The Seraphic System
Chapter: 98
Disclaimer: I don’t own High School Dxd or any other universe used in this story. However, all original characters, plotlines, and worldbuilding elements created in this story are my own.
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.
Rather than splitting the chapter, Here is a combined chapter for you. Thanks for all your support.
(The Price Of Devotion)
-{Pope Hadrian}-
Pope Hadrian's weathered hands moved methodically through the reports scattered across his mahogany desk.
The miniature chandelier above casted long shadows across the office that was in the centre of the Vatican, and possibly the most well-defended and the most private space on the Holy Grounds.
Hadrian inspected the piles. Someone had separated the documents, needing his attention, into two distinct stacks. One for mundane Church business, the other for matters that would make ordinary believers question their sanity.
Obviously, those documents dealt with The Supernatural World.
He picked up a report from the top of the non-mundane pile, scanning the casualty figures from the recent attack. His heart twisted as familiar names crossed his vision, names of those he had seen come young and join the rank of exorcists.
Even with the presence of two of the Lords Seraphim with Lord Metatron and Lord Sandalphon. Along with two of the strongest within the church’s esteemed Holy Order. Many had been lost in the surprise invasion.
The clean up effort had forced him to go on without a wink of sleep. That had only been possible because of the tea in front of him, made with the help of magical leaves.
The leaves weren't cheap at all. No Magical plant ever was. That’s why the Church had a garden that had all sorts of magical plants. Unfortunately, it had become a bit damaged due to the recent attack.
Yet, he would have taken such property damage over the deaths he was currently reading about..
The numbers were large… The attack had been a decently sized and abrupt one. Which was probably why they had gotten so far. The Vatican had rarely ever been attacked.
Closeby?
Naturally.
But in the actual Vatican Church itself? No. So it hadn’t been a surprise that an army of monsters had been able to get so far before being pushed back. Well, in his humble mind at least.
What troubled him more was the revelation that this has just been a distraction, and the main battle had occurred in Heaven itself.
To think the forces of evil would attempt to wipe out his Lord so soon after his return.
The old man shook his head.
And he couldn’t help thinking about the past, back when his life in the church had been a fairly new one.
It had been during his time as Cardinal that a secret had been revealed to him.
The secret that would forever change his understanding of faith. His God was dead.
To know that darkness had claimed victory in ways most believers could never comprehend. The grief that followed was unlike anything he had ever experienced, a sadness that seemed to permeate his very soul.
Yet his faith had not wavered. If anything, knowing that God had existed, that he had been real, made the loss more profound but also more meaningful. His Lord had given this world means to defend itself against all that seeked to destroy it, even sacrificing ‘his’ life to the cause.
He had seen the angels that rarely descended, witnessed their intervention firsthand. The good they brought was undeniable, even in the absence of their Creator.
He chuckled.
That didn’t matter now though.
He signed off another paper, one confirming that the memory erasing excursion had been authorised.
Just as he was pulling out another paper from the pile, the air in the office suddenly grew thick, his candles flickered and the holy feeling that was always present in the Vatican became sporadic.
He breathed and found the air charged with an energy that made the hairs on his arms stand on end. His cross that was hung around his neck practically vibrated and Pope Hadrian felt the creeping of old age recede.
Pope Hadrian looked up from his reports, his aged eyes widening at the sight before him.
Two figures were suddenly in the center of his office, their presence commanding his immediate attention.
The first was a young man who appeared to be in his late teens.
Beside him stood a figure that left even the seasoned Pope stunned.
He had already gotten a report about the Arch-Seraph that had briefly visited the Vatican.
Lady Azrael, the Angel of Death. He had to quickly temper his thoughts. He did it with an ease that had come with his station as the Pope.
“Pope Hadrian.” His Lord’s voice said, booming within the room.
Without hesitation, Hadrian dropped to his knees, his voice trembling with reverence. "My Lord. Lady Azrael."
The Angel next to who he was almost certain was his Lord, tilted her head.
"Pope Hadrian," he said, his voice carrying a tone that instantly comforted his agitated soul. "There's no need to kneel."
The Pope remained kneeling for a moment longer before slowly rising, his legs shaking slightly.
"What brings my Lord down to this humble office?"
His Lord's expression was calm but serious. "We've come to check on the status of the Church."
Pope Hadrian nodded gravely. "Ah, yes. It would be my honour to inform you on the Church’s current status.”
“How are the Church’s defences?” His Lord questioned.
“For the Church's defenses we relied mainly on our exorcists, and I must admit significant damage has been caused." The Pope admitted. "However, having the Saint and Vasco Strada present during the attack made it far less catastrophic than it could have been," Pope Hadrian assured him.
He met his Lord’s eyes.
A slight smile crossed his features. "Good. As Metatron may have told you, Heaven was predisposed to other issues. Had that not been so, I would have sent the Seraphim to aid the Church."
Hadrian nodded in placid yet somber understanding.
"May I ask for the death count?" The Lord asked curiously.
The Pope consulted his reports, his tone somber. "Five hundred thirty-three exorcists. Two hundred and seventeen civilian casualties in the immediate area."
"Their souls have been properly taken care of. Rest assured, Pope, they shall now rest in the Heavens," the Angel watching commented, trying to lessen his sadness.
Pope Hadrian couldn't help but be reminded of just who was standing in front of him.
