Author's Note - That officially concludes the little prologue. Next chapter I'll be introducing the main DxD cast and starting the main plot. Thank you to everyone who stuck around and I hope you guys like what's in store!

XV

No Rest for the Wicked

Gabriel balled her fists to the point of drawing blood as she saw the scene before her. The safehouse she had asked Griselda to set up, ravished by an attack at the hands of the delusional devoted followers of her father…her beloved children knocked unconscious at her feet. If she hadn't cast that barrier to protect them from that spell…surely they would have suffered the same fate as the exorcists around them.

Her Brave Saints aside, Gabriel floated over to the exorcist called Karisma, the so called Paladin of the Church, picking her up by her hair and raising her up. She regained consciousness just enough to recognize Gabriel as fear began to fill her eyes.

"L-Lady Gabriel…What are you-"

"What have you done?" asked Gabriel.

"I…I did as I any exorcist would have done," Karisma gritted her teeth. "I rid the world of evil."

"You ambushed my children, tore their hearts apart with your wicked actions, and broke a child I care very deeply for," Gabriel's eyes were void of any sympathy she may have had for the girl. She had hoped Karisma was merely following orders, it would have made what she was about to do much less personal. "Did you think I would not intervene when I see my children in danger? Did you think no one was watching?"

Karisma held firm to her beliefs. "The world…will thank me one day. The Nephallem…"

"Where is he?" asked Gabriel. "Where is Koujiro? And do not make me repeat myself."

Karisma's eyes widened. "You…You know his name? How do you know his name?"

Gabriel gritted her teeth as she raised her hand. She was seconds away from smiting the girl, reducing her to atoms, if Griselda and Dulio hadn't arrived the second they did.

"My Lady!" cried Griselda. "Don't…We can't…"

Gabriel tossed the girl aside, turning her attention to Karina and the girls.

"What happened here?" asked Dulio.

"Griselda," said Gabriel. "Where's Koujiro? Can you sense him?"

Griselda furrowed an eyebrow. "Koujiro? My Lady I apologize, I don't know who that is."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed. Karisma wasn't feining ignorance…but Griselda as well?

"What do you mean?" asked Gabriel. "Koujiro, the child Karina adopted. The vessel of…"

Imugi. Could it be? Surely…Surely Koujiro wouldn't have. Gabriel glanced around at the scene. It was clear to her what happened here…what kind of position he was put under. If the Paladin and her men had them completely surrounded, holding Karina and the girls at swordpoint, even his adoptive sister…he was pushed to his breaking point.

"The human boy over there," said Gabriel. "Is he…Is he dead?"

"Yes," Dulio knelt down and closed the boy's eyes. "I don't understand…what was a regular human doing here? What happened to the girls?"

"A spell," said Gabriel. "Griselda, return to Heaven at once and have the pods ready. Karina and the girls were afflicted with a powerful mental spell…they'll need time to recover even with their accelerated healing."

"Y-Yes, my Lady."

With her Queen's departure, Dulio walked over to check up on her. "I still don't understand, Lady Gabriel. The vessel of Imugi…he's not here. I can't sense him anymore…anywhere."

"Do you remember what he looked like?" asked Gabriel. "You met him Dulio, can you remember what he looked like? His eye color, his hair color…his name?"

Dulio shook his head. "I apologize my Lady…but I don't remember ever meeting the boy."

"I see…" Gabriel balled her fists. She understood now what Koujiro had done. "Clean up the scene, Dulio. Once you're done, report back to my brother and tell him exactly what happened, leave not a single detail."

"W-What about you?"

Gabriel walked into the barrier and caressed Karina's cheek. "I have to make sure they'll be okay…now and after they wake."

Dulio bowed before taking off as Gabriel gritted her teeth. She was a fool…of course the Church would make their move as soon as Micheal called for a conference between the faction leaders.

"You must have been so terrified…" Gabriel ran her hand through Winter and Giselle's hair and making sure NingNing wasn't injured. "Oh children…I'm so sorry."

