Raven 159- Change of Plans
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Word Count 3000
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"Baraqiel!!!" Katarea let out a scream as watched many of her troops get incinerated by the lightning attacks.
"What's the matter Katarea?" Baraqiel gruffer "Not pleased to see an old friend?" he taunted but didn't give her time to answer.
Lightning cloaked his entire body. It was insane even for beings of their standards. He wasn't just placing lightning on top of his skin as a boost or as defense like many do. He was quite literally allowing lightning to course through his body, muscles, nerves, organs and bones.
It was suicide, even with the increased tolerance to lightning granted to him by God. But through extreme training he managed to take it a step further. He got used to the pain, he accepted it, it helped that he was also a big masochist and the only person insane enough to go through with the ceintures of torture required for it.
Baraqiel took a single step vanished from his previous spot and from Katarea's view. Unknown to her he appeared right in front of her and swung his fist.
Lightning engulfed the proud devil, sending her flying backwards for dozens of meters before she spread her wings four pairs. Unlike angels and fallen, a devil's wings doesn't represent their strength. It represents their bloodline. Only the direct descendants of the previous Satans have more than one pair of wings.
Katarea swung her staff and the smoke around her cleared, she had some burns on her body and her hair was going in every direction from the static. She looked like a hedgehog. But otherwise she was mostly unharmed.
'Hmm, I didn't go all out but I did less damage than I expected. As always these descendants have ridicules energy reserves, and the reports were true. They have somehow managed to get even stronger. But..'
Baraqiel vanished once again and sent her flying with a single kick "Power without control, without discipline is WEAK! And it's nowhere near the level of the Original Leviathan I have fought "
"Don't you patronize me you dirty crow!!"
"Then train your power a little you talentless bat!"
Baraqiel rushed at her, Katarea used her water to create water beasts but they all fell apart as soon as Baraqiel got close enough, he then continued to pummel her. It was practically bullying.
One of the main reasons he was ordered to fight against the Original Leviathan even though he was weaker than her was because lightning naturally travels through water and Holy Power destroys the demonic energy in the water attack causing the magical structure inside to fall apart.
Meaning Leviathan would have to use a lot more in her attacks just to keep them from falling apart. In the past Baraqiel fought her for a few hours making her lose as much demonic energy as possible before running away and letting the Fallen Army push her back.
Now her descendant who was much weaker than her ancestor and even below Baraqiel himself, actually dared to fight him fully knowing the history that happened... it was obvious he was going to get some payback against the Leviathan House.
But then he noticed something strange with the soldiers he blasted with lightning.
The devils took the most damage having big casualties, followed by some angels which many were injured but no deaths. Baraqiel was careful about that, Heaven had the least number of combatants. Killing a few angels would cause them to target Grigori and that was something he would like to avoid.
He was here as a distraction not to cause more trouble for his faction. But what surprised him the most was that his main target the vampires, had minimal casualties.
'That is impossible. Holy Power is deadly to them, just as much as devils if not even more due their weakness to Light and Holy energy. While devils are only partially affected by light. They must have done something.'
Baraqiel was lost in his thoughts while he was pummeling Katarea into the earth, he had pushed her down out of the sky and was now literally pushing her into a grave that was being dug by her own body.
That was a mistake. Before either of them could move out of the way a white laser engulfed them both. The earth, the rocks, the trees. Everything around them was disintegrated. The laser lasted only for a few seconds.
But to the soldiers just a bit further away those seconds felt like an eternity. Once it was over there was nothing left, just a giant hole in the ground.
Silence consumed the area, until strange sounds could be heard from the hole.
"Ow,ow,ow,ow,ow" Baraqiel grumbled in pain as he climbed out of the hole and went on full alert. There was a disgusted look on his face. 'I can't believe I fell on top of Katarea and even groped her. Eww. I'm taking a shower when I get home. I hope nobody saw that, otherwise Shuri will cut off my balls'
He didn't fly out because that would be the thing most people would expect. This way if he was targeted again he would just make a light spear and drill through the earth. His body had quite a few burns, but compared to the torture he puts himself through this was nothing.
