: Intermission :
Their mission: Investigate the supernatural's unnaturally high activity in the area, the mysterious disappearance/deaths of various exorcists/holy men, and protect the people in the area.
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|:[Lovely Angel]:|
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"I'll be testing your stamina and speed."
"Yes, Sister Griselda!"
Irina's shoes slammed into the ground behind her as she tried her best to catch up to her new mentor, who stayed just out of attacking range.
While she wasn't unused to physically demanding programs, the girl couldn't help but hope for a bit of a break. Keeping up with Issei the previous day was way more draining than she had expected. Her muscles were still sore. The soles of her feet still made her want to cringe in each step. Her mind kept wandering off, unable to completely focus on pushing herself.
"Focus, Young Shidou." The woman slowed down to match the younger girl's pace, "I want you to try something."
"O-Ok!"
The woman slid to a stop and turned around, the girl behind her followed. Though seeing nothing behind her, Irina turned back. Griselda hid a smile at the misinterpretation of her actions. "Do you remember how Xenovia drew upon the 'holy' element?" The brunette nodded, hesitantly. Seeing that reaction, the nun crouched to the girl's height, "I do not know why your previous mentor deemed you unworthy for the element, nor do I know why your father chose not to teach you how to utilize it. Those your age already know the bare basics."
Irina stood stock still as she absorbed the words. "I-I..."
"I'll be here to give you a speedy course, ok?" The motherly nun patted her head, "Your physical traits far outclass those your age. Though, your mental facilities are lacking given your talent."
"Talent?'"
"You never wondered why your father asked you to never sing?" The girl shook her head. "Ah, what a nice girl. However," Griselda's face hardened, "have you been denying yourself?"
The girl flushed because she had initially misunderstood the wording and fought avoiding her mentor's sharp eyes. "In... In secret, every other night, I'd s-sneak out to sing..." She couldn't help apologizing as she bowed deeply, "I-I'm sorry!" The teen had never shared that with anyone before, feeling guilt welled up within her. Averting her chocolatey gaze as she didn't even feel worthy to even look at Griselda's feet, it blurred with unsung tears. She couldn't help it! It felt... wrong to hold herself back. Yet, if no one told her it was okay...
If she didn't sneak out at least every other night, she'd be so overcome with depression that it'd mar the other aspects of her busy life. Like earlier that day, she remembered how sad she was. Since the night before, she was too sleepy, worn out by Issei. She didn't want to consider the fact that she was also too embarrassed to sing in the presence of her childhood friend...
'Uwah...'
Just thinking about it made the red of her round face intensify a little. She was this close to singing to him. Instead, she panicked and brought up the stars.
Sharp cerulean eyes softened, "You have nothing to apologize for, Irina." The strongest nun pulled her into her arms, "If anything, your father knew you would. He's a man. He wouldn't fully understand how it is to be a girl and assumed you'd come to that conclusion yourself."
'That does sound like Papa...'
Griselda pulled out from the embrace, locking eyes with her newest mentee, "No more sneaking off, okay?" The girl nodded, vigorously. "I want to hear you sing tomorrow, so prepare yourself."
"Y-Yes, Sister Quarta!"
The nun nodded to herself, stepping away, "For today, I'll be pushing you beyond your limits." Standing straight, she put in a fist to her open palm. "Despite the mission, there should be no real threats, so we'll be working on the basics of holy reinforcement, your movement, and stamina."
Without a warning, Irina was sent to her knees, gasping harshly as she did so. The world around her seemed to disappear as the presence of the strongest Nun overtook all her senses.
"This is what you'll be working towards. Sear it into your memory, Young Shidou." As the teen girl succeeded in raising her head to face the woman, the 'Demon in Nun's cloth' hid her smirk. A promising student was in her grasp.
"Y-Yes, Sister Quarta-!" The near suffocating pressure liberated her. With the suddenness of it, she flung herself backwards accidentally. The girl landed sprawled out on the ground.
"For now, we will be focusing on imbuing the holy element into your limbs. While it would be dangerous, I have a feeling it'll come naturally for you." The demon-like woman hoped this would help the girl with her confidence issues. Young maidens who were blessed to be born with a sacred hymn tend to have no issues with holy enhancement. That gift doubled down when it came to their own bodies.
