5 chapter 4

Kuoh

Dead Man's Drink

Lower Floor/Basement/Dungeon

"Are you ready, Lydia?"

"…I am at your every command, Seth-sama."

"Any questions?"

"…Is there any particular reason as to why I am tied up?"

"Just as a precaution."

"…And as to why I am naked?"

"….Also as a precaution. A very, necessary, precaution."

As it happened, I discovered that the [Bend Will] shout lasted for a full thirty hours before it wore off. Once it had worn of, Sana, aka Lydia 2.0, had reverted to speaking Japanese, and she had been completely confused, and had no recollection or memory of what had happened whilst she was under its effects.

Her bitching had been unfortunately too annoying to handle, so I shouted her again. Surprisingly, while being brought back under its effects, she remembered everything we did together. It was a fucking weird moment, but it had also brought out within me, a desire to actually experiment on a few of my powers before I went mook hunting.

Sana, of course, was my questionably willing test subject. I stared curiously at the relaxed woman who was tied up with bedsheets to the walls in the basement of the so-called 'cursed' building (I'd need to look into that). She was naked, because… okay, she was naked for no other reason except the fact that I was a horny bastard, and it felt fitting. She was surprisingly thinner than I thought underneath her clothes, and whilst she was not well-endowed, her breasts were surprisingly full enough and did not sag. Her stomach was unexpectedly toned, as where her legs and thighs. Also, black hair was her 'natural' hair color.

I got myself a large notebook, one which I decided to use as my Journal, and then I scribbled down the effects of [Bend Will], the duration, and left space for any other information.

"So, how do you feel Lydia?"

She gave me a dull look, shrugging how best she could. "Cold. This place has a bit of a draft."

"Yeah it does…" I added, before shrugging. "Anyway – I'm about to test some stuff on you – so be prepared."

"Yes, Seth-sama."

I frowned. "What was that?"

"…Yes, my Thane."

I grinned. "Far better."

I cast the [Calm] spell from my left hand, watching as the blue bolt of light streaked forward and struck her. There was not much of a difference except for attaining a slightly 'glazed' look in her eyes that was not unlike someone who had taken psychedelic drugs.

I waited for a few seconds to see if anything would change. Nothing did.

"So… how do you feel now?"

"…tranquil… Seth-sama… like… I'm… at peace…"

I brought up my notebook and jotted down.

[Calm] works on target, normal human, and makes them high.

Major weakness: it requires time from when cast to when it hits its target. Hence, people who are fast enough can dodge it if they know its coming. Can external stimulus affect the effect of the spell?

I walked up to the chained woman, before, as lightly as I could, slapped her across the face. Her eyes widened, and the haze over her eyes vanished.

"Ow."

[Calm] can be broken by external stimuli.

I suppose it made sense. Although, I wondered if it could be resisted by people with magic resistance? I also had a theory that the spell would not work on someone with a significant or overwhelming amount of negative emotions. Such as, for instance, someone in despair or complete dismay.

Still, I moved on.

"Next test."

I channeled the energy I felt boiling through me, before casting [Fear]. The dark-red beam streaked from my hand and connected with her.

"RAAH! STOP! STOP! PLEASE! STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

She thrashed around in her restraints, trying her damned hardest to escape with a look of manic terror in her eyes that was frankly, disturbing and exhilarating at the same time. She slammed against her restraints, trying to bite through them, before slammed her head against the wall again and again and looked about ready to viciously snap her neck if need be.

I shot a hasty [Calm] at her, and watched as she froze up, stopping her manic thrashing, and peacefully relaxing.

"Wow… huh. That was… something."

[Fear] is extremely effective, enough to cause the person to behave in a manic manner and attempt grievous self-harm and injury. Not certain if the person would flee, because test subject was bound.

In Skyrim, all you did was run and hide… here, well – you were fucking terrified out of your wits.

"Lydia… what did you see?"

"…My… my worst… fears… magnified… I felt… terror… a horrifying… sense of terror…"

Well… that was fucking interesting to know.

[Fear] doesn't merely make the target scared shitless, it shows them their worst fears, magnified.

Considering [Fear] was not the strongest version of that spell I had, I was sorely tempted to see if I could do more damage if I dual-cast the spell, or if I cast the much more powerful [Rout] and [Hysteria].

Could I make someone's heart stop just by using an Illusion spell?

That would be fucking awesome.

"Next… Frenzy? No… probably save that for later. Courage? Pft. No. Test that later on… let's see…"

I charged the spell I had in mind, before launching it forward. This would be the first test… the first test to see how far I could push the boundaries. That spell was one that could only be cast on oneself, but… could it work?

[Muffle]

It hit Sana. Suddenly, I could not hear her anymore.

"Scream as loudly as you can, and keep screaming until you can't."

She screamed.

No sound escaped her lips.

"Fucking… awesome."

The [Muffle] spell was a spell which was often redundant to anyone with a truly high Sneak skill or was also a vampire and could enchant muffled gear. Now, it actually had a practical use. The Dark Brotherhood and Thieves' Guild would have sold their left arms and their mother's left arms to attain a spell such as this.

I quickly jotted down my findings into my notebook, satisfied with my work, whilst watching Sana at the corner of my eye and seeing her repeatedly attempt to scream out, but failing each and every time.

I made sure to watch, partially out of amusement, and partially to know just how long the effects lasted before it stopped working.

A minute passed.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

Pushing on to thirty – and Sana gave up on screaming.

Forty-five and she was speaking, but no words were escaping her throat.

At fifty five minutes she'd stopped speaking and settled on a blank, vacant expression –

And on the sixtieth minute mark, I could hear the sound of her breathing again.

"Speak."

"Hr – " her voice came out hoarse and cracked, but it came out nonetheless.

I immediately moved to my journal.

[Muffle] can be used on targets, and lasts an average of one hour. Presumably, with a Potion of Fortify Illusion I can make the effects last far longer. Possibly, I can use the spell on everyday objects or other non-organic things.

