'Here lies a family', it read. He bowed one last time in respect. They may not be together in this life. But in the next, hopefully they will.
"Farewell."
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|DxD|- Chapter 46- New Horizons
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Kuoh Town, Japan
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The silence was cold. Midnight frost paved its way through the forest, bringing a chilling cold that made one shrink their necks. The howling winds drowned all sound and set the trees into a rustling orchestra.
Igor stood outside his mother's tomb. Tonight was cold just like his heart. His last kill weighed on him heavily. It wasn't guilt, but continued shock at how ruined their world was. A foetus…a half-eaten foetus, ripped from its mother's womb and consumed—it drew too many parallels Igor wasn't comfortable with. Would that have been his mother's fate if she was found? Would he have been killed in the womb too?
"Sigh…"
Igor raised his hand and placed it on the barrier. It was like a solid glass dome. But the moment a bit of his power leaked, it turned fragile and loose like a bubble. Igor walked in and the scenery changed.
The forest litter was replaced by neatly trimmed grass. It was beautifully green as if it were painted. Just ahead, a small staircase carved its way into the ground and descended towards a door. Igor walked the paved path leading to the stairs. Pots of never-wilting flowers lined the edges.
His eyes led him through the darkness. His steps clicked on the cobblestone until he reached the door. Igor knocked thrice before twisting the handle. He entered and the scent of jasmine and incense wafted into his nostrils.
"Hello, mother."
A stunningly beautiful woman lay on a luxuriously decorated bed. The fringes of her hair ended in front braids that lay over her shoulders. A long white sundress, unblemished by a single stain of dirt, draped over her form all the way to her ankles. Vines and arcs of flowers lined the headboard where words were carved into it in cursive script.
'Seraphine Reverie von Dimori'
Two lamps beside her on the nightstands remained lit with a gentle white glow that ended upon the smoothed dirt ceiling.
Igor closed the door behind him and slowly walked forward.
"Sorry to disturb you."
His voice was low. What he wouldn't give to hear her groan in drowsiness, for her to scold him for waking her up so early. Maybe she was a heavy sleeper. Who knew?
Igor drew closer. She looked so alive, so perfect. Her eyes seemed as if they could open at any moment, but they never would. That breath of life was missing from her.
Igor knelt down beside her and placed his head on her stomach. He took her limp hand and placed it on his head. The heaviness…was comforting.
"I'm sorry, mother. I need you…just for a bit."
He closed his eyes and for a moment, imagined at what could've been. He began recounting everything he experienced today. From tracking the stray devil across prefectures, to ending its life, and burying that family—he hid none of it. He solemnly told everything including his confusion, unsure how anyone could stoop so low.
"I've hunted many strays, mother. Their desire for sentient flesh is almost instinctual. Every stray I hunted consumed only adults. But this last one I hunted…I still don't understand. I was rash when I acted. I didn't get the chance to ask him why he did such a thing. I was just so…angry."
In two years, he hunted over thirty stray devils across Japan. Only two—a couple—were spared for they only hunted criminals. A child's death was just too taboo for him to process, and the sight of that baby still lingered in his mind.
"I hope they're together again, mother. In a world far better than this one."
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|DxD|
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Baraquiel stood outside the tomb and waited for Igor walk out. The boy had grown, shot up, actually. Igor was almost the same height as him and it seemed he'd still grow. That little runt that Shuri could pick up with ease was turning into a man.
"How are you, Igor?"
Igor waved away the concern.
"Recovering, old man. I'm a bit shook, but I'll survive."
"Hm. That's good. Just remember. It is not your fault."
"I know."
A still silence passed between them. Igor's energy was no longer as turbulent compared to before. It spoke volumes of his growth and composure. Perhaps given how stable the boy was spiritually, he might be ready for the wider world.
"Igor. After today, I intend to bring you to see the wider world and take you along some of my missions."
Igor was briefly surprised at the sudden offer. He thought he wouldn't be leaving Japan for another month or two. He was not a stranger to the missions Baraquiel meant. Grigori was a leading broker between mercenaries and clients who requested services from assassination and espionage to simpler requests like bodyguard missions.
"What kind of missions?"
Igor bit the hook. He might see worse things than this, but seeing the world was something he wanted to do.
"We'll start off simpler missions. Some will take us across different realms. This will be a good fit for you."
"..."
Igor fell silent. Teleportation magic was not exactly nice to him, especially since he'd gotten a lot stronger in the four years since Cleria first teleported him. He considered it briefly. He trusted Baraquiel wouldn't get him killed. And he was really curious about other realms.
"Alright, old man. I'm interested."
"Good."
Baraquiel was pleased. He didn't want Igor hunting down stray devils any longer. These mindless beasts wore down the mind.
"Now, your next goal is to reach high-class. At your current pace, it could take you seven to twelve years. It's not slow, but it's also not very fast. You fall outside conventional power systems so I do not have ways to boost your growth. Thankfully, we have the time chamber."
Igor listened silently. His strength would naturally grow with time and with the time chamber, it would be far better since he could train inside. The only question is, how long would he have to stay there?
"Before I forget, how many years do you have now, Igor?"
"Three years."
"Three years…"
Baraquiel mulled it over. It seemed the low-class strays could only give three years. He didn't hope for much. If a mid-class could provide even seven years, that would be enough.
"Alright. There's four years before we enter a new millennium. I plan to get you to high-class by then. For the next six months, I plan to take you throughout the worlds. I'll teach you how to fight the different races and species we'll meet. It's also important you get used to fighting mid-class opponents. Then, I'll want you to meet someone, a woman you'll familiarise yourself with."
"A woman?"
Baraquiel smiled and patted Igor's shoulder.
"Trust me. You'll know once you see her."
Baraquiel was not oblivious to Igor's hesitation with isolating himself in the time chamber. The boy had strong motivation, but what if that motivation included bringing his mother back to life?
[I wonder how far Valerie has gotten.]
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AN: Valeria dearest is gonna come into play soon. Or at least six months from now. I can't help but question Baraquiel's method though. If we think logically, I don't see him making Valerie resurrect Seraphine since that's a guaranteed way to make sure Igor refuses to leave for the time chamber. I also don't see Azazel, Penemue, and Grigori by extension, allowing usage of their well-recovering subject. So while Baraquiel might be well-meaning, I'm not so sure it's a good thing to suddenly pin on Igor who's already adapted to having his mother dead. It might even disrupt his focus and make him rush things.
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Chapter 46
END