The Seraphic System-Chapter 76: An Unexpected Prayer

The Seraphic System

Chapter: 76

Disclaimer: I don't own High School Dxd or any other universe used in this story. 

Pa/ t reon details below the Chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.

(An Unexpected Prayer)

The translucent interface blinked in front of me, and a notification slid into view.

[Sacred Gear Transfer Successful]

A sense of satisfaction settled over me.

Finally, some progress.

The entire process had been more convoluted than I'd expected, but seeing the confirmation solidified that it worked.

I made a mental note to check on Grizella once I finished here. She'd need some explanation, especially with a Sacred Gear as volatile as the Boosted Gear.

I turned my attention back to the interface, the remaining Sacred Gears still listed under my control.

[Night Reflection]

A defensive Sacred Gear that could reflect an attack back at its source with amplified strength. 

[Deadly Poison Fang]

An offensive Sacred Gear that enhanced weapons or unarmed attacks with a potent venom. 

There were a couple of minor Sacred Gears left:

[Bladed Whispers]

A small Sacred Gear that allowed the user to create invisible, razor-thin wind blades. 

[Endless Steps]

A support-type Sacred Gear that temporarily boosted speed and agility, leaving behind afterimages to confuse opponents.

Minor when compared to the other at least.

I clicked through a few more names, letting the system run compatibility checks. Most results hovered around the usual low percentages, but that was fine.

I needed to take my time and choose wisely. From what I had learnt, I couldn't give one person too many Sacred Gears. That was to say, the soul and body wouldn't be able to handle it. It was just the way the Sacred Gears were created.

Giving two Sacred Gears to a single being was already pushing the limit, but three would be fatal, at least under normal circumstances. I'm sure there had to be ways to bypass that restriction.

Sentient sacred gears have to sync with one another and resonate otherwise they will resist which would explain how Genshirou Saji of Sitri peerage could have 4 sacred gears.

As Vritra's sacred gear were made from the same Soul of Vritra they are compatible and resonate with one another and thus can work together.

So I didn't want to waste what I gave them.

I leaned back, rubbing my eyes.

Still, this was good. A solid step forward.

The brief thought of returning all the Sacred Geaea was strong. I was more so thinking about Heaven when I held my hand.

I leaned my head against my fist.

All we were doing was reclaiming what was rightfully mine. The Devils could bitch about it all they liked, it didn't change the situation. I thought about it for a while longer.

That led to another question.

Was I overestimating the Devils?

My hesitation was purely because I didn't want Heaven to chew off more than we could handle at the moment. My plans were big and restoring Heaven to its height was my goal.

Reclaiming the Sacred Gears was simply Heaven taking back their items. The only reason they hadn't been able to before was due to a lack of power which had rapidly changed.

The Devils were divided. The only main concern was the two Super-Devils. From wielding the power at the God-class I knew just how much power they should have. That was an army destroyer level of power.

In all honesty I wasn't sure if I would be able to retrieve them all at once anyway, it was obvious by using the system that God had only added the function for the sake of having it.

There was no 'Return all' function and If I had to guess, the system probably had some sort of restriction since it was obvious a mass recall wasn't meant to even be a thing.

Still. It was something I would find out when I inevitably tried it.

One thing at a time.

I had already taken the Boosted Gear from the pervert, which stopped a future powerhouse from emerging and made my own in the form of Grizella, who would hopefully use it well. Even if I took all these Sacred Gears it was looking like finding compatible users would be quite difficult.

The Sacred Gears will be mine in due time.

I shut the system interface down and rose from my seat.

Pausing, I pulled the Inverted Spear out of my inventory.

The quest reward I had gotten from getting the divine shards progress to 10%. I knew of the world it came from. It was strange to hold such a weapon in my hand, knowing it was supposed to come from a fictional world even if it was slightly different.

I turned the spear over in my hands, feeling its smooth, solid grip. The black surface had no engravings or markings. The weight was lighter than expected, perfectly balanced from tip to base.

The pointed tip was sharp, incredibly so. To a supernatural degree. This could do some serious damage. I did have to wonder just where this spear came from.

[Inverted Spear of Heaven]

An unbroken legendary cursed tool capable of nullifying Cursed Technique or curses it pierces, making it a feared weapon among sorcerers and curses alike.

