The final hours of our age's twilight have arrived, yet twilight can easily become night again.
In the low lights of this side hallway, I carefully walked up from a nearby restroom, holding a small data slate, reading it. What I saw on that data slate was….
Astonishing. No, that wasn't the right word. It was beyond that, as what I saw broke nearly all the laws of my field like they were brittle sandpaper. This data slate held only a tiny bit of data for this project, yet it was unlike anything I had ever seen before, and if even a percent of this was possible. Then, my name and mentor's would forever go down in history together. That thought sent a titillating feeling through me as I walked down the stairs and entered that long hallway with that single door. When I was close enough, the steel door started opening, and the air inside was vastly colder than out here, making an intense shiver run down my spine as I entered the room.
That shiver made me slowly open my tired eyes to see that the bed was nearly empty of people. The only ones here being Kuroka, who was snoring away on a pillow with her ass in the air, tails wagging, while Xenovia and Raynare were cuddled into my sides. Their snores made me relax and get ready to shut my eyes for a few more minutes of sleep, only for the events of last night to come back at full force. That made my eyes shoot open, and all of the doubts of the previous night returned as I wondered if my gambit had worked. The anxiety of that wondering gnaws at me, and the doubts like a poison, sinking into me, amplifying the problem further. The feeling made me get ready to spring out of bed and get ready call my dad to get him to get me in contact with Sirzches, as I was prepared to give him anything, including offering more favors to make it happen, before a set of lips touched my neck gently.
"Beloved."
I looked to my right to see that Xenovia was awake. She had apparently been awake for a while, looking at me with brown eyes that radiated excitement. Her arm was around mine, squeezing it before I felt another set of lips and more anxiety leave me.
"My Great King."
Raynare's hair flowed over my other shoulder, and her violet eyes also had that same excitement as the two snuggled close. Kuroka continued snoring on while this happened, and my thoughts turned to ultra worry about whether my gambit had worked or had truly failed in making the peace conference happen. It would truly be the greatest irony in the multiverse if that idiot Issei achieved his conference while I, who was supposed to be smarter than him on my worst day, failed. The doubts seep deeper into my veins, and I had hoped never to feel this again, though neither Xenovia nor Raynare's psyker natures seemed to sense it. Instead, the two just sighed happily while shaking in excitement. I was about to glance at where the clock was, only for Xenovia's excitement to boil over as she grabbed my arm and pulled me out of bed, along with Raynare still attached to me, towards the bathroom, saying excitedly.
"Oh, Beloved, I can't wait to introduce you to my mother!"
The door shut behind us just as Kuroka flipped over and formed a snot bubble.
Xenovia quickly stripped herself and stepped into the shower before seeing my hesitation and Raynare's red face, which grinned perversely, feeding her sin as she approached us. Xenovia pulled me in close and whispered something in my ear that immediately made me interested, and for once, I was thankful for the horny as it distracted me from my possible failure.
Three minutes later, the steam rose, and Xenovia was practically glued to my back while Raynare was glued to my front, tracing my muscles dreamily as water flowed over them. As the shower continued, Xenovia told me multiple things about Griselda that I should know to impress her. There was the obvious stuff in things like swordplay and theology, and then the unexpected stuff, specifically cooking and motorcycles. That last one made me raise an eyebrow, and Xenovia giggled perversely.
"Mother loves them as do I. She used them a lot in her early exorcist days and would take me out on hers from our home in Tuscany to the convent she taught new exorcists at. I want a motorcycle of my own one day. Maybe you and I can go somewhere special on it once I have it ~"
That was incredibly tempting and could be fun as a dirty thought crossed my mind. Something must have shown on my face as Xenovia kissed my neck and got ready to say something, only for Raynare to look up at me.
"What's a motorcycle?"
That was said in her usual cute, innocent tone, and it broke the dirty thought, making me get a small smile before I kissed her neck.
"It's like a horse but goes much, much faster, along with no stink or poop."
That explanation seemed to spark something in Raynare, as her violet eyes went wide in amazement, and Xenovia pounced, eager to convert another to the motorcycle gang. Their talk about motorcycles became welcomed background noise, distracting me before a nasty thought crossed my mind in the American. Her face as blood flowed from her lips last night made me freeze for a second, but it was long enough for Raynare and Xenovia to notice. Raynare looked up at me and stopped tracing my muscles.
"What is bothering you, my Great King?"
Raynare's violet eyes were firmly on mine, and I didn't want to say it as the venom slinked through me again. I almost fell back into my old habits. Almost, as Xenovia squeezed my back hard in a non-perverse way despite the two things poking me in the back, and I looked down at the shower floor.
"My new knight. And the fact that I likely screwed up the peace conference. I'm sorry, Ovi, I…"
Xenovia lifted my head, having come around, before she pulled me into a kiss that, unlike our first one, was hot and passionate. My eyes closed as I returned it, and it was as if some of that poison of doubt was pulled out of me. When the kiss ended and my eyes opened, Xenovia looked at me empathetically.
"You didn't mess it up, Beloved. Mother messaged me half an hour ago saying she was eager to see me again when the conference starts in an hour and thirty minutes."
Those words echoed in my ears for several moments, like the sweetest things I had ever heard. Shame floods me for worrying about Xenovia like that, but it's soon eclipsed by the hope that suddenly poured into me, flushing out more of the poisonous doubt. Raynare kissed my cheek, put her head on my chest, and resumed tracing my abs. She did that for a few moments before she stopped again.
"Who is your new knight, my Great King?"
That question stumped me briefly before Xenovia wrapped her arms around me, and I admitted.
"I don't know. I think they are an American tourist. She does have sacred gear, but I don't know which one."
That lingered in the air before Raynare asked.
"Where is she?"
That question made the three of us look at each other before I turned off the water, and we exited the shower
Ten minutes later, after we dressed, with Xenovia in her exorcist bodysuit, we left a still snoring Kuroka to find Neri or Maéva. We had only taken a few steps down the hallway before we found the pureblood who was doing sheets. Maéva must have briefed her as she led us to a room next to Ingvild's. She opened the door, allowing us to see the American sleeping soundly on the bed inside. As we entered the room and the door shut behind us, I noticed something was missing from my new knight. Her beanie was set on the side table next to her, and with it gone, showed the strangest hair I had ever seen on someone. It was a tri-color of mainly white hair at the roots, done up in a bun, and higher in said bun, the white gave way to a mix of black and green stripes. As she lay there snoring, Xenovia and Raynare looked at her curiously. I remembered my promise to her and swore to keep it. The three of us stepped closer, and I felt the scared gear again, but couldn't identify it, nor could Xenovia or even Raynare. My angel was almost glaring at the American, and I remember Kalawarna's statement about fallen and gear. After giving the other one a final hard look, she admitted.
"I can't tell what it is, my Great King."
Raynare sounded hurt by that admission, and I wrapped my arm around her in support while Xenovia frowned harder.
"I can't tell either, Beloved. She must have been extensively trained to hide it, making me think it might be one of the more exotic ones. Maybe even a Longinus."
That idea made me want to scoff.
"It's not one. Unless there is an ultra-weak one that would take just a single regular knight, I think your first guess is more likely."
Xenovia frowned again as her brown eyes lit up blue several times before the frown grew.
"I can't see her future for some reason. I'm only getting the faintest of silhouettes."
