The Holy Man of The Church Creek

34

Serafall's sobbing was the only sound that he could hear as she pressed her face into the crook of his shoulder, the grip she had around him only growing tighter with the admission of his words.

A confirmation that what was before her wasn't just an illusion, but a reality not born from hope or desperation, but the truth, and that only made it more important for her not to let go.
He himself could sense her intentions; even feel the depth of her emotions to an extent, and it was precisely because of this that he didn't know what to do at the moment. In fact, his mind had blanked and something akin to relief welled up from within him.
Even if he had been gone, she was still okay. No matter if he knew that she would be alive in the future, the despair and lack of life in her eyes when he had 'died' had always caused a part of him to worry.
Just as he had changed the past with his actions, he feared that he had changed it too much. What was he supposed to do if he had come back to the present and only Three Great Satan's existed?
Unknowingly, it was a scenerio that had been dangerously close to occurring. If not for Grayfia's intervention at the end of the Underworld's Civil War neither Sirzechs or Ajuka would have had the courage to speak to a woman they knew that they had wronged.
Still, now wasn't the time for his mind to be clouded.
The two of them were still sprawled over the ground, Serafall holding him in her embrace and he running a hand down over Serafall's back in hopes of soothing her.
They were the current center of attention, and there was no one present on the scene that wasn't staring at them aside from Rias and the rest whose line of sight was obstructed by the gymnasium's walls.
Michael's expression remained somewhat conflicted with traces of confusion in his soft features, and this was an emotion felt by the majority of both the Angels and Fallen after seeing Shirou's current state. Not the fact that Serafall for all intents and purposes had broken down upon first sighting him, but the fact that such a maleficent and vile energy was exuding from their Lord and God.
Of course, not all Angels and Fallen were feeling conflicted for the same reasons. Gabriel for example was subconsciously frowning, her cherry-coloured lips shifting into a thin line the longer she stared at Serafall clinging onto Shirou.
She had never once felt such emotions like hate, jealousy, or envy, but she felt that she could finally understand why it had caused numerous Angels to Fall. The sensation was actually quite frustrating. Her hands balled into fists, her expression growing neutral as the tips of her wings were shifting to a dull almost blackish grey without her knowing.
Azazel was the first to notice the changes occurring to Gabriel, but he quickly averted his gaze feeling somewhat hopeful that she would Fall and join his ranks. At least then he wouldn't feel as embarrassed when staring at the Lord's eyes.
Gabriel's mood continued to sour, but it was just when her body decided to step forward that Michael intervened. A hand was placed on her shoulder, Michael's touch jolting her back to her senses and causing Azazel's brows to twitch.
Thereafter, Gabriel pursed her lips and decided to turn her gaze away, her arms crossing as a petulant expression made its way onto her face almost as if she was sulking.
Sirzechs on the other hand wore a wry smile. When was the last time he had seen Serafall behave so childishly without putting on an act to display in front of her younger sister? As fellow colleagues, he had seen her appearance more than once when she thought herself to be alone, her jubilant exterior altering to an insipid, bitter, and hollow expression. It was almost like there was no purpose in her eyes, nor ambition to complete. All that was left to her was the duty of keeping the Underworld and her younger sister safe.
For all intents and purposes, the Serafall that he had known and had called friend before the Underworld Civil War had died by the end of it. No longer did she smile for herself. No longer did she display her natural child-like tendencies, and instead she buried that personality away, traces of it only surfacing when in Sona's presence. Even then it never lasted. The fact that he himself was guilty of causing such a thing had always been like the sharpest knife stabbing into him. In that way, the awkwardness that still lingered between them was understandable.
It had been too long since he had last seen this part of Serafall, and he understood that with time it could become even more frequent, permanent even.
And that was why he had to do his part as her self-proclaimed friend, for he knew that Serafall may no longer consider him to be so.
The chasm that had formed in their relationship at the end of the civil war was impossible to bridge, but he would do what he could anyway.
As such, he had been keeping a careful eye on anyone that may choose to disturb the current scene, particularly on Heaven and the Fallen's side for he knew that any Devil on his side that had heard about the Tragedy of the Civil War would find it impossible to interrupt.
This was why he noticed the change in Gabriel's expression like Azazel, making his own turn grim as magical energy pooled into his hands. Fortunately, Michael intervened, but not before casting a deep glance at Sirzechs's way.
Michael had no doubts that had Gabriel tried to interfere, Sirzechs would have had been the first to stop her.
Meanwhile, neither Shirou or Serafall seemed too understand the tension that they were causing between Heaven and the Underworld. Instead, they were too focused on their current situation to care about anything else at the moment.
