Life & Death

Dohnaseek admitted, when he received the orders to go after the Devils he had been happy. Finally, the chance for a real fight instead of hiding and working in secret.

Besides being the only male, he was also the oldest member of Raynare´s former group. In fact, he had been alive since before the end of the Great War. Of course he had been a no-name fighter back then, only one of the countless faces in the mass. Still, sometimes he nearly missed those times. At least back then things were clearer than they are now.

He was one of the supporters of Lord Kokabiel´s more aggressive course, instead of Azazel´s newer `peace´ policies. In the end only came down to giving in to their enemies whenever some sort of dispute came up. At least Kokabiel was willing to stand up for their race, even if it could mean a new conflict.

As the humans would say it: `Better risk to die on your feet than live on your knees.´ Or something like that.

Of course someone like Raynare, with her blind devotion to Azazel could just not see that. In her eyes he was still the leader from the Great War. A man who no longer existed since before her life even began.

`Azazel´s fangirl´, that´s how she was called under the hand by some people in the ranks. It was not hard to suspect that she might have secretly hoped to become one of his concubines.

Well, wherever Azazel had send her to, he hoped she was happy with it. Dohnaseek for his part was glad that things here were now finally getting his way.

He had been sick of the endless laying low the waiting and hiding, he ached for some action, for an active mission, a fight... and now he finally got his wish.

They had taken the three Devils by surprise and already killed one of them - ironically the Stray the other two were fighting against - and wounded another.

Together with their remaining Exorcist group, they have them cornered the last uninjured `Devil´. She had defended herself with her lightning power quite well. Oh yes, he was aware who she was, Baraquiel´s traitorous daughter... and now the `Queen´ of the Gremory heiress. She and the smaller white haired girl were still putting up a fight. But they were attacking them from all sides.

But as it turned out Baraquiel´s brat had some actual fighting skills. She managed to kill two of their Stray Exorcists with a powerful burst of lightning. Her already wounded comrade was able to take another one down. Defeated by an injured child Devil, he didn´t know it he should pity the man for his death or for his weakness.

The small girl herself however was also looking as if she could barely stand anymore. Both the wound and the light that had entered her body were obviously taking their toll on her. It was probably only a short time until she would collapse.

And as it looked they would not even need the reinforcements that Lord Kokabiel had promised them.

Nearly the same moment however Kalawarner was hit by another powerful burst of lightning from the traitor, through a mixture of simple luck... or bad luck in Kalawarner´s case... and Akeno´s expertise. The Fallen Angel let out a terrible scream as the high level electricity ripped through her body and she fell crashing to the ground. She continued to use her lightning at her for a few more moments to the already injured opponent, causing even more damage.

Normally she would be laughing about the painful looking attack she had just landed on one of the enemies... and even now she couldn´t hold back a grin. But she knew the situation was more than serious.

She herself barely manage to survive one more barrage of lightspears. She dodged another spear... until she was finally hit as well. She saw that it had pierced clean through her leg. This was it, she thought.

Koneko didn´t look as if she could fight for even another minute. And neither would she against so many opponents. Unless help would arrive very quickly, they were both dead.

A few seconds later Koneko collapsed and Akeno herself had already sank to her knees.

Right then another magic circle appeared a short distance from them all. But their short moment of hope that the others had arrived was nearly instantly dashed as they realized that the circle was not from the Gremory clan, but one they had ever seen before... and when they saw that the figure appearing before them was yet another Fallen Angel.

The newcomer was looking over the fighting-place.

"I see you have already done most of the work without me," he said.

"Sartael-sama," Dohnaseek greeted him, a bit surprised. "Lord Kokabiel didn't say that you would come in person."

"No, you have just been given the necessary information," the man replied. "But as I see one of them is still standing." He was looking at Akeno, who was struggling to move with her wounded leg.

The stranger spread his black feathered wings. His three pairs of wings. Six wings, Akeno thought. This was a higher level Fallen Angel.

The stranger attacked her and took her down with one move... and only a small gesture, as if squashing an insect.

He didn't use a lightspear. Instead he formed with his hand a small globe of what looked like concentrated light energy. He threw it at her and Akeno was thrown to the ground with visible burn wounds.

"Two Devils less to stain this world," the man named Sartael commented as he was looking at them. "Now, would you please finish them off Dohnaseek."

He let his gaze wander over the fighting site. "But there is one last thing," he said.

Without any warning he fired another attack, directly at the three remaining Stray Exorcists. That was left behind was nothing but burning remains of flesh.

Dohnaseek and Mittelt were, to say the very least, more than a little bit unsettled about this.

Sartael, who they knew as the right hand of Lord Kokabiel himself, had just killed three of their allies without a moment of hesitation. Of course the Exorcists were basically only hired guns, but they were still on their side. So what purpose did this serve?