Koujiro…He made a sacrifice in order to ensure the girls were protected. He gave himself over to Imugi, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to do it. The alteration of memories is a powerful spell to accomplish even on a single person, but to be able to do it to multiple people scattered across the globe…only Imugi would possess the kind of power to do so. If she hadn't put up the bounded field when she had…surely their memories would have been altered as well. But still…the spell did have some kind of affect on them. They'll need time to recover from their mental wounds…

Gabriel floated over to the dead human boy. Tapping her finger on his forehead…she viewed the memories in the moments before his death. It broke her heart to do so…but this was why Koujiro felt the need to go as far as he did. Karisma…Karisma killed his childhood friend in front of his eyes.

"Koujiro…" Gabriel sighed.

Finding him would be impossible…not if Imugi's possessing him. Their worst fears had come true…and Karisma had been the catalyst of it all. The Paladin who swore to protect humanity may have caused the extinction of her own kind.

"L…Lady…Gabriel…"

She flew over to Karina and held her sit up. "Don't speak…You're alright now."

"K…Kouji…" she said. "Is he…"

"He's gone," said Gabriel. "He did it…didn't he. He gave himself up."

Tears filled her eyes as she gripped onto Gabriel's arm, quivering as she struggled to speak. "I couldn't…I couldn't do a thing…"

"Nobody blames you Karina," Gabriel smiled. "You did what you could…"

"Kouji…" said Karina. "He…He'll be scared…I…a spell…"

Gabriel narrowed her eyes. "What did you do Karina?"

She smiled. "Imugi…Imugi can't control him…I cast a spell…to trap the Serpent…"

"You did what?"

"Find…him…"

Karina slid a ring off her finger and placed it on Gabriel's palm before losing consciousness. Gabriel recognized the material…it was Serpent Phantasm's scales. Koujiro had advanced far in his mastery of those eyes…he was able to control the shape and size of the scales. Did he...

Gabriel shook the idea out of her head. This wasn't the time. She had to make sure the girls were taken cared of before focusing her attention anywhere else. She had to get them to Heaven…

"Hang in there," Gabriel smiled. "I'm so proud of you four."

…

Fifth Heaven, formerly the headquarters of the Grigori before the fall of their members. Now it's been converted into a research and development center where much of Heaven's technologies were advanced. It was here that the Brave Saint system was developed from the Evil Piece system. It was here that Gabriel took the girls to heal.

"They'll be okay."

Remiel joined Gabriel as the girls were being hooked up in their pods. Gabriel despised the modern ways of healing that Remiel had developed, however she knew this was the only way to fully heal them through their injuries. Imugi's spell may have been altered by the bounded field, however its affects still seeped through and affected them. Their memories of one another, their past…who knows what could have been affected.

"We'll begin to reconstruct their memories," said Remiel. "I swear sister, they'll be whole again."

"I doubt they'll be the same after what they experienced," Gabriel balled her fists. "I should have been there Remi…"

Remiel smiled. A former War Angel turned Seraph, Remiel is among Gabriel's oldest friends. He hadn't changed much through the years, still in the vessel he had originally from all those years ago. Black hair slicked back, smooth skin, a white coat over a suit…he sure does love his job.

"We can't control what our children do Gabriel," said Remi. "We can only hope they'll make the right choices."

The pods were all big enough to fit them, stuck onto the wall of research building and filled with an anesthetic liquid to keep them unconscious while Remi works. He and his Angels had begun their work to repair to repair the girl's damaged minds.

"And the bracelet?" asked Gabriel.

Remiel opened a holographic window that analyzed Karina's bracelet. "It's definitely from the Mystic Eyes. The properties of the material are all magic, hard-light constructed from magic."

"Why hasn't it dissipated?' asked Gabriel.

"It's been infused with magic," said Remi. "Their magic. I'm guessing the boy knew that with an external magic source, they won't shatter even if he's far away. I'm impressed at how much he's mastered this Sacred Gear."

Gabriel smiled. "As am I. Do you think you can track him?"

"It was hard but," the window changed to a topographical map of Earth, zooming into an island off the coast of South Korea. "If my calculations are correct, he crashed here after fleeing. I don't understand why though."

"Karina…" said Gabriel. "How's her grace?"

Remiel furrowed his brow before checking. "It's…It's nearly drained…all of them. How is this possible?"

