Knight of Humanity (High School DxD/FGO - Mash Kyrielight SI Chapter 1)

The pain was finally over and the shock of it was so much that I blacked out.

It was only for a second, but when I was aware again, I knew something was wrong with me. Something intrinsic to my being was missing. No, stolen.

Twilight Healing was gone and a part of my soul was ripped up with it.

"ASIA!"

Issei's voice cut through the fog in my mind, and I smiled without thinking about it. There was a warmth in my chest despite how cold I felt.

And it's because I realized how I physically felt, that I was aware of how...tired I was. In my body, my mind and likely also, my soul, I felt weak.

Everything was getting dimmer, heavier, and painful. Yet oddly, and it was a bit comforting, the pain seemed distant, far away. It was difficult to breath and my heart wasn't racing. I think it's suppose to, right now.

I couldn't follow what was happening.

My body was lower. Someone took it down from that cross.

Oh, it was Issei. Of course he'd come for me.

"It's okay, Asia. Stay with me, you're gonna be okay, alright!?" Issei was shouting, and there was a lot of noise around a bit further behind him.

I think his friends were fighting the other exorcists. I hope they're okay.

I couldn't follow what was happening. My mind seemed to sleep and wake up at random.

Raynare and Issei were talking, but he was hugging me and I could only focus on that warmth.

Am I dying?

Without god's gift, without that piece I feel missing from my being, I think I might be.

But at least it's not as cold in Issei's arms.

I wonder if she's also okay.

No, I shouldn't think of Sister...I shouldn't think of her. She must hate me for being a witch.

But if I'm going to die, I wish I could have seen her one last time. To apologize for being a witch and disappointing her. And for also befriending a devil, but...

Issei was kind.

He's a good person. That had to matter, right? God's forgiveness is endless, so he would forgive a devil if they're kind, right?

Sudden I was being moved. Issei was running. His friends were helping.

The sound of fighting was going further and further away.

Issei set me down on a pew. The hard wood wasn't uncomfortable. It was quiet now, or maybe my hearing was weaker.

"Asia, just hang in there. Once we're out of here, you'll be free." Issei said hastily, he's such a worrywart. I raise my hand and he immediately held it. I smiled at the feel of his hand. It was warm and kind like him.

A memory of her, a woman with a shield came to me.

Issei was warm like Sister Light...

"I was..." I tried to say, my voice felt drifting away. I couldn't grip Issei's hand how I wanted. Exhaustion was sweeping in my body in a way I couldn't describe. "So happy," I continued, pushing myself. "To finally have a friend again."

"What are you saying?" Issei cried out. "I still have a lot of things I have to show you." His eyes grew more watery with every word. "Like karaoke, or bowling, even an amusement park. There are so many things we have to do." His words were racing, like he was trying to find something to keep me alive, and it hurt that I couldn't heal his pain. "You said 'again', so you had a friend before. We can go meet them!"

I wanted to laugh, imaging Issei and Sister Light interacting together. It hurt to do so, so I smiled instead.

"Yeah, I think..." I raise my hand up, wanting to feel his face before the end. "You and Sister Light, would have been great friends." Everything was dim now. "We could have all been friends...together..."

Something broke through the church's ceiling, leaving a giant hole and slammed into the ground, shaking the whole place.

"W-What the hell!?" Issei moved away, turning to whatever arrived.

I wanted to see what it was but couldn't sit up.

"Who the hell are you?" Issei shouted and hovered over me. "Wha-What the hell is that shield!" Issei shouted, bug-eyed.

"Just a Knight passing by," a voice I never thought I would hear again spoke. Issei hissed besides me. "Mash Kyrielight."

"'Light'? Could you be...?" Issei blinked in surprise.

"Sister...Light..." I wanted to see her. My body wasn't helping me. Even if she wanted to condemn me for being a witch, I wanted to see her one last time. Move. Move.

"Asia, take it easy!" Issei, bless his soul, helped me sit up.

It was difficult to see, everything was hazy, but I could at least see her vague shape.

"Easy, easy there." Sister Light's voice was closer. Issei moved to protect me, but I held his free hand, and extended the other to my sibling figure.

Sister Light came near and grabbed my hand, her other hand hovered over my chest, as I felt her magic glow in front of me.

"Don't worry, Asia. I'm here now, you're gonna be alright." Sister Light clicked her mouth. "Dammit," she said under her breath. "You made friends without me. Wow, you've really grown, why don't you introduce me?" Sister Light was cycling through her healing spells. I knew since I watched her enough times to learn how she heals other.

I understood that she wanted me to talk and stay awake, but I knew I didn't have enough time.

"Sister Light...I'm sorry..." I finally spoke. "I'm so, so sorry...to have been...a witch and now befriend a Devil, but...Issei is..."

Everything went dark, and to my regret, I couldn't say the words I wanted to say.

I couldn't explain myself or say my goodbyes.

I pray my two loved ones don't suffer from my inadequacies.

God, please forgive me, and please bless both Sister Light and Issei with your kindness.

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"This...all of this, was because you people of the church condemn her as a witch. Even though she's just a girl that wanted to heal others and have friends!" The shout of someone who recently became dear cut through the darkness.

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"The fuck! Why the hell is The Fortress here!?" The shriek of a dark person who steals joy rang out in terror.

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"'Heavier than my spear is the weight of one life', huh, Teacher?" The sigh of a guiding mentor spoke out in fondness and resignation. "You're right, I couldn't do anything before, and I should have gotten here faster. Right before me is someone that definitely deserves happiness, so I will deliver that chance to her." The beloved friend spoke with resolve.

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I gasped as air filled my lungs.

"Asia!" Issei was by my side, as I coughed and sat up.