"Good, one loose ends less," Sartael stated. "Then there is only one thing left..." he looked at the wounded Kalawarner. Kill her," he said.

"What?" Dohnaseek asked in shock. "What are you talking about? She is one of us."

The others... including Kalawarner herself of course, who was staring at him from the ground, unable to even say anything... could also barely believe what they were hearing.

"Yes. That is exactly the point," the six winged Fallen replied.

"What do you mean?" Dohnaseek angrily asked him.

"Let us say, to reach what is best for our Faction, sacrifices have to be made," Sartael told him. "You are one of the people who understands that. A new war is unavoidable... and should start better soon than later.

But just the loss of these two pathetic servants will not hit the Devils hard enough. They will just whine a bit and do nothing. That stupid brat that had been handed control of this town by her brother, will just get two other `evil pieces´ and simply turn two other idiots to replace these two."

He was fully aware that the two Gremory servants were still conscious and heard every word he was saying. But he didn't care. Should these two filthy Devils know how worthless their lives were, even to their own people.

"And our side? They will be willing to compromise and make `amends´. Just like always under Azazel´s `leadership´," he said with disdain. "Not that the Devils would ever make any amends to us though," he remarked.

"But if the Devils killed one of us and an entire group of our Exorcists in an unprovoked ambush... and we killed some of them in return. Let us say that many of our people are also having enough of always giving in to the Devils. And if a few such incidents happened..."

"Bastard," Akeno spat at him as she heard what he was saying.

Dohnaseek was known to be a ruthless fighter under the Grigori. Always starving for some real combat and not giving any quarter to the enemy. But this?

"That is enough," he said. "This is madness. Kalawarner may be a dumb bitch sometimes, but she is a member of my team. I won´t do it. You are crazy. Wait till Lord Kokabiel hears about this."

Without another word or a moment of hesitation, Sartael moved and shot him with the same attack he had used against Akeno earlier.

"Lord Kokabiel was the one who had ordered it you fool," he stated as he looked down at him.

"Now it looks as if we get one martyr more for our cause. What do you think... Mittelt... that was your name, wasn't it?" he turned to the last member of the group. "Are you with me..." he grinned, "or are you with them?" He pointed at Kalawarner and Dohnaseek, who were desperately trying to stand up again, to do anything to defend themselves.

She said nothing for a few moments, just looking at him fearfully.

"I... I am with you Sartael-sama," she answered then, visibly intimidated.

"Good. In this case prove your loyalty. Kill one of them. I don´t care which one. I will just take the other."

The truth was he had been intending from the beginning to have at least two of them killed. Lord Kokabiel´s original plan had actually been to sacrifice the entire group. They were all only cannon fodder anyway.

But his own team could also need some extra help for the things that are coming. So he decided that he would take the one who was most willing to get along with his way. He would have never expected it to be the small gothic lolita though. Actually he thought it would be Dohnaseek. But as it turns out he didn't have the guts to do what was told to do.

Mittelt now formed a light-spear in her hand and stepped closer to Kalawarner.

"You know when I think about it, I never really liked you," she said to her. "And those oversized boobs of yours were always getting on my nerves. Maybe I should just cut them off before I finish you, what do you think?" A wicked grin now formed on her face.

"You little bitch," Kalawarner hissed.

Dohnaseek was standing up again, intending to not go down without a fight.

"Ah, a fighter after all," Sartael commented. "Only one too sentimental to be of any use to us."

In this moment another transport circle appeared before them. This time however it was actually the rest of the Gremory peerage who had just teleported in.

The Angel called Sartael however only grinned when he saw their arrival. It seemed a far better prey than these two devil-slaves here had just come. If he killed the sister of one of the Maous, it would be far more efficient than just this charade here.

Rias on the other hand was quickly losing her courage, now as she saw their opponent. Six wings. What in the world was someone like that doing in her town? She knew they were outmatched.

He instantly attacked them.

xxxxxxx

As Issei, Gaeriel and Raynare arrived, less than a minute later, nearly Rias entire peerage was down, just like Dohnaseek and Kalawarner.

Only she herself was still standing... barely. It was clear that she had no chance at all. The only reason she was even still able to fight was that, until a few moments ago she had Kiba at her side. That and that their opponent didn´t seemed to be very serious at all.

They saw the six winged Fallen Angel who had obviously been dominating the fight. Neither Issei and Gaeriel had ever seen him before - no wonder in Issei´s case, but Gaeriel had been an Angel of Heaven and a Guardian.

But Raynare, as a member of the Grigori, did have.

"Issei, be careful. I know this man. He is very dangerous," she warned him.

Issei had heard her. Trusting her was of course another matter. But dangerous or not, he would not simply let this guy kill all the others, even if he had issues with most of them.

"Hey," he shouted at him.

"Ah, so you have arrived as well," Sartael greeted them as he turned around in their direction, "the group Lord Azazel currently have dealings with," he stated casually.

