Of Souls and Devils (Bleach/Highschool DxD)

[Thomas Johnston]

So... well thanks for stopping by everyone, the name is DragonKnightRyu, and I thought I would give his a shot cause the idea just wouldn't leave me alone.

Basic stuff, this is a Bleach/Highschool DxD fusion, with the Bleach elements being HEAVILY AU, so don't go expecting many of the canon characters like Ichigo or Orihime popping up out of nowhere outside of things like cameos.

With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy this fic.

---

It was overwhelming.

His breath came in pants as he struggled against the pressure of the power before him.

It no longer could even be called a mortal creature. The only thing that he could think to describe It was 'Power'.

Still, even as he felt his knees almost buckle from fear, he locked them in place, remained standing as others fell to their knees around him.

It found his defiance amusing, opened Its arms, welcoming his attacks, voicing Its challenge for him.

He screamed out, releasing the tension from his body. Putting his defiance to sound as he charged forward, his right arm rearing back as his own strength, his cultivated power lashed out, stricking It with all his strength, not in a large blast of power.

No, his strike was a pinpoint, it was carefully aimed, It showed a look of surprise as his power lanced through It.
With that strike, you may have sealed my fate… but in return, you have also sealed the fate of humanity…

---

A gasp escaped my lips as my eyes snapped open, sweat drenching my sheets as I fumbled and rolled off of my bed, slamming into the ground with a groan.

I shook my head a bit to clear the remnants of the nightmare(the memory) from my mind as I pushed myself up with my left arm, my right dropping uselessly to my side, the blackness of the skin standing out when compared to my tanned complexion as I staggered to my feet.

Again, that dream(that memory) plagued me, it had been two years since that day, and even to this day, I still feel it's effects.

The dull throbbing from my right arm was a constant reminder of what my defiance cost me. From the middle of the bicep down, the arm refused to move normally, and with it, the power that I could muster.
It sat there, waiting to be used, sealed with my curse in my arm, the lock represented by a simple pink ribbon wrapped around my bicep. I could use it, strengthen my body once more.

But in return…

I shook my head again to clear those thoughts as I checked the clock and let out a sigh. Time to get ready for school.

---

Despite my own sour mood, the weather was beautiful, with the crisp air of the coming winter countered by the warm fall sun. My right arm was wrapped in bandages, even underneath my uniform jacket, hiding the discoloured skin from everyone around me and hanging limply in a sling as my left hand carried my schoolbag.

Around me, students dressed in the same uniformed walked along, talking with each other, boys trading jokes as girls gossiped, subtly avoiding me as we headed for the same destination, not really surprising to be honest, considering my general grouchy demeanor and the fact that most Japanese social conventions said to ignore those that were different.

Which given my perpetually useless arm, included me.

But, that was not all, apparently.

"Hey! Ryu!" A voice called out behind me, causing me to pause as I turned to look at the person calling out to me, smiling slightly at the sight of a brown haired teen that quickly caught up to me.

"Hey, Issei, how are you doing today?" I questioned my friend, Issei Hyoudou, his brown eyes lighting up in excitement as he matched my, admittedly, leisurely pace.

"Really great!" Issei shouted in excitement. "Get this, I got confessed to yesterday!"

I raised my eyebrow at the young man next to me in response, surprised at the fact that he had gotten confessed to, while he wasn't ugly, he did have a… reputation.

"She also has these amazing oppai! Although, I wonder how she knew about me, she does go to a different school judging by her uniform," Issei continued, completely oblivious to my surprise.

Yeah, despite how much of a nice guy Issei was at heart, not to mention loyal to a fault, he was a completely unrepentant pervert and a member of the 'Perverted Trio'. Still, he was a loyal friend and would stand up for anyone he called a friend no matter the circumstance.

I smirked a bit at him and lightly hit his shoulder with my fist. "Well, congrats, Issei," I told him honestly. "I hope it goes well."

Issei grinned back at me as he rubbed the space under his nose. "Thanks, Ryu!" he replied with a laugh. "Motohama and Matsuda were so angry with me that I got a date before they did."

I snorted in response. "If those two ever get an honest date, I will eat my shoes," I said, rolling my eyes as Issei laughed in response.

As Issei was lost in his own humor for a moment, I eyed my friend carefully, one of the more odd things I had notices about him was the energy his soul produced, it was weak, yes. That was normal for an average human, but the 'feel' of his soul… was draconic.

And there was something different with it… the best way to describe it was 'tainted light' strangely enough.
It was weak, meaning, it was something from a person he encountered, and with him proclaiming a new girlfriend, it was easy for me to get suspicious.

