A/N: Hello and welcome A Devil journey, some of you may know it used to be called Life's not what it seems. It was like 8 years old and I did try to rewrite but just ended up redoing it so I'm releasing again fresh here as A Devil Journey instead. A couple of things before we get started firstly I of course don't own Highschool Dxd. Secondly, this will not be a harem story because honestly I can't write a harem. I tend to focus on one maybe two girls whenever I write anything but instead I will be spreading the relationships around. If you want to know the pairing I'll put them at the bottom of this chapter. I'll also welcome suggestions for characters in the future because honestly I can just about remember what happens up to season two and some moments of three. I am yet to watch season 4. Which brings me to point number three. I will be using the show and the wiki as reference points and won't be making huge changes to the overall plot. The only things that will be different is Issei character growth and behaviour along with some likely OOC moments from everyone else. Finally we come to the last things I want to say which affect me more than anything else I am looking for editors as it were to go over chapters and enhance them i'm spending more time on chapters than I did in the past but I don't really do well with grammar and like its just not something that i fully understand. Also I feel someone might see a moment that works better than what I have written. If you are interested PM me or let me know in a review and I'll reach out to you.

Anyway, let's do this.


Chapter 1: Nightmare.

The nightmare began with an explosive crash. One that shocked the young brown hair boy from his peaceful slumber. Gripped by fear, the boy did what all children do: he sought the love and comfort of his parents. Stepping out of his room the boy moved through the top floor of his home, fearfully looking backwards towards the stairs near his door when he heard a loud crashing sound similar to the one that awoke him from his slumber. The boy arrived at his parents door only to find it open, something his parents never did, insisting that their door stayed closed and that he was to knock before he ever tried to enter it. Only when he had their permission could he join them within but now the door was wide open. Simply wanting to be with his parents the boy entered the room, he was quick simply dipping his head inside to look towards his parents bed. The boy's fear doubled as noises rocked the house below him and he discovered that the bed that was meant to hold his sleeping parents was empty. Leaving the room as fast as he entered the boy moved towards the stairs, towards the dark and noise, the fear within him growing over him as he called out sadly to his parents.

He clambered down the stairs, his hands holding tightly to the handrail fixed to the wall, tears flowing down his face as his heart raced within his chest, the fear becoming too much. He called out again to his parents but his soft fearful voice faded among the banging and crashing that occurred down stairs. The boy made it half way down when he suddenly froze. His parents were fighting, each wielding what he recognized as swords from stories he had seen, he also noticed other weapons scattered around the destruction and chaos that had once been their home. An eruption sounded to the left of the boy and he watched his mother fly to the bottom of the stairs below him. An odd looking man wearing a suit that was completely unscathed unlike the man's face which bled and smoked in some places. The man glared hot rage at his mother, his words smouldering venom. "Tell me where the Sacred Gear is, you filthy insect."

The boy's mother's head rolled slightly and she ended up looking towards her son, her eyes widening as she did so ignoring the suit-wearing man as she spoke quickly and firmly to her son. "Issei no! Go to our room and close the door, lock it and wait, then close your eyes and cover your ears , we'll come for you soon."

Issei's mother was so focused on her son that she missed the moment the suit wearing man shoved his hand through her neck snapping it from within. He then looked towards Issei with an evil grin. "There you are. Come here boy."

Fear guided his body as he listened to his mother's instructions as he climbed as fast as his little legs could carry him up the stairs. Only he was too slow, the man lunged forward grabbing Issei by his ankle and dragging him down, uncaring that Issei's head slammed against the stairs making things become shaky and foggy. Motion hurt his eyes so he did his best to keep them closed. Somewhere in the distance he heard running and then a sudden smack followed by a pain filled grunt as Issei felt him be set free. Then new hands had hold of him carrying him up the stairs onto the soft bed of his parents. "Issei my boy are you alright?"

"Dad?" Issei asked, confused, he recognized the sound of his fathers voice but it sounded odd to his muddled mind.

"Yes son, did you hit your head? Yeah? Ok, Now listen to me, in a few moments that man is gonna come for us so you need to stay behind me. I can't leave you alone now that they know about you, just keep your eyes closed and everything will be alright."

Laughter came from the general location of the doorway and Issei recognised the sound of the suit wearing man's voice. "You know it's wrong to lie to your son like that. You're all gonna die and I'm gonna rip the gear out of your son's soul. My master will be most pleased."

Issei missed his father's response as something within him flashed and burned. Starting within close to his chest but not part of his body before it moved towards his left hand where it burned white hot. Then a deep resonant voice that seemed to surround him completely spoke a single word that seemed to ring out like a bell "BOOST!" Suddenly there was a white flash that Issei could see even with his eyes closed making them sting. The flash was followed by the sound of something going thud onto the ground before there was silence and a wave of fatigue fell over Issei followed by nothingness.

Upon the shelf fixed to the wall opposite the door a simple blackened bronze coin glowed red with a crest before a light the same shade of red shot out of the coin landing in the centre of the room the light revealed a being of indescribable nature as the darkness of the room seemed to cloak it. The being looked around the room taking in the two legs that had fallen away from each other and a male human whose neck seemed to be cut from behind. His remains were slumped over a similar looking boy who was unconscious, not dead and seemed to pull their attention. Giving the human a closer look, their eyes being drawn to the boy's left hand where an emerald green gem house in a ruby red metallic hand brace rests upon the boy's hand. Seeming to feel the attention, the gem glowed and a voice filled with power radiated out of it. "Demon! You know what you see I would suggest you do the smart thing and take this boy to your master so that he can be saved. Do not think about doing something foolish. The boy's life force may be weak but I am certain that I will make any foolish ideas costly to the both of us."

