Fallen Angel

(A/N: Chapter takes place during the duel from the previous chapter…)

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I woke up an hour before noon and ate some breakfast to get the last morning started. After that, I began walking through the town of Maroon.

After loitering around for a few minutes, I began to wonder why I felt a feeling of discomfort.

Am I forgetting something…?

Walking down the streets, I eventually stopped at a plaza and sat on the edge of a fountain, watching birds eat bread crumbs off the ground. It wasn't until I spotted a white feather on the ground did I know why I was feeling uneasy.

I smacked and cursed myself for not knowing why. I have been so focused on training lately that I just remembered what today was.

It's the duel! The duel between Katrina and that bastard, Deroc.

I quickly fled the plaza and entered a secluded alley until I heard a voice that sounded like a woman.

"Don't touch me!" She said.

"Oh come on lady, let's have so-" The thug began, but he was quickly interrupted with a-

Wham!

I quickly slammed the thug's face into the walls and shook my head before clenching my hands and shaking it, performing Black Magic, and leaving the vicinity.

I quickly appeared above the Oria's mansion and looked around before I laid my eyes on the courtyard. I eventually spotted a group in the middle of the courtyard. When I noticed that it was Celestia and the others, it was already too late and they vanished.

No, wait!

Damn it! They're gone…

I was going to… nevermind…

I slowly began to descend to the ground in grief before I spotted an angel waving her hands at me. Her hand signaling to follow her.

Isn't that Katrina's mother? What does she want with me?

I used Black Magic and appeared in front of her. Our eyes locked for a moment before she smiled and turned to the door.

"Follow me, Nero." She said before entering the estate.

I hesitated for a moment before following her.

Along the way, I couldn't help but stare at her white wings which were vacant of anything tarnish. We walked down the long, decorated hall before we stopped in front of an empty wall.

Layla placed her hands on a certain part of the wall and it suddenly opened. She entered inside and I followed her in.

We stumbled upon a large bedroom where an old man laid on the bed. It was until that I realized that the old man was Francis.

So this is where he was huddled up.

Layla walked over to Lloyd's side who was sitting next to Francis, holding his hand.

Francis coughed, opening his eyes and turning his head towards Layla.

"Is he… finally here?"

"Yes, he has arrived."

Francis looked around the room but he passed me, that's when I noticed that his eyes were cloudy-like.

So he's blind now?

Francis opened his mouth to speak but all that came out were coughs. It wasn't long until he began to cough blood out.

"Father, hang in there. You can't go yet." Lloyd said, holding onto Francis's hand tightly.

"I know… help me up will you?" Francis asked Lloyd who then helped him up.

Eventually, after he settled down, he lifted his head and began speaking.

"Nero… was it?" He asked.

"Yeah? I expect you need something from me?"

"Yes… but it is not something I need from you, it's something you will need from me."

I tilted my head and looked at him confusedly. Then the door behind us opened and a maid entered with a sword wrapped around in a blanket. The maid stopped in front of me and offered me the sword. When I reached for the handle, I felt my skin burn instantly.

I quickly pulled my hand back and stared at it. It took a few seconds for the skin that was burnt off to fade away.

"This sword… is it-?"

"Indeed, it is an Altima sword. It belonged to my father." Francis answered my question before I was able to complete it.

"And you are… giving it to me?"

"Precisely, yes."

I shook my hand as I stared at the sword.

"But I can't wield it. I can't touch anything encased with divine energy."

"Then you will develop the ability to resist it."

"And how? I can't even touch anything with divine energy or holy energy. I can touch light yes but that is all. You are going to offer a power that I am unable to possess."

"No, it is possible," This time, Layla began to speak.

"How?" I replied.

"It will involve the satanic energy sealed inside your soul."

"Wha- how do you know about that?"

Layla smiled, walking over to the maid and gently taking the sword out of her arms. Layla inspected it before turning to me.

"Us angels are able to gaze into the souls of others. I've already taken a look at your soul and that is how I found out."

"When exactly?"

"The first day you came here."

"I see…"

The same maid who Layla had taken the sword off of returned with a role of black bandages. The Altima sword flew off of Layla's hand and the role of black bandages unrolled, encasing the sword fully in black cloth.

The sword then dropped into Layla's hands. She then turned to me and offered it to me.

"It should be safe for you to touch it now."

I positioned my hand above the handle and as soon as I grabbed ahold of the handle, nothing happened.

I held the sword in my hand and the feeling that I would always feel whenever I make contact with divine energy wasn't there.

"You should be able to hold it now," Layla said. "The sword has been covered with material that is able to suppress divine energy so you won't be hurt by the energy the sword gives off."

I placed my hand on the bandaged wrapped blade of the sword and it was true, I wasn't feeling pain from it anymore.