A brief chill passed along my spine as we approached the school, the barrier the owners of the school put up very obvious to my senses.

The school… when I first applied, it seemed normal enough, a former all-girl's school turned coed, eager enough to fill out the new male portion that they overlooked my truancy record from my old school, along with the occasional disciplinary action against fighting at school.

It had been an understanding between me and the staff at that school, they turned a blind eye to my truancy and occasional fight, and I kept the worst gangs away from the school.

What was it with spiritually enriched lands and gangs? Really, the number of gangs per square foot for my hometown was… unique, that's for sure.

"Hyoudou-san, Hisanaga-san," a prim voice greeted as we came up to the gates, Issei flinching as a short blacked haired girl wearing the school uniform and glasses as she glared at the two of us. "Glad to see you two are on time today."

I let out a sigh in response, while it was true the faculty overlooked my record to fill up the classroom, the student council president didn't.

"Shitori-kaicho," I replied in greeting, the petite girl looking up at me imposingly.

Whatever Sona Shitori was, I was completely certain that it wasn't human. I wasn't completely sure what she was, but at the very least, I knew she wasn't hostile to humans, at least not to the ones who followed the school rules.

"Hmph, you two are dressed appropriately, you may continue," she declared promptly after looking us over for several moments. "Hisanaga-san, I trust you won't be causing any trouble today?"

"I never plan on it, Kaicho," I replied easily as I started to walk past. "Maybe you should look at the root cause before attacking the symptoms."

Yeah, I probably didn't help our relationship by continuing my actions like back home, ensuring that gang members knew to steer clear of anyone wearing a Kuoh uniform, lest I began to hunt them down

I could tell on the one hand, she understood my actions, after all, eyes were the windows to the soul, and despite her stoic expressions, her eyes told me all I needed to know.

Thing was, not only did it go against the school rules, but she also just saw a crippled teen when she looked at me.
I think I hated that part the most. The pity that crossed the eyes of anyone who did look at me, only, they didn't look at me, they looked at the sling.

"I shall do so, Hisanaga-san, however, as a student here you are still my responsibility," she proclaimed, light gleaming off the lenses of her glasses as she adjusted them. "Even if your choice of company leaves much to be desired."

I rolled my eyes in response, much as people only looked at my sling, people only saw Issie's perversion.

"I think I can choose good friends, Kaicho," I said patting Issei's shoulder as we began to walk. "I at least see more than one trait of a person."

I couldn't help but smirk at my shot at her as she narrowed her eyes at me before turning her attention to the arriving students behind us.

Issei smirked at me, relief visible in his eyes as we walked before turning away as the two other members of the 'Perverted Trio' called out to him.

Just another normal day at school.

---

I sighed as I walked home, school had been school, listening to teachers as they instructed us in their subjects, bailing Issei out of getting his ass beaten by angry Kendo girls while his two 'friends' attempted to sacrifice him to save their own butts.

Yeah, I wasn't going to let that happen to my friend when he didn't even peek himself, despite his attempt to do so. Had he actually done so, I wouldn't have bailed him out, after all, one must accept the consequences for their actions.

Looking up at the sky I let out another sigh before stepping into an alleyway. "Do you need help, lost soul?" I questioned, turning my gaze to a translucent figure that had been following me for a few blocks, a broken chain draping towards the ground, hanging from his chest.

"You… can see me?" the departed soul questioned, a mix of fearfulness and hopefulness filling his voice as he drifted closer. "Is… that why I felt drawn to you?"

"In part," I replied, it wasn't like he would fully understand the relationship I had with spirits. "Why are you keeping yourself tied here? You should move on to the afterlife."

"I can't," the soul replied, anger flashing across his face as he shook. "It isn't fair! That woman continues to live while I suffer! I, who had done nothing to her! Who simply was doing my job! And she… she just… all I wanted to do was help a child…"

I took in a careful breath before releasing. "How did you die?" I questioned him gently.

"I… I saw a lost child," the man explained, his anger vanishing as he slumped. "She asked me for help in finding her way home… when we passed through an alley however… crow like wings… and a spear of light..."

I took in a careful breath at that, it certainly didn't sound like any kind of Hollow that I heard of, even if I didn't factor the fact that the soul before me had been a completely normal human who couldn't even see hollows in the first place.

"Departed one, please, allow yourself to move onto the next life," I asked gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you remain any longer, you will become something that you would not recognize as yourself."

The soul looked at me with a pleading expression. "But… what about the one who killed me, what about my injustice?" he pleaded with me in desperation, I could feel the darkness of his emotions overflowing into his soul as the chain hanging from his chest began to rattle.