The possibilities of the [Muffle] enchantment were endless... a gun that was absolutely, genuinely silent. A rocket launcher or bomb that could detonate without noise… a blade that enabled you to stab people without making the tiniest of sounds. On and on and on –

Next… what spell should I attempt next? I had used nearly every spell of the Illusion class, and I was not about to attempt using Destruction spells inside my own house. Not unless I enchanted the walls and entire place first.

From the Alteration school then.

[Paralysis]

The spell struck, and I watched as she seized up and became motionless, falling as much as her restraints would allow.

…

I was immediately hit with the realization that this spell was dangerous. Her face was frozen, unmoving, even her eyes, it looked as though she couldn't even move her eyeballs.

She couldn't move her eyes.

Sweet mother-of-god.

Yet, I could move her easily enough. I pointed my finger close to her eye – close enough that would have normally triggered the instinctive response to blink in order to avoid being blinded… and nothing happened.

I used my nails, scratching a long, bloody line on her cheeks – and still nothing happened. No movement. No reaction.

I even tried tickling her armpits – and still no reaction. Not even involuntary reactions. She was like a vegetable. Inwardly, everything was working, because she was still breathing and her heart was definitely still pumping blood, but outwardly… nothing.

Imagine if the spell stopped her heart and her lungs as well –

It hadn't. But if it could –

I rapidly jotted down my observations, all the while realizing the deadly combo of what [Paralysis] could do if used in combination with [Muffle]. Essentially, she was there, all there, yet, she couldn't move, she was unable to control anything, do anything, say anything, but she was fully conscious and aware of everything that was happening to her.

She could feel every sensation, but couldn't react to it.

A prisoner in her own body, unable to as much as cry out in sorrow or rage, as outward forces did with her as they pleased.

It was fucking deliciously morbid.

It gave me shivers and made me wonder why [Paralysis] not the spell of choice for every sadist in Tamriel? The answer, I assumed, was Magic Resistance. Many people could shrug off or were immune to the effects. But there were several people who couldn't…

I disregarded the thoughts, and instead continued my mental countdown to see how long the spell would last. In the game, it lasted ten seconds. Here on the other hand…

Ten minutes.

After ten minutes, Sana seemed to regain control of her body, and she opened her mouth –

"C-c-can you please, not… use that again… Seth-sama…"

There was a blank, void expression on her face on her normally expressionless face. Lifeless – tortured – she looked as though she'd buried herself in the deepest, darkest pits of hell and then woke up from it. She was trapped in her own body for ten minutes, unable to do as much as blink all the while…

People who often experienced sleep paralysis could tell you first-hand as to how terrifying it was, to feel a sense of danger and then have your body, your own body betray you, being immobile and motionless, unable to do anything but stare at your incoming demise –

I imagined being hit with the [Paralysis] spell was like that, only, a hundred times worse because you were awake and fully conscious.

"You could feel, see and hear everything that was happening?"

She nodded in the affirmative. "Y-yes, Seth-sama."

"But you couldn't move, respond or do anything?"

"Y-yes, S-Seth-sama."

Damn… talk about fucking horrifying.

A grin came upon my face.

Can I target specific body parts? Focus my spells on one area, kind of like the VATS and limb system in Fallout?

"Let's see… test two. [Paralysis]."

I aimed for her left leg, focusing on nothing but her left leg and –

"S-Seth-sama? I can't move my legs…"

Success!

I blinked. "Wait, legs? Plural?"

She nodded. "I can't move either of them."

Ugh… not quite what I was hoping for, but it was progress. You certainly could not target individual body parts in the Skyrim game, and all spells dealt overall general damage. I moved closer to her, roughly grasping her thigh.

"You can feel this?"

She nodded in the affirmative. "Yes, Seth-sama."

I rubbed my chin. "Interesting… interesting…"

I clapped my hands. "Alright, I think that's enough experimentation for today. No point in overdoing it. I'll have to test out the more dangerous ones on the goons…"

I untied her from the wall, lifting her over my shoulder effortlessly, which actually made me realize the sheer amount of raw physical strength I possessed.

"Ah… where are we going, Seth-sama?"

"I'm going hunting. You, on the other hand, are going to stay here and cook some dinner."

"…As you command, Seth-sama." She responded. "Once I can move my legs again, I will begin dinner in earnest. What would you like to eat?"

I shrugged. "Surprise me."

XXXX

I locked the door of my home and bar, taking a long, deep breath of the chilled night air and finding myself loving it. As a Vampire, there was just something absolutely glorious about being out and about in the night. It was like a buzz, as though I'd drank sixteen cups of coffee and Red Bull back-to-back without stop. The fact that I could see perfectly in the dark and the cool temperature went well with my skin was just an added bonus. But – it was time for me to begin my little hunt in earnest.

I walked, my hands in my pockets, and I realized that I was a somewhat noticeable figure, regardless of how I actually tried by best to be inconspicuous. Being six-feet tall was both a blessing and a curse, because as I realized, I towered over the general population by a rather significant margin. Some people gave me odd and wary looks as I walked past, whilst others tried, rather unsubtly, to change directions when they saw me coming. I assumed they felt that I was intimidating in one way or another, which, frankly, was pretty fine with me.

As I walked, I thought about thinking of ways to get a form of Teleportation which would make walking to places obsolete. In Skyrim, I couldn't think of a moment where a character ever used any form or sort of teleportation magic – although, portals to different realms did exist. Portal creation was a bit far off from me at the moment, although, with enough time, I should probably be able to figure out a way to use it.

I could fly – but that was only in my Vampire Lord form. Ditto for turning into a flock of bats – none of which were abilities I could use without first turning into a large gray monster. Although, I saw no reason as to why I shouldn't be able to use these powers without transforming first. It was something I'd have to work on. If my Vampire's Sight was constantly active, and I could use [Muffle] on people then everything I believed I knew about the limitations of spells, powers or abilities could be entirely wrong.

With [Clairvoyance] being constantly cast in my pocket, I envisioned my destination in my head, and I walked at a relatively normal pace there. I made sure to keep my eyes peeled on the roads for any law-enforcement officials, but strangely enough, they seemed rather sparse in Kuoh.