Issei saw Rias gaze shift to him for a moment as their enemy said this.

"Raynare?" Dohnaseek asked in surprise as he recognized her. "What are you doing here?"

"Dohnaseek," she greeted him with a good bit of sarcasm. "Now, what is this? I am gone for just a few days and everything goes downhill?" she asked, grinning smugly.

"You," he nearly growled at her, but calmed himself down. If she and the others were saving his ass here, then he would gladly accept a few smart comments from her.

Issei saw their short exchange as well. The Raynare he `knew and loved´ was obviously back now, after her breakdown from yesterday.

But right now that was the least of his worries. He turned to Rias.

"We will talk about this later," he said to her. "We have other problems to deal with."

She nodded.

"Oh and what do you want to talk about?" Sartael asked them mockingly. "Maybe about the fact that you Issei Hyoudou and this Fallen Angel there," he pointed at Gaeriel, "are both members of a secret organization that has its origin in another universe.

An organization that is working in dozens, maybe hundreds of parallel worlds and that has now made a secret agreement with Lord Azazel. How are you usually called?... Oh right, the Guardians. And I guess our friend Raynare here is a new recruit as well, right?" Sartael announced.

Rias and her peerage were just looking gobsmacked at what he just said, their eyes wandering between Issei and Gaeriel and him.

"How did you...?" Gaeriel asked completely aghast. In the next moments she realized that is was probably not a god idea to say it like that.

"Don´t tell me this crazy story is true?" Rias called out.

Shit, she thought. She should have followed the same advice she had given Issei and learned to just keep her big mouth shut.

"How do I know about all this?" Sartael repeated. "You could say I have some kind of source. And it is not the only thing I know. How about this Sacred Gear holder Asia Argento who you have saved and are hiding here right under the Devil´s nose. It was Lord Kokabiel himself who told me this."

This caused even more awkward looks from Rias and the others.

"Like Issei said, we will talk about this, but not now," Gaeriel told them.

"Okay," the Devil replied. "But we will talk."

"Look out," Issei exclaimed.

Sartael fired another of his attacks on her, hoping to catch her off guard. But the Gremory Devil avoided it, barely.

He knew the situation from a just few minutes ago had completely changed. Of course he was easily superior to every single one of them on their own. But all of them together? He admitted he wasn´t so sure.

By talking about the information of the Guardians he had been given, he had hoped to create a rift between these two `allies´. To turn them against each other. And while he certainly succeeded to saw some mistrust, it wasn´t enough to bring them apart... yet.

"Tell me Fallen Angel, what are you doing here?" Rias asked him. "This is Devil's territory... and you are attacking my servants."

"Rias, this guy wants to kill us," Akeno called out to her, "... and also his own allies as well... and then blame it all on us. He wants a new war and he want to make it look as if we are responsible."

Hearing this angered the Gremory heiress only even more.

"You would sacrifice your own allies like that?"

"As if you wouldn´t do the same thing if it suits your needs Devil," he replied. "But we both know just killing two of your servants wouldn´t give my Lord what he wants. You on the other hand. If I kill you.

By yourself you might be only a weak pathetic brat. But it is your family that makes you important. Imagine, just your useless little life," he told her mockingly, letting the words hang in the air.

Rias didn´t know what enraged her more, his insults against her or his claim that she would sacrifice her own servants.

It made no difference anyway. He was attacking once again, throwing light-spears and small globes of energy at them... and the one Fallen Angel who as it seemed had decided to side with him was backing him up now.

xxx

The teenage girl who was standing in a short distance to them, hiding in the shrubbery between the trees close by, could still not believe what she was seeing.

She had been following her class-mate Issei because she was convinced that something strange was going on with him. But what she had found was nothing else than a fight between monsters? supernatural creatures? there was no other way how she could call it.

She had heard the terms Devil and Fallen Angel being shouted by the beings before her. And Issei Hyoudou was right between them. Murayama didn´t quite know what to think or to do.

xxx

The fight was still going on. Despite being hopelessly outnumbered... in the moment it was Issei, Gaeriel, Raynare, Rias Gremory, Dohnaseek and Kiba, who just managed to get up again, against only him and Mittelt... Sartael was still quite confident that he could reach what he wanted.

Half of them were already damaged. But he was also starting to get tired. He cursed himself in part for toying with the Devils earlier. Otherwise this would already be over.

But he also had another, easier solution, left. He threw another couple of attacks in their direction which they all easily evaded. But he used this chance to make another move.

In a split second he had gone from the place he had been before and was now standing at a small group of trees around two dozen meters away.

But he was not alone. Most of them recognized the girl he was holding in his grip. It was Murayama.

Issei saw it as well. What was she doing here? She must have followed him, he realized. He had known about the curiosity she had developed about him. He had planned to talk with her about it, but didn´t came to it yet.