"I will see to it myself," I assured him, the rattling of the chain slowing as he met my gaze. "It is my role after all, so rest easy, I will see to the injustice that befell you."

"... Okay…" he breathed out sagging before me as a light began to flow around him. "Will it hurt? To pass on?"

"No," I promised him. "It will be peaceful."

"Thank you," he whispered before vanishing in the light, going to whichever afterlife he had been chosen for.

Letting out a sigh I stood up as I looked around, ensuring no one had been watching me before a brief flash of green light surrounded my feet as I launched myself into the air, pain racking my right arm as I utilized the power of my soul.
But I pushed it out of my mind as I ran through the sky as if it were solid ground, even if a normal human were to look up into the sky as I passed overhead, all they would see is a fleeting blur.

I had a job to do.

 

[Thomas Johnston]

For Sona Sitri, Sona Shitori in public, her life was one of responsibility. The Heiress to one of the 72 Pillars of the Underworld, the younger sister of one of the Governing Maous, one of the two managers of Kuoh Town and, most importantly to her, the Student Council President of Kuoh Academy.

As such, she upheld her responsibility to the students above and beyond what was expected of her by the faculty and students.

Which, to her misfortune, also meant having to deal with the strangeness of one Ryu Hisanaga and the trouble that seemed to follow behind him like a lost puppy.

At first, it had been rather simple things, such as him going against long time bullies that she had been pushing to expel from the school. Some of whom held gang affiliations, and while they never tried it on the school grounds, they still attempted to recruit her fellow students and push drugs through the school.

While she had been working on removing their influence from the school legally, Ryu had just stepped passed all of the hoops and, according to the rumours her contact in the police hearing, literally broke the back of the gang leader.

At first, she dismissed such rumours as baseless, after all, Ryu Hisanaga was essentially crippled, sure, he had a long standing, if unrecorded, record of fighting gangs back in his hometown, but now his arm had what seemed to be nerve damage if her assumptions were correct, judging from the pained winces he had whenever his arm was even slightly jostled.

So even if he was an experienced street brawler, how could he possibly fight against a full gang, let alone break someone's body?

It was only recently that she learned that there just may be some merit to these rumours when her Queen, Tsubaki, informed her of strange movements from the local spirits whenever he was around, and the fact that someone has been aiding the spirits with moving on, from passing along messages - the recipients somehow never recalling the face of the messenger, or even their gender. Flowers being left on random street corners, that research revealed to be the sites of vehicular incidents.

With each of these things, Ryu was reported to be in the area by the various number of familiars patrolling the city. And now, on a seemingly random night, a new power blanketed over the city as one of her pawns spotted what normal humans would only be able to process as a blur, at best, but Ruruka was able to identify as Ryu Hisanaga, running through the air.

By now, Sona was starting to wonder if the rumours she heard were underselling his actions. After all, at best he was just an unaffiliated magician, at worst he was an elite member of the church's Exorcists.

The real question she was asking herself at the moment though, was twofold; one, just how did he hide his power from not only her, but her fellow King Rias Gremory, and two, why was he revealing himself now?

It was with these questions in mind that she took to the skies, following after the power that Ryu was radiating off of himself.

She couldn't help but recall the idle thought she had when he first started taking the bullies in Kuoh, she considered inviting him to the Student Council, as it was obvious he was a man with moral standards, however, she held off from inviting him for what she considered to be a 'trial' period of invitation to her peerage.

But, something held her back, something, she was starting to suspect was his power, whatever it was.

"Tsubaki, he is heading for the outskirts of the town," Sona informed through her Communication ability that was connected with her Queen at the moment. "For now, set up a barrier blocking anyone from approaching."

"Kaicho?" her Queen questioned in response. "We're not going to stop him?"

"I will step in if necessary," Sona replied with a frown, honestly, she's been wanting to get rid of the crows for a long time, but with the state of supernatural politics being a powderkeg on the best day, she was forced to restrain her hand.

"Understood," Tsubaki replied as she began setting up the barrier that would keep bystanders from getting involved by accident.

---

As I moved through the air, small ripples of green light emitting from the soles of my feet as they 'pressed' against the accumulated reiatsu, allowing me to stay aloft in the air.

I could feel watchers observing me, senses that had lain dormant for the better part of a year stirring once again as I locked onto a pair of souls, one familiar, and one not.

One was the soul of my friend, Issei, the other was not human.

My eyes narrowed as a spasm of pain arced through my body before I suppressed it once more. Normally I wouldn't concern myself with my friend when I was searching for a target, but considering that said target liked to draw their victims in through various means…

I closed my eyes briefly, letting out a sigh before reopening and looked.

It was one of the first skills I mastered, the observation of every soul within my sight, beyond just sensing them, beyond just feeling them.