The only difference was each maiden had to find their own soul song, which would greatly specialize them. Some could heal the soul. Some could empower the spirit. Most, however, could cause mass destruction in some capacity. The latter were often mistaken for heretics, devils or witches. The formers were highly revered as Saints or Saint-like figures. It was unfair, and as much as it pained her to admit it, that was just how the common human perceived such powers.
Touji Shidou, however, hid it all. From the church to his very daughter, they were none the wiser to her true potential. She wasn't made for sword combat... and yet, he said nothing as his daughter started her oath of bloodshed as a warrior-nun. And, quite frankly, she did not blame him. Though, it frustrated her to no end to know he hadn't even bothered to teach his daughter anything regarding the holy element or her near angelic voice. From the way the girl felt immense guilt, there seemed to be no advisories of any sort.
Griselda decided she would confront the man later.
He had only confided in the nun after finding out she would be Irina's new instructor. The father knew he wouldn't be able to mask it from the strongest woman of the church. The girl picked herself up, "Yes, Sister Quarta!"
"Close your eyes and hum a hymn to yourself." The girl did exactly that without any hesitation. Griselda felt her stoic expression twitch at the girl's soothing sounds. Perhaps, the repression made it stronger? Maybe, that was Touji's real objective. Nevertheless, repression was never usually a good thingーeven if she endorsed it for the church to a degree. She wouldn't stand to see things less than perfect. Her vision of perfection was everything had to be stoic, uniform and above all else, sinless.
The only exceptions were children and those who weren't part of the church. Besides Xenovia, of course. A true Sword Maiden had to be perfect, even if the blue-haired girl was one in-training.
'Ah, focus.'
"Do you feel the warmth in your chest?" There was a glow from Irina's heart. Though, it was only something the nun could perceive currently. Soon, the girl should be able to see it for herself. However, it wasn't just something the stern woman saw in Irina but rather, in all people, whether of faith or not. Everyone carried a bit of faith and willpower, after all. "Just nod yes or no," the woman said, seeing Irina's mouth open. The girl then closed it and shook her head up and down. "Perfect. Continue focusing on your humming. Focus on that warmth..."
"You're doing a great job, Young Shidou." Hearing that over her humming made Irina's heart soar. "Take a deep breath, lose your doubts, worries, and bring out your unshakeable faith."
The girl stopped to suck in a sharp breath.
Suddenly, silence reigned over all as she stopped. So focused on sharpening her faith, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Her budding chest welled with heat. It felt like the just bearable heat wanted to force itself upwards, out her mouth.
However, Griselda had different plans as she inserted herself back into Irina's senses, "Slowly, halt your hums and pressure the warmth to your legs." The 'flame' wavered. To help her, Griselda's soft yet powerful prayer took the place of the girl's hums.
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy."
The girl's gathered faith trickled to her lower body. There, it pooled up much faster than she intended... But it was workable, she thought as sweat dripped off her brow. It was much easier than expected. Nonetheless, she wouldn't get her hopes up quite yet!
"O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."
"Amen."
The energy within her was starting to stabilize. Joy, relief, and reverence filled her being, soul, and mind. The brunette couldn't help herself, as she brought her hands together up in prayer, "Amen."
"Open your eyes, Young Shidou."
Slowly, her perception of the world returned to her. First came Griselda, an insurmountable presence. Then, the environment came to a sway in the afternoon wind. Through it all, her body felt energized, felt unbelievably light. However, all she did was reel in her energy and excitement to match gazes with her instructor. The woman only gave a small smile, "Congratulations, you've done it on your first try. Amazingly so." Bending down a bit, she tapped her legs, gesturing for Irina to look at her own pair.
The girl nearly gasped as she had almost fallen back in shock. Pulsing up and down her legs, yellow lines appeared. "A-Ah, this is it?"
"Yes. Now that the hard part is over, we'll go over how to keep it up." The woman held her hands together, "It's quite simple. As long as you will it with utmost faith, it won't fail you." She refrained from reinforcing her with words with a promise. Not every battle was one that could be won with faith alone.
"I see!"
Again, Griselda's pressure came crashing upon the girl, "However, do not overly rely on this power. If you're not careful, you can shatter your bones with overuse. Or, even worse, your limbs can explode." Her instructor's words demanded that Irina make eye-contact. "For now, you will only use this power when I oversee you. Never without."
