Rias checks her phone to see her father leaving her on read, the same with her mother. No one but her brother in the family will respond to her messages. "What's going on?" Rias asks herself as she looks outside to watch Issei growing smaller and smaller as he runs up the street. He turns the corner, disappearing from her sight. "After that wedding, it's like I've lost all my influence over them" Rias says to herself softly as memories of her childhood rush back in her mind. "Human…this whole time? I, the empress of destruction, a mere mortal? How far the gods have fallen." Rias looked back at the rest of the household as her eyes grew heavy. "What have I sold for love? What more will I lose?"
Issei makes it to his house and opens the door. Only to find his house empty. "Asia? Are you inside?" Issei shouts as he walks around his house. He peaks his head into each room, glancing around as he searches for others. A man with long brown hair greets him. "Oh, it's you. Where are my parents? Have you seen them?" The Lord stood before Issei, cracking open a coke as Issei took a seat on his couch. "Here, come sit" he spoke gently. The two sit in silence for a couple of awkward minutes before Issei breaks the ice. "So uh, what's this about?" He asks Jesus in an awkward manner, hiding his sinister energy behind his calm demeanor. The time in the room felt heavy and slow as a response was hard to come by, before suddenly…
"You tell me" Issei heard as his heart rate began to lower. "You saw what happened with me and Asia. I don't know how to make things right. Yet, why should I? She hurt me as well" Issei looks around as he finishes his sentence. "I wanna see my parents," he says calmly. "We can wait here till they get home if you'd like?" Issei sighs. "You already know what's up," Issei leaned back. "So then what's the harm in talking to me?" a bag of chips are opened. Issei looks at the Lord for a second, who makes a loud crunching noise as he bites into the biggest chip in the bag. A moment of awkwardness passes before Jesus passes the bag. Issei takes some chips out before the two resume their silence.
"Some words of advice, sometimes it's better for you to know what's right yourself before I reveal what I know for you. Because in the end the answer doesn't change." Issei looks away and then back down onto the ground. "I think I led her on…" The Lord laughs in his face. "BY SAVING HER LIFE?!" Issei looks at Jesus strangely. "You and her have your problems but this whole thing can end with a simple conversation. You two are only responsible for your actions towards each other. You feel guilt for doing what was right? That's your problem. In reality you just need to talk to her directly, not regret your righteousness" Issei pauses again. "I'm not righteous, I want you all dead" Issei said coldly. "I know" Jesus said back. I'm well aware."
"Then why help me?" Issei asks, turning his head over. "Issei, why ask that question? You want the help or-" Jesus pauses as Issei stands. "No I don't. I can fix all of this. I don't need some peaceful martyr bullshit." Issei turns his head as he feels his face heat up. "Oh, this is about her you're asking" Issei says. "Yeah, I'm afraid to tell Rias what happened. I don't want anyone to fight with one another. I just want us to all work as a team, as a family."
"You don't fully appreciate or trust in the love Rias has for you. You lack faith, you feel paranoia and fear because you assume that every setback is the edge of a cliff that can't be climbed." Issei doesn't speak. "There's more to this, you're feeling guilt." Issei sighs. "Of course I am. I tore up all of Hell for a girl who I kept pushing away in order to pursue my lusts." Issei said softly as he felt the burning sensation of Riser's strikes all over his body continue to resume.
"Maybe he would be more loyal to her than me." Jesus looked at Issei, scooching over as Issei felt his eyes water up. His mind cramping from the memories of torture he inflicted onto Riser. He feels the warm embrace of a friend wrap around him as the screams of hell roared into his mind. "I can't keep carrying this anymore." Issei said as he felt his head grow heavy. "Easy there soldier, I'm here now. You don't need to fight every waking moment, let me fight for you." Issei shakes his head. "No, if I drop the ball now I won't get it back. I won't let them win. The human race needs me now more than it ever had." Issei turns his head to Jesus. "I'm actually doing something about the problem. I fight because I'm the only one who can and has been. If I don't do something, then nothing gets done." He takes a heavy deep breath as his embrace gets tighter. "You only have to move on my command. I will place everything that you need right out for you. All you have to do is wait and listen." Issei looks up into Jesus's gentle eyes. "What if I can't wait?" he asks with a shaky voice. "What if what if? There's only one reality, and infinite possibilities. Do not focus on the possibilities, only on what is real in the moment."
"What is real if I don't know everything?" Issei asked. "What is real, is what is right in front of you. Be still, for I am with you. My power is sufficient" Issei's gauntlet glows at that moment. Issei looks down at it with a faint smile.