Considering that this was a town where a teenage boy could be fucking butchered in a park without anyone knowing – I had a feeling the police in this town were not all that competent. That would work just great for me.

Speaking of things working great… there was something I wanted to test out, something I wanted to know – something which I would be insane to test in public, and out on the road, but at the same time, I felt it was the best place to try it out. Thankfully, the Silent Casting perk also applied to Shouts.

"TIID –"

Reality wailed, and around me, people's movements slowed.

"KLO –"

Everything else began to crawl to a standstill, motion began to retard itself, cars that were speeding were barely moving.

"UL!"

At the final word, there was silence. Rather than the world around be being tinted blue or some nonsense, everything and everyone was quiet – inaudible – as even the transfer of sound had slowed down along with the very concept of time itself. The world and everyone in it was immensely slow – and I could feel that even the air around me had gone still. There was no wind, there was no sound, and there was just stillness.

The people around me were moving, but they might as well not have been. If I were not looking at them and did not see the miniscule aspects of motion, I would have been unaware that they were even moving at all.

At all three words of the [Slow Time] shout, time was slowed down by 90%. Put another brilliant way, I was a measly 10% away from actually stopping time.

Skyrim had been running on a rather (arguably) outdated game engine, so they could not properly capture what it meant to slow down time by 90%. A game like Dishonored on the other hand, had captured the effects brilliantly – and right now, it reminded me of that effect. Except, the clarity of the world around me, and the nigh stillness of it all –

I walked down the streets, taking care to avoid bumping into anyone as I observed the time-slowed world like a kid in a candy-store. I would be nothing more than an ultra-fast blur in their perspective, as I walked past a young couple, and their eyes were not even able to follow me, instead, inching ever so slowly, but never actually being able to lock on to me.

I grinned, before shaking my head and resisting the urge to laugh and scream out:

ZA WARULDO!

But did I grope a bunch of women in my way?

Hell-fucking-yes.

It took about seven minutes for the effects to end, by which, many unsuspecting women gave surprised, girlish shrieks. I was too far away by then, and was far above suspicion, so I ignored all of it and focused on my destination.

This night was definitely looking up.

XXXX

Abandoned Church

Kuoh,

9:58 PM

This night was not going to be like any other night she knew.

She sat in a luxurious bath, scented with lavenders and roses, soaps and all sorts of fragments which the humans had concocted. The finest of exquisiteness that could only be attained by those with lavish amounts of wealth to spend on such trivialities. Of course, she had not acquired them herself, rather, Mittelt had been the one to pilfer the objects. Although, being Fallen Angels, they were granted a beauty and allure that would never fade nor age, an appearance that would forever tempt and seduce men. They were the unsung succubae of the world – and Raynare loved every inch of it.

If she were to 'observe' the Hyoudou boy on Azazel-sama's orders, there was no way she was going to do so without living to the fullest comfort. Truly, she had already commenced her plan to eliminate the fool – and he believed her to be his 'girlfriend.' Come Sunday, she would exterminate the foolish pest in the evening, as befitting the alias she gave him.

The very thought of seeing the anguish in his eyes as she killed him was enough to send a shot of arousal through her body.

As if that boy, could attain a being such as herself. She was six hundred and thirty seven years old. She'd been alive and living his greatest sexual fantasies when the boy's great-great-grandparents were nothing but sperms in prepubescent ball sacks. A being such as herself, immortal and unchanging, would never fall to such a ridiculous level of dating a high school boy. Not unless, she was there to merely watch him suffer – such as her comrade, Mittelt, who took great pleasure in enslaving pitiful human males like dogs.

A long life-span also came with enough time to pursue numerous, different activities. She'd mastered singing with a literal angelic voice, perfected over two hundred different styles of dance, mastered over seventy different human languages, and attained a still hand and an artistic prowess that could have her mistaken for Da Vinci in his prime.

She'd also bedded Da Vinci in his prime – the man was every bit a sexual deviant as the rumors and legends professed. Pansexual, he was willing to experiment nearly anything… needless to say, one of her greatest threesomes had been with the artist.

But of course, numerous other fallen angels had done the same. It was a bit of a game amongst the fallen angel populace to have sex with as many famous or notorious individuals in history. The problem was ensuring that the individual you would have sex with would in fact, become famous. Many had swung and missed – grumbling at their unfortunate luck at having sex with people whose legacies never entered the immortal pages of history. Others, were consistently perfect and finding the right targets. Azazel-sama, of course, was one of such people. Azazel-sama probably had the largest sex-count, having bedded famous women such as Cleopatra and Helen of Troy.

Whether or not their intercourse was 'consensual' was debatable, considering the fallen angel ability to alter memories.

As higher beings, they of course did not bother with such trivialities. It was one of the few things which put them at odds end with the Angels of Heaven, who would be 'outraged' at the casual manipulation of the humans.

She snorted at the hypocrisy. It wasn't as though their Father himself had not cuckolded Joseph in order to have 'The Virgin' Mary bring forth 'The Messiah'.

Raynare disregarded her thoughts and spite towards heaven. She was a Fallen now, and that was all that mattered. Instead, she rose her right leg in the bath, staring as the trickles of water rose down from it. The candles in the room set the scene even further, and she could only smile at this life of opulence.

Soon, she would attain 'The Witch' who was both kind and naïve enough to heal a devil – and with the power of that Sacred Gear – she would begin her plans.

The only problem, was the fact that something was off. In the air, all around, in Kuoh, there was something – and she couldn't put her hand on it. She might not possess the supernatural providence and sense of foresight that all the 'pure' angels had, but it wasn't entirely gone. A sense of danger… of ill-boding. A premonition of something either monstrously vile, or monstrously powerful.

The sound of flapping wings echoed in her ears, and she turned, displeasingly to find the person present.

"Dohnaseek."

"Raynare." He responded courtly.

