Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Snow fell lightly onto the ground, creating a thin white blanket as far as the eye could see. For a region such as this, in a place so close to the ice hell known as Siberia, this amount of snow is considered to be negligible. Yet, for him, this blanket oddly reminded him of home. A light blanket of snow outside the house while he curled up in a blanket by the window with a hot cup of cocoa.

He shivered as a cool, light icy breeze blew through, ruffling his dark blonde hair.

He had missed such days. He missed the swing between hot summers and cold winters. He wondered how his family in Japan was doing.

Moving to Italy to become a Priest had thrust him into warmer weather. Something he and his sweat glands never came to terms with.

However, he never minded.

It was a calling from God and he was more than happy to answer it.

"Father!"

"Hello, Father Noah."

Noah Kamiyo waved as the mother and son duo passed by the Church as he swept the steps of snow and leaves. He had been sent here by the Church temporarily to manage a local church here.

Ukraine had a small Roman Catholic population and he just so happened to be sent to a small village where it was the majority. He smiled softly. He never particularly minded the specifics of other religions. Perhaps he could call himself a product of his time. However, he could clearly recall the more older, hawkish members of the Church—both Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox.

He chuckled to himself as he remembered the frustration some of the Cardinals expressed at some of the non-Catholic branches. Noah guessed that even within the same faith, people could never agree on things. It was just human nature.

The product of humanity's original sin of wisdom.

"What are you thinking about?"

A pair of arms wrapped around him, filling him with warmth. A voice as sweet as sugar filled his ears and his heart skipped a few beats.

"Nothing, dear." Noah reached up and placed his hand over her hands.

If the Church had discovered that he had broken his vow of celibacy, he couldn't imagine what would happen. Yet, even then, he wouldn't trade her for anything.

"Aren't you cold, Lailah?" Noah asked.

Lailah pulled away. He turned to face her.

She truly was beautiful in his eyes. Dark violet hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her blue eyes, which complimented her pale skin, gave her an ethereal presence that was complimented by her habit. Her hair blew slightly in the breeze as she linked arms with him. He gulped, feeling her soft body against his. Two years, they had been married. Two years of unadulterated happiness and bliss. And now, the two had their own little sanctuary away from prying eyes. A sanctuary where they could keep their little bundle of joy safe.

"No, Angels don't get cold… much." She nuzzled against him. "Still, it is a little chilly."

"Want to go inside then? I can think of a few ways we can get warm," he said.

"Oh? That's a rather raunchy thing to say for a priest," she giggled.

"Well, I don't think the supposed angel should be one to talk-"

"Father! Father Noah! Sister Lailah!"

The two were snapped out of their own world when they heard a panicked voice approaching them at rapid speeds. A ragged man ran up to the steps. He was covered in ash and blood. Lailah immediately ran up to the man and began helping him to the stairs.

Noah ran inside to grab a first aid kit. He returned quickly, taking out some gauze and bandages.

"Yuri! What's going on? Why do you look like that?" Noah asked, taking a look at his wounds.

"M- Monster… Monster in the town!" Yuri gasped.

"Monster?" Lailah asked.

"A shadow! A living shadow! It's-"

An explosion happened in the distance. Lailah immediately went on edge. Sparks of light began to gather at her fingertips. Noah similarly became anxious.

"It's gonna kill us all!" Yuri covered his ears and rocked back and forth.

"No. It's not. Stay here. Laila and I will-"

"No, Noah. Go make sure our baby is safe. I'll go check out whatever it is," Lailah said, cutting him off.

"But Lailah-"

"I'll be fine. I'm an Angel, remember?" she winked.

She had said this before multiple times. Stray monsters and low class devils were of no issue to them. He was a Priest trained in Miracles and she was an Angel. However, something about this situation made him uneasy. An uncharacteristic fear had gripped his heart yet, he couldn't say anything to dissuade his confident wife. It was as if her charisma had just washed it all away.

"Be careful," Noah said.

"When have I never been?" Lailah smiled. A violet halo appeared above her head and three pairs of snow white wings appeared on her back. With one powerful beat, Noah watched as his wife took to the skies, leaving a trail of white feathers behind.

"A- Angel…!?" Yuri gasped.

Noah sighed. He had forgotten all about Yuri. He quickly appeared behind the man and chopped his neck, knocking him out. "Sorry, Yuri. But I can't have you remembering what you just saw." He placed his hand above his forehead and a yellow magic circle appeared.

A black pillar of light shot down from the Heavens, slamming into the town square. Noah looked up. A worried look was etched all over his face. "Lailah is using Leliel already…?," he whispered. "I need to get over there and help her!"

Lailah had no idea what to make of this monstrosity.

It was as Yuri had described it.

A living shadow.

Or that's what her mind conceptualized it as. In truth, she had no idea what she was looking at. Every part of it was a violation of her senses. A true abhorrence that could not be put into words. The world around it seemed to revile and reject its existence. Yet, even the world's resistance against it was futile.

The shadowy wisp looked up at her. In place of eyes, there were only two pits of violet light glowing eerily at what she could only describe to be its face.

Its stare unnerved her completely. She had been privy to battle. The Great War was the most tragic period in her life, after all. Yet, even that could not compare to the amount of anxiety she felt staring at this thing.

And then it happened.

The shadow smiled.

An almost crippling chill snaked its way down her spine. Her body reacted almost subconsciously.

Her eyes were wide in fear. Blood trickled down her cheek as she narrowly avoided its outstretched tendril.

In an instant, its arm had crossed the distance between them. It had almost skewered her if not for her enhanced senses.

This thing was dangerous. She needed to eliminate it immediately. Black and red light gathered within her hands. "Oh Lord, Oh Heaven, grant me the power to deliver justice upon this demon." The black and red light came to a crescendo above and she threw her arm down.

A dark pillar of light representing Heaven's judgement slammed down on the shadow.

All physical matter was obliterated in an instant and the town square was leveled in a single attack. The ground shook violently and the shockwaves damaged every building in town as it traveled out.

"...!?" her eyes widened in shock when the entity stood there unscathed. Its unnatural mocking smile remained on its face.

"What are you? A Devil? Some sort of local monster?" she wondered. This was Slavic Territory and since the current leader of her pantheon and the God of the Nav were close, she was more than familiar with the creatures of Slavic Myth. But she had never seen anything remotely close to this.

"Lailah!"

Her eyes widened when she heard Noah's voice. "N- Noah!? What are you doing here!? Get back to her!" she yelled.

"She's safe. I cast Divine Armor around the Church." Particles of golden light gathered around Noah's hand. "I won't let you fight this thing alone."

Lailah bit the bottom of her lip. She looked down at the shadow entity below her and clenched her jaw.

"I used Leliel on that thing and it's still alive," she said.

"Well, I guess we just have to hit it even harder." Noah said before reciting a Bible verse. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the Earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword."

He made a movement across the air, similar to drawing a sword from its sheath. A sword of pure light manifested in his hand, giving off particles of light that resembled something similar to Hebrew Text. The air around it crackled with untold divinity as if Noah had pulled a piece of Heaven down to Earth and shaped it into a blade.

The entity turned its gaze to Noah. It tilted its head slightly before its arm instantly stretched out to shred him.

Noah moved out of the way, slicing through the entity's shadow tendrils.

Its eyes widened when it felt its shadows disperse momentarily.

"Lailah!" Noah yelled as he darted at surprising speed toward the entity.

"Right! Oh Lord… Oh Heaven…" Lightning and hail began to gather around her. Flames flickered in between her hands. She threw her hands forward, throwing a barrage of lightning, ice, and fire at the entity.

Noah swung his Sword of the Gospel, unleashing a powerful wave of light.

The two attacks hit their mark. A thunderous explosion destroyed what remained of the town square. The fleeing residents, who had made it out of the village, turned back to their town to see a large mushroom cloud, filled with lightning, fire, and golden light.

Noah jumped back, scanning the smoke cloud for any sign of it.

Lailah hovered in the air next to him. Her body was tense and filled with trepidation. She gathered divine power in her hands, forming several black spears of light.

"Noah, I-"

Her words were cut off as a tendril made of black void-like matter pierced Noah's stomach.

Noah stumbled forward a little, blood spurting out of his mouth and wound. It took all of his strength for him to raise his arm. The pain was absolutely horrendous and made him want to give into the sweet embrace of death, yet he needed to make sure they were safe. With a painful motion, he took a step forward, spilling blood onto the pristine snow.

"N- Noah!" Lailah screamed.

"Get back!" he yelled, grabbing the tendril.

He looked back toward the billowing smoke and saw the shadow walk out. It had an extremely malevolent grin on its face. The violet pits it had for eyes stared back at them mockingly. It was enjoying this. It derived some sort of sick twisted pleasure from their pain and despair.

His body was in complete agony. This thing had struck a lethal area. However, he needed to buy her time. It was all he could do in this moment.

"Lailah, go," Noah urged. He coughed up blood, sending it onto the thing's tendril and the snow below.

"N- No! I won't leave-" Her choked sobs were interrupted by Noah's words.

"Go! Go to our daughter! Go run!" Noah said as he tightened his grip around the tendril. He raised the Sword with his other hand and managed to slice through it. He jumped back, gripping his bleeding gut.

"No, Noah, please… don't leave me…," Lailah begged. Tears streamed down her face as her lover stood before her, barring the path of this unknowable being of shadow.

"Lailah, live. For our daughter. For me." Noah looked over his shoulder and gave his wife a bloody smile. "Now go!"

Noah swiped his arm, erecting a massive dome of light that encapsulated him and the shadow entity. Lailah slammed her fist against the light to no avail. She clenched her fists tightly until blood leaked from her palms.

She took one last look at her lover before spreading her wings and flying off in the direction of the church.

Her wings flapped strongly, increasing her speed. The harsh cold wind of Ukraine was nothing more than an afterthought as she landed at the church. She would not let Noah die in vain. She would live. She and their daughter both.

Lailah hastily made her way to their shared quarters. Luckily, they were the sole residents of the Church so no one was there to question their choices. As she ran toward it, her eyes briefly flickered to the crucifix on the walls.

The faces of the savior that they had sent to humanity was beginning to distort. An unholy grin filled with alien malice unbeknownst even to the most vile gods. Blood leaked from the crucifix's eyes.

She looked away as she focused on making her way to her and Noah's room. Lailah had abandoned all pretenses of etiquette and broke down the door. The sound of an infant crying could be heard from the crib next to their bed.

Lailah's face softened. She hastily made her way over and gently scooped her infant daughter up. Her daughter cried out. Lailah's heart broke a little at the sight. "Shhh, it's okay my lovely little star. Mommy's here…," she cooed. The ground shook violently beneath them and the church began to crumble.

The religious paraphernalia in their room ranging from the image of Mary the Mother and a portrait of Yeshua the Savior began to take on hideous twisted forms. Mocking twisted smiles and a distorted cacophony of laughter came from the portraits.

Lailah narrowed her eyes and shielded her daughter from their maddening stares. She raised her palm and blasted a hole through the wall.

However, as she was about to escape, a sharp pain stabbed through her. Her eyes widened as she nearly doubled over. Her eyes caught sight of blood trickling down her clothes and staining the floor. Lailah turned her head fearfully to see the world behind her being distorted by a spreading, dark atmosphere that had subsumed the entire church.

The world around her was dissolving, resembling a mixture of colors and textures as if someone had splashed water over a painting. The religious paintings around her had long since lost any semblance of what they once wore, being a horrific mix of colors that shouldn't exist in any way, shape, or form.

And the source of it all stood a little ways past the doorway. The shadowy entity. Its form was less of a wisp and more of a man now. Its build was similar to…

"Noah…," she whispered in horror.

The entity tilted its head and that same twisted smile appeared on its face. Its violet glowing pits for eyes bore holes through her sole as it lifted its hand and pointed at her.

"Sophia…" The word escaped its mouthless face. Its voice was grating to the ear like nails on a chalkboard and had a sound texture resembling tv static.

Her wings spread as she held her hand up.

"Oh Lord, Oh Heaven, grant me the power…" she chanted. White light and lightning gathered into her palm. She pointed it at the shadow and fired.

A sonorous blast ripped through the winter air as the entire front of the Church along with several buildings were torn apart by the ensuing explosion.

In the midst of the chaos, Lailah took her chance and flew away from the Church. She needed to get somewhere so she could teleport away from this nightmare.

As she flew, however, something ripped through the air and tore two of her wings clean off her back. The cut was so instantaneous that it almost felt painless. She plummeted to the ground. "No…!" she cast a golden barrier around her arms as her body struck the hard earth violently.

A groan escaped her lips as Lailah shakily propped herself up. Her infant daughter bawled within the barrier. Her own tears dripped on the barrier and she placed her hand on it.

"Baby… Mommy loves you very much. You must live, my little star," she said, kissing the sphere. Moving quickly before the entity could arrive, Lailah noticed she had crashed into a barn. She hobbled over, wincing with each step, to a manger. She wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. Placing her infant down in it, Lailah telekinetically moved some hay and placed it over her daughter, covering her just enough to not be seen.

"I love you," she whispered. Tears poured freely down her face as she quickly turned to face it. She silently chanted a verse and several cuboids rotated around the child, concealing it in a multi-layered barrier of light.

As if on cue, the shadow burst through the barn door. Splinters flew everywhere as it walked in, bringing with it the blackness that was now consuming the Earth and the skies.

Despite her injuries, Lailah stood her ground. Her eyes filled with resolute determination. She had gladly accepted death if it meant her daughter would survive.

"It ends here," Lailah said.

"Sophia…" the entity rasped.

"There is no Sophia here. But I won't let you go. You killed my friends… my husband," she choked out. "I won't let you claim my child."

"Sophia…"

Its body twitched before it sprung from its spot and lunged at her.

Dark light gathered around Lailah and morphed into two lances made of light. She rushed to meet this horrific being head on.

However, like her lover before her, her efforts were for naught. For all her adrenaline, the gathering of holy power into her body, she had inflicted barely anything upon it.

Lailah coughed as she fell to one knee, glaring at the shadowy being. Its mocking violet eyes looked down at her without a shred of emotion. Its arm shifted into a massive blade and it raised its arm into the air.

"Not… yet…," Lailah rasped. She raised and closed her fist.

In an instant, black light gathered around the shadowy entity. Gravity increased and condensed to a singular point. Supergravity that tore apart space and time around it. The light within the room had been sucked into it as a black sphere expanded and consumed it.

"[Virtual Black Hole]!" Lailah chanted as she kept her grip on the entity tight.

The sphere began to eradicate and suck on all matter around it, devouring the space it occupied.

Lailah kept her grip tight. However, a wave of violet light sliced through the black hole. The dark sphere was sliced apart. Lailah gasped as the light wave sliced into her, severing her arm and the remaining wings on her left side.

The black hole was dispersed and the entity stood there unscathed. The space where the black hole once occupied was a swirling mass of iridescent colors. It walked up to her and raised its hand above her head.

"I won't die in vain," she growled.

The entity paused for a few seconds before ultimately bringing its bladed arm down upon her. Blood sprayed across the barn as Lailah's body slowly split in half down the middle. The wet sound of meat being torn was the only sound aside from the bawling of an infant that echoed through the barn.

"Sophia…," the entity muttered. It turned and walked toward the crying infant. It looked down at the infant. For the first time, an emotion flashed across its face. Hatred. Enmity. Loathing. All of them passed through its eyes simultaneously. "Sophia… do you feel like a hero yet?"

Its arm morphed into fearsome serrated claws. It raised its arm and thrust it at the infant.

However, as if knowing it was in danger, the infant bawled even louder. And, in that instant, a flash of iridescent light consumed everything.

It was a disturbance that had shaken them all to their core. They hadn't felt a great unease like this since their Father died in the Great War. Her older brother had insisted on taking an army and marching on the town, yet she knew better than to provoke the Gods that ruled there. As powerful as they were, provoking a war would only expose their weakness. She sighed as the wind whipped against her face. It had been centuries since she felt this uneasy; she had almost forgotten how it felt like.

However, as she gazed upon a barren crater that spanned into the distance, a chill ran down her spine. The cold, biting air of the Ukrainian winter blew her golden blonde hair. Her blue eyes flicked across the desolate wasteland where there used to be a town, along with a dense forest. Her black dress billowed in the winter wind as she descended to the ground.

"If I recall, Michael said that there was a church in this town," she said to herself as she began to walk toward the crater's center.

[Uriel.] A magic circle appeared by her ear.

"Michael," Uriel said as she scanned the crater.

[Anything?] her brother asked.

"No. Just… a crater. It's about the size of New York City, I think," Uriel said, eyeing the edge of the crater.

She continued to walk. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft winter winds and the crunching of dirt beneath her boots. Uriel couldn't shake this feeling of impending danger. Scarlet red flames licked the earth as a greatsword formed in her hands. The sword's glowing red blade sent tongues of fire scattering everywhere, scorching what remained unburnt from the ensuing blast that created this massive hole in the Earth.

"Strange," Uriel mumbled. "What could have happened here?"

Her question was answered by the sound of an infant bawling. Her eyes widened as she rushed over to the source of the cries.

"What… is that?" she asked as she approached the source of the cries. At the center of the crater sat a golden barrier inscribed with faint Hebrew characters. Before the spherical barrier was a sludge-like shadowy entity that crawled toward the child.

Uriel slowly walked over to it. Her presence was preceded by the overwhelming divinity that flowed from her. Her aura had completely swallowed the crater and even the area beyond. If the entity had to guess, her divine power had swallowed the entire region where this country was located.

The entity appeared to have sensed her presence and it recoiled almost immediately at her presence. "Ascendant… you feel like… an Ascendant," it said. Its violet eyes gazed at her warily.

"I assume you were responsible for this," Uriel said as she leveled her blade at the monstrous creature.

"Ascendant… Sophia…," the entity said as it tried to reconstitute its form.

"Sophia?" Uriel raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunately, I don't know anyone by the name of Sophia. But… since you managed to massacre an entire town under the jurisdiction of Heaven, I'll ask you for a favor."

The entity stared at her warily.

"Please… die~!"

The entity sprung at her, intent on devouring her.

Uriel stood calmly as she raised her blade. Her feet spread slightly apart as flame swirled around her. The entity's shadowy form flickered as it came barreling toward her, as if whatever source her flames stemmed from was something abhorrent to the malevolent beast. She thrust her sword forward.

The entity was too late to avoid it. The sword's growing red blade pierced its skull, jutting out at the other end. The entity spasmed for a few seconds before its arms gripped the sword tightly in an attempt to pull it out.

"It's no use. These flames embody a fragment of the power that brought forth the world's Genesis. The fires of Creation that forged the world shall burn you apart here and now," Uriel said coldly. She twisted her grip on the handle of her sword slightly as a torrent of flames surged through the creature, incinerating it and the land behind it for miles. It created a searing line visible from space.

As the entity weakly reached out to her and faded, it spoke.

"This is… not the end… Sophia… this world will fall like all others…"

Uriel stood there, staring at the space where the entity once was. Its words. They were haunting to say the least but right now, it was the least of her worries. Uriel lowered her sword and turned to the spherical barrier that lay before her.

Inside of it, a child no older than at most several months to almost a year, bawled. She cried, seeking the comfort of her mother. A mother that Uriel deduced must have erected the barrier. She placed her hand against the barrier.

"A Miracle," she muttered. With a flick of her finger, the barrier broke apart. Without the muffling of the barrier, the infant's cries now came in full force, shattering the semi-silence of the deathly winter sky.

Uriel gently scooped the infant in her arms, swaddling it in its semi-tattered pink blanket. She cooed and rocked her slowly in her arms.

"Shh, it's okay. Hmmm, hmm, hmmm~," Uriel hummed.

As soon as she did, the baby's cries died down and now, Uriel found herself staring into a pair of violet-black eyes. The baby whimpered slightly, clearly not recognizing her. Uriel smiled warmly and brushed some ash off the baby's forehead.

"You're the sole survivor of this place, little one," Uriel said. "Let's see…"

Uriel held the baby gently in her arms until she felt something protruding at the back of the swaddle. "Eh?"

She gently supported the baby's head and felt around the back, slipping a finger inside the swaddle. She felt something soft and fuzzy. It felt almost like…

"Down? Wait… a human baby with down? No… wait, this isn't a…" And that's when she felt it. Divine power.

"A nephilim… but that's impossible. The System doesn't allow us to procreate as easily now that Father is gone, unless..." Uriel telekinetically held the baby in the air. The baby let out a joyful squeal as if she had experienced this before. Uriel turned her around. She undid the swaddle and was met with a small pair of wings, covered in snow white down.

"N- No way…," she said. "A Miracle Child?"

[Uriel, come in.] The magic circle reappeared. It was a different voice from Michael.

"I'm busy," Uriel replied, pulling the baby back into her arms.

[Well, did you find anything?] a male voice asked.

"No. Just a shadow being. But I need you to gather everyone. This sensation, it's similar to the Beast of Entropy from 500 years ago," Uriel said as she poked the baby's cheek, causing the child to laugh happily and grab her finger.

A feeling of warmth swelled within the Archangel's chest as she held the child close.

[Hah? You're giving me orders now?]

"Onii-sama…"

She heard the man sigh. [Fine. Only because of what you said. When are you coming back?]

"Not right now. There's something I need to take care of," she replied.

[What? Where are you-]

"I'm heading to a local store. There's something I need to do there," Uriel said.

[What? What could you possibly need at a general store?]

Uriel smiled fondly as the baby tugged on her hair. "Well, brother, children need lots of care, especially babies."

[What? Babies? What in Father's name are you talking about, Uriel?] the man said.

"Let's just say we have a surprise guest," Uriel said as she dangled a feather above the happily squealing child.

[Alright. I'll have Sandalphon gather the other Seraphs.] The man said before cutting off the connection.

Uriel sighed, however, the sound of the baby's curious yet cheerful babble calmed her. She smiled and poked the baby's squishy cheek delicately. "Come on, little star. Let's go see if we can find your mommy or daddy."

The crater was suddenly filled with a flash of brilliant red light. The light died down, leaving the crater completely devoid of any life. The only thing that remained of Uriel's presence was the sound of a calming, harmonious tune and a patch of white flowers, growing amidst a ruined landscape.

Chapter Text

Heaven was a paradise that held a numerous number of depictions. A box in the sky. A paradise. A true Eden. An isle of clouds that led to halls of lapis lazuli. These depictions did Heaven no justice whatsoever. Heaven was a place among the clouds. A realm that existed apart from the Earth yet still retained its orbit within Earth's dimensional space. It was split into Seven Heavens and guarded by a large golden gate surrounded by a powerful barrier that could incinerate even Ultimate Class Devils.

To the eyes of the souls that earned their Blessed Sleep to the Angels that frequented and lived here, the entirety of Heaven could be described as a massive nebula, far larger than the Earth itself, containing a multitude of colors and iridescent twinkling spheres that glittered like stars.

Its ethereal appearance left all that gazed upon in shock and awe, something Uriel would never tire of.

She appeared in a burst of flames and red light at the Gates, startling the Angels set to guard it. They bowed in deep reverence to the Archangel as she passed through the gates.

"L-Lady Uriel, the other Seraphs and Archangels are gathered within Araboth," one of the Angels said.

Uriel nodded, not even hearing what was said. She was too focused on the little star swaddled in her arms. "Thank you," she said absentmindedly.

The Angels saluted her as she walked past them.

The child cried happily and grabbed Uriel's hair.

"Wait…? It looked like Lady Uriel was carrying a—"

"A baby?"

The two angels exchanged glances before turning around to see Uriel was carrying a large bag of human groceries with her while balancing something else in her arms. And the last thing they saw before Uriel dispersed in a torrent of red flames was the chubby arm of an infant waving.

Araboth was the highest level of Heaven, serving as the core of all things that were Holy in the world. A large tower stood, towering into the endless cosmic sky, emitting a bright blue light that trailed off into shimmering iridescent auroras. Streams of indecipherable symbols raced up the tower as bluish-white lights. Ten golden nodes orbited the tower like Moons traveling across the night sky. The nodes traveled in concentric circles which spanned the entirety of the endless starry sky. Each star etched into the fabric of space shimmered as the Tower pulsed and released streams of blue light across the glimmering tapestry of stars.

Uriel appeared on one of the islands that surrounded the massive pillar. The child in her arms cooed and reached for the bright tower in the distance. She smiled softly as she allowed the child to see.

"See this, little star. That is the Sephirot. The Holy System that supports Heaven and allows for Miracles and protects from creatures of Darkness. There are other things that it controls but you'll have to wait until you're older," Uriel said in a gentle manner.

"Abababa! Awa?" the baby babbled as she grabbed the strap of Uriel's dress.

"Come now. Let's meet the other Angels, okay?" Uriel said as she walked forward.

"Gyaaah!" the baby squealed happily as Uriel kept walking. Her stubby arms reached for the sparkling lights that floated past her. One of the starry specks landed on her nose, causing her to sneeze.

Uriel resisted the urge to hug the life out of the baby. The infant was just too adorable in her eyes. She cleared her throat, attempting to compose herself. Her blue-green eyes flicked over to a group of people standing at the edge of the island.

You are an Archangel. The Archangel of Annhilation. Come on, you are…

Uriel looked down as the baby in her arms yawned.

"So cute…"

"Ah. Uri, you're here," a ditzy voice called out to her.

Uriel looked up to see a blonde angel with twelve wings and a white dress staring at her. The woman bounded over to her, causing her very large breasts to jiggle and bounce with each step. Uriel's eyes wandered over to the other Seraphs, some of whom were looking away while blushing.

"Elder Sister Gabriel," Uriel said as she took a step back.

Gabriel stopped in front of Uriel, brushing her curly hair aside. She smiled serenely as she laid eyes on Uriel. An airheaded smile appeared on Gabriel's lips but Uriel knew better than to trust it. Gabriel was extremely cunning. That smile was a pretense. How the Satan Leviathan never realized that was beyond her.

"Bababaaa!"

"Hmm?" Gabriel blinked when she saw the bundle swaddled in Uriel's arms. "By Father's name is that a—"

"Can we talk about this later, Onee-sama? I have to—"

"Bwaaaaah!" the baby in Uriel's arms began to cry. Uriel jumped, startled that such a small thing could make such a loud noise.

"Shh, shh. Come on now. Don't cry, ummm," Uriel fussed as she tried to rock the baby to sleep in her arms. She hummed, trying to emulate what human mothers did to their children when they began to cry but the baby continued crying.

Her crying eventually elicited the attention of the other Seraphim as they began coming over.

"What the hell? Did Uriel bring a baby here?" A male silver-haired Seraph walked up to them. He was dressed in a silver and blue, long-sleeved tail coat. He had a blue scarf around his head and a golden halo above his head. His golden eyes gazed upon the child, inspecting it as she cried.

"Watch your words in front of the child, Metatron," Uriel said in a low and menacing tone.

Metatron raised his hands in self-defense.

"Ahhh, a baby~!" Another seraph, this time, a female with silvery-blue hair, walked over. She wore a white and violet dress with a white bracelet containing a star inside of it and heels. Her blue eyes lit up at the sight of the baby. She walked over, making silly faces at the child.

"Truly. Is she not cute, Sandalphon?" Gabriel agreed as the two female Seraphs tried to calm the child down.

"I see you came home with a souvenir, Uriel."

Uriel looked up to see her oldest brother walking toward them. He was a tall man with long blonde hair and green eyes, dressed in red robes decorated by a large cross. There were two large, golden pauldrons on his shoulder. His twelve golden wings left a small trail of golden feathers in its wake.

"Michael-oniisama," Uriel said respectfully.

Michael smiled kindly at the child. His eyes flickered down to the small white down poking out of the blanket. "And a Miracle Child nonetheless."

Gabriel's eyes lit up as she stared at the baby in wonder. "A Miracle Child? We haven't had Nephilim in a while, especially one born from an Angel. The Grigori seems to have more Nephilim than we do nowadays."

"Well, we cannot reproduce without the risk of falling. Fallen Angels have no such limit," Uriel said.

"No wonder, they're all such horny bastards— Ow! What the—!?" Metatron felt someone strike him in the back of the head and turned to see Sandalphon glaring at him.

"Brother, don't say such bad words in front of a baby!" Sandalphon chastised.

Metatron rolled his eyes as he rubbed the back of his head. "We're waiting for two more. Raphael and Helel aren't here yet," Metatron said.

"Oneesama is inside the Ein Sof running diagnostics on the Sephirot," Michael said.

"And Raphael-oniisama?" Uriel asked.

"Here."

Uriel yelped and looked over her shoulder to see the man walking in silently. He ran his mechanical hand through his short brown hair as he walked by. The slight breeze created by the massive tower in the distance caused his white coat to billow slightly. The tassels whipped and brushed against his arm.

"Mmm? Uriel, did you have a child?" Raphael asked. His indifferent face betrayed no emotion whatsoever.

Sandalphon suppressed her laughter while Metatron cackled.

Uriel sputtered and blushed at his words. However, the baby in Uriel's arms cried even louder.

"BWAAAAHHHHH!"

Raphael scratched his cheek as he walked over to them. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he inspected the child. His nose crinkled up as he took a smell.

"Well, Raphael, is she okay?" Sandalphon asked.

"She needs to be changed," Raphael said.

As soon as he said it, the other Angels save for Michael immediately took five steps away from Uriel.

Uriel sighed in annoyance as she used telekinesis to levitate the child. "Do any of you how to change a diaper?"

"Ara, you're all lively," a melodious voice echoed through Araboth. Uriel looked up to see a flash of black light appear next to Michael. A woman with snow-white hair and blue eyes walked out. She was dressed in a white coat over black eastern-style top with black leggings with openings at her thighs and black boots.

"Helel-oneesama," Uriel said gratefully. "You have children. Do you know how to change diapers?"

"Eh? Children? What are you…" Helel's eyes trailed down to the bawling infant in Uriel's arms. "Uriel… Give me a minute."

Helel snapped and all the baby supplies Uriel had bought flew into her hand. After a few minutes, Helel disposed of the waste, changed the diapers, and handed the child back to Uriel.

Uriel gently cradled the baby in her arms, who calmed down and began babbling happily at her.

"I assume this child was the only survivor?" Helel asked.

Uriel stiffened before nodding.

"Then let's begin the meeting. We don't have time to waste," Helel said as she walked past Michael.

The stars within Araboth's sky shimmered brightly as they projected a large, real-time image of the Earth and the Moon. The projected simulation floated in the air beyond the island's edge. Various lights glittered on the holographic planet as it lazily spun before them, representing the different people who believed in the faith. Some of the lights were highly concentrated in certain countries or areas across the globe such as the Vatican or the Middle East. Some of the lights let out a different shine, ranging from gold to red.

Helel waved her hand, causing the globe to spin before fixating on a single spot with a large red dot.

"I assume this meeting has to do with that distress signal and massive power surge we detected in Ukraine," Metatron said, stroking his chin.

Helel nodded before turning to face them. Her blue eyes held an air of worry within them.

"At approximately 2000 hours in Ukraine, we detected a large surge of power in this town. Two of them to be precise. One of them was only detected after the System recalibrated itself for the disturbance and the other was a brief blip," Helel said.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "That town had a single angel stationed to it along with a priest. At first, I thought another mythological pantheon was staging an attack on us but that doesn't seem to be the case."

"How sure can you be that it wasn't?" Raphael asked.

"The Sephirot is coded to detect fluctuations of energy, including that of Gods. What it detected was… completely unknown, even to it. The closest thing it could cross-reference is the Seed of Entropy," she said.

Hushed whispers erupted among the Archangels at Helel's words.

As if she sensed the tension, the baby whimpered in Uriel's arms.

Uriel smiled gently before letting the infant grab her finger.

It seemed to do the trick as the baby smiled happily.

"Of course, shortly after the town was destroyed… according to Uriel's reports when she got there," Helel said, glancing at her younger sister.

Uriel nodded gravely. Her eyes darkened as she remembered the sight of the thing. The devastation it had wrought. An entire patch of land had been completely erased from the Earth and left no trace behind. There was nothing, not even a single brick left. And the only evidence that the town had once existed was the infant giggling in her arms.

"Yes. The town was completely obliterated by the time I got there. I estimate that the town was only a small portion of the area. The actual crater… I estimate it to be around the size of New York City," Uriel said.

"New… York City?" Metatron said in a hushed tone.

Uriel nodded. "The thing that was there… I think it was the one responsible for destroying it. But I didn't recognize it at all. It wasn't a thing from any of the other mythological factions. It looked like… I don't even know how to begin describing it. It felt and looked like a living shadow but there were so many things wrong with it. Every time I stared at it, I felt like my mind was rejecting the very idea of it."

"A living shadow? Perhaps it's something that the Underworld has been working on. Something that we don't know?" Raphael suggested.

"You're quick to make accusations but considering the fact that the Devils have someone the likes of Ajuka Beelzebub, I find that to be within the realm of possibility," Metatron said.

"No, it's not," Uriel said. "I didn't feel an ounce of demonic power from it."

"Then what about Azazel? He's been experimenting for a long time. And the Grigori is basically a research faction," Sandalphon said. "Perhaps he's found some way to create a living weapon? One that doesn't operate on demonic or holy power."

"That would be plausible if Azazel was hellbent on starting another Great War. Remember, Azazel retreated first out of any of us," Michael said, rubbing his chin.

"What if it's… Yam?" Raphael suggested.

The other Archangels stiffened at the mention of the name.

Yam. The name of the Canaanite Goddess of the Abyss and the Deep. An ancient foe from when their Father was once one with the Canaanite Gods. Memories of him from a time they had long since forgotten resurface. Memories of a time when a war far worse than the Great War was being fought.

Michael's eyes narrowed at the very thought of the thing. "That's impossible. Yam was sealed at the bottom of the Red Sea. What would Yam be doing in Ukraine of all things? And the System detected power whose wavelength was similar to The Beast, not Yam. Yam's power would be reflected as Divine, no?"

"It's a mere possibility, Brother," Raphael said. "Do not forget how dangerous Yam was during those times. Her wrath nearly destroyed us, the Egyptian Gods, and the other Gods of the Near East."

The other Archangels chimed in, their voices intermixing and trying to speak over one another. The rising voices and clamor caused the baby in Uriel's arms to whimper in fear at the sound. Sensing the infant's discomfort, Uriel immediately went to try and comfort her. She glanced at her eldest sister, who had her eyes closed in deep thought.

Helel raised her hand, releasing a wave of divine energy that stunned the other Archangels into silence. "Regardless of who or what it may be, I believe we must continue to monitor the situation. Uriel, you said that you were able to kill it?" Helel opened her eyes and looked at her younger sister.

"I was. But before it died, it mentioned something," Uriel said as she rocked the baby in her arms to sleep.

"What did it say?" Gabriel asked.

"Someone named Sophia. I assume that's what it was after. Why else would it go so far as to level an entire town?" Uriel said.

Helel's eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. She crossed her arms and turned back to the holographic globe. With a flick of her wrist, the globe disappeared and a large screen appeared in its place. Helel's eyes searched the vast quantities of information that flew across the screen at incomprehensible speeds. After a few seconds, the screen vanished and Helel let out a sigh.

"The System shows multiple records of people named Sophia that have been members of the Church. I'll have to investigate their records at my own time," Helel said.

"You really think someone named Sophia is what this thing was after?" Raphael asked.

"It's a start, at least, Raphael," Michael said.

"For now, I'll look into this. Michael, Sandalphon, I want you two to begin overlooking the training for the Exorcists and to begin tracking down potential Sacred Gear wielders to bring to our side. Raphael, I want you and the science division to begin drumming up a way to increase our numbers. Even with me at the helm, our natural lifespan and several encodings within the System, we are still at a disadvantage numbers-wise and with this new threat, we need to shore up our defenses," Helel said.

Michael, Sandalphon, and Raphael nodded.

"And what of the child?" Metatron asked.

Uriel stiffened. Her hold on the baby tightened slightly, holding her protectively against her chest. She shot Metatron a sharp look, causing her fellow Archangel to raise his hands in defense and take a slight step back.

"What about her?" Uriel growled.

"No offense, Uri, but you can't seriously be thinking of raising her here," Metatron said.

"And if I am?"

Metatron looked to his siblings for support. Some of them looked away while others like Sandalphon shook her head.

"What about her, Metatron?" Uriel asked.

"Heaven is no place to raise a child, Uriel," Raphael said.

Uriel's eyes narrowed in anger as she turned to face Raphael. "So you just want me to abandon her? She's a baby for God's sake!"

"Even if she is a Miracle Child, Uriel, we cannot guarantee she'll remain stable within Heaven. Her human half introduces a whole slew of factors to raising a child in an environment that's rich with holy energy," Raphael argued.

Flames erupted around Uriel, causing the other Seraphim to back away. The five other Archangels watched calmly as the confrontation between the two unfolded. Her green eyes glowed with molten fury and her twelve wings spread from her back.

Raphael calmly stared her down as a wave of intense heat washed over him.

"Are you so heartless that you'd be willing to let an infant fend for herself out there on Earth where she'd become an instant target for the Devils, Fallen Angels, or the other mythologies!?" Uriel snarled.

Raphael rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Let me finish."

Uriel raised an eyebrow. She held the baby in her arms protectively, ready to fight Raphael if he so much as tried something.

Seeing the distrustful look in his sister's eyes, Raphael coughed into his hand. "I never said you had to abandon her. How about we raise her in one of our institutes down on Earth? I know a fairly secluded one in Europe that functions as an orphanage where she can live peacefully."

The flames around Uriel subsided as she took in Raphael's words.

"Oh, I know that one. The director there is preparing to retire. How about we have Uriel run it in her place?" Sandalphon suggested.

"What? Are you insane?" Metatron raised an eyebrow. "Uriel is the commander of our forces. Are you all really going to let her go just because she wants to play house?"

Some of the other Seraphs chorused their agreement to Metatron's claim.

Uriel's glare switched over to Metatron, who raised his hands in defense.

"Again, I'm just saying, Sister. You have immense responsibilities that outweigh the wellbeing of a single child," he said. "Helel-oneesama, say something."

Helel closed her eyes. Her silence only made Uriel's anxiety grow with each passing moment. After a few minutes of tense silence, Helel opened her eyes, her blue gaze directed at her younger sister.

"You may go down there and raise the child," Helel said.

Uriel's eyes widened at her older sister's decision. A wide smile broke across her face and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

"However."

Uriel's smile faltered briefly at the sound of her older sister's voice.

"I trust you to not shirk your duties. On days where you find yourself unable to come, I suggest having someone look after her in your stead," Helel said.

"And… if I really can't come?" Uriel asked.

"Then find a Seraph to cover for you for the time being," Helel said.

Uriel looked down at the baby in her arms. The baby babbled in her arms, looking around curiously at the other Seraphim. She smiled and looked back up at her older sister, nodding in response. "I will."

"Good. Unless anyone has anything pressing to bring up, this meeting is adjourned," Helel said.

With her dismissal, the other Seraphim began to leave Araboth until only Helel, Sandalphon, Michael, and Uriel were left.

As Uriel turned to leave, Sandalphon called out to her. "Did you name her yet?"

"Huh?" Uriel turned around to see Helel and Sandalphon eyeing her expectantly.

"Name her? I assume she already has a name since she had parents," Uriel said.

"Yes, but do you know her name?" Helel asked.

"N- No. I can always scour her mind, right?" Uriel said.

"Uriel, I advise against that. The minds of children, especially infants, suffer the worst side-effects from mental magic," Michael siad.

Helel crossed her arms, her serious demeanor having vanished with the end of the meeting. "So, why not name her yourself?"

"I… I'm not her mother," Uriel said.

Helel sighed and walked over to her. She placed a hand on Uriel's shoulder.

"Uriel, you are all this child has. You said so yourself that you refuse to abandon her. I understand that becoming a parent is a terrifying prospect but right now, this child needs you more than ever," Helel said.

Uriel glanced down at the baby, who babbled happily at her. Her heart melted and she smiled fondly at her ward. "I… Sorry, it's just that I felt like I was robbing her of something by giving her a different name."

"You aren't. You're giving her a new life. Her parents would be happy to know their child is safe," Michael said.

Uriel nodded as she began to think of a name.

"Lucia," Uriel said.

"Lucia?" Sandalphon repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"What? I like it," Uriel said defensively. "It means 'Light'. I'm sure she'll be a bright child as she gets older."

Helel smiled at her words. "Well, if she's going to be your child, I have no doubt she'll be a bright soul."

6 years later

A cool breeze swept through the area, causing the rich green of the mountain meadow to rustle. The Church had many facilities across different places in the world yet only a few were located in a secluded paradise such as this one. And of the institutions that the Church ran, this one was one of the few that was fairly normal by the standards of the Christian Church, though it still served to produce the next best exorcists. It used to be a colder place before the administration changed hands. The previous administrator was an efficient yet cold man. The leaders of Heaven trusted him, however, he retired and made way for a new overseer. As a front, it was a quaint little orphanage run by the current Head Matron, Auriel Reid.

The laughter of a child ripped through the almost quiet, peaceful atmosphere of the orphanage.

"My Lady! Please! Slow down! I can't fly!" A silver-haired young woman yelled as she tried to run after a black blur that flew down the hallways.

The little girl glanced over her shoulder as she flew down the hallways at rapid speeds, determined to outrun the teen chasing her.

She darted past the other occupants, nuns and priests that came and went.

"My my, this is an unusual sight. Miss Lucia usually isn't like this."

"Lady Uriel must be back from her meeting in Heaven."

"I feel bad for Griselda, though."

Lucia giggled as she rounded the corner. She glanced over her shoulder to see Griselda still hot on her tail, panting all the while.

"My Lady! Please! I… How do you have this much energy!" Griselda wheezed as she maintained her pace. "Please, Miss Lucia!"

"But Mama is back! She promised to begin my training as soon as she got back!" Lucia exclaimed as she flapped her wings harder. She darted down the hallway in midair, sticking her tongue out at Griselda. However, she failed to see what was ahead of her. With a soft oomph, Lucia hit something, causing her to fall mid-flight.

Before she could hit the ground, a pair of arms caught her. Lucia opened her eyes to see her mother's stern green eyes staring back at her.

"H-Hey, Mama," Lucia said sheepishly.

"L-Lady Uriel!" Griselda slowed to a stop, taking in large quantities of air. The 18-year old placed her hands on her knees as she panted. "I… I don't know why she…" she heaved. "Miss Lucia usually doesn't act this way."

Uriel sighed as she held Lucia in her arms. She smiled warmly at Griselda. "She's a child, Griselda. I was worried that she might be a bit too mature for her age but it's nice to see her still acting her age."

She set Lucia down, who stood next to her mother with a now calm expression on her face.

Griselda's breathing slowed down as she stood up straight.

"Thank you for looking after her, Griselda. I know a young exorcist such as yourself has other duties," Uriel said.

"N-No, Ma'am! It's an honor to be selected as the protector of a Miracle Child," Griselda stammered.

Uriel nodded. "Come on, Lucia. Let's go."

"Yes, Mama," Lucia said as she followed Uriel.

Griselda watched as the mother-daughter duo walked off down the hallway, relieved that she would be getting a break for the time Uriel was here at the institute. She smiled as she listened to the two banter back and forth.

"Mama, are you going to train me now? You promised," Lucia said.

"Of course, when have I ever broken a promise to you?" Uriel asked as she held her daughter's hand.

Griselda smiled.

Perhaps it was the changing of seasons, however, for some reason, the orphanage felt warmer than it used to.

Chapter Text

Uriel stood in the middle of a small clearing with her arms crossed. Her eyes were closed as she listened to her surroundings. The sound of a creek rushing nearby where fish occasionally broke the surface of the water caught her ears. The noise of a bird chirping as it flapped its wings to take off and soar through the fresh air of the Alps. She also heard the sounds of wolves howling in the distance.

Her lips curved into a small smile when she heard a small huff of effort and the sound of small wings beating.

Lucia dashed past her and leaped into the air, using her wings to keep herself aloft as she zipped from branch to branch.

The young girl landed on a rock before launching herself into the air once more. She dashed past her mother and landed on a tree branch, eyeing her mother carefully. With one push, she jumped and began running toward her mother.

Uriel opened her eyes and extended her leg to kick her daughter.

Lucia's eyes widened as she grabbed onto her mother's leg, using it as a bar to flip over. She jumped into the air to kick her mother in the face.

Uriel's eyes widened slightly in surprise. She smirked before smacking Lucia away, sending her crashing into a large rock. The rock exploded, sending dust everywhere.

Lucia sat up, rubbing the back of her head but looking no worse for wear aside from the dust on Lucia's small clothes. A large rock sat atop her head. "Owie…"

Uriel walked over to her daughter, looking slightly worried. "Are you okay?"

Lucia looked up at her mother and smiled, removing the rock from her head.

"Yeah!"

Uriel smiled at her daughter's enthusiastic tone. Normally, Lucia was a quiet child but whenever she trained her, her daughter's smile broke through. "Alright, that's enough for today."

The two sat on a large rock by a stream, watching as the birds flew and grabbed unsuspecting fish that were foolish enough to swim near the surface of the water. Lucia ran over to her backpack, reaching inside and pulled out two water bottles.

"Mama!"

Uriel's gaze at the stream broke as she turned to see her daughter offering her a water bottle. She smiled and took it, unscrewing the cap and taking a sip. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see her daughter eagerly drinking from her own water bottle.

She never would have guessed it. Lucia's training had started when Lucia was 6 years old. It mostly consisted of exercises a child could handle along with some basic combat skills. She had tried to hold it off for as long as possible however, the child had seen Griselda sparring with some of the other Exorcists at the compound and soon, Lucia began begging in her own quiet way until she gave in. But the results were something she had never expected. The girl had an aptitude for combat.

Such a thought made her want to look into the girl's biological parents. Uriel made a mental note to ask Raphael or Michael to see which priest was stationed at that town in Ukraine.

"You did good today, Luci," she reached out to ruffle her daughter's black hair.

"Waahh! Does that mean I get to start shooting light from my hands like you, Mama?" the 7-year-old asked.

"Or do that thing Selda does where she swings her sword and makes things go booom and dokan! Or that other thing Griselda does where all these letters appear and then, bam!" Lucia continued.

"What has Griselda been showing you? Maybe I need to talk to her about bringing you to the training grounds," Uriel mused.

"Come on, Mama. You haven't showed me anything new yet," Lucia said.

Uriel sighed and set her water bottle down. "I told you, Luci. You can't start learning light or other things yet until you get the basics down. You can't even use Holy Power yet."

"Then teach me!" Lucia begged.

"Maybe later—"

"You always say that," Lucia said, looking down at the ground and prodding the grass with her shoe. "But then Auntie Sandy or Uncle Raphy come and take you away again…"

Uriel's eyes softened. She smiled and reached out to stroke her daughter's head. "Dear, why do you want to learn so badly? You just turned 7 this year. There's no need to rush. Are you that desperate to get away from your Mom so badly?"

"Mama…," Lucia groaned.

Uriel chuckled at her daughter's whining. "Alright, alright. I'll begin teaching you the basics for now. We'll do this slowly, okay?"

Lucia's face lit up in a bright smile.

"But!"

Lucia's smile faltered.

"No light blasts. Nothing dangerous. No floaty letters until you get the basics down, got it?" Uriel said sternly.

Lucia's arms fell to her side and she let out another groan of frustration. "Mama! That's not fair!"

"How about this?" Uriel said as she got up. She pointed to a large boulder by the stream. "I'll teach you how to make simple light weapons and simple Miracles. But until you can cut that boulder in half with pure holy power, I won't teach you anything more."

Lucia turned around to see a boulder twice her size sitting proudly at the water's edge. She clenched her tiny fists and nodded. "I can do that."

"Okay, I can do it because I'll be strong just like Mama!" Lucia chirped as she bounced giddily.

Uriel smiled and reached over to ruffle her daughter's hair.

Lucia giggled before turning to the rock. "I'll make you go boom too, Mr. Rock!"

"Alright, alright. Let's get started. There are two types of powers that an Angel can use. Holy Power or Divine Power and Light Power. All of them come from one source inside of an Angel. You see, Angels are different from Humans and Devils. Humans can use magic by using Spiritual Power, Magical Power, or Ki. Devils use Demonic Power to cast their magic and to fuel their powers. Angels use a Holy Power, which is a form of Divine Power we inherited from God.

"Holy Power is the opposite of Demonic Power. It lets us use Miracles to bless the lands and objects, heal the sick, and it lets us destroy Demons and Creatures of Darkness. For us Angels, Holy Energy also allows us to use Light Power to do various things like make objects and create illusions."

She held her hand out and a translucent dove made of light appeared in her hand. The dove flapped its wings and took off, flying a lap around Lucia's head.

Lucia grabbed the dove, only for it to disperse into a shower of light particles. She smiled in awe. "I want to learn to do that!"

"Patience," Uriel chopped the top of her head lightly.

"Owie," Lucia whined, rubbing her head.

"Now. You need to learn how to access your Holy Power. Doing so will let us know how strong it is. Then we can see" Uriel said.

Lucia nodded excitedly.

"Now. Sit down." Uriel gestured for her to take a seat.

Lucia nodded and took a seat in front of her mother.

"Close your eyes. Focus. You should be able to feel it inside of you. As a Miracle Child, you have the blood of an Angel inside you. Learning to control it is like controlling your breathing. Your body automatically knows it's there but you have to be able to use it for yourself," Uriel guided.

Lucia closed her eyes like her mother said. She felt it. It was like a friend that never left her side. Her Holy Power felt warm. It felt comforting. She felt like nothing bad would ever happen to her as long as she remained wrapped in this feeling. A shimmering red aura came out of her body.

Uriel smiled. It's as I expected. Her mother must have only had 4 wings at best. Still, there's room for improvement there. But still, I feel like she can use more than she can pull out. Maybe in the future when she gains more wings but for now…

"Good. Good. Now draw it out and make a ball. Just imagine in your head that a ball is forming between your hands."

Lucia furrowed her brow as the aura of red light around her grew stronger. A light breeze began to blow outward from her and the grass rustled.

"Don't force it. Will it. Do that and your Holy Power will naturally flow. Unlike humans, you don't need to do anything to use it," she said.

Lucia took a deep breath and opened her hands. A tiny marble-sized ball of red light appeared above the palm of her hand.

She cracked an eye open and gasped. Lucia jumped up, holding the ball between her hands. "I did it! I used Holy Energy! Look! Mama, look, look, look—" But her excitement was short lived. The marble of holy light between her hands dispersed into tiny sparkles of light.

"Aww."

Uriel chuckled and patted her head. "Don't worry. It'll take time. Enough time for you to break that boulder in half. Remember, nothing else until you can do that."

Lucia nodded and focused on remaking the ball of light.

"I'll let you use this creek. Just come with Griselda whenever you do. I'll be out dealing something with your Auntie Ellie and Uncle Mikey for the time being," Uriel said.

"Okay!" Lucia said, not even paying too much attention due to her newfound powers.

"Remember. No boom and no floaty letters until you can break that rock in half, okay?" Uriel asked.

Lucia looked up at her mother and nodded. "Mmm! I'll break it, Mama! Just watch! When you get back from your grown-up stuff, I'll break that rock and then you have to teach me how to use the floaty letters and light magic!"

If anyone asked Griselda Quarta where she saw herself in 5 years, as a 13 year old Exorcist fresh out of academy, she would say that she would be the world's top Exorcist, serving under one of the Seraphim. She especially wished to serve under Lady Helel or Lady Gabriel, the top Seraphs in Heaven with the former being the leader and the latter being one of the Four Great Seraphs.

However, if someone told her that she would be serving as the guard (babysitter) to the daughter of one of the Four Great Seraphs and her job was to make sure she didn't wander off, she'd have laughed in their face. But it had now been 4 years since she had been assigned by the Church to this sleepy mountain town near the Alps and 8 days since Lady Uriel had left for Heaven.

"My Lady, it's getting late. We should head back," Griselda said, brushing her silver hair aside.

Yes, her Lady had been at this for 8 days.

Lady Uriel had given the child a difficult task.

Break a rock in half using pure Holy Power. What the child didn't know was that the rock was reinforced with a thin layer of Holy Power, making it far more difficult than originally anticipated. However, Griselda could sense it.

Lucia huffed. Sweat dripped down her forehead as she glared hatefully at the rock, or as hatefully as a 7-year-old girl can. "No, I can do this, Selda! Just watch!"

A wispy red and black aura formed around Lucia. She clasped her hands together before splitting them apart. A small crackling ball of holy power sat between her palms. "Take this!" Lucia screamed with all her might as she threw the red ball of holy power.

The orb traveled as fast as it could and struck the rock.

Griselda whistled as an explosion shattered the silence, creating a dust cloud the size of a pickup truck. When the dust and smoke cleared, the rock remained unscathed. A small crater formed around the rock, drawing water in from the nearby stream.

Lucia groaned and stamped her foot on the ground. "Why isn't it breaking!?"

"Perhaps you should take a break and come back tomorrow, Luci," Griselda said, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.

Lucia puffed her cheeks and harrumphed. "Mama did something to the rock, didn't she?"

Griselda smiled sympathetically and pulled some candy out of her pocket. Lucia didn't even hesitate to take the chocolates and stuffed them into her mouth. "Mama's so mean, Selda."

"I'm sure she wants you to break it. It would be too easy if the rock broke on your first try, Luci," Griselda said as she watched the 7-year old stomp off.

Lucia stopped and turned around. She glared at the rock with all the anger she could muster, as if staring at it hatefully would cause it to explode into a million pieces. If it were that easy, then her mother would have taught her how to shoot cool energy blasts or make fire. But no, she had to find a way to beat her Mama at her own game. She needed to blow up that stupid rock so her mother can teach her how to be an angel. The intense desire welled up within her as she glared as hard as she could at the rock.

As she did, the world around her flickered as if a glitch had occurred. Lucia blinked and the visual anomaly vanished.

"Selda, did you see that?" Lucia asked.

"See what?" Griselda asked.

Lucia rubbed her eyes and blinked. The visual distortion didn't come back. "I thought I saw something."

"Mmm?" Griselda glanced over her shoulder and scanned their surroundings. She didn't feel anything nor see anything out of the ordinary. Her guard went up slightly. If Lucia could see something she couldn't, then she needed to stay alert.

"Can we get ice cream?" Lucia asked.

Griselda looked down at the small girl, who tugged on her cloak. "Lady Uriel said I shouldn't buy you too many sweets—"

"I won't tell, Mama. I promise!" Lucia said.

Griselda sighed. "Okay but just this once, got it?"

Lucia nodded vehemently and grabbed Griselda's hand before dragging her out of the woods.

The town by the Church's Institution was a small European Hamlet. It had all the modern amenities but still had that rustic countryside flare. In the distance, the Alps stood proudly, their peaks scraping the very edge of the skies and the rolling green hills surrounded the town on all sides. Old buildings were mixed in with the new ones, some of them being centuries-old stone structures while others were more modern concrete and wood. It was a place that looked as if the past and the present had all mixed in at a nexus in time.

Griselda stood in line behind some other parents and their kids. Luckily, there was someone selling ice cream at a nearby park. While she went to go buy some, she left Lucia to play with the other children.

Griselda fought the urge to groan when she heard some mothers whispering behind her about how young she looked and how she had a child that looked as old as Lucia. She looked up to check on her.

As always, Lucia sat down alone on the swings while the other kids around her ran around and played. She really needed to bring this up to Uriel. Lucia needed friends her age so she can learn how to socially interact with other kids. Being around adults who could barely understand her needs as a child was not good for her upbringing.

"Next."

"Ah." Griselda blinked when she heard the ice cream vendor call out to her. She ordered two chocolate ice creams before walking over to Lucia, who swayed listlessly on the swing.

"You don't want to play with the other kids?" Griselda asked as she handed Lucia her ice cream.

Lucia shook her head as she began to eat the icy confection. "I don't think the other kids like me."

"Well, have you tried talking to them?" Griselda took a seat on the swing next to her.

"I showed them a worm and they all ran away."

Griselda almost face-planted. "You can't just show kids worms and expect them to befriend you."

Lucia said nothing and continued eating her ice cream. "I don't need friends. Selda and Mama are enough for me."

Griselda sighed. "Kids need friends, Luci." She ruffled Lucia's hair. The girl continued eating her ice cream without a care in the world. If only Lucia could smile outside of things such as training, maybe she'd make some friends as a result.

"Come on, let's go home."

Lucia nodded and hopped off the swing to follow Griselda. As she did, her eyes throbbed and the world glitched again. "Huh…?" Lucia looked at her ice cream and saw something odd.

[Generating object data]

[Object appraised: Chocolate ice cream.]

[Ingredients are as follows…]

"Selda! Selda! Look!" Lucia tugged on Griselda's sleeves.

"Huh? What is it?" Griselda turned around to see Lucia showing her the ice cream. "Are you offering to share your ice cream? This truly is a day blessed by the Lord. Milady is offering to share her sweets with me."

"Huh? What? Selda don't say dumb things! There are words floating around the ice cream!" Lucia said. "It says that the ice cream is made of something called caoca- cacaco- cacao and vanilla extract!"

Griselda raised an eyebrow. "Luci, I don't see anything."

"But it's right there! Look!" Lucia pointed at the air around the ice cream.

"Um…"

Griselda's ears picked up on the whispers of the parents around her. "Let's go back home first and have someone check you out."

"What? But Selda! The words are there too on your head! And some numbers!" Lucia said as Griselda dragged her away.

"Hmmm."

Lucia sat on an examination chair in the infirmary of the Church Institute. She licked her ice cream while a middle-aged priest walked toward her with light and an opthamaloscope. Lucia blinked as a priest shined a harsh light in her eye. She shied away from it and went back to eating her ice cream. The older priest sighed and pulled back.

"So?" Griselda asked.

The priest shook his head. "There seems to be nothing wrong with her physically. Are you sure she just wasn't pretending like most children do?"

"No. What? Lucia's not the type to play pretend. You should know this by now," Griselda said.

The priest sighed as he took another look. "Maybe. Hold on. Let me grab the detector from the cabinet really quickly."

"Detector?"

"Miss Lucia is a Miracle Child, meaning she is half human. That means there's a chance she could have awakened a Sacred Gear. It's the second most likely explanation as to why she seeing words and numbers that no one else can see," the priest said as he pulled out a small device with a screen on it.

The priest waved the device around Lucia, who sat blissfully unaware as she scarfed down the ice cream cone. The device went off as a positive reading appeared on the screen.

"I see. So my second hunch was correct," the priest said.

"A Sacred Gear? Her?" Griselda said.

"Yes but in order to identify it, we'll need to gather more data. You said she can see numbers and words around objects. How about we test her here and now?" the priest offered.

"That shouldn't be too bad. If it is just things she can see around objects, then putting her in mortal danger isn't a requirement," she said.

"Miss Lucia."

Lucia looked up at the old priest and Griselda.

"Tell me. Do you still see the words and numbers around me or Miss Quarta?" the priest asked.

Lucia nodded. "Yeah. It says your name is Ferdinand Giordano."

"She knows you by your name card. Ask something else," Griselda said.

"What else do you see?" Ferdinand asked.

"Ummm…" Lucia squinted. Her eyes glowed and the usual black of her eyes changed colors. Her pupils lost their dark coloration as it lightened to a light-violet pink. Her irises became a swirling mixture of colors consisting of white, pink, and purple.

"Woah." Griselda almost dropped her ice cream

"Umm…" Lucia kept staring at Griselda.

[Generating data on target…]

[Griselda Quarta]

[Estimated Combat Level:... …. Unable to Generate Level. Target out of current scanning capabilities. Strength: ? Speed: ? Durability: ? Magic: ? Skill: ? Overall Combat Capabilities: ?]

[Age: 19, Gender: Female, Race: Human, Marital Status: Single]

[Special Traits: Natural Holy Sword Wielder]

[Current Equipment: Failnacht, Light Sword]

"It says your name is Griselda Quarta. Um… you have something called… uh, Failna— Failna—"

"Failnacht."

"Yeah, that, and a light sword. You're 19 years old and single—"

"Okay, okay! You can stop there," Griselda said, cutting her off.

"I see. A low-tier Defensive Sacred Gear," Ferdinand said.

"Low Tier?"

"Yes. What she's describing matches the abilities of a Low-Tier Defensive Sacred Gear called Warning System. However, a more appropriate description would be Appraisal. It allows her to display information on a heads-up display like in a game," Ferdinand said.

"That sounds useful. Why is it Low Tier?" she asked.

Ferdinand glanced at Lucia, who was looking at everything in the room. He sighed. "Like I said. It only displays information. It doesn't give her anything on what to do with it. It's like reading an encyclopedia. The book is useless if you don't know what to do with what you learned inside it. It's a somewhat common low-tier gear but a little bit rarer than something like let's say Twice Critical. There are a few Exorcists that I've come across that have it but almost all of them have gotten killed because they…"

"Got overconfident and misinterpreted information," Griselda sighed.

"Mmm. The one survivor I knew said that it doesn't display information on people far stronger than the user," Ferdinand said.

"I have to tell Lady Uriel this," Griselda said.

"Indeed. By the way, is Miss Lucia still having bad dreams?" Ferdinand asked.

"Not in a while no. She's just a kid. I doubt she remembers her dreams. Though, she did tell me my kid would have blue hair," Griselda laughed.

Ferdinand shook his head and chuckled. "I see. Well. I believe we should get her Gear under control. I fear that her awakening a Sacred Gear like that at such a young age, she might suffer from sensory overload."

"Selda! Selda! My level is 125!" Lucia beamed as she ran over to Griselda.

"Eh? Really? That's amazing, Luci. Come on. Let's get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll start helping you break that rock by the creek, okay?" Griselda smiled.

Lucia nodded as she grabbed Griselda's hand. "Goodnight, Mister!"

Lucia giggled as she lay in bed. She held her hand out toward the ceiling. That rock might still be there but at least she got something today. Her fist closed into a tight ball. She'll become stronger and a super cool angel like her mother was what she thought.

If she was strong, Lucia could beat all the monsters in her dreams.

Mama says they're just dreams but monsters are real. Selda told me one will take my socks if I don't get to sleep on time.

Even so, with her cool powers, she'd beat them all up. Her lips curved into a small smile as she called out to it again.

"Status!" Lucia said.

[Lucia Reid]

[Estimated Combat Level - Strength: 30, Speed: 25, Durability: 20, Magic: 20, Skill: 30. Total Combat Combat Capabilities calculated to be at 125.]

[Age: 7, Race: Nephilim, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Single]

[Special Trait: Twilight Reincarnation]

[Equipment: Warning System; Balance Breaker - Locked]

"Hehehe, 125 is a big number. That means I'm pretty strong, right?" Lucia wondered. "Selda and Mama's numbers are probably big. I need to get stronger too to protect them from the monsters."

She got out of bed and walked over to her desk. Lucia opened the drawer and pulled out a notebook. She flipped through it, bypassing her childish scribbles and homework she had to do from her teachers. After a few seconds, Lucia stopped at a page.

There was a drawing there or rather what could be best said as a drawing. In reality, it was nothing more than a series of scribbles mixed together to form a tall dark figure. On its head were two white circles that served as its eyes. She grabbed a black crayon and began coloring again.

"The Epilogue."

Lucia hummed as she spelled the word as best she could. With a hum of satisfaction and a childish grin on her face, she drew herself shooting lightning bolts at the large black shadowy figure.

"Hehe, just you wait," she said as she drew two more stick figures in. When she was done, Lucia left her notebook on the desk and scrambled onto her bed before Griselda made her rounds to check on her.

Her notebook was left open and a new addition was drawn onto its pages. It was the stick figure of a boy with brown hair and a red arm fighting with a group of girls. In front of them, there was a stick figure of Lucia standing next to six more stick figures.

But among them, there was one that stood out. It was the figure next to Lucia. A stick figure of a girl with long red hair.

Chapter Text

"Haaaah!"

A small explosion rocked the shoreline of the creek once more. Dust and smoke were kicked into the air as clumps of charred dirt rained down around her. When the dust cleared, the rock still stood there, staring at her mockingly. A shriek of anger escaped the 7-year old's lips as she stared at the rock with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

Lucia stamped her foot and puffed her cheeks. Her wings flapped in an annoyed manner as she pointed the rock.

"I hate you! Selda, why isn't it blown up yet!?" Lucia whined as she kept stomping her foot into the dirt.

Griselda looked up from her book, suppressing a chuckle as the rock remained unscathed despite Lucia's best efforts.

Lucia's cheeks puffed even more as she turned to glare at the rock. Her eyes glowed as she scanned the rock in front of her.

[Generating Object Data…]

[Rock]

[Composed of silicon, oxygen, potassium, carbon, and iron.]

[Special Trait: Low-Class Holy Barrier]

"Mama, I hate you!" Lucia stomped her foot on the ground again.

"I don't think Lady Uriel wanted to make it easy to break the rock in half, Luci," Griselda said as she walked over to her.

"Mmmm! But still! It's not fair! She put a shield on it," Lucia complained.

"That attack would have blown the rock to pieces. Maybe you just need to go at it a bit more," Griselda said.

"...want… ice cream…"

"What was that?" Griselda raised an eyebrow.

"I said I want ice cream!" Lucia said.

Griselda sighed and shook her head. "I got you ice cream yesterday. If you keep eating sweets, you'll get cavities. How about we get a different snack today like baby carrots?"

Lucia's face twisted in disgust. She gagged at the thought of having to eat those orange devils her mother and Griselda called "baby carrots".

Her grimacing face only served to amuse Griselda even more. "How about this? You eat one pack of baby carrots back at the Institute and I give you allowance money to go out and buy ice cream from the ice cream man later, deal?"

Lucia frowned. A condition to get ice cream? And all she had to do was eat one small pack of those orange devils? She furrowed her brow, weighing the options inside her mind as to which was the better option. After a few seconds, she nodded hesitantly as she looked at Griselda.

"Okay. I'll… I'll eat the baby carrots," Lucia said.

"Good girl. Who knows? Maybe the baby carrots will improve your holy powers so you can break the rock in half," Griselda said.

"I'm not a baby, Selda. I'm a big girl now. I don't even write to Santa anymore!" Lucia said proudly as she followed Griselda back to the Institute.

"Miss Lucia. Miss Lucia! Are you listening!?"

Lucia looked up from her notebook.

Father Ferdinand sighed as he tapped the chalkboard with his stick. There was a diagram of a pale man wearing Victorian Era European Clothing. He had pointed ears and looked like what someone would imagine when thinking of a…

"Vampires."

Lucia placed her pencil on her upper lip and balanced it.

"Miss Lucia, please pay attention. Remember what I told you about your Sacred Gear!" Ferdinand chastised.

The little girl sighed and leaned forward on her desk. "It only knows as much as I do. It only knows basic things like what water is made of because it's been put into it by Grandpa."

Father Ferdinand slapped his forehead. "Please do not refer to God as Grandpa while you're in the Institution."

Lucia groaned as she leaned back in her chair. She wanted to go outside and blast the rock again but Griselda wasn't here at the moment. Most of the adult Exorcists were sent out to patrol the area after recent reports of a sighting of something. Lucia didn't understand all the words the grown-ups were saying. She went back to scribbling in her notebook, her pencil gliding across the page as she made nonsensical scribbles that formed a shadow.

"Miss Lucia!"

"Y-Yes!"

Ferdinand tapped the board.

"Vampires! Pay attention."

She nodded and tried to keep her gaze fixed on the board.

"Now, Vampires are creatures of darkness that have resided since ancient times with the first vampires being called Progenitors. But that's not important. What is important is that vampires feed on humans by—"

"Drinking their blood." Lucia blew a strand of hair out of the way.

"Right. But there are ways to combat vampires. Now listen because you'll need this knowledge. Don't you want to become cool like Griselda or Lady Uriel?" Ferdinand asked.

Lucia sat up, ramrod straight as she focused her attention solely on Ferdinand.

"Vampires are weak toward the Sun and cannot cross open bodies of water. They are also incapable of entering buildings unless invited inside. Furthermore, a stake to the heart can also kill them. Since you are a Nephilim, you are naturally stronger against Vampires because of your Holy Power," Ferdinand said.

Lucia wrote the words down as best as she could.

"But you must be careful. Vampires have powers as well. They can control shadows and mist, as well as control rats and bats," he said.

"That rats part doesn't sound really cool," Lucia pointed out.

"Children these days. Anyway, when fighting a vampire, one must—"

Father Ferdinand was interrupted when the sound of the doors swinging open echoed through the entire building. Lucia's eyes lit up as she hopped out of her chair and ran out of the classroom.

"W-What? Miss Lucia! Ugh, that girl," Ferdinand pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in frustration.

Lucia ran out of the classroom and toward the stairs to the first floor. When she was halfway down, she was greeted with the sight of her mother alongside an unfamiliar man. Now, as a child exposed to both her mother's hobbies and the reading tastes of her babysitter (guard), several things ran through her mind all at once.

But the most prominent one was that this person must be her mother's boyfriend. He looked old. He had a scruffy beard and auburn hair, with violet eyes and dressed in a gray trench coat with black priest vestments underneath. He spoke amicably to her mother.

"I am honored to be here, my Lady. Even if it is just for a temporary assignment, I am glad to assist in the training of your Exorcists however I can," the man said.

Uriel smiled as she patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry too much about it, Touji. Treat this place more as a place of rest rather than a military base. I promise you that this is not like the Sigurd Institution out in Northern Germany. Besides, as one of the top Exorcists in the Church, I trust that you can do your job properly."

Touji rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know what to say, Lady Uriel. You humble me. It would be an honor to work alongside you in training these Exorcists."

"Speaking of, you have a daughter as well. I hope she and my daughter can get along well," Uriel said, glancing at the child hiding behind Touji's leg.

Touji nodded. "Yes, Rika figured it'd be good for Irina to get out. She's been closed off since we moved in and has had trouble making friends. You know. Language barrier and stuff. The kids don't want to talk to her even though she tries her best to learn how to speak German."

"Dad…," the girl said, poking her head out. She bore a great resemblance to Touji, possessing chestnut brown hair and violet eyes. She looked up at Uriel with some level of awe in her eyes.

"Mama!"

Uriel looked up and saw a black blur fly into her. She took a slight step back, smiling as the ball of feathers that was her daughter hugged her tightly. "Luci, Griselda told me you were having lessons with Ferdinand today."

Lucia pulled her head away from the crook of her mother's neck and looked at her. "I was but I heard you coming in."

Uriel sighed and set her down. "Griselda told me that you unlocked a Sacred Gear."

Lucia nodded excitedly as her eyes changed color. She gauged her mother's statistics.

[Uriel]

[Estimating Combat Capabilities… Unable to generate combat data. Scanned target outside of user's combat capabilities.]

[Age: 500,000 years, Race: Angel, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Single]

[Special Trait: Great Seraph, Archangel]

[Current Equipment: Shuhadaku of Uriel]

Uriel raised an eyebrow. "Warning System. Interesting. Have you made any progress with that rock?"

Lucia's eyes widened before a childish glare fixed itself on her face. She ran over and kicked her mother in the shin, causing Uriel's eyes to go wide.

"Mama! I hate you! You put a shield around the rock!" Lucia whined as she puffed her cheeks. Her wings fluttered angrily behind her, making her look like an angry chick.

Uriel rubbed her shin and looked down at her daughter with a sly smile. "I never said I'd make it easy, did I?"

Lucia's cheeks puffed even more. "Mmmm! That's not fair!"

"Now, now. Calm down. We have guests," Uriel said, pulling her daughter into place. Lucia blinked and remembered that there were two newcomers. Her shimmering polychromatic eyes scanned the two people.

Her eyes flicked over to Touji.

[Touji Shidou]

[Estimating Combat Level… Unable to generate combat data. Target outside of user's level]

[Age: 37, Race: Human, Gender: Male, Marital Status: Married (Married to Rika Shidou)]

[Special Trait: Holy Sword Wielder (Natural)]

[Equipment: Ame-no-Habakiri]

"I can't read him either," Lucia frowned.

"Read?" Touji said.

Lucia ignored him and focused her eyes on the girl. Her eyes widened when she saw the girl's face. That girl. She looked just like the girl from her dreams. She eagerly scanned the girl, excited to know what the girl's abilities were.

[Irina Shidou]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 20, Speed: 25, Durability: 17, Magic: 5, Skills: 20. Calculating average combat level. Combat Level - 87]

[Age: 7, Race: Human, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Unrequited]

[Special Trait: N/A]

[Equipment: N/A]

"Mama, what does unrequited mean for when people are married?" Lucia asked.

Touji and Uriel raised an eyebrow.

"Unrequited?" Uriel asked.

"Yeah, her marital status says unrequited," Lucia said.

Touji burst out laughing, much to Lucia's confusion. He clutched his sides as he almost doubled over in laughter at Lucia's question.

"What? Did I… say something weird?" Lucia asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"Oh dear Lord in Heaven, does that mean that your Sacred Gear can see my daughter has a crush on her childhood frien—"

"DAD! STOP!" Irina said. Her face turned red as she hit her father in the leg with a hard punch.

"Ahahaha! Ow! Ow, ow ow! Okay, I'm sorry, dear!" Touji laughed as Irina beat his legs with her fists. Touji calmed himself and looked down at Lucia, who watched the whole interaction with some confusion in her eyes.

So this was what Griselda meant when she said Lucia didn't know how to interact with kids her age. That's understandable. The girl has been around adults most of her life. And Irina hasn't made many friends since we moved over here. It would be good for both of them.

"Miss Lucia. I apologize. I am Touji Shidou. I am an Exorcist from the United Church of Christ in Japan. My family and I recently moved here. This is my daughter, Irina," Touji said, giving Irina a gentle push forward.

Lucia tilted her head slightly as she looked at Irina. Her stats weren't what she expected. She expected an unreadable number like her mother or Selda.

"I hope you two can get along and become friends," Touji said.

Irina looked at Lucia nervously, who stood there with a phlegmatic disposition on her face. A stark difference from how she acted around Uriel.

Uriel gave her daughter a light pat on the back, startling Lucia into talking.

"Ah, yes. Um, I'm Lucia Reid. Nice to meet you," Lucia said.

Her greeting brought a small but shy smile to Irina's lips. "H-Hello, I'm Irina Shidou! N-Nice to meet you! I've never met an Angel before!"

"Lucia, why don't you take Irina and go to the park with her? You two can go buy ice cream and candy as well," Uriel said as she pulled some money from a storage circle.

Lucia's eyes lit up at the thought of sweets. However, as she was about to take the clump of euros from her mother's hands, Uriel pulled back. She had a stern look on her face that made both Lucia and Irina want to shrink back.

"Remember, Luci. You have to buy snacks for Irina too. Remember to share," Uriel said.

Lucia nodded. "I will, Mama." She held her hands out expectantly for the money.

Uriel sighed and placed the money in Lucia's hands. "Griselda will go with you as well. Don't wander off too far you two! And remember to be back before sunset!"

Lucia looked back at her mother. "Okay! We'll be back, Mama!" She grabbed Irina's hand, much to the girl's surprise, and pulled her out of the Institution.

Irina didn't know what to make of the girl named Lucia Reid. At first, Irina thought she would be like the angels she had read so much about in the Bible. Strong. Kind. Heroes of Justice. However, the image she was presented with when it came to Lucia was odd.

The girl was an oddity. She didn't make any effort to interact with the other children at the park, leaving Irina to awkwardly try and bridge the language barrier between herself and the other children. After several minutes of trying, Irina went back to sit next to Lucia, who stared intently at a line of ants marching on the edge of the pavement.

"M-Miss Lucia. Do you want to go play on the swings?" Irina asked.

Lucia looked up at her. "No."

"Oh."

Griselda walked up to the two and placed a hand on Irina's shoulder.

"Don't take it personally, Miss Shidou. Lucia is… not used to talking to kids her age. She's just very shy," Griselda said.

Lucia glanced over her shoulder, feeling an inkling of guilt creep into her when she saw Irina's downcast expression. She looked at the swings and then to Irina.

"Wanna go on the swings?" Lucia asked.

Irina perked up at the suggestion and nodded.

Griselda smiled softly as Lucia tried her hardest to socialize with Irina, pulling the girl over to the swings.

"Be careful, okay? And Miss Lucia! Don't swing so high that you'll jump off!" Griselda said.

"Okay!" Lucia said as she and Irina sat on the swings.

The two sat in awkward silence, swinging back and forth. Lucia didn't know what to say. She had never talked to someone her age, much less a girl. She was, for a lack of better words, homeschooled and such, did not go to a normal school like other children. The only person she talked to that was remotely close to her in age was Griselda but now, faced with an actual kid, she didn't know what to say.

"Do… Do you like magic?" Lucia said suddenly.

Irina looked up, a bit surprised. She didn't expect Lucia to start talking to her so suddenly. "Um, yes?"

"W- Wanna see something c-cool!?" Lucia's eyes were in swirls as she tried to maintain the conversation.

She clasped her hands together before pulling them apart. A small red and black orb of holy light hovered between her palms.

Irina's eyes widened. "Woah. Is that…?" Irina asked as the small ball of light dispersed into a shower of red sparkles.

"Yeah. Pretty cool, right? My Mama is teaching me how to use my holy powers," Lucia said, becoming a little more confident.

"That's so cool! You're like a superhero!" Irina said. "Can you do other things?"

Lucia smiled and nodded excitedly. Was this what it was like to have a friend? A warm feeling fluttered in her chest as she began showing Irina other things she could do with the ball of light.

In the distance, seated on a bench, Griselda smiled as the two girls began to open up to each other. While Lucia wasn't as expressive as she usually was during training, it was more than enough. Irina's animated responses drew emotions out of Lucia that Griselda seldom saw outside of training. The two girls giggled as they hopped off the swings and began running around the playground.

"I see."

Uriel placed her hand on her chin as she read the reports Touji had given her. She placed her hand on her forehead and sighed. One of the reasons she requested for Touji's presence was the incident in Ukraine seven years ago. After some searching through the registry, it was found that a priest named Noah Kamiyo was the one stationed at the town where the devastation happened. Unfortunately, there were few people in the Vatican that had an interaction with him as he had been reassigned from Japan to Italy and then to Ukraine.

"And these are all of Noah's files and records from the UCCJ?" Uriel asked as she leaned back in her chair.

"Yes. All of it from Noah's seminary days to his time as an Exorcist stationed at the Vatican," Touji said.

"We have his records from the Vatican but it seems like we have nothing from his time in Japan. It's times like this that I wish Gabriel didn't play around with humans. If we kept the religions streamlined to a single branch, I wouldn't have to deal with such an administrative mess," Uriel sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I wouldn't so much as blame it entirely on Lady Gabriel," Touji said with a wry smile on his face.

"Don't be deceived by my sister's serene face, Touji. That woman is a cunning snake," Uriel said as she opened Noah's file. "Did he dye his hair or something?" she asked, gazing at the man with blonde hair. The shape of his eyes and the shape of his face greatly resembled that of Lucia's. Had his hair still been black, she would have been sure that Lucia's resemblance to Noah would be a dead-set match.

"Ah, yes. It's a trend for children in Japan to dye their hair when rebelling against their parents," Touji said.

"I see."

"Miss Lucia looks like Noah," Touji commented.

"That's because Noah could possibly be Lucia's father," Uriel said as she flipped through the files.

"Huh?" Touji's eyes widened. "You had a child with a man?"

"No. What? No, I… raised her as my own. I found Luci in that destroyed town in Ukraine shortly after we received a distress signal. There was nothing left. Just a smoldering crater with Lucia encased inside a holy barrier. It seems that either Noah or the Angel he sired Lucia with made it," Uriel said as she flipped through his files. She glanced at a photo of her daughter on her desk.

"I see. I believe it was for the best that you took her in, Lady Uriel," he said, seeing the smile on Uriel's face.

"Why is that?" Uriel asked.

"Children tend to be a blessing to their parents," he replied. "I believe she will be good for you."

Uriel paused for a few seconds before nodding. "She's already good to me. Even if someone else gave birth to her, I raised her. She's just as much my daughter as she is theirs. These last seven years, I can't imagine what a life without her might be like."

"Does she know she's adopted?" Touji asked.

Uriel nodded. "She figured it out a while back but she doesn't know who her parents are. She's content though because to her, I'm the only mother she ever had."

"I see," Touji smiled. "By the way, Kamiyo-san has a younger sister in Japan. She's currently a first year at Ryoukou Academy in Kyoto. I heard that she's been looking into what happened to her brother ever since she lost contact. The Vatican has offered their condolences but she doesn't believe what happened and is investigating the matter. It will only be a matter of time before she stumbles onto something that'll put her in danger."

"Really? I guess it runs in the family. Luci is reckless like that as well sometimes. Hmm… Togame Kamiyo?" she flipped through the file until she saw a photo of her. She greatly resembled her daughter in terms of looks, down to the hair and eye color. However, Lucia's hair had a tinge of violet in it rather than being pitch black like Togame's. "So this is what Lucia might look like once she gets to high school, huh?"

"Um, Lady Uriel?" Touji said.

"Can you not see this, Touji? My daughter might grow up to be a world-class beauty," Uriel said.

"Um…" Touji was at a loss for words. He understood the concept of parents becoming idiots when it came to their kids but it was jarring to see it from an outside perspective. Was this how he looked to others whenever he praised Irina in front of his colleagues?

"Right, I need to get into contact with Noah's family and hopefully have Lucia meet her biological father's sister and grandparents," Uriel said as she closed the folder. "In the meantime, I'd appreciate it if you helped Griselda with the training here. For someone so young, she still has a lot to learn about training others and—"

"Lady Uriel! Lady Uriel! This is an emergency!"

A bespectacled priest burst through the doors of her, panting and out of breath. He had a few scratches on him and there was a faint bite mark on his neck but no signs of broken skin. He panted as he tried to articulate the news.

"Calm down and catch your breath. What's going on?" Uriel asked calmly as she raised her hand to stop him from speaking.

"V-Vampires…" He rasped.

"Vampires?" Touji said.

"S-Spill out from a local skirmish between the Carmilla and Tepes Factions. They all scattered and we've taken care of most of the stragglers. But there's a vampire still loose in the area. We've mobilized our Exorcists but they haven't found them," the priest panted.

Touji's eyes widened. "The kids. The kids are still in town."

Uriel's jaw tightened as she hastily got to her feet. She pressed a finger above her left ear, activating a small red cross contained within a circle.

"Griselda. Griselda, do you read me?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. What is it, Lady Uriel?" Griselda said.

"Bring Lucia and Irina back to the Institution," Uriel said as she walked toward the door.

"Eh? Lady Uriel, is everything okay?" Griselda asked.

"One of the Exorcists just came back and reported that a skirmish between the Tepes and Carmilla Factions are happening close to the territory. The vampires scattered and they managed to handle most of them but there's still one straggler," Uriel said.

"Understood, Lady Uriel. I'll bring them back as soon as possible— Huh?"

"Griselda? What? What's going on?" Uriel asked as she descended the stairs, followed by a worried Touji.

"The girls. The girls disappeared."

"Um, Lucia, are you sure we're supposed to go here?" Irina asked as she glanced at the trees. The two had snuck away from Griselda's watchful eye all because Lucia wanted to show her something.

However, Irina was excited to see it. Ever since Lucia had shown her some of her holy powers, Irina felt giddy at the thought of seeing more and possibly even learning how to use it. She knew her Dad could fight monsters and be a hero like her and Issei dreamed of was now within her grasp.

Lucia nodded. "Of course, I know the way to the creek. Trust me. It'll be worth it. I know a lot of cool things. I can even shoot holy power now," she said.

Irina smiled when she saw the fire in her newfound friend's eyes. She didn't expect Lucia to warm up to her so soon, especially since the girl seemed so closed off at first. However, it seemed the two found common ground in the sense that they both found the notion of having powers amazing.

She hummed as she followed Lucia, not at all paying attention to the growing shadows of the trees as the sun slowly began to lower itself into the horizon.

"Mama told me that if I can break the rock with Holy Power, she'll teach me how to do more things with my powers," Lucia said as she pushed past the bushes onto the shoreline.

"Really? You think I can learn how to use magic too?" Irina asked excitedly.

"Yeah! Your Dad is a priest, right? I think you can learn Holy Miracles while you're here. Then we can both go out and fight monsters like the Epilogue!" Lucia stood in front of Irina with a fired-up look on her face.

"Eh? The Epilogue?" Irina tilted her head.

"It's a giant shadow monster thing! I saw it in my dreams!" Lucia explained as she made an exaggerated gesture with her arms to indicate its size.

"Woahh," Irina said in amazement.

Lucia had a smug smile on her face, clearly enjoying this newfound friendship. "And whatever I see in my dreams comes true… most of the time."

"Really? What's going to happen to me in the future? Will I become a cool hero of justice?" Irina asked.

"Ummm…" Lucia furrowed her brow as she tried to recall her dreams. The most she could remember was what she had scribbled into her little notebook. "I dunno. I just saw a girl that looked like you."

"Like me? I think that could be me, right?" Irina offered when she saw the slight confusion on her friend's face.

"Maybe. But everyone I saw there was a grown-up. I'm not a grown-up yet so Mama won't let me fight monsters but when I become big, I'll be a strong Angel like Mama. And someday, I'll fight and defeat the Epilogue," Lucia said with fierce determination on her face. "That's why I want to break that rock."

"I see."

"And you can be my Apostle!" Lucia said.

"A…postle?" Irina tried to pronounce the word.

"It's an Exorcist that has an Angel partner!" Lucia said as she gathered holy power into her hands and took aim at the rock. "We can fight the Epilogue and the Shadows together!"

"Like superheroes!" Irina said.

"Yeah!" Lucia's eyes lit up with stars.

As the two girls plotted their futures out with childish glee, neither of them noticed a pair of red eyes observing them from the shadows. A deep hunger rested within them and the figure opened its mouth to lick its lips, revealing a row of razor-sharp teeth.

Chapter Text

Uriel bit her bottom lip as she paced tirelessly around the compound. It had been a few hours since the sun set. She had bands of Exorcist scouring the town, searching for any sign of her daughter and Touji's. With both Lucia and Irina missing, Griselda and Touji had volunteered to lead the search while Uriel searched the town tirelessly from above.

She bit her fingernail. The exorcists that remained at the compound stayed clear of her. In this state, there was no telling how the Archangel would lash out.

"Lady Uriel, you must remain calm. Griselda and Touji are some of the finest exorcists we currently have on hand. Miss Lucia and Miss Irina are in good hands," Ferdinand advised. The priest had his hands behind his back as he calmly watched the Archangel pull at her hair.

"Then why aren't they found yet? How is it possible that two seven year old girls manage to evade two teams of skilled exorcists for two hours!?" Uriel snapped.

Her wings flared along with her holy power, causing the entire building to shake violently. The chandelier above them rattled, creaking as the force of Uriel's holy power rattled its very foundations.

"My Lady, we must give them time. It has only been 2 hours. That and—"

The doors swung open, interrupting Ferdinand's train of thought. Griselda walked in with some blood on her cheek as she dragged something behind her. Touji came in after her with a grim look on his face.

Uriel turned around and her green eyes narrowed into slits when she saw what Griselda had in hand.

"It seems like there were a few more survivors than our exorcists accounted for, Lady Uriel. We found this one hiding in the inn," Griselda said as she threw a pale man donning lavish clothing that resembled something worn by Victorian Era aristocracy.

The man groaned and looked up. His pale skin went several shades paler when he saw the glowing green eyes of Uriel boring straight into his soul. The sheer pressure of her presence was suffocating and each breath he took felt like he was inhaling a gallon of water.

"So there were more. And here I thought we got them all," Uriel said.

The exorcist who reported to her earlier stiffened.

"Is this the last one?" Uriel asked.

"I've killed the two others hiding in the inn and Griselda reported that she killed another one before this. It seems that in the chaos, not everyone was taken into account," Touji said. "There might be more that are unaccounted for in town."

Uriel gave the vampire a look of utter disdain. She reached forward and grabbed the back of his scalp, painfully pulling his hair.

"You and your ilk are very brave to come into my territory and fight a war," Uriel said in a low and menacing tone.

"I-I am a proud member of House Manthar… If you harm me, you'll invite war from the Tepes Faction," the vampire said, attempting to intimidate her.

"Oh? Then by all means," Uriel said.

"Lady Uriel. We must attend to the matter at hand," Ferdinand said.

Uriel's jaw clenched. She removed her hand from the vampire's hair. "Why are you and your kind here? This area is under the jurisdiction of Heaven. Tell me. Is Vlad Tepes really that foolish to invite a war from Heaven when they already have their hands full fighting a war against the Carmilla Faction?" Uriel walked around him. She left charred footprints in her wake.

The Manthar Vampire shook. He had never felt fear this intense before. Not when he faced against the vampires of the Carmilla Faction nor when he faced vampire hunters. This monster with an angelic face was something worse than everything he had ever encountered.

"W-We never meant for our fight to spill out into your territory. My kinsman and I were merely passing through," the Manthar Vampire sputtered.

"I find that hard to believe. At least make your lies more believable," she replied. The heat in the room began to steadily rise.

"I-I'm not lying! I swear on the name of the Progenitor, Dracula! We were ambushed! Ambushed by the forces of Erzsebet Bathory!" the Manthar Vampire swore.

Uriel paused. "Are there more of you?"

"N-No. Your filthy pet humans killed them all," the Manthar Vampire hissed.

"Good. Now, consider your next answer very carefully," she turned to face the vampire with a mirthless smile on her face. "Have you seen two girls? One with black hair and the other with orange-brown hair?"

The Manthar Vampire raised an eyebrow. "No. No, I have not. I fled with my kinsman as we scattered. But… had I seen them…" At this moment, a foolish bravery welled up within him. "I wouldn't hesitate to gut a child of the Church."

Uriel's smile only widened. She grabbed him by his throat. "I'll let you die with this knowledge. If I find that there is a single scratch on their bodies, I will not hesitate to reduce Romania to a smoldering crater and wipe out every last vampire in existence."

Before the Manthar Vampire could respond, he felt a white-hot burning pain sear through his body. He let out an animalistic, agonized scream as white light poured out of his mouth and eyes. Every second of his demise felt like years of torture in hell. It burned worse than any magical flame and he felt every instant of his organs being reduced to a liquefied pool of char. He struggled and clawed at her arm uselessly as he tried to fight with every ounce of strength he had left to end this hellish torture.