Serafall's sobs had reduced to a dull snivel, but in exchange, she hugged him harder. Her fingers gripping onto his garments like a vice.
"You're really back?" She muttered with her face pressed to his chest.
He didn't answer, the arms he had around her more than enough to let her understand after he gave her a gentle squeeze.
She bit her lips, the tension leaving her body before she tentatively composed herself, and it was then the arms wrapped around her began to gradually loosen; the action jolting Serafall enough to stare anxiously up at him.
"K-Kuro?" She stuttered questioningly.
"There's still something I have to do," he said slowly, moving his hands to the ground and using them as leverage to hoist himself and Serafall back onto their feet.
Serafall's body followed limply, her lips pursing as she gradually let go of her embrace.
It was true that she now understood that Kuro really was back, but an unreasonable part of her mind was still fearful that should he leave her sights, he would really disappear. Her current complexion was rather pale, cheeks puffed from sobbing and the redness even more apparent on her skin.
It was an appearance that didn't suit her, he thought absently, but fortunately, he knew the words he had to say.
"I won't leave again," he said, simultaneously tracing another mask which he placed over his face. In the process, the malefic aura he was releasing faded away until there was nothing left, only the feel of a regular Human. "I'll be back shortly."
Saying that, he gave Serafall a nod before turning to the others and gesturing to them his intentions. He had left Irina to deal with the members of the Hero Faction for too long already, he had a responsibility to make sure that they were safe.
He nodded once more to everyone present before taking off, leaving them behind knowing that the danger had passed.
Serafall watched his back silently the entire time, and the others were no exception, all gazes watching the fading image of the figure in the distance.
She swallowed, suddenly realizing the dryness of her mouth as she stood uncertainly in place. To be honest, she was far from completely composed with numerous questions flittering through her mind, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking about them.
Kuro, he was Kuro, she was certain of it.
Yet at the same time, she had also seen him display such Heavenly might that it was blinding. The doves in the area themselves still soared, some lingering and some perched by the Heavens which were called down from below. It was undeniable proof that what she had seen wasn't just a blip in her mind, but a fact.
The Kuro she had seen wasn't just the Kuro she knew of the past. Instead he was something more.
From a Holy Being to a Demon. From a Demon, to a Human. She had enough experience to understand the multitude and fluctuations in aura present within Kuro's body, and it didn't make sense.
The very principle of her doubts was evident even in the Evil Piece System that Ajuka had developed long ago. It could theoretically alter an individual from a specific race to harbour properties of a Devil, turning them into Devils themselves through reincarnation. However, the limitations involved with those pieces spoke for themselves. A Reincarnated Devil could not revert to their previous forms, and the pieces themselves were ineffective against higher leveled beings such as Gods and Buddhas, and Dragon Gods.
As such, what Kuro had just done by revealing his ability to alternate between races was too shocking for her to describe.
The Kuro she had known before was the great Demon that had changed her life in the Civil War. The very man she discovered had been able to steal away her heart just by his actions, selflessness, and considerations alone.
Yet Kuro's current state was too shrouded in mystery. Too many questions that were left without answers for her to wrap her mind around.
It was only after Kuro's figure disappeared in the distance that everyone began to move again.
Vali who had had been fighting Adelina above Kuoh's gymnasium clenched his palms while engraving the strength Shirou had just displayed into his mind; categorizing him as an opponent he would eventually face and surpass. Still, the current situation wasn't one that was tipping towards his favour, more so when he understood that the Underworld and Heaven's reinforcements would soon be on their way.
With Shirou's departure, the intensity of Adelina's fighting spirit increased exponentially as the sword in her hand literally blurred, the edge striking out ruthlessly.
Another chink appeared in Vali's armour, and it caused him to grunt as he swerved to the left, using his wings to glide away to a safe distance. His expression was cold as he stared at Adelina, unable to understand how a mere steel blade was able to bypass his Balance Breaker's defence. If not for him dividing the sharpness of the blade mere moments before her every attack, he was certain that he might have had lost an arm by now.
"You are Adelina Swiftblade?" Vali spoke for the first time since the beginning of the fight, his eyes glancing towards the approaching Sirzechs, Azazel, and the rest.
He was running out of time.
"You've earned my attention and the right to see my true strength," he said solemnly.
The radiance from the wings behind his back began to shine with an azure luster, traces of glimmering dust pooling behind him as he smirked.
"I the one to awaken, am the White Dragon Emperor who will take the law down to the darkness,"
His tone was flat, yet filled with a power that exuded out into the area. The world itself appeared as if it was on the brink of dividing; trees and building distorting and shrinking, creating misaligned asymmetric structures that quickly crumbled away.