"Y-Yes, Instructor!" The girl had defaulted to how she had called her previous mentor in a mild panic. This power must be dangerous, the girl thought.
"Now, relinquish your hold over that 'warmth,' and let's start from the top again."
In the middle of practicing control with Irina's newfound speed, the older woman stopped. It threw off the brunette, causing her to stumble forward. Before she could collide with the strongest nun, said nun held her still. "We'll work on your stamina later." It was then that the purple-eyed girl noticed a woman approaching them.
Her hair was hidden beneath a dirtied veil as was the rest of her pale figure in a torn nun attire. Her eyes, a bold green, were wide open, seeing them, "S-Sister Griselda!" In her excitement to reach them, she stumbled out the bushes. "A—Ah!" However, faster than Irina could perceive, her mentor already sped ahead to catch the tripping nun. "O... Oh, sorry, Sister Quarta, I..." The pale woman fainted.
Without missing a beat, the woman gathered the unconscious woman into her arms, bridal style, "She's just exhausted, Young Shidou."
"A-Ah, should we head back to the church?"
Griselda nodded, "Quickly." The sharp-eyed nun paused to cast a miracle over the nun, who gained a glow, "Prepare yourself."
Seeing her mentor wait patiently, Irina drew upon her faith, empowering herself in but a few seconds. "I'm ready!"
"Take the lead. I'll follow."
"Yes, Instructor!" With that, she shot back from the direction they came from. The girl roared in her thoughts, pushing herself to run faster. She could do it, she thought. She could push herself to endure the entire run to the church.
Not too far behind, her fierce mentor sped after her.
Nearly ten minutes into the run, the purple-eyed girl noticed a man approaching them from the trees.
His hair was a bright grey. His skin was pale, and his keen eyes, while nowhere as sharp as Griselda's eyes, were pale blue. He wore basic but dirtied exorcist gear: a bloodied handle to a "lightsaber," basic light-based handgun and a torn book that she couldn't quite make out. Otherwise, the only real out of placed thing about him was that he looked to be disheveled and out of breath. However, his blue eyes lit up with recognition. "S-Sister Griselda!" Without fail, the nun's very presence demanded the best from everyone. And so, he straightened his back and tried to control his labored breath. "Have you seen the Holy Maiden?" He then noticed the nun his arms, "I-Is Sister Francine okay!?"
"Sister Argento?" Irina heard her mentor whisper, before glancing back to Irina then back to the exorcist, "No, I haven't, and she fainted from exhaustion."
The exorcist's expression fell as he explained, "While in transit, we were attacked by various monsters... The Holy Maiden, bless her heart, tried to heal one of my teammates." He balled up his fists, "They were caught off guard by a demon in the tree that grabbed them both."
Irina watched as Griselda's expression darkened. "Irina, we're now on a rescue mission." The woman turned back to her, grabbing her wrist where the transformed Excalibur Mimic rested. "Do not let your guard down. Do not wander off." The woman was treating her like a child... As if the nun could read Irina's train of thought, the Saint continued but with a softer expression, "This is your first real mission, Young Shidou. It wasn't supposed to be."
"I-I understand..."
The nun drew up Irina's other hand and clasped them in her tight grasp, "I hope you do." There was a warm feeling that encompassed the girl's body. She didn't know it at the time, but it was a bit of her holy energy. It would allow Griselda to find her and shield her without being present if necessary. "We will still meet up with Young Hyoudou and Young Quarta in an hour if we don't find them on our search." Irina noticed the lack of worry for the two as the woman turned to face the exorcist. Though they could probably handle themselves, the girl thought. "How big was your squad?"
"Seven..." The man's face hardened as he paused, "Five of them were killed in the ambush." Irina's eyes widened and her hands balled up at the revelation. This was why she couldn't be weak. She could be one of those people... Or she could be a burden and get someone killed...
"...Amen." In her thoughts, she missed most of Griselda's prayer until feeling the power in her final word. "Young Shidou, prepare yourself. We're moving out."
"Ah! Y-Yes..." Her words trailed off, seeing her mentor's gaze. In her stupor, she didn't see the glow around her wavering.
The woman's voice softened, remembering Irina's sensitivity to more intense emotions, "Focus on me and breathe, Irina." The girl was still rather innocent, unlike Xenovia. The woman would have to constantly remind herself of that.