Gaeriel and Raynare had taken position next to him. Both having formed light-spears and pointing them at their opponent.

"Ah, who do we have here?" Sartael asked, while Murayama was struggling to break free from him. But of course she had no chance against the hold of the Fallen Angel.

"Hyoudou-kun," she called out as she saw him.

"Can it be that you know this girl?" Sartael asked.

He had felt the presence of a human close by. Given that it was in the middle of the night in the park, none of them had actually bothered to create a barrier to keep intruders away. He had intended to take whoever it was as a hostage. But this seemed even better as he had hoped.

"She is a student of the same school as you, isn´t she?" he questioned. "One last time, it does not have to be like this `Hyoudou-san´. Just step aside and leave this Devil to me... and I will let this girl go. We don´t have to be enemies. Believe me, she and her kind are scum that needs to be exterminated."

"Don´t even think about it," Gaeriel said. "You know I can't stand these Devils myself. But if the sister of one of the Maous dies through the hands of a Fallen Angel, it could maybe cause a new war."

Issei was clenching his teeth. He knew she was right, even if he hated it. But Murayama was only here because of him.

"Well, I guess that means no. A pity," Sartael said.

Issei wanted - needed - to do something. He knew he was about to see one of his classmates die... all because she had been curious about what he had been doing.

He rushed forward as fast as he could, with superhuman speed. But his enemy was even faster.

In the moments Issei had reached them, he had already formed a light-spear and stepped it right through Murayama´s heart. All he could do was catch the dying girl in his arms.

Sartael draw back as attacks from Raynare, Gaeriel and Rias hit him. But none was strong enough to cause any lasting damage.

"No... no," Issei stammered as he saw the state of his classmate.

Murayama was looking at him. Her lips were moving as if she wanted to say something. But she couldn´t anymore. A moment later she was dead.

Issei was in shock. He could only think one thing... It's all my fault. If he had been more careful, if she hadn´t been following him, if he had taken the time to talk to her earlier... if... If only.

He felt tears flowing from his eyes. He truly was an idiot. Nothing but a perverted fool

[Don´t blame yourself partner.] he heard Ddgraig´s voice in his head. [You couldn´t have known that she would follow you to this place. Remember, you had good reasons why you didn´t had a chance to talk to her earlier. You had other things and other people to worry about, Asia Argento... Freed Selzen... your actions saved many.]

`This won´t help Murayama,´ he replied.

[No, but it helped all the other people whose lives were saved, including Asia.]

Issei remembered every moment he had spent in school next to this girl, every time he talked to her, even the times she attacked him for peeking on her. This would now never happen again, all because of that bastard. And he felt his sadness turn into anger and rage.

Issei felt how energy was slowly building up inside him, how it was taking form and concentrating, here right in the palms of his hands. He laid Murayama´s body to the ground and stood up.

He remembered at this point that maybe Rias would be able to bring her back as a Devil. If she was willing to do that. But it would still not be the same. She would no longer be human... she would have to be her servant.

No, it would not be the same. And it would not just erase the fact that she died here.

He had never been this angry before, not even as Raynare had killed him or as he heard about her plans to kill Asia. What got to him most was the pure senselessness of it.

Whatever selfish motives she also had, Raynare actually believed that possessing the Twilight Healing would be a great help for her people... and she had been willing to kill Asia over it... something he truly had a hard time forgiving her for... and she had killed him because she had been given actual reason to believe that he could a threat to both her plans... and to the people around him.

As much as her decisions angered him and her betrayal hurt him, he could at least in a twisted way understand why she acted like that.

But this. He had taken her hostage. But it was already clear that they would not simply hand over Rias Gremory. There has been nothing to win for him by killing her, nothing to gain. It was completely pointless.

He just did it because he could. Just because they had refused to give in to his demands. Because they didn´t let him have his way... to give Rias to him to be killed.

Isse saw how his entire rage was released in form of a large blast of energy that he fired from his hands and was directed at their enemy.

Sartael - just like everyone else - was completely surprised by this attack, as the blast hit him and send him flying straight through a line of trees, before he was finally slammed into the ground.

"Sartael-sama," Mittelt called out, more out of fear for herself than of actual worry, since she had just openly betrayed her comrades.

`What - what was that?´ Issei asked himself.

[Dragon-shot is one of the techniques of the Boosted Gear,] Draig explained. [But this was somehow different. Far more powerful as it is meant to. It wouldn't be the first time your powers worked a bit different as they used to.]

`You mean like with my short fight against Kiba?´

[Yes.]

Issei saw that most of the others were staring at him with open mouths.

"I have to say I am impressed," Raynare commented. "To think that I ever thought of you as a weak human."

In some distance however they saw that Sartael was coming up once again. He showed visible burn marks on his body and his wings seemed to have taken some damage. But he seemed to have survived the attack without any greater injuries.

In this moment however something else changed about the entire situation.