"Then I'll tell you what's real. You're going to watch me end this early. No end times bullshit, no judgment day, humanity wins with me as its overlord" Issei says bitterly as he looks into the eyes of light itself. "Right, whatever makes you feel in control" Jesus says as he gets up off the couch. "But if you really hated me, why do you insist on talking to me?" he asks as Issei walks into the kitchen. "I was hoping you'd end this all quicker than I" with that Issei walks away in search for Asia.
Meanwhile in the deepest realm of hell. Lord Issei sat on a throne with all his fallen angels. His licks his lips devilishly as he sees Issei sit on his bed after putting a picture of Rias in a frame on his bedside. With it stood more pictures of him with his friends and family. "You poor bastard" He says as he places his hands on Raynare and another fallen angel. His eyes glow a sinister yellow as his teeth extend in a sharp manner. "Let's get this show on the road" he says as he looks into an orb, revealing Akeno going about her day.
Meanwhile Akeno and Rodney were on the couch as everyone else left the room, snuggling as they looked out for anyone who might wander in to catch them red handed. Akeno found herself sighing Issei's name as she rubbed her hands on Rodney's chest, but as she suddenly got frisky Rodney stopped her. "What's going on?" He asks, confused. She then wakes up and looks around, realizing she was in a fantasy. "I uh, um, listen I-" Rodney just stared at her confused before suddenly Akeno just left the scene. "Wait Akeno!" He called out her name as she ran away, but to no avail. Akeno meanwhile wept tears as she felt shame and embarrassment. "I blew it, I blew it, one chance for me to have something. To be on Rias's level, and I blew it." Rodney felt his heart break as Akeno ran from him. He throws his fist to the wall and stares at his reflection in the mirror. "To be on Rias's level?" Rodney thought to himself. He then bitterly stares back into the reflection. "Issei, what have you done?" He asks as he feels his left eye turn black and his iris turn red. Veins wrap around the eye and skin, irritating it.
Later that night, Issei, Rias, Rodney, Akeno, Asia, Koneko, and Yuuto all arrived behind the school. "Huh, I would have thought something would be here waiting for us" Issei said as he created his gauntlet and aimed it around. "Rias, those bugs, they seemed like they're the kind to eat corpses." Rias just looks at Issei strangely. "Why do you point this out?" Issei then looks towards the tree line to find many of them being knocked over. "I'm saying this because I think we should expect to find more. I didn't bring those dumbasses because they've seen enough. These might be people we know." The others find their hearts spike. A roar of a monster echoes throughout the woods. Issei recalls the words given to him earlier by Christ himself. Akeno felt herself inching near Rodney. He doesn't resist her touch, reassuring her as the demon roars into the sky. "Son of a bitch" Issei spoke out loud as he created a gauntlet. "Well then, it looks like we're all lunch." Koneko says as Issei charges up a laser. He aims it at the giant brute that suddenly jumps out.
"Aw crap, what do we do?!" Yuuto says as he draws a blade. The monster had two skulls with flames in their eyes and mouth resting on his shoulders. His head had seven eyes all black with red pupils and blond hair. Three tails that whipped the ground and a muscular twelve meter body. Issei straps a cross onto his gauntlet as the rest of the group powers up. "Let's get one thing straight!" Issei says as his eyes begin to turn red. He looks back at the others as he tears up a little. "You guys are nothing compared to this thing!" Issei uses one hand to block a strike from the creature. "You don't question what I tell you, because I have always been right since the day you indoctrinated me into your little cult!" The others look at Issei in shock as he then turns around and jabs a punch into its gut, sending the monster flying. "Yet this is one of the weaker ones!" Issei looks back at the gang as his eyes glow green. "This is the kind of creature that's enslaved you! Feel the anger and strike back! It is not worthy of your talents!" He then cracks his knuckles as the demon throws a punch towards Issei, roaring with rage as Issei dodges it. "ISSEI! Rias leaps into the air and casts a spell, blasting the creature while Akeno leaves Rodney's arms. She conjures a big lightning bolt and strikes the creature from her position. "We need to talk soon," Rodney says with a smile, conjuring tentacles from his back as one of his eyes glow red and black while his hair turns white. Akeno smiles as she nods back.