"I walk the ro-"
"Vali, now isn't the time!" a voice interrupted, causing Vali's concentration to falter.
Up in the clouds appearing from a magic circle, was a youth wearing traditional Chinese Armour, red and leather paddings on his chest and arms. His appearance was rather clean, with short cut black hair and a thin yellow head-piece adorned on his forehead. His clear brown eyes were staring calmly at Vali, trying to convey the seriousness of the situation.
"Bikou," Vali called out before drawing in his battle intent.
Bikou's arrival was like tossing cold water over Vali's agitation, forcing him to think before he acted. Even if he had confidence in ending the fight with Adelina faster, there was no guarantee that he would finish with enough time to escape the forces of Heaven and the Underworld.
As such, he knew what he had to do.
"Let's go," he said.
"You think it would be that easy to leave," Adelina's voice cut in, her body shifting into a drawn posture. "If you insist on leaving, then I insist that you leave your head behind."
Bikou grinned after hearing Adelina's words. "You sure know how to find them, don't you Vali," he joked.
"Shut up," was all Vali said, his expression serious.
Adelina wasn't an opponent he could just simply run away from. Her strikes were too fast. One opening was all it would take before he would suffer an injury.
"Need a little help?" Bikou asked, the golden staff leaning against his shoulder shifting into his hands.
"No," was Vali's curt reply, and yet Bikou only smiled apologetically.
"Sorry, I can't call it back now."
Saying that, Bikou moved to Vali's side just as a golden cloud rocketed towards Adelina.
She stiffened for a moment, but quickly lashed out at the cloud about to collide into her. The sound of her sword leaving its was sheath like thunder to Sona and the others ears. And yet, a startled gasp escaped Adelina's mouth as the cloud harbouring strong magical energy simply passed through her strike and herself, leaving her off balance as she expected some form of resistance.
Bikou was quick to use the opportunity and grabbed Vali before both of them jumped into a magic seal.
"I forgot to tell you," Bikou's voice echoed out even as his body disappeared with Vali. "The cloud is pretty much harmless, also, watch out for a black cat. She seems to have found entertainment with one of your friends and is slacking off too much."
Adelina didn't reply, merely put away her sword as she knew that Bikou and Vali had already escaped. As such, there was no longer a need to remain, but she still took note of Bikou's words, no matter how confusing they sounded to her ears.
Returning to the ground, Adelina watched as Sona and the others approached her to ask if she was alright. The only one who ended up standing by herself was Xenovia off in the corner. Then again, of everyone present in the room, she was the only human.
Xenovia didn't really mind staying by herself at the moment. Her association with Devils wasn't exactly strong or one of her closer relationships, yet after spending time with them, she realized that they weren't so different from humans. It was why she had decided to help because despite her indifferent demeanor, she was actually far kinder than most.
She placed her Durandals back around her, the weight of the swords resting by her waist as her hands remained idle by the hilts. Her attention was currently focused on Michael and the others whom she saw approaching after exiting the Gymnasium whose roof was destroyed when Issei and Vali first fought in the sky. Only the walls had remained to obscure her view due to her inability to fly, and now that she had stepped out with the rest, she could see just how damaging the fight was.
A large part of Kuoh Academy was in ruins, the cement and steel scorched black by a high intensity energy, and the rest of the school grounds leveled with craters and fissures that spanned for hundreds of meters.
She furrowed her brows, recalling how it had looked like mere hours ago before shaking her head.
Gasper Vladi, a central figure in the whole incident was currently held unconscious in Rias Gremory's hands, the Devil both exhausted and somewhat injured from when Vali had attacked.
Still, Gasper's condition wasn't exactly important so long as he himself was alright, what mattered was the odd peculiarity Xenovia noticed amongst the members of the Three Factions. No matter if it was Michael, Azazel, or Sirzechs, they all appeared to be deep in thought.
The Fallen Angels and Angels were far closer than normal, with many standing shoulder-to-shoulder without any signs of uncomfortability. Was it a result of the Heaven's descending? Even she couldn't stop marveling at its splendor, yet it wouldn't last.
Uriel and Raphael standing amidst the Angels nodded wordlessly to Michael and Gabriel before working to return the Heavens to the sky. The clouds themselves seemed to stretch forth like hands that quickly began covering the Holy Kingdom until all that was left was a cloudy atmosphere; breaks in the clouds revealing the tranquil light of the moon as the hour drew past mid-night.