This made me frown as I gazed at that bizarre hair again before a strange urge ran through me. To bring out my SGAD and force the gear out, as the unknown was never good. That feeling grew and almost made me open the pocket spell holding the device before I stopped myself. She had said last night that she would trust me, and doing this would create more problems later. I clamp down on that feeling before I gaze intently at her, studying her face again. It was like last night was so strangely familiar, yet not, and I again couldn't place where I had seen it before I whispered out.
"Hopefully, she will be awake when I return from the conference, and we can ask. Ray, can you check in on her while I'm gone?"
Raynare gave me a cute nod yet stared at the American hard, like she was trying desperately to force her angelic ability to work.
"I can after I help Ing walk around the manor grounds. She would also like to see you again to show you she's walking faster."
Ingvild's eager face from our walk flashed, driving the remaining dark feeling away.
"If today succeeds and our Gecko friend has recovered well enough, we can all have pizza tonight."
Raynare grew slightly happier while Xenovia stared hard at the woman on the bed.
"I swear I have seen someone who looked like her before. Face-wise at least, but I don't remember where."
That made me glad I wasn't the only one there, and I got ready to examine her again when I got a beep from my phone. A moment later, I pulled the device out and read the message before I sighed and put it away. It was Ajuka saying he would be here in ten minutes, along with the rest of the Satans. The news made me look at the clock on my phone to see that it was nine fifty, and I prepared myself for the conference.
I turned away from my sleeping knight while Xenovia followed me, and Raynare continued gazing at the American. The door closed behind us, leaving the hallway and us in silence, before I began to walk towards the stairs.
"Where are the others?"
Xenovia's eyes flashed blue twice just as we reached the stairs.
"They are either in the underworld manor or with Hana-chan showing her the ORC building. We have a special plan for you tonight that you will love~"
The way she said that made curiosity grow in me before I remembered last night, and I vowed never to make the same mistake again. Seeing my look, Xenovia then grew pensive.
"Something massive will happen today, Beloved. I don't know what, but whatever it has been making everything ultra fuzzy since yesterday. I'm sorry I couldn't…."
My hand slipped into hers and squeezed it.
"The warp sucks, Novi. You can't control it. No one can."
Xenovia kissed me on the cheek for that. We were just about to hit the basement when I let go of her hand with that in mind.
"I'll meet you there, Novi. I have to get a few things."
Brown eyes met red before Xenovia gave me a nod.
"I will see you there, Beloved. I love you."
Then, with a single move, Xenovia stepped on the pad and disappeared before I got ready to do the same.
Nine minutes later, in the underworld manor armory, I was dressed in armor with my boltgun and mechadendrite pack on my back and my helmet mag locked to my left hip. Mimic sat on my right hip in power sword form, and as my hand touched it while making my way to the entrance hall, Mimic gave me a soft song of reassurance. It only took away some of the anxiety that had built up in the armory, but I stomped down the rest of it as the door to the manor opened. Then, with a calm and confident stride, Ajuka entered the great hall, dressed in a suit. It seems he knew about last night as his eyes were immediately on me, checking for injuries. I gave him a reassuring smile for a half moment, which he returned before he stood aside.
The next through was Serafall in her businesswoman suit, and she was eyeing the lights here with vindication on her face, directed at the next person through in a drowsy Fabium. The bald man was in his silver purple armor with a sword on his belt, looking at the lights in the manor like they were evil. And following him was Sirzches again in his black and brass armor with his sword. Sirzches was wearing the real him's kind face as he looked at the manor and the lights with interest, and his smile only dimmed for a moment before it returned.
"Gregor-kun."
I returned it.
"Lord Lucifer."
Sirzches shook his head.
"Sirzches for a little bit. I heard what you did last night from Sera to keep this conference going. Thank you for that. Knowing Heniya, she wouldn't have stopped her possible rampage till her balls of destruction hit half of Grigori."
That confirmation made me want to sweat drop, and Sirzches seemed to sense that action, sighing in agreement, before his face morphed to something surprising. Child-like glee that made Ajuka, Serafall, and even drowsy Fabium roll their eyes.
"I have heard much about this teleporter technology that you have from Heniya, Juka, Sera, and my folks. Show it to me?"
I could see where Rias got her fun side from, and a genuine smile grew on my face as I walked towards the teleporter.
"Right this way. I'm guessing you sent your guards for the conference on the train, and they will meet us at the school."
Sirzches nodded, eager to see this, followed by a slightly more awake Fabium and a smug Ajuka and Serafall.
"We did, and they should be there in less than ten minutes. If this technology is real, we won't need the train anymore."
We reached the pad, and I shook my head.
"It's real, yet the train would still be an efficient way to move people around. Now that you all have a majority in the parliament, you can try to do that infrastructure bill again, but modify it to build more tracks for it, along with new roads for something that will soon be rolling off my forge lines here. Go ahead and step on this. It will take you topside."
Sirzches's child glee grew as he eyed the pad before stepping on it. He disappeared, making Fabium jump, now fully awake, before Serafall pushed him onto the pad, following. Both disappeared before Ajuka smiled at me.
"That was what we were going to do, Alex, in the next session at the end of the month. Now let's catch up to them before Sirzches jumps about like an idiot and breaks something."
I wanted to capture that on camera as Ajuka and I stepped into the pad together.
On the other side, we found Sirzches bouncing on his heels and Fabium wide awake, looking at all the wine barrels here suspiciously like a true spymaster. Serafall looked smugly at the two, and Ajuka joined her as I opened the door.
"Welcome to the topside of Earth, Lord Lucifer and Asmodeus. If you go to the window across the way and look up, you will see a blue sky. I'll get this quickly recalibrated for our next destination."
Sirzches almost skipped that way, followed by a suspicious Fabium and Serafall as I recalibrate the pad. A moment later, I hear two loud gasps and a smug I told you so from outside the room. Ajuka watched me proudly as I fiddled with the knobs feeding his sin, and when I finished, my dad put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed me. I looked at him with our smirk, which he returned, and we enjoyed this moment together. It was, however, soon broken when Ajuka looked at his watch and let go of me as Sirzches, Serafall, and Fabium returned. Sirzches had a look in his eyes that was all but asking for a teleporter of his own, and I stepped aside for them.
"I can install a pair for you tomorrow or Friday. Your father and mother asked for one, as did Lord Sitri."
Sirzches beams at hearing this, but before he could say anything more, Ajuka bumped him.
"Five minutes, Sirz, till they arrive."
That made Sirzches lose his childishness, and Lucifer returned before he straightened himself up.
"Of course, Juka."
Then, as one Sirzches, Ajuka, Serafall, and a mostly awake Fabium glared at the pad for a moment before he stepped onto it and disappeared, followed by me.
When I stepped off inside the base, I found that the Satans and I weren't the only ones in the teleporter room. There, waiting for us by the door, was Paula, armored up with a hand on her chainsword grip. Seeing me, the Spaniard got a bright face before her business face returned, and she glanced at the Satans.
"Welcome, your graces. I'm Paula, and I will escort you to the courtyard for your guards and then to the cafeteria. If you have any questions about security, I am more than happy to answer them."
Paula moved to the door, and Sirzches immediately launched into several questions, along with surprisingly Fabium, as the Satans followed Paula. I walked behind them a few paces as Paula led us through the halls. On the way, we passed by several trios of armored Skitarii patrolling the halls, guns ready. Sirzches and Fabium watched them out of the corner of their eyes in interest, and Fabium looked at me again suspiciously before he returned to asking questions. One of them was how many people were here for security, and Paula gave a response of six kill teams, which got me another suspicious look from Fabium. The walk continued until our group turned the corner to the school's front hallway, and then the doors of the school's inner courtyard opened.
