Chapter 16
"Cheers, everyone!"
I raised my cup of iced soda to Rias' toast, with every member of her Peerage following suit. With the warm sun of May shining down on us, we all cheered to our victory in the Rating Game.
Although the match took place a few days ago, between the time to let everyone rest a little and our school duties resuming, it took us a few days to find a good time to celebrate.
"I still can't believe how you handled those final moments, Kairos," Kiba said, leaning against the table with his usual effortless grace. He took a sip of his drink, his eyes gleaming with respect. "That last exchange... it was truly impressive. I might have to start training twice as hard just to keep up."
"Don't encourage him, Kiba sempai," Koneko mumbled, though she was busy demolishing a plate of chocolate crepes Rias brought as an extra treat. She looked up at me, her expression neutral as ever. "Kairos sempai will get a big head."
"He's right, Koneko," Akeno chimed in, her voice melodic, as she took a strawberry from the fruit platter on the table. "Our Kairos was quite the dragon during the match. Though, I suppose he showed all that intensity in the private celebration afterwards as well, didn't he, Rias?"
Rias nearly choked on her soda, her face turning a shade of red that rivalled her hair. "Akeno! Honestly!"
The laughter continued for a while, but as the sun began to dip lower, casting long, amber shadows across the roof, the mood shifted slightly. If I had to guess, every member of the peerage was thinking of their own roles during the battle, a thought of what they could have done better surely on their minds, just like it was on mine.
From the corner of my eye, I observed the Queen of Rias' peerage. Even though she tried to hide it behind the mask, her eyes showed concern I wasn't used to seeing in them.
Akeno seemed to be waging an internal battle with herself, though only a little showed itself on her face. The way her purple eyes looked into nowhere, I could tell that something troubled her.
No one really questioned Akeno's last attack on Riser, just before she was retired, but everyone saw the results. Akeno's lightning should not have hurt Riser to such an extent; there was more to it.
With a loud exhale, Akeno finally refocused her eyes and scanned everyone around the table, her purple gaze catching my own.
With a deep breath, Akeno addressed everyone around the table. "Everyone, there is something I would like to tell you. Rias knows, and since we all fought side by side against Riser, I suppose it's time you know why my lightning felt the way it did," she whispered, her voice trembling just enough for us all to notice.
"My mother was human... but my father is someone who I myself have long been unable to accept. My father is Baraqiel of the Grigori, and I am his daughter," said Akeno, as if trying to rip off a band aid. Her purple eyes swept over all of us, looking for a response.
Kiba and Koneko did not look too surprised; maybe they knew or suspected. For myself, I tried to show some reaction, not giving away that I happened to know this titbit of her personal lore prior to the reveal. In the end, it was Asia who showed the most emotion.
"You've been very kind to me since I arrived here. You invited me to your home when I had nothing but a suitcase and a prayer."
The way Asia spoke, it managed to encapsulate how everyone around the table felt as well.
"You are the woman who makes me tea and helps me with my studies. You are my friend Akeno, no matter who your father is."
Akeno's mask cracked slightly; only Asia's pure soul could deliver such a sentence and mean every single word of it.
She reached out, enveloping the blonde in a hug and burying her face in Asia's shoulder, her fingers gripping the back of the blonde girl's clothes.
I could not help but smile at the two young women.
Rias came to my side, and I took her hand in mine, feeling a squeeze from the crimson devil; doubtless she must have been feeling happiness for her queen.
Before I could get lost in the happy feelings of the moment, Ddraig's voice brought me out of my reverie.
PARTNER, WE NEED TO TALK. ALONE. FIND SOME TIME LATER TODAY.
I gave an acknowledgement to his request with a thought and continued to enjoy the moment while it still lasted.
/Break
Sometime later, most of the others went about their way. Akeno took Asia to show her the arcade with Koneko tagging along, saying something about fancy candy treats you could get there that weren't sold anywhere else in Kuoh. Kiba himself went to train, saying he wished to practise more with using ranged attacks with his swords; apparently I was an inspiration for him and his Sacred Gear.
With everyone left to their own devices, I stood with Rias; still holding her hand as we watched the sun slowly set on Kuoh town.
"I am going to take a walk. Ddraig wanted to have a chat, so you can head out home; I will come by later," I said to Rias, informing her of the Red Dragon's request.