A sense of relief and happiness spread through his previously distraught nerves. With a lighter heart, he continued his report.
"As for the damage reports, most of those were related to structural damage rather than direct supernatural contact," Pope Hadrian replied dutifully, the moment reminding him of the past when he had just been a priest.
"How is this being handled in Rome?" his Lord asked.
Pope Hadrian sighed softly. "It's been a massive effort to keep this concealed, as are the unspoken rules in the supernatural world. We've attributed the damage to a gas explosion in the lower levels. The church doesn't normally practice mind wiping, but it was unfortunately necessary."
His Lord looked interested before the expression faded.
"And what do you think are the chances of other factions knowing about this?" his Lord asked after a while.
There was a shift in the Angel next to him.
The Pope considered his words carefully. "I cannot speak for other factions definitively, but in my limited opinion, it's almost certain they're aware. An attack of this magnitude going unnoticed is most unlikely. Considering any spies that I hadn't heard of, I fear it would be hard to hide despite our efforts. I have already tasked our intelligence to find out whether it's been revealed to them yet."
Azrael nodded in agreement. "The supernatural community has its own networks. Word travels fast. At the very least, Azazel has hundreds of informants here that we know of. Even if they have been mind-swiped, there's almost a 100% chance of there being spies we missed. Especially with your reappearance, Azazel must have increased his surveillance of both Heaven and Church."
"How do you think the Devils are reacting to this?" His Lord questioned, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Do you even think they know I am back?"
“With the new Satans in charge now, after the death of the original four," Azrael said thoughtfully. "I don't believe so. None of them would know how your power feels, even some of the oldest Devils mostly saw you as a reaper figure. They never interacted or saw you in person. So I would safely assume they think a powerful new Angel has joined our ranks, which will still make them cautious of us."
"Therefore, their reactions to this attack are unknown and unpredictable," she continued.
Pope Hadrian didn’t speak, allowing the two powerful beings to speak while he merely listened on. He couldn't deny the excitement coursing through him at seeing his Lord in the flesh.
"Tell me about the Vatican's current defensive capabilities," his Lord continued, turning towards him.
He snapped out of his short trance and immediately began reporting dutifully.
"Beyond our exorcists, we have the traditional barriers that have protected these grounds for centuries. We do have a multitude of defences that can repel unwanted attackers. However, the recent attack had weakened some of our defenses. The repairs are still in progress.” The Pope revealed.
The Pope didn’t take any chance to remove his eyes from his Lord. He didn’t want to burden his Lord, especially after learning the circumstances from his trusted Angels.
His Lord was weakened, a natural thing considering he had done what no other God had been able to achieve and he didn’t want to burden him with all that was happening within Heaven.
Truly the hand of evil couldn’t spare a moment in trying to reclaim the light.
Which was why he wouldn’t ask for aid.
Especially with the new Holy Order being such interesting and powerful individuals. The Elven girl had proven helpful and a good choice for the church with her ability to create barriers. Along with the magical plants she had taken to grow around the Vatican.
After a few more questions his Lord looked positively intrigued.
"What about the supernatural factions directly?" Kai turned back to face him. “With the church's new activity, they are bound to be curious.”
"The Devil faction has been notably quiet since the attack. Too quiet, in my opinion. Besides the stray Devils they let loose into the human world without a care, there hasn't been much activity from their envoys that speak to the church.” The Pope said, disdain and a genuine dislike painting his tone despite his best efforts. “The Fallen Angels seem to be watching and waiting,“
“I imagine they are rather intimidated.” Azrael nodded. “They are probably dealing with a lot of internal strife at the moment.”
The Pope had to contain a grin of excitement and boyish enthusiasm, his eyes flickered to his Lord with deep worship as he continued talking.
“As for the various pantheons, they're maintaining their usual distance, but I suspect they're looking closer than they normally do.” The Pope finished.
“Interesting.” Was all his Lord said.
That led on to another question the Pope had anticipated.
“What of the Faith?” His Lord asked.
"That is a hard question to answer… technically even without your presence we remain one of the largest religions within the world. But regarding those who truly believe in it.. it is a different situation entirely.”
Pope Hadrian went on to explain how the current state of affairs was regarding the Faith of Heaven and by extension, him.
"There's also the matter of the younger generation of believers. They're more questioning, more skeptical. The old methods of maintaining faith may not be sufficient." The Pope finished.
What followed through was many more questions about the general affairs of the church, which Pope Hadrian answered with enthusiasm and a growing excitement towards what looked like the Lord's official return to the administration of the church.
He found the questions to be reasonable, what with his Lord's long… disappearance.
His Lord gave him a smile and promptly vanished in a zap along with his Angel companion.
The office returned to normal, leaving Hadrian alone with his reports and a renewed sense of energy.
-{Kai}-
I think that went well.
I had learnt a great deal in the short twenty minutes me and Azrael had spent with the man. It seemed like Azrael was just as clueless to the happenings of the church as me.
The Pope’s genuine dedication was reassuring and I felt a little flattered at his worship of me. I knew I hadn’t technically done much to earn it but I was getting there.
The Pope’s face when she asked about the crusades had been amusing. She had sensed the influx of souls even when she wasn't focusing on collecting the souls herself.
The venture down to the church had mostly been to see how they were doing and to get a feel regarding the status of the church from the Pope himself. I had mainly focused on Heaven, which I believed had been the right call but the church contributed a large amount to Heaven’s power as well.