Before the wall of martyrs were twelve Castalan robots at attention. One was Kill Team Cerberus's original surviving one, another was a brand new one with the team's emblem freshly painted onto their chest and shoulders. In contrast, the ten other robots were either survivors from the battle with Kokabiel or brand-new ones that Hetvia had made since then. Sirzches and the other Satans, especially Ajuka, gaze at the robots, impressed until their eyes fell on the wall of martyrs. Their faces morphed, taking on sad looks as they approached the wall and stared at the names.
They were primarily focused on the dead devil names but looked at the other names for a few more moments before I looked up. The ward scheme above us seemed to move, and the paranoia from last night returned before the scheme appeared to form a wormhole. Then it opened above the courtyard as the Satans grew serious again and stepped back. Multiple illusion spells drop to show fifteen devils in a diamond formation with wings out. The robots stiffened after seeing the black wings, especially the Cerberus ones, before relaxing as the devils flew through the hole and landed with their backs to the wall of martyrs.
All of the guards wore elaborate white gold armor with the emblem of the Lucifers on it, before the leader of the fifteen saluted Sirzches and fell into a formation around him: Ajuka, Serafall, and Fabium. The group discussed something in whispers before I eyed where that hole in the scheme had been, as Paula leaned over and whispered.
"Marshal Issari modified the wards for that yesterday. Each party was given a ward stone shard this morning, which she said acted like a temporary key, breaking after use. Grigori will enter this way, too, while Heaven asked for the school front courtyard for their exorcists."
That Iguana earned something good for that, as that was genius. Paula straightened up, went to the Satans, and opened the school door. Sirzches and Ajuka led the group inside the building, leaving me with the robots. The ward scheme shifted again a moment later, and I looked up to see more illusion spells dropping.
Above me were nineteen fallen angels in a blocky formation as the group halted above the hole and started to descend. Fifteen of the fallen had eight wings, and the first two landed before the wall. Each was in armor that looked Ancient Greek-like and was the same obsidian as their wings, which started to fold into their backs. The group made a rough phalanx before three more people, one by one, landed in the middle of the formation. The first was Bariqiel, in his canonical robes, as his nine wings fold in, wearing his regular grouch face. A face that softened slightly, seeing me before it returned as he glanced at the fallen landing to his right. That fallen was Shemhazi wearing his purple-silver robes with the shoulder feather and that awful purple beret. He, like Fabium, was scanning the courtyard for dangers, primarily focusing on the robots. The third fallen landed on his right was a long, purple-haired woman wearing glasses, dressed in a business suit. She, like Bariqiel, focused on me, though her orange eyes narrowed in suspicion. Then a fourth and the final person in the formation landed a little behind the three as the ward scheme closed again.
That fallen was Azazel, dressed in a burgundy trench coat with a black shirt underneath. Yet like so many people here, it wasn't entirely the Azazel I knew. This Azazel looked slightly older, being in his mid-thirties, yet his fundamental differences were in his front hair and goatee, where he had more white than blonde or black in them. Azazel's twelve wings gracefully folded into his back before he looked around the courtyard, eyeing the robots with interest, and saw me standing before them. Those violet eyes looked me up and down before he grew giddy, unlike the purple-haired woman. Azazel quickly stepped forward past his fellow cadre heads, and guards rapidly followed by the woman, Bariqiel, and Shemhazi. I watched them as Azazel came to a stop in front of me and then put on that charming smile, which he still has, it seems.
"Gregor Astaroth. The Lord of Iron Will and a genius supposedly of my caliber. It is a delight to finally meet you. Bar has told me a lot about you over the last few weeks, and I am eager to talk to you and your father. Think you can…"
The purple-haired woman jabbed Azazel hard in his gut, making him grunt.
"Dad, focus. Ask about her now."
Azazel micro-glared at the woman.
"Geez, Pene, I was getting there. Gotta make small talk, brat, before asking that sort of thing. I will ask when we…"
Peneume turned her glare up on me and cut off her father.
"Where is Mittelt Devil?"
Her icy tone made one of the Cerberus robots behind me start spinning its claws in warning, making the fallen around Azazel nervous. However, Peneume wasn't intimidated, nor was I, having expected it.
"She is safe and sound, Miss, and is doing something important at home. I can arrange a meeting with you both with her after the conference."
Peneume narrowed her eyes further at my answer before Bariqiel touched her shoulder.
"Your worry is unfounded, Peneume. His sin isn't that one, and even then, he isn't driven by that part of him, as he is like his…... Father."
Peneume turned her glare on Bariqiel now, and Azazel grinned widely.
"Relax, Pene. We will see Mitt soon, and you can baby her all you want then. I get why you're so concerned, but Mitt also said on the call he hasn't tried anything despite the obvious reasons why devils try to reincarnate fallen."
That pissed Peneume off further as she again glared at her father, and I could tell this was normal for them. Despite the glare, Azazel kept wearing his charming grin before he got a keen look in his violet eyes.
"Though in saying that, you should consider getting with my granddaughter, young man. She might look young now, but when she finally gets through that, she will look exactly like her mother, who had big…"
Peneume elbowed Azazel hard again, making him oof, and I internally sweat drop at the two of them.
"Dad! Don't give him any more ideas!"
Azazel rubbed his ribs and now lost the smile as he glared.
"Was going to say brains brat, but yes, she will have a good figure too. Besides, what better way to show the Satans I want peace with them than marriage between my line and the son of a Satan. It's the oldest trick in the scroll and works well."
That really pissed off Peneume as she got a tic mark, and now I see what Mittelt was saying about Azazel wanting to get us together. Just before Peneume could rant, my snark broke through finally.
"My peerage isn't my personal harem, unlike many devils. Out of it, I am only involved with four, and Mittelt isn't one of them. She and I share something vastly better than a personal relationship, and when you see her, she also has a surprise for you, which she is smug about."
Peneume blinked before glaring at me again, while Azazel grew even more keen, ready to push on this further, only for a polite cough to come from behind me. Then, the fallen, and I looked over to see Paula back at the courtyard door with a smug smile. Azazel gazed at Paula and recognized her, his mind beginning to put something together as Paula opened the door.
"Governor-General, guests. Hot coffee is in the cafeteria, and the catering is about to start serving an early lunch."
Peneume got ready to say something, only for Shemhazi's stomach to growl. The man blushed slightly, making Azazel let loose a genuine laugh before he bumped the other.
"Ah, Shem, never change. You need a girlfriend; otherwise, you'll eventually forget to feed yourself, you workaholic. Come along. I do need coffee, as does Pene, apparently. Especially if the Satans and Mich are serious about making peace, I'll get with you again after the conference for that meeting, kiddo."
With that said, Azazel walked towards the door Paula had opened, followed by a still bashful Shemhazi, stern Bariquel, and a very reluctant Peneume, who continued to glare at me, then the other fallen. As soon as the group was gone from the courtyard, one of the newer robots let out a tweet, getting a series of exasperated tweets from the others, and made me sweat drop internally as the robot had said he'd ask out Peneume if he still had flesh.
The robot who said that shrugged unapologetically before the senior robot from the Kill Team tweeted to them to move out and rejoin their squads. That got acknowledgment tweets from other robots as they stomped out of the courtyard, leaving me alone with the wall.