"What have I said about interrupting me while I am bathing?" she said, amusement coloring her voice. "Must you descend to such lows to see my body like this, and project this image unto the next poor human woman you have sex with?"

The bowler-hat wearing Fallen Angel let out a sound that was a cross between a grunt and hum. "You flatter yourself woman. I'm not here for that."

"So you say," Raynare added, her amusement rising "Yet, I hear from Mittelt that you went into the town and fucked every single woman you could find in the brothels and love hotels. Yet, none could satisfy you, could they?"

"That's none of your business." He bit out.

Raynare laughed. "Tut. Tut. As I've already told you, Dohnaseek. I can give you that night again, if you submit to me, suck on my toes, let me feel your insides with my fingers –"

"You're delusional."

"Am I?" she asked, tilting her head. "I know you still think of that night. Under the moon in the aftermath of Battle of the Somme. In the river, with the sound of gunfire and chaos, the smell of blood and death rich in the air…" she smiled teasingly. "You were so young then. So inexperienced. You released so quickly after I pushed your head into the water and wouldn't let you come up for air. Poor little Dohn-chan – just fifty-four years old… and he wanted to desperately please his lovely superior."

The bowler haired man grit his teeth, his eyes darkly obscured by his cap. He didn't say anything, making Raynare's smile grow wilder, more dangerous – predatory. For an instant – her smile was that of monsters, and then it was gone, her serene expression once more on her face.

"But, I assume you didn't just come here to receive a reminder of how you failed to please me on the best night of your life." She said dismissively. "What is it you want?"

"… There is… something dangerous in the air."

Raynare frowned. True, she too, had sensed it. She had felt it. The dangerous stirring. Her senses, attuned to danger and ill-omens had been on edge all night. Her hair was standing dangerously on edge.

"Yes… I sensed it as well."

"Do you believe it is the devils?"

Raynare laughed. "No – certainly not. Siblings of the Satans or not, two devils who are barely two decades old would not be capable of instilling such a sense of danger in us. It's something else."

The foreboding feeling seemed to magnify, and a shudder ran down Raynare's spine.

"Where are Mittelt and Kalawarner?" she asked sharply

"They were having some issues with the Priest, Freed. Right now, they're out of town, and won't be back for another three days at least."

Raynare cursed. Of all the times – "Order the Exorcists to be on their guard. This feeling – it's – "

Wrong.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

That was the only way she could explain it. As though something that did not belong on this God-given earth was present. An aberration – and abnormality in the flow of the world and the universe as a whole. Something that could shake the world and rewrite it – change the flow of the very fundamental forces of nature and make them heed its commands and desires at a whim –

"… I need you to inform Azazel-sama of an unexpected development." She said sharply. "Now. Tell him –"

POWER.

Raynare's breath was caught short, her eyes widening at the overwhelming amount of magical energy that exerted itself on the world. The sheer amount of magic she was detecting was ludicrous – it was magical power on the same level of a Ten-Winged Angel, if not more. Power that could turn cities and entire countries into a barren wasteland if unleashed in one stroke.

She rose out of her bath, paying no heed to how the water dripped from her naked body, and she immediately barked command to her junior.

"Now. Now. Now." She hissed. "Tell Azazel-sama of the recent developments – now."

"But – what about you –"

She shot him a stern glare, grabbing him by the neck. "If there is an enemy that I cannot defeat, evade or overcome, do you somehow believe you being present will even the odds? Or are you volunteering to be a disposable bait and cover my escape?" She snarled. "In which case, I would kill you here and now for the sheer stupidity of that thought. Now, make yourself fucking useful to me and go inform Azazel-sama."

She thrust him to the ground, paying no heed to his coughing and how he awkwardly rubbed his throat, before nodding. "Y-yes, Raynare-sama."

He flew away, causing Raynare to scoff at the sheer weak-willed nature of the individuals under her command. Underlings were such a troublesome and ineffective thing to have. She immediately dressed herself in her 'combat' attire, clad in the overtly sensual and revealing leather that did more to expose her skin than it did to cover it. If the aberration was male – she could seduce him with her charm and body. If it was female, she would be out of luck with that aspect. Likewise for if it were neither or genderless.

She left her bathroom, which was previously the pastor's office in the abandoned church, and she moved to the higher levels of the church, the second floor, where she would be able to have a good enough view of any intruders from the front or back.

As expected, most of her exorcists were also on guard, all of them, with their masks covering their faces and identities, shook in place, unease clear in their forms.

These minions were needed in the eventuality of an attack by the Devils inhabiting this town. They were of laughable strength, which was only made up for by sheer numbers and a blind dedication to her. At the very best, they would buy her some time to escape, and at worst, she could use them as sacrificial pieces to cover her attacks.

"On your guards!" she barked at them, making all of them look up, and 'sigh' in relief.

"Ah! Tenshi-sama is here!"

"Raynare-tenshi-sama!"

"With her backing us, we'll win!"

"We'll make sure no harm comes to you, Tenshi-sama!"

Fools. Raynare thought, shaking her head and gripping the railing she stood on. Fools, the lot of them.

The horrendous power of magic that approached, now did so from a discernable location. The front doors. Her troops stood, surrounding the entrance in some valiant attempt at a strong defensive stand, even as the pressure around them grew ever thickening, ever-heavily.

No one breathed. No one spoke. No one moved.

Complete, utter silence filled the nerve-wracking air.

And then –

Everyone felt heat.

"YOL –"

The sense of wrongness hit Raynare and churned her stomach, and she, a supernatural being attuned to the world, could feel that the will of the world was bending, and reality was being made someone's bitch.

"TOR –"

The overwhelming heat was making her sweat. Sweat not in the sexy way she liked and preferred, but instead, sweat profusely in a matter of seconds, something that should not have been possible.

"SHUL!"