The other Exorcists watched grimly as Uriel mercilessly and brutally executed the vampire before her. This was the Archangel that even Gods were wary of for unlike her siblings, Uriel lacked any semblance of mercy.

Uriel dropped the Vampire's corpse on the ground as if it were garbage. His eye sockets were nothing more than blackened smoldering pits. Parts of his mouth were burned at the lips, giving off the odor of burnt meat.

"I want every Exorcist in this compound scouring the area. Move to the surrounding towns. If you see a single one of these biters, execute them on the spot. Show no mercy," Uriel turned to the Exorcists with fury blazing in her flaming green eyes. "Find the girls and leave no survivors."

Her twelve wings spread from her back before she disappeared in a pillar of red flames.

"Shoot! We're in so much trouble!" Lucia said as she and Irina ran through the woods. "Mama's going to kill me for being out this late! And Selda too!"

"My dad's going to kill me for running off!" Irina said.

The two girls had lost track of time when they played by the creek. With Irina's encouragement, Lucia kept showing off her newfound powers, albeit she was a bit unskilled at controlling it. For hours, she threw balls of Holy Power at the rock, causing bigger and bigger explosions yet the shielded rock continued to mock her efforts. After a while, the two spent the next hour skipping rocks across the stream.

"Why didn't you tell me it was getting late!?" Lucia said.

"What? Me! I thought you were keeping track of time!" Irina argued.

The two girls bickered as they tried to find their way out but the lack of proper sunlight along with the shadows of the canopy made finding their way out difficult.

"Didn't we pass by here?" Lucia asked as she looked around.

"I-I don't know. I… I want my Dad," Irina said as she began to sniffle. Tears pricked at the edges of her eyes at the thought of being lost. The bravado she had earlier began to fade away.

"H-Hey, don't cry! We're heroes, remember? We're supposed to be brave so we can fight the Shadows and the Epilogue together," Lucia said as she tried to comfort Irina, who was on the verge of breaking down.

Irina sniffled and nodded. Lucia held her hand and tried to keep herself together. She was also scared. For all the blustering and grandstanding she and Irina had done earlier, she wasn't used to being by herself in a strange place for a long period of time. The darkness around her made her anxious.

"C-Come on. Let's go," Lucia's voice wavered as she pulled Irina further into the woods.

The woods became more disorienting as they trekked further and further along. Every sound put them on edge. On top of that, it seemed to grow darker with each step they took. Lucia's grip around Irina's hand tightened as the two girls tried to stay brave like their parents would have wanted.

And as if to mock them, mist began to form around them.

"R-Rin, I can't see," Lucia squinted as she tried to see through the fog.

"Me neither," Irina said as she stuck close to Lucia.

A twig snapped to their left, causing the two girls to whirl around. There was a tall shadow standing between two of the trees. Lucia stood protectively in front of Irina, trying her best to look brave as the shadow stepped out into the dim moonlight.

The man was unnaturally pale. He had a pair of pointed ears and matted blonde hair. He was dressed in what appeared to be military clothing from an older era with a short tattered red cape behind him. But his most distinctive features were the pair of fangs peeking out from his upper lip.

Lucia's eyes changed color as she scanned the man before her.

[Balthazar Vladi]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 150, Durability: 100, Speed: 145, Magic: 130, Skill: 72. Calculating overall combat capabilities - 597]

5-597! That's higher than me and Rin! A-And Mama's not here. Lucia took a slight step back, still keeping herself before Irina.

"Well, well, well, just when I thought I'd have to go through the night without any food," Balthazar said as he licked his lips. There was a feral hunger in his eyes. "Hello there, little girl."

Lucia said nothing as she glared as fiercely as she could at the vampire.

Balthazar's amused smirk only grew wider at Lucia's glare. "What a scary face you have there, little miss. And your friend behind you… hello there."

Irina mustered up the fiercest glare she could but the vampire could smell her fear and hear her heart racing.

"You know. It's polite to say hello when a grown up talks to you," Balthazar took a step forward.

"My Mama told me to never talk to strangers," Lucia said.

"Your Mama sounds like a smart person. My name is Balthazar. I'm just a nice man who got lost in the woods. There, now that you know my name, we're not strangers anymore, are we, Miss…?" Balthazar tilted his head slightly.

Lucia and Irina said nothing.

"I see. Well, let's not waste any time then. I'm sure your Mama is out looking for you two, so how about you both come with me and I'll escort you two back into town? What do you say? Do you trust Uncle Balthazar?" he asked as he offered his hand.

Lucia looked at his hand as if it were poison. She took a step back, along with Irina.

Her action made Balthazar frown.

"That's rude. Didn't your Mom teach you to listen to grown ups?" he said with an annoyed look on his face. He took another step forward, determined to grab Lucia. His hunger was beginning to reach a crescendo and his instincts called on him to turn these two children into his own personal blood bags.

Lucia bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to think of something. Anything. Her eyes lit up and she reached into her pocket. "Hey Mister!"

"Hmm?" Balthazar raised an eyebrow and paused for a moment. "What do you have there, Little Miss?" he smiled as he reached forward to see what Lucia was fumbling for in her pocket.

With a rush of adrenaline flowing through her, Lucia pulled a small bottle from her pocket and uncapped it.

Water…? Wait, no, that's Holy Water—!?

Before he could react, Lucia sprayed some of the water in his hand and face. The effects were almost immediate. He recoiled in agony, letting out a primal scream of pain. Smoke wafted from his body as he stumbled back, holding his face. The water felt like acid, eating through his flesh and exposing bone.

"You! You filthy bitch!" Balthazar hissed through the pain. "You dare…!"

"Come on! RUN!" Lucia grabbed Irina's hand and ran deeper into the woods.

"Aggghhh! When I find you, I'll skin you alive!" Balthazar roared.

The two girls disappeared into the brush as Balthazar's flesh fell off in clumps of blood and muscle. The fallen flesh bubbled on the ground as the holy water ate away at it. Balthazar's breaths came out in ragged gasps as he straightened himself. What remained of his face and hand were nothing more than raw red muscle. His left eye had completely melted away, leaving behind a dark eye socket.

"You. I hope you can run fast, little girl. Because I won't let you get away," Balthazar said as he followed after them.

"Where are we going!?" Irina panted as she and Lucia ran for their lives.

The trees breeze by them but they could never seem to escape this mist. The mist grew thicker as they continued moving, as if it had a mind of its own. There was the faint echo of bats chirping around them.

"That vampire is going to eat us if he gets us!" Lucia said as she continued to run. "Ferdinand told me in my lessons! Vampires drink blood! If he drinks our blood, we're going to die!"

Irina paled at her words. "What do we do!?" Irina yelled.

"Run! We run!" Lucia said.

The two kept running. Balthazar's laughter seemed to echo from all around them and no matter how far they went, the mist always seemed to grow thicker. The trees all began to blend together and look the same as if they had been running in a circle.

Eventually, fatigue set in as Lucia and Irina came to a stop in a clearing.

"Come on, little girls. Come out, come out wherever you are! I'm not mad. I promise!"

Irina whimpered as the two ducked behind some bushes. Lucia placed her hand over Irina's mouth and her own to stifle their breathing.

The sound of footsteps walked past them.

"Come on now. Are we playing hide and seek, now?" Balthazar said.

Lucia felt her heart beating out of her chest as Balthazar's footsteps came to a stop near them.

"Hey. You know. What you did back there was really bad. It's not nice to throw holy water in someone's face," Balthazar looked around, sniffing the air for any sign of them. Their scent seemed to be everywhere. He clicked his tongue and adjusted his nose to get a better whiff of the air around him. The holy water inside his head was messing with his senses.

Lucia held her breath as the footsteps grew fainter and fainter. She let out a sigh of relief and took her hand away from Irina's mouth. The usually cheerful girl looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"W-What do we do?" Irina whispered. "That monster is going to eat us, right?"

"No, no! He's not!" Lucia said, trying to reassure her friend but even she didn't believe her own words. She gripped the hem of her shirt and tried to think. Her mind raced through every possibility that she could think of.

"I have an idea," Lucia said. She handed the bottle of Holy Water to Irina. "This thing can hurt that monster. All we need to do is hit him with this and this." Lucia held up a small ball of black and red light.

"But how?"

Lucia furrowed her brow. "I don't know. I…"

Lucia felt a chill run down her spine when she heard breathing coming directly behind her. She jumped up but was grabbed by something. She kicked and struggled as she was turned to face the burnt, melted face of Balthazar Vladi.

"There you are, Little Miss," he said. He brought his grotesque face close to hers, taking a sniff of her. The scent of her blood almost drove him wild with hunger.

"Let me go!" Lucia yelled.

"Oh no. Bad kids deserve to be punished. So I'm going to take my time and skin you alive," Balthazar said. His nails sharpened, morphing into wicked talons.

Lucia's breath hitched as she thrashed harder in his grasp. Her eyes shifted color as she stared Balthazar directly in the eye.

[Guide updated…]

[Vampire Weaknesses: Garlic, Sunlight, Running Water, Holy Items, Holy Power]

"Let me go!" Lucia shrieked. Her body let loose a flash of black and red light that instantly incinerated Balthazar's hand. Lucia fell to the ground as Balthazar stumbled back, holding his now charred hand.

"Gaaagggh! You little bitch!" the vampire roared as he kicked Lucia across the clearing into a tree.

The tree shook violently as Lucia's small body hit it with tremendous force. "Ugh…" Lucia groaned as she weakly got on her hands and knees.

"I'm going to enjoy peeling your skin off. You know… I've never drank the blood of an angel before. I wonder how your people taste," Balthazar hissed as he slowly walked over to her.

"STOP IT!"

Balthazar paused and turned to see Irina standing behind him. She glared but her body shook with fear.

"You should've stayed hidden, Runt. But I guess people from the Church are always ready to die for each other. It's stupid, really. No wonder inferior species such as yourself are nothing more than food for superior beings like me. No matter. After I finish with her, I'll come for you so…" Balthazar reached for Irina with his clawed hand. "Why don't you take a time out?"

But Irina was ready. She swung her hand out from behind her back and sprayed the rest of the holy water across Balthazar's face and hands.

"RAAAGGGHHH! YOU LITTLE WHORE!" the vampire roared in pain and rage. He swung his arm blindly, striking Irina across the face with the back of his hand. The girl was sent sprawling across the ground.

"GAAGGH! MY EYES! Haaahhhh!" Balthazar let out a long-winded breath of pain. His only remaining eye had been melted away by the holy water, leaving black pits in his skull. He turned to where Irina's scent was. "You know what? If you're really that impatient…" he took in a sharp breath. "I'll deal with you first. I'll gouge out your eyes and then drain you dry. It'll be like drinking a juice box. And I'll send your shriveled eyeless corpse to the pig that spawned you, little bitch."

"Don't touch her."

Balthazar whirled around at the sound of Lucia's voice.

Lucia stared into the vampire's eyeless head. Holy aura was flooding from her body, blanketing the field in a warm red light.

"Oh, and what are you going to do, little bird?" Balthazar cackled. "You have no holy water left."

Lucia bit her cheek. She had to use it. But how can she even hurt this guy if she couldn't even blow up a stupid rock? She looked at the downed Irina and made up her mind. She had to be brave like her Mom. Mama would never be afraid of a stupid bat.

Lucia closed her eyes and gathered holy power through her body. Her innate nature as an Angel guided her through it. A long-dormant power that lay within the depths of her holy power began to surge forth. Wisps of black and red light formed in her hands. It was different from all the other balls of holy power she had made.

It crackled with newfound power that even the vampire could sense.

Lucia clenched her jaw as she poured every ounce of energy she could muster. The ball grew brighter, swirling as it crackled with unstable energy.

Lucia spread her wings and flew forward, zipping around Balthazar.

"Stay still, cocky brat!" Balthazar unleashed a beam of red energy that narrowly missed Lucia.

Lucia zipped to a tree branch before launching off it. The swirling ball of crackling black and red energy grew larger and larger as she continued to put more power into it. The shadows around them seemed to elongate before they were ripped and infused into the swirling ball of light.

"Over there!" Balthazar hissed as he whipped his head around, trying to pinpoint her exact location. The hole where his ear used to be picked up the sound of a twig snapping and he spun on his feet, firing a spear of blood at the direction of the sound.

But Lucia had already darted away from his aim. She twisted around the spear and cocked her arm back. A large swirling orb of red light and black shadow spun above her palm.

"Take thiiiss!" Lucia yelled as she hurled the swirling ball of red and black light at Balthazar.

"GAAAH!" Balthazar screamed in pain as the orb slammed into him, catapulting him through several trees. His body was thrown like a ragdoll across the forest.

A tremendous explosion shook the woods and lit the night sky in a blood red light. Lucia landed on the ground, breathing raggedly as her power left her. The adrenaline high she felt began to fade away, leaving her exhausted and on the ground. The blast wave of her final attack washed over her, uprooting some small trees and violently rattling the larger ones.

After a few seconds, Lucia struggled to get to her feet. She looked over to where Irina lay unconscious on the ground. There was a large bruise forming on her cheek. "Rin…," Lucia whispered as she limped over.

She shook Irina gently. "Rin, we gotta go. Come on, get up. We need to get home," Lucia said as she tugged on Irina's arm. Groaning with extreme effort, Lucia tried to lift Irina up, supporting her with one arm like how she had seen other Exorcists do at the Institution.

"Rin… come on…!" Lucia grunted as she took a step forward. Her feet weighed as much as lead. Each step she took needed a considerable amount of effort.

She had taken no more than a couple of steps when she heard a familiar voice behind her. Her blood ran cold as she looked over her shoulder.

Balthazar limped toward them. His right arm was covered in a wispy black shadow that carried small particles of red light. The darkness spread through Balthazar's arm, carrying the light like a pathogen and corroding it until it fell off Balthazar's body. Blood poured profusely from his eye holes and mouth. His clothes were in tatters and his body littered with severe third-degree burns.

"You filthy… bitch! I'll get you for that. I'll kill you!" Balthazar said. "I don't care anymore! I'll drink you dry!"

Balthazar hissed before transforming into a flock of shadowy bats that flew at the two girls.

Lucia bit her lip and summoned the red and black light to her palm again. But it was too late, Balthazar transformed back into physical form and lunged at her with his claws and fangs on full display.

Mama… please… save me!

Lucia closed her eyes as she awaited the inevitable only for it to never come. She cracked an eye open and noticed Balthazar frozen in midair mere inches from her.

"W-What!? What manner of devilry is this!?" Balthazar said.

Before he could say anything else, he was thrown and pinned violently against a tree. His remaining arm and legs were brutally nailed to the tree with stakes made of pure light. Balthazar roared in agony as he was crucified.

"What…?" Lucia's eyes widened when she saw a rain of white feathers. An immense level of holy power flooded the area, causing the Earth to quake violently. Cracks appeared on the ground and the wind began to pick up.

Lucia, in her haze, prepared for a fight as she poured more and more energy into her tiny orb. It grew to the size of a basketball, a swirling mass of red and black energy.

"Stay back!" Lucia warned.

"Luci…?" A woman appeared in her hazy vision as she lashed out in a frenzy, sending a wave of energy at her supposed assailant.

"Luci! Luci, stop it's me! You're safe. You're safe now," the woman walked through her onslaught without so much as a scratch on her and wrapped her arms around her.

A familiar scent flooded Lucia's nose, calming her down. The smell of lavender, shampoo, and something unique that only she could recognize. The haze in her vision cleared as she came face to face with the warm green eyes of her mother.

"Mama…?" Lucia whispered. The black and red light crackling around Lucia's body dissipated as she began to calm down.

"Yes, yes, My Little Star, it's me. Mama's here. You're okay. You're okay," Uriel reassured her as she held her daughter tightly in her arms.

"Mama… I was brave," Lucia said quietly.

"Yes, you were a brave girl," Uriel whispered soothingly as she stroked her daughter's back.

Lucia smiled before passing out in her mother's arms as the fear and exhaustion finally caught up with her.

Uriel smiled gently as she cradled her daughter. She glanced at the unconscious Irina before turning to the vampire she had crucified on the tree. Her eyes glowed as she beckoned to the vampire with her finger.

Balthazar screamed as he was ripped away from the stakes and the tree, pulled toward Uriel by an unseen force.

"Which family are you from?" Uriel asked in an unnervingly calm manner. Her green eyes glowed ominously.

"I… Go fuck yourself— AHHHHH!"

Uriel gently tapped his chest with her finger, sending an excruciating amount of holy power into his system.

The vampire thrashed and howled in pain. "Okay! OKAY! THE VLADI FAMILY!"

"I see. So this little caravan wasn't just the Manthar Family. It looks like the Vampires of Romania need to learn to keep their war in their borders," Uriel mused as she took her finger away. "It seems like I need to pay Vlad and Erzsebet a visit about boundaries."

Balthazar panted, whimpering as he felt the sense of impending death looming over him. "Please… mercy…"

"There is no mercy. Tonight, your family won't even have a corpse to bury," Uriel said as she walked away. She snapped her fingers and Balthazar threw his head back and let out a tortured howl.

"AGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed as holy fire burned through his insides.

Plumes of flame erupted from his eye sockets and mouth. His body spasmed as fire erupted from cracks that formed on his skin, eating his flesh and turning them into black char. He felt every second of it as the holy flames licked and devoured each organ inside his body. The remaining skin on his eyes and mouth melted away. After a few agonizing seconds, he let out a death rattle as his entire body was reduced to a black charred corpse which disintegrated to ash shortly after.

Uriel walked over to where Irina lay and gently scooped her into her other arm.

Just now, that power Luci used. No doubt about it… that was Leliel…, she thought as she gazed down at her unconscious daughter.

"Come on, you two. Let's go home," she said as she disappeared in a swirl of red flames, leaving behind nothing but a pile of ashes where Balthazar once stood.

An infinite expanse of stars was what she opened her eyes to. The galactic nebulae swirled, forming a vast tree whose height she could not see the end of and whose roots extended into infinity. Above her and the immeasurably large tree was a vast gold and black object resembling a star. Its corona formed a four-point crown and bathed the entirety of the cosmic background in a rainbow of lights.

Nine lesser lights shone above her, outshining the infinitude of lights that made up the tree's trunk.

The nine lights glittered and orbited the canopy of the "tree", whose boughs held an immeasurable number of stars.

Wait…? Nine? There were supposed to be…

"Ten," she whispered.

She gazed down below her into the boundless darkness. It was a darkness whose depths knew no bounds. Flickering lights from the "tree" fell into the "sea", only to be swallowed by one of the nine monstrous shadows that lay beneath its roiling sea of darkness. Its surface shifted, causing its waves to slam against the trunk of the "tree", producing a myriad of colors that her mind could not comprehend.

She took a step back.

As soon as she did, she hit something she couldn't see. Her eyes blinked as she tried to make sense of what lay before her.

A flickering light similar to the ones that flew above.

"[...]?"

Behind her, the Shadows rose from the "Sea", numbering nine in total.

The voices spoke and whispered but she couldn't understand a thing they were saying. She gripped the side of her head, trying to block out the noise when the flickering light behind her extended one of its soft, multicolored rays and gently wrapped around her.

"The gap between us and tomorrow grows ever larger..."

A soothing voice came into her mind. That voice sounded very much like…

But before she could finish that train of thought, a rush of visions passed through her. Visions like the dreams she had been having.

Of the boy who had the red gauntlet and the girls at his side. The one that stood out among them all. Her existence was lit like a beacon and shined even brighter than the boy's. All she could see was her crimson-red hair.

And then the vision radically shifted. The red-haired girl turned to her, speaking words she could not hear. As her vision faded, all she saw was a burning wasteland and the red-haired girl whose hair was slowly turning white.

The first thing Lucia awoke to was yelling. She shot up in bed, panting heavily. A trail of cold sweat trickled down her forehead and dripped onto the blanket.

"Luci!"

Lucia looked up, her vision still hazy and groggy from her impromptu nap. She looked around, taking in the familiar color of her room's wallpaper along with the scattered stuffed animals and books strewn haphazardly across the room. Lucia turned to see her mother's worried face as Uriel checked her for any wounds.

"Luci, my little star. Does anything hurt?" Uriel asked.

"M-Mama…?"

"Yes, baby. It's me. You're safe. You're safe now," Uriel said as she pulled her daughter in for another hug.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake, Lucia."

Lucia looked up past her mother to see a familiar white-haired woman in black and white clothing.

"Auntie… Ellie?" Lucia said, her voice muffled in her mother's shoulder.

Helel smiled and nodded. "You had all of us worried for a second there."

Lucia pulled away from her mother. "R-RIN! IRINA! Mama, Irina, we have to go get her! She got hurt—!" Lucia said frantically as she grabbed Uriel's shoulders.

"Huh? Luci, Irina is fine. She woke up a few hours before you did. Irina's been sitting here in your room for over 3 hours. She just went to go get a drink of water," Uriel reassured her.

"B-But! That pale man! The vampire, I saw him—!"

"Sweetheart, she's okay," Uriel reassured her.

"Promise…?"

"I promise," Uriel said, stroking her daughter's hair softly.

The day's events finally caught up with her. The fear and anxiety she had been hiding for so long in the woods finally broke through her emotional dam. Lucia hugged her mother tightly and began to cry. "Mama! I'm sorry I didn't listen!" she wailed into her mother's arms. Her small body shook with the force of her sobs as she desperately clung to Uriel's dress.

Uriel hugged her daughter tightly, rubbing soothing circles along her back and petting the spine of her wings. "Shh, it's okay, Luci. I'm just glad you're okay. That's all that matters."

The two stayed like that for a few minutes as Lucia continued to cry in her mother's arms. Helel glanced at her younger sister and nodded. A silent agreement passed between them to discuss their argument at a later time. After Helel left and Lucia stopped crying, Irina was allowed to enter the room with Touji.

There, another few minutes of crying ensued as the two girls hugged the life out of each other. Uriel smiled slightly. Irina had managed to break through the stoic facade her daughter usually put on for others outside of the Institution.

Uriel thought about the future. The argument she and her sister had. Now that she wasn't allowed to "negotiate" with the vampires in Romania, all she could do was make sure Lucia had all she needed to defend herself.

Leliel… a Power of God Miracle that belonged to the Angel of Night, Laylah. I can't believe I didn't see the resemblance much sooner, Uriel mused.

She would need training to efficiently use her Miracle in the future. That meant that it was time to take the training wheels off her daughter as much as she hated it.

"Mama! MAMA!"

Uriel blinked and snapped out of her reverie. "Yes, Luci. What is it?" Uriel asked.

"Can I make Irina my Apostle!" Lucia asked giddily, her previous sadness now a thing of the past.

Irina nodded alongside Lucia, looking at the Great Seraph with pleading eyes.

Uriel turned to Touji, who was also watching their interaction silently. "Ask your father, Irina."

"Dad! I want to become an Apostle! Please, please, please, pleaaaaaaasssse!" Irina begged.

"Eh…? Um…," Touji rubbed the back of his head, feeling a bit put on the spot. "L-Let's ask your mother first."

"Awww," Irina visibly deflated at his answer.

"Don't worry. All we have to do is get your Mom to say yes, right?" Lucia said. "Then we can keep playing together and become super heroes when we're grown ups!"

"Yeah!" Irina agreed and the two girls went back to their innocent, childish conversation of heroes and villains.

"Watch over the girls, Touji. I have some things to discuss with my older sister," Uriel said as she left the room.

She didn't have to walk far when she saw Helel waiting for her around the corner. Her older sister was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. "Is she okay?"

"She wants Touji Shidou's daughter to become her Apostle," Uriel said.

"And…?"

"I told them to ask Touji. But I'd rather they wait until Lucia can properly control her Holy Power. Perhaps in a few months," Uriel said as she walked past her older sister.

Helel fell into step beside her as the two walked down the hallway. "You cannot shelter her forever. She is your daughter. She's going to play a big role on the world stage as the daughter of the Archangel Uriel."

"She's just a kid. I want her to enjoy her life as a kid should. I don't want her to go out there when the world is teetering on the edge of war," Uriel replied hotly.

"I never said to train her to be a soldier. But you can't keep her ignorant of the world forever. She has to know. And she has to know what happened to her parents. That Miracle was Leliel, was it not?" Helel asked.

Uriel nodded stiffly.

"So she really is Laylah's daughter. Fitting for her daughter of the Angel named Night to inherit her mother's ability to control holy light and infuse it with darkness. Such a power can be dangerous if she doesn't learn to control it," Helel said.

Uriel remained silent at her sister's words. After a few seconds, Uriel spoke up. "You're right. I know you're right… but I can't help but want to keep her close for a little while longer. She's just a kid. You and I never got a childhood, Big Sis. I want to give that to her at least."

Helel nodded in understanding. "You don't have to take her childhood away from her but at least don't make her naive about the world. Because when she eventually wants to go out and explore all the world has to offer, you won't always be there to guide her."

"I understand," Uriel said. After a few seconds of silence, Uriel looked at her older sister. "And what about her dreams?"

"What about them?" Helel asked.

"The ones that come true. Everything she's dreamed of and drawn so far has almost always come to pass. Do you think she might be a…"

"A Prophet? Unlikely. The Sephirot records the names of all Prophets that will be born past, present, and future. I didn't see her name anywhere in the System," Helel replied.

"I see."

"Though, hmm," Helel rubbed her chin. "It's a hunch I need to look into. For now, just go be with your daughter. And don't go and declare war on Romania, you hear?" Helel vanished in a flurry of violet feathers.

Uriel sighed. She was about to return to the room when two blurs ran past her. Uriel smiled as she watched her daughter and Irina running down the stairs, presumably to go play some random game in the Institution. Deciding that it can come later, Uriel watched from the upstairs balcony as her daughter chased her friend.

Tonight and the night after, Lucia would still be a child. A child whose innocence Uriel would do her best to protect. Eventually, she would need to let her child handle her trials by herself no matter how much she wished for Lucia not to. But until that day comes, Uriel would shield her from everything.

That's right. Even after Lucia stood on her own two feet and forged her own path with the people she chose to surround herself with, Uriel would always stand behind her, ready to catch her when she fell.

And so, Lucia ran burst through the double doors of the Institution, just as the light of the sun shined through the windows.

"Luci! We're going to be late!" Irina stood in her training gear and waved a wooden sword around. She had that same bubbly grin plastered onto her face.

"Coming!" Lucia said as she tied her hair back and ran after her.

It had been 1 year since that fateful incident.

And Lucia had turned 8 years old.

Chapter Text

THWACK!

CLANG!

The sound of footsteps echoed through the Institution as several Exorcists came to the training ground to watch the spectacle that had the older Exorcist trainees in slight awe. Uriel observed the spar from the sidelines alongside Griselda and Touji.

The two girls ran around the sparring ring, trading blows with their wooden swords.

"Look at those kids go!"

"As expected of Lady Uriel's daughter…"

"Don't count the Apostle out yet."

CLAK!

Irina slid backward from the force of Lucia's blow but caught herself by slamming her wooden sword into the dirt. She panted, grimacing as she winced at the pain from Lucia's strike. She met Lucia's dark eyes and smiled.

There was a cold calculated calm in her friend's eyes. It was different from Lucia's normally stoic gaze.

Dad was right. She is strong, Irina thought.

She clenched her jaw and spread her feet apart. She held the wooden sword to her side.

Lucia's eyes widened slightly in surprise before gripping her blade tightly.

The two girls ran toward each other and Irina parried Lucia's blade, sending her arm upward. The force of the blow sent a gust of wind across the arena.

"I'm impressed, Touji," Uriel said as she watched Lucia and Irina lock blades. "You managed to train her from the ground up. And you said she had no prior training before this?"

Touji nodded, a bit proud that his daughter was managing to go toe to toe with a Nephilim. "Yes, Irina has never had any training prior."

"To think that only 10 months of training under you can give her the skills needed to push Lady Lucia like this," Griselda mused. "She must have some latent talent."

Uriel nodded as she turned back to the spar. Red light wrapped around Lucia's wooden sword as she slashed Irina, who blocked the attack. An explosion of dust rocked the battlefield as Irina jumped from the dust cloud and brought her blade down.

Lucia pushed her back and ran forward, performing several sword thrusts that Irina narrowly avoided.

The two locked blades again, pushing back against the other. They were seemingly evenly matched until Lucia let out a gasp.

Irina slammed her fist into Lucia's midsection, knocking the breath out of her and sending her backward.

I got her!

Irina thrust her sword forward as orange light wrapped around her blade at extreme speeds.

As the wooden blade neared Lucia, Lucia's eyes snapped open and she parried all three attacks at rapid speed.

"Haaaaah!" Lucia rushed forward, inflicting a flurry of slashes on Irina.

Irina tightened her jaw as she slid backward. She dropped into a quickdraw stance and met Lucia head-on. Another dust cloud was kicked up as the two girls collided, sending wind billowing in all directions.

"Are you planning to teach Lady Lucia basic Miracles soon, Lady Uriel?" Touji asked as he watched Irina jump out of the dust cloud.

"I am. Her control over her Holy Power and her innate Power of God has been deeply refined over the past 10 months. Since she's determined to make Irina her Apostle, then we will perform the ritual later tonight. She's already been poring over books behind my back after I told her about it," Uriel chuckled.

"By reading, you don't mean she gets into your collection... of boy's love, do you, Lady Uriel?" Griselda asked.

Uriel sputtered and her face turned red from the accusation. "As if I would let a child read something like that!"

Lucia burst from the dust cloud with her sword and pointed it in Irina's face.

"Match!" Griselda called out, stopping the two.

Lucia lowered her wooden sword and panted. "When did you get so good? The last few months, you've been on your butt whenever we sparred."

Irina smiled wryly. "Hah, I asked Dad to help me."

"Lucia."

She turned around at the sound of her name to see her mother approaching. "Mama…? I looked cool out there, right?"

Uriel chuckled and ruffled her hair. "You looked very cool out there, Luci."

"Ehehe," A small smile graced Lucia's lips as she basked in the glow of her mother's praise.

"Now, now. If you don't want to go another round with Irina, I suggest you two get cleaned up and meet me in the classroom so we can start learning about Miracles," Uriel said.

Irina and Lucia's eyes lit up in excitement and the two ran off, chattering excitedly about how cool it would finally be to be summoning meteors from the sky.

As a way to streamline their education, Uriel decided it would be best for Lucia to learn Miracles alongside Irina. Neither girl had any experience with it and it was unanimously agreed upon that it would be better for the two to learn together rather than to have a gap between them. So, while Irina trained with her father for the past couple of months to catch up to Lucia, Lucia was trained by Uriel to further refine her control of her Holy Power.

Of course, Uriel took their past experience into account. With Irina, she would be slightly behind due to not growing up within the Institution and the fact that she won't be able to properly wield Holy Power until she became Lucia's Apostle. However, it would be a good way to provide Irina with base knowledge.

"Mama… can we get started now?" Lucia asked, snapping her mother out of her misery.

"Luci, we can't talk that way to your Mom," Irina said.

Uriel smiled. At least now, Lucia would have someone to keep her somewhat in check.

"Now, now, let's not get too ahead of ourselves, Luci. I still have to explain what we're learning today. Until Irina becomes your Apostle, she won't be able to do any actual practice so I'll just explain what we'll be learning from here and you can get started on something basic," Uriel emphasized the word "basic".

Lucia nodded, ready to absorb every last detail her mother would say. All she cared about right now was the fact that she could learn a new power.

"Now, let's begin by asking what a Miracle is. Does anyone want to answer?" Uriel asked as she wrote the word "Miracle" on the chalkboard.

Lucia's hand immediately shot into the air. "A Miracle is magic that the Church uses! It lets us use floaty letters to rewrite the world around us to make things explode or set things on fire!"

Irina nodded excitedly along with her words.

"That's true. But let me explain it a bit more in detail," Uriel said as she began writing on the chalkboard.

"Miracles are exactly what you say they are, Luci. The system of Miracles is the primary magic of the Church. The power of Saints and Prophets, as well as the powers belonging to God and Angels. With Holy Power, we can rewrite the world around us, turning and weaponizing ideas and metaphors like…," Uriel waved her hand. Several incomprehensible letters of the angelic language swirled around her before forming a torrent of fire that sprung from her hands.

"Creating the pillar of flames from the Book of Exodus. Or…," the letters twisted and changed as a basking shark made of light swam above the palm of Uriel's hand. "Recreate the great fish that swallowed Jonah. We can make things from the Bible real or rewrite the reality around us."

Lucia eagerly began scribbling notes of whatever her mother said. The faster she got this, the more she could do. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see the star-struck Irina trying to manifest the letters.

"Of course, to cast Miracles, you need Holy Power. For Angels, it's simple," Uriel closed her hand and dispelled the shark. "We can use our innate Holy Power to manifest Miracles around us. However, for a human, it's a bit different, Irina."

Irina stopped waving her hands and looked up at the sound of her name.

"Humans can gain Holy Power by connecting to the Sephirot. Think of it as a giant computer at the top of Heaven that gives power to prayers. Humans normally pray for years in order to channel Holy Power through their bodies but as an Apostle, it will be different for you," Uriel said.

Irina tilted her head, not understanding what she said. "Different?"

"Mama's right! She told me the other night! I have to give you something called a Sacred Factor!" Lucia said.

Uriel nodded. "Tonight, you will receive a Sacred Factor from Lucia to mark your status as an Apostle. A Sacred Factor will allow you to use Holy Power as if it were your own and borrow power from the System without needing prayer to protect you."

"Woooaaah! So cool! Can I get it now? Can I?" Irina practically begged.

"Later, once we finish the lesson. Now, Irina, you don't have a Sacred Factor yet so you can ask Luci how to do this later," Uriel said.

Irina pouted but nodded.

Lucia placed her hand on her shoulder. "We're partners. I'll teach you everything Mama shows me."

"Only one thing Luci."

Lucia nodded.

"The first Miracle I'll teach you is very very simple," Uriel said. She held her hand out and a small circle of letters formed above it. A swirling mist coalesced above the palm of her hand. The mist twisted and churned. "This is a Miracle that allows you to create clouds—"

"Clouds? Mama, that's so lame," Lucia said.

"Luci. It's a safe first Miracle to learn. Besides, you have Leliel already. I want you to—"

"Get the basics down," Lucia repeated.

"That's right," Uriel said.

Irina raised her hand. "Um, is Leliel that thing I see Luci use all the time? The one with the black and red light?"

Uriel nodded before dispersing the cloud. "Right, since you did ask that question, we can go into the different types of Miracles." Uriel split the board into three columns before writing words up at the very top of said columns. She tapped the left side of the board with the chalk.

"The first one we'll talk about is known as Power of Prayer. These Miracles are Miracles everyone can use like the Pillar of Clouds Miracle. Usually, these Miracles can be things you read about in the Bible or other regular things like fire," Uriel explained.

Lucia and Irina nodded.

"Moving on, the second one is one Luci should know. Power of God. These Miracles are special Miracles that belong to certain Angels. For example, Lucia has a Power of God called Leliel, that lets you…?" Uriel said.

"It lets me fuse Light and Dark together!" Lucia said.

"Very good. Other Powers of God are Miracles like mine. Lahat Chereb," Uriel wrote the name on the board.

"It's the strongest fire on the planet! Aunty Sandy told me once that Mom destroyed an entire army of demons with it in one swing!" Lucia said giddily.

"Woaaah!" Irina turned to Uriel with stars in her eyes.

"I need to talk to Sandalphon about the stories she tells you," Uriel said.

"What's the last kind?" Irina asked.

Uriel's face grew more serious. "Forbidden Miracles. I want you two to promise that unless you have no other choices left, you will not cast these. I won't teach you any before you ask but just in case." She directed her stare at her daughter, who stiffened and nodded.

"Good. Forbidden Miracles are Miracles that Heaven controls and monitors. These Miracles are really dangerous and one wrong move and…" Uriel smiled. "You might blow up everything and everyone around you."

Lucia and Irina paled at the sight of her menacing smile.

"Now, let's—"

The door to the classroom opened and Griselda peeked inside.

"Lady Uriel. Lady Sandalphon is here and waiting in your office," she reported.

"I see. Hmm…"

"Mama, no work! You have to show us some cool Miracles!" Lucia begged.

Uriel sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Can you tell Sandy that I have something going on? She can wait in the office. And have Ferdinand and Touji entertain her while I'm teaching the kids."

"I'm afraid she said it's important, Milady. It's regarding a transfer?"

Uriel sighed in slight annoyance at having her lesson interrupted by her older sister. "Can you take over for me, Griselda? Just show Lucia how to cast the Pillar of Clouds Miracle. I'll be back in… however long it takes Sandalphon to talk to me about this transfer."

"Mama," Lucia said, looking downcast as her mother walked to the door.

Uriel smiled and petted her head. "We'll continue after I finish with Aunty Sandy, okay? Selda will show you how to cast Pillar of Clouds. After that, we can work more on Leliel, okay?"

"Promise?" Lucia asked.

"Promise."

Lucia smiled and nodded as Uriel left the room.

"Miss Lucia. Miss Irina. Now, let's begin the lesson," Griselda said.

"Is Mama really going to teach me and Rin how to use clouds?" Lucia asked.

"Yeah, I thought we were going to do cool things like that one time I saw you summoning water and ice to blast that mountain to pieces!" Irina said.

"No, you two. For now, you'll learn how to use this Miracle before Lady Uriel teaches you other Miracles. Besides, making clouds is useful in fighting. Luci, do you remember what that vampire used to chase you and Miss Irina?" Griselda asked.

"Fog?" Lucia tilted her head.

"Yes, and were you able to see?" Griselda said.

"N-No," Lucia said.

"Now, can you imagine using this to make it so the person you're fighting can't see your attacks?"

Lucia's eyes lit up as she thought of the possibilities. She imagined using fog to mask her attacks while Irina went in from the side. The bad guys, especially the Epilogue, would never realize what was happening.

"Rin, I'm going to use clouds!" Lucia said.

"Really? But you said clouds were lame?" Irina said.

"B-But, that was before Selda said we can use it to make sure the bad guys can't see us. Like ninjas and smoke bombs!" Lucia said as she began focusing on her holy power.

"Ohhh! Like we can blind them and stuff! I got it!" Irina agreed.

Lucia closed her eyes as she focused on drawing out her holy power. She had gotten more control over it over the past several months, refining and sharpening her control. A slight red hue appeared between her hands as letters began to spin around.

"Now, just use your Holy Power to create fog. The letters act as guides to let you see the world. Like when you're writing on paper. You can erase and add letters to make new meanings. I'm not sure if your mother got this far in explaining but Enochian scripture appears around us because of our rewriting of the world," Griselda said.

Lucia nodded and Irina watched in amazement as the letters flickered before vanishing. A thick small cloud appeared between Lucia's hands and rapidly grew.

"Selda! Selda! Look!" Lucia said excitedly as the cloud kept growing.

"Okay, Luci. You can stop now," Griselda said as the cloud kept growing.

"I… I can't!"

"Oh dear…," Griselda sighed as the cloud engulfed the entire classroom.

"Wait! Luci! The clouds! The clouds!"

Uriel suppressed a sigh as she heard her daughter and Irina yelling about clouds. She smiled wryly at her older sister, who stood there in her office with an amused smile on her face.

"You've taken up Helel's advice on finally giving Lucia some training?" Sandalphon asked as she brushed some of her blue-silver hair aside.

"I was supposed to be but you picked a wonderful time to visit, Sandalphon," Uriel sighed as she leaned back in her chair. She gestured for her older sister to take a seat.

Sandalphon pulled out one of the chairs but stopped when she felt someone tug her dress from behind. She looked over her shoulder and smiled softly. "It's okay, dear. You can sit down."

"So this is her?" Uriel watched as a small girl crept out warily from behind Sandalphon and took a seat in one of the chairs.

The girl looked terrified. She quivered like a leaf as she gripped the hem of her dress. The girl's blonde hair was slightly messy, a sign of the environment she must have been in before. Her green eyes flicked upward at Uriel and flinched when she met Uriel's green eyes.

"It's okay. You're fine. You'll be okay here. This place is going to be your new home," Sandalphon said as she gently stroked the girl's hair.

The girl's trembling visibly calmed at her touch.

"So? Who is this girl?" Uriel asked.

"Ah, this child. Well, the abbey she used to stay at was closed down due to… several unfortunate circumstances regarding the priest running it," Sandalphon said.

Uriel raised an eyebrow. "Odd for you to get specifically involved with a child."

"I could say the same for you but here we are. This child was labeled as a Saint by the church she lived in," she replied. "Her Sacred Gear awakened when she was overcome with compassion to heal a puppy, or so the town says."

The girl looked meekly at Uriel.

"I see. There's a bit of fluff inserted there," the younger Seraph replied. "But her Sacred Gear is what I think it is?" Uriel turned her gaze to the girl, who yelped and looked away.

"Mmm. It is the [Twilight Healing]," Sandalphon said.

"I see. That's why she was labeled as a Saint," Uriel said.

"Ah. I haven't introduced her yet. This cute child is Asia Argento. I do hope you can take her in," Sandalphon said. "I was trying to find a different place to put her in but putting her in an orphanage in the Vatican doesn't really seem like a good idea. I figured it's better to put her with someone who actually has experience raising children."

Uriel ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "That's your reasoning?"

"Well, I'm not wrong, am I? Would you rather have this child be placed in a political hotzone or would you rather her have a normal life?" Sandalphon said.

Uriel remained silent.

"Besides, wouldn't it be good for Luci to have more friends? I heard she only has one friend for now," Sandalphon added.

"I guess," Uriel replied.

"So…? Is that a yes?"

Uriel sighed and leaned forward in her chair. She looked at Asia and smiled gently. "How about you, child? Would you like to stay here?"

Asia fiddled with her skirt and tried to put on a brave face. "I-I.. um… I-Is it r-really o-okay for me to live here?"

Uriel blinked before nodding. "Of course. I have a daughter about your age. I'm sure she'd be happy to make some friends."

"Mmm. Don't be put off by Luci's stoic face. She's a really cute girl once she warms up to you. She might be a bit cold and odd at first but—"

"What was that?" Uriel's eyes narrowed.

"Eh? Uri?" Sandalphon shrank in her seat as Uriel took a deep breath.

"Lucia is not a cold girl! She is a pure and wonderful child! I'll have you know that the other day at the park, she didn't stare at ants the whole time or play with worms! Irina managed to pull her out of her comfort zone to where she said 3 words! 3 words to other kids! A-And I'm even thinking of putting her in the local elementary school!"

Asia watched as Uriel went off on a tirade on Sandalphon. However, for some reason, she didn't feel afraid of the Archangel anymore. A warm feeling welled up inside her and for the first time since her Church closed down, Asia smiled.

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

Irina and Lucia blinked simultaneously as Uriel walked into the room with a child.

It had been a few hours since the lesson on Miracles ended with Uriel returning to the classroom to wrap up the lesson and caving into Lucia and Irina's incessant demands to teach them another one. Touji walked in behind Uriel and closed the door.

"This is Asia. She'll be living with us starting today," Uriel said. "Luci, be nice to her. Her home got shut down so your Aunty Sandy brought her to live with us."

Lucia tilted her head before gazing at the girl with a stoic expression on her face.

Irina nudged Lucia with her elbow. "Say hi!" she whispered.

Lucia blinked before rubbing the back of her head. "H-Hello, I'm Lucia…"

Asia nodded shyly. "I-I'm A-Asia Argento…"

"Mama, can we do the Apostle ceremony now?" Lucia asked.

"This kid…," Uriel sighed.

Irina broke from Lucia's side and walked over to Asia. She smiled and grabbed both of Asia's hands. "Hello! I'm Irina Shidou! I'm Lucia's friend. I hope we can be friends too!"

Asia's eyes widened and she nodded fervently.

"I-I guess… we can also be friends," Lucia said as she walked over. Her eyes shifted color as she gazed at Asia, scanning her with [Warning System],

[Asia Argento]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 4, Speed: 6, Durability: 5, Magic: 45, Skill: 10. Calculating average combat level: 70]

[Age: 7, Race: Human, Gender: Female, Marital Status: N/A]

[Special Trait: Saint, Dragon Tamer]

[Equipment: Twilight Healing]

Wait… Lucia's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at Asia. This girl looked extremely familiar to the point where she got an extreme sense of deja-vu.

"HOLY MAIDEN!" Lucia pointed her finger at Asia. "You're the Holy Maiden who will marry the Red Dragon Emperor! I saw it in my dreams!"

"E-Eh? D-Dragon…!?" Asia yelped and jumped behind Uriel.

"Luci!" Uriel chopped her forehead, causing her daughter to yelp. "You're scaring her."

Asia peeked out from behind Uriel and looked at Lucia warily.

"B-But I did see her in my dreams," Lucia whined as she looked intently at Asia.

"I know but that doesn't mean you can scare her like that, Luci. You have to say sorry, okay?" Uriel chastised.

Lucia pouted before walking up to Asia and lowering her head. "I'm sorry…"

"It's… okay," Asia said as she slowly crept out from behind Uriel.

"Anyway, I'll let you girls get to know each other better later. Let's begin with the ritual. Asia, go stand by Touji and Griselda, okay?" Uriel said.

Lucia and Irina's eyes lit up at her words. The fated day was finally here.

Asia nodded and walked over to Touji and Griselda. She stood closer to Griselda as she watched on with some apprehension in her eyes.

"Luci! Wait! Irina, stand right there!" Uriel said as she directed the girls on where to stand. "No, no! Lucia, stand over there."

Lucia and Irina moved around the room. After a few seconds of moving, the two got into the positions Uriel wanted them to be in.

"Lady Uriel, is positioning really necessary? Lady Gabriel didn't do it when I became her Apostle," Griselda asked.

"It is for them. Lucia is young. Doing this will significantly drain her of power so I have to have her on a sigil that stabilizes her when it happens," Uriel said.

"Mama! Is this right?" Lucia asked as she stood over a sigil with several Enochian characters inscribed into it.

"Yes, Luci. Just stay there okay? I'll tell you what to do next. Irina, are you ready?" Uriel said as she walked over.

"I-Is it going to hurt?" Irina asked, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. She had seen Lucia train with Uriel before. The word "restraint" was nowhere in the girl's vocabulary.

"A little bit. It will just sting," Uriel reassured her.

Irina nodded and straightened herself.

"Lucia, to create an Apostle, you must do two things. Separate a portion of your Holy Power from your body. This will be different from all the times you've summoned and projected Holy Power as energy blasts," Uriel said. "Now focus. Focus on your power and bring it out. It needs to be a good chunk of your Holy Power. You can use the Warning System to estimate."

Lucia nodded and closed her eyes. She held both hands out as a black and red aura of holy energy surrounded her body. The wind picked up, rustling the curtains in the room and the light above began to flicker.

The black and red aura traveled from Lucia's body to her arms and condensed between her hands as a swirling mass of black and red mist. Her body suddenly felt heavy.

[Warning… energy levels dropping. 65% Holy Power has been removed from body…]

A notification appeared in her vision that vanished a few seconds after it appeared.

"Good. Now condense it. Imagine yourself making a snowball. Roll that swirl of holy power until it becomes a crystal," Uriel said,

Lucia nodded tiredly as she focused on controlling the swirling mass in front of her. She moved her hands, controlling and molding it until it became a small pentagonal mass the size of a chocolate bar. The swirling mist had all but vanished, condensed into a glowing black and red clump of Holy Power.

"Good. Good. Now maintain it. Push it in even more to finish the job," Uriel said as she placed a hand on Lucia's shoulders.

A bead of sweat trickled down Lucia's forehead as she nodded. "Haaaaahhh…," Lucia grunted with effort as she pressed her hands together, making the clump half the size it was when she initially condensed it. The mass grew smaller until it was the size of a ring and emitted a soft red glow.

Lucia collapsed forward, causing the clump to fall. However, before either could hit the ground, Uriel caught the mass and her daughter.

"Did… I do it, Mama?" Lucia asked as Uriel helped her stand.

"You did, Luci. Here it is," Uriel said, holding up the ring-sized crystalline mass. "Sacred Factor. This will let Irina use Holy Power and borrow more from the Sephirot without facing much backlash. Congratulations, Luci."

"Did you see that, Rin?" Lucia gave Irina a weak thumbs up.

Irina nodded and smiled, returning the thumbs up.

"Now, Irina. This part will sting, okay? Luci, one more step. You have to directly implant the Sacred Factor into her body," Uriel said.

Lucia nodded as she got up, using her mother for support. She held her hand out and the Sacred Factor levitated off Uriel's hand. Lucia furrowed her brow in concentration as she telekinetically directed the Sacred Factor toward Irina.

The Sacred Factor flew and stopped right before Irina's chest.

The girl stared at it in slight awe.

"Lucia needs permission for this to happen, Irina," Uriel said. "Apostlehood requires the agreement of both parties in order for you to become a Chosen Vessel."

Irina took a deep breath and stared at Lucia. She began reciting the acceptance prayer, stumbling over a few words she didn't know how to pronounce. "I humbly accept the Divine Grace b-bestowed onto me by an Angel of God. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…"

"Amen."

Lucia and Irina simultaneously finished. The crystal glowed before it wrenched itself free from Lucia's grasp and flew directly into Irina's chest, sinking underneath her clothes and skin as if it were water.

Almost immediately, Irina felt a surge of power course through her. Red lines etched themselves onto her neck, spreading across her body like veins of fire. Her eyes glowed red for a few seconds before she let out a small whimper as a slight burning sensation burned beneath her flesh.

And then, a burst of red light filled the room. Everyone covered their eyes for a second before opening them to a single pair of red ethereal wings unfurling from Irina's back.

The wings faded after a few seconds and Irina stumbled forward, almost losing her balance. She looked down at her hands before balling them into fists. She looked at Lucia with stars in her eyes.

"Did you see that!? I had wings! And and…" Irina closed her eyes and tried to focus. A black and gold aura surrounded her body before fading away. She jumped up and down, cheering at her newfound powers. "Did you see that Luci? Look! Look!"

Lucia had a small smile as she took a wobbly step forward. "Cool, right! Now we can really fight the Shadow monsters!"

Irina nodded as she tried to summon the aura again. "Aww… I can't do it…"

"It'll be okay. Griselda will take over in this portion of your training to control it. It's only natural that you still need to learn," Uriel said.

Irina nodded excitedly.

"But we can do that tomorrow. For now, you three need to go to bed," Uriel said.

"What?"

"Awww! But Mama—!"

"No buts. Look at you. You're tired from the ritual. You can't stay up the whole night, Luci," Uriel said.

Lucia tried to protest but for once, agreed. Her body felt like lead and every step she took felt like she was walking with weights strapped around her ankles. She puffed her cheeks and nodded silently.

"You can train tomorrow in the morning, okay? And show Asia to her room, Luci."

Uriel called after her daughter as she and Irina ran off. Lucia stopped at the doorway, looking back to the timid blonde girl standing next to Griselda. She hesitated before holding her hand out to Asia. "Um… come on. Mama said we have to go to sleep so I'll show you my and Rin's room."

Asia's eyes widened and she looked to Griselda for reassurance. Griselda smiled and gave her a slight push forward. She stepped forward and took Lucia's hand.

"Come on," Lucia said as she dragged Asia out of the room.

Uriel smiled as the three girls left.

"Is there a particular reason why you accepted Lady Sandalphon's request?" Touji asked.

Uriel shook her head. "No. Not in particular, no. It was appealing though, her having Twilight Healing. But most importantly," she said. "I want Lucia to have a normal life. To grow up like a child for as long as possible and to make as many friends as possible."

"Then might I suggest something? I might be overstepping my bounds but Rikka and I have been looking into schools in the town nearby. We're planning on enrolling Irina in a few days. How about you come with us and enroll Miss Lucia and Miss Asia?" Touji suggested.

"I might as well. I did tell Sandalphon I was considering enrolling Lucia in school so she can interact with more kids her age," Uriel said.

Touji nodded. "Then I'll give you the name of the school so you can come along."

Uriel nodded. "Just hand it to me and I'll address it after I finish something," she said as she walked toward the door.

"Handle what?" Touji asked.

"I'm going to contact Lucia's aunt," Uriel said.

Lucia tossed and turned in her bed. She hugged her cat plushie tightly as she mumbled in her sleep.

A figure clad in white armor zipped around the sky in her dreams. The figure clashed with many foes from a ten-winged Fallen Angel to confronting a powerful Devil and several dragons. The figure fought alongside the being clad in Red Armor, no matter the odds they faced.

"You need to understand. Strength is everything. Become stronger, my rival. One day, I shall fight you…"

No matter the rivalry they displayed.

"I regret being born in this age. A world without God— I wanted to try and defeat God."

However, all in all, all those fights, all those challenges, beyond all of it, her eyes widened as she bore witness to the turmoil in his heart.

She stood in the room, watching as he cried and begged.

The malice of his father's eyes as he stood before his downed mother in some feeble attempt to protect her.

"You worthless brat! Because of you…! Because of you! A worthless existence like yours should have never been born!" The white-haired man raised his hand to strike him.

Lucia acted on instinct and dashed forward to protect the boy, yet…

"Ow!" Lucia groaned as she fell on her head. She rubbed her head and realized it had all been a dream. The faint light of the moon still drifted in through her curtains and she looked to see Irina and Asia still fast asleep.

Yawning, Lucia walked over to her notebook and opened it. She flipped through several pages, all bearing sketches of people she had seen in her dreams and stopped on a blank one. Taking a white crayon, she began scribbling and drawing for a few minutes.

After she was done, Lucia rubbed her eyes drowsily before walking back to bed.

On her open notebook was a childlike drawing of an armored man with blue wings.

Under the drawing were two words.

White Dragon.

Chapter Text

DOONNNNN!

The water in the creek splashed violently, sending mist and water spraying everywhere. Lucia jumped up and down.

"Rin! Asia! Did you see that!?" Lucia asked as she prepared another blast.

"No fair! It's my turn!" Irina walked up to her.

Lucia paused for a few seconds before smiling. She nodded and stepped aside, being a good girl like her mother taught her. Her gaze bore into Irina as the girl tried to concentrate.

"Remember what Mama and Selda said," Lucia reminded her.

Irina nodded and held her hands close together. She closed her eyes as a golden aura surrounded her. Not long after becoming an Apostle, Lucia noticed a change in the color of Irina's holy aura and asked Uriel, who explained that the color depended on the user. A triangular gold halo appeared above her head as swirls of gold light and pitch-black shadow swirled between the palms of her hands. Her eyebrow furrowed as she struggled to keep the orb together.

"Ohh! Irina, you got it! Now throw it before Leliel blows up!" Lucia said.

"Y-You can d-do it!" Asia tried to mimic Lucia's enthusiasm as best she could.

"Haaaah!" Irina screamed as she threw the compressed ball of Holy Energy. In her slight panic, the girl overestimated the amount of force in her throw. The swirling energy ball of light and darkness traveled at breakneck speed across the creek before slamming into a tree on the opposite shore.

A bright light engulfed the shoreline for a brief second before a massive explosion shook the entire area.

Lucia raised her hands as the winds washed over her and whipped back her hair. Her eyes widened when a good portion of the treeline had seemingly vanished into thin air after the dust and smoke cleared. There was a slightly molten crater in the ground that began to rapidly fill with water from the creek.

"Um…," Irina blinked as she stared, mouth agape at the crater across the water.

"That was…"

Irina turned around and her eyes widened when she saw someone standing behind Lucia.

"So fucking cool!"

"Lucia Reid."

Lucia froze. She slowly turned around to see the stern face of her mother looking down at her with her arms crossed. Her mom had used her full name. From Lucia's 8 years of life, there was one thing she had learned. If Uriel said her full name, she was in trouble.

Uriel's green eyes narrowed. "What did I tell you about practicing in the woods? And where did you learn that word?"

"U-Um," Lucia's eyes darted around, refusing to meet her mother's intense gaze. "Friar Christoph?"

"Young Lady, you better not be lying," Uriel raised an eyebrow.

"I swear I did! He said it when he touched one of the cups by accident! I asked him about it but he said it was a thing to make my sentences cooler!" Lucia protested.

Uriel stared at her for a few intense seconds before sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just don't say it again, alright? That's not a good word. Now, come on. We have something we need to talk about."

It was then that Lucia noticed her mother was dressed differently. Rather than Uriel's usual style of keeping her hair free-flowing and dressing in a black dress, her mother's hair was tied in a ponytail and she was dressed in what Lucia referred to as grown-up attire. A black formal top and a black pencil skirt with brown leggings and high heels.

"Mama?" Lucia said as she chased after her mother.

"Irina and Asia, you three come as well," Uriel said as she glanced over her shoulder.

When Lucia and her friends walked into the room, Irina's father, Touji, was there as well, along with another woman Lucia had seen only a few times. She had long dark hair and violet eyes. She was dressed in a lavender formal blouse with a red coat and black skirt.

"Hi, Auntie Rikka," Lucia greeted. "Uncle Touji."

"Ah, Miss Lucia and Miss Asia," Rikka said as she pushed her glasses up.

"Okaa-san," Irina greeted.

"Alright, you three. Take a seat," Uriel gestured.

The three did as they were told and sat across from the three adults.

"Alright, this might be a big change for you but I made this decision after talking with your Auntie Sandy. We'll be putting you and Irina in the local school. Asia will start a few months later than you girls will—"

"School? Mama, I don't wanna go to school," Lucia interjected.

"But Luci, school is fun. You get to make lots of friends. Learn a lot of things. You can play with lots of kids there," Uriel said.

"But Mama doesn't go to school," Lucia said.

"Lucia, I'm a grown-up. I don't need to go to school anymore," Uriel said.

"But that's not fair!"

"Lucia…," Uriel pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Miss Lucia, if I may. Irina is going to attend school. Don't you want to be with your Apostle? What if the Shadows come after her?" Rikka asked.

Shadows? Irina? At the school? Lucia stiffened as these thoughts ran through her head.

"Rikka—"

Rikka raised her hand and gestured for Touji and Uriel to let her handle it. She smiled as she continued speaking to the young Miracle Child before her. "Mmm. An Angel should always be with their Apostle. It's a good way for them to build a good team and you get to learn about a lot of things together. There's more to fighting the shadows than just knowing how to have powers. You need to learn lots too."

"R-Really?" Lucia asked. "But why can't Asia come?"

"Asia still has to finish learning German, Luci," Uriel said.

Lucia puffed her cheeks and tugged at the hem of her shorts.

"Besides, Miss Lucia. Don't you want to make a team of people to fight the Shadows?" Touji said. "Maybe at school, you can find some really cool people."

Lucia's eyebrows furrowed as she thought about it. It was tempting. Learning new things to fight the Shadows. Making a team. And all the TV shows and cartoons Irina introduced her to called "anime", the good guys always started in a school. Maybe she could be like the girl in all the shows that give the heroes their powers. A broad smile stretched across her lips.

"Yeah! I'll go to school! We'll be super cool, right, Rin?" Lucia asked.

"Yeah…," Irina was less enthusiastic but tried to be happy. Unlike Lucia, Irina had been to school and remembered what it was like. Homework and teachers were not things she missed but if Lucia was happy, she'd try to be as well.

"Good. You two start in two days!" Uriel clapped her hands together. "I even prepared your backpack and lunch box for you, Luci."

Uriel had many regrets. One of them was not putting Lucia in school sooner. If she had known her daughter would look this cute in her outfit, Uriel would have enrolled Lucia in an elementary school in a heartbeat. She sneakily took a picture of her daughter using her phone. Lucia was dressed in a small white sweater with a red unzipped jacket, a red pleated skirt, long white stockings, and red and white sneakers. Her backpack had Uriel's feather attached to it as a charm and a way to locate Lucia in case.

Lucia stood next to her, staring up at the sign that said Flugel Primary School in German.

Klöstern was just a small town in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen so finding a primary school wasn't too hard. According to the recommendation of many parents in the town, Flugel Primary School had a good reputation for providing a good education to children, which was what Uriel wanted. Despite them being far from the district capital, many of the students that finished from Flugel went on to get into reputable secondary schools in other cities in the district.

After all, while Uriel could teach her daughter everything ranging from math to languages, she could never replace the experience of attending a school.

"Mama, do I really have to come here?" Lucia asked as she stayed close to her mother. She had never been around this many people before. She glanced over to Irina, who seemed to be used to this, and bade goodbye to her parents.

That's right. She needed to be brave. How could she fight the Shadows if she was scared of going to school? Lucia gripped the straps of her backpack tightly and took a step forward. "I-I'm off, Mama!"

Uriel restrained herself at that moment. She wanted to vomit blood from the sheer cuteness she was hit with. "I'll be here to pick you up after school, Luci!" Uriel called out after her daughter as Lucia fell in line with Irina.

Lucia didn't know what to expect of "school". She had only heard stories from Irina about how they would spend most of the day in a classroom, learning different things from someone called a teacher. But Lucia only had one teacher her whole life. Her mother. Her mother taught her everything.

"Starting today, we have 2 new students joining us. One of them traveled all the way here from Japan," she heard the teacher's words as they waited outside the classroom. Lucia's gaze darted to Irina briefly.

How was she so calm about this? Shouldn't she be nervous? What if school was just a disguise base used by the Shadows and the Epilogue? What if this teacher was in league with the Shadows? Before she could grab Irina's hand and run, Irina opened the door and looked at her.

"Come on, didn't you hear the teacher asking us to come inside?" Irina said.

"Mmmm," Lucia nodded as she followed Irina inside. She was too used to this. Had Irina been taken by the Shadows when she wasn't looking? Lucia gulped as she stood in front of a classroom of 15 kids.

"Come on you two, introduce yourselves," the teacher said. The teacher was a kind lady who appeared to be in her late 20s to early 30s.

Lucia scanned the class while Irina proceeded to introduce herself. Her eyes shifted color as she read every detail of her future classmates. If her mother was right, someone here had to be of use. Her eyes fell upon a girl sitting in the back of the class with long-white hair and hazel eyes. The girl looked skinny and short, wearing an oversized black jacket and green shorts.

But before she could scan the girl, her eyes shifted back to normal when she felt Irina nudge her.

"O-Oh, I-I'm Lucia Reid! E-Eight years old! I-I…"

"I like…," Irina mouthed.

"I like s-swords and m-magic! My dream is to become a Hero like my Mama!" Lucia blurted out as her face slowly began to turn red.

The entire class went silent at her introduction until the teacher began to clap, gesturing for the other kids to clap in acknowledgment at her introduction. Even with her usually stoic personality, Lucia had some grasp of what the concept of shame and embarrassment were. She gripped the hem of her jacket as she listened to the clapping of her classmates.

"Well, Miss Reid. It's certainly a unique dream. If I may ask, what does your mother do?" the teacher asked in a kind voice, noticing the girl's embarrassment.

"Mama, she's a—"

Luci, remember, if the teacher asks what I do, remember, Mama runs an orphanage and she used to be in the army.

"Mama owns an orphanage. A-And she used to be in the army," Lucia said.

That earned the interest of her classmates as they began to clamor to ask her questions but one gesture from the teacher made the class go quiet.

"Now, now, you all can ask Lucia and Irina questions during recess. Lucia, Irina, you two can sit over there near the back. There's an open chair by Hans and Lenna," the teacher said as she gestured for Hans and Lenna to raise their hands.

Irina and Lucia walked over to their assigned desks. While Irina sat down and said hi to their neighbors, Lucia's eyes flicked over to the white-haired girl staring out the window. Her eyes glowed as she scanned the girl properly this time.

…!?

[Scan failed.]

What…? Huh…?

Lucia blinked when she got a notification in the corner of her vision. She couldn't read the girl? She focused and tried again.

[Unable to generate target data. Producing a list of errors for user.]

[Loading…]

[Loading…]

[The desired target is being actively protected by secondary presence. Scan presence?]

Lucia almost let out an audible groan. She gripped her pencil tightly as she refocused on the teacher's lesson. Order of operations. Her mother had already taught her this. She looked at the girl out of the corner of her eye, giving up on scanning her and the presence. She always did. Even her mother couldn't hide the book about the men doing weird things from her.

Recess came around finally. Lucia was bored out of her mind and tried her best to pay attention. It was something she learned how to do when Father Ferdinand was the one giving her lessons on the world at large when her mother couldn't be there to do it herself. However, she didn't do it out of habit. Most of the things the teacher had taught, Lucia already knew.

"Luci, come on!"

Lucia let out an audible "ah" as Irina grabbed her hand and dragged her to the playground with the other kids. She glanced at Irina, whose bubbly attitude naturally attracted the other kids. Soon, a group of kids formed around them, eager to get the know the newest additions to their class.

As the other kids talked to Irina, Lucia stood quietly next to her like an accessory, listening and nodding along to the conversation convincingly. It wasn't until some of the girls pulled Irina away that Lucia suddenly found herself alone with some of the kids.

"Lucia! Lucia! Your mom was in the army, right?" one of the kids asked.

Lucia looked at the boy who had asked the question. He was a chubby kid with blonde hair about a year younger than she was from the looks of it. She nodded. "Yeah."

"My daddy is a cop! He's a hero too!" The boy said proudly.

The other kids chimed in, saying that their parents were either police or firefighters. There was one that said her mother was a secret agent which made Lucia raise an eyebrow in slight interest. Of course, in her childish brain, none of their parents could compare to her mother.

Her mother was an Archangel. To her, Uriel would always be the coolest thing to ever exist in her own words.

"Did you know my Daddy once rescued people from a bank robbery!" the boy said.

"Really?" Lucia tilted her head.

"Yeah! He told me all about it. There were 100 bad guys at the bank and there were people inside! And Daddy just went in and went BANG BANG with his gun!" the boy said, puffing out his chest.

"That's so cool," Lucia said, maintaining her phlegmatic expression.

"Yeah, and you know what? Daddy even got a medal for it!" the boy added in, smiling as if he had somehow one-upped Lucia. The other kids all nodded, chiming in about how their parents stopped fires or rescued people from bad guys.

"That's super cool," Lucia said.

Everything was going in one ear and out the other. It wasn't that she wasn't impressed. On the contrary, Lucia thought their parents were heroes. It was just that she thought her mother was a better hero.

"Mama once fought a giant dragon," Lucia said. The conversation around her suddenly died down.

The other kids looked at her strangely.

Lucia recounted the story her mother told her about how she had fought a Dragon in a place called Canaan a long time ago. The dragon had seven heads and as big as an entire country. But her mother didn't fight that dragon alone, she fought the dragon with her aunts, uncles, and grandfather along with an entire army.

"And then, Mama summoned fire to—"

"But that's not real," one of the kids said.

"It is. Mama can fly too," Lucia insisted.

The other kids exchanged glances before looking at Lucia. She continued telling the story, eventually reaching the part where her mother and the others were going to trap the Dragon under the sea. As she did, Lucia tilted her head as the talking slowed to a crawl, and one by one, the kids left to go play other games.

Lucia's shoulders fell slightly. She looked down at the ground, watching as the other kids ran around and played. With a sigh, Lucia walked over to the wall and leaned against it, sliding down until she was sitting on the ground. She hugged her knees and watched the other kids enjoying the playground until she noticed she wasn't alone.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a mop of white hair sitting next to her.

It was that girl from class. The girl sat there, reading a book about something. Lucia squinted as she tried to pronounce the words.

P-Para- Paradise Lost?

"Hello," Lucia greeted.

The girl, having just now noticed her presence, jolted slightly and almost dropped her book. Her hazel eyes widened through her messy white bangs. "H-Hello," the girl said shyly.

A few moments of awkward silence passed between them. Neither of them knew what to say next and Lucia was trying to come up with something to tell her. Irina made friends look so easy.

"I'm Lucia," Lucia said.

The girl held her book tightly. "V- Val… I'm Val."

"Do you like books?" Lucia asked.

Val nodded fervently and smiled as she held the book close to her chest. "My Mama got it for me for my birthday…"

"Oh."

The two sat there silently, basking in each other's presence while the screams and laughter of their classmates echoed in the background.

"My mama got me a sword for my birthday. But she said it's for practice. She said when I become bigger, she'll get me a real sword like Selda uses," Lucia said.

"Selda?" Val asked.

"Mmm! Selda is like my super cool big sister! She has a gun that shoots lasers and a sword that looks like a lightsaber!" Lucia said as she made slashing motions.

"Really?" Val asked, eyeing her with a bit of skepticism.

Lucia nodded and looked around to make sure no one was watching. Her mother had told her never to show her powers to normal people but with Val, for some reason, she felt like it was okay to do it. She held her hands out and a swirl of red light manifested in the palm of her hand.

"Hers is blue but Mama said that mine will probably be red," Lucia whispered conspiratorially.

Val's eyes widened considerably at the sight. She reached out to touch it but instinctively pulled back when it stung. "Isn't red bad though?"

"Red's not for bad guys. It's 100% for the good guys. My mom uses red too," Lucia puffed her cheeks as she dispersed the red light.

Val laughed at the sight of Lucia's face.

Lucia's eyes went wide. She had never expected the girl to laugh. From the 3 hours she had known the girl, Lucia never thought the girl was capable of something like laughter.

Val's laughter slowly died down as soon as she realized Lucia was staring at her with her usually blank face. Her cheeks turned red at the intensity of the stare and she rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, sorry…," she looked down.

Lucia reached her hand out, causing Val's eyes to widen. She closed her eyes reflexively, bracing herself for what was to come. However, her eyes snapped open when she felt Lucia's hand on her head.

"It's okay. Mama does this to me whenever I'm feeling down," Lucia said.

Val just sat there, staring at her silently.

"Oh, um…"

Lucia pulled her hand back and had a small smile on her face. "Better?"

"Y-Yeah," Val replied.

"Mama always pats my head and it makes me feel better too," Lucia said as she leaned back against the wall. "Does your Mama do that?"

Val went silent and hugged her knees. She leaned her head against her arms. "Mom… does that. But my Dad is scary. He doesn't like it when Mom does stuff for me. He gets really scary whenever Mom isn't there," Val mumbled.

Lucia glanced at her new friend.

"Your dad sounds like a bad guy," Lucia said.

"Dad's not a bad guy. I think. Mom told me not to be like Dad but he's my Dad," Val said. "Dad used to be nice…"

Lucia didn't know what to say other than to keep repeating that Val's dad was a bad guy. After all, Val was nice and if Val's Dad was getting mad at Val for being nice, wasn't he a bad guy? The bell rang, signalling for the kids to return to class. She watched as Val got up and dust off her shorts. She picked up her book and waved to Lucia.

"See you later," Val said.

The first day of school passed by without any further interaction with Val. Lucia kept glancing at the quiet girl, attempting to scan her with the [Warning System]. The message was always the same no matter what she did.

[The desired target is being actively protected by a secondary presence. Scan presence?]

Lucia huffed and scribbled in her notebook, breezing through the practice math questions that the teacher had given them. As she finished the last question, the bell rang, signaling the end of the first day of class. She sighed. Was every day going to be like this? She wanted to go home and practice Miracles with her mother.

"Rin," Lucia said. "Is school going to be like this every day?"

Irina packed her notebook into her backpack and looked at Lucia. "Yeah. But Mom and Dad said I have to go to school and then go to college so I can get a good job."

"But we're going to be heroes and fight the Epilogue together," Lucia said as she grabbed her backpack. Her… backpack with angel wings attached to it. "Hey, Rin. Want to go to the creek and—"

Lucia blinked when she saw several kids surround Irina and offer her invitations for playdates at their houses. Some of the kids even offered to come over to the Institution to visit her. Lucia sighed as she put her backpack on.

"Oh, I gotta go. Lucia and I live in the same place so I'll see you guys later," Irina said as she bade goodbye to her new friends. The kids all let out groans of disappointment but promised to hang out with her at the park at another time.

Lucia and Irina filed out with the other children and waited outside for their parents to pick them up.

"I made a new friend today," Lucia said as she looked for her mother.

"Eh? Really? When?" Irina asked with a slight look of disbelief on her face.

"During recess. Oh, look! Over there! Val!" Lucia waved at Val, who was standing there alone and waiting for someone. The white-haired kid was reading a book, shying away from the other group of kids.

Lucia and Irina walked over to her.

Having just noticed their presence for the first time, Val almost dropped her book again. She looked up at them, noticing the auburn-haired girl staring at her curiously.

"See, Rin. This is Val. I met her today at recess. She's a really cool girl," Lucia said.

"Huh?" Irina raised an eyebrow. "Lucia, Val is—"

"Um, wait, I'm a—"

"Ah, Val."

Lucia and Irina looked up at the sound of Val's name being called. A man with white hair walked over to the three kids. He had a kind smile on his face and was dressed in a button-up shirt. The way the man smiled at the three made Lucia's skin crawl. However, she held her ground.

Irina was in a similar state as Lucia except her newfound heightened sensitivity due to her Sacred Factor allowed her to sense that man for what he truly was. She unconsciously gripped the straps of her backpack tightly.

"Val, are these your friends?" the man asked.

"Y-Yes, Dad," Val said, looking down at the ground. She tried to maintain her composure but Lucia and Irina could see that the girl was shaking slightly.

"I see. Thanks for taking care of my Val. The little rascal is always getting into trouble, aren't you?" The man placed a hand on Val's shoulder.

Val flinched slightly when she felt her father's grip on her shoulder.

"Come on, Val. Let's go home now," the man said.

"Y-Yes, Dad," Val said as she fell into step behind her father. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled weakly at Irina and Lucia, who just stood there frozen by the sheer malice they sensed from Val's father.

And that's when Lucia saw it. There was a bruise poking out slightly from the collar of Val's sweater. She was about to go after Val when she felt Irina grab her by the arm. She turned and saw Irina shaking her head while she trembled in fear.

"R-Rin? What's wrong?" Lucia asked.

Irina gulped before pointing at the man shakily. "That… That man is a D-Devil…"

Chapter Text

The windswept duneside cliffs towered over the roiling seas. Thunder crashed across the skies as rain began to fall in a torrential downpour. A seaside town stood by the cliffside, battered by what could only be a catastrophic encounter. The bodies of the dead—men, women, and children—lay strewn across the streets.

And a single hooded figure prostrated himself before a wrinkle in the sky. Cracks spread across the air like glass, tearing open a hole into an unknowable void that shimmered with various lights as small yet uncountable like the night sky. A single shadow stared forth from the crack, its hollow red eyes looking at the world without a single ounce of care or mercy.

Like liquid, it poured through. Its viscous colorful black fluid leaked into the world, collecting and coalescing into a humanoid silhouette. Once it completely took form, it raised its hand and black vines spread across the land, sea, and skies as it sought to choke the world in its grasp.

As if sensing her presence, the Shadow snapped its head in the direction of her gaze. A smile spread across its shadowy features as it uttered a single sentence.

"Do you feel like a hero yet… Sophia?"

Lucia awoke with a start, cold sweat dripping down her head. She breathed rapidly and her heart raced, threatening to burst from her chest. She gripped her sheets tightly before taking a few deep breaths like her mother taught her to calm down.

"A… Shadow," Lucia whispered.

"Lucia. LUCIA!"

Lucia's head snapped up at her mother's words. Her young mind was in a turmoil from her recent string of problems, namely her most recent nightmare and the issue with her newest friend, Val.

Uriel's gaze softened when she saw her daughter's somewhat haunted expression. It was one she had seen a handful of times in children during war but she never thought her own daughter would have it. She walked over and placed a hand on Lucia's shoulder. "Sweetie, is everything okay?"

"Mama, do dreams come true?"

Uriel blinked at her daughter's question. "Dreams…?"

"I had a bad dream last night."

"About?"

"A Shadow."

"A Shadow? Like shadow people?" Uriel asked.

Lucia shook her head. She gripped the fabric of her track pants and looked up at Uriel. Her eyes furrowed as she tried to describe to her mother what it looked like. "It looked like a shadow person but it was scarier. It was in a town by a beach. And there was a guy wearing a hood there. And the Shadow looked at me after making a bunch of plants and…"

"And what?" Uriel felt a sense of foreboding creeping up her spine.

"It said something about someone named… Sophia?"

Uriel almost froze. Was Lucia having dreams about Ukraine? She shook her head slightly. No, wait, she said it was by a beach. Uriel looked at her daughter for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. "Dreams do come true, Luci. But only good dreams. If you have a dream that comes true, then that means you're either a good person or a special person called a Prophet."

"Then, I'm a prophet?" Lucia asked.

"Er…"

Uriel didn't know how to respond to that. Her daughter was looking at her expectantly, as if Uriel knew the answer. She scratched her cheek a bit nervously. "Only your Auntie Ellie would know that, Luci."

"Oh."

Uriel sighed. "I'll ask her for you."

"Really?" Lucia's eyes lit up.

"Of course! Mama will ask Auntie Ellie all about Prophets. But for now, let's finish this survival exercise, okay? One day when you get big, you'll go on all sorts of adventures, right?" Uriel said, steering the subject back to the matter at hand.

Lucia nodded fervently as she followed after her mother.

"Today, we're going to learn how to set traps."

Lucia stole glances at Val the whole time during class. She scribbled furiously in her notebook about different ways for her to get to Val's house. After Irina had pointed out the fact that Val's father was a Devil, Lucia worked on overdrive to find a way to save her. It had been a few days since they had enrolled in school.

After that first day, Val had become a bit withdrawn from Lucia, refusing to even utter a word to her for the first two days. It was only thanks to Irina's help and some persistence on Lucia's part that she was able to get on speaking terms with Val again.

As she looked back down at her notebook, her mind went on overdrive as she drowned out the teacher's math lesson about a thing regarding times tables.

"Miss Lucia, can you please answer this question for the class?"

Lucia blinked when she heard the teacher call her name. She looked up and saw Miss Wiederhold pointing at the board.

5 x 5 = ?

Lucia stared at the board for a few seconds. "25."

"That is correct. But I would like it more if you paid a little more attention instead of doodling in your notebook, Miss Lucia."

Lucia's cheeks flushed red as the whole class turned to stare at her. She childishly began to plot revenge against her teacher, who promptly returned to teaching the math lesson.

"Are you okay?"

Lucia looked to her left to see Val staring at her with a concerned look in her eye.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Lucia smiled.

"How did you know the answer? Miss Wiederhold called on everyone. Not even Kristoff knew the answer," Val whispered.

Lucia glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw the blonde boy who dismissed her stories of her mother slaying a dragon. She smiled smugly. "Well, duh. My mama taught me. Mama is the smartest person in the world."

Val's eyes widened. "Really? My mom is smart too. She knows how to make really good noodles."

"My Mama…"

Lucia grimaced when she remembered the last time her mother tried to cook.

It was impressive that the Institution was intact, much less all of Germany. Lucia overheard the Exorcists in the compound thanking God that Lady Uriel did not cause a Chernobyl-type incident after she tried to cook an omelet with her Power of God.

"Luci?"

"Y-Yeah, Mama is good at cooking too," Lucia laughed nervously.

"Miss Lucia. Val. Please pay attention while you're in class," Miss Wiederhold called out to them.

"Y-Yes, teacher!" the two replied simultaneously.

School ended uneventfully as it always did. Lucia wondered how many more years of school she had to do until her mother was satisfied. However, she had to admit that spending time with Val in school was fun. Lucia rushed out of school to find Val standing next to someone Lucia had never seen before.

Usually, it was that Demon Man that came to school and picked up Val but now it was someone else. The woman was almost the same height as Aunt Rikka, being a head taller. She had kind look in her green eyes. However, that kindness hid a skittishness as well as a profound sense of fatigue. Despite it being warm outside, the woman wore long-sleeved clothing and the collar of her sweater covered enough of her neck from view.

"Mom," Val said as she walked over to her.

Lucia followed her, with Irina trailing close behind.

"Ah, Val. How was school?" Vali's mother asked.

"It was fine," Val replied.

Lucia was a perceptive child. She immediately noticed the difference in how Val responded to her mother's words as opposed to her father's. The way Val's eyes lit up and how she smiled whenever she talked to her mom. It didn't feel… how did the adults put it, forced? Lucia nodded inwardly.

As she and Irina stood quietly behind Val, Val's mother took notice of their presence and pushed up her glasses. "Val, did you…?"

"Oh, yeah. Mom, these are my friends. This is Rin," Val said, gesturing to Irina. "And that's Luci." She grabbed Lucia's hand and pulled her forward.

Lucia blinked at the sudden attention from both Val and her mother.

The older woman smiled gently in a way that almost reminded Lucia of her own mother.

"Hello there, my name is Eleonora Zora. I'm Val's mother. It's very nice to meet you, Miss Luci," Eleonora greeted.

Lucia blushed. This woman was very pretty. She nodded shyly. "M-My name is L-Lucia Reid, Miss Z-Zora!"

"I'm Irina Shidou, Ma'am," Irina bowed politely in front of the woman.

"Ah, what polite kids you two are. Thank you for being friends with my Val. Lord knows he needs more of those," Eleonora said.

"Yeah, he… wait… huh?" Lucia blinked.

"Val, let's go home. Your father will be home in a few hours and I still have to make dinner for him. You know how he can be when he's hungry," Eleonora said as she gently patted Val on the shoulder. The girl (?) looked up at her mother and nodded. She gripped her backpack tightly and waved nervously to Lucia and Irina.

"I-..."

"Can we come over and play, Val?" Lucia suddenly lurched forward and grabbed Val's hands.

Val blinked as her (?) face turned red from the sudden contact. "P-Play…? U-Um…"

"Right, Rin? We can come over to Val's house to play for a few hours! I just have to let Mama know to send Griselda!" Lucia beamed. "We can even bring Asia with us!"

Irina seemed a bit more apprehensive at the idea of going to Val's house. Not after what she sensed with Val's father. But she couldn't let Lucia go alone to that demon's house. Her father taught her to always help her friends and she nodded. "Mmm! I want to play at Val's house too!"

"Eh? Wait, you two want to—"

"Yes. Miss Zora! We want to play with Val!" Lucia said. Her happy and expectant face was not something she expected and Eleonora felt some of the stares of the other parents on her. She sighed and relented.

"I don't mind you coming over but what about your mother?" Eleonora asked, attempting to dissuade the girls into coming over.

"Mama will say yes! I'll go ask her!" Lucia ran off to go find her mother.

Eleonora sighed. She had to keep these girls away from the house. If her husband found out that their son had guests over, then she could only imagine what would happen to her sweet precious boy. She looked down at her son, the apple of her eye, gripping his bag nervously.

"Mamaaaa! This is my friend!"

Eleonora looked up when she saw Lucia dragging her mother with her.

"Ah, Luci, slow down!" Uriel said.

Lucia came to a stop in front of Eleonora and Val. "Mama, this is Val and this is her Mom, Miss Zora!"

Uriel looked at Eleonora. Her eyes drifted over to the young child beside her. The snow-white hair. Hazel eyes. And that unmistakable aura that felt both like a Dragon and a Devil combined. Her face remained impassive as she glanced at Val.

A Devil's aura and a Dragon's aura. A Dragon-aura coming from a Devil. The mother seems human but the Dragon Aura seems to be too strong to be a common dragon-type Sacred Gear. It can't be…

Uriel glanced at her daughter, who happily chatted with the white-haired kid.

"I apologize for my daughter's forwardness, Miss Zora. I am Auriel Reid, Lucia's mother," Uriel said.

Eleonora nodded. She was a bit stunned by the woman's sudden appearance. Lucia's mother was younger than she expected. Auriel appeared to be in her late to mid-twenties. "Um, yeah, it's no problem really. I'm just happy that Val got to make friends with other kids. I was a bit worried since he never really seemed to talk about school but now, when he comes home, he always tells me about this girl he became friends with."

"What a coincidence. Lucia always talks about her new friend that she made at school. I never thought I'd get to see him in person," Uriel said as she glanced at her daughter and Irina having a conversation with Val. Her gaze flicked back to Eleonora. She caught a glimpse of a slightly dark patch of skin peeking out from the collar of her sweater.

Hmm, this woman and her kid must be…

"A-Anyway, your daughter was asking if she could come over and play with my son. I'm fine with it but I don't want to impose," Eleonora said.

"Please, Mama!"

Uriel glanced at Lucia, who looked at her with pleading eyes. Lucia had never begged her for something like this before. Lucia had begged Uriel for many things. Things children usually never beg for such as training. However, for Lucia to beg for something so childlike, it was extremely endearing.

But… Uriel glanced at Val for a brief moment. "...Hmm."

Lucia waited with bated breath as she watched her mother's eyebrows furrow in deep thought. After a few seconds of silence, Uriel let out a sigh.

"Only until 5 PM."

"YES—!"

"BUT! You have to bring Selda with you. She'll accompany you and Irina to the house," Uriel said.

Lucia nodded her head rapidly. She didn't care if Griselda had to come along. As long as she could save Val from the Demon Man that was his father, then she was fine with it. In fact, Lucia welcomed it. While she didn't know how good Val's father was, Lucia knew Griselda as the second strongest person in the building.

"Can Asia come too?" Lucia asked.

Uriel raised an eyebrow. "You want Asia to come too? She has lessons today."

"Please, Mama! Please! Please! Please!"

Uriel glanced around, noticing that the other parents were looking at her with judgment in their eyes. Lucia was putting her on the spot.

"I'll clean my room like you ask next time! I won't make Rin clean the room!" Lucia clasped her hands together as she tried to offer her mother something that would make her say yes.

Uriel pinched the bridge of her nose and relented. "Fine. If I let you go over, you have to do all your chores and half of Asia and Irina's chores, got it?"

Lucia stiffened when she heard her mother's condition.

Irina and Asia's chores? All at the same time? Lucia began to wonder whether or not this was truly worth it to go and stop Val's Dad at the expense of doing chores. She clenched and unclenched her small fists before nodding.

"Y-Yeah! I'll do the chores," Lucia said.

Uriel raised an eyebrow. "Okay then. Selda will come with Asia. Be good for Val's Mom, okay?"

Lucia nodded and grabbed Irina's hand. "We'll be good!"

"And Lucia," Uriel said.

"Yes, Mama?"

Uriel pulled Lucia toward her and wrapped her arms around her.

Lucia was a bit taken aback by the sudden hug but melted into her mother's embrace.

"Be careful. Selda is there to get you out if anything happens, okay?" Uriel asked as she pulled back and held her daughter's shoulders.

Lucia nodded in understanding.

"Good. Have fun with your new friend, okay?"

Lucia nodded and ran back over to Val and Irina.

Val's house was much closer to the school than Lucia had realized. She figured with a father like Val's Dad, he might have wanted to live in some dusty old cabin somewhere away from town and conduct evil experiments on Val and her mother. But this was far from what Lucia had ever expected.

Val's house was a small two-story house in the middle of the suburbs in Klostern. It had a slightly worn brown roof and the lawn was overgrown. There were a few envelopes stuffed into the mailbox but nothing else. She followed Val and her mother up the walkway to the front steps. Irina trailed right behind her, looking at the house warily.

Lucia's eyes shifted color as she scanned the house and Val's mother.

Val still had the protection from whatever it was she (?) had around her.

[Eleonora Zora Lucifer]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 7, Speed; 8, Durability: 8, Magic: 100, Skill: 15 Calculating average combat level: 138]

[Age: 34, Race: Human, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Married to Raezavan Lucifer]

[Special Trait: Hero's Mother]

[Equipment: Watch, Cellphone]

Raezavan Lucifer? Is that Val's Dad? And Lucifer. I heard about that name from Mama… Lucifer. He's supposed to be a really bad guy. Does that mean Val's Dad is bad too? And then Val must be… Lucia looked at Val, who was trying her (?) best to maintain a conversation as they entered Val's house.

Is Val bad too? No, wait. Val is super nice. She must be a good Devil then, Lucia nodded to herself and smiled. That was it. Val was super nice. There was no way she (?) was evil.

"Val, you can take your friends to your room. I'll prepare dinner for your father when he gets back," Eleonora said as she set Val's backpack down against one of the couches. Lucia looked around the living room, noticing how bare it was. It was like they just moved in. There were no photos of Val or Val's parents anywhere.

There were empty bottles of something called Johnnie Walker Whiskey. Lucia walked over and tried to grab it when Eleonora snatched it before she could even lay a finger on it. "Sorry, Miss Lucia but these aren't for kids. This is… bad stuff that grown-ups drink."

"But if it's bad, why do grown-ups drink it?" Lucia asked as she scanned the whiskey.

"Because… it makes them feel better and forget about things. Things they don't want to remember. But it can also make them worse to the ones who care about them," Eleonora said, her jaw tightening as if she were remembering something horrible. She closed her eyes and put on a brave smile for Lucia. "Why don't you go play in Val's room? I'll let you know when I have snacks ready."

Lucia nodded and walked up the stairs. As she walked down the hallway to Val's room, she noticed a door that was slightly ajar. Lucia passed by it, trying her best to ignore what was inside and to be a good girl like she promised her mother. However, in the end, curiosity won out and she peeked inside.

The door slowly creaked open and Lucia stepped inside. She held the straps of her backpack tightly as she surveilled her surroundings, trying to find anything to bring to her mother in hopes that she would smite this evil man. But the office looked plain. Almost too plain.

Lucia walked up to the desk of Val's father, making note of the empty picture frame that sat on the table. She glanced at a small partially opened envelope that sat on the desk. There was an odd symbol stamped onto the paper. It was an eight pointed star with multiple inscriptions in Enochian written along the center and on its four longest arms.

Before she could touch it, Lucia's head snapped up as she heard someone's voice outside the door.

"You stupid bitch. I'll deal with you later. Goddamnit!"

Lucia looked frantically around the room for somewhere to hide. She spotted a small space behind one of the couches in the room and dove behind it as the door slowly opened.

Val's father walked in, running a hand through his hair in frustration and muttering bad words under his voice. "Fucking bitch. Who the fuck does she think she is to make all those decisions!?"

The man walked over to his desk. He set down a bottle of that stuff adults drink.

"DAMN IT!" He roared in a rage, throwing all his papers off the desk. "All that hard work I did here! Now I have to move because we might get caught by the damn church! FUCK!" Raezavan hissed.

