Chapter 14: Holy Fire

"Who took it, Azazel? Don't even try dodging the question like always." My mother said.

"Kokabiel..." 

That's it! I don't care who that guy is. He took the only thing that would allow me to return home, and he will be punished for it. While he is stronger than me, being a cadre-class fallen with the use of my flames of destruction, I can kill him, but first, I need the cube back.

"Hey, Azazel," I said after a while, looking him in the eyes, "Do you know if it's possible to make a grenade for the flames I just used?" I asked with a smile.

He looked at me awkwardly, "It should be possible; why do you ask?"

My smile turned into an evil grin, "Oh, nothing, just planning to play a game called Bomb the Crow when I find Kokabiel," I said as some of the killing intent I was holding leaked out.

Seeing my grin, he stepped back a bit, "Despite being from a different world, you and this world's version of your mother have a lot in common." 

"What was that, Azazel?" My mom asked with a smile and closed eyes.

"Great, if one wasn't enough, now there is another one... Unfortunately, I can't make anything that could contain those flames in a short amount of time," He grumbled.

...

..

.

A large teleportation circle formed under the three of us, and after the blinding light faded, we were in the laboratory; the spot where the cube was supposed to be was empty.

I should have taken it with me. 

If I did, then that stupid bastard wouldn't have stolen it.

Why did he steal it? Did he think it was something important, or did he know how to use it, and that's why he stole it?

I don't know that, but I do know that I want to pick out every feather from his wings for doing it!

"Azazel, find where he is hiding while I train Elijah." Mom ordered while giving him a threatening stare.

It worked like a charm because he left immediately with a "Yes, ma'am."

After he left, I looked at my mother with a confused look, "Why do you need to train me?" I asked.

"You were never able to form even a single light weapon, and you said you could only use three spells." She paused and looked down for a while, "After your death and my fall, I spent a lot of time researching that as a distraction, and I think I found a way for you to use magic."

However, due to absorbing the fog in my inner world, I started to feel more connected to my mana, and I think after I absorb all of it, that issue should be resolved.

But considering the time she spent on this, it would be best for me to accept this without any protest. Besides, who knows, it could actually help me.

"Let's do it then," I answered with a nod.

After turning on my disguise again, just in case, I was led to what looked like a sealed-off training room.

It was an empty room besides what looked like training dummies.

"This room is specially made for experimenting with spells. No type of energy will leave the room, and no one would feel it from the outside," She explained after closing the double doors.

"Now then, you should know that angels can combine light and another element to produce a light-infused variant." She began, and I nodded, "Your Uncle Baraqiel has Holy Lightning, Uriel has Holy Fire, and I can infuse the water and light element to make Holy Water. With it, I could do many things like, for example..." 

Holy Water appeared around her hand before transforming into a blade made of Holy Water. It was a weird sight. While the blade was still made out of water, it was in a solid state while not being ice.

"So you want me to learn how to infuse another element with my light element?" I asked because I couldn't see myself forming an element-infused light weapon being different from a normal light weapon.

She nodded, "While I want you to succeed in making a proper light weapon, if it doesn't work and you manage to mix your light element with another element, then combining it with your current spells shouldn't be a hard task for you."

I actually tried it but didn't succeed, but maybe with her teaching me, I could succeed this time.

"Sit down in a meditative position and close your eyes," She began, and I did as she said, "First, find the place where your energy is the most concentrated and focus on it... Did you find it?"

I nodded without opening my eyes. This wasn't the first time I did it, so it was easy, "Normally, I would've thought you would inherit Holy Water from me, but seeing everything, I doubt that, so you need to find what element suits you the best."

"Suits me best?" I asked while not losing focus.

"Yes, how does your mana feel? How does it react? For example, mine being water makes the energy in me flow with tranquil grace, adapting effortlessly to its surroundings, from the gentle caress of steam to the powerful rush of a waterfall."

I see...

Focusing on my mana, I observed it to see how it behaved. It wasn't anything like what my mother described hers to be. No, mine was different, the opposite, in fact.

"It feels like a fire roaring with a primal hunger, consuming all in its path, casting mesmerizing shadows, and wielding both warmth and destruction. Two opposites working together,"

While I couldn't see her due to my eyes being closed, I felt she had a smirk, "I assumed that would be the case. Maybe that is why what you call the Rune of Destruction takes the form of flames... Now that you've found what element you are most attuned to, it's time for the real lesson."

What followed was probably the most difficult training session since my time in the Land of the Shadows. But unlike that time here, I wasn't beaten to the inch of my life before being healed and beaten again.