The silence was both welcomed and not as I looked at the wall, reading the names of the people on it once more. I almost ruined everything they believed of me because I grew too complacent. Shame filled me before, with my hand on the bottom of the wall, I swore I would never do that again. This silent oath for the dead continued for a few more moments before I pulled back and looked once more at the names. Promising them I would make this peace succeed so that we could focus entirely on the ultra scum this version of the Brigade was hinting at being.
I take a deep breath before getting ready to meet a most likely distraught mother and an archangel.
When I opened the front courtyard door, I found a small crowd waiting near the roundabout. Standing together in a pair were Mirana and Castiel, whispering to each other. Castiel was still in his ninja uniform, yet he didn't have his wings out today and was extremely happy about something. A feeling that Mirana also shared, though she was watching Castiel in curiosity.
That excitement was contrasted by the other two people at the other side of the courtyard in Xenovia, in her exorcist bodysuit, facing someone standing next to her. That person was Irina, also in her exorcist bodysuit, scowling deeply with a mini tic mark at whatever Xenovia was saying. That tic mark grew increasingly pronounced as I approached the two of them, and just as I was a few steps behind them, I heard Irina hiss out.
"I need to be here, Xen! How else am I supposed to make my case to the Archangel to reverse my wrongful excommunication! This is my only chance to see and talk to my folks again!"
Xenovia frowned before saying to the knucklehead with pity.
"They don't want to talk to you, Rin."
That made Irina flinch, and I raised an eyebrow, as her parents were supposed to be supportive of her. Was that not…. The thought ended as Xenovia saw me over her shoulder before she turned back to Irina.
"Rin, I know you don't want to hear or believe this, but they have been burning every letter you have sent them since we were excommunicated. They have all but disowned, according to my mother. Even if you get it reversed, there is a one-in-a-million chance they'll take you back. Are you willing to take that chance compared to what you have now with her and the others? You will likely lose them if you don't go back now."
Irina's face turned ashamed momentarily as doubt entered the knucklehead, and she almost looked ready to rush back to them. Yet as quickly as it came, the doubt disappeared as her regular stubborn face returned at full force, hmmmphing and looking away from Xenovia.
"You're wrong, Xen. They will take me back once I prove I was always faithful. I won't lose them either, as Isa will understand why I must be here."
That made my sympathy for Irina there evaporate as wrath filled me for Issari's sake. I wanted to throttle the knucklehead, and it seems like Xenovia felt the same to a lesser extent, though she didn't say anything further. Instead, those brown eyes turned from the still pouting Irina, who started walking away from Xenovia with her stubborn face heading towards the other end of the courtyard, a bit back from Castiel and Mirana. I stepped next to Xenovia, who sighed before turning her head back to the road as the ward scheme really started fluttering as the sound of moving wheels was heard.
Then, from the direction of the town, a public transit bus rolled into view from down the road. The grey-shaped thing rolled up to the front of the school before it turned onto the grounds, as a hole in the scheme was made for it. The bus came through rolling on until it came to a halt. Then the door opened on it, and there in the driver's seat was a very fit man with long, pointed blonde hair and startling emerald-green eyes dressed in black exorcist robes. He was wearing a good-natured smile and leaned back to talk to someone as five more exorcists descended the stairs and onto the pavement. The group of five consisted of three men and two women with the Catholic cross over the right heart pocket of their black robes. At the head of the five was a woman who looked like an older, almost carbon copy of Xenovia, with the only differences being longer blue hair with a slightly bigger green stripe and blue eyes instead of brown.
The five looked around the courtyard carefully, relaxing slightly at the sight of Castile and Mirana, before the woman, who was obviously Griselda, caught sight of Xenovia and me. She hesitated momentarily, looking at her comrades, before throwing caution to the wind and rushing over to us with clear relief in her blue eyes. Xenovia broke from my side and met her mother halfway before the woman froze for a microsecond, feeling Xenovia's demonic energy. That hesitation only lasted a moment before she cupped Xenovia's face and, with tears in her eyes, said in a tiny whisper.
"I'm so sorry, my little lamb. I should have…"
Xenovia silenced that by hugging her mother hard and saying loudly.
"You don't need to be sorry or do that, Mama. I don't regret my excommunication, as it finally brought me to the answers I sought for Cesario and Luana. It led me to the one."
Griselda's face looked pained at hearing this. She looked at her daughter with concern before she finally looked at me. Her eyes studied me hard as Xenovia let go of Griselda before looking over her shoulder.
"Mama, this is Gregor Astaroth. The wielder of Excalibur, Mimic, and he who will one day be Beloved by All. Beloved, this is my mother, Griselda Quarta."
Griselda's eyes widened, hearing that, then glanced at my hip and Mimic, then frowned, feeling my demonic power. But before she could say anything, a voice came from behind her.
"This is why you were so eager to get here, Quarta. To be consorting with a heretic and now known willing abomination openly is pitiful and unbecoming of one who is supposed to be the best exorcist in the Catholic Church. I will report this to Archbishop Antonio when we return to Rome."
Griselda looked over her shoulder to see most of the Catholic contingent led by a man with orange hair, glaring at Xenovia with a face of pure disgust and hatred. The only one who did not do that was a woman who looked South American. Xenovia took the glares gracefully, embracing her ice queen persona and flipping her hair back silently in contempt, making the man narrow his eyes. He stepped forward, hand on a light sword, only for Castiel's voice to come from the side of us.
"I will speak to the Archbishop myself after the conference exorcist, as it has been a while since I last dined with him. Start taking up positions inside."
The orange-haired man looked over at where Castiel stood before his own blue eyes, and the eyes of the other Catholics beside him widened, feeling the holy energy coming off the angel. The four exorcists instantly bowed before heading towards the school doors, and as soon as they were gone, Griselda looked fearful for a moment before there was a massive shout of excitement from behind Castiel as we all turned to the noise. There by, an amused Mirana was Irina kneeling as she shouted praises to Big G while holding a scroll like a sacred relic. Castiel was amused, too, by this before he turned back to the three of us.
"After the conference is finished, wielder of Durandal, the Archangel, would like to speak with the Holy Maiden you were traveling with. He noticed her and your friend's deeds of faith and reviewed the trial record. The case was found to be grossly mishandled, so the sentence was revoked for them."
Xenovia looked at the angel and nodded before Castiel continued looking at Griselda.
"And you have nothing to fear from my eventual talk with Archbishop Antonio, exorcist. All your deeds of faith have also been noted in Heaven by the Archangel, and my dinner will be more about the next big Mass we would like the Catholic Church to hold."
That news made Griselda relax as Castiel's eyes fell again on Xenovia, but before he could say anything, Xenovia spoke.
"I accept my excommunication. I have found something better and thank the Catholic Church for leading me to my Beloved and the deity I now follow."
Griselda blinked rapidly at that revelation, as did I, as Xenovia joined the faith at that moment, while Castiel surprisingly half-smiled.
"I will inform the Archangel that wielder of Druandal, and I understand why you made that choice. Exorcist Quarta, please join the others as the Archangel will arrive soon. I must quickly inform Dieter that I have found a replacement for the Protestant contingent, given that one fell sick this morning from bad sushi."
That made me freeze in shock before a loud, jolly voice came from the bus.
"I told Rory that the fish was badly done, but did he believe me? No, like the stubborn Scotsman he is, he ate the whole bowl, saying he was no pansy. Who is replacing him, Herr Angel?"
Castiel chuckled good-naturedly as off the bus, followed by another man and two women in exorcist robes that had a Protestant cross over their hearts, was the blonde man with green eyes. He wore a joyful look and smile that contrasted with his stern German face, and I micro flinched, feeling a Longinus that was like being in a thunderstorm, meaning this was indeed Dieter Gwisdek. Dieter saw my micro flinch but said nothing of it. He gave Castiel another wide, ultra charming smile and approached him with Irina following the angel with star-filled eyes for her hero.