Xenovia felt it was a pity, but she revered Heaven and the Angels so she said nothing. Instead, bowing her head low as Michael and the others approached before them.
Initially they had come after seeing Adelina facing off against Vali Lucifer, but with the man himself gone, the only reason she could think of as to why they decided to approach them rather than continue the Peace Talks was due to Serafall and Sirzechs's concerns for their siblings.
Expectedly, that was the first thing the two leaders of the Underworld did. Sirzechs, regardless of Rias's protests took his little sister into his arms and began inspecting her for injuries. Serafall was a tad different. When she stared at Sona, rather than Sona adopting her general exasperation towards her, Sona ended up turning her gaze away awkwardly.
The Sitri sisters most recent relationship could have had been described as strained after Sona's constant refusals to divulge information, and this was something all members of Sona's peerage understood. Therefore, like Sona, none in her peerage were able to meet Serafall's gaze.
An awkwardness began to spread as a result, but unexpectedly, a pair of arms pulled Sona into their embrace, a hand moving to rest over Sona's head.
"I'm sorry," was all Serafall said, pressing Sona's face into her bosom.
It was if all the hardships Sona had faced in the past few days had vanished, replaced by a cheery warmth that she hadn't felt in weeks. It was true that she found her elder sister annoying, but it was only when Serafall stopped associating with her entirely for the past few days that she realized just how much she cherished her. Now that Serafall appeared to be feeling better, she decided that she might as well tone down her admonishments for her sister's conducts at least for a short while.
"You really do cling too much," Sona muttered in relief.
"Mhm," Sona nodded. "Only you, no; maybe one other person too."
Sona pushed out of Serafall's grip and stared quizzically at her, but Serafall didn't explain.
Due to the obstruction of the Gymnasiums walls, Sona, Xenovia, and the others hadn't been able to witness the full extent of the confrontation in the Peace Talks. Instead, they were simply subject to the massive auras that bathed the entirety of Kuoh in overbearing energies.
Xenovia was confident that the sheer Holy Aura that had bathed the place in Holy Light must have had been Shirou, but for some reason she couldn't understand where the malefic aura had come from. In fact, she had believed that it was a secret weapon that the enemy had prepared and was readying herself for a life and death confrontation. Only it suddenly disappeared as fast as it came.
Moreover, who was this Marbas that she could hear the Devils on the side talking about?
No, she shook her head. She didn't care. After Sirzechs and Serafall were done checking up on Rias and Sona, it was then that Xenovia found it prudent to speak.
She was having trouble keeping her agitation in check, but she made sure that her voice came out in a tranquil manner.
"Where's Shirou?" She asked, her gaze looking around.
The source of her agitation was the fact that she understood that Shirou was just in the area, and she hadn't exactly seen him or Irina in several days.
Once her words entered Michael and the others ears, she was met with silence.
Edgewise, the first person to speak was Sirzechs.
The man cleared his throat before speaking.
"You mean Marbas?" Sirzech's said naturally.
Xenovia glared, looking at Sirzechs as if he was stupid without any regard for their difference in status. That was how she was generally when dealing with Devils as she was raised on stories of their evil acts. It wasn't a habit that would be going away any time soon, therefore, her response came out as petulant.
"No, I mean Shirou," she said flatly.
Michael stepped in, seeing that the time was right to reveal what was on his mind.
"Indeed, the man you saw before is Shirou. A man affiliated with the Church and Heaven, not Marbas, a Demon of the Underworld."
Michael's tone was if he was stating a fact, leaving no room for arguments. Michael was kind for an Angel, kinder than most, but that didn't mean that he didn't understand Sirzechs intentions when he had called Shirou Marbas. To Heaven, Shirou was of vital importance and not someone they wished to lose by any means. Yet, wasn't it the same for the Underworld?
"Hold on Sirzechs, what is going on here?" Serafall demanded, confused as to why Sirzechs would call Shirou Marbas.
"That's because the Marbas you saw, was the Shirou your younger sister was acquainted with. The very same man you proposed her marriage to," Sirzechs finally admitted.
Serafall stiffened, her expression growing unnaturally still as she processed the words Sirzechs had spoken.
"Y-You knew and you didn't tell me?" She demanded.
Sirzechs swallowed before his mind raced for an escape option. "If you attack me now, you'll only prove I was right to keep it from you. The Peace Talks were too important to jeopardize."
Serafall trembled before staring back at Sona who instantly turned her gaze away. Even the members of Sona's and Rias's peerage glanced away for they all had had contact with Shirou at one point.
Serafall balled her hands into fists as her fury spiked, but she quickly released her anger as she realized that there was something more important at hand.