{Materials and Construction}

Inverted Core – The spear's shaft is crafted from a unique alloy infused with potent curses, granting it extreme durability and resonance with negative energy. It has absorbed a lot of negative and cursed energy when it nullifies curses as it was quenched in condensed-bound quasiparticles which gives it the ability of inversion ensuring core stability and balanced polarity while channelling positive energies through it.

Void-Forged Blade – The spearhead is made from Voidstone, a rare material that disrupts cursed energy on contact, allowing the spear to nullify energy. 

Ethereal Binding – The weapon is wrapped in enchanted silk, allowing for stable handling and preventing accidental activation of its nullification effect.

{Special Attributes}

Forced Nullification – Upon piercing a target, the spear cancels out any active Cursed Techniques, making it particularly effective against powerful sorcerers and curses.

Cursed Energy Dampening – The spear naturally suppresses surrounding cursed energy, creating a dead zone where techniques & curses are weakened.

Anti-Curse – Striking any sort of energy with the spear disrupts its field, causing severe damage even without a direct fatal blow.

Precision Control – The spear is finely balanced, allowing for swift, accurate thrusts and agile combat manoeuvres. It's connected with the Chain of a thousand miles increasing the reach of the spear although the chain can be used on its own.

Sealing Potential – When combined with specific binding talismans, the spear can temporarily seal weaker curses or hinder the regeneration of stronger ones.

Okay, so this is a powerful weapon.

I briefly considered using it to add to my own weapon before deciding against it. That left the option of giving it to one of my subordinates. The question was who?

It wasn't long until I thought of someone who could use it well.

Vasco Strada.

If I remember correctly, he was the ex-wielder of Durandle. One of the fragments of Excalibur.

I don't believe he possessed any sort of truly powerful weapon at the moment, considering he was in the ultimate class this would work perfectly for him.

The question was, was he trained to use a spear?

Curiously, using the Heavenly system. I brought up the live-feed video of him walking through the halls of the Vatican. I had come to learn that the Heavenly System was capable of giving me live-feed projections of anywhere that was within its 'Domain.'

All those churches around the world? Yeah, they acted as signal amplifiers. Wherever a church was located gave me a small radius around the area that I could bring up a feed for.

The more I learnt, the more I realised how crafty and smart the biblical God before me was.

Vasco perked up, his eyes widening for a second before he knelt. An action that confused the many who were casually walking around him.

I smiled slightly.

While I wanted to talk to him, I was purposefully keeping myself mysterious for now.

I created a portal in front of him by using the Heavenly System, watching the golden power form before him. And without any hesitation, I dropped the weapon through it.

His eyes widened further, and he moved in a burst of speed that was barely caught among the people around him. He caught the Inverted Spear in his hands, holding it carefully.

Vasco looked at the already-closing portal and seemed to realise my intention.

By now, everyone around him had caught on and knelt along with him. Watching in genuine awe at the ongoing proceedings.

The old but muscular man looked slightly emotional, and quickly lowered his head. A prayer that reached me immediately on his lips.

I saw a small influx of faith from this action reach the Heavenly System. It was small and hard to notice, but I saw it. That was interesting. It was something to remember for the future.

Now, I should probably go see how Grizella was handling her newly-gained Sacred Gear.

I stood up, only pausing when a desperate prayer reached my ears.

Annabeth?

-{Annabeth Chase}-

"Y-you can't be serious right?" Annabeth asked, staring at a calm Luke.

Luke stood in front of her with his arms crossed, his expression eerily calm despite the serious topic. "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked. "You've seen it, Annabeth. The gods don't care about us. They never have. They use heroes, then throw them away. You're smarter than this."

She looked around, cursing for letting herself be led outside of camp. She hadn't realised how odd this had been, blinded by the small crush she had on the older boy.

Now, she felt nervous. She was far from camp.

Kai had told her to be careful around Luke, and she hadn't listened. As per usual. She truly trusted Kai and took his words seriously but this was the one time she hadn't.

Annabeth shook her head. "That's not true."

Luke's smile was thin, his eyes cold. "You don't believe that." He stepped closer, forcing her to take a hesitant step back. "How many times have they ignored you? How many times have you bled for them, only to be treated like a pawn?"

She gritted her teeth, feeling like the person in front of her was a different person from the boy she had grown up with more by the second. "And you think the Titans are any better?"

"They'll tear down the old order. Make things right," Luke said, his voice picking up an edge, a shake in his voice that truly scared her. "No more selfish gods hoarding power. No more half-bloods suffering for their amusement." He gestured around them. "We have a chance to change everything."