From the direction where Issei´s and his group´s temporally `base´ was located, they saw three figures running in their direction. It was Irina and Xenovia... and a few meters behind them, Asia. The two Exorcists were now dressed in leathern combat clothing and had their swords drawn, while the former Nun stayed in some a bit greater distance away.

"You two were meant to stay and keep an eye on the base," Gaeriel reminded them.

"We thought you could use help," Irina replied.

"And beside that, we don´t take orders from Fallen Angels," Xenovia added, "even if they are on our side."

"Whatever, it is good that you are here. And as you can see we have some injured here, that means you could help as well Asia. Raynare might have a hard time to heal them all alone," Gaeriel told her.

She got strange looks from the two Exorcists for saying Asia´s name like this in front of the Devils. They didn´t know that their enemy had already blown their secret.

Issei however had other things on his mind. He could only look at the girl lying before him. She was dead... because of him. He would not simply accept this. There had to be something that could be done. After all he came back as well.

Yes, he suddenly remembered. The memories that Gaeriel had transferred to him. Under them was also the knowledge of a technique, the same one that had brought him back.

He felt the energy building up inside of him again. But this time he would use it for something different than an attack.

xxx

Sartael, from his point of view, saw that on top of everything else he had now two Holy-Sword wielders against him as well. It was enough.

"Mittelt, he said to her, "we are leaving."

"Yes, Sartael-sama," she replied.

Magic circles appeared beneath both of them and one moment later they were gone.

xxx

They were gone.

"Raynare, Asia, could you please heal the others," Gaeriel asked them. "both, the Fallen Angels and the Devils," she said in Raynare´s direction.

"Of course," the other Fallen Angel replied sarcastically, "I wouldn't dream about leaving these poor Devils to suffer. Not that they would lift a finger for me if I were in their situation."

Many of them had heard this comment, but nobody said anything.

The Devils of course noticed that there were in fact two people who possessed the power of the Twilight Healing. How this was possible was another question.

Asia was just about to heal Kiba. For a short moment she saw him giving a short very sharp glance at Xenovia who was standing close by and still holding her sword in her hands. Or maybe she had been wrong, Asia thought.

A second later Kiba was back to his normal self and thanking her for her help.

Raynare had just healed Kalawarner and was now turning her `attention´ to Koneko, while Asia was healing Akeno. Dohnaseek was the one with the least severe injuries, so they would wait for him till the end.

They turned to Issei... they remembered the girl who was with him. But they knew for her all help was probably too late.

"Issei... I could..." Rias was just about to offer him to resurrect this girl. Sure, she didn't have a Sacred Gear or another source of power, but given all he had done to help her - even with the grudge he had against her - this was the least she could do for him.

But then she and the others saw what he was doing.

He was kneeling over Murayama's body and a bright glowing white light was shining from his hands. Then he lowered them on her and let the energy flow into her.

For a few moments nothing happened... before she started to move again. First it seemed as if a shock went through her limbs that caused her entire body to suddenly cramp.

Then they saw that she slowly began breath again. The wound through her chest started to heal on a rapid rate.

But she still showed no sign of waking up, lying unconscious before them.

The others could once again only stare in disbelieve at him.

"Ise-kun, what have you done?" Asia asked him.

"You can bring back the dead?" Raynare questioned.

Gaeriel sat down next to Issei, who was still on his knees before the reanimated girl. She used her supernatural senses, all of them, to check and examine her as good as she could. As she found what she had suspected, she turned to her partner.

"Issei you..." she began.

"I wanted her to live..." he said. "I just wanted her to live."

"Yes she will live," Gaeriel repeated, "forever," she said a bit sharper.

"What?" Issei asked now surprised.

"The technique that you used is normally meant to recruit new Guardians. It transfers some of the Guardian´s inherited energy into you, that merges with your own and reconstructs and enhances the bodies functions. In opposite to that, for example the Devils, you stay the same species. But the new recruit is turned immortal in the process," she explained hastily.

"It is the same technique Darien used for you. But he modified it to make sure you keep your human life-span, so you could eventually return to a normal life if you wanted. In opposite to you however, he actually knew what he was doing. She is still human, technically, but she will never age a day for the rest of her existence... and we are lucky if that is the only anomaly," she added.

"What do you mean?" Issei asked, now worried.

"The energy you have transferred into her might be unstable," she stated.

Issei felt as if he had been punched in the gut. Unstable? he knew all too well what this could lead to from his talks with Ddraig and Raynare. Had he actually brought Murayama back only to get her killed again in the long run?

"Issei... I," something about her demeanor changed, "I am sorry that I was talking to you like that. I know you mean well. It is just. I am not sure about this either. I have never used this technique myself. I am not an expert. We need to bring her to the others."

"You mean the other Guardians?"

"Yes, we should visit the home-universe of our organization," she told him.