Rias hummed, turning from the sunset and looking up at me. "We have the date planned for the day after tomorrow. I wanted to do some shopping beforehand, so I might as well do it now, before you come home."
I smiled softly, my heart fluttering just thinking about Rias and I, and the fact that we were now dating. The fact that the date itself didn't happen yet was not important in my mind.
"Oh, before I forget. I received a message from Sona, apparently the Fallen we captured knew nothing important besides that someone in the Grigori told them to come to Kuoh specifically. They have been handed back to the Grigori, I just thought you should know."
"Yeah, I appreciate it."
Rias stood up on her tiptoes, and I leaned downwards slightly, pecking her lips. The small kiss promised more, but there was a time and place for such things.
Saying our goodbyes, we parted ways, and I took a slow stroll along the riverbank that flowed through Kuoh. I wasn't in a hurry, and neither was the Red Dragon.
One thing I learned about Ddraig was that he was a patient being. He usually saw no need to be hasty and liked to take his time. If he wanted to talk to me, he could do so at any time, so I just relaxed and wandered along the river; soft grass bathed my feet glimmering in the dying rays of the sun.
After some time, I came to a stop, sitting down below a tree overlooking the river in a small park; buildings of the town were nowhere near around us, and pleasant silence dominated the spot I had chosen.
I closed my eyes and listened to the splashing of water in the river, just letting my thoughts wander without any direction. In the end, my thoughts took me to the Rating Game, just as they liked to in these last few days after the match.
Ever since the battle with Riser, I'd felt a jagged edge in my chest. The Titan blood in my veins demanded a cold, immovable dominance, while the Devil's body I'd traded for, screamed with a chaotic hunger. All the while the dragon in me watched, silently encouraging me to battle, to gather more power to myself, to claim what was mine. It was not the uncontrolled feeling I was left with after the battle with the Fallen, but there were similarities.
YOU FEEL IT TOO, DO YOU NOT, PARTNER?
"I'm keeping it under control, Ddraig," I whispered, looking towards the river, trying to calm my thoughts.
It served well enough against Riser, did it not?
RISER WAS A FLICKERING CANDLE.
Ddraig's voice was resonant and stern, making me almost flinch.
YOU ARE A FURNACE. IF YOU WANT TO REACH THE BALANCE BREAKER, IF YOU WANT TO CLOTHE YOURSELF IN THE SCALE MAIL, YOU CANNOT SUPPRESS THE FIRE. YOU MUST CHANNEL IT.
I clenched my fist; a flickering green light shone where the gemstone would normally be.
And what if the fire consumes me? Between the blood of a Titan, the soul of a dragon and the body of a devil, there's already too much noise in my head.
POWER WITHOUT DIRECTION IS NO POWER AT ALL.
Ddraig paused slightly, perhaps searching for words himself.
CONTROL. CONTROL AND BALANCE. THESE MUST BE YOUR ANCHORS. A DRAGON'S POWER DOES NOT SPRING FROM CALM MEDITATION; IT IS BORN FROM THE DEPTHS OF RAW EMOTION. YOU MUST WANT MORE THAN YOUR ENEMIES. YOU MUST FEEL STRONGER, REACH FURTHER, AND BURN BRIGHTER. YET, IN THAT SAME MOMENT, YOU MUST EXERT A WILLPOWER BEYOND ANYTHING THOSE AROUND YOU CAN CONCEIVE.
Balance in all things.
DO NOT LET YOURSELF STAGNATE. YOUR EMOTIONS ARE NOT A WEAKNESS TO BE HIDDEN; THEY ARE THE BLADE THAT WILL CUT THROUGH THE IMPOSSIBLE—BUT ONLY IF THAT BLADE IS HONED TO A RAZOR'S EDGE. THAT IS THE TRUE PATH TO THE BALANCE BREAKER.
Training isn't enough then? I thought, looking down at the calluses of my palms.
What about the Transfer, I achieved that through training alone.
TRANSFER IS JUST A FINAL FORM OF THE BOOSTED GEAR ITSELF. AS OUR CONNECTION GREW AND YOU ADJUSTED TO MY POWER, SO TOO DID THE POWER RESPOND TO YOU.
BALANCE BREAKER IS A DIFFERENT BEAST ENTIRELY.