Annabeth's breath came quicker. There was something in his eyes.

A fire or more like the raging inferno that devoured everything, that wasn't just passion, It was an obsession.

The Luke she had known wasn't there.

Her throat tightened. "You're wrong."

He was alone. She could run. Multiple plans formed in her mind.

Luke sighed, something changing in his expression. For the first time, he looked... sad. "I thought you'd understand," he murmured. "I wanted you to."

"Wait, no. I agree." She nodded.

He paused, looking at her.

This was dangerous to say, but she knew the power of words. If she could just agree and get out of here-

"Liar." He said, breaking through her voice.

Annabeth tensed as he reached for something at his side.

"I'm sorry for this, Annabeth."

She stepped back. The ground behind her rumbled. Then they came.

Crawling, slithering, emerging from the shadows pouring out, monsters arrived.

The lone clearing filled instantly from every side, preventing any direction she could escape to.

Too many.

At the front of the group, a Dracaenae with their twin snake tails, hounds baring their fangs, and a Laistrygonian giant gripping a metal club. The air thickened with the scent of rot and blood. A smell that wanted to make her gag.

Luke stared at her coldly. "Let's see how willing those gods you cling to are willing to step on your behalf."

Annabeth drew her dagger.

She had no backup. Percy had left camp.

She had no choice but to fight.

The first hellhound lunged. She sidestepped, and instantly used all her speed, becoming a blur and slashing its throat in a single motion. The beast collapsed with a gurgled whimper, dissolving into dust.

A dracaena lashed out with a spear. Annabeth ducked under it and drove her dagger into its side, twisting hard.

The monster shrieked before bursting apart.

Another came at her, a Cyclops this time. Annabeth rolled aside as a massive fist crashed into the dirt where she'd stood. She slashed at its exposed leg, forcing it to stumble.

Her finger pointed out, and the mist came to her aide.

A burst of air pushed the monster further back from her. But there were too many. More kept coming from around her, attacks coming from every direction. She kept moving, dodging, weaving, cutting down anything that got too close.

She moved in a blur and she could see Luke looking slightly shocked at her display.

She had trained harshly after the divine quest with Kai. Annabeth had seen how useless just intelligence was alone and as a child of Athena, she had tried to solve that problem. It didn't seem to be enough though.

Luke stood back, watching.

She continued to move in a flurry of slashes, and piles of dust started forming around her.

Annabeth jumped as a cyclops swung its massive fist at her, she rapidly cut its arm. Making it pull back and try to kick her, she ducked and slit a vital spot on its leg.

Just as she killed the eleventh monster, Luke moved in a burst of speed that outclassed even hers.

A foot hooked behind her ankle. She barely had time to register the movement before she was falling. Her back hit the ground hard. Her dagger slipped from her grip.

"Sorry about this Annabeth." He said, without real remorse in his tone.

The monsters swarmed.

She struggled, kicking, and shoving, but hands and claws grabbed at her arms, pinning her down.

She fought with everything she had, but it wasn't enough. A dracaena raised a blade.

"Mother!" she gasped.

Nothing.

"Please!"

Silence.

A blade pierced her leg, as the monsters seemed to take pleasure from her suffering.

Luke smiled coldly as if he was watching his belief being solidified in reality.

Panic set in. Desperate, she thought of someone else. Someone who had been there. Someone who had listened.

"Kai." Her voice cracked.

She prayed to the person above Kai.

The biblical God.

"Please."

The blade came down Pain flared as steel pierced her arm. She clenched her teeth, biting back a scream.

Tears gathered in her clear blue eyes.

"It was nice seeing you." Luke smiled.

Then the sky split open.

Luke's smile wiped off his face as he stared at the sky with worry.

A brilliant column of light crashed down, blinding in its intensity.

The ground shook. The monsters shrieked, recoiling from the sheer force of it. More followed. One, two, three until six pillars of light, each slamming into the clearing.

And then they stepped out.

Gleaming armour that seemed almost molten in the light. White wings unfurling behind them. The air itself seemed to vibrate around them.

Energy pulsed in waves, making Annabeth's skin tingle. The nearest monster whimpered and bolted.

The six angels stood like sentinels.

"Avael?" She asked, her eyes widening.

"Holy ray." Avael casually intoned, and a blast of holy light evaporated all the monsters holding her down.