"Yes, Instructor!" There was a pause as the girl struggled to pool her faith for a few seconds. "I'm... I'm ready!" And so, they returned on their trek towards the church. Though, they moved slower than initially did as they held back for the tired exorcist.
"Please watch over the Sister for me, Young Shidou." The girl nodded, vigorously, not trusting her voice as she still heaved for breath. While she wasn't sprinting at full speed, she did run for a good fifteen minutes or so. "I'll be talking with the monk, ok?" The exorcist was a monk in this case.
"Huff... Y-Yes, Instru-"
"Please just call me Sister Quarta, Irina." Said girl flinched at her name.
"Sorry! I-," the brunette struggled to remain refined in her speech, "I'm just used to my old mentor..." She trailed off, realizing her failure.
"It's quite alright, Young Shidou." The warrior-nun trainee missed the soft smile in her direction, "We shouldn't take long so please wait patiently." As she opened the door, she paused, "I'll be back with some water."
"Thank you, Sister Quarta."
There was a whisper that lingered in the air as the woman left. Irina couldn't exactly make out what it was, but it helped soothe her. Slowly, her breathing returned to normal. No longer required to focus on restabilizing herself, her fixation was on her thoughts as there was just silence and nothing of interest in the near-colorless, bare room.
Immediately, her initial thoughts were of the exorcist's missing group... She shook her head just as quickly. Instead, she chose to focus on the things she learned. Promptly, she was hit with a wave of temptation: to draw upon the power humming within her. All she learned in just the meager guidance was invaluable and electrifying. Hopefully, it'd help to close the divide between her and Xenovia... Her and Issei.
Turning her gaze to her budding chest where her hands rested, she closed her shining eyes to the temptation. Her new mentor, Griselda, was already giving her freedoms she had never experienced before. Those were already much more than she could ask for. There was no need to betray the expectations set upon her.
There was no need to lie anymore, to herself or others.
I didn't completely realize it back then because of Sister Griselda, but...
She trailed off in thought while her roughened hands trembled as they reached up from her throbbing chest to cover her mouth. Her vision blurred from unshed. Bliss and relief filled her; it was akin to the feeling of openly singing to the nightly air. She would finally learn to control herself.
All the while, the bracelet against her chin glowed.
"...You will die."
"Then, so be it."
"Then, you leave me no choice."
With a cool cup in her hands, Irina cringed as she heard the exorcist/monk and her mentor argue right outside the door. It wasn't especially loud in the silent church. However, the dispute between them was in heated whispers and thick with conflicting emotions that it kept disrupting her attempts to distract herself. Her mentor was trying to be a voice of stern reasoning that fell upon the ears of wicked vengeance.
A wave of pressure descended on the silent church.
"I order you to stand down."
"...N-No."
Despite not being in the conversation, the girl bit her lip, nervously. The exorcist was disobeying a direct order from one of the Church's few living Saints. He would be excommunicated and be placed on a capture-on-sight order. She didn't know what would happen after that...
Irina knew Griselda only wanted him to be here where it would be safe. It was... enough that a few others had already perished.
"Leave then. Do not show your face here again. I won't show this mercy again." There was some shuffling before the retreating monk's steps grew increasingly quieter.
So focused on listening onto the conversation, the clicking of the door as it shut behind the Saint made the warrior-nun trainee flinch harshly in surprise. "Sorry, I o-overheard..." Losing confidence in her unrefined and rushed words immediately, Irina trailed off, fighting herself whether she should or shouldn't look into her mentor's eyes.
In her indecisiveness, the girl missed the way Griselda's eyes softened. The woman had decided against muting the conversation to open ears, otherwise Irina's, with a simple miracle. Instead, Irina would be shown some of the darker but more tamed interactions between people. While it wasn't her intention for training for today and for any time soon... The girl was too innocent, having only gained her spot far earlier than most from sheer physical ability and her father's underground legacy. The girl was all too likely to work from emotion rather than duty. While that may be due to her "gift," she'd have to grow out of it.
Although, it wasn't as if she was betting on the monk of all exorcists to disobey her. If anything, she hoped for the opposite.