The pain in my body had subsided in the meantime and Azrael’s stance relaxed as we arrived back in the throne room.
“Where are we going?" Azrael asked curiously as she followed me.
"My sub-dimension," I replied. “I need to do something there and I want to check up on some people.”
I wondered how the Two Trees’ blessing would affect Azrael.
Azrael blinked. “Sub-dimension?”
“Yes.” I replied. “There’s a permanent portal set up within the sixth Realm to a sub-dimension.”
She followed me as we walked.
“May I ask why we have a sub-dimension? I assume Heaven holds enough space to keep whatever a sub-dimension like that would be used for.” Azrael questioned curiously.
“The sub-dimension holds some important things that can be moved.” I replied. “And it serves as a place for my allies to enter.”
“Allies outside of Heaven?” Her tone became slightly strange.
“Yes.” I nodded.
“I see, was this during your time before you came back to Heaven?” She further asked.
“It was, I picked up some valuable allies.” I said, slightly reminiscent.
We soon found a familiar open portal and without hesitation I stepped through the swirling gateway.
She paused for a moment, before following in quickly.
Azrael looked around in astonishment.
“This… is a large sub-dimension. One that’s stable and holds life…” she said, genuinely breathless. “How did you gain access to such a thing?”
“I… created it. In a manner of speaking.” I replied thoughtfully.!
The system was technically my power.
"How is this possible?" she questioned, looking around at the landscape that stretched before us. "I thought you didn’t possess many past memories.”
"This is a bit of a special case and I couldn’t recreate it now. But sometimes my powers manifest in strange ways.” I replied calmly. “it's linked to my ring," I said, showing her the ring on my finger.
She examined the ring.
Her face scrunched up with an adorable curiosity.
"That brings up another question. How did your rebirth come about? Did someone beat me to it? I looked through every pantheon available in all sorts of different lands and dimensions.” She questioned.
“The subject of Gods being brought back just isn’t a thing, Gods are a special existence. For some reason if they die in their divine form that’s it.” She said, her tone frustrated.
I thought about it for a moment. It was slightly ironic considering my situation. Unfortunately it was the one secret that I would never tell. Truly, I had lucked into finding the divine shard.
I wouldn’t lie though.
"I am not sure myself, since I merely woke up in the underworld. I was dropped back with barely any power and little memories, so I was rightfully confused.” I replied truthfully, using what I told everyone else.
“How did you manage?” She asked with a tone that was soft.
“I found my power rapidly growing in conflict and from there things… escalated.” I said, chuckling slightly.
“Where was this place?” She asked seriously and with care.
“The Familiar Forest to be exact.”
“So it’s unknown.” She said, her face morphed into one of deep thought.
She opened her mouth to say more, but a massive shadow passed overhead.
Before either of us could react, a beautiful serpent came whipping towards us, its scales gleaming under the light that shone through the two massive Trees that were growing worryingly large.
I wondered how my chakra fruit would bear close by. Or if I should even plant it near a Snake.
Azrael moved in front of me quickly.
"Stand down," I commanded quickly, raising my hand. "It's alright. She’s one of the allies I spoke of.”
Azrael looked back at me in confusion, instantly obeying.
The serpent's massive form began to shrink rapidly as it approached me, going from house-sized proportions to something smaller and manageable. Slowly, it even became capable of wrapping around me without flattening me.
Galadriel practically slammed into me with the enthusiasm of a pet who hadn't seen its owner in too long of a time period.
"Someone's needy," I said dryly, catching her smaller form as she coiled around my torso.
Her serpentine head nuzzled against my chest, and I could feel her contentment through our bond.
‘Ssh.’
I blinked.
That hadn’t been my thought.
‘Warm.’
A comforting voice whispered into my mind, not feeling invasive or annoying, just comfortable and warm.
Did she just…?
I looked down at my Familiar, who stared at me with eyes full of warmth.
Quickly, her skills came to the forefront and I found myself surprised by what I found.
[Piercing Sight] (Active)
[Description: The user can channel their inner divine light through their eyes, creating an intense flash that briefly blinds opponents.]
[Mental Communication] (Passive)
[Description: A non-invasive telepathic ability that allows the user to project their voice directly into the minds of others within a moderate range.]
How had she gained two skills?
This didn’t feel like skills she could gain naturally.
Perhaps the first one from her time in the two Trees’ embrace but not that second one.
"Azrael," I said, turning to the stunned angel, "meet Galadriel. She's my Familiar."
"A familiar," Azrael breathed, her eyes wide with recognition. "A… snake is your familiar?”
The revelation seemed to glitch the Angel.
Galadriel's golden eyes fixed on Azrael with obvious suspicion, her tongue flicking out to taste the unusual yet pleasantly stale air around the Angel of Death.
“Are you feeling okay…?” Azrael asked, facing me. “You’ve never had a Familiar, especially a… snake. Did being revived perhaps-“
“I did tell you I was different.” I pointed out dryly.
She flinched. “Of course, I apologise. I’m just a little shocked is all.” Azrael sent me a pretty smile. “I accept you in whatever form you come in, even if you want me to burn down every human in existence-"
I stared blankly into her eyes.
I mean, that’s not exactly what I wanted.
“Wha-“
My Snake hissed.