She stared at Michael, unblinking.
"Kuro is a Demon of the Underworld. He's not just Shirou, a member of the Church's forces."
Before Michale could respond, it was Gabriel who beat him to it. Her confrontational attitude was a first for Heaven's number one beauty and not something Serafall had ever seen.
"Indeed, he is not just a member of the Church's forces but our Lord of the Kingdom in the Sky. He doesn't belong in the Underworld," Gabriel said crossing her arms.
"Y-You, say that again, I dare you!?" Serafall bristled. Gabriel's words were a direct attack on the events that had occurred between her and Kuro in the Underworld's Civil War. To say that she was unaffected by it was like taking a joke too far. She was fuming.
Gabriel's expression didn't shift in the slightest, the tension rising as a result, but one person didn't care.
Respectful as she was to Heaven and its Angels, she felt as if she was left out in a loop and wanted to understand what was going on.
"Shirou is a Human," Xenovia said with certainty. "Why is this something that has to be debated?" She asked, her intervention causing the area to go silent.
Indeed, Shirou was Human, but at the same time, he was also Marbas, and Lord of the Kingdom in the Sky.
A Human. A Demon. And a God.
A unity of three that was unfathomable.
Only, a single voice, clear and methodical, seemed to have the answer.
"I, I think I might know of a reason," Sona said softly when all gaze shifted towards her.
He arrived near the warehouse of the Holy Sword Excalibur incident within only a couple minutes from his departure from Kuoh, using the energies he still had lingering within him to bolster his speed.
The same mask he had worn was over his face once more, but that was because he needed it to get those he had saved from the hero Faction to trust him. After all, none of them had actually seen his real face. As such, he created another porcelain-like mask despite the substantial difficulty in doing so for his reserves.
Fortunately, the lingering power of Faith within him wasn't small. It was just that he ended up using a majority of it do to his lack of proficiency when tracing anything other than swords and weapons.
Approaching the entrance of the warehouse, he gave a subtle knock on the steel frame that sent echoing sounds into the building.
Nothing came in response, but he was certain that Irina had led everyone here.
Frowning, he opened the door, and entered inside, pausing when a sword was propped facing his throat.
"Shirou?" Irina whispered, releasing a breath of relief before drawing back her sword.
Having left while Shirou was confronting Adelina, Irina didn't take any chances and had readied herself by the warehouse's entrance to act as a guard. Most of the people they had saved from the Hero Faction were still rather weak, and the ones that weren't were nowhere near Adelina's match. Therefore, Irina had taken it upon herself to buy some time should the worse case scenario occur.
However, she really couldn't hide her kind personality.
He had seen the hesitation flash across her eyes as her sword moved towards his throat, and that hesitation alone proved to him that even if he was an actual enemy her, virtue would prevent her from outright killing.
"You've worked hard," he complimented, Irina only sighing in relief before she motioned for the others hiding in the shadows to emerge.
One by one, those in the Dimension he had saved from the Hero Faction appeared, visibly relieved at his presence.
"Thank you," they bowed towards him.
Those that had been saved were those that didn't wish to fight unless they had to. To begin with, before they were taken by the Hero Faction a majority of them lived relatively carefree lives with set patterns of work, school, and home.
It was only natural that they would be opposed to fighting on behalf of those who had abducted them.
Still,
"You don't need to thank me," he said earnestly. "All of you are people that have the power to do something similar to what I have done. You were all taken from your homes and lives, and forced into a situation that none of you could get out of. You've seen the evil that can be committed by others, and as such should understand what I say next."
Heroes were individuals that didn't stand above the rest, nor possess qualities that made them different from average. Instead, it was their drive and beliefs that differed from all else.
To fight on the side of justice.
To uphold the morals of one's character and oppose evil without a doubt in one's consciousness.
"You don't need a reason to help others."
His voice was steady, a means to convey the depths of his thoughts.
"You do it not for thanks, nor for recognition, because that's what a Hero is. Nothing that requires the inheritance of blood or to be a descendant of a famous Hero. You are what you make of yourself. Therefore, there's no need to thank me simply because I'm following the path of my own ideals. The path of my own will."
"It's laughable, yes, but that's who I am. An Ally of Justice, and a man whose dream is to become a Hero."
The area remained silent, but there was something that had changed in the eyes of those present, even Irina was affected as she swallowed. Even if the dream was laughable, something that seemed unattainable, it was the value in striving forward and making that difference that counted.
Irina didn't possess a Holy Sword as strong as Durandal, or something as versatile as her previous Excalibur fragment, but she had always trained in secret to make up for it.
Shirou's dream wasn't laughable, it was commendable.