Gabriel balled her fists. Karina mentioned a spell…so this is what she meant. The four of them collectively used their grace to activate a seal…Gabriel would be furious if it weren't genius.

"I'll be on my way Remi," said Gabriel. "I'm trusting you to look after the four of them…do whatever you can."

"You have my word."

Gabriel flew down to Earth, soaring through the skies at speeds strong enough to create sonicbooms by the water. The island that Koujiro had landed on was remote and uninhabited, strange for an island so close to the mainland, however she got the feeling it was exactly what he was looking for.

Nestled away at the heart of the island, Koujiro lay by the base of a rocky hill, lifeless and holding his stomach. Imugi's mask had clearly overwhelmed him, however bits and pieces were breaking as she approached him.

"Please…" said Koujiro, his voice still distorted by the mask. "Stay…away from me…I don't want any more trouble…"

"Are you alright?" asked Gabriel. "You're injured…"

"Nothing I can't handle," Koujiro smiled.

"Koujiro…" said Gabriel.

"How…can you remember me?" asked Koujiro. "The spell…it should have worked."

"It did," said Gabriel. "Griselda…Dulio…nobody remembers who you are. Higher beings, however, aren't affected by mental manipulation so easily. I remember you as clear as day sweet boy."

Koujiro's eyes began to water. "She…She killed my best friend…she threatened to kill Karina…I didn't have a choice…"

Gabriel knelt down and pulled the boy in. "You are the bravest boy I've ever met…You did something very few humans would ever attempt."

"Are they okay?" asked Koujiro. "Are they safe?"

"They're safe, don't you worry," said Gabriel. "You don't need to stay here Koujiro. I can-"

"N-No," Koujiro backed away. "I can't…it's better this way."

"My boy…Do you realize what this will mean?" asked Gabriel. "The spell may have erased memories of your name and face…but the world still knows the Nephallem is alive. The Church…they won't stop hunting you."

Koujiro smiled, however watching him do so broke Gabriel's heart in ways she couldn't fully understand.

"It doesn't matter…" said Koujiro. "They can hunt me all they'd like, as long as it's just me. Promise me, Lady Gabriel…Promise me you won't tell them."

"Koujiro…" said Gabriel. "You'll be alone…with no one. No one remembers you, no one can withstand such-"

"Promise me," Koujiro grabbed her hand, determination filling his eyes. "Please…"

So…this is what Karina saw in the boy. The ability to do so aside, the determination and resolve to spend eternity in isolation with no one by his side, to remain a nameless shadow in the void of life…this boy is advanced beyond his years.

"I promise," said Gabriel.

"Not just them," said Koujiro. "Anyone who still remembers me…make sure they never tell anyone. Is it…Is it just the Angels?"

"The spell is powerful…it may have affected the Devils as well," said Gabriel. "I'll confirm it…but I give you my word."

Koujiro smiled and tilted his head back against the cliff base. "Good…Good…it's better this way anyway."

"You knew something like this would happen, didn't you," said Gabriel. "That's why you gave them those rings, to come find you."

"I…" Koujiro bit his lip. "I thought I was afraid of being alone…I didn't want to feel abandoned or alone. It was always something I feared. That one day I'd wake up, and everyone I ever loved would turn their backs on me. I see now that it's better if they do. The world was right…Karisma was right…I'm a walking plague in human skin. I don't deserve to walk by their side, to shine as brightly as they do."

"They love you," said Gabriel. "It wasn't pity or some hero fetish, Koujiro. They did what they did because they truly love you."

"And I love them, it's why I have to do this," said Koujiro. "Great people are forged through fire…it is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame. They'll be okay…I'll be a distant memory they can't remember. I'm fine with that."

His resolve is firm, his determination is solid. She couldn't change his mind or do anything to sway his intentions. Even if she took him away by force, he'd just find a way to escape again.

"What are you going to do?" asked Gabriel. "You can't stay on this island forever."

Koujiro smiled. "Karina…She did something to Imugi, didn't she?"

"They all did," Gabriel sighed. "They harnessed their grace, the very thing that gives an Angel their powers, collectively to cast a sealing spell on Imugi. I'm guessing it had an activation requirement."