Baraqiel looked at the sky and saw his opponent. Short blond hair, blue eyes, twelve white wings. A Seraph. But this one was wearing a very strange outfit.
Baraqiel brushed off the blood from his lips and smiled his ten black wings spreading ready for battle "Metatron. What's it been? Two hundred years?"
"Two hundred and one. But who is counting" Metatron casually shrugged his shoulders
"What's with the ninja outfit?"
Metatron let out a smile as he spread his arms and grinned like a child "Isn't it cool? The others just don't understand the charm of shinobi. Guardians of the Night, I even went and trained under a real ninja who moved to Europe. A good disciple I was. Nin-nin" he finished off with a hand sign.
Baraqiel resisted the urge to facepalm. 'Guardians of the Night? Who has been filling his brain with garbage. Shinobi were assassins and spies. They didn't even dress like that. The whole point was to blend in, the pop culture look came from Edo-period theater because that's how they decided to represent ninjas to the common people '
"DAMN YOU INSECTS!!!!!" A furious scream caused both of them to look towards the hole the laser hit. Katarea was barely flying above it. Her clothes were gone, her right arm was burned black, half her torso and face was red filled with blisters, a sign of second-degree burn.
Her hair was mostly burned off, she looked as if she had gotten a haircut from a five year old.
"I WILL BE BACK AND I SWEAR TO KILL ALL OF YOU!!!!" She crushed a gem that was hanging from her was and portal appeared behind her, filled with a mix of shifting, iridescent colors, shaped like a kaleidoscope.
' ' The Dimensional Gap?' ' Both Baraqiel and Metatron immediately recognized the signature look.
Katarea quickly stepped through it and the portal closed. Leaving her army behind.
...
"Wow.. that was just sad. She sounds like a villain from a children's story"
Baraqiel just nodded with a sigh " How disgraceful. Couldn't you have killed her with your attack? I doubt the Devils would have made a big fuss if she died. Nobody from the New Satans likes those pureblood supremacists"
"Well SORRY!~ For not killing you with her. While we are on the topic of killing"
Metatron raised his ninjato blade cheerfully "Let's have a duel filled with cheap tricks and dirty tactics!"
'Ugh great he is even more delusional than before' Baraqiel was not looking forward this fight. He could use his battle experience to tie with Metatron that he was confident in, despite Metatron being stronger. But this particular Seraph had a few screws loose in his head, and crazy people were not fun to fight.
~
Kokabiel having a blast, his black wings were covered in blood, he was like a shining blur.
'Ahhh. How I have longed for this' Kokabiel swung his light spear, leaving cauterized holes or gashes in his enemies. Dozens and dozens of corpses quickly turned to a hundred, and that number was rising rapidly.
'I have waited for Decades... For Centuries!! This feeling of WAR!!!'
"HA HA HA HA!!!" His mad laughter echoed as everyone ran away. But even while relishing in battle, his instincts that got him through the Great War were still as sharp as ever.
Kokabiel quickly dived down just as White Flames burned through the entire area where he had been. He looked at his opponent and a wild grin formed on his face.
"URIEL!!
"KOKABIEL!!!"
Both of them rushed at each other with clear intention to kill. Uriel was alone, Kokabiel and his personal troops were behind him. Uriel was much stronger, but Kokabiel was a master tactician. Utilizing his army in formations to defend and attack as one.
"CHARGE!"
~
Higher up in the distance. Baraqiel and Metatron were going blow for blow. When they both saw the scene.
"Wow, he really is going at it... are those tears in his eyes"
"I believe Kokabiel is.. having a moment."
Metatron just shook his head "Crazy warmonger."
"Uhh, it might have been a mistake to bring Uriel here.. Those two are exactly the same type of person." Baraqiel sweat dropped, as he watched the night sky light up like fireworks were exploding.