"I'm..." I looked around, able to see and hear and smell and feel everything clearly again. "I'm alive?"

"Yeah," Issei's smiled. His sheer joy at seeing her alive brightened up the world around me. A glow of happiness filled my heart. "Kyrielight, she," he looked back in worry. "She saved you."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Raynare's laugh send a shiver down my spine.

I looked around to see all the stray exorcists have came from the hidden basement, along with Issei's friend standing between us and the bad guys.

"To think the Strongest Exorcist was that foolish. Halfling your own soul to keep that useless bitch alive? Oh that is so precious, and so stupid."

"What?" Sister Light, she did that for me? I placed a hand over my chest, feeling my heart beating. "Sister Light...why?" She...doesn't hate me? I looked toward her, and hated how my eyes teared up, making me unable to see her that well.

"Because it's in my power." She turned her head and smiled at me, warming my heart even more. "And if I can't save the people right in front of me, especially those I care about, then what good is my strength."

"And what strength do you have now, you dumb whore?" Raynare interrupted. "Not only do I get the Twilight Healing, but I get to kill one of the Church's main weapons, I'll rise up in the Grigori far higher than I ever dreamed of." She made a Light Spear in one hand as she floated high above. "Come on, you worthless peons! Kill her! If you do, you'll be rewarded far beyond you should ever imagine. Hell, you'll be known as the Fortress slayers, can you imagine the fame you'll get from this?"

The stray Exorcist seemed to regain their morale from this, and were more battle eager.

"Damn you, Raynare. You think we're gonna let you!" Issei shouted.

"To think we would be fighting next to an Exorcist. Are you sure you can fight, Fortress?" Kiba spoke.

"Hahahaha, like I'll let this chance go." Raynare mocked them. "Hell, we can just stall and the Fortress will kneel over, and then that nun will die after her too." I flinched at she said that toward me.

But...I didn't understand why everyone was acting hopeless. Sister Light was here.

However, cutting her soul in half...I pain I experienced wasn't something I could describe. It was worse than anything I experienced, and I'm sure I will never feel anything like it for as long as I live.

Yet, if Sister Light was feeling that, how come I can't see any pain on her face.

No.

With my hand still on my heart, I felt something. Like I was feeling two heart beats, rather than just my own. Yet, it was like an echo from far away, and as I focused on that feeling...

I felt pain. I flinched.

It was muffled and far away, but it reminded me of what I felt as my Sacred Gear was torn from me.

My eyes widened.

Was that...was that what Sister Light was feeling.

"Sister Light, run!" I begged her. She can't fight as she was now. I can't let her die because of me.

"There is no escape!" Raynare shouted, and the exorcist ran toward us.

"Five." Sister Light spoke.

"Huh? Five what?" Raynare asked.

Sister Light vanished. She moved so fast the pews were flying as she passed by them.

Actually some of the stray exorcist were also flying.

"GAAAAAH!"

"Oh god!"

"My arm!"

"Wha, what?" Raynare looked on in confusion.

"She, she's moving like Kiba." Issei said.

"No. Faster." Koneko spoke. A few bodies crashed into the church's wall. Some crashed through.

"Four." Sister Light spoke as she stopped for a moment, and Rayanre's expression turned to fear.

"L-Like hell I'll lose to a filthy human like you!" Raynare throw one Light Spear after the other.

"Watch out!" Issei shouted, and moved to defeat my first friend.

Sister Light didn't even use her shield. She swung her arm and broke all the Light Spears to pieces.

"Three." Sister Light's voice was cold. Her eyes locked onto the fallen angel.

"N-no."

The rest of the exorcist attacked Sister Light, trying to catch her while she's distracted. She moved, never taking her eyes off Raynare, like downing her opponents in one hit.

The loud cracks and crunches told me those exorcist weren't likely to stand again. I winched at their pain, and wondered if I could still save them, before remember I have no means to do so anymore.

"Two."

"NOOO!" Raynare screamed and she crashed through the church glass painting, attempting to fly away.

"She's escaping." Kiba cried out.

"We can't let her escape with Asia's Sacred Gear. We have to do something." Issei shouted.

"One."

All of us turned to see Sister Light hold her giant cross-shaped shield in one hand, holding it up like a spear.

BOOM.

The shield was thrown with such might the air blew back against us all. In the distance, Raynare's scream of pain rang out.

"Sister Light!" I called out, standing up and moving toward her, giving Issei a calming smile at his concern. "Are you okay?"

Mash was looking at her shaking hand with a frown, and clicked her tongue.

"I missed." She said under her breath.

"I'm...I'm so sorry," I started saying, now having the strength to say what I couldn't before.

Sister Light cut me off by hugging me.

"I'm glad that you're okay." She spoke next to my ear. Words I didn't think she would say to me. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I heard what happened after the fact, and you did nothing wrong."

"I..." I couldn't stop the tears.

"You're still my little sister, Asia. That's never gonna change." Sister Mash stood back, still holding me. "I'm here now. We're going to stick together from now on, okay?"

"Yes!" I couldn't believe it. She didn't hate me. She missed me and came looking for me, all this time. I should have believed in her.

Was it possible to faint from being too happy?

AN: This story is mainly going to be from Asia Argento's POV.

Aaaand here's a story from Silver "Failure and Disappointment" King. Really, I shouldn't be surprised anymore at the depth of being a fuck up and disappointment I can reach. I can't keep a promise, even with a three month head start and a good writing flow going on. Nope, gotta fuck it all up, no matter how well things are going. Amazing really, that I didn't even write a word of Chaldea on Fire till now. Because I'm a fucking piece of shit at keeping my word, or following through on anything. Yeah, I'm quitting this. I'm not putting expectations on myself again, since I'll just disappoint myself and others.