And like many listening, Irina too decided that it wouldn't be bad to become a Hero.
A strange sort of atmosphere began to exude from the area, but Shirou coughed and brought matters back at hand.
"It's not safe for you all to stay here," he said abruptly. "I'm not certain on the specifics, but I believe it would too suspicious for Heaven or the Underworld to discover such a large gathering of Sacred Gear users in the same area."
"Then what do you suppose we should do?" A man asked, expression somewhat hurried. "There's nowhere currently for a few of us to go. To be frank myself and a few others came from St. Maria's Orphanage in Italy. The large majority of others in here also come from orphanages around the world as when we first showed signs of our Sacred Gears, our parents disowned us in fear, making it easier for those in the hero faction to find us. They only needed to look through the records left behind about abnormal happenings filed by our former parents."
Many in the crowd nodded after the man's words, leaving Shirou stuck for a solution as he was actually planning on informing them to head home back to their families to tide things over.
His brows furrowed, but in the end, he came up with a rather shameless idea.
"J-Just leave this matter to me," he ended up stuttering.
Like he had promised, he returned to Kuoh after settling matters with those rescued from the Hero Faction. Irina had insisted that she follow him, but he already felt bad enough for involving her in the entire matter and even getting her injured in his absence. It was true that he had healed her, but it was better to be careful so he refused her kind intentions, missing the flicker that appeared in her eyes.
As soon as he arrived at Kuoh, he was astonished to discover that all the damages that had plagued the entire place were all but gone; the fissures and schisms nowhere to be found, and the scorch marks and melted steel returned to their former structures. It didn't appear as if an era changing battle had even happened.
If not for the Angels, Fallen, and Devils still in the area, he might have had been questioning if he'd returned to the right place.
He swiftly took off his mask and discarded the cloak he had worn. They were no longer needed and besides, he was certain that if Xenovia saw him wearing a cloak she would call him a hypocrite for insisting that she stop wearing hers in public. That wasn't exactly something that he wanted to debate at the moment with all the responsibilities pressing down on his shoulders.
Upon entering Kuoh, it was with a startling realization that he noticed that everyone, Angel, Fallen, and Devil were staring at him oddly.
They weren't malicious gazes, nor were they of the disturbing sort. Instead, they looked as if they were staring at an anomaly.
Feeling slightly perturbed, he wanted to ask what was wrong, yet the moment he called out, the Fallen he had addressed bowed in the deepest show of reverence, not daring to speak.
His lip twitched.
The situation was one where he was internally screaming at himself not to go out of his way to find out. He was never one to feel comfortable at being the center of attention or praise, and something was telling him he wouldn't like the answer he would get.
When he had left, it was with startling clarity that Sona revealed her initial conjecture she had that involved the Hero Marbas and the events that had transpired in the Underworld. Known as an intellectual genius despite her young age, no one present to listen to her conjecture could belittle her. More so when it sounded so fool-proof, leaving no holes to be picked at.
Marbas, the Demon of the Underworld was first.
In Sona's conjecture, Marbas was an actual Demon that existed first in the Underworld, and after dying at the hands of God's Light, assimilated with it to form a neutral existence through reincarnation; a magical system implemented by Christianity, several other pantheons, and even in the design of the Evil Pieces. God himself had a similar verse in the bible in relation to Jesus Christ.
In any case, the neutral existence was the Human Shirou who possessed properties of both God and the deceased Hero of the Underworld, Marbas.
Of course, this would all sound too ludicrous to Shirou's ears when he would eventually hear of it, but to many it was quite plausible; more so than believing that Shirou had somehow just been dragged back into the past where he impulsively changed everything.
As such, this common view of the mystery surrounding Shirou permeated throughout Kuoh in his absence.
In the end, it was decided that Shirou could be considered himself, God, and Marbas, as inconceivable as that sounded for many.
As for where Shirou should rightfully belong within the Factions, that was another matter entirely that could potentially lead to violence. Therefore, Sirzechs, Michael, and Azazel, the forefront leaders of the Three Factions agreed to discuss the issue at another time. They did all come for a Peace Talk after all.
With no one currently willing to divulge any information to him, Shirou could only awkwardly make his way to where he assumed Michael and the others to be. Only, he ran into Xenovia first.
She stared at him, dark-yellow orbs so focused that it appeared as if they could see right through him. Although to Xenovia it had only been a couple days since she had last seen him, to him it had been several months at the least. She looked the same, a valiant woman who still wasn't very good with interacting with others but was steadily growing out of it.