I looked at their very soul, and with that, I can see the effects of their every choice, and the not human next to Issei, was a monster, they looked human, but their soul spoke of a life of gleeful bloodshed, of scorning humans as less than bugs, of killing without concern.

And that thing was next to my friend.

Fury overrode pain as my soul manifested itself around my body, surrounding me with a pale green aura as I moved.

It wasn't a run or a sprint, it was a step. In a single step I covered 10 meters of distance.

Kaze no Ugoki, Wind Movement. One of the first techniques I developed watching the Shinigami, Quincy and the Arrancars that I fought alongside and against. With a burst of Reiatsu I surged forward again, disappearing from sight, reappearing closer towards my target as I sped up the pace of my 'steps'.

---

Issei was over the moon as he escorted his new girlfriend through the empty park that she wanted to visit. The date had been going perfectly in Issei's opinion, and Yuuma-chan seemed to be enjoying herself as they walked through the town.

"Can you do something for me, Issei?" Yuuma questioned as she skipped ahead of him a bit, turning back with a wide smile in front of the water fountain, illuminated by the surrounding street lamps.

"Will you die for me?"

Issei blinked and managed to get out an 'eh?' sound before a sharp pain in his stomach brought his attention down to where a spear made of pure light was stabbed into him, Yuuma's hand gripping it before ripping it out, allowing Issei to drop to the ground.

Issei gasped painfully as he tried to bring air into his shredded lungs,the gaping hole in hia chest oozing blood and viscera onto the ground underneath him as he reached out for Yuuma who was sneering down at him.

"Blame God for this if you have to blame someone," she told him dismissively as her form shifted and changed, growing a bit taller as her face became a bit sharper, her body becoming more womanly as her clothes shifted from a simple but cute sundress to something that looked like it belonged in a bdsm catalogue while a pair of midnight black feathery wings sprouted from her back.

"Yu… uma…" Issei gasped out, his voice questioning.

"Hmph, Lord Aza-" she cut herself off as she felt something wash over her.

Issei's eyes widened weakly as he saw his friend, Ryu, appear from nowhere right in front of him, looking down with a sorrowful look on his face.

"Sorry, Issei," he whispered to the boy. "Looks like I was fast enough…"

Issei attempted to open his mouth to speak only to cough up blood instead.

---

A growl bubbled up from my throat as I turned to glare at the creature who sneered at me in response. The creature's lips parted to speak but I didn't bother with even humouring it.

After all, they would join the dead soon enough as it was.

With a step I was behind the winged creature, it was obviously not an experienced combatant as rather than moving they froze up in place, my punch solidly connecting with their spine

A pained gasped escaped their lips along with bits of spittle and flecks of blood. Barely a heartbeat had passed before my next strike landed, an open palm strike with my left hand into their sternum, the damage of the blow amplified by a burst of my reiatsu as I drove the creature into the ground.

It struggled to stand up again, groaning in pain as they pushed against the ground only to be met with the sole of my shoe as I drove it down on their face, I could feel the cartilage break and the bone crack in response to the abuse.

I moved to finished them off only to break away as a desperate slash with a spear of light passed through where I had been standing.

The creature glared at me in a crazed manner as they made to scream something at me only to cut themself off as they made a desperate dodge away from my kick.

The crow-like wings spread wide as they took to the air glaring down at me as I calmly looked back up at them.

But, even as I kept my expression completely neutral, my arm throbbed painfully as my curse flared up, exerting pressure not only on my soul, but on my nerves as well.

"You'll pay for this human," she slurred out, her broken nose making her words difficult to understand. "I'll kill you for this!"

I coukd feel something appear at my back as I kept my focus on the xreature before me, the new presence had the feeling of an absolute void, and there was only one being that I felt such a power from before.

I pushed that out of mind for the moment as the creature looked between me and the new arrival before snarling and disappearing in a flash of light.

I let out a shuddering sigh beofre resolving myself and turned to face the new arrival.

"And what is it you are doing with my friend, Rias Gremory?" I questiioned the red headed creature before me.

She was pretty, in the western fashion with wide hips and a large chest, her face was set with aristocratic features and expressive blue eyes as she smiked at me mysteriously.

"Nothing you need to worry about, Ryu Hisanaga," she replied politely as she stood uo across from me, a crimson red circular design appearing under her feet to envelop both her and Issei. "I mean him no harm, quite the opposite really."

I narrowed my eyes in response and shifted a bit to stop her before she vanished in some kind of teleportation.

A growl escaped my throat at that as I turned and looked in the direction I could feel an observer and tsk'd when they vanished as well.

Looks like I will have to get my answers at school then.