"Fuck fuck fuck! Haaaah. I need to make my move tonight. Yeah, yeah, tonight. If I move tonight, I can get back in his good graces and not end up like…," Raezavan shivered as if he were remembering something horrific. A magic circle suddenly appeared in his ear, pulsating dimly.

"Yes, it's Raezavan," he said as he paced around the office. "Y-Yes! Yes, Ma'am! No worries! I can be ready by tonight! Yes. Yes! I can bring my kid too! Has he awakened it…? N-No but…! NO NO NO! I promise I can get results by the end of the night! Just give me more time, please!"

The person on the other end of the magic circle had rattled him.

Lucia narrowed her eyes as she peeked around the corner of the couch.

Raezavan's hands were shaking as he turned his back to her. "Yes. Yes, I understand we're on a schedule. It's… It's just that I ran into a small problem… Yes. Exorcists… Yes, I'll handle them right away! Yes, thank you, Grandmother—! Hello? Fuck, that's that," Raezavan sighed in relief as the call ended.

He took a deep breath before running a hand through his hair and leaving the office.

Lucia snuck out from behind the couch. She needed to leave before he came back. She could always steal the letter later. And with that, Lucia hastily made her way out of the room without making a sound.

Lucia sat on the floor of Vali's room. Unlike her shared room with Irina and Asia, Vali's room was devoid of anything personal that made it her (?). There were a few pictures of her (?) and her (?) mother but none of her (?) father anywhere. There were no toys or anything except a couple of books.

Asia was on a chair to the right and Irina was leaning against the wall, both unsure of what to do or say.

Val, herself (?), didn't know what to do. It was like she never had friends over before.

It had been two hours since they had gotten there. Asia had arrived 30 minutes after Val's father got here. She had been dropped off by Griselda, who was patrolling the premises but promised Asia that she would be close by.

"So, Val, what do you usually do at home?" Lucia asked.

"W-Well, I just read. Or do what my Dad tells me," Val mumbled, clearly having no clue of how to treat her (?) newfound friends. "If I don't do what Dad tells me, I get in trouble. I get sent to the bad room with Dad. The bad room hurts a lot. Mom tries to make Dad not take me there but I don't want Mom to get hurt. Dad says it's for my own good and what he's doing for me is to make sure I'm ready."

"Ready? Ready for what?" Irina asked.

"V-Val's Dad s-sounds like a very mean person," Asia chimed in, her green eyes darting around the room skittishly.

Lucia nodded. "That's right! Val, your Dad is a very mean person! I don't do what Mama tells me all the time and Mama doesn't send me to any bad room! I don't even do my chores half the time." She smiled and puffed her chest as if it were something to be praised and celebrated.

"Yeah… Asia and I have to do your chores," Irina said.

"Well, Mama is a good person. Val's Dad is a very bad person. Val didn't do anything wrong. Besides—"

"Please stop calling my Dad a bad person," Val said, gripping her (?) shorts tightly. She (?) looked up. "I-I like Dad! I didn't have a Dad for a long time. Mom told me that he was out there working for us. A-And he came home! If I'm not good, Dad said he and Mom will leave me forever. I-I don't want to leave Mom… or Dad." The last part came out a bit hesitantly.

Irina glanced at Lucia, who stared at Val for a couple of seconds. "B-But Val, your Dad sounds a bit…," Irina began.

Asia looked between Irina and Vali, biting her bottom lip in nervousness.

"Can we stop talking about D-Dad? I just want to play with you guys," Val said.

"Ok! I'll go get the snacks from Selda!" Lucia clapped her hands and got up. "Rin! You're in charge!"

"Me? Wait, Luci! What do we do?" Irina asked, a bit panicked at Lucia suddenly leaving.

"Don't worry! I know a game we can play when we get back! Hehe, I hope Selda brought brownies!" Lucia said as she left the room.

Except… Lucia's smile threatened to erupt across her face as she spotted the door to the office slightly open. "Selda's probably still downstairs talking to Miss Zora. Now… Now I can go and see what kind of bad guy stuff Val's Dad has!" she hummed to herself as she sneakily made her way to the door.

She thought of all the ways she could expose this man to her mother. Lucia tiptoed to the door and pressed her back against the wall. As she shimmied her way over to the doorway, a voice echoed from inside that made her body freeze.

"We're leaving tonight!" It was the voice of Raezavan, Val's father.

"Tonight! Raezavan! Raezavan, listen to me! What about Vali!? His school! You can't just expect us to pack everything and move again!" Eleonora pleaded.

Lucia could hear the sound of clattering and rustling papers everywhere. Wait… Val is a boy!?

"Fucking hell, woman! You do what I say when I say it! It's bad enough that you're stupid enough to bring a Nephilim brat and a fucking Exorcist here to my DAMN HOUSE! After everything I did for you and that brat!" Raezavan spat.

"I did it for him! He needs friends, Raezavan! He's just a boy! He's not a tool for you to use!" Eleonora argued, her voice rising in pitch.

"What did you just say to me?" Raezavan said in a low tone.

Lucia flinched when she heard an audible smack and a cry of pain echo through the hall. She heard someone fall to the ground.

"Did you just fucking talk back to me!? You do what I say when I say it! You don't think! I think! All you do is raise the damn brat! Got it!" Raezavan snarled. "You're fucking lucky I even came back into your life!"

"Raezavan, I—"

"What did I say about talking? Huh? What!?"

"I-I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking—"

"That's because you never think! It's not your job to think, it's fucking mine! Got it! Remember that you're only here because of that brat! You're lucky I'm even considering taking you with us! FUCK! You're just as stupid as you were when I met you in that bar in Prague! What is so hard about this to understand!? This is a simple fucking concept!" Raezavan stomped around the room.

"Please… don't take Vali with you. I'm begging you! He's just a—"

"I said shut your stupid mouth, whore!"

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Lucia rounded around the corner of the doorway.

Raezavan's eyes widened as he froze mid-swing of his hand.

Eleonora stared at Lucia, stupefied by the sudden turn of events.

"Haha… the fucking Nephilim. Fuck. FUCK! Ok, ok! You know what… this might be my lucky day actually," Raezavan began laughing a little.

Lucia glared at the man in front of her. She took a slight step back. Her wings appeared on her back. "S-Stay back! I'm an Angel!"

"Of course, you are," Raezavan mocked as he walked toward her. His hand clenched and unclenched into a fist. A murderous smile appeared on his face. "Now, little girl." Demonic energy crackled around his fingers. It was filled with a hateful amount of light that Lucia could feel crawling on her skin.

But before anything could happen, Eleonora lunged at Raezavan and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What the—!? Woman, what are you— Let go you bitch!" Raezavan spun around, trying to pry his wife's arms off from around his waist.

"Lucia! Run! Go! Run now—"

"Bitch!" Raezavan's fist slammed into the side of her head, causing her to let go.

Eleonora fell to the ground. Her vision spun and lights exploded around her as she tried to regain her senses. "Lucia… run…" She whispered as she caught sight of her husband's feet stalking closer toward her.

"Miss Z-Zora," Lucia said. She glared at the Demon Man in front of her. I'm not a kid anymore! I can do this! Lucia gathered holy power to her hands. Enochian script appeared around her.

"Huh? What are you…?" Raezavan turned around to see holy energy crackling around Lucia.

Lucia threw her hands forward and unleashed a mass of thick clouds into his office.

"What the hell!? You stupid brat! Where did you…?" He narrowed his eyes as he tried to find her. However, the mist was too thick. He could see no further than his elbow. He clenched his jaw. "You damn brat! Show yourself—!"

A bullet of black and red energy slammed into the side of his head. "Gahhhk—!" Raezavan was thrown off his feet and slammed into the wall. He gripped the side of his face, thrashing in pain as the light-infused darkness of Leliel chewed away at his flesh. "Aghh! You motherfucker!"

Lucia ran through the mist toward the downed Eleonora. "Miss Zora! Come on!" Lucia grabbed her hand.

"L-Lucia…?"

"Let's go!" Lucia tried her best to pull the grown woman to her feet.

Eleonora's eyes softened slightly as she got to her feet. Before Lucia could react, Eleonora grabbed her into her arms and ran out of the fog-covered room. She ran toward Val's room and threw open the door.

"Mom?" Val looked up and his eyes widened when he saw the growing bruise on his Mom's cheek. "Mom! Mom, what's going on—!?"

"ELEONORA!"

The kids stiffened when they heard the angry roar of Val's father echoed down the hallway.

"Kids, let's go. We have to get out of here now!" Eleonora urged as she heard Raezavan's footsteps echoing from his office.

"M-Miss Zora, what's happening?" Asia asked.

"I'll talk about it later. Let's go now!" Eleonora said.

"But what about Dad—"

"Vali Lucifer! You listen to me, okay? We need to go. Come on," Eleonora said to her son as she set Lucia down.

"Lucia, what's going on?" Irina asked.

"Val's dad. He's evil! He hit Val's Mom!" Lucia waved her arms. Her wings flapped in tandem with her frazzled emotional state.

"What?"

"And he wants to kill us!" Lucia added.

"You little brats…"

Everyone in the room turned to see Raezavan a few feet from Val's room. His eyes were full of murder and rage. The side of his cheek had been completely eaten down to the bone and blood trickled down to the floor. "I'll kill you for that, you stupid brat." His fingers twitched as red energy crackled around them.

"Irina…," Lucia said as she stood in front of her.

Irina shook in her spot, gulping as she tried to put on a brave face.

This is just like with the vampire. Just like with the vampire! Irina chanted inside her mind. Asia, on the other hand, was cowering behind Irina. The girl trembled at the sight of Raezavan as she closed her eyes tightly and gripped Irina's jacket.

"Don't you dare touch them or—"

"Or else what? You'll call the cops? I'll kill them too," Raezavan laughed as he stepped closer.

Lucia clenched her fists tightly as fear and adrenaline overwhelmed her body. Her eyes changed color as she took a glimpse at Raezavan.

[Raezavan Lucifer]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 250, Speed: 205, Durability: 225, Magic: 400, Skills: 110. Calculating Combat Level: 1,190]

[Age: 675 years, Race: Pure-Blooded Devil, Gender: Male, Marital Status: Married to Eleonora Zora Lucifer]

[Special Traits: N/A]

[Equipment: Demonic Brilliance of Evil Light]

[Identified as [Enemy]. Acquiring weaknesses… Weaknesses: Light Power, Holy Power, Holy Objects]

Just like the vampire. B-But 1000!? How can we even…? Lucia gulped. She clenched her jaw as she tried to remember something. Anything her Mama told her that could get them out of this. Without thinking, Lucia whirled around and snatched something from Asia's hand.

"L-Luci!? What are you—"

On impulse, Lucia threw the crucifix Asia was praying with at Raezavan.

Everyone was caught off-guard by the sudden action. The crucifix bounced uselessly off Raezavan's chest, who looked stunned by the sudden action.

Acting on her training, Lucia grabbed the holy water from her backpack and sprayed it across the devil's face.

"AGGHHH!" Raezavan recoiled in agony as he felt the holy water boiling his flesh. He stumbled back, clutching at his skin.

Eleonora, seeing the opportunity, grabbed the children and ran out of Val's room. She huffed as she made her way to the stairs and ran down them.

But before she could even reach salvation, the entire house glowed and the space between her and the front door elongated. Eleonora's eyes widened in shock as the door kept getting further the more she ran toward it. Her lungs burned from the strain of holding two kids in her arms. After a few minutes, she slowed to a stop and set her son and Asia down on the ground.

Eleonora panted heavily, sweat dripping down her brow. That monster's magic. Was this how it was going to end?

"Luci, what do we do? He's going to kill us!" Irina said as she stuck close to Eleonora.

Lucia wasn't faring any better. Even if she had been trained by her mother, the fear was getting to her. She took a shaky step forward and looked around. Her eyes darted from place to place, remembering everything her mother had taught her.

Luci, remember to use your surroundings to your advantage. An effective trap is one that uses one's environment to the max.

Her eyes widened as she stared at the kitchen sink.

"Rin! Asia, come with me!" Lucia grabbed their hands and ran toward the kitchen.

"L-Lucia, what are you—"

"Remember when Mama taught us that Miracle that makes more things?" Lucia said as she climbed onto the counter. She pulled at the sink head. To her surprise, it detached from the faucet and stretched out a few inches.

"Yeah?" Irina said.

"Hehehe…," Lucia sprayed water onto one of the dirty plates. She held her hand above the stream and infused red light into it. "Remember when Old Man Ferdinand made us sit through one of his lessons about Devils. We can hurt Devils with Holy Water."

Irina's eyes widened as she caught on to what her friend was attempting. She quickly scrambled her way onto the sink.

"I'll shoot and bless the water. You and Asia need to keep making more water!" Lucia said.

Irina reached her hand out and pulled Asia onto the countertop.

"Kids, what are you doing…?" Eleonora said as she ran over to them. Val followed close behind.

"ELEONORA! I KNOW YOU AND THOSE BRATS ARE STILL HERE!" Raezavan called out as he descended the stairs slowly.

"Hey, Mister! You're a stupid motherfucking, wiener-sucking dumbass!" Lucia screamed.

Asia yelped at Lucia's sudden use of curses. She looked to Lucia with wide and horrified eyes.

"D-Don't tell Mama I said it!" Lucia hissed as she aimed the faucet at the entryway to the kitchen.

Raezavan came lumbering into the kitchen, his steps measured and composed. Red energy cloaked his hands and there was murder in his eyes. "So this is where you've been? Eleonora, you stupid stupid bitch. This is all going to be your fault. If you had just listened, then I wouldn't have to do this."

"Raezavan, you…! Stay away from these kids!" Eleonora tried to put on a brave face as her husband approached.

"Hey!"

Raezavan turned to see Lucia aiming a faucet at him.

"Oh? And what is that going to do, little girl? Maybe I should rip your wings off first. I've always wanted to see what fried angel wing tastes like," he said.

Lucia felt a wave of fear go down her spine as he approached. She clenched her jaw and remembered her mother's words. "Rin! Asia!" Lucia barked.

Irina and Asia began to pray silently as Enochian script surrounded them. They held their hands out toward Raezavan, who just laughed as nothing seemed to happen.

And without a single second of hesitation, Lucia let loose the water. Her hands glowed a light red as the holy power entered the stream. As the water passed by Irina and Asia, it exploded forward.

Raezavan's eyes widened as the torrent of water slammed into him with the force of a bullet train. He was slammed against the wall, crying out in pain. "You fucking brats— Huh!? H-Holy Water! Where—!?" Raezavan howled in pain as the water began eating away at his skin.

"Raagggh!" Raezavan summoned a barrier around him to stave off the water and he began slowly walking forward. There was nothing but utter rage in his eyes. His clothes had been shredded from the sheer water pressure and the volume of Holy Water that bombarded his flesh had stripped off his skin at his torso, exposing raw tissue and muscle underneath.

"I'll kill you filthy braaats!" Raezavan snarled.

"Run! RUN NOW!" Lucia screamed at Eleonora as she poured in more Holy Power into the water.

Eleonora snapped out of her stupor and grabbed Val before bolting toward the door. Unlike before, she was able to reach it and ran outside.

"NO! NOO! YOU BITCH! I OWN YOU!" Raezavan faltered and was blasted back once more by the water. His jaw clenched as he endured the living hell of having his flesh slowly melted away by the holy water. "Damn it! DAMN IT!" An incandescent black light exploded from his hand and he fought back against the stream of water.

"N-No! Rin! Asia!" Lucia said as she saw Raezavan slowly walking toward them.

"L-Luci, what do we do!?" Irina yelled.

Asia just shook where she sat as she desperately kept chanting the Miracle.

Lucia looked between her friends and the Devil, who was inching closer with each passing second. "I-I—"

Just then, a vase flew from out of left field and struck Raezavan in the side of the head. He stumbled, causing the black light to disperse. The water surged forth unabated and he was thrown once more against the wall.

He turned his head slowly to see Eleonora standing with her arm outstretched.

"You filthy…. GRAAGH!" he howled.

"Take this!" Lucia said as Enochian script floated around her. She performed the Miracle on the water, adding to the doubling quantity already performed by Asia and Irina. The force threw the kids back, away from the faucet as a literal cannon shot of holy water flew from the faucet.

"N-NO!" Raezavan's words echoed through the house before he was blasted through the wall of the house. He slammed through several of the neighbor's fences before crashing into a car on the other street. The sound of the car alarm echoed through the neighborhood.

"D-Did we win…?" Lucia asked as she sat up, rubbing the back of her head.

"I think?" Irina said. She winced as she rubbed her arm.

Asia came running over and began healing Irina's arm with her Sacred Gear. "C-Can we go home?" Asia pleaded.

"Yeah, let's go home," Lucia hopped to her feet. She winced and turned to see one of her wings bent at a weird angle. Lucia reached over to touch it but winced when her wing throbbed in pain. "I think… I broke my wing. Mama is going to be so mad."

"L-Let me heal it!" Asia said as she walked over and placed her hands over Lucia's broken wing. A soft green light emanated from her hands and soon, Lucia felt the pain disappearing and her wing returning to normal.

"T-Thanks, Asia!" Lucia smiled as she spread her left wing.

"K-Kids, are you alright?"

The three turned to see Eleonora walking toward them.

"M-Miss Zora! S-Sorry for making your kitchen dirty!" Lucia said.

Eleonora's eyes widened before she laughed. She reached forward and pulled the three girls into a hug, surprising them. "Don't worry about that. I'm just happy that you three are okay. Let's get you three home."

And with that, the four exited the ruined household. Lucia walked out onto the street and saw Val waiting for them.

"Mom! Luci!" Val ran toward them and came to a stop. "Luci! Mom! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Lucia grinned. "I'm super strong. My mama is an Angel, you know!"

Val paused when he saw a cut on her cheek that Asia had missed. He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small band-aid. "There's a cut." He reached over and put the band-aid over her cheek.

Lucia's eyes widened and her hand flew to her cheek as she took a step back. "T-Thanks."

Val just smiled.

"So you're a boy?" Lucia leaned in and narrowed her eyes.

"Eh? I've always been a boy," Val said. "And my name is Vali."

"But, but you look like a girl!" Lucia protested.

"I-I don't!" Vali said, his cheeks turning red.

"Luci, you really didn't know Val was a boy?" Irina narrowed her eyes as she walked over to her friend.

"S-Shut up! He has long hair and a cute face! There's no way he's a boy!" Lucia reasoned. Her childish mind could not comprehend the fact that men could have long hair.

"But Otou-san has long hair," Irina replied. Asia nodded in response.

"U-Uncle Touji has muscles!" Lucia said in a smug tone, as if she had just proven herself right.

"I am a boy though," Vali said.

"ELEONORA!"

The group froze and turned to see Raezavan limping toward them.

Eleonora gasped as she took in the sight of her former husband. The man had been all but torn apart by the Holy Water. His left leg was twisted and a bone was sticking out his shin. It was a miracle that he was even shambling toward them. His side had been completely torn open, exposing bits of his internal organs and parts of his innards were sticking out. His right arm had been shredded and melted by the Holy Water, leaving a bloody stump and the right half of his face was shredded off, leaving a thin layer of necrotic meat and bone alongside his eye.

"I'll kill you. I'll kill all of you starting with that angel brat!" Raezavan raised his remaining arm and gathered black light into the center of his palm. In a fit of rage, he fired the blast at Lucia, who could not react on time.

However, before it could reach her, Vali jumped in front of the blast and raised his hands.

"VALI!" Eleonora shrieked in horror as she dove for her son.

But it was too late. The blast engulfed Vali, consuming him in black light.

"VALIII!" Eleonora wailed.

[Divide]

An unknown voice announced and the blast of black light suddenly cut down by half.

[Divide]

And with the second announcement, the blast had completely evaporated, reduced to wisps of light that became absorbed into a pair of wings that now protruded from Vali's back. The wings were mechanical in nature, being white in the arms with a membrane made of blue light and resembled a pair of dragon wings.

Lucia's eyes widened as her [Warning System] took in the information before her.

[Sacred Gear identified… Divine Dividing. Class - Longinus]

"W- What the hell…? IT WAS A LONGINUS!" Raezavan seethed.

Vali looked at his hands and then at his wings in surprise. He turned toward Raezavan with a fierce glare on his face. "You! You tried to hurt my friends!"

Raezavan flinched and took a slight step back. "You filthy brat! Stay back! I OWN YOU! I MADE YOU WHAT YOU ARE!" Black light and energy crackled around his remaining hand as he prepared to fire another blast at them. However, a pulse of holy energy filled the area.

"I only went to buy the kids more snacks but… it seems a lot happened while I was gone."

Lucia's eyes widened in recognition at the sound of the voice. Raezavan turned his head.

"S-Selda!" Lucia cried out in relief.

Griselda stood a few dozen feet behind Raezavan, blue eyes narrowed into slits as she took a step forward.

"Another one? How many of you are there!?" Raezavan swung his arm in a fit of rage and fear.

Griselda took in his state before looking past him to see the state the others were in. "A Devil, huh?"

Raezavan's left eye twitched in annoyance as he took to the skies. Two pairs of wings unfolded from his back, carrying him higher into the air. "Damn it, damn it! DAMN IT!" The crackling energy in his hand expanded until it was the size of a truck. "I'll kill you all!"

Griselda stared calmly at the man. "As the Apostle of Lady Gabriel, I shall not tolerate any transgressions against my charge." Three pairs of ethereal blue wings manifested on her back along with a triangular halo above her head. Her form flickered and her body disappeared.

"W-Wha—!?" Raezavan's eye widened. "Where did she—"

"Behind you."

Griselda reappeared behind him and planted her heel in the small of his back, kicking him back down to the ground. He struck the ground with a tremendous amount of force that shook the street and set off all the car alarms.

"Ugghh… you…," Raezavan rasped as he looked up into the sky. "I will not die here! I am the descendant of Lucifer!"

Griselda stared at him coldly as she raised her own hand into the air. "O' God, O' Angels, grant me the power to deliver justice upon this demon." Her hands glowed blue as a swirl of ethereal blue water surrounded her, forming into incredibly dense balls of fluid.

"This is the Power of God belonging to my Lady, Gabriel. It is called Mabul Mayim. The very Power that can be seen in the Great Flood that destroyed the Earth in Genesis," Griselda said as she closed her fist. The waters condensed even further, forming incredibly small but hyperdense masses of water.

"I-Impossible…! G-Gabriel!" Raezavan snarled.

"Drown in your delusions as an afterthought, spawn of the Devil," Griselda said. The dense bullets of water fired at rapid speeds that even Raezavan could not follow. He gasped in pain as the water bullets pierced his body repeatedly before expanding and swallowing him in a swirling mass of water.

"Eleo… nora…" Raezavan reached toward her.

Eleonora grabbed Vali and turned him away from the gruesome sight.

Raezavan's flesh peeled off and his blood and muscles boiled inside the sphere of water. Griselda closed her fist and the water sphere condensed, exploding in a bloody mist and leaving no trace of Raezavan behind.

Griselda landed on the ground, brushing some of the water off her coat when she stumbled forward. She turned around with a small smile as Asia, Irina, and Lucia all clung to her legs and waist. "It's okay. I'm here, you little goblins," Griselda said in a soothing whisper as she wrapped her arms around all three girls.

"But Mama—"

"No buts. You are grounded and you have to pick up Irina and Asia's cleaning duties for your room."

Lucia shrank under her mother's gaze as Uriel sternly silenced all attempts of Lucia to bargain with her mother.

Uriel sighed as she walked over to her daughter. "Luci…," she said as she pulled her daughter in for a tight embrace. "Don't you ever scare me like that again? Okay?" Uriel whispered as she tightened her hug around her daughter.

Lucia nodded, burying her face in her mother's arms. "Does that mean I'm not grounded anymore?"

"No. It means you're grounded for 3 weeks."

Lucia pulled away with an audible groan. "Mama…!"

"Fine, two and a half weeks," Uriel said.

Lucia huffed and crossed her arms, realizing that was all she could get from her mother. "Okay…"

"Now go. I'm sure your friends are worried about you, Luci," Uriel said.

Lucia nodded and hopped off her chair. She ran out of Uriel's office, past a surprised Eleonora, who walked inside.

Uriel gestured for her to take a seat in the chair in front of her desk.

Eleonora complied. She fidgeted with the sleeves of her sweater as her gaze darted around the office. Her eyes lingered for a few seconds on a photo of Uriel with six other individuals. The white-haired woman in the photo looked strikingly similar to her husband and Vali, and the infant in Uriel's arms must have been Lucia.

"I apologize for my daughter's behavior," Uriel said as she took a seat behind her desk.

"N-No, it's fine. Had it not been for her… I think my husband… err, ex-husband would have killed me," Eleonora admitted.

Uriel nodded. "Coffee?" the Archangel offered.

"N-No, thank you. I'm fine," Eleonora politely refused.

"You understand that as an Archangel, I cannot turn a blind eye to a pure-blooded devil living in my town. Let alone the fact that he sired a son that possesses a Longinus. Actions must be taken to preserve the safety of the people of this city," Uriel said as she took a sip of her coffee.

Eleonora's eyes widened at Uriel's words and she bowed her head deeply before her. "P-Please. Do not harm my baby. He's all I have left in this world. I beg you! Please, if you have to take anyone's life, then take mine!"

"Raise your head. I'm not going to kill you or your son."

She tentatively lifted her head to look at Uriel, who set down her coffee cup with a clink.

"Lucia seems to be fond of your son. I don't want to take my daughter's friend away from her nor do I feel right about killing a mother and a child who did nothing wrong. Which is why I am going to make you an offer, Miss Zora," Uriel said as she folded her hands.

"Y-Yes?" Eleonora stared at Uriel with a guarded expression.

"How would you like to work for me?" Uriel asked. She had a disarming smile on her face.

"W-Work…?" Eleonora asked.

"Yes, work. I offer reasonable work hours and pay. As well as 4 weeks paid vacation if that's what you're looking for—"

"N-No! It's not that. But why would you do this for me?" she asked.

The Great Seraph blinked before taking a sip of her coffee. "Because my daughter is friends with your son and… you tried to save my child. It's simply my way of repaying you. Please think about it."

The younger woman just nodded mutely as the weight of Uriel's words began to sink in.

"Now. On to another matter," Uriel said. She reached into the air and reached into a rippling space in the air. After fishing inside the ripple, Uriel pulled out an envelope with a small stamp that had an eight-pointed star.

Eleonora's eyes widened as Uriel placed the envelope in front of her. Her green eyes darted between the envelope and the Archangel. Her lips trembled as she struggled to find the words to say to the Angel before her. She licked her dry lips as she shook slightly before Uriel, feeling like a mouse with its back against the wall and facing a lion.

"It seems as if you've seen this before. Good. Now, please tell me all you know about this 'Church of Finality'."

Chapter Text

Her room was shrouded in the dark of the night with the only thing illuminating it was the glow of her computer screen. The screen loaded slowly. On her desk was a picture of a young girl and an older boy. The older boy was wearing a high school uniform while carrying her on his shoulders. It had been 10 long years since her older brother had disappeared.

"Come on, come on!" the girl said as she loaded the email. The hourglass mocked her as the letters loaded on her screen.

She had been communicating with this person for the better part of 3 years. Auriel Reid. This woman claimed to have news on her estranged older brother and her sister-in-law. But the woman spun tales that would have her put in a mental hospital. Tales of monsters and magic. However, the only reason she hadn't dismissed her claims so readily was because of one email.

You have a niece.

As the email loaded, she shook her head in an attempt to compose herself. Emails from this woman always made her anxious.

"Huh? It's… an invitation? With an attachment to plane tickets?" she tilted her head in confusion.

Miss Kamiyo,

I think it's time you meet your brother's daughter. I have arranged a flight for you to meet us in Italy. As you know, your brother was a very devout Christian even if… as you mentioned, it went against your parents' wishes. But with Lucia now being 10 years old, I think it's better for you to know her while she's still a child rather than meet her when she gets older.

We will meet you in the Vatican for the Feast of the Archangels. Please consider my request for your niece's sake.

Best Regards,

Auriel Reid

She pinched the bridge of her nose. The Feast of the Archangels. She had read up a little on it while researching her brother's supposed monster hunter lifestyle.

"It's just after finals. That woman. Just how much does she know about me to book tickets days after the semester ends?" she said. She brushed her black hair aside and opened up a new email document. Her fingers rested above her keyboard as she thought of a response.

Running away? No. She would inform her parents that it was a school sponsored trip. This Auriel woman made it look official enough.

And so, she began to type.

Dear Miss Reid,

…

School was the same as it always had been. The four had gone up 2 grades, going from 2nd graders to 4th graders in the blink of an eye. Now that she was 10 years old, Lucia found herself nearing her final years of primary school. Vali's mother had moved into one of the Institution's housing buildings and became an understudy to Father Ferdinand. Her mother even funded Eleonora's schooling after she expressed a desire to go back to school to finish her degree. Of course, she asked Vali first but all Vali wanted was to see his mother smile and so, several days a week, Eleonora would spend her time in Berlin studying while Vali stayed at home with them.

Lucia walked out of school, following behind Irina, Vali, and Asia. In the two years since starting school, Lucia was still pretty much a loner. She had very few friends outside of the three people she was behind. Even the shy Asia had more friends than she did and Vali, who she thought was a loner like her, had a surprising amount of friends.

"It's winter break!" Irina cheered as she ran ahead of them and turned around. "That means no school. No homework. It's almost Christmas! That means that we get presents!"

Vali shook his head. "Are you going to get us in trouble again by having us sneak down at midnight like last time?"

"Hey! To be fair, it was your fault we got caught!" Irina huffed.

"Hey! It was Albion and you know it!" Vali argued.

[I'd very much like it if you don't bring me into your arguments, Vali.]

Albion.

The name of the being that resided in Vali's Sacred Gear. Around a year ago, the voice had begun making its appearance known. Not even Lucia knew why he decided to talk now and not earlier. Of course, her mother had ideas but in the end, she never shared them with her.

"Well, Albion is in your Sacred Gear," Irina said.

"G-Guys, please stop fighting," Asia said as she tried to play the mediator.

"I don't think we can sneak downstairs this time," Lucia said. "Mama said we're going to Italy for Christmas."

The three turned around, staring at Lucia with wide eyes.

"I-Italy! But why!? It's so hot down there!" Irina protested.

"I've never been to Italy before. Is it really hot down there?" Vali asked.

Asia looked between Irina and Vali before turning to Lucia. "Are we going because of the Festival?"

The word "festival" made the other two stop and look at Asia in curiosity. The girl, sensing their stares, blushed before looking down at the ground. She wasn't used to being the center of attention. Asia gathered her confidence before speaking. "The Feast of the Archangels is this month. I think Lady Uriel wants to take us down there."

"Yeah. Mama used to take me to Italy during this month because of that. But then everything happened and we haven't been down the festival for three years," Lucia said.

"The Feast… of the Archangels?" Vali asked.

"It's a festival honoring the Seven Archangels. Everyone will be there, even Auntie Ellie. It's the only day that Mama says she takes a break," Lucia said. "But more importantly…"

A wide smile spread across Lucia's face. "Hehehe, Selda will be there! We finally get to see her again!"

Irina, Vali, and Asia's eyes widened in surprise. It had been a while since they had last seen Griselda. She had taken on more and more jobs since Lucia turned 9 and eventually began staying at the Vatican altogether.

"Selda hasn't been home in over a year! We can surprise her when we get down there!" Lucia said.

"I can finally ask Selda to show me new sword tricks," Irina asked.

"Maybe s-she can show us more Miracles?" Asia chimed in.

"Selda said she found something cool when she was out on that mission in Ukraine! Maybe she can show it to us," Vali pondered.

All of them had their own idea of what to ask Griselda when they saw her again. Lucia, however, was more than happy to just spend time with her again. Though, she did have a few choice ideas on what to ask Griselda when she got to see her again.

"I see you kids are already planning on how to bother Griselda during our trip."

The four turned to see Uriel walking up to them. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wore a red coat over herself. She smiled as she reached out and patted her daughter's head.

Lucia swatted her mother's hand away. "Mama, I'm a big girl now."

Uriel laughed before ushering the kids down to the car. "Come on now. We have to go home and prepare. We're leaving in 2 days for Italy."

"Miss Uriel," Vali said.

"Yes?"

"Can I really go? I'm a half-devil. Won't I get in trouble for going inside a Church?" he asked.

Uriel raised an eyebrow as she closed the car's passenger side door. She got in the driver's seat and sat down, contemplating his question for a few seconds. "I don't think that will be a problem. It's not like you did anything wrong. Besides, you won't be the only Devil there."

"Only… devil?" Asia asked.

"Yes. It's a very special Feast of the Archangels this year. The other members of the Factions are coming over. Just a few of them but you kids don't have to worry. This is something the adults are going to talk about," Uriel said.

"Does that mean we can't see Selda?" Irina asked.

"You will. I'll make sure Selda gets to take you four around the Vatican. I'm sure she's dying to see all of you again," she replied. "And I know she could use a break from all the work she's been doing."

Lucia leaned forward. "Mama, how long are we going to be down there?"

"Two weeks maybe. Just long enough for you to get back to school when we come home," Uriel said. "And sit back down, Luci, I'm driving."

Lucia huffed and sat back down in her seat.

"Is my mom going to be there?" Vali asked.

"Your mom is at home right now, Val. She's on her own extended break because of the festival. I managed to convince the University that she needed time off," Uriel replied as she looked in the rearview mirror.

As they neared the Institution, Uriel slowed the car down. "But there are a few rules I'll go over before we go. I'll tell all of you again when we actually go. First off, don't go outside of the Vatican. I'm fine with you four wandering around inside the city with Griselda but don't go outside. Got it? I'm talking to you especially, Luci."

Lucia jumped in her seat when she caught her mother's stern gaze. She nodded begrudgingly. "Yes, ma'am."

"Secondly, you guys aren't allowed to use magic there. There are a lot of normal people there for the Feast and to pray. I don't want you guys blowing up a church by accident," she added.

"But—"

"Irina and Vali, this rule mostly applies to you two," she said.

The two stiffened at the mention of their names.

"And lastly, Asia, I want you to keep these 3 from acting out. Especially since the children of the other leaders are going to be there. You're the most responsible for the four," Uriel said.

"M-Me!?" Asia looked startled at the mention of her name. The very thought that she would have to watch her three friends was equivalent to her having three bloodthirsty sharks that smelled blood. She turned her head shakily to her friends, who were off in their own worlds. "I-I t-think Luci is more responsible…," she offered.

Uriel raised an eyebrow but brushed off Asia's attempt to shift responsibility to her daughter. "Go on, kids. I think Elen has dinner ready for all of you."

The doors of the car swung open as the kids ran out and sprinted toward the front door. Uriel got out of the car and cupped one hand around her mouth. "And don't forget to wash your hands!" she yelled as she watched them disappear inside.

Uriel sat in her office, looking over some documents when she saw a pulsating flash of light out of the corner of her eye. She sighed and waved her hand. The light grew brighter until a translucent image appeared in front of her. Uriel raised an eyebrow at the sight of the hair.

"When did you get a haircut, Elder Brother Michael?" Uriel leaned back in her chair. "Did you get your heart broken by someone or something?"

Michael blinked and ran a hand through his hair. "My hair is still fairly long, Uriel."

"It was longer. Now it's down to your mid-back," Uriel replied. "But I'm sure you called me for a completely different reason than to consult your younger sister about your hair."

Michael nodded and cleared his throat. He looked behind him and his eyes softened momentarily as he handed something to someone. Uriel raised an eyebrow when she saw the hand of a child in the image for a brief second.

"Did you… have a kid?" Uriel asked.

Michael turned his gaze back to her and smiled. "She's not mine. I found her when I was dealing with a vampire attack. Poor girl. I'll tell you all more about her later but for now…"

"Right, right. Is this about the security at the Feast?" Uriel asked.

"Yes and one other thing. Metatron's Disciple has been going around investigating the recent rumors as of late. As you know, the Sigurd Institute is where we've been producing clones of Siegfried but rumors have been cropping up about people in the Vatican disappearing. Children primarily," Michael said. "It's been pushed up to us since… some children from the Sigurd Institute have been reassigned with no definitive location."

Uriel's pen stopped in its place as her eyes widened considerably. "How long?"

"According to Metatron, he's been investigating it for a while."

"Does Elder Sister know?"

Michael closed his eyes. "Of course she does. She probably found the location already as soon as Metatron came to her with the news."

"I'll mobilize the Destroying Angels to take care of it. Camael's been itching for something to do," Uriel stretched her arms over her head.

"And another thing, Uriel. We've confirmed the list of guests from the Grigori and the Underworld. Serafall Leviathan and Sirzechs Lucifer for the Devils' side and Azazel for the Grigori's side."

"Two Satans and Azazel?" Uriel said.

"To be fair, there are seven of us that are going to be there. I'm surprised Azazel didn't bring Baraqiel or Shemhazai along," Michael said.

"That bastard probably has something up his sleeve like watching Helel or Gabriel while they bathe," Uriel sighed.

"In any case, they sent over word that they would like their security detail to be allowed into the city. Particularly, concerning Sirzechs, he asked if his whole peerage and his family's butler be allowed to enter the Vatican," Michael said.

"His… whole peerage?" Uriel repeated slowly. She rubbed her temples and glanced at the growing stack of papers on her desk. "We… can accommodate them but why is he bringing his entire peerage? Does he not trust our security?"

Michael smiled sympathetically at his younger sister. "Gabriel said he's bringing someone important with him. I assume it's his wife since she is the Queen of his Peerage."

Uriel nodded before snapping her fingers. The pen levitated in the air and began signing documents by itself as she stood up and walked over to her coffee maker. "It's going to be a busy feast this year."

"Yes, it will be. I fear that nothing will happen. We've worked too hard for this momentary peace… and now that a permanent peace is within our grasp, I'd rather not have anything get in the way of that. Perhaps, this could be the first step in getting a peace treaty signed between us. For too long, we've been divided against each other," Michael said.

Uriel sipped her coffee and leaned on the edge of her desk. "There are people who will disagree with us."

Michael nodded. "There will always be people that will disagree, however, we cannot stop because some people do not share the same view as we do. I want a future where our children don't have to grow up the way we did… In war."

Uriel smiled at her brother's words as she thought about her daughter. Lucia was growing up fast. The sole fact that Uriel was able to preserve her innocence for the most part was an achievement for her. As someone who grew up in war, Uriel wanted to give Lucia everything she ever had when she was a child. And soon, Lucia would find her own way in the world, whether it was with her or without her. Uriel felt a small pang of loneliness well up inside her.

"I invited Lucia's aunt to the Festival," Uriel said.

"You did? You realized it's about time she knows," Michael said.

Uriel nodded. "I want her to meet her real family."

"Real family? Uriel, you are her real family," he replied.

Uriel said nothing as she stared into her cup of coffee. "Am I…? I'm just the woman who found her in that destroyed town. If I got there in time, if I had arrived just a few minutes earlier, Lucia would still have her parents. Laylah and her husband would still be alive and Lucia would be safe somewhere else, away from all of this."

"Uriel…," Michael said.

Uriel looked up at her brother with a watery smile on her face. "It's part of the reason I invited Togame over to Italy. If… Lucia meets her blood-related family and chooses to go with them. In the end, I'll support her decision."

"And if she chooses not to?"

Uriel paused for a few moments before looking up at Michael. "Then, she chooses me. I'd be happy… I don't want to lose her, Elder Brother but if going with Togame means she's safe, then I'll be behind her choice no matter what."

"..." Michael remained silent as he listened to his younger sister hide her doubts and insecurities behind words of well-wishes and support for her daughter. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "For the General of the Heavenly Host, it's surprising that you can't understand your daughter's feelings on this matter. Does Lucia even know?"

Uriel shook her head. Tears welled up at the edge of her blue-green eyes. "I was going to tell her at the Vatican during the Feast."

"That she's adopted?"

"No, I think she's always known even though I never said anything. I think… that's why she works so hard to keep up with everyone else. To be stronger than everyone else. Because she knows…"

"Uriel…"

"I know, I know, it's just a speculation. But still, I can't help but think she might feel inadequate in comparison," she muttered.

"Uriel, this isn't a battle. You need to tell her directly," Michael said.

"And you're a better expert on parenting than I am… how exactly?" Uriel asked with a slightly indignant tone.

"I'm saying this as an outside perspective. Don't assume you know how Lucia will choose," he said. "And be more confident in yourself. Lucia is growing up to be a wonderful girl. Blood or not, you are her mother."

Uriel bit her bottom lip as she let her older brother's words sink in. However, it did very little to stifle the growing seed of doubt and insecurity growing in her heart. "Thanks, Brother…"

Michael frowned at her still downtrodden expression and sighed. "Trust me, Uri. Everything will work out in the end."

Uriel nodded in an uncharacteristically meek manner.

Michael let out yet another sigh. For all her bluster at being an impregnable Archangel who bowed to no one except God, her daughter had her wrapped tightly around her finger. He ended the call, his translucent spiritual form vanishing from Uriel's office and leaving her alone with her doubts and insecurities.

Lucia gripped her plushie tightly as she tossed and turned in her bed. Above her and next to her, Irina and Asia snored softly, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing inside her mind. Her eyebrows furrowed as her dreams flashed chaotically across her mind like a film reel that was out of control.

Lucia let out a breath as she found herself standing in the middle of a snow-laden forest. Her breath instantly turned to mist and the only light she had was the silver light of the Moon above. The night always comforted her. Its wings wrapped around her like a mother's embrace or… perhaps…

She shook her head as she looked around. Her eyes widened as she happened upon the sight of a bloodied blonde-haired young boy. The boy seemed to be a year younger than she was. His eyelids were heavy as he fought off the sweet embrace of oblivion.

Lucia tentatively reached her hand out but gasped when another hand passed through her. She stepped to the side and her eyes widened. Flickers of static began to fill her vision as she beheld the person before her.

It was her.

The crimson-haired girl.

The girl looked down at the boy and smiled with a sadness that someone would not expect on a girl as old as Lucia.

"Help… save them…," the boy whispered.

The red-haired girl's eyes sparkled with something Lucia couldn't identify as she produced a red chess piece from her sleeve. Her eyes grew wide and a sharp pain shot through her head. "W-What the…?"

"PLEASE SAVE MY FRIENDS!"

The vision changed as she soon found the boy grabbing at her skirt.

"W-Wha…?" Lucia took a step back before bumping into something. Her surroundings had changed. Before her, a white haired girl dressed in a tattered lab gown sat curled up in the middle of several children. The children were all in varying degrees of decline, some being emaciated and starved while others were bruised. The putrid smell of necrotic flesh and gangrene filled her nostrils and made her want to vomit.

The girl who prayed at bruising along her arm and chest, along with various cuts and small scars on her legs. Her eyes were the most haunting part. Lucia felt a chill creep into her soul as she stared into the girl's empty, glassy pale blue eyes. "Please… I don't… want to die…"

Lucia backpedaled until her back hit a wall. And then she noticed where they were for the first time. They were in a sterile white chamber with a single mirror siting hauntingly on the wall by a thick metal door.

"Please… God… anyone. Save us….," the girl prayed in earnest.

Lucia took a step away from the girl before tripping and finding herself back in the woods once more. She looked up and saw a gloved hand before her. The crimson-haired girl stared at her with determined and desperate eyes. Eyes that were desperate to live. She opened her mouth as she called to her.

"... GET UP!" she called.

And just as Lucia reached out to grab her hand, a flash of light illuminated the night sky. It shined brighter than the sun. Rays of light raced across the starry sky, as if they were stars falling from Heaven. Each one carried the oblivion of an entire civilization within its light.

And as the light descended upon them, Lucia knew one thing before the light consumed her and the girl. A single phrase let her lips as the light struck the Earth and tore it asunder.

"Paradise Lost…"

Lucia shot up with a gasp, panting and clutching at her chest. Her eyes focused and unfocused as she struggled to regain control of her senses. Her ears rang and blood trickled down her nose from the sheer amount of psychological stress she had just experienced.

"Lucia, are you okay?"

She almost jumped at the sound of the voice. Lucia turned her head to see Asia looking at her with worry in her eyes. Lucia took a deep breath as she tried to calm her racing heart. The sound of it pounding inside her chest echoed in her ears. "I'm okay. I had a bad dream."

"Do you want me to hug you?" Asia asked.

Lucia remained silent.

"Rin always hugs me whenever I have bad dreams," Asia said as she reached over and pulled Lucia into a hug.

Lucia's eyes widened as Asia's arms wrapped around her. Asia's scent enveloped her like a blanket and she shook slightly. "It was… a really scary dream, Asia."

Asia nodded as she sat there holding Lucia in her arms. After a few minutes, she pulled away from the older girl and sat there next to her quietly. "Are you still scared?"

Lucia stiffened at the question. Her dreams had been sporadic as of late. Sometimes she had the dream of that desert town and the Shadow while other times, she dreamed of the crimson-haired girl. However, this was the first time she had a dream that vivid in a long while. Gathering her confidence, Lucia shook her head. "No, I'm not scared anymore. I'm a big girl now so bad dreams aren't as scary anymore. Thanks, Asia!"

She smiled and ruffled Asia's hair.

Asia puffed her cheeks and pulled away from Lucia's hand. "Let's go. Miss Uriel said it's time for breakfast and then we're leaving for the Vatican after everyone gets ready."

Lucia nodded and followed her out of the room, attempting to push the deep-seated feeling of foreboding and fear that was left over from her nightmare.

Wintertime in Rome was far warmer than winter in the Alps. Though it was still cool, it was nothing compared to the heavy snow that they would receive from year to year. And though, it rarely snowed in the ancient heart of the Roman Empire, this year, there was enough snow to cover the streets in a light sheet of white.

Within its bounds, the seat of the Catholic Church loomed ahead of them. Its usual reverent atmosphere had changed and was replaced with the electric charge of the festivities of the feast. Through the gates, people roamed about, marveling, and different street foods and mingling with each other. A mix of Christmas songs and Church Hymns played from speakers in the background.

"Woah, I've never been to Rome before," Vali said as he looked up and marveled at the ancient architecture. His yellow eyes gazed ahead as he stepped toward the gates of Vatican City. He reached forward and felt the unmistakable sting of Holy Energy against his skin.

"Is Vali going to be okay inside?" Eleonora asked.

Uriel rubbed her chin thoughtfully before gazing at Vali. "He should be fine. [Divine Dividing] and his half-human heritage should mitigate a lot of the weaknesses a pure-blooded Devil has."

Vali stepped forward, closer to the gate and the sting became nothing more than a tingle. As he was about to step forward, the girls ran past him and grabbed his arms. Lucia smiled as she tightened her grip on his hand. "Come on! Let's go! There are a lot of people I want you to meet! Oh, did you know Auntie Ellie looks like you? And then there's Uncle Camael and my cousins and…"

Uriel smiled as she watched Lucia and the children run past the guards. She glanced at Touji, Rikka, and Eleonora before nodding her head and following after them.

A flash of red light illuminated the halls of the streets of Rome. A young girl ran forward, marveling at the ancient architecture. The cold crisp air nipped at her skin and a cool breeze ruffled the tails of her white and purple coat. Her crimson-red hair fluttered in the breeze as she looked on with childlike amazement.

"Nii-tama! Look! We're finally here!" the girl said excitedly as she pointed at all the ancient buildings.

An older man, dressed in a black coat with a light brown turtleneck sweater and black pants, stepped out of the red light, followed by a woman dressed in a black coat with silver hair, and several other people. The woman's eyes narrowed as she watched the girl dart from spot to spot.

"Young Miss, please don't run off," the woman sighed.

"Let her be, dear. She's been cooped up all month in the manor," the man chided playfully. He ran a hand through his crimson hair.

"Sirzechs, don't be complacent. We're in Heaven's territory," the woman said.

Sirzechs nodded. "I know but she should be a child. I worry that she's growing up too fast sometimes, Grayfia. Ever since she got her Queen and that cat, she's been shouldering everything herself."

Grayfia's red eyes followed her husband's gaze as she watched the girl smile like a child for what seemed to be the first time in a long time. She pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a tired sigh. "Alright…"

"And loosen up, Dear. We're not in the Underworld. You don't need to maintain appearances up here," Sirzechs said as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist.

Grayfia's cheeks turned red at the sudden contact. "We're in public… idiot. But…" she linked her arm around his and smiled. "I guess we can relax for a while. Rias! Let's go!" Grayfia called out.

At the sound of her name, Rias turned her head. "Coming!" she called out. Rias took one last look at the fountain before running after her older brother and his wife as they made their way toward the Holy City.

Chapter Text

Unlike the usual solemnity that permeated the atmosphere of Vatican City, the streets were filled with fanfare and festivities. Aside from Christmas and Easter, it was the one time of the year where the many members of the Catholic Faith, along with other members from the other denominations, came to visit and shared in a common celebration. There were stalls set up on the streets and the aroma of holiday food and sweets wafted about, attracting many guests.

Lucia ran down the cobblestone roads, slightly ahead of her friends as she darted from stall to stall, trying to figure out what to buy.

"Luci! Wait!"

She looked up to see Irina panting slightly as she ran to catch up to her. The auburn haired girl peered into the selection of snacks alongside her. "Aww, do they have the chocolate lava gingerbread men this year?"

Lucia furrowed her brow as she looked up at the menu. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to find the yearly special she and Irina had come to love so much. "I don't see it yet."

"What are you guys looking for?" Vali asked as he walked up beside them. His hands were in his pockets but he was noticeably less cold than he was back in Germany. His hazel eyes flicked over to the menu, trying to find what Lucia was looking for.

Asia stood silently beside him, her hand holding his sleeve the entire time.

"There was this thing Irina and I got when we came here for the Feast. It's an Angel Gingerbread man that's like a chocolate lava cake," Lucia said as she looked at the pastries on display. "But I don't see it…" her shoulder slumped.

"Are you looking for that gingerbread angel thing?"

The four perked their heads up to see a young dark-haired boy wearing a violet jacket and khaki pants walked up to them. He had a lazy smile on his face as he approached the display case and placed a hand on it. "I came here with Dad earlier. He said that he tried to get some but the person said they weren't making them this year."

"Ehhh!? Really? Are you serious?" Lucia's mouth fell open slightly at the revelation as she focused her attention back on the display case. Her black eyes scanned it for any sign of her favorite snack and her face fell when she saw zero sign of it. "I-I thought they might have just… forgotten to put it on the menu…"

"Huh? Why would they serve something and forget to put it on the menu?" The boy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know. I just thought they'd serve it again this year," Lucia puffed her cheeks before pulling away from the display case. She glanced apologetically at Vali and Asia, who would not know the sheer delightful sweetness of the snack. "Sorry, guys. I wanted you two to try it."

Vali smiled and pointed to an eclair. "It's okay, Lucia. We can try it next year if they have it."

Lucia? So this girl is… the dark-haired boy thought as he watched Lucia interact with her friends.

"Y-Yeah. It's not the end of the world if it's not there. Besides, being here with everyone… makes me really happy," Asia said as a shy smile spread across her face.

Lucia felt a warmth spread through her chest as a smile broke out across her face. She nodded.

"Ahem."

Lucia blinked. She glanced over her shoulder to see the dark haired boy handing the cashier some money before handing her chocolate cake pop. She took it into her hand, inspecting it curiously before looking up at him.

"What's this for?" she asked.

The boy smiled and took a bite of his own cake pop. "This is my favorite snack. I didn't think they'd have it here in the Vatican but my older sister and Dad get this for me a lot whenever I come home from school if I do good. I just thought I'd share it with you since we're probably going to be seeing each other more often."

Lucia raised an eyebrow. Seeing each other more often? What was this kid even thinking? Lucia had never met this boy before in her life and now he was acting like they were going to be seeing each other like they were friends.

"I don't even—"

"Know me? I know. But, we'll get to know each other pretty soon. By the way, my name is—"

"Young Master Clyde!"

Clyde let out a groan at the sound of a man's voice calling out to him from the crowd. He turned his head slightly to see a muscular, gruff looking man with dark hair and a beard rushing over to them. He slowed to a stop as he got closer.

"Young Master, you shouldn't wander off like that. It might be a Festival where we were invited but we are still in unfamiliar territory," the man said in a stern and exasperated voice.

Lucia's eyes shifted color as she scanned the two in front of her.

[Clyde Griffin]

[Estimated Combat Level… Strength: 100 Speed: 125 Durability: 99 Magic: 400 Skill: 200 Overall Combat Capabilities: 924]

[Age: 10, Race: Nephilim (Fallen Angel-Human Hybrid), Gender: Male, Marital Status: Single]

[Special Traits: Sefer HaRazim, Seraphim (Locked)]

[Current Equipment: Sacred Gear Detector]

924? Not bad. That's almost the same level I'm at right now, Lucia mused. Seraphim? But it says locked. Maybe he doesn't have it yet? Show [Relationships]

[Clyde Griffin Cont.]

[Relationships: … Azazel (Father), Human Mother]

Lucia's eyes flicked to the man next to him. Her scan didn't return anything useful, giving her incomplete information. This man must have been much higher than her in power, thus rendering him incapable of being scanned by her Sacred Gear completely.

[Baraqiel]

[Alternate Names and Titles: Thunder of God, Barry, Bara]

[Estimated Combat Level… Unable to be estimated. Target out of scanning range. Strength:?, Speed: ?, Durability: ?, Magic: ?, Skill: ?]

[Age: 500,000 years, Race: Fallen Angel, Gender: Male, Marital Status: Widowed (Married to Shuri Himejima]

[Special Traits: Holy Lightning, Cherubim]

[Current Equipment: None]

[Translating estimate to class ranking… Ultimate Class Fallen Angel]

Eh? Translating? Ultimate Class? It's never done that before, Lucia wondered, staring at the words in front of her.

The man, Baraqiel, seemed to notice her staring at him. His eyebrows furrowed at the sight of her before turning back to Clyde. "Clyde, we must go. Your father and Shemhazai are attending a meeting right now and you can't just go wandering off. Especially not when we're in the heart of—"

"Vali! Miss Lucia, kids!"

Baraqiel looked up and he tensed at the sight of two people approaching. Lucia glanced over her shoulder to see Eleonora approaching them with…

"Aunt Gabbie!" Lucia broke off and ran toward her. She buried her face in Gabriel's embrace and wrapped her arms around her.

Gabriel smiled and tousled Lucia's hair as she bent down to her level. She pulled the girl off her slightly and brushed a strand of Lucia's bangs out away from her eyes. "You've gotten bigger, haven't you, Little Star?"

Lucia nodded fervently. "And I got stronger too! Mama says that I can try applying to be an Exorcist in a couple of months! Or maybe I can even go to Heaven and be a Destroying Angel!"

"Gabriel."

Gabriel looked up, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of him. She placed a hand on Lucia's shoulder, holding it with a slightly firm grip. Her green eyes gazed down to the young boy down by his side, noticing the same protectiveness he held the boy with.

"It's been a long time, Baraqiel. I have to admit. I never thought I'd see you outside of battle," Gabriel straightened herself as she stood. "I was... unaware you were here. The invite list only showed Azazel."

Baraqiel nodded silently, his body still tense at the fact that he was alone in the presence of an Archangel.

"Azazel called on me at the last minute to look after his son. I take it all seven of you are here," he asked.

Lucia looked up at her aunt, who kept her gaze trained solely on the man before them.

Gabriel made a signal for Eleonora to gather up the kids. "Yes. We are. I do hope that these talks can be the start of something new between all three of us." She let out a sigh and relaxed herself. Gabriel looked down at the boy once more before stepping forward and leaning down to smile at him. "Hello there."

Clyde blinked and took a slight step back. His eyes briefly drifted down to her chest before looking back at her with a wary stare. "H-Hello, Ma'am."

"My, what a polite child," she said. She straightened her posture and walked back over to Lucia. "I do hope you enjoy the festival, Baraqiel. It's a good time for kids to be themselves so do loosen up and let him enjoy."

Baraqiel just nodded and placed a hand on Clyde's shoulder. The boy snapped out of his trance and bowed deeply before them.

"I'll keep that in mind, Elder Sister," Baraqiel said as he began to guide Clyde away.

Lucia watched as the two left. She glanced up at her aunt when she felt her hand fall gently on her shoulder.

Gabriel smiled softly before nodding her head toward the other stalls. "Come on. I heard from Metatron and Sandalphon that they set up some games for the festivities this year. Maybe you can try to win another narwhal plushie for your room."

Lucia's eyes lit up at the thought and she ran ahead of her aunt toward the stalls.

If there was one place on Earth that was subject to ghost tales and conspiracies, the Vatican would be one of them. Among humans and exorcists, the interior of several places within Vatican City were subject to the most absurd theories constructed by man. Some of them ranged from the body of Jesus Christ being stored in the Vatican's catacombs to the Pope and the Council of Cardinals being composed of reptilians from hollow earth.

Yet all seemed to touch upon the fact that there were powers that controlled the administrative seat of the world's largest and most powerful religion. Within St. Peter's Basilica, in a place that was warded off against the hundreds and thousands of human tourists that visited each year, a large chamber lay hidden away from prying eyes. At the center of this chamber, there was a large white table decorated with a coating of gold at the very edges.

Above it, there were three stained glass windows, the first of which depicted a man with long flowing white hair and white robes with a golden halo of light behind him. The second depicted another man with dark hair, white robes, and carried a cross on his shoulder. There was a gold halo behind his head and a crown of thorns atop it. And finally, the third stained glass window depicted a young woman with silvery blonde hair, white and black robes, and possessed a crown of thorns.

At the table, the four figures sat in silence. Sirzechs rapped his fingers against the surface of the table while his wife, Grayfia, sat next to him with her eyes closed.

Across from them, a man with black and blonde hair sat with his feet up on the table. He wore a V-neck maroon coat with a high collar and gray slacks. He let out a puff of air that rustled his blonde bangs as he gazed out at the other side.

"It must be awkward for two Devils to be here, isn't it, Sirzechs?" the black and blonde-haired man took his feet off the table and leaned forward. "I thought Serafall would be the one coming with you. Guess she had other plans?"

Sirzechs smiled politely and leaned back in his chair. "I'm afraid she had… prior commitments today and cancelled at the last minute so Grayfia is coming in her place. I assure you though, Azazel, my wife is more than capable of handling this. After all, she was once a candidate to inherit the title of Leviathan."

Azazel raised his hands in mock defense. "I'm sure she can. Though, I'd like to imagine that the conniving snake isn't too happy that one of her students decided to take the day off."

Sirzechs tilted his head back and let out a laugh. "Yes, well, Master is probably going to give her an earful."

"I can see that you're all breaking the ice without me."

The leaders all turned their heads to see Helel entering the room, followed by Michael. The two immediately went on edge as she approached the table.

"Young Sirzechs. How is your sister if I might ask?" Helel asked as she pulled the chair out.

Sirzechs smiled. "Rias? Well, she didn't want to stay in the Vatican so she's off with one of my peerage members exploring the woods to see if… in her own words, find a super strong beast to reincarnate as one of her peerage members."

Helel let out a laugh as she took her seat.

Azazel felt a bead of sweat run down the side of his head. "Geez, Elder Sister. You don't really hold back on your entrances. Though, it's rare for you to personally come down from Heaven. Are you sure things will be fine up there?"

Helel glanced at Azazel and regarded him with a warm smile. "This is a time of coming peace and celebration. As the current leader of Heaven, it'd be preferable if I came down myself to participate in the talks."

Michael sat down in one of the chairs and gave the other leaders a smile. "Elder Sister is right. Besides, Heaven is not without a safeguard. After all, she is still up there within Araboth."

Azazel grimaced as he glanced up at the stained glass painting of the maiden with the crown of thorns. "That damn hag. But… since Elder Sister is here, shall we get to the point? I'm sure with your Omniscience, the fact that you guys proposed this before I did means that there's something you know that we don't."

Sirzechs raised an eyebrow at Azazel's words. "Something we don't know? I'm sorry but I am not familiar with Lady Helel's capabilities, especially her 'Omniscience'."

Azazel let out a bark of laughter. "It's exactly what I mean boy. That woman before you can basically see everything happening across the entire world. She's probably observing the Festival from down here. What's more is that she has something called—"

"Azazel, that's enough," Helel said.

Azazel quieted down and leaned back in his chair.

"Now, you all know why we are here today. It's going to be the first historic step for our factions, who have been at odds for millennia," she said. "A first historic step towards the peace we all wish for."

Helel folded her hands and leaned forward slightly. Her blue eyes twinkled as she smiled at her fellow leaders. "Now, the first order of business. Why I decided to reach out first. Tell me, do you all remember that incident that happened in Ukraine about 10 years ago?"

"Whaaa? Selda's busy! But Mama said she'd watch us while she went off to do security stuff for the Feast!" Lucia said as she followed her aunt down the street.

Gabriel just gave her that same gentle smile as she perused the different stalls lining the streets of the Vatican. "Mmm. Unfortunately. I know you wanted to see Selda but I promise you'll get to see her. It's only the first day of the Festival, Luci."

Lucia nodded but still grumbled under her breath. Next to her, Irina smiled and nudged her friend in the side. "Come on. I thought you weren't a little baby anymore. You're not actually going to cry are you?"

"Shut up. I'm not crying," Lucia's cheeks turned red as she glared half-heartedly at her friend. She walked ahead of them, increasing her pace slightly much to the amusement of her friends. Vali kept pace with her and hopped over to her side.

"Well, your Mom's going to be gone for a bit. Do you think we can sneak into the Catacombs and see what's down there?" Vali asked.

Behind them, Asia's face grew slightly pale at the mention of the Catacombs. She had heard Vali the previous night giggling creepily as he pored over some books he had borrowed from the Institution's Library. "I-I don't think we can go down there."

Lucia pondered his question as she continued to walk. "Hmm, I— Oomf!" Lucia found herself bumping into someone, not having noticed them earlier. She stumbled back slightly, rubbing her nose. "Ow, ow, ow! Hey, watch where you're… going?" Her eyes lit up as she took in the sight of the girl in front of her.

The girl in front of her had on a small black beret and was dressed in a white sweater and a black long skirt. Her blue eyes looked up in annoyance for a brief moment but it vanished the moment she set eyes on Lucia. A bright smile lit up her face as she rushed forward, immediately wrapping Lucia in a tight hug.

The poor girl's face began to turn blue as she struggled in the girl's inhuman grip. A grip that even she, a Half-Angel, couldn't break out of.

Vali just stood there, stupefied for a few seconds before Irina walked up next to him and sighed. "Miss Evelyn, Luci can't breathe," Irina smiled wryly.

Evelyn blinked before releasing Lucia, causing the younger girl to take deep gulps of air. She winced as she rubbed her shoulder.

"Who is that?" Vali whispered as he watched Lucia begin to ramble at the girl.

"That's Lucia's cousin, Evelyn. She's older by a year. She has a twin brother named Adam and she started Exorcist training not too long ago. She's… the daughter of Lord Helel but it's complicated. It's a bit like Luci and Lady Uriel," Irina said in a low voice.

Vali nodded absentmindedly, looking at the girl. There was something off about her. She felt just like…

"Is she?" Vali asked.

Irina nodded. "She and her brother are both Apostles of Helel."

Lucia blinked as she looked around. She turned back to Evelyn before crossing her arms. "Where's your stupid brother?"

Evelyn chortled at Lucia's crude use of language. She brushed a part of her hair to the side as she smiled at her younger cousin. "Adam? He's too busy training to come to the Feast even if Mom told him to show up. Though, I guess that's Adam for you. That idiot would rather be training with Mister Ewald that come with his sister to the Feast." Evelyn let out a sigh as she walked next to Lucia. She glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Vali.

Vali squirmed in his spot uncomfortably at the sight of her intense stare.

"When did you start picking up stray devils?" Evelyn asked.

Lucia pondered for a few minutes before shrugging. "Val is a really good friend of mine from school. We met last year and we saved him and his mom from his Dad. His dad was a bad guy by the way. Really mean. A major jerkface."

Vali nodded solemnly. "Dad… was Dad."

"I can't believe you still call him Dad," Irina remarked.

"I don't know what else to call him," Vali rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well, enough of the heavy stuff. I'm glad. I thought Lucia would be a loner weirdo forever," Evelyn smiled at the others. She bowed her head slightly. "Thank you for being friends with my cousin… even if she is hard to get along with."

Lucia puffed her cheeks slightly before crossing her arms and turning her head away in annoyance. "I'm not that weird…"

"You? Not weird?" Irina raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up…" Lucia's cheeks flushed red from embarrassment.

"Ne, why don't you read me? I bet your Sacred Gear can't," Evelyn skipped ahead before stopping in front of them.

Lucia narrowed her eyes before activating [Warning System] on her cousin. Her eyes widened at the sight.

[Evelyn Thorn]

[Estimated Combat Level… Strength: 245, Speed: 315, Durability: 230, Magic: 550, Skill: 476. Overall Combat Capabilities: 1,816]

[Age: 11; Race: Human, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Single]

[Special Traits: Apostle, Power of God Miracle - Paradise Lost]

[Current Equipment: Light Gun]

"What!? When did you get this strong!?" Lucia gawked at the sight of her cousin's stats. The rough estimate her gear was giving her was still calculating.

[Translating estimate to class ranking. Evelyn Thorn… Middle Class]

Lucia's eyebrow twitched at her Sacred Gear's translation. It made her a bit irritated with it sometimes.

"Through training of course. You don't think I just sat on my butt while Adam went running off to Mister Ewald did you?" Evelyn let out a haughty laugh.

Lucia glared half-heartedly at her cousin. "Just you wait—"

"By the way, did you hear? Uncle Michael also took in a kid," Evelyn said.

Lucia's anger simmered down. "Uncle Mike? That Uncle Michael?" Lucia said in a disbelieving tone.

Evelyn nodded as she led them to one of the stalls. She placed a few bills on the counter and watched as the stall owner began the process of handing them some churros. Evelyn took the long pastry snacks and handed one to each of Lucia's friends.

"Yeah, she's from the Philippines. Lost her whole family apparently but Mom wouldn't tell me anything else," Evelyn said as she handed Lucia her churro.

Lucia bit down on the thin pastry before looking up at her cousin. "Is she here?"

Evelyn shook her head. "No. But the other Apostles are. Dulio is supposed to be here too."

Lucia looked over to Gabriel, who had been chatting with Eleonora about something random. "Auntie, are your Apostles here? Besides Selda?"

Gabriel nodded. "Mirana is here. She's out patrolling with Selda. They'll be here after they get relieved so don't worry about not being able to see Selda, Luci."

Lucia nodded but that didn't make her feel any better. Just hearing about the others being here reminded her that Griselda was still out of reach for her if anything. She sighed before looking up at the sky. "Mama is out. Selda isn't here yet. Man, I thought we were going to all be here for the Feast."

Gabriel's eyes softened. "It's only the first day, Lucia. Cheer up. Besides, your Mama prepared a surprise for you later. I'm sure you'll love it."

That caught Lucia's attention more than anything. A surprise? Lucia stopped moping immediately, perking up at the idea of a present. She needed to find out.

"Rin! Asia! Val! Come on! Let's go find, Mama! Maybe she got me a sword!" Lucia said excitedly as she took off sprinting toward St. Peter's Basilica.

"Eh? Wait! Luci!" Irina said as she ran off after her.

Vali sighed before following after them, albeit at a slower pace. Asia fell into step behind him, keeping an eye on her two friends as they ran ahead. Evelyn shook her head and followed after them while the adults sighed and kept pace with the kids.

Lucia weaved in and out between people, making her way to the ancient Church.

"Luci! Slow down! Your mom will get mad at us if we go to the Basilica before she finishes her work!" Irina called out, barely staying on Lucia's heels as the girl expertly maneuvered her way through the streets of the Vatican.

"It's fine! I'm just asking a question! And besides, Mama won't mind! She told us we can wander around as long as we have Aunt Eleonora with us!" Lucia laughed as she slid between the legs of a man before vaulting over a parked bike.

Irina sighed as she followed after her. She kept Lucia in her sight as they took a sharp right on the street leading toward St. Peter's Basilica. As she did, her violet eyes widened at the sight of an… older Lucia?

She wore a light lavender jacket with black form-fitting pants and brown boots. Her resemblance to Lucia was so uncanny that Irina felt like she was going crazy.

Unfortunately, the woman didn't seem to notice them heading in her direction. She was too busy looking at a map she had in her hands. A map that was presumably of the Vatican that they gave to tourists. The woman attempted to speak to several passersby in what sounded to be extremely broken Italian, all the while never noticing the rapidly approaching bundle of feathers heading in her direction. When she finally turned, it was too late and for the second time that day, Lucia found herself colliding with someone in the middle of the street.

The woman's map and phone flew into the air as Lucia collided with her. She stumbled back from the impact while Lucia fell backward and landed on her butt.

"Ow… ow…," Lucia rubbed her nose.

"Luci!" Irina's voice echoed from behind her.

"Damn, kid. Watch where you're going…," The woman's voice died in her throat as soon as she laid eyes on Lucia.

Lucia let out a small sneeze before rubbing her nose again. She looked up at the lady she had just collided with. "Sorry, Miss, I—"

"N-Nii-san…?"

"Eh?" Lucia's eyes widened when she saw the tears brimming at the edges of the woman's eyes. It was almost like looking into a mirror. The woman in front of her, who couldn't have been no older than seventeen years of age, looked almost exactly like her, save for the eyes. Her eyes were lighter shade than Lucia's.

The woman reached out to her with shaky hands as she knelt in front of Lucia.

"Luci! Geez, don't just run off like that!" Irina caught up to her. She came to a stop and blinked when she saw the teary-eyed woman reaching out to Lucia. "Lucia! What are you doing? Get back—"

"Ah. Togame. I thought I told you to meet me at the coffee shop near the Teutonic Library."

Lucia's head snapped up and looked past the woman to see her mother walking toward them.

The woman, presumably Togame, looked up at the sound of Uriel's voice. She turned her head to see the older woman approaching with two cups of coffee. "I reserved a table for… us…," Uriel stopped for a moment when she saw Lucia sitting on the ground. "Lucia, I thought you were with Gabriel and Eleonora. What are you…?"

"Mama?" Lucia raised an eyebrow when she heard the uncertainty and nervousness in her mother's voice. It was something she had never heard before in the usually confident and imposing woman. She dusted herself off and got to her feet.

"Lucia, you… no. Irina, head back to the others and tell Gabriel that Lucia is with me. I need to talk to her," Uriel said as she gestured for Lucia and Togame to follow her.

Irina looked at Lucia for a few seconds before nodding.

"Luci. Come here," Uriel beckoned once more as she began walking back toward the coffee shop.

Lucia spared Togame a look from the corner of her eye before following her mother.

The coffee shop was oddly empty save for a few employees. Lucia stared awkwardly at her chocolate milk while her mother and the woman, Togame, sat quietly across from each other, each sipping their respective orders of coffee. Even someone as socially inept as she was could tell that the atmosphere in the coffee shop was tense.

After a few suffocating seconds, Lucia opened her mouth to speak but was cut off as Togame coughed into her mouth. "I apologize for the trouble, Reid-san but I got lost on my way over here."

Uriel placed her coffee cup back down on the cupholder. "It's okay. I didn't think that far ahead to pick you up personally from the airport. Some of the fault lies with me."

Lucia let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"So this is… her?" Togame asked, focusing her attention on Lucia.

Lucia shrank in her spot and scooted closer to her mother.

"Yes, she is," Uriel said with a slight melancholic tone.

"She looks so much like my brother… and Sakuya-oneesan as well," Togame said in a low voice.

"Mama, what's going on?" Lucia asked, feeling a pit growing in her stomach.

"Ah… that's right. Luci, I forgot to introduce you but, this woman is—"

"Togame. My name is Togame Kamiyo, Lucia," Togame said, her arms reaching out to touch her. However, Togame pulled back slightly, hesitating to get closer. "I'm your aunt."

"My aunt? Wait, but I only have 3 aunties. 5 with Aunt Eleonora and Aunt Rikka. Are you—"

"She's your real aunt, Luci."

Lucia turned to her mother, who was looking away with a guilty expression on her face.

"My real aunt? Mama, I don't understand. What do you mean by my real aunt?" Lucia asked. Her voice was starting to tremble from a fear she didn't know the source of. She grabbed the sleeve of her mother's coat tightly.

"Lucia… I…" Uriel started. She felt her chest tighten. Why was it so hard for her to say? She should just say it, is what she thought. She knew Lucia subconsciously knew. She needed to tell Lucia the truth before she found out from someone else. But a deep gnawing fear began to eat away inside her. What if Lucia didn't want to live with her anymore and wanted to be with her family?

But she would be safer if she went to live a normal life? Isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that what Laylah died trying to protect? A small voice whispered inside her ear.

Uriel gulped before clenching her fist and pulling her arm away from Lucia slightly. "I… am not your mother… Luci."

Lucia's eyes widened. She shook her head and reached out to grab Uriel once more. "Mama, no, what are you saying? You're my mom!"

"Reid— Uriel-san, I don't think this is—" Togame tried to stop Uriel before she could finish talking.

"I… am not your real family, Lucia. That woman right there. She's your real family," Uriel said, trying to fight back her own tears as Lucia kept shaking her head and denying it.

"Mama, did I do something wrong? I'll be a good girl from now on! Please don't throw me away!" Lucia begged.

"Lucia, I…" What should she even say? She didn't know what to say to her daughter in this situation. Uriel had faced death many times over. And of all the times she had faced death at the hands of Lucifer or the Goddess of the Void, Yam, none of it compared to the pain of seeing her daughter crying and begging, confused at what her own mother was telling her.

"Uriel-san, I think we should all calm down and talk about this—"

"No! Mama is my Mama! No one else is my family! Mama is my only family!" Lucia lashed out. Her holy power exploded from her body, corroding the table and the coffee cups.

Togame let out a yelp as ceramic shards flew across the room and embedded themselves into the wall.

"Lucia! Calm down! You're going to—"

"No! Mama, why are you saying that!? You're my Mama! My real Mama! I don't have any other—"

"Lucia!" Uriel said, raising her voice unintentionally.

Lucia's eyes widened at the sound of her mother's voice. Her lip trembled slightly and tears welled up at the edges of her eyes.

"Lucia… I'm not your real mother. The truth is… I took you in after your real mother died 10 years ago. But I…"

Lucia's mind blocked out the sound of her mother's voice. Her mind was a tempest of thoughts, each one threatening to bury her under a growing pile of despair. The only thing she could hear was the resounding thud of her own heartbeat. Her vision began to swim and she could see her mother— no, this woman's face growing blurry. And then, something inside her snapped.

"L-Lucia!" Uriel said in worry as a shroud of red and black holy power surrounded her daughter. The holy power expanded slightly and Uriel immediately leapt into action, protecting Togame from the ensuing damage.

Wha…? No way is that a—

Uriel couldn't finish her train of thought as the shroud immediately collapsed around Lucia, letting out a bright flash of red light. She shielded her eyes, briefly blinded by the sudden flash of light. As soon as the light faded, Uriel blinked for a few seconds, regaining her vision.

Behind her, Togame rubbed her eyes and looked at the spot where Lucia once was. She glanced over to Uriel, who was standing there. The Archangel's breathing grew more rapid as she took in the empty spot where her daughter once sat.

"L-Lucia…?" Uriel said in a shaky voice. Her head was spinning. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was just supposed to tell Lucia about her real family so why?

Uriel's mind raced as she replayed what happened in her mind over and over again. She clenched her fist and shot to her feet. Her blue-green eyes glowed as her twelve white and red wings exploded out of her back, sending sparks of red flames across the entire cafe.

She immediately began walking toward the door, leaving a dumbfounded Togame standing in her spot.

Uriel pressed a finger up to her ear, causing a red magic circle to appear just above it. "Camael. My daughter has gone missing. Rally all available Exorcists and any Angel present and scour the entire city! NOW!" Uriel commanded.

"R-Reid-san?" Togame said as she slowly began to follow after her.

"I'll find her… and bring her back no matter what," Uriel said as she exited the cafe.

While snow was rare in Italy, it was not an entirely foreign weather phenomenon. Rias giggled as she bounded across the snow-bound woods of the Italian wilderness, eagerly searching every nook and cranny of the forest in search of her legendary peerage member. Sure she had a Half-Fallen Angel and a Nekoshou, but she needed something bigger. Something stronger.

"Young Miss, please do not stray so far. We are in unfamiliar territory and we don't know what matter of beast lies in these woods," an older man with greying hair named Mathers called after her.

Rias didn't listen. She climbed over a log and landed on a soft pile of snow. She was about to move forward when she was knocked off her feet by a sudden shockwave.

"Lady Rias!" Mathers ran forward and caught Rias before she could fall.

A bright red light illuminated the forest briefly before dying down.

Rias wrenched herself out of Mather's grasp and quickly ran over to the source of the light. "Oh? Ohhhh!" Rias's eyes lit up as she laid eyes on her target.

"Lady Rias! Don't just run off like that…" Mathers' eyes widened when he saw what Rias was staring at.

In the middle of a small crater, a young girl with midnight black hair lay unconscious. But what struck him was odd was her features. A secondary halo above her primary one and a second pair of dark violet wings that were beginning to fade away.

Chapter Text

The sound of crackling and popping entered her ears. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and was greeted by the sight of a wooden roof above her head. She blinked. Did she come back home? Was it all just a bad dream? However, the more she looked up at the ceiling, the more she began to recognize the differences. For one, the ceiling lacked the stars Uriel had put up there when she was younger and second, her bed was too soft. It was too rich for her.

Lucia sat up suddenly, taking a look around. This wasn't her room. It lacked the organized chaos that her room had. She looked around, taking in the sight of memorabilia and posters from places that she had never been before.

The Cherry Blossom Festival at Kyoto.

Tokyo Tower.

Mount Fuji.

Her eyes squinted as she read each label on the various posters scattered across the wall of the room. Lucia took the covers off and got off the bed. She began to walk around the room, marveling at how soft the rug was.

"Where am I?" she asked herself as she walked over to a desk with a mirror in front of it. By the mirror, she saw a photo of a young girl with red hair, riding on the shoulders of an older man who resembled her greatly. "What the…?"

She looks familiar. Like the… girl from my dreams, Lucia thought.

[Demonic Power detected…]

A notification from her Warning System went off and Lucia's guard went up. She immediately ducked behind the bed as the door opened.

"Mathers, I told you that kids want lots of chocolate in their hot cocoa!" a girl's voice entered the room.

"Young Miss, if I might be so bold as to say that if I get caught giving in to your demands for more chocolate, Lady Venelana will cut my pay," the man named Mathers said.

"Well, Mother isn't here. I'm going to tell Onee-chan and Onii-tama that you're hiding the chocolate again!" Lucia could hear the girl seethe and stomp her foot on the soft rug. "Come on. Let's wake her… up?"

"It appears that our guest has vanished, Young Miss," Mathers said and Lucia heard the tray being set down gently on one of the tables.

Lucia's body coiled up like a spring as she heard footsteps approach. As they got closer, Lucia sprung into action, letting her training take over. A small knife made of her Power of God sliced through the air and almost sliced the man's throat open had it not been for his superior reaction speed.

His hand shot out and grabbed Lucia by the back of the collar, dangling her in mid air as she kicked and swung her arms wildly.

"Ah."

"Let me go!" Lucia yelled as she formed another ball of black and red holy power. She was about to lob Leliel into the older man's face when…

"STOP!"

Lucia stopped her thrashing and turned to see a girl around her age glaring at her with all the ferocity she could muster. The redhead ran over and stood between her and Mathers. Her short size did not help in protecting the taller man but the sheer shock of seeing another kid made Lucia stop.

"I…I… huh?" Lucia stuttered as her heart rate began to calm down.

Sensing her hostility dissipate, Mathers gently let go of Lucia, allowing the girl to land on the floor gently.

"I'm sorry—"

"Rias Attack!"

Lucia's eyes widened in pain as she felt teeth sink into her arm.

"OW!" she shrieked in pain and the two girls tumbled to the ground, scratching and kicking each other.

"Oh dear," Mathers pinched the bridge of his nose as he snapped his fingers. A magic circle formed between them and split them apart.

After a few minutes, the two calmed down enough to sit next to each other, yet the space between them was wide. Lucia glanced out of the corner of her eye, nursing the bite mark on her hand as she sat at the foot of the bed.

The redhead caught her stare and glared fiercely. She huffed before turning away, causing a vein of anger to throb in Lucia's forehead.

"Now."

Mathers clapped his gloved hands together as he stared at the two feuding 10-year-olds. "Are you two calm enough so we can talk?"

"She started it," the redhead pouted.

"Miss Rias."

Rias glared back at him before puffing her cheeks. With a forced smile that looked more like a grimace, Rias turned to Lucia. "I-I'm sorry… for biting you."

"I-I'm sorry for attacking your friend," Lucia ground out.

The two girls glared at each other, sparks of lightning flying between their eyes. Lucia's eyes changed color as she scanned Rias.

[Rias Gremory]

[Estimated Combat Level… Strength: 200, Speed: 215, Durability: 205, Magic: 600, Skill: 345 Overall Combat Capabilities: 1,565]

[Estimating Class… Rias Gremory - Mid-Class]

[Age: 10, Race: Devil, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Destined]

[Special Traits: Myriad Dawns, Power of Destruction]

[Current Equipment: N/A]

Destined? Also… Myriad Dawns?

[Searching… No information available.]

Weird. It's only done that when I tried to look up… Twilight Reincarnation, Lucia thought.

"Ahem. Miss, if you may introduce yourself," Mathers coughed into his gloved hand.

"Ah. Yes. My name is Lucia R-Reid. I'm the daughter of…," Lucia paused, remembering her mother—no, the woman's words. "Actually, I… don't have parents."

Mathers and Rias both raised an eyebrow. While Mathers chose not to question it, Rias leaned in. "You don't have parents? Dummy, everyone has parents! Even Akeno and Koneko have parents… even if they're not here anymore."

Lucia's face flushed in embarrassment and anger. "I-I have a Mom! She's just not here at the moment. It's… It's…"

"Complicated?" Mathers asked, sending Rias a glance that caused her to quiet down.

"Y-Yeah. That word," Lucia looked down at her lap as she fidgeted with her thumbs. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't even want to talk about it. Her black eyes flicked up to the Devil servant. She squirmed in her seat, not knowing what to say.

"Then you can stay here until you feel better!" Rias said, leaning in closer.

Lucia physically recoiled. This amount of brightness was too much for her. Not even Irina had this level of extroversion on her. She gulped audibly, glancing at the older gentleman in the room, who had an amused smile on his face.

"I… I have to get back—"

To who exactly? The thought crossed through her mind. Her mother, who wasn't actually her mother this entire time? To an aunt she never met her entire life that her "mother" claimed was her real family? Lucia gripped the sheets tightly as she looked down at the ground, her young mind struggling to comprehend the complexity of the situation that defined her entire life so far.

"Luci?"

That nickname. Lucia glanced over at Rias, who was looking at her with a concerned expression.

"Yeah, I guess I'll stay for a bit," Lucia said.

"Great! I've never met an angel before, especially one that has colorful wings. You know… I have a Fallen Angel friend at home. She's from Japan. But I managed to reincarnate her into a Devil and made her my first Queen. Come to think of it, is there an Angel version for Evil Pieces? Onii-tama told me that there probably was but Heaven never said anything—"

Mathers gave Lucia a pitying glance as the black haired girl was dragged off against her will by his master's younger sister. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he gathered the hot chocolate that the girls left behind. As he was about to leave, he heard the sound of arguing coming from the upstairs library.

"No way! Akeno is not lame! She can shoot lightning from her hands! She can fly! And she's also from Japan! How is that lame!? What can your friend do!?"

"Because it's not cool! Everyone can shoot lightning! Irina can do that cool sword thing where she just slides her sword out and it slices an apple into pieces! That's a lot cooler than shooting lightning!"

He shook his head at the sound of the two kids bickering over their respective friends.

It took all of her restraint not to release the full might of her Holy Power inside the Vatican as she paced around her office. The heat in the room was climbing by the second. Small plants she had kept inside to brighten up her office were now igniting from the sheer force of her Holy Power as it permeated the very air around her. She glanced outside the window, seeing the festival go on. Her hand clenched into a fist and her jaw tightened at the thought of Lucia. She closed her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. A scream of pure anguish threatened to erupt from her throat as the worst came to mind.

"Lucia…"

"I'm assuming things didn't go well if you're here barely restraining a tantrum."

Uriel's head whipped up and turned to see Metatron walking inside, barely unfazed by the heat her body was radiating. Her eyes narrowed and she scoffed. "Gee, whatever gave you that idea."

The older Angel raised an eyebrow as he waved his hand, releasing a wave of cold that did little to abate the flames and heat that were now flickering at the hem of Uriel's coat. His younger sister continued staring out the window, biting her thumb as she awaited news from the Exorcists and Angels she had deployed across the entire city.

"So… which part did you mess up at? The part where you were supposed to ease her into it or the part where you didn't explain the entire thing to her?" Metatron asked as he picked up a document from her desk.

"I swear to Father if you say another word, I'm going to grill you alive," Uriel said without so much as sparing him a glance.

"I'm just saying, Uriel. I'm not going to hold back and say you did nothing wrong like Gabriel or Michael does. Hell, even Sandalphon would tell you messed up in doing this," Metatron said.

A wave of crimson flames rocketed in his direction. He raised a hand and a series of holy script swirled around him before condensing into a barrier made of hexagons. The flame collided with the barrier, causing it to crack and crumble. But as soon as it shattered, the barrier was replaced by another one and another one until the flame and barrier dispersed into harmless sparks of red and gold.

Uriel glared fiercely at her older brother, her hand outstretched. "I told you not to test me, Metatron."

Metatron raised his hands in surrender as he stepped forward. "You know I'm right."

Uriel's jaw tightened as her arm shook slightly before it fell limply to her side. "Then tell me, how should I have done it?"

Metatron shrugged. "I don't know. I don't have kids."

Uriel's eyebrow twitched. "Tch… you just came here to beat on me while I'm trying to find my unstable child. If you have nothing else better to do, then leave—"

"But if I was Lucia, I would've run away too."

Uriel's eyes widened.

"Imagine hearing my own mother say that she's not my Mom. As a kid, what would I even think? The woman who's been with me all my life that I called Mom is suddenly saying she's not my Mom? Without warning even."

Uriel opened her mouth to speak when Metatron raised a hand.

"Lucia's justified in reacting the way she did. I'm sure if you took the time to explain things to her properly… that no matter what, you're her family even if you didn't give birth to her, then this wouldn't have happened. You can't just introduce Lucia to a person she's never met before and then call that person her real family," Metatron said.

"But… she is…," Uriel's tone was uncharacteristically meek. A stark contrast from the confident woman she usually was. She clenched her fists tightly.

"In Lucia's mind, the fact that you said you weren't her mom and called a complete stranger her real family must have made her think the worst," he continued.

"I…"

"I may not have children but even I can understand that much," Metatron said.

"You…" Uriel's shoulders slumped as she visibly deflated in front of her older brother. "You're right… Oh God, what have I done? What if… What if she never wants to…?"

Metatron smiled gently and walked forward, placing a hand on Uriel's shoulder. "You need to find her and explain your feelings properly because whether you like it or not, you are that girl's mother. And that girl is just as much your child as she is Laylah's. Laylah may have given birth to her but you're the one that was her mother in every way that mattered."

Uriel nodded. She raised her arm and wiped a couple of tears that threatened to stream down her face.

"How… How can I even explain to her? She's gone, Metatron. She teleported off to Father knows where," Uriel said as she stepped back. "God, what if she's lying in a ditch somewhere?"

Metatron sighed. "We can ask Elder Sister when she's done with her meeting. In the meantime, we can—"

"Pardon my intrusion, Lord Metatron, Lady Uriel."

The two Archangels turned to see a woman standing at the door. She was of average height and had voluminous flaming orange hair. Her eyes were hazel-green. She was sharply dressed, donning a black coat with a dark vest, white button-up shirt, and red tie underneath. The outfit was complemented by black pants and boots.

"Camael," Uriel wiped a few more tears from her eyes as she stepped past her older brother. "What is it?"

"We have a situation. I've expanded the search parameters to cover a wider search area since we found no trace of Lady Lucia inside the city, both here and in Rome. However, a more pressing matter has come to light as a result of our search for the Young Miss," Camael said.

Uriel raised an eyebrow, her blue eyes flashing in annoyance at her adjutant's words. "What? What could possibly be more important than finding my daughter?"

"I wouldn't have said anything and made note of this as something for later, however, with Lady Lucia possibly missing in the Italian backcountry, it's a pressing matter," Camael said in a cool and sharp tone.

Uriel pinched the bridge of her nose and let out an audible, heavy sigh. "Fine. What is it?"

"The incident regarding the missing children," Camael said.

"What…?"

"A large facility has been discovered deep within the Apennine Mountains," Camael said. "One of the Destroying Angels spotted several researchers along with one Valper Galilei entering and exiting the facility just now, as well as sensing several weak signatures of Holy Power. The resonance factor is similar to that of… holy sword wielders."

Uriel's eyes widened. Her hands balled into fists as she tried to decide on what to do. Should she leave this matter for later and focus on Lucia or…?

"I…"

"Focus on finding Lucia," Metatron said.

Uriel looked up at her older brother, who had a stern expression on his face.

"Lucia's safety is first and foremost. If what you say is true, then finding Lucia takes greater precedence. However, I want you to split off a section of the Exorcists and Destroying Angels in locating and shutting down this facility," Metatron said. "Of course, that is if our General approves." He glanced over at her, taking in the shocked expression on his sister's face.

Uriel just nodded. "Y-Yeah. Yeah," Uriel said, finding her voice once more. "Camael, take a portion of your flight and inform Evelyn that she'll be leading it. I want you and the others to prioritize finding my child."

Camael nodded. "Of course, it shall be done, General." She vanished in a swirl of orange flames, leaving behind a few smoldering feathers.

"Thank you… Metatron," Uriel said after a few moments of silence.

"No problem. Now, go. I'll hold down the fort here. Go find your child," he said.

Uriel nodded and vanished in a swirl of red flames.