There was an intensity and resolution to her at the moment that was hard not to notice, so he stopped in his tracks to stare back at her in befuddlement. Something about his expression in that moment caused Xenovia's naturally cold expression to break into a small smile before she moved directly in front of him and spoke.
"No matter what they say," she said strongly. "To me, you will always be Shirou, the one I will entrust myself to, and the Holyman who appeared in the Church Creek."
"Xenovia?" He questioned as she was acting too strangely.
She only shook her head, and didn't bother explaining. For a moment, it seemed as if a fire had lit in her eyes, the dyed green fringe on the right side of her brow floating up with the aura she released.
The Fire's of determination, and the Spring Time of Youth.
He forced himself to blink, and to his relief, Xenovia then looked like her normal self.
"I will give her this chance because Sona asked me for a favour, but I won't hold myself back the next time," she muttered before saying out loud. "I'll be waiting back at the house," she said before leaving, not allowing him to get a single word in.
Then again, he felt used to it.
To be honest, all the girls he was associated with had headstrong personalities. All he could do was follow their whims and make sure that they were safe.
Shaking his head exasperatedly, he could only make his way towards where he could feel Michael and the others currently residing. The current leaders of the Three Factions were not supressing their natural aura at all, making it difficult for him not to notice where they were.
As such, he soon arrived at a refurbished room where Sirzechs, Azazel, Michael, Gabriel, and Serafall sat around a rectangular table made of heavy oak. Kokabiel who should have had participated in the meeting chose not to because it wasn't part of his nature.
Shirou was the center of attention as soon as he walked in, and the sounds of discussion all but ceased, even the hushed bickering he had heard in the hall between Serafall and Gabriel came to a stop.
"You're here," Azazel said pleasantly.
He gave a nod before falling into a deathly silence when he noticed that both Serafall and Gabriel were offering him a seat beside them.
A part of him was already crying internally. They had to be joking. He had just come from smoothing matters out in the Peace Talks and dealing with the rescued people from the Hero Faction. He didn't want to deal with anything else, but was now being forced to?
The smile on Gabriel's face was breathtaking, her natural grace and beauty not something one could easily resist, but Serafall was the same. More so from the expectation in her eyes.
He stared between them once, and then twice, before finding a way out.
"Thanks for the seat," he said as a cold sweat dripped down his brow; he placing himself in the open chair between Michael and Sirzechs.
"N-No problems," Sirzechs stuttered, feeling wronged as neither he nor Michael had openly insisted that he sit next to them.
And yet the glare he was receiving from Serafall caused him to feel a bitter sort of feeling. As for Gabriel, she simply pouted at Michael who was inwardly far more gleeful for this arrangement, as his veneration for God was one of the greatest in Heaven.
"Now then," said Michael energetically. "I believe we've all come to an agreement on this Peace Talk?"
Both Sirzechs and Azazel nodded.
"The war is over, and we will all work towards the betterment of our Religion," Azazel said. "Now then, if you would Gabriel."
Gabriel smiled softly, her lips parting to reveal her enchanting voice, naturally sultry yet innocent.
Serafall cursed her on the side.
"After a full consensus between all of the leaders present here, we've decided to appoint you as head of this new alliance between the Factions for you are both our Lord of the Holy Kingdom, and the Great Demon of the Underworld. Your authority is unquestionable so please do not refuse as it would cause too many problems."
He promptly closed his mouth as Gabriel finished her last sentence, his refusal left stuck in his throat.
A silence resounded before he inevitably agreed as he could understand just what trouble Gabriel was speaking of. Should anyone else other than him take up the position, a similar situation as the Underworld would occur where certain members of the Factions couldn't acknowledge another's leadership and rebelled.
The Factions had shed enough blood, and he would be damned if he would turn out to be a cause of it. Still, now that the matters of peace were dealt with, he had to bring up something that all leaders needed to know.
"There's a danger coming," he said solemnly and abruptly, causing the celebratory mood of the room to fade.
"And that danger would be?" Sirzechs asked.
"The Trihexa."
Baamm!
Michael stood up abruptly, the seriousness in his eyes causing a shudder to run down Sirzechs's back for he had never seen Michael reveal such an expression.
Sirzechs and Serafall were still young for Devils and only recently in the past decade did they come into power. The most that they had heard about the Trihexa was that it was the Beast recorded in the Apocalypse. Its strength was said to be unimaginable, and only Michael and the other long-lived Seraphim could accurately describe it to be on par with the Great Red.
"Is it really that strong?" Serafall couldn't help but ask. From her house's records she couldn't get an accurate feel for how formidable the Trihexa had been.