I glared at Irina momentarily before clamping down on my wrath as Xenovia led Griselda toward the school, whispering something to her shocked mother. Meanwhile, Castiel spoke with the Protestants, leading them and Irina out of the way of the bus as the next and final group of exorcists stepped off the bus.
The four exorcists looked like a mix of Russians and other Eastern Europeans, split between two men and two women. They looked around the courtyard, like their fellows wore an Orthodox one over their hearts. Upon catching sight of me, the group stilled, and a giant of a man with a bald head, bushy eyebrows, a long brown beard, and brown eyes sized me up before a voice came from our left.
"You still have that horrible beard, I see, Yuri."
That voice was Mirana, and the sight of the Russian Princess walking towards them made the giant relax before he smiled widely.
"Mirana still as lovely as ever! I would have thought that you would have forgotten me by now. Of course, I still have this beauty, how else am I to impress women of class like you!"
Mirana beamed fondly at this Yuri as she reached his side and hugged him.
"I could never forget my wonderful sword teacher who taught me so many useful tricks, including that very useful one against Likhos."
That made the big Russian laugh bearlike as he eagerly returned the hug before breaking it and giving Mirana a fond look. Then those brown eyes turned on me, looking up and down appraisingly, before his eyes fell on my sword.
"This is him, Rana? The one Mimic chose as its wielder? He doesn't look like much to me."
The other three Orthodox exorcists, plus the Protestants, minus a now thrilled and proud Irina, peer at me, hearing this. Mirana looked at me with a face of pride, along with something else in her ash eyes.
"Yes, this is him, Yuri. Mimic knows a righteous man of faith when it senses one. Allow me to introduce Gregor Astaroth, Heir to House Astaroth of the 72 Pillars and the Chikatesu no eiyū. Heir Astaroth, this is Yuri Sokolov. My dear friend and sword teacher, when I became an exorcist."
I took a step forward and extended my hand to the man.
"Sir."
Yuri looked at the armored hand, grinned widely, and suddenly grabbed my hand and squeezed hard. His strength was impressive for a baseline human, but it was just a tickle for me now. I smirked slightly before returning the squeeze, putting enough pressure on it to make Yuri flinch, while the sight amused Mirana. The big man flexed his fingers when I let go, and Mirana let loose a twinkling laugh.
"He is no slouch, Yuri, and is a master swordsman."
That drew curious looks from the Orthodox group, who eyed me like master spies before Yuri grinned widely and straightened up, shaking his hand.
"I will believe it when I see it. Though Rana doesn't praise anyone unless they are at least somewhat good with a blade, you can't be half as bad as many of my trainees."
I shrug while putting a hand on Mimic.
"I'm not a master swordsman, as there is probably someone out there far better than me. If you have pointers, I'd love to hear them and share what I know."
That put a smile on Yuri's face.
"I'd like to hear them from the one who defeated a seraph fallen angel. Especially one as dangerous as Kokabiel."
The moment those words passed from Yuri's lips, the Protestants who were done talking to Castiel all went bugged-eyed for a moment before they eyed me again. Especially Dieter, whose jolly face and green eyes were now replaced by curiosity, before Castiel coughed gently and started directing people towards the school. Dieter watched me for a second longer before he followed Castiel with the rest of the Protestants behind him, while the Orthodox followed Mirana. The glances continued until the ten entered the school through the door held open by Castile before they disappeared. The ninja angel returned to stand beside me just as I felt the wards flicker, making me look up.
The mostly clear blue sky over the forest on the other side of the road seemed still before more clouds suddenly formed. Then the sun shone brighter as a shape formed behind the largest newly formed fluffy cloud. The cloud started to part as a horn blew, which was angelic. Then a shape descended from the clouds towards the school.
The figure had twelve wings of snow-white feathers and was dressed in a mix of white-red robes with big armored shoulder pads that would have made an imperial guard general blush. As they drew closer, it became clear this was Michael, and he looked exactly like his canon self with a golden halo spinning around his head slowly.
Michael reached the top of the ward scheme as the hole opened for him and shut when he was through. As soon as Michael's feet touched the ground, the hair on my neck stood up, feeling the warp energy radiating off him. Michael's wings folded into his back as the clouds and horn disappeared before he breathed and looked directly at me. That gaze was so unlike Castiel and Raynare's looks at me, as this seemed to pierce through me and peer deep into my soul. I felt like everything I am and was being judged by him, before a massive smile crossed his face as he approached us. Michel's eyes remained on me as he walked forward before coming to a halt before Castiel and me. All the hair was standing straight up on my neck from the pure warp energy, and Michel seemed to notice that as suddenly the power leaking off him faded. My hair fell, and it was then that Michael looked at the excited Castiel.
"You found it, I see, Castiel."
That made me blink while Castiel looked ashamed now.
"I did. I'm sorry for doubting your wisdom, Archangel, and for not having faith like you said I should."
Michael gave Castiel an amused look.
"You are not the first nor the last being to doubt Castiel. Doubt is not a sin or the opposite of faith; it is one of its most important aspects. For how else can we reach certainty in our beliefs if we do not question everything? The others doubted it too, just as I did, that we would ever see a day like this."
That made Castiel lose his glum look and brighten as he stood up straighter before Michael continued.
"Please tell the exorcists I will be inside in a few minutes. I would like to speak to the Chikatesu no eiyū."
Castiel gave a slight bow as his excitement returned before he turned and walked towards the building. The doors to it opened, and Castiel entered before they closed, leaving Michel and me alone. The Archangel looked at the school momentarily before his green eyes returned to mine, and the smile grew wider.
"Forgive me, Heir Astaroth, for ignoring you. As Archangel, I often counsel my fellow angels on various things, which takes up much of my time. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."
I glanced at Michael before giving a slight shrug.
"I understand that a great leader serves others first, sir."
Michael smiled even wider at me as his eyes looked deep into me again.
"Indeed, they do, and it seems to be something you have grasped well, Heir Astaroth, especially with your organization. I have high hopes that it and Heaven will have a good working relationship after peace is made today. Gabriel is especially interested in it as she has seen something that speaks to her dearly."
Considering everything, I blinked in surprise at how confident Michael was about peace. There was no doubt in his green eyes, and the gesture made Michael smile wider than ever as he kept his eyes on me.
"Don't waste life in doubts and fears, Heir Astaroth. You are already a hero to those here and gone in many ways, yet soon you shall be a hero to those to come. A hero that he would have approved of. Please lead me to the meeting point. Castiel should have gotten everything prepared by now."
My confusion grew even worse with those words before the final part registered. I turned and started walking towards the building with Michael following along and staring at my back. When we reached the doors, I opened them before entering the building.
Michael kept staring at me as we made our way down the hallways, only taking his gaze off me when we passed by two Skitarii and a robot walking up the hallway toward us. The trio had frozen momentarily, seeing Michael as we passed them, before I heard the robot tweet to his comrades to keep moving. Michael then returned his eyes to me and looked at Mimic.
"A passed-on soul possessed that thing. Yet that wasn't necromancy as it wasn't in pain. There is also a soul similar to it in the blade."
I looked over my shoulder at him.
"My faith calls them Machine Spirits and is the furthest thing from necromancy as they are given the choice of whether they want to be in an object and can leave said object whenever they want."