 

[Thomas Johnston]

I was not in a good mood the following morning.

My attempt at following the creature's trail was a failure as it apparently was smart enough to use some method to conceal itself.

I wasn't completely certain how it was blocking my sight, but I heavily suspected it had something to do with magic.

'I should have pressed Nelrim harder for information about magic and the different creatures that exist.' I berated myself as I stood in the air above Issei's home, my power keeping me from the sight of the uninitiated as I observed the very much alive and uninjured Issei.

But, he was changed in response. The aspect of Lust, while it always had a strong presence in my friend's soul, had been further strengthened, empowering his body to inhuman levels.

And inhuman was correct, but at the same time, incorrect.

It was rather strange, it was like that whatever Rias Gremory did to heal him transformed him into something closer to what she was, a hybrid, and even now I could see the connection between their souls, her own power keeping his new power and Lust aspect in control.

I let out a sigh and turned away from my friend as he scrambled to get ready for school today as I began to make my way to the school myself, still under the cloak of my power. I was not heading there to attend classes.

No, it was time to get answers.


Sona Sitri was normally one not easily startled or rattled by happenings within the school that she was the student president of. Given the fact that she and Rias both had sensory barriers up around the entire area to detect not only those above a certain power threshold, but those with hostile intentions.

As such, when she entered into the Student Council's boardroom to find one Ryu Hisanaga sitting in one of the chairs in what seemed to be a casual fashion with some kind of combat knife prominently on display on the table before him, she found herself frozen in place.

"Take a seat, Shitori-san, I think it's time we had a discussion," Ryu announced calmly, meeting her gaze. "Especially after last night."

Sona grimaced in response as she stepped into the room, sending a message to Tsubaki to stand by with Communication, while she wasn't sure if he would attack her, it wouldn't be smart to make him panic by having the rest of her peerage barge in their weapons drawn. "You speak of Hyoudou-san," she commented as she moved over to her usual seat and sat down.

"In part," Ryu replied with a careless shrug. "There is also the fact of whatever it was that your compatriot did to heal him, changed his very soul into something akin to your own, the fact that you are allowing murderers to walk around in your territory, and the fact that you are doing nothing about it."

Sona restrained a wince that threatened to break the impassive mask she was putting up for her conversation with him as she considered her responses. Whatever power it was he wielded, it was obvious he didn't have complete knowledge on the different kinds of species, specifically Devils like herself and Rias and Fallen Angels whom she was assuming he was referring to.

"Ah… you are speaking of Rias reincarnating him as a member of her Peerage," Sona replied, starting with the easiest - by comparison - subject. "Yes… given the state that he was in, Rias judged it was the only way to save his life."

"Saving his life?" Ryu drawled. "Or laying claim to whatever the source of the draconic energy is?"

Sona paused for a moment to regard him carefully as he said that, only now beginning to notice, in the dimly lit Student Council room that his eyes had a slight bluish/green glow to him, the source being a ring of blue light that seemed to surround the pupil's of his eyes. "I… that had been a factor of her decision I will admit," she replied after a moment's consideration. "Is that your reason for keeping close to him?"

Ryu scowled at her in response. "I kept close to him because he was my friend, a friend who had been killed by the winged bitch in your territory while both of you simply watched," he replied. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you following me around?"

She did actually. "The… they… it is a complicated political situation," Sona replied slowly. "The… creature that attacked Hyoudou-san is known as a Fallen Angel and the faction that myself and Rias are a part of are currently in a rather… precarious ceasefire agreement that if broken, could end up in a massive war as such… we cannot act… impulsively."

Ryu narrowed his glowing eyes at her, and Sona couldn't help but feel like she was completely bare before him. "Hmph, politics," he commented as he stood up, grabbing his knife that quickly vanished somewhere on his body. "Very well then, I suppose that leaves the question… what are you?"

Sona squared her shoulders at that, considering how to answer the question before letting out a sigh. "I am a Devil," she replied as she summoned her bat-like wings behind her. "A member of the Underworld."

Ryu's eyes narrowed a bit more, but he didn't reach for his knife which Sona was going to take as a positive sign. "In all actuality Issei Hyoudou has been a… person of interest for us," Sona continued, drawing a tightening of the eyes from Ryu. "We believed him to be in possession of the Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear, which houses the Red Dragon Emperor Ddraig."

Sona watched as his face shifted a bit, his eyes narrowing after a few seconds of consideration. "I want this honest answer," he said in a far too calm voice. "Did you arrange for his death so he could not refuse?"