They all moved with a speed that outclassed hers by a magnitude. Whereas she had been doing well at holding out against the small army of monsters, they all tore through them.

Lances of fire tore through the ranks with contemptuous ease.

She looked at the scene with awe.

The Angels' expressions were calm.

"Holy barrier," Avael said, a dome appearing in front of her.

A spear bounced off the shield, and Annabeth pulled herself up. Limping.

All the Angels gathered around her.

Ariel raised her hand. "Holy Smite."

A massive golden circle formed in the clearing, and golden light erupted upwards.

Annabeth shielded her eyes, even as her hands shook from the sheer power the spell blasted out with.

The light died down, the clearing that had housed healthy trees on its edges was gone. All that was left was a wasteland. With trees alight with flames and the ground cracked.

Power.

Was the only thought in Annabeth's head.

She was fast and had strength that normal men could only dream of but this was a level above even her. All of the monsters had just been obliterated within ten seconds.

Her eyes widened as the smoke cleared and Luke stood, his hand up. A ring glowed on his index finger.

He chuckled. "Wow. Just... WOW. A God sending his minions to intervene. No different from the Greek Gods." Luke caught her eye. "Like it? It's not just the Titans that want change. It's many others."

"Luke Castilian. Surrender and we will show mercy." Avael announced.

"No," Luke said simply, raising his hand another ring glowed.

A spear of a crackling purple energy formed and shot towards her.

The six angels cast a barrier spell so strong and thick she could barely see through it. Despite that, the spear dug into the barrier. Much to the shock of her and the slight shock of the six Angels.

The barrier quickly turned purple in just a few seconds and shattered.

She was pulled aside by the Angel she knew as Tamiel.

Annabeth felt shocked to her core, she didn't know he could do that.

Ariel swung her lance of holy fire and threw it at the Demigod. Luke took a step back, a weird buzzing sound barrier forming around him. The lance of fire exploded against the barrier.

"Holy Aura." They all intoned, an aura of holy light forming around the Angels.

They were already in front of him.

Luke barely reacted in time. Another ring ignited, forming a translucent shield around him.

The five lance's struck, fire spreading over the barrier.

They swung and he was blasted back into a tree with a small shockwave erupting from the force.

He stumbled, obviously in a great amount of pain, but much less than he should be in from such a hit.

Luke pushed forward, thrusting his hand out. The crackling purple spear reformed and aimed straight at Ariel's chest. She twisted midair, dodging by a hair's breadth before kicking off the ground and striking with the butt of her lance.

The impact sent Luke skidding backwards. He coughed harshly, wiping his mouth, then activated another ring.

A gust of cutting wind exploded outward towards the rapidly approaching Angels.

Tamiel stepped out of range.

Luke said nothing. He simply lifted his hand again. Another ring lit up.

A thick burst of lightning shot toward Tamiel. The rumble boomed in the clearing, and she covered her ears from just how loud it was.

The angel didn't move. The electricity split harmlessly against a golden barrier, dispersing into the sky.

Another angel fell from the sky and Luke reacted just in time, the ring glowing as a barrier barely held off the impact. The ground splintered under him and he was left on one knee.

Another purple spear made the Angels retreat easily and Ariel was already beside him. She swung her lance, and Luke barely managed to twist away midair, landing in a crouch.

The moment he touched the ground, he slammed his palm down.

Dark energy rippled outward, warping the air.

The angels hesitated for a second, long enough for Luke to send another spear of crackling energy flying toward Annabeth.

Tamiel was already there, pulling Annabeth out of the way.

Luke scowled. "Get out of my way."

The only ring he hadn't used glowed and a purple hammer formed in his hand. He slammed down and hundreds of massive purple energy spikes erupted out.

The Angels backed away easily, one sending a holy ray that blasted through the strange crystal-like spikes erupted from the ground and he barely managed to raise his hammer towards it.

He was sent back through the air with a scream as his arm burnt. Luke was breathing harder now. He had barely done anything to them, while every move he made had been countered effortlessly.

"Father said he was in the realm below us." Avael frowned.

"Yes, High-class I think he called it," Tamiel observed.

"He's obviously using some sort of borrowed power from those rings," Zakiel observed.

Yeah, she had come to the same conclusion. Without those rings, Luke wouldn't have stood a single chance.

She had heard Kai talking about classes of power.

If this was to be believed, she supposed that all these Angels must be in the class above hers. The Ultimate class. It was hard to believe that a single class held such power disparity.