I was a bit happy that this sword was in my hands but then I turned to the Orias.

"Why… exactly are you giving this to me?" I asked them.

"I want you to save my granddaughter." I heard Francis say in a serious tone.

"In the tradition of royalty, if one pushes marriage to another noble, a duel must be held between them. This isn't mandatory as the other could give their consent but the duel will happen if they attempt to decline. If the one who pushed the marriage wins, they will get married to the other and if they lose, well, it's called off." Layla explained to me.

"And what you are saying is-?"

"This does not apply to angels. Katrina is my daughter, meaning she is also an angel. Stated in heavenly laws, if an angel wants to be married to another, their souls must be compatible with each other. Katrina's and Deroc's souls are not compatible, not even a portion. If it wasn't obvious, Katrina is not comfortable around Deroc."

Then she took my hands and somehow my hands didn't burn from her touch, even though she was emitting divine energy.

"I ask of you to defeat Deroc and save my daughter. These past days, she has managed to get the hang of Stellar, but she has not mastered its full use. She will be ruined if she is married under the Margos."

That's when I noticed the change in her wings. Light particles began shedding off from them and in their place were black feathers.

"Y-you-" I stammered.

"Yes, I have fallen from grace because I've chosen to protect my daughter than let it play out. I've-" She stopped, turning to Lloyd who nodded.

"I've prepared for this day to lose my grace… because I've made a deal with the devil."

"Devil?"

D-did I hear that correctly?

"You might not know this, but you have become a demon. To be specific, you have demon blood inside you that has yet to be awakened."

"I'm… a demon? No, I can't be, I'm huma-"

"Did you not toss your humanity aside to obtain more power?"

"…what?"

"The truth is, you may have lost some of the morals you have kept close to you since birth, but you also tossed away your human body, and you were given a new one by the Qliphoth. You were given a body suited to wield demonic power while retaining the human qualities you still possess."

"H-how do you know all this?"

"How do you think Celestia was able to read minds and memories? I was the one that taught her that and I can do it too."

"So you read through my memories…? Does that mean you-?"

"We will keep it a secret," Lloyd said. "In exchange, you will protect our daughter."

I gulped as the weight was already being pushed onto me and I have no other way but to comply. If I want to keep my identity a secret, then I'll have to do what they say.

"I see then… so all I have to do is save your daughter?"

"Yes," The two said.

"But… where am I supposed to go? I was only a second too late to be able to tag along with them."

A moment of silence filled the room until Francis called my name.

"Nero, come here." He said.

I reluctantly walked over to Francis before he quickly got ahold of my face and blinded me with light.

"Gaaaah!!" I yelped in pain as I stumbled back.

"I have gifted you my ability, the Eyes of Interspace. With it, you will be able to find where they are."

[Active Skill Obtained: Mystic Eyes of Interspace]

[Mystic Eyes of Interspace: Enhances the host's vision, allowing them to see through any material and up to more than a few thousand miles| Effects: Grant's host the ability to use the Mystic Eyes of Interspace and enhances the range of any ranged attacks| Conditions: 100,000 mana for every second that passes and 1,000,000 mana when the host's vision exceeds a thousand miles]

Suddenly, my vision was… enhanced… very enhanced! I could see through the walls… the forest… I could even see the ocean from here! And I'm indoors!

What the-? Isn't this the eyes that... what was his name called again? I haven't been to the guild for a while so I don't remember his name, but he had it as well.

"Now then, look here," Layla said, positioning me to another part of the room and suddenly, I spotted two figures fighting in some kind of colosseum.

Wait a minute, isn't that the colosseum I passed trying to get to Maroon city?

"An Altima user like Deroc is unbeatable in a sword on sword fight. If you can somehow beat him at his own game, then you will have the upper hand. From here, you are on your own."

I deactivated the Mystic Eyes of Interspace and turned towards them. Looking at the sword, I smirked as I strapped it on my waist and clenched my hands together.

"Thank you," I thanked them before I vanished and appeared in the sky above the colosseum.

I noticed that Katrina had fallen onto the ground, forcefully exited out of her Altima. Deroc had his sword raised and he looked like he was ready to strike her.

Hmph... I already know how to beat you...

Right as he was about to swing his sword, I aimed for his hand and fired Piercing Red.

BANG!!

Piercing Red had pierced not only his hand but also some kind of barrier. If I were to guess, that would be a barrier that Celestia must've cast.

I wasn't done there. I formed Caustic Blue and fired Lapis Lotus, sending blue projectiles towards Deroc. The projectiles managing to pierce his arms and forcing him out of Altima.

After a while, he lifted his head towards me, an infuriated look crossing his face.

...hehe.

I'm going to make you suffer.

That was what I thought as I stared at Deroc with a smile crossing my face.

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