Sona inhaled sharply, fighting back the urge to snap at the perceived slight. "No, absolutely not," she rebuked harshly. "We had no idea that the Fallen would act so overtly in our territory, their leader is extremely interested in Sacred Gears, but he would never authorize the killing of a wielder unless they proved to be a threat."

Ryu stared at her for a long time, the young devil once again feeling the sensation of being completely bare before him before he let out a sigh. "Very well then," he said as he stood up, retrieving his knife and hiding it away on his person. "I shall believe you, but… should I find proof to the contrary..."

Sona narrowed her eyes at the implied threat as he left the Student Council office without another word, she quickly tasked her familiar to watch and track him. Once she was sure he was gone she let out a shuddering sigh of relief. She was used to being around raw power for her entire life, being both a Heiress to a Pillar Clan, but also the sister to the current Leviathan made sure of that.

But this hadn't been sheer raw power, in fact when it came to raw power she was quite certain that even her pawns had more than him. What had shaken her the most, was the intent behind it. If she had said one wrong word, or gave one misunderstanding, he would have killed her, and she didn't like how… vulnerable she had felt before him.

"Kaichou?" her queen questioned as she entered the room, looking at her with worry.

"I'm alright… Tsubaki," Sona assured with a somewhat faltering smile. "It was just… startling was all…"

Tsubaki frowned a bit as she looked over her King with a raised eyebrow expressing her disbelief. "Kaichou… Sona, you don't look alright," she replied firmly. "What happened?"

Sona let out a shuddering sigh in response. "I think I am beginning to realize how sheltered I have been until now," she admitted. "I never felt such pressure from anyone before… even the stray devils that make their way into Kuoh never given off such pressure, weren't as threatening as he was with just his presence."

"Kaichou… should we mobilize?" Tsubaki questioned, preparing herself to summon her glaive.

"No…" Sona denied with a shake of her head. "I… I don't think any of us are ready for a fight against him, have our familiars follow after him though, we have to keep an eye on someone like him…"

---

I decided not to bother with classes for the day, with the anger I was feeling simmering I would not be very good company to anyone, let alone being able to pay attention to the teachers.

So, rather than try to, I decided to put my anger to work and went hunting for these, 'Fallen Angels'.

As I stalked through the town, keeping myself cloaked in reiatsu to hide myself from the eyes of the uninitiated around me, the ringing of my phone brought me out of my fugue.

"Hello~ it is I, the one, the only, and the ever lovely Nelrim~" I bit back a sigh that threatened to escape my throat as the airy voice of the one person who I knew and could contact with anything resembling reasonable amounts of success. "I happened to have felt the energies of a certain someone, in a particular part of Japan randomly surge up despite their condition, so I thought I would call you up and see what has gotten you so riled up~"

"Actually, I am glad you called, I replied honestly, despite her laissez faire attitude and her propensity towards 'theatrical narcissism', as another friend called it, she was no doubt intelligent and knowledgeable about more than just the worlds of death and spirits. "What can you tell me about the Fallen Angels and Devils?"

There was a long pause before Nelrim let out a gisty breath. "Are you telling me that one of those two made you release your reiatsu last night?" She questioned, her voice solemn, dropping her usual casual tone.

"The Fallen did," I confirmed, "I spoke with one of the Devils, wanted to confirm what I learned."

"Of course they did," Nelrim grumbled over the phone. "Give a sec I'll be right with you."

The call was quickly disconnected as a circle, lined with a large assortment of runes appeared next to me, Nelrim soon emerging from the circle that quickly faded behind her.

If Rias Gremory was an example of a European beauty, and Sona Sitri was an example of an Asian beauty, then Nelrim could only be described as a Fae-type beauty.

Tall and slim, her willowy body covered by a white robe that hung free of her shoulders with simple clothing underneath. She has soft facial features, her forest green eyes glimmering as her snow white hair flowed down her back looking as if they were being ruffled by a nonexistent wind.

"There," she sighed as she patted her robes down, before turning to me and smirking, her eyes lingering on my slung arm for only a few moments. "Now… why don't you tell me what they told you and we can go from there?"

I smiled a bit at her before recounting my conversation with Sona Sitri, also relaying what I managed to gather from her soul about if she was telling the truth or not.

"Yes, she did speak truthfully with you, guess those rumors about the Leviathan's sister being a stickler are true…" Nelrim noted, making me raise an eyebrow. "Not quite the Leviathan you would have heard about, but still one of the leaders of the Underworld."

"Great, let me guess, Rias Gremory is the same?" I drawled out with a sigh, getting a nod from my companion.

"Her older brother is the Satan, Lucifer in fact, if anything his strength would be comparable to his when he absorbed what he was looking for.

Fuck.

A frown flickered across my face, my eyes narrowing as I took in the information and carefully considered it.

