Irina ran frantically through the first Heaven with Griselda and Dulio trailing behind her. Her mind was focused on one thing: Haru. Ever since she got that call from Kiba, Irina had teleported immediately to Heaven.
"Irina, slow down!" Dulio yelled.
Irina ignored him in favor of her destination. The Axis Mundi, an ever-shifting dimensional pathway in Heaven that leads to the other levels of Heaven. The Axis Mundi appeared differently to all people. To Irina, it appeared as a road with a night sky. She immediately ran up the road and projected her thoughts into the Axis.
Sixth Heaven! Sixth Heaven!
A door appeared in front of Irina and she burst through, surprising all of the occupants in the room. A man stood up and eyed her curiously. The man was very handsome, having long blonde hair and green eyes. Atop his head sat a golden halo and on his back were twelve white and gold wings. He wore white and red robes with golden pauldrons and white sashes with crosses embroidered into the sashes.
"Irina-kun," the man said.
"Michael-sama! Here's my report! I'm sorry but I have to leave. I just got a call that Haru is sick with Dragon Pox!" Irina said.
"Ara? Haru-chan is sick?" a woman said from next to Michael. The woman had long blonde hair, green eyes, and a massive pair on her chest. She wore a white robe-like dress and had twelve massive snow white and blue wings on her back.
"Yes, Gabriel-sama! Now, if I may excuse myself," Irina said, bowing.
"Um, yeah?" Gabriel and Michael said as they waved. Irina disappeared in a flutter of wings, leaving behind a few white feathers. A few moments later, Griselda and Dulio burst through the door, completely out of breath.
"Damn! *pant * The girl can run! Oh! I need to catch my breath," Dulio said as he fell on his butt, taking in large amounts of air.
"Mind telling us what just happened?" another man said. The man wore a green cape and had shaggy black hair with emerald green eyes that seemed to constantly shine with annoyance. Under his cape, he wore a black shirt and black pants. Over his shirt was a metal breastplate with a small cross that had amethysts embedded into it at the top of the breastplate. His halo was green as opposed to Gabriel's blue and Michael's gold halos. On his back were twelve chrome wings with a green tint.
"We're just as in the dark as you are, Raphael-sama," Griselda said as she caught her breath.
"Well, she is your student, Raphi," Gabriel teased.
"At least someone wants to learn under me you airheaded chicken," Raphael fired back.
"Shut up you stuck up pigeon," Gabriel retorted.
"Retarded Parrot."
"Friendless Ostrich."
"Okay, shut up you two!" Michael said.
"But, Onii-sama! Raphael is calling me names!" Gabriel whined, pouting angrily while she pointed at the calm Archangel behind her.
"Can't take a joke you flightless bird," Raphael said, snickering.
Michael facepalmed.
How the hell did Onee-sama ever put up with us!? Michael thought.
"Do any of you know why Irina just ran off?" Michael asked, looking specifically at his joker.
"Er… no. She got a call about Haru. That's about it," Dulio answered.
"Hmm, she said Haru had Dragon Pox right?" Raphael asked.
"She did," Gabriel said.
"Then, she'll be fine. I'll send Ryrrha over to her with some medicine later," Raphael said as he walked off.
"Eh? Why not now?" Michael asked.
"I'm having her investigate an anomaly," Raphael said, turning around. He pulled a small gem out of his pocket and channeled his Grace, the integral energy inherent in all Angels, and the gem lit up and projected an image.
"T- That's impossible!" Michael said as the blurry image of a man and woman could be seen walking down the street.
"It is. It's why she's there," Raphael said.
"I'll bring it up at the meeting," Michael said.
Irina burst through the front door. She immediately formed a light ring when she heard someone yelp. Irina turned and saw a boy with dark blue hair and lavender eyes wearing a green hoodie and grey track pants.
"Who are you?" Irina asked.
"Um, I'm Kanata! I'm Asia's boyfriend! Please don't kill me!" Kanata said, raising his arms.
"Asia got a boyfriend? And Haru and Naru didn't rip you in half? You know what nevermind that. I'll dig into this later," Irina said, leaving the boy in the living room as she ran up the stairs.
Come on Haru. Please be okay! She thought as she rounded the corner to see Haru's room. She practically kicked the door down as she entered and saw Kiba sitting in a chair while Asia inspected Haru. Naru stroked her brother's hair as he slept soundly. Irina could make out tear streaks on his cheeks, indicating that he had been crying.
"Haru!" Irina grabbed Haru's hand and gripped it. Haru responded by squeezing her hand back, bringing a small smile to her face.
"Asia, wake him up," Naru said.
"Wait, shouldn't we let him rest?" Asia asked.
"Irina is here. Maybe she can help him out of this," Naru said.