The question was, where did he get such powerful artefacts? She knew most of the artefacts related to the Greek Pantheon. While not as powerful as some of them, this power was still incredible.

All of the six Angels perked up. "Father wants to retrieve those rings."

The air grew serious and her breathing became harsh under the sheer power.

Purple armour spread up his arms, his eyes glowed purple and his breathing became downright ragged as he seemed to struggle. He roared, and swiped his arm, purple swords of energy exploding out towards them.

Avael's eyes narrowed.

All of them dodged, and she was pulled with Tamiel.

Ariel exploded forward, piercing a leg. He hissed in pain, swiping his energy-covered arm once more. A massive spike erupted, one that Ariel jumped away from.

He couldn't avoid the other stab that came from Aurel. His other leg was quickly disabled.

He sneered, slamming his hammer down and more spikes erupted in every direction.

Six holy rays were shot at him, and just as it looked like the Demigod's life was coming to an abrupt end. A portal appeared.

A feeling of overwhelming power entered the area.

Before they could say anything, Luke was yanked into the portal. The portal closed a moment later and all that was left with silence.

All of the Angels had displeased shameful looks plastered on their faces.

"We failed." Avael sighed.

"We should have chased them, I hadn't expected that." Ariel spoke with a frown.

"I don't think any of us had." Avael replied.

She stood silent for a moment before turning towards Annabeth.

"We shall guard you on your way back to camp."

Annabeth could only nod.

-{Kai}-

I watched the screen seriously.

Perhaps I should have been more direct in my warning to Percy and Annabeth. I truthfully hadn't wanted to get involved too much but if I hadn't intervened she would have been killed.

That much was easy to see.

Technically sending Angels on Greek territory was probably breaking a lot of rules but if they were going to ignore this, then I wasn't. I don't think they knew in any case, if they did I would deal with it later.

I had been disappointed and more than a little angry at seeing what Luke was doing. Sending six low-ultimate class Angels may have been overkill but I had felt appropriate at the time.

What caught my undivided attention was the artefacts Luke had used.

They were familiar.

Luke had spoken about having "Friends in high places." Did this mean he was involved with the Khaos Brigade, and indirectly? This 'Architect' that I had been told was a high-ranking member.

I hadn't expected this to become so serious.

When that portal had opened I was ready to throw Dulio and Jeanne into the fray. That had been a God-class being easily and my heart had lurched in my chest when I had seen it.

I sighed, leaning back.

My Semi-Divine form wasn't fully charged. Training had slowed it down. It wasn't far away though.

It had only been over a week since I had used it prior.

It was safe to assume that those artefacts rings had been like the ones I had stolen, they looked of the same style and were also presented as a set of rings.

There had bound to be crossovers with what I knew to be two universes combined together, potentially more I hadn't even realised. Was this one of these crossovers?

The Titans receiving help from the Khaos brigade was bad...

Of course, this was all purely speculation, it could even be something as simple as Luke having somehow found artefacts of that power or maybe he stole or brought them.

I'd have to proceed carefully.

As my Angels escorted Annabeth back, I watched closely. My mind was abuzz with thoughts.

While I did want to talk to her, I couldn't exactly leave Heaven. Especially near a place where a God-class being just made its presence known. I'm sure she figured out I had a part in this, I'd have to talk to her another time. That went for Percy as well.

I hadn't forgotten about them, or anyone from the Greek side. I was just too focused. I had been thrust into a powerful role with many problems and my main focus was regaining Heaven's power.

The threats that I was facing were much larger than those that had presented themselves on divine quest.

My eyes narrowed. Perhaps I should reach out to them? It had only been a few months.

I focused on Annabeth being escorted back.

When they delivered Annabeth back safely and ensured she wasn't going to be in life-threatening danger. They were teleported back. The Heavenly Systems influence was weak in that particular area, and it took more power to open up the gate for them to return.

Instantly, they all lowered their heads.

"We are sorry we failed Father, please forgive us." They chanted.

"We should have taken him more seriously." Avael lamented.

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad you didn't try to face whatever was on the other end of that portal," I reassured them with a smile. "I'm sorry I called you on such short notice."

"You can call us whenever!" Aurel quickly interjected.

Avael nodded, "Tiamat doesn't mind."

That was good. I shouldn't delay them more, though they didn't seem to mind it.