Regardless, it was still taxing for me. While it felt more natural than at any other point in my life, creating a flaming light weapon was still difficult.

But when I made a normal light weapon construct, I could see improvements. Unlike the ones I managed to make four years ago, the ones I created now could be called real light weapons.

"Congratulations," My mother said, swiping her sword with a quick motion at the one I created, shattering it instantly, "This one had the strength and quality of a light weapon made by a two-winged angel."

"..." I looked silently as the light particles of my light sword dispersed into the atmosphere. It wasn't extraordinary, but it was a considerable improvement.

"Don't look down like that. Compared to the first one you made, it was a significant improvement, and if you continue progressing at this pace, then you should be able to make a light weapon comparable to a four-winged angel."

That was at least reassuring. But considering I technically have three pairs of wings, I'm still far behind. The light sword I made just now was at a similar level to the ones Akeno could create four years ago.

Oh, I could imagine her teasing smirk and saying something along the lines, 'Ara, Ara, El has finally learned how to make a simple light weapon.'

I stopped, and my eyes widened. I haven't thought about or even asked, but since I died in this world... "Mom... What happened to Akeno?" 

She looked at me with a sad expression before answering, "She is... fine. Your and her mother's death affected her a lot, but she started getting over it not so long ago."

That's good. At least she was alive, and I should make sure she didn't see me. Unlike my mother, who is very old, she is still a child, and seeing her dead childhood friend and cousin suddenly alive before he leaves wouldn't be a good idea.

Leaving this place... 

In order to do that, I need the cube back from Kokabiel, but what should I do when I get it back and return home with the Kokabiel from my world?

While technically two different people, the difference shouldn't be that big, right?

I shook my head, stopping that thought. I don't know if I'm strong enough to take him down here in this world with the help of two cadre class fallen angels, and I don't have any proof for that one.

In the worst-case scenario, I kill him, and that would cause the start of a war between the fallen and the pure angels since I'm technically part of the Heaven Faction.

No matter if I'm in this weird half-fallen state, being both a fallen and a pure angel.

If it was only me who would be affected by it, I would have done it, disregarding the consequences, but I can't.

Anyways... Not thinking any further about that, I returned to my training, and the day passed with Azazel not finding where Kokabiel or the cube he stole could be.

...

..

.

The next day, Mom continued to train me, and I was getting closer and closer to getting my light blades to an acceptable level. The first half of the training was used to improve my light construct quality, while the other half was for me to unlock my Holy Fire.

The only problem was that my mother's water element was the opposite of my fire, so the way she had achieved it wasn't the same as how I could achieve it. 

Let me think. The flames of destruction... how do they feel when I use them? 

After thinking for a while, there was only one thing I could think of.

Pure Destruction!

That was the only way I could describe how it feels to wield the flames that are activated by my anger and rage.

That made me stop and think!

If the flames that originate from a demon are activated by anger and rage, shouldn't it be the opposite for Holy Flames?

In that case, in order to awaken my Holy Flames, I should think of happy and warm emotions? 

With that in mind, I took a deep breath and focused. Quickly going through my memories and picking the good ones out, they flashed through my mind like hundreds of pictures.

Minutes passed as I continued focusing on them, and then, as if something was unlocked, the picture started glowing a dazzling white color before bursting on fire with the same color.

Unlike the purple flames of destruction, these flames felt pure, as if touching them would cleanse all the impurities.

Guiding the flames in the same motion as if making a simple light weapon, I felt the flames mix with my light mana in a spiral motion before something started forming in my hand.

Opening my eyes, I saw a white glow coming from my hand, and looking down, there it was.

A white flaming blade.

It wasn't looking that good... but it was progress. The blade was too thin and the handle too short, but with enough training, I should get better.

Strangely, nothing happened to my hand. Unlike the flames of destruction that reduced my hand down to the bones, these didn't. 

With enough training, could I make a blade made solely out of the purple flames without them burning me? 

If I managed that, I would have two blades while my current twin swords could return to being wings.

But then again, a question came to my mind. How would I change back my blades to being wings? 

If I return them to their original form while hidden on my back, would the wings reattach, or would I hear two thuds when the wings fall down to the ground? 

I remember Scáthach telling me it was possible to get my wings back, but did she mean the swords, or would I get different wings?

---

"I found him, but there is a slight problem," Azazel said.

I took him another day before he could find Kokabiel's location. It was primarily due to Kokabiel knowing Azazel would be after him, so he made sure to hide, but it wasn't good enough.