This of course peeked the interest of everyone around them.

"There is also another reason why we should meet with them," Gaeriel pointed out. "This Sartael, he knewabout us. That means someone must have told them, very likely someone from the other side... our enemies."

xxxxxxx

Kuoh Academy

It was less than an hour later that they were all assembled in front of the school. Issei and his group were standing on one side, the Devils on the other. However, it was not only Rias peerage who they were already acquainted with, but Sona´s as well.

"I believe you have not been `officially´ introduced yet," Rias said to Issei and the others. "Sona is the heir of the Sitri family and the sister of the current Maou Leviathan as you probably know."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Sona greeted them in her typically stoic manner. "That means of course officially in your case Hyoudou. As I remember we have met several times before."

Yes, he actually remembered several times she had warned him off, Issei thought. Normally he would probably make a comment about that. But with the girl that was lying still unconscious in his arms, he had other things on his mind right now.

Murayama was `alive´ again because of what he did. But by what Gaeriel had told him she was now in an unstable state... also because of him... and needed to be looked at by someone who knows more about this form of reanimation. More than either he or Gaeriel did.

That meant they needed to meet with the other Guardians. The ones who were outside of this world. But for the moment they were still stuck here, explaining the situation to Rias and the other Devils.

Gaeriel had told him that she had already contacted them and that they would prepare a transport to a place where they could get help.

xxx

After they had just returned from the fight, Kalawarner and Dohnaseek in tow, they had waited for Sona and the others and then Issei and Gaeriel had given them a short explanation about who and what the Guardians were, more or less the same short explanation Issei himself had received in the beginning. They also told them of what they had found out about Kokabiel´s conspiracy and his connection to the terrorist-organization they were tracking down.

To say these Devils were stunned would be the understatement of the year. A powerful faction that they didn´t know about, that had its roots far away from their world.

"It is good that you have finally told us all this," Rias said to them in a friendly tone. "I am sure now that we know who and what your organization is, we will get along better."

"Indeed, now that we are starting to know each other, I am sure we will be able to build up a friendly relationship," Sona stated.

"I would seriously doubt that." Gaeriel scoffed. "To be honest, the Guardians were never on good terms with the Devils and I don´t think that's going to happen anytime soon."

"But you are on `good terms´ with the Fallen Angels?" Sona asked now more aggressively. "Rias told us that you made some kind of deal with Azazel."

"Hardly on `good terms´," she responded. "In fact the Grigori didn´t even knew about our existence until a few days ago. I might technically be a Fallen Angel myself, but I have never been a part of them. And they still don´t actually know who we are. Still, there are many things wrong in the Grigori, I am the first to admit that. But it is not nearly as much as in yoursociety."

"Since you are a Fallen Angel yourself, technically or not, I doesn't surprise me that you say this," Sona replied drily.

"Okay, I want to know it now," Rias exclaimed angrily. "What exactly is your problem with us? From the first time we met you always acted as if we Devils are trash to you."

"You are kidding right. Do you truly want a list?" she asked. "How about this for the beginning. Rogue Fallen Angels, Stray Devils, terrorists, if it wasn't for your arrogant claim that this entire town is `your territory´, beings like that wouldn't even show up here and endanger innocent people in the first place... and then you are standing here as if you deserve a medal for helping to fight these guys, while nothing of this would have happened if it weren´t for you."

Rias felt as if she had been slapped. She made it sound as if it was her fault what had happened to this girl. Sona looked as if she had taken the accusation a bit better, but she knew her well enough to know that it got to her as well.

xxx

The other two remaining members of the Fallen Angel group, Dohnaseek and Kalawarner were standing in some greater distance away, not truly trusting the situation.

Raynare had told them a few minutes ago about what she had heard from Freed Selzen and what she had been told by Lord Azazel at the headquarter. It seemed nearly unbelievable, such a complete betrayal from one of their leaders... setting their entire team up to die, conspiring with a Devil against them. But after what just happened with Sartael, they were all too willing to believe it.

He had been willing to see them all dead for his goal of a new war. This was the man he had been following, Dohnaseek thought... a madman.

And now they were standing here, right in front of a Devil stronghold, exhausted and confronted with what seemed to be two entire peerages... depending on whatever deal Raynare and her new allies had with these Devils to survive.

xxx

"We will talk about this again another time," Gaeriel said to the two pureblood Devils before her. "I have contacted my group and they will open a portal that will lead us to the home-world of our organization very soon."

"This is okay," Rias replied. "But I fear before you can go, we will have to introduce you to three other guests who will arrive every moment."

"Other guests?" Gaeriel asked.

She didn't need to wait long for the answer. Less than two minutes later three more figures appeared in front of them, teleporting right from the Underworld. The first was someone Issei and Gaeriel already knew, the silver haired maid from the House of Gremory, Gayfia, the second was a tall young man with long red hair who was looking very much like a male version of Rias... and the third... they could barely believe it.