Ddraig paused, as if to gather his own thoughts.
TRAINING IS WELL AND GOOD FOR THE FLESH, PARTNER. BUT THE SOUL DOES NOT RESPOND TO REPETITION ALONE. A CATALYST IS NECESSARY. I TELL YOU THIS BECAUSE I DO NOT WISH TO SEE YOU REDUCED TO ASH BY THE VERY FIRES YOU STOKE.
I could feel the arm where the gauntlet would normally be pulse with inner power.
SOONER OR LATER, A MOMENT WILL COME WHERE YOUR EMOTIONS WILL SLIP THE LEASH. IF YOU REMAIN RIGID, YOU WILL BREAK UNDER THE STRAIN. YOU MUST LEARN TO BEND WITH THE FLAME IF YOU WISH TO PREVAIL. THE ROAD TO THE PEAK IS CRUEL, KAIROS... BUT WHAT AWAITS YOU AT THE TOP? THAT IS WORTH EVERY SCAR.
I thought of the Welsh Dragon's word. If I wanted to reach the top, I would need to work with what I have, not what I wished I did.
I spend some moments in silent contemplation of Ddraig's words, the silence around me pleasant, interrupted only by the rushing of the flowing river.
So, training is not the way to the Balance Breaker. I guess I will have to wait for the catalyst to show itself. I voiced my thoughts to Ddraig after I was done contemplating.
ARE YOU DAFT? DID YOU NOT LISTEN TO A WORD I TOLD YOU?
What?
OF COURSE WE MUST TRAIN. THE BODY IS NECESSARY AS WELL. HONESTLY, SOMETIMES YOU SURPRISE ME WITH YOUR INSIGHT ONLY TO STUN ME WITH YOUR IDIOCY IN THE NEXT.
Honestly, this dragon was so confusing sometimes.
YOU ARE GETTING CLOSE; THE BATTLE AGAINST PHENEX WAS A GOOD CRUCIBLE FOR YOU. EVEN NOW YOU HAVE GAINED MORE POWER, JUST FROM EMERGING VICTORIOUS. YOU DREW ON YOUR POWER TO ITS LIMITS AND EMERGED STRONGER FOR IT.
That honestly sounds like I am a Saiyan, not a dragon.
WHAT NONSENSE, YOU ARE A DRAGON, NOT A DAMN FICTIONAL MONKEY.
Says the fictional dragon.
I WILL SHOW YOU FICTIONAL. YOU ARE LUCKY I DO NOT HAVE A BODY ANYMORE, BUT HEED MY WARNING. ONE DAY, I WILL GET MY REVENGE.
Alright, alright, I apologise. I thought with a grin. Should we get to some training? I feel motivated by our talk; let's go smash some things.
FINALLY, SOME SENSE FROM YOU. YES, LET US GO. YOU MUST LEARN TO CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES, SEE THEM DRIVEN BEFORE YOU, AND HEAR THE LAMENTATION OF THEIR WOMEN.
…
I wondered if there was a way to detach the Boosted Gear so I could chuck Ddraig towards the river.
/Break
A few days later I stood in front of a mirror, adjusting the collar of my jacket for the tenth time. It felt strange—not the clothes, but the situation I found myself in. Just seven weeks ago I was still human, my power hidden and untrained for the most part.
Now I felt the swirl of unchained power pulsing beneath my own skin, just waiting to be released, and I was preparing to take the sister of Lucifer for a date. My life has definitely changed, and I could only say that it has done so for the better.
I knew that just a few metres from where I was, Rias was also preparing for our outing in her own room. I suppressed the nervousness I felt; it was irrational. We slept in the same bed, and Rias did so naked. We kissed, and our hands wandered; but now that I was supposed to take her for a coffee and chat with her, I was feeling nervous.
In the back of my mind, I could feel the Red Dragon give me a mental thumbs up, and I almost banged my head into the mirror, the mental image so confusing.
Shaking my head with slight laughter, I took a big inhale and centred myself, focusing on the feelings I had for the devil on the other side of the apartment. I focused on the feelings I had when I was in her company, on the longing when I was not. I took those feelings, and I held onto them.
Exhaling and giving myself one last look in the mirror, I stepped out of my room, unable to keep a large smile from my face.