"Where is he hiding?" My mother asked as I stayed silent while listening.

"An abandoned warehouse in an isolated area just outside the town you used to live in. But the problem is that he has around a thousand fallen with him, and some of them even have four pairs of wings. From what I managed to find, these five are part of it," He said while on a screen, the location of the warehouse was shown, and five pictures of fallen angels.

That shouldn't be a problem with Mother and Azazel having six pairs of wings, and while I'm weaker with technically three sets, I have my flames and flash step. 

But seeing the look on my mother and Azazel, I knew something was off.

"What's so special about those five?" I asked, "You both have six pairs of wings, so even that large group wouldn't give you a problem."

"Their strength alone isn't the problem, but when they work together, they are a deadly team. During the war, they fought against much stronger opponents and ended up victorious in the end." My mother explained with a frown.

If that was during the war, then that means they are stronger and even more dangerous.

"Still, though, you two should be able to handle them, and I know Azazel probably has hundreds of things up his sleeve to deal with them," I said, pointing at Azazel.

"Ummm... I may have just a few countermeasures prepared if something like this happened."

"Great, so then there isn't any problem. Do we just go in there, deal with everyone, and get the cube back?" I asked.

"I haven't formed a plan yet, but that can also work," Azazel shrugged.

"Dealing with it quietly without any fighting would be best," My mother said.

That's true, but stealthy missions aren't my specialty. Besides, I want to kill or at least beat Kokabiel to the inch of his life.

"Isn't what Kokabiel did treason?" I asked, "Stealing from the leader and then going into hiding? You would still need to capture him, and dealing with something quietly and I don't go together well."

"See, Gabriel, even your son doesn't want to deal with it quietly," Azazel said with a smirk before getting serious again, "But you have a point. We can't just storm in. There is a big chance Kokabiel would just leave while the others attack us."

"Then let me sneak in. I can act like I'm part of their group, and when I find Kokabiel, I will attack him, making enough of a scene to make a signal for you to attack." I said.

"No, El! You aren't strong enough to fight him!" Mom said, worried for my safety. 

What she said was true. Kokabiel has five pairs of wings, so he is much stronger than me, but he doesn't know anything about me. I have the element of surprise. 

If everything goes smoothly, I can get close enough to flash step right next to him before plunging a blade with the flames of destruction into him.

But I know things are never that easy.

I smiled, "Don't worry, he may be stronger, but I have fought stronger enemies many times." That was also true. Just in this life, most of the enemies I fought were stronger than me or outnumbered me by a lot.

If something goes wrong and I am forced into a 1v1 against Kokabiel, I should be able to stall him at least long enough until Azazel and my mother finish dealing with the others.

"Okay..." My mother agreed after a while.

---

Observing the abandoned warehouse in the distance, it looked like nothing special, but Azazel told me there was a barrier making it look like that. 

My objective was to enter and not get caught until I found the cube and Kokabiel. 

That shouldn't be a problem with the amount of fallen angels. They couldn't possibly know every single fallen that is inside.

"Okay, I'm off," I said while giving them one last glance before going towards the warehouse, still hiding.

The moment I crossed the barrier, the warehouse changed. It wasn't looking like an abandoned warehouse that could fall over at any moment. Instead, it looked like something that was still in use. 

The light was on, and after observing it for some time, I could see fallen angels entering and leaving through the front.

It seemed there wasn't anyone guarding the entrance, so that was good for me.

Deciding to go inside, I walked towards the front entrance and opened the door without any hesitation.

For my disguise, I had black hair and purple eyes.

When I walked in, there wasn't anyone who bothered looking at who entered as if they didn't consider anyone other than people part of their group coming here.

That's stupid of them but good for me.

Carefully looking around, I noticed how the place looked larger than expected. Despite hundreds of Fallen inside, there was still a lot of space left.

Some fallen sat on sofas talking or sitting around a table playing poker.

For a hidden base, it looked quite nice, I thought. 

Trying to sense everyone's strength, I found they were all quite strong, but the strongest was above me. 

There was what looked like an observing booth, but the windows were covered. Taking a quick look at my surroundings, I found the staircase. Thankfully, it was blocked off, so nobody could see me anymore as I disappeared behind the wall.

Keeping my mana from leaking outside, I was about to walk up the stairs before I heard an emotionless voice behind me.

"Why do you have the smell of my home on you?" The emotionless voice behind me asked.

Turning around, I was met with a young girl with long black hair down to her hips and black eyes, and after looking closer, I noticed her slightly pointed ears.