Rodney climbs all over the demon, stabbing it in various places as Akeno sends a lightning bolt that destroys its shoulders, withering the skulls on it. The demon roars as Akeno, but as it tries to grab her Rodney stabs its arms, wrapping his tentacles all around the inside of its muscle tissue, breaking through and merging with its bones like a cancer. He then uses his super strength to break the arm off. He slams it to the ground and slides back while Akeno keeps striking the beast with her lightning. "HIT IT EVERYTHING YOU GOT!" Rodney says as Akeno keeps stunning it with her lightning and Rias keeps striking it with her magic. Koneko rushes the monster as Yuuto keeps its other arm at bay, slicing its fingers into little bits while Koneko broke it's jaw. "Um, should I just stay here?" Asia asks when suddenly she jumps, avoiding a piece of the monster from hitting her as it crushes a tree. "Guys careful please! I just wanna go home!" She yells as Issei leaps up into the air and slams his fist down onto the creature's forehead, knocking the almost dead beast into the ground.
"We're gonna send you back to Hell! MAKE SURE YOU STAY!" Issei roars as he slams his foot into its neck. He then dodges Rias's and Akeno's lighting blast. "What the?!" he asks, looking over to see his entire team rushing towards the monster in rage. Even Asia finds herself activating her healing ability as she grabs a stick and stands on guard.
Don't ever try to lie about who we are!
YOU GO BACK AND NEVER COME BACK!
DAMN YOU!
We're coming after your kind!
DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Issei looks back at his crew and smiles to the sound of their words. "Damn right" he says as his eyes glow with excitement. Suddenly the demon explodes in a fiery bomb, sending everyone flying back as the flames devastate the forest around. Everyone is knocked to the ground but Issei, who's left standing in his torn up uniform with burn marks on his chest and abs. He looks back to find all his friends with their clothes torn and burnt from the impact. Issei turns his head around to find the creature on its last legs. It roars as it begins to change form. "It doesn't matter, you will not hurt my friends." It kept roaring at Issei as he felt himself walking closer and closer to the beast. Flames erupted all around him, but his eyes inflected fear right back into the evil angel.
"ENOUGH!" Issei then throws his fist at the beast, slamming it to the ground and crushing it into ashes as the ground beneath explodes, sending dirt flying everywhere. Issei roars as the beast crumbles into dust and vanishes. The sky was orange for a bright second before it returned back into its pitch black self. Issei turns around to see all his half alive friends walking over to him with shock as they stare at Issei standing on top of the demon's head, holding his cross as it withers the corpse away. "I'll give those two the good news, you guys all get going." Issei then began to pull out his phone as everyone but Rias left. "You going to be okay?" Rias asks with a faint smile. "Of course honey bun" Issei says as he looks down at a charred skeleton. "Get some rest at the house. I'm gonna be up all night." Rias looks at Issei for a moment as she goes over to hug him. "Issei, I don't like what this leadership role has done to you."
Issei feels tears welling up as he embraces her back. "I don't care about the title of president anymore. Trust me, it's the last thing on my mind right now. I just want to see you happy. You're not happy, you haven't been since Raynare-"
"Hey don't bring that up!" Issei snapped, looking right back down at Rias. "You think I can rest with what's going on?! Rias can't you feel the sudden change overwhelming you!"
"Yes and I need you with me! I need you Issei! I'm scared too! I don't lash out and destroy like you do I hide away because I'm just so tired of everything! I miss you." Issei pulls Rias in close for a hug as he kisses her head. "I'm sorry baby. I just, need some time with the guys too. I can barely manage my time with everyone and all of this madness happening."
"I know Issei, but it's not your sole role to save the world. We're here too you know." Rias begins to tighten her hug. "If that's true, then I might lose all of you. I can't have that, especially you. I saw you taken from us once and I can't go through that again."
"Issei, if you get yourself killed, I won't make it to the funural" Issei wells up as he now tightens his arms around Rias. The sound of PSD cars begin to echo as they drive closer and closer to the scene. "Come on, get out of here. I can't have them think you're part of this." Rias loosens her arms and looks at Issei. "Rias" Issei says as he looks up at the moon. He then turns his head to her and smiles. At some point this week, let's look at the moon together on my back porch.
"It'll look lovely when we do" Rias says with a smile. She backs away, disappearing into the forest as agents begin to surround the scene. Issei stood among them as Motohama and Matsuda roll up to Issei's position."
"A demon, strange," Motohama said. "It's not strange, it's a red creature with three tails and skulls on its shoulders. I'm not surprised one bit." Matsuda said. "Well it's dead, so we can relax now. I don't wanna deal with anymore of this crap." Issei says as he finds himself clenching his phone. "Issei, head home. We'll take care of the cleanup." Issei hesitates for a moment. "I mean, okay" he says softly as he begins to walk away. "If you wanna wait until the cleanup crew gets here that's fine. But we're gonna be running into each other a lot!" Matsuda says. Issei turns his head around. "Dude, don't despair. We're gonna be hanging out on the job way too much." Motohama says as a joke. Issei smiles. "Then I'm looking forward to it."