"I know that look, you think you see something," Nelrim commented with a teasing lilt to her voice.

"Do you know their relationship with their siblings?" I questioned, staring out over the city contemplatively.

"The two satans are well known to be obsessed with their sisters," Nelrim told me, shrugging carelessly. "The two are infamous for doting on them., why?"

"If that's the case, then why send bloodthirsty agents into their territory?" I questioned, getting a pause from Nelrim who gave me a long look. "One, a child looking one, has been killing normal humans, and the second, the one that I encountered, believed herself to be the apex of Kuoh…"

"That is strange…" Nelrim mused, her lips pursing as she considered the information. "What do you plan on doing?"

I grunted a bit in response as I rolled my shoulders, wincing as my cursed arm flared in pain. "Tell me more… about the supernatural world," I asked her, meeting her gaze.

Her expression softened as she met my gaze, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes. "There will be no turning back from this path Ryu," she whispered softly. "I know you, you can still turn away, live a normal life like you were meant to."

I looked back over the city, her words rolling around in me. "I won't turn away," I said after a few minutes. "I can't turn away from this, not when I can take action, even in my current state."

Nelrim sighed in response. "Very well," she sighed out, nodded.

And so she told me. Everything.

 

[Thomas Johnston]

Nelrim was silent, surveying Kuoh from our perch, leaving me to my contemplations, processing everything she had told me about the rest of the supernatural world, and the war that nearly killed the three biggest factions.

Devils, Angels and Fallen.

Mutually assured destruction should they start fighting again, no new Angels had been seen since the war, Devil birth rates were low, and while Fallen could breed with mortals and other races, their strength was diluted compared to their 'pure' counterparts. Any war would bleed their population dry.

So, why would they send bloodthirsty agents into a city run by the sisters of two of the Satans, the two most renowned for their obsessive love for their sisters?

"Someone wants to restart the war," I said, finally breaking the silence.

"It does seem that way," Nelrim nodded in agreement, letting out a soft sigh. "The question is why though?"

"Without being able to observe the string-puller's soul, I don't have a definitive answer to that," I replied, shaking my head, drawing a wry grin from the white haired Magician.

"Oh, so your eyes are fallible after all?" Nelrim questioned me teasingly. "Ah, so many of our comrades would be so disappointed to learn that the clairvoyance they claimed you had was nothing but a falsehood."

I rolled my eyes in response. "I never claimed clairvoyance," I retorted. "I just learned to read the souls of those around me."

The woman next to me shook her head with a small laugh. "And still, you don't realize what kind of feat you accomplished in managing to do that," she said, before smoothing her face into a more serious expression. "What do you plan to do?"

"For the moment, watch and wait," I said, narrowing my eyes, observing Kuoh. "They targeted my friend once already, they very well may do so again."

"The one believed to hold Boosted Gear and reincarnated as a Devil," Nelrim nodded. "Yeah, they will target him again, especially if they are like what you saw."

I nodded slowly, my eyes glowing as I 'saw' the souls of everyone in Kuoh, watching one in particular as they moved through the city. A new soul popping up behind it. "Speaking of…" I sighed, rolling my neck as I called up what power I could.

It didn't seem like the soul of the one who killed Issei, nor was it the soul of the one who I was hunting for the departed soul. This one was a hardened soul, one who saw war, but the blood that soaked it showed how much it reviled in the bloodshed.

"Here," Nelrim sighed as she placed a hand on my back, I could feel her power, her magic, flowing through me, soothing the pain from my curse, fortifying my soul against it. "It's no fix, but… it should help for a while."

"Thank you, Nelrim, for everything," I said, not looking back at her as I focused my power. "I will see you later," with those words, I vanished, speeding towards Issei and the Fallen that stalked him.

Even with my back turned to her, I can still see the conflict in her soul, wanting to stop me, wanting me to return to that simple life, but… that time long since passed, it wasn't when she told me about the supernatural world that that time passed, it was before I even met her, before I joined that war of souls and spirits.

Even now, I could see that silhouette in front of me, a laugh in the wind as they danced.

My path had been set a long time ago, this was just another step along it.

---

This day had not been a good one for Issei, waking from a strange dream of being killed, of witnessing Ryu fighting with both of his arms, of Gremory-senpai standing over him. He could have sworn Yuuma had been real, they had been on a date.

But… no one seemed to remember her, her number, her pictures missing from his phone, and his friend Ryu, missing the entire day.

It left Issei reeling the entire day, moving about listlessly, feeling sapped under the sun, which thankfully was starting to fade as the sun dipped below the horizon as he made his way home.

