Zebel

"…Raphael."

Raphael just tilted his head at me with narrowed eyes, "What are you here for, Brennus?"

"Well, I originally came here to 'inspect' the Pope." I replied with a smirk.

"And what does 'inspect' mean exactly?"

"Sigh… I wanted to check if you guys were exploiting humans any more than I thought you were."

Raphael's eyes narrowed dangerously, "And what do you mean by that…?"

Raphael has always been a fickle person to deal with, much more of a soldier than a leader. He is someone who takes an order, then fulfills it without question. He's also a spiteful little shit...

"Hmm… I don't know, maybe something like… The Holy Sword Project?" As the words left my mouth the feeling in the air abruptly shifted.

Raphael had a slight expression of guilt while Vasco had one of sorrow and frustration and Griselda held one of regret.

"So, you've heard of it."

"Not just that, all of you up in heaven has been very manipulative towards the people serving the church, understandable I guess, barely keeping it afloat and all."

Raphael held a tinge of loathing, "Indeed, I'm sure it would pain Father immensely if he had to see it like this as well."

Raphael sighed before letting the previous conversation end, then smiled a bit before gesturing us forward, "Now, come along, let us have this conversation elsewhere then, yes?" A white magic circle manifested from beneath us as we were whisked away elsewhere.

The scenery soon changed, the wonderfully decorated halls were replaced by a lofty bright blue sky as my feet rested upon a world of clouds.

"...Heaven…"

Brennus quickly interjected with a nervous tone, "R-Raphael, which Heaven is this...?"

Raphael spoke with a compassionate smile, "The Sixth Heaven, Zebel."

'Bastard! Don't think I didn't notice the smirk at the edge of your lips!'

"She isn't here, r-right...?"

"She is." He said as the smile on his face widened.

'Fuck!'

——

"A-anyways! Let's get back on topic!" I nervously reminded everyone.

Griselda and Vasco just gave a suspicious glance before turning towards Raphael.

"Yes, yes, now, the reason you came to visit me is for what, suspicions?"

My face turned serious as a thoughtful expression spread on in my face, "Yes, during the recent peace meeting in Kuoh Japan, I realized how ignorant I was of the current age. As I was gone the past 500 years, things have changed immensely. The church has declined since God's passing and many events that will change the balances of power around the world are beginning to take place."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we have a terrorist group which has many allies in different pantheons, also being helmed by the Ouroboros Dragon itself. This is very big news and I'm much too uninformed about recent major events."

"Ok, and…?"

I sighed before continuing further, "The Heaven Faction is the one I have had the most ties to throughout the past. Due to my circumstances as a human, and as the wielder of a sacred gear that is not influenced by God's System. I have a special identity."

"Being reborn constantly in random places throughout the world has caused me to have a special identity throughout the supernatural world, I am less restricted unlike the usual members of different pantheons which allows me to freely interact between them. So I definitely know better than anyone, that the different pantheons coming together in a terrorist organization, helmed by the Ouroboros of all things, is very, bad news."

"What does this have to do with the Heaven Faction?" Raphael Interrupted.

"I'm getting to that, knowing the views of the different pantheons towards each other, and the recent events of history such as the two world wars. Without God to helm the Heavens, Micheal and the other Seraphs have most likely taken 'drastic' measures throughout the past 500 years."

"Other than the ones I already know about of course. We did always have a rather unfavorable relationship after God's untimely passing." I said with a slight snarl at the memories.

Raphael sighed before responding, "Yes, it's true, to maintain the image that God was still alive and strong within Heaven we had to display some unspeakable acts of aggression, this may include turning a blind eye or two to some rather unsavory acts."

"Hmph" I replied before listing some grievances off the top of my head, "The Crusades, doing unsavory things for the sake of appeasement towards others, aggression against the advancements of science and what you attempted to do to Jeanne…"

Raphael at least had the decency to act guilty while I continued to speak further, "These are just some reasons why our relationship has fallen so dramatically, you have all betrayed your very purposes. Not to manipulate humanity but guide them."

"Some things just had to be done." He replied

I shook my head before replying, "Those are just excuses. Try putting a little more faith in man, I've seen what they can do, what I can do."

Before the conversation could continue the door busted open, a drop-dead gorgeous woman walked out, she had long curly blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and was wearing an ethereal white dress. She had 12 bright white wings that hung from her back with a voluptuous figure.

"Raphael! The escort Odin was with was attacked by the Evil Norse God, Loki! The Red Dragon Emperor was also severely injured!" Gabriel yelled out!

The others in the room were shocked while I just thought it was bound to happen eventually, this is what I was concerned about in the first place.

Raphael stood up while motioning for Griselda and Vasco to follow before briefly turning towards me and saying, "Sorry, Brennus, we can continue this conversation another time. The situation takes precedent."

Gabriel's voice cut through the room, "Brennus?! He's back!?"

'Bastard, you had to point it out!' I thought while seeing the slight smirk on his face.

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Edited by Lasagna_God