It was a young woman in what was clearly some sort of magical-girl outfit.

"May I introduce, Sirzechs Lucifer, Rias brother and one of the Maou," Akeno stated. "This is Serafall Leviathan, Sona´s older sister... and Grayfia, maid of the House of Gremory and Sirzechs Queen," she said for the sake of the ones who didn´t already knew the silver haired woman.

"You have called your brother?" Issei asked Rias accusingly. "You have told him about us?"

"Of course," she replied defensively. "Put yourself in my situation. We have just found out about a new Faction, one that is not even from this world. Think about the possibilities for my race. My brother is one of the Maou. How could I not tell him?"

Issei admitted she had a point here. He couldn't have expected her and Sona not to inform their siblings about something like this. But on the other side he was truly running out of patience. He wanted to bring Murayama to the Guardians as quickly as possible and had no time to talk to these people.

Before Issei could continue this line of thought however, something else happened.

The girl... or rather Maou... in the magical-girl outfit was throwing her arms around Sona and draw her into a hug.

"Sona-tan, I am so glad that nothing had happened to you. I was so worried when I heard about it," she exclaimed.

"Calm down Onee-sama. It was Rias who had been attacked, not me," Sona replied, visibly trying to keep her voice down.

"But I still couldn't help to be worried," the `girl´ Maou replied, looking a bit as if she was pouting.

"Hello, it is nice to meet you all," she then turned to the others. "As you have already been told, I am Serafall Leviathan. But please just call me Levi-tan," she announced while taking a typical magical-girl pose.

All of them looked gobsmacked at the display, especially the Fallen Angels. Issei saw that Raynare had a grin on her face and looked as if she could barely hold herself back from bursting out into laughter. Even Gaeriel looked as if she could barely hold herself together.

"If this is a Maou, I have to ask myself why our people have not beaten them centuries ago," Dohnaseek whispered to Kalawarner." But since they were standing a good dozen meters away from the rest, nobody took notice of this.

"So you are Issei Hyoudou," the man introduced as Sirzechs greeted him. "I have heard much about you."

"You did?" Issei stated, not really caring much at the moment.

"That you have challenged Raiser for example... and of course about this organization you are part of," he stated.

"Of course," Issei replied.

"And you are Gaeriel if I am not mistaken, a Fallen Angel who is not part of the Grigori but a member of the `Guardian´ organization. As such we will not consider you our enemy. Or Group-Leader Raynare here for that matter," Sirzechs explained.

"How courteous of you," Gaeriel replied with ligh sarcasm, "and what `can´ we do for you in return?"

"We are just interested in peaceful diplomatic and political contact with your group," the Maou told her.

"You mean we are your first version of real life aliens and now you desperately want to make `first contact´," she stated.

"In a sense you could put it that way," Sirzechs admitted. "You are a group... a powerful group by what my sister told me... that possesses abilities and techniques we have never heard before... you even have access to other worlds, I have been told. Of course we are interested to know you better."

"You realize that my group is not exactly thinking highly about Devils?" Gaeriel asked him.

"Yes, I have heard about this," he replied. "But I am sure we can work over this as soon as we both realize how much cooperation can give our two sides," he said diplomatically.

"And it might also give you an edge over your enemies," she commented.

"None of us wants a restart of the war between the Factions," Sirzechs told her. "But you have already made contact with the Grigory. So you could see this as just evening the odds."

"I truly don´t want to interrupt you," Issei said to them, "but we are planning to leave this world at this very moment. My friend here needs help and we are going to the place where she can get it. So if you could please spare this discussion for another time?"

"I see. This is no problem," Sirzechs responded. "Actually, we are planning to go with you."

"What?" Gaeriel called out.

"Just like I said, we want to make contact.

"You can't honestly expect me to bring a group of Devils uninvited directly in our headquarters," Gaeriel pointed out. "You can forget that. I will tell my leaders about your request... and then they will tell me when they will meet with you." If at all, she thought.

"I truly hate to bring this up," Sirzechs said, "but as I understand it your organization wants to keep their existence a secret, right? If we could talk to you quickly and make sure you have no hostile intention, I am sure we can keep your existence between me, Serafall and the other Maou for the time being. But if we can't, I fear we will have to inform the rest of our society."

"With other words, your blackmailing us," Gaeriel replied.

"You can see it as this. But we are only defending our own interests. If you are active in this world and especially in our territory, you understand that we want to know more about you," he stated. "There is also the matter of the two Fallen Angels," he mentioned. "As I understand they had been part of an ambush for two of the servants of my sister?"

"They had acted under orders from `questionable elements´ inside the Grigori," Raynare told him, "and they had been betrayed by their leader. I intend to recruit them as part of our group."

"But they aren't part of it yet," Sirzechs argued. "That means we don´t necessarily have to give them the same immunity as you."