Metatron stopped moving as he just realized this "T-those two aren't going to join forces and lay waste on every vampire and devil here are they? Romania would be destroyed"
"...I'm not sure, prepare for the worst I guess"
The Seraph let out a sigh "Wonderful, just wonderful. Why did they have to send Uriel here with me. So.. how long do we have to keep doing this?"
Baraqiel chuckled lightly "For as long as it is needed for others not to suspect us, brother"
Metatron delivered a kick which was blocked " Still strange hearing that from you. But you were one of the angels who was nicest to me. And it would be pretty stupid for us to go all out. We would just destroy everything around us and continue fighting for days and I'm much stronger than you anyway"
"Oh I don't know about that" Baraqiel flung his opponents leg and punched Metatron in the chest. "UGH"
The Seraph to his surprise was pushed back several feet.
"I have gotten stronger, haven't you noticed? We have been going blow for blow yet you still haven't pushed me back. In terms of physical might, I am stronger."
Metatron chuckled as he ran his hand through his hair "Seriously? You really are something else Baraqiel. Then again you were one of God's greatest soldiers, given the title 'Lightning of God'. I always respected you even though you were my subordinate.
You trained harder than anyone, embraced pain to become a better soldier for Father, for Heaven.. then you fell because you grew to like pain. You were crushed by that. I always regretted not stopping you, not telling you to rest"
The Seraph turned to Baraqiel only to find him with a wry smile "That's all ancient history. I am happy where I am now. I have found my peace"
Metatron seemed to have recalled something "Ahh right. I heard a report that you have a daughter now"
Baraqiel rushed towards his opponent throwing an easy punch that Metatron blocked with a raised eyebrow. With his other hand he sneakily pulled out a picture from his suit and showed it off. "Isn't she the most adorable thing in the world."
The angel burst into laughter "Who would have thought you would become such a doting father"
"As I said, I'm happy now. Metatron, the reason you are keeping me busy and drawing all the fighting here, you want us to succeed don't you. So you don't have to dirty your hands"
Metatron closed his eyes, he looked tired "Yes, sadly it's true. But we cannot risk any more angels falling. Since the wielder of the Grall is an innocent child, we might fall even if we are doing it for the Greater Good."
Baraqiel froze in place "A-a child?"
BOOOOOOMMM!!!
There was a massive explosion inside the castle, right were the Fallen group were, something that was not supposed to happen.
"Fuck"
~ 5 minutes earlier.
Azazel and his entire group were sneaking into the Castle. Quietly and with precision, eliminating every threat that appeared.
But then he notices something strange, light and holy attacks seem to affecting them less. It was not a lot, he estimated that they seemed to be negating 10-20% of the light and holy attacks.
'Did the vampires figure out a way to get over their racial weakness? But why now, if they have the knowledge why risk a war instead of just hiding for another century or so then start when they are ready'
Even while he was theorizing they kept moving. Eventually they managed to reach the dungeons. The first thing they saw was blood, a lot of blood. Inside the cells were naked women with horrible wounds.
Bite marks, lacerations, burns, whip marks. All of them were bleeding, most of them were dead. They weren't even chained, it looked like they were cut at their ankles and wrists so they couldn't run away.
The group moved past this, they were among the strongest in Grigori, meaning they were old. They had seen with their own eyes what humanity has done to other humans and what other races have done to humans.
Azazel reached the end of the dungeon where the intelligence said their target was being kept. But when he got there he stopped in place. He saw a four year old girl. She had blond hair and was just sitting on the ground, a shackle around her ankle and a chain leading up attached to the wall.
Azazel frowned when he saw this "This isn't what the information suggested, wasn't she supposed to be older, at least a teen?"
Penemue stepped up "Most likely that's what the vampires said as a misdirection. I assume they were going to prepare a teenage double that looks like her and put her somewhere as bait. Creating a lookalike is easy but the special magical signature that dhampirs have isn't so easy to copy."
Azazel cast some diagnostic spells, while he was doing this the bad feeling he had at the back of his head returned. The girl didn't even flinch. Here they were complete strangers, enemies casting spells on her and she doesn't even blink.