As he stepped around the corner to his home street Issei froze, feeling an icy feeling run down his spine, freezing in his tracks he could feel the presence behind him.

"Tell me… who do you serve?," a smooth, masculine voice questioned as Issei turned to face the speaker, an older looking forgien man with blond hair and distinguished features, wearing an overcoat with a hat. "Or… perhaps, you are a stray?"

Issei's eyes widened, his face paling as he stumbled back, a pair of crow-like wings sprouting from his back… just like Yuuma.

"Well, I definitely don't sense you're master… so that means…" the man began to smile, it was far too wide, far too predatory to be a human smile as a spear of light appeared in his hand. "That it's okay to kill you!"

Issei flinched back, his eyes closing as the spear lunged for his chest, only for… nothing.

Hesitantly opening his eyes, Issei widened them further, standing before him, holding the spear at bay, was his friend. "R-Ryu?" Issei stammered out, he could see the bandages on his injured arm burning away from the spear of light, revealing coal black skin underneath.

His friend glanced back at him, sparing him a brief grin for turning back to the crow winged man. "I have some questions for you," the tone of his friend's voice sent a chill down his spine, the only time he had heard that tone of voice… it had been when a fellow student attempted to sell them drugs, and the student had never been seen in the school again. "And I think it will be in your best interest to answer, so I suggest you do not go far… Rias Gremory."

Issei blinked as a presence suddenly appeared next to him, one of the Great Ladies of Kuoh Academy, Rias Gremory.

"W-What the hell is going on?" Issei questioned in confusion, looking between the three surrounding him.

"I'm sure Gremory can explain it to you for now Issei," Ryu said, ah, I spoke aloud didn't I?

"Ah… so that one is claimed then? You should keep your pets on a tight-" the winged man's speech was interrupted by a sharp cracking sound as he suddenly doubled over, coughing out blood.

"I don't think you have the right to be saying that… mongrel mutt," Ryu hissed out, Issei swearing that he could see lines of light along his arms. "But it's time we took this conversation elsewhere."

And suddenly, the two of them were gone, with only the rushing of the wind marking their departure. "I-I… what?" Issei stammered out, his gaze turning to the only other person left in the area, the redheaded beauty staring at the area the pair had been with a deep frown on her face.

The frown quickly vanished as she turned to Issei. "Good evening, Issei Hyoudou," she greeted him with a slight curtsy, giving him a glimpse of her panties from where he was on the ground. "I am sure you have many questions, shall we move our conversation to a more… private location?"

It was around this time that Issei concluded, something in his brain must be broken… because all of this could not be happening!

---

I let out a breath as my feet touched down on the ground lightly, a sharp contrast to the heavy impact of the Fallen Angel as he landed on his back with a grunt of pain. "D-dammit…" the Fallen grunted in pain as he quickly recovered himself before I could push the advantage.

He carefully appraised me as he got to his feet, a spear of light in his hand held in a defensive fashion, it looked like his experience in battle started to overwhelm his bloodlust. "Ah… a Fullbringer," he growled, licking his lips as a predatory smile split his lips, the two of us circling each other. "It's been quite the while… since I killed one of your kind."

"Where are the rest of your kin hiding?" I questioned, ignoring his attempted taunt.

"Ahh, you want to meet the rest of my friends? Sure, I'll introduce them to your corpse!" The Fallen cried out with gleeful energy as he leapt towards me, his spear pulled back for a stab.

I let out a sigh of disappointment as I took a step to the side with Kaze no Ugoki and delivered a vicious kick to his midsection. Looks like the Fallen was completely lost in his bloodlust that he's forgotten all about strategy and skill.

Honestly, looking at his soul just made me… disappointed. This was supposed to be a creation of God, the Father of the Heavenly Host. But whatever beauty it once held was now drowned in blood and gore.

Sometimes, being able to see a person's soul was a heavy curse. By looking at it, I could understand them, I didn't see their past or hear their thoughts, no. All I could see was them and the result of their choices.

"I wonder…" I couldn't help but murmur as I caught his spear, my veins glowing with reiatsu as I reinforced my body. "What would He say, looking at you now?"

I could see the Fallen eyes narrow for a moment in confusion before they began to widen, his mouth opening to say something.

But, it was not to be, as my left and infused with my reiatsu pierced through his chest, ribs, lung and heart, before finally erupting out of his back. "Maybe he'll have a chance to say something himself," I commented as I ripped my arm out, allowing him to drop to the ground, gasping for breath. "I already spend enough time talking to the dead, I don't need to add your soul to the waiting list."

With that, I turned away, stepping with Kaze no Ugoki and began to make my way towards where Issei and Gremory were at. Was not looking forward to this conversation.