"More than you could imagine," Michael said, releasing a sigh before sitting himself back down. "To be honest, it was the reason why we believed our Lord and God to have died at the hands of the Underworld's then Four Great Satans. After all, God was weakened from sealing the Trihexa before he was attacked by the great Satans."
Shirou searched through the memories God had shared with him, and indeed he realized just how weak God had gotten in his effort to seal the Beast of Apocalypse at the Ends of the World. It was truly unfortunate that in the end, the remnants from the Holy Grail in Fuyuki were able to enter through the seals and store itself with the Trihexa. The taint itself would work as a poison that would eventually corrode the thousands of forbidden Seals God had used which tapped into his very divinity. As a result, the Trihexa would be freed.
It was the worst-case scenario, and it was unavoidable.
Preparations were therefore necessary.
After Michael's admission, not one person spoke. For Sirzechs and Serafall, they had just felt first-hand just how powerful the One God of Christianity was mere hours ago. To think that such an existence would have to use a majority of his power just to seal the Trihexa through forbidden seals, just how strong of an enemy were they facing?
"This isn't an enemy that just one Religion and Pantheon can face alone. We need the strength of an alliance of Pantheons and Religions," Shirou proposed the plan God had devised, stunning everyone into deep thought.
In the end, another meeting was decided to be held with all representatives of the Factions before they took decisive actions. Michael and Gabriel never doubted their Lord and were fully supportive, however similar to Sirzechs, Azazel, and Serafall, they had to confide with their colleagues for such an important decision.
One by one, the leaders in the room soon left, the first being Azazel who needed to inform the Grigori of the latest news to begin preparations, and then Gabriel who left reluctantly due to her own duties.
Only Michael, Sirzechs, and Serafall were left, and it was then that Sirzechs gestured subtly to Michael.
A flash of unwillingness arose within Michael's expression, but he was kind, and understood what Sirzechs was getting at.
Michael sighed before leaving, making sure that Sirzechs would remember this favour he was granting as he wasn't exactly comfortable leaving his Lord in the company of just Devils.
Sirzechs could only accept being in Michael's debt as he knew that it was nothing compared to the pain he had inflicted upon his friend. As such, when he was certain that Michael was gone, he too discreetly left, leaving only Serafall and Shirou behind.
The two both sat stiffly.
Currently, Serafall no longer wore the Magical Girl Uniform she been wearing previously as she felt mortified by it when she had composed herself enough to realize that Kuro had seen her in it. Before, she could wear it without any shame because she understood that there truly was no one that would be able to replace Kuro in her heart, and yet here he was now.
Serafall was fidgeting, unsure of what to say or do as the words Sona had said resounded in her mind.
This was really her Kuro. The very same man she had met in the Underworld's Civil War so what was she hesitating over?
Kuro's was hers first. She had met him first, therefore, what did she have to hesitate about? Still, her lips were like lead, unable to move, and making her appear meek.
Shirou, staring from the side could sense Serafall's unease and current difficulty, but he too didn't know what to say. She had cried for him, cared about him, and even clung onto his memory that he had left behind. To say he wasn't touched would be a lie, but to say that he was experienced in these types of things was also a lie. Thus, he felt like he was at an impasse.
It was only after another moment of staring at her did he finally relax and think things through.
He never should have had over complicated things in the the first place. His mouth opened naturally, the things he should have had said flowing out easily as he understood exactly what he wanted based on the type of person he was.
Looking at Serafall, there was only a single thought that had eventually found itself at the center of his mind.
He wanted to make her happy.
The woman who would care for him to such an extent.
"That promise we made back then," he said thoughtfully, bronze orbs staring straight at her own as he scratched at the back of his head. A familiar gesture that caused Serafall to sink into reminiscence, her head bowing low.
He didn't notice her movements, his concentration and sincerity focused in the words that he wanted to say.
"Is it too late to take you up on it?" He asked, taking a breath.
It was as if lightning had struck Serafall at that moment, her body freezing before a smile that could rival the most beautiful of women spread across her face mixed with her joy.
A grand banquet, one that she believed had long since been forgotten.
The recollection of that promise caused Serafall's lips to quiver, but it was because of it that she found the courage to express herself.
"No," she said, glancing up, tears pooling in her eyes which she slowly wiped away with her palms.
It was a feeling of happiness which she couldn't describe.
"No, it's not."
Thanks for Reading! And thanks to my newest Patrons: Lachlan, Alexander, and Bryan!
P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious
And sorry for the lateness of the update. It was intended for yesterday, but something happened on Saturday that took away the time I needed for the Sunday update so I postponed it until tonight. Sorry for any inconveniences!