When the results of the spell return Azazel had a furious look on his face "These bloodsucking bastards!" he punched a wall, due to his anger he couldn't control his strength,
BOOOOOOMMM!!!
Light erupted from his fist the wall and everything behind it exploded into rubble and dust. It carried on for dozens of meters.
"Azazel!" Penemue yelled out, this was not like him. They were here in secret and he just announced to the whole castle where they were.
Azazel calmed down, but the dark look on his face stayed "This girl is dead"
"What do you mean"
Azazel barely heard his fellow Cadre's question he was still focusing on the girl "Her soul is destroyed. It's barely hanging on. She is a vegetative state.
I am assuming the leaders used most of her power to completely get rid of their own weakness, then what was left was used on their soldiers in groups. Which explains why they are not as resilient
Users of the Graal always have it rough. They usually go insane because they learn things that no mortal is supposed to learn. But this girl didn't even have her Sacred Gear fully awakened. The Tepes faction most likely felt the Holy Power in her and forcibly awakened it to use as a weapon against the Carmilla Faction.
But the Holy Relic they got was the Sephiroth Graal. So each time they forcibly activated it they were tearing apart the girl's soul."
One of the fallen angels realized "Then she-"
"Is just a husk" Penemue looked at the girl with pity in her eyes. "There are needle marks on her arms and stomach, that's how they have been keeping her alive, most likely IV tubes and putting blood directly in her stomach."
"Sorry kiddo. Wish I could have found you sooner. Maybe even helped you control your Sacred Gear. I hope you rest in peace." Azazel placed his palm on her head and stroked her hair a bit. Hoping to bring at least a tiny bit of solace to whatever remained of her soul.
The next moment he created a Light Orb right in her brainstem, completely incinerating it. This region at the base of the skull governs essential autonomic functions like breathing, heart beating and controls consciousness. It was a quick painless death.
"You know how I said we would go in, take care of the girl and leave? Well I changed my mind. You have 30 minutes. Kill as many of these bloodsuckers as you can"
The fallen looked amongst each other. Azazel was pissed.
They weren't saints or heroes. They were traitors of Heaven. Beings that were tied to their own individual sins. But they were the strongest in Grigori, through training or personal will, they can stop their sins from affecting them too much.
This causes a change in perspective. Torturing and basically making a child commit suicide. To a species that treated every new Fallen baby as a gift was unforgivable.
Azazel was a highly functioning sociopath. Lack of empathy and remorse, constantly manipulating people for the better of Grigori. But lack of something didn't mean he had none, and that little unnoticeable line he had drawn in his mind had just been crossed.
"""""""" Yes, Governor! """""""""
The Fallen quickly saluted Azazel, before spreading their wings and vanishing in different directions. With screams and explosions following them.
~~~~~~~~~~~A/N -------------
Wow this chapter took a lot out of me. It's taken me days to finish this.
1988 Valerie Tepes is born. Valerie is 20 in 2008. Meaning she is 4 in 1992. Yes I got a whole ass timeline.
And yes Valerie is gone. Shocked Expression
I'm sure many of you were expecting Harry to get her, much like Isaiah did in DxD: Kiba.
But as I'm sure you have noticed this world is different. And the MC is different.
There was absolutely no way for Harry to get her. Zero. Zilch. None.
There were hundreds of High Class people duking it out and Ultimate Class were coming out of the shadows. Demigods were there causing chaos. Harry would have been dead before he got anywhere near the castle. BTW, Yes Baraqiel is that goated. He is number 2 of Grigori after all.
I'm doing things a bit differently in this fic. The world moves without the MC, I want to capture that. Knowledge on future events will become less and less useful. Essentially I'm making the world feel more real. I'm raising the difficulty xD
Most MC's going into DxD on Normal Mode. Harry is in Hardcore.
Anyway OPINIONS!?!?!
Btw I will slowly be making all the 'free chapters' available on my Pat for Free Members as well. Since I have photos there to explain things or characters looks.