"Gaeriel, we have no time for this," Issei reminded her.

"Don´t worry. The others will open the portal any moment, independent from this discussion here," she replied. "Okay," she addressed the two Maou and the other Devils. "We will take you with us. All of you who wants to go. But after that I will guarantee for nothing," she told them.

A few seconds later a large portal... a rift between the dimensions... was opening right in front of them. It was different from the ways the Devils or the other Factions used for transportation. But from the structure is quite similar.

Issei and his group, together with Dohnaseek and Kalawarner, stepped into the portal. Shortly followed by Sirzechs, Serafall, Grayfia and Rias with her peerage. Sona and her group had already agreed to stay behind to take care of things while they are gone.

xxxxxxx

The planet Earth in another universe - the year 2724

The... on some parts a bit quite unwillingly... combined group was just stepping out of the other end of the portal.

From one moment to the other they found themselves in a different universe.

What they were seeing was not really what they had expected.

"Where are we?" Sirzechs asked.

"We are on Earth, but another one as you are used to, London to be exact," Gaeriel informed him, "and in the 28th. century of this world."

The last part of her statement took everyone by surprise. This was not only a different dimension, it was also from their p.o.v, the future.

They saw that this really seemed to be the outskirts of the English capital... but in no way is the one they knew. They could make out several futuristic looking buildings and flying above them was something that looked like a space-ship... before it was landing somewhere at the other side of the city.

Once again nearly all of them could do nothing but stare, barely believing what they were seeing.

"This is so cool," Serafall said grinning.

They noticed then several people standing only a short distance away from them. Issei recognized one of them as Darien, the same being who had brought him back to life. But this time he was obviously hiding his energy and seemed more like a regular human than a cosmic super-being.

But Issei knew what this man truly was.

Behind them was a very large... no a gigantic... building, that looked like a cross between an oversize mansion and a fortress.

"Gaeriel, Issei," Darien greeted them both, "it is good to see you again. I see you have brought the others as well."

Next to him were an old man with long white hair and a beard, two identical looking red haired women in leather clothing - both could give Rias a run for her money in the `hot´ department, a man with wild looking black hair, a brown haired young man and a very young looking blonde woman in a light grey cloak, that was a bit similar to the ones that Irina and Xenovia were usually wearing over their combat clothing.

"But it seems there are some more guests as we have expected," Darien mentioned.

Gaeriel opened her mind to him and one moment later he knew everything. Of course while he could have easily bypassed her mental shields if he wanted, he only did it with her permission.

"I see," he stated.

"You have to take a look at this girl," Gaeriel said to him, pointing at Murayama.

"Of course," he replied and took her out of Issei´s arms.

"You are the Maous Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan," Darien addressed the Devils, "and you want to establish diplomatic contacts with us."

"Yes," Sirzechs replied.

"And for that you have invited yourself with some... let us say `questionable methods´," he stated, smiling at them.

"I admit... yes," the Devil King answered. "We are not exactly proud of it."

"We will see about that," Darien replied. "But as you can see I have to take care of this girl right now. So I will send you to talk to my old friend Vlad. He is something that you could call our `public relations expert´," he told them, once again smiling. "Seras, would you please bring these people to your master," he addressed the blonde woman in the cloak.

"Of course, he has informed me that he will return in a few minutes," she replied. "Please follow me," she said to both Issei´s group and the Devils.

Sirzechs, just like his sister, Grayfia and even Serafall, had tried to use their power and their senses to at least get a better impression of these people, even if not to directly manipulate them.

But to Sirzechs complete surprise he found out absolutely nothing. It was as if his mental powers were not even working or as if the shielding's these beings were so strong that they could completely neutralize them. Just who were these people. He could not help getting a bit nervous.

`Vlad Vlad,´ Issei was meanwhile thinking as they were all following the blonde woman, `where had he heard this name before?´

[Your memory is not exactly perfect, is it Partner?] Ddraig said, [Vlad of Wallachia, also known as Vlad the Impaler... also known as Dracula.]

`Oh yes... him,´ Issei now remembered, the other man he had seen in his vision. `Moment, they have a guy called Vlad the Impaler as their public-relations expert?´

[I got the impression that your friend Darien wanted to mess with them a bit. After all they have basically blackmailed themselves in here. Have you not seen the smile on his face?]

`Oh yes,´ Issei replied. `I admit I am getting a bit curious or maybe nervous how this will turn out.´

About a minute later they had arrived at a small forest area close to the building where the other Guardians had been waiting.

Right before them opened another portal, very similar to the one they themselves had used, and walking out came the same red dressed man with the crimson eyes Issei remembered.

"Ah I see our guests have arrived," the man greeted them all, "and as I have been told Darien asked me to talk to them."

"Yes master," the woman named Seras said. "May I introduce, my master Alucard, sometimes also simply called Vlad... also known as Dracula."