The sister kneeled down next to the girl on her chair, "I'm sorry as well, Young Shidou." She matched gazes with the girl, "People can have connections so strong that they surpass their duty. I mentioned being close to your comrades, did I not?" The girl gave a small 'yes.' "Nevertheless, your duty must come above all else." The Saint could feel the conflict within the young girl. That was to be expected and very thoroughly understood. That would be enough of that though, she thought as she closed her eyes.
"May he be redeemed,
For men aren't evil,
Only misguided,
In the Spirit of Vengeance."
"Amen."
Irina's own invocation came late as she hadn't expected Griselda to suddenly get into prayer. "A-Amen,"
Again, her presence demanded Irina look into her eyes, "However, do not lose your focus, your drive, your faith." She paused to let that sink in. "Right now, your duty," the woman tapped Irina's chest where her heart laid beneath, "is to get strong so something like this fate won't befall you. Do you understand?" Seeing the girl's beautifully innocent eyes widen, the mentor fought down her smile.
"Yes, Inst-! I mean, yes, Sister Quarta!"
"Urgh..."
It was then the nun they found in the forest groaned. Hearing it, Irina grabbed the extra cup that Griselda brought earlier alongside the pitcher of ice water that came with it. As the girl poured out the liquid, the physically exhausted nun raised her upper body, taking in the familiar environment.
—Only to nearly fall off the bed, seeing a serious Griselda at her bedside.
"S-S-Sister Quarta?!" Her voice came out hoarse. Fortunately, Irina passed her the cold glass. In her panic to address the 'pinnacle of modern Nuns,' the bedridden women practically inhaled the water.
"Sis-"
"Calm down, Sister Francine." Smoothly, Griselda cut off the other nun. "I got the information from... the excommunicated exorcist, Harold."
There was a gasp, "N-No..." Her mind made connections for the worse.
"Do not fret. He did not betray you or the rest of your squad, Sister Francine. He simply disobeyed a direct order to stay put." The Saint closed her eyes, "I understand his Spirit of Vengeance. Nonetheless, that isn't the correct course of action." It may be an unjust punishment but that was the rules that governed him. He knew them well and probably more than most as a monk.
"I-I'm sorry..."
"There's nothing to apologize for, Sister." The taller woman blinked as a thought crossed her mind, "Could I ask something of you?"
"Of course, Sister Quarta!"
"I'm sorry to ask when you're still so exhausted but... Could you keep watch over the church? I'll set down some wards as well in," Griselda gestured to Irina, "our absence to assist you."
"I can do it," the sister said firmly, moving to slip out of the simple bed. Again, the woman was caught as she fell. This time it was by Irina. "S... Sorry, dear." She hadn't expected her legs to give away so suddenly... Though, she was taken aback from Irina's youthful appearance. The girl seemed to be a year or two too early to be a disciple. Xenovia, of course, was an exception.
The girl couldn't help but exclaim, "It's okay!" She hid her embarrassment at slipping up in her tone well, moving to help the woman to her feet.
The weakened sister couldn't help but smile at her brightness. She pulled away from Irina's arms. Managing to stand, albeit shakily, she faced Griselda, "I can do it," she repeated.
The Saint simply nodded before reiterating, "We'll return in thirty minutes—an hour at most. I need to collect the rest of my disciples."
"I'll be waiting patiently. Hopefully, the Father comes back as well..." The weakened woman placed her hands together and closed her eyes.
"As we leave from this place,
May the mercy and grace of our Lord
Be yours to share.
May the life you live
Be the gift you give,
So that all may know He cares."
" "Amen." "
"Please rest a little longer as I set the wards, Sister Francine." Griselda's tone left no arguments open, so the other woman of the room sat down on the chair to her side. "Excuse me." Griselda's movements were as swift as they were silent.
In the void of her commanding presence, the lull of quietness reigned. The nun knew not of Irina's name nor the nature of her companionship. Irina, on the other hand, was used to speaking very little, if at all, while in the attendance of adults outside of her parents. "...I'm sorry for putting you through this so early in your training, dear," the woman decided on, speaking honestly.
The apology caught the girl off-guard as the trainee blinked repeatedly before she could gather a response. "It's alright, Sister Francine."
At it, the nun hummed in thought. "You're an exorcist-in-training?"
"A warrior-nun," the girl corrected.