Issei heads home and crashes on his bed. He looked up at the ceiling horrified at what he witnessed that night. Realizing that he's no longer a little boy around the big girls who'd protect him from the monsters in the closet. He looks over to an empty bed. "I can't protect them all" he thought, remembering his wedding crash. He sighs as he looks at his new framed picture of Rias smiling. "She's not in bed" he noted to himself as he climbed into his bed. The sheets felt cold and empty without her warm body to cradle and kiss. He looks outside to see the nightmare unfolding in front of him that was life before he drifts off to sleep. "I thought I told her to get some rest at home? Where could she be at this hour?" He thought to himself as he felt his eyelids weighing over his eyes.
The next morning he felt himself wake up to a cold empty bed. He rushed to the club house, shoving his breakfast down and running out the door before his parents could even speak a word to him. "Issei wait!" His mother cried out, holding his lunch. Issei found himself already down the street and at the school. He bursts down the doors to find Rias wearing some glasses as she reads her school work. "Oh, you guys came here?" The others shrugged as he walked over to Rias, losing his nervous attitude and gaining a cocky one. He sits next to Rias and puts one arm behind her back as he looks at the papers she's holding. Nervous, he feels that something is off. He masks his own feelings and projects confidence into the situation. "Hey now I didn't know you wore glasses" Issei said as he took them off. "Hey I need those!" Rias yelled. "Now hold on," Issei said as he examined them before placing them back on Rias's face. "They make you look a little older," he says with a smile. "Hey!" Rias said feeling slightly hurt as Issei slid closer to her. "Fuck no I meant it in-" Issei pauses, not sure how to word the situation. Rias snickers a little as she blushes. "Oh, haha, very funny" she says as she goes back to reading her paperwork.
Issei says with a smile as he turns to face Rias. "And what happened to the Issei I was with last night? You're acting quite strange." Issei backs up. "No I'm not, you weren't at the house! I thought I told you to get to bed there?" Issei said defensively. Catching Rias off guard. "Hey it's okay, I can take care of mysel-" Issei interrupts her, clasping her wrists and scooching in. He slides closer to Rias for a peck. Asia walks in and pouts as she sees this, turning around and heading to another room. "Ah, shit" Rias giggles as she holds Issei's face. "There's my Issei. Oh sorry I didn't come to bed. I had to think some things over." Issei sighs as he backs up. "Well don't do that, you made me worry." Rias looks at Issei fondly as she finds herself blushing. Issei on the other hand, felt his heart racing as the world around him began to crush him. Rodney and Akeno walk into another room as well as Koneko and Yuuto. "Issei" Rias says as she pulls him in closer.
"I can't keep this inside anymore!" Rias said as she embraced Issei. He looks over her shoulder, feeling her heart pound out of her chest and against his. "I just, with all this insane nonsense about us being slaves, slaves to these horrible monsters going on. I couldn't go back, I had to at least pretend I had some powers or something. That I was the President again. Issei I lost some of my eyesight last night. I'm becoming a normal human. I'm scared." Issei pulls Rias for a side hug, letting his warmth comfort her. "It's okay. I'll be here, you're not dying. Not as long as I'm drawing breath." Rias nods as Issei then takes some of her papers and tosses them onto the table. Rias then goes to take off her glasses. "I'm not sure if I'll keep my powers. I need my powers Issei! I need to protect the-" Issei stops her. "You don't need to do anything!" Issei says as he holds Rias, laying down on the couch. "You should start wearing your glasses more, you look cute in them."
"Issei, now's not the time!" Rias says as Issei lays down with a smile. "I know," he says confidently. Rias takes a deep breath and sighs. "Only if you want. I suppose it's the least of what I owe ya, since I took you from that angel." Issei then gives Rias a funny look. "Angel?" he asks. Rias nods. "That Raynare girl, she-" He suddenly pins her on the couch playfully, her glasses unsymmetrical and her hair unkempt. "Hey now, that's not what happened!" he says smiling. "Issei!" Rias yells as he continues to wrestle her on the couch. Issei lifts her up as he stands over the couch. The two pause for a moment. "Rias, don't feel guilty about the good you did for me in the past. Talk to me, what's your problem?"