"I am glad to see your training with Tiamat is coming along nicely, you worked well together." I praised them.

They had already come with a semblance of knowledge when summoned but they had grown astronomically since coming here. It reminded me of my fighting style which I hadn't had a lot of time to work on as of late.

The Six Angels beamed at my praise.

I rolled my shoulders, letting out a slow breath. "That's enough for now. Return to Tiamat and resume your training."

They hesitated for a fraction of a second before bowing their heads. "Yes, my Lord."

I guess there's no point in waiting around and thinking. I continued my original course of action, heading to the place where my sub-dimension was permanently opened.

It didn't take me long to find a focused Grizella staring at a red gauntlet on her arm with a frown plastered on her face.

She didn't notice me at first. Her expression was distant. Suddenly finding a legendary dragon sealed into a Longinus Sacred ahead wasn't exactly a normal experience.

"Grizella," I called.

She flinched, snapping her gaze to me.

"My Lord."

I walked closer, studying her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, beyond the brief pain. I feel... stronger." She muttered, her eyes became downright reverent. "Am I to assume you did this, my Lord?"

"It was, you possess the Longinus Sacred Gear, the Booster gear," I informed her.

She looked confused, and I remembered that she technically didn't know much about the supernatural world.

What followed was a quick explanation of the basics of Sacred gears and just what she had received.

She looked at her arm with an expression of pure awe.

"At least you know my worth."

Grizella flinched, clearly startled with her eyes wide as she stared at the red gauntlet.

The voice rumbled from within, low and irritated.

I stayed quiet, watching on.

The emerald gem on the back of the gauntlet flickered, and then Draig spoke again, slower this time. "Wait... No. This can't be right."

"You... You're supposed to be dead." His voice said, sounding audibly confused.

I arched my brow.

Another long pause. The gauntlet trembled slightly. "Impossible."

"Clearly not." I met his silence with my own.

After a moment, Draig let out a low growl.

"Hmph. So, you're the one who tore me from my host." His tone darkened. "I don't take kindly to being passed around like a trinket."

"You've got a better host now, an upgrade of anything." I gestured to Grizella, who stood frozen, still processing the presence inside her Sacred Gear. "Try to get along."

"And if I refuse?" Draig challenged. Which was expected. He was a dragon.

I smiled. "You can't exactly refuse but I suppose if you try and make things tricky... You don't need to be conscious for your power to be used."

The gauntlet dimmed for a moment. Then Draig let out a long, rumbling exhale. "...Tch. Fine. But if you think I'll just roll over and accept this!"

"Relax." I waved a hand. "If you cooperate, maybe I'll arrange something. Perhaps a way for you to stretch your wings every now and then."

Having a Heavenly Dragon who could work separately from Grizella would be useful. If I could find a way where she could still use his power while he flew around then they would make a deadly duo.

The shift in his tone was instant. "What?" The gem gleamed brighter. "Really?" He hesitated. "I thought you hated dragons."

I paused. Considering what to say. "I hated the destruction your kind caused my faction. If you'd been more... reasonable and open to discussion, things might have been different."

The shard pulsed in agreement, so my words weren't hollow.

The gauntlet fell silent. When Draig finally spoke again, his voice was softer. "I... see." A long exhale followed. "Alright. I'll help her. She's my partner now, whether I like it or not." His tone turned begrudging.

"And... it's good to be out of that pervert."

Grizella blinked, unsure what to say. I stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Good. Report to Metatron about your new Sacred Gear. He'll adjust your training."

She bowed deeply. "Thank you, my Lord. I will not disappoint you."

I offered her a small nod before turning to leave. "I'm sure you won't."

I turned to leave to leave the sub-dimension. Just as I reached the threshold, a warm, gentle presence brushed against my senses.

"Kai."

I turned, a soft smile tugging at my lips. "Hestia."

She stood there with that usual bright smile, the kind that could melt the coldest of hearts. Her dark hair framed her face, and her fiery eyes shimmered with quiet joy.

"You've been quite busy," she teased, falling into step beside me. "Giving out Longinus-class Sacred Gears like party favours is certainly the move."

I chuckled softly. "It's been eventful." I glanced at her. "How have you been?"

She let out a soft hum, swaying slightly as she walked next to me. "Same as usual. Not much changes on Olympus. Tending to the Hearth, watching my siblings squabble." She sighed softly. "Maybe I should take a vacation."

I smirked. "Maybe it's time to take one."