"She doesn't like you," I observed with amusement.
"Oh Yeah, well. The feeling is mutual," Azrael replied flatly, crossing her arms.
I watched the two of them with amusement.
I began guiding them deeper into the dimension, towards the two massive trees that dominated the landscape. Their branches reached toward the artificial sky, and their leaves shimmering with an inner light.
It was then that Azrael finally looked at the massive Trees, having been positioned in a way that had left the two Trees behind her. She hadn’t actually seen them.
She stopped walking, the walking reflecting in her dark eyes. Her entire body went rigid, and I watched as she actually flinched away from the trees. Her usually composed demeanor cracked.
"What are those?" she whispered, her voice strained.
I sent her a mildly worried look.
That’s certainly a bigger reaction than Michael.
"Telperion and Laurelin," I said, watching her reaction with interest. "The Two Trees."
“They’re beautiful, the sheer power I can sense in them is incredible. No wonder this sub-dimension is so large.” She said with interest. “The presence of the two alone could create its own dimension akin to Yggdrasil of the Norse.”
That was certainly interesting…
I knew how much vitality they had and they were releasing a sort of powerful energy.
But making this sub-dimension a dimension felt like a huge deal.
"Did… you create them?” She questioned in awe.
“Yes, it was another expression of my power…” I replied, technically telling the truth. “I planted them here a while ago. They’ve grown massively in the relatively short time frame they’ve been placed for”
It hadn’t even been a year yet after all.
Before she could respond, another presence made itself known.
Hestia came towards us, blazing through the distance between us, her expression brightening as she wrapped me in a hug.
"Kai! You're back!" she exclaimed.
“Hestia.” I smiled.
She pulled back.
She pulled back, her hands still on my shoulders as she examined me. "Thank you for resurrecting one of the children. I was so worried and hurt.”
"Of course. I wasn't going to let them remain dead.” I replied with a smile. “So that’s why you joined the fight?”
Hestia’s smile dimmed and she nodded. “I hope that’s okay?”
“Of course, though I hope your brother doesn’t complain about this.” I said, amused.
She smiled weakly
“Raphael told me that you disappeared with the Architect.” Hestia said, checking over me.
I returned the embrace. "I'm fine. I had to handle some business with the Architect.”
“The one who started this… I’m glad you’re okay, of course that coward could only fight you alone and weakened” Hestia asked, her expression darkening.
I touched her face in return.
“No need to look so upset, that business has been dealt with.” I said, staring into her softly glowing eyes.
"That business involved nearly getting yourself killed, from what I could sense," Hestia suddenly scolded. “You shouldn’t have gone alone.”
“I didn’t have much of a choice I’m afraid.” I replied slyly.
She sighed. “I know. I can feel your protectiveness for your new home.”
“How’s everyone doing?” I questioned intently.
Hestia smiled.
"The Holy Order is scattered around, with some having asked Michael to bring them down to the church while others are within the encampment.” She informed me. “I stayed to help as well, but it seemed mostly under control." Hestia replied.
“Good, what about Tiamat and the twelve Angels?” I asked next.
"I haven’t seen Tiamat back in the sub-dimension and as for my twelve Angels under my care, some of them needed to be healed while the others tried to demand to sleep with you." She admitted with a fond smile.
Azrael twitched, watching us intently.
“Good. I’m glad they’re alright.” I said, sighing in relief.
Hestia leaned into me.
“Are you doing okay? I heard about Uriel… I know all this death must be hard to deal with.” She said sympathetically.
Well, not in the sense she’s referring too. It was strange being on the defence.
I gave her a pained smile.
“I don’t intend to let him stay dead.” Was all I said.
She nodded seriously. “Tell me if you need anything and I’ll try my best to help.”
Azrael cleared her throat pointedly. "My Lord. I hate to interrupt, but who exactly is this?" There was a slight edge in her voice, the way her posture had become more rigid.
"Azrael, this is Hestia.” I said, remembering that she wasn’t familiar like the other Angels. “We met even before I arrived to Heaven.”
"The Goddess of Hearth," Azrael said, her tone carefully neutral. "You met a Goddess before coming to Heaven? Assuming you were weakened, what exactly were you doing meeting foreign Gods?”
Hestia’s brow twitched and her smile faltered slightly as she took in Azrael's appearance. "You must be the newly returned Angel of Death. My brother is an admirer of yours. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
I looked at Hestia amusedly at the slight tone shift.
“The pleasure is all mine, though I must ask what your relationship is.” Azrael narrowed her eyes at Hestia’s words.
Hestia looked innocent.
Despite how it looked, what I sensed was completely different. Hestia felt a warmth at having another… family member? And Azrael was like frost, weary of Hestia.
“I am someone who merely wishes the best for Kai. Someone who has stuck by his side since meeting him, even as an Angel.” Hestia said fondly.
Azrael twitched.
Galadriel, still coiled around me, seemed to pick up on the tension. She lifted her head and hissed softly.
"So," Hestia said, breaking the moment, "is everything okay now?"
I frowned.
I looked over to the two trees and decided to take out one of my quest rewards.
“Kai?”
I walked over to a small alcove near the base of Telperion and withdrew.
The egg was about the size of a football, its surface swirled with patterns in a weird design.
“An egg?” Azrael questioned. “I can sense a powerful soul being formed within…”
“This egg will become my second Familiar.” I said, giving the suggestion that I had been in possession of it for a while.
