Life 5-1
"Kalawarner's dead?!"
Somewhere within Kuoh Town, the shocked words from the Fallen Angel Raynare echoed in the room. She gave out a frustrated growl as she sat back against the wall, biting a thumb. Around her, the remaining two of her three teammates stood. It had been Dohnaseek who'd delivered the news of the unfortunate results of Kalawarner's outing that night, returning with nothing but a handful of her feathers.
"I bet it was that damn half-breed!" Mittelt snapped, gesturing to her still scarred wing.
"Why do you think she went out tonight?" Dohnaseek stated, holding up one of the feathers he'd returned with. And it flickered with a spark of strange, dark-crimson light. "Raynare, it also seems he's awakened some unknown power, going by the remnants on these feathers. It's one thing for this half-breed to possess a Sacred Gear. It also seems he's made contact with the Gremory Peerage that oversees part of this territory."
"So, what are you saying?" Mittelt snapped, "That we just turn tail and run like cowards?! We'd be the laughing stock of the Grigori if we come back from this mission with one of us dead!"
"And it's also clear we're now in over our heads!" Dohnaseek snapped. "Need I remind you, Mittelt, we were sent on this mission to assess the status of this town and confirm the information given to us by Lord Azazel. Raynare, let's be honest, the decision to attack that Devil was a foolish one. He's far stronger than expected. If he has allied with the Gremory or Sitri groups, then this is beyond us now…"
"Is it?" Raynare bit, "Do you really want to just leave? After the way he humiliated us? How he's done it again by killing one of ours?"
"Be logical about this," Dohnaseek interjected. "Our first encounter proved how powerful he is. And I'm sure Kalawarner didn't go into the fight underestimating that. And she still lost while our foe now has something new under his sleeve. He still didn't go all out against us if that's the case. I can assume he's at least on the tier of a Mid-Class Devil, higher if we factor in his Sacred Gear. And even then, I could be misjudging off the little we know."
"You're telling me that nobody has a Longinus?!" Mittelt snapped, giving a cawing laugh. "As if! What kind of luck would someone need to have to be half-Devil and get something like that? You'd be a fucking paradox if that was the case! I'm not running! I want payback for that bastard nearly taking my wing!"
"Then you'll end up like Kalawarner. Face it, we can't beat this guy and we're fools to try. We should return and give our report and be done with it."
"There is something else…" A wicked grin split Raynare's face as she finally broke her silence. "You do remember the other plan, yes? The one we so painstakingly acquired that relic of a device for?"
"You're not serious at this point," Dohnaseek said. "That Extractor is a prototype that was supposed to be disposed of. If it gets out we took it so you could do a little experiment without authorization, we'll have more to worry about than a Half-Devil with a Longinus."
"But what if we use it and remove such a threat from the equation?" Raynare suggested, "We'd come back hailed as heroes! The brave lower-ranked Fallen Angels who braved hell and high water to prevent our enemies from getting their hands on such a powerful piece! And all for the life of one measly human."
"You're acting deluded," Dohnaseek scoffed. "You two are free to run headlong to your own deaths, but I'll have no involvement in signing my death warrant over this."
"Feel free to run then!" Mittelt cawed, raising a middle finger as Dohnaseek left the room without so much as a side glance their way. "Miss out on the fun then."
"Not worth the air Mittelt," Raynare said, looking off to an object in the room currently covered by a large dark cloth. "We just need to wait a while is all. Once our little test subject gets here, things will start going our way. We just need time to prepare."