"No need," Haru said as he sat up. His golden eyes trailed to the figure next to him. Haru's eyes widened and he pulled Irina into a tight hug.
"Eh? Haru-kun?" Irina said as Haru's embrace got tighter. She felt his tears fall onto her skin as the sounds of soft crying were heard across the room. Irina frowned as she began to rub soothing circles on his back.
"I'm so glad you're alive," Haru whispered.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Irina asked.
"Haru, what happened? Why would you do something like that?" Kiba asked.
[I can tell you] Ddraig said, making his presence known.
"No," Haru said as he pulled out of the hug and wiped his tears. "I'll do it. I think you all should know what happened."
"What exactly happened in the five days I was gone?" Irina asked
"I followed Rias and Akeno to their college to try and spend some time with them because we barely get to spend any time together since they were so busy with everything. On top of that, I was being paranoid, though, in this instance, I was right," Haru said.
"Paranoid about what?" Naru asked him.
"They were seeing someone… behind my back," Haru said quietly.
"So that's who they were," Kiba said.
"They?" Haru asked.
"Earlier, when Rias-oneesama called a meeting, it was because of those boys. Since you were getting promoted to high class, she would get your pawn pieces back. I'm guessing she plans on reincarnating them," Asia said.
"Well, that and the tournament," Kiba added.
"Right, so she brought them? Here?" Naru said, shaking in anger.
"Yes, though only for training," Asia said. "She's trying to get them to unlock their Sacred Gears. Kanata's down there too."
"We're getting off track. So after I found out, Ddraig said that my mental instability… triggered something," he said. Haru moved his collar aside to reveal the thick black veins that were spreading across his body.
Irina gasped, noticing them for the first time while Asia, Kiba, and Naru blanched. It was worse than they had thought.
"Trihexa left me with a parting gift. It attached its aura to my pieces which would trigger when I was… vulnerable," Haru said.
[There were also microscopic fragments of Loki's Curse but his body purged it immediately. The Trihexa Aura, however… is a different story.] Ddraig said.
"Different how?" Asia asked.
"It's killing me," Haru said, shocking them. "Ddraig estimated that by the end of next week, maybe after that if I'm lucky, I'll be dead. Completely drained of my life force."
"We have to call Ajuka or Azazel! They can remove your pieces safely and—!" Irina was cut off.
"We tried," Naru said. "No one's home."
Irina gritted her teeth and stood. "So you're all just giving up! Haru is going to die in a week!" she yelled furiously.
[No, we're not. There may be hope but the risks are very dangerous if we go through with it] Ddraig said.
"What? What is it?" Kiba asked in a hopeful tone.
"You won't like it," Haru said.
[Haru and I are going to sever the connection that his Pieces have to his soul.] Ddraig said.
"Wait? That's going to kill him!" Naru protested.
"There's a chance I'll live through it though," Haru said.
[Yes, inside Haru, there is a peculiar energy that is similar to the Demonic Energy that Devils wield. For now, I'll refer to it as Miasma but Haru's body seems to have it in spades.] Ddraig said.
"Wait, if Haru had this sort of energy, then why have we never felt it?" Kiba asked.
"Ddraig said that it could be my body's response to my Pieces. My body is generating energy to counteract it," Haru said.
[Yes. This energy could be our salvation. Once Haru severs a Piece, he has to pour some of that energy into the void left by the removal for his soul to kickstart its regeneration process to heal the wound left by said piece.] Ddraig explained.
"But, the procedure is extremely dangerous. One false move and I die," Haru said. "But it's the only option we have at the moment. And I for one can't wait for Sensei and Ajuka-sama to not be AFK anymore."
The others looked down, contemplating their responses. Finally, after a few minutes of tense silence, Kiba spoke up.
"I think you should go through with it," he said.
"Kiba…" Irina said.
"Think about it. What does Haru have left to lose?" Kiba said.
Haru smiled and nodded.
"But what if he dies!?" Irina protested.
"I won't. I promise," Haru said.
"Haru," Naru said. Asia just looked at her adoptive brother sadly.
"Fine, but that doesn't mean I like this," Irina said, crossing her arms.
"I guess I have no choice either," Naru said.
"Me too," Asia said.
[Right, so Haru and I will do this in an unspecified location so he can have privacy. I reckon that there will be a visible amount of energy given off during the procedure. Also, Asia. We'll need you there.] Ddraig said.
"Me? Why?" Asia asked.
[Haru will be fighting the Pieces inside his body and by fighting, I mean like go in there and physically battle them. The Pieces, thanks to the Beast's energy, have gained some form of autonomy and behave like parasites. Like any parasite, it will defend itself in an attempt to stay bound to its host. Any wound Haru receives while in his soul will be mirrored in the physical world so we need you to heal the wounds Haru will sustain.] Ddraig said.