“Another one?” Hestia asked with a renewed enthusiasm.
“Did you create this one as well?” Azrael asked curiously.
“You could say that.”
I carefully placed the egg in a prepared nest beneath the tree's lowest branch.
Galadriel's reaction was immediate.
She unwound herself from around me and slithered closer to the egg, her eyes narrowing with obvious displeasure.
"It's a Lion Turtle egg," I explained to Azrael's questioning look. "It’ll be a powerful being in the future.”
Azrael nodded. “I can sense powerful abilities being born.”
“A Lion Turtle?” Hestia questioned.
I smirked.
“You’ll see.” I replied, mostly deflecting since I didn’t know what I would find myself.
Galadriel hissed, her displeasure clear.
‘Another?’
A voice came.
"Don't be jealous," I replied with an amused smirk.
‘Don’t want.’
She seemed to communicate through her agitated movements.
“At least it’s not another snake.” Azrael commented idly.
Galadriel turned to her rapidly and hissed with genuine displeasure.
Azrael’s lips twitched upwards, showing she had gotten the reaction she wanted.
The egg began to glow softly under the tree's influence, responding to the light that flowed through the roots.
I considered planting the Chakra fruit before deciding against it. For now, I wanted to examine the seed a bit more before I planted it. From what little I knew, it drained the vitality near it.
I didn’t want to risk my sub-dimension without researching about it.
“Come, let’s go check on everyone in the house.” I said, moving to the small mansion. “It’s about time you met the new Angels I have created.”
Azrael brightened up significantly.
-{Valerie Tepes}-
Valerie blankly stared at the door to her room.
Angels were dying.
She could feel it.
Heaven was being attacked.
The place that had saved her and given her nothing but kindness was being attacked, its people killed. While she could only sit here and do nothing.
She didn’t know how to feel.
Perhaps it was better to say she didn’t feel much anymore. She felt echoes of what she would have felt, but it was more like she was viewing it instead of feeling it.
Despite that, she knew she wanted to help.
She had seen a great many beings.
Devils, Vampires, even Werewolves.
They had all been the same.
Oh, some of them were kind. But that kindness didn’t feel pure. It wasn’t like what the Angels gave to the world. A pure kindness that came from a long-lived life. Perhaps she hadn’t been around enough good people to know if it was only Angels that possessed this.
Devils, Vampires and Werewolves weren’t exactly creatures of morals and intrinsic good.
Yet, she couldn’t do anything. She could barely control the holy grail and she didn’t even know if anything she did could be helpful.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. The door opened to reveal Raphael, her green hair catching the light as she stepped inside. The Arch-Seraph's expression was tired but gentle.
"Valerie," Raphael said quietly, closing the door behind her. "May I come in?"
Valerie nodded, not trusting her voice.
Raphael approached slowly, her experienced eyes already scanning Valerie's form. "How are you feeling?”
“I’m… ok.” She replied, almost confusedly. “Is the battle over now?"
Raphael raised an eyebrow.
"I could feel them dying," Valerie whispered. "All those angels, and I couldn't do anything."
“Ah, I see. You could feel it.” Raphael said with pity and grief clear in her eyes.
“Even if I couldn’t, you look tired and you smell of ash.” She commented.
Raphael blushed slightly. “Well, I’ve been rather busy.” She said, definitely not pouting.
Valerie merely tilted her head.
“What happened?”
Valerie knew that it must have been big.
Heaven was up there with the few Factions that could be considered large.
The Angels were in many legends and myths. As a creature of the so-called dark, she had heard of these stories. So she knew that an attack that had lasted that long must have been a truly massive force.
"You're safe. That's what matters." Raphael sat on the edge of the bed, her presence immediately calming. “But for the sake of honesty, a large force of multiple Gods from multiple pantheons attacked. The situation has been dealt with.”
The last part was said with a blank look.
Valerie nodded.
Valerie finally looked up. "Everything is okay now?
“Yes.” She confirmed soothingly.
Valerie attempted a small smile that came out muted.
“Good, I’ve come here to examine you. I was meant to do it earlier but some events came in the way.” Raphael said, her hands began to glow with diagnostic magic as she held them over Valerie.
Raphael continued and then paused.
“What is it?” Valerie asked blankly.
“It seems I’ve figured out the fix.” She said, her face morphing into sadness.
Valerie stared at her flatly, unable to bring up any emotions of fear or anxiousness.
“To begin healing the Holy Grail will need to be removed if you are to heal.” Raphael revealed gravely.
Valerie blinked.
-{Kai}-
I walked back to the throne room alone.
I had decided to allow Azrael to dote on her newest siblings.
A breath escaped me and my mind began travelling to the sheer chaos that had taken place these last days.
Now that the adrenaline was gone and the victory over the Gods was secured, I was beginning to feel a lot more conflicted about what had happened.
By all means it was good.
Enemies of Heaven had gathered and they had been smashed to pieces. Multiple gods were killed and others even captured.
Ares had finally been captured, leaving his situation which had been unknown to Hestia after he seemingly vanished from Olympus, finally solved and in my inventory.
Even with the success and the proof that Heaven’s might had grown with my arrival, I couldn’t help but feel like this was a storm of chaos I had brought with me.
My fate had always been one of chaos even when I attempted to move around with no goal in mind.