Michael smiled wider as we prepared to turn the corner towards the cafeteria hallway.
"I would at some point like to hear all about this idea and your faith. Metatron has told me that it is incredibly similar to the Christian faiths."
I give Michael a nod.
"I have heard that too and would be happy to if peace is made. Though it might not make much sense to you."
Michael kept his smile as we turned the corner. As we do, I see the cafeteria doors at the end of a T-shaped hallway. Waiting before the doors were the fifteen exorcists and Castiel. The two-winged angel stood with Dieter, Griselda, and Mirana, with the three camps behind their respective leaders. The Protestants were talking to Irina while the Orthodox were watching everything like hawks, and the Catholics, minus the South American, were glaring at Griselda, who was watching something go up another hallway. The glares and everything else stopped when the exorcists caught sight of Michael and me. When we got close with Michael in front of me the fifteen humans quickly knelt with heads bowed. From behind Michael, I saw Irina catch sight of me and then glare with her violent eyes, clearly thinking I should be doing the same. However, that quickly stopped when Michael spoke again.
"Rise, believers. I am only the Herald of the Lord Almighty, not him."
The exorcists do, and the blonde man's smile lessened when they faced him.
"I understand it will be difficult today in there, given the past, but I assure you all that this peace that will happen will be worth it. Please don't do anything rash that could be an insult to the Lord Almighty in that room."
That made the exorcists stiffen, especially the Protestants, save Dieter as the man smiled jollily.
"Of course, Archangel. I am hopeful that things will go well today."
Then he added.
"I would like this to be finished as fast as possible so I may sleep at the hotel where we have been staying. They have comfortable beds and a nice sakura tree next to a koi pond for cloud watching."
That made most of the exorcists, save for the Orthodox ones, sweat drop collectively as Irina looked at Dieter, torn between horror at the audacity of the laziness and hero worship awe, while Michael smiled widely at that.
"It will not take long. A few hours to half a day at most, and then you can watch and contemplate to your heart's content. Though perhaps instead of cloud watching, the Strongest Believer can cook me some of the foods that have sprung up since my last visit to Earth."
Dieter grinned wider before he took a position behind Michael to his right, with an amused Mirana and Griselda forming a triangle around him. The others fell behind them, and when everyone was in place, Michael walked forward and let a bit of his holy presence out before Mirana and Griselda opened the doors, and the group, save Castiel, entered.
I breathed air and prayed for two seconds that this would go well before getting ready to turn and leave, only for Castiel to speak up.
"They are expecting you in there, Heir Astaroth."
That made me stop and face Castiel.
"Huh?"
The angel was wearing an amused face now.
"They are waiting for you. It was agreed yesterday morning that you would serve as mediator in case things get… heated."
That was. One way of putting it with two super devils, two regular Satans, a Great Seraph fallen, an Archangel, and Zenith Tempest. I wanted to slap myself there, as a mediator, makes sense, and Castiel let loose a small laugh before opening the door. I eyed the angel momentarily and saw that he was practically vibrating in excitement, wearing a smile that had grown to almost Michael's intensity, before I sighed and moved to the door.
The moment I stepped into the room, I saw that the many mishmash tables Maéva had brought over were gone, and in their place was a massive square table and three smaller ones. Each of the four tables was covered with a white cloth, with multiple chairs around them. At the bottom of that table was a single chair that was clearly for me. To the left of that, sitting at the smaller table, was the devil contingent with Sirzches, Ajuka, Serafall, and a somewhat awake Fabium finishing up coffee while their guards were watching the other tables carefully, hands on their swords. To their right were the fallen, enjoying coffee and scones served by Maéva and one of the two rangers. Azazel watched my dad with a keen face while Peneume and Shemhazi ate scones along with the fallen guards. The only one not eating was Bariqiel, glaring wrathfully at someone while squeezing his coffee mug. The person who was on the receiving end of that glare was, of course, Michael, who only looked at Bariqiel, with genuine pity as the other ranger brought over coffee cups and scones for the exorcists, who, save for Dieter, were only touching the coffee.
I felt Castiel brush past me and head toward Michael and the exorcists as I gulped when everyone else caught sight of my presence. That seemed to give a silent signal as Sirzches, Ajuka, Serafall, and an again drowsy Fabium got up from their table, carrying their coffee mugs and made their way to the center table, followed by their guards. Azazel, Shemhazi, Peneume, and Bariqiel did the same with their guards before Michael and the exorcists followed to their side.
Their movement made me do the same before the groups, and I reached the table simultaneously. The three sides stopped, and the leaders stared at each other, waiting for the first side to sit first. The unspoken pissing contest was annoying, and I sighed softly before pulling out the chair and sitting first. That action broke the ice that had started to form and made Ajuka eye roll as he moved for a chair, making the rest of the Satans do the same, followed by Grigori and Michael.
Once everyone was seated, the guards formed a half circle behind them as Maéva and the rangers cleared out food, brought out jugs of coffee, and filled water pitchers before leaving the room. Silence reigned briefly, with everyone, especially the guards and exorcists, eyeing each other before Azazel grinned.
"Still as perfect as ever, Mich. Tell me how is Gabby doing? Still the most beautiful woman in Heaven after all this time?"
Peneume slapped her face at that, while many exorcists bristled at hearing the lust in Azazel's voice. Michael, however, was unaffected by that and smiled, amused.
"Gabby is doing well, Azazel, and is still considered the most beautiful woman in Heaven. You haven't changed much since I last saw you at Nicaea. It is also good to see you, as well, Shemhazi and Bariqiel."
Bariqiel stiffened and glared at Michael while Shemhazi shrugged. Azazel got ready to keep up the chat before Peneume glared at her father, making him sigh.
"So, we are doing this peace thing, yeah? I have a busy schedule and would like to be done by tonight."
Serafall and Ajuka nodded in agreement as Sirzches eyed Azazel and Michael.
"Then let's start with easy things first. Will Heaven acknowledge the sovereignty of devil territory in the underworld?"
Other than Dieter and, surprisingly, Irina, the Protestants bristle at that before Michael nods.
"Heaven acknowledges your current territory in the name of my Father."
A tiny, pleased smile crossed Sirzches's face before Azazel chimes in.
"And what about fallen territory in the underworld. Do you recognize that Lucifer?"
Several devil guards tightened their grips on swords at that before Ajuka gave them a side eye, and Sirzches nodded.
"We Satans recognize your current territory. Will Grigori recognize ours?"
Azazel waved his hand dismissively.
"Sure, whatever."
No sooner was that said than Peneume bumped Azazel and started whispering something in his ears rapidly, though the man didn't do anything else. Despite that, the tension in the room lowered as Sirzches got a two-second smile, then reached down slowly into his armor. Then he pulled up a large scroll and unfolded it while Serafall made a spell circle that floated another scroll with a quill to the center of the table. That made the fallen and exorcists flinch as they reached for swords or got ready to make light spears, only for the words Treaty of Kuoh to show, relaxing everyone. Then the conference really began as the quill waited.
The next hour soon became filled with Sirzches, Azazel, and Michael asking the others for basic concessions. Mostly simple things, with the first of two points of contention coming when Sirzches asked Azazel if Grigori would be willing to return the ancestral swords from extinct and still alive pillars. Shemhazi had bristled at that, ready to say something before Azazel, in a rare moment here of being serious, had given Shemhazi a look that settled the man before agreeing to the request. The other point came when Michael asked Sirzches if the underworld would return several books regarded as holy and had been stolen by the original Satans during the Great War. This time, two of the devil guards were unhappy, before Ajuka let loose pressure, silencing them as Sirzches agreed.