An overwhelming roar of fire collided with the large doors of the church, and the doors melted, instantaneously. Her mind faltered at the sight of wood melting into nothinness – followed by the tidal wave of fire and heat that soared into the room like Moses had commanded the parted seas to return. Even high up, the flames seared away at her clothing, and dried away her accumulated sweat. Those who had been in front of the door where the unfortunate fools – the flames, instantaneously engulfed them. First, their clothes vanished to ash, and then their skin rapidly followed, sizzling and burning off until their internal organs were visible, and even that, went by quickly, until all that was left was a charred skeleton standing still – until even the skeleton was gone, turned to ash in seconds.

There had not even been enough time for the majority of them caught by the flames to scream out or vocalize their demise. Rather, it was those who were at the extreme ends, farther away from the door, that screeched, screamed and panicked. The flames burnt away their robes and melted their guns and swords, leaving them standing with partiaully ruined clothes and heavily charred skin.

The scent of burning flesh and meat tickled Raynare's nostrils, even as the pained, frantic screams of burning men and women entered her ears. She was unmoved by it, as it was hardly her first time witnessing such forms of death, yet, she would admit it was her second time experiencing flames of such ferocious power. The first time she had witnessed such flames, was during the Great War – when the Heavenly Dragon Emperors bathed legions in a sea of fire.

This… this was far worse.

Most of her outfit had sizzled away by the heat, her hair was frazzled and unkempt as a resulting consequence, and she swallowed whatever saliva in her throat as she considered her options.

The flames had ended, the fire and brimstone like a nightmare from hell, gone, and then, from within the chaos, the mighty destruction – a man emerged.

He walked in.

His hands casually in his pockets, wearing a leather jacket and jean pants, suitably tall and possessing slicked-back black hair and a face that was a mix of rugged and gentle, he sauntered into the church as though he owned it.

His sharp red eyes flickered across the room, seemingly evaluating something. The burning men? The remaining exorcists shaking like leaves in his presence? Or was it the thick scent of ammonia from those who had soiled that was rapidly climbing and mixing in with the scent of burning flesh? Raynare could not tell.

But his eyes… his eyes –

There was blatant disinterest in them. He had the same look of a man who was tasked with killing a few troublesome mosquitoes.

"So, there are two options before you." The man said, his tone dull and bored. "Die or flee. When I say flee – I mean flee this town. To your loved ones, if you have them, or to your coping mechanisms from the nightmares you will have of this night."

He shrugged.

"You have three seconds to decide. Those of you who have not decided by then, will become my guinea pigs."

Powerful, would be the first word that came to Raynare's mind as she gazed upon the man below. The utter and complete lack of self-preservation, the total, banal and blatant way he made his ultimatum.

He believed every single word that came out from his mouth like it were the gospel truth. The sheer dismissive glint in his eyes indicated that he felt he was talking to worms and birdfeed – a lesser lower existence not even worthy of his time and effort.

That sort of confidence could only arise from a being that was not human.

It was stupid of her. Suicidal of her, one might even claim. But Raynare had always enjoyed living on the edge. Taking high and dangerous risks. So, she descended down, in all her naked glory, a smile on her face as her black wings took her to the level of the man.

"Such a display of raw firepower," she said, smiling at him. She ensured her body was visible, well and truly visible. Highlighted and accentuated. "But I must ask – who are you, and why do you come here and kill my lovely followers?"

The man's gaze locked on her. There was something in his eyes, something raw and dangerous. And then, he smiled.

And Raynare's heart froze when she saw the fangs.

XXXXX

Keep it fucking cool, and keep it fucking badass –

Cool and badass –

Cool and badass –

Come on Seth, you just fucking melted a wooden door and broke the laws of physics and chemistry – keep being cool – keep being badass –

On any other occasion, I wouldn't have given two flying fucks. But damn, I needed to be cool. I needed to be level-headed for this moment. I mean – fuck! The [Fire Breath] Shout was motherfuckingly beautiful!

That fire! That fucking beautiful sea of fire!

THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DRAGON BETHSEDA!

Sweet fucking god. I hadn't even expected it to be that powerful. The sheer disparity between what I used in the game and what I used here was fucking blowing me away.

So, I can't act like a fucking idiot – or my normal self – after doing something that badass. That cool. Nuh-huh. No way.

So, I got into character. I was Ragnar Lothbrok again. Dragonborn. Slayer of Alduin. Archmage of the College of Winterhold. Listener of the Dark Brotherhood. Nightingale of Nocturnal.

I was him. My character.

And so, like my character, I was relaxed. I didn't swear like a fucking maniac, because swearing was rarely ever badass.

I sauntered in. I made my declaration. I watched as a bunch of the exorcists pissed themselves. And it was getting harder and fucking harder to stop myself from breaking character and smiling like a maniac when people were looking at me like I was the hybrid child of Spawn and Batman.

Until – well, until she, appeared.

I almost choked on my own saliva.

Long, dark locks of hair. Flawless, crystal clear tanned skin. Rich, abundant thighs that spelt of unknown pleasures and delights. Full, ohmygod rich, succulent, round breasts that did not sag in any feasible way. A mischievous glint in her dark eyes, a smile on her face, her arms crossed over her tanned, athletic stomach and belly-button – and then below – below –

I felt my pants grow several shades tighter.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Jesus-fucking-Christ.

The anime did not do her justice. Fuck no. In person, standing before me – I – I had no words. To call her beautiful would feel like an insult – it would be to put people who were merely 'beautiful' on the same fucking pedestal.

Sana was an ugly, malnourished hunchback when compared to her.

Were all Fallen Angels this… alluring? Were all DxD girls like this?

I was seriously beginning to reconsider my goal of leaving Japan and not getting involved in the plot. Fuck that shit. There was a motherfucking goddess in front of me –

Shit, how beautiful would an ACTUAL goddess be?

… Was I really going to let my dick do all the thinking here? No – think – logically – think –

Raynare opened her mouth to speak. "Such a display of raw firepower,"

My mind was short-circuiting again. Gods she sounded like she was moaning. Her voice alone had a sensual quality to it that was… Fuck. Fuck. My pants were getting to tight to handle this. I hoped she hadn't noticed. Dear god, let her not have fucking noticed.

You fucking idiot! You just slaughtered a bunch of idiots by bathing them in fire and that didn't give you pause, but at the sight of a fucking hot woman you're losing your shit?!