"If I ever became consumed by Imugi…" said Koujiro. "That girl…She really can do anything."

"Indeed," Gabriel found herself smiling. "If it did what I think it did, Imugi's sealed into your Sacred Gear now. It won't be able to fully possess you…not if you're careful."

"You're right," said Koujiro. "I can't stay here…Once I'm better, I'll be on the move. Staying in one place for too long is too dangerous if the Church is still hunting me. I'll just be a traveler…"

Gabriel pulled the boy in and kissed his forehead. "The road you're going down will be hard, Koujiro. It'll be lonely…it'll be painful…but I am so proud of you. You be well, you be safe…I'll be watching over you."

"Thank you, Lady Gabriel," said Koujiro.

Gabriel got on her feet. "Your eyes are powerful, Koujiro, but use it too much and you risk corruption. I'll correct the imperfections in your spell…as soon as I return to Heaven, memories of you will be erased from the Angels completely…for your safety."

"I'll miss you," said Koujiro. "And them…and Irina…"

Gabriel gritted her teeth and flew away.

…

Kouji had never felt more at peace with himself than in this moment. The activation of Aespa's seal nearly killed him, the spell tore him apart as Imugi was ripped from his body and sealed into his eyes. He tried countless times before Gabriel showed up to deactivate them, but they wouldn't go away. He was stuck with the Mystic Eyes now…now and forever.

"I hope you're satisfied with this outcome."

Kouji smiled. "As happy as I'll ever be. I'm surprised you're still able to talk, didn't you just get out of me?"

"Communication will be easier now that I'm not trapped inside that cage."

"Just trapped in another one," said Kouji. "You're taking this rather lightly…I thought you'd be furious that our deal wound up getting you sealed again."

"You are more reckless than I ever thought you'd be, young Master," said Imugi. "The time will come when you need my power once again…I shall have you begging on your knees when that day comes to pass."

"I wouldn't count on it…"

Kouji closed his eyes and took in the sound of nature. He had never been so deep in a forest before. No cars, no machinery…nothing but the wind and the trees. It felt nice to get out of the city for once, get away from the people.

"Tell me, young Master," said Imugi. "If you cared so much for those Nephillim, why not spare them from the spell?"

"I've dragged them through enough Hell…" said Kouji. "I don't want them to die protecting me…like King did."

"Truly an avoidable death," said Imugi.

"I'm still serious about my offer, you know," said Kouji. "You and me…friendship is still on the table."

"Friendship is for the weak," said Imugi. "Our relationship is purely symbiotic. As long as you live, so do I. I care very little for what you do with your life."

"And the Valak bloodline?" asked Kouji. "Weren't you supposed to restart it?"

"The time will come," said Imugi. "You will see soon enough that the Serpent is required if wish to fight this foolish crusade."

"Foolish? 100%," Kouji smiled. "But it's also necessary…aren't you tired of all the fighting, Imugi? People slaughtering each other over their ideals…why can't everyone just get along?"

"You humans and your idiotic ideals," said Imugi. "Words will never be enough to achieve true peace. The only way to true peace is total and absolute obedience through sheer, undeniable power. Fear will make humans see more than hopeful ideals."

"Maybe you're right…but I refuse the believe that," said Imugi. "There's more to humans than war, Imugi. I'll show you."

"You're fighting a never ending crusade, young Master," said Imugi "A crusade that will be forgotten in history.

Kouji somehow found relief in that statement. A foolish crusade that will be forgotten in history. He was always afraid of being forgotten…to be abandoned by those closest to him. But now, to experience true loneliness…he had never felt more at peace. Karina, Giselle, Winter, NingNing, Irina…they'll all be safe. Aespa will go on to continue their idol work, hopefully being freed from their contracts. Irina will go on to become an excellent exorcist and make father proud…it's all he had never wanted for them. He'll watch them from afar, to celebrate their success from the shadows. To know that they'll thrive…that was enough for him.

"That's fine with me," said Kouji. "Your hatred for humans against my love for them…let's see who comes out on top in the end. You and me, Imugi…that's how it'll be until the end."