Was it worth bringing that with me in return for growing Heaven’s power with so many allies?
As I entered, I found myself pausing, looking in surprise at Gabriel who stood waiting for me.
“Kaiel.” She breathed.
My thoughts came to a halt and that dark feeling began to recede.
“Gabriel.” I said, a smile growing on my face. “I didn’t expect to find you here.”
She moved forward quickly, her steps weirdly hesitant.
“I woke up and you were gone…” Gabriel’s lips pursed. “I suspected you would be here.”
“I’m sorry, I did want to stay. But I have business to attend to. I couldn’t sit by while the fate of all my Angels was unknown.”
She cupped my face.
“You looked exhausted.” She said softly.
I enjoyed the feeling and comfort I got with the action.
“Well… I did just revive a sizable number of the Angels that had died in the battle.” I replied slyly.
A smile made its way onto her face, briefly leaving me staring.
“I don't feel your health is less important.. But knowing you, asking you to stay still was always going to be a hard task. Even in my embrace.” She said, her tone amused despite the words.
“I’m fine now. Just a bit tired.” I tried to deflect.
No pain, no gain.
I didn’t vocalise that though, lest I found myself bound to my bed for the foreseeable future by an overly concerned Gabriel.
Her hands glowed and I knew it was over when her eyes narrowed.
She laid me down on the ground, and gave me a lap pillow.
“I can’t believe how much you’ve grown since being here.” She sighed fondly. “It warms my heart to see you care so much. Perhaps, it’s something merely within your being to do.”
There was something strange in her eyes with that statement, a kind of pain I didn’t like seeing on my cheerful Angel.
“No.” I firmly denied it. “While I can confess that I feel a warmth, I care for you because I want to. You’re all mine.”
She blushed and nodded silently.
There was a comfortable silence as I lay my head in Gabriel’s soft lap.
“Kaiel…”
“Mm?”
“What… do you think of me?” Gabriel asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I don’t know.” Gabriel sighed. “I shouldn’t feel like this.”
I looked at her, refusing to believe what this was sounding like.
“Feel like what?” I shakily asked.
I blinked, surprised by how that came out.
She looked conflicted.
“Gabriel, what’s wrong? This isn’t like you.” I asked, regaining my bearings and squeezing her soft hand.
“Nothing about this is like me. Nothing about how I’ve been feeling.” She said humourlessly. “I know I would have been this overprotective and I know I would have loved you so, but this kind of love…”
She trailed off.
“Gabriel…”
“Do you know what it's like… I’ve served faithfully since my creation. I’ve been through so much, I’ve had so many Gods, men and other beings offer to court me.” She rambled slightly. “I’ve never felt that way. Not even a bit. You told me not to rush into things in the past and I didn’t.”
Gabriel sighed, containing tears as I lay there stunned.
“What are you saying?” I questioned slowly and softly.
Gabriel composed herself and her emerald eyes flickered down. “I’m not sure, perhaps it’s best I don’t. It’s a wonder that I haven’t fallen for such thoughts…”
I took her hand comfortingly. “I’m sure that’s because whatever you’re trying to communicate isn’t a bad thing and even if you did I’d just find a way to make you an Angel again.”
My mind was coming to a conclusion but it was hard to believe, in fact I found myself unable to accept such a thought. But whatever it was, Gabriel shouldn’t feel the need to restrain herself.
Gabriel stared at me.
“I love you.”
A simple three-worded statement that shattered my brain for a few seconds. I even had MindMaven activating to try to solve what had just been told to me.
She took a step back.
“Now, here I am. In love with you and I’m helpless to do anything about it.” Gabriel admitted, finally dropping the bomb. “Am I even allowed to feel like this towards you? I feel so guilty and yet it fills my being. Have my wings turned? I know lust isn’t allowed.”
My thought process could be summed into one image, a flashing red blinker that flashed uncomprehendingly.
“As I was trying to say before we were interrupted-”
She took a sharp breath and uttered out words that seemed to require her to go against her very conscience. Her face twisted and a hint of fear made itself known.
And finally, she said.
“I love you.” She repeated, as if she couldn’t believe she had said it. “I understand it may upset you. And I’ll keep any distance you may feel you need. But I had to tell you.”
She lowered her head in shame, looking away from me as I felt anxiousness consumed her being.
And that was about the limit I could hold myself back.
I titled her head up, briefly staring into her beautiful glistening emerald eyes.
Then I found myself leaning forward and claimed her incomprehensibly soft lips. I felt the beautiful Arch-Seraph stiffen against me as I pulled her into my embrace despite the strain it put on me.
She quickly began reciprocating, leaning into me desperately. I felt her powerful holy power come to envelop me and through her skin I felt the way her heart was hammering.
A strange connection formed between me and the gorgeous Arch-Seraph leaning against me. And I enjoyed the feeling of the endless warmth directed at me.
I had honestly been neglecting this subject.
Perhaps I had been purposefully blinding myself. I didn’t think I would ever find love again or if I even wanted to and that made me closed off from even thinking about it despite all the beautiful women around me.
This was certainly going to cause problems with Hestia… not to mention Aphrodite. For now, that was shoved into a different part of my mind as I focused everything on my Arch-Angel.
Even with this, a green glow was soothing my aches as she took care of me even while distracted.