GET IT TOGETHER AND BE A FUCKING MAN!

[Calm]

I smiled.

My mind was calmer now. Less erratic. I could look Raynare in the eyes and not focus purely on her body, however amazing said body might be. Fallen Angels were said to have the most amazing bodies to tempt men, and I just had first hand proof as to how true that was.

My thoughts were interrupted as she jerked back in shock at my smile.

Why?

Most likely she saw my vampire fangs. Interesting. Why were people so awed or shocked by vampires? I don't recall them having much of a reputation in the DxD world. Also, she asked me a question… but I didn't know what it was. Most likely, it was something along the lines of 'who are you and what are you doing here?' So… I need to respond. How would I respond?

How would RagnarLothbrok respond?

"I merely came in search of some amusement," I spoke, ensuring to keep my voice as level and apathetic as I could. "And perhaps, a… meal or two." I let my fangs show at this.

There was no real point in telling her that I was technically hired to get rid of her mooks because they were bad for Kuoh's business. No – better to let her believe that I was here on my own terms and reasons.

"I… I see." Raynare said, although, shakily. "I was not aware that there was a Vampire in this town. Considering –"

"Considering what?" I interrupted sharply. "Considering the devils who run around like little girls claim this town as theirs?" I made sure to snort dismissively. "They know better than to draw my ire."

Mostly because they didn't even know I was here. At least, I hoped they didn't.

"And what exactly, have my followers done to draw your ire?" she asked, unsurely.

"Nothing." I said, grinning. "But – they are prey and amusement. As most humans and lower lifeforms are. Would you not agree with me, Raynare of the Fallen?"

She jerked back. "Y-you – you know my name?"

"Funny little crow," I said, taking two steps forward. "Finding out such things as names is trivial for a being such as myself. I am sure you feel it – my raw power?"

Nakamura said that I had powerful mana. Let's just hope Raynare could sense it as well. Judging by how her eyes grew wider, she seemed to have. Okay – that was good. I need to play it a little closer to the heart and not oversell it.

"Although, I must confess… it has been forever since I have had a fallen."

She went ramrod stiff. I hope that had not been too ambiguous. I meant drank the blood of a fallen not fucked and owned a fallen – But, seeing how she suddenly became more conscious of her body, I could pretty much tell that she thought I meant the latter.

And… now she was looking... livid.

XXXX

Raynare knew the law of the jungle. The law of the world at large. In a world filled with gods and demons and monsters – humans were at the bottom. They were cattle, used and abused as fitting the whims of superior beings. The Greek Gods and myths were proof of this, as numerous mortals and humans had suffered and perished and been punished at the whim of the gods.

Of course, for beings such as herself, who were above humans, she also used and discarded them as she willed. The problem was, she knew she was not high-up on the pecking order. With only one pair of wings, she was at the very bottom end of the scheme on the hierarchy. Beings superior to her, with Ten, Twelve, or even Eight and Six wings could command her, deprive her of any free will, and make her shamefully submit to them – because they were more powerful.

Likewise, she knew, if she were ever unlucky enough to cross paths with one of the worse gods, such as Zeus, she would be reduced to an object to be used and discarded at his will. This was the law of the world – the harsh reality and downside of this immortal life –

The world was ruled by power.

Those with power were at the top of the table. Untouchable, they were the predator of all and the prey of none.

Those without power were at the bottom. The planktons of the universe – devoured and consumed by those above them.

She knew, eventually, such a day would come. Where she would meet a being superior to her, and she would either be forced into a choice between submission and death. She knew many, like her, who had been unfortunate to have fallen to such fates.

Now… now it seemed, it was her turn.

But – she would not give up – not without a fight –

"As I am rather bored and looking for amusement, I will give you two options, Raynare." The Vampire said simply. "The first, is that you are to kill all but two or three female exorcists in your care. I will take them as mine, and spare you."

The announcement threw her for a loop.

"The second, is for you to refuse, and foolishly attempt to attack me. In which case, I will bend your will to be mine and unravel your mind until you serve me with nothing but glee in your heart."

The threat carried such heavy weight that Raynare couldn't help but shudder at the sheer power behind them.

"You have five seconds to decide."

If she was not so baffled by the circumstances, she would have laughed. Decide? There was nothing to decide. She sacrificed her pawns and sent three unfortunate women to become the livestock and sex sleeves of this vampire and she would have her freedom and her life. Who would ever need time to decide such a thing?

She turned, to the side, staring at the remaining few of her exorcists.

"T-Tenshi… sama?"

She smiled at them.

"Silent you pitiful worm. You're about to die… for your beloved angel."

And then, she struck. It could hardly be called a battle. Dismayed and unable to respond in time to her assault, her Light Spears rained down upon the hapless fools with little resistance and effort. She cut her swathe through them with nothing but the thought of her own survival, her own life at stake.

Some, valiantly tried to put up a fight. Her spear of light clashed against a sword of a man, fury in his eyes.

"RAYNARE! YOU TRAI – GURK!" her second hand shot out a quick dagger of light which pierced his throat and emerged from the other side.

A stray bullet of light grazed her cheek, causing her to swear, turning to face the shooter, manifesting a poleaxe of light in her right hand and slamming it into the hapless man's face.

"GATHER HER! SURROUND HER! SHE CAN'T TAKE US ALL AT THE SAME TIME!"

She cursed. They'd gotten smart – ganging up on her at the same time. She thrust her left hand battling away several exorcist swords of light at her front –

BLAM! BLAM!

"GAH!"

She yelled as two bullets found their way into her right ankle.

"SHE'S DOWN!"

"GET HER!"

They capitalized on the weakness like a swarm of bloodthirsty vultures. Her movements limited, she began taking more damage. A slash on her wrist, a stab to the side of her stomach – two people held her from behind, grasping unto her legs with as much determination as they could, and as she stabbed the back of their skulls with her spears, two swords found themselves into the front of her stomach.