The Demon merely nodded taking the boy into their arms giving the room a another once over their eyes catching several artefacts of note which would be worth returning for before a large circle similar to the one that had brought them original formed under the demon feet taking both demon and boy away in a flash of red light.

Issei awoke upon a bed of incredible softness in a room that was very unfamiliar. The room was best described as red, a large variety of red made up everything from the large bed that seemed to swallow him, to the floor, the walls and the roof. In the room alongside the bed was a wardrobe which rested on the right hand side of the room beside a closed door, the wardrobe was three times the size of Issei in height and four times the size in width and there was a large royal sofa that opposed it on the left side of the room. A dining table set was just to the right and more centre of the room to the wardrobe, also being closer to the door opposite the bed that held Issei above it all fixed to the very centre of the room was a chandelier that was moulding of red and gold light the room. Carefully getting out of the bed which involved a lot of crawling and stumbling Issei moved to the wardrobe taking note of the red silk bed robes he wore that he knew weren't his own. A slow trickle of now familiar fear seeping into him. Opening the wardrobe Issei from the bottom, Issei found many items of clothing that ranged from being able to fit him to outfits that would only fit someone many years older than he was spread over many, many shelves and hangers.

Issei's attention was pulled from the wardrobe when he heard the door of the room open and a woman with shoulder length black hair and brown eyes in a form fitting maid outfit that was cut off at her shoulder and half way down her tights entered the room, pushing a fancy looking food cart towards the dining set. A young beautiful looking woman with long silver hair and matching eyes followed the maid wearing a similar outfit, this one however covered more the skirt ending below her knee. Unlike the first maid who kept their eyes on their task, the second regarded Issei with a kind smile. "Ah the mystery boy awakened, i'm sure all this must be incredibly scary but we mean you absolutely no harm. May I ask what your name is? Mine is Grayfia."

Looking down to his feet to avoid the second maids' stare, Issei simply mumbled his name quietly under his breath which the maid was somehow able to hear. "Ah Issei, that is a lovely name. Now would you care to join me for some breakfast, Or I can leave and you can enjoy the food on your own. If that makes you more comfortable, the choice is completely up to you."

The kindness Issei heard in the maid's voice caused him to look up to her, seeing her already sitting in one the four chairs pouring a cup of what smelled like coffee into a fancy looking cup. She still smiled softly but kept her attention on the pouring. Deciding it might be Ok headed towards the table. The desire to eat increased as his stomach rumbled at the smell of sweet pastries caught his nose. Arriving at the table Issei climbed into the fancy looking chair that was closest to him sitting on pillows that were just as comfortable as the bed he had recently climbed out of facing Grayfia rather than sitting beside her. Once he was probably sitting down in his chair the maid who had been standing subservient behind Grayfia stepped forward to serve several pastries to Issei who was too short to collect them on his own without making a mess, she then served him a small cup of slightly warmed milk, Issei took to all of it with abandon his body suddenly demanding sustenance of any kind. Grayfia stayed silent through it all, simply sipping her tea and delicately eating the pastries avoiding bringing any of her attention onto Issei; she remained that way until he seemed comfortable and fed. Then Issei surprised her by asking her a question without any input of her own. "Where am I?"

It was a completely innocent question, one that anyone would ask when they were somewhere unfamiliar but it was also dangerous because the answer could lead to a great many reactions, not all of them beneficial but of course Grayfia had come prepared. "You are in the home of My lord. He has taken on the task of taking care of you."

"Why? Where are my Parents?" Issei's voice had once again gone quiet and a touch fearful.

Grayfia stood and moved to be beside Issei putting a hand on his back as she lowered herself to Issei level, a sad smile on her face replacing the kind one. "I think you know what happened. It wasn't a dream. My lord will take the utmost care of you and when the time is right everything will be explained to you but for now I have been given the duty of making sure you are comfortable, as well as understand we expect from you for our kindness."

Issei looked into Grayfia's eyes, tears forming "they're dead aren't they?"

Grayfia simply nodded. Anger burst from the boy in a thick wave as he pushed Grayfia with surprising strength and she allowed herself to be moved out the way so that the boy could get away from her back to his side of the room. "It was you. You killed them and brought me here didn't you."

Grayfia faced Issei still crouched at his level and shook her head sadly. "No dear we didn't. A servant of My lords was accidentally called to you and he in turn through it was best to bring you before My lord. Who in turn has decided to take you in and help with your growth."

"What do you mean?" The anger had abated but still remained under the surface.

"Well first we will need to roughly where to begin so I have been tasked with your introduction then we will provide teachers of all kinds to give you everything you might need to know and in return we want your loyalty. We don't expect it to be given now but we expect it over time."

"And if I refuse."

"Then when we feel able to care for yourself you will be left alone with nothing."

Fear was all there was to Issei for a moment as he thought about being alone but gathering all the strength he could gather he raised his head looking straight on to Grayfia and nodded once. "Ok."

Grayfia smiled brightly. "Excellent. Why don't we finish our breakfast and I shall give the good news to My Lord. I shall then return in a few hours with dinner."

Issei nodded in agreement moving back to table as Grayfia returned to her own chair and the pair began to once again each and drink again in a comfortable silence for a time until Issei broke it with a look of uncertainty. "What will I do well I wait for you to come back?"

Grayfia smiled mischievously. "Why don't I have some toys brought in so you can create havoc."

Issei nodded his head rapidly in a happy fashion. "Ok."


A/N and done. So I'm probably gonna avoid A/N in most chapters unless I'm thanking someone or have something I need to say because let's be honest plenty of you don't read them and a lot of the time they're out of date.

I will see you in the next one.


Planned pairing

Main pairing- Issei and Rias with Akeno joining them in later chapters.

Side Pairing- Asia and Yuuto (Kiba).

Possible pairing as of release of fic.- Koneko and Jasper…maybe.