciousness.
"Oh, shit!" Issei cursed as he raced over to her. "Okay, she just fainted. I think you broke her, Aza."
"I did?" Aza asked in bewilderment. "But I didn't even use my powers."
"Not like that, I mean she's in shock," Issei clarified, giving Aza a frown. "Could you have delivered that a bit more delicately?"
"I didn't know she didn't know!" Aza defended before looking worried. "Are...are you mad at me?"
"No, just tired of everything going on right now," Issei asked said with a sigh. "I just wanted to go another round with you in bed and snuggle, but then this whole mess starts."
"Things are happening quicker than I'm used to," Aza admitted.
"I'm tempted to just blame Yog," Issei mused. "Aza, I'm sorry to be a wet blanket after we were about to, you know-"
Aza giggled at what he was implying.
"-But you know a way we can hide her without my parents finding out?" he asked curiously.
Aza tilted her head. "We could just send her to one of the cultists," she recommended.
"Ignoring that they'd probably try to brainwash her, she'd just be waking up in another new place with more strangers," Issei murmured.
Aza hummed. "I think I have an easy fix. Bring her up to your room."
Issei raised an eyebrow and obliged her. They stood in Issei's room as Aza looked around, either taking it in or looking for something.
"Anything I should do?" Issei asked curiously.
"Hold her tight," Aza advised. "I'm about to do some minor reality warping."
Issei wasn't sure what was more alarming. How casually she said that or how casually he accepted it. Still, he heeded her words as Aza suddenly stopped.
Issei felt a brush of Aza's power washing over them, making Asia shudder and curl into his embrace. He tightened his hold and sighed as she settled.
Aza hummed a small tune to herself as she approached Issei's closet.
"We're going to hide her in my closet?" Issei asked dubiously.
"Nope!" Aza said with a wide smile as she opened the closet to reveal..."Welcome to your second bedroom, Issei!"
Issei gawked as he stepped in to find that the small space had indeed now expanded and formed into an exact copy of the room they were just in, the closet leading into the door. Granted, all of the colors were a shade duller or darker. "This, umm, is safe, right?"
"Yep!" Aza answered. "I mean, making it could have hurt someone's sanity, but as it is now? Just a few strange dreams here and there, nothing serious or mind-altering. The best part is, if your parents open it, they'll just see your closet."
"Okay, I'm going to admit, this is...very useful," Issei admitted as he entered the other room, placing Asia down on the bed carefully. Out of pure curiosity, he walked over to the other closet, opening it to reveal...his closet, his actual closet.
"Were you expecting another room?" Aza asked in amusement.
"I wouldn't have been surprised," Issei admitted as they exited the other room. "She can get out of there on her own, right?"
"Oh yes, she'll be fine," Aza said as she closed the closet. "So..."
"Wh-GUH!" Issei found himself silenced as Aza turned sharply, placing her lips on his. "I'm...guessing you're still in the mood?" he asked with a small grin, placing a hand on her hips.
"I'm always in the mood for you, beloved," Aza said with an absolutely hungry look in her eyes. "Anything you want to try, I-ss-ei~?" she all but purred with her arms around his neck.
Aza inhaled sharply as she found herself off her feet, Issei cupping her ass. Not just to grope her, but to hold her up. With little prompting, she found her legs wrapped around his back.
"Thought I might put my new strength to good use," he said smugly. "Ever heard of stand and deliver, Aza?"
Aza stared in lust before capturing Issei's mouth again, tongue lashing as she grinded her pelvis against his...
Yog sighed as she sat on the roof of Issei's home, spinning her sword in her fingers as she kept Issei's parents temporally looping, driving down the street endlessly while not realizing it. This was the price she paid for letting the meeting with Xothra play out as it had. It was amusing, but if Issei's human parents showed up now and interrupted those two, Azathoth would be pissed. She didn't need to peek into the future to know that.
"Should have just sent the nun to Aika," Yog mused absently.
End of Chapter
Welph, the Crawling Chaos showed up and some of the higher ups decided that she should NOT have Freed working for her. Meanwhile , Asia has now ben formally delivered as a gift to Issei and Aza. Asia being Asia, takes everything rather well, right up until the "God is Dead" part.
Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and enjoy the New Years!
PS I amimpressed by the amount of hate Max and the Eldrititans got. That said, I didn't exaclty intent to make them likable. They're just one of the various things Issei might have to deal with as the King of the Eldritch.
Early viewing of chapters 13-14 avaliable on my pat-reon:
p a treon . com (slash) akumakami64