She coughed up blood, disbelieving at the damage, as she stared into the hate-filled eyes of her former minions.

"You taught us well, tenshi-sama."

Rage, boiling, bubbling rage filled her.

"RAAAAAAGH!"

Renewed, like a demon from the pits of hell, she unleashed a hailstorm of light spears and daggers in every direction, heedless of the damage. The grabbed the insolent minion in front of her, clawing away at the man's eyes before viciously snapping his neck. She turned to the next one, her foot extending downwards and crushing the man's skull.

Bathed in their blood, the savage dance of death continued, eliminating the minions she had gathered, one by one, until she ensured that there were only three of them left – three hapless females – for these ones, she restrained herself. knocking them out, her physical strength fully capable of rendering them unconscious, and most likely giving them concussions.

At the end of it all, she lay on the floor, panting, covered in blood that was slowly crusting against her skin, her mission complete. The cost however, was enormous. She could barely move. She was bleeding profusely from all her wounds. Her vision was getting blurrier. The taste of copper was complete in her mouth and the stench of death and blood was overly nauseating.

It baffled her, and at the same time, it swelled her up with pride. The minions she gathered, to think that they were that strong, that capable. She almost laughed – it was sad and ironic that this was the way she found out. She killed them all, eventually, but their sheer numbers had worn her down enough to land such injuries.

She turned her tired, weak to the vampire, who had not moved from his spot since she began her massacre.

"T-there… I-I I'm done."

"So it seems."

He walked forward, with what looked like sick, morbid fascination in his eyes. He stared down at her injured form, making her hair stand on end as she realized, if the vampire chose not to follow his word, she would be unable to as much as resist against him.

He knelt close, looking at her injuries, her blood covered form, the savage massacre she had committed and Raynare could only wonder what sort of satisfied thoughts ran through his mind. What possibly could a being such as himself, be thinking about all of this? Be thinking, about what she had done? Be thinking, about her?

"You're beautiful." He breathed.

…

She had not expected that.

Her eyes locked with his, and there were no deception in those red orbs, only… only…

Enthrallment.

Raynare didn't know what to think.

She didn't know what to say.

He rose his hand over her stomach, and a sense of fear and foreboding filled her – for all of a few seconds. Instead, she watched, as slowly, her wounds began to heal. Her flesh began to mend themselves, a glowing light overwhelmed her form and her injuries sizzled and hissed. The holy bullets in her skin popped out, and the holes were healed immediately – the slashes and cuts vanished, and even the stab wounds in her stomach –

All of them, gone.

In seconds.

Not only that, but she felt rejuvenated. As though she had been infused with enough stamina to run several thousand miles and back.

…Impossible.

Impossible.

Everything she knew told her that what the man had just done was impossible. Healing arts were so rare and arcane in the world, that healers were treated as gold. Healing Magic, even those used by devils, required direct, skin-to-skin transfusion of magical energy, and even then, it took several hours. The Sexual Healing offered by the Youkai required the connection of sex and the transfusion of bodily essences in order for the technique to take effect – and even then, it wasn't instant.

The power he had – it was – it was –

Like the Twilight Healing.

No… it was better.

He rose, paying no heed to the feat he just performed as though it was ordinary, and then he turned his attention to the three living, but unconscious exorcists.

"Our deal is complete. You've truly impressed me, Raynare of the Fallen."

With effortless ease, he carried the three people on his shoulders. Stacking them like mere bags of potatoes. Raynare sprung to her feet, confirming, that aside from the blood all over her body, she was fully healed.

Incredible…

Incredible…

She, too, found herself enthralled with the power of the vampire in front of her.

"Who… are you? What you just did –"

"It was nothing. A trivial feat. It is the least I could do, after witnessing such a beautiful display."

"Beautiful?" she laughed. "That, was beautiful?"

He grinned. "Yes, it was. In every way possible. And you, watching you – it was one of the most beautiful things I have seen."

Slaughtering her minions in a desperate bid to survive… was beautiful?

"You're… like me."

The Vampire hummed. "My name is Ragnar." He announced. Moving forward, even with three people on his soldier, he reached for her hand, taking it, slowly, and gently, brushing his lips against her knuckles in a kiss.

Raynare found herself wondering what sort of bizarre world she had entered. This was not how these things went –

He was more powerful. He was more dangerous. If he found her beautiful and desired her, he would merely go back on his word and stake his claim, not… not this. Romance, courting, flirting – all of those things were reserved for humans. Beings such as themselves did not waste time or energy on such trivialities – and nowhere, nowhere, would she ever see a being of higher power behave in such a manner to a being of lower power that he could merely claim as his.

If you wanted something, you took it. You didn't ask. You just took it. That was how the world of power worked. Zeus sees girl, Zeus beguiles and forcefully takes girl. Why would Zeus ask if she wanted to be taken? Why would a being of higher power consider the opinions of one of lower power? It was like a human asking a rodent if it wanted to be dissected.

If Mary had refused being the 'Vessel' of the 'Messiah', would her 'Father' have accepted her refusal (deny the will of a literal deity) or would he have disregarded her opinions and used her anyway?

Didn't Jonah, refuse, time and time again, to do the will of her Father, only to be swallowed by a whale, and forced into doing what he desired?

When her 'Father' wanted something, he took it. So who was this strange vampire… who did not realize this?

"Should you ever find yourself in need of a bit of assistance – or advice, or anything else in the slightest – do not hesitate to ask. Search for a bar called the Dead Man's Drink – and I will be there."

With those words, he was gone. Vanished. One second, he was there, and the next, he was not. It was almost as though he had somehow escaped her sense of detection, despite her eyes being trailed firmly on him.

She didn't know how long she had stood there, staring blankly, her head a mire of different thoughts.

"Raynare!"

It was only the sound of Dohnaseek's voice which drew her from her stupor.

"I've sent the message to Azazel-sama – but he's occupied and won't be able to…"

He stopped speaking, abruptly. Raynare wondered if it was at the sight of the dead bodies, or perhaps, the sight of her, naked and covered in dried blood –

"You – Raynare… your wings –"

She turned her attention to his focus, turning her gaze to the side –

And she flexed her two beautiful pairs of wings.