She smiled before her expression turned strange. "Aphrodite's been bugging me to speak with you as of late."

"Aphrodite?" I raised a brow.

She had been on my thoughts quite a bit. I felt bad that I hadn't made time to speak to her, again I had only just come into the position to even open communication with her.

Hestia pouted. "She keeps asking me to get you to talk to her." She glanced away, her voice a little strained. "She's... quite taken with you."

I grinned. "I'll have to speak with her soon."

Hestia gave a small nod, then leaned her head against my shoulder. As the Goddess of the Hearth, the heat she radiated was comforting.

"Hestia..." I hesitated. "Has anything strange happened regarding the Titans?"

She straightened slightly, her expression shifting to one of quiet concern. "No? Not since the divine quest, anyway. We've had everything checked. The Titans all remain where they should be yet my youngest brother confirms that the energy surrounding the entrance to Olympus was similar to Father's."

I frowned. "So that attack?"

"Was potentially from my father, even though his body remains chained." She replied.

"Then this may concern you. I think Luke Castellan is working with them... and the Khaos Brigade." I decided to inform her, if the Khaos brigade was going after the Greeks it would affect Hestia and Aphrodite, which I didn't want.

While I didn't care much for the others, and wouldn't mind seizing the opportunity to bring them into Heaven's permanent residence. I knew Hestia at the very least would be sad.

Her eyes widened. "The Khaos Brigade? Isn't that the group whose high-ranking member is supposed to attack Heaven?"

I wanted to smile, even now she was more concerned about what that meant for me.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"What makes you think Luke's involved?" She said with a sad smile on her face. As if she already knew.

"Some of my Angels intervened earlier today. There was an attempt on Annabeth's life. Luke had monsters at his command... and strange artefacts, similar to the ones I found with that assassination organization." My voice darkened. "It wasn't a coincidence."

She frowned, arms crossing over her chest. "I haven't heard anything... but I'll keep an eye out."

"Thanks." I sighed slowly.

Why did Heaven have to get attacked now?

I had been here for just over a week. Couldn't we have had at least a year of downtime before this shit?

Hestia's expression softened. "Hey." She nudged me gently. "Don't get all broody on me."

A feeling of warmth entered me and I sent her an amused smile.

I huffed a quiet laugh. "Yeah, don't worry about that. I'm not going through that phase again."

She leaned her head against my shoulder again, the warmth of her presence felt intoxicating.

"Are you speaking about your past?" She hummed.

I sent her a surprised glance.

"Don't worry, no one else knows. It became apparent with your strange relationship with Tiamat and the fact I could feel you had no home when I first met you." She said quietly. "But you do have a home now, don't you? One you wish to protect."

"You're a part of that home," I said amusedly. "You know, you don't have to stay on Olympus. You could come to Heaven. My Angels are already seeing you as some sort of mother figure." I laughed, adding that last part as a joke.

I was briefly surprised when her entire face heated up and she avoided eye contact.

"I... can't. Despite their cruelty and indifference, I love my family and if I move, my main Hearth and flame of the west will too and diminish them too, which I can't let happen in good faith." She replied hesitantly. "I'll still be with you though!"

"If that's how you feel." I simply replied.

I had to remember she was a Goddess despite her kind nature. She had been around for thousands of years and wasn't going to be moved by someone she had just met in the grand span of things.

She frowned at my response.

We sat in silence before I had to leave, they were things I had to attend to.

-{Dulio Gesualdo}-

Heaven.

The word alone made Dulio's palms sweat.

He stood before the swirling portal, heart pounding harder than it ever had in battle.

Heaven.

The very heart of his faith.

It didn't help that not only was he going to a section of Heaven but he was also meeting the rest of the holy order. Those would be working under him. Selected by the Lord himself.

He shifted nervously, his fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides. "I... I'm not sure I'm ready for this."

Beside him, Vasco Strada stood tall, the new weapon God had given him firmly placed on his back.

The old warrior gave him a small, reassuring nod.

"You wouldn't be here if you weren't worthy, Saint Dulio." His voice was steady and respectful.

It only made Dulio more nervous. The fact that his elder by many years was now deferring to him was nerve-wracking, to say the least.

"Saint Dulio..." Dulio chuckled dryly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still not used to hearing that."

Vasco smiled faintly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Few are ready when the call comes. But you're here now. Lead the way."

Dulio took a deep breath and stepped through the portal.

