I know, im late on updating Shardbinder, been distracted by job hunting, promise a new chapter will be out sooner than later. In the meantime, had this idea cooking up in my brain, thinkit as a 'what if' to my current fic.
Dohnaseek sat down on the body of a dead tree, a light layer of snow blanketing everything around him in the forested clearing. He sat there ruminating on many things, his past, his service to his lord father, the squabbles of the factions, of his brethren. His gaze shifted from the snow around his dress shoes to the simple grave in front of him, it's been there for a while now. His hat was off and at his side out of respect to the resting site he was visiting.
It has been quite some time since the end of the Sin War, what was left of the Angels and Devils retreated to their domains, the Grigori was nonexistent with only a handful of Fallen left. And the humans? Well, they were left to waste away in a dying world torched by the supernatural conflict that did not care for their survival. Dohnaseek looked to his gloved hands as he found his voice,
"You know I've... been here for a very long time... I remember many things." He began as his mind conjured up memories of his long past. "I remember being at a shoreline, watching a little gray fish crawl its way onto the beach. I had an older brother saying, 'Don't step on that fish, Donny, big plans for that critter." The smell of the stormy coast was as crisp and salty as if he was there last night in his mind.
"I remember the Tower of Babel, all 57 feet of it, which I suppose was impressive at the time. And when it fell, they howled 'divine wrath!'. But c'mon, dried dung can only be stacked so high." The imagery of the long-lost civilization a lingering thought.
"I remember Cain & Abel, David & Goliath, Sodom & Gomorrah..." The following mentions were but footnotes in the Fallen Angel's mind, to the religious humans, they were everything that built their faith. But to him, it was all just part of the script, father's script.
"And of course, I remember the most remarkable event, remarkable because an angel and a human, fell in love and conceived a child so pure that father would have personally come down from his kingdom to greet her. You two caused quite a stir with your daughter." Dohnaseek commented, the corner of his mouth almost cracking a smile but settled to his dour look. He recalled hearing just how this new development perplexed Michael and Metatron, as they claimed to foresee and support any special events per God's will, well whatever was left of his designs.
"I've never seen you so happy before, not when father paired us together as his wolves, or when you opted to follow that self-absorbed lunatic when he was cast out. I knew how much they meant to you, and how her death broke you, my own failure to you both didn't help matters... But I knew I had to make the call and keep her away." He spoke, mind bringing up the day Akeno Himejima was found by Rias Gremory and her devil caretaker. Dohnaseek was the one watching from the shadows, having subtly guided the devils to finding the young half angel and saving her from her own familicide driven clan.
Taking Akeno to the Grigori would have been a death sentence for a child like her, and he never trusted Kokabiel or Azazel as both were too insane to be responsible or humane. Call it his only good deed as an estranged uncle, making sure his niece would be safe and away from danger while he kept the familial ties buried deep from everyone for her safety. Oddly enough, this act would attract the attention of someone who proved interesting to the old angel.
"Sometimes I wonder if what I did was right, giving such an innocent soul to Lucifer's legacy, even if it meant betraying you... And for that I will always be sorry." He stood up and stared at the grave. The gravestone of Baraquiel Himejima has minimal decor as he reached into his coat and brought out a silver badge. Something he kept since father gave it to him. The icon of a snarling wolf emblazoned on it. He knelt and with some magic, fashioned the badge to the marble slab that made the plaque that held Baraquiel's name and titles; father, warrior, husband... Dohnaseek's index finger made a motioned a bit as another word etched itself under the others, Brother. "I've made peace with my mistakes, to you, Shuri and Akeno... No matter how much I wish things were different." He stood up and backed away as a golden portal opened behind him with a magic ring in his coat pocket to return home. He turned but gave one final look to the grave while his hat return to his head.
"I still miss you brother, I just hope if we ever meet again- no, no that won't be an issue, you're better off without this old hound. Goodbye Baraquiel..." With that, Dohnaseek left as the portal closed. The Fallen Angel entered another world, his second home, as he emerged from the forest that surrounded his property, pausing as he pulled the item from his pocket, it was a pair of rings connected to a golden bar etched with mystical art, dubbed a Sling Ring, it allowed the wearer to traverse worlds through the conjuration of portals, like the one he used to visit his brother's grave in Draconis Deus, that and masking his presence so no one could sense him. He let out an exhale as he knelt and dug a small hole, placing the gold item in it, he used a bit of magic to heat up and melt it, the trinket turning to molten gold as he let it cool in the hole before he placed a stone inside the hole and covered it with dirt. He no longer had any ties to his old world, and he knew that those left presumed him dead so long ago, it was better this way.
In the distance of the hillside, he viewed the great capital of Gainos with its grand castle visible. Now entering the front yard to his modest home, he checked his mailbox to see if he had any letters or summons from friends, closing it as it was empty for now. His mood shifted from morose to peaceful as he spotted his youngest son, Timothy, playing in the sandbox. The child hopped up and ran over with a hug as the father returned it.
"Papa, Mommy says she's making your favorite tonight, can we have cookies too?" The kid asked, two front teeth missing as Dohnaseek just smiled and ruffled his hair. "We'll see, you been behaving with your sisters?" He asked as little Timothy was one of six children he had with his beloved wife, who coincidentally was a Devil. Strange how love worked like that. The boy nodded eagerly and pulled his hand as they went inside, the sun setting on the horizon of this world that was out of the reach of DxD (Draconic Deus) and its failures. He hoped the friend that helped him walk away from the Three Factions was still around, somewhere. Quite the funny story how they met, he was eating lunch when the individual introduced himself by sticking a gun to his back, from that moment, Dohnaseek's life was changed forever.
More to come, just felt like this should be an ample enough attention grabber to get things going. Hope y'all are doing well.