Lucia took in a sharp breath of fresh mountain air as she followed the redhead in front of her. As Rias happily explored the woods outside her cabin, Lucia became lost in her own thoughts as the snow fell around them. Night had fallen but to the two, night was just as safe as the daytime. Especially if Lucia was involved. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw several deer running off in the opposite direction.

She sighed as she picked up a stick and gave it a few experimental swings.

"Lucia… I'm not your real mother…"

Lucia shook her head and clenched her fists. How could she say that? And that woman Uriel brought over. How could she even call that woman Lucia's real family? Did her mother really not want her anymore? Was she really just something for her mother to raise and then pawn off to a stranger she had never even met? Someone who was Lucia's "real family"?

"Mama… was I really that much of a burden to you?" Lucia mumbled.

She remembered all the times her mother held her when she was younger. All of the times Uriel had comforted her after a terrible nightmare or the times Uriel petted her head after achieving something.

"I don't even know that woman. Mama has always been Mama so why…?" Lucia said as her boots crunched against the snow. She looked down at her hands, which were almost covered by her sleeves. Why did Rias have to be so tall? And why wasn't she tall?

She let out a breathy sigh as she looked ahead.

Rias was ahead of her, squatting in front of a rabbit as she petted its fur. "Aww, you're so cute. Maybe I should bring you back and give you to Koneko. Then she won't be so sad anymore, right Mister Bunny?"

Lucia walked up to them silently. As soon as the rabbit caught a glimpse of Lucia, its entire body froze before it broke into a mad sprint for its safety.

"W-Wait! B-Bunny!" Rias cried out, raising her hand helplessly as she watched the rabbit run off. "I didn't even do anything…"

"It's me," Lucia said as she squatted next to Rias. "Small animals are scared of me. It's been that way forever."

"Great… I was gonna give that to my Rook as a gift," Rias sighed as she brushed some snow off her pink coat. She looked around and saw the full Moon slowly rising into the sky.

"You have a peerage?" Lucia asked, remembering something she had learned from her lessons with Old Man Ferdinand.

Noble-born Devils were able to reincarnate beings of other species into Devils through a device known as an Evil Piece. Young Devils received their pieces when they came of age but Lucia didn't know what age it was. The fact that this girl had her own Pieces meant that she must have gotten them at a fairly young age.

Rias puffed her chest and smiled. "Of course. I am the sister of Satan Lucifer. I get my Evil Pieces earlier than everyone else."

"Ehh?" Lucia let out a semi-surprised noise, though her expression didn't express it.

"Come on! At least be a bit more surprised! That's a really big deal, y'know!" Rias said, shaking her fists slightly.

"Is it? Doesn't the Leviathan have a sister too?" Lucia tilted her head in confusion.

Rias puffed her cheeks like an angry chick. "Mou! Everyone always talks about Sona because she's so smart! I'm smart too! I have 2 members in my peerage already! I have Akeno and Koneko!"

Lucia's blank face only served to infuriate Rias even more.

"Hmph! Why am I even talking to you about this? It's not like Angels have peerages," Rias said as she stalked off.

"Hey! Wait up!" Lucia called out as she jogged after her. "And for your information, we do… kind of. They're called Apostles! And Uncle Raphael is working on something that lets us actually turn people into Angels! Who knows? I might be able to complete my peerage before you do!" A smug smile broke out across her face.

She didn't know why but it felt so natural to be her friend. She didn't have an easy time talking to others, not even when she first met Irina. But Rias was different. Lucia had no problem talking to her, and it confused her somewhat.

"Hah? No way! I already have a head start and by the time I'm grown up, I'll have the strongest peerage in the Underworld! I'll become a Satan like my big brother!" Rias said. "My Mom even said I can! She said that I'm stronger and cooler than all the other Devils my age, even Sona and Sairaorg!"

Lucia's eyes widened slightly.

One day, I'll become an Archangel like you, Mama!

Her smile fell slightly as she remembered that moment she declared to her mother that she would become an Archangel. Her gaze fell to the snow in front of her as she grew silent. What was her mother doing right now? Was she even worried that she was out here? Or was she finally happy that she didn't have to look at her anymore?

"Hey."

Lucia blinked and saw Rias's big blue eyes in her face. She stumbled back in surprise.

"You okay? You just stopped talking," Rias said, blinking a few times.

Lucia looked away from Rias, opting to walk past her.

"Hey! Wait up! Don't just walk off! We might get lost!" Rias said as she followed after her. "Come on! Was it something I said? Are you just jealous that I'm going to get my entire peerage before you get your angel peerage?" she said as she caught up to Lucia.

Lucia's eyebrow twitched. "No, it's not. It's compli— complika… complicated!" Lucia said. "The word Mathers used to describe my feelings!"

"Hmm? Why?" Rias asked as the two stopped in front of a creek. Despite the frigid temperature, water was still running down the mountainside. Lucia walked up to a fallen log and sat on top of it.

Rias raised an eyebrow and sat next to her.

"Did… your mom ever tell you she's not your real mom?" Lucia asked.

"What? Mom? Mom never said that. And she is. She even looks like me," Rias said.

"Er… no, what I meant to ask was, what if your parents told you that they weren't your real parents? That the family you thought was your family wasn't actually your real family? And then they brought someone who they say is your real family," Lucia said.

Rias put a finger to her chin as she pondered Lucia's question. Her mind was far too young to comprehend the complexity of such a situation, but even a 10 year old like her had enough emotional maturity to at least figure out what she wanted. She shrugged and picked up a rock before tossing it into the creek.

"But they are my real parents," Rias said.

"What? But they just said they weren't—"

"But they raised me right?"

Lucia's eyes widened at her words.

"Even if my mom didn't give birth to me, I'm still their kid, right? After all, my mom raised me. Whoever had me is still my mom but that's about it. I think. I don't know. This is hard!" Rias said as she shook her head. "But… I think that even if I found out that Mom and Dad weren't my real parents, I'd still call them my parents because to me, Mom and Dad have always been… Mom and Dad. No one else has ever been my Mom and Dad."

Lucia looked down at the water's edge, seeing the snow fall gently into the rushing stream. "Yeah… Mama has always been Mama. Even if… another person had me. Mama raised me by herself…"

"Hmm? Did you say something?" Rias asked, hearing her new friend mumbling something under her breath.

"My Mama is my Mama," Lucia said, a bit louder this time.

"Isn't she?"

"I mean…"

"You're weird. Of course, your Mom is your Mom. What else would she be?" Rias asked.

"I-I know my Mom is my Mom!" Lucia argued back.

"So why are you saying it over and over again?" The redhead asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"I don't need to explain it to someone stupid like you," she retorted.

"Huh? I'm not stupid! I'm the smartest person in my class at the Devil Academy I go to! I'm even smarter than—"

While Rias argued her case, Lucia's entire body stiffened. The sound of faint rustling and twigs snapping rang inside her ears. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to the opposite side of the shore. There was nothing over there save for the faint sounds she could hear.

"Hey! Hey! Are you even listening to me!" Rias waved her hand in front of Lucia's face.

Lucia blinked and glanced at the Devil in front of her. The girl had her cheeks puffed slightly, feeling fairly annoyed that she was being actively ignored.

"There's something over there," Lucia said, pointing across the creek.

Rias followed her finger and squinted. She couldn't see anything or hear anything. "Are you sure?"

Lucia's eyes changed color as she activated the [Warning System].

[Scanning…]

[...]

[...]

[Search successful. 5 targets found]

[4 Apennine Wolves detected]

[1 Human detected]

"There's someone over there," Lucia said as she hopped off the log.

"Did your Sacred Gear tell you that?" Rias asked as she slid off the log and dusted her jacket off. She narrowed her eyes and focused on the other side. Her senses trickled through the forest as she honed in on a faint strand of energy. "Yeah, there is someone over there."

"We should get Mathers," Lucia said.

"No! Let's go! Mathers won't get here in time! Whoever's over there might be in trouble!" Rias grabbed Lucia's hand and she spread her wings.

"Huh? Wait! I can fly on my own—!" Lucia let out an uncharacteristic yelp as Rias flew across the stream. Lucia landed on the ground with a role and fixed Rias a glare.

Rias took her glare in stride and walked past her. "This way, right?"

Lucia rolled her eyes and dusted her coat off. She looked toward the stretch of darkness and trees ahead of them. Her eyes changed color once more as she looked to confirm. Her eyes narrowed. The number of wolves had decreased and the human, whoever it was, was still there. "Yeah."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go and see," Rias said as she took a step forward.

This life was a second chance. So why? Why was this happening? Was the world really so cruel as to set him free only for death to nip and bite at his heels. He glanced over his shoulder, panting from the exhaustion. He would not let their sacrifice be in vain.

However, as he ran, using only the faint light of the moon that peeked through the canopy as his guide, the boy felt salvation grow further and further away. The sound of howling and growls grew closer, along with the heavy distinct canine breathing of wolves. Fighting against his body's agonized protests, he continued to run until something caught his foot and he fell forward onto the snow.

Pain shot through his leg as he looked down at it. His ankle was bent awkwardly, toes caught on a tree root. The poison in his system was beginning to do its job, coursing through his veins and slowly devouring what little he had left.

"No… No… God, please," the boy prayed.

The wolves caught up to him, circling his downed form. Saliva dripped from their bared fangs onto the snow as they sized up their next meal.

The boy clenched his fist, grabbing a handful of snow to fight back. He knew it was futile. There was no escape from this. One of the wolves stepped forward and snarled before leaping for his throat.

He closed his eyes as the jaws of death opened to tear into his throat. However, he felt nothing. Instead, he heard a sharp pained yelp. The boy opened his eyes to see a flash of black and red energy collide with the wolf.

The wolf slammed into the tree nearby, writhing in agony and crying its final death throes before falling limp. There was a gaping hole in its torso and blood flowed and seeped into the snow.

"We made it!" A red-haired girl burst through the treeline. Her blue eyes narrowed as she caught sight of the other wolves.

"Rias!"

Another girl emerged from the tree line.

The wolves all began to back away as soon as the black-haired girl appeared. "I got this. Take the boy," the black-haired girl said as she stepped forward.

Rias nodded and ran over to him, gently lifting him and pulling him away from the one-sided slaughter.

The boy's grey eyes widened as a halo appeared above the ravenette's head.

"Oh Lord, Oh Heaven, grant me the power to deliver justice upon these beasts," the girl chanted as she raised her hand into the air. She threw her hand down and a powerful pillar of light slammed into the ground, striking two of the wolves and scattering the rest.

Sensing that they could not possibly hope to win, the wolves slinked back into the forest, leaving their dying and dead behind.

"Rias, is he okay?" The girl turned, her halo fading into wisps of golden light.

"I… Hey! Hey! Don't fall asleep on us!" Rias said, her voice fading into the surroundings.

And as darkness closed in on the boy's vision, a single prayer left his lips. Perhaps it was to an indifferent God or to his saviors, but to him, it was his sole prayer. A single and earnest wish. "Please… save my friends…"

Lucia furrowed her brow as the boy passed out. His clothes were peculiar. They were clearly not meant for the snow. The sterile scrub-like attire looked like it belonged to a hospital more than it did the Italian Mountain Wilderness. She took the opportunity to scan the boy before she made her way over.

[Scanning target…]

[Isaiah]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 15, Speed: 20, Durability: 15, Magic: 75, Skill: 20 Overall Combat Capabilities: 145]

[Estimating Class… Isaiah - Low Class]

[Age: 9, Race: Human, Gender: Male, Marital Status: N/A]

[Special Traits: Swordmaster]

[Equipment: Sword Birth]

She knelt next to Rias and held her hand out, a soft light emanated from her palm. "He's… not healing?" Lucia's eyes widened. His wounds were closing but Lucia could see Isaiah's breathing slowing down despite her efforts. His skin began to take on a deathly shade of white.

"I can't heal him."

Rias gently set Isaiah down on the snow and crossed her arms. "He's probably going to die."

Lucia's jaw tightened as she channeled more Holy Power.

"That's not going to work," Rias said.

"So we should just let him die?" Lucia asked. "You're the one that wanted to come over here."

Rias's eyebrows scrunched up as she went deep into thought. After a few seconds of thinking, a lightbulb went off inside her head. "I got it! Let me do it!" Rias said as she gently pushed Lucia aside. She raised her hand into the air, summoning an arcane circle to her hand. Symbols rotated lazily on the outer border as the magic circle glowed briefly. A small wooden box fell into her hands and Rias opened the box with a click.

Lucia's eyes widened at the sight.

[Scanning object…]

[Evil Pieces]

[Owner: Rias Gremory]

She leaned in closer, sensing the faint demonic energy coming from the blood-red chess pieces nestled safely inside the box. She noticed that two of them were missing, specifically the Queen and one of the Rooks.

"Are those your…?" Lucia trailed off.

"Yeah," Rias said. "This might be the only way to save him. I'm not really good at healing magic right now so this is our only way."

Lucia nodded.

Rias's eyes looked through the available pieces she had, her fingers running through them with utmost care. And then, finally, her eyes lit up as she decided on one piece. Her hand gingerly lifted a red Knight Piece and placed it over the boy's chest.

"It's not doing anything," Lucia said.

Rias's eyebrow twitched. "I haven't done anything. Just stand back and watch," Rias said as she stood. She raised her hand over the boy's body.

Lucia stood and took a single step back.

"By my name as [Rias Gremory], I order you to be reborn as my servant upon this world. Be glad and rejoice in your renewed existence," Rias said.

Lucia watched as the Knight Piece lit up in a flash of brilliant red light. The glowing chess piece levitated slightly off Isaiah's chest before sinking into his skin as if it were submerging itself in water. As soon as the Knight Piece fully disappeared into his body, the red light died down and the boy's breathing stabilized. His once twisted ankle snapped back into place.

Rias let out a sigh of relief as she closed her box of Evil Pieces and placed it back into the magic circle.

Lucia walked over and with a great amount of effort, lifted the boy up. "Let's take him back to the cabin."

Rias nodded and made her way over to help Lucia support the boy's weight. "Why is he so heavy?" Rias said as the two began to walk.

"I don't know but we're going to have to fly across the creek again."

Rias groaned at the thought of having to carry something so heavy in midair as the two girls made their way back to the cabin.

Chapter Text

Footsteps crunched against the fresh snow as a group of Priests and Nuns dressed in all black scoured the forest at the base of the Apennine Mountains. The snowfall would grow heavier as the evening wore on. It always did without fail in this particular region of the mountain. Her feet felt heavier than they should be. Her mind bogged down and foggy as she monotonously moved about the forest.

Her silvery-blonde hair fluttered in the gentle breeze as she knelt before a piece of white cloth that had been caught on a fallen log. Her dull-blue eyes scanned her surroundings. Drops of blood from… someone she couldn't recall. Her eyes gazed out deeper into the forest as she caught sight of footprints, alongside a myriad of paw prints that stalked them at a distance.

"SB-42. The Bishop will have you return," she said in a monotonous voice as she walked further into the forest.

Lucia stood next to Rias as they watched the boy sleep. She crossed her arms before walking over and slapping his cheek lightly once, twice, then three times. The boy's eyebrows furrowed before turning away. She raised her hand again to fully slap him awake when Rias caught her wrist.

"What are you doing!? You can't just slap someone awake!" Rias hissed.

"It was working," Lucia said as she pulled her hand away. "Besides, he's never going to wake up if all you do is keep whispering his name over and over again as if that'll do something."

"At least that's better than slapping him in the face," Rias bit back.

"Okay, you wake him up then," she challenged.

Rias puffed her cheeks before gently placing a hand on Isaiah's shoulder. "Hey. Hey, you're safe now. Will you wake up?"

Isaiah didn't stir. He simply pulled away from Rias.

Lucia snickered, causing the redhead to shoot her a fierce glare.

"Move," Lucia said as she took a deep breath. She gathered holy power into her lungs. She gestured for Rias to cover her ears.

Rias, sensing the buildup of energy, immediately moved to cover her ears.

Lucia opened her mouth, and a high-pitched screeching noise shook the entire cabin. Rias felt her bones rattle and saw the windows in her bedroom crack. All the while, Isaiah jolted up, screaming and covering his ears. He writhed on the form in pain, his newly reincarnated demonic body not used to an Angel using their angelic voice.

"Make it stop!" Isaiah howled.

Lucia closed her mouth and smiled. "See, it worked."

"You idiot!" Rias slugged her on the shoulder. "Look at him!" She threw her hand toward Isaiah, who was sitting on the floor, now dazed and ears ringing.

"Ow! Hey! It worked!" Lucia argued.

Rias let out a sigh and turned to Isaiah. "I'm sorry about that. She's not normal."

"Hey!"

Rias smiled gently and extended a hand toward the boy. Isaiah looked between them cautiously before glancing at her outstretched hand. Tentatively, he took it, much to Rias's joy, as he stood up. He rubbed his temples, his head now having a dull ache from having experienced Lucia's "singing" voice.

"What was that? Are you some kind of crow or something?" Isaiah asked.

Lucia's cheeks turned red in embarrassment. "T-That was me singing a song of vitality in Enochian!"

The two turned to face her with an owlish stare.

"That was a song…? Onii-tama always told me Angels have beautiful voices," Rias said.

Isaiah glanced at the two girls warily. One had just tried to put his brain through a sonic blender with her so-called singing, while the other was odd. For some reason though, he felt different. Lighter and far stronger than he was when he ran away from that damned building. He clenched and unclenched his fists, watching as the two bickered over and over in front of him.

Seeing that the two girls were distracted, Isaiah took the opportunity to try and sneak out. He was five steps from the door when the door slammed shut, pushed by an unseen force. He turned and saw Lucia holding her hand out. Her hand was coated in a light violet aura. "Where are you going?"

"Back," the boy spat as he tried to force the door open. It wouldn't budge.

"Back where exactly?" Rias asked, crossing her arms. She tried to give the best stern look she could but on a girl that was only a year older than he was, Isaiah was not cowed in the slightest. He kept forcing the door.

"Let me out. I need to go back and save them," Isaiah said as he slammed his shoulder against the door.

Lucia raised an eyebrow. "You'll die."

"I don't care! I don't care! My friends! They're all back there! And now… now I'm strong. I can save them!" Isaiah used his newfound strength and slammed his fist against the door. The door shuddered but didn't give way.

"Then I'll go with you," Rias said.

"What?"

The two turned to face her. She had an excited smile on her face. She clapped her hands together and walked toward him. "As your King, it's my responsibility to make sure that my Knight gets what he needs. I'm a good King unlike Sona or the pigeon over here."

"P-Pigeon!?"

Isaiah glanced at her warily, not understanding why this kid was coming with him. "King? What are you—!?" his eyes widened when he saw the pair of wings unfold from her back. He took a step back until his back hit the door. "W-What are you…?"

"I am Rias Gremory. I am a Devil, and I'm the person that saved you. I turned you into a Devil like me and made you my Knight," Rias said.

Lucia watched the interaction unfold, her muscles tensed and coiled in the event the boy tried to attack them.

Isaiah just stared, his mouth agape, until he stumbled forward and knelt before Rias. He placed his forehead on the ground, kowtowing before the redhead. "If you really are a Devil, the priests told me that I have to give them my soul so they can grant my wish so… PLEASE! SAVE MY FRIENDS!" he begged.

Lucia raised an eyebrow. That was a complete one-eighty from his initial prickliness. He must have been that desperate if he was willing to trust the first thing he saw that wasn't wherever he was. But the thought of going to a facility she barely knew went against everything her mother had taught her. Mother… Lucia shook the thought from her head and looked to Rias. "You can't be serious," she said when she saw the look on the Devil's face.

"But Lucia. His friends are over there. What if we can help them?" Rias said.

"Are you an idiot? We're going to die," Lucia argued.

"No we're not. Plus, I'm a super strong High Class Devil. I can blow away all… whatever monsters we find over there," Rias patted her chest, as if to emphasize how great she was.

Lucia glanced at the boy then to Rias. Normally, she would be the one that needed to be held back from doing stupid things but now, she was the one acting rationally. Irina was rubbing off on her too much. "What about Mathers?"

"Oh, yeah. Wait no, Mathers got called by Onii-tama to the Vatican before we left, remember?" Rias said, excitedly. "Come on! Let's go! And you… um… I forgot. What was his name again?"

"My name?" Isaiah asked. He looked down at the ground bitterly. That name was a name given to him by the so-called Priests who took care of them. "I don't have one…"

Rias furrowed her brow at his words. "But everyone has a name… hmm, then I'll give you one!" Rias placed her fist atop her open palm. She glanced around her room, catching sight of the various posters and manga she had stored on the shelf. After a few seconds of searching around her room, her blue eyes sparkled, and Lucia saw a notification pop up in her field of view as she gazed at the boy.

"From now on, your name will be—"

[Yuuto Kiba]

"Are you sure it's this way?" Lucia asked, squinting through the darkness. Despite having impeccable night vision, the surrounding trees made it so that it was even darker than usual. She held her hand up, producing a small ball of light.

The three had been wandering for almost two hours now. At first, it seemed like the now-renamed Yuuto knew where he was going but the younger boy seemed to be just as lost as they were. Even Rias seemed to be reaching her wits end as her eyes jumped from tree to tree like a paranoid squirrel. Yuuto wiped some sweat from his forehead as he tried to climb up a small incline. "Yeah. I think so…"

Lucia said nothing as she directed the ball ahead, illuminating the path. Her eyes glowed as she scanned her surroundings.

[Pine Tree]

[Aged Pine Tree]

[Fallen Log]

[European Rabbit]

Lucia grumbled under her breath as she made her way up to Yuuto and Rias.

"Where do you live, Yuuto? Aren't we really high up right now?" Rias asked, glancing around. She looked behind her and realized just how far up the mountain they were.

"I think it's this way. This is the same way I ran," Yuuto said as he looked around, trying to convince himself that they weren't lost.

Lucia looked around them. She had felt it just now. The feeling of being watched. She had always heard that term from the older exorcists around the Institution but she never realized she'd be able to feel it for herself. Lucia flexed her fingers, pooling small amounts of holy power into her hand.

It did not go unnoticed by Rias, who looked at her with a confused look. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Lucia nodded before smiling. "Let's keep going."

As soon as they took a step forward, a twig snapped to their left. It took the training her mother had given her to react on time as a silver blur lunged toward them. She jumped in front of the two, swirling cubes of heavenly matter forming a barrier. Her eyes widened as she saw who attacked them.

A girl wearing the same clothes as Yuuto. Her silvery blonde hair whipped in the winter wind as she pushed against the barrier with her worn-out silver sword.

That's the girl I saw in my dreams! Lucia thought.

"T-Tosca!?" Yuuto said, eyes wide in surprise.

But it soon became painfully clear that whoever this Tosca was was not here for a friendly chat. Her eyes held no emotion, and she almost seemed robotic had it not been for the way she moved.

Lucia clenched her jaw as she repelled her with a sudden burst of holy energy. The snow around her cracked and vaporized from the burst.

Rias grabbed Yuuto and forced him back, feeling the sting of holy power on her skin.

Lucia narrowed her eyes as [Warning System] scanned her opponent.

[Scanning target…]

[HSP-423 (Tosca)]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 15 (30), Speed: 20 (30), Durability: 45 (30), Magic: 5 (30), Skill: 5 (30), Overall Combat Capabilities: 90 (240)]

[Estimating Class - Low Class. However, due to the presence of enhancers found on target, a value adjustment of 30 was made on all stats.]

[Age: 9, Race: Human, Gender: Female, Marital Status: N/A]

[Special Traits: Extra, Holy Sword Wielder (Natural)]

[Negative Status Detected: Control]

[Equipment: Elysion Pedion, Old Silver Sword]

"What are enhancers?" Lucia wondered as she watched Tosca stand. "On top of that, Extra? That's a new…"

[Extra - A trait that has no special abilities. A designation given to people who do not play major roles.]

"That's a bit mean," Lucia said. She held her hand out and black and red light gathered into it, forming a straight sword. Her eyes narrowed as she spread her legs apart. Her combat level is lower than mine but I still can't underestimate her.

"Tosca! Stop this!" Yuuto said, running forward.

"Wait! Stop!" Lucia said as she dashed forward. It all happened in a blur. Tosca's blade swung at an unnatural angle, an amateurish swing even to Lucia. She grabbed Yuuto by the back of the collar and threw him back. Her wings unfurled from her back, feathers hardening as they blocked the silvery steel of her blade.

"Tosca…," Yuuto said, reaching out to her.

Lucia clenched her jaw and pushed her back. She flapped her wings hard, sending a hail of steel feathers at the girl.

To her credit, Tosca managed to roll out of the way, only getting hit by a few. However, she shrugged it off and continued to charge despite her injuries.

"Khh!" Lucia shifted on her heel before vanishing, kicking up snow in the process. Everything slowed down as she approached the charging Tosca, and then, her blade arced in a blur of motion, leaving a trail of light.

She stopped a few paces past Tosca and dispelled her light sword.

Tosca's own blade fell to the wayside, sliced in half by Lucia's weapon. However, the girl didn't stop. She never did. She stumbled a bit before continuing her headlong, bloodlusted charge toward Yuuto.

"Wha—!? Rias!" Lucia whirled around, attempting to grab the girl.

Rias jumped in front of their charge, producing a solid barrier of amorphous demonic power. The girl ran headfirst into it, stumbling back. Her nose was bleeding now but she made no effort to staunch it.

"What? Lucia, she's still—!" Rias began.

"Knock her out somehow!" Lucia said as she jumped and wrapped her arms around the berserk girl.

Tosca struggled and thrashed in Lucia's grip, causing the older girl to grunt in pain.

Rias ran over and her eyes began to glow slightly as she raised a hand above Tosca's head. A red magic circle appeared in the palm of her hand before shattering, causing sparkles of faint red light to fall upon the girl.

"Did you get it— AH! FUCK!" Lucia stumbled back, holding her nose. Blood leaked down her nose and she held it. Her eyes narrowed at Tosca, who was struggling to maintain her consciousness. SHE HEADBUTTED ME!

Lucia rushed forward and punched Tosca square in the jaw. Despite being only ten, she was still a Nephilim. Her punch sent the girl flying into a nearby tree and caused her to crumple to the ground. As she panted, the word she had uttered mere moments ago came back to her and a faint sense of dread washed over her. "Oh no… Mama's going to kill me. I said a bad word," Lucia whispered.

"Tosca!"

She was snapped out of her reverie when she saw Yuuto running over to her. A sigh of relief came from him when he saw the rise and fall of her chest.

Rias walked over to Lucia, face twisted in concern. "Are you okay? There's so much blood…"

Lucia held her nose, shaking her head. A faint pink light came from her hand as small blocks of heavenly matter wrapped around her nose. A sharp pain shot through her, causing her to hiss as her nose snapped back into place. "Mama taught me how to… heal myself. She said I get in trouble a lot, whatever that means."

"You said a bad word," Rias remarked.

"Please don't tell my mom," Lucia said.

"Tosca! Tosca, wake up!" Yuuto began to shake her slightly, causing the girl to stir.

Lucia tensed up, gathering the light of Leliel into her hand.

[No Negative Status detected]

What does that even mean!? Lucia screamed internally as she watched Tosca's eyes flutter open.

The first thing Tosca saw when she opened her eyes was snow. She always wanted to see the snow. To play in it with her friends. She blinked. Snow? She sat up suddenly, looking around frantically. The last thing she remembered was being pulled out of that horrible room and hearing the screams of her friends as the researchers pulled some sort of lever.

"Tosca!"

That voice, it was…

"Isaiah?" Tosca turned and was promptly hugged tightly by the blonde boy. She tentatively raised a hand, wondering if this was all real or just another one of the doctor's treatments.

"Tosca! You got out!"

"Got out? What are you…? What—!?" Her head felt like it was going to split open. She didn't know what was happening and she felt like she had been hit by a bat. Her eyebrows furrowed as the pain intensified with her returning memories. She pulled up her sleeve and saw a bruising needle mark on her arm.

"Yuuto!" Rias called out, causing the two to turn to her. "Get away from her now!"

Lucia stood silently next to her, her fingers twitching.

"W-Wait! She's okay! She's not attacking us anymore!" Yuuto said, getting in front of her.

"Y-Yuuto?" Tosca glanced at him.

"She's okay… I think," Lucia said, stepping forward.

"Huh? Did you use your weird eyes again?" Rias turned her gaze to her friend.

"They're not weird!" Lucia snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, they're your Sacred Gear," Rias returned her focus to the two kids in front of her. But her brother and sister-in-law always told her to be careful. She held back for now.

"R-Right! Tosca, these are my friends! That girl over there saved me, and she turned me into a Devil! That means… I can go back and save everyone! With my new powers!" Yuuto said.

"Y-You're a Devil now?" Tosca said, a bit scared. She had always been taught that Devils eat children and feast on their insides, even when she was back at her old home.

"Look!" Yuuto said.

PAH!

His batlike wings unfolded from his back.

Tosca glanced at them warily before reaching out to touch it.

"Wait… where is everyone?" Yuuto asked.

"They're probably back where you two came from," Lucia said, extending her hand. Tosca looked down at the girl's hand warily before taking it. With surprising ease, Lucia pulled the girl to her feet.

"Then! Then we can still save them!" he said, standing up and facing Lucia.

"Isaiah," Tosca began.

"They're super strong! Both of them!" Yuuto gestured wildly to Lucia and Rias.

Tosca looked at the two girls warily. Her eyes lingered on the redhead for a few seconds before gazing at the ravenette. "Isaiah, I don't know…," she said.

"It's okay! These people are nice. They healed me and made me strong. Now I can go back and save everyone else! Come on, Tosca!" Yuuto said as he grabbed her hand and began dragging her in the direction of the supposed facility.

"Isaiah— Yuuto, we don't even know where the building is—"

"I do."

The two older girls turned to Tosca, who was meekly raising her hand. "I… I know where it is. I can somewhat remember the direction."

Lucia and Rias exchanged glances, putting as much thought as their ten-year-old brains could allow them. After a few (one) seconds of thinking, the two girls decided that they stood a chance now that there were four of them.

"Okay, show us where it is," Lucia said.

Tosca nodded hesitantly before taking a step forward. Her knees buckled as the pain and fatigue from starvation and her injuries caught up to her.

Lucia lurched forward and caught her before she could hit the snow. She placed a hand over Tosca's body, watching silently as blocks of holy energy swirled into some of the fresher wounds. "Can you even walk?"

"I can walk," Tosca said, standing up and dusting her clothes off. "This way." she said as she stepped past Lucia.

The Compound where Tosca and Yuuto once lived was located on a far-side of the mountain range. A ways up its highest peak, Lucia and the others were able to spot the entrance. It was a small chapel that overlooked a rather small town. There were only about a dozen houses, yet none of their residents were regular people. Lucia popped her head out of the bush, and her eyes glowed.

[Detecting… Detecting… 15 individuals detected…]

"Lucia?" Rias whispered. Her ahoge stuck out of the bush, twitching in response as she peeked her head out. "How many?"

"Fifteen," Lucia whispered back. "And there's two of them at the door."

"How do we get in?" Rias said.

Lucia looked around and saw a tall man heading in their direction. He was dressed in a mask that resembled a plague doctor's and was draped in a black cloak with similarly colored dark clothing underneath. "I got an idea!" Lucia ducked her head under the bush.

The man yawned as he walked by. Word from the interior command had gotten out that the main Church was aware of their presence and would likely send Exorcists and Destroying Angels to their location. He sighed. This was way above his pay grade. As he continued his patrol, he heard rustling in the bushes nearby. He paused and his hand flew to his light sword. He took a tentative step forward, hand still gripping the handle of his light sword.

He cautiously reached out and brushed the leaves aside, only to find… nothing. And then, a snowball struck him on the side of the head. The man whirled and blinked when he saw Lucia hefting another snowball into her hand.

"A kid? Out here? Khh. Maybe she's one of the Priests' kids. God knows they can't keep their shit in their pants," the man said as he stepped forward, body relaxing at the sight of the young girl. "Hey, kid. You lost or something—"

He never finished his sentence as a redheaded girl jumped out from one of the bushes. Several thick ropes of solid demonic power wrapped around him at surprising speed. "What the fuck—"

"That's a bad word!" He turned, and a large branch impacted his skull. His head lolled back, and his vision swam as he slumped to the ground.

"I can't believe that worked!" Lucia said, throwing the big stick down. "By the way, what is that? Is that the Gremory Power?"

Rias smiled as she tightened the ropes around him. She nodded. "Mmm! I have the Bael and Gremory Powers! The Power of Destruction and Distortion!"

"Hehhh…" Lucia said. She was impressed even if her face and voice conveyed the complete opposite.

A notification popped up in the corner of her vision.

[New trait added to Rias Gremory]

[Distortion - The unique power of the Gremory Line. A unique talent that allows the Gremory Family greater control over their demonic powers.]

"Come on! Be more impressed!" Rias hissed as she struggled to pull the grown man's coat off. "Father says that my talent with Distortion is bigger than Onii-Tama's! I can even make shapes with it and my brother can't!"

"Just pull!" Lucia said.

With great effort, the two pulled the man's black trench coat off. The two girls fell on their butts panting. "Is he fat or something? Why is he so heavy?" Rias wiped some sweat from her brow.

"I don't know, but grab his mask," Lucia said as she pulled the beak mask off the man's face. She held it out in front of her face before putting it on and turning to Rias. "Hi, I'm going in to report back from patrol."

"Is that your best man voice?" Rias asked, giggling at the sight.

Lucia pulled the mask off. "I mean… we can be a woman? There are girl exorcists down there."

Rias nodded before wiping snow off the trench coat. "Who gets to be on top?"

"You. I'm stronger so I have to carry you."

"Says who?"

"My mom said I was strong."

"I'm also strong!"

"I can beat you in arm wrestling."

"Fine! Bring it!"

Sparks flew between their eyes while Yuuto and Tosca watched the duo from behind the bushes. After a few more seconds, a look of silent understanding passed between the two girls. Rias raised her hand and so did Lucia.

"Ready!"

"Rock…"

"Paper…"

"Scissors!"

"GO!"

Lucia hissed from under the trench coat as she supported Rias's weight on her shoulders. The redhead had her hair tied up in a ponytail and was wearing the man's mask. She dragged Tosca and Yuuto by the arms while Lucia walked underneath her. "You're so fat!" Lucia whispered.

"I'm not fat! Now shut up or they'll never buy it!" Rias said quietly.

"Halt."

Lucia came to a stop when she heard a gruff male voice in front of her. She looked up and saw a bead of sweat trickle down Rias's chin. Even though the temperature was freezing outside, it was unbearably hot underneath the trench coat.

"Hmm? Who are these two?"

"Orders from high up," Rias said, trying to remember some lines from a few human movies she watched. She coughed and tried to make her voice deeper. "Those two kids that were missing. I found them."

Rias's eyes glowed pink as she tried to infuse her voice with basic charm magic.

Lucia watched from between the small openings of the trench coat as the Exorcist's blue eyes fogged over for a split second.

"Two kids? What are you…?" The Exorcist glanced over their shoulder and saw Yuuto and Tosca, both of their hands bound by a makeshift rope. He whistled. "Damn. Valper's been going nuts looking for these two, especially since HSP-423 didn't come back with SB-42. Looks like you're in for a promotion."

"Hahahaha," Rias laughed, praying that he wouldn't notice how nervous she sounded. "Well, you know me. Always grabbing that… um… bag, ahahaha."

"You're just repeating lines from cop shows!" Lucia whispered.

Rias tightened the hold her legs had around Lucia's shoulders, causing the girl to wince in pain.

"Yeah. Well, better let you get to it. Say, after we finish getting rid of the rest of these brats in the chamber, a few of the guys and I were planning to head down the mountain to that local town and enjoying the rest of the Feast of the Archangels," the Exorcist said.

"Ahahah! Yeah! Sure!" Rias chirped.

She waved at the man before tugging on the crudely made rope. Lucia began to move her feet and the four moved forward as one, entering the Church. The Church's interior was spartan to say the least. It had the bare minimum that a Catholic Church had. Pews. An altar. A crucifix. A few stained glass windows and the mandatory stations of the cross were located on the east and west walls of the Church.

Rias glanced around at the stark white and brown walls of the Church, nodding politely at the few masked Exorcists that passed by. After nearing the altar, Rias saw a few priests standing around it. The priest turned around and saw her before his gaze trailed down to Yuuto and Tosca.

"Ah. You brought SB-42 and HSP-423 back. Looks like we didn't give her enough tonic if she tried to run away," one of the priests said, glancing at the faint bruising on Tosca's cheek.

"Take them down to Chamber G. We already finished disposing of the other batches in Chambers A through F. Chamber G is the last one," another Priest said.

The third Priest broke into laughter. "Can you believe it, though? Some of those kids called us monsters. We're not monsters. Those kids get to go to Heaven together now that SB-42 and HSP-423 are back."

Yuuto glared at the priests, his hands balled into fists. He was about to run at them when he felt Rias and Tosca's eyes on him. He shrank back, but did not wipe the glare off his eyes.

"Ungrateful brat. We gave you the opportunity to be part of one of the greatest research projects the Church has ever done. Be grateful we didn't condemn you to be devoured by wolves in the forest. A painless death is more than any of you deserve," the first priest said with contempt in his voice.

The second priest placed a hand on the first priest's shoulder before shaking his head. He then reached out and twisted one of the candles, causing the altar to rumble before sliding away to reveal a set of stairs.

"Chamber G is downstairs to your right. Don't dally. After this, we're abandoning the place. Apparently, whoever leaked this information also notified the Destroying Angels so if you don't want to get salted, I suggest you hurry," the second priest said.

Rias nodded, anger barely restrained inside her. She tapped Lucia with her leg and the girl moved forward, descending down the stairs with Yuuto and Tosca.

After hearing the altar above them close back up, Rias took off her mask. She threw the coat off her and Lucia before climbing down from her shoulders.

Lucia stretched while Rias untied them.

"He said Chamber G was on the right, right? Down this hallway?" Lucia asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Rias nodded. "Come on. We have to save Yuuto and Tosca's friends before those Destroying thingies come to blow this place up."

Lucia nodded as she clenched and unclenched her fists. She took a deep breath before looking ahead. [Status]

[Lucia Reid]

[Estimated Combat Level… Strength: 230, Speed: 220, Durability: 215, Magic: 550, Skill: 400… Overall Combat Capabilities: 1,615]

[Estimating Class… Lucia Reid - Middle Class]

[Special Traits: Twilight Reincarnation, Leliel, Inherited Wings]

Lucia raised an eyebrow when she saw the new special trait. She shook her head and decided to question it later. With her and Rias between them, their combined combat capabilities should be enough to fight the Exorcists here. Of course, she remembered Father Ferdinand's words about over relying on [Warning System's] estimates.

"I think it's this way," Lucia said as she scanned the hallway.

[Search complete… Multiple targets located.]

"This way," Lucia said as she took off running down the hallway.

An orange blur shot across the sky, hovering over the mountains. After what was less than a second of her flying the entirety of the mountain range, Camael came to a stop near the tallest peak. The cold mountain wind whipped at her orange hair, blowing it back. Her hazel eyes gazed out over the forest below while her twelve snow-white wings beat behind her. She frowned before looking around. "Miss Lucia, where are you?" Camael wondered.

Commander! Are you there? We've received permission from Lady Helel to have Miss Evelyn utilize Paradise Lost on the target location, a voice came from her ear.

Camael pressed a finger up to her ear, causing a gold circle to appear. "No, hold off. You are not to have Evelyn evoke Paradise Lost until I find Lady Uriel's daughter, is that clear?" she said in a tight voice.

But—

"I said, are we clear?" Camael said.

Silence came from the other end before a voice replied begrudgingly. Yes, Ma'am.

Camael pinched the bridge of her nose, knowing full well she would have to discipline the Exorcist later. And with that, Camael dove down toward the forest, determined to continue the rest of her search on foot.

Chapter Text

One foot in front of the other.

Lucia held her hand against the wall as she crept quietly down the hall. Behind her, Rias, Tosca, and Yuuto all followed. Her ears perked up when she heard hushed voices from around the corner. She stopped, causing the ones behind her to promptly halt their movement. Peeking her head out from around the corner, Lucia spotted two priests, wearing white hazmat suits.

The two walked out of the room, locking the steel door behind them and then, the dull thuds began. They weren't rhythmic, repeating thuds but something frantic, like a wild animal trying to break out. One of the Priest's pulled out a remote and pressed a button on it.

Nothing happened for a few seconds and then, the screaming began. Muffled, shrill screams of pain and agony came from behind the steel door and the banging became more and more frantic.

Yuuto's jaw tightened as he moved forward to try and do something but Tosca grabbed his forearm and shook her head. She closed her eyes and took a sharp inhale as a tear streaked down her cheek.

The screaming and banging only lasted for a few minutes before a deafening silence filled the entire hallway. There was no sound save for the sound of their hearts hammering against their rib cage.

"Come on, we don't have all day before Lady Camael gets here and levels the place." The man grabbed a backpack with a strange hose attached to it. He pulled the trigger, causing small jets of fire to erupt from the nozzle.

The other priest nodded before grabbing the other pack and the two walked into the room. Lucia motioned for them to wait before silently walking around the corner. She peeked into the doorway and her eyes went wide at the nightmarish scene before her.

The two priests prattled on casually as they lifted the bodies of children of varying ages and unceremoniously dumped them into a pile. After they gathered up the bodies, the two men went to work, firing jets of flame onto the pile. Lucia had to suppress a gag. The acrid smell of burning flesh permeated the room and hallway. She watched as one of the hands twitched slightly before being set ablaze, the sound of flesh sizzling and bones popping from the heat echoing through the room.

And then, she felt something in her snap.

Lucia stood up, much to the surprise of her friends. She slowly walked into the room, making her footsteps loud and deliberate.

"Huh? Did you hear that?" one of the Priests asked.

The other Priest stopped firing the flamethrower and turned around. "Huh? Did we miss one? I don't recognize this one."

"Whatever, man. Just set her on fire right here—" The Priest never finished his sentence as his head exploded in a shower of gore and bone. Blood sprayed like a gushing fountain from his neck stump, staining the walls and ceiling red.

"W- What!? What the fuck!?" the other priest sputtered as he saw his comrade's head explode. He quickly turned and aimed his flamethrower at Lucia, who unfolded her wings. His eyes widened when he saw them and her double halo. "A-An Angel? H-Here… N-No way! W-Were we too late—!"

Lucia gathered up Leliel's light into her hand before lobbing it at blinding speeds. The black and red orb pierced through the man's skull, leaving a gaping hole where his eyes, nose, and mouth should be. The upper half of his brain slid down before falling to the ground with a wet smack. The lifeless corpse of the priest fell over.

"L-Lucia! What are you doing…," Rias's eyes widened as the words died in her mouth. She took a step back involuntarily at the sight. She could care less about the priests but her eyes were fixated on the pile of burning corpses before her.

"Guys, what—"

Tosca pulled Yuuto back, seeing the look of fear and horror on the faces of the older girls. She shook her head and covered Yuuto's eyes as she walked past the open room. Lucia and Rias stood there for a few more seconds before following after them.

"The people here are bad people," Lucia said. "Mom needs to blow this place up."

"I've… never seen something like that before… not even when Anegimi tells me stories about bad devils who eat people," Rias whispered, hugging her arms. She looked at Yuuto and Tosca.

Seeing how shellshocked the two girls were, Tosca took the lead, moving silently through the compound. Yuuto followed after her with ease, being familiar with the place.

The lettered rooms passed by like a blur. B, then C, D, E, and F all came and went in the span of minutes. Each room they passed had closed doors thankfully, but it did little to hide the stench of charred flesh and bone. Signs of struggle were noticeable as one of the rooms had a bloody handprint at the top.

"We're almost there. Chamber G is where we did our tests for things," Tosca said quietly.

"Tests… for what?" Lucia asked quietly, dreading the answer she would hear. She may have been young but she was rather keen for her age.

"The monsters here," Yuuto said. "Injected us with stuff in our arms. They said they wanted to make something that can let people use Holy Swords. Like Excalibur and stuff."

Rias glanced between the two, the realization dawning on her. The desperation. The needle marks. The bruises. She said nothing and increased her pace to catch up with them.

"Chamber G is just up ahead," Tosca said.

"This is the last batch, Valper. There was an Exorcist outside who brought in SB-42 and found HSP-423 after we sent her out. I think the hypnotics wore off on her. Should we keep HSP-423 and burn the rest?"

The four froze and pressed themselves against a wall when they heard the voices.

Two men came from around the corner. One was a lanky priest that carried a pistol at his hip while the other was a morbidly obese older man in his mid-50s. The man wore clothes similar to that Lucia had seen on bishops. He rubbed his chin as he gazed inside the chamber, eliciting frightened yelps and whimpering from the children inside.

"Mmmm… no. While it's a shame to lose someone with a modicum of potential like HSP-423, we'll have to make do with what we can salvage. Up the dosage on the sarin. Hearing them scream loses its appeal after the third time," Valper sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He pulled a golden pocket watch and tapped his foot impatiently. "Where is this Exorcist? I don't have all day. We need to vacate the premises and rendezvous elsewhere before the Destroying Angels and the Church Exorcists get here."

"Sir, we're already at the lethal dose," the Priest said.

"Then up it. We're running out of time here," Valper waved his hand before stalking off.

The Priest murmured a curse under his breath. "Why am I always the one who has to clean up? This bastard's only doing this for kicks, and now he wants to quit. Bah. Up the dose, my ass. I'll run the regular dose."

He ran a hand through his grimy hair before a twisted smile appeared on his lips. "Alright, kids! We're not gonna wait for those two!"

"Mister…"

"A-Athanasia?" Yuuto whispered.

"Everyone's in there. Ezekiel. Jeremiah," Tosca said.

Rias exchanged a look with Lucia. "There's only one of him and four of us. We can do it. Especially us. It'll be easy for us to take him down."

Lucia nodded, but Yuuto was already jumping out from around the corner before she could move.

"Leave them alone!" Yuuto ran up to the man. He latched onto the man's waist while striking him with surprising strength.

The Priest, clearly not expecting it, keeled over when he felt Yuuto's fist bury itself in his gut. "What the hell—!? You little shit!" The Priest backhanded Yuuto, sending him flying into the wall.

"Yuuto!" Tosca ran out from around the corner.

"Wait! Stop!" Lucia tried to grab her, but the girl was surprisingly quick.

"Huh? HSP-423? You—" He had no time to react as Tosca slid between his legs and struck him in the groin.

The Priest's eyes bulged out of his skull as he immediately clutched his crotch, doubling over in pain. "You fucking bitch—"

But he never finished his sentence. Rias darted out from around the corner, gathering her demonic power into her hand. A black and red tinged flame-like energy erupted from her hand and punched through the man's chest.

He coughed up blood before falling over face-first.

Rias panted, her arm shaking before looking at Yuuto and running over. "Yuuto! Are you…?"

Lucia moved from around the corner and headed to the open door of Chamber G. She held her hand out to Tosca, who took it gratefully, before looking over at the sea of scared children.

"Um…," Lucia said, unsure of what to say. She looked to Tosca, eyes pleading for any assistance. It was clear that Tosca was one of the older ones of the bunch.

Tosca pointed at herself questioningly when she caught Lucia's gaze. She nodded before stepping forward. "It's okay. They're our friends. Come on, we need to go."

"T-Tosca," a boy said, stepping forward.

"It's okay, Ezekiel. It's okay. They helped me and Isaiah— erm, Yuuto, I guess is his name now," Tosca said, looking over her shoulder.

"Isaiah is here?" A little girl with blonde hair peeked out from behind Ezekiel.

Tosca nodded and stepped aside to allow Yuuto to step forward.

The blonde boy's grey eyes watered as he took one shaky step after another. "Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ethan… Athanasia… I'm here. I'm here, everyone," Yuuto said.

"Isaiah! Isaiah!"

They all rushed forward, enveloping him in a tight embrace.

"You're… You're all safe!" Yuuto said, feeling the first surge of tears rush down his face. He tried to hug them all back with just as much ferocity as they did him. The group stayed like that for a few seconds until they heard Lucia coughing into her hand.

"We need to go," Lucia said awkwardly, pointing her thumb in the direction of the stairs. "That Priest guy said Auntie Camael was coming here to blow this place up. We can't be here."

Rias nodded before waving toward the stairs. "Come on, let's—"

"Hey, Marco, did you finish gassing those kids? I kinda wanted to borrow one of them one more time to— What the!?" An Exorcist came from around the corner and stumbled back when he saw Marco's corpse on the ground. Before any of them could act, the Exorcist immediately pulled out his pistol, aiming it at the kids.

Lucia moved. She jumped into the air, grabbing the Exorcist's arm and using her weight to push it in a different direction. He fired, but the bullet struck the wall instead of the children.

"You brat!" He swung his arm, throwing Lucia off.

She landed with the grace of a cat before rushing in as he fired bullets at her. She darted from side to side before jumping into the air. Leliel's black-tinged scarlet light gathered into her hand.

"Wha—!? A Miracle!?" The Exorcist sputtered as he stumbled back in surprise.

Without wasting a single instance of motion, Lucia kicked off the air and dove past him, her hand thrown forward and coated in the dark red light.

The Exorcist gurgled before stumbling forward and falling to the ground.

"Let's go!" Lucia said.

The shots he fired must have been heard by the entire facility. There was no way that no one noticed that. Uriel's training was kicking into high gear.

"Hey! Was that a gunshot?"

Lucia looked back and saw several cloaked men and women heading their way. She clenched her jaw. Her eyes glowed.

[895, [1,200, [798, [654, [537]

"R-Rias! Go! Go now!" Lucia said with urgency in her voice as she gathered Leliel into her hand. Her wings unfurled from her back.

Rias shook her head. "There's too many of them. I'm not leaving you here!" she said. She looked at Yuuto and Tosca. "Go! RUN!"

Yuuto and Tosca exchanged glances before herding the kids in the opposite direction.

"Have you ever fought grown-ups?" Rias asked, gathering demonic power into her hands.

"I've been fighting my Mama since I was 7… does that count?" Lucia replied. She readied herself as her halo grew brighter. Words began to orbit her fingers rapidly as she prayed under her breath.

The first of the Exorcists came, cocking an eyebrow at the sight of them. A cocky smirk appeared on her face. "Two kids? Well, this is going to be the easiest—"

She never finished her sentence as a solid block of red demonic essence slammed into the side of her skull, sending her careening into a nearby wall. This single act shocked the rest into attacking them.

"G-Get them!" one of the Exorcists said as he pulled out a light sword.

Lucia rushed forward, forming small daggers with Leliel.

The Exorcist brought his light sword down on top of her.

Lucia reacted immediately, dashing to the side before rushing between his legs. Her hands moved, and her daggers arced, leaving multiple rapid trails of light. Spurts of blood erupted from his leg as Leliel's shadowy light began to eat away and corrode his flesh.

She took a deep breath and sighed. However, a shadow loomed over. She looked over her shoulder to see a burly, muscular Exorcist raise a hammer over his head to reduce her to paste. But before he could, a mass of red energy struck him in the chest.

She turned to see Rias with her arm outstretched. Her fingers curled, and she snapped them, causing pitch black tendrils of destructive energy to explode from the mass, blowing a large hole in his torso.

"W-What the hell!? We're dying to two kids! Call for back up, Captain—"

Lucia's fist connected with his jaw before he could finish. Despite her smaller frame, her supernatural strength was enough to crack apart the man's jaw and send him slamming into the wall. The hallway shook slightly as spiderweb cracks formed upon impact.

"Y-You think you can escape?" The First Exorcist from earlier asked as she stood up. She pulled two light swords from her belt and glared at them.

Lucia stared at her for a few seconds before holding her left hand out. The dark light dagger vanished and was replaced by a sword. She widened her stance and held her light sword tightly.

"I'll rip you to shreds, little girl!" The Exorcist said as she rushed forward in a burst of speed. "Angel or not! I'll cut your damn wings off!"

"Lucia!" Rias darted forward as the sword came down.

Lucia reacted quickly, raising her sword and blocking the two blades in time. Her eyes widened as her knees bucked from the force, and she fell to one knee.

"Hehe? Not so tough now, are you? You Angels aren't as cracked up as you're made out to be," the woman said.

Lucia tightened her jaw before sliding out from under the sword between the woman's legs. She sliced at one of the woman's ankles before hopping to her feet.

"Urk! What the fuck!? I'll gut you for that, you stupid—!"

"Haah! Rias Attack!"

The woman looked up to see Rias swing a large hammer made of red energy at her head. Her head lolled to the side and crashed into the wall.

"You… bitch…" The woman slurred as she struggled to maintain her balance. Blood trickled down her left ankle. Her hand landed on the wall, using it for support as her world spun. The taste of bile filled her mouth and she threw up. "I'll kill you two… for that…" But before she could do anything, her eyes rolled back and she fell forward, falling face first on her own vomit.

"Come on," Lucia panted. "Let's go."

Rias nodded, and they took off running after the others.

God had an apparent hatred for Tosca it seemed. Since she was born, she had never known family or home. She had never known her parents and she had been abandoned by the place that raised her. Abandoned to this hell. And now, she was going to die in this Hell with her friends. She stood in front of the group, being the only one with any semblance of combat training.

Before them, the beak-masked Exorcists approached them. One of them pulled a light sword from their belt.

"Valper said that we have the go-ahead to just kill them all here, then meet at the rendezvous point. We need to leave before they level this place," one of the Masked Exorcists said.

The one who pulled a light sword nodded as he approached, weapon ready to perform its grim duty.

Tosca spread her legs, eyes darting around the room for anything that could be used as a weapon. If only she could control it. That power that awakened mere moments after they helped Isaiah escape before Valper intervened. Her jaw tightened as she watched the man raise his sword into the air.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something on the man's leg and dove for it. The man stumbled back, surprised by her actions, and shook his leg to kick her off. "Get off me, you stupid—"

Tosca wrenched his knife free from his boot and drove it into his calf.

"AGGH! STUPID BITCH—" The man fell over, dropping his light sword. Tosca dove for the sword before it could deactivate and stood up, holding it out in front of her.

The other Exorcists rushed to attack her, drawing their own weapons in response.

Tosca quickly ducked under one strike before deflecting another. Using her smaller size to her advantage, she darted between the legs of one, slicing through their calves.

However, even if she was lucky enough to take down two of them, there were still too many of them for her to handle. Her eyes widened as she blocked at the last minute before being thrown into the wall by the sudden force.

One of the Masked Exorcists had his hand out, Enochian script orbiting around his hand rapidly. Lightning, fire, and ice formed around him.

Tosca rolled out of the way as the elements collided with the wall behind her, causing it and the room behind it to collapse. Before she could get up, another of the Exorcists drove their foot into her gut, sending her flying into the air.

"G-GAHK!" Tosca coughed out blood as she landed on the ground, dropping the light sword and rolling to a stop in front of Yuuto.

"T-Tosca!" Yuuto said.

"I-Isaiah… Jeremiah… E-Ezekiel… r-run…," Tosca whispered as she reached for the deactivated light sword.

Her eyes widened as she saw Yuuto stand in front of her with his arms outstretched.

"W-What are you—!?"

"We're family!" Yuuto screamed as tears streamed down his face. He glared as fiercely as he could at the approaching Exorcists despite the overpowering fear coursing through his veins. "We're not supposed to leave each other behind!"

"Well, well, well, ain't that cute. Then these kids can die as a family, then?" one of the masked Exorcists said.

"I don't have a problem with that as long as we can get out of here and meet up with the others before the Angels get here," another Exorcist replied as he ignited his light sword. He raised his sword and brought it down.

Yuuto closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain of the sword. But all he felt was a pair of arms enveloping him. When he opened them, he saw Tosca hugging him, her face contorted in pain.

"Huh," the beefy Exorcist said. His light sword was stained in blood. A large diagonal wound ran down Tosca's back.

"T-Tosca…"

"I said… run… dummy," Tosca said weakly.

"Ahh…," Yuuto looked down at his hands, which were now stained with Tosca's blood. And then, a flash of light erupted in the hallway as Yuuto let out a bloodcurdling scream. The Exorcists and the kids all closed their eyes as the light engulfed the entire hallway.

"AGGGGHHHHH!" Yuuto screamed.

And then, a field of swords erupted around them, causing the Exorcists to jump back. Tosca's eyes widened slightly. The swords held an ominous aura and were all pitch black in color. The other Exorcists eyed the weapons warily, clearly aware of what they were.

"A power that summons demonic swords… it can't be. Valper never said anything about any of them having one. A Sacred Gear!? That kid!" one of the Exorcists, a woman, said in shock.

Yuuto's eyes rolled back as he passed out from the sheer strain of activating his Sacred Gear.

Tosca weakly pulled herself off Yuuto, grabbing one of the swords off the ground. Immediately, she felt something dark coursing through her body. The wound on her back became an afterthought at the dark feelings she felt emanating from the blade.

"Tch! Screw it," one of the Exorcists said, stepping forward. He raised his sword again to finish off Tosca for good.

But before he could, a red mass collided with his skull. A sickening crunch echoed through the hallway as he collapsed on his back, his face caved in by the immense mass.

"We got here in time!"

Tosca turned to see Rias and Lucia running toward them.

"Where are all these goddamn kids coming from—" The female masked Exorcist fell as Lucia flew past her, slicing into her throat with her daggers.

"S-Shit—" the final one cried out in fear as a black sphere of energy struck him in the chest and rapidly expanded before consuming him entirely, leaving no trace of his existence behind.

"Yuuto!" Rias pushed past the other children and immediately cradled Yuuto in her lap. She sighed in relief when she saw the slight rise and fall of his chest. Her blue eyes flicked upward when she saw the field of black miasmic swords around them. "Demonic swords? Is this some kind of Sacred Gear? Lucia, you said he had a Sacred Gear when we brought him back to the cabin, right?"

Lucia nodded as she walked over to Tosca. "Your back," Lucia said, hesitantly reaching out to touch the wound.

"I-I'll be—" Tosca stumbled forward, her head spinning as the adrenaline wore off and the effects of blood loss began taking over. Lucia caught her before she could fall and gently lowered her to the ground.

"Rias, do you have anything I can use for her back?" Lucia asked.

Rias nodded and handed Yuuto to one of the kids, Jeremiah. She gently rested her palm above Tosca's wound as it glowed with a soft red light. The blood stopped flowing after a few minutes, but the wound remained. "My healing magic's not super good. We need to find Mathers. I can only make scabs," she said as the light disappeared.

Lucia nodded and helped Tosca to her feet.

"Come on. Let's go," Lucia said.

Thankfully, the other Exorcists had evacuated. The Church above was empty save for the birds that nested in the corners of the archways and the rats that scurried about the shadows of the vestibule. As Lucia blasted the door open with her free hand, she hobbled out of the underground facility with Tosca next to her. Behind her, Rias ushered the other children out while Yuuto was carried by Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

"Where do we go?" Rias asked.

"Back to the cabin?" Lucia suggested.

Rias bit her lip before nodding. She ran ahead, taking the lead with the rest of them behind. They barely took two steps out of the chapel when Lucia saw a notification pop up in her field of vision. Her eyes glowed as she scanned the sky with her Sacred Gear.

[Detecting massive energy surge. Energy parameters identified. Evelyn Thorn.]

[Special Trait - Paradise Lost]

Lucia's eyes widened in horror at the sight. She moved faster but tripped with Tosca as she stumbled over a rock. She fell face first in the snow, taking Tosca with her. Lucia groaned slightly as she pushed herself up, only to see Rias's gloved hand in front of her.

Her blue eyes were wide and desperate, filled with an overwhelming need to live. Yet in those eyes, her inherent attachment to those she cared about would not let her leave anyone behind.

It was playing out the exact same way it did in her dream. And then that meant that the only thing left was…

A flash of light. She looked up and saw it. A flash of light that illuminated the night sky, creating a false day across the entire mountain. The stars faded and the Moon was outshone for the briefest of moments, and with that Lucia knew they were too late. And as the light faded, rays of light were all that were left in its wake. Trails of light raced across the night sky, all resembling shooting stars. Yet these stars did not burn up and fade away. These stars did not exist the grant the wishes of those who watched them on the ground.

Each light that streaked across the vast night sky toward the mountain, toward them, carried in it the ruin of civilization.

Yet still, Lucia could not help but try to escape from the fate she foresaw in her dreams. She grabbed Rias's hand and pulled herself up before helping Tosca to her feet. "Can you run?" Lucia asked.

Tosca nodded weakly, seeing the streaks of light up above.

"We need to go, now!" Lucia said as she broke off into a sprint. The others saw her running and did the same.

"Lucia! What's going on!? What is this?" Rias asked as she kept pace with her.

"P-Paradise Lost! That's Auntie Helel's Miracle! Mama said that all the Archangels had Miracles that were related to Grandpa. Auntie Helel's is the closest to Grandpa! Mama said that her Miracle is the same Miracle that can create a world! And it can also blow one up!" Lucia explained as they ran.

"That's not fair!" Rias yelled over the sound of star-like projectiles whizzing past their heads.

In the distance, a flash of light lit up, and the entire mountain trembled violently, causing Lucia to tumble over once more. She groaned as she pushed herself up and winced a stab of pain shot through her leg. Lucia looked back to see her left foot bent at a slightly unnatural angle.

"U-Urrghh—! Ah!" Lucia tried to get up but fell back down. She tried to get up again but failed to put any weight on her left leg. "R- Rias! I can't get up!"

Around them, pillars of light fell in great numbers, leveling entire portions of the mountainside. Behind them, a streak of light slammed into the small makeshift village, causing the ground to shake violently. Lucia closed her eyes as the ground kept shaking, as masses of light began bombarding the mountainside behind them en masse.

"GET UP!"

Lucia opened her eyes, seeing Rias holding her gloved hand out in front of her. The crimson-haired girl held her hand out insistently in her face. Clenching her jaw, Lucia grabbed her hand and shakily got to her feet. Rias slid herself under Lucia's arm and supported her weight as the two hobbled after the children.

However, they weren't fast enough. One of the shooting streaks of light impacted the ground behind them, close enough to send the two flying into the air. They landed on the ground roughly, the snow absorbing most of the impact.

"R-Rias," Lucia said, pushing herself up.

But she got no response. Rias lay, slumped up against a pile of snow by a tree. A trail of blood trickled its way down her forehead where her hair parted slightly, revealing a nasty gash.

Lucia winced as she hobbled over on all fours towards her, reaching her with surprising speed. She took a deep breath before grabbing Rias by the arm and trying to pull her up. Around her, the lights continued to fall and eradicate everything they touched.

"Come… on!" Lucia grunted as she managed to get Rias's arm over her shoulder. She groaned as she managed to hobble to her feet, her legs wobbling and the pain in her left foot causing her vision to explode in a burst of colors. Her head swam as she fought through the pain, dragging her left leg along the snow for a few feet before collapsing to one knee.

"R-Rias, come on. Wake up…!" Lucia prayed as she tried to force herself to get up again, but this time, her body wouldn't cooperate. She grunted and heaved before falling back down, dropping Rias on the snow. "No… I won't… I can't," she gritted her teeth and reached out to grab Rias once more.

As she did, her holy power surged inside her as her emotions ran dangerously and erratically high once more. Her halo manifested instinctively, dividing into two, stacked on top of each other. Her wings unfurled from her back, and a second pair—an unnaturally dark and violet color—manifested on the lower half.

"Come onnn! Work!" Lucia begged. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as one of the stray rays of light rocketed toward her. She immediately put herself in front of Rias, her four wings spread in a defensive gesture.

She knew she could never deflect something like the Paradise Lost… but her body fought against the logic of her mind to survive. Red and black flecks of light gathered around her wings and her hands as she blasted the ray of light with her Leliel.

The dark light collided with the pure golden ray, halting it for a brief moment. Lucia's eyes flashed a deep violet color as the light of Leliel turned from red to purple. "Haaaaahhh!" she roared as the now black and violet light ate away at the ray from Paradise Lost. And, in a burst of energy that rattled the surroundings, the two lights dispersed, sending a shockwave that blew Lucia's hair back.

She panted, arms falling to the side as more and more of the rays of lights continued to fall in a seemingly never ending rain of destruction.

"Mama… I'm… sorry…," Lucia whispered as she fell forward. But before she could hit the icy snow, a pair of arms caught her. The slight scent of smoked wood filled her nostrils, enveloping her in a sense of warmth. Her gaze trailed upward, catching a glimpse of her savior's flaming orange hair as pinpricks of darkness began to eat away at the sides of her vision.

"A-Auntie… Camael…," Lucia whispered. "Help… Rias… and my friends…"

And the last thing Lucia saw before passing out from the pain and fatigue was Camael's twelve wings manifesting behind her and unleashing a brilliant flash of golden-orange light.

"Baby, Mommy loves you very much…" A woman with black hair and blue eyes placed a hand behind a shimmering barrier. She reached through her own chest, producing a small beating heart that she kissed before allowing it to float toward her.

And then, the vision split as the woman stood before the barrier. The air crackled like TV static as if the world around whatever stood there abhorred its very existence. A flash of black sliced through the air, and the woman in front of her fell, split in two down the middle.

The Shadow stood over the body, its hollow violet eyes radiating an unknowable ill intent. It loomed over the woman's body as the world around flickered. Its featureless face morphed, and a grotesque maw opened as its gravelly, grating voice came out in a slow, baleful tone.

"Do you feel like a hero yet… Sophia?"

Lucia's eyes snapped open, and she shot up. Her halos manifested above her head and her wings spread, sending everything around her crashing to the ground. Her eyes adjusted to her unfamiliar surroundings as she began leaking Leliel's holy power around her.

"Luci!"

A faint voice echoed from somewhere.

"Luci! Lucia!"

The voice grew louder until she felt a warmth envelop her. Her eyes slowly adjusted as her surroundings came into view. She was no longer in the snow-filled forests of the Apennine Mountains. Instead, her gaze met the walls of an old wooden room decorated with a few religious imagery. Around her, there were ceramic shards strewn on the floor along with a few flowers.

It took her another moment to recognize the warmth wrapped around her as its scent filled her nose.

"M-Mama…?" Lucia said tentatively.

The mop of blonde hair nodded imperceptibly. Uriel pulled back slightly, placing a hand on her daughter's cheek.

A few seconds of silence passed between the two before Uriel spoke. "Oh God… Thank God, you're okay…"

Lucia's eyes widened when she felt a few drops of tears splash onto her shoulder. Tears began to well up in the corner of her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her mother tightly and began to cry. The past day's ordeals and her brush with death finally caused her facade to crumble as she buried her face in her mother's shoulder and cried her heart out.

"It's okay, it's okay, Mama's here. Mama will never leave you," Uriel whispered soothingly as she stroked her daughter's hair.

And they stayed like that for a few minutes before parting.

Lucia's eyes were red and swollen from crying. She sniffled as she wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"It's been a long time since you cried."

She looked up to see her mother smiling at her with some amusement and sadness.

Lucia gripped her sheets and looked down, unsure of how to confront her mother after everything. Even with her brush with death, she still remembered what led up to her running away. Yet, Rias's words in the woods reminded her that her mother was her mother no matter what.

"Mama, I—"

"I'm sorry," Uriel began.

Lucia looked up at her mother with surprise in her eyes.

"I've been such a foolish and terrible mother. All this time, I've never taken your feelings into account," Uriel said. "I'm sorry."

"Mama," Lucia said.

"To be honest with you, Luci, I don't know how to be a mother," Uriel said, leaning back slightly. She kept her hand over her daughter's and squeezed it lightly. "When I found you and decided to raise you, it was all spur of the moment. Your uncle, Metatron, suggested I drop you in an orphanage and be done with it but I couldn't leave you to that. I guess you can say that the moment I saw you, I fell in love…"

Uriel smiled. "Without a doubt, you were the greatest thing to ever happen to me. So when I found out that you still had a real family out there, I got scared."

Lucia just gazed at her mother as she continued talking.

"I figured that if you suddenly found out you had a real family and that I wasn't the woman who gave birth to you that you'd… leave, so I brought your aunt here to…," Uriel bit her bottom lip before sighing. "In the end, I was being selfish. I didn't want to be hurt, so I assumed everything about what you wished for and ended up pushing you away. I'm so sorry, my little star."

Lucia remained quiet for a moment before opening her mouth. "It's okay, Mama. I… No matter what, you're still my Mom. It doesn't matter who gave birth to me. To me, Mama has always been Mama. So don't be scared, Mom," Lucia smiled. "I'll always be your family."

Uriel's eyes widened slightly. She immediately began wiping tears that threatened to streak down her cheeks. "Haha, when did my little angel become so smart?" she let out a watery laugh.

"My friend told me— Ah! Rias!" Lucia threw her covers off.

"Woah, hey, take it easy," Uriel placed a hand on her shoulder.

"B-But! Rias! She's—!"

"Sirzechs's sister? She's fine. Just a minor head injury. Nothing that they couldn't fix," Uriel said as she pulled a small empty vial from her pocket. She held it up to Lucia's eye. "To think that they came with these…"

Lucia's eyes glowed slightly as she gazed at the vial.

[Analyzing component…]

[Phoenix Tears]

[A substance produced by the Phenex Clan that heals most injuries and allows for the reattachment of severed limbs.]

"Thankfully, they had a few of these on them. We were able to treat your leg," Uriel said as she placed the vial on the nightstand.

Lucia let out a sigh of relief.

"I didn't know you were close to Sirzechs's younger sister. When did this happen?" Uriel asked.

"We met in the woods. She… found me there," Lucia said. "You know… after…"

"Oh."

An awkward silence passed between them.

"She's a really nice person. I think… we could be really good friends," Lucia admitted.

Uriel's eyes widened slightly. Lucia had never made any friends without prompting from her or Irina. Not even with Vali and Vali's friendship was born from Lucia's worry and mutual loner tendencies. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

The Gremory Heiress might be the first person her daughter clicked with without any preconceived thoughts or notions.

"I see. Well, you can see her after—"

A soft knocking came from the door, catching their attention.

"Speak of the devil, the person I wanted you to see is here," Uriel said.

The door slowly opened as Togame peeked her head in. She slowly stepped into the room, glancing awkwardly between Uriel and Lucia. "H-Hello, I know we met earlier yesterday. I-I'm Togame Kamiyo," she said, walking over and taking a seat next to Uriel.

Lucia stared at the woman for a good second, taking in her features for the first time. The woman resembled her greatly, almost as if Lucia had been copy and pasted, using her as a template. "H-Hello," Lucia said shyly.

"I'm sorry I didn't explain this properly and sprung this on you, Luci. This woman is your birth father's younger sister," Uriel said.

Lucia's eyes widened. "My… Dad…?"

A nostalgic smile graced Togame's lips. "You have that same dumb fish out of water look that my brother had."

Lucia turned to her aunt. She had so many questions that had been brewing in her head since Uriel revealed her status a day ago. Questions she didn't entertain due to fighting for her life, such as where her birth parents were. Of course, she had a faint inkling if the fading memories of her dream were anything to go by.

"Who… were my parents?" Lucia asked quietly.

Togame and Uriel exchanged glances before the younger woman cleared her throat.

"Mmm. His name was Noah Kamiyo. Our father, your grandfather, was an exchange student in America for a semester. When our mother, your grandmother, got pregnant with my older brother, he wanted a western name for his oldest son," Togame said.

Togame paused for a second before continuing. "Your mother… well, now that I know she wasn't human, but angel, I don't know if this name for her still fits but when I knew her, she was called Sakuya Hoshizora. I think Uriel said your mom's real name was Laylah."

"Noah… Laylah," Lucia said, the name rolling off her tongue naturally.

Uriel nodded. "I don't know much about your father but your mother was a Destroying Angel under my command. And while I may not have known much about their marriage, I understand how they felt because just like me, your parents loved you very much. Enough to lay down their lives just so you can live."

Lucia felt tears welling up in her eyes once more. So she wasn't abandoned like she dreaded she was. Her parents. Her birth parents did want her.

"Mama…"

Uriel smiled as she hugged her daughter again, rubbing her back as a fresh wave of sobs was muffled as Lucia cried into her chest.

"I didn't think you were such a crybaby."

Lucia glared half-heartedly at Rias as she rubbed her red and swollen eyes. She had done a lot of crying in the past hour: meeting her aunt, learning about her birth parents, and reconciling with her mother. It was all too much for her, despite her usual calm and collected attitude. In the end, Lucia was still only ten years old.

"How's your head, Tomato?" Lucia asked, gesturing to the band-aid on Rias's forehead.

"Oh, this! Onii-tama put it on after he gave me Phoenix Tears. Like it?" Rias said, pointing to her band-aid, which was decorated with small red dragons.

"No…," Lucia kept stealing glances at it. "How is everyone?"

"Yuuto is in one of the rooms, resting with the other kids. Oh, and Tosca wants to talk to you, but she fell asleep when I went here," Rias said as she pulled out a cookie and offered it to Lucia.

Lucia gladly took the cookie and bit into it. She chewed and spoke with her mouthful. "What thid she shay?" Lucia asked.

Rias grimaced at the sight before sighing. "I don't know. You ask her," she said. "Still, it's a shame. I asked Tosca if she wanted to be my other Knight but she said no. I thought she'd be good since Yuuto is in my peerage and Koneko could have more friends."

Lucia nodded absentmindedly as she took another bite of her cookie. Her body went rigid as a series of images flashed through her head, all of them being that of a girl with black hair, looking frightened as she huddled behind a dumpster in a city she didn't recognize. The girl muttered a name in between her shivers. "Shirone…"

"Maybe you should go find a black cat for her," Lucia suggested.

Rias raised an eyebrow. "A black cat…?" Rias furrowed her brow before the thought dawned on her. She didn't know if Lucia had known about her Rook's situation, but in her mind, this was the best possible idea. Not only could Koneko be happy, but she could also get a super strong peerage member. "That's a great idea! I'm gonna ask my brother to look for a black cat for her!"

Lucia was startled by her sudden burst of joy and leaned back as Rias clasped her hands.

"Thanks, Luci! I was told pigeons were stupid birds, but you're actually pretty smart!" Rias exclaimed, shaking her hands roughly.

"Ahhh! Stop shaking me…!"

As the two argued and bantered inside the room, Uriel watched from the slightly cracked open door with a smile on her face. However, before she could enter the room, she sensed someone behind her.

"My Lady."

Uriel turned to see Camael standing behind her dutifully.

"Camael. What is it?"

Camael cleared her throat before straightening her posture. "My Lady, it's about the Young Miss. It seems that… she has inherited wings. Judging by the shift in her Miracle, it appears that Laylah might have…"

Uriel rubbed her chin before nodding. "I see. We'll make preparations then. I'm appointing you as her teacher from henceforth, Camael."

Camael nodded and bowed reverently. "As you wish, My Lady."

May 3, 2007

Wow, it's been a long while since I wrote in here. Almost a year and a half. I still see my doodles in the other pages. A bunch of interesting things happened.

Rias told me she found the black cat I suggested to her 2 years ago. She had to beg her big brother to let her keep it but in the end, Sirzechs caved and let her keep it. Her Rook, Koneko, was a little mad at first but the two got along after a while. I didn't think that Rias would reincarnate a cat as her bishop. She's super weird but she did say she was going to introduce me to her cat. I just hope it doesn't get scared of me and runs away.

Anyway, Mama got Auntie Camael to teach me some things about my wings. Apparently, my birth mom put some weird heart in me. Is it weird? I have 3 hearts now. That's super weird. But enough about that. I know it's been a while since I wrote. The last time I wrote, I became an Exorcist and so did everyone else. That hag, Camael, said I might become a Destroying Angel at this rate.

Aunt Togame sends me things from Japan from time to time and visits me in the summer. She got into university recently and is studying to be a teacher. But Mama told me she got into this school for an internship at a town called Kuoh.

Oh! Tosca is staying with us now officially. Mama got her transferred to Germany, and Irina got a Holy Sword from her dad as a present for officially starting as an Exorcist. I think things are finally looking up for now.

"Lucia!"

A light thud hit the window of her room. She groaned as she placed her pen down on her desk before stalking over.

Irina and Vali stood in the yard, waving at her with grins on their faces. Irina had a wooden katana resting on her shoulder. The cool air of the Alps blew past her, ruffling her shoulder-length hair slightly. Vali crossed his arms, a slight smirk on his face as he looked up at her.

"Okay, okay! Jeez! I'm coming down!" Lucia called back as she closed the window and ran back to her desk. Her pen flew across the page, scribbling a few more words down before she slapped her pen back on the page and ran out of her room.

It took a year and a half, but Mama said we can go on our first official mission as Exorcists.

I wonder what Egypt is like.

Chapter Text

"It's so hot…"

Lucia sat under a tree, fanning herself with a piece of paper. She looked out from under the shade.

The sound of wood smacking against each other echoed through the shore of the creek. Two blurs streaked across the sandy shore, leaving light footprints in their wake. Their steps and footwork were almost on the level of that of a seasoned adult Exorcist. Their movements, while honed, still lacked the precision of experience that came with actual combat.

"Tosca! If you can only do this much then—!" Irina skidded to a stop and dropped her stance. Her wooden sword rested at her side as she took a deep breath.

The air shifted.

Tosca felt it when the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She straightened her posture and spread her feet apart. She held her practice sword in front of her like a fencer. Her eyes narrowed before her heel shifted slightly and she rushed forward.

Her sword's thrust shot slightly past Irina's cheek, who dodged at the last second.

Their swords met once more, clashing with repeated thwacks and cracks as they began to kick up dust in the wake of the renewed fervor of their mocked duel.

Lucia sighed as she leaned forward, sipping her ice-cold juice.

"Just you wait, Vice Captain! I'll catch up to you eventually in sword skills!" Tosca said as she backstepped before darting forward and performing three rapid sword thrusts in quick succession.

[Tosca]

[Estimating overall combat level… Strength: 400, Speed: 550, Durability: 600, Magic: 400, Skills: 750, Overall Combat Capabilities: 2,700]

[Estimating Class - Middle Class]

[Age: 11, Race: Human]

[Special Trait: Holy Sword Wielder (Natural), Demonic Sword Affinity (Conditions not met)]

[Equipment: Elysion Pedion, Light Sword]

Tosca's grown over the past 2 years, Lucia thought as she observed the spar.

Irina's eyes flashed as she parried all three strikes before performing a wide semi-circular swing that forced Tosca back a considerable distance.

[Irina Shidou]

[Estimating overall combat level… Strength: 450, Speed: 600, Durability: 425, Magic: 350, Skills: 900, Overall Combat Capabilities: 2,725]

[Estimating Class - Middle Class]

[Age: 11, Race: Human]

[Special Trait: Apostle, Blessing of Storm (Minor)]

[Equipment: Ame-no-Habakiri]

"Irina's gotten a lot stronger. I'd say aside from you and me, she's the strongest person here."

Lucia looked up to see Vali sitting with his chin on his hand as he observed the fight. A faint blue light pulsated around him.

[That girl… You can gauge her overall strength, can you not?] Albion's voice echoed.

Lucia nodded imperceptibly, taking the moment to gauge Vali.

[Vali Lucifer]

[Estimating overall combat level… Strength: 475, Speed: 595, Durability: 450, Magic: 320, Skills: 865, Overall Combat Capabilities: 2,705]

[Estimating Class - Middle Class]

[Age: 11, Race: Half-Devil]

[Special Trait: Dragon's Aura, Holy Immunity (Granted), Demonic Brilliance of Evil Light (Conditions not met; trait capable of evolving to Paradise Lost)]

[Equipment: Divine Dividing]

"I think Tosca has a good chance at putting a dent in the Vice Captain," Vali smirked as he leaned back against the tree trunk.

"Y-You can do it, T-Tosca! I believe in you!" Asia cupped her hands and cheered Tosca on.

[Asia Argento]

[Estimating overall combat level… Strength: 250, Speed: 550, Durability: 435, Magic: 950, Skills: 500, Overall Combat Capabilities: 2,685]

[Estimating Class - Middle Class]

[Age: 11, Race: Human]

[Special Trait: Dragon-Tamer, Disposition of Saints]

[Equipment: Twilight Healing]

At Asia's cheering, Tosca momentarily turned, but that proved to be her undoing.

Irina capitalized on this immediately and swept Tosca's legs out from under her, knocking the other girl on her back.

Tosca groaned and tried to sit up, but saw the flash of Irina's training sword in her face. She looked up at her senior, sweat trickling down her forehead. She smiled before letting go of her training sword and raising her arms. "I give."

Lucia put her fingers in her mouth and gave a sharp whistle that cracked the serenity of the creekside. "Irina wins! That's…," Lucia glanced at her notepad. She let out a low whistle. "She's almost undefeated! I think Vali's the only one that beat her so far."

Irina helped Tosca to her feet. The girl winced as she spotted a bruise on her left arm.

"I got it," Asia said, rushing over and placing her hands over the bruise.

Tosca sighed as the pain began to ebb. "Don't you have training today, Captain?" Tosca asked.

Lucia shook her head as she sat back down and pulled out a water bottle from her pack. "Not today, no. The old hag is pushing it back because of something important. Mom also said something big was happening today which is why she also invited Rias."

Irina raised an eyebrow as she caught a water bottle from Lucia. She opened it and took a long drink before sighing contentedly. "Rias is coming over? And your Mom invited her over? Usually, Rias just pops on over…"

"It's weird. Ketchup said she had something important to do today. Something about getting married, oh well. Who cares? If it means I don't have to suffer through three hour lectures from the Old Hag, then I'm fine," Lucia smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

Vali closed his book with a loud clap. "Lady Camael's lectures are very useful. Especially when she talks about fighting—"

"All you care about is fighting," Irina said with a deadpan expression on her face.

"I don't! I also like history! Lady Camael knows a lot about that. She said when Auntie Uriel is your General and you're her adjutant, learning about battle tactics involves learning about history. Did you know that Grandmother is the only Fallen Angel to regain her white wings!? Lady Camael said that the Darkness that gave birth to Devils comes from Grandmother splitting her impurity from herself!" Vali said, raising a finger and invading Irina's personal space. His voice grew more intense with each syllable that left his lips.

"Er… yeah, um," Irina took a step back. She glanced at Lucia, who was tearing into a ham sandwich. "C-Captain!"

"What?" Lucia asked.

"D-Do something! Vali's about to go on one of his lectures here!" Irina pleaded.

"I mean, the old lady does say a lot of useful things," Lucia said as she finished her sandwich. She got up and stretched, sighing happily as she felt something pop in her stiff neck. She dusted off her shorts before heading back. "I wouldn't have grown my second pair of wings without her."

"W-Where are you going!?" Irina asked, as Vali continued to go on an impassioned speech about Heaven and Hell.

"Back! Rias is supposed to be here in fifteen minutes," Lucia said.

It was odd at first for a Devil to visit an Exorcist Institute. The last thing any of them thought they were going to see was an Angel befriending a Devil, nevermind seeing a friendship as close as the one their Young Miss had with the Gremory Princess, despite the amount of playful vitriol behind their words. Yet, even after two years, here they were again, bearing witness to a sight that could only be described as miraculous, or to the old guard, blasphemous.

A flash of red light illuminated the front foyer of the Institute. Rias brushed her hair aside as she stepped out, dressed in a casual light-pink hooded shirt and a black skirt. She looked around, waving at a few Priests and Nuns she had gotten along with.

"You brought your peerage this time? Usually, you never bring them," Lucia said, seeing a few more people step out of the glowing red light.

[Yuuto Kiba]

[Estimating Overall Combat Level… Strength: 400, Speed: 600, Durability: 425, Magic: 345, Skills: 875, Overall Combat Level: 2,645]

[Special Trait: N/A]

[Equipment: Sword Birth]

"Ah! Yuuto!"

Yuuto looked up to see Tosca speeding toward him. He smiled and waved at her. "Tosca! It's been a long time!" he said as the two began chatting incessantly about their lives so far.

"Where's your pet cat?" Lucia asked, looking around.

"Ara, Young Miss. You told her that you had a pet cat?" A new voice spoke.

Its owner stepped out of the portal. A girl about her age with long, violet black hair and purple eyes. The girl was dressed in a simplistically designed maid uniform, consisting of a high-collar white button-up with a red brooch and a black vest over. She wore a long black skirt that stopped just above her ankles. Lucia felt a shiver run down her spine.

This girl was weird. Weirder than a lot of people she had met. Her eyes shimmered as she scanned the newcomer.

[Akeno Himejima]

[Estimating overall combat level… Strength: 430, Speed: 545, Durability: 430, Magic: 800, Skills: 515, Overall Combat Level: 2,720]

[Estimating Class - Middle Class]

[Age: 12, Race: Reincarnated Devil, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Destined]

[Special Traits: Queen Piece, Holy Lightning, Fallen Angel Mode (Locked)]

[Equipment: N/A]

"Are you done using your little scouter on my Queen?" Rias suddenly blocked her vision.

Lucia blinked, seeing Rias's stats replace Akeno's, but shut off her Sacred Gear.

"Did she happen to see something good about me, Young Miss? Like… maybe I might be better at magic than you~?" Akeno teased, smiling coyly at Rias.

"Y-You! See what you did! You overinflated her ego!" Rias said.

"I think anyone's better than you at magic," Lucia said.

"Why you!"

The two butted heads, sparks flying between their eyes as their powers began to visibly leak out.

"They're at it again," Vali sighed as he walked into the room. Irina and Asia followed behind him, and Irina let out a sigh of annoyance. She instantly walked over and grabbed Lucia by the back of her collar and dragged her back.

"You better be glad, Rin, is here, Tomato Paste! I'm still in the lead over you!" Lucia laughed as her heels dragged across the wooden floor.

"Oh dear…," Akeno moved forward and restrained Rias before she could lunge at Lucia.

"And you better be glad Akeno is holding me back! And who taught you how to count? We've been even for months!" Rias hissed, struggling against Akeno's enhanced strength.

As the two traded barbs, three more people stepped out of the portal: A shorter girl with white hair and yellow eyes, followed by an older girl with black hair and similar yellow eyes, and finally, a tall man dressed in a white kimono, black hakama, and a wave-patterned haori.

"Young Miss, I must implore you to stop instigating Lady Uriel's daughter," the man said, picking Rias up by the back of her collar.

"S-Souji! Let me go!" Rias said, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

After a few minutes of Rias kicking and struggling, Souji finally set her down. Rias huffed before dusting herself off in an attempt to regain her dignity. She could hear Lucia and Akeno's stifled laughs.

Angels… they're all sadists…, Rias thought. She cleared her throat. "Ahem. This is the rest of my peerage. This is my Rook, Koneko Toujou and my Bishop, her older sister, Kuroka…err Toujou." She gestured to the white haired girl and black haired girl respectively.

"Nyaa, why did you hesitate at that last part?" The older girl, Kuroka, said as her ears twitched.

"Nee-san, you're being disrespectful to Lady Rias," Koneko said, munching on some sweets.

[Kuroka Toujou]

[Estimating Overall Combat Level… Strength: 450, Speed: 530, Durability: 430, Magic: 700, Skills: 630… Overall Combat Level: 2,740]

[Estimating Class: Middle Class]

[Age: 13, Race: Reincarnated Devil, Gender: Female, Marital Status: N/A]

[Special Traits: Bishop, Senjutsu (Beginner), Nekoshou]

[Equipment: None]

[Koneko Toujou]

[Estimating Overall Combat Level… Strength: 600, Speed: 345, Durability: 550, Magic: 425, Skills: 475… Overall Combat Level: 2,395]

[Estimating Class: Middle Class]

[Age: 10, Race: Reincarnated Devil, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Destined]

[Special Traits: Rook, Nekoshou]

[Equipment: Knuckle Dusters]

Lucia's eyes almost bugged out as she glanced back at Kuroka's.

2,740!? She's stronger than Akeno and Irina! She's almost as strong as me and Rias! she thought.

"Hehe! Impressed? Kuroka is the cat I was referring to! I had to beg my big brother to find her and clear her status!" Rias puffed her chest proudly, seeing the look of shock on Lucia's face. "Not only that, but Kuroka has the special youkai ability called Senjutsu!" Rias said, patting Kuroka on the shoulder.

The older girl glanced down at her master with a look that bordered on disappointment. "Nya, Master… you're really competitive, aren't you?"

"Miss Rias. Weird."

"Gahk! K-Koneko…," Rias felt a sharp stab of pain in her chest.

"Ah. You're all here. That's good."

Everyone turned to see Uriel walking into the foyer. Behind her, Camael followed closely.

Lucia stiffened instinctively when she caught Camael's amber gaze. The older angel merely glanced at her before standing at attention beside Uriel.

"I find that your trip over here wasn't too much of a problem, Gremory Princess. Though I am surprised that you volunteered to be the Devil point of contact for this," Uriel said.

"Devil… point of contact?" Lucia turned to her mother, who seemingly ignored what she had said.

"Enough of that for now. I'm sure you're tired. It does make me feel better that Sirzechs sent one of his Peerage Members," Uriel said as she turned away to head back. "I've had people prepare rooms for you and your peerage. For now, you kids can go relax and enjoy yourselves."

Lucia was about to scamper off with her friends when she felt Camael grab her by the back of her shirt. She struggled to escape but Camael's grip remained steadfast. She looked over her shoulder and saw the amused smile on her mother's face.

"Mom…," Lucia began.

"Come to my office, Luci," Uriel said, gesturing for Camael to bring her.

"Eh? Wait? I can walk—"

It was too late. Camael slung Lucia over her shoulder, carrying her like a sack of potatoes up the stairs.

"Eh? Wait! I can walk!" Lucia uselessly beat her fists against her teacher's back.

Lucia crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks, refusing to look at her mother, who had an apologetic smile on her face. The nerve of her mother and the old hag dragging her off like that. She could hear the others' cheerful screams as they ran around and played in the yard in the back.

Uriel's office had changed very little since she had adopted Lucia. The only new things were trophies Lucia had won at school, lined up neatly inside a glass display case. Her black-violet eyes flicked back over to her mother, who was still looking at her expectantly.

"Mom said she was sorry, Lucia," Uriel said.

"..Mmmhh…" Lucia huffed and closed her eyes after looking away once more.

"If I help you with the training Camael gives you, will you listen?"

Lucia cracked open a single eye, seeing the twinkle in her mother's eye. She sighed and straightened her posture, barely able to keep the excitement out of her voice. "M-Maybe. The old hag's teaching is hard to understand sometimes."