"Oh? I used to be one..." The woman trailed off in thought. After a few seconds, she returned her attention back to the girl who was trying much too hard to be stoic. "I'm a rather unique case. I was a warrior-nun who turned into a nun." Her eyes sparkled as she remembered the main reasons she converted: to teach and her high blood pressure. "Do you have any questions? Don't afraid to say what's on your mind." Her expression may have looked welcoming but suddenly the woman gained a fierce aura as well. The nun wouldn't take a no or nothing, only her true thoughts.
With that in mind, Irina gathered her voice and confidence, "How are you so... unfazed even though the, uh, exorcist was so angry?"
The nun's smile widened before she responded with, "What a good question, dear." She set her palms up and open, towards Irina. "Come closer."
Irina moved to stand in front of her, catching the nod of the woman's head. It was a hint to place her hands atop them. In doing so, the girl noticed how rough the past warrior-nun's hands really were. Getting over that revelation, the younger girl noticed how calm her pulse was as well.
"I can't afford to get riled up anymore. Becoming a nun really helped me to control my emotions and get my blood pressure to a safe spot." Seeing the question in Irina's gaze, she answered, grasping the chestnut-haired girl's hands, "It's not something you need to worry about, dear."
There was a knock before the door opened to reveal Griselda, who said, "Time to set out."
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|:[Lovely Angel]:|
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[Remember, go seek Gabriel]
'Yup!' There was relative silence as he raced through the afternoon sky.
Until Ddraig spoke up once more.
[I've been busy fixing our connection... Apparently, one major problem is that you haven't completely matured yet? Maybe, it has to do with your Angelic physiology.]
'I see. Thank you for your hard work!'
A soft knocking against Issei's bedroom door, prompting a flinch from the boy. "Issei?" With that as a warning, the Seraph entered the room.
The boy gave her a weak smile, hiding his left arm behind him. "Sorry, Gabriel. I thought I could control it."
The strongest woman of Heaven took in the situation. Everything was in disarray. His bed was broken, and the various fabrics in pieces in every place her eyes fell on. She could only tilt her head in confusion, "Control it?"
The boy bit his lip, unable to meet her concerned eyes. "M-My arm." Against the admittedly better judgment of Ddraig, Issei decided to go home immediately. However, he was stubborn and wanted to deal with it by his lonesome. His left arm throbbed in the grasp of his right as he pulled it before himself for Gabriel to see.
At the reveal, the strongest female Angel's senses were instantly overloaded with the sheer amount of Draconic Energy. It just went to show just how much he could hold back. He wasn't quite at the point where he could maintain, filter, and drain it safely.
"Oh no!" His dragon arm completely slipped her certainly airheaded and bustling mind. "I'm so sorry!" She pulled him into her arms, ignoring the searing feeling of his arm between them. "You poor child..." She cooed him to a deep slumber, combing her fingers through his shoulder-length hair.
The last thing the boy could remember was thinking that he was no longer a "kid." It made him grasp her tightly in his stubbornness. The almost Archangel mistook it for pain—and to a degree, she wasn't wrong.
It was then a green orb appeared on Issei's reddening arm. [This foolish partner of mine, I told him to seek you.]
There was a wry smile atop her cherry red lips before she said, "He wants to be... fully self-sufficient." When the Red Dragon Emperor didn't deny or refute the observation and silence was the answer, she pulled him closer to herself before picking him up. Her right arm held him by the back of his knees; her other held his upper body by his small back. One day these shoulders would be wide and sturdy. She almost couldn't wait.
"One day, I fear... he might leave Heaven completely." They knew she wasn't worried about him Falling. With Ddraig's [Principles of Domination] flowing through his arm as a conduit, it was nearly impossible. However, if his arm was severed from him he would fall, immediately.
Father's children at Issei's age shouldn't have to bear such sins. Gabriel closed her eyes. The silent prayer, while "quiet" in her mind, seemed to overwhelm the room, drenching the house and the surrounding area with Sacred Holy energy. Thankfully, Masaru had the foresight to set up a ward to completely void any energies from leaking away outside the property.
Nevertheless, that armless scenario was quite unlikely with how strong he had and would become. It wouldn't stop her from fretting though. While not as headstrong as he once was, he was still young, naïve (funny coming from her), and bound to make more than a few mistakes.
In her opinion, leaving Heaven would be one of them.