I became acutely aware of her beauty. Her large two breasts were smashed into my chest, her curvy body pressed against me and the sweet taste of her mouth was heavy on my tongue.
The soft blonde hair that tickled my cheek and her incomparably soft lips.
She was way beyond every girl I had even met in my past life and the most beautiful being I had set my eyes on.
It was a quick shift in reality.
One I had closed myself from when coming within the confines of Heaven.
Oh dear…
I wasn’t going to be able to ignore this.
Soft golden hair tickled me as I stared into two loving emerald eyes.
A low moan escaped her full lips.
We spent the next few minutes making out within my throne room. The sounds of our kisses being the only thing that could be heard.
I felt almost addicted to her as she stuck against me.
As I finally pulled back, I kept staring at her, slightly entranced.
Gabriel had large expressive eyes that seemed to shift colour for a moment. Her long golden hair flowed behind her and caught the natural light Heaven possessed.
The gold and white robes she wore couldn’t hide the curvaceous figure she possessed, along with the soft unblemished skin that seemed to have a slight glow in this moment.
She was the most beautiful I had seen.
While I had seen many beautiful goddesses and other beings, they had always been compared to Gabriel in that retrospect. The kindness that shined naturally in her eyes only added to that.
Her face was flushed and love was shining in her eyes in an amount that shocked me to the core.
A beautiful smile was across her face.
She took a step back.
Then, Gabriel vanished in a burst of golden power. Leaving me standing there for a few seconds.
I took a moment to wrap my head around what had just transpired.
So…
That just happened.
I was going to assume she needed some space to process that as well.
That’s how I found myself spending a straight hour merely processing that information.
Even with the shock, I eventually left the throne room with a giant smile on my face.
That didn’t last long though, as I found my path leading to within the secret area of the Garden Of Eden. The place that only Michael and Frieren knew of for now.
Now that I was alone…
A wooden room made from Mokuton stood, newly erected.
I entered a room.
My emotions changed.
The good mood I had felt after my time with Gabriel vanished into a cold, dark emotion.
A cold smile appeared on my face.
“Hello, Ares.”
The bound God stared back hatefully.
-{Sirzechs Lucifer}-
Sirzechs Lucifer sat at the head of the obsidian conference table.
To his right sat Ajuka Beelzebub, while across from him, Serafall Leviathan sat, unusually subdued, her typical cheerful demeanor replaced by something more serious.
A product of the strange recent times making her feel the need to act seriously.
Lastly, Falbium Asmodeus occupied the chair to Sirzechs' left, looking as though he'd rather be anywhere else.
The atmosphere was somewhat relaxed but with a slight tension due to recent events.
"Lets begin," Sirzechs said with a bashful smile.
Serafall nodded.
“What about the situation with the Rating Games? Any issues with the younger generation?" Serafall asked brightly. “Have the Phenex taken the news of their loss well?”
Sirzech straightened in her chair. "Nothing major., the Phenex and Gremory families have been cooperative. Though Lady Phenex is being more vocal than her husband.”
“I can imagine so.” Falbium commented with a yawn. “Being beaten by an unknown Human is just embarrassing.”
Sirzechs nodded, though his expression remained neutral. "Speaking on that subject, Ajuka, do we have any information on the mystery person who helped my dearest younger sister Rias during her recent... difficulties?"
Ajuka's fingers moved across his tablet screen. "Limited information I’m afraid, before the pocket-realm collapsed we had people scan the energy that was used. The signature is definitely the energy that is most prominent in humans.”
“What was his name again?” Serafall questioned.
“Nathaniel Orion Y'Barra.” Sirzech said slowly and seriously.
Ajuka sighed.
“What?” Sirzech asked.
“I thought you picked it up.” Ajuka replied blandly.
“Huh?” Sirzech said intelligently.
“It’s a fake name…” Ajuka replied. “Nathaniel Orion Y'Barra.”
“N O Y B.” Serafall slowly said.
“None Of Your Business." Ajuka slowly said.
Sirzech felt his cheeks heat up, then his fists clenched and he was subjected to genuine embarrassment. He felt destruction rage under his skin at the feeling. A genuine annoyance bubbling up within him.
The most powerful Devil had been fooled so easily.
He had been scouring the human register with the odd name…
"Concerning," Falbium muttered, though he didn't look up from the papers in front of him.
Sirzech coughed and sent him a thankful look.
"Indeed," Sirzechs agreed. "I want that human investigated further. Rias may be stubborn, but she's family.”
“She’s still not talking?” Serafall asked, slightly concernedly. “Do you think he interacted with my Sona-tan?”
“No. She’s not.” He sighed.
Sirzechs leaned back in his chair. "Now, let's discuss the more pressing matter. The changes in Heaven."
The mood in the room shifted immediately. Serafall's playful demeanor vanished entirely, and even Falbium seemed to pay attention.
“I suppose the first order of business, the recent intelligence reports from our human world operations." Serafall said.
Ajuka looked up from his tablet. "Our networks in the major cities remain stable. The attack that sprang up revealed some concerning issues.”
“Before the primary barriers came up. A God class opponent showed up with the force. Vasco Strada and Dulio Gesualdo immediately responded. The two ultimate-class are seemingly no longer ultimate class.”
“What do you mean?” Serafall questioned. “Have they been killed?”
Sirzech thought that was a shame.