"I'll go too," Irina said.
Haru nodded.
"You two stay here and keep the others distracted," Haru said.
Kiba and Naru looked at Haru before nodding in resignation.
Haru gave them a nod before struggling to his feet. He walked over to his dresser and pulled out two objects. Haru walked back over and placed a bottle in between them and a small sphere with buttons.
"Asia. These are pills that will replenish your energy. Sensei made them from a hybrid of Phenex Tears and water from the River Phlegethon in the Greco-Roman Underworld," Haru said.
Asia grabbed the pills and pocketed them.
"What's the recorder for?" Irina asked.
"I need to do this next part alone. It's just in case," Haru said. They grimaced at the thought but agreed and left the room.
[Recording a suicide note. I'm getting vibes from that one show on Netflix.] Ddraig commented.
"You're thinking of Thirteen Reasons Why," Haru said as he pressed the record button.
Irina, Kiba, Naru, and Asia waited outside for Haru. Every word he spoke made them wince. He sounded so hopeless. After a few minutes of being tortured by Haru's words, Haru's door opened and he walked out. With a determined look on his face, Haru smiled a genuine smile for the first time in two days.
"Let's do this."
London, England…
A woman walked over and sat on the couch. The woman was beautiful. She had toxic yellow eyes and hair that was a lovely shade of red, almost like blood. Her figure was voluptuous and she wore a black girl's high school uniform with a beige shirt inside. She looked at her brother. Her brother was a fairly tall man with short black hair and two horn-like cowlicks that stood above his head. Like her, he had toxic yellow eyes and wore a white cloak with black embroidery at the seams and a black long-sleeved shirt with white pants. Her brother was currently eating the family's food.
"Can't you just leave their food alone?" she snapped, her golden eyes glowing in response to her anger.
He looked at her with pot roast around his lips. She looked disgusted. He rolled his eyes and said, "C'mon sis. We can't just let this food rot. It's a waste. Plus, this family makes a mean roast right ma?"
The brother looked at the mutilated corpse of the mother laying on the floor. Her jaw was dislocated with her tongue ripped out. Her torso was ripped open and her organs were spilled all over the floor. Her face was nearly untouched save for her eyes and mouth. He grinned and shoved a spoonful in her mouth.
"Whatever, now what do we have here," she said. Her smile twisted into a sick grin. Before her, there sat two people. The two were an eighteen-year-old boy and his little sister of about six or seven. The boy wrapped his arms around the girl. Without warning, the woman grabbed the girl. The boy charged but the woman glanced at him and he went flying and was pinned to the wall. She caressed the girl's face as tears began streaming out.
"Please miss. Let us go," the girl said, beginning to sob.
"Aww, you said let me go. Tell you what hun. I'll let you choose. I kill you and let your brother go or kill your brother and let you go. You have ten seconds," she said.
"Please! We'll do anything!"
"Ten"
"No no no!"
"Nine"
The girl was still sobbing and begging.
"Eight"
"No!"
"Seven"
The girl punched her in the face. This surprised the woman and she let go. Her older brother fell and he grabbed her and ran.
"Ilya, don't look, Just keep your he—Urk!", he looked down and saw a massive blade of pure energy jutting out of his chest. The blade warped and the boy's body was lifted and shredded to pieces. His blood rained on the little girl who watched on as her big brother was ripped in front of her.
"That wasn't a very nice little girl", the woman calmly walked towards her. She stared at the pieces that were once her brother and then let out a blood-curdling scream. Her sclera turned pitch black and her blue eyes shined and pulsated with power. The woman had to cover her face since the girl was emitting so much power that she was practically glowing, a blue aura of light was shining around her and the woman felt as if her skin began to burn. All of a sudden, the little girl was wrapped in a black mist and disappeared.
"Tch", the woman scoffed. She escaped. The little girl was one of them then. Her brother walked to her looking satisfied.
"She got away huh," he said. The brother bent down and ripped the mother's arm off and took a bite out of it.
"Are you eating the mom?" she said to her brother in an irritated manner.
"Yes?"
She sighed. She really hated her brother sometimes. He could be such a glutton.
"Whatever, plenty of fish in the sea as they say. Let's find the others but first, we gotta erase the crime scene," the woman said. She stretched out her palm and a blue flame manifested. She let forth a deluge of blue fire all over the house, setting it ablaze. The lights in the surrounding houses went on as onlookers began to call the fire department. The two exited the house, through the back and disappeared in a cloud of black mist.
However, they didn't notice a pair of red eyes watching them. Ryrrha sat there, trying to process what she just saw. Those two. Power rolled off them in waves. And the little girl. What was she? The power she had matched that of an S-Rank High-Class Being.
I need to report this to Azrael-sama, she thought and flew towards Kuoh, Japan at breakneck speeds.