[He only lasted this long due to the effects of Ascalon.] Gabriel's mouth flew open, but the ancient dragon cut her off, [He's fine, mostly, and no, there was no self-harm involved, Angel.] There was a loud yawn. [I'm going to sleep too... Watch over him for me.]
Despite the fact that the dragon couldn't actually see her, she nodded. "Time to sleep, huh?" Suddenly, she too felt tired as a wave of fatigue slammed into her. Anyone would if they didn't sleep for a few weeks... She assumed so at least. Her sense of duty was the only thing keeping her standing. With Father gone, the leftover Seraphs had to pick up the system piece by piece with the utmost care for the rest of the Angels to sort and manage the very basic tasks. Even then, everything was held by a thread. They knew next to nothing about actually working the System—the only Seraph who knew vanished not long after the death of their Father.
Father's thoughts were silent in her mind as it has been for the past few hundred years or so.
However…
She glanced down to his chest. There, a tattoo of a Joker card smiled back at her. This would be their salvation. Her sweat, hopes, and dreams were poured into it.
If…
Her suddenly compressed aura flickered darkly around her.
A moment later, she shook her head. It wasn't like her to think like that. Nor would it do her or anyone any good. And so, she shoved the thoughts away as she opened a portal to her room in Heaven. She needed this sleep as well. If it just so happened to help Issei, then that was all the more reason...
"Ah..." Issei's body floated down onto the unbelievably soft bed as Gabriel reached out. At the same time, a red wispy energy slowly seeped into existence. Most of it surrounded Issei as shown by the deeper blood red around him. It was his energy after all.
However, unlike the other times they slept together, the red haze was especially dense. It would be a lot of work to collect. It wouldn't be something she could do as she laid beside him. That wasn't considering the densely packed energy sticking itself to his arm. That was beginning to form dragon scales around his arm that hung off the side of the bed.
The Seraph drew close to the source of the red haze. As she did so, it got harder and harder to stand. Thankfully, she wasn't going to do much of that, she thought while kneeling onto the soft, cloudlike flooring. Holding his left hand between both of hers, she closed her eyes and started praying. The tips of her hair, which were curled into hearts, waved out as her many wings unfurled themselves, following her blinding halo.
With just the release of her sacred limiter, most of the red haze was gone, eradicated by her Divine Motherly Aura. However, the red scales were still developing at an increasing rate.
Gabriel felt herself grow sad at the fact that the System without Father meant she was unable to help others as well as she once could. However, she wouldn't let it stop her from helping everyone one step at a time. Not even Michael could stop her from sneaking off and... casting a few miracles here and there.
Although right now, it would be Issei at the receiving end, she thought with a sad smile. It pained Issei to know he needed help. It pained her to know she failed to teach him such an important lesson. It was more than okay to seek and accept assistance.
"...And therefore,
I purify."
Instead of eliminating the thick red energy in its entirety, it quickly swirled into a ball in the palm of her trembling left hand. Following that, her other hand summoned a portal and fished out a transparent cube. She then forced the ball into the cube. It flashed red as it absorbed the energy. With that done, she set the transparent cube back through the portal with care.
Through the whole ordeal, the radiance of her halo became weaker and weaker. She was both tired in spirit, mind, and body. Her twelve wings felt heavy as they helped her onto the bed. With just one thought, she wrapped her arms around Issei and fell asleep.
Good night.
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|:[Lovely Angel]:|
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Aes: I know I said I would add more things for this chapter but then I'd have to write a ton more, that of which I have no motivation and would take the time that I could put elsewhere. Also, there will be either one or two more chapters until a timeskip.
Join this discord for writers and readers of all kinds if you want using this code: V54pcwA. Everyone's a degenerate, it's glorious. We welcome them of all kinds, even them beta Akeno fans, except for those who don't follow the rules at all. You can completely fuck off and away with that. To those who join, tell the general chat it was due to me :)) It's okay to leave right after...
That's a joke, please don't.
You can also thank the server leader for me getting this out so early. He must be doing something right if he can get me to update. Thankfully, it didn't take 4 years this time around. Although, I meant to get this out earlier. With corona happening, I actually started working more, ironically. Even more so that my area recently loosened up restrictions... Please carry a mask when going out.
Edit: also thank the server leader for doing some betaing and commenting.
[Words: 6,348]
"Thank you all for the 1k followers/favorites!"