Uriel nodded. "Ah! Before that, I wanted to give you this. Usually, we'd have to go to the Vatican to give this to you but I figured I'd do it myself since I'm your mother."

Lucia leaned forward as Uriel produced a small golden medallion in the palm of her hand. It had the image of a priest with several characters in Latin. This was it. The medallion carried by all Exorcists. She took the medallion and seeing the inscriptions carved into the cross on the reverse side.

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux! Nunquam Draco Sit Mihi Dux!

"May the Holy Cross be my light… May the Dragon never be my Lord," Lucia whispered as she reverently traced the Latin inscription. Her head whipped up to meet her mother's blue eyes. "D-Does this mean? Does this mean that—"

Uriel raised her hand, stopping Lucia's train of thought before it could even finish. "No, not yet. This is a probationary medallion. Because of you and the others' unique circumstances regarding being a part of my Institute, there have been a few higher-ups in the Church worried about your qualifications. Most Exorcists in the Church are enrolled in a preparatory course in the Vatican before being sent to an Institute, whether it be the Saint Mary's Institute in Sicily or Saint George's Cathedral in Turkey, depending on their denomination. However, you have been affiliated with this Institute since you were young as were your friends, therefore, special consideration has been taken when it came to you."

Lucia gripped the medallion and nodded.

"Therefore, the Vatican and the Archangels demand that you and your team prove yourselves through field experience. Exorcist teams of your age are already out there collecting experience by performing low-level exorcisms with an approved Priest. The same goes for Islam and Judaism, but rather than the Pope, they have their Imam and their Rabbi overseeing the human operation. Are you listening so far?" Uriel said, folding her hands together and giving her daughter the most detached stare Lucia had ever seen.

Her mother was no longer talking as her mother but as her superior officer.

Lucia gulped and tried to still her racing heart.

"I'll have the official details of the case in a few days. However, due to some circumstances regarding the case, we had to employ an off-the-books cooperation with the Underworld, do you understand?" Uriel said.

Lucia stiffened before nodding. "Y-You think a Stray Devil is occupying a Church. A-And this Stray Devil may have connections to a major family in Devil Society…"

Uriel smiled. "You really are my daughter. But yes, because of the nature of this case, I had ask for assistance from the Underworld."

"But Mama, even if it as a Stray Devil, my friends and I are more than capable of handling it—"

"Normally, yes, but the demonic energy is…"

Lucia's eyes widened as she heard the words come out of her mother's mouth. She nodded and looked down, suddenly finding the floor interesting. "Is that why Rias is coming with us?"

Uriel calmly took a sip of her coffee. "As overprotective as Sirzechs is, her parents want her to get real life experience for when she has to become the head of the Gremory Household." She had a wry smile on her face. "And since you two are best friends, I might as well send her with you."

Lucia prodded the wooden floorboards with the tip of her shoe. "And after this, I get to be an official Exorcist like Evelyn and Adam?"

"That's the plan, though for you, your status as a Miracle Child means that you might end up becoming a Destroying Angel instead," Uriel leaned forward, folding her hands as she gauged her daughter's reaction.

Lucia took in a sharp inhale and squared her shoulders. She opened her mouth to speak but Uriel raised her hand to cut her off.

"I'll give you and the others a proper mission briefing later. But for now, go relax and enjoy with your friends. Griselda's team should be here before the end of the week. And don't forget to continue your lessons with Camael. There's a reason I asked her to help me train you," Uriel said.

Lucia closed her mouth and nodded.

"You know… Mom said I can go have fun with my friends…" Lucia said.

"So why are we in the middle of the woods, you Old Hag!?"

Lucia thrashed as she tried to break free from the golden chains that had her bound to a tree. She glared at the person responsible for her current predicament. Camael sat on a rock, reading a book while sucking on a lollipop. Her hazel eyes flicked upward, looking at her superior's daughter. She let out a sigh and popped the lollipop out of her mouth.

"You would have run off if I didn't tie you up. Besides, I've been busy lately, so I haven't been able to properly teach you," Camael said, snapping her fingers.

The chains dissipated into harmless sparkles of yellow light.

Lucia huffed and rubbed her wrists, glaring half-heartedly at the older Angel.

"Let's get back to what we were talking about the other day." Camael produced a rod made of orange light in her hand and began to draw on the dirt in front of her. "I'm sure Lady Uriel taught you about Holy Power when you were younger."

Lucia nodded.

Camael continued to draw on the dirt until she drew something vaguely resembling a seed. Or was it a heart? Lucia wasn't too sure.

"Angel anatomy differs from Human or even Devil Anatomy. Whether you're a Fallen Angel or a Pure Angel, we all have this organ in our body. I want to say organ but that's not what it really is," Camael said as she drew a circle around the picture. "But I like to call it that. It's like a second heart. A part of our soul. It's called a Fruit of Life. It is the foundation of our divinity and the source of our holy and light powers." She tapped her drawing lightly.

"Even Nephilim like you and that reincarnated Queen from the Gremory Princess's Peerage has one."

Camael drew another picture in the sand, a square. "It is the basis for the Sacred Factor that Apostles have. However, unlike Apostles, Angels don't need to borrow Holy Power from the System. Our Fruit of Life makes its own. You could say that we contain a miniature version of the Holy System within our bodies."

Lucia nodded along, trying to find out why Camael was giving her such a basic lesson on Angel Biology she had heard a dozen times from Father Ferdinand.

"You're probably wondering why I'm telling you this. Well, Lady Uriel told me all my lessons have been vague up to this point so I might as well connect it to something you know," she said, putting the stick down and standing up.

Her eyes flowed as two halos appeared above her head. She unfurled all six pairs of her wings but Lucia noticed something fundamentally different about Camael. Unlike the other Seraphs, Camael's wings were a mix of colors. She had three pairs of snow-white wings and her lower pair of wings were a light orange sheen that faded to yellow.

"Woah! How are your wings like that?" Lucia asked, leaning forward to get a better look.

"Before I became a Seraph, I only had 3 pairs of wings," Camael said. "But… I inherited wings from another Angel."

"Inherited… wings?" Lucia pulled away and cocked her head slightly in confusion.

Camael retracted her wings and nodded. "It's a heavy topic but it is one of the, if not, the most sacred concept among Angels and even the Fallen Angels in the Grigori. Wing Inheritance. It is the most earnest prayer an Angel can make at the end of their life… for their wings to continue soaring across the sky as it once did when that Angel was alive. And it is done by passing their Fruit of Life onto another Angel. It is an intimate and sacred process and is only usually done when an Angel unequivocally trusts and cherishes another Angel more than they do themselves.

"For other Angels, it is the ultimate act of love one Angel can have for another to have their wings let another Angel soar to even greater heights or even for their wings to serve as a bond, a reminder, or a shield for that other Angel."

Lucia's breath caught in her throat as Camael focused her gaze on her.

"Laylah must have given you her Fruit of Life prior to her death, which is why you can manifest her wings and a second halo above your head," Camael finished.

"Mother did that… for me? Why? She could have just left me and flew off? Why did she—?"

"Because for the same reason your father sacrificed himself or why Lady Uriel almost tore apart an entire country for you, it is the greatest act of love she, as an Angel, could ever do for her daughter," she replied.

Lucia remained quiet for a few moments. A few moments of silence passed between them before Camael continued. "It does come with a lot of benefits in addition to the new wings. For Angels, it gives the receiver the Angel's Power of God. Of course, this doesn't apply to you."

"Eh?" Lucia's head shot up and looked at her mentor.

"You and Laylah possess the same Power of God, therefore, it shouldn't affect you too much beyond enhancing your existing Power of God. I, on the other hand, possess two Powers of God. One, which is my original one, and the other belongs to the Angel that gave me his wings," Camael said.

Lucia furrowed her brow as she tried to digest the massive amount of information she had been given. She picked up a stick and poked at the drawing of the Fruit of Life before a question popped into her mind. "If… Angels can give away a Fruit of Life to other Angels, what happens if someone who isn't an Angel receives a Fruit of Life?"

Camael looked at her oddly before answering. "Well, the answer is simple, isn't it? They'd die. The only being though I know that tried to consume an Angel's Fruit of Life is the Lord of Gluttony, Beelzebub, but he detonated… supposedly. I wasn't there, so I say how true that statement is," she replied.

"What about Lucifer? He's a Devil born from Auntie Helel. The stories say he was born when Auntie Helel separated her own darkness from her wings. Does he have a Fruit of Life too?" Lucia asked.

Camael furrowed her brow. "Indeed, he might have one. After all, Lucifer was one of two Devils capable of holding Holy Power inside their bodies. The other one is… wait, we're getting off-topic. We need to make sure you can properly access Laylah's wings," she said, shaking her head.

"How do I do that?" Lucia asked.

"If I can recall correctly, you seemed to be able to access it back then when your emotions ran wild. However, we can't do that here, can we? Being unable to willingly access your extra wings can be a hindrance in combat," her mentor said.

Lucia clenched her fists and nodded.

"The first step is sensing it. With you, it will be difficult. You and Laylah are related by blood, meaning that her Holy Power will almost be indistinguishable from yours," Camael said.

Lucia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused on the source of her Holy Power. It was a resounding and rhythmic thrum, similar to a heartbeat. She could feel regular pulses of warm energy emanating from inside it, and as she delved deeper within, she could feel a slightly different frequency from her own.

She tugged at it the same way she did when she first learned how to utilize Holy Power. It was a warm and comforting energy and reminded Lucia of her mother. Not her birth mother, but Uriel. She felt the warmth wrap around her completely and felt completely energized, like she could take on anything and anyone.

Lucia opened her eyes when she heard a low whistle escape Camael's lips. She turned to see a third pair of wings, black as night and tips brightening to a glowing purple beneath her own white wings. Above her head, her halo had a second one above it. "Woah! I look… like a half Fallen Angel."

"The wings you inherit are typically the same color as the Holy Power of the one that gave them to you. With Laylah, I guess it's black and violet," the older Angel said.

Lucia flapped her wings slowly, getting used to the fact that she now had three pairs of wings.

"Now what?" Lucia asked.

"Now? Now we see just how much stronger Leliel has gotten now that you can use Laylah's wings," Camael said.

"Ah. Look who decided to join us. Did you have fun getting tossed around like a ragdoll by Lady Camael, Pigeon?"

Lucia's eyebrow twitched as she walked into the common area to see her friends all doing something. Vali and Akeno were locked in a game of Yu-Gi-Oh. Irina and Asia watched from the sidelines, their attentions fully invested in the two's plays. Koneko had her head on her sister's lap as she read a book and Kuroka looked like she was about to doze off.

"Where's Tosca and Yuuto?" Lucia asked.

"Outside. They're—"

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! We said no Sacred Gears!" Yuuto's voice echoed from the window.

"Well, why did you use [Sword Birth] then?" Lucia heard Tosca snap back.

Lucia sighed as she sat down next to Rias, causing the other girl to scoot away. Rias's nose curled as she covered it. "You smell like sweat. Go change!"

Lucia rolled her eyes and leaned back. She took a sniff of her shirt and raised an eyebrow. "I don't smell anything."

"Ugh! I can't even with you!" Rias threw her hands up, crossing her arms and huffing as she leaned back in her chair. Her blue eyes glanced out of the corner of her eye as she let out a heavy sigh. "So? What did your Mom talk to you about? You were gone for like a bajillion hours."

Lucia leaned forward, snatching the snacks from Vali.

"Hey! That's my—"

"I'm going to synchro summon," Akeno said.

"What!?" Vali snapped his head back to the game.

Lucia snickered as she reached into the bag of chips and popped some into her mouth.

"So you can smile," Rias said.

"Shut up," Lucia bit back as she chewed on the chips. Her face returned to its usual expressionless demeanor. She sat there for a few seconds, savoring the taste of her chips before speaking. "Mom said this is going to be the beginning of our field experience so an experienced Exorcist team is coming here by the end of the week to come with us."

"Did your Mom say why I'm here?" The crimson-haired girl reached into the bag, grabbing a fistful of chips.

"No clue. Just said the Devil might belong to a major house," Lucia replied, stuffing her face full with her snacks.

Rias nodded as she ate her chips, albeit at a slower pace than her friend.

"What if it's a super duper powerful devil?" Lucia said suddenly. She put the bag down next to her and smiled at Rias.

It was a grin Rias had seen one too many times now. The last time Rias had seen it, Lucia had taken her deep into the woods, where the two got into a fight with a bear. It was nothing for them, but still, Rias knew this meant Lucia's train of thought was drifting into something borderline psychotic.

"We're gonna get in trouble, Kusotori. Remember the last time we went out. My mom scolded us for three hours," Rias said, furrowing her brow.

"Yeah, but that's different! Think about it! They sent your big brother's Knight here, it could be some super powerful ancient demon that even devils are scared of!" Lucia whispered in a conspiratorial manner.

"Okay, but… what if we can't beat it—"

"We can! I mean, Selda is coming over at the end of the week, and your brother's knight is here. Also, don't tell my Mom how I know this. I kinda snuck into her office and stole some papers, but there's supposed to be some super ancient God sealed in the water near this town," Lucia said.

Rias's eyes widened considerably. "A God!?" Rias hissed.

"Yeah! All we need to do is push it into the water and the God will take care of everything!" Lucia said, looking proud of her "plan". "And if he can fly, well you can fly and I can fly and we're both pretty strong! I'm sure we can beat him up."

Rias looked unsure for a few seconds.

"Did you finish Apollyon?"

Rias shook her head. "You idiot! Shut up! That's supposed to be my super duper secret technique to beat my older brother and take his crown—"

"Take whose crown?"

Rias and Lucia jumped off their seats, turning to see Souji leaning on the head of the couch with a grin on his face. Rias's cheeks turned red and she puffed them, pointing a shaky finger at the swordsman. "Y-You! How dare you sneak up on a lady like that!?"

"I don't see one here," Lucia replied.

"Shut up, pigeon!" Rias snapped, stomping on Lucia's foot.

"Ow! Hey! Watch it, Tomato Paste!" Lucia hissed, grabbing her foot.

"What's this I hear about you taking your brother's crown, Young Miss? And you're even enlisting an angel to do it," Souji said in a teasing voice.

If it were possible for Rias's face to turn even redder, this was probably it. Rias clenched her fists and shot her hand forward. An amorphous mass of demonic energy shot forward, twisting into an arm and attempted to grab Souji, who dodged at the last minute.

"Get back here!" Rias shrieked as she ran after her brother's knight.

The week came and went. Lucia continued her training with Camael, while the rest of her group made their own last minute preparations. Surprisingly, Rias jumped in on one of Lucia's training sessions when Camael found her spying on them, causing the two to be thrown through several trees which resulted in multiple healing sessions from Asia. And so, the fateful day came at long last. Lucia yawned as Irina dragged her by the arm to the courtyard of the Institution where the others waited.

"Why are we up so early…?" Lucia whined as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. She looked around, seeing Vali with an oversized pack on his back and dressed in an all-white cotton, long-sleeved shirt with a black buff around his neck and a white hat. He wore black convertible pants that went along with his dark grey hiking shoes.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Lucia asked.

Vali crossed his arms. "I'll have you know that Mom picked this out for me. She said it'll help since we're going to the desert. Keeps the wind flowing."

"And the bag…?" Irina asked.

"Are you two kidding me!? This is EGYPT we're going to! Egypt!" Vali waved his arms around. "Just imagine it. Egypt has one of the oldest pantheons on the planet. Some of the oldest gods live in Egypt. Can you imagine what kind of super cool stuff we can find?"

"Is there a pickaxe somewhere in there?" Tosca chimed in.

"You guys don't understand how cool this stuff is," Vali pulled a small booklet from his backpack. He opened a random page and slapped it with his hand. "See here. This is the Sun God Ra, one of the strongest Gods in the world. Legend has it that his Disk of the Sun got destroyed when he battled the God of the Cataclysm alongside the other Middle Eastern Gods during the Great Flood thousands of years ago, and the fragments are scattered across the desert!"

"And who told you that?" Rias asked as she walked over.

"Azazel did. He showed me a bunch of other cool stuff too when he came to visit last time," Vali said as he rummaged through his backpack. "He also gave my mom some stuff that she handed to me because she said I needed it more…"

"I think Vali's stuff is cool. I-I'd also like to learn more about the ancient world," Asia said.

Vali smiled smugly. "See? Asia gets it."

"I see you five are as lively as always."

Lucia's eyes widened when she heard a familiar voice behind her. She immediately turned on her feet, and a rare smile broke out across her face. "Selda!"

Griselda smiled warmly as she caught the charging Lucia, wrapping her arms around the younger girl's smaller frame.

Lucia peeked up from her spot, grinning. "Mom told me you were going to be our chaperone!"

"Me and my team, yes," Griselda ruffled Lucia's hair, causing the half-angel to swat her hand away.

"I'm not a baby anymore, Selda. I'm twelve years old!" Lucia huffed. She crossed her arms and tried to stand on her tiptoes.

"Twelve is still a baby, Squirt," Griselda said. "I'll introduce you to my team later. It looks like your Mom is preparing an announcement. Oh, yeah, your Mom is going to put someone on your team."

"Eh? A new teammate?"

"Yes, like you, she also has some circumstances that didn't allow her to attend a proper Exorcist training academy," Griselda said.

Lucia just nodded slowly.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Griselda said before she flicked Lucia's forehead and walked off.

Lucia smiled, placing her hand over the spot on her forehead.

"At least it's Selda," Irina said.

Lucia nodded and smiled softly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother entering the courtyard, followed by a girl wearing a hooded cloak. The girl had a large black case strapped to her back and Lucia could make out the silver hair and reddish-pink eyes from beneath her hood. However, it was not the girl's exotic features that caught her attention. No, it was the striking sensation of Holy Power that radiated from the girl.

"I assume that everyone is here," Uriel said, clearing her throat loudly.

All other conversations in the courtyard died as Uriel began to speak. "As you know, today is a historic joint venture between the Underworld and Heaven. While it may be low in the rankings of missions that I have no doubt the chaperones in this room have undertaken, it is still important considering the context of the situation regarding Heaven, Hell, and the Grigori."

Lucia remained quiet as her mother droned on, choosing instead to eye the girl who stood next to her mother. She was about to activate the [Warning System] when details of the mission began to leave her mother's lips.

"Now, I will provide the mission briefing to all those present," Uriel said. She snapped her fingers and a projection of a small town on a cliff, overlooking a large expanse of black churning waters appeared before them.

"This is the coastal town of Akdilek. Recently, we've been detecting large amounts of demonic power and by working with officials in the Devil Government, we were able to positively identify the energy as belonging to one of the Four Satan Families. Asmodeus," Uriel said.

A-Asmodeus!? One of the Four Satans! So it is a SUPER DUPER POWERFUL DEVIL! Lucia thought giddily. I can feel my blood boiling! A creepy laugh escaped from Lucia's lips, unnerving her companions considerably.

"The fact that there's a high chance it could be a descendant of Asmodeus is why we had the Underworld get involved so we will be working with them on this assignment," Uriel said. She swiped her hand, causing the image of a small church to appear on the screen.

"We will be occupying this location. This is the Church of Freedom by the Red Sea. It's an Evangelical Church set up by an American televangelist named David King. This Church will be our base of operations for the duration of this assignment. We sent Exorcists ahead to scout the area and establish a point of contact between us and the pastor, but we have yet to receive word from them." Uriel swiped her hand and the images faded from the screen.

"Which brings me to our mission objectives. Your goal is to find this stray devil descendant with connections to Asmodeus and locate the missing cell of Exorcists that we sent over there. This is an official joint operation between Okita Souji, Knight of Sirzechs, accompanied by the Gremory Peerage, Team Lucia, and Team Griselda," Uriel finished.

"Ehh? Team Lucia! But Mom! I had a team name picked out already!" Lucia said.

Uriel ignored her daughter's words before continuing. "The mission will begin at 0900 hours. You have the remainder of this hour to gather anything you may need. Each team leader will receive a small sealed folder with intel on the objective and the area. Good luck and may God bless you all."

15, July, 2007 11:09 AM

Akdilek was every bit the small coastal Middle Eastern town that Lucia had seen in novels. All of the buildings were built with the thought of keeping things cool in mind, despite the cool breeze that blew in from the Red Sea. The streets were lined with people, people on mopeds, and the occasional car. Various stalls were selling a myriad of items ranging from everyday groceries to handcrafted rugs.

Lucia tugged at the collar of her habit, letting out a breathy sigh. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she walked through the empty streets of Akdilek. As someone from naturally colder weather, Lucia hated the heat. She wiped some sweat off her brow and looked around. Everyone else was exploring the streets of Akdilek. Her eyes drifted forward. In front of her, she saw the hooded girl inspecting several fruits that were on display.

This girl.

Her mom just dropped her out of nowhere. Lucia had half a mind to go and demand answers from the girl but decided not to. Instead, Lucia walked up to her silently, trying to think of a way to greet her. She furrowed her brow as a million thoughts raced through her mind on what to say without being perceived as careless.

She never noticed that she was being stared at when a voice next to her startled her out of her reverie.

"What are you doing?" the girl said, pulling her hood down. Her silver hair was styled in a twin-tail fashion with black ribbons.

"E-Eh?"

"You've been staring at me for like five minutes," the girl said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"I-I was just wondering who you are. Mom just dropped you in on my team without saying anything. My name is Lucia, I'm the team captain and you are—"

The girl just walked past her into the crowd. "Sora. My name is Sora."

"Huh?" Lucia turned to see the girl was already several steps away from her. She spun on her heel and sped-walked after her. "W-Wait! We're supposed to stick together! Since you're part of my team, I need to know who you are—"

Lucia collided with something soft and stumbled back. She rubbed her nose, feeling the urge to sneeze building up in the back of her sinuses. Her gaze slowly moved upward and her eyes widened when she saw a woman several years older than she was looking down at her.

The woman had long crimson hair flowing down her back and an ahoge that angled sharply down the left side of her head. She wore a white and black halterneck, asymmetrical dress with a single white thigh-high on her right leg and a black strap on her left leg. The sleeves on her dress were detached from the main cloth, with the left being larger than the other.

"R-Rias…?" Lucia said instinctively.

The woman's eyes narrowed ever so slightly before she spoke. "Who is… Rias?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry! It's just you looked like my friend," Lucia blinked, suddenly feeling embarrassed at her slip-up.

Then again, the woman's appearance was so similar to Rias's that it was uncanny. Yet, there was something about her that threw Lucia off.

"Is there something wrong?" the woman asked.

"No, sorry, I just spaced off. Um, sorry about that Miss…?"

"Shirona. Just call me Shirona. I think your friend is waiting for you up ahead," Shirona said as she pointed over to Sora, who was tapping her foot impatiently. She turned back to thank the woman, only for her to see nothing. Lucia looked around and saw Shirona disappearing into the crowd behind them.

"What a weird lady but…"

"But what?"

Lucia saw Sora walking up to her. "I could've sworn that lady was a Devil."

"Is she the target we were sent to take out?" Sora asked, reaching for the black case on her back.

"No… she's a Devil, but I think I felt Holy Power coming from her too," Lucia replied.

Sora said nothing and turned to walk away. "Maybe the heat is getting to you. I'm not about to work under someone so incompetent. Come on, Captain. Let's go see if we can get you something to drink."

Lucia bristled as she followed after Sora. Incompetent? This bitch…

All that could be heard was the sound of heavy breathing and rhythmic chanting as an energy took hold of the room. The sounds echoed off the freshly coated wooden walls. Parishioners lined the pews, all of them staring fervently at the altar before them. All of them had smiles plastered on their faces as they all chanted in unison for salvation.

The crucifix that hung on the wall and the image of the Messiah that looked down at them through the stained glass window all bore witness to this mockery as faint moonlight filtered through the colored glass.

A man stood at the front, the moonlight reflecting off his white vestments as he lifted his hands.

"Brothers and Sisters!" The man gestured to the crowd flamboyantly. His golden eyes glinted in the fluorescent lightning. "Tonight, we stand here on the precipice of glory! The salvation we have so longed for! The evils of Babylon lay beyond Akdilek, my brethren. Evil men and women who seek to persecute you and usher in the end times!"

He swept his pointed finger out over the crowd. "But worry not my friends, for just as Jesus offered himself up on the cross and took on our sins, so shall we take on each others' sins. The time of rapture is at hand, dear brothers and sisters!" he said as the crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers and claps.

Some of the men and women cried profusely, tears of joy and happiness streamed down their faces as they exchanged hugs.

"Now! Who shall take up the cross of Jesus tonight!? Who shall offer themselves as the Lamb to God in order to take on our sins, for it is through you that we shall know salvation and it is through me that God shall hear our earnest pleas to be liberated from a world where the evils of the elite and those who seek to take your children!" the man said.

"I will, Father!" A woman stood from the crowd. She was dressed in a white dress and her curly black hair bounced as she walked to the forefront of the altar. She had a gleeful smile on her face as she fervently prayed to the crucifix hanging above her.

Behind her, the congregation cheered and prayed, singing praises to God as the woman presented herself.

"Brothers and Sisters, Jesus once broke bread and told his disciples, 'This is my body, which has given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise, when they finished eating, he took the cup and said, 'Take this and drink of it for this is my blood, which has been poured out for you and for many! Do this in remembrance of me!' Our sister has offered her body for us, for our sins! O' God in Heaven! O' Angels above! Please accept her into your loving embrace!" the Priest said as he produced a dagger from his sleeves.

The sacrificial woman cried tears of joy as she stepped forward onto the altar, kneeling and spreading her arms.

Without wasting any more time, the priest walked around her and held her shoulder firmly. "Sister, with this, the Pleasant One shall welcome you into Their loving embrace!" He ran the dagger across her throat, causing blood to pour out of it.

He grabbed a golden goblet from the altar and placed it below the wound, collecting the blood as the woman gurgled words of joy and happiness before collapsing to the ground.

"Blessed be God in the Highest! Blessed be the Pleasant One who rules eternally in Heaven! For you gave us your only Son and he sacrificed himself for our sins!" the congregation chanted feverishly as the Priest walked forth to a large basin.

He poured the woman's fresh blood into the basin, causing faint indecipherable symbols to appear faintly. Streams of dark blue light streamed in from the window, collecting within the symbols, causing their light to grow stronger.

"My Brothers and Sisters, we are almost at hand! God has given me a revelation!" The priest said. "For on the seventh night, we shall be freed!"

The crowd cheered and prayed fervently.

All the while, the Priest looked out at them. A crazed smile twisted his lips as a dim violet light glowed softly beneath his vestments.

Chapter Text

She found herself staring at nothing.

Nothing was the only word she could describe it as. The skies above had torn open at the seams, swallowing the stars above in an inescapable darkness. Beside her, the bodies of people she had never met lay strewn across the ground.

"What the hell is going on here—"

"Chokmah... or do you like being called Sophia now?"

Lucia blinked as she turned around. Her breath caught in her throat as she found herself staring into an impossibly large pair of eyes. The eyes were the size of skyscrapers and surrounded by a maddening field of nothingness that seemed to stretch out beyond the grasp of infinity. It narrowed its eyes as its gaze bore into hers.

"Look at how you wasted your efforts… how both of you wasted your efforts… do you feel like a hero, yet?"

Lucia took a step back, clenching her fists as her body shook. Her jaw tightened as she looked the being in the eyes. "What are you talking about? Who the hell is Chokmah!?"

The being remained silent as it gazed through her. Lucia narrowed her eyes before turning her shoulder to stare at a decrepit being with flowing white hair. Its vaguely female humanoid form was cracked in multiple places yet its most striking feature was its lack of a face. Or rather, its purposeful lack of a face. Its skull looked as if it had been gouged out, leaving nothing but a swirling black hole.

Lucia took a step back as the figure extended a bony finger, black mist wafted out, tinged in blues, violets, and reds as it "gazed" at the pair of eyes behind her.

"W-What the hell are you? A-Are you…?" Lucia asked.

The faceless figure said nothing as it turned its featureless gaze toward her. The figure seemed so familiar, yet Lucia couldn't place a finger on where she had seen her before.

"...," the figure tilted its head before it made a noise that strung together into words.

"What?" Lucia strained her ears to hear what it had said.

"Heat of the moment!"

Lucia's eyes snapped open as she shot up in bed, the springs creaking under her. A bead of cold sweat trickled down her forehead as she looked around. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she fought to get a bearing on her surroundings. The slightly yellowed plaster above her and the out-of-place style of curtain all brought her back to the moment.

"Ah, morning, Luci."

Lucia turned around to see Griselda slipping on her Exorcist gear. The older woman smiled as she adjusted her suit, her fingers finding purchase on the edge of the tight fabric that seemed to hug every curve of her body.

"Selda, really? Asia?" Lucia asked.

"What? This was your favorite song when you were little," Griselda said as she tightened the laces on her boots.

"Yeah, and if I have to hear it again, I'm going to break your alarm clock," Lucia rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes as she swung her legs over the bed.

Griselda smirked playfully at her former charge before pressing the button on the radio of the motel alarm clock. Lucia groaned and grabbed a pillow, wrapping it around her head as the song became increasingly louder much to her annoyance.

"What? I'm sorry, I can't hear you!" Griselda said.

After several minutes of trying to rip the alarm clock from Griselda's grip, Lucia finally got dressed. She adjusted the collar of her modified habit and tightened the laces on her boots. She adjusted her belt and tugged at her sleeves, making sure that her arm wraps and braces were on. Attached to her brace was the shiny new toy her mother had gotten her as a commencement gift. The silver gleam of the hilt shone as the light momentarily reflected off it.

Lucia sighed as she tied her hair back in a ponytail and looked in the mirror. The medal of St. Benedict gleamed brightly on the left breast of her habit.

"You look official now."

She turned around to see Griselda smiling softly at her. "You've come far in five years. Ready?"

Lucia felt a smile creeping onto her lips as she turned back to the mirror. She nodded imperceptibly. "Yeah. I'll make Mom proud. Just you watch."

And to think this morning was off to such a good start…

Lucia stole a glance from Sora's face. The girl's gaze was firmly fixed ahead as she walked ahead of the rest of them. Griselda had suggested that they split into their respective teams to scope out the town. Of course, Lucia had nearly forgotten about her newest teammate. She sighed as she looked to the others for help, only for them to be talking to the locals.

Lucia let out a silent curse under her breath before scanning Sora.

[Melsora Bonifacio]

[Estimating overall combat level… Strength: 450, Speed: 575, Durability: 420, Magic: 350, Skills: 900, Overall Combat Level: 2,695]

[Estimating Class - Middle Class]

[Age: 12, Race: Human… detecting distant divine ancestry, Marital Status: N/A]

[Special Trait: Apostle, Blessing of the Night Lord (Minor), Ain Soph Aur]

[Equipment: Glorious Afterglow]

"Ain… Soph… Aur? That's Uncle Michael's Miracle," Lucia mumbled. "H-Hey! Wait! Are you by any chance that girl that Uncle Michael took in—" She reached out to grab Sora's arm when the girl turned and swatted her arm away.

Sora said nothing before noticing the glowing swirls in Lucia's eyes. Her eyes narrowed into slits. "You scanned me, didn't you?"

"Y-Yeah…?"

"Was it everything you hoped to learn? Did prying into my personal life like I'm sort of Pokedex entry make you feel better?" Sora said, taking a step further into Lucia's personal space.

"W-What? What are you talking about—"

"Tch, I can't believe Father stuck me on a team with an incompetent girl," Sora clicked her tongue.

"I-Incompetent? Excuse me!" Lucia's shoulders stiffened as she glared at Sora. She clenched and unclenched her fists as her black eyes clashed with the girl's pink ones.

"Listen. Stay out of my way. You may be the captain, but I like to do things on my own." And with that, Sora turned on her heel and marched off into the crowd of people.

Lucia weakly reached out to her before her arm fell to her side, and she sighed. "Damn it, Mom. You managed to find someone worse at socializing than me…," Lucia shook her head before yelling after her. "For the record! It doesn't let me see your past, you jerk! It just lets me see a bunch of numbers!"

Sora ignored her and kept walking.

"Bitch…"

"Ooh, you said a bad word."

Lucia jumped and turned to see Irina standing next to her with a small smile on her face.

Irina's smile morphed into a smirk as she crossed her arms before looking at Sora, who was brooding in the distance while looking at the local food. "So. She seems nice. Great addition to the team."

"Are you being sarcastic right now?" Lucia pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Nope. I mean it," Irina said.

"You're quite the optimist."

"I try to. After all, you're a downer. The new girl's a downer. Asia's too much of a sweetheart to ever say anything back. Tosca's too engrossed in swords and Vali… well, he's Vali." Irina glanced over her shoulder at Vali.

Vali's gaze was fixated on some Egyptian artifacts that one of the vendors was selling. Or rather, Vali was talking the vendor's ear off about the significance of some of the artifacts.

"Please don't tell me that Vali is carrying our allowance," Lucia said.

"No. I am," Irina said.

"Thank god for that," Lucia said as she approached one of the stalls. "Still, it would be nice if she made an effort to get along with the rest of us. We're supposed to be a team!" Lucia said, shooting Sora a look, which was promptly ignored as the girl was too busy looking through items at another stall.

Irina snorted. "Yeah, like you're the most social person here. But you should cut her some slack," she said as she picked up a handcrafted necklace. "Your mom did tell you a bit about her, right?"

Lucia's hand paused just shy of a handcrafted lapis lazuli necklace. Her lips thinned into a line before she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Yeah…", she said quietly. Lucia pulled her hand back and gripped the sides of her hair. "But at least she should try to talk to us! I mean, if Uncle Mike took her in, she's my cousin right? That means—"

"Doesn't mean she has to talk to you. Have you ever talked to your grandparents?" Irina asked.

"Well, no—"

"There you go!" Irina said.

"Auntie Togame told me not to," Lucia said.

"Same difference."

Lucia shook her head before she picked up the small lapis lazuli necklace and held it in her hands. She narrowed her eyes as she saw some faded text carved into every other bead. It was too faint for her to make out but the runes seemed oddly familiar. Her eyes glowed as she scanned the text with the [Warning System].

[Scanning runes. Runes are Goetic in origin. Would you like to translate?]

Lucia furrowed her brow. Goetic in origin? That's… the language of Devils in the Underworld. Why the hell would this random bystander have a…? Lucia felt a chill run down her spine. Her eyes flicked up to the vendor, who had been staring at her for too long in a way that was too unnatural. Her smile, while wide, was genuinely disturbing and for the first time, she noticed that it lacked a sort of natural feeling to it.

"How much for two of these?" Irina asked, oblivious to her leader's distress.

"That would be 50 Egyptian Pounds, little lady," the woman smiled kindly. However, the smile seemed off. It was as if the woman was trying to imitate a smile.

"I… Miss? Where did you get these? I want to get some for my mom too," Lucia suddenly said, taking the necklaces from Irina's hand.

For a split second, Lucia saw the mask crack and the smile lower ever so slightly. The woman eyed her. Her blue eyes gazed into hers, as if determining her worth. Lucia gulped imperceptibly as she waited for the woman's answer.

"Why, it's actually handmade here in Akdilek. A lot of us aren't from here, you know, and money was tough movin' here. But as you know, the Lord provides for all, even the downtrodden and the lost. Yep, we were like lost little lambs. These tchotchkes are our way of showin' our love for the Lord, our God, to visitors," the woman said, her accent containing a hint of a southern drawl to it.

"Er… right," Lucia said as she looked back down at the necklace.

[In Nothingness, we find God. Only the Pleasant One can set us free.]

Lucia looked back up at the woman, noticing her smile had never dropped during the duration of the conversation. "You wouldn't happen to have noticed anything… strange, did you?"

The woman placed a delicate finger up to her chin and tapped it as she thought. "Why… I can't say that I have. Everythin' seems to be going along just swimmingly."

"Nothing at all?" Irina asked. "S-Sorry, we're on a field trip with our class! You know… Catholic school and all. Mother Superior asked us to help people out in town."

The vendor gasped. "Well, isn't that just lovely? Aren't you two such cute little things? But, I swear as the sky is blue that nothing's amiss in our lovely little town. Since ya'll are from out of town, why don't you come with your little Bible study group to the mass later this evening? Father David holds a wonderful homily that I'm sure would resonate with ya'll." She leaned forward, causing the two girls to lean back slightly.

"W-We'll tell Mother Superior," Lucia stammered out.

The woman's intense gaze never wavered as she leaned back.

"I look forward to seein' ya'll—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Lucia and Irina were grabbed by the back of the collars of their habits and dragged off. Lucia turned her head to see Sora walking at a brisk pace, holding the back of their habits in a white-knuckled grip.

"H-Hey! You can't just—!"

"Shut up. Let's go, Captain. Vice Captain. This place is giving me the creeps," Sora mumbled.

Lucia blinked before following Sora's darting eyes.

Everywhere her eyes landed, she saw that same manufactured smile replicated on all of the vendors' faces. Even the children and some of the native born residents of Akdilek wore that grotesque parody of a smile.

"Did you find anything out from the townsfolk?"

Lucia kept her head down as she followed Griselda, Rias, and Souji. Her mind was a mess of thoughts. Why did these people have trinkets with the language of Devils inscribed into them? She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as her mind scrambled to process everything she had seen in the past couple of hours. And their smiles. Even if she wasn't the most social person around, she was far more perceptive than people took her for.

Their smiles looked so unnatural, as if they had been practiced for years.

"Lucia? Lucia!"

Lucia blinked and looked up to see Griselda looking at her. Rias and Souji were also staring at her with concerned eyes.

"Huh? What was that? S-Sorry, I was distracted," Lucia coughed into her hand, trying to sound a bit more professional.

Griselda raised an eyebrow before turning around. "Anyway, I was wondering if you and Rias found out anything useful from the townsfolk."

Rias shook her head. "No, not really. Everyone seems to be okay here. No one reported anything and I didn't seem to find anything wrong with the town."

Lucia furrowed her brow as she went silent for a few seconds. After licking her dry lips, she finally spoke. "Um… it's a bit creepy, though."

"Huh? What's creepy?" Souji asked.

"This entire town. This entire town is creepy. Everyone's always smiling," she replied.

"Just because people here know how to smile and you don't doesn't mean the town is creepy," Rias said.

Lucia fixed her a half-hearted glare before massaging her temples. "I don't know. It's either that or the new girl's bitchy—"

"Watch your language, young lady. You might be a probationary exorcist but that doesn't mean I'll let you absorb all the bad habits of the other priests at the Institution," Griselda said without missing a beat.

"Er, right sorry, mean attitude or the heat might be getting to me," Lucia said. "But I did find something." She pulled one of the necklaces out of her pocket and handed it to Rias.

"It's made of lapis," Rias remarked as she looked it over.

"Look on the inside."

Rias turned one of the beads around and squinted her eyes. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"The rune carved into it," she said.

Rias glanced at Lucia before squinting at the bead again. After a few seconds of individually inspecting each rune, she finally handed it back and sighed. "It's kinda faint but I think it says something like… 'Through the Pleasant One, we shall reach God?'" Rias shook her head and shrugged. "The runes aren't really visible enough for me to read properly. It also says 'A goat slept with your mother on a full moon' maybe?"

Griselda snatched the necklace before Rias could continue reading it. "It's clear that whatever's written on this note is not meant to be read by children."

"Aw! Come on, Selda!"

"Give it back!"

Rias and Lucia jumped up as Griselda held the necklace above their heads. "No. Now, come on. We need to get the Pastor here to agree to let us use the Church as a main base. If anything, this is a clue—"

"What about that Devil I met yesterday?" Lucia asked.

Griselda sighed before stuffing the necklace into a small bag on her tactical belt. She waved Lucia off before raising her hand to knock on the door. "We'll take time to properly put everything together. Let's talk to this guy first. I'd rather not spend time talking to Televangelists. They're nothing but scum."

Souji smiled wryly. "They can't be all that bad."

Griselda gave him a blank stare before rapping her knuckles against the cypress wood door.

The door slowly opened, revealing a nondescript man in his late twenties. Aside from his silver hair, he had no eye-catching features. He was simply ordinary, being neither grotesque in appearance nor overly beautiful. Unlike the pastors or priests Lucia was familiar with, this man had a rather lavish greca-style white vestment with gold embroidery on the collar and the sleeves.

Lucia felt a cold shiver run down her spine when his yellow eyes fell upon her. Her body instinctively moved close to Griselda when he smiled.

"David King, I presume?" Griselda said.

"Yes, who is asking?" David asked. His voice had a soft southern drawl to it, intermixed with a tiny hint of a midwestern accent.

"Ahem. Can we speak inside? My name is Griselda Quarta. This is my younger sister, Lucia Reid. This man is named Souji, and this is his charge, Miss Ria," she said.

"Ahhh! Ya'll are the consultants that the Church sent, aren't you?" David said. He extended a hand toward Griselda and flashed her his best smile.

Griselda stared at his hand before hesitantly reaching forward and gripping it firmly.

Lucia narrowed her eyes at the man. Her left hand twitched, but before she could do anything stupid, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Lucia saw Rias shaking her head and nodded her head forward to see Griselda following David in.

Her eyes glowed as she tried to scan the man. However, a throbbing pain shot through her head, and blood trickled down her eyes. "W-What the…?"

Rias's eyes widened as she saw Lucia's eyes bleeding. "Woah! You okay?"

The commotion was enough for the adults to turn to them. Griselda dropped everything she was doing and rushed over. Her hands clamped around Lucia's face as she turned the younger girl's head left to right. "Are you okay? Does it hurt? Do I need to call Camael to bring you home?"

"N-No! S-Shelda! I'm fine!" Lucia squeaked out as Griselda's grip tightened.

"Is the young lady okay?" David asked, looking concerned.

Lucia's black eyes flicked over to him, and the moment she did, she felt something prickling at the back of her mind.

"Y-Yeah, just some allergies. I'm allergic to asbestos!" Lucia blurted out.

David blinked before a low chuckle escaped his lips. "Well, if the young lady is allergic, perhaps she can wait outside with Mr. Souji?"

"N-No! It's fine! I have an EPIPen, so I can use it if it gets worse!" Lucia gave him a thumbs-up, hoping this man was stupid enough to buy her hastily put-together explanation.

David raised an eyebrow before nodding slowly.

Griselda sighed and went back with Souji and David to discuss the matters of their visit.

Rias sat next to Lucia as she wiped the bloody tears from her face with a towel.

"What happened?" Rias asked.

"Something got caught in my Sacred Gear's detection range and made my head hurt…," Lucia rubbed her temples as she pulled a water bottle from her backpack. After gulping down half of the bottle, Lucia sighed and leaned back.

Her eyes glowed, but this time, the pain wasn't as intense as when she first saw it. The notification followed her gaze every which way she turned her head.

[Warning! Overwhelming concentrations of divine essence detected!]

Lucia shook her head and focused her gaze on the man in front of her. Her eyes narrowed. It was like when she first met Vali.

[David King]

[Estimating Combat Level… Unable to properly estimate combat level. Interference detected.]

[Interference Detected]

[Special Trait: Interference Detected]

"I can't read him. Something's blocking my Sacred Gear," Lucia whispered.

"Eh? Something? Like a Sacred Gear?" Rias asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know. It could be this or whatever divine essence Warning System keeps picking up." Lucia kicked her legs as she leaned back against the pews. Her eyes drifted to the decorations around them. It was like your average church. There were crucifixes here and there, and one main one located on the altar.

"Hey."

"What?" Rias said as she picked up one of the Bibles resting on the pew.

"Isn't it weird that you and Souji can walk into here without any problems?" Lucia asked.

Rias looked at her oddly. "Is it?"

"You're holding a Bible without your hand catching fire," Lucia said.

"I am? Huh. I guess I am," Rias said as she put the Bible down. "That is weird…"

Lucia's gaze traveled across the room, landing on the altar. She got up off the pews and made her way over to the altar.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Rias asked as she followed after her.

"I want to see if American churches are the same as European churches," Lucia said.

"But we're in Egypt," she said.

"Yeah, but the pastor is American. I just want to see where they put everything, like the bread and stuff," Lucia replied as she rummaged around the altar. There was a small leatherbound Bible on the podium and a few flowers arranged at the bottom of the altar. Lucia opened the Bible and stood at the podium.

"Ahem. Brothers and Sisters!" Lucia began as she opened a random page in the Bible.

"For too long we have been caged in the order of this Universe! For tonight, we shall… Huh?" Lucia blinked as she reread the lines. She'd never seen words like this in a Bible before. She rapidly flipped through the pages before finding a few verses that seemed vaguely familiar to her.

"Where's the gospels?" she muttered. "This is the weirdest Bible I've ever seen."

"Isn't this thing supposed to have holy water?

Lucia looked up from the Bible to see Rias leaning over a basin.

Rias furrowed her brow as she dipped her hand inside and felt the cool granite surface. "Weird."

"The basin doesn't always have holy water in it, idiot," Lucia sighed as she walked over. "No one leaves still water out for days. That's not clean. They drain it when the day ends."

"Oh, I didn't know that," Rias said as she pulled her hand out. Her eyes drifted up to see more of the same symbols from the necklace. "Look. More goetic script."

"What does it say?" Lucia asked.

"It says—"

"There you two are."

Rias and Lucia jumped and turned to see Griselda walking up to them. "What are you two doing?"

"We're just looking around," Lucia replied. "I wanted to see if there was a difference in the Churches back home and the Churches here."

"And did you find anything?" Griselda asked.

"Not really," Lucia said. "Their Bible is weird, though."

"Well, let's not worry about that. Souji is waiting for us outside," she said, ushering the two out. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes narrowing as she saw the basin for the holy water.

"Wait! Did that creepy priest say we can use the church?" Lucia asked as Griselda pushed her closer toward the door. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Griselda's eyes were distant and fixated on something else. "Selda? Selda!" Lucia pinched her arm, eliciting a surprised yelp from the older woman.

"Huh? What?" Griselda blinked as the light slowly returned to her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Griselda looked down to see Lucia's worried look. She let out a soft sigh before ruffling the girl's habit. Lucia scowled before swatting her hand away. "Selda, I'm 12 now! I'm a big girl already."

"Yeah, you're big alright. You're almost to my elbow, squirt," Griselda laughed as she walked out. Rias giggled as she followed the older exorcist.

Lucia's cheeks turned red as she shook her fist, chasing after the two. "Hey! Get back here! Don't leave me alone in this creepy church!"

"Hmm…"

Lucia scratched her head as she leaned over the table, analyzing the notes she had taken that day. She was being diligent in her work. To officially get the badge, she needed to do everything to get her mother's approval. And so, Lucia began copying everything Griselda did. But even if she gave it her all, Lucia was still a mere 12-year-old child.

"This doesn't make any sense," Lucia scribbled in the pages of her journal, circling a crude sketch of the lapis necklace she bought earlier. She tapped the paper with the tip of her pencil, reading and rereading the translation of the goetic script on the back of the beads.

In Nothingness, we find God. Only the Pleasant One can set us free.

"Uggghh!" Lucia slammed her head against the table, eliciting a look of surprise from the other occupants of the dining area. "This is so hard. How does Selda even do it? Can I just use my Sacred Gear to tell me everything…"

Her eyes shifted as she gazed at her notes.

[Goetic script translation: In Nothingness, we find God. Only the Pleasant One can set us free.]

Lucia rolled her eyes as she summoned more display screens. It was rather convenient to have a Sacred Gear that showed indiscriminate information on whatever she scanned but compiling all into an archive was more difficult than she imagined. "Ugh…," she groaned as she saw a notification appear in her peripheral vision.

[Overwhelming concentrations of divine essence detected. Expect interference when scanning objects or people.]

Lucia slammed her fists on the table again. "But still…" She looked up again at the screen in front of her.

[Generating Object Data…]

[Lapis Lazuli Necklace]

[Item Description: A simple handmade lapis necklace with goetic script engraved on the rear portion of the beads.]

[Special Trait: N/A]

"It's just a normal necklace. Stupid devil. At least make things easy for us," Lucia whispered. She laid her head down on the table and let out another long winded sigh. "I should've gone to the market with Irina and everyone else…," she whined.

However, before Lucia could lament even more about her life, a can of ice-cold soda suddenly landed in front of her. She sat up, eyes widening as she took in the sight of Sora standing in front of her.

The silver-haired girl said nothing as she took a seat across from Lucia, uncapping her own can and taking a sip.

Lucia slowly reached for the can, unsure of how to act around the girl. When Sora didn't react, Lucia opened the can with a hiss and relished the cool feeling of soda sliding down her throat.

Neither said a thing for several seconds. Lucia slowly looked back down at her hastily scrawled notes and read through it. Her eyes flicked up every now and then. However, Sora did nothing but drink her soda and stare out the window.

The silence was becoming suffocating with each passing second.

Swirls began to appear in Lucia's dark eyes as the awkwardness grew more oppressive.

W-What should I even say to her!? She doesn't really like me! Ah… ahhhhhhhh!

Lucia gripped her pencil tightly as she began to nervously doodle shapes at the bottom of her notebook. "Say something… say something, dummy!" Lucia whispered to herself as her ears began to turn red.

"I'm sorry."

"I promise I'll be a good captain— eh!?" A trainwreck of words came to a screeching halt before they could tumble out of Lucia's lips. She looked at the girl owlishly. "H-Huh?"

Sora rolled her eyes and sighed. "I said I'm sorry for how I acted earlier."

"O-Oh. It's no big deal really! Don't feel too bad about it—"

"No, Griselda talked to me after the whole thing was over. She said that you were new to this and I should be easy on you," Sora said, folding her hands.

"Er… right," Lucia said. So she's only saying sorry because Selda made her? Lucia forced a smile on her face as she looked at the girl in front of her. In situations like this, a social butterfly like Irina would be a better fit than her.

"It's okay. It's all water under the bridge!" Lucia said.

"Right. Anyway, I… I really didn't mean to be mad at you. I just thought your Sacred Gear was… you know," Sora said.

"Oh. Yeah… that. It's okay," Lucia said. "I can only see numbers and powers, not… your life stuff."

Sora nodded. "Do you need help with that?"

"With what?"

"That. Can you even read that?" Sora tapped her open notebook.

Lucia raised an eyebrow before looking down at it. She had no issue reading it. "I-I can read it?"

"Really? It's so messy."

"H-Hey!"

"Anyway, do you want help? I can help you," Sora said.

"No offense, but this is team captain stuff. What do you even know about investigating?" Lucia huffed.

"More than you. I was on a different team before Father assigned me here," Sora said.

Lucia blinked. Sora was already on a team? She stared at Sora for a long time until the girl finally spoke.

"I got into a fight with one of the team members, and Father had to move me around," Sora said.

"Oh. I see… Uncle Michael took you out," Lucia replied.

"Anyway, I know a little more than you so let me help."

"Did Selda ask you to?"

"No?"

Lucia sighed before flipping her notebook, allowing Sora to read everything she had recorded so far. She sat there, watching as the silver-haired girl flipped through the pages intently. Her pink eyes scanned each line with astonishing speed before she put the notebook down and slid it back to Lucia.

"I can't read your handwriting," Sora said after a few seconds of silence.

Lucia almost face-planted on the table from sheer shock. "M-My handwriting's not that bad! Irina can read it! Rias can read it!" She looked back at her notebook.

"The necklace. Do you still have it?"

Lucia looked up. "What? No. Selda took it because Rias said the runes say a goat slept with your mom or something."

Sora just nodded.

"Besides, it'd be so much easier if I could just scan the town. We'd be done super fast," Lucia sighed. "But my Sacred Gear keeps telling me that something's interfering."

"Something?"

"Like it says overwhelming concentration of divine essence or something," Lucia said.

Sora furrowed her brow before rubbing her chin.

"I don't know what to do. It's like a bugged wall in a game," Lucia sighed. She gently closed the pages of her notebook before grabbing her soda and taking a massive swig of the fizzy drink. She slammed the can on the table and leaned back against the chair. "Ugh! This is harder than the tests at school!"

"What about that red-headed woman?"

"Red-head?" Lucia said as she leaned forward.

"Yeah, that red-head when we first got here," Sora replied. "She has angelic power."

"What? No, she's a Devil. Devils don't have holy power," Lucia said, waving her off. However, if Sora could sense it too, then Lucia might not be going insane as she initially thought.

"She did, though," Sora repeated.

Lucia's eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded the girl before opening her notebook to a page where there was a sketch of the woman—no, the Devil. "She said her name was Shirona. I think she's what we're looking for. But there's no way she has angelic power. She's a devil… right?"

"Okay, why don't we go look for her then?" Sora suggested.

Lucia rubbed her chin before shaking her head. "Selda said we can't separate from the group."

Sora said nothing else as Lucia continued to think.

"But she never said we couldn't all look for her. Sora, you're a genius!" Lucia said.

"Huh? Me?" Sora blinked.

Lucia nodded and grabbed her notebook before running to the exit. "Come on! Let's go find the others at the market so we can look for Shirona!"

"H-Help! D-Demon!"

A man ran. His white robes were stained in a fresh shade of dark crimson. He didn't know where this woman had come from. However, she came upon them like the demons that the Father warned them about. And she slaughtered everyone while they were in prayer.

Just then, he felt his feet give way and he fell down onto the cold, hard ground. He turned to see that his sandals had given way and fell into a mess of leather and straps. The man shakily looked up and saw the edge of the shoreline. Waves crashed against the stone, sending a spray of sea salt into his face.

"Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy name… thy Kingdom come, thy will be done…," the man clasped his hands together.

"I see that you remember your prayers even now."

His breath hitched as he backpedaled to the edge of the small cliff. Behind him, the Red Sea churned angrily.

A woman stepped out of the shadows. Her crimson red hair appeared to glow under the light of the moon. Her red eyes gazed down on the cowering man as she dragged her blade forward. His eyes widened when he saw a fresh coat of blood on the silver and scarlet broadsword.

"I-In the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit… may the Pleasant One grant me the strength t-to banish this d-demon back to hell!" he prayed, clutching a lapis necklace with a small crucifix.

Yet his prayers did little to deter the crimson-haired woman as she stepped forward and raised her sword. "When is the ritual?"

"I won't tell. We are God's chosen!" the man yelled.

The woman narrowed her eyes as she brought the sword down.

The man screamed as he saw the blade coming down upon him at blinding speeds.

"T-The seventh night!" He closed his eyes, awaiting for the inevitable pain and terror.

The sword halted mere centimeters from the top of his scalp.

"Seventh night?"

"Y-Yes… h-he wants to do the ritual on the seventh Sunday of ordinary time!" the man sputtered.

The woman stared at him for a few seconds before lowering her sword.

"P-Please… let me live. I have a family! A wife! A son! I-I can help you! I can help you deal with—"

"Your family is dead. I was here that night when your wife willingly bled out on that altar."

The woman's words were like a spear through his heart.

"S-She did it of her own free will! T-The Pleasant One! She will meet the Pleasant One and become a herald for the Rapture! It's written in the— Agghhhhh!"

The man screamed as the woman's blade found its home in his shoulder. The waves crashed against stone once more, drowning out the man's cries of agony as his blade tore through muscle, tissue, and bone. His arm was rent from his body, falling limply on the ground.

"Ahhh! You bitch!" the man cursed.

"That was just a taste. But you're not worth dirtying my blade any further. I'd much rather keep her clean of filth like you," the woman said.

She raised her hand toward him, gathering and condensing a swirl of black and red flame-like energy into the center of her palm.

"N-No! Wait—!" His eyes widened as a pair of amorphous spectral arms erupted from the woman's back and held his remaining limbs in place. He thrashed uselessly as he was pinned down to the ground. "I-I have money! I have a lot of money! My dad! He has connections! I can—"

"I don't need your money. Face justice in oblivion."

The woman closed her fist around the black and red orb and then, in a flash of light, the pinned and writhing man was devoured, crumbling until nothing of him remained. The spectral arms disappeared. She said nothing as her sword faded into a swirl of black and blue light that eventually rested around her head as a halo.

The woman stared out at the churning Red Sea before turning around and disappearing into the darkness.

Chapter Text

"Thank you again for letting us use this Church as a base of operations."

"Why, it's really no big deal, Ma'am. The Lord giveth as he provideth for His flock."

Lucia glanced over her shoulder and saw Griselda talking to David. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she went back to unpacking. Around her, her other team members were busy helping Griselda's team with unpacking.

Irina was following after Griselda's second-in-command.

Irina nodded along, carrying some boxes while trying to keep up with the woman's heavy Russian accent. Mirana Shatarova, Lucia tried to remember. She was dressed in a black and white habit that had multiple modifications. The skirt had a thigh slit that exposed her thighs and she wore a white version of the Exorcist uniform's shorts. A seraphic brooch with the medal of St. Benedict was placed over her breast.

[Mirana Shatarova]

[Estimating Combat Class… Unable to properly estimate. Target's combat capabilities far exceed the user's.]

[Estimated Class - Ultimate Class]

[Age - 21, Race - Human, Marital Status - N/A]

[Special Trait - Apostle, Mabul Mayim]

[Equipment - Svyatogor Kladenet]

The woman was a member of the Orthodox Church and quite popular amongst male exorcists for reasons she could not fathom. Maybe it was because Mirana was tall and blonde.

She went back to opening a black box containing some reserves of Holy Water.

"Holy water's saved us more times than I can count."

She looked up and saw Vali standing in front of her with a crate in his arms.

"A little help?" Vali asked.

Lucia got up and helped Vali lower the box to the ground slowly.

"That guy is weird," Vali said, looking up at David.

"Him?"

"He reminds me of my father," he said.

Lucia's hand paused just shy of one of the crosses. "Your dad?"

"Yeah. Dad was always like that to women. I think… Mom called it flirting? Anyway, the way he just looks at Selda reminds me of how my Dad used to creep on girls back in Klostern and the other places we used to live in. It's just a feeling. Maybe he's a really nice guy and I'm just paranoid," Vali said.

A thud caught their attention as they turned to see Asia struggling with two boxes.

"A-A little help here—!" Asia stumbled forward but was stopped when Sora stepped in and caught Asia before she could fall. "T-Thank you!" she turned, smiling gratefully at the silver-haired girl.

"It's no big deal. Just watch where you're going," Sora said as she took one of the boxes from Asia's arms.

"Jeez! Asia! I told you not to carry too much!" Tosca panted as she walked into the Church. She carried three boxes in her arms and set them down.

"S-Sorry. I thought I could handle it," Asia said.

Lucia sighed as she sat on one of the boxes. She blew a strand of hair away from her face and looked to see Griselda still unpacking with the rest of her team. "Can't we just go already? Rias and the others get to go and investigate the town…"

"There's a lot more to going out and asking people questions, Young Miss."

Lucia turned and saw Griselda's adjutant, Mirana, standing behind them with Irina at her side. The woman smiled before cracking open one of the crates and pulling out a light pistol, along with several magazines of blessed silver bullets.

"An operation requires a lot of work and preparation. We need to establish a base camp where we can do things like store our supplies or consolidate information that we gather," Mirana said. Her accent was thick, causing Lucia to have a bit of trouble understanding what she said.

But the words "base camp", "supplies", and "information" were enough for Lucia to back down somewhat. "I just wish we did this yesterday. I really don't like this place."

"Really? I think it's quite cute for a Church. Of course, the Churches in Russia are far grander than this," Mirana gestured to the interior decoration of the Church around her. "But we have to make do with what we can."

"Still…"

Before she could say anything more, Griselda walked back over to the group. She ran a hand through her hair with a hint of frustration in her voice. She sat down atop one of the crates and took a deep breath. "Well, the priest doesn't know anything about any demonic presence in town. None of the signs match up either, so either we're chasing duds or there is no stray in this town."

"But there is! That—"

"Yes, yes. That Shirona woman… who, as of right now, is our only lead," Griselda said. She steepled her fingers together before looking out over them. "Okay, so here's what we'll do for now. The setup here is pretty much done. Team Lucia."

"Team Gray Raven—"

"No, Team Lucia."

"At least use the name I chose. It's much cooler."

Griselda ignored her and continued on. "Team Lucia, I want you six to go and investigate the cliffside. Last night, a few of the locals turned up dead by the beach. Okita went to investigate this morning, and he confirmed that there were traces of demonic power there."

Lucia's eyes lit up at the prospect. "So—"

"Mirana. Go with them."

"Ehh!? Wait, Selda, we don't need a babysitter—"

Griselda raised her hand, silencing Lucia's protests at the last minute. "Ahp! No. Last time you five got left alone, Lady Uriel said that the entire creek outside of Klostern got reduced to a crater. I'm not leaving you lot alone with a potentially dangerous devil roaming around."

"T-That was Vali's fault," Irina said.

"Hey! That was not!"

"You're the one who decided it would be a good idea to shoot laser beams from your wings," Irina mumbled.

"And you're the one that pulled out Ameno Habakiri to try and bat the lasers—"

"Enough," Griselda said. "Mirana. Please don't let them blow up the coastline."

Mirana nodded. "Got it, Chief."

"I'll take the others and head down to the other location," Griselda said. She got up and adjusted her cloak. Before she stepped away, she glanced at Lucia and gave her a pointed look. "Lucia. I mean it. My team is supposed to be your chaperone until you can earn that medallion. Listen to whatever Mirana has to say."

Lucia looked down at the ground and grumbled under her breath. "Fine."

"What was that? Say it a bit louder so I can hear," the silver-haired nun pressed.

"I said fine," she said, a bit too forcefully.

Griselda nodded before her gaze softened. "Chin up. Soon you'll be going on missions without me. Might as well savor the time we have left together, right?" She reached over and ruffled Lucia's hair.

"S-Stop that! I'm not a kid anymore!" Lucia puffed her cheeks and swatted Griselda's hand away.

Griselda laughed before pulling her arm away. "Rias's team will rendezvous with you guys in an hour. Right now, I have them sweeping the area for something vaguely resembling traces of the stray. We're going to meet back at this Church at 1800, got it?"

"Roger!" The group responded.

The scent of saltwater grew stronger the closer they got to the base of the cliffs. Seagulls crowed overhead as they dove down into the seawater to snatch any unsuspecting fish that dared to swim close to the surface. Waves crashed against the stony shoreline, sending a spray of saltwater toward the group.

"We haven't been to the beach in a long time," Irina smiled as she let the mist of seawater hit her face.

"Yeah, the last time we went it was in… Italy, right?" Lucia said as she stood next to her. She gazed out over the massive expanse of the Red Sea. The weather did very little to lighten the mood. Clouds rolled in overhead, signaling an impending storm as thunder rumbled in the distance. "Apparently, a God is sealed there."

"Yam."

The duo turned to see Vali walking up to them. He magically pulled a pair of binoculars from his back pocket and peered through them. "Miss Uriel said that Yam was sealed in the Red Sea thousands of years ago by three pantheons: The Mesopotamians, the Egyptians, and the Canaanites."

"Wait… I thought that the Holy Father was in that fight. Why only three?" Irina asked.

"It wasn't established yet. The God of the Bible was still part of the Canaanites, and the only Angels that existed were the Archangels. Devils didn't exist yet… nor did Fallen Angels," Vali said.

"Hmmm… so a super powerful God is sleeping underwater," Lucia rubbed her chin.

"Yeah. Pretty cool, right? If I can beat that God, do you think I can beat the Red Dragon Emperor and Great Red?" Vali asked.

Lucia closed her eyes and furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "This took three pantheons of Gods to seal… I don't think you or Albion can do much until we're stronger."

Vali huffed and crossed his arms. "We haven't even tried yet. Just watch. I'll find a way into the seal and kick her ass once and for all."

"Guys!"

The three turned to see Tosca waving at them. The group was a bit further up the pathway. Lucia exchanged glances with Irina and Vali before making her way toward them. Upon arriving, Mirana was nose-deep in a book that Lucia couldn't see the title of. Asia was drinking from her water bottle while Sora was leaning against a rock with her eyes closed.

"Done sightseeing?" Tosca asked.

"No. We weren't sightseeing," Lucia said.

"It looked like it," Sora cracked an eye open.

"M-Mirana said we're almost to the site of the m-murders," Asia gulped. Her face paled as soon as the word "murder" left her lips. Her legs trembled slightly.

Lucia smiled and placed a hand on Asia's shoulder, calming the girl somewhat. "Don't worry, Asia. What's a stupid stray devil going to do to us? We're super strong, right! I mean… Irina is a super strong sword user. Tosca has a giant golden cross that throws spears and makes chains and shields, and stuff. Vali has Albion. Sora has… umm…"

"Guns. Lots of guns," Sora said.

Lucia snapped her finger in agreement. "Yeah! That! And you're the best at Miracles out of all of us! If anything, that devil should be scared of us!"

"R-Right! I-I can just summon a pillar of light! O-Or use the Passion of Jonah! Or the Armor of God from Ephesians! Or summon one of the plagues of Egypt!" Asia said.

"That's the spirit!" Lucia clapped her shoulder, causing the blonde nun to stumble slightly.

The rest of the walk there was filled with animated chatter of different finishing attacks the group would use on the unsuspecting stray that they would definitely ambush. Mirana smiled as she read her book, finding their enthusiasm refreshing. It calmed her nerves a bit, considering the atmosphere of the town above them. She looked out over the Red Sea with hardened eyes before returning her gaze to the kids in front of her.

"Is this where they found the dead bodies?" Lucia jumped from spot to spot. She raised her hand and conjured a rod made of light. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she searched for signs of anything that resembled a corpse.

"You are way too excited about this," Mirana crossed her arms.

"I saw this on TV once. There was this show called Supernatural where these two brothers went and fought monsters and stuff! They always dug up dead bodies and stuff and set them on fire!" Lucia said.

Mirana raised an eyebrow. "What is Lady Uriel letting you watch?"

"Mom loves watching that show. She said she likes the short guy. And she starts breathing really fast and writes stuff in her notebook that she says is for adult stuff…," Lucia said.

Mirana's eyes widened. "Wait… Miss Lucia, I don't think that notebook is for kids."

"I read it once. It's just a lot of guys kissing," Lucia said. "But Mirana, Mirana! I have a question! Father Ferdinand taught me about sex and stuff…"

Vali and Irina snickered the moment the word "sex" left Lucia's lips.

"But how do two guys—"

"Okay! Okay! Let's start by looking for any sign of the dead bodies!" Mirana said as she walked past Lucia.

"Huh? W-Wait! What about my question—"

Mirana ignored her question and hastily made her way to the mass of rocks under the cliff. "Hmm. There are definitely traces of demonic power around here," Mirana said as she walked over to one of the rocks.

Lucia's mouth snapped shut, and she darted over, her previous question already forgotten.

"And blood, too."

Sora knelt by one of the rocks. Her pink eyes narrowed she caught sight of a rather large, dull red stain on the rocks under the cliff.

"There's some over here!" Tosca called out as she and Asia waved their arms. There was more blood staining the rocks and some splattered across the cliff wall.

"Can your Sacred Gear see whose blood this is?" Mirana asked.

"I can try?" Lucia said as she activated the [Warning System].

[Scanning…]

[Scanning…]

[Interference detected. Warning! Overwhelming concentrations of divine essence detected!]

[Cannot scan due to interference! Warning! Overwhelming concentrations of divine essence detected!]

Lucia stumbled back and held her head. Tears of blood trickled down her eyes as she shook her head. "N-No. I can't scan it. Something keeps interfering with my Sacred Gear."

Mirana sighed and walked over to one of the blood stains. "At least we know the murders took place here. Question is… What are we hunting exactly?"

Lucia wiped the blood from her face and looked around. She dispelled the light rod and knelt by one of the stains. "That's a lot of blood…"

"I've seen more," Sora said.

"From your other missions?"

Sora pursed her lips as her body tensed up. She took a deep breath and sighed. "Something like that… and before I joined the Church, too…"

"Oh."

Lucia said nothing else. She was smart enough to know when not to say anything. "There's so much blood here, but… where are the bodies?"

Irina crouched in front of one of the blood stains.

"There's demonic power everywhere here," Vali said.

[It feels familiar somehow. I can't put a finger on where I've felt it before.] Albion said as the wings of [Divine Dividing] manifested behind Vali.

"Albion says it feels familiar," Vali said.

"Familiar like? Original Satan familiar?" Lucia asked.

[No. Something else. Like something we've frequently encountered, but there's some Holy Power mixed into it that's making the frequency hard to identify.]

"He says it's someone we know, but the frequency has Holy Power mixed into it, so it's hard to tell," Vali said.

"Holy power?" Mirana turned to Vali. "Odd. The only devils in history that can use Holy Power are Lucifer and—"

Lucia froze when she heard the echoing sound of boots in the back. Her fingers unwittingly flexed as she got up to see someone stepping out of the shadows. "Um… guys!"

"I know," Mirana said as she straightened herself. Golden lightning crackled around her arms as a golden, double-bladed war scythe manifested in her hands.

The footfalls of the boots echoed despite the slow and relaxed pace of their owner.

The entire group tensed up as the figure stepped into the light, revealing her crimson hair that swayed gently in the breeze.

"S-Shirona?" Lucia raised an eyebrow.

Shirona said nothing as her eyes swept over the entire team. "You shouldn't be here."

"Did you kill these people?" Mirana asked, eyeing the woman warily.

Shirona said nothing, keeping her gaze focused solely on Lucia. "You shouldn't be here. You're chasing ghosts."

Lucia clenched her fists before opening her palms. Two bladeless hilts slipped from her sleeves into her awaiting hands. "You…"

[Vali. That woman. She shares the same frequency as the demonic power here.] Albion said.

"Captain, Albion says she and the demonic power here are a perfect match," Vali said.

"You're wasting your time. The person you're looking for is—"

"Here."

"Lucia! Wait!"

Lucia didn't listen. She launched herself at Shirona and spun counterclockwise in midair. "For all the people that suffered here, you monster!" A black and red blade of light flared to life from the hilt of her weapon, forming a curved blade.

CLANG!

Dust erupted from around them as Shirona caught Lucia's light sword between her fingertips. Shirona stared impassively, unaffected by the holy energy radiated by Lucia's light sword.

Lucia's jaw clenched as she flipped her other weapon, causing a dagger of black and red light to extend from the hilt.

Shirona's eyes moved slightly before an explosion of demonic power threw Lucia back.

"Captain!" Irina ran forward and caught Lucia in her arms. The force of the impact sent them both sliding across the sand.

The two skidded and rolled across the ground, coughing as pain wracked their bodies. Lucia shakily got to her feet, wielding her light sword and light dagger. "I never met someone who could block Mist Netherlight with their bare hands aside from my Mom," she spat out some blood.

Shirona just stood there without a hint of emotion on her face. Before her, the others were already drawing their weapons and Sacred Gears. She held her hand out, and a black and blue flame manifested in her hand before roaring to life and turning into a silver blade with wing-like designs on the hilt.

She swung the sword with a flourish and put one arm behind her back. "If this is the only way to make you see reason, then…"

[Warning! Warning! High levels of Holy and Demonic Power detected!]

[Scanning…]

[Scanning…]

Now it's scanning!? Lucia thought.

[████ ███████]

Huh?

[Estimating Combat Level…]

[Unable to properly estimate. Target is surrounded by glamour. Target's combat level exceeds that of user's.]

[Estimated Class - Possibly Ultimate]

[Age - Unknown, Race - Devil, Marital Status - Widow]

[Special Trait - ██████████, █████ ██ ███████████, ██████ █████]

[Equipment - Remembrance of Twilight, ███████ ███, ████████, ███████]

"Guys, I can't get a full read on her. She's guarding her information like Albion used to for Vali," Lucia said.

Shirona said nothing. It was clear that she saw none of them as a threat, judging by her relaxed stance. And that infuriated Lucia. The Devil in front of her saw her as nothing more than a fly on the wall. Her grip tightened around Mist Netherlight.

"Lucia, stay calm," Mirana said as she twirled Svyatogor Kladenet in her hand. She eyed Shirona cautiously, her grip tightening on her scythe. "I'm going to skip the pretenses and assume you killed these people."

Shirona said nothing, but her silence was all they needed.

"I'm not one for speeches, and it looks like you aren't either. As a Stray Devil who killed people from this town, it is my duty as an Exorcist of the Church to purify your spirit in the name of God," Mirana said.

"You're making a grave mistake," Shirona said.

"Well…," Lucia stood up and brandished her weapons. "At least you won't live long enough to see me regret it."

Shirona narrowed her eyes before swiping the air with her blade. "I see… if force is the only way for you to see reason, then…"

Lucia's eyes widened as Mirana appeared in front of her and blocked Shirona's silver blade. The ground beneath them cracked under the force of the blow. "Miss Lucia! Take your group and run!"

"No!" Lucia said.

"What—!? This woman is at least an Ultimate Class! I can't fight properly with you—" Mirana was sent flying before she could finish her sentence. She impacted the cliff face and slid down.

Shirona landed on the ground before Lucia. An amorphous mass of red demonic energy retreated into her back.

"Vali!" Lucia yelled.

A streak of blue slammed into Shirona, sending her sliding across the shoreline. Shirona calmly raised her free arm and grabbed Vali by the head. "White Dragon Emperor… how interesting. But it looks like you're still half-baked."

[Divide—]

Before the announcement finished, Shirona drove her knee into Vali's gut. A sharp pain shot through Vali's body as his hand released its grip on her. "G-Gahkk!" Blood spurted out of Vali's mouth as he was sent crashing through several rocks.

"Vali!" Lucia screamed. Anger overtook her sense of reason as she brandished Mist Netherlight's blades. "You bitch!" She shot off her feet toward Shirona.

"Captain! Wait!" Irina reached out toward her.

"Vice-Captain, go! We'll cover you," Sora said as she opened Glorious Afterglow's case. She pulled out a sleek black sniper rifle. "Don't fail me now, Taxiarch." She popped a magazine into the rifle before taking aim at Shirona.

A loud crack echoed through the air. Irina had to duck as a silver beam of pure light instantly formed in the air.

It was only because of Shirona's reflexes that she blocked the attack on time. She slid back a considerable amount. A frown appeared on her face as she glanced down at her blade. There was a small crack on the flat of the sword that was beginning to self-repair.

"Tch! What is that woman's sword made of?" Sora said as she loaded another shot. She raised her rifle again, but her eyes widened as Shirona appeared in front of her.

"Crap!" Lucia threw the dagger at Shirona's unprotected back.

The demon raised her hand, catching it in her hand without so much as a glance. "Is that really—"

Lucia teleported to the dagger, swinging the blade of Mist in a wide arc.

A pulse of crimson energy burst from her body, repelling both Sora and Lucia.

"Asia!" Irina yelled as she rushed in. The blade of Ameno-Habakiri glinted as she quickly drew it from its sheath.

"Got it!" Asia clasped her hands together and began to pray. The silver rings of Twilight Healing began to glow gently on her fingers.

"Tosca!" Irina said as she began delivering a flurry of slashes at Shirona. The Ameno-Habakiri glowed as it shifted its form from a katana to a curved, serrated greatsword. She let out a roar as she swung the blade, staggering Shirona in surprise.

"Got it!" Tosca dashed in and threw her hand out. Her Sacred Gear, Elysion Pedion, took the form of a massive golden cross that appeared in front of her. The cross glowed, and several chains shot out, encircling Shirona and forming a barrier around the stray devil. She closed her fist tightly, eyeing Shirona as she stood frozen inside.

Irina jumped back before the barrier could enclose around her as her katana returned to its normal shape.

"Asia! Talk to me! How are they?"

Asia pulled her hand back and nodded. "Everyone's okay!"

Lucia rubbed her head as she got up, shaking the sand out of her ears. "Did we…?"

"I think so," Vali said as he walked up cautiously to them.

"Guys! I can't… She's too strong!" Tosca's knees buckled as she struggled to maintain the barrier.

Cracks began appearing in the barrier as a faint red light glowed within its confines.

"RUN!"

However, before any of them could move, the barrier shattered, and a pillar of red light soared into the skies. Shirona stood at the center with the Remembrance of Twilight's blade gleaming as she held it aloft.

"It was an admirable attempt, but…"

Lucia's instincts went haywire as she turned on her feet. "ASIA!"

Asia turned around too late as Shirona slowly raised her hand. A flash of red was all they saw, and Asia was sent flying.

"ASIA!" Lucia reached out for her, but Asia's body froze in the air.

"Now—" Shirona's body moved rapidly as she avoided strikes from Tosca, Lucia, Irina, and Vali almost simultaneously. She opened her palm, releasing another flash of light.

Vali was sent flying before the wind moved with a seeming will of its own and slammed him back down onto the ground.

Irina screamed in pain as the sand around them erupted and slammed into her. Her ribs cracked and she was sent crashing into the cliffside.

Tosca's body twisted unnaturally as the air seemingly swirled in an impossible motion. She fell to the ground, unconscious.

Sora jumped into the air to avoid the sand, which opened up beneath her, only to hit a wall of solid air. Before she could move, the air pressed down, slamming her into the now-closed ground.

"That's…," Lucia had no time to think as the air solidified around her arm and cut deeply into her shoulder. She bit down on her cheek, drawing blood as she dropped Mist Netherlight and fell to one knee, supporting her arm as blood flowed freely onto the sand.

Lucia breathed erratically, and her vision began to swim. Her eyes glowed one last time as she made out one detail on Shirona's stats.

[Special Trait - … … … Distortion, Other Traits Hidden by Glamour. Can only scan traits that have been displayed.]

"Distortion…? You're a Gremory…?" Lucia asked as she struggled to stay conscious.

Shirona said nothing and placed a finger on Lucia's forehead. "You're in the right place, but… your priorities are skewed. The one you seek is—"

Shirona jumped back as the golden blade of Mirana's scythe traveled across the air and nearly took her head off. The force of the swing sent a gust of wind so powerful that it sliced a large fissure into the shoreline.

Asia fell from her suspended animation in the sky and was caught by Mirana, who gently set the blonde nun down on her feet.

Shirona performed several backsteps and stopped before she reached the water. A small cut formed on her cheek. Shirona glanced over her shoulder. Behind her, the Red Sea had been split down the middle as water sloshed and churned to come back together.

"You almost got me there," Mirana stepped in front of Lucia and wiped some blood from her lips. "Are you alright, kid?"

"Barely… I think I lost a lot of…," Lucia fell forward on her hands and knees. The pain and the blood loss were making her dizzy.

"Asia! Better end this quickly, then," Mirana twirled her Svyatagor Kladenet, kicking up a small gale. Her foot shifted, and she disappeared in a burst of speed.

Asia nodded and ran over to Lucia. She placed a hand over her wounded shoulder and began healing her.

"You're making a mistake," Shirona said as she held her silver sword to her side.

"Am I now?" Mirana asked.

BOOOM!

An explosion of stone, sand, and seawater shook the entire shoreline. Asia shielded Lucia with her body, praying softly as a shimmering green barrier appeared around them.

Mirana's grip on Svyatogor tightened as Shirona held her back with her sword. Sparks flew everywhere before the two split apart in a resounding boom. Lucia could barely keep up with their speed, even with her Sacred Gear enhancing her kinetic vision.

Their hands seemed to disappear from their bodies with each movement, and she could feel the shockwaves produced by their clash down to her bones.

Mirana spun her scythe, igniting its blades in a violet thunder, and swung upward.

Shirona's body blurred as she avoided the attack by a hair's breadth. The clouds above split open, bathing the entire town and coast in sunlight.

"Tch!" Shirona jumped back before throwing her hand forward. Strings of red demonic power flashed across the air. The air shifted as ice sublimated into existence, water particles condensed into dense silver bullets, and crackling red flames. The onslaught of demonic phenomena shot forward simultaneously, swarming Mirana on both sides.

"O' Lord... O' Angels... my Lady Gabriel, the Archangel in Heaven. By thy Miracle, the floodgates of Heaven were opened," Mirana prayed as golden lightning crackled in the palm of her hand. The storm clouds above roiled as wind whipped up around them, causing the waves to rise even higher and batter the shoreline with increasing fervor.

"You... are one of them. One of the Twelve. Mabul Mayim... Gabriel's Power of God," Shirona looked around, her eyes narrowing. "If that's the case, then it seems that you will interfere no matter what I do. If she can awaken that power now, then… at least she can undo everything I'm about to do and change the course of destiny," Shirona said as she raised her left hand. A flash of green light formed around it.

"I'll use a bit more effort..." A pit of deep green light ignited within Shirona's crimson eyes.

"A Sacred Gear? On a Devil?" Mirana readied herself. The cyclone above began to grow stronger as her Holy Power surged forth from her body. Crackling golden wings manifested on her back.

But before Shirona could make any further moves, a silver blur struck the sand, kicking up a ton of dust. Shirona burst from the dust cloud and her wings unfurled, holding her aloft in the air. Her eyes narrowed as she felt several signatures heading toward them.

"Took you long enough," Mirana said.

"Sorry. Kids and all that," Okita said as he pulled his katana out of the sand.

Shirona hovered in the air above them. The green light on her arm had vanished. Her red eyes flicked over to the reinforcements.

"Lucia!" Rias broke from the group and ran over to her as Asia finished healing her shoulder. "Hey! Hey, Pigeon! Talk to me!"

Lucia smiled weakly, her face still pale from the amount of blood she had lost. "Hey, Tomato Paste. You're late."

Rias scoffed before helping her up. Her gaze moved upward, catching sight of Shirona hovering in the air. Her eyes narrowed. "I… She looks familiar," Rias muttered.

"You too, huh?" Lucia said as she looked up at the Devil floating above them.

"I feel like I've seen her before, but I can't remember where," Rias said.

"She's not an Asmodeus… She's a Gremory," Lucia took a shaky step forward, taking her arm off from around Rias's shoulder. Her legs wobbled as she bent to pick up her sword and dagger. Mist Netherlight's luminous blades ignited from their hilts once more.

"What? A Gremory? Are you sure?" Rias asked.

"She has the Power of Distortion. I saw it on my Sacred Gear," Lucia said.

"Okita! You hear that?" Rias called out.

"I heard it, Ojou-sama. Tch, a rogue Gremory. This just got a bit more complicated. I hate it when shit like this happens," Okita cursed. He spat into the sand before his eyes narrowed in recognition. "Now I know where I've seen her before. There was a notice in the Underworld put out to all Ultimate Class Devils and their Peerages."

Mirana looked over to Okita, whose gaze was transfixed on the woman above them.

"A notice?" she asked.

Okita nodded gravely. "Recently, a descendant of Lucifer, a member of the Old Satan Faction, was killed. That man was classified as a Super Devil, but someone managed to kill him alone. When Serafall-sama's peerage went to investigate, they found traces of demonic and angelic power there… along with the woman herself. A rogue devil with Ultimate Class Power. Unknown Devil - Alpha…"

"Great…," Mirana tightened her grip around her scythe.

"We have to be careful. There's not much recorded on what she can do," Okita said.

"Just our luck… an Ultimate Class Stray Devil," Lucia said.

Shirona hovered in the air in silence, eyeing the group before her. After a few more moments without saying another word, Shirona turned away from them and slashed the air in front of her twice. Reality unraveled as space split open at the seams, leaving behind a dark blue rift. "A long-drawn-out battle won't benefit either of us," Shirona said.

"Wait!" Lucia called out.

She turned slightly, her gaze landing on Rias and Lucia.

"Whether or not you believe I am your enemy, I don't care. But don't get in my way. There are things here way worse than a mere stray Devil. A piece of advice to you all… don't trust their smiles and don't stay too long in that Church," Shirona said before entering the portal.

The portal closed behind her, leaving nothing but the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and the ominous weight of the warning she left behind.

Some stats from Lucia's Warning System!

Lucia Reid

Combat Level: 2,920

Strength - 525

Speed: 600

Durability: 475

Magic: 400

Skills: 920

Estimated Class - Middle Class

Age - 12, Race: Miracle Child (Nephilim), Gender: Female, Marital Status - N/A

Special Traits: Twilight Reincarnation, Inherited Wings (Laylah)

Equipment: Mist Netherlight, Warning System

Chapter Text

Shirona seemed to always be a step ahead of them.

Whenever they thought they caught up, the Stray Devil had already slipped through their fingers, leaving a mess of bodies behind and a ruined altar. It was as if she knew when they would appear and would always vanish into thin air before they could even appear. There was no struggle. No fights. They only faced her twice and both times, they lost horribly.

The worst part was Shirona was not even trying to overpower them. And naturally, Lucia felt incredibly frustrated with their lack of progress.

"Ahhhh!" Lucia slammed her fists against the table. "Why!" BAM! "CAN'T! BAM! WE! BAM! CATCH HER!?" Her fist slammed into the table one last time and broke it in half. She grabbed at her hair before banging her head against the wall.

Asia winced as she listened to Lucia's skull slowly caving in the drywall.

"Captain, please stop banging your head against the wall," Irina said as she slumped on a chair. She had just finished her healing session with Asia, ridding herself of a fresh collection of wounds courtesy of Shirona.

"AHHHH!"

Vali plugged his ears and sighed. "You're not the only one she beat up, Cap, so stop screaming."

"Y-Yeah, we were all there," Asia said as she twiddled her thumbs.

Tosca was bandaging up Sora's shoulder. "But I have to say it's becoming annoying how that woman seems to know our every move. It's like she's watching us," Tosca said as she finished wrapping the gauze.

"We were this close that time!" Lucia pinched her fingers almost perfectly together. "But that AGGGHH! MOTHERFUCKING—"

"Lucia, language," Griselda said as she walked into the room. Mirana followed in shortly after, shaking her head slightly.

"Where have you been?" Lucia pulled her forehead out of the dent in the wall. There was a small angry welt forming on her head.

Griselda raised an eyebrow at her tone. "At the Church mapping every sighting we've had of Shirona."

Lucia slumped down on the floor and leaned against the wall of their motel room. "Right… mapping." She banged the back of her head on the wall. "Selda, please tell me you found a way to corner her…"

"No. Not yet," the older nun pinched the bridge of her nose. "Though, from what Okita and Mirana tell me, it might be a bit difficult. She's using a highly advanced version of the Gremory Family's Distortion and she has a Holy Sword that can slice rifts into space. It's possible she might have Caliburn…"

"It's not. My Sacred Gear says it's not…," Lucia sighed as she pushed herself off the ground.

"Since this is getting a bit out of hand, we can't catch her in a few days, I'll have to call for backup…," Griselda said as she pulled her phone out.

"Are you calling, Master?" Irina asked.

"Your master?" Sora raised an eyebrow.

Irina nodded. "Lucia and I were trained by two of the Twelve Apostles. You know… like the Apostles of the Archangels. Lord Metatron's Apostle, Kiyotaro Shinra, trained me. And Lucia was also trained by another one of Metatron's Apostles."

"That's right! Both of your masters," Mirana chirped. "Both of them.~!" She glanced deviously at Lucia, who paled at the thought of her coming over. "I-If she's coming over, does that mean Mom's Apostle is charging down here?"

Griselda pinched the bridge of her nose. "No. If Alicia comes here, that'll be more paperwork. But I want to handle this without calling them in so… for now, we'll take a step back and look at things objectively. Shirona seems hellbent on destroying the church here so we'll start by monitoring the church during mass tomorrow on Sunday."

"Hah? We have to go inside that creepy church?" Lucia groaned.

"Yes, we have to go inside that creepy church," Griselda said.

"Aw, but that priest is super weird. He stares at you and Mirana all the time," Lucia said.

Griselda shook her head and sighed. "It's not that bad, Luci. You must be overthinking it. Pastor David is a kind man. You shouldn't judge people by their looks." She smiled at Lucia but the smile did little to comfort her. It only served to send a chill down the girl's spine.

Lucia's eyes widened. "Y-You—!? Selda, are you okay?"

"Huh? I'm doing fine, why do you ask?" Griselda said, a hint of worry flashing across her face.

"It's just that—"

Irina grabbed her shoulder. Lucia glanced over at her and then saw her friends all not saying a word. Sora caught her gaze and made a sign with her hand that said "stop talking". Lucia pursed her lips before sitting down and crossing her arms with a huff.

"Fine… hmph. We'll take a break," Lucia said hesitantly.

Griselda smiled gently before ruffling her hair. "Just for a night or two, Squirt. A good Exorcist knows when to rest." She pulled her hand back, leaving Lucia with an unsettled and hollow expression in her eyes. Griselda walked past her toward the door and closed it behind her with a soft click.

"H-Hey, Luci, are you okay?" Asia asked, noticing the perturbed look on Lucia's face.

"She… never calls me Squirt. She's never said that before," Lucia said.

"That's weird to you?" Vali asked.

"You don't understand, I've known Griselda since I was able to walk. She's never once called me, Squirt. It's always Goblin," Lucia paced the room. "And it's not just that, Griselda started smiling. She never smiles! And she drank whiskey! She hates whiskey! Her favorite grown-up drink is Picatto Chardonnay circa 1785!"

"And that's what has you on edge?" Tosca said, raising an eyebrow. "Because Captain Griselda is smiling and drinking whiskey?"

"No, no. It's not— Can't you guys see? The more time she spends in that Church, the more she… she becomes weirder and weirder," Lucia said.

Irina grabbed Lucia's wrist gently. "Captain, I think… I think you need to rest. You've been chasing Shirona for almost 3 days straight. Selda's right. You need to take a break."

Lucia's expression twisted. She pulled her wrist away from Irina a bit rougher than she intended to. "I… I need to go outside," Lucia said as she swung the door open before slamming it behind her.

The group exchanged glances for a few seconds before shrugging.

"Should we go… after her?" Sora asked.

"It's fine. Luci gets like this from time to time. But I am worried about her," Irina said. "She's becoming more stressed out about this whole thing ever since we lost to Shirona a few days ago."

"Pfft! AHAHAHAHAH!"

Rias's laughter echoed on the rooftop.

"STOP LAUGHING!"

Lucia's cheeks turned red as Rias kicked her legs wildly. She fell on her back, laughing hysterically. Her body shook from the force of her laughter. "Oh! Oh Satan in Hell! Mother Lilith, have mercy! This is too good! Hahahahaha! You think… that…. Ahahahaha! Because Griselda started drinking… pfft! AHAHAHAHAH!"

"I said stop laughing! It's not funny!" Lucia said. Her holy aura began to trickle out of her body. "M-Mom said that when people do that, it's called being OOC!"