He was sure that Dulio Gesualdo could have been moulded to the path of a devil. Not that he had been actively working on it.
“No.” Ajuka grimaced. “It seems the both of them have entered the god-class realm, if our informants are to be believed.”
That elicited a serious reaction.
Sirzech became deathly serious.
Falbium straightened.
Serafall’s slightly cheerful attitude dropped.
“What!” Serafall exclaimed. “Are we sure these informants can be trusted?”
Ajuka grimaced. “Yes, it seems Vasco dealt with a majority of the forces we still have yet to name. While Dulio engaged the God-class threat. Showing powers that are not within our information profiles.”
"First is the presence of a potential Super-class Angel, one whose power level is threatening the stability of the three factions. And now this?” Sirzech shook his head.
"Which begs the question," Falbium said slowly, "how is this happening? Where did this Angel come from? How have these two humans risen into a realm that shouldn’t be possible for them?”
Serafall frowned. "For that presence, assuming it is what we think it is. Could it be one of the original Angels who's been in hiding? Someone that was assumed dead?"
“Maybe… but even among the Arch-Seraphim, who ever reached that level of power?” Sirzech asked.
“From old testaments the Angels used to be quite a bit more powerful.” Ajuka commented.
Falbium hummed. “We all know those tales were blown out of proportion though, the Angels have proven themselves much weaker than the image that was left of them.”
"Despite that, it’s not a possibility we should rule out," Sirzechs mused. "But the timing is suspicious.“
"Such as?" Ajuka asked.
"The Vatican incident," Sirzechs replied. "Our informants there have been systematically removed. We went from having a hundred reliable sources to one, maybe two if we're lucky."
“The Church has been moving strangely.” Serafall commented.
Falbium looked genuinely surprised. "The Church has never been that thorough before. They usually tolerate a certain level of infiltration."
"Exactly," Sirzechs said. "Which means something has changed. They've gone to extraordinary lengths to remove all of our people, and those who remain have no information on what's happening inside Vatican City anymore."
“It almost feels as if they are hiding something or preparing for a war.” Serafall commented.
“I concur.” Ajuka said. “A little while ago, an angel was spotted in the Familiar Forest after all.”
Serafall leaned forward.
"Even with all that. Here's what I don't understand. If there was a major attack on the Vatican.” She paused. “Where were the Angels?”
That made all of them, even Ajuka stop.
“Michael should have responded immediately." Sirzech commented, looking thoughtful.
“Perhaps they arrived after our informants were blinded by the privacy barriers?” Falbium asked.
Ajuka's expression grew thoughtful. "Now that you’ve mentioned it, I have more questions as I think about it. The lack of angelic response suggests something happened to Heaven too.”
The room fell silent as the implications sank in.
“At the very least, Heaven has gained two more known God-class. I don’t like it. We don’t know enough to restrict this growth.” Sirzech sighed.
"Which brings us to the alliance proposal," Falbium said, looking more awake than he had been years. "We've been letting it simmer for years, waiting for the right moment to push forward."
Sirzechs nodded. "The proposal for a formal alliance between the three factions has been in development hell for too long. We've been waiting, hoping to make Heaven and the Fallen more desperate and agreeable to our terms."
"And now they might be exactly that," Ajuka said. “They are growing, yes. But it seems a force capable of keeping Heaven’s attention has arrived. If they invaded Heaven, which I myself would find difficult, we can assume they are powerful.”
“I’m sure they are in the position for some ‘allies.’” Serafall said, slowly nodding her head as she thought over it.
“That does lead to the risk of potentially getting into a conflict.” Falbium spoke up.
“Unless the alliance is enough to keep these attackers away.” Sirzech suggested.
"The question is," Serafall then continued, "do we want to ally with Heaven now, or would we prefer to let them weaken further with this attack entirely? It could lower them back down to the level we are comfortable with.”
"True, but if they are too weakened it could be problematic," Falbium replied immediately.
“How so?” Serafall.
“The Three Factions can get away with a lot of the things we do since outsiders know that they could be potentially attacked by all Three Factions if they interfered.” Falbium explained.
“Would that matter if we absorbed Heaven? Or the rest of what’s left of it.” Sirzech asked.
"Still, I would rather not think about such things for the moment being" Sirzechs said. "But we can use their desperation to our advantage. Speed up the alliance process, but on our terms."
"Exactly," Serafall smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "It’ll put me in a better position and we can frame it as us being the responsible party, stepping in to prevent supernatural warfare. Meanwhile, we secure favorable terms for Devil interests."
"And if Heaven is truly weakened?" Falbium asked.
"Then they won't be in a position to argue with our conditions." Sirzech replied with a shrug.
"I want pressure applied," Sirzechs decided. "Not openly, but through diplomatic channels. Let them know we're willing to fast-track the alliance, but only if they're serious about meaningful concessions."
"What kind of concessions?" Serafall asked.
"Territory rights in the human world, for starters. Better access to sacred sites for research purposes. And I want guarantees about this new Super-class Angel. If they're harboring someone that powerful, we need to know about it." Sirzech decided.
"And if they refuse?" Serafall asked.
"Then we let them face whatever's coming alone," Sirzechs replied coldly.
The meeting continued for another hour.
Sirzech nodded, all for the greater good.
After all the stability of the Devil Faction continuing to be in a favourable position depends on the three factions maintaining balance
-END-
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