The first thing he noticed was the light. Soft and golden. It wasn't blinding but warm, like being wrapped in the dawn. As his eyes adjusted, he took in the vast space before him.

It looked...

Peaceful.

The first thing that caught his attention. The two massive trees that breached the skyline. One with silver light emanating from its leaves, and the other emanating with a soft golden glow.

Something happened as he stared at the two trees he could feel his perception sharpen slightly, and a small increase in his strength was gained.

Vasco stepped through behind him, his gaze drawn upward. "Incredible..."

Dulio barely heard him. His focus was drawn to the figures ahead.

Three of them. Standing quietly beneath the twin trees.

One of them was Familiar, and he suddenly felt awe of the lord's sight. Asia Argento, the Nun he had saved in devil territory.

Had the Lord made him save her to build a stronger bond between them?

He had already received the names of the other two people.

Nyxera.

A woman who could turn anyone who met her gaze into stone and summon magical constructs in the shape of weapons.

Elizabeth.

A woman who could use a form that temporarily boosts her attributes, along with the Sacred Gear. Something his Lord had told him to keep a secret for now.

He took a deep breath.

His heart drummed in his chest. This was the first assembled Holy Order in many lifetimes for the church. And he could be at the head of it, one of the many things that he dreamt of as a child.

"It's nice to meet you." He smiled.

-{Rias Gremory}-

Rias sighed as she went to sleep, finally back in her house within the human world.

She had no tears left to cry. She was so done with this situation. Many called her spoiled or a brat, and couldn't seem to understand her.

Why would she, the heiress of the Gremory, be marrying a third son of the Phenex who would essentially make her into a slave?

It didn't make sense, and she felt like her family was trying to get rid of her.

As she fell into a deep sleep with her sombre thoughts, she blinked as she suddenly found herself in the air. Flashes of light rained from the sky as an angry man swept down.

She blinked, before scrambling away. Only to realise her wings weren't working. For some reason, she still flew through the sky.

Massive explosions erupted and kicked up a storm of dust.

Rias twisted midair, trying to make sense of what was happening.

The sky was a dark canvas painted with violent streaks of energy, each one ripping through the air with a sharp crack. Her wings wouldn't respond, yet she floated, helpless against the unseen force that kept her aloft.

Then she saw him.

A pale figure hovered above, sleek and menacing. His smooth, armoured body gleamed under the flashes of battle, and his cold, reptilian eyes locked onto her. A wicked smirk curled across his lips before he raised a single finger.

A thin beam of energy shot toward her,

Rias barely twisted out of the way, the beam slicing past her cheek and exploding behind her, the shockwave slamming into her back. She tumbled through the sky, her hair whipping around her face as she struggled to steady herself.

"What is this?"

The figure darted toward her, faster than she could track. His tail lashed out, and she barely ducked in time, the tip grazing past her.

A second beam shot from his fingertip, curving unnaturally in the air. Rias gathered power in her palm, forming a crimson sphere, and hurled it at the attack.

The two blasts collided, detonating in a violent burst of light.

Before she could catch her breath, he was on her.

She fired another Power of Destruction blast, but he weaved through it effortlessly, closing the distance in an instant.

Rias gasped, throwing up a barrier, but his hand pierced through it like paper, fingers curling into a tight fist.

She saw the punch coming, a blur of white and purple, but her body wouldn't move fast enough.

The blow slammed into her stomach, folding her in half.

Her eyes widened, ready for the influx of pain that would come. Only to blink. She felt... nothing?

She was promptly sent through into one side of the mountain and through the other side.

A massive shockwave obliterated the mountain.

"Wait a second." She muttered.

The being flew towards her, only to pause.

She turned, finding her pale cheeks flushing as an incomprehensibly handsome teenager came into view.

He looked just as confused.

"Not quite what I was expecting." He mused, his eyes turned to her.

She subconsciously gulped.

As the teen with golden hair stared at her.

"Who are you?"

"The answer to that might be a bit overwhelming at the moment." He chuckled. "The reason I came here though, is something you may be interested in."

"What?" She questioned.

"Don't look so confused, you called for me after all." He smiled, and she felt herself lower her gaze.

"You can call me Kai for now in any case."

-END-

if you wish to read up to sixteen Chapters in advance among my stories and other things please visit pa/t reon * / Snipez818, the app is charging a lot more for some reason so I suggest using the website. 

I appreciate all the support!