"Pfft! AHAHA!"

"Shut up, you damn Tomato!"

"Okay, okay! I'll stop…," Rias's body shuddered as she tried to suppress her laughter. She sat up, panting as she caught her breath. "Oh. Oh Satan, that was too funny. Oh dear Dark Lord have mercy…"

"It's not funny. I'm being serious here! Griselda's not acting like herself! She called me Squirt instead of Goblin!" Lucia said.

Rias just blinked and looked at her as if she were crazy. She suppressed her giggles as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Okay, okay. Let's say hypothetically that Griselda is different, don't you think Mirana or Souji would have noticed already? I mean, if they feel okay around her, she's probably normal. I mean, what else do you think happened to her? She got kidnapped and the thing you see is just a changeling acting like Griselda?"

Lucia opened her mouth to speak but couldn't say a single word. She closed her mouth and pursed her lips into a thin line. "Okay, you have a point there but—"

"Annnnd! Your Sacred Gear would've spotted it, right?" Rias added.

"R-Right…"

"You did scan her with your Sacred Gear, right?" Rias asked.

Lucia looked away, her cheeks flushing red as she refused to meet Rias's gaze.

"Oh… my god," Rias said.

"S-Shut up! It's not like you thought of that either," Lucia said. "Besides, my gear is acting weird. Every time I try to focus on something, it just gives me a warning and makes my eyes bleed, remember? Something here's messing with it."

"Right. That Stray Devil," Rias replied.

"No, the [Warning System] can actually detect Shirona for some reason. But everything else gets drowned in this static," Lucia sighed as she pulled a leaf off one of the potted plants and tossed them into the motel pool. "Of all the times for it not to work…"

"Hmm." Rias nodded as she pulled a cookie from her pocket and bit into it.

"I'm telling you, this entire town is weird. Everyone's wearing fake smiles. Even the kids are creepy, too. It's like there's something wrong with this entire town," Lucia said.

"Just because they smile and you don't," Rias said.

"That's not the point!" Lucia threw up her hands in frustration before lying back on the ground. She sighed as she stared up at the night sky, her eyes getting lost in the sea of stars above her. Her hand shot out and snatched the rest of Rias's cookie.

"Hey!"

"Maybe Shirona was on to something," Lucia said as she popped the rest of the cookie into her mouth. As soon as she did, she coughed and spat it out. Lucia sat up and snatched the water bottle she had resting on one of the tables. "Gahkk! What the heck is that stuff? What... Did you put raisins in these!?"

"What? I like raisin cookies. And Mom said it's good for you," Rias said.

Lucia coughed and drank more water. "It's gross."

"It is not! You take that back," Rias hissed.

Lucia was about to retort when she saw a red magic circle appear in front of her. "Oh god… It's Mom's Apostle…" The crucifix at the center pulsed gently as she pressed her finger on it. "Hello?"

"Hey, brat. Selda messaged me about everything. You alive? I'm surprised you held out for this long in the desert."

Lucia groaned. "Hey, Alicia…"

"What's with the tone? I called to check on you and everything. You're lucky it's me and not that hag, Camael, or god forbid, Boss Lady," Alicia scoffed over the call.

"Hi, Alicia-neesan!" Rias chirped from next to her.

"Oh? Ketchup girl is next to you?"

Rias felt a vein throb in her head.

"Yeah, Haines Ketchup is here next to me— Ow!"

Alicia laughed over the call. "Listen, kid. I'm just calling because Selda called me, so I'm checking up. Your mom and Aunt don't know yet. But I think Fang might tell them soon," Alicia said.

"W-Wait! Please don't tell Mom and Aunt Togame! They'll drag me back to Germany!" Lucia begged.

"Not my call, Runt. Besides, Boss Lady told us to update her on everything that happens, and Selda just so happens to be too busy to give a full report so she called me," the unhinged lady on the other end said.

"Oh yeah? Well, tell Mom that Selda's acting weird! She's drinking Whiskey from Kentucky and not like… her favorite Picatto Chardonnay circa 1785 label," she said.

"Really? That is weird. Selda never drinks anything that's not wine," Alicia said.

"It started ever since we went inside that creepy church with that TV priest guy," Lucia said.

"Oh? You mean that fake TV pastor? Maybe she's into him—"

"What? Ew! NO!"

"Relax, kid, it's just a joke," Alicia replied with a chuckle. "Anyway, I gotta go. Fang and I are in the middle of cleaning up here in Tennessee, so I'll catch ya later. Stay alive, okay, Pup?"

"Huh? Alicia! Wait—! And there she goes," Lucia sighed. She buried her face in her arms and let out a long and frustrated sigh. "Why doesn't anyone listen to me…?"

"If you're that worried… why don't you just do what Shirona says?" Rias asked, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Lucia peeked out from underneath her arms.

"I mean, go on and investigate that Church. You feel weirded out by it. She feels weirded out… enough to go on a killing spree. And she warned you, right?" Rias suggested, placing a hand on Lucia's shoulder.

"She warned all of us," Lucia sighed.

"That's not—... The point is that you get to stop thinking about it! Grayfia-neesama says that to Onii-sama all the time whenever he begins burning all his paperwork," Rias said, clapping her hands together. "That way, we get this out of our minds and maybe find out what's going on here. For your sake!"

Lucia sat up a bit straighter and gazed up from their perch toward the Church. It was lit up even at this time. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten?" Rias pulled a small watch from her pocket. "Souji should be cleaning his sword. Everyone else is probably getting to bed by now, so… wanna go?"

Lucia nodded and got up. She rolled her shoulders before unfurling her two pairs of wings. "Aw, man. I'm molting…," Lucia said, seeing a few feathers falling off her wings. She brushed a few downy feathers off her wings before nodding. "Come on. Let's go before—"

"Before someone finds out?"

Rias and Lucia's bodies stiffened as they slowly turned their heads to see Sora cleaning one of her guns while sitting on the AC unit behind them. The silver-haired girl barely paid them any mind as she inspected the barrel of the rifle, Taxiarch, if she remembered correctly.

"W-We weren't going anywhere," Rias stammered.

Sora raised an eyebrow, her pink eyes falling on the duo. "Really? So what I heard just now for the past… forty-five minutes was not you two planning to sneak out of the motel when Griselda and Souji specifically told us not to."

"Yes," Rias confirmed.

"You two are going to get caught," Sora sighed.

"They're just normal people with no sense of magic. They're not like trained Exorcists. How are we going to get caught?" Lucia asked.

Sora slapped a hand against her forehead before putting her large rifle back into its case. She kicked the case up and caught it before slinging it over her shoulder. "Because you two don't know what you're doing. I heard about that time you tried to sneak into one of Valper's little facilities to rescue Tosca and that blonde guy. But you got caught and almost died to Evelyn's Paradise Lost."

Lucia felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment and opened her mouth to retort. However, Sora continued on.

"Plus, I know what I'm doing. I got shuffled around three other teams, remember?" Sora said. "And…"

"And?" Rias tapped her foot impatiently.

"That guy in there. I'm sure you've noticed it, Captain," Sora said, flicking her gaze over to the now quiet Lucia.

As usual, Lucia's face betrayed nothing as she pondered Sora's words with a lot of consideration. After a few seconds, Lucia lowered her arms and sighed. "Fine. You can come with us… but…"

"But?" the silver-haired girl said.

"Don't tell Selda or Mirana that we're going out. Selda will have a fit and lock me in the motel room if she finds out I snuck out in the middle of the night," Lucia huffed.

"Fine, fine. Just follow me and I'll make sure we don't get caught," she said as she walked past her captain.

If anyone told Lucia that Churches were creepy at night, she would've laughed in their faces. As someone who grew up in a church, creepiness was not a factor Lucia associated with a building that was her house, which just so happened to be one of the most boring places on the planet. After all, the creepiest things inside a church were the spiders that occupied abandoned corners or the priests that lived there for far too long without human contact.

Neither of those cases applied here.

To Lucia, the Church of Freedom, with its stark white coat reflecting off the near full moon gave off a far more eerie vibe than an old church that had been abandoned for decades. The Church, with its gentle chanting coming from inside. What was supposed to be a familiar sound of prayers for paradise and the cessation of sorrow, hunger, and sickness now sounded like a grating psychological contagion in her ears.

And she hated it.

Lucia followed behind a quiet Sora before the girl pulled both her and Rias into a shadowy corner of the building's exterior.

The telltale beam of a flashlight washed over the area where they once stood.

"Father David says that the fortieth night will be the night," a man said as he walked by. He was dressed in white robes and a sombrero.

"Yes… just like how the Flood lasted for forty days and forty nights and God bestowed upon Noah a dove with an olive branch, we too shall witness God through the guidance of Father David and the Pleasant One," a woman said this time. She had darker skin than the man and was dressed in a white long-sleeved dress. "Oh God Almighty, our Father in Heaven, may the Pleasant One guide us back into your loving embrace."

"Looks like there's no stragglers still outside. Should we go in? The Eucharist is about to begin soon, and I don't want to miss it," the man drawled on as his portly footsteps faded away from their location.

As soon as the two were gone, Sora pulled them out of the shadows slowly.

"It's just like on that lapis necklace the other day," Lucia whispered.

"What? The one that said 'A goat slept with your mother?'" Rias asked.

"Yeah, that one and no, that's not what it said," Lucia hissed quietly.

"Would you two shut up? We might get caught," Sora snapped as she glanced over her shoulder.

"What do we do now?" Rias glanced between the two.

"We go inside obviously," Lucia said.

"And how do you propose we do that? We'll get caught the moment we sneak inside!" Sora said as she peeped slightly through the stained glass. Inside, multiple men, women, and children sat in their pews with their heads bowed and praying in a quiet, unnerving mumble.

"I can just use magic to cloak us. It'll be easy peasy," Rias replied.

"The last time we tried that, your mom caught us before we made it five steps out of your room," Lucia whispered.

"That's Mom. These are just humans. We'll be fine," Rias insisted.

Sora looked back over at her captain. "They might not notice, but that Priest definitely might."

Lucia peeked through the window and saw David doing his homily at the altar podium.

"We have no choice. And I can't tell if he can detect us because of Shirona or whatever it is that is out there blocking my sight," Lucia said. "Rias, just make us transparent or whatever."

"You dumbass it's not that easy… but fine. Just stick close to me. I can only hold the spell for like 30 minutes if everyone stays close.'

"That's long enough to see this Eucharist or whatever they were talking about," Lucia said.

Rias nodded and motioned for Sora to come closer. After a brief burst of demonic power that Lucia was sure could be detected by their chaperones, she looked around her. "Did it work?"

"Only one way to find out. Come on," Rias said as she slinked past them.

The three girls moved quietly to the front of the Church, which was unsurprisingly open. With the number of people inside, there were people standing by the door. Lucia held her breath as they took their first step inside. Her rapid heart rate calmed slightly when a man, who was yawning and looked straight at them, didn't react as if he were staring at an empty space.

Lucia nodded to Rias, and the three moved until they found themselves a good spot in the corner along the back wall, near the exit.

The atmosphere of the Church was far more different than it was when it was empty. Somehow, it was even more unnerving than when it was just David that lived inside. Over dozens of pews were now arranged in an almost crescent-concave pattern and were filled with children, men, women, and elderly, all of whom were dressed in those same white robes but of lesser quality than the greca-style gold-embroidered vestments David wore. The man of the hour himself peacocked at the head of the congregation.

"...And so my Brothers and Sisters, may we remember the trials that Jesus faced when he went into the desert for forty days, of how Lucifer TRIED and FAILED to tempt him into giving himself over. Even when the Devil promised to give our Lord and Savior the entire world, Jesus did not fold. And you know what? Why should we?" David said.

"Wait," Rias said quietly. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at David. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she waved her finger. "Something's… off."

Sora's gaze traveled across the entire crowd, noticing the glazed look in their eyes.

"Everyone… looks… weird," Lucia said.

"Not that. Well, that… and also," Rias said. "I might be crazy, but… I think I'm sensing demonic power coming from him."

Sora and Lucia snapped their heads to Rias, who was fixated on David. Her eyes seemed to narrow in focus until Rias lifted a finger and pointed directly to the man's chest. "There."

"What?" Sora said, following her gaze.

"It's… not him. It's something on him. It's coming from something under his robes," Rias said.

"What? Are you sure?" Lucia asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. Have I ever been wrong about this?" Rias said.

Lucia turned her gaze back to David, who now had his hands spread dramatically. In what she knew was a futile attempt, Lucia tried to scan him.

[Error! Error! Overwhelming concentration of divine essence detected!]

[Error… Error… Scanning target…]

Huh?

Lucia blinked as her eyes shimmered with the telltale sign of [Warning System's] familiar activation. All of a sudden, a stream of information flooded her mind. Her knees almost buckled from the absurd amount of it that bombarded her simultaneously.

[Negative Status detected! x1]

[Negative Status detected! x2]

[Negative Status detected! x3]

[Negative Status detected! X4… x5… x6… x7… x25]

[Whisper of the Destroying God detected on target x1!]

[Whisper of the Destroying God detected on target x2… x3… x4… x35…]

Her eyes bled from the overstimulation, and her head throbbed from the influx of data. If this was what a stroke felt like, then Lucia was sure she was having one right now.

"D-Destroying God…?" Lucia managed to whisper out through the pain.

Her eyes flicked up to David, and her heart almost stopped.

[David King]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 500 (1000), Speed: 600 (1000), Durability: 500 (1000), Magic: 100 (1000), Skill: 1075, Overall Combat Capabilities: 6,775]

[Estimating Class - High Class. However, detects foreign enhancing artifact and blessing on target. Numerical adjustment of 1,000 was added to target's individual stats.]

[Age: 37, Race: Human, Gender: Male, Marital Status: Married to multiple women x10]

[Special Traits: Blessing of the Destroying God]

[Equipment: Feather of Lust]

"G-Guys…," Lucia said. "It says… he's completely human… but he's on par with a High Class Angel…"

Rias and Sora's eyes widened. "So I was right?" Rias asked quietly.

"Wait… he's human. Humans can't have demonic power!" Sora whispered as David continued to prattle on about the breaking of bread. "That's impossible! This can't be real. Your gear is probably reading him wrong."

Lucia shook her head as she scanned him over and over again but…

No matter how many times she refreshed the scan, [Warning System] displayed the same information over and over. Her fists clenched and her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands. "He's one hundred percent… human. But his stats are so high. Is he an Exorcist? And… he has a Blessing from something called a Destroying God, but… Gods don't have demonic power, do they?"

Rias shook her head. "No. No, even Evil Gods don't have that so whatever it is… it's different. Scan him again."

"I scanned him like fifteen times! It keeps coming back the same," Lucia hissed quietly.

"Okay… we need to tell Griselda about this," Sora said quietly. She glanced back at David, who made another proclamation. "That man is dangerous—"

"Wait…," Lucia raised her hand. "We can't… We can't leave yet. This isn't making sense. He has demonic power, so why does he run a church? Unless…"

There are things here that are way worse than a Stray Devil.

Lucia clenched her fists and focused on the mass.

"Lucia? Lucia, are we going or not?" Rias pulled on her arm.

"We need to see the Eucharist… Shirona's only targeting members of his Church and no one else."

"But the entire town's part of the Church!" Sora hissed.

"No… I know that but… why? Why is she so hellbent on killing everyone here?" she said.

"Because she's a psycho! They're all psychos! Now let's go before—"

"No."

Sora and Rias gawked as Lucia pulled her arms away. Her eyes fixated on David, who cleared his throat before gripping the podium.

"And now… my Brothers and Sisters, it is time. We now bow our heads in prayer and say… Lord, I am not worthy that you shall enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be purified…," David said.

A lengthy moment of silence followed, or rather, it was merely a minute that lasted unto eternity. A sort of horrific reverence overtook the congregation, gripping them tightly like the shadow of death. David opened his eyes finally.

"The time has come, my brothers and sisters. For tonight, the bread and the wine shall be offered to the Pleasant One, who shall light the way for us to reach the Lord," David said as he walked around the podium. He slowly raised his arms toward his flock, his golden eyes alight and steeped ino mania. "Step forward! Bring forth the bread and the wine!"

The doors opened, and two men walked in, escorting a beautiful young woman. She was dressed in a semi-transparent long dress. Her head was bowed and there was a veil obscuring her face. David pulled back the veil, revealing the enraptured face of the young woman. Her eyes were clouded over and steeped in ecstasy. She was no longer there. All that existed was… a sack of meat.

"The bread…," Lucia whispered.

"And the Lord took the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take this, all of you, and eat of it. For this is my body, which shall be given up for you'," the silver-haired man said solemnly as he circled the girl. He produced a silver dagger from his sleeve.

"What… is he…?" Rias said shakily as she watched the horrific sight unfold before her.

"No, it can't be," Sora mumbled.

But it was.

"And after He broke the bread, He took the wine, drank from it, gave it to His disciples, and said, 'Take this, all of you, and drink from it. For this is my blood. The blood of the new and eternal covenant, which shall be shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me," David said, his hand caressing against her skin and roaming dangerously low to her waist and upper rear.

"Oh Lord, oh Angels, oh Pleasant One above, may this Sister find her place in your infinite embrace. May the Pleasant One show us the path to the Lord, our God, our Father in Heaven," he proclaimed.

"I am ready, Father," the woman said, tears of joy streaming down her face as she knelt before the altar and looked to the sky. "To be reunited with the Pleasant One and know the Light of the Father!"

"Then… let us pray," David said as he placed the knife over her throat.

Rias shook her head. Her feet took a step forward, but an iron grip around her wrist stopped her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Lucia shaking her head quietly.

There was nothing they could do.

Nothing they can do to save the woman or even ever hope to stop that monster in front of them. The demon that wore human skin smiled in a twisted yet reverent manner. For if anything, that Priest was earnest about his devotion and faith. But whatever God he prayed to was not the God Lucia had grown up learning about.

No.

This God. This Pleasant One. The mere mention of Their name sent shivers down her spine.

And so, Lucia watched helplessly transfixed and paralyzed to her spot as David ran the silver dagger across the woman's throat.

Blood flowed down her neck in an instant. She gurgled but made no effort to struggle as her life ticked down with each spurt of blood that exited her wound.

David took the golden goblet that lay on the altar. A goblet that was normally used to serve communion wine to the masses and placed it underneath the woman's wound. Her head lolled forward but David held her fast as her blood quickly filled the cup with each passing second.

After a few more seconds, David removed the cup and gently lowered the woman's body onto the floor.

And then, the chanting began. It was low and rhythmic at first but it grew louder and louder until it was a deafening cacophony of heavy breathing and blasphemies performed in the name of God.

"My Brothers and Sisters, the Seventh Night of the Week. The Fortieth Day of our Journey… is at hand!" David said as he raised the goblet into the air.

The congregation erupted into a symphony of elated sobs as David poured it into that previously nondescript basin. As soon as he did, the symbols decorating its arch glowed.

"In Nothingness, we find God. Only the Pleasant One can set us free," Rias read.

The foundations of the Church rattled slightly as the Red Sea beyond the cliffs grew angry. Waves battered and crashed against the shoreline as visible streams of black and blue energy gathered within the symbols.

[Warning. Error! Error! Scanning functions impaired! Overwhelming concentrations of divine essence detected!]

[Error!]

[Error!]

"This… is what's causing my gear to go on the fritz," Lucia's fists tightened into balls. "This… thing. Whatever he's praying to…"

"And like how our Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, we too shall be reborn… for the Pleasant One shall come to us on the Fortieth Night through a woman as pure and holy as the Blessed Mother herself!" David proclaimed.

"I'm gonna be sick," Rias said.

Sora clenched her fists tightly, cutting into the palms of her hands yet not enough to make her bleed. "This bastard…"

"I present to you… the Chosen Mother of our new world!" David stepped aside and gestured grandly to a young woman who walked onto the stage.

She was dressed in robes similar to David. It was a low-cut greca-style robe that stopped in a black and gold skirt halfway down her thighs. She had a demure look to her. Her silver and black hair were styled in a braided ponytail that extended down her right shoulder. Her black and red eyes were glazed over but Lucia could see it clearly. This woman was different from the others.

And she saw it.

Terror.

"For she offered her body to the Pleasant One so that we shall know salvation! And like how the Lord Jesus offered himself on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, so too, shall Maria offer herself to allow the Pleasant One to enter our world for the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead, and life everlasting in the embrace of the Lord God, our Father," David said.

"That's it… we need to go, now!" Sora hissed as she grabbed Rias and Lucia's arms.

This time, Lucia didn't fight back. The three girls slinked toward the exit, still cloaked in Rias's magic. As soon as they made it to the door, Lucia looked over her shoulder one last time as Maria stood ramrod still with one of David's arms wrapped around her shoulder.

And for a second, their gazes met… and Lucia could have sworn in that moment, that the cloudiness in her eyes vanished for a split second until David fixed his gaze on them.

Lucia turned away and followed after her friends. Surely, he couldn't have known. Yet, she couldn't shake the thought when she remembered the way his golden eyes twinkled with unbridled glee and psychotic malice.

As the Church sang and chanted, they were seemingly oblivious to their observers. Most of them were. But one observer went undetected. The Red Sea beyond the cliffs roiled and churned. The winds howled, sending massive waves slamming against the cliffside. Seagulls fled from the splash of the waves, fearing as if something would raise its dark maw from the depths of the Abyss and swallow them whole.

Shirona sat, her legs dangling over the ledge of the lighthouse. Its lights no longer heralded or guided ships past the storms or across the waves. Her red eyes tracked the three as they fled the Church.

"..."

She turned her gaze back out over the sea. She could feel it. It was crazy that none of them had noticed up until now. But perhaps, it was only natural. Whatever they were doing in that Church. Whatever God they were invoking, it was folly to think that the other God here wouldn't notice.

"The stage is almost set for her. Soon, she'll know… soon she'll see. It's a shame that it has to come to this but it's necessary… necessary for all of us," Shirona muttered as she gazed out over the sea. Her eyes closed as she leaned back against the wall of the lighthouse. "But she's here… now. And soon, things will proceed as they once have… she'll awaken to that awful power and then soon, you two will meet one another as you have done so, countless times."

[Do you really think that she can change it? Your faith in her is admirable but she… is but a child.] a deep and rumbling voice called out to her.

The crimson-haired demoness opened her eyes. A soft glow in the palm of her right hand pulsated as the voice continued to speak.

[If I recall…]

"I know. But this is our only route forward right now. The possibility hinges on her awakening it… and shuttling their first meeting to an earlier time," Shirona said as she gazed down at the soft emerald glow on her left hand.

[...I will trust your judgement as he once did. But know this, if this changes, then we will have to adapt ourselves to the uncertainty of chaos that comes along with it.]

Shirona said nothing as she looked out over the roiling sea once more.

And beneath the crashing of the waves and the howling of the wind, in the deep dark depths of the abyss far below the water's surface, therein lay something old. Something far more ancient than the soil that the town built itself on. The Gods of yore once shivered at the mere feeling of her presence.

And so, in that deep, dark sea, where no light reached and a place that was forgotten by time and the gods themselves, a single glowing red eye cracked open.

Chapter Text

"You have to listen to me, Selda!"

"You snuck out in the middle of the night to go spy on a Church that we were requested to come here and protect!?"

"I'm telling you! There's something wrong here! WE SAW SOMEONE GET THEIR THROAT CUT OPEN!"

The others in the room shrank as the tension became suffocating. Lucia huffed, breathing heavily as she glared at the woman who had once changed babysat her. Griselda had her arms crossed and stern, yet angry expression on her face.

Griselda pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sharp, frustrated sigh. "Lucia, I specifically told you that no one was to go out in the middle of the night. Did your previous encounters with the Unknown Devil Alpha not teach you anything at all? That woman could easily kill you—"

"Oh so NOW you care about her! You didn't seem to care about her until after she kicked our asses the first time we saw her!" Lucia snarled as she stomped closer to Griselda.

"First of all, language, and second, how dare you? Did you not stop to think I wasn't considering that possibility this whole time? Do you know what it takes to run an operation or to make sure that everyone has to get home alive if I might add!? No! No you don't!" Griselda bit back, towering over the younger girl.

"Griselda, I think we should—"

"Not now, Mirana. Lucia needs to learn," Griselda held up a hand, silencing the Russian Nun before she could continue. Her blue eyes flicked back to Lucia, who was staring at her defiantly. "You don't know anything about the real world! People die, Lucia! And in a mission like this where we have a woman powerful enough to kill Lucifer's first born son, I'd like to err on the side of caution for a bit instead of running headlong into sudden death like you!"

Lucia stumbled back, as if she had been struck in the face. "W-Wha…?"

"Do I need to list off how many times you nearly gave us a heart attack with what you did?" Griselda raised an eyebrow as she placed her hands on her hips. "Okay, the first one, you and Irina ran off into the woods the first day you met, do you remember that?"

"T-That…"

"You remember how you almost got her killed by a rogue vampire? Do you? Did you not remember me and your mother telling you not to run off when I took you to the park?"

"S-Selda, I—"

"Not now, Irina," Griselda snapped, causing the auburn-haired girl's mouth to snap shut in fear. She took a step closer to Lucia. "Or do I need to remind you of your playdate at Vali's house or how his father almost killed his mother, him, and all of you?"

Lucia took another step back as Griselda's eyes bore into hers. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she opened her mouth to speak. However, Griselda's voice cut in the middle, drowning out any retort she could think of.

"But you don't think, do you? You have it planted somewhere in your mind that this… being an Exorcist, being a Destroying Angel like Lady Camael or your Mother, is some romantic fantasy job where all you do is swoop in and save the day after beating the bad guys, is that it? Well no, it's not! People die every day, Lucia! People die from mistakes or miscalculated strategies but oh, never mind that as long as you can live out your stupid fantasy of being a hero!" Griselda spat.

Lucia's eyes widened and filled with hurt.

"How much will it take for you to grow up and realize that nothing is a fantasy like in that thick skull of yours?" Griselda said.

Lucia shook her head, fighting back the tears that were welling up at the edge of her eyes.

No one seemed to have the moxy to stop Griselda from continuing her seemingly rage-fueled tirade against Lucia.

"Do we all have to die? Does someone have to die before you fucking realize that the world is nothing like your imagination? I thought you'd grow up a bit after Lady Uriel gave you St. Benedict's Medallion but you're still that same stupid kid from 4 years ago," she rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"...hate you…"

"Huh?"

"I HATE YOU!" Lucia grabbed a vase and threw it, missing Griselda's head narrowly. The vase impacted the wall, sending porcelain shards everywhere.

Lucia turned on her heel and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Griselda pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Selda—"

"No, let her go. She'll come back after she cools off," Griselda said.

"Griselda," Mirana said, watching as the white-haired woman walked past her to her and Lucia's shared room. "Griselda, we need to talk—"

"No, Mirana. Just stop. She needed to hear it," Griselda said as she rubbed her forehead. Her face winced slightly in pain.

"No, she didn't. That was uncalled for. Even if she went out in the middle of the night, she's just a kid. You didn't need to talk to her so harshly like that," Mirana said.

Griselda said nothing as she walked into the room and slammed the door in her adjutant's face. "Griselda? Griselda!" Mirana banged her fist against the door, only to receive nothing but silence in reply. She ran a hand through her hair before kicking one of the tables in frustration.

Having had enough of this, Irina got up and started toward the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mirana's words stopped her in her tracks.

"After her," Irina replied bluntly.

"I'll go with you. Like they said, it's not safe to be alone," Rias said, standing up.

"I—" Irina stopped when she saw the look in Rias's eyes that left no room for argument. She just nodded and opened the door, allowing Rias to go first. And the two left, closing the door behind them softly.

Lucia didn't know how far she ran. Her feet just moved on their own, and her surroundings turned into a blur as tears streamed down her face. Eventually, she slowed to a stop as she came to the very edge of the cliff. Below her, the black waters of the Red Sea churned, slamming and striking the rocks with its powerful waves. She fell on her butt, curling up into a ball and glaring as fiercely as she could out at nothing.

"Stupid Selda… stupid…"

[Negative Status Detected: Whisper of the Destroying God]

"Stupid priest guy," Lucia mumbled. Her eyes flashed and she let out a scream of frustration. The waters before her exploded as a beam of red light slammed down into the surface, sending water and dead fish raining down around her. "Stupid… stupid… stupid…" she grabbed a rock and hurled it over the edge of the cliff.

"So this is where you went. If you wanted to hide and cry, blowing up the ocean wasn't a good move."

"I told you this is where she went."

Lucia didn't need to turn around to know who said that. "Shut up, Rin… Tomato Paste"

Irina smiled gently as she took a seat next to Lucia, looking out at the Red Sea. Rias just stood behind the two, crossing her arms.

"I hate her," Lucia buried her face in her arms.

Irina rolled her eyes before placing a hand on Lucia's shoulder. "No, you don't. You're just mad." She squeezed it gently, earning a grumble of disagreement from her friend.

"Come on, you don't actually hate Griselda, do you? You hate Camael and Fang's training more. I bet you hate it whenever Lady Uriel makes you eat your veggies," Irina continued.

"Shut up," Lucia huffed, shaking her hand off.

"Well, if you say so. I bet Griselda would be really sad if she heard you say it for real," Irina leaned back a bit.

Lucia said nothing.

"It's a bit weird though. I never thought Griselda would go that far," Rias said, finally taking a seat on Lucia's left. "I always pegged her for the calm and collected type. Never figured she'd blow up on you like that."

"Yeah… now that you say that, Griselda's never done that before. She's been mad at us but she… never did that," Irina agreed.

"...control…," Lucia mumbled something under her breath.

Irina and Rias blinked before turning to her.

"What?"

"I couldn't hear that."

"She has… that same status effect that those people in the Church did," she said, a bit louder this time.

"Status effect?" Irina tilted her head in confusion.

"The [Warning System] showed me that she has a negative status. Whisper of the Destroying God or something. I… was right when I thought Selda wasn't acting like herself," Lucia said. "I'm still mad at her, though."

"Yeah, I guess you are," Irina said. "So what do we do?"

"It's connected to that Priest guy. Everyone in that Church had the same status effect. And he had a power that had the same words but in a different way," Lucia said.

Rias stared off into the sea, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks. Her hand fiddled with a flat rock as she prepared to chuck it over the cliffside. "What did it say? I know your Sacred Gear can display abilities, but what did it say?"

"Blessing of the Destroying God."

Rias's heart almost came to a stop. The rock fell out of her hand. "...What?"

"Yeah. It said something like Blessing of the Destroying God. Maybe that's how he's mind controlling people—"

Lucia looked up to see Rias's face growing paler with every word that slipped out of her mouth. She raised an eyebrow. "What…? Was it something I said?"

Irina leaned forward, looking past Lucia to see the crimson-haired devil trembling in her spot. Her eyes were wide and unfocused as if she had just listened to Lucia dictate her plans to slaughter her entire family.

"Hey, Ria, are you okay?" Irina asked softly.

Rias snapped out of her daze, her pale skin glistening from the cold sweat trickling down her cheek. She shot to her feet and grabbed the two by the back of their collars, attempting to haul them off.

"H-Hey! Cut it out!" Lucia hissed, thrashing like a feral cat.

"W-What's the big deal!?" Irina said.

"We need to get the hell out of here! Or at least find Mirana or Souji or someone! No, no, no, this is not good! Not good at all! I need to contact Onii-sama and… and—"

"RIAS!" Lucia pushed her off, causing her to stumble in her step. "What the heck!? You almost strangled me with my own uniform!" She got up and dusted the sand off the skirt of her habit and glared at her.

"You don't understand! If he has that thing on him, then this is bigger than what we think! Unknown Devil Alpha? No, we can handle that but that thing that's running the Church! We need to call my brother right now, Luci! NOW!" Rias said, her tone frenzied and desperate. She grabbed Lucia's shoulder in a tight grip. "Don't you get it, we're basically screwed if we don't—"

"Get off!" Lucia pushed her off but not hard enough to knock Rias over. She rubbed her shoulder, wincing at the sore spot where Rias's fingers had dug in. "Jeez, you look like you saw a ghost or something."

Irina looked at Rias with a concerned gaze. "Rias, are you okay?"

"The Blessing of the Destroying God… belongs to one of the Original Four Satans," Rias said.

"What?" Lucia's eyes widened.

Rias nodded grimly as she tightened her fists into a ball. "Brother used to tell me that unlike us Pillar Devils, the Four Satans weren't Devils. They were… either Fallen Gods or Beasts that could devour the world. The one that gave her blessing to David was… Asmodeus."

"Asmodeus? The Lord of Lust, Asmodeus? That Asmodeus?" Irina asked.

Rias nodded. "Maybe. But I'm sure. I'm almost certain. You said that creepo priest guy has demonic power right?"

Lucia nodded.

"Then there's no doubting it. We need to tell Souji right now so he can call for back up. Maybe tell Mirana too. She might need to call the other Twelve Apostles and—"

"Wait, hold on. Slow down," Lucia rubbed her temples. "Okay, before we go rattling off to anyone… we can't tell Griselda. If it is Asmodeus that's behind this… or some descendant of hers," she paused for a few seconds, "Then Griselda can't know."

"Lucia—"

"Rin! She has the negative status! I mean for all we know, this creepy priest pervert thing could be using his Asmodeus mojo to play with her brain! And didn't you see how she just acted? We can't trust her right now," Lucia said.

Rias nodded. "Okay, so we're good? We find Souji or Mirana—"

"Or both," Irina interjected.

"Or both and tell them?"

"That… sounds like a good idea," Lucia nodded. "But…" she looked up at the Moon. "We need to tell them now. That priest said he's gonna do it on the night of the seventh day of the week or something."

The three girls exchanged looks before nodding and running off to find the nearest adult.

Okita Souji was never a rational individual. He had fought in the Boshin War and nearly threw his life away for a country he later learned sided with a megalomaniac while having its own megalomaniac steal power away from the Emperor. But fighting by Sirzechs's side without the ever-looming threat of the white death looming over his shoulders was something he would never regret.

So now, as he relaxed with a cup of sake in his hand, sitting on a bed inside a cheap hotel room in the middle of nowhere, Egypt, he thought he'd finally be able to relax.

However…

BAM!

Souji blinked when his door practically caved inward and three girls scrambled in, all blabbering nonsense.

"Souji! We have something to tell you!"

"Asmodeus! There's an Asmodeus here and—"

"Selda! She was like 'Lucia, you're just a stupid kid' and we need to tell Mirana and—"

Souji was never trained to handle something like this. He sighed as he rubbed his temples before raising a hand to silence the girls. "Okay, okay, okay, one at a time, you brats. One at a damn time," he said.

The three girls went quiet before exchanging looks.

"We need to tell you something, Souji!" Lucia stepped forward and slammed her hands on his table, causing his cup of sake to nearly spill over.

"Hey! Watch it, brat! That's Meiji era sake! I only have a few of those left," Souji sighed.

"Look, you need to stop getting drunk and listen! Asmodeus… or one of her descendants, I don't know which… but they're here! They're here and that creepo priest inside the Church is using weird mind powers and brainwashed Selda!" Lucia said, her voice rising with each word.

Souji stuck a finger in his ear, picking the wax out of it before letting out a tired sigh. "And you're telling me this… why?"

"Because you're Lucifer's knight! Isn't this your job!?" Lucia demanded. Rias stepped forward and pulled her nearly rabid friend back.

"Souji, what she's trying to say is we need your help," Rias said in as respectful a voice as she could muster.

Souji raised an eyebrow before leaning back against the foot of his bed. "Okay. Have you told anyone else?"

"No, your room was the closest," Irina interjected.

"Have you ever considered the fact that I might be brainwashed—"

A beam of black and red light tore through his bed, leaving a massive scorch mark on the wall behind him. He blinked before looking over his shoulder before looking back to see the infuriated expression on Lucia's face. Her hand was crackling with her Power of God.

"Okay… alright, brats. So who's brainwashed and whaddya want me to do?" Souji got off his butt and dusted himself off.

"I just told you!"

"The grey-haired chick?"

"Yes!" Lucia said.

"Okay and…? I don't have any brainwashing reversal potions on me. And I don't exactly specialize in magic," Souji said.

"B-But… can't you… can't you just…"

Rias sighed and took over. "Look, that's not what's important, Souji. What is important is that there is an Asmodeus descendant… or possibly someone connected to Asmodeus in this town that is MURDERING people and running a cult."

Souji rubbed the side of his head. "Ojou-sama, you snuck off to the Church, didn't you?"

"Yes— wait… how do you…?"

"Because the Russian girl came here earlier looking for the gloomy angel girl," Souji said.

"Mirana? Where is she?" Irina perked up.

"Well… I think she said she'd round back here in a few minutes so… somewhere? Probably still out there looking for ya, gloomy ojou-san," Souji said in a voice that was far too jovial for the situation at hand. "Still. Someone connected to Asmodeus. Never thought I'd have to stain my blood in Old Satan blood all these years later. Thought we handled these fuckers already." He grabbed his katana. He grabbed the sake cup and downed it in a single gulp. A small burp escaped his lips. "Ahh, now. Let's go look for that Russian Nun."

"I… see." Mirana rubbed her chin. Lucia had gotten her up to speed on everything, including what they saw in the Church. Her eyebrows furrowed deep in thought as the gears in her mind turned. "If… what you're saying is true, then we have no time to waste." She produced a bible from her sleeve and placed it on the table in front of her.

Flipping quickly through numerous pages, she stopped at one in particular. "Forty is a significant number in the Bible. God flooded the world for forty days, and Jesus went into the desert for forty days. The ritual, if you can even call it that, follows Biblical Numerology in which both forty and seven are significant numbers."

"Coupled with what's sleepin' out here," Souji said.

Mirana's expression hardened at his words. "Right… given what is asleep out here… I think this takes precedence over hunting down Unknown Devil Alpha."

Lucia's eyes lit up. "So we can go?"

"Tonight. Not now. Right now, David probably can't perform the ritual even though it is technically still 'night'. It probably has very specific requirements," Mirana suggested. "I'm just spitballing here, of course."

"Okay, so tonight, all of us. Team Griselda. My team. Souji and Rias's peerage. We all go and ambush the Church before they can sacrifice someone," Lucia said.

"And rescue that girl you saw," Rias added.

"Girl?" Mirana and Souji turned to the three girls.

"We found out who their final sacrifice is. Some girl named Maria. They said she's something called a virgin so she can be used as the Mary to carry a God or something," Lucia said.

Mirana clasped her hands together as she looked down at the table. After a few seconds, she looked up at the others. "We can't let Griselda know. Lucia's Sacred Gear can indiscriminately scan a target to see information so I trust what she's saying. Also… Griselda has been spending an unhealthy amount of time around that man. If he truly has ensnared her heart and mind in whatever corruption he's spreading… then, we can safely assume she's compromised."

Lucia clenched her fists and nodded.

"Tomorrow. Before sundown. But for now…" She looked to Souji, who nodded.

A red magic circle appeared on the table, spinning lazily as a black, three-legged crow manifested on the table. "This is Hijikata. Tell me what the girl looks like and he'll scout out the town." His fingers rested gently on the crow's shiny black feathers.

Lucia nodded. "Uh… about up to Mirana's shoulder. Grey and black hair, Grey eyes. Wears a white dress."

"White? That's like the entire town, kiddo," Souji said.

"Yeah, but do you see anyone else here with grey hair?" Lucia retorted.

"Fair point," Souji said before whispering to the crow Maria's description. Hijikata let out a droll crow before flapping his wings and flying off into the night sky. "You kids need to get your groups together and get ready. Don't tip off Griselda that we're doing something. Just act naturally."

The three girls exchanged glances before nodding.

"Our opponent… could be a very powerful one if he can sway Griselda with his abilities. A human connected to Asmodeus," Mirana mused.

Fooling Griselda was a lot easier than Lucia thought. Granted, this Griselda was far duller than Lucia noticed. The way she acted, the way she moved, even her senses didn't seem honed or refined the way Lucia knew Griselda Quarta. Rather, she moved as if she were programmed to copy her original and only succeeded with replicating a mere fraction of all that Griselda Quarta was.

The day passed by without incident. The search for Shirona stagnated once more as they failed to find any clues to the enigmatic stray devil. However, she was the least of their worries. Everyone's focus was fixated on the unassuming white church that sat atop the cliff, overlooking the gaping maw of the sea.

"Nervous?" Sora asked.

Lucia almost jumped out of her skin. She dropped Netherlight to the ground. "Jesus Christ, you scared the crap out of me! Someone really needs to put a bell on you."

Sora tilted her head before walking up to her and taking a seat in one of the chairs. "It's okay to be nervous. Besides, I'm sure your lightsaber is okay."

"I-It's not a lightsaber! It's a light sword and dagger that I helped make. C-Clyde got it for me as a gift for my birthday at the Vatican," Lucia huffed before scrambling to grab the dagger.

"It's okay to be afraid," Sora said.

"Huh?"

"I… I was also afraid that night when…"

"Little girl, it was you who gave me permission to enter this village… This is all your fault."

Those crimson eyes that haunted her ever since—

"Sora?" Lucia waved her hand in front of Sora's eyes.

The girl blinked before composing herself. "I'm saying that… it's okay to be scared. Because no matter how afraid I am… if I can't even take down a Priest using a Devil's power, then how can I ever… kill that person?"

"Kill… that person?" Lucia asked hesitantly.

Sora said nothing more as her white-knuckle grip tightened so impossibly on the chair's metal arm that it snapped from the sheer stress.

"I… okay," Lucia said. "If we can't do this, how can we call ourselves Exorcists? How can I ever call myself my Mom's daughter if I chicken out now, right? Ahahahaha…"

"Guys!"

The two turned to see Tosca standing by the door. She waved her arm at them. "Come on. The others are already by the door. Asia said to Griselda that Mirana and Souji were taking us out to get dinner while she went over the battle plans."

Lucia and Sora exchanged glances before standing up from their chairs and following after her.

"Are you sure Asia told a convincing lie because if Griselda catches us in a half-assed attempt to go and save that Church…"

She didn't even want to think about what would happen or the millions of ways Griselda could probably mutilate or flay them alive. She was not the Strongest Female Exorcist within the Church without reason. Her power and skill fell only short of Dulio Gesualdo in the current generation and being second to a Longinus User despite not possessing one yourself was nothing short of remarkable.

"Okay, so we have one chance to make this work. Souji's already found Maria so the group will split up and—" Lucia stopped when she saw a familiar silver-haired figure standing at the end of the gravel path leading up to the hotel. Her feet slowed to a stop.

[Scanning…]

[Griselda Quarta]

[Negative Status detected! Whisper of the Destroying God.]

"Hey, guys. Ready to…" Vali's voice, which had come up from behind them, died immediately when he saw Griselda's dull blue eyes. His body tensed up as every instinct in his body screamed at him to run.

Griselda's head snapped up and her eyes turned the same sickly shade of yellow as David's. A grotesque smile split her lips open, showing more teeth than it did actual smile. Unlike Griselda's real smile, there was no real warmth behind it. Just an eerie, uncanny sensation that clawed at the recesses of their minds.

"I never thought I'd have to use her so soon. But I guess not all toys need to be broken in. I was gonna enjoy her last. Have her be with you guys then taste her once I got to everyone but…" Griselda said as she opened and closed her fists. Except that the voice that came out of her mouth was not Griselda's. "You never know what's gonna happen. Like when you snuck into my mass last night."

Lucia's eyes widened. "He knows?"

"He's known the whole time," Sora hissed.

"Guys, what's going… on?" Rias stopped just shy of the door when she saw a soft blue light emitting from Griselda's body.

"That Priest's taken control of Selda's body! Get down!" Lucia grabbed the people nearest to her and tackled them to the ground. The others dove for it as a torrent of holy blue energy ripped through the air and tore through the building.

After the light died down, Lucia lifted her head to see the smoking tip of a black rapier pointed in their direction. Multiple violet symbols lit up along its body as Griselda lowered it.

"Kch!" Lucia summoned Mist and Netherlight to her hands, igniting their blades. A bead of sweat ran down the side of her forehead.

Fighting Griselda was not something she was confident she could do.

"Okay, we're fighting her now?" Irina asked as she drew Ameno Habakiri from its scabbard. She held the blade in front of her, jaw tightening as Griselda's wrist flicked.

"Irina! MOVE!" Lucia kicked Irina out of the way as Griselda's body moved forward with impossible speed. She barely had time to throw Netherlight back away from her as the tip of Griselda's rapier came within mere centimeters of her eye.

However, it struck nothing but air.

Lucia reappeared in a flash of red light next to Vali.

"Everyone that's a devil! Be careful! That sword… is called Almace! It's a holy sword and a legendary one, too! It belonged to Bishop Turpin!" Lucia said.

Griselda changed her stance before bending her knees slightly and taking off with incredible speed toward Rias.

Rias took a step back before rapidly manifesting a shroud of demonic power, using the Distortion.

"Rias!" Lucia took off, flying toward them. I won't… make it! That shield won't last against Almace! Especially if Griselda's using her Miracle with it!

CLANG!

Before the blade could meet its mark, a flash of silver sent the brainwashed Griselda flying back. She flipped in the air before landing on the ground. Her triangular blue halo manifested above her head as her previously blue but now gold eyes bore into her newest opponent.

"Man, I didn't think she'd catch on so quickly or rather, that Priest guy would," Souji spat his toothpick onto the sand as he brandished his katana. Its silver gleam reflected off the light of the rising moon. "Oi, Griselda! You still in there? I'd really rather not have to clean Kikuichimonji tonight!"

Griselda straightened herself before dropping back into her stance.

"Her movements are jerky," Lucia said. "The brainwashing isn't letting her move like she naturally does."

"I can see that, kid," Souji said. "But that's not the question in mind, is it? No, that girl can't control herself which means she doesn't see us as an ally so she'll strike to—"

Souji deflected another one of her attacks with alarming precision. He spun on his foot and kicked her in the side, sending her crashing through the wall of another motel room. "Kill! Go! Mirana's team should be waiting for you. I'll hold her off!" Souji jumped away from them and landed a few meters away from the gaping hole in the wall.

"But—"

"Ojou-sama! My job is to protect you, not do your job for you!" Souji said, cutting Rias off. "Go!"

A faint glow of blue light came from the hole in the wall. A massive torrent of compressed holy water burst forth, surging toward Souji with the force of a bullet train.

"Ah, fuck!" However, as he prepared to slice the attack in half, a spark of golden lightning shot through the air and obliterated the water stream. Mirana landed in front of Souji, twirling Svyatogor Kladenet in her hands.

"Damn. I knew something was off when I didn't find Griselda in her room! Lucia!" Mirana called.

"I'm okay!" Lucia replied.

"Good! Go! The rest of the team is waiting for you at the rendezvous point! I left a blue haired girl in charge! Her name is Xenovia! Go now!" Mirana said.

Lucia clenched her fist before nodding.

"Don't worry about us. To be honest—"

Griselda came flying out of the collapsed room. She disappeared into a blur, moving to different angles before darting toward Mirana's unprotected side.

But Mirana anticipated this. She dug her heel into the ground and met Almace with Kladenet's blade. The sheer weight of the scythe's blade crumbled Griselda's forward onslaught like a tower of bricks. The ground shattered from the force of the blow as Griselda was sent crashing through the entirety of the motel complex. "I'm a bit disappointed in this version of Griselda!" Mirana laughed.

Lucia retracted her blades into their hilts before nodding. She exchanged glances with the others before taking off in a mad dash in the opposite direction.

"Ne, Mirana. I know a good bar in Cairo. Wanna stop over after this?" Souji asked.

Above them, thunderclouds began to swirl, blotting out the light of the Moon. Wind whipped up, sending sand billowing and knocking over everything that wasn't nailed to the ground. Griselda burst through the roof, unfurling ten pairs of translucent glowing blue wings. Her triangular halo glowed like a brilliant crown as a torrential downpour came down upon them.

"Save that for if we survive this and I just might take you up on that offer!" Mirana tightened her grip on her scythe. A similar number of golden, transparent wings spread from her back.

The rain came down hard. Golden lightning streaked across the sky as an explosion rocked the entire town. Lucia looked over her shoulder to see three blurs racing across the sky, splitting the rain with each blow. She shuddered. The shockwaves of each exchange was something she felt down to the marrow of her bones.

"Pigeon."

She turned to see Rias nodding.

"Come on. Let's go," Lucia said.

It didn't take long for them to find the rest of Team Griselda. Calling them a team was generous. There was the blue-haired girl that Mirana mentioned, Xenovia, standing there and drenched in the rain. The other was a man she had never seen before. If it weren't for the angle of his jaw and cheek, Lucia would have mistaken him for a woman due to his extremely androgynous appearance, not to mention the fact that he wore nun's clothing.

"Where's Mirana?" The man asked.

"No time! They're—"

The sky split open as a blue beam of watery energy clashed with a golden stream of crackling electricity.

"Over there," Lucia gestured.

"Well, shit. No time for introductions then! Just follow me!" The man said.

"Did Mirana tell you where Souji found their sacrifice?" Lucia yelled over the downpour as they ran.

"Yeah! That David person has her locked inside his room in the Church! Security's tight but most of them are just brainwashed civilians so try not to go overboard on the casualties!" The man said.

"I don't know your name!" Lucia said.

"Stelio! Just call me Stelio!" The man said.

Lucia nodded. "Tosca! When we get close, I need you to take point! Your Sacred Gear can give us enough defensive power to ram through that door and minimize casualties!"

"Roger!" Tosca said.

"Asia! You're in the back! Prioritize on healing us and casting long-range! Vali, Irina, you two are with me and Tosca. Sora, stay with Asia and keep any stragglers off her!" Lucia barked off orders while Rias did the same with her own group.

"Yuuto, I want you to support Tosca at the front! Kuroka, Akeno, listen up! Asia is our only healer outside of the Phenex Tears I brought with me. Keep them off her with Sora. Koneko, you're with me and Yuuto!" Rias said.

"Stand ready guys! Here we go!" Stelio said as he manifested a bow in his hands. A blast of pink energy spat forth from the bow as he released its drawstring with a twang.

The energy beam barreled through the front door, unleashing utter bedlam.

"TOSCA! NOW!"

Tosca dashed to the front, summoning Elysion Pedion. "Haaaaah!" She slammed the cross on the ground and began charging forward as a massive half-dome of golden energy formed around her.

Shots fired from the inside, all bouncing uselessly off the energy shield.

"It's the enemy!"

"The rulers of Babylon are here!"

"God! Pleasant One! Have mercy upon us!"

And the group was met by a swarm of angry, white-clad and brainwashed parishioners.

"Remember! Our goal is to not hurt them!" Lucia screamed over the chaos. She vanished in a blur of speed and knocked out six cultists in an instant.

"You stupid—"

The man was sent flying into a nearby pew as Vali appeared and slammed his fist into the side of his skull. "What about unfortunate accidents? We can't leave all of them alive in this chaos!" Vali said as he hovered in the air.

"Try not to—" Lucia ducked as the wooden leg of a chair almost took her head off. She ran forward, burying Netherlight's blade into an overweight man's gullet before slicing upward and kicking off. "Kill all of them!" Her two pairs of wings spread and fired a volley of white steel feathers everywhere.

"Kind of hard not to—!" Irina kicked a woman in the chin. Ameno Habakiri morphed in her hand, creating a gust of wind as she transformed it into a dual-bladed naginata. "Lucia!"

"Right!"

A shot rang out, as did a series of yellow vines, striking three cultists in the head and restraining the others. Around them, it was utter chaos as they fought their way into the Church. Spells and bullets flew through the air while blades and fists found and bit into flesh.

Lucia slammed into the ground, creating a shockwave. She gripped Mist and Netherlight tightly in her hands as she took a step back, bumping into someone. "Why'd I have to get paired up with you?"

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Rias asked as she created several magic circles around her. Her aura of demonic power twisted and morphed, forming a shroud around her body.

"I didn't want my possible last moments to be next to you," Lucia snorted.

"Well, neither did I, but here we are," Rias teased.

Lucia glanced past the clamoring crowd, past the spells and the growing number of bodies. David was at the altar, smiling and continuing on with his mass as if he hadn't just sicced a horde of rabid zealots on a bunch of children. On the bench that was reserved for altar servers, Maria sat with her head down and her grey eyes dulled.

"We have to get over there," Lucia said.

"Okay, but how?" Rias replied as her demonic aura shroud extended into several arms that pounded the ground around them, knocking several cultists off their feet.

"Throw me," she said.

Rias's eyes widened. "What?"

"Don't ask! Just throw me!" Lucia said as she ran forward and slashed a few cultists before turning on her feet and darting back toward Rias.

Rias sighed as she made a few gestures with her hand, causing the amorphous blob of energy surrounding her to shift into two clasped hands. Lucia jumped onto the hands just as Rias commanded them to move upward, throwing her into the air.

She did a corkscrew spin mid-air before throwing Netherlight at David.

David didn't even turn to look as Netherlight struck something solid but unseen. "Well, I thought you'd never show up, Little Girl!" David turned in time to see Lucia appear in a flash of red light to swing Mist at David's throat.

He grinned as he swiped his hand, causing the invisible barrier to suddenly burst, sending Lucia back into the crowd. "Careful with her boys! She's still a kid! Not prime material yet—"

A body flew past his head and snapped the crucifix above in half. Lucia stood in the middle of a pile of unconscious or dead men and women. Blood stained her habit as she glared fiercely at him.

"Oh? I see how—"

Lucia's Mist was blocked once more by an invisible barrier. David smirked as he raised his hand. The unconscious man was suddenly lifted into the air and thrown straight at Lucia.

Lucia's eyes widened as she jumped back and flipped over the human projectile.

"Okay. Fine. I'll bite. Little Angel, since you're so hellbent on ruining my night! A night I've been looking forward to for so long, then I'll dance to your tune," David let out an arrogant laugh that shook the foundations of the Church. His grin twisted into something malicious as a dark shroud of demonic power radiated from his body. "The Pleasant One shall enter our world tonight and liberate us from sin! For They are the one true God of Gods! A God that listens and does not abandon the world to the impurity of sin!"

And then, it all happened in an instant. It felt like an explosion went off inside the Church, yet there was a distinct lack of heat and fire. It was pure physical force.

Half of the Church collapsed before exploding outward in a shower of blood, dust, and wood shavings. Everyone was blown away from the site. The remaining cultists were all sent flying, the force having dismembered their bodies in varying degrees, and they fell in a shower of meat, blood, and viscera alongside the pouring rain.

Lucia landed with a roll in the dirt before slamming into a rock. She shakily got to her feet. Blood flowed down her forehead. "You!" Lucia's body shook in rage as she ran forward.

"Ah! If anyone has a right to be angry, it's me!" David said as he levitated several broken pews. "It was you who decided to invade my Church!"

The pews launched from their suspended spots in the air like cruise missiles.

Lucia slid under one as it impacted the dirt violently, splintering and exploding with the force of a bomb.

"You who came into my town!"

Another one flew right at her but she couldn't dodge in time. Her eyes glowed as Leliel's power coursed through her veins. A flash of light, followed by several arcing trails of red light, reduced the broken pew to smithereens as Lucia continued her charge forward.

"And you who came into my mass without a proper invitation! Now…"

BAM!

The remains of the Church shuddered as Mist and Netherlight's blades struck an invisible barrier once more.

"Didn't your mama teach you a few manners? Why's it got to fall on me to raise unruly children? I mean… I guess it is up to me. Between you and me, the younger the bride, the more obedient—"

Lucia kicked off the barrier and spread her wings. She raised her hand into the air, and her halo glowed intensely. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the rulers of darkness of this world…"

A swirling shroud of malleable holy matter manifested around her.

"Oh? Is this one of them fancy Miracles ya'll got down in the Vatican?" David grinned as he raised his hand. The sand around him lifted, swirling like a miniature storm before condensing and coalescing into a jagged spear that hummed as it levitated in front of David. "Let's see who's really got God's blessing. Me or the winged freak right in front of me!"

The two launched their attacks at the same time. Swirling blocks of white, glowing matter clashed with a spinning drill of iron-hard sand.

Lucia's face scrunched up in focus as she tried to push against David's spinning jagged lance to no avail. "Come on!"

"What's wrong, Little Miss? Getting tired already?" David laughed as he pushed back against her.

"Ngggh! Haaaaaah!" Lucia's eyes glowed as she put in more power, causing the winds and the rain to be blown away as her attack grew more intense.

And then…

BANG!

A bullet tore through the air, slamming into David's psychokinetic barrier. His focus wavered as his eyes widened in surprise. "W-What the hell—!?"

Another loud bang impacted David's left. His eyes flicked over to see Vali's white armored fist grinding against the invisible barrier. "You!"

Vali's eyes glowed.

[Vanishing Dragon Balance Breaker.]

[Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide!]

David's eyes widened when he felt his barrier weakening at an alarming rate. His jaw clenched. "Don't get too cocky, brats!" His eyes glowed as an invisible force slammed into Vali, sending him crashing into one of the Church's remaining standing pillars. He turned to see Sora's rifle still aimed at him. "You—"

"Thanks, Vali! You gave me an opening!" Irina appeared above David and morphed Ameno Habakiri into a greatsword. She spun before swinging the blade at the telekinetic barrier.

"More of you! You damn!"

A volley of attacks came from every direction at once. Lightning. Blue flames.

"Captain!" Tosca called out as she ran past her. "Keep going!" She gathered light into the palm of her hand, resummoning Elysion Pedion. She slammed the massive golden cross into David's barrier, causing a resounding crack to echo through the downpour. "Got you! Haaaaaah!" A flash of golden light erupted around the ruins of the Church as David was sent sliding back.

His concentration broke, and the sand spear was torn apart by the swirling mass of holy energy that barreled straight through and consumed David.

An explosion rocked the entire town, sending sand and wooden debris everywhere.

Lucia panted, her hand still raised toward the plume of dust and smoke slowly rising into the air.

"Did we…?" Asia said as she landed next to Lucia.

[Scanning…]

[Errror! Interference detected! Overwhelming concentrations of divine essence detected!]

Lucia narrowed her eyes. That thing was still interfering. Just as she was about to open her mouth to talk, a barrier of rippling red demonic power formed around her just in time to block a bullet of pure concussive force.

"Focus!" Rias yelled as she hovered above Lucia. "I can still feel demonic power coming from there—"

"Ojou-sama!" Akeno suddenly slammed into Rias, knocking her out of the way as a blast of air sliced through them, striking Akeno in the shoulder.

"Akeno!"

"Asia!"

"On it!"

"I thought I hit something." David walked out of the smoke completely unharmed.

"What…? He's… okay?" Irina said.

"Lucia's Sacred Gear put him at around a High Class Devil in strength. We're going to need to pull out all the stops to fight him," Sora said, loading another magazine into Taxiarch. Her eyes glowed as a triangular halo appeared above her head. "No holding back."

Irina nodded as she gripped Ameno Habakiri tightly.

Rias landed on the ground, clenching her fists while Akeno was being healed by Asia in the back. "Where's the cross-dressing priest and Xenovia?" Rias asked.

"I can't pick them up with my gear, so they might have gotten blown away when he blew up the Church. Still… our goal isn't him," Lucia said, her gaze drifting to the catatonic woman standing at the ruined altar like a bride awaiting her groom.

"You need an opening. We can give you that."

The two looked over their shoulders and saw Stelio walking up to them. A sparkling pink bow glowed in his right hand. Wind swirled around his fingers as he knocked an arrow made of pure holy power that thrummed with the heartbeat of a hurricane. "Xenovia."

"Yes." Xenovia landed on the ground, brandishing a blue and gold broadsword.

"Is that…?" Lucia's gaze trailed down to the sword in her hands.

The blade radiated an obscene amount of Holy Power that Lucia almost thought she was holding a Cherubim in her hand. She shook her head and focused. Reigniting Mist and Netherlight, she crouched as the wind around Stelio's arrow intensified and created a deafening roar that drowned out the sound of the thunder and rain.

"Ohhh? What's this…?" David narrowed his eyes as he raised a large slab of concrete from the ground.

"Go."

Stelio fired the arrow and it instantly crossed the distance between him and David.

David reacted quickly, using the concrete slab as a last-minute shield, but the swirling arrow of wind tore through it. A loud boom shook the ground, and that was all they needed.

"Now! GO!" Lucia yelled.

Everyone took off in a headlong charge as David's psychic barrier dwindled under the grinding force of the drilling gale. "You cocky—!?" His eyes widened as his psychokinetic barrier shattered under the force of the gale. He evaded, darting left as the arrow tore at his robes. "Son of a—"

A gunshot rang out and a long beam of light instantly formed, piercing his shoulder. Blood sprayed everywhere, causing him to cry out in anger and pain. "Son of a bitch!" David swiped his arm in Sora's direction, sending a cutting wave of demonic power.

"For we wrestle not against flesh, but against principalities…"

A swirling barrier of golden heavenly matter formed around her, blocking the slicing wave of energy long enough for her to evade by taking flight.

"Got you—" A streak of blue light slammed into him as Vali clotheslined David and threw him toward the awaiting Tosca.

Tosca slammed her sacred gear into the ground. It glowed briefly before firing several golden javelins.

"Too slow!" David spread his arms, releasing a swirling pulse of psychic force. The spears slammed into it, causing it to slow enough for Irina to dive down from the air and perform a downwards slice.

The megalomaniac priest let out a soundless gasp as Ameno Habakiri's blade bit into his shoulder before slicing deeply down his torso, sending bone and tissue everywhere. "Gahk! You animal!"His leg flew out, catching Irina in the side and sending her crashing into Vali.

David panted. He had underestimated these children. His jaw clenched, biting his cheek to the point where blood began to trickle down his mouth. Letting out a roar of frustration, David took to the air and threw his arms out.

The rain froze and began swirling and condensing into highly dense orbs of water. "More!" His eyes glowed as the sound of groaning metal came from the distant water.

"Um… guys? What is…. holy shit!" Lucia stopped her charge as a massive ship levitated into the air. "Hey, Tomato Paste, can you blow that up?"

"That thing's half the size of the servant's quarters and made of metal!" Rias said, taking an involuntary step back. She clicked her tongue before slapping the palms of her hands together. "Buy me time."

Lucia nodded before darting headlong into the battle.

David spun, swiping his arm as he blocked Xenovia's blade and Yuuto's demonic sword at the same time. He let loose a hail of concussive kinetic bullets at Kuroka, who was tackled by Koneko.

"Now for the…"

Lucia appeared in a flash of red light. Her pupils constricted as she slashed Netherlight, causing it to dig into David's psychic barrier.

"There you are, little angel!" David cackled.

Lucia jumped back before slipping back in. She blocked David's leg before sending him back with a swipe of her wings. She twisted in mid-air before diving toward him.

David grinned as he used his free hand to deliver a stream of concussive telekinetic force.

However, Lucia jumped to the side before turning into a blur of speed.

Even for David, who had attained the powers of a High-Class Devil, it was hard for him to perceive Lucia's agile movements. A slash came from the left, then from the right, then from above, below, the front, and the back.

She was a streak of black and red light, leaving a solid trail of light with each slash she left on his barrier. Everywhere she was, a sword of light formed, infused with the Miracle of Leliel until Lucia reappeared in front of him. Dozens of light swords surrounded David.

"You!"

"I hope you like it. It took me almost a whole year to get this right," Lucia held Mist up as she dashed toward him and thrust her blade at the invisible barrier. "It's called Stendahl!" The moment Mist made contact, the dozens of light blades, infused with the corrosive grace of Leliel, bombarded David's psychic barrier.

He struggled to keep up, unable to reinforce it as blade after blade whittled away at the psychic demonic power, corroding it like acid eating away at flesh. "No! NO!"

The blades pierced through and soon, he was swarmed by a cruciform of red and black razor-sharp lights.

Lucia landed a distance away, eyeing the storm of swords.

"By my calling, please… my divine Maiden of Desire!"

A voice called out from the storm of blades. A pause and then, a pulse of pure demonic energy ripped through the technique, holding it at bay. David stood at the center, one hand outstretched as black veins crisscrossed up his arms like some sort of grotesque illness that finally made itself known. His left eye was a deep violet black, unlike its usual sickly gold. "I will bring forth… freedom through the Pleasant One! The Shining One promised me as much! I AM THE NEW GOD OF THIS WORLD! THE MESSIAH WHO SHALL ALLOW THIS WORLD TO BE REBORN THROUGH THE WOMB OF NIGHT!"

He hurled the massive fishing vessel at them.

"RIAS!" Lucia yelled.

"I'm not—"

"Just throw it! I'll help you!" Lucia cut her off as she began condensing a massive amount of holy power at the tip of Mist. A crackling black and red orb of dark light expanded rapidly, swirling and sucking everything in around her.

Rias let out a huff of frustration as she unclasped her palms, creating a black flaming orb of destructive energy.

Letting out a battle cry in unison, Lucia and Rias lobbed their respective orbs in unison at the hurtling fishing vessel.

The stormy night sky lit up in a brilliant flash of scarlet light. The town was suddenly enveloped in the expanding orb of light, sending towering waves across the Red Sea. A powerful blast of wind washed over the yawning Sahara beyond the town, whipping up a massive sandstorm.

Everyone shielded themselves, hanging on as the shockwave washed over the entire town, flattening entire buildings in its path.

When the explosion died down, nothing remained of the fishing vessel.

"We… did it—"

Lucia's eyes widened as Rias was suddenly sent flying away from the ruins.

"RIAS!" Lucia moved after her but was frozen in place.

From the smoke, David walked out. Half of his face had been burned from his proximity to the blast. His hand was held out, gripping Lucia in a crushing telekinetic hold. He closed his fist slowly, eliciting a scream from her as the pressure ground against her creaking bones.

"Lucia!" Irina dashed forward, Ameno Habakiri drawn and poised to strike. Lightning coated her body as several clones of her appeared. They all converged on David, who looked at her with a disinterested gaze. With his free hand, he flicked his wrist, sending a concussive wave outward from his body, knocking her back.

Irina landed on her feet but found herself rooted to her spot, trapped in the same paralyzing grip that had caught her captain. Around her, Vali, Sora, Asia, Tosca, and the others were all in similar predicaments.

"I have to admit… I underestimated you, brat. Well… no more," David laughed hysterically as he took a step forward. "Midnight draws near. The Moon is full. The fortieth night is almost at its peak, and soon, the Pleasant One shall enter our world… can you believe it?"

"You… psychotic… monster!" Lucia struggled against the invisible hands, holding her down.

"Let me tell you a story of what the Pleasant One is. It is a being beyond comprehension. The God that your Church worships? It is nothing compared to the Pleasant One. Their gaze comes from beyond the Stars in a place that sits beyond the depths of the Gap," David said, his voice oozing in demented devotion. "A God from beyond the Sea of Worlds. Our Lord calls Them an Aeon…"

"They have shown me things. Wonderful things. Of the World They plan to bring. Things that the Shining One promised me when my divine lady, the Maiden of Desire, brought me into their fold. The Pleasant One is our salvation. A world that seeks to throw us all out. Deems us as mere extras while a select few get to live a life beyond their wildest imagining. How unfair it is for those who exist in the background to be thrown to the wayside. To fade into the void of insignificance while others get to thrive. But with the Pleasant One, with Their power, I will be given freedom. Freedom beyond this!" David said, spreading his arms.

"You're… crazy!" Lucia said.

"Maybe… but soon, you shall feel the embrace of freedom. Freedom in oblivion. As our Lord tells us… better to be nothing, than lesser to Gods and I, for one, refuse to be anyone's lesser," David turned away from her and raised his hand toward Maria. "Now… Maria… become the vessel for the incarnation of our beloved God! Become a Husk for the Pleasant—"

A beam of blue light pierced through David's chest. His open mouth trembled in shock before he stumbled forward, grabbing onto one of the ruined pews for support. "Guhk!" He began to cough, spitting large globules of rapidly congealing blood onto the ground. "W-Wha…?"

It was then that he noticed that the torrential downpour that had been dominating most of their battle had suddenly stopped. "Ghh… What in the…?" He fell to one knee, his psychic hold on the others finally letting up. Lucia stumbled forward. "N- No way…"

A flash of silver light slammed down into the ruins of the Church of Freedom, knocking away nearby debris. Lucia shielded her face from the wind, squinting her eyes to get a better look at her savior.

Ten translucent wings. Silver hair that reflected the moonlight and a triangular blue halo. The familiar glow of Almace's runes shone through the dust cloud.

"S-Selda!" Lucia said.

"I take it I'm not too late, Luci?" Griselda said as the dust finally cleared, revealing her smiling face. She had a few bruises on her body and a welt that was forming on the side of her head.

Lucia's hands shook as she took a hesitant step forward. "S-Selda, is it really…?" her eyes glowed as she scanned Griselda's body.

[No Negative Status detected.]

"Mirana hit me really hard on the head, but… I remember a lot, even if they are a bit fuzzy. You and I have a lot to talk about, but first," Griselda rounded on David, who was shambling away from her. "This piece of garbage… how dare you…" Griselda's eyes glowed as she raised Almace in a flourish.

Lucia saw nothing.

This was Griselda's true speed. Her arm disappeared and reappeared in an instant. A split second. No, even faster than that. Griselda's attacks existed in gaps between moments. Blood sprayed everywhere as David's left foot was suddenly separated from the rest of his body.

"G-GAAAAH! BITCH!" A cry of sheer pain erupted from David's mouth.

"It wasn't enough that you brainwashed the town but me… now, that is a form of violation I will never forgive," Griselda said in a low voice as she slowly advanced on David.

David suddenly turned, backpedaling with his remaining foot. He raised a shaky arm to blast her with a psychic blast.

Griselda didn't even blink. Almace came back to rest at her side as if she had never moved it.

"H-Hu! AAGGGGGH!" David screamed as he registered the bloody stump that was his right hand. "AGGHHHHH! N-NO! I AM GOD'S CHOSEN! THE PLEASANT ONE CHOSE ME THEMSELF! THE SHINING ONE SAID SO!"

Griselda stopped before the whimpering and begging David. Almace glinted in the moonlight as she raised it, leveling it at his chest. "Really…? Well, then, don't allow me to keep you then. I'll give you an express ticket to your God."

"H-Huh—!?" David looked down and saw Almace buried deep in his chest. Blood flowed down his mouth before he fell to the ground. Griselda pulled the blade out, swiping it across the air and splattering the remnants of David's blood across the cracked floor.

Griselda gazed at his still body before turning around.

"Luci—"

She stumbled back as Lucia ran into her, wrapping her arms around Griselda.

Griselda smiled and wrapped a single arm around her, stroking her hair. "Geez, you're 12 years old and an Exorcist."

"I thought you'd be like that forever, idiot!" Lucia's voice was muffled as she buried herself in Griselda's embrace.

Her gaze softened as she felt Lucia's smaller body tremble against her own. "I'm sorry I said those things."

" 's okay…" Lucia mumbled, not letting go of Griselda for a single second.

As the two reconciled, David's body twitched. A faint glow emanated from his form.

"Um… Selda?" Lucia said, noticing the faint pink light.

"Hmm?" Griselda glanced over her shoulder and immediately pushed Lucia away.

David's body spasmed before his eyes snapped open. A sharp gasp escaped from his mouth. "...My lady… My Maiden of Desire… I… failed…" David rasped as his body began to fail on him once more. Whatever necromantic power was keeping him alive pulsed softly as he raised his hand toward Maria, who had been forgotten in the chaos.

"Hail… Mary…"

"NO!" Griselda shot forward, thrusting Almace's blade at his throat.

The glowing light under his vestments glowed once more, creating a powerful barrier. Griselda's eyes widened as her attack was deflected. She clenched her jaw as she condensed a swirling blue mass of holy water around her blade.

"Full of Grace… The Lord is with you..."

Maria stepped onto the altar and grabbed a jagged piece of rubble.

Lucia's gaze snapped over to Maria.

"GRAB HER!" Lucia said. She spread her wings and took off like a bullet toward the girl. Everyone turned and made a desperate last lunge toward the girl.

Time seemed to slow down as Maria held the jagged shard over her throat.

"Blessed are you among women and—"

His barrier shattered as Griselda's blade shattered it like glass and punctured his throat clean through. David choked but his mouth kept moving. "And blessed is the fruit… of your womb… Nahemah…" His hand fell limp against the ground as his final breath escaped his lips.

"NO!" Lucia's eyes widened as her fingers came short of Maria's hands.

Blood sprayed all over her face as Maria sank the concrete shard into her throat with a sickening squelch. But she kept moving. Unlike the other victims, Maria's hands kept working even after she had split her entire neck open. A wet gurgle escaped her mouth as she finally dropped the jagged concrete shard and staggered back away from Lucia.

Her form wobbled on her unsteady legs before going completely still. Her body remained upright despite her grievous and fatal injury. All signs of movement ceased as her chest stopped heaving.

"I-Is she…?" Tosca asked.

A bony pop came from Maria. Her eyes snapped open, revealing deep red pits of light. A lazy clover-like pattern spun lazily in her irises.

A feeling of dread ran down Lucia's spine. She took an involuntary step back before freezing completely. She wanted to run. Flee from whatever she was seeing in front of her and never look back. Most of all, she wanted to claw her eyes out for whatever she was witnessing right now was far too horrific for her mind to ever comprehend.

Maria's nearly severed head swung as she turned, taking a step forward. The veins on her neck squirmed and twitched. It was a grotesque sight. A macabre parody of watching a plant grow. The quivering and squirming veins grew out of the torn tissue, germinating through the flesh like sanguine, fleshy weeds. They snaked toward the Moon like a flower reaching for the sun, growing and throbbing as if it were attempting to birth fruit right there and then.

Her limbs twitched and snapped as the veins under her pale skin pulsed and throbbed. Her belly expanded rapidly, reaching a size that was far too great for any human woman to bear. She looked almost as if she were pregnant, were it not for the way her belly throbbed like it was a beating heart. Imprints of hands attempted to break through her now almost translucent skin like a child kicking its mother's womb for the first time.

Her lips moved, but no words came out, yet Lucia knew what she was going to say.

"Chokmah… Sophia… do you feel like a hero yet…?"

Her eyes changed color. [Warning System] activated, and almost immediately, Lucia felt her head almost snap in half from the pain. Bloody tears streamed down her face as she staggered back, clutching at her bloody eyes. "A-Aghhh!" she howled in agony.

"LUCIA, MOVE!" Griselda shouted as she shot forward and grabbed her, yet it was too late.

The sound of tearing flesh shattered the silent yet tense night. Maria's swollen belly burst like an overripe fruit, sending blood and torn muscle tissue everywhere. Globules of fat and stomach acid dripped down onto the ground, intermixing with the dark crimson blood that began to congeal on the floor. The moon turned red as a series of thick, black, and thorny vines exploded from Maria's torn, bloated stomach. And then, an arm came out of the gaping hole. The pale arm moved, scrambling to find purchase on anything as the thing pulled itself out of the hole.

A woman came out. She was drenched in a viscous, translucent pink fluid like a newborn baby. Her silver and black hair was matted down to her skin. Sickening squelches came from the corpse as the woman slid out onto the floor. She resembled Maria in every way. A veil of shadows formed around her, coalescing into a white and red dress that was decorated with black vines and red spider lilies. Her hair whipped before tying itself into twintails.

"W-What is that…?" Rias said.

Lucia clenched her jaw as she glanced at the information her Sacred Gear managed to glean before her mind was overwhelmed from the unlimited torrent of chaotic and dissonant information.

[Unknown Entity detected]

[Scanning…]

[Error! Error! Error! Unable to properly scan the target. Target exists outside of scanning parameters.]

[Error! Error! Overwhelming unknown energy detected! Class Estimation… Unknown. Cross-reference to the closest being… Infinite Dragon God]

[Scanning… Scanning…]

"We need to go…" Lucia took a step back.

Griselda gripped Almace tightly as she placed an arm out, standing in front of Lucia. "Go…"

"What…?" Lucia said.

"You need to go now! NOW LUCIA!" Griselda suddenly turned and deflected a series of black and red vines that shot out toward them at blinding speed. She winced as she slid back and collided with a pillar. "LUCIA! RUN!"

The woman's mouth opened to speak. Her voice was horrendous. The words that came out were similar to the worst blasphemies against the world and life itself. The woman blinked before looking down at her hands.

"Sophia… no… real name is...Chokmah…"

A bolt of golden lightning slammed down on the woman.

Everyone covered their eyes as the ensuing explosion nearly blinded them.

"Everyone okay?" Mirana said as she and Souji landed on the ground.

"Mirana!" Irina said, feeling a slight bit of hope.

"Selda, what's the situation?" Mirana asked as she tightened her grip around her scythe.

"That thing came out of the woman. We need to stop it," Griselda straightened herself and prepared to fight. "It… I can't sense it. But I can feel it. If it gets out of Egypt… it's going to destroy the entire—"

The woman paid them no heed as she raised her hand. Her exposed back twitched before thick vines shot out and dug into the ground. The Earth trembled. Fissures spread across the ground, nearly swallowing them all. The ground split open, causing entire portions of the town to sink into the gaping maw of the Earth as a massive black and red pulsating tree sprouted from the fissure.

It shot into the sky, growing bigger and bigger as its branches extended past the confines of the Earth's atmosphere.

Lucia watched in horror as the Moon broke apart and the stars in the sky, one by one, began to dim and die.

"N-No…," Lucia said.

"Tch! Souji! Mirana! Stelio! On me!" Griselda said as she charged toward Nahemah.

The others followed suit, their strongest attacks readied to strike down this monstrosity that stood before them.

Lucia couldn't believe what she was seeing. It happened in mere seconds. Griselda, Mirana, Stelio, and Souji were wiped out. The woman, all the while, remained expressionless as she gripped Griselda's throat tightly.

"S-SELDA!" Lucia shot forward, brandishing Mist and Netherlight.

"Lu…ci… no…" Griselda said.

The woman turned, and the moment she saw her, a twisted smile erupted across her face. "Chokmah…" the woman said. Her grip around Griselda's throat tightened before, in a single, instantaneous movement, Griselda's life came to an abrupt end as the woman's spear hand had a rending encounter with the left side of her chest.

Phlegmatic blood fell out of Griselda's mouth as the life left her eyes, and the woman tossed her aside like yesterday's garbage.

Lucia came to a stop, watching with wide eyes as Griselda's glassy, lifeless eyes stared into hers. "S-Selda…"

"Do you feel like a hero yet…?"

Lucia's head snapped up as the woman turned to face her.

"Ha… haaaa….. AGGGGGHHHH!" Lucia let out a scream of anguish as tears streamed down her face. She got up and charged at the woman.

"LUCIA! NO!" Irina ran forward and grabbed Lucia, pulling her down as a jagged red vine narrowly missed its mark. It tore through one of the remaining Church walls and into the devastated town beyond.

"S-Selda…! SELDA!" Lucia screamed in sorrow as she reached out toward the bloodied corpse of the woman she cherished as much as her mother.

"Khhh…" Irina's eyes snapped shut, blinking away the tears that threatened to escape her eyes. "We need to go… We need to go now! Luci…! LUCIA!" Irina slapped her, snapping her out of her despair.

"R-Rin…?"

"We need to go now!" Irina said.

"Hehehe…"

Everyone turned to see the woman slowly levitating into the air. She let out a series of psychotic giggles. "Ahahaha… Ahh… I never get tired of seeing the despair on your face… Chokmah. Or do you still call yourself Sophia…? Or maybe you have a different name this time?"

"Khh…!" Lucia got to her feet and gripped her blades tightly. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" Lucia screamed as she spread her wings.

"Haaaahhh…" The woman turned as she raised her arm toward them. The palm of her hand split open, releasing thick globs of black, viscous blood onto the ground. "Ahaha… a worthless Husk like you… cannot do anything. This world… shall be devoured… like all others."

A deep rumbling came from the pools of black liquid. A jagged blade-like hand came out of it. A twitching, writhing chitinous monster crawled out of the black boggy liquid. The thing twitched and writhed before fixing its faceless gaze upon them. It screeched an unholy sound from its mouthless head before charging at them.

"Everyone! MOVE!" Lucia barked.

More monsters of varying sizes spawned from the fluid, with some being titanic in size, while others being as small as a house cat.

And chaos broke out.

For every monstrosity they cut down, two more seemed to take their place.

"RIAS! VALI!" Lucia called out.

Flashes of red and silver light obliterated a horde of them in an instant. With the horde cleared out enough for them to push forward, the group swarmed her in an instant. They could have run. They wanted to flee. All of them did. But somewhere, in the deepest part of their minds, in that animalistic instinct of fight or flight, they all knew that there was no chance that this thing would allow them to flee.

They all fell one by one.

The woman moved with monstrous speed and strength that was far beyond any opponent they had ever faced.

"O' God… O' Angels… Grant me the strength to purge this demon!" Sora chanted. "Ain Soph Aur!" The Light of God infused into her Taxiarch as she took aim at the woman. A deafening blast ruptured the air as it flew toward the woman with blinding speed.

The woman merely caught the energy blast with one finger, dispersing it like mist. She moved with blistering speed.

RIIIIP!

Sora fell to the ground, her head removed from her body. Blood flowed from the stump, further staining the Earth with its crimson essence.

Tosca raised the [Elysion Pedion], charging at the woman. The woman turned. Black vines grew on her arm before she rushed forward, skewering Tosca's shields and body. The vines grew rapidly inside, bursting through the other side.

She pulled her arm out of Tosca's body, dropping the girl to the ground and leaving a gaping hole in her torso.

"N-No…," Asia's body trembled as she watched two of her friends fall dead before her. Her jaw tightened as she began praying rapidly. "The Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed to the ground—"

"ASIA—!" Lucia's scream ripped through the air as a black line drew itself in the air.

"E-Eh…?" Asia's eyes widened before she coughed up blood. A bloody, thorny branch was speared through her chest. "L-Luci..a…" she reached out toward her before falling forward to her knees. Her head lolled forward as her once-vibrant green eyes slowly clouded over.

"Y-You bitch!" Vali roared before shooting toward the woman in a streak of blue light. "RAAGGGH!" Vali appeared in a flash of blue light in front of her. His armored hand was coated in silver flames as he thrust it forward.

The woman looked at him with disinterest before swiping her hand. A flash of red light enveloped Vali.

"VALI!" Lucia cried out.

The light died down, and Vali's charred, smoldering hand fell before her, hitting the ground with a wet slap. It was the only part of him that managed to survive.

"No…"

"Lucia," Irina urged as she pulled her to her feet. "Lucia! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

"Irina… everyone is…"

A pitch black shadow fell over them. The two looked up and saw a titanic orb of darkness hurtling toward them.

Suddenly, a massive red construct surged forward and held the orb back.

"You two need to go," Rias said as she stepped in front of them. Her hands were raised to the air, infusing her Distortion Construct with the Power of Destruction. The destructive energies of her demonic power began to eat away at the darkness above them.

"Rias…?"

Rias glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "That thing killed my entire peerage… as a King, it's my duty to avenge them. And as your friend, it's my job to make sure you live… for all of us." A tear streaked down Rias's face. She turned back to the woman, the entity that hovered above them. She recalled her construct to her and spread her wings, charging at the woman.

"Lucia," Irina pulled on her arm.

"Rias….! RIAS!" But before she could do anything, Irina pulled her away, and the two began to run.

Above them, Rias clashed with the woman, slamming into an invisible barrier. The woman raised a hand toward Rias.

"You better live… Kusotori…"

SQUELCH! RIIIP!

Sharp black roots punctured Rias's body. The thorns along its body rapidly grew before skewering her in multiple places from the inside out. But before her life faded, Rias let out one final cry of defiance before firing a massive blast of destruction in the woman's face. An explosion ripped through the sky, destroying the last remnants of the Church.

Below them, Lucia trailed behind Irina as the two ran through the destroyed town. Around them, more monstrous beings spawned, crawling out from the shadows and from the fissures in the ground.

Before they could make it any further, a massive branch of darkness exploded from the ground in front of them, growing into another mountainous tree that scraped the Heavens. Irina desperately began looking for another path, however, the moment she looked over her shoulder, she saw her.

That woman had followed them. Rias's final gambit had been for naught. Behind her, a whole slew of monsters lumbered toward them.

Irina clenched her fist before grasping Ameno Habakiri in both her hands. She took a step forward, standing before her best friend with a defiant glare on her face. If today was the day, then she would go down spitting in this god's face.

"Lucia…"

Lucia looked up at Irina, whose back was facing her. The auburn-haired girl looked over her shoulder and smiled. "If one of us has to live, then it has to be you."

"W-Wha…? Irina, what are you…?"

"Only one of us is going to make it out of here alive. I'll buy you whatever time I can. Run. Fly. Whatever it is, just go and never look back. Don't ever look back," Irina said, shifting her feet apart.

"Irina, wait…! No, Irina! Don't—!"

But Irina paid her no mind.

"Haaaah! If I die today, then I'll take all of you down with me! False God!" Irina charged forward. She held Ameno-Habakiri to her side and disappeared in a flash of lightning. Her sword cut streaks of light across the air, felling multiple beasts in a single stroke.

"SUFFER MY DISOBEDIENCE!" Irina roared as she jumped over the horde, raising her blade high in the air. The god slicing sword that cut down the great Eight-Headed Serpent of Shinto Mythology came down upon the aloof "divinity".

"IRINA—!"

Lucia's heart stopped when she saw the woman meet Irina head-on. The nauseating sound of flesh tearing rang in her ears. Irina's arm fell limp to her side as blood rained down from the sky. The once brilliant Ameno-Habakiri, infused with the divine wrath of the Gods of Irina's homeland, clattered to the ground.

The woman's hand was protruding from Irina's back, bloodied and coated in shredded mucosa and tissue.

Lucia reached out toward her, her arm shaking.

The woman said nothing as she tossed Irina's body toward her. The corpse—no, she refused to reduce Irina to that—landed in front of her. Her glassy violet eyes stared at the darkening skies. Drops of water fell upon Irina's increasingly cool skin.

"I-Irina… hey…," Lucia gently took Irina's body into her arms. She hugged it tightly to her chest, her body shaking as her breathing grew faster with each passing second. Her eyes were wide and unmoving, clutching the body of her friend tightly as if it would vanish the moment she disappeared.

"Hah… hah…" Lucia panted before she looked up at the woman. White hot rage was building up inside her, and she saw red. She laid Irina gently on the ground and slowly got up.

"How is it… Chokmah…? Do you feel like a hero yet…? When the blood of all those who hold you close is spilled around you?" The woman said, hovering in the air before her.

"AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGH!" A scream that was half-fury, half-despair ripped from Lucia's throat. Her wings spread from her back, kicking up a powerful gale around her. Red and black lightning crackled around Lucia as she shot forward.

"Oh?" the floating woman raised her arm, sending a swarm of lightning-fast spearing vines toward her.

Lucia swung Mist and Netherlight, deflecting as many of them as she could. She felt the skin on her cheek and arm split open, spilling blood down her arm. Several blades of light formed behind her and fired into the sky, raining down on the charging horde in front of her.

She kept running forward, her vision blurred by tears, yet her objective lay so clearly before her. Lucia took to the air, twisting and flipping as she sliced through more vines. One of the vines struck her wrist, causing her to drop Netherlight.

She landed with a roll on the ground before charging forward and grabbing Ameno-Habakiri from the ground.

The face of Griselda flashed in her mind. The sensation of her hand upon her head still felt clear even at this moment.

Lucia jumped over the horde, her sword and the sword of her best friend raised into the air. Several more blades of light, formed from Leliel, formed around her as she slammed into the ground, sending several monsters flying.

A series of explosions tore through the horde as Lucia continued her headlong charge.

Swing after swing.

Blade tearing into flesh. Claws ripping into her own skin.

She didn't stop. She wouldn't stop. She wouldn't until that thing in front of her was nothing more than a bloody pulp at her feet.

A building-sized, lumbering monstrosity swung its fist at her.

Lucia darted toward it and landed on its arm, stabbing the blades into its flesh and running along its skin before jumping further into the air and slicing through it.

The goliath fell apart, its limbs severed and its body cut open in multiple areas like a piece of fruit.

Vali…

Asia…

Tosca…

Sora…

For them, she kept going even as the horde slowly overwhelmed her. She jumped and sliced, catching them as they lunged at her.

"A…postle?" Irina tried to pronounce the word.

"It's an Exorcist that has an Angel partner!" Lucia said as she gathered holy power into her hands and took aim at the rock. "We can fight the Epilogue and the Shadows together!"

"Like superheroes!" Irina said.

Lucia stumbled back before bumping into one of them. It wrapped its arms around her as the others lunged forward, piling on top of her. Their clawed, malformed hands scrambled to find purchase on her flesh, no doubt intending to tear her apart. Her eyes glowed as a faint red light emanated from her wings.

And then, a pillar of black and red light shot into the sky, penetrating the canopy of the void-borne trees. Lucia stood at the center, the ground cracked apart. Two halos sat above her head, along with three pairs of violet-black wings. Her hand was wrapped around one of the monster's throats, gripping it so tightly until it was enveloped in a soft red light and crumbled to nothingness.

Her gaze turned to the woman, whose eyes lit up in some sort of inexplicable glee.

She gripped Mist tightly and ran forward. Her jaw clenched in rage as the blade of light surged, rapidly growing. She swung at the rest of the horde of eldritch beasts.

An explosion of red light tore apart the entire cliffside and split the sea open in a violent spray of mist and seawater.

"Oh… that was—" her eyes widened as Lucia slammed into her, sending them both into the sky. "This is a lot more than I expected! Have you learned from the other times?" the woman swiped her arm, sending Lucia back.

Lucia caught herself in mid-air, holding Mist tightly.

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" her eyes flashed. But unlike the polychromatic glow of the [Warning System], her eyes glowed violet. The interior of her irises split into multiple colors, intermixing reds, blues, yellows, and greens.

"Hahaha… To think a Husk like you existed! I thought They spent all this time fragmented after daring to defy the order They were given! Chokmah… you truly are—"

The vines around her arm morphed into a blood-red sword just in time to block Lucia's furious swings. She grinned as Lucia delivered another powerful blow that sent her skyward. The two clashed and clashed, climbing higher and higher until they reached the edge of the skies.