XXXX

Dead Man's Drink

I got back home, unable to get the scene out of my head. I couldn't. The fight, Raynare – everything – it was like watching one of my vampire fantasies come to life. Like watching a shounen anime come to life. Like watching a high-quality movie come to life. A beautiful woman, naked, fighting viciously and violently for her life, with a cruel smirk and questionable ethics and morals –

If I'd been a weaker man, I'd have pinned her there and done something stupid – I could have – but I didn't – partially out of respect for what I saw, and partially out of upholding my part of the deal –

For now though, I had three exorcists knocked unconscious – three new guinea pigs I'd test the rest of my powers on –

"I have finished preparing dinner, Seth-sa –"

I shut Sana up with a forceful kiss on my part. Her eyes went wide, the unexpected action surprising her. I dominated her tongue, claiming it, exploring her mouth completely with my tongue. I escaped the kiss, a small trail of saliva connecting our lips.

Fuck it, I'd been overcharged from the sight of Raynare, overcharged from the sight of her fight and battle – I needed some fucking release.

"S-Seth-sama?"

I kissed her again, my hands roaming and squeezing her chest. A small moan escaped her lips, the moan reminded me of Raynare's voice. Like a switch had been flipped, I tore off her clothes, and stared hungrily at her naked body.

In comparison to Raynare's, it was lackluster. So very lackluster. But my mind was too hazy and to overcome with lust to care. I pictured a different face in Sana's place, and I smiled as I gave her my commands.

"Sana… pleasure me."

"As you command, Seth-sama."

A soft, pleasurable warmth filled me up as I experienced the insides of a woman for the first time in my new body. I was larger, than before. Larger, and far more sensitive. Sana was good. She was tight.

It could have been anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour and we were still going. She was panting, soaked and completely overworked with sweat – and I –

I had barely broke a single sweat.

My stamina regenerated faster than it could burn through sex, and I felt as though I had barely began. In the end, Sana passed out before I got anywhere. She couldn't keep up. Couldn't handle a person with nigh-infinite stamina. She was merely mortal – merely human. I wasn't.

I was dissatisfied. I hadn't finished. Hadn't even come close.

Instead, burning within me, was a renewed, twisted sense of purpose and fire, and a new realization.

I am immortal.

As a Vampire, I would not age. Never. So, I would eventually leave Japan… eventually. Travel the world, do stuff. But, for now, I wanted sex. I wanted the satisfaction that came with such heavenly bodies…

I wanted the girls of this world.

Goddesses – Angels – Valkyrie – Demons – Succubus – Catgirls –

I wanted them all.

It was a shameless goal. It was probably just me thinking with my dick – but fuck it. What's the point of being immortal (AND IMMUNE TO ALL FUCKING DISEASES!) if you can't have as much sex as you fucking wanted? STDS was never going to be an issue thanks to my vampiric blood. So what was stopping me other than flimsy bits of morals and the realization that I was seeing women as objects rather than people?

I'd seen 2D Raynare, and the 3D version had been far more beautiful than I ever pictured, enough to still leave me throbbing painfully.

How would a 3D Rias look? A 3D Akeno? A 3D Koneko?

Hell, even Rias' mother, Venelana, and Sirzechs' wife, Grayfia?

What of Serafall Leviathan?

"Yeah… I know exactly what the fuck I'm going to do here."

It wasn't like I had much to live for either way. My family, sister, and friends were gone. I had no purpose to live. No real reason to wake up in the morning. So here, I could find a new purpose… the craziest fucking purpose…

Fuck all the girls.

All of them.

Every last DxD Girl.

Even Ophis.

…

To be able to do something that insane – I'd need power. I'd need to be wayyyyy fucking stronger than I was now. Hell, I'd need to be the most powerful person in the world bar none. And to do that… there was a penultimate goal that stood above the rest.

Slay the Dragon of Dragons

It was that simple, and it was that difficult.

The Dragonborn was the cannibalistic nightmare of all dragons. If my abilities remained unchanged, then I would be able to slay the Great Red, and absorb his soul. Absorbing his soul should mean absorbing his power.

It was a stretch – a long one, and I had no real data to back up this hypothesis. But – I knew how I would get that data. Thankfully, there was an idiotic, perverted dragon present in Kuoh Town by the name of Hyoudou Issei. I would need to kill Issei and/or Ddraig, and absorb their souls to test if my hypothesis was correct. If it was – I would continue advancing my plans to eventually accumulate enough power to slay the Dragon of Dragons.

Moreover, I needed to test the full limits of my power. What could I do? What couldn't I do? I needed to know everything – every detail – every intricacy. The Great Red's full power is theoretically unknown, and theoretically limitless. In sheer mass alone, he's over ten times larger than Alduin. In magical might and prowess – I did not possess the slightest inkling of what he was truly capable of.

So I needed intel and information as much as I needed to acquire power.

The Dragonborn defeated Alduin with the aid of three ancient Nord heroes... had he not?

So… allies were probably going to be needed. Maybe I'd enlist myself in the Khaos Brigade? It seemed like a workable option. More than that – it would give me access to Ophis.

I needed a proper base of operations. One suitably hidden, and one that I could fully outfit with as many defensive measures as I needed. The Dead Man's Drink could not be that.

The most problematic thing, however, was that it was going to be impossible to truly accomplish what I had in mind without drawing suspicion, scrutiny, or otherwise problematic encounters. Hiding in the shadows and operating without my enemies being aware of my identity or my goals in a town as small as this was impossible, especially with my foreign appearance.

So I'd need to come out into the limelight.

I rose from the bed, rubbing my palms, ignoring the throbbing pain down below. There was no more time for idle thoughts and thinking. Now was the time for action. Action.

For my completely selfish and depraved goal of having sex with all the beautiful women of this world – I would go down a path of a legend.

I would slay the Great Red, the Dragon of Dragons –

And I'd do it –

For sweet, glorious, waifus.