Meanwhile, 5 minute ago…
Kiba walks out to the school courtyard, accompanied by Bell and Issei. He quickly spins around, looking to the both of them.
"Hmm… President said she would be here." He wonders out loud. Issei is similarly perplexed, as Rias isn't one to just not show up when she calls on people.
Bell, meanwhile, is looking up into the sky as he waits for anyone to say anything remotely important. He's tapping his cheeks, mumbling some random noises. Whatever can just pass the time faster. Moments fly by, and before they know it, nothing happens.
"Where is she?" The swordsman paced back and forth, clearly concerned. His two allies are similarly stressed, more so for Kiba.
"You think something happened?" Bell asks. "Like, were they attacked by someone?"
Issei shakes his head at this. "No. Why would someone go after her when there are so many weaker devils in the vicinity?" Kiba, finally tired of waiting, walks off in the direction of the ORC schoolhouse. "You two, come on. Someone's gotta be there, and we'll get some answers." Treading along, they reach the disheveled schoolhouse, and the door creaks open as the three boys enter.
"Hello?" Issei calls out. "President? Akeno? Anyone?" No response. They slide on through and start looking around. Kiba looks up at the upper two floors while Bell and Issei look on the ground.
"Wow, this place feels a lot worse than I remember it being," the red-head commented. Issei can't help but chuckle at this.
"Yeah, it's called Victorian style. Personally, not a fan but―"
"No, not like that," Bell interrupts, "Like, the rooms look way older, and there's a huge build up on dust on everything!" Pausing for a moment, Issei then takes a closer look. Huge helpings of dust and grime had built up on the furniture. Much more than the normal for the schoolhouse's interior. "That is… bizarre." There's a collection of footsteps and the two glance back. Issei runs past any chairs in the way while Bell unnecessarily hops over furniture. When they came by the stairwell, Kiba stood there. He had a sword in one hand and a look of concern on his face. "President's Magic Circle… it's gone." These words sent panic through Issei, and Bell, while a little more confused, could tell this was serious.
"What do you mean it's gone?" the brown-haired student perplexed. Kiba hops down onto the ground, rushing by the door.
"Something erased President's Magic Circle. Someone's on school's ground, and they aren't friendly. We need to get out of here." He clamps her hand on the doorknob, and he opens it. However, there's a shine coming from the door frame, causing Kiba to cover his eyes and the two other boys to immediately rush over to see what happened. However, When they arrive, their eyes are held wide up in shock.
The door led back into the school. But this wasn't the normal Kuoh Academy. Instead, the room they walked into was dilapidated. Mold was growing from cracks and crevices, and weird greenish-black fluid seeped from the ceiling. Roots were embedded into the walls, but no plants could be seen linked to them. There was no light fixtures, and the light coming from the windows was low, and unnatural pure white like a sheet of paper. It looked like the room could come down upon them any second from now.
Taking a moment to collect their bearings, the boys walked into the room. Something or someone was messing with something. Whether it be reality or their minds was up for debate. But they couldn't just stay in the old schoolhouse forever. Whatever effects were out in about in the school were slowly making its way into the schoolhouse. At this point, they had to bet that the thing that made this was deep within. Kiba told the two to get ready. Issei called out to his Boosted Gear, while Bell grabbed a nearby pipe. Not as impressive as the other two boys by a margin.
Kiba walked out first, followed by Bell and then Issei. "Stay close. And be on your guard." They creeped through the lit room, each panel of the floors feeling wet and soft, as if water damage had been done here. As they got closer to the opposite end of the room, a foul stench emerged and grew stronger and stronger.
"Ugh. It's awful in here." The Boosted Gear user nearly retches as he picks up on the smell. Similarly, Bell was struggling to even keep his eyes open, or even walk without a wobble. Kiba didn't seem to pick up on this, or just had enough fortitude to ignore the smell.
They finally reached the end of the room. Before them was door with wood rotted to the pointed where it was melting into the frame of the door. Kiba reached out for a handle, before stopping himself. Figuring that it probably wasn't a good idea to touch this possibly toxic door, he took a swing of his blade and sliced into it. It split apart like it was a solid inspite of its slimy texture.
The next room was as big as a gymnasium. An otherworldly swamp had taken root, defying the laws of nature as humans know them. The air was thick with humidity, carrying the unmistakable scent of damp earth and rotting vegetation. Dim, flickering bioluminescent fungi clung to the walls, casting an eerie, greenish glow that illuminated the bizarre scene. Demonic flies, their wings buzzing with a malevolent energy, swarmed in dense, chaotic clusters. Their compound eyes gleamed with an crimson light as they darted through the air. There were small creatures with leather wings that couldn't. Their wings were folded above them, giving them a tear-shape as they stood on two chicken-like legs. They had a large mouth filled with fangs and a long tongue.
At the center of this nightmarish swamp, shrouded in an ethereal mist, a colossal stone stood in the muck. Covered in moss that glowed a faint, ghostly green, the stone seemed ancient. Its surface was etched with cryptic runes, faintly luminescent and pulsating in eerie synch with the rest of this unholy place. The stone exuded an aura of dread and arcane power, power that blasted the boys in it as they bore witness to it. Both Kiba and Issei stood confidently through the blast of power, the former slightly struggling to stand. Bell, on the the other hand, was brought to his knees as the entire dark force of the stone was upon him. His body ached, but not out of pain, and not even fear. This was a new feeling, something completely foreign to the boy.
Moments pass, and the stone calms down, aura no longer pouring out and causing everyone lets out heavy gasps. Issei looks to his red-haired friend, who was still on one knee.
"Bell!" He cried out, "Are you ok?" He picks up the boy by the shoulder and brings him up to his feet. He had recovered quickly from the blast of aura, much to Issei's relief. "Here, lemme help you out." Issei reaches out his cladded arm, and a green glow radiates from the gem. Immediately, and aura envelops the red haired boy and Bell feels his body strengthen and recover. Soon enough, he's back in action, and standing on his legs.
"Oh, thanks Issei! I could just about hug you!" He reaches out his arms but before that can continue, a loud booming voice rumbles throughout the gym.
"You have entered my domain. You are fools for doing so."
A large mass falls down from the ceiling and onto the stone, but it didn't crush it, only managing to shake it slightly. It's bulging, warty skin glistened with a sickly green hue, as though it had been soaked in the sludge of a hellish swamp. Upon its misshapen head, two twisted, jagged horns jutted upward. The horns seemed to have been carved from the darkest obsidian, sharp enough to pierce the heart of any unfortunate soul that dared to approach. Each horn bore grotesque carvings, symbols etched into the very bone. The creature's limbs were grotesquely muscular, each webbed foot ending in talon-like claws, along with jagged, bony spines protruded along its spine.
In the presence of this demon frog, the very air grew heavy with malevolence, and the ground seemed to writhe in protest.
"Two Devils and a… human? I was expecting less, but you should not be any trouble."
"Oh yeah?" Issei retorts. "What's a bug eating monster like you got that makes you so impressive." The Demon lets out a tumultuous laugh. The gym begins to shake and all the creatures form up around the stone. The three boys all get into a stance to ready for battle.
"Well. Allow me to show you."
Thanks for reading!