"Haaah— Ughhkk…" Lucia's eyes grew wide. Her hand faltered and Mist slipped from her grasp. She looked down and saw the woman's thorny blade buried deep into her side. "Uggh… gahk…" she coughed, spitting globules of thick red blood onto the woman's dress. "Kill… you… for them… I'll kill you…"

"Chokmah… you struggle in futility. Do you think you can save this world? Do you think you can keep playing hero for much longer? Unending cycles on repeat… over millions of iterations, you created just so you can save a stagnant world," the woman said in a mocking and gentle voice.

"Kill… you…," Lucia whispered as she summoned a ball of dark light in her hand.

"I'll let you watch as another one of your attempts end in failure. This time, I, Nahemah, shall break the cycle of Neshamot that ensnares this doomed world." Nahemah pulled her blade out, letting Lucia hurtle toward the Earth.

Lucia crashed through the roof of one of the only remaining buildings, slamming into the sofa. Couch stuffing flew everywhere as Lucia lay there, unmoving but not broken. Her blood continued to flow onto the clay floor. "I… won't… die…" Her body groaned as she struggled to get up, managing to pull herself onto her elbows as she crawled toward the exit.

Lucia fought with every last bit of willpower she had left to make it. Her elbows hit the sand outside as she dragged her bloodied and broken body across the dirt and gravel. "Nahemah… I'll kill you…" She grabbed onto a post and sat herself up, holding the gaping wound in her side.

"It's useless."

Lucia looked up, her vision swimming, but she knew that voice. Through her increasingly darkening vision, she saw a blur of crimson-red hair.

"S-Shirona…," Lucia whispered.

"This world is doomed. Nahemah's manifestation is continuing, and soon, her Husk will reach the apex of its power. I believe that… she has already destroyed the galaxy beyond our skies," Shirona said. "She's reached a level that not even the Dragon Gods can stop her."

"...I need to stop her…," Lucia said weakly.

"You never change. This world has no future but…" Shirona summoned the Remembrance of Twilight to her hand. "You will give it that. No matter what They tell you, always remember… that the future of this world lies in your grasp. You once told me that yourself… no matter how many infinities you have to delve into… you'll find a way for us to be free from the encroaching Abyss."

She drove the Remembrance of Twilight through Lucia's chest.

Lucia coughed, her eyes wide in surprise as she looked at Shirona with pure confusion on her face. Her hand gripped the blade weakly, trying to pull the thrumming sword out of her chest. Something inside her ignited.

"You won't understand what I'm saying, but you will soon. That God shall be your ally as she was all those other times," Shirona pulled the blade out of Lucia's chest, causing the girl to cough violently. Without another word, she grabbed Lucia by the back of her uniform and tossed her into the roiling depths of the Red Sea.

Lucia coughed. She scrambled to swim for the surface, but her body felt like lead. Her lungs burned, and her chest tightened as seawater filled her throat. "N-No…!" She choked out as her struggles soon weakened and ultimately ceased.

As Lucia sank to the depths of the Red Sea, a pair of massive red eyes opened and gazed upon her sinking form.

"Oh…? An offering… or merely one last instant… You reek of my brother… of Yahweh…"

The red eyes blinked before looking past her to the surface of the Sea.

A dim glow shone within Lucia's lifeless eyes.

"Hmm? What is this…? How interesting!"

[Special Trait Activating: Twilight Reincarnation]

A faint light began to radiate around Lucia's body. The world began to slow to a crawl and soon…

"Time is unraveling. I refuse to remain in this prison… Child of Light and Man, I shall take your body for myself!"

Tendrils of dark water latched onto Lucia, enveloping her as the light grew brighter until a blinding radiance filled the depths of the sea. The voice found itself unable to fully take her form. Something fundamental within Lucia rejected her.

"A feat considered to be impossible even for me… your soul remains and burns brightly. Hahaha… very well… if you wish to unravel the flow of time, I shall accompany you for the ride, Child of Light and Man…"

The dark water swirled around Lucia before vanishing into her eyes.

[Update detected.]

[Lifting restrictions. Warning System title update to Final Vision.]

[Special trait activation proceeding. Twilight Reincarnation activating in 5…]

[4…]

[3…]

[2…]

[1…]

And a blinding white light enveloped the world.

"Heat of the Moment!"

Lucia's eyes snapped open as she shot up, gasping for air. The springs creaked under her. A bead of cold sweat trickled down her forehead as she looked around. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she fought to get a bearing on her surroundings. The slightly yellowed plaster above her and the out-of-place style of the curtain all brought her back to the moment.

"Ah, morning, Luci."

Lucia turned around to see Griselda slipping on her Exorcist gear. The older woman smiled as she adjusted her suit, her fingers finding purchase on the edge of the tight fabric that seemed to hug every curve of her body.

"S-Selda…? Wha…? I… Alive… huh?" Lucia looked down at her hands.

"Remember, Luci? Asia. I think this is Lady Uriel's favorite band," Griselda said.

"S-Selda… wha…?"

"Aw, don't give me that. You love this song too!" Griselda smiled as she upped the volume on the alarm clock.

Lucia ignored her and jumped out of bed. She tore through the room, practically ripping the door off its hinges as she stumbled out onto the motel plaza. Her eyes widened as she beheld her surroundings. Her hands scrambled to find any wounds on her body. Wounds she knows she suffered.

"Hey, Luci, are you alright?"

Lucia turned to see Irina standing in the hallway with a cup of coffee and a cup of juice in her hands.

"Iri… na?"

"Hmm— Woah! Hey! I'm holding something!" Irina stumbled back as Lucia lunged toward her, wrapping her in a tight hug. Her lips curved into a frown when she felt Lucia's tears dripping onto her shoulder. "H-Hey, are you—?"

"You're alive!" Lucia pulled back, letting out a watery laugh.

"Of course, I'm alive. Wha…? Hey, are you okay?" Irina asked.

"I… Yeah, hahaha! It was just a…"

Lucia's words died in her mouth when she caught sight of the date on the calendar in the hallway wall.

July 16, 2007

"Hey, Irina, what's today's date?" Lucia asked.

"July 16th. Why?"

July 16th. July 16th. No, it's supposed to be July 23rd… what is…?

[Ahhh… you haven't realized it. But, Child, this is just the beginning. All that happened to you... to us… was real.]

Lucia's eyes widened when she heard the voice in her head. "Wha…?"

"Hey, are you okay?" Irina asked, a bit more worried this time.

"Yeah, I… I need to get some air," Lucia said as she turned on the balls of her feet and began running down the outdoor hallway.

Just what is going on!?

Chapter Text

SQUELCH!

Lucia was blasted back through a wall by David. A spear jutted out her chest. Her fingers curled around it weakly as she tried to pull the rod out. "Guhkk… fuu…" The sound of a skull popping echoed through the Church's basement. Blood and bone fragments scattered across the wall as Lucia's arm finally fell limp.

[Activating Twilight Reincarnation]

Heat of the Moment!

"I'll kill you—!" Her movements ceased as Nahemah's thorny vines forced their way down her throat before rapidly expanding and eviscerating her body from the inside out. Clumps of her fat and paper-thin shreds of her stomach lining clung to the thorns.

[Activating Twilight Reincarnation]

"You—!"

RIIIIP!

Lucia screamed as her wings were torn off before a wave of wind sliced her entire lower half off.

[Activating Twilight Reincarnation]

A concussive blast of force punched a hole through her chest.

[Activating Twilight—]

Lucia slowed to a stop as she suddenly fell to the ground. Her eyes looked up, seeing her body run past her toward Irina, whose eyes were completely clouded over.

[Activating—]

Lucia's entire body burned to ash in the wake of an infernal flame that poured down from the Heavens.

[Activating—]

A scream of anger and fury ripped through the bloodied battlefield. Lucia's arms were torn clean off her body as she ran with Netherlight in her teeth. A particularly large beast made of shadows lunged at her, imbued with the power of its God. And all it took was a single swing. Her lower half ran for a few more feet before collapsing.

[—Twilight—]

Lucia stood before the army of shadow beasts once more. Nahemah hovered in the air, eyeing her with barely concealed contempt. Their face contorted into a grin that would have been mistaken for malice had it not been for the sheer, utter alien feel of Their gaze. Nahemah raised Their hand into the air, condensing a portion of that deep darkness that swallowed the entirety of the cosmos into a single orb.

Lucia's arms fell to her side. Beside her, it was the same. The same sight she had never grown accustomed to but every time she saw it, she grew numb inside. She glanced over her shoulder. This time, it was Rias. Rias's body lay crucified against the wall, her entire midsection torn open. Her intestines writhed as small, black maggots nibbled their way to the intestinal mucosa.

"Haha… hahahaha…"

Her eyes were duller than they should be for someone her age. Yet, at her tender age, she had experienced more than anyone should have. Lucia laughed as the orb in Nahemah's hand rapidly expanded and grew to cover the entire sky.

She clenched her fists tightly and glared at the Aeon above her. With one final laugh, Lucia drove Netherlight into her throat and tearing it wide open.

[—Reincarnation!]

Lucia slammed her fist against the table. Her drink rattled. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Fuuuu—!" Lucia slammed her head into the table and screamed, startling some of the nearby motel guests.

[Are you giving up?]

Lucia said nothing as she lifted her head from the table. She clenched her fists before punching a hole clean through.

At that point, the guests whispered among themselves and left, not wanting to be in the vicinity.

[To give up is to give them what they want. Do you really want to die?]

"Oh, right. I forgot you were in there now," Lucia grumbled when she heard a voice in her head.

She had almost completely forgotten about her new tenant. Whatever happened in that original rewind had given her something she failed to comprehend. Lucia just pinched the bridge of her nose as she sipped her juice. "Why do I even keep trying?"

[Because if you die, then I die. That thing is more powerful than the Dragon Gods and laid waste to the entire universe in a matter of seconds if not less. Do you really want that thing in here?] the voice said.

Lucia grumbled as she blocked the voice out. "You're useless. Did you even do anything useful, Yam?"

Yam scoffed. Countless opportunities. Countless attempts. For a Goddess who was supposedly feared as the most powerful evil God in the world, she was practically useless. Lucia remembered when she first heard the voice. It almost scared her half to death. She had spent countless tries convincing herself that the voice was not there. But… after several restarts, Lucia had to accept that this thing was stuck in her Sacred Gear.

It felt almost like… years ago. She gripped her glass tightly.

[We're in this together, Child. You and I. Remember our deal. You must uphold your end of the bargain and I will uphold mine.] Yam said.

"Yeah, and you're doing such a great job at that," Lucia said sarcastically.

[I upgraded your Sacred Gear, did I not? I have been with you since that first one and I will be with you in all the others.] the Abyss God argued.

Lucia paused. Yam's presence did help somewhat but what could an upgraded visual Sacred Gear do against an eldritch god whose existence was nothing any living thing could possibly imagine.

[I heard that, Child. Be more grateful. The more information you gather, the more your odds increase.]

Lucia scoffed. She was reaching the end of her wits about this. "No matter how hard I try… why can't I change the ending? It's like… it's like… uhh, what's that word that Priests always say during mass about grandpa and his plan? Pre… Uh…"

[Predestined?]

"Yeah, that word. It's predestined. Maybe… I really should give up," Lucia leaned forward, placing her head on her hands as she blew a strand of hair off her face. Her black eyes flicked past the window to the white church that sat atop the cliff. It was mocking her. Mocking all her hundred failures to stop it up until now.

The first tears began to fall. A hiccuping sob escaped her lips as she curled in on herself and cried into her knees. "Irina… Rias… Vali… Asia… Tosca…. Sora… everyone, I can't do it anymore… I don't want to watch anyone die anymore…" she said through sobbing gasps.

Her fists clenched as her Miracle spread across the table. Yam's presence in her body had altered the color of her Miracle. What was once a black and red sludge of light was now black and blue.

A few minutes passed. The now-empty dining area was filled with nothing but Lucia's sobs.

"It was a good run while it lasted," Lucia looked up, her eyes red from crying. "At least I made it to the age of 12. That's more than other kids can say, right?"

[Child…]

Lucia drummed her fingers against the table. "What else can I do…? I'm just a kid. What am I supposed to do against a thing that killed everyone?

Yam went silent, watching from inside the Sacred Gear as her host fell into the depths of despair. She was about to intervene when she sensed another person entering the room with them.

"Lucia. Lucia!"

"Go away. I don't want to talk to anyone right now," Lucia grumbled.

A hand slammed down on the table, startling her. She looked up to see Rias glowering down at her.

"Where have you been all morning? Griselda and Mirana have been looking for you!?" Rias said.

"Tell them I finally know what it's like to lead a team," Lucia said. "It's just death and dying over and over again."

"Well, you can stop wallowing about it later. We're meeting up on what to do before going to set up camp in the Church," Rias grabbed her by the wrist and practically dragged her out of the motel foyer.

Lucia fell into step behind her, her feet dragging uselessly against the tile floor.

Rias tightened her grip around Lucia's wrist with almost bruising force.

"Ow, ow ow! Hey, what's the big deal?" Lucia asked.

It was one constant that seemed to exist across all the cycles.

Rias seemed to get more antsy. She thought she had been seeing it at first but after the first twenty-five or so rebirths, Lucia finally caught on to it. Every time she reached the end of the week, Rias would be one of the last or so to survive before ultimately meeting her grisly end. Yet… Rias would fight back with a ferocity she never expected.

"Hmmm…?"

[Scanning…]

[Rias Gremory has been updated!]

Updated…?

[You didn't notice it? I certainly did.] Yam's grating voice grated against her nerves.

Lucia remained silent as she scanned her Sacred Gear for the new information. There was one there that was now updated. A description on a special trait that wasn't there before. Certainly, she never noticed it during her countless attempts since she was trying to keep the world from complete and utter annihilation.

[Special Trait - Myriad Dawns]

[Description - Allows the user to retain memories of other cycles whenever there is an alteration in time. Grants perceptual immunity to temporal paradoxes.]

Lucia physically felt her blood turn to ice inside her veins. Rias remembered? This entire time? She ground her heels into the floor before they could make it out of the motel and pulled her arm back. Her eyes were wide in shock as she raised a shaky finger at her friend.

Rias turned around, feeling the sensation of Lucia's arm leaving her ironclad grip. "What?" she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Y-You knew…?"

"What…?" Rias narrowed her eyes.

"This entire time, you've known? You remember… everything?"

Rias's gaze faltered for a split second before she scoffed. "If you mean remembering what we're here for then yes, I do remember. Besides…," Rias smirked, trying to reignite some of their antagonistic banter. "Wasn't it you who said we'd be done with this mission and back before the end of the week?"

Lucia's finger lowered ever so slightly.

"So you don't…? Wait! You have to! My Sacred Gear says—"

"Now your Sacred Gear works? Wasn't it being blocked by something?" Rias asked.

Lucia opened her mouth to retort but stopped. Wait. It was the first day of their week here in Akdilek. It may have been a while for her but she never forgot. She never told anyone her Sacred Gear didn't work properly until they first stepped foot inside the Church. It was always on the second day when they entered the Church when Lucia would tell Rias her Sacred Gear didn't work. So why? "You… how do you know that?"

Rias's body went stiff.

"I never told anyone that. In fact… I didn't tell anyone until… we reached the Church later today," Lucia took a step forward.

Rias took an involuntary step back before catching herself and clenching her fists.

"So…? When did it—"

The crimson-haired Devil Heiress's gaze darted anywhere and everywhere. Any location except Lucia's intense probing gaze.

"Rias. Rias, look at me. What do you know?" she pressed, backing her friend into a metaphorical corner.

Rias met her gaze briefly, opening her mouth to speak but going silent just as quickly. Her mouth opened and closed, as if trying to articulate words but none escaped her lips for several moments. After almost three minutes of failing to talk, Rias finally sighed.

"Since the beginning. After I got skewered by a bunch of thorns," Rias rubbed her arm. Her thumb subconsciously brushed against the skin of her arm, as if she were feeling for phantom puncture wounds.

"Ever since then… I… I've been having dreams. I- I thought they were all dreams but… I keep waking up on July 16th… I keep waking up on July 16th after July 23rd. I'm not… I'm not going crazy, right? These are just dreams, right?" Rias grabbed her arms and gripped them tightly. "Lucia… please tell me I'm not going crazy. Please tell me these are just bad dreams."

Now it was Lucia's turn to look away.

Rias searched her gaze for anything. Anything that would validate how she wanted to feel. "Luci… please. Say something. Anything."

She bit her lip and avoided Rias's blue eyes.

"Say something, Kusotori! Please… please don't tell me that…"

"I…"

Rias's hands fell to her side, and she stumbled back. "So… it's real…"

Lucia remained silent, staring at Rias for a few seconds. "All this time, I thought—"

"All this time… it was real. I… I thought Souji made me drink his sake or I got food poisoning from Kuroka's cooking," Rias grabbed the side of her head, her fingers curling around fistfuls of her crimson hair. "Oh… god. Akeno… Yuuto… everyone—" her face turned green as she darted to the nearest trash can and emptied the contents of her breakfast.

The vivid memories of their deaths. All of their deaths across every possibility wracked her head. After spending an uncountable number of times dismissing them as just dreams, Rias felt the bile rising up once more.

Lucia remained silent for a few more seconds.

For the first time…

For the first time in God knows how long? Was this the big break she had been praying for before she gave up entirely?

"Luci? Luci, are you okay?" Rias's face twisted in concern as she looked up from the garbage.

Lucia looked up at her, nodding.

"O-Okay, I was just asking because you suddenly started crying—"

"100…"

Rias paused.

"I've died… 100 times," Lucia said, looking down at her shaky hands.

She wiped her tears on her sleeve.

Rias reached her hands forward, taking hold of Lucia's trembling shoulders.

"I… I've watched you all die… in a thousand different ways… I've…" Lucia fell to her knees, sobbing. "I tried. I tried really hard, you know!" Her breathing grew faster and hitched at certain intervals as the hiccups started. "But it was never enough… everyone… everyone kept…"

Rias remained silent, hugging her as she finally broke down.

The burden of a hundred lifetimes.

A hundred failures.

Each one wore down at her soul, and a piece of her slowly died along with the countless versions of the friends she failed.

"I… I'm so sorry—"

"No. No, don't," Rias said.

Lucia clutched the sleeves of Rias's shirt. "But I—"

"You didn't."

"But everyone is—"

"Just shut up…"

Lucia nodded, feeling Rias's hold around her tighten. The two girls remained like that for a few more minutes before Rias finally spoke. "Okay… you know that I remember. What now…?"

For the first time since her first trip back, Lucia didn't know what to do. She had long since given up that she would be able to mount a defense, a counter against David King and that thing from beyond the blackness of the stars. But she kept going. Even if she had no plan, she kept throwing herself at him. But now, a slim glimmer of hope crept into her for the first time in…well, she lost track of how many possible years she had been trapped in this miserable hell of repeating failures.

"W-What do you remember?"

"Are you sure we shouldn't tell everyone else?" Rias asked.

"Did you try that in the other restarts?" Lucia asked as the two entered the Gremory Peerage Motel Room.

"N-No… I thought they were all just bad dreams."

"Figures. I thought so too the first few tries. Then after that, I tried. I tried so many times. No matter who I told or what I said, everyone thought I was just having a bad dream or I was just being anxious," Lucia said as she hobbled over to one of the beds. She hopped down on it and laid down. "I just sort of gave up after a couple of dozen tries."

Rias said nothing and took a seat in one of the chairs.

"Okay so… we should try now that I know. It could help, right?"

"Maybe."

Lucia kicked her feet before sitting up. "What do you remember?"

Rias pursed her lips before closing her eyes and leaning forward. "I remember everyone dying—"

"No, aside from that. Do you remember that Maria girl?"

Rias nodded.

"I keep trying to get to her," Lucia said. She looked down at the fabric of her habit. "Every time, I get close. That Priest is always there with her. I tried every different way I can. I tried sneaking into the Church to steal her. I tried fighting him for her. I even tried breaking in during mass and killing everyone inside the Church but…"

Rias remained silent.

"That girl. I just know for sure she's the key to all of this. Why else would he keep her around?" Lucia wondered.

"Why does he keep her around? Even in that time we all snuck into the Church with Sora, he only seemed to keep her because she was like a Virgin Mary or something," Rias pondered.

"So how should we try taking her this time?" Lucia asked.

"How about we don't? Why don't we find out why she's so important before taking her? I mean, for all we know, he could be just protecting her because she's the closest thing they have in this town to a Saint? Maybe they need a Saint to summon this… you called Them Nahemah, right?" Rias said.

Lucia nodded. "Yeah, They called Themself that."

"Maybe you're going at this all wrong from the start."

Lucia bristled at her statement. "Excuse me—"

"You keep rushing at her without stopping to think why? Why is he so obsessed with keeping her and using her? If we do pull it off, what if she's just one? What if he has spares?"

Lucia opened her mouth to bite back but paused.

Rias watched the gears in her friend's head slowly turn before a lightbulb went off in her eyes.

Slowly, Lucia sat back down and thought through this. Actually thought through it. "When did you get so smart, Heinz?"

Rias snorted. "You know I play chess, right? Against Sona."

Lucia ignored her statement before getting up and walking over to the table. She grabbed a napkin from the napkin holder and snatched one of the pens lying around. The sound of furious scribbling suddenly filled the room as Lucia's gaze followed the speedy movements of her left hand.

"He keeps her here," Lucia pointed to a crudely drawn picture of the Church's layout. There was a messy X that sat on a corner of the Church that faced the cliff. "There's a secret panel under the altar that opens a hatch leading to an underground basement. So far… I never saw anyone else."

"And what's this?" Rias pointed to a location marked "Office".

"That's that creepy priest's office."

"Have you been inside?"

"A few times but always when I'm running out with Maria."

Rias blinked. "You never once thought to look inside?"

"No? There's nothing important there. Our target is down here," Lucia's finger tapped the X incessantly.

"Okay, but still… you're an idiot, Kusotori. In every movie or anime I ever watched, the main character always checks the office!" Rias said, slamming her palm over the section of the poorly drawn map titled office. "This is where the bad guy always keeps their stuff! Their secrets—"

"That's kind of stupid, though? Why would he keep it there—"

"Have you not—!? When this is over, you're watching Detective Conan. This is where you'd least expect to find it! Not in some guarded underground altar!" Rias argued.

Lucia leaned back, staring at the spot currently covered by Rias's hand. She looked back to Rias, expecting her to continue.

"In every movie or anime, the bad guy always keeps their stuff in the spot you least expect them too! Like in a book or something that's been hollowed out or like a plant? Like in Ace Attorney!" Rias continued. "How are we supposed to know what we're doing if we don't know why he's doing it!? The first rule of chess that Otou-sama taught me is that you always need to know the why in your enemy's decision! Once you figure out the why, you'll be able to stop the movement!"

"O-Okay…"

"What else?" Rias said.

"He always seems to go after Griselda. Except that one time he went after Irina and Mirana. I kinda figured out a way to keep Selda away from him long enough for her not to turn into…"

Lucia shivered, remembering the clouded over hazy look in Griselda's eyes. "Anyway, we have to keep everyone away from the Church. We can set up basecamp here and just make up some reason for them not to go to the Church."

Rias nodded. "That. If either of the adults go to his side, it's a checkmate for us."

"If he manages to make it to the end of the week and kill Maria, it's checkmate for us too," Lucia added.

"So then let's get started. We have five more days left, right?" Rias moved her hand and snatched the pen from Lucia's hand. She drew a messy circle around the word office and wrote the number one over it. "What's a good day to go sneak into his office?"

"I'd say today but this is the day Souji and the others will be around, watching us like hawks. And that woman too is still out there," Lucia said.

"Unknown Devil Alpha?" Rias asked.

Lucia nodded. "She knows something."

Rias tapped her chin thoughtfully as she ruminated on this newfound information. After a few seconds, she slapped her palm on the granite tabletop. "Okay." She found an empty corner of the napkin and wrote a big number three and after it, put "Find Shirona". "We can do that after one and two."

"Which is?"

"Sneak into his office and rescue that girl."

Lucia glanced at the paper before nodding.

"No room for failure—"

"No. If everything goes wrong, then I can always just start over again," Lucia said.

Rias froze. She knew the implications of Lucia's statement, but to hear it said so blatantly, it made her blood run cold. Her blue eyes flicked over to her friend, who stared at the paper thoughtfully.

"Lucia…"

"It's okay," Lucia smiled. "It doesn't bother me much anymore."

Rias bit her cheek before slapping her hands on her cheeks. "Okay. Let's not think about it then."

Keeping Griselda away from the Church was far easier than the two realized. The next four days were spent keeping Griselda busy. So busy in fact that Rias and Lucia barely had time to sneak off to the Church and raid David's office. It was hard enough faking the traces of a Stray Devil and grabbing a few of the psychotic cultists that seemed to comprise the town's entire population and killing them.

Lucia stumbled into the room, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down the side of her head. She looked up and saw Sora sitting on the bed, cleaning her gun.

"You're home late, Captain."

Similar to all the other Cycles, it took Lucia a whole day to get Sora to give her a sliver of her trust.

"Irina was looking for you before Vali and the others dragged her out for dinner," Sora said, tossing the Faithbreaker down on the cover. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and leaned forward. "Find anything?"

"No. N-No. That Stray Devil is still… It's been 5 days and we still haven't seen a single trace of her," Lucia sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Odd that we're sent here to hunt a Stray Devil and none show up," Sora said as she pulled Taxiarch from the case.

"What about you? Why didn't you go eat with the others?" Lucia said as she walked over and collapsed into a puddle on a chair.

"I… I don't like meat. Vali suggested we go to this place that served barbecue in town," Sora paused her cleaning as she looked down at the floor. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, her breath hitched. Now of all times. The smell of blood wafted into her nose. She swallowed thickly, feeling the chewed, mushy—

"Sora? Sora?" Lucia snapped her finger.

Sora jolted out of her fantasy and looked back down. She was holding her rifle and not… not that.

"You okay?"

"Yeah… Yeah," Sora nodded as she put Taxiarch down and grabbed another cleaning rag. "Just remembering something from before Father took me."

"I see. You're from that village in the Philippines, right? The one that got attacked by vampires?" Lucia said carefully.

Sora's hands stopped mid-clean as she stared down at the sleek black frame of her rifle. "I never told you why I wanted to become an Exorcist, right?"

"N-No, not that I can remember," Lucia said.

"I want to kill her. If I can beat the Stray Devil they sent us to find, then maybe… just maybe, I can kill her. That bastard vampire…," Sora ground her teeth.

Lucia remained quiet and stared at a nearly empty glass of water. "Then I'll help you," she said after a few seconds.

Sora nodded silently.

After a few seconds of silence had passed, Sora spoke once more. "You know I noticed something weird about this town. The people here. Those necklaces everyone seems to wear, the blue ones? There's this eight-pointed star carved into the rocks."

Lucia stiffened.

Eight-pointed star? Why does that sound so familiar? Lucia wondered.

July 22, 2007

"Are you sure we should be doing this tonight?" Rias asked.

"Yes. This is the night when we can disappear into the crowd. After this, we can just find David and separate him and Maria. Every night on the sixth night, David brings Maria without fail to show her off. This is the best time to do both things at once," Lucia said as she peeked her head out from behind one of the cars.

"And if we get caught?" her friend asked, flexing her fingers. A crimson magical array spun lazily above the palm of her hand.

"We won't. I almost always make it to Maria before I die," Lucia flipped her habit on.

"Okay, well, try not to die this time. And if you do… well…," Rias trailed off.

"Got it. Just put the invisibility spell on," Lucia raised a hand to signal Rias to be quiet. One of the congregation members walked by, talking to a man that seemed to be her husband. "Ready?"

Rias nodded and snapped her fingers. The magic circle rapidly expanded above them before floating down while spinning. Soon, Rias and Lucia's forms all but vanished, blending in completely with their surroundings.

"Let's go," Lucia said as she darted out from her hiding spot and toward the open entrance of the Church.

The two girls crept, walking softly.

"Ow!"

Lucia and Rias froze when they heard one of the elderly congregation members right next to them elicit a yelp. They slowly turned their heads, watching as the old woman looked around for anything she might have run into.

"Everything, okay, Mrs. Applbaum?"

Lucia and Rias scrambled and pressed themselves up against the wall.

The last person they wanted or needed to see right now.

The architect of their demise.

David King smiled kindly at the elderly woman, who seemed no less confused by his appearance as she did the invisible elbow that had accidentally hit her.

"Ah. Sonny, I felt like I bumped into someone, but I don't see anyone. Did you happen to see if they let any kids into the home?" Mrs. Applbaum asked, holding her cane tightly.

David's smile never faltered as he reached a hand forward, placing it on Mrs. Applbaum's shoulder. "Probably just one of the kids of the congregation. We're at the Church, remember Mrs. Applbaum? Please, let me help you to one of the pews," he offered as he helped the elderly woman shamble away on her cane.

"T-That was close. What the heck, Heinz Ketchup? We almost got caught because you elbowed an old lady," Lucia hissed quietly.

"S-Shut up! I didn't see her there! I was too busy staring at your heels, Pigeon!" Rias snapped back quietly.

"Come on! If this is like every other Church, then it has to be over here," Lucia whispered as she crept quietly along the walls.

The sound of David's homily grated against her dwindling sanity. Just how many times was she supposed to listen to this drivel before she got to see the Sunday of next week? She shook her head, banishing the thought. Lucia just needed to focus on what was in front of her.

After turning a corner, Lucia and Rias slinked down a small hallway until they found a door at the end with a plaque.

Fr. David King

"Friar? Isn't this guy a cult leader?" Rias whispered.

"Let's just go inside and—" Lucia blinked as she tried to twist the doorknob. She twisted it again but it wouldn't budge. "It's locked."

"Can't you just pick the lock or something?" Rias hissed.

"Who do I look like? Robin from Teen Titans?" Lucia bit back.

"Move. I got this," Rias pushed her aside and placed her hand on the door. A small magic circle appeared over it, spinning in different directions until…

Click.

Lucia blinked. "Why didn't you do that two seconds ago?"

"I thought you could pick locks! I thought Exorcists were trained to pick locks," Rias said as she looked over her shoulder.

David was still deep in his homily, if a homily was an insane raving filled several side tangents about how he was the chosen of the Pleasant One.

"What did he call that thing that keeps appearing at the end of the week? An Aeon?" Rias said as she slowly opened the door.

Lucia nodded.

"Maybe he has something on it here," she said as she followed Rias inside.

The two shut the door behind them.

"It smells in here," Rias said, pinching her nose.

"I guess this is where he sleeps too," Lucia said, walking over to a doorless entrance. There was a large king-sized bed and two nightstands. It looked far too lavish for a simple church built in the middle of nowhere, Egypt. Lucia took a step into the room, and her shoe hit something plastic.

She bent down and inspected it.

"Hey, Rias. What's this?" she picked it up.

Rias walked up to her. "Oh. I've seen this in one of the maids' rooms. I think this is a lightsaber. That's what one of the maids told me."

"Why is it wet, though?" Lucia wondered before tossing it aside.

"I don't know. Stop going into his room. There's probably nothing in here," Rias said as she opened one of the drawers by his bed. "Weirdo. There's just a bunch of photos in here of different girls and guys."

"That is weird," Lucia said as she walked over to the other nightstand. She looked down and saw a picture frame. "Look, it's the weird priest guy."

Rias turned around and walked over.

It was a picture of David, but a bit younger. He had that same unassuming smile and features that were nothing to write home about. But rather than his usual, gold-embroidered white greca-style priest vestments, he wore a simple black pastor's suit with a white collar.

Lucia looked at the photo closely and noticed the same lapis necklace that all the other cultists were. "Huh. He wears the necklace too." She put the picture frame down and opened the drawer of the nightstand. It was empty, save for more weird objects. She slid it shut, not finding anything useful before making her way back into the office.

"Okay, maybe we were wrong. Maybe there's nothing in here," Lucia said.

Rias walked past her to David's desk and began opening each drawer. "Papers. Papers. Pictures of kids. Papers. More papers."

Lucia looked over her shoulder, eyes moving from sheet to sheet that Rias pulled out. After Rias emptied the entire drawer, Lucia sighed and plopped down on David's computer chair. "I guess he really keeps everything in his… base…ment." Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the unevenness in the bottom of the drawer. "Huh…"

"What?"

"Nothing… just," Lucia reached forward and tugged on the uneven part of the drawer's bottom before the entire thing popped away. "It comes off?" she said before looking down. There was a small sealed envelope inside.

Rias blinked before reaching forward and plucking it from the false bottom. "Huh. It's already open. It has traces of demonic power in it… similar to a member of the Asmodeus family." Rias rotated the envelope in her hands. "Wanna look?"

Lucia nodded and took the envelope into her hands. She turned it over and stopped when she saw it.

That… shouldn't be here, Lucia thought.

"What?" Rias asked.

Lucia flipped the envelope over to show her. "I've seen this symbol before."

"What? The eight-pointed star?" Rias asked.

"Yeah. At Vali's house. A few years ago. His dad had an envelope with the same stamp on it. Sora said she also saw it when she was walking around town. All the necklaces have that same symbol," Lucia said.

Rias squinted and looked down at the symbol for a few more minutes before shrugging. She spread the cut side of the envelope open and pulled out the letter. "It's written in Goetic."

"What does it say?" Lucia leaned in closer.

[Can't you just use your new and improved Sacred Gear that I spent over a hundred cycles upgrading to read it?] Yam said, sounding completely offended.

Shut up.

"The writer is someone called The Maiden of Desire," Rias said, reading over the lines. "My Bishop, I do hope that you are not toying around with the subjects. The Shining One demands proof of your research into the Sitra Achra…?" Rias pulled away from the paper slightly. "What…? This reads like nonsense."

Lucia stared at the paper for a few seconds. Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about the contents of the letter.

[Was the Shining One also not mentioned to you back then? Perhaps, with the way they are referring to this person, they may be the leader of this whole thing. This priest could just be a symptom of a much larger malady, Child.]

I don't know. I never… bothered to ask. He died in a lot of those, and I was too busy focusing on my one goal to stop that thing from ever coming back, Lucia replied.

[Perhaps this girl was right all along. It's time we look at the why before tackling the how. It will provide us with greater insight than rushing into it… as we have done so recently.] Yam said.

"What else does it say?" Lucia asked.

Rias furrowed her brow as she kept reading. "This is… a list of notes that they need. It's like what David said back then. Nahemah is one of those things called an Aeon. Those gods that exist beyond the stars in a place they call the Sitra Achra. These Gods can manifest in the world in a vessel called a Husk. I think… no, wait the writing here is a bit vague, but it says that a Husk can be made or offered."

"What does that even mean?" Lucia whispered.

"I don't know. That's just what it says. I don't understand a word this thing says," Rias said.

Lucia was about to talk when she heard footsteps coming from down the hallway.

"No, My Lady. My Lady, it's a bit more difficult than I anticipated. Yes, the people from the Church are here as well as that Devil Heiress from the Gremory Clan—" David stopped talking as he was cut off by another voice.

"What do we do?" Rias asked.

"What the heck? Why are his windows all locked!?" Lucia said as she scrambled to open one of the windows. She looked over to Rias, who was still holding the letter. "Put the letter back!" she hissed.

"Wait! Just let me…," Rias said as she pulled her phone out and took a picture of the letter. "Okay! Okay! I got it! Just give me a second to—"

"Madam, I assure you I can produce results. If I can even summon a piece of the Pleasant One inside our offered Husk… yes, yes. Yes, I'm aware that the Church's presence here is… No, Madam! No… I… Yes, I understand," David's voice was now outside the door.

"Rias! Hurry!" Lucia urged.

"Don't rush me!" Rias snapped as she placed the envelope back along with the false bottom.

She slid the drawer closed and sprinted to the window; however, it was too late.

An annoyed and irritated David walked into the room, stopping when he saw a flash of Rias's crimson hair in his bedroom. His eyes narrowed. "Well, well, what do we have here? Come on now. Don't be shy. It's not nice to sneak into someone else's property, ya know."

"Move!" Rias pushed Lucia aside and blasted the window open. "Let's go before—"

Rias was suddenly pulled back and slammed against the wall. "Well, well, well, if it ain't my lucky day. God truly works in mysterious ways. Sent me a…," David walked over to the pinned Rias and took a long sniff of her hair.

Rias gagged in her mouth and pulled away from him.

"Well, you know what they say, tomatoes are always best ripe and you, ma'am, are—"

"Let her go!" Lucia slammed into the small of David's back, sending the older man careening into the wall. "What the—!?" He looked up to see the heel of Lucia's boot connecting with his cheek. A crack echoed through the room as David's teeth flew onto the ground.

"Rias! Go! NOW! I got this!" Lucia said as she pushed Rias toward the open window.

"B-But—!"

"Remember! REMEMBER IT!" Lucia urged, continuing to shove Rias until she was out the window. Before she could escape herself, a telekinetic grip latched onto her. She flew back, slamming into the ceiling before being bashed against the floor multiple times.

"Now, now. That wasn't very nice of you, little lady," David said, slicking his hair back and spitting out two teeth.

Lucia groaned as she shakily got to her feet.

"Didn't your Mama ever teach you manners?" His boot connected with Lucia's side, sending her sliding against the wall.

"Gahk!" Lucia coughed and curled in on herself, holding her stomach. She looked up, and her vision was filled with nothing but David's shoe.

"I can't believe a worthless rat like you got into my sanctuary!" David said. With each word that escaped his lips, the stomps became harder and harder.

But she endured it, covering her head with her arms as David's foot came down.

"Come here."

She didn't make a sound as she felt David's fists curl painfully around her hair and pulled her up to eye-level.

"Lemme get a good look at you, little lady," David said.

"Screw… you…," Lucia coughed.

Blood splattered all over his vestments, though he didn't seem to mind. Instead, he looked almost amused. "Hmm? I've seen you before. You're that little sister that's training with that nun, right?"

"You stay away from her, you creepy bastard!" Lucia snarled through broken teeth and a bloodied nose.

"Now now, that's a mighty filthy mouth you got there, Little Missy. My mama used to put soap in my mouth whenever I said bad words," David chided. "But I digress. Seems like you were here for somethin'... considerin' you brought that lil' devil girl along with ya. But it don't matter. Whatever you sent her to tell your friends over. None of it matters. For you see, I am from a mission from God."

"W-What…?" Lucia rasped. He had said this before too, but never really went into it.

[Child…]

Not yet… I… can't reveal my trump card yet… Lucia said as David tugged harder on her hair.

"God sent me an Angel… An Angel so bright and so powerful that he revealed to me everything in this world. We're all trapped here. Trapped under the heel and chains created by false gods!" David's face contorted in rage as he threw Lucia against a wall.

"Gahk!" Lucia fell to the ground, clutching her ribs. Parts of her hair were torn off her scalp and were in David's fingers. With shaky arms, she managed to prop herself on her elbows and began inching her way toward the open window.

"He introduced me to the Lady! My Lady, whom I serve with all my heart! And I will not fail this task that My Lady, my Madam, my Brightest Star gave me!" He said with deepening insane devotion. "And that is why I can't allow… interlopers like you to—" David kicked Lucia in the back, sending her back down to the ground. "Interfere! Hahh… look at what you did. You got blood all over my holy carpet. You Catholics. Tsk, tsk, tsk, you follow the dogma of evil that y'all don't even see God anymore. Not just Catholics. Those Evangelicals who take money from their flocks. The Lutherans. And don't even get me started on those pagan religions. But mine. I am the true messenger of God and Their Angels! I will bring forth that God! The Pleasant One… for my Lady and the Shining One have both told me that I am the chosen messenger who will offer the Virgin to Them so that They may be born unto this world!"

"Y-You're crazy…," Lucia grabbed onto the bedpost and pulled herself forward. She inched closer to the window before propping herself up. "You're really crazy."

"Crazy? My poor, sweet child. Crazy is what they called Jesus when he preached to the Romans and Pharisees and consorted with the poor! I ain't crazy! I am the next herald of the Messiah, and it is through me and my research that My Lady and The Shining One shall see the Pleasant One to be born onto this world," David said.

Lucia took a painful deep breath before using the windowsill to pull herself onto her feet.

"Thanks… for the information," Lucia said.

"You're very welcome. Thank you for listening. Now… lemme just—"

David felt something sink into his torso. He looked down and saw a blade protruding from his mirror. Its surface rippled as the blade continued to exit the mirror and sink deeper into his side. "G- Agggghhhh!" David howled in pain as he stumbled. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, clutching at the now-embedded sword in the side of his abdomen.

"Hahaha… like I said, thanks," Lucia said as she stood on her shaky legs.

David coughed. "W-What did you do…?"

"A new trick… I picked up from my friend," Lucia said.

"Y-You little bitch," David said as he coughed up more blood.

"Now…"

[Child…]

[Detecting multiple hostile signatures approaching your location.]

Lucia paused. She clicked her tongue as she fired a blast of light at the office, causing the roof to cave in. "Tch…," she looked down at David, who had vanished. "W-What…? Where did he…?" She looked around the room. Deciding it wasn't worth it, Lucia climbed out the window and tumbled onto the ground below.

[Child. The Gear is detecting several severe injuries.]

I can feel it. You don't need to tell me, Lucia huffed as she began to limp as fast as she could to somewhere. Anywhere. Possibly even the Red Sea. "Yam… is Rias still close by?"

[No.]

"Then let's go. They'll summon the thing tomorrow night. I need to find a way back to—"

Lucia's eyes widened as she felt something punch through her. Her vision swam as she staggered forward, falling to her knees. Thick globs of blood escaped her mouth in hacking coughs. She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling a gaping hole in the left side.

"Guhkk… gahkk…," Lucia fell to the ground. Blood leaked into her throat and flooded her lungs. She could feel every individual grain of sand grazing against the raw nerve endings in the spaces inside her lung every time she tried to breathe, which came out as panicked, rapid bursts. The only sound she could make was agonizing gasps for air as she tried to crawl toward the cliff's edge.

"Little Lady… I told you. You won't get to tell your friends. And your little red-haired friend, well, it don't matter if she tells the others. Because I'll put an end to this little fiasco after I deal with you," David said. "Can't you tell? I am God's chosen. Such a message was given to me to serve under my Lady… and I will succeed where the other Bishops have failed. To usher in God's arrival and free ourselves from this corrupt world!"

"Ah… ah…"

"Now. Sleep," David said. He raised a hand and flicked his wrist.

A sickening crack echoed through the night. Lucia's neck snapped in three places as her head twisted violently to the side. David stood there, watching her glassy, lifeless black eyes staring at the open vastness of the Red Sea.

[Activating Twilight Reincarnation]

Excerpt - The Maiden of Desire's Letter to David

David,

He is expecting more results. The Shining One placed his faith in me and in you. Do not make me look like a fool.

I did not give you willing subjects so you can play around with them. Remember, a Husk must be offered onto Them if we are to proceed with the Project. We must learn more of the Sitra Achra. So far, your efforts and theories of offering a virgin to them to emulate the birth of divinity in human form have not yielded fruit. And now, you stall for results under the guise of using biblical numerology as if it were some sort of ritualistic guide?

David, I require empirical evidence of a way to access the Sitra Achra.

You have by the end of the week. Fail to do so, and I will be... forced to reconsider the terms of your employment.

Chapter Text

Heat of the moment!

Lucia groaned as she sat up in bed. She bit down on her cheek, taking deep breaths. The phantom pain remained. A throbbing pain thrummed deep beneath her bones and skin. Her nerves were alit and pulsating a million signals to tell her brain of an injury that didn't exist. Her hands slowly rose to feel her neck.

That's a first.

[What is?] Yam replied.

I've never had my neck broken before, Lucia replied absentmindedly as she stretched her neck.

"Ah! Morning, Luci!"

Lucia turned to see that same morning routine that had played out over one hundred and one times over the past week.

Griselda stood in front of the mirror. The older woman smiled as she adjusted her suit. Her fingers eventually found purchase on the edge of the tight, elastic fabric that conformed to the curves of her body.

"Mmm? What's wrong? You look like you had a bad dream," Griselda's smile dipped slightly as she slowly slid her leggings up her legs.

Lucia just stared blankly at her for a few seconds before looking ahead. "Yeah. I did…"

I wish it was…

"Mmm? Wanna talk about it?" Griselda asked as she reached for her habit.

"I… can barely remember it now," she replied. It was an obvious lie. But she had gotten so much better at it that she almost convinced herself.

Griselda said nothing and just nodded. "Okay. It is what it is, I guess. Come on." The silver-haired woman got up from her spot and placed a hand on her head.

Lucia stiffened, feeling a warmth spread through her. She bit her lower lip and gripped her blankets tightly.

"Come on. Let's go get breakfast," Griselda said gently.

Lucia's lower lip trembled and she took in a shaky deep breath. Not trusting herself to maintain her composure, she opted to nod slowly before hugging Griselda, burying her face in her the older woman's warmth.

Griselda smiled gently as she wrapped her arms around Lucia's head, stroking her hair as she felt the first tremors of a choked back sob coming from the young girl clinging to her.

"You look awful."

"Shut up…"

Lucia sniffled as she rubbed her eyes. Her eyes were swollen and red-rimmed from crying all morning. She hated this. She hated feeling like this. She was supposed to be an Angel all her friends could rely on, yet here she was, reduced to a crying, blubbering mess. Lucia grabbed her glass of orange juice and downed it in one go.

Rias raised an eyebrow as she calmly sipped her juice. "I woke up this morning. Did you…?"

"Yeah," Lucia replied. She rubbed her neck. "Do you remember everything still or…?"

"I do. I remember most of the letter," Rias said as she stabbed her fork into her eggs. She stilled for a few moments. "How did you…?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Lucia said hastily.

Rias nodded and bit into her eggs. The two remained silent for a moment before they heard footsteps heading in their direction. The two girls looked up and saw Irina smiling as she set her plate down on the table. Her purple eyes flicked in Lucia's direction, and she frowned slightly.

"You look awful, Captain," Irina said.

"Rias already said that," Lucia sighed. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I just had a nightmare, is all."

"Really?" Irina bit into her pancake with gusto. She chewed for a few seconds before swallowing. "You know. You've been getting a lot of those lately. Asia told me you had one before we got to Akdilek."

Lucia put her fork down and sighed. "It's.. It's nothing, really. I…"

"Luci?" Irina's expression shifted to one of concern.

"I—!?"

Her breath hitched. Irina sat there in front of her with a gaping hole in her chest. Blood trickled down her body onto the floor. The world around her fell away and slithering black vines coiled around her legs. She couldn't breathe. She needed to get out. Her eyes fell onto her fork. Yes.

That would work. That would—

"LUCI!"

Lucia gasped as she felt someone's hand tighten around her wrist. She looked down and saw a gloved hand gripping her wrist tightly. Her gaze slowly traveled as she saw Vali holding her hand.

"Are you okay? Irina and Rias have been calling your name for a few minutes now," the younger boy said, looking at her with a concerned look on his face.

Lucia dropped the fork she was holding and pulled her hand away from Vali's grip. "I-I'm fine. I'm just tired, I guess," she mumbled, looking down at her plate. She couldn't bear to look at him. If she did, what would she see this time? Lucia chanced a glance at him. Thankfully, nothing happened.

"Lucia…"

"Hmm?" Lucia looked up at Rias, being ripped away from the swirl of thoughts that threatened to drown her.

Rias stared at her oddly before nodding her head subtly to Vali and Irina.

Lucia sighed and composed herself. "I'm fine, guys. Really! See!" Lucia smiled weakly at her friends, trying to put on an air of strength that she had seen some adults put on at the Institution. She wasn't sure if they would buy it but when the two said nothing, Lucia let out a sigh of relief.

"Anyway, I was thinking we could ask Griselda if she could come with us to look for that Stray Devil in this town," Lucia said.

"Which one? The one you saw when we got here?" Irina asked as she scarfed down her pancakes.

"You… You want to slow down with that before you choke?" Vali said dryly as he sat down next to Irina.

"Ish really good!" Irina replied as she swallowed an inhumanly large bite.

"Yes. I've been looking into it before we had breakfast, and I think I know where it's going to hit next," Lucia steepled her fingers together. "I think Selda will want to look into it since it's our only lead to that Devil that the church here reported."

Rias eyed her silently.

"I actually saw her last night," Rias said.

Irina raised an eyebrow as she paused mid-bite. "You did?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

Even Vali was skeptical. Lucia gripped the hem of her habit. What was Rias doing? Did she forget they were all together the night before all this started playing board games? She opened her mouth to talk when Rias continued talking, her tone even. "It was after you guys went back to your room. I went to see if there was anything I could take home at the front desk, and I saw her. She was wandering around town, and I hid before she could spot me."

Vali rubbed his chin, eyebrows furrowing as the gears in his head turned. "I see… we should tell the grown-ups on Team Griselda."

Lucia let out a subtle sigh of relief. "I'll be the one to tell, Selda. Meanwhile, we should stay here and not go to the Church."

"Huh? Why? Aren't we supposed to keep it safe?" Irina asked.

"Stray Devils can't get into Churches!" Rias interjected.

"Wait, they can't? I thought—"

"I'm a Devil! I know a lot about stray devils!" Rias said, crossing her arms and huffing.

Irina opened her mouth to respond, but found that she had no logical argument against Rias's reasoning. Her pre-teen mind simply rolled over and accepted Rias's reasoning. After all, it made sense. Rias was a Devil. She would know far more about Devils than she did.

"Then, it's settled! I'll tell Selda that Rias saw the Stray Devil heading to the cliffs, and we can do other stuff around town like…uh… what did that show Mom likes to watch do…? Look for witnesses!" Lucia said.

"What do you remember?"

Everyone had split up to scour the town for the Stray Devil. Lucia doubted they could find Shirona. After all, in the first cycle, they had found Shirona by sheer luck and coincidence. However, this proved to be a good distraction and prevented Griselda from going too close to the Priest.

And now, she and Rias decided they would pair up and go together to look around.

Rias placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "The letter mostly. Remember how they were talking about something called Husks in that letter. Apparently, those Husks are like avatars of the Aeons. That nun who keeps giving birth to Nahemah is probably a Husk that will eventually give birth to Nahemah's physical body. Also…"

"Also, what?"

"Remember how we can always feel the demonic power of a demon lord nearby? I always thought it was that creepy priest guy but…," Rias trailed off.

"But?" Lucia raised an eyebrow as she side-stepped one of the townsfolk.

No matter how many times she saw their faces, it never failed to unnerved her. That wide, grotesque parody of a smile was too uncanny. And now, Lucia knew why it looked so terrible.

"The Nun… is a half-devil. To be more specific, she's a descendant of the Lord of Lust, one of the Four Original Satans, Asmodeus," Rias said quietly.

Lucia stopped walking. Her eyes widened. "W-Wait! Wait wait! She's a half-devil!" she hissed.

"Yes! Shut up! The entire town is around us!" Rias said in a hushed whisper. "We'll talk more about it when we get back to the motel. But yes! She's a descendant of Asmodeus! That's one of the things I remembered from that letter before you…, you know."

"What else do you remember?" Lucia pressed.

"The important stuff? David's working for something called the Shining One, but we know that. And then there's the Maiden of Desire. And that symbol that you said you've seen before at Vali's house when you guys saved him from his Dad," Rias recounted.

Lucia fiddled with the handle of Mist, which was nestled comfortably inside her sleeves. She stayed quiet for a few seconds before talking. "Vali's Dad… had a letter in his office that had that same star on the envelope."

"Did you read it?"

"No, I gave it to Selda after. But… I think I remember Vali's dad saying something about bringing Vali somewhere to do something. You… You think that Vali's Dad and this creepy David guy knew each other?" she asked.

Rias furrowed her brow. "I… I don't know. Maybe? If you say that the star on the letter we found in David's office is the same as the one you saw in Vali's old house, then maybe? I… I don't really know. Gahhh! Grown-up thinking is so hard! My head's starting to hurt!" Rias whined as she rubbed her temples.

Lucia nodded. She rubbed her forehead before continuing. "Okay. So what? She's evil? She's doing this on purpose?"

"I… I don't think so," Rias said as she walked up to a stall. She cringed slightly when she saw the older man smiling at her. After a brief glance at his merchandise, Rias grabbed Lucia by the wrist and pulled her along. "The letter said that… as long as the Priest had a piece of Asmodeus with him, she'd remain under his control. She's probably like what happened to Griselda in that other time."

[That Feather of Lust that we keep seeing on his person whenever we scan him with your Sacred Gear.] Yam said.

You think they're the same thing? Lucia asked. It made sense, but failed to explain David's other powers. If the Feather was just solely for controlling people, then how was David able to do all those other things.

[Yes. What else would it be?]

The Blessing of the Destroying God? Is it connected to the Feather?

[...] Lucia could almost hear Yam mulling over her question. After a few seconds of silence, Yam replied. [It is a blessing, yes? From a God no less. Perhaps there is more to these beings you call the Original Satans than meets the eye. You have to remember, Child. I am far older than they are and have spent thousands of years in a seal. I do not have all the answers you seek.]

[But…] Yam continued. [I do know this. Only gods and divine spirits are capable of granting blessings.]

"Lucia? Pigeon!"

She blinked when she saw Rias staring at her intensely. "Huh?"

"You okay? You zoned out on me for like five minutes," Rias said.

Lucia rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Okay. So we really have to keep Griselda away from David like we did last time when we snuck into his office. I know how to do it. I know if we don't find it today, Selda will call off the search and go to the Church so I have a plan."

Rias raised an eyebrow. "You? A plan? What's the plan? Set one of the buildings on fire?"

Lucia just smiled and walked off ahead of her.

"W-Wait? Are you serious!?" Rias called out, increasing her pace to catch up.

"Asia! Tosca!"

The two girls almost jumped when Lucia called their names. It had taken a while to find them. Lucia looked at the third person in the room. The two were seated around a board with several pieces out. The third girl was one of the people Lucia remembered from the other cycles. The Durandal Wielder and Griselda's ward: Xenovia Quarta. The blue-haired girl tilted her head curiously.

"C-Captain! I thought you were out with Selda looking for the Stray Devil," Asia said.

"Yeah. You told us to stay here," Tosca said.

"Never mind that! I have a big favor to ask you two!" Lucia said as she knelt in front of them. "Asia! Can you teach me that anointing miracle that makes oil?"

"Eh? You mean the one that Father Ferdinand is teaching me? The one we use for sacraments?" Asia blinked.

"Yes! That one! I want to do sacraments too when we get home! Since… you know, Mom is probably gonna leave me in charge of the Institution when she has to go back to Heaven and stuff to run the army," Lucia pointed out.

Asia and Tosca exchanged glances.

"Can't you just… wait till we get home to learn it?" Tosca asked.

"I want to surprise Mom," Lucia hastily said.

Asia let out a sigh before grabbing her bag. She reached into it, fumbling around for a few seconds before pulling out a small mason jar from her pouch. After giving it a once over, Asia held it out. "I made this batch before we came to Egypt, so we can sanctify the Church just in case a Devil tried to attack it. But you can have it. J-Just don't use it all. I still need some to perform sacramental rites when we set up base at the Church. Selda wants me to use it to help Mister Stelio make holy wards around the building."

Lucia's fingers wrapped around the jar. She felt something warm and thick drip onto her fingers. Her eyes widened when she saw a tinge of crimson from the edge of her vision. She looked up so fast that her neck almost snapped. But rather than the gruesome scene of blood and gore that she expected, there was nothing.

Asia was still looking at her, expecting her to take the jar.

"T-Thanks," Lucia said, pulling the jar away from Asia. She held the jar in her hands. This would have to do. She would apologize to Asia later. Making this before they left must have cost her a lot of time and prayer.

"Captain, did Miss Griselda say when we're heading to the church to meet the priest?" Tosca asked.

Lucia stiffened at her words. Griselda wouldn't hold out forever. She needed a distraction. "Yeah, later this evening," Lucia said. "Selda said that we're going to the Church to get everything set up and to talk to the Priest."

No. She wouldn't. They would be too busy dealing with a catastrophe. A disaster that, while brief, would grant them a long enough reprieve to deal with whatever David had hidden in the Church. Or rather, remove his one chip that allowed him to annihilate the cosmos time and time again.

She tightened her grip around the mason jar. "I'll pick you guys up later, 'kay?"

"Are you sure about this? Won't Griselda be able to tell that this is holy fire and not demonic fire?" Rias hissed as she looked around the corner.

"The Stray Devil is a Gremory. All you need to do is use your own demonic power to fuel the fire, and no one will be able to tell," Lucia said as she poured the entire jar onto a pile of paper she stole from the motel room.

"Did you really memorize when everyone in this town would go to the Church for mass?" Rias said.

"Yeah."

"I never expected that from you."

"What? You wanna say that to my face, Tomato Paste?"

The two girls glared at each other before Lucia huffed and returned to her task.

After finishing, Lucia held the jar in her hand. A blue light engulfed it before it crumbled away to nothing.

"Huh… the color of your Holy Power changed," Rias commented.

Lucia said nothing as she put more scratch paper atop the already soaked pile of paper at the base of one of the houses.

"Okay, let's say your crazy plan works. What then? The entire town runs over here? The Priest too? And then what?"

"You said that the girl is a descendant of Asmodeus. If that's true, then we need to make sure she is and then get her out of there. She's the key. She's always the key. Every cycle. Every time Nahemah awakens. She's always Their Husk. So… if we take away the Husk…"

"Then, they won't have a way to summon Nahemah," Rias snapped her finger. She furrowed her brow. "There's just one thing I don't get, though. These things are Gods, right? Why can't they just… come in?"

Lucia's hand froze over the growing pile of paper. "I… Huh? I don't know. But I do know one thing. If… If this girl is also a descendant of a Satan, then she's not just a Husk. She's probably fueling David's Feather. Like what that letter said, right?"

"That's not what the letter said," she replied. "As long as he had the feather, he could keep her under control."

Lucia said nothing as she finished by dropping the hotel phonebook on top of the pile of oily paper. She gave Rias a thumbs up as she took a step back.

"You're going to get me in so much trouble," Rias pinched the bridge of her nose. She held up her hand, and a rotating circular array of arcane symbols appeared above her hand. "Are you sure this won't explode?"

"Won't it be better if it blew up?" Lucia tilted her head.

Rias shook her head before spreading her wings and taking to the air. She cocked her arm back before hurling a ball of scarlet flames at the oily pile of parchment. In an instant, the base of the house lit up in a dazzling display of crimson light.

Lucia and Rias shielded their eyes as the light slowly died down to reveal that half of the house was already ablaze.

Lucia's black eyes lit up in success. "Yes! Operation Burn the Town is a success!"

"This is someone's house, you know," Rias said as she landed on the ground next to her.

"Yeah, but this is a creepy cult, so… um… okay, maybe they can just rebuild it after?" Lucia said, starting to feel an inkling of guilt creep in. As the crimson flames blazed in front of her and a black tower of thick smoke rose into the air, her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered something. "Throw a portion of your Power of Destruction in there."

"Huh!? What!? Now they'll really know it's me!" Rias protested.

"Just trust me! Throw it!" Lucia urged.

Rias had a flabbergasted look on her face before clenching her jaw and closing her eyes. She let out a groan of frustration. "Moouu! Fine!"

"Yes! Use your Rias Attack—!"

"Stop calling it that!" Rias snapped, her cheeks flushing red as she lobbed a hefty orb of black flame-like energy at the fire. The effects were instant. The colors of the flames darkened and…

BOOM!

The girls jumped back as a part of the house exploded, spreading the flaming debris across the entire area.

Did you hear that?

Call Father David!

We have a gas leak!

"What now?" Rias asked, watching with a slack-jawed expression at their handiwork. The flames roared angrily, rising into the sky as it spread down the street. The heat of the fire was almost suffocating.

"Now…," Lucia said as she swiped the air. A magic circle appeared, and Lucia's fingers tapped across the floating Enochian characters. After a few seconds, a voice came through.

"Luci!? Where are you? An explosion happened near the town's market district. Mirana and I are heading over there right now!" Griselda's voice came through.

Lucia coughed into the call. "S-Selda! We saw the Stray Devil! S-She blew up an entire house! Rias and I are heading for the space under the cliffs!"

"What!? No! Fall back! That's an order! Fall back to the motel! Mirana, Stelio, and I will handle the Stray!"

"B-But—!"

"No buts Luci. We'll take care of it. We don't know what we're up against, so fall back," Griselda said, her tone firm and leaving no room for protest.

Lucia took a deep breath before sighing. "Fine. The tomato and I will go back… See you there."

"I'll see you there. And don't feel so down. If it gets away, we'll bring you along," Griselda said before hanging up.

Rias played with her thumbs, feeling a bit uncomfortable after listening to the call. She stared at the back of Lucia's head as the girl remained deathly still. Her black hair blew slightly in the blazing heat of the flames. "L-Luci…"

Lucia stood there silently before turning to Rias with a wide grin on her face. "I can't believe that worked! Let's go!"

"Eh? Wait huh— Woah! Slow down!" Rias yelped as Lucia suddenly grabbed her by the hand and took to the air. She looked down and saw several of the townsfolk and a less-than-amused Father David arriving at the site of the roaring, scarlet inferno.

She pulled her hand away from Lucia's grip and hovered in the air, unfolding her own wings in the process. Rias let out a low whistle. "If you still didn't have white wings, I'd think you'd fall because you lied to Griselda."

"This won't give us much time. Griselda will probably head here first to put out the fire so we need to fly to the Church now," Lucia said.

Rias nodded in response.

The two girls flapped their wings, making a beeline toward the church. Below them, the town scrambled like flies, and Lucia could feel Griselda's presence drawing nearer to the site of the explosion.

"There's two people still there," Rias hissed as they came to a stop above the church.

There were two men, dressed in stark white robes that resembled the ones worn by altar servers.

"Okay. No time."

"Huh? No time, what are you—!?" Rias did not have the chance to finish her sentence as Lucia suddenly dove toward the two men.

With speeds far exceeding human perception, Lucia delivered two swift blows to their necks. The men dropped like puppets with their strings cut, their limbs twitching every few seconds. "Come on!" Lucia waved, folding her wings into her back.

Rias shook her head as she dropped from the sky and landed with a light thump. Her blue eyes scanned the men, noticing the small bruises growing on their necks. "You couldn't have held back?"

"That was me holding back," Lucia said as she darted inside the church.

[Scanning…]

[Scanning…]

[Large amounts of demonic power detected. Locating… Locating…]

Lucia's eyes shifted to an eerie mixture of blues, pinks, and purples. Her eyes scanned the entirety of the church before locking onto the altar.

[Origin location identified. Target located… 3 meters below the user.]

"Same place as she always is," Lucia muttered before striding over to the altar. She walked around the podium, fumbling underneath the wood until she felt it. The near-imperceptible sound of a switch flipping bounced off the empty walls of the church.

The altar rumbled before shifting. A panel in the flooring slid open as soon as the altar moved to the side, revealing a dimly lit set of stairs descending further into the bowels of the church. Lucia took a step toward it but stopped when she felt Rias grab her arm.

"Wait! You're just going to go inside! What if it's booby trapped?" Rias asked.

"I've been down here multiple times. There are no traps," Lucia reassured her. "Besides, if there was one, it's probably David. Now, let's go. I need to close the entryway so he doesn't know we're in here."

Rias shifted on her toes before nodding shakily. She took a step onto the stairs after Lucia, descending further into the claustrophobic stairwell.

Lucia felt along the walls, using her enhanced senses to locate a switch underneath one of the rails. Above them, the floor rumbled as the panel slid close and the altar shifted back into its rightful spot.

No matter how many times Lucia came down here, the place never failed to unnerve her. The damp, mossy brick walls seemed to grow narrower the further they descended, like the gullet of a bird that was swallowing its prey. The lights flickered above them, making the liminal space of the hallway seem to contract and expand with each step they took. The thick, damp air proved to be more suffocating than the desert heat above.

Lucia trudged on ahead, occasionally feeling Rias tighten her grip on her sleeve as the two descended further into the damp, dimly lit space.

"This place… smells," Rias said as the pungent smell of rotting fish and bird feces struck her nostrils.

"This place is close to the Red Sea, so we'll get a lot of bird and fish smell the closer we get to where he keeps her," Lucia said. Her eyes widened as she almost slipped on a particularly sticky substance that pooled on one of the steps in front of her. She narrowed her eyes before skipping that step.

"Gross," Rias remarked as she gingerly walked around it. She held up her hand, conjuring a small flame. "Okay. How do we break the mind control? Do we hit her or something? The letter said we can't do it unless we have the Feather."

"We don't need to. We just need to get her out of here. Far away from David," Lucia reminded her.

"And if he notices she's gone?"

"Well, she'll be far away by then. I'll tell Selda everything after we get her out of here," Lucia said as she came upon a wooden door. There was a combination lock on the door. She knelt down and began rifling through the numbers.

"Do you even know the combination—?" Rias's mouth snapped shut when the lock became undone.

Lucia slowly pushed the door open. Immediately, a pungent, musty smell struck them. She used every ounce of willpower she had in her bones to keep herself from expelling her breakfast through her mouth.

Rias fared no better. The redhead gagged and covered her mouth and nose with her hands. "What is that smell?"

Lucia didn't want to answer. She didn't want to know what sort of horrid source could exude such a horrid stench. "Come on." Lucia pinched her nose as she took a step forward.

The interior was far more spacious than the hallway that preceded it. The short entryway expanded into a decent-sized chamber that was at least three heads taller than Griselda. A long panel ceiling light flickered dimly above. The room was bare for the most part, save for the large cube enclosure in the middle and a small desk at the edge of the room. All in all, if David came back, there would be no place for them to hide without Rias using magic.

It was almost like looking at an exhibit.

Their target lay inside, sitting on the edge of an old cot. Her thick, glass cage contained a few commodities. A toilet for her to use the restroom and a sink for her to clean herself. But aside from that, it lacked any of the other creature comforts the girls were used to.

This woman, Maria, was, for lack of better words, an animal being put on display for its owner. A small doggy bowl lay on the floor, filled with a mush of food that Lucia figured was the source of the foul odor.

Rias clenched her fists as she took a step forward. The Power of Destruction crackled at her fingertips. She prepared to step forward to break the glass when Lucia grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait."

Rias raised an eyebrow.

Lucia held her hand out, forming a small stick of light. She thrust it forward, and immediately, a thin string of light appeared. A dart shot out from the wall and bounced off the light rod.

"W-What the hell? Is this guy insane!?" Rias almost shrieked. She glanced at Lucia, who was staring intently at the empty space in front of her.

"Get back," Lucia said as she pulled Mist out of her sleeve. The blade ignited, and Lucia held it to her side with the blade lagging behind. Her pupils contracted as she ran forward and then…

A storm of light slashes, created from blades of light that erupted from Mist's light blade, cut through the invisible strings in the room.

"Using Stendahl… show off," Rias clicked her tongue as she stepped forward.

"You're welcome," Lucia said as she deactivated Mist's blade.

The two stepped over to Maria's glass cage. Lucia placed a hand on the pane.

Just like the last time she had been down here, Maria never reacted. Whatever defiance was inside the older girl's eyes was being smothered by the hazy, thick cloud that permeated her gaze. Instead, a catatonic husk stared back at them as flickers of fear and hope warred beneath her foggy gaze.

"We're going to get you out of here," Rias said gently as she walked toward the door.

Lucia followed after her.

Rias pulled the door open easily. The girl blinked. "It's unlocked?"

"There is no lock. Why would he need a lock?" Lucia said as she stepped inside the cage.

Lucia placed a hand on Maria's shoulder and almost shivered when she felt the girl's bone beneath her skin. Despite her well-fed appearance from a distance, at a close enough glance, Maria's complexion was not that of someone who ate regular and nutritious meals.

They needed to get her out of here. With her gone, then David wouldn't have a conduit to summon Nahemah from that place beyond the stars.

"Come on. Help me get her out of here before—"

"Tch! Goddamnit. If I knew a gas leak would happen… no, those Church whores are bullshitting me. It's that goddamn devil."

Lucia's eyes widened. She let go of Maria's shoulder and slowly closed the door to the cage. She looked to Rias, who acted quickly.

The door swung open violently.

David walked inside, running a hand through his white hair. Small amounts of soot and ash stained his vestments. "Idiotic townsfolk. If I knew using this level of brainwashing would turn them all into incoherent idiots who can't think critically, I would've said no to this damn feather. But…"

David's face flushed as he licked his dried lips. A perverse giggle rumbled up his throat. "I guess it does have its uses… I wonder. I don't think Roger would mind it if his wife came over here for a confessional later. Hehe… now…"

His poisonous yellow gaze looked over to the cage where Maria sat and then down to the mess of thin, translucent wires scattered all over the ground. Almost immediately, a look of rage overtook his cocky features. "Damn it! Damn it! You goddamn bitch! You're breaking it already!" David strode forward.

The door of the cage swung open with more force than necessary. His hand balled into a fist, and he swung.

Maria didn't react. She didn't cry out in pain. But she was knocked to the ground by the force of David's blow. She robotically lay there, staring almost lifelessly at the floor. A trickle of blood dropped from her split lip.

Lucia grabbed Rias by the arms and clamped her mouth shut.

"Stupid!" David slammed the heel of his boot on Maria's side, sending the poor woman back down. "Insolent! Slut!" His boot connected with the side of her head, sending her sprawling on her back. All this time, she never once screamed in pain. Perhaps the years of abuse and the mental suppression of David's acquired abilities had finally broken her.

"You're lucky you need to be intact. But sometimes, a lesson needs to be taught to cattle that don't obey the cattleherder. As a sacrifice to the almighty Pleasant One, the Husk that shall bring Them into the world, our glorious Maiden of Desire offered you to prove that even half-devil filth can redeem themselves in the eyes of our Lord," David gripped her chin painfully and tilted her head upward.

"Don't get any bright ideas of defying me. I am the Chosen of God! I have been gazed upon by Them! And through me, you shall remember your place as the Virgin who shall birth a piece of Them into our world," David snarled. He shoved her back, sending her tumbling back down.

He adjusted the collar of his vestments and huffed. "Tch." David brought his hand up and began gnawing on the tip of his thumb. "I must succeed. I must succeed. My Lady… My Star, she is relying on me… as the chosen Messiah amongst all the lowly bishops within our Church. Soon, I shall make them all see that their faith was not misplaced…," he mumbled with increasing fervor. "The other Harbingers… the other Bishops that serve them… all of it matters not when I show my worth as the chosen Messiah…"

He began pacing around the cage. David's gaze fell on Maria's shaking form as she pulled herself to her hands and knees. A twisted smile graced his lips. "Yes…," David purred with a twisted sense of affection as he knelt and cupped Maria's cheek. "Yes… as long as I have you… and the Altar, I will show myself as the true second coming. The true Messiah prophesied by the Shining One. Yes… Yes… my sweet little Maria. This is our calling. Our destiny provided for us by God…," he chuckled as the insanity in his golden eyes grew. "I shall be the Second Coming that heralds Their arrival and you shall be the Virgin that births the new world that They will create! Now…"

David dusted his vestments off. "Come along, my dear. We have a mass to prepare for. The seventh night draws ever nearer, and we need to be prepared. You need to be prepared! You will be a big player on the stage I shall set…"

At his command, Maria stood from her spot and followed David out of the cage. When the door finally clicked shut, Rias took down the invisibility spell. A bead of sweat dripped down her chin onto the floor.

"Why did you stop me?" Rias hissed.

"So we could both die?" Lucia bit back. "No. But it doesn't matter what we do anyway. If we take Maria away, it doesn't matter…"

Rias raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Maria is a virgin… whatever that means. It means that no matter what we do, he can always just find another virgin! As long as he has the altar…"

Horror dawned on Rias's face as she connected the dots. "He… He can always summon Nahemah into the world. So what… there's nothing we can do?"

Lucia furrowed her brow as a million thoughts raced across her mind. She pressed her fingers to her temples as she sat on Maria's cot. After a few seconds of silence, Lucia snapped back to attention. "We wait."

"What?"

"We wait."

"I heard you the first time. Why do you want to wait? Shouldn't we just go over there and blow up the altar now?" Rias said.

"Yes. I mean… no. Wait, we don't even know if the altar is protected or anything. For all we know, it could be booby trapped!" Lucia said. She shook her head in frustration. "Mom always told me to look at things from the bigger picture. That's what I'm doing…," she said as she framed her hands.

She cycled through hundreds of snapshots across the hundred times she repeated this week.

The sacrifices.

The ritual.

The altar.

How the energy gathered within the altar after—

"So…?"

"We wait. Wait a few nights. Not until the last night. We don't wait until then. Every night, David has a mass where he kills someone right? And you saw it back when we snuck into the Church…"

"All that energy from the Red Sea gets siphoned into the building."

Lucia snapped her fingers. "So it's not just the altar. The altar is just the thing that draws the power into here. But… but he needs that goblet. He always has that goblet with him during mass. Maybe it's all connected somehow, I don't know!" Lucia threw her hands up.

Rias pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long-winded sigh. "Okay. We need to get back to the motel before the others notice we're gone. Either way, we need to properly plan this so…"

"So?"

"We need to tell someone else. If it's just us, we can't do this by ourselves. We're just kids!" Rias said, gesturing to herself.

"Okay, okay. Come on before David closes the altar," Lucia said.

[I see death has changed her.] A voice came from her left hand. A faint green light pulsed beneath her wrist.

Shirona's dull red eyes gazed out over the town as she sat atop the spire of the Church. Behind her, a watchman lay mutilated beyond recognition. She crossed her legs and leaned her chin against her hand.

"Have they figured out how the ritual is being conducted, I wonder?" Shirona mumbled. She pressed a hand to the center of her chest, feeling a low hum pulse like a second heartbeat. After a few seconds, Shirona clenched her fist before turning her attention back to the small black and red blurs that raced across town.

"We'll see if they succeed this time. A hundred and two cycles of defeat… can be quite boring to watch," Shirona mumbled.

As the Moon began to shine through the cloud cover, its light danced upon the Church's spire only to reveal nothing there, save for a faint trail of crimson beads of light that faded into the darkness.

Some stats from Lucia's evolved Sacred Gear!

[Rias Gremory]

Combat Level: 3,090

Strength: 500

Durability: 475

Speed: 590

Magic: 675

Skills: 850

Estimated Class - Middle Class

Age - 12, Race - Pure Blooded Devil, Gender - Female, Marital Status: Destined

Special Traits: Power of Destruction, Power of Distortion, Myriad Dawns

Equipment: Rias's Evil Pieces

Excerpt from Church Files regarding Asmodeus

File OS-1294-B

Addendum from Father Ferdinand

One of the Four Original Satans.

A fragment of her being was purified by the Archangel Raphael during the Great War and is stored in Site ████-██ in the ████.

Much of our records on Asmodeus exists from secondhand accounts of encounters on her during the Middle Ages and from the Great War.

Stories tell that she is a wanton Demon Lord whose psionic powers rendered entire abbeys are brothels and turned friends into enemies. Not only that but we have an account from the Archangel Raphael that she is able to rip apart an entire country with her mind.

We only have one known recorded descendant of Asmodeus. Creurserey Asmodeus yet we cannot locate his whereabouts. I fear that if we cannot, then the Young Miss might face a tragedy in Egypt. I pray that Griselda will be able to watch over her.

Chapter Text

"How about… Akeno?"

"No."

"No?"

Lucia and Rias sat in Rias's hotel room. There were papers scattered everywhere. Notes were scribbled on the pages with barely legible handwriting. Around them, there were several boxes of orange juice, most of which lay empty in scattered piles around them. Lucia reached toward an open box of cookies in front of her and grabbed a few.

"Why not?" Lucia asked as she bit into her cookie.

"Just… no. I love Akeno but she reports all my movements to Onii-sama," Rias said. "If we tell Akeno, she'll just go running to my brother."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Lucia asked while she chewed. Crumbs sprayed out of her mouth and onto the papers in front of them.

"No, it's not good. Don't be an idiot. If my brother comes, then David packs up and leaves and he'll be able to hide this time," Rias scoffed. She reached into the box of cookies and blinked. There was nothing inside but air and scattered crumbs. "You took the last cookie!"

"Sorry. I was hungry," Lucia said as she shoved the last cookie into her mouth.

"T-Those were mine! Mom made those!" Rias said, holding up the box. She closed her eyes and let out a long and breathy sigh. "Fine. Fine. This… This is fine."

"Okay, if not Akeno, how about…," Lucia rubbed her chin as she looked down at the list of names.

Ninety-nine percent of the list had been crossed out. She furrowed her brow as she ran her finger down their extremely long list.

Vali had been crossed out for several reasons. Rias argued that Vali would turn this into one giant fight fest and possibly advocate for rushing David, which Lucia couldn't argue with.

Kuroka had been crossed out for one reason: loose lips.

Asia was crossed out. Rias had been very vocal about telling her but Lucia shut her down by saying that Asia would only tell Griselda, which would ruin whatever they were planning considering her overprotective tendencies.

Similarly, Yuuto, Koneko, and Tosca were crossed out for similar reasons.

Sora had been eliminated due to Lucia not knowing enough about her. Trusting someone she had only had surface-level knowledge of after a hundred and one weeks was not ideal.

Of all the names they had gone through, there was one left.

"Irina," Lucia said.

Rias rubbed her chin, carefully assessing the pros and cons of their choice. She furrowed her brow as she eyed Irina's name as if it would give her the answer to their dilemma. Would Irina even believe them? Would she even keep their secret? All of these questions flew through Rias's mind.

"I say Irina's a good candidate," Lucia said. "She knows how to keep a secret. She won't tell Mom or Selda. She's pretty strong. No offense, but I think Irina's stronger than Akeno—"

Rias's head snapped up, and her eyes narrowed. "Excuse you? Akeno's stronger than Irina. Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?"

"Please. If we had them fight, Irina would have Akeno on her back in a minute," Lucia argued. "Besides, Irina's smart too. I think she's gonna figure out I'm hiding something. Or… we're hiding something. She's already on to us. She'll figure it all out sooner or later… like that time she found out where I hid her stash of salty foods at home."

Lucia shivered, remembering the sheer speed at which Irina found it. Both literally and physically. The girl had barreled through ten Exorcists in a fit of rage.

"Hmm," Rias hummed before clapping her hands together. "Okay~!" A bright smile spread across her face. "You get to tell her then!"

"Huh…?" It took Lucia several seconds to register her words. She blinked once, then twice, and then three times. "HUH!? ME!? WHY ME!?"

"Because you're the one who can rewind time," Rias said.

"So! What's that even supposed to mean!? Just because I can rewind time doesn't mean I have to be the one that tells her! And you… you… you keep your memories after time goes backwards! D-Doesn't that mean you can go back in time, too?" Lucia pointed a shaky finger at Rias.

Rias just smiled menacingly, putting a hand over her mouth in a haughty manner. "Oh? Are you scared?"

"N-No… I'm not scared. It's just that—"

Rias cupped her cheek and sighed. "To think that we'd have to repeat this week all over again because you don't want to tell Irina."

Lucia stiffened. Her fingers curled into tight fists, gripping the fabric of her habit tightly. She clenched her jaw and ground her teeth in anxiety. After a few seconds, Lucia let out a sigh. "F-Fine…"

When she opened her eyes, Lucia froze.

"Lucia? Lucia! Hey!"

The sound of Rias snapping her fingers brought her out of her daze.

Lucia let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Normal… she's still normal. I'm not… I'm not… She took a deep breath. Her heart thudded in her chest.

Rias crossed her arms and frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lucia said in a subdued manner. She pushed herself off the floor and stretched. "Come on. Let's go find Irina. I think she's in the hotel room. Selda's team is probably out right now scouring the burned house."

"Houses."

"What?"

"We burned down five houses," Rias said flatly.

Lucia rolled her eyes before leaving the room.

"Rin!"

Lucia swung the door to their room open. Irina was sprawled out over her bed, reading a book. She had her legs completely up in the air and resting against the wall. Her head was hanging off the edge as her violet eyes swiveled from her book to Lucia.

"Ah. Captain," Irina said lazily as she flipped the page in her book.

"Rin, we need to talk," Lucia said as she closed the door.

"Huh? What about?" Irina asked. She blinked when she heard the lock to their hotel room click shut. She turned and sat up, looking at Lucia with a slightly confused expression on her face. "Why'd you lock the door?"

"We need to talk. I can't have anyone else listening," Lucia said.

"What about…? Are you okay? You've been acting weird for the past two days," Irina said. She dangled her legs over the bed.

"Okay, so listen to me. What I'm about to say is crazy. It's so crazy. I've spent the past hundred and one weeks flipping out," Lucia said.

"Crazy…? Okay…," Irina said.

Lucia took a deep breath and steeled herself. She gulped and looked Irina straight in the eye before opening her mouth. However, the words died there. Her mouth ran dry as she struggled to articulate the words she wanted to say so badly for the past one hundred and one weeks. The past one hundred times she had—

"Lucia?"

Her breath hitched.

Irina sat in front of her. Half of her face had been scorched off while black vines slithered their way into whatever tissue was left on the almost crisp white bone of her skull.

Lucia took an involuntary step back. "I…"

"Luci!"

Lucia involuntarily slapped Irina's hand away. Her breath came in deep and heavy pants. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.

"Jeez… are you okay?" Irina rubbed her increasingly red hand.

"I've watched you die… over one-hundred times," Lucia mumbled.

"What?" Irina said.

"Not just you. Selda. Vali, Asia, Tosca, Sora, even Rias and her peerage. I've been watching you all die one hundred times over and over again! For the past week… no, wait, past one hundred weeks! I've been living the same week over and over again for the past one-hundred times! And each time… I… I…," Lucia held the sides of her head, drowning out the noises. God, the noises. The warped screams. The final cries of defiance before they were ultimately turned into howls of agony as the sound of flesh being peeled off and devoured rang in her ears.

"I… I can't…"

"Lucia…," Irina slowly took a step toward her.

"I won't do it again," she whispered.

Irina gingerly reached out and held her shoulders. She needed to approach this carefully. Asia had told her back before they left that Lucia had a nightmare. She mulled her words over before talking. "Lucia… I know… nightmares can be scary, but—"

Lucia's eyes widened. She shoved Irina's hands off and took a step back. Her teeth clenched as anger flooded her body. "Nightmare! This is not a nightmare! I'm not crazy! Rias believes me! She remembers it too! I'm…"

"Lucia, it's okay. I have bad dreams too," she replied, trying to calm her best friend down.

"It's not a nightmare!"

"Okay, let's say it isn't. You have to admit. A time loop is crazy… even for us. There's no God in this world that can loop time," Irina said carefully. "Not even the Heavenly Father or Lady Helel can loop time…"

Lucia shook her head. "No… No, I know I'm not crazy. You have to listen to me… I can prove to you that I've been looping."

Irina raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Prove it."

"Vali gave you a pink hydrangea yesterday that he got from his mom," Lucia said.

"Eh?"

"You pressed it into your diary," Lucia said.

Irina sputtered as her cheeks flushed pink. "O-Okay! Anyone could've figured that out. Are you going through my diary now?"

Lucia took a step forward. That's right. She knew everything that was going to happen. From every failed cycle. Every loop that resulted in a bad ending. She knew everything that was going to happen.

"I know everything… that's going to happen," Lucia mumbled.

Irina narrowed her eyes slightly. "That's… you don't know everything," she said.

"I do," Lucia said.

"Yeah, right." The two said simultaneously.

Irina blinked. She clenched her fists.

"Nice guess," the two said at the same time again.

"I'm not guessing," Lucia said.

"So what? You learned a miracle to read minds now?" they continued.

"Stop copying me, Luci."

"Lucia."

The repetition continued with Lucia perfectly copying every word Irina was going to make without stumbling over her words.

"Tch. Lucia Reid wears her mother's makeup."

Irina clenched her jaw.

"Lucia Reid cries every time we watch The Little Mermaid."

"Lucia Reid keeps her stuffed crow in her bed, and every morning, she wakes up and makes out—"

Irina bristled and stamped her foot. "Okay! Okay! Stop, you made your point!" Irina rubbed her forehead in annoyance.

"Ugh… you can't really know everything—"

"Ameno Habakiri talks to you. There's a spirit born from Susanoo's authority that you named Mitama," Lucia said. "She began talking to you when you took up the sword. Your dad doesn't know about the will because he wasn't compatible with the sword."

Irina's eyes widened in shock. She had never told anyone what had happened when she took on the mantle of being Habakiri's wielder. "H-How do you…?"

"I told you. I know everything. In some of the cycles, I use the sword when you…"

An uncomfortable silence fell between the two of them.

Irina ran a hand through her short, auburn hair and fell back on the bed. "Okay. So you go back in time. And… apparently, Rias knows?"

"Rias keeps her memories whenever I go back," Lucia said.

"This is really weird," Irina said, rubbing her temples. "So I've died? A hundred times now?"

Lucia nodded numbly.

"And this happens at the end of every week?" Irina pressed.

"Yeah."

Irina buried her face in her hands and sighed heavily. She looked up at her. "And you're telling me this, why?"

"Because Rias and I need your help. We can remember everything that happens in the previous loops, so if… I die agai,n and the week restarts, I can just tell you all over again," Lucia said.

Irina raised an eyebrow. "Wow, that's really helpful."

"It's all I got," Lucia muttered.

She looked Irina in the eye. Taking a deep breath, Lucia explained everything: About how the Cycles, as she called them worked, David King's true nature and what he was capable of doing, the Stray Devil named Shirona, and the God that David called Nahemah that, without fail, destroyed all of existence at the end of every week.

"This is crazy. This entire town is a cult?" Irina said, eyes wide in surprise.

"Yeah. And they worship some God that I've never heard of before. It's… He said it's a god from beyond the stars," Lucia said.

"I got that part. So…? How do we stop it?" Irina asked.

"Rias and I have a plan…," Lucia said.

"Define 'plan'."

"So…? Is she on board with the idea?"

Lucia sighed as she sat on the roof of the motel. Behind her, Irina stood with her arms crossed, staring at the red magic circle as if willing it to spontaneously combust. Her black eyes traveled and gazed out at the Church. It was the third night of the week, meaning that the third sacrifice would be happening.

"Yeah, but she thinks we're crazy," Lucia said. "Where are you anyway? I thought we were going to meet up after I told her."

"Can't. Souji's got me locked down since he found out I ran off to chase the Stray. Either way, I can't leave the room until morning. He's watching me like a hawk," Rias replied.

"Great…," Lucia said, rubbing her head.

"What did she say?" Irina asked.

"Mr. Okita locked her in the room. Her entire peerage is on curfew. Probably on her brother's orders," Lucia replied.

"No kidding. I can kind of see his point. That woman is probably as… strong as my brother from what I can see," Rias replied. "Listen, we're gonna need more help than just this. That man is dangerous. Selda and the others won't know what's coming, and with just you, me, and Irina, the three of us don't know anything about ancient artifacts."

"So we ask Vali," Lucia said.

"Yes, if I wanted a history lesson, I'd ask Vali, but we need someone who's well-versed in how old stuff works. How about we call Clyde?" Rias suggested.

Lucia pursed her lips.

"Lucia? Lucia? Hey, you still there? Irina, is Lucia still there?" Rias asked.

"Yeah, she is. She's just… staring off into space," Irina replied. She raised her hand and then…

SMACK!

"Ow! What the heck was that for!?" Lucia rubbed the back of her head as she turned to glare at Irina.

The chestnut-haired girl had the audacity to look proud of herself as she dusted her hands off. "Listen, Rias, I think Captain is going to need to think this one long and hard because…," Irina trailed off with a smirk on her face.

"Because?"

"Because nothing. If you think Clyde can help us, then we'll call him. Lazy bum," Lucia rubbed her temples as she felt the initial throbbing of a headache coming on. "Okay. I'll call him in a second. Just give me a second to think."

"Right. I'll get off before Souji asks why I'm hiding in the bathroom. I'll see you and Irina in the morning," Rias said.

The magic circle in front of her dissolved into red specks of light.

Letting out yet another sigh, Lucia dusted off the skirt of her habit and got up. She walked across the roof before stopping at the edge.

"So?"

"So?" Lucia glanced over her shoulder to see Irina staring at her expectantly.

"Are you going to call him?" she asked.

"Yeah. Just give me a couple of minutes to clear my head. I need to think of a good excuse to drag him out of his dad's lab and down into the desert," Lucia said.

Irina nodded and lay down on the roof. She placed her hands behind her head and stared at the nearly full moon. "It's weird. You died a hundred and one times. What does it feel like? Dying…, I mean."

"...," Lucia said nothing as she kept her eye on the Church on the cliff. She used to shudder at the thought of the atrocities being committed inside a place that was meant to be sacred. Yet now, she barely felt anything.

After a few seconds, she replied. "It hurts."

Irina said nothing in response.

"I'm going to fly around town for a bit. I'll be back in ten minutes. Just tell Selda I went to get some fresh air," Lucia said. Her wings manifested and unfurled from her back as she took to the air.

The wind whipped around Lucia's face as she streaked across town toward the cliffs. Beyond it, the dark maw of the Red Sea yawned before her. After circling the cliffs for about a minute, Lucia found a spot and landed before taking a seat with her legs dangling over the side.

"Yam."

The inky blackness of her shadow rippled like a pond that had a stone dropped into it. The atmosphere grew heavy as a malignant presence imprinted itself into the world around her. She could feel it. The weight of the ocean's depths pressing down on her shoulders, yet, by some miracle, Lucia had not been reduced to a red smear on the ground.

A pair of red eyes opened in the inky blackness of her shadow.

[Hmm? What is it, Child?] Yam replied.

"Can you still sense yourself inside the seal?" Lucia asked.

[...] Yam's eyes narrowed before a smile spread across the shadow's face. [No… I cannot. No matter how many times you ask that question, I no longer exist inside that seal. It appears your powers can return through time, that which exists in your body.]

Lucia's jaw tightened.

[Do not fret, Child. I have learned long since that… walking this world again will take some significant sacrifice on my part. I won't contend with you anymore.] Yam said, her silky voice flowing from her lips like poison.

Lucia said nothing.

[But…]

"But?"

[Fragments of my power still exist and permeate the Sea. If you're asking that to see if they can still siphon my energy, then yes, they can.]