Rias looks at Issei for a moment before suddenly pouting as she turns away. "I am annoyed you took over. I feel that I lost all my agency. I don't want to be powerless. Even with all my power, watching you struggle to save me was horrifying." Issei pulls Rias tight for a hug. "I know, but look how much stronger I am getting. I'm not going to let you go through that, not again!"
"That's not the point Issei! I…. I don't have a solution. I just want you to listen to me, and be there. I don't want to blame you for any of this. And if I do, I still just want you to sit there and shut up, because I'm scared Issei. I'm scared of losing you. Out of all the club members, you are one of the most reckless and insane people I've ever met with so much power."
A moment passes where Issei just sat there. No one spoke as they watched Rias sit on the couch vulnerable. Issei sat with Rias in silence as he continued to embrace her. "I'm listening," he said, making Rias smile. "Thank you" she says as she looks up. "No seriously. Thank you." The two are left alone for a while as they watch others go to class. Everyone but them.
"What's going on with you and Asia?" Rias asks. Those words crush Issei like a bat to a ball. "I don't wanna talk about it," Issei said. "I know about the kiss" Rias says, which makes Issei's heart strike with fear. "I hurt her, but she hurt me even more. I didn't wanna tell you because I felt like it would cause so much drama and misunderstanding. I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was. That's why I fought Riser, that's why I did what I did, that's why…" Issei paused.
"I don't want to go back to my old self Rias. I just want things to stay the way they were" Asia stood by the doorway, watching Issei pour his heart out to Rias with despair. Issei turns to see her small head quickly turn as she left with haste. "With guilt he looks toward her direction, but then his gaze quickly turns to Rias, who looks back at him. "If you need to talk to her, then-" Issei shook his head in the middle of Rias's sentence. As he does so he once again, for a brief moment, reliving the nightmare of that wedding. He pulls Rias towards him. She pecks his forehead before excusing herself from his lap. "Let me talk to her at least. This is my job as club President. If I'm not the Empress of destruction, let me have this role." Issei nods his head and smiles, getting on in return from Rias. She then walks over to the door and heads down the hallway towards Asia's room. She knocks on the door. "GO AWAY!" Asia roars. Rias sighs as she opens it a crack. "No Asia, I want to fix this. Asia shakes her head and widens the door, walking past Rias.
"Asia, listen" Asia marches off, attempting to ignore Rias, who grabs her shoulder. "No Rias, I just don't get it. Am I just supposed to watch Issei spend the rest of his days with you? I mean this isn't fair for me! I know it wouldn't be if the roles were to switch, but I just wanna move on!" But before Asia starts to tear up Rias wraps her arms around Asia. This shocks her as she looks up into Rias's blue eyes. "I get it, Asia. I actually get it" Rias says to Asia's confusion. "What? How?!" Asia asked. "You wouldn't understand, or maybe you will. But before all of this, back when we thought we were demons, I would watch Issei fall for that girl Raynare. And everyday I watched it hurt my heart more and more, watching him getting played while I feared and dreaded the day when I'd be married off to Riser. It was terrible and well, I can at least try to relate right, make it all better for you?" Asia at that moment just lets go of Rias and walks away.
"I'm sorry Rias" Asia said coldly before walking out the door. "Asia no!" Rias says, reaching her arm out as she cried out for her friend. "See you tomorrow!" The door slams and Rias pops a squat on the bed. She then takes out her phone, staring at her lock screen. She then takes a moment before walking out into the common area. She sat on the couch quietly.. "How did it go? Maybe I should have stopped you. I'll talk to her at some point" Issei spoke as he scooched over. "I have a task for us," Rias replied. Issei looks at her confused. "We're doing one last pact. I'm told that in the area that there's spirits dwelling so I wanna make sure it's nothing we'll have to deal with in the future. I wanna make sure this one last trip will be worth it if we're going to live out these new lives." She then sighs as Issei puts his hand on her shoulder.
Later that afternoon, the two enter a museum. Standing there is the owner "Hello there Arthur" Rias says as a man walks over to them. "So you're who they sent. That's great. We've been moving these ancient artifacts around to another museum and could use the extra help. We'd really appreciate it." So the two nod and agree to help the man. As hours went by the two felt the spirits of the dead fly around them as they carried each artifact to the moving trucks. "So we're here to eliminate these, right?" Issei asks Rias as her eyes begin to glow. "Yes sir!" A good couple thousand of them all begin to hover over them like ghouls in the night. But one in particular stood out among the crowd as she rose out of her coffin and smiled at Issei. "Hello Issei" The woman said. I'm Anat"
A goddess among the Cannanites and Egyptians.
To be Continued...