I had no idea of how old or how powerful she was. The problem with supernatural beings is that they could look like kids while being hundreds, if not thousands of years old.

As for her powers... I can't feel anything from her. It's like she was an ordinary human... no, even humans who are unaware of the supernatural world have a presence.

This little girl doesn't have a presence at all. Either she is so weak I can't feel anything from her, or she is so strong I can't even feel her strength.

Best to be nice to her just in case, "Sorry, I can't remember your name, Miss..." 

"..." She looked at me without saying anything, and there wasn't any shift in her emotions, "Ophis..." She replied after a while, and I almost choked on my saliva. 

Ophis...

Ophis...

Ophis...

I continued to hear her name over and over again in my mind. 

Before me stood one of the strongest beings in this world. The Ouroboros Dragon and the Infinite Dragon God. 

What is she doing here? Is she part of this group? If she is, then it wouldn't be possible for us to win. She could probably kill us with a single snap of her fingers.

"Why do you have the smell of my home on you?" She asked again.

"Your home?" I didn't know what her home was or even why I smelled like it.

She came closer to me and sniffed me. I tried my best not to move while she was doing it. 

I hadn't expected ever to catch the interest of the strongest beings, so my reaction was normal.

"No, you smell like home but different... You aren't from here." She said and looked at me. For the first time, her expression changed, and her black eyes narrowed slightly.

Shit... This isn't good.

"Help me get my home back," She said.

With home, does she mean the Dimensional Gap? Did someone take it from her? The only other being I know there should be... Great Red.

She isn't asking me to do what I think she is, right?

"Your home... Do you mean the Dimensional Gap?" I asked to confirm. She nodded, "The person that took it from you, is it Great Red?" I asked again, and she nodded again.

Fuck...

If I decline, there is a really high possibility of her killing me here, but if I accept, there is a really high possibility of Great Red killing me. Besides that, I need to get back home.

What choice should I gamble on... Is it possible for her to jump through different timelines? If so, then if I accept and disappear from this world, she could hunt me down and kill me.

I took a deep breath and hoped for the best outcome, "I'm sorry, Lady Ophis, but I'm not that strong, so I couldn't possibly be of any help in killing Great Red." I replied and looked at her.

Instead of being angry or anything at my refusal, she put forth her hand, and on it, something slithered around it. It looked like a snake, "Power," She said simply as if telling me to take it and it would increase my power.

It was a tempting offer, especially with whom I was about to fight, but I couldn't accept it.

"Sorry, but I can't accept it. I can't stay in this world for long; I need to find a way to get back home." I said.

"Home? Did Idiot Red take your home, too?" She asked with a small tilt of her head.

"No, not him," I replied.

She looked at me for a moment as if considering something. Her eyes looked to be clouded for a moment. 

Then, a new object formed in her hand, looking like a small glass bottle, and the snake went inside before it sealed itself there. 

She stretched her arm for me to take it again, "Take it so you can go home." She said.

I guess she understands the feeling of being separated from her home, I thought, and slowly took the small glass bottle with the snake slithering inside.

I looked at it for a while, "Thanks-" I was about to thank her, but she was gone. 

I looked at the bottle again, "What am I supposed to do with you?" I mumbled to myself. 

Why did she put it in the glass bottle? Maybe I'm not supposed to use it just yet. 

I couldn't understand what she wanted me to do with it. 

But I couldn't waste more time wondering about it, as I needed to get the cube back, so I stored it in my rune.

Turning to the stairs again, I started walking up until I saw the closer door to the observing area. 

When I was close enough, I started listening in to figure out who was there and what they were doing. Thankfully, the person was loud and seemed angered about something.

"Stupid! WHY DOESN'T THIS PIECE OF JUNK WORK!" The person inside screamed, and I could hear an object hitting the wall.

"L-Lord Kokabiel, I'm sure we will figure out how this weapon works soon," Stuttered another voice.

"I EXPOSED MYSELF FOR A STUPID BLOCK OF METAL THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK! YOU SAID IT WAS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS WEAPON!" The person I now know is Kokabiel yelled. 

"I-It w-was s-stored among L-Lord A-Azazel's most secure inventions with e-everything about it being censored."

So that's the reason they stole the cube... I could easily figure out the thing they were talking about, and I assumed it was what Kokabiel just threw at the wall.

At least I know the cube is inside. I could try to take it back and leave this place. It should be possible, but the moment I do it, I will have the whole place chasing after me. 

Taking out the boss first is still the better option. 

But how should I do it? Do I knock and pretend to be here to give a report or kick in the door and attack?

---

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading this chapter.

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