"Great," Lucia groaned. "Just great. Just when I thought I actually had something good this time, another thing just comes along to ruin it."

She picked up a rock from the ground and hurled it into the Red Sea.

[Remember our deal, Child. My assistance for yours.] Yam said.

Lucia's shadow rippled and returned to normal as Yam's oppressive presence faded from the air around her.

[You have a visitor.]

Lucia shot to her feet, sliding Mist and Netherlight from her sleeves. The blades of light snapped into existence with a hiss. Her eyes narrowed as the colors of her irises shifted to that nebulous mix of colors.

[Warning! High Levels of Holy and Demonic Power detected!]

Holy and Demonic Power? Does that mean that she's—

Lucia felt an immense pressure slam onto her shoulders. Her knees buckled, and she fell to one knee, using Mist to support her weight. She looked up and saw a flash of crimson hair appear before her.

A dull pain throbbed in her chest the moment she laid eyes on her. She was engulfed in the shadows created by the cloud cover overhead. Her glowing red eyes bore into her own.

"Shirona," Lucia ground the name out of her mouth.

Shirona said nothing as she stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight.

"A hundred and two," Shirona said.

"What…?" Lucia raised an eyebrow.

"It took you a hundred and two cycles," she said.

Lucia's lips thinned into a line. Her eyes narrowed as her Sacred Gear flashed new information before her.

[Shirona (False), ████ ███████ (True)]

[Estimating Combat Ability…]

[Unable to properly estimate individual parameters. Target is surrounded by glamour. Adjusting to estimate overall abilities… ~200,000]

[Estimated Class - Ultimate]

[Age - Unknown, Race - Devil, Marital Status - Widow]

[Special Trait - ██████ █████, █████ ██ ███████████, Power of Distortion]

[Equipment - Remembrance of Twilight, ███████ ████, ████████ ██, ███████]

[Oh? Even with me inside, she can still hide that much information with glamour magic?] Yam commented.

200,000… I haven't seen a number that high ever, Lucia gulped.

"But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. You are still a child after all," Shirona said, taking a step forward.

"What are you talking about…?" Lucia asked warily as the woman's presence drew nearer.

"You know exactly what I'm referring to, Lucia," Shirona said. "After all, we were there together at the beginning… when I threw you into the Red Sea."

Her eyes widened before her eyebrows furrowed in fury.

"You…! You did this to me! All of this!? All the torture! The pain! The… The dying…," Lucia snarled. She struggled against her invisible bonds yet, the pressure in the air was too intense. It took all the strength she had to keep herself upright.

"What… did you do to me?"

Shirona did not respond as she walked around Lucia before stopping at a spot behind her. Her gaze looked out over the churning waters of the Red Sea.

"I died… a hundred and one times! All because of you! Because of whatever you did to me! Answer me!" Lucia snarled, looking over her shoulder.

"You flatter me, but it wasn't me who granted you this ability. I merely became the catalyst for it," Shirona said, turning around.

"Bullshit! Y-You're the one who sent me back in time! Undo it! Undo it now!" Lucia snarled.

Shirona stared at her for a few seconds before sighing. "I can't 'undo' it. I never could. All I could do was help you start it. Besides, if I had not, you would have died… along with everyone else you loved. The world you know. The world where everyone you love exists would cease to exist had Nahemah's Husk been allowed to reach its full power."

"Then you should've let me die along with everyone else! Now… Now… I'm trapped in this… never-ending hell," Lucia looked down at her trembling hand. Her breathing increased when she saw a dark red stain on the palm of her hand. She closed her fist and shut her eyes.

It's not real…

It's not real…

None of this is real…

"You won't understand now since you're still a child, but...," Shirona squatted in front of her and gently gripped Lucia's chin.

Lucia slowly opened her eyes, freezing when she saw the emptiness in Shirona's dull red eyes.

Despite being a Gremory like Rias, Lucia felt none of that trademark warmth and kindness. All she saw was nothingness. A woman whose soul had been worn down and devoured by the abyss.

"One day, you'll see that all of this is necessary. For the greater good of everyone," she said.

Lucia shook her head. "Greater good? What greater good!? What could possibly justify me being killed over and over again!"

Shirona's gaze softened ever so slightly. "I can't tell you now. It's far too early for you to know. There will come a time when you will know everything about—"

"Shut up! Just shut up! Everyone's always treating me like I'm still a kid! If I can't understand why I have this power, then why do I have it at all!? Why do I have to die over and over again!?" Lucia panted.

Shirona remained quiet as Lucia's glare intensified.

"Stop being quiet and say something! Why!? Why did you pick me!? Why does it have to be me!?" Lucia demanded as she felt Shirona let go of her chin.

The older woman stood and gazed down at her.

"Because it has to be you. It always has to be you. No matter the circumstance. No matter the outcome. No matter what world we are in. It always had to be you," Shirona said. She pulled back before brushing some of her hair aside.

"I don't… I don't want to do this anymore. It hurts."

Shirona's face remained impassive. "...Then would you rather let your friends die? Rob them of a future that could have been."

"—!?"

Shirona continued. "To rob them of a future you could have attained just because you don't wish to endure… is nothing short of selfish."

"Shut up…"

"..."

"You… The Shadows…"

Shirona's eyes narrowed. "You've already seen Them…"

Lucia's body stiffened. She opened her mouth to say something but whatever words she had to say died in her mouth. She could only stare at Shirona's face, realization dawning on her face as she came to the conclusion that…

"You—"

A flash of blue light erupted from the sky and slammed down on the cliffside. Lucia felt the pressure pinning her body vanish and she jumped back as the cliff began to crumble. Dust clouded her vision but she could sense the energy clearly.

[Estimating Combat Class…]

Her Sacred Gear began calculating it.

[Griselda Quarta]

[Estimating Combat Class… Strength: 30,500, Speed: 40,000, Durability: 37,500, Magic: 28,900, Skill: 43,740, Overall Combat Capabilities - 180,640]

[Class - Mid-Ultimate Class]

[Age: 23, Race: Human, Gender: Female, Marital Status: Single]

[Special Trait: Apostle (SSS), Mabul Mayim, Holy Sword Affinity (Natural)]

[Equipment: Almace]

"S-Selda?"

The faint violet light of Almace's runes pierced through the dust as Griselda stepped out with her Holy Sword pointed at the billowing cloud of debris.

"Lucia, are you alright?" Griselda asked, keeping her eyes trained on her quarry.

A red blur shot into the sky.

Their eyes widened at the sight.

Three pitch-black and red halos sat above Shirona's head. Behind her back, six devil wings spread from her right, while six dark angelic wings unfurled on her left. However, Lucia was struck with an intense feeling of nostalgia.

Her eyes widened. That angelic power was—

"...There are only four more nights until the week ends, Lucia Reid. Will you roll over and let fate extinguish you and your friends, or will you fight?" Shirona said.

"...," Lucia remained silent.

"You! Stray Devil, you dare," Griselda growled. Her body was covered in a light blue mist as she shot into the sky.

Shirona jumped back, narrowly avoiding Almace's blindingly fast thrust. Her hand opened, manifesting her blade.

"Kh! A Holy Sword—!?" Griselda raised Almace in time to block the arc of Shirona's blade. The ferocity and sheer power behind the blow sent her spiralling back. Ten translucent blue wings manifested behind her back, slowing her descent and catching her before she could crash into the ocean.

Remembrance of Twilight came to rest at Shirona's side as she eyed Griselda for a few seconds before turning to Lucia. "There is no avoiding this, Lucia. This is the path you have to take. Until we reach the next dawn, you will shoulder this burden… because no one else can. It was always meant to be you."

A black and blue aura surrounded Lucia's small frame. Her wings unfurled from her back as she shot toward Shirona. Her body twisted in mid-air as she brought down Mist and Netherlight's light blades atop her head.

CLANG!

Sparks flew as the sword and dagger duo clashed with the rippling holy power of Shirona's sword.

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Lucia roared as she pushed against Shirona's sword, attempting to push her back to no avail.

"...No matter how many times you try to fight it, this is the fate you are always destined to walk. If this is what it takes to make sure you and I live, to make sure that all of mine and her efforts haven't been in vain, I will make you understand even if I have to end this cycle prematurely by sending you back myself," Shirona said in a deathly calm tone.

[CHILD! DODGE!] Yam's voice screamed in her mind.

Her life flashed before her eyes as Shirona maneuvered her blade, staggering her in the air. Her arm moved so fast that it seemingly vanished from her body, and then, Lucia found herself being pulled down as the blindingly fast arc of Twilight's blade missed her head by a hair's breadth.

"W-Wha-!?" Lucia gasped as Griselda threw her toward the cliff.

The silver-haired nun's body blurred.

Shirona darted backwards in the nick of time as a sharp beam of light shot past, narrowly missing her throat and head.

Above her, the sky shattered as blue lightning blasted apart the cloud cover.

Griselda held Almace in an offensive stance, pointing the tip of the Holy Rapier's blade at Shirona. Blue light swirled around her body before condensing at the tip of her sword. Griselda's eyes glowed with an intense blue light as she began to pray.

"And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the Earth…"

"Mabul Mayim?" Shirona narrowed her eyes. "It seems… I'll need your help for this one…"

A dim emerald light flashed in her left hand.

[Hmph, you can survive this one, but I doubt you'll do so without sustaining severe injuries.]

Shirona said nothing as she gripped the Remembrance of Twilight with both of her hands, holding it in front of her face.

"...To destroy all flesh, wherein there is the breath of life, from under Heaven; and every thing that is in the Earth, shall perish," Griselda shifted her body in mid-air. A bright blue light coated her rapier. Droplets of water condensed into existence before swirling and gathering into an incredibly dense orb at the tip of her blade.

"...," Shirona kept her stance rigid.

"—!?" Griselda's body vanished in a burst of pure speed. She reappeared in front of Shirona and drove Almace's blade forward.

And at that moment, Shirona's eyes flashed as a flash of green and black energy met Griselda's Miracle.

Lucia shielded herself, wrapping her wings around her body as an explosion ripped apart her surroundings. The ocean below exploded, sending towering waves in every direction. The blast ripped apart the surface, blasting a hole in the sea that went all the way down to the seafloor.

Seawater fell all around her in a heavy torrent of wind and rain. She felt some of the sea life pelt her body as dying fish were thrown from their homes and onto the surface.

Lowering her wings, her eyes widened when she saw Griselda hovering in mid-air, standing several feet away from Shirona.

Shirona remained relatively unharmed, save for the small cut on her arm. The woman glanced down at her torn left sleeve before turning to Griselda, who stood there with a surprised expression on her face.

"You... that's impossible. How do you have that? We've been keeping track of all the wielders! And the current one is still alive, so how…? How did you get that!?" Griselda yelled.

Lucia squinted her eyes, using her Sacred Gear to try to glimpse at Shirona. However, whatever Griselda had been referring to vanished before she could even scan it.

"...Four nights. Four nights, Lucia," Shirona relaxed her stance before turning away from them. "You have four nights to accept what you have become or rot in this loop forever until They devour you."

"As if I'd let you escape—!" Griselda was struck with an amorphous block of red demonic power. "Kuhhh!?" She hurtled toward the Earth like a star and crashed violently into the ground.

"SELDA!" Lucia tore her gaze from Shirona's retreating form and made a break for the downed nun.

Above her, Lucia could hear the mechanical tear and low hum of the portal Shirona tore open with her sword as she vanished into the night.

Griselda winced as she felt Asia's hand gently touch her skin. Within seconds, the dull throbbing pain faded from her side as the warm green glow of [Twilight Healing] bathed her skin. She let out a loud sigh, trying to ignore the feeling of muscles twisting and bones snapping back in place as Asia healed her.

"Selda…" Lucia stood next to Irina, watching as Asia worked on Griselda's injuries. Off to the side, Mirana was already trying to establish communications with the Church. A small golden circle with a cross at the center pulsated softly.

"No. Don't say anything," Griselda let out a sharp breath. She closed her eyes, pondering her next words carefully before opening her mouth. "It's my fault for not enforcing a curfew. But you should have known better than to sneak out in the middle of the night."

Lucia's head bowed. It was worse than the barrage of insults that Griselda had given her so many cycles ago. This one was real. Not that manufactured anger spurred on by David's brainwashing, the disappointment Griselda had for her was palpable.

"I'm just glad you're okay," Griselda said.

Lucia remained silent.

"Souji briefed me on our foe. This stray devil killed a descendant of Lucifer that the Underworld has classified as a Super Devil. Safe to say, we must treat this woman as if she were a Super Devil herself. On top of the fact that she…," Griselda trailed off. "Mirana. Is anyone picking up?"

Mirana shook her head, running a hand through her ashen-blonde hair. "No one's picking up. Tch, typical bastards. I swear if the one who picks up is Dulio then—"

The others drowned out Mirana's sigh of frustration as Griselda focused back on Lucia and her team. "Listen, I know this is not what you kids want to hear right now but our enemy is far out of our league. We need to regroup and figure out what to do and that means that no one is allowed out at night. I've already told Souji to keep Rias and her Peerage inside their rooms."

"Aw, what!?"

"That's not fair!"

"Miss Griselda, is this really necessary?"

Griselda raised a hand, silencing any further protests they might have. "I'd rather you all not get your official medallions now rather than bringing you all back as bodybags to your families."

Lucia opened her mouth to protest again, but closed it.

"Lucia, what did your Sacred Gear see on her?" Griselda asked.

Lucia blinked before shaking her head. "She's wearing powerful glamour. My Sacred Gear can't get a proper read on her. Just that she has the Power of Distortion and a Holy Sword called the Remembrance of Twilight… but other than that, nothing."

Griselda rubbed her chin. "Hmm. I was hoping we could skim some weaknesses, but it looks like we're getting blocked at every possible turn—"

"AHA! You! Of all the people to answer, it had to be you!?"

The group turned at the sound of Mirana's agitated shriek.

Stelio lowered his phone, glancing over at his fellow Apostle with a delicately raised eyebrow. "What's got your panties in a twist, Mirara?"

Mirana hurled the magic circle across the room, causing it to disperse in a shower of golden sparks. Her eyes brimmed with rage as she wandered off into the kitchen of the hotel room.

"Mirana? Mirana! Who picked up!?" Griselda asked.

"The last person I wanted to pick up! That drunk bastard is coming here!"

Lucia barely had time to react. She tried to catch her, but it was too late. Irina Shidou had passed out.

The air felt heavy and moist as the strong stench of iron permeated the air. The ground shook slightly as a large, muscular Stray Devil stumbled back. He took a few more steps before falling over with a moist and loud thud. His hand reached weakly toward the ruined roof as he stared out at the night sky. "I… can't…," a death rattle escaped his lips as his hand fell limply beside him, splashing in a steadily growing pool of his own blood.

A woman sighed, wiping some blood off her cheek with the back of her gloved hand. Her golden eyes did a single sweep of her surroundings. Around her was a scene of carnage. Stray Devils lay dead all around her, all mangled and broken in brutal manners with seemingly macabre precision.

"This is a Church, you know."

She turned around, causing her black hair to shift slightly at the sudden movement. "Kiyotaro."

Kiyotaro stepped out of the shadow, dragging with him the body of a female stray devil. She was barely alive.

The golden-eyed woman narrowed her eyes slightly when she heard the dying gasps of the creature in his hands. "You missed one. Did you get distracted or something?" she asked. She clicked her tongue when she saw blood staining her uniform.

"No. Mirana called me," Kiyotaro said, tossing the dying devil in front of her like a sack of rice.

"Really? I didn't get a call," she replied.

"Maybe you were too lost in your psycho haze. How many did you kill? I stepped away for like five minutes," Kiyotaro said as he reached into the sleeve of his haori. He pulled out a silver flask and popped it open. "You know… your uniform is black. It's not going to stain all that much."

"This is silk. I got it custom-made by the Church because I didn't like how tight-fitting the body suit was," she sighed as she tried her best to wipe it off. "What did Mirana want? Isn't she on a mission with Griselda and…"

"Your student? Yup, that's what the call was about."

She had a deadpan expression on her face.

"Honest! I'm being serious here! Stop looking at me like I'm making it up."

"There is no way on God's green earth that Mirana would call you. I'll bet on the souls of all of my ancestors that you were the last resort," the woman scoffed as she sheathed her two swords with a click.

Kiyotaro snorted as he downed the remaining contents of his flask.

The woman eyed him with an exasperated look on her face before rubbing her forehead with a hint of frustration.

Kiyotaro belched slightly before pocketing his flask. "Well, I'll leave you to clean all of this."

The woman watched as her partner walked right past her, leaving her to clean up the mountain of corpses they had left in their wake. Before she could begin the grim duty of disposing of their handiwork, she heard him stop at the door of the abandoned church.

"Don't you want to visit her, Fang?"

Fang paused for a second before turning to look at him. "I'm sure she can handle herself. Besides, I only taught her how to use a sword. Lady Camael taught her everything else."

"Still, she's your student."

"Yes," Fang said as she raised her hand. A pillar of flames engulfed the pile of bodies before her. The acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air; the flame's orange light danced in the reflection of her irises. "And because she's my student, I think she can handle this. Unlike you, who still coddles Irina to this day."

Kiyotaro shook his head. "Well, if you need me, I'll be in Egypt then."

Fang nodded silently as she returned to her work while her partner vanished in a flash of yellow light.

Excerpt from Irina's Diary

July 19th

I got a flower today from Vali. He said these flowers don't grow normally here in Egypt. What a nerd.

It's one of my favorite flowers, too. Jeez, I wonder where he got it from? I don't see any flower shops here.

Anyway, I asked Selda to help me press the flower into the diary. Not because I wanted to keep it, but because it seemed like a big waste to just let it die.

She wouldn't stop smiling at me. Nothing is happening. It's just a stupid flower. Besides, I think Vali gave the others flowers too.

Chapter Text

"Mmmhh…"

Lucia tossed and turned in her bed, trapped in a labyrinth of visions that seemed to find her no matter what she did. She could barely make out what she was seeing until her eyes snapped open, revealing pits of deep black that stared into the nothingness before her.

Rather, that was what she saw. It was a vast, vantablack void that extended beyond the horizon, swallowing every last bit of light within it. Around her, shimmering crystals floated past her, all flowing in the same direction. To what stood before her.

"..."

A decrepit figure with flowing white hair stood before her. It lifted a decaying hand toward her, reaching as if to caress her face. As it drew nearer, the figure's form flickered like static, changing shape and form until she was looking at—

BLEEP! BLEEP! BLEEEP!

Lucia awoke with a start, scrambling to her feet. "Ah—!?" She tripped over part of the blanket that had fallen on the floor and fell face-first onto the ground.

"Lucia!"

"Ow…," she groaned as she sat up, nursing what she knew would become a nasty bruise as she felt Griselda's presence come up next to her.

"You okay? You took a pretty hard fall there just now," Griselda said, getting up to go find the first aid kit.

"I'm okay. Asia can heal it when we wake her up," Lucia winced as she touched the now-dark blue and green spot on her forehead.

[A little bruise is nothing compared to what you have gone through, Child.]

Lucia hid the grimace on her face. Yam's voice was not what she wanted to hear first thing in the morning. "Huh…? Wait, did I wake up last?"

Griselda looked over her shoulder. "You looked really tired so I didn't want to wake you. Plus, you were having a bad dream last night, don't you remember?"

Lucia furrowed her brow, trying to recall the contents of her dream. It was something she could do easily but right now, for some reason, the memory escaped her grasp. She closed her eyes and tried to think once more, failing to cling onto the fleeting memory as it faded into oblivion. "I… I was?"

"You don't remember? That's weird. You usually remember your dreams," Griselda said, ruffling her hair.

"Hey— Ow! Cut it out!" Lucia pouted, feeling a brush of sharp pain as Griselda's fingers lightly went over the angry bump on her forehead.

"Come on, let's get to Asia and have her heal that—"

"YOU PERVERT!"

Irina's shrill voice echoed from the outside, coupled with a very loud crash.

The two exchanged glances and immediately ran outside, only to see the chestnut-haired girl huffing angrily. In front of them, a man in a white haori and black kimono slowly got up, rubbing his side. He reached over and picked his hat off the ground.

"I see you've been working on your kicking, Runt," the man said gruffly as he coughed. "Damn, you kick hard. I regret ever teaching you that."

Lucia's eyes flicked down to the sword at his hip. It rattled slightly before the man rested a hand on the scabbard.

"Right, right. Sorry, ahaha. I just so happened to walk by Mirana changing so— Ooh! Nice speed, Runt!" the man ducked as a black and gold knife made of light sailed past his head. He rubbed his chin, eyeing the girl with a mirthful gaze. "Aren't you going to greet me properly or did I forget to teach you manners as well, Rina?

Irina took a deep breath as Leliel's black and gold light crackled around her fingers. She clasped her hands together and bowed. "It's been a while, Shishou."

[Kiyotora Shinra]

[Estimating Combat Class… Strength: 29,500, Speed: 37,500, Durability: 37,650, Magic: 29,000, Skill, 40,000, Overall Combat Capabilities - 173,650]

[Class - Mid-Ultimate Class]

[Age: 37, Race: Human, Gender: Male, Marital Status - Claimed]

[Special Trait: Apostle (SSS), Blessing of the Star God (Dark), Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh]

[Equipment: Futsunomitama no Tsurugi]

Kiyotora rubbed his chin. "I gotta say, you're in tip-top shape, runt. Have you been keeping up with your training? I don't want you to fall behind Fang's student in swordplay. Speaking of…," he turned his head, narrowing his eyes until his gaze fell on Lucia. His face lit up in a wide grin. "Ojou-sama! You've gotten taller. Don't tell me Griselda's been keeping you locked up in here? Do I need to go have a talk with her?"

Lucia almost gagged when she felt the strong stench of alcohol off his breath as he leaned in closer. She took an involuntary step back and covered her face. "Your breath smells—"

"Amazing? Like aged whiskey—"

THWAP!

Kiyotora's head was buried into the ground before her as Griselda stood over his downed form with a raised hand. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance. "That's enough. She's twelve years old. Don't go shoving your mid-life crisis on her, you drunk fool."

"Ow… that really hurt, Selda," Kiyotora groaned as he pushed himself off the ground.

[She's strong. Just one slap was enough to leave that deep a crater in the ground.] Yam commented.

Lucia just nodded mutely, watching as Griselda ripped into the older man before her.

"Jeez, why did you have to walk into Mirana's room this early in the morning? You already know she doesn't like you. Did you have to go and make things worse?" Griselda nagged as she forced him to sit on the hot concrete.

"In my defense… well," Kiyotora fumbled his words, searching for something to say in response. After a few seconds, he hung his head and sighed. "I have nothing."

Griselda rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"Irina. Go take Lucia to the dining area. She has a bump on her head that needs to be healed by Asia," Griselda said. "I'll handle your teacher. Just go."

Irina nodded and pulled Lucia by the crook of her arm. She gave Lucia a pointed look before dragging her off to the canteen.

"Did this happen in one of the other Cycles, too?" she whispered as soon as she was sure they were out of earshot.

Lucia shook her head. "This… This is new. I think it had something to do with Shirona meeting Griselda in this one. In all of the other Cycles, we… never saw Shirona again. We only saw Shirona during the first-first one. It's like she just stepped back and watched the entire time."

Irina hummed in response as they entered the dining area.

The smell of pancakes and waffles hit their noses, causing Irina's stomach to growl. But for Lucia, it was a reminder of what this town was. Despite its name, it was a cancer hidden within Egypt. A small town from a country that was an ocean away, and used the dunes of this nation to conduct horrific religious rituals.

But for now, she would let herself breathe even if just for a moment.

"So…? Did you call Clyde?"

"I did."

"So why are we leaving town again?"

Irina and Rias trudged through the sand after Lucia, who was ahead of them. The girl stepped over a rock as she followed a narrow but winding path down the cliff, a small distance outside of the town. In the first-ever cycle, before she was subjected to this hell, this was the place they first encountered Shirona. She looked over her shoulder. "Because he told us to meet him out here. His dad doesn't know… er, well, I think Azazel knows he's here, but he snuck out."

Rias crossed her arms as she set foot onto the beach. The cries of gulls echoed overhead as they walked along the shoreline. "Did you tell him what was going on?"

"That this whole town is a cult? Yeah, I did," Lucia said. "But other than that, I told him that there's a rare artifact here and that he should come and see it. It took a bit of convincing to get him to come over here. Especially since he has to get away from… Vertin."

Irina grimaced. "Okay, that's actually pretty bad."

"Vertin?" Rias raised an eyebrow as the group came to a stop underneath the cliff. The sound of waves echoed off the rockface as they waited for him to show up.

"Shemhazai's daughter. The one he had with that Devil Lady? She's half Fallen-Angel, half Devil," Lucia said.

"So when is he going to show up? You don't think Vertin found out and—"

"Nailed me to a wall?"

A yawn came from behind the rock. They heard the sound of clothes rustling and shoes shifting against the sand, followed by several pats before a tired-looking boy came out. He put his hand in front of his mouth and let out another yawn as he turned to face them. His dark hazel eyes swept over the three girls while the sea breeze blew through his messy black hair. There was still sand on his black jacket and pants.

"Clyde," Lucia said.

"Heya, Bonnie. So, where's this artifact you told me about?" Clyde said as he kicked a small pebble out of his way.

"It's up there," Lucia said, pointing up to the underbelly of the cliff.

Clyde followed her finger, whistling as he stared at the rocks above them. "Inside the cliff… or?"

"No, you idiot. It's inside the church on top of the cliff. Were you even paying attention to a single thing I said on the call last night, or did you fall asleep at your desk again?" Lucia crossed her arms and huffed.

Irina and Rias wisely took a step back, opting not to get involved in whatever was happening before them.

Clyde let out a sleepy smile as he scratched his cheek. "Sorry. Dad and I have been working on a prototype artificial Sacred Gear, and I sort of forgot I was meeting you here today. Thanks for giving me accurate coordinates, by the way. I teleported on a sea stack five klicks from the shoreline."

"How is that my problem?" Lucia raised an eyebrow. "You're the one who stayed up all night. And fix your hair."

"Heehh…? So this is why you didn't want to call him?" Rias said. A sly grin was slowly forming across her lips.

Lucia whipped her head around. "What?"

"Nothing. Carry on," Rias smiled a little too brightly.

Lucia raised an eyebrow in slight confusion before turning back to Clyde. The boy was swaying on his feet that a single strong gust would probably be enough to throw him into the sky. She sighed as she lowered her arms. "The artifact is up there. You know where we are and what's out…," Lucia gestured to the dark waters of the Red Sea, "...sealed in there, right?"

Clyde slowly turned his head, following his gaze. He rubbed his chin as he hummed slightly. "The God of the Cataclysm, right? Dad told me a story about her. Wait, let me reiterate. Several stories about her. This artifact have anything to do with that God?"

"They're using it to siphon the power that leaks out of her seal. The entire ocean is their battery," Lucia said.

"Any idea what they're using the artifact for? It seems kind of pointless to collect stray energy from a God," Clyde said as he placed his hands behind his head.

"To make a God of their own," Lucia said.

It was not a lie, but it was not the complete truth either. The truth was that Lucia did not know if she wanted to confess everything to Clyde, and she ended up keeping her lips sealed on the matter. Perhaps the less people that now for now, the better chance she would have on keeping a handle on the situation. She eyed Clyde out of the corner of her eye, watching as the gears turned slowly inside his head.

"Can I see this altar?" Clyde asked, catching her gaze.

"Selda said we're setting up camp today inside the Church. We're going to use it as our base camp," Irina said.

Lucia's blood ran cold. She had almost forgotten this part. She exchanged glances with Rias before looking back at Clyde. "I can get you in. But… Griselda can't know you're here."

"What? Why?" Clyde asked, tilting his head.

"Because…"

"Because… um…"

"She doesn't know I'm here, does she?" Clyde said, crossing his arms and shifting his weight to his other leg. He sighed heavily into his hand. "Okay… you know I hate stealth missions, Bonnie."

"Well, you either walk into the Church and get caught by Griselda, Mirana Shatarova, Stelio Tsukaupolos, and Kiyotora Shinra and get your butt booted back to the Grigori where I know your sister and Vertin are probably waiting or…," Lucia stepped closer and prodded his chest with her finger. "You be quiet and let us sneak you in. You know, like in that movie, Madagascar!"

"What…?"

"You know when Alex and his friends were all in that crate inside the boat," Lucia said.

"Wait… weren't they in that crate because they were being shipped to Africa?" Irina said.

"Yeah! So this time, let's do the opposite! And I have a surefire way for us to sneak Clyde into the Church without anyone noticing. All we have to do is keep Griselda's team distracted while Clyde and I inspect the altar!" Lucia clapped her hands together.

"Okay, no. We're not going to set another house on fire," Rias said.

Lucia puffed her cheeks before furrowing her eyebrow.

"I can… keep them away," Irina said.

The three turned to her.

Irina suddenly felt very nervous about her idea. She swallowed thickly before twiddling her thumbs together. "I can… fake a Devil attack."

"Wait… I just said we're not burning houses—"

"I'm not going to burn a house. I just need time," Irina said.

"Okay. What's this grand idea of yours?" Lucia asked.

Setting up a base of operations inside the Church played out similarly to how it did in some of her previous loops. Mirana carried some of the boxes inside. The other members of Team Griselda—Stelio and Xenovia—were rooting around in a crate for some gadgets and tech that they had brought over. All of them would end up useless, however.

David King may have acted like a demon, but he was human through and through. None of the detectors they used to find stray devils would be able to pick up on him.

"Selda!"

Griselda looked up from where she was and saw Irina and Vali approaching her.

"Oh. Irina? Vali? What's wrong?" Griselda asked.

"Vali and I thought we saw something," Irina said.

Vali looked constipated.

Lucia wanted to scream. Irina! This is your plan!? I saw something!? Lucia was going to reach over and grab something to help distract Griselda when her hand brushed against Tosca's. She almost pulled away on instinct when she saw Tosca eyeing her.

"Captain," she began.

"Y-Yeah?" Lucia said.

"Are you okay? You've been acting nervous since we got in here," Tosca said.

"What? Me? Nervous, no. No, I'm fine," Lucia said, laughing it off a bit too forcefully.

Tosca raised an eyebrow before leaning back. She crossed her arms and stared at Lucia intently.

"W-What?"

"Captain, you might have the others fooled, but…" Tosca's quiet tone dropped into a whisper. She leaned in a bit. "Not me. Remember, I was in a mad scientist's lab underneath a mountain for a few years. I know when to put on an act so the others think I'm okay."

Lucia opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat. She hurriedly reached into the crate to grab a glass of holy water when Tosca grabbed her wrist.

"Whatever it is, you can trust us. We're your team so…," Tosca said in a sincere voice.

Lucia took in a sharp breath. It couldn't hurt, right? She didn't need to tell Tosca that she was looping; it was just part of the truth. Lucia glanced off to her side to see Asia and Sora unpacking some boxes. She caught Sora's gaze and saw the same knowing look that Tosca had.

Had she been this easy to read?

"I think there's something wrong with this place," Lucia said.

Tosca remained silent.

"No, seriously. I'm not kidding, Tosca. Can't you see the way everyone's acting? All the townsfolk? You're used to reading emotions and faking them. You said so yourself! Can you see any genuine smiles here?" Lucia whispered.

Tosca kept her stare for a moment before her eyes flicked over to one of the altar servers who had come in.

He did not stop smiling. The altar servant's picture-perfect stepford smile was so unnerving that it sent shivers down her spine.

"See? That's not normal," Lucia whispered.

"Okay. I get that. But… is that why you're so nervous?" she asked.

"No. Irina's trying to get Griselda out of here so… I think the Priest is aiming for her. Like… trying to turn her into that," Lucia nodded her head slightly back toward the Altar Server, who was robotically putting the communion wine back in the tabernacle.

"And…?"

"And—"

"You saw her? The Stray?"

The two paused when they heard Griselda talk again.

Irina nodded fervently. "When we were coming in, Vali said he saw her standing at one of the Church's belfries before taking off. I think she went in the opposite direction toward the east side of the town where our hotel is…"

Tosca looked back to see Lucia clasping her hands, begging for her to intervene. She sighed before standing up. "You owe me," she said as she marched over to the door. Tosca glanced over her shoulder and gave Lucia a thumbs-up. Lucia's eyes widened as a collection of small golden spears manifested above her hand. She took a few steps outside the church before cocking her arm back and throwing them with surprising strength.

DOOOOONNNN!

A scarlet ball of fire detonated above the town.

Then, after taking a deep breath, Tosca began yelling. "I SEE HER! OVER THERE! I THINK MR. SOUJI JUST STARTED FIGHTING HER!"

Mirana and Griselda's heads immediately snapped to the door.

"Stelio, stay with the kids while Mirana and I go and check out the situation," Griselda ordered as she and Mirana took off out of the Church.

The effeminate priest scratched the side of his head before turning to them. "What? I don't sense anything—"

Sora, having caught on to what was happening, discreetly fired a beam of light out an open window. An explosion rocked the area as Stelio shot to his feet and ran to the door. In the distance, there was a plume of smoke rising into the air. "Shit! The hotel was just a distraction… Xenovia! Stay here with the others and don't go out. I'll go get Griselda!"

"I… can't believe that worked," Irina said, letting out a sigh of relief. She glanced at Vali and elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to wince. "Look more convincing next time! You looked like you were going to poop your pants the whole time we were talking to her!"

Vali raised his hands defensively. "Hey! I've never had to lie to Griselda before, and I don't know if you noticed, but she's super scary when she's mad!"

"So…?" Sora said, walking up to them. Asia followed shortly after, along with Xenovia, who was still here and eyeing Lucia suspiciously.

"So…?"

"So? Now that the adults are gone, what are you going to do?" Sora asked.

Asia fidgeted nervously before closing her eyes. "I-Irina told us a-about your plan to get Griselda out of the Church!"

"Asia!" Irina looked aghast at her admission.

"I'm sorry! I don't like lying to my friends!" Asia squeaked.

Lucia's eyes flicked over to Irina, and an entire conversation passed between them without a single word being said. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She was not ready to have this conversation right now. Lucia gulped audibly and was about to open her mouth to talk when Irina suddenly started talking.

"Lucia thinks something's up with the Church here. It's been suspicious since day one," Irina said.

"And you guys just figured this out, now? I noticed the entire town was off when we got here," Sora scoffed.

Irina rolled her eyes. "Okay? So? You want an award or something?"

Sora snorted before placing her hands on her hips. "Okay, Captain. What now?"

Vali crossed his arms and turned to Lucia. "Yeah, what she said. What now?"

"Now? Now, I pull my consultant out of thin air," Lucia said. She reached forward, creating a black mist with her hand. A ripple spread through the air contained within the mist as Lucia rooted around inside it. Her eyes widened slightly before she pulled back.

[That mist. Vali, be careful around her. I don't recognize that power anywhere. It's old… and dark.] Albion said.

"Wait…? Is that…?" Vali lowered his arms.

With a grunt of effort, Lucia pulled a coughing Clyde out of the black fog and onto the ground.

"Jeez, Bonnie! Warn me before you kick me into fog! Where did you put me anyway?" Clyde rubbed his throat and adjusted the collar of his jacket.

"H-How did you just…?" Asia stammered.

"Later. Now," Lucia said as she pulled him to his feet. She pointed her thumb over to the basin and the altar. "It's those two."

Clyde grumbled something under his breath before dusting his pants off.

"Wait, I'm sorry. Where did he come from?" Tosca asked.

"Yeah… how did you pull Clyde out of thin air like a rabbit? Also, that mist… what is it? Albion's freaking out about it," Vali added.

"I'll explain everything later. But for now, just trust me, okay?" Lucia said, rubbing her forehead. "Please?"

Everyone exchanged looks before nodding warily. Lucia sighed as she felt their suspicious gazes all over her body. She turned to Clyde and crossed her arms. "Come on. Griselda and the others aren't going to be gone forever. And if Rias is over there, she's probably going to have a hard time coming up with a distraction."

Clyde rolled his eyes before walking over to inspect the altar. He rubbed his chin as he ran his hands across the altar's surface. He grabbed the thick red bible resting on the altar and picked it up, as if testing its weight. "There's… nothing off about this. Well, that's not true, but it's just made of a wood you'd normally find in America and not here in Egypt, of all places." He held his hand off the surface. A yellow magic circle formed in his hands and pulsed slightly. "No magic. Can't you use your Sacred Gear to appraise the table? That way we both know."

Lucia blinked a few times.

"Don't tell me you never considered doing it?" Clyde said in a slightly exasperated manner.

"Shut up before I throw you off the cliff," Lucia snapped before narrowing her gaze onto the altar.

[Scanning…]

[Altar]

[Components: Oak Wood]

[Special Status: None]

[No magical enhancements detected.]

"Nothing, right?" Clyde said as he dispelled the magic circle.

"No," Lucia rubbed her chin.

"Okay, the table with the book is clear. What about the basin where the holy water is supposed to be?" Irina asked.

"Look. I don't know what you want me to find. This place looks like it's just a normal Church that's gone off the rails and—" Clyde paused when he placed a hand on the basin's surface. He narrowed his eyes as he ran his hands across the inside of the basin. "Weird."

"What?" Lucia asked.

"There's like magic lining the surface of the altar. Can your Sacred Gear see it?" Clyde asked. "Also, I don't recognize the material. It's black and polished like granite and obsidian but… it's not."

Lucia nodded.

[Generating Object Data…]

[Holy Water Basin]

[Components: Material not recognized.]

[Special Status: Magic Layer. Details unknown. Multiple detected. Cross-referencing with archive… Cross-referenced.]

[Similarity Detection: Greek, Egyptian, Holy, Demonic, Ugaritic, Persian, Taoist]

[Translation of Runes on the Arch: May this Offering be seen by the Ones Beyond the Stars]

"Weird. Usually, I'm able to see what type of magic is on here," Lucia said. "But it says this has multiple layers of magic on here. From… different factions."

"It's probably a customized magic," Clyde brushed his hand over it, conjuring that same yellow magic circle. The altar glowed slightly, revealing an intricate matrix composed of multiple concentric circles of runes. The runes glowed with a dim blue light, illuminating the small basin. "That's a lot of runes."

"What does it do?" Vali asked.

"If I had to guess," Clyde said, rubbing his chin. "I have no clue. Magic like this is something my Dad probably knows. But from what I can kinda see? It looks like all these circles feed into each other, and at the very center, there are three Enochian sigils on there. One for beckoning, one for opening, and one for calling."

"And the other ones?" Lucia asked.

"Hell if I know," Clyde said. "I'm not good at all… the other magics on here. Fallen Angel Magic is my thing mostly. For now. Whenever Dad gets off his butt and actually starts teaching me…"

Lucia eyed the glowing matrix for a few minutes.

"What is it? That's all I can get out of it," Clyde said.

"So this thing," Lucia gestured. "This thing can… draw in energy from around it?"

"From what it looks like, probably? I told you. Magic outside of the Grigori is something I haven't started studying yet," Clyde said.

"Can I see?" Vali asked.

The two nodded and stepped aside, allowing Vali to inspect the basin.

"Looks Greek. Or at least, the outer circle is Greek. Then it shifts to Egyptian, then Taoist, then Shinto, Ugaritic, then Demonic, and finally Holy Magic," Vali rubbed his chin.

"And what does that tell us, genius?" Sora asked.

"I don't know. History's my thing, not magic," Vali shrugged.

"That's... helpful," Irina sighed.

Lucia rubbed her chin. This thing is drawing energy from the Red Sea whenever blood is put into it. On the seventh night, when Maria kills herself, the basin transfers all the power it stores into her and calls Nahemah into her? Wait… so if we get rid of the basin…

[What are you thinking, Child?] Yam asked.

The basin is the key. If we interrupt their ritual tonight, then we can stop Nahemah from coming, Lucia said.

[And if you're wrong?]

I have more lives to burn through. It's not an issue, Lucia replied.

"Can I go home now?" Clyde asked.

"No, before that, we need to—"

"Looks like Shirona wasn't there. Are you sure you three saw… her…?"

Everyone froze. The group slowly turned their heads simultaneously to see Griselda standing still in the doorway of the Church. The silver-haired nun had a look of shock and disbelief etched all over her usually stern and collected features.

"You all have five minutes to explain what's going on here, or I'm sending you back to Germany," Griselda said in a deathly calm voice.

"Unbelievable! You dragged Azazel's son here!"

Lucia flinched with every word that came out of Griselda's mouth. What made it worse was that this time, Griselda was not under any sort of influence. Whatever disappointment the woman was feeling was genuine.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Griselda asked as she crossed her arms.

Behind her, her friends were all standing very still in the corner. Clyde was standing at the very back, ducking his head when Griselda glanced over her shoulder.

"I…"

"You?"

Lucia's jaw tightened as she struggled to find the words she wanted to say.

Griselda raised an eyebrow as she tapped her bicep with her finger. "Well? Are you going to say anything, or should I call Alicia or Lady Camael to come pick you up?"

Lucia stiffened. She took a deep breath to compose herself. "I… thought something was off about this town."

"Off? Off how?" Griselda asked.

"My Sacred Gear picked it up," Lucia said.

"Your sacred gear?" Griselda took a step forward. "What exactly did it see?"

"It told me that there was a lot of divine energy in this town. And that something in the Church was…"

"Was what, Lucia?" Griselda pressed.

Lucia bit down on her cheek, gears turning inside her mind. She opened her mouth for a few seconds before closing it. After another moment of silent contemplation, Lucia sighed and looked into Griselda's piercing blue eyes. "Something inside the Church was siphoning divine energy from the Red Sea."

Griselda's eyes widened. "What?"

"That Priest guy knows more than he lets on. I… I saw it, Selda. The basin they use for holy water. It probably collects energy from the Red Sea or something!" Lucia continued.

Griselda furrowed her brow and rubbed her chin. "And Azazel's son?"

"I wanted a second opinion on what the basin does. I… called one of the only people I knew who likes messing with magical items," Lucia said.

Griselda turned to her with a raised eyebrow before sighing and rubbing her forehead. "Lucia, what you did is unacceptable. What if he died here? You know that there's a devil here on par with a Super Devil, right? Azazel could get the wrong idea, and all the hard work your mother and Lady Helel went through to secure the beginnings of an alliance between all three factions could go to the wayside."

"I mean, you gotta hand it to the kid. She did some really good work out there," Kiyotora said as he leaned against the wall.

"Can you not, right now?" Griselda snapped, causing him to go silent.

Lucia's fingers curled around the hem of her skirt. She bit her lip and looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry."

Griselda ran a hand through her hair. "It's fine. Just… you know better than to do something like this. But what's done is done."

Lucia lifted her head to gaze at her.

Griselda lowered her arms and placed them around her hips. "You are going to tell me everything you found right here, right now."

"So?"

Lucia looked over her shoulder as Rias came to sit next to her at the edge of the roof. The Moon hung low in the sky as roves of townsfolk below marched toward the Church like doomed lemmings.

"So what?" Lucia asked.

"What's the grand plan? Don't tell me you told Griselda everything," Rias said.

"I told her enough," Lucia replied as she eyed the Church.

Its white walls and concrete foundation continued to sit atop the cliff, a silent bastion containing nightmares that hounded Lucia for over a hundred lives. She reached out toward the Church and closed her fist. "Tonight."

"What?"

"We'll do it tonight," Lucia stood up from her spot. The sea breeze whipped against her face, sending her hair back. "We'll go in tonight and stop this once and for all."

Rias raised an eyebrow. "And Griselda knows?"

"Yeah. I kind of had to tell her. Told her that David was trying to create a God by siphoning power out of the Red Sea, and that's what I saw on my Sacred Gear. I said the ritual would be complete tonight," Lucia said.

Rias eyed her friend carefully before nodding and turning her gaze toward the Church. "I see. Did she take it?"

"She did. Surprisingly well, too. But," Lucia looked down with shame on her face, "I think… she knows I'm not telling her everything."

"Probably. The woman knows all of your tells. She's been there for you all your life. It's like if I tried lying to Sirzechs or Grayfia. They'd be able to spot it in an instant," Rias sighed as she got to her feet and stretched. "So what's the big game plan?"

Lucia remained still for a few seconds before pointing toward the Church. "We attack it."

"What?"

"We attack it head-on. And we disguise it as a Stray Devil attack," Lucia said.

"Wait, hold on! We already did that idea—"

"It was Selda's," Lucia said. "How do you scare a bunch of Bible-thumping southern Evangelicals who probably don't know better and eat up everything that some priest tells them?"

"Um…"

"You make a fake demon," Lucia said. She held her hand out, condensing a dense ball of black and blue energy above her palm. "And once they all run out and David's the only thing inside, we get in there, break the altar, and save Maria before they can use her as a Husk for that thing to manifest into our world."

Rias stared at Lucia owlishly for a few seconds before massaging her temples. "Of all the stupid…"

"It's not stupid. All we need is to scatter them," Lucia said.

"And if Shirona shows up? Rias asked.

"She won't," Lucia said.

"How do you know that?"

"Because…," Lucia said. "She never does."

An electrifying energy thrummed the air inside the Church. A full house, like always. It was the fifth night. David smiled widely as he stood at the podium. In front of him, a mass of sheep stared ahead with utter devotion, with a tinge of glazed-over and clouded eyes. This was his personal paradise. His personal playground.

He was the Shepherd, and this was his flock.

With a dramatic flourish, David raised his hands toward the adoring crowd.

Without question or hesitation, they all stood and fixed their cloudy eyes toward him.

"Brothers and Sisters, Friends and Family, let us take a moment to reflect upon that which the Lord hath given unto us," David lowered his head slightly. "A reading from the true Gospel of Matthew."

"Amen."

David lowered his arms, and the parishioners sat down in their pews. He cleared his throat and slowly opened his Bible. "Ahem. And after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and brought them to a mountain.

"And was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the Moon in the Night, and his robes was as white as light. And then Peter spoke unto the Lord, 'My Lord, it is good for us to make three tabernacles; one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elias.

"And when Jesus spoke, behold, a mirthless, bright Moon overtook the sky and spoke unto them, and behold, a voice from beyond the blackness of the stars came which said, This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.'" David shed a tear before closing the Bible. "The Gospel of the Lord."

And when the crowd responded, "Thanks be to God", David placed his hand on the podium. "How long has it been since we left the evils of Babylon behind? A godless land where evil and vile traditions thrive. Out here, we have seen and been chosen for salvation. Every night, every drop of blood we shed draws us closer to our Lord. For God has chosen us! The Pleasant One blesses us with Their gaze."

He stepped out from behind the podium. "My brothers and sisters, the night of salvation draws near. On the seventh day, God did rest after creating the world and on the seventh night, we shall have our new world! Free of the scum of the Earth! Of the vile ideals being forced upon your children!" David extended his arm and gestured to the entire crowd. "Tell me, does this not excite you?

"Judgement Day is upon us, and our Lord, the Pleasant One, shall send Their angels to wipe the impure and send us all to a better world! A true paradise! Our sacrifice shall not be in vain. Our sisters who have given their body and soul to Them are already waiting for us beyond the threshold of paradise!

He walked out from around the podium and stood at the altar.

"So tell me, Brothers and Sisters, should tonight be any different! Erase all doubt and gaze unto the eternal Moon for it is through the Sun that our Moon illuminates the darkness that hides the stars," David clasped his hands together in prayer. "And be transfigured in Their image just like our Lord and Savior."

As he did, a faint pulse of demonic power thrummed within Maria, who was seated in the front row. And then, faint strands of red energy collected into a black feather that hung around his neck, hidden from his parishioners beneath his white vestments.

The eyes of his flock grew more dazed as they opened their mouths.

"Glory to God in the Highest. Glory to Father David, who stands as the last Chosen of Jerusalem!"

David smiled, glee filling his deranged, poisonous yellow eyes. "Now, let us all bow our heads in prayer and say… Lord, I am not worthy that you shall enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."

A moment of silence passed through the Church.

He looked up and signalled for one of the men at the door to open it. The doors opened, and then, the men came in, escorting a young girl whose face was obscured by her veil.

"And the Lord took the bread and said, 'Take this, all of you, and eat of it. For this is my Body, which shall be given up for you. Do this, in memory of me." David walked around the altar, gently picking up a silver dagger that rested near a brass chalice. He walked up to the girl and caressed her face before turning her to the crowd.

Raising the dagger into the air, David continued his twisted prayers. "And after He broke the bread, He took the wine, drank from it, and gave it to His disciples and said, 'Take this all of you and drink from it, for this is my blood. The blood of the new and eternal covenant, which shall be shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me'."

His arm arced as he prepared to plunge the dagger into the girl's throat when…

BOOOOOOOMMMM!

The Church shook, and he stumbled, releasing the girl and dropping the dagger. His head snapped u,p and his eyes widened as the windows shattered. His spell over his flock broke as their innate instincts for survival kicked in.

In mere seconds, chaos overtook the Church. Screams rang out, stacking atop each other as the crowd clamored for the exit. The men he had stationed were overtaken by the sea of people that forced themselves through the double door, trampling over everyone who had fallen over.

Another explosion rocked the Church, this time, causing a portion of the oak-wood rooftop to cave in. Splinters and chunks of lumber fell upon the fleeing crowd, causing some to scatter and a few of the unlucky ones that had been downed to be squashed beneath the rubble.

"D-Demons!" one of the parishioners screamed.

Demons? What demons—

His thoughts were cut short when a beam of black and blue energy tore through the ceiling, purposely missing the parishioners and vaporizing some of the pews.

"Tch! Damn it! Damn it!" David roared as the last of his flock ran out of the Church. "My Brothers and Sisters! Worry not! The demons cannot enter sacred ground—"

A flash of black and red filled the corner of his eyes. His body reacted on instinct, jumping back but not before the energy struck his hand and knocked the silver dagger out of his grip. "Arrgggh!" David howled as he felt a portion of his flesh melt away.

He clenched his jaw and gripped his wrist, staring at the blood pouring down his hand. "You…! Who the hell—!?" His eyes widened as the girl, who was meant to be his sacrifice, spun and kicked him back.

She threw off her veil and robes, revealing a black habit underneath and a pair of baleful black eyes.

Lucia glared down at David as her large white wings unfurled behind her, causing him to stumble back even further in surprise.

"Y-You! You're that kid that was with that group of nuns!" David said, slowly getting to his feet.

A pair of glowing red blades materialized into existence with a hiss. And her eyes, he could feel the fury and hatred that simmered for over a hundred lifetimes. A dim red light glowed within her deep black irises.

"It took me… over a hundred loops. A hundred lifetimes to get here," Lucia said. "But now…" Sparks of black and blue light arced around her and the ground shook slightly beneath them. "Hahaha… I'll spill one liter of blood from you for every time you've killed me…"

David's breath hitched when the red light in Lucia's eyes grew brighter. "What are you…?"

Without saying anything else, Lucia darted toward David, and a flash of light filled the Church. The battle had begun in earnest.

Chapter Text

BOOOM!

"Kah! Damn, kid!" David jumped back as several blades made of dark light impaled the wood floor in front of him. The hairs of his neck stood on end. A pair of red eyes materialized into existence behind him.

He ducked, feeling the searing blade of light take a chunk of his hair. In that instant, David immediately backstepped away from his assailant, thanking his God for his preternaturally enhanced reflexes.

Lucia stood there, her arm outstretched and Mist's blade of light crackling and glimmering like an executioner's blade. "Out of a hundred and two lifetimes, I died to you… in about forty of them. So I'll make sure your death is forty times as painful for every broken bone, every burst artery, every ruptured lung you've given me…"

David clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes. This damn kid, what the hell is she saying? A bead of sweat trickled down David's forehead. However, a smile twisted his lips. "So this is how the Church treats the people they're supposed to respect? Perhaps, you're not of the Church at all but of Babylon—"

"You don't work for the Church," Lucia said. "At least, not the Church I'm working for. You work for someone called the Maiden of Desire."

"—!? How… How do you—!?" David's eyes widened as he swiped his hand, instantly forming a psychic barrier. He slid back slightly as a bombardment of red and black flame-like energy struck his barrier. "What the hell…? Urk—!?" He raised his arms, sending a repulsive wave as several more attacks struck him, knocking back his assailants.

"More of you brats?" David ground his teeth together.

Irina landed next to Lucia. "So this is him? I never really took a good look at him but he's a lot creepier than I expected…"

Lucia nodded subtly. "Everyone, be careful. This man is at least on the level of a High-Class Devil!"

Sora scoffed before chambering Taxiarch with another round. "Hmph, High-Class or not, that barrier of his is going to be annoying. If you all can get me an opening, I can probably land a good headshot."

Vali cracked his knuckles. Behind him, Divine Dividing pulsed in anticipation. "One opening? Asia, you got me covered me and Tosca covered, right?"

Asia nodded frantically.

Tosca stretched before holding her hand out and summoning a single golden spear. She flourished her light rapier. "Captain, are you alright with me and Vali taking point?"

Lucia nodded. "Everyone, remember. We need to buy time for Clyde to do his thing and for Rias and her Peerage to go rescue Maria."

Irina and Lucia darted away from each other as a ball of compressed air split the ground open between them.

"Luci! What about Selda?" Irina said. She ducked under another blast of concussive force and dashed from spot to spot toward David.

"She'll be fine… I hope," Lucia bit her lip. She slid underneath a pew that flew in her direction before flipping to her feet and rushing to meet David.

"Rias. Are you sure this is where the girl is?" Clyde asked as they descended down the stairs.

Lucia and her team were serving as the perfect distraction. Rias ignored him and descended further down. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the low light and caught sight of a faint shine in the dim basement.

"Stand back," Rias said. She held her hand up, gathering crackling black energy into her palm. With one swipe of her arm, she let loose a controlled wave of destructive power, severing all the trap strings. "David's men probably holed Maria down here after Lucia attacked the Church. We just need to—"

Akeno rushed forward and grabbed Rias by the back of her collar as a claw came mere inches from carving her face off.

Rias reacted quickly, forming a red magic circle that blocked the second attack. "Everyone, guard up!" Rias called out.

One of the men stepped out of the shadows as his arm shortened back to its normal length. Yet, his shiny black claws remained in place. While he looked human, Rias caught sight of fangs peeking out from under his top lip, and his eyes were slitted like those of a cat. "What the heck… is that?"

Clyde stepped forward, holding his hand out. A scythe made of yellow light formed in his hand. "A daeva."

"What? A Zoroastrian demon? Why does a Priest from America have one?" Rias said, raising her hands. Pools of amorphous red liquid bubbled around her feet.

"No idea, but," Clyde said, twirling his scythe. "We need to get past it if we want to get to that woman."

Rias nodded. "Yuuto. Akeno. Go. We'll hold it off," Rias said.

"What? Ojou-sama—"

"GO!" Rias barked as she rushed forward to meet the Daeva mid-way. Its claws clashed with the limbs borne of Rias's demonic power. She clapped her hands together, condensing the Power of Destruction between her palms.

The Daeva jerked back, twisting its head to see Akeno and Yuuto running past it, further down the hall. Above, the ceiling shook as the battle above increased in intensity.

The Daeva let out a low growl before moving to pursue Yuuto and Akeno when…

KRRRIIIP!

It let out a screech before swiping its razor-sharp claws at Clyde, who managed to retreat in time.

"Koneko! Kuroka!" Rias called.

The diminutive white-haired girl dashed forward, fist coated in blue flames as she drove her fist into its midsection. It flew into the wall, creating a large crater that shook the underbelly of the Church.

"Nya! Shirone! Hold your strength back before you bring the roof down on top of us!" Kuroka scolded. She made a hand sign with her left hand and raised her other. The floor rattled as a series of green vines erupted from the ground and wrapped around the Daeva.

"Hold it like that!" Rias said as she pulled her palms apart, revealing an incredibly dense ball of demonic power. The floor under Rias cracked from the sheer weight of the energy mass in her hands.

"Clyde. Go. We have it handled. Head back to the surface and disable the basin," Rias said.

Clyde eyed Rias for a few seconds before nodding and heading back the way they came.

The Daeva thrashed in Kuroka's binds, shaking the wall as it did so. It opened its mouth, revealing a maw filled with too many teeth and a writhing tongue that resembled a snake's. "ARRRRHGGGGHH!" It roared.

"Rias! Whatever you're going to do! Do it now!" Kuroka said as she strained against the beast.

"Give me a second—! DONE!" Rias hurled the ball of black energy at the Daeva with a pitcher's throw.

The minute the orb slammed into its chest, the entire cliffside shook, and then, a beam of blood red light tore through the stone and blasted a hole into the Red Sea, sending a massive spray of seawater that battered the entire town.

"Is it… dead?" Koneko asked, blinking once, then twice, when she saw the massive hole in the wall that led to the outside.

Her answer came in a pair of shoes with the feet still stuck inside them; the only thing that remained of the Daeva.

"Come on. Let's go help Akeno and Yuuto," Rias said, gesturing for the two to follow her.

"For I come not in peace, but with a blade!" Lucia chanted as she jumped away from David's psychic blasts. Several swords of pure holy energy formed around her.

The blades shot forward, peppering David's psychokinetic barrier with incredible force. The white-haired priest stumbled as he lost inch after inch to Lucia's attacks.

"Goddamn, brats—!" David's eyes widened when Vali and Irina circled around his flanks. He reinforced his barrier, causing the ground to shake and explode violently when the two attacks collided. "You…! Do you know who I am!? I am the chosen of the Lord!"

Irina clenched her jaw as she pushed Habakiri's blade against the barrier. "Vali!"

Vali cocked his fist back and slammed it into the barrier.

[Divide]

David's eyes widened when he felt his barrier suddenly weaken.

[Divide]

"No! Stop that!" David said.

[Divide]

Tosca came rushing out of the dust cloud formed from their battle and jumped into the air. She closed her eyes before hurling a golden spear at breakneck speeds. The spear pierced through the weakened barrier like it was made of paper.

"Kugh! Argh!" David stumbled back as the spear pierced clean through his shoulder, causing blood to spill profusely from his wound. "You… dare… wound a servant of GOD!" He swung his arm, tearing up the ground with a wave of psychic force.

Tosca held her hand out, causing her Sacred Gear to manifest. The psychic energy collided with the golden cross. "Captain! Are you sure he's human!?" Tosca called out.

Lucia landed next to her, her eyes shifting back to scan him.

[David King]

[Estimating Combat Level… Strength: 500 (1000), Speed: 600 (1000), Durability: 500 (1000), Magic: 100 (1000), Skill: 1075, Overall Combat Capabilities: 6,775]

[Estimating Class - High Class. However, detects foreign enhancing artifact and blessing on target. Numerical adjustment of 1,000 was added to target's individual stats.]

[Age: 37, Race: Human, Gender: Male, Marital Status: Married to multiple women x10]

[Special Traits: Blessing of the Destroying God]

[Equipment: Feather of Lust]

"Yeah! He is! But he has a blessing and an artifact! It's being powered by that woman we're here to rescue!" Lucia said. She raised her hand, causing a swirl of heavenly matter to appear and reinforce the barrier.

"Children. To spill the blood of a messenger of God is a mortal sin. But as one ordained by Heaven itself, I will personally send you to be purified before the Pleasant One arrives," David said as he kept his good arm raised toward them. The ground shattered under him as he increased the intensity of the psychic blast.

Vali zipped by in a blur of blue light, clotheslining the off-guard David. The priest was sent flying into the air, spinning like a rag doll.

As he spun, he caught sight of a shining piece of metal aimed directly at him.

Sora steadied her aim as she got down on one knee. She lined her sight up with David's spinning form and then…

BANG!

A line of light fired from the barrel of Taxiarch, instantly forming a line of golden light in the air.

"Asia! Now!" Sora called as she ejected the round.

Asia clasped her hands together. Green energy formed around her and small flowers began to poke out from beneath the wooden floorboards. "The Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed to the ground…"

The green-tinted holy power around her rippled before forming massive jagged spears of ice and lightning. She raised her hand forward toward David and the blasts of holy elemental power fired at him.

David slammed into the wall just in time to see the elemental maelstrom rushing to meet him. He bit his cheek hard, causing blood to trickle down the side of his mouth. "As if I'd let myself… be defeated by satanic witchcraft! I am the chosen of the Pleasant One! The Messiah of this world…," David's eyes glowed as he ripped his arm out of the wall. "You goddamn infidels. Sinners! Allies of Babylon!"

In an instant, a wave of force akin to a bomb shattered the inside of the Church, sending wood and pews flying across the air.

Asia's Holy Magic was dispersed by the sudden force.

"Irina! Vali!" Lucia dashed forward, sending a wave of mist that swallowed the two whole. However, she was not fast enough to react. The blast wave slammed into her, sending her flying and crashing into the crucifix that hung from the ceiling.

She crashed into the ground with the rubble falling on top of her.

"Captain!" Asia yelled.

"I'd be more worried about myself if I were you, kid," David said as he took a slow step forward. He gazed down at the numerous wounds he received and anger bubbled up within his blackened heart. "You… Devils. I am the chosen of God and you fuckin' dare to lay hands on me. I had a policy against children but…"

His golden eyes glowed, and suddenly, the air pressure in the room turned to lead, sending Tosca, Sora, and Asia to their knees. "I guess a little corporal punishment ain't so bad every now and then…"

The rubble behind them burst, and a dagger flew out of it.

David's eyes widened as he dodged it in time, but not before receiving a small cut on his cheek.

A flash of blue light appeared next to the dagger. Lucia spun in mid-air, swinging Mist in a circular arc.

"N-No—! AGGGHHH!" David stumbled back as Mist dug into his eye, slashing his retinas and whatever tissue the blade could bite into. Blood spurted from the wound as he howled in pain, clutching his damaged left-eye socket. "Haahh… agghhhhhhh! Khhh! You—! MOTHERFUCKERS!" David snarled as he kept staggering back.

Lucia landed on the ground.

[Inventory Space]

[Vali Lucifer x1]

[Irina Shidou x1]

[Would you like to expel?]

"Yes," Lucia murmured.

A small black fog formed around her before swirling and spitting out Irina and Vali.

"Hahh! What the hell was that!?" Vali gasped as he suddenly found himself back in reality.

"It's her Sacred Gear," Irina said, slowly readjusting back to the normality of space from her sudden displacement across dimensions. "She told me about it… bit ago. It… evolved. That place we were in. It's sort of like an inventory in a video game or a bag of holding. Another dimension where Lucia stores stuff."

"That's… convenient," Vali said. "Did she give her Sacred Gear a name?"

"She calls it… Final Vision," Irina said, eyeing her best friend's steady back.

Lucia eyed the snarling and bleeding David, who kept pressure on his ruined left eye.

"Lucia!"

She turned to see Clyde climbing out of the basement. "We need to—! Give me time to—!"

The ground suddenly shook violently and what little of the windows remained shattered as a flash of red light illuminated the dark night outside. Sea water sprayed into the Church, soaking everyone.

"Was that…?" Lucia asked.

"It was your little Devil friend," Sora said as she, Tosca, and Asia reunited with the rest of the team.

"She must have ran into some guards when going to find Maria," Lucia said. She turned to Clyde. "Can you…?"

"Give me time. I've been inspecting a sketch of the runes that I managed to memorize before Griselda caught us," Clyde said. "I can probably overload the matrix."

"We'll give you time," Lucia said as she took a step closer to the downed David.

W-What? They know about Maria? A-And the basin…!? N-No! How is that possible!? I burned all the records, and any I do keep are written in the language of God. H-How do these brats know about this…? No, no, no, no! My great lady's undertaking! The birth of the Pleasant One into our world!

David began mumbling under his breath as he gripped the sides of his head. His wound was now forgotten in favor of clawing at the scalp by his temple. "No… No, no no, I won't allow this to happen. I refuse. I refuse to let these demons… ruin everything. I am chosen. I am God's chosen. No one is allowed to be the savior but me… my Lady… she saw it in me. More worthy than the other Bishops. The Shining One… said I was worthy… yes, this is just a test. A test! A TEST OF MY DEVOTION!" David shoved his fingers into his mouth and bit down, causing blood to spurt from the fresh wounds.

Lucia and the others took a slight step back, disturbed by the man's insane ramblings.

"Yes… yes, a test. A test of my faith! Like Jesus in Gethsemane or when Jesus was tempted by Satan atop the mountain," David whispered as he pulled his bloodied fingers out of his mouth. He reached into his vestments.

"What is he…?" Vali narrowed his eyes.

Lucia didn't hesitate. Her heel shifted, and she darted forward. "GO TO THE BASIN, CLYDE!" Lucia called out. "ASIA! TOSCA! GO GUARD HIM!"

Tosca and Asia nodded as they took off with Clyde toward the basin.

Lucia spun in the air, bringing both Mist and Netherlight down atop the man. The impact of the blow cracked the concrete foundation beneath their feet as Lucia's blades met the fierce resistance of David's psychic barrier.

"And… then… after He broke the bread, He took the wine, drank from it, and gave it to his disciples, saying…," David prayed.

Irina and Vali ran forward, delivering a barrage of attacks on David's barrier.

"Vali! Divide it!" Sora called out as she steadied Taxiarch, aiming it at David.

[Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide!]

"It's not budging!" Vali called out.

"...Take this, all of you, and drink from it for this is my blood. The blood of the new and eternal covenant, which shall be shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins… do this, in memory of me," David said as he pulled a small vial of blood out of his vestments. He popped the cork off and drank it, feeling the viscous lukewarm, coagulated fluid slide down his throat eagerly.

Time seemed to slow down as David's psychic barrier suddenly gave way. He fell to the ground, clutching his throat with one hand. Violent coughs wracked his body. "Augh… keugh…! Aghh…! Aghhh!" He let out a guttural roar as his jugular vein turned a deep black and became momentarily distended.

"Vali! Irina! Get back!" Lucia yelled as she jumped back. Her wings spread, and she caught herself in mid-air. "For I come not to bring peace, but a sword!" She raised her hand into the air, conjuring a numerous amount of swords made of holy power.

Lucia threw her hand forward, sending a storm of blades toward David.

"Kehehe… it's… over…," A warped smile twisted David's lips just as the swords came into contact with him.

The entire western wall of the church exploded in a chunk of wood, concrete, and sand. The entire cliff rattled dangerously as portions of its underside fell into the churning waters below.

Lucia narrowed her eyes as she used [Final Vision] to scan for any sign of him. Her eyes widened slightly when a new notification popped up in front of her.

[High levels of demonic power detected.]

[Readjusting the combat assessment of David King.]

[Performing additional scans.]

[David King]

[Appropriate adjustments made.]

[Strength - 4,850, Speed - 3,782, Durability - 4,000, Magic - 2,750, Skills: 1,500. Adjusted Combat Level - 16,882]

[Adjusted Class - High-Class]

[Adjusted Race - Human-Demon Hybrid]

[Adjusted Special Traits - Starsend Moment, Blessing of the Destroying God]

"Lucia? Lucia! Talk to us! What do you see?" Irina said as her hand hovered over Ameno Habakiri's crossguard.

"He's… turned into something— GET DOWN!" Lucia shoved Irina out of the way as a blast of black and violet energy ripped through the air, tearing up the wooden floorboards.

Sora and Vali moved before the blast could consume them.

The torrent of dark energy tore through the other wall of the Church, traveling out to see before violently detonating in the distance.

Lucia turned her head back, eyes wide. This. This hadn't happened in any of the previous cycles.

The smoke obscured him, but Lucia could hear each step David took. Each time his foot hit the ground, it sounded like a gunshot had gone off inside the building. It reverberated deeply inside her bones, calling to every animal instinct inside her body to make her run for her life. But the other side of her held firm. Hundreds of deaths had tempered her mind, causing her festering hatred for the man in front of her to boil with even more heated fervor.

"Lucia? What do we do? Even I can feel the amount of Demonic Power coming off him!" Vali called out.

"Stick to the plan," Lucia said as she took a step forward.

"But—"

"Clyde needs time to figure out how the matrix works and Rias needs to get Maria as far away from here as possible—" Her hand moved with speed neither Vali nor Irina had seen from her as she sliced a blast of black energy apart.

"Oh? This is the power given to me by my Lady. I see even you can still contend with me in this state. Or rather, you can contend with me just saying hello," David stepped out from the dust cloud.

His new form was terrifying to behold. There was no sign that he was ever human left anywhere on his body. It had been twisted beyond recognition. His hair had now become even paler than it initially was, growing far past his back down to his waist. His vestments had been ruined, torn off by the sheer force of his transformation.

Dark fur covered his arms and legs. His toes had fused together, becoming encased in scales and talons that extended from his toes. A pair of curved horns protruded from his head.

"This is the power that the Maiden giveth unto me. The Chosen Messiah of this world," David said.

FWOOSH!

Wind blew past them as a pair of powerful black raven wings extended from his back.

Lucia's jaw clenched as she tightened her grip on her blades.

"Father… forgive these children, for they know not what they do."

David's foot shifted. And he charged.

Her red eyes watched as the battle raged on below her. She placed her head in her hands, dangling her legs lazily over the edge of a roof, when she sensed them. Not that they wanted to conceal their presence. She knew that Lucia's Sacred Gear would detect her eventually.

"I expected you all to be down there, helping the children," Shirona said as she glanced lazily over her shoulder.

Griselda stood behind her, holding Almace in a white-knuckle grip as she pointed it at Shirona's back.

Behind her, the others had their weapons at the ready, in case Shirona made the first move.

Shirona scoffed before standing up from her spot. She turned to face them, making no move to attack. Yet her movements caused them all to go on edge. "Are you sure you should be up here wasting your time with me when you could be down there helping them?"

"Shut up, Devil. You've caused enough trouble for this town," Mirana said.

Griselda raised her hand, stopping Mirana from going any further. Angering this being in front of them had the potential of going extremely awry.

"This is the chick you called me here for?" Kiyotora said.

Souji nodded. "This is her. Unknown Devil Alpha… or rather, what she calls herself. Shirona."

Shirona said nothing as she eyed each adult one by one before her gaze landed on Griselda. "So? You have me here. I'm outnumbered." She gestured mockingly to her empty hands.

"Outnumbered but not powerless," Griselda said. "Why are you here in this town? Are you the one responsible for giving the priest all of that power? And to do what? Create a god?"

Shirona blinked. An uncharacteristic smile graced her lips before she began to laugh. "Ahahaha! Ahhh… is that what you believe? Is that what she told you? Ahhh… that couldn't be further from the truth. You see… I'm here for a different reason."

"As if we'd believe a word you'd say," Mirana narrowed her eyes. "You show up. The town erupts into chaos. Several people go missing. Are you saying that's not you? That you're not the one pulling the strings behind everything here?"

"Chaos? I could hardly take credit for the chaos, but allow me to humor you," Shirona shook her head.

"Why you—!?"

Shirona's eyes glowed, and the air seemingly wrapped around Mirana, shackling her to her spot.

The Russian nun struggled against her bonds uselessly.

"Wait!" Griselda yelled before everyone could attack Shirona all at once. She eyed the devil in front of her warily.

Shirona said nothing as she waved her hand, undoing Mirana's bonds.

"Fine. I'll bite," Griselda said.

Shirona smiled. "This is where everything begins. Or rather, this is the place where it all goes downhill. They tried to stop it all from happening twelve years ago but… I guess you can say Fate has a funny way of making things fall into place."

"Cut all your cryptic bullshit and give us a straight answer," Griselda said, gritting her teeth.

Shirona's smile fell, and her face hardened. "Then, do you want to hear something interesting, Griselda Quarta?"

Griselda's eyes narrowed.

"It's about your favorite exorcist."

"Lucia— Kuh!" Irina's words were knocked out of her as David's forearm slammed into her midsection. She flew across the Church, spinning in the air until she crashed into one of the pillars.

"Irina!" Vali cried out before rage overtook him. [Divine Dividing's] wings flashed, and Vali disappeared in a streak of blue light.

He let out a fervent battle cry as he slammed into the demonized David, causing the two to go skidding across the Church grounds. They slammed through the walls before coming to a dead stop as David held up one hand, singlehandedly holding back Vali's headlong charge.

"Hahaha… I was warned about you, Longinus users, but to think you were all this disappointing—"

[Divide!]

David's eyes narrowed as he felt half of his energy being sapped from his body.

"Vali!"

Vali suddenly pulled his arm back, using David's chest as a launchpad as he kicked off into the air.

A sudden flash of golden light filled David's vision as he was engulfed in a beam of white light. A pillar of white light erupted, sending dust and debris everywhere as it pierced through the night sky, temporarily outshining the Moon.

"Did you get him—"

The smoke and dust was blown away as a blast of telekinetic force slammed into Vali, sending him slamming into one of the houses down the street. The entire wall and roof collapsed on top of Vali's body.

"This false light. This is not the light of God for I have been blessed with the power of God by the Maiden and the Pleasant One," David flexed his hand.

His wings suddenly moved, cocooning him in a shell of black feathers.

Lucia's blades bounced uselessly off the steely hide. She clicked her tongue before jumping back.

[You cannot overcome him as you are, Child.]

Her shadow rippled slightly as a single red eye opened within it.

"No," Lucia panted before Yam could say anything else. "I won't… let you… use me. Besides…," Lucia's gaze landed on the single black feather hanging off David's neck. "Our goal right now isn't to kill him. Sora. Can you provide me with covering fire?"

Sora eyed her Captain's back before letting go of Taxiarch. She held her hand out, conjuring a silver, cross-crested magic circle. The circle spun before producing a burst of light that summoned Glorious Afterglow.

The case hissed before opening. Sora reached inside, pulling out a sleek-silver UMP-9. "Bulan, come on. This time… I gotta make sure I don't get kicked off this team," she murmured as she turned the safety off. She aimed the submachine gun at David before pulling the trigger.

The air echoed in a cacophony of gunfire as enchanted silver-bullets flew out of the gun's barrel at rapid speeds.

David raised his hand, causing the bullets to freeze in mid-air. "Did you even think this through before shooting at your Messiah?"

"Messiah?" Sora laughed over the gunfire. She dove and rolled out of the way as David threw all the bullets back at her. "I don't believe in such a thing. If there was a Savior, then he's either dead or never cared at all!"

She raised her hand into the air. "Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah…" Sora's form shattered into particles of light as David's telekinetic blast struck her.

She reappeared in the air, light bending around her as multiple copies of her appeared, all chanting the same verse. "...And Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights!"

The air rippled before it shattered as a massive basking fish overshadowed the entire Church. It swam in the air, making a half-circle before rushing toward David with its mouth open wide enough to swallow an entire house.

"False Miracles. The Bible warned that false prophets would appear in the End of Days," David said as he raised his hand. Black energy condensed into the center of his palm before it tore through the air. The large shark was dispersed by the force of the blast.

He then pivoted on his heel, raising his hand and blocking Mist and Netherlight.

Lucia ground her teeth as she pushed against his rock-hard skin.

David grinned. "How does it feel? A nonbeliever like you is standing before the might of God. People like you… are the ones predicted to be thrown in the Lake of Fire once the Pleasant One comes into this world. Their will is the will that shall save this world and purge it of sin, for They declared it so through Their son, Jesus Christ."

"Hah…? You? Worship God? A messiah? You're no messiah! You're just a man! All you are is a sack of greed! Someone like you… will never reach the heights of Heaven!" Lucia cried as she swiped her sword, causing David to stumble back. "After all… your pride and greed are just the cries of someone who has nothing!"

David's eyebrow twitched. "You wretched brat!" David's hand balled into a fist. The ground shook. Fissures appeared in the ground as he raised his balled fist into the air. A loud crack sounded in the distance. A large chunk of earth broke apart from the ground, lifting houses and portions of the shopping district into the air.

Lucia took a step back at the sight.

[Child.]

Tch… I…

"Now… be crushed. For it is I, the one without sin, who shall cast the first stone!" David hurled the massive chunk of earth at Lucia.

"Captain—!"

Lucia tightened her grip on her blades as she prepared to surrender her body when…

DOOOOOON! BOOOOOOOM!

A blast of red light and golden lightning struck the oncoming projectile, causing it to detonate in a flash of lightning and flame.

"Why do I always have to be the one to save you, Pigeon?" A glimpse of crimson hair filled her vision.

A wry smirk appeared on Lucia's face. "You're late… Tomato."

Rias glanced over her shoulder and gave Lucia an infuriating smile.

"Maria?"

"With Yuuto and Koneko behind us. Clyde?" Rias asked as she stretched her arm.

"At the basin with Tosca and Asia," Lucia said.

Rias narrowed her eyes as she eyed David's new form. "What did he do?"

"He drank some blood and turned into that," Lucia said. Her eyebrows furrowed as she moved her tongue around inside her mouth before spitting out some blood.

David hovered in the air, eyes narrowing at the sight of the newcomer. His eyes traveled and landed on a familiar figure behind them. "M-Maria!"

The hollow-eyed girl sat against one of the remaining pillars with two people surrounding her.

"You…! You dare! You dare try to take our Virgin Mother away!" David snarled as he charged toward them.

"Rias, the feather!" Lucia yelled.

"Got it! Akeno!"

"Irina!"

A blur of violet lightning slammed into David's side, sending him careening off course. A bolt of golden lightning crashed down from the heavens, causing the demonic priest to be buried into the ground.

A battered Irina reappeared next to Lucia, nursing her arm. "That… hurt," Irina said.

"Which part? The part where you burst out of the wall or the part where you slammed head first into that thing?" Akeno asked. She had a look of disgust on her face as she stared at David's new form.

Yellow lightning crackled around her fingers. "He looks like a horse with rabies…"

"We need to destroy the feather," Lucia said. "Where's Vali?"

"Over here."

Vali landed next to them, clutching his arm. It was bent weirdly at the shoulder, having popped off its socket when he was thrown by David. He grit his teeth before shoving his shoulder against a wall. A sickening crunch echoed through the Church. "I'll be fine for now…" He winced as he rubbed his once-dislocated shoulder.

"Ready?" Lucia said.

The ground in front of them burst open as a pillar of black and violet energy shot into the sky. David slowly stood, his wings unfurling and casting a black shadow over the pews. "Father… forgive them for they know not what they do…," David said as he took a step toward them.

"Akeno."

"Sora."

Rias and Lucia stood at the forefront.

"You two are on long-range support," Rias said.

"Irina, Vali. You two are with us," Lucia said.

"No matter what you do," David said, swinging his arm. "It matters not. God has chosen me to bring about this new world. Through Maria, the Pleasant One shall be born into this world and They will bring about Paradise for all true believers! And so, in order to bring about a more perfect world, the enemies, the armies of Babylon must all be slaughtered!"

And with one beat of his powerful wings, he charged at them.

"Clyde? Clyde!" Tosca yelled.

In front of them, the battle raged on. Lucia's blasts of blue and black light mixed with Rias's Power of Destruction as it chased a demonic David across the sky. She clenched her jaw as she slammed [Elysion Pedion] into the ground. The ground shook slightly as golden spears erupted from the ground.

Gold energy crackled at the tip of the spears, forming a shimmering translucent barrier around them.

"How much longer!?" Tosca demanded.

Clyde's jaw tightened. "Stop talking and let me focus. Asia? Asia!"

Asia blinked, turning her eyes away from the raging fight a short distance away. She turned back to Clyde, locking eyes with him. Her green eyes trembled with fear and anxiety. "Y-Yes!"

"Focus for me, okay? Aside from me and Lucia, you're the only one who can use Miracles to a large degree. You see these Enochian runes at the center?" Clyde said, pointing to the three faded runes at the very center of the basin.

"Yeah," Asia said, taking a deep breath to compose herself.

"Do you remember what I said about them?" he asked as he ran his fingers across the rim. A series of concentric circles, each containing differing runes appeared around the runes.

"You said they were for beckoning, calling, and opening—" Asia's eyes widened in recognition.

"What?"

"Like the Miracle of Elijah," Asia whispered.

"What?" Clyde asked, but blinked when Asia ran her hand over the script.

"Elijah was taken up to Heaven in a whirlwind in a chariot of flame. Our Institution has a special door in it that leads to the Vatican. It has these same runes," Asia said as she pressed her finger on one of the runes.

"Okay? And?"

"What do those circles do? This thing opens doors. But you said it draws power from Yam, right?" Asia continued.

"Y-Yeah? I think they draw in the power and amplify it whenever it passes through each circle," Clyde said.

"So… we overload it. This thing can probably handle only a certain amount of power, and that's only when it's fed blood. That's what Lucia said," Asia said as she clasped her hands in prayer. "So I'll change the center so we can make the basin explode—"

"And disrupt the ritual!" Clyde said.

"And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to Heaven, he blessed and broke the bread, giving it to his disciples who gave it to the multitude," Asia raised a finger and pressed it against the center, engraving a series of characters within the three runes.

"Guys?"

Tosca held her hand out as she blocked a stray telekinetic blast headed in their direction. Her knees buckled under the force of the attack, sending her down to one knee. "Guys! Are you done?"

Asia closed her eyes and continued channeling holy power through her body before raising her hand once more and tapping the bowl once. "DONE!"

"T-Then—"

David crashed into the ground in front of them.

Tosca's eyes widened as she stared at his monstrous back. "Just my luck," she said.

David turned around upon hearing her voice, and his eyes flicked over to Clyde and Asia, who were now backing away from the altar. "More non-believers. You dare to—"

Asia raised her hand at David, rapidly chanting a prayer under her breath. The air behind her rippled before exploding in a torrent of holy matter. A surge of white-yellow cubes swirled into a drill and slammed directly into his chest, sending him sliding back.

"Tosca!" Asia called.

Tosca nodded and pulled out her Light Rapier. She shifted her heel slightly before dashing forward, jumping into the air. She struck quickly, delivering seven consecutive blows in a flash.

"Insolent brat!" David choked as he held back Asia's holy barrage. He swung his arm, shattering her Miracle with a burst of pure psychic energy.

He raised a clawed hand toward Asia, preparing to crush her in his psychokinetic grip, when a spear flashed in his eye. David jumped back, narrowly avoiding the spear. "What the—"

Clyde appeared before him, his golden eyes flashing as he held his hand out. Light condensed into it rapidly, forming a massive spiked hammer. Without saying a word, he swung it with tremendous force, striking David in the chest.

The former human flew across the Church, blowing past Lucia and the others before crashing through three of the nearest houses outside.

"Y-You couldn't have done that earlier!" Lucia yelled.

"Behind you, Bonnie!" Clyde called back.

Lucia's eyes widened as she tossed her dagger into the air.

David's claws closed around nothing but air as Lucia reappeared above him in a flash of blue light.

Lucia grabbed Netherlight out of the air before spinning like a top past David.

"Heh… was that supposed to do something?" David asked.

"W-What— Urk!" Lucia felt the air get knocked out of her as David's stocky arm collided with her midsection. She flew and crashed into a pillar, splitting it in half and causing it to collapse behind her.

She coughed, splattering blood on the ground as she got to her feet.

"Lucia—!"

Rias and the others found themselves rooted to their spots by an immense invisible pressure. The crimson-haired demoness strained against the grip. Even moving her finger was a herculean effort. "Lucia!" Rias said.

"Lucia… Your name means 'Light'," David said as he towered over her. "How ironic. You've led these demons and bewitched those nuns. There can only be one reason for that. You are the prophesied Anti-Christ that will bring a thousand years of despair to this world. As the Messiah, I have no choice but to end your reign prematurely before the Pleasant One arrives."

Lucia coughed as she felt David's telekinesis reach inside her and squeeze her organs. Blood came out of her mouth in droves as she felt him crush her from the inside out with barely concealed malice.

"Haughk! Auck!" she coughed as she gripped her torso. Her vision swam as the pain flooded her entire body, setting every nerve on fire.

[Now, Child. Before all you have wrought goes up in flames.] Yam's voice echoed in her head.

However, Lucia began to laugh. "Ahaha… you're so self-assured. So full of yourself because you're fighting a bunch of kids. I thought… Messiahs were supposed to be all-knowing…," Lucia gave David a bloody grin.

David raised an eyebrow. "How quaint. Though I suppose it is common for the Adversary to mock the Savior."

"I guess… you won't miss this then," Lucia's gaze traveled down to the ground where half of a black feather lay between them.

"Huh? What are you—!?" David's eyes widened. "No… that— Hurk!" He froze in his spot. A powerful psychic grip tightened around his body, causing his bones to creak. "N-No! M-Maria— Blurgh!" Blood spilled from his mouth before he was violently thrown into a wall.

David's telekinesis became undone.

Lucia looked up to see a white-haired woman walking past her with her hand outstretched. "Hah… hahaha…"

[Scanning target…]

[Estimating combat level…]

[Maria Corsetti]

[Strength - 100, Durability - 4500, Speed - 600, Magic - 19,000, Skills - 25, Overall Combat Capabilities - 24,225]

[Estimated Class - High Class]

[Age - 29, Race - Half-Devil, Gender - Female, Marital Status - N/A]

[Special Trait - Starsend Moment]

[Equipment - N/A]

"Three… years," Maria whispered. Her eyes flashed red as her rage overcame her.

Lucia struggled to remain upright as the earth itself rattled under the force of her rage.

A surge of violet demonic energy exploded from Maria's body, causing winds to pick up and for the waves to batter the cliffside. "I've waited three years to do this…"

David shakily got to his feet, spitting out a tooth. "Maria… darling. You… You would go against the teachings of our Church— Urk!" He clutched his side as he felt a sharp pain in the right lower part of his body.

"Teachings? I don't recall being taught anything. If anything, all I remember was being treated… like a dishrag," Maria whispered, her voice hoarse from years of disuse. "And now… I can finally do the same to you… I'm a descendant of Asmodeus, right? Something like this… should be easy compared to someone like you… who needs to drink her blood."

David's eyes widened as he fell to one knee. The pain blossomed into a momentary, searing hot surge of agony before fading abruptly. "Y-You… blew up my appendix—"

A concussive blast of invisible energy blasted him back, caving his chest in.

Maria continued to step forward. Her once-hollow red eyes, filled with nothing but fear and loathing, had been completely replaced by a boiling hatred. She raised a hand, lifting David into the air. "I'm going to take my time, ripping your arms and legs off slowly… but first, let me clip your wings. A dead bug like you doesn't need them…" She twisted her hand slightly.

"N-No! You bitch— Agggghhhh!" David let out a howl of pain as he felt one of his wings twisting on his shoulder blade.

The sound of skin and muscle suddenly tearing was somehow heard through his agonized howls. "You! Insolent—! BITCH!" In that moment, David fired off an invisible blast that flew toward Maria.

She was sent flying back and crashed into a pew, disrupting her concentration and releasing David.

The demonic priest hit the ground unceremoniously, panting as the throbbing pain remained on his left shoulder blade. "Hah… hahhh… I need to re-educate you—," he raised a hand to block two blades that came down atop him.

Irina and Lucia clenched their jaws, pushing against his tough hide.

"After I kill the Anti-Christ and her followers…"

He looked around, watching as the others prepared themselves.

"I will—"

"Lucia!"

David whirled around, seeing more people coming toward them. He let out a snarl before swinging his arm, sending a blast of razor-sharp wind at them.

"Griselda! Watch out…?"

The cutting gale was suddenly dispersed as a flash of silver came from the group.

"Huh…?" David watched as his right arm slid off his shoulder, hitting the ruined floor with a wet, meaty slap. "H-Huh? W-What? M-My…. AGGGGGHHHH!" David howled as he gripped the bloody stump where his right arm used to be. "Kugh! M-MY ARM!"

"You alright, brat?"

Kiyotora arrived first. His hand hovered over his sheathed holy katana as he eyed David from head to toe. "That is one ugly-looking bastard."

"Lucia! Are you alright?" Griselda asked, arriving shortly after.

"I'm fine," Lucia said, leaning on Irina for support.

"I am the Messiah… how dare you—!"

A blast of holy lightning slammed into him, sending him crashing into what remained of the altar. David groaned. The smell of burned flesh began to permeate the air.

"That's enough of that," Mirana said.

"Could've saved some for the rest of us," Souji said as he walked up with his hands behind his head.

"Griselda—"

"Not now," she said, cutting Lucia off. Griselda turned her gaze back to David, who had gotten back up.

There was now genuine fear written over the man's once confident face. It seemed the fact that someone had managed to harm him so easily had ruffled his feathers far more than he had realized.

David shook his head as he stumbled backward, finally showing his true colors. All his prior blustering and bravado fell away when he felt the pressure radiating from the silver-haired woman's body. "No… No, no… I am the Messiah!"

"I've seen people like you before," Griselda said, taking a step forward and brandishing Almace. "Fools who pretend to be strong when in front of the weak. People who can never truly stand against people who hit back."

"You… You are a nun of the Church! Yet here you stand with the Anti-Christ! Woman, listen to me! I am the true Messiah of this world!" David said, attempting to use his power to brainwash her.

Yet, he felt nothing. Griselda continued to walk forward, completely undeterred by any mental influence.

"Sorry, dickbag," Lucia said. "I guess… all your brainwashing powers came from this feather I cut in half a few minutes ago, huh?"

"Khhh! You—! Stop right here! I command you to stop!" David held his remaining hand out, sending a telekinetic blast at Griselda.

Griselda swung Almace, slicing the psychic blast in half. "Looks like she was right… all along. Asmodeus…," Griselda spat. Her blue eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, o' Heaven, O' Angels, please grant me the power… to deliver justice upon this demon!"

"H-Hiiiih!" David rushed toward the basin, sending psychic blasts in an attempt to slow down the rushing Griselda.

It was futile. She barreled through them, one after the other, tearing the telekinetic blasts apart as if they were paper.

"Stay away!" David swung his left arm, falling to the ground before the basin as he sent pews and the podium at the charging nun.

SHNNNNNN!

A flash of blue, and the flying debris was sliced apart in a single blow. Griselda stood in the center of the maelstrom, swishing the legendary rapier. Her face was shrouded by the shadows of her bangs, leaving only her glowing blue eyes visible.

I have no choice… I must complete the ritual… M-Maria… but I can no longer control her… so I must become…

Lucia's eyes widened as David grabbed onto the basin.

"Griselda! Stop him!" Lucia broke away from Irina's grip.

Griselda glanced at Lucia briefly before disappearing in a blur of speed toward David.

Lucia threw Netherlight with terrifying accuracy.

SQUELCH!

THUNK!