The 'fun' part began when the last basic thing was settled at the beginning of the next hour. Designing the potential peace treaty. The quill started jotting things down as we began, and this was where I had to step in as mediator more than once, making sure not to favor any side while winning everyone their demands. I was doing a good job of that as many of the devil guards glared at me during that, while the fallen and the exorcists from the Catholic and Protestant camps were shocked. The Orthodox exorcists alone were pleased having a fuller picture while the leaders were happy with many of the proposals once they poked at them and saw my point on that issue. All in all, by the beginning of the third hour, the framework for the peace treaty was coming together quite nicely, and a break was called.
People retreated to their individual tables to discuss things, and I felt the tiniest bit of hope grow before ten minutes later, people returned and started to dive into the finer points of this treaty. Here was where the mediation really was needed, as everyone picked at the points, and debates would begin for some of them. One of the easiest issues was making the kidnapping of regular humans illegal, while a harder one was what sacred gear would play in this new, possible world. Everyone harped on this for twenty minutes, with Azazel favoring a school idea for his research, the Satans wishing to continue the current state of gear for obvious reasons, and Michael insisting gear users get the same protection as regular humans before something mostly reasonable was reached. That was a compromise where the current state for devils was maintained, but kidnapping gear users was to become very illegal, punishable by any of the three factions, and Azazel could offer new gear users a choice at this possible school. However, one thing that all sides could agree on was that the current known Longinus users were to be revealed to each side after the treaty was signed, before the next issue began. This process continued for an hour and a half before the last point was finally hammered through and the almost finished peace treaty, when another break was called.
I sighed in relief. This was mainly going smoothly, with everyone serious about this peace, and even Irina behaving. However, it was only because of Dieter being here. The strongest exorcist had been watching me closely throughout the talks and had only halfway through realized I had a Longinus. His green eyes had widened momentarily before he leaned over to Mirana and asked her multiple questions quietly. Then, the break ended, and people began returning to the table.
Once everyone was seated, the final few talking points were hit one by one, and mediation was like the first part of the conference, rare. We were nearing the end of the last central talking point when I saw Sirzches fiddling with something under the table, his face giving an uncertain two-second flash before the Great King returned. When the issue was finally settled, the quill stopped writing and floated back to Serafall. Then she made another spell circle, and the scroll in the middle shimmered for a moment before three more versions of it formed. The new scrolls floated over to Azazel, Sirzches, and Michael, while the original scroll floated to me. I took the scroll and placed it in a pocket spell while the leaders grabbed their versions of the treaty, before Azazel examined his copy closely, while, surprisingly, Michael didn't. Instead, he was back to wearing his broad smile and was about to turn to an ultra-excited Castiel when Sirzches locked eyes with Michael, raising an eyebrow.
"You are not checking to ensure we haven't snuck anything in?"
Michael turned from an annoyed Castiel while keeping his smile.
"I have faith in your fellow Satan, Lord Lucifer. She has been truthful and upfront when dealing with us, and I would like to leave behind the past of suspicion and mistrust. Will we be signing today or tomorrow morning?"
Serafall got a smug smirk, and Azazel chimes in as he hands his scroll to Peneume, who was again glaring at me
"I would prefer we sign today for personal reasons. By the way, Lord Beelzebub, I have an idea about how we can make this treaty stronger."
Azazel's eyes were now also on me, making Ajuka get a tiny smirk. My dad got ready to say something, only for Sirzches to roll his eyes and bring his hands up from his lap. In his right hand was a scroll, and Sirzches sighed.
"I also want to sign today, as I have business in the underworld tonight. However, before we do that, will you, perhaps, Archangel, answer a personal academic question of mine? Since, as you say, you want to leave behind the suspicious and the past, this would be a good time to ask it."
That immediately put me on guard, but Michael continued his wide smile before I could say anything.
"I would be happy to answer this question. Is it something you have had for a while, Lord Lucifer?"
Sirzches nodded before unrolling the scroll and floating it towards Michael, who laid it on the table before him.
"I have, and I don't believe what's on it, given who the author of this was, but given how scattered and fragmented our records of this event are, I thought I'd bring this and perhaps have you and the Governor-General corroborate it."
Michael grew intrigued and glanced down at the scroll, as did Castiel. My eyes fell on it as soon as Michael's face lost its smile and Castiel stopped shaking in excitement. The sudden change in the atmosphere made everyone tense, and Sirzches grew confused, but before I could try to do anything, Griselda came over to Michael and looked down at the bottom of the scroll. She then froze, eyes widening in shock, making the other Catholics come close, followed by the Protestants and Orthodox. However, before they got close enough, Griselda whispered in deathly fear that I barely heard.
"Him above… Dead?"
That made my blood run cold, and I got ready to make an easy denial for Michael when Irina snarled out.
"What?! That is…."
Sirzches seemed to have pieced together what Griselda, Michael, and Castiel were seeing.
"If you mean that the Greatest Enemy of my race is dead, as I said I…."
The cafeteria stilled hearing those words before in less than two seconds deafening shouts of denials went up from Irina and the other Protestants, save Dieter, calling Sirzches a liar and an abomination. The Orthodox exorcists looked dumbfounded, breaking their collected exteriors, while the Catholics were shocked, except for Griselda, who now became shell-shocked by the idea. The devil guards here looked at Sirzches with shock, joined by Ajuka, Serafall, and Fabium, who, it seems, had not been shared this document either. The claim dumbfounded the fallen guards along with Peneume and Shemhazi, while Bariqiel looked happy and saddened before his grouch returned. The lone person not freaking out was Azazel, who, it seems, had known or suspected this all along, as his eyes and face didn't react to this. I started getting up, ready to try and stop this, as the answer would destroy the system, but what I was going to say was interrupted when Irina drew her light sword. She kicks it on before she points at Sirzches and snarls.
"Michael-sama, I will end this disgusting monster who would make such a blasphemous claim against the holy and only true God! The Lord Almighty lives and is not dead!"
The utterance made all the devils save Sirzches, Ajuka, Serafall, and Faibium wince badly. The Satans only gritted their teeth, and the pain seemed not to be enough for the self-proclaiming Protestant who got ready to charge Sirzches over the table.
More light swords kick on from the other Protestants besides Dieter, ready to join this charge, making the devils draw their swords or get spells ready. The fallen guards, along with Peneume, Shemhazi, and Bariqiel, quickly made light spears and hoplons, closing in around Azazel, spears out. Mimic was in my grip, about to change into a power maul to slap a stupid chestnut knucklehead around, and just as Irina got ready to run forward, Michael raised his hand.
"Still, yourselves believers."
That action barely held back the other Protestants, who all glared at Sirzches. Irina was still ready to do this, so great was her rage, and she took a step forward, only for Dieter to put a hand on her shoulder.
"Let the Archangel speak."
His normal jolly voice was now dead serious, and that stilled his comrades and made Irina stop looking over her shoulder at him in hero worship and rage. Yet the look on his face made her still and take a step back. My eyes were on the chestnut, and I caught sight of the other exorcists. Mirana stood with the four other Orthodox, who were dumbfounded, and nodded her head to her comrades. They were the least angry of the exorcists and were following her lead. Meanwhile, the Catholics looked completely lost, though they were split between fear and rage. Michael raised his hand, letting the tension come down a tiny bit, before his eyes went to the scroll again.
"The question is valid to ask. Especially given that the Battle of Nicaea has shaped what our world has become. It must be answered to have this chance at peace."
Michael then looked at the Protestants, making them flinch, especially Irina. Before seeing that the threat had passed, the rest of the cafeteria's occupants slowly returned to their places.
When they were there again, Michael let his eyes fall back on the scroll, intently reading it with his green eyes. After five minutes of reading the scroll, Michel breathed the tiniest sighs. Seeing that I got ready to intervene again, I could not do so when he said it in a mournful voice.
"The account here on this scroll about the end of the Battle of Nicaea is true."
The silence that followed the confession was so total you could have heard a pin drop as Michael hesitated before pure grief entered his eyes as he continued.
"The account is true. The Lord Almighty is indeed dead. Kokabiel killed him after he used most of his power fighting the two Heavenly Dragons before sealing them away into Sacred Gears."
The cafeteria stilled further as everyone here, especially the exorcists, looked at Michael's face searching for a lie. Yet the truth was plain to see, and it made faces of despair bloom on all the exorcists save Mirana. Irina looked at Michael with a face full of pain and betrayal as tears came to her eyes. They started falling, and she was joined by the other Protestants, except for Dieter, who now looked depressed. Griselda and the Catholics became like zombies as their spirits broke, and they looked ready to faint. The Orthodox exorcists, especially Yuri, kept their shocked faces and looked at Mirana for guidance, yet she only closed her eyes, looking ashamed. Apparently, she had known the truth, too.
The silence continued for only a few more seconds before Irina started bawling as tears flowed down her face, hitting the ground. She began shaking and now knelt, weeping her heart out, and got ready to collapse before Dieter put a hand on her arm, preventing that.
Other than Azazel, the fallen took the revelation with heartbroken faces, too, though Bariqiel had a small, wrath-filled smile cross his face for a moment before it fell away to sadness. The devil guards meanwhile had looks of joy and glee on their faces before Ajuka glared at them, releasing some of his pressure into the room, making them sweat, losing their smug looks. Serafall and Faibium couldn't seem to form words while Sirzches looked at the scroll on the table again with no joy or pleasure on his face.
"So, it is true our Great Foe is truly gone. I wondered if this was true ever since I found the account. I discounted it because it came from among the Morningstar's levies yet…... This changes everything we know about the world."
The cafeteria fell into pure silence, other than Irina's weeping, as Michael sighed again. He looked at everyone, seeing their faces, before he continued in a mournful voice.
"Yes, it does, but so do the other results of that battle. The four Original Satans are also gone, replaced by you and the others. Father's murderer in Kokabiel is now gone, as are the billions of angels, fallen and devils, who all died in that war. We here are all survivors of The Great War in one way or another. The war we fought left scars that still linger on all of us."
The cafeteria again went dead silent, and now even Irina was trying to contain her sobs. My eyes were on the Archangel, wondering why he had admitted this, given how close Big G's system was to collapse. Michael looked at the exorcists in genuine pity, as did Azazel, before the strangest thing happened. Michael's face started to brighten.
"Yet it is the past. And despite the losses, we all have won something from the Great War that outweighs everything if we choose to accept it."
That made everyone, including me, look bewildered at Michael as a massive smile crossed his face, and Castiel joined him. Those ultra smiles stared at us as Michael looked at Sirzches, Serafall, Ajuka, and Fabium, then at Azazel, Peneume, Shemhazi, and Bariquel. Michael and Castiel continue smiling at us while the exorcists behind them are baffled, including a no longer weeping, hard Irina. All of them were looking at Michael with wide eyes, and Azazel frowned as he narrowed his violet eyes suspiciously.
"What do you mean we all won something? Considering your admission, Mic, in truth, we have all lost. Without Pops, you can't easily make more pure angels without laying with humans for a chance, but that is an almost guaranteed fall. Heaven is apparently in a slow grinding race as more of its population falls slowly but steadily. That will continue until Pop's system eventually fails when there aren't enough of you to maintain it. When it does, that means no more miracles for humans, gear for devils to collect or me to study, and that doesn't sound like a win for any of us at the end of it."
The exorcists, including Dieter, grew despondent again when they heard this, while Michael and Castiel continued to smile widely despite that statement. Everyone in the room, including me, didn't get this before the Archangel again nodded his head.
"What you say is true and will be our future if we in Heaven don't evolve now. We were so busy mourning the results of the battle that the world moved forward, yet we are now done mourning. For a miracle to end all miracles came to us, and by extension, all of you, in our time of greatest need. A miracle that will forever change all of us, should we, as I said, choose to accept it, and it could be all of our salvation."
Azazel narrowed his eyes even further at Michael, while all the Satans, including Sirzches, looked at Michael with such confusion as the fallen and devil guards looked at Michael like he had grown three more heads. The humans all looked at Michael with pure confusion on their faces when Michael suddenly looked directly at me with Castiel. This action got everyone else in the room to turn their heads my way as Michael smiled even wider.
"We have all won something far greater than the losses from the Great War and the Battle of. That something sits before us all in this young man."
The new sudden attention made me flinch only a tiny bit, and I got ready to open my mouth, only for Michael to continue.
"This young man is the key to a lasting peace between us. It is because of him that this peace talk, which we all once considered impossible, was made possible. It is through him that the three factions connect in many different and deep ways that can make eternal bonds if we let them. It will be in Gregor Astaroth that we and our world can now have a real chance to heal from the past and change for a better future. For here before us is a divine champion following the path the Harbinger once tread. It will be because of him that each of us now has a true chance to truly leave the shadows of the Great War along with the past of anger and hatred behind forever."
Everyone, especially me, glanced at Michael like he had grown eight heads and ten more wings. The Archangel took that in stride before gesturing towards the scroll and then me again.
"Yes, our Father the Lord Almighty is dead yet now in his place the Machine God lives. He who accepts each of our factions despite all our turbulent pasts. For in this new deity of flesh and steel is a shard of the old one reborn. A shard that will help us truly end this terrible war we all fought with a peace with honors for all rather than one of shame eternal. And with him and his champion here, we all will have a future where we will reach for the stars with wonder instead of in fear."
The room was dumbfounded and about to erupt into noise when Castiel, shaking in excitement throughout Michael's speech, finally extended his wings. His once snow white, wings were now gleaming silver, sparkling in the high afternoon sunlight shining through the window behind him onto the now ultra-dumbfounded and silent room.
A portal opened in the forest behind the school, and three people stepped out of it. Two of them, a magician and a devil, watched each other warily despite their contract bond before the third person with an Australian accent pointed at the building.
"This is where the stuff stolen from the outpost on Okinawa is, Avery. They didn't check for tracking spells on the crates. Don't believe me, try the spell."
The magician eyes his frown before making a quick spell circle. He pointed it at the school building, and the red circle suddenly turned blue. The confirmation put a wide grin on his face, barely visible under the hood's shadows, while Aj turned to the devil.
"This place is also where you will find the halfbreed your faction's after Galius."
Galius grunted at this still inferior human worm.
"This is a waste of my vastly more important time, and I will not have a filthy human…."
Aj quickly removed something from his robes and shoved it into the devil's hands. Galius got ready to snarl something for being touched by a bacterium when his brown eyes widened as he saw the picture. Then a bloodthirsty smile crossed his face as he looked at it and then the building with glee.
The magician then extended his hands and began to search for a ward stone, while a spell circle appeared in the devil's and the magician's right ears. They both said something to the